First Nightmare

Raphael dreamt of a desert, the desert were endless, he couldn't see it's end.

In a part of the desert near an oasis, a tribe thrived. Known for their incredible strength and dexterity, they were feared for their uncanny regeneration. They could heal a missing hand in a week, a broken arm in three days, and a wound in just three hours.

The tribe survived by hunting the fearsome beasts that roamed the area. But one day, a massive cloud of dust erupted from the south, growing ever closer to the village.

The dust cloud was a horde of monsters and abominations. Leading them was a colossal beast: it had the tail of a scorpion and a body resembling a human, but its form was covered in stones and scales. Its face bore four horns sprouting from its forehead and a maw full of fangs and tusks. Six enormous legs supported it, and four clawed arms radiated menace.

Despite their strength and regenerative abilities, the tribe stood no chance. The monsters annihilated them.

Raphael stood above the massacre, his gaze calculating.

'Surviving this is impossible. The tribe didn't stand a chance. Even if they killed the horde, that leader would have ended them. It's at least an Awakened Terror, maybe even a Fallen.'

He studied the monstrous leader, searching for anything useful.

'The monsters… they have neither eyes nor noses. They can't smell or see.'

Raphael shifted his gaze to the oasis, his mind racing to formulate a plan.

'Yes, this might work. If everything goes right, I could survive.'

Fighting the monsters was out of the question. He would die. But Raphael knew the Nightmare Spell didn't rate participants based on kills—it valued how they changed fate. If he survived, the tribe would escape extinction, altering their destiny.

Suddenly, time rewound. The monsters retreated, the slain tribespeople rose again, and the village returned to its previous state.

Raphael sighed. "This will be hard."

A voice echoed.

[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for the first Trial…]

Raphael awoke lying on hard clay. He scanned his surroundings, noticing only a single open window and an old wooden door that seemed ready to collapse. Without delay, he focused on something more critical.

"Status."

***

Name: Raphael

True name: —

Rank: Aspirant

Soul core: Dormant

Memories: —

Echoes: —

Attributes: [Fated] [?ᛁ@# ?4ᚨᚢᛚ€£] [Super regeneration]

Aspect: [Gladiator]

Aspect Description: [Gladiators are known for their courage and strength. They do not fear death and are famed for their immense power in battle. They follow the Goddess of War.]

"…Shit! Not only did I get [Fated], but also another attribute I can't even read."

Raphael could see the runes of the attribute but he couldn't read it, each time he tried, he feel a huge pain in his mind.

'Sigh… at least I have [Super Regeneration], and there's [Fated]…'

To be fair Raphael felt happy to have this attribute, even with the negative side of it. Not only did it give him confidence that he will survive, but also that he will be important for the fate of this world, which may be good and bad at the same time.

Of course he didn't trust the attribute not at all, but it did give him the confidence to trust his plan.

"First, I need to understand how this body works."

Raphael did a lot of experiments, be it for strength, dexterity, and even his regeneration, but the most important thing is..

Inhale

Raphael hold his breath.. Time passed—one minute, two, five—until Raphael reached ten minutes before exhaling.

'Ten minutes.. Good. This is good.'

With this knowledge, he exited his shelter, spear in hand. Outside, the tribe's village buzzed with life.

The men walked shirtless, their battle hardened muscles on display, wearing only hides around their waists. The women covered their chests and lower bodies with small hides, leaving them partially exposed.

Raphael was dressed like the other men. What can he do create clothes from thin air?

Raphael went to the market, the tribe trade in hide and meat and other things to buy anything, and the body raphael in had a enough hide to buy what he needs.

Founding everything he need he quickly returned to his place, he didn't know the exact time the horde of monsters will attack, so he need to finish quickly.

Raphael bought some wood, a rubber, and a candle.

Raphael started shaping the wood to a pipe, then shaping another wood to a mask covering his mouth, he made a hole in front the mouth and connected it to the pipe.

He then burned the candle letting the wax fall on where the mask and pipe connected so it can glue togther and not letting anything enter from the space, then using the rubber he bought he connected with the mask so he could wear it anytime.

His makeshift diving mask complete, Raphael went to the oasis to test it.

Normally a human couldn't breath underwater with a pipe because of the pressure of the water, but with this body it might be possible, well if he couldn't then it will be the end.

Raphael donned the mask and entered the water. The oasis wasn't deep—he could stand and keep the pipe above the surface.

At the center of the oasis was a hole from which water flowed, the source of its endless supply.

To his relief, Raphael could breathe underwater. It was difficult, but it worked.

Now, everything was ready. All he could do was wait.

————————

The next day, in the distance Raphael saw a massive cloud of dust.

Raphael did everything he could, now it was matter of luck, would he survive or not. Only fate knows this.

Raphael had his mask with him, he also took a knife for emergencies.

The cloud is becoming closer and closer, Raphael took a huge breath

Inhale

He donned the mask and submerged himself in the oasis.

He needed to survive underwater for an hour: twenty minutes for the tribe to be killed and forty for the monsters to finish their feast.

The sounds of battle rang out after three minutes.

At eight minutes, Raphael resumed breathing through the pipe.

By the twenty-minute mark, the cries of combat continued. The tribe had exceeded his expectations, lasting a full thirty minutes and slaying several beasts. This, however, complicated Raphael's plan—he'd have to remain underwater longer than expected.

"Couldn't they just die faster?" he thought grimly.

Fifty minutes passed. The monsters finally finished their meal and began to leave. Relief washed over Raphael, 

'Finally! Just this once, let nothing else go wrong.'

But fate couldn't allow such an easy victory, could it?

Suddenly a monster started approaching the oasis, Raphael didn't understand why.

'Is it because it needed hydration after a huge meal?'

But Raphael didn't dwell on it, he needed to act fast and understand why it's coming to the oasis, then Raphael thought of something.

He looked to his chest..

'My Heartbeat!! it can hear it.'

Raphael quckily thought of a solution..

'.. Fuck me for what I'm about to do.. it's ether this or being eaten by the monster.'

He quickly cut a part of his hide and put it in his mouth.

Then he pointed his knife towards his chest, and stabbed it!

The knife didn't reach his heart, but it cut deep enough to allow him to force his ribs apart.

Somehow Raphael didn't make even the slightest noise, he quickly opened his chest and ribs, and clutched his heart making it stop beating!!

Any normal human would have died instantly, but somehow Raphael lived.

The monster halted, confused. It lingered by the oasis for two agonizing minutes before returning to its horde.

Raphael didn't stop holding his heart, his consciousness started to fade, and after two minutes he exited the oasis.

Inhale

Exhale

Raphael breathed like he is going to die, he was actually dying, but that didn't matter. He survived, tears of happiness and pain came from his eyes.

Then, like a soft melody, the voice returned, whispering to his ear.

[Wake up, Raphael! Your nightmare is over.]

[Prepare for appraisal…]

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1353 words, god I wrote so much..

Hope you enjoy it, see you tomorrow.