IS THIS A DREAM?

Having mysteriously entered a place called Nirvana, she was a girl whose entire body could not move as a result of a fatal accident. Now, she stood before beings called gods. After surveying her surroundings, a nagging thought persisted: could this be nothing more than a dream?

Everyone was dead quiet; no one reacted. I could hear the heartbeat of the skinny kid I was holding onto for support. The rhythmic thumping coming from his chest were like drums played at festivals. I sneaked a peek under his gigantic circular glasses and saw his black, dead, and soulless eyeballs glimmering. Somehow, I knew he felt ecstasy; his grip on my waist had tightened. A disconcerting smile curled across his face.

"You have all been brought here as proxies for the gods who have chosen you. It is your sacred duty to fight and bring honor to your respective deities," declared Goddess Inokosazana.

The goddess momentarily gazed upwards, conjuring a golden slate that hovered before her. Reading from its mystical inscriptions, she continued, "now, let me elucidate the rules. Rule number one: all battles must transpire within the confinements of the specified arena. This includes not only the clashes between proxies but also disputes between proxies and gods. Engaging in combat beyond the arena's boundaries is strictly prohibited, if violated, there shall be severe consequences for both proxy and god involved," she warned, her voice resonating with authority.

Her eyes squinted a little as she read again from the golden slate. ""The second rule dictates that, proxies shall refrain from obliterating the souls of their counterparts, for such damage is irrevocable. However, damaging specific parts of the soul, such as the limbs, heads, or other individual components, remains permissible. Restoration can be achieved through the abundant energies of Nirvana or the intervention of the chosen deity. For further guidance, I defer to the water Goddess MAMI," she proclaimed before vanishing in a shimmering green light.

The coliseum's cosplayers erupted in exuberant applause, their cheers reverberating through the air. A colossal wave crashed upon the elevated stage, instantaneously transforming into billowing steam that enshrouded the entire area. From within the mist, a figure materialized. It was another woman, bearing a striking resemblance to Goddess Inokosazana. Her cascading hair seemed fashioned from crystalline water, mirroring the color of a clear sky at noon. Eyes akin to resplendent jewels shimmered as they caught the light. Clad in a bikini, her hourglass figure showcased equal proportions in her bust, shoulders, and hips, accentuated by a remarkably slender waist.

Standing upon the stage, she scanned the crowd, her gaze searching for something elusive. The cheers had died down, and it was quiet—really quiet. For a while, she just stood there. My legs were getting tired; I could feel them quivering.

Letting go of the skinny kid, I sat on the floor waiting and hoping she would say something, anything. But alas, she was mute, and so was everyone.

I took the time to study the other kids who were either standing or sitting. Some looked like they already knew each other. The kids here all looked and dressed differently. Some kids' skin color was green, and some were blue. Some were just like me, dark-skinned, and the others were either white or had rainbow-colored skin. I must be quite the lucid dreamer since I'm aware of this fact. Why can't I wake up? Or do I need a trigger to awaken my consciousness? It all feels so vivid and real. I can feel my palms on the sand, I felt the skinny kid's touch, I also heard his heartbeat. What's going on?

"Are you still sick?" he inquired.

"Oh my gosh! Don't do that!" I exclaimed.

Lost in thought i did not realize that the skinny kid was looking at me, crouching, with one knee touching the floor.

"Why not request water?" he suggested.

"Were you never taught not to eat within dreams?"

"What are you talking about?"

"This is all a dream; you are a figment of my imagination, so why are you being nosy?" I said, slightly irritated.

"I'm just worried about you," he said calmly.

"Okay, just curious, what did the other boy say to you?" I inquired.

He grinned a little. "Collins only wanted me to ask you if you knew him, said you were glaring daggers at him."

"I would like to smack Collins on the head. By the way, what's your name?" I asked.

"My name is Alexander, but you can call me Alex."

"My name is Mariam." I replied.

"Can I call you Maria?" he offered.

"NO."

"What about Mary?"

"That's a different name entirely."

"It's a nickname for Mariam. If you dislike it, how does 'Ria' sound?" he suggested.

"I think it's alright," I said, delighted by his proposal.

"Then I will call you Ria." He said, making sure I wanted to be addressed by that.

Talking to Alex made me certain that I am lucid dreaming because a lucid dreamer could influence and even control their dreams, and Alex accepting to call me by that nickname because I liked it was proof that this was really a dream. I made another impulsive decision. I raised up my hand and pointed a finger towards the sky to signal that I had a question. Alex's face turned grim, his eyes widened, and his brows narrowed. He held onto my hand, but it was already too late. Goddess Mami had spotted my raised hand. Her glare burned into the very depths of my soul. She pointed at me, and suddenly everyone's attention was pulled towards Alex and me.

"Speak, child," finally came the commanding voice of Goddess MAMI.

Standing up gradually, I summoned the courage and asked the question that had lingered in my mind all this while, "Is this a dream?"