Dream

In a dimly lit and enigmatic chamber, a voice resonated.

"Where am I?" Wang Yichen muttered to himself as the sound of heavy footsteps approached, jolting him from his drowsiness.

The echoes lingered for a brief moment before fading into silence.

"Another one of these dreams... When will it end this time?"

With a sluggish movement, he gradually opened his eyes, only to be confronted with an infinite void of darkness.

His surroundings were pitch-black, obscuring everything from his vision, yet he was able to sense the texture and contours of the surface he was resting upon.

Wang Yichen extended his arm, exploring his surroundings until he found a cold, firm wall adjacent to him.

Its polished surface was smooth and unyielding. He ran his fingers along its texture, finding it reminiscent of the marbled walls that he had read about in novels.

Pushing himself up against the wall, he drew a deep breath and felt the cold seep into his bones, but he welcomed the solidity it offered.

As he leaned on it for support, with a small smile, he thought to himself, 'At least I am the only one on Earth who has experienced such a situation.'

Left with nothing else to do in the darkness, Wang Yichen began to ponder how he would spend his evening.

He suddenly remembered that it was his birthday, which he had completely forgotten about until now.

"Should I just buy a cake and eat it at home like usual?" He wondered aloud. However, he quickly reconsidered his options, thinking that he should treat himself to something better.

Oblivious to the time, he ultimately decided to go with the cake option, reasoning that the store should still be open.

After finishing his planning, he waited for what felt like an hour, growing increasingly puzzled as time passed.

"Weird... Why is it taking so long this time?" He mused to himself, wondering why he still hadn't woken up from his strange dream.

.

He tried to stay calm and rationalize the situation, telling himself that he must have just lost track of time. But as the minutes turned into hours, he started to feel a growing sense of unease.

Was he trapped in this darkness forever?

The thought filled him with dread, desperately hoping that he would soon wake up from this nightmare.

Since his birth, Wang Yichen had been afflicted by a perplexing and frustrating illness that caused him to black out at unpredictable moments, leaving him lost in a vivid and surreal dream world.

The condition had plagued him throughout his entire life, leaving him feeling confused, disoriented, and vulnerable each time he succumbed to it.

He never knew how long he would remain unconscious or what might happen to him during these episodes, which only added to the anxiety and uncertainty of his situation.

Over the years, he had gone to see countless doctors and specialists, but no one could ever figure out what was wrong with him.

They ran tests, monitored his brain activity, and even put him on medication, but nothing seemed to help.

As Wang Yichen matured, he adapted to his condition and gained proficiency in coping with the blackouts.

He familiarized himself with the warning signs and took preventive measures to ensure his safety during the episodes.

However, despite his efforts to manage the unpredictable episodes, he was always apprehensive about the possibility of experiencing another blackout.

As he sat alone in the dark, his thoughts meandering, a sudden realization dawned on him.

'Wait!

'Where was I when I fainted?

'And what was I doing?

'F**k!

'I can't remember anything at all!'

The footsteps that had been silent for hours suddenly resounded once more, growing louder and closer with each passing moment.

Wang Yichen's heart raced as he heard footsteps approach.

He could feel a chill in the air that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He used the wall for support as he struggled to stand up, his eyes fixed on the spot where he expected the sound to come from.

The footsteps eventually came to a halt beside him, and he turned towards the source of the sound, but there was nothing there. Instead, the darkness dispersed, revealing an old, dusty room.

The room was dimly lit by a single candle, which cast eerie shadows on the walls.

Wang Yichen's eyes widened in shock as he took in his surroundings.

It was filled with old furniture and cobwebs, and the air was thick with dust. He tried to take a step forward, but his legs felt weak and unsteady.

He looked around the room, searching for any signs of life or clues that could help him understand where he was. But the room was empty, except for him and the candle.

The rough and uneven ancient walls were adorned with strange inscribed languages, obscured by a thick layer of dust.

"Are these perhaps runes?"

Wang Yichen looked around in confusion.

The marble wall he had been leaning against was now replaced by dusty, mysterious runes.

"How could this be?" He thought, bewildered. "This amount of dust would take years to accumulate..."

He was at a loss for words as he tried to process the dream he was currently experiencing. None of his previous dreams had been like this one; it was truly unique.

The last dream he remembered having was a few months ago, it was of an exotic, grand castle that was chained.

Details of the castle were vivid in his mind, from the intricate designs on the walls to the way the chains held it steady in the air.

He couldn't understand why this dream was so different from all of the others he had experienced before.

As Wang Yichen traced his palm over the runes, he felt a strange sensation of calmness and serenity wash over him.

The intricate designs etched onto the wall seemed to radiate mystical energy that he couldn't quite explain.

The texture of the runes felt smooth yet slightly rough under his fingertips.

Despite the eerie feeling of the room, the runes on the wall provided a strange comfort to Wang Yichen.

As Wang Yichen's fingers left the wall, he became aware of a mysterious object in the center of the room. It seemed to emanate a cold aura, causing the temperature to drop drastically.

'A coffin'

He hesitated for a moment before slowly walking towards it, unsure of what he would find.

Wang Yichen tentatively approached the coffin, but came to an abrupt stop midway and meticulously surveyed his surroundings, keeping a watchful eye for any potential threats..

Upon completing several thorough circuits around the coffin, he discerned no immediate signs of danger in the area.

Having concluded his inspection, he then proceeded to carefully examine the eerie coffin.

He was surprised to find that the coffin was exceptionally clean, devoid of any dust.

Despite the dilapidated condition of the room, the coffin appeared to have been well-preserved.

Streams of clouds billowed around the coffin, obscuring most of it, except for the front.

Atop the coffin, there was a statue of a beast, so long that it could have encircled the coffin several times over.

The statue's red eyes glimmered through the misty clouds, fixed upon him.

However, Wang Yichen did not experience any sense of fear; rather, he felt a serene calmness as he approached the coffin.

In a methodical manner, he approached the coffin and placed his palm on top of it.

The surface of the coffin displayed a plethora of symbols, some of which were obscured by a veil of mist, while others were flawlessly etched onto the object.

Among the discernible symbols were two distinct ones.

The ancient symbols etched on the surface were shrouded in mystery, yet among the enigmatic characters, two distinct images stood out: a majestic phoenix and a slithering serpent.

The intricate details of the phoenix symbol were mesmerizing, with its wings outstretched and its fiery plumes radiating an otherworldly glow.

In contrast, the serpent symbol appeared sinister and foreboding, with its sinuous form and sharp fangs.

Despite the enigmatic nature of these symbols, they seemed to hold a profound significance that only added to the eerie atmosphere of the place.

Though their significance eluded him, he was compelled to trace his finger around them.

As he did so, the coffin began to vibrate, and he quickly realized the impending danger. Wang Yichen tried to retract his finger, but it was too late.

The stone statue suddenly sprang to life and engulfed him whole with a deafening roar.