Only way forward

Led on by the mysterious voices, Xander pressed forward with cautious footsteps. His boots squeezed the soggy clumps of moss on the floor, flattening them with each step. The withered green vines squirmed out his way, clearing a path to the well.

The haunting voices grew louder as Xander neared the well and then stopped abruptly when he touched the damp stone wall. Clutching the curved perimeter, Xander leaned over the cracked edge to take a better look at what was inside.

The Well of Despair was filled with an odorless black liquid that sparkled in the dim white glow. As Xander continued staring at it, a reflection appeared on the water's surface. Scenes from Xander's worst nightmares danced on the glassy black surface as it rippled and quivered.

It was too much for Xander to bear, and he pulled back before the reflections could drive him mad.

[Well of Despair located!]

[300 exp gained.]

[Accumulated exp: 1000/3000.]

[Current Level: 5.]

"What the hell is this place?" he mumbled, stepping away. "Those are all my nightmares. How is this possible?"

The answer came in the form of a multitude of disembodied voices whispering from the dark depths of the well.

"The Well of Despair shows nothing but the truth. Only nightmares dwell beneath these waters. It quenches a mortal's thirst for knowledge but fills him with profound misery. Drink at your own peril."

At first, Xander was surprised to see such a powerful entity guarding a simple well, but now it became clear to him that the Well of Despair wasn't just a source of power for his relic. Anyone who drank the waters of the well could relive all their past nightmares.

While most ordinary people would never want to revisit their bad dreams, a Dreamwalker could learn valuable lessons from his previous nightmares. By finding the right nightmare and untangling its knots, Xander could not only overcome his deepest fears but discover the darkest secrets buried in his past.

The temptation to drink from the well was hard to overcome, but Xander fought the urge to do something so reckless. Getting trapped in his own nightmare would have disastrous consequences, and he wasn't willing to take the risk without someone watching his back.

Ignoring the whispering voices, Xander grabbed the wooden bucket lying nearby and tossed it into the well. A resounding splash indicated it had taken a deep plunge. Xander quickly grabbed the rope with both hands and pulled it with all his might.

It wasn't the first time Xander was drawing water from a well. Having spent his early years in the countryside, he was quite used to such strenuous tasks. However, this time the weight proved to be too much. It was almost as if he was trying to haul a bloated corpse out of the well.

"God damn it! How the hell is it so freaking heavy?" Xander grunted and cursed as he continued pulling on the rope.

"Heavy lies the heart that is burdened with grief. And heavier still are the forgotten memories," a multitude of female voices uttered in lamenting tones.

Xander pressed his feet firmly on the ground and started walking back to use the weight of his whole body to lift the bucket. His hands trembled under the load, spraining his biceps, but he persisted, using the last ounce of strength left in his body to get the bucket above the wall.

Surprisingly enough, as soon as the filled bucket came out of the well, its weight reduced drastically, and it became as light as a feather.

Holding the rope firmly in his left hand, Xander used his free hand to place the bucket conveniently on top of the well's wall.

After learning the dark secrets of the well, he was having second thoughts about dipping his fingers into its waters, so he carefully plunged the dagger by its handle, plunging the blade into the dark liquid.

Smoke fizzled out of the rusty dagger as the waters of the well corroded its surface. Once more, its blade shone like a sharpened razor. As Xander pulled it out of the bucket, he saw that it was glistening brighter than before, and its handle felt warm.

[Objective complete: Relic recharged.]

[Dagger of Diminishing reawakened.]

[500 exp gained.]

[Accumulated exp: 1500/3000.]

[Current Level: 5.]

[50 Nightmare Coins obtained.]

[50 Dream Coins obtained.]

"I really hope it was worth the trip," Xander whispered to himself as he put the dagger safely back inside his jacket.

Now that the he had everything he wanted, he only needed to find a way out of the dungeon and exit the temple. He was looking around searchingly when a white portal appeared before him.

"Step forth and continue your journey, Dreamwalker," Kokalotas' familiar voice echoed in Xander's ears.

As Xander stepped through the portal, he was teleported right outside the shrine.

[Blessing of Mordred Acquired: For the next two hours, the Dreamwalker will gain double shards and coins by defeating Ethereals and completing objectives.]

"Alright, that's gonna come in handy if I survive the next encounter," Xander huffed.

Eileen's subordinate picked Xander up as he walked out of the dark alley. They drove straight back to Galing Avenue without making any more stops.

As Xander alighted from the vehicle, he glanced at his watch and was relieved to see that only twenty minutes had passed. It was just like Kokalotas had said. Time moved a lot slower inside the shrine.

By this time, Eileen had managed to notify the authorities in Faros, and they had dispatched reinforcements at once. Since the target wasn't a common public area, but the private residence of a city official, they didn't hesitate to send the Rapid Response Force.

Armed with bolt-action rifles and shotguns, the men in blue were ready to deal with any threat...or so they thought.

Leena breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted Xander walking up to them. Having never dealt with such a dangerous Ethereal, she was starting to feel nervous. But Xander's return eased her jittery nerves.

"What's the situation here?" Xander asked, eyeing the Ethereal.

"The Ethereal has been in that same position the entire time. It hasn't tried to attack us yet. I think it's guarding the gate," Leena surmised.

"That means the gate is going to spawn more Ethereals if we're not quick." Xander turned to Detective Locksley. "Tell your men to fire on the Ethereal and lure it away from the gate. Leena and I will go around the back."

"We already tried that. It blocked our attacks with its tentacles, but didn't move an inch from its spot."

Xander looked at the Ethereal again and then shifted his gaze to look at the statues and corpses littered across the lawn.

"It seems like this Ethereal only attacks those who try to enter the mansion grounds. It's probably guarding both the gate and the mansion," Xander said.

"That doesn't sound too good. How do we get to the Mayor?" Eileen asked.

"I have to kill the Ethereal. There's no other way," Xander answered, pulling out his scythe.