Chapter 24: Dream Incorporation

Third Person's POV

Under the gentle glow of the moonlight, Astra lay sound asleep in her soft and warm bed, oblivious to the events unfolding around her. Meanwhile, Armann battled the Reaper in a fierce struggle to protect Astra from harm, all while she drifted into the world of dreams.

The moon's silver rays filtered through the window, casting a chilling ambiance over the room as Astra's dreams carried her to distant realms. In her slumber, she wandered through landscapes both familiar and fantastical, guided by the whims of her subconscious mind.

As Armann clashed with the Reaper, Astra's dreams danced with vivid imagery, weaving tales of adventure and mystery but aware of the noise around her. Unaware of the battle raging outside the realm of dreams, she remained lost in her own subconscious narrative, where anything was possible.

In her dreams, Astra found herself standing in the middle of a vast pathway. It is wide enough to accommodate two people walking side by side, with paths stretching out in both directions before her.

As she ventured forward, she noticed a circular space at the end of the pathway. The area is surrounded by walls adorned with ancient vines and greenery, giving the area an air of olden times. The ceiling above featured five triangular-shaped openings, with long lines connecting towards the center, forming a circle.

The light from outside cast a soft glow throughout the room, illuminating every corner with gentle light. Astra felt as though she were standing beneath the ground, with the lines on the ceiling resembling pathways or routes to different destinations.

On the other side where Astra faced, there were two pathways with open ceilings, casting beams of light that highlighted their presence. In the center of the room, there stood a large stone, which Astra speculated might have once served as a table, yet there were no chairs around it, leaving its purpose a mystery to her. There is a moderate size tree growing on top of the stone, indicating its age, with roots spreading down towards the floor.

Astra slowly walked towards the edge, reaching out to touch the wall, but quickly withdrew her hand as she felt its coldness. She then gripped the wall again for support as she came down, the stairs going to the center being slippery. As she made her way, Astra surveyed her surroundings, taking in the details as she moved towards the center.

As she approached the center, Astra heard voices conversing and the clashing of weapons from outside the room.

"You're quite diligent in your watch," someone said.

"Likewise," the other person replied.

After their conversation, the surroundings were filled with the sound of clashing metal, signaling the beginning of their battle. The noise echoed off the walls, creating an atmosphere charged with tension and anticipation. It was as if the very air crackled with energy as they prepared to engage in combat.

It sounded like they were either engaging in sparring or practicing with their weapons but Astra paid it no mind. Instead, she is directed to the tree in the center, intrigued by its mystique. A sense of delight washed over Astra in the presence of the tree. Though she couldn't explain it, she felt a sense of safety and security in this place.

While marveling at her surroundings, Astra suddenly heard a scream from the path she had just used. The voice started off faint, gradually growing louder as if it were rapidly approaching her.

Covering in fear, she tightly shut her eyes, thinking of escape. In an instant, the world around her morphed into something entirely different. It felt as though she had flipped the pages of reality, and before she knew it, Astra stood in the midst of an expansive landscape, the sudden shift leaving her breathless and disoriented.

Astra found herself standing in a wide expanse of land. The grass was a mixture of orange, red, yellow and brown, a symbol of the fall season. In front of her stood an old style house, without any signs of vegetation around it. Only a small fence surrounded it, enclosing her home and a gate that is similar to the fences materials, with a mailbox slightly tilting to the side.

Inside the house, emerged an elderly hag, her appearance sending shivers down Astra's spine. Wrinkled and hunched, her skin resembled cracked parchment, with eyes peering through broken spectacles and a mouth revealing uneven teeth. Wearing a black attire, she clutched a long cane in her right hand, serving as her guide in standing upright.

"Who are you? You cannot be here. Leave," the old woman shouted, gesturing with her hand as if to ward off Astra.

Taken aback, Astra instinctively stepped back, fear coursing through her veins as she grappled with what to do next.

Once again, she heard the chilling howl that had terrified her earlier, causing Astra to drop to the ground. She covered her ears attempting to block out the frightening cries, but they persisted, echoing ominously throughout the surroundings, growing louder with each passing moment.

"YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM ME!" the howling louder and louder.

"No!" Astra exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear. "Stop it!"

In the distance, Astra spotted a dark figure running in her direction, terrified when she realized that the source of the loud noises was coming from her.

Despite struggling with the noise of her surroundings, Astra forced herself to stand and run towards the house, away from the woman who's running, but no matter how fast she did, she couldn't run faster.

Astra found herself on the ground, holding her ears because of the loud voice. That is until everything suddenly stopped as soon as she stepped inside the house's fence.

Everything fell silent, the darkness enveloped her, and Astra jolted awake in real life, gasping for breath, feeling disoriented and overwhelmed by the intensity of her experience.

Still shaken from the events of her dream, Astra was startled to see a shadow looming before her, poised to attack at any moment. With a quick dodge, she narrowly avoided the looming threat, causing her to tumble back onto her bed in a state of panic. Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of the sudden appearance, her mind still foggy from the intensity of her dream.

As she sat down, she observed and gaze fell upon two additional figures, both wearing in black, engaged in an intense standoff with their weapon.

Due to the intense battle, the furniture in the room lay in ruins while burning. Because of the sparks from their weapon, the fire starts to spread. The air was thick with the smell of burning wood, adding to the chaotic scene.

"Who are you?" Astra's voice quivered with fear as she spoke.

"That's mine!" the shadow hissed fiercely in response to Astra's question.

As Armann fell victim to Nyx's power of sleep paralysis, Astra found herself torn between confusion and determination to survive. Though her instincts screamed for action, she made herself to remain calm, knowing that panic would only serve an unwanted result.

With an air of innocence, Astra finds herself paralyzed, unable to take action as Nyx unleashes a surge of dark energy, encasing her in a small, confined space. She can see nothing beyond the confines of the room, surrounded only by an endless expanse of darkness that seems to suffocate her with its oppressive presence. The atmosphere is thick with an overwhelming sense of fear, making it difficult for Astra to draw a breath.

Astra, trapped in a bleak enclosure, faces relentless terror from illusions and sinister shadows. Despite her efforts to remain calm, she struggles to find hope and break free from Nyx's grasp. The too much weight of fear threatens to overwhelm her, and she must find a solution before it's too late.

She struggled to break free using force, but she couldn't overcome the strength of the power emanating from Nyx. Astra's body couldn't bear the strain any longer, and she lost consciousness, slipping into a vision.

In Astra's dream, there was a man and a young girl.

"When you have a bad dream, just close your eyes and pray. They will listen to you." the man said.

"Who is listening?" the child innocently asked.

The man lifted his gaze and looked directly at Astra's eyes, standing before them.

"The most powerful of all," he replied.

Then Astra suddenly woke up again, finding herself still in the same situation as before.

Just moments passed after that happened, and although confused, Astra followed the man's advice. She closed her eyes and began to pray.

"To the most powerful of all, please help me," she whispered.

As she did, the surroundings cracked, and an array of light from the fire entered the sphere of power that enveloped Astra. The gentle glow bathed her in its warmth, filling her with a newfound sense of strength and clarity.

As a result, Nyx lost control, leading to a sudden distraction that shattered the darkness, disrupting the flow of magic. In that moment of confusion, the attention of Nyx drifted. Armann seized the chance to act and with a swift movement. He teleports behind Astra and touch her shoulder.

With a surge of energy, Armann activated his teleportation magic, whisking himself and Astra away from the chaos in an instant. Together, they vanished into the unknown, leaving Nyx and Reaper behind in a haze of confusion and frustration.

Nyx was unable to follow them further as the fire inside the house grew more intense. The flames licked at the walls, engulfing everything in their path. The reaper disappeared from the scene first, sensing the danger and retreating to safety. Nyx, on the other hand, remained calm and composed, unaffected by the fire raging around it.

It stood there calmly, its gaze fixed ahead, seemingly unfazed by the chaos unfolding before it. Despite the raging inferno, Nyx exuded an eerie sense of tranquility, its presence casting a shadow over the burning room.

Nyx realized that Astra's power was stronger than it's thought, and despite its ferocious attack, Astra managed to break it. This unexpected turn of events filled Nyx with both surprise and excitement. With an evil laugh, Nyx's desires to possess Astra's power grew even stronger.

~ To be Continued ~