Archive of Our Own

Y/n: "Oh fuck..."

It's been a few days since Y/n realized that he had been experiencing symptoms of the nightmare spell. A teen, not too short or tall, standing at a good 178cm. He had black hair which was relatively long , black eyes, and a lean stature, wandering in the middle of nowhere, wondering what his next plan of action was.

Y/n: "Awesome, I get teleported to this world, out of all the worlds, and in a few weeks time I am already a carrier."

He said to himself out-loud, surrounded by the empty streets of the outskirts. But what did he mean by teleported to this world? Let's take a little step back.

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Y/n was suddenly floating, floating into what seemed to be endless nothingness. He looked around for anything, anyone, but the void only stared back. 

Y/n: "Where the hell am I?"

He said to himself, not expecting a reply to come out of nowhere.

???: "You have died."

Y/n suddenly turned around, wondering where the voice had come from, but he was met with nothing yet again.

Y/n: "Where are you?"

He uttered in a low voice, skeptical.

???: "Y/n, you have died. Your body in the real world was too weak, you passed away in your sleep."

Nothing but shock could pulse through every fiber of Y/n's being. He was dead? All of a sudden?

???: "You passed away in the streets, no food or water to keep you going. It was a miracle you managed to survive a whole month in that state."

Y/n: "I'm surprised too, I thought I would have died much earlier..."

Y/n calmly spoke in a matter-of-fact voice. He was in the middle of a war, his nation under attack from foreign powers. Y/n just a fragile teen, living a normal life before the war, was struggling to survive after losing everything. His body had finally taken its last breath before his strength had run out.

Y/n: "Enough of that, I'm dead now, I lived my life..."

He said bitterly, holding back the tears from dying at such a young age. All of the things he could have done, people he could have met, places he could have visited. All of those opportunities stripped from him because of some shitty politicians.

Y/n: "So what now?"

He asked, devoid of enthusiasm.

???: "You have died, but this isn't your end, Y/n. You still have much to live for."

The voice spoke, and suddenly a light appeared right in front of Y/n, a warm light. Y/n moved his arms towards it, feeling the heat that it was radiating.

???: "I shall give you a second chance, you do not deserve to die like this."

Y/n looked confused, he tried to process what the being was trying to tell him. 

Y/n: "So wait? Are you going to let me live again?"

Y/n inquired with hope in his voice, maybe there was a chance for him to do all the things he has wanted to.

???: "Yes, but not in your world. I will transport you into another world, one more suitable for someone like you."

The voice said, and suddenly a snap was heard in the void. All of a sudden, everything started changing, the setting was turning from pitch-black nothingness, into the back-alley of what seemed to be the slums. There was garbage, damaged buildings, people sitting on the floor, seemingly out of it.

Y/n: "What is this place? This isn't my home."

Even his war-torn nation seemed to be better off than whatever the hell this place was.

???: "These are the outskirts, the outskirts of a novel that you are familiar with."

The voice calmly said. Y/n looked around, trying to identify the place that he was dropped into. This place didn't seem to be doing better than his homeland, but beggars can't be choosers. After all, Y/n was somehow alive and kicking in his own body. He scanned the place, looking for any clues about the place he's in, before he got a realization.

Y/n: "This... This couldn't be Shadow Slave, could it?"

Y/n asked, praying to God that it wasn't.

???: "Yes, you are correct. You have been allowed to have another chance at living in this universe. You have been granted your original body."

The world stopped moving, everything coming to standstill. 

Everything around him halted. The grime, the stink, the whispers of madness in the alleyway — suspended mid-moment.

Y/n stood there, heart racing, eyes wide.

Because if this was Shadow Slave...

He was already in hell.

???: "Anyways, I bid you farewell, Y/n. I wish you nothing but the best in this world."

Before Y/n could beckon for the voice to come back, to take him back, back to a world other than this, he felt him and the mysterious voice disconnect. It was like a thread had broke, he couldn't feel the beings' presence anymore, he was alone. 

Y/n: 'Lord, take me, I'm ready.'

A pair of outstretched hands, pointing to the sky, but no one was there to embrace them. Y/n was truly by himself.

Y/n: 'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I die a moment ago, and now I'm dropped into this shithole of a world just to die again in a week!'

He raged, cursing the voice, fate, and whatever twisted logic had decided this was mercy.

...AAAAAaaaaaannddd that takes us back to now, a few weeks forward.

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A battered teenager stood in front of the police station. Torn clothes, disheveled hair, eyes hollow but determined. He pushed the doors open. Cool air rushed over him, a jarring contrast to the sweat and dirt on his skin.  A police officer looked up from his desk and saw the young man. 

Police Officer: "Hm? Are you here to report something young man?"

Y/n scanned the station with his eyes, looking around before he answered. 

Y/n: "Oh yeah, I'm a carrier of the nightmare spell."

The officer spat out the drink that was in his mouth, before urgently standing up.

Police Officer: "How long ago did you start showing symptoms?"

A tiny yawn escaped the lips of Y/n before he replied to the worried officer.

Y/n: "4-5 days ago, give or take."

Before Y/n could continue his sentence, the officer scurried to find something on his desk. He opened a small pocket which was located on the side of the desk. Inside of it was a black button, he pressed it down with urgency and the alarms in the building started blaring. A squad of armed soldiers entered the premises and grabbed Y/n and dragged him into the other room.

Police Officer: "A Code Black, I repeat, we have our second Code Black of the day!"

The words that escaped from the officers' mouth didn't go unnoticed by Y/n.

Y/n: 'A second Code Black? Does that mean that Sunny was also here today?'

But before he could finish that thought, he was strapped into a chair, and an officer walked in to give him the same rundown that was given to every carrier of the nightmare spell. Y/n simply ignored the words of the man, he already knew what the nightmare spell was about.  As soon as everyone left the room, Y/n looked around a bit, taking everything in. After all, it could be his final day, for real this time. He took a final breath, and closed his eyes, the voice of the spell ringing in his ears instantly.

[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial...]

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Y/n's eyes snapped open.

Boom!

Something exploded nearby, throwing him off his feet. The ground rushed to meet him. He hit hard. Everything spun.

???: "Y/n, what the fuck are you doing!??! This is a battlefield, get your ass up you lazy fuck!"

Y/n instantly stood up, looking around. He was truly in a battlefield. Human bodies everywhere, alongside nightmare creatures. It was a mixture. He has a sword in his hands, not too long, not too short, the perfect height. The voice that had called out to him before was long gone, lost in the chaos of the battlefield. 

Y/n: 'It seems that I am in purgatory itself...' 

He cursed his luck in his head. Before he made another decision, a seemingly large abomination with wings swooped in from the sky, aiming directly at Y/n. 

Moments before collision, a massive shadow swooped from above, a winged abomination. Something between a raptor and a pigeon. Grotesque, twitching, fast. Y/n managed roll out of its reach just in time.

Y/n: "You are one ugly fucker!"

The beast kept its eyes on Y/n, this time running to him on land. The black haired teenager was mortified, he had never seen anything like this before. His legs trembled, and his knees were seemingly about to give out.

Y/n: 'Don't fail me now!'

He voiced to his feet, they remained motionless as the beast drew near. It lunged at him, and thankfully he rolled out of the way. 

The beast turned its grotesque head towards Y/n, opening its maw. Y/n gulped shakily, not knowing what to do in this situation.

Y/n: 'Think! Think! If I target its wings or its eye, it will probably do considerable damage.'

He thought to himself as the beast decided to leap towards him again. This time, Y/n raised his sword, and sliced a part of the abominations' wing before managing to leap out of the way. The creature fell into a pile of rocks, losing its balance from its damaged wing. Y/n didn't miss this opportunity, lunging at the creature. However, the beast wasn't completely incapacitated. 

It flailed its sharp talons in the air as its back was on the ground, one of them making a deep cut on Y/n's leg. The teen grunted in pain but bore through it, slashing at the beasts' legs, rendering them useless. 

A shriek from the beasts' mouth came, not a pretty sound. The ear drums of the damaged teen started bleeding, but he persevered. He made a dash to the side of the beast, entering its blind spot, and he delivered a fatal stab on the chest of the beast.

It let out an unearthly screech, further augmenting the bleeding in Y/n's ears, but after a few seconds of turning and twisting the blade, the beast stopped moving, and the most satisfying voice ever made its way to his damaged ears.

[You have slain a dormant monster, Passenger Killer]

Y/n dropped to his knees, not knowing how he managed to kill such an abomination.

Y/n: 'How the hell did I pull that off...?'

 His mind then wondered on why his battle hadn't been interrupted by a second monster.

Y/n: 'Knowing this place, getting jumped seems to be commonplace.'

A man rushed past Y/n, looking back and screaming at him.

Soldier: "Fall back! Retreat!"

As soon as that man said those words, Y/n scrambled to his feet and ran, ignoring the pain. Dozens fled. Not all made it. But after a few minutes of running for their lives, a relatively large group of humans had managed to escape from the battlefield. 

Everyone seemed to be exhausted, severely injured, or on the verge of giving up. Y/n stood silently among them, trying to get a grip on the situation he was in. Before he started walking around to ask for answers, a man got the attention of all the soldiers.

Leader: "Attention everyone! We have just received intel of our next mission."

Everyone stopped chattering.

Y/n: 'So that's the 'Leader'.'

He started, a sharp silence permeating throughout the air, regardless of there being a good 100 soldiers surrounding him.

Leader: "We held the battlefront well... Is what I would like to say, but we sadly lost around 50 of our brothers to the nightmare creatures."

A heavy feeling suddenly making its way onto everyone. The weight of the Leaders' words hitting every single soldier.

Leader: "However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We just need to create a path so that we can escape."

At this point, everyone was listening to him, hopeful that they can leave this place in one piece.

Leader: "We have to traverse through the mountain in the South, fight off the horde of monsters over there, and there will be help on the other side."

As soon as he uttered those words, everybody looked at him distraughtly.

Y/n: 'I'm guessing that the mountain in the South doesn't have very good reviews.'

A soldier suddenly stepped forward, looking straight down.

Soldier: "Sir! But wasn't there an Awakened Titan by the mountain!?"

Every soldier broke out in a panic, some praying to whatever Gods the believed in, others fell to the ground, wallowing in tears.

Leader: "SILENCE!"

The Leader regained control of the situation.

Leader: 'Tell me, Soldier."

He grabbed the young man by the shirt, pulling him close.

Leader: "Would you rather run back to a battlefield crawling with hundreds of monsters? Or fight one Awakened Titan and its pitiful pack of Dormant Beasts? We go back, we die in ten minutes."

The soldier looked petrified, sweat dripping on his forehead. After glaring at him for a bit more, he was released and he fell to the ground.

Leader: "You who choose to follow me, come. Those who don't, I can only wish the best for you back in that hell."

The Leader walked off, heading South, most of the soldiers following him. Y/n hesitated for a second, but ultimately he decided to follow the majority.

Y/n: 'This better be the right decision...'

The group started marching towards the South. Each day bled into the next. Move at dawn. Hide by dusk. Few words. No wasted breath.

Survival was all that mattered. After all, every single detail mattered when it was between life or death. 

Our main character didn't look to be in the best shape either. He was panting heavily and coughing up a storm relatively often. Many soldier avoided him, not wanting to figure out what was wrong. Y/n paid them no attention, tending to himself.

Y/n: 'Stupid fucking nightmare spell! You're telling me I have to go fight an Awakened Titan?! I just got tossed here a couple of weeks ago and I'm already getting bent over by the spell...'

He wanted to scream, curse, cry, whatever would help him find peace in this hell. But he knew better than to disturb everyone. Before he could continue sulking over his circumstances, someone walked over to him, sitting next to Y/n. It was the Leader.

Leader: "Hey kid, everything alright over here?"

He asked with a stern look, Y/n seemingly surprised by the older looking man.

Y/n: "U-Uhh... yeah, I'm fine. Just resting before we have to move again."

He crumbled under the weight of the Leader's gaze. The man nodded.

Leader: "That's good, reserve your energy. You'll need it for our next battle, we're entering the mountainous area by tomorrow."

The Leader said as he took a sip from his cup, presumably holding water in it.

Leader: "I saw you beat the Passenger Killer back in the battlefield. You're one of the first to kill one in this platoon."

Y/n turned his eyes to the Leader in surprise. He was one of the first ones to kill one of those beings? Though it was no easy task, Y/n did manage to kill one.

Y/n: "Me, sir? They weren't as hard to kill as I expected..."

He trailed off, recalling the bloody fight he had with the beast. Though he was injured from its talons, Y/n expected a way harder time in killing the abomination than he had actually experienced.

Leader: "Hahahaha!"

The hardened veteran grabbed Y/n by the side and gave him a little shoulder hug, laughing while dropping his tough demeanor.

Leader: "Glad you found it easy! Most don't survive long enough to make it look that way."

Y/n awkwardly smiled at him.

Y/n: 'If I'm one of the strongest people here, then we are all royally fucked...'

The older man got up from next to Y/n, giving him a pat on the back before he started walking off.

Leader: "Rest thoroughly for tomorrow, the worst is yet to come."

And he went back to where he was resting before. Y/n stared at him, studying his mannerisms.

Y/n: 'What are the chances that he has awakened?'

His inquiries would soon be answered in the upcoming battle, hoping that it wouldn't be his last one. He was too tired to continue thinking, and let sleep take him over.

Y/n: 'Let me make it back to the real world...'

He slowly drifted off to sleep.

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The next day, the platoon kept moving. Everyone was dreading the battle that they'd have to fight. The journey to the mountains wasn't long, it just took an hour or so to reach the foot. Before they entered, the Leader stopped everyone.

Leader: "Men, we have made it to our destination. Before us stands the mountain that we have to cross. Once we do, there will be a rescue squad on the other side."

But his voice was grim. The soldiers didn't cheer. They stared at the dirt, at their boots, at nothing.

Y/n: 'If there's a rescue squad... why can't they just come here?'

The question came and went, but he knew better than to linger on it.

Leader: "I will not wish you luck, because to survive this, we need nothing short of a miracle."

He continued.

Leader: "I am not saying this to make you feel as if we are already dead. I am saying this because I urge you to fight. Fight so that you can make it home. Now, come on, we must advance."

He turned around again and started walking, everyone close behind him. Y/n swallowed his spit, nervous and a bit frightened of what was to happen next. 

The group walked close-by, keeping an eye out for any creatures. They kept on walking for a good half an hour, not finding anything.

It was peaceful.

Way too peaceful.

Y/n: 'This is wrong...'

But all good things must come to an end.

A loud growl had made its way to the soldiers ears, making them grimace is discomfort. They all turned to the direction the sound had come from, seeing a pack of what seemed to be wolves, but considerably larger and had purple fur.

Leader: "Do not falter! It's just a pack of Beowulf's!"

The Leader lead the charge, running straight into the pack of them, everyone following right behind him.

Y/n: 'I knew this peace wouldn't last long!'

Y/n also jumped into action, swinging his sword at the throat of what the Leader seemed to call a Beowulf. The beast jumped out of the way, snarling at its attacker. It mindlessly charge forwards, blinded by anger and hunger. Y/n saw that and slid right under it, holding his sword up at the same time to slice the underside of the beasts' stomach. A pool of purple blood started splurging from the wolfs' belly, making it fall on the ground heavily. Y/n quickly stood up and gained some distance from the wolf.

Y/n: "Did that kill it?"

He thought out loud, but the wolf stood up again, this time seemingly angrier. Y/n however didn't give it time to regain any sort of clarity,  instantly attacking its face. 

He pierced his sword straight through one if its eyes, digging it deeper into its skull. 

The wolf went limp, letting out a gruff before falling to the ground.

[You have slain a dormant beast, Beowulf]

The voice of the spell rang out, leaving Y/n with a sense of pride after killing another beast. But the battle was far from over. 

Not too far from Y/n, another soldier was struggling to fight one of the wolves. He was battered and there were deep cuts from the claws of the beast imprinted in almost every part of his body. 

Seeing this, the black-haired teen rushed forwards, creating space between the injured soldier and the wolf.

Y/n: "Fall back! I'll handle this!"

He shouted, while looking back at the soldier. The soldier frantically nodded and fell back from the group.

The wolf instantly charged at Y/n, lunging at him with alarming speed, its jaw opening to deliver a fatal bite. 

He dodged by moving slightly to the right, and cutting off two of its limbs with one fell swoop. The wolf fell to the ground, unable to get up, and a sword found its way straight into its heart. A familiar voice called out again.

[You have slain a dormant beast, Beowulf]

[You have received a memory: Sharp Tooth]

His eyes shot wide open, instantly trying to summon his runes. He struggled for a moment before they actually came up.

Memory: [Sharp Tooth].

Memory Rank: Dormant.

Memory Type: Tool.

Memory Description: [A sharp fang, dropped from the mouth of the mighty Beowulf.]

Y/n: 'Great. Fancy toothpick.'

He dismissed the runes, sighing at the useless memory he just received, gazing into the battlefield once more. Most of the Beowulf's had been taken care of, though a few remained. Y/n ran around helping others and killing as many beasts as he could.

[You have slain a dormant beast, Beowulf]

[You have slain a dormant beast, Beowulf]

After a couple of minutes, the battle had ended. The pack of beasts had been completely compromised, reduced to ashes. Y/n was impressed with himself, managing to kill 4 of these wolves.

Y/n: 'I guess being in a warzone back home really did teach me something...'

Not swordsmanship, that was new.

But adaptability? Panic control? Surviving against impossible odds?

That, he knew.

Still, four kills in one battle. He wasn't proud. He was alive.

And in this world, that meant everything.

Y/n: 'I have to stay focused, I can't let my guard down after killing just a few Beowulf's.'

He took out his sword from the corpse that it was plunged in, swinging it around a bit to get it rid of the pink blood that was stuck to it. Y/n, building up courage, made his way to the Leader, standing right next to him.

Y/n: "Sir, what do we do now?"

He said with a cough, still tired from the previous battle. The Leader turned around, a small amount of blood on his face.

Leader: "Oh, it's you kid."

He said while placing a hand on Y/n' shoulder.

Leader: "Well, it seems we have no casualties, so we have to keep moving forwards. No time for an pit stops, the smell of blood will attract more beasts to find their way to us. We have to be quick."

Y/n nodded, sticking by the Leader's side. The platoon kept moving, kept killing. They encountered a few more packs of Beowulf's and an occasional Passenger Killer then and there, preying at them from the sky.

[You have slain a dormant beast, Beowulf] x 8

[You have slain a dormant monster, Passenger Killer] 

With the help of the platoon, Y/n managed to rack up a few more kills. Everyone kept moving, their formation much more solid than before, they were accustomed to attacks from the beasts, and were ready to respond in kindness. 

Y/n was one of the most powerful people, despite him being thrown in this place like a fish out of water, only falling behind the Leader, who was a monster in his own right.

After hours of walking along, they came across a cave that they had to go through, as eerie as it seemed.

Leader: "Alright men, we will now enter this cave! Keep your eyes open, and stay quiet, listen to any cues you can find, anything so that we don't get ambushed."

The Leader went forward, urging for everyone to follow right behind him, and so they did. 

Everyone had entered the cave.

As soon as Y/n entered the cave, the temperature seemed to drop. A strange wind passed through the ranks, not cold, not warm, just wrong. Like the mountain was breathing.

They soon exited the cave, but the feeling was the exact same, if anything, it was more intense. 

Y/n: "Something's watching us."

The Leader said nothing. He just tightened his grip on his blade. Y/n knew it was coming, he could already tell. All of a sudden, the air came to a standstill. 

And then, a thud.

The sound echoed through the valley like thunder wrapped in chains. Trees shook. Loose stones rolled down the mountainside.

Another thud. Closer.

Y/n: "That's not just footsteps... it's a damn earthquake."

Y/n looked forward, dreading the abomination he'll have to lay his eyes upon. Because he knew. One of them would have to die if he wants to come back to the real world.

One final thud came before the Titan was within view. 

It was huge.

Towering a good 6 meters above everyone. It had a humanoid shape, dark gray skin, blank white eyes with a strange sense of intimidation behind them. Its limbs were stretched to an unnatural degree, long yet thick. Its hands and feet were equipped with claws, sharp and deadly.

Y/n: 'Is this what I have to fight...?'

He thought, taken over by despair.

The whole platoon froze, Y/n no better than the rest. One soldier decided to start running, going back from where they came from, screaming as he did so. But suddenly, that idea didn't seem to be to plausible for the rest. 

The Titan instantly started trotting on all of its fours at an unnatural speed. The whole platoon getting ready to receive the attack. But it never came, the Titan went around them, seemingly targeting the lone soldier that decided to flee.

The fleeing soldier didn't make it far.

A blur of gray muscle and claws flashed past the group, followed by a sickening crunch.

Y/n turned in time to see the Titan's massive hand slam into the earth, the soldier caught beneath it like a bug under a boot. Blood sprayed across the rocks.

No one moved.

Y/n: 'So fast... we didn't even see it coming.'

The Titan rose to full height again, its head slowly turning. Blank white eyes swept across the frozen platoon.

Leader: "Steady. Blades up."

He said in a quiet voice, seemingly also frightened by the abomination. The Titan moved one clawed foot forward. Then another.

But it didn't rush this time.

It stalked.

It walked like a predator that knew it couldn't be stopped.

And then, it spoke.

Not with words, but with a sound.

A low, guttural screech that raked against their ears like rusted steel dragged across stone.

Several soldiers collapsed to their knees, screaming. Some clutched their heads. Others vomited. A few simply stood there... eyes blank. The quick death of their previous companion seemed to have driven many soldier into madness, few remained with their sanity intact.

Y/n being one of the few left sane, however, he barely remained standing.

His legs trembled. His vision blurred. The intimidation the beast was exerting was way too strong. 

Y/n: 'What can I do in this situation?!?' 

He frantically searched for a solution, eager to not let this battle be his final one. Until a realization came to his mind.

Y/n: 'Wait! That look...'

Looking at the vacant look that the abomination held, he managed to deduce that the Titan, much like the Mountain Tyrant, was also blind. It hunted based on sound, as for smell, he couldn't be certain yet. 

There seemed to be a pattern with mountain monsters and blindness. Y/n tapped the Leader's back, remaining as quiet as he could.

Y/n: "This thing is blind, it hunts based on sound."

The Leader didn't have time to question what Y/n was telling him, he trusted him and slowly kept moving towards the front of the platoon.

As soon as the monster came within range, it jumped, straight into the group. Some fought, some tried running away, and some just resigned to fate. Heads flew, bodies were crushed, guts and viscera being spilled on the rough cobblestone.

The Leader was meticulously deflecting each and every strike aimed at him, the other soldiers however were being swatted like flies. 

Y/n: 'This is madness!' 

His voice was barely a whisper, lost in the carnage.

All around him, screams echoed off the mountain walls. Steel met flesh. Bones snapped. The Titan moved like a force of nature, not fast, but inevitable. Every motion ended in death.

Its blank white eyes never focused, but its claws struck true.

Y/n: 'Sound. It tracks by sound. I have to use that.'

He gritted his teeth and focused. If he panicked, he was dead. If he stayed still, he was dead.

His gaze darted to a fallen soldier nearby, a dagger still clutched in cold, lifeless fingers.

Without thinking, Y/n rushed forward, crouched low, and snatched it.

He hurled the blade toward the far wall of the valley.

CLANG!

The metallic echo bounced off the stone.

The Titan stopped mid-swipe. Its head tilted, listening. Then it turned and lunged, away from Y/n and the others, toward the source of the sound.

Crushed rocks and blood sprayed behind it.

Y/n: 'It worked... it actually worked.'

The few remaining soldiers looked up, dazed and bloodied. Some were missing limbs, others just barely standing. But there was still a flicker of hope behind their eyes now.

Y/n ran to the Leader's side, panting.

Y/n: "We need to stay quiet. Move carefully. Use distractions. It's not invincible."

The Leader nodded, his expression grave.

Leader: "You heard him. No panic. No noise unless you're drawing it away. Stick to the rocks. Get to higher ground."

The Titan let out another guttural screech, turning its head again uncertain.

But now they had a plan. It wasn't anything grand, but with the number of soldiers reduced to single digits, and less noise, it was possible. They could escape.

Y/n scurried to pick up as many metallic things as he could, hoping that he doesn't get noticed by the Titan. The 5 other soldiers alongside the Leader also picked up a fair share of swords, daggers, knives, and other tools of the sort.

Leader: "We'll keep moving up the mountain, hopefully making our way down from the other side without being noticed."

Before he could take the first steps, the Titan let out an high-pitched scream, in contrast to its usual guttural bellowing. 

As soon as its scream was done.

The creature's head slowly tilted.

Click.

The sound was quiet at first. Barely audible.

Click. Click.

It echoed unnaturally, bouncing off the walls of the mountain pass, threading through stone, air, and bone alike. The clicks were rhythmic, deliberate.

Then it turned its head directly at the group.

Y/n: "No... it's not sight. It's not even hearing in the normal sense. It's echolocation."

He felt his throat tighten. The scream wasn't just a cry of rage. It was a pulse. It saw them without sight

The soldiers froze. Even the Leader stood stiff, his blade gripped tight.

Leader: "It's tracking us."

Y/n clenched his jaw, scanning the cliff edges, the terrain. Then it clicked, the sound it responded to had shape. Echoes. Reflections.

They needed to make more echoes.

Y/n: "If we move, it'll know. But if we make something else louder... it might follow that."

The Leader nodded. 

Leader: "Do it."

Y/n pulled a dagger from his belt and silently tossed it down the narrow side path, aiming for a pile of jagged rocks.

Clink. Clatter.

The Titan's head snapped toward the sound. Another click, and it lunged, limbs and muscle tearing down the rocky slope, crashing into the rocks and shredding through where the echo led it.

Dust erupted into the air. Boulders cracked.

Leader: "Move. Now."

They scurried upward, staying low, keeping every step quiet. No one spoke. Even the breathing was shallow.

Click. Click. Click.

It echoed again, sharper this time. The Titan turned, not directly at them, but close.

Y/n: "It's narrowing in on us. We need to scatter the echoes."

He motioned to another soldier, who quickly hurled two bent swords in opposite directions.

Clang! Ting-ting-ting!

The Titan paused. It hesitated, turning left, then right. It was overwhelmed by the noise. It shrieked again, a burst of sonar, then charged aimlessly into the mist ahead, claws tearing through empty air.

Y/n: 'That's it. It's not omniscient. It just needs constant input. If we stay unpredictable, it can't pin us down.'

The group kept climbing, breathless and terrified. With every step, another object was thrown, each metallic sound buying them a few more seconds, a few more meters of survival.

But they were running out.

Out of weapons. Out of stamina. Out of time.

Suddenly, the cliff narrowed. Just ahead, there appeared a ledge. Y/n, optimistic as ever, through a weapon, hoping that the Titan would follow it and fall to its death. 

But the Titan wasn't that dumb. It was cold. Calculating. Undistracted. 

It kept its eyes on the general location of the group. They were backing away, getting closer and closer to the top of the mountain.

Y/n motioned for one of the soldiers to throw another weapon, this time behind the monster, making it retrace its steps.

Clink.

The abomination turned around, aiming its claws towards the sound. The group made a run for it, a narrow passage right in front of them. 

But the Titan was upon them again. This time, closer than ever.

It swung its deadly claws, turning the remaining soldiers into piles of limbs, organs, and rivers of blood.

Y/n and the Leader were left, still running through the passage, which become a tunnel. The Titan closing in on them.

Y/n: 'Fuck! Think!'

He was trying to come up with a plan, to by them a little bit of time, anything that means that they can keep surviving. Then an idea hit him. 

Y/n took his sword out, the last metallic object on him, and threw it full-force into the roof of the cave. 

Clink.

The sword struck the roof of the tunnel with a sharp, echoing ring.

In that instant, the Titan froze mid-charge.

Its head snapped toward the sound, not the echo around them, but above.

Then, without warning, it let out a piercing shriek and lunged, not at Y/n or the Leader, but upward, directly into the ceiling where the sword had hit.

CRASH.

The Titan slammed its massive body into the roof of the cave. Stone cracked. Dust exploded around them. Pebbles rained down like hail.

Leader: "MOVE!"

Y/n and the Leader barely dove forward as the ceiling collapsed behind them.

A deafening roar swallowed the tunnel as tons of rock came crashing down. The air filled with dust and choking silence.

When it cleared... the exit was gone.

Completely sealed.

Y/n and the Leader were left staring at a solid wall of jagged stone. The Titan's screeches were now muffled behind it, distant, yet still present. Its massive frame blocked out any chance of turning back.

Y/n: "I... didn't think it would... It reacted to the sword. To the sound hitting the ceiling."

He said while panting.

Leader: "It thought prey was above. It followed the sound."

The realization hit hard. The Titan didn't mean to trap them. It simply chased the noise.

But the result was the same.

They were sealed inside the mountain, with nowhere to go but forward.

Y/n: "...Guess we keep climbing."

And so they did.

Two shadows, going deeper into the mountain. Waiting to see what other scenarios fate had in store for them.

...

..

.

..

...

Hours later, they still hadn't reached the top of the mountain. They took breaks when needed, drinking some water and catching their breath. They had no idea when the Titan would strike again. The cave-in of the tunnel halted its movement, but they couldn't know if it would stay that way.

Leader: "Let's pick up the pace, Boy."

He huffed, standing up from the rock he was sitting at. Y/n looked at him in agreement, before adding something.

Y/n: It's Y/n.

The Leader looked at him with a small grin.

Leader: Adam.

Y/n nodded, finally exchanging names with the man after all they had been through. They kept walking up the mountain.

But suddenly. The mountain air was thin and cold, each breath a sharp stab in Y/n's chest. Adam's heavy steps kept pace beside him, both men grim and silent except for the heaviness in their footsteps.

Behind them, the earth rumbled faintly. Deep, angry thuds that shook loose pebbles and sent distant stones tumbling down the slope.

Y/n glanced back, heart hammering. The tunnel collapse had bought them time, but it wasn't a prison. The Titan was trapped... for now.

A guttural roar echoed through the valley, reverberating off the rocks like a death knell.

Adam's grip tightened on his sword.

Adam: "It won't stay buried long."

Y/n swallowed hard, pushing his exhaustion aside. 

Y/n: "How far to the summit?"

Adam: "Not far."

Adam said, scanning the jagged path ahead. 

Adam: "But that beast's strength... if... No, when it breaks loose, it'll chase us down."

A sudden crack sounded nearby, a tree snapping under weight. Both men froze.

A shadow moved on the ridge, large and distorted. Something stalking close behind.

Y/n's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. 

Y/n: "It's still hunting."

Adam nodded. 

Adam: "We push forward. No noise."

They pressed on, every step a battle against their own bodies and the terror clawing at their backs. The mountain was no longer just an obstacle, it was a blood-stained battlefield.

Another roar cracked through the cliffs, louder this time. Closer.

The mountain trembled beneath their feet. It was on its way.

Y/n: "It found another way."

Adam didn't respond. He was already turning, eyes scanning the path below.

From a ridge just below them, a massive shadow pulled itself over the edge, limbs dragging, stone and snow falling with each heave.

There it was.

The Titan.

Its dark gray flesh was torn in places, bone peeking through cracked joints, its head tilted unnaturally as if its neck had nearly snapped in the cave-in. And yet, it still moved. Despite everything.

Its blind white eyes stared blankly. However, it wasn't clueless.

The high-pitched screech came again, sharp and long. Echoes rolled outward, and the Titan stood still, listening.

Y/n felt the pressure behind his eyes. The sound wasn't just for direction, it was designed to break minds. Before Y/n could draw the dagger he had attached to his belt, Adam stepped forward.

Adam: "Go. Run."

Y/n: "No—"

Adam shoved him forward, stepping between Y/n and the creature, his blade raised.

Y/n hesitated, heart lurching. 

Y/n: 'This is just a nightmare... He isn't real...'

These are the words he told himself. The words he told himself to move forward. Y/n turned away.

The Titan moved like a nightmare. Its arms and legs galloped low to the ground, its claws clicking with each lunge, locked in on Adam's sound.

Adam bellowed, taunting it, dragging his blade along a rock wall to draw attention, to give Y/n distance. The screech came again, and the beast pivoted with terrifying speed, charging toward him.

Adam roared back, slamming his sword into the ground to anchor himself. The two collided like titans of their own—man and monster.

Y/n turned at the last second. 

Y/n: "No!" 

He screamed, but the tunnel swallowed the sound. 

The sound of impact echoed up the trail like a drumbeat of war.

Y/n came to a stop, breath ragged. He turned back toward the path, just in time to see the Titan's hulking body crash down through the mountains region.

Adam stood his ground.

For a moment, the world was silent. The kind of silence that hangs just before death.

Then, chaos.

Adam surged forward, blade flashing like lightning. He swung low, aiming for the Titan's legs. The edge of his sword cut deep into one of its limbs, severing muscle, exposing bone. The beast shrieked, stumbling slightly, but didn't go down.

Instead, it retaliated.

One claw swiped horizontally, Adam barely ducking under it. The wind from the blow knocked him off balance, and the second strike came, vertically.

He rolled just in time.

Stone shattered where he had stood. The cliff cracked further.

Y/n watched, torn.

Y/n: 'I can't just leave him—'

He grabbed a loose rock, tossing it hard toward the Titan to draw its attention.

Clack.

The creature froze.

It twisted its head in Y/n's direction. Despite its blindness, it heard him.

Adam took the opportunity, plunging his blade deep into the Titan's side. The monster howled in pain, backhanding Adam with such force that his body slammed into the side of a boulder, crumpling to the ground.

Y/n: "Adam!"

No answer.

The Titan started limping towards Y/n.

He backed up slowly. Then faster. Then turned and ran, again, up the mountain path, lungs burning, legs screaming.

But the Titan didn't follow at full speed.

It stalked.

Not just hunting now.

It was enjoying this.

Y/n's boots slipped on the icy stone as he climbed, catching himself on all fours more than once. His breath came in gasps, each one drawing less air than the last.

Above him, the trail thinned, cracked and narrow. The clouds above were darkening into a deep, unnatural gray, and a bitter wind screamed through the peaks, threatening to tear him off the edge.

He didn't stop.

Couldn't stop.

He could feel it behind him. Always a few steps too far to see. Always close enough to hear the heavy, clawed limbs scraping against the rock. 

Y/n: "Just a little more..."

Snow began to fall. Thin at first, then heavier. Sharp crystals clung to his cloak and lashes. Each step was a battle.

Then, finally, the trail opened.

He had made it. He was there.

The summit.

A broad, flat plateau lay ahead, littered with old ruins. It was ancient, untouched by human hands for who knows how long.

Y/n collapsed onto his knees in the center of the space, gasping, chest rising and falling in sharp bursts.

He'd made it.

But not alone.

From behind, he heard it.

The slow, rhythmic thud of something enormous pulling itself up the final stretch of cliff. The sound of jagged claws grinding into the mountain rock. And just underneath it...

A low, guttural growl.

Not of anger.

Of anticipation.

Y/n forced himself up, hand clutching at the small dagger he had procured earlier.

And then...

The Titan appeared, pulling its massive frame over the ledge. Standing tall, towering over the ancient summit.

Breathing in the cold air.

Staring directly at him.

Though blind, it knew. It felt him. His breath. His desperation. His fear. 

Y/n moved slowly away from the center of the summit, approaching a ledge, his breath rugged and his steps slow.

Y/n: 'It's cold...'

It was indeed cold. The snow didn't seem to be stopping any time soon, and the cool wind was also very apparent.

The Titan was cornering Y/n, giving him no other options. Y/n was too exhausted and powerless to do anything else either way. 

Fight the Titan with his measly dagger? No way.

Try to run down the mountain with the Titan on his back? Tough luck.

Y/n weighed his options, but nothing seemed to be going his way. He was dealt a terrible hand, and he had to play it somehow.

Click.

Using its echolocation, it pinpointed his exact location, looking at him dead in the eye.

Y/n took another step back, his final one. Behind him there was nothing. One more step and he would fall to his death.

He raised his dagger, inviting the Titan to attack him. Of course, the abomination couldn't see that, to it, this was just another prey to be hunted.

It waited.

And waited.

The world slowed.

The snowflakes hung in the air like shards of glass suspended in time. The clouds above twisted, swirling violently, like the heavens themselves were bracing for what came next.

The Titan lunged.

Its elongated limbs spread wide, claws gleaming even through the fog. A screech ripped through the sky—its last, triumphant cry.

Y/n stood still.

No more running. No more chances. He didn't flinch, didn't scream.

He closed his eyes.

But he didn't fall.

Not yet.

Because at the very last moment, when the Titan's claws should have ripped through him...

It missed.

Barely.

The ground under Y/n collapsed, sending him and the Titan to a free fall down the mountain.

Both predator and prey plummeted.

Y/n didn't scream. He couldn't. The wind stole the breath from his lungs as the world flipped and blurred around him. The white mist of the mountain whipped past his face. The Titan tumbled beside him, limbs flailing, clawed fingers snatching at air and snow.

Its blank white eyes locked onto him mid-fall. Still blind. Still hunting.

Y/n reached.

Through the weightless chaos, he found the hilt of his dagger still strapped to his chest. His fingers fumbled, shaking, but his grip held firm.

The Titan opened its mouth, not to scream, but to bite.

Y/n twisted in the air, forcing his body against the wind, aiming himself toward the monster like a bullet.

And he struck.

The dagger plunged into the base of the Titan's throat, just under the jaw. It didn't slice cleanly. It tore. Y/n screamed now screamed with fury, despair, defiance, as the blade sank deeper, all the way to the hilt.

If it wasn't for the injuries the Titan had sustained in the cave-in, there was no way in hell that the dagger would be able to cut through its tough skin. But some how. It did.

The Titan convulsed, its mouth gurgling in protest. No roar this time. Just blood. Thick, black, steaming in the cold as it poured down its neck.

Y/n twisted the dagger again.

Once.

Twice.

The creature's limbs spasmed, its body going limp mid-air as the killing blow registered. Its claw scraped his shoulder on reflex, a final, dying twitch.

And then it was over.

The plummet was too fast, and Y/n was losing blood. He looked down, getting closer and closer to the ground. 

Y/n: 'I guess it's over for me...' 

He resigned himself to fate. Closing his eyes. But his death never came. Or at least he didn't feel it coming.

[You have slain an Awakened Titan, Dead Night Blind.]

[Wake up Y/n! Your nightmare is over!]

The spell spoke, urging Y/n to open his eyes. And as soon as he did, he found himself in the same space of endless void that was only lit up by distant stars that was described in the novel. 

[You have received a memory, Vampire Edge.]

...

Y/n: 'Holy shit...'

He was way too tired to scream at the top of his lungs, despite how much he wanted to. For now, he just smiled to himself, elated that he got an awakened memory of the highest tier.

[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]

[A soldier had been thrown into the battlefield, crushing monsters easily. An Awakened Titan was no match for the young man. He has been acknowledged by T.e F0,r/ate.n G/d...]

The spell trailed off, seemingly experiencing a bug. Y/n looked perplexed, but he decided to ignore it. Too tired to care.

[You have defeated twelve Dormant Beasts: Beowulf.]

[You have defeated two Dormant Monsters: Passenger Killer.]

[You have defeated an Awakened Titan: Dead Night Blind.]

[You have received T.e F0,r/ate.n G/d... blessing.]

[You have achieved the impossible!]

[Final appraisal: Inhumane. Your name will go down in history books.]

Unlike Sunny, Y/n received a compliment from the spell.

Y/n: 'I guess I'm the favorite child.'

He chuckled to himself.

[You have been bestowed a True Name: Mad Hatter.]

Y/n: 'A bit corny for my tastes, but hey, I got a true name!'

He clenched his fist in triumph, bathing in his victory.

[Receive your aspect.]

He looked on in anticipation, praying to God that it was something good.

[Aspect acquired.]

[Aspect rank: Divine.]

Y/n: "FUCK YEAH!"

He jumped up, not caring about his exhaustion.

[Aspect name: Second Heartbeat.]

...

He stared at his runes, looking at his aspects description.

Aspect: [Second Heartbeat].

Aspect Rank: Divine.

Aspect Description: [Your existence defies life itself. An ability fitting a being as tenacious as you.]

It was a short description, still leaving Y/n to wander what the hell it's about. 

[Innate Ability: In the silence before the end, he sees not death. He sees opportunity. To seize that opportunity, he needs a body that can handle such a burden.]

Y/n glared at the runes in astonishment. He had no idea about what power aspect had, but all he had to do was to wait to find out.

Y/n: 'So this aspect has to do with death?'

He thought while gazing at his runes for confirmation.

Y/n: "He sees not death, but opportunity?"

 He repeated out loud, hoping to make sense of the cryptic writing. The spell spoke up again.

[The First Seal is broken.]

[Awakening dormant powers...]

He sat again in anticipation, hoping for something as good as his previous boons. But before he got his aspect ability, he felt something itching in his chest. Like something was forming inside of him. He opened his runes, to check what that peculiar feeling could be.

True Name: Mad Hatter.

Rank: Dreamer.

Death Core: Dormant.

Death Fragments: [28/1000].

(I have no idea how to calculate fragments, I blame G3.)

Y/n: 'It was to be expected, I have a divine aspect after all. Forming multiple cores.'

He looked at the amount of fragments he had, smiling at them proudly. 

[Aspect Ability acquired.]

[Aspect Ability Name: Not Ready to Die.]

Aspect Ability Description: [When the heart stops, the soul speaks. There is a cooldown for this ability.]

He still couldn't make sense of what his ability does, hoping to find out soon enough.

Y/n: 'Reminds me of the time Sunny was trying to make his shadow attack a towel.'

He thought, sympathizing with him on this issue.

[All power has a price.]

[You have received a Flaw.]

Y/n: "Oh yeah..."

The runes shone brightly, illuminating the flaw that was given to Y/n.

Flaw: [Sign of Life.]

Flaw Description: [When the aspect is activated, the pain that is felt would be equal to death. Recovery after is also painstakingly slow.]

Y/n: '...'

Pain and suffering. Like he didn't have enough of that already going on in his life. This forsaken spell just gave him more like it was nothing.

Y/n: "Is it too late to go back to the Awakened Titan?"

He pleaded, but to no avail. It seems he was destined to suffer in this life.

[Wake up, Mad Hatter!]

Everything spun, and then, nothingness.

...

..

.

..

...

Y/n woke up, looking at the ceiling of the police station he had been in before entering his first nightmare. He sat up, taking a look around. 

His eyes landed on a beautiful awakened. She was sitting on a plastic chair, reading what seemed to be a magazine. She looked up to see Y/n staring back at her.

Y/n: "Uh... hi?" 

He said awkwardly. She put down the magazine and walked towards him.

???: "Finally awake? You were in there for a few days."

If he had to guess, this was Master Jet. The novel really didn't do her beauty justice. She had short black hair, soft lips, striking blue eyes, and flawless skin. She looked like a doll.

Y/n: "Well, what can I say. I took my sweet time."

She somehow chuckled a bit at his joke, then unbuckled him from the bed.

Jet: "Congratulations on surviving the first nightmare, Sleeper Y/n. I'm Ascended Jet, But you can call me Master Jet."

Y/n slowly nodded, getting up from the bed and stretching out.

Y/n: "Am I that important that they had to send a master to look after me while I was taking a nap?"

He grinned at her.

Jet: "As much as you wish that was true, that sadly isn't the case. There was just a lack of awakened nearby. I was in charge of looking after you and another sleeper in this station."

Y/n confirmed his previous assumptions.

Y/n: 'So me and Sunny started our nightmare's at the same time.'

He cracked his knuckles, still getting used to being back in the real world. Before he could continue his conversation with Master Jet, she tossed a towel at him.

Jet: "I said it to the other sleeper and I'll say it to you. You smell of nightmare. Go take a shower."

Y/n slowly lowered his head, smelling his armpits and body in general. There didn't seem to be any distinct smell but it was probably an awakened thing.

He nodded at Jet.

Jet: "Once you're done meet me in the cafeteria, I will debrief you and the other sleeper."

He stood up straight in a joking manner.

Y/n: "Yes ma'am!"

He marched off awkwardly, trying to maintain a stiff look. That managed to get a small laugh out of her.

...

..

.

..

...

After taking his shower, he changed into a black tracksuit that was given to him by the station. He turned the corner and saw Master Jet sitting on a table by herself.

He sat down right across her, his plate of food not too big. Didn't have much of an appetite after his nightmare.

Jet: "We're still waiting for the other sleeper, she should be here any moment."

Y/n nodded...

...

Y/n: 'Wait... she?'

Before he could continue questioning Master Jet, a third person sat down right next to Y/n, giving him a small nod before focusing on her food.

Y/n stared at her in shock, knowing exactly who this is.

The teenager was relatively short. She had dark onyx hair and eyes with long eyelashes. Her hair was tied up in a pony tail, and it seemed to be a bit longer than shoulder length. As for her stature, she seemed to be relatively skinny, not to be confused with an anorexic person, but still pretty skinny.

Y/n just stared at her, his eyes wide open. She looked back at him, surprised by his stare.

???: "Uhhh, is everything alright?"

He quickly composed himself, giving the girl a light smile.

Y/n: "Oh! Uh... yeah, everything's fine, didn't mean to stare at you."

He said, not sounding very convincing. The girl just nodded and looked away in confusion.

Y/n: 'WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY IS SUNNY A GIRL??!?!?!'

Jet cleared her throat, getting both of the sleepers' attention.

Jet: "Well since you're both here, let me introduce you to each other. Y/n, this is Sunea. Sunea, Y/n.

Sunea nodded at Y/n, and Y/n still struggling to contain his surprise, nodded back at her awkwardly.

Jet: "Then I'll begin, you are entitled to receive free psychological counseling. No matter what traumatic experience you have encountered, there is no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body, it's only right to keep it healthy. Are you interested?

Y/n instantly shook his head, already knowing the nature of this conversation. Sunea took a second to think before also declining.

Jet: "As you wish. You can also talk to me. Was it very hard?"

They both took a moment to think before coming up with their own answers.

Sunea / Y/n: "It was simultaneously much worse than I expected and exactly as bad as I expected. / I'd rather get tossed in a warzone before going back.

Both women gave Y/n some questioning looks, he just shrugged and dismissed it.

Jet: "Alright... Well, Sunea, that's a good attitude to have, us outskirt rats can't trust anyone too much. As for you Y/n... I guess I can offer my condolences?"

He gladly received them. Sunea looked at her in surprise.

Sunea: "Master Jet, you're from the outskirts?"

Jet grinned.

Jet: "What, couldn't tell from how well-presented I am?"

Sunea nodded.

Sunea: "I had no clue."

Y/n just looked at them while they kept talking, knowing exactly how this conversation is going to play out.

Y/n: "Anything else you need to tell us?"

Jet leaned back and answered.

Jet: "That's basically it. There are some additional hoops to jump through, mostly having to do with your family, but... well. I've read both of your files, so I know it doesn't apply. The only thing left is to decide how you will be preparing for your first journey into the Dream Realm."

Before she could give them their options, Y/n piped up.

Y/n: "I wish to attend the academy."

He said in a-matter-of-factly voice. Jet looked at him with a slight grin.

Jet: "It's good that you have made up your mind. Having a plan is always good."

He nodded, though he had no plan whatsoever.

Sunea: "What are the other options?"

She asked, not knowing a single thing about the academy. 

Jet: "Well, there aren't that many. You can prepare on your own but in the academy you'll be provided with food, lodging and a wide choice of preparatory classes. This late into the year, you won't be able to learn a lot. But it's better than nothing."

Sunea took a moment to gather her thoughts.

Jet: "More importantly, you will get acquainted with most of the people who will enter the Dream Realm with you. Some of them might become your companions for life."

She paused for a second, staring at Sunea.

Jet: "So, want me to take you to the academy as well?" 

Sunea thought about it. Strangely, her Flaw was silent, not forcing her to answer one way or the other.

Y/n: 'It's probably because she hasn't made her mind up.'

She then looked up, having made a decision.

Sunea: "Yeah, take me to the academy."

End of the First Chapter.