"Even in dreams, there are voices colder than death—names whispered from the void."
I opened my eyes—this temple again. The dream that haunted me every night. There were only two ways I could ever escape this nightmare demon: by not sleeping at all or by having Zura beside me when I did. For some reason, that demon seemed to avoid her. He once told me that Zura was the nightmare gifted by fate for my future, while he was the nightmare left behind by my past. I didn't understand.
My feet carried me toward the altar—the place where I usually found Zura lying in a pool of blood, her body cold and lifeless. But this time, the altar was empty. I stopped, confused. My heart pounded, its beats echoing through the silence of the ever-quiet temple. Normally, she would be there, cold and broken.
Anxiety began to creep into my already fragile mind. I stepped closer to the altar, hoping I had simply missed something. My eyes searched every corner, hoping for a trace of her. But all that answered me was emptiness.
My thoughts grew foggy.
That demon… What has he done to Zura?
Suddenly, the silence of the temple trembled. A chill swept over my skin—colder than it had ever been before. Something wasn't right. Fear slithered through my thoughts. Zura was not here. That meant this dream had changed… and that made it more dangerous.
A whisper brushed past my ear, like wind carrying a cursed message.
"Khakhakhakha! Looking for that slave girl?"
I turned, searching for the voice, but there was nothing. The altar remained empty. The whole temple felt heavier as if something unseen was watching me from the shadows.
"You again..." I muttered, my voice hoarse.
There was no response—just the thickening silence that pressed down like a weight on my chest. I felt myself slipping further from reality—as if the dream itself was trying to swallow me whole. For years, I had the same dream, but tonight, something was different.
Suddenly, a large mass fell from the ceiling, crashing onto the altar with a deafening thud. A dark shape emerged, its form unclear—just a thick fog swirling together. From within it, two crimson eyes gleamed, locking onto me with familiar hatred. The demon—Abyssian, the monster who haunted my dreams.
I took a step back, my body frozen in fear.
"Lost something, boy?" His glowing red eyes narrowed as if smirking at my unease. "I thought you'd be calmer without that dead ex-slave girl lying here. Guess I was wrong."
"What do you want now?" I asked, wary of whatever trick this nightmare demon was planning.
The creature snorted, its misty form shifting like a stormy tide. Those burning eyes never looked away. And then, the temple began to change. The walls shifted, the altar cracked, and the floor beneath me trembled. I stood still, stunned by the sudden transformation.
This dream was always the same. Zura lying dead on the altar, her blood staining the floor. But now… that scene was gone. No blood. No Zura. Just a growing void pressing in on me.
I stared at the creature, suspicious, searching for any trace of malice behind that cruel grin. He had always tortured me with the same vision, again and again. But now, he had changed it. Why?
"What are you planning?" I asked again, my voice trembling despite my attempt to sound strong.
That Abyssian chuckled softly, his raspy and chilling voice creeping into my thoughts, making me feel even more uneasy. "Plans? No plan, boy." His glowing red eyes burned brighter. "I'm just... tired of the old game."
I furrowed my brows, trying to make sense of his words. For years I had been haunted by the same nightmare, and now he suddenly decided to change it? It didn't make any sense.
"I don't believe you," I said, stepping back again, trying to keep my distance. "What do you want from me? You've always tortured me, showing Zura's death over and over, and now...?"
His eyes narrowed again, this time not just mockery—it was something else. Something far more sinister. "I won't tell you everything," he said calmly. "But at the very least, you deserve to know who I am."
My breath caught in my throat. For years, I had been tormented by this dream, but never once had this creature introduced itself. The Dream Demon—that was the name I gave him. In my dreams, there was always mist, always shadow, always Zura's death. But now he spoke as if everything was about to change.
"My name... is Absolute Zero," he said, his voice low and heavy, the air around him chilling instantly. "But you may call me... Zero."
My heart stopped for a moment. That name echoed in my mind, strangely familiar, though I couldn't remember where or when I had heard it. "Zero?" I muttered. "Why now? Why tell me your name after all this time torturing me?"
Zero bowed his head slightly, a faint smile forming on his blurred lips. "Because you're getting closer to the truth."
I flinched, suspicion clawing at my thoughts. What did he mean by that? I had always believed this nightmare was just a result of my broken mind—trauma, stress, and all the burdens I carried. I thought this demon only fed off that, destroying what was left of my soul. I assumed that was his purpose. But now... Zero hinted at something far greater.
"Nothing happens without reason," Zero continued, moving closer. The fog of his body swirled with a calm yet threatening grace. "My kind don't create nightmares for mere amusement. You… are part of something much bigger… and it's drawing near."
His words struck me like a storm. I stood frozen, torn between fear and curiosity. "W-what do you mean? What do you really want from me?"
Zero laughed softly, the sound like distant thunder. "Your little victory against the goblin horde was admirable. Seems like you and Tavon are planning to get your hands dirty on the battlefield to protect that village."
My eyes narrowed at his words.
"Don't look so surprised," he added, almost smug. "I live in the depths of your soul. I know what you've been through. I know everything you've done... even what happened with Zura in your study a few nights ago."
My face flushed instantly, and my heart nearly stopped. The memory came flooding back—that quiet night in my study when Zura and I had been alone. We talked, we laughed, we held each other… and then we kissed. I remembered how calm and peaceful I felt with her that night. But now that memory was stained by the fact that Zero… had watched it?
"D-don't talk about that!" I snapped, my face burning all the way to my ears. I wanted to swallow my own words.
Zero laughed again, the rumble of his amusement wrapping around me like a storm. "Oh? Embarrassed, are we?" He moved a little closer, his shadowy form swirling around me like a suffocating fog. "Funny, you didn't look so shy back then. Quite passionate, actually."
"Enough!" I waved my hand in the air, desperate to banish him, but of course, it was useless. "There's nothing to talk about!"
Zero's laughter grew louder, feeding off my humiliation. I groaned in frustration, trying to block out every word he spat. "Stop spying on my private life, you jobless freak!"
"Oh, I have plenty of important matters, boy," he replied, still in that mocking tone. "But watching you squirm like this? Absolutely delightful. If I weren't still bound by you, I might have paid Zura's dreams a visit and told her just how often you think about her... especially that night."
I froze. "Don't you dare!" My voice came out more panicked than I intended, which only amused Zero even more.
"Relax," he rasped, his voice like crushed gravel. "It's impossible for me, at least for now—while you still have me bound. But remember this, Elenio: I reside in the depths of your soul. Every moment, every secret, every... kiss... I see it all."
I wanted to sink into the ground. As if the fear wasn't enough, now shame clawed at me, too. But beneath Zero's taunts and cruel amusement, I couldn't shake off my suspicion. What did he truly want? Why now? Why reveal himself and speak so much?
I drew a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "Enough with your games, Zero. If you know everything, then you also know I'm not someone who'll benefit you by being tormented endlessly. Tell me what you really want. What's your connection to this dream?"
Zero fell silent. The mist that formed his body shifted slowly, and his glowing red eyes narrowed—not with a grin this time, but with something heavier. "As I said, boy… you're part of something much bigger. You've finally decided to step onto the battlefield after twelve years of hiding under the skirts of those who protected you, haven't you?"
I stared at him, still not fully convinced but now more alert than ever. One thing was certain: Zero might know too much about me, but he still held secrets I hadn't uncovered. I had to stay vigilant.
"So what if I have?" I asked skeptically.
"Do you actually think you'll win this battle?"
I hesitated. A heavy weight settled in my chest. Of course, I knew the answer. I had managed to defeat that group of goblins during the journey, but that didn't mean I was ready for a greater war. Greenreach was never supposed to be a high-risk village—there shouldn't have been anything more dangerous than a pack of wild goblins.
So why did Zero ask like he still doubted me?
Or… did he know something I didn't? Something far beyond mere goblins?
"I… will come up with a plan," I said, my voice steadier than the turmoil within. "I'll find a way, like I did before."
Zero let out a low, disdainful chuckle, his expression twisting with visible contempt. "Come up with a plan, huh?" he repeated mockingly. "You mean relying on luck and the mercy of that forest spirit again?"
My heart sank. I wanted to deny it, but I knew it would be pointless. I had relied on Kaeltharion in the last battle—a fortunate coincidence that the ruins where he lingered were close to the battlefield. Without his aid, I wasn't sure the plan would've worked. But was that really my fault? I used whatever I had.
Zero's smoky form swirled around me, his gaze taunting—like he was looking at a foolish child. "Listen, weakling. You may have driven off those brainless goblins, but it wasn't your strength that did it. Kaeltharion protected you. You didn't win that battle."
I clenched my fists. "I—"
"But I'm not surprised," Zero cut me off, his eyes narrowing with sharp intent. "You've always been a boy who plays with puppets. You need others' strength to achieve your goals."
I gritted my teeth, struggling to contain the fury burning within me. "Shut up."
Zero merely gave a thin, cruel smile, his eyes gleaming with dark delight. "You know I'm right. Without the Arcana Codex… without power… you never had a chance. And certainly not in the next battle."
His words cut deeper than I expected. My blood boiled at his remarks. And yet, I couldn't deny them. There was nothing I could do to change the truth—that I had no power of my own, that I depended on luck and those around me, the pawns I moved carefully in each of my plans.
"Then what do you want, Zero?" I asked in a low voice. "I doubt you twisted the structure of this dream just to mock me. What is it that you really want?"
Zero's smile widened, and the mist around him swirled slowly, forming a dark circle around the altar. "Me? Want something?" He laughed again, softer this time but still haunting. "You're sharper than I thought, boy. You're right. I'm not here just to watch you fail."
He drifted closer, his mist thickening, making the air colder with every breath. "I can give you what you need. The power you never had... the power that could help you win any battle without relying on that so-called Arcana Codex."
My eyes narrowed. I knew offers like this always came at a steep price. "And what do you want in return?"
Zero chuckled again, though this time, there was no mockery in his tone. "I ask for little. Only your loyalty... and a small fragment of your soul. In exchange, you'll gain the strength you've longed for. Dominion over dreams, shadows, and darkness itself."
I swallowed hard, torn between fear and a strange pull toward his words. "Do you think I'm that desperate? That I'd sell my soul to you?"
Zero's smile didn't waver. "That's up to you, Elenio. But remember this: without power, you'll never win. You know it as well as I do. In this world, Arcana Codex is life and power... is everything."
His words echoed inside me. The offer was tempting—dangerous, but tempting. I felt as if I were standing on the edge of a cliff, and one wrong step could send me plummeting into darkness. But at the same time, I wanted to stand on my own. I wanted to break free from the cycle that kept me relying on others. If I had the power he offered, maybe I could win the next battle with my own hands—maybe I could even fight against my fate.
But he was an Abyssian—a creature born of darkness, bent on Midgaria's ruin. Accepting his offer could only lead to destruction. There was doubt in my heart.
I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to accept Zero's offer. I knew that giving my soul to an Abyssian would bring nothing but ruin—not just for me, but for Midgaria as well. No matter how desperate or powerless I felt, I couldn't surrender to the darkness.
"I refuse," I said firmly, though my voice trembled slightly. "I will not sell my soul for a power born from hatred and destruction."
Zero narrowed his glowing red eyes, his thin smile unshaken. "Stubborn little prince, aren't you, Elenio? But I expected that answer. Those born into weakness always try to act strong. But in the end... you will fall."
I met his gaze, unwavering. "I'd rather fall in weakness than surrender to an Abyssian like you."
He floated even closer, his misty face now inches from mine, his voice a deep rumble that reverberated in my skull. "Very well, boy. If you wish to reject me, that's your right. But remember this—hatred is the door to power. If you ever find yourself on that battlefield, powerless and broken... let hatred wrap around your soul. Let your rage overflow, and call my name—Zero. Then, our pact will awaken, and my power will be yours."
I stared at him in anger and disgust, but deep inside, a flicker of fear stirred at his words. "I won't call you. I don't need your power. Just like I told you in the dreams before."
Zero only chuckled softly, his tone full of patience, as if he knew something I didn't. "We'll see, boy. Hatred and despair have a way of changing minds."
I was about to lash back with a sharper refusal, but suddenly, the temple began to fade. The mist that cloaked Zero slowly blended with the shadows surrounding us.
"Solstara has risen," Zero said, his voice growing fainter. "You must wake from your dream, Elenio. But remember... I'll be waiting. We'll meet again in your next slumber."
Before I could respond, my body felt weightless—and in a blink, I awoke inside a tent. The morning light of Solstara filtered through the small window flap, casting a soft glow across the room. But Zero's words still echoed in my mind, leaving behind an unease I couldn't shake.
Even though I had rejected his offer, the threat of hatred lingered in my heart—making me wonder... would I one day be tempted to call his name?