At a police station, two policemen—one younger and one older—were talking. The younger one sighed.
"It's such a peaceful day today."
The older one stopped what he was doing and looked at him.
"You rascal, don't ever say that! Haven't you learned anything these years?"
The young policeman shrugged.
"You're thinking too much."
The older man no longer bothered.
"If something happens, it's on you."
Suddenly, the door to the police station opened. A young boy walked in, his hair is black on one side and white on the other. He looked about 16, thin, and dressed in poor clothes, but there was an invisible, bright aura about him. The older policeman greeted him.
"Hello there. Do you need something?"
Blaze looked at the old man.
"I came to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell."
The young officer looked wary, wanting to say something, but was silenced by a glare from the older man. The older policeman turned back to Blaze.
"Are you sure? What's your name?"
Blaze nodded.
"My name is Ashenlight. And yes, I have all the symptoms of an infected person. It started a week ago. I began feeling sleepy and having weird dreams."
The young officer seemed to panic and about to shout something, but the older man placed a hand over his mouth to silence him. He turned around and whispered, "No need to make noise. It's just a child. Go and tell the others we have a Code Black. Start preparing the room."
The young officer nodded and ran off to tell the others. The older man smiled and turned to Blaze.
"Come, sit down."
Blaze nodded and sat in a chair on the side. The old man walked over, holding something in his hand. Blaze, lost in his thoughts, stared at the ground. He was an orphan—no mother, no father, no one who could miss him. He had been raised by a grandmother who died eight years ago, and from that point on, he was alone. Though he had a house, food was a constant struggle. Now, at 17, he had nothing.
Blaze looked up and saw the old man extending a hand. In his hand was an ice cream cone.
"Here, Ashenlight."
Blaze took the ice cream.
"Thank you, and just call me Blaze."
The old man smiled and turned back to his work.
"No need to thank me. Young people should enjoy as much as they can. And if you prefer to be called that way, sure."
The young officer from earlier walked back in.
"Alright, the room is prepared. We can bring him there."
As soon as he said that, two other officers entered, banging open the door. One of them shouted.
"We have a Code Black!"
The old man looked at the young officer, who cursed himself under his breath for jinxing it. The older man couldn't help but smile. Blaze and the other boy were led to the basement of the police station, where bulky chairs lined the walls. The walls were thick and armored. Four officers were placing restraints on them. Blaze turned his head to look at the boy.
"Hey, I'm Blaze."
The boy, who was about Blaze's age, turned his head to face him.
"I'm Sunny."
****
After checking the restraints again, the four officers moved toward the vault door. Two positioned themselves with rifles, their faces grim, while the other two went off. Finally, a gray-haired policeman walked in. He had a seasoned face, with stern eyes that spoke of someone who had seen a lot of terrible things in his life.
He stepped in front of them and looked at Sunny first.
"What is your name, kind?" he asked.
"Sunless."
The officer raised an eyebrow.
"Sunless? What a strange name."
Sunny tried to shrug but found himself unable to move.
"What's strange about it? At least I have a name. Back in the outskirts, not everyone gets one."
After a yawn, he added, "It's because I was born during a solar eclipse. My mom had a poetic soul, you know?"
The policeman grunted.
"Do you want me to contact your family?"
Sunny shook his head.
"Don't bother. There's no one."
For a second, there was a dark look in the policeman's eyes, but then he sighed and turned to Blaze.
"What is your name, kind?"
Blaze smiled.
"It's Ashenlight, sir. But it's difficult for people to say it, so I chose Blaze as a nickname."
The policeman frowned.
"Again, a strange name."
Blaze smiled bitterly.
"I agree with you, sir. But it's the name given to me."
The policeman's expression softened a little, but only for a moment.
"Should I contact your family?"
Blaze's face grew solemn.
"No, I don't have anyone to contact, sir."
The policeman sighed again, then turned serious.
He looked at both of us.
"How long can you two stay awake?"
Blaze responded first.
"Not for long, sir."
Sunny answered a moment later.
"Not for long as well."
The officer's expression darkened.
"Then we have no time for procedure. Try to resist as much as possible and listen to me."
Without waiting for a response, he continued.
"How much do you two know about the Nightmare Spell?"
Sunny and Blaze exchanged questioning looks.
"As much as anyone, I guess? Who doesn't know about the spell?" Sunny said.
"The same goes for me," Blaze agreed.
The officer shook his head.
"Not the fancy stuff you see in dramas or hear on propaganda broadcasts. I mean—how much do you two really know?"
That was a hard question for both of them.
He leaned closer, his voice low and serious.
"Listen carefully. Once you fall asleep, you'll be transported into your first Nightmare. Nightmares are trials created by the Spell. Once inside, you'll meet monsters, sure... but also people. Remember: they are not real. They're illusions, conjured to test you."
"How do you know?" Sunny asked.
Before the officer could respond, Blaze spoke up.
"Because we might have to kill them, right? It's better for us to think of them as illusions, not real people, so we won't feel guilty."
The officer stared at him for a moment, then gave a grim nod.
"Yes, you're right." He turned to Sunny. " Do yourself a favor and Listen to that kid."
"Oh," Sunny muttered.
The officer nodded.
"A lot of things about the first Nightmare depend on luck. Generally, it shouldn't be overwhelmingly hard. The situation you're in, the tools you have at your disposal, and the creatures you have to defeat should be within the range of your abilities — at least, the Spell sets up trials, not executions. You two are at a bit of a disadvantage, well... due to circumstances. But kids from the outskirts are tough. Don't give up yet."
Sunny and Blaze were getting sleepier, finding it harder and harder to follow the conversation.
"Remember: the first thing you two must do once inside the Nightmare is check your Attributes and Aspect. If you get a combat-oriented Aspect — something like a swordsman or an archer — things will be much easier. If it's reinforced by a physical Attribute, even better. Combat Aspects are the most common ones, so the chances of getting one are pretty high."
He paused, making sure they were still listening.
"If one of you — or both — are unlucky and your Aspect has nothing to do with combat, don't despair. Sorcery and utility Aspects are useful in their own ways... well, almost. Just do everything in your power to survive."
The officer's face grew a little darker.
"If one of you survives, you'll be halfway to becoming Awakened. If one of you — or both — die... a Gate opens. In this case, two Gates. Two Nightmares will appear in the real world. Which means my colleagues and I will have to deal with it. So please — don't die."
Half-asleep, Sunny was touched by the officer's words. Blaze could barely hear him anymore.
"...Or at least don't die right away," the officer muttered gruffly. "The nearest Awakened won't be able to get here for a few hours, so we'd really appreciate it if you two don't make us fight these things ourselves."
"What.."
And then everything became black.
Then, a voice echoed in Blaze's mind
"Aspirant... welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial."