The night was without sound. Esau felt like he was high in the clouds as he took gentle strides through layers of gray fog and the network of trees. He could barely see his own feet.

  He walked for quite a while before reaching a metal fence that stretched along quite the distance. At both sides of the gate in the center, pillars that had become dilapidated were erected. These pillars displayed writings that Esau couldn't quite decipher. The symbols appeared familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

  He pinched his nose bridge and proceeded forward, arriving before the gate. With some effort, he pushed the gate open and was surprised to find that there wasn't a single groan from the rusted metal.

  It was as though all forms of noises were rapidly being devoured by an unknown creature lurking within the fog.

  Esau couldn't help but tremble slightly. He spun around when he felt wind blow against his neck, but his vision was obscured by the seemingly impenetrable fog.

  Whose dream is this? He muttered with knitted brows.

  Going by past experiences, he should've spotted the owner of the dream by now. During such dreamwalks, there were usually two main directions. Either the owner of the dream was in a trance and wandered about aimlessly, or there was a specific story that had to play out.

  Basically, the dream would be a projection of their inner thoughts and desires, or memories that held great meaning to them.

  Of course, people with relatively high grades could tell if their dreams were being invaded. Thus, they would regain clarity and the dream would rapidly crumble. At the same time, powerful Dreamers could always silently enter one's dreams without being detected, but Esau was just a child— one who hadn't even fully formed his Essence Pool.

  The boy remained in that spot for more than ten heartbeats. After struggling for a moment, his sense of curiosity overwhelmed his fear. He stepped into the desolate plain and swatted the fog in front of him.

  As he continued this, the fog eventually shifted and he finally could make out a few details.

  It was a graveyard.

  There were various wooden sticks in the form of crosses embedded in the soil. These crosses marked different graves, and they spiraled outward, as though there was something special about the grave in the epicenter.

  Esau drew in a cold breath and moved around the graves, taking good care to not knock over any of the wooden crosses. Surprisingly, he was someone who was extremely respectful towards the dead.

  Those slumbering should have peace and not be agitated… This was what he believed. It seemed to be a collective trait of Dreamers.

  Their direct nemesis however, the Ushers, spat in the face of this belief. They were ritualistic freaks who derived pleasure from raising the dead and engaging in all sorts of abominable acts.

  Esau finally arrived at the grave in the center and his eyes fell on the stone slab behind the wooden cross. He read the short epitaph:

  “Here lies Sodom, a loyal warrior.”

  Sodom? Esau frowned.

  The name wasn't in any way familiar.

  Before Esau could further contemplate anything, he suddenly saw a pale hand reach out from beneath the soil.

  The corpse had risen!

  Esau’s eyes narrowed as fear tugged at his heart. At that moment, he heard barbaric shrieks erupt from every corner of the graveyard. Not only that, but he also saw, from the corner of his eye, hundreds of worms crawling over his body and boring into his flesh.

  It was a very repulsive scene that made him want to break down on the spot.

  Without a second thought, Esau shut his eyes and actively left the dream.

  The uncomfortable sensation remained even after he opened his eyes in the real world. Esau rolled off the bed and hurried to the full body mirror. He grabbed a luminescent crystal and observed his appearance.

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  “Thankfully.. Thankfully…” The boy heaved a sigh when he found nothing abnormal happening with his body.

  He trembled slightly and sat on the edge of the bed, recalling the dreadful experience.

  “Whose dream was that? I don't recall a Sodom in the castle.”

  Hm, I might be looking at it from a wrong angle. That was a graveyard, so maybe this Sodom person is deceased? That's more likely. But then, how was I able to enter the dream of the dead? I've no idea if it's possible for high level Dreamers, or if it's an abnormality even for people like that. These dreams are starting to spiral out of control…

  Esau groaned and decided to leave the matter for now.

  “I'll just ask Heather tomorrow.”

  As his mind was exhausted, it didn't take long for him to fall asleep once more. Unsurprisingly, he would fall into another nightmare before dawn.

  ….

  A horse-drawn wagon treaded the lonely path under the moon's illumination. At the driver's seat was the hooded Esmerelda, and seated behind was Micheal. They had been riding for a very long time, and it was well into midnight already.

  Micheal's belly grumbled a few times, but he remained quiet and didn't speak of his hunger or increasing discomfort. He had no idea where they were, and he couldn't help but think of various tragic endings with him as the main star.

  Micheal scratched out one possibility after another as time flew by. After all, if she wanted to silence him, she would've done so already. There was no need to travel for so long.

  What worried him the most was his sister back home. How was Marie faring? Was she awake? Hungry? Luckily, he left her a few Moppets before leaving.

  Still, the food stand is way at the end of the street… I wonder if she'll have the strength to walk to and fro. I also don't know what’ll become of me, if I'll be able to return home safely. May Lord Hanuman protect me… Micheal muttered a quick prayer.

  Soon, he vaguely saw a structure up front. Upon closer inspection, Micheal realized that it was a Chapel— one seemingly intended for travelers to make a quick stop and pray to their respective Deities.

  “We're here.” Esmerelda said with a relieved sigh and tugged at the reins, bringing the horse to a halt. Then, she hopped down and gestured for Micheal to do the same.

  As the boy leapt down, he couldn't help but ask, “Where is here?”

  Esmerelda had been bored the entire journey, so she was feeling rather inclined to chat. She said as she led the horse across the grassy path, “Our faction can't operate under the noses of the Imperial Order. Having our Sanctum in the capital would be equal to offering ourselves up. Although we do have certain gathering points in Theradon, this place works better. It won't be easily discovered.”

  Micheal's mind churned as he filtered for relevant information.

  “And what does your faction seek?" He asked another question.

  Esmerelda paused and glanced at him. She chuckled and parted her lips to utter a single word, “Hunger.”

  Hunger? What sort of Hunger is she referring to? I can't understand her at all… Micheal was stumped at her response.

  Esmerelda didn't give any additional information as she secured the horse to a pole. Then, she walked over to the entrance of the stone Chapel and pushed the wooden doors.

  Inside, there was a red carpet that led all the way to the altar in front. On the left and right sides, wooden pews were arranged in an orderly fashion. A few candelabras stuck to the walls, giving this place sufficient lighting. The large cross hanging from the ceiling, as well as the various murals, blended to create a holy and melancholic feel.

  A strong desire to genuflect arose within the boy.

  The Chapel was mostly empty save for a figure seated in one of the front pews. Esmerelda led Micheal to the front, and she regarded the man in a black priestly robe with silver threadings.

  “Have the others returned?”

  The man raised his head. His gaze moved from Esmerelda to the unfamiliar boy. With eyes as calm as a still lake, he answered simply, “Amur.”

  “Of all people to be here…” Esmerelda clicked her tongue.

  The priest asked in a solemn tone, “Who is the boy?”

  Micheal couldn't help but feel a sense of serenity when he stared at the man with light blue eyes and a soft temperament. He felt as though all his worries were rapidly being washed away— that all he'd encountered in the past half-day was but a mere dream.

  Esmerelda wasn't affected by this feeling. Her eyes shimmered for a moment, and she replied with a grin, “He is an unexpected development.”

  The priest stared at the ethereal lady, his thoughts shrouded in mystery. After a while, he nodded and returned to praying. As the two distanced themselves from him, he raised his gaze once more and sighed deeply.

  “The poor soul. Mayhap he shall be spared the torment that befell the others.”

  ..

  Esmerelda and Micheal arrived before a door behind a large mural. The former retrieved a special key and unlocked the door, revealing a number of stairs that led to an unknown location beneath the Chapel.

  The Chapel is just a cover up? The Sanctum she spoke of is located beneath… Micheal had a fleeting thought as he proceeded down with her. As she hadn't displayed any particular malice so far, Micheal still held hope for his survival.

  As long as I make it back to Marie… Micheal calmed his thumping heart and went deeper into the darkness.

  Finally, they arrived at a domed walkway that led to a large hall. Micheal's eyes darted around, taking in the various details of this place.

  In the center of the hall was an iron table and six high-back chairs. Spheres of light hung from the branches of a tree that sprouted from an oddly concealed corner of the hall. No matter how much the spheres of light swayed, they failed to illuminate the details of the tree.

  Furthermore, despite the bright light, there was a choking gloom that failed to disperse. It was as though the darkness had a mind of its own, constantly fighting against the light and birthing such a contradiction.

  They left the hall and proceeded along a dark corridor.

  As Micheal tensed up, he heard the lady beside him say, “You'll stay in one of the available rooms.”

  “Uh,” Micheal's heart raced as he finally gathered the courage to ask, “Why am I being kept here? I didn't do anything wrong…”

  “I'm aware.” Esmerelda wore a smile as she glanced at him. “I realized that you're the perfect person to handle a certain matter that has been rather inconvenient for me.”

  “And what is that?”

  “You'll find out soon.” Esmerelda pointed to a door on the left. “Get in. You're not to step out until I come for you. Breakfast will be brought over at dawn.”

  Micheal remained silent for a few seconds. During that time, a myriad of thoughts appeared in his mind one after the other, most especially the possibility of escape— however, after seeing the cold look in Esmerelda’s eyes, he quickly dispelled the thought.

  The lady could effectively read minds.

  Only the living can hold hope for the future… Micheal consoled himself and stepped into the room. The wooden door closed behind him, and he heard the lady's retreating footsteps.

  Micheal exhaled and turned around. The room was dark, so he rubbed his palms together to generate greenish specks of light. Using the faint hue from this magical effect, he observed the details of the room.

  There was a small bed in the corner, along with a desk and chair on the opposite wall. On the desk was a book with thick casing and a dull-looking rock. The rock was a luminescent crystal, but it seemed to have run out of natural Essence.

  This wasn't an issue for someone from the Energy Ascent. Micheal grabbed the rock and deftly rubbed his fingers against it. Almost immediately, the rock lit up, taking on the greenish color surrounding the boy.

  After achieving this task, he dispelled his powers and sat by the desk, before curiously grabbing the book. The crystal provided lig hting as he traced his fingers around the casing. It was a rather familiar and unfamiliar sensation.

  Micheal suddenly frowned.

  “Is this human skin?”