Shadow Slave: The Great Hunt

For Artemi nothing was certain, his life was filled with a Menagerie of problems and first and foremost in his mind was food and the strange 5 day old permanent drowsiness.

The Skies Above is there anything but synthpaste you can get in the slums.

Iko thought as he heard his stomach growl.

On top of that I might have the nightmare spell like what did I do to deserve this gods above

With that a gloomy expression appeared on his dirty, completely average face with the exception of his almost glowing light green eyes that seemed to be flecked with pure gold and his equally messy dirty blo as.

He of course was thinking of the strange affliction that had hit humanity hard after a series of resource wars.

The only symptom of this plague was extreme exhaustion until at some point they were forced into slumber.

In this nightmare that lasted up to weeks they would dream of a challenge that if they defeated it they would gain mystical powers, if they didn't a nightmare creature would be created out of their bodies, a process that the Nightmare spell called awakening.

Well I probably won't need to worry about food… or really anything, the odds are I'm dead in a few days.

While those with power and money could take advantage of this situation to make an army of these awakened by educationating people properly compared to the meager amount in public school.

Well no time like the present and who says I'm giving up on life I need to at least try the concoction they call hot chocolate.

Artemi thought this as he made his way through the grimy poverty filled streets in the sprawling slums of NQSC

When he finally made his way up to the police station he was thoroughly sleepy and had a bit of trouble keeping his eyes open.

Before we started crossing the street he saw his surprisingly clear reflection of himself in a puddle if one were to describe him they would call him lanky in an awkward way you see his legs were disproportionately longer than his torso and therefore his arms also looked too long, it was just a bad look for a 17 year old teenager.

At least I'm 6'1 and can run fast because of this body of mine.

He consoled himself as he studied his dirt streaked olive skin and tried to comb a hand through his, in need of a haircut, nearly bronze hair.

He opened the door of an unassuming building that read 'Police station' on a dirt stained sign with a slight jingle of a bell he entered the almost shabby building.

"Welcome to a police station, can I help you with anything on this fine morning." Said a slightly chubby man who looked almost as tired as Iko felt.

"Yes, under the third special directive I would like to report myself as a carrier of the nightmare spell."

This comment seemed to wake up the man as from behind his desk he started to type away at his keyboard board. 

"What is your name, young man and do you have any family?"

"Umm… My name is Artemi and I have no living relatives to my knowledge."

The man continued to type into his computer as his eyes flashed from one edge of the screen to another.

"And how long have you been experiencing symptoms?"

"I'd say about 5 days, maybe one or two more."

Artemi responded with a slight voice crack as he felt his pulse quicken when he saw the man's eyes widen slightly.

"Code black! We have a code black in the lobby. I repeat Code black!" The man yelled as several police officers streamed out of the unassuming doors and went to handcuff him.

Artemi was lead, dragged if you asked him into a dark room that had a mixture of a table, bed and torture device in the middle of it.

The rest of the room he found seemed to be like a vault but as opposed to keeping others out it looked to be made to keep him in.

I tell the truth and they go and tie me up, and here I thought honesty was the best policy.

Just as he was mulling that over while being strapped into the various elements of the bed amalgamation, a tired old man who radiated a sense of calm walked in while those previously "handling" him went to the sides of the room.

"We don't have much time so just try to stay focused on what I say kid." 

The man said in a gravelly voice as sized up Artemi.

"This will be the hardest trial of your life. There are a few things you need to know before you can rest."

As the man was saying this Artemi had to focus as to not pass out and let himself sleep.

"First when you awaken inside the dream realm you will be able to think of status and there you will have some attributes and an aspect, most all aspects are useful these will be your only tools to face your first trial."

" Secondly, All of these trials have a goal in general, finding out what that is will help you immensely in making it out alive, while cruel the nightmare spell is not unfair there is always a way."

"Last but not least always remember that you are seeing an illusion and by extension the people you see along the way are not real."

At this point it was almost impossible for Artemi to stay awake and he passed into a slumber maybe for the last time.

[Aspirant, Welcome to the nightmare spell and your first trial.]