The Nightmare City

**Part 10: "Echoes of the Past"**

The dawn breaks slowly, its soft light spilling over the horizon, illuminating the quiet world around Shin. For the first time in what feels like forever, he feels at peace, as though the weight of everything he had carried—the fear, the guilt, the endless nightmares—has been lifted. His body no longer feels like a cage, his mind no longer a maze of regrets.

But there's something strange in the air, a faint pull, like an echo that won't quite fade. Shin doesn't know where it comes from, but it stirs something inside of him, a question left unanswered. What was the woman's last message really about? *"Live,"* she had said. But how? What is he supposed to live for now that the nightmare is over, and the city is nothing but a memory?

Shin takes a slow step forward, his footfall light on the soft ground. The city that had once been a labyrinth of terror and confusion is gone, replaced by a vast expanse of open land—fields of tall grass, gently swaying in the wind. It's beautiful in a way that feels surreal, as though this is a dream, not reality. The trees are vibrant with life, and the air is thick with the scent of earth and nature. This place is calm, peaceful, and for the first time in a long while, Shin feels like he belongs here. But even so, the unease gnaws at him.

As he walks, he finds himself drawn to a distant hill, where the earth rises gently, like a natural perch to watch the world unfold. He climbs the hill, his breath steady, his heart a mix of anticipation and quiet trepidation. Reaching the top, Shin stops, his eyes scanning the horizon. The soft light of the morning plays across the land, casting long shadows from the trees and reflecting off small streams that twist like veins through the earth.

And then, in the distance, Shin sees it. A figure standing alone, silhouetted against the soft glow of the rising sun. It's too far for him to make out any details, but something about the figure feels… familiar.

He blinks, rubbing his eyes as if to clear the vision. His mind plays tricks on him sometimes, his memories still tangled and elusive. But the figure remains, unmoving, standing there as if waiting for him.

Without thinking, Shin starts walking toward the figure, each step purposeful, though his heart pounds in his chest. As he gets closer, the figure begins to take shape—a person, tall and unyielding, their face obscured by a hood or veil. Their posture is regal, almost statuesque, standing in stark contrast to the open, wild landscape around them.

When he reaches the figure, they remain silent, not even turning to acknowledge his presence. The air grows colder, and Shin feels a shiver run through him. He stops just a few feet away, uncertainty in his gaze.

"You're not real," Shin mutters under his breath. He doesn't know why, but he feels compelled to speak. "I don't know you. I don't even know who I am anymore."

The figure finally turns toward him, and for the first time, Shin sees their face—pale and unreadable, a perfect mask of stillness. Their eyes are dark, almost impossibly so, like endless pools of ink.

"You're mistaken," the figure replies, their voice cold and clear. "You know me better than anyone. We've been tied together for a long time."

Shin's stomach tightens at their words. The voice is not unfamiliar, yet he can't place it, can't connect it to anything in his fragmented memories. "Who are you?" Shin asks, his voice quieter now, uncertainty flooding his thoughts.

"I am the echo," the figure says simply, their gaze unwavering. "The echo of your past, of the choice you made. You can't escape me, Shin. I am part of you."

A chill runs down Shin's spine. He steps back, his heart racing. *The echo of his past?* The words rattle in his mind, the truth beginning to dawn on him, though he's not yet ready to face it. The city, the nightmares, the fragments of memories—he thought it was all gone. But here, in the quiet stillness of this new world, the past has come to find him again.

"I thought I had let go of everything," Shin whispers, his voice trembling. "I thought the nightmares were over."

"They were never about the city, Shin," the figure replies, their voice growing softer now. "The city was only a reflection, a shadow of what you feared. But the real challenge, the real test, lies within you. You can't escape the past because you still carry it with you."

Shin's mind spins. The figure's words press against his chest like a weight, and he can't breathe. All this time, he had thought he was free, that he had freed himself from the nightmare. But now, standing here in this serene place, it feels like the nightmare was just a prelude to something far deeper, something more unsettling. He had faced the city, the monsters, the fear. But the figure standing before him is something else entirely.

"I don't want to face it again," Shin says, his voice breaking. "I can't. The nightmares… they almost destroyed me."

The figure steps closer, and despite their coldness, there's something almost comforting about their presence, as though they understand the pain that weighs him down. "You can't avoid it, Shin. It's not about avoiding the darkness; it's about understanding it, accepting it, and learning from it. You've begun the journey, but you're not finished yet."

Shin closes his eyes, trying to calm his racing heart. He's afraid, afraid of what the figure is telling him, afraid of what lies ahead. But deep down, he knows that the real journey isn't over. It has only just begun. And the true test is not in escaping the past, but in confronting it once again.

"Then show me," Shin says quietly, his voice steadying. "Show me what I need to do."

The figure nods, a faint smile tugging at the corners of their lips. "The journey is yours to complete, Shin. But remember this: the past never truly fades. It lives on, in the choices you make and the steps you take. The echo will always be there, but it will only be a shadow if you learn to face it."

As the figure turns and begins to walk away, Shin's heart feels heavier than before. He knows now that the nightmares were never just about monsters. They were about the deepest parts of him—the fears, the regrets, the choices he had made. And though the Nightmare City is gone, those parts of him still remain.

The journey isn't over.

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