In a vast expanse of the sea full of storms, in a place far, far away from humanity – or any living being for that matter, a young man suddenly opened his eyes and immediately screamed.
"Shit shit shit! What the hell?!"
Dein woke up screaming as he found himself hanging on a cliff the moment he opened his eyes.
His fingers gripped the edged of the jagged cliff tightly. Below him… well, he can't see what's below him as his vision can only reach so far.
The skin on his palm already bleeding from the sharp stone he's clinging onto, making it especially difficult to lift himself up. Dein groaned, using every ounce of strength he could muster to lift himself and gritted his teeth.
"Arggg!"
After struggling for a while, he managed to place his elbow atop the cliff and then with another push, his leg, and after straining his muscles more, Dein finally managed to roll on top of the stone cliff, gasping for air.
"Agh… dammit… damn you Spell!"
If this isn't another proof that the spell hated him, then what? Who the heck sends someone hanging on a cliff after being transported to the Dream Realm?
Unless they really want that someone to die that is!
Dein lay on the cold stone ground for a long while, catching his breath. For a moment, he even considered sleeping after exerting himself immediately after opening his eyes. But alas, the face of a little girl appeared crouching beside Dein and poking his face with a smile.
"You okay Mister?"
Of course, it's one of his 'Ghost', Happy, the little girl.
Dein payed Happy no mind for a bit as he closed his eyes before opening them with a grunt and sat up.
"Yeah yeah, I'm fine." The girl stopped poking his face and his eyes scanned the surroundings. His tired expression turning into a deep frown.
There, around him, were nothing but stones.
There were stone pillars rising up here and there like a forest… a stone forest. The ground were made up of jagged stone and beside him, where he had been hanging for his life earlier, is a massive chasm that leads somewhere Dein couldn't even imagine.
Dein stood up, opened his mouth…and then closed it again.
After a while, he cursed.
'I'm fucked…'
As if to prove his thoughts. The little girl spoke with a curious tone.
"This place… I don't think it's in any of the region people knows back in the waking world. There's no place full of stone on teacher Julius's lectures!"
Humanity haven't conquered a large portion of the Dream Realm but they have conquered quite a lot. From Bastion to Stormsea and Ravenheart and to those citadels around it like the Chain Isles…
It was quite a large territory but if you consider the unknown size of the Dream Realm and the number of death zones it has then it's practically nothing.
Still…
'…to be sent to an unknown death zone… is the Spell really trying to get rid of me?'
Just thinking about it made him frown deeply, all hope of ever escaping this harrowing stone forest running out of his mind. For a moment, he felt like the best thing to do right now is to simply accept his fate and jump down the chasm and die…
His expression turned dark and Dein felt the utter weight of silence in this desolate world crashed down on him, making him feel really heavy and his heart ache.
"Dammit… why am I always so unlucky…"
He looked down, saddened. Seeing this, the little girl tilted her head, worried as she can also feel his emotions. In fact, all of his Ghosts can and they felt very saddened too…
"Mister…?"
Dein turned towards Happy with a weird expression, he opened his mouth but before he could say anything, another voice echoed behind him.
"Ah! Pervert!!"
The loud voice pulled Dein from his thoughts, he turned around to see a beautiful girl wearing a black dress with golden metals covering it as an armor. The girl pointed her finger at Dein accusingly.
For a moment, Dein tilted his head, confused. The gnawing feeling still drowning his chest but all of it was suddenly replaced with embarrassment as he noticed that he's wearing nothing. Practically butt naked.
His face grew bright red.
"W-wha…N-no, I'm not a pervert!"
Dein quickly summoned [A Sister's Embrace], the clothes made to bring absolute comfort immediately soothed his mind and the fear and helplessness he felt earlier slowly dissipated.
He turned towards the girl with an embarrassed expression.
"I just forgot to summon my memory after waking up so don't go accusing people!"
His defense was absolutely logical even though his face was covered in fluster. After all, after being sent in the Dream Realm, Dein was naturally naked, it's not like he wanted to be naked in the first place!
Still… the girl narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.
"That so? Last time I saw you you were talking to yourself like a creep and then you were staring at me weirdly so why would I believe you now? For all I know you might be showing your body to me you perverted creep!"
Dein was totally taken aback by the girl's sudden accusations. He felt his mind spun for a bit in confusion before he remembered who the girl was. The same girl who heard him spoke to himself at the academy gate.
'If I remember correctly, her name was Meeka…'
Dein sighed and palmed his face. He couldn't believe the first person he would meet in the Dream Realm was this crazy woman. Worse still, it seems like she doesn't have any intention of listening to his explanation.
'Just my luck…'
Dein sigh echoed loudly, making he girl raised an eyebrow. She was about to speak again but Dein beat her to it.
"Anyway, Meeka right? I'm getting creeps standing this close to this chasm so let's leave."
For some reason, Dein had been feeling something aching in his mind for a while now. It was subtle but probably because of his attributes he could feel it. Serious had warned him too to leave already and so, Dein suggested to leave and walked towards Meeka.
However, to his surprise, Meeka looked at him with disgust and eyed him suspiciously.
"You knowing my name is making you more suspicious y'know? Are you what, my stalker?"
Dein subconsciously sucked on his breath hearing and spat.
"Wha! As if I'd stoop that low!"
Meeka winced, looking offended.
"What's that supposed to mean you bastard!"