Chapter 11: Hello Officer
Beep. Beep.
Dolin woke to the sound of a steady beeping.
He opened his eyes.
He waited for his eyes to adjust to the bright lights of the room he was currently in, and then looked around.
He saw multiple machines set up in a mess around him, as if being hastily set up in a rush.
Bindings that seemed to be made out of some sturdy material were currently binding him, reminding him of the awakened he had encountered in the beginning of the nightmare.
I'm the one in shackles now…
He then looked down at his chest, which was covered in a plethora of bandages and stitches. It seems that they at least had the decency to cover his wounds, whoever had saved him. His attention focused on many other things in the room before landing on someone walking outside of the room.
He could see the man through the glass, and the man seemed to have caught his gaze. The man's eyes went wide, and then rushed off.
A few minutes later, the man came back with a couple others. One seemed to be an officer of some sorts while the other seemed to be a doctor.
The guard opened the door, taking the lead with a scrutinizing gaze.
"I am awakened Decir."
"I am Dolin. Can you take me out of these cuffs?"
Now that the man had come closer to him, Dolin could see two stars on the man's left sleeve.
Two stars means… awakened… right?
The man continued, "I am sure you are confused right now, but do not worry. We are here to help. We will first ask some questions from you, and then will make some decisions based on how you respond.
Great… an interrogation right away.
"First off, we will be asking about your nightmare…"
***
The interrogation took multiple hours, with Dolin mixing in both lies and truths. He made sure to only reveal himself as having an awakened aspect, as Divine aspects were unprecedented, and they would either think he was lying or try to recruit him.
He had also received a medical check-up to see if he was insane or not, which took way longer than it should have.
That doctor really had a waspy personality.
It turns out he had been unconscious for a month, with his wounds keeping him unconscious even after his nightmare. His body had been a mess, and they had to work quickly both because of his multiple wounds but also because of the threat that he put the doctors in due to the spell.
He didn't reveal much about his aspect, saying that it was one that could mislead others slightly. Of course that plan blew over, as it seemed that mental related aspects were rare. He hadn't even checked the abilities of his aspect yet, so he sort of had to make it up along the way.
He talked a little about his nightmare, filling them in with smaller details. He left the big parts out, such as the glaring matter of the awakened terror and the terrifying mental abilities it had.
Right now, Dolin was waiting as they had gone out to discuss. His cuffs had been taken off, to his relief.
Dolin thought of checking his aspect out, but decided against it, as accidentally revealing it or doing something irreparable wouldn't bode well for him.
Just as he was about to get lost in his thoughts again, the officer from before came back.
"Sleeper Dolin, we have gone over the information you have told us. Whether it is true or not can't be determined by us, but based on what you said, we think you are fit to go."
Sleeper. Sleeper Dolin. I guess I really am moving up in the world. Title and all!
"We recommend that you stay here for a few more days to fully recover, as even though your mental state has been checked, it is better to rest before going back out into the world."
***
Dolin was currently sitting in a chair seemingly made of some synthetic material, as it wasn't the most comfortable chair in the world, well…. not that he could know. If he could describe the past few days with one word, it would be "heaven". He had gotten access to hot showers, no longer having to bath in the dirty freezing water of the outskirts. He had almost fallen asleep from spending so many long hours in the warm water, enjoying its warm embrace upon his skin.
He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long breath. His body still ached in many ways, only slightly better now due to the long warm showers.
A knock came on the door. It was the officer, followed closely by the doctor who was glued to his notes on a tablet.
"Dolin," the officer said, his voice neutral, "we've reviewed your condition and account of the events. We have an offer for you."
Dolin raised his eyebrows. "An offer?"
The officer nodded. "You're fortunate. Most sleepers with your… past experiences are put through more examinations before they are allowed this chance. Lucky for you, the solstice is coming closer and we have a slot open for you. There is a chance for you to attend the Awakened Academy."
What a snide remark. Past experiences my ass.
The word academy made his mind race. He had heard of it before, mixed among the other bits of information from his father's stories. A place where he could stay at, eat at, and prepare at before he had to go into the dream realm.
Perfect.
"Sounds interesting. What exactly does this entail?"
Dolin knew the basics, yet still wanted to get more information.
"We were just getting to that. You will live on-site, train, and learn among fellow sleepers," the officer responded. "Instruction, practical exercises… you will gain a better understanding of your capabilities and the dream realm which will help you prepare for dangerous situations."
Dolin thought back to his nightmare. How close had he come to death? Numerous times. Preparation and experience were two things he was currently in dire need of, and this was his chance.
"I will go," he said firmly. "I will attend the academy."