The night hadn't calmed down—it had only changed shape. The streets were quieter now, but that silence felt unnatural, like the world itself was holding its breath. Aarav walked slowly, his senses sharper than before, every shadow now looking suspicious. Meera stayed close, alert, while Rayan kept glancing around nervously. "I miss normal problems," he muttered. "Like exams. Exams were good." Zippu floated ahead, unusually serious. "This is just the beginning," he said. "Once the Dream World starts leaking… it doesn't stop easily."
Before anyone could respond, Aarav suddenly froze. His body went stiff, his eyes losing focus again. "Not again…" Meera whispered. Aarav's vision blurred—and in the next second, he wasn't there anymore. He stood in a completely different place. A dark, endless space filled with slow-moving shadows. The ground beneath him felt alive, shifting like smoke. And then… he heard it. A low growl.
From the darkness, a pair of glowing blue eyes appeared.
A massive shadowy wolf slowly stepped forward, its form made of darkness itself, yet its eyes burned with a strange intelligence. Aarav's heart started racing. "What… is this?" he whispered.
The wolf didn't attack.
It just watched.
Carefully.
Like it was judging him.
Then it spoke—not loudly, but directly inside his mind.
"You are not ready."
Aarav felt a chill run down his spine. "Ready for what?" he asked, but the wolf didn't answer. It stepped closer, its presence heavy, powerful. "Weak mind… unstable power…" the voice echoed again. "Why would I choose you?"
"Choose?" Aarav repeated, confused.
And suddenly—
his vision snapped back.
He was back on the street, breathing heavily. "Aarav!" Meera grabbed his shoulders. "What did you see?" Aarav looked at them, still shaken. "A wolf… made of shadows… it said something about choosing me…"
Zippu froze mid-air.
For the first time—
he looked shocked.
"So it's happening already…" he whispered.
Rayan frowned. "Okay, someone PLEASE explain what's going on before another animal starts talking."
Zippu took a deep breath, then looked at all of them seriously. "Listen carefully," he said. "What Aarav saw… was not just a creature."
He paused.
"That was a Dream Beast."
Rayan blinked. "Dream… pet?"
Zippu instantly snapped, "Not pet." His glow flared slightly. "They are not pets… they are partners." His voice became calmer but deeper. "Dream Beasts are born from the Dream World itself. They have their own mind… their own will… and their own power."
Aarav listened carefully, his heartbeat still not normal.
"They don't follow orders," Zippu continued. "And you cannot choose them."
Rayan pointed at Aarav. "Then why did that wolf show up for him?"
Zippu looked directly at Aarav.
"Because it is thinking about choosing him."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Aarav frowned. "Thinking?"
"Yes," Zippu said. "A Dream Beast chooses its partner based on strength—not just physical, but mental… emotional… your fears, your courage… everything." He moved closer. "If it finds you worthy… it forms a bond."
"And if not?" Meera asked quietly.
Zippu's expression darkened.
"Then it leaves… or worse."
Rayan gulped. "Worse?"
Zippu didn't answer directly. "A failed bond can break your mind," he said simply.
Aarav clenched his fist.
"So that wolf… was testing me?"
"Yes," Zippu replied.
Before anyone could speak further—
a sudden distortion hit the air around them.
The temperature dropped instantly.
Rayan stepped back. "Why does this keep happening?!"
Zippu turned sharply. "Because you took too long."
From the shadows around them, something started forming again—but this time, it wasn't unstable. It was clearer. Stronger.
More real.
A humanoid shadow stepped forward, its eyes glowing faintly.
"Aarav…"
It called him again.
But this time, it didn't sound broken.
It sounded controlled.
Aarav stepped forward slightly.
"I'm getting really tired of everything calling my name," he said under his breath.
The creature suddenly attacked—faster than anything before.
Aarav tried to block—
but he was too slow.
The attack hit him, throwing him backward violently. He crashed into the ground, pain shooting through his body.
"AARAV!" Meera shouted.
The creature moved again, not giving him time to recover.
"MOVE!" Rayan yelled, but Aarav couldn't react fast enough.
And then—
everything slowed down.
The sound faded.
The air went still.
Aarav felt it again.
That presence.
Stronger this time.
Behind the attacking shadow—
darkness split open.
And the wolf stepped out.
Silent.
Terrifying.
Powerful.
Its glowing eyes locked onto the creature.
The shadow stopped instantly.
For the first time—
it looked afraid.
The wolf moved forward slowly, its gaze never breaking.
"You attack… what is mine?" its voice echoed, deep and cold.
Aarav's eyes widened.
"Mine…?"
The creature tried to move back—but it was too late.
In a flash, the wolf attacked.
FAST.
One strike.
The shadow creature shattered into nothing.
Silence returned.
The wolf turned toward Aarav.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, everything else disappeared.
"You survived," the voice echoed again.
Aarav struggled to stand, staring at it.
The wolf stepped closer.
"This is not a bond…" it said slowly.
"…yet."
Aarav didn't look away.
"Then what is it?"
A small pause.
Then—
"A beginning."
The wolf's form slowly started fading back into darkness.
"Grow stronger…" its voice echoed one last time.
"…or I will choose someone else."
And just like that—
it disappeared.
The world returned to normal.
Sounds came back.
Time resumed.
Meera and Rayan rushed to Aarav.
"Are you okay?!" Rayan asked.
Aarav stood silently, still staring at the empty space.
Zippu floated beside him, his expression serious… but with a hint of something else.
Respect.
"He didn't just see you…" Zippu said quietly.
"He protected you."
Aarav's heartbeat slowed.
But his mind was clearer now.
Because one thing was certain—
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
This was a test.
And he had just taken the first step.
To Be Continued… 🔥🐺📖
What do you think about Dream beast...?