The silence after the battle didn't feel like victory. It felt unstable. The ground beneath them pulsed unevenly, as if the Dream World itself was reacting to what had just happened. Aarav stood still, trying to steady his breathing, but his eyes stayed alert. Something wasn't right. Meera felt it too. Lyra's glow flickered faintly, weaker than before. Rayan finally broke the silence. "…Okay, I vote we go back now. Adventure done. Thank you very much."
Zippu didn't smile this time. His expression turned serious. "You don't choose to leave the Dream World," he said quietly. "It decides when to let you go." Rayan blinked. "…I don't like this place anymore."
Before anyone could react, the ground shook violently. The floating islands above began shifting, crashing into each other in the distance. A deep sound echoed across the sky, like something massive waking up. Aarav turned instantly. "What's happening?" Zippu looked around, his glow flickering. "You stayed too long."
The sky cracked further. Blinding light burst through the fractures, and the air grew heavy, pulling at them. Meera stepped back. "This feels worse than before…" "It is," Zippu replied. "The world is rejecting you."
A powerful force suddenly pulled them upward. Aarav tried to resist but failed. "Hold on!" he shouted, grabbing Meera's hand. Rayan panicked. "WHY IS IT ALWAYS SO DRAMATIC?!" The world twisted violently as the rift reopened above them. Colors shattered and collapsed into each other. And in the next second—they were gone.
Aarav's eyes snapped open. He gasped, sitting upright in his room. His bed. His world. Everything looked normal again. For a moment, he just stared, trying to process it. His heart was still racing. His hands trembled slightly. "…Was that…" he whispered.
A soft glow appeared near him. Zippu. "…Not a dream," Zippu said. Aarav exhaled slowly. "…Yeah. I figured."
The next day felt strange. School was the same, but Aarav couldn't focus. Every sound felt distant. His mind kept drifting back to the Dream World—the cracked sky, the creature, the fight. Beside him, Rayan leaned back casually. "Bro, if another stone monster appears in class, I'm not fighting it. I'm dropping out." Aarav almost smiled.
Meera, sitting ahead, stayed quiet. She didn't turn around, but she was listening. Her calm expression hid the tension she felt inside. She knew something had changed.
Later, during practice, things got worse. Aarav tried to act normal, but his body reacted differently. He moved faster. Stronger. At one point, he misjudged his strength and hit harder than he meant to. The sound echoed louder than expected. Everyone paused. Rayan slowly walked toward him. "…Since when did you upgrade?" Aarav stepped back slightly. "…I didn't." But even he wasn't sure anymore.
That evening, Aarav stood alone on the rooftop again. The same place—but it didn't feel the same. Zippu floated beside him. "You felt it, didn't you?" he asked. "…Yeah," Aarav replied. "The Dream World doesn't let go easily," Zippu said. "Once you enter, a part of it stays with you." Aarav frowned. "Or a part of us stays there?" Zippu didn't answer.
Suddenly, something felt wrong. Aarav looked down. His shadow… didn't match his movement. For a second, it lagged. Then it twisted slightly, like something inside it was alive. Aarav stepped back instantly. The shadow returned to normal. Silence. "…You saw that, right?" Aarav asked quietly. Zippu's glow dimmed. "…Yeah."
Aarav looked up at the dark sky, his expression turning serious. They had left the Dream World… but something had followed them back.
To Be Continued…