Nightmare's Call

The darkness lasted for a few minutes.

*Tick tock, tick tock.*

The ticking of the clock reverberated.

*Clack.*

He suddenly opened his eyes.

“Hmm? I kept my eyes open earlier right??” Lin Sheng was stunned.

He had meant to observe the changes in between the dreams, so he tried to keep his eyes open, but just like that, his eyes had closed without him knowing it.

It was nothing but a flood of red light before him.

He sat on the bed inside the dorm, and the four-person dorm had no one but him.

A pale red light shone in from the small veranda window and painted the whole dorm red.

Lin Sheng looked at the dorm.

There were two double-decker metal beds and four big tables that were placed together with nothing on it.

A big brown clock hung on the wall, and its needles showed 12:17.

The second needle did not move, as if it had totally stopped.

By the edge of the wall was a big cupboard divided into four. A water dispenser sat by the side of the cupboard.

Over at the wash area, water droplets dripped from the tap like it had not been turned off tightly.

Aside from that, the entire area was quiet.

He still wore his white school uniform. The academy’s uniform was more akin to white sportswear with black trimmings. Simple yet elegant.

In his hand was a double-edged heavy sword. Pausing for a moment, he got off the bed and stood up as he tried to be as stealthy as possible.

As he stood in the center of the dorm, Lin Sheng looked out of the window.

It was nothing but flowing red outside, and could not see anything; just like last time over at his house.

*Bzzzzztttt...*

Suddenly a buzzing sound rang out from the stairway outside as if someone was adjusting the frequency.

The buzzing sound reverberated throughout the silent dormitory, but there was no sound of humans.

Lin Sheng was impassive as he slowly made his way to the door and gripped his blade tight before gently pulling the door open.

*Creak...*

A small gap opened.

Lin Sheng held his breath as he slowly widened the gap and peered out.

*Bam!*

Suddenly an arm rushed in from the gap and stuck itself there as it tried to grab the door lock.

It wanted to permanently jam the door!

Lin Sheng quickly reacted and threw himself against the door.

*Bam!*

The door could not be closed!

A second and third arm suddenly squeezed it as well as they scrambled towards the lock. The arms were all pallid, rotten and swollen.

*Bam!!*

Without hesitation, Lin Sheng swung his sword and slashed off the three arms as if he was cutting wood. He then slammed the door shut.

The arms on the ground immediately dissipated into white smoke, and silence returned outside the doorway as if nothing had happened.

“One little bear... two little bears... three little bears, four little bears...”

Out of nowhere, a faint, slightly trembling voice rang out from the bed behind him. The voice seemed to be singing.

Lin Sheng locked the door and turned around, and saw a black figure with messy hair sitting on his bed.

From the angle he was at, he could only see the figure’s black hair and pallid forehead.

“This place...” He licked his lips as he raised his caution level to the maximum.

A level three to four warrior like him could not go about rampaging like Khadula did.

And even Khadula had been trapped within the dream for so long...

“Oh, little bear, why do I see you by my bed every night.”

“Why is it when I wake up, I find you by my side.”

“Why is the me in your eyes distant and unknown?”

“I am crying, but he is smiling... He is smiling...”

“The me in your eyes is smiling at me...”

*Bam!*

A massive crash followed.

“Smile then!!”

Lin Sheng rushed over with a slash and the blade hell heavily like a war hammer.

The entire bed was split into two and collapsed while the black-haired figure disappeared without a trace.

*Shaaa...*

The sound of flushing came out from the toilet as the window lock slowly turned open by itself.

*Bam!*

Someone crashed against the dormitory door as the person let out a sickly wheeze as if driven mad and would die any time.

*Creak...*

The metal bed around him starting shaking as the blankets slowly rose as if someone within was getting up.

Goosebumps grew all over Lin Sheng’s body as a prickling sensation started to appear all around him.

He took a step back, as he felt that danger was all around him!

“Gotta dash out then!” A thought came to mind.

Staying here was as good as being surrounded. He needed to make his way to a better location!

His mind now set, Lin Sheng dashed forward as his body quickly transformed into his half-dragon form and smashed against the door.

BAM!!!

The door was shattered upon impact. There was nothing out there, but he could clearly feel that he had rammed into a gooey, shapeless human-form.

The person was blasted away by the force, and Lin Sheng quickly grabbed his blade and ran down the hallway.

It was empty, with nary a person in sight.

But the moment he started running, the sound of banging rang out from the doors on both sides as if something inside was trying to get out.

*Bam! Bam! Bam!*

Amid the cacophony of banging, Lin Sheng looked down the staircase, and easily leap down.

After four times, he was down the entire height of the building and rushed out of the dorm.

What greeted him was an empty academy field engulfed in red light.

Lin Sheng raised his sword as he turned towards the entrance of the dorm with his mouth open.

*Whoooosh!!*

A torrent of flame shot out from his mouth and engulfed the entire entrance in flame. The bright flames quickly heated the entire area up.

The torrent lasted over half a minute before stopping. But there was nothing on the staircase. No monsters, no danger.

It was empty and silent.

*Huff... Huff...*

Lin Sheng took deep breaths as he stopped bellowing fire and looked confusedly at the dorm.

“Nothing was taken out? There was something in there that managed to trigger my sense of danger, but now that I’m outside, there’s nothing? Could it be that that danger only exists within the dorm itself? Even my flames did nothing.” He guessed.

He was no longer the newbie from yore that was helpless against danger. His fist and fire, used in tandem, now allowed him to face off most dangers.

“What sort of monster is that? I couldn’t even see its true form.” Lin Sheng stared at the dorm slightly dumbfounded.