On the street, a boy with tall silver hair and blue eyes wandered aimlessly. He looked around for food but found nothing. Hunger clawed at his stomach—it had been days since he last ate. In fact, he couldn't even remember what his last meal had been.
His steps faltered.
'Was this… how it ended?'
Then, suddenly, a chilling realization struck him.
At that moment, he felt it.
The Spell.
A cold, creeping sensation slithered through his body, like something unseen had taken notice of him. His heart skipped.
"I… I've been infected…"
Panic surged through his veins.
Without wasting another second, he turned and ran toward the nearest police station—it wasn't far away, but in his weakened state, every step felt like dragging chains.
---
A police officer was sitting on a chair in front of the station, lazily observing the quiet street. He barely had time to react before the boy stumbled toward him.
The boy stopped, barely able to stand, and said with urgency:
"As demanded by the Third Special Directive… I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell."
The officer frowned, looking him up and down.
"Easy, kid… slow down. What did you just say?"
"I'm infected," the boy insisted, his voice trembling. "The Spell… it appeared a day ago."
The officer's expression changed immediately—his casual demeanor vanished.
"Hey… how old are you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Not even fourteen," the boy replied, forcing himself to stay conscious.
The officer exhaled sharply.
"That's… damn early."
He tapped his communicator and spoke in a low, urgent tone:
"Control, this is Unit 3. I've got a possible early manifestation. Male, under fourteen. Claims Nightmare Spell infection—onset approximately one day ago. Requesting immediate protocol activation."
A crackling voice answered from the device:
"Confirmed. Bring him in. Isolation procedures authorized."
The officer stood up and looked at the boy more seriously now.
"Listen, kid," he said, softer this time. "If what you're saying is true, then you did the right thing coming here. Stay on your feet—we'll take it from here."
"I… understand…"
---
The boy was led inside and taken down into the underground section of the police station.
The air grew colder.
He could feel it—something about this place was different, heavier… as if many others had passed through here before him, all carrying the same fate.
After some time, more officers arrived. One of them stepped forward—a stern-looking man with tired eyes.
He looked at the boy carefully before speaking.
"What's your name boy."
"I don't have one."
"Alright then. Listen closely. What happens next is not a game."
The boy swallowed but nodded.
The officer continued:
"You're going to fall asleep soon. Whatever you do, you'll enter your First Nightmare."
He paused, making sure the boy was paying attention.
"Inside, everything will feel real. Pain, fear, exhaustion—all of it. And if you die there…"
"…you die here."
The boy's fingers trembled slightly.
"Is there… any way to survive?" he asked quietly.
The officer studied him for a moment, then said:
"Yes. And you better remember this."
He raised a finger.
"First—stay calm. Panic kills faster than any monster."
"Second—observe everything. The Nightmare always has rules, even if they're not obvious at first."
"Third—don't trust appearances. What looks harmless might kill you. What looks terrifying might not be your enemy."
He hesitated, then added:
"And one more thing… something we've learned from survivors."
The boy looked up.
"If you're given a role… or a story to follow inside the Nightmare—don't fight it blindly. Understand it. Adapt to it. That's how people make it out alive."
Silence fell between them.
"…Got it?" the officer asked.
The boy nodded slowly.
"I'll try."
The officer gave a faint, grim smile.
"Trying isn't enough. Survive."
---
Not long after, exhaustion finally claimed him.
His vision blurred.
'Is it the hunger… or the Spell…?'
He didn't know.
And then—
Darkness.
---
In the endless void, a whisper echoed.
Cold. Ancient. Unfeeling.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
---