Unhand me this instant you, fleshy fool!

“Huh...” I murmured, blinking a few times as I fell further into my stupor’s spell. Was someone just talking to me? That girl, right? Yeah, I was playing chess, I think. But didn’t someone just say something about flesh?

Ugh… Why do I feel so lethargic?

“Come on,” I mouthed, leaning my head back to get a view of my environment. My head slumped back, bouncing off a wood-like surface behind me, a slight tinge of pain sprouting. A tree, it feels like.

Hundreds of flowers and lush green grass graced my vision, a light layer of snow blessing them in seemingly random areas. As if the white flakes drifting down forgot about some spots.

At first glance, the flowers appeared random. Upon closer look, they revealed themselves to be some of my favorites. A tsunami’s worth of reds, blues, and purples decorated the area, each intertwining their paths with one another. All of it combined to create an almost peaceful view, one that nearly lulled me into a state of comfort.

Ghostly white trees, their leaves, and bodies laden in ice pierced the cloud-ridden night. It’s cloudy, huh? That sucks. I was hoping it’d be clear out.

I always loved watching stars as a child.

As dumb as it sounds, I used to give my favorite stars little stories. I wouldn’t write them down or anything, just dream them up as I gazed into the universe, hoping to escape for a few fleeting moments.

I feel so nostalgic for those days.

“Feel myself flying away just thinking about it...” I beamed, managing to shift around to a more comfortable position on my tree. Still no sound from my mouth? Am I really that exhausted? Have the last few hours been a dream? I hope not; I really don’t wanna annoy Dad and Mom by explaining how I missed my flight.

The final sight: a roaring fire pit inside a hole, a flight of brown earthen stairs leading down to it. The golden flames were contained, licking up each spec of snow that dared venture too close.

“Try and move,” I mouthed with a deep breath, throwing myself forward to a sight that invoked chills. The ink? It’s still on me. The only difference now is it’s hardened, almost shell-like.

“What?” I thought, noting the thick white winter gloves on my hands. I wasn’t wearing gloves?

I don’t even own a pair of gloves like this. Although, I kind of wish I did. They’re a white akin to snow, blending in perfectly with the ground.

The catch to these gloves, though. They’re the only part of me not coated in purple.

Wait a moment, my hands. What’s...

I can see it from here. My hands are smaller, dainty, and more slender, distinctly feminine in appearance.

That was real?

“I told you this wasn’t a dream.” Her words played within my mind. The striking image of her wet eyes, tears seemingly ready to fall. She wasn’t lying, was she? How is this possible? And if this is genuinely reality, how did I get here?

This place feels real; I’ll give it that. More life-like than anything my mind’s conjured up in the past.

I glanced down and gulped down my excitement and dread. What’s the catch to this? There is one, right? Something along the lines of this surely has one.

Hands trembling, I hooked a finger under the shell and began pulling, chipping away at it, flake by flake.

I yawned with a bit more energy. Peeling the ink off makes me feel more awake. Is that only a coincidence?

I peeled away more, all the way up to my shoulders, revealing the furry white winter coat underneath. Another wave of energy flowed through me. Fueled by that and my burning curiosity, I kept chiseling at my shell-like exterior.

Did she do what I think she did? If so, how? That’s impossible in every stretch of the word.

I can’t test my voice right now, either. I still lack the ability to speak.

With a final surge of vigor, I pushed on, peeling away at every piece of shell. Starting with my torso and ending with my legs.

By the time I was finished, I was sitting in a pile of purple fragments, staring at a sight that caused tears to brim.

Two mounds were protruding from my chest.

“Boobs?” I thought, cautiously pressing my hands against them as if one wrong touch would cause this body to crumble to ash.

Boobs... Boobs.

They’re not huge, a bit small, honestly, but I’m satisfied with that.

That confirms my suspicions, then. I’m a gi-

“No!” I shouted internally, shaking my head vigorously.

I’m not falling for that again, brain. I’m tired of the tricks you pull when I’m sleeping, you asshole. I’ll just wake up when I get excited... like always. I just got better at making more realistic dreams. That has to be it!

Shaking my head, I pulled my legs to my chest and shook away those... aggravating (and soothing) thoughts. I’m not falling victim to my dreams again. It’s far more likely my brain is screwing with me.

“At least the clothes are cute,” I mumbled, my voice still inaudible, as I dug my hands in my coat pockets. The only things not white about my outfit are my brown boots and black leggings. They’re a light brown, but still pleasing. Well, to me, anyway.

I pray I remember what these look like when I wake up. I wonder how hard it’d be for me to find something like this in real life. My coat extends to my mid-thigh, helping to draw your eyes from the warm leggings underneath.

Maybe I can set it as a goal to gather the courage to wear this one day? Probably not. I’m too much of a coward for that. There’s a reason Dani’s gonna be annoyed at me, after all.

“Hm?” I raised an eyebrow, my hand coming in contact with a piece of paper?

I pulled it out, revealing a crinkled piece of yellowed parchment.

Might as well see what’s on it, I guess. If my dream has some form of a plot this time, then I can at least explore it for the time being.

I know, I know. You may loathe me right now, but I told you I wanted to help. And I did. I’m only looking out for you like we’re supposed to. But hey, your potential anger aside, I tried to pick out clothes you had an interest in. Freezing to death isn’t fun, you know? Besides, it doesn’t kill anyone to look nice while they’re out and about. Hopefully, we can meet again soon. Maybe play another game? Perhaps something we can team up on that way no one has to lose? Sorry, sorry... I get a tad sidetracked at times. Good luck, have fun, Aria. I hope I didn’t get your name wrong. That’s the one you always wanted to use, right? If it remains as Ethan, I’m terribly sorry. I assumed you still despised that name.

P.S. Please disregard Janus’s demeanor should you meet. He’s just an inquiring soul. Rude, yes, but inquisitive first and foremost.

P.P.S. - And just in case you’re still carousing in denial’s bitter drink... hold your nose. If you can breathe, you’re dreaming. If not, well... you’re a smart girl. You’re very well versed in lucid dreaming. Understandably so, it’s a lovely way to escape.

How do... there’s no way. This couldn’t be real. No one could know I despised my name. I’ve never told anyone, not even Dani. The only evidence of that exists on a password locked flash drive holding my journals.

That girl brought up a good point, though, a way to check if I’m dreaming. It slipped my mind thanks to all of this.

Holding your nose. If you can still breathe, then you’re dreaming. I’ve done it dozens of times to alert myself to the fact that I’m sleeping.

“What do I do if it’s actually real?” I thought, placing my chin on my knees as my eyes scanned the rest of the scenery. Animals are here, too. They aren’t exactly like the ones in reality, but they’re close enough.

“Mostly,” I mouthed, my eyes coming to a halt on a dirt-brown squirrel with bright fluorescent purple mushrooms on its back.

Huh, that squirrel’s kind of cute in a weird sort of way.

If this is a dream, I’m going to be blunter than a sledgehammer. I’ll probably cry when I wake up.

It’s beyond the point of irritating now. It’s soul-crushing. If my brain is going to bless me with dreams like this, then why can’t I savor them for once? No, instead I wake up... Every. Single. Time.

“And without further ado,” I let out a shaky breath, getting to my feet as my heart began racing in fearful anticipation.

In nail-biting silence, I pinched my nose shut and attempted to inhale.

“What?” I mumbled as the sheer shock of reality coursed through me, causing me to stumble backward into the tree.

“C-come again?” I stuttered, a frigid gust of wind blowing me by. Let’s just… fire, we’ll go to that. Might as well be warm before my dream is shattered by reality’s hammer.

I bolted straight for the fire, taking a seat on one of the stairs, staring intently at my body. My eyes scanned every inch of me, looking for some sort of flaw that would change this place to being a product of my mind.

That had to be a fluke.

I pinched my nose again, inhaling instantly.

Nothing? No, no, no... that’s not possible, and I refuse to fall for it.

And so I tested it again… and again and again.

I kept it up until my nose turned red, signaling it was pleading for me to grant it mercy.

Come on, brain! Don’t screw with me! We both know this is impossible! I’m not that lucky! If I was, we wouldn’t even be thinking about this topic!

Despite everything, I did it one final time. I pinched my nose shut and inhaled.

When reality arrived, it brought with it a devastating blow—specifically, one straight to the dam holding back my tears. With the resistance of paper, the dam disintegrated to nothing, fresh tears flowing from my eyes.

“G-get it together,” I silently scolded myself, tears dotting my coat with reckless abandon. Don’t cry; you’re not supposed to.

I dug back into my coat pocket and checked for the light purple compact that girl gave me, confirming its presence.

There’ll be a catch. I don’t know, I grew a horn or something? Something will be wrong, I’m certain of it.

The compact was glazed in layers of ash, a few roses stuck to it, nearly hiding the single deep scratch underneath. This thing doesn’t look like it’s been used in years. Hopefully, the glass is still viewable.

I flipped it open, revealing the almost wholly shattered glass within… and a set of numbers?

206/288

They’re glowing green, very clearly shining from behind the glass.

What do they… Forget about it. It’s unimportant. What is important is that I can still make out a slight reflection.

My long chestnut brown hair reached down to my shoulder, bits of it knotted and sticking up. My sapphire blue eyes were puffy and red, enough so that I’m sure it’ll be difficult to open them soon.

My eyelashes were fuller than usual, and my face overall was softer. You could still see the core of Ethan in there, but there would be no mistaking me for a guy. If you do, you need your eyes checked.

My eyes fell to my ear lobes, and I only became more baffled (and happy… mostly the latter). Are those? Silver studs, and an amethyst core that glimmers ever so slightly in the right light.

My earrings, someone put them in my ears. I didn’t even have them on me. I don’t carry them just in case they slip out of my pocket and someone finds them.

That’d lead to a flurry of questions I’d prefer to avoid. Yes, some guys wear earrings, but I’m not risking anyone trying to shame me for that. There’ll be someone, I’m sure. There always is…

The girl peering at me through the cracked reflection was clearer than the purest crystal.

She was me. And I was her.

That thought alone prompted the descent of more euphoric tears down my rosy cheeks.

You told yourself you weren’t gonna cry. It was supposed to be reserved for if you wake up. Instead, you go and do it anyway? Idiot.

“Oh, screw it.” A sob laden in emotional pain escaped my lips. I’m alone, anyway. Who the hell cares if I cry? No one’ll see. It’s not like I have to bury my face into a pillow to cover the noise. I’m not sure if my family would care if they heard me, but I’d prefer not to have them wasting their time worrying about me. They have better things to do, I’m sure.

“Thank you,” I sniffled, burying my face into my knees to stifle my sobs. I don’t know who that girl is or how she did this, but I’m waay beyond the point of caring.

I’ve never felt so… so right before, correct even. God, I feel so light… so liberated for once. As if someone took the weight of the world off my shoulders.

“But how?” I squeaked, eyes going wide in response to my voice. I can speak now?

“H-hello?” My voice cracked in between my soft sobs.

This voice is freaking perfect. It’s basically the exact tone I was shooting for when I inevitably began fixing my current one.

It’s not so high that it’s a cliche feminine stereotype. Nor is it nearly as deep as it used to be. It’s a pleasant middle ground, one I couldn’t be happier with.

I mean, my voice as Ethan wasn’t the deepest (thank god), but it was still distinctly masculine.

I spoke once more, my composure further deteriorating under my words. I didn’t try to talk much after that. I just sat there in the fetal position, permitting myself to cry until no more tears would flow.

“That felt so nice…” I sniffled, wiping at my eyes. No one was around to hear me, so I didn’t so much as attempt to hush myself.

It was only a few seconds, at best, when I realized what the catch was. No one was around...

I’m alone. That's the catch, isn't it?

It didn’t sink in thanks to all of this, but when it did, I felt a spike of panic drill straight into me.

My heart sank. I c-can’t be alone, someone has to be here.

“Dani?!” I shouted, my voice reverberating through the frozen forest as I jumped to my feet. “Zay Zay?!”

“Gael?!” I continued, cupping my hands to my mouth as my eyes scanned the forest for some sign of them. “Noah?!”

A few moments passed by, moments only filled with the sighs of wind and chatter from animals.

Nothing. Not even an angry shout from Zay when he hears that nickname. I really am alone...

“Anybody?” I sighed, hands falling to my sides as I sat back down, staring blankly into the fire.

What do I do now? I haven’t the slightest clue where I am. I’m ecstatic with the new body, of course. A more pressing issue is already upon me, though.

I’m in a place that’s even worse than the middle of nowhere. I’m definitely not on Earth. The presence of that squirrel confirmed that. If I was, I could maybe make this work.

“Huh?” I said aloud, just now noticing the new oddity in front of me. Is that text floating within the fire?

Alceria (v1.14.21)

Inventory

Skills

Status: Lucid

Layer: Vanith

Exit The Dream

Time: Irrelevant

“Inventory?” I murmured, inching closer as the fire took on a crimson shade, the text swiftly changing as my vision seemingly scanned deeper within the fire. Oddly enough, it’s not uncomfortable to look at. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Trick Weapons

Aid

Runes

Apparel

Armor

“Runes?” I asked, the fire taking on an angelic white.

Runes - Every second of every minute of every hour of every day. May each be filled with the never-ending embrace of our dream. May the runes serve as the calm through life’s storm.

Runes Available: 1

Runes Active: 1

Rune Slots: 1/1

Rune: Sanctum - To rest among the stars, drifting within the cradle of black, staring into its twinkling eyes.

Is it responding to my speech?

“Go back?” I suggested as it reverted to its prior color within seconds. Huh, it is.

“Skills,” I said with a bit more force behind my voice. Regardless of where I am, I have to keep my head up. Flirting with defeat won't help me.

The flame answered my call with a vigor it lacked just seconds ago. It shot into the air, dispersing its color as it settled before me with a newfound tinge of the colors similar to the items I was gifted during that chess match.

Skills

Fusions

Skill Crafting

Templates

Pieces Discovered

Max Skill Value: 3

Nightmarish Influences: None

Is this actually a game? What is all this? Am I in a game or a game-like world?

I selected skills, causing a smattering of small fires to leap from their home, quickly positioning themselves to orbit around me as if I was their purpose for being.

Only seven flames surrounded me, but their theme became apparent. If they shared colors, they had a similar effect.

The white flame, one that delivered the satisfaction of newly gained wisdom:

Skills - Weave and breakdown the finer details of our dream, crafting a reality that shelters you from even the most violent of nightmares.

Skills, barring blessings and passives, can be dissected and crafted into more potent variants. Each piece has a set value and can be woven together until your mind reaches said limit.

The forest green flame, one that brought me the comfort of family:

Nier’s Nurture - The delicate kiss of nature’s nurture, mending even the pain which knows no ending.

Mend - Small burst of healing energy boosted by the number of flowers surrounding you. Value: 1

Green Thumb {Progenitor’s Blessing} - Accelerated growth of seeds you’ve planted.  Value: 3

Nurture {Passive}: The more allied plants you possess, the more potent Nier's weave becomes.

The crimson flame, one whose presence afforded me confidence:

Yuul’s Yearning - The burn that sprouts to answer the song of your blade’s words. That which calls upon the seeping of sanguine.

Raze - Small chance for slash based weapons to inflict a stack of bleed. Value: 1

Yearning {Progenitor’s Blessing} - Mark a target. If successful, they now yearn for the life that flows through a vein. Value: 3

The cosmic blue flame, one that inundated my mind with wonder:

Dismas’ Duality - The duality of what sleeps and wakes. For those that wish to exist, but lack the strength to achieve said want.

Inverse Arrow - The has and hasn't been. An arrow launches from where it would have landed, back to you. Watch your head... Value: 1

Reversal of (Mis)fortune {Progenitor’s Blessing} - Flip the effects, negative and positive, of any skill, friend, or foe, for the duration of your current conflict. Value: 3

I scanned the rest of the menu, reading through page after page of information. One thing was evident, this game, world, whatever it is. It’s extensive, to say the least.

Currently, I lacked any skill templates, was locked out of fusion skills, and didn’t possess a single item, currency included. Weapons… that’s just now sinking in.

I hope I don’t have to hurt anyone. Based on what I'm seeing, this “game” is actually giving me a chance of surviving. It's just that, I’d prefer to get home with as little conflict as possible.

I returned the fire to its normal state and readied myself, a slight tinge of hope gnawing at the back of my mind.

Maybe if I exit the dream, I’ll somehow wake up at my aunt’s? Okay, I doubt it, but a girl can dream, can’t she?

A smile bloomed on my face as that reality reared its head once more. I got something positive out of this, at least. I just have to make it through, and then I can live happily ever after. Cliched yes, but that’s all I want.

“Um… Exit the dream?” I instructed the fire, voice wavering in anticipation.

The fire was calm, nearly unresponsive at first.

Nearly.

Within moments, the fire caved inward as it started to swirl in a tornado-like fashion. It shot straight up, embers flying outward, narrowly avoiding me as they shot past my face.

I jumped to my feet and went to bolt, but the fire had other plans.

I reached the top of the stairs as it slammed down on me, isolating me within its fiery confines. Quickly, its flames changed to a mixture of my skills’ colors.

“Wait!” I pleaded as it swept inward, effortlessly incinerating my view of the scene.

- - - - -

“Ah!” I squeaked, heart threatening to burst out of my chest. My vision focused, comforting me with the fact that I wasn’t a charred corpse right now. Burning to death… I couldn’t imagine that.

“I’m okay,” a sigh of relief escaped me. I’m not dead. I might be soon, thanks to a heart attack from how crazy this has been, but I’m still kicking.

I glanced down to a sight that helped ease my nerves somewhat. A mahogany brown desk rested in front of me, dozens of books scattered around me in neat stacks that nearly touched the low ceiling.

My only source of light was a wax candle, its calming blue flame flickering every so often as wax ran down its sides.

“So many books,” I mumbled, awestruck at the shelves coating the walls. Each was full despite the copious amounts of literature littering the floor.

I leaned back, taking a deep breath in what I knew to be a vain effort to stay calm. This is too crazy. It’s hard just thinking about all of this.

“Get some fresh air,” I thought as I noticed the violet drapes obfuscating the one window in this room. That should help clear my head a bit.

I got to my feet and weaved my way past each tower, pulling back the drapes with no incident.

“Is it really that dark?” I blinked a few times. I can’t see through this window. It’s that severe... wait a second.

Beyond the window, sort of looks like a wall of dirt.

Am I underground?

Dely

The amount of drafts this chapter has seen... dear lord words can't do it justice. Now, it's not enough to justify six months without a chapter. So in response to that, I ain't gonna justify it. Instead, I'm going to pretend it's September. So... happy autumn equinox? Anyway, if there's typos shout at me or something.