Hikari's breath came in shallow, ragged gasps. His body felt heavy, sinking deeper into the surface of his bed, as though gravity had intensified a hundredfold. Panic clawed at his throat. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't move. His limbs weren't responding.
It wasn't just sleep paralysis—this was different.
His body was dissolving into the mattress.
The shadows that pooled beneath him writhed unnaturally, stretching, pulling, swallowing him inch by inch. A sharp chill raced up his spine as his consciousness teetered on the edge of something unknown. He tried to scream, but his voice refused to obey. His heart pounded, hammering against his ribs like a desperate prisoner trying to break free.
Then, a voice.
"Relax."
The word slithered into his mind, cutting through the fear. It was deep, calm, unwavering.
"Stop fighting it."
Hikari's eyes flickered to the side. Emerging from the darkness like an apparition was the shadow manipulator, Ru Ryu. His form wavered like mist caught between dimensions, a half-formed silhouette in the dimly lit room. His piercing eyes gleamed, reflecting the soft glow of the streetlamp outside.
"Imagine yourself getting up," Ru Ryu instructed. "Not physically. Just picture it."
Hikari swallowed, his throat dry. "That's supposed to help?"
Ru Ryu smirked. "Try it and see."
A million thoughts rushed through Hikari's mind, but he had no choice. He shut his eyes and focused. I am getting up. He envisioned himself breaking free from the unseen grip, his body pulling away from the bed like a swimmer surfacing from deep water.
Nothing.
He gritted his teeth, focusing harder. The sensation of sinking didn't go away, but it wasn't worsening either. He was stuck in between.
"Again," Ru Ryu urged. "Clear your mind. Don't let fear cloud your intent."
Hikari took a deep breath. This time, he didn't fight the pull. Instead, he accepted it, letting the sensation wash over him like a slow tide. He imagined his body rising, imagined his arms moving, his legs solidifying.
And then—
He gasped, feeling a sudden shift. The weight pressing down on him vanished, replaced by a strange lightness. His body snapped back into place like an elastic band that had been stretched to its limit. He shot upright, heart pounding.
He was free.
A deep sigh of relief escaped his lips. His skin tingled, as if remnants of shadow still clung to him, but he was solid again. Real.
Ru Ryu gave him an approving nod. "Not bad. Took me longer than that when I first started."
Hikari wiped sweat from his forehead. "That was... insane."
Ru Ryu chuckled. "You'll get used to it."
Hikari slumped back into his bed, his limbs heavy from exhaustion. His eyelids drooped as fatigue overtook him. He barely registered Ru Ryu fading into the shadows once more before sleep claimed him.
Then, everything was swallowed by darkness.
A different kind of darkness. Not the comforting shade of night, nor the void of sleep. This was suffocating, endless, an abyss that stretched beyond reason.
Hikari's breath hitched. He looked around, but there was nothing. No walls, no floor, no sky. Just blackness in every direction. He reached out, but his fingers met nothingness. A cold sweat formed on his back.
The silence was deafening.
Then, he felt it.
Something was moving.
It wasn't just the absence of light—something was shifting within the darkness. Tendrils of shadow slithered around him, brushing against his skin like unseen fingers. The sensation sent a shiver down his spine.
He clenched his fists. I should be a light to overcome darkness. He repeated the words in his mind, recalling Ru Ryu's teachings. This wasn't just some nightmare. This was a test.
His first trial.
Hikari forced himself to breathe evenly. I will overcome this.
Then, his eyes adjusted. A shape emerged from the void—a hulking figure, blacker than the darkness itself. It stood unnaturally still, its form shifting like smoke yet retaining a humanoid shape. Then, its eyes opened.
Glowing.
A deep, eerie red.
Hikari felt his blood run cold. The air thickened as the creature exuded a silent menace. His body screamed at him to run.
The creature lunged.
A choked cry tore from Hikari's throat as he turned on his heels and bolted. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. The ground—if it even existed—didn't make a sound beneath his feet. He ran blindly, directionless, with nothing but the gut-wrenching feeling of something massive chasing him.
He dared a glance back—
The monster was gaining on him.
Faster than anything humanly possible. Its inky form twisted and expanded, its glowing eyes locked onto him like a predator to prey.
No, no, no!
Hikari pushed his legs harder, his lungs burning. Someone—someone help me! But no voice answered. No hero came. He was alone in this void.
The monster struck.
A powerful force yanked him from behind, lifting him off his feet. Hikari gasped as a crushing grip wrapped around his torso, squeezing. Pain exploded in his ribs. He struggled, but the monster's hold only tightened.
Bones creaked. He gritted his teeth, veins popping on his forehead. I'm going to die.
The creature opened its mouth. Shadows swirled inside, a void within a void, its depths whispering unspeakable horrors. A voice slithered into his head—distorted, alien, yet oddly soothing.
It will be quick. You won't feel a thing. Just stop struggling.
His vision blurred. The pain, the suffocation—it was all becoming too much.
"No... I—"
His body felt like it was about to snap in half.
And then—
Music. A faint melody drifted through the darkness. Familiar. A song.
...kasaneta ayamachi nurikaeru you nando demo iisa kirikaeshiteku Sutaato Rain...I never say goodbye...
"..."
"..."
Hikari's eyes snapped open. A gasp tore from his lips as he jolted upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat.
...keizoku shite iku shoumei...
He turned off his alarm with a trembling hand. The nightmare still clung to him, a lingering ghost of pain in his ribs and the echo of that whisper in his ears.
A sudden knock. His mother's voice, laced with worry. "Hikari? Are you okay?"
The door creaked open, and she stepped inside, holding a ladle like a weapon. At the first sight of her, Hikari didn't know whether he should laugh or not because her mom really looked panic-stricken. He blinked. "Mom?"
She relaxed at the sight of him. "You screamed. I thought something happened."
Hikari forced a chuckle, rubbing his face. "Just a bad dream."
His mother's expression softened. "Well, come down for breakfast. It'll help."
He nodded, watching as she left.Yeah. It was just a dream. He sighed, pulling back his blanket. That's when his heart stopped. His lower body... it was missing!
Hikari stared in horror. His legs—his waist—were gone, replaced by an inky black void that bled into the shadows beneath him.
"Aaaghhh~!?"
A familiar voice chuckled. "Ahahha~ Once again, don't be surprised."
Hikari whipped his head around. Ru Ryu smirked, arms crossed.
"I'm impressed. It took me a while to master becoming part shadow. And here you are, doing it in twelve hours." His grin widened. "You've got potential, kid."