Not waiting for the timid doll to answer, Sunless settled down at a comfortable distance away from her. It was close enough that he could still be seen as part of the group, but not too close to intrude. He wasn't one to crowd people, but it seemed the little doll needed her space to gather her thoughts. Besides, he had his own reasons for keeping a little distance.
Sunny's gaze drifted over the group of Sleepers as he observed them with quiet interest. There was something almost instinctual about the way they had gathered, like the formation of separate tribes—each defined by their economic and martial power. At the front, closest to the podium, stood the Legacies, their presence commanding and unwavering, shining like beacons made of pure confidence. Behind them, standing tall with a certain grace, were the well-educated civilians. These were the ones who had the privilege of private tutoring, their minds sharpened by access to the finest teachers and resources, though they lacked the connections needed to acquire Memories—the key to unlocking their true potential. Farther back, there were the average citizens—the ones who were less likely to possess any extraordinary gifts or training, but who still held the potential for great change. They were the ones who would one day receive a crazy Aspect, as described in the Novels Sunny often read. And then, standing slightly apart from the rest, were him and the blind doll, her movements small and hesitant as she nervously shifted from foot to foot, clearly feeling the weight of being different.
This was how the young Sleepers had subconsciously divided themselves—by their perceived worth in terms of power and privilege. The only exception to this seemingly unspoken rule was the silver blob, as Sunny affectionately called her. She stood alone, separate from all the others, seemingly indifferent to the tension and nervousness that filled the air like a thick fog. She leaned against a wall, eyes closed in serene disinterest, still lost in the music that played through her headphones. No one had any idea who she was or where she came from, but there was something about her that made it impossible to ignore her presence.
But regardless of their group affiliations or level of training, one thing was clear: everyone was already growing tired of the endless waiting. The clock seemed to mock them as the minutes dragged on in the stale air.
'When will the damn induction ceremony start?' Sunny thought, his impatience growing with each passing moment. His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a man—a tall, imposing figure dressed in a dark blue uniform, standing on the stage like a monolith. Not only was he tall, he was almost a giant. Sunny squinted at him, wondering if the man's father had sinned with a bear…
Of course, it was impossible—bears had gone extinct long before the Spell even appeared, allegedly. Still, Sunny couldn't shake the comparison. He had seen pictures of them once in a book, and the man on stage certainly resembled something bear-like.
'A bear-like Nightmare Creature, then,' he mused, half-amused, half-worried.
The giant man had wide, powerful shoulders, an athletic build that could rival the strongest of warriors, and a glorious brown beard that seemed almost regal. His eyes, however, were the most striking feature—calm, yet intense, with a seriousness that could cut through the very air. After stepping into the center of the stage, he paused for a long moment, his gaze sweeping over the gathered Sleepers as if measuring each one in turn. Then, without so much as a word, he looked directly at the small group before him.
Leaning slightly toward the nervous blonde beside him, Sunny whispered with a grin, "The Awakened ahead looks like his father was a bit too fond of bears, if you ask me."
With this comment, he leaned back, a playful smirk tugging at his lips, leaving the girl confused but visibly less tense. Her shoulders relaxed a fraction.
Finally, the ursine hybrid spoke in a deep, reverberating voice that resonated through the air, commanding attention.
"I am Awakened Rock. Sleepers, welcome to the Academy."
The entire group fell into a hush, every single person listening intently, hanging on his every word.
"In less than a month, you will be summoned to the Dream Realm. Some of you might think that you are well-prepared for what awaits you. You are wrong. The Spell is merciless, cunning, and unpredictable. The moment an Awakened begins to think too highly of themselves, they fall. I have seen countless Sleepers like you lose their lives to it. I have also witnessed Masters, experienced and skilled, meet the same fate. Even Saints are not assured of survival."
As Rock went on to explain the basics of the Spell's nature and the dangers that awaited them in the Dream Realm, Sunny listened with a kind of detached curiosity. His mind wandered a little, though. While there was no doubt that Rock's words were filled with truth, the man's overly dramatic tone and long-winded explanations were starting to test his patience.
"Do you think he'll get to the end anytime soon?" A soft, unsure voice broke his reverie. He turned his head slightly to look at the blind girl beside him, the one with the pale features and quiet, almost fragile presence. She managed a weak smile, though her blind eyes revealed the quiet desperation beneath her calm demeanor.
Sunless gave a soft chuckle, not at what she said, but at the helplessness of her attempt to reach out for companionship. She was so... tentative.
"I don't think so," he replied, his tone light and teasing. "He seems to enjoy hearing his own voice a little too much."
It wasn't meant to be anything significant. He was simply looking for a way to distract himself from the boredom creeping in. Making jokes about the man-bear was just an easy target. But to his surprise, it seemed to mean more to her than he had expected. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, her smile widening as her posture straightened, her whole demeanor shifting as though she had been nourished by the simplest of gestures.
It was bittersweet for Sunny, though. He knew that her apparent joy came from something much deeper—an emptiness only someone like her, a "dead woman walking," as he thought of her, could understand. This might have been the first time she had truly felt seen.
"I know," she said, her voice brighter now. "Who doesn't know how the Spell functions?"
And so, the two continued to whisper and joke, their heckling a small rebellion against the long-winded Awakened. It was oddly comforting. They even shared a few genuine laughs, the kind that rumbled in the chest and made the world feel a little more bearable. It turned out that the little mouse had a sharp tongue and a clever mind—far sharper than her angelic appearance would ever suggest.