"Attention! Code Black in the lobby I repeat ! Code Black!"
Sirens blared, and red flashes of light flooded the once-quiet police station. Each officer went about their day as usual slowly reading over case files, chatting, and bonding with fellow upholders of justice. However, this mundane day had taken a strange turn.
In the central area stood two young men, and in front of them stood a startled and worried officer. His appearance was dishevelled—messy hair and dark, almost sunken eyes that betrayed a sense of sleeplessness. It wasn't caused by any mystical force, unlike the two men standing opposite him. Rather, it was the result of long hours spent dealing with case after case, day and night. Nothing so overwhelming that it would bring him to his breaking point, but certainly enough to weigh on him, demanding his attention with no room for rest.
The terrified officer turned his gaze from a small, scrawny boy, whose appearance fit the stereotype of a slum rat—worn, dirty clothes and a soulless gaze. He was a frail-looking young man with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes, unhealthily thin and gaunt, his haggard appearance further accentuated by the cheap, ill-fitting clothes that clung to his form. The lack of sleep was evident, as his disheveled state made him seem like a ghost drifting through the chaos, detached and weary beyond measure.Beside him stood a young man, barely sixteen. His dark hair, wild and unkempt yet strangely delicate-looking, with some strands resting on his green bandana covering his forehead, matched and enhanced the hue of his round green bulb earrings. His torn tie crookedly rested on his white shirt, untucked and battered. Despite his face being sharp and defined, it still carried a softness, making him look more pretty than handsome. In fact, that alone might deceive some into believing him to be an awakened, yet his clothes told a story of poverty
"What about you? Are you also infected?"
"Err... I don't know. I haven't been able to sleep for a few days, and I feel overly tired, but it hasn't been that long since it began—at most a day or two." The young man's voice carried a tone of genuine confusion and bewilderment.
****
The Nightmare Spell first appeared in the world a few decades ago. Back then, the planet was just starting to recover from a series of devastating natural disasters and subsequent resource wars.
At first, the emergence of a new disease that caused millions of people to complain about constant fatigue and sleepiness did not attract a lot of attention. But when they started to fall into an unnatural slumber, with no sign of waking up even days later, governments finally panicked. Of course, by then it was already too late — not that an early response could have made any difference.
When the infected started dying in their sleep, their dead bodies turning into monsters, no one was ready. Nightmare Creatures quickly overwhelmed national militaries, plunging the world into complete chaos.
No one knew what the Spell was, what powers it possessed, and how to fight it.
In the end, it was the Awakened . those who survived the first trials of the Spell and came back alive who put a stop to its rampage. Armed with miraculous abilities earned in their Nightmares, they restored peace and created a semblance of a new order.
Though the officer had practiced this speech fervently as part of his duties, he had full confidence in debriefing the poor souls whom the spell of vices had chosen. Yet, the level of attention given to him by the two young men startled him.
The shorter boy, with his messy black hair and unhealthy pale skin, had a distant yet attentive gaze, hearing every nuance in the officer's voice. In contrast, the taller, dark-haired youth had a fully present demeanour, but it felt as if he were lost in his own thoughts.
A few moments later, the tall and short youths were led to a room in the station's basement, heavily reinforced enough to contain a beast of unfathomable power, though it was as shabbily built as the station itself. Within, two armed men stood, grim expressions etched across their faces. The bunker's thick, hard metal walls were cold to the touch, to the point that the armed officers could visibly feel the chill, yet their hands remained calm, resting on their rifles.
The iron vault door, the gate to this fortress, swung open with a thud, revealing a man with gray hair and a face aged with experience. He seemed to be dressed in a similar manner to the other officers—same uniform, though cleaner and of a darker shade than the rest.
After checking the restraints on the two teenagers, the old officer spoke, his voice rough.
"What's your name, kid?" he asked, his gaze shifting between the two young men.
The shorter lad blinked a few times, trying to concentrate, and shifted uncomfortably.
"Sunless."
The old policeman raised an eyebrow.
"Sunless? That's a strange name."
Sunny tried to shrug but found himself unable to move.
"What's so strange about it? At least I have a name. Back in the outskirts, not everyone even gets one."
After another yawn, he added,
"It's because I was born during a solar eclipse. My mom had a poetic soul, you see."
"And you?" the old policeman turned his gaze to the other youth who had accompanied Sunless.
"Chrollo ... Chrollo Lucilfer," the youth murmured, struggling to keep his eyes open. "I don't know who named me. No parents, no nothing. Just what I've been called since the earliest I can remember."
The old policeman grunted.
"Sunless, do you want me to contact your family?"
Sunless shook his head. "There's no one. Don't bother."
"How long could you two stay awake?"
"Um… not long," Sunless's voice rang out in a tired echo.
"I can't... wake…"
Chrollo stumbled on his words as a cold embrace engulfed him in a gentle sleep that might last forever.
[ Asprient! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell, prepare for your first trial…]