Bonus Chapter #2: Demon in Your Dreams (untitled Part 2)

Previously on For All The Time

The man smirked faintly. “I am Hayashi. Like you, I carry a title, but I’d rather keep it to myself. Your reputation precedes you, Arth.”

Arth stood silent, the weight of the statement lingering in the air.

The moonlight bathed the alley in silver as Arth froze, startled by a familiar voice.

“How about we take a walk to the dark side, then?” the voice teased, laced with a hint of mischief.

He turned sharply, eyes widening. “Kim? What are you doing here?”

Kim stepped closer, her signature smirk never wavering. “Well, I could ask the same thing to you, Arth. But I suppose we’re both creatures of habit, aren’t we?”

---

The air at Kisaragi Station was unnaturally still, carrying a chill that made the hairs on Arth’s neck stand up. Kim stood before him, her cigarette glowing faintly in the gloom.

“What are you doing here?!” Arth barked, his frustration bubbling over as he grabbed the fabric of her coat.

Kim, unflinching, yanked his hand away with surprising strength. “I could ask you the same thing!” she snapped, her voice reverberating through the empty station.

“Are you still upset about what happened at my apartment?” she added, her tone softening.

“Of course I am! You made me pay your overdue rent!” he retorted, crossing his arms.

Kim chuckled, a plume of smoke curling from her lips. “Hey, you’re the one who tracked me down. Besides, no services are free in this world.”

Arth sighed heavily, his irritation giving way to a resigned calm. “Fine. What are you doing here, then?”

Kim gestured toward the darkened tunnel. “I’m here to investigate this place—Kisaragi Station. It shouldn’t exist, yet here it is. A phantom station, if you will.”

Arth’s eyes narrowed. “I’m here for something else entirely. A Time Cog. I’ve been searching for it for months.”

Their argument escalated, voices clashing and echoing eerily. They seemed oblivious to the silent figure standing just out of sight.

Hayashi remained on edge, his gaze sweeping the shadows. Something moved—a fleeting shape in the tunnel. His eyes glowed faintly, a signal that whatever lurked in the darkness had not escaped his notice.

“And how’s your master these days? I haven’t seen her since our little visit to the cat café,” Kim quipped, her tone biting.

Arth stiffened. “Wait—you’ve met with Sera? When?”

Kim smirked. “Months ago. I came to Japan to talk to her about you. You’ve always seemed... secretive.”

“Secretive? Me?” Arth shot back, incredulous. “You’ve been inside my mind. What else could I possibly hide?”

Their bickering was interrupted by Hayashi’s sharp voice. “Enough, you two lovebirds!”

Both Kim and Arth turned to him, indignant.

“We’re not lovebirds,” Kim muttered, glaring at Hayashi.

“You argue like you are,” Hayashi retorted dryly. “Now focus. We’re not alone here.”

He stepped forward, his voice commanding as he called into the shadows. “Show yourself! I know you’re there.”

From the depths of the tunnel emerged a figure, stepping into the faint light. It stood tall, its trunk-like snout swaying slightly as it surveyed the group. It has a head of an elephant, the body of a bear, the feet of a tiger, the eyes of a rhinoceros, and the tail of an ox. a patchwork of various animals—added to its grotesque yet mesmerizing appearance.

“What is that?” Arth asked, his voice hushed.

“A Baku,” Kim murmured. Her expression was unreadable, but her tone carried a note of caution.

Kim’s voice grew steady as she explained, “Baku are dream-eating yokai. They feed on nightmares, ensuring peaceful sleep. Usually, they’re neutral, even helpful. But if summoned too often…”

Hayashi interrupted, his distaste evident. “They’re a nuisance. I don’t like them. They undo everything I stand for—creating dreams.”

Kim chuckled softly. “Relax. This one doesn’t seem aggressive.” She approached the creature with deliberate slowness, her cigarette smoke trailing behind her like a ghostly veil.

“Hello there,” she greeted, her voice low and soothing. “What brings a magnificent creature like you to this station?”

The Baku’s lips curled into an unsettling grin. “This station is convenient for me,” it said, its voice surprisingly human yet dripping with malice.

Kim’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that?”

“This dimension—this liminal space where souls wander—is perfect for harvesting dreams and energy.”

The air grew heavy with tension. Kim took a step back, her fingers twitching as she prepared a spell behind her back. “You’re not a Baku, are you?” she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

The creature laughed, a sound that echoed unnaturally. Before it could respond, Kim unleashed a blast of magic. The strike hit its face, peeling away the illusion to reveal a dark, malevolent being cloaked in shadows.

—-

Kim’s magic struck true, dispersing the creature’s illusion. Its true form was grotesque—a swirling mass of darkness coalescing into a humanoid shape. Its hollow eyes glowed faintly, and tendrils of shadow slithered from its form like living smoke.

“You’ve ruined it now, Saint of Last Resorts,” the creature snarled, its voice layered with echoes as though it spoke from the depths of a cavern.

Kim’s expression hardened. “So, you know who I am,” she said, her tone low and steady. “That just confirms it—you’re one of his, aren’t you?”

The creature sneered. “It doesn’t matter who I serve. What matters is that you’ve played right into our hands.”

“What did you do to Hasumi and the others?” Kim demanded, her voice sharp as a blade.

“With every soul we’ve captured, we power this place. It’s an endless source of energy,” the creature hissed.

“For what purpose?” Hayashi asked, stepping forward with his sword drawn.

“To lure the three of you here,” the creature revealed. Its eyes flicked to each of them, glowing brighter. “The Realm of Dreams cannot be disturbed without the Dream Strider’s intervention. It was only a matter of time before you came sniffing around.”

Arth’s gaze narrowed. “Hayashi, is that why you helped us? Because you knew something was wrong with the dreamscape?”

Hayashi nodded. “Sera mentioned disturbances in this dimension, but even she couldn’t predict this.”

Kim crossed her arms. “Enough exposition. What’s the endgame here? Why go to all this trouble to draw us out?”

The creature’s grin widened unnaturally. “Because my sponsor knows the threat you three pose. If we let you live, you’ll ruin everything.”

As the creature spoke, it reached into its chest, pulling out a radiant, glowing artifact—a Time Cog. The object pulsed with energy, its golden surface etched with intricate patterns.

“This is the heart of this dimension,” the creature said, holding the cog aloft. “It powers everything here. But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”

Arth’s breath caught. “A Time Cog…” he murmured, his eyes fixed on the artifact.

Kim raised an eyebrow. “This is what you’ve been looking for?”

“Yes,” Arth replied. “I need all seven pieces to repair the universe and restore balance. But this isn’t the first time I’ve seen one used as a battery.”

Kim scoffed. “Great. So, we can’t retrieve the souls this thing has already taken, but we can at least get the cog away from it.”

The creature laughed darkly. “You can try.”

Its form shifted, shadowy tendrils solidifying into jagged claws. Flames erupted from its hands, the fire flickering with streaks of blood-red light.

Kim barely had time to react. “Basic Spell: Light Ray!” she shouted, unleashing a blinding beam of light.

The spell illuminated the entire station, forcing the creature to shield its face.

“Run!” Kim yelled, grabbing Arth’s arm and pulling him toward the tunnel.

The trio dashed through the dimly lit tunnel, their footsteps echoing as the creature’s roar reverberated behind them.

“We’re sitting ducks in here!” Kim shouted.

“Then we need to get out of the dream entirely!” Hayashi suggested.

Kim shot him a glare. “And how exactly do we do that? This is a sealed space!”

“Kim, calm down!” Arth interjected.

“Calm down?” Kim snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “How about you teleport us out, Mr. ‘I’ve Lived Countless Lifetimes’?”

“I can’t!” Arth retorted. “My teleportation works in the physical realm, not a dream.”

“Great. So, you’re dead weight right now,” Kim muttered, her tone laced with frustration.

Hayashi interrupted, his voice calm yet firm. “Maybe I can help him access his powers here in the dream. Trust me.”

Without waiting for approval, Hayashi placed a hand on Arth’s shoulder. A faint glow emanated from his palm, and Arth gasped as a surge of energy coursed through him.

“I see it now,” Arth said, his voice filled with wonder. “I can do this!”

With newfound confidence, Arth grabbed Kim and Hayashi, focusing his energy. In an instant, the trio vanished from the tunnel, reappearing at the station’s exit.

The station’s end opened into a vast, desolate void. The air was thick, pressing down on them as though the space itself resisted their presence.

Kim wasted no time. She pulled a knife from her belt and sliced her palm, letting blood drip onto the ground.

“Kim!” Arth shouted, alarmed.

“Don’t worry—I’m fine,” she assured him. Her blood formed a crimson circle on the ground as she began chanting in a language neither Arth nor Hayashi could recognize.

“We can’t defeat that creature in its own domain,” she explained. “But we can destroy the domain itself.”

Hayashi nodded, gripping his sword tightly. “I’ll keep it busy.” and he then summoned another one wielding both blades.

Arth hesitated. “I’m helping.”

Kim shot him a glare. “This spell is dangerous, Arth. Stay out of it.”

“I don’t care,” Arth said firmly, stepping past her. “I’m not sitting on the sidelines.”

“Fine,” Kim relented. “But don’t blame me if you get hurt.”

As Kim continued her chant, the creature emerged from the tunnel, its form even more monstrous than before. Shadowy tendrils lashed out, and its fiery claws ignited with renewed fury.

Hayashi charged forward, his sword glowing with ethereal light. Arth followed, summoning a magenta blade made out of light from thin air.

The battle was chaotic, with the creature regenerating from every wound. But Arth and Hayashi fought valiantly, buying Kim the time she needed.

Kim’s voice grew louder as her chant reached its crescendo. The blood circle began to glow, flames licking at its edges. Symbols formed in the air above her, shimmering with arcane energy.

Hayashi slashed at the creature with precision, his movements fluid and unyielding. The creature roared in frustration, its regenerating form a hindrance rather than an advantage.

“Arth, we’re not doing enough damage!” Hayashi shouted as the creature sent a wave of shadows cascading toward them.

“We don’t need to defeat it,” Arth replied, deflecting the attack with his blade. “We just need to stall it.”

Kim’s hands trembled as the ritual pulled energy from her, the strain evident in her pale complexion. She cast a glance at Arth and Hayashi. “I’m almost done! Just keep that bastard away from me!”

The creature, realizing Kim was the true threat, focused its attacks on her. It surged forward, but Arth intercepted it, his blade clashing against its fiery claws.

“You’re not getting through!” Arth growled, his magenta blade flaring with power.

Hayashi joined him, striking at the creature’s flank. “Kim, hurry!”

The circle beneath Kim erupted in light, sending shockwaves through the void. The ground cracked, and the station began to dissolve into fragments of dreamstuff.

The creature howled, its form destabilizing. “What have you done?!” it bellowed.

Kim’s voice was steady as she uttered the final words of her spell. “Papyeon! Malgeum!”

A massive explosion of light engulfed the station, tearing apart the dream dimension. Arth, Hayashi, and Kim were thrown backward as the realm unraveled around them.

The trio found themselves standing on a small, crumbling platform in an endless void. The remains of the dream dimension floated like shards of glass around them.

Kim staggered to her feet, wiping blood from her palm. “That should do it,” she said, her voice shaky.

Hayashi glanced at the void surrounding them. “It’s over. This dream won’t trap anyone else.”

Kim turned to him. “Thanks for the assist, Hayashi. I guess this is where we part ways.”

Hayashi nodded, his expression unreadable. “Good luck, Kim Ji-yoo. Arth.” With that, he disappeared, fading into the void.

Kim sighed, turning to Arth. “Well, that was a mess. So, how do we wake up?”

Arth glanced down as the platform beneath them began to dissolve. “I think we’re about to find out.”

As the platform vanished, the sensation of falling overtook them.

Kim awoke first, gasping for air as she sat up on a bench at the train station. Her body was drenched in sweat, and her heart pounded in her chest.

“I made it out,” she whispered to herself. “And Arth… he was in my dream.”

Meanwhile, Arth stirred in his base of operations, lying on the floor where he had fallen asleep. His alarm blared, waking him fully.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes. “I slept peacefully,” he murmured, glancing at his monitor.

The screen showed a blinking dot that suddenly disappeared. Arth frowned. “The anomaly… it’s gone. How?”

In another realm, Hayashi appeared in the ethereal domain of the Celestial Witch. She sat in her usual spot, sipping coffee and nibbling on the last slice of strawberry cheesecake.

Hayashi stepped forward, his tone demanding. “I’ve fulfilled my part of the deal. I helped your assistant.”

The Celestial Witch smiled, her heterochromatic eyes glimmering with satisfaction. She said nothing, but her presence alone was enough to silence any further protests from Hayashi.

In a dark and desolate space, the creature from the dream staggered, barely clinging to life. Its chest cavity was empty, the Time Cog gone.

“You…” it rasped, its voice weak.

A silhouette emerged from the shadows—a tall figure with an air of authority. “You failed,” the man said, his voice calm but cold.

The creature tried to speak, but the man stepped forward, flipping it onto its back. His hand reached into the creature’s chest, extracting the glowing Time Cog.

“What are you doing? We had a deal!” the creature gasped.

The man smirked, his grip tightening on the cog. “Deals are for the desperate.” With a flick of his wrist, he snuffed out the creature’s remaining life force.

“And you've lived your purpose, I have no use to you now”

Holding the Time Cog, he turned, revealing himself to be Ouroboros. A second cog glimmered in his other hand.

“I am always two steps ahead,” he said with a satisfied grin.

End of Chapter 9: Demon in Your Dreams (untitled Part 2)