A Perfect Entity ?

“What could the nightmare of a being that was not quite a human, nor animal, nor monster, but a mix of everything, look like?” When they entered the room and Iwao saw the rope attached to this blue entity, and learned what it was, he asked himself this question.

Did its nightmare represent the highlight of what the nightmares of all categories of beings could be? Or did it have nightmares completely different from what Iwao usually saw?

The darkness created by their closed eyes didn’t disappear for a few minutes, as they were unable to open them. They didn’t know where they were, what the nightmare was about, or even if they were truly in the nightmare.

A light breeze came to awaken their senses. They could smell the strong scent of sap coming from all around them. The only things they heard were the rustling of leaves and the flow of a river nearby. They could sense the contact between their hands, tightly clasped together. They could taste a sweetness on their tongue every time they breathed. But they couldn’t see.

Celi tried to speak but gave up. The atmosphere of the place was so calm that a single word could have disturbed it – Iwao and Saya were probably thinking the same.

She grabbed her eyelids and forced them open. She was left speechless, but found the strength to do the same to Saya and Iwao – even though she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach his eyes since he was tall.

The sight before them was something quite unrealistic.

A wide plain stretched out before them. All around it lay a forest of fir trees stretching as far as the eye could see. Inside the plain, dirt formed a spiral rising little by little from the outside to the highest point in the center, creating a path. Two rivers wound on either side of this spiral, their flow calm and their water transparent, without impurities.

The sky was full of stars and, at what seemed to be its center, there was something a black hole. But it didn’t swallow anything – it simply represented emptiness and nothingness.

Iwao, Saya, and Celi were observing from a hill outside this sight. They were all amazed, until their gaze fell on the figure in the center of the spiral, on top of the mound of dirt. The blue entity was looking at the sky. Its loneliness could be felt from afar, as if it had been there for a very long time.

“This loneliness… these feelings… this being really makes me feel like I’m staring at myself in a mirror…” Iwao thought, the wind softly brushing his fur.

As they observed this blue being, they were suddenly teleported next to him. It stopped looking at the sky and turned its gaze to them.

“I was waiting for someone, but she never came back. I was waiting to get out of here, but no exit appeared. What am I? Why do I have to be alone? Do you know the answer, visitors?”

His voice surprised the little group. It was a calm and soothing voice. If such a thing could be said of a voice, they would all have agreed that it was pure, reflecting years of thoughts lost in loneliness.

Iwao finally had a revelation, his eyes widening as he realized it.

“I have completely misunderstood the concept of a nightmare, always comparing it to chaos and my own experiences... A nightmare is something that scares people – not just chaos that could kill and is fundamentally horrendous.”

Iwao let go of Saya and Celi’s hands and stepped forward.

“This entity is a gift from The Witch. We need to build trust with it.” Iwao thought.

He spoke calmly, as if experienced with all that was happening, showing confidence.

“You’re in search of liberty and the meaning of your existence, I presume. I, Iwao, can bring you all of that.”

He held out his hand to it. The entity looked at him, perplexed. It tried to replicate what Iwao was doing but didn’t understand that he wanted a handshake. It tilted its head to both sides and narrowed its eyes in incomprehension.

“You are strange, visitor. Why offer me your help when you need help too?” It asked, in a voice full of incomprehension. It seemed incapable of showing the slightest emotion except this one.

Iwao looked at the ground to think before raising his head and meeting the entity’s gaze.

“When someone has no prejudices or doesn’t know what true fear is, I don’t scare that person. If only the rest of people were like that, I would go out in public without hiding myself.” He thought.

“You are the key to my problem – you are part of the help I need. Moreover, I know what you’ve been through, I’ve experienced it too. Let me help you, I will carry the weight on your shoulders, just as I do already for the two women behind me.” Iwao replied with a tinge of laughter in his voice.

The entity tried to imitate Iwao’s small laugh.

Celi and Saya looked at them in astonishment. Two powerful creatures speaking to each other, trying to join their forces – it was something out of this world.

They stayed back, overwhelmed by this completely new world. Everything happening seemed to go so far beyond the boundaries of reality that they couldn't believe their eyes.

The entity looked firmly at Iwao’s hand, which was still waiting. Finally, it reached to grab it.

“Let me get out, savior. Help me learn what I don’t know and help me find my way.” It said enthusiastically.

It fainted as soon as it pronounced these words. Saya and Celi rushed to it, trying to understand what happened. Iwao didn’t seem the least bit panicked, as if he knew exactly what he was doing.

“The entity doesn’t need to witness the place it had lived in for so long being destroyed... Saya, Celi, grab my hands and hold them firmly!” Iwao ordered.

They obeyed.

Iwao started the process of eating the nightmare. He was a little sad to see this beautiful place disappeared as he transformed it into energy.

“This place is filled with nostalgia, loneliness, and unanswered question. My heart seems to resonate deeply with it…” He thought.

A single tear streamed down his face, symbolic, as if he was leaving behind a part of himself as well.

It took ten minutes to eat the nightmare. The black hole took the most time.

“I’m always impressed by what I can do in the nightmares I enter. It’s as if my power is boundless.”

Lastly, he devoured the rope that had sent them there. Celi and Saya, still in shock, didn’t say a word during the process. They kept to the background, acting as silent observers.

A few seconds later, they were sent back to the room, in front of the body of the entity. They were all trying to digest what had happened. But as soon as they arrived, they heard all the noise outside. The questions would have to wait for later.

Celi went on a reconnaissance mission to see what was happening while Iwao and Saya kept an eye on the being, waiting for its awakening.

She propelled herself out of the entrance hole by channeling a wind spell under her feet. Barely two seconds later, she returned, the shock visible on her face. She hadn’t even touched the ground outside.

“Everything okay, Celi?” Saya asked.

“What’s happening outside?” Iwao added.

She looked at them as if to say "it's a disaster".

“We are in a problematic situation. Outside, there are golems, zombie sheep, and even a DRAGON! How are we supposed to get out of here safely? All was calm earlier and now this! These monsters are even fighting against soldiers of the kingdom’s army that came out of nowhere.” Celi spoke fast, panicking but also trying to think of what they could do.

“Soldiers of the kingdom’s army…? No…” Saya thought.

She turned to Iwao and looked deeply into his eyes.

“Iwao, my father, the king, is here for me… That’s why I think all these monsters are awake – they must have been awakened by them. We need to find a way out. If they put their hands on you... or even on me…”

“Do not worry, saviors. I will help you get out of here with minimal fighting. I'm a little rusty, but I am powerful.”

They all turned toward the voice. Next to the wooden desk, the entity had woken up. It came toward the little group.

“Mother taught me many things, like trying to give back the help I received. You helped me escape this place I was trapped in. Now, I will help you escape the place you are in.” It said confidently.

The ground was shaking above them as the battle raged. The four of them left the room, only to find themselves face to face with the dragon.

“I must say... I was not prepared for this scenario.” The entity said, still with no emotion in his voice.