I open my eyes to dense fog.
I'm back here again.
I stand up from my hunched position and look around me. This place looks the exact same. The landscape is still just an endless mist stretching into nothing.
- ???: "Ayden."
A voice comes in from behind me. It's faint at first, like the person is underwater.
I turn my head, and there she is. The mysterious girl who has been guiding me for whatever reason. But she looks different this time.
The mist doesn't completely swallow her like before. Her shape is clearer, sharper. I can actually make out the fall of her clothes. Long, flowing fabric, elegant but simple, almost like something from another time. Everything below her waist is shrouded in fog.
Her face is still obscured, but her rose quartz eyes still shine bright, staring at me intently.
A delicate chain rested around her neck, the crystal catching the light in the mist. It seemed to pulse faintly, a soft glow that mirrored the color of her eyes.
- ???: "Thank Goodness. To be honest, I didn't know if you could hear me. I thought I'd have to take more extreme actions."
"Extreme actions?"
She tilts her head slightly, the movement soft and deliberate.
- ???: "Like forcibly resetting your mind to give your memories back."
"…Would that hurt?"
- ???: "Yup. A lot!"
"Great."
I said this with all the enthusiasm of a goldfish.
Suddenly, a realization hits me.
I damn near shout as I speak.
"Wait, I can talk?"
- ???: "Mhm! It's because you're getting closer to me."
Her sleeve stirs with the fog, and for the first time I realize her hand is almost fully visible. Her pale fingers are trailing the faint mist surrounding her.
"So this means I managed to get out of that dream or whatever… Right?"
She nods her head.
- ???: "Yes. You're free from that world now."
My breath catches.
Free.
And yet… it hurts.
That warmth, that house, my family.
None of it was mine, but it felt like the closest thing I've had to true happiness in years.
I miss it already.
And the guilt sits heavy in my chest because a part of me wanted to stay.
I stare at the ground and begin to murmur under my breath, trying to get my mind off of it.
"I guess I should thank you."
Her eyes blink once, like I caught her off guard.
- ???: "Huh? Why?"
"You snapped me out of it. Had you not been there, I have no idea how long I'd be stuck for."
- ???: "…You really are a kind boy."
Please stop. Don't call me that. I'm not kind.
She's wrong.
I'm a horrible person, and there's nothing more to it.
I shake my head and decide to ask the questions I've been holding in for a while.
"Anyway… Why am I here? Shouldn't I have woken up back at the cabin? And also, what is this place?"
She flails her arms in a mock panic.
- ???: "Woah, woah. Slow down! That's a lot of questions."
Clearing her throat, her tone shifts back to being calm.
- ???: "First, this is a world between worlds and time itself. When here, everything outside is almost completely frozen. Think of it like a time capsule."
I nod my head to show my understanding.
- ???: "I brought you here because I need to warn you about what comes next."
"What do you mean?"
- ???: "You came in contact with the boss monster of this floor. He isn't as physically strong as The Warden, or nearly as fast as that… abomination."
My stomach twists as I remember the disgusting creature that tore me to shreds in my first loop. The squelching of flesh and the searing pain that shot through my entire body is still ingrained into my soul. I start scratching my arm lightly out of habit.
- ???: "The Dreamer traps his victims in perfect illusions. Dreams, or rather, a parallel world that matches their deepest desires. The others in your group are trapped in their own worlds right now, just like you were."
Kai. Isabella. Everyone…
"Well I got out. That must mean they can be saved."
She hesitates.
- ???: "Yes… but the longer they stay inside, the harder it becomes to wake them. The Dreamer feeds on what people want most. He'll twist every memory, every regret, until they forget reality completely."
I look to the floor and take a deep breath.
"Then tell me what I have to do."
She looks at me for a long moment. The faintest smile curves her lips beneath the mist.
- ???: "That fire in your eyes… I'm glad it's still there."
I blink.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Without saying a word, she raises her hand and traces a symbol in the fog. The mist swirls, condensing into a small glowing sigil before floating toward me.
- ???: "Take this. It's called Soul Touch. With it, you'll be able to dive into the minds of others. Bring them back with you, but be careful. Each dream you enter reflects who they truly are. You'll see their hopes, their fears… and their pain."
The light seeps into my chest, a warmth spreading through me.
"Alright. Leave it to me."
The fog starts to stir, coiling around her form like smoke drawn to a flame. Her outline begins to blur again. She's fading.
"One last question. What is your name?"
She hesitates again, but this time she speaks with a softness in her voice.
- Alice: "It's Alice. Just Alice."
After these words, she disappears. The fog collapses in on itself, and the world tilts.
When I open my eyes, I'm staring at the ceiling of the cabin. The faint hum of the heater and the crackle of the fireplace are the only sounds filling the room.
- Isabella: "Ayden!"
Before I can even sit up, a sudden weight crashes down on me.
She's hugging me, no, clinging to me, arms wrapped so tight I can barely breathe.
"Ugh… wha—"
- Isabella: "Thank God!"
She's practically lying on top of me now, her voice muffled against my chest and her body trembling.
- Isabella: "I-I got so worried! The others weren't waking up and there was this strange voice and—"
"Okay, Okay! Calm down and tell me what happened."
She freezes, realizing how close she is, and immediately pulls away, sitting upright on the floor beside the couch. Her face is bright red, her eyes refusing to meet mine.
- Isabella: "I'm sorry. I lost my composure."
I exhale slowly, my pulse still hammering. The warmth where she held me lingers for a second too long.
She smelled nice.
Before I can say anything, she continues.
- Isabella: "I don't know what that was. One second I was sleeping, and the next, I hear this strange voice. Suddenly, I'm awake and when I tried waking the others, no one was responding and I started panicking."
Isabella is talking much faster than her usual slow tempo. She must have been really worried.
"It feels like there's a lot of 'strange voices' being heard lately. Do you know what it said?"
- Isabella: "I don't really know… I couldn't understand it."
"I see…"
- Isabella: "Oh! I remember one thing. He said something about 'his avatar'. I'm not sure what that means though."
That fucker must've been trying to reach her too.
"Still, I'm glad you didn't get hurt."
- Isabella: "Yes. I'm okay."
"I know what's wrong with them, but it's kinda hard to explain. Just know, it's the boss of this floor."
- Isabella: "The boss?! It's here?!"
She looks around frantically, terrified by the idea of a monster looming over us. I try to reassure her in any way I can.
"Yes and no? I'm not really sure myself… Anyway, I need to go into each of their minds and get them out."
- Isabella: "…Will you be okay?"
"I'm not sure…"
Isabella's worried expression softens for a moment, but her eyes still tremble faintly.
I can't help but notice the way she clenches her fists when she's scared, trying to act composed. She acts so much like Nia.
A small laugh escapes me before I can stop it.
- Isabella: "What?"
"Nothing. You just… remind me of someone."
She tilts her head, curious, but doesn't pry.
Instead, she leans forward a bit.
- Isabella: "Is there anything I can help with?"
Her voice is shaky. She looks like she wants to say more, but she stops herself. Instinctively, I reach out and place a hand on her head.
Her eyes widen.
I speak quietly.
"Just wait for me, alright?"
Her lips press together, and she gives a small nod.
- Isabella: "…Okay."
I let my hand fall away and walk towards Kai's sleeping figure.
He is as stiff as a mannequin, and cold to the touch. His skin looks a shade lighter too, almost like the life was drained from his body.
I try shaking him, but he doesn't respond, moving like a ragdoll.
No wonder she was scared, he looks dead!
The air hums softly, like a heartbeat reverberating through the room. I turn to Isabella and smile, before raising my hand above the sack of potatoes laying in front of me.
Okay, so I gotta just imagine myself using the skill, right?
A fear that the same thing as last time will occur when I try casting a spell settles inside me. I don't want to explode, but I don't have any choice. I grit my teeth.
Soul touch. Soul touch. Soul touch…
Thankfully, a faint glow seeps from my hand. Everything around me warps and the world folds in on itself.
The next thing I know, I'm standing in front of a door. Judging by my surroundings, I'm currently inside an apartment complex. Behind me is a railing and to my right is an elevator. I look over the railing to see an unfamiliar town.
Is this the fourth floor?
I look back at the door. There's a name tag above the doorbell.
"Walker. It's Kai's apartment…"
I press the doorbell.
Nothing.
I press it again, a faint chime echoing from the other side. For a second, I think I hear movement, but it's quiet again.
Something about this place feels off.
If it's anything like my dream, it will be the perfect world for him, and convincing him to come back will be difficult.
A cold dread creeps up my spine as I contemplate knocking. Suddenly, the door opens a crack.
A kid, around seven years old, peeks his head out. Messy brown hair. Big brown eyes. Wearing a shirt a size too big. He looks like a mini version of Kai.
Is this his brother?
- ???: "Hello! Who are you?"
I put on a smile and speak.
"I'm Ayden. Is Kai here?"
- ???: "Brother? Yes!"
He turns and leaves the door open behind him. I enter, closing it behind me. There is a shoe rack with several pairs in different sizes. I take my shoes off and put them by the entrance.
The air inside the apartment is warm. It's comforting. A faint mix of butter and soy sauce lingers in the air, wrapping around me like invisible steam.
Somewhere deeper inside, oil sizzles, and the rhythmic clatter of a spatula against a pan echoes faintly.
I follow the sound, my socks brushing against cheap linoleum floors that creak under every step. The apartment isn't large. There's just a narrow hallway that opens into a small living room. The couch is a little torn on one side, its armrest covered by a badly folded blanket. Toys are scattered under the table, a few action figures half-buried under old magazines. There's a small screen TV at the corner of the room by the window.
This place feels lived in.
- Kai: "Oh? Ayden! I didn't expect you to be here."
He's standing in front of the stove, wearing a light pink apron with flower patterns on it. It's covering his casual clothes. There's rice steaming in a pot beside him and eggs frying in another pan. For a moment, I just stare. Not because it's unusual to see him cooking, but because this version of Kai looks… lighter.
His shoulders aren't tensed. He looks and is smiling, a more genuine one then what I've seen before.
Then again, I haven't known him for long.
He turns off the stove and faces me, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face as he unties the apron.
- Kai: "Don't judge me! I'm cooking for my brothers and this is all I could find!"
"Relax… I wasn't going to say anything."
Before I can say more, a small voice cuts in.
- ???: "Who's he?"
I turn around to see another boy, probably in his early teens, sitting in a chair at the kitchen table. He's got Kai's same brown hair, just shorter, and sharper eyes that study me with cautious curiosity.
He's wearing a dark blue hoodie.
- Kai: "This is Ayden, my uh… friend?"
Kai stands there pondering that fact for a second.
Friend… More like acquaintances.
He then gestures to him.
- Kai: "Ayden, this is my brother, Evan."
Evan gives me a short nod, then goes back to playing on a handheld console.
- Kai: "Oh, and the one who let you in is the youngest, Theo."
A small head peaks out from behind the couch. He's staring at me.
For a second, I just stand there, frozen in place. The laughter, the warmth, the sound of the oil popping. All of it blends together in a way that makes my stomach twist.
Because neither of us belong here.
I finally manage to speak.
"You've got a nice place."
- Kai: "Is it? Honestly, it's pretty run-down, but the rent is dirt cheap so it's a win in my opinion."
He plates the food and gestures for me to sit at the small table. I do. The chair creaks under me as I lean forward.
Omurice sits in my plate, and it looks delicious.
- Kai: "Alright! Let's eat."
After about 10 minutes of idle chit chat, I can't take it anymore.
"Kai. You know this is a dream right?"
He pauses with his fork hanging above the food, his mouth open.
- Kai: "I figured."
Putting his utensil down, he looks to his brothers. He tells them to go to their room and play some games while we speak. They comply and leave the room, placing their plates in the sink on the way out.
Kai's smile vanishes and his expression shifts into something more serious, arms crossed.
- Kai: "Explain. What's going on?"
The tone in his voice shocks me a little. I've never seen him this serious.
He's staring at me, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions.
Confusion. Concern. But above all, anger.
I swallow the lump in my throat.
"The boss of this floor attacked is in our sleep. He placed us in these illusions. These dreams."
- Kai: "So, none of this is real?"
"…I'm not sure. He told me these are parallel worlds. A place where everything went the way we wanted it to."
He breathes out and his serious expression finally lightens up.
- Kai: "Honestly, I was kind of confused. Everything looks the exact same for me so I thought I was dreaming."
I raise an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
- Kai: "This is my home life. I've always lived like this. Taking care of my brothers, eating with them. All of this is normal for me."
He's looking around the room, taking a sip of water out of his glass.
Maybe that means he already had everything he wanted.
Suddenly, the door bell rings.
- Kai: "I'll get it."
Kai stands up with his glass in hand and walks out of the room, leaving me sitting there with my thoughts. The faint clatter of his footsteps fades into the hallway.
He had a good question though. Is any of this real or is it completely fabricated?
I'm staring absently at my plate when I hear it.
A sharp intake of breath, a short scream and the sound of glass breaking from where Kai went.
My chair scrapes across the floor as I stand. I rush toward the door, my heart suddenly hammering against my ribs.
"KAI?!"
He is frozen in the doorway, his entire body trembling. The broken glass is on the floor beneath his feet. His other hand is clutching the frame of the door so tightly his knuckles are white.
A look of absolute horror is on his face.
- Kai: "…Mom?"
A woman is standing in front of him.
She looks older, mid-thirties maybe, her long brown hair pulled into a loose ponytail. Her eyes are tired, the kind of tired that comes from years of quiet exhaustion. She's wearing an old cardigan. Despite that, she looks genuinely relieved.
She smiles faintly, voice cracking as she speaks.
- Kai's Mom: "I'm back."
For a moment, no one moves. The air is thick, heavy with disbelief. Kai stares at her like she's a ghost he doesn't trust.
- Kai: "Why… Why are you here?! Why now?"
She takes a small step forward, her expression softening.
- Kai's Mom: "I wanted to see you. You've grown so much. I'm so proud of you. You always were the responsible one."
Her tone is warm, almost proud, but there's something in it.
A hint of distance.
Like a stranger admiring someone else's child.
That single sentence breaks something in him.
His fists clench, his jaw tightens.
- Kai: "Responsible…?"
Then a bitter laugh exits his lips. He puts a hand to his face.
- Kai: "You think this is about being responsible? If we're talking about responsibility, where have you been for years?!"
She blinks, confused.
- Kai's Mom: "Kai, I—"
- Kai: "NO!"
His voice snaps through the air and shocks even me.
- Kai: "YOU LEFT US! YOU LEFT ALL OF THIS TO ME! I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THEM ON MY OWN BECAUSE OF YOUR SELFISHNESS."
His voice cracks. All the pain, all the buried frustration he's been carrying for years spills out in raw, unfiltered rage.
- Kai: "Do you have any idea what it was like?! Watching them cry because you weren't there? Pretending everything was fine so they wouldn't fall apart?!"
He's trembling, tears welling up despite how hard he's trying to hold them back.
She stands there, silent, hands trembling.
Then she whispers, almost too softly to hear:
- Kai's Mom: "I'm sorry."
That's all it takes.
The anger drains out of him, replaced by a broken sob. He stumbles forward and clings to her, burying his face into her shoulder.
- Kai: "I hate you… I hate you so much."
His words shake as he says them.
- Kai's Mom: "I know."
Her voice is barely a whisper, but her arms wrap around him anyway.
And in that fragile embrace, he finally lets himself break.
Some time passes.
The apartment feels… almost too normal.
The smell of soap drifts from the kitchen as Kai's mom hums softly to herself, sleeves rolled up as she scrubs the dishes. The younger two cling to her sides, still red-eyed after crying their lungs out. They are quietly talking to her as if afraid she might vanish if they let go.
I'm sitting on the couch, pretending to watch the muted TV, but really I'm just staring at them. The faint shapes of the family to my left. The warmth that doesn't belong to me.
Every sound in this place feels wrong now.
Kai's sitting on the window sill, chin resting on his hand. Every few minutes, his eyes flick toward me, then back to the street outside. He doesn't say anything. Neither do I.
My chest tightens.
If we stay here too long, the Dreamer will swallow us whole.
I can feel it. This place is feeding on the quiet comfort.
I stand up and make my way toward him.
"We should talk."
He looks up at me, his eyes distant, unfocused.
- Kai: "About leaving?"
"Yeah."
He leans back against the window, a bitter half-smile forming.
- Kai: "I know."
He thinks for a moment before continuing.
- Kai: "Of course I know. I'm not an idiot. This can't be real. My mom's back. My brothers stopped crying. There's no yelling, no bills, no exhaustion. It's too… perfect."
He looks toward the kitchen again, watching his mother wipe the youngest boy's face with a towel, smiling softly.
- Kai: "But… what's wrong with enjoying it a little longer?"
I open my mouth to respond, but the words die in my throat.
Because part of me understands him.
I did the same thing.
"…Just don't forget that it's not real."
- Kai: "Yeah."
He says it easily, but his eyes tell a different story.
- Kai's Mom: "Okay boys. Foods ready!"
We're snapped out of our conversation as she says this.
- Kai: "Let's go then…"
On the counter rests a platter with aluminum foil rapped over it.
The smell hits instantly. It's warm, salty, and rich with a hint of grilled fish. It carries through the apartment, mixing with the faint scent of soy and lemon. My stomach growls before I can stop it.
The table only has 4 seats. There's not enough space for everyone.
"It's fine. I'll sit on the couch. I don't want to intrude on a family reunion."
I say this quickly without thinking, and as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize how wrong they sound. Kai's expression falters, his eyes dropping for a split second before he forces a faint smile. His mom doesn't seem to notice.
With a cheerful hum, she lifts the foil in an overly dramatic flourish.
- Kai's Mom: "Ta-da!"
Underneath, there's perfectly cooked salmon laid over a bed of steaming rice, sprinkled with chopped green onions and sesame. The glaze glistens like amber under the kitchen light. It looks and smells amazing.
I take my plate and retreat to the couch. From here, I can see the whole table. His mom is serving the younger two, fussing over who gets the biggest piece. The boys are laughing, arguing, reaching across each other.
And Kai is sitting between next to his mom, smiling.
It's a small, genuine smile. There's a brightness to him that I don't think he has in the real world. His shoulders look lighter. The sound of his brothers laughing seems to melt away something heavy inside him.
I can tell tears are threatening his eyes as he eats his meal.
I lean back, setting my plate aside.
Maybe… maybe we can stay just a little longer.
The night creeps in slowly.
The warm kitchen light fades to amber, and the window panes reflect the soft glow of the street lamps outside. The younger boys are asleep now, bundled together on the couch. His mom's still cleaning up quietly, humming that same faint tune.
Then there's a knock at the door.
It's soft at first.
Then again. Louder this time.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Kai glances at me, and I nod.
He sighs and stands, brushing his hands down his jeans before walking toward the door.
Kai's POV:
I close the door behind me, letting the click echo in the quiet hallway. My back presses against the cool wood for a moment. I let the warmth from the apartment fade from my skin.
Ayden is right.
None of this can be real. None of this should be real. I should be in a cave right now, fighting for my life while messing with my group.
I know I need to go back. I need to leave.
But…
This feels good. I'm happy. Mom is finally back. I can't remember the last time our family was this complete.
I wonder what Ayden saw in his dream.
If it was the perfect world, what made him abandon it? That thought alone is making me rethink staying.
He was willing to come here to bring me back too…
He might be stuck up, but he seems like a good person.
I walk slowly towards the door, reaching for the doorknob.
I wish I could stay here forever…
Once I've opened the door, there's nothing but darkness shrouding the outside. But there's something unmistakable about it.
A tall figure in a dark coat and fedora is standing in front of me.
His limbs are too long, his shoulders narrow, his skin deathly pale.
The man's smile doesn't reach his eyes.
- ???: "Kai… How are you enjoying yourself?"