Shadow Slave: Possibilities Without Meaning

Coming out of a train station, a young teenager who looked to be 15 or 16 years old walked rhythmically at a steady pace. You could hardly hear his steps in the bustling metropolitan. At first glance, the station looked rather archaic. With long arches of aged stone and gothic like details to the masonry. However, at a closer distance, the station itself was rather disjointed. Sections of the morning light shone through the old stained windows. Towards the exit, clear industrial glass passed light through with no regard. Completely new sections were seemingly added in a hurry from a modern era. It often gave people who visited a jolt of curiosity as to the origins of such a jarring divide.

Following the main road at the exit of the station. The young boy looked around, he thought only about his destination. A massive building stood out from the surrounding area. With brutal architecture, the building gave off a standoffish feeling to those who visited. Entering through the cold steel gates, the young boy presented his ID to a machine manned by no one. He could see armed security in a box office closer to the entrance of the building. He gave no thought to such an overreaction and made his way towards the main entrance. With clear glass making every classroom visible and large steel staircases in a massive open area, the brutish aura given off from the outside was surely present inside as well. The building had a very short history of 10 years. Designed by the same architect who created the prison known as P-115. One could see the resemblance straight away. It is even compared to an open prison by those unaware of the history of its design.

As the young boy walked passed a string of glass walls, he subconsciously took note of his reflection. A mildly slim build with an average height for his age. Adorned in standardised governmental academy uniform, he didn't look out of place. The only thing personalised was the addition of a short scarf. Plain black. At a closer glance, there were small white stars glittered around the scarf in no particular pattern. With sharp eyes, he had no other discernable facial features. Average in terms of looks. Brown eyes reflected at him through the glass with long curly black hair resting just above his eyebrow. Framed to compliment his face. He was slightly more coloured than his peers. This was not a point of contention with how diverse the NQSC is. Finally, he could see the reflection of his name tag that he could make out easily. In block capital letters, the name Aldric reflected back to him. Giving no thought to what he saw he walked into the library and found a desk in a quiet corner to think.

Aldric thought about his life currently as he often did. There was a large point of tension in his mind currently that took precedence. 

The Nightmare Spell.

A phenomenon categorised as an infection. Recognised as an opportunity for salvation as well as corruption. It allows regular humans to face adversity and receive a boon in accordance with the hardship they face. However, the law of equivalent exchange recognises that there must be consequences should one fail these challenges. Otherworldly monsters dubbed as nightmare creatures can enter the waking world should a person fail their first nightmare. The nightmare spell activates when an infected falls asleep for the first time since being infected. They always will. Society, culture, and laws have been completely overhauled by the emergence of the nightmare spell. Industries have revolutionised through the resources gained from the nightmare spell and more specifically the dream realm. A nightmarish realm of creatures and dilapidated land ready for the taking. In a human like fashion, we have recognised the value that the dream realm offers and have tailored society to glorify and idolise it. Propaganda through entertainment, movies, fictional and non-fictional writing. From birth, people recognise the opportunity offered and are trained to different degrees to seize it. If trained at all.

Aldric recognised that he could be infected anytime soon as the nightmare spell affects teenagers between 16 to 18 years old. However, at 16 years old, He realised that to achieve the goals he set out to do he must go through his first nightmare soon. You might be asking what goals. You see Aldric is a transmigrant. That is it. Not a champion of an outer God. Not an heir to a multi-universal creator. Just a lost soul with no sense of purpose. In his old life, A young man by the same name fell asleep after a seemingly normal day. Only to wake up in the body of a 12 year old boy. With memories fully assimilated almost scarily. He accepted his weird travel due to having almost an intrinsic connection with his old body. He could feel that he was still alive in his old world and that maybe he was a kind of splintered consciousness sent beyond that realm. He didn't know. There was no way to know more. How could he? Out of sight out of mind, they say. He was a rational person when he tried to be. He could understand the futility of focusing too much on his origin. The world already had moved on without him. He focussed on the challenges ahead. Having noticed the kind of world he was in, there was no time for existential thinking. Shadow Slave was easily recognised as his new world through the entertainment of being centered around the nightmare spell. As well as the focus his new school had on training to survive the first nightmare. Combat training, weapon instruction, wilderness survival and history. These were a few of the classes that Aldric had at the governmental academy he studied at.

The government academy named Academy G-14 was a school meant for civilians with the lowest to middle level of citizenship. Led completely by the government, the school acted as a funnel to get more sleepers to become awakened as well as more awakened to join the government's forces. Aldric was here as a result of being orphaned 7 years ago. He had glimpses of memories regarding his parents. They were awakened level government workers who passed away. The exact details were not given to him. As a result, the government held guardianship over Aldric who had no relatives to turn to. Raised in an orphanage, He lived a life of extreme efficiency. No resources wasted and none offered in excess. No luxuries were given. He saw it as the opportunity it was and was grateful. Given the lack of resources in this world that leads to whole demographics living in anarchy outside walled cities named the outskirts. Aldric was grateful he could focus on preparing for his first nightmare. 

Given his origins and the world he currently lived in, His personality traits only strengthened. They say if you think of buying a red car, you will suddenly see red cars all day. Well, Aldric looked at this apocalyptic world teetering on the edge of destruction and only found reasons that justified his worldview. Self-reliance. Self-provision. Self-sufficient. Only looking out in the best interest of oneself. Heroes do not exist in this world. Legacy clans have monopolised whole industries and whole regions of the dream realm. The government has taken control of the whole waking world whilst looking at you as a pawn or a coal to fuel the fire. No one will save you. Aldric reflected on this a lot. It was visible to him in society and cemented his self-obsessed narrative. Calm collected and reserved. Kind in character but not nice. Would never save anyone at his own detriment. Aldric felt these descriptions represented his character well.

Returning to his preparations for the first nightmare, Aldric trained with the sword for the past 4 years. He experimented with different variations but recognised that weapon memories do not care for your specialty. He focussed on perfecting the standardised swordsmanship style taught to all students so that he could have a solid foundation to base his own style around when he gets real fighting experience. Aldric also focussed heavily on history to supplement his own knowledge from the novel he read. He recognised he had a very patchy foundational knowledge as the story was told from the perspective of Sunless. Sunless didn't know everything and for what he did know, he didn't share his knowledge. Aldric worked hard at school.

Aldric had plans. Plans to make the most of what he knows and plans to learn. With no goals set in stone, his current directive was to gain power. He has seen what happens to those without it.

Aldric took a deep inhale for 8 seconds whilst keeping his mind clear. He meditated to clear his mind.

Inhale.

Exhale.