Morning arrived beneath a cloudless blue sky.
Golden sunlight poured through Kai's bedroom window.
A cool breeze carried the scent of fresh bread and blooming flowers.
For a brief moment...
Kai forgot.
Forgot the blood.
Forgot the Nightmares.
Forgot the endless struggle.
Kai simply lay there, listening to the peaceful music outside.
Children's laughter.
Merchants opening their stalls.
Someone arguing over the price of vegetables.
It was...
Normal.
A knock came at the door.
Then slammed open.
"Kai!"
Raze's voice.
"You still asleep?"
Kai chuckled.
"I'm awake."
"Be careful you might destroy the door."
"Good."
"Because I'm starving."
"You promised me breakfast."
Kai rolled his eyes.
"I don't remember promising that."
Raze pouted.
"You also forgot saving the city."
"So I wouldn't trust your memory."
Kai laughed as he leave the room.
Raze stood there with his usual carefree grin.
"You look less dead today."
"Barely."
"Good enough."
The two walked through the bustling streets together.
People greeted them everywhere.
"Morning, Kai!"
"Captain!"
"Thanks for saving us!"
A little girl ran over and handed Kai a flower.
"Thank you."
Kai blinked.
"...For me?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"You protected everyone."
Kai chest tightened.
"...Thanks."
Kai carefully tucked the flower behind his ear.
Raze burst into laughter.
"You actually wore it!"
Kai shoved him.
"Shut up."
The two laughed as they continued walking.
It felt...
Real.
Too real.
...
By noon, they had reached the town square.
Musicians filled the air with cheerful melodies.
Children played tag around the fountain.
An old man painted the restored buildings.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Life had returned.
The two sat on the fountain.
Raze leaned against Kai.
"So..."
"What now?"
Kai looked around.
"I don't know."
"For the first time..."
"I don't have to survive today."
Raze smiled.
"Sounds nice."
"It does."
Silence settled between them.
Comfortable.
Peaceful.
...
"...Kai."
Kai froze.
Kai's smile faded.
"..."
That voice again.
Soft.
Distant.
Almost swallowed by the wind.
"...Kai..."
Kai turned around.
Nobody.
Only smiling faces.
Only laughter.
"...Did you hear that?"
Raze frowned.
"Hear what?"
"Someone called me."
Raze glanced around.
"I didn't hear anything."
Kai looked down.
"...Maybe I'm just tired."
"Probably."
Raze patted his shoulder.
"You've earned some rest."
...
They continued walking.
But something...
Was different.
Kai passed a bakery.
The smiling baker waved.
"Fresh bread!"
Kai smiled politely.
Then stopped.
The bread...
Had no smell.
Kai frowned.
"..."
That was strange.
Kai stepped closer.
Still nothing.
No warmth.
No scent.
Almost...
Like a painting.
Kai reached toward a loaf.
The moment his fingers brushed it—
The world flickered.
For less than a second.
The bakery vanished.
Black fog.
Collapsed buildings.
Rotting corpses.
Blood stained the street.
Then—
Everything returned.
The cheerful bakery stood exactly where it had been.
Kai stumbled backward.
"...!"
Raze grabbed his arm.
"Whoa."
"You okay?"
Kai stared at the bakery.
"...Did..."
"...Did you see that?"
"See what?"
"It..."
Kai looked again.
Nothing.
Perfectly normal.
"...Never mind."
Raze frowned.
"You're acting weird."
Kai forced a smile.
"I guess I didn't sleep well."
"Then let's eat."
"You think better with food in the stomach."
Kai nodded.
"...Yeah."
Maybe I'm just imagining things.
...
The restaurant was lively.
Plates filled the tables.
People laughed over drinks.
Kai lifted a spoonful of stew.
Kai took a bite.
Nothing.
No flavor.
Kai smile slowly disappeared.
Then Kai took another bite.
Still nothing.
The stew was warm.
The texture was there.
But it tasted...
Empty.
"..."
Raze swallowed a mouthful.
"This is amazing."
Kai stared at him.
"...Is it?"
"Huh?"
"The stew."
"Does it taste good?"
Raze laughed.
"Of course it does."
"You finally broke your tongue?"
Kai forced a chuckle.
"...Maybe."
But unease settled deep inside him.
The flower had no scent.
The bread had no smell.
The food had no taste.
This world looked perfect.
Too perfect.
Yet it felt...
Hollow.
...
That evening—
Kai stood alone beneath the stars.
The city glowed with warm lantern light behind him.
Kai looked toward the sky.
"..."
The stars weren't moving.
Not a single one.
No twinkling.
No drifting clouds.
Just...
Frozen lights.
Like paint on a canvas.
"...Kai..."
The voice returned.
Much clearer this time.
"...Wake..."
Kai's eyes widened.
"...Who's there?"
No answer.
Instead—
A flash.
A burning chain wrapped around his arm.
A white flame.
A System notification.
Mental Stability Leveled up New
A giant hand descending from above.
Blood splashing across cracked pavement.
Pain.
So much pain.
Kai gasped his heart as it pounded violently.
The vision disappeared.
The peaceful city returned.
But this time...
The laughter around him sounded...
Delayed.
As though everyone remembered to laugh a heartbeat too late.
Kai slowly turned.
A woman walking her dog...
Repeated the exact same three steps.
A child chasing a ball...
Laughed with the exact same voice.
Again.
And again.
The musicians played.
Then repeated the same four notes.
Perfectly.
Without mistake.
Without variation.
Kai's breathing became shallow.
"...No..."
Raze appeared behind him.
His smile hadn't changed.
"Kai."
"You should get some sleep."
Kai stared into his friend's eyes.
For the first time...
They looked...
Empty.
Not emotionless.
Simply...
Too perfect.
As though they had been carefully painted onto his face.
A cold chill ran down Kai's spine.
The distant voice whispered once more.
This time...
It sounded desperate.
"...Kai... wake up..."
To Be Continued...