Chapter 68: The Dream Walker

The summoning chamber had become one of Selene’s favorite rooms.

Not because it was comfortable.

The room was filled with ancient machinery, glowing runes, eldritch warning labels, and enough dangerous artifacts to give a safety inspector a heart attack.

No.

She liked it because it represented possibilities.

Creation.

Discovery.

Adventure.

And today she was about to create something entirely her own.

Not a dragon.

Not a fairy tale hero.

Not a fantasy creature.

Something frightening.

Something mysterious.

Something that belonged in Mystic Blood Valley.

Something that would fit beside Gene’s horrors.

The thought made her smile.

Gene looked nervous.

That made her smile even more.

⸻

The ancient summoning machine hummed softly.

Golden runes rotated through the air.

Selene stood before the console while Gene leaned against a nearby wall.

Athena monitored the process.

The machine waited.

Ready as always.

Patient.

Ancient.

Unbiased. 

Selene took a deep breath.

Then began entering her description.

⸻

Unlike Gene, she didn’t draw inspiration from horror movies.

Her inspiration came from her dreams.

The strange dreams she remembered as a child.

The ones that felt real.

Too real.

Dreams where something watched from distant dunes.

Something ancient.

Something impossible.

Something that never seemed hostile.

Yet always terrified her.

She typed slowly.

A creature born from dreams.

An ancient guardian.

A being made from sand and wind.

A creature capable of changing shape.

Something beautiful.

Something horrifying.

Something impossible to truly destroy.

A watcher.

A wanderer.

A nightmare.

A protector.

The machine absorbed every word.

The runes brightened.

Athena immediately spoke.

WARNING.

Gene groaned.

“Oh no.”

Selene blinked.

“What?”

Athena paused.

POWER REQUIREMENTS EXCEED EXPECTED VALUES.

Silence.

Gene looked at Selene.

Selene looked at Gene.

Then both looked at the machine.

The machine began glowing.

⸻

The lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The room darkened.

Every screen in the facility flashed warning symbols.

Somewhere deep below the hotel, generators activated.

Athena’s voice echoed through the chamber.

ENERGY SURGE DETECTED.

ENERGY SURGE DETECTED.

ENERGY SURGE DETECTED.

Gene slowly backed away.

“That’s usually bad when I do it.”

The summoning circle erupted.

A pillar of golden light shot upward.

The ceiling shook.

Dust fell from above.

Wind roared through the room.

Then everything went dark.

⸻

For three seconds the entire room sat in complete darkness.

No lights.

No runes.

Nothing.

Then—

Something screamed.

The sound wasn’t human.

It wasn’t animal.

It wasn’t anything Gene had ever heard before.

The scream echoed through the chamber.

A sound halfway between a hurricane and a dying god.

The lights returned.

⸻

The creature stood inside the summoning circle.

Everyone froze.

Even Athena took several seconds before speaking.

The thing was indeed horrifying.

Not because it looked monstrous.

Because it looked wrong.

The creature resembled a tall man.

At least initially.

Nearly eight feet tall.

Wrapped in ancient desert robes.

Its body appeared composed of flowing sand.

The shape shifted constantly.

Changing.

Reforming.

Moving.

Its face possessed too many angles.

Too many shadows.

Its eyes glowed with silver light.

Every few seconds the face changed.

Different features.

Different expressions.

Different people.

As though thousands of faces existed beneath the surface.

The air around it distorted.

Sand drifted down from nowhere.

Wind whispered.

The creature stood perfectly still.

And somehow that made it worse.

⸻

Athena’s scanners activated immediately.

The results poured across Gene’s visor.

His eyebrows rose higher with every line.

NEW SUMMON DETECTED

Classification:

Dream Horror

Designation:

The Dream Walker

Abilities:

• Sand Manipulation
• Wind Manipulation
• Shapeshifting
• Near-Invisibility
• Regeneration
• Pain Immunity
• Dream Influence
• Immortality (Limited)

Threat Rating:

EXTREME

Gene whistled.

“Oh.”

Selene stared.

“Oh.”

Athena sounded concerned.

OH.

⸻

The Dream Walker slowly turned its head.

The movement looked unnatural.

Its neck rotated farther than it should have.

Then farther.

Then farther.

Until it faced Gene.

The silver eyes widened.

The creature smiled.

And disappeared.

⸻

Gene screamed.

The Dream Walker appeared directly beside him.

Its face was inches from his shoulder.

The monster unleashed another ear-piercing scream.

Gene nearly jumped through the ceiling.

Selene burst into laughter.

Athena actually emitted a digital chuckle.

The Dream Walker tilted its head.

Seemingly pleased with itself.

⸻

“Okay.”

Gene pointed.

“Why is it…”

The monster slowly dissolved into sand.

Then reappeared on the ceiling.

Upside down.

Watching.

“It has a sense of humor.”

Selene immediately smiled.

“That’s good.”

“No! It really isn’t.”

The Dream Walker vanished again.

This time it emerged from out of a wall.

Then from the floor.

Then from the air itself.

Every appearance came with a  screech.

The creature was apparently determined to terrorize everyone present.

⸻

Selene crossed her arms.

“I think we needed security.”

Gene immediately agreed.

The Dream Walker was incredibly powerful.

And surprisingly intelligent.

A dangerous combination.

The creature appeared beside Selene.

She jumped.

The Dream Walker seemed delighted.

⸻

Several minutes later Gene had an idea.

A terrible idea.

Which naturally meant it was probably a good one.

His eyes drifted toward the containment vault.

Toward the Puzzle Box.

The severely cursed artifact.

The pocket dimension prison.

The reality-warping nightmare object.

Gene slowly smiled.

Selene immediately noticed.

“Why are you smiling?”

“I have an idea.”

“Oh no.”

⸻

A short time later the Puzzle Box sat on a reinforced table.

The Dream Walker observed it curiously.

Gene explained the situation.

The monster listened.

Or at least appeared to.

Then it slowly nodded.

Athena immediately recorded that.

The Dream Walker apparently heard something in the box.

Wonderful.

Gene opened a temporary dimensional gate connected to the Puzzle Box.

The Dream Walker looked inside.

Several horrible noises emerged from within.

The monster tilted its head.

Then casually walked through the portal.

Silence followed.

Gene blinked.

“…That was easier than expected.”

Athena agreed.

HIGHLY UNUSUAL.

The Puzzle Box immediately updated.

CONTAINED ENTITY DETECTED

Dream Walker

Status:

Resident

Gene smiled.

Perfect.

⸻

Several hours later Selene decided to try again.

Gene suggested waiting.

Selene ignored him.

Athena suggested waiting.

Selene ignored her too.

The summoning machine activated once more.

⸻

This summoning proved significantly less dramatic.

No explosions.

No darkness.

No screaming.

Instead a woman appeared.

A tall warrior.

Golden armor.

Dark hair.

A massive spear.

A large shield.

She looked around calmly.

Then saluted.

Everyone blinked.

⸻

The woman spoke first.

“Greetings.”

Silence.

Then:

“…Greetings?”

The warrior smiled.

“My summoner.”

Selene looked relieved.

Finally.

A normal summon.

⸻

Athena immediately scanned.

NEW SUMMON DETECTED

Classification:

Heroic Entity

Designation:

Elite Warrior Princess

Threat Rating:

Moderate

Disposition:

Friendly

Gene looked impressed.

The Warrior Princess seemed entirely reasonable.

A refreshing change.

⸻

Selene explained everything.

The hotel.

The prophecy.

The cult.

The worlds.

The gems.

The Warrior Princess listened carefully.

Then nodded.

“I understand.”

“Good.”

“There is one additional thing.”

The warrior looked curious.

Gene pointed toward the Puzzle Box.

“If you decide to revolt.”

The woman followed his finger.

“What is that?”

The Dream Walker suddenly appeared inside one of the illusion windows.

Screaming.

The Warrior Princess nearly dropped her spear.

Gene smiled.

“That is your alternative housing.”

The woman immediately straightened.

“I have absolutely no intention of revolting.”

Selene nodded.

“Excellent.”

⸻

As if responding to the successful summons, the system chimed.

A familiar notification appeared.

Athena read it aloud.

PUZZLE BOX DEVELOPMENT AVAILABLE.

Gene blinked.

“Oh?”

New text appeared.

PUZZLE BOX UPGRADE CONDITIONS

Requirement:

Three Bound Summons

Current Count:

2/3

The room became quiet.

Gene looked toward the Puzzle Box.

The Puzzle Box looked back.

Metaphorically.

Probably.

⸻

The Dream Walker counted as one.

The Warrior Princess counted as another.

They needed one more summon.

Just one.

To unlock whatever horrifying upgrade the Puzzle Box possessed.

Gene wasn’t sure whether to be excited or terrified.

Probably both.

Selene looked thoughtful.

“One more.”

Gene slowly nodded.

“One more.”

The Puzzle Box pulsed.

Softly.

Patiently.

Waiting.

As though it already knew another resident would soon arrive.

And somewhere inside its twisted pocket dimension—

Something laughed.