The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 325 Dream Journey (II)

Suddenly, Cain found himself in a decaying, moonlit asylum, where tortured souls whispered chilling secrets from behind rusted iron bars. The air was thick with despair, and eerie cries echoed through the endless corridors.

It was so horrific that just by being a few seconds in it, he felt a wave of despair eroding his mind. Luckily, he was soon pulled out from that haunted asylum.

However, Cain just jumped from the frying pan into the fire as his ethereal body plunged into a bottomless abyss, where grotesque, bioluminescent monstrosities with eyes like voids swam in pursuit of him. The crushing pressure of the deep weighed on him, and he could hear the mournful songs of long-forgotten shipwrecks.

That abyssal ocean made him feel as if he was drowning, and the might of his willpower to fight that horrible experience was severely weakened. Fear and dread overcame his rational mind, and his body was paralyzed.

Cain grabbed his truth, trying to breathe, when he was plunged out of the ocean and thrown into an endless maze. Cainʼs rational mind kept failing him, and he acted according to his instinct, which pushed him to run.

Trapped within a labyrinth of twisting corridors and shifting walls, Cain was pursued by unseen horrors. Malevolent laughter echoed around him, and he felt the ever-present gaze of unseen eyes.

It must have been barely a few seconds, but for Cain, it felt like an eternity. Somehow, he managed to leave the maze, only to enter a forest cloaked in perpetual twilight. The trees seemed to writhe with sinister intent, and strange, shadowy creatures slithered through the undergrowth, always just out of sight.

The forest of shadows confused Cain, and he did not know where to go. That was not a problem since soon his surroundings shifted to a bleak, desolate landscape dominated by a towering funeral pyre. Flames danced with a sinister glee, casting elongated shadows that seemed to reach out for him.

Just as the shadows seemed ready to overwhelm him, he appeared in the heart of a clockwork city. Unlike the beautiful landscape of engineering he had seen before, this one was a nightmarish labyrinth of gears and traps. Malfunctioning machinery threatened to crush him, and menacing automatons pursued him relentlessly.

A building had just collapsed, and as the pieces were about to crush him, he appeared in the heart of an ancient, eerie town. Dark water emerged from a well with whispers that promised secrets and forbidden knowledge, drawing him closer to the edge despite his dread.

Cain was about to fall into the whispering well when he appeared in the center of a macabre carnival. He watched as faceless, masked figures danced in a grotesque procession. Their eerie, synchronized movements left him with a sense of profound unease.

Suddenly, the dancers began eating each other with maniacal smiles, and just as they turned their eyes toward Cain, he appeared within the grand cathedral.

Cain witnessed a congregation of tormented souls, their anguished cries echoing through the cavernous space. Twisted figures adorned the stained glass windows, depicting scenes of suffering.

People were praying and begging with all their strength, but blood kept emerging from their eyes.

Every scenario was worse than the last one, filling Cainʼs soul with a sense of dread and hopelessness, and after that tormented cathedral, what came next was unbearable.

Cain appeared in a desolate void, where all light and hope seemed extinguished. Here, he felt the weight of despair pressing down on him as if the very essence of his soul was being tainted.

Time lost its meaning in this place, and even a second felt like one thousand years. Cain felt as if he would remain in here forever, and the mere idea was unbearable.

Nevertheless, the power of the nightmare on Cainʼs mind began to wane, and he did not hesitate even for a second before making his willpower burst.

”Ahhhh!”

Cain woke up with a short scream, his body soaked in cold sweat. His heart was racing, and he had difficulty regulating his breathing.

Soon, his eyes began to glow with red light as his willpower allowed him to regain control over his mind and emotions, permitting him to analyze everything that happened.

ʼWhat kind of dream was that?ʼ

Although having a dream was extremely odd, it was not impossible for Cain to have one. What should not have happened were the ten dreams and ten nightmares realms he visited or the fact he remembered every second of it.

Dreams are a natural part of the sleep cycle and occur during the rapid eye movement stage. They are a series of images, emotions, and thoughts that manifest in the mind while we sleep.

Their purpose is mostly for memory consolidation and emotional processing, helping us adapt to new information or deal with complex feelings and experiences. That was why those with powerful willpower and souls do not dream since they do not have the need.

Cain knew that dream journey fulfilled none of those purposes, and there was no reason for him to have it or for the experience to be so bizarre.

ʼ¿A curse?ʼ

That thought crossed Cainʼs mind. Cultivation was full of strange paths and abilities, so those who dwelled in curses existed.

However, Cain soon shook his head. First of all, curses were extremely hard to deploy. The caster should be a Titan to affect someone with willpower at the Second Realm of the Ego Eternal Path of Power.

The only one with the resources and desire to deploy an attack like that on Cain would be the Blood King, but there was no reason for a curse to make him experience the first ten beautiful scenarios.

No matter how much effort he put in, Cain could not find a reason for that experience, and after using the Absolute Life Form System and his Ego Wave, he detected nothing different in his mind and body.

In the end, Cain only shocked his head since he could do nothing. He rose from the bed and took a short shower before adopting a meditative position on the ground, doing his best to heighten his focus before the Imperial Feast. Experience more on empire

Cain meditated for several hours until daylight slowly began to fade away on the horizon. Only then did he open his eyes and wear the golden robe left by the Fourth Princeʼs people. He left his room and saw Krane waiting for him.

While the middle-aged man would not be part of Klausʼ escort in the Imperial Feast, he could still attend it as Cainʼs companion, similar to what would happen with Damin and Karin.

ʼWe will keep a low profile. I already found a way to secure the Fourth Princeʼs help, so there is no need to show off during the Imperial Feast.ʼ

Cain used his Ego Wave to speak directly into Kraneʼs mind, and his eyes grew cold as he said the next part.

ʼI should not tell someone like you this, but I will do it regardless. We might be the guests of the Fourth Prince, but we are not his friends, and nothing stops him from using us as chess pieces in whatever game he might be playing.ʼ

Kraneʼs eyes widened for a moment. He had lived for hundreds of years and experienced the cruelty of those so-called ”comrades,” so he knew that trust was not something one should give easily. Yet, he was surprised that someone so young as Cain would also see the world like that.

It was clear to Krane that while Cain was courteous and looked happy to be part of the Fourth Princeʼs escort, he did not trust the man.

That lack of confidence was not because Klaus did something wrong but because he had done nothing to earn Cainʼs trust. The fact he was an Imperial Prince meant nothing to Cain since only fools would think that status and age made some honorable.

ʼI understand, Master. I will keep a low profile and open my ears for new information.ʼ

Kraneʼs eyes glowed with a solemn light as he realized that the young man he served was not only a divine genius but also a keen mind that saw things beyond black and white.

Cain noticed the change in Krane but did not say a word since it was not like he trusted the middle-aged man either. However, he had control over the Wave King and would get rid of this one at any sign of betrayal.

”Letʼs go.”

Cain and Krane left the castle and headed into the teleportation formations. The Imperial Feast would not occur in the Fourth Princeʼs home but in a neutral location.

Shortly after activating the teleportation formation, Cain and Krane found themselves atop a mist-shrouded mountain. They were greeted by stone statues of mythical beasts and ancient warriors, their eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light.

The Imperial Fest would be held in the Heaven Sundering Mountain. From this place, one could see the entire Silver City as gods did in the tales of the Old World.