Fantasy Clock～Dream Ruler～

"Myths are dreams shared by everyone in the world, and dreams are private myths."

—Joseph Campbell

Have you ever wanted to dominate the dream world, to dominate your own mythology? And can they distinguish between reality and delusion after a long dream journey?

...

I suddenly opened my heavy eyes and sat up, panting heavily. The heart seemed to jump into the throat, and there were waves of anesthesia in the weak limbs.

It's still late at night, and it's still the familiar bedroom.

"Is it another haunted bed......"

I leaned back weakly and lay down, the sound of my heart beating recklessly in my ears.

Since I can remember, I have encountered ghosts on the bed almost every week, which makes me feel more tired every time I wake up. As much as I try to get out of this situation, I can't find a way to fix it.

However, we still have to think in a positive direction in everything. I have heard people say more than once, "As long as you are brave enough, nightmares can be turned into erotic dreams."

Hmm... How many years does it take to be single to reach this level.

"What are you talking about?! Frequent ghosts press the bed... This is a constitution that is very easy to have "lucid dreams"! I wish for it!"

Classroom after school hours. The girl carried her bag with one hand on her shoulder, and patted the table vigorously with the other hand, and put her white thighs on the chair regardless of her appearance. My eyes flickered in the delicate area between her black silk and the skirt, and I avoided my sight as if nothing had happened. The eyes of many people around us all fell on us.

"Everyone is watching you..."

I raised my chin to signal the girl, but there were stars in her eyes, and she seemed to have no time to care about other people's eyes.

——This day is the second day after experiencing the ghost press. I was sluggish all day, and when I got out of school, I didn't expect to be sleepless because of her noise.

Obviously, I was just lying on the table and unintentionally mentioned the painful experience of ghost pressing to her at the same table. Who would have thought that she would look back with such envious eyes?

"I don't understand why you're so excited. What exactly is a 'lucid dream'?"

I met the pair of pupils that seemed to be bursting with stars in the next second, and saw her clenched her fists tightly in front of the pair of Pingchuan's chest, and nodded her head seriously.

...one of thousands of flat-chested women.

"Don't be fooled..."

I don't mean I don't care at all, I just don't have much patience. But she would get it wrong, as if she was facing an elementary school student who blinked and waited for the teacher to answer.

"Huh, lucid dream!" The girl put away the pride in her eyes, nodded her head with a serious face, and said firmly, "Keep a clear consciousness in the dream, know that you are dreaming, and you can freely control your body. It is "lucid dream"!"

"I see."

I nodded and waited for her to continue. She also looked back at me.

...

silence.

"Is that the end??"

I laughed disdainfully. The girl stomped her feet angrily, then shook her head from side to side and supported her forehead, as if in front of her was a fool who couldn't teach anything.

"Why don't you understand...Listen well, being easy to get ghosts on the bed means that you can control your dreams more easily!"

"After all, I'm just wandering around in a dream..."

My words made the girl's eyes tremble for some reason, and a trace of displeasure flashed in her eyes.

"Although it's true to say that, but I don't know why, but I think this kind of statement is very annoying!"

"But controlling the dream world, don't you think it's a bit self-deceiving? It's not like you can control the real world. If that's the case, it might be interesting."

"It's because it's a dream!"

The girl moved closer to me, blinking her eyes flickeringly.

"Su Ruoyang, imagine it! In your dream, no matter where you want to go, you can get there with a snap of your fingers!"

"Why snap your fingers?! I don't think it's cool."

"If you occasionally see birds in the sky and feel envious, you can also fly into the sky and swim freely with them..."

"Wait... You know I'm afraid of heights, right? If the Wright Brothers thought the same way, there would probably be no airplanes, only daydreaming."

"Hey!! Why are you talking so disappointingly! You said it was a dream anyway, so what's the point?"

"Anyway, I'm not interested, please let me go about this kind of thing... It's the duty of a student to study hard."

The girl looked at me suspiciously, with distrust in her eyes.

"Why this expression... After all, I am a senior high school student facing the college entrance examination."

stare--

All right. Those words really shouldn't have come out of my mouth. It's just that even if I didn't feel the reality of facing the college entrance examination, at least I found that many people around me began to care about the college entrance examination. Of course, this girl who is flying around - Xia Yinci is naturally not in the camp of the test preparation army.

"All in all, you who are often crushed by ghosts are simply the chosen one! So..."

Speaking of this, she suddenly paused subtly, turned her eyes back to me with a smile, and moved closer to me at the same time. I swallowed, and instinctively backed away a little.

"...What are you doing?"

"Su Ruoyang! After school, come to my house and sleep with me!"

"Um……?"

I opened my mouth in a daze, and when I thought about it carefully, I felt more and more that what she said was very wrong. Anxious eyes swept over from all directions in the classroom. I waved my hands at Xia Yinci again and again, and hurriedly defended myself.

"What are you thinking! I'm not going to your house!"

"No... I just want to ask where you are thinking? What are you thinking about!" Xia Yinci put on a look of disgust and said to me who was incoherent, "I mean, you come to my house, I Let me guide you to have a lucid dream~"

After hearing this, the eyes of the surroundings let us go. Everyone, including me, realized she was just on her usual whimsical mode. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, I didn't think about it at all, let alone secretly disappointed.

Well, no.

"So what's going on? Are you going?"

"Sorry, after all I'm not interested in lucid dreaming, I'd better go home..."

While talking, I picked up my schoolbag, pushed the chair into the space under the table, and prepared to leave the classroom. But suddenly a pair of hands hugged my schoolbag behind me.

I turned my head helplessly, only to see Xia Yinci looking straight at me with serious eyes.

"what happened again……"

"Don't go!"

She grabbed me, and my pupils couldn't help flickering left and right, and the long hair left at the knuckles touched my arm that was exposed because of wearing short sleeves. A pair of water-blue pupils are clear but I can't calm down... All traces are locked on my movements, making it impossible for me to escape.

"You... what do you want to do?"

I tried my best to straighten my body, at least to keep my voice from trembling. Who knew that she moved closer to me, with an unquestionable expression on her face.

Looking at her clear pupils, I couldn't help swallowing again. His gaze moved a little downwards inadvertently.

Although the breasts are really nothing, but I still can't resist such an offensive, okay! Thinking of this, I can't help but feel hot all over my body. Luckily at this point she suddenly let go of my arm and pushed me into her chair and sat down. She sat across from me without saying a word, bit her lower lip lightly, and stared into my eyes.

"Just once!! Just try to have a lucid dream once~ Although the world in the dream is chaotic, there must be its laws!"

Xia Yinci clasped his hands together, opened one eye and peeked at me. She happened to see my hesitation.

"Besides, if you can control your dreams, maybe you won't be crushed by ghosts again. Why don't you think about it? Try it first and then make a decision, okay?"

Cute + expectant eyes + direct gaze = fatal blow.

"Okay... just try this once."

Taking advantage of the gap between my words, I quickly stood up and pulled away from the situation that was restrained by her. The girl raised her elbow and retracted it, made a victory gesture, and followed me out of the classroom.

I always feel that I have fallen into her trap, and I feel a little uncomfortable. However, she was right about one thing. After entering the lucid dream, maybe you can really get rid of the curse of the ghost press.

Accompanied by annoying cicadas, and that poor luck. Little did he know that he had made the most important decision of his life.

＊＊＊

【※ Sleep paralysis ※】

Commonly known as "ghost press".

In this state, the dreamer feels half asleep, accompanied by various hallucinations, and even hears surrounding sounds. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't exert my strength, and I couldn't move at all. After struggling for several minutes, I would wake up feeling exhausted all over my body.

＊＊＊

When I was young, I often went to Xia Yinci's house. At that time, Xia Yinci lived next door to my house, and it was commonplace for her to come to play with me. But after moving, I seldom went there again, and the most recent one was two years apart. Later, I went to different junior high schools, and gradually lost contact. Although I went to the same school again in high school, it was not in the same class. As a result, I didn't talk to her a few times.

In the fall of September this year, all students in the third grade will be re-divided into classes according to their total scores. She and I were both assigned to Class A of the third year of high school, and only after that did I make up my mind to take the initiative to talk to her. However, when they first arrived in the new class, many boys were interested in Xia Yinci and wanted to talk to her who was very good looking. But within three minutes after I was pushed into a corner, the interested boys dispersed one after another.

That's right. Xia Yinci's high popularity only lasted for 3 minutes after she was divided into classes!

People who don't know her may think she is irresistible. But that's just a false goodwill caused by the sense of distance. Once she opened her mouth, all she said were completely incomprehensible words. Either urban legends, divination and other irrelevant superstitions, or "Schrödinger's cat" is a question that high school students are not interested in. Although these two types of topics are completely contradictory in my eyes, she is very strangely interested in both at the same time.

Perhaps because she retains a minimum of curiosity about everything, she always has unique insights into things, and her grades are also exceptionally good, ranking among the best in her grade. Therefore, even the class teacher helplessly supported her forehead, and there was nothing she could do about it.

So I naturally became the only one who would listen to her nonsense.

"Why are you in a daze! Don't you know my family anymore, you heartbroken?"

I suddenly came back to reality from the memory. Xia Yinci was joking with me while turning the key to open the door.

As soon as he walked into Xia Yinci's house, he felt a deserted atmosphere. Even though there was no one else in the house, she still said "I'm back" as if it was a routine.

"It's been so many years, and I even moved once... Forgive me for not having a good memory."

"Typical scumbag speaking!"

I lowered my head speechlessly, and followed Xia Yinci into her bedroom.

In a girl's room, there will always be a palpitating atmosphere in the air. The layout of the bedroom is easily integrated with the appearance in my memory. The pure white curtains dotted with floral flowers are hung in front of the window, and the pink lines are blooming on the original four walls, beside the wooden princess bed. There are pictures of girls. I moved closer and found that the girl in the photo was posing with scissors hands facing the camera, with a moon-like smile hanging under her raised eyebrows.

Just as I was about to reach out to pick it up and take a closer look, I found that Xia Yinci who was behind me suddenly took a step forward and snatched the photo frame away. She gave me a displeased look and gave me a look.

"Don't mess around!"

She took away the photo frame, so I had no choice but to turn my attention elsewhere, and my eyes stayed on the writing table. I admit that although there are puppets all over the room, it doesn't look cluttered. However, the only thing that couldn't be integrated into this tidy bedroom was the writing desk. Because it is full of strange books, most of which I can't read. It can be roughly guessed that there are serious scientific magazines in it, as well as urban rumors that cannot be proved at all.

The display screen of the desktop computer is pitifully pressed by the books behind it, and it seems to be beckoning to me for help.

I stopped in silence for five seconds and turned around. Xia Yinci didn't know where to put the photo frame, but she had already left the bedroom. I sighed, thought for a while and walked to the window. Looking out from the window of a room on the tenth floor, it is a bit scary for me to live on a high floor. I turned my head and patted my cheek to wake myself up. Immediately afterwards, Xia Yinci, who had put away the photo frame, came into the room.

"It's not that you haven't seen my room, go to bed quickly!"

"No, are you going to watch me sleep here? How can I sleep..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she half pushed and half pushed her to sit on her bed. Xia Yinci looked at me condescendingly, with an unquestionable expression. I always feel that this will make people think in a bad direction. And she didn't seem to think about it at all, and she pushed me onto the bed directly, and at the same time looked down at me with a commanding attitude in that soft voice.

"Don't be coy! Go to bed quickly! When you were a child, you took it for granted when you slept on my bed, but now you are embarrassed?"

"That's different! You don't understand the current situation at all!! We are not children now!"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"Idiot, don't speak in a commanding tone if your voice is soft and sticky."

As soon as the words fell, she pushed my shoulder hard, and I exaggeratedly followed this force and turned to the other side. The fragrance in the room made me cranky again.

It seems that there is no way to fall asleep like this, but if there is no result today... According to Xia Yinci's personality, she will never let me go. At times she was obsessive to the point of unbelievable horror. It seems that the only way to pretend to be asleep for a while and then get up again is to fool her with a few words and pretend to be a lucid dream.

I thought of this and closed my eyes. Unexpectedly, with the faint fragrance on the bed, my consciousness gradually became drowsy in this strange atmosphere.

＊＊＊

I don't know how long it took, but I felt my body start to agitate.

When I opened my eyes in confusion, I was walking forward aimlessly.

The surrounding crowd was quite crowded, and there were some dazzling lights from various shops.

There were no familiar faces along the road, just people I didn't know.

"I shop at malls I've never been to."

Suddenly, my brain was poured into such a statement, and I easily convinced this voice.

The road in front of him seemed to extend infinitely, and there were waves of uneasiness at a loss.

I just stared blankly ahead, and as I got closer and closer to the depth of the road, the appearance of pedestrians became more and more strange.

A hunchbacked grandfather carrying a sniper rifle that seemed heavier than himself.

A half-human, half-lizard demihuman riding a mermaid that swims freely in the air.

A young detective with an elf-like tail.

There are some guys who are beyond common sense everywhere.

I also clearly noticed the strange eyes they cast.

Perhaps among these strangely dressed people, I am the real monster?

This feeling is like watching a movie in a screening room, but all the emotions of the characters in the movie can be shared with me, which made me gradually think about where I am.

Suddenly, I stopped.

In front of him was an outrageously high gate, like the gate of a retro palace in a movie about the Middle Ages.

There are some incomprehensible ancient characters printed on the door.

I don't know if it's a spell or something else.

I just stretched out my hand lightly and touched the door, and the door was automatically pushed inward.

Gradually, a strange white light flashed at the other end of the porch.

It was so dazzling that I couldn't help reaching out to block it.

But the body involuntarily walked towards the light source.

As soon as I stepped through this door, I found that the surroundings became dark.

It seems that someone is whispering something in the ear, like flying mosquitoes around the ear.

Although there was a creepy fear all over my body, it didn't stop me. I just kept walking forward, and I didn't know the reason.

Suddenly, someone slammed the door behind him, and the remaining faint light disappeared instantly, and the surrounding was briefly dark.

I always feel that there are some strange "creatures" waiting for an opportunity behind me.

My panting body trembled uncontrollably, and I fumbled to turn around and leave here.

However, there was light on both sides of me little by little—candles were lit by the flames, and the road ahead was also brightened up little by little.

My eyes widened in astonishment, and I found myself in a place like a palace lobby.

Looking at the strange scene in front of me, I couldn't help but whisper:

"Are you kidding me... am I dreaming?"

Um?

dream?

As soon as the words fell, I suddenly realized something——

I am indeed dreaming.

That being the case, it doesn't really matter what happens. Probably because of this thought, I suddenly took courage and simply wanted to see what would happen next, but then I heard the sound of heavy footsteps.

I rubbed my eyes and looked forward, and found a group of black shadows walking towards me step by step.

"who is it!"

I covered my ears, but this terrifying sound that directly hit the soul still blasted into my brain vigorously, as if it was about to stir the brain.

The footsteps stopped not far ahead, and the moment I landed, dust flew in front of my eyes, and went straight into my nose. I was choked and coughed a few times, and I saw a rather huge monster standing with a giant sword on its back. before my eyes.

Those green pupils stared straight at me.

"It's... so big!"

Just as I was saying that, I found that monster bent down and looked at me with that kind of gaze that made people feel deeply uncomfortable no matter what angle it was from. I opened my mouth dryly, as if I could barely make a sound without looking away.

"You——are not the 'ruler' of this dream!"

Suddenly, he became very angry, and made a sound that made his whole body tremble! His voice was quite viscous and hoarse, as if he was holding a mouthful of thick phlegm.

"Damn intruder, take your life—"

As soon as the words fell, a sword light flashed past his eyes, and there was a sharp pain, as if his right arm was strongly impacted by something!

When I reacted, I found that my right arm had fallen to my feet. The bright red spreading to my feet made me feel an extremely strong sense of reality, and the severe pain broke out completely. A hoarse scream came out uncontrollably deep in his throat.

Even if it is a dream, the pain is still very real! I painfully clutched the bright red fracture on my arm, and at the same time, the huge monster raised its giant sword again, and slashed straight at my head...

Don't hide.

If you die here, you will probably be able to wake up, right?

The moment it was about to swing the sword down heavily, I closed my eyes and simply waited for the sword light to fall. However, the tingling pain did not come for a long time, but there was a strange sound of the giant sword piercing into the sticky object.

I opened my eyes again in a daze, only to find that the giant sword had slipped away from the monster in front of me, and the sword had really pierced into his chest, exposing the sharp blade through the chest.

There seemed to be someone behind him.

In the next second, the monster's body suddenly jumped over my head, fell suddenly, and fell heavily on the wall behind me.

As a result, the wall burst open and a huge hole appeared, making a cracking sound that resounded throughout the hall.

I stared blankly at the person in front of me and looked behind me, and involuntarily fixed my gaze on a young girl who appeared beside me at some point.

I know she's there, but I can't see her face clearly anyway.

"Just...was it you who moved your hand just now?"

I didn't get any response to my words, only the monster behind me roared angrily. I turned my head quickly, only to see that monster stood up again, its body was stained with a grass-green... maybe "blood" liquid.

Immediately afterwards, a violent impact hit here first. I quickly and instinctively reached out to block it, but found that there was no pain left.

Putting her hands down a little bit, and looking through the gap between her fingers, she saw that the girl raised her hand and easily blocked the giant sword that was swung in this direction.

After a few seconds of confrontation, she pushed away the sword light with a wave of her hand, then without warning, she held my hand and rushed towards the huge hole that was hit by the monster just now.

I couldn't help following, and the moment I jumped out of the palace, I realized that there was nothingness outside the cave.

"Hey! Wait! Hey! Ahh—"

I yelled out in fear, and my body was already in pitch black nothingness.

I flicked my legs desperately in the air, hoping to get back to the ground.

However, there was a hoarse voice from the monster roaring behind him——

"Come out! Another ruler's 'Dream Maker' broke in!"

As soon as the voice fell, the walls of the palace behind him were cracked everywhere. Many monsters that are similar to it, but far less than it, broke out of their shells, jumped out of this nothingness, and chased me.

The ceiling of the palace stands there out of thin air, without any pillars...

Rather, it looks like nothing happened, watching all this coldly.

Suddenly, a voice that seemed to be a girl came from beside him——

"Find the exit and get out of here."

When I realized this voice, the warmth in my palm completely disappeared, and the girl disappeared beside me at some point, and I didn't even see her appearance clearly. But I hadn't bothered to think about it for a long time, and the feeling of weightlessness made me realize that I was falling into an endless abyss.

The emotion of fear occupies the whole heart.

I gradually fell into nothingness little by little, and kept falling, as if I was going to be assimilated by black.

Looking around, no matter where it is, it is pitch black.

Where is the exit here! !

I complained irritably. However, directly below me, a ray of light suddenly shot directly at me, and I suddenly realized that it was the exit, but my body hit a hard object first...

The eyes instantly went dark, everything around became distorted, and the voice gradually faded away.

＊＊＊

【※ Zhuyin ※】

Su (sū) Ruo (ruò) closed (yáng)