Nightmare Mythos

The next day

Cesar came to know that it had just been a few days since Vin had come to the City of Wheels. Before him, there were other military personnel in charge but with no results or clues regarding the supernatural disappearances, they brought a Nightmare Specialist, a capable person who just come before Cesar and his cohort came.

Hence the only thing they did was settle down, roam around, and gather information as they waited for the last set of people transferred to their place. And by the looks of it, the last batch was them.

Now, they are going to work their hardest for the next two weeks.

'It will probably start today,'

Cesar mused inwardly while letting out a short yawn as he covered his mouth while glancing at his group who was also doing their things at his side while waiting for orders. The six of them had come together, knowing they were a batch and something that shouldn't leave each other.

They are a package of some sort.

"How long are we going to stay here, though?"

Nike couldn't help but ask which made everyone reply with a shrug because they didn't know it as well. Though everyone was smart enough that it will be sooner, hence Cesar couldn't help but ask the question in a most roundabout way.

"Are you talking about staying here for two weeks?"

Nike turned slightly agape before nodding slightly, "Yes, I have this feeling that these two weeks will just pass by very fast but after that… hmm, let's say that it will take much longer?"

"A feeling?" Joshua couldn't help but frown, "Is it one of your things again? These gut feelings?"

The group couldn't help but look curiously at Nike as everyone started their attention but eventually halted as they heard a loud voice from the front called out to them.

"Resisting Academy students! Go to the surveillance team!"

Cesar let out yet another yawn as he expressed solemnly, "That's our cue,"

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…

The group gets to know that the tasks are divided into three divisions. First is the recon division which will be the one who will handle the search at the very front. The recon division consists of very few people, probably because their task is viable when solo or a few.

These people's job is mainly to secure some places in the city that have been branded yellow zones, an area where conditions are unknown due to the emergence of the same problems, known as Nightmares.

Of course, Nightmares already have a universal meaning where that means different kinds of things; Nightmares themselves, Corruption, Red Zones, Nightmare Potions, and so on.

Anyways, the second division is called front liners, where they are the most exposed to battle. These jobs mainly consist of the Nightmare Corps and the Army. Vin, a few of his squad, and Chin belonged to this group.

The last group was the surveillance group, where Cesar and the rest were positioned. These people's jobs are mainly to find a trail that the recon and front lines have left. Because of that, they are the division with a very low risk of being affected by the currents of the abnormality.

Cesar will not bet his life yet on another 'safe' probability that everyone had been saying when they were placed in this group, knowing what happened when he trusted even the irrefutable data from before.

It was meant to be broken in the first place hence there's no real fact in this world, only uncertainty.

That's one of the things that scared Cesar the most.

"Okay, surveillance team, I'll be the commander of this division," A Nightmare Corpse introduced himself and came from Vin's squad with a slight smile, "You can call me, Witz. I belonged to Vin's squad though my abilities are well suited in this area. Hope we have a good time with each other,"

Witz appeared very docile. He had a friendly aura that made him very approachable. However, he had a very clear distinction that made anyone decide that they were talking to the real Witz.

He's blind.

His eyes were crystal clear, very white. But the way he looks at everyone makes them think that he isn't blind at all but merely a trick to make everyone lower their guard against them.

That's probably why others are slightly wary of him.

"Our job to you guys might be boring as hell but believe me, you wouldn't want to do the exciting part. Unless you're someone who loves the thrill, you'll probably not enjoy this," Witz let out a soft smile, "Anyways, I'll not give long speeches to ignite your heart and that. It's very cringe. So can I just say something that sounds like a wish?"

The others gave the blind man strange looks before they nodded, unsure if Witz could see it but they immediately heard him speak.

"Let's survive at the end of this,"

…

City of Wheels has different kinds of names but it is mainly a city where vehicles and machinery that have wheels are made. At least, this area is prominent when it comes to its finesse details.

This is why the buildings surrounding the city were humungous and gigantic. Mainly they're filled with expansive factories and huge infrastructures.

Cesar's division had their sights set in this direction.

Making their way through a dark factory, the lights from the inside were tweaking and inconsistent. They are barely enough to produce any light yet one isn't touching or doing anything about it, only because they had to follow protocols.

As always, it has been like that.

Motioning his hands where gloves are protecting his fingers, Cesar glanced at Quentin and ordered, "Hey, do your job,"

"All right. You don't need to sound so grumbly about it,"

Quentin grumbled as his way to rebut his authoritative tone as he began to do the part for this task.

With everyone on his side, Quentin began to channel the powers within him. The amiable surroundings from him a moment ago turned a bit chilly that casted curious glances amongst the others towards his presence.

There was indeed a change.

In Quentin's vision, everything turned ethereal. The only colors he could distinguish were black and white. Some of the dark places became darker while the white colors became whiter. It was pulsating as if someone's heart was beating but in reality, it was nothing more than the ability's doings.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Quentin shifted his gaze onto the voice and saw Cesar was different. His figure was fully dark in color. He also managed to observe that his face was slightly contorted and once he watched the reflection within his eyes, there was a subtle change in his appearance.

It was his eyes. They were fully black, devoid of any light.

Already having full knowledge of his abilities, Quentin nodded before answering, "If you can stop just asking some stupid questions like that, I might be able to find something. When using these powers, I'm sensitive for some reason so…"

"All right,"

Knowing that this wasn't time for joking around and unnecessary conversation, Cesar immediately cut him off. If Quentin wanted some space from them, they would willingly do it. After all, he was the only one suited for these kinds of operations.

Quentin went to put his focus solely on the job. Whether he found something in the inconspicuous factory or not, it wouldn't matter. He would prefer to find something though.

'Let's see…'

Quentin mused inwardly as he searched around the place, looking through every nook of the rooms and compartments they passed by. They further venture deeper inside.

His powers involved tracking. To track someone, to avoid getting tracked, to search for any track items… it all involves a piece of hidden trail to see that the only user using this power can achieve. It was the gist of his first given ability [Imprint].

For a while, nothing significant occurred. His dark and white world remained pulsating, unmoving, and picturesque… until he saw some changes far above the very factory.

Once he looked up, his face warped.

'What's… that?'

Quentin's eyes landed on a piece of fabric that looked like it had been cut from reality, its color was void. It curved upwards like a smiling lip and deeper into it was another world that was very wrong to look at, pertinacious even.

Though there was a very thick hazy cloud covering the penetrated reality, stopping him from veering through the wrongness deeper within.

There were no words to explain its wrongness as if all were such a mere trick, nothing to explain its source.

"Hey, there's something wrong above on this ceiling,"

The group who already stopped from their places upon seeing Quentin's unmoving stance, and also staring above couldn't but frown.

They all looked above the ceiling… and couldn't see anything.

"It might be because it is dark which is why we couldn't see it but… let's inform Witz for now,"

And that's what they did.