Chapter 5
Aeren stood frozen.
The branches on Mr. Faceless's back curled like ancient, cursed vines… creaking and growing with unnatural grace.
But then… he saw it.
Not just his face.
Not just a mask.
It was his own body.
Hanging limp from the creature's arm.
Still. Pale. Cold.
Like a puppet with its strings cut.
His eyes locked on it.
He couldn't breathe.
That was him.
It looked exactly like him — same scars, same clothes, even the small tear on his left sleeve.
"What… is this?" he whispered.
The pulse in the air grew stronger.
Mr. Faceless tilted his square head sideways, the sound of bones cracking echoing from its neck — like it was studying him. Like it was waiting for something.
And then it happened.
With no warning…
Mr. Faceless launched the pulse.
It hit Aeren like lightning — but without light, without heat.
Just… energy.
Dark, ancient, and alive.
It tore through his body — every vein glowing for a moment in deep red, like runes under his skin.
Aeren's mouth opened wide, and he screamed—
"M-Mama…! PAPA!"
The world around him shattered.
The ground cracked like glass.
The sky exploded into white.
And everything turned silent.
He woke up.
In bed.
Sweating. Breathing heavily. Heart pounding.
He looked around.
His small bedroom. His posters. His school bag. The early morning sunlight slipping in through the curtain.
It was just a dream.
Or… was it?
From the kitchen, his mother called out:
"Aeren? What happened, dear? You were shouting in your sleep."
Still shaking, he rubbed his face. "I… I don't know, Mom. I had a weird… really weird dream."
His mom smiled gently, flipping something on the pan.
"Well, come get breakfast. You'll be late for school."
Aeren sat on the edge of the bed.
But something felt off.
His body still felt… heavy. Like something had changed.
His fingers twitched.
For a second, he thought he saw faint red marks glowing under his skin — like symbols.
He blinked.
Gone.
But the feeling remained.
Aeren looked at his hands, confused and silent.
"Was that just a dream? Or… a memory?"
He shook his head, stood up slowly, and got ready for school — his thoughts clouded.
He didn't know that this was just the beginning.
That inside his blood… something ancient had awakened.
Something legendary.
Something not human.
End of Chapter 5
(To be continued...)