A frail looking young woman with pale skin and dark circles under her eyes was sitting on a rusty bench from across the police station. She was cradling a cup of coffee in her hands. Not the usual one, but the special expensive type that had consumed vast sums from her pocket money. But on this particular day, Rain decided to pamper herself.
After all, her life was coming to an end.
Enjoying the warmth of the extra luxurious drink, she raised the cup and savored the aroma.
Then, tentatively, she took a small sip and immediately grimaced.
"Ah! So bitter!"
Giving the cup of coffee an intense look, Rain sighed, and it aside.
"So much so for my last meal, I should have bought something like meat instead. Who knew it would be so disgusting? Well. It's going to keep me awake, at least."
She stared into the distance, dozing off, and then slapped herself in the face to wake up.
People were walking down the street, giving strange glances because of her unhealthy complexion caused by the nightmare spell.
Watching them, she tossed the cup into a a garbage bin.
Then with a pale, forced smile. She crossed the street and entered the police station.
Inside, a tired - looking police officer gave her a quick glance and frowned.
"Are you lost, girl?"
Rain looked around with curiosity, noting reinforced armor plates on the walls and poorly hidden turret nests in the ceiling. The officer, too, looked scruffy and mean. Maybe she had chosen the wrong police station.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!"
Rain cleared her throat.
"Uh,no."
The she awkwardly scratched the back of her neck and added:
"As demanded by the Third Special Directive, I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell"
The officer's expression instantly changed from annoyance to worry.
He asked in hurry " Are you sure, how long?"
Rain shrugged "6 days ago"
The officer became paled and pushed a button on his terminal and bellowed:
"Attention! Code Black! Code black in the lobby."
****
Rain was currently strapped to a chair in tight constraints, that looked unhealthily like a torture device. The room she was in was the basement of that police station. The room even smelled.
Rain grimaced " I really should have chosen a better police station"
Soon footsteps became clearer as a old man in officer uniform came along with several other police guardsmen wielding rifles.
Giving her some sort of pitiful look, he said. " Young woman, you have surely learnt enough of the nightmare spell from school"
Rain nodded slowly.
"It's a pity that you did not come early, there are procedures in place for awakened to give guidance to people like you before the first nightmare, Not the usual stuff taught in school, that sure is a way for someone to increase their chances"
He sighed and said
"Rain, do you want me to contact your family"
'He must have learnt my name from the id'
She sighed internally 'It's better to not let my family know'
Seeing her silence the old policeman spoke once again "It's always good to let your family know...The nearest awakened will come in hours, seeing your complexion you will be asleep by then so need not worry" With that he stood silent.
With the id he knew that young girl studied in a high class school and probably knew much more about the mystical world than him, there was no advice he could give her.
Looking a last time at the direction of where her house should and the direction where in the distant lands Antaractica would be. Rain let of all effort and fell asleep.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell.
Prepare for your First Trial...].