After the last shadow vanished,the castle hall fell empty.Too empty. Too silent.
Nightmare man stood in the center of the room,one hand holding his staff,the other lightly touching his own face.
"Impressive," he said calmly."You actually managed to open the door."
The rabbit stood beside you,its breathing uneven,its fur disheveled—but its eyes never left the enemy.
"That's enough," it said."You've lost."
Nightmare man let out a soft laugh—not mocking,but almost… sorrowful.
"Lost?"He tilted his head."No… you're the oneswho have just stepped onto the battlefield."
Suddenly,the floor cracked.
Countless shadows burst out from the fissures—not monsters,but images.
Images of youat your weakest moments.
You saw yourselfstanding alone,the voices around you blurred,as if the world had abandoned you.
Your heart pounded.Your hands trembled around your sword.
"Don't look!"the Queen shouted,raising a barrier of light—but the shadows slipped through itas if they knew the way.
"This is no illusion," Nightmare man said."This is what you've been running from."
The rabbit lunged at him,its claws slashing through his body—but passed right through,like striking air.
Nightmare man didn't even turn.
He simply moved a finger.
A crushing force slammed down—the rabbit was hurled into the wall,its small body collapsing to the groundwith a heavy impact.
"Rabbit!" you shouted.
You rushed forward,your sword blazing with all its power,striking straight through Nightmare man's body—
Thud.
The blade stopped.
Not because he dodged—but because he caught itwith his bare hand.
"Too slow," he whispered.
With a single flick,you were sent flying into a pillar,your breath knocked out,your vision blurring.
The Queen gathered all her strength.Dream sigils flared—the entire hall turned into a field of light.
"Awaken!" she cried,her voice binding the space itself.
Nightmare man lifted his head slightly—for the first time,his expression changed.
A faint frown.As if disturbed.
The light struck him head-on,shattering the shadows around him—
But…he still stood.
His cloak tornonly slightly.
The Queen dropped to one knee,blood trailing from the corner of her mouth.Her strength was nearly gone.
"This… is still not enough,"Nightmare man said coldly.
He stepped forward.The pressure alone made it hard for you to stand.The ground cracked again beneath you.
"You three," he said slowly,"have one thing in common."
He pointed at your hearts—yours, the rabbit's, and the Queen's.
"You still 'fear' waking up."
The shadows surged forward at once,binding all three of you.You couldn't breathe.You couldn't move.
Nightmare man stood over you,his shadow stretching wide—swallowing all light,consuming even the rabbit and the Queen.
You froze—overwhelmed by absolute despair.
"Remember this defeat," he said."Because next time,I won't be merciful."
Darkness swallowed everything.
And in the final momentbefore your consciousness faded—
You screamed with everything you had:
"You bastard!"
"Remember this!"
"The next time we meet—"
"I won't let you—"
"live any longer!!"
Your voice echoed,piercing through the darkness,through the fear—
Before everythingwent black.
You slowly opened your eyes.
Heavy.As if your eyelids weren't your own.
The ceiling above you—familiar,plain,still.
Just like every time you "wake up."
You inhale.Exhale.
Normal.
No pain.No pressure.No shadows.
Too quiet.
You move your fingers—they respond.
You sit up—you can.
Everything… is too perfect.
Your heart sinks.
Not from fear—but because you know.
This isn't the real world.
You close your eyes,then open them again.
Nothing changes.
"No…"your voice cracks.
You look at your hands—no wounds,no blood.
Your body is too perfect.As if it has been reset.
Memories flood back—clear, complete.
The shadows.The rabbit.The Queen.That calm voice behind the mask.
"Remember this defeat."
Your heart pounds—
Not from fear,but from a truthyou don't want to accept.
You didn't wake up.
You were just…moved to another scene.
This room has no windows.No doors.No exit.
You stand,touch the wall—
Solid. Cold.Too real.
You slap your own face—hard.
Still not awake.
A broken laugh escapes you.
"So… that's it, huh…"you mutter."This is your dream."
Then—
A voice.
Not loud.Not near.
But everywhere.
"Smarter than I thought."
Nightmare man doesn't appear.No body. No shadow.
Only his voice.
"Did you really thinkyou could wake upafter losing?"
The walls begin to crack—not like stone,but like a stage breaking apart.
Scenes overlap—the room, the battlefield, the door, the shadows—looping endlessly.
Your head begins to ache.Not physically—as if your mind is being crushed.
"This place is a resting ground,"the voice continues,"for those not yet ready to wake."
You collapse,clutching your head,breathing faster.
"I lost…" you whisper."You already won…"
A soft laugh echoes.
Not mocking.Not pleased.
Just… true.
"No," Nightmare man replies."I haven't gained anything."
"But you—are the one still trapped here."
The words cut deeper than any blade.
You look up,eyes trembling.
"If I don't win…" you say slowly,afraid of the answer—"I can't leave… right?"
Silence.
A silence that is already an answer.
Your chest tightens.You can't breathe.Your hands tremble.Your legs give out.
This isn't rest.Not a chance.Not waiting.
This is a prison—built from your own defeat.
And the most terrifying thingis not Nightmare man—
but the thoughtslowly creeping in:
If I can't win…If I never win…
Then I'll be stuck hereforever.
His voice comes one last time—
"Welcome…to the dream you cannot wake from."
Silence returns.
And you sit there—in a dreamyou cannot escape.