Chapter 5: The Dreaming

Chapter 5: The Dreaming



The dreamy lady bowed. "I apologize for interrupting your revive, my lord, but the Lord of Death is here, at the gate of horn."

Hypnos fixed his gaze on the woman. She was Alexandria, one of the dreams-a species he created alongside nightmares to populate his realm and assist him with his duties. He had appointed Alexandria as librarian in charge of the Great Library in his castle in the heart of dreaming.

The Great Library was one of his important side projects. He built it to record the dreams of everyone, except the Primordials, throughout their lives, down to the smallest of details. Everyone's deepest secrets, desires, and fears will all be written down in the books dedicated to them.

It would include all the books that were never written, all the ideas that were never voiced, all the inspirations that were never spoken, and all the stories that were never told.

Altogether, the existence of the Great Library amounted to a violation of privacy on a scale never before seen in the history of civilization. His actions would have horrified his previous human self. His current primordial self, though, had a slight hesitation at the beginning of this project, but it was beginning to fade with the passage of time.

It had been 18 years since he was reborn into this wonderful world, and he could clearly feel his humanity ebb away in the rushing currents of time. When he gazed at the mortal world and human civilization, the familiarity and belonging he had assumed didn't arise in his heart; rather, indifference and apathy inundated his heart and mind.

Did he hate the change that was taking place within him? Some part of his mind was thinking at the time, and the answer came to him right away.

He didn't hate it. He even expected it. After all, he was eternal, and the connection he felt with humanity would have faded with the passage of millennia.

Hypnos sighed inwardly, putting a stop to his racing thoughts and focusing on the situation at hand. "Take him through the Dreaming, and then bring him to my palace." his lips were suffused with an involuntary smile.

"Yes, milord." Alexandria unequivocally accepted his order and teleported in a whirlwind of glittering golden sand.

Hypnos turned to look at the golden ocean one last time before lifting his leg. While he was fixated on the spot, the surrounding space immediately stretched and zapped behind him. In the next second, he took a single step from the golden beach to the heart of dreaming, planting his foot firmly on the stony ground of a massive bridge.

And in front of him, a magnificent white castle arose, surrounded by a vast lake and lush hills that seemed to stretch into the horizon. In every sense of the word and perception, the white castle was perfect. It had tall towers made of marble that never existed, as well as large golden spires that held the esoteric symbols and letters from a language that was never invented. Every stone in the castle was even and square, as if its creator were obsessed with perfection and genuinely cared about what they created.

The gate was a forty-meter-tall black door engraved with esoteric symbols and images that weaved together to form the divine trees of the creation-the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge and exuded a sacred and hallowed aura. It was also guarded by two colossal statues of knights wielding swords and spears.

The entrance of the castle was connected to a long stony bridge, which was supported by towering human hands that arose from the serene lake underneath it.

This was his new home. Hypnos regarded his creations with emotion. He carved it all, down to the smallest detail. And there is still much to be done before it can be perfected and opened to the rest of the world.

He began striding to the entrance of his castle, and two colossal knight statues bowed to him, prompting him to nod in response.

Hypnos stood in front of the white door, placed his hand on the section of the murals where the trunks of two divine trees crossed, and pushed it.

Creak!

The murals of the divine trees glistened as the colossal door creaked open, revealing a long and dim corridor.Cheêck out latest novels on n/o/ve/l/bin(.)c/o/m

Hypnos turned and gazed at the Dreaming, then strode into the magnificent castle.

The door closed itself with a rumble upon his entrance.

The throne room was illuminated by the dim light of the sky gushing through the stained glass of the long windows. Above it all, a magnificent dome sprang up, adorned with images of swirling galaxies and swaying nebulae. A ray of light slanted into the room, bathing Hypnos.

In one hand, the Primordial of Sleep held a thick book; in the other, a golden pen. Using the book as a medium, he was etching the laws and regulations of his realm into the fabric of existence. He was also assigning jobs and duties to the dreams and nightmares he created, as well as their role and purpose in dreaming. He cannot afford even the smallest error or oversight in this, as it was absolutely critical to the operation of his realm.

Hypnos also focused some of his attention on his brother, who was being guided around his realm by Alexandria.

Unlike him, Thanatos wanted his realm to be simple but effective, so he finished the creation of his realm at the beginning of this year and rightfully claimed his position as the Primordial of Death.

With the opening of his realm, Tenebrous, Thanatos assumed his role as the universal psychopomp the guider of all souls.

cut the mere air, producing a screeching swish.

Immediately, Hypnos and Thanatos wheeled back to face each other, finally taking the proper

battle stance.

"I see," Thanatos said, his dark eyes gleaming. "You are still as vicious and flouting as ever." "I am not Death." Hypnos smiled gleefully. "I know no fairness." Thanatos snorted and charged, slashing at his face as he closed the distance between them.

And so they clashed in the heart of the Dreaming. Their speed had increased to the point

where they appeared to have completed vanished, but the occasional flashes of silvery and inky light revealed otherwise.

There was no primal power in any of their moments. It was a battle of pure physical might. And that went on for what seemed like an eternity. Back and forth across the throne room and

round and round in spirals, Hypnos and Thanatos fought, their silent yet lethal blows always aimed for each other's weak spots, their hearts set on victory.

The definitive blow was struck with a faraway ring of bells as Hypnos whipped his sword at

Thanatos' throat, seizing the opening in his brother's ever-perfect defense. And so their blurry figures stabilized, exiting the state of perpetual motion.

Even though Hypnos was pointing his sword tip at Thanatos' throat, which should have

sealed his win, there was no delight on his face since he felt the chilly touch of a blade pricking his chin.

The dark scythe was held by his brother, its curvy blade threatening his neck with Death. "It's a tie." Thanatos said, his golden eyes gleaming with frustration. "As always." Hypnos willed the sword to vanish, and his brother shifted his scythe away from his neck. And he plopped himself on the ground next to his brother, willing two cups of nectar into existence, and then he passed one to his brother. "Well, you've come a long way since the last

time. I actually fell for your last concealed move," he added begrudgingly. "Father taught you

well."

"But not enough to beat you, though." Thanatos placed his scythe on the ground and took the

cup.

"Cause Father knows better than to do that." Hypnos whispered, twirling the glasses.

And they sat in comfortable silence, drinking the nectar, as they lightly laughed at his last

words.

"So, what are you here for?" Hypnos finally asked, his glass half-empty. Thanatos turned toward him, his golden eyes brimming with solemnity. "There is a meeting

in two days. Mother wants everyone to be present." "What happened?" Hypnos frowned, struck by the solemnity of his words.

"That's the problem. I don't know." Thanatos sighed. "Mother apparently concealed

everything with her authority."

"Then tell me your guesses." Hypnos started at Thanatos. "You should have devised some by now."

Thanatos was silent for a moment, and then he said. "Titanomachy."

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