1901 Dreamscape
Nina felt like she had entered a surreal dream.
Initially, she found herself in the grand capital of the Edinburgh kingdom, the City of Edin. In this dreamlike version of the city, everything appeared more magnificent than reality, each detail both clear and shrouded in mystery.
It was as if Nina had become a wisp, observing the bustling city from a bird's-eye view. But in an instant, she was contained within a vessel.
Though she felt in control of her physical form, her thoughts swirled chaotically, making it hard to focus. As she moved closer to the capital city, the scenery shifted once more.
This time, she found herself at a graduation ceremony for young Rankers. It felt familiar as if she had witnessed it in reality, yet the perspective from which she viewed it was different.
Glancing around the audience, she spotted herself, Jiana Jiang, and Levine de Montmorency, all cheering for Eren. The current version of herself in the dream stood among a group of young Rankers receiving accolades from King Emil himself.
"Isn't this Eren's graduation ceremony?" Nina pondered, trying to make sense of the strange dream. The scenes around her dissolved into clouds of smoke before coalescing into a new scene.
Now, she stood in a dense forest filled with mana beasts, exotic creatures, and the dreaded Children of Echidna, known as monsters. Towering trees and thick foliage obscured the sunlight, casting the forest in a semi-shadowy domain.
As Nina ventured deeper into the forest in her dream, she sensed something different about this scene.
Strange whispers echoed through the trees, their eerie cadence sending shivers down her spine. Though she couldn't discern their words, she felt a primal fear stirring within her as she delved further into the mysterious forest.
As she walked, Nina encountered a variety of creatures she had only read about in texts: mythical beasts with glowing eyes, ethereal beings that seemed to materialize from the shadows, and creatures whose forms shifted and twisted like liquid in a kaleidoscope. They took on the shapes of monsters, or rather, Children of Echidna as they liked to call themselves.
"This... this is Monster Canyon. But I don't think I have ever been to this particular region within the canyon. How am I dreaming this weird dream?" Nina questioned her own sanity as she traversed the forest. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
She observed herself wearing sophisticated attire that complemented her features.
She wore a fitted, sleeveless blouse in a rich shade of deep crimson. The blouse featured intricate embroidery along the neckline, adding a touch of intricate detail to the ensemble.
Paired with the blouse, Nina wore a flowing skirt crafted from luxurious silk fabric, adorned with delicate patterns. The skirt cascaded gracefully around her legs, swaying with each movement.
A pair of dangling earrings adorned her ears. Around her neck, she wore a slender chain necklace with a pendant that caught the light, casting subtle reflections across the surroundings.
The clothing completed her appearance, allowing her to look the best version of herself in this illusory realm.
"Haah! You're finally here. I thought that this technique was nothing but a sham."
Nina heard a familiar voice from behind her.
When she saw Eren standing there with a smile on his face, her heart melted, and her eyes turned a bit red.
Immediately, she enveloped him in an embrace.
She wasn't completely sure if what she was experiencing was a dream or not.
However, this was the first time in a long while that she could feel Eren so close.
She wanted to cherish this dream for as long as possible before it ended.