Lilith woke up, chained to a wall made of black stone. she groaned and looked at herself. She was now wearing a black robe and was naked underneath. She was missing her left arm and her right eye.
"mhh..huh.. i guess i will really die here huh…"
As she looked ahead she saw the Old lady from before, the one that was sitting at the head of the table. the old lady spoke.
Lilith felt a chill down her spine as she spoke.
"I didn't tell you you could speak."
And just like that. Lilith's tongue was split in half vertically.. she groaned and struggled against the chain before she stopped.. after a while at least..'A-At least she didn't cut my tongue off..' she thought.
The old lady looked at her and said.
"From now on. I will test your abilities.. you won't speak. complain or try to futilly escape and beg. understood?"
Lilith simply nodded since she was told not to speak.
From that day. Lilith did everything she was told.
The old lady looked at her and said,
"Get up, we are going somewhere. your chains have been taken off, so follow closely. Unless you want to get eaten."
Lilith was brought to a fully enchanted room, not that she knew that. she didn't know the mysteries of the Nightmare Spell, nor the Sorceries from the ancient past. but Lilith was smart.. she slowly memorized everything she saw as she was being 'Tested'..
Lilith was Starved for 5 weeks, Physically Tortured for 2 weeks, Trained her body for 7 weeks, and learned many things under this Old Hag's glaring eyes.
Her name was Persephora.
Under her she also studied Many different languages from different species or empires from the Dream Realm, when studying different Nightmare creatures and how to hunt them she also trained with many weapons and so many other things, even secretly glancing at some sorceries, that's how she found out that in this room where she trained, time was slowed down, like, a Lot.. not that she hoped to escape it, it was futile.. she didn't have the essence to deactivate the sorceries anyway.. 7 months slowly passed, eventually.. She had learned about Hundreds of things, how the path of ascension worked without the spell, different types of sorceries, and how to hunt efficiently through simulations.
But she also learned the reason she was being trained… Because Persephora's race, Vampires, wanted to suck the blood of only the most healthy and knowledgeable creature.. It was simply a question of Taste.. this would have left Lilith in despair. if not for the fact that it was known that the Nightmare Spell didn't give unbeatable trials. it was just a question of cunningness, strength, resolve and will.
She learned the History of this Place, The creepy Region it was situated in, on the 'Hollow Mountains', Lilith also learned some history of their Vampiric race, and origin, that this village is all that remains from an incredibly powerful society inside the Hollow Mountains.. before a catastrophe struck..as for what that was, she didn't know, nor was she told.
Lilith learned about the history of the Dream Realm.. and was shocked when she found out that Persephora was a Supreme! a level above everyone in the current humanity! someone so powerful was in a shitty village in a nightmare…. that was a bit disheartening.. were humans so weak they could not go further up the path of ascension? no. she learned it wasn't like that.
And albeit Lilith did not trust everything Persephora taught her. logic and knowledge were powerful tools.
Time passed and eventually, only 3 days until she was to be eaten were left. Persephora didn't show up anymore.
2 more days passed.. only a few hours before she died..
Lilith was getting anxious, the spell was supposed to be fair, right? but just then, it happened.
That's when something incredibly terrifying but also a divine hand helped her. This horrible and dreadful city was under attack by a God's army. the Goddess of War!! That was good, AND ALSO SO BAD!!!
Lilith felt strange.. for some unknown reason. but she didn't focus on it.
She had to escape after all. She was lucky because all enchantment and sorcery were out of essence. so she easily got out of her cell. but she had to be more careful than ever now.
She eventually reached the inner parts of the Cathedral and saw the Vampiric ancient village outside was partially destroyed, burning down; most of the nobles were dead. Those who were not were severely injured or burned alive by flames or by rays of light, because the Fog dome had been pierced. The other Vampires soon died too, The war god's army had swiftly destroyed this race and was leaving. Only Persephora remained, injured badly.
When Lilith saw her. injured but alive. she flinched. she felt despair and dread. something she rarely felt. how could she not? Even as badly injured as she was, to a Supreme, Lilith was not even a speck of dust. but something was strange. It felt wrong. and terrifying… that's when Persephora spoke.
"..You have noticed.. didn't you…? that this whole place is an illusion i cast... even i am nothing but a fading memory of my true self.."
Lilith's heartbeat sped up as if she was looking at a being that would torture her endlessly, but she also felt she was not in imminent danger.. somehow.
"..you said it before.. that you were weak… well.. then become strong.. human girl.. that's your only optio-"
Persephora coughed up blood.. the terrifying feeling was still there.. fastly growing stronger..
"..i don't have much time left.. until the illusions break…if you want to live.. you must Sacrifice yourself…At the bottom.. of the village is a well.. throw yourself inside… and.. use.. inject the blood of our first.. through the skeletons.. fangs.. and… …."
And just like that. The illusion broke apart, it felt and looked as if all she saw before was a mirror. and now it had shattered, and the pieces of glass slid right below her viewpoint… Persephora was sitting on the head table's chair, there was a sword piercing her heart.
Lilith felt the fear in her heart grow much weaker, but still present.
"wasn't the first nightmare supposed to be easy?! why am i in between a race conflict between a god's human army and a Sovereign's death?!"
Lilith took a moment to calm down..
"I should follow Persephora's instruction. everything i went through was an illusion she cast… its true she tortured me and so on. but she also taught me Countless things…"
Lilith looked at Persephora's corpse. impaled by a sword to her chair.
"She is already dead.. she can't harm me from beyond the grave."
Lilith saw skeletons all around herself..it was from the Vampire nobles. Persephora's body was the only one who was still intact.
Lilith looked around, she was in a ruined cathedral.. half destroyed…She picked up the sword from Persephora's body.
As she did. Persephora's body turned into ash and there was nothing left. The sword felt normal. there were no incantations on adornments..
"A sword like this killed a Sovereign.. there must be something special about it for sure.."
"Well, I guess there are more important matters, how the hell do I end this dreadful nightmare? How much time was I in this dream anyway?"
Just like that, Lilith went out of the Cathedral.