Chapter 29. Books on the Dream Dimension (Part 2)

Opening the book "The Peculiarities of Life Forms in the Dream Dimension", Arthur immediately immersed himself in reading. The pages were filled with meticulously drawn symbols and diagrams, illustrating the astonishing nature of dream-dwelling creatures.

The first thing that caught his attention was the explanation of these beings' self-awareness. Before they gained strength comparable to that of a first-rank official wizard, they existed like puppets controlled by invisible threads of dreams. They had no self-consciousness, acting strictly according to set patterns, repeating the same actions over and over. These creatures could hunt, defend their territories, and interact with their surroundings, but their behavior was predictable and mechanical — as if following a script written by someone else.

What amazed Arthur even more was their ability to regenerate. If such creatures died, but their native island remained relatively intact, they would eventually be restored. However, each resurrection weakened them slightly, as though the very fabric of their existence thinned with every rebirth.

When these creatures reached strength equal to that of a first-level official wizard, a fundamental transformation occurred. They gained self-awareness, becoming sentient beings with their own memories and desires. Yet this development came with a price — with consciousness came the loss of their former immortality. After death, their bodies could regenerate, but with a new personality. In essence, these were entirely new beings, merely resembling their predecessors.

This information made Arthur pause. He remembered the gnolls he had encountered in his spiritual world. Were they merely puppets? And what would have happened if he had left them alone? Could they have evolved into fully sentient beings?

As he read further, even more mysteries were revealed. The author described how islands in the dream dimension could engage in conflicts with one another. They would battle, absorb, and assimilate each other, growing and developing in the process. This phenomenon resembled natural selection in the wild, except it occurred in a realm where energy and thought were both weapon and resource.

The book also delved into the structure of the dream dimension, stating that it was divided into layers. Small, weak islands — like the one Arthur had absorbed — existed in the upper layers. As these islands grew stronger, they gradually sank into the deeper layers. At the very bottom of this world lurked nightmares: terrifying beings Arthur had read about in the traveler's journal. These nightmares occasionally rose to the surface, invading the upper layers and destroying young islands.

"If my spiritual world keeps growing, I'll sink deeper as well," Arthur realized. "That means I'll have to face these nightmares one day."

The thought was frightening, yet thrilling. He knew the path to true power was fraught with danger — but he was willing to walk it.

Arthur paid special attention to the experiments described in the book. The author, apparently a wizard-researcher, had meticulously observed these dream-dwelling creatures. He discovered that they had no real physical bodies, consisting instead of pure energy, which only manifested as tangible matter within the dream dimension. In the physical world, such beings could exist only briefly before their bodies disintegrated, returning to their original energy form.

The most remarkable discovery, however, was that these creatures had no natural lifespan. As long as they had sufficient energy, they could exist indefinitely. This revelation struck a chord with Arthur. If he could learn to control this energy, perhaps he could strengthen his spiritual world and even create his own immortal beings to aid him in battle.

After finishing the book, Arthur closed it and gazed thoughtfully out of the library window. Everything he had learned opened new horizons. He now understood the dream dimension and its inhabitants more clearly, though countless questions remained. At least now, his goal had become more defined.

He then opened the last book from the set: "Facts About Parallel Dimensions". Arthur tempered his expectations; the previous books had exceeded all hopes, but maybe this one would add a few more pieces to the puzzle.

From the first pages, it was clear that the book was more theoretical, focusing on the broader structure of reality. It contained little new information about the dream dimension, mostly repeating what Arthur already knew. But as he read further, the text shifted to more profound questions — about the nature of their world and its place within the infinite universe.

The author described the dimension inhabited by wizards, calling it the Infinite Void — a name Arthur initially found exaggerated. Yet with every paragraph, he realized how accurate it was. According to the book, most of this dimension was indeed an endless, empty expanse. Worlds, including Arthur's, were tiny islands adrift in a vast sea of nothingness.

The book then touched on other dimensions, each with unique characteristics. The dream dimension, which Arthur now knew well, was mentioned only briefly — just one of many parallel worlds. But what came next was even more intriguing.

The Hell Dimension was described as a world of eternal fire and suffering, where destructive energy was so dense that even short visits could scar a soul beyond repair. Wizards who studied this dimension rarely returned, and those who did rarely lived long afterward.

The Exile Dimension was something entirely different — a realm where souls and beings torn from their native realities became trapped. It was home to those who no longer belonged anywhere else, and the dimension itself resembled a labyrinth with no exit.

The Chaos Dimension was said to be the most unpredictable of all. Here, the laws of physics and magic constantly shifted. Space could contract into a single point or stretch endlessly within seconds. Only the most desperate researchers dared venture there. Their accounts were contradictory, but those who survived brought back treasures and knowledge of great power.

One dimension, however, captured Arthur's attention more than the rest.

The Dimension of the Boundless Continent.

Arthur tried to grasp the scale of what he was reading. This dimension was a colossal, infinite landmass with no oceans or seas. Unlike other worlds, where water naturally divided continents, here, no such barriers existed.

The Boundless Continent stretched for thousands — perhaps millions — of light-years in every direction, extending beyond any known horizon. Its landscapes ranged from endless deserts to lush jungles, from towering mountain ranges to plains dotted with enigmatic structures that defied explanation.

What made this dimension truly extraordinary was its living nature. The continent possessed a will of its own and could alter its landscapes at will. Travelers reported paths shifting underfoot, forests appearing overnight, and familiar landmarks vanishing without a trace.

The book described a phenomenon known as "Reality Shifts" — areas where walking the same path twice might lead to entirely different destinations. In these zones, time could speed up, slow down, or even stop altogether. But the most unsettling discovery was that the Boundless Continent was growing. Slowly, imperceptibly, but relentlessly, its borders continued to expand.

The book also mentioned many other dimensions, though most were barely explored. Some seemed harmless, while others were lethally hostile. Yet all of them concealed secrets and potential for those brave enough to investigate.

Closing the book, Arthur sat quietly, his mind racing. He had come seeking knowledge about the dream dimension but found something far greater. The world he inhabited was just a tiny speck within an intricate web of realities.

His thoughts drifted back to the dream dimension. Now he saw it not just as a strange, dangerous place, but as part of a vast and complex system — one that he was determined to understand.