Chapter 17: Dreamscape

Sylas let out a long breath as he pushed himself away from the library table. He needed to get out of here.

After excusing himself, he glanced at his watch and realized—school was already over.

That damn god had wasted so much of his time, and he hadn't even realized it.

Suppressing his irritation, he headed straight for his dorm.

When he finally reached his room, he opened the door, turned on the light, and moved on autopilot. His body was exhausted, his mind was fried, and he needed caffeine before he lost his sanity.

With a mechanical rhythm, he brewed himself a cup of strong coffee, letting the bitter scent fill the room. Once it was done, he took a seat on the couch, cradling the warm mug in his hands, inhaling deeply—

And promptly passed out.

The Dream

When Sylas opened his eyes, he wasn't in his dorm anymore.

Fog. Endless, swirling fog.

It coiled around his feet, thick and heavy, obscuring the ground beneath him. The air was still, eerily quiet, as if the entire world was holding its breath.

And then, from within the mist—

A shadow emerged.

A figure in a black suit, walking toward him at a leisurely pace, hands in his pockets, exuding nothing but arrogance and amusement.

Sylas knew who it was before he even saw the face.

Lucius.

Of course, it was Lucius.

Because why the hell wouldn't it be?

"You again," Sylas muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Lucius grinned. "You sound so disappointed. Did you miss me that much?"

Sylas shot him a flat look. "I think my body is trying to reject your existence. That's why I keep passing out whenever you're involved."

Lucius placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Oh, Sylas, you wound me."

"Not yet," Sylas deadpanned. "But give me time."

Lucius laughed, a rich, smooth sound that echoed through the mist. "Oh, I do like you, Sylas. You make this so much more entertaining."

Sylas rolled his eyes. "Great. My life is a joke for a god's amusement. I feel so special."

Lucius smirked. "Oh, but you are special, dear mortal. Do you think I visit just anyone in their dreams?"

Sylas folded his arms. "I don't know. Maybe you do this to every unlucky soul who accidentally summons you by reading too much about malevolent deities."

Lucius chuckled. "You flatter me. But no, you're quite the rarity. You "intrigue" me."

Sylas eyed him warily. "That sounds like the setup to a horror story where I end up dead."

Lucius leaned forward, his crimson eyes gleaming. "Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions."

Sylas sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. Whatever. Since I'm already stuck in this dream, let's get this over with. What do you actually want, Lucius?"

Lucius smiled, tilting his head. "I wonder… What do you think I want?"

Sylas stared at him for a long moment.

Then, without breaking eye contact—he turned around and started walking away.

Lucius blinked. "Wait—what are you doing?"

"Leaving," Sylas said, deadpan. "This is my dream, I don't have to play whatever weird mind games you're planning."

Lucius laughed. "Oh, Sylas, you do amuse me."

Sylas kept walking.

Lucius snapped his fingers.

The fog shifted.

The path in front of Sylas looped.

One second, he was walking away from Lucius. The next, he was walking straight toward him again.

Sylas stopped.

He looked around. He turned to the side. Then he walked in the opposite direction—

Only to end up right back in front of Lucius.

Lucius, grinning smugly.

Sylas clenched his jaw. "You bastard."

Lucius beamed. "You're stuck with me, Sylas. Might as well make yourself comfortable."

Sylas exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples again. "Fine. I'll humor you. Again."

Lucius clasped his hands together. "Excellent. Now, let's talk about something fun!"

Sylas frowned. "Like what?"

Lucius's smirk turned downright mischievous.

"How about your deepest fears?"

Sylas stared.

Then, without hesitation, he turned around and walked away again.

Lucius's laughter echoed through the fog.

Sylas kept walking.

One step. Two steps. Five steps.

Turn.

Lucius. Smug as ever.

Sylas gritted his teeth. "You again."

Lucius grinned. "Me again."

Sylas turned the other way and walked faster.

Ten steps.

Turn.

Lucius. Sitting on a floating chair now. Drinking tea.

Sylas's eye twitched.

"Stop that."

Lucius took a slow sip. "Stop what?"

Sylas pivoted and sprinted into the fog, full speed.

Thirty steps.

Turn.

Lucius was right there.

Holding **a "Welcome Back!" sign.

Sylas almost punched him.

Lucius bit back a laugh. "Having fun?"

Sylas glared. "You said this was my dream."

Lucius sipped his tea again. "It is."

Sylas exhaled slowly. "Then how are you doing this?"

Lucius shrugged. "Oh, you know. Omnipresence. All-knowing. Divine powers beyond your mortal comprehension. All past ,present and future knowledge."

Sylas narrowed his eyes. "So no matter where I go, no matter what universe I jump to—"

Lucius nodded. "I'll still be there."

Sylas went silent.

Lucius smirked. "You're thinking of testing it, aren't you?"

Sylas was.

Lucius leaned forward, his crimson eyes glinting. "Go on. Try."

Sylas took a deep breath.

And then—

He willed himself into another universe.

Complete shift.

The dreamscape shattered like glass.

And then reformed.

Sylas opened his eyes.

He was standing in a completely different world.

The sky was a deep, endless purple. Moons—**three of them—**hovered above, casting eerie silver light over an unfamiliar landscape.

Sylas exhaled, relieved. "Finally."

Then—

A voice behind him.

"Damn. That was fast."

Sylas froze.

Turned.

Lucius was right there.

Lying on a divine-looking couch, wearing gold-rimmed sunglasses, sipping a cocktail. "But I'm faster."

Sylas stared at him. "You've got to be kidding me."

Lucius lifted his drink in a toast. "Told you. Omnipresent."

Sylas resisted the urge to scream. "You cannot possibly be this dedicated to annoying me."

Lucius smirked. "Oh, but I can. It's a godly privilege."

Sylas turned on his heel and disappeared again.

Another world.

A medieval kingdom. Tall castle spires. A dragon flying in the distance.

Sylas inhaled. Looked around.

Lucius was already there.

Wearing a king's robe. Crown. Holding a scepter.

Sylas clenched his fists. "You are absolutely insufferable."

Lucius beamed. "You should've read about charming gods instead of malevolent ones. Maybe then you'd have summoned someone else."

Sylas turned again.

Another world.

Sci-fi future. Neon lights. Flying cars.

Lucius? Already sitting in one.

Waving.

Sylas disappeared again.

Ancient civilization.

Lucius was on a throne, wearing a toga.

Gone again.

Cyberpunk dystopia.

Lucius was a hologram on a giant billboard.

Sylas stood there, staring at the glowing screen in horror.

Lucius, on the billboard, winked at him.

Sylas let out a slow, controlled breath.

"I hate you."

Lucius, grinning down from the screen. "You keep saying that, yet you never leave."

Sylas snapped his fingers—returning to the foggy dreamscape.

Lucius was already there.

Sitting on a plush couch. Holding popcorn.

Sylas eyed him warily. "Where did you get that?"

Lucius tossed a piece in his mouth. "Would you believe me if I said 'divine intervention'?"

Sylas sat down. "I'd believe anything at this point."

Lucius leaned in. "Then believe this, Sylas—"

A pause.

Lucius smirked. "You're stuck with me."

Sylas buried his face in his hands. "Of course, I am."

Lucius leaned back into his plush, otherworldly couch, lazily swirling a glass of some shimmering liquid that seemed to hold stars inside it.

"Alright, mortal, listen up—" he gestured vaguely around them, "this foggy little wonderland we're in? It's not just any dreamscape. This is the legendary—"

He paused dramatically.

A gust of wind swept through the mist, rolling like waves. The entire space rumbled as if waiting for some divine revelation.

Then Lucius smirked. "The Veil of Reverie."

Sylas blinked. "That sounds made up."

Lucius placed a hand over his chest, looking deeply offended. "How dare you. I put my entire divine soul into that name."

Sylas raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like you came up with it five seconds ago."

Lucius huffed. "It's called improvisation, Sylas. Gods don't need permanent names for things. We just go with whatever sounds cool in the moment."

Sylas crossed his arms. "So if I called it the 'Foggy Nonsense Zone,' you'd just roll with that?"

Lucius grinned. "Sure, but your name sucks."

Sylas rolled his eyes. "Fine. Veil of Reverie. So, what is this place, exactly?"

Lucius sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "A realm outside the main universe. A place where willpower shapes reality. Where cause and effect aren't bound by petty things like logic. Where imagination manifests, and existence itself wavers between real and unreal."

Sylas listened carefully—until he realized something.

"So… basically, a dream world where you can do whatever you want?"

Lucius gave him finger guns. "Bingo."

Sylas exhaled. "God, you make everything sound more dramatic than it needs to be."

Lucius grinned. "It's called flair, Sylas. You wouldn't understand."

Sylas sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, so… this is my soul? My true essence? My—whatever?"

Lucius nodded. "Yup. This is where your real self exists."

Sylas looked around at the swirling fog, the eerie landscape constantly shifting between recognizable and alien.

He deadpanned. "My 'true self' is fog? Wow. That's depressing."

Lucius burst into laughter. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic! It's not just fog. It's a realm of infinite possibility! You could shape it however you want—turn it into a grand palace, a vast battlefield, an endless library—"

Sylas snapped his fingers.

The fog shifted.

And suddenly, they were sitting in a cheap, run-down fast-food restaurant.

Plastic chairs. Sticky tables. Flickering neon lights.

Lucius froze. "You did not just turn my divine dreamscape into a McDonald's."

Sylas smirked. "I dunno, you said I could make anything. Guess my true essence is fast food."

Lucius stared at him in horror. "Of all the infinite possibilities… you chose this?"

Sylas shrugged. "Hey, you said willpower shapes reality. Welcome to my will."

Lucius dramatically pressed a hand to his forehead. "I take it back. Your imagination is garbage."

Sylas leaned back smugly. "Too late. I'm embracing it."

Lucius scoffed. He snapped his fingers.

And the entire restaurant vanished.

Sylas blinked, finding himself floating in an endless void.

Lucius, hovering next to him, crossed his arms. "If I have to live with your nonsense, then you have to live with mine."

Sylas squinted. "Where are we?"

Lucius smirked. "Welcome to nothingness, Sylas. Infinite emptiness. Hope you like existential horror."

Sylas rubbed his eyes. "I hate you so much."

Lucius chuckled. "And yet, you're still here."

Sylas groaned. "Not by choice."

Lucius grinned. "Oh, but it is by choice. You could wake up at any time."

Sylas narrowed his eyes. "Then why am I still here?"

Lucius shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe you like my company."

Sylas stared at him, expression flat. "I would rather be launched into the sun."

Lucius beamed. "Ah, but in this realm, you could actually do that. Want to try?"

Sylas turned away. "I'm done talking to you."

Lucius, cheerfully floating upside down next to him. "No, you're not."

Sylas sighed. "Unfortunately, no. I'm not."

Sylas walked away, scoffing under his breath. The thought of Lucius's company made his skin crawl, and for a brief, blissful moment, he imagined just getting launched into the sun. It was a far better fate than spending any more time in this nightmarish fog.

He took a single step, and suddenly, the world tilted around him.

A blinding light enveloped him, and before he could even blink, he was flying through the void at breakneck speed, toward a massive fiery ball of light.

The sun.

Sylas opened his mouth to scream in defiance, but all that came out was a silent gasp as he hurtled toward it, the heat almost unbearable. But just before his body could touch the scorching surface, everything went white.

And then…

Nothing.

He was nothing.

He had been turned to dust—his essence scattered across the infinite void, floating aimlessly in the void of nonexistence. No body. No soul. Just a fleeting thought, disintegrating into the abyss.

But wait.

Sylas blinked.

He was back.

Standing in the same fog. Not a single thing about him had changed.

It was as if he had never been obliterated. As if the universe itself had politely decided, "Nah, let's just reset that one."

He rubbed his temples. "You've got to be kidding me."

A familiar voice drifted to him from behind.

"Ah, there we go! Welcome back, mortal."

Sylas turned, half-expecting some kind of divine snark from Lucius. He wasn't disappointed.

Lucius was lounging lazily on a floating throne of stars, wearing an exaggerated frown of mock sympathy. "So, how was the sun? Nice and toasty?"

Sylas just stared at him with utter disbelief. "I— I— I was literally just— what?!" His hands flailed in exasperation, as he tried to wrap his mind around what just happened. "I was just turned to dust, and now I'm back? What kind of messed-up dreamscape is this?!"

Lucius grinned. "Oh, the Veil of Reverie has its perks. You can die as many times as you want and still come back. Pretty sweet, huh?"

Sylas took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "This is a joke. You're a joke. This whole place is a joke."

Lucius shrugged dramatically, his wings fluttering slightly. "Hey, not my fault you have such a limited imagination. You could have come back with more flair, you know."

Sylas took a few steps forward, still glaring at Lucius. "Flair? I got obliterated. Obliterated. And I didn't even have the decency to stay obliterated. What is this, some sort of cosmic respawn button?"

Lucius smirked. "Oh, don't be such a buzzkill. You're alive again, that's all that matters, right?"

Sylas crossed his arms and glared at Lucius, still processing everything. "Why am I still here? You can't just drag me into some weird dream realm and expect me to be okay with it!"

Lucius raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. "Oh, but you are okay with it. See, if you weren't, you would've woken up already. But here you are. With me. Nice, huh?"

Sylas groaned, rubbing his temples again. "Seriously, are you ever serious?"

Lucius grinned wider. "Why be serious when you can be fabulous?" He struck a dramatic pose, clearly reveling in his own ridiculousness. "And trust me, darling, I'm a lot more fun when I'm fabulous."

Sylas just stared at him, his eye twitching. "You know what? I don't even care anymore."

Lucius blinked innocently. "Oh? Is the mighty Sylas finally giving up?"

Sylas threw his hands in the air. "I've been turned into dust, trapped in a foggy dream, launched into the sun, and now I'm back for round two. I think I've earned a break!"

Lucius chuckled. "Well, too bad, because in this place, you don't get breaks. But hey, at least you're still here, right? Isn't that a little victory?"

Sylas opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, the entire fog shifted, and suddenly, they were standing on top of a giant floating donut. The mist swirled beneath them like a swirling vortex of random junk.

Lucius, completely unfazed, looked around. "Oh, hey, this place looks fun. Let's stick with it!"

Sylas's eye twitched. He gave Lucius a slow, deadpan look. "I'm going to murder you."

Lucius beamed. "Oh, come on, where's the fun in that?"

Sylas closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "I'm stuck in a dream with an insane, omnipresent god, and I can't even get a break." He muttered to himself before glancing at Lucius again. "Seriously, though, can we at least go anywhere else?"

Lucius casually flicked his hand in the air, and the floating donut disappeared. The fog around them began to shift once more, and suddenly, they were standing in front of a giant castle, shining like it was made of diamonds.

"Better?" Lucius asked, clearly not phased in the slightest.

Sylas stared at the imposing structure, shaking his head. "Well, I guess this is better than the donut… but not by much."

Lucius shrugged, smirking as he casually sat down on a random, oversized throne that appeared out of nowhere. "You know, you're a tough crowd, Sylas. But I like it. You're growing on me!"

Sylas folded his arms. "I'm not sure whether to be flattered or terrified."

Lucius leaned back, grinning. "Why not both?"