THE DREAM

THE DREAM

"What?!" the three of them exclaimed in unison.

Mason took a deep breath and spoke with determination. "I have a plan. We'll take them down one by one. Luna and I will engage in direct combat, Sophie, you provide cover from the back, and Owen, you'll use your shield to protect us from any unexpected attacks."

Owen smirked. "Wow, Mason! I almost forgot that you actually have a brain. That's a fantastic plan!"

Wasting no time, they executed Mason's strategy. One by one, they took down the vicious animals. After a grueling battle, they finally emerged victorious, but as they caught their breath, they realized that too much time had passed. Only two hours remained.

Mason wiped the sweat off his forehead. "We don't have much time left. We need to head towards the den immediately!"

Owen nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But how are we supposed to find the den?"

Mason frowned, deep in thought. "We didn't consider that… but according to the rules, there should be some sort of clue."

As soon as he said this, the jungle was filled with the eerie echo of a robotic voice:

"Congratulations, players! You have successfully passed half of the level. But here comes the twist— to find the den, you must cross the lake ahead. On the other side, you'll see a cluster of hills. The one that fully hides both moons from your view is 'Miroki Hill.' We will provide you with a boat to cross the lake, but beware—you must overcome several challenges before reaching the other side."

Mason clenched his fists. "Alright, we have our clue. No time to waste—let's move!"

Owen agreed. "Yeah, let's go!"

They rushed towards the lake and spotted the boat waiting for them. It all seemed too easy at first. The water was calm, and for the first half-hour, everything went smoothly. But then, the surface of the lake began to ripple violently.

From beneath the water, dozens of sharks emerged, their sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight. A wave of fear washed over them.

The sharks attacked ferociously, but they fought back with everything they had. One by one, they took down the predators. It was only then that they realized the lake was nearly 5 kilometers wide—clearly designed to exhaust them and waste their time.

Mason urged them forward. "We need to pick up speed! The longer we take, the harder this gets!"

They rowed faster, but as they neared the other side, the attacks intensified. More aquatic creatures emerged—giant serpents, monstrous squids, and razor-toothed piranhas. The battle was relentless, but they fought with all their strength and pressed on.

Just as they thought they were close to victory, a massive shadow loomed over them. Rising from the depths was a terrifying figure—SIRA, the king of the lake. He was half-human, half-shark, with piercing eyes that glowed like molten gold.

Sira's deep voice rumbled across the lake. "Who are you, children?"

Mason, breathing heavily, spoke cautiously. "We are players in this game. We need to cross this lake to complete the level. We mean you no harm—please, let us pass."

Sira let out a chilling laugh. "Naïve child. Do you think I am foolish enough to let you pass so easily? If you wish to cross, you must defeat me. Otherwise, turn back and watch Pogo."

Owen, taken aback, whispered to Mason. "Wait… how does he know about Pogo? Does he watch it too?"

Sira's eyes twitched. "Of course! I used to watch it when I was a child."

Owen grinned. "No way! I watched it too. What was your favorite cartoon?"

Sira's expression softened for a moment. "I loved 'Chhota Bheem.' It was an Indian cartoon. What about you?"

Owen chuckled. "Same! 'Chhota Bheem' was great!"

Mason, watching the bizarre conversation unfold, lost his patience. "Are you seriously discussing cartoons right now? We're in a deadly game! Focus!"

Owen sighed. "You don't understand the nostalgia, bro."

Mason shook his head. "I don't want to!" Then, without hesitation, he launched an attack on Sira.

The battle was fierce. Sira was incredibly strong, but they fought with every ounce of their energy. After an intense struggle, they defeated the lake king and continued forward.

As they reached the shore, Mason looked up at the hills. His eyes widened. There it was—the Miroki Hill, perfectly covering both moons.

"We found it! That's Miroki Hill!" Mason exclaimed.

But before he could take another step, the sky lit up with enormous letters—

"LEVEL 3"

Mason's heart pounded as he instinctively glanced at his wrist. The timer had run out.

A chill ran down his spine. Something was wrong.

Then, realization struck like a dagger to his heart. Sophie was missing.

His breath caught in his throat. He looked around frantically, but she was nowhere to be seen.

She was gone.

Owen, noticing Mason's distress, turned to look as well. His face paled. "No… no way…"

Luna stepped forward, her voice shaking. "She… she didn't make it?"

Mason felt his knees weaken. "No… no, this can't be happening!"

Tears welled in his eyes as the truth settled in. The realization hit him like a sledgehammer. "The person with the most crucial role in each level dies if we fail to complete it in time."

Lian had helped them find Manis in the first level—he died.

Sophie had supported them in battle—now she was gone.

Mason collapsed onto the ground, his fists clenched. "I don't want to play this game anymore!" he screamed in agony.

Darkness swallowed his vision.

---

"Mason! Mason, wake up!"

Mason's eyes shot open. His breathing was ragged. He looked around—he was in his room.

Owen sat beside him, shaking his shoulder. "What happened? Why were you screaming?"

Mason sat up, gasping. "Was it… a dream?"

He turned to Owen, desperate. "Is Lian… Sophie… are they alive?"

Owen gave him a confused look. "Of course, they are! We met Lian last night at dinner, and Sophie is perfectly fine. What are you talking about?"

Mason's heart raced. "I need to see them. Right now!"

They rushed to Lian's house. The moment Mason saw him, he ran forward and hugged him tightly.

Lian, completely shocked, looked at Owen. "Uh… what's up with him?"

Owen sighed. "He had a dream where you died."

Lian chuckled. "Well, as you can see, I'm alive and well."

Still shaken, Mason insisted. "We need to see Sophie too. Lian, are you coming?"

Lian shrugged. "I have homework, but I'll do it later. Let's go."

They arrived at Luna and Sophie's house. Since they weren't allowed inside, they called them out. The girls stepped out together.

Luna smiled. "Mason, did you see? They released the next seven parts of Suzan's story all at once!"

Mason froze. "What?"

Luna nodded. "Yeah, I read them online. You should check them out."

Mason quickly searched for the book. His blood ran cold.

The story was exactly the same as his dream.

Word for word.

His hands trembled as he checked the introduction—there was no author.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something written on the wall behind Luna and Sophie.

He stepped closer and read the words out loud:

"YOU ARE INVITED TO THE JOURNEY OF SUZAN."

Mason's breath hitched. "No… this can't be real."

To be continued....