At noon, under bright, scattered sunlight, in a spotlessly clean kitchen, a young girl with curly hair tied up with a large ribbon hummed cheerfully while preparing lunch.
Standing on a small stool, the girl skillfully used kitchen utensils to prepare two dishes. One plate contained roasted chicken legs with bread and vegetable salad, while the other held several fried fish. After arranging the dishes, she poured some milk, one serving in a cup and another in a small dish.
Having prepared everything, the girl arranged the food neatly on a tray and carried it into the dining room. Sitting on the dining table was a black cat, attentively staring at an ornate hand mirror adorned with a crescent pattern, its expression profoundly serious as if seeing something reflected within.
“Grandpa~ lunch is ready~”
The girl, named Saria, placed the tray down and distributed the dishes. She served the plate of fried fish and a dish of milk to the black cat, reserving the roasted chicken legs and a cup of milk for herself. Hearing Saria’s voice, the black cat nodded and moved the hand mirror aside.
“Hmm… alright.”
As the black cat began licking the milk from the dish, Saria curiously eyed the hand mirror lying next to it, decorated with an intricate crescent design, and asked, “Grandpa, you’ve been staring at that mirror for a while now, and you seem troubled. Did something happen?”
“You could say that… I just received news through the shadow mirror. Those Blackdream traitors had a major disturbance this morning. All the False Moths we know of started migrating simultaneously, changing their Dreamscape coordinates, making them completely untraceable now…”
After licking a few mouthfuls of milk, the black cat informed Saria. Hearing this, Saria was momentarily stunned and exclaimed, “All False Moths from the Blackdream Hunting Pack started migrating? How could such a thing happen? This has never occurred before…”
“It just hasn’t happened since you’ve been aware, but similar incidents have occurred in the past. Whenever significant disruptions occur within their organization, they undertake such actions to enhance secrecy. It seems the Blackdream Hunting Pack recently encountered something serious, and it likely wasn’t good news.”The black cat explained patiently while continuing to eat the fried fish with its paws. Listening to this, Saria furrowed her brows slightly, and after a moment’s thought, murmured, “Something serious recently happened? Hmm… Speaking of which, last night when I was hunting with that black dog from the Serenity Bureau in the Dreamscape, he asked me about the Blackdream Hunting Pack. He mentioned a detective from the Rose Cross Order had asked him to investigate.”
“Rose Cross Order?” The black cat, previously absorbed in its meal, suddenly became alert. It raised its head, looking seriously at Saria, and asked further.
“You’re saying… last night the Rose Cross Order specifically asked about the Blackdream Hunting Pack? Could they have already encountered Blackdream?”
“Yes… I suppose they might have. According to that detective, he traveled to a small city in southern Cassatia and discovered an illness called Sleep Decay Syndrome spreading there. Patients worshipped a moth deity promising beautiful dreams. Hearing this, I immediately knew it was a breeding ground for False Moths, so I gave the black dog some basic information about Blackdream and False Moths to pass on, urging caution. After all, Lord Paarthurnax has been kind to me in the Dreamscape, and sharing a bit of unrelated information shouldn’t cause any harm.”
Saria explained earnestly before considering further and continuing, “Hey, Grandpa… could it be that after I shared that information, the Rose Cross Order immediately took action against Blackdream, and that’s why these anomalies occurred today?”
Nibbling on bread, Saria voiced her guess, but the black cat shook its head decisively,
“That’s impossible. The timeline between you giving the information and the Blackdream Pack’s movements this morning is too tight. If they had acted immediately, it would’ve been rash. They’d at least take time to analyze things.”
“Moreover, based on previous behaviors, the Rose Cross Order has little interaction or knowledge about Blackdream, let alone sufficient reason to act.”
The black cat firmly and logically rejected Saria’s hypothesis, making her sigh disappointedly,
“Oh… really? It would’ve been interesting if they had clashed. Perhaps Lord Paarthurnax could deal with those False Moths in the Dreamscape…”
“Don’t overthink it, Saria… When dealing with those traitors, we shouldn’t rely on external forces we don’t fully understand,” the black cat advised solemnly, continuing to savor the fried fish.
“Still, this latest move by the Blackdream Hunting Pack is deeply concerning. I’ll find a way to uncover what exactly happened… If the opportunity arises, subtly ask the black dog or even the dragon about that detective who encountered Blackdream’s stronghold. Check on the detective’s current situation, the exact location of the stronghold, and whether there have been any recent peculiar occurrences. Don’t push too hard—just casually bring it up if the chance arises,” the black cat instructed Saria.
Having finished her cup of milk, Saria nodded. “Alright, Grandpa, I understand.”
…
Northern Shore of Conquest Sea, Navaha.
In the afternoon, at Navaha’s southern port district, the Church’s fleet was still anchored. Like many Navaha citizens, sailors and passengers aboard the fleet discussed the strange chaos from that morning.
Due to the nature of the Church, most aboard sensed last night’s extraordinary disturbances, suspecting a large-scale mystical incident had occurred. However, they were unaware of its full severity. Those who truly experienced the incident aboard the fleet suffered significantly.
Inside the captain’s quarters of the fleet’s flagship, the Boone, Commander Giorde, in charge of escorting the fleet, sat leaning back on his bed, looking pale and exhausted. Before him stood several men wearing distinctive clerical robes.
They were heresy investigators from Telva, specifically dispatched to Navaha to handle the Abyssal Church case. Yet upon their arrival, the situation had grown unexpectedly complicated.
“Lord Giorde… according to your account, a massive mystical creature resembling a strange moth appeared last night, hypnotizing the entire city and preparing to consume the minds of those affected?”
The lead investigator, seated in a chair opposite Giorde, asked incredulously. Giorde nodded slowly and replied, “Yes... it seemed to be a dream realm entity capable of influencing reality. I suspect some Shadow cabal with dream-manipulating abilities summoned it...”
Giorde spoke seriously. The investigator’s expression turned grave, and he continued, “We initially thought we were only here to deal with the Abyssal Church. Who knew things would become this complicated... A cult with dream-related abilities? I recall hearing of a group called the Blackdream Hunting Pack. Perhaps this is related to them...”
“I’m not certain either... Shadow cabals are usually more secretive. Those of us frequently at sea mainly encounter the Abyssal Church and perhaps the Dark Gold Association. Facing opponents specializing in dream manipulation this time was extremely troublesome; we almost went to meet our Lord...” Giorde responded with lingering relief.
The investigator offered reassuring words, “Nonetheless, Sir Giorde, you ultimately overcame that creature and protected Navaha. The Lord does not abandon warriors who fight to protect others.”
“No... it wasn’t us who defeated the creature… it was a dragon?”
Giorde replied earnestly. The investigator, hearing this, was momentarily stunned before expressing disbelief, “A dragon? Are you certain?”
“Yes... I’m certain. It was a dragon, the kind only existing in legends—a dragon said to appear only before the Savior’s coming...”
Giorde murmured, somewhat dazed.
The investigator’s expression turned even more serious, questioning further, “Sir Giorde, are you truly certain you saw a dragon? Could it not have been an illusion or dream? You yourself mentioned the creature had powers related to hypnosis and dreams...”
“A dream? Perhaps… I was indeed attacked by that creature, causing mental confusion. Reality and dream blurred together. I can only vaguely recall some unclear images. But even if the dragon existed purely in dreams, it was undoubtedly a dragon capable of freely acting within the Dreamscape, not merely my imagination. Besides myself, Santos and the others also saw it. A mere personal illusion wouldn’t be visible to others…”
“That dragon definitely exists, not someone’s imagination. It appeared during our most critical moment, rescuing us and defeating that creature. We even wondered at the time if it was an emissary sent by our Lord…”
Giorde spoke with weary earnestness.
Hearing Giorde’s words, the investigator immediately responded with solemn urgency, “Sir Giorde, please watch your words carefully. The Holy Scripture contains no record of the Three Saints having any dragon-shaped apostles. What you’re suggesting is dangerously heretical.”
The investigator reminded Giorde sternly, to which Giorde quickly responded.
“Ah... you misunderstand. Of course, we strictly adhere to the scriptures. We didn’t mean to imply the dragon was an apostle of the Lord. It was merely a reflection after narrowly escaping death…”
Giorde explained himself clearly to the investigator. However, the investigator’s cautious expression didn’t lessen, and he continued in a strict tone, “Merely a reflection, hmm... Understood. Thank you for your explanation, Sir Giorde. I now have a clear picture of last night’s incident. I’ll immediately report the issue regarding the dream-moth and the dream-dragon.”
“This incident in Navaha is extremely serious, requiring additional personnel for a thorough investigation. For the time being, please have yourself and the other three warriors who participated last night remain in Navaha to assist our investigation.”
The investigator instructed Giorde seriously, the latter’s earlier remarks clearly triggering his investigative instincts. Giorde, taken aback, quickly replied, “Us four... stay here? That won’t do. We have an escort mission. Faithful believers are heading to pilgrimage at the Holy Mother’s sacred land. Our duty is to escort them; we only stopped here temporarily awaiting your arrival to handle the Abyssal Church case. We’ve already waited longer than planned. According to the schedule, we can’t wait any longer.”
Giorde stressed that they had obligations preventing them from staying. However, the investigator dismissed his concerns, “Unfortunately, this mystical incident is extremely severe. You are the core participants, and without your cooperation, the investigation may be hindered significantly. We require your presence here.”
The investigator firmly insisted, causing Giorde to furrow his brows deeply.
“But our mission…”
“Your mission can continue. We only need the four of you who were involved to remain. Everyone else can proceed with their pilgrimage. The fleet is large enough; losing four individuals won’t affect its operation significantly.”
Giorde sighed, somewhat helplessly explaining further, “Yes, that’s true. The fleet can sail without us, but we’re the only four White Ash-rank Beyonders on this entire escort. Without us, the risk during sailing would greatly increase.”
“That shouldn’t be a major concern. The distance to Ivengard from here isn’t far, and the routes are quite safe. Even ordinary ships without Beyonders could travel safely, let alone a fleet.”
“Moreover, after your battle with that creature, the four of you are clearly suffering aftereffects and are not in good condition. It might be riskier to command under such conditions. It would be better for you to remain here, cooperate with our investigation, and recover. Experienced officers in your fleet can manage until Ivengard. I will report clearly to the higher-ups about your situation. Given the exceptional circumstances, you won’t bear any responsibility.”
After carefully considering his own mental state, Giorde sighed deeply and finally agreed, “Very well, we’ll stay, and the fleet will continue its voyage.”
...
That afternoon in Navaha, within a dust-filled, cobwebbed house, a gaunt young man with vacant eyes and scant clothing wandered aimlessly, gazing blankly around.
The young man was a solitary painter. A year earlier, he’d been hospitalized due to Sleep Decay Syndrome. Waking up that morning, he found himself lying on a street in Navaha.
Guided by faint memories, the young man returned to his home after a year away. As he stepped on creaky floorboards, he surveyed the decayed furniture and dust-covered paintings.
Eventually, he reached a tightly locked door. Retrieving a hidden key from a nearby vase, he unlocked the rusty door and ascended to a concealed attic.
Entering the attic, rows of hanging paintings met his gaze, each depicting various grotesque moths. These artworks—abstract, detailed, meticulous, or hastily sketched—were all creations from his moth-worshipping period, inspired by visions he’d received.
Slowly, the young man approached the attic’s end, where a large easel stood bearing an unfinished moth painting. After contemplating it briefly, he hesitated to continue. Instead, he tore it down, replacing it with a fresh canvas.
Picking up a pencil since the paints had dried long ago, he rapidly began sketching. Having just returned home, his first action was to start a new artwork.
Lines swiftly danced across the large canvas, taking shape under his precise movements. Driven by renewed passion, the skeletal artist tirelessly worked. As time passed, an image gradually emerged.
This new image differed entirely from the attic’s grotesque moths.
With sharp fangs, powerful claws, enormous wings spread wide, dense scales, and spiked horns along its spine—it was unmistakably a majestic dragon poised to soar. Under the artist’s skilled hand, the dragon’s formidable, irresistible power was vividly captured, embodying pure strength, ancient majesty, and dignity—a complete departure from the eerie style of his moth paintings.
Upon completing the artwork, the young man exhaled deeply, dropped his pencil, and sank heavily into a chair behind him. He sat panting, staring in awe at the dragon he had drawn, utterly mesmerized.