Chapter 18: A never ending nightmare – Arianna

Arianna woke up in her own bed, the familiar softness of her pillow cradling her head. Blinking against the morning light streaming through her window, she felt a wave of confusion settle over her.

She sat up slowly, scanning the room. Her bedroom. Her mirror reflected her disheveled form, her pajamas wrinkled from sleep. Her heart pounded as an unsettling thought took root in her mind. Was it all just a dream? Cassis, the system, the battles—all of it?

A sharp pang of loss struck her chest. She reached for her necklace, gripping it tightly as she tried to connect back to Cassis' world. Please, she begged silently. But nothing happened. No warmth, no flicker of power, no shift in reality.

Then, a sound—soft and distant—came from the kitchen. Arianna’s breath hitched. She slipped out of bed, pushing the door open quietly as she tiptoed down the hallway.

Her father stood by the coffee maker, the rich scent of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. He turned at the sound of her footsteps, offering her a warm smile.

“Dad?” The word left her lips in a breathless whisper.

He chuckled. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

Before she could stop herself, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him in a fierce hug. His warmth, his solidity—it was real.

“What’s wrong?” he asked gently, rubbing circles on her back. “Did you have a nightmare?”

A nightmare. Was it? She wasn’t sure. The fighting, the injuries, the fear—it had all been horrible. But she had also felt needed, had found a purpose beyond mere survival. She hadn’t been alone.

“Get ready for school,” her father said, releasing her.

Arianna stiffened. School?

She hadn’t stepped inside a classroom in almost ten years. Something felt off. Her thoughts tangled as she tried to grasp what exactly was wrong. But then her father smiled at her, and for a moment, the uncertainty faded.

Then, a voice. “Good morning, my loves.”

A woman entered the kitchen, moving toward them with a soft smile. She kissed her father’s cheek and then pressed a kiss to Arianna’s forehead.

Arianna’s breath caught in her throat. Who is she?

Her father hadn’t been dating anyone. He never moved on after her mother’s death. But the woman standing before her had warm brown hair and familiar blue eyes.

“Mom?” Arianna whispered, her voice barely audible.

The woman smiled. “Yes, sweetheart?”

Her mother. The mother she had never known. The mother who had died the day she was born.

Her mind reeled. She clutched her necklace, squeezing her eyes shut. Did I dream more than just Cassis’ world? Did I dream an entire life?

Then, warmth. A familiar heat spread from the pendant into her palm.

Her eyes snapped open.

The comforting image shattered.

The woman standing before her was no longer soft and warm, but a shadowy figure with hollowed-out eyes. She turned to her father—his golden hair was gone, his skin ashen, his cheeks sunken. He looked just as he had when he lost his fight against cancer six years ago.

Arianna’s stomach twisted violently. The world around her warped, twisting into something cruel.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Such a cruel dream.

The shadow that was her mother stepped forward. “Ari? What’s wrong?”

Arianna choked on a sob and let go of her necklace. The illusion snapped back into place. Her mother smiled warmly, her father looked healthy once more. She wanted to stay in this dream just a little longer.

She stepped forward and hugged them both, clinging to the warmth that wasn’t real. But then—a groan of pain.

She pulled back sharply. Her father clutched his stomach, blood trickling from his mouth. Arianna’s breath caught in her throat as she saw what loomed behind him.

A massive, green-skinned creature with curved horns. A hobgoblin.

It withdrew its fist from her father’s chest, slick with crimson. Just like it had done to her before.

Her father crumpled, dead before he even hit the ground.

“No!” Arianna’s scream tore through the air. “Dad!”

Her mother lunged at the creature with a kitchen knife. The hobgoblin swatted her away like an insect. She hit the wall with a sickening crack, blood smearing the white paint as she slid to the floor. Motionless.

Arianna trembled, her entire body frozen in terror. She had defeated this monster before. But she had Cassis then. She had help. Now, she was alone.

The hobgoblin's monstrous fingers wrapped around her throat. She gasped, clawing at its grip, but it was too strong. Pain flared through her body as it drove its fist into her stomach, once, twice, three times.

The world blurred.

She gasped for breath, choking on the agony. Tears streamed down her face.

Then—darkness.

Arianna woke up with a sharp gasp, her heart hammering in her chest. Her breath came in ragged pants as she stared at the ceiling, disoriented. She didn’t know where she was—until she saw the mirror across from her bed. Her reflection showed tangled hair, wide, frantic eyes, and the familiar sight of her old pajamas.

Her bedroom.

She swallowed hard, trying to calm herself. It had just been a nightmare. A terrible, cruel nightmare. She exhaled shakily and pushed herself upright. The warmth against her chest caught her attention—the necklace. It was heating up again.

Then she heard it. The sound of coffee being poured, the faint clinking of a spoon against ceramic. The low murmur of movement from the kitchen.

No.

Her stomach twisted as she slid off the bed, her feet making no sound against the floor. Slowly, she walked to the kitchen, dread creeping up her spine with every step.

And there he was.

Her father stood by the counter, his back turned to her as he made coffee, just like before. The scent of roasted beans filled the air. Then came another voice—soft, warm.

“Good morning, my loves.”

A woman entered the kitchen, brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her blue eyes filled with warmth. She leaned in to press a kiss to her father’s cheek, then turned to Arianna with the same tenderness, brushing a kiss to her forehead.

Her mother.

Arianna’s breath hitched in her throat. She knew what was coming. Knew what this was. But for just a moment, she wanted to pretend. Pretend that it was real.

The heat from her necklace pulsed insistently, demanding her attention, but she ignored it, clinging to the illusion. They spoke—light, meaningless words. A morning routine that had never existed.

But the warmth against her chest became unbearable. Her fingers curled around the pendant, gripping it tightly as if she could force it to stop burning.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

And then, it all came rushing back.

The system. The apocalypse. Cassis. The battle. The hobgoblin.

“No!” The word tore from her throat as she turned, eyes wide with horror, but it was too late.

Her father gasped, choking on his own breath, a dark stain spreading across his shirt. Behind him, towering and monstrous, stood the hobgoblin. Its sickly green skin glistened in the kitchen light, its cruel, jagged smile stretching wide.

“No, no, no!” Arianna screamed, reaching for her father, but his body was already crumbling.

“Ari! Run!” Her mother’s voice rang out as she grabbed the nearest knife and rushed the monster.

It swatted her aside like an insect. Her body hit the wall with a sickening crack, leaving a bloody smear as she collapsed to the floor, lifeless.

Arianna stood frozen, shaking, unable to breathe. This isn’t real. This isn’t real.

The hobgoblin turned toward her, its grin widening.

She stumbled backward, tears streaming down her face. “Please… this isn’t real. Please…”

But the creature just laughed, its massive hand closing around her throat.

Her vision blurred as it lifted her off the ground, its grip tightening, crushing. Pain erupted in her stomach as it slammed its fist into her once. Twice. Three times.

Darkness swallowed her whole.

Arianna woke with a start, her breath shaky, her body tense. She didn’t know why, but tears were already running down her cheeks.

She glanced at the mirror across from her bed, her reflection trembling in the dim morning light. Her hair was messy, her face pale, her eyes rimmed red. The sight made something deep inside her ache. A lingering sorrow, heavy and suffocating.

She had a nightmare.

But… she couldn’t remember it.

Wiping her face with the back of her hand, she slowly pushed herself out of bed. The floor was cool beneath her bare feet as she made her way toward the kitchen, drawn by the comforting sounds of morning.

Her father stood at the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He glanced up with a warm smile. “Morning, sweetheart. You’re up early.”

Arianna opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly, a sharp, searing pain shot through her collarbone.

She gasped, staggering, her hand instinctively flying to her necklace. It was burning hot against her skin.

And then—

The memories hit her like a tidal wave.

The hobgoblin. The blood. Her father, dying. Her mother, broken. The suffocating grip around her throat. The agony of fists slamming into her stomach.

Her breath came in panicked gasps as reality snapped into place. This wasn’t real. This was a dream. A nightmare meant to torment her.

Not again.

Determined, she whirled toward the kitchen counter and grabbed the largest knife she could find. The cold steel felt reassuring in her grip.

Her father frowned. “Arianna? What are you doing?”

Before she could answer, her mother entered the kitchen, her expression shifting into concern the moment she saw Arianna’s wide, frantic eyes.

“Ari, honey, what’s wrong?”

But there was no time.

The moment stretched, unbearably silent.

And then—

Arianna lunged.

She tackled her father, shoving him out of the way just as space behind him warped, shifting, twisting. The air grew heavy. Then the hobgoblin appeared.

A monstrous, grinning figure with green skin and cruel, sunken eyes.

Arianna didn’t hesitate. She drove the knife forward with everything she had, aiming for its chest.

The blade struck flesh—

But barely.

A shallow wound. A scratch.

The hobgoblin barely flinched.

No.

It moved too fast.

Before she could react, it struck.

Her father gasped as its clawed hand tore through him, blood spilling onto the kitchen floor. He crumpled before Arianna’s eyes, dead before he even hit the ground.

“No!” she screamed.

Her mother rushed at the monster, but it was hopeless. The hobgoblin swatted her aside like nothing, sending her body crashing against the wall. She never moved again.

Arianna froze, her breath shallow, her body trembling violently. The knife slipped from her fingers, clattering uselessly to the floor.

She had failed.

Again.

Tears blurred her vision as she backed away, shaking her head in denial.

The hobgoblin’s grin widened as it reached for her, its massive hand wrapping around her throat.

She couldn’t even scream.

The pressure was unbearable. Her windpipe crushed beneath its strength, her lungs screaming for air. Pain exploded in her stomach as the monster’s fist slammed into her, once, twice, three times—

Darkness swallowed her whole.

Arianna woke up with a gasp.

Her body trembled, drenched in sweat. Her breath came in short, panicked bursts as she clutched the blanket over her chest.

The mirror across from her bed reflected her pale face, wide eyes filled with an emotion she couldn’t quite name—fear? Grief? Hopelessness?

She didn’t know.

She only knew that something was wrong.

The morning light filtering through the window felt too bright, too artificial. The air in her room was still, suffocatingly so.

Her mind screamed at her.

Something terrible was about to happen.

But then—

She heard the soft clink of a coffee mug being set down in the kitchen.

Her heart lurched. Slowly, as if moving through water, she pushed herself out of bed, feet hitting the floor with a dull thud. She walked forward. Through the door. Down the hallway. Into the kitchen.

Her father stood by the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee. Her mother entered seconds later, smiling warmly. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

The pain hit her collarbone, sharp and burning.Her necklace heated up, warning her—

But it was too late. The air shifted. A terrible presence filled the room.Arianna barely had time to turn before the hobgoblin appeared behind her father. Its massive fist tore through his chest. Blood splattered onto the kitchen floor.

Her mother screamed, rushing forward with a knife that she had no hope of using properly. The hobgoblin swatted her aside like a rag doll. She hit the wall, slid down, and never moved again.

Arianna couldn’t breathe. She was frozen in place, shaking violently as tears streamed down her face. “No,” she whispered. “No, no, no.”

The hobgoblin grinned. It grabbed her by the throat. Squeezed. Pain flared as her windpipe crushed beneath its grip. She couldn’t beg. Couldn’t scream. The first punch to her stomach made her vision blur. The second made her body go limp. The third—

Darkness.

Arianna woke up with a gasp. Her body trembled, drenched in sweat.

The mirror reflected her pale face, wide eyes filled with— Fear. Grief. Hopelessness.

She didn’t know how, but she had lived this before. She had lived this before.

She heard the clink of a coffee mug. The quiet murmur of her father’s voice. Her mother’s soft footsteps entering the kitchen. The pain in her collarbone, the burning heat of her necklace—

And then the blood. The monster. Their deaths. Her own suffocating end.

Arianna woke up.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Each time, she tried something new. She ran. She screamed. She fought. She begged. None of it mattered.

The loop swallowed her whole, trapping her in an endless nightmare of grief and pain. She lost count of how many times she watched her father die. How many times she saw her mother crumple to the ground. How many times she felt her own throat crushed, her stomach broken, her body shattered.

And always, as she lay there dying, she cried.

Begging.

Pleading.

“No,” she sobbed. “Please, no.”

But the loop never listened.

Not to her screams.

Not to her tears.

Not to her pleas.

Not until something changed.

She stood frozen in the kitchen, watching in horror as the hobgoblin drove its fist through her father’s chest. Blood sprayed across the counter, staining the morning light with death.

She waited for the next part, for her mother’s scream.

But instead—

A voice. A man’s voice. Calling her name. "Arianna!"

It wasn’t her father. It wasn’t the monster. It was someone else.

Her heart clenched, but she couldn’t think, couldn’t focus, because the scene continued as it always did.

The hobgoblin turned. Her mother rushed forward with her useless knife.

"Arianna!" The voice called again. Urgent. Desperate.

But the loop didn’t care. The hobgoblin swiped her mother aside, slamming her into the wall. She crumpled to the floor, unmoving.

Arianna sobbed. “No, no, no.”

Her whole body trembled. She wanted to run, to fight, to do something—anything!—but this time…

She couldn’t move. Her feet wouldn’t respond. Her arms wouldn’t lift. It was as if invisible hands were holding her in place, restraining her.

The voice kept calling her name.

She gasped, eyes darting around the kitchen. Who was it? Where was it coming from?

The hobgoblin was in front of her now, its sickening grin stretching wider.

She struggled against the unseen force, desperate to move, but she was trapped.

The monster grabbed her by the throat. Crushed. Pain. Agony.

The first punch to her stomach stole her breath. The second made the world spin. The third shattered her entirely.

Darkness rushed in, but the voice—

The voice didn’t stop. It grew louder. More frantic.

"Arianna, wake up! Wake up!"

The loop shattered. She gasped as reality snapped back into place. But it wasn’t her room she woke up to. It wasn’t the kitchen. It wasn’t the nightmare.

It was warmth. Strong arms held her tightly, shaking her. Someone was speaking—no, pleading. She opened her eyes and found herself staring into Cassis’s face.

His expression was raw, filled with a panic she had never seen before. His arms were around her, gripping her tightly, like he was terrified she would disappear.

"Arianna," he breathed, voice thick with desperation, his forehead pressing against hers. "You're awake."

Arianna had no idea what had just happened.

The nightmare—if that’s what it was—had felt too real, too suffocating. No matter what she had done, she couldn’t escape it, couldn’t stop it. The loop had held her in its cruel grip, forcing her to watch the same horror unfold again and again.

Her body trembled violently as she clung to Cassis’s shirt, sobs wracking her frame. She buried her face against his chest, the fabric quickly dampening with her tears. She couldn’t stop. She cried until her throat was raw, until no sound came out except for broken hiccups and ragged breaths.

Through it all, Cassis held her.

One arm wrapped securely around her back, keeping her close, while the other ran soothingly over her hair, her shoulders, her spine—gentle, steady, grounding.

He didn’t speak, only made soft, shushing sounds, his warmth a stark contrast to the icy terror still clawing at her insides.

Eventually, the tears ran dry, leaving only exhaustion in their wake. She felt hollow, wrung out, like she had been shattered and barely pieced back together. All she wanted now was sleep—deep, dreamless sleep.

But the moment Cassis shifted, trying to ease her back onto the bed, panic struck.

Her breath hitched.

No.

What if it happened again?

What if she woke up to that nightmare once more, trapped in the loop, powerless to stop it?

Her fingers curled desperately into his shirt, her entire body tensing.

She couldn’t go back. She couldn’t.

"Don't leave," she rasped, her voice barely more than a whisper, hoarse and fragile.

Cassis stilled. Then, without hesitation, he relented.

Wordlessly, he slipped under the covers beside her, his presence solid and unwavering.

Arianna didn’t hesitate either. She pressed against him, her forehead resting against his chest, breathing him in as if he were the only thing tethering her to reality.

His arms wrapped around her again, strong and steady, a silent promise that he wasn’t going anywhere.

With his warmth surrounding her, the panic began to ebb, the last remnants of fear loosening their hold.

Her grip on his shirt remained firm, but slowly, finally, exhaustion took over.

And this time, when she drifted into sleep, the darkness was peaceful.