Year 2233, in the midst of a turbulent conflict, a baby named Rheiner was born in the kingdom of Elarion. Coming from a humble home, Rheiner bore pure black hair, a stark contrast to the characteristic greyish white hair of the Pure-bred Elarians. This unusual trait set Rheiner apart from the moment of his birth, stirring curiosity and intrigue among the people of Elarion. Some whispered that his black hair was an omen, while others believed it was a sign of a destiny awaiting him. As Rheiner grew, his presence would come to play a significant role in the unfolding events of the kingdom.
His father, Rhenar, is a Pure-bred Elarian Paradreamer knight guarding the city and the Dreamstone, his mother, Einerha, a non-dreamer Elarian with slightly darker hue of grey hair, an excellent mage and a retired adventurer.
At the age of 15, every child in Elarion seeks the Dreamstone, hoping to be chosen as a Paradreamer. They enter the plaza in Dream City called Dreamwere, where the Dreamstone resides. If chosen, a child will glow a greenish light, indicating their selection as a Paradreamer.
As Rheiner approached his coming age, they went to Dreamwere, accompanied by his father, Rhenar, and his mother Einerha. Rhenar, a knight of Elarion, always hoped Rheiner would become a Paradreamer and succeed him upon his retirement. His wife, on the other hand, cared little about such ambitions; she only wanted Rheiner to find happiness in whatever path he chose.
They walked from their humble home to Dreamwere, upon arriving, Rhenar faced his son and bent one knee down to see Rheiner eye to eye, his calm and confident face is clear and vibrant. He talked in a calm voice and sad. “Son, whatever happens in there, you’re still the owner of your own destiny, we will support you no matter what path you will choose.”
Rhenar said confidently as if knowing that Rheiner will be chosen as a Paradreamer and will choose to become a knight someday, after all, with all their training and lessons, Rheinar didn’t show at least a slight disinterest and enthusiastically squished both him and his wife of all the knowledge and skills that they can offer.
Rheiner’s parents stayed outside the halls while Rheiner entered the plaza, greeted by the kingdom's elders. He and the other hopeful children lined up to approach the Dreamstone. The Dreamstone was situated at the center of the high halls of Dreamwere, beneath a ceiling that seemed to reach the heavens, adorned with intricate carvings and luminous murals depicting the kingdom's storied past.
As each child stepped forward, the hall buzzed with anticipation. Rheiner watched as one by one, children touched the Dreamstone, hoping to be enveloped in the greenish glow. He can see some kids disappointed looks as they gather in the left side of the hall, designating they weren’t chosen as Paradreamers, although disheartening, Rheiner understood this is how things are, and there’s also a chance that he will end up like them. In his mind, if he will not be chosen as a Paradreamer, he will focus on training his elemental and combat abilities and prove to be still useful in society despite not being a Paradreamer.
The line is leading him nearer and nearer to the Dreamstone, his heart pounded in his chest as his turn approached, knowing that this moment could determine his future and the hopes his father had placed upon him.
At the age of 15, Rheiner was already a capable mage, far surpassing his peers. His passion for war history and the stories of old made him an avid reader, enabling him to gain extensive knowledge of the world and magic even before his coming of age.
“Rheiner of Rogan”, One of the elders shouted, indicating his turn to touch the Dreamstone.
The anticipated moment arrived. Rheiner touched the Dreamstone with his right hand. A few seconds later, he was transported to the realm of the Dreamscape, and an overwhelming surge of knowledge on how to utilize it flooded his mind. However, Rheiner's experience diverged drastically from that of other Paradreamers. Alongside the usual insights, he witnessed a horrific vision: a war between Paradreamers and the Dreamless. The vision culminated in the Dreamstone shattering into pieces, its glow extinguished. The energy from the Dreamstone erupted across the continent, scorching everything in its path—animals, humans, Paradreamers, and non-Paradreamers alike. It was an apocalyptic scene, followed by pitch-black darkness.
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Then, from the void, a slight purple glow appeared in the distance, accompanied by a voice that whispered, “Wake up.”
A few hours later, Rheiner woke up.
The first thing Rheiner saw upon waking was the bright and mysterious carvings on the ceiling of Dreamwere. He then heard his father’s voice calling to him. "Did I glow, father?" he asked.
His parents' worried expressions softened into gentle smiles. "Are you okay, Rheiner? Why did you pass out?" his mother asked, but his father interrupted before he could respond.
"You glowed, son. You glowed beautifully. If you are feeling okay, we can go home now." Rheiner brushed off his confusion and stood up immediately.
As they walked home, his father inquired, "What happened son?"
Rheiner was as puzzled as his parents and couldn't recall the vision except for the knowledge of utilizing the Dreamscape. "I don't know. Maybe I was just very nervous," he replied.
When they got home, they ate dinner, laughed and talked about the future, Rheiner asked his father if what should he do later tonight when he goes into Dreamscape.
His father replied. “Whatever you want son, train, study in the library or meditate for your core”.
Rheiner spent time thinking what he should do while waiting for the time he fells asleep, meanwhile in Dreamwere plaza, the Dreamstone brightly glowed green indicating the reconstruction of the Dreamscape: everyday a few hours after the sun sets, the dreamstone will reconstruct the Dreamscape mirroring the real world, every object and buildings. Of course, this knowledge is already embedded in every Paradreamer.
As he grew tired, Rheiner yawned and gradually seeing darkness enclosing his vision as he closed his eye. Rheiner woke up, though everything looks similar, he feels different, he immediately got up to bed and looked in his hands and body, they’re slightly translucent with a greenish light glow, indicating that he is in fact already in Dreamscape. He ran outside his room and unto their kitchen, seeing his father reading a book in their kitchen table.
He asked rhetorically to his father. “So, this is Dreamscape”.
His father smiled grimly, as if joking and spoke. “Wait till you see outside”. His father stood up from his chair and pointed to the door indicating they leave the house right away.
The first thing Rheiner saw going out was the gathered people or the Paradreamers talking outside everywhere in the street, some are casting spells to each other, some are just reading on the bench while others are meditating near the fountain of the small park. He asked his dad. “What do you usually do when you’re in Dreamscape dad?”.
His dad answered. “I always go to Dreamwere everyday patrolling the street and looking for suspicious Paradreamers”. Although he cannot touch or apprehend anyone, his sense of duty keeps him thinking what ill-thought people might do to Dreamstone when they wake up. And patrolling the street keeps his mind at ease knowing enemies or terrorists aren’t gathering information using Dreamscape.
Rheiner thought about the last book he read, he wanted to finish that book. He signaled his dad that he is going to the library, his dad smiled as if knowing that his first curiosity in dreamscape will always in the public library. “Seeya later dad!” Rheiner shouted while running in the street towards to the library.
He met a couple of people he already knew in the waking world and greeted them, a friend shouted happily. “Congrats on making it Rheiner! Now you can do stupid things here, no consequences!”.
Rheiner retorted. “I’m not like you Fram!” passing Fram in front of their house, Rheiner saw the library and excitedly headed inside, he could see a lot of people, some he knew, some he doesn’t. After a couple of hours, he got tired of reading and headed outside a small plaza near the library, he tested out his curiosities, practiced some spells, shot it towards himself, towards other objects and towards the environment. The objects, environment and buildings can be moved as if like the real world.
He then cast a spell to make him fly and flew as high as he could, he then deactivated his magic and started falling. He can feel the air rushed throughout his body and his heart beating rapidly, not because of fear but of excitement. His curiosity wants to know the boundaries of Dreamscape, he knew nothing will happen but did it nonetheless. And fair enough, he landed on the ground headfirst, and could feel no pain. He could feel a little numbness in his head but only lasted two seconds.
Heat, cold, cuts, blunt force can be felt but knowing it’s not actual pain, they know if someone threw a fire spell behind them by the heat that they can slightly but can’t feel the burn of their skin and the pain with it.
Rheiner satiated all his curiosities and confirmed every detail, every rule that was embedded in his memories when he was chosen as a Paradreamer were all true.