Dreamer's Ascent

The clock on Ethan's nightstand read 3:14 a.m. Perfect. Just enough time to toss and turn for another four hours before dragging himself to work. He groaned, flipping his pillow to the cool side and squeezing his eyes shut.

Life had become a never-ending cycle of monotony: wake up, grind through his dead-end job, come home, eat microwaveable meals, repeat. His gaming rig gathered dust in the corner, a cruel reminder that he had once been fun.

But tonight, something was different.

When his eyes opened, he wasn't in his room.

A crisp wind brushed his face, carrying the earthy scent of moss and rain. He stood in the middle of a forest bathed in twilight, the trees stretching impossibly high, their bark glowing with faint, pulsating symbols. The air hummed with an electric energy that raised goosebumps on his arms.

Ethan blinked. "Okay, definitely not my apartment. Unless I sleepwalked into a high-budget Lord of the Rings knockoff."

A sharp ding rang out, and a glowing screen materialized in front of him, hovering in mid-air like some augmented reality popup.

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Welcome, Player.

Tutorial Initiated.

Objective: Defeat the Wild Hound.

Reward: +2 Strength, +1 Agility.

Failure: Injury or Death.

---

Ethan stared at the text, then rubbed his eyes. Nope, still there. "Great. I've officially lost it. All those sleepless nights and microwaved burritos finally broke me."

Before he could process the absurdity of the situation, a low, guttural growl cut through the silence.

"Of course there's a growl," Ethan muttered, turning toward the sound. "Because what's a nightmare without a killer beast to chase me down?"

Emerging from the shadows was a wolf—or at least, something that vaguely resembled one. Its fur shimmered like black oil under moonlight, and its glowing green eyes locked onto him with unsettling intelligence. Saliva dripped from its impossibly sharp fangs, sizzling as it hit the ground.

Ethan took a step back. "Uh, I don't suppose you're here for belly rubs?"

The wolf lunged.

Ethan dove sideways with a yelp, landing awkwardly on the ground. Pain shot through his shoulder, and he scrambled backward, his palms scraping against the dirt.

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Combat Mode Engaged.

Tutorial Tip: Use your environment to survive.

---

"Oh, awesome. Thanks for the pro tip," Ethan grumbled. "You want to maybe throw in a weapon while you're at it?" His eyes darted around for anything remotely useful. His fingers closed around a jagged rock. "Well, this'll do. Let's see how you like a little rock-to-the-face therapy."

The wolf crouched low, growling. Ethan hurled the rock as hard as he could. It struck the beast square on the nose, making it yelp and shake its head.

"Ha! Take that!" he shouted, but his victory was short-lived. The wolf's growl deepened, and it charged again, faster this time.

Ethan bolted, weaving between the glowing trees. His lungs burned, and every instinct screamed at him to keep running, but the wolf was gaining. He could feel the heat of its breath on his back.

Up ahead, a fallen branch lay across the ground. Without thinking, Ethan dove for it, rolling as he grabbed the branch. He spun around just in time to see the wolf leaping toward him, its jaws wide open.

With a primal scream, Ethan swung the branch like a baseball bat. The impact sent a shockwave up his arms, and the wolf crashed to the ground, snarling.

The beast recovered quickly, circling him now, its eyes glowing brighter. Ethan tightened his grip on the branch. His hands were shaking, his heart hammering in his chest.

"All right, Cujo. Let's do this," he muttered.

The wolf feinted left, then lunged right. Ethan swung again, but the creature ducked under the blow, its claws raking across his side. He cried out as pain lanced through his body, blood soaking into his shirt.

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Player Health: 80%

---

"Oh, great," Ethan hissed. "Now I've got a health bar. Fantastic."

The wolf pounced again, and this time, Ethan jabbed the branch forward like a spear. The jagged end drove into the beast's shoulder, and it howled in agony. Seizing the moment, Ethan yanked the branch free and swung it upward in a desperate arc, catching the wolf under its jaw.

The beast staggered, black ichor dripping from its mouth. Its glowing eyes dimmed, and with a final snarl, it collapsed to the ground, dissolving into wisps of shadowy smoke.

Ethan collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. His side throbbed, and his hands were slick with sweat and blood.

---

Quest Complete!

Reward: +2 Strength, +1 Agility.

Level Up!

New Stats:

Strength: 2 → 4

Agility: 1 → 3

New Skill Unlocked: Survivor's Instinct (Passive)

---

"'Survivor's Instinct'?" Ethan panted. "How about 'Bleeding Loser Instinct'? That feels more accurate."

The glowing interface flickered and disappeared as the world around him began to blur. The electric hum of the forest faded into silence, and Ethan felt himself falling, weightless.

When he opened his eyes, he was back in his bed.

The clock on his nightstand read 6:47 a.m.

Ethan sat up, wincing as pain flared in his side. Pulling up his shirt, he stared in disbelief at the angry red gashes lining his ribs. The blood was real.

"Nope. Nope. Nope," he muttered, pacing the room. "Dreams don't do this. This is some Inception nonsense."

His phone buzzed on the nightstand. Ethan grabbed it, and his stomach churned when he saw the notification glowing on the screen:

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Welcome Back, Player.

Next Quest Available Tonight.

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Ethan stared at the message, then flopped back onto his bed with a groan. "Yep. I'm definitely screwed."