Dreamer's Ascent

Ethan groaned as his alarm blared, dragging him out of a restless half-sleep. His hand shot out, fumbling to silence it before the noise could burrow any deeper into his already pounding skull. He sat up, wincing as the movement pulled at the fresh gashes on his side.

"Yep. Still there. Not a nightmare. Just… my new horrifying reality," he muttered, peeling back the bandage he'd hastily taped over the wounds. The edges of the cuts were jagged, angry red, and—thankfully—not bleeding anymore.

He shuffled into the kitchen, bleary-eyed, and popped a frozen burrito into the microwave. As it whirred to life, Ethan leaned against the counter and stared at the glowing screen of his phone, the message still sitting there like an uninvited guest:

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Welcome Back, Player.

Next Quest Available Tonight.

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"What does that even mean?" he muttered, tapping the screen. Nothing happened. "Do I get an FAQ or a support hotline? Press 1 if your dream world is trying to kill you?"

The microwave dinged, and Ethan grabbed his burrito, biting into it with all the enthusiasm of a man eating cardboard. The first bite burned his tongue. Perfect. Even in this bizarre new reality, Mondays were still Mondays.

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8:45 a.m.

Ethan stumbled into the office, wearing his usual "don't talk to me" expression. He worked in data entry—a soul-sucking job that involved endless spreadsheets and the occasional email from someone in upper management who probably thought his name was Eric.

His co-worker Jenny, seated at the desk across from him, raised an eyebrow as he sank into his chair. "You look like you got hit by a bus," she said.

"Close," Ethan replied, booting up his computer. "More like a killer wolf in a dream forest."

Jenny snorted. "Right. Let me guess, this dream wolf also gave you a quest to save a princess or slay a dragon?"

"No princess. Just a lot of bleeding." He grimaced, adjusting his posture as the pain in his side flared again.

She rolled her eyes. "You should really get more sleep. You're starting to sound like one of those video game streamers who thinks life is an RPG."

"Yeah, well, if I get a loot box, I'll let you know."

---

10:37 p.m.

Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the clock. He'd been replaying the events of the previous night in his head all day, trying to make sense of it. The glowing interface. The wolf. The pain. The stats.

He wasn't much of a gamer anymore, but he knew enough to realize what this looked like: a leveling system.

His phone buzzed again. Another message popped up, glowing faintly in the dim room:

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Quest Incoming. Prepare to Enter the Dream Forge.

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Ethan's heart raced as the edges of his vision blurred. A sudden wave of exhaustion hit him, pulling him down into darkness before he could even think about resisting.

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The Dream World

Ethan opened his eyes to find himself standing in a clearing, the forest stretching endlessly around him. The glowing trees pulsed faintly, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

The interface appeared again, bright and crisp:

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Quest: Protect the Fire Crystal.

Objective: Defend the crystal against incoming threats for 3 minutes.

Reward: +3 Perception, +1 Vitality.

Failure: Critical Injury or Death.

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"Three minutes?" Ethan muttered. "That's all? How bad can it be?"

His confidence evaporated as the crystal appeared in the center of the clearing, glowing a brilliant orange. The moment it materialized, the ground shook, and a low rumble echoed through the trees.

From the shadows, creatures began to emerge—small, hunched figures with claws like knives and eyes that burned with a faint red light.

"Great. Killer goblins. Because why wouldn't there be killer goblins?" Ethan grabbed a fallen branch, his trusty makeshift weapon from the night before.

The goblins screeched and charged, their claws tearing into the earth as they closed the distance.

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Combat Mode Engaged.

Tip: Multiple enemies require strategic positioning.

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Ethan backpedaled, holding the branch like a baseball bat. The first goblin lunged, and he swung hard, the wood cracking against its skull. The creature crumpled to the ground, dissolving into black smoke.

"Okay, not so bad," he said, turning to face the others.

A second goblin darted toward the crystal, its claws slashing at its glowing surface. Sparks flew, and the crystal dimmed slightly.

"Oh no, you don't!" Ethan charged forward, slamming the branch into the goblin's side. It screeched and swiped at him, its claws catching his leg. Pain flared, and he stumbled, but he didn't let up. Another swing, and the goblin burst into smoke.

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Player Health: 70%.

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"Seriously? They're scratching me to death like angry cats!" Ethan muttered, gritting his teeth.

Two more goblins emerged, circling him. He swung at one, but the second darted in, its claws slashing across his arm.

Ethan yelled, stumbling backward. His heart pounded, and his hands trembled as he tightened his grip on the branch.

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Skill Activated: Survivor's Instinct.

Reaction speed increased. Time perception enhanced.

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Suddenly, the goblins' movements slowed—not entirely, but enough. Ethan dodged a swipe, spun, and drove the branch into the chest of the closest goblin. He pivoted, smashing the second one before it could react.

"Thank you, weird dream skill!" he gasped, blood dripping from his arm.

The ground trembled again. Ethan looked up to see a massive creature lumbering toward the clearing—a troll, its hulking form illuminated by the crystal's glow.

"You've gotta be kidding me," he groaned.

The troll roared, raising a club the size of a small tree. Ethan's mind raced. He couldn't fight that thing head-on.

The crystal flashed, sending out a shockwave that slowed the troll's advance. Ethan darted forward, ignoring the searing pain in his leg. He swung his branch at the troll's knee, the impact sending a jolt up his arms.

The troll staggered, roaring in pain. Ethan seized the moment, grabbing a jagged rock and leaping onto the creature's back.

"This is either genius or the dumbest thing I've ever done!" he yelled, driving the rock into the troll's neck. The creature thrashed, but Ethan held on, stabbing again and again until the troll collapsed, its body disintegrating into black mist.

The interface flashed:

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Quest Complete!

Rewards: +3 Perception, +1 Vitality.

Level Up!

New Skill Unlocked: Adaptive Combat (Passive).

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Ethan collapsed to the ground, panting. His body ached, his vision blurred, but he was alive.

As the dream world faded, one thought echoed in his mind:

"This is getting way out of hand."