Welcome to my Dream World || (deukae)

Chapter 6: Key to the Dream World

Handong's breath came out in ragged gasps, her lungs burning as if she had inhaled the frosty air of a thousand winters. Bora's fingers trembled as she clutched a tattered map, her eyes darting across the labyrinthine pathways that led nowhere. Siyeon's gaze was steel, yet beneath it lurked a flicker of fear that she couldn't quite quell. Dami's fists clenched and unclenched at her side, her resolve battling the creeping dread.

"Time is slipping through our fingers like sand," Handong said, the urgency in her voice cutting through the silence like a sword. "If we don't reach Yoohyeon soon..."

"Then both she and the dream world will be lost to us," Siyeon finished, her words hanging heavy in the air.

Just as despair threatened to choke them, a soft glow emanated from the underbrush beside a gnarled tree. In unison, they turned towards it. Nestled among the roots was an object that pulsed with an otherworldly light.

"The Dream Weaver," Bora whispered, wonder lacing her tone as she reached for it.

Dami leaned closer, squinting at the ethereal threads that seemed to thrum with life. "It's from Yoohyeon. She must have sent it."

"Sent it? How?" Handong asked, her brow furrowing.

"Remember the last battle?" Siyeon's eyes sparked with realization. "When we weakened the Celestial Dream... It must create a momentary rift, a crack through which she can push items to aid us."

They all gazed at the Dream Weaver, taking in its splendor. The artifact was no bigger than a locket, but its appearance belied its power. Its surface was a tapestry of silver and midnight blue, swirling together to form an intricate pattern. Symbols glowed along its edges, each one pulsating with an ethereal energy that beckoned them closer.

"Look at these runes," Bora said, tracing a finger over the luminescent script. "Ancient language of dreams... It's alive, almost like it's breathing."

"Can you feel it?" Siyeon reached out tentatively, her fingertips hovering just above its surface. "The power it holds is immense."

As they stood united around the Dream Weaver, the wind picked up, rustling the leaves and whispering secrets of the upcoming battle. The artifact's light grew brighter, casting their shadows long and fierce against the forest floor.

"Whatever magic this holds, we'll use it to save her," Dami declared, her conviction resonating with the others.

"Let's hope it's enough," Handong said, pocketing the Dream Weaver securely. Her heart hammered against her ribcage, echoing the silent promise that they would not falter—not now, not when Yoohyeon needed them most.

With the Dream Weaver as their beacon, they set forth, each step heavy with purpose, knowing that the fate of their friend—and the very fabric of the dream world—rested squarely on their shoulders.

Handong's gaze did not waver from the Dream Weaver, its ethereal glow a silent testament to Yoohyeon's lingering presence. The artifact lay in the heart of their circle, a beacon amidst the encroaching darkness of doubt and fear. The four of them seemed to draw strength from its light, their faces hardened with resolve as the moment of reckoning drew near.

"Yoohyeon's faith in us... it courses through this," Handong murmured, her voice laced with reverence for their absent comrade. "We won't disappoint her."

"Every stroke, every clash, we'll make it count," Bora vowed, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword. The steel sang as she swept it through the air, honing its edge against an invisible enemy. Her movements were fluid—a dance of death she had mastered over countless nights under starless skies.