Welcome to my Dream World || (deukae)

Chapter 7: Connections Lost

Handong's fingers danced in the air with deliberate motions, tracing sigils that glowed faintly in the dim light of the chamber. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, eyes closed as she delved into the shared dreamscape that connected her to Yoohyeon. She could almost feel the silken threads of their bond, vibrating with her urgency.

"Focus, Handong," Bora whispered, her voice a lifeline in the thickening fog of apprehension that threatened to choke the room. "You can reach her."

Beside her, Siyeon's hands were clasped tightly, her lips moving in silent incantations that bolstered Handong's efforts. Dami paced restlessly behind them, throwing nervous glances over her shoulder as if expecting the shadows themselves to lunge forward.

"Yoohyeon!" Handong called out into the void, each syllable a beacon. "Answer me, please!"

A ripple disturbed the fabric of the dream, a whisper of response that flickered and waned like a candle in a tempest. Frustration knotted in Handong's chest, her heart drumming a relentless cadence against her ribs.

"Dammit," she hissed, her eyes snapping open, the irises shimmering with flecks of silver mirroring the dream symbols. "The Nightmare, it's... it's smothering the connection."

"Keep calm," Siyeon urged, her own fear barely concealed beneath a veneer of composure. "We have to believe in our link. Believe in Yoohyeon."

"Every moment we waste..." Handong's voice trailed off, her thoughts a tumultuous storm. The Nightmare was an insidious presence, a creeping darkness that sought to sever the ties between her and Yoohyeon, leaving them isolated in their own minds.

"Try again," Bora said, placing a steadying hand on Handong's shoulder. "Deep breaths. You're stronger than this."

Gritting her teeth, Handong closed her eyes once more, reaching out with all the power she could muster. She visualized Yoohyeon's face, the curve of her smile, the determination in her eyes. But the image was fractured, splintered by the Nightmare's malevolent interference.

"Yoohyeon, I need you!" Handong's plea echoed through the chambers of her consciousness, a desperate cry that bore the weight of their perilous quest.

"Handong..." The reply was a gossamer thread, frayed and distant. "I'm here, but... it's hard to stay..."

"Fight it, Yoohyeon! Fight the Nightmare!" Handong's voice trembled, betraying the terror that gripped her soul. She could sense the shadows encroaching, feel the cold touch of the Nightmare as it clawed at the edges of their dream.

"Handong, you can't let it win," Dami spoke up, her voice unexpectedly firm. "Remember why we're doing this. For Yoohyeon, for all of us."

"More than ever," Handong thought, steeling herself against the despair that threatened to consume her. "We cannot falter now."

"Handong... it's getting stronger..." Yoohyeon's voice was fading, a dying ember in the growing dark.

"No!" Handong shouted, her outcry a blend of fury and fear. "Stay with me, Yoohyeon!"

But even as she fought, Handong could feel the tendrils of the Nightmare coiling around her mind, a serpent squeezing tighter with every heartbeat. Desperation surged within her, a tidal wave crashing against the impenetrable wall of darkness.

"Yoohyeon!" Handong's final, anguished call dissolved into the void, unanswered. She slumped forward, drained and defeated, her friends' arms the only thing keeping her from collapsing entirely.

"Handong," Bora murmured, her voice fraught with concern. "We'll try again. We won't give up."

"Until the end," Siyeon added, her gaze fierce with resolve.