Welcome to my Dream World || (deukae)

Chapter 20: The Paradox

Amidst the dense foliage of Phantom Hollows, a peculiar silence had fallen over the group as they stood before the next challenge—a stone podium with seven buttons, each carved with an intricate symbol. The air bristled with an unseen tension, and the very trees seemed to lean in with whispered secrets.

"See this?" Minji pointed at the symbols. "They're like the ones we saw in the Riddle of Shadows."

"Buttons," Dami murmured, her gaze narrowed in suspicion. "But why? What do they do?"

"Each one must be linked to our deepest fears," Yoohyeon conjectured, her fingers hovering just above the button engraved with a solitary figure surrounded by darkness.

As if drawn by an invisible force, Gahyeon's hand drifted toward her button, etched with the image of an endless fall. Siyeon, too, hesitated before hers, a confined space closing in from all sides. Their hands touched the carvings simultaneously, and in an instant, they gasped as their fears dissipated like mist in the morning sun.

"Wait!" Bora exclaimed. "Don't touch them!"

But it was too late. A surge of relief washed over Gahyeon and Siyeon; however, their comfort came at a price. Above them, the Nightmare's laughter echoed through the hollows, growing louder, imbued with newfound strength.

"Did you feel that?" Handong asked, her voice laced with concern. "The Nightmare just grew stronger."

"Because we gave it what it wanted," Siyeon admitted, her eyes wide with realization. "Our fears... It fed on them."

"Then we mustn't give it any more," Dami declared, her resolve steeling. "We keep our fears, and it starves."

"Is it worth the risk?" Gahyeon questioned, her innocence shadowed by doubt. "What if we can't handle it?"

"Remember the orb," Yoohyeon interjected, lifting the luminescent sphere for all to see. "We have hope on our side. Our fears are ours alone—they make us who we are. Giving them away only empowers our enemy."

"Exactly," Minji agreed. "If even one of us resists, holds onto their fear, the Nightmare can't complete its plan. We'll use our fears, not let them be used against us."

"Right," Bora nodded firmly. "So we press on, fears and all. And when we face the Nightmare, it'll find us unbroken, united."

"Standing together," Handong added, her voice a soft but unwavering beacon in the encroaching darkness. "Even in the heart of fear itself."

"Let's solve this code ourselves, without giving in," Siyeon said, her claustrophobia clawing at her chest, yet her determination unshaken.

"Agreed," they chorused, a symphony of courage resonating through the Hollows.

"Then let's figure this out, with every ounce of bravery we've got," Yoohyeon said, her voice steady, the weight of leadership a tangible presence.

"Look at the patterns," Minji suggested, her analytical mind already piecing together the puzzle. "There's a sequence here. I'm sure of it."

"Shadows and light," Dami noted, her eyes darting between the glyphs. "Like two sides of the same coin."

"Balance," Bora mused, her insight cutting through the complexity. "Maybe that's the key."

"Balance in facing our fears, not surrendering to them," Handong reflected aloud, her own words bolstering her spirit.

"Let's do this," Gahyeon affirmed, her youthful exuberance undimmed despite the gravity of their task.

Working in concert, their minds a tapestry woven from threads of knowledge, bravery, and trust, they approached the code. Each clue unraveled led them closer to the heart of the mystery—the Celestial Dream beckoning just beyond the veil of shadows and fear.