Jest did not know what to do. A person like him, who had survived the end of the world and lived long enough to see a new one emerge from the ruins, could usually maintain composure no matter the circumstances. All kinds of unexplainable things were possible now that the Nightmare Spell ruled the world, and Jest had experienced more than a fair share of bizarre encounters. He had braved the wild reaches of the Dream Realm and the mournful desolation of the waking world, spending decades fighting harrowing monsters — humans and Nightmare Creatures alike. And yet, at that moment, he felt utterly lost. 'It doesn't make any sense…'
Hiding his shock, he accessed a special panel on the sleeping pod and studied Anvil's vital signs. Everything seemed to be in order — he was perfectly healthy. His body was, at least. His soul, though, was not inside its mortal vessel at the moment. It was somewhere far away, in the depths of a Nightmare…
It was supposed to be. Could it be that the boy had somehow escaped the Seed without conquering it? When Awakened slept, their souls traveled to the Dream Realm, where they were manifested as spiritual bodies. In the process of Ascension, the physical and the spiritual bodies fused, making one a Master.
Jest assumed that Anvil had conquered the Second Nightmare and Ascended. If he had not, however, then his physical and spiritual bodies would still be separated. The physical body was right here. The spiritual body… would appear near the Gateway where his soul was anchored. Which was the throne room of Bastion. Jest covered his face with a hand for a moment. Was the man they had found there really Anvil? Or was it an impostor?
He was unsure. And uneasy. He was afraid. Taking a deep breath, Jest turned to the butler and said hoarsely:
"Sebastian… gather the Knights and station them here. Tell them to be ready for battle."
The butler raised an eyebrow. "Are you expecting an attack?"
Jest wanted to shake his head, but stopped himself. Eventually, he shrugged with a sigh. "I don't know yet. You have to keep it quiet, though. The less people know, the better." freēwēbηovel.c૦m
He hesitated for a moment, and added:
"This concerns the safety of the main family."
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