Warlock Apprentice

“You saw ME?” Sunders was shocked.

Angor nodded. He explained everything about encountering younger Sunders. From seeing the blue giant to fighting with younger Sunders, and being saved by some kind of giant mouth.

Sunders already speculated something like this when he saw the dagger and cane. Angor’s words proved it to him.

Sunders took a deep breath before he said, “I always believed the Nightmare Realm can only project dead objects. So it can create living ones as well?”

He went through his experience exploring the Nightmare Realm. He only encountered monsters before. There were no humans. That was why he thought this world only projected something non-organic, from a certain time period.

If the world could even project humans… Could it project people who already died as well? Could he consider it as “resurrection”?

There was another question. If the Witch’s Eyes did not kill younger Sunders… Would they meet each other? And would this cause some sort of time paradox?

Sunders realized many new ideas about the Nightmare Realm. He had just gained a lot more knowledge about this place. This was only the outer area of the Nightmare Realm, and he already saw such amazing things. So what could happen in its inner area or core area? Could dead people live on somewhere in the Nightmare Realm in other forms?

Angor did not interrupt his professor’s train of thought. The man indulged himself in his ideas for a long time before letting out a deep sigh.

“The Nightmare Realm… is such a wonderful place. The deeper I go inside, the less I know about it.”

Angor agreed. He was only here for the second time, and yet, every corner of the place was full of strangeness that made him shudder.

“Professor, when I was fighting with… uh, younger you, and was about to get killed, a big mouth ate me. Was that a monster too?” Angor asked.

Sunders shook his head, “I have no idea. It might be. But it saved you instead of letting you die. So either you have an extraordinary talent, or you might be…”

Sunders did not finish but Angor understood what he meant. The boy had been believing that his luck kept him alive. However, from all kinds of small details happening around himself, Angor realized there was something unknown helping him in secret. Younger Sunders fought his way in the Nightmare Realm while Angor strolled around like he was sightseeing. Even when endangered by younger Sunders, a “big mouth” still saved him. Furthermore, the Witch’s Eyes only screamed and ran away upon seeing him. Apart from the strange wall, Angor did not meet any real danger at all.

Sunders suddenly recalled something and looked at Angor again, “You saw me flying, right? I mean the younger one.”

Angor nodded. Younger Sunders was chasing him in the air. However, Angor felt that the man’s flying skills were somewhat clumsy since younger Sunders did not catch him easily.

Sunders fell into silence when hearing the answer.

He thought in his mind, “Strange. I lost my memory about how I came to the Nightmare Realm for the first time, then Angor met a younger version of myself, who could fly…”

Sunders considered and seemed to have an idea, “So you must have been seeing me when I entered Nightmare Realm for my first time.”

“The professor who came here for the first time?…” Angor repeated those words. He did not understand.

“I have two reasons for that conclusion,” said Sunders. He paused a little before he explained, “Firstly, a strange power will affect our brains temporarily when we enter the Nightmare Realm. It sometimes blocks a certain memory from us or adds an additional one. Also, you may lose a certain type of emotion, or have an emotion amplified. There are many possibilities. This time, I lost a piece of memory…”

Angor quickly asked, “You lost the memory in which you came to Nightmare Realm for the first time?”

Sunders nodded, “Correct. I don’t think the Nightmare Realm can create someone out of thin air. The man you encountered must have been me. At least, he was the ‘me’ from the piece of memory I lost.”

“That sounds weird. But I get the idea. So some power affects our brains? How come I didn’t feel anything?”

Sunders shrugged, “Maybe you only lost an unimportant memory, such as what you ate during dinner at a random date, the dream you had in a night, or how strong the wind was blowing some time ago. Losing these trivial memories won’t affect you at all.”

“Oh…” Angor was still puzzled but he understood Sunders’ explanation.

“Back to the topic. As for why I’m sure you met another me from the time when I first came here, I have another proof,” said Sunders. He paused again before saying, “And I’m going to tell you about your talent now.”

“My talent?”

Weren’t they talking about younger Sunders? Angor was surprised.

“You see, younger Sunders could fly, just like you, because when I first came here, I entered as my soul as well.”

Angor quickly looked at Sunders.

“I know you’re always thinking why I took you in,” said Sunders. He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder as he explained, “It’s quite simple. You have exactly the same talent as me when I was young.”

My talent was the same as the younger professor?

Angor quickly noticed the other meaning hidden in those words.

So the professor has a different talent now?

“Such talent is an extremely particular one. It isn’t recorded in any books. There were many people with this talent throughout history, but none of them realized it themselves. Until several centuries ago when the Nightmare Realm was discovered, and I came here by accident, that I finally noticed why the talent was special.

“I call it ‘Nightmare Form’.”

…

The name “Nightmare Form” was created by Sunders himself.

Nightmare Forms were basically natives that lived inside the Nightmare Realm.

There were no tunnels that connected the Nightmare Realm and the wizarding world directly. To enter the Nightmare Realm required luck, rather than strength. Someone with the Nightmare Form talent could create a hemi-passage toward the Nightmare Realm and could travel in or out of the place like natives.

“Entering the Nightmare Realm as a soul is a property unique to Nightmare Forms. Souls can fly here. This is why when you talked about your talent test in Barbie’s Restaurant, I instantly knew that you are a Nightmare Form I’ve been looking for a long time.”

“You’re looking for me? But, isn’t professor a Nightmare Form too?” Angor asked.

“You will know the reason to that soon,” said Sunders. He then continued to explain about the “hemi-passage”.

“When a soul enters the Nightmare Realm and establishes a connection with the world, it will be able to return to the Nightmare Realm anytime by using this connection. This is called a hemi-passage.”

Angor felt those words familiar. Did he hear about it somewhere? The boy recollected his thoughts and realized that Sunders mentioned something before coming to the Nightmare Realm.

“A seed into the Nightmare Realm?”

“Oh, you remembered? That’s right. The hemi-passage is a seed that helps you enter the Nightmare Realm, and the wound on the back of your soul is such a seed. An unfinished hemi-passage.”

“You mean, I can make a hemi-passage by getting hurt in Nightmare Realm?” Angor asked. That sounded so dangerous.

“That’s one way to say it. However, the wound on your soul is only a coordinate in this realm. You need something else to create the passage. I’ll tell you about those once you’re strong enough.”