Darkness slowly descended, like the dimming of a screen, wrapping the day in its dense mantle.

  In this place, in this dream where everything seemed magical no matter where I looked, resting atop the roof of the central tower while my eyes wandered across the distant yet near grasslands was one of my favorite things. Something I could never get enough of.

  The young Kairon lay peacefully beside me, enjoying the gentle scratches along his scales. I had demanded too much from his body for his first day of life, so it was only natural for him to be exhausted, his only concern at this moment being to breathe.

  Despite my curiosity, I have never managed to see the night in this place. It’s strange, but my consciousness only lasts until dusk, the moment when sleep and heaviness ambush me like a mortal enemy. I have tried to resist, but my mind always succumbs to the anesthesia of darkness, leaving me with the unanswered mystery of what secrets the night holds in this world.

  In an instant, the view of the grasslands and the green of nature faded into darkness. I felt the softness and comfort of my mattress and slowly opened my eyes to welcome a new day. A deep yawn and a natural stretch woke my muscles, and with each breath, my mind began to clear, preparing itself to face the hours ahead.

  The clock on my phone read 8:25. Many would say it was still too early to wake up; others, like my mother, would insist I had already wasted a good part of the day. As for me, I didn’t have the luxury of choosing when to open my eyes. I mean, if I decided to laze around in bed and accidentally fell back asleep, I’d end up traveling once again to the dream world.

  Waking up wasn’t the problem; sure, dying was unpleasant, but it would be as simple as eating a poisonous fruit. The real issue was that time in the dream didn’t follow the same rhythm as in reality. Whether a minute or a day passed there, it could translate to several hours, a single hour, a few minutes, or merely a couple of seconds in the real world. It was completely random, and time was not something I liked to waste so absurdly.

  Shaking off my frustration over not having full control of myself, I got out of bed to start the day with a refreshing shower.

  ???

  Trade inspector—that's my job title. Now, I can confidently say that I’m fully prepared for the role, but when I first entered the workforce with only a technical education under my belt, I wasn’t. It was thanks to Mr. Braun who, despite my lack of experience, gave me the opportunity to join his inspection company—a firm contracted by the city council to oversee businesses throughout the city. That’s how I was able to gain experience and work my way up to the position I now hold.

  On paper, my job is simple: conduct inspections of commercial establishments to ensure compliance with current regulations, particularly concerning the legality of goods and adherence to quality standards. These visits are usually prompted by complaints, reports, or irregularities found in business records.

  With the experience I had gained, I could carry out most of my duties with ease. However, some— or to be exact, nearly all— inspections tended to become uncomfortable. Shop owners who had everything in order found it annoying to be treated like offenders, as it damaged their establishment’s reputation, while those with something to hide obviously did not enjoy our visits.

  Aside from the displeased looks I was always greeted with, everything else went smoothly. After visiting the fourth business, I had completed half of my workday—just in time to escape the stifling heat and grab an ice-cold drink.

  *vrzzzzzt vrzzzzzt*

  The insistent ringing of a call I had been ignoring all day soured my peaceful moment of hydration.

  —Hey, why haven’t you answered me? —she asked, every word thrown out carelessly, as if completely disregarding the presence of others.

  The speed at which she spoke and the way she forced each syllable made me feel a constant pressure in my ears. Maybe it was the sharp tone characteristic of a nineteen-year-old, maybe the speaker was distorting her voice, or maybe I simply disliked the person, but listening to her was somewhat grating.

  —I've been working —I replied curtly, trying not to be outright rude but hoping she’d catch my irritation.

  —Oh, sorry. Are you still busy, or can you talk now?

  —Sigh I’m taking a break… but fine. What is it?

  The girl, seemingly oblivious to or simply ignoring my obvious displeasure, continued rambling:

  —You’re free by eight, right? Let me tell you, we’re preparing everything ourselves, so it’ll be made with lots of love—especially the dessert, you’ll love it, I made it all by myself. Oh, and Mom says don’t worry about bringing anything, just don’t be late —she paused briefly and lowered her voice as if sharing a great secret— By the way, Mom is the one working the hardest to make everything perfect, but don’t tell her I told you.

  —Yeah, I’ll go, don’t worry —I cut her off bluntly. I mean, if I didn’t, she wouldn’t stop.

  I was aware that my attitude might not be the right one, but I just wanted them to stop trying to drag me into their false happiness. The few times I had met with the people who claimed to be my mother and sister, the conversation always revolved around forgiveness and building a family. They never showed any interest in my life, as if their only purpose was to satisfy themselves without caring about my peace of mind. And I just wanted to be left alone.

  —Perfect! Then we’ll see you at eight, don’t forget—eight o’clock, bye!

  ?thud thud?

  I finished my drink, which had lost its pleasant taste, and resumed my inspections, though they weren’t as smooth as the earlier ones.

  Maybe my attitude had attracted bad luck, but one thing led to another, and by the time I finished the paperwork for the last business, I was already half an hour past my shift. Now, I had to attend that damned dinner, carrying the exhaustion and stress I had accumulated throughout the day.

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  —You look distracted. Are you okay?

  The words came too close to my ear, catching me off guard, as a pair of arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me out of my thoughts. There was only one person in the office with the habit of hugging me from behind, so I simply took her hand, accepting the gesture, while answering her question.

  —Yeah, it was just a rough day. I’m exhausted, and I still have to attend a dinner.

  —Is your meeting with your mo— with Vera today?

  —Yeah —I sighed internally and voiced my thoughts— I would’ve liked to turn down Mila’s invitation, but to be honest, I didn’t have a reasonable excuse.

  —Do you want me to go with you? —the woman asked, tightening her embrace.

  —No —I replied after thinking about it for a moment— I don’t want you to have an uncomfortable time because of me.

  —Alright, then I won’t insist. But text me when you get home and tell me how it went, okay?

  It’s nice to know you matter to someone, and it’s unpleasant not being able to sincerely return their feelings, even though you want to.

  —I will —I answered, standing up from my chair and effectively ending her embrace.

  —I’m not done yet, but I’ll keep my phone close, so you’d better not forget to text me. I know you —the woman said, giving me an accusing look.

  —How were you planning to come with me if you still have work to do?

  A tender kiss on the cheek and an innocent smile were her response.

  Carolina returned to her cubicle while I headed for the exit. I had to buy a gift to bring. Mila said not to worry about it, but my mother had taught me that kindness should be met with kindness.

  I drove slowly through the city, searching for the right present. To be honest, it was the first time I was attending an event like this, and I had no idea what would be appropriate to bring. I knew I should have asked someone, but now the decision was entirely up to me. So, I played it safe: the ever-versatile chocolates were my choice.

  I arrived home with two boxes of chocolates, my body utterly exhausted and starving. The delicious aroma wafting from food stalls had stirred my appetite, but I refrained from eating, intending to fill up at dinner. That way, I could focus more on the food than on the conversation and, in doing so, make them believe I was enjoying myself, even if I wasn’t. Two birds with one stone.

  The safety of my home offered some peace of mind, but it wasn’t enough. I still felt stressed, so I put on some music and let the melodies carry away my distress with their notes.

  Getting ready took less time than I would have liked. There were still over 40 minutes left until the meeting, and it would only take me 15 to 20 minutes to reach the address Mila had sent, even if traffic was slow. I was hungry, but I didn’t want to show up too early either, so I did the most sensible thing I could think of: I lay down on the couch and enjoyed the music.

  ???

  —Shit, I fell asleep.

  I don’t know if it was because I was exhausted, because Oltremare was too relaxing, or a combination of both, but the last thing I remember is closing my eyes to immerse myself in the piano music, followed by that strange transition, and then opening my eyes surrounded by nature.

  At this point, I had two options: wake up, hoping I hadn’t lost too much time in real life, or stay asleep and deal with complaints tomorrow.

  Once again, I went with the most sensible choice—leaving things for tomorrow. I mean, it’s not like I cared much anyway. The only thing that bothered me was that Carolina was waiting for my message; she was the only person who genuinely cared about my well-being, and making her worry wasn’t right. That being said, I could properly apologize tomorrow with two boxes of delicious chocolates.

  I erased my concerns from my mind and surrendered to the relaxing rhythm of sleep.

  Many would say doing the same thing every time can be boring, but for me, having to deal with all sorts of people and problems daily, the predictable and repetitive nature of my dreams gave me the same feeling as a countryside vacation—that sense of peace that only a simple, uncomplicated routine can offer.

  I don’t know if it was because I had too much fun spending quality time with young Kairon, but the day—or well, the dream—felt shorter than usual. The light was beginning to fade, and we were already resting atop the tower, enjoying the view.

  Kairon, as usual, lay beside me, letting his young muscles recover from the exercise. Normally, he would fly up, or walk if he was too tired, but this time we had overdone it, and I had to carry him all the way to the tower. He was completely still, and if it weren’t for his steady breathing and the occasional movement of his eyes beneath his eyelids, I would have thought he was either an inanimate object… or had died from exhaustion.

  —Huh? —I murmured, running my fingers over Kairon’s scales as I gazed at the ever-empty plains… until my eyes landed on a small black dot moving in the distance. I couldn’t make out what it was due to the distance and the dimming light, but there was something there, something that wasn’t usually there.

  I quickly tried to get to my feet to see if I could get a better look, but drowsiness, as if afraid I would discover something I wasn’t supposed to, struck. In the blink of an eye, it hit my vulnerable head with a hammer—or at least, that’s what it felt like—before my mind faded into complete darkness.

  ???

  On the rooftop of the castle that had once been the most important structure of a mighty nation, a young dragon lay peacefully.

  Beside him, like a puppet whose strings had suddenly been cut, lay the motionless body of a young man, no older than two decades of life.

  As light pushed back the darkness, marking the beginning of a new day, a faint gray mist drifted from the man’s body. The young dragon, alerted by the sudden chill—so different from the usual warmth—opened his eyes, only to be met with the grim realization that his companion’s life was fading away.

  Lacking experience due to his tender age, yet guided by the instincts engraved in his very being, the infant dragon swiftly wielded his power, creating a cage of energy to prevent the gray mist from dispersing. He didn’t know how or why, but deep in his mind, this human was important to him, and he would do whatever it took to save him.

  Thanks to his quick actions, he had managed to contain the energy. However, that alone wasn’t enough to bring the man back to life. Perhaps there were other ways, but in the inherited memories of his lineage, the only method to save the human was to risk his own existence.

  With the dragon’s body as the center, a crimson mist spread across the area, enveloping the human’s motionless form. With utmost care, and displaying a level of control that only seasoned experts could boast, the young dragon shaped a portion of his own life essence into delicate needles.

  The tiny needles, nearly imperceptible to the eye, pierced the lifeless body one after another, guided with precision by the young dragon, who was already beginning to show signs of exhaustion. Every step of the process had to be executed with extreme caution; his essence, being more powerful, could easily consume the human’s, and if that happened, their deaths would be inevitable.

  There was a chance that even after absorbing the human, the dragon would survive, as the human’s essence was too weak to resist. But the memories embedded in his lineage kept warning him that if that happened, he would end up in a state where death would have been preferable.

  Perhaps it was his inexperience, or simply the inherent difficulty of the revival process, but the fine needles kept striking in succession without yielding the desired outcome. Nearly half of the crimson mist had vanished, and the gray mist showed no intention of returning to where it belonged.

  They were doomed.

  That was the thought that crossed the dragon’s mind. If he failed to reclaim the life essence he had spent, both of them would perish.

  Fortunately, his efforts weren’t in vain. In an instant, the gray energy, which had previously seemed intent on escaping, surged back into the human’s body, expelling thousands of needles that fused with the crimson mist in the air. Now whole once again, the mist swiftly returned to its owner, who, relieved that his efforts had succeeded, finally succumbed to exhaustion.

  As the dragon fell into a deep slumber, strange phenomena continued to unfold within the young man’s body. The gray energy emerged once more, but this time as fine chains that jingled like tiny bells. Their tips swayed as if searching for something, and then, without warning, they shot skyward, vanishing into the vastness of the heavens.