((Sorry for the long wait! It was hard for me to come up with an idea for the dream, but I did it! Hope ya like it!))

Chapter 4 - Nightmares

All around me was dark haze. I knew I was in a dream, but I wondered why it wasn't a lucid dream, in that sense. I felt fearful of something, and a sense that I was being watched. In my dream, not real life. I at least hoped that it wasn't real life. It was eerily silent, the kind that made you hope for any noise to stop it.

Of course, not the noise I heard. Through the haze, was a whisper I strained to hear, but then I wished I hadn't heard afterwards. "So this is the so-called 'Hero?' I expected more. Know this now, that even the strongest of the strong, the most couragous of the brave, the most quick-witted of the wisest...Cannot defeat me. Neither can you, maggot." I couldn't describe the voice even if my life depended on it, but it sent chills down my spine. Just the sound resonated pure darkness and evil.

I suddenly felt all courage and strength in me dissapear all at once. I collapsed to the ground, my legs unwilling to give me any more support. What?! I wanted to say, but no sound came out. My lips didn't even move. I could see the haze start to form, making a shape that loomed over me...Sadly, however, I couldn't see the shape, since at that moment, I heard the same whisper. "Time to wake up..." Was the last I heard before I jerked awake, luckily still in my little house, Jacob on the chair, snoring away like no tomorrow, a little drool on the floor beside him.

I pondered wether or not to tell him about my dream as I got up off the floor, wincing from my bones complaining about the uncomfortable position I slept in. I looked to the door, and noticed all the monsters have just disapeared. The moon was setting, and I could see the glow the morning sun cast upon the land. The moon had lost it's bloodred glow, which was most likely why the monsters had gone, plus the sun rising.

I turned my head to Jacob, then at that moment, I thought something I wouldn't think in forever. He looks a little cute... I quickly shook my head, blaming it on hormones, and went to wake him up. I put my hand on his shoulder, and then shook him roughly, startling him awake. "Get up!" I shouted in his ear.

He looked back and forth, in a daze, and I burst out laughing. "You need to see your face!" I managed to say between my laughs. It was true, he looked like deer in the headlights. He glared at me, "Not funny! I thought a zombie had gotten into the house or something!" he accused me, but I kept howling with laughter like a lunatic nonetheless.

Apparently my laughing is contagous, because before long, Jacob was starting to laugh as well. We soon stopped, however, since I needed to ask him a question (Yet again). "About last night, when the blood moon started, you said something along the lines of 'This shouldn't be happening now.' Why?" I asked inquisitively.

"The thing is, you have to first collect a heart crystal -which I'll explain those when you find one- in order for there to be a blood moon. It's not supposed to happen on your first night, otherwise. It even has me stumped." He answered, even though he sounded as though he was lying on the last part.

"Nothing really important you need to tell me? Anything at all? Besides the weirdness of the blood moon happening only last night." I decided I might as well see if he would at least mention the weird voice in my last last night. "There is something called the 'Corruption' which you will need to stop, but now isn't the time. First, we need to get you stronger. How about some swordplay training?" He didn't say anything else about the Corruption, whatever it was. Sounded pretty bad.

"Should I use that copper shortsword you gave me yesterday?" I asked, pretending to not be dwelling on thinking about the Corruption. He reached into his own magic pouch, and pulled out a nearly identical version of my shortsword. I did the same, with my pouch and shortsword. Clearly the answer was yes, as he headed straight outside, seeming like something else was on his mind, other than swordplay. I guess I wasn't alone in my train of thought.

We went on to behind the house, and I could see the sunrise through the thick forest, and I noticed there were some mountains far off in the distance. The orange glow spread over everything, and even the grass cast long shadows across the ground. It was a fairly large clearing, a few rocks and flowers dotting the ground here and there, surrounded by the lush forest I had woken up next to yesterday. Was it really only one day since then?

The grass was spongey beneath my sneakers, which had a weird-looking "S" on the outsides of them. Odd. I could see some green slimes in the forest, the occasional blue, but nothing of immediate threat. "Hello? Reality to Autumn!" I heard Jacob say as he waved his hand in front of my face. "Stop daydreaming. I was trying to explain that we should try to see your natural swordplay skills."

I sighed, "Fine. When do we start?" "Now!" Jacob lunged with his sword, and I easily dodged it. I quickly tried to hit him with the flat of my blade in the side of his rib cage, but he then leaped backwards, just enough to avoid being hit. He slashed at my arm, and I quickly retracted my arm towards my body.

It just kind of continued like that, the mixture of attacking and dodging, until we were both soaked and sweat and panting, neither of us with a scratch. We were equal matches, which surprised me, considering I had never done swordplay before, at least in my memory. Maybe I had, before? It was confusing to sort out, and it was almost noon.

"Do you perhaps have-" I panted, "-any water in that magical bag, do you?" I managed to say between breaths, ignoring the pant in the middle. "Uh, I think so" Jacob replied, reaching into his pouch, soon after pulling out a couple of glass bottles filled with water. I grabbed it, and greedily drank it all. jacob wasn't any better, and it seemed like we were racing each other to see who could finish theirs first.

Ended up with me winning, but only by a second. I put the now-empty bottle into my own pouch, deciding to tell Jacob the obvious, as we both had now regained our breaths. "So, it seems we're equals in swordplay." He responded with only a nod. "How about we go on to your first mining expedition, instead?" Jacob asked, and now it was my turn to nod.