[Weekly Writing Prompt] Kiran and the Order are asked to investigate rumors in the city, rumors of waking nightmares that prowl the streets!

Holstering Breidablik, Kiran sighed and turned his gaze to the city clocktower. 4:15, the clock read.

Not much that does for them.

Kiran griped their sword a little tighter, eyes scanning the dark alleyways. Under normal circumstances, Kiran would feel a little more safe resting in the middle of the Order of Heroes' defensive perimeter. However, their current circumstances were anything but normal.

Kiran whirled around, sword held out shakily in front of them. The alleyway he turned towards made no other sound.

According to this world's time, they have already been trapped here for two months. At least, Kiran assumed they were trapped. He awoke one morning to Breidablik pulsating in a warning, the world flickering between Kiran's room and something else.

That something else worried them.

Since then, Breidablik has been oddly silent; the digital clock feature no longer worked among many other more vital things such as combat capabilities. The Order began to act as if Kiran was a non-combatant the entire time (they were a non-combatant, but Breidablik could pull its weight in a pinch). Summoning felt different, and not because of the terrible pulls they have been getting.

Too many Arthurs, Kiran grimaced. The order's library of combat manuals grew ever higher. They should probably turn heroes into feathers, but on the off chance that they do need an HP+5…

Kiran still refused to admit that they may have a tiny hoarding problem.

He worked his way west, where he assumed a strike force would still be. So far, life had proceeded much as normal, with the occasional dispatch of the Order for Askrian affairs and maintaining the Aether Keep. Mentioning the possibility of being trapped inside a living nightmare was uncharacteristically brushed off by even the wariest heroes, but other than that not much has changed.

Kiran wouldn't take their chances though.

The order had been called out to investigate rumors in the city. The rumors detailed pictures of waking nightmares that prowl the streets, indiscriminately taking the lives of soldiers, adults, and children. While Kiran hoped that they were more capable than children in defending themselves, there was no way that they were above soldiers without Breidablik's boons.

"Shift walking through the night, shift walking through the night…" Kiran quietly mumbled to themselves.

Kiran cringed as Breidablik's ping echoed a little too loudly throughout the city. He unholstered the relic, triggering it to activate one of the remaining functions working. After a brief pause, unorganized shouting and ringing metal blared out of Breidablik's barrel.

"Kiran? Oh, thank Naga we were able to make it through." Exalted Chrom's voice crackled across the line. "We have spotted the rumored nightmares all across the western perimeter." Chrom's voice paused briefly and was replaced with an audible squelch. "We are fine over here, but you need to move towards east towards Ike's group."

A sense of foreboding dread came upon Kiran. Chrom, oblivious to Kiran's situation, continued, "These monsters are coming from everywhere and we do not know how many got past us." The sound of hooves beating on stone grew louder in the real world. "Robin is having us loop around..." Chrom trailed off as a distinct scrape was fed loudly into Breidablik.

"Kiran? Please tell me that isn't..."

"I think I found one of them," Kiran confirmed, slowly turning around. A twitching, pulsating black goo met his eyes, glinting claws dripping ominously from the sides. The nightmare shuddered, spraying bits of itself onto the ground that slowly crawled back to the main mass. "Please tell me these nightmares are easy to kill."

"Run!" Robin's voice broke over the comms. "Do not engage Kiran. I repeat, do not enga-!"

The last word was cut off as one of the creature's claws scraped against Breidablik. Kiran stumbled backward, swinging weakly at the creature's arms and prying the relic free. "Target already engaged!" Kiran said in an increasingly high pitch. Alright, you'll figure something out, that's what they always do in the- Kiran let out a yelp as the nightmare lunged forward. They brought up their sword to meet the flying mass, sending a jolt of numbness up their already shaky sword-arm.

"Hang tight! We'll be there soon!"

Kiran didn't bother with a reply. You're the tactician. You got this, just have to avoid all those tropes.

Kiran swiped at the nightmares claws, taking care to prevent overextension.

Trope number 1: Don't act like a hero.

The sword bounced harmlessly off of the pitch-black curves. The nightmare's "mouth" smiled evilly, slimy black goo dangling from a newly revealed hole at the top of the mass.

Trope number 2: Don't get pounced on and pinned.

Kiran audibly gulped, keeping himself from darting as the nightmare slowly advanced.

Tip number 3: Keep your eyes on the threat.

They quickly backpedaled as the nightmare hissed and took another swipe at Kiran's sword.

Number 4: Don't fall down.

Occasionally, their eyes darted to the alleyways to judge if they lead back to the west strike force. All Kiran managed to see were rapidly turning streets that blocked their true destination. If the United States did anything right, it would be creating a grid system for roads and buildings, Kiran thought bitterly.

5: Don't back yourself into an alleyway.

Kiran sidestepped the next swipe.

Keep your head cool.

They parried.

They backpedaled.

They stumbled.

Watch your surroundings.

Stay with your group. Oh wait, I already broke that one didn't I.

A scraping not from the terror in front of them made Kiran freeze. Slowly circling around the nightmare in front of them, they saw more drippy black masses peel off the walls like old paint. As more and more bodies joined Kiran's pursuer, a manageable situation quickly grew to something increasingly hopeless. Kiran's fingers twitched beside Breidablik, before resting with his other hand on the hilt of his sword.

The nightmares formed a loose circle around the summoner, waiting.

Do not get surrounded.

"Kiran!"

The nightmares pounced.

Kiran's sword swung wide.

Panicked cries, spells, and crits rang out in the background.

And then the war horns (war horns?) rang across the dreamscape.