The Almighty Dragon General

Ruth Summers felt a sudden voice whisper close to her ear, causing her to startle and take a step back, nearly losing her balance. Even after so many encounters in her dreams, the persistent chatter of this figure never failed to startle her.

"You..." she tried to speak, but as always, her voice failed her, trapped within the nightmares rules. She could only observe, a silent witness to the events unfolding around her. This was the horror of the dream; she was powerless to participate.

Everything was chaos, as she found herself in the midst of boundless darkness. Her eyes were rendered useless, and her senses were assaulted by the echoing voice.

"Do you understand the concept of the Cycle of Karma?" the voice continued its relentless monologue, sometimes leaning in close to her ear, other times ignoring her presence entirely as it repeated the phrase over and over.

Ruth had no interest in the full discourse; she was all too familiar with it. With practiced ease, she turned and followed a path etched into her memory, feeling the unending chill beneath her feet. The first time she had entered this dream as a child, it had terrified her, but now she navigated it with ease.

As she walked, the light behind her faded, and the darkness ahead grew more sinister. Despite her many visits, the environment still raised goosebumps on her arms.

Once again, she saw the figure, sitting atop a massive throne, radiating an indescribable aura of darkness.

The resistance increased, but Ruth pressed on, determined to reach the man before she awoke. Each step was met with a push that threatened to send her backward, a pain that nearly overwhelmed her. She knew this was the agony the resistance inflicted, and though it had been a long time, she had grown accustomed to it. Even in pain, she moved forward.

She was getting closer, stretching out her hand, using all her strength to touch the man.

She didnt know why she felt the need to do this, but the desire was primal, a deep-seated urge that pulled her forward. Even though she knew nothing of the mans identity and could not discern his features, the need to approach him was overwhelming.

"Ding!"

As she neared the base of the throne, she felt the ground beneath her feet begin to shimmer with light, and then, centered around the man, numerous large circles appeared. These circles flashed with an intense brilliance, akin to lightning, encircling the man seated in silence.

The largest circle, she had stepped into with one foot, and now that part of her foot began to emit an incredibly strong light.

A sharp pain shot through her, and she tried to scream but found herself voiceless.

Her foot felt as if it were about to break, and then she was immobilized, sealed like a statue, even her breath stolen from her as suffocation overwhelmed her in an instant.

Time became crystal clear in her mind.

She could not endure another second.

Was she going to die?

The thought was almost amusing; she had been having this dream for years, and it had become a part of her life. She had repeatedly assured her father that, despite its darkness, the dream posed no threat to her.

But now, for the first time in all these years, a change in the dream brought with it a threat to her life.

At that moment, the man seated high on the throne suddenly turned his head and looked at her.

The emotion in that glance was inscrutable, and Ruth struggled to see the mans face.

For the first time in twenty years, she was so close to the truth!

Ruth looked up, and finally, she saw—