Soon, Kael and Selene were swallowed by a darkness deep and endless—like the void between waking and dreaming.
Selene turned to him, her voice soft and curious.
"Kael, what is this place?"
Kael chuckled low, a sound that seemed to ripple through the stillness.
"This is the Dream Realm. And for now… I am its temporary master."
Selene nodded, quiet and accepting, as if the name alone carried weight too vast to question.
Then, by the sheer force of his will, Kael wove the darkness into form—an immense castle rose before them.
Its walls shimmered like liquid night, folding and twisting with impossible angles, adorned with glowing runes that pulsed faintly like stars trapped in stone.
Towers spiraled upward, reaching beyond sight, crowned with ethereal banners that fluttered in a wind they could not feel.
The air thrummed with quiet power, alive and ancient.
At the center, a magnificent throne carved from obsidian and starlight waited. Kael took his seat, steady and commanding.
He gently guided Selene to sit beside him, the shadows parting reverently around her.
And there—above all—sat Yue, serene and radiant, her presence filling the great hall like a living dawn.
She was the true queen here, her gaze both gentle and unyielding, a silent testament to power hidden beneath grace.
The Dream Realm was vast, wondrous, and quietly terrifying—an endless kingdom shaped by thought and will, where reality bent at the command of its master.
Selene looked around, awe softening her features, while Kael's smile lingered, knowing this marvel was only the beginning.
Selene's eyes drifted toward Yue, her expression unreadable—an inscrutable mix of curiosity and something deeper, harder to place.
After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice low and steady.
"Kael… is she your familiar spirit?"
Kael nodded, eyes fixed on the radiant figure above them.
"Yeah. She's always been with me."
Selene returned the nod and turned toward Yue, her voice steady but warm.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Selene—Kael's most trusted companion."
Yue's gaze softened as she replied with quiet grace.
"Nice to meet you too. I am also his most trusted companion."
On the surface, it was a simple, almost ordinary exchange—nothing more than introductions.
Yet beneath it all, Kael's mind churned uneasily.
Why did he feel this subtle, cold prickle of wrongness?
Kael cleared his throat, forcing a cough to redirect the conversation.
"Listen, both of you. I have the ability to mark people of the same rank or lower—and pull them into the Dream Realm."
Selene's eyes widened with surprise and admiration.
"That's… incredible, Kael."
Kael gave a small, smug smile and glanced at Yue.
Yue snorted softly, a trace of amusement in her voice.
Kael sighed, shaking his head lightly.
"Selene, do you remember when we talked about creating that secret organization?"
Selene's eyes widened in sudden realization.
"At the time, we didn't have the resources… but with the Dream Realm, we actually can."
Yue looked confused, her brow furrowing.
"What do you mean?"
Kael leaned forward, voice low and serious.
"Above Rank 2 spells are mainly controlled by sects, clans, churches, temples… We can't just buy them from the market."
Yue nodded thoughtfully.
"Yeah… normal people can usually reach Rank 2 with enough effort. But to go beyond—to Rank 3 or higher—they're forced to join churches, sects, or clans. And once you're in, you do their bidding. Endless tasks. Unnecessary work."
She narrowed her eyes, as if recalling something personal.
"And even then, there's no guarantee you'll ever receive a higher-ranked spell. It's all politics and gatekeeping."
A heavy silence followed.
Kael nodded, his voice steady with conviction.
"That's where we come in. An organization where people can exchange spells, share valuable information, and help one another grow—outside the grip of the old powers."
Selene's eyes lit up.
"That's a wonderful plan, Kael."
Even Yue, usually reserved, gave a rare nod of approval.
"I never would've thought of something like this. It's… revolutionary."
But then Selene's expression shifted, a trace of concern in her voice.
"But… when people join sects or clans or churches, they're often bound by contracts of silence. Magical ones. How can we tackle that?"
Yue gave a rare, amused laugh.
"You're forgetting, Selene—this is the Dreamrealm. It's like a dream. Here, those bindings don't work. Oaths, curses, restrictions... they don't carry weight in dreams."
Her eyes gleamed with quiet defiance.
"Here, anyone can whisper the biggest secrets. No chains hold the tongue in sleep."
Kael leaned forward slightly, his voice a low murmur.
"And that's our edge."
Selene tilted her head, curious.
"So, what will it be called?"
Kael leaned back slightly, recalling the mark he'd left on her.
"When I marked you, there was a black sigil that appeared on your hand... so, let's call it the Order of the Black Sigil."
Both Selene and Yue went silent, stunned by the weight of the name.
Kael raised an eyebrow, half-expecting criticism.
"What? You can suggest something else if it's not good—"
They both shook their heads almost in unison.
"No," Selene said softly.
"It's actually… perfect."
Selene smiled faintly, brushing her hair back.
"So… we're its first members, huh?"
Yue smirked, leaning toward her.
"Better than being part of some dusty old sect."
The two women slipped into light banter—witty remarks and subtle jabs echoing softly through the vast, dream-wrought chamber.
But Kael… Kael wasn't listening anymore.
His gaze had drifted upward, past the obsidian arches of the Dreamrealm palace, eyes glazed with vision. Not of just a secret exchange or brotherhood of mages.
No—he saw something grander.
An invisible web spun across nations.
Sects, temples, clans—all of them.
Their secrets whispered into his dream.
Their minds marked.
Their loyalties subtly nudged.
Their power gently turned.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA"
He didn't smile. He laughed.
A low, rising laugh—hollow, distant, demonic.
In this dream, Kael wasn't just building a haven.
He was laying the foundation for an unseen empire.