I stared at Isaac blankly.

  "I don't want that. That means a demon is really sealed inside me. Which side is he from? My father or my Ma?"

  I bet Ma. She has demon eyes, after all.

  "I don't care," Isaac replied, sprawled flat on the floor, eyes already drooping. "Just make sure that demon doesn't take over your body. Or we're all screwed."

  Take over? Is that what happened to Ma? But I thought it was with me. So how could it be with her too? Unless it duplicated?

  Oh no. I don't want to go whacking people without reason. Worse, it would throw common sense straight into the trash. No. No. I’m not letting some demon possess me.

  Isaac paused, eyes narrowing. "Then again… is it really a demon, or just an evil spirit?"

  There's a difference? No. Before that, I smell boredom!

  I bolted upright. "Oui! No. No. No. Stop right there. I have a feeling that once you start, I'm gonna hear it for the rest of my life."

  Isaac clicked his tongue and closed his eyes. "Fine."

  "Oui…" I collapsed beside Rona.

  She wrapped her arms around me and muttered, "No worry. I’ll punch the daylight out of you if something like that happens again."

  Me? Why not Shorty? Favoritism.

  I scooted a few inches away. "That's... so reassuring."

  Turning my back to her, I sighed.

  Lyndall can't be the demon child, right? The story's too close, but he's so cute. Innocent. Nothing like how Shorty described. But if he's really... Ugh! I shook my head and slapped my cheeks. Enough. I'll ask Lyndall myself. That's better than spiraling into paranoia. I grinned. I'm such a genius.

  I closed my eyes. Seconds later, I opened them. Lyndall was there, staring at me with wide, unblinking eyes.

  Not this soon. I shut them again, pretending to sleep. Maybe he’d disappear if I just...

  WHACK.

  "Ow!" I shot upright, clutching my face. "What was that for!?"

  "You're a fool, aren't you?" Lyndall snapped. His voice was sharp and cold. "You already know I'm a demon, yet you sleep like nothing's wrong. How dare you insult me, you git?"

  Lyndall? My sweet Lyndall is talking to me in such an unruly manner?!

  I stared at his face. Those round cheeks. Still cute...

  Lyndall snapped his fingers in front of me.

  I blinked. "You're really a demon? The one from the story?"

  "Of course." His eyes glowed red. Power stirred behind them, quiet but heavy. "Do you fear me now, child?"

  I ignored the aura and raised an eyebrow.

  Red eyes. Demon. Cute. Not a demon. (1 + 0) divided by 2 equals 0.5. Half demon. Gotcha. Moving on!

  "By the way, you called me a git just now, right? I'm a git? I didn't know I'm a game currency." My legs crossed, bouncing on the ground.

  Lyndall scowled. "Game currency? Git means fool."

  Doesn't he know git is a game currency term? Noob.

  I rolled my eyes. "So what now? You gonna take over me? Break the seal? Go full world-destroyer mode?"

  I narrowed my eyes. In your dream. My body is mine. I hugged myself and butt walked back.

  Lyndall pinched the bridge of his nose. "Enough. I was going to take over your body. But controlling a twit would kill me first."

  "You and Isaac are two peas in a pod. Always insulting people. Sourpuss." I stuck out my tongue.

  "Enough talking. Go talk to your Master already." Without a second, he snapped his fingers.

  The world dissolved into smoke. I waved at it as it filled my lungs. "Cough. Smoke’s bad for you!"

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  The next second, a fist of smoke slammed into me. Everything went dark.

  Zzzt.

  Zzzt.

  I lay in darkness filled with a constant electric hum. It buzzed in my skull. My hands flew to cover them. "Hey! Have you ever heard of noise pollution!? It's killing my ears!"

  Click.

  Lights flickered on. Exposed wires hung from the ceiling, twitching with current. One snapped downward.

  Zap!

  "Whoa!" I barely dodged. "Oui…That would've fried me..."

  "That would have, imp." The voice cut through the static. Gruff. Familiar.

  I spun. "Master! Don't scare me like that. I almost died from shock!"

  Master pursed his lips. "Hmph! These days, kids are so fragile. Back pain, muscle pain, heart pain, mental pain... pain this, pain that. Tsk, tsk!" He walked through the sparking mess and sat. "Now come here, imp. Tell me your story. This Master of yours has been dying of boredom."

  I eyed the wires. "That side safe?"

  "Move before you get fried."

  I scurried over. The spot I’d been lying filled with live wire immediately.

  Why is my dream so dangerous? Am I getting a health problem? Luckily, Ma bought(?) health insurance. But... Would it even work here?

  Master began doing some weird stretches, then raised his head high up until I could only see his chin. "You're lucky, imp. Not every Master wait day and night just to hear a story."

  No Master would want to hear a story. Well... except for a lunatic. I rolled my eyes. Whatever. Time to do some digging.

  "I'm touched. Truly." I bowed.

  "Alright." Master's chin till high up in the air. "Start your tale."

  I inhaled, ready to speak...

  "WAIT!" Master gasped. "Where's my popcorn!?"

  My brain froze. "What popcorn?"

  He leaned close and shouted, hydrating me with his spit. "No popcorn!? How could you listen to a story without popcorn, imp!? That's like asking me to live without a heart! Unthinkable!"

  I wiped my face. Hand soaked with Master's spit. I sniffed it once, nearly puked. Face filled with a hundred percent regret. "Do you think kidnappers provide snacks?"

  "Did ya ask?"

  "...Why would I? That's common sense."

  "So you're saying your Master has no common sense?" Master spat more, but I predicted the trajectory and dodged with flair.

  "Bah. Whatever." He plopped back down and waved his hands. "Start, imp."

  I swear, talking to him shaves years off my life.

  I sighed, then told him everything. The dungeon. The Ravonsac wild boar. The mimic. The worms. The shadows. Looney and Monica Jr... Master listened with proud eyes.

  He laughed "Well, ain't that exciting? Got your heart pumping, ay?"

  Can't beat this nightmare.

  "Also ya have shitty luck." He burst out laughing, rolling across the ground.

  I gave him a judging eye. Not that he cared. "...What if I die?"

  The laughter stopped. He sat back up and said in a serious tone. "Then ya ain't fit to be my student."

  My nose twitched. That smelled like the truth.

  "Ouch." I clutched my chest.

  "What? Did the cable zap ya?"

  "...Forget it."

  "Got questions, imp? Ask away," he said, already lying down. Hands behind his head, eyes closed, preparing to sleep.

  What should I ask? The next game? But that would mean losing a chance to tease Master. Alright. Let's ask that. Sorry Rona.

  "Master, do you know about Rona's parents?"

  "Bah! How would I? I never met that brat."

  "But you said you knew everything in our first meeting. 'If not, I'm a dimwit,' remember? Is Master a dimwit then?" I smirked.

  His eyes shot open, growling. "Ugh, ya little... Fine! I'll find out next time. Ask somethin' else."

  "Yay! Thanks, Master! So, the third game..."

  "Ah, so ya already planned this. Sneaky little fox." He snorted. "Good. Always be three steps ahead of your enemies."

  Master is my enemy? Is that a warning? Oui.

  Master lay to his side, facing me. One hand arched to hold his skull head. "The third game's something ya suck at. Badly. Once ya see it, ya might just wanna give up."

  "...Monsters again?"

  "Nope. Only you are bad at it."

  Something clicked in me. Only me? Why me again? "...Wait. Don't tell me it's a maze."

  Master clapped, tears swelled in his eyes. "Bingo. Ya nailed it, imp! Master is proud of ya." He sat up and patted my head.

  I want to punch him so bad... I clenched my fist. Hold it. Hold it.

  I swatted his hands away. "...It's too late to give up now, right?"

  Master grabbed my arms. His eyes sharpened. "Don't give up, imp."

  ...Master? I waited for his next words, only to regret it.

  "If you do, who's gonna tell me stories?"

  I stared at him blankly again. Mentally picturing me killing him and celebrating. I calmed myself after my mental victory. "...This is about my life, not your entertainment!"

  He tilted his head, expression unreadable. "And?"

  My head throbbed.

  "All I can say is," He patted my shoulder and smiled. "Good luck, imp. Ya gonna need it."

  I nodded and thought to myself. Should I ask... Let's try. It doesn't hurt to ask more. I hesitated. "Master... About my parents..."

  He cut me off. "Nope. That'll cost ya, imp. Pay up."

  "What?! You're so calculative, Master!"

  "Welcome to the adult world. Oh, and one more thing, since ya been a good imp." He leaned close. "If ya go blind… rely on your other senses. Don't waste a sec. Or ya might just see flying heads. Gwakakaka!"

  If I’m blind, how am I supposed to see flying heads at all? I scratched my head. "That makes no sense."

  "You'll get it. Adiós, imp." Master stood up and waved lazily, already turning his back.

  "Wait. Master!" I was about to get up when I noticed something was wrong. The ground began to hum. Fog rolled in. Silently from every direction.

  "Huh? What're all these fogs?" I swiped at it, but the more I waved, the thicker it became.

  A cold chill curled around my legs. The temperature dropped. I couldn't see what's in front.

  "Master!" I called out.

  His silhouette flickered in the distance. I squinted, tried to reach him, but...

  "Be careful, imp. Don't..."

  "Master! Don't what!?" I shouted, panic clawing up my chest.

  Ah! Screw it! I bolted forward, but he was already gone. The mist swallowed everything.

  I froze. "What the..."

  Crack.

  The sound cut through the fog. I turned too late. Something shot toward me.

  I raised my arms, but my body lagged behind my thoughts. I squeezed my eyes shut. Darkness swallowed everything.

  "Hurk!" I jolted upright, gasping. My heart slammed against my ribs, sweat soaking through my clothes.

  "...Huff... Huff..."

  I pressed a hand to my burning forehead and looked up. The tunnel. The stone walls. Sleeping breaths nearby.

  I'm back.

  But my heart wouldn’t slow. Whatever rushed at me in that fog felt real. Too real.

  "…Damn it," I whispered, voice hoarse.

  The dream might have ended. But the game hadn't even started yet.