Rey listened intently as the man continued.

"His story begins in a place called the Dream World, a realm with two layers: the peaceful Upper Realm, and the cursed Lower Realm, also known as the Nightmare Realm. Seth was born in the Nightmare Realm, but he was not always the monster he is today. As a child, he longed for the Upper Realm, dreaming of a life beyond the horrors of his birth."

Rey frowned. "Then what changed?"

The man's expression darkened.

"Seth learned that his parents had been exiled to the Nightmare Realm. No one knows what crimes they committed, but their punishment condemned their bloodline to suffering. Seth trained for twenty-five years, pushing himself beyond his limits. He believed that if he conquered the Nightmare Realm and offered it to the King of the Upper Realm, he would be accepted."

The man took another drink.

"But when he finally stood before the king, hoping for redemption, the people rejected him. They called him a demon. They cursed his name. And the king… tried to erase him from existence."

Rey's grip tightened on his sword. "And he survived?"

"Just barely," the man said. "But that moment broke him. He no longer sought acceptance. Instead, he vowed revenge. He trained for another fifteen years, growing more powerful, until he found a way to merge the Nightmare Realm with our world."

Rey exhaled slowly. "And the underground city?"

"We built it to escape his influence," the man said. "But soon, even this place won't be safe. In two months, the portal Seth created will finish opening. And when it does, the nightmare will consume everything."

That night, Rey dreamt of fire.

He stood in a field of ashes, the sky above him split by a great rift. From the darkness, monstrous figures clawed their way into the world—beasts with too many eyes, shadows with screaming faces.

And at the center of it all stood Seth Alexander.

His form was a shifting mass of darkness, human yet monstrous. His eyes burned like dying stars.

"You cannot stop what is coming," Seth's voice echoed. "You are already marked."

Rey gasped as pain flared on his arm. He looked down—his skin was glowing, marked by an unfamiliar symbol.

Seth grinned. "I will see you soon, Dreamwalker."

Rey woke with a start, drenched in sweat.

When he rolled up his sleeve, the symbol was still there—etched into his skin like a brand.