Mizuki ran as fast as her feet can take her, holding her light-blue sword along the way. While that, she peeks her back to see how many small shadows are following her. Good thing the amount is perfect for her to destroy all of them. Then, Mizuki dashed to a nearby tree and jumps in the air before swinging her sword, creating sharp ice glaciers. After she casts the ice element, she switched to fire element. When the glacier hits its target, Mizuki shoots small fire balls before landing on the soft grass. Right after her feet on the ground, she changed her elements again into lightning, striking the shadows that was about to attack her.

When the enemies vanished, Mizuki started running again because she knows that if she stays in the same position, the shadows will gather to attack her at once. A small smile grew at her lips as she planned the next moves to impress the teachers and advisors who are watching her.

Not only Mizuki but Rikuo also did his best to impress the audience. In his battle against the shadow, he already killed countless of them only by swinging his black sword. Rikuo closes his eyes and concentrates on figuring how many enemies around him. When a few of them began to attack him from above, Rikuo revealed his golden orbs and slashed all the enemies in the air. Then, he quickly dashed backward and kills his enemies that are thrusting forward to him, one by one.

After that, Rikuo stopped backing away. He gathers his strength in his feet and pushes his body forward, slashing his enemies along the way. When the shadows attack him in the same time at his back, front, left and right, he makes a Tornado Swipe which kills his enemies in 360 degrees before continue on dashing forward.

All his movement and also the other students that are taking the exam are each provided with a small bird that watches and follows them where ever they go. The birds are attached with mini camera so that the teachers and the advisor able to view them while there are also some teachers or advisors that are watching them in close distance. When they do that, the <Bird Watcher> aren’t needed to use. However, there are only two advisors who observing the students who participates seriously so that they able to pick the right students for the team to lead the way to become a great Returner.

“Whoa~ this year’s participates are really GOOD!” amazed the older advisor. Then, he stared at the screen which showing Mizuki and Rikuo in their battle against the shadows. “Especially those two… Nanajima Mizuki and Tamotsu Rikuo. Maybe, I’ll choose them for my new team to lead.” He uttered happy and turns to the younger and quiet advisor. “What do you think, Shigehito?”

The person who has Shigehito as his family name, just smiled while his eyes are still observing the student who using the black sword and the light-blue sword. “Hussh now, MinagawaSan. I have already picked both of them.” He uttered, wearing the same smile.

“Ah?! WHY?!” Minagawa disagree with Shigehito. He the one who chosen both of them first, why should he lets Shigehito who is still new in this academy becomes their advisor? He; the experienced one should be getting them than him!

“Because the three of them will have a great task in future.” A young and beautiful lady with long silver hair uttered as she brushes her hair, placing the silky hair behind her ear.

“Three?” he asked before turning to the voice owner, only to get shocked by seeing who she was while Shigehito just stay cool, and looking at the screen, observing his future team members. “Ha-hanazawa-San!” he called the lady’s name and quickly bowed down as a sign of respecting the mystic beast. Don’t get fooled by her beauty. She isn’t a human but a mystic beast or more clearly, the creature who can lead only one <Astray Dreamers> into Ar Dream Ciel. They are called <Dream Guidance>. The person that she leads is still a mystery to all but all they knows are the person that she leads has changed this world into a better place than before.  Minagawa kind of shocked to see Legendary Creature is here, observing the new Returner-to-be because none of their kind ever did like this before.

Ignoring Minagawa, Hanazawa pursuit toward Shigehito and stands beside him before speak up, “If you are choosing them… Please, help them to stay on the right road. When they discover the truth behind Dreamers and ‘them’… they may be corrupted by it for such a long time.” The silver haired creature advised. “Their friendship and you are going to play the big part on succeeding the most important, one in a million tasks.”

Hearing what Hanazawa said, made Shigehito peeks next to him, looking at the teal orbs creature before turning his ember orbs back to the screen. “I will… Thanks for the advice, Hana-San.” He appreciated for what he was advised.

Silent feel between the three of them as they just stared at the screen, analysing the student’s abilities, specialty and also whether they are fit to have the <Returner Licence> or not till finally, the exam that been undergo for three straight hours ended. With that, Shigehito clicked a button below the screen which has made the exanimated student’s surrounding changed into blank and empty white room. While that, the teachers and advisors of the club gather themselves in the Observation Room, discussing something. Most of them, shocked to see Hanazawa there but some just ignore her because he/she doesn’t want to involve themselves with the Legendary Creature.

Then, Hanazawa and Shigehito walk out from the room together but silent still feel between them as they took a few steps toward the gathering place for Shigehito and the other advisors to pick out a team. Before they reached the place, Shigehito stopped walking and turns around to face the silver haired creature. “That remains me, Hana-San. Aren’t you preparing to go on a journey with your son?” the young adviser asked.

“Why, yes. I am.” She answered shortly. “I’m actually waiting for him to find me here. He needs a good scent of direction so that he can be safe on the journey and also… when I can’t by his side anymore.” She explained as she brushes her long silver hair and places some of it behind her right ear.

“MOMMY~!!” a childish voice yells can be heard as the sound of footsteps coming closer and clearer in each sounds of the steps. Then, it revealed a small young boy with cat’s ears is running directly to the silver haired creature. “Mommy~ Natsu found mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” he continues calling for his mother as he raised his hands up in the air, wanting his mother to lifts him off the ground.

Though the child named Natsu looked messy and dirty with mud, Hanazawa didn’t mind at all. She follows what her son wants by lifting him off the ground and hugged him lovingly. “Yes, Natsu. You found mommy!” Hanazawa congrats her son for finding her in hide-and-seek game as she continues to embrace her child softly and gently. “That’s my Natsu.” She praised her child.

“Natsu, high FIVE!” Shigehito uttered and shows his palm to Natsu.

The small child hides his tail and ears which made him looked like a normal human child before high fived with happily. “Kai-Nii! Natsu did it! Natsu found mommy!” Natsu said happily as he proud of himself.

Suddenly, the time is up. The advisors need to gather themselves to pick out their team which means, it’s time for Shigehito to separates with Hanazawa after being together for such a long time. Perhaps, after this meeting… they may never meet again. “Do your best on the Important Task, Kaizora.” She smiled to the sincere of her heart.

-----***-----

“Whoa~ I’m sooo nervous!” Mizuki said as she standing straight with her body sweats all over since she just finished the exam and she was going all out in the exam. If she didn’t pass the exam, she will try her best to practice more to get better and better until she passes the exam and knowledge by everyone. Not far from Mizuki, at the offence side, Rikuo also sweating all over. He wipes off some sweat that was falling from his forehead and at his temple. After that, he just continues on standing straight, looking at the advisors who are discussing with each other.

The discussion was longer than usual; all the students in every category got bored by it except for Rikuo. He just watched the advisor’s action and noticed something. The advisors looked like they are into a problem. Wonder what the problem is. Then, when a person that looked like his age went into the discussion, they looked relieved. Now, Rikuo has become more curious of what is going on there. Suddenly, the person that ended the discussion turned to him, giving a small smile before joining the other advisors. One thing to say, Rikuo was shocked to see that mysterious smile. However, he quickly snapped from his stupor as the advisor began to call all the students in every category to gather into one big room.

“Tamostu~” Mizuki called her spar partner’s name once she saw him in her sight.

As a reply, Rikuo turned to her and walked slowly toward the female student. “How was it? The exam?” he asked.

Mizuki took a deep break before answering. “I’m actually still catching my breath.” She answered and looked around her. “Everyone here looked rather relaxed than us… Maybe we should practice more because they don’t even sweating like us anymore...” she sighed as Rikuo nodded because he just noticed it after Mizuki informed him.

“Still, both of us are unscratched… So, I think we shouldn’t look down on ourselves but feel proud because we know, we did our best today.” Rikuo comforted Mizuki when noticed she was gloomed by it.

Mizuki only smiled when hear what he said. Before they could continue their conversation, they heard someone’s voice. So, everyone in the room turned to the voice owner to listen to the announcement. “May I have your attention please. First of all…” the speech continues non-stop for only a few minutes until finally, it’s the time to call upon the students who passed the exam. “…Yamazaki Minami and last but not least, Tamotsu Rikuo. Congratulations on passing the exam for Offence category.”

With that, Mizuki jumped on Rikuo, congratulating him for passed the exam. “Tamotsu!! CONGRATULATIONS!! I-” before Mizuki could finish her words, the announcement kept on getting better and better.

“The students that pass the magic categories are Nanajima Mizuki, Mutsuki Anya…”

With that Mizuki began to hug Rikuo tighter. “I DID IT! I DID IT!” she yelled loudly and happily when she found out both of them passed the examination. After this, they can return to their dorms to get some rest before the advisors will announce their teammates tomorrow.

The students that passes the exam only 5 students in each category out of 50 students including the other clubs members because it’s a free entering in any clubs that included battle skills. However, there were only 4 students that passed in Defender categories and there are only a few students that participate, probably because it’s not a very famous category because the students that went into the category won’t always be in the centre of spotlights. That’s why it’s not a very popular category. Each year, they always have troubles with less teammate. They don’t know that being a defender and behind the scene dreamer is an important role though, less in frame of fame.

Both Mizuki and Rikuo hoped that they will have enough team in their teams. It would be a lot of trouble if they don’t have a defender by their side to help supporting them.

Before Mizuki and Rikuo walk out from the gathering place, Rikuo’s golden eyes rolled around the room, looking for the young advisor that looked like in the same age as they are. But he is nowhere to be founded. He isn’t in the advisor’s group, students group and anywhere around. He knows that the advisors are still discussing with each other about forming a team but he is not here. That mysterious guy... where could he be right now?

-----***-----

“I never thought this experiment is also a failure…”

“Combining both of the two things are impossible. This concludes Dreams… can never become one with us. In the ends it will be just a dreamer or just us depends on which are more powerful.

“What should we do with this 13^th experiment?”

“Just throw him away. Nobody will notice it. He is still a dreamer which Shadows seek of destroying.”

“But are you sure those advisors won’t found him before the Shadows kills him?”

“Problems were solved with a help from that stupid young advisor. So, it’s fine.”

“Alright. After we throw away this thrash… what should we do next since even if we continue, it would surely be another failure?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We’ll plan out an attack to those Dreamers because a War between Dreamers and Nightmares that can never be avoided… and they don’t even know it…” the mysterious person said with an evil smirk and laugh, knowing that soon, this Ar Dream Ciel will belong to Nightmares instead of Dreamers.

A ‘thud’ sound can be heard as a huge piece of clothes was thrown inside a forest that was beyond the <Protection Barrier> that made for Shadows unable to enter the Dreamers territory. In a few seconds, countless of Shadows that have both high and low ranks appeared, surrounding the clothes. In each second passed, the more shadows came to devour the half-dreamer as the lightning strikes and rains began to pour from the dark night and cloudy sky.

The clothes were later revealed a young boy around 15 years old and when the shadows know that the boy is defenceless, they began to proceed closer and closer. Their actions are actually wanted by their target with blurry eyes. He knows that he going to die soon. If he could, he wants to fight those shadows like before but it’s no use. He can’t move at all. His body are hurting all over because of the previous battle in the examination watched by a traitor among the Dreamers. Just like his friends, the failure experiments always end up like this, devoured by the shadows and disappear from the world forever. ‘I’ll see you guys soon…’ he uttered in his heart before closing his eyes, accepting his fate.

With the boy give up on his life, the shadows rush to the boy as they don’t want to wait any longer. Both of huge and small shadows began to attack the boy all together, knowing he doesn’t stand a chance against them all.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, something jumped to the sky and something sharp is pointed directly to the ground, near the helpless boy. When the sword reached and buried inside the ground, bright light shines in huge and far radius of circle. After the light disappeared, there’s nothing more around them.

The young boy that was closing his eyes, revealed his eyes, only half to figure what was that bright light. He noticed that the huge and small shadows have disappeared completely leaving only the grasses, trees, the rains, and another person who is a little older than himself. “Who… are… you…” he said weakly; want to know the person who just saved his life’s name.

Then, the mysterious smile appeared again. The saviour kneeled down, brushing the boy’s sienna hair gently before looking at his crimson eyes with his ember orbs. “I’m Shigehito Kaizora. Do you need some help, Sorata?”

The helpless boy laughed lightly because Sorata isn’t his name. In fact, he doesn’t have a name. Then, he closed his eyes once more before lost his consciousness completely.

‘You will regret it, letting me alive.’ A smirk appeared at the lost boy’s lips.

Dream II Awaken.