Deep Sea Embers

Almost at the same time as the voice from the shadow came, an illusory “boom” rocked Shirley’s head. It did not exist inside this dream, nor was it outside in reality, but an explosion within her soul. Instantly, the burning flames and the echoing cries of panicking crowds were gone, dissipating like the fog was cleared from her mind.

In the next second, Shirley found that her body had changed as well – she had returned to her seventeen-year-old appearance. Her body was no longer in the familiar pajamas she remembered but rather in the black dress she wore on weekdays. As for her arm that’s been devoured by the dark hound, it’s also back to normal with a pitch-black chain extending outwards to Dog lying quietly in the corner.

Shirley sat up at once, looking at the figure sitting on the bed in amazement and nervousness.

She didn’t know who this person was, but she knew it was a powerful existence that directly penetrated the curse of the shadows and invaded her dreams.

“You… who are you?!”

Duncan stood up slowly. In this world of dreams, he had taken on his original appearance as “Captain Duncan”, which was oppressively daunting and enough to make Shirley flinch back subconsciously.

“You haven’t seen me like this. It’s normal,” Duncan said quietly, “I noticed you were having a nightmare, that’s why I came to check.”

“Noticed… so come to check…” Shirley blinked, a little puzzled by the meaning, until she popped her mouth in understanding, “Wait, you are…”

“Let’s get acquainted again. I’m Duncan,” the gloomy and dignified man smiled, “Duncan Abnomar.”

He said his name because he wasn’t worried about Shirley running off to tell the authorities – even if she did have the courage, the savvy hound would be wise enough to make her eat those words until she died.

“Duncan… Mr. Duncan? Are you Mr. Duncan?!” Shirley’s eyes widened in amazement, and a feeling of calm quietly permeated her heart, “But, but, aren’t you Nina’s uncle? How come your last name is Abnomar?”

Duncan: “…?”

The girl’s reaction caught the man off guard there. After a few seconds of processing, he finally spoke with a strange expression: “You… haven’t heard of this name before?”

Shirley thought about it and shook her head honestly: “No.”

Then she reacted again, but with a look of fear this time: “I… should I have heard of this name?”

Duncan suddenly realized that this girl really had no idea about the natural mobile disaster of the boundless sea, meaning her reaction couldn’t be faked. Apparently, even a reputation as big as his couldn’t reach the likes of Shirley, who has a limited cognition of people. This actually left him a bit hollow and dispirited inside at not being famous enough. “… Are you illiterate?”

Unexpectedly, Shirley actually lowered her head and went mute.

“Forget it. It’s not important,” Duncan immediately ended the current topic when he saw the other party’s reaction. At this point, the noise and flames on the street outside had subsided, so he could take his time observing the small room here. “This is what you experienced back then, isn’t it?”

Shirley kept her head lowered: “Mhmm….”

“…… I didn’t mean to pry just now, but I discovered your secret while entering here,” Duncan said sincerely, “I’m sorry.”

Taken aback by the frank apology, she hurriedly took two steps back: “No… No, it’s okay. How can you apologize to me…”

“In any case, it’s not polite to spy on a ladies’ dream—even a ‘little’ lady like you.” Duncan smiled, then his gaze fell on the dark hound, “When will he wake up?”

“I don’t know…” Shirley looked slightly confused. Turning to face the sleeping dog in the corner, “This nightmare has never changed like this. I don’t…”

As soon as she was halfway through her sentence, she heard a slight sound of bones grinding against one another. Dog, who was still asleep seconds ago, suddenly jerked his skull up and glowed with a reddish hue in those eye sockets. Not waiting at all, Dog jumped up like he too had just woken up from a nightmare.

“Shirley…” Dog spoke with a hint of panic after recognizing the girl, “I…”

“It’s okay, it’s just a nightmare,” Shirley laughed and stepped forward to hug the big hound’s ugly skull, “You were having a nightmare too.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Dog just kept whimpering the apology, the chain rattling due to the trembling bones from the hound. “Does it hurt? It must’ve hurt a lot…”

Shirley turned her head a little awkwardly: “Don’t go all soft on me… There are outsiders watching…”

“Outsiders?” Dog was stunned by the news. Only then did he notice the third party in the room with them. Without difficulty, the dark hound’s reddish eyes saw the cascading green flames floating behind Duncan’s gloomy appearance.

“Holy XXXX!” Dog exclaims out of the blue and reflexively drags Shirley behind himself for protection. He’s trembling to the point that others might think he will fall apart if anything so much as touched him. “You… you are that ghost captain!?”

Duncan pricked his eyebrow at the reaction: “Oh? You’re able to recognize me despite Shirley not knowing?”

“Dog?” Shirley also picked up on this fact, “Dog, have you seen him before?”

“Do I even need to have met him? Any shadow demon who happens to meet him would’ve been sent into subspace by now!” The black smoky miasma around Dog’s bony figure rose and swirled in intensity, the signal that he preparing to fight despite the horror. “The natural mobile disaster of the boundless sea… why is he in your dream?!”

“The boundless sea’s mobile disaster?” Shirley was still cluelessly blind to the title, “Why have I never heard of this from you?”

“No Shit! I have plenty of things I never told you. There are so many natural disasters in this world, as if I would go over every one of them with you under normal circumstances? Who in their right mind would expect a ghost captain of the sea to be on land!”

Shirley seemingly wanted to ask another question when Duncan broke the conversation. “I thought only the people of the real world were afraid of me, to think my reputation has reached even the shadow demons.”

Dog cowered back another step over the comment while maintaining an unfocused defensive posture: “You may have underestimated yourself. Your infamy is known to everyone. From the darkness of the deep sea, to reality of the mortals, and even the demons of the shadows like me, we have all heard of you. If my kind had a heart to begin with, we would use your name as a charm to frighten the young…”

Duncan felt the analogy was a bit off and weird, but he’s not going to doubt Dog’s story. In fact, it’s quite the compliment to be feared so heavily after learning his reputation had no effect on Shirley.

At the same time, Shirley also heard Dog’s mental whispering through the chains: “Shirley, in a bit, I will find a way to hold off this shadow. You try and wake up. This is only a dream so he likely can’t follow you out to the real world…”

Shirley didn’t react right away, only wondering what her partner meant: “Ah… and then what?”

Dog continued hurriedly: “Then you hurry to the next room and find the big boss for help. Just say that you are entangled by the Vanished. Make your words sound earnest, and even take the initiative to ask to be the other party’s kin if you can. This is too dangerous to consider the consequences. Rather than being dragged into subspace, it’s better to be barely alive by following an evil god…”

Shirley didn’t respond at all now.

“Shirley?” Dog became increasingly more anxious, “Shirley, don’t daze out now! Hurry and find a way to wake up while I distract this shadow! The only way to fight a big boss is with another big boss…”

Halfway through Dog’s desperate plea, Shirley finally replied through their spirit link: “Dog… the big bosses you are mentioning are likely the same person…”

Dog: “…?”