Welcome to my Dream World

Chapter 16: Resurge of the Nightmare

"Swimming is out of the question; those currents could drag us under," Minji cautioned, her hands on her hips as she surveyed the scene.

"Then we'll have to bridge our way across," Bora concluded, squinting upstream.

"Wait," Dami interjected, stepping forward with the Dream Caster in hand. "I have an idea." She gestured to a tall tree leaning precariously over the riverbank. "That tree could serve as our path."

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Gahyeon asked, a spark of hope lighting her eyes.

"Exactly," Dami replied with a determined nod. She raised the Dream Caster, and with a flick of her wrist, a pulse of light surged forth, striking the base of the tree. A low creak filled the air as the trunk began to teeter.

"Stand back!" Handong ordered, and they all retreated a safe distance as the tree fell with a thunderous crash, spanning the river with its length.

"Careful now," Siyeon warned as they approached the makeshift bridge. "It's not the sturdiest of crossings."

One by one, they stepped onto the narrow trunk, the bark slick beneath their feet. Bora, hesitant, was about to cross when the trunk shifted beneath her weight. Her foot slipped, and she let out a sharp yelp as she teetered off the edge.

"Siyeon!" she gasped, arms windmilling.

Instincts honed by countless battles, Siyeon lunged forward, grabbing Bora's arm just in time, pulling her back to safety. "Got you," she breathed, her grip ironclad.

"Thank you," Bora muttered, cheeks flushed with relief and embarrassment.

"Let's not linger," Handong urged, her voice steady despite the racing of her heart. "We move carefully, but swiftly."

With painstaking slowness, they navigated the wobbling bridge, each step a testament to their resolve. The river roared below, hungry for a misstep, but it would not claim them this day. They were the chosen ones, and their quest would not end here—not in the belly of this watery beast.

"Almost there," Minji encouraged from the opposite bank, reaching out to help the last of them across.

"Everyone accounted for?" Handong asked once they were safely on the other side, scanning the faces of her comrades.

"Present and unswallowed by the river," Yoohyeon quipped, shaking off the tension with a lopsided grin.

"Good," Handong replied, allowing herself the ghost of a smile. "We've crossed the river, but the Nightmare still lies ahead. Stay vigilant."

"Always," they echoed, their voices melding into a chorus that danced upon the air, mingled with the whispers of enchantment that clung to the very stones of the passage. Together, they pressed on, deeper into the unknown, toward a destiny written in shadow and starlight.

The Passage of Enchantment stretched before them, a serpentine path shrouded in whispers of ancient magics. Handong led the way, her gaze fierce with determination, the flickering torchlight casting shadows upon the group's resolute faces. Minji walked beside her, equally poised, a silent promise of steadfast leadership.

"Nightmare won't relent just because we've braved a river," Handong said, her voice cutting through the quiet. "We must anticipate its every move."

"Agreed," Minji chimed in. "It knows we're coming; it will be prepared. We should expect traps, illusions—anything to throw us off balance."

"Then we counter with unity," Yoohyeon declared, spinning her weapon in hand—a staff that glowed with an inner light. "Together, there's no deceit it can conjure that we cannot see through."