Soulless Players

As Philip cautiously stepped through the ornate doorway, he was met with an astonishing sight—a bustling crowd of wildly diverse creatures meandering through the cobblestone streets.

His initial step had barely landed when the door abruptly swung shut behind him. Startled, he spun around, only to see it reopen just as swiftly. From the door emerged a hulking bear, standing erect on two sturdy legs.

Philip's heart raced as he instinctively sidestepped, allowing the bear to lumber past.

However, to his astonishment, a sequence of doors flung open simultaneously behind him again, creating a cascade of entrances spewing forth an array of otherworldly beings. In response,

Philip had no choice but to navigate the chaotic rush and cross the street to evade the tide of incoming creatures.

Once he reached the opposite side, he took a moment to collect himself. Surveying the spot where he had stood moments earlier, he found it filled with an assortment of ordinary-looking wooden doors.

Some were anchored to the ground, while others hovered mysteriously about a meter above it. Above this labyrinth of doors, another set stretched across the sky, forming a bizarre crisscrossing pattern that extended from east to west and from the ground to the heavens.

Philip couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the surreal spectacle before him. It wasn't just the peculiar doors; it was also the strange creatures emerging from them.

Gigantic birds soared out from the tops of doors, colossal mantis-like insects glided into the open air, and majestic whales floated high above, their graceful movements defying gravity.

But what struck Philip as truly peculiar was how these creatures behaved with a distinct human-like demeanor, adorned in trench coats, top hats, and suits for the men, and bonnets and dresses for the women. Some strolled on two legs, while others moved gracefully on all fours, especially those with more than four limbs.

"Out of the way!" a deep, gruff voice called out from behind, jolting Philip back to reality.

"Sorry," Philip mumbled reflexively, yielding to the ongoing flow of creatures.

As he meandered among these fantastical beings, Philip couldn't help but take in the surrounding architecture and the peculiar sky above.

The buildings bore a resemblance to those in Bryxton City, but here they sported an opulent twist. Brick structures gleamed with gold and silver accents, wooden buildings shimmered with embedded gems, and the cobblestone streets beneath his feet felt solid and unyielding.

The sky, on the other hand, was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. It wasn't the familiar blue of the day or the deep black of night. Instead, it was a unique blend of milky pink and aquamarine blue, with hues that occasionally merged into vivid whirlpool-like patterns.

Despite the absence of a visible sun or any apparent light source, the city was bathed in a soft, radiant glow emanating from the colors above.

Philip found himself in a daze, allowing his feet to follow the tumultuous flow of creatures. While he had expected the dreamworld to be peculiar, this surreal and dreamlike city surpassed even his wildest imagination.

"I thought my full-face white mask would make me stand out," he chuckled softly to himself, "but everyone here is more extravagant than I am."

Philip decided to embrace the eccentricity of this strange place, realizing that he was just one more curious figure in a world teeming with oddities.

Amidst the fantastical elements, he couldn't help but notice the presence of bizarre crystalline trees. These towering arboreal wonders possessed azure trunks and leaves made entirely of green crystals. Oddly, there was an evident absence of lakes or water sources in the vicinity.

When the throng of creatures reached a roundabout at the end of the street, Philip finally found a moment to catch his breath. He slipped away from the crowd, positioning himself near a few less conspicuous beings.

As he looked up, he observed a colossal wall encircling the outskirts of the city. None of the buildings within the city came close to a third of the wall's towering height, emphasizing its immense scale.

It was at this moment that Philip realized he had arrived from that very wall, and all the doors he had encountered earlier were positioned near it.

Aside from this, he couldn't help but notice that the area beyond the wall appeared dark, with the sky adorned by various dark orbs—some massive, others smaller. Some tiny orbs also emitted a soft, gentle white glow.

Despite the city's vastness, which rivaled that of a small country, it was extraordinarily overcrowded and overpopulated.

After a brief moment of observation, Philip decided to venture deeper into the city, where fewer creatures roamed. Simultaneously, he spotted a familiar purple crystal along the way.

Philip slowed his pace, his curiosity piqued as he watched two creatures engage in a trade. One held the purple crystal, while the other possessed a finely detailed plate. Both seemed content with the exchange.

Moving on, he witnessed another intriguing transaction. One creature summoned a tiny door into existence, the door hovering above its palm. From it, a cascade of crystals descended, clattering onto a counter table below. The other creature, a bird-like being, watched with delight as the crystals emerged.

Philip fell silent for a moment, his mind racing with questions. He decided to venture into a narrow alley, attempting to summon a similar tiny door. To his astonishment, it worked, and the tiny door released precisely the same number of crystals he had willed it to create.

"Could these crystals be the currency in this place?" he wondered, as he continued to observe the crowd. The more he watched, the more convinced he became that his speculation was correct.

Philip also attempted to use his unique ability known as the "Golden Eyes" to gain further insight, but upon use, he quickly decided to turn it off.

"Everyone here seems to emit an abnormal amount of light," Philip noted, rubbing his eyes uncomfortably.

Realizing that he couldn't utilize his second unique ability, he continued to explore the city. While walking, he began to formulate a plan.

"First, I need to find other humans in this place." Although he had initially been hesitant about encountering others of his kind, he now recognized the necessity of gathering information quickly. He couldn't afford to wander aimlessly without a clear understanding of how this city worked.

"Furthermore, it appears that even though most creatures here speak the Northon Language, they seem to have their preferred languages as well."

Though he believed he could potentially learn these languages through observation within three days, he considered it a time-consuming endeavor.

"While I seek out the mentalists or other humans, I need to prepare myself. I refuse to remain submissive, helpless, and ignorant."

With newfound determination, Philip decided to prioritize acquiring essential knowledge and common sense before actively seeking out others.

Later, he found himself standing before a building that appeared to be a bookstore, based on its exterior design.

"%>!@$%#" uttered a monocled brown dog behind the counter, engrossed in a novel about a female dog.

Philip simply nodded, sensing the dog's welcome through its body language.

He proceeded to explore the bookstore, browsing its shelves filled with an assortment of books. Eventually, he arrived at a row of books written in a language he recognized. Titles caught his eye: "About Human Mentalist Book 1," "Dictionary from Northon to Somnio Language," "All About Bryxton Dream City."

Ignoring the fiction books, Philip gathered a stack of the volumes he needed and carried them to the counter.

As he placed the books on the counter, the monocled dog smiled and began to speak. However, upon noticing that all the books were written in the Northon language, he nodded in understanding and continued the conversation in a similar dialect.

"You must be a newly ascended human mentalist to require these kinds of books," the dog remarked, calculating the total cost. His monocle briefly flickered but quickly returned to its usual state.

Philip chose to remain silent, believing that responding was unnecessary at this point.

The dog seemed unperturbed by the silence and proceeded to state the total cost, "2500 tallums in total."

Philip furrowed his brow, lifting his head to meet the dog's gaze. "1450."

Hearing his counter-offer, the dog gulped but managed to maintain his composure. "2000 tallums, take it or leave it," he replied.

Philip smirked and began to step away, indicating his intention to leave.

While Philip had been examining the books earlier, he had utilized his "Golden Eyes" ability to gauge their worth based on the light emitted from his purple crystals. He was certain that the total cost of the books he had placed on the counter amounted to 1450 tallums, with "About the Human Mentalist Book 1" being the most expensive at 1000 tallums.

Seeing Philip ready to exit, the dog hastily exclaimed, "Alright, alright, 1450 tallums. I was just joking."

When Philip glanced back and noticed the dog's pout, he suddenly felt the urge to pat him. However, he quickly resisted as such behavior felt absurd in this surreal situation.

The dog continued to pout while counting the tallums Philip had handed over. However, his expression changed as he dashed upstairs.

Philip was about to follow, but the dog quickly returned, prompting a questioning look from Philip.

"How about you purchase 'About the Human Mentalists Book 2' for 6500 tallums?" the dog suggested playfully, his tail wagging. "I'm aware it should be priced at 5000 tallums, but you'll find it challenging to acquire, as human mentalists don't permit its sale in any bookstores."