Chapter 1
I have been getting weird dreams lately. Multiples ones too.
There is this one repeated dream of me standing in front of an vast piece of land with nothing but grass.
A young man stood in front of me wearing a blood-red coat that somehow makes his look more mysterious. His hair long and white as snow make him look like the snow woman from famous folklore.
He speaks things to me but I can’t hear him. His voice is being muffled by some sort of thing. The dream would always end with him saying,” I thought I would never have to do this.” While handing me a small note card.
I didn’t pay attention much and didn’t even bother to look at it even though the dream is way too vivid to be even possible. I woke up at around the same time at night so this becomes a nightly routine.
I snuck out to the fountain to take a walk and to see another person at this late-night is a surprise.
A boy that that is clearly older than me sat on the border of the fountain playing his lute. I stand there holding my keys and closed my eyes to focus on the melody.
Then, he sings. A song that is not from this particular region of the Kians but more like the Hoartz.
His sweet voices like a songbird filled the air as I sat down my bucket and listen.
Then he suddenly stopped and stared at me with his crystal clear eyes. Without a word, he left.
I snuck back to the house and manage to open the door with nobody noticing. I laid back to my bed and my mind began to wander off.
I wonder who he is, a boy with crystal clear eyes with such ability to play that lutes. In seven years of living here, I’ve not yet seen him in this town.
I fall asleep in my thoughts and I had a dream. It is such a long dream yet I could only remember fragments of it in the next morning.
A seed, a knife, and a person chanting some sort of spells is the only thing that left it imprint on me.
I shook my head and proceed to work outside in our rice patty. Planting each individual plant by hands, bending my back as I grab each seedling from the bucket.
The sun was harsh and there is no wind so that made it even worse. I plant and I plant before I zone out for a little bit, seeing nothing but white until my brother snaps me back to reality.
“You are not you today, are you alright Lanot?” He asked as he brings me to the shore of the rice patty and rests me down.
“I’m alright Moki, just a little dizzy,” I replied. I cover my eyes to rest them from the blazing hot sun.
“Well stay here and rest, I’ll go ask mom and dad if they can get you some ice.” Moki run away to the house leaving me alone for a moment.
I stared out the vast field, thinking about the dreams I’ve seen every day. Who is that man? Why would he look at me with such hostility? And who is he even talking about?
My eyes went blank for a moment until Moki gave me a punch me on the back waking me up from my deep thoughts.
“There definitely something wrong with you Lanot. Mom! Help me bring her back to the house.” Loki looked at me strangely while my mom is helping him carrying me back to the house.
They rest me on my bed and left me alone. Soon after, I fall asleep.
My scene around me changed from my usual bedroom to an arena. Everybody was cheering for the people in the center and one of them is me? How is this possible?
“Me” is full of wounds while my opponent is full of energy. “I” swiftly escaping my opponent attacks but it is almost clear who is the winner here.
He smashed his hammer towards “me” but I quickly dodge the attack. The impact created a huge dent on the ground along with cracks marks on the walls.
“You will not escape this forever you little rat!” He roared with anger but he can’t seem to catch “me”.
There is light starting to sparkle around the man. It twirls around him but he pays little attention to it. Until he realized that the lights actually pieces of tiny glasses.
The glasses did little damage to the man so he laughed hysterically and smack “my body” on to the wall. “I” spit out blood but let out a smirk.
The man was enraged by this action but then what seems like small cuts are rotting in an insane speed that you can see with the naked eyes. It starts from a light shade of purple to oozing yellow liquid.
Each piece of his impressive muscles began to break down as he screams in pain.
“I still have things to do! I can’t die here! NO!” He yelled out as his body deteriorate.
“I” stand on top of his body to announce my victory and I woke up. My entire body covered in sweats and my heartbeat was crazy fast. I wipe the sweat away from my house and went to the bathroom to wash my face.
Instead of my face, a skull appeared, I blinked once. It’s still there, I blinked twice, it’s gone.
I take a shower, trying to forget about my absurd dream but I can’t help but think about them.
I changed into my clothing and get into my room to find out the sun have set.
“Lanot, come down for dinner!” My mother voice echo through the hallway. I ran downstair and greeted with the wonderful smell of curry and chicken soup.
“Lanot, I made you chicken soup since you don’t look so well,” My mother looked at with concern while handing me a bowl of soup,”here, eat up.”
“Thanks, mom,” I said and sat down at the table.
“Lanot, I’ve heard that your mom and brother have to bring you back to the house today. are you sure you are feeling well?” My father asked with worries in his eyes,” You can always tell us.”
“Dad, I’m just tired from all the homework the school give us the other week,” I replied rapidly while trying not to spill the soup on my spoon.
“Here, have some painkiller while you are at it.” He handed me a pill but I sway his hand away.
“I am feeling great, dad, I’m just a little bit tired.”
My father look at me with concern but go back to ate his dinner. My brother finally running downstair to join our dinner table.
“Lanot, what happen with you today. Mom and I have to flipping drag you back in the house since you zone out so much today.” He said with his super hyper voice.
“Thanks Moki, just leave me alone for today.” I replied
“Are you going to play cards with me though? I bought a brand new deck from the store yesterday” He asked me while getting into my face in an attempt to be cute.
“Fine, now leave me alone.” I pushed his face away to get my bowl of curry.
“Good.” He went back to his seat while humming one seriously overplayed song that had been playing the radio lately.
I spooned eat mouthful of curry not realizing how spicy it is. I spit it out immediately and ran into the kitchen to get a glass of water.
“Mom, why is today curry so spicy??” I asked my mother while chugging my glass of water down my throat.
“Slow down Lonat, your little brother want to eat curry that is spicy for today. That is his dish not your.” My mom pay little attention to me and continue with eating her food.
“No wonder mine it’s not spicy,” My brother leaned in and take a spoonful of that hellishly hot curry,” Now this is mine.”
I push the bowl of curry to him to eat the other one. Yummy, not spicy but flavorful. How can I made such a simple mistake when it smell so full of spice?
I finished up the dinner and went up to our room to take out my favorite book, The Loans I Borrowed. Such complex storyline and the main character had so much charm that I can’t help but hooked into it.
Soon later, I fell asleep. My scenes changed again but instead of arena, it is town near the ocean.
