"We did it!"
The triumphant soldier's shout echoed across the battlefield, proclaiming the destruction of the enemy's last line of defense. Across the war-torn expanse stood a man in his 50s, clad in gleaming gold-plated armor, wielding a mechanical sword which seemed to have been forged with odd technology. He was none other than the supreme general of the West Lanal Empire, his black hair waving with the wind.
As if anticipated the outcome of the war, he gazed stoically toward the western horizon, where his troops had decimated most of the enemy forces, now advancing to mop up the remnants. The setting sun cast an amber hue across his face as he silently pondered the immeasurable cost of lives lost on this brutal battlefield for both sides.
Turning away, he allowed himself to believe that the war was finally over. However, an abrupt and eerie silence descended upon the field. His spine tingled with an ominous premonition. Then, a deafening explosion shattered the tranquil moment from behind, the sound resonating through the battlefield, and the general instinctively swiveled his head toward the source of the blast.
In that fateful moment, a searing beam surged toward his side, narrowly missing his head by a mere inch, but obliterating a nearby ship that was floating in the sky, triggering another explosion. As we was trying to process what had just happened, what appeared before him defied imagination. Although the setting sun cast his back in stark silhouette, the figure before him was cloaked in shadow. Yet, unmistakably, gigantic and mystical wings sprouted from his back, while a longsword, concealed in darkness, hinted at its devastating purpose. Those soldiers who had been at the forefront were seemingly vaporized, leaving behind only their shattered equipments as white flames danced across the battlefield.
As an eerie hush settled over the war-torn land, not a soul dared to move or whisper. All the other remaining soldiers dropped to their knees, relinquishing their weapons as if controlled by their fears. Then, from the opposing end of the field where the enigmatic entity had materialized, a war cry pierced the silence. A legion of soldiers, mounted on horseback, charged forward with ruthless efficiency, swiftly dispatching the paralyzed troops.
The general who was also paralyzed, snapped out of his shocked state and stood up slowly, summoning his dwindling strength as he whispered to himself while staring at the incoming enemy soldiers and entity above the battlefield,
"What have they done...?"
He picked up his sword as he took a deep nervious breath, the base of the sword split vertically down the middle, replaced it by strange luminous blue energy.
The enigmatic black patterns on his armor began to glow blue in harmony with the sword, accompanied by a distinctive click sound which indicated the competition of the sword's transformation.
As he took deep breaths he couldn't help but shout out his anger,
"How could they... WHY? FOR THE CAUSE OF WINING THIS MEANINGLESS WAR?!"
With both hands, he pointed the sword's tip toward the entity, holding it with unwavering resolve.
"I must stop it somehow, even if it seems impossible,"
The general declared, his sword buzzing with an ominous intensity, glowing brighter than ever.
"INCINERATE!"
he roared as a blue searing beam of light erupted from the sword, hurtling towards the entity hovering in the sky above the battlefield
...
...
...
[7:30 am]
The black-haired boy opened his eyes slowly, closing them briefly before reopening them. He surveyed around what appeared to be his bedroom.
"Dem... what a dream..."
He gradually lifted his hand to the right side of the bed, picking up his phone from the desk-a new model with face ID. Opening 'Whenapp,' a simple chat system, various messages from different friend groups awaited him. However only one piqued his interest.
Muffin: ["We're gonna meet up at ¥%$#= place around 5 pm. Get ready; it's gonna be a party >:)"]
•i: Send 5 minutes ago
The boy smirked after reading the particular message. Muffin, his childhood friend and close enough to be called his best friend.
Not_Today: ["Party FR. Sounds like a plan."]
After replying to the messages, he got up from bed, staring out the window. Something felt off, different from his usual self. Is it related to that dream?
"Mary..."
He whispered not realised it himself
...
[9:00 am]
All family members were at the dining table, about to eat. A man in his late 40s, who seemed to be the father; a woman in her early 40s, who seemed to be the mother; and a girl in her early teens, likely the daughter. The room's vibe was simple. None of them talked much, yet it didn't seem dull. It was the family's daily environment.
"So, big brother, what are your plans for today?" The little girl finally broke the silence.
"Um... the boys and I will be going to #%×# plac-"
"Huh..."
The boy felt odd; something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"What? You're going to #=%× place, right? His little sister invited me too. Let's go together."
"Ah, yes, okay."
"$%×@$ are you okay? You don't look so good," asked the mother as her son was acting unusually.
The sister took a moment, squinting her eyes towards her brother
"What do you mean? He looks the same to me."
"Dont doubt a mom's perception" the mother said in a somewhat proudly manner
"Dont worry mom, I am fine. Thanks for the food."
The boy put the plates in the washer before going back to his room.
The sister who was observing her brother's action brought back her attention to her meal before muttering a few words
"Mom, i think you might be right. He didnt even had any of the chicken nuggets on the table. "
"And its his favorite..." The mom said worriedly
"Well, more for me!" Said the girl as she started to devour the nuggets
"Dont worry honey, our boy is just going through his phase" said the father who finally decided to speak before going back to his meal
The mother thought for a moment before saying the first thing that came to her mind
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"May be he got a girlfriend"
*Cough*
*Coh*
Both the daughter and the father almost died from chocking
...
[1:01 pm]
The boy was in his bed, seemingly playing some gacha game on his phone. However, his eyes appeared empty, as if he wasn't even concentrating on the game.
...
[2:06 pm]
The boy stared blankly out of the window at the sky as it slowly changed colors.
...
[2:30 pm]
He took a shower before getting dressed, failing to notice a black figure behind the curtains that vanished after a few seconds.
...
[3:30 pm]
"Brother! You done?"
"Hold up! Almost."
[4:00 pm]
"So... what's the plan?" asked his little sister.
"Wait, let me call #@$$ so we can meet up and go to #/$@# place together," said the boy, taking out his phone from his pocket.
"Oh- ok i guess..."
[4:12 pm]
"Yo! What up %#@%?" A yellow-haired boy in his late teens entered the scene who the person the siblings were waiting for.
"Aye, what up, my man. You're pretty well-dressed for this, eh?"
"Says the person who is dressed like a prince," replied the yellow-haired boy, examining the other's clothing.
"Um, can we move?" asked the little girl, not very intrigued by the yellow-haired boy's arrival.
"Oh, %_$@# sister, you're here too? I didn't see you there," said the yellow-haired boy jokingly.
"Yeah, whatever," the little girl ignored his statement.
"Alright, alright, guys, let's move; we have a party to go to," said the black-haired boy, trying to change the subject.
"Come, brother, let's go," insisted the sister as she grabbed him by his arm and pulled his brother away.
"Hey, take it slow," requested the black-haired boy; however, his sister ignored his request.
"Truly one of a kind" commented the yellow-haired boy as he was spectating them in amusement before following them.
...
...
...
[12:0- am?]
[24:00 ??]
[50:00 ???]
[77:00 ¿¿¿]
[10000: ????? ]
...
...
[12:00 am]
The sky
Turned red
The clouds
Vanished
The best words to describe the sky at that moment was
[THE SKY WAS FILLED WITH BLOOD]
"Brother! brother!"
The sister screamed in horror to what was happening infront of her
...
"Shit! He still remembers? %=##$"
Cired another voice
...
"God, no! ¥€£¥$ DON'T DO IT"
...
[The wind cried]
[The crowd in fright]
[A boy at the top]
[Whispers we couldn't seem to stop]
"MARY..."
"MARY! MARY! MARY! MARY! MARY!"
...
"£¥£&&¥"
...
"$@=¥"
...
[A regreat, his mind couldn't seem to drop]
"BROTHER NO!"
...
*RUSSLE*
The black-haired boy jerked awake, beads of sweat dotting his forehead.
He felt a bit unease as he slowly tried to process his surroundings.
His little sister's panicked calls lingered in his mind. The room was silent, except for the faint hum of the air conditioner.
He glanced at his clock- 7:30 am.
...
"Mary..."
"Mary..?"
"Huh?"
"What was that dream?"
He whispered to himself, the vivid images still fresh in his mind. It felt more than a dream; it felt like a haunting premonition. But for some reason he cpuldnt remember how it ended
[Premonition: a feeling that something, especially something unpleasant, is going to happen]
Unable to shake off his thoughts, he reached for his phone. The boy's unease deepened when he encountered a message,
Muffin: ["We're gonna meet up at ¥%$#= place around 5 pm. Get ready; it's gonna be a party >:)"]
•i: Send 5 minutes ago
...
A strange sense of déjà vu clouded his thoughts. The boy sensed familiarity, as if he had encountered this message before and thats when it hit him
' The dream... but how?'
For a brief moment, his soul seemed to detach from his body
His fingers hesitated over the keyboard. The words he wanted to type seemed stuck. Like a conflict of thought swirling in his mind before he finally typed:
Not_Today: ["Party... Sounds good."]
Closing the app, he took took a deep breath and gazed at the wall clock located just infront of his bed, contemplating the unusual turn his day had taken.
No. It had already started before he woke up or its how it seemed to him.
'What was that dream...? its felt too real'
'No... it was real. But.. i woke up..'
'Twice!'
'Did i even woke up?'
Something that normal human beings couldn't comprehend, such inexplicable occurrences eluded his understanding
[Eluded: escape from]
Then all of a sudden two words came to his mind.
'Wait...'
'False'
'Awakening'
...
He laid back his head towards the white pillow as he got lost in his thoughts
[False awakening: During a false awakening the sleeper believes they are awake when in reality they are still sleeping.]
He could only theories that the first awakening was a False one. But it still didn't make any sense. How did the dream predicted the message. Along with the exact time. And the remaining incidents, was it gonna happen the same way he saw in his dream?
"But still.. the resembles from the dream to the actual reality is too similar and real..."
The was not sure what to think of this situation
He could only wait as the day reveals itself. Answers to the question he didnt know.
However,
What he doesn't know either was that the dream was a thread unraveling a hidden tapestry - one that would intertwine with the waking world in ways he couldn't foresee.
A prophecy that was made before anything existed
Author: But that my dear readers, are gonna have to wait for it to be revealed so please stay tuned. I am a lazy writer but not a bad one ;]
[In Simple Words:
Thread unraveling a hidden tapestry: revealing secrets]
'Well should i get up then?'
As he lay there indulged with his thoughts, the black figure from his dream silently reappeared outside his window,
Watching and waiting.
...
[9:00 am]
In the family's daily routine, mirroring his dream, the boy observed with a numb cold detachment. Every action and emotion played out exactly as he had foreseen, a strange awareness guiding his perceptions to the dream.
A man in his late 40s, who seemed to be the father; a woman in her early 40s, who seemed to be the mother; and a girl in her early teens, the daughter were sitting around the dining table oddly following the same actions as in his dream except for a particular scene.
However what shocked the boy most was the realization that his usual self would not have observed these events with such specificity even tho he might have dreamed of it. After dreams are forgotten the moment you wake out or even so if you manage to remember them you dont usually remember them fully. Of corse some people do but he was not one of those person and he was well aware of that himself. However there was one more reason for his reaction. It puzzled him how, in his dream, at this very moment, he was sure his mind was lost elsewhere else then how can he remember these scenes he didnt even play attention to even in his dream?
...
'Wait... Elsewhere... where?'
Before the boys thoughs went any further the little girl's question punctuated the silence, bringing the boy back to the present.
"So, big brother, what are your plans for today?"
"Oh um..."
The boy faltered but then stopped for a moment
"I"
"don't know...?"
His mind had gone blank
"What do you mean you don't know?" the girl frowned in response
At that question the boy snapped back before wondering what had just happened to him.
"Aren't you and the others gathering at ×%%@ place?" The girl stared at his brother with a weird look.
The boy who was in the middle of his thoughts came back and gave back his sister a weird look
"If you already know then why are you asking me about it?"
"HUH!" The girl gasped at the revelation
"Why are you so shocked?"
The mother giggled, observing the sibling's banter. The girl averted her gaze, cutting a piece of steak.
"Ahm... well anyways, his little sister invited me too, so let's go together."
"Don't forget to comeback in time. It'll be bad for your health to stay too late at night" the father advised
"Your father is right, we will be at your aunts place for tonight so call if you need us to pick you up" added the mother as she raised her arm for the glass of wine next to her plate
"Don't worry about it. I will bring brother back safely" affirmed the girl
"Shouldn't it be the other way around?" retorted the boy, giving his sister an annoyed look.
The boy noted the slight divergence from his dream but attributed it to the unreliability of dreams.
'Well it was a dream after all'
The boy continued his meal as he didnt want to process these thoughts yet and rather his attention want to something else that was on the dinner table
The mom who was staring at his son who was acting a little odd than usual asked a question
"So you finally got a girlfriend?"
The boy who was in the middle of devouring the chicken nuggets he had just noticed which he didn't remember being in his dream had almost killed himself by his favorate meal
*cough
'The hell? I dont remember this part'
*ohuh
*pfff
Both sister and the father who were also in the middle of eating their meals joined him
"Huh? Whats wrong with you all?"
Said the mother with a confuse look at the secen that was infront of her not realising that her statement almost caused the death of three local civilians.
....
[THE REVELATIONS WILL BE REVEALED]
...
[1:01 pm]
Emerging from the house in a black hoodie and gray joggers, the boy decided to take a walk to clear his thoughts, subtly avoiding the underlying turmoil of his dream-induced day.
[PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION AND A HAUGHTY SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL]
"Hm?"
"Brother, where are you going?" questioned the sister as she noticed him leaving. The girl had long fine black hair and had blue sparkling eyes that added to her charismatic fair skin. She wore an identical black hoodie like his brother and black shorts
"Um... I am just going for a walk. Was bored staying inside" the boy responded
'Wait what? Shorts? Fashion these days...'
The girl, eager to join, patted him on the back
"Well then i will be joining you too"
"Huh? Um, sure i guess?"
The boy couldn't really refuse her as he lacked a specific reason.
"Anyways what were you doing outside?" he inquired as he knew it was unsual for her to be out in such a cold weather
"Oh well... you know, doing stuff" the girl nervously replied
[A HEART AT PEACE GIVES LIFE TO THE BODY, BUT ROTS THE BONES]
"What do u mean-"
"$%×₩÷"
"What was that?"
"Eh, what was what?" The girl inquired nervously
Before the boy could questioned his sister any further it was interrupted again by the unknown intruder
"Meow"
...
"Eh?"
"Was that a cat?" The boy asked confused to where the sound came from
"Oh uh-"
The girl, visibly flustered, failed to provide a plausible explanation. The lower part of her hoodie started moving oddly, causing her to lose composure
"I doubt humans have evolved enough to perform such peculiar movements" the boy remarked, casting a scrutinizing glance at his sister.
[Scrutinizing: examine or inspect closely and thoroughly]
"Hehe, it seems hiding it is no longer an option."
With deliberate movements, the girl revealed a secret resident within her hoodie-a small black kitten. Carefully extracting it, she exposed it to the whims of the windy atmosphere.
"Meet Hana, my cute daughter" the girl proudly declared, introducing the black kitten to her brother.
"Daughter...?"
The boy resigned his thoughts, not wanting to think too much into the term "daughter," that was given to the kitten infront of him and sighed inwardly.
"Dad dislikes animals, you know?" The boy's words echoed with a recollection of a past pet incident involving their father's cherished study couch getting 'nature called' by it. Its still a mystery as to how the dog even entered the study room but later it was taken to their grandparent's place because of the incident
The girl silently cuddled the black kitten before uttering some words from her lips
"Well... mom doesn't"
[GET RID OF ALL BITTERNESS, RAGE AND ANGER, BRAWLING AND SLAUGHTER, ALONG WITH EVERY FORM OF MALICE]
The boy was sure he saw a sinister smirk on his sister's face as she said that.
"Alright, i dont know what your scheming in your head but dont involve me in it"
He couldn't shake the feeling that his sister was plotting something significant for her newfound 'Daughter'.
"Heh!? What do you mean?"
Realizing she had inadvertently shown her emotions, the girl tried to change the subject.
"Well... ahm... anyways where are we going?"
The boy who didn't really wanted to extent the topic any further went along with it
"Well, how about the convenient store? Since its holiday season there might be some new stuff on sale."
"Good idea, I'll get some cat stuff for Hana too," the girl agreed, snuggling the cat.
"Cat stuff, huh? Well, I won't ask any more questions. Let's get moving"
"Hehe, wise decision," the girl giggled.
The boy then halted.
[FOR IF THE CREATIONS STAY THE SAME]
"Wise decision eh?"
He turned around glaring at his sister before raising both his pointing finger towards her
"When we used to have the dog you almost killed it offering him dark chocolate and not to mention, even sprayed deotorant at him saying he smelled bad infecting a part of his skin and i know you dont know shit of how to take care of a cat either nor know what they need so stop playing smart"
The boy revealed the revelation, simultaneously forming a smirk on his face.
The cat who was relaximg in the girl's arms, as if understood what he said turned its head towards her portential owner
Prepared for this unveiling, the girl confidently met her brother's gaze, revealing her own comeback revelation against her brother's statement.
[ INEVITABLE SHALL GIVE RISE]
"Heh! But- "
"but- but-"
...
That concluded her enigmatic revelation.
[TO THE BLACK SHEEP]