Exploring Liliya's Dream

Outside the warm cave, leaving Ashnard and Liliya inside, Reibo approached Sefenfor, who was stroking his eagle. "Why did you let Liliya come along? Liliya isn't as strong as Ashnard, you know that. You could put the girl in danger."

"I know. But don't worry, Ashnard is by her side. I believe Ashnard will protect her. He will do everything to keep the girl from getting hurt."

Turns out, Reibo didn't like Sefenfor's answer, he growled, "Are you that bad? They're still young. You gave Ashnard two responsibilities, Sefenfor! As usual, your decisions are always reckless."

Sefenfor then turned and looked at his friend. "Didn't you see Ashnard's face? When Liliya said she would come, Ashnard was happy. The boy was afraid to go alone, but having Liliya by his side made him brave. I don't see him as feeling pressured or forced by all the responsibilities. They seem to complement each other."

"You're scared, aren't you? Afraid of losing. Afraid of being swallowed up in the dark, like Nous."

Sefenfor, who still caressing Ekarios glanced at Reibo over his shoulder, "I'm not afraid."

Reibo sighed, "If Zefiria were here, she would definitely not agree, just like me!"

"Don't tell her anything!" said Sefenfor.

"Of course not. I haven't seen that woman in a long time, not since you disappointed her," concluded Reibo. After that, he left Sefenfor and returned to his cave workshop.

He approached Ashnard, who is standing next to the sleeping Liliya. Ashnard gripped the girl's hand tightly, trying not to break the bond.

"Have you connected with Liliya?" he asked Ashnard.

Ashnard shook his head, and he closed his eyes tightly. "Entering her mind while asleep is harder than I thought. It's like there's a barrier in front of me."

"Perhaps ... while we are asleep, our minds create a new world. Since you are a visitor, it will be more difficult to gain entry."

"Wait! I can break the barrier. I'm going in."

"Good luck."

Reibo then moved to Nous. The black veins already filled his chest and neck turned jet black, then spread to his cheeks. His body was also getting paler and colder. Reibo felt like touching a frozen corpse.

In front of his dying friend, Reibo could do nothing but wait and hope. All his hopes focused on Ashnard, who was trying to become stronger.

Ashnard, who was still trying to become what Reibo and others hope, managed to break through the invisible barrier like shattered glass. Light burst out, blinding both of his eyes.

Slowly his eyes adjusted to the environment in front of him. He saw a different world. The world is so bright and cheerful, it reminds him of the owner of the dream. The place was so serene that it could relax him in an instant. The air was also so fresh as it caressed Ashnard's skin.

Sunflowers shine brightly in the blue sky instead of the sun. Beneath it, the expanse of flower fields stretched so wide that the end could not be seen. Some flowers grow very large like a giant trees.

When the white flower petals open, a stream of water emerges from the crown. The water continued to flow to the land until it formed a fresh river. The river that carries flowers sails.

Far before Ashnard's eyes, stood majestically a castle. The edge of the castle sparkled like the evening star.

Instantly the expanse of flower fields opened by itself, forming a path leading to the castle. Without thinking, Ashnard followed the path.

In every step, he saw a lot of unique flower shapes. Some flowers emit cotton lumps which will float in the sky into clouds. And some flower that has a high pistil and very thin as a string, when it is hit by a gust of wind, a melody can be heard from the pistil.

The flying birds look like a flower flying with their petals. A horse that has a budding flower head, approached Ashnard. The horse bowed to him, giving him a ride.

Ashnard climbed it. He felt strange when the neighing sound was heard from the flower horse's face.

He arrived in seconds in front of the castle. Even though he just rode the horse, suddenly he arrived at his destination.

The castle was so shiny it was as if someone had polished it every time until it looked like crystal. The huge castle door opened by itself, and inside the room, a blonde girl in a flower-embellished dress sat on a flower-shaped throne made of the same material as the castle.

The echo of Ashnard's footsteps filled the empty room, mingled with the tapping of the girl's fingers.

"Nice castle, Liliya," Ashnard greeted.

However, Liliya looked at him scornfully. "Who are you?"

"It's me, Ashnard. Don't you remember?"

"Ashnard? Could it be ... you're Ashnard in the prophecy?" Liliya's blue eyes widened.

"What prophecy?"

"When the sky is clear, a horse will come carrying a knight named Ashnard who will protect me from the evil Demon Lord," said Liliya.

In the dream world, the law happened very differently. Dreams will be a random thing, but sometimes dreams also create a scenario that will only be completed when the dreamer wakes up. Ashnard chose to just go with the flow because he thought this is the dream scenario.

Ashnard placed his right hand on his left chest and bowed. "You are right, my queen. It is I, Ashnard, the knight from a faraway land, coming to save you."

Queen Liliya responded with a smile. "Good. I've been waiting for you for a very long time, my knight."

"I apologize to make you wait, my queen. Now, where is the evil demon? I will lay my sword to the demon's head."

According to Ashnard's wish, the sky instantly became pitch black. Gray clouds covered the sunflowers and chased the flower birds away. The animals ran scared into the forest. The water stopped flowing, and all the flowers closed.

"Demon Lord is coming," said Queen Liliya trembling. "Please, save me, my knight."

"Wait here, I'll finish it soon."

Outside the castle, a storm of black smoke engulfed everything in its path. So long that even north and south there was nothing to the smoke. And slowly, the smoke formed a face in the middle, a blonde-haired man, like Liliya's father in the real world.

With his mouth, Liliya's father-faced smoke sucked in all the flowers and animals. The smoke continued to move to swallow anything as it approached the castle.

The same horse that had brought Ashnard to the castle came again. Now, the horse will bring Ashnard to face the Demon Lord.

A sword appeared from the bright sky before being completely covered by black smoke. The sword landed squarely on the arm of Ashnard, who was riding the horse. The pale gold-colored sword had floral ornaments on the handguard.

When it got close, the horse hurled Ashnard into the air with a thrust of its hind legs. With his sword, Ashnard carried the wind in his single fierce slash, instantly sweeping away the black smoke.

Finally, the sky cleared again, the flowers bloomed again, and the animals roamed again. Queen Liliya ran over to Ashnard with joy. She jumped up and hugged Ashnard tightly.

"Thank you, my knight. You saved me. Because of you, I am not afraid anymore. Please, stay here and live with me," said Queen Liliya.

"I greatly respect your offer, my queen. But, I must go."

"There's no need to rush, outlander!" A woman's voice resounded from the sky.

Came from a rift in the sky, the woman had long hair that floated in the air. Her eyes that looked down sharply were golden yellow. The figure floated slowly without wings, but on its back was a golden ornament that extended and branched like tree branches.

"Your presence is a mistake. Punishment will come!"

"Is she another evil demon?" Ashnard asked Liliya.

Lily shook her head. She squeezed Ashnard's arm tighter. "I don't know," she said shakily.

"Who are you?" Ashnard shouted at the mysterious woman.

"I'm the one who rules the dream," said the woman. She stretched her arms forward. "You have entered this dreamworld without permission and breaking the line. Now I will punish you." A ball of yellow energy formed around her and aimed at Ashnard.

Ashnard immediately took Liliya away from the rain of energy balls. The ground was eroded to nothing when it touched the ball of energy, leaving an abnormally spherical trail.

As soon as Liliya was hidden as far away as possible, Ashnard whistled for his horse. He rode the horse towards the mysterious figure that appeared from the sky.

Several pointed stones sprouted from the ground, piercing the horse's body, and sending Ashnard to the ground. With a stab from all sides, the horse instantly disappeared into a grain of light, leaving no physical form behind.

Ashnard slashed his sword multiple times in the air to create a slash of water. With ease, the woman deflected it with a layer of yellow energy.

Ashnard then jumped with the help of the water thrust at his feet. He drew his sword at the woman.

However, from behind the woman, a yellow light burst forth, expanding as if to cover the entire world and swallow Ashnard into it.

Ashnard woke up, returning to his reality which was cold on the outside and warm on the inside. His shout made Reibo and Sefenfor come wondering.

Ashnard is really confused about what happened. He's so lucky that he didn't go too far. He survived the punishment imposed by "She Who Rules Dreams" and has been banished from the world of dreams to reality.

***

However, from behind the woman, a yellow light burst forth, expanding as if to cover the entire world and swallow Ashnard into it.

Meanwhile in the Empty Room where there was nothing but emptiness, suddenly a loud buzzing sound as a layer of yellow light spread throughout the room. It was as if the light engulfed Empty Room.

Then, from the ends of the overlapping layers of light, appeared a woman that Ashnard was facing. The woman was before the white figure now.

"What the heck is this?" He kept staring in confusion.

"You're not him. Who are you?" she asked. She saw Ashnard's illusion next to the white figure. "I see. I understand what happened."

"Ehhh …." The white figure was still digesting what had happened. It was the first time he had spoken to anyone. It feels mixed, between pounding, scared, and also happy.

"You could say, you are another soul trapped in one body. No wonder you don't have your form. Tell me, strange soul, how did you come to be in this body?"

The white figure tried to answer as best he could. "I ... was kicked by this soul. I mean, I should have ... got this body, n-not him," he replied while pointing at Ashnard's illusion.

"How did that happen? This is so unexpected." The woman approached the white figure. As she walked, heard the rhythmic chime of the bells.

"Are you Goddess Ilna's friend?" asked the white figure innocently.

"You've met her? That means it should be your soul that is destined, not that boy's soul. You got the elemental power, but another soul used it. This is something I've never found in my entire life.

"The answer to your question just now, no. Ilna and I bear different duties and places. I am Eristhiar. I am the goddess who rules and controls the dream realm. At first, I entered this mind space only to erase your memories of me. However, I didn't expect this.

"Your other soul has disturbed the stability of my dreamland by destroying the plot that I have made, that's why I came to punish it. Now, I don't think I will do it again. Seeing your presence here, O strange soul, I think you have a unique destiny and I must not interfere. I'll let you go. And remember this, don't let your other soul ruin the dream one more time."

Then, the light swirled and the figure shrank into the light until it disappeared. Once again, the white figure had to digest everything the Dream Goddess had said. The goddess might explain some things, but it still wasn't enough.