10. Dream

Valerian sat down on a bed within a hospital room. His dad stood beside the bed while a white-robed man placed a stethoscope on his bare chest seemingly listening for something.

A sigh escaped the individual's mouth and he straightened his figure to switch his gaze between Valerian and his father Ronald.

"There's still nothing," The man, who would be addressed as doctor Peterson announced, and he saw an eyebrow twitch on Valerian's blank facial expression.

His father, on the other hand, released the breath he didn't know he had been holding. But what did he expect?

"I told you he's completely fine. Heck, he seems better than yesterday. Which shouldn't be possible," the almost completely bald man remarked, very perplexed concerning the whole event.

Doctor Peterson was a man in his sixties. He stood at a height of 5'4, featuring a head bald in its center but holding brown hair on its sides.

Wrinkles filled the man's aged face and his very movements radiated his fatigue, even if he hid it under a very skilled professional acting. Valerian could see through it, however.

The doctor's eyebrows creased as he continued to speak to Valerian and his paranoid father. And he couldn't help but get tired of explaining to the man.

He had made Valerian undergo three tests in total which would determine his bodily state. And every result came out perfect.

Nothing was going wrong in the young's man's body and that alone was a lot to speak about.

According to tests, Valerian was healthier than the average man. But his father wouldn't back off from his claims that something was wrong. At least until Doctor Peterson assured him.

Valerian put on his clothes at some point. Having been silent throughout their bickering, he had struggled to keep his laughter under wraps but had succeeded anyway.

Something about being told that he was completely fine brought him great joy, but he couldn't show too much or didn't want to.

"Are you okay with the results?" Valerian asked as he and his dad approached the exit of the hospital building.

Ronald heaved a sigh at the question and could only nod in affirmation. Although his doubts about his bodily state had been somewhat cleared, he still had doubts about his state of mind.

"Let's go home," Ronald announced after a moment of silence due to his inner thoughts. Valerian. only nodded and sat inside the car to undergo another silent drive.

The mood, however, didn't bother him. He found himself staring at the sky, and moments in Sheol would replay itself and send shivers down his spine, but he didn't make it visible.

Although he had come to accept the fact that his life would be affected by the events that had begun to spring forth around him, he didn't expect his experience in Sheol to leave him quickly or even at all.

They eventually arrived at their house, and Valerian entered and went straight to his room, to have a few moments to himself before returning downstairs and informing his mother; who had already returned from dropping Lilia off at school, of his plan to visit the place of worship closet to them.

His announcement caused her surprise to show, but she found herself unable to reject him, but still told his dad anyway, who also was unable to reject his request of sorts.

"It's just a quick visit. I'll be back in no time," Valerian reassured approaching the exit, even if he still didn't know what he was to do there. He only moved according to instruction.

Valerian found himself walking down a street that had at its end; a relatively big building.

A black gate stood on his path into the compound of the church, but it was left open, and he let himself in.

Walking down the stone path to the front door generated a feeling that he couldn't explain, but it made the hair on his skin rise. Something was going to happen, he felt it in his very bones.

Pushing the big brown door open, Valerian wondered if anyone was around. The compound was so silent that if anyone had told him that there were already people at its back carrying out tasks he would struggle to believe.

A wide room featuring rows upon rows of chairs and a nice-looking podium that had the usual altar he had seen in Tv shows, unfolded in his eyes.

The wooden floor glistened in the sunlight that came in through the wide windows, and Valerian took a moment to admire that scene.

Already he could feel a different air. He didn't exactly know how he could. But he could already tell a difference between that place and the outside world.

Nervousness appeared in Valerian's mind at some point. He had stayed at the entrance for a while now, still unsure of his next move.

"What are you even afraid of," he sighed, mildly surprised by his reaction to coming to that place. It felt welcoming yet he hesitated that much.

"How may I help you?" A male voice sounded behind Valerian's figure and he swore his soul had jumped out of his body.

The visible flinch the person's unannounced arrival caused made him speak again.

"I apologize for startling you," the man said watching Valerian's tall figure turn to face him.

"Have you come--" His words were cut short by the shock that suddenly appeared on his face when Valerian completely turned.

The event caused a frown to form on Valerian's eyebrows, but he kept his comment.

"It's you!" The middle-aged man exclaimed letting go of the jacket he had hung on his left arm.

An eyebrow rose on Valerian's face, his confusion more than evident. He quickly began a recap of his life searching for someone with the man's features, but failed at such.

"You know me?" Valerian asked after only a moment had passed, the man nodded frantically. A smile now shining on his face.

He had a captivating smile.

"Yes I was commanded in a dream that you would come to me," the man explained as briefly as he could, and Valerian found himself unable to doubt his words, only astonished.

"Come, I know what we must do," the man beckoned walking forward and grabbing Valerian by the arm. Staring into his blue eyes with his blinding smile still on.