Bad Dream

"All is taken care of," Liam declared, addressing Ludwig directly but casting a mysterious gaze in my direction. "The Emberocks retreated after you shook the ground." He sighed. "Well, at least for now…"

A heavy silence descended upon the room. Each of us seemed to think about the implications of Liam's words.

"How did you do it?" Liam's voice was filled confusion, although his face was devoid of any emotion.

Baffled, I scratched my head, feeling his penetrating stare fixated on me. "Do what?" I asked, my confusion rising as I struggled to understand what he was talking about. "I don't…"

"How did you travel to the South?" Liam pressed, his gaze unwavering. "And how did you vanish?" He paused. "Tell us right now. And be honest."

I stammered, unable to create a coherent response as Liam was still staring seriously at me as if I had done something wrong.

What were they really talking about? How could I have possibly traveled to the South or vanished without a trace? I did not even know myself.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Alexa intervened, her voice cutting through the tension in the room.

"Liam," she called, her tone was firm. "Louise was here with me all night. She didn't leave the room, and I was with her while she slept. You can even ask Lily, who was guarding the door. Louise never left this room. Not even once."

But Alexa's frustration simmered beneath the surface as Liam persisted in his questioning.

"Tell us how, Louise," Liam pressed once more. "You're merely a human. You're weak, and powerless. How did you end up in the South and vanish? I saw you. You were right there. I even helped you. Then…"

I struggled to make sense of what they were talking about. "South? Vanish?" I echoed, my voice was filled with disbelief. "I swear, I don't know…"

Liam's expression softened slightly as he sensed my genuine confusion, but the furrow in his brow remained. "But we really saw you there," he continued. "I knew it was you, not someone else. I came to your aid when you were nearly struck by a burning tree..."

Memory soon flooded my mind, and my hands flew to my mouth in shock. "That's really true?" I whispered, my heart racing as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

I attempted to rise from my seat, but because of my weakened state, I stumbled back into the chair.

"What do you mean?" Ludwig's voice broke through as he approached me, concern etched on his features.

Despite the overwhelming sensation induced by his power, I somehow was able to maintain my composure. At least temporarily.

My question was directed to no one in particular. "Was the South you're talking about where there was a burning house surrounded by human figures made of lava and rocks?"

Liam's stare deepened, and Ludwig drew in a sharp, ragged breath. "So you really were there," Liam acknowledged, shaking his head as he exchanged a glance with Ludwig, who remained beside me in stillness.

"How did you end up there, then?" Liam pressed.

"I dreamed of it," I replied, my hand instinctively reaching to massage my throbbing head as memories of the event flooded back.

Ludwig's expression twisted into one of confusion, his brows furrowing deeply.

I sighed before I began. "I dreamed about the burning house, and you were there," I continued, the words tumbling out as I recounted the vivid images that had haunted my sleep. "I saw the kids being taken by that creature, but neither of you could see them. And when I saw the wound on the child's arm, suddenly darkness consumed my vision, and I woke up."

"She was having a bad dream," Alexa said, seamlessly joining the conversation. "She was screaming, tossing and turning in bed, but no matter what Lily and I did, she wouldn't wake up. So I resorted to splashing cold water on her face, which thankfully roused her. Her physical body remained here the entire time."

Liam's confusion deepened. "But how could that have happened?" he wondered aloud. "We saw her. I even spoke to her." Liam turned to Alexa. "Didn't she disappear from your sight?"

"Never," Alexa asserted firmly. "I only left briefly once she had fallen asleep to check the barrier for any potential gaps. When midnight arrived, I returned to find her still sleeping peacefully. From that moment on, I never left her side or lost sight of her until she began experiencing the nightmare." Her words rang with conviction.

Leaf soon appeared outside the room, her expression filled with shock upon seeing the destroyed door. She quickly lowered her gaze upon spotting the three royals within my quarters.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty," Leaf spoke solemnly, her voice gentle. "But Minister Ksaver is looking for you."

Ludwig grumbled something indistinctly before giving me a stern look. "Don't leave this room, and refrain from any further unusual activities," he ordered. "Better, stay awake for now."

Liam followed suit in silence as Ludwig departed, and Alexa soon exited as well, likely attending to another task.

Meanwhile, Lily remained with me, sighing with relief once we were alone in the room.

The temperature seemed to return to normal, and the intense throbbing in my chest subsided. It seemed I was finally relieved from Ludwig's immense power.

When Alexa returned, she wasted no time in bombarding me with inquiries, her curiosity driving her relentless questioning.

Of course, I answered each question to the best of my ability, hoping that my dreams might provide some insight into the mysteries of this world and my presence here. 

The dawn approached. Our conversation finally came to an end. That left me feeling hungry, and now I was so eager for rest.