Chapter 5 - Truth and Lies

Yana couldn't understand her tears. Was it because she was afraid he wouldn't cooperate with her? Or was it something more?

Meanwhile, Qrolo was sitting sadly on the clouds when his friend Kenro arrived.

"Why don't you just tell her the truth?" Kenro said to Qrolo.

"She might not trust me anymore." Qrolo said as he gazed at the sky and the moving clouds.

"And if she finds out you kept it from her, do you think she'll trust you then?" Kenro replied.

Qrolo had no answer to that.

Qrolo didn't live in the real world. He was a creature who existed only in the world of dreams.

This was the truth he hid from Yana, which was why he couldn't meet her when she expected, as he had no ability to leave his realm.

Creatures like Qrolo were called Aruha. They were benevolent beings in the world of dreams, maintaining order and peace.

However, there were also malevolent creatures in the dream world called Ronoru. The mysterious being that kills in dreams was a type of Ronoru.

Ronoru didn't resemble humans. They looked like monsters, while Aruha had human-like forms.

Both Aruha and Ronoru had powers, but Ronoru used theirs for evil.

The Ronoru's sole goal was to escape the dream world and enter the human world.

They wanted to rule the human world, but the Aruha prevented this, striving to keep humans safe and their world peaceful.

Yet, the Ronoru were searching for ways to enter the human world. They started by killing people in their dreams, those who ended up in the dream world.

This was their first step towards gradually wiping out humans to eventually conquer the world. Their only problem left was to create a passage linking the dream world and the human world.

Qrolo was still sad, so he went to the temple where the oldest Aruha in the dream world resided.

This elder was named Derum. Qrolo often visited him when he was sad, and they would talk.

The elder had a unique power to see possible future events.

"Sad again?" the elder said upon Qrolo's arrival.

"You know it well."

"Because you're here again." replied Derum.

Qrolo headed straight to the altar of the temple and knelt as a sign of respect for the sacred place. Then he stood up and approached the elder again.

"Is there a way to enter the human world?" Qrolo asked suddenly.

"What you desire is the goal of the Ronoru. You know it's our duty as Aruha to keep the human and dream worlds separate." Derum said.

"I know, I don't wish for anything bad. I just want to help and see someone there." Qrolo said.

"It's already destined. A hundred years ago, a rogue Aruha tried and succeeded in entering the human world. The consequence of his actions was a curse, where his tears would cry out in unbearable pain, a price for a destined event that would open both worlds and start a battle among Ronoru, Aruha, and humans." the elder said mysteriously, staring out of the temple.

Qrolo couldn't understand Derum's words. He only grasped the part about the opening of the two separate worlds due to a destined event.

He knew what this meant: the time would come when the Ronoru would succeed in their goal of entering the human world.

This realization terrified Qrolo because when that happened, the Ronoru would surely annihilate all humans.

"The Ronoru will enter the human world?" Qrolo asked, seeking confirmation.

"There's nothing we can do as it is the fated consequence of a rogue Aruha." the elder said.

Qrolo swallowed hard out of fear.

"H-how will that happen?" Qrolo asked.

"That's as far as I can see." the elder replied.

"With the rising tides and the full moon, the two worlds will open, and the Ronoru will freely enter the human world." the elder said seriously.

"Stop saying that, it won't happen." Qrolo said.

He didn't want to believe it, as it was a dreadful vision. He didn't want it to come true.

"Don't worry. I'll find a way to prevent it, and I'll call for you when I discover what we can do." the elder said.

That day, Qrolo was restless. He hoped the elder was wrong about his visions. But since all his predictions had come true in the past, Qrolo was deeply afraid.

Qrolo quickly went to the sea. The waves were calm and not high, meaning the destined event hadn't happened yet.

He was facing the sea when he heard footsteps behind him, and turning around, he was surprised to see Yana.

"Why didn't you come?" she asked angrily.

Qrolo couldn't answer; he didn't know what to say.

"Do you know I waited for you? I waited so long but didn't see even a shadow of you." Yana said, tears falling from her eyes.

Qrolo felt a pang in his heart seeing the tears in Yana's sad eyes.

"You should've told me you didn't want to cooperate, and didn't want to come, so I wouldn't have waited for so long. You made me look like a foo—"

Yana stopped talking when Qrolo suddenly moved closer and hugged her tightly.

He was taller than her, so her face was buried in his chest.

"I wanted so much to come, I wanted so much to help you. Please believe me, but I can't, Yana. I can't do it, forgive me. I can only protect you here, in this world. In the world of dreams." Qrolo said while hugging Yana.

Yana couldn't fully understand what Qrolo meant.

"What are you saying?" Yana asked, confused.

"I lied to you, Yana. I'm not a human. I live only in the world of dreams. I have no way to enter your world, forgive me." Qrolo confessed sadly.