Give me a ticket on the train of lost memories !

Aldo slowly opens his eyes, realizing he is wearing his familiar outfit and mask, now partially on the left side of his face. He lies beneath large fragments of broken wood. After some effort, he sits up, the sound of wood pieces falling to the floor echoing around him. Four large wooden fragments tumble to the ground. Aldo presses his hands firmly against the wooden floor, takes a deep breath, and struggles to move his heavy legs. He bends his knees and gradually stands up. As he straightens, he suddenly lurches forward, his right hand luckily grabbing the windowsill, maintaining his balance. He looks around and sees the collapsed roof and large wooden pieces scattered on the floor in heaps. Ten people who had been suffering from a fever are now crushed by the large debris, with pools of blood spreading out beside them. The stench of blood and the smoke from a nearby fire mix into an unpleasant, indescribable odor. Aldo removes the debris from each person, checking their breathing, silently leaving when he finds all ten of them lifeless, motionless, and presumably dead. He glances at the bodies, revealing only an arm or a leg, his helpless eyes wide beneath the lifeless mask. He climbs out of the ruined house through a broken window, rests for a moment, panting heavily, the only sound he hears in the dawn.

Three women in purple robes appear after the collapse.

"A surprise attack, I wasn't prepared at all..." Aldo breathes evenly, then stands up, facing them.

His eyes focus on the three women. The one on the left has fair skin, short blonde hair, and brown eyes, tall and slender. The one in the middle is half a head taller, with brown skin, short black hair, and black eyes. The one on the right is an elderly woman with long white hair, short and hunched. When Aldo stands up, they immediately stop, their eyes wide with surprise, only five meters away from Aldo.

Aldo feels the tension in the air as the three women in purple robes stare at him. He tries to remain calm, but his heart pounds in his chest. His earlier words were just a way to cover his surprise and anxiety.

The woman with blonde hair and brown eyes steps forward, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Aldo, I didn't expect to see you here," she says coldly.

Aldo stays calm, breathing evenly, and responds, "Who are you? I don't know you. Get away from me! You're annoying!"

The blonde woman raises an eyebrow in confusion and surprise.

The woman in the middle, with brown skin and short black hair, chuckles softly. "Typical of every man we've met..." she says, her voice gentle yet authoritative. "But this time, you won't escape."

"I really don't understand what you want..." Aldo half-closes his eyes, thinking.

The third woman, the elderly one with long white hair, stands silently, looking at Aldo with deep, penetrating eyes as if she sees right through him. She doesn't say anything, but her presence makes Aldo feel she's an easy opponent.

Aldo tries to keep his spirits high. "What do you want?" he asks, his voice emotionless.

The blonde woman answers, "We want you to come with us and atone for what your group has done."

Aldo asks skeptically, "Come with you? For what?" he repeats.

The woman with brown skin frowns, "Is it not obvious? Your group killed a pious, innocent believer of ours. You murdered innocent people, and she was just an elderly woman who couldn't defend herself, simply helping others."

"By destroying, devastating, and turning people into creatures and puppets, a truly 'defenseless' old woman...," Aldo replies sarcastically, "Helzard and Auburn were just doing their jobs, unfortunately, the 'defenseless old woman' wouldn't let anyone live, truly 'merciful'~"

"So you refuse?" the blonde woman frowns at Aldo with displeasure.

Aldo nods slightly.

"If that's your choice..." the blonde woman sighs, closing her eyes. Suddenly, the woman with brown skin steps forward, using her arms to block Aldo, who had just stood up and was about to punch. All of Aldo's actions happen in a blink, his speed and reflexes so fast that the fabric of the purple robe covering the woman's head flutters, making her instinctively grab it with both hands. The woman with brown skin kicks, causing Aldo to step back a few meters.

"Does she have super strength?" he squints, thinking.

Immediately, the blonde woman spreads her hands, shooting a blue energy ball towards Aldo. It explodes with a loud bang, smoke, and dust covering Aldo. From the women's perspective, they hear the sizzling sound of burning flesh.

"Is he dead?" the blonde woman pants, still shocked by what happened. "He reacted too fast...I wonder if he dodged it?"

"Certainly not, the sizzling sound like burning flesh proves he was incinerated..." the brown-skinned woman smiles, patting the blonde woman on the shoulder.

"Oh no, he tore your robe, and your skin is scratched badly," the elderly woman says, holding the brown-skinned woman's hands and arms, lightly scratched but spread across both arms.

"Don't worry about me, ma'am, it's just a minor injury, it'll heal quickly," the woman smiles.

"Let me heal you with my Healing Breath," the elderly woman leans closer to the brown-skinned woman's wound.

"Old lady, get away!" Aldo suddenly appears next to the elderly woman, pushing her hard, sending her flying several meters and falling to the ground, groaning in pain.

The brown-skinned woman and the blonde woman widen their eyes at Aldo, now in a black robe, covered in mud and tattered.

Suddenly, the light scratches on the brown-skinned woman swell and turn red, making her grit her teeth, enduring the irritation, trying to scratch the red spots. Aldo kicks her, causing her to fall to the ground. The itching becomes uncontrollable, making the woman open her eyes wide in discomfort, trying to scratch to soothe the itch.

The blonde woman steps back a few paces, spreading her hands again.

"Your energy ball only works when it collides with a solid or liquid object, like water or a wooden block. So, I just need to grab a handful of dirt and throw it at the ball to make it explode farther away, causing less damage to me. If I use your friend as a shield, it will have a similar effect. Besides, I'm fast enough to do that..." Aldo says coldly, emotionlessly.

The blonde woman's eyes dart around, trembling with obvious confusion, but she remains determined, spreading her hands wider as a blue ball forms and grows.

"If you continue, I can still easily dodge, and behind me is the old woman in pain and struggling to stand. And the red spots on your friend's body won't go away soon," Aldo continues, pouring a bottle of tree sap on the brown-skinned woman's back. The blonde woman hesitates, looking around, clearly conflicted.

The elderly woman's groans and the constant scratching and moaning of the brown-skinned woman continue in the silent scene.

The blonde woman lowers her hands, the energy ball disappearing. She bows her head.

"I surrender..." she mutters.

Aldo says nothing, then leaves with the intention of finding other villagers. Before leaving, he says, "It's just sap from the Pontederia cordata tree. Just find soap and wash it with water, the rash will subside, then quickly find a priest or a decent doctor to heal it..."

And then he disappears into the village, now engulfed in flames.

The blonde woman silently watches Aldo walk into and vanish in the fire, then quickly finds a green soap bar next to the ruined wooden house.

Helzard suddenly awakens from his dream. Surprise is clear in his wide-open eyes. He looks around and realizes he is in his bedroom on Earth.

The bedroom still combines elements of Industrial and Contemporary design seamlessly, creating a stylish and functional space with its unique character. The white-painted brick wall, a hallmark of Industrial style, adds texture and a raw, unfinished look, while the metal single bed reinforces this aesthetic with its sturdy, simple structure. Complementing these Industrial features, the room incorporates clean lines and neutral colors typical of Contemporary design, using shades of blue, white, and gray to evoke a modern and tranquil atmosphere. The room is further personalized with a space or astronomy theme, like light brown drawings of rockets and stars on the walls. Practicality is enhanced with functional furniture, including a desk and chair for a study area. Decorative accessories, such as an "M" letter on the wall, uniquely designed lamps, and a wall clock, add personality and interest to the space. Additionally, the combination of patterns and textures on the bedding and blankets adds to the cozy and inviting atmosphere of the room. Overall, this bedroom is a prime example of the harmonious blend of Industrial and Contemporary styles, adorned with a space-focused theme, creating a visually appealing environment.

Helzard gets up, takes heavy steps to the bathroom. While brushing his teeth, he looks at himself in the mirror and notices that his eyes are now normal again, and he is not wearing his eye patch anymore. Another curiosity arises, and he runs to the window, looking outside. It's still the familiar street where he grew up.

"So... it was just a dream," Helzard says.

At the moment, he is wearing just a light blue T-shirt and matching shorts. Helzard checks his Samsung phone, a gift from his mother. It is Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 5:18 AM. 

He smiles.

"That dream was just a nightmare," he thinks. 

"Anyway, it helps me appreciate the moments I live."

"Well, now it's time to start a new day."

Helzard turns off his phone and steps out of the bathroom. The early morning sparrow songs create a gentle symphony from afar, mingling with the rustling leaves in the light breeze. He enters the living room, gazing at the familiar house filled with memories from his childhood. The dark brown wooden chair, the wooden table with his mother's business books scattered around, and the landscape painting his grandfather took during a trip to Ha Long Bay in the 2000s, with its clear blue waters and lush green islands, hanging on the wall.

Helzard walks into the kitchen, opens the fridge, and takes out a 1.5-liter carton of Vinamilk cow's milk. He pours himself a glass, sipping the sweet, cold milk, feeling more awake. He decides to take a walk to enjoy the fresh morning air.

Leaving the house, Helzard walks along the familiar street where he grew up and made countless memories. The high, narrow, tin-roofed houses are packed close together, each running a business selling various items like sticky rice, watches, glasses, and clothes. The green shade trees, and friendly neighbors who always greet him whenever he walks by. Today, the street is unusually quiet, with only a few early risers exercising: a middle-aged man with dark skin—the owner of a large wood processing business in the province, a young woman with fair, rosy skin and a fit body, whom his mother mentioned as Oanh, a fitness trainer at a town gym, and an unknown boy, about 7-8 years old, energetically running along the sidewalk, embodying youth and vitality.

He stops at a park (which is also a public garden) near his house, where a river flows through, and many flowers are in bloom. Sitting on a stone bench, Helzard closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and feels a sense of peace wash over him. He recalls last night's dream, long and eerily realistic, despite knowing the terrifying images of slavery, chains, blood, and abuse were not real, but still feels grateful it was just a dream.

Helzard looks around and sees an elderly couple walking hand in hand, smiling and chatting happily. He smiles, thinking about the future, hoping he will find simple happiness like that. As the sun begins to rise higher, Helzard heads back home. He decides to spend the day doing what he loves.

Helzard sits in front of his Dell laptop, opens Coral Painter, and prepares to start a new project. He has been thinking about this painting for a long time, and now it's time to bring the idea to life.

Starting with a sketch, Helzard uses his digital pen to create the basic outlines of the painting. First is the low hills, teeming with green trees, with their lush canopies interweaving. He focuses on drawing each small detail, from the trunks to the smallest leaves, to create a vibrant and natural landscape.

Next, Helzard draws the rice fields beneath the hills. The straight, green rows stretch far, creating a serene and fertile landscape. He adds small details like the lines on the rice leaves, bringing liveliness and realism to the painting.

When he moves on to drawing the farmers plowing the fields, Helzard focuses on their every movement, every small detail. He draws the conical hats, the simple work clothes, and the working postures of each person. Every detail is carefully crafted, creating a vivid and dynamic labor scene.

Finally, Helzard starts drawing the main character of the painting—a girl with tan skin, wearing a white dress, sitting and reading a book. He spends a lot of time sketching her face, with a gentle and focused expression as she reads. Her eyes are drawn meticulously, with a bright look, showing her passion and curiosity while immersed in the world of the book.

Helzard feels a surge of excitement as he begins to color the painting. He chooses bright and gentle colors to create a painting with a distinctive anime style. The hills are colored with various shades of green, from light to dark, creating richness and depth for the landscape. The rice fields are colored green, creating a fresh and fertile feeling.

When it comes to coloring the farmers, Helzard uses warm tones, like brown and light yellow, to harmonize with the surrounding landscape. He adds small details like sunlight casting shadows on their bodies, creating realism and closeness in the painting.

The last part is coloring the girl. Helzard chooses gentle and delicate colors, like white, light pink, and blue. The white dress is colored meticulously, with fine folds and small details like lace edges. The girl's tan skin is colored with light brown, creating contrast but also harmony with the surrounding landscape. The book in her hands is colored blue, adding a highlight to the painting.

When the painting is finished, Helzard looks at his work with pride. He feels happy and satisfied with the result, sensing the vibrancy and freshness in every detail. A smile spreads across his face as he admires the serene landscape, the diligent farmers, and the girl engrossed in her book.

Helzard decides to save the painting and share it with friends on social media, hoping to receive feedback and suggestions to improve his skills. He feels full of energy and enthusiasm to continue creating.

An hour later, there are many positive comments on his post.

Truongchay-8-2 (This guy is Veritas): "Beautiful, keep it up! Time to wake up!"

Quangminh (This guy is Auburn): "Wonderful!"

Chixinhdep: "♥♥♥"

Tanhai (This guy is Fermos): "Awesome!"

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupts Helzard's thoughts. He furrows his brow, walks over to the door, and opens it. Before he can see who it is, the person slaps him hard. They continue to slap his face relentlessly, and then a massive wave of water floods the room.

Helzard closes his eyes. After a moment, the feeling of being submerged vanishes. He opens his eyes and is shocked to find himself lying in the middle of a village, surrounded by thatched-roof houses ablaze. The intense flames seem to want to engulf everything. It turns out, that was just a dream. This is the reality he must face.

"You finally woke up!" Veritas exclaims, releasing his grip on Helzard's collar.

"You woke me up by slapping me and throwing cold water on my face?" Helzard asks, sitting up, confused.

"Exactly. That woman ensnared you in too deep a dream," Veritas replies.

"Who?" Helzard raises an eyebrow, looking around.

"There!" Veritas smiles, pointing at a woman in a purple cloak, lying face down with her hands over her head. Aldo is repeatedly kicking her. "Aldo, stop it. No more violence; I've saved everyone who survived," Veritas says with a frown.

"Alright, let's go!" Aldo stops and replies.

A crowd of 32 people stands nearby. Veritas runs towards the desert, Helzard follows, and the crowd follows suit. Aldo is the last to leave, ensuring no survivors are left behind. After looking around and confirming, he also heads towards the desert.

In the distance, a caravan of camels gradually appears.

"We're saved!" a boy shouts in happiness.

A tear of regret rolls down Helzard's cheek, unnoticed by anyone else.