Chp 23 The dream
Grey nodded, pulling his sword from the lifeless neck of the enemy. "Alright."
He glanced toward the nearby carriages. "Some of the children in the carriage aren't waking up. I think they were given some kind of potion to put them to sleep. We should start moving toward the village. I don't know where we are... Do you?"
The woman replied, "Yes, I know this forest. The village is about 10 kilometers from here."
"Then we should get moving. Do you know how to control this carriage? I don't know how to ride a horse, so I won't be able to manage it."
"Yes, I can handle it."
Grey let out a relieved sigh, "Good..." But suddenly, his vision blurred, and he collapsed.
"Sir Knight! Are you alright?!" The woman rushed toward him, panic in her voice. Grey was unresponsive, lying unconscious on the ground.
With the help of the children, she lifted him into the carriage. As they started moving, one of the children spoke up, "We should wipe the blood off his face."
The woman nodded. "I'll handle it. Just stay calm." She focused on steering the carriage, glancing back at Grey's face, which was covered in blood.
As they neared the village, about two kilometers from the kidnappers' hideout, they emerged from the forest. Up ahead, they spotted Arthur, Ash, and several other soldiers waiting for them. Seeing the carriage, they signaled for it to stop.
Arthur dismounted from his horse and hurried to the back of the carriage, where Grey lay unconscious. Ash and the others followed closely behind.
A magician among the group examined Grey. "He's alright. Just exhausted."
Ash frowned, pointing at the woman. "Why are her clothes covered in blood?"
She quickly explained everything that had transpired. Arthur listened in silence before murmuring under his breath, "So you've finally faced your fear, Grey... Rest now. There's still a long road ahead for you to becoming a hero."
Then, turning to his squad, he commanded, "Retreat back to the fortress. Send some soldiers to investigate the kidnappers' hideout."
Meanwhile, in Grey's mind, everything was dark.
"Where am I? I can't see anything..."
A bright light appeared in the distance. Slowly, he walked toward it, curiosity compelling him forward. As he reached the light, it shattered the darkness, revealing his home. He looked down—his body had transformed into that of his nine-year-old self.
"What is happening?" he murmured.
He turned his head and saw his house. The front door creaked open, and his mother's warm voice called out, "Grey, what are you doing outside? Come in."
He couldn't process anything, but his body moved on its own. He stepped inside, going with the flow of the scene. His mother smiled. "Dinner is ready. Go to the dining hall. Your father is already there."
Entering the dining hall, he saw his father waiting at the table, a warm expression on his face. "My son, come here and sit by me."
Grey nodded, taking a seat as his family enjoyed a happy dinner together.
Suddenly, the house alarm buzzed. His mother stood up and called out, "The police are here!"
Grey walked toward the door and saw two officers standing outside. One of them spoke firmly, "Your son is a killer. We have to take him into custody for murdering a group of people."
His mother and father defended him desperately. "How could our son do such a thing?!"
Grey yelled, "I didn't kill anyone!"
The police grabbed him roughly. His parents tried to protect him, but he was dragged away. He struggled, crying, "Mom! Dad! Help me!"
Then, suddenly, the officers' faces morphed into the faces of the kidnappers he had slain. They spoke; their voices filled with sorrow.
"Why did you kill me? I was just trying to make a living for my family."
"I have a wife who's pregnant... Now, who will take responsibility for my child?"
Grey's expression turned pale, his fear consuming him. "I killed you because... because you were evil! You deserved to die!" Tears streamed down his face as he screamed in despair.
The world shattered again.
He found himself back in the dining hall, where his family was eating dinner. But something was different. The atmosphere was heavy, suffocating. His father smiled, "I'll take a day off today. Let's go to the amusement park."
His mother chuckled. "Honey, you're spoiling him."
Grey wanted to speak, to warn them, but he couldn't. His body wasn't listening. Instead, he heard himself reply with excitement, "Yay! Dad, let's go!"
Inside his mind, he screamed, "No! Please don't go! Don't go to the amusement park!"
But no one could hear him.
His younger self dressed happily, got into the car with his parents, and they drove off. Grey, still trapped in his mind, kept pleading, "Please, don't go! I don't want to see this again!"
The car sped down the road. Grey's father smiled. "Are you excited?"
"Yes! Drive faster!" his younger self responded.
"No!" Grey screamed inside. "A truck is coming up ahead! Please stop!"
But the words never left his mouth.
The truck came out of nowhere. A deafening crash. Darkness.
When Grey opened his eyes again, he was outside his body. He saw his younger self kneeling beside his parents' lifeless bodies, sobbing.
"Mom! Dad! Wake up! Please!"
Grey fell to his knees, shaking. "It's all my fault..."
The world around him shattered again.
His parents' figures appeared; their expressions empty. "You're the one who killed us. You're a killer."
Then, the kidnappers emerged, their hollow eyes staring at him. "You're a murderer."
Grey gasped, his breath quickening. His chest tightened as if the air had been sucked from his lungs.
Then—
His eyes shot open. He was back in reality, gasping, his heart pounding wildly. He clutched his chest, feeling as though he had just run a marathon. Sweat dripped down his forehead.
A figure stood beside him—a doctor.
"You finally woke up," the doctor said with a smirk. "You have a great talent for sleeping, but why do you look so exhausted? Are you alright?"
Grey steadied his breath, his mind still reeling. He muttered under his breath, "I'm back... to reality."
The doctor nodded. "Good. Get some more rest. I'll inform the commander."