Dream Sequence – A Sky That Never Was
Dream Sequence – A Sky That Never Was
Somewhere deep within the labyrinth of Seraphim–00's consciousness, a slumbering dream unfolded.
In this ephemeral realm, there was no overarching mission pressing down on her, no blazing inferno to escape, and no urgent commands thundering within the confines of her mind. Numbers and calculations that dictated her every move in the waking world were absent, replaced instead by an overwhelming sense of freedom.
Only the gentle caress of the wind filled the air. Above her stretched a breathtaking sky, not marred by flames or conflict—just infinite blue arching overhead, a celestial canvas that seemed to breathe alongside her.
Elira stood barefoot on an enchanting field of ethereal silver grass that danced and swayed as if alive, each blade whispering secrets beneath her feet. The stars overhead twinkled in a serene glow, low and inviting, as though they had shifted positions in the twilight just to bask their light on her alone.
She was devoid of her usual armor, that heavy second skin which had protected her in battles long past. Instead, she was clothed only in a simple gray tunic, a humble garment that Seris once gifted to her during a time lost to the fog of memory.
Elira could not pinpoint the exact moment when this gift had been exchanged, nor could she recall the day it first graced her shoulders. What she did remember vividly, however, was the warmth of the fabric against her skin, the laughter that bubbled forth when she tried it on and found it comically large. She could picture Seris, rolling up the sleeves with a mischievous glint in her eyes, saying, "It looks better on you," a declaration that triggered a gentle warmth in her heart.
With a sudden cadence, Elira turned to her side.
And there she stood.
Seris.
Not the fierce warrior, the blade-dancer who had once taken on armies single-handedly, but simply Seris—her true self as she once was, untouched by the shadows of conflict and pain, before the smoke of war had settled firmly between them, and before the daggers of guilt built impenetrable walls.
Seris wore a smile that radiated pure warmth.
It was not forced or tinged with sadness but rather resembled a treasured memory, a cherished piece of home that encompassed everything Elira had ever longed for.
"You found me," Elira murmured, her voice a barely audible whisper, reverberating in the tranquility of the dream.
Seris stepped forward with deliberate slowness, as if she were navigating a fragile bubble, terrified that any abrupt motion would shatter this precious moment and send it spiraling away into the void.
"I never stopped looking," she reassured softly.
As Elira absorbed this warmth, her voice shook, raw with emotion. "You promised you'd come back."
In that instant, the light in Seris's smile faltered, cracking as if burdened by the weight of time and unfulfilled promises. She knelt gracefully, cradling Elira's hand in her own.
"I'm sorry it took so long," she whispered, her voice soaked in sincerity.
Elira cast her gaze downward, studying her own hands.
No armor surrounded these hands.
Just fingers—ordinary in their appearance yet bearing the marks of struggle and survival.
"They made me forget everything," she stated, vulnerability echoing in her words.
Seris nodded, tears glistening in her eyes, realizing the depth of what was lost. "But you still remember me."
"How is that even possible?" Elira questioned, incredulity mingling with hope.
Seris reached out gently, brushing her fingers against Elira's forehead in a gesture of connection and understanding.
"Because memory isn't merely stored away like a forgotten book on a dusty shelf. It's something that's loved, and love is resilient. It survives even the most harrowing of storms."
The gentle breeze began to pick up, and the silver grass around them turned dark, shadowed by an unseen weight hanging in the atmosphere.
Elira's heart raced as she looked upward.
The stars were beginning to fade, their comforting brightness dimming away.
In a moment of desperation, she clasped Seris's hand tighter, as if her grip alone could anchor them both in this fragile reality. "Please, don't leave me again," she implored, panic threading through each word.
Seris wrapped her arms around Elira, her presence a soothing balm, and whispered tenderly into her hair, brushing her fingertips along the nape of Elira's neck.
"Then wake up," she urged. "Fight the fire they planted in you. Let your true voice break through the silence."
"I'll be here, waiting for you. Every step you take, I'll be just behind you," she vowed, her voice laced with unwavering loyalty.
The stars faded completely then.
But the warmth of their connection lingered, a cocoon shielding Elira from the encroaching despair.
Just for a fleeting moment longer.
"Elira," Seris whispered softly, her voice echoing with layers of emotion.
"You're still in there," she reminded gently, her words a lifeline in the darkness.
And then, without warning, the dream shattered.
A chilling wave crashed over her, dragging away the warmth and comfort of the dreamlike realm. The cold metal of her past returned, a prison of steel encasing her limbs, the relentless codes coursing through her veins like ice, and a mission igniting a firestorm in her skull.
Yet, among the chaos, one word endured.
Buried deep within her, but not erased.
Elira.
And for the very first time in years—
She hesitated, the weight of her obedience faltering just slightly.
-End Of Side Story-