After a long day of adventures, Elena collapsed onto her bed as if her body could no longer bear its own weight. She closed her eyes, and within moments, she had drifted into a sleep so profound it felt as though she were sinking to the bottom of an endless sea.
Then came the dream...
It was vivid and sharp, closer to reality than any dream she had ever known. Voices echoed from everywhere, calling out to her, whispering her name:
"Elena... Elena... Elena... Unveil the shroud of truth..."
The voices were unlike anything she had heard before—simultaneously near and far, fading only to return. They were terrifying. She began to run subconsciously, her feet pounding against the soft green grass, her breath ragged. With a trembling voice, she cried out:
"What truth...?"
The voice returned as she ran, chanting in a haunting melody:
"You must discover it."
Suddenly, she stopped before a wall of hanging vines, as if nature itself were trying to hide something from her. She slowly raised her hands, gasping for air, her eyes fluttering as time itself seemed to gradually slow down. She pushed the branches aside... and froze at what she saw.
There was her mother, Rosie, smiling with pure joy. Everyone was there: her father Ravaz, Tabitha, Khaiso, Senita, and Ryo; some of her university colleagues, her mother's friends, and even people she didn't recognize.
Everyone was radiating happiness. The place looked like paradise. An arbor of red and white roses intertwined with green leaves, a sea as calm as a soul soothed after tears, and a clear sky at the edge of sunset. Elena took a deep breath and whispered:
"I am on Earth... yes, I am there."
She ran toward her mother and Ryo, trying to touch them, to speak to them with longing... but they could neither hear nor see her, as if she did not exist. Suddenly, the voice returned, but this time it was different—deeper, closer, as if whispering inside her rather than in her ears:
"Contemplate the future... before you."
Elena stepped toward the rose arbor, her breath quickening and her heart pounding as if it might burst from her chest. Before she reached it, the bride and groom standing under the trellis turned around.
Yes... it was her, the bride, standing beside a mysterious figure whose features she couldn't distinguish—the groom. They were laughing as if the world held no pain. She had never seen herself this happy. The dancing light in her eyes seemed to shine even brighter than her joy. She smiled subconsciously; she truly loved what she saw.
But... the vision did not last. The terrifying voice returned, more solemn than before:
"You have seen your future. Now, turn to your present... your wish... it was destined to die... but your wish granted it the light of Azaveria to live within. You are precious, Elena, the precious one of Azaveria. You are invaluable."
Listening to that voice, Elena felt a wave of confusion and fear. Then, she felt a burning hand touch her shoulder, and a voice she knew well called her name in deep agony. She turned in horror.
"Ryo... is that you?"
The world faded around her. All that remained was him—the person before her was completely charred, as if cast into a merciless fire. His blackened skin was still being gnawed by flames, and his eyes pleaded with her in unbearable pain.
"Elena... save me..."
She gasped and bolted upright, her heart racing so violently she thought she might faint. She sat in bed, unable for a moment to distinguish between dream and reality. With visible dread, she murmured:
"Ryo... what happened to you?"
Elena looked around in a daze, but she quickly remembered where she was. She whispered hoarsely:
"Zill... what time is it?"
Zill answered calmly: "It is a bit late."
Elena took a deep breath and added: "Why didn't you wake me?"
Zill said softly: "I saw that your body had not yet reached the rest it required... so I did not."
Elena said gratefully: "Thank you for your care."
But her heart would not settle. She asked in a worried tone:
"Zill... that dream I had... is it normal?"
Zill was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "It troubled me as well. I am not sure if it was..." She trailed off.
Zill was wondering if what Elena saw was a fixed future timeline or an illusion. As for the rest, she was certain. After a moment's thought, she said:
"Do not worry, Elena. I will look into the matter, and when you return, I will tell you everything."
Elena stood up with difficulty, but Zill quickly opened a glowing door on the wall and pointed to the Charging Corner. She said:
"Elena, go there to receive all the energy you need to recharge your light."
Elena said wearily: "I want to bathe."
Zill smiled faintly and said: "The Charging Corner provides you with everything you need."
Elena stepped forward, her feet heavy, until she reached the glowing corner where veins of light intertwined above her like an endless woven fabric. She stood there, closed her eyes, and let the energy flow into every part of her light, reviving her and restoring her vitality. She felt as though she were being born anew.
She whispered happily: "This is wonderful."
Zill smiled calmly: "I know."
Afterward, Zill opened a door leading outside and said:
"Hurry... your father is waiting for you. He has asked about you several times."
Elena stepped out of the house, looking around in bewilderment. She gazed at the sky, wondering about the meaning of the dream that had visited her. Something inside her told her that Ryo was not okay, but she couldn't be sure based on just a dream. She swallowed those fears and told herself they might just be illusions.
As she walked slowly toward her father's house, the sense of turmoil in her heart continued silently. The door to her father's house opened on its own the moment she stood before it. Elena entered hesitantly, not knowing exactly what awaited her, but her heart was thumping loudly.
Ravaz smiled warmly, his eyes shimmering with a soft light. He bowed slightly and opened his arms, speaking in a gentle, fatherly voice full of affection:
"Good morning, my little one... did you sleep well?"
Elena looked at him shyly and smiled. She said:
"Good morning to you too."
Ravaz motioned for her to come closer:
"Come, I want you to tell me everything about yesterday."
With a childlike bashfulness, Elena approached him, feeling a tightness in her chest she didn't quite understand. She had never lived with him, never known him before, but now she felt as if she had known him forever—as if her soul belonged to him.
She stood before him, her eyes shining with shyness just like his, and whispered softly:
"Yes, it was a beautiful day... Azaveria is stunning in its formations and beauty... but I was truly exhausted yesterday. Perhaps that is why I slept so late. This isn't like me."
Ravaz laughed affectionately, placed his hand gently on her shoulder, and said:
"It is alright..."