Rise of the Nameless Heir-Chapter 17: A Little More

My eyes snap wide open immediately, and the bright sunlight seeping through the window almost burns them, causing me to squint, and little drops of tears slide down.

The sun-kissed ceiling greets my squinted eyes as I stare blankly at it. My mind is still feeling a bit.. hazy, not yet recovered from the sleep.

All of a sudden, my eyes widen, and my chest vibrates as my heart pounds relentlessly against it.

"That dream..." I whisper. My voice scratches against my throat, and I breathe out a sigh of relief. I couldn’t speak in that dream.

I jolt immediately, taking off the white sheets and sitting on the bed without wasting any time.

It’s been a while since I had that dream.

As my thoughts wander, I move my neck, scanning the neatly arranged room, and a small, satisfied smile tugs at my lips.

I nod.

I am truly a neat person.

As I perceive the now familiar and pleasant scent of jasmine hovering in the air around the room, an unexpected yawn escapes my mouth, and I stretch my body, standing up from the bed.

That dream where I destroy the entire world. I haven’t dreamt of it ever since the apocalypse began back on Earth.

My legs are still weak. The subtle pain and harrowing exhaustion from yesterday’s training still echo across my body. But I ignored them, walking toward my room door.

I’d always had that dream ever since I turned fifteen back on Earth. I remember telling my Dad, but the old man just ignored me, smiling and talking it off. But I remember there was something odd about the way he smiled whenever I told him.

That dream..

Hmm,

Wait.

I pause. Just in front of the door, my hand caresses my chin.

Wait a good minute.

In the dreams, I had crystal blue eyes.

No. Not the me that I was, but the me that I am now. Ralyn.

But back on Earth, I didn’t have crystal blue eyes. My eyes were brown.

My eyes widen as I stare at the door. My mouth is half open.

"Huh?" I utter something between a self-question and an exclamation.

I shake my head, putting my hands on my hair and ruffling it.

"Come to think of it, when I had these dreams on Earth, I didn’t recognize the figure haloed under the red sun as ’me’. But when I dreamt of yesterday, I..." My words trail off, and I take a deep breath, walking away from the door, toward the direction of that desk where the hieroglyphic-like painted candle stands. Something I haven’t touched ever since I read Ralyn’s diary.

As I walk, I reach the mirror. Pause. Stare at my reflection for a moment.

It was the exact face I saw. Only that one was older. An adult. But it was still Ralyn nonetheless. It was still me.

I turn away from the mirror, walking back toward the door.

A to and fro movement. From the door to the mirror, and from the mirror back to the door again.

"So I had dreams of Ralyn before I became Ralyn? No, from before I even died. From before the Apocalypse. From before my father died." I mutter, my legs still moving on their own.

As I pace around the room, the motion eases the creeping dread that I feel welling up inside me.

A deep breath. I draw it in, closing my eyes. Then I breathe it out.

"This is a mystery." A calm whisper.

One that I have no way to solve right now.

I’ll just keep these facts in my head, as pieces of a giant puzzle. I hope that I’ll find more pieces to complete this puzzle.

I walk slowly toward the door, and I open the door.

"But for now, I have things that are more urgent to attend to. I want to get there before Dinan." I say as I close the door behind me, making my way to the bathroom.

____________

I’m standing alone in the fields, the ever-soothing breeze caressing my face and skin. I’m barefoot; I took off my boots the moment I came here.

Now my toes wiggle on the dirt-filled grass. My eyes were watching the sight of the grass swaying along with the current of the wind.

I close my eyes. Enjoying the breeze blowing against my face one more time.

"Hooo.." I exhale, taking off my green leather shirt. "Let’s run, before he comes."

I stretch my legs first, then my arms and shoulders. They crackle as I stretch them. The joints shift in place.

The sole of my feet ache slightly; the pain from yesterday’s running is still hitting them. But it’s not something that I can’t endure.

I immediately start running. Keeping my breath steady, my mind devoid of thoughts, and my eyes staring forward.

It feels different today. I don’t feel like I’m carrying two grown men while running. Because of that, I think I can run even faster than I did yesterday.

I increase my speed, my legs working faster than they usually do.

–Huff– –Huff–

I don’t think I’ve ever run this fast before. The breeze that I so much admire blows aggressively against my eyes and lips as I run.

I narrow my eyes, lower my head, and continue running. Faster. Faster than yesterday.

Ah, yes. This feeling is really great. But it feels different compared to what I felt while running yesterday. Sure, I’m faster than yesterday, but yesterday felt like I was on steroids. Like I was pushing past my limits.

A creaking sound echoes, and the air around the field changes.

I halt immediately.

Is Dinan finally here?

I turn, looking straight at the stone door.

My forehead wrinkles immediately, my face crumpling into an aggressive frown as I fold my fists instinctively.

"Ah, I came here to look for Vice-captain Dinan, as this is his usual training spot. But instead, I find a.. disgusting sight?" The figure standing just in front of the stone door speaks. He’s dressed in a fine, brown leather suit.

A sword hangs in the sheath strapped to his waist. And he slowly walks inside the field with refined steps. His hand is swooping his black hair behind his ear.

It’s that bastard back then in front of the Patriarch’s office. The one who bumped into my shoulder.

"And who the hell are you?" I growl, shooting a deadly glare at him.

He simply smiles. A wide, ugly smile. His legs move as he walks toward me.

"You don’t remember me?" He asks, his voice layered with a mixture of disdain and poignant hatred.