Chapter 26: The Revelation
Third Person's POV
Astra had just been discharged from the hospital, so they decided to grab a meal first. Afterward, they got back into the car and continued on their journey.
As they rode along, Armann couldn't help but feel sorry for Astra, so he kindly decided to take her to her Aunt Morph's former home.
Not far from Astra's house, Armann parked by the roadside. From there, they could see her house, barely recognizable in the darkness of the night. Its silhouette was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult for Astra to discern anything from where she stood.
Armann didn't allow Astra to approach the house yet, knowing it could be dangerous, especially since she had just been discharged from the hospital. He didn't want her to become more stressed, especially if she were to find out about her Aunt's absence.
Astra wasn't ready to go home either, still fearing what she might discover, so she preferred to view the house from a distance.
After a few minutes of gazing at the house, they continued driving down the road. Astra had no idea where they were heading, but she lacked the strength to dwell on it further.
For Astra, she's ready for whatever happens. She doesn't know who she's with or what will happen when they reach their destination but she doesn't care anymore.
She just gazes out of the window, and from there, her consciousness disconnects from her surroundings and she starts daydreaming.
Their journey lasts for three hours before the vehicle stops in front of a building.
"What place is this?" Astra asked as she got out of the vehicle, curiously.
"Welcome to my home. For the meantime, I want you to stay here with me. You'll be safe here," Armann replied, confident that his unit is safe.
Astra didn't respond, not wanting to prolong the conversation. She also didn't know where she was going, so she decided to just accept whatever was in front of her.
They went up to the 7th floor, and headed to unit 604. The room was minimalist and clean, with a touch of brown, black, and green in the decor. It seemed like someone lived there, evident from the neatly arranged belongings.
The place was incredibly elegant, yet Astra paid no attention to anything around her. She simply walked inside and sat down on the sofa.
Several days passed since Astra lived with the unfamiliar person. Since then, all Astra did was sleep, eat, and gaze out the window from afar. She didn't speak or even ask Armann anything.
"Astra? The dining is ready," Armann called out to Astra from the kitchen.
Astra still gazed out the window, but she could still hear her name being called. She stood up and made her way to the dining table.
When she arrived, she sat quietly at the table while Armann brought out the soup for the final dish. Armann joined her at the table, and from there, the two of them silently had their dinner.
Astra struggled to sleep at night, often finding herself in tears, evident from the puffy eyes she woke up with every morning.
Armann wanted to comfort Astra, but he didn't know how. So, he decided to start with a soft conversation. He cleared his throat and spoke gently, trying to ease the tension that hung in the air.
"Is it delicious?" Armann asked tentatively, but Astra only nodded in response.
"Oh, I see," Armann awkwardly replied. "If there's anything you want to eat, just let me know. You may not ask, but I'm good at cooking any dish," he added again to lighten the mood, but Astra just nodded again.
Armann felt deeply sorry for Astra. He couldn't do anything to cheer her up or even make her smile, until suddenly he had an idea.
"Are you really not going to speak? What a shame. I was going to take you to your old house, but maybe not anymore," Armann said with a hint of disappointment as bait.
Astra visibly slumped her shoulders at his words. Armann was surprised to see her reaction, prompting her to speak up her first word since she first got here.
"Really?" she asked with a sudden willingness to engage.
"Yeah, but maybe you don't want to," Armann teased, trying to prolong their conversation.
"No, I do! I really do!" Astra exclaimed excitedly.
"Which is it then? Do you not want to or do you want to?" Armann teased further, knowing full well what Astra meant, but enjoying extending their conversation.
"I want to," Astra quickly replied.
"Good! Let's finish our meal before we leave," Armann said, urging Astra to quickly finish her food.
Armann couldn't help but smile to himself as he watched Astra hurriedly clear the table, even though she wasn't finished yet.
'She's like a child bribed with a lollipop to obey orders,' Armann thought to himself.
After a few minutes, Armann descended to the parking lot. There, he saw Astra comfortably seated in the passenger seat, holding the car keys.
Armann couldn't help but smile quietly to himself once more because of this turn of events.
Several hours passed as Astra watched from afar the road leading to their house. Confusion was evident on her face as Armann suddenly parked in front of a dark and worn-out house.
The surroundings resembled a ghost town. There was no one outside, as if they had all left with only the lights in their houses left on. Only the light from the full moon is the source of light for the house to be visible. Astra's own house was engulfed in flames so its former liveliness was unrecognizable.
Astra approached their house tentatively until she reached the barrier tape. She didn't attempt to enter or get any more closer because she was still afraid of what she might discover there.
Armann stepped out of the car and sat on the gater of the road, in front of his car.
He simply watched Astra as she stared at their house. Like a drained battery, all strength and tears seemed to have been empty from Astra's eyes.
After a moment, Astra walked over to Armann. She sat beside him and asked, "What really happened that night?"
Unsure of what to do, Armann avoided eye contact and looked straight ahead.
"Please, who are you really? Some of my memories are missing. I can't even remember things clearly," Astra pleaded, but Armann remained silent.
Armann pondered whether it was time for Astra to know everything. He needed to be wise in his decision-making for Astra's safety and for the world's as well.
Seeing no sign of any consideration in Armann's eyes, Astra also looked straight ahead.
Feeling a new sense of unease, Astra bowed her head, down to her knees causing Armann to glance at her, though she was unaware of it.
Amidst her thoughts, Astra couldn't help but speak up out of nowhere.
"Can you just please let me know something? Just a few is fine," Astra pleaded while still bowing her head. "Can I trust you or are you one of them? I don't know who to believe in anymore!" she added. Confusion was evident in her tone.
These words opened the door for Armann to decide to tell her everything.
Armann felt deeply sorry for her. He realized that Astra was now alone in the world, so he couldn't just ignore her feelings.
"Don't worry. I'm on your side," he said, assuring her.
"How can I trust you when I don't even know you?" Astra asked, slightly turning her head to the right where Armann is.
"I am Armann, messenger of dreams, but for the meantime, I am the guardian of dreams. I was tasked to watch over you because your life is being sought after by the grim reaper," Armann explained.
Astra had already read about the Armanns and knew information about them, so she wasn't surprised, but she immediately felt fear upon hearing that the reaper was after her.
"But why? Is it my time already?" Astra asked innocently, despite her fear.
"Because you are a missing soul," Armann said solemnly.
"A missing soul? So, does that mean I was destined to die a long time ago?" Astra clarified, raising her head.
"Yes, and that's the reason why I was sent by the Elderly for this mission," Armann replied.
Astra was about to ask how she became a missing soul and who the Elderly were, but Armann spoke up again abruptly.
"But we should not only think about the grim reaper, but also about Nyx," Armann replied.
"Nyx? Who is she?" Astra asked curiously.
"The black humanoid figure you saw on that day," Armann continued, referring to the day their house burned down. "An evil being with the ability of darkness and nightmares. Nyx wants to unbalance the real world and dream world and spread nightmares to everyone," Armann explained.
"What does she have to do with me? I'm just a normal person," Astra said, confused.
"You're wrong, Astra. You're more than just a normal person because you're an Asling," Armann replied. Astra's expression showed confusion, prompting Armann to continue speaking. "Have you ever experienced frequent deja vu? Like seeing an event before it happens but not knowing where?"
Astra simply nodded and waited for Armann to speak again.
~ To be Continued ~