Chapter 4: Dreams

"So, how was it?" Jin asked Zen as he finished his first day of university. 

"Not bad. I still haven't made any acquaintances yet, but I'm sure I can find someone," Zen replied to Jin's question. 

"Or maybe you will find yourself a girlfriend or boyfriend if that is what you're into, HAHA," Jim said jokingly to Zen. 

"Come on, don't say stuff like that, Jim. It's his first day at uni for god's sake," Anne told Jim to stop teasing Zen. 

"What!? Come on, Anne, Zen is a good-looking guy. I'm surprised that there is no horde of girls or guys swarming him right now," Jim continued with his joke about Zen. 

"Hey, stop it!" Anne once again told Jim to stop teasing Zen. 

"Thanks for the compliment, Jim. But I'm just an average-looking guy," Zen humbled himself. 

"Alright, enough about Zen's looks. Let's go get food; I'm starving," Jin changed the subject.

"Yeah, me too," Zen said. 

"Fine," Jim said, looking down. 

"Finally, I have been waiting all day," Anne agreed with Jin and Zen

Some time passed, and Zen escorted Jim and Anne back to their dorm room. Now, only he and Jin remained, and both of them desired a private conversation. Thus, they decided to adjourn to Zen's house.

"Jin, I have something to ask you about," Zen said to Jin.

"What is it?" Jin inquired.

"Lately, I've been having weird dreams, and they seem to be getting more intense each day," Zen confessed.

"Tell me about it," Jin encouraged Zen to share.

Zen began to describe what he had been experiencing in his dreams. He recalled one of his initial dreams where he found himself seated in a chair in his house overlooking the farm he owned with pride and joy. He witnessed all the crops growing nicely, ready to be harvested, and the animals roaming happily across the green fields. Suddenly, as if in the blink of an eye, the sky turned blood-red, and a horde of dragons began flying endlessly through portals, destroying all his crops and leaving the animals dead on the ground. It was a terrifying sight for Zen, who woke abruptly from the dream.

"Jesus, Zen, that's a terrifying dream," Jin remarked, with fear evident in his expression.

"Well, let's just say that's just the tip of the iceberg," Zen replied, his expression sad.

Zen continued to recount more of his dreams. He described how it felt like watching a movie, picking up where the previous dream left off. He walked through fields littered with dead bodies, some of whom were people he was close to, like Jin, Han, and his family members. This shook Zen to the core, leaving him panicked and scared as he searched for any survivors. He encountered a hooded figure, covered in blood that didn't belong to him, but seemingly that of the deceased.

"Are you the bastard who did this!!!" Zen demanded angrily, a surge of emotion coursing through him like never before. Once again, he woke abruptly from the dream.

"Zen, why haven't you told me about this sooner?" Jin asked, his concern for Zen evident.

"I thought it was just going to be a weird dream thing, but I guess not," Zen replied, his gaze downcast.

"You might as well tell me everything else, Zen," Jin urged him to continue the conversation.

Over the past few days, Zen has been plagued by the same recurring dreams. In these dreams, he finds himself locked in an intense battle with a mysterious figure cloaked in a hood. Despite his efforts, Zen is unable to land a single blow on his opponent. Strangely, he discovers that his Forces (superpowers) are inaccessible within these dreams, leaving him vulnerable. Each encounter ends with Zen's demise, only for him to awaken in a state of confusion. Despite his persistence, Zen remains unable to extract any answers from this mysterious adversary.

"However, with each passing day, I find myself improving, able to anticipate his movements," Zen confides to Jin.

"I understand. Facing such battles within your dreams must be challenging," Jin sympathizes with Zen's plight.

"I haven't shared this with Han yet. I don't want to burden him with my troubles," Zen admits to Jin, confiding in him as the only person aware of his recurring nightmares.

"I believe it would be wise to confide in him. Han's experience and wisdom may offer valuable insight. I'm not sure how much assistance I can provide," Jin suggests, urging Zen to seek Han's guidance.

"I'll consider reaching out to him tonight," Zen hesitates, recognizing Han's dedication to helping him unravel the mystery.

"I appreciate your trust in me, but this matter may be beyond my expertise. Han will know how to help," Jin reassures Zen, offering a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Jin. Let me give you a ride home," Zen says, feeling a sense of relief as he offers to drive Jin back."

"The moment has arrived, my brethren. Today marks the culmination of our efforts, as one of our own has successfully extinguished the life of Alex Kings, the young royal brat," declares a fervent member, igniting the fervour of the assembly.

Unbeknownst to them, their jubilation stems from a fabricated narrative; the supposed demise of Alex Kings orchestrated by Han Red as part of Alex's elaborate ruse to start anew.

"Let us revel in this triumph, for we have struck a blow against the tyrannical rule of the Unity Nation, a regime that neglects its people and perpetuates their suffering," the speaker continues, rallying the congregation with impassioned rhetoric.

"I propose that we extend our righteous cause by eliminating another of their corrupt royalty - Raiden Kings. Not only is he unfaithful to his betrothed, Kate Redwood, but he also shamelessly squanders the hard-earned taxes of the UN populace on illicit pursuits. A man of such depravity has no place ruling over us; we must purge him from our midst once and for all," proclaims the leader, his words met with fervent agreement from the assembled throng.

With fervent zeal, they chant and cheer, united in their resolve to eradicate what they perceive as the malignant forces that plague their world, one royal target at a time.

Amidst the revelry and fervour of The Night's celebration, a solitary figure lurks in the shadows - Noah William, a covert operative dispatched by the Unity Nation.

"Damn, this is dire. Their sights are set on Sir Raiden next. I must relay this information to the king and our allies without delay," Noah ruminates, his mind racing with urgency as he clandestinely records every detail of the nefarious plot unfolding before him.