Dream & Beginning

"Boom!"

The deafening explosion echoed across the highway.

"Run! Everyone, run!" Fear-stricken people fled in all directions, paying no heed to the chaos around them.

"Boom!"

Another explosion shattered the night, and flames consumed the vehicles in their path.

The ground was littered with lifeless bodies, creating a nightmarish scene.

Amidst the blazing wreckage of several cars, the desperate cries of a child pierced the air.

"Mommy! Where are you?" The little boy sobbed, his tear-streaked face showing his terror as he searched for his mother.

"Don't leave me, Mom!" The child's face turned ghostly pale as he confronted the roaring inferno and the pandemonium engulfing him.

Amidst the boy's bitter cries, a woman's voice suddenly pierced through the roaring flames.

"Aether! Where are you, baby?!" The frantic tone of the woman's voice prompted the boy to stop crying, his ears straining to locate the source.

"Mom! Mom! I'm here!" With great effort, the boy forced himself to his feet and followed the sound until he caught a glimpse of a woman, her face etched with panic as she scanned the chaotic scene.

Spotting his mother, the boy called out with all his might.

"Mom!"

In an instant, the woman spun around, her face lighting up with joy.

"My dear Aether!" Without a second thought for the flames that surrounded her, she rushed toward her son.

"Mommy!" Tears welled up in the boy's eyes as he ran toward his mother, his heart filled with longing.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted from above, causing the boy to freeze in shock.

His gaze shot upward, and he spotted a massive iron pillar hurtling down directly toward him.

His small body locked in place, and fear etched itself onto his tiny face.

"No! Aether!" The woman, realizing that the iron pillar was about to strike her son, screamed in desperation, tears streaming down her face as she leaped forward to push him out of harm's way.

"Boom!"

The iron pillar crashed down, and the woman's figure was obliterated.

The boy, propelled away by her heroic act, quickly opened his eyes.

What met his sight sent an agonizing pang through his entire being.

"Mother..." His voice trembled as he beheld the lifeless form of the person he cherished most, his mother, crushed beneath the colossal iron pillar.

A maelstrom of helplessness, fear, and shock overwhelmed him, rendering him utterly speechless.

His blue eyes remained fixed on her lifeless form, his face a mask of emptiness.

Suddenly, a looming shadow cast itself over him, prompting him to gaze upward with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

Before long, a massive robot, its expression cold and unfeeling, surveyed the apocalyptic scene—a landscape marred by raging flames and the lifeless bodies of humans, either burned or broken.

The boy continued to stare blankly at the colossal machine, his small hands balling into tight fists.

"Genesis!"

...

In the room, a man suddenly opened his eyes; his face was drained of color.

His blue eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling above.

"That nightmare again..." He closed his eyes briefly, attempting to relax his tense body.

Moments later, he slowly reopened his eyes and sat up on the bed.

"The twelfth time already..." Exhausted, he rubbed his forehead, sweat trickling down his brow and neck.

He quickly composed himself, rose from the bed, and made his way to the large mirror in the room's corner.

"Thirteen years have passed, yet this incident still haunts me like a relentless nightmare." His handsome face bore the weight of fatigue.

Deliberately, he retrieved his school uniform from the closet, changed, and, feeling tidier, opened his room's door.

A pleasant aroma wafted through the living room.

"Is big sister home?" Filled with curiosity, he walked toward the kitchen and discovered a beautiful woman with her hair in a ponytail, softly humming while preparing food.

Upon seeing her, the man smiled and approached the woman, addressing her gently.

"Have you returned from military duty, sister?"

Upon hearing the man's voice, the woman pivoted and beamed at the sight of him.

"Aether!" She hastily set aside the spatula and enveloped Aether in a tight embrace, her joy evident on her face.

"I really missed you, Aether!" The woman's smile radiated happiness as she pressed her cheek against his chest.

Observing her affectionate gesture, Aether returned the smile and gently ran his hand over her back.

"I missed you too, big sister." His voice was soft as they held each other for a moment before finally releasing the embrace.

"So, when are you coming back home, big sister?" Aether asked casually, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator and taking a sip.

Flora, the woman, responded in a hushed tone, her attention still on the cooking.

"I returned from my military duty last night, and I intended to meet you. But when I saw you asleep, I didn't want to wake you." Flora chuckled as she continued with her culinary task.

Upon hearing this, Aether, who had already settled into the living room, grew somber.

"Is your return connected to the peace negotiations with those Martians?"