Realm of Dream

The strong storm walked the land with its might. It pushed everything away with strong wind. Soil, trees even mountains nothing escaped from the storm.

The thunder rained down the land instead of the droplet water. The bolt of lightning was huge and fast. It sounds travelled hundreds of miles.

The ground trembled.

Among all these storms and lightning, one man travelled. He grabbed the orb of brown colour.

His speed was steady and natural. With each step he took, the life fainted away. He was the incarnation of evil.

The black around him was not something the large storm can push. They are natural as well.

The light around the storm vanished. The pitch-black sky replaced the light immediately.

There was no warming to it. It just happened. Change from day to night instantly. This is the logic of this land.

Raven took out the lamp. His road and journey were not far from done. He walked quietly.

Step. Step.

As he entered the eye of the storm. He was lifted from this land. From where?

To the land of Dream. Where logic can throw away?

***

Raven woke up. His mind was a bit unclear about something. He rubbed his eye to gain the lost feeling. The feeling of moving.

' I entered the storm. ' Raven thought.

Around him was plain green glass. He saw a huge mountain floating in the sky. And numerous rivers flowing.

He stood up and checked his shadow. " Good. " He murmured. " Now. I need to meet locals here. "

Raven stumbled over a giant horse. The enormous flesh of the horse was laying on its side, pierced wounds from its chest broken and cracked.

He can see the inside of the horse.

He walked past the horse. He didn't plan to absorb the blood from the horse since this land function was different from his.

As he walked, he heard the song with a beautiful melody. His heart is calm in an unfamiliar place. And the song changed into screaming.

Raven decided to ignore those. Around the horizon, he saw the smoke coming. Overjoyed by a touch of humanity, he quickens his pace.

The plain suddenly morphed into spikey land.

It was like walking in a dream. Ever changing. He stepped carefully, slowing down. The mountain in the sky vanished along with several rivers.

He didn't stop. His mind was set on the goal.

After a few days, he finally reached the place. It was a normal house. Besides it was a wooden set of tables and a man practising sword.

The man noticed Raven. He put down the sword and wiped the sweat. He walked toward Raven.

He didn't say a word. Raven's vision turned upside down. His body was spinning. He fell to the ground.

" Ouch. " Raven cursed. He rubbed his head to release the headache.

He looked up. " What the matters with you? "

The man was carrying Grace. He put her down gently.

" How did you find her? " Raven asked. He didn't know anything about this land besides the source user of Ether coming from here.

" Simple. " The man said. " She told me. "

" How? " Raven questioned.

The man didn't say. He placed his hand on Grace's forehead. The change in space was obvious. Raven without any mana can sense the change.

He then carried her to the table. "let her rest. "

The man grabbed the sword and threw it at Raven.

He dodged the incoming sword. He was not stupid. He never held a sword before. Let alone catch something with a sharp blade in mid-air.

" Why don't you catch it? " The man said.

" You crazy. That is sharp. It will cut my arm off. I don't want to experience that feeling again. " Raven scolded.

The man shook. " I thought your will was strong. "

Raven picked up the sword and tried to swing it. This thing was heavy. Not quite like what he imagined.

" Will? For sure but I am not foolish. " Raven answered.

" They are the same. The only difference is the situation. Logen. "

Raven frowned. He never talked to someone who he doesn't know the name of. He always said his name first as if that fact was veiled by something.

" Raven. "

Logen smirked. Raven became more suspicious.

"What did you do? " He asked.

Logen whistled in a low pitch. " Can you pick that up for me? " He pointed at the axe behind Raven. ' How does this end up here? '

Raven scratched his head and picked up the axe. He walked toward Logen. But suddenly he stopped. And dropped the axe.

No, it was shit.

Raven took out the blue orb and crushed it with his foot. The water came out of the orb and he washed his hand.

Logen cracked up. He was holding his stomach.

" That is not funny. "

Logen wiped the tear from the corner of his eyelid. " Still better than killing million. "

Raven sat on the grass. " Right. Right. "

Logen stopped smiling. He created the wooden sword and took a stance.

" Come. The past is the past. If the past didn't affect you who live in the moment then all is great. " He gave wisdom.

Raven smiled. He didn't know who the man was but talking to him was great. At least for a few minutes.

He picked up the iron sword, it was a sharp, beautiful craft with care. The tip was shining with bright colour. " Are you sure you want me to use this? I might accidentally cut you down. "

" That is enough Joke for today. "

Raven struck first. He pulled out all his strength into the sword. Logen foot moved to the side. His body followed. Within a few movements, Logen got the perfect opening.

" Nothing personal kid. You just need to discipline. "

Logen's wooden blade moved like water. It travelled instantly.

Bamb!

Raven loses consciousness.

***

Raven woke up.

The sky was bright with silver colour. He lay on the grass. The grass was cold and the warmth. Some stars were shooting in the sky.

They moved through.

The wind also touched his lips, playing with his hair as well. They were gentle and kind he never had.

He thought he could smell the scent of flowers but there was none. Raven lay there. The music lingered, the sound of unknown humming. The vibe of this was faint.

There was loneliness, the expectation to become great and of something without a shape or name. He wished for that.

An unknown question was raised. He had been avoiding this for a long time.

' what will I do next? '

Living in the moment is important but that is if you have a vivid future. In his case, the former taste of peace was gone. What was left was Chaos for war.

He will become the slave to his desire. But his desire came from him so how can he be the slave to it?

Strange?

He lay there looking at a star. That star was faint barely keeping its appearance bright. Like him from the past. Struggling to live.

He cheered for that star more than others. His wish came true. The struggling star becomes brighter than ever. It surpassed every star in there.

It painted the sky bright.

Raven smiled. But nothing is forever. The star started to lose its brightness.

No.

He cheered. But his voice can't reach the star. It died.

Roven felt the connection with this. He is that star. He smiled.

He was about to die. In three years perhaps. Don't know it depended on his use of Devil's Eye. It was slowly taking over his soul. He can fight that off but he didn't have the will to do so.

" Foolish. " He said to himself. This was a stupid thought.

" How was it? Giving your thought to yourself. "

Raven looked up. Logen was standing with his arm crossed. His face was full of life.

Raven sat up and crossed his hand on his knees. Logen sat beside him.

" Where is she? " Raven asked.

" Sleeping soundly. How long has she been in the shadow? "

" Don't know. Maybe seven days or more. I don't care. "

" You should. She is the key to your problem. You need her. And staying for more than 2 days is already difficult. With her grief on top. Her suicide can happen. Are you care about that? "

" If she dies, my goal will be cut short. I will stop here. Cause there is nothing left to move. " Raven said.

Logen sighed. " Hey, kid you are weak. "

" I killed millions. I don't think calling me weak is appropriate. "