Dream?

Laying in her bed, covered in vermilion sheets, the young lady gazed out of the window that overlooked all of Liburn from her splendid palace. The night sky twinkled softly, but her mind was elsewhere, lost in thought.

'ah, who said "hold me" like that, he didn't take me for a wierdo did he, I definitely could've phrased it better'

She cringed internally, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

'I've never been this close to boy before, thinking about it is making me embarrassed'

Gripping a pillow, she hugged it tightly, burying her face into its softness, seeking comfort from her own thoughts.

'hmmmhmhmmm'

Her internal lamenting continued for a while, before she finally drifted to sleep. 

*****

It was a few days after the battle with the wyrm, Kei was back at the academy, he was currently in the history class along with Ayumi and chrome.

Chrome was the same as usual energetic and without a hint of worry in his eyes, apparently he had been training harder since the battle.

Meanwhile, Kei didn't fail to notice that Ayumi was occasionally looking his way before looking away as if to avoid making eye contact with him

'What's up with her, wait don't tell me she...'

'thinks I'm some kind of wierdo for holding her like that, ahhhhh'

"....that was about the gist of it, after the cataclysm i.e. gates first started opening, majority of our communication network got cut off due to the mana interfering with our technology, it was recently that researches at American Mana Research and Development Foundation made new communication devices that majority of hunters use, as it is run on mana mundane humans aren't able to utilize them" The instructor carried on with his lecture, it was the same instructor who took them on the field trip, that was why he was missing an arm

'yawwwn' Kei was getting sleepy listening to the instructor, so he put his head down, slowly retreating into sleep

'where am I' Kei thought as he looked around through the eyes of a newborn child, at least he thought it was newborn baby but its body was entirely made up from ethereal mist, as if the mist took a shape of a human child

He saw a world shrouded in darkness only illuminated by a faint midnight blue light, below him was countless flowers that bloom in shades of red emanating a faint glow, ethereal mist swirled in between them

He saw a giant tree in the middle of this otherworldly garden, its gnarled branches reaching towards the obsidian sky, adorned with luminous fruits that pulse like distant stars.

Finally he noticed the women that held him in her arms, her appearance was striking

Her hair was like cascading waves of darkness, interwoven with threads of silver that shimmer like starlight. She was Draped in a flowing gown made of shadows, it ripples like smoke, revealing glimpses of ethereal light beneath. The fabric seems alive, shifting and swirling, reflecting the chaos she embodies. 

She said to the child

"Celestial fruit, severed from Destiny

Venture forth to a remote realm, dwelling in obscurity,

Ambition of existence, relentless adversary of eternity,

As for what was timeless will now meet its twilight." 

her voice flowed like a gentle melody, her tone was warm and soft, akin to a lullaby

 Her voice was accompanied by soft sounds of the gentle rustling of leaves in a calm breeze which gave an effect of comfort and solace.

"I give you my blessing child of destruction, live a fulfilling life in tranquility, in a faraway realm, where you won't be found"

"farewell my child" her voice would carry deep emotion, filled with tenderness, compassion and sorrow

As she said that she drifted the child in a stream of ethereal mist, Kei watched as the world around him crumbled and he was enveloped in pure darkness, then he woke up.

"Ah, a dream?,..... it was weird, hmmmm, I can't recall anything"

Kei woke up but didn't remember anything from the dream he had he only had a faint lingering of great pain, as if he had lost someone precious, but he couldn't point out why he was feeling this way, eventually he gave up and sighed 

'I'm exhausted, going on hunts is not easy' He attributed his mental state to the exhaustion caused by the hunts and getting healed by Hilda

The rest of the day went in a haze, Kei still didn't manage to break through thirty slices on the dummy, he had hid his Culling Jian using the system, as using it on dummy practice would be overkill so he was back with the wooden sword. 

After the lessons ended and everyone got ready to go home, Kei was walking to the Academy gate, he passed the gate and as soon as he entered the main street he was jump scared by a certain person that creeped up behind him unnoticed, even the (lucky charm) didn't give any warning 

"Hello to my favorite disciple"

"ahhh" Kei was startled at the sudden sight of Donnes behind his back

"Donnes, sir what are you doing here, you startled me"

"Ah, you seemed to be in a daze for some reason, so i came to check"

Kei looked at his supposed master with narrow eyes

"Huh, why you looking at me like that, ok fine, i have another reason, come with me tomorrow, and bring the other child too"

'huh, somehow I don't have a good feeling about this'