Dreambreaker

Chapter 58: Mystery of solaris Amulet [2]

Third Person's POV:

Wanting to celebrate the victory of dungeon trials, Aurora threw a party. She extended invitations to entirety of her class.

A party in a cruise ship, that is—a private one. One owned by Lewis family.

It boasted amenities like a ballroom, bowling alley, gourmet restaurant, swimming pools, hot tubs, gyms, cinema theatre, and countless other luxuries.

Hailing from one of the most rich and influential families, arranging such an affair was easy for her.

The bowling alley was lit up in amethyst LED, nanoleaf panels and neon lights.

The sound of rolling pins resounded, only to be overshadowed by the backdrop of music

A girl with golden orbs could be seen effortlessly scoring goal after goal.

"Wow...every single time?" Takahashi asked in a mix of awe and envy as he watched Emily. The defeat in his voice was evident.

With her usual cheerful expression, Emily extended, "Ow! Let's go for another round!"

Takahashi, clearly pissed, stammered, "N-no! This game is rigged. I'm not playing with you. You did something..."

Enjoying the scene, Aurora commented softly, "I can't believe it..."

Aeravat nodded in agreement,"I know, right? Surprisingly she's very good at bowling."

"Heh..."Aurora chuckled with mischief."While that is indeed true, no..." Her words hung in the air, teasing Aeravat's curiousity.

He raised a brow, munching on a handful of peanuts, wordlessly hinting at Aurora to continue.

Aurora sighed clearly nettled at lack of back and forth as she revealed, "Some days ago, I didn't think that we will win the trials."

Dungeon trial was not just important only for the credits.

Winning the dungeon trail left a room for you to participate in the future tournament for 1st years. It also decided who will be kicked out of the academy after summer's, based on everyone's merits and performance till unit tests.

Aeravat's playful smile persisted as he replied, "But we did it, didn't we? And now, here you are, gracing us with this...party."

Aeravat absentmindedly munched on another peanut, not so much for the taste, but rather to keep himself company.

As if on cue, Emily joined them, closely followed by Takahashi, who appeared cheerful, wearing a radiant smile instead of his usual angry bird expression.

Aurora couldn't help but remark, "Well, isn't this a rare sight? Didn't expect this change."

Takahashi raised a brow,"A change?"

Aeravat pointed directly at the later's face. "She meant your face, dude."

"My face? What's so special about it? Do you mean I look even more handsome than usual?"

"What can I even say? I was blessed by heavens. There are times when I worry if others will end up hopeless from my beauty. Reminder to harsh truth of life; not everyone is equal."

With an air of self-satisfaction, Takahashi concluded his monologue, nodding approvingly at his own reflection while others rolled their eyes.

David chimed in, holding a bordeaux, "Guys, wanna go to ballroom? It's really fun that everyone joined in today."

Emily smirked, giving a cryptic reply, "Well, apparently, 'not everyone'."

With a quizzical look, Aurora raised a brow. "I invited the entire class? Or did someone not join?"

Emily replied matter-of-factly,"Yes, someone didn't bother to show up..."

"Who?" Aurora asked confused.

Emily looked disappointed as she stared at her glass while fidgeting with it, "No one...just...someone...I was hoping for. We owe this victo—never mind, leave it."

Indeed, Emily was hoping for a certain someone. A certain dumb luck that is...

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***

The ceaseless chorus of cicadas and croaking frogs engulfed the jungle.

The darkness that draped the forest was disturbed by a few rare blue flowers emitting azure glow.

The once mundane water pools were now moonlit, displaying blue jewels dancing on its surface.

In the middle of this chaotic greenery, exposed a forest clearing.

At its heart, stood an ancient stage, made of stones that bore the mark of time, its surface dusted and tarnished. Around the stage were ten mosquito repellents.

At the very center, sat a young man, his legs crossed, his torso bare and exposed. His skin was snow kissed, embraced by moonlight.

Midnight-black hair cascaded down his head. His eyes, closed, his focus in meditation, unaffected by the nature around him. His sculpted muscles glistened, drenched in a sheen of perspiration.

Noah, rooted in his meditation for close to twelve hours, his commitment and his purpose shrouded in mystery.

Why was he meditating in here?

What was he seeking for?

Some ancient wisdom?

Enlightenment perhaps? Nirvana?

Almost, as if to answer to the unspoken questions— the sun idol, affixed to the stage, burst into a blaze of albus white.

In that instant, night's darkness was consumed by the light of the idol.

The brightness was so intense that, for a brief moment, the night was gone. For that moment, wilderness in jaf was absolved from goddess night's embrace.

Delicate tendrils of 'glowing' smoke, the very essence of time itself— they moved. Gracefully. Circling the now absorbed in meditation, Noah.

The mist slowly transformed into a humanoid figure—an entity that seemed to hover weightlessly in the air. The body was of divine radiance.

Today a being beyond the confines of time and space descended and graced the wilderness in jaf.

A deity, the epitome of divine existence, materialized before Noah. One of the most powerful entities in the entire universe.

"Open your eyes, Noah Grey," a celestial sound resonated, as if originating from the beginning of time.

The voice was melodic, like ambrosial nectar of elixirs.

With gradual slowness, Noah opened his eyes, only to be greeted by—an apparition that insinuated three letters: God.

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***

Noah's POV:

Before me stood a luminous figure, its form entirely pure. It seemed like the entity was made of light.

Moving with grace, it floated to me, drawing its hands closer to mine.

I felt its touch, its hands, soft...almost felt like love? Warm...cozy. I wanted to grab its hand tighter. But how was I 'touching' light?

Placing a greyish amulet on my hand—which looked like a stone artifact, it wisphered, "I have already bestowed upon you the knowledge of its use," the celestial being spoke, his voice—wisdom, love, grace, flowy, time, space, vague, vivid, here, there...I couldn't explain...

"Take heed, for whenever the unbreakable armor is touched by the sun's rays, your powers shall be augmented by one-tenth of their original potency. Such is the boon granted unto you. All beings, descendants of the Sun Dynasty, shall bow in reverence to your presence!" The celestial being declared—like a boon, rather than an already present truth.

"Ah-" an exhale, almost involuntarily, escaped me, interrupting the sanctity of the moment.

"Ahem!" Clearing my throat, I dared to ask the one question that was plaguing my mind. "Are you...?" My voice trailed off, leaving the inquiry hanging in the air, awaiting an answer.

As if reading my thoughts, the entity interjected, "No, my son, I am not God, nor am I a celestial being. I am simply a manifestation of cosmic laws, an abstract entity akin to the concept of numbers. I'm, was and will be. I'm both here and not, at the same time. Beyond and near. In reality and in dreams. This world and the other."

As his light suddenly began to dim, signaling his departure, I realized that time was running out. He was leaving...or not existing? I couldn't tell, I didn't know, all I knew was that this was it, this is now. If not now, then perhaps never!

Determined to seize this fleeting moment, I hastily asked one last question—one that slipped my mind.

The one I probably should have asked at the very beginning, but I didn't. I couldn't. I didn't know or forgot the passage of time? Too mesmerized to forget my purpose.

Hoping against hope that he had the answer I sought, I asked the one question that was eating at me every single day, eating me, every fucking day! "IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO RETURN BACK TO MY WOR-"

"I am sorry, my son, this is as far as my influence extends," he replied with a sorrowful tone, his voice tapering off into silence. There was pity in his eyes—the same eyes that I couldn't see due to it's immense brilliance. But somehow I knew that he felt pity looking at me.

Why pity me? Why? Why was he pitying me?

What am I so deserving of pity?!

Am I that pathetic! Am...I?! Am I?!

...am...i

"I donot know Noah Grey, I am really sorry. Whether your home is-" In that moment, the figure vanished, his words trailed off into nothingness.

Light devoured by darkness as goddess of night returned its embrace to the forest.

I just stood there...

I didn't know time.

I didn't know place. All I did was...just

...standed, there...that's all.

Slowly, something settled in my heart, as if a connection to some truth was forever lost. My heart in that moment felt strangely empty. It felt cold and heavy, as if all the blood in my heart's arteries and veins were frozen.

My head bowed in disappointment—disgrace—disgust....distraught? I didn't know, I didn't fucking know.

My gaze settled on the greyish amulet, cradled in my palm—one of the most powerful artifacts in this universe. One of the most powerful objects was in the palm of my hands right now. But instead of happiness, there was...sadness?

'Why am I not feeling happy?'

Instead of feeling victorious, I felt defeated and lost.

Something watery cascaded down my cheeks, and then another, and then another. My vision began to blur, I didn't know what it was. I didn't care. Did it even matter?

"Is it not possible for me to go back..."

'Home...'

My heart began to cry a strange sonata in this moonlight...