Third Person's POV
A Darsha possesses remarkable ability to open doors to the past, present, and future of an individual through various methods.
Michel, being relatively new to this gift, relies on holding hands and delving into someone's memories to uncover their past. For the future, she goes through interpreting open-ended dreams to glimpse into the future. However, unlike Elderly Phias, whose wealth of experience enables him to foresee events a decade ahead, Michel's foresight is limited to just over an hour. As for the present, he can read the next actions of a person, peering into the immediate future. Though similar to glimpsing into the future, there are distinctions that set the two apart.
Michel entered Astra's subconscious, finding himself in a world that felt real but only existed in her dreams.
She stood in the foyer of an old house, its foundations crumbling, evident in the patches on the walls that seemed to hold the structure together. Despite its shabby state and scary ambiance, there was a strange sense of nostalgia in the air, as if the walls themselves whispered tales of great memories. The furnishings, though aged and worn, carried a certain charm, each piece telling a story of its own amidst the dust and neglect.
Michel didn't touch anything as she walked to the second floor. Here, there were four rooms awaiting her. She slowly reached for the handle of the nearest door and turned it with a creak. It was the room closest to the staircase. Inside, there was nothing but a bed, a chair facing the bed, a side table, and a lamp. She closed it and continued walking.
She opened the next room and inside was a variety of items. Some boxes, old furniture, and many other things. This feels like a storage room so she closed the door again and went to the adjacent room.
Unlike the previous ones with only one door, this room had two. She opened the right one and stepped inside. There was a king-sized bed, bookshelves, tables and chairs, a sofa, and more. It looked like a room meant for two people, filled with comfort and warmth before.
'This must be her parents' room,' Michel said to herself, concluding about Astra's parents.
She exited the room and made her way to the final door, her heart pounding with anticipation. As she reached the front door, a large sign hanging on it immediately grabbed her attention.
"Restricted Area! Keep out," she exclaimed, reading the bold letters aloud.
Ignoring the cautionary sign, she brushed aside her hesitation and reached for the door handle with half-closed eyes, anticipating some sort of reaction upon touching it. With each turn of the doorknob, a surge of anticipation coursed through her, intensifying her eagerness to uncover the mysteries lurking behind the forbidden door.
Yet, nothing happened, leaving her feeling both relieved and slightly scared. Despite the absence of any immediate consequence, a lingering sense of unease persisted within her. With a slight tremor in her hand, Michel slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside, her senses heightened by the unknown that awaited her beyond the threshold.
Unlike the atmosphere outside the room, which seemed weathered by time with its dirty walls, dim surroundings, and uneasy feeling, this room gives warmth and calm ambiance. The colors within the room are vibrant and alive, breathing life into every corner. Adorning the walls are cute and colorful paintings, complemented by adorable furniture pieces. Stuffed toys of various shapes and sizes adorn the space, adding to its playful charm. At the center of the room sits a children's bed, complete with a pink mattress and unicorn pillows, inviting anyone to curl up and dream sweetly. Cute dresses hang neatly in the closet, adding a touch of whimsy to the space.
As she walks slowly around the room, her eyes wander over the various items, each seemingly calling out to her. Amidst her exploration, her gaze falls upon a small dream catcher keychain. There's a peculiar spark to it, as if it's calling, inviting her into its world of dreams and magic.
Michel wiped her right hand on her clothes before picking up the keychain. Suddenly, a disturbing buzzing sound echoed throughout the entire place. The surroundings shook, and the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The vibrant colors faded away in an instant, the objects melted rapidly, and the walls and ceiling turned completely black.
Michel woke up in a black, empty space. She stood up and surveyed the area. In the distance, a light from above illuminated a single spot. She hurried toward it and found a young girl quietly weeping. There were no sounds of her sobbing, only the echoing footsteps of Michel as she approached.
She stood beside the girl, examining her closely to determine her identity. As she observed, a sudden light appeared in front of the child, causing her to turn toward it.
A mix of events unfolded in front of her. Each memory of Astra flashing before her like scenes in a movie portraying her entire life. Astra's tangled memories, from real-life experiences to dreams and daydreams, gradually unraveled, helping to make sense of everything.
Using her knowledge of the dream world, Michel delved into Astra's pure memories. She uncovered Astra's hidden fears, desires, and true essence. Dreams are often connected to the subconscious, especially for individuals like Astra, so she had nothing to hide from Michel.
Throughout Astra's story, Michel experienced a ferris wheel of emotions—laughter, tears, and fear. She felt compassion for Astra, who, at such a young age, had lost both her parents, endured bullying, and faced various forms of trauma that caused her to be a dissociative person.
Michel couldn't bear to witness Astra's painful experiences any longer, so she decided to leave. Focusing her inner mind, Michel subconscious returned to the real world.
She was left stunned by her discoveries and quickly released Astra's hand and gently touched her cheek. Unbeknownst to her, tears had begun to stream down her face. She hastily wiped them away.
Upon releasing her hand, Astra stirred from her shallow slumber. She blinked, her eyes still slightly drowsy, and glanced towards Michel.
Michel quickly turned her gaze away, pretending to rub her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Astra asked, concern evident in her voice as she noticed Michel's teary eyes.
"I'm fine. My eyes just ache a bit from being closed for so long," she replied, offering a reassuring smile to hide her true emotions.
"Oh, okay," Astra simply said, recalling she had a handkerchief in her small bag. She retrieved it and offered it to Michel. "Here, you can have this."
"Th-thank you," Michel hesitantly accepted the handkerchief. She gently tapped her eyes with it and placed the handkerchief on the side of the table.
After gathering her thoughts and wiping away her tears, Michel took a deep breath, her voice steady but with a hint of vulnerability. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes locking with Astra's, seeking connection and understanding.
"Are you curious about what I discovered?" she started.
"Anyways, where are we?" she began softly, her tone gentle yet filled with the weight of what she had learned, "Do you want to know what I found out?" Michel's words hung in the air, carrying with them a mix of curiosity, concern, and a touch of apprehension.
"Yes," Astra quickly nodded, a mix of fear and excitement evident as she eagerly awaited Michel's words.
"First, I learned that there are still some things confusing you about what's happening right now. So, I'll explain it first," she paused slightly, placing a dream catcher keychain on the table out of nowhere.
"The world of dreams is a vast topic. Everyone living in this world experiences it, even animals. In ancient times, people who were different like us emerged because we have an open mind. While normal people are only aware of their conscious mind, we are aware of what lies beyond that," she explained, her gaze serious as she looked at Astra.
"As you know, the Armann are sent to Earth to collect dreams and deliver them to their rightful place. This is done to maintain balance in the world. Not everyone can remember their dreams, and that's what we do to prevent - an imbalance and chaos between the dream world and the real world," she paused briefly to give Astra time to absorb everything.
"As for whether you are one of us or not, I carefully sifted through your memories and discovered that you are indeed an Aisling," Michel continued.
"But how?" Astra asked incredulously, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Your dreams, or what we prefer to call visions, serve as evidence. When you were a child, you learned how your neighbor, Mr. Lopez, would die. And just recently, remember the dream you had about a fire that would occur?" Michel asked.
"Yes, but I can't recall it clearly," Astra replied, thinking of it.
"It's normal to forget some details of our dreams. Sometimes, it's not exactly what will happen in real life. However, because of that, we get an idea about it and prevent it from happening," Michel explained.
The realization hit Astra immediately. Before their house burned down, she had a dream while she was at school napping to kill some time. Her vision was a bit blurry, but she saw a house burning because of two people fighting beside a dead tree, and a clear pond.
Now, Astra understood that because of the conflict between two people, a house would burn. One would die, representing the dead tree, while one would be clear like a clear pond, symbolizing Astra's discovery of everything.
Astra slumped in her seat, tears streaming down her cheeks as she pondered the situation. She couldn't shake off the guilt, feeling like she's the one to blame for her aunt's disappearance. If only she had realized it was just a vision, they could've prevented it.
With her heart heavy, Astra wept silently in her chair, while Michel rose swiftly to wrap her in a comforting embrace.
~ To be Continued ~