"I heard Arian calling my name. Gradually, I snapped out of the dream, rubbing my eyes as his voice penetrated my thoughts.
"Lyre," Arian exclaimed, irritation evident. "Are you awake? How can you sleep on the bus next to me while I'm discussing Chaos? You know how great that game is?"
Looking around, I absorbed the lively bus atmosphere, filled with conversations and laughter. Yes, we were headed to the resort for our farewell party.
"Hey, Lyre, are you even listening?" Arian continued, his annoyance apparent.
"Oh, so great, Arian has put Lyre to sleep. Change your seat, Lyre; otherwise, Arian will bore you with his Chaos talk. Hey, Arian, you're not even that good in Chaos, yet you're talking like you're some great player," Amy interrupted.
"Jealous much, Amy? I'm better in Chaos than you," Arian retorted with a playful smirk. Their banter momentarily diverted my thoughts from the dream.
Suddenly, a loud voice from the back shattered the liveliness. I turned to see Mark and his friends at it again, bullying him. I couldn't sit idly; determination fueled my movements as I stood up and walked toward them, ready to confront them.
Before I could reach, a powerful impact disrupted everything. I lost my footing, my surroundings blurred, and the world seemed to spin. The chaos settled, revealing our crashed bus. In the disorienting aftermath, my vision faded, and the last image etched in my mind was that of the once-victimized boy—smiling. Why was he smiling? We were all in danger, and he was smiling. Was it relief from escaping bullying? The answer eluded me as I lost all my senses."
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Unknown boy POV:
Excitement and happiness surged through me today; it's been a while since I felt this way. Seated alone in the last row of the bus, I contemplated the events that would unfold today. A few days ago, something peculiar happened—I was granted a chance to make a wish, and today is the day when it will be fulfilled. I'm not sure if it was a dream, but I desperately want it to be real. Regardless, even if it isn't, it can't be worse than my current life.
"Hey, nerd, why are you smiling? It's kind of gross, so wipe that smile off your face before I do," Mark's voice cut through. Instinctual fear gripped me; he's been bullying me since the first day of class. But today is different; today, I'm going to stand up to him. I clenched my fist, summoning all my courage, and with a burst of determination, I landed a solid punch on his face. It caught not only him but everyone around us off guard. They likely expected the usual spectacle of me getting beaten by him, but not today—I've decided to fight back.
Yet, I was wrong; one punch turned my day into his, as usual. After his fist collided with my face, a brutal knee followed, leaving me breathless. Thrown to the bus floor, he pressed his leg against my face, using the other to deliver relentless kicks. Soon, his friends joined in. Despite the dream, nothing changed. It was all nonsense; everything remained as before. I endured his brutality, with others laughing, and no one coming to my aid. That day when I made that wish, guilt consumed me, but not now. I really wanted that wish to come true.
As my vision started to black out, a monotonous voice echoed, saying, "You have waited enough; it's time to fulfill your wish." With the resonance of that voice, even the pain from Mark's kicks started to feel oddly good. I couldn't control the spread of my smile, and soon, it transformed into mad laughter. Before I comprehended anything else, I lost consciousness.
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On a big mountain, a man stood, looking at a calm view. Mist covered the mountain, making it look mysterious. Big trees, like guardians, decorated the mountain, reaching high into the sky. The top of the mountain was green, with rivers flowing.
The man looked at the land he fought for. Sunlight filled the valleys, and rivers ran through green fields, creating a peaceful scene after a storm. In the distance, some mountains were partly broken, telling stories of the man's struggles and victories.
Seeking solace, he aimed to find peace at the mountain's summit, contemplating the aftermath of the carnage he had unleashed.
The man was interrupted by a person in a soldier uniform. "General, there is a message for you from the House of Caelus," he announced.
The man, with his gaze still fixed on the sun, asked, "What is it?"
The soldier responded, "It says your daughter-in-law is going to give birth to a child in a few months, and the Arch-Duchess wants you to be there."
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In a dark place, a man stood there as if he was meditating, but he was covered in black blood, and the whole ground was covered with corpses of some strange creatures.
A man came in and broke his trance. "Sister-in-law is going to give birth to a child in a few months, so Mother wants us to finish the dungeon quickly and come home."
"Then, let's finish this thing quickly. So, I can go home to meet my wife quickly," responded the blood-covered man.