Ninth Kingdom
As soon as we came back here, all I have in mind is the event happened at Dream World. I couldn't even focus when they gave Ilmatar a proper mourning, which I cannot accept. I still believe that she's still alive and will come back as soon as possible.
"Almos!"
I was surprised when Asim called out my name firmly.
"What?" I asked anyway even though all my interest was gone I just fall into this deep unknown emptiness.
"Are you not going to see Jeanne?"
'Jeanne.' I totally forgot about her.
"Indeed. She's still here." He reminded me.
"I know."
"Then, go check on her." I just look at him in silence and emotionless. "What?! Still can't accept the loss of Ilmatar? Come on, Almos! Of all people it's you who understand her most, why she made that sacrifice."
"And that is the reason why I cannot accept it," finally I admit it in words. "You don't know how much it hurts when she just suddenly left everything unsolved for me and Jeanne."
"And that is why she left you the Crystal Heart." He said and I totally forgot about it. "It was a memory keeper and everything about you as… Elbrus… was kept into it. So, all you have to do is break it and let your memories flow into you."
I took out the Crystal Heart given by Ilmatar and stare on it longer enough to remember Jeanne.
"I have to meet Jeanne."
"Then, go!"
Without thinking further, I hurriedly went to where Jeanne reside.
…
I stare at the window just silently looking through the vast universe in front of me. I still couldn't believe that I'm here in this holy land and not a single alive human can step on it but I am alive and still human, flesh and blood.
I know I am not dreaming yet, I feel that I am.
I take a deep breath before I decided to lie down to my bed when a knock on my door stop me. I turned my head at the door and waited till that someone speaks up.
"Are you still awake, Jeanne?" it was Almos and was really happy that I finally heard his voice.
Without a word, I hurriedly stand up and walk through the door though I just stand there in freeze for a reason I cannot explain. Maybe because of the memories I slowly remembering I fear of facing him right at this moment.
'Almos.' I spoke out to myself that I knew he heard it loud and clear.
"Let me talk to you through a dream." He suddenly announced and before I could answer my world suddenly changes. I just suddenly felt light and before I knew it, I enter into a dream.
…
Dream
I quickly open my eyes when I heard a sudden commotion and was surprised when I saw myself standing in an unfamiliar place.
'Where am I?'
'Come, follow me.' Suddenly I heard Almos voice through telepathy.
I hurriedly look for him and saw him standing at the front of a stair. And from there, he walks up after giving me a sign to follow him there.
I do as what he said and walk through the stairs. I don't know where we going but then I just finally noticed as soon as I climb up that the place where he brought me looks magnificent. It's hard to explain, as if it was a modern time from the ancient time. A lost civilization, I may say, and if I described it correctly, it is more modern than what my present have.
Roads, buildings, clothes, commercial markets, sea ports, even their carriage are far more advanced than what I've learned from my history. Everything they have in this time is hard to achieve from the present time as if, this is the far future rather than from the far past of the history.
'Jeanne.'
Almos voice breaks my fascination around the whole place and immediately made me to look back at him.
'Where are we?' I curiously asked.
He smiles at me. 'The only place that I knew after I woke up as an Angel.'
'You mean,' I look around and still couldn't believe what he just said.
'Indeed. Anyway, this is not what we came here for.'
'Then, what?'
'Let's go at the top of the tower.' He said as he turned around that I immediately followed and from a far I saw the top tower he was talking about.
…
Top Tower
"Isn't it wonderful?" he asked after we reached the top.
Yes, it is wonderful and breathless. Yet, I couldn't appreciate it a lot since I am more focus to know what would he going to say.
"Speak up now." I said and stare right through his eyes. "What do you want to tell?"
Almos silently looks at me longer enough to make me feel nervous.
"I'm letting you go." He said the words I expected to hear. "And I'm sor––"
"Do we really need to talk about it?" I suddenly asked and turned around to look at the wonderful view in front of us. "Why don't we watch the sunset?" I asked that he answered in silence. "Isn't it wonderful?" I asked to break his silence.
'It is wonderful.' He answered through telepathy that I agreed in silence. 'In this vast horizon, there is lots of knowledge to unfold.'
'Knowledge that can be helpful but at the same time, can also hurt.' I answered.
'Pain can help us grow and learn more.'
'If so, I will not let myself get hurt just to learn a lot, since I already have the knowledge that I needed, I won't go any further than that.'
'Learning more will help us to gather more strength.'
'Strength for what?'
'To face greater challenges of life because as we live. Our horizon keeps expanding and we cannot end it without knowing what's on the beyond.'
What he said made me realize one thing… our end.
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