Dreams[zeenunew]

Chapter 18

"Cringggggg" Nunew open his eyes startled with the ringing coming from his left side.

He feel out of place seeing the familiar ceiling. Nunew let his eyes wander around each corner of the room he's in.

"No way!" He push his body up in panic.

"No" Nunew touch his body feeling the warmth. This got to be a joke. What happened to him?

His eyes laid on the gadget on the side table. He is afraid to look at it as if the phone will bring him to his reality.

Nunew is yet to accept that he's back to the human world. He is still in denial at the moments.

"But how? I remember all of it. It doesn't feel like a dream at all"

"Is my brain playing tricks with me. I must be crazy" Nunew fall to his bed. Looking at the white ceiling searching for an answer to his misery.

"No no this must be just a hallucination. I'll sleep it away" Nunew close his eyes tight hoping that when he wake up, he'll be where Zee and Risha is.

He need to be there. He belong with them in that world, Nunew know this.

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"No, James you just don't get it"

"Nunew, what are you talking about? You're just saying bunch of rubbish at this point"

Nunew pull his hair in frustration. "It feel so real!"

"And? Oh come on Nunew look at you, breathing and standing in front of me. This is the real you!"

"But why do I feel like this isn't it. Like I didn't belong here at all. James I just....don't know anymore what's going on with me"

"Nunew, I don't know how to help you but think about this. If you really feel like this isn't real then that's mean you're still confuse with what's right or wrong. But I assure you that I am a real person. And I know you are too. Whatever it is that make you feel like this, if you could just let it go..... I hope you will"

James pat his shoulder as he leave the other standing there at the back of the restaurant. Nunew been so frantic this morning screaming at him about magic and different world. James try not to come to conclusions but what if his friends mentally unstable?

Nunew gaze at the cement floor for a long time. No matter how many times he try to sleep it away. He can't get back to where he wanted to.

"Could it be....." Nunew look at his shaking finger. Why does it feel so real if it wasn't?

"I should seek a doctor" Nunew is getting scared of himself too. He is not crazy or anything but just to be sure.

###

"Pruk–"

"Is he awake?" Zee stare blankly at the office window. Hand held behind him.

"He didn't but Risha did" Lin stand a few step behind the young man watching the broad back slump.

"How is my child?" Zee's rough voice reach her.

"He's doing great... but he's been asking for–"

"Keep him out of the chamber for a while, Lin. Risha should never know about Nunew's condition"

"Why didn't you want to let him go, Pruk?"

"It's my fault that he becomes like this. I should have trusted him but I—"

"It is never your fault, you are just protecting what yours. At least Risha is alive and healthy again" Lin try to lift the blame Zee put on himself.

"But he's not.... Nunew is not here with me to see that" He let out a painful sobs. No one will believe if Lin say that she see the strongest man alive would crumble to the ground crying for the lifeless body laying on the chamber not far from this office.

What Zee feels towards Nunew is not just plain regrets but it's more than that. Lin know this too that both of the male's relationship must be special to have Zee acting like an empty shell trying hard not to burst anytime soon.

"He will come eventually, one day" Nunew will find a way to come back here, Lin is sure that her child would wake up again.

"Why are you so sure, Lin? Do you know something I don't?" Zee turn to face the old woman. He feel that Lin is too calm about Nunew's current condition. She didn't even freak out when the body of her own child fall to the ground that day. But still there is a lingering sadness to it that kept hidden inside of her.

"I just know, Pruk. All you have to do is wait patiently for his returns" Lin take her leave once she is no longer needed to be there.

Thanks to Nunew, there is no more controlling head mage like Chakan in this world and they all could finally live in peace doing whatever they want without worrying of getting killed.

The officials mage also comes to term to no longer have any power over the others and live their life just like the others in this world. They admitted that they are at fault too following every words the crazy head mage's has sputtered out in their face. Now that he is dead, all the officials are no longer tied to any of this madness.

The throne also got demolished upon Lin's request and as a respectable former head mage, they follow her wills.

Lin didn't know where she should go at this point. Ending her life seem pointless now. She have been wanting to feel this free again for so many years and now that she can do that, why would she end her life so fast right?

"I'll just wander to every province with you" She pull out the magical power Merione gave before she died. This is the only last items of hers that Lin have.

"I'll take care of you so rest assured, my friend"

"Dada, please tell me" The child tug on his father's night cloth.

"You should sleep, Risha. Whatever that is can wait tomorrow" Zee escape from answering the question by his child.

"Okay" Risha reluctantly walk out of the room. Nana guide him to his own room as Zee look at their retreating shadow.

"How could I tell you that your own father killed Baba? I can't just say that out loud without feeling like my world would fall apart"

"I'm so sorry baby, it's all my fault but I can't stand you hating me for trying to save your lives" Zee let his palm covering his eyes as the tears keep coming out of it.

"Everything will be fine"

"Nunew will be fine and Risha will too"

"...and I— I will too right?" He turn the last words into a question rather than a reassurance.

The night feel so dark and cold. He tremble under the sheets as Zee let his mind relax, ready to sleep
his distress away.