The Last of the Miras

XXVIII | Ni-Jū Hachi

Axel stared at his parents in a direct yet pleading manner. It was as if he was asking them to lend their ears to him without any doubt lingering behind.

He shifted comfortably before clearing his throat and said.

Tou-san, kaa-san. I had experienced a vision inside the throne room this morning.

The eldest child expected his parents' reply in a short moment, yet none of them gave a response even after a long pause.

He waited and extended the time for his parents to answer him, but still neither of them replied.

Otou-san? Okaa-san? His head tilted in curiosity.

Axel's gentle call toward his parents seemed to pull the two out from their own thoughts. Athena's eyes were wide with disbelief whereas her husband, Alexander almost choked with the tea that he was drinking.

E-eh?

Are you sure, son?

The mentioned male nods his head. The prince reached out to sip his tea from the coffee table as he looked straight toward his parents.

It wasn't any other vision I've acquired, even obaa-san implied so. She even suggested that you, dear mother will only know the answer that I am seeking for.

He slowly returned the teacup to its paired saucer.

Looking composed as what the son perceives the woman to be, she only grimly smiled. This caused the woman to leave her baked frozen cake unfinished as she stood up and observed any happenings outside from the room's gigantic window.

Athena rubbed both of her arms in a seemingly comforting manner, mostly to herself.

Mother's right. I am the only person who can give you the answer.

Axel shifted uncomfortably while waiting for any indication coming from his mother to continue.

Lend me your hand for a second, darling. As she strides from the windowsill towards the prince.

Right after that seemed to be less than a minute, her motherly hands pulled away as she got the message from her son's unforeseen vision.

It's not any ordinary picture I saw, Axel. It is a vision that came from the past, or perhaps a foretold future.

She turned away, hid both her hands and pinched both left and right index fingers with the use of her thumbnails for several drops of blood to come out.

She muttered some ancient incantation which formed a star-shaped figure and let four drops of blood coming from her fingers fall off onto to the glowing floor.

V'læŕeas Kuīsó!

An ethereal spirit emerged from the glowing figure which caused the poor prince to stumble back from his seat.

What must I do to be of service, v'anna? The sound of an oracle voiced out to its master.

Whose voice was that? A seeemingly out-of-character squeak came from the country's prince.

Athena held back from doing anything unnecessary and spoke with fluency.

Attend to my wish. Lend me thy powers so I must see the vision myself. The usually kind queen coldly commanded.

As you wish, v'anna. The white being bowed delicately with respect.

Right after the queen's familiar replied, the drawing room where they are in glowed with overwhelming brightness that almost blinded the eldest child. He ducked using a square pillow beside him, whereas the king plainly covered his eyes for the sake of safety.

Within a moment's second, Athena saw the same thing Axel had told her, but something felt astray within her son's so called 'vision'.

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A beige-haired maiden ran through a thick forest. It seemed that she was running away from someone.

I need to get away from here!!

Her appearance was in a complete mess, which complements to her disheveled hair.

Running was all she did, but a dart tied with a feather zoomed past the girl's margin of distance she created and pricked her upper left thigh in a shatter.

The girl in this scenario brings me back something else. Something more likely a déjà vu. Athena muttered to herself.

No! I must not give in to its effects. . .I won't let myself to be captured by him. . .a. . .ga. . .in. As the woman slowly loses her consciousness.

In a flash, a cloaked body appeared in front of the woman who passed out not less than a second ago.

My, my. . .why must you escape every time you have a chance. . .sweetheart? A masculine disembodied voice bitterly said the last word.

As the same being reversed the beige haired woman from her face flat on the ground to reveal her into his view and carried her in bridal style and disappeared in an instant.

So this is the insight Axel told me about. Now that I know, seeing it first-hand is different than seeing it through using both palms which only assists me in a fast forward motion. The royal queen thoughtfully said to herself.

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After Athena saw her son's unforeseen vision, the light that emitted from the drawing room itself slowly dissipated. Both father and son who were waiting for her to finish removed their covers that served as a protection to their eyesight.

How was it, okaa-san? Athena was greeted by her eldest child with a question.

She walked towards an armchair to support her and slowly sat to rest her body as she gradually closes both of her eyes. The king of Altaria, being a loving husband he is, dashed to his wife to help her sit in a comfortable position and massages her temple in a soothing manner.

You're right, Axel. The vision you let me show came from the past.

The queen sighed as she continued mentioning about the prince's vision.

That was about the first guardian of Altaria, Laura-hime.

A wide eye reaction came from the mentioned child.

That's her?!