Never Let Go [Hiatus]

Part II, Chapter 4- Empty Dreams

Small Note: So.. I'll be updating at least once a week:) And I've just changed the cover! I hope it looks more legit now heh!  I 've always loved the galaxy theme~ Hope you guys like it too! Love, Sphinx XDXD 

The boy's POV

I dreamt of a beautiful angel chastising me for my laziness. I couldn't see her face but with long waves of golden hair, wings that looked so soft and a voice so melodious, she HAD to be beautiful. Then I caught a glimpse of several others, laughing and seeming to be having a good time. Then as abruptly, the scene changed again. Someone was telling me a bedtime story, tickling me in my stomach as said something about spiders. The scenes whizzed past me, each barely lasting a minute or two. Someone playing the harp. Someone whining about their work. Fighting with a sword. Trembling with blood on my hands. Fire around me. Standing in front of a dark shadow but felling sorrow instead of fear. A marble floor. Water fountain. White castles and towers....

The dream came to a sudden end and I jerked away, startling the people around me.

'That was fast!' Michiko remarked, approaching me with a wet towel and bandage.

What the hell.

I couldn't make out anything from the senseless dream. It didn't tell me anything I wanted to know. There were no faces, no names, nothing! And what about angels? Ridiculous! Was I just having a mere dream? I thought this was supposed to help me regain my memories!

I turned to Kaede in bewilderment only to see the same confusion reflected in him. Apparently, he had access to my memories as the jutsu caster.

'What's wrong?' Michiko broke the silence. 'Did it not work or....?' she implied the possibility of regaining painful ones.

'We did not see anything... How can that be? We did the jutsu right...' Kaede muttered as he strode over to where I was kneeling and checked the symbols over.

'Did not see anything?' Michiko repeated.

'Actually erm.. we saw a few faceless angels..?' he gave Michiko the you-know look and shrugged.

'Oh...' Michiko trailed off, unsure of how to comfort me.

'I guess it failed then,' I stated the fact sadly, my shoulders dropping in disappointment. A strong wind stirred, threatening to extinguish the flames as they wavered and flickered wildly. I inhaled a slight scent of rain. As the leaves rustled and the trees swayed, thunder rumbled in a distance. I relished in the foreboding sense of the imminent storm.

How fitting to have the weather reflect my current sentiments. God must have known how I felt. Look, he's so sad he's going to cry. I comforted myself.

'Eto....' for once, both Kaede and Michiko were at a loss of words. They knew that no amount of sympathetic words could fill the emptiness in my heart.

The night wind blew out the last candle, plunging the tent into darkness.

That night, I couldn't sleep. Tossing and turning in my sleeping bag, I lay wide awake listening to the soft snores of my tent mates and the regular thud-thud of raindrops against the canvas. I replayed the dream over and over again in my mind but no matter how I looked at it, it's just a child's fantasy of angels, joy and happiness.

I wondered. Before this, have I been happy and blissful? Or have I always been this miserable, lost child, forsaken by the world? Maybe my hopes and desire for simple happiness had instead manifested itself in the dream earlier. My hopes of being loved, being wanted, being surrounded by people who would care for me and above all, to be truly living an existence.

I shook my head and laughed softly. Empty dreams indeed. It doesn't matter anymore, does it? Right now, I'm but a lost soul who didn't even know my own name. I got up and drew open the tent flap, allowing the cool wind and slight drizzle to brush against my skin. Hide's words echoed through my mind as I gazed at the night sky.

'You don't have to go back to your past if you can't remember it. You can always live and build a new future here, with us!'

He had said it like it was the easiest thing to do.. .but behind his brilliant smile, I thought I sensed a tinge of sadness, one of empathy and unspoken connection. I looked back at his sleeping form, mouth gaping wide as he snored. He looked secure and carefree, with his arms flung so wide he would be open and defenceless in a surprise attack. Lightning flashed across the sky, a loud clap following after.

Were you also like me, Hide?

Meanwhile in the clouds...

'What the hell, the both of you!' Remiel snapped at Theliel and Rainer.

'That was freaking close. You guys do know that NO ONE is supposed to interfere with Aphaleon's human life, right? And there you are trying to give him dreams about his archangel one.'

'SSSSSHHHH....' Theliel clamped her sister's mouth with her palm while Rainer quickly closed the door.

'Okay Okay we're sorry! We won't do it again, okay? Just don't let Father know about this,' Theliel begged.

Remiel freed herself from Theliel's grasp.

'I can't believe you even got Rainer to do this,' she jerked her head towards Rainer.

'Aphaleon did look really pathetic. I wanted to help, you know...' Rainer tried explaining himself, hoping to get Remiel to understand things in their view.

'And I just didn't want any of us to get into trouble anymore... Losing a brother is hard enough...' Remiel's tone softened.

'It was lucky Aphaleon did not take the dream seriously. If not, there goes the both of you too! For all I know, the next time I look into this crystal ball, I would be searching for three mortals instead of one. Hmph!' Remiel crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks.

'Alright, sorry Rem...'

'We'll cover your duties for a week okay?' Rainer offered.

Theliel stared at her brother. 'Are you serious?'