Conquer

Chapter 8: Dream (Part 2)

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Miko

"I miss mum. I really do miss mum and all of us together."

"My body feels light like I am floating on water. But I can't see anything; it's too dark. I hope it brightens up soon it's getting kind of creepy here."

"Argh, what's this? I don't feel comfortable anymore; there is something on me or hundreds of things crawling on my skin now."

"What is this? Ew! Get off me."

"No! Uncles, Hyde, Dad, Demios, someone please help me!"

"Come to me," A beautiful woman with luscious purple hair and blue eyes blinded the darkness In front of Miko, her eyes burning in anger. Her body twitching as she gnashed her teeth at the boy.

"Why did he choose me? And why pick this boy as a candidate? Is he some kind of fool? Ugh, why am I even related? He's never called me in before,"

"You don't look, nice Aunty. Can I go home now? Also, Aunty why are your ears pointy?"

"Oh, shut up and come with me?" the lady replied irritably.

"My Uncle told me beautiful women are more dangerous because their demands are way too high and you sound like one of them, Aunty,"

Turning her head ever so slightly "Beautiful me? Hmph I'm beautiful, who would've thought, are you sure you're talking about me?"

"Aunty you're creeping me out, maybe you're not the beautiful woman,"

Her face distorting slightly, "You shallow faced i***t, I could crush you with my thumb, how dare you take that back, you i***t of a descendant, in fact, you're barely my relative if not for the .000000001 per cent of blood we share, I wouldn't be in this position,"

"erm..." Stumped for words Miko watched the woman continue her barrage of insults as her head glowed pink from embarrassment.

"HURRY IT UP,"

"You b***h don't let me get started on you," The woman cursed, turning to the direction of the voice.

"Ahh," A smile crept on Miko's face as he sat down and watched the mysterious voice and the woman argue.

~~~~~

After a while, the woman grabbed onto Miko's hand in exhaustion and said, "Let me show you your true self,"

"True self? Me? What is it? Is there something strange about me? If it's these strange marks, my brothers have them too. I know I am handsome but don't..."

The woman grimaced.

"Why are you showing it to me?" Miko said after seeing her reaction

"I'm honestly tired of it already, it's my first time doing this sort of thing and since you are my only relative that is somewhat similar to me… Just follow me please," The woman pleaded.

"Can you give me your name Aunty?" Miko asked.

"Asteria," said the woman

"Thank you, Aunty Asteria," Miko smiled before proceeding to bow in the manner his Uncle taught him.

"Enough of that just come," Asteria said, waving her hand through the darkness.

A tree spurting with the fruits of nature stood before them.

Not just one but thousands of trees.

The forest seemed to be an illusion disappearing as soon as it was revealed to them. Within that illusion were buildings beyond what the mind could imagine with each design representing something different, some buildings were shaped like animals, others as plants and some just basic everyday towers. 

Day, turning to night quickly as the time hit the fast forward button. The ocean floor is allowing drifting boats to create a serene atmosphere with the lanterns lighting up the night's beauty of the country. Roots were growing out of the unique infrastructures and a bridge connecting to two different cities with firefly trees to the left and Sakura trees to the right.

"Aunty, this is beautiful, is this your home?" Miko asked excitedly. 

However, Asteria didn't respond and led them to a little home built out of clay far from the artistic infrastructure. In that small clay home, a girl similar Asteria was playing with a cat on the field, but unlike the terrifying aura around the Asteria next to Miko, the little girl looked ignorant of the world.

"This isn't what you're supposed to see," Asteria said.

"Aunty, where are your parents," Miko questioned his hand, cupping his chin.

"My parents died when I was born" Asteria mumbled under her breath, Miko, however, could still hear it.

"I'm sorry for your loss Aunty Asteria but how can I be related to you if you have no parents? Is it something Uncle Black did? If so, I sincerely apologise for all the trouble he's caused you; I know he can be a bit mean, but he doesn't mean to come across that way. he's not capable of forming his words into emotions well. At least that's what my father says, however, if its Uncle Frey's fault then I can't say sorry for that. Uncle Frey always has a reason," Miko repeatedly bowed his eyes, not lifting off the ground.

Flabbergasted by his apology, Asteria was at a loss of what to do, her hands moving about erratically. Till she managed to rub Miko's hair "It's alright, so can you look up now, I'm trying to show you something,"

"Yes, Aunty," Miko shouted, saluting in response.

Shifting through her memories like an adult scrolling through a series they've watched hundreds of times.

"Look at the right one," Asteria smiled while muttering "I should've ordered these properly before bringing him here,"

"Okay okay, Aunty to the right!" Miko replied uncomfortably "It's something Hyde did then? But I don't know how to apologise for him, and I don't want to anyway," he thought

Shifting his head to the right, Miko could see a little girl pulling an old lady's skirt while the old lady was carrying a large box. The scene reminiscent of a grandma taking her granddaughter out for shopping. The old lady shared strikingly similar features to the little girl as they both shared grey hair, blue eyes and the same pointy ears.

Staring intently at the little girl's unoccupied hand, small sparks could be seen spiralling around from the palm of her hand—the sparks in a heated tango with each other. 

"I feel like I've seen that before," Miko said, staring intently at the sparks in the little girl's hand.

"It's what the future hold for you," Asteria smiled.

Miko, however, couldn't hear her response as his eyes remained fixed on the little girl's palm.

Giving him time to process what was happening Asteria tried her best to find the right memory boxes as quickly as she could

"The little girl is holding what looks like lightning, but not quite, however, I can tell that it looks really dangerous. It is very scary!" Miko shouted, turning to the smiling Asteria with widened eyes.

"Why isn't the grandma scared? Lightning is very dangerous, you know," Miko said worriedly.

"Listen," Asteria replied, crossing her arms as she showcased her white teeth.

"I knew it! There was always going to be chance that those born with the heavenly lightning body would be able to use the hidden attribute as well. Come with me!" the old lady laughed, pulling the little girl with one hand in the direction of a tower.

~~~~

"This one should be next," Asteria said, tapping another memory box.

"Alright you can go to your home now, I've taught you all that I can in these four years you better not cry, or you would be disgracing my name as Chief, just fulfil my wish of leaving this cage before it's too late, it's shameful that I have to impose this on you, my disciple. Actually, I lied and I don't care that I'm imposing this on you, you are my disciple for goodness sake. Just make sure you don't kill yourself with that!" The old lady said stoically, her dishevelled grey hair and cragged clothes waltzing with the wind.

"Yes, Master," Asteria laughed, her tears pouring down like faucets.

"It's the start of your journey, and even though I won't be able to join you, I hope you can live a fruitful life," The Chief said coldly.

"I will,"

"Erm, Aunty? So, the old lady is your master and the person who took you in since you were alone,"

"How does this relate to me? I can't see anything in Auntie's life that even relates to mine; we've skipped past too many memories already. I can't quite make it out, but Aunty looked angry in one memory as she's sprinting up a mountain?!" Miko thought.

"I like this one," Asteria said.

Thousands of people surrounded the area moving around, talking and playing.

"That sounds so fun, but where is Aunty? Hmm, she is standing up in the sky like Dad and Mom. It looks like she is about to have a battle with what?!"

"Aunty don't tell me you faced off against that many people,"

"Of course, I did,"

"What about the people below? Did they get hurt?"

"Hmm, do they matter?"

"Aunty?" Miko's eyes bulged as he grabbed her hand.

Pulling her hand away from him," Relax okay and just watch,"

They look quite big from here, and they all have swords and amour. All of them, against Aunty Asteria, is she that powerful? That all of them have to team up against her.

"At last, Asteria, did you think you could escape from us, from our proud nation, you are one of us,"

Spitting at him I got wishes to fill" Asteria questioned.

"You are still unreasonable," The man said, licking the spit of his face.

"Kill the Chief!" they all chanted in unison.

"Kill her!"

"Kill her,"

Rushing towards Asteria with loud battle cries, screeches echoed all around them as Asteria cut them down with her spear in devastating fashion.

Her body shaking in excitement "I love this memory so much I need to save it so I can re-watch it in my own time," Asteria shouted.

"Ermm, we have blue eyes," Miko replied trying to find how any of this relates to him,"

"Sorry, I'm not one for explaining. I mainly fought others instead of speaking," Asteria laughed sheepishly.

"Okay," Miko added, scratching his head.

"I'll see you soon with more boxes,"

~~~~

During Hyde's attempt to sleep