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Nilou lets out a desperate sigh as she finally arrives at their shared house. She never knew they’re stuck in an endless dream loop until the traveller came up to her and told her about the situation. She didn’t understand. How did the dream loop even happen in the first place? Why did they choose her as the host? Nothing makes sense anymore. She had a feeling it was the work of the Akademiya and the sages but sadly she couldn’t do much in regards to the situation. She wonders how many Sumeruan’s dreams were taken away without them realising. “Sumeru does not dream”.... What utter nonsense, Nilou thought.
The people of Sumeru can dream but little did they know that the reason why they can’t dream was because the Sages have been taking them away without them realising. Just what is the Sages planning to make them stuck in a samsara? It felt suspicious and strange that no one realised it other than the traveller and Paimon. She wondered if it was her vision protecting her along with the Lesser Lord Kusanali from getting her dreams sucked away. She was grateful to them. She really hoped Dunyazrad and Lesser Lord Kusanali had seen her doing the “Dance of Sabzeruz” before the dream ended.
After coming out of the samsara, her body and mind felt tired. More so, exhausted. She wanted to crawl in bed now. Sleeping away her sorrows and sadness. But first she shall make herself some food and have a nice bath before crawling into bed. As she completed those tasks, her mind kept wandering off into the empty void. She had already changed into her nightwear, walking around her room doing small light twirls. Her long beautiful red hair flowed around her body as she danced around her room. Dancing under the moonlight, where the moon shines brightly through her window. Making her look more elegant and bewitching. Inviting people into her dance. To glance at her. Wanting to tell the people of Sumeru that pursuing a type of art was fine. The beauty of dance. She remembered watching someone dancing on the busy and lively streets of Sumeru City. She was in love. She was awestruck as she watched the dancer dance gracefully with the melodies that are being played by the musicians. It was majestic. Dance. A performing arts. She was intrigued. From then on, she wanted to be a dancer. The journey to being a dancer was nothing but a tedious and vigorous one since dance was not really well looked upon in Sumeru by the Akademiya.
Nilou had several questions going through her head now.
‘What’s so bad about pursuing dance?’
‘Isn’t the dance also a part of knowledge?’
She loved dancing. The music accompanied her as she danced her hearts out. The squealing and excited shouts of children cheering her on. The smiles. She missed those times now. It’s been a few years and the implementation has been getting stricter and stricter.
She even remembers the time when a sage came up to her and scolded her and her group in front of the audience. Leading the performance quickly disperses with children filled with sadness as they get taken away by their parents. It hurted her. She felt bad.
She just wants to share the joy of dance.
Nilou let out a sad sigh as she twirled to her bed and laid on top of the fluffy blanket of hers. Hugging her green Aranara plushie tightly as her mind cautiously wanders off into space. Letting out a soft hum. She doesn’t want to be alone today. So she decided to head to the room in front of her bedroom. Softly opening the door and clicking it close before walking towards the bed. Diving under the blankets whilst holding the green aranara plushie. Hiding under the blankets is starting a thing for her whenever she wants to hide away from the real world.
Her thoughts were filled with sadness rather than joyful ones tonight. She lets out a soft sniffle and whimper as she realises how bad and horrendous the samsara was. Being stuck on the same day over and over again before realising she was the host of the dream. She was the one who caused it. She didn’t know. Small droplets were forming in her eyes as she let out a tiny sob. Her body trembled as her mind delved deeper and deeper. She wants to get out.
She wanted to escape.
Maybe somewhere far away where her dance is accepted.
Alhaitham was walking back home to their house when he noticed how insanely quiet and eerie it was. No sound of humming nor the sound of footsteps padding around the timber. It was strange when he entered. The house before was lively and filled with laughter and cheerfulness. Now, it is filled with nothing but darkness and silence.
'Something must have happened,' he thought as he stood in the empty space for a few minutes before deciding to head to his bedroom.
Before he even had the chance to open the door, he heard sounds of crying and whimpering. Tiny hiccups were also heard. Something is definitely not right, he noted. She would usually greet him whenever he arrived home. This time, he did not see her near the kitchen nor did he hear her soft melodic voice humming a tune.
The sound of silence.
As several minutes passed, he realised the sound of sobs were not stopping any time. Alhaitham, realising how severe the situation was.
Sumeru City.
She was not home for several days.
The Sabzeruz Festival.
Most important of all, he knew the sages were scheming in silence. Without anyone realising. He wasn’t expecting the Sages to carry out their plans this fast. It was strange and suspicious. To think the Sages had the audacity to utilise the Sabzeruz Festival as a part of their experiments. It made him angry and upset.
Realising he was so deep in thoughts, he felt bad that he nearly forgot the dear girl who's crying in his room. He lets out a few inhales and exhales to calm himself down. Opening the door, quietly as possible even though a tiny squeak was heard throughout the silence. Then clicking it close before walking towards his bed. Where he saw a lump under the blanket.
Alhaitham lets out an amused smile and chuckle as glanced at the situation. It looks like it's becoming a habit of Nilou's to come into his room unannounced whenever she feels nervous or upset in regards to something that happens during the day. 'How adorable,' he thought as he sat on his bed.
Now, how to drag Nilou out under the fluffy blankets was another question. As he had noted that while she's a cheerful and quiet person, she was also stubborn on some things. Especially when she's upset, it can take up to hours for her to come out from the blankets. He finally decided to speak.
'Nilou, what's wrong? You seemed to be holed up under there for quite a while?' Alhaitham asked softly.
While he got the basic gist of the situation that happened in Sumeru City whilst he was outside, he felt it was better to have Nilou tell him what actually happened in there.
He heard a mumble. "Leave me alone…"
'Now, this is concerning,' he thought. Usually it would be "go away" followed by a pillow thrown at him. Demanding him to leave. This time, it wasn't the same.
Whatever happened in Sumeru City definitely affected Nilou in a negative way. Since she does not want to come out, he could only go with this option. He dislikes doing this but it had to be done. Standing up and pulling the blanket off her with some force. Watching her, hugging the green aranara plushie as hard as she can for dear life. Hiding her face in the plushie.
Seeing her small body tremble followed by tiny whimpers, hurts his soul. The Nilou he knew was a cheerful, quiet and pleasant person. Yet this Nilou doesn't feel like the Nilou he came to know. He felt like his soul was shattering into pieces as he picked her up in his arms. Letting go of the aranara plushie as her slender arms instantly went around his neck. Letting her cry out all her sorrows and sadness. Holding onto her trembling body felt like a glass was about to shatter in a thousand pieces.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked Nilou.
He could feel her nod her head. Soon, words began flowing out of her like water. Telling him about what happened in Sumeru City. In regards, how it was all her fault as she was the one who led the people into the samsara without her or anyone realising except the traveller. Her dream was how she wished the Lesser Lord Kusanali and Dunyarzad had seen her dance during the Sarberuz Festival. Explaining how she was the cause of the samsara due her being the host of the dream. A host without realising they’re causing the samsara despite having to wield a vision gifted by the archons.
The more words she spoke, the heavier her sobs became till the point she couldn’t form any sentences. Illustrating how upset and heartbroken she was. Her last few sentences made his soul and heart shatter.
“What’s so bad about dancing…?
Isn’t dancing also part of knowledge?
I want to run away.”
Upon her last sentence, he slowly noticed she fell into slumber. Her hands grasping his shirt tightly, scared that he might leave her alone. Informing him that she was lonely and scared in this beautiful yet dangerous world. Afraid of not being accepted in Sumeru. Holding her in his arms as he watched her sleep peacefully. Placing her gently onto his bed as he let her hold his hand.
Alhaitham wanted to rage.
How dare the sages use Nilou as a part of their ongoing experiments whilst he was out.
The sages were going to pay. He was willing to shed blood.
Whatever the sages were brewing behind the scenes, it looks like Sumeru’s future is going to be a dark and horrific one. Especially with them, taking away Sumeru people’s dreams through the Akasha terminal. Looks like he needs to dive deeper on finding out what the sages are planning and report it to his higher ups before it gets more gruesome.
He doesn’t even know what the future Sumeru holds now after learning about what happened in Sumeru City.
As he stood up, her hold tightened on his hand. A soft smile was seen on his face. “Nilou, I’m going to get changed,” as he felt her hold loosened.
It was a few minutes later after that he joined her on the bed. Hugging her body towards him as he placed a soft lingering kiss on her forehead. Slowly dozing off and hoping a brand new and happy day awaits for the couple.
Nilou felt happy and content. His warmth…protecting her from all the scary things. The scent of the ocean and nature he carries whenever she sees him. Her heart felt calm as he felt him hug her as they slept. For now, she was content and happy. Hoping a brand new day awaits her tomorrow after crying out all her sorrow away today.
Nilou dreamt.
A brand new day, where she can dance her heart out as he watches her from a distance. She can see him letting out a tiny smile as he watched twirl and twist in tune with the beautiful rhythmic melody that the band was playing in the background.
She wished her reality was something like her dream but even if it wasn’t she was fine. He, Alhaitham, was next to her, that’s all it matters. The one who made her heart skips a beat whenever he hugs, kisses, smiles and comforts her. It made her feel joyful. She was glad he was here tonight to comfort her after telling him what happened today.
She is his dancer whilst he is her knight. The knight who protects and makes her feel safe.
She was home. Safe and sound. In his arms. That’s all it matters to her.