Chapter 182: Dreaming Illusions

Amidst the black inky night, the moon's ethereal glow gently peeks through the satin curtain from the windows of the bedroom. Filtered moonlight veils the forms of the two people nestled together on the bed. A barrier of restriction was already built to protect the room from people who would dare intrude. 

Comfortably snoring on the furred-covered floor, a little snow-white fox curls itself. The little mystic beast slept soundly while another small creature with sure as black as the midnight sky slept beside Snow. Keir's position was almost identical to how Snow sleeps. 

The room was peaceful as all things living slept within the room, serenely and quietly. 

"Mhn..." Moulin furrowed his brows. He shifted within Hadrian's strong embrace while mumbling incoherently.

...................................

Silver eyes opened wide. Shock layered his pupils. "...?"

He wasn't in his bedroom...

What welcomed his eyes was vast clouds, grey as if it was on the verge of raining. The tall naked trees carrying large piles of snow on their shoulders. But what was more significant was the frozen lake that revealed his reflection. 

He realized he was standing barefooted on the lake that triggered his longing for the place. Moulin was well aware of where he was...

He was back in the Northern Mountains. The special place that he called his sanctuary of peace. The long enjoyable walks through the deep snow, the black trunks of towering trees that contrasted beautifully with the pure white snow that surrounds them, and the cool wintry breeze that brushed his face and gave him a sense of comfort. 

Moulin was peacefully reminiscing those wonderful times. It was calm and enjoyable. 

However, Moulin didn't feel any of those feelings as he stood. 

There was no cool wind. He could not feel even a bit of coldness from the dark frozen water beneath the soles of his feet. The clouds were shadowy and dull. It cast an ominous feeling. And when Moulin looks behind him the cave where he once slept didn't look inviting at all. 

This place wasn't real. It was an impeccable copy of his sacred home but the atmosphere it brought was terribly wrong. The silence was also evidently unusual. Moulin could feel it. He wasn't where he was supposed to be...

'Where am I?' Moulin thought. He had never realized how loud his thoughts were at this moment. 

"Hello..."

Moulin froze. He turned his gaze in front of him and stopped. 

It was a child. His height barely reached Moulin's chest. His skin was so pale as if he hadn't bathed in sunlight for several years. The child's hair was as white as snow, almost identical to Moulin's hair color. His clothes were white, a robe that ended just above his knees. A golden rope was tied around his waist, securing the garments in place. However, what was most alarming was the child's eyes. 

Black. Not a trace of the whites of a normal human's eyes could be distinguished. And his pupils were of pure silver. It was dazzling and enthralling. One could get lost in its beauty.

Moulin felt strange inside the more he stared at the child. He had never seen such eyes. They were beautifully ominous. Strange yet captivating. This brought a sense of uncertainty to Moulin's mind. 

The child isn't human. He isn't an elf, an orc, or any race Moulin could think of. The little boy's features were uniquely foreign in his eyes.

Ditching the last bit of doubt in his heart, Moulin realized he would know nothing if kept staying in his thought. As uncertainty shaped his expression, he spoke curiously. "Who are you?"

His lips curled into a smile and the boy answered, "I'm the one you've been searching for..."

Moulin knitted his eyebrows confusion. "I... really don't know who you are..."

A sad expression shaped the little boy's face. The frown on his face made him look rather pitiful. "You... Really don't recognize me? Not even my voice?... Did you forget about me?... Why?..." He spoke broken-heartedly. There was pain in his features as he gazed at the startled Moulin. "You said... You'd find me... I told you to... But... Why did you stop?... Why?... Even you could forget about me... Why?"

As he spoke, it was as if there were a chorus of people speaking with him. Varying from different tones. It sounded terrifying. Like a demon's voice...

As Moulin finally finished processing the child's words, it was as if lightning had struck his entire being in the next second. His throat felt dry as his eyes constricted. 

Don't tell me... 

This child... 

The boy standing before him was the owner of the voice that kept haunting him.

After seeing Moulin's stupified expression, the child's sadness vanished. He beamed at Moulin with clenched fists. "You finally realized!"

It's him... It's really him...

Moulin took a step back. Alarm grew inside him. "You... can appear before me?"

A childish giggle echoed. It resounded like a repeated cry within a long dark cave. It was an open area so why was it echoing?

Eyes curving into crescents, the child grinned. He placed his hand behind him and leaned forward with a tilt of his head. "This is my consciousness, the last fragment of my shattered soul. After this, I can no longer appear before you..." His smile softened. 

"What?" Moulin stared at him. He had many questions. So many that he could fill a whole library out of it! 

The child chuckle with a fist covering his mouth. He looked so pure and innocent. If it wasn't for the mood of their surroundings, Moulin would have softened up to him.

"You look troubled. I understand why... You must have many things to ask me. But unfortunately, I don't have enough time..." His cheerful smile gradually withered.

"I don't understand..." Moulin drew his brows together in a frown. He took a step forward with clenched fists. "Why did you bring me here? Who are you?"

...

The boy blinked. 

He looked at Moulin dumbly. "I thought you already knew?"

"What?"

The child pouted. He pressed his lips together while lowering his gaze as if hesitating and embarrassed. "I'm... I... " He furrowed his brows as if he couldn't really say it. He didn't know how to say it... 

"I am... " Thoughtfully, the child lifted his gaze in deep thought. His gestures were similar to how a person would forget something...

His troubled expression sparked something in Moulin's head. Moulin showed an expression of disbelief. 

Before he could stop himself, Moulin blurted out. "Morhas?"

The child stiffened. His round eyes turned bright as he faced, Moulin. "Ah, yes! That's my name!"

Something as important as his name was easily forgotten? Was that a side effect of the boy's shattered soul?

Moulin turned solemn. Now that he knew the boy's name, he didn't know how to react. The gentle voice that whispered in his ear during his sleep still lingered in his mind. He couldn't forget it. But now that he was meeting the owner of that voice, face to face, Moulin turned silent. His thoughts went chaotic.

A God's deceased offspring is standing before him... The child of Goddess Ethowna.

The unfortunate delivered Child.

"Moulin..." 

Moulin lifted his gaze and met Morhas's smile. The child held out his hand bashfully. "Please walk with me..."

Silver eyes stared at the soft-looking hand. The child's fingers were adorable. A hint of pink painted his fingertips making them look delicate. Moulin approached the child with slow steps. He raised his hand and then took the boy's hand in his. Morhas was ecstatic when Moulin accepted his hand. Joy filled his youthful face and he walked beside Moulin with flushed cheeks.

There was no air and no sound could be heard around them. However, their footsteps were echoing. It was as though they weren't walking in the open area on the surface of the frozen lake but venturing inside a long and dark tunnel. 

Moulin ignored his curiosity and focused his eyes on the child beside him. Moulin didn't imagine he could meet this person so soon. He couldn't imagine what he looked like too. A real live God was walking beside him and holding his hand like a child that couldn't go anywhere without a guardian. 

Moulin thought that he was in an illusion, trapped and taken. However, he didn't' feel restricted. He could still feel his mana surging inside him. It seemed like the boy didn't see the need to hold Moulin down on his knees like a how a person should do before a God. Instead, Morhas acted as if he was very fond of him. This greatly confuses Moulin. 

What was the reason he was brought here? Why did he reveal himself to Moulin and even taking the risk of destroying the last fragment of his soul?

"Calm your thoughts, Moulin..." Morhas suddenly spoke as he glanced at the young man. His tone was calm and serene. The same tone he used when he was speaking to Moulin in the young man's sleep.

Moulin only kept staring at the child. "I can't... Everything is just so... sudden..."

"It is, isn't it?" Morhas chuckled and he playfully swung their hands together. His bare feet tapped on the icy surface of the lake.

Moulin smiled and nodded his head. He was reminded of the Naga children back in the Naga tribe. Innocent and put of life. 

Morhas grinned at him and lifted his gaze. His blank eyes stared at the dim and still clouds above their heads. "You must have so many questions to ask me and I understand why. My appearance today will be the last time. With the limited time, we have in our hands now, I will only answer the questions that matter to you the most..."

"Alright..."

He can wait. Moulin persuaded himself. He couldn't rush Morhas. The child must be struggling as well. Moulin must stay patient. Even if it was for a little while. Even if he had spent all his time here waiting and searching for an answer... He will wait. This time, he will wait a little bit more...

Morhas's smile faded. A guilty expression replaced his calm countenance. Tears dampened his strangely colored eyes. He squeezed Moulin's hand with a pitiful smile. It was to no wonder why the original soul of Moulin's body would accept his fate and gladly hand his body over to Moulin. Moulin's heart was kind. He would pity and seek justice. 

The young man's soul was perfect for a god's bite. Morhas wouldn't allow that...

With another squeeze around Moulin's hand, the child lifted his eyes and gave a wistful smile. 

"Moulin, do... you want to hear a story?..."