Chapter 284: Sorrowful Past

Benladann POV

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The boy lies on the ground with his hands covered in red blood.

He screams in the horror at what he has done, as he tried to save his uncle, he tried to bring him out, calling an ambulance.

But it was quite too late, his uncle was already dead when the ambulance arrived.

Since then, the building continued to be connected with many others, and the story continued to unravel like an intricate puzzle.

He was taken by the police, and he admitted having stabbed his uncle.

However, instead of being reprimanded or thrown into the jail as he thought, the cops and everyone else that went to see him quickly realized the story.

The boy was shrouded in scars across his body, his face was swollen, he was missing various teeth, and his nose was almost broken… of course, they thought he did it for self-defense.

That monster was literally about to kill him…

"Don't worry, you're in good hands now." Said a young cop, patting his back.

But the boy had changed, he was always silent, and barely spoke.

His eyes were devoid of any light.

"…"

The cops spoke behind the room where he was being kept in custody.

"He's in a terrible condition. He doesn't want to even talk anymore… He barely drinks water, and hasn't eaten since we brought him here…"

"He requires rehabilitation…"

The boy was quickly moved to a hospital after he fell unconscious due to growing weaker after not eating for four days. He stayed in the hospital for almost two months until he was put inside an orphanage at the end.

He was always inside his room in there, there was nobody to help him, nobody with him.

I wanted to help but… that only makes these memories dissipate and fly away.

The boy was barely five years old when finally someone showed up.

A young and beautiful woman, with silvery-white hair and bright aquamarine eyes.

She entered his room and spoke to the boy.

"Hey, how are you doing?"

"…"

"Why don't you come outside? Since when that you have not spoken with anyone?"

"…"

"I just… came here because I want to help you, alright? Can you cooperate with me?"

"…"

"Please?"

"…"

"Pretty please?"

The boy looked back at the woman.

"Why? Leave me alone… I am a murderer…"

"…N-No, you're not a murderer… Y-You did it because you had to, dear. Your uncle wasn't right. He was… not doing good things, he was about to kill you if he continued like this, right? You did because… you wanted to survive. We all deserve to survive."

"Survive…?"

"Indeed… You're innocent. What you did was in self-defense. Everyone has the right to fight for their life. You should value yourself more, dear… You look a lot like my sister a bit..."

"S-Sister?"

"Yeah… I… I am your auntie… I am sorry for not having come earlier… I never knew that my brother would… had fallen so low… I thought you were doing fine but… You weren't doing fine, didn't you? I'm sorry…"

"Ah…"

The woman hugged him tightly, as she began to cry over his shoulders.

"You're such a precious little boy… You should have never had to go through all of this… You deserve so much better…"

"…"

The boy was impacted by the woman's embrace, as he began to cry once more since that day.

"Sniff…"

"I will take care of you, alright? I will give you anything you want… And I will protect you… I will love you… I will make you happy… I will try my best… Okay?"

"R-Really?"

"Yeah… Really! So, please… Please… Cooperate with us… Help me in letting me help you… David."

"O-Okay…"

The woman smiled warmly, as she kissed the boy on the forehead.

"Thank you… Let's go, come with me… Let's start over, okay?"

"…I am scared of going out."

"You're not going out alone, we'll be always at your side."

"Really?"

"Of course."

The boy holds the hand of the woman, as they both walk out.

There's a bright day outside.

The perspective of the boy's life since then gave a sudden shift.

She got to meet his new mother, his new father, and his new two big siblings.

He began to be slowly healed, bit by bit.

It was such a lovable and warm family.

I see…

So that's how it is.

To think that my Drake suffered so much… My dear…

And he always said that he never went through any hardships… That he never suffered and that he had a very average life?

How can he… say that…

But where he is now?

I continue to fly around.

Until I reach a strange agglomeration of floating buildings, bubbles with memories, and more.

They're all gathered in a large bubble, and… Drake is inside.

I find him there.

He's now grown up in his human appearance.

He's… having such a nice life with his family.

I guess… you miss them a lot, don't you?

It must be painful to grow so attached to these people that healed your broken heart, only to die suddenly… and lose everything.

This is awful… I know.

But Drake…

This is not reality…

"Wake up… Drake…"

"This is not real!"

"Please, come out!"

I try to enter the dream, but there's a very powerful barrier around it. It is super hard, like a diamond.

I cannot even enter.

It is as if… he encapsulated himself inside to never come out.

Drake… Why would you do such a thing?

I have to get you out…

I cannot bear to look at you are enjoying something that's not real.

It is just your own dreams…

How can you let them control you?

Or perhaps… he chose to do this on a whim?

Subconsciously, he trapped himself in here because he wants to live this fantasy where things are still the same as before?

"I'm sorry… But I have to break in… I have to save you. If you stay for too long, something bad could happen to you… Even as a Daydreaming Dragon if you use your own power against yourself… You might…"

Suddenly, an axe made of mold emerges in my hands.

"M-Miranda?"

"I saw everything… Let's do it together."

"Alright!"

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