Chapter 303 - I am your nightmare

Yuta drops the book on the floor before the flames could touch his fingers. In the next instant, his arm is gripped by his mother. While she scans his hand, she asks him repetitively if he's okay. But he can't look away from the flame.

Feeling his blood turning icy, he stares hard at the notebook. Memories of his past life flood his head as his heart drums against his c.h.e.s.t. All of a sudden, he finds himself standing before Mira again.

When he notices the familiarity, he realizes that he's at the house where they lived together in their past lives.

Her hair is loose and unkempt, dressed in his black shirt that reached her t.h.i.g.hs. She is watching him in silence. 

Why does she have that pained look in her eyes?

"Why," He asks her again, "did you betray me?"

Mira doesn't answer. She bends down on her knees. "I have to kill you."

"Was I a sacrifice?" Yuta steps toward her. It must be a dream, but he's not waking up. Is he supposed to listen to her? 

"I am sorry." She places her hand on the floor. "I can't find any other way."

"You only had to tell me once." He yells at her, "If you had only trusted me."

"I can't find any other way." Mira doesn't respond to him. "What should I do? I am tired of this. I don't want to fight anymore. I want this to end. She took everything from me. Now, she wants you. I can't… I wish I could die."

"Mira." She's not talking to him. He shouts her name again. "Mira!"

"I can't fight anymore." Her fingers dig into her hair. "I can't let go either."

"Just look at me and tell me why you did it." He reaches for her arm. "I don't want to believe that you wanted the Consortium more than you wanted to be with me. I don't think that it was all a lie."

"I have to kill you!" Mira croaks, "I can't stop it. I am sorry."

There's a loud sound of crashing. When he looks up, he sees the eye of a black tornado. In the centre, there's an inflamed serpent with ruby eyes and black skin. It opens its mouth wide. Yuta swallows when he sees many twisted faces inside the serpent's mouth. 

"Yuta." His mother screams at him, "Save me."

His father, brother, and uncle are also in there. They screech painfully as they try to escape. Yuta can't move. His feet are paralyzed. He looks down and finds Mira holding onto his leg. She quivers miserably. Blood trails down from the corner of her blackened lips. She pales when she sees the serpent. 

"You need to run." She pushes him away. "Go away. Don't ever come back, Yuta!"

"My family is there." Yuta glances at the serpent. His family is crying for help. "I need to --"

"You can't." Mira laughs weakly as tears flow down her cheeks. "They are dead like me. All of us died. You need to live for our sake. Leave this hell."

"No, I won't." He grabs her arm. "I can't leave my family and you."

Mocking laughter echoes in the house.

"We are too late," Mira whispers.

Suddenly, it becomes eerily quiet. Mira's family are standing against the wall. Even Christopher Ash and Dionne Ash are there. They watch him with haunted eyes.

A woman with long brown hair enters the hall. Her red t.h.i.g.h-length dress hugs her body like a second skin. She's carrying a violin in her left hand. 

The woman has beautiful soft brown eyes.

She stops in the middle of the hall, right under the chandelier. 

This is not his house. He has no idea where this place is.

"You killed my father." She raises her head and meets his eyes. "You also killed Uncle Yuan."

"You are Valerie Kang," He murmurs. 

"Yes." She smiles at him. A smile that promises vengeance. "Do you think that you and your family can escape me?"

"Valerie, you…" That's not the little girl who is being raised by his family. This woman is…

"I am your nightmare." She hurls the violin on the floor and steps on it. "I will cross space and time to find you. I will watch your world burn. This time, I will make sure that you live long enough to see the demise of your loved ones."

This is not a dream. She's real. 

Yuta dashes toward her. He's going to kill this woman before she harms his family. However, when he reaches for her shoulder, he only grasps air. She laughs at his face, stepping back as she turns into smoke.

***

Mira's eyes snap open. With her eyes fixed on the ceiling of the cabin, she stays still in order to grasp the situation. It's been a while since she had dreams like this. She tries to sit up. Her hand slips as she falls back on the floor. Mira takes deep breaths.

"It's alright." She murmurs, "It was only a dream."

Valerie can't come here. 

But Valerie is living with Yuta. 

Mira puts her arm over her eyes. The constant rocking of the ship makes her dizzy. This is the first time she is travelling through the sea.

Will it end if she jumps into the sea? 

It won't. Her death won't change anything. If Valerie regains her memories, she will harm Yuta's family. 

Then, Valerie's next target will be her.

What does time-turn mean? Is Valerie truly waiting to appear in the current world?

It would have been better if she could kill Valerie Kang before this could happen. Then, she could kill herself. As much as she knows, she and Valerie are last of the Ash Bloodline. 

Everything could end if Yuta hadn't protected Valerie that day.

It's fine. She will get a chance in the future. That girl doesn't deserve a quick death. Didn't Valerie also love to torture her prey before she killed them?

Mira touches her ear. She can't wait to meet Declan Hale.