I was still on the bed, sitting and leaning against the wall. My mind still could not calm down since the recent dream which for me was the worst nightmare I have ever had. I was still exhaling deeply. Sherubiel brought me a glass of water. I immediately drank it because my throat felt dry. Maybe during that dream I kept screaming continuously.
It took 1 hour for me to truly calm down. After that I tried to get down from the bed and walk out of the room little by little.
"You already feel better, Johann?" asked Sherubiel with a face that still looked worried.
"Yes, it's okay. I don't want to stay lying in bed for too long..." I said with a faint smile.
"W-Where is Mendicore???" I asked again.
"It is outside doing weather analysis again..." answered Sherubiel.
"I-Is the sky still in the same condition as yesterday?"
"Dawn didn't appear again, because the sky is still covered by that clouds, Johann..."
I immediately closed my eyes, frowned and exhaled deeply. This strange atmosphere was still happening until now. I immediately took a shower, where the time I spent bathing even became longer because I kept zoning out again thinking about last night's dream.
After finishing bathing and breakfast prepared by Sherubiel, Mendicore returned to the living room.
"Have you found out the reason why the sky is like this?" I asked Mendicore now.
"N-Not yet Johann... What astonishes me is why the cloud contour has not changed at all from yesterday. I also just realized that those dark-colored clouds... resemble the clouds in the hell realm..."
Instantly when I heard the last sentence Mendicore said, my feelings became restless. I looked at Mendicore with an expression of someone who wanted to get angry.
"Don't joke, Mendicore...!!!! Don't ever relate that thing with my greatest fear...!!!" I shouted.
This was the first time I got angry at Mendicore in front of Sherubiel.
"J-Johann... calm down...!!! I didn't know this would offend you... I only said what I already knew as a former analyst of the hell realm regarding this phenomenon..." said Mendicore whose tone turned into fear.
This was also the first time an AI tool answered my question with an emotional tone.
Sherubiel held my right arm while looking at me with a worried expression.
"Johann... Is this all because of your dream last night?" she asked.
I looked back with mixed feelings. My hand tried to release Sherubiel's grip. I walked outside the house and stood in the yard while looking at the sky.
Even though the time had shown that the Sun should have risen, the sky was still clumped up by dark clouds.
I glanced toward Hellraider's house. He was not seen in the yard as usual. Was he still not back from yesterday's matter? His very tragic fate in my dream still echoed in my head.
Was all of this happening because Hellraider began to understand me and decided to "protect me" so that we could both reach and determined to change the end of the journey?
Ruciphar's words that I should not be in this world became a response that truly fit this.
I turned around and saw Mendicore and Sherubiel approaching me. I had to act as early as possible and didn't want to depend passively under Hellraider's or Gruzhnil's protection.
"Mendicore, take me to the shooting range now!" I said firmly.
"Johann... Did Grelmure not say that we should not go anywhere first...???"
I approached Mendicore and stared at it with glaring eyes. It floated slightly backward as if starting to keep distance from my anger.
"I must be able to protect myself without depending on Hellraider and The Graendall all the time Mendicore!!! Can you protect me if danger suddenly attacks us all?!?! Take me there now!!! If they ask for explanation, I will take responsibility!!!" I shouted.
Mendicore looked silent and unmoving. Sherubiel's eyes widened and her mouth gaped hearing my increasingly unstable emotions after the nightmare.
"O-Okay... Johann... I will follow your words…" said Mendicore.
"You stay here, Sherubiel. I will not be long there..." I said with a softer tone.
Mendicore then created a portal, we walked inside and arrived in front of the main gate of the shooting range.
The guards were shocked by our sudden arrival. I said I wanted to practice shooting again because Gruzhnil once said I could come anytime to train.
The guard immediately escorted me to one of the empty shooting ranges. When I arrived, I immediately took a pistol from the weapon rack and went to the farthest booth.
I immediately practiced shooting as accurately and as fast as possible. After destroying the dummy target, I moved to the next booth and tried to improve my shooting ability. I kept doing it in each booth until reaching the other end.
When I moved to the last booth, suddenly I heard someone shouting at me.
"Stop it now, Johann!!!" shouted someone who sounded like Grelmure.
I turned around and indeed it was Grelmure with Sherubiel. Mendicore seemed to know Grelmure would come but deliberately didn't tell me because after all I would be responsible.
Grelmure walked quickly toward me with a facial expression showing anger mixed with disappointment.
"Why are you so stubborn, Johann?!?!?! I have never treated you unfairly and suddenly you changed without a clear reason! What's wrong with you?!?! Speak to me first as your companion, not rebel like this!"
I then approached Grelmure while staring sharply into his eyes. He looked increasingly uncomfortable with my behavior.
"Look at the condition of the sky like this! If you care about me, why are you and the others hiding this matter from us?! Do you still not trust me?! I have helped all of you a lot! If I were not here, Sir Hellraider would never be loyal on your side!" I said loudly.
Grelmure closed his eyes, his teeth clenched and he exhaled deeply several times before replying again.
"Alright Johann... I will tell you directly what actually happened... Yesterday we received information that the Dreadstones deposit obtained during the infiltration mission and stored in the main energy plant was stolen by a group of terrorists. Not only that, there was a massacre of many workers and guard soldiers there as well. The reason I kept this tightly from you is because we fear the perpetrators are part of The Graendall or even the imperial government..." explained Grelmure in a tone that suddenly sounded fearful.
I was very shocked by Grelmure's confession. Why did this tragedy happen immediately after the celebration day? Why did it seem that after something happy happened around me, something tragic immediately followed? Was this my fault for being here?
"Now tell me what happened to you, Johann. I have told you this and I also have the right to know from you..." demanded Grelmure.
It was time for me to tell everyone present about my dream last night.
I told in detail the contents of my nightmare. When I reached the most terrifying part about Hellraider being killed and eaten by the demon ruler, my tears flowed again and I started sobbing.
Everyone fell silent even Grelmure and Sherubiel were shocked after hearing all of my dream. Grelmure took a deep breath again, knelt in front of me and held both my shoulders while I was still crying.
"Johann... I understand why you became like this. Honestly I'm also very afraid if that demon defeats Sir Hellraider who is our strongest protector from their threat. But you firmly said that Sir Hellraider is greatly feared by them there. So you must still believe in him..." Grelmure advised.
I just nodded while sobbing.
"Actually I still cannot believe Azkerath and Ruciphar suddenly appeared in your dream that felt so real. Even though you have never met them directly at all. Even so, this is part of a warning that cannot be ignored." said Mendicore.
"Ssshhhttt... Mendicore!!! Don't say that again! Johann will cry again!" said Sherubiel reminding It.
I stopped crying, wiped my eyes and gave them a small smile.
"Let's go back to the headquarters, Commander Gruzhnil and Sir Hellraider are already there." said Grelmure smiling at me.
I immediately smiled brightly. I wanted to see Hellraider's face again and forget that nightmare.
"Mendicore, is this a sign that I'm starting to be affected by Azkerath's curse so I can dream like this? Is it because I have been in the terror realm even though I didn't meet him?" I asked on the way back to headquarters.
"Ahh... You are still curious... From my previous analysis of Azkerath, it's unlikely that he terrorizes you from a different realm. To be affected by his curse, you must face him directly and without realizing he has 'marked' you through his gaze." said Mendicore.
I nodded and didn't ask further.
Upon arriving at the headquarters, Grelmure brought me directly to the main hall. It was already crowded with The Graendall higher officials.
"The Commander is behind the stage preparing today's meeting discussion." said Grelmure.
I nodded. I saw Hellraider sitting in the front row. I immediately walked there and sat beside him. He only glanced at me briefly.
I observed him and felt grateful that he was still fine. I thought for a moment about what I could do so Hellraider could avoid such a fate later. I knew how his story ended according to the gameplay and that was my biggest motivation to keep following him to try to change the end of his journey for the better no matter what.
But I truly could not accept if in the middle of the journey he ended like in my dream.
Without realizing it, my eyes filled with tears again.
Hellraider immediately turned his head toward me. His expression changed as if annoyed.
"What's wrong...?!?!" said Hellraider in a slightly raised tone.
I suddenly realized and immediately wiped my tears again.
"S-Sorry Sir, I'm just worried that today feels so grim and I'm afraid something bad will happen to us again..." I said as an excuse.
He looked forward again without replying to me.
I just smiled knowing that Hellraider was still the same as before.