Odyssey of the Blind God

\'The Nightmare…changed?\' Nial realized and his jaw dropped to the ground when he realized that he had forgotten something extremely important.

In the last few months, the intensity of the Nightmares where his Mother would be killed right in front of him, and where his sister would kill him afterward had gradually become a lot weaker.

He figured that this was because he tried hard to become stronger and protect what was left of his family.

Nonetheless, Nial tried to discard the nightmares from his mind whenever he woke up after some overly necessary sleep. The nightmares would disturb him and distract him from giving his utmost to become stronger, which made things even harder for him.

But what he didn\'t expect to happen was that the Nightmare of his mother would change all of a sudden.

There hadn\'t really been an instance that could have caused the change in his nightmare, or so Nial thought.

"Can I even consider it a nightmare anymore?..." He mumbled, his voice filled with complex emotions as he recalled everything that happened in the nightmare.

In the dream, he was able to see his mother standing in a completely white room, waiting for him. She bore a gentle smile that carried all the love she felt for Nial and her family.

There was not a single trace of anger, sadness, let alone frustration in her eyes, just love.

Nial felt his eyes grow moist and something wet trickling down his cheeks but he didn\'t care about that in the slightest. He was just staring at his lovely mother and he imprinted her image deep inside his mind, just like always.

"Nial…my lovely son…how have you been?" His mother asked while slowly striding forward. Her expression changed slightly and a trace of guilt and sadness now marred her beautiful face.

"You had a hard time, didn\'t you?" She asked in a broken voice, her eyes getting teary. Nial looked at his mother for a while, as she reached for him and cupped his face.

Tears trickled down her cheeks as she took another step forward to give him a tight hug. Nial wanted to reciprocate the hug but he was neither able to move nor to speak.

Except for his eyes that moved while they shone in the same lifeless glister, it looked like his entire existence was frozen. It was almost as if everything that was broken began working all of a sudden and everything that was supposed to work properly had broken down.

Nial was not sure if that was a thing but he was not actually giving it more thought. His entire being was focused on his mother and the changed nightmare.

"I know that you have had a hard time because of me and your sister…but you will have to accept my death… I have already left the mortal world, and you cannot help me anymore…but your father and your sister are still alive. Your father is much weaker than you might think, so please take care of them…" Nial\'s mother sobbed softly without ever letting go of Nial.

She held him in her embrace for a very long time and tears continued to trickle down Nial\'s cheeks. He was unable to keep his emotions under control, and it was torturous that he was unable to move or say anything.

Thus, his tears never stopped, as they were nourished through his sadness, frustration, the anger he felt for himself, and all the remaining complicated emotions that surged through his mind.

"I will have to take my leave now…my time has come…" Maline spoke softly. She gently caressed Nial\'s hair while his eyes widened in shock.

\'Noo!!!\' He screamed out loud in his mind, sensing the deeper meaning behind her words. Nial could tell that his mother would disappear…forever, and he didn\'t want that to happen.

Even if he had to meet her through Nightmares, Nial would rather suffer the torturous sight of his mother leaving him whenever he fell asleep than never see her again. He knew that time would slowly blur his memories and image of her, and he didn\'t want that to happen.

Tears kept freely flowing down his face, and his mother wiped them away, still smiling lovingly at her son.

She was proud of what had become of her son. Nial had grown up very well, but it was time for him to live on his own!

"Remember, the danger is lurking everywhere…return home and protect those important to you, whatever it may take!" Nial\'s mother said while taking a step backward.

Her hand slowly moved away from his cheek and Nial could clearly see that his mother was slowly disappearing from within his dream. Her legs had already turned into white particles.

"I love you, my little fighter!" Maline said, smiling from ear to ear, her gaze never leaving Nial\'s face.

Something within Nial awoke at the sound of these words and his body began to jerk.

His lips twitched and his mouth opened slightly, releasing faint noises,

"I…love you too…"

Afterward, Nial\'s mother vanished, to be never seen again.

Ever since that day, Nial never had a Nightmare involving his mother again…

*Chirp*

Ryu chirped to grab Nial\'s attention as he had gone completely rigid in his bed for the last few minutes. He had relived the memories of the last dream he had with his mother.

Tears were soaking in his shirt, causing Ryu to be worried about Nial\'s sudden change of attitude.

Nial\'s body jerked several times and it took a while before he regained his senses.

However, when he finally regained his senses, a deep sigh escaped his lips.

"Looks like we have to leave Alliance City today," Nial mumbled while wiping his tears.

His mother\'s only request had been for him to return home. Thus, Nial would do as she asked. There was not actually the need for him to stay in Alliance City, either way.

He got his hand on his fifth and last ability crystal, and it was finally time for him to take a look at the situation back home.

\'But before I leave, I should still finish my unfinished business here,\' Nial figured and he got up from the ground once he had gotten a hang of his composure.

Nial spread out his mana, he collected the used up Origin crystals and the shed body of his companion before he picked up both Ryu and the little Oracle.

The Little Oracle was still sleeping. Thus, he wouldn\'t just leave her alone. He wanted her to decide whether she wanted to join him on his trip back home, or if she wanted to separate.

After she had helped him with the isolated space, Nial considered her as a very precious companion rather than baggage that weighed them down.

Ryu hopped on Nial\'s shoulder and he was chirping in joy when Nial left his room. He went downstairs to speak to the Dojo Master.

"Is he not in his office?" He muttered when his range of perception couldn\'t perceive the Dojo Master.

Nial entered the Dojo Master\'s office nonetheless, he accessed one of his many Spatial rings, took a look at the content and he transferred a few things to the other rings before nodding his head in satisfaction.

"I hope this is enough to thank you for everything you\'ve done to support me!" Nial spoke out loud as he removed the spatial ring from his finger.

He put it down on the office table and turned around. The Little Oracle yawned while Ryu kept chirping as he made his way to the office door to leave the Pagoda and the City altogether.

But what he perceived upon turning to the door was something or precisely someone, he wasn\'t able to perceive before.

"So, you\'re leaving?" The Dojo Master\'s loud voice rang in Nial\'s ears. Nial smiled at the Dojo Master in response, not showing that he was surprised by the tall Valxian\'s sudden appearance.

"Yes. I think it\'s time for me to leave. I\'ve spent a long time in Alliance city and I have achieved everything I could have asked for, and more!" Nial spoke in all honesty.

The Dojo Master lifted an eyebrow as he looked down at Nial, the little Gryphon, and the sleeping little girl.

\'What happened to his Gryphon? Did it evolve…but then it shouldn\'t have become a youngling…that\'s weird…\' The Dojo Master wondered, ignoring the existence of the Little Girl after giving her a cursory glance.

He averted his focus to Nial, and simply looked at him for several seconds without saying a single word.

"You are still at the Prometheus rank…hmm…" The Dojo Master muttered while caressing his clean chin.

"What about it?" Nial responded warily.

"I\'m just wondering how you were able to kill the Keltia ranked Heligav!"