Capítulo 553: Akumu (3)
Year 200. Six Hundred Years Ago. The Neutral Lands. Yume Metropolis.
Loud chatter dominated over the bustling streets of Yume Metropolis, a pinnacle city that resided at the centre of the world. It was a hot summer's day, and most of the residents should be lazing at home or mending their stalls under shade, but they had all congregated at the main road. Mothers brought their children out with milk bottle hanging from their belts while fathers held onto parasols to protect their families from the sun. It was odd for Yume Metropolis to have this many people standing in one place; however, none of the residents would want to miss this day that would go down in the record books.
Unlike the three Superpowers that held sovereignty over vast amounts of land, Yume Metropolis was a simple city-state that relied heavily on trade and merchants setting up stores in their territory. The Blacksmith's League and Mercenary Guild were some of their main patrons. Yume Metropolis was wealthy, but it lacked a core identity. Most of their residents were immigrants from the three superpowers or foreign workers that came seeking a better job. Few citizens were genuinely loyal to the thriving commercial hub, and its government was hoping to change that.
Therefore, when the news broke that a once in a lifetime genius had been born within their compounds, the government immediately moved to make the most of it. Propaganda leaflets were distributed about the prodigal girl who awakened her Spirit all on her own. They called her an embodiment of an Immortal and the one that would lead Yume Metropolis into a brighter tomorrow. The whole population immediately jumped on the bandwagon and started to praise her name.
At the age of five, Dream had awakened her Spirit without the help of a Shrine Maiden or the Day of Spirits. At the age of eight, she had promoted herself into the Spirit Apostle realm. At the age of ten, she could stand toe-to-toe with the world's best professors when it came to Spirit studies and was capable of solving complex equations. At the age of eleven, she formed her Spirit Core and created her own version of cultivation techniques.
Dream was now twelve-years-old, and her legacy was only just beginning. However, the top officials of Yume Metropolis wanted to strike while the iron was hot. They knew that the three superpowers would be tempted to poach the talent away. Hence, before any foreign power could influence Dream, they had given her a spot on their Grand Council.
Though the appointment was mostly honorary, it was still a great privilege. How many had the opportunity to sit on the council, let alone a twelve-year-old girl? Basically, it was Yume Metropolis' method of telling the world: 'Dream is our Princess, you best not have any thoughts about approaching her.'
"Where is she" One spectator that had been standing under the sun for hours now, moaned in protest. "They said that the bestowment ceremony would take place at noon, but I don't see anything!"
Another peaked over the barricades and supplemented his friend's anguish: "There's nothing there… I'd thought that the young prodigy would parade down using a horse carriage… Were we mistaken?"
"No, that's what the Governor said! She should be arriving soon!" One loyalist interjected with her hollering shrill voice.
The delay in the parade was causing quite a stir amongst the general public, which had taken time off their busy schedules to witness the youngest ever councillor take office. Many had queued up since the break of dawn, just to get the best seats in the house. Many wanted to catch a glimpse of the once in a lifetime genius, regardless of their class. Even paupers, with little to no money to their names, were rubbing shoulders with the elite among the densely-packed crowd.
And among them… A black-haired and brown-eyed young boy stood silently.
The boy was no more than ten-years-old. He wore sloppy garments, most of them reeking with a putrid stench. A torn beanie was all that he had to protect against the sun. His pearly white face had been utterly tanned by the sunburns he faced daily. Blisters and purple boils crisscrossed about his small and feeble hands. There were even numerous scars, possibly from the ill-treatment he'd received as he grew up. The boy was the literal definition of an impoverished orphan, one that had no one to care for him or protect him from the harsh world.
But the boy's eyes lacked despair. Instead, there was a tinge of reverence and joy in those hazel-brown eyes. He was hopping around right at the barricade that protected the main road. Ever since the boy had heard the news about Dream's promotion, he'd set up camp right next to the path that Dream's Chariot would take. It meant that he's been out in the summer's heat for days now, weathering everything ailment that came his way, but that didn't matter to the boy.
The boy had no family. No one cared for his well-being, and the world could care less if he lived or died. No one would mourn his passing, and no one would shed a single tear if he disappeared. He was free to do whatever he wanted, even if it meant cooking himself under the hot summer sun. But the boy didn't mind. If he could meet his idol, the girl that was about to pass through this path. Everything would be worth it.
See, Dream was an orphan as well. She had lost both her parents in a tragic accident when she was merely five-years-old. Some had theorised that the loss of her parents was what triggered her to awaken her Spirit, which was likely the case given the uncanny timing. However, even though her parents had passed on, Dream didn't fall into despair. She picked herself up and began to carve a heroic path onwards for herself.
Today's bestowment ceremony was a crystallisation of all her efforts.
Dream's story was a beacon of hope for many orphans, particularly those that lived in Yume Metropolis. The boy was in a similar state. His parents had abandoned him the moment he was born. Raised in an orphanage for six years, the boy was forced to fend for himself when the orphanage ran out of money. He became a coolie, a porter, a beggar… Anything that gave him money and a chance to survive, the boy would take.
However… The boy longed to be free of this wretched life. He saw the accomplishments of Dream, a girl that was just three years older than himself, and saw her as a goal to work towards. She was an orphan just like him, but she had risen through the ranks to become a councillor for the nation. Her genius that would force adults to cry in shame, charm that would topple even the coldest of hearts, and the resilience to never give up… Dream was the embodiment of everything the boy sought out to be.
Therefore, the boy didn't mind waiting out in the sun, just to catch a glimpse of his idol. And fortunately… He didn't have to wait for much longer.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Chimes of the clocktower's bell rang endlessly, signifying the start of the parade. Hearing the chimes, thousands of men and women shuffled their feet forward and the ones at the front were squashed into the barricades.
"She's coming!!!" A fanatic cheered.
"We can finally see the once-in-a-lifetime genius with our own eyes!" Another was grinning from ear-to-ear.
Everyone was excited to witness the grandeur of Dream, the world's greatest genius. They'd only heard rumours about her exploits and most of their knowledge came from the propaganda leaflets that the government distributed. Was she the jaw-dropping beauty that possessed an ethereal charm? Was she really at the Spirit Core realm at twelve? Did she really have eyes that could pierce through a person's soul? The crowd couldn't wait to find out.
And neither could the boy. He had waited for days out in the blisteringly hot summer sun, just to reserve the best seat in the house. The boy lacked money, so he couldn't pay to be at the ceremony like most nobles did. The only thing the boy had was time and effort. Thus, to meet his idol, he didn't mind the suffering. He leaned over the barricade and saw shadow slowly approaching from the gates of the city.
A radiant smile climbed up the face of the young boy. During this parade, there was only one vehicle that was permitted to ride down the cleared road… And that was Dream's Chariot.
"She's really coming..." The boy muttered under his breath. The boy could feel numerous warm bodies pushing on his back, but he hardly cared. He already had the best seat in the house. His heart was racing a thousand miles per hour, and his face was entirely flushed. In just a few more minutes… He would finally meet his idol!
Alas…
"Move over, brat!" A rough force grabbed onto the boy's shoulder blade and dragged him away from the barricade. Feeling the world spin, the boy wasn't able to identify the perpetrator and could only fall helplessly on the floor. His vision quickly came back as he saw a well-dressed man, possibly a merchant, taking his place on the barricade.
"S-sir? I was there first!" The boy stuttered as he pulled on the merchant's sleeves.
"..." The man didn't bother to look at him. He was too enamoured with the chariot that was slowly making its way to the town hall.
The boy felt helpless. He was far shorter than anyone in the crowd and the fat, sweaty bodies that surrounded him made him dizzy. He needed fresh air, and more importantly, he wanted to see Dream. The boy desperately pulled on the man's sleeves, hoping to reclaim just the slightest bit of space. "S-sir! I can't see the parade! Sir?! SIR?!"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU BEGGAR!" The merchant slapped the boy with one backhand swing, and he was sent flying back to the floor once again. "What good would it be if you saw Dream? You don't deserve it! Just grovel on the floor like the mongrel you are..."
At this point, the boy's vision turned utterly blurry. He was already malnourished and feeble from the summer's sun. Adding in the physical damage that the merchant had delivered onto him, the boy was in no condition to struggle anymore.
Ding… Ding… Ding…
The deafening clocktower bells continued to chime. No one came to the boy's aid as they were still wholly focused on the parade. No, even without the parade, who would save a dirty orphan child whose days were already numbered? All they cared about... was themselves.
Ding… Ding… Ding…
The yammering of the crowd turned softer and softer as all the boy could hear were the sweet sonorous bells. No, there was one other sound that he could hear.
Clop… Clop… Clop…
The trotting of the horses pulling the chariot became louder with every passing second. Soon, Dream would pass by, and the one chance that the boy had to see the girl… would be gone forever.
'I… don't deserve to see her? I will never be able to see Dream?'
That very thought pierced the boy to the core. For someone who idolised Dream, the hero of all orphans and champion of the weak… That thought was something the boy feared more than death.
'No… I will see her!'
Mustering up all of his strength, the boy rose from the ground. He could feel his bones creak, and his muscles were aching all over. Just standing was painful enough, but the boy did something more. He lunged at the merchant who took his spot and grabbed onto his thigh like a koala bear.
"What the-? You fucking brat!!!" Incensed, the well-dressed man shook his leg in an attempt to shake the dirty beggar off. "HOW DARE YOU?! These clothes are worth more than your worthless life, you maggot!"
The boy didn't hear the merchant's cry. Instead, he pushed his arms forward, hoping to claw his way back onto the barricade. By the sound of the horse cloves, Dream should be passing by any moment now. The boy could deal with the aftermath later, the most important thing was to catch a glimpse of Dream before it was too late.
However, that would not come to pass…
The boy was far too weak to resist a fully-grown man's strength, and his face was planted onto the stone ground. Angered, the merchant mercilessly stomped on the boy. "How fucking dare you! You're just a beggar! A FUCKING BEGGAR! Know your place!"
Curled up into a ball, the boy could only endure the brutal attacks of the merchant, be it verbal or physical. At this point, the trotting could no longer be heard, and the sounds of people chattering came into his ears. It looks like… the boy had missed his opportunity. Dream's chariot had passed them by and would soon reach town hall, where the boy would never get a chance to see his idol ever again.
'What… What did I do to deserve this?' The boy cried mentally. His parents had abandoned him, his orphanage had run out of money to rear him, he was forced to work low-paying jobs with no way of escape… He did all he could to be a good citizen, and all he asked for was a glimpse of Dream? Why did society not grant him that wish?!
The boy couldn't hold back his tears. 'Ah… Is this what life is? Me suffering… every… single… day?'
All the boy wanted… was to see Dream once. All he wanted… was… a dream…
"Hey! Hey!" At that moment, the boy's muddied ears began to clear. He could hear loud chatter all around him. Light came back to his darkened mind, and he could feel his strength rapidly increasing. The boy's five senses were slowly coming back online and were stunned by the first thing he saw.
White hair with crystal white eyes. A pure angel descended from the heavens a sent to cure the ailments of the common man. That was the boy's first impression of the girl that rescued him. Her emotions weren't all that hidden on her innocent face. Bubbly yet mature, the girl made the boy's heart race.
"Don't worry! I've dealt with the bad man that was kicking you," the angel smiled.
"A-Ah..." The boy could only form random sounds. At the side, two guards were pulling the merchant that attacked him just moments prior, and the entire crowds' eyes were glued onto the boy. However, he saw nothing of that. The boy only saw the gorgeous beauty that was the white-haired girl.
"What's your name?"
The boy stalled for a moment. The young girl who he had heard legends about… was offering her hand out to him. She didn't mind the dirt and filth that tainted his entire body and was actively trying to touch him.
"Akumu..." The boy weakly replied.
"Akumu? That's a nice name! My name's Dream!" Pulling onto Akumu's hand, Dream lifted the ragged boy onto his feet. Applying a simple fix to his clothes, the girl beamed once more. Akumu felt his entire soul being healed with that one smile, and a warm fuzzy sensation crept up his chest.
"Nice to meet you!"
That was the beginning… of the Allfather's and Spirit Immortal Dream's story...
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