~~This world created beneath ones subconscious. A place where ones can freely rest and daydreaming as one please~~
Gatto Nera open her eyes. A sunlight seeps right in front her eyes, makes her vision blinded for a moment by the sunlight. She then look around her, she is sitting on a foreign dining table which she didn't recognize. In front of her, there's Cade Valentine who's still asleep on this dining table. A warm cup of a tea served in front of her.
A fragrant cup of tea is filling her nose, arouse her desire to drink the tea. Fortunately, there is two cups of tea on the table, it somehow makes her feeling free to drink the tea like it was served for them in the first place. She then sips the tea, an incredible taste of the tea wake her up and open her eyes as soon as the tea enter her body. She didn't believe that there's a tea that taste this good. The flavor, the fragrant, even the warmth of the tea is just right.
"Ugh.... My head feels heavy." said Cade while feeling dizzy.
Not long after, Cade is awake while holding his head in pain. He know where he at, he know what to do after, thus he stand up and stretch his arms. Looking at Nera who's enjoy the tea, he immediately put down her cup and told her to stop.
"Oh please not now, Nera. This is enemy territory."
"But the tea is---"
"I said no!" but then his head hurt again, "Uh... sorry to shout at you. The point is we mustn't take feast in the unknown territory. She probably want to poison us."
Cade grab Nera's hand, he pulled her from her chair then together search for an exit. Fortunately, the exit is not that hard to found. Like a normal person house in general, the exit is never been that confusing. They immediately get out from the unknown house.
As soon as they out, Nera saw something horrible before her. A cursed being bathed in blood and flesh, standing and twitching while looking at the sun. An unsightly queen, full of scars and blood, and has a terrible face to be shown.
Nera immediately hide behind Cade's back and panicking, she's way too scared just to look at the beast before them. She close her eyes, trembling before the queen of nightmare presence. But on the other hand, Cade is confused by Nera's behavior. He didn't feel any menacing or terrorizing aura except for Tania Bloodtide appearance which stand before them.
At that time he is sure, something must be happened to her because of his former boss. He then keep Nera away from Tania's vision. Cade frowned, he's mad at his former boss.
"What did you do to her?!" ask Cade in angry tone.
"This world is not the world you think it seems. This world is a reflection to ones perspective and seems your girl saw me as a being which she's scared the most. Would you like to try to change her vision towards me?"
Cade then turn his back, looking at the scared Gatto Nera. He bend his knee and adjust his height to match her height so he can look at Nera's face carefully. Cade immediately hold her face and suddenly Nera is open her eyes while she's still in fear.
Everything she told were true, Nera is still hallucinated in this world. The fear she felt, the horror she experienced, everything is inside her head right now is just an hallucination. Cade swipe her face, clean her cheeks from the moist tear she shed. Somehow, Nera is still tough to hold her fear and stare at Cade's eyes. She venture herself from the terror just for her master. At that time, Cade is touched by his servant determination.
"Nera.... believe me, there's nothing to fear. Please, adjust your perspective twice, for me." ask Cade genially.
Thus a servant obey her master. She close her eyes then clear her mind for a moment. She reinforce her mind and heart so she can think better. Those fear, those terror from the past, she tried to overcome them all at once on her mind. So then she could open her vision better once again. The first thing she look is a beautiful pair of eyes of her master.
A brown and sharp beautiful eyes.
Suddenly, Gatto Nera look something that amaze her very well. Behind her master, an exquisite and stunning scenery lies before them. A beautiful view of a garden of tree shedding their pink colored leaves. Gatto Nera immediately shedding her tear like those pink leaves tree, she never seen a beautiful view like this ever in her life.
On the other hand, Cade is confused why is Nera shedding her tears again but with joy feeling this time. Once he turn around, there's nothing to see back there except for Tania who's standing there while crossing her arms.
"What happened?" ask Cade confused while looking at his smiling servant.
"She's back, seeing a thing which cannot be seen by the daydreaming one." explain The Boss.
"So.... I also the same as her before she opened her eyes once again." Cade lowering his head.
"That's right, Cade. Now open your eyes once again, put a faith on me." Tania loosen her crossed arms and sticking out her hands to reach him.
"But why ? Why should I---"
"Trust me, Cade. Just like the way we were in the past."
Cade avert his eyes, he grab Nera's shoulder tighter. Tremble, his guilt is overwhelm his mind like it were happened just before. He then close his eyes and wash away all of his worries inside his mind but then nothing happened. In fact he still thinking about his guilt in the past before her. He can't seem to get rid of it right away when she is still around.
"Cade.....?"
Suddenly he open his eyes, seeing Nera worrying him exact in front of his face. Seeing her caring face, Cade is suddenly feeling grateful for her. He remembered that there's always one or two people who still loves him even when they know how wicked you are.
"Ha... What was that face for?"
Cade is smile, he's slightly laugh seeing how stupid Nera face is. Then, a pink colored leaf suddenly falling on his hand which is holding Nera's shoulder. Cade surprised, he then look above him and see a beautiful scenery which is the same scenery as Nera vision sees. Cade rise his hand, trying to catch one of the falling leaves by his own hand. Looking at both of them have calmed down, Tania Bloodtide is crossing her arms again.
"This leaves, this trees, I can't believe I could see them here." said Cade.
"An ancient trees which has extinct long time ago, Carmellia." continue Nera.
"Seems like we three have the same vision now." said The Boss.
Tania Bloodtide stepping her legs one step forward, dozen or even thousand of Carmellia tree is born and growing fast around them. A house behind Cade and Nera is immediately destroyed by the birth of Carmellia tree. Nowhere to run, nowhere to go, Cade and Nera is already surrounded by the tree which existed by Tania Bloodtide's fantasy.
"Behold, the world which exist in the past." Tania Bloodtide cast a magic. " ! ! ! Dimension Manipulation Magic : Carmellia Storm Dance ! ! ! "
Leaves from Carmellia trees is suddenly falling repeatedly, a storm surge their surrounding creating a vortex which made by pink leaves of Carmellia tree. The pink leaves of Carmellia trees suddenly turn into pink colored dust, a white shadow people came across like they were in the middle of a town.
The vortex suddenly blows away the pink dust, revealing everything behind the tight vortex of pink dust. A village to be precise, where the village contain so many witches walking around freely and peacefully. Their existence is like a ghost for the passing shadow villagers, they can't see them nor touch them but the otherwise Cade, Nera, and Tania could see them clearly.
"This village...." Nera recalls something.
"Come with me." invite Tania.
Deep on her heart, Nera seems to be remembered about the village but still unsure. Her memory is clouded, she tried so hard to recall the village but can't. Once she felt hurt inside her head, she stop thinking and decide to keep going.
Without hesitation, Cade and Nera follow Tania. There aren't single Carmellia tree to be seen surround them, only pine trees grow around the village and surround them. People here walking around using a pointy hat and a cloak like it's normal. Cade's just amazed seeing how peace those witches live along. He feel betrayed by social knowledge he learn since elementary school.
"Where are we going?" ask Cade.
"A place where we can spar with ease." said her like it was normal for her. "I don't want to blown up a village because of me sparring with you two."
Cade and Nera immediately stop their walk, they stare Tania cautiously. Cade has quite seen her true self enough to be alert when she say spar and Nera is still didn't forget about the anger she felt on her. On the other hand, Tania Bloodtide just smiling and she didn't plot anything but to spar and invite them to do so.
"So you still want to use my master?" stood Nera.
"To be precise, I want to use both of you."
"WHAT ?!!" Nera shocked.
"If I could get two rather than one at a time, why would I hold myself."
Suddenly, a steady and fast hand block Nera's way to proceed closer. Cade put his index finger in front of his mouth and hissing to gave her a hint to be calm and steady. He know his boss better than anyone since he was her right hand together with Majordome for a long time, though they're not that close. For now, Cade is thinking how to beat him together even when he know the percentage is low.
"Great, let's move on." Cade agree with Tania.
"Cade....!" Nera hesistated.
"There's nothing we could do. All we have to do is win the battle and reject her right away." whisper him to Nera while hiding his mouth so Tania could not know. "Because now, I had you join my party thus I am not alone fighting her again."
"You are my master....."
Holding her anger, Nera is agreeing with him to beat her down once and for all together. The anger is still could be felt but her horror is always close by whenever she met those eyes. Nera then walks away and hid behind Cade's back.
Without saying a word, Tania turn her back and continue to reach the destination. Cade then follow, he stay close beside Nera even though she's in a bad mood out of the blue. Cade try to pat her head like he always do but for now she reject him by driving away his hand, leaving an empty feeling. Somehow, seeing Nera acting like that, Cade carve a smile on his face feeling nostalgia.
Suddenly, the tree is rot away, it ages very fast leaving the branches behind. The village is suddenly felt empty, the sound of crowds and children playing is no longer could be heard. An eerie yet calming atmosphere could be felt after they enter the dead village. Looking behind, there's already nothing left behind and the charming village is gone. The only thing left is an old house standing before Tania.
Tania stopped, they finally reach their destination.
"So, this is the end?" ask Nera calmly.
"Yes, and it'll ended with an agreement." The boss answered.
Tania turn his body towards them, stretching a little so she may fight with all her might. A cold wind blows, freezing the stiff muscle for those who are not ready. But seems Cade and Nera is also ready for the fight, they immediately showed their weapon to start the battle fairly using their perspective. On the other hand, Tania just taking off her cloak and ready to go.
A cold tense of a battle could be felt, there's no need to give an opponent mercy. They fight, they bleed, they win. Just one way ahead and no turning back is an everyday motivation for The Major General Tania Bloodtide and Captain Cade Valentine. Whatever they're fighting for, whatever the reason they believe, they just had one option and that is for a glory.
"Then, come. Show me what you made for." declare Tania Bloodtide.
To be continued.....