A Dream of the Past


    Darkness surrounded Beno Mark. At first, there was nothing—just a void swallowing him whole. Then, a faint light flickered, and suddenly, he found himself standing in a golden wheat field under the warm glow of the afternoon sun. The gentle breeze carried the laughter of two boys playing, their shadows dancing across the swaying grass.


    Beno''s heart clenched as he recognized the smaller boy running toward him, his messy brown hair bouncing with each step. Renzo.


    "Brother!" Renzo called, his youthful voice filled with joy.


    Beno felt his chest tighten. Renzo was young—around ten years old, just as he had been all those years ago. In his tiny hands, he held a wooden sword, grinning up at his older brother.


    "I love you, brother!" Renzo declared, his bright eyes shimmering with admiration. "You''re my hero!"


    Beno''s heart swelled with warmth. He crouched down, placing a firm hand on Renzo''s head, ruffling his hair.


    "You can count on me, my dear brother," Beno said with a smile.


    But the moment he said those words, the sky darkened. The wheat field wilted into lifeless gray. The warm sun turned into a blood-red moon, casting eerie shadows across the landscape.


    A new scene unfolded.


    Beno saw Renzo again—but this time, he was not a child. He was older, standing in a dark battlefield. His figure was tense, his aura crackling with violent energy. Facing him was Luna, her long golden hair disheveled, her blue eyes fierce with determination.


    "Renzo! Don''t fight her—you''ll hurt her!" Beno shouted, but his voice echoed uselessly in the void.


    The battlefield trembled as Renzo''s sword clashed with Luna''s, sparks flying with each brutal strike.


    Then, without warning, the world tilted. Beno felt something cold grip his throat. His feet dangled above the ground. He choked, struggling for air.


    Renzo had lifted him by the neck.


    His once warm brown eyes were now filled with seething hatred. His grip was iron-tight, suffocating.


    "I hate you," Renzo snarled. "You pathetic, weak trash."


    Beno''s vision blurred. His chest burned as he clawed at Renzo''s arm.


    "Why…?" he gasped. "Why do you hate me so much, my brother?"


    Renzo''s lips curled into a twisted smirk.


    SNAP.


    Everything shattered.


    Beno shot up from his hospital bed, drenched in sweat, gasping for air. His chest rose and fell rapidly as his eyes darted around the dark hospital room.


    "Where… am I?" he murmured, his voice hoarse.


    The walls were unfamiliar. A faint beeping from the heart monitor echoed in the silence. The clock on the wall read 12:43 AM—midnight.


    He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers trembling.


    "A dream… just a dream," he whispered. But why did it feel so real?


    He turned to his side and noticed the empty chair beside his bed. Luna wasn''t there. No doctors. No nurses. He was alone.


    Beno forced himself to move. His muscles ached, but he ignored the pain, dragging himself out of bed. His bare feet hit the cold floor as he staggered toward the hallway.


    His legs felt weak, but he needed to walk. Needed air.


    As he approached the waiting room, he noticed a faint blue glow illuminating the walls. The hospital TV was still on, displaying a breaking news report.


    "This marks the second day since the catastrophic event at Gate 07. The death toll continues to rise, with 177 hunters confirmed missing."


    Beno''s blood ran cold.


    The screen showed profiles of the missing hunters. Their names, ranks, and guild affiliations flashed one by one.


    Hunter #176 – Jason Keller, B-rank, Steel Fang Guild.


    Hunter #177 – Elise Mare, A-rank, Shadow Fang Guild.


    Then, the news anchor''s voice turned solemn.


    "Among the missing are several high-ranking hunters. S-Rankers Sophia, from the Rose Guild, and George, from Moonlight, have also disappeared without a trace."


    Beno exhaled sharply.


    Sophia? George? They were among the strongest hunters in the world. If they were gone…


    His gut twisted.


    "And lastly…"


    The moment the anchor spoke again, Beno felt the floor beneath him crumble.


    "Our famous and most powerful S-Rank Hunter… Renzo Mark."


    Beno''s world shattered.


    His breath hitched. His vision blurred.


    "What…?" His voice was barely a whisper. "No… that''s… impossible."


    This had to be a mistake. A prank.


    He turned to Luna, who had just walked in with a doctor. She froze at the sight of him, her expression shifting from relief to devastation as she followed his gaze to the TV.


    Beno turned slowly to face her, his hand shaking as he pointed at the screen.


    "This… this is a prank, right?" His voice wavered, desperate. "It''s all just a nightmare, right?"


    Luna didn''t answer.


    She simply stared at him, her lips trembling, eyes brimming with unshed tears.


    Beno''s breathing grew ragged. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor.


    "This isn''t real," he whispered. "It''s not real…"


    He clenched his fists, striking his own arm, his own face, again and again.


    "I just have to wake up!" he choked out. "Then I can see him again—see my brother smiling on TV, safe and sound. My Renzo…"


    Tears poured down his face, his body trembling violently.


    Luna rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.


    "It''s okay…" she murmured, her own voice breaking. "You don''t have to be strong right now."


    Beno sobbed into her embrace.


    The doctors and nurses hesitated to intervene. They had seen many patients break down before—but Beno''s pain was different. It wasn''t just grief. It was something deeper. A wound that might never heal.


    That night, Beno cried in Luna''s arms, unable to accept the truth.


    The Next Day (Afternoon)


    Beno sat by the hospital window, staring blankly at the city skyline. He had refused to eat. His skin had turned pale, his cheeks hollow. His once sharp eyes were now dull and lifeless, dark circles forming beneath them.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Luna stood beside him, her heart aching at his state.


    "Beno… please eat something," she pleaded. "I promise, I''ll find your brother."


    Beno''s empty gaze slowly shifted to her.


    "You don''t have to do this, Luna," he said, his voice cold, emotionless. "This is my fight."


    Luna flinched.


    "How?" she asked. "You''re not even a hunter."


    Beno''s fists clenched.


    "I don''t care." His voice grew sharp. "No matter what… I will find him. With my own strength."


    Luna watched him in stunned silence.


    She knew he was speaking from rage, from grief. But deep down, she also knew—he meant every word.


    Beno lay in bed, his body motionless, exhaustion pressing down on him like an unbearable weight. His breaths were shallow, his face pale, and the shadows under his eyes made it clear—he was breaking.


    Luna sat beside him, watching silently. Her fingers trembled as she reached out, hesitating before finally running them gently through his hair. It was the only thing she could do. The only comfort she could offer.


    Her throat tightened. He looked just like he did back then—alone, hurt, yet still trying to hold everything together.


    "You are now just like be me… back when I was called Witch ,"she whispered, her voice almost breaking.


    Memories surfaced, unbidden, pulling her back to a time when she was just a lonely girl, and he was the first person to ever reach out to her.


    Luna''s Flashback


    Luna sat at her desk, her hands gripping the edges of her worn-out notebook. The classroom bustled with chatter and laughter, but none of it reached her. It never did. She had long since learned that silence was safer.


    A whisper. Then a snicker.


    "She''s here again."


    "Demon girl."


    "Why does she even come to school?"


    Luna lowered her head, letting her golden hair curtain her face. She wished she could disappear, wished she could stop being different. She had awakened at an early age, and from that moment, Her friend and classmate decided she was cursed. A witch. A monster. A freak.


    She always sat alone—always ate alone. Even the teacher ignored her presence as if acknowledging her would bring misfortune.


    A group of three students stood by the classroom window, laughing amongst themselves. They pointed in her direction, their voices hushed yet sharp.


    "She probably talks to ghosts at night."


    "I heard she cursed someone last week."


    Luna''s hands tightened into fists beneath her desk. It didn''t matter how much she tried to ignore them—the words still hurt.


    But then…


    A shadow fell over her desk.


    Luna looked up and met a pair of bright, determined eyes. Beno Mark.


    The boy stood tall, his hands planted firmly on his hips, exuding confidence as if he had just made the most important decision of his life.


    His voice rang through the classroom like a declaration.


    "No way! She''s not a witch—she''s an angel!"


    The room went silent. The three kids by the window gawked at him, stunned.


    Beno leaned forward slightly, a grin spreading across his face as he stared at Luna.


    "You''re way too cute to be a demon."


    Luna blinked, completely frozen. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. No one had ever defended her.


    A soft laugh slipped from Beno''s lips. "Seriously, guys, look at her! She''s like one of those cool, powerful heroes in stories—an angel with golden hair and magic powers!"


    The moment those words left his mouth, something inside Luna cracked.


    Her vision blurred. Warmth. Happiness. Acceptance. For the first time, someone looked at her and didn''t see a curse.


    She felt something foreign stir in her chest.


    Hope.


    That day, Luna stopped being alone.


    And from that moment on, Beno Mark became her very first friend.


    Early Morning – The Empty Bed


    The first light of dawn filtered through the hospital room, painting faint golden streaks on the cold floor. The steady rhythm of machines hummed softly, the air thick with the lingering scent of antiseptic.


    Luna stirred in her chair, her body aching from the awkward position she had slept in. Slowly, she blinked awake, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on her.


    Then, her eyes fell on the hospital bed.


    Empty.


    Her breath caught in her throat.


    The sheets were slightly crumpled, as if someone had just gotten up. The IV line dangled loosely from the stand, droplets of blood staining the white fabric. His hospital gown was left behind, neatly folded on the table.


    A cold chill ran down her spine.


    "Beno?" Luna whispered, her voice trembling.


    She shot up from the chair, her heart hammering against her ribs. Her eyes darted across the room—he was gone.


    Panic surged through her.


    Luna rushed out of the room, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. She grabbed a nearby nurse. "Did you see the patient from Room 306 leave?"


    The nurse shook her head. "No, but… his condition wasn''t stable. He shouldn''t be moving around."


    Luna''s chest tightened. He was barely able to stand yesterday. Where did he go?


    She sprinted toward the hospital entrance, pushing past the automatic doors. The cold morning air hit her face as she scanned the surroundings. The streets were quiet, only a few pedestrians walking by.


    Her hands clenched. Beno left on his own.


    She didn''t know how, she didn''t know where—but she knew why.


    He had gone to find Renzo.


    A deep ache settled in her chest.


    "You idiot..." she whispered, eyes burning with emotion.


    As the city slowly woke up, one thought consumed her mind—


    She had to find him before it was too late...


    [End of Chapter 3]


    "Beno has finally taken his first step into the unknown, driven by nothing but his desperation to find Renzo. But is he ready to face what lies ahead? What dangers await beyond the hospital walls?


    Leave a comment below! What do you think about Beno''s decision? Was it reckless or brave?


    Don''t forget to drop a Power Stone if you''re excited for the next chapter! Your support keeps the story going!


    See you no Next Chapter....