[Second Arc: World of Adventure]
Two years has passed, at this time, Iode was preparing for graduation being a 9 star mage he has already become. In the past years, Iode was able to breakthrough faster than any of his colleagues, and became adept in healing magic that the Rohanes academy teaches.
He is one of the best student of his class, as to be expected of the successor of one of the original five.
However, those are not the only reason for Iode's uniqueness, the fact that he is the first and only magic swordsman that hails from the wizard tribe adds to his popularity.
"Iode, now that we are graduating, what are your plans, are you going to go to the towers to further your education and sharpen your skills?". Hector asks.
" Yes, as a successor, I have to live up to the expectations, whether I like it or not, Tch ". He said.
"Buddy you okay?". Hector asks
"Yes I am ". Iode replied.
Hector looks at him, he stared at the dark bag under his eyes.
" Whatever you are going through, you are not alone, don't let being the successor of Igor weigh you too much, you are doing good". Hector said.
"Thanks Hector". Iode smiled.
Few days later, in the night, the advanced level students of Rohanes academy were having an after-party, celebrating their graduation, they merried and jollied together. After the party, Iode went straight to the Zenivia residence.
He went to his bed and laid on his bed. His face was feeling dizzy and drowsy, his body wants to sleep however, he does not want to. In the last two years, sleeping has become something he has become wary of.
Most of the time he closes his eyes to have a little rest, he dreams about a future filled with disasters and suffering. Though not everytime he closes his eyes to sleep that he has such dreams, however, the number of times he had it was much, that being said, when he would have the dream he doesn't know, so most of the time, he would avoid sleeping.
But a few times, he would just sleep, even though he knows he is technically not sleeping during the dream-like trance. Whenever he has that, it is like his mind and body has been transported to the place he sees of the dream, not to talk about it fact that the dreams always feels real.
He has asked Igor's clone about it, all the it could give was a temporary solution that would make him sleep for some time without having the dream, however using too much of it might deprived him of sleep and could lead to depression _ not like he does not have it without the solutions in the first place.
He stared at the ceiling, blinking his eyes repeatedly to avoid sleeping, however, he could not beat nature. He hasn't slept for five days straight, heavy dark bags weighs his eyes. Slowly but surely, Iode was loosing his consciousness, he closed his eyes and gave in.
*Yawn!
"Oh man, I had a nice sleep in a while, I wonder when next I'll sleep like this ". He said as he stretched his body. After the stretching, he remained on the bed to collect his thoughts, then it occurred to him, the bed as well as the room he is, is entirely different from his room at the Zenivia Manor.
"Oh no, I'm in the dream again, but it felt like I just had a long night rest, this is unusual ". Iode sighed.
Usually, whenever he enters the dream, he never had a moment of rest, when he close his eyes in the waking world, he opens it immediately in the dream, however this time it doesn't seems so, it feels like he slept well, which is very strange, being his first experience.
"Where am I this time, the Elf tribe, goblin, kobold, nekomata? ". He stood up from the bed and went towards a plain looking window.
"Looking at the architectural design of this room, it doesn't look elven made nor dwarven, the room looks... How do I put it, plain looking, I wonder where I am". He said.
Soon, he heard someone enter the room, he turned around and was beyond mesmerized seeing who came in, he opened his mouth and eyes widely opened, he was speechless.
" Oh, looks like you've awoken". The person said.
" How?! How is this possible". Iode said with great shock.
" Hehe, I finally got to meet you face to face, it hasn't been easy I know, but it's good to see you well, Iode". A middle aged man with purple and specks of white hair said smiling.