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A desolate land, devoured by a star and several demons. A woman stands in the wasteland she was once born to protect. She holds her two guns - both of which are capable of devouring everything in a void. She stood in the once lively home planet, now desolate because of the disasters that followed in the black hole’s wake.
Her long white hair flutters as she walks away to an unknown distance. What follows her is a distant ghost of an old friend, whose cloaky form flutters in the blood-scented air. The ghost whispers her name - almost forgotten, but never would she forget. She looks at the distant skies, wondering when she could leave this fresh hell and look for a new horizon - away from the taste of nihility she was familiar with.
“Please, take your seats!” Pom-Pom announced, their adorable voice ringing through the speakers as Dan Heng sat down on one of the couches, “We are going to hyperjump in five…”. The visions of a train engulfed in hot blue light appeared behind his eyelids.
“Four…” Visions of an unknown past flashed in his closed eyes. He does not know what they are nor what they meant, but could he care less? He hates how he wants to move on. However, his missing memories force him to face whatever fresh hell his past might be.
“Three…” He heard Pom-Pom chant the countdown, growing more intense as he saw bubbles cloud his eyes. Could bubbles be even visible behind his eyes? He wanted to ask. Yet, he was alone in the Parlor Car while Himeko, Mr. Yang and March were packing their stuff. Since he has no things to pack, he decided to wait for the countdown.
Everyone would come, except Caelus, who looked way too weary for someone who likes to smile a lot.
He remembered how Caelus sacrificed his slot in the Reverie Hotel in Penacony for his sake. After all, Dan Heng understood that the Vidyadhara deserved a well-needed rest after the things he had dealt with - that includes the attempted assassination of Bailu and the reunion of the other members of the High-Cloud Quintet. The reunion soon led to the arrest of Baiheng - a Mara-struck Foxian pilot who exiled herself from the Luofu.
“Two…” He could feel the speed increasing, the windows engulfed in the same blue light. He closed his eyes to prevent himself from getting dizzy just as March did during their trip to Jarilo-VI. He remembered all he had faced in the Xianzhou Luofu and Belobog - Cocolia’s trickery, Yukong’s abandonment, Dan Shu’s medicine…
Caelus’ identity. His mind supplied bitterly, which none of them had known until he saw the Vidyadhara in the form he cursed. Never forget the fact that Caelus has been stabbed to resort to his High Elder form by a fucking criminal like Jing Yuan, who held an useless grudge against him.
“One…” Light flashes behind Dan Heng's eyelids… Only to open his eyes in what looks like the desolate halls of a hotel. He was in a room of a hotel, except it does not have a bed. Instead, a pool of blueish lavender water stood in the middle of the room, the waters rippling innocently.
As he walks around the weird halls of this hotel , he sees a woman, her head draped in white mass of hair. Her sharp blue eyes stared at him almost emotionlessly. The woman smiled, an empty one almost similar to Caelus’ own. How eerie, his mind supplies uselessly. Her guns were sheathed with leather, covering the muzzles before it could hurt anyone.
“Acheron, at your service.” The woman - now named Acheron - said, bowing politely, “I'm a Galaxy Ranger… At least, Acheron is what they call me.”. At least, she seems docile enough, not unlike the people he had faced from the previous planets given his previous experiences.
“Dan Heng… of the Astral Express.” He could not help but introduce himself to the strange woman. Otherwise, he would sound rude just as Caelus had said about manners. “Where in fresh hell are we?” He asked, looking around at the place as they began walking. The place looks like a dream, the halls littered with vibrant blue and lavender bubbles.
“A dream.” Acheron answered with a smile, she gestures at the golden bubbles, “After you.”.
Walking with walls, weird creatures littering the place, the scent of lavender lingering in the air… Acheron was right; this place is indeed a dream. A dreamy hotel, to say the least. He did remember Penacony is the city of Dreams; could this place be connected to it in one way or another? Dan Heng did not want to ask.
“This is just a dream…” Acheron explained, walking alongside him in the endless halls before stopping, “You will forget this as soon as you wake.”. He was so sure about that fact. According to the archives, people would only live to tell at least 70% of what they dreamed while forgetting the rest. “I have a question…. Have we met somewhere before?”
Dan Heng froze, his eyes bearing into Acheron’s soul. He does not know either. Has he met this woman before? Before he could say anything, his body acted instinctively, shaking his head. At least, his body was sure. But he himself wasn't.
“You remind me of a man who I shot my guns at.” Acheron spoke with an eerie smile as if the mentioning of shooting was an ordinary thing to her, “Another question: do you fear losing the bonds you made?”.
Dan Heng was silent. Yes, he does. He treasures his friendships with March and the rest of the friends he made. He loved how Mr. Yang and Himeko treated them like their child. Last of all, he loved Caelus, their romance unbreakable and built on mutual respect. “Of course, I do.” He answered.
“Would you stay here?” Acheron asked.
“No.” Dan Heng shook his head, “I have friends to return to.”.
“That's a relief to know.” Acheron breathed a sigh of relief, walking past him as her hair fluttered in the air, “Should you know, everything has a climax, including the impending journey, especially the golden dreams of Penacony. All of which might end in a nightmare, but you have a choice, whether to save this dream or not”.
“What-” Dan Heng's speech was halted when…
BANG!
Splatters of different colors painted the ground, Dan Heng could feel a piercing pain putting holes in his torso. His eyes closed, the sight of the dreamy hotel disappearing in his range. He could feel the pain dissipating, his head growing lighter.
“Dan Heng!” A familiar voice screams desperately, shaking Dan Heng awake.
“But always remember… Your choices will reappear once more…” The monochrome voice of the white-haired, blue-eyed woman lingered in his ear.
The worried gaze of Caelus greeted him, the Vidhadhara’s hands on his shoulders. “Dan Heng! Wake up!” He cried out, shaking his body, “Are you okay? You fell asleep… you had a nightmare!” He breathed out a sigh of relief. Dan Heng looks down on his torso, only to see his chest intact with no injuries in sight. It was safe to say he also breathed easily.
“I will be.” Dan Heng was not sure himself. But what was that about? He decided not to tell the Vidyadhara lest he wants the latter to worry about him. “Don't worry about me, Cae.” He stood up, holding the shorter man’s shoulder in reassurance, “I'll be fine.”.
“You better.” He knows Caelus does not mean it in a threatening way. He knows the latter was worried, leading him to say the most irrational things ever. However, he was not sure if he could keep the promise. “Good luck in Penacony, okay?” The golden-eyed Vidyadhara-in-human form said, holding his cheeks.
“I will.” Dan Heng held the other’s hand, his face nuzzling against it - a simple gesture of their romance despite what the dangers he might face. He does not know, but he already feels off about this journey in particular.