The sound of crickets was what I heard when I woke up. The ringing in my ears already gone while I tried to catch my breath. My hurt was beating so loud that you could hear it if you are close enough. My brows were furrowed as I wondered, why did I get that dream, a very creepy one I may add. It felt very real but it wasn''t at the same time. What''s even more creepier is the fact that the faces of those people in my reams were so life like but yet so fake.

    It was like they were there but wasn''t. And how odd, that out of all the people, only Alexander seemed to be the real one. I did not feel anything strange about him despite me hearing his thoughts. My feet led me to the other side of the room as I drank a glass of water. My throat felt like there were sands in them, it was so dry and it was really painful to gulp.

    I looked outside through the window pane. Everything was so peaceful and quiet.. My body craved the feeling of being in bed so I decided to go and lay back down. I laid in there motionless on my side as I continued to stare into nothingness. Then strange things started to happen.

    I mentioned that since the day that my mother dies, I wasn''t able to sleep well enough and sometimes, I wouldn''t sleep at night and I cope up by taking naps during the day but whenever the night arrives, it''s like my nightmares from the past comes alive too. They wake up to find and haunt me whenever I do get a glimpse of deep sleep. This time was different though, I got to sleep but it wasn''t those horrid dreams that I dread dreaming for the rest of the night. What are those dreams you may ask? You may never know.

    But tonight, a very strange and rogue one came to visit me. Strangely, it''s not scary but creepy. Everything about it screams creepy. A thought was stuck in my mind thinking about the dream. I knew and picked up at some point that someone''s name was wrong. Their expressions were unlikely and their smiles were not smiles.

    I tried to think back deeper but whenever I do, I just end up forgetting about it as my mind creates a new story.

    Sleep for the first time in a while has now started to visit me tonight as my eyes felt very heavy and drowsy. My body relaxed even more into the bed as everything seems to be in order for me to be able to sleep. The fear of being faced by the faces that I yearn to not see, sights I''d rather not behold and voices I''d chose to forget.

    I grabbed the blanket lazily and threw it over my body. Everything started to get cozy immediately. Everything was set in place for me. I snuggled even deeper into my bed before starting to drift into a dreamless and peaceful sleep which was something who couldn''t occur to a boy who was deeply scarred and traumatized by his past. I wouldn''t admit that out loud but I can''t deny it for myself. The last image that popped into my mind was a very blurry image of someone from afar. The person was waving at me while running but I couldn''t seem to get a grasp of the persons face. Further than that, I do not remember any more as my mind already went blank.

    It wasn''t the crickets that I heard when I opened my eyes with ease for the first time in a while. The birds outside were chirping, the sun rays bleeding through the drapes and the smell of something fresh that woke my mind in an instant. Something is very strange today. I woke up at the right side of the bed for the very first time. This did not happen once when mother was still alive but now it did. It was very strange indeed as I do not wake up at the right side of the bed, that was up until now.

    I stood up and was quite shocked at the early enthusiasm. I was crept out by myself as I felt the need to smile today and so, I restrained myself. I may have woke up in the right side of the bed but that doesn''t mean that I should smile too.

    I was about to go into the shower when I smelt something so familiar. That aroma of cooking, despite being half-naked, I immediately scurried back to where the kitchen was and as soon as I got there, the thoughts in my head became reality.

    Standing with his back facing me, he flipped the pancake over as he hummed a very familiar tune. I silently walked towards the table and sat there with a faint smile, well okay I failed but not that much. Notice that I said "Faint" smile. Not a huge smile.

    I wonder why he''s here? Did father send him here? Is he finished from the expedition he was deployed at? Many questions that are answerable by yes or no but I just chose to throw them all away and just enjoy the moment. It feels like everything is back to normal, even if mom is not here, this is the warmest morning that I''ve had in a while.

    I stayed quiet until he finished the pancake that he was cooking. He had two of his hands occupied by the plates where he placed the pancakes in but all of what he made in secret almost fell to the floor as he lost balance in holding the plate on both of his hands but I was quick to act and made everything he had levitate. I then sat the plates with the pancake on the table.

    "Hade, you''re awake!"

    "And you did not inform me that you were coming here today Zoren." I said with a faint smirk. Zoren laughed and so did I. I stood up and walked towards him, going in for a bro hug. I never did hugs with anyone aside from mother and father when I was younger , Zoren too. Kaval doesn''t even have that privilege but he has to have it yet. I just don''t want to go see him and then ask for a sudden group hug.

    Zoren and I released each other from the hug we had with a smile. We both sat down in comfortable silence as he prepared my plate with what was on the table.

    "It''s been so long since we haven''t seen each other your majesty." He spoke, wanting to start a conversation. I just smiled knowing that he just wants to get started on the talking which I am fairly good at. He just likes to share the things that happened while he''s in his expedition which can span to a year if he''s lucky enough to have a strong force in retaking some parts of the barren lands and marking it as inferno territory.

    "What? It was not that long. Five years?" I only stared at him with a look that very much said ''are you serious?'' to which he laughed aloud at. I just shook my head with a smile as he sat the plate which was now filled with food. It had pancakes and some syrup with some bacon. He then went on to pour me a glass of lemonade as I prefer it more than tea or coffee.

    "Well I guess that it is quite long no?"

    "Zoren, so much has happened in five years." I tried to explain.

    "Oh please, what could happen that big in five years. It was just like a minute. The biggest thing that could happen is when you finally go out more often and stop waking up in the wrong side of the bed." He spoke as he started to munch on the food that he was eating.

    I gulped down the food that I was chewing before I answered him.

    "Well you won''t believe it but I believe I woke up in the right side of the bed today. Birds were chirpin'' and it felt nice to actually wake up."

    "Oh wow, well that alone doesn''t signify a big thing though." He continued to munch on his food as if he was deprived of it during the expedition when i know that he is not. If I knew better, he has the same food while going out on an expedition, it''s kind of a perk of being a royal deputy. Now going back to what he said, a thought sparked in my head. I stopped eating and looked at him.

    "Alexander, the prince of the sea is already here and not only that but we are also going to have a face off during the upcoming Grand Clash which will happen the day after tomorrow."

    Zoren immediately stopped eating, dropping his spoon and fork before looking at me with wide eyes.

    "He''s here!?"