Chapter 9: A Leaf on the Wind

Three days had passed since Tsui had her nightmare, the one where she lost her hand. The dream remained vivid in her memory, every feeling, emotion, and pain etched clearly in her mind.

Though the nightmare frightened her awake, it wasn't the main reason for her fear.

It was the scar that she found encircling her wrist, the same spot where her hand was severed in the dream.

Until she had the dream, she had never noticed the scar on her wrist, and she couldn't remember how she got it. The scar would have made sense if it were just a cut, perhaps from an accident while using a knife in the past. But a complete scar encircling her wrist seemed absurd and left her wondering what kind of accident could have caused it.

Tsui asked Emma if she knew about the scar on her wrist, but even Emma was surprised to see it. Since Tsui always preferred to wear clothes with long sleeves, Emma had never noticed the scar before either.

Tsui did not care much about the dream and the scar, as she believed that once she recovered her memories, all the answers to her questions would become clear. She continued working earnestly in the restaurant, and had also befriended Ron and Amelia, the servers of Family Bistro Nook.

Every day, like clockwork, she bid farewell to her co-workers after finishing her tasks or when her shift had ended. It was a Friday, Emma’s day off, so it was up to Tsui to buy takeout meals for their dinner at home.

Arriving home, Tsui would take a bath and Emma would arrange the food and utensils on the dining table. After dinner, they would always play Nintengo Twitch together until it was time for their bed. Tsui had not won a single match against Emma.

“Goodnight, Emma.”

“Night, Tsui!”

As usual, Emma cuddled her oversized bunny plushie and put on her eye mask, while Tsui lay on her back next to Emma, staring at the ceiling until she gradually drifted into her sleep.

…

In a matter of seconds after drifting off to sleep, Tsui jolted awake and opened her eyes, finding herself lying on her back on the soft grass, shaded by a tree.

“Huh, I was sleeping in my room just a while ago.”

Tsui quickly got up from her previous lying position and looked at her clothes and hands. She found out that her pyjamas had been replaced by an unfamiliar attire she had never seen before. The scar that was on her wrist was gone, without a single trace.

Tsui believed it was another dream, one that felt incredibly realistic just like the one she had before.  She felt the cool breeze brushed against her face as she stood atop a hill, gazing out over a city from a different time.

“This looks like the medieval age…”

Unlike her previous dreams where she was a mere observer, confined to watching events unfold through her own eyes without any control over her actions, this time was different. Tsui found herself in command, able to move and walk freely, fully in control of her own actions and decisions.

“I wonder if I can go to the city.”

Tsui started to walk down the hill, following the stairs. Every step she took, she could feel the tall grass brushed against her skin as she walked, and she could feel the gentle flutter of her dress in the breeze.

The atmosphere was incredibly relaxing. As she walked closer to the city, she could hear the bustling sounds of the crowd grew louder and clearer.

She noticed the towering walls that encircled the city. Majestic flags adorned the walls, each bearing the same emblem of the nation under which the city belonged.

The soldiers stationed at the gate, wore armor that seemed oddly familiar to her. She had seen it before, in her nightmare, worn by her allies who fought alongside her in the battlefield.

The soldiers stationed there, stood there chatting casually. Each of them wielded a spear in their hands, carrying a sword on their waist.

Tsui could tell from their demeanor that these soldiers were city guards. She walked towards their direction since it was the way into the city as well. As soon as the city guards noticed her, they ceased their conversation and swiftly returned to their posts, standing upright in a disciplined manner.

Tsui was startled by their sudden move.

“Ah, that surprised me! Why did they do that?”

When Tsui closed the distance, only a few meters separating her from the guards, they respectfully bowed their heads as if to show their respect.

“Are they bowing to me?”

Tsui looked around her surroundings but found no other people nearby. The guards, all in unison, directed their bows toward the same direction she was standing in.

“I guess they are bowing to me.”

Feeling uncertain on how to react, Tsui spontaneously uttered a phrase that came to her mind and said it to the guards, “Carry on, guards.”

After Tsui walked further ahead, the guards relaxed, returning to their previous positions. As Tsui ventured deeper into the city, it came alive with vibrant scenes—children giggling and playing on the streets, merchants proudly displaying their goods at colorful stalls, and the joyful chatter of people filling the air. It was a lively and bustling place, full of life and energy.

As Tsui walked through the city, people greeted her warmly with genuine smiles, creating a peaceful and joyful ambiance. Intrigued by the music drifting from a nearby tavern, she couldn't resist to step inside and explore.

Tsui entered the tavern and quietly searched for a secluded corner where she could sit alone without drawing too much attention. She sought a place of relaxation, away from curious glances.

Seated in her chosen spot, Tsui keenly observed the bustling tavern. The tavern was just as how Tsui imagined it would be, with people dancing to the music, others engaged in gambling at the tables, and a few individuals drinking, either alone or in the company of friends, some of whom seemed quite drunk.

Time seemed to fly by fast, Tsui didn’t know how long she had zoned out sitting there, but she knew it was already nighttime in the city, as she heard the sounds outside of the tavern had quieted down.

However, when she came back to her sense, she noticed on the opposite side, there was also another individual sitting in a corner, and this person seemed to be looking directly at her for some time.

The person sitting in the corner wore a hooded cloak that concealed most of their body, including half of their lower face wrapped with clothes. Only their eyes were visible. When their gazes met, the person stood up from their seat and quietly left the tavern.

For some unknown reason, Tsui felt a strong curiosity about the person who had been staring at her and had an impulse to follow them.

When Tsui exited the tavern, the sky was already dark, with only the moonlight faintly illuminating the streets. In the dimly lit streets, Tsui kept her eyes on the mysterious figure walking ahead and silently trailed behind.

As she followed the figure, Tsui quickened her pace to keep up. It was obvious that the person was aware of being followed. They turned into an alleyway, veering away from the main street of the city.

“Wait, stop!”

Tsui called out to the person from a distance. As soon as the person turned to look back, they immediately broke into a run.

“Tsk, I knew they would run!”

As Tsui chased after the elusive figure, she felt a strong urge to catch them. It was like an intuition, as if there was an itching question in her mind that could only be answered by apprehending this person. Tsui sprinted after them with all her speed, matching their pace.

The route the person took led them closer to the towering city wall, a dead-end escape. With no other way out, they turned to confront Tsui, their back pressed firmly against the city wall.

Step by step, Tsui approached until she stood mere inches away. She reached out, grasping their arm with her left hand, while her right hand went for their cloak and the concealing cloth around their face.

"Who are you? Why did you run when I called you?"

With a determined pull, the person's cloak and the concealing cloth fell away, unveiling their identity. It was the very man from her haunting nightmare, the one who had severed her hand. A flood of emotions surged through Tsui, just as they had that dreadful night—anxiety, despair, anger, and fear all converging at once, overwhelming her senses.

“It’s…you, the one from the dream.”

A sudden, excruciating pain shot through Tsui's left hand, forcing her to release her grip on the man as she knelt down in agony. It felt as if her wrist were engulfed in a scorching ring of fire, leaving a searing mark on her skin.

When she glanced down at her wrist, she was dazed to see the scar forming back before her eyes—a deep red gash oozing fresh blood, steadily dripping down from her hand. Reacting on instinct, she clutched her bleeding wrist with her right hand, attempting to stop the flow of blood.

But as she looked up, her heart sank—the nightmare seemed to have reenacted itself before her very eyes.

There stood the figure of the man looking down on her, and she couldn't help but feel the same as she did before, powerless.

It was then, the distant sound of marching armies reached Tsui’s ears. The city wall behind the man started to tremble and crack, the fractures growing wider until it crumbled down, forming a gateway for the enemies from her nightmare. They stormed in triumphantly, raising their banners high and setting ablaze the emblems that adorned the city walls.

Tsui felt utterly helpless as she watched the city crumble before her eyes. Soldiers dragged families from their homes, showing no mercy as they committed acts of unspeakable violence and set everything ablaze. Screams and cries echoed through the once peaceful city, now ablaze and engulfed in turmoil.

The man, with a katana unsheathed from his waist, and brought its gleaming blade dangerously close to Tsui's throat.

He locked eyes with her and uttered, "Ocara will be ours, Tsui Agawa. No matter what you do, the outcome remains unchanged. You're nothing more…than a leaf on the wind."

His blade pressed slowly against Tsui's neck, and she could feel warm blood trickling down, slowly staining her dress in red.

“Am I dying…in this dream? Is this what death feels like?”

It was painless this time, unlike the searing agony she had experienced in her wrist. As her vision began to blur, the world around her seemed to fade, and Tsui felt her consciousness slipping away.

…

Tsui's eyes shot open, her hand instinctively reaching for her throat. To her surprise, there was no scar, contrary to what she had expected after the dream. As she took in her surroundings, she found herself back in the safety of her room, lying on her bed. The morning light streamed through the window, and she could hear Emma, already awake, brushing her teeth.

“Oh, you’re awake. I was gonna wake you up after I finished brushing my teeth…Are you okay?”

“I’m…I’m fine. Just another strange dream.”

As Emma returned to finish brushing her teeth, Tsui rushed to her desk, driven by a vivid recollection of the dream. With pen and paper in hand, she quickly sketched the emblems she saw and the man's face, determined to preserve every detail.

“Just who is this guy? Why do I keep dreaming about him?”

Convinced that the dream held a profound meaning, Tsui felt an unwavering urge to uncover its message.