Between Dreams and Reality.

Chapter 3: Happy Family

After a day marked by discoveries and sensations, Lumien finally rested in a simple room offered by the family that had taken him in. The mattress was modest but sufficient for his body to rest. As he closed his eyes, without fully understanding what it meant to sleep, he felt himself being pulled to a place that was no longer that room.

He opened his eyes — or at least, that was what it seemed. He was in a vast, infinite place where the sky stretched in colors he could not name, and the ground was a mixture of glowing stones and golden fields. There was an air of unreality in that world, but at the same time, he felt that everything there was palpable. It was like being in a separate, unique universe.

As he wandered through that space, his perception expanded. He not only saw but felt everything around him. It was as if he were part of that place and, at the same time, above it, observing it as an omnipresent entity. Then his eyes — or consciousness — focused on something specific.

In a clearing surrounded by lush trees, there was a small, simple wooden house. Inside, a family lived their routine. A robust man, with scars on his arms and a warm smile, was teaching a boy to hold a wooden sword. The boy, perhaps eight years old, was full of energy, trying to imitate his father's movements.

"Like this, son, firmly! Hold the hilt as if your life depended on it," said the man, his voice grave but full of patience.

"I want to be an adventurer, Dad! Just like you!" replied the boy, his eyes shining with enthusiasm as he tried to repeat the strike his father had just demonstrated. His movements were clumsy, but the determination was evident.

Lumien observed, intrigued. The dynamic between those two seemed fascinating. The boy missed the movement, stumbled, and fell, but got up with a mischievous smile on his face. The man laughed and helped his son to his feet, adjusting his posture again. The mother, a woman with a serene appearance, watched from the window as she washed dishes, occasionally casting a loving glance at the two.

Something in that interaction seemed to touch a deep part of Lumien. He didn't know what it was, but there was a strange... beauty in it. The boy's effort, the father's support, the environment of mutual care. He tried to understand what he was feeling, but the emotions were still too new for him to name.

The flame within him shone again. A new emotion emerged: admiration. Not for the man's strength or the boy's determination, but for the connection they shared. It was something he had never experienced but somehow seemed important.

He continued to observe, absorbing every detail. When the practice was over, the boy ran to his mother, showing his "strikes" with the wooden sword. She laughed and ruffled her son's hair while the man entered the house, wiping sweat from his forehead. The simplicity of that scene contrasted with the vastness and complexity that Lumien felt was part of himself. And yet, it seemed more real than anything else he had experienced.

Then, as if being pulled back, everything began to unravel. The colors, the shapes, the clearing, the house — everything disappeared, and he opened his eyes again.

The simple room of the village surrounded him once more. He blinked slowly, adjusting to the environment. He felt the warmth of the morning entering through the window and heard soft voices outside. Before he could process what had happened, a timid knock on the door caught his attention.

"Sir Lumien?" A hesitant female voice came from the other side. "Breakfast is ready..."

Lumien tilted his head, confused. He was still assimilating what he had seen in his dream. Then, the door opened slightly, and the young woman who was calling him peeked inside. Her eyes immediately widened upon meeting his. She blushed intensely, averting her gaze to the floor.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I just... I just wanted to let you know it's on the table..."

He stared at her without saying anything immediately. Words were still difficult to formulate, but he tried. "E...at?" he asked, his voice low and hesitant.

The young woman quickly raised her eyes, still blushing, and nodded. "Yes! Food! It's on the table!"

He nodded slowly, but before getting out of bed, he noticed that she was still looking at him nervously. Only then did he realize that his appearance had changed again during sleep. He now had a faint golden aura, with translucent wings that glowed in the sunlight entering through the window. His hair was longer and seemed to flow as if it had a will of its own. And, to make matters worse, he hadn't noticed that he was shirtless again, as the piece had fallen off during the night.

The young woman let out a nervous squeal and turned her back. "I'll... I'll wait outside!" she said, almost stumbling as she left the room.

Lumien looked at himself, then at the door. He didn't understand why she was so agitated, but he decided to follow where she had indicated. He dressed haphazardly — or tried to — and went down to where the family was waiting for him. There, the aroma of fresh food greeted him, and he sat at the table, ready to continue exploring this new world... and perhaps understand a little more about himself.