《The King is Back》Chapter 18 - I Am Braum

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The sights I have seen so far have been hazy at best. I realized that I have probably lost my consciousness after I exited the dungeon. The things I saw there nearly broke my feeble brain but the long dream I am currently experiencing soothe my very essence and made me almost forget the madness I just witnessed. I am drifting through memories of my past. The past in which I found was a lie fabricated by a larger force.

The earliest memory I experienced was the time of my childhood. But I realized that I couldn't exactly classify it as a 'childhood'. Childhood implies times of innocence and ignorance, where adult responsibilities are but a faraway thing and the days are spent playing without a care in the world. But if I define childhood as such, then my childhood only ended recently when I arrived at Yakana and uncovered my true nature.

I spent my childhood mostly alone. Father only trained me in the morning and left for somewhere else during the rest of the day and Mother only taught me subjects during the evening and she also usually went somewhere during the day. Studying about the world and studying sciences are fascinating and gave me real insights but my most favorite thing was to read stories and legends about the various kings, queens, heroes and their epic adventures. There was just something about those stories that transported me to what's happening in the story vividly. Such child-like behavior stuck with me until now. I hoped to experience that feeling of adventure one day but that dream recently came true when I have the opportunity to finally travel through Lancester with Kelvin, Urada, and Niko to find the legendary Toziro. We could have probably just went straight towards the capital but I kept finding more and more excuses to prolong our journey and experience even more adventure.

Now I understand that it was a mistake. I should have just finished our job directly and went back to Yakana. I have gotten myself into something outside of my capabilities. The order...that...creature...nevermind myself, I am not sure if even Yakana, as advanced as it is, would be able to defeat such force. And that's also counting that we have a more immediate threat of the militarist rebellion. The future is looking bleak and I can't seem to find any solution even after racking my brains.

"Fuck." I muttered out loud.

I went down to one knee and just stared towards the ground. My child self and my late father are in front of me training in martial arts. I seem to be around 7 years old wearing training garments. My father was a tall handsome man with brown skin, white hair, and a magnificent beard. The muscles in his bodies show immense strength. They were in the middle of a spar when my younger self suddenly starts to speak.

"Papa, can I be as strong as you one day?" Asked my younger self.

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"Hmm? Tell me, why do you want to be strong, son? For what reason do you need to increase your strength if you have our protection?" Father replied in a deep voice.

"But...I want to be strong! Like the heroes in the stories I read. They travel the continent and slay different monsters! They gain glory and wealth as well on top of that!" My younger self replied back with an excited tone while jumping up and down.

"...I am afraid you wouldn't be able to do those things." Father replied while frowning with regret.

"But why!? I just want to do those things can't you let me dream?" My young self asked with an angry voice.

"Br- *Cough*. Son. You are so much greater than those heroes you read in your story. I...I can't tell you why exactly right now but your future responsibility...is heavy. Let me tell you that you WILL surpass me one day and become even stronger. But I want you to find that very reason why you want to be stronger. And remember-"

Father goes down to one knee to match the height of my young self.

"You can become stronger here." Father points towards my younger self's bicep.

"You must also become stronger here." Father points his finger at my younger self's head.

"But what's more important is that you should become the strongest...here." Father puts his whole hand on my younger self's chest.

"My chest? you're saying I should gain some muscle here?" My younger self asked.

"Hahahahahahahaha. In a way...yes. You will understand one day." Father smiled and replied.

There was a short silence after father's words. After a while, my younger self opens his mouth.

"...Father, will you stay by my side forever?"

"Yes. Even with all those things. I and your mother will stay by your side." Father smile was so bright that the morning sun seems to be overshadowed by his magnificence.

'Father...I missed you. I hope you rest in peace...' I recalled my father's death protecting the queen and her family.

In truth, I am still quite angry about that. My father died protecting the people who exiled me. I do not have any attachments towards the royal family. If not for my mother's encouragement and the legacy left behind by my father...I wouldn't accept the offer to become a king.

The sights of the forest suddenly disappeared and I was left in an empty white space.

"I can't do this. I'm not qualified to be a king. I'm not qualified to protect the continent. I can't...the order...they're too strong..."

For the first time in years, I cried. The realization that I was to rule a country and the imminent threats that I must deal with overwhelmed my mind.

"The Kaiju...they'll destroy us... I...I can't..."

I have lost all hope.

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"Don't cry" I hear a soothing voice of a woman behind me.

"Who is it!?" I yelled and turned around.

I was greeted with the sight of a woman I have never seen before. She's tall, my height at least. Blond silky hair going down towards her knees, the smoothest white skin I have ever seen, and a face that can only be matched by the legend of the goddesses. But what struck me the most was her long pointy ears.

"That voice...you were the one who pulled me out of the illusion!" I realized that she has the same voice as the one who rescued me from the madness I witnessed in the dungeon.

"Yes...it was me who rescued you." Her voice tickled my ear with care. I can become addicted to her voice alone. But her astonishing figure amazed me even more.

"W-who are you? Why did you rescue me?... Ah, I'm sorry for being rude. I, Braum Gundala, express my deepest eternal gratitude towards you for saving me." I approached her, took her hand, and kissed it.

'Is this dream-like state making me even bolder than usual?' I thought.

She smiled gently before continuing.

"Oh. You're such a gentleman... My name is Elmyra and I'm an Elven oracle."

"You're an elf? That explains the long ears...How did you enter my dream? Where are you?" I asked since I'm still confused about the situation.

"As I explained, I'm an oracle. I have visions of the future and powers to communicate with people over long distances. Where I am...I can't tell you right now. But what I can tell you is that you are more important than you think...I know where you came from and I know your part in the upcoming war." Elmyra explained.

"My part? The upcoming war? Does this have anything to do with that mysterious order!? I...I can't fight them! You wouldn't believe the things I saw in those visions! They...they are worshipping an unfathomable, evil creature! A God! Humans can't possibly interfere with such cosmic beings!" I shouted.

"Calm down" She approached me and hugged me.

"I'm here. I saw what you witnessed. Truth be told, I'm scared as well. But you...you are the key to defeating them. I will help you, understand?" Her voice became even softer as she comforts me.

I calmed down a bit and asked her a question again.

"...Ok. Can...can you tell me who they are?"

"They are called the Order of Apocalypse...it's true what you said about them worshipping a higher being. Right now...if I want the prophecy to come true...I can't tell you anything else." She replied.

"But why!? I need to know in order to find a way to defeat them!" I barked.

"Listen...they are a threat...and you will encounter them again very soon from now. But you...you have other problems you need to take care of before then. Isn't that right, King Braum of Yakana?" She said.

"I..see...of course, you already knew my identity like you said before...what sorts of problems do I need to take care of before you tell me any further?" I asked.

"Well...for starters, you should bring back your exiled general right? And after that, you need to defeat the rebels in your country."

"And after that?"

"After that, a brief invasion of the creatures your people call Kaiju will come. But that is if you survived the civil war in the first place." She explained.

"I...I see. Even if it's a prophecy, nothing is set in stone and I can still lose. Is that right?" I asked again.

"That's correct. You need to finish everything first so you can focus on your objectives before I tell you anything further." Elmyra replied.

"Then...can you tell me what to do right now? I...I'm a bit lost." I asked once more.

"You need to rescue those children first. Many of them are...already lost. But you still have the opportunity to save some of them. After that...I want you to take those children to your country, the ones who don't have any families left here. They will become important figures in the future." Elmyra explained again.

"I...see. I'll do that. Can you...give me a hint on where to find the children?"

"Well...your team are currently searching for the location and are waiting for you to wake up...But I'll tell you right now. The location is...*whispers*" She whispered softly in my ear.

"WHAT!? It's over there!? Fuck! I need to wake up right now!" I shouted.

Elmyra motions her hand and a door made out of light starts to form in front of me.

"Enter that door and you will wake up. Hurry. The children are in danger." She told me.

Before I entered the door, I approached Elmyra.

"W-Will I see you again?" I asked her as my face become as red as a tomato.

"Haha...There's one more part of the prophecy concerning you and me." She smiled devilishly.

"What is it!?" I was curious so I barked.

"I'll tell you again when we meet in person...When you have finished everything I told you before...I will enter your dream once more and tell you my location." Elmyra replied.

"I...I see. I look forward to that day...Goodbye Elmyra." I was about to walk towards the light when Elmyra pulled my body towards her and gave me a small kiss on my cheek.

"I'll see you again, King Braum."

She pushed me towards the door of light as my face blushed like no tomorrow.

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