Xingtetsu: You are not included in Elio's script!

Chapter 654

After the farce was over, Tibao and Aglaia imprisoned Craterus and returned to the room.

The room was filled with a soft and quiet light, and the flickering candlelight on the wall made their shadows appear longer and shorter.

Tibao dragged his slightly tired steps to the bedside, and said with a hint of fatigue, "Aya... I'm going to sleep first... I feel a little dizzy."

Aglaya looked at her tenderly, reached out and gently stroked Tibao's hair, and replied softly, "Well... Sleep peacefully, my teacher, I will take care of everything."

At the moment when her consciousness sank into the abyss, she seemed to hear the sound of wind chimes.

In the dream, young Tiresipios ran happily towards her mother who was sitting on a stone bench in the garden, her hair dancing lightly with her steps, "Mom, Mom! I had a dream last night." The garden was full of flowers, the rich fragrance of flowers filled the air, and butterflies danced among the flowers.

The mother turned her head, with an indulgent smile on her face and tenderness in her eyes, "Oh? What did you dream about, Tirisipios, my good girl?"

Tirisipius gestured excitedly, "I dreamed that I turned into many, many people! Together we used the moon as a boat and the stars as sails, drifting on the sea, wherever the wind blew, we would drift there!"

The mother nodded slightly, her smile growing wider. "Sounds like a sweet dream."

Tiresipios nodded vigorously and continued, "Yes! Although the sea and the sky are so dark, I am not afraid at all because we can sing together!" She closed her eyes and hummed the melody in her childish voice.

"The sea breeze took us to a small island. The wind there smelled like flowers. Sheep were bleating and birds were chirping, welcoming us to be their guests. There were many animals on the island, but they never quarreled!"

The mother smiled and explained, "The Saint of Janus can listen to the guidance of the door god. Perhaps what you dreamed of was the scene of a fairyland somewhere in Omphalus."

Tirisipios tilted her head, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes, "Is... is this so?"

The mother was keenly aware of her daughter's change of mood and asked softly, "What's wrong, Tirisipios, you don't seem happy?"

Tirisipios' smile gradually disappeared, and a trace of fear appeared in her eyes. "Because... on that island, I also saw a black mountain on the other side of the sea. It was very high. The mountain seemed to be alive and kept approaching the island. Later I found out that it was not a mountain at all, but a very high wave... The wave hit the island, as if it wanted to eat it up. The small animals wanted to drive it away, but they couldn't stop it at all... Finally, there was a "boom!" and I woke up."

The mother's expression became serious and she sighed softly, "Hmm... black waves..."

Tirisipios raised her head, her eyes full of worry, "Mom, is there such a terrible thing in reality?"

The mother pulled Tirisipios to her side and gently stroked her hair, "Well... unfortunately, it does exist in Omphalus, but it is very far away from our temple. People call it the Black Tide, but it has nothing to do with the sea. It has no shape or form, but it can swallow animals, people, and even Titans in one gulp... turning them into black monsters."

Tirisipios clenched her fists, her face full of anger, "Oh... Black Tide is so bad! I don't want us to become its buns. Is there any way to drive this guy away?"

The mother smiled and comforted her, "Of course, good child, you just have to be good, listen to the adults, study knowledge and etiquette well, and grow up to be a qualified saint... then the holy Janus will give you guidance and let you point out the right path for people."

Tirisipios nodded vigorously and said loudly, "Huwa...eat well, study hard, and become a saint!"

She frowned again and asked in confusion, "But, Mom just said that the Black Tide will also eat Titans... What if even Janus is eaten, then what should we do?"

The mother said seriously, "Then...it's up to the saint to guide people. After all, we are the incarnation of the door god in the world, right?"

Tirisipios nodded firmly, "Yes!"

The mother smiled and touched her head. "Haha, but it's not enough to be alone. When you grow up, you will definitely meet many friends. You must do your best to unite them. This is also our duty as priests."

Tirisipios' eyes lit up and she asked curiously, "Friends? Do they all have beautiful red hair like mom and me?"

The mother smiled and shook her head. “That’s not necessarily true, but they are definitely as smart and kind as you are.”

Tibao murmured in her sleep, "Mom.. am I.. dreaming?"

The mother seemed to have heard her inner voice and whispered, "Silly child, of course it's not a dream. Mom is always by your side."

In her dream, Tibao only felt her mother's voice floating from far away, "What..?"

"Don't be upset, my dear girl," continued the mother, "let's call your friends and dolls and play hide-and-seek as usual, shall we? Tirisipius is the smartest one, and you will surely remember where everyone is hiding."

Tibao tried hard to recall in her dream, but found that her memory was a little fuzzy, "I... don't remember... who should I look for?"

"Of course I want to work with you to drive away Kuroshio's companions."

At this moment, a childish voice sounded in the dream, "Use the spindle to connect everyone!" Tibao looked up and found an exquisite spindle doll sitting on the cabinet.

The mother's gentle voice came, "On that big ship, there will be a great captain. She is cheerful and optimistic, bold and careful, and can connect everyone together."

Tirisipios jumped up excitedly. "Wow, that's awesome! Can I be the captain?"

The mother smiled and said, "Of course, but my good girl, you will find someone more suitable. I think that person should live in a gorgeous temple. The temple stands on a hillside covered with golden fig trees. There is a noble girl there. She is very intelligent, but also delicate and sensitive."

Tirisipios tilted her head and thought for a moment, "Just like... mom?"

The mother smiled softly. "Perhaps. But before we find the captain, the boat needs a navigator. Who is she?"

Tirisipios frowned and thought seriously, "Oh, let me think... I know! She is Tibao!"

Tibao was surprised in her dream, "I gave this doll the same name as myself? I don't remember it at all. Is this a dream or did it happen?"

Then, another voice sounded in the dream, "Bad box, it can't hold me!" Tibao saw a box. She opened it curiously and found a doll holding a sword in it.

Tibao looked at the doll in confusion, "Huh? Why is this doll in a box... and it's holding a sword? Why?"

The mother's voice came again, "In the long run, many brave warriors will board this ship. They are skilled in martial arts and are not afraid of danger."

Tirisipios clenched her fists and said firmly, "Well... I can also learn to fight and protect everyone!"

The mother smiled and shook her head. "Silly child, you are the Saint of Janusapolis. Fighting is not your duty. There will be many people to protect you."

Tirisipios nodded somewhat disappointedly, "Okay, where are they all from?"

The mother thought for a moment and said, "I think one of the warriors is from the beautiful village covered with rushes, and the other is from the magnificent royal city. They both have their own troubles, but they are also willing to contribute their strength to the voyage of the boat."

Tirisipios' eyes lit up. "In that case, let Tian fight alongside them! That way, no one will be confused!"

Tibao was very confused in the dream, "How did I know the name Tian at that time? Was it a coincidence, or..."

Then, another voice sounded, "Study and change your destiny!" Tibao saw a doll on the table, as if guiding her.

My mother said, "When sailing on the sea, you must know both astronomy and geography."

Tirisipios frowned and said reluctantly, "Wow... isn't it enough to just learn Janus's knowledge?"

The mother patiently explained, "Of course, the sea is not land. If you are not careful, you will get lost. Therefore, it is important to learn to recognize Aigle's miracles."

Tirisipios nodded firmly. "Okay! Although my brain is already very, very smart, I will still work hard!"

The mother smiled and said, "Cersis will also favor diligent children. It will send knowledgeable scholars to be your teachers and help you realize your dreams."

Tirisipios was a little excited, "I want to be a teacher too! No, I'm very good, so I want to be a teacher's teacher!"

The mother said gently, "Why not? But if you want to teach and educate, you can't be so active."

Tirisipios thought for a moment and said, "Then...let's let Tinin come! She's very well behaved and will definitely be a good teacher."

Tibao recalled in her dream, and sighed, "Mom and everyone else always praised me for having a good memory... but now... I can't even tell whether this is a dream or a memory."

"Come, let them sit in a row," said the mother tenderly. "Now, Tiresipius, let them all sit on this little music-box, and compose the melody for our ballad."

Tibao looked confused in her dream, "Small...music box? What is that..."

The mother smiled and said, "Good child, are you confused from sleep? This is your invention."

Tibao was even more confused, "Invention.. mine? What's the use of it?"

The mother tapped her nose gently. "My dear Tibao, you are usually so smart, why do you look so stupid today? In this case, why not see it for yourself? Let's put our good friends up and see what wonderful reactions they will have."

In her dream, Tibao put the doll on the music box as her mother had said. The music box then slowly started to turn, and the clear and pleasant sound echoed in her dream.

The mother smiled and said, "Yes, the music box. As long as you put the doll in the right place and trigger the mechanism, it will rotate and play beautiful music... This is also my favorite of all your inventions."

Tibao murmured in her dream, "I..don't remember.."

The mother said gently, "It's okay, my dear child, just let me sing the ballad to the melody, and you will remember everything."

The gears of the music box are turning.

Those "companions" whom they called dolls now revealed their true appearances under the moonlight: dolls wearing armor and holding swords, dolls with tears of blood in their eyes, and dolls entangled in vines.

As the mother sang the ballad, the star map on the temple dome began to rotate in reverse.

Then, the song hummed by the mother suddenly changed its tune and turned into the whispers of the black tide, "The light of dawn is weighed down on the shoulders" - the golden body of the Titan Kephale in the mural began to crack, "Golden blood fell to the earth" - blood rain poured down from the dome, and gathered on the ground to form a blood river with the names "Tian" and "Tinin" written on it.

When singing "merging into a boiling river", Tibao suddenly saw the inscription on the base of the music box clearly - it was "Countdown to Re-Creation" written in Titan language.

Every time the spring turns a circle, a "Tibao" doll turns into black mist and dissipates.

She finally understood that this childhood toy was the embodiment of a prophetic container.

Suddenly, a trance came over her..Tibao felt dizzy in her dream.

Tibao asked in confusion, "What... is going on?"

Then Tibao discovered with horror that every melody was tearing apart time and space - what flowed from her mother's fingertips was no longer a warm glow, but a black tide that was invisible and sticky like asphalt.

Those words swallowed by time and space turned into a materialized curse that wrapped around her ankles.

The Titans in the mural suddenly turned their heads collectively, and twelve pairs of eyes shed dark tears at the same time.

Tibao screamed in panic in her dream, "Mom..what happened..?"

The mother's voice was filled with anxiety and worry, "Run... Tirisipius... Run... The black tide... has arrived... at the foot of the city..."

Tibao thought frantically in her dream, "Where should I... run to?" The voice of "Run! Run ...

"Run!" screamed Tibao and slammed open the rotten carved wooden door.

However, when I got outside, I found that the place was full of dolls.

"Why.. there are dolls everywhere..?!"

"This is the Saint's sacrifice. You cannot make it to the end. Only one person can make it to... the end..."

At this moment, the murals on both sides of the corridor came alive. The eyeballs of the twelve Titans in the paintings burst one after another, and black pus dripped along the frames.

The saint's embroidery was twisted in the flames into a grinning face.

And her own childhood graffiti is melting, revealing the bloody truth underneath - countless "Tibao" are chained together to form a prayer wheel, screaming silently in eternal reincarnation.

Tibao looked at this horrifying scene, and a surge of resolute courage surged in her heart. She shouted loudly in her dream, "I know... I know...! It doesn't matter if we can't make it to the end... We have made up our minds!" Although the voice was trembling, it was full of determination.

Then, as she felt the cold body in the suffocating darkness, the moonlight was just breaking through the clouds.

Tibao looked carefully and found that the person lying on the ground was his mother.

Tiny, wriggling worms crawled out of the mother's hollow eye sockets, but the corners of her mouth still maintained that gentle curve, as if all the horrors in the world could not change her love for her daughter.

"Now that you have made up your mind, remember, Tirisipius, 'Everyone will part with one person, but that person will see a miracle..'" The mother spoke, her voice weak but unusually clear.

She stretched out her rotten fingertips and gently stroked Tibao's cheek, leaving a black burn mark, "But dear, you are no longer 'one'."

"Since you have made up your mind, cross the black tide and clear the fog for Omphalos... See you tomorrow, my dear Tirisipios." The mother's voice gradually faded away, as if it had merged into this dark dream.

"Mom..!" Tibao suddenly sat up from the bed, and her shout broke the silence in the room.

She was breathing heavily, and her eyes still showed the panic and fear from the dream.

Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, soaking the hair at his temples.

Tibao's eyes wandered around the room in panic, trying to find a sense of reassurance in the familiar layout.

She clutched the quilt tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

"..."

After a brief silence, she whispered softly, somewhat uncertainly, "Are we still in a dream?"

...