did somebody say "freedom"? 🦅 🦅 🦅 🦅
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The room wasn't very big—just enough for two people to live in. This was likely where Cassie and Nephis stayed after Sunny left.
Adam helped Cassie get seated, then spent a few moments scanning the room. Even though thousands of years had passed, the structures had withstood the trial of time.
Truly, the engineering acumen of the people of the Dream Realm was on another scale.
With that, he sat down beside Cassie—maybe a little too close. Their shoulders were practically touching, but Cassie didn't seem to mind; her mind seemed preoccupied with something else.
Adam didn't disturb her thoughts. He simply leaned back and relaxed with a deep sigh. He turned his head and stared at Cassie's face.
He chuckled internally. Seeing how lost Cassie was in her thoughts, he couldn't help but feel like he was in some kind of novel—or a piece of writing. Because usually, in reality, you would notice someone's shoulder touching yours. Or you would pretend to make conversation to hide the problems plaguing your mind. But maybe it was possible in reality too.
It hadn't been long, but he was already starting to feel awkward. So he decided to bring Cassie back to the moment.
"Where do you live?"
Cassie snapped out of her thoughts.
"Huh? What?"
"Did you say something?" Cassie questioned
"Yeah, I asked—where do you live?" Adam repeated his previous question.
"Oh, I live with my parents in a middle-class district," Cassie replied.
Adam then asked a few more questions about her and her family—some he already knew, and some he didn't.
And finally, it was Cassie's turn to ask.
"Uh, Adam… where do you live?" she asked, echoing his earlier question. She couldn't think of anything else at the moment, so she decided to repeat it back to him.
Adam remained silent for a moment.
To Cassie, it was only a second or two.
"I don't have a home…" he replied.
Cassie's heart sank.
All kinds of thoughts erupted in her mind, running through every possible scenario.
She wanted to ask, but she hesitated.
"What about your parents? How are they?"
Adam responded promptly. "I don't have parents either."
Now that I think back… I don't remember them at all. My memories about them are blank. A lot of things are missing from me.
He sighed softly.
"Ahhh… I really am a blank slate."
Just then, Cassie hugged him from the side. She raised her hand and gently brushed Adam's hair.
It was obvious what she was doing—trying to comfort him.
He found it amusing.
It wasn't long ago that she needed him to comfort her.
Now, the tables had turned.
"It's alright… it'll be fine," she said softly, doing her best to soothe him.
"If it's okay… you can stay at our house…"
The words came out on their own.
Her eyes snapped shut as she turned away, realizing what she'd just said.
Adam had a cheeky smile plastered on his face.
"A girl inviting a boy to stay at her house—oh my, what would her parents think?" Adam teased, raising an eyebrow dramatically.
Cassie kept her eyes closed. "Don't get the wrong idea! You're my savior! And when I explain my survival to my parents, they'll naturally want to meet you and give their thanks!" she defended quickly.
This time, Adam was genuinely surprised.
She hadn't stuttered.
Her explanation made sense, was perfectly reasonable…
But what really surprised him was how Cassie said it—calmly, matter-of-factly.
She's adapting fast, he thought.
And her character is changing too…
Of course, one can't remain shy and naĂŻve in the Dream Realm for long.
It was a relief, really.
There were some inconsistencies in how things developed…
But this was reality.
"Yeah, right…" Adam replied, laughing with his snake-like tongue sticking out.
"IT'S TRUE!" Cassie blurted out, now embarrassed, trying to defend her position.
"After all… you're my… best… friend," she added, her voice softening to a near whisper.
Then, a hand gently patted her head.
"Alright… I'll take you up on that offer," Adam said in a cool tone.
But inside?
He felt like he'd been hit by a truck.
Kughhh… Friendzoned, he thought, as metaphorical rivers streamed down his cheeks.
The Apparition laughed like there was no tomorrow.
Letting out a sigh, Adam turned and looked at Cassie—and when he did, he let out another long sigh.
To a normal person, she would appear fine.
But Adam wasn't normal.
He had a keen eye for discerning disturbances in people's minds and expressions.
And for someone as inexperienced as Cassie, it was easy to read her.
That decision is bothering her more than I expected…
Right—betraying your best friend…
Adam's eyes lost focus for a moment before they shimmered back to life with a golden hue, runes flickering across his vision before disappearing.
"Is that decision bothering you a lot?" Adam asked calmly.
He didn't bother to explain. He simply said it like it was obvious.
Cassie's eyes widened.
"H-How did you—oh, right… of course you'd know."
She didn't try to stretch it out either.
"Yes, I am… I'm scared. I don't know what to do…"
Cassie poured her worries out.
And if one looked closely, they could see just how much pain she was in.
It's a weight she's not yet ready to bear, Adam thought slowly.
He listened to her. He didn't interrupt.
He just sat there, letting her spill the weight onto him.
As she spoke, she began to feel waves of relief washing over her.
Because of that—she let everything out, baring it all to the only person willing to listen.
Eventually, she quieted down.
Her eyes were slightly red, hints of tears clinging to the edges.
Adam gently reached over and took Cassie's hands from her lap.
He held them in a way that offered quiet reassurance, his grip warm and steady.
"Cass… the decision you're about to make is an important one," he began.
"I have no right to tell you which choice is right and which is wrong."
"Because… if you choose not to act on that information, that's a correct choice. And if you choose to act on it… that's also a correct choice. There's no right or wrong here."
Adam paused, letting his words sink in before continuing.
"The only difference between those choices… is the kind of pain you'll carry. No path in life is easy. And certainly, no path comes without pain."
"All we can do is choose which pain we want to live with. If you choose Nephis… you'll carry a pain that eats you from the inside. But if you choose Sunny… you'll carry a pain that eats you from the outside."
"And if you try to choose both… The pain will tear you apart from within."
Another pause.
The golden shimmer returned briefly to Adam's eyes.
Cassie listened. Her expression was difficult to describe—but if one had to try, it would be as if the sun was rising.
"But no matter what path you take," Adam said softly,
"remember this: I will always be by your side, no matter what choice you make."
Cassie opened her mouth to say something—but Adam spoke first, gently cutting her off.
"The one who believes she can… will find a way. And the one who believes she can't… will find an excuse."
"Your thoughts shape your limit. Believe in failure—and you will fall. Believe in yourself—and you will rise."
"In the end, it isn't talent or luck that defines you…"
"…but the mindset you choose for yourself."
After a long, quiet moment, Adam spoke again.
"The greatest chains… are the ones we place on ourselves."
His voice dropped low, steady, and filled with quiet power.
"And the strongest freedom is the courage to break them."
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A/N: a little thought on this chapter, i dislike how many other fanfics portray cassie as this weak delicate damsel in distress always needing help, i mean she is much stronger then she seems yes she is blind but that doesn't mean she is weak, which is why i am setting the path for her own growth both mentally and physically, also helping her evolve from her current timid mindset.