SIDEREAE

Chapter 1

It was a gloomy weather, and in the corner of a small town, a funeral was being held with only a tiny number of people who attended the ceremony. Sideraea, had a hard expression on her face, as she watch her father's coffin being buried on the ground. She wasn't able to cry, because her tears had already dried out after crying in grief for a couple of nights. The people began to disperse, after saying their goodbye and condolences to her and Sid, politely thanked them for attending the ceremony.

"Sid," Her uncle called as he walked toward her.

Her uncle Mario, is the only one who didn't cut ties with her father Elknox Lirrian after he was disowned by his family for marrying Sid's mother Laney.

"Uncle. . ." She replied with a forced smile on her face.

"Are you sure about your decision to move with your mom?"

"You know, I can take you along with me," He asked with a voice full of concern.

"Thank you uncle, but my mom already agreed to take me. Besides, I don't want to burden you. You already helped me a lot with dad's funeral."

"Haa . . . If you're thinking about what our relatives will say, then you don't need to worry about them. They're just a bunch of stupid old hags."

Sid chuckled lightly.

"It's really okay, uncle."

"Alright. But Sid, if you ever need help don't hesitate to call me. Okay?" Mario said to his niece as he patted her head.

"Yes, uncle."

"Okay, I'll be off now. Remember to take care and don't push yourself too hard." Mario hugged her before leaving.

She waited for the last person to leave before Sid faced her father's grave and stared at the tombstone. She took a deep breath to calm the surging emotions that were boiling deep in her heart.

Sid can't believe what happened. Elknox's death was so sudden, it was so surreal that she feels like she was inside a nightmare. He just went out to buy groceries at the supermarket but got caught up in a car accident which ended his life. It feels like yesterday when they were just laughing together while watching a comedy movie, during his day off from work.

She tightly clenched her fist and bit down her lips, as she started crying once again. She didn't know until now, that it is possible to cry even without tears.

"D-dad..."

As if the heavens sensed her sadness, rain began to pour soaking her wet. The raindrops which fell on her face served as her tears. She closes her eyes, feeling that the sky is the only one who understands her grievance. She stood still for a while before turning her back on Elknox's grave with a rough heart, as she walk towards the honking car.

"Sid, can't you walk faster? What are you dilly-dallying at? The rain is getting heavier!"

Laney shouted with an irritated vibe penetrating in her voice. She walks towards the car which seems so far as her steps are so heavy, having the feeling that she was dragging a weighty object.

Every footfall was rough as the mud splashed on her sneakers. The displeasure on her mother's face became vividly visible as she got in the car after getting soaked in the rain.

"You should've left when it started to rain. Now the car got wet because of you!"

"I'm sorry. . ."

"Tsk!"

She tore her gaze away from her mother and turned her head to the window to watch the blurring scenery in trance. After 30 minutes of traveling, Sid and Laney finally arrived at their place.

She immediately got off from the car, and Laney open up the trunk for Sid to get her luggage. Sid only took out her two suitcases, since most of her stuff was already in the house after Laney moved it for her yesterday.

The door suddenly swung open and two figures appeared inside the door. She recognized them quickly because of their large resemblance to Laney. The first figure belongs to her half-sister, who is five years younger than her. Allyna is a carbon copy of Laney.

She has beautiful long blonde hair tied in a loose braid. Her face looks smooth and dewy. The second figure belongs to her eleven-year-old half-brother Adam. He's taller than Allyna while almost reaching Sid's height. His hair is between the color blonde and brunette, which adds to his charm.

"Mom, who is she?" Allyna asked with a knotted brow while looking ridiculously at the wet Sid.

"Your cousin. She's gonna live with us from now on." Allyna exclaimed in horror, "What?! I don't want to share my room with her!"

"Who says she's gonna share with you? Sid will stay in the attic." Laney replied before looking to his son, "Lead her to her room."

"Okay." He nodded and moved towards Sid, "Let me help you." Adam took her other suitcase from Sid.

"T-thanks."

"Move! You're blocking the door!"

He rudely said to Allyna, which made her face crumple in annoyance, while Sid quietly followed Adam.

Her eyes were almost glued to the floor as she anxiously entered the new unfamiliar house. The house is beautifully furnished in a modern style.

Their living room looks expensive, the gray sofa that looks soft along with the white cushions on it. The white and black coffee table looks cool because it's built-in speakers and sockets where you can charge your phone and has a built-in mini fridge under it. As they made their way upstairs, she thought that Sid doesn't belong in this place.

This house seems so cold to her compared to the normal yet cozy place where she lived with her dad.

"Here we are," Adam informed breaking the awkward silence between them. He opened the door and entered the room first.

The attic which was left out from the rest of the house looks pleasant to Sid's eyes. The floor is made of wood mahogany wood that was painted with varnish to make it shiny. She can tell that the single bed was newly put beside the square window covered with blue curtains. There are also wooden drawers and a tiny table on top of an old carpet. The boxes that were piled up in the corner are where most of her stuff is.

"Do you want me to help you unpack?" He sincerely asked but Sid shook her head, "No, it's alright. Thank you."

She smiled gratefully at him.

"Okay, make yourself comfortable."

As soon as Adam left the room, Sid let out a heavy sigh and quickly removed her wet clothes and dried herself before changing into warm and comfortable pajamas. She borrowed herself inside the blanket and curled into a ball.

"Your cousin. She's gonna live with us from now on."

I scoffed hurtfully, remembering the words of my mother. I'm fully aware that mom doesn't give a shit about me. I can count on my fingers the number of times I met my mom, after her divorce from her dad. I don't even remember a single moment where my mom showed affection for me.

All I can remember is the uninterested look painted on her face whenever she saw me.

"Cousin?"

Ah, of course, mom introduced me to my half-siblings as their cousin, since she probably doesn't want them to know that I'm the fruit of her mistake, that she made in the past.

She also said that for me, to not intrude on her now sweet and perfect family, because she's kind enough to take me in. A sense of betrayal and dreadful feeling gripped my heart.

Did I make the right decision to move with her? But it's too late to go back now, all I can do is endure it until I can become independent.

She sniffed. She wanted to at least get closer to her siblings but by the look of it, Allyna hates her. She probably thought that I was just a burden to them.

I wonder what Adam thinks about me, does he hate me too?

She tightly clutched the star-shaped pendant of her necklace, which was given by Elknox. She can't accept this reality and if there's a means to escape this terrible situation, Sid will grab it without thinking.

"Oya? Why does the dreamer's kid look so pitiful?"

A man suddenly appeared In her room. I jolted in shock after seeing a suspicious person, across me. I quickly took my pillow and reflexively threw it toward him.

The man dodged the pillow effortlessly, "Sigh. . .What a rude kid!"

I was going to scream for help but this unknown man hastily snapped his fingers and by the time I knew it, my voice was gone leaving me unable to speak. I move backward in fear after the man steps forwards, only noticing that my back is now touching the corner of the wall.

"Heh!" He muttered in amusement as his unusual golden eyes gazed at her.

I'm terrified, but I keep my gaze on him while tightly holding the other pillow, ready to throw it at him anytime even though I know the fact that it's a useless move.

"You resembled Elknox more than I thought, " He said while lowering his gaze to observe her, "especially those mismatched eyes of yours."

The golden eyes which seem to look beyond her soul bent into a crescent moon-like shape.

The man snapped his fingers once again, "You can speak now, but I warn you not to scream. If, you don't want to lose your voice again."

I gasped and began coughing, because of the dry and itchy feeling of my throat.

"Cough. . . W, who are you? How did you get in here?!" I asked after mustering the courage to speak.

"Oneiroi, that is my name." He replied, "And why are you asking me how I got here? You're the one who called for me?"

"Don't joke around! I didn't even know you, let alone call you here!"

I retorted after hearing his insincere response.

Oneiroi sighed and shook his head, "I'm telling the truth! You're the one who called me here. Your strong desire to escape reality, that is."

I stared at him suspiciously, without believing the words that he was spouting.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! Tsk, the way you suspiciously look at me, reminds me of Elknox. You are annoyingly similar to him. . ." Oneiroi grumbled in defeat.

"How do you know my father?"

"Ah, didn't the former dreamer tell you stories about me? Oh my, I'm hurt." He sat on the low table dramatically.

"Dreamer? What do you mean by that?"

Dad never talked about this man named Oneiroi, or him being a dreamer. Dad talked a lot, he told me about his work as an editor, his hobbies, and the things he likes. He also talked about fun dreams that he had and plans to write a book based on them. But never in his life did he mention this man.

"Hmm, how should I tell you?"

He murmured as he scratched his face while thinking about how he can explain it for her to understand easily.

"A Dreamer is someone who has a unique ability to travel in different worlds or dimensions, in the form of a dream."

"Huh? That sounds like transmigration to me."

"No, no. Transmigration is when a person dies and his soul moves into another body. While a Dreamer has a completely different concept from transmigration. A Dreamer is a living person, whose soul will temporarily leave its body in a form of sleep and travel into different worlds through dreams." He explained.

"You," Oneiroi pointed to her, "has also a potential to become a Dreamer."

"So? Even if I have the potential to become one, what good will it do to me?" I asked in an unconvinced voice.

"Haa, you still don't get it?"

He sighed while giving me a look saying that, I'm an idiot for not understanding what he was saying.

"You see Sidereae, If you become a dreamer you can be anyone you like. You can escape this cruel reality and even if it's temporary, you can become an empress, a knight, a fairy an elf anything that you can imagine. You can travel into different worlds, and experience something incredible that you can't do in this boring world and boring life. Also," Oneiroi paused as his golden eyes looks at me with a serious gaze, ". . .you can uncover the truth behind Elknox's death."

My eyes widened at the words he said. I was rendered speechless while trying to analyze his words. Uncover my dad's death? What does he mean by this? Don't tell me it wasn't a car accident, then what is it? What's the reason for his death?

"Heh, did you think his death was caused by a simple car accident?" Oneiroi laughed at her, as he find her reaction to being hilarious.

"Haha. . . What an idiot! A dreamer has its risks too. Elknox probably made enemies in the other worlds. If you want to find out the truth about his death, then the only possible way is to become a Dreamer. I'll help you if you're willing to become one."

He looked directly into my eyes, "So what do you think? Sidereae Lirrian, do you want to become a Dreamer?"

If Oneiroi is telling her the truth, then she has no reason to refuse.

"What should I do to become a dreamer?"