Five Arabian Nights

Chapter 12

The Fifth Night

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Jaune lay still in the middle of pure white, his light armor battered and dented.

He had been there before. And again, he felt at peace. He knew it was normal of him to like the silence around him. It was something he longed for, after all.

But perhaps it was never meant to stay with him for a long time.

This time, no clouds surrounded him. A blank sheet was the best description he could have given on the world around him. All the people and towns, and all the flowers and skies… None of them were present anymore.

Something had turned into nothing.

The blond knight opened his eyes.

It all felt strange- strange like the first time he entered the limbo-like state he initially experienced. No cold, no warmth. A perfect equilibrium had been matched in where he lay still. He had neither the will to move nor the actual ability to move; his body refused to do anything, and his mind was too occupied to think about moving.

Slowly, the world transitioned into a vibrant red. Then it went ocean blue, then green, then orange and so on forth. A wide array of colors enveloped the once blank surroundings that enveloped Jaune Arc. All the memories he had in the real world had flooded back into him. He knew that the world he lay still in was a figment of some sort, but he could tell that not all of it belonged to his own imagination. Some of it felt too real, some of it felt too surreal for him to think up by himself.

Colors flowed, emotions settled.

Then, an eternal sheet of darkness covered the slideshow of colors.

A bright blue light glowed into existence, its mere presence making Jaune feel warm and hopeful. A pure white light formed meekly, its appearance filling the gap between the knight's innocence and sense of reality. A furious orange light ignited within the darkness, reminding Jaune of the sense of maturity he may be able to develop from his immaturities. A soft orchid pink light bloomed to life, granting the knight a privilege to strenuously train complex mixtures of emotions.

Four lights surrounded Jaune Arc. Liebe emerged from the bloom of soft pink light, wrapping her arms around him out of affection. The feeling of affection spread across his nerves like a virus. The being of pure love shined brightly as she vanished, leaving behind a trail of flower petals as she returned to her light.

Ignis spiraled out of her light like a rocket, stopping right next to Jaune as she nudged him with a wide and confident grin. His confidence in controlling the adolescence within him and expressing more of his own maturity rose a bit, an orange set of flames enveloping his body harmlessly. The being of anger and snap judgements vanished and left behind a small eruption of fire, trailing back to her light like a rocket.

Lilium approached Jaune as she timidly walked out of her light, carrying the flower he had given to her. A soft glow surrounded her hands as she created a copy of the flower composed of a spiritual entity. As she handed it to Jaune, the flower shined as it seemingly washed his once-battered armor. The being of sorrow and purity silently returned to her light, leaving behind patches of lilies floating idly in the air.

As the three lights floated away, only one remained. It was the first light he met in the world.

Jaune watched Bell hop out of her light, letting out excited jingles of her bell. She hopped mindlessly to his direction, an open smile forming on her glowing face as she eventually came to a stop in front of him. The blond knight smiled back as he reached out to ruffle the hair of the joyful child.

She giggled, letting out a beautifully innocent series of chimes and rings.

A bright blue light surrounded him as his body was lifted a bit higher. As the light began to intensify, Jaune took one last look at Bell, who had stayed by his side for the entirety of his rough, but meaningful visit in the dreamy world.

For Bell was like happiness; it clung closely to anybody at all times if they held hope to love, live, and learn.

Bell let out one last chime as she waved at Jaune Arc with her small feathery arms. The Arc's eyes softened as he told her,

"Thanks."

The entity of joy bounced up and down as she endlessly waved at Jaune Arc. Soon, the light enveloped his entire body.

He was now sure of it.

His understanding of himself reflected how, what, and why he would be able to help others stand through times of lacking confidence and troubling moments in life.

He was no wise man.

He was no knight.

But perhaps being a wise man or a knight was not the only way to be someone's savior.

It was the most truthful of things that mattered in the end.

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