Chapter V: Ancient Dreams

Kim and Ron arrived at hotel exhausted. The manager offered them something to eat but they both hesitated to go to bed.

'Ahh… Kim, it's nice for a little sleep'

Kim and Ron took a bath, brushed their teeth and dressed for sleep.

'Sweet dreams, Kim'

'To you too, Ron'

It was a quiet evening for the two. Kim woke up a little early, it was around 4 and Ron was still asleep. She took a small cup of cold water to clench her small thirst. She then felt a little energetic and decided to go around for a walk. She placed a letter near the bed-side table telling Ron where she has went. Slowly, she crept out of the room carefully not making any noise so not to disturb her husband's sleep. She started to admire Italy's fine streets, it was a bit bright. She can still see a part of the sky being very dark as its other part is being devoured by the coming light from the sun.

She walked for about ten to twelve yards and turned around the corner where she saw a beautiful antique shop. She went in the shop and began to observe, she noticed that the caretaker was attending another customer. Intrigued by the shop, she looked around by herself. She was looking at the artifacts around the store, when something caught her eye. It was a bracelet. Kim tried it and told to herself 'not bad'. 'I better buy ', this she thought.

Suddenly, the necklace shone bright lights, very bright Kim had to cover her eyes. Kim waited for a moment, she found herself on a pathway which she could've sworn she never seen except for the fact that she felt that it was quite familiar to her. 'Where am I?' she thought. Then a memory hit her it resembled the temple that Monty showed her 7 years ago, yet it was cleaner and the traps that should have been there was gone. There was a path in front of her. A path surrounded by sand, it was very dark and only by the bright torches did she see. She felt eerie about the place and the thought that something might have happened to her. But something inside her persuaded her to continue walking on the path. The path was now getting narrower and sandier, and soon Kim found herself in a chamber.

The chamber has three doors, one situated on her left, the other on her right and another in front. Kim somewhat knew place as though something important has happened there. She took the one in the middle. Kim face grew frozen, lying before her was Ron. He seemed injured and was being dragged by a black shadowy man and took out something from his body, it was a sword, its tip swirling with blood.

Kim face was now horror struck as the man came to her. She jumped high and tried to kick the man's face but to no avail the man evaded it as though he had predicted what will happen. Kim was now panicking; she didn't know what to do. Ron was here, he seemed dead. Her face so upset, she began to cry. Then the man charged her. She was alert and was able to evade. Kim gathered up her strength and yelled 'WHY DID YOU KILL MY LOVE?!'. She tried to kick him, but he was too fast. Kim saw the blade; the man is gonna kill her too. Kim gathered up her courage and ran to the door, but the man clenched his fist and the doors became locked. Kim sat there looking upward at the man, she was not gonna give without a fight if not for herself for Ron. Kim advanced, the figure evaded. Kim started a series of punches and kicks… and the man just repeated evading and gave her a kick. She took the kick hard, and hit the wall of the room, her head was bumped and her mind whirling of thought and emotions. Slowly the figure approached her. She had nothing else, Ron was dead. She can't think of anything else to do but cry. The man drew out a blade and hit her at her chest. She felt her body dying, she closed her eyes, but the pain began to ease… and with a dying breath she gave a very loud scream... moments later she heard someone say 'Kim!''Kim!', she opened her eyes. Right there in front of her was Ron alive and healthy. She began to survey the surroundings she was back in the hotel room; she looked at Ron whom she gave a hug.

'Thank goodness, you're alive', as her tears began soaking his shirt.

'What? Kim you were having a nightmare…I heard you scream… then I find you with your breath very weak, you were asleep, and that is when I called you out'

'Oh…sorry Ron it's just that in my dream you died'

'Well, don't scare me like that…' Ron gave her a hug and a kiss.

'We're fine Kim… you know what? Its morning already maybe what you need is something to eat and I am starved too'

'Maybe your right, the event yesterday might still made an impact on my head'

'Kim don't worry I'll always be at your side'

Ron went to the fridge to get something to drink. Kim stood up and found a small amount of sand in her slippers. 'What the', she thought. Ron arrived at the scene handing her a cup of water. He found her puzzled so he asked 'What's the matter Kim?' Kim looked from Ron, to her slippers again. But this time the sand was gone. 'I'm just hallucinating', she thought.

'Oh… Nothing', she said before taking a sip from the cup Ron handed her.

Maybe you're hungry Kim… Well I know I am'

'Yeah… maybe you're right, let's have breakfast'

Kim and Ron went out the hotel as a beautiful sunshine greeted them.

'Ahhh…Italy , city of pizza and pasta', he said as the he took a sniff from the air 'So Kim where do you wanna eat?'

'I dunno somewhere they serve pizza and pasta. I never really tasted any of the Italian delicacies yet'

'How's 'bout that one?', Ron pointed at the restaurant.

'Perfezionare ristorante pasta e pizza?', Kim thought 'Oh well, at least it's near'

The restaurant was a mere 10 blocks from the hotel on the opposite side of the road.

'Good morning sir and madam, table for two?'

'Oh yes please', Ron told the waiter.

The waiter accompanied them to a table positioned well near the windows.

'Would these be comfortable sir?'

'Yes, very'

The waiter handed them the menu book.

'May I recommend the house pizza italia or the perfezione pasta?'

'Seems tempting, Kim what do you think?'

Kim was scrolling the Menu and found the house pizza italia. The pizza was made up of tomato sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheese, ground beef and bacon, onions and red and green bell peppers.

'The house pizza seems to have the works. Let's order one Ron'

'Sure Kim'

'Would that be double or family?'

'Just double'

'And add a large perfezione pasta on that', Ron told the waiter as he close the menu

'Very well sir, is that all? Would you like some drinks?'

'Hot…no…cold coffee-chocolate drink for me with cream', Kim told the waiter.

'Better make it two', Ron continued her sentence.

'Yes sir, Is there anything else?'

'Yes that's all for now'

The waiter took the menu from the two and went towards the kitchen. The meal took about half an hour before being served.

'Oh, Ron I never imagined this pizza is quite big'

'Ah… let's just share it'

'And give me some of that pasta too.'

The two of them finished the meal in three quarters of an hour and then they went outside for fresh air. They went to the nearby park for a little stroll. The park was beautiful; it had pond and a small sandbox, where the local children played. There beautiful lily's and lotuses on the pond, together with a small family of swan. The two of them finally found their legs a bit tiring and sat down on a bench admiring the views.

'What do you wanna do now?', he asked.

'I dunno, I can't think of anything just yet'

Moments later they saw a man posting an ad; it read.

"The new historic gallery in the national museum is now open. The gallery hosts some of the most ancient and rarest artifact and antiquities throughout the world, from the Western Civilization to the secrets of the Orient. Admission fee is only 2.5EU"

The advertisement was filled with different pictures along with the museum's front.

'How 'bout we go there Kim, it has been quite a while since we went in one'

'Sure, at least it's better than doing nothing here… Where is it anyway?'

The two looked at the advertisement again.

'Why it's just a little stroll from here' Ron told her 'Look there' he pointed at her right.

'Probably a good 7 minutes walk'

Kim and Ron walked a few blocks and entered at the museum. Indeed, there was a collection of ancient items. From the glorious battles on the Roman Empire to the artifacts obtained from the Far East. Ron was fascinated on the old ways of manufacturing wine and started to memorize some of it, but in the end he said 'Nah… This is too much'. Kim was looking at the coins of the old Europe.

'Oh… Kim, I've been walking for quite some time now… I'm just gonna seat by the bench'

'Suit yourself Ron; I'm going to the abstract arts exhibit; so if you need me, I'll be in the other hall'

'Fine Kim'

Ron sat there. It was cold as the air-conditioning gave pleasant breezes. It wasn't long before Ron snoozed, but quickly woken up by a 'thump'.

'What was that?', he said.

'Oh, sorry there, this thing is a bit heavy', said one of the workers.

There were two men putting up a new museum exhibit. Ron came closer and began to observe. It was a rock; well actually half a rock, with some ancient text around it pictured two people a man and a woman looking at each other. There was also something in the middle, an emblem of a blade or a sword.

'It's from a forgotten city in Asia', a man said.

'Who are you?' Ron asked him

'I'm Richard A. Garamond an archeologist… A pretty old one as well… I just dug this up from the city's temple'

'Really? How old is it?'

'Judging about the age of the rock I'll say it's at least a thousand years old'

'Do you understand the text?'

'A-bit of it… It says that "releases the prisoner at a", that's all it said… I don't know whether that is all or if there is more, after all, we found the stone severed'

Ron walked closer to the stone and touched it. The place suddenly became different; he wasn't in the museum anymore but he was in an ancient temple. He surveyed his surroundings. The temple was dark, lit only by the torches on its wall and its floor was covered with sand. In front of him was a pathway. He started to walk on the path hoping to find some signs of an exit. Soon enough, however, he landed on a chamber. . 'What is this place', he thought. In front of him was three doors, one on the left, one right and a large one in the middle. Ron was puzzled by the place. He looked at every door from the left going to the middle then going to the right. 'Fine, I'll take this one', he said as he entered the middle door. In front of him was the stone he has just touched. The stone however was not in its halved form; it was complete. The text around it glitters as the light from the torches dimly lit the room. 'Man I wish I can read this', he muttered silently. Then with no reason at all the stone became a mirror which showed Ron exactly as it is. 'What is this?' He stared at his reflection blankly which stared at him right back. Suddenly the torches shone brighter almost twice their original brightness; he looked back at the mirror. His reflection's hair on the reflection became as red as blood; the eyes were now glittering red. Ron was gasping, while the entity in the reflection was smiling; his reflection's clothes also changed. He now looks like a ninja with a red-black suit. The reflection began to draw a black sword from his pockets. Ron was amazed and terrified at the sight because slowly the figure came out of the mirror. Ron was now running back to the door, the figure now started to walk toward him. Ron was glimpsing at the figure at every step; he tripped on the large stone and the figure came close to him. 'What do you want?' Ron asked. The figure raised his sword and said 'revenge, brother'. Ron closed his eyes, waiting for the blow that never came. The next thing he knew Kim was calling him.

'Ron', Kim gave a quiet yell. 'It's already four and you're still napping?'

'What?! Where is he?', he told her with quite a terrified voice.

'Who's he?'

'The one that looks like me except that he had a freakin' sword'

'Ron, you had a nightmare'

'Huh, what? Oh yeah nightmare. Boy things are getting weird from the circles in the Mediterranean and all.'

'Maybe we just need a little rest, let's just go back to the hotel. The museum is about to close'

The two walked out of the museum. Ron took a glance at the museum's side where he saw a group of people. On the far left of this sight he saw a familiar face.

'Ei, Sir Richard', he called.

'Excuse Me?!', Richard gave a puzzling look 'I don't think I know you m'boy'

'Oh…Uh…Sorry, aren't you the one who discovered some ancient stone from Asia'

'Blimey!, that shouldn't be out till' tomorrow, how on earth did ya know?'

'I…Uh… just found some sources in the internet'

'In that case, don't walk 'round tellin' er' that to people it'll ruin my big surprise… I'm having a presentation tomorrow', he said. Ron then heard him mumble in a low voice 'blasted reportr's'

'Oh..Yeah sure sir'

They walked past the museum and Ron saw a truck unloading a big box that had a big "fragile" sign in front of it. 'That could be the stone', he thought. They went up through the alleyway, where they saw a night-only restaurant opening. They got sat at a table inside and near the tall windows, there weren't many people yet; the store just opened for their nightly business.

'Ron, spill it….Do you have something to do with that Richard guy? How on earth did you know his name? I for one don't know his or recall any missions meeting him', Kim asked.

'He…he was in my dream'

'What?! Is he the one gonna kill you?'

'No… In my dream or should I say nightmare, Richard is the one who exhibited the ancient stone… I surveyed the stone, but the moment I touch it. I…uh…how should I say this… teleported to a temple.'

'What kind temple', Kim asked as her eyes grew a little bigger.

'I don't really recall it was very dark in it Kim. An ancient one, that I'm sure of. There were torches to serve as light the path that lead to chamber with three doors, I took the middle one and I saw the stone intact and whole. I continued to look at the stone hoping that it could return me back to the museum. Then with no reason at all, the stone became a mirror. I looked at my image then suddenly my reflection's clothes, hair and voice changed. My image then stepped out of the mirror, carrying a black sword. I ran for my life but I tripped on a rock. The man or my reflection came near. He or whatever it is about to thrust his sword toward me when…'

'When what?'

'When you woke me up'

'Now this is awkward'

'Yeah. I know I dunno if it's a coincidence or not'

'No…not that', Kim interrupted

'Huh. Then what'

'You remember earlier this morning, when I had nightmare?'

'Yeah'

'In that dream I was also in an ancient temple, but this time the entity was dragging your', she gave a gulp 'lifeless body… If I remember correctly it was in the middle chamber as well. The man was master at the martial arts; I tried to fight him but whoever it was too good for me. He or she or it gave me a kick that hit me through a wall. He went after me with the sword and held it up high with the end pointing at me. The sword hit me hard. I felt the pain. The next thing I knew I'm in your arms sobbing'

'That is strange' Ron continued.

'Yes. I know, yet I can't help to feel that the two dreams are connected', she said' and even stranger is that I found some sand in my feet when I got up'

'And the place was covered by sand', Ron exclaimed.

There was a short pause. It started to rain. Kim and Ron glanced in the falling drops. Their minds wandered, when Ron finally said 'yah know what Kim, let's leave it at that. Those kind of dreams must not interfere with the reality'.

'Yeah, those things are just dreams'

'Now…where is the menu'

'The store has just opened don't expect for it yet young Stoppables', said a familiar ladies voice.

Kim and Ron looked up the girl and both said 'Yori?'