In the dragon stables of the capital of the golden kingdom, we could hear the bustling sounds of midday, typical of that place. We could also find a boy with distinctive pale hair and an innocent smile, and behind him a dragon with purple scales and beautiful crystals embedded behind its head.

  It was a very innocent and beautiful scene, showing the happiness of a child spending time with his dragon, but that scene was interrupted.

  "Prince Ketsual!" Leva called, catching Ketsual's attention, "It's time for your meal."

  "Oh, I don't want to. I want to keep playing with Popuro," he said dejectedly, hugging Popuro and making a pitiful face.

  "Come on, Prince, since Her Highness has set aside her duties to dine with you."

  "Really? Mama will dine with me?" Leva nodded at Ketsual's question. "Great! Let's go, Popuro." With that, Ketsual ran straight to the castle, followed by Popurp and then Leva.

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  .

  Deep within the castle lay a dining room, where gold details adorned every surface. Red was the dominant color in all the fabrics. A long, dark oak table stood in the center, flanked by rows of white, cushioned metal chairs.

  In one of these chairs, at one end of the table, sat a young lady. She wore a light, understated purple dress that suited her beautifully, highlighting her braided white hair, which was adorned with gold details.

  What truly distinguished her was her grace and elegance, evident in the way she sipped her tea, demonstrating precise control of her body and avoiding any unnecessary movements.

  Everything in that place was harmoni—

  "Mom!" cried a small boy, bursting through the dining room door. His clothes were stained with dirt and sweat. This little boy was Ketsual, who ran to the end of the table where his mother sat.

  Behind him came Popuro, and further back, arriving a little later, was Leva, somewhat agitation and sweating.

  "Forgive me... Your Highness Maya... for my appearance. I wanted to bathe the young prince, but... I couldn't."

  Her Highness Maya glanced at Leva, and a small laugh escaped her at the sight of the maid's disheveled appearance.

  "Don't worry, Leva, it's not a formal meal. Ketsual, please take a seat, and you too, Popuro."

  The two children sat down, and Maya snapped her fingers, summoning the servants who brought in trays laden with various dishes.

  Ketsual and Popuro's eyes lit up at the sight of the food, and their mouths watered.

  Maya simply chuckled at their eagerness. "What are you waiting for? Come on, eat."

  They didn't have to wait for a second invitation to start eating what was there. Leva had a minor meltdown seeing all the table manners she'd taught Ketsual go out the window.

  After a while, Ketsual slowed his eating, focusing more on his mother.

  "Thank you so much, Mother, for joining me for lunch."

  "Oh, you don't have to thank me. It's the least I can do to make up for all the times I haven't been with you."

  "...and dad?"

  Highness Maya felt a pang in her chest upon hearing that question.

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  "Dad... is still busy, my love. He's on the kingdom's border, defending it from the barbarians outside."

  The term "barbarians," Ketsual had heard in one of her classes, referred to all planets not ruled by a kingdom or not allied with one.

  Some barbarian planets formed alliances to expand their territories for various reasons, but usually for more resources.

  "And when will he return?" Ketsual asked again, this time raising his gaze, his eyes glistening.

  "...I don't know, maybe not until next year."

  *She had said that last year,* Ketsual thought to himself. His father, the king of the golden kingdom, had left for the border when he was five years old. About four years had passed since then. He remembered little of him, and besides, they hadn't spent much time together.

  "I... I want to see him again, to remember what my father is like," Ketsual said, his voice trembling noticeably, which saddened his mother.

  "I- agh," before he could continue, Ketsual touched his head with one hand. Maya stood up, worried, and went to her son's side, holding his shoulders.

  "Ketsual! What's wrong? Leva, call the doctors." At those words, Leva simply ran out of the dining room, her face pale and worried.

  "I-it's nothing, Mother, it's gone now," Ketsual said, stopping touching his head. Then he felt something near his foot, and when he looked down, Popuro was there, staring worriedly at Ketsual.

  Highness Maya ignored her son's words, still holding him by the shoulders. "Don't say that, we need to find out if it's anything serious." She said, her voice filled with worry.

  Seeing his mother's concern, Ketsual decided to remain silent and obey her, thinking it was just an exaggeration.

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  .

  Night had fallen, and the moons shone brightly, one on the horizon and the other above the capital, casting a light that was both cool and warm to the eyes.

  In Ketsual's room, the moon on the horizon shone brightly, but even so, his mother held a candle in one hand and with the other gently stroked Ketsual's hair.

  The doctors' examinations had concluded that it was simply a symptom of exhaustion from running and playing for a long time. Although the Mayan Highness had insisted on a more thorough diagnosis, seeing that Ketsual said he was fine, she decided to believe him.

  Despite this, Maya decided to spend the day with Ketsual, just as a precaution. They spent the day talking; she watched Ketsual playing with Popuro, and, despite his slight reluctance, they played a board game called Conspla, the highness's favorite.

  The day ended with dinner, a bath, leaving Popuro in his stable, and Ketsual in his bed.

  "Mom, please leave my hair alone," Ketsual complained in a tired voice.

  "Hehe, sorry, but you're so adorable," Maya said, stopping her stroking of Ketsual. "I had a great time with you, son... I'm sorry I didn't do it more often." She said the last part in a weak voice.

  "Don't worry, Mother, I know you have to rule a kingdom," Kestual said with a smile, but inside he truly wished that weren't the case.

  Maya gently stroked his forehead and wished him goodnight.

  With that feeling, Kestual closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

  Seeing that Kestual had fallen asleep, Maya looked up at the sky. "Oh, my love, what does the future hold for us?"

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  Screams, cries, flames, shadows, blood; images flashed by in a rapid, chaotic blur. Decomposing bodies piled one on top of the other on the ground, trampled by soldiers and dragons battling amongst themselves. Others danced and drank, as if the whole scene amused them and the cries a sweet melody for them.

  It was all horrendous, a simply disgusting sight. But a moment later, suddenly and swiftly, the flames died down, the screams were silenced, it was all over. But on the ground, the number of corpses had increased dramatically, and atop them all stood a gaunt figure, gazing at the horizon. Suddenly, they turned their face away and...

  "AAAAAHHH!" A loud, sharp scream had erupted from a room in the castle—none other than Kestual's room.

  He sat bolt upright, agitated and breathing heavily. "Ha, it- it was a nightmare, a really bad nightmare."

  Just then, the bedroom door opened. "Prince Kestual, time to..." Leva, who had entered the room, stopped speaking upon seeing the prince awake. "My, Prince, it's incredible that you woke up earlier than usual. I'm proud of you."

  Leva crossed the room to open the curtain, letting in the light. Kestual hadn't said anything, much less about the dream. He didn't want to tell Leva that he'd been frightened by a nightmare.

  He started changing his clothes and left his room, following Leva to the classroom. Upon arriving, Leva knocked on the door, and then a "come in" was heard. Leva opened the door and stepped aside to let Ketsual enter.

  As he entered, Ketsual saw Milto, who looked surprised.

  "Well, prince, it's the first time I've seen you arrive without being in the bag."

  "Thank you?" Ketsual commented, unsure if what he had said was a compliment or a joke. He approached and took a seat. Then Leva said goodbye to both of them and closed the door, allowing class to begin.

  Milto was talking about the administration of a kingdom, and how trade between planets can either help or harm.

  But Ketsual wasn't listening; his mind was on that dream he'd had. It was strange and very dark, unlike anything he'd ever had.

  "Hey, Prince, are you listening?"

  "Huh?" Before Ketsual could say anything else, Milto said, "Don't say any more. I can see you're not paying attention."

  "Forgive me, Professor Milto," Ketsual said, lowering his head, "but I have... something on my mind."

  "Well, spit it out. Nothing will get into your head until you get what's inside out."

  "Well... I was wondering about dreams."

  "Dreams, you say?"

  "That's right. I wanted to know what dreams really are."

  Milto placed a hand on his chin and began to think, "Hmm, that varies depending on the civilization and the person you're asking. And why are you asking about dreams?"

  "Well, out of curiosity, nothing more," Ketsual said with a nervous smile.

  Milto placed a hand on his chin and began to think, "Hmm, that varies depending on the civilization and the person you're asking. And why are you asking about dreams?"

  "Well, out of curiosity, nothing more," Ketsual said with a nervous smile.

  Milto looked suspiciously at Kestual for a moment, then said "ok," turned back to his whiteboard and began to write: "We don't know what dreams themselves are. There are several ideas that try to explain them. For example: It is thought that dreams are memories, moments we have lived in this life or the previous one; then there is the idea that dreams are gateways to thoughts, that dreams are a space where our ideas and thoughts take shape; others say that it is a way to enter a higher level of existence or another reality than our own; even, and this is highly speculated, is clairvoyance through dreams."

  "Clairvo- what?"

  "Clairvoyance, the ability to see beyond our time, in other words, to look into the future. A skill boasted by many witches or sorcerers, ha, charlatans... Do you understand better now what dreams are?"

  "Uh, yes, I think so."

  "Very well, let's continue with the lesson, and please pay attention, understood?"

  "Understood, professor."

  With Kestual's affirmation, Milto resumed his lesson, and Kestual finally paid attention, putting his dream aside, considering it just a nightmare he would never have again...