Bab 136: Chapter 74 - For the Dreams
Sometime Later,
Eve slowly opened her eyes. She snuggled in his arms, looking at her big brother resting beside her. He looked tired since he hadn't fed on her yet. She kissed his cheek, stepping out of the bed. While the showers were working, she took a quick shower, using Rei's clothes to get dressed for now.
They were a little baggy, but the white sweater was nice, along with pant leggings, "Not my style...but...pff..."
Eve looked at herself in the mirror, happily nodding before she walked out of the room, leaving the house all together. She walked around the sidewalk until she reached the border where all the zombies were. She tucked her hands behind her back, giving them a smile, "Hello. You might not know me. I am Eve. Eve Aurum."
The zombies growled, reaching out for her when she shook her eyes, "No, don't even try. No touching the messenger."
The zombie's hand stopped an inch away from her, when all the zombies around turned their head to look at her, making her giggle, "that's so creepy."
She cutely blinked. She sighed, looking up, "I love him...I love him so much. Because he is who he is. He has always been that way."
She smiled in nostalgia, "he...is a bit smug about how blessed he is, with the height and looks department."
Eve pouted, "then again, we share blood. Of course, my good looks rubbed off on him."
She chuckled, stopping, pressing her lips, "maybe smug is not the right word. He's grateful for his looks and height...he's not proud of them. There were so many times when I saw him cursing the limitations of the human body that kept him from achieving what he imagined. He had to stronger, faster, sharper, deadlier. He liked pushing past his limits."
"And over the years, he truly reached near the epitome of humanity. He wasn't the fastest, but he was close. He could be in the competition to the fastest and not disgrace himself. The same with strength, martial arts, sword arts, weapon mastery, hunting, shooting, mixed martial arts. He would have this new craze and he would throw all of himself into it until he had mastered it."
"Starting was hard, but more things he mastered, easier it got to master the rest. THAT was what he was proud of. THAT was what he wanted his whole life to be. This exploration, achievement, to be able to master everything humanly possible. That zeal for mastering everything humanly possible was so attractive, how could I not be drawn to it? Love him for it. Even if it means he ignores me for days and weeks," Eve tucked her hair behind her ear.
"He was happy...I was happy when we realised that the zombie virus was breaking the limits of the human body. But he was expecting it to be a high-ranking human...I was expecting that. No one thought that it would turn them into a monster..."
"I know its illogical, it might be harder for you harder. This change took his dream away...what he had worked towards all his life. But..."
Eve placed her palm on her stomach, "it changed his blood, his DNA. It took one dream away, but we have a new one now. One we didn't think was possible. That's why...I am asking you. Please, change your base of operations."
She took a deep breath, she raised her head, "I don't understand this big picture, picture in picture, whatever way he sees the world. I don't understand your role in the viruses. I don't know if you are a good guy or a bad guy. I don't care about that stuff. To me...because of you I can have his child. I am grateful. That is why...I don't want him to kill the man that blessed us with the ability to have this child."
"I understand this is unfair to you. It is irresponsible, irrational, illogical, unreasonable, senseless because it was our uneducated choice…"
She bowed forward, her golden hair framing her face, flowing down, swaying, "please...don't fight this out? Please...leave."
The zombies watched her, when one in front of her raised his hand, cupping her cheek, unable to convey his words. She lowered her eyes, staring at her feet, whispering in a saddened voice, "you are too close..."
The zombie was about to move away when they felt air pass by them, and the next moment, zombies starting falling to the ground, one after the other. She looked at one that fell to her feet, with a wide hole in his head. She whispered, "Even so far away...you are still too close. Please leave?"
Takagi Estate,
Aransae opened his eyes, lying in the middle of the bed, hair sprawled over the bed.
"How did it go...the meeting?"
"Not good. That monster became a real monster," Aransae laughingly rested his forearm on his eyes, "and…Eve's trying to get pregnant."
"What?"
"Pregnant?!" Rias and Akeno were cleaning the room after a late-night session with them and Yuriko. Since they were trying to get Yuriko to Level 11, along with their Master.
"Could she? Aren't they siblings?"
"His DNA mutated. He's partially a monster now. They are like far-away cousin to say the least."
"Oh."
Aransae removed his arm. He stood up, leaning against the headboard, "It's not fun anymore."
"It was never supposed to be fun…" Rias sat down beside him. She stroked his cheek, raising his head, "What do you want to do?"
"Let's go back. I don't want to continue this fight anymore."
"Master," Akeno muttered, taking his hand, "I think she was right. Aurum was blinding…because he was human. There was this zeal inside of him. He was smart, tactical, fascinating, monstrous, while being bound by the same standards as everyone else. He wanted to be the best and there was nothing more human about him. And now…"
Aransae took in a shuddering breath and breathed out, "now…it's not a fun game anymore. Now…I don't have to beat a human who is monstrous. Now…I just have to beat a monster. I can do that inside the Dungeon. Let's go back."
Rias hugged him, closing her eyes, "Ok. Master. Let's go back"
"Go back. Where?"
Rias and Akeno, both of them felt their heart jumped to the throat, hearing the deep, powerful voice coming from behind them. Akeno turned around, protectively sitting in front of Aransae and Rias. Their eyes drawn towards the window, seeing the man with snow white hair leisurely sitting there. The window frame had all but disappeared, destroyed without a sound.
He calmly stared out towards the distant sky, not even paying attention to them. Aransae pushed them aside. He knowingly smiled, "How did you find us?"
"Find you? Like it was ever a surprise where you were. The only reason I didn't come to kill you before…forget it," Aurum closed his eyes, "the truth is…I lost. I didn't even imagine that there would be such a drastic change. I messed up…I should have just waited until Kyoko transformed. Which I couldn't have expected, since I didn't think there would be this drastic change. Even though Eve said they were reaching a threshold…"
Aurum took out a packet of smokes he picked up on the way, "I don't usually miss things like these. When she said threshold…I thought it was a stability point. And if I push forward to instability after that, then evolution might be involved. Too short sighted. Humanity is the first stable point. Zombies, ghouls, things like these are the instability between Humanity and Next Evolution."
He lit up the cigarette, "Haha…if only I knew that before."
"You smoke?" Aransae curiously asked, "I thought you would be strict about this stuff."
"Master, maybe this is not the time to ask his preferences," Akeno nudged him.
"Haha, no…" Aurum looked at the lit smoke, "All my life has been about control. Over myself. Over the surrounding situation. Even keeping people at bay…to protect her. To protect us. Everything had to be perfect. Absolute. Things like smoking, drinking, fast food, gambling. They were all out of options. Not even instant food. Only the best. Now, I am a Monster. I doubt it would affect me now. It's easier to blame you…you took my happiness away. And I don't like in the direction I am going. A man who has lost his dream, drowning in drugs, drinks and women."
Aransae chuckled, "that doesn't sound so bad."
"Sound like ass," Aurum threw the cigarette away, lighting another one. He smirked, "Now, once I became the monster. I got to thinking. How? It's too perfect. It's not random. It's a systematic evolution along with a virus. It's controlled. You? No. A machine, maybe. Then is it creating this monster DNA? No. I think it already has, and it's transferring them to people based on their compatibility."
He glanced towards them from the corner of his eyes, "And from their faces…I am about right."
Aransae picked up the pillows, giving one to Rias and the other to Akeno, ignoring their confused look. He took one for himself and covered his face, "Cover your faces."
"Master," Rias moaned a little, wanting to laugh.
Though she heard one coming from Aurum, "Oh, that was good. There would still be body language. Hide behind a door and you give away from your breathing. As long as you are communicating, they can't hide. That's why those who try to fool you with lies that sound like truth are more successful than those who outright deny or lie. Ah, fuck it. I don't even care about these life lessons anymore."
"I just say them to sound smarter and hope that people make better choices."
"Haha…no, that was helpful," Aransae smiled, "You want to fight?"
"No. Tell me. Are you even from this world? Like outer space? Another dimension? Which one is it?"
"Another Universe."
"Really? No, can't be," Aurum shook his head, "you are too used to the things here. Especially Irina and Ravel. Does that place has Earth?"
"Yes, but it's another universe."
"That can't be."
"No, it is! It is at a distance from this Universe and even has its own possibilities."
"Doesn't make it another Universe," Aurum shook his head, "as long they have an Earth, they are originating from the same point. If the Origin point is the same, then they are dividing into separate branches."
He raised his palm, forming a seed of blood on top of his palm, which went up and started dividing.
"Now, this division of branches are one universe, which you are from, and the other branch is another universe. One would think these are two different universes. They could be Multiverse in their own right."
"But they have the same origination point, which has infinite possibilities. Question is. How big is that infinity? These two can be infinite, and they are from a greater whole, which is a greater infinity. That means they are two different universes, but two parallel universes."
"Now, I am assuming what you are saying is yours a distinct branch altogether, right? But they are part of Greater Earth Infinity."
"You just said no more life lessons," Aransae narrowed his eyes.
"What, I like being the smart one. Sue me," Aurum rolled his eyes, "More so…I wanted to understand. Can you jump from one distinct branch to another?"
"Apparently."
"More branches?"
"Yes?"
"Can you throw me and Eve in one? Or connect them to this world?"
"You are not serious," Rias gave him a shocked look.
"Look... once I discovered my gift." I wanted to be more than my girls. I thought…if I could use these gifts to their maximum. If I could break through the limits. If I could achieve something impossible to others, even if they had my gifts. THAT'S MY WORTH!"
He raised his head with bloodshot eyes, "NOW! I don't have it!"
"Put me in a world where I would be at a disadvantage. Give me back the challenge again," he breathed out, clenching his fist, "I want to fight again. I want it so bad!"
"A challenge! I am junkie and I can't live without it! Once, just once, I have to challenge and beat the world."
Aransae held the pillow, "I am the villain here."
"Oh, please. You are the furthest thing from a villain. It's not even in your bone," Aurum gave him an exasperated look.
"Why are you even trying to be one?"
"Someone told him to," Akeno rolled her eyes.
"Oh, that's stupid. You are like a lost little boy. Clearly, you are the furthest thing from the villain and whoever told you that clearly knew that."
"They were pushing you on that path because sooner or later you would fail. If you succeed, then you'd be disgusted by it. By trying to become something, you are clearly not. That goes against who you truly are. You would understand what you truly are. A stupid reasoning along those lines."
"If you want to know who you are, go to a psychologist or something."
Aransae wrinkled his nose, burying half his face in the pillow, "I am not boy…and I can be a good villain."
"At best. You are Third Rate."
Rias nearly laughed inside her mouth. She whispered to Aransae, "it was absolutely him."
"I know, I was thinking the same thing," Aransae muttered, curling his lips. He had a feeling that title was more of an insult than achievement.
"So, are you going to drop this charade and send me to another world?"
"If not?" Akeno curiously asked.
"It was a rhetorical question. By now, I am as familiar with his way of thinking. His desires to know that he wants the same thing as me."
Aurum sat on the ledge, looking straight at Aransae, "two worlds, connected to this one. Yours, and another that is on the same level as this one. One yours, one mine. If you are top of yours, then good. Otherwise, we both rise to the top of our worlds. The Absolute Limits."
"And then we chose a greater world than them, if exists. Your people, my people. There we'll finish this fight we started. What do you say?"
Aransae took a deep breath, clenching the pillow tightly in excitement. His eyes shimmering, "Yeah. Let's do that."
"Wait, I'll go make all the preparations! Rias, Akeno, can you handle the things here?"
Rias smiled, "Yes, master. Go."
Aransae rose, entering the portal that appeared out of nowhere and disappeared. Leaving the three of them in an awkward situation.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone