《Slayers' Company》 The Living Dead ''Never look back'' His mother''s last words echoed in his mind. The large wound on the side of his body bled, leaving a small pool of red on the road. He drew his last breaths as he glanced at the kid he saved from a car accident, cried rivers for him while calling out his name ¡®Lace!¡¯. It was his friend''s daughter, someone who he thought had a better future than him. For so, he gave his life out of self-hate. A void shaded with ominous purple threw his soul into oblivion. Freed from the shackles of mortality, his soul was sucked into the unknown. ¡°This is¡­ the afterlife?¡± Lace stared into the never ending darkness, there was only nothingness. No matter how far he runs through it, there will only be himself. His whole body was translucent and the lack of clothing caused him to frown. His manhood dangled aimlessly, ¡°Hmm, still the same size.¡± Something cold held his shoulder. He glanced and saw a pale hand sliding along his skin towards his neck. The softness behind the action sent chills up his spine. ¡°Look back¡­¡± A voice cooed into his ears. Gentle, yet laced with poison. ¡®Never look back¡¯ His mother¡¯s voice replayed in his mind, telling him to not pay heed to whoever was behind him. As if it was a message for him when he reached the afterlife. The thought of it made his body tremble, as he froze in place when the touches felt more than just two hands. More voices whispered to him. All of them were identical, but each in different tones-- deranged, crestfallen, anger, joy and an abundance of others which clustered together as a headache mess. Pulling on the strings of his sanity as the words hastened like winding up machine-gun. ¡°Shut up! Shut the fuck up!¡± He covered his ears with his palms while holding his head down onto the non-existent floor. His eyes were bloodshot, as the numerous touches on his body began to feel disgusting. Alas, he turned around. There were no souls, instead, it was a broken space. It was cold and dark, the stars and the sun were nothing more than debris. Remnants of planets entered his eyes. Fossils of the living he had once learned were floating amidst the destruction left behind. Turtles, birds, cows, rabbits and above all-- humans. "What the hell is this...¡± He muttered. More questions arose instead of answers. Is this the future? Did this happen after he died? Is this an alternate universe? He was hyperventilating. Even though he was already dead, the rapid breathing was painful. Holding onto his puffing chest, the need to vomit swelled through his throat yet nothing came out. The voices and the hands were gone, but the overwhelming scene was more than enough to rouse his headache once again. ¡°The blood of the willing¡­¡± The voice returned, delicate yet lingers danger. Like holly berries, sweet to the eyes but deadly to consume. In the middle of the ruined space, a large, slender figure loomed over him. Black goo dripped from above and its pair of arms, covering the creature from top to bottom, making it look like a humanoid black sea. Its several eyes sent sharp, violent gazes that pierced through Lace¡¯s eyes, looking deeper into his soul. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Lace choked at the aura it exuded. Suffocating and painfully, heart throbbing, as if something was stabbing through his chest. Invoking heat in his blood flow, a familiar emotion-- hate. ¡°...has returned.¡± A scene flashed before his eyes. A man with dull eyes stood against a ruined civilization, with a broken stick in his palm. He whispered a word and a coat of energy enveloped the stick as it turned into a bright spear in sky blue hue. All of which are then consumed by complete darkness. Lace snapped back, a swarm of hands was pulling him towards the source of the voice. The size of the figure became larger as the distance closed in. The oozing animosity caused him to cringe. ¡°Let me go!¡± Lace struggled. He tried to peel the hands from his body, but it was all for naught due to their sheer number. The hands and arms were twisted, most of them were either badly severed with blood dripping from freshly cut mortal wounds. White and broken bones could be seen, either piercing through the skin or dangling from whatever left connecting between the pieces. "Hold up, shitface, you won''t be taking him away." A different voice came from behind him, a woman. Smooth yet tough with an edge that cuts through tension. One that can take attention away. A warm hand took his arm and stopped him from getting pulled further. Lace took a glance at his arm and saw a red mechanical eye twisting and turning behind a pair of shades. Her cerulean bob cut hair swayed against the force built up from the eye. Unlike him, she had clothes consisted of a black suit and trousers with a white button-up t-shirt underneath, which gave her a slick yet elegant appearance. She lifted her shades, a bright crimson red enveloping her entire right eye as a streak of bright red lightning blitzed through the hands and the large figure. ¡°Vaporize!¡± She bawled, dyeing the darkness in red as Lace screamed for his ¡®life¡¯, witnessing the death ray up close from below. A huge cavity was left behind among the debris. The gruesome hands were nowhere to be seen. Lace felt slightly relieved and glanced at the woman, "Who are you¡ª" ¡°101, but save the chit-chat for later,¡± She pointed towards the centre of the clouds of dust. Lace¡¯s face darkened. The dust dispersed and revealed the large figure still standing tall, who was completely unscathed while calling out ¡®The blood of the willing¡¯ again. The figure summoned a dark cloud where the hands emerged once more, rushing towards them with it scrawny decaying fingers. 101 wasted no time and thrust one of her palms. A surge of energy burst and formed an oval shaped portal which hums a deafening tune. ¡°Meet you at the other side, mon chou,¡± She murmured before swinging Lace like a lasso. The strength behind her arm was a contrast with her appearance. ¡°Hold up for a second!" Lace was thrown into the portal. His vision suddenly darkened, his ¡®soul-body¡¯ could no longer be seen. ¡°Agghh,¡± He grunted like it was Monday morning. The bloody body that was on a stretcher rose up. The weathered strap snapped from the sudden movement. Someone that was already considered dead had moved, startling the paramedics that were carrying the body. Everyone¡¯s eyes seared themselves onto Lace. His body was cold like a corpse, as he shivered. The heat from the air was comfortable, but too little to give him warmth. ¡°How¡­¡± Lace muttered, bewildered by the fact that he somehow resurrected. He hugged his own body and touched the fresh blood from his bleeding wounds. The pain was still there, but less than before. ¡°What a good time to be alive, isn¡¯t it, mon chou?¡± A familiar voice came into his ear, he looked left and right, but not even a single hair of her could be spotted. ¡°101?¡± He replied, clueless of the current predicament. The paramedics were calling out for his name, but he ignored them. The mess of his thoughts were pushing him to the verge of insanity. ¡°The one and only. As for now, I¡¯m living in your head since there¡¯s no time to explain¡­ they¡¯re coming for you and everyone here.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± 101 sighed, ¡°The fallen gods.¡± Burning Memories ¡°The fallen gods. I- I have heard of them from my mother, but I thought it was only a fairytale.¡± It was odd that his strict mother would tell him a story instead of an order to study. She was the type of mother who would not waste her breath on meaningless things, and she had once even told him ¡®Having regrets makes one a human¡¯. Hence, her last words, ¡®Never look back¡¯, may mean more than it seems. ¡°There are reasons fairytales should stay as fiction. As the truth may vary than it seems,¡± 101 commented, the weight in her tone carried burdens. ¡°And there''s a man behind you." ¡°Young man, are you fine?¡± A paramedic asked and placed his hand on Lace¡¯s shoulder out of concern. Unlike his frightened colleagues, his voice was genuine and warm that soothes wavering minds. Lace flinched from the man¡¯s touch. The lingering sensation of the creepy hands from the afterlife was still vivid. Disgust had overwhelmed him, even though it was from another human, he became sensitive to physical contact. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I know you¡¯re concerned but, I feel uncomfortable,¡± He replied, occasionally looking up to the man while ignoring 101 chortling at his reaction. ¡°After returning from the afterlife?¡± The paramedic shook his head and gave a big smile that shows his teeth shining in white, ¡°Any man would piss their pants after seeing whatever waits for them at the other side but, rest assure- ¡°I¡¯m the no.1 paramedic of Pax so you¡¯re in safe hands now! Promise!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll believe your word for that,¡± Lace giggled, the immense vigor displayed by the paramedic managed to slip by the creaks of his anxiety and put a small smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you brightened up a bit. Let me patch you again since your bandages have loosened up. Unless you want that cameraman over there to see your naked upper body.¡± Lace peeked over the paramedic¡¯s shoulders and saw a cameraman along with a news reporter in a large crowd nearby an ambulance. ¡°That¡¯s right, it would be wrong to show it off because it''s exclusive,¡± 101 chuckled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s what?¡± The paramedic asked, unaware of 101 as only Lace could hear her. ¡°Um, nothing, I just remembered something, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Can you ask him to bandage you any faster, mon chou? The fallen gods are fast on their feet,¡± 101 grunted. She would have shaken his shoulders a lot if she was physically there. Lace mentally told her to be patient as he sat still on the stretcher. The paramedic¡¯s handiwork gave little to no discomfort. The clear pattern and the rhythm behind his bandaging techniques were showing the years of experience he has. ¡°Done. I gotta say, you look like a stud with those bandages,¡± The paramedic chuckled. ¡°I prefer wearing normal clothes, thank you¡± Lace replied, while touching the bandage wrapped around his forehead and his upper body. ¡°I¡¯ll inform my colleagues first, then straight to the hospital we go.¡± As the paramedic turned and walked away, something fell from his back pocket. A photograph, it was a picture of him with a girl that looks no younger than Lace himself. In a small kitchen cutting a cake together while smiling. Which is likely to be his daughter. ¡°Mister! You dropped this!¡± ¡°Hold on Lace, look up!¡± 101 shouted. The blue sky had turned blood red with protruding flames licking the air, trying to reach the lands below. The white clouds fell down to the ground as mist, covering over the city like haze. Obstructing the sights of many, as the sky became brighter with fire and hotter than California. From above, a burst of glorious flames flared against the road in front of Lace. The sudden force behind it managed to fling him away with his body sliding across the street. The glasses of hundred shops nearby broke almost instantaneously, as small whirlwinds of flames carrying the shards flew through the young man. The moving fire formed a ring around him and anyone nearby. While the unlucky few had burned to death. Numerous fresh cuts bleed from his body, the edges of his wounds were charred by the approaching heat. The flames burned several of his bandages loose, as it dangled from his body with kindling edges, revealing the old wounds bleeding. Hot ashes plastered his body, scorching some of his skin. Lace screamed, the bits of his skin had melted and blackened in solid as blood sipped out between the edges. One of his eyes was sealed tight, due to the gash leaking red at the edge of it. The constant loss of blood pushed his consciousness on a thread. Followed by an animus laughter, the tar melted under the intense heat, turning into a sizzling dark liquid. Black gases head forth from the violent nature of the element. A crater was left behind after the flames died out. The black gases dispersed, slowly revealing a figure at the centre. It was a middle aged man, but his body was surrounded by fire. Weird bright stripes of energy were glowing underneath his unburnt clothes which signifies a deity. ¡°The god of fire, Vulkan. I thought this old man was already dead!¡± 101 laughed for a good second before fake coughing, ¡°Though, mon chou, you should run away-¡± Vulkan bashed his warhammer to the ground with his veins popping off from his muscles. A crack opens towards Lace as a wall of fire follows suit. Despite his injuries, Lace bit his lips and grunted before throwing himself to the side. Barely dodging the thick flames within hair''s length.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°-but to escape means you have to fight." "I know, 101. So, looks like gods manifest in humans?" He guessed, while breathing heavily. "Yes, they can. Why the sudden question?" Lace gulped, he could taste the saltiness of his sweats as he pants, ¡°The man he manifested in, is my friend, Hil. The father of the daughter that I had saved, is there--¡± ¡°Fat chance, there''s no way to save him other than freeing his soul by¡­ the only way." ''Killing him'' The unforgiving heat had grieved him from oxygen. Suffocating and choking him in hell called the planet Earth. Breathing became a slow torture, as if the air had thorns grinding against his lungs in and out. "Slayer O¡¯Slayer, never I thought I would see you groveling on the ground pathetically," Vulkan cackled. His nose pointed to the burning skies with an ever-crescent smile. The tone of his voice carried the haughtiness of those standing above others. Lace felt an impulse from hearing Vulkan''s voice. A sudden large amount of blood has been pumped from his heart, pounding heavily. He clutched his chest, yet the strong beatings stayed unrest. "Do I know you?" Lace asked, with his voice shakened by pain and fear. "Such a shame you don''t remember, if not, I would have enjoyed torturing you slowly." Vulkan dashed forward, leaving a trail of torrents of fire. A burst of energy propelled him forward, covering a far distance within seconds. As he swung his two-handed warhammer over his head. Lace gritted his teeth and his face soured. Even if he dodge, he would lose a limb or two. But then, his ankles were tied down by fiery ropes from the ground. A thud could be heard, yet nothing hit him. Only a large back stood before Lace. Another man''s shadow loomed over his body. The crescent moon and star symbol of a paramedic visible on the man''s back. ¡°I made a promise,¡± The paramedic muttered. Blood seeped out from the edges of his mouth. Red droplets dripped on the surface of the street. The broken metal bar in his hand rolled on the ground. ¡°To keep him safe¡­" He fell onto his knees, and glanced at Lace over his shoulder. The young man''s particular anxiety reminded him of his deceased step-daughter. Whom he had lost to a fire incident, horribly turned charred and disfigured. He had stepped in, the moment Lace was approached by the very same thing that killed his daughter. The intense flames pulled the strings of his guilt, the memories that reminded him of his incompetence as a father. People''s lives are his priorities, but failed to save his daughter. The scene where the fire that burned her as she wailed for her father''s help haunted his nightmares each night. He should have dive into the burning house that day, and sacrifice himself for his daughter. Yet, he stood there and watched with shakened body as the flames took away the joy of his life. The paramedic had heard how Lace had died. That young man had died to save another, something which he was unable to do in the past. But, in the end, that was Lace but not him. Why did he sacrifice himself for Lace? The answer is simple. ¡°I''m home, Tina¡­¡± Dark red stained the road, sizzling under the harsh heat. A headless body dropped to the ground. Twitching with a blood pool underneath, until it finally settles down. Lace froze, his eyes wavered at the scene. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, as he closed his eyes. He covered his face with his hands, the droplets leaked in between his fingers. The unforgiving heat evaporated each one of it into steam. He could hear 101 shouting profanities at the god in his mind. Her voice carried a particular emotion, it felt familiar but also not at the same time. ¡°What a laughable mortal, don''t you agree?¡± Vulkan smirked, the air was filled with his laughter. Each of Vulkan¡¯s words were hammer to the nails. Prickling, drawing the blood of Lace''s crying soul. It roused a swirl inside him, something unknown was slowly coursing through his body. ¡°This is¡­ primordial mana? ¡± 101 muttered, as she peered into the state of his mind. Specifically, his soul that had sparked her curiosity. ¡°A wonderful display of despair, slayer. Very satisfying, so I¡¯ll give you 3 seconds to run away before I chase you down.¡± Vulkan waved his hand and chuckled, as a part of the ring of fire disappeared, ¡°Even so, you¡¯ll be dying from bleeding before getting killed by me.¡± Vulkan pinched his index finger and thumb together while showing it closely on Lace¡¯s face. The twisted smile of sadism smeared on the god¡¯s face as he retracted. ¡°No, you sick fuck,¡± Lace replied, his tone was harsh unlike usual. Lace placed his palms on the ground. The pain jolted into his arms, causing his limbs to tremble as he tried to push himself off from the ground. Sweats and tears were pouring down endlessly filling up the small cracks of the broken road, as his muscles ripped against his bleeding wounds. He stood up with a furious shout. The paramedic¡¯s broken metal bar could be seen in his fidgeting hand. His thighs were closed together, struggling to support his body, like a zombie woken up from its grave. Vulkan frowned, he crossed his arms and said, ¡°Ungrateful bastard, it¡¯s true that you can stand back up but that¡¯s the only thing you can do other than grovelling like your father!¡± A heartbeat. Only silence filled Lace''s ears. The maskless humans emerged from Lace¡¯s memory. Their true colours were beautiful yet utterly ugly. They laughed in unity and joy while staining their shoes red as a bleeding thief grovels and begged before them. They drowned themselves in rewards and pleasure when the thief was caught and jailed. The court had sentenced the thief to a lifetime in prison, as the thief''s child watched and innocently questioned his father¡¯s former friends, but none paid attention. The thief was Lace¡¯s father. He was fired from his job and was blacklisted from employment for false reasons after he lost his wife. So, he had no choice but to dip his hands in thievery. He stole no more than enough money to feed his family for another day. Lace knows stealing is lawfully wrong, but the punishment his father received for petty crime is a far cry from suitable. He remembered the smiling eyes of those who harmed and imprisoned his father. Their fake sympathy orchestrates a joyous symphony. The fake masks that hid their grins as they witnessed the family of a kind man fell apart. Vulkan reminded Lace of those rotten souls. The particular emotion rose once again as Lace looked at Vulkan with a burning gaze. Ever so familiar yet unknown. It gave the same irk he felt from the afterlife, which raised his blood pressure as his heart beats harder. His thoughts were whispering to him nothing but violence. ¡°Hatred, mon chou. You¡¯re experiencing hatred,¡± 101 explained. She was all too familiar with the emotion unlike Lace. The same scene from the afterlife flashed again. A memory which showed a man holding a broken stick that turned into an elegant spear of mana, after the man muttered a word. ¡°Weaponised.¡± Fierce Heart Surrounded by the searing sea of fire, the fierce heat lurked beneath his skin. The endless sweats and tears evaporated upon fall. Kindles sparked his tattered bandages as each swayed against the blazing gusts. Blood filled the vessels in his eyes. ¡°Weaponized,¡± Lace said, his blood leaked from the edges of his lips as he gritted. Visible white veins crawled through his right arm. Snowy clouds whirled around his limb, ejected from the pores of his skin. Hardened and cold, a partial arm armour shined underneath the sizzling smokes with patterns of the ancients. Engraved with an insignia, revealing a phantom spear tangled within climbing roses. Spectral fauna intertwined the metal bar with throbbing thorns, resonating with the beating of Lace¡¯s heart. Crackled and dispersed, a coat of blue sky hue enveloped the bar. Turning it into a spear of mana, humming a subtle tune to his ears. ¡°It felt¡­ weak,¡± 101 commented with concern. ¡°That spear.¡± Vulkan eyed Lace¡¯s weapon carefully before he snickered, ¡°There¡¯s barely any mana from that damned weapon! And you dare to stand against the god of fire¡ª¡± Glinting in blue, the tip of the spear drive forward within Vulkan¡¯s sight. The young man who had bled a river was still capable of such movement. ¡°Insolent fool,¡± Vulkan huffed and quickly swung his warhammer up to the skies. The weapons clashed and sparked. The warhammer deflected the spear by far superior weight, which staggered Lace¡¯s newbie wielding hand. ¡°Too heavy¡­¡± Lace muttered, the numbness running through his feeble right arm. He was on his knees, panting ever since the beginning, as he gazed at Vulkan in between the gaps of his sweaty hair bangs. He knew there were little to no chances of winning. The differences in strength and experience were as clear as night and day, but the insult towards his father and the death of the mister stirred the deep hatred of his humble heart. Vulcan¡¯s muscles bulked up as he took a quaking step, he brought down his flaming warhammer with momentum. ¡°Use your armour!¡± 101 yelled, noticing that dodging would waste time and cost Lace¡¯s life. He gritted his fear away and raised the partial armour of his right arm above his head. The warhammer crashed down with a loud bang. The armour withstood its strength, the unyielding metal kept the weapon at bay. Yet, the impact broke through and twisted the bones of Lace''s right arm as his spear fell. The road cracked underneath as his body smashed against the hot surface. He bawled in agony and sunk into the heating cracks with the absence of air in his lungs. ¡°Sing me rivers, Slayer! Wail for everyone''s ears¡­ let the world know true terror and fear!¡± Vulkan sniggered. The warhammer pressed against Lace¡¯s broken right arm, as he pushed back with the bits left of his strength. But, the mighty steel inch closer by each second, the tip of its head swallowed into his chest. Lace could taste the iron of his blood, leaking from the edges of his mouth and the gaps of his teeth. The smell of his burning chest invoked his need to vomit, but he held it in. Their faces were inches apart. One with a grin, the other expressing anger. ¡°There''s only 1 sigil on one of his eyes,¡± 101 muttered as she took a closer look at the blazing god. ¡°His right eye is blind. Mon chou, take his blind spot from the left!¡± With a shout, Lace unearthed his left arm from the cracks and impelled his fist towards Vulkan¡¯s head. The punch connected to the god¡¯s face and stunned him for a good moment. Lace took the chance by grabbing upon Vulkan¡¯s neck with a vice grip and switched their place in one swift motion. ¡°You ant¡ª¡± Vulkan said before kissing a hard knuckle. The warhammer fell, as Lace gazed at his assailant with narrowed eyes and clenched his left fist. Letting his rage steer his action, he pounded the centre of Vulkan¡¯s face without taking any breaths in between. Slowly, his hands turned darker each time he pummelled the god of fire without a thread of mercy. Hot, lava-like blood could be seen leaking from the god''s nose and mouth like a fountain. Amidst the assault, a strange metallic sound could be heard. Lace glanced from his shoulder and saw Vulkan''s Warhammer levitated as it swung itself. ¡°Ack!¡± Lace grunted as a strong force slammed on his side, and flung him off with a cracked rib bone. Vulkan stood up by gripping onto his warhammer with pulsing muscles. His face dripping with his blood and pointed at the young man he regarded as a slayer, ¡°The blood of the willing in you had awakened. However, I care not, as this pathetic place you call home shall be your grave!¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Lace pushed himself off the ground despite his trembling limbs, purpled in pain. His muscles contracted rapidly in the search of energy reserved left within. His sights bent and woozy, he could barely see the outline of the god¡¯s figure. ¡°If,¡± He replied, a fierce look etched on his face despite the fear that resided. The anger made him mentally unwavering. Vulkan roared a war cry and raised his warhammer, followed by a pillar of furious flames that flares up to the skies. The intense heat melted everything nearby within a small radius. With a swing, the searing torrents tore through the air and made their way towards the young Slayer. His charred left hand, drenched with the god¡¯s blood, shined with visible white veins in response. ¡°Mon chou, you¡¯re not planning to avoid that, do you?¡± 101 asked. ¡°I would if I could, but-¡± Lace glanced from his shoulder, and saw a group of people trapped in the ring of fire, trembled in fear and some suffocated due to the heat exhaustion. ¡°¡ªit''s impossible to dodge that large flame.¡± From within, the chill molesting his spines never left. The experience of death lingered in his mind. Knowing that the unknown creature awaited him on the other side instilled fear, more than the mighty blaze in front of him. ¡°You experienced death once, so the second time wouldn¡¯t be that scary.¡± ¡°Haha, very funny, you¡¯re such a comedian,¡± Lace replied sarcastically. ¡°I jested, mon chou,¡± 101 giggled. ¡°Anyway, as I said before, his manifestation is incomplete, which also means he only has a portion of his power.¡± ¡°In other words, I have a chance of winning?¡± ¡°Yes, roughly around 20 percent if, you play your cards right.¡± The chances are small, but never zero, he thought. Lace gulped and firmly shifted his feet. With his other hand, he relocated the bones of his right arm as he screamed in pain. His tears fell no more, dried as he gazed beyond the walls of fire and settled his eyes on Vulkan. ¡°Again,¡± He muttered and took a deep breath of the polluted air, the gale of mana coursed throughout his body, as more visible white veins crept into his face and arms. ¡°Weaponised!¡± The tattered cloth within his left fist spread in a circle. Spectral thorny vines crawled and coated it with the same blue sky hue as his spear. Turning it into a round shield of mana, large enough to cover him from neck to his thighs. ¡°Burn down till your marrow!¡± Vulkan bellowed. The searing torrents of flame crashed down onto the earth, as Lace knelt and slammed down the lower rim of his shield on the road against the tremendous blast. The sea of inferno hammered against his shield. The flames split in half and bits of it inches towards Lace. He placed his faith on his shield as held on to his life and gritted his teeth. Each direction is dyed in glorious red. Waves of fire surrounded Lace and the people behind him. The horrid temperature raised further to a certain degree that could cook them alive. His left arm and shield were shaken by the sheer strength of the flame. He fought against the sense of dehydration of his dry throat while hanging on a tread of his consciousness from minor symptoms of heatstroke. The edges of his body drew blood from the protruding blaze. Lace¡¯s feet slid along the road, pushed back by the blast. The lower rim of his shield dug against the tar. Fortunately, someone lent a hand and pushed his back to reduce the impact. He pays no heed to whoever they are and trusted them to keep his ground. Each second felt like an eternity, the scenery in front of him became blurry. His blood boiled under the heat and pressure. His eyes blinked heavily with dripping red, his numbed arms gradually grew wounds. Smokes. Silence came after, the torrent of flames had come to an end. Fumes reside where once the blast had laid upon. Dispersed by the hot gale, a mana shield smoking in heat could be seen with Lace hiding behind it. He had taken the full force of the god of fire head-on, as an immovable wall. ¡°How could you¡­¡± Vulkan voice trailed off, as the flames on his body slowly grew and burned bright. The pitiful human he looked down upon had survived until now, baffled him. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t a wimp like you, died yet!¡± The insults, spat by the arrogant Vulkan, made Lace¡¯s heart beat harder once more. He stood up from the ground despite the bleed from his fresh wounds, while his pale skin made him look like a living corpse. ¡°That¡¯s not the first time someone asked me that,¡± Lace said, aggravated as he settled the other end of his spear on the road as support. ¡°You remind me of the people I met years ago until now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t compare me with the likes of your kind,¡± Vulkan retorted. ¡°Despite being a god, Ironically I found you and them are similar,¡± Lace replied. ¡°They, too, asked why haven¡¯t I gone to suicide or die alone somewhere else, ¡®delaying the inevitable¡¯.¡± ¡°They like to act mature, helpful and all-knowing. But behind their colourful smiles, they were secretly arrogant and disgusting backstabbing bastards,¡± He continued. ¡°Silence or I¡¯ll burn you from the surface of the earth!¡± Vulkan demanded, his warhammer blaring with flames, redder than before as if it came straight from hellfire. ¡°That, you remind me a lot of them,¡± Lace said with a low growl, steadfast despite the fury displayed by the god of fire, but his own was greater. ¡°And people like you and them¨C¡± --PISS ME OFF!¡± He waved his spear as his shield shined bright on par with the god¡¯s flames. The thorny vines on it crackled and scattered into glittering nothingness. His insignia manifests before him with a soft humming aura as his shield extended a barrier. He held it, with pain to the toll and iron to the taste. He gazed back at Vulkan¡¯s anger with his own and violence in his eyes. ¡°SO TELL ME! HOW LONG CAN YOU DANCE WITH YOUR FLAMES, BEFORE MY SPEAR REACHES YOUR THROAT! VULKAN OF THE FALLEN GODS!¡± A Machinas Will "You dare to utter that title¡­¡± Vulkan said, as he clenched his fists, the flames on his body flared a bright red. ¡°To judge with no authority of the divine, your words mean nothing more than dirt!¡± Glowing carvings slowly etched to the centre of his chest, as it glows brightly in crackles of red. A symbol of a burst of hellfire could be seen, almost blinding to the eyes of many and blurred upon sight. ¡°That''s a Divine Insignia. You hit the nail on his pride for him to use that,¡± 101 commented and whistled. ¡°A Divine Insignia? Is it like the drawing on my shield?¡± Lace asked under his breath. ¡°They¡¯re both insignias. The difference is that his insignia has reached its full potential and is stronger than yours.¡± Lace parted his lips to reply, but no words slipped through. His sight was suddenly tilted and hazy. His spectral spear and shield dropped from his bloody hands. The manifestation of the god who stood before him seemed twisted and bent as if he was drunk with alcohol. ¡°Mon chou? Are you listening?¡± (*Mon chou is a French term of endearment for ''honey'', ''darling'' or ''my cabbage'') The sweat and tears he shed fell slowly into his vision. When everything else seemed slow, only then did he realize¡ª he was falling. His body fell apart from the excess blood loss, evident from his paling skin and countless bleeds. The lack of adrenaline had amplified the pain of his charred, deep wounds. His poor blood flow to his brain had unravelled the grim surrounding to his eyes. Ashes descended like snow, the polluted air shrouded the city he called home. The streets he grew up with, fashioned with a mess of debris and bodies beyond recognition. Streams of lava smothered the tar of the roads and the ground of the great park he used to visit with his family. Burned, the image of his home in his mind has reduced to crisp. The god had stolen his friend¡¯s body and forced him to take arms. The thought of murder haunted his morals, more so involved his friend caused him to hesitate. But, it is the only way to free his fellow companion¡¯s soul, as said by 101. The fear grew onto Lace, as his consciousness slipped away bit by bit. Destruction would be inevitable if he were to fall here. The desire to move grew stronger, as desperate as Lace became. But to no avail, limitations are human¡¯s bane. ¡°¡ªKeep it together, mon chou!¡± 101 loudly cried. Lace heard a part of her words. Despite knowing her only for a short time, it was enough to give him hints of her personality. The usual teasing and smooth voice yet tough showed distress in her tone. It came to his realization, someone was concerned about him. ¡°I know you, Lace. Don¡¯t you want to visit your father again!?¡± 101 added. Yes, I do. From the bottom of my heart, I do. I want to see him again, the person who gave me happiness in this world, even if it is for one last time. He thought. To yearn for a miracle dwells deep in his heart. The rivers of blood from his lips was the proof of his unrelenting spirit to reach for a speck of hope. But, yet again, the reality is dim. ¡°Fall into the depths of despair, Slayer!¡± Vulkan roared and chanted. He rushed forth with power and zipped through the air at blinding speed. The god¡¯s right hand was covered in burning magma and grew in matters of milliseconds, leaving traces of flames behind with light brighter than the sun. The hope that Lace held dear diminished before the approaching living sun. His pupils dilated, as he lay on the ground with his eyelids threatening to close. The bright light came close, Vulkan¡¯s fist flashed before his eyes as it closed by fear. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! A large explosion followed afterwards. A burst of white and crimson red cut through every bit of the surroundings. ¡°Salaud.¡± A familiar voice said, followed by a sonic boom. (*Salaud means bastard in French) A shadow loomed over Lace instead of death. He peered from the small gaps of his exhausted eyelids. There he saw a familiar figure that stood within a small crater, clad in a black and grey suit surrounded by ashes and dust¡ª 101. Her azure hair endlessly swayed against the fierce hot gale as she took hold of Vulkan''s fist with her mechanical left palm. Her eyes were narrowed with dilated pupils, and her expression was cold as winter. ¡°I''ve known mon chou (Lace) for years, I observed his life from the stars while the skies separated us, but now, fate has brought us together. So if anything were to disturb that fate¡­ no mercy shall be shown.¡± 101 said, poison leaked from her tone. ¡°A machina? Impossible! Your race went extinct in the age of gods and fell from grace!¡± Vulkan shouted. ¡°I fall only when I will it.¡± 101''s left sleeves were shredded by the sheer force behind Vulkan''s arm strength. But her mechanical left arm remained unmoving, as she tightened her grip further. Vulkan''s face twisted in distress, his burning fist bleeding and bones cracking within the machina''s palm. ¡°I call upon thee, Ignis!¡± Vulkan said, as his war hammer levitated and rushed towards its owner. ¡°You should have stayed as dust left by history for betraying the divine orders!¡± The weapon slid into his other hand firmly as he swung it with the strength of many men. More than he can handle and use against Lace. ¡°The orders of le cul, you gods and lots are all the same,¡± 101 replied. (*Le cul means ass in French) 101 waved her other forearm and parried the warhammer with a loud bang. It would have been devastating, but fortunately, her opponent only had a portion of his power. ¡°Gods destroyed my home,¡± 101 said coldly, with bits of underlying rage. ¡°So I''ll take their life in return.¡± A small violet portal formed behind her head, oozing ominously. Whispers could be heard from it, filling the silence between each moment. The voices came from the deepest recesses of her mind, neverending. 101 tilted her head as a barrel of a long rifle protruded from the portal. Followed by a loud bang, a bullet pierced the air with ease and made its way to the god. One which could withstand the flames without melting. Vulkan dodged the shot by a hair''s length and took a step back after prying his hand away, ¡°I need not care for a pitiful being such as yourself. Who are you to threaten a god?¡± 101 snickered as her lips curled into an icy smile, ¡°101.¡± Upon revelation, Vulkan increased the distances between them, ¡°You''re the¡ª!¡± More small portals with rifles formed under the blink of an eye and fired instantly. Several holes appeared on the god''s vessel. Despite this, 101 mercilessly riddled Vulkan with more bullets until his body fell to the ground. ¡°You may be a god, but your body is still human,¡± 101 walked over to Vulkan. ¡°Even if you were to restore your full power, it will all end the same.¡± Eyes moving and constantly blinking with subtle movements could be seen from the body, were enough hints to tell 101 that the Vulkan was still alive. She looked upon the location of the body''s heart and plunged her hand into the chest, causing the god to open his mouth wide to scream and spasmed but no sounds escaped. She pulled out a golden crimson sphere instead of the expected organ, unfazed by the golden blood stained her hands¡ª a divine core. ¡°Inventory,¡± 101 muttered, as the same portal like others opened at her side and stored the core. She returned to Lace''s side and stared at his unconscious body as her cold expression faded away. She picked him up like a bride and glanced at the surroundings. The skies of fire slowly turned grey, Vulkan''s flames flickered into nothingness, leaving only ruins behind and the survivors ran from her in fear. Yet, none of those was her concern. She gazed warmly at Lace as the rain fell upon them. She pulled off her coat and wore it on Lace''s pale body, preventing him from shaking in the cold any further. Tears dropped as she closed her eyes, the first time after a long time. She held him dearly, not knowing when to let go. The fear of losing again haunted her, for so she embraced him closer. ¡°Finally, we''re together again after aeons of years, mon chou.¡± Tell a Tale White, all and ever. A colourless land that stretches endlessly no matter how far one tries to reach. Only emptiness filled each direction. No dust and dirt, untouched by the living. Leaving the pure colour that accompanies the lonely spaces within. A man stood in the middle of nowhere of the said land. Unmoving and dazed, seeming to be in deeper thought with his eyes dilated. ¡°Did I die, again?¡± He asked himself. Failure painted his mind. A void filled his thoughts. The desire to deny the possibility grew as he hugged himself out of desperation. He hated losing much more thought of it, ever since he learned rage and anger, his blood was burning and carving for a retry. ¡°If you did die, you''ll be meeting that shitface instead of me, mon chou,¡± A familiar voice answered. The smooth and deep tone, yet draws one''s ear within, 101''s voice. Hearing her words gave him relief. She seems to be always there each time he feels lost, ever since he died the first time. Coincidence or not, at least he slightly felt at ease having company. ¡°Where are we, 101?¡± He asked, turning around and seeing 101 sitting on a vintage chair with one of her knees over the other. An area of a wooden floor could be seen beneath her, which blends with the white land. A coffee table, in front of her, with an identical chair on the opposite side. Lace was awed at the surreal sight. ¡°Non non, please have a seat first, mon chou. I may be reckless and relentless in violent acts, but I know my manners as a lady,¡± She gestured with a wave of her hand. (Non means ¡®no¡¯ in French) Lace panned at her words, the word ''lady'' in particular, which is a contrast to her monstrous strength that she used on him once during the afterlife. ¡°I know you saved me a few times, yet I couldn''t help but feel suspicious¡­¡± He took a seat and leaned forwards. ¡°Who exactly are you? No human could ever shoot a large death ray from their eyes and stop a god''s flaming fist with their own!¡± ¡°Attendez, mon petit chou ¨¤ la cr¨¨me! We have all the time in the world here, so no need to rush, I''ll answer your question one by one¡ª¡± ¡ªso please, pay attention to me.¡± (Attendez means ''hold on'' in French) 101 reached out towards the coffee table, as a cup of tea materialized out of thin air. She took a sip while maintaining a gentle gaze on Lace, who was easily surprised by feats she deemed as trivial. ¡°We''re in your dreamland, a lucid dream. I have been waiting for your consciousness here, ever since I killed that old fart Vulkan and saved you,¡± ¡°So, he died along with Hans?¡± ¡°There was nothing that could be done to save the vessel of the fallen gods. At least, your friend is in a better place now.¡± Lace''s fists tightened as a moment of silence came after. 101 was familiar with the sense of loss, so she gave him some time to subside his emotions, before drinking her tea again. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°For who I am, or what I am. I''m once a human, but then became a Machina by my own will. A combination of human and machine, weaved with vibranium metal by the Goddess of machine herself and was placed in her army known as ''Iron Flower'' to fight against the corrupted divine during the age of gods,¡± 101 explained. ¡°Technically like an android?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Oui, A Machina is similar to a bionic android but with consciousness intact.¡± (Oui means in ¡®yes¡¯ in French) ¡°The age of gods¡­ How many years ago was that?¡± ¡°Around a billion years ago, I lost track of time when travelling alone across the stars with my one-man ship.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, people would normally go insane living for that long,¡± Lace¡¯s frowns loosened, and sat properly on his armchair. ¡°But you did say you¡¯re not human, which makes sense you could withstand it.¡± ¡°If only that was true, mon chou,¡± Her smile grew as she stared at the reflection in her tea. ¡°Maybe you just haven''t noticed that, I''m very self-aware.¡± ¡°Isn''t that the same case for everyone else?¡± ¡°If so, no human would be lost in their life. Being self-aware erases the hesitation within and gives way for quick decisions, which I see none of that in you.¡± Lace had no comment, she had spoken the truth. He remembered the little hesitations behind each of his actions despite being enraged. He felt like a clown to fall unconscious after making a bold statement to the god of fire before. ¡°Though, I understand. I, too, had to end the life of a dear friend of mine in the past and have grown cold from it ever since.¡± 101 continued. It was all the fallen gods'' fault, Lace thought. They forced his hands to become dirty, and his heart riddled with guilt. The sudden adrenaline rush in his blood was proof of that. While the anger swelled in his heart became the bane of his happiness. All of which, hidden under his indifferent face. ¡°You''re angry, aren''t you? Thinking ''It was all the fallen gods'' fault. It seems like it''s more than meets the eye, despite your usual gentle smiles,¡± 101 said and pointed at him with her index finger. ¡°Something vicious? What do you mean¨C no, more importantly, how did you know my thoughts?¡± 101 gracefully placed down her empty cup on the coffee table. She bent over and gazed at Lace from a lower angle with a mysterious smile, as she brushed one side of her hair before her figure blurred and disappeared. ¡°Our souls are one, combined inside your body by the will of the true god,¡± she whispered, her lips an inch apart from his ears. ¡°Each of your thoughts ran through mine. Your anger, your sadness, your sorrow, all of your emotions, I can hear it very well. Even your lucid dream is also my dream.¡± ¡°...so, you know all about me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no interest in sharing secrets with anyone else. Unless, mon chou, wants me to?¡± ¡°I refuse, and you¡¯re a real piece of work to talk to.¡± Lace glanced from his shoulders and 101 disappeared once again with a giggle. He turned around again and saw her back on her seat, and sighed. It is unsettling at the thought of a person knowing all of his pasts and secrets, but it is also the same person he needed answers from. For so, he deemed it as some kind of equivalent exchange. ¡°Any more questions? If not, I would like to ask if I could admire that lovely expression of yours,¡± 101 asked. ¡°No, I still have questions,¡± He coughed and shook his head to hide the tints of red from his cheeks. ¡°What the hell is the deal with ¡®The Blood of the Willing¡¯? It gives me the creeps whenever that thing called out to me back in the afterlife.¡± ¡°The Blood of the Willing, is the one who willing to give all of their being to the Unchosen, with desires to bring the world to damnation in exchange for a wish.¡± ¡°Hold it, I, would destroy planet Earth?¡± He pointed towards himself and chuckled. ¡°No way, even if that¡¯s from some kind of prophecy or whatever, it won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Perhaps, I know you wouldn¡¯t dare to bring an end to the world, considering your current personality¨C¡± Relief waves over Lace, rubbing his face in an attempt to dispel his stress. The wounds in his palms reflects his real physical condition, so does his entire body. ¡°...because you already destroyed earth once, in your past life,¡± 101 added, her eyes glinted and reflected the shocked Lace, as the surroundings turned dark. Tale of Tale The white dreamland turned dark. Only a ray of light shined upon them, as Lace clasped his hands together in a stressful manner. He knows himself better than anyone, but like 101 had said, without self-awareness, one would be lost in life. So, he tried not to think that sometimes reality is harsher than the truth, but he fell into deeper thoughts. ¡°The shock in your eyes¡­ Do you not believe me?¡± 101 asked. Their souls may be one, but few of Lace¡¯s thoughts could pass through 101. The deeper he thinks, the more difficult for her to reach. For so, she had to read his expression like a natural with a gaze trained to the hone. Sometimes she had to take a closer look. ¡°No, I¡¯m trying to believe you, but then, the Earth is still here. We wouldn¡¯t be here if it was already destroyed,¡± Lace replied. ¡°Ah, I see, you¡¯re a little confused, but you got the spirit. Let me elaborate further with the use of your lucid dream¨C Our lucid dream.¡± 101 held each of her palms open left and right. A hologram of some sort is a 3D image of the Earth, one on each of her hands. The only difference between the two Earths was the layout of the continents. One is identical to the modern map, the other is rather larger and foreign. ¡°Here are holograms of 2 Earths. One is older than the other, which I call the Primordial Earth or simply the First Earth, while the other is Modern Earth or, for short, the Second Earth. Now, mon chou, listen carefully because I hate repeating myself,¡± 101 explained, and placed both holograms on the coffee table. ¡°On the right is the First Earth, on the left is the Second Earth,¡± The said hologram grew in size at the flick of her fingers, and eventually enveloped the entire dream. ¡°The First Earth is where you had lived your first life during the Age of Gods within the Mesopotamian civilization, like so¨C¡± The hologram expanded upon the dream. The colourless land turned into breezy grassland of endless green and faunas. From which, buildings raised within a quick time-lapse of builders constructing ancient infrastructures from the foundations to the roof on mountains to flat plains and eventually the whole kingdom itself. Lace stared in awe, the scene of the population moving fast-forward in time as the once empty streets became bustled with the daily lives of the growing population. The people there spoke in Sumerian, an ancient language which was left behind in the dusts of history. ¡°Their language¡­ I understood them,¡± Lace said as his approaching hand pass through the holographic crowd. ¡°Let me guess, your mom, mon chou?¡± 101 replied. ¡°You read my mind, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± 101 narrowed her eyes as her alluring smile grew mysterious. ¡°Even so, we¡¯ll have to talk about your mother one day, but now we have other more pressing matters.¡± 101 had thought that Lace¡¯s mother was a strange person. Moreover, she could not pinpoint on who or what exactly is his mother origin. Nor, she could peek at information in Lace¡¯s memories because she could only read his current mind to some extent. So, like Lace, she was also drawing blanks. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Moving on. As you can see, the people¡¯s lives were peaceful and bliss as they, including me, praying almost daily to their gods such as Anu the god of heaven, Enlil the god of four elements and much more, for protection, blessings and fortune¨C¡± 101 stood up and slowly waves her hand as the scenery changed. ¡°Until the gods fell from grace, the fallen gods.¡± The clean blue air turned molten red with patches of lava and ashes pouring from the skies. Buildings were reduced to charred debris, flooded by black goo. The tall walls that once stood proud were nowhere to be seen. The land had turned dry with no signs of flora and faunas from miles. Thousands of fresh and aged mangled corpses, young to the elderly, laid upon the ground with no graves to call for their last salvation. Lace felt a sudden surge of swell from his stomach. The need to vomit, but he held it within and swallow it back despite the pain and tears. His wish to have stronger will was firmed, and no mere puke could falter that. ¡°How did that happen in the first place?¡± Lace questioned, sweating heavily. ¡°No one knows, all of this happened too quickly. Enlil was the first god to fall and went berserk as he laid the rage of mother nature upon the First Earth. Which resulted in a small portion of the population left, only in a day.¡± Lace grimaced at the holographic grotesque land and sky. The very same could happen to the city which homes to the people who he held dear. If 101 was not there to save him, Vulkan would have turned the city to dusts after killing him. ¡°Come mon chou, follow me,¡± 101 walked over to Lace and lend her hand. ¡°I shall take you to where the tale of the First Slayer began.¡± Lace looked up at her and saw the collected composure she had despite the hell she had lived through in the First Earth. The passion burning behind her gaze, the confidence in her words and the smile that soothes his anxiety. She had everything he wanted now, the capability to protect, make someone hopeful and to worry another day. Compared her to himself, he was only some kind of small matter. ¡°Those admiring eyes of yours lingers before my feats¡­ it¡¯s pleasant but¨C,¡± She forced him to stand by pulling his shoulders and grasped the cheeks of his face with both of her hands. ¡°Stop it. Stand tall and proud, like you once did against Vulkan! Stick out your chest and hold your head up high! Then, surely, you¡¯ll look alive at a new dawn with the ones you love.¡± Her words vibrated in Lace¡¯s ears. Those were the few times that someone actually tried to encourage him. The edges of his lip slowly curled up into a small, genuine smile as 101 slowly released the grip off his face with a subtle worried gaze which broke her composure. Despite her steady composure even in the face of the end of the world, it broke at the sight of Lace¡¯s self-doubt. Which came to his realization, even the steadiest minds like her could waver when someone she held dear felt discomfort, and Lace was no dense man. If she could read his mind, then he is an empath that could tell her feelings, which caused him to chuckle. ¡°What are you laughing for?¡± 101 asked, she frowned with slight annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re cute when you¡¯re worried, do you know that?¡± Lace replied as wiped a tear from his eye. ¡°Cheap words,¡± 101 turned around abruptly. ¡°This is not good for my health.¡± She muttered the few latter words to herself and folded her arms, as a twisted smile etched on her face. The impulses in her body grew stronger, a desire of her which resided within her for aeons had long awakened from dormant. One which she held back when she carried Lace within her arms after killing Vulkan. ¡°But seriously, 101. The hell you went through in the First Earth¡­ the gods berserk, people dying left and right, and lavish lands turned to wasteland, doesn¡¯t that scares you? More importantly, what drives you to live up to this point, turning yourself into a Machina, something which is inhuman and live through those lonely years in space?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Lace, my dear, mon chou. I follow a path beyond love and hate¨C my obsession.¡± The Pink Visit ¡°Bullshit, that couldn''t be the only reason,¡± Lace commented. ¡°Believe it or not, you''ll eventually understand my words.¡± 101 took his hand and pulled him closer. ¡°You, the old you, said it as well.¡± ¡°I could show you where it all began with your past self,¡± 101 held her fingers, ready to snap and change the hologram in the dream. Her grip took a hold of his arm, and Lace felt his arteries and veins tighten under her strength. Her delicate face was an inch far from his, the fragrance of her perfume reached his nostrils. But he pondered, do androids even need perfume? She seemed to be eager to show him the past, but Lace saw no point in doing so. What could she gain for showing the past to him? Fear or the sense of past achievements? If so, there seems to be no benefit from it. ¡°My past self or not, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lace replied and placed his hand over hers as a form of reassurance. ¡°Only now and the future matter the most, I couldn¡¯t afford to have anything else to think about other than the crazy stuff that happened today.¡± One of 101¡¯s eyebrows rose as she looked at Lace with a curious gaze before she shook it off and sighed, ¡°Good grief, at least my mind is safe from the headache of changing the holograms again is this dream.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not exactly a hard worker, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Mon chou, I¡¯m no hard worker. I¡¯m more of¡­ working smart,¡± She said and released his hand, ¡°And secretly.¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯re the opposite, I¡¯m too used to working physical labour ever since I dropped out of high school,¡± He replied and leaned comfortably on his armchair. ¡°It could have been different if you had money-¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less, life was like a box of chocolate after all. It''s whether you get the worst or the best chocolate.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± 101 grins as her eyes were smiling a tint of playfulness, ¡°If it was, then I¡¯d said I¡¯ve got the best chocolate.¡± ¡°What are you trying to imply-?¡± The sight of Lace tilting his head without any sense of suspicion gave her a sudden rush of her blood. Her grin slowly faded, as she broke their eye contact due to her unbearable ragged breathing, and hid it away from his sight by turning her head. She could not afford to display her madness, which is also her fondness. Lace only saw bits of her expression, a slight blush of it. No other people had reacted to him in such a way, much less from a woman. So, there must be a reason behind it, he thought. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mon chou, but, someone is coming to your hospital room, so I¡¯ll have to leave you here alone and keep on a lookout as my consciousness could only be at one place at a time,¡± She said before standing up from the sofa. ¡°But remember, I could still read your mind, and compliments are much accepted~¡± ¡°All is fine, and there¡¯s no need to keep on a lookout, just treat the guests nicely.¡± ¡°No, the same thing as before could happen, so I need to be on guard every time,¡± 101 replied, clearly annoyed by the sudden predicament of the visit. ¡°Tch, whoever came here, such annoyance.¡± 101¡¯s figure slowly vanishes into the thin air of the lucid dream, as her consciousness had left. Lace was left alone in the dream. His eyebrows slightly rose as he thought of who could be wanting to visit him other than his few friends. -------------------------------------------------- This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. A nurse in an all-white uniform gave a small knock on the door before entering Lace¡¯s hospital room. Inside, Lace¡¯s unconscious body could be seen connected to several machines and tubes. It was to stabilize the poisonous substances within his body, which he got from prolonged exposure to heat and smog. It was a miracle he managed to stay alive after passing out from excessive bleeding and poison. His ability to stay conscious while sustaining internal injuries impressed the hospital staff, as they tried to comprehend how a human could endure for so long. ¡°Eyes over here, infirmi¨¨re,¡± 101 said and urged the nurse to come closer, ¡°It''s rather tiring to raise our voices when talking at this distance, and the patient is having a lovely sleep.¡± The nurse glanced and got surprised by the deep red gaze from 101 as if she was looking into a crimson abyss. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry madam,¡± The nurse took a few steps closer with a file board in hand. ¡°I¡¯m here just to inform you there will be a visitor for sir Lace.¡± 101 had similar thoughts as Lace. Other than his friends, no one else would go to visit him. His other family members such as cousins, uncles and aunties could not care less about him ever since his father was falsely accused and jailed. So, the only reason someone would visit him might have a different intention other than wanting to know his well-being. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I ask who these visitors are?¡± 101 asked with a melancholy accent. ¡°All we know is that she came here just to give her thanks to sir Lace for saving her life in the previous incident.¡± It may sound ordinary to most, but 101 could not afford to shake off the possibility that this visit might have a different intention. Moreover, hospitals do not allow anyone to visit recent patients if they are not closely related. Exception for 101 who lied about being Lace¡¯s sister. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Excuse me, Madam. What do you mean by that?¡± The nurse was clueless about 101''s curiosity. Which indicates that she knows no more than is told. 101 shook her head and gave a light smile, ¡°Nothing, just curious. Thank you for informing us about the visit.¡± The nurse nodded and left the room quietly. 101 took a peek in between the curtains of the windows and saw the aftermath of the encounter with the god of fire. The buildings were charred, and some even collapsed into debris. Plants and valuables are scattered across the streets as burned trash. Disfigured bodies of those lives lost to the flames were bagged by the medical teams. Civil servants and volunteers could be seen doing a joint cleanup, but it is likely to take more time to get it done. ¡°If only I arrived earlier¡­¡± She muttered and glanced at Lace who was riddled with wounds. The city was not her concern, it is not her birthplace nor a place she grew up memories with. Only Lace that mattered, the one who has gone through thick and thin with her in their past life. The mere thought of losing him again was maddening to her. The door was knocked, but it was not opened immediately. As if the person behind it was waiting for someone to answer. ¡°Come in, there''s plenty of seats, so help yourself,¡± 101 said as she sat as close as possible to Lace while fixing her hair. ¡°Salutations¡­,¡± The woman said groggily as she slowly opened the door and walked in. ¡°The military?¡± 101 murmured and noticed the badges and ranking on the woman''s attire. The tall woman had shoulder-length pink hair and wore a wrinkled white military trench coat that reached below her knees, with badges adorned across one side of her chest. A pair of black gloves on her hands, white pants beneath her coat and a pair of knee-high boots. Her tired cyan eyes met 101''s gaze, as she took off her beret, ¡°Thanks for answering my knock quickly, I thought I would die from climbing the stairs with my cramping ass anytime sooner.¡± 101 always thought that military personnel have strong impressions, but she reconsidered that when she met this woman. ¡°Haiya, I forgot to introduce myself, sorry,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°My name is Vittoria Litto, ranked Special Officer, from the Pax Military Force¡­ ugh, this is tiring.¡±