SYSTEM ASCENSION

Flashback

The morning sun spilled through the kitchen windows, turning the dust in the air to gold.

Rowen stood at the stove in a faded apron, flipping pancakes with one hand while stirring a pot of oatmeal with the other.

The table in front of him was chaos, ten kids, ages ranging from two to twelve, crammed onto benches and mismatched chairs, voices overlapping as they argued over who got the last spoonful of jam.

"Don’t lie, I called it first!"

"I had it yesterday!"

"If you keep fighting I’m giving it to the cat!"

Rowen didn’t even look up. "There is no cat anymore. Number fifteen took it along with her."

"What?!" They all chorused.

"That annoying fifteenth sister!"

The back door slammed open.

"MOORNING!"

Zeal burst in like a storm with legs, sweating like a person who just escaped a death sentence.

"Who missed me?"

He moved down the length of the table, slapping high fives to those who raised their hands, ruffling hairs of those too young to care, dodging a spoonful of oatmeal that got thrown at him.

By the time he reached Rowen, half the kids were laughing and the other half were demanding what he had brought from his journey.

Keen sprang up.

"Sir Zeal? Where is Elias? You said you’ll bring him this time!"

"The tall one?" Another asked.

"Yes!" Keen nodded. "He’s really tall!"

He turned.

"So? Where is he?"

"Huh....," Zeal glanced around and chuckled awkwardly. "He’s somewhere... anywhere? I lost him."

"Huh?!"

"I’ll find him. It’s not the first time anyway."

"You lost a child we’re supposed to be hiding..." Rowen took a deep breath. "Why did I leave him with you?"

Zeal grinned breathlessly, and raised his hand for a lazy high five. "Morning bro."

Rowen didn’t move. He just stared at Zeal, spatula in his hand, and slid a newspaper across the counter towards him.

"Look at what you have done again!" Rowen said. "Could you not dismember everything you see?!"

The room went quiet.

Zeal glanced at the headline: *LOCAL WAREHOUSE REDUCED TO SCRAP. ALL SURVIVORS LOST AN ARM.*

He looked at the photo.

"...It was self-defense," Zeal said finally. "They called me a thief and came at me!"

"In a warehouse," Rowen replied. "How did you even get there?"

"There was an open portal. I fixed it, but the workers had their eyes in the back of their heads. They attacked me as soon as I came out! The audacity!"

One of the kids whispered, "Is that the place with the free candy?"

"Yep!" Zeal snapped his fingers. "I brought back a lot of candy."

Rowen closed his eyes for three seconds.

"So you did raid them."

Zeal just took the pancake off the spatula and started eating it.

"A little lesson."

"You’ll be the death of me." Rowen turned back to the stove. "One day, you’ll really get into a situation you can’t escape from."

Zeal laughed. "If that happens, think of it as karma catching up to me."

___

Rowen recalled those words, over and over again. It was barely a month ago.

"Karma really did catch up to you, you silly bastard."

The leading families’ heads arrived at the scene, taking in the extent of damage done, and how much Nulls were wiped out inside the isolated zone.

"This is horrible." Lady Anny muttered. She stared at the number of Nulls taken down by Elias, and at the dismembered pieces of the attackers.

They all stopped for a moment to stare at Rowen.

Then, Lady Hinger turned her head to take in the extent of the damage. A particular scene caught her attention.

Her eyes narrowed for a second, then widened.

"Headmaster Rowen..."

No reply.

She leaned closer.

"Do you know that boy? He seems to be... fading?"

Rowen’s head snapped up. He turned his gaze, only to find Elias lost in his thoughts, head bowed, body half dispersed.

Before he moved, Hinger bent down and took Zeal from his grip. He stood up and stumbled forward.

"Elias!"

He got no reply.

’What the hell.’ he ran.

"Elias!" He called louder. "Elias! Open your eyes!"

He saw the boy raise his head slowly. He fell on his knee before Elias, not trying to touch him, lest he disperse faster.

"Mr... Rowen?" Elias muttered.

"Open your eyes!"

"Mr Rowen..."

"What is wrong with you?"

Elias blinked once, and tilted his head.

"Zeal is...I let him...he..."

"Stop it." Rowen blocked his view. "Calm down."

Elias began to mumble.

"I had a friend. His name was Roche. He was always obsessed with reading, writing and looking good. He combed my hair a lot....

He died...

I wasn’t even there for him. He died, and it was my fault. He died alone.

"Elias..."

"Quil too," Elias muttered. "For some reason, I forgot that he existed. It seems I forgot many things. He also died...alone."

Rowen didn’t interrupt him.

"Then Yvonne...she was scared. I guess I witnessed that one, although it’s not refreshing one bit."

He blinked once.

"I think I’m cursed. Everyone else dies."

"You’re not..."

"My mother, Yvonne, Quil, Roche, Zeal..."

Elias broke further. His tears broke out again.

"I let him die. I couldn’t do anything!"

"You did enough." Rowen forced a smile. "You stayed with him. I’m sure he loved that."

"You don’t know that..."

"I do," Rowen carefully patted his head. "We came from the same womb afterall."

Elias sniffed.

"Mr Rowen?"

"Since when are you so respectful?"

"Rowen..."

"Yes?"

"Am I dying?"

Rowen couldn’t answer. He stared at the boy, whose body was half gone, dissolved into the wind.

"I don’t feel any pain though." He sniffed again, and lowered his head.

"I’m sorry..."

Rowen tilted his head to get a look at his face.

"You didn’t cause his death, I told you."

"I’m sorry..." Tears spilled again. "I couldn’t save them."

Rowen slowly leaned back.

’Mental breakdown.’

"I’m pathetic."

The leading family heads came closer, tilting their heads to understand what was happening.

Elias clenched his fist, and then watched it fade away. Reality settled in again, and he gasped.

"Rowen..."

"What?"

He raised his head, revealing the ring lights that had always belonged in Zeal’s eyes whenever he activated his abilities. Only that they were darker, filled with tears.

"I don’t want to die."

Rowen instinctively leaned forward. He wanted to stop it. But he couldn’t.

Elias’ tears were growing louder and desperate.

"Please! I don’t want to die! Save me!"

Lady Anny turned around and walked away. The rest of the Lord turned their eyes. No one could do anything.

"I’m scared!"

Rowen leaned forward, and hugged the remaining parts of him.

"I really am dying! No! I want to see them again! My father! I have siblings and I have never even seen them before. My...my..."

"Close your eyes."

"I’m scared!"

"Close your eyes!" He hugged him tighter.

"I...want to..." He shut his eyes. "Zeal..."

Silence followed.

The Lord’s exchange glances. No one said a word.

They all waited. Waited, as the helpless boy faded into nothing. Until Rowen was only hugging the air.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!