Ty's eyes widened, his confusion boiling into anger. "Surprised? What does that even an? Wouldn't you just die if I did?"
The old man shook his head slowly, a faint, almost sorrowful smile tugging at his lips. "You have died. Or, rather, the vessel—my prison—has died many, many tis. The lock is passed down to the next generation."
Ty frowned, trying to make sense of it. "Are you talking about my lock? Isn't that what the other creature inside is about?"
"No," the old man replied, his voice calm but edged with gravity. "His soul was passed down generations ago, long before you, earthling. He is indeed the source of your power, awakened in you after Erebos acted. Like myself, he lay dormant until triggered. After the war, this was the only way to ensure a future."
Ty's brow furrowed, frustration bubbling within him. "A future? What future? Why are you telling this now? What about the visions, the dreams I've been having?"
The old man's face hardened, his eyes shadowed by a distant pain. "Those worlds you saw, I was responsible for destroying them. My cris, relived again and again—a burden I've carried for centuries." His voice was hollow, detached, as though he had told this story countless tis before, never finding solace in the retelling. "The pain I delivered is mine to bear, and you've seen it because of our connection."
Ty opened his mouth to speak, but the old man raised a hand, silencing him. "I cannot share my true goals with you," he continued, his gaze piercing Ty's. "Your alignnt with Erebos, the Angelics, and even the creature—it is not yet clear to . I cannot risk you knowing the truth until I know where your loyalties lie."
With a snap of his fingers, the old man added, "I hope what I showed you helps you find the right path."
Ty's heart pounded in his chest, his frustration boiling over. "Why can't you just tell the right path? Why all this mystery?"
The old man's eyes softened, a hint of sadness touching them. "If I told you, your heart wouldn't truly be tested," he murmured. "You must find it yourself, Ty. Only then will your resolve be genuine."
The old man snapped his fingers again, and everything vanished in an instant. Ty found himself jolting awake, lying in a pool of blood, his head spinning, the tallic tang of the liquid filling his senses. He gasped for breath, his chest heaving, and looked up to find the creature looming over him, its eyes narrowed with curiosity.
"Were you sleeping in a dream?" the creature asked, its voice a low rumble.
Ty looked up, eting the creature's eyes. A thought ran through his mind—a dream within a dream. It made sense in a way, an unsettling logic that seed to fit the strange reality he was experiencing.
"Can't you read my mind or sothing?" Ty asked, his voice carrying a hint of annoyance.
The creature scoffed, its eyes narrowing. "No, but I can hear your thoughts sotis, especially when we're almost shed together."
"shed?" Ty repeated, his brow furrowing.
"Yeah, you idiot," the creature snapped. "It's like when you're insanely focused, talking to yourself inside your head, and it explodes through your entire body—shouting inside yourself, almost."
Ty's gaze shifted, looking past the creature to the mound of bones in the distance. He noticed sothing there—the sword from his previous dream, plunged deep into the heap of skeletal remains. Its blade glinted faintly in the dim light, a stark reminder of his earlier vision.
"So, this world... these people," Ty began, his eyes drifting back to the creature. "They belong to you, right? In a sense, this is the world you were born on?"
The creature paused, its expression darkening. "Yes," it said slowly. "This was my world. I don't know what Erebos hopes to gain from all of this, but it pisses off knowing my entire kind is dead and gone—for now."
Ty nodded thoughtfully. "And what happens if I die?" he asked.
"Once you die," the creature continued, its voice filled with a cold determination, "I will take over. I will win this tournant, wish to restore my race, and then deal with whatever Erebos is plotting."
Ty considered this, then looked back at the creature, a question burning in his mind. "And what about all those nasty comnts you made to ? Back on the other worlds, even after waking up here?" Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire
The creature's lips curled into a sneer. "What about them? I hate all humans. You are no different. The second power is put in front of you, you'll murder those who threaten you—just like the rest of them."
Ty frowned, his expression hardening. The creature's words stung, though he wasn't entirely sure why. "It's been a long ti since your death, hasn't it?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation.
The creature's eyes flashed with irritation. "Stop cutting off, dumbass," it snapped. "It wasn't just a few decades. Ti flows uniquely—like the speed of orbiting planets. After everything unfolded, after I lost... I spent thousands of years stuck in turmoil while ti barely moved here."
Ty felt a pang of sympathy, though he quickly pushed it aside. "If I ever get the chance to kill the king," the creature continued, its voice lowering, "pass the body, will you?"
Ty raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk. "I'll think about it," he said.
Suddenly, the world shifted. Ty jolted upright, his eyes snapping open as he found himself back in the hospital bed. His heart was racing, his breath coming in short gasps. He glanced down, noticing JJ asleep on his lap, her hair splayed out across his legs. He blinked, his mind struggling to adjust to the sudden change of scenery.
Before he could process everything, the door to the room swung open with a loud creak. Two guards entered, each holding a tray of food. Ty's eyes went to the trays, and he noticed the strange assortnt of items—a thick, steaming bowl of crimson stew that slled faintly of spices he couldn't quite place, a platter of round, golden fruit with an iridescent sheen, and a tall glass of sothing that looked like it was glowing, an odd luminescence emanating from the liquid. The guards moved with precision, placing the trays on the small table beside the bed.
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