Ch 162
Song Xiang smiled as he surveyed the group gathered around him, a motley assembly of faces marked by determination and resilience since the upheaval of their reality. Each individual had fought valiantly to carve out their place beside him, enduring fierce battles and navigating deadly challenges that had tested their limits. While he mourned the loss of those who had fallen along the way, Song Xiang understood that sacrifices were an unavoidable part of their struggle, and he felt a sense of relief that he had not yet been counted among them. Now, as the leader of the Nightguard organization, he could focus on his role without the looming fear of death; his demise would render all their efforts meaningless at this critical juncture.
A persistent voice echoed in his mind, one he could not silence no matter how hard he tried. It claimed he was one of only two individuals capable of founding organizations in this new world. By eliminating the other contender, he could seize the opportunity to rule and unify his realm under his banner, for it was through these organizations that many possibilities would unfold. The voice had warned him repeatedly that any hesitation on his part could lead to the formation of numerous new organizations during their world’s testing phase, though it had never elaborated on how that would occur. All Song Xiang understood was that the process involved accruing merit points by those who were not affiliated with any organization.
While Song Xiang didn’t fully trust the insistent voice that fed him information, it had never misled him before. So, when it warned him that the greatest obstacle to Earth uniting under one banner was the man named Matthew Pierce, he took the warning seriously. Yet, that name held no weight for him, as it was just as obscure as any other that hadn’t gained notoriety before their integration. Still, an urgent need gnawed at him; he had to locate this Matthew before he was found, convinced they were both contemplating the same strategies.
“What has you looking so serious?” Xian Bai asked, concern etching her features. “We should be celebrating; in just a few hours, we’ll finally get to go home.”
“Yes, but we’ll likely be scattered when that happens, and as a leader, I have many concerns weighing on me,” Song Xiang replied, gently brushing a stray lock of Xian Bai’s hair behind her ear before leaning in to kiss her softly. “Especially since until we are reunited, I can’t shake the fear that something might happen to you.”
“I’m level 60, and so are you,” Xian Bai retorted with a fierce smile, determination shining in her eyes. “I can’t wait until we’re back together and start our climb to the top as a team.”
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves,” Wilfried interjected, his tone cautious. “Who knows what we’re returning to or how powerful others might be.”
“Don’t go ruining the moment like that,” Aila chimed in, her expression bored. “For all we know, this could be our last chance together. Maybe Xiang will find some new woman to swoop in and save him when he gets home, and by the time Bai finds him, he’ll have already moved on.”
“How did I end up stuck with all of you?” Spencer groaned, exasperation clear in his voice. “Just because we’re all ambitious doesn’t mean I should have to endure the constant jockeying that cost the other seven who started with us their lives.”
“There are times I question your ambitions,” Wilfried shot back. “You didn’t even try to become the leader and have refused to accept the role of recruiter for Nightguard.”
“My first ambition is to stay alive,” Spencer replied firmly. “If that means quietly letting others take the spotlight while I work behind the scenes, so be it. Besides, we’ve spent the last year isolated from the rest of the world; even if Xiang managed to rally a few dozen others you all know, we’re still tiny.”
“I doubt Scattered Stars can grow much larger,” Alia stated, crossing her arms. “Even if they do, who cares? All we have to do is out-recruit them.”
“No, we need to eliminate them and any other organizations that emerge,” Song Xiang declared coldly, his gaze hardening. “It’s not something I want to do, but allowing other groups to flourish will only lead to a divided world, just like the one we used to know. This time, we must unify, or all that awaits us is another power seizing our world and enslaving us all.”
Spencer bit back his words, but frustration simmered beneath the surface; he had reached his limit with Song Xiang's leadership. The moment they set foot back on Earth, he was determined to break free from following orders. It wasn’t as if he had been obedient for some time now; he had watched those who adhered to commands meet their slow demise, a grim truth that lingered among the five of them. This unspoken secret bound them, each one reluctant to submit to another’s authority. Yet, in their hearts, they all envisioned themselves as the future political elite of Earth when the dust settled.
“Are you sure those fools will be able to do anything to push Matthew to grow?” Radoznaormr asked, casting a skeptical glance at Tempormr, who was peering intently into a shimmering viewing mirror that displayed Song Xiang’s party. “Sure, he thrives under pressure, but he seems to have enough motivation to strengthen himself already.”
“He is the final piece in the intricate puzzle of the prime bloodlines,” Tempormr replied, adjusting the angle of the mirror to reveal a multitude of other figures, including Vassilis. “Soon, his actions will trigger interactions among them, and we may finally uncover the secrets of the system and what lies beyond this universe.”
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“Yet, no timeline you've examined shows you surviving, and in half of them, I die before you do,” Radoznaormr pointed out, a hint of skepticism lacing his tone.
“Worry not; the path we are on will ensure that I perish before you in seven out of ten scenarios. However, I sense that with the last of the prime bloodlines nearing maturity, the era of the Ormrs is drawing to a close, and most of our kind will be sacrificed to empower the next generation.”
Radoznaormr frowned, the weight of countless conversations with Tempormr hanging heavily in the air. They had exchanged words too many times for anything he said to hold significance anymore. Both were cursed in their own ways: Tempormr was eternally drawn to the concept of time's end, while Radoznaormr was condemned to chase answers to questions that seemed forever elusive. This was the shared truth of all ormrs, and the most profound question among them was their very nature; despite what they told others, each of them had seemingly materialized into existence one fateful day.
What made their existence even more peculiar was the haunting memories they carried of a life before becoming an ormr, yet no tangible proof of that past life remained. Each one of their kind was both cursed and blessed, caught in a liminal space that placed them simultaneously within the system and beyond its reach. They possessed the ability to alter their level to appear as anything between one and 512, could disregard the skills of others, and instantly detect their use, yet they remained vulnerable to death.
Radoznaormr's gaze shifted back to the fragment of the mirror that displayed Vassilis once more, a surge of rage coursing through him. Vassilis had been the first harsh lesson for the ormrs; his hand had taken the lives of several, and in doing so, he transcended the level of power that should have been his. Since that grim encounter, he had been regarded as an ormr by others when threats were assessed, yet he was not the last to slay an ormr. Each prime bloodline holder reflected in the mirrors other than Matt had committed such acts, each representing a shift of some kind in the balance of power.
Most of them sowed chaos through their reckless actions, yet in the wake of their destruction, something new always emerged. A select few, like Vassilis, forged order and control over those around them, ruling solely through their sheer power. However, this semblance of order was always precarious; it became evident from the turmoil in the Interstellar Administration-controlled region that once he was absent, everything collapsed in an instant.
“You really shouldn’t let yourself get lost in thoughts like that,” Tempormr remarked, gently pulling Radoznaormr back from his spiraling contemplation. “It’s crucial that we stay focused and not allow distractions to derail our plans at this stage.”
“I don’t understand what you mean,” Radoznaormr shot back, irritation creeping into his voice. “My only concern is ensuring no one approaches us while you manipulate the timing of events so everything unfolds as we intend. So, just relax and ensure the stage is set for when Matthew reenters the universe at large in a galactic year.”
Matt felt disoriented as he blinked awake, taking in the wreckage of his cabin, which resembled the aftermath of a colossal baseball bat smashing through it. Had such a catastrophe truly occurred, or had all his memories been mere figments of a dream? No, as he spotted Bob lumbering toward him, the massive bobcat was undeniable proof that reality had not abandoned him. Still, as he sat on the remnants of his porch, Matt found himself in no hurry to act.
“So, how long do you think we have before Apricity comes barreling this way?” he asked, a chuckle escaping his lips.
“I’m sure she’s already on her way,” Bob replied telepathically, his tone calm and knowing. “But you plan to be long gone before she can catch up.”
“That we do,” affirmed Matt’s puppet, who had been alongside Bob and the others. “Oh, and this little guy has undergone some modifications.”
Matt’s puppet displayed another puppet, tiny and adorned with strange symbols etched across its surface.
“It seems that guy didn’t kill that puppet after all,” Matt muttered, a hint of intrigue in his voice. “How much do you want to wager that he knows exactly where Earth is now?”
Sighing, Matt and his puppet obliterated the smaller puppet entirely, ensuring that no unforeseen surprises would spring forth if they attempted to use it again. Once that was taken care of, they exchanged a knowing smile as Bob departed with Matt’s real body, each of them heading in opposite directions that veered away from Apricity. It had been a difficult choice to make, but he was resolved to stop dragging others into the chaos of his life for at least a little while. Bob was perfectly content being himself, but if all went according to plan, Matt intended to communicate solely through the system and isolate himself in a place where no one could track him down.
At that moment, one location stood out in his mind, making sense given his current position: Alaska. However, when he reached the peak closest to his cabin, his confidence in understanding the world around him faltered. What should have been familiar terrain now felt alien, even though some elements had remained unchanged. Everything appeared larger, more profound, and divided by stretches of earth that seemed utterly lifeless. Just as Matt was about to voice his concerns to Bob, a sudden system message cut through his thoughts, pulling him back into the present.
Welcome back to your world—or what it has become as it has grown and transformed in countless ways. Beasts have risen to power in your absence, evolving into something far greater than before. Some may greet you with open arms upon your return, while others will strive to secure their place at the pinnacle of the new hierarchy that is beginning to take shape. Nothing remains as it once was, yet you find yourself exactly where you last stood. The paths ahead are fraught with peril, and only through relentless effort can you hope to ascend and survive.
Will you pursue safety, power, love, freedom, battle, or any of the myriad possibilities that lie before you? Or will you simply surrender after coming so far? The choice is yours to make, the outcomes yours to sculpt, though the conclusion will always remain uncertain. So, make your choice, accept the consequences, and carve out your path!
As Matt absorbed the message, he felt as though it had been penned by someone like Radoznaormr, and he pondered why it had only reached him after he had climbed to the peak near his cabin, where the unsettling truth had dawned upon him. He also found himself reflecting on how drastically the landscape around him might have shifted. Yet, above all, a thrill of anticipation surged within him as he contemplated the discoveries that awaited him in this altered world. One thing was abundantly clear: he wouldn’t uncover anything by remaining stagnant. With renewed resolve, he began his descent, eager to explore the endless possibilities that lay ahead.
