Shattered Boundaries - Arc 3

Arc 3 of End War Online: Shattered Boundaries.

Chapter 14
''December 10th ''

I sat in my classroom, staring out the window. The chicken and rice I had packed for lunch had long since gotten cold. I hadn’t taken a bite of it. I had just been sitting here, staring out at the city, cloaked in white from the snow drifting down from the white sky. I was still a bit out of it from everything that had happened… my mind was trying to wrap its head around a million things at once… everything I witnessed in Void… it all came back to me, played over and over in my head every second. I had the same dream last night… it occurred to me that the dream and Void were pretty much the same thing… that there was some unspoken connection between the two.

Or maybe there wasn’t any connection at all… maybe I was just crazy.

I shiver in my seat, curling up a bit in my coat.

“Yamato.” I hear Rena call me.

I look over to her. I had to admit, seeing her gave me a definite feeling of relief… just having her around right now made me feel better.

“Hey…” I say quietly.

“You haven’t taken a bite of your lunch.” She noticed.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m not that hungry.” I say plainly, looking back out the window.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">We stay in silence for a few more seconds before I speak up again.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“So…” I say. “You found me. I’m the third Nephilim.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She looks at me in surprise, like she remembered that her whole goal all along was to find the third Nephilim. I put my arms out.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Now what?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She sighs and sits down at a desk next to me.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well…” She began. “I don’t think I’m going to be completing that contract.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well why not?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Why do you think?” She asks. “Those AEP guys hacked into the entire game and trapped most people inside. Most of the people from our school aren’t even here.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I look around the classroom and notice she was right. There were only a few other students around, which were the ones who didn’t play the game, weren’t online at the time, or were one of the lucky ones.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah…” I say, looking back out the window.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Listen, Yamato…” Rena says. “Is it okay if… if you come with me to the hospital?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I look to her, a bit surprised by her asking that. I didn’t expect her to actually want me to go anywhere with her… I guess she finally thought of me as more than just some guy.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah.” I say. “Sure, that’s fine.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She sighs and smiles warmly.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m still really worried about my mother.” She openly tells me. “She’s still visiting my father in the hospital day in and day out… it’s affecting her work, too. She’s not able to keep up… I really don’t know how much longer she’s going to last like this…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” I assure her, not actually knowing if it’ll really be fine.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I hope so.” Rena sighs. “I really hope so…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">---

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">As I said I would, I walk with Rena to the hospital after school, following her down the halls to where her father’s room was. We stop when she puts her hand on the door and sighs.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Can you come in with me?” She asks. “I… I’d feel better if you were with me.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Um… sure.” I say, shrugging as she opened the door.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">We step inside the room and I close the door behind me. I see two people there. One, I assumed was her mother, who was tending to the other that was in the bed, the man who was her father.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Her mother looked like she had seen better days… she didn’t look all that old, but even so I could see some strands of gray in her hair, and some wrinkles in her face to accompany the bags under her eyes, all of which I assumed were due to stress. She was trying to feed Rena’s father in bed, but the man was sickly and struggled to even lift up his head.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">They both look to us when they hear us come in.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Ah, Rena.” Her mother said, before noticing me and putting on a weak smile. “Who’s this you brought? You finally find a boyfriend?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Rena blushed a bit and looked away.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“He’s not my boyfriend, mom.” She said. “We’re just friends.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“We’re friends?” I question. “I had no idea.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Rena shoots me a glare, and half of me thought she was going to slap me, but then her father spoke.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Naoto…” He said in a weak and frail voice that sounded well into dying.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I told you not to call me that…” Rena scoffed, refusing to look at him.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Honey, please come here.” Her mother requested.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Rena, or was it Naoto? She reluctantly walked up to her mother and next to her father. I stayed on the other side of the room, watching them, figuring I didn’t have anything to do with their family business.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Mom…” She said, getting a good look at her mother up close. “God… I can’t stand to see you like this…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Rena, all your father wants is to make things up with you.” She said, putting on a weak smile.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I told you, I don’t want anything to do with him.” She said angrily, refusing to look at her father.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Naoto…” Her father said quietly from the bed. “Rena… I know you must hate me for not being there for you and your mother all these years but… I want you to know I truly am sorry for leaving you.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah, right…” Naoto… Rena scoffed. “If you cared you wouldn’t have left at all.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Honey…” Her mother tried to say.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“No!” Rena shouted. “No, mom! I hate this! I hate how you’re always worried about this man who you haven’t seen in years! I hate how he comes in all of a sudden expecting both of us to forgive him so easily! I hate him! I don’t want anything to do with him! Why can’t you get that?!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Rena’s parents both stayed silent. Her mother looked like she was about to cry, while her father just lay there motionless.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“He left us, mom…” Rena went on to say. “Do you even remember how hard it was for you?! You had to take two jobs just to support us! You worked yourself day and night just trying to keep us from being evicted! He could’ve prevented all that! HE could’ve stayed! But he didn’t! He left us both on our own for selfish reasons!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You’re right…” Her father sighed. “It was selfish. I won’t deny that… and I don’t deserve your forgiveness or affection. But even so… I still regret leaving you two… I should’ve stayed…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“No point now.” Rena growled. “You had your chance.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Naoto…” Her mother said.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!” She shouted. “MY NAME ISN’T NAOTO!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She stormed away towards me, grabbing my sleeve as she passed and pulling me out of the room with her, slamming the door shut. Once outside the room, she sighed and sat on the bench along the wall. I stay up against the wall for a few seconds, but end up joining her on the bench, sitting next to her while staring out the window.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Your name isn’t Rena.” I say after thinking on whether or not I should say it.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She sighs, but doesn’t get angry at me.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“My real name is Naoto.” She explained. “But… I hate that name… it’s the name my father gave me.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You seem pretty determined to erase any trace of him you have.” I comment.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I don’t want anything to do with him.” She tells me. “I hate him… mom had to take down any pictures of him in the house because she was afraid I’d destroy them… she’s right. I would’ve if she hadn’t hid them. Any gift he gave me I destroyed… burned dolls into ashes… things I made for him when I was young I burned too. I made him a paper mache bird once. Got rid of that too… even forsake my own name.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I think it’s a nice name.” I comment.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She looked up to me, a little blush coming onto her cheeks, before looking away angrily.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You don’t know anything…” She muttered.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I also think you should reconcile with your father.” I end up blurting out, this time without thinking about it.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">That’s when she got mad.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“What, you’re taking his side?!” She shouted at me, standing up from the bench. “Do you know what he’s done?! He’s completely destroyed this family! Just look at my mother!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“And now when given a chance to reunite it you refuse to give him the chance.” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“He doesn’t deserve a chance!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Your mother seems to think he does.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“My mother is an idiot!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I don’t think your father’s the only one affecting her, Rena.” I look from staring out the window and over to her. “The way I see it, the only thing she wants is for your family to be together again. You’re not letting that happen.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She stays silent at my words, sighing before sitting back down next to me.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’ve always wanted a father.” She said. “For as long as he’s been away, I’ve wanted him to come back… but now that he’s here… the only thing I feel for him is contempt, despite the fact that I want to love him… I want to be able to have a father again, the way things used to be before he left… I can remember happy times I spent with him. When we all would go out to festivals, and we’d play together.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">She takes a deep breath and a long sigh.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“But now… even on his deathbed, I can’t work up the courage to accept him again…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Why’s that?” I ask her.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m scared…” She admits. “I’m scared that if I accept him again, he’ll die right afterwards… you saw what he was like. He looks like he shouldn’t even be alive.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah… I saw.” I look back out the window, contemplating.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I got to thinking about my own father… I realized I was distanced from him as well. I didn’t even know who he really was… this whole time I thought of him just as my dad, but… there was clearly more to him than I was seeing… there was more to me that wasn’t immediately apparent as well.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I guess I had a lot to figure out as well…

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Rena sighed and leaned against my shoulder, closing her eyes. I put an arm across her back and hold her close, trying to give her as much comfort as I could while at the same time feeling pretty crap myself… a lot was going on in both our lives it seemed.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">---

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">In light of recent events, it was decided that I should have a day off.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Suits me. Wasn’t in the mood to do anything anyway.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Callahan decided to take me out to lunch so we could talk about everything that’s happened. He took me to one of his favorite places in Halfen, a little place called Abernelle. Nice cozy place that was a far cry from the bars that Duncan and Jager would force me to go to with them on a guy’s night out. It was quiet and there were few customers, and the customers that were here were mannered well enough. Callahan was a regular patron here, since everyone knew him. The waitress came to us and with a smile greeted us.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Hello, Jack.” She smiled warmly. “Who’s this you brought with you?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Hey, Michelle.” Callahan replied. “He’s just a friend. Taking him out for lunch and stuff.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Alright, the usual for you?” She said.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That’s right.” He nodded.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“And you, sir?” She turned to me.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Ahm…” I flip through the menus. “The salmon any good, Callahan?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Best ever.” He says. “Seafood restaurants don’t want you to know about this place.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah, I’ll have that.” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Any sides?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“White rice.” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Alright, and what do you want to drink?” She asks.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Water’s fine.” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Lemon squeeze?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“No thanks.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Alright, we’ll have your drinks out in a bit and your meals will follow shortly after!” She smiled and walked away with our orders.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Alright, Yamato…” Callahan got right down to business. “I’ve looked up on you.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That so?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">He nodded.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I wondered why you were so important; why it seemed like everyone wanted to get at you.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“And why’s that?” I ask him.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well… it seems that you have some significance in the lore of this world.” Callahan crossed his arms. “You’re the second Nephilim ever to use the power of Void as specialty.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“The second?” I ask. “What about the first?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Don’t know much about him…” He says. “I searched around but in the end couldn’t find many specifics about the guy. Probably Michael or Amanda, the other two Nephilim, would know, but… I don’t really feel like going over and asking them.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well what else do you know, then?” I ask, as Michelle came in with our drinks and leaving the table again.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well…” Callahan takes a sip of his drink. “I do know that you’ve been prophesized. Some old legends speak of another Nephilim that can fully control Void… one that is closely tied to Void and nothingness.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Hrm…” I take a drink of my water. “What is Void, anyway?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Void… is nothing.” Callahan replied. “That’s it. It’s literally nothing. It’s a force that represents the eventual decay and rebirth of Creation… when I fell into Void I imagine it was similar to your experience, only… less intense. I saw these images and heard these sounds… I felt coldness creeping into me… the only thing that kept me from being completely consumed by it was my Soul, which naturally repelled it and kept it from completely infecting me… but Nephilim are different.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“How so?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“The Souls of Nephilim don’t repel Void.” He explained. “In fact, they embrace it. This is why Nephilim are able to utilize Void moreso than any other race… and why you aren’t dead right now.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“So you’re saying that… I’m infected?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Infected is a strong word for you…” He says. “In your case it’s more like… mutually beneficial? Void is manifested inside you, but your Soul is able to control it.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Why’s that?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Beats me…” Callahan takes another sip of his water. “The Souls of Nephilim aren’t understood. We can’t observe it in any way… my Soul Vision couldn’t see your Soul because… well, it’s beyond my ability to comprehend it. Maybe other Nephilim are able to see it, but I sure can’t.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I couldn’t see it.” I say. “When I used it, I couldn’t see my own energy.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Probably because you haven’t fully grasped your newfound ability yet.” He said. “In time as you come to realize your new power, you’ll be able to fully harness your abilities as a Nephilim, and by then you’ll probably be able to completely control Void as well.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I don’t know if I want to.” I tell him. “This… Void is… it’s terrifying. When I was in there I… I felt like I was dead, but… I was aware of it. Imagine being dead, but at the same time inside your body and fully aware that you’re dead.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I can imagine that’s pretty rough… I didn’t feel it to that extent, but I can understand why you’re afraid. Void is powerful and chaotic… it’s the end of everything. But as the third Nephilim you have the ability to control it.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I sigh and lean back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Michelle came back with our meals, setting them down at the table. Callahan got a great looking sirloin with mashed potatoes with a bowl of soup to go with it. My own salmon looked cooked to perfection, and the rice looked delicious.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">We started eating our respective meals, and I’m surprised at how good mine was. Now, I always liked salmon, didn’t really matter where it came from as long as it was cooked well enough… but this was something completely different. It had a unique flavor and texture that was just… wow. Why couldn’t there be a place like Abernelle in real life?

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“So…” I continue. “You’re saying that it’s been foretold that I’d appear?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That’s what I found out.” Callahan says, eating his sirloin enthusiastically. “I don’t know exactly what it is you’re meant to do. I couldn’t find anything else on it.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Honestly, I don’t care about any of that.” I say. “The only reason why I came back here is so I could help free everyone trapped here.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That, I wouldn’t know how to do…” He says. “I figure the only thing we can do is wait for the devs to fix the problem.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You think they can?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Hell if I know…” Callahan says, sighing. “Damn, this is just like the SAO Incident…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You know about it?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah.” He says. “My father was one of the players trapped in there. Told me all about it. He was actually pretty lucky. He was killed in game but as it turns out, his Nerve-Gear glitched out and didn’t microwave his brain. Only reason why I’m here right now.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Hah… wow…” I smirk and take a bite of my rice. “What was he killed by?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Another player.” Callahan replied. “Called the guy the Blade Master of SAO…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Blade Master, huh?” I think on that title… I recall how my father called himself a Blade Master… I wasn’t going to start making assumptions about that, though. I’m not going to start connecting things without anything supporting it.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah, apparently this Blade Master was one of the legendary players of SAO.” Callahan continued. “There are a few others I can think of… The Wandering Swordsman… The Supreme King… Champion of Aincrad… my own father was known as The Reaper.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Callahan chuckled lightly.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“It just occurred to me that all of the people I mentioned were player killers. The only guy I can think of who’s legendary but not a player killer is the guy who actually beat the Game Master…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Who was he?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Eh, nobody that important…” Callahan takes a sip of his water and sighs. “That was a pretty long time ago.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">The rest of our meals went by with idle conversation between the two of us, and before the hour was done, we had finished up lunch. I sighed and kicked back in my seat, satisfied with the great meal I had.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Damn… that was good…” I smile and sigh contently.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah…” Callahan said. “No place quite like Abernelle.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Suddenly, someone bursts through the front door.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Everyone come quick!” A guy says. “Michael Christen is here!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">People in the restaurant stopped what they were doing and went out to see.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Michael Christen?” I ask. “The Angel Nephilim?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I wonder what he wants…” Callahan says. “Want to go check it out?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Do we have to?” I sigh.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Might be a good idea.” Callahan replies, standing up from his seat after leaving the payment for our meals.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Ugh…” I groan. “Fine… I guess…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I stand up and leave the restaurant with him. We make our way down the streets, with some other people going in the same direction towards a large crowd that was accumulating in the streets a bit down the way. We work through the crowd, pushing people out of our way in order to see what was going on. When we got through, we saw three people there. Two of them were Angels, high ranking, looked like. They were dressed in typical Angel commander wear, only a bit more intricate, and they both stood at attention to the left and right of their leader. Their leader was Michael Christen. He was the commander of the Angel Army and a Nephilim… like me. Unlike me, however, he was much more experienced, and could probably floor me by looking at me.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m looking for the third Nephilim!” He called out to the crowd. “Has anyone seen him?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“How’d he know?” I whisper to Callahan.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">He leans over and shrugs.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I know he’s here somewhere.” He says. “I’m not going to try anything. I just need to speak with him.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I shrug and step out from the crowd. Immediately all eyes were on me as I stepped up to Christen. He looked me over a few times and crossed his arms.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Are you the third?” He asks me.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I am.” I say, after a brief silence.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">The crowd around us immediately began to talk amongst themselves. Dammit… word was going to spread fast about me being Nephilim. Wasn’t going to like that…

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">He gives me a skeptical look, but in a blink, activates Soul Vision and looks me over again.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Hm… so you are.” He says, blinking again to deactivate the soulcraft. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to try to take you in or anything. I just want to talk to you.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“About what?” I ask as Callahan stepped up to my side.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Come with me.” He said. “I’ll explain.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I sigh and turn to Callahan.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’ll see you back at HQ, alright?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah, sure.” He nods and turns to walk out of the crowd.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Let’s go somewhere a bit more private.” Christen suggests, telling his two guards to leave us. The two fly up into the sky and disappear as I follow Christen through the crowd.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">---

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Christen led me downtown to a church… well, it was actually more like a cathedral than just a church. Now, normally I’d be totally against going into a building like this. Religion wasn’t really my thing, you know, and I found church to be the most boring thing ever right next to politics or watching a glacier move. I sucked it up, though, and followed him into the house of God. The cathedral was actually completely empty; the many pews lining the single aisle down had nobody sitting on them at all. Except for one. The furthest one up front had a man sitting down at it, reading a book with his arm casually braced up along the back of the intricately engraved dark mahogany pew.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">We stepped down the aisle and approached the man, who looked up at us from his book, putting a bookmark onto the page he was on and silently closing his book. He stood up from his seat and smiled at Christen.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That was quick.” He said. “Didn’t have any trouble at all, huh?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Honestly, it was a lot easier than I had thought it would be.” Christen smiled back.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">The man then looks to me, peering at me through his black framed glasses.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“This is the third, I take it?” He says.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That’s correct.” Christen confirms.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">The man smiles and extends a hand to me.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Alexander Iscariot.” He introduces himself. “Head Exorcist of the Brotherhood of the Faithful.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I take his hand and shake it once.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yamato Haseo.” I introduce myself.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I take note of his appearance… he was dressed in the traditional garb of his religion, dark blue vestments, as well as wearing a black cassock over it. He wore a silver cross around his neck that shined in the light.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well… we should get started, hm?” Iscariot says, turning to Christen. “Have you told him anything yet?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Not yet.” He said. “I figured you would be able to help explain it.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well, it is a lot to take in…” Iscariot rubs his chin.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You mind telling me what you’re on about?” I ask the two of them.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Come with us.” Iscariot gestured for me to follow, and I do so.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I’m led down a hallway to a back room of the cathedral, which looked to be a large library, filled to the brim with hundreds of books. It wasn’t the biggest library ever, but it was still a pretty big one. I guessed that all the books were religious in nature, however, so I couldn’t care less about any of their contents. I was led into the back of the place, which looked like it had less visitors than any other place here.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yamato Haseo…” Iscariot said, searching through a shelf for a specific book. “The Third Nephilim… where is it…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">He sifts through more books until finally coming across the one he was looking for.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Ah, here it is.” He said, picking the book out and opening it up, flipping through certain pages. “Alrighty, then… ah, but before that I should ask… how much to you know about yourself?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“What do you mean?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m talking about the prophecy of the Third Nephilim.” He clarifies.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well… was filled in by a friend that apparently I’m the second Nephilim ever that can use Void proficiently.” I say. “Also know that my Soul is somehow compatible with Void moreso than other Nephilim.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That’s correct.” Iscariot says. “Allow us to fill you in more on the lore of this world. It’s actually pretty interesting.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">He turns a few pages and skims through them before closing the book. My guess was that he was refreshing his memory on a few things.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’ll start with the first Nephilim to use Void.” He began. “This Nephilim was unique, of course, among the other Nephilim. He was more closely tied to nothingness than any of his other brethren. This made him powerful… so powerful in fact that he practically held complete dominion over Void. He was one of the few Nephilim that were able to invoke a Persona.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Persona?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“A Persona is a Nephilim’s true ability personified.” Christen explains to me. “It is the manifestation of their power that is able to be invoked and used in battle. Those Nephilim that were able to unlock this power held ability far beyond others.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Do you have a Persona?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I do.” Christen nods.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Hmm…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Anyway.” Iscariot continues. “This Persona of his was the very incarnation of Void… Erebus. Erebus was nothingness in physical form. It was nothing, but at the same time was more powerful than anything that had ever been seen before. Using Erebus, this Nephilim brought Void into Creation, and began to infect all the worlds with it. This was the First Void Insurrection. It was one of the darkest times of the history of Creation… both figuratively and literally.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Iscariot chuckles lightly.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“This was eventually brought to an end by one of the Lord Knights, who were the most powerful and skilled warriors that Humanity had. Lord Knight Falken was the one who ended the First Void Insurrection. He held the ability to freely traverse Void using a special soulcraft he himself developed, and is the only non-Nephilim in history to do so. He managed to defeat this Nephilim by sealing Erebus within Void… however, after the battle he was left weakened and could not sustain his soulcraft any longer, and he himself fell to Void… but it was a worthy sacrifice to end the darkness that threatened to destroy everything.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I notice you keep saying the ‘First’ Void Insurrection.” I point out. “Why is that?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Because there’s thought to be another.” Christen takes over. “The Second Void Insurrection has been foretold to come about by the hands of the second Void Nephilim… you.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Me?” I say, letting out a quick laugh. “You don’t think I’d invoke the end of the world or anything, do you? Why would I do anything like that?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“That’s the thing…” Christen said. “You wouldn’t… you don’t even have the ability yet… but still, it has been prophesized that you’d come along.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You don’t really believe in all that prophecy stuff, do you?” I ask. “This is just a game. The only reason why I even logged back on was because I wanted to help everyone get out.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Do you even know how you would go about this?” Iscariot asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well do you?” I return.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yamato.” Christen interrupts. “We’re only telling you all this because… if this comes to pass… everyone will die. Everyone and everything in this came will be completely destroyed and returned to nothingness.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You think I’m going to kill everyone?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Maybe not intentionally…” Iscariot says. “But it may still happen nonetheless.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You’re both complete lunatics…” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“In any case, you need to come to terms with your new powers.” Christen told me. “I can help you there.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m not interested.” I say sternly, turning to leave.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“H-hey!” Christen rushes over to me, grabbing my arm and stopping me. “Yamato, this whole thing is bigger than just you. This could affect everyone.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“The devs will probably get this whole thing fixed soon.” I say. “So what’s the point?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I don’t think that’s the case, Yamato.” Iscariot said, casually sitting down at a chair. “I’ve looked into this too. You see, what the hackers did was completely cut off all communication between the Nexus Rift Core and the main servers. Reestablishing that connection can’t easily be done while the game is still up and running.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“What do you mean?” I ask, turning around.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m saying that they can’t fix the problem without rebooting the entire system…” He closed his eyes. “And that would involve killing everyone currently inside.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I clench my fists and scoff. This whole thing was unbelievable… all this crap about me apparently supposed to bring about the end of the world… fucking unbelievable, all of it… but still, they had a point. If something like this actually did happen it would be a disaster. And if I’m meant to cause it… well I don’t even know what that would mean.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yamato.” Christen put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m not sure how we’ll be able to help with this whole situation… but I know we’ll find a way. In order to do so we’ll need your help, and we’ll need your unique abilities. I can help you with controlling your abilities.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You know how to control Void?” I turn to him.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’ve used it before.” He said. “But the principle is the same as with anything else, though a bit harder to master. However I believe with you, you’ll have an easier time than I would in dealing with Void.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“What do you say?” Iscariot smiles.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I think about it… I did need to be able to control these abilities…and I needed to stop this whole thing with Void if it was ever going to happen. I’d have to check in with Maverick, but I think that they’d approve. I don’t want to sit idly by doing nothing about anything and wait for this whole thing to pass. Besides, if Iscariot was right about the devs, the only chance we’d have would be from inside the game… somehow.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Alright.” I nod. “I’ll do it.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Great!” Christen smiled widely. “We can meet up here tomorrow and then we can get started.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“We’re going to be training here?” I ask.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Ohoh, no, no, not at all.” Christen laughed. “We’d probably bring the entire cathedral down… no, we’re going up to Heaven for that. Plenty of space up there.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Think they’ll let me in?” I ask him.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m the commander of Heaven’s army and a Nephilim.” He smirks. “They can’t say no to me.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well, alright, then.” I shrug.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Well, I guess that’s it, then.” Iscariot says, standing up from his chair and walking back out of the room. “We’ll see you tomorrow, Yamato.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You should get some rest.” Christen suggested. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">We finish up and I leave the cathedral, yawning and stretching myself out. He was right… I probably should get some sleep. Dealing with Void wasn’t easy whichever way you sliced it, and I was willing to be outright controlling it was going to take some effort.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">I open up my menus and log out there.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">---

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Back in the real world, I wake up and stretch myself out, taking my RiftGear headset off and placing it on my nightstand. I walk outside my room and down the hall into the living room. I see dad there, having another coughing fit. This time he was on his hands and knees, looking like he was coughing up his guts. Mom was over him, her arm around his back.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’m… alright…” Dad wheezed, coughing into his fist.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Ishi, you’re not alright…” My mother told him. “This cough has just been getting worse and worse.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“I’ll get over… it…” He said, regaining himself and calming his fit down.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“You alright, dad?” I ask as I step into the room.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Heh, me?” He smiled. “Ah, yeah, it’s… just a little cough is all…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Doesn’t look so little to me.” I note.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Yeah… no kidding…” He get back up onto his feet.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Sweetheart, I think you should go to the hospital.” Mom suggested.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Asuka, relax.” Dad smiled. “I’m alright. Just feeling a bit under the weather is all. I’ll be fine.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">Mom gave him a look, but sighed and shook her head.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“If this gets any worse I am taking you to the hospital.” The said firmly.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Nyegh…” Dad groaned. “I hate hospitals.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“Suck it up.” She retorted, turning to me. “How are things going in the game? They fix the problem yet?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">“No.” I simply said, turning around and walking back to my room, leaving my mother confused.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"TimesNewRoman","serif"">It wasn’t that late, but I decided to go to bed anyway. I was pretty tired, and had a lot of work to do next time I logged in.