"Looks like you fell asleep. Didn’t think you’d gotten so sentimental in this crummy apartment. Times ticking, Morris,"
A red haired man matched forward, his head bandaged, his eyes sank and restless, the stature and even the presence was unmistakable.
"Jin...?" Morris’s complexion grew pale, he tries to pinch himself, a pain in his cheek welled, what he’s witnessing wasn’t an illusion.
"What’s with you? It feels like you seen a ghost. Oh, are you still feeling guilty about putting me in a coma? Forget about it,"
The Editor made his way down the stairs, and Morris followed right after, a switch promoted a beep of a car. Jin sat at the driver’s seat and the baffled author sat beside him as he clutched his phone, inside it was detailed. Unlike his dreamscape it functions as it naturally would, making his assumptions even less of a reality, yet the date differs.
’January 15, 2031... last I checked the date was December 21, 2030. Eight days before my coming birthday. A lot of time had passed, time that I should’ve remembered, and yet I missed out on, nothing about all of this makes any sense. Even my appearance, it changed to what it was back then, but now I look a lot more put together than before,’
"Stressed aren’t you? I can tell. Ironic isn’t it? You always wanted attention, now you’re acting scared since you became famous,"
Jin’s remarks was oddly to the point. It had no falsity, deception, it didn’t sound too convincing, like his usual response. As Morris searched his name through the his web novel app, it didn’t take long till he found his novel popping up before him. The adaption of his novel was a success, his books notoriety of being unreadable disappeared as many flock to read his revised Chapters.
"Argh- shit?!!" His head began to well up, an aching grew ever so painful, it subsides the moment the car stops and reached its destination.
"Keep it together, Morris. You’re migraine is a bitch. But that’s not a reason to flake out on Esther. It’s her anniversary after all,"
Something felt off, Morris felt a sense of dread with the news, what’s more it’s about one of his characters. Yet he felt his heart tightening, breathing gradually became stiff, a realization struck his nerve, memories untold, grew louder. The sensation, the nostalgia, even it’s vibrant nature felt real to be called an illusion, he remembers the same girl in his life on earth.
’Right... it’s her anniversary. She died when she turned seventeen. Why am I recalling this? What for? Isn’t she a side character? How in the world was she real? This can’t be true. I’m not insane. Why- How does this even make any fucking sense? If she’s that close to me then why wouldn’t I remember, why am I suddenly remembering this? Memories all about her,’
Shaken to the core of what he discovered, he find himself at the cemetery. Just when he was about to recover, a surplus of memories resurfaced. Silhouette’s near the grave so familiar yet distant, they belonged to his side characters. Yet the way he views them as of now we’re long time friends alongside Jin Kurenai.
"Hey their Boss, what took you so long?" Kyo Min Soo tries to leap to Morris but a tug on his collar dragged him back to the ground as Quon quickly defuses his behavior.
"Ow- what gives Quon? -" His sentence cut short as the soft hand of hers quickly smack his head with a downward force.
"Read the mood will you? This isn’t the place to get all rowdy. Now stand straight you runt!"
As Quon got a handle of Kyo Min Soo, the two quietly joined the group all gathered at what seems to Esther’s grave. Silas was neck deep in pruning the weeds beside his sister’s resting place, his eyes full of dread and happiness in visiting his sister. Zeke was quietly waiting out back as his eyes darted to them like a hawk watching above everyone else.
’Not just my side characters... but even the people I met inside the novel. Their here, older, alive, and well. Except for Esther, I grew up with them, but why can’t I vividly remember that? My life growing up was nothing but bland. I never once met them, yet these memories says otherwise, they’ve always been beside me, and yet I never knew,’
"Christ are you okay?" A figure snuck up on him, in a flash his body was embraced, the voice made his body shudder in fear.
"Airis?" When he turned his head, his guess was correct, the one who embraced and spooked him was Velvet Airis.
"Correct!"
Her appearance hardly change from what she looked like in his novel. Yet his body felt panicked in her care. By instinct he throw his arms and broke free from her clutches.
"Oh my! Still jumpy as always, how cute. If Esther were to see you she’ll giggle. The little princess without his knight protector,"
Her unusual manner seemingly brought warmth to the dreadful cemetery, they all reminisce on that day. When Christoper and Velvet tries to cheer up their weak and fragile peer, they played pretend at Morris’s backyard. Esther as a Knight, Velvet as the villain, and for some reason Christoper, roped into being the princess.
([Rewrite System: Memory back up in process- error! ;’hfbdnndnfnNn(’kskdkfonsnfnfnnrjdhdiejtnjfifjwoeotoajke?!!!])
A gibberish of voice grew present, it loudly welled around his mind. His view glitches, and he suddenly found himself in a hospital. Faint chuckle of the disease brought him back.
"Morris, thank you for visiting. What’s wrong, buddy old pal? You can stop pretending now, god you’re still a crybaby, my little princess."
Christoper Morris found himself at the presence of Esther Landers, her pale exterior felt fleeting.
Her frail hands he gently held felt cold, her smile was the only semblance of her warmth, a tear ran through his face.
"Esther-"
With her remaining strength, she reaches his collar, tug him close, and steal a kiss for her selfish desire.
"I’m sorry. I wanted that to be natural. I took my sweet time. I thought I had much left, guess I was wrong. Live on for me-"
Her faint heartbeat gradually vanished.
A tear ran down her eyelid.
The last view upon her passing was the person whom she helds so close.
"Esther!!!"
His actions felt unnatural, this sensation felt fake, yet real. Was he trapped once again? Or was this his unfiltered life?
"Your novel... amuses me. Do you desire anything. I shall recreate the world in your image. All I ask is your consent."
A voice snaps his melancholic recollection. It’s tone quite welcoming and sincere, yet his intuition says otherwise. He found himself on a rainy night, standing at the grave of her deceased friend.
"This world is cruel... my friends. Everyone of them left. They’ve all been hurt. Can you make it so everyone is safe?"
His life grew dark. The memories no longer recalled. He reached the present. A year after his last visit of Esther’s grave.
Everyone apart from Jin and Himself died. One after the other. The fortunate was left scarred. Incapable of continuing life.
Later they took their very lives. The cruelty of this world drove them mad. What’s life worth living if their compassion and hope were taken.
"Of course. I shall make it so their alive. All I ask in return to shape this fleeting world. To keep the light shining ever more."
The memories suddenly grew distorted. Despair, anguish and cruelty he felt, vanished. A tug to his senses grew numb.
Something felt off. Everyone was happy, no one was dead. He found himself at the park, enjoying his life.
A vision slightly pulls him back. Distressed sharp screams calling for him. It slowly woke him from this dream-like sensation.
"I’m not supposed to be here."
A hand made it’s way to shoulder, a worrisome glance quite enchanting, he pushed Esther aside once he realized.
"Stay back! This isn’t real. You or this whole thing. The charades over. Let me out. What the- why isn’t anything happening?"
As he snaps away from their enchanting charm, a harsh reality itself returned, his memories resurfaced.
The moment he escape the corruption of his mind, he was struck by a holy relic, and it brought him to this perfect world.
He felt no malice because he wasn’t intended to be harmed, his desires felt fulfilled, no tricks nor falsities.
It only yearned to heal his broken heart, to wash away his grief, granting his regrets and broken dreams to be real.
"This is heaven..."
A place he could only dream of, where ones deepest desires takes shape, the final resting place of a broken deceased soul.
Yet he felt a sting, a sharp incision at his chest. A pain so faint in the presence of comfort. He was still alive, he can return.
"Calm yourself, Christoper Morris. We mean you no harm. Heaven embrace anyone that reaches this realm."
The beings mimicking his friends and family all spoke in synchronization.
"We aren’t your true love ones. Yes that is clear as day. But we’ll try to comfort you still. You who has been scarred by the world."
As they walked closer, they never showed any malice. Their presence felt enchanting. His mind slowly lose resistance.
In their embrace he felt safe. He no longer have to hold through hope. This place accepts him for who he was. And yet...
"Fuck off!" He sliced the angel mimicking Esther’s body with the knife he materialized through his desire. Yet their presence remained warm and welcoming.
"If harming us is your desire then so be it. We are not here to stop you. Our existence is to fulfil whatever you desire."
Everyone one of them stop, they showed their vulnerable side, awaiting for the knife to be thrusted upon them.
"You’re right. I’ve always wanted to feel safe. I lied, I’m a hypocrite. I tried being diligent but all I wanted is to be praised and comforted."
His words felt surrendered, yet his eyes remains constant, the will to continue remains strong even in the midst of care.
A boundless sense of yearning lies unquenchable. His soul grew rebellious. Suddenly a rift within the space grew visible.
"I was broken. Hid my despair. I wore the mask of optimism. Yet I yearned for it all to end and be over with. That’s the truth."
The crack within this perfect world remains present.
"Then just let go-"
The Angels charming voice tried to reach him again but his will remains unchanged.
"I can’t... That cruel world needs me. I haven’t earned this eternal rest. I haven’t grown, nor have I changed."
"Everyday I grinded. Because I believe this life can be easily taken. I no longer lived. I only trained until I need to sleep."
"My body grew, but my mind remains unchanged. I didn’t rest. I hardly stopped and think about my life."
He closed off his mind. No longer believing of a goal. Just a yearning to live on. Because he knew it was meaningless, he was far too late to change and improve.
"However, they told me otherwise."
The crack grew larger as he recalls his life beside his friends.
"The masks I wore grew genuine. Time with them felt healing. My broken self slowly felt fixed as I converse with those idiots."
His broken heart mended with the time he spent alongside them. Their constant bickering. Argument and opposition.
Each interaction, good and bad, a fragment of his broken self was etched back to him, his lifeless self slowly vanishes.
"I’m not yet ready to sleep. I’m regretful for a lot of things. So I’ll be leaving this place, in place for a living hell, and uncover my memories."
([Rewrite System: Memory initialization complete!
Status: Lost memory fragments has been restored.
Outcome: Recovery of fractured memory only became possible due to the adverse effects of Heaven.])
"Even if you resist our embrace, this place is inescapable. No soul has yet to escape our grasp. Because whomever is sent here has already yearned to be eternally rested-"
"Are you sure about that?" A maniacal grin grew wide on his face.
"I’m inside my personal heaven. Where my deepest wish becomes real. But only one desire of mine materlizes."
Christoper Morris suddenly splits his mind apart. Spell Thief. Uberious. Zane Bleightrol and the Radiant Knight.
In their presence within this personal heaven, their desires take physical shape, the rift within this place grew bigger.
The space couldn’t hold each of their wild desires, and it slowly devolves until the stagnated cracks grew large.
"You see there’s one major fault in your program. What if multiple minds suddenly appear present In a single place?"
"Isn’t that why every soul has their own place. So it won’t overlap and crash out? You didn’t take this to account, right?"
Slowly they’re attempts of fulfilling his desire vanished, they tried to hold him back, but to no avail they couldn’t.
Their responsibility only extends in fulfilling his every wish, they have no reason to stop his escape, their body’s forbid them so.
"Guess I’m the first of my case. Seeing as there’s no security in place. You guys didn’t think someone was crazy enough to split their minds apart-"
As the last barrier holding this place altogether shatters, his soul felt a tug-like sensation, his body now calls for him.
As he departs, the worldly desires heaven had taken away returns, his greed, lust, and appetite felt at home, along with his pain.
"Shit!"
He arise from his slumber and found himself skewed by a divine relic. The Divine Spear of Mercy. A weapon that makes whoever struck by its tip be redeemed and sent to Heaven.
"So this whole thing was rigged in the first place. No wonder. How in the world am I supposed to reach the true ending, then?"
His opposition seemed to have not sense his return. The being formerly known as Deus Ex Machina was fighting his crew. The now risen author grins as he saw an opportunity for an ambush to be dealt.