Memories that killed him instantly.
Five hours earlier, in the strange magical forest.
As he lost consciousness, Theo tried with all his might to increase the probability of the blurred thread of fate, but he couldn't stop his eyelids from growing heavier and heavier.
'Shit! What a shitty fate! Ha! Favored by fate? My ass!'
His thoughts slowed as he cursed his luck. Showing up in a forest and encountering a strange child-like creature stealing his thoughts and emotions was the last thing he expected.
To make matters worse, he could do nothing unless a miracle happened, and his title, "The One Favored by Fate," finally did its job.
'So many skills related to fate and probability, and none of them are of any use to me now that I need them,' Theo thought, letting out a weak laugh as he blinked.
The seconds passed quickly, in the strange forest, where the trees were jet black and the leaves bright crimson.
The tentacles of the "Boy" kept devouring Theo's emotions and memories, quickly filling his existence and giving him more strength.
When the creature saw that its prey had stopped resisting, it smiled. It slowed its absorption speed, satisfied that it had won. Finally, the emptiness inside him was beginning to fill.
The memories he devoured were delightful: memories of friends, loving grandparents, an exciting game, and even the joy of entering an institution.
They were peculiar memories, different from anything I had consumed before...
However, the "Boy" knew something else was behind that peculiarity, another reason he felt attracted to that humble human from so far away...
What was it? The memories were undoubtedly more interesting than the previous ones, but why did he feel there was something beyond that?
He breathed spiritually once more, inhaling the sweet nectar that drew him in—memories kept seeping into his being, one breath after another.
On the last breath, he felt what he had been searching for all along memories more delicious than any he had ever consumed.
Memories that killed him instantly.
The moment he inhaled those fragments of memory, he felt his existence fragment. And yet he didn't care. For a brief moment, he felt whole again.
He had not expected it, but the madness contained in those memories was like a bright light that lures insects to their death.
He no longer knew whether he had perished in absolute bliss or the burning flames of madness. Or perhaps... in both.
...
Through the streets of the Eburnean District.
Sitting in the back seats of a luxury car, Rachel was scrolling through the endless notifications on her phone screen. The news came with alarming speed, each headline more chaotic than the last.
With a sigh, she set the phone aside and averted her gaze outside, taking in the cobblestone streets and old-fashioned gas street lamps.
The Eburnean District was famous for its Gothic architecture, which was evocative of the Victorian era. Tall stone buildings adorned with gargoyles and pointed arches stood imposingly on either side of the street.
The colorful stained glass windows in the vast black St. Selena Cathedral and buildings reflected the dim sunlight, casting shadows on the pavement.
As the car drove on, the surroundings began to change subtly. The old stone buildings gave way to more modern constructions, although they retained an air of decadent elegance.
Stylized electric poles of minimalist design replaced the gas streetlights, and the streets became more expansive and straighter.
Finally, they reached Prism Street.
Rachel looked up as the car stopped before a modern glass and steel building, its facade reflecting the blue sky and the sun's golden rays.
It was a striking contrast to the gothic atmosphere she had left behind, but Rachel was used to it by now and wasn't too surprised.
She exited the car with her nonchalant and unconcerned expression, followed by Lys, who was carrying a tablet in her hand. Together, they entered the building, greeted by a group of workers dressed in formal suits.
Lys looked at her boss and asked:
"Miss Rachel, didn't you say you weren't coming to the company?"
"I just changed my mind on the way. I'll sort this out first so those guys won't be calling me all the time," Rachel replied calmly as she stepped onto the elevator. She knew everything would stabilize, and those who left would come back.
"Lys, call all the board members who didn't resign and tell them it's urgent."
"Yes, Miss Rachel."
Lys nodded and left, leaving Rachel alone in the elevator. The latter pressed the button for the 40th floor, and the doors closed as the elevator rose rapidly.
Minutes later, Rachel stepped out of the elevator and headed straight for the meeting room to meet the board members who had yet to resign.
Sitting in a chair in the empty meeting room, she looked back at her phone, where she saw that she had received a video, apparently recorded by a security camera, sent to her by a friend from the Eternal Dawn guild.
As she waited for the others, she was guided by her curiosity and began to play the video. It showed a man about 1.88 meters tall, with long hair and a few intertwined white locks. He wore a black crown on his head, and his body was wrapped in a dark cloak that frayed into multiple shreds.
Rachel's eyes widened as she recognized the person in the video: Merlin Hermes, fighting a foul monster.
'Why is Merlin fighting that monster? Could it be... That horrible being is a history-devouring monster? And he was near that place?' she thought.
The video continued, although it cut out from time to time due to the intensity of the battle. Rachel did not look away; she felt a growing concern.
Finally, she saw Merlin defeat the monster, and the Silver Hand guild members took him to a hospital. Rachel sighed in relief.
'So he lives in the Argenteo district. That saves me a lot of searching time; it will be easier to find him without going all over the city.'
A smile appeared on Rachel's expressionless face as she wrote to her friend to ask which street that security camera was located on. She felt she was getting closer and closer to meeting Merlin Hermes.
"I can't wait to meet again," he muttered.
Rachel's blue eyes darkened briefly before returning to normal as she heard footsteps and saw the door open.
Lys entered, accompanied by a small group of men and women. Each sat and fixed their gaze on Rachel, who watched them casually.
Rachel, washing out of the chair while looking at all the board members, began to speak.
"We will start with the meeting about those who resigned from my company, MystTech Innovations."