91 Awaken

In the Royal Palace Hotel, Antanria was still waiting for Apophis to wake up.

It was quite boring, all of that waiting. For most of her life, after all, Antanria had been able to have a conversation with servants or others any time she wished. She did not appreciate this new sort of isolation. So, after a long stretch of studying, she took a break to watch TV. The latest news caught her eye and was very troubling.

Chancellor Souley had finally declared open war on the Orc Empire. The horrors Antanria had witnessed on Planet Era made her deeply hate all violence—even though she believed it was important to be strong enough to protect one's self—so Antanria was severely troubled by this turn of events.

"War," she whispered, "again and again. How can such civilizations keep acting so uncivilized? Oh, my beloved Elantari, why do you let the universe burn?"

But Antanria could not let herself be distracted. She not only needed to study but also to strengthen her inner energy. This would eventually allow her to unlock a fighting specialty, what the Eternals called a "Class." Thankfully, some of the Zetark books which Apophis had in his possession taught Antanria how to train properly.

While Apophis was gone, Antanria trained hard to master her inner power. After a few hours of strenuous concentration, an aura shone around Antanria! Her Energy glowed, increasing in brightness until it lit up the whole room. She smiled in triumph as the new feeling of strength filled her body and she realized she had just surpassed trillions upon trillions of living beings across the galaxy.

The Zetark princess had just ascended to Rank D. That is, she had become an Ascensionist.

***

PARIS

Meanwhile, Alexander had just finished instructing his new butler, Diana, in her daily duties in the new apartment. He was a little unsure of some of the details, since it was clear that such an expensive apartment had many more daily needs compared to his parents' apartment.

However, Diana elegantly helped Apophis to understand what was necessary. Her skill as a butler was so great that she managed to provide the information while making it sound as though Apophis was the one instructing her. Apophis realized that this sort of skill must be vital when dealing with stupidly arrogant clients, and he smirked at the idea of himself falling into this category.

However, he was quite grateful not only for Diana's knowledge, but for her professionalism in this area. He was confident that his new employee would do everything he required of her.

Once the basic details of household management were settled, it was time for Alexander to return to his mother and tell her how he intended to respond to her illness.

He arrived home—or at his parents' apartment, though he hoped they would move out of it soon—just before dinnertime.

Alexander's parents were surprised to see him again so soon. After the horrific news about the cancer, they'd expected their son to bury his grief by going on a wild spending spree. They were somewhat right, though they didn't yet know exactly how!

Upon entering the apartment, Alexander sat at the dinner table, took his mother's hands, and said, "Mom! I may have found… a way… to save you. I just need a little time. Please start the cancer treatments the doctors offered. I'll pay for every credit! This will give me the time to ensure the solution will work for you. Every moment you fight this disease is valuable! Please, don't give up! Don't abandon me!"

Fedérica's instinct was to refuse. The doctors had warned her that the only useful cancer treatment for her stage would be painful and degrading. It could extend her life by a few years, perhaps, but the thought of it terrified her.

Moreover, the cost was just too much. It would be a complete waste of money, and every credit spent on her was a credit that could have made the rest of her family's life better after she passed away. Wouldn't it be better to enjoy her final days to the fullest instead of dragging out a miserable treatment that would debilitate her and drain her son's bank account?

But just as she opened her mouth to refuse, Fedérica looked into her son's eyes and saw a flame of hope there that she couldn't bear to extinguish. In the end, her love for Alexander was greater than her desire for her own happiness. "I trust you, my son," she said in a low voice.

Alexander's eyes welled with tears as he leaped to his feet and hugged his mother tightly. He didn't like showing these emotions, but the moment had overwhelmed him. "Thank you," he whispered.

***

Once the meal was over, Alexander transferred a million credits to his parents' bank account to relieve them of all financial worries—and also announced that he was moving to Sector 16.

Then he called Diana, telling her that he'd be absent to visit the notary's office, so that he could finalize the documents for his new apartment. "Once you're done with your chores," he said, "meet up with me in the game."

Alexander didn't know how long he'd end up playing this time, but it would definitely be his longest gaming session since his reincarnation. He told himself that he wouldn't disconnect until he found his mother's cure.

Alexander clenched his left fist with determination, then entered the world of Horus once more.