70 A Blink Of An Eye (2)

There were reasons for Zel's decision to stay in the Tower after all this time.

Created to house the legacy left behind by Zel's first incarnation, Zel Brovnan, the Tower is the very first pocket dimension that can hold Primal Force. It was a requirement for Zel's soul to develop and affinity to time energy for Zel Brovnan's goal to be realized.

The reason for that was because this place can only be accessed through other dimensions, or those outside of it. If Zel hadn't gone back in time and had access to the time stream, the entry to this place won't reveal itself. 

A large amount of history is stored in this pocket dimension, all packed into multiple closed spaces that can only be opened with a key. The key being Zel Brovnan's artifact, the Ring of Kings. Its creation was a feat he achieved early in his life, but the journey to get it was a legend in his dimension. It was one of his five greatest accomplishments, with the rest still being told as stories in the land he hailed from to this day.

But while it was taken as an achievement by many, few would know about it being his most dreaded failures. In actuality, this ring was just a replica of the ring in Zel Huertazuela's possession, The Ring of Eternity. If the power held in the Ring of Kings could hold a pocket dimension like the Tower, the Ring of Eternity can house ten Towers. The difference in their power could be taken as a deep valley, but their actual disparity lied in the presence of one thing.

Time Energy, the very energy that Zel's soul had developed an affinity for. It was also the reason for Zel having his abilities, namely Foresight and Temporal Manipulation.

It is also a requirement to become the host of the Tower, allowing one to use all the things inside with no limitations. Estophelia might have access to the Tower's functions, but as she wasn't the host, she doesn't have full authority over it. Only when Zel arrived did the Tower open the gates to the many information left behind by Zel Brovnan.

Another reason for him to stay was because of him wanting to stay with Emilia. Additionally, he could also use this time to simultaneously take all that he can from this place to improve the system. With Foresight as a basis, he had looted the Tower for all that it had and placed it inside his artifact, the Ring of Eternity. Now, the system had passed the previous one's capabilities by a great margin. It was the culmination of Zel, Emilia and Toph's efforts.

There were consequences that came about due to this huge change in history, however, as all actions tend to do when changing the past. Although making the system more personalized for his tastes would result in less people being as 'competent' with their abilities, it greatly reduced the time it would take for this dimension to be found by the Central Foundation.

But while there were good things that could happen, there were also some things he would like to change. One is that if he does change the system, many events that lead to the adaptability of humanity to the 'Upheaval'. Many who would have lived would die, along with those who would have died anyway. It was a problem that could be solved by his direct involvement, but that solution would also create more problems.

If he tries to be proactive, then many more people would turn their attention to him. While it could lead to meetings with people he would someday call friends, it would also result in creating more enemies. Humans aren't simple creatures. An equivalent exchange needs equal levels of understanding to be properly done. A hungry man would value food more than a well-fed man, there is no greater truth than that.

Even if Zel did help people, as his heart was crying for him to do, there was no telling what he would have to sacrifice to accomplish that goal. You see, the future is a complicated bitch to predict, even with his ability to see a possible future. By solving one problem, the solution usually leads to more problems arising. The reason for that is because while he sees it as a problem, the universe doesn't see it that way.

'I can't even change the present, unless I want my little sisters to not exist.' Zel thought to himself as he tried to prepare for what comes next. He had already thought of living as an external existence, living outside of his current, younger self. But while doing so would lead to him saving lives, the risk of creating an organization that he would have to leave behind in a few years is too risky for him. He didn't have a person he could fully trust down there, not with the secrets he had on hand.

The universe does not care that his loved ones would change or even not exist if he directly involves himself with them as he was now. It doesn't care that most of humanity would die while the remaining few would have to survive in a world that treats them like delicacies. It does not care if even he is gone, if he dies trying to make everything right.

That's why he shouldn't do it all right, not by himself. His current plan isn't to be the hero of humanity, but to make everyone else have a chance at surviving on their own. The tragedy will happen, no matter how much he'd want it not to. The best he could do was to plan for it, and now he has a new plan.

"Emilia, it's time. We have to go." Zel went inside and saw a neat and tidy bed with no one inside. But when he finished speaking, a determined Emilia showed herself. Her role in their plans would be vital, but she won't see much action for a while. At most, she and Zel would be mentoring themselves.

Zel and Emilia will take the place of their younger selves, doing their best to develop their bodies so that they can handle their power. All the while, they will create a foundation for their kingdom. A safe haven for humanity that they would protect, to shield their loved ones from the brink of extinction, together. 

But the Tower isn't a place, but a tool, losing its host would render it powerless to continue its purpose, keeping the dimension safe. Zel could only keep it running because of the Primal Force it had been using for the past million years, but the supply was running out. Time was ticking, they had to move now to make the most of it.

"Hey, Zel." Emilia stood up from the bed and went to Zel's side. She didn't mind him seeing her naked body, they were way beyond that point now.

"What is it?" Zel placed his hand on Emilia's waist and placed his other hand on her face. Cupping her cheeks that had tears already falling from them.

He could tell that her heart was beating fast, but he didn't know what to do. He just wanted her to be happy, but there's no telling how much their lives would change from now on. There was even a chance that they won't succeed and have done all of this for naught.

"If I asked you to save yourself, to abandon everyone else so you could survive, would you do it? I know you can do it, I know that you'll be happy even without me. I-" A tearful Emilia placed her forehead against Zel's chest.

She had been thinking back on their days together, from the time she had first met Zel to this day. It seemed to her that she had never really pushed him forward. She had always been a part of his life that he had to carry. A burden that he had to carry. She felt powerless when she thought about how much he had given up for her, just so she could stay by his side. 

Why is it that he had to give up being happy just so he could be with her? Why did he have to work so hard for it?

"You think I'd care about this if you weren't with me?" Zel was feeling hurt about how Emilia was treating herself. He hadn't even thought about this being something to mind about. Was it due to his negligence that he didn't see her feeling this way?

"But, th-" Before Emilia could give Zel a reason to leave her behind, Zel's hands placed themselves on her cheeks and made her lips reach his. She wanted to cry out that it wasn't fair for him to do this, but she didn't have the strength to do that. She already had the answer she wanted from his actions alone.

Zel let Emilia go free, but his hands placed themselves on her waist before she could move away from him. Though his actions were for naught because she didn't even move an inch. He looked her in the eyes with the same trademark smile he always had. "You say anything about this one more time and we'll stay here. I don't care about some future where everyone is happy, but you're not by my side. I just want to live a life with no regrets, and I can't have a life without you in it."

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I love you, Zel." Emilia didn't know what she expected from Zel, she didn't know what her words would bring. But after hearing Zel's words, after listening to his heart beat as she placed her head against his chest, she felt loved.

"I love you too, Emilia." Zel carried Emilia to the bed, allowing her to sleep in his arms. Having to think about how to make a future where everyone is happy is too much for two people. Even if they were powerful enough, there were just human.

...

"It's done, sir! All preparations are complete!" A somewhat downcast Toph told Zel while making circles with her foot. Zel had already completed the system and was leaving the Tower, and with that, her goal was already fulfilled. She had no more purpose to live, and she felt both happy and sad.

"Good! Hurry up then, integrate with my artifact so we can go." Zel opened his hand, displaying the Ring of Eternity. He looked at Toph who was jumping up and down while looking at Zel as if she was asking 'Really?'

"Come on, Toph! Don't keep Lord Tiger waiting!" Emilia had started her own integration as she opened a portal leading to her younger self's body. It was half past 1'o clock in the morning, there was no one who would interrupt them.

"Yes, mistress!" Toph placed her hand on her chest where a necklace could be seen. The simple necklace had a small blue gemstone in its center, and she used her right hand to pull it out of the necklace with haste. After doing so, her body had started turning into dust, starting from her left hand.

Emilia was focusing on moving her memories to her artifact, the Book of Memories, when she felt Zel's lips on her cheek. "Let's meet again on the other side. I'll see you later, Emilia."

"Yeah, don't take too long!" Emilia watched as Zel's body turned to dust while only his soul remained. In his hands was a small crystal sphere, its surface was black all over with small spots of gold. He gave Emilia a smile before jumping to the portal beside him, one that leads to his younger self's bedroom.

"You take care too, Estophelia." Emilia finally reached a point where her memories had filled the Book of Memories and sent that towards the girl lying on her side. When she did so, her soul split in half with Emilia taking her place inside the young girl's body and the rest staying behind. The bisected soul would rest inside the Tower for years to come.

The portal connecting the two places closed quickly afterwards. But soon after it did, the feeble girl lying on the bed woke up with cold sweat all over her body. "Zel?"

"Meow." A cat jumped from the floor onto Emilia's bed as it looked worriedly at the girl. He'd been sent here to protect the girl, he didn't want to fail now. But when he saw that she was looking listlessly dozing off, he thought it was strange. Could it be that the integration didn't work?

"Hello, Benny." The little girl looked at Benil, now named Mr. Whiskers with a smile on her face. She was finally back to her own body, even though it was much younger than she was used to. She looked around her room, content with her success, before she decided to get back to sleep "Yawn."