Book 1. Epilogue.

Hey, guys! How are you doing?

Consider this Author's text as the final titers before the after-movie clip of the next book like in Marvel movies. :D

About Book 2. I will continue to publish new chapters here. To my mind, it doesn't make sense to start a new novel, because if you don't read Book 1, it will be difficult to understand what's going on in Book 2. So just keep this novel in your library and you will get notification about new chapters as soon as they are uploaded.

When? I plan to continue publishing of this story in July because right now I need to do the editing of Book 1 and write an outline for Book 2. I want to make it even more interesting because I believe that the next book should be better than the previous one and it's a hard task. But I hope I will manage to do so. That's why, give me a month break and we will continue with this story.

And last, but not least, can you show me some fantasy of yours here? The thing is that when I chose the title for Book 1 (The Numbers That Brought Our Fates Together) I used the first one which came into my mind and seemed ok for me. But now, you also know what this book is about and maybe you have your ideas about its title? If I ask you to make a title for my book, what will be your variant? Please, share, if you have anything in your mind. ^_^

Now, that's enough for talking. Some of you asked about this chance, so here is the epilogue of Book 1. I hope you'll like it.

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Epilogue.

Water was monotonously dripping from the arches of the cave, breaking the silence into which this space plunged.

Drip-drop. Drip-drop. Drip-

The drops of water just stopped in the air, frozen in their inevitable fall. Even if there was something in this place that at least could make some movement, at that moment it would also be frozen on the spot. Time and space have stopped.

In this silent world, the steps of the man were like the movement of God, they were inaudible and confident, filling the space with his all-consuming aura. He was walking unhurriedly, and the air around him looked like a stinging liquid. If he were a king, at this moment all his subjects, if there were near, would have fallen on the ground, unable to resist this overwhelming power.

He stopped and looked at the lifeless body of a man lying at his feet. A vicious smile slid over his lips, "Tsk, who would have thought that the once ruthless and cynical Richard Steiner would sacrifice his life for another person. What a pity." He sank to the ground and touched the man's body, it was cold like ice. "Sorry, Rick, but you are a too unique and valuable thing for me, so I can't allow you to get away from your duties so easily."

The man rubbed his palm and a small yellow flame formed in the center of it. Every second it was growing bigger and bigger, resembling the fireball that was subordinate to his will. The man raised his hand over the immobilized body and hit it hard on Rick's chest; the hot fireball went to the very heart, spreading its energy through his veins. The blood, previously frozen forever, once again began its movement, the heart made its first beat.

"Aggh," Rick screamed in pain and opened his eyes. Everything was floating before his eyes as if he was in a narcotic trance, the body was burning with fire, and each breath was like hot steam burning in the lungs. "W-what? What is going on?" Thoughts ran in his head in disarray, he focused his eyes and saw a man in front of him. The man's gaze burned like an icy arctic wind, a smile on his face like an animal grin. He looked like a beast enjoying the last seconds of his victim's life.

"M-Marcus?"

"Welcome back, Ricky," Marcus grinned and patted the man on the chest, his hits slammed into the heart of Rick like a hammer, causing the body of the latter to wince in pain, "Why did do it to me? Decided to go to a better world, without even asking my opinion? Bad, Rick, very, very bad." He began to squeeze his throat slowly, depriving a man of the opportunity to breathe.

The energy emanating from his palm was similar to the strongest poison; Rick's face grew whiter and whiter, the veins popped on the skin, stained with a blue-green color.

Marcus removed his hand and watched with ecstasy as his victim eagerly swallowed the air, trying to regain his breath, even if it caused a stronger pain.

"Do you remember how I found you, beaten and dying on the backstreet, among stinking homeless people and rats, eh? Before me, you were an ordinary homeless thief, without family and friends, whose life was doomed. I found you and brought back your memories, gave you power and money. And how did you pay me back for my generosity? You ran to the side of the enemy?!"

Marcus's eyes glittered with rage, he raised his hand and a new hit made Rick's body startle as if he has just had an electric shock. "And for what? For some whore?" Marcus hissed viciously in his ear.

"Don't you dare, don't you dare even mention her with your filthy mouth," Rick wheezed, overcoming the hellish pain, thousands of needles were piercing every cell of his body.

"Hmm, even in this condition, are you ready to protect her? Let's take a look, maybe she deserves my attention?" Marcus put his hand on Rick's eyes and the fragments of the man's memories, like a movie, began to sweep through his head. "Aw, what a beauty!" Marcus removed his hand, his gaze was like the gaze of a hunter who found new prey, thirst and lust lit up in him. "And she is in my taste, you know that I love blondes," man licked his lips defiantly, showing his unequivocal intent.

Rick's body shivered violently, he knew perfectly well what this man was capable of, "Don't you dare! If you even touch her with your finger, I will kill you!" He would like to kill him right here and now, but the man's body was pressed tightly to the ground, completely paralyzed by the power of the enemy, he could not even lift a finger.

"You? Kill me? Ahaha," Marcus laughed out loud, watching the man's senseless attempts to move even an inch, he leaned toward him and whispered in his ear, "You know, it's impossible to kill me. I am immortal."

"Immortal? Then how come an ordinary girl scared you so much that you were chasing her around the world, huh?" Rick asked sarcastically, Marcus's triumphant face immediately twisted from discontent, "As you see, I know something about you too. What was her name there? Amelia, is it?"

As soon as he mentioned this name, Rick felt that the temperature around him had plummeted as if he had been thrown into the very depths of the Arctic Ocean. Marcus's face was filled with anger and hatred, "Don't play with me, Richard. Do you think I will not do anything?" In the man's eyes, there was insensible darkness, absorbing everything that its eyes fell on, "I killed the one my brother loved with my own hands, do you think your woman is better than her? If there is an obstacle in front of me, I absolutely do not care who it is, a woman or a child. You understand what I mean, don't you?"

Rick's heart was wildly horrified, from the thought that this ruthless man could do something with his child, he became as scared as he has never been in his life, "What do you want?"

Marcus smirked, feeling happy with the look of a man who, long time ago, had been higher in status and stronger than him, but now was layng absolutely helpless in front of him, "It's simple. I need Elena."

"Why do you need her?"

"It's a secret. You don't need to know about this anymore," Marcus winked as if it was just a game. "But since her knights deprived me of a very professional assassin, even though it's even better, you know, Alan already started annoying me, I thought I should get myself a new one." Marcus removed the hair from Rick's forehead, with pretentious care, and opened his temples.

"W-what? What are you going to do?" Rick felt his cold fingers on his skin.

"You see, I don't like it when my toys are disobedient so I need to tweak you a little before you get down to business," Marcus touched his temples with the palms of his hands. Fragments of memory began to emerge in Rick's head, which he himself had long forgotten. His childhood, youth, everything that ever happened to him, was appearing in the form of images and instantly dissolving in the void.

"No! Don't do it!" The man tried to resist, but everything was in vain. An image of Corey appeared in his head, their first meeting, her smile, their first dance. Memories one after another in bright colors were emerging before his eyes and immediately crushing into small fragments, completely dissolving in oblivion. Finally, he saw a little girl with a radiant smile running towards him.

"Marcus! I beg you! Not her, please! Don't deprive me of the memory of her!" A tear rolled down Rick's cheek, the memory of this child was the only meaning in his useless life.

"From now on, I will be your Master, your soul and body belong only to me. If you ever violate my order, then in exchange for treason you will kill her with your own hands."

The image of the girl flashed in Rick's head and shattered into small pieces.

The eyes of the man became empty and lifeless. He turned his head and looked at Marcus.

"Do you know who I am?" Marcus asked him.

"I know. You are my Master."

A contented smile slid across Marcus's face, he got up and extended his hand to Rick, "That's correct. I am your Master. Come after me."

Rick took his hand and stood beside him, "I obey, Master."

Marcus examined his new creation with an appraising glance, this man without memory and emotions will be his best and most effective weapon.

"Well, it's time to start the final game," he grinned, and both men disappeared into the air.