Chapter Three. Blue Silver

Blue Valley, Gotham city; The war six months ago

James stumbled upon a secluded garden at the foot of a hill, astonished by its vibrant tapestry. Flowerbeds, awash in hues of lavender and crimson, whispered tales of nature's artistry. The air carried the sweet symphony of birdsong, weaving through the weeping willows that gracefully cradled secrets. Among all the blessings of nature in this garden was a particular rarity.. The blue silver flower, Nestled all around this verdant haven, the Blue Silvers unfurled their delicate petals like celestial silk. Their azure hue shimmered in the dappled sunlight, casting an ethereal glow. Silver veins intricately traced the flower's surface, reminiscent of moonlit whispers etched into a canvas of cobalt. The name Blue Valley was merely an eponym derived from the Blue Silver.

As James wandered through this haven, his pain and agony gave way to bliss. Despite knowing it was fleeting, he reveled in it, walking through this garden with soft petals brushing gently against his skin and sending tingles of relief through his being.

This wasn't Blue Valley, at least not since the onset of the war. Right now it was a devastated plain which whistled a song of spite and war, dyed crimson red in the blood of man and beast alike. That was reality, and whatever lie this was, he knew very well the one person capable of creating it. The one capable of rewriting reality as if he were a god of ancient yore. And his eyes set upon him. In the middle of the garden, basking in the sun as he connected with nature, relishing in his sweet freedom. He turned to James with eyes blue as the silver blue flower and a sad smile tugged on his lips.

"It's over." He spoke, with a voice as transcendent as he was. Though in human form, he had long since transcended the constraints of mortality and evolved into a whole new existence. A realm of godhood. Infamously known as the Appocalyptic god and the Eschaton, he once bore a sin of a savage deity who lost his way but now all that remained of him was the reflection of the innocence he bore when he was human. Before James there was no god , no Appocalyptic entity, all he saw was his best friend, his younger brother. And the agony returned once more, the fleeting lie called bliss varnished violently like it were never there.

"Fortune." James called and the boy replied him with a smile.

"The war is over. The world we fought to protect is finally free." He said again with such ethereal grace.

"But at what cost." James lamented. "Ng is dead, they are all dead and you're dying as well, I can feel it. What is the point of living in a bleak world where you are all gone, where she's gone."

Fortune heaved a solemn sigh as he bent towards a Blue Silver. The care and affection he showed the plant was that of one who related deeply with nature like he could hear its little whispers.

"Do you know why I love this valley? why I visited this place almost every day?" He asked James.

"No one quite understood your obsession with this place." He replied.

"Because my mother's soul rests in this valley. She died in this very valley so that I may live. A celestial's body never truly perishes, lying for all of eternity untouched by decay and never disintegrating. They may change form overtime. A form that reflects their soul. She became the Blue Silver."

Remembering all the times when he found his friend in this place, spaced out, just thinking or escaping the noise, he finally understood. Even Fortune never truly fathomed his fascination with the valley and now that he did, he felt at peace, Finally gotten the closure he had thirsted for, for so many years.

"The point is she fought and died so that I may live, so that I can fulfill my purpose. Ng died that you may live. The path you walk would only grow darker. But as long as you live, there's meaning to be found. I sense an intense despondency from you, you crave death. You wish to join her. But if you leave, you'd only be leaving Kelly alone." Fortune reminded. "Just like I did." He added with a heavy voice fraught with guilt and regret.

James just lowered his head without a word as his mind swirled with various thoughts. Fortune got up and walked to him, then gently taking his hand out, he placed something in it. James was surprised to see a silver coated object in his palm.

"What is this." He asked curiously.

"A drive." Fortune replied vaguely. "In time it will guide you. In the right hands it would veer the world into a new era, in the wrong hands it will bring upon a dark age.

"This is goodbye, isn't it?" James said, sensing the change in his mood and Fortune nodded in reply.

"Don't, please!" The pain in his voice was soul wrecking and his heart raced in fear, fear of loosing him.

"There are things even I can't control." Fortune said as he and the valley began to fade away like the illusion it was.

His eyes fluttered open as a little tear trickled down the side. He found himself on a bed curled into a ball, trying to cover up the hollow in his heart. He was empty inside, broken. It was a dream he thought, no a memory. It was a memory of the last conversation he had with his best friend and it took so much from him.

The little black retriever, made its presence known by prancing and barking excitedly, trying to get James out of bed, He immediately understood the source of the dog's excitement and the knock that came afterwards was only a proof of his suspicion, he got up lethargically and headed for the door,

As the door came open, he was met with an incredibly angry face. An anger that quickly dissolved into sheer concern as she pulled him into an embrace.

"Kelly." He called softly astonished by her rare display of emotion, usually she'd ball a fist at him or shower him with curses.

"Idiot!" She said sharply. "Why didn't you pick up when I called yesterday? I swear I'm gonna murder you someday."

And there comes the curses, James thought. But didn't dare to say it out loud. After a while she pushed him back roughly.

"You stink." She blurted "And so does this room." She only needed one look at him to know that he had touched neither food nor his medication in the past few days. He was pale, unshaven, tattered with dark circles under his eyes and her heart ached with concern. At a point she had visited every single day, making sure he had eaten well or gotten aleast a few hours of sleep. But since joining the military, she'd had little time to spare. Seeing the unkempt room, she snapped and began scolding him, but he barely paid attention, he seemed more intruiged by a particular sent that past his nose. A very familiar rusty iron scent. The scent of blood, and the rage that filled him when he realized whose blood it was, was unnerving.

"You're hurt." He blurted interrupting Kelly's lecture

"What?" She was confused as James approached her with an alarming level of solemnity.

"Who hurt you?" He asked, the severity in his voice only increasing as he traced the scent to a fresh wound on her shoulder. It was then Kelly even realized that she had been bleeding. But the bleeding seemed to have stopped a while ago and all that remained was coated blood on an open wound.

"It must have been a graze from a bullet during the ambush earlier today." She voiced out subconsciously while observing the injury.

"An ambush!" James exclaimed in shock "Who attacked you? Who had the guts?" His expression twisted in anger. A wrath he didn't realize he still possessed.

"I'm gonna kill them." He professed dead serious such that even Kelly shrieked at the muderous intent he exuded. While still bleeding with rage, Kelly caught a strange color in his eye. Like a flicker of fire, bright crimson. She stared more intently into his hazel brown eyes, unsure of the flicker of crimson she had observed. And there it was again, bright blood red, Just like Fortune's.

"What...the...hell...!" She exclaimed taking each word one by one.

"What?" James asked suddenly self conscious as Kelly stared at him unblinking. Unable to explain she quietly took out a mirror from a drawer and showed him.

James was beyond shocked to note the color of his eyes.

"It's just like..."

"Fortune's." Kelly completed, already aware of that conclusion.

The crimson quickly faded as curiosity replaced his anger but what happened afterwards left them startled. The mirror shattered, just like the phone screen that cracked the night before when he tried to answer Kelly's call.

"You're bleeding again." James uttered, breaking the silence as he perceived the scent of fresh blood. And true to his words a wet bright red color began to saturate her clothing around the cut.

"Shit!" He exclaimed "I'm gonna get the kit. You stay here, You might need a few stitches."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. You have a different mission. Get into the bathroom, take a long nice shower, shave and freshen up. We're going out." She ordered as she took off her stained coat and tied it around her waist leaving only a black tank top on. James chuckled at the idea only to earn a grim stare from Kelly.

"Wait you're serious." He blurted, his face contorting in horror.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" She snapped.

"No Ma'am." He replied dreadfully and headed for the bathroom.