As it opened the door a large flash appeared, I instinctively shielded my eyes wincing from the bright light. We arrived in the Atlantis courtyard not much changed except for some additional building but the world tree and the great castle was still here. The sun gleaming in the sky on a hot summer's day the scent of flowers and nature wafting in the air. "Are we in Atlantis???...." I asked.
The copy of me carried on walking forward with no reply. Directly in front to us was a large crowd of people all huddled up wearing black in the front a large statue covered in a giant black cloth. The clone carried on walking towards the statue passing through the people unnoticed, I followed the clone of myself wanting to investigate further.
"Welcome everyone and 'thank you for taking time out of to pay your respects" I heard my voice from within the crowd.
Trying to push aside someone my hand magically phased through them.... As if I was incorporeal.... "Excuse me." I said to the person in front of me with no reply.
Hesitantly pushing my hands forward I once again phased through the person. Following the copy of me who brought me here I took a deep breath and walked through the crowd.
Emerging from the crowd my heart skipped a beat instantly recognised what was happening... in the centre was a closed casket with a picture of Paul on top of it, at the front on a small pedestal there was another copy of me wearing full black funeral attire with a small child hugging my leg, " we are brought here today to celebrate the life Paul and all the good he has done for everyone he's touched and bid one last farewell to my lover, father, friends, brother, sister, saviour, teacher, tutor." The copy of me said trying to look strong.
"Very few people knew him as long and well as I do... but for all of you who barely met him, please trust me that he loved you with all his heart. So please don't feel sad.... or mournful.... rejoice and be happy he was able to teach us passing on so many teachings and wisdom" I carried on saying but began chocking up with tears and sadness.
"What is going on....?" I asked the copy of me that brought me here.
"This is your inevitable future... the future you must face." the copy replied appearing next to me.
I turned to look at the copy of myself giving the speech. I looked a little older but wasn't sure how exactly older I was. I could recognise a golden Phoenix tattoo on the back of my hand, I was also wearing Paul's ring and necklace. I watched myself as I tried to keep a brave face but slowly deteriorated unable to control the tears and crying. Scarlet walked up on stage looking as if she hasn't aged one bit, giving me a hug and the small child a hug and helping us off the stage before carrying on with the speech.
"Don't let his sacrifice be in vein, we will overcome this loss. Paul once told me, what doesn't kill us only makes you stronger. So let's rejoice his passing and celebrate his seat among the gods in Mount Caelestis." Scarlet said holding up a pointed finger to the sky.
Everyone in the crowd fell silent holding back their tears with a pointed finger to the sky.
"This can't be real.... the future holds infinite possibilities...." I said to the copy of myself in disbelief.
"That is true.... but there are certain points in time which are certain to happen..... Call it fate..." it answered.
I fell silent unsure how to feel... everything in my bones tells me this isn't real.... but how can I be sure???.....
"This is not all I have two more visions to show you." the copy said clutching my wrist.
In an instant the scenery and everything warped stretching and contracting like a hallucination.
Eventually everything became clearer and once again we was in Atlantis in a bright sunny day. With a few individuals standing in the courtyard one with a metallic arm and one with striking red hair. Once again the copy of myself walked closer towards them. "What's happening now???..." I asked following myself.
Silently she walked beside the individuals. ".... Don't blame yourself.... everything he done, he done on his own accord..." Scarlet said to the individual at the front.
"You don't understand he did all this because of me....." my voice spoke out another copy of my future self turned around to talk to Scarlet.
Again I looked a little older.... with a lock of pearlescent white hair on my fringe, wearing Paul necklace, ring and trench coat with a golden Dragon tattoo on my hand.
"... No no.... you're not to blame.....he was on borrowed time anyways….." Ashley replied looking noticeably older.
"... yeah.... don't blame yourself...." Daisy added.
"Don't worry... my attempts to resurrect him revealed to me the truth behind everything....." I said to everyone.
".... This isn't healthy...." Helen said to me.
"No.... you guys don't understand!..... Something or someone is holding his soul!!! That's why my resurrections failed!" I explained how everyone.
"....there are several reasons a resurrections might fail....." Scarlet replied.
".... No trust me this is the reason.... we need to unlock the secrets of Atlantis.... and then we will search for him.... whichever plane he's on and smite any demon, angel or God that stands in our way." I said sounding confident and filled with complete purpose.
"..... I promised him that I will always watch over you.... So if your heart is set then I will be accompanying you." Scarlet said.
".... I guess I'm tagging along.... you guys are useless without me." Ashley said taking a step forward.
"A long time ago.... he saved me from an Old God .... Now it's time for me to repay the favour." Daisy said.
"We did start thus adventure to explore new lands...." Helen and Grace said.
".... I guess I'm tagging along...." Jay replied.
"I guess this is my chance to repay my debt...." Morgana said.
"So it's decided.... we're going to scour the planes of existence till we find him." I said looking into the sky.
"So this is the future install for me depending on which house I pick.....???..." I asked my copy.
"... yes you are correct...." it replied.
"Is there one with a better outcome where he doesn't die?" I asked
"There's still one more for me to show you...." it replied wrapping the scenery again.
Again we arrived in Atlantis but this time on a winter's day a inch or two of snowfall blanketing the while school. An individual with pearlescent white hair walked out of the main building of Atlantis walking very quickly looking very stern.
She turned to a small building that shouldn't be there. Two armoured individuals stood at the door saluted the individual as she arrived. Again my copy walled to her following her.
"Commander Emilia you're scheduled visit is not for another month." One of the individuals asked.
"Yes ... but new news has come to light so I need to question our prisoner." The future me said to them.
"Yes, of course commander." they replied stepping aside for her.
Three thick ornate books hung down each of her legs, a giant scythe on her back wearing a long lack trench coat with a golden Kraken Tattoo on her hand. We followed myself as she entered the building walking down several flights of stairs.
"Commander Emilia…. We wasn't expecting you today." Two individuals said as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"I know.... I have some questions for our Prisoner." I said to them.
"Yes yes of course" The two guards replied sounding a little panicked quickly opening the door for her revealing a dark room with a cage and individual knelling down in the centre.
With a wave of her hand the whole room illuminated revealing a manky individual matted long hair from years of growing with zero care, it's body hideously thin and frail all the bones on his upper body clearly visible with little to no muscles or fat, the trousers he wore were dirty and dingy covered in faeces. Large metal chains attached to his neck and hands and legs shackling him to the ground not letting him move.
The future me waved her hand causing his tattered trousers to be cleaned looking spotless and new. "Since I've did you this favour maybe you can repay me with the answer I've been seeking for so many years now." I said to him.
He slowly lifted his head to get a better look of her, his eye glowed with an eerie golden yellow and a pitch black slit for a pupil. Taking a step back in shock after spending a few seconds to try and recognize who he was. He replied in an unknown language but it sounded extremely evil and otherworldly just listening to it shook my bones.
"STOP LYING TO ME YOU FILTHY DEVIL!" The future me yelled at him. "ONE DAY YOU WILL BREAK AND YOU WILL RETURN HIM TO ME!" She yelled at him.
He looked back down looking as if falling back into despair incoherently muttering something "You may possess his body but that won't earn you any mercy or compassion." She said calming down from her sudden outburst. With a wave of her hand a chair manifested behind her, she closed the door and went to take a seat at the edge of the bars.
"Look..... We have been very hospitable to you.... keeping you here.... feeding you, giving you a roof to live under..... I could have easily slaughtered you like how I did the rest of your brethren. All I ask for is one answer..... WHERE IS HE?!" She said with a firm tone raising her voice.
Again he replied with that chilling language but looking as if pleading for something, his eyes filled with sorrow welling up with tears.
"Look.... I know he made a deal with you... ergo you MUST know where he is..... Why not stop this needless suffering and killing and just return his soul to me." She tried to reason with him.
Again he replied with the same words in his language.
"I SWEAR YOU NEED TO STOP LYING TO ME!!!! I KNOW HOW INFERNAL CONTRACTS WORK! YOU HAVE HIS SOUL AND I WANT IT BACK!" She yelled as she began to emit an enormous amount of Arcanum causing the devil to try and cower in fear but was unable to move a muscle.
"Well.... looks like you aren't budging... I already warned you once before... but you left me no choice." She said standing up straightening her clothes. "We have found the remains of your.... kin... even your Wife and Children.... consider yourself the last of your filth..." She said and began to walk out. "Don't worry their deaths will be quick and swift unlike yours... you will suffer for an eternity here till you give him back to me.... and only then will I allow you the sweet embrace of death." She said coldly with absolute authority.
The devil let out a wailing howl of pain his eyes brawling with tears. "Funny.... I didn't think Devils had the capacity to feel pain and loss...." She said chuckling.
The devil tried to scurry closer to her repeating one short phrase over and over again. "Look.... I gave you a chance... yet you still refuse to tell me.... Now Now... grovelling won't work..... I gave you the chance, now I need to show you I'm a.... Woman of my word... Let this be a lesson to you next time I visit I hope you would have by then reconsidered our... arrangement and stop prolonging yours and my suffering." She said coldly this time even sending a chill up my spine before slamming the door shut.
He yelled the same phrases over and over and over again the tears flowing down his cheeks uncontrollably before the door opening giving him a moment of hope.
"Ohhh I forgot to give you this....." She said tossing a flat device to him sliding through the bars in front of him. "Execute them.... Execute them all." She ordered.
"Yes commander." Several voices appeared from the device sounding like Ashley, Scarlet, Daisy, Morgana, Jay and a few others followed with the sounds of gunfire and spells quickly followed with screams of pain and agony perhaps deaths.
"Like I said please reconsider our..... Current arrangement." She tried to say to him past his wails of despair before slamming the door shut one more time.
"You two take a break I'll watch over the building till the next guard shift." She ordered the two guards at the door. Following her back up the scream of pain echoing through the building as we carried on walking up. Relieving the two guards at the door leading outside. She waited till the coast was clear before slumping down on the door.
Ripping off her necklace she held it in her hand..... Staring down at the Jade Buddha and Ring Paul always wears. "I swear to you.... I will find you and Exorcise that filth from your body all I need is to find your soul....." She said clutching it tightly and began to silently cry sobbing into her knees.
After a few minutes she wiped away her tears and stood up opening a portal and stepping through. Suddenly the scenery shifted into a room even though I didn't step through the portal. The future me stepped out the portal arriving in a room similar to the interrogation room I first arrived here in, with a devilish woman and two young children minding their own business.
Noticing her arrive they instantly stopped what they was doing and stared at her. "I'm sorry to say this... but your husband is still no cooperating...." She said to them drawing out her giant scythe in one hand. The devilish woman quickly pulled her children to her side falling to her knees crying saying something the language sounded similar to what Devil was saying back in the cell.
"I'm so sorry... I really don't want to do this but your husband has left me no choice..." She sad to her slowly walking towards her.
The Devilish woman began shouting at her.
"I don't hate your kind.... One of my generals is a Tiefaeni..... And she's my best friend she replied to the Devil woman.
The devil woman began swiveling her head in disbelief quickly pushing her children behind her and began to plead.
"I'm sorry.... the period of negotiation is over..... Okay I'll let you see him...." She replied to her opening a portal beside her so she could see her husband bound in chains in a cell.
The Devil woman quickly stood up and began running to the portal screaming something. "I'm sorry...." The future me whispered and in an instant the running began to slow till the body ran out of momentum collapsing on the ground.
"You should have told me where he is...." She mumbled as the head of the devil woman rolled through the portal the scream of pain and grief erupting from the portal.
She began walking towards the children who began backing to the edge of the room in total fear not even knowing what do to in such a situation, the yelling and shouting form the portal getting louder and louder each step she took closer to the children, before shutting the portal immediately silencing the screams along with it.
"No one should endure seeing the death of their own children.... even I'm not that kind of monster..." She said to herself before raising her scythe ready to cut down the children.
Suddenly everything froze and in an instance everything dissipated as it was just me and the initial copy standing looking at each other in a bright white room.
"Choose.." She said to me.
"How do I choose??!! They are all so bad!!!!" I said to her.....
"Choose...." She said once again.
"I'm not choosing I DON'T WANT THIS FATE!" I said to her.
"Choose....." she said again.
I began thinking back at everything she showed me.....
"You have chosen." She said.