Jakery looked around the room. Pure white blankets covered his battered body. They wrinkled under the weight of his brother looming over him, holding him tight.
His eyes caught Demon, slowly shifting his body to look at Oria. The Feral backed away from his Distorted brother, afraid of him lashing out like he did back in the bunker.
"This is the same Jakery that left this city. Do not worry. But he remembers everything, from the experience to encountering our mother in... that other world," his mischievous voice answered.
Oria stepped around him, making sure to keep a safe distance away to not accidentally trigger the vicious creation. Her gentle stride reminded Jakery of the times they spent hidden away from the world.
More specifically, that night Oria comforted him. And the two drifted off to sleep. But unlike that time, Jakery suffered serious injuries.
"Okay," Ether softly spoke. "Kellenas and Decka saw you collapse. They instantly retreated and found their way back here. I got the news that you died, and well... you're my baby brother. If I lost you, I would be missing a limb."
Jakery looked down at his arm. It rested, attached to his body. As if nothing ever happened to it. He lifted it up, inspecting every inch for any bruises. But it was perfectly fine.
No injuries on it whatsoever. So he turned his attention to his face.
Using the same arm, he reached up to feel his cheeks. The soft texture of his body felt like dreams and kept promises.
"Demon," Jakery abruptly said.
His brother turned to face him. Helmet silently studying his previously deceased sibling.
"I saw Lya. She held me in her arms while younger versions of ourselves napped together under an apple tree. Was that real?" His confused yet soft voice asked.
Demon reached up to his helmet. Two sudden clicks rang as the helmet slowly drifted above his head. Revealing two black eyes. Demon lowered his body, getting closer to Jakery.
Ether sat up, letting go of his youngest brother. Hearing the explanation also interested him. This would be the confirmation he has been hoping for.
"Lya... our mother... she is still alive. And so is Solice. Our parents still exist, but in a different meaning. I can't say what they are, that is beyond my knowledge," Demon clarified.
"Is there anything you can say about them?" Ether asked out of desperation.
Demon fixed his cold, harsh gaze on Ether. Eyes took in the casual attire his brother wore. He did not speak. Eyes were his words and silence was his expression.
Words that Ether understood. Despite not getting to learn about what happened to their parents after their respective events occurred, he was still satisfied knowing they were still alive.
"I want to be in Lya's grasp once more. She was the best. I remember her telling me little stories and quotes before I went to bed. Trying to develop my Zegus heritage a bit more," Ether recounted.
His heart softened, shoulders too. A pulse of relaxation ran through him while his smile lit up. Jakery stared up at him, curious as to why he looked the way he did.
"Now with my own family, I can pass that tradition down to Orako and my future kids," Ether turned to see Jakery. "Sorry that I couldn't give you the same treatment, Jakery."
Instead of feeling bad about it, Jakery smiled. He may not have gotten the same benefits from their parents, but he did gain a benefit none of his brothers had. That one being raised by two wonderful siblings.
Despite how distant they felt from one another. The warrior, corrupted, and young, all remain resting under the apple tree. Sleeping an infinite slumber too deep to awake.
"It would have been nice, yes. But you two have done so much for me. Being able to fight alongside you during battles have been an honor," Jakery answered.
Oria pleasantly sighed. Her eyes grew twice the length as her lips widened for a soothing smile.
"Aww, you're so sweet. I wish me and my sisters were like that," her voice dreamingly commented.
"With Pearl not inside the room. I am going to admit, one of your sisters was a great gaze," Ether confessed.
Oria jumped in shock. Her eyes widened and face lit up to display how embarrassed she felt.
"Don't tell me you seriously considered one of my sisters instead of me! Come on, do I look bad? Is it that I'm more energetic? Maybe it's that I am so great that nobody wants me!" Oria spewed out.
Ether, Jakery, and Demon all stared at her. Confused yet entertained.
"The way survival works is a father and mother pass down their genes. Wouldn't there be a line of males waiting to get a chance?" Ether shot back.
In response, Oria slapped him. She crossed her arms and faced away from the group. Her embarrassment was amplified, the feeling of a fool took over her.
Ether landed on the bed. A hand reached up to examine the injured area. His cheek felt warm from the slap, like snuffed out flames.
"All I said was she looked good. Didn't need to slap me for it."
Demon took a few steps back while locking his helmet in place. The darkness inside swirled and manifested hideous fantasies.
"It's time for me to hold my end of the deal. Jakery, take care. I am not sure if bringing you back would work a second time. And Ether... toughen up. Kas wouldn't waste words with you," Demon concluded.
Syndicate Dust consumed him. In moments, he was somewhere different. A world above Koroth, yet it existed right inside. This world was different.
Instead of the normal sights one would see, this world had more marvels. Such as the Nine Rules looking down at their experiments, all goliaths visible, and patrolling Servants.
He patiently waited for his dealmaker to arrive. After a few short moments of downtime, a blinding light appeared in front of him.
Out of it, two perfect entities stepped out. Followed by a humanoid creation. She stared at Demon, he stared at her. The two silently observed the other while the two entities stood between them.
"Came to deliver?" Her powerful voice asked.
"Wouldn't be a deal if the other side didn't hold their promise, would it? I am ready, take what you want," Demon confirmed.
One of the entities stepped closer to Demon. In response, he got on one knee and bowed his head. Leaving the top of his helmet exposed to the creation.
Four ghostly tentacles hovered over the helmet, starting the process. An exact replica of his brain appeared right over his head.
"So corrupt... how do you withstand such punishment? The mental torture of having your Will controlled by something else. Not being an individual," she awed.
The creation brought forth another tentacle. This one dug itself into the brain and searched. It twisted and turned, making sure to explore every area possible.
Every few seconds, some kind of black substance flowed out of his brain and into the entity. They continued searching, unphased of the disgusting substance.
Demon shut down. He couldn't think, act, feel, hear. Every sense he has disappeared. Even the smallest aspect of control over his body vanished. He ceased to exist in any form.
Other than physically.
After several minutes of searching and turning, the entity retreated its tentacles and walked back to the dealmaker. Allowing Demon to regain control and stand back up.
"I have learned a lot from the Distorted Mind, thanks to you. Do you know how important this information is to the Nine?"
"Do they not have control over it?" Demon replied.
She looked at the entity with eyes full of wonder. Her gaze fixed to the black substances that were lifelessly swirling inside the creation's frame.
"The Nine aren't all powerful. There are bigger things out there. Such as Digatracus and Omniton-Ock. I'm sure you've heard of those already," she answered.
Demon tilted his head. "Yes. But what exactly are they?"
"Everything the Nine aren't," the dealmaker concluded.
She, along with her entities, disappeared in the same fashion as they appeared. Leaving Demon alone in this deranged world.
As he stared off to the distance, a familiar force came closer to Demon. Delheer, the Servant he freed, found him standing alone.
Demon turned to face it.
"You are clueless of their purpose. And I am too. But what I am firm about is what they've made," Delheer commented.
Demon watched the creation's cloud-like body move like the wind. A brewing storm worth a thousand hurricanes and blizzards stood over him like nothing.
"What have they've done?"
"Have you heard of humans?"
Demon didn't reply. He never heard of such a term. It felt strange to him, yet somehow familiar.
"Imagine your typical 'Zegus' but a lot shorter and a lot weaker. Because they are more civil, they have gained and advanced all the knowledge your type has received."
"What does that mean?" Demon's concerned tune attracted Delheer's attention.
"Your kind destroys each other before they could make anything great and expand on it. Humans have electronic devices, vehicles, 'guns,' and even advanced war tactics," Delheer replied.
Demon scoffed. "They can have everything we have. But nothing out-classes the lengths a Zegus is willing to go just to win a war. Some would shatter reality itself just to survive."