Enveloped by incomprehensible palettes that would undoubtedly send him to seizure if he were conscious. Alex's screams were muted as he agonizingly cried into the depths of space-time incarnate, until he gasped awake, now flat on his back against a blue beach.
This wondrous sky littered with sparkling stars and a crescent moon that shone half of his face—surely, this must've been a dream.
Those would've been his thoughts if this situation were any better. Unfortunately, they were resigned to this hideous fate. Sinking its fangs into everything, destiny ordained everything from the beginning to the end. Even if the New Allfather destroyed the Old World endless times, it was assured. None of them had any sense of free will. The same mistakes, the same events, repeated boundlessly to surpass even the Time Seas' all-seeing omnipotence.
Alex hitched his breath, now standing tall against the glowing blue beach. Slapping away any excess grains dirtying his long hair, the man groaned and cracked his neck.
It seemed the time had come. Their dream to survive would finally come to fruition. Even so, one miscalculation still existed, scratching at the back of his mind. Before he even attempted invoking the Artifact's power, he witnessed the Tower rise. Why? And more importantly, how?
"So, you managed to get here, huh?" the white-haired man asked, seated against the beach.
"Brother…" Alex solemnly whispered.
"Nice to see you again, Alex. Shouldn't you be blessed to be in my 'divine presence'?" August rhetorically queried.
Alex turned away again, beginning to march toward the omniscient Seas. "I have nothing to say to you," he said.
"Tell me. Outside, the Tower of Chains has risen, hasn't it?" questioned the Reaper.
The Judge's pupils shrank. Immediately, his head turned toward August and sat against the beach. He smirked.
"You're the one who summoned it, huh? How and for what reason?" interrogated the Judge.
August stood upright, manually cracking his neck and moaning while releasing the sleepiness. from his bones. "You wish to use the Tower of Chains for mass genocide. This Tower of Chains differs from the Old World. This one was created by the First Requiem King and built with Requiem energy. It doesn't have to be used for wholly destructive purposes," he claimed.
"What do you plan on using it for then?" Alex challenged August's self-righteous ideology.
"If it comes to it then I'll be using it to strip all Requiem Subjects of their innate potential. Then we won't be able to harm anyone ever again using the Requiem bloodline ever again because their power would be effectively sterilized. I'm sure that makes you jump for joy, doesn't it?" August teased sarcastically.
To the Reaper's unfunny blunders, his long-haired brother's face was completely stoic. Alex prepared to unravel his whip, preparing to threaten his white-haired sibling.
"Eh. Humor's subjective anyway."
August shrugged, digging through his back pockets for something. What he revealed from seemingly nowhere was none other than the legendary Artifact that Riverton's former Founder so usually held.
"Remember this?" August waved around the Artifact while smirking cheekily.
The Judge's eyes instantly widened, uncontrollable bolts of white lightning escaping his soul's vessel. Throwing his whip's length around his shoulders and all around his body, the weapon's form reverted to smears jolting at unprecedented speeds.
"You never let me finish!" August loudly reminded his brother.
Placing the spectacles against his face, a dark blue light similar to Katie's eyes emanated from his face sometime thereafter. Somehow, just that simple action had remotely deactivated Alex's attacks. Quizzically backing away and looking at his open palms, Amara's teeth gritted after realizing what'd occurred. Never one to back down, his fingers slammed together; forming the symbol needed to invoke the unavoidable deadliness that was his soul's Territory.
"Territory Envelopment—"
It was almost like the Reaper had warped, with August's right hand now grabbing his brother's face by the mouth.
"That's enough outta you."
After saying that, Rivera guided Alex's face into the beach, smashing the back of his skull against the sand. His younger brother's build imprinted into the grains, the Reaper stepped back and pressed his foot against the Judge's right wrist. As always, August's strength was superior. And with Alex successfully trapped under his sole, that meant he could finish what he was saying—considering he was interrupted, of course.
"I don't want to do that, though. To strip all Requiem Subjects of their innate potential would be a violation in its own right, thus making me identical to Dad in ways I'd despise so much I'd have to incarnate into the real world and kill myself all over again. I'm sure you know I'd rather do anything than make us bare basic boring humans! So… I want to show you."
Alex unleashed a muffled groan, hissing through his teeth while watching August easily retract his foot pinning his brother. Shuffling onto his knees and then rising to stand tall, the Judge watched as the Reaper retreated. Rubbing his right arm's wrist, Alex awaited what came next… how did they end up in the future he'd seen almost four years prior?
"Actually… I think it's better if I just show you."
From thereon, all Alex remembered was pure light.
And then, he woke up somewhere he didn't recognize at first. His eyes opened, pupils darting side-to-side within the eyeballs' confines.
'I'm not laid down. I'm… standing up?'
Then, it became clear. The initial blindness inevitably wore off. His hand against his head, Alex rapidly blinked and snapped his neck all around. Who stood beside him was none other than his white-haired brother, the Reaper. Neither of them dared to take a fighting stance, just standing idly. August's eyes examined the events playing out before him while Alex questioned his whereabouts.
"This is—"
"The Seas of Time connect all Requiem Subjects nonlinearly. Across both Old and New Worlds. The first Requiem Subject to ever exist wasn't the First King. It was the one who gave him that unparalleled power, akin to that of a God. Our dad, the New Allfather," explained August, unintentionally interrupting Alex.
"How're you even here? I thought Azazel killed you," Alex said, continuously watching.
"I had Hana send my soul to the Seas. I knew one of you would eventually end up here after freeing Callum and attempting to obtain the Artifact. I was just lucky that you managed to end up here, Alex. I was hoping it'd be you," August explained.
"So, you do wish for the path of suicide. Is that the end you truly desire?" asked Alex.
"No. That was my wish for myself and nobody else. That being said, I always knew Riot's schemes and the Capital's survival relied on the awakened Tower of Chains. If you and Katie gain control, it's not just Retly that's done for; it's the world, too. Every babe sleeping soundly in their crib, every adult typing at a computer behind a desk. Those boring, drab lives would all be extinguished but those same boring lives pave the way for the future generation," elaborated August.
"I realize the consequences if I so choose to awaken the Tower but I'd be willing to sacrifice everything if it means our family survives. Especially if it's the population of the outside world." Alex responded; shooting his eyes forward, "Even if you show me our old man's memories for all of eternity." he finished.
August looked at his brother beside him and then redirected his attention to their father. A mere male babe, thrown over the shoulder of his beloved black-haired mother. Whining into his mother's shoulder, the duo circled the memory. While August admired the beauty his grandmother once held, Alex looked at baby Ben from behind with soft, white eyes.
"Next," August announced.
August and Alex sat against an apartment building's miniature staircase, watching from afar as their father, uncle, and aunt attempted to steal materials from a nearby hot dog vendor as children. Softly smiling, leaning against the structure, Alex continued watching before the Reaper arose from the steps.
"Next."
Just opening a door paved the path to the next memory. Entering the enlightened doorway again, they ended up on that fateful day. His face bloody and knuckles bruised, as a mere teenager, Ben stood atop a defeated boy as his fist repeatedly slammed against his opponent's skull. His youthful voice's prepubescent audio echoed through the Seas as he screamed with a breaking voice,
"This is what you get!! You goddamn animal!!!"
Watching from inside the crowd surrounding the beatdown, Alex glared down at the bully their youthful father so mercilessly beat. Meanwhile, August was forced to look away. Once he did, his head instinctively turned. Differing from his face, the Judge was entranced by the brutality. Perhaps he thought this, too, was entirely 'righteous'. August turned his back on this memory once more.
"Next," He said, walking to the next memory, black shroud cloaking his build.
Alex obeyed. Just before he could advance any further and change the scene, however, he hesitated. While August idly waited, standing next to the glowing doorway, the Judge looked over his shoulder with soft eyes before turning away and entering the following memory's boundaries.
They were spat into a principal's office. Alex pocketed his hands while resting against a wall behind the center desk, August with his arms crossed. As the dean indistinguishably berated their father and grandmother within these timeless memories, the Reaper looked to his brother, eyebrow raised.
"Did dad tell you what happened there or anything? I don't ever remember him telling me about that kinda childhood story," August began.
"Someone insulted his mother. He did what needed to be done. Why? Do you think it means something more or whatever other climatic bullshit your mind conjured up?" queried Alex, still staring ahead.
"Dad would never wish for the race's persistent survival. He was the Chosen One foretold to bear all the Old World's weight. He wished to be free from that agony for so long, I can't imagine he wished to prolong the Requiem Empire, no matter the number of years," August claimed.
"Then you didn't know him at all. What makes you think he would ever sacrifice us in exchange for the world's survival?" Alex questioned.
To that, August was silent. Ignoring Amara's words, his attention shifted away from Alex's face to the familial conflict ongoing with their childish father, their deceased grandmother, and the unimportant principal.
"It seems your son is unable to comprehend the repercussions of his actions. Not only did he attack another student, but even after he was incapacitated, he continued assaulting them. If this information gets publicly released, not only will this damage the school's reputation but it will also hurt your child's permanent record, Mrs. Rivera," The principal explained.
"Jessica is fine. That aside, my son explained the story, as did my other children who witnessed it as well. Not only that, but tons of other students vouch for my boy. The other student instigated the argument first by insulting me. I don't tolerate my children disrespecting other students, of course not, but only when it's justifiable. My child did nothing wrong. He defended himself and his mother—like a man should," She said.
The short, teenage Ben in the seat to her left was staring at his mother. Eyes' sparkles glistening courtesy of the outer sunlight, the young boy furrowed his face as tears reappeared from his eyes.
"Mom…" he choked out tearfully
"Next memory," Alex announced.
August's eyes widened, jerking his head to the right and spotting his brother's hand around the doorknob. Already revealing the entrance's inner radiance, the Judge glimpsed over his shoulder.
"Next memory, brother."
They were akin to spirits. Invisibly coursing through the infinity between dream and reality as they traveled through the extent of their father's memories. Everything from the fall of the Kingdom to the end's beginning following the school's construction. The tiniest deal was made with a shaking hand between business partners, a straight-faced lie to a government official… and even manipulating Detective Karlo into recruiting superhumans for his 'experiment'.
Having finished a meeting, Ben walked through brown halls. His eyes examined the surrounding engravings in the wooden architecture before returning to casually walking forward; down that central corridor. Behind him, suited guards wearing shades turned the corner, spying on the leaving Headmaster. Leaned against the central wall, Alex and August stood, watching their father walk uncaringly past them both. Once he walked past their eyes, venturing further into the corridor, the Reaper finally stood up.
"Do you not see what I mean? Everything he's done is for the sake of justice! His justice: after his past world was destroyed, he would ensure he saved the new one he inhabited! That's why he resorted to such means—why he did such horrible things that would surely be unforgivable! Don't you understand, Alex?! This is the right path; the one our father chose! Why don't you get it?!" August yelled in his brother's face, fingers sunk into his sleeves.
"Do I have to answer such a ridiculous question?" Alex rolled his eyes before uncaringly answering.
August clicked his teeth. "You're just as stubborn as that goddamn old man," he commented.
They finished arguing. The sounds of their voices had reached their dialogue's climax. Even so, it echoed out to him. Bouncing across the infinite space between, bordering two versions of nonlinear time, he could just faintly hear those voices. However unfamiliar one of them was, he surely recognized the other. And so, he turned around. Alex and August were like deers frozen in headlights, immobile and unmoving, they stared ahead with wide eyes as Ben glared at a space.
Enough time passed of silent tension before the Headmaster resumed his march, walking down the hollow hallway with darting eyes constantly checking his surroundings.
"That's impossible. How was he able to hear us, even if it was for a brief moment?" August asked his brother with shivering eyes.
"All Requiem Subjects are connected by one thing. And he was their progenitor. Do we need any other explanation besides that?" Alex irritably questioned, watching their dad walk away.
August's puzzled stare soon reverted to normalcy. The Reaper closed his eyes, and shakily inhaled; everything black shifted as he opened his eyes a second time. Now, they were watching against a wall in an Italian hotel room. Alex, watching closer than before, stared at his younger self against the bed.
"Listen, brother. I have the Requiem Artifact's power in the palm of my hand. I can use it to kill you at any time. But, I will never abandon any of you. Just like how I saved myself by realizing the truth, I'll show you the same unwavering path… and at the same time, save the world from the threat of the Requiem Subjects once and for… all—?"
With wide eyes and an unhinged jaw revealing his open mouth, August powerlessly watched as his brother took one step forward. The mere second the Judge walked onward, the apparition of their father raised their hand, attempting to comfort Alex's bedridden self.
In unison with the hand touching younger Alex's shoulder, the present Judge amidst the Seas of Time, invisible to everything… touched his Headmaster father's shoulder.
From thereon, it all came flooding in. The unfortunate burden of the future's despair weighing on his shoulders originates from none other than his future second son. Heaven's Repent, the destruction of all other worlds, everything from up to that point… and even the future of the First Requiem King.
At the same time in the past, the Emperor, traumatized by the future's despair, conjoined that unfortunate face with clenched teeth and widened eyes, spiking veins popping out the eyeballs' sides. Just that single moment, originating from the Judge, sprung forth the assured future they now resided within.
"You…!"
August and Alex were abruptly thrown back into the Seas. Separating from one another, backs thudding against the sandy shore, the two brothers grunted. Quickly backflipping so he could stand tall now, the Reaper aimed his palm at his grounded sibling, now with his arm raised.
"You're the one who showed our dad the future? You're the one who orchestrated the attack on Heaven. But he didn't know that. How were you able to… send him memories from the future and influence the past?" August's sweaty face shakily asked.
Alex wiped the dust from his pants, now standing tall. "You have my gratitude, August. Because of you, I was able to attain the end that's 'right'. Three years ago, when I returned from Retly. I witnessed that unfortunate scenery and mourned the loss of all those lives the first time I incarnated into the Seas of Time. The reason I'm able to influence the past and our father from the future is simple."
From beside the Reaper's head, the apparition conveniently reappeared. Shaped as none other than the legend that sent goosebumps to everyone's skin at just a mention, he stood amid the Seas with dead, dull eyes. The Reaper gasped while his brother slowly turned.
"You don't have to worry. That's… the New Allfather's lost spirit," Alex explained.
"Dad's… lost… spirit?" August curiously repeated.
Suddenly, he was kicked across the face. Twirling around in mid-air momentarily before he crashed against the sand, the Reaper watched his Judge brother run toward the Emperor amid the seas. The Artifact spectacles were still attached to his face, his gritted teeth unhinged.
"FATHER! STRIP ALL REQUIEM SUBJECTS OF THEIR INNATE POTENTIAL!!!" He screamed to the heavens.
And just then, their father turned around. Stepping into the depths of the Seas, Alex grunted. Instinctively, a scream bellowed from his throat.
"DAD!!!!!!"
August heavily exhaled.
"You can stop trying, Alex…"
Alex outreached his hand to the marching Emperor, gradually sinking into the timeless Seas. Hair flowing behind him, worriedly throwing himself forward, the Reaper finished with…
"Once the Emperor starts moving—nothing in this realm can stop his march."
Trivia: Ben was sent memories from the future of the New World by Alex to ensure that time occurred the way it always would. However, the Emperor wouldn't learn of this until moments before his death, he mimicked his son and ensured the future would come about when he momentarily incarnated into the New World's beginning—thus continuing the lineage of Requiem at Alex's request. Did I think about this last minute? Yes. But it still works.