After all my classes ended, I made my way back to my dorm room.
I gave Tristan a quick call so that he can be present when I tell the group about the oncoming apocalypse.
Tristan and the group arrived around the same time as each other.
"Did my brother call you here?" James asked.
"Yes, Young Master James," Tristan said respectfully, giving James a bow.
Tristan only showed respect to me, Kyle and James. He did so ever since he started working for us when Tristan was 13 years old, while me and Kyle were only 12 years old. It always astonished me that Tristan was never fired before due to him disrespecting my other family members.
The group looked at me with imploring gazes but I just gestured to them to sit down. After making sure I got their full attention, I said with a serious expression, "In about three weeks, the end of the world is going to happen. Specifically, a zombie apocalypse."
Everyone's eyes widened in shock and confusion, except for Tristian who remained calm as he already knew this.
I continued, "August 31st, 2078 is known as the First Awakening. During this day, it will rain black rain. This black rain is the signal that the end is near. 12 hours later, many will develop a fever. After another 12 hours which is a total of 24 hours, on September 1st, 2078 those who gain a fever will either turn into zombies or obtain an ability. About 65 percent of the population will come down with fevers. Among the population who have a fever, there is a 30 percent chance of gaining an ability and a 70 percent chance you will turn into a zombie. Those who don't have a fever are regular humans and thus will not turn into zombies or awaken their ability."
The group stayed quiet for a full minute. I could feel sweat starting to accumulating on my palms.
Did they not believe me?
The group glanced at each other and after coming to an agreement, James said, "We believe you."
"You...you guys believe me?" I asked in disbelief.
I was in shock. How could they believe so much in me? I didn't even tell them I was reincarnated!
I decided from this point on that Tristan would be the only one to know this huge secret. I was planning on telling Kyle and James but the less people who know my secret, the better. Even though I wanted to tell them so badly, I will not.
I trust Tristan just as I trust Kyle and James but I soon realized that it was a mistake to tell Tristan. I was caught up in the moment that I had indeed gone back in time. If I would have stopped to think about to what extent telling Tristan that I was reincarnated, I would have never told him. This would just cause Tristan to be in more danger. My last dying wish in my previous life was to get revenge on those who wronged me and to protect those who helped me.
It seems like my reincarnation was all for naught if I was just putting Tristian in danger by telling him this. Who knows what might happen to the others if they knew. I was not willing to risk it.
I would only tell those who I trust deeply that I was reincarnated when I had enough power to project them all.
The group nodded.
"I know you are not the one to lie about something important as this brother." James said.
"Of course I believe you. I can see it in your face that you are telling the truth. No matter how disbelieving it seems, I know you Ash." Kyle said.
Emily and Royce nodded in agreement.
"Since Kyle believes you, I do too!" Royce exclaimed.
"I...I...I believe you Asher!!!" Emily stuttered out. "Y-you saved me from those bullies, as repayment, I will always follow you, even if it means my death!"
"Are you guys not even going to question me as to why I know this? Are you guys just blindly following me?"
"No way!" James exclaimed.
"If you did not mention why you know this, then you must have your reasons Ash. Everyone has secrets they want to keep." Kyle said.
I stared at the group in astonishment and felt tears welling up in my eyes.
Would things have been different in my previous life if I had them by my side?
I swear, I won't let anyone hurt them! I declared in my mind.
Afterwards, I told them about my space and about the lake water.
Everyone was surprised, well except for Tristan of course.
Royce looked at Tristan suspiciously.
"Why aren't you surprised?" Royce questioned.
Tristan merely looked over for a brief second before he said, "Young Master already informed me."
Royce rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
"Everyone, I have some water from my space. It is capable of increasing the speed to which you would gain your abilities. However, it will cause you to develop a fever and you may or may not turn into a zombie. But, I am 99 percent sure that none of you will become zombies." I announced.
In fact, I was 100 percent sure.
In my previous life, all of them to my knowledge awakened an ability.
I need to help them raise their ranks before the end of the world, especially Kyle and James as they were the first two in my group to die.
Just thinking about their deaths made me feel determined to save them.
On the second day of the zombie apocalypse, both Kyle and James died. Kyle died at school and James died outside our home but at separate times.
Royce was with Kyle when a classmate bit him. At this point in time, even though it was already the second day of the outbreak, many students and staff did not know what was going on in the outside world.
Our school was a boarding school and students spent most of their time in school. Only after the second day were students informed about the situation.
In my previous life, I was still recovering as well, but when I heard about the situation, I immediately set off to the boarding school to save James and Kyle.
No one in my family stopped me even though I was still sick. They simply did not care. Well, neither did I for that matter.
When I rushed into the school, there were many students running about turning to escape from the students who had turned into zombies.
I rushed to our classroom and was stunned to see a zombified Kyle killed by his best friend Royce.
I would never forget the look on Royce's face.
More so than me, I could tell he was hurting and heartbroken.
I knew ever since we were little boys, Royce had a crush on Kyle. Kyle was too dense to notice but anyone with a brain would be able to tell.
The looks on his face...Royce himself looked dead and in pure anguish.
Royce dropped his baseball bat.
"W-w-what have I done?" I heard Royce whisper as he stared at Kyle's limp and dead body.
"N-n-no! This must be a dream, right?" Royce asked me with an expression of pure anguish.
Right when I was about to answer him, I noticed a flash of golden hair.
"James!" I yelled.
He looked up at me.
"Ash? Why are you here? Aren't you sick?"
With no time to waste, I rushed past Royce and grabbed James's hand. Together, we ran out of the school building.
"Kyle, he...he..." James said in shock.
I knew what he was trying to say.
"Shhh...it's okay older brother."
I put Kyle's death in the back of my mind because right now, escaping was the priority.
I already lost one brother and I was not willing to lose another.
But, boy, I had never been so wrong in my entire life.
In less than an hour, James too had died.
After running home to the Greyson mansion, a zombie was about to attack me when James pushed me away. He had closed the mansion's gate tightly and yelled at me, "Asher, you must survive! Please, for me and for...Kyle." His voice broke as he said Kyle's name.
"Nooooo!!!!! Brother!!!!!!" I yelled as I saw James being torn apart by the zombies.
Coward...coward...coward...
That was the only thought in my mind as I ran away towards the Mansion.
I knew that James sacrificed himself to save me but I couldn't help but think so.
What was so special about me that those who are dear to me had to sacrifice themselves to save me?
Furthermore, I prevent myself from ever taking the S Rank mission at Saint Ana Claire Hospital as that is where Tristan was killed.
"Okay, I'm not even going to question why you are so sure we won't turn into zombies." James said, shaking his head.
Everyone else nodded that they understood.
I smiled.
"Well, a day before the end of the world is known as the First Awakening which means many will come down with fever and the end result would either be turned into a zombie or obtain an ability." I said.
"But, I have a way for you guys to develop your powers before the First Awakening." I stated.
"How?" Kyle asked.
I smirked and said, "This is how" as I took them all into my space.
"Holy shit! Did we just...teleport?" Royce exclaimed.
Even the usually shy Emily yelled, "What the fuck?!? Is that a mansion?!?" To my group's utmost surprise.
Heh, is Emily finally showing us her true self?
Before the end of the world, to others, Emily Katz was known as a kind and sweethearted girl who was shy. Even though she came from a wealthy and prominent family, she still treated everyone with kindness. When Emily was younger, she trained under many famous martial artists and fighters. She was just to nice to defend her self and risk getting her bullies in trouble which was stupid to me.
However, after the end of the world, I never saw her again until a few months later. When I saw her, she was part of Commander Winter's team.
She was a strong wood ability user and not afraid to flex her strength. Along with that strength came a confidence woman who was not afraid to cuss every single second of the day.
Emily's face turned beet-red as she quickly put both her hands over her mouth.
I laughed out loud which caused many imploring looks.
I shook my head.
"It's nothing you guys, come on!" I yelled as I beckoned them into my mansion.
"What is this place Ash?" Kyle asked me.
"This place is my space. You see, I have a space ability which allows me to have this space. Time flows slower here compared to the outside world. I am able to store just about anything here." I explained.
"Asher, what is the lake over there?" Royce asked me.
"Oh, that is a magical lake. Follow me!" I said as I led them out the mansion.
Once we got at the foot of the lake, I heard a startled scream.
It was Emily.
"T-that...what is that?!" She exclaimed, clutching onto James' sleeve. James blushed slightly from her suddenly doing so.
Emily was pointing at Silvia.
I smiled.
"She is a Holy Beast named Silva as well as the guardian of my space. Don't worry, she means no harm."
"Uhhh...okay..." Emily muttered. "C-can I pet her?"
"Yep." I said but I was slightly confused. How will she pet Silvia? Silvia was 5 times bigger than her!!!
"Hello, human." Saliva said with a grand voice.
"Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!" Emily yelled in shock as she ran back towards James.
"Did she just talk? Oh my gawd!!!" Royce exclaimed.
A Little While Later...
After the meeting with Silvia, I told them what the lake water was able to do.
"Then, please drink some of my lake water so that you could develop your abilities faster and practice them before the end of the world occurs." I said to them.
They all agreed and drank the water.
Soon enough, they were all bedridden with fever.
As time flows differently in my space, I did not worry about people questioning about where they went. As their fever broke through, they soon gained their powers.
Their abilities were the same as my previous life.
James had the gold ability, Kyle had the darkness ability, Royce had fire, and Emily had the wood ability.
After gaining their ability, this motivated them to train with me in my space.
So James, Kyle, Royce, and Emily along with Tristan decided to stay in my space.
Thus we spent the last two weeks utilizing our abilities.