(PERCY'S POV)
(Playing with Cupcake)
I praised my loyal companion for his excellent performance and hugged him warmly. We had so much to explore and enjoy together, but I also had a lot of worries and doubts that I wanted to confide in him. I looked into his innocent eyes and saw that he was eager to hear me out. He barked softly as if to say, "Go ahead, I'm listening."
I smiled and rewarded him with some delicious treats and his favourite toy bone. He wagged his tail happily and snuggled up to me. I was glad that he was back home safely and that he had brought Aana and her friends with him. They were the only ones who could help me stop the impending doom that threatened our world, and I could easily protect them from Oliver and Axel if they lived here.
I got up from the bed and tapped twice on the TV screen. It transformed into a digital board where I had stored all the information I had gathered about our enemies. There were pictures and data about Dr Oliver De Vil and Axel, the two most powerful and dangerous beings in existence. Oliver could manipulate time, which made him almost invincible. But luckily, he couldn't affect me or cupcake and Axel with his power. And Axel...he had 15 different powers, each one more superior and deadly than the other. He was a monster who wanted to destroy everything in his path.
This timeline was our last chance to save the world. If we died now, we wouldn't come back again. I was determined to not let that happen. I had to increase my power and get hold of the Timestone, a mystical artefact that could alter reality. With Della's help, who could see the past and future, we could use the time stone to undo all the damage that Oliver and Axel had caused. We could erase them from history and restore peace and harmony. I would kill them both and protect everyone I cared about. Cupcake, I wouldn't let anyone die for me. Especially not Aana, who had sacrificed herself for me in every timeline I love her and I will save her at all costs. We had survived for six years then, which was the longest we had ever lasted. But this time, we would live forever.
Axel and Oliver thought that they were the only ones who remembered the past timelines, besides me. But they were wrong. You also remembered everything, Cupcake. You were my witness and my ally in this endless war. But these memories were more of a curse than a blessing. I had seen my loved ones die over and over again, and I felt powerless to stop it. Things had changed a lot in this timeline. This was the showdown between us and our enemies. We had to win this time, or else everything would be lost. (I heard a roar of undead creatures in the backyard.) I sprinted to the balcony and saw a horde of undead, and they were not ordinary ones. They had powers, just like us. I felt a surge of fear and anger. I ran out of my room and hoped that no one was outside. But to my horror, I saw Aana running down the stairs towards the backyard. I chased after her and grabbed her hand. "What are you doing? There are undead out there! Stay here, I'll check if anyone is in the backyard," I said. She pulled away from me and said, "I can't! Emma is in the garden! She loves flowers and she went out to pick some!" She ran towards the door and I followed her. I knew she was not good at controlling her powers yet. We ran towards Emma, but it was too late. A tree-manipulating undead had snatched her with its vines and lifted her into the air. More undead creatures closed in on us from all sides. Aana unleashed her pyrokinesis ability, creating fireballs and hurling them at the enemies. She incinerated anyone who came near her with her blazing flames. I had to be careful with my power, as it was too strong and unstable. I could easily kill all the undead, but I might also hurt Aana and Emma in the process. We were outnumbered and overwhelmed by the horde of zombies. Emma disappeared from our view, swallowed by the crowd of rotting flesh. Aana shouted her name in panic. I decided to risk it and use my power to wipe out all the zombies. Suddenly, all the undead around us were lifted into the air by the vines. I looked at Emma and saw that her eyes had turned tree-green. She had awakened her hypokinesis ability and was controlling the plant-gifted undead. Aana was ecstatic to see her best friend alive and with colourful eyes. She ran towards her and hugged her tightly.
"Broooo...! Woah! You're amazing!" she exclaimed. "Your eyes are tree green! You've always wanted colourful eyes, oh wow!"
Emma glared at her with annoyance. "Aana shut up!" she snapped. "This is not the time to freak out about my eyes! We're still in danger, you know!"
Aana didn't seem to notice her anger. She kept smiling and admiring her. "But Emma, this is so cool! You can control the undead with your mind! And your eyes change colour depending on who you control! That's awesome!"
Emma rolled her eyes and sighed. "Aana, you're such a dork. Can we please focus on getting out of here alive?"
I told them to go inside, and I would handle the rest. Aana, being the curious one, asked me what my power was. I lied and said it was water manipulation, hiding my other abilities.
"Water manipulation? That's cool too!" she said. "Can you make a water slide for us?"
I shook my head and smiled. "Maybe later, Aana."
She nodded still holding Emma's hand. and they went inside. I smiled at Aana's innocence and decided to tell her the truth some other day. For now, I used my water manipulation power to slice every undead in half. Water can be a deadly weapon if used with enough force. I made sure no one was left alive, and then I cut off the heads of the gifted undead and took out their brains. I hid it in a frozen bag that I made with ice manipulation. I planned to consume the seeds inside it late when I returned to my room.
A seed is a thing that develops inside a gifted undead's brain. It looks like an almond and gives me power when I eat it. I already have 20 powers, and today's gifted undead would make it 27. If only Aana hadn't burned the undead to ashes, I could have had more than 60 powers by now. But it's alright.
I said goodbye undead and buried them with my wind manipulation power. I split the ground like graves and put them inside, then closed the earth over them. It was a humanitarian gesture, even though they were already dead.
I teleported to my room with the seeds. I washed them and cut open the brains to get them out. Then I ate them like almonds, using my seed consumption ability. It helped me digest any seed and gain its power. Cupcake, wagged his tail happily as he watched me. and I told him he would be in charge for the next day and today although I have many powers and going to awaken even more, there are always pros and cons......The seeds have cursed me with their infernal power, and I can feel the fever consuming me from within. It will take me two agonizing days to adapt to their force and defy their resistance. I'm good for nothing else in this state. My head is splitting with pain and I crave rest. I whisper good night to Cupcake, my faithful companion, who barks twice in acknowledgement. He knows me better than anyone. He leaps off my bed and dashes away, probably to Aana I thought.
I collapse and shut my eyes, longing to drift away, but my mind is tormented. Visions of past timelines plague me, showing me all the atrocities I have endured. Only four of us can remember them, and two of them are my foes. Oliver and Axel, the ones who destroyed everything. The ones who murdered Aana, the only person who ever loved me truly. She gave her life to shield me from Axel's ice sword, and I will never absolve him for that. Even my parents don't care about me. They abandoned me here to pursue their business in Canada. They are heartless and pragmatic people who value wealth over kinship. I groan and try to erase my thoughts, but the fever makes it impossible.