Sitting on the couch and waiting for him to return from his shower, Renee's gaze swept the elegant spacious room, and she couldn't help but wonder how a room could serve both as someone's private living space and his bedroom, at the same time!
The onyx black walls weren't very different from the one she passed by when coming here, but they created a backdrop that made the room's element stand out. A sleek, black oversized couch beckoned opposite where she sat, it was adorned with muted pillows, and the mid-century couch she was sitting on had the same design.
Above her, a chandelier adorned with candelabras hung from the ceiling, casting a gentle light that complemented the overall ambience.
The fireplace nearby crackled softly, casting a warm glow that danced across the walls. Renee hadn't realized it until now, but she felt much warmer in here that– it was surprisingly comfortable. A small table, perfectly placed in the center, held a vase with fresh flowers, and her ruby eyes lit with pure enthusiasm.
"Gardenia, and… Areca palm." She mentioned, and her eyes moved to the cupboard where an orchid plant rested. Naturally, all these plants are known for their pleasant fragrance, but the health benefits are often subjective and may vary.
She wondered if he had them here for their appealing sights and smell, or if there is something else attached to keeping them here – health wise.
Besides the fireplace, a painter's board could be seen holding a plain white sheet, and on the floor were different types of art brush kept in a transparent container, along with varieties of colors that sparked her interest.
He paints?
"Oh."
Renee immediately composed herself when she heard the bathroom door open, and the young man stepped out, fully dressed in simple black loose pants and a gray-colored, long-sleeved shirt which he rolled to his elbow. In his hand was a mug of hot steamed coffee, and it seems the amount of milk he added already drowned the nutrient of the coffee to be honest.
Where did he even get that from?
Lysander took his seat on the other couch facing her, and Renee watched him for a while as he just sipped his coffee, or milk, and he hardly glanced her way. For some reason, she helplessly thought back to her parent's funeral, when he showed up to comfort her, despite the two of them being strangers. What she remembered then is completely different from the personality he was portraying now.
"So," Renee began audibly as she sat straight, taking it upon herself to start the conversation, "are you going to tell me what happened?"
"You have to be patient till I finish my coffee first," he remarked, as if it was some kind of rule, and Renee could hardly believe how calm he was reacting in this dire situation. She has to be calm because she has no choice, but that certainly wasn't the case with him.
"But I've been waiting, haven't I?!"
"Wait a little more, a couple of minutes won't hurt."
"Might hurt.." she hissed under her tone, growing impatient while evading his gaze, and she failed to notice his cornered smile.
Renee pinched the skin in her cheek with her teeth, suppressing her annoyance. However, an uncontrolled gasp escaped her lips all of a sudden, and her body jolted in alarm when a monster's roar echoed threateningly within the vicinity.
Her gaze instinctively followed the direction of the sound, resting themselves on the window that was draped with thick curtains, and she subconsciously shifted in her seat.
"No need to be frightened," Lysander's soothing voice reached her ears, and she looked at him with a worried expression. "They can't get in, but know this for incasity, they are attracted to two things – sound and the smell of fresh blood. As long as we don't make too much noise, we won't be targeted by them."
"What's stopping them from coming in?"
"Have you heard of the Quantum alloy?" He sipped his coffee, and Renee shook her head silently. He pursed his lips in deliberation but said nothing more.
Ten minutes later, he rose to his feet and was heading out.
"Where are you going?"
"You're not the only one seeking answers, the people at the dining room have questions. If you want answers, then come with me." Was all he said, as if he'd already made that pretty clear from the beginning.
"Hold on!" Renee immediately realized she had been played, "I waited here for you to have your bath and take a dip. You made me watch you drink coffee for ten minutes only to tell me you had plans on revealing it to everyone else?!"
"That is absolutely correct."
"W–why? Why did you make me wait then?"
"Cause buttercup, watching you wait for once was oddly satisfying. Now, are you coming?" He opened the door and turned his head to look in her direction.
She was still rooted at her spot due to how he addressed her, mouth agape, but she eventually snapped out of her shock. She brushed past him, stepping out of the comfort of his room to face the cold labyrinthine paths again.
Lysander led her through while she followed with her arms grudgingly folded. She still never understood the reason why he dragged her into his room in the first place, and she would have left a long time ago if only she knew her way.
Going up the stairs, Renee's nerves calmed after seeing she was no longer in that cold dungeon.
Peaches was wiping the kitchen counter when they passed by, and her peach eyes blossomed with the same excitement when she noticed her and… wait, come to think of it, what's his name?
"Renee! Master Zander! You both came just in time for the meal! Should I set the table?" She asked, and Renee, who was presently famished, wanted to nod her head, but then his voice interrupted.
"Leave it alone for now, come." He beckoned Peaches over, and like a dutiful servant, she was at his side.
"Is everyone else at the table?" He inquired, and she nodded affirmatively.
"Except for Grand Master Cullen, he headed out already." She added, lifting a finger. "But everyone else is available."
"Okay, good. I need you at the table too, come with me." And he took Peaches with him, whispering something inaudible into her ear.
Showing up at the same table where she met Naya, Vincent, and Eric, there was a new girly face sitting beside Naya, and Robinson introduced her to be Levana.
Renee took her seat between Naya and Peaches, and her gaze returned to Lysander who was now seated at the head seat.
Everyone present seemed to offer him some kind of respect, it was similar to how Robinson's presence humbled them, and the same went for Lysander who now wore a composed demeanor on his absolutely handsome face. Either no one was affected by his charms, or they were just that talented in hiding it.
"Cullen won't be available to explain the crisis to all of you," he finally began, making her wonder who Cullen was.
"He has other matters to deal with outside the building, but until he returns, he's handed the power rule over to me."
"Let's all hope he doesn't die." Robinson added with a small smile.
Ignoring Robinson's comment, Lysander went on, "I don't need to dive into all the details, everyone has seen for themselves what's out there. That night, many families and friends, cousins, so many were lost with no explanation whatsoever, but then, I'm pretty sure you've all asked yourself countless times why you didn't turn into those monsters like everyone else."
"I know I did." Eric murmured in agreement, and Lysander leaned back against his chair.
"That means each one of you sitting here has a system, or is there anyone who doesn't have one?" He asked, and Renee could feel her heart at her throat when he locked gaze with her.
Again with a slight glare.
"Let's move on then. Each one of you sitting here has some unique skills that correspond to your system – be it your talent, or a skilled technique you've honed over the years. According to the system's information, each user has been selected amongst nine billion inhabitants in the Stellar system to evacuate the land, and we're amongst those users, but that doesn't mean we're immune to the virus completely. If you get bitten, you will turn into one, that's why Robinson here shall schedule an every week's check-up on everyone's health, just to be on the safe side."
Renee lifted her hand, signaling she had a question to ask. "What about the BRC logo on the system?"
"I'm pretty sure everyone noticed the logo, except you'd find it strange, cause the BRC site erupted in flames two weeks ago." It was Robinson's turn to speak, and he adjusted his monocle, "the system couldn't have activated itself on the night of a crisis like this, and plus its technology, no matter how we tend to view it."
"So there's someone out there trying to shit with our lives, is that what you mean?" Naya bluntly stated, banging a fist on the table. "The system was activated after the explosion."
"Yeah, it was dropped on the main city of duskwood." Vincent added, "no one knew if it was intended to wipe out the monsters but for those who survived the plague, the next thing we heard was the mechanical voice of a robot.
"You drew that conclusion? I legit thought I had a woman stuck in my ear, shit scared the hell outta me." Eric stuck a finger into his right ear, shaking away the haunting recollection.
"But how was the system activated?" Peaches was still confused even with everyone dropping what they knew. "what happens to us?"
"The bomb that was dropped on the main city wasn't intended to kill the monsters alone," Lysander unexpectedly stated, earning him silence from everyone.
"The bomb itself was the system."