Anaga's POV:
In the clear blue sky, I suddenly see a dark horizontal line, one that becomes longer and thicker by the second. Then, it cracks open like a huge, black eye and I see a black figure rushing out of it. Right behind it, I see a huge cloud of an explosion and I gape at the unreal scene before me. There is no wind or heat from the fire but for a moment I feel a slight, distant feeling of pressure coming from... basically everywhere, like this world is showing its disapproval at someone. And that certain 'someone' seems to be the young adult in front of her, who safely landed on the ground from a few meters height in the sky. Right after that, the black 'eye' disappeared with a cracking sound and everything became calm again.
...what just happened? Magical teleportation rituals were never this flashy before! And it's the first time it was accompanied by that dangerous pressure... like the strongest existence in the whole world got angry and wanted to show it to the one responsible for its rage...
I got chills all over my body and finally focused on the person who appeared out of nowhere. He slowly raised his rather handsome face and... it turned out it was Alex! The very person who murdered my niece for no apparent reason and just left quickly afterward! HOW. DARE. HE. COME. HERE?!
Wait. If this is a hallucination, then it shouldn't be real. Why would my mind choose to show me this person right now? This hateful bastard!?
Right at this moment, the black-haired man said in a very serious tone of voice:
-I'm Alexander Thorn'rose from Saghara kingdom! I came to make you meet Quiliana again! She died but I can let you see her live and kicking!
What. The. Heck?! What balls!
-LEAVE! YOU NECROMANCER BASTARD!! You think I don't know magic that makes undead appear alive?!!! It's all a scam you can try on elderly and not me! So get the hell away from me!! NEVER APPEAR BEFORE MY FACE AGAIN!
-But...
-Get. The. Hell. Away. From. Me. Can you not understand words, stupid mage? Huh?!!
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"Stupid mage?" thought Alex. "Isn't that contradictory? No idiot can learn magic spells if they aren't intelligent enough. I thought that was obvious."
Without Anaga's knowledge, a red button in a certain small but handy device was pressed after 'someone' once again failed in making her come with him. And...
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...what just happened? Magical teleportation rituals were never this flashy before! And it's the first time it was accompanied by that dangerous pressure... like the strongest existence in the whole world got angry and wanted to show it to the one responsible for its rage...
I got chills all over my body and finally focused on the person who appeared out of nowhere. He slowly raised his rather handsome face and... it turned out it was Alex! The very person who murdered my niece for no apparent reason and just left quickly afterward! HOW. DARE. HE. COME. HERE?!
Wait. If this is a hallucination, then it shouldn't be real. Why would my mind choose to show me this person right now? This hateful bastard!?
Right at this moment, the black-haired man said in a very serious and hurried tone of voice:
-All I want to do is make your wish come true! I swear!
...
... my dream? My dream right now is to die and be with my little niece. Is that what brought the 'Death God' here? No wonder his avatar looks like that Alex. The one person who accidentally did the one thing the Estwills didn't manage till now - killing their main target, my little niece. In my mind, this guy is the strongest, most dangerous character I know of aside from those Estwill devils.
-Go ahead then. My neck is ready.
I lower my head a little and pull my semi-long, light shade of red hair aside and close my eyes. It's easier if I don't have to do it myself. My wish to see Quiliana can be fulfilled...
I barely hear some weird muttering:
-Now she thinks I'm gonna kill her? How come both of them want to die so badly without the other? Are they really that close? And this duo have some serious imagination issues - no matter what I say, they seem to mistake their own situation and assume some unreal facts about reality. Is this a family trait? Like the one with their suicidal tendencies? How in the world am I supposed to make Anaga understand everything when she treats me like I'm someone else or simply wouldn't speak to me?! Talking with people is so hard! Since I was young I had no one who I could speak with and the first time I actually used human speech was when I had first escaped from the Tower Library. At least I met Mist Sprinkled Rose in the upside down Mountain and I had finally found someone to converse with. But this person? Simply U.N.R.E.A.S.O.N.A.B.L.E. Whatever I say is misunderstood. Just why?! What am I doing wrong?!!
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The Death God looked quite troubled and rather desperate for some reason. Instead of ending my plight quickly, he just stood there unmoving, whispering something I couldn't quite hear. A god that talks to himself? Seems a bit weird but perhaps he's just eccentric?
-I did not come here to kill you.
I suddenly heard him say that.
-Eh?
But he said he's here to fulfill my dream before?
-I have come to take you to your niece! - he announced and looked at me, hopefully wishing for my acknowledging response.
But isn't killing me the same thing as making me see her? Is he talking in riddles or what?
-I understand, oh Death God. Please let me meet her in my afterlife as soon as possible. Here, take my sword. I am ready. - I presented my most treasured weapon on my open palms for him to take but... I didn't expect what he did next...
He face palmed himself.
...
What is happening? Is he angry at me? Is my blade too plain for a celestial being's taste?
-Please excuse my manners! I am extremely sorry if I offended you! - I got down on my knees again and kowtowed deeply, lest he takes offense and sends me somewhere away from my little Quilliana.
-Haaaah.
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That sigh was the last thing Anaga heard before Alexander once again pressed the red button.
He tried again and again but just couldn't say the right words. Until something unexpected happened when the device was starting to heat up from overuse and he finally lost patience...
Alexander's POV:
After I safely landed on the ground after crossing the world's barrier and enduring this particular force of life's anger at me for trespassing in its domain and becoming a danger to its existence itself by just being here, I slowly stood up in front of this stupid woman who slowly makes me want to strangle her to death. After the 30th try, I was seriously losing my patience. Using my time-rewinding gadget that could take me back in time up to 10 minutes earlier so many times consumed a lot of my magic power and made the little device hot to the touch - it started to overheat! That's not safe at all! On the contrary, if I use it a few more times, it might just explode and send everyone close by to a completely different timeline altogether! There might be no coming back from that even for me!
Arrrrgh! This is so frustrating! I'm not good at explaining stuff like this! And whatever I say, this idiot either starts shouting at me, which I don't like at all or thinks I'm gonna kill her! Well, I already did that once but it was her own fault! I wasn't trying to hurt her at all!
-What do you want here, murderer? Can't you see this is Quilliana's grave? Are you here to desecrate it, hah?! - since I was keeping quiet, Anaga was the first one to talk to me. As I have already somewhat gotten used to her mean words, I ignored her.
What can I say to make this crazy woman want to go with me? I have no idea what she's thinking with her stony face and undeserved criticism that should be directed towards the other version of 'Alexander Thorn'rose' from this universe and not me. In this version of events, I didn't kill the midget - the other me did it. Right, where is he? I would normally assume he should come here after sensing my presence in this world where I don't belong. That's what I would do after all...
I guess he's running late. And I haven't even gotten past one minute here, so it isn't that surprising...
-Oy, answer me, stupid mage! Why the hell did you come here?!!
There was a bug that was trying to distract my thoughts. I treated it as if it doesn't exist.
...which turned out to be a mistake...
*Smack, smack, smack*
3 consecutive strikes hit me on both of my shoulders and my back.
-OW! Ow! Ow!- I shortly shouted from pain until my healing powers kicked in and promptly made the pain disappear. I totally forgot to renew my defensive spells once again after gaining a body in this timeline and upgrading from being just a bundle of thoughts and beliefs known as the 'mind'. I immediately corrected that mistake but it was too late. Damn! I normally never would've been hurt by such a weak attack!
I angrily turned around, completely focused on the assailant this time. The enemy turned out to be... the aunt. The woman was staring at her own weapon - half surprised, half disbelieving that her offensive action turned out to be successful. This sort of thing was able to hurt me? That's... humiliating. And I let that happen! It's my fault! My reputation will be ruined if anyone learns of this! Oh, wait. This is another world, so they won't know! Yes! Good for me. There is only one witness here... One that will become too smug if I won't retaliate now... I will make sure she never talks about this... Ever.
My cold purple eyes stopped on this womanly figure in front of me. Instead of being afraid, she confidently raised her sword and threatened me:
-Ha! That's what you get for ignoring me until now! Be prepared because I won't show you mercy, Quilliana's murderer.
Hmph. The thought of getting rid of her was becoming more and more tempting the more she talked. But I have to control myself!
-We will see who will show mercy to whom.
Anaga instantly attacked and this time she didn't use the blunt side of her blade. Me? I did nothing. I wanted to see it when she realizes the difference between the two of us.