October 11th, 2050
Eros just returned from work to his apartment. He decided to grab a cold drink.
Eros: Sigh, I'm tired as shit.
Eros walked towards his fridge to grab a cold bottle of water, but as he was walking, he felt off.
Eros: I feel like my head is spinning.
Eros grabbed the cold water bottle and decided to pour it into a glass.
All of a sudden, his head was spinning and hurting.
Eros: I probably just have a headache.
Eros then walked to his living room and sat on his couch. He turned on his TV.
He drank his cold drink and left it on the table in front of him, near the TV.
His eyes were blurry and spinning.
Eros: Ugh, fuck my head. I should go take a nap.
He laid down on his couch, but as his eyes started closing, he noticed his TV was on the news channel.
As he was struggling to open his eyes, he could hear the news.
News Reporter: A man was just found dead this morning in his flat. Police do not yet know who the attacker was or his intent, but Detectives Carina and Amal, who are on the case, suspect it to be the same person who attacked the couple only a couple of days ago.
Eros fell asleep.
But just before he did, he heard something.
A speech? A chant?
He wasn't entirely sure what it was himself.
But he heard something.
_Purple mist and blackened tide,_ _A man who walks where time won’t bide._ _With purple eyes that see too far,_ _A shadow lost where echoes are._
_He does not belong, not here, not then,_ _A whisper lost, again, again._ _The future is past, the past is the key,_ _A circle unbroken, a fate yet to be._
_Step forward, step back, it’s all the same,_ _The echo remains, but so does the name._ _Turn from the hourglass, shatter the sand,_ _He was not meant for this broken land._ *The miracle man
Eros would fall asleep.
---
Anima: So what happened after he took over the world? How was he defeated?
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Soulani: He wasn't.
Anima had a shocked expression on his face, but a very confused one as well. He looked confused, he didn't understand what he meant, that he wasn't defeated.
Anima: Wh- What do you mean?
Anima had a very scared and confused look on his face.
Soulani: It's been a big secret for years, ever since he was defeated, of how they actually took him down, but there have been a lot of rumors. The one the government used is that he simply died from old age.
Anima: Died from old age? How is that possible? Someone who was strong enough to take over the entire world, and he walked west and became a dream walker even though he is an "Anomaly"? None of that makes sense.
Soulani: Mr. Kiran will teach you about going "west" and all of that stuff, but how he became a dream walker even though he wasn't a dream walker is beyond me.
Anima: I see. Do you really think he died of old age?
Soulani was hesitant to answer the question, but he answered it anyway.
Soulani: No, I don't think that...
There was a long pause between the next words Soulani was going to say.
Anima had a bit of a confused face.
Anima: Hm?
Soulani: I know he didn't die from old age.
Anima was taken aback a bit.
Anima: What do you mean by "you know...?"
Soulani: Since I'm an Anomaly, I could feel a connection towards him. It's weird, but I know he's still alive.
Anima: Wait, he is alive?!?
Soulani: Him dying from old age was a good excuse because Luther was still human, just like me. It doesn't take thousands or even millions of years for him to die. He has a short lifespan like me and every other human who doesn't dream walk. He still can die from natural causes.
Anima: I mean, if he was born in 1820 and can die from natural causes, even if he wasn't killed before, he should have died from natural causes. He should have been long gone by now.
Soulani: That's the thing. They did wait. He was about 120. He did live longer than human expectancy, but he even isn't the longest living person ever. That would be Jeanne Calment, a French woman who lived until 122.
Soulani: They knew he was about to die and at his weakest, so they jumped on the opportunity and sealed him, probably preserving his body somewhere.
Anima: I still don't get how you know this.
Soulani: Like I said, it's a feeling.
Anima: I see.
Anima: One last thing about Luther.
Soulani: And what's that?
Anima: Was he a hero?
Soulani chuckled.
Soulani: Well, he did make the trial system and even the dream walker programs, and invited and actually got high-level dream walkers to become teachers. He also did much, much, much more.
Soulani: I guess that's for you to decide.
Anima: My second question is, if you're an Anomaly and they've been killing them ever since Luther, then how are you even here for me to even be here?
Soulani: That's the million-dollar question. Even I don't know the answer to that. My grandma always told me that it was a miracle the doctors never noticed, which always never made sense.
Anima: A miracle, huh?
That was the power of Anima's vision, the miracle. He still doesn't know why he has this power, why his deepest dreams, his soul, manifested this.
Soulani: I know it's strange. Even I don't know how I'm alive. I don't get it either. But hey, I guess I'm here, so no point in going any deeper, just in case, to raise suspicion.
Anima: One last question before I go to bed, and please be honest with me.
Soulani: Of course.
Anima: Be honest, what actually happened to Mom that night, and why have you been keeping it a secret that you've been seeing her for all this time behind my back?
Soulani: It's complicated. All I can say is your mom is fine, but she's a dream walker like you, as you could already tell. She's a level 4. She's been in some difficult matters. I can't say much. Truly, I wish I could tell you everything, but please, give it some time. Everything will be explained in due time.
Anima didn't say a word. He just went to his bed.
He put his head on a pillow.
But a sense of rage engulfed him, driving him nuts.
He wasn't mad at his mom or mad at his dad.
He just wished he knew more, wished he could get closer.
That drive would make him go further into the heavens.\
Chapter 26 end