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Phantom Samsara: Path of Deva
Chapter XVII: Floral Sea

Chapter XVII: Floral Sea

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Andini was curious about what Ren talking about with his friends, mostly the gods from 9th Heaven--does that means Heaven has many layers or regions or something like that? So, she decided to ask what the android think of them. "Athalla, do gods have respective abodes up there?" she asked, his cheeks still red but more cleared, he felt he might know the answer. "I'm just, kinda curious--because the deities are supposed to give blessings and peace... but some are not as good."

Andini pouted, waiting for his answer. Prime fixed his sitting posture, before he continued scanning as his screen zoomed at the human girl's blue-and-yellow eyed, so soft yet aggressive, after seeing her as a strong and cold woman on the first days of her presence. "Well, yes, Andini... I think every 'section' of Heaven had its own lords. The ones from Phantom Samsara aren't the good ones, since they were envious of Asura and Yaksha's lives when they remained in the 'earths'--when you considered between Heaven, Hell and Earthly Realm," he explained.

"Oya, how do you know that though?"

"I figured out there're good, bad, and neutral deities in the previous worlds... it's not that bad, by the way. I don't know everything, everything is unknown for me," he admitted, glancing at her and the puppy sitting beside him. One of the reasons is those memories are still far behind on him, as he stared at the reflection of waves that swayed in the beach. "But, ever since I was reborn as a scientist-android... I began to learn everything, no matter what a disaster comes to me."

Andini hummed, before she rests her head on his shoulder--Prime wouldn't be surprised anymore. She liked to talk a lot, about her troubles and how does she hate this kind of messed up of feelings. "Former Captain of androids, Kushinada... after he already left the Scarlet Armband Army to be independent..." he stated, feeling hesitant to pick the right words to say. "... he was resting in the pavilion now, there's some issues in his drive so I had to deactivate him after removing his bomb and 'drive detector' from him."

"Is it like... malware or virus detected in his system?"

"Yeah, pretty sure those data will make his system just glitch and fucked up."

Prime grumbled, maintenance is android's worst nightmare and this is why Izayoi and his twin sister Yayoi always skipped Prime's weekly, monthly maintenance. This is only a task of updating his new developments, more than preventing it to catch a 'heart attack' but the data inside androids are more harmful because the secret codes keeps the androids remain on the same place. "By the way, Athalla... can you remove your mask? You look like a plague doctor," Andini scoffed in a bored tone, causing the scientist-android sighed in defeat. "I don't mind about your appearance or appearance but... whenever I see that mask of yours, a hint of betrayal..." she muttered as she shivered a bit, for example when she tried to sleep--she kept thinking about what's behind the 'mask' that the guards of Heaven Palace. He took off his beaked plague doctor's mask from his head, along with the blue slicked back hair became loose and messy--although his hair didn't have this spiky texture as it was used to be slicked back.

Andini blushed a bit, before she covered her mouth--that certainly his face was handsome and all, the beautiful red eyes of him went revealed as she looked away. 'This is exactly Athalla, who was myself the whole time...' Prime thought, it's no doubt that his android appearance is very similar to his former self. "Crap, I can't even focus--"

"That's why you're looking at it in awe, huh? Is my appearance that impressive?" Prime added in a playful tone, now he became smug. "If you're with me for two weeks, then you're going to scream!" he added. She glared at him, is he joking or pranking her?! "Okay, get that sass out!" Andini yelled at him, smacking his head--Prime yelled in pain when she did that. Android's 'weak spot' is ALWAYS the head because it holds their data, and the damage is permanently until they get fixed on it, fixing the brain. "Ow ow ow ow, stop hitting my head or let me just shut down to fix my brain!"

Andini huffed, folding her arms while he had to take out his kit to repair the damage on his head. "My dad never treated me this way, y'know," she grumbled, which she muttered. "Well, I'm a human so... it's a miracle he never changed me into an android, that would be a nightmare in my life..." she sighed. Andini doesn't want to be like him, the pride is their differences, no doubt that the girl became more of his opposite: regal, stubborn, proud, dignified and a confident person while he was a softie with a huge fascination of sciences and his experiments.

This what drove him insane, that the red-haired idiot's advice for science is 'do dumb shit' has been successful sometimes... Or just a luck.

"Hey, Kushinada's awake now!"

Kushinada rubbed his head as he just woke up from his sleep, approaching Izayoi, Yayoi, Prime and a human girl named Andini. "Crap... I just woke up from a short nap... that my drive damaged my brain hard," Kushinada said as he grabbed a handful of his messy hair,

approaching them as he folded his arms. Andini still got intimidated by the former captain, even though he's harmless. "Ah, hello. I hope I'm not been a nuisance to you all," Kushinada replied with a deep voice, although he's a bit tired of his last state. 'I hope he doesn't remember that I smacked his head...' Izayoi thought, while the youngest android just stared at Kushinada as if she's questioning how does he ends up becoming the former Captain of androids. In other words, a lot of confusion.

Prime whistled, looking back at him as Andini watched. "Kushi, did you deactivate the androids first after the explosion happened, before you leave to the 7th Heaven Palace?" he asked, in curious mode (that's the 'scientist' in him, to be exact). The taller android furrowed his eyebrows, searching some files in his database and began to explain. "I did, turns out I encounter one of the gods from the 7th Heaven Palace, he was the God of War named Liu Bei. He warned me about these gods' intentions and better not stepping into their zone, but I refused," Kushinada explained, still holding a hard grip on his head as it was still pounding. "Fuck... Prime, you didn't tinker the fuck out of my program?!" he exclaimed in his tired state, pushing away Izayoi from him.

"Nope, even so, that's how the things are since everyone want what's the best and you acted like a hotshot back then," Prime explained calmly, before Kushinada was the only android who noticed Prime didn't always behave like this: someone who doesn't give a shit but later he becomes aggressive or protective from them and being his usual self again. "Are you dating someone, Prime?" he asked, earning a befuddled reaction from the aforementioned. Izayoi and Yayoi turned to each other in sync, they just realized--what is this moment?

Prime remained quiet, trying not to blush while Andini look away with a light gasp. "Uhhh... yeah. I just met her again, it's like that," the android lied, before someone (Yayoi) pointed out that lying is a sign that Prime is guilty of denying the obvious lies he just made. "Dude, you're the most intelligent and trusted scientist and android--yet you just fucking lied bro!" Izayoi pointed out, causing Prime to show a middle finger to him. "Shut up or I'm going to put the stupidity in you--which is already in there, duh."

Izayoi growled as he grabs his collar, almost strangling him. "Let's fight each other, you dickhead! Just saying! So, who's the chick?" he tempted, getting enough with his bullshit banter but then Yayoi pulled him by the ear. "Now now, Izayoi-nii... let's get back and eat with the others! Waaaait, who told you to--unhand me you little--ARRRRGH!" the black haired-twin sister whimpered, her cheeks puffed in embarrassment as her older twin brother was treating her like a baby. "Let. Go. Off. My. Ear!"

Prime sighed, before he approached Kushinada and stared back at him. "So, those gods are indeed 'alive' to this world... Andini's vision isn't wrong," he said, Kushinada nodded when he watched Andini collecting seashells. "Has there any more information about the Oracle's Eye yet, Kushi?" Prime asked, it took him awhile to think and to search. "Not really, about the Oracle's Eye... that's gonna be hard to search about. But, I have the archives of them."

He handed the archives that has their photos, indicating the descriptions and classes of Gods.

Turns out, a special kind of human gets a blessed vision when an Oracle's Eye in sight of humans that became sacred to them. This is because they have the 'special fate'. In fact, during their exploration on many locations of the post-apocalyptic era, they kept digging more evidences as they found corpses of the Oracle's Eyes' that was killed or betrayed... or never made it out on their journey, and became a target on the enemy's sights. "They were already interested in Riyanda Tjahyana, or Ren that we know--because the Scarlet Armband Army wanted to piss off the gods and taunting them--'even if we kill the Oracle's Eye, and gods are out of our way, there's no threat for us and this world'. Well, no wonder you hated those guys," Kushinada replied.

Prime rolled his eyes, now they had to deal with the Creator of the androids once Kushinada defected from them. Andini approached both of them, folding her arms. "So, are you guys going to teach me how to fight?" the noblewoman asked, only to receive a nod from Prime and Kushinada. "Ain't a hard deal," Prime huffed while stroking the German Shepherd puppy who barked happily. "It's been only 45 minutes, yeah but we're good at fighting; you just learn simple things," Kushinada corrected.

Usually, Kushinada is a psycho when he was in Scarlet Armband Army and before he got 'tinkered' by Prime--he was merciless and cold, but he is kind when he wakes up. In a contrast between Izayoi, who was too rebellious; Prime, who was a kind one but have an inflated ego--although he's just the second most threatening one than the older android. Yayoi is a lazy and laid-back young woman who is oblivious by her older twin brother's plans, but she is always the level-headed one. "Athalla," Andini addressed Prime by his real name, making his face went red again and Kushinada got pale upon realizing how he referred to him earlier. "Tell me what are we going to do, Athalla--"

"Call me Prime, instead!"

Andini grinned, seeing how flustered her favorite scientist-android when he was teased and his rival Kushinada with the other two androids heard it. "Oh, so your real name is Athalla Tampubolon, huh?" Kushinada pointed out. Prime grumbled, while Andini pats his shoulder and huffed. "That's it, Prime. Now you need a new identity."

"... Why are you doing this..."

Ren watched the interaction of those people and Andini, he folded his arms as he stand with Kaizo, Izumo and Hakuren with her hands on her hips. "Looks like Andini isn't just an ordinary human, she can be a Vidyadhara though... and she was able to connect with the androids," Izumo said with a grin, he liked the sight of her having a fun interaction with the twins or with Prime and Kushinada--the leader of androids. "She isn't such a calm girl, y'know," Hakuren added, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess Oracle's Eye is the second enemy to deal with huh... the deities, I meant," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"The World Government IS the Heavenly Deities' representatives, these rascals have been fucking up the people in the past..." Ren frowned, before he punched his clenched fist against his other palm. "The more I destroy them, the less pain from it! This is a sweet little revenge, and we still got a long path to walk..." he said, being satisfied by his statement and smile. A smile is good, despite all the grudge or frustration. He wanted to know about the layers of Heavens, in his hypothesis that it consists of three layers: higher 'earth', 'heaven' and 'hell' that they stood right now in, and then the 7th Heaven that is where humans can ascend after death or dying. However, he asked Sakura because the God of Rebirth used to live there--until she revealed something that made him shocked.

Sakura giggled, clasping her hands. "Some of the souls doesn't want to go there, so they came to me instead of heading up there~♬" she explained while floating in the mid-air, after serving her customers. "They said that they want to reborn instead of being reincarnated, but my main task is reincarnate of course!" she smiled, caressing her pink hair as she curled her long pink hair. "I don't think 'reincarnation' is the 'rebirth' that you meant... well... you recycle the deceased souls after its container got worn out?" he continued asking, tapping his fingers against the wooden table.

Sakura shook her head, pointing at the ceiling with a beam of light flashed on her fingertip. "Teehee, the deceased souls now wandering around or just find other ways," the pink-haired deity explained, holding her teacup and drinking it. "I granted them to live with human lives by letting them live as a ghost, guardians and higher beings--because I feel bad for them, even as an immortal--their lives were destroyed and left with confusion..." she frowned and bowed her head down, before the amber brown-haired Vidyadhara raised his eyebrow. "I see... so how did you make them reborn?"

"I asked the spirit; what do you want to be when you reborn? I offer everything for them. Most of them are determined so I just make them into my assistants, ghosts, higher beings and spirit guardians for the family..." Sakura answered him with an enthusiastic expression, smiling happily.

"After all, I left Heaven because the deities and I have different views of what should we do with mortal beings! They're my clients too! For example, I create a spiritual guardian for their soul and spirit--and their parents. So, the spirits can be summoned by the ones who have unique powers or they can control it... or sometimes the 'spiritual powers' is stronger than the original one. But, the gods disagree with my reasons that's why I have to leave because the dispute became bigger, they're a group of lunatics!" she said with a pout as her pink birds on her shoulders twitched, Ren's jaw was dropped.

"Sounds serious..."

Now he started to get serious, he need to confront the Oracle's Eye but he don't know the real identity--until he saw Kushinada entered the restaurant with Prime. "I know who's the Oracle's Eye is," he spoke, causing everyone turned their heads to him and standing up as everyone approached him with a look of concern. Kushinada placed the archives on the table, analyzing some photos. "We read about the deities' files and photographs in Archives of Scarlet Armband Army too, the gender of the Oracle's Eye is ambiguous but their name is White Swan. I noticed that Oracles' Eye is genderless, ambiguous and they can be transformed into men and women without restrictions."

Prime nodded, before glancing at his friends and Andini included. "And how do we gonna stop them now? Since these people are actually a threat to us or there will be the worse scenario, we have to find the Scarlet Armband Army's main base of operations--plus we have yet to find the executives who were the military leaders or officials and commanders working for the organization," Prime replied, placing the laptop and files on the table--closing it and clicking his fingers against the surface of his beloved electronic device. "I once tracked them while I was at some post in Annapurna I in Nepal, but unfortunately... the data signal's strength is weakened. Looks like, the stronger they are--the less data is transferred," he said to Kushinada, who rubbed his temples.

'How the fuck you androids can handle cold places...?' Ren thought with pale-white face and horrified eyes, shaking his head. Oh right, they were made with a super tough machine and never made them feel pain with cold weather at the least (they adapted on summer, winter, spring and autumn but they built a thermostat too...). But they have their 'mind' so they felt confused if that's related to the human feelings but they're still technically neutral when it comes to bad things, but they can 'emote'. "Looks like I did fuck up my own brain more than I expected," Kushinada snarked, receiving an elbow nudge from Prime. "White Swan is an oracle lived from the Old World, they began spreading miracles throughout the ancient civilization including the modern era--basically known as the embodiment of Fate," Prime explained while taking out his scalpel, balancing it in his fingers.

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"Then it's the bad news, the prophecies are either a good or bad omen as the word, prophecy doesn't have a right or wrong..." Ren wondered, tapping his chin with a thinking face. He knows he was smarter than 'common sense' people and made of braincells, but sometimes he had to ask someone as Kaizo is no smartass. "Kaizo, do you think Eclipse Prophecy is true?" he asked, Kaizo shrugged. "Depends on what are you trying to build out about this oracle's power," the dark violet black-haired Vidyadhara said as he narrowed his dark brown eyes, tapping his fingers against the desk. "Like, we don't know what's inside that Eclipse Prophecy--if we can pull the strings of it, making the other people's life change," he said.

"I think we have to go through the basic of Oracle's Eye. Oracle's Eye means they were blessed by this mystical weapon that allows the one who receives such power will experience their lives are full of miracle or disaster--which I admit, it's up to the person's fate. Mostly, our lives are connected with another person's life," Prime replied while fixing his coat, giving a very brief explanation. "They also known as deathless prophet since the beginning, people will call them as oracle, prophet, prognosticator and the lot--anyways, who's still understand the history--"

One of the androids facepalmed, shaking his head. "Prime... you know everyone are humans, aren't you...?" Izayoi muttered in dismay, rolling his eyes. "How the fuck--"

"You shut up before I gonna put IQ drug in your coffee, I'm the only one who fully understand and able to memorize everything--suck it!"

"Actually, what he said is entirely true!"

Sakura said happily, which the fact is approved by the God of Rebirth herself--making them speechless. "I can understand what he meant, but can you answer math problems to us?" Izumo asked cunningly, approaching the tired-of-bullshit prime android. "Sure thing," he said and Andini's jaw dropped, as Prime pulled out a pen and began writing the numbers and stuffs--before drawing and doodle something not to be revealed. She knew he was the high-class android, but...

...

...

What the fuck?

He just solved a cryptarithm! Sakura clapped her hands as she admired what the scientist-android is capable of doing--why does he has this many brain cells when the last time Prime worked with a brilliant scientist team, before he glanced at Andini. "Are you admiring at me?" he said arrogantly, before Andini rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised how many brains you have, despite having an 'inflated ego'!" she responded with an annoying expression, she knew he became overconfident sometimes but Prime himself likes to observe the world according to the facts and references he obtained from the research.

Watching the sky from the Floating Restaurant as they finally rested for the entire night, they had built or rebuild their barriers to protect the restaurant from getting destroyed and a few defenses are installed. Ren was having dinner with his friends, he felt a tap on his shoulder from behind him and he turn around--realizing that nobody was there and his father didn't seems to notice what happened just now to him.

Now when he found the photos of the executives from Scarlet Armband Army, he was already prepared to confront them no matter what. He wanted to find the Oracle's Eye first, or known as the White Swan. "What's our plan, Ren?" Shenlan asked, swinging her legs back and forth while Farlan observing what Johann and Pairin working in the machineries and Dinda was playing her zither together with Ruanyi. "We're infiltrating the Scarlet Armband Army's spaceship, capturing the Oracle's Eye and defeat the leader first--but might as well steals one of their technologies for us... maybe their spaceship too?"

Ren suggested, it might sounds crazy--but he wanted to improve the weaponries in case the war began against the gods. But, Kushinada interjected. "Don't get too cocky and reckless, the gods have different levels from the Heaven's Abodes such as 7th and 6th. The first is the highest, and the lowest would be 10th, keep in mind that we're dealing with the ones that are powerful--but that doesn't mean we cannot stop them. One of them caused the whole samsara, while ones are not."

He was right, they have to take a careful steps of not doing anything reckless. Ren nodded, looking at the archives of the gods who were ignorant of humankind. "The Scarlet Armband Army should've kept the ancient weapons, now we have to take down each executives before their leader..."

Meanwhile...

In the Scarlet Armband Army Spaceship, the Oracle's Eye was seen sitting on their knees while facing the window of the spaceship. Then, the Oracle's Eye raised their head, the appearance of the Oracle's Eye is an individual with ambiguous gender of fair complexion, they have a black and gold hood over their light brown short messy hair and their eyes covered by a white blindfold. Wearing a long white and gold platinum tattered outer Chinese garment, which has a half sleeves with white and blue ribbons, blue pants and wears a dark brown heeled boots. They also wear the scarlet-colored armband, along with a grayish-orange scarf wrapped around their neck.

"White Swan."

One of the executives, James Redmayne--addressed their name while resting his hand on the Oracle's Eye's left shoulder, the blue-hooded Oracle's Eye slowly turning their head to him as they removed their hood. He wears a pair of black-framed circular glasses and has pale skin, grey-colored hair with a yellow long bang with its left side covering the left side of his face with white framing it and covering his eye while leaving his nose and mouth partially exposed, and black roots present on his hair. He wears a buttoned navy blue shirt with black belts strapped across it and grey cuffs, a red-gold necklace, a long beige coat that exposes his right shoulder and left side of his body, a red-gold sash over his waist and held a holstered gun in his right, and dark-colored pants with silver zippers on each leg, thigh-high white socks, and dark brown boots--he also has a scarlet-colored armband on his left arm.

The prophet looked at him, their expression no longer a smile--instead a stone cold pokerface expression. "The first prophecy has come in our way," their soft voice whispered in a gentle tone, looking at him. "How long would it take for everything will be successful, White Swan?" James questioned, causing the Oracle's Eye to clasped their hand and laughed. "It's not a simple fate, the time doesn't want to fix its timeline on--the deities above are currently getting messier. We just had to play political game, it is to lure the deities' servants into one place."

He turned his back as they watched a few group of androids marching towards and riding their machines or vehicles as they move to the next location, before looking at his armband--while being contemplative for a minute before chuckled. "Horja Satriantar better make his army the best, we already lost some of the executives--but we can replace them, or anyone will be dead in the end."

"Who will die first, James?"

James shrugged his shoulders, lowering his head with a grin--reflecting his mirror glare on the ground. "We don't know who's the first, or third, or fourth and all--we shall see who will die first, and will see it until everything is burning down."

He entered the spaceship first, while the prophet remained in the wind--feeling the wind swayed as they remained in their pavilion. They watched the slate that has the prophecies known as Eclipse Prophecy, their fingers trailed on each of its text in hieroglyphics as a small orb glowed. A green glowing leaf approached the Oracle's Eye, but even so--it's an innocent life form for them. White Swan grabbed the leaf and carefully put it on their pockets, before a butterfly passed by--wait, there's no nature in this post-apocalyptic wasteland to find them on the spot. Perhaps, it's a sign or an instinct for the Oracle's Eye.

Horja clenched his fists, how come his daughter Andini escaped from his grasp? He was still pissed as the blue-haired man with olive-purple eyes with segmental heterochromia growled, turning his eyes to the prisoners in the dungeons who were injured or sleeping. These prisoners are mostly orphans, especially for the sake of an army of his or slavery or ransom--these human beings were given a 'high power' among their ranks by creating them as androids. "Alright, bastard. How come a fucking military expert would hide their heiress successfully like this?!" he yelled, slamming his fist at the glass of a certain android--who didn't look at him. The other scientists are scurrying away from the androids, which is true that he made them suffer and would cause anyone to not live or to end up as 'slaves'.

"Our deep apologies, sir. Apparently, Kushinada, Izayoi, Yayoi and Prime has escaped with your daughter, Lady Andini--they were associating with the Narayana's Scions, led by Sadana Tanuwijaya... and SHANGRI-LA, led by the Vidyadhara... Riyanda Tjahyana."

The android explained, but the latter huffed. Horja didn't have enough patience with his daughter or her group or her 'new friends'. "What am I gonna do with them, they are fucking weak. Now, Kushinada choose freedom over my goal--over what are we suppose to do?" he hissed. These androids don't give a damn about him, these weak assholes are useless for him and to kill the opposing sides. "Horja, why are you so angry now?" James asked the Indonesian nobleman, walking towards him with casual clothes and looking at the android inside his capsule. Horja was curious to see the scientist with such friendly demeanor--however, this was only a charade from him. "You look worse, dude..."

"Because I couldn't figure out a motive from those androids that defected, and leaving me in the cold."

James chuckled darkly, his index finger tracing the crystal ball--where he could access to the Oracle's Eye's memories through that seer is. He walked around him in circle, before he glanced at the other executives who had a nonchalant expression, a dark grin formed from his expression. It took only a long enough before James spoke, one of the executives listens. "You're too focused on the other 'threat' instead of facing the real monster--your flaws and selfishness. What kind of father are you, who keeps insisting that you got a girl that is considered a good one? Have you ever care for your children's well-beings, including Andini..."

"Of course I did! My wife died and gave birth to her first, but then I failed again so now I got another girl! SHE'S NEVER GONNA BE HEIR AND SHE'S GONNA BECOME USELESS! I NEVER CHANGED IT!"

Erina Soedargo; one of the Indonesian executives aimed her dagger at his throat, they have been dealing with his bullshit and patriarchal way for them to join the army, as the strong leaders that everyone wanted to become. "Say one more thing about all women... including the poor girl that was born from someone who fell into madness..." she said with an innocent smile and closed eyes under her white eye mask, while Mahiru Sugita or Mahiru--the Japanese executive huffed with his arms folded. "Enough babbling, Horja... if you lost the battle again, then we will be sent to this nonsense and be labeled as weak or unworthy than a god," he reminded the nobleman. "That's one lesson you have learned, Horja. We have the reason, but that's different to how we used to treat people or the other parties--we are not your friends."

James chuckled as he watched the commander, he just raised his hands in amusement. "Gentlemen, ladies... leave him be and find a way to find the world's order," he joked as he strolled down, with the others leaving Horja to be in charge. "So, how was White Swan doing?" Tarina asked, they watched the mysterious Oracle's Eye waving their palm from one to another--when it was cut, there's an illusion that's slowly disappearing. "They won't say a thing, I'm merely forced them to predict the future that involved the Scarlet Armband Army or SHANGRI-LA..." James explained while adjusting his glasses. "James, stop collecting immaculate statues..."

"Me? Collecting? Wow... isn't that 'rare' from me."

Tarina glared at him, their calm and collected demeanor changed after experiencing some traumas on the journey they have, these gods only know what happened behind the scenes. "Dude, you're a disturbing one. There's no mistake the most fucking bastard that wanted to unleash a chaos."

"I love immaculate things, Tarina... there's no way that those things will never change my hobbies."

The Oracle's Eye sighed, the illusion slowly disappearing to their view. They glanced up at the mirror, watching how did it end the visions. "James," they addressed the chief scientist before turning their head. "Yes, milady?" James replied, now his brown eyes stared at their two different colored eyes--green left and red right eyes, instead of the human's colors. "Don't 'misgender' me for calling me as a woman... I am either of them, so does my biology," White Swan corrected in a gentle manner, although this world is harsh, the Oracle's Eye must never lose their true nature.

James only laughed it off, twirling his orb with his hand. "If I had to, I couldn't help but admit what kind of prophecy you keep guessing, White Swan. Who the hell was those 'unknown' person?" he asked, but the Oracle's Eye remained quiet--their silence answered that his question was pointless, or does the Swan even forget who was this unknown man that involved in their prophetic texts. "Your wife is okay now, Mathilda wasn't it?" they asked, making his mood toned down when his beloved wife was brought by the Oracle's Eye.

Mathilda was in her bedroom of the spaceship, looking up at the mirror while waiting for her husband. She was a pale-skinned woman with a dark brown hair with gold streaks tied in elegant and messy bun, leaving her bangs fell over her golden-colored eyes and cheeks. She wears an elegant light cyan silk collared dress with dark blue hood attached with a large furry cuffs on her sleeves, white scarf over her neck, and her barefoot but she wears a pair of golden anklets, wears a gold chain rings and a hair pin. She was one of the executives of the Scarlet Armband Army and a Venerable--the title which their families and others use to call her, especially the Oracle's Eye, Venerable Mathilda.

"My beautiful wife, how are we today?"

James greeted his wife as he got into the bedroom, carrying some wine and plates of food in his tray as he approached her, while the latter remained sitting on her bed with her body leaned against the wall. "Not really, every party that's holding many grudges, blood and war--just for no reason or a wrong action to happen. Where were you all night?" she asked calmly. "Playing poker with the executives, dealing with them as much as possible."

Mathilda nodded, not moving from her position as he placed the tray above her laps and then sat beside her. "Did you able to play when you're drunk, sir?" she asked in a rather snarky tone, before her husband rested his hand on her face. James hummed playfully, as he kept teasing her/ "Guess I can't drink with whiskey, Madam?" he asked. Her cheeks are blooming like a bright pink in embarrassment and in anger, why did she marry him again? Right, it was all started in the beginning where this is what fate had thought for her when they first met before the Scarlet Armband Army established. He was being a dumb flirt to her, since it was their first meeting but after 3 months or so of interacting with each other, her mindset of having a love life or even marriage seems to be complicated for the rest of their lives.

"You know, I was thinking of having a child."

James stopped humming, looking back at her in a surprised look. He also wanted to have a family, as much as the other executive's situation is. Their reasons are strong and good ones, but they still wanted to become involved in this corrupted post-apocalyptic era and the reason is simple. "I'm thinking the same thing, my dear. Imagine, have a sweet and adorable baby--even so... I wanted our baby to live a simple life and do whatever the child wanted," he spoke in a solemn yet dreamy tone, before Mathilda pat his head with a soft laughter. "Oh you, but I was considering... this will not last if it were a disaster."

"For all of our sakes."

Mathilda heard him when he put his hands over her, before smiling to each other. "Come on, I wanted to have one right now!" he insisted playfully, causing her to push his face away. "N-Now? Now, sir?!" she hissed while her face already getting red. "I-If you wanted one, you could find the lady outside the ship! O-or... you can invite White Swan to do it--"

"White Swan, for what? They're non-binary, I'm not committing infidelity!"

James laughed, seeing how desperate she was. Ever since they get married, their feelings were innocent but also not--but Mathilda would look like an alcoholic fish out from the aquarium when her husband looked at her. It was truly hilarious for James. "H-Hahaha... wait. One moment," Mathilda turned his head to the curtains, ignoring her husband--her mind suddenly was consumed with the view of her ancestor from a family painting, gazing down at her with an expression of dismay as the same one on James, albeit showing the expression of tiredness and exhaustion. Is it just a trick of the imagination or that 'ghost' will be the one haunting the future?

Hours later, she was sleeping at her own bed while hugging the pillow that is embraced her in a comforting position to rest with her soft and lullaby hums--the sign she had a nice time with her husband. James cradled her, the dark colors of his outfit blended with the darkness, he remained standing near her bed, in his position as if it has 2 legs in each side--while still managing his grasp around her. "I have my oath to fulfill, for that my dearest; I hoped your father accepted my decision and the Oracle's Eye are the one I used to see the fate they predicted."

The chief scientist whispered in a comforting manner, slowly approaching the lamp on the bedside while holding the sheets, before he kissed her. James truly loved her, even for that his wife is a brave and foolish woman who decides to dive into the deepest and darkest of her ambitions. And him, he would have to walk on another road and follow the way of the deities' reigns.

"Sweet dreams... my eternal love."

He blew the flame, before everything became darker for both of them.

*ೃ༄