Alexia

The Countdown has officially begun.

What does that even mean?

The System Architect stays silent. Although I’m not sure if it’s because of the agreement we made or just him not wanting to respond.

All of the whispered conversations in the chamber grow even louder after the notification. Meanwhile I find an odd, red and purple colored countdown located in the top right corner of my vision.

Strange.

The countdown is… rather long. To the point that it says years as part of it. Years, Months, and days, instead of hours, minutes, and seconds.

How I know this, I’m not sure. But I do.

Which is even weirder.

Just an instinctive feeling when looking at the countdown.

What’s just as odd is that the years section lists a hundred years on the countdown.

Meaning whatever it is that’s happening won’t occur for an entire century.

The chatter in the chamber continues for a few more seconds before yet another notification appears.

The Dimensional Council Meeting shall draw to a close in one hour.

Up until then, discussion between Authority Holders may take place.

Ah, so just one more hour of boring.

On that note, I press the feature of my booth that makes it so others can’t view inside before turning around and watching Ethan and Astrid play chess for a little bit. While, of course, keeping an ear on the discussions around us. Because I don’t want to be blindsided by something important.

“Where’d you get this chess set anyways?” I can’t help but ask the two.

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To my surprise, they both answer at the same time.

“Jeremiah.” “Jeremiah.”

I glance between the two, feeling rather confused about when they both got so in sync. Then the corners of Astrid’s lips twitch and she says, “Check.”

Ethan glares at the chess board. Then he glares at my sister. Then glances at me with an odd look on his face.

Finally he turns back to the chess board as a wave of ice covers it, knocking it over before he says, “Oops, accidentally knocked over the board.”

Both Astrid and I give him a look, but the shameless bastard doesn’t say a word. Doesn’t even look at us. Just looks away at the discussions taking place.

As if he were trying to pay attention instead of avoiding what he just did.

Never expected Ethan to be the type to play the ‘flip the board’ move when he is about to lose.

I can’t help but judge him for that. If he’s gonna play, he should at least play till the end. Regardless of if he wins or loses.

So much for a dragon’s pride I guess.

Although…

I glance at the others who are in discussion still outside of my booth.

…I wonder if he’d still do it if there were any non-Class S species able to see him? Since Astrid is also a Class S now.

Which is probably why he’s started treating her like a normal person as well. Instead of the dolls he treats everyone else like.

Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure Ethan was spending some time in other Dimensional Blocks recently. Actually don’t think he’s even in Dimensional Block #108 right now.

Hmm, well, whatever. Doesn’t’ really matter what he’s doing.

I begin to turn away, only to find him bringing out a deck of cards and asking both me and Astrid, “Wanna play?”

Both of us give him a look that I’d say is somewhere between judgmental and disgusted. Mostly by his shamelessness. Partially by the fact that he apparently keeps a deck of cards on his person all the time.

Because this isn’t the first time he’s pulled that thing out and suggested a game.

Despite our judgmental looks though, we both go ahead and start playing the game with him.

There’s not much else to do after all, other than keep an eye on the discussions while we play.

I think back to Vargas as we begin to play.

The guy returned to his Dimensional Block after we killed the Cataclysm Class dragon, where he rather quickly got voted in as the new Dimensional Leader of their Dimensional Block. Since I kinda killed their old one.

Or rekilled? Redeaded?

I’m sick of having this internal debate. I should just ask an undead how they refer to it.

“And terrify them in the process,” a certain Quantum Architect comments despite our agreement. But I choose to plead ignorance to his statement.

He snorts.

I can’t help but smirk at the thought of Vargas becoming a Dimensional Leader though. Honestly, I’m pretty sure he was only voted out of fear. And because no one else could decide on who would receive the position.

So the remaining Authority Holders just kinda dumped their votes on the dragon who happened to also be their Dimensional Champion.

Although I kind of doubt he’ll bother to help if any wars come around.

Dragons don’t like undead after all, and their Dimensional Block is still rather full of them.

The three of us continue playing our little card game while the other Authority Holders conduct their diplomacy and governing stuff. But I do pause every once in a while when something important is said. Then I make a mental note of it and play my card.

Ten minutes later, both me and Astrid are going head to head while leaving Ethan in the dust in our game. And right when he’s about to be eliminated entirely, he tries to send the cards all flying. With no success, since Astrid is holding them in place this time, making the small amount of frost he tried blowing over them not able to budge the cards locked in place by shadows. Something that normally wouldn’t be possible since he’s still quite a bit higher level than her, but he’s at least trying to make it look like an accident. So he didn’t put much force behind it.

Both Astrid and I raise a single brow at the man, making him seemingly shrink slightly as he continues playing before losing the game.

Thought so.