Chapter 76

Hero For A Day

  I was grieving. Officially that was what I was given time off for, and that was what I was doing. I guess it should be considered sad how the events of my life have gotten here. For my now ex-girlfriend was dead, I had killed her. Wait, not like that, when she jumped bodies as a celestial spirit and overtook a second body, she used the same exact baubles to make me fall in love with her. Baubles that she then used to make me fall in love with someone else. Worse, that other person also was forced to fall in love with me.

  Star Crossed Lovers, such a stupid name for an item that can make you feel emotions so intensely, that you think they are your own. She got out, used something called a Clean Escape bauble that let her original body die by a random string of events. Also, since she is a celestial, I could reset time by ousting her. Only I realized something was off during the last shift. I felt her mind. Well not just her mind, but the mind of all the different Prolaxian Heralds who I managed to uncover from my travels. This was good, because I managed to kill all five of the Prolaxians Heralds that I had faced off against in both universes. See going backwards in time, there is a glitch in the matrix as it were. When I manage to cause a time restart, the minds of the Prolaxian Heralds and Celestials that are normally protected against Mind Rend and other attacks, suddenly have their mental defenses dropped. Odder still, all the minds of all the universes seem to compress in on top of each other, so to me it felt like they were all right there. That is when I plucked them out of existence. I even plucked the mind of Celestial Mel, my now twice dead ex-girlfriend, in this way. With this second time, I am fairly certain she will stay dead.

  Also, I hope that this sends a message to any other celestials. I know of at least one, and I assume there are others. Just as there are heralds sent here to fuck up the universe, there are celestials whose only job is to fuck with my life. At least, that is what I have witnessed so far.

  On the bright side, I’ve gotten two new titles for my ordeals.

  Title Gained: Celestial Slayer.

  Celestial Slayer: You have killed one of the legendary Celestial watchers of the apocalypse. You managed to kill them in such a way that they will never respawn in any time restart. For this you have been cursed. All attributes are at -10%. You are now 10% more resistant to all Celestial events. You are now fully integrated into the system.

  This is the title I gained for permanently destroying the mind of Mel. I find it a bit hypocritical that she can galivant around and forcefully ruin my life. Clearly abuse her power and station, but I get punished for making it so she can never force me to act against my own free will. Also given how I have constantly been affected by the Celestials; I am not so certain if that 10% resistance to all Celestial events is a bad thing.

  I know, I know. Watch it be my luck, that now that I am resistant to their events, that they actually start doing useful things. I honestly don’t even know what they do. The other title I got, also helped to explain a lot about what exactly was going on.

  Title Gained: Herald Slayer X5.

  Herald Slayer X5: You have killed five of the legendary Heralds of the apocalypse. You have managed to kill them in such a way that they will never respawn in any time restart. For this you gain a blessing. All attributes increased by 5% (X5 for a total of 25%). You are now 50% more resistant to all Herald events. You are now fully integrated into the system.

  So, after the two were combined I was barely ahead on attributes. I found it odd that one of the Celestials cost me the same as taking out two of the Heralds. I suppose that was to be a deterrent for taking out Celestials. Though again, that part being more resistant to their events, which is what I hoped was meant by the baubles. I have one still, in my side pocket. Mel, well the spirit of my ex-girlfriend Mel, said I would know what to do with it, when I saw it. To me that sounded like a trap and a half. Especially given the way she used and manipulated me. Though I did keep the necklace she gave me. Not really so I could use this mysterious artifact when the time was right, but mainly so no one else could reactivate the other gemstones and make me dance like a crazy teenager. I was far too old for all that stuff.

  Also, the way I saw it, I was clearly rewarded with killing five of the heralds, that I am assuming is a lot. Especially as I am now resistant to 50% of their shenanigans. What does all this mean for me? No clue.

  I do know that I have fortunately gotten rid of everything that was previously on my list of things to do. Which is good, adulting and all that.

  To Do:

  Confront Jenna Da’anvil. See if she still has these odd baubles on her and get her to undo anything she has done.

  I managed to do this one easily. In fact, I think I did better than I originally planned. At first, I just wanted to see, or know if she had more. Now not only was she removed permanently, but I have the baubles. Also, by outing her, I have effectively undone everything she did. Well, everything she did in the latest timeline. The things she did before she used her Clean Escape bauble were apparently now protected.

  Also, for my second task to do, I also accomplished that, as well.

  Confront Rayquel. See if we do in fact have chemistry.

  I accomplished that task with gusto, even had to plant a tree and grow butterfly wings to get a stupid answer. I’m thinking about making this into a slogan. “I went and asked a girl if she liked me, and all I got were these butterfly wings and a no for my efforts.”

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  Too much? That might be too much for a shirt. The lettering would have to be much smaller and then it would lose most of its meaning. Oh well, I will try to make a more concerted effort to say that, while still getting it fit for a t-shirt. Maybe something along the lines of:

  I asked.

  She said, “No buzz off.”

  I’m getting there. No wait, that was absolutely terrible. Anyways, it will either come to me, or it won’t.

  With how successful my first attempt at to do lists were, I made a mental note to try to get more of my plans for the future accomplished this way. I had a lot to do. Well one task to do.

  To Do:

  Save the girls in Mel’s basement from when they were being tortured by Prolaxian Herald Mave.

  I am in the middle of preparing for this, but I am making a mental note to make sure I didn’t miss anything else important.

  During this time, I make a note to consider two things. First, I now wondered if the time loop would only be able to go back to this point in time. Sort of like hitting a save point, as this was the second time I had been reset to this point, versus the twelve previous times I was reset to my time in the temple. Also, I have determined that I am mostly terrible at plans. This life was supposed to be my one time off, the time when I took things easy. Now look at me, running around, saving damsels in distress, butterfly wings flapping valiantly in the background.

  No, I can’t do it. I wanted to put on a mask or something to hide my identity, but it is all so useless. First, I have giant ass wings, wings that hurt a lot to bend and fold. Do you see real butterflies bending their wings, no, do you know why? Because that shit hurts. Second, assuming I could somehow hide my wings by bending them around my body, my fucking eyes glow. Literally they glow. Even if I went in with a balaclava, my heterochromia eyes would shine like a beacon letting everyone know it was me. So, I reluctantly decide that I will go as is. Well in my civilian clothing at least.

  This leads me to my second thing to consider. I know for a fact that Mel had three different baubles, two of them were apparently set to me. Thus, when she reincarnated into her new body, she kept those old baubles and used them against me. Now, there is this mysterious third bauble, but she couldn’t tell me what it was. The only thing is I know she also had a Clean Escape bauble, which leads me to believe this third one is that same one. Did this mean that if I used the bauble, I would die quickly and easily by random acts of fate? Anyways, these were thoughts and irrational ideas to have at another time.

  For at this moment, I needed to focus. I knew I killed Mave, my fancy title even said she would never come back. The only problem, there were at least two other Prolaxian Infiltrators, or Heralds that were messing with these girls.

  I didn’t think I could take on two PIs, at least not at this moment. I am not afraid to admit that I was frightened. I knew for a fact I would lose to two of these so-called heralds at the same time. As it was, I could barely take on one, and that was often with help.

  I was about to psych myself out of going. Until I remembered the names of the dead: Carrie, Lynn, Nicole, Rachel, and Noel.

  Five people that I could save. Five people that I could change the fate of this time around. What is the point of resetting the timelines if you don’t do anything with that forewarning. Realizing my path forward, I closed my eyes and centered myself.

  Then focusing on the basement inside Mel’s former mansion. I take in a deep breath, then I let it out. Then the next thing I know. I feel the world blur around me, as I feel Total Recall take effect. This is odd. For I need to move to a place where I have psychic residue, basically some place that I have previously been. The only thing is, with this time reset, I technically have never been to Mel and Mave’s old house. I never saw these people, but I feel my connection to them anyways.

  Whoosh.

  “Oh god!”

  “Ahh!”

  “They’re here.”

  Dozens of women cry out all at once. It is just like the last time, all except this time the girls seem a bit healthier. This must be right after Mel died. As none of the girls are tied up, bound, and being experimented on.

  This is wrong?

  Mind Pulse.

  I feel my mind reel with the fact that I might be too early. That of course, this was just after Mel died, meaning that Mave didn’t make her final move to imprison all the girls.

  I am literally an intruder. An obvious home invader. Hopefully they will chalk the wings up to some sort of cosplay thing. At least that is what I hope.

  Looking around the room, I see all the girls I remember from my past life. The ones that I managed to save: Julie, Traci, Yulia, Marta, Olivia, Alice, and Felicia

  I am about to try to teleport out when I realize something. “Where are Carrie, Lynn, Nicole, Rachel, and Noel?” I ask.

  “What, they all left like a week ago.”

  “Just who the hell are you! You need to get out of here!” Julie says. She is so much stronger willed in this timeline. I almost want to praise her, but then I realize an awful truth.

  “No, they are being tortured. Follow me!” I yell, as I break past the girls and head to the basement panic room.

  “Hey, where are you going.”

  “I’m calling the cops.” Another girl I think that one is Felicia screams.

  “Please do. Call an ambulance as well.” I shout from over my shoulder.

  Hearing that the women that had been close on my heels, suddenly pause. Suddenly it dawns on them that I might be far more powerful than they can handle. At that, they all decide to wait at the top of the stairs. This is fine, as it gives me a chance to break through the security bolted door.

  Normally breaking into such a high-class panic room would be extremely difficult, but I had already been inside. I knew where the release rod for the door was, and with a simple Telekinetic-X grip.

  Click.

  I was able to release the door.

  “Ahh!”

  “No, no, no…”

  Women cried and screamed as the door opened. Apparently, they thought I was here to torture them.

  Seeing them, well let’s just say I almost vomited. What they went through was terrible. It was clear that these girls were being tested on first and the experiments were far grizzlier, than what the other girls experienced.

  “Oh, my gods.” I said, as I covered my face with my arm. The stench of rot and decay was terrible. I began casting heal on the five girls, while simultaneously breaking them free of their restraints.

  “What is going on down there?”

  A few of the girls from the top of the stairs called out, but I was too focused on healing the girls. In between bouts of healing, I summoned Water-X to wash away the contaminants. I then used Air-X to create a breeze to get the scent of rot out of here.

  I remember this being bad, but not this bad. Maybe this was worse somehow? Or maybe Mave and the others just got better at cleaning up the stench. Regardless, this was disgusting.

  Finally, after a few minutes, one of the girls came down.

  “Oh, my gods. Carrie, is that you?” I didn’t have to look to realize that it was Samantha. She ran forward, all but pushed me out of the way, so she could get to Carrie.

  I remember in the previous timeline she also called out for Carrie. Seeing the two, I was glad I came when I did.

  I looked to see the form of a Prolaxian Herald decaying on the floor. It’s long tentacled tongue hanging out like a dog’s might, if the dog died of heat stroke. Seeing the monster, I couldn’t help but feel relief.

  “Wh, what is that?” Julie asked, as she too entered the basement room.

  “That was Mave. She held us down here for a week, torturing us and conducting experiments on us.” Another girl, I didn’t know her name. Well, I knew her name, but right now I had a one in four chance of getting it correct.

  “You are?” I asked the newly freed girl.

  “I am Noel. Thank you.” The girl, Noel, said.

  “Just who are you supposed to be anyways, the butterfly man?” Julie said, coming from behind me.

  “No.” I say, turning to Julie, with one finger up turned.

  Bzzz!

  “Oh, my gods, they are remote controlled.” Nicole said, she was clearly still recovering from a healing euphoria.

  Apparently, there was a weird dichotomy from the girls I saved, to the girls I barged in on. I could kind of understand the resentment, but also come on. I was here to save lives.

  Knock, knock, knock!

  A loud pounding came from the front door. A camera on the front door showed two officers with batons out.

  “Oh, this is going to be bad.” I say, as I sigh to myself. “I really just wanted to do something good with this life.”