NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Chapter 17 - Heaven's Mind
"Hm?"
[Heaven's Mind is active.]
Eve fluttered her eyelids open, her vision slightly blurry as the text scrawled across her retina. On the other side of the screen was Cloud's face. She refocused her gaze on the screen, 'what is happening?'
She watched as the screen transformed, looking like a game screen with her image.
[Name: Eve Caelum]
[Limit: Phase One]
[Rank: High Apprentice]
[Skills: Mixed Martial Arts (Fragmented/Untrained), Sexual Arts (B), Hacker (S), Shooting (S), Quick Reading (F), Flying Sword Tactics (S), Aura Control (S), Sword Arts (S)]
[Innate Demonic Abilities: Emotion Devouring (Feed on Emotions to Increase Aura Limits), Phases (True Demons are sealed by Heaven. Unlock the Phases to Regain Primordial Power)]
[System Ability: Analyse]
'Is this a joke?' Eve parted her lips, panicking for a moment, unable to understand why this was happening, 'where did a system come from?'
She heard the news that something happened to Cloud, and she came running to the throne room. Though she didn't expect the moment she touched him, this would appear in front of her eyes.
She wasn't happy getting a system. For a moment, it made her hopeful if she wanted to catch up to people like King Aurum, her Big Brother Augustus. On the other hand, it was proof of something that something was interfering with the reality that should have been.
These gates to Humans Worlds, events that didn't happen in the Novel. It was something at the primordial level, 'Aurum...'
"Your Majesty," she hugged Cloud's head, seeing him in the daze that he was. His aura twisted, "Can you see it?"
"No. It's the Divine Will. It only answers to humans," Aurum calmly watched her and Cloud. For the first time, he said something that made her tense up, "don't talk about it in front of Augustus. You can't see it."
Eve parted her lips in surprise. She looked at him, wondering how much of this man knew. She lowered her head in shame, "Yes, Your Majesty."
'It's your fault, what are you,' Eve pursed her lips, annoyed at the system.
[Heaven's Mind is a System meant to support human talents to preserve the Flames of Humanity. Only humans will awaken the System]
'I heard that. What can you even do?'
[Heaven's Mind can transform the Fate of Humans and change Camelot's True Fate.]
Eve furrowed her brows, resting Cloud's head between her boobs, clenching her fist, 'True Fate?'
[Demons are punished by 33 Heavens. They are born with a Cursed Fate. They can't protect themselves until they break through the Curse of Heavens and reach Phase 1. They can't reproduce until they find True Love. 33 Heavens created Abyss to destroy Demons, who are hunted from the moment they are born.]
[After the Birth of Ten Sovereigns who destroyed the chains of Fate trapping Demons in Eternal Torturous Cycle created by 33 Heavens, the Demons have welcomed an Era of Prosperity, giving birth to Ultimate Demons. King Aurelius Aurum, Arcus Aurelius Aurum, Augustus D. Caelum, Kal Ingram Ashwood, Duke Caelum, Qayanat. God Slayers.]
[Through their Machinations, the Gods have strengthened the Fate of the Demons. King Aurum will Fall. Arthur Pendragon will become the One and Future King of Camelot. Arthur Pendragon's death will lead to Demon Civilization to deteriorate until it isn't a threat to 33 Heavens.]
'Then...are you trying to help the Demons? Why not chose Big Brother? Or King Aurum?' Eve read the text twice. She knew all the people mentioned in the novel, but she never read anything about 33 Heavens. Though there was a short story about Ten Sovereigns,
'Abyss...that we were struggling against. It was created to destroy Demons...then why did it start attacking humans?'
[It goes against the Core Rules of System. Only a Human can be a successor. Even if she/he Once Human]
Eve froze up, 'were you the one who wrote those novels?'
[No.]
'Not you,' Eve tilted her head. She was sure that it would say yes. She calmed herself, thinking, 'His Majesty says this is Divine Will. It only chooses Humans which is an Impossibility in Demon World, and even if there is one...but now there are Gates to other Worlds. Humans are being brought here, Demonised and...'
Eve raised her eyes, look at the man sitting on the throne, his snow-white hair glowing in the candlelight. The corner of his lips tugging in a small smile as his deep blue eyes met hers, 'Him. The only man capable of arranging everything so neatly. It has to be him.'
"Something on your mind? Eve?"
Eve closed her eyes, hugging Cloud tighter, "Will he be fine? Your Majesty?"
"Cloud? I see His Phase 2 is becoming Active," Aurum observed Cloud on his knees, half-awake, half-gone, being held by Eve.
"What is Phase 2?"
"It's Fate. In simpler terms, Phase 1 Unlocks the Physical Strength of Demons. Through training, all Demons are able to possess a Uniform Physical Strength. Demon Four Ranks. Phase 2 is different. To reach Phase 2, you need more than training. You need a conviction, an utmost resolve, a powerful Will. Or in cases. Fate itself grants you power," Aurum explained to her.
"Imagine a man at the Peak of Phase 1 swings his sword a thousand times each day. Day after day, for years, decades, and then one day, his Aura changes. His Aura becomes that Swing of the Sword. One Swing. One Slash. His Being. Essence. That is Phase 2."
"In Cloud's case. The possibility when our World didn't come into contact with theirs. How his Life would have been in the Future, that Fate being taken and materialising as the essence of his Aura, introducing changes in his Mind, Body and Soul."
"Can't we help him somehow," Eve didn't bother going into the details, 'I'll ask Big Brother later for the possibilities.'
She froze up, seeing the world lose its colour, there was a woman made of golden lights, floating upside down in front of her. Their eyes met for a moment, which made the woman smile. She tapped touched Cloud, who vibrated, multiple of 'HIM' spread across the room, images of him sitting in the same position, one was only bones, the other only muscles. One was only blood, another she couldn't understand.
She covered her mouth, closing her eyes, "What is this!"
"It's best you not look," Aurum read each of the variations in front of him, looking at Cloud's tensing body and his soul struggling against its fate, "His blood is mutating. The nature of his aura is transforming, becoming poisonous to him. Is it because it's forming a Parallel with what they call Mako on their Continent?"
Aurum closed his eyes in thought. All the variations disappeared, "I planned this for the future. Now it has become a necessity."
"Gareth."
Eve looked around, she didn't see anyone in the Throne Room, and he called so lightly that she wondered if he was thinking about whom to give work to, when she heard armour hitting the ground. Her eyes were drawn to the source of the sound, at the man wearing heavy armour, kneeling in front of the Throne, "Your Majesty."
"Prepare a Ship. Our Queen will be the Expedition Leader for that Sealed World. Tifa, Cloud, and that girl will assist them. Where is she?"
"She left to visit Lieutenant Zack."
"Alright. Call her, tell them to prepare. Try not letting Augustus catch the wind of this. Send a message to Marchioness to keep him busy."
"Your Majesty. If Queen will lead the Expedition...shouldn't Lord Augustus be informed?"
"You want to tell that Sis-Con that we are sending his sister in a world where there is no Aura?" Aurum raised his eyebrow.
Gareth sighed, "Yes, My Liege. I'll have it done."
Eve pouted, seeing Gareth disappear, "Big brother is not a Sis-Con," she complained.
Aurum gave her a look, making her puff her cheek, "He's not..."
"Losing battle," Aurum coughed. He looked at Cloud, "Until he reaches that world. I'll put a seal on him that keeps draining his Aura and disperse it in the air."
"Your Majesty. How will going to Phase 0 World help then? Won't his Aura be pressed inside his body?"
"No. A Universe is a Universe. Even a Phase 0 Universe. It lacks Supernatural Phenomenon, which means inside, Your Aura will cease existing. It can cause severe weakness to Demons, forcing them in a state of hunger and insanity. Though, Once Human, can visit this world without losing their sanity. Or weak Demons who have never reached Phase 1. Or Special Demons, like you."
"Like me?" Eve wondered if he meant...
"Not that special. Your Aura is flexible and fluid, able to mash well with the Aura of Others. Without that attribute, you would have been sent far, far away from Caelum Palace just so you could live."
"Go to that world, use the humans there to create Aura again. You won't be able to create enough, but it wouldn't be poisonous to Cloud. We'll have to see how it goes from there," Aurum tapped on the Throne's Arm, "also...you'll have to be careful about that World. It will be dangerous."
"We'll be careful," Eve stroked Cloud's face.
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Evening,
Cloud slowly opened his eyes. He was familiar with this setting, this large comfy bed, and his head buried in someone's soft and comfy bosom. His head was buzzing, a numbing pain searing his body. The woman's voice was soft, "How do you feel?"
He looked at the woman with golden hair, ruby eyes and pinkish red lips, a pale-skinned beauty wearing a large white gown. Her fingers were brushing his hair, pushing it back so that his eyes were focused on her, "Eve..."
"Cloud."
Cloud groaned, looking towards his chest. He stared at the other girl hugging him, her head buried in his chest, "Tifa..."
Tifa hugged him tight, lifting her head. She rubbed her eyes, sniffling, "Cloud," she squeaked, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. Her tongue brushed his lower lip, tasting him, and making him cup her cheek.
Eve didn't move away. She kept stroking his hair, touching his hand, feeling his skin. The sensation made his cock twitch. Her breasts touched his head, and Tifa was hugging his body. Her waist was arched and her thighs spread to stroke his leg.
Eve dropped her gown, while Tifa undid his belt. Cloud felt better, their aura swam inside his body, returning his strength to him. Tifa took off Cloud's clothes and Eve positioned his head to rest between her breasts. They lay down on his side each, stroking his body, "How are you feeling?"
"Better. What happened to my Aura?" Cloud noticed the lack of it. That was what made him feel so much weaker. Tifa played with his hair. Her fingers brushed through his hair, making him shiver.
Her mouth touched his skin, her hot breath brushed on his chest, her lips kissed his face, leaving marks, and Eve ran her hand over his chest, pressing down and she caressed his heart. His voice grew soft, "Is something wrong?"
"Cloud..."
Cloud closed his eyes. He tried to keep them open, but they were becoming heavier. Eve leaned closer, kissing his eyelid. She shushed him, "You have to sleep. I'll tell you everything when you wake up," she placed his hand on her naked waist, "go back to sleep, darling."
"Uh," Cloud moaned, slowly falling asleep.
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He remembered waking up one day, and this time there was someone else beside his bed. A young woman with brown hair, pretty green eyes. She noticed him open his eyes and smiled, waving at him, "Hello."
"Who?"
She tucked her hand behind her back, wearing a pink dress, "I am Aerith. We finally meet, Cloud."
"Aerith?" Cloud closed his eyes, 'I have heard that name before.'
"I am Zack's girlfriend. He wanted to be here, but he didn't get the permission to leave the Expedition. I am here in his place," Aerith smiled as he opened his eyes again.
"Oh...you are pretty..." he closed his eyes again, losing the battle to stay awake.
.
.
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On this day, the swaying under his bed stopped. He could hear the rolling on the wheels, shaking. He was being taken somewhere. It smelled like a new house, a new bed. The scent was too strong. There was fresh air coming through the window, and sunlight fell on his face.
He opened his eyes, sitting up on the bed, looking out of the window. His blue eyes focused on the children running down the street, birds flying in the sky. In the distance, he could see a mountain. There was a stone church below the hill. There were grass fields on each side of the road, "where am I?"