Eraixis

Rina....she looked excited to meet me again, but when her eyes landed on Ms. Zerya, she unconsciously took a step back, placing the book that she was holding behind her with both hands.

???

"HEY, IS IT YOU AGAIN!"

???

I was so confused. Was Ms. Zerya angry? At Rina? Did they both know each other?

"What—"...

.....

"Ah, so that's why..."

"Ehehe~..."

Yes, now I understand Ms. Zerya's rage. Apparently, Rina has been taking books from the library and hasn't returned them for already two years. That's strange; this is the first time I've heard about that.

"And that hasn't changed. You need to give the books back and... STOP PLACING THEM IN YOUR BACKPACK! DO YOU THINK I'M BLIND?!"

KYAA~!

Rina let out a yelp when Ms. Zerya tried to reach for her from the other side of the table.

It took such a flip that I forgot about the abstract object or thing in the sky.

I looked at Rina intently.

"....Excuse me, can I talk to you for a minute, Rina?"

I said, interrupting Zerya and taking Rina's hand.

"A-ah, of course."

Zerya stopped herself from reaching for Rina and nodded at me.

"Alright, come."

I said, taking Rina with me. She didn't resist and let me drag her to one of the bookshelves in the library.

"Rina, I need your help—"

"Victor."

She interrupted my words, but before I could talk again, I saw her eyes... they turned cold and looked at me.

"I need you to answer carefully about this... when did you meet Zerya before the hallways?"

"Uh?"

That kind of question... wait...

"Victor, think carefully. Have you ever in your life known Zerya?"

"Of course, it was in..."

What... 

I can't remember... but I'm sure I have met her before...

Rina sighed and placed a hand on my arm.

"Victor, is that thing following you even now?"

That thing she referred to... the abstract object?

"Uh, yes."

I nodded.

"Victor, this will sound strange, but I need you to stay away from Zerya from now on."

"Uh? What do you mean?"

This is getting confusing.

She sighed again heavily.

"Do you remember when she took you?"

"Rina, what are you saying? And how do you know I met Zerya in the hallway?"

"VICTOR!"

"Ugh!"

Dammit! That hurts; she actually has a lot of strength.

I looked down at her. She was trying hard not to be embarrassed as she was short, and she pinned me to the shelf.

"Look, I don't want you to get into this mess. You are my friend, right?"

That...

"Answer."

"Yes, I suppose I am."

I could only nod. Now there is confirmation that something is greatly wrong here.

"That abstract thing in the sky—don't ever think about seeing it, or much less touching it. You will get yourself in danger."

She said, letting me go. Her face turned pale, and she started to sweat.

"You okay?"

I asked.

"Yes... I'm alright... I need you to leave."

"But I have so many questions?"

I said but she didn't listen. 

"I need to go. Did Zerya know about the abstract being?"

"Uh, yes."

I nodded.

"Okay, then I will talk to her for a bit. I will answer you, but for now, go to school."

Huh? But we are in school, right?

"What do you mean—..."

I stopped mid-sentence.

*Rumble, Rumble*

"Cars..."

When I noticed, I was outside a library, not the library from school but the library in the center of Ixis City... 

I looked around; people were walking left to right, and the traffic on the road was heavy.

I'm pretty sure.

"And I'm pretty sure I was in the school library a moment ago... No wait, does the school have a library?"

Okay, okay, calm down. This is getting stranger and stranger, but I need to get a hold of the situation...

.....

....

....

I froze in place; everything turned an azure color.

In front of me... that thing... was looking straight into my eyes....

....

"Zerya."

"Uh?! Uh, don't scare me like that! Where is Victor?"

I finished talking with Victor, and I went exactly where that woman was. I didn't expect to see her still here waiting for both of us.

"He had things to do, so he left first. We need to talk."

"Oh yes, we definitely need to talk, so give me my books already!"

She threatened me with a glare, but I could see it—slightly the desire to kill....

"Zerya, have you been in contact or looked three times at something strange? Like you felt that you are being watched and you look in his direction three times?"

"Uh? What are you saying? That's strange. You are saying some creep is stalking me?"

"No, that's not what I mean. I'm asking if you glanced three times at some kind of... Uh, let me make this simple: have you ever felt a cold sensation along with a feeling of danger?"

I feel like I'm forgetting something...

"Hm... actually, I felt like that two times already."

I sighed in relief; it seems like I still have time—

"But with Victor, I felt it for a third time. Why?"

.....Crap.

... 

... 

Ah!... Ugh... Aa...

I ran from that thing, but I could feel that it was chasing after me, this time with intentions. I can feel it.

"Ugh..."

I'm going to die if I touch it...

What in the world is even happening!!!!

.....

"Zerya... look at me."

I spoke softly, not intending to anger her more.

"What do you want? I just need my books back, and you can have the books you want; just give them back in time."

"Have you ever wanted people to forget something?"

*Silence*

Too much silence...

I narrowed my eyes; Zerya was staring deep into my eyes.

"Is that something related to the question from earlier?, what are you stating?"

Zerya said her face looked empty now, and her dark eyes made me feel like I was in an abyss...

"Zerya, I think you have something known as Xeyth."

I said, reaching into the pocket of my school uniform.

"Xeyth?.."

She muttered.

"It means something that is and isn't, something that grants you powers too."

"What in the world are you saying? Look, I don't have time for this. If you aren't returning a book, then leave; I don't want your presence here—"

*click*

She froze when I pointed a gun at her.

"Listen to me carefully, Zerya. I need you to accommodate your thoughts. I can't leave you alone; I need you to think calmly and—"

*Rumble.....*

What in the world!?

The entire building shook, and it lasted a few seconds before everything went back to normal.

!!

"Zery-...."

She was gone; I was too late!

.....

*Vroom!*

I blinked and realized I was in some part of Ixis City....

"Ughhh... this is a pain!!"

I gritted my teeth and started to run somewhere.

"Rina?"

I froze as I heard a familiar voice.

"Victor?"

I turned to look at him; he was drenched in sweat, and he looked tired.

"Oh, thank God, Rina..."

He muttered as he closed our gap.

"What are you doing? Didn't I say you should—OW!"

Before I could grab Victor, I felt a strange sensation in my wrist, making me wince in pain that hurt like hell.

"Eh? Are you okay?"

He was surprised, to say the least; he reached to grab her.

"Yes, I'm fine, but..."

I looked at him intently.

"Why are you drenched in sweat?"

"Oh! About that... you remember that you said I should never look at that abstract thing? Well, for some reason, I ended up in a random library in the city, and when I looked ahead, we kind of... crossed gazes."

My mouth opened and closed several times as I looked at him in shock.

"The first thing I told you not to do?!"

"Hey! It wasn't my fault, okay? I can't understand anything that's happening right now!"

*Fshh!!.....tip*

As he finished talking, I felt a presence behind us.

"Uh, that is..."

I sighed heavily. I swear this day couldn't be worse.

"Victor, I will explain everything, but I need you to come with me."

"Uh? But we have PE later..."

"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT PE WHEN OUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER?!"

I shouted. He shrugged.

"...Why are you acting like this? I swear you were just a chill and annoying girl a few hours ago..."

I didn't even glance at him and looked at the abstract orb.

"First thing's first, since you glanced at it three times, you gained powers. That thing is called the Babilban orb; it is an omnipresent object that lurks everywhere in the world looking for candidates..."

"Wait, wait, wait, powers? You mean I got powers? And omnipresent? That thing is everything? Like, it is the existence itself?"

"Uhh, something like that."

I sighed. The Babilban orb is staying still. Is it receiving orders from one of those three?... Tch...

"We need to get out of here and search for... ah... what was her name again?..."

"Are you talking about z... Ah... I swear I had her... his? name in the tip of my tongue, and I suddenly forgot!"

So it is true... her power is very similar to -her-.

"It's okay, come. We will search for her later; we need to get away from the Babilban orb's physical form."

I said, grabbing his arm.

"OW!"

Dammit!!! It hurts!!!

"Hey, are you okay? You suddenly shouted..."

I looked at Rina worriedly, she tried to touch me but she suddenly collapsed. This is so confusing, but I can feel that she is bearing a little too much. For now, I need to help her.

"Come."

Before Rina could say anything, she was carried princess-style as I ran with strength across the azure streets that were frozen.

"Uh... thanks..."

She muttered.

"It's nothing..."

I said, my arms were shaking a little as her body was a bit heavy.

"You said I got powers, and that orb thing is an omnipresent being that chooses people, but why?"

"...the Babilban orb itself is a mystery. It isn't a conceptual being nor a living being; it just... exists because, but I got my powers from it too."

"Uh? You got powers?"

I asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, but we need to fix all this mess if we want to return to our normal lives, and that means destroying the Babylon orb or making it leave."

"I say leave because we for sure can't break something that is at the speed levels of omnipresence, right?"

I said, and she nodded before returning to our conversation.

"And as for the first question, yes, I have a power, but you still haven't convinced me that you are ready for this new world, so I won't show you. Victor, we need to go back to school."

I nodded and rushed with more speed; my legs were burning as it was so hot, but I can't stumble now.

...

In another place, a woman watched as her son drew unknown things in her book, the story he was creating becoming more and more confusing with such drawings.

"Hey, Oxaan, come to mama."

Oxaan, or the kid, stopped drawing and looked affectionately at his mother before rushing to hug her tightly.

"Mommy, mommy! Look! Is it good?"

"Yes, yes, it certainly is~"

The woman's voice carried warmth as she looked at the book while she stroked little Oxxan's head.

"Jejeje~, Mama, can they find a solution for their problems?" Oxxan said lightly as he placed his head on the firm and thick legs of the woman. Her red blood eyes narrowed slightly, and her long black silk hair swayed lightly with every move. Her big breasts made her outfit more appropriate—a red and black dress that covered her entire body—but it couldn't do anything as the curves of the woman were so prominent that it looked more beautiful.

Her lips parted slightly. 

"Oh, Oxxan, my little, little Oxxan, wants Mommy to solve his writing problems?"

"Please, Mommy, help me a little!"

Little Oxxan had dark hair and dark eyes, and his simple white shirt, brown shorts, and sandals made him look so cute.

"I see, I see. Come here; I will lend you a hand," she said, placing Oxxan on her lap and forcing him to sit.

"Now you just need to..."

.....