Will of chaos

Chapter 1890: Cap 1886: Demonic Chaos Part 3

I was confused when I woke up. I looked around and found myself in my room inside the orphanage. I looked around and saw the beds were empty, all neatly made except mine.

I got up and looked around. The donated toys were scattered on the beds and shelves, the freshly washed and ironed clothes were folded on top of everyone’s bed. There were two other beds besides mine in this room. I could see the marks on the wall from when I had to separate two fighting younger children and ended up being pushed against the wall.

“Everything seems so silent…” (me)

I didn’t even realize it when I started walking. I also felt a growing anxiety, but I couldn’t understand what I was yearning for. But as I continued down the hallway, I soon arrived in a closed room with a large wooden door that didn’t match the orphanage I remembered. When I knocked on the door, it opened halfway, allowing me to pass inside with relative ease before slowly closing behind me.

“I was expecting you, please have a seat.”

Suddenly I heard a voice. I couldn’t make out anything about it. I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman, young or old, far or near, and I didn’t even know the direction the voice was coming from.

I looked around and I was no longer in the orphanage building. In fact, it was another place, another time, and yet a place that warms my heart to remember.

I was in a forest painted red. The trees were red, the leaves seemed to drip blood, the faint iron scent in the air whetted my appetite.

I walked for a few seconds, emerging from the trees to pass through an open wooden gate. I remember when I had to rebuild these walls, so I looked around.

The fire pit where I cooked only what I hunted, the place where I tried to dress the hides—I was terrible at that—the cave that was further back, finally the hut I built with my own hands.

“Home… sweet… home…” (me)

A smile forms on my lips, happy to be walking in this place once again. Compared to all the places I’ve lived and all the places I’ve been, this was a tiny place, just a small cabin, in a small forest of a nation I’ve never visited again, on a continent I haven’t bothered to fully explore, on a planet and star system I’ve also never returned to.

Even though it was such a small place physically, in my heart it held a very large place. It was the place where I saved two of my wives, where I killed the relatives of one of my wives who always treated her badly, the place where I healed the dead heart of another of my wives who had fallen into crime, the place where my first children joined me, even if it was somewhat forced.

I walk to the cabin, my mind feeling at rest in this place, unnecessary thoughts disappear, responsibilities and worries can wait outside this place. I walked to the cabin door, each step seeming to ease my weary mind. But before opening the door to enter the cabin, I stopped and looked up. It was no longer a starry sky with two moons, but a sky with many stars, with bright paths streaking between them, and a beautiful eclipse high above.

“It’s not the same sky anymore…” (me)

These words weighed heavily on my heart, awakening a nostalgia for a time that would never return, but also a desire to smile about the times that brought me here.

I opened the door and entered the hut, but what I found inside was a large hall. It was impossible not to recognize such a hall. I walked through the hall, and with each step, memories flooded my mind: memories of a mansion I purchased, memories of a group of slaves I took as servants, memories of an abomination reborn as a mischievous and cruel Faerie, images of an ever-growing family.

“Thank you for showing me this. I’ve never forgotten these places and these memories, but the rush of reality prevents me from revisiting these moments or even creating more of them with my loved ones.” (Me)

I spoke easily about what came to mind. I walked to the center of the room where two sofas faced each other. In the center was a large tray filled with cheese-covered fries, pepperoni, and a pitcher of blood-red beer.

Sitting with his back to me was an unknown figure. I walked past him before sitting on the sofa alone in front of him. It was then that I could look at him. He was wearing a cloak and hood covering his entire body, clothes so loose that they didn’t even allow me to see the outline of his body. If I combined this with his voice from before, it was clear he didn’t want to be recognized in any way.

Behind the hood was only a chaotic starry sky, as if the end of time were happening, planets colliding and stars spinning around each other. There was no outline of a face or even eyes to look at.

Yet, when he reached out with a hand holding a fork to grab some fries, I saw a female hand covered in ethereal bandages. It was clear she was revealing her identity even without actually revealing herself.

“Why did you bring me here, Paradox?” (me)

“I didn’t bring you here.” (Paradox)

“Yes, you did. It was your voice that guided me here.” (me)

“No, I simply invited you to sit; you brought me here.” (Paradox)

“…” (me)

“Remember, these places are all important to you, not to me.” (Paradox)

“You literally walked through these places to get here; you forged a path to me using the most firmly held memories in your mind.” (Paradox)

“Why would you do that? I don’t remember even trying something like this before.” (me)

“Instinct, you awakened a bit of your Concept of Chaos, so you resonate with the ancient Concept of Chaos, I…” (Paradox)

“Your Concept resonated with my Concept and your Will found me, after that it was only instinctive for you to come to me.” (Paradox)

“I understand… how much of everything you said is true?” (me)

“Everything, I have no need to lie, I didn’t want to meet you now either, it’s still too soon.” (Paradox)

“Too soon? So you intended to come to me?” (me)

“I’ve always been with you, I am Chaos… even if I don’t want to.” (Paradox)

“I don’t understand.” (me)

“There were other Bringers of Chaos. One of them went mad, giving birth to the Dissonance Entity. Another destroyed himself, unable to bear the power. Another burned his own existence, thus forging multiple universes and creating the universal network interconnected by the roots of the Tree of Creation. This was the last one before you, the one who sacrificed himself.” (Paradox)

“…” (me)

Something about this last one made me shiver slightly. The image of that children’s storybook comes to mind, and I suddenly remember never finishing it. I can never finish reading it for some reason.

But this wasn’t the time to think about it, not with Paradox finally in front of me.

“Which one are you?” (me)

“None, don’t you get it yet?” (Paradox)

“…” (me)

“Why are they called Bringers of Chaos? What do you all carry?” (Paradox)

“!!!” (I)

Suddenly I remembered, all the Entities call me the Bringer of Chaos, even the System notifications call me the Bringer of Chaos, always ’Carrier’, the meaning of this word is in itself one who carries something.

“I’m carrying you…” (me)

“Yes and no, you carry Chaos, I am Chaos, but at the same time, I’m no longer Chaos.” (Paradox)

“Can’t you be any clearer?” (me)

“I’m being clear, but you’re not able to understand yet. Fortunately, you’ve already forged this path between us, so we can talk another time.” (Paradox)

“I need answers!” (me)

“You don’t need to raise your voice or get upset with me. I’ll answer everything, but another time. You need to wake up now. You don’t have time for this conversation.” (Paradox)

“I don’t have time?” (me)

“The universe didn’t stop time just because you’re unconscious. Your companions need you, and your body’s condition has stabilized. Try not to do something like that again, or you’ll truly disappear.” (Paradox)

“…” (me)

“No… wait…” (me)

———————

“No… wait…” (me)

I only blinked once, but when my eyes closed and opened again, the world changed so abruptly that I was confused.

One moment I was in that hall inside the mansion in front of Paradox. I only blinked, and when I opened them, I was in a room reaching for the air with a crumbling ceiling I didn’t recognize. My wives were looking at me, calling my name, and I could see Samara waving to me right behind me.

“ZENOS!!!!” (Wives)

“…” (me)

Ding!

But I didn’t have time to think and process what was happening. A notification sounded in my mind, and before I could even understand what was happening, Layla flew into the room, delivering a flying kick to my forehead as she spoke.

“Idiot master, wake up already! The Ascended are here! I’m hungry! I’m bored! Haa… you’re awake… get up, you idiot!” (Layla)

“…” (me)

“One thing at a time, let me check this first…” (me)

I can think about the Ascended in a bit, but first I need to confirm this system notification. I’m worried about receiving something like this so soon after waking up.

Ding!

<[ Ladies and Gentlemen, the merchant, at the request of the Infernal Envoy, invites you to be present at a grand event ]>

.

.

<[ You have received the Event location ]>

.

.

.

<[ The Demonic Chaos Begins in 48:00 hours ]>

.

<[ The Demonic Chaos Begins in 47:59 hours ]>

“I want to go back to sleep…” (me)