The Astral soul system-Chapter 101: Two different people

Zen opened his eyes, getting up from the cold stone floor and looked around.

He saw a set of prison bars in front of him and calmly made his way to them, holding them and checking to see if he could look outside.

’Been a while since I’ve been back here. Quite surprising that i was tricked by him’

Zen looked around the prison a bit before sitting on the shabby bed at the corner.

’I wonder if Sable got my message ’

**************

Lilith sighed looking at Zen in the cage and looked at Freya

"You going to explain?"

"He can’t see or hear us. He probably already knows I’m watching him though"

Freya turned around and left the dungeon with Lilith walking behind her.

"Alright, I’m done waiting. I want answers. Why do you seem so calm? Almost like your son getting taken over doesn’t concern you "

Freya avoided Lilith’s gaze.

"It’s... complicated "

Lilith smirked.

"You two sure have a history. I’ve lost count of how many times he’s been called a traitor, even the person in control of his body said it. So tell me,who exactly did he betray?"

"...."

Lilith groaned, getting annoyed.

"Fine! Tell me, and I’ll read one of those tasteless.... colored picture books you read"

Freya’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t had anyone to discuss manga and anime with since getting trapped. It was an obsession she took with utmost seriousness and she was getting uncomfortable after having no one to share this stuff with. She took a few seconds to think about it before raising three fingers.

Understanding what she meant, Lilith refused immediately

"No"

"Then no information"

"..."

"..."

"... Little bitch!"

Freya ignored the cursing and happily smiled.

"We have a deal"

Lilith grumbled but shook her hand .

"So? What’s going on? Why are you so calm about your son getting possessed?"

Freya sighed.

"It’s not that simple. They’re both my kid,or at least i raised them both. Don’t ask how they ended up in the same body. I don’t know "

Lilith was suprised

"If that’s true then why are they fighting. Why imprison his brother?"

Freya looked down at the dungeon and Lilith suddenly realized.

"Zen trapped the other one first?"

Freya nodded.

"He betrayed his brother?"

"They’re not brothers. That’s also complicated"

"Why? Why did Zen keep him locked up?"

Freya shook her head, regret plastered on her face.

"I’m afraid i don’t know"

Lilith scoffed.

"Seems like this boy of yours is into the business of treachery. How funny would it be if he kept more than one person trapped in his mind"

"..."

Lilith’s expression dropped as she saw the nervous look on Freya’s face.

"There’s another one?!"

Freya quickly changed the topic and pointed to the window they used to see the activities on the outside.

"Look. Something interesting is happening "

***************

Zaine was still racking his brain, trying to figure out what just happened in Aurora’s office and why she helped him when he suddenly noticed something and stopped moving.

He looked around. He was in the middle of the woods, surrounded by nothing but trees and flowers. Everything was peaceful, but he couldn’t shake off the annoying ping in the back of his mind.

"Who’s there? Get out! Now!"

Theia mumbled an inaudible "Uh oh" as Gary’s crew led by Darryl showed up.

"Who are you morons? And why are you following me?"

Zaine asked irritably.

Darryl looked suprised by his attitude, expecting this to be the same as the previous times, but he quickly got over it, thinking he was just playing tough.

"Looks like you’ve already forgotten your previous beating,i should probably refresh your memory"

He arrogantly walked up to Zaine who was looking at him like he was a monkey wearing glasses and trying to look smart.

"Say what. Kneel down and beg for your life, and I’ll consider not beating you half to death this time "

Zen looked even more confused. He had a short temper, and it wouldn’t be the first time he beat someone up for talking trash, but he wanted to know what these people wanted.

"You’re not kneeling already? I won’t be as merciful as yesterday -"

Zaine immediately stopped listening as he realized what was happening. He grit his teeth angrily. Because of that moron,these bigger morons thought he was someone they could push around.

Theia quickly explained how Zen had done nothing to these people who had just started targeting him for beating their boss in a fight.

Meanwhile, Maximilian suddenly caught up and seeing the situation,he quickly hid in a bush, looking up to see what happens.

"Is that Zen? What’s going on?"

Maximilian was prepared to jump in if he needed to, but he wanted to assess the situation first and see if he was needed.

Zaine kept his head down and suddenly mumbled something under his breath.

Darryl moved closer, thinking that he had started begging to be spared.

"What’s that? I can’t hear you"

Darryl suddenly started to choke as he felt a grip of iron around his neck, holding him in place. He struggled and tried to escape but he couldn’t.

Maximilian went from his kneeling position to a squat as he prepared to fight.

Zaine suddenly brought up his face. His gaze immediately spread terror throughout the place, his left eye glowing with the intensity of the sun as he glared at them with his red eye.

Red?... wait a minute...red?

Maximilian suddenly stopped himself at the last moment as he noticed that small detail.

"Zen’s eye is supposed to be black, right?"

Maximilian decided to watch. Something didn’t seem right.

Zaine repeated himself while holding Darryl by his neck.

"I said, I’ll kill you all!"

Zaine punched Darryl in the chest at full force, sending him flying several feet back in the air for a few seconds before he finally landed on the ground, unconscious and barely breathing.

Everyone at the scene looked at Darryl’s unmoving body in shock and then back at Zaine. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. Wasn’t he supposed to be a coward and let them beat him? Why was it so different now.

[Gained 100exp]

"Who’s next?"

Zaine cracked his knuckles and let out a low growl.

Darryl had been overconfident and only brought five people instead of the dozen he usually brought for Zen: That was his second mistake. His first was trying to fight Zaine.

Zaine looked towards the closest one to him and checked his stats

[Gift: Hardening Lv2]

Zaine dashed towards him as fast as he could , preparing a strike to his face.

Zaine saw the students triumphant smile as his skin started to harden to resemble a brick wall.

Zaine ignored it and threw a punch as hard as he could, and although it was as tough as concrete, he’d punched harder. The student’s ability deactivated immediately after Zaine punched him as he fell to the ground, unconscious.

Zaine suddenly twitched but didn’t dodge as he felt an attack coming from behind. He wasn’t good at planning or manipulating like Zen. He preferred things straightforward and quick. Plus... this attack couldn’t hurt him,he could tell.

Zaine turned around and punched the rock heading for him, shattering it. He glanced at a certain person and saw that his gift was telekinesis.

"Four more to go"

Zaine activated shadow steps and used a dash to reach them within seconds. He grabbed his face and with vicious ferocity, slammed his head down into the ground against the rocks he used to attempt hurting him.

"Three"

The remaining three were looking at Zaine like some kind of monster. He was walking around picking them off one by one like helpless chickens. They couldn’t catch him at all.

Zaine looked at his remaining targets and was suprised to see only two. Theia quickly did her job.

"One of them is using a camouflage ability. It shouldn’t be too high level so they probably can’t move while using it. Just concentrate and you’ll find him"

Zaine looked around.

"He can’t move,huh?"

Zaine ignored the last one and headed for the remaining two that were already running.

They obviously couldn’t outrun Zaine who caught up in a matter of seconds and took down one of them with a kick to the knee and a punch to the face.

The last one watched in horror as Zaine slowly approached him. His legs turned to jelly as he fell to his knees.

"Please. I’m not even a fighter,i couldn’t do anything even if i wanted to"

Zaine checked and indeed his ability was level three healing.

Zaine wound back his fist, preparing to finish it.

"Please! I’ll give you anything. You want credits? I’ll give you everything I have "

He was about to give up when he suddenly saw something behind Zaine.

"He’s getting away!"

The person pointed behind Zaine at the one that had used camouflage to hide themselves and was now trying to escape.

"Fuck!"

Zaine grinned evilly.

***********

"That was fun"

Zaine mused.

"I have to agree. Looks like you’re adapting quickly"

Zaine paused as he heard the familiar voice

"Freya?" He asked ,a hint of vulnerability creeping into his voice.

"Yep. Hey there berserker"

Freya answered warmly, using an old nickname

"I... thought you didn’t want to talk to me."

Freya sighed. Nothing had changed. He was still her easily irritable, reckless, headstrong little boy.

"Sorry about that. I was just a bit nervous. It’s been a while. How are you?"

"Angry!"

Zaine clenched his fists as he temporarily lost control.

"I thought as much. Listen, Zaine-"

"I’m not releasing him"

Zaine interrupted.

Freya sighed.

"He was trying to protect you-"

"Protect me?! No. He was being selfish. We both know that"

"I know what you want and you can’t do it alone"

Zaine went quiet.

"You need him. There’s no one else you can trust"

"..."

"..."

"... I’m not alone. I have you, right?"

Freya went quiet at that.

"I’ve seen him use your powers, now I can too. I have you now"

"It’s not the same. It’s the -"

Zaine interrupted

"Right thing to do? Funny,i remember telling Zen that when he let you die. You and everyone else"

"I’m not dead, Zaine. I’m right here with you "

Zaine grit his teeth and had begun pacing. Unpleasant memories flashed through his mind as he started loosing his cool.

He suddenly set his eyes on a random tree close to him. It was about as wide as three people and fairly high. With a rage filled growl and yell, Zaine punched the tree with all his might. Although it didn’t look to have any effect at first,it only took a few seconds for it to topple over with a creek.

Freya sighed, seeing him in pain.

"I tried, okay? Everyday i did my best to get him to let you out,i tried everything, even after i somehow got into his head. But he’s just as stubborn as you, berserker. He didn’t listen "

Zaine scoffed.

"How would he? He was already Q’s little murder puppet by then "

"Don’t say that "

Freya said, sounding hurt by the analogy.

"Sigh. Listen,i know you’re upset, but you’re not going to get anywhere if you two don’t talk things out "

"..."

"Please "

"... Rio’s dead, Freya. Riley too. They’re all dead. No one survived...YOU died,Freya!"

"That’s okay,i don’t care. I’m not mad at either of you,i doubt Rio and Riley would be either. There’s nothing you could have done "

"..."

Freya sighed, realizing the conversation was over.

"Talk about this later?"

Zaine didn’t react for a while, but after a few seconds he slowly nodded his head.

"Okay"

"I missed you"

Zaine looked at the battlefield, thinking about what he should do now. His gaze went to a specific bush and a curious look he asked Theia.

"Who was the guy watching me?"

"That’s Z... your roommate,Max. He’s pretty nice so he was probably just watching in case you needed help"

Zaine looked at the bush suspiciously. Maximilian was already long gone. Hopefully he hadn’t given himself away.