The Dreamer's Epilogue-Chapter 10: Mark of Death

Chapter 10 – Mark of Death

After everything, they needed now to do something about the body of Noah. Not wanting to propose something he shouldn’t, Emrys decided to remain silent, listening to Océane’s opinion.

Fortunately, the big sister was aware of the tense particularities of their current situation.

She slowly and gently unfolded the right fist of her brother, making sure not to hurt him as if he was still alive, then took the picture of them together with her.

Océane tried to see if she could store it in her inventory. She could, but she had no more spots left. And everything that was stored inside her inventory was crucial for her life to not be snuffed out.

Emrys helped her then.

He had one spot left, so he took the Barrier (Unranked) from her and put it in his own inventory.

With that, Océane was able to keep the only thing that would link her memories of her brother to this fateful day.

Not a very sweet memory to have. But memories were one of the main things that differentiated people from each other.

She couldn’t discard any of them.

Bitter or sweet.

Afterwards, with immense difficulty and pained eyes puffed with tears, Océane decided to burn the body of Noah.

"Are you sure?" Emrys insisted, looking at her with a worried gaze.

"It’s better than to let him here," Océane replied, looking intensely at the dead body. "Maybe a monster will come and eat him. Or maybe another terrible thing would happen. In any case, Emrys, I want to avoid that."

Emrys fell silent for a heartbeat, then nodded. "As you wish."

The apartment might have been destroyed, but there were still some items one could see and gather under the rubble.

And knowing her own living place, Océane managed to obtain oil and fire.

Added to the crimson flammable liquid Emrys obtained as an achievement not long ago, the dead body of Noah was instantly set on fire.

The fire burned softly yet searingly hot, crackling and flickering sporadically. In a heartbeat, the cramped room was filled with suffocating, writhing, and billowing smoke.

Emrys and Océane covered their mouths and noses, standing side by side, watching the process with grim and determined eyes.

Each one’s thoughts were different on their own, but the ending of those thoughts was inevitably the same.

’I need to be strong.’

They thought.

’I,’ Océane mused, digging her nails deep into her palms, ignoring the pain, ’don’t want to lose those I care about anymore. I don’t want to see their bodies burning while I watch, powerless.’

The world had changed now. And she needed to change with it or she would be left behind, dying pathetically with no one to shed tears for her.

There was no time to waste, for the countdown to the end of the world didn’t pause to let them mourn. It continued. And it would continue this way.

Océane spared a sneaky sidelong glance at Emrys. Her resolve straightened at the sight of the young man. He was older than Noah, but he was still younger than her.

’I need to protect him,’ she said to herself, determined. ’And I will. He saved me and helped me with my brother. Now he is here, with me, in these difficult times.’

She could never describe how thankful she was. After all, Océane knew if it were not for Emrys, she would have died long ago, eaten by that Red Spawn.

In a twisted way, Emrys remained the sole thing she had left. And Océane was ready to seek the strength to protect him. No matter what.

She was not the only one.

Emrys also went through churning thoughts, realizing how life was even more fickle in the current reality.

And the only way to live with no regrets was to enter the Tower, search for his stepmother, and protect her. For it was his duty now that his father was no more. And the only way to do so was to be strong.

He only hoped, prayed, even begged that she was still alive, somehow.

But beside his stepmother, there was one other being now. He didn’t expect it, but Emrys felt a sense of shared past with Océane, making him want to be here for her.

He closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling in rhythm, then snapped them open again.

Looking in front of him, Emrys saw the ashes of Noah. He shifted his head towards Océane, seeing her already looking at him.

She seemed to avoid looking at the current state of her brother.

Their eyes rested on each other, each one feeling the change in the other.

Océane’s eyes were clearer yet somehow darker. Emrys didn’t know why he had such a feeling, but there was a weird touch of coldness deep inside her eyes.

A sense of hollowness that watched him strangely yet affectionately.

Even so, that feeling disappeared like an illusion as Océane’s lips parted open, extending her dirty right hand with cracked nails in a handshake.

"I am Océane de Campbell," she introduced herself softly. "I am 24 years old, a former McDonald’s worker and aspiring athlete. Now I stand as your big — no, I mean as your partner."

Emrys chuckled lightly, mirroring her gesture, shaking her hand.

"I am Emrys Frost. I am 18 years old. I was a former student, aspiring to be a neurologist. To add, I was going to be the best one. But now here I am as your partner."

They looked at each other for a while, their faces easing, each one searching for comfort in the other.

Next, they cut short their handshake, having now the strength to look at the countdown.

[Remaining Time: 4h 32min 34s]

Their hearts stomped in their chests at the sight. Emrys knew that with everything that had happened, they were tight on time... but not this much.

They were in their last hours. Even now, Emrys could see how the world was breaking down.

"We need to go!" he said hurriedly. "Lead the way, please!"

"Yes, just like—!"

Océane abruptly stopped as notification labels flashed in front of her. Emrys halted, looking at her, tilting his head in silent question.

[NEW ACHIEVEMENT! Mourn the Death.]

[You have witnessed the dead body of one of your loved ones. You mourned but you got up and continued to fight for a better future. Well, the better part is still a matter of discussion. However, it’s wonderful. Fantastic even. You have the basic foundation to survive in the World of Premier and climb the Tower.]

[Reward: Mark of Death (Special item)]

Océane tilted her head at the reward, curiously seeking to know more.

[Mark of Death (Special item): It’s an item given to those who witnessed a death of loved one and then continued to walk the way proudly. Rumors say that whoever gets this Mark could apply for the position of Champion in the Ascended House of the Lord of Death of the World of Premier. Well, it’s not a rumor. But beware. Once used, there is no going back. No one returns from the Gate of Death.]

Océane frowned at the item, a sense of ominous feeling surrounding her.

"You got an achievement?" Emrys asked, drawing Océane’s attention. She snapped her head towards him and smiled.

"Yes. And I can—!"

"It’s yours," Emrys cut her softly. "You earned it for a reason, so don’t give it to me. Now let’s go if you are done inspecting it. We are tight on time, you see."

Océane smiled at his words, nodded, then walked past him, guiding him towards the portal.

So the two partners departed.

They killed anything in their way, trying to be as fast as possible.

But there was something different. The red spawns were stronger. And not only that, they had seen many Bulky Red Spawns along the way, as nasty as their first one.

But all of that paled in comparison when they finally reached near the portal after half an hour, looking from afar, behind a lump of shattered metal, at the monstrous creature protecting the portal.

"No fucking way..." Emrys whispered in horror, Océane too stunned to even speak.

The system panel flashed once more. This time not the usual white, but a deep, vicious red.

DING!

[Gang! Gang! Gang!]

[The original guardian of this portal has been killed. Now an upgraded, awakened one has been given, and the number of passages to the portal has been lowered. Curse those who went in before you.]

[You have met a Boss-level monster with the essence of GeumGeum: The Bloody Red Spawn (Mortal Self rank).]

[Kill to Survive. Survive to Kill.]

—End of Chapter 10—