Chapter 742 The Realization
Lee Seng watched Keng turn the library upside down. He continuously looked for something while Lee Seng grabbed books and set them to the side. Keng tore the last book out of its place, flipping through it and screaming it wasn't right. He turned running into Lee Seng's grasp.
"Hey!" Lee Seng locked eyes with the avoidant Keng. "Keng, what're you doing? What're you tryna look for? What's not here?" Keng's hands twitched as his head scanned everything but Lee Seng's face. "Hey! Keng!" He grabbed Keng's face and pulled it up to look at him.
In that moment, Keng went quiet. The silver color in Keng's eyes were bright as they looked into Lee Seng's eyes. Lee Seng studied Keng. His eyes flicked left and right, finally putting things together. Keng blinked and shook his head.
"W-what happened…?" Keng asked.
"Are you okay?" Lee Seng asked. Keng nodded and moved Lee Seng's hand off his face. Keng turned away from Lee Seng and noticed the mess.
"What happened here?"
"You ripped the library apart saying the same thing. 'Not here, either!' What were you trying to find?" Lee Seng watched Keng move over to a chair and sat down. Keng grabbed a book and read the title, noticing what it was.
"Put these away." Keng ordered the library spirit. A glowing light floated out from the ceiling and began to whisk books into their spots. Keng sighed and rubbed his head. "I had the strangest dream… I saw the sun gods. They defied orders from the God King and… directly intervened with someone's Fate… Lord Vox'su told me to 'find him.' Next thing I knew, I was awake and you're right there… With a skin tone fit for Summer and golden halos in your eyes."
Keng turned around and set an arm on the back side of the chair. He took a moment to study Lee Seng. Lee Seng was obviously going through something and if anyone should notice, Keng would.
"What's wrong?" Keng asked. "You don't look well."
"Well…" Lee Seng puffed his left cheek and glanced down at the floor.
"Everything alright?" Ritsuka asked, stepping into the room. The two Fox twins acknowledged Ritsuka while Ritsuka stared at the chaotic mess of books flying back to their spots.
"Yea… I think I was sleepwalking." Keng sighed. He stood up and turned his attention onto Ritsuka. "Did I keep everyone awake? I-I thought you guys were going to stay by Lee Seng until he… Well, I guess he's here so…"
"I think we should talk in private." Lee Seng said. He folded his arms and looked at Keng. "Something… happened… and your dream… It's not too far off."
"Hm? What?" Ritsuka looked between the two twins. The two twins looked at each other. Dread filled Lee Seng while curiosity filled Keng.
"Okay." Keng nodded. He started towards the door. "You can come into my room for a moment then. Ritsuka, there's extra beds for the rest of you. The doors are open. Help yourself to whatever."
"S-sure… but…" Ritsuka watched Keng pat him before leaving. Lee Seng turned and followed. Ritsuka lifted a hand up to Lee Seng and looked at him. "I-is something wrong?"
"Well… it's going to be loud soon." Lee Seng sighed. He gave Ritsuka a pat before leaving.
Keng stood in his room waiting for Lee Seng to enter. He had his arms crossed and turned as Lee Seng entered. Lee Seng closed the door behind him and leaned against it.
"Before we talk about your dream, I should fill you in on something… That just happened." Lee Seng started. "You remember that Protocol lady?"
"What about her?" Keng's asked.
"She managed to set something free inside of me. Something dark…" Lee Seng sighed. He stared at the ground for a bit, wondering how he should tell Keng this. "My mom… I don't think she's dead."
"What? Ho—"
"I think the woman that I called Mom wasn't Mom… That Protocol lady… She's a fragment of my real Mom."
"What? But all the memories I saw were—"
"Someone wiped my memories. It was early on when I was younger, so the memories could be easily manipulated. I can barely remember them, but she showed me the Broodmother's memory."
Keng's blood ran cold.
"What did you say?" Keng asked.
"Broodmother. That's her name." Lee Seng repeated. He watched Keng's face turn pale.
"What did s-she show you?" Keng stuttered. Lee Seng narrowed his eyes. He looked away and bit his lip.
"When I was three, I witnessed my dad and mom arguing… I apparently met the Broodmother then. She made sure I was quiet and didn't let my dad and mom know I was there… Well, I guess the 'mom' I knew was a robot… I thought I hid in the cabinets from my dad, but that wasn't the case. Broodmother hid me away and my dad eventually found me… He got a hold of me and Broodmother saved me… I ran and ran only to get caught. She saved me again and then asked what I wanted to do.
"I said to kill him and she killed the… monster attached to dad… I passed out there but the memory continued. Broodmother… She's Mom… At least that's what I understand… I-I couldn't take it and… Something deep inside of me came out and killed her… It began to possess me when… Your dream happened."
"What?" Keng asked, loudly. "My dream… was real? H-how?"
"I don't remember much of it… I just remember something coming out of me. Lord Rox'su and Lord Vox'su directly intervened."
"The gods aren't going to be happy." Keng groaned. He wiped his face and circled around the room a couple of times before coming to a stop. "The God King was pissed! I-if that's what really happened then—"
Lightning cracked and the room turned bright. Keng and Lee Seng gasped as a strong presence grew in the room. A bright light wrapped them up and the smell of the sea grew. Lee Seng and Keng looked up and noticed they weren't in the Temple anymore.
'The oasis.' Keng thought. Lee Seng and Keng noticed the oasis looked… different. What once was a peaceful view was a vast view of sand and flora. The God King sat on his throne.
"You imbecile, children! Why would you do such a thing!?!" God King Dathro shouted. Lee Seng and Keng twitched looking away. The God King was burning with rage. "I told you to stay out of their Fates and look what you've done! You've gone and fused your essences into these kids!"
"We should kill them before it's too late. If we release their souls now, we could—" A green haired woman began to speak when the God King's fist slammed against the throne, shutting her up.
"Be quiet!" God King Dathro's voice echoed as thunder clapped. He stood up and a small light revealed three more people were standing behind him. God King glared at Lee Seng and Keng. Keng kept his head down, afraid of what was to come. He tried to muster the courage to say something but nothing came out. 𝒇𝚛e𝘦wℯ𝑏𝓃𝑜νℯ𝒍.co𝗺
"What should we do to them, Father?" A volcanic man stepped forward, revealing himself. "Should I execute them for you?"
"You can't execute them! You'll take their souls for your own! What if you—" The green haired woman began to speak out.
"Quiet! Who permitted any of you to speak?!?" God King Dathro shouted. He turned and the light grew. A timid green haired woman looked down next to a white haired man with pale skin and pointy ears. The volcanic man smiled at the green haired woman and the two began to turn when the smell of the sea grew.
"Father." Hydran called out. Lee Seng and Keng looked up and watched as the water goddess made her entrance. She stood back to the twins. Her hair flowed like water, coursing around her entire body. Hydran bowed to her Father and her siblings.
"You! I told you to watch your younger brothers and this is what happens?!? I should punish you too!" God King Dathro pointed. A lightning bolt flew out and hit Hydran. Hydran's body turned to water and then re-manifested in an instant. She didn't react to the God King's anger.
"I know you're mad but—"
"Bring them to me Asura." God King ordered. The volcanic man nodded and slowly moved down the throne towards Lee Seng and Keng. Hydran raised her hand and Asura smiled.
"Are we choosing sides?" Asura asked. A black scimitar bubbled into Asura's hand. "You should step aside, sister, before it gets worse." Hydran didn't move. "Father?"
"You dare defy my order, Hydran?" God King growled. He pointed at his daughter and wagged his finger for her to come. Hydran felt the God King's energy wrap around her, pulling her past Asura and sliding to the edge of the throne steps. Asura smiled and turned his attention onto the twins.
"The problematic twins." Asura bit his lip. "Of course I should've known something was up when a Spirit couldn't secure their Vessel."