The Zero Countdown

Chapter 10: Infinity

Stepping out of the elevator as they walk the hallway of silence, bearing the courage that could be considered as an act of foolishness.

Each vase contains various flowers and plants that are dormant outside in each of every chamber as if guiding them towards their designated place until eventually, they arrived at a seemingly regular office room at the corner of the 8th floor next to the unrepaired, broken window beside the opposing direction.

And soon as Elora respectfully knocks thrice, Elyon was frozen in place seeing the seconds of his companions' lives drastically decreased but not in a way that could kill them at that very moment.

He speculated that the man they are going to face head-on must be so fearsome the mere encounter with him could cost their will to fight, and what he expected turned out to be true the moment they stepped into the cage of the defining man amongst men.

"People seek a change much like how they request for a second chance... What good does you two seek when you brought two Fantasms before me?" His gruff articulation could bring out the image he expose behind his swivel.

As Elyon closes the door, the man on his chair by his clean and tidied desk turned around, revealing an obviously muscular man in his thirties. His direct gaze could send shivers down their feet.

Though his outfit deviates from the formal garments of the employees they observed so far, after all, he's wearing an old plain tracksuit with no accessory or redeeming point as the CEO of the Goldenfang Company just as Elora embellished.

"We aren't here for negations. Maybe you could convince our friends we brought here and potentially, we might change minds." Elora's sweating at the midriff on her back, she's uncomfortable and afraid of what might happen as the rest of them.

"Change? Convince? There remain 8 Fantasms, what of the 92 that lost their lives because they won't listen? But it appears you have a different thought in mind, future dweller..." He specifically eyed Brina and figured out her ability with just a glance. It was then they realized he's a foe they can't defeat at that very moment.

Nevertheless, Brina stepped up from her position and curtsied under his presence showing great respect and admiration saying, "I'm honored a man of your standing expects my appearance. I am Brina Faelyn, your average high school student. How come you already know me?"

She instinctively gave him reverence as if she knew him very well more than anyone else in that very room. In return, the man stood beyond six-foot-tall, bowing down to a girl he just met.

"How could I not know a distinguish girl of honor and kindness? I hate introductions, but I am Favio Goldenfang, and as you can see, even though I may not look like it, I own the Goldenfang Company and we sell electronics."

Favio was finished dealing with the paperwork on his desk so he took them to the shelves near the table. He arranged a few documents before returning to his own chair, checking a few misplaced papers under his desk.

"I see..." Brina no longer had anything to say. She stayed meek and reserved, observing the surroundings, including how the books on the shelves were stacked, how the folders by the table were positioned correctly down the small details; she's under heavy stress of pinpointing a singular outcome she can find at the endless possibilities written in the cosmos.

"As for how I can tell, I know someone who had seen and experienced the horror of reality. Your eyes scream for help, and your mortality deny... Do you wish for a place in this game? Or you are running away from it? Especially that man by your side."

This time, Favio turned his attention to Elyon, to which he remembered the guise of his old boss who used to yell at him with every simple mistake he did, so he suddenly straightened his slouching back and fixed his posterior upright, along his hands clasping together out of fear he might get yelled again.

"I'm Elyon Maverick sir! Currently unemployed and had better nothing to do." He then realized he spouted nonsense, Brina elbowed him on his ribs as if telling him to act naturally without inciting Favio's fit.

"Is that so? Then as Elora already had said, the proposal I was offering for the players of this game was simple; it was a permanent truce as long as we live, and the winner is decided whoever dies the last... This way, no one will get hurt, no one will suffer... yet they still chose death and did not listen."

Guilt staying at the tip of his tongue, they can already tell the way Favio looks at his hands means he killed those who oppose his proposal.

He's a man who wishes peace and refuses bloodshed, but he ended up taking the lives of the masses he's trying to save. Such is the fate the Unknown Entity offered them, such as the curse for finding a loophole in a game specially designed for blood and c*****e.

"Abandoning the 7 more Fantasm aside from you... Isn't that the same as leaving the rest of them? Is it really your wish to save them all?"

Out of nowhere, none had expected Elyon to say something disagreeable and likely inappropriate question. Ruther pushed him by the wall and whispered, "You want us all dead or what? Mind your manners, he's way above us in power and social standing."

"I-I apologize! It just came on me for some reason." Elyon shook his head blank. Though he was just asking what came into his mind than starting a provocation.

As they reprimand his sudden action, Favio himself ceased them be and told, "No, no. He never said anything wrong. And as for you, Heir of the Malova Family, titles hold no meaning so be frank and direct. Soon you may be higher than me once I accomplish my own purpose."

Even though Ruther was admonishing Elyon's disrespectful excuse, he points at Favio gritting his teeth in irritation, "I am not the Malova my father and mother wants me to be. I am Ruther Malova! A free man of his free choice, unshackled by the repressive name they impose... Remember that well, old man."

He banged the shelves and the ledges along the books fell one by one like a domino hanged on the wall, totally putting Favio's office room in a cloud of dust and mess.

"Ehem... It appears my room needs a monthly cleaning. I'll take care of that later so as for my answer to your question, dear Elyon, I guess you might call it abandonment when I already gave up, except, anyone can always change their mind and hopefully agree on my terms." Favio retained his hope despite the sins he's carrying until the day he dies.

"And what if they refuse again?" Elyon took his own liberty and eluded his death sentence, taking the most of his moment gathering information from Favio himself.

"Refusal could only mean death. We live inside a world of lies and hatred, I can't hide away my sins and ask God for forgiveness. I will kill and adapt, until every last Fantasm, aside I survive."

Holding the sin of mankind from the words he held within, Favio declared he shall not use his power to murder the rest of the players, instead, anyone who disagrees with him could meet their end.

"Is that so? We should be going then. We might meet again sometime, but who knows?" Elyon forcibly grabbed Brina's wrist, and as they leave the room without saying anything else, Favio delivered his last warning for not accepting his kind proposal.

"The next time we meet, hesitate not, for I am your enemy, and soon you all shall bear the fang of hatred like the rest of them." Favio stared at them leaving his office room, a tangible sadness written on his face was the hopelessness he had always kept away from anyone else aside from himself.

Meanwhile, Elyon walked out of the Goldenfang headquarter building, and somewhere in the avenue across the parking lot, he stayed there together with Brina.

His arms were shaking uncontrollably as a visible dread is eating away his sanity. Elora and Ruther followed him to see what has gotten into him.

"What was that Elyon?! Why did you run away? We could have ganged up on him and eliminated him. Now that our only chance is gone, we might not defeat him forever. Maybe we said the blame wasn't yours, but this is entirely your fault."

Elora yells and blames him for retreating prematurely, though upon noticing how Elyon's eyes were dreary and his lips were paler than his skin, she knew there's something up outside her plan.

"You don't understand... You have no idea! There was never a chance... That encounter was a lie."

Fear controlling his reasoning and mentality, Elyon was so afraid of his power to the point he refuses to look at them beyond their neck just so he could not see the remaining time his companions have.

"Okay, okay, keep calm now Elyon." Ruther understood him well because he's the same. He patted him by his shoulder and tried approaching him calmer so he can somehow regain his rationality. "Tell us what was the lie, we'll figure things out as a team."

"It was... He is at the pinnacle of infinity!" He answered they didn't get what he just confessed.

"Infinity?" Elora doesn't have the slightest clue, yet Brina's eyes widened when she finally realized what Elyon meant.

"The reason why he wanted to know what was his wish... Was because I saw the remaining time he has is infinite! It's unquantifiable and he is sure to win. He is an immortal being who happens to walk in the human realm... We're all doomed to die, there was no game at all..."

The will to fight all but disappeared in the face of the impossible, and while Elyon learned that his ability is but the truth stating Favio's immortality, Brina saw the thin light of hope amidst blindness towards the future she aims for.