End His Life

"Do you think he would only sit around, Allen? He will completely destroy everything!"

Allen scoffed and rendered a mocking retort. "He already did, uncle. He destroyed you, and you just let him. Look at you? Did you truly find comfort in this place? Where is that pride that every scientist is jealous of Doctor Derek Williams' breakthrough?"

Derek remained silent, which annoyed Allen. He was too upset, thinking that this once incredible man had become only a joke now.

"I will correct everything you suppose have done in the past," said Allen, but his uncle didn't say another word again, so he carried on.

"Papa always believes that Mama Cassandra is waiting for us to get her out of that timeline. He never lost hope of seeing Mama again. He is also waiting for your return and help us out. Papa Shun never lost faith in you, Uncle Derek. Once the time machine works again, he will travel time even if it were his last breath. That's why I will continue my research until I can make her work."

Derek felt confounded. He looked at Allen and asked, "Are you saying that Shun would time travel during the Blue Moon? There is one before the Red Blood Moon. Is that what you mean, Allen?"

Allen nodded his head. At that moment, a conflicted emotion-filled Derek's heart. He held his head with both of his hands and closed his eyes. He says nothing of anymore but let Allen carry on.

"I will open the door for Papa, whether or not you'll help us."

"But Allen, you know very well how powerful he is. How would you defeat him? He knows everything that you will plot against him. Remember that he killed your sister Madison effortlessly. He sealed your mother away to the world where the clock stopped ticking. And after Mama lost her immortality, she…. Look at her now…." Derek chokes when waves of emotion surge in his chest. He pressed his eyelids to stifle his tears.

Allen watched his uncle's drooping shoulders; he was engulfed by such emotion. This man is already seventy years old, but he still has a thirty-year-old look and body. Well, his father, Shun Williams, has the same features. They never look old or aged.

"He also killed your wife and several people we called family. I'll be honest, uncle. Another reason I spent every second of my life completing the time machine was so that I could figure out how to end your dad's life."

Derek met Allen's expressionless gaze. He could not read what was in his nephew's mind, so he asked, "How are you going to do that?"

Allen's lips curled up. "To kill him? One day I will discover his weakness. So, I never stop looking for one. I am certain there is a way to kill him."

"Howard Shen killed innocent people. Remember that, Uncle Derek. Even if he is the reincarnation of your dad, he has no place in this world. You can completely sever ties with me, but never forget the people who sacrificed and lost their lives! So I will do everything to end his life. The sooner, the better!"

Allen's tone was grave, and his eyes were stern, throwing a dangerous glare outside the window. Derek lowered his head and retorted none. So Allen added,

"If you cared for the world, your mother did her best to build in these past three hundred years. Then you will help me, Uncle Derek. Your mom, Aunt Isabella, created a place for you to live comfortably where people would look up to you and adore you. But in the end, you turn your back on them."

With Allen phrasing that, Derek felt more ashamed than he was already. It took a long silence before he could reply to him.

"I'm sorry, Allen. I will repeat it. I could not help you."

Allen's heart sank, listening to his uncle. He was never disappointed to see how his uncle had lost his spine entirely.

"Could you bear to see he will completely take over this world and destroy everything you contributed?"

Allen could not stop bellowing at his Uncle Derek. He was too upset and displeased with his cowardness.

"You gave them hope, uncle! But now? That man oppressed not just the innocent people you wanted to protect in the past, but every person he thinks is a hindrance in his way. Are you really just going to throw everything away that Aunt Isabella has sacrificed? If you truly care for her, please, uncle…."

Allen lowered his tone and softened his gaze this time. He is prepared to beg the man for his Mama Cassandra, sister Madison, and the people he cared for.

"Please, uncle Derek. I need the data. This will help me open a time warp at a specific date I would desire. You can also come back to the facility like how you and Papa used to work together."

He made an effort to plead, but his Uncle Derek did not respond. Allen was on his wit's end, so he would not give up today. He openly expressed himself to his uncle and was no longer wearing his pride.

"I don't possess an immortal body like you and Papa. Also, I can't time travel like my sister Madison or switch bodies like Mama. I wish I also possessed Aunt Isabella's power and performed any kind of ritual, such as erasing someone's memories. Actually, I wish I could do the ritual of vanishing that man even if I'm alone. I don't mind even if it costs me my life. Unfortunately, I was only born as a mere mortal, even though both my parents possessed immortality. I am also considered average compared to your breakthroughs in Science and Medicine," Allen paused and pointed a finger to his head. "You have an immortal body and a genius mind no one can compete with… However, such a waste."

Allen was disappointed with his uncle Derek to the extreme that he wanted to spit blood on his face.

"I may not be as great as you, but I would not waste my life hiding like a coward."

As he had no more reason to stay, Allen turned around and headed to the door that would lead him to the pavilion. He approached the woman in the wheelchair.

He did not wait for his uncle to respond when he knew the man would often keep his mouth shut no matter what enlightenment words he would say.

At the pavilion, Lady Isabella raised her head when the sound of light footsteps was getting closer in her direction. Even though she lost her eyesight, Isabella's hearing ability was still sharp. She could determine that the footsteps did not belong to her son.

"Who are you?"

The soft, melodious voice almost breaks Allen's heart. He looks carefully at the frail woman in the wheelchair.

"Hello, Aunt Isabella. It's me, Allen Williams."

"Allen? Did I know you?" The older lady creased her forehead, racking her head to recall something. When she could remember nothing, she gave up and apologized to Allen. "I'm sorry, son. My memories disappear, so I've forgotten many people. Could you tell me how you became related to my son?"

Allen kneeled on one foot and held the woman's wrinkled hand. He uttered, "It's all right, Aunt Isabella. You don't need to apologize to me."

Once upon a time, there was a proud and powerful woman living as invincible in this world, who is just a mere mortal now. Lady Isabella Bennett is a beautiful three-hundred-year-old lady who still possesses a younger look. However, after losing her immortality, her body slowly wrinkled and weakened, losing her ability.

Howard Shen sealed her memories after she refused to work for him. Lady Isabella would choose to die rather than become his puppet. But Howard Shen spared her life after Derek begged for her life. In return, Derek will not meddle between Allen and Howard's fight, no matter what happens.

But Allen is determined to reset the course of their future. It was the reason Allen never stopped taking the time machine work and let his father Shun travel time again. They had done it before, so Allen aimed to do that.

"Who are your dad and mom, son?"

Allen's train of thoughts was interrupted when Isabella spoke after he did not reply to her first query.

"It's your sister Cassandra, Aunt Isabella."

Isabella lowered her gaze, although she could see nothing; the hands that were holding hers suddenly trembled.

"Did something happen to her?" Isabella asked after she could sense a turmoil of emotion with the person holding her hand.

"Yes, Aunt Isabella. Including my sister Madison."

"Oh, you have a sister named Madison. I am supposed to remember them. Right?" Isabella was perplexed when the beat of her heart suddenly began rapidly. It was strange that she felt this way, like a part of her was pulled out when she heard that name. "I'm sorry if I could remember none of your family."

"It's all right, Aunt Isabella. Soon, your memories will return."

"Is that even possible? How about my vision?"

Allen almost broke down to see the bright smile on Isabella's face. He clasps the woman's hands as he places a light kiss on the back of the palm with complete respect. He could see that his aunt had a desire to see him again. The hatred for his uncle he only suppressed throughout this year was about to erupt.

"They will return, Aunt Isabella. However, I could not do that if Uncle Derek would not lend a hand to me."

"Derek? Do you mean my son could do something with my eyesight?"

"Yes, he is Aunt. In fact, your memories and eyesight should have come back a long time ago if Uncle Derek worked with me."

"So, it is possible to regain my eyesight if I persuade my son to help you?"

Allen's heart is struck with guilt for using the older lady's weakness. But as he could see how she looked pitiful in her condition, Allen hardened his heart. He could not bear to see his Aunt Isabella being blind to everything in the world. However, he believes that the older lady deserves to make a choice to fight and take back her freedom.

"Once Uncle Derek helps me achieve my goals, you will remember everything. Including Mama and sister Madison."

"Then I will wait for that day to come."

A glint of hope flashes in Isabella's blank eyes. Allen placed his forehead into the older lady's wrinkled hand and said,

"Soon, aunt… Soon…"

~

After he stopped in the pavilion to speak with his aunt, Allen strolled through the garden, heading to the gate, when a woman blocked his way.

"Allen…"

"Kendra, what are you doing outside?" It surprised Allen to see a frail woman struggling to approach him.

"Allen, please take me away from here!"