Chapter 27 - Break

 The smell of blood was even worse in the residential area. However, while Jason could find blood stains on the ground all around, he couldn't find corpses… he occasionally found some signs of flesh, but he ignored them. The houses looked fine from the outside, but from the inside, they were all messed up, as if something invaded and then knocked down everything.

"I guess this is a good sign… for my home still to be standing," Jason thought.

 With his Perception, Jason could tell that the houses were all empty, and since there were no bodies around, he wondered what was going on. The possibility of the necromancer coming from another parallel universe and obtaining control over all of them seemed the only possibility… albeit a crazy one.

 It didn't take long for Jason to find his home, and he sighed in relief thanks to it. Everything looked fine from the outside. The interior of his house was bathed in darkness, illuminated only by the soft glow of the moonlight coming through the windows. He made his way through the rooms, each step accompanied by a sense of anticipation. Would everything still be as he had left it?

His heart pounded in his chest as he moved from one room to another. The furniture stood undisturbed, untouched by the chaos that had consumed the world. The photographs on the walls remained in their rightful places, capturing memories frozen in time. The scent of familiarity hung in the air, a comforting reminder of the life he had once known.

Jason's gaze fell upon the dining table, where remnants of his last meal still sat, preserved in an eerie state of suspended animation. The world had changed, but his home seemed untouched by the ravages of time. Everything remained exactly as he had left it, a sanctuary in the midst of chaos.

Relief washed over him as he realized that, despite the upheaval and uncertainty that had consumed the world outside, his home had remained a sanctuary, a haven of normalcy. It was a quiet confirmation that even amidst the most tumultuous of times, there were still pockets of stability to be found.

"Good, this is very good," Jason said and then sighed in relief when he sat on the couch. "While I don't have attachments to this world anymore, I don't want to see my house in the hands of beasties… I will clear the area from the clutches of those assholes while I prepare for my long-term goals."

 Jason soot got up again and then went to the bathroom. While he knew that water was a precious resource now, he felt that he deserved a good warm bath. So, he filled the tub with all the water he found and then warmed the water with Fireball. That worked wonders, and he didn't make any noise at all since he had created them inside the water. Somehow, the combustion still happened. 

"It is wizardry, I ain't explaining shit, Jason thought.

 After relaxing there for one hour, Jason went to his bedroom to look for some more clothes to wear. While the world was ending and something like heavy metal bands' clothes would look more fitting, he chose to wear his clothes when he went fishing in winter.

Jason was planning on wearing a matching set of sweatpants and a blue and white sweatshirt made of a soft and cozy cotton fabric. The sweatpants are loose-fitting and designed for comfort and ease of movement. They have an elasticized waistband with a drawstring for an adjustable fit and possibly elasticized cuffs at the ankles to keep the cold air out.

Like the sweatpants, the sweatshirt was also loose-fitting and provided warmth and insulation. It also had long sleeves and an oversized hood, allowing for easy layering. The cuffs on the sleeves were elasticized, helping to keep warmth inside. 

For footwear, Jason opted for athletic black shoes suitable for his specific running routine. These shoes were very comfortable and supportive and offered good traction for various surfaces. He also wears moisture-wicking socks to keep his feet dry and prevent discomfort during the workout.

To complete the set-up, Jason chose to wear a beanie to keep his head warm and lightweight gloves to protect his hands from the cold. These accessories help to maintain body heat and provide additional comfort while exercising in cooler temperatures.

"I am all set… for tomorrow," Jason thought. "Can I have a good night of sleep here?"

 Although it was already evening, Jason felt a bit odd about the eerily silent silence of the area… and he didn't interact with his neighbors at all. He didn't dislike the fact that the streets were filled with laughter and joy at that time of day. Jason didn't dislike peace and quiet either, but he didn't like the fact that it came like that… at the hands of monsters from the multiverse invading Earth.

 Jason sat down on the couch again and then relaxed enough to manage to take a nap. Before long, he found himself experiencing a rainy day again… it had been a while since he had that dream… standing alone facing two gravestones while he was only a boy that was five years old. It has been fifteen years since he lost his parents in the crash…

 Since then, Jason moved from one house to one relative to another… but they didn't want to raise him; they only used the money that his parents left for him. Over those fifteen years, only that house was the thing that Jason received from his parents that he didn't lose… then he met his girlfriend and had a bit of his faith in humanity restored again… only for him to feel even more betrayal and hatred burning inside him… Jason suddenly woke up with his blood boiling. These feelings couldn't even leave him alone in his sleep.