Chapter 7: Collapse (IV)

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—10:11 am—

As the car came to a screeching halt, Astrid bolted out of the car with a speed that even surprised Arthur. Shaking his head with an amused smile, Arthur looked to the side, at his driver. "You can go. Thanks for the lift."

"Should I stay here? The house is quite some distance away from here." The driver replied, pulling his cap downwards. 

"That would be unnecessary." Arthur shook his head. As he opened the door, he saw Astrid looking around with wide eyes and suppressing the urge to run off into the first bakery that was just across the street. However, he slid back into his seat. "Here, take this." Arthur spoke as he handed an envelope to the driver. "It's your anniversary, right?"

The man's eyes widened. "-yes. How did you…"

"Doesn't matter." Arthur shrugged, his face not betraying a single expression. "And don't think much about it. Neither is gratitude needed." He spoke as he reopened the door and looked back. "Take today's day off."

"Yes sir!" The driver replied with a wide grin, saluting. Once Arthur had left the car and shut the door behind him, the car's tires skidded before rushing off in a straight line. 

"You sure are a softie." Astrid commented, looking over his shoulder. "You never said something about someone like him."

Arthur shrugged. "Probably because he was not worth mentioning." He spoke as he saw the car take a sharp right turn before disappearing from his sight. "Despite being my personal driver for years, I still don't know his name, after all."

"Ughhh–" Astrid groaned. "I'll take it back."

"Knew you would." Arthur cracked a grin. "No way I'd know about Emil's name. Too hard to remember."

"Just when I thought you cared about someon— wait! You do remember his name!" She pointed her finger at him. 

"Hmm? Do I? Are you sure you are not hearing things?" 

Astrid narrowed her eyes. "I think that's what is happening. I am just hearing things. Definitely didn't hear that the driver's name is Emil."

"That is a worrisome subject. Should we go back?"

"Don't you dare think about that!" She snapped as Arthur shrugged. 

"Fine— don't talk so loudly." Arthur spoke, taking a step back from her night-rampaging form as he noticed multiple people looking at them. 

"Whatever." She stomped her feet. "Now I am angry. I want to eat something."

"Didn't you just have breakfast enough for 3 peop—ouch." The elbow that landed into Arthur's ribs made him shut his mouth up instantaneously, however, the tone of his exclamation did not quite reach the sentiment behind it. 

"Hmph. Never point it out to a lady that she's eating a lot." She huffed, folding her hands. 

"That is quite an inconceivable course of action." Arthur shot back, rubbing his side. I suppose there is no arguing with women. All of them are the same. "Anyways, there are 18 bakeries in total. Do you have anything specific in mind?" Arthur asked. 

"Hmm. As you can guess, I did come prepared, but reviews won't help. Since you spent most of your life here, I will leave it up to you." 

Arthur tilted his head, a tremor going down his spine as he suddenly looked at a blank point in the sky. "Hmm. I might have something planned." He spoke and took the lead. 

After that, Arthur and Astrid walked down the cobblestone walls. Bergen was the second largest city in Norway, after its capital, Oslo—which was also the base of operations for the Seven Syndicates. The Fjords were the prime reason for the attraction of this place and Bergen was the first city where the Olvasens' made their first main encampment, after wandering off the distant lands. 

Due to this, instead of living inside the Capitol, generation upon generations of Olvasens have lived and grown up in Bergen, before moving out. Other than the family head, of course, who was bound to stay back at their home city and look after the family accolades. 

The cold smell of fish filled the air as Arthur and Astrid walked down the roads. Heaps upon heaps of Cod and Stockfish were lined along the Brygges, which were the beeline along the lakes connecting to the sea. 

Astrid was like a little child, looking at everything with stars in her eyes. Despite it being a simple city, in comparison to Hammerfest—which was her birth city—she was still drawn towards everything it had to offer. The houses along the line were mostly traditional in structure. Since this place was a bit far from the main market, the ambience of the old times still lingered here, untouched by the modernity. 

"Arthur- I just noticed something!"

"Hmm?" Arthur hummed, shaking his head as he looked up from his phone. There was a frown on his face, albeit for a split second, as it vanished in an instant. "What?"

"The houses." She pointed at one of the houses with her finger that had red paint on its ceiling. "It's just like those little house-thingies we have in Monopoly!"

"Monopoly?" Arthur tilted his head. "Is that the board game you keep talking about?"

Astrid was dumbfounded. "You are joking, right?" She stammered. "You seriously don't know anything about Monopoly? Even after I played it in front of you with my friends at Hammerfest?"

"I think I have told you this many times before." Arthur spoke as a matter-of-factly. "Besides, I don't have any will to look at what you have been doing with your friends." 

"No, you absolutely did no-" she paused, as if remembering something. "-you said you were not interested. Not that you never played it!"

"Same thing. Tomato, tomato." Arthur retorted, switching accents as he did. 

"Seriously-" Astrid sighed, "-once we have something to eat, I am buying it. And you are definitely playing it with me."

"Not a chance." Arthur clicked the top of his mouth with his tongue. 

"We'll see about that." She looked the other way, and then raised her face towards the sky. Removing her cap, she let the wind make her hair flutter like a flag. "Hmmm~ It's so warm today."

"It's 0 degrees. Not really warm," Arthur remarked, glancing down at his phone. "But it's just warm comparatively," he added, trying to lighten the mood.

Groaning in mock exasperation, Astrid rolled her eyes before darting off with a playful smile. "You really know how to suck the fun out of everything."

Arthur watched her go for a moment before slipping his phone back into his pocket, his own smile barely perceptible. As her back got increasingly smaller and smaller, Arthur took in a deep breath, his mind wandering off to somewhere. A conversation in particular. 

—There's something wrong about to happen.

—Ok?

—I know you have no interest in associating with me, but for once, hear me out. I might be on the opposing side, but I have never once, not even a single time, wanted to bring harm on you. Art– Arthur, believe me. Just this once. 

—Your words are not credible. Besides, you have no way of confirming it.

—I do. Have you forgotten who we have allied with?

— …

—I am not asking anything of you. Just… just stay safe, okay?

—Thanks for the unnecessary heads up. I am busy now, sadly.

—Mhmm… Take care Arth-

As the evil premonition hung like a sword over his head, Arthur sighed. Astrid stopped after running so far that Arthur was barely visible now. She looked back, as she saw Arthur insert his hands into his coat's pockets and look at the water body beside him. 

A frown formed on her face. We only have so little time left and he's looking at the sea!? "Arthu–" Before she could talk, Arthur stepped behind her, pulling her by her arm. The sudden tug made her fall on his chest as he held her firmly. 

"Don't shout my name."

"..." As he stared down at her with a piercing look, a rosy pink hue formed on her cheeks as she clung on to his chest in a rather weird position, unable to remain standing. Averting her eyes, she looked down at the soft fabric against which she was pressed. "Fine-"

A flutter drew Arthur's attention away from the blonde nestled against his chest. A bird–a dipper with its distinctive white throat elegantly soared overhead, gliding towards one of the many mountains that surrounded the city, stuck in the distance.

"Somfin on yher mind?" Astrid's voice muffled from his chest, glanced at his side profile curiously.

Arthur kept his gaze fixed on the distant peaks far out into the distance.

"The mountains." his eyes finally shifted to meet her own. "I want to go to the mountains."

Her look of confusion intensified, before transforming into shock, her eyes widening in disbelief as she processed his words, eliciting a quizzical raised eyebrow from the boy.

"What now-"

"The mountains?! You wanna go to the mountains!?" Excitement grew after each syllable Astrid spoke.

"Yeah? They're pretty, I guess." He takes a moment to point toward the largest mountain in the range. "Ulriken, I want to go there. "

Astrid hurriedly pushes herself free out of Arthur's embrace before staring at him with suspicion.

"The Arthur Olvasen wishes to go out to do something that isn't laze around or following orders?!" She exclaimed theatrically, as her eyes began to study every feature of Arthur in an exaggerated manner. "Who are you, and what have you done with Arthur!"

Arthur shrugged his shoulders, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Despite how it may seem, I am still capable of feeling and wanting to do things."

Astrid rapidly nodded her head, as if processing this revelation. "Hmm. Hmm. Well…" With a skip in her step, she seized Arthur's sleeve, dragging him along with her. "Let's go to the mountains then!" 

A small smile tugged on the corners of Arthur's lips.

"Let's."

(*********)

—SIMPSON DESERT, AUSTRALIA—

16 September, 2023 — 5 pm.

"Woooohoooooooooooooooooooo—" 

The joyous scream of a teenager echoed in the entirety of the Simpson desert as a "Sand Dune Buggy" moved up and down rigorously. 

His raven black hair moved up and down, losing their natural lustre due to the grains of sand resting atop his head. Despite the kicking sand, he was not wearing any goggles, his eyes unperturbed by the unholy amounts of sand entering it. 

"Arghh– Master Finn- please slow down." 

The man sitting behind him cried out. The boy in question was the heir to the Andersons—Mediators of every Arcanum user in Oceania and one of the Seven Syndicates. They were also the ones who were in a long-standing partnership with the Whites and Olaniyans. 

Still driving the buggy on full throttle, Finn looked back, grains of sand resting on his long black lashes as a sinister look formed in his unsettlingly murky black eyes. Turning the handle to the extreme right, the entire buggy teetered to the side, before making the man fall down as Finn applied a break at the same time, saving himself. 

As the man fell down in the sand, he immediately stood up, coughing out sand.

"Haha! Oi, fair dinkum, Trev mate, reckon you're really a guardian? Bwahaha-" As Finn's laughter boomed, the guardian—Trev let out an awkward cough. 

"Please, Sir Finn, you can't keep doing this. Master Blake is going to kill me if something happens to you." Trev complained with a whine. "And besides, the thought of you getting hurt pains me." He spoke, dusting off his clothes. He was, after all, his guardian since birth.

"Calm down, Trev." Finn gestured dismissively. "Something as trivial as this is not enough to put even a dent on me." He smirked. "The demon king himself has to crawl out of Eden to stand a chanc—"

As if answering his call, his words were cut short as the bedrock beneath all the sand dunes fractured open with a guttural roar, resembling the hungry jaws of a monster mentioned in fairy tales. 

Sediment and sand cascaded into the seemingly bottomless depths of its gaping maw. 

The huge void shifted, revealing rows upon rows of jagged teeth-like protrusions, instantly shifting towards Finn's buggy.

With a swift tug, Trev yanked Finn away, hurling him aside just as the monstrous jaws caught up to them. They managed to tumble away from the buggy, but their respite was short-lived. 

The gnashers that moved like the frenzied rotation of a washing machine's agitator, tore into the vehicle with terrifying speed. In mere moments, the buggy was reduced to shrapnel, shredded to bits and pieces. 

Before Finn could blink, Trev was sucked into the huge maw as the creature inhaled, his form torn asunder. 

As if placed inside a butchering machine, his blood, flesh, and pulverised bone were hurled into a whirlwind within the gaping maw, before being consumed entirely by its insatiable hunger.

Finn's brows twitched involuntarily as a surge of adrenaline flooded his veins, his heart pounding so violently it felt as though it might burst from his chest. He could feel the beating of his heart into his ears, dread coiling in the pit of his stomach as a cold grip tightened around his insides. 

Time felt as if it had slowed down to a crawl, each heartbeat echoing in his ears like a war drum. The sight of Trev's body being torn apart before his very eyes sent shivers down Finn's spine, a primal, unrestrained fear clawing at the edges of his consciousness.

A sense of helplessness washed over him, overwhelming any semblance of courage or bravado he had mustered moments before. The realisation of his own mortality struck him like a thunderbolt, rendering him momentarily paralyzed as he grappled with the sheer terror of the situation.

For an agonising heartbeat, like stuck in a static void, Finn was frozen in place, his mind reeling with disbelief and horror. 

But as the vortex of destruction neared him, instinct kicked in. Arcanum flared outwards like compressed gas and then ignited with an almost sentient roar. His hair flew upwards and his eyes glowed in a dark shade of crimson as Arcanum flowed through every node inside his body. 

Finn ground his molars together until the sound reverberated in his skull, a futile attempt to drown out the chaos raging within him. His gaze lifted upward, but his vision was blurred by tears that welled up, distorting the world around him into a hazy blur of agony and despair.

The loss of his guardian, one who had raised him since he was born, ignited a rage deep within his soul. It burned with an intensity that threatened to consume his very being, eclipsing all other emotions. 

Memories flooded his mind, a torrent of moments shared with the figure that was like his father, now ripped away to shreds. 

Up until now the monster was only attacking by placing its mouth underneath the sand, however, as soon as the first wave of offensive Arcanum hit the monster, it let out a primal roar and revealed its entire body. The caterpillar-like monster was more than 30 feet long, being able to not only crawl but stand up right. 

The countless wiggling arms on the side gleamed with an otherworldly sheen, their appearance more akin to metallic weapons than mere appendages. As if fueled by some arcane power, Arcanum manifested around Finn like a shimmering aura, crackling with energy and ominous intent.

With a menacing lurch, its gaping maw moved forward to consume Finn in one fell swoop. 

In that fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still. And as the jaws of oblivion drew nearer, Finn swallowed hard.

Raising the index and middle fingers of his right hand and conjuring a swirling holographic structure resembling a stretched oval, he compressed the hologram between his hands.

In a split second, the worm's form contorted upon itself, undergoing a catastrophic collapse as if subjected to the forces of extreme distortion. The implosion unleashed a cacophonous explosion, reverberating through the desert. 

Fragments of the worm's disintegrated form dispersed into the atmosphere, dispersing in a chaotic pattern. As the amethyst liquid that was its blood rained down, it tainted the golden sands of the desert with hues of dark amethyst, followed by a nauseating stench. 

Inside the crimson glow of his eyes, more and more tears welled up as he fell to the ground. Scooping up fistfuls of sand, he hurtled them at the dead monster again and again, like a child throwing a tantrum. He continued this until he could feel the burning sand chip away at his skin. 

As he began walking towards the dead monster's body, something flashed in his mind. 

'A Grade C monster… I think I read about it in one of the books in dad's library.'

He thought. However, while he was just a step away from the monster, another worm, albeit much smaller this time attacked him from behind. His Arcanum blipped out of existence before appearing right behind the worm. 

「Phase 1 — Axis Inverse」

Like a compass suddenly going haywire, the worm's senses were suddenly disoriented before snapping back to attack Finn as its entire body was flipped upside down. 

Like a gun, he pointed his fingers at the worm.

「Phase 2 — Collapse」

Just like the first one, its entire body collapsed on itself. 

Adam's Annihilation Type Arcane Arts. 

7 of these highly destructive arts that were capable of destroying cities in mere seconds, were passed down generation after generation by the Seven Syndicates via a Blood Contract. Those Arcane Arts were then broken down in countless Phases, depending on application and potency.

And the Andersons were no exception. 

Even though they did not fare well against the upper three—Whites, Mirandas and Olvasens—their Arcane Arts was something that was feared by the people of Eden. 

The exact reason why humans were targeted all hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years ago. 

The Andersons' Arcane Arts was 「Axis Manipulation.」

Born with an innate talent to manipulate the three mathematical axes of almost anything inside this 3D world, they were able to bend it to their whims. However, of course, the limitation was one's understanding of the intricacies and the amount of Arcanum stored inside the node situated in the heart. 

The 「Phase 1」simply changed the Axis of Existence. If an object exists and is moving in a horizontal axis or simply put, in an X-Axis, he was able to flip the X-Axis over, or transition the object or living thing from X to the vertical dimension. 

The difference between Phase 1 and Phase 2, however, was much more than what one could conceive. Even after 17 years of his life, Finn was only able to grasp two Phases of this esoteric Arcane Art. But the current situation was just fine. 

'These are on the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to strength.' 

He was right. 

These underground worms only held the advantage because of their size and numbers. 

I won't let his sacrifice go in vain…

Finn wiped his tears, pushing away the trembling sensation to the back of his head. He didn't want to think. It was too complicated for him to wrap his head around it anyways. All he could do was avenge his guardian—Trev.

The ground beneath his feet trembled violently as more and more worms started to sprout out. As their forms extended upwards, towards the sky, Finn could only look at them with his rapidly beating heart. Despite all this, he felt adrenaline coursing through his veins. 

He was indeed Adam's descendant after all. Someone who had carried his legacy in his veins. The more he used his Arcane Arts, the more he felt a liberating sensation. Although, this feeling, at the moment, was suppressed by a crushing sense of loss and despair. 

Pushing away all the sadness to the side, Finn let out a long breath. The next moment, his bloodlust seeped out of his body tangibly, making the worms paralyse in place. 

The next instant he activated the same Art again. Phase 2 or Collapse was something on an entirely different level than Phase 1. Even though the mechanics were simple enough. 

Using his Arcanum, he was able to form a jarring discordance, collapsing the axes of existence—X, Y and Z—on themselves. 

It was a bit more complex than just collapsing them—since it was actually caused by the chaos formed between the three dimensions due to the variable known as his Arcanum—but the general outcome was the same. 

Lowering down his stance, he scowled at them, his heart fluttering, forming a weird dichotomy. "Come at me, ya bloody disgusting, stinkin' maggots."

And while Finn was busy taking his anger out on the worms, multiple other sightings were observed all over the world. The world was changing. The time for the great merger was approaching. It was just as Blake had said. 

The long winter was approaching. 

In the Bleak Midwinter- only the strong would prevail.