82 Potential 2 (1/2)
Chàng Bo's expression was so comical that Hypnos had to stop himself from laughing. His previous smugness was now frozen and his eyes were filled with doubt and confusion. Hypnos could practically hear the cogs turning in his brain.
\”I...I made this happen.\” As Chàng Bo said the words his chest heaved up and down, it didn't make sense but for some reason Chàng Bo couldn't shake the feeling that Hypnos was telling him the truth.
\”Was I also reincarnated into this world? Did I also volunteer in this project to be some type of Gatekeeper?\” he muttered, thousands of questions popped up in his head.
Hypnos sighed, \”As smart as you are you really don't think. If you had really volunteered in this project to be a Gatekeeper do you believe Nyx, our Mother, would have had to go through the trouble of conceiving you in the 400 realms?\”
Hypnos was right, their Mother wouldn't of had to take such a risk. Plus, if he was a volunteer for the 400 realm project than Nyx would never have been involved with him, since she was an enemy to the project and its creators.
\”You paid a heavy price and made quite the deal with Nyx to be born in this world. And everything I've done is because you instructed me to do it. As to why you wanted me to steal that artefact, have Mother give you that Gatekeeper key and instructed me to specifically give you Sweet Dream, that 'poison'... I have no idea. Most of your intentions and actions so far have been a mystery to me and the rest of the resistance. So don't ask me why you're doing this.\”
Hypnos reached into his cloak and brought out a long sword. The scabbard was made of clear crystal, and when Hypnos pulled out the blade the air filled with a sharp and dangerous energy. Chàng Bo tasted blood on the tip of his tongue. He could hear the lingering cries of the souls this sword had slain.
The blade was made of a material similar to pure gold, its surface crackled with blue electricity and sparks of lighting. Chàng Bo could see all kinds of essences whirling around inside the blade, some essences he didn't even recognise. This truly wasn't an ordinary weapon.
The hilt was made of pure diamond, and on that diamond hilt were small words engraved in gold. They read \”To my dearest C, may our love be eternal and even reality be defeated against your blade. Love, M.\”
Hypnos handed the sword over to Chàng Bo, \”This belongs to you. Honestly if I could control a Quintessence weapon I would keep it all to myself, but I'm not strong enough for it and it only obeys you.\” Hypnos said with a bitter tone.
\”Th-this is mine\” Chàng Bo gasped, he'd never seen a weapon so beautiful before.
Hypnos sighed, \”You told me that if we ever meet I should give this back to you. So I'm doing just that.\”
Had his past self loved the past Mao Lu so much that he decided to sacrifice his life and start a new one just to find him? Did he do all that, giving himself Sweet Dream just to meet him again….but some things didn't add up. Maybe he did come here for Mao Lu, but he knew himself. He likely had another objective. Chàng Bo wondered what else he had come to the 400 realms for.
Hypnos saw the thoughtful expression on Chàng Bo's face and reached into his pocket and gave Chàng Bo a blue pendant. \”Wear this, it's one of the tools I use to hide myself when I'm in the 400 realms, it completely masks your presence, no one, not even the Creators can find you whilst you're wearing this unless you want them to. Heck even if you ran into a Creator on the street they would see right through you.\”
Chàng Bo stared at the piece of jewellery in excitement, he wondered how this small thing worked and was curious about how it contained so much power.
\”Thank you.\” he said as he clipped it around his neck.
Hypnos smiled and nodded as he stood up. \”Well I'm going to leave now, the next time we meet it will probably be in the Endless Plains, that's what natives call the real realm by the way.\”
Chàng Bo was startled, \”You're going, so fast? Aren't you going to tell me more about my past self or what kind of agreement I made with Nyx and yourself? Did I come here looking for the 'M' mentioned on this sword, is 'M' the Gatekeeper I know? How do I know you?\”
\”I could explain that to you but Cahir….I mean Chàng Bo, we're not friends. We may be brothers in this life and I may have owed you a few favours that I'm now delivering on, but I'm not going to go out of my way to make things easier for you. Actually I'm kind of enjoying you being all ignorant and weak in this situation. With that sovereign system I'm sure you won't remain weak for long, so I'm going to enjoy teasing you while I can.\” Hypnos laughed.
\”You know about the Sovereign System?\” Chàng Bo asked, immediately becoming guarded.
\”We once fought nearly to the death over that thing, you made a fool out of me and my face is so ruined I can't show my face in public.\” he said moodily. Hypnos then noticed Chàng Bo's guarded expression and sniggered, \”Don't worry I won't take it, it only obeys you now, it wouldn't work for me.\”
\”Anyway I'm leaving, I even saved your life earlier, I owe you no more favours.\”
Chàng Bo scowled, \”If you weren't going to go into detail why bother even mentioning those things then!?\”
Hypnos shrugged, \”I thought that since you're all innocent now I could use this chance to properly recruit you to the resistance by making you super sympathetic towards our Mother. But you're too much of a pain and you question everything. Mother told me before I came here that there was no point trying to recruit you and that I'd only be doing you a favour by telling you some truths and I should have just listened to her. So I've given up on that. I'm just going to leave here with the satisfaction that the Evil Prince who hates being ignorant will have his head filled with unanswered questions, because of me.\”
Chàng Bo glared at him, \”I'm certain I hated you in my past life.\”
Hypnos laughed, \”Trust me, the feeling was pretty much mutual.\”
Hypnos raised his skeletal hands and was about to clap them together, but then paused, \”Treat him well in this life, don't make him do unnecessary things again.\” he said.
Chàng Bo was confused and was about to express his confusion at those words, but Hypnos clapped his hands.
By the time Chàng Bo blinked he was back in Realm 145.
He was standing in the porch of Mao Lu's home. The sun shone bright in the sky. The air was warm.
It was Summer[1]
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TEMPERING HEART TRIAL
MIRROR SPACE