181 A Permanent Farewell, The Start of the New Adventure (1/2)
▋▋▋▋ - ▋▋:▋▋▋▋ - ▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋, ▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋, ▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋▋
Mark blankly stared at the laughing Freed. Even though he was mostly smiling all this time, this was the first time he actually laughed. Although it felt like Freed was making fun of what he had just said, he just let him laugh out loud. This person who was more than a thousand years old already, he only lived seventeen years of happiness and the rest were all suffering and looking for solace.
”You don't have to apologize. Yeah, it was kind of hard living like everything had forsaken me. But, I'm not alone now. Also… If I did die back then, I won't be able to enjoy myself in an apocalyptic world like this.”
Those words made Freed laugh even more.
”Yeah right. You're a zombie survival fan after all. That's where the two of us are different. I longed for peace and you longed for chaos.”
”Yet, you chose me out of all people in the world.”
”Yep.”
Freed closed his eyes, he now had a peaceful expression in your face.
”You should cherish Mei. I saved her just because she was someone you perfectly needed.”
Mark turned to Freed, confused, to see Freed looking at him with serious eyes.
”You need a stopper for that Empathic ability of yours. You already realized right? Her body rejects foreign energies unless the energy was channeled to her through direct contact. Even though being an Empath is something awesome or cool sounding to most people, it's a dangerous ability to the wielder. You already experienced the mildest and the moderate side effect of this ability. Headaches, fevers and nose and eye bleeding, those are just mild side effects. You confusing the emotions of others to yours and the weakening of your own emotions are just moderate ones.” Freed's tone changed into a serious one. ”If that is not regulated especially since the apocalypse is filled with negative and extreme emotions of people suffering, you will totally lose your emotions. In the worst case, you'll go crazy from being overwhelmed by the emotions of other people.”
”That can't be helped isn't it?”
Mark replied as he did not care at all.
”Actually, there's a method to delay that from happening.”
Freed said making Mark pay more attention.
”Channel the excess energies into the PsyCrystal and turn into the smaller crystals. That way, you can reduce the burden in your mind. You can consume the crystalized energies when you needed to. Well, that method is not as effective as keeping Mei on your side though.”
Mark nodded seriously taking his advice.
”Besides…” Freed continued. ”You should already accept her feelings. Don't become like me.”
”A Cuckold?”
”Seriously you… Why do you always find chances to call me things like that?”
Freed felt infuriated but could not do anything.
”As payback. You think I already forgot about how you took over my body several times years ago just to court and flirt with several women on the street?”
”What? You looked so lonely so I thought of finding you a girlfriend.”
”I don't need you to do it.”
”But you never had one.”
”At least, no one will leave me for another man.”
”You…”
Freed sighed… He gave up first. There was no point on arguing with Mark who was not showing any expression at all. He then realized…
”Are you angry that I did not do anything when Amecia left me?”
Mark froze. He turned his head away.
”I remember now. You hated stories where the woman left the protagonist for another man, especially the ones where the protagonist did not take revenge at all being all nice and wishing the best for the woman no matter how he felt hurt inside. Right? Also, those protagonists who fell into despair instead of fighting for their feelings.”
Mark did not speak. However, Freed smiled.
”To think that you will actually get angry for my sake… Thank you.”
Mark looked at Freed. He was smiling but there was water dripping at the corner of his eyes.
The dam has been broken. The hundreds of years of pent up emotions finally overflowed. It was because there was someone now who he could finally share his thoughts even though it was just a one-time instance.
Strong men did not cry they said… But Freed was not strong. He was just forced to be one.
***
It had been a while now. Since they were inside the subconscious, the two did not know how much time had already passed by. It was because unlike Mark who owned this small dark world, the consciousness outside was not connected to the subconscious. Just like how it was with Freed. While Freed could read and know what Mark was thinking, Mark could not do the same to the latter since he was a foreign consciousness.
”It's time.”
Freed stood up and spoke.
”You're going already?”