Chapter 345: Together Till the End Part 1 (1/2)
Adam and Alton stood facing off against each other. Neither one moved as Adam looked around, shrugging his shoulders. ”I would have never imagined someone with your adept nature would slave away working at this dump doing double shifts to make ends meets. But, my, my how far you fell and how much more you rose to the occasion. I'll be the first to admit you've surprised me. Caught me off guard; in fact, never did I imagine you would attack the heart of the Garden alone and kill one of the Gardeners. For that, I must thank you, if you weren't going to do it, I would have.”
”That's quite enough.” Alton groaned, slouching back. ”I've had enough of hearing your tired story; we all know you have a God complex and think of yourself as so much more than the others, but seriously, do you ever shut up?”
”Very well. I suppose I have kept you waiting long enough, old friend. It's about time I end this. I'm not holding any punches this time.” Adam exclaims as he looked at the sky, activating his long whisper. Alton was taken back, not expecting Adam to trigger something like that this early. It was clear from the get-go, Adam wanted to finish this right here and now. Holding his cards close to his chest Alton prepared for the unseeing attack as time stopped altogether as hundreds of copies of Adam appeared, his past, present and future colliding to kill Alton. This was his fail-safe and the guaranteed victory he looked for. Adam gave a disappointed sigh shaking his head. ”While it would have been far more enjoyable and fitting for us to both have a battle to the death Alton. I'm afraid I can't go through with that risk. So I'm ending this once and for all.”
****
From the highest point of the ruined city, the Gardener stood overlooking what she would have once considered thousands of years ago her home. Now, what remained was just a husk of her perfect memory. ”Even after all these years, the humans never learned to overcome their primitive nature. I mean, what good comes from buildings that can reach the sky. What a waste of nature to cover your entire nation in metal and concrete. I remember when this entire nation was just grassland and forest. A much simpler time, perhaps.”
”What should we do? Do we let the fight carry out?” Chloe questioned, sitting on the rooftop, legs hanging over the edge. ”I fear the outcome might not be in our favour if that happens.”
”And what is the desired outcome, Anxiety?”
Chloe froze, looking lost as she began stuttering on her words. ”Oh, well, you know…. Getting the Stages back and freeing the Garden, right?”
The Gardener chuckled to herself, nodding. ”You aren't wrong. That is the will of the Garden and what the Stages followed. But tell me my Anxiety, would you like to live here? Does this place echo much of a better life than the one you're used to?”
”Well, no, but? If we aren't here to take the Stages back, what are we here for?”
”The world is over. We lost every Stage to the enemy, and now we're are no longer the dominant race. So, therefore, we must align ourselves with aside. Which side do you believe will elevate us to new levels and carry on the logic of the one?”
”Who? Well, umm, with how one minded he is, Adam wouldn't be the pick. He only cares about saving his sister and not anything else…. Is that a bad thing?”
”Of course not; nothing is more important than family, after all. However, if the family is the only important thing that rules your life, then well. Your value is nothing more than the dirt under my boot.” The Gardener hissed. ”Go, interrupt this battle for the ages and make sure Adam isn't given a chance to escape.”
”So, I'm siding with Alton?”
”You are not siding with anything. Your allegiance is to the logic and nothing else. Those who follow this logic are with us. So go Anxiety show them the true strength of your stage.”
****
Adam walked through the streets, putting his hand on each of his variants discovering each future outcome. Some he would win but at a terrible cost. Others were his demise; Adam was looking for the perfect future. One where Eve would live, and he would achieve Salvation's Calling. This would seem nearly impossible after nearly 100 outcomes Adam had come up short. But he wasn't worried; it was quite the opposite. His long whisper was unstoppable. There was, in theory, an unlimited number of timelines, so the one he desired would exist. All he had to do was search.
And search he did until he finally found his goal. The future he desired. Slipping into the variant he chose as his own, he appeared before Alton penetrating his chest with his bare hand. Alton coughed up, blood staring down, trembling, his vision becoming blurry. Adam tore his arm out, letting the blood trickle from his hand as he snarled. ”And that's the destiny of Alton Brantley.”