"So you are telling me," Cale pinched his nose bridge and opened his eyes with an annoyed face, "My soul shattered thanks to the White Star?"
"... Technically, your soul and the White Stars are tied to each other, and because of that.."
"Tied to each other, is it because when he took the body I should have transmigrated into?"
"... Yes."
Sigh.
He covered his face with his right palm and sighed tiredly.
'When can I get my peace?'
Why does it feel like he would never reach this dream of his...
He shooked his head and tried to think positive for himself.
"What should I do know?"
If Cale Henituse's soul is too late to be fixed as Death says...
he will no longer exist.
It is a surprise that the cause would be serious as that.
The ruler of Death looked outside his window in his office-like room intently, Cale then said towards.
"How can I glue them back?"
"I'm searching for a route."
"And Why am I still walking if my soul is currently shattered?"
Death took his eyes away from the window and opened his palm, an orb-like shiny ball appeared between them.
"Think of this as your soul."
Crack.
The orb cracked.
Cale immediately touched his chest as if he was feeling the same pain as earlier.
The residue of the orb came out, and three large pieces of debris are shown like shards.
The base of the orb is not round like it normally should thanks the cracks.
"Now, this is the condition of your soul."
The three shards floated and stopped in front of Cale.
"The three shards are scattered around the universes. We need those big parts to glue your soul properly."
"... Universe?"
Cale mumbled in disbelief as he saw the shards disappear in an instant, leaving only the broken orb with missing parts and cracks.
A red substance then appeared and filled the missing parts and cracks, turning the orb as normal as it should be.
"I am currently making sure to prevent your soul from cracking any further."
"... Haaa."
Cale then puts on an exhausted face.
"Why didn't you f**** tell me from the start?"
"Tied existences rarely happen, this is a special case and the first time that we met this kind of problem."
Death crossed his arm, his deep black eyes hold a mysterious gaze.
Why did he care about this human?
The other divines didn't care about this redhair in front of him, why would they care? His soul is shattered and scattered in unknown places, it is exhausting to find just three of the shards.
this is Death's fault to begin with anyway.
They thought that all of that happened because Death made the transmigration and fruited this incident.
So, they didn't care about Cale and let Death do whatever he wants.
Death scoffed faintly and focused on the current time.
"You know that crossing worlds and universes is very hard to do, even a Ruler."
"So?"
"There is a way to cross those worlds a little easier, a media where all worlds that we could get in and out without almost any problems."
The Ruler paused for a moment.
"Have you heard of 'fanfictions?'
"... pardon?"
"We will be finding your shattered souls by that route, it would take a few trials. but it is worth the try."
The Redhair blinked his eyes confusedly.
Fanfiction?
Yes, he knew that word.
Teenagers, adults, or maybe old. They read fiction that is related to the original work and that is called 'fanfiction'
Fanfiction enables readers, writers, and sometimes even literary professors to play in an imaginative sandbox, interpreting and reinterpreting events, relationships, and characters to flesh out different scenarios.¹
But, did he hear that right?
"... What does fanfiction has to do with this?"
Why suddenly talk about fanfictions?
And how did Death know about such words?
"I'll explain to you later, now follow me."
A portal appeared behind the Ruler Of Death, he relaxed and walked into the portal as Cale followed behind him.
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"Eruhaben-nim, How is he?"
The ancient dragon that just closed the door of Cale's room turned to the worried swordsman that is clenching his hilt tightly.
Cale's condition is currently stable from now on, his soul and body are being protected by a high-level barrier that is surrounding the room and the Villa.
'If someone poked his soul right now, it would instantly break.'
That is why, he doesn't want anyone to be in contact with the young master except Rosalyn and himself.
"He's stable, just don't let anyone in except Rosalyn and me."
The ancient dragon then walked away from the room, leaving only Choi Han that is staring blankly at Eruhaben's disappearing figure.
He unclenched and clenched the hilt of his sword several times.
'It is happening again.'
The worry from when he learned that Cale was trapped by the Sealed Ruler and when he made a deal with the Ruler of Death to help the young master.
The same Phantom pain that is gnawing at his insides.
'Everyone must have felt the same way.'
When they found out about this, they immediately started to call Choi Han and the others who are in the Villa, starting with the Crown Prince, Prince Valentino, don't forget Toonka...
... He lost count.
But of course, they all sounded worried and will be delighted if they could help the Young master with his needs.
They don't know about his soul breaking down, only Eruhaben, Rosalyn, and himself.
He is in despair that he couldn't help the young master like before.
Choi Han sighed and looked at the door of Cale's room.
He then looked away and walked forward.
'I will train harder.'
His steps began to fasten.
'This will not happen again.'
————————————————
"Creation."
"Hm~?"
The woman that is drinking her tea peacefully in a garden, not usual for some people to drink tea at night outdoors...or Cale thought when he looked at the sky that is already dark.
Two of the men, Cale and Death sat in front of her with a glass table separating them.
Tink.
The Ruler of Creation puts her teacup down elegantly on the table, then looked at Death with her shiny and mesmerizing eyes.
"Is there anything that I can help you with?"
"Do you know where she is?"
"... Hm? Enlighten me please?"
The ruler of Death crossed his arms and looked at the gorgeous Ruler with eyes that are staring without any emotions.
"The Timekeeper."
Creation widened her eyes.
"You still have contact with her, am I wrong? She needed you in certain things."
Ruler of Death hummed as he felt their surroundings become cold.
"Death, how can you say things that didn't happen?"
"Just some logical thinking."
"... A total nonsense."
The ruler of Creation sighed and looked at Cale who was just hearing the conversation.
"Hm? Who is this? what are you doing here—"
Creeak.
She immediately stood up, making her chair creak as her eyes became shaky.
Death smiled wryly and took a teacup from the table and poured himself tea.
"What are you looking at now is real, Creation."
"... How?"
She could see the red hair's soul that is glowing dimly and cracked all over the place.
As a Ruler of Creation, It is not her first time seeing such a soul like this, she had met many humans and beings who had their souls cracked and broken.
But she had never met someone whose soul is broken and did not die in front of her, this human is alive!
He might be just a floating broken soul in front of her, but she could feel life still flowing around the soul... The transparent-looking handsome man looked at her with sadness.
Creation thought of his face as full of pain, the poor young man must have been through a lot of things... The Ruler felt pity towards him.
"How? How can you still be alive?"
She wanted to approach the young master to look further but then was stopped by Death.
"I need the Timekeeper."
Creation scrunched her face with a frown and scoffed, something like an item appeared beside her as she took it and threw the item towards Death.
"Listen, I'll help you because of this unusual soul's condition. "
Creation turned her back and side-glared towards Death.
"If you tell this to the others.."
"I know, it will be just a secret for all three of us."
The ruler of Creation did not reply as she walked away from the garden, disappearing to somewhere unknown.
Death nudged Cale.
"Nice acting you got there."
"Shut up."
"If I send you to some modern world, you could be an awesome actor."
"Just get this over with."
Cale deadpanned and stared at the item that Death is holding.
The item would fit a teenager's palm, maybe the size is the same as a flip phone. Its colors are black and red stripes surrounding the item for aesthetic.
A red button is there in the most left corner top.
"Now, let's meet our helper."
A portal appeared in front of them as they both went in.
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[1] source: https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-fanfiction-48150