It's like 10:30pm right now and I haven't updated in like a while. Whoops. But hey, I'm here to yeet this random chapter at you as I struggle to write more! :D
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GAME OVER
Chapter 39 [Dredging Up the Past]
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Adam was struggling with how he was going to approach Seto with all the information he had. The whole trek down to the bottom of the ravine Adam was trying to decide whether he should lay everything out onto the table or lie or even a mix of the two. But in the end, as Adam stood in the entryway of cave, he still had no idea what he should say. However, the words he spoke to Ross only 10 minutes ago still rung clearly in his head.
Despite his current fears and doubts, he would face this challenge and all its consequences head on.
Seto was writing diligently with his back turned to Adam at his desk. Seto was always perceptive, he always seemed to know when Adam was around so he waited patiently by the door too hesitant to call out initially. But when Seto did nothing but continue to write Adam put his game face on and took several steps into the messy cave.
"Seto," he called out, but Seto didn't reply. That was certainly odd since Seto requested Adam's presence, but he was now too focused on whatever he was doing.
Seto suddenly grumbled in frustration and crumpled up the piece of paper he was writing on and tossed it to the floor. It surprisingly made its way towards Adam and that was when he notice the floor was covered in these balls of paper. Adam took a step forward and bent down to grab the one Seto had just thrown.
Adam uncrumpled the paper, what could Seto be working on that made his so eerily focused. What was so important?
Adam's eyes widened; the entire piece of paper was unlike Seto at all. It was a letter...if it could even be called that.
A letter to a deadman.
Jason, was all it said. Like Seto was trying to start a letter to man who died but didn't know where to go with it. To see Seto struggle with such an issue was shocking since such an issue would never land itself in front of Seto. He who always found such notions pointless was engaging in a pointless notion.
Adam felt bad for Seto in that moment, what could he possibly be going through to make him act so out of character.
Adam looked up in time to see Seto throw another paper ball, "Seto?"
Seto froze and turned around, "You're here..." he paused and shook his head a moment later, "You can leave, I don't need your assistance anymore," He turned back around to his desk.
"But Seto, you wanted to ask--"
Seto slammed his fist into his desk, "Dammit!" he yelled in frustration. Adam was frozen in fear as Seto's lips drew back in anger revealing his gritting teeth. Seto turned back to his desk and pushed up forcely from his chair. The chair crashed into a stack of books that toppled horrendously into the floor
Adam stumbled back as Seto suddenly reared into action. Adam tripped into a stack of books and fell to the floor with a crash as Seto let out another frustrated scream; in one swoop everything on his desk was shoved to the floor. There was an intense pressure radiating from Seto and Adam was paralyzed in fear.
The pressure remained as Seto seemingly relaxed and through a strained voice he spoke aloud, "Tell me, why did Jason die?"
Adam was too stunned with fear and confusion to answer.
"What did Jason do to die? The Enders killed him for no reason, he did nothing wrong. He--" Seto froze mid sentence and shook his head, "The Enders are at fault, aren't they? I should just take war to them if they plan to start one," he muttered.
Adam watched as Seto reached out his hand and his staff flew to his hand. A brilliant purple--no, red--light began to envelop Seto fueled only by his blind hate. Something told Adam this was dangerous, but not for him, for Seto. Well, also for him...
Adam was hesitant, he was ready to flee for help, but there was no time. He had to take action now.
"Seto!" Adam pushed off from the ground, nearly falling as he tripped over more books. The pressure was immense and Adam struggled to fight past it, but in a split second Adam's hand grasped Seto's staff and a gold light shone blinding the both of them.
In that moment, Adam saw Seto's intent to bring destruction to whoever opposed him in his attempt to wage war on the Enders alone. He would go to Sooul and launch himself into a battle to the death. And Adam saw for a fleeting moment, a sense of guilt and shame towards Jason before Seto pushed Jason out of his mind and focused only on bloodshed.
Adam frowned and pulled on Seto's staff, "Seto, please don't do this. You'll regret it if you do."
"Don't try and stop me, Mau is too weak to put an end to this silly trifle against the Enders so I have to step in."
"You're just using this as an excuse to get Jason's death out of your mind. You may say it doesn't bother you, but you're upset and you feel guilty!" Adam wrestled with Seto for his staff, "You shouldn't push the past away. Especially when its about someone you cared about."
Seto let go of his staff and stumbled backwards, "Be quiet, I would never waste my time on such thoughts. Jason is dead, the stupid fool did this to himself. There was nothing...nothing I co--" Seto's head was filling with memories. Unwanted memories.
The year was 10,823, a whole 513 years before Adam ever joined the AHD. For Notch's sake, he wasn't even alive at this point in history.
Seto didn't want to remember.
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"Sir, I was asked by my fath--Captain Mau to deliver these books to you. He informed me you requested these," Seto glanced up from his desk to see a young woman at the entrance to his cave.
Seto turned back to his research, "Thank you Mau, leave them over there with the rest of the books," Seto waved with no clear direction since books were stacked everywhere on his floor and on his shelves.
"With all due respect sir, if you need help clean--"
"That will be all Mau, return to your duties, I don't like being disturbed."
The younger girl bowed and quickly deposited the books onto the floor and promptly left afterwards.
Yes, Seto was the same work-oriented prick 513 years before he met Adam. He was at that age (1205), where he should've settled down centuries ago, but he was never interested. Or, he simply couldn't be interested in the pursuit of feelings he never had.
Love, how pointless. Captain Mau's pointless attempts to send his daughter to him for honestly any excuse that crossed the man's mind were laughable. But Seto wouldn't laugh, he didn't see what was funny, though the others around him tended to laugh. He didn't care.
He was "interested" in only two things, deciphering this book of his that he's had for as long as he could recall, and protecting Rekrium from the monstrous Enders.
Speaking of which, Seto continued to pour over his book taking feverish notes on what he could research or decipher. For a moment all was quiet here on Level I, Seto was far too focused to notice almost anything, however, he did instinctively notice the presence of an unfamiliar person.
Seto's eyes narrowed and his hand flew up to grab his staff before turning around and pointing it at the intruder. But what he held was not his staff, worse than that, it was just a regular branch snapped from a tree. Seto's eyes landed on the form of a young man sitting amongst the clutter of his books and flicking the switch on a metal contraption in front of him. At the moment the switch was flipped, the branch vanished and was replaced by his staff in a single instant.
"What the--who the bloody hell are you?" Seto hissed as the man looked up, his yellow and orange eyes were wide and he had the stupidest grin on his face.
"That's amazing, this experiment was a roaring success!" The man laughed before suddenly cutting himself off, "Oh sorry, I was looking for a quiet place to run some tests. I didn't know anyone was down here, it looked like a library so I'd thought I'd let myself in--"
"A library!" Seto was annoyed at this brat's idiocy, "Get the hell out you brat, this is my study. I don't care who the hell you are or what the fuck you want to do, get out."
The man flinched and picked up his machine, "S-sorry, I really thought this was a library, but you're right--who'd put a library at the bottom of a pitch black abyss--not that this place isn't cozy!" The man nearly dropped his machine in his attempt to wave off his hopefully not insultive description of Seto's home.
"It's a really lovely...cave you have here, uh messy...very messy--can I clean this? Your books are all over and it's really bot--"
"Get the fuck out before I blast you with my magic. You're a player I see, so you won't die, but I won't make the experience enjoyable if you dont--"
"Jason," The young man froze and Seto glared as he looked behind the nuisance in his study.
Jason, which Seto identified was this brat's name, turned around slowly to look at the man that had called his name from the entrance to Seto's study.
Seto lowered his staff, "Stars, do you know this kid?" Seto grumbled.
The man nodded, his orange eyes narrowed at Jason who flinched and looked away, "My apologies Council Member Magi, this would be my son, Jason. From today onward I'm taking him on as my apprentice."
Seto glanced back at Jason who kept his eyes to the ground in silence.
Seto looked back up at Jason's father, "I see. I was not aware you had a son, regardless, get him out of here immediately. I'm busy researching."
"Of course," Stars turned to Jason, "hurry up and follow me and don't wander off again. We have a lot of ground to cover," Stars swiftly turned on his heel and marched out of the cave with Jason following behind.
Seto watched the two of them leave and shook his head as they vanished into the darkness of the ravine.
Seto clutched his head and stumbled backwards into his desk. He grunted at the force of his own impact. Just what the hell was that, he tried in any effort to stabilize himself and his breathing but all he could do was tremble.
He looked up at Adam with indignation and confusion, was this his doing. Was this his magic that made him remember, "Quit your trickery. Turn it off." Seto hissed between gritted teeth.
Adam tightened his grip on Seto's staff and turned tail and ran out of Seto's cave.
Seto spat and stumbled after Adam, but the memories. The memories were gnawing at the back of his head, it was hard to focus.
Seto stopped and crumbled to the ground for a moment. He needed a moment to breathe, to calm down, to forget. The past was irrelevant, he didn't need to dwell on it like normal people. His curse was a blessing, he's never once considered getting rid of it because with it he could focus on all he needed to do.
And right now more than ever, he needed to focus.
It was several days later when Seto flew to the top of the ravine carrying a large load of enchanted material requested by DROP as upgrades to their older and weaker material. Day in and day out his job was always the same. When he wasn't making magic infused items for the military or police, he was researching or advising the king.
He was this kingdom's only source of magic and magic was a rare skill to be born with since only a rare percentage of OP's could actually use magic. As such, the kingdom relied heavily on his skills and if he were to die...the kingdom would struggle without some sort of suitable replacement.
Seto landed on the grassy surface and looked around to see the warehouse he needed to go to have these items shipped off to the capital.
"Seto!" Seto stiffened at that voice, he turned slowly to see a figure running across the bridge with thick, black glasses falling lower on his nose. The man pushed them up with a toothy grin as he stopped in front of Seto. Behind him a tall, lanky fellow following him at a much slower gait, "What brings you up here from your long slumber?" the man joked.
Seto scowled in annoyance, "I was working, not sleeping. What do you need..."
The man frowned, his eyebrows furrowed and forme a crease as he took a moment to think, "You really don't get jokes. I swear, I thought we were making progress with that serious attitude of yours."
"I'm cursed."
The man with the glasses looked up as his companion finally stopped beside him, "Seto is no fun, don't you agree Ty."
Ty didn't respond which made the other man frown and elbow him, trying to earn a response.
"He doesn't like you," Seto bluntly said.
"Don't listen to Seto's nonsense. We're best friends! Anyone can tell!" Tyler hooked his arms with Ty and laughed.
"I don't like you though..." Ty grumbled and pulled away.
The man feigned a shocked expression and disbelief as if he thought it was a joke. A figure walked by him and the two annoying clowns, Seto noticed it was Stars' son...Jase? No matter, his eyes followed the boy as he watched him hurriedly cross the bridge to the other side of the ravine carrying a suspicious box.
He narrowed his eyes and focused on him as he saw the young boy disappear into a building on the other side..
It had been many weeks since Seto had seen the nuisance and while he'd rather keep it that way, this particular stunt appeared suspicious and Seto was not fond of trouble.
Seto set down the load of enchanted tools and weapons, the noise caused the man with glasses to jump, "Tyler, Ty, quit your useless bickering and take these enchanted weapons to the warehouse for shipping, "Seto waved them off.
"Wha--" Tyler started.
"My orders," Seto responded before Tyler started bugging him again. He was already walking away from the two anyways and using his magic he floated a few inches and propelled himself forward across the ravine.
As Seto neared the building he saw the boy sneak into, he realized it was the kitchen and instantly his suspicion rose. Just what was this troublemaker doing?
Seto landed on the ground in front of the door and slammed open the door. He was shocked to see Jase(?) pulling out a cake from the box Seto was carrying.
"Ack!" his hands fumbled in surprise and the cake slipped from his hands. Seto reacted and swung his staff, the arching motion spun the cake with his magic before Seto made it float gently into the air. Jase(?) grabbed the cake before placing it down onto the counter next to him, "Whew," he breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at Seto, "Thank you! You gave me a real scare there and I nearly dropped Mama Clarks' cake she delivered for me."
Seto ignored him and instead changed the topic, "What are you doing here?" Seto inquired. The situation was odd.
He froze, "A...surprise party?" He cleared his throat and offered Seto a nervous smile.
"Answer the question, I have no problem bringing your fath--"
"Don't tell him!" he yelled at Seto, he then ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck, "S-sorry, please...Please don't tell him. He gave me this time to study and work on design plans, but I wanted to eat this instead...Mr. Stars won't let me eat sweets whenever I work--he never lets me eat sweets in general. This is my only time to do so."
Seto didn't understand the boy, but it turned out this wasn't another prank and it wouldn't cause him any trouble. He saw no more reason to involve himself in the boy's stupidity.
"Jase was it?"
"Jason, actually--"
"While your actions are questionable, I don't care in the slightest what foolery you involve yourself in so long as it doesn't affect me and my work," Seto began to turn away to leave the boy to his food, but he paused for a moment, "You called him Mr. Stars, but you are his son, and given prior experience, most people would say father in that regard, why the change?"
Jason glared down at his cake and muttered, "Father? Where?"
Seto was puzzled by the statement.
"I'm here to work as his apprentice, but other than that, there are no family bonds between me and that man..." Jason added.
Seto took a moment to process this information, and against his better judgment and desire to remain uninvolved he asked, "You don't want to do this work, do you?"
Jason stayed silent.
"I should go finish those design plans..." Jason picked up the cake and carefully placed it back into its box before closing the lid, "Help yourself."
Jason walked up to Seto and handed him the box before hastily pushing past him and out the door. Seto was silent as he quizzically watched Jason leave. He was still puzzled at his odd encounter with the strange boy.
Seto paused to look at the box in his hands.
A father who was not his father made no logical sense to him. He could only surmise it was a decision based on feelings that Jason had that he didn't understand. And for a brief moment, Seto wondered what he had thought of his father and if his feelings had affected what he called the man. But in the end, Seto dismissed the thought, who his father was would always remain a mystery. He had long forgotten the man as he held no emotional connection to anything in his past, as such all events would eventually disappear from his mind.
Feelings were such an oddity.
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IMPORTANT NOTE
If anyone read the GO oneshot [Like-Minded] then you might recognize the similarities in Seto's memories. For the next few chapters I'll be rewriting the GO oneshot into the chapters. Which means the original oneshot is NO LONGER canon, as I'm changing some parts.
I hope you enjoy what is to come! :D
Tell me what you think of this chapter too! <3