Dragon System

Chapter 10: Witness

Pier already took his flight for sleep, and the doctor had no other choice but to stare blankly at the emptiness infront of him. Sadly, it wasn't just depressing, but also distorting. With a vague gawk, Warren joined along with the silence. A weak sigh escaped from his throat, everything started to cascade down. 

It was the same night when Claire died. 

The laboratory creaked with sobs and whimpered shrieks. Warren laid scrounging on his knees with eyes gloomy in tears. The only reason for his fighting spirit died. 

Agony made him trash the whole place, broken glass was strewn like pebbles, he played with tantrums. The despicable fact of misery awaits him after the death of Claire. The doctor discovered the cure for cancer, but it was too late. 

A heavy ambience corrupted his heart continously. Claire's giggling lingered through his ears, but they were nothing but delusions. 

"Claire..." He weakly uttered. 

His mourning grew more painful and unsettling, solitude filled Warren's empty spaces. He couldn't do anything but cry. The poor doctor lost his wife, and now also his daughter. 

"Warren," The Prime paused. He banged the door open, capturing Warren's faint attention. "My deepest condolences for Claire's death." His voice joined in unison with the somnolence. 

Slowly, he continued to walk inside, crushing the broken glass beyond his large steps. An urgent matter needs to be discussed, but Warren wasn't in the perfect shape for any affairs. 

"Prime, my daughter just died," he tried to defend himself. "Not now..." The pleading continued. 

A petite smile sprang out from the face of the Prime, he understood Warren's case. But the matter he had in mind won't burden his friend.

"I know your pain Warren," he still assured. "But Claire will live, again." 

Those were words of hope but Warren had to knot his forehead in confusion and delight. Resurrection was impossible in their situation. Death became merely their friend, best friend. 

Finally, Warren had the courage to ask, "Live again?" The tone of his voice was still marked by vigorous crying.

"Yes, live again." The Prime stopped in front of him. No traces of humor plastered, he was certain and sure. Despite his strong stand, Warren remained weighing his beliefs and trust. He trusted the Prime, but recalling how their plans were thwarted made him doubt. 

Warren stood to face him, wiping the excess tears pooling in his eyes. He remained looking up under a few inches of gap, the Prime was masculine and superior by looks. 

"The formula for everlasting life has been discovered," the big revelation started but Warren's face withheld his poker face. What's the point of everlasting life if you're daughter already died? 

But the Prime wasn't yet done, "Everyone who died can live." 

That was the doctor's most awaited response, his frail arms hugged the Prime tight. He was mourning, but he have his hope. Tears continued to gush down, but they weren't made out of sadness. Warren felt an unexplainable joy. 

"Come with me," the Prime said. They both moved away from the hug, leaving a few feet of distance. This time, it was the Prime who grew serious. 

Warren caught his signal, something was bothering his friend. Despite his mental toughness and alertness, the Prime still feels valid emotions. Many might misunderstood his strength and have concluded that he was tyrant and a totalitarian ruler. Rumors slandered his unblemished reputation to a dirty rag.

"I'll go wherever you want me to go," Warren tried uplifting his spirit. 

The Prime fell silent, the doctor's loyalty was admirable. He haven't seen such life risking swear since the death of Ashmeir.

"The High tower started a revolt, one third of the officials went with Sydon." 

The Prime finally spoke of what was distorting. Warren knew Sydon, by the looks of his first impression, he was greedy and desperate for power. The Third most high was willing to do anything and risk everything just to rule and be powerful.  

Warren sighed, "What about the others? Yvo? Did they join him?" He asked. 

A small smile pulled the Prime's lips. He smiled without separating his lower and upper lips. 

"They did not." He replied. 

Losing Yvo and the most trusted ones will be a nightmare, fortunately, their hearts weren't corrupted. The conversation was about deepen, but a familiar silhouette shadowed the doorframe, stopping their very next word. 

Yvo panted heavily, "Prime, someone stole the elixir of health." It was an urgent call of duty for the chancellor. The whole high tower panicked without the Prime's presence. 

Heads turned towards his direction, it wasn't a good news. One tragedy after the other, that's the cycle of their reign since Sydon rebelled. 

Before Warren could hunch, Yvo resumed speaking, "Sydon took it, the scientists and chemists died along the heist. No one can replicate the elixir." 

It was an unsettling message, but the Prime remained silent and unmoved. Even Yvo wondered if he does really care about the city's sake. 

"Prime?" Yvo called, but he only got a silent reply.

Warren also began to be bothered, though he knew the Prime, he still became worried and anxious. The doctor was unlikely to compensate with his friend's mental calmness.

The Prime's next harangue was anticipated with alacrity. He was the most brilliant man in the city, the only brain capable of solving the most complicated riddles and mazes of thwarted plans. 

Finally, he addressed the solution. "Neo's blood." It was said plainly, but the two couldn't get the message. Their foreheads remained knotted and wrinkled in confusion. 

"Neo's blood?" Warren asked. 

The Prime replied without looking him in the eye, he just scanned the whole trashed laboratory, "Yes, his blood." 

Warren felt a little embarrassed with his recklessness, during his quest for the cure, every corner was dust free and spic-and-span. 

Also Yvo continued to browse through his memory, he can't recall anyone being named after 'Neo'. The very solution was a mystery to him. 

The Prime picked up the ambience of the air, their silence meant something. But it wasn't yet the time to reveal the answers, he dragged his attention back to Warren. 

"Clean this lab up, your job is not yet over." His voice was plain yet overly powerful to their hearing. "Do this for Claire." 

Those last words echoed inside Warren's ear, for Claire he was willing to do even the hardest job. And that was to help the Prime with his plans.