Serpens stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his shirt collar and running a hand through his hair. He had picked up the shirt from one of the bags which had been tucked away in the room.He hesitated for a while contemplating if he should actually honor Rose's invitation or just stay back. He turned to Xin, who sat on the edge of the bed, watching him.“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Serpens asked. “It could be a good distraction for both of us.”Xin shook her head, offering a small smile. “No, I think it’s better if I stay here. Besides, you need some time to clear your head without me tagging along.”Serpens could understand her reason for not wanting to go with him to the party but at the same time, wished he could make her change her mind."Remember, we're meeting with Jeremy tomorrow. We have to live as soon as we can." Xin added, reminding him of the importance of their shared mission.As they were still talking, the sound of a car pulling up outside the house caught t
Serpens’s eyes widened in shock as he listened to Jack's speech. The SFX-chip, just like he had seen from the past, was not just any invention; it was his father’s creation, a project shrouded in secrecy and intended for the greater good. Hearing it claimed by another was a blow on his face. He finally realized why Jack killed his parents. This was the plan all along.He stood there, stunned, as Jack continued to elaborate on the chip’s capabilities, boasting about its potential to revolutionize technology and warfare. The guests applauded, once again as he stepped down from the podium.All through the party, Serpens couldn't shake off the feeling that something about the city wasn't just right. In his second day of being in the city, there hasn't been any sign of Winter or Bahamut whom everyone claims had been set free.The fact that Jack Brynner could throw a party in the midst of what is believed to be a city where lives are no longer safe, made him wonder what exactly was going on
Serpens and Xin waited patiently for Jeremy at the agreed location. For some reason, Jeremy was yet to arrive and Xin couldn't help but to continue staring at the wrist watch she was wearing."We should have taken his number," She sighed."It didn't occur to me to do that. But let's wait, I know he'll show up." Serpens replied reassuringly.After a couple of minutes, Jeremy with his tousled hair and his infectious enthusiasm practically bouncing with excitement. "I'm sorry for coming late," he swiftly apologized."We thought you weren't coming anymore." Xin replied."Sorry, I had to attend to grandma. I'm all that she's got left to take care of her." Jeremy explained."What about your parents?" Serpens inquired, his curiosity piqued."There was a sudden wave of sadness that washed over Jeremy as he bowed his head down. "They're dead. They died when the mysterious creatures broke out and destroyed the entire city.""I'm really sorry about that," Serpens expressed his heartfelt sympath
After Flynn left the room, Jack gazed out the window, unable to take his mind off Serpens. Something in him kept telling him that there was something strange about Serpens. He felt like he had seen him before from somewhere but couldn't quite put his finger on it.He couldn't shake the feeling that Serpens might be a threat to his plans, wondering where Rose knew him from. But one thing stood out for him and that was the fact that once the attack began, there would be no turning back. The future was his to shape, and nothing would stand in his way.Just as he was in deep thoughts, his phone rang and it was Kim Qingyue calling."Hello, Kim," he answered."Hey, Jack," Kim replied. "Do you have any plans tonight? I'd love us to meet." Jack paused for a moment, trying to put a thought on his schedule and to see if he'd be free for the night. "I think I'll be free tonight. You want us to meet?" He inquired."Yeah, it's been a while. I'm really sorry I couldn't make it to your party last
Jeremy hurried home, excitement bubbling within him after the successful repair of the time machine. He just couldn't wait to break the good news to his brother Flynn, whom he believed would be home already.As he entered the house, he saw Flynn on the phone, speaking in a hushed but serious tone. Deciding not to interrupt, he walked straight to where his grandmother was sitting, knitting by the window. He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek."Had a good day, dear?" his grandmother asked with a warm smile, her eyes twinkling behind her glasses."Yes, Grandma," he replied, beaming. "It was amazing, actually."Flynn, having finished his phone call, approached him with a mix of curiosity and mild concern in his voice. "Where have you been?" he asked, trying to sound casual but clearly interested in his whereabouts.Jeremy grinned from ear to ear. "Just went out to help some new friends I made. They had a broken time machine and asked me to help fix it."Flynn raised an eyebrow,
Lan rubbed her hands on her eyes over and over again as she read the text message over and over again wondering who had sent it as the name of the sender wasn't displayed.She couldn't help but imagine how happy she'd be if the text message was actually telling the truth. Before the dragons broke lose five years ago, no one seemed to know what had happened to Serpens.It was like he just disappeared from the face of the earth. Every attempt to reach him proved futile. Even when she decided to ask Serena about his whereabouts, it turned out that it was too late as Serena had already been killed by the creatures.She tried calling back the number that had sent her the text message but it wasn't going through."Could Serpens really be alive?" She thought within himself.Kim arrived at the Brynner's cottage somewhere in the city. It appeared Jack had prepared very well for her coming. After their reunion at the Business Summit five years ago, they've been having their secret affair, start
Jeremy sat on the bed in his room, feeling a mix of excitement and disappointment. He had hoped Flynn would be more interested in what he was telling him about the time machine, but it appears that even his brother whom he had so much respected in matters of machines and technology, still didn't believe in the possibility of a time machine.But he was also eager to prove him wrong. He pulled out his notebook and began jotting down everything he had learned about the time machine, his thoughts racing as he planned for the next day's meeting.Going to the garage where he had been secretly working on his own time machine, he decided to put a few things in order, after seeing exactly how Serpens's father had designed his. After a while of trying to fix the problem within his own time machine, his mind suddenly fell to a book about machines and artificial intelligence. It was the exact book jr needed to modify the few things that needed modification within the time machine."Where could t
"Alright, let's just hope for the best," Serpens said as he dropped the call with Jeremy who had just told him the outcome of his meeting with Flynn. However, Jeremy was careful not to tell him about the document he had seen in Flynn's until he was sure that indeed, Flynn was planning something quite dangerous with Jack Brynner.Turning to his back, after he had dropped the call, he saw Tiara right behind him right there in the middle of the room, her presence both surprising and unsettling. Startled, he stepped back, looking directly at her. "Tiara? What are you doing here? How did you get in and how did you know I was here?"Tiara couldn't help but smile, a knowing look in her eyes. "I've been following you for some time now, Serpens. I know about the time machine, and I know everything that's happening."Serpens heart pounded in his chest as he listened to Tiara speak, reminding him of the bad old days from where he had come from, where Tiara had left him for Yul Brynner. "What d