Chapter 8

Sometimes destiny unfolds before your eyes. The course of events that becomes your life flows forth like a waterfall of experiences. Every memory telling of the next to come-- a life of what one would call predestined events.

Sometimes destiny unfolds like a well-planned mystery. The pieces fall together one by one until the complete picture is revealed and the truth is shown to all. Every memory creating anticipation for the next-- every memory looked back upon as an object to be studied.

Most people live one of these two lives. The future is preordained, or the future has yet to be revealed. The young woman by the name of Madeleine Collins falls into neither category.

Madeleine Collins has no future that one can perceive. She lives a life of the moment. She anticipates the future with a patience beyond that of most mortal comprehension, yet she does not dwell upon memories or glimpses of the possible future. Only the here and now is of concern to her, for she sees the present with a clarity that few others are capable. And yet… she doesn’t care for her gift. Is that gift wasted, or is it merely a blessing she has yet to acknowledge? Only the future which she cannot perceive nor cares to perceive will tell the tale.

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"Devyn worries me."

"Why do you say that master?"

"He still has a soul."

"And you do not? Doesn't everyone possess a soul?"

"You speak literally. I speak metaphorically."

"I don't follow you, master..."

"He still cares for others, as if they mean something to him."

"Ahh..."

"His mission has been hampered because of this."

"Shall I..."

"Yes. Go to the target. I know you know him... but with less familiarity."

"Shall I..."

"Yes. That is Devyn's mission, but so shall it be yours."

"And Devyn?"

"Let him be. Only think of your target. Not even your comrades should matter to you."

"As you wish master."

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“Amanda Boeing. Former Inusaka High student. Not an unusual statement to make. She harbors no ill feeling towards anyone. She merely scoffs at life in general. Project of an experiment in philosophy and psychology, at an early age her consciousness was exposed to various secrets of the universe. Not whole secrets, mind you. Just vague fragments of the Great Design-- pieces of an unsolvable puzzle. One of the Majestics’ more… curious projects if you ask me. The process made Amanda look at the pieces of reality in a different light, and she now sees sentient life as unneeded blocks in the overall scheme. Simple enough. It made her a perfect addition to my arsenal, so to speak. She has little true personality of her own outside of her overflowing angst towards life as most of us know it. Not a nonchalant distain similar to Devyn's or an unwilling denial like Kyoko... no. She outright finds life repugnant. Why I didn't use her first... oh well. I doubt she will fair well, but even if she manages to tear away one fragment, I will be satisfied…”

---------- Seryph rarely finds the need to sleep. Being an avatar, sleep is not required for survival, but Seryph needs the rest. The mental anguish of late has taken a toll on him. Tymora was found outside of the dojo this afternoon, bloodied and beaten, but still alive. It was obvious who did this, but it was also obvious who kept her alive. He tries to not think about it as he lies awake in his bed attempting to bring about sleep. An eternal mind rests only with much difficulty. Seryph eventually gives up, hops out of bed, and heads downstairs to watch TV. Tanin was still out, catching up with his old friend... and having worries of his own. Seryph turns on the TV and starts flipping the channels. Seryph’s channel surfing doesn’t last long as the wall that his TV is up against comes crashing down, exposing his living room to the front yard. Seryph, in quick fashion, jumps from his couch and grabs one of the katanas which adorns the wall behind him. As he lands, Seryph moves into his usual defensive position as he watches a flowing figure glide into his house through the new opening.

"Greetings from my master." she says with an air of superiority.

"Lovecraft sent YOU? Amanda... do you even know what you’re involved in?"

"Quite so, Mr. Gibbons. Humanity will be removed from everything once his dream comes true. Sadly, you pose a threat to him. How a mere human could pose as a threat to him, I don't know, but I was sent to do that which Devyn has yet to do."

And with that, she rockets towards Seryph, flying across the room, ripping through his couch as if it were paper, and delivered a kick to Seryph, which he parries in mid-strike. Seryph then uses his blade to throw her towards the wall, but she regains her balance and stops in midair before hitting the wall.

"Leave now, Amanda. You're just a puppet to Lovecraft, just another human to use in his plan to..."

Amanda shrieks with anger. "I am NOT a human!" she again charges at Seryph and released a flurry of kicks which he dodges in succession. "I was shown the truth, I transcend your mortal coils the same way you humans look down upon common insects." With that comment, she comes down on Seryph's shoulder with a devastating kick. A loud cracking sound can be heard as Seryph grimaces in pain and drops his sword.

"Look at you, wallowing at the mere injury of an extremity! Weak..."

She didn't finish her rant, for within moments, Seryph was smiling. His arm, from what she could tell, was no longer shattered, and Seryph’s sword was already back in his hand.

"The truth is... I'm not human either, if you go by your definition."

Amanda charges yet again at Seryph, but stops before reaching him. She looks down at her arm... there was blood running from it.

"Leave, before you learn more about my true nature."

Amanda refuses to believe that he could move so fast-- so fast that even she couldn't see his movements. Despite her disbelief Amanda has the wound to prove it: a deep gash in her right arm. She starts to question the methods behind her master‘s reasons for attacking this supposed mortal obstacle, but her fury and arrogance blinds her mind once again and she continues her assault. Again, she tries another frontal charge, and again stops before reaching Seryph. This time, a streak of blood runs across her face. She shrieks as she covers her face, trying to hide the wound.

"Please, just go. Cut your strings and go."

Amanda doesn't hear Seryph’s plea. She only hears her own raging hatred as it chants for the head of this insignificant whelp. Amanda glares at Seryph, eyes emblazed with misguided passion. Then, she smirks, remembering her initial mission.

"'My hatred for the universe is only surpassed for my hatred of her.'"

Lovecraft told her to tell that to him. Why, she didn't know. But he said that it would weaken his soul.

Seryph knows she was quoting Lovecraft. First Devyn, now Amanda. All of his memories begin to flood back to him-- of the final moments between him and Lovecraft. As he flicked the blood off of his sword after running it through Lovecraft's body, in his dying moments, he only spoke of HER, and his undying hatred for the sole person who's heart could overshadow his own empty crusade. It was HER soul that kept him from destroying everything, despite it being Seryph's sword that vanquished his body. Seryph knows Lovecraft told Amanda to quote that phrase to him on purpose, in order to further his anger and loathing, but it didn't matter. Seryph quietly gathers his hatred as Amanda makes one more rush at him. Again, she stops before reaching him, but instead of gasping at a minor flesh wound, she gives one last thought before her head slumps off of her shoulders.

"I truly hope that he is indeed not human. To die by transcended hands..."

Seryph stands in cold silence as Amanda’s life left her body. He is unaffected by the blood splattering across his face from the decapitated form of Amanda. It is an old feeling, to kill one's foe and have their very life explode onto you, covering you in dead memories and unfulfilled dreams.

As the final droplets of blood finish their shower upon Seryph’s body, Seryph calmly walks over to his long-unused writing table, picks up a piece of paper and a pen, and composes a haiku…

Thousand year revenge
Seeking out a long lost friend
Killing him in peace

With the poem composed, Seryph passed out, finally finding the sleep he so desired mere minutes ago. As his mind faded into that tranquil bliss, he knew this would be the last time he could sleep this peacefully for some time to come.