CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42 – CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES (PART 2)

Chapter 42 – Choices and Consequences (Part 2)

The train glided smoothly away from the station, picking up speed as it sliced through the city like a silver arrow. Through the reinforced windows, a breathtaking view of the skyline unfurled—gleaming towers basked in golden sunlight, their mirrored surfaces shimmering as they reached for the heavens.

Zane slowly opened his eyes, his gaze drawn to the world beyond the glass. The quiet rhythm of instrumental music filled his ears, and for the first time in what felt like weeks, he felt... calm.

The weather outside was perfect—warm enough to be comforting, cool enough to relax. Between the steady hum of the train, the music in his ears, and the soft cushioning beneath him, a rare sense of peace settled over him.

His mind began to drift—untethered, floating from thought to thought. He remembered his mother’s face. He remembered long nights, hollow victories, and the cold loneliness that had followed him like a shadow through every phase of his life.

"It’s been a long journey..." he thought, watching the city blur past. "It doesn’t even feel like I’ve only lived seventeen years. Feels more like thirty."

Zane didn’t feel seventeen. Not even close. The things that excited others his age felt hollow to him—pointless distractions. They laughed too easily, cared too little. To him, they were shallow, ignorant of what life was like when it wasn’t handed to you on a silver platter.

They had families. Warm homes. Freedom. Choice. They could fail and still be okay.

Zane? He had none of that. Just scars—on his neck, in his memories, in his soul.

His fingers instinctively brushed the jagged scar beneath his jaw, hidden by his collar. ’They judged me for this,’ he thought bitterly. ’As if it told them everything about me.’

Now, here he was. On a train bound for something greater. Something most could only dream of.

He had survived.

The city slowly faded into the distance, swallowed by the vast stretches of land beyond the fortified walls. The train’s protective glass dome reflected the rolling green hills that replaced the gray sprawl of civilization.

Zane leaned closer to the window, his breath fogging a small patch of glass as he whispered, "This is my first time outside the city in years... since that day."

It wasn’t common to leave the safety of the city. It was dangerous. The lands beyond were dotted with dormant and active Gates—portals that could open anywhere, without warning. Most were left untouched unless they threatened a major population center. So, monsters ran rampant in many of these zones.

The outskirts, once suburbs or farmlands, were now forgotten warzones—unclaimed, uncleaned, unsafe.

But even in that danger, humans had adapted. Bullet trains like this one were their lifeline, and the glass shell around them was part of an advanced defense system designed to keep travelers safe.

Zane’s eyes widened as the scenery changed. The train passed through a ruined district, long-abandoned and overgrown. Crumbling buildings leaned toward the earth, their concrete bones fractured and worn. Rusted, gutted cars sat frozen on decaying highways, swallowed by grass and vines.

It was a haunting beauty. The remains of a world that once thrived.

"Woah..." he murmured, breath catching.

These ruins weren’t just debris. They were monuments—silent witnesses to the cataclysm that had reshaped the world. Cities like this had once flourished, full of laughter, traffic, and life... until the monsters came. Until the Gates opened.

Nobody bothered to clean up these zones. They were reminders of a war too vast to erase.

Yet, in their silence, Zane saw something strange—something serene.

"It must’ve been chaos back then," he mused. "Not even knowing why it was happening... monsters appearing out of nowhere. If I remember correctly, the discovery of the new realms only happened about a century ago. Before that, humans were just... surviving."

He leaned his head against the window and let his voice trail into a whisper, "I wonder what took the Dimensional Knights so long to reach this world..."

Given how many realms there were—possibly infinite—it was no surprise that it took centuries to discover and secure Earth. He couldn’t imagine the amount of work needed to discover and take these new realms under the Dimensional Knights wings. That process was as complicated as it sounded, if not more.

"Lower Earth was just... unlucky," he muttered. "But at least it held out long enough. Long enough for someone to come. Long enough for the future to still exist."

The moment was broken by a soft, hesitant voice.

"Um..."

Zane turned, one earbud slipping out.

Standing just behind him was Elizabeth, clutching a small bag to her chest. She looked nervous, her eyes darting toward the back of the train as if expecting someone to follow.

"You need something?" he asked, his voice neutral.

"N-No. I mean—yes! I... Um... Can I sit with you? P-Please?" she asked, wringing her fingers. "I just... I really don’t want to sit near that person again."

"..."

"P-Please, I promise I won’t bother you!"

Zane stared at her for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

"Fine. Sit."

"R-Really?! Thank you so much!"

She smiled as if he’d just rescued her from a burning building and quickly took the seat across from him, her bag landing on the table with a soft thud.

"I can’t thank you enough for letting me sit here," she said cheerfully.

"Don’t sweat it," Zane muttered.

"You’re a really kind person, Zane," she said brightly, her eyes gleaming with sincerity.

Zane blinked. "Kind?"

"Mm-hmm. You might seem cold, but I can tell—you’ve got a soft heart."

"..."

He didn’t answer, only stared out the window again.

’Kind?’ he thought. ’I’m not kind. I let her sit here because I didn’t want her bothering me anymore. Letting her sit quietly is just easier than watching her panic. That’s all.’

But still... no one had said something like that to him before. Not in that tone. Not with that much innocence. It felt almost alien to him.

Opening his eyes again, he noticed she had pulled out a book and a bag of cookies. She flipped the pages with calm focus, occasionally nibbling on a cookie, content in her little world. So simple, yet so peaceful for him to watch.

She hadn’t once glanced at his scar. Not even once.

’That’s... odd. Usually, they would stare at it at least once or twice.’ He studied her carefully. ’Maybe her eyesight is bad? Yeah, that has to be it. She’s wearing thick glasses, after all.’

And yet, the idea that she wasn’t judging him—whether she could see the scar or not—gave him a strange sense of relief.

"Do you want a cookie?" she asked suddenly, breaking his thoughts. "My mom made them before I left."

Zane blinked at the offering.

"A... cookie?"

"Yep! They’re really delicious!"

He hesitated. The sweet smell drifted across the table, and his stomach growled before he could stop it. Embarrassed, he took one, eyeing it skeptically.

Then, he bit into it.

His eyes widened slightly.

’Delicious... not too sweet. Perfect chocolate chips...’

"Well?" she asked eagerly.

"...It’s not bad," he said quietly.

"Oh! I’m glad! I’m sure my mom would be happy to know you liked them!"

She clapped her hands together and then reached into her bag again.

"Wait, I also brought some milk!"

Zane watched with mild disbelief as she pulled out a bottle and two small cups.

’Why... did she even bring milk to this trip...? Never mind... not my place to ask.’

She poured the milk with care and slid one cup toward him.

"Oh! And a napkin!" she added brightly, producing a small pack.

Zane stared at her in silence.