Back on Earth:
Riots raged in the streets as human morals were tossed aside. Governments collapsed, and death became something seen by all every day. Revolutions erupted worldwide.
Driven by grief, rage, and the pain of losing their loved ones, these revolutions shared a single goal: they wanted Elaine's life, the creator of the miracle drug.
It seemed like that was all anyone truly cared about. No one was seeking justice or holding a trial. Everyone seemed just to want revenge. Unsurprisingly, this wasn't the first time Elaine's life had been in mortal danger. Over the past two years, she had narrowly survived countless life-threatening situations: kidnappings, ambushes, even assassination attempts.
Some wanted her secret formula behind the miracle drug. Others, like rival pharmaceutical corporations, wanted her dead simply to erase the competition. Only she knew how to create the cure.
The dark cloud had been tested and officially deemed safe. But under my influence, anyone else who tried replicating the drug ended up killing their test subjects.
As the miracle drug became humanity's universal cure, its exclusivity crushed other pharmaceutical businesses. One by one, they went bankrupt… and eventually resorted to sending assassins.
Unfortunately for them, they knew little about just how heavily guarded Elaine truly was. I had anticipated her life being in danger the moment she created the miracle drug, so I never left her unprotected. If she wasn't with me, she was with tailed Lilith. And if not with her, then with Ace, who stayed by her side most of the time.
A few of the Twelve Liberators always trailed her, even when she was with me, making her completely oblivious to how much her life was at risk. Every time she stepped outside, her life was at risk, but I ensured she never knew. To Elaine, life remained as ordinary as always.
But this time… things were different. I was no longer on Earth to guarantee her safety. And it wasn't just a few organizations that wanted her dead; it was nearly the entire world.
Fortunately, she had gone into hiding as the chaos continued. While most wanted her dead, the smarter ones needed her alive to force her to reverse the effects of her drug and find a cure. However, no one had seen even a trace of Elaine.
Her disappearance only fueled the world's fury. Rage boiled over into madness until, one fateful day, everything changed. That day, the entire world shifted its focus… to one man.
Every newspaper ran the same headline. Every news station repeated the same story, over and over. Humanity wanted someone to blame, and now they had found him.
"Hello, this is Miranda Kenny, reporting a recent update from Globe News on today's leading topic: The Miracle Drug.
Just after the miracle drug had taken a catastrophic turn in modern medicine, an anonymous individual published a detailed report… exposing exactly how the miracle drug came to kill nearly everyone who took it.
This article was written by none other than Grayson Yakhal himself, author of the book, "The Flaws In Humanity". He is also known as a successful millionaire and husband to Elaine, the woman who created the miracle drug." The news anchor's voice remained steady, but the hatred behind her tone was unmistakable. "This article, written by Grayson Yakhal, provides a detailed explanation of why, and how, half the human race 'had to die.' Allegedly."
All over the world, people stared at their screens, captivated and enraged.
"According to the report," the anchor continued, "Grayson Yakhal personally sabotaged the miracle drug. He added an untraceable, slow-acting poison to its formula. His motives appear rooted in the ideology presented in his earlier book, The Flaws In Humanity, which emphasizes humanity's inherent corruption."
She paused, but only briefly.
"The article claims that humanity needed to be shown its true nature. And how that lesson can only be learnt… as nearly 70% of the population faces the risk of death. I quote directly from the article: 'The current state of the world is humanity's true nature.'"
A hush fell over the viewers as she pressed on.
"A cure is mentioned several times within the report… but not a cure for the miracle drug itself. Instead, the article describes it as a cure for humanity's 'selfish existence'—and again I quote: 'Humans are selfish beings who will continue to indulge their self-interests in the pursuit of their comfort.'"
She hesitated, voice cracking slightly.
"Elaine Yakhal is described as an unknowing participant. According to the article, she was oblivious to the entire scheme and is herself a victim. Whether this is true, however, remains unproven… and difficult to believe, given their relationship."
The anchor's professionalism finally broke. Her voice shifted, filled with raw fury.
"You hear me, you son of a bitch? We're coming for you. My son will be aveng—" The feed abruptly cut to static.
As people around the world received the news, reactions varied wildly.
'Where the hell is Grayson?'
'Is there actually a cure?'
'Didn't we just prove his point?'
'Is Elaine really innocent?'
Different questions flooded the minds of millions as they struggled to process the reason behind the deaths of nearly half the human race. But one thought echoed everywhere, constant and unified:
'Grayson has to pay!'
That single thought became humanity's rallying cry.
The riots slowed, and the violence waned. Not from peace, but from focus. People pulled themselves together, united by hatred and the possibility of an existing cure. They had a common goal now: Find Grayson Yakhal!
Even the scum of the earth felt exposed. The article had predicted their descent into chaos with chilling accuracy. It had stripped away every excuse they'd told themselves. There was no room for justifications. Grayson's words had called out their crimes before they even committed them, and that cut deeper than any headline.
"Uh… what happened? Where… am I?" A soft voice echoed in the quiet of a dark room.
A young woman sat up, her messy, dirty-blonde hair falling over her face. Disoriented, she pressed a trembling hand to the back of her head, wincing at the pain. Her memories finally trickled back. This woman was none other than Elaine.
"Ace!" she gasped, struggling to her feet. Her body felt weak and heavy. Her throat burned. She spotted a glass of water on the bedside table and drank greedily. The coolness steadied her just enough to stand.
Slowly, she pushed open the door to her room. In the living room, Ace sat alongside the Twelve. All of them were silent, their eyes glued to the television. The news anchor's voice echoed through the room. Elaine's name was everywhere.
"What are you all watching now? More people trying to kill me?" Elaine asked solemnly.
"Oh, ma'am, you are awake!" Ace said to her, then quickly got up.
"Please forgive me, I-," Ace tried to say, but got cut off midway. "No need for that. I was in a bad place and needed the rest. You only did what you had to do," Elaine said to him.
"So, what got you guys so fixed on the TV?" Elaine asked again. "Ma'am, you need to see this," Ace said to Elaine, then pulled out a chair for her.
"Alright?" Elaine said anxiously. She then took her seat and began to watch.
The news was in a constant loop all day, making sure that everyone got the chance to hear about it. As she watched the news, tears began rolling down her cheeks, and a wave of mixed emotions came crushing down on her.
"No…he took the blame!" Elaine said out loud. "Elaine…" Ace said to her. "He only did this to save me!" Elaine shouted out loud with tears still rolling down her face.
"El-...Ma'am, you need to understand. Grayson is truly capable of doing this. Anyone who has read his book would know. The way his mind works is just…the way he just knows..." Ace began to say, but was at a loss for words.
"I know… I have always known. My brother killed himself after reading that book. I've been married to the man. I just thought…he really didn't care what happens to me…it was much easier letting go knowing he doesn't care, but now…" Elaine began to say whilst wiping away her tears.
"Ma'am, he killed billions of people. He doesn't care about anyone but himself." One of the 12 said to her. "Right now, I do not know whether to be happy he took the blame or sad that he has to deal with the burden all alone. You're right, he may have killed billions… I-I still love him. He gave me a reason to keep living. I should at least hear him out," Elaine said with a stutter in her voice.
"This changes nothing! If he is capable of killing billions, then you will be wise not to shift your loyalties. Anyone who has any hesitations should leave now. I'll be honest, you all have come to be like family to me... I just fear that if you leave me alone with him, it might lead me right back to that rooftop." She added with a serious tone.
She then got up, wiping away her tears, then walked toward the exit.
"Where are you going?" Ace asked her.
"Out, I need some fresh air." She answered, continuing to walk. Ace then attempted to follow her.
"Please, I want to be alone right now." She said, stopping him.
"But ma'am, it still isn't safe for you out there," Ace said to her.
"Don't worry, I'm not going far. I'll still be within the compound." She said, depressingly, as she walked out the door. Ace was a little hesitant at first, but decided to let her leave.
"Please be safe." He said sincerely in a voice only he could hear.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a slim shadow closely followed Elaine outside. She shadowed her closely behind all the way to a nearby tree, where Elaine sat down and began to cry bitterly. She buried her head between her legs and cried even louder than before.
'So fragile.' The shadow said to herself as she stood above her on a tree branch. This shadow was none other than Axelia.
'Master,' Axelia's voice echoed in my mind.
'Hmm? Axelia, what troubles you?' I replied.
'I do not understand why I must guard this human. Such a task is beneath my strength. My power grows with yours—I feel your joy, your hunger for battle—yet all I receive is the faint echo of what I could be experiencing at your side. Let me fight with you. That is where I belong!'
'Perhaps,' I admitted, 'but right now you are exactly where I need you. I created you to protect that woman, because she is important to me. Do not diminish that purpose. You crave battle, I know—and your time will come. For now, keep-her-safe!'
There was a pause. Then Axelia's tone softened, carrying a rare sincerity.
'Very well, Master… I will guard her with my life.'