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[Heart of Chaos: A diamond containing the ultimate mysteries of the universe. Unilateral strength leads only to destruction; only balance ensures eternity!]
Whoa! This thing seems to go hand-in-hand with the Heart of the Cosmos that the Yellow Clown gave Roy! If there's a Heart of Chaos, there's probably a Heart of Order too, right?
The question is, who's got the Heart of Order?
Roy couldn't help but wonder if combining the Heart of the Cosmos, the Heart of Chaos, and the Heart of Order would trigger something extraordinary. Could it bring about the end of the universe or something? He scratched his head, puzzled.
At the very least, holding the Heart of Chaos meant Roy's chaotic energy was now limitless. This allowed him to maintain his transformations for much longer. In the Dark Abyss, where no life existed, Roy couldn't replenish his chaotic energy through emotions. Without the Heart of Chaos, he'd have run dry quickly, unable to transform into a demon and carry Eloresha and Alma at high speed.
Clutching the Heart of Chaos and with Eloresha and Alma on his back, Roy pressed on toward the Tower of Babel. Time in the Dark Abyss flowed strangely—what felt like half a month there could be far longer in the human world.
---
America, Los Angeles
Nearly a year had passed since the San Francisco incident, but its ripple effects lingered. First and foremost was the collective disappearance of Roy and Iris.
Iris hadn't survived. Her body and soul were completely destroyed by the soul torch, leaving Uriel no choice but to return to Heaven. Only Vanguard, battered and bruised, managed to escape. Oh, and one other lucky survivor: the resilient, disabled Reid. But no one would know about Reid, as everyone aware of his existence was now in Hell.
The San Francisco incident had been thoroughly investigated, sending shockwaves through the federal government. High-ranking officials in the FEA and military were sacked. General Fran Hammer was demoted to Major General, stripped of nearly all his projects, yet he bore it without complaint.
The only one to come out ahead was Gerald Olin. His stellar performance in Los Angeles over the past two years earned him a promotion to FEA Director, making him the ultimate "black egg." But his appointment wasn't just about merit—America had been plagued by too many incidents lately, and the FEA Director's role was a poisoned chalice. No one with connections wanted it, leaving Gerald, a Black man with no powerful backing, to take the fall.
As expected, after Gerald took the helm, supernatural incidents across America skyrocketed, outpacing even a rocket launch. The stress had him breaking out in cold sores. And it wasn't just America—supernatural events were spiking worldwide, hinting at something ominous.
Roy's disappearance left the women in his life heartbroken. If Elizabeth hadn't relayed a message from Eloresha, they might've stormed the Armacham Research Park in the Bay Area looking for him. But a year without finding Roy, combined with Elizabeth and Eloresha's own disappearances, left them deeply uneasy.
To cope, they threw themselves into distractions. Heather and Penny focused on the lab Roy had acquired for Anya. Over the past year, they'd made breakthroughs with the leech serum Roy entrusted to them. All the women closest to Roy were now using it. Keller Evans, the oldest among them, looked ten years younger, back to her college-era beauty. Others, like Saltana and Dalia, appeared five or six years younger, restored to their prime, with work and life stresses fading away.
Jennifer and Nidi, meanwhile, poured their energy into the social media platform RedBook. Saltana, now deputy director of the FEA's Los Angeles branch, buried herself in work, barely coming up for air. Others—Amy, Dalia, Keller, Claire—found their own projects. The four young women from the Apocalypse Society, now graduated, began studying under Lilith and Dorothy, training to become ancient witches.
The only one left adrift was Ashley. She'd even dyed her blonde hair red. Ashley had never had grand ambitions or special talents—her only wish was to live happily by Roy's side. But with Roy gone for a year, she struggled to fill the void. To distract herself, she threw herself into acting, her skills improving rapidly. Yet, the emptiness in her heart remained, especially when she returned to the dorm and saw Jennifer's empty room or Nidi hunched over her computer, working endlessly. Ashley felt lost, unsure of her path forward.
Everyone else had a purpose, but what was hers? Acting wasn't her passion—it was just the only major she could pick at UCLA. Sighing, Ashley patted Nidi's shoulder. "Nidi, take a break. RedBook's doing great—you don't need to watch it 24/7."
RedBook had indeed taken off, winning over college students nationwide and permeating every corner of society, thanks to Roy's idea for a campus beauty and heartthrob contest and his deal with the federal government. But with Roy gone, RedBook's protective umbrella had vanished, and financial institutions were circling again, keeping Jennifer busier than ever. She was rarely on campus anymore.
Fortunately, Jennifer's strength ensured her safety, even if she was overworked. "Just testing a new feature," Nidi said. "I'll rest soon. Ashley, anything interesting happen at school today?"
Nidi hadn't left the dorm in ages, shuttling between class and her room, eating food Ashley brought her. "It's almost summer break—what's there to talk about? Just exams," Ashley replied.
It was late May, and students were gearing up for the final stretch of the semester. Pass the exams, and summer fun awaited. "Is that so?" Nidi mumbled, barely engaged, her eyes glued to her screen.
Ashley sighed inwardly. Just then, the dorm door opened, and Jennifer walked in, reeking of alcohol and looking exhausted. She'd clearly just come from an investor's cocktail party.
"Jennifer, you're back?" Ashley said.
Jennifer nodded and collapsed onto the living room couch. With Roy's accounts frozen, RedBook was strapped for cash during its rapid growth phase. Jennifer had been forced to court investors—a grueling task. Lacking financial connections, she relied on introductions from Katherine, a mere secretary, and Charles Weyland, who'd retired from the business world. Investors weren't easy to sway, and with profits on the line, face meant nothing. Jennifer's demon blood gave her a high tolerance for alcohol, or she'd have been hospitalized by now.
Ashley looked at the lifeless dorm, feeling the weight of their collective despair. They couldn't keep going like this—Jennifer and Nidi were on the verge of breaking before Roy even returned.
After dinner, Ashley sought out her senior, Mary, explaining the situation and asking for advice. "Ashley, this level of tension isn't healthy," Mary said. She was worried about Roy too, but her calm demeanor helped her cope.
"Got any ideas, Mary?" Ashley asked.
Mary thought for a moment. "How about this? Let's plan a group trip over the summer to unwind. What do you think?"
Ashley's eyes lit up. "Great idea! Somewhere remote, like a forest with no phone signal or internet. That way, Jennifer and Nidi won't be tempted to work. Mary, you pick the spot, and I'll convince them!"
"Sounds good! Can I bring Claire?" Mary asked.
"Girls are fine, but no guys. Could get messy," Ashley replied. With a group of stunning women, adding men might lead to trouble.
"Got it. I'll check with Heather and Penny too," Mary said.
Ashley returned to the dorm to find Nidi still typing away and Jennifer nursing a beer. Taking a deep breath, Ashley spoke up. "Jennifer, Nidi, we need to talk."
Jennifer looked up, surprised, while Nidi kept staring at her screen. "What's up, Ashley?" Jennifer asked.
"I can't watch us keep spiraling like this. I talked to Mary, and we're planning a wilderness adventure to clear our heads."
Jennifer immediately shook her head. "No way. RedBook's at a critical point—I can't leave."
Nidi chimed in, "Yeah, we've got a new feature launching. Someone's gotta keep an eye on it."
"Are you two strapped for cash or something?" Ashley asked pointedly.
That stopped them cold. True, Roy's accounts were frozen, but Jennifer and Nidi had enough to coast through college comfortably. With their skills, they could land high-paying jobs after graduation—or even join the FEA's Los Angeles branch, where Saltana would welcome their proven combat skills from the Halloween incident. They weren't desperate for money or survival.
Their current state was purely because Roy, their anchor, was gone, and they were burying themselves in work to cope. Ashley noticed their expressions shift and pulled Nidi from her desk to sit next to Jennifer on the couch.
"You both believe Roy's coming back, right?" Ashley asked.
"Of course!" they answered in unison, their faith in Roy unwavering.
"Then you don't want him coming back to find two burned-out workaholics, do you?"
That hit hard. Jennifer still maintained her appearance for investor meetings, but her irregular lifestyle and heavy drinking had taken a toll compared to a year ago when Roy was around. Nidi, holed up coding in the dorm, was even worse off.
Nidi rushed to the bathroom mirror and let out a shriek. "No way! Roy can't see me like this!"
Jennifer checked her compact mirror, grimacing. "My skin's so oily, and these dark circles are awful!"
Ashley smiled, knowing she'd gotten through. "See? It's time to put work aside and take care of yourselves."
Nidi, covering her face, nodded. "You're right, Ashley. I've been off lately. Jennifer, let's delegate some work."
Jennifer agreed. "Where's this wilderness trip happening, Ashley? Just us?"
"Mary's planning it. It'll just be our crew—no outsiders."
"Alright, Nidi and I will sort out our schedules and hand off some tasks. We'll let you know when it's set," Jennifer said.
"Perfect!" Ashley grinned.
After coordination, the wilderness adventure was set for July 4th. Confirmed attendees included Ashley, Jennifer, Nidi, Mary, Heather, Penny, Claire, Amy, and Keller. Dalia had to stay in Los Angeles to care for her daughter, and Anya couldn't leave the lab, as no one else could handle her work. Lilith and Dorothy, uninterested in modern wilderness trips compared to their era's wilds, stayed in Fallstown to keep things under control.
The day of the trip arrived quickly.
Ashley card.