[This is not a canon event in the main story. This is an alternate timeline that Eridius somehow managed to screw up completely.]
The day began with Eridius running.
He had been running for nearly a day and a half.
At this point, he wasn't even sure when he had last stopped.
The reason was simple.
The City had been overrun by a zombie outbreak.
And apparently, getting infected didn't make people weaker.
It made them stronger.
That's why several infected Grade 5 Fixers were currently chasing Eridius.
Behind him, Carmen clung tightly to his back as he carried her.
Further behind, an injured Gebura was carrying Ayin under one arm while using her other hand to hold back several infected Fixers.
She was bleeding.
She was exhausted.
And somehow, she was still keeping the horde away from them.
Eridius glanced ahead.
The Ragnarock Café was just around the corner.
He forced his tired legs to move faster.
[Eridius]: It's just around the corner! Once we get inside the café, we'll be safe!
Carmen tightened her grip around him.
[Carmen]: Eridius... are you sure it's really safe?
Eridius didn't slow down.
[Eridius]: Safer than that laboratory full of our former friends.
He glanced behind them.
Several infected Fixers were gaining on them.
Eridius immediately looked forward again.
[Eridius]: And yes, it's safe for twenty-five days and sixteen hours.
Carmen blinked.
[Carmen]: Why exactly do you know the time down to the hour?
Eridius' expression became completely serious.
[Eridius]: Because I have spent the last day and a half running from zombies.
A pause.
[Eridius]: I've had plenty of time to think.
Behind them, Gebura roared as another infected Fixer tried to get past her.
[Gebura]: ERIDIUS! STOP TALKING AND RUN!
Eridius immediately accelerated.
[Eridius]: I'm running!
The café was getting closer.
So were the zombies.
Inside Ragnarock Café, the remaining employees stood near the entrance, weapons ready.
Alexander tightened his grip around his flute.
Kuro's crimson threads stretched between her fingers as her enormous needle appeared in her hand.
The street ahead was filled with infected.
Too many.
Some were civilians.
Some were Fixers.
And some were people the café staff recognized.
Alexander swallowed.
[Alexander]: They're here.
Kuro's eye narrowed.
[Kuro]: Then we make them regret coming.
The horde rounded the corner.
Alexander raised his flute.
A piercing note exploded through the street.
Several infected staggered.
Everyone charged.
Kuro's threads shot through the horde, yanking infected away from the path.
Alexander played another violent note.
Several infected collapsed backward.
The employees rushed forward.
[Alexander]: KEEP MOVING!
[Employee]: WE'RE TRYING!
A group of infected Fixers broke through Kuro's threads.
[Kuro]: Damn it!
She swung her giant needle.
BAM!
Three infected were thrown across the street.
Then another wave came.
And another.
[Kuro]: THERE ARE TOO MANY!
Alexander looked toward the end of the street.
Then his eyes widened.
Eridius was finally there.
He was sprinting toward them with Carmen on his back.
Behind him, Gebura was practically dragging Ayin while fighting off infected with her free arm.
[Eridius]: OPEN THE DOOR!
[Alexander]: EVERYONE FALL BACK!
The retreat immediately became chaos.
Everyone turned and ran.
Alexander played as he moved, blasting infected away whenever they got too close.
Kuro ran backward, throwing crimson threads over her shoulder.
[Kuro]: MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!
An employee tripped.
Another employee grabbed him by the arm.
[Employee]: GET UP!
They barely got three steps before an infected Fixer slammed into them.
Alexander turned.
He saw the two employees being surrounded.
He stopped running.
[Kuro]: ALEXANDER, DON'T!
Alexander charged back.
She threw a crimson thread around his waist.
Alexander kept running forward anyway.
[Alexander]: LET ME GO!
[Kuro]: YOU'LL DIE!
[Alexander]: THEY'RE STILL ALIVE!
One of the employees managed to push an infected away.
[Employee]: GO! JUST GO!
Alexander reached them.
He grabbed one employee and pulled.
[Alexander]: COME ON!
The employee's hand slipped from his.
Another infected crashed into Alexander.
[Alexander]: GET OFF!
He struck it with the flute.
The infected stumbled.
Alexander reached for the employee again.
Then dozens of hands closed around the worker.
Alexander froze.
Kuro yanked the thread.
Alexander was dragged backward.
[Alexander]: NO! NO, NO, NO!
He clawed at the ground.
[Alexander]: LET ME GO!
The second employee tried to run.
Three infected caught him.
Alexander screamed.
[Alexander]: I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!
Kuro pulled harder.
[Kuro]: YOU HAVE TO!
The two employees disappeared beneath the horde.
Alexander's expression broke.
For half a second, he stopped fighting.
Then—
BOOM!
An infected Fixer slammed into Kuro.
She barely blocked it with her needle.
Alexander snapped back to reality.
Kuro shoved the infected away.
Alexander looked toward the café.
Eridius was almost there.
Carmen was already through the entrance.
Gebura threw Ayin inside.
Eridius turned around.
[Eridius]: ALEX! KURO!
Alexander finally moved.
He ran.
Kuro followed.
The horde chased them.
They were only meters away.
[Alexander]: I'M TRYING!
An infected Fixer lunged.
Kuro's thread caught its leg.
She yanked it aside.
Another came from the left.
Alexander blasted it away with his flute.
Another.
Another.
Another.
There were too many.
[Alexander]: CLOSE THE DOOR!
[Eridius]: NOT YET!
[Kuro]: WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NOT YET?!
Eridius stood at the entrance, waiting.
Alexander and Kuro were still running.
Five meters.
Four.
Three.
Two—
An infected Fixer lunged for Alexander.
Kuro's giant needle slammed into it.
CRACK!
The infected flew backward.
Alexander crossed the threshold.
Kuro jumped after him.
SLAM!
The café doors shut.
Immediately—
BOOM!
The entire building shook.
The infected slammed against the entrance.
Another impact.
BOOM!
Then another.
BOOM!
But nothing happened.
The invisible barrier surrounding Ragnarock Café remained intact.
The infected couldn't get through.
Everyone stood there, breathing heavily.
Nobody spoke.
Alexander slowly looked toward the entrance.
His hands were shaking.
Kuro lowered her needle.
Gebura leaned against the wall, still holding Ayin.
Carmen stared silently at Alexander.
Eridius finally broke the silence.
[Eridius]: ...We're inside.
Another massive impact shook the building.
Eridius glanced toward the invisible barrier.
Then toward Alexander.
[Eridius]: Told you.
Alexander didn't answer.
He simply stared at the door.
Outside, the infected continued screaming.
Inside, the survivors stood in silence.
Two employees were missing.
Inside the café, it took some time before everyone could finally calm down.
The survivors gathered in the main hall.
Nobody spoke at first.
The silence felt unnatural.
The café had always been noisy.
There had always been orders being shouted, cups clinking, cockroaches moving around, Alexander laughing, or Eridius complaining about something.
Now there was only silence.
Alexander stood near the entrance.
His flute was still tightly clutched in his hand.
He stared at the empty space where the humanoid cockroaches had once been everywhere.
Dozens of them had worked here.
Cleaning.
Serving coffee.
Carrying supplies.
Getting yelled at by Eridius.
And somehow becoming part of the café's family.
Now they were gone.
[Alexander]: They're gone...
His voice cracked slightly.
[Alexander]: They're all gone.
Nobody answered him.
Gebura sat nearby, finishing the bandages around her injuries.
She had several wounds across her body, but her expression was mostly anger.
She looked toward Eridius.
[Gebura]: Now, can someone explain to me what the hell is happening?
She tightened the final bandage.
[Gebura]: And why has the City gone to hell even more than it normally does?
Eridius sat down heavily in one of the café's chairs.
He looked exhausted.
For once, he didn't make a joke.
[Eridius]: It started six days ago.
Everyone looked toward him.
Eridius continued.
[Eridius]: I received a warning from A Corp.
Carmen's expression immediately changed.
[Ayin]: What kind of warning?
Eridius looked at him.
[Eridius]: They said they had discovered something dangerous.
He paused.
[Eridius]: They also told me I needed to be prepared.
Gebura frowned.
[Gebura]: Prepared for what?
[Eridius]: I don't know.
He leaned back.
[Eridius]: They didn't tell me.
A brief silence followed.
[Eridius]: The next day, some madman started biting everyone around him right outside my café.
Carmen's eyes narrowed.
[Carmen]: And that was the beginning?
Eridius nodded.
[Eridius]: Pretty much.
He rubbed his face.
[Eridius]: I was probably the only person in the area who had seen the first infection happen and understood how quickly it was spreading.
He pointed toward the café's walls.
[Eridius]: So I activated the shield.
Gebura stared at him.
[Gebura]: You locked everyone inside?
[Gebura]: And you've been hiding here ever since?
Eridius looked at her, genuinely offended.
[Eridius]: For six days, I've been searching for you and anyone else I could find who might actually be important enough to survive this mess.
He pointed toward the café's entrance.
[Eridius]: I wasn't sitting here hiding like some rat.
He paused.
[Eridius]: I've been running through an infected City for a day and a half just to find you three.
Eridius took a deep breath.
His legs still hurt.
His clothes were torn.
He had blood on his sleeves that he wasn't entirely sure belonged to him.
He looked around the café.
Alexander.
Kuro.
Carmen.
Ayin.
Gebura.
The remaining employees.
The empty spaces where the humanoid cockroaches should have been.
His expression became serious.
[Eridius]: For now, let's focus on finding a cure.
He rubbed his temples.
[Eridius]: Because I really don't want to spend the rest of my life living in a City full of zombies.
He paused.
[Eridius]: And I especially don't want to find out what happens if the infected start using Singularity technology against us.
The room went silent.
Gebura frowned.
[Gebura]: You think they can use Singularities?
[Eridius]: I don't know.
He looked toward the window.
[Eridius]: But I know the City.
He gestured toward the streets outside.
[Eridius]: If something can be weaponized, someone in the City will weaponize it.
[Ayin]: Even in an outbreak?
Eridius gave him a tired look.
[Eridius]: Especially during an outbreak.
He sighed.
[Eridius]: Give it another week and some Wing will probably start selling premium zombie insurance.
Alexander blinked.
[Alexander]: Would people actually buy that?
[Eridius]: Of course.
He shrugged.
[Eridius]: It's the City.
Kuro slowly raised a hand.
[Kuro]: What would the insurance cover?
Eridius: Probably nothing.
[Kuro]: Then why would they buy it?
[Eridius]: Because the contract would be thirty pages long and written by a lawyer with a terrifying-looking Grade.
Kuro stared at him.
[Kuro]: ...That makes sense.
Eridius sighed.
Then his eyes shifted toward an empty corner of the café.
He stared at it for several seconds.
He narrowed his eyes.
[Eridius]: Purple Tear.
Nobody moved.
Eridius folded his arms.
[Eridius]: Miss, would you please come out?
Silence.
Gebura immediately reached for her sword.
Carmen looked around the room.
Ayin remained completely still.
Alexander raised his flute.
Kuro's red threads quietly appeared between her fingers.
Eridius simply waited.
Then a woman's voice came from behind them.
[Purple Tear]: My, my.
Everyone turned.
A woman stepped out from behind one of the café's pillars as though she had been standing there the entire time.
Her expression was calm.
Far too calm.
Purple Tear smiled faintly.
[Purple Tear]: You noticed me rather quickly.
[Eridius]: You left traces.
Purple Tear raised an eyebrow.
[Purple Tear]: Did I?
He raised one finger.
[Eridius]: First, the door to the storage room was open.
A second finger.
[Eridius]: Second, someone moved the chairs in the VIP room.
A third.
[Eridius]: And third...
Eridius pointed toward her.
[Eridius]: Kuro smelled you.
Kuro nodded.
[Kuro]: You smell like blood, dust, and trouble.
Purple Tear chuckled.
Purple Tear: An impressive combination.
Gebura stepped forward.
[Gebura]: What the hell are you doing here?
Purple Tear glanced toward her.
[Purple Tear]: Watching.
[Gebura]: Watching what?
Purple Tear looked toward the infected outside.
[Purple Tear]: The end of a City.
Nobody spoke.
Purple Tear's smile faded slightly.
[Purple Tear]: Or perhaps...
She looked toward Carmen.
Then Ayin.
Then Eridius.
[Purple Tear]: The beginning of something else.
Eridius immediately pointed at her.
[Eridius]: No cryptic nonsense.
Purple Tear blinked.
[Eridius]: We already have enough problems.
A small smile returned to her face.
[Purple Tear]: You have become rather demanding.
[Eridius]: I've been chased by infected Fixers for thirty-six hours.
He gestured toward the door.
[Eridius]: I've watched half my staff die.
He pointed toward the windows.
[Eridius]: And there are probably several Grade 5 Fixers outside who would love to eat me.
Then he pointed directly at Purple Tear.
[Eridius]: So yes.
A pause.
[Eridius]: I'm demanding.
Purple Tear laughed softly.
[Purple Tear]: Fair enough.
Eridius crossed his arms.
[Eridius]: Now tell us what you know.
Purple Tear's expression became serious.
[Purple Tear]: I know that this outbreak is not a normal disease.
Carmen immediately leaned forward.
[Carmen]: Then what is it?
Purple Tear looked toward her.
She smiled.
[Purple Tear]: Is what we should find out.
[Eridius]: FOR THE LOVE OF THE HEAD'S SHINY BALDNESS, JUST SAY IT!
The entire room went silent.
Everyone slowly turned toward Eridius.
Carmen stared at him.
Ayin blinked.
Gebura looked genuinely horrified.
Even Purple Tear's expression briefly twitched.
Eridius looked around.
Nobody answered.
[Eridius]: What? Mother Garion isn't here.
He gestured vaguely toward the ceiling.
[Eridius]: She's busy dealing with whatever disaster A Corp has created this time.
He turned back toward Purple Tear.
[Eridius]: So, Miss Purple Tear, if you tell us anything useful...
He paused.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
[Eridius]: I might have some information about your son.
Purple Tear's expression changed instantly.
Her smile disappeared.
For the first time since revealing herself, she looked genuinely serious.
[Purple Tear]: ...My son?
Eridius nodded.
He leaned back in his chair.
[Eridius]: And before you ask—
He raised a hand.
[Eridius]: No, I'm not bluffing.
Purple Tear stared at him.
The atmosphere in the café changed completely.
Gebura slowly lowered her hand from her sword.
Carmen watched Purple Tear carefully.
Ayin remained silent.
Purple Tear took a slow step toward Eridius.
[Purple Tear]: What do you know?
Eridius smiled.
[Eridius]: Now we're getting somewhere.
Purple Tear's eyes narrowed.
[Purple Tear]: Tell me.
[Eridius]: Information for information.
A long silence followed.
Purple Tear stared at him.
Then she smiled again.
But this time, there was something dangerous behind it.
[Purple Tear]: Very well.
She folded her arms.
[Purple Tear]: The first thing you need to know is that this infection is not from this world.
She paused.
[Purple Tear]: Now it's your turn.
Eridius nodded thoughtfully.
[Eridius]: Your son is a boy.
Silence.
The entire café fell completely silent.
Purple Tear's face slowly turned red.
Her hand immediately moved to the hilt of her sword.
Eridius raised both hands.
[Eridius]: I'm joking!
Purple Tear's grip tightened around her sword.
[Eridius]: Although, technically, I'm not wrong.
[Purple Tear]: You have approximately three seconds to start speaking.
Eridius cleared his throat.
He leaned back.
[Eridius]: Unlike you, your son slipped through time.
Purple Tear's expression changed.
[Eridius]: He didn't simply travel somewhere else.
He paused.
[Eridius]: He disappeared somewhere along the timeline.
Purple Tear's eyes narrowed.
[Eridius]: And as far as I know, nobody is certain where—or when—he ended up.
The room became quiet again.
Purple Tear slowly lowered her hand from her sword.
[Purple Tear]: You know about that?
[Eridius]: A little.
He shrugged.
[Eridius]: Not enough to tell you where he is.
A pause.
[Eridius]: But enough to know that he's still out there somewhere.
Purple Tear stared at him for several seconds.
[Purple Tear]: Then perhaps you know more than you realize.
Eridius gave her a tired smile.
[Eridius]: That's usually how my life works. I'd love to talk more, but unfortunately, the author decided to save the rest for Part 2.
[Purple Tear]: What? (⊙ˍ⊙)
[Eridius]: Apparently, I wasn't suffering enough already, so they decided to extend it.
[Purple Tear]: What? (⊙ˍ⊙)
[Eridius]: Look down.
[Purple Tear]: (´.＿.｀)
Purple Tear slowly looked toward the bottom of the page.
[Chapter End]
[Eridius]: Let me add this.
[Special Chapter: The Outbreak] [Part 1] ノ( ゜-゜ノ)