In aeternum

Chapter 21

"Life is such a short fleeting experience, isn't it, Yeosang?"

"Hmm? But vampires live a long life. Ever since you turned me, I haven't aged a day."

"But we still eventually die or we are already dead."

"I guess so. What's wrong, Wooyoung?"

"I... I just wonder what the world would be like in the future. If things are already progressing this quickly in such a short span of time, what would the future look like?"

"It can look like anything you want it to be."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... If you take control of the world, you can spin it however you like."

Wooyoung smiled and shook his head. "I think this world looks better with freedom."

Yeosang lowered his gaze. "This world is in strife with war and famine. It is killing itself."

"Maybe. But we are all inhabitants of it. That means we are the ones killing it."

"Perhaps."

"I want to live a long life... long enough for me to be satisfied with what is to come."

"But you died and left me all alone. Even though I tried to give you a long life like you wanted but you... you left me."

Wooyoung gnawed at the chain, trying to break free of it but it only made his jaw hurt. He grumbled and kept tugging, wondering where they were even connected to. Despite his ability to see in the dark, it felt like the darkness was too deep here that it absorbed any sort of visibility you might have. He sighed and wondered what time it was or what day even. He felt like he had been here forever even though he knew that wasn't true. The door opened and Wooyoung flinched. He watched as Mingi approached him and pursed his lips.

"Shh... I'm not here to do anything bad to you," Mingi said to Wooyoung's confusion.

"You almost broke all the bones in my body and that's what you have to say?" he scoffed.

"Sorry. I was being controlled."

"Right... By this nasty bug thing?"

Mingi lowered his collar just to prove to Wooyoung that he was in the same boat. "I want to teach you how to resist it."

"Resist? Why would you teach me something like that? Even if you are being controlled by the Overseer, what do you even gain by helping me?"

"A chance to escape too?"

"Why not just let me go now?"

"I don't have the power. Only the Overseer does for this room. But we don't have much time before the Overseer comes so listen to me."

"I don't trust you."

"Whether you do or not, your friend's life is on the line and so is your creator's?"

Wooyoung blinked. "Are you talking about Seonghwa appa?"

"Yes. In the final round of the competition, you'll fight against the remaining survivors. To the death. There will be no quitters, only dead vampires."

"You're saying... I have to fight him?"

"Yeah. There's no way the Overseer would let you lose either so you'll have to kill him. Whether it's by your own will or not. And after him, it'll be San."

Wooyoung pursed his lips and looked down in frustration. "Okay. Fine, teach me."

Mingi walked closer to Wooyoung and started to teach him to close off his mind. Wooyoung felt like he had trouble doing that or rather he couldn't understand what Mingi was trying to tell him to do.