Lightless Twin Souls | ONC 2023 ✔

Chapter 13 - Reincarnated Soul

"Rather, Lord John and...?"

"...Andrew. His name is Andrew." JD replied, almost choked up.

"Lord Andrew." The man continued, slightly bowed, one hand hovering over his chest.

"Aven..." JD couldn't help but mumble.

Zalden's CEO, Zedekiah Mitchell, raised his head, eyes directly on JD's.

"Aventurreal..." Zedekiah squinted. "...is long dead. Just like the Gemini gods of Paradise, the Libra God is no more."

With trembling hands at the expected but shocking revelation, JD clenched them. Then he brought one over his mouth, forehead creased and eyes searching Zedekiah's.

"So, you really are...."

"If I may be so bold as to ask," Zedekiah's tilted his head to the side. "Can I see your other half?"

"Drew?"

"..Mhm."

JD lowered his head and relaxed his body. Followed by that was the surge of pale-yellow strings from his nape, forming a body right beside JD. When the light had achieved complete form, it shattered, and there stood JD's mirror image wearing the same hairstyle but a different outfit.

"You look very identical." A solemn glint gleamed over Zedekiah's eyes. "Just like the last time I saw you southwest of The Great Gemini."

JD and Andrew gazed at the floor with almost equally melancholic gazes, but then both perked up, exchanged shocking wide eyes, and then turned towards Zedekiah.

"You..." JD took a step forward. "You're not Aven."

"The last time we saw Aven was in Paradise. Not in Julisie." Andrew added, the last sentence ringing the tone Zedekiah had been expecting.

"Indeed. I never said I was him." Zedekiah turned his back and stared at the empty frames up the wall. "But he was someone very dear to me."

"Who are you?" Andrew started, his words rushed. "Did you come down from Paradise simply to play with human lives?"

"Garnet would never allow that," JD said. "Drew, you remember what Ms. Jaser said. This man helped humans. And yet, proceeds to exploit Abarly."

With no response, JD's heartbeat grew quick, impatience wrapping around his head.

"It's me, isn't it? You've been searching for me for a while now, I've heard." JD squinted. "What do you want with me? You should have access to Paradise's eyes, right? So, why didn't you just go straight to me? Why involve Abarly?"

"I do not..." His voice was slightly hoarse by the end. "...have access to that."

"How is that? Even the lowest standing of gods can use it."

Zedekiah drew a sharp breath and turned his head towards them, his eyes almost empty, but the longer JD stared, the more his confusion snarled at him.

"I am just like you." His hands clasped together tightened. "A god reincarnated into a human."

Clenched hands and jaws, JD didn't answer.

Zedekiah sighed. "I apologize for the fiasco I caused you last night, Lord John. But it worked better than I had hoped."

"Worked?"

"You met him." Zedekiah's eyes jumped to Andrew's, startling the latter. "And you made contact. And now you're here. It went smoother than I imagined."

"What?" JD shouted, taking two more steps forward. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I won't ask you to calm down, but please give me enough time to tell and show you everything."