Eternal Saṃsāra: The Wanderer of Worlds, Book 2

[232] A Maddened World, Fate of Gods and Devils

Chapter 232: A Maddened World, Fate of Gods and Devils

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The living room was bathed in the glow of the TV, its flickering light casting shadows across the otherwise dark room.

After the busy days in Pangeal, we were enjoying some family time by watching TV, and Ruby fell asleep during that.

I sat comfortably on the couch, Ruby's head sleeping on my lap, her breathing steady. Our mother dearest sat beside us, her hand resting lightly on my other thigh.

The soft sound from the TV filled the room like a quiet background to the warmth that surrounded us. I liked the atmosphere as my hand found its way to Ai's thigh, my fingers gently tracing small circles on her skin.

I felt her stiffen slightly at the touch. Her cheeks flushed with a soft pink hue as she shot me a look, whispering, "Ruby is right here, boy."

I shrugged it off with a playful grin, chuckling. Instead of pulling away like she wanted, I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to me.

She let out a small, surprised gasp, her eyes widening as our faces drew nearer. "...Hey, brat." she hissed, her eyes narrow, but I ignored it.

I could see the hesitation in her gaze, the way her lips parted slightly, as she chose her next words, but I ignored it.

I leaned in, our breaths mingling, and for a brief second, everything else seemed to fade away. The world outside didn't matter, the battles for the last month, the endless struggles—all of it disappeared in the closeness of that moment.

Purple eyes stared at me, and they slowly closed. My mother gave in. But just as our lips were about to meet, a loud, consequent ringing of the doorbell echoed through the house, shattering the quiet intimacy like glass.

"Eek!" Both of us jolted, startled by the sudden intrusion.

Ruby, who had been peacefully sleeping on my lap, snapped her eyes open at the sound, her gaze immediately locking onto our faces, still too close for comfort.

At the same time, a hand slammed on the door. Whoever had come was in a hurry, but we had a worse thing to worry about.

My mother and I exchanged glances, while my sister stared at us.

She blinked, her drowsy mind trying to process the scene before her, but I quickly pulled away, offering her a sheepish smile. "Morning, Ruby," I blurted out, although it was nighttime. "Go back to sleep. I'll go check who's at the door,"

I ruffled her hair before gently sliding her head off my lap. Ruby opened her mouth as if to question what she had just seen, but I was already on my feet. I moved toward the door before she could say a word. My heart was still racing from the interrupted moment, but there was something about the energy behind that knock that set me on edge.

The knock hadn't been normal—it carried a sense of urgency that was not normal. And I recognized the energy behind the door.

"Coming," I called out, reaching for the handle. The door swung open, revealing an unexpected sight. A bloodied figure stumbled into me.

"Hey?!" My arms instinctively shot out to catch the collapsing body, and I quickly confirmed who it was. "Ranefer...?! What happened?!"

My voice exploded with confusion and concern. Just this morning, she had left the house in perfect condition, full of her usual fiery energy. But now, she was barely standing, her body battered and bloodied.

"Uh... argh..."

A deep frown etched itself onto my face as I steadied her, gripping her shoulders to keep her upright. "Hey, Ranefer, talk to me!"