Ivy landed in Hungary two hours later. Emery, Jacob, and Cam were talking amongst each other outside while Ivy was busy rummaging through an old apartment.

A cat meowed at her, making Ivy peek her head out from the hall. The cat stood near the window frame,

"Hello, Mika." Ivy said while walking closer to the cat, "I'm glad you're still doing okay."

Mika seemed familiar to Ivy, as the cat didn't hiss or run away when Ivy approached her.

"But, you shouldn't be here anymore…he's not coming back."

Mika meowed at her and jumped into the hall. Ivy stared at Mika as she went to the corner of the hall where a cat bed was and lay on it. She snuggled herself into a loaf shape and chilled there.

"...I think if I told Aric the truth about you, he'd probably give me the cold shoulder. It was better that I lied about how you went into the wild since you were a stray before. I think he'd be heartbroken to know you come here every day and wait for him here."

Ivy created the best cat food in her bowl that was beside her bed and refilled her water bowl. She then entered a small room that was well-maintained. There were no signs of dust or even a book out of place.

"Cleaners are always making sure this house is well-maintained. I wonder where he put that stuff…"

Ivy searched under his bed and found a box that had a lock on it. She looked at the lock as she contemplated if she should feel guilty about opening this without him.

"Meh…he won't know." She said as she opened the box.

The box was filled with pictures of his kids and a small pendant that Noah and Anais had made. Ivy smiled a little as she stared at the fake diamond that they used before with a stainless steel chain.

"There's…so many things you don't know, Aric. How Noah has severe anxiety now ever since you're not here and how Anais hates the dark. Noah and Anais never meant to push you away from their life. They were just kids following grown-ups' orders. Your kids don't even know you died, they just think you're off somewhere with another woman and raising your own family."

She suddenly thought about the words she was saying,

"Well, technically, he is somewhere else with a woman, but you get the point. I have no plan yet on how to guide you to win against this battle, but I will make a backup. A plan against Armageddon."

Her smile faded as Pandora's words echoed in her mind:

"I have not found a single timeline where Aric wins. Millions of possibilities, Ivy. Every future ends the same way."

Her pupils started to dilate as she hovered her hand over the pendant. She closed her eyes to calm herself down and to say a prayer,

"Sacred Light of the Divine, hear this vow.

When the final embers fade, let his resilience be the flame that endures. To this pendant I grant my blessing, the blessings of the hero."

The pendant started to glow in a colour that looked yellowish with a hint of white. It feels powerful but desperate. Ivy pressed the pendant to her heart,

"I have no plan yet… but I have made a backup. A failsafe so desperate it might break rules I shouldn't even touch. This is my love for you. Even if you don't find a way, I'll make sure you survive. I hope this will never have to be activated… but if it does, everything will be fine."

She stayed there for a moment, breathing lightly, staring at the soft glow fading from her palms.

Pandora's words circled her mind,

Millions of timelines. Not a single one where he wins..

She closed the box, patted Mika's head, and walked out of the apartment into the cold evening air.

There was one more place she needed to stop by..

———————————————

Emery was smoking a cigar while Jacob was holding an umbrella for Ivy.

"Ms., I understand that his family didn't care for him when he was alive, but surely it is time for them to know the truth," Emery said with a soft tone.

Ivy was kneeling down beside a grave that was marbled. It had a picture of Aric when he was young in a tuxedo.

"And what do you suppose happens when they find out? That their daddy is dead? That they regret doing the things they did to him and want forgiveness? Does that make it better?"

Emery was an old but wise man. He knew that Ivy was on the fence whenever it came to Aric but values die hard.

"I…don't think it makes anything better, but his children at the very least deserve to know. I understand Natasha not being allowed, but surely not the kids. Maybe I am just old, and the way I was brought up was different, but blood is thicker than water. I think the kids should at least know."

Ivy looked towards him with a rather serious face,

"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Only his best friend deserves to know, and he already knows. If his own family couldn't stand with him when he was at his lowest, but his friend could, why should they know?"

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Emery stopped smoking his cigar for a moment, and it started to drizzle. Emery simply closed his eyes and kept his cigar in his holder.

"We should get going now, Ms., wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

Ivy stood up and stared at the grave. Jacob always felt odd whenever he saw this. Because, to his knowledge, Aric was just a random man she met in a bar when Aric was on a bender.

The first time they met, Aric cried ugly on her shoulder with snot and all. Ivy never felt comfortable in entertaining anyone, especially men, but Jacob was ordered by her not to intervene.

He was the only man she had ever allowed to do this.

Jacob adjusted his hold on the umbrella as he asked,

"I know I might sound like a broken record here, Ms Vivian, but what's so special about him anyway? I apologise if I sound rude, but I am truly curious as to our research; he was just a guy in the military who was good at his job."

Ivy turned her face to face him while her hands were tucked in her coat,

"A guy walks up to a death zone with a rifle that barely has any bullets and a swarm of enemies coming towards him. The odds of anyone surviving that would be a miracle, but how about winning them? Astronomically low. Now, what happens when someone does this once?"

Jacob immediately answered, "Lucky, of course."

Ivy nodded and stepped closer, making Jacob tense,

"Now, how about two? Three times? Wait, how about ten times?"

She pointed towards Aric's grave, and her voice rose,

"He's the only reason why this country never went to shit. He's a big reason why Earth didn't enter into another war. He gave everything he had, sacrificed his entire life, and they rewarded him by throwing him underground and letting him die to the mafia.

Her voice cracked, "He deserved better. And this… is my way of giving that."

Everyone around was silent.

Ivy just realised she had raised her voice and coughed to ease the awkwardness,

"Anyways, I'll think about giving his kids the news. You three, keep your mouth shut, or I'll make you disappear. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded with a cough and said in unison,

"Crystal."

She walked towards her car and ordered Emery as they sat down,

"Bring me to Damion's place."

Emery looked a little surprised but never questioned it.

"Sure thing."

30 minutes later

KNOCK KNOCK

"Damion? Are you there?"

She knocked again, "Hello?"

The house was just a single-storey home with a small garden. She waited at the front of the door for five minutes before a 30-year-old man opened the door with scars on his face and arm,

"Oh. It's you, miss. Hello." He said in a deep, raspy voice.

"Will your bodyguards be coming in?"

She shook her head as she met his gaze, "No. I know you're uncomfortable with unfamiliar people. It's just me visiting. May I come inside, or do you want to do it like usual?"

Damion looked at her with lazy eyes before turning his back on her,

"Only you. Get in."

Ivy entered his home and closed the door. Emery laughed a little at the sight while Jacob looked shocked,

"Heh." Emery scoffed while lighting up his cigar again, "The fact that he actually let her in after all this time is something. Guess she is right, the covenant is more important than just blood."

Ivy sat down on a flimsy old couch, and a young woman, aged 26, walked out of the kitchen with a baby strapped to her as she served her tea.

"It's okay, Hannah. You're taking care of a child. You shouldn't have."

Hannah chuckled a little, "Oh no, Miss. You're a very important guest. What brings you here this time?"

Ivy stared at Hannah's hand as she was pouring tea. Ivy looked conflicted and sad,

"Hmm. I have some questions. Questions I think only your family truly knows. It's about Aric."

Damion, who was standing in front of the TV, tensed up,

"Look, Ms., I respect you and all, but can you not bring up that name? I…"

Ivy took the cup of tea, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I truly have a question that only you can answer. You can answer or not, it's your decision, and I'll respect it."

She looked at him with soft eyes, "If Aric were in another life doing the things he always wanted to do, and he was faced with an adversary so tough, he could not figure out an answer to solve it. What does he do after that?"

Damion looked away from her stare, "He'd kill himself if it were a way to solve it. Aric is a man who truly believes his life is worth less than an animal's. If somebody told him that if he died, a child could be saved, he'd do it. Even if it was from an enemy. I don't believe there's any adversary that man couldn't solve, but if there was, he'd die if it was a solution."

He laughed in a sad tone, "Well, besides being gunned down by the mafia, I suppose. But if he were alive in another world, I hope he would start being more selfish. I doubt he would do that, but I wish he did. Anyway, why are you asking me these kinds of questions? Reincarnation is not a real thing."

She maintained a poker face as she thought deeply. As she thought, every scenario started to construct in her head at an impossible speed as she deciphered each possibility,

If I understand Aric, he runs away if he just learns that he is a mistake. Maybe Pandora saw every future from that branch and decided that if he runs, nothing is solved.

Running away basically corrects the 'timeline' to a certain point before Theodore eventually disturbs that and makes her a tyrant. The root of the problem is Theodore and that dark figure. I can assume that the dark figure is Nathaniel's sibling that he never talks about.

Aric, being a sacrificial suicidal bastard, seems to be consistent even until now. So, maybe Pandora saw every timeline when he didn't run away and tried to fix the problem. Maybe Aric tried to kill Theodore but got outmatched?

But, how's that possible? He met blow for blow with a base Theodore. Theodore must have something that even I am not aware of. So, if I am not aware of it, someone with my level of authority is playing as well. Which only leaves Nathaniel, as far as I'm concerned.

More constructs of the timeline appeared and were destroyed as she kept thinking,

If he truly believes his life is less than an animal, which is surprising to hear from him, does that mean no matter what the decision, he will ultimately decide to sacrifice his life to prevent Seraphina from turning into a tyrant?

What the fuck am I EVEN working with? That man dies trying to save his wife, but ends up solidifying the outcome of her turning into an overlord. So, what if…

She moved her subconscious hand to adjust 'possibilities',

What if Aric becomes selfish? In what way should I adjust…let's say, he's selfish for Seraphina. Does this make another timeline?

A golden thread started to appear, but it had no proper construct. Just timelines mindlessly going on with no end.

Interesting. Selfish is the right path, but it's an unknown path due to how unlikely for Aric to become selfish. So, I need to make Aric selfish in a good way. Seems impossible to make that man selfish but it seems to be the only way...

Well then, Damion, thank you for giving me the answer.

She sipped her tea and smiled, "I suppose. I'm asking this question to prepare myself. I am thinking of letting Noah and Anais know the truth."

Hannah's hand immediately reached out for her thigh, and she shook her head,

"I'm sorry, but no. Children aren't meant to know things like this so early on. A lie is more comforting than the truth."

Ivy looked at the baby that was soundly asleep, "Hmm. I get your point. What is the baby's name?"

"Sebastian. Sebastian Fraust." Hannah said.

Ivy smiled genuinely and slowly hovered her hand over the baby. Hannah moved closer, and Ivy rubbed Sebastian's cheeks,

"That's a good name. Have you two considered my help? I am not asking for favours, I just want to give you all a helping hand financially. You can think of it as a thank you for Aric's support and for letting me in your life."

They both looked hesitant at her as they have been offered multiple times but times were tough. Ivy smiled sincerely at them,

"Please, take it. I'm sure Aric would want you to take it as well."

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