Mutation Abyss-Chapter 24: Find A Secure Place

Theo stood in the dimly lit funeral room, surrounded by rows of white flowers. Yet all he could see was the framed photo at the centre of the altar, his mother smiling warmly.

He didn't move. Didn't speak. He just stood there, staring.

The scent of incense hung thick in the air, but he barely noticed. His mind was somewhere else, trapped between the fire-lit corridors of the funeral room and the suffocating weight of regret.

She was gone. And he hadn't even been there. He could've saved her. He should've been faster. Stronger. His fists clenched at his sides, nails digging into his palms.

It was Aries who had identified their mother. Theo remembered the tremble in her voice as she saw their mother's wedding ring on her fingers, the one their mom never took off. That, along with the DNA confirmation from the hospital, was all they had to go on.

Her face and body were unrecognizable, just another non-Awakened Meteor Survivor who died trying to escape the hospital along with the others. Theo could still hear Aries quietly explaining that the forensic report confirmed there were no gunshot wounds on their mother's body.

Theo's throat tightened. His shoulders shook, but he refused to cry. Not here. Not in front of everyone. But the guilt was eating him alive. He hadn't protected her.

And now he was staring at her picture like a coward... after the fact, after the loss, after it was already too late.

"Brother... at least sit," Aries whispered, gently tugging him down onto a bench facing their mother's casket. The hall was quiet. Just the two of them. Everyone else was scattered, grieving their own losses, attending to their own dead.

"It's my fault. I'm sorry," Theo murmured, voice barely audible. He didn't even know how many times he'd repeated those words. His eyes remained fixed on their mother's photo-on the soft smile that would never greet them again.

"Please, enough!" Aries suddenly cried, her voice cracking through her tears. "If it's your fault, then it's mine too! I wasn't there either!"

Finally, Theo let the tears fall, silent at first, then like a rapid flood. He buried his face in Aries' shoulder as the weight in his chest finally gave way. The sorrow he'd been holding back poured out in raw, aching sobs.

He didn't know how long they stayed like that, holding each other in that quiet funeral room.

They didn't stay long at the funeral home. That same night, Theo and Aries took the urn containing their mother's ashes and brought it with them. Letting go was too hard; for now, keeping her close was all they could manage.

Theo noticed Calix nearby, standing quietly at a respectful distance. He stepped forward and gave a slight bow.

"My condolences," Calix said softly, his tone sincere.

Theo gave a small nod, his throat too tight to speak, but he appreciated the man's presence. He'd only met Calix the night before at Metro Doctors Hospital, but Calix had kept his word. He stayed with Aries and looked after her when Theo couldn't, and that meant something.

After a quiet moment, Calix spoke again. "So... what are your plans now?"

Theo glanced down at the urn in his hands, then at Aries, who stood silently beside him. He let out a slow breath. "I want to buy land. Build a house. Somewhere quiet and secure. Somewhere we can start over. Maybe in the province... the city doesn't feel safe anymore."

"But it's not like other areas in our country are safe. The meteorites hit are scattered not just the capital city," Aries pointed out with a sigh. Theo knew well, but then the place where they were staying was not good and safe at all.

"If you're serious, I know a safer place, where my parents are, actually. They've been staying there and it's completely secure," Calix said. "It's a big property in my hometown that's up for sale. Just a short walk from the beach, and it's already surrounded by tall, solid concrete walls. The owners recently moved abroad and want to sell it fast. My parents have been taking care of the place for a while. It was supposed to be a private beach resort, but they decided not to push through with the plan."

Theo blinked, surprised. "That sounds... perfect. Really?"

"Yeah," Calix said. "I can take you there to see it. But the price-"

"We can't afford something like that, Theo," Aries cut in gently. "We're barely keeping up with rent."

Theo smiled, reassuring. "I've been saving, Aries. Just like I managed to buy us the new vehicle. We can afford it, don't worry."

"But Theo-" Aries started to protest, but he gently pulled her aside, far enough from Calix so their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

"Aries, listen to me," Theo said in a low voice, eyes serious. "I have a system inside me. It gives me quests, and when I complete them, I get rewards. Gold coins. And those gold coins... they can be converted into Nexa currency."

Before Aries could respond, Theo opened his palm. A soft glow shimmered as several Nexa paper bills materialised right before her eyes. He placed them in her hand.

Aries gasped, staring at the money, her eyes wide in disbelief. "This is real..." she whispered.

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"I'll explain everything later," Theo said softly. "But for now, we'll use this and keep it a secret between us. I'm going to keep you safe, Aries. I promise. We'll find a secure place to start over."

She looked up at him, searching his face. "What about Dad?"

Theo's expression darkened. His jaw tightened as he forced the words out. "I'll contact him."

Then he turned to Calix. "Call your parents. Call the owners. I want to check the property tonight. If it's everything you say, I want to finalize the deal as soon as possible."

"Tonight?" Calix asked, blinking.

"Yes. We can't waste time, Calix. Things are getting more chaotic by the day. I need to make sure Aries is safe."

Calix hesitated. "But... I need to return to the hospital."

"Work for me," Theo said firmly. "I'll pay you more than what you're making there."