~~~
"What if this is the last time I ever get to talk to her?"
Haaa... It's scary how fast previous Jin's emotions, feelings, and desires are becoming mine...
[INCOMING VIDEO CALL - AMEILA]
[ACCEPT / DENY]
The phone continued ringing, each ring feeling like a hammer blow against his chest.
"Fuck it." Jin snatched up the phone, thumb stabbing the answer button.
"Let's get this over with."
[CALL ACCEPTED… CONNECTING….]
Ding
The screen lit up and Amelia's figure appeared, her darker shade of blue hair framing a familiar face, green eyes bright and alive on the display. She stood in what looked like a shopping plaza, fluorescent lights casting everything in that artificial glow that made everything look slightly unreal.
Jin's breath caught in his throat as he stared at her through the screen.
She looks so... normal.
"Jini, which one's the best?" Amelia exclaimed without preamble, holding up two dresses in rapid succession. Her voice bubbled with excitement as she spun slightly, letting the fabric catch the light. "Tell me quickly, I gotta buy them before the sale ends!"
Jin found himself smiling despite the crushing weight in his chest. Her enthusiasm was infectious, pulling him momentarily away from thoughts of demons and death.
"I'm leaning more towards the lavender dress," she continued, examining the fabric with the intense focus only teenage girls could muster when shopping was involved. "It has this decent thigh slit design that I really like. Very mature, don't you think?"
"Yeah…"
Wait, a second.
Jin's eyes narrowed as he took in the details. Dark blue hair. Deep green eyes. Clothes obsession. The way she moved with unconscious grace...
No way. No fucking way.
That's the exact description of the one they called the Witch of Ash and Chains.
Five years from now, she'd paint the world in cultist blood, slaughtering anyone even suspected of consorting with chaos.
A villainess so terrifying that the main cast had no choice but to brand her the greatest danger outside the cults themselves.
Those fucking idiots branded anything that didn't align with their morals and goals as enemies that needed to be put down. The world lost so many people who could have helped against the real threats, but because of their narrow-minded heroism...
Breathe Jin… Breathe
So, my cousin sister becomes one of the most feared people in the world? The girl who hoards candy and argues about dress colors?
Almost a minute passed as Jin was lost in thought while Amelia cycled through dress after dress, her voice bubbling with excitement as she described colors and cuts and styles.
"The blue one has better shoulder work, but this green one matches my eyes. Oh, and look at this red one! It's got these cute little—Jini? Are you even listening?"
If I remember right, she awakened a "Spirit-named" mantle... "Mantle of Verkhama's Chains" and it is [fire] affinity. Fire and chains. Yeah, that tracks with the whole 'Witch of Ash and Chains' thing.
My sis will become a villain?
Wait... Did she become like that because I died here? Because of the cults? Because she loses everyone she cares about and decides the world deserves to burn?
Jin watched her with growing complexity in his chest. The original Jin's memories merged with his own emotions, creating a cocktail of brotherly affection and desperate fear.
What could I even say?
Hey sis, you know what, I'm doomed. Apparently, someone decided Vienna doesn't look good on the map, so they're wiping it clean.
That I'm actually happy you're not here to die with me?
Oh, and by the way, please don't become a villain and live your life normally?
No words came out of Jin's mouth. He just stared at her through the screen, memorizing every detail of her animated face.
Amelia paused mid-sentence, her green eyes focusing on the camera with growing concern. She moved closer to her phone, studying his expression with the kind of intensity that made Jin realize she was sharper than he'd given her credit for.
"Hey? Earth to Jin? What happened to you?" Her frown deepened as she took in his distant stare, the way his jaw was clenched tight with barely contained emotion. "You're being weird. Like, weirder than usual weird."
Well, she's not wrong.
"That's why I didn't want to leave you alone back home."
She gestured at the screen with one of the dresses still clutched in her hand.
"Come on, bro, we both awakened mantles. That's more than what the majority of people get. Why are you still glooming around like the world owes you something?"
Because the world is literally about to end, Amelia. Because Vienna is going to become a playground for monsters and cultists.
Because I know things I shouldn't know and can't explain without sounding completely insane.
But her frown grew deeper as she noticed more details through the video call. Her eyes narrowed, taking in what she could see of his appearance—the tactical gear, the strange tension in his shoulders, the way he was sitting like he was ready to bolt at any second.
"Wait a minute..." She dropped the dresses entirely, grabbing the phone with both hands and bringing it closer to her face. "Jini, why are you wearing armor? And is that... is that Dad's sword behind you?"
Shit. Observant little sister strikes again.
Her voice sharpened with alarm. "Are you okay? Did something happen? Talk to me, brother. And don't you dare try to bullshit me—I can tell when you're lying?"
Jin's heart twisted at the worry in her voice. He leaned closer to the phone, forcing his voice to stay calm despite the chaos brewing in his chest.
"I'm okay, Ame... a few things came up. Nothing I can't handle." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but from her expression, it probably looked more like a grimace. "Don't worry about me. Tell me about your vacation instead."
God, I sound like I'm trying to convince myself more than her.
But Amelia was stubborn—just as stubborn as he was, apparently. When she got that look in her eyes, it meant she wasn't going to let anything slide. It was the same expression he'd seen in the mirror when he'd decided to gear up for war instead of accepting death quietly.
Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she studied him. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she studied him through the screen, and for a moment, Jin caught a glimpse of the future Witch of Ash and Chains lurking behind those familiar green eyes.
"Jini..." Her voice dropped to a threatening tone that sent shivers down his spine. "What the fuck is happening there?"
"You're not on drugs, are you?" she continued, her concern warring with growing anger. "Because I swear to all the gods, I'll gut you like a fish if I find out you're doing something stupid with your life!"
And there's the death threat. Yep, definitely my sister.
Despite everything, Jin laughed. The sound surprised him—genuine and warm, the first real smile he'd managed since waking up in this world.
"I'm fine, sis. Truly."
But the smile faded as a deep pang hit his heart. Those same words... hadn't he said them to Ren in his previous life?
How is Ren doing? Is he safe? Will I ever see him again?
Jin shook his head, forcing the thoughts away. "Let's not worry about me. I think that lavender dress is indeed good. It'll look great on you."
"Jini, stop deflecting!"
Amelia's scowl intensified. She was holding the phone closer now, as if wanting to reach through the screen and shake him.
"And stop trying to change the subject! What's with the armor? What's with that look in your eyes?"
What look? Do I really look that different?
"You look like..." she paused, searching for the right words, "like you're going to war or something."
zzzrrrzz
But even as he spoke, Jin noticed something that made his blood run cold.
The video quality was starting to degrade. Amelia's image flickered slightly, and the audio had developed a faint crackling quality.
But I know what this means. The veil is complete. Vienna is being cut off from the rest of the world.
"Ame!" Jin said quickly, his voice taking on an urgent edge that made her blink in surprise. "Listen to me—"
Amelia's figure started distorting more severely. Her face pixelated for a moment before snapping back into focus, but the audio was getting worse.
"Jini, the connection's getting weird. Can you hear me properly?"
I'm running out of time.
"I can hear you fine," Jin lied, standing up abruptly and putting the phone on speaker as he grabbed his gear with his free hand. "Amelia, I need you to listen to me very carefully, okay?"
"Jini, stop—why do you sound like you're saying goodbye?"
Because I am.
The connection wavered again, her voice cutting in and out like a radio losing signal.
"I'll see you soon, Ame. Don't worry, I promise." His voice dropped to barely above a whisper, but he meant every word with desperate intensity. "Stay safe. Stay far away from Vienna. No matter what you hear on the news, no matter what anyone tells you, don't come back here. Promise me."
"Jin! Jin, what's—why are you talking like—"
"Promise me, Amelia!" Jin's voice cracked with desperation. "Whatever happens, whatever you hear, stay away from Vienna. Live your life. Be happy. Don't let the world turn you into something you're not."
Don't become the Witch of Ash and Chains. Don't let grief and rage consume you. Stay the girl who argues about dress colors and hoards candy.
The line went completely dead.
Jin stared at his phone's home screen. The words "No Signal" appeared like a death sentence written in digital font.
The veil is complete, and I may have averted a calamity if I die.
He shoved the device into his pack and shouldered his equipment, his movements sharp and economical now that the moment had finally arrived.
…
Outside, the afternoon sky had darkened to an unnatural twilight, as if someone had dimmed the sun itself.
Through the window, Jin could see the dark veils pressing against the city's borders like living shadows, pulsing with malevolent energy that made his teeth ache.
Ninety-one days of hell are about to begin.
The moment Jin stepped out of the apartment building, he was hit by the sound of chaos.
People poured out of buildings, pointing at the sky and shouting to each other with voices that ranged from confused to terrified.
"Did you see that? The sky... It's wrong!"
"What the hell is that thing up there?"
"My phone just died. Did yours?"
"This can't be real. This has to be some kind of hoax!"
"Why is it turning night already?"
"The internet's completely down. Everything's down."
"Look at those shadows! They're moving!"
Jin's eyes turned cold and sharp as he surveyed the scene. The dark veils were fully visible now, pressing against the city's borders like living shadows.
They pulsed with malevolent energy, and even from this distance, Jin could feel something fundamentally wrong about them.
Welcome to hell, Vienna.
Jin broke into a run, his destination clear in his mind first: the mall.
The Cathedral of Prime would be the death zone.
If the cult was going to make their move, that's where it would start.
That's where the real nightmare would begin, and I want to be far away from there, at least in the initial days.
As he sprinted through the darkening streets, dodging confused civilians and emergency vehicles, Jin's vision caught something that made his stomach drop.
"Well," Jin grinned. "This is gonna be fun."
~~~