Becoming a Nephilim does not increase the physical prowess of a the newcomer. It does not make the person stronger nor smarter. What it does, is that the potential and the capacity of the new Nephilim to escape death and be resilient all go up, very high.
So high in fact, that they realize just how much they can accomplish. And the tougher the person was before, the tougher they will be afterwards.
Ismael had his mind kept in check, humbled by the light of the recent events unfold and untold, unable to give up, even upon hearing about the Lunatics closing in.
No chances to win.
One thing came back to mind, though.
"The Lunatics cannot be reached. I repeat, the Lunatics are OUT OF REACH."
"Sure. They might be. But a human wrote that, and if I have to carry the death of every Nephilim in here, I'll do it. I'll reign on whatever will be left. Humans, Lunatics, you, I don't care. Don't push your damn luck too far, country girl. I might just keep the perfect run going."
"The machine will not fall. Yet, the parasytic morning cycle strikes again."
"I didn't lie about Anaïs being out of shape, but she's fuming right now, deactivated every circle ever, and created another one in the dirt section of the recess area. As soon as I die, I'll come back behind him and shoot his head off. The bullet is made of the Lunatics' blood and bones. They will kill him all the way back from Perseus."
"Hey, Genova. Look at this, your arms. They're gone."
Genova looked down and her mind went white, blank. She had no thought, no judgement on this.
Ismael lunged at her and with his right arm beheaded her in a single blow, instantly ressurecting her in the back of the garden as planned, coming out of it with a sniper rifle, shooting at him.
The bullet hit the wall in the back, having no effect on Ismael whatsoever.
"Where is he? Seriously where the hell is he?"
"He could have left, no? He coule go anywhere he wants to, and if that's the case, then I'm not seeing him anytime soon."
Genovacarefully checked the entire school, but among the classes and the outside areas, he was not there. Cankt arrived to her location, asking questions.
"You didn't kill him, he killed you, and you've lost him."
"I can track him down."
"You could. Back when he was a human, as you've told me your tales before. But he isn't the same anymore, and he does not rely on you nor anybody else. He could eradicate you a number of times before you can even see him. And the longer he learns about his Nephilim abilities, the harder it will be for you to find him and kill him. Before Helios crosses over from Perseus, you will have to do more than when he used to be human."
"This is all so pointless. I'm giving all my energy to kill the one I wanted to be with."
"You have two bullets left. Miss him once more and I'll do it myself."
"Yeah right. Like you'd take him away from me you rancid elf. I love him, not in a childish way. Not in a cringe way. I want him. He's everything I ever wanted in a man, not because he's smart or strong. He's stupid most of the time. Dangerous, reckless, calculating, sadistic sometimes. But I know he's hurt and lost, and that he doesn't know what he's doing. He needs me to take him back to reality, where we both belong."
Not just in Cressenie, but in Sehang. In Shura. In Laggoon Les. In Hyefa. Capucine's old castle. The ITS.
Nothing, not a trace of Ismael, if just the leftover ruckus caused by Universalis. Her peripherical vision caught a movement on the left, around the bricked wall with the entrance.
She instinctively aimed at it, then lowered her rifle seeing who it was. She ran towards him, without any animosity.
"Geulsang Zhao, nephilim."
"Genova, what are you doing here?"
"When did you cross back?"
"I'm not exactly bound by those rules."
"Geulsang Zhao...the end is nearing, isn't it?"
"Yes. Sooner than we expected. I can tell you're looking for something, or someone."
"Ismael."
"I wish I knew where he was, I wish I knew myself."
"Zhao, what is he doing? He's lost his mind, and I'm losing him so far I fear I could not go where he is."
"Most people who track down Ismael do so to end his life, but you do it to save him. Or so you believe."
"I know exctly what I'm doing", she replied, firmly grasping the weapon on her right hand.
"You think so, huh? It's so easy to rewrite our own little realities, when they exist solely in our minds. Anything to keep a sane mind."
"Why does it matter to you? You have to help me find him."
"I don't have to do anything, and that's exactly what I've been doing so far. It's been a great journey."
"A great journey? You did nothing! You were a Nephilim upstairs, enjoying your immortality! Useless as you all are."
"The most I did what doing nothing for the sake of my own sanity and peace. Come with me inside. I watch the water running, running away. Time is a beautiful thing when you have nothing to go for in life. Nothing to seek, destroy, preserve or let go. The peace of mind that comes with abandonning hope is truly unmatched. The hope to live a normal life, a family and kids, might it be power or else. I live off nothing, not even food or water. This cosmos is senseless, and by living without any meaning, I stand a ttue inhabitant of it."
"And when the world ends?"
"I'll lose the last thing I've ever had, this place here. That truly belongs to me. Ismael will be fine, I can't help you but I will tell you this. You want him, and most probably, so does he. But in the less likely event that he does not, what is the second option?"
"Kill."
"You should not be asking me, of all people. Reach out to Yael, whether she ends her life in Cressenie or Perseus, ask her what he thinks of you. At the end of the world and of all life, if I can save a little bit of love, then let it be that I was of help."