CHAPTER 8 – The Second Distortion
Adalind's blanked out consciousness returned with start. "Where am I?" She gasped and panted repeatedly, confused as she start to look around. "Nick! Diana! Kelly!"
"Adalind, I'm here." Turning around, Nick appeared and hugged her.
"Nick!" She exclaimed and also wrapped her arms around him. "Thank God, you're okay."
After that another planet crashes to them, she thought she'd lost them all. Thankfully, they're still here.
Eve had gone mad! What the hell was she thinking, using the staff to that scale! "Kelly, Diana?" Adalind asked for her children as she pulled away. "Where are they?"
"Adalind calm down," Nick cupped her cheeks, straightening her face to meet his gaze. Then sadly, he shook his head. "They're not here."
"What do you mean they're not here?" Adalind panicked.
"Look," Nick shifted his body and Adalind followed his gaze.
Her eyes immediately widened when her gaze landed on the sickly woman lying on the hospital bed. Adalind also realized that currently, she's in the hospital, she's wearing a lab gown, and in her hand, she's holding a syringe which contains a greenish liquid. 'No no no no! It can't be!' This place. This moment. "Marie?"
Her gaze returned to Nick and took notice now of his younger visage. He sighed tiredly, "Adalind, we're in 2011."
They are back to that year and this moment is during when she attempted to assassinate Nick's aunt.
"Bu-but how?" She knew the answer. She witnessed it clearly. Eve proclaimed it clearly. However, her mind is still unable to accept it as reality.
"Eve used the staff to create a new timeline." Nick then explained what Eve had designed.
Using the staff, Eve destroyed the original timeline by crashing it with a version of Earth pulled from the past. The timeline was then reset back to 2011. However, even if she does that, the timeline will still move forward in a same direction if she does not place certain singularities which will divert the original flow into a different direction.
According to Nick, Eve placed five. First are individuals who will still remember the original timeline. That's her and Nick. Second is the birth of Kelly and Diana. Even in this new timeline, Adalind is still destined to be their mother. Thirdly is Eve's birth itself. From whom she will be born, that is still unknown. But she will be born and someday will seek Kelly.
"How did you know all of these?" Adalind immediately wondered. It can't be that Nick has a hand on this cosmic madness.
"It's because of the fourth singularity," Nick explained. "The checklist."
The checklist are instructions instilled into Nick that the two of them must accomplish in order to initiate the creation of the new world that Eve wanted. There are three enlisted in the checklist. 1) The explanation of what's going on. 2) The instruction of her and Nick eloping. 3) Nick claiming his crown earlier.
As for the rest that they wanted to happen in this timeline, it's completely up to them how to make it work. It doesn't matter as long as those three are done.
At this point, Adalind had greatly calmed down. Earlier, she was full of fear and hysteria when she thought that her children are gone forever. But now that she finally knew about the arrangements Eve prepared, she is somehow relieved, even gleeful. As much as she unconditionally loved her daughter, she binds her to Renard permanently when all she ever wanted is to completely sever him from their lives. Now, she can have Diana while making that happen. And speaking of him, he's waiting outside right now but that's not a concern for the time being. "What's the last one?"
Adalind asked for the final singularity.
"This," Nick opened his hand and the staff materialized against his grasp.
Her lips parted. "You still have the staff?"
Nick nodded. "The fifth singularity is that Eve didn't just retain our memories of the old timeline but she'd also brought our very existence here. It's only our physical appearance and condition that reverted back. As for our maturity, the powers we acquired, all of those were passed on here."
"Does that include my immunity to your blood?" Adalind is not concern losing her powers but if she wants Nick to be the father of her children in this new world, she must ensure that he's able to procreate with her. If she's not immune to his blood, that might raise some complications.
"Yes. And thankfully that's the case."
Adalind sighed in relief before her thoughts returned to Eve. 'That silly girl.' "As unreasonable is this, I got to admire her devotion to our son."
To burn the world for the man she loved. That's a woman she understands.
Nick thought so as well.
"So what now?"
"For now, you have to leave," Nick began. "Is Renard waiting for you outside?"
"He is."
At that reply, Nick looked around. Certain that the coast is clear, he tapped his staff to the wall and a portal opened, "This leads back to your house. Take everything you needed. I believe you're not broke yet so you can secure enough money as well. Not until I meet my grandfather, we will need all the funds we can get in order to hide you. Tell me where you'll stay and I'll follow you soon."
"Alright," she nodded then her gaze shifted to Marie. "How about your aunt?"
"I'll use the staff to heal her," Nick resolved. "I couldn't save her before. I won't let it happen this time. Also, I will need her help to end things with Juliette."
'Oh yeah, there's still her.' "Will you be okay?"
Nick scoffed. "I already lived 15 years beyond her. The Nick of the old will get conflicted but I won't. But, I have to give her a valid reason for leaving. The 'her' now at least deserves that."
Adalind agreed. "Just take care of yourself, alright?" She leaned up and kissed him. "I love you."
"And I love you," he whispered back. "Now go," he urged her to the portal. "Before someone sees us."
Adalind entered the portal and that night marks the dawn of the new world.
