The Novel’s Extra’s Extra

I slowly take out the laptop, it’s exactly the same as it was all those years before. With just a little difference.

“Not even a speck of dust left… Is almost new…”

The laptop was almost as if it was recently bought, with just a few details here and there, details I perfectly knew, a little paint here, no information stickers left, and even my name engraved on one corner at the top.

“This truly brings old memories… Who would know that I could actually look at you once again after all that happened… Maybe… Just maybe I could look once again all those pictures inside you again.”

After the thought of looking into the photos I once kept inside this old laptop crossed my mind, I hastily opened it and turned it on. But nothing works the way we always want it to work.

All that I could see is a black screen with white words, describing what should be David Ross status.

It is almost like Hajin when he saw Chundong status… Is just that instead of SP, I get something called affinity, and it is at 5%… And the status seems to be different too. Well, not that it matters.

By the way, if his magic power is 2 right now, exactly what amount did David had before I started training it? And this Special Stat? I’ll assume it is the natural energy I keep inside.

“Just 1 huh… It is indeed truly a small amount. And it doesn’t even recognize this kind of energy…”

While thinking on my own, the screen turned off.

“I guess the synchronization is finally done huh… Yeah, now I can see my face.”

On the black screen I could actually see my platinum hair and dark brown hair roots reflected, contrasting with my vermillion eyes and my brown brows… And just as I was looking at my reflection, a sudden well-known pain assaults my right arm.

“Fuck!!! Not again!!!!”

I clenched my eyes and teeth as hard as I could, almost breaking them, trying to endure the crippling despairing pain that slowly crept up from my right wrist, all the way through my forearm, arm and finally right shoulder blade and pectoral.

There’s no way to describe this pain. It is like getting your arm dropped inside a lava pit, with a whirlpool just inside, dragging it all the way to the bottom and then hitting you with torrents of lava, full of little nails and daggers that cuts through your flesh again and again, without the sweet relief of death.

Soon, everything turned black around and I lost my consciousness. I couldn’t get to read what the screen of the laptop was showing.

*

I slowly opened my eyes, noted that I was resting in what felt like a field of snow, and right in front of me appeared what seems to be the sky, looks more like a black sea full of stars.

“The universe? Where, exactly?”

I keep looking at the stars, feeling like it was a real beautiful scenery to rest from the pain that recently assaulted me and put me out.

“Are you just going to stay there and look at the stars?”-Said an unknown voice at my side.

“Who knows, maybe. Why, does it bother you in any way?”

“Not really, keeping you away from that world would be the best for me.”

Now that’s something I can ignore.

“So, are you saying that you weren’t the one to bring me to that world oh so great co-author?”-I ask, really wondering what he was implying.

“So, you know… I’m intrigued, what else do you know? And to answer your question. No. I’m not. Do I look insane enough to bring a supernova to a world I’ve created?”

That makes things really hard for me. And to be honest. He’s right. Who on his right mind would bring something like me inside his world? It’s like willingly bringing a bomb inside your own house.

“Tick-tock, time’s passing. Just 10 minutes here is a day in the world I created. So, what are your plans?”-Asks the annoying co-author with his unimpressive looks.

“Plans? Shouldn’t you be the one telling me? After all, I could do whatever I want once inside that world, who could stop me? Baal? I thought you would send me back to my world or something”

“Are you insane? I wouldn’t dare to touch you. I can’t even send you back. At most, I can temporally limit your power inside that world. And I don’t want to do that forcefully, not that I can actually do too much. So, let me ask again. What are your plans inside that world?”

He’s right. I could probably blow him up right here, right now if a truly wished for it. But. That’s not my intention.

“Is not the first world I enter. I know for sure how to be quiet and stop saying things that could entirely destroy the world’s future. But. You can’t also expect me to stay quiet. Not when I’m looking for something that interests me, and sadly for you, this “novel” is interesting enough to try.”

“You’re truly making things hard for me…”-Answers while sighing and closing his eyes.

“Hey, don’t be too sad. What if we make a deal?”

“A deal? With you? HA! That’s like making a deal with the Devil, in your world’s tongue.”

I kind of want to know what kind of image do he have of me. And how does he know me. But that last part probably comes from him watching the world I lived in.

“Look. I don’t know what you take me for. But really. I’m just a poor soul that’s lost in his own fate, having everything, but nothing at the same time. What I propose is. You limit my power in your world. But let me explore it. Let me see the end to that place.”

“You say it like it will solve everything. How do I know you will not go rampage mode in there and blow things up?”

“Again, what do you take me for? I’m not planning on destroying everything. If you even know a little bit of me, you should know that I’m not one to interfere too much with the plot of a world. Though, I will not make any promises.”

“See. How can I be sure that you will not go mad in there if you don’t promise?”

“Look, I’ll let you limit my power. Though I can’t say anything about my authorities, as you probably can’t suppress them with your own power.”

“It’s precisely your authorities that worry me. They’re insane. How do you expect me to leave something like that out there?”

“Well, with my help, you could limit their power. Though not sealing them. That’s impossible.”

“You monster… Ha….”-With a sigh, he stays deep in though.

“Tick Tock. You were the one that said that times goes really fast in here. What are you thinking so much?”

“Shut up. You think I wouldn’t notice that you have stopped time around here?”

“Touché. Well, what have you thought of?”

“…”

“I’m getting bored of this. You know?”

“Is that a threat?”

“No. Just a fact. I’m really getting bored of this. So, move that brain of yours, and think faster.”

*Sigh*

“FINE! I will do it. I will let you in there, but with your power limited. You won’t be able to use all of your magic, and your authorities will be powered down. As much as we can. Especially your stigma.”

“Ok. That’s something that can be done. For more helping. I will keep just two attributes, fire and lighting.”

“Will you still use Spirit Fire and that black atrocity of yours?”-He asks with hope in his eyes.

“Of course, I will, they are part of me, I can’t seal them.”-I answer, destroying all that hope that was previously in his eyes.

“At least promise not to use them as much as you can…”

“It’s not like I will just use them right away you know? I just use them when the need arrives. Especially when it comes to the Apocalypse’s Black Flames.”

“Well, it’s something at least.”

“Everything’s done here right? Can I go back now?”

“Fine, you’ll wake up a few hours later. With your authorities restricted, and your power completely limited. Now leave. I don’t want to see you here anymore. And remember, please let things flow as they should. Though I'm not someone to tell you what to do... So do as you please, just don't end that world with your own hands...”-Said the co-author while making a shooing gest with his hands.

"I'll try not to."

With that parting words, I again saw everything going black around me.

*

CO-AUTHOR'S POV

"How did that monster end here anyways?" 

*Sigh...*

"Whatever, what's done it's done... Now I just hope he doesn't go insane inside there with all his status reduced... But... If things I've heard about him are true, he won't be meddling too much, probably will be more like an spectator, waiting for everything to unfold right in front of him... Yes... Let's hope for that..."

"I wouldn't be so sure about it you know. Sometimes, people like him actually surprises people like us, especially if it's someone who willingly throws himself in things like this..."-Suddenly said an uknown voice behind me

I turn to look at this newcomer, only to be surprised. A black long cloak, without any space to see into what's beneath it, and what seems like a black space where the face should be, is what I find.

"You... Who... What are you? How did you get here?"-I ask, putting up my guard at the stranger that suddenly barged in this place.

"Don't be too surprised, or afraid for what I can see, I'm just a 'spectator'. Someone who wanted to grant a wish to a lost soul."

"You mean him? It was you who brought him? How is that even possible?"

"Just as you did. I got into an agreement with him. Well, not that he remembers any of that."

"...ja...jaja...JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA!!! So you just one-sidedly decided to bring a supernova to the world I'm giving life to???? ARE YOU INSANE!!!??? Who are you to even dare trying something like that!!!???"- I ask, letting go of all the stress and wrath I've been withholding all this while.

"Don't be like that, is not the end of the world. Just someone looking for something. Though, if he can or can't find that something, that's for him to see."-Answers the stranger, evading my question.

"ANSWER ME!!!! WHO ARE YOU!!!!????"

"Well, look like it's time for me to leave. And your question. Guess you'll have to find that on your own, right when the main plot of the story ends. Right?"-He says, right before vanishing with a small chuckle.

"..."

*Sigh*

"Just where the fuck did that weirdo come out from... And who, or what, is he? Seems like the problem this time is not just that monster, now I have to look out for this bastard that just popped up from nowhere... I never thought it would be this hard to give life to that little unfinished novel..."