Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

Chapter 175: Dreams Never End

The discovery he made, or at the very least, the educated guess brought his companions over to look at the very same sign.

"Russia? Really?" Charlotte asked.

Jasper leaned in, brushing the scraps of nature from the deteriorated, wooden sign, "Yeah, looks like it to me. Guess it lines up, seeing where we're at."

It couldn't feel more of a shift from Korea, though compared to the desolate landscapes of the First Order, it didn't feel too different.

"Out in the middle of nowhere, pretty much…" Charlotte remarked, brushing her hair behind her ear as she looked at one of the homes.

It looked like a cruel breath would be enough to topple the rickety house that almost more so resembled a larger shed.

"You're not wrong. Though most of the world isn't much better," Finn said, lightly tapping his knuckles against the front door.

Though it was more likely to be struck by lightning than to find somebody occupying the home, he still felt it was necessary to knock.

With no response, he turned the handle, finding it unlocked as it opened with a creak. A small peek found only dust entering his lungs as he coughed. All he could see was an old coat rack and crusted newspapers stacked up.

"See something?" Jasper asked from behind.

"Nothing," Finn observed before fully opening the doorway and stepping in.

There was a foul stench that lingered in the abandoned home, like that of mold and spoiled food. A few steps down the hall brought him to glance into a kitchen, confirming the stench. A pile of dirty plates and pots were left in the sink, with black gunk that used to be food left on the tableware.

'Unsurprising,' Finn thought.

It seemed completely empty, left quiet even with the presence of the outsiders intruding.

Jasper breathed out, patting the black coat on the rack as dust cascaded, "Y'know, I would've thought a remote place like this would be untouched."

"Really, I doubt there's anywhere that has been left untouched…sadly," Charlotte added, brushing her hand against a wooden chair sat by a table.

Finn knelt down to investigate the stack of newspapers that were propped up against the moldy, beige walls. Lifting the first one, the slavic language was something he couldn't read, but he could still tell one thing–it was extremely out of date.

He continued sifting through the papers, though found they were all similar in age, "These are all decades old, at least. Whoever lived here must've been a hermit."

"Whatever the case, the place doesn't look damaged…besides the obvious mess. I didn't see a soul in this village though. I don't know if monsters actually came this way," Jasper questioned while walking around the kitchen, gazing at the mess in the sink.

"Monsters aren't prone to just destroying property unless somebody is hiding behind it," Finn responded, standing back up.

Charlotte stood in the hallway, adding in, "Do you think the people who were here fled, then?"

"That's what I was thinking. It's not like there's anywhere to flee though–I doubt any kind of civilization is left," Finn presumed.

For the time being at least, the home would have to do as a temporary place of rest. The living room was at least somewhat clean, with a suitable couch and some blankets and pillows on the floor.

Jasper sat on a knitted blanket set on the floor, removing his helmet with a quiet exhale, "Being back here, all of what happened before—it's almost hard to believe."

Beside the knight, Finn laid himself down on another blanket, resting his head against the pillow, "Yeah, I get that. It's almost too quiet here."

The couch was taken by Charlotte as she laid herself on it, being no more than an arm's reach from Finn or Jasper. Keeping close proximity was intentional in the state of the world, as the threat of monsters or others was always present.

The living room of the abandoned, slavic home was also space to antiques that looked decades old, mainly of soldier figurines in a class cabinet, alongside miniature cannons and tanks.

"I'm probably going to have nightmares about that damn lion for a few weeks at least," Jasper sighed while laying back.

"Yeah? I'm still seeing flashes of lightning when I close my eyes," Finn remarked, closing his eyes.

"It's all done now, so we can rest easy," Charlotte said.

Though it was true that the First Order was complete, it hardly felt as though it was so given to rest easy. Finn laid there, staring up at the ceiling riddled with mold and aged paint, still wary that the whole roof may come down at any moment.

'I wonder where everybody else was sent,' he considered.

The thought of all the other survivors that had helped in bringing down Sirius brought him to sit up.

"What's up?" Jasper asked from beside him.

"There were a lot of people there—when I used the Convergence Call, I mean," Finn explained.

"Wish I could've been there," Charlotte lamented with a quiet breath, resting on the olive couch.

"It was…something. I mean, seeing some of the people there—it's opened my eyes," Finn admitted while sitting there. Find adventures at m_v l|e-NovelBin.net

Jasper leaned on his elbow as his lengthy hair somewhat draped over his face, "What do you mean? Surprised there's that many left?"

"It's not that—the strength of some of them, it's astounding. I really think humanity has a chance at this," Finn genuinely said, remembering the sights he witnessed.

It was something he wished they had seen as well, knowing what sort of people were still left fighting. Even in the depths of some remote village in a country far from his home, it was nice knowing they weren't alone in their fight.

"I haven't seen you this energetic in a while. No offense, it's just…most of the time you look like you just left a wake," Jasper told him.

"Trust me, I'm pretty tired right now actually…so on that note, I'm getting some sleep," Finn said, laying himself back down.

Charlotte shared the same sentiment, "Me too. Night."

"It was daytime out there still but—yeah, night," Jasper relayed.

"Night," Finn added in.

Allowing himself to completely relax after the battle that required one hundred and twenty percent of his effort, sleep came quite easily to him.

Even though that was the case—

["Dreamwalking Initiated…Entering Faraway World"]

"Gah—"

As soon as the sensation of entering deep sleep came over him, his eyes shot open. The moldy, dim interior of the village home was instead replaced by a vibrant sight.

It took a second for him to adjust to the jarring change, though he recognized quickly where he had returned to.

"Dammit…This again," Finn exhaled in annoyance.

"Greetings, guest of the tea party!"

From across the table that was already set with tea and biscuits was the Mad Hatter, always with the same excitement. Hearing that chipper laughter from the man who drank an astronomical amount of the warm beverage, it only served to incite a headache from the young man.

"Why the hell am I still coming back here?" Finn questioned out loud, rubbing his head.

"Oh? You aren't returning because you're fabulously enchanted by my brew? Ah, just kidding!" Hatter laughed, though frowned immediately after before laughing again.

"I'd like to get proper sleep…Not deal with this," Finn protested with a sigh, looking down at the fresh mug of tea served to him.

"May I interject with a guess as to why you keep returning here?" Hatter offered, sipping from his cup.

"I'm all ears," Finn listened in.

It was another serving of tea before the man of a patchwork suit chimed in with his own thoughts, "Well, I'd say you and the Jabberwock out there have some unsettled business still, yes. Rather, I believe you've been tossed around like a ragdoll the past encounters."

"…I wouldn't put it that way, but I get what you're saying. It's been a pain in the ass in my visits here," Finn admitted with a sigh, opting for another sip.

What was supposed to be a light taste turned into gulping down the entire cup before setting it back down. Of course, this brought the Hatter to happily pour him a refill.

"I don't need another cup—" Finn tried to decline.

"Nonsense. Enjoy one more with me before you confront that unruly beast," Hatter insisted, pouring them both another serving.

Though he wasn't thirsty, he didn't reject the offer anymore as he accepted the tea.

"So, I have to kick that thing's ass to stop these nightly visits…Yeah, I guess it comes down to that," Finn resolved before downing the last serving of tea.

As he stood himself up with the intent of paying the Jabberwock one more visit, the host of the tea party clapped his hands with excitement.

"Oh! I'm looking forward to this!" Hatter clapped his hands together.

For better or worse, confronting the frightening beast was an unavoidable obstacle in his way. Once more, he followed the burnt path of the tucked-away field, being led between charred trees and smoky winds.