There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 202 - 196. Connection

Chapter 202: Chapter 196. Connection

Between the unexpected nervousness of checking where his parents once lived, and getting stunned by Bassena flying the helicopter with ease, Zein found himself being dazed through the journey.

Before he knew it, they already approaching the place stated in the deed. The place was located on the border of the green and yellow zone of area-10. It was a hill area, a bit taller than the one where Bassena’s mother’s cemetery was located. It wasn’t hard looking for the place, since it was the only one with a lake located on a high ground.

"Haha...I knew it would be in ruin, but this is..." Bassena chuckled as they hovered above the land. "Well, at least it’s winter, so we don’t have to deal with a jungle of weeds."

As Bassena said, it was in tatters. The lake itself was beautiful, calm and sparkling as the temperature wasn’t yet cold enough to freeze it. But the other things...were almost like a haunted scene.

There was a remnant of a small two-story cottage of brick and logs that would be very nice and cozy if it was still intact. But the doors and windows were gone, and a part of the roof had caved in. It was certain that the inside wouldn’t be intact either. The house was getting connected to the lake via a long wooden dock that only had the part above the lake left, with a small sinking boat tied to the pier, covered in moss.

Around the house were remnants of trees; some still stand, some seemed to have been struck by lightning, and some had toppled down, creating natural barriers as well as destroying what seemed to be a garden and flower beds in the past. Not far from the house, they could see a remnant of an orchard, although some of the trees had died.

"Is there even a place to land?" Zein muttered as he peeked through the window.

"There’s a field between the orchard and the house, we can land there," Bassena said, already maneuvering toward the place.

The field was pretty spacious, probably supposed to be filled with green grass. A paved road split the lawn into two, leading to the lawn of the house--although it was cracked and broken now. Smoothly, Bassena landed the helicopter there, trying not to hit uneven ground.

"It’s a shame, this seemed to be a nice place," Bassena said while taking off his sunglasses after they climbed down, looking around the place once again. It was bad from above, but even more from below. Since it was a lakeside during winter, there was this eerie vibe, like a haunted place. "But hey, if you decided to restore this place, at least we know there’s enough space to build a helipad."

Zein chuckled; he could see what Bassena was saying. It wasn’t a big or lavish place, but it was nice for a family to live. The place wasn’t so big that it would be hard to maintain, and the scenery was mesmerizing. Especially once the season rolled in, with green trees and blooming flowers around the lake and an orchard on the other side.

The only drawback was the remoteness. The place almost felt like a site for a recluse, with the nearest neighbor on the other side of the lake, and the nearest civilization needed at least a thirty minutes ride. Not exactly ideal for a pregnant woman, but wonderful for a couple hiding from the world.

However, it was that remoteness that saved this place from being claimed by others. Not even the government bothered to check this place that had almost thirty years behind in tax.

"I think people who ever got interested were being repulsed by the haunted vibe," Bassena commented. As they came closer to the cottage--after plowing through dead weeds and stumps--they could see how messed up the inside was even from the lawn.

They could see pieces of furniture, all in tatters, and not by natural causes like a storm or animal attack. They were clearly being hacked and destroyed with weapons. Deep gashes could be seen on the walls and floors, so outsiders who chance upon the place probably thought there was a battle here. And if there was a battle, usually there would be a dead body--a perfect difference really.

"Those bastards must have come here once," Bassena said as he observed the condition of what used to be a living room. "They probably searched for a hidden passage or hidden rooms to hunt the escaping clan members."

"Or looking for a clue," Zein added, looking up to the gray sky peeking through the broken roof. "Do you think the second floor is safe enough?"

"I wouldn’t count on it," Bassena said, staring at the broken staircases. But he grabbed Zein by the waist and teleported to the last remaining room on the second floor.

The floor creaked dangerously the moment their feet touched it, and Bassena let his darkness swirl around them, ready to catch Zein if the floor gave in.

The room seemed to be a bedroom, with a small balcony overlooking the lake. An upturn bedframe of a large size, destroyed cupboards, pulled planks, and ripped wallpapers complement the look. A vanity table was the only thing still standing, but the mirror had been cracked, and the drawers had been uprooted.

Zein looked around once, and then took a deep breath. He might be wrong, but there was a possibility that this was the master bedroom, where Roan and Lucia stayed. Bassena moved his hand from Zein’s waist to the guide’s hand, grasping it tight.

"Hah," Zein let out a soft chuckle, and like an instinct, leaned slightly to the esper. "This is why I brought you along,"

"Oh, not to be a chauffeur?" Bassena grinned, following the guide to the balcony.

"I’m sure you’re a man of many talents, baby."

Bassena tripped and grasped the doorframe leading to the balcony so hard that the wood crumbled to dust. The amber eyes flickered at the slightly curling lips on the beautiful, teasing face.

What the hell? He thought that pet name only came in bed?!

As if oblivious to Bassena’s stormy heart, Zein cast his gaze to the lake instead. Was this the scenery that his parents saw during their happy days? No--it must be far more beautiful than this. They could see the dock and the small garden from this place, the hill at the edge of the lake, and a large body of water.

Even now, the lake was calm, a place of tranquility even while surrounded by destruction.

"A serene water," Zein muttered, so quiet it was almost like a whisper. He was sure of it now, that this was where his name came from.

"Should we go down there?" Bassena asked, pointing to the dock with his chin.

Instead of answering with words, Zein reached out his hand, which Bassena took with a grin. And once again, they were swallowed by darkness.

They came out right at the edge of the dock. It was still surviving because, unlike the bridge that was made of reinforced wood plank, the pier and the pillar supporting the dock was made out of concrete.

"Oh, it’s so clear," Bassena commented as they looked down, staring at their reflection in the water.

Zein crouched down, and the reflection looked even clearer then, to the point that he could see the color of his blue eyes. The fact that the water was so calm enhanced that. Without realizing it, he was already sitting down at the edge of the dock, one foot dangling above the water. Bassena followed him soon, and just like that, they stayed on the dock, in blissful silence; a tranquil scenery in front, and sinister destruction behind.

At some point, they heard the sound of chirping birds. Zein turned his head, looking at the house and caught a colony of birds perching on the roof--what was left of it, anyway. It was easy to imagine those birds singing around the cottage while it was still intact; maybe visiting the balcony, jumping along the railing of the patio, requesting some grains from the owner of the place.

And then he started to see it, the cottage and the lake and the orchard in its entirety; beautiful, serene, full of life and laughter. In another time, in another world, perhaps he would grow up here, surrounded by doting uncles and boisterous cousins, embraced by a gentle father and a lovely mother.

"It might be nice..." he murmured.

"What?"

"Building it back," Zein let out a smile, before turning his face back to the lake. Leaning back on his arms, he closed his eyes and pictured the place twenty-eight years ago. "The house, the orchard, the garden..."

"The dock and the field, rowing the small boat and sunbathing in the middle of the lake," Bassena added, chuckling. "It’ll be nice in the summer, swimming in the water and grilling some barbeque on the patio."

Zein opened his eyes, the smile still carved on his lips. "Yeah, that sounds nice."

"So you’ve decided?"

"Mm," he took a deep breath and let it go. Bassena was right; it helped to come here directly.

Yes, there was still a prickling, persistent pain when he imagined how his parent’s life was...how it should be. But just like Bassena who would still painfully have nightmares around the day his mother died, the pain and regret of losing someone would never completely go.

What he could do was try to cope with it the best he could. Like Bassena seeking his presence to soothe the nightmares, Zein too, could depend on the esper to pull him back from the void.

Every time.

So this time, even with that persistent pain, he would face it. He would embrace it.

Of course, it wasn’t actually practical to have this place for himself. He worked and lived in Althrea, and was about to embark on a dangerous mission to the Deathzone. And even after they were done with the reclamation project, there was a high probability that he might decide to stay there, near the sea.

But still, this was his parent’s place. He didn’t know where they died, he didn’t even know where their remains were. The only connections he had with them were those small keepsakes...and this house, where he spent a few months here inside his mother’s womb. Where he was named.

"I understand now," Zein smiled, and at Bassena’s confused face, added immediately. "Why do you like being similar to your mother."

Bassena raised his brow. "I thought...you don’t like--"

"I don’t like the way they looked at me as if I am my father’s incarnation," Zein said. "It reminds me of the fact that I am supposed to be someone’s vessel."

Bassena frowned at that and nodded. "Yeah, I got what you mean."

"But I don’t hate having similar features with them," the blue eyes blinked slowly, looking up at the peeking sun above. "Well, at least I don’t hate it now."

Zein had never hated that fact, in the first place. He just wasn’t comfortable with it, for various reasons; because he thought his father was scum, because he had a complex of being someone that wasn’t ’him’.

But now that he had overcome that complex, and made peace with the fact that his father was, actually, a more-than-decent human being, he didn’t mind it anymore.

"It’s my only connection to them now, besides my name,"

Bassena stroked the hand gripping the edge of the dock. "And now you have this place too."

"Yeah," Zein smiled--a dazzling, beautiful smile.

And if Bassena couldn’t help but lean closer and capture that smile with his own lips, no one could blame him.