Aidan was torn.

Clearly he was happy, they had defeated the System, his young lover was no longer in any danger from it. He would no longer lose his soul and body to it. He was effectively free. But that also meant that his time by Aidan's side would also be dwindling, an end in sight. Kyan would leave the Archive and return to his body in his reality, to his world. Whereas Aidan...

"What happens now?" He asked aloud as he stroked the back of the youth nestled in his lap. They had returned to the Master's white domain not too long ago and Kyan was feeling each tick of the clock pass just as heavily as he was. "Will Kyan.. will you return Kyan to his body?"

The Master looked at the lovers. "Not yet," he replied. "Or did you forget that there are still outsiders lurking within my files."

Aidan's heart jerked within his chest and inwardly, he sighed with relief. There was still time, he could continue to be a little selfish a little longer. Kyan smiled up at him, the curve of his lips upon his openly joyous face increased the warmth curling within his body and he felt impulsed to place a lingering kiss on the boy's forehead.

"How many?" Aidan asked.

"Seven all in," the Master shrugged. "Yang and Yin seek the location of them now." As if summoned, the round, white ball floated over, somersaulting leisurely in the air as it approached.

"Master, we found the outsiders," it bounced up and down like a puppy seeking praise.

"How many?" Aidan asked.

"Five," came the response.

So many? Aidan frowned. Well, they had already established that like attracted like and just as Kyan had drawn outsiders to him as he lived lives in each world, so clearly these five had gathered until reborn into the same world. Still, at least it was not all of them. This would not be their last life together, he did not yet have to face that time. Indeed, he was grateful for any extension of life that they had together.

"Master," Yin said with an urgency in its voice. "The file that these outsiders are currently held in, there is an issue. The corruption within the file is developing rapidly. If the rate of corruption continues at its current pace, then I fear that it will be beyond repair within the next hour."

"How long a time within the file?" The Master asked.

"Maybe no more than ten years," Yin replied after a moment's calculation. Its words caused others to be startled. If this was true, then Aidan and Kyan would not be able to be reborn into a newly formed bodies, they must take an existing one. The Master did not like doing this. If the host was unwilling, there would be a struggle and the soul of the possessor would weaken. This had occurred to Kyan many times before as the System had dragged him through worlds and tortured him to with impossible tasks to break his will to live.

"See if you can find reasonable hosts first," the Master ordered. "Do not take long. We shall not lower ourselves to stealing hosts unless it is impossible to do otherwise."

"Yes, Master," The two small systems said in unison, before flittering to the white screen to perform their task.

"Brace yourself," Kyan whispered to his lover softly.

*****

The night was a particularly cool one, with rain drizzling down onto the cobblestone roads and a brisk wind howling down streets and alleyways. The street lamps while lit let out a rather meek light that did nothing to scare away the shadows of the night. Perhaps due to the depressing weather, the streets were mostly still. If one listened closely, the hooves of a lone horse could be heard echoing in the distance and the horn of the steam train toiled once, just to break the silence momentarily. Only the most desperate mugger would lurk while prey was so lacking after all. Most were tucked up in their beds, the light from lantern and candle long since extinguished.

Yet upon this night, two very different men would lose their lives much before their time.

Hilton Fleming was the lone child of his two parent household. His father worked in a bank, his mother stayed at home to clean house, prepare her husband's meals and take care of their son. They were not wealthy, but they were not poor either. Hilton was a very bright child, however and had learned to read and write upon his mother's knee by the age of three. This had brought with it a set of expectations, which while aspiring, could also be considered unreasonably high for a young boy to achieve.

Such pressures, was it any wonder that he would eventually lash out. Cliche or just fate, he found himself amongst a rough crowd, street louts and pickpockets, the dregs of society and was easily drawn in by their seemingly free ways. He was quite the beauty as well at sixteen, he attracted the eye of an underground boss who lured him into his bed with alcohol and drugs, but just as swiftly tired of him. Unable to crawl back to the lover that spurned him, he drowned himself in a debauch lifestyle of sex and drugs until his heart stopped beating within his chest at the age of twenty one.

When it began to beat again a few seconds later, he was no longer Hilton Fleming.

*****

In contrast, Lucian Stoker was born into privilege. He was also the darling of his dear mother and under her guidance grew upwards and outwards into a form that could only be considered as round and soft. His hair was often greasy and his complexion followed suit. This often lead to him being underestimated. However, he happened to also be intelligent and shrewd, his temper was sharp and his tongue was sharper. When he took over his father's business, it grew rapidly and he made a ridiculous amount of money. But he also made many enemies.

His business principles were unscrupulous and cutthroat, leading to both admiration and scorn. Either way, his parents were proud of their son. They arranged him a marriage with a young lady of a noble household, she was quite the refined and beautiful daughter and had attracted the eye of many. Including the man she had fallen in love with. To say she was displeased with her intended was an understatement, but she also knew when to act and when not to. With guidance from her beloved, they chose the day of the marriage.

Wine flowed freely and Lucian was naturally looking forward to his wedding night, eating and drinking in contentment while the day progressed. The girl was disgusted, but put on a serene face, while serving her husband more poisoned wine. His sheer bulk meant that it took a great deal to permeate the layers of fat protecting his organs, but eventually they failed and Lucian died upon the marriage bed without removing one piece of his attire.

The bride ran away to be with her beloved, leaving her dead husband without a glance back over her shoulder.

The poison was such that there remained no traces in the dead man's body and would have lead to his servants thinking he likely died due to excess.... had he not woken as usual in the morning.

*****

But while these events occurred, so did others and just as with these two apparently unrelated men, those corpses rose as well. But unlike the two men, they also no longer seemed to have any consciousness.