Fake Truth Upon Us

The town was in disarray, the once-perfect streets now filled with screaming citizens running in all directions. Sirens echoed above the chaos, their sharp tones blending with the relentless storm. The Normalists moved through the confusion with unsettling calm, their cryptic devices causing more panic than harm.

Amid the frenzy, a familiar voice cut through the noise.

“Loria! Wrex! Over here!”

Both of them turned sharply, their eyes locking onto a figure stepping out of the shadows. It was Fozic, drenched in rain but determined, waving them over with urgency.

“Fozic? What are you doing here?” Loria called out, her tone a mix of relief and suspicion.

“No time to explain. Follow me!” he shouted, gesturing toward an alleyway that led away from the chaos.

Wrex hesitated, glancing back at the encroaching Normalists and the increasingly hostile environment. Loria grabbed his arm. “We can’t stay here, Wrex. Let’s go!”

Reluctantly, he nodded, and they followed Fozic into the narrow, rain-slicked alley. The sounds of chaos grew distant, though the tension lingered in the air.

Once they were far enough from prying eyes, Fozic turned to face them, his expression grim.

“I’ve been looking for you two. There’s something you need to know—something about this world, about Facilis.”

Wrex raised an eyebrow. “Now? You pick now to drop some grand revelation?”

Fozic ignored the sarcasm. “The Montlaif energy, the Point Touch Zero system, this so-called utopia you think you live in—it’s all a lie. A façade to keep everyone in line.”

Loria folded her arms, her eyes narrowing. “This isn’t the time for conspiracy theories, Fozic. There’s chaos out there, and you’re here rambling?”

“I’m not rambling!” Fozic snapped, his voice rising. “The government uses the Montlaif to control everyone. Every action, every thought—it’s all monitored, adjusted, manipulated. Crime doesn’t happen because people can’t even think about breaking the rules. But it’s not utopia. It’s a cage.”

Wrex frowned. “What are you saying, Fozic?”

“They’re planning something worse,” Fozic continued, lowering his voice. “They’re building a Fake World, a simulation to trap everyone’s minds while they—the ones behind all of this—live freely in the real world. Ignorant. Arrogant. Untouchable.”

Loria scoffed, though her voice wavered. “Do you even hear yourself? That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Fozic shot back. “Think about it, Loria. The perfect life. No conflict, no violence. It’s too perfect. And now, with this chaos, you see the cracks, don’t you? Someone’s broken through the system. The Point Touch Zero isn’t infallible.”

Wrex’s gaze hardened. “If that’s true, then why now? Why not sooner?”

“Because the Normalists found a way,” Fozic replied. “And they’re not here to help us. They want to dismantle everything, but their methods… I don’t trust them. That’s why I came to you.”

Fozic stepped closer to Wrex, his tone softening. “Wrex, you’re not like everyone else. You’re special. Chosen. Your family… they come from beyond the border.”

Wrex stiffened, his breath hitching. “What did you just say?”

“You’re not just anyone,” Fozic said firmly. “Your memories have been tampered with. If you want to know the truth—about your family, about who you are—you need to get them back.”

Loria grabbed Fozic by the collar, her patience snapping. “Enough! This isn’t the time or place for this! People are in danger, and you’re here spewing nonsense? Snap out of it!”

Fozic gently pushed her hands away. “You don’t understand. The Raid—this so-called invitation everyone fears—it’s not a threat. It’s an opportunity. Wrex, if we play this right, we can stop them. We can expose everything.”

Wrex’s face was a mix of confusion and determination. “And what about you? What’s your role in all this?”

“I’m here to guide you,” Fozic replied. “To help you find the truth.”

Before they could respond, the ground beneath them trembled, and a low hum filled the air. Fozic’s eyes widened. “They’re here.”

From the main square, a group of government enforcers emerged, their uniforms pristine and their faces devoid of emotion. They were the security forces of Facilis—Level Four, the highest and most feared tier. Unlike traditional police or military, these enforcers were a seamless blend of human and machine, their movements unnervingly precise.

“Level Four,” Fozic muttered. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

The enforcers didn’t carry visible weapons, yet they wielded devices that emitted strange, concussive bursts of sound. The air itself seemed to ripple with each pulse, and anyone caught in its path collapsed instantly, unconscious but unharmed.

“What are they using?” Loria asked, her voice trembling. “There are no weapons in Facilis. It’s taboo.”

“It’s not a weapon,” Fozic replied grimly. “At least, not in the traditional sense. It’s advanced tech—something that bypasses the Point Touch Zero system. They’re using it to neutralize threats.”

The three of them ducked behind a crumbling wall as an enforcer scanned the area, its glowing visor sweeping over the wreckage.

Wrex clenched his fists. “We can’t keep running. If I’m the chosen one, like you say, then I need answers. And I’m not getting them by hiding.”

Loria glared at him. “And what’s your plan? March up to them and ask politely?”

Fozic placed a hand on Wrex’s shoulder. “No. You need to get to the highest level of the system. That’s where the real information is. The old world, the true residents, everything you need to know—it’s all there.”

Before they could argue further, a loud explosion-like sound echoed through the alley. The three of them turned to see a group of Normalists advancing toward the enforcers. The strange devices they wielded emitted deafening blasts, yet no visible projectiles. The enforcers fell one by one, their systems seemingly overwhelmed.

“This isn’t over,” Fozic said, pulling them to their feet. “We need to regroup and plan. If we don’t act now, there won’t be anything left to fight for.”

As they disappeared into the shadows, the storm raged on, and the echoes of the Normalists’ devices filled the air. The perfect world of Facilis was unraveling, and the truth was finally clawing its way to the surface.