Accepting The Present

Nir and Rain hear Null’s story.

“The people were inspired by the two gods. They wanted to honor their will. Yet, they were conflicted about their wishes for a future society. They argued and argued, unable to fully grasp why they left… The people didn’t care if the gods tried to forget the old society… They didn’t listen to me.

The people started forming groups based on their ideologies.

One group wanted to grow in the forest, believing the two gods would return if they wanted and that they should respect their will that brought them there.

A second group wanted to grow outside, believing the two gods won’t return unless they do so, as the forest belongs to them and not to the people.

A third group believed the gods were never coming back. I did respect their ideology, but I knew better…

Which is why I was leading the fourth group. Our perspective was quite different. We believed the two gods will return no matter what.

However, we were still all over the place. Some wanted to live in the forest, while others didn’t, some wanted to focus on growing and advancing, while others wanted to avoid that.

Eventually, the people in my group left to other groups, leaving me with nothing yet again, while the empire was formed and the conflict with the villages began.

I knew… I knew the gods would return one day to rule the empire.

So I went away to live by myself. I thought to myself: ‘What should I do?’

Then, I realized something… If we could borrow the powers of the two gods and use them with our hearts, then it’s not impossible that I had the ability to do what they did. ‘Would the amount of hearts I have from the entirety of the old society suffice?’ I didn’t know… But I chose to try. I took upon myself the name ‘Null’, pledging to never forget their betrayal - and I attempted going after the two gods. If I kill them in the other world - I will get their immortality… They will never be able to return while I take over the empire and destroy it”.

Null focused. His eyes were shining in all colors. His aura produced heat that rivaled the dessert. He made himself into a statue and was reborn in another world.

“In the meantime, the people started praying to the two gods. That’s when they discovered their statues had their powers.

I, however, did not know that yet. I was born in a new world without any memories of this one. I lived a short life, alongside…

The two of you…

You… YOU! Who abandoned us!”

Nir and Rain look at each other, saying nothing. Their faces are full of dread. They keep listening to him.

“In that world… By the will of the spirit… We met! And I killed you! Only I didn’t even realize that was my mission without my memories! As the police came for me, I ran and ran and kept going not knowing what to do. So eventually… I jumped. I died on the rails, just like you did”.

Nir cannot fathom what they have just heard. Rain puts her hand on her mouth, unable to think straight.

“The moment I was supposed to die - I returned to my statue. However, I returned to the exact same point in time as I left - the beginning of the conflict and the creation of the empire. I had no idea that the statue was me… I only had my memories from our life in Tokyo. And the two of you only arrived later, as you probably originally intended. I stood there, watching the empire from afar. I didn’t know how this world differed. But what I did know - is that I was going to try and rule it.

Talking of peace started becoming common in the villages. I knew instinctively that if I let that happen… I would be no one. Just like in the world where I killed you.

I tried to convince the empire I could be useful and even managed to succeed. Then, I found out about the statues. I thought that mine could work as well… But mine did not provide any skills. That was when I knew what to do. I strived to manipulate the people. To gain allies. To corrupt everything. I lived like that for hundreds of years. I knew that eventually, I would take over the empire.

I kept living my life in this world, while in the meantime - people have stopped coming from the other one.

Then, one day, I let my guard down. As an empire soldier followed me and realized I’m a traitor to the empire, he attacked me from behind. He got me pretty good, almost killing me. But he didn’t have many hearts. As he attacked me - I managed to barely react and sliced him, penetrating his armor. He managed to wound me and even break my sword. I had no means to attack. I healed myself while running away, then I noticed he had 0 hearts. I prayed to the spirit. I prayed that he had just a few seconds left… And he died while chasing me, not from his wounds… But from running out of hearts.

As I healed myself and noticed other soldiers were coming, I suddenly saw the two of you. I didn’t even realize who you were. I lived for less than 20 years in the other world… It’s been hundreds… I used the fact that the soldiers who were watching from far away didn’t know me and I pretended you two killed him. I quickly left with you before they chose to engage. I didn’t even know who you really were yet.

But now! With your auras… There is no denying it! Despite the blessing of the forest vanishing - you were summoned by the empress! Even if you don’t remember anything… I remember EVERYTHING! Because eventually… I got a skill that made me remember it all…”

-”That’s… Just like Grandpa’s skill”. - Nir says to Rain.

-”My plan to get infinite hearts has failed… Because of you! You idiots sacrificed your hearts by being reborn! Now you show before me in those mortal bodies… Don’t you understand the insolence?!”

-”Didn’t you sacrifice all your hearts too? After you got everyone else’s?”

-”You were our gods! The pinnacle of our lives! We were just mortals… How could you sacrifice that?!”

-”I don’t have the memories you speak of…” - Rain tells him. “But I know we must have wanted to live like you… To live with you…”

-”To live… Like us…? To live with us??” - He becomes increasingly enraged. “Then why did you leave??!

All this time, whether in this world or the other one, with or without memories… All my actions, even out of sheer instinct were so I can kill you once and for all and destroy everything you have created. You will die knowing this… And the spirit will know what a horrible creation you were!

And yet… You are the will of the spirit!

Just because you made us… Are we forever cursed to fail?”

-”You will stop failing once you stop choosing to corrupt everything you touch”. - Nir says.

-”We are just like you”. - Rain says. “If everything you say is true… We didn’t create you like the spirit created us… We gave birth to people who handled their own destiny”.

-”Maybe the spirit created the other world without hearts to try and build something better?” - Nir suggests.

-”Just like we tried to do within this world”. - Rain adds.

Null cannot hold his anger any longer, seeing them defending against his arguments even without any memories of it. He visibly tries to calm himself down to stay sharp and collected as he has prepared for this.

-”You got rid of your immortality… And me? I got myself enough hearts again… Enough hearts to even be reborn like the two gods themselves, only now I won’t make that mistake!” - Null declares. “Finally… I can face you! You made us… For nothing. And you got rid of your immortality… For nothing”.

-”And yet, all we know is mortality…” - Nir answers.

-”Nuou… Neii… I won’t let you create something new!” - He challenges them.

-”We already did”. - Nir replies.

-”We won’t let you destroy it”. - Rain adds.