Thus Passes the Glory of Humanity

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"I fantasized of a world in which justice equaled retribution..."

"I fantasized of a world that would honor our natural right to freedom..."

"I fantasized of a world where everyone would truly be responsible for their every action."

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"For most of my life... such world was nothing but a fantasy, rooted in a bitter heart..."

"A heart scarred by the endless wrath of systematic oversight to abuse..."

"Although a necessity based on cooperation; suffering in unison was never part of society's plan..."

"All my eyes could see was a carefully crafted system for an euthanasia..."

"In the end, the only thing my traumatic mind could bear to do was to wonder..."

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"...What I would give to look into the eyes of every single person who has hurt anyone and tell them..."

"What you have done to others, shall be done to you..."

"The wrath of judgment is coming..."

"The world is already blind."

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"How would they react? What would they say? How would they feel...? How would I feel?"

"Yes... I fantasized..."

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"...Now, that fantasy has become our reality..."

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"Having created this perfect world... how can I be humanity's enemy?"

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A young boy is sitting on a corner of a very large and modern facility, filled with dozens of children in their teens, staring at the palm of his right hand.

A young boy is sitting on a corner of a very large and modern facility, filled with dozens of children in their teens, staring at the palm of his right hand.

The boy's name is Xess.

A quiet Xess has his attention on a translucent device installed on his right wrist. Lost in thought, he stares at it with his arm raised and curious eyes. Just then, an upbeat girl approaches him.

"Did it hurt?" she asks with an inviting smile, as she comes closer to him.

"Hmm?" he replies in confusion.

"Did the connection hurt? You just got it installed, right?" she asks once again.

Xess shifts his complete attention to the young girl, who is getting closer as this happens. "Well... I guess it feels somewhat off." He replies while glancing at the device on his right wrist.

"So--?" asks Xess before getting interrupted.

"The name is 'Evangelica'... but 'Eva' will do... What's yours, 'stranger'?"

"Xess," He replies firmly while still sitting down on the corner.

Eva crouches and sits close enough to Xess so their shoulders touch. She stares right at him with an inviting smile and says, "So...?"

A confused Xess stares back asking, "What? Aren't you awfully close?"

Eva's eyes widen somewhat in surprise while staring back at him. After a short silence, she asks back, "What do you mean 'what'? What were your side-effects? Come on you don't have to be shy, we all went through that."

"I'm not, I just don't know how to explain it." He replies while slightly moving away from her.

"Hmm... yeah, I guess that can happen," she says while looking up to the ceiling, "well, I can tell you mine if you want..."

"No." He replies Xess with a sinical tone.

"So I got this nasty headache that I could feel my own heartbeat on it. My head would go like BUMP...BUMP-BUMP...BUMP... BUMP-BUMP...BUMP. It lasted for hours; it was the worst." She replies completely ignoring his previous comments and grabbing both sides of her head as she describes the headaches. Xess seems to be caught off-guard by her demeanor.

"But you know what, I can't complain... for now, at least" she says by emphasizing the last part.

"Oh, please tell me, then, why that is" says Xess sarcastically.

Eva quickly approaches him and places her face inches away from him. He notices that Eva's expression has changed somewhat, as she gives off a concerning vibe. They lock eyes for a few seconds while feeling that Eva's eyes emit some sort of bleak aura. However, it seems impossible for him to determine its meaning. Eva proceeds to break the silence.

"There will come a time when both of us would wish we'd be sitting right here as we are. Without a care in the world. No meaning to our lives whatsoever."

A confused Xess cannot answer before she speaks again.

"Tell me, 'stranger'..." she says while turning her head and looking at her right wrist. She focuses on her own translucent device in silence for a few seconds. Xess cannot seem to move before she raises her head and lock eyes once again. She moves in much closer to him, placing her left hand on top of his as if to get his attention. Xess is completely frozen, caught by Eva's gaze.

"What do you believe in?" she asks in a very dark tone. Xess can only listen to the mysterious girl, as she continues to speak.

"Freedom or control...? Independence or collaboration..." she asks while not giving him a chance to answer. Eva's glare and demeanor have taken Xess a prisoner within his own mind. The only thing he can do is listen. Then, Eva asks one more time.

"The law of life... or the law of humanity?" she concludes.

Xess does not understand the meaning of Eva's questions. Nevertheless, he feels her words resonating deep inside of him.

(("What is this sensation? What is the deal with this girl...?")) He asks himself while lost in the conversation. He can feel she is not messing around, as her behavior has increased the perceived tension in the air.

(("She comes across as very obnoxious, yet, I feel like she is seriously asking me these questions")) thinks Xess as he continues to dwell on Eva's attitude. His attention then goes to Eva's expression. He can feel she is asking these questions in earnest. He cannot understand or know why, but he is sure to feel this is important to her. She continues to wait for him to answer.

After the long pause, Xess finally responds.

"I do not know why this is important for you, but somehow I feel like that does not matter. Still... even though something inside me is telling me to answer you... I do not have an answer for you right now."

Eva's eyes widen greatly as she hears this.

"But I promise that when I do, I will answer your question."

Unexplainable. That would be the best way for Xess to describe what he feels looking back at Eva. Strangers just moments ago, and nothing to support any reason why they would feel any connection at this point, there is this contradiction of a peaceful anxiety that is roaring in Xess's heart. This is nothing like love at first sight, but rather a chemistry impossible to put into words. Xess pondered if Eva felt the same.  

Then, after what it feels like forever for Xess, Eva finally leaves his hand and backs away from him.

"I see," she says while standing up and leaving more space between them. With a more neutral tone to her face she concludes, "I will seek you out when I feel you are ready".

Now seemingly used to being confused, Xess does not answer this comment.

"I'll see you around, 'stranger'," She departs leaving Xess behind. As she walks away towards the crowd, Xess decides to answer one of her initial questions.

"That side-effect you mentioned, earlier," he says as Eva stops and glances back at him, "my age, my family, my friends, this place... I wouldn't be able to answer you" he says with a somewhat stressing look to his face.

Eva turns to face Xess once again to listen.

"Is it a side-effect from this bracelet connection? Would I get everything back eventually? What happened before I came here? I cannot even tell you that much..." He continues while looking up towards the ceiling.

"Then... how-," she replies, but she is the one getting interrupted this time.

"They told me right after I got it installed" Xess cuts Eva's sentence, knowing full well what her question is. He stares at his right wrist once again as he continues his thought.

"The only thing they told me was that "Xess" was my name and that I will understand in due time." He concludes while raising his arm and glancing at the installed device once again.

"Does it matter?" Eva replies after a short silence.

A confused Xess focuses on Eva, as he does not understand what she means.

"Whether or not you end up remembering your past, would it change anything about who your future? About who you can be?" she says with a strong look to her eyes, "We are not bound by what led us to the 'here' and 'now', so instead, why not focus on what lies in ahead? Do you think there is some higher power that set you up on a set path that you cannot change? Not being able to do something or be someone in the past does not mean that will be true forever."

There is something about Eva that captivates Xess's attention. For some reason, he cannot help himself digest every word that she speaks.

"Do you want to know what this place is? What these walls are for?" she asks.

Xess does not initially respond. Nevertheless, he does want to know where he is. It is only natural. Surrounded by a hundred strangers around his same age inside an unknown huge, locked-down facility. Not recognizing anything the place. Not recognizing others. Not recognizing himself. An unknown device installed on his right wrist and a combination of four letters he was told to use as his name.

Regardless of all the questions he had internally, another voice echoed within right in this moment.

"Children..."

A male voice speaking to Xess from within his head alerts him immediately. He, along with the rest of the group in the facility, seem to be paralyzed at the same time. They all seem to have heard the same voice.

"You too?" asks Xess to Eva by pure impulse, to confirm.

Eva does so by agreeing with her head in silence. Xess gently touches the side of his head as a reaction to the situation. The voice continues.

"By now all of you must have spoken amongst yourselves in order to find some answers."

By now, everyone in the facility is listening from inside their heads. The place is in absolute silence. The voice continues.

"It is understandable. As distressing as the current situation is; however, it is best for you to be in the dark as to why you are all here. We will, nevertheless, explain what awaits you in the immediate future."

Both Xess and Eva seem to be in alert by not moving an inch. The expression most common in the facility is that of distress.

"At the very end of this room, there lies a large white door. Most of you probably have seen it by now. Beyond it lies the largest forest in the world, The Forest of Hollows. Soon, your first "hunt" will start inside of this forest" You will not dive into this forest individually, though, as that might prove to be extremely dangerous. Very soon you will come to understand why that is."

Clueless as to how the communication is performed, Xess asks himself, (("How is he talking to us like this..."))

He looks up towards Eva who silently points to her right wrist, indicating to him the possible source, to Xess's surprise.

"You will be divided in what we call "clusters". For each Hunt, you will be assigned a numbered cluster and work together with those who have the same number as you do. It is imperative that you understand that until the hunt ends, you will always be associated to that cluster. You should always remember that. As far as what you will be doing inside the forest, you will be hunting a specific type of prey."

(("What?")), reacts Xess internally.

Just then, Xess notices that Eva is staring at him as if trying to convey some sort of expressive message. As he keeps listening, the voice continues.

"Over the course of recent history, there have been many individuals who have caused incomprehensible harm. Harm with significant consequences for our kind. Individuals involved in extremely violent and destructive behavior cannot be inserted back into the world... such is their corrupted state."

A short pause from the voice before it continues the speech.

"However, just as your current situation is unfair, so was theirs. One is never exclusively responsible for their own sins. The influence of a third party in one's life is ever so present in life. Is a child guilty for having an abusive parent? If the child grows up to be a murderer, then guilty shall that child be... Such is the world we live in."

After this comment, for some reason unbeknownst to Xess, Eva's words from a few minutes earlier come back to him. He repeats these words in her head.

(("The law of life... or the law of humanity")) His struggles with this question continue on, still.

"When you all go into that forest, you will be tasked to hunt down and kill those who have been judged to be guilty. Murderers, rapists, thieves... you will encounter the worst this world has to offer."

Reacting to the what he is hearing, Xess seems to be able to understand the situation is in.

(("What they want us to do is to...")) Before he could finish his own thought, the voice interrupts him.

"Within a set time, all clusters should search and kill all the criminals available in the hunt. Whether or not you feel it is fair, you bear a significant responsibility for the world: any criminal who you fail to hunt within the specified time will be set free into the world once again. A second chance in the world we live in. A second chance to murder, rape or steal once again..."

To this comment, Xess feels a rush coming from within him that he cannot explain. It is not a feeling of fear, nor is it panic. Then what is it? Xess does not have time to reflect on it before the voice follows with the most ominous part of the message.

"When even a single prey leaves a hunt alive, this will need to be balanced out by the clusters most responsible..."

A desperate voice is heard within the facility from someone listening to the voice.

"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!!??" Yet, the voice continues as if nothing was said.

"In this scenario, the clusters with the lowest number of prey hunted would each have to choose one member from their own cluster... and kill them as penalty."

Xess is shocked, incredulous to what he just heard. The crowd within the facility becomes more agitated as this last line felt like a giant hammer falling onto their souls. Nevertheless, no one in the facility has time to wonder about the situation, as the voice is not done.

"No one will force you to participate, the choice to leap into the forest will always be yours. In the end, the only growth of value is that which comes from genuine inspiration. We will not repeat pasts mistakes. It will emerge once again. Therefore, we have decided to move forward in this direction..."

Like the rest of the crowd, Xess stares down to the floor with his mind traversing the most inner part of his soul, with a sensation that he cannot even explain.

"Do you want to know the truth..? Then go out there and accomplish the mission."

As these words are spoken, the white door leading to the forest starts to open from top to bottom at a slow pace. When it starts, it feels like a reminder that all of this is real. Its slow speed promotes a dreaded environment of fear and confusion. Slowly, the vast forest makes its appearance, being shined upon by a full moonlight. It is a sight many are yet to wrap their heads around. A strong, cold wind enters the facility, exacerbating all their uneasy states of mind. Xess, Eva, and the rest of the facility are staring at the door as it completes its opening. As this happens, the voice has one thing to say.

"What are you? Survive and find out..."

Xess listens to the voice carefully, as he stares at the endless forest in front of his eyes. He loses himself in thought for a few seconds

(("Why...? Why is it that I am not feeling anything? I know I should be scared but... why am I not...? Where is this sense of safety coming from? No... I can feel it..."))

Taking his focus from the forest to both his hands, Xess tries to understand his unexpected feelings.

(("This... this is more than just confidence. I can feel my body trembling."))

Without initially noticing it himself, Xess starts to smile as if to express an uncontrollable amount of joy.

(("THIS IS EXCITEMENT, I FEEL!!!))

Immediately after, Xess covers his smile in embarrassment. The voice's recent question rings strong on his mind. A question he does not have an answer to. Regardless of his true feelings, he understands his emotions do not match with the common sentiment of the rest in the facility. Conscious, yet unsettled, he focuses on the rest of the group. The emotions he can see range from terror to confusion, as some have gone to the floor while others seem to be frozen. These are the ones Xess must collaborate with in order to survive. Just then, in the middle of this turmoil, there she stood. Eva, unattached of any expression and without looking back at Xess, references one question he asked him earlier.

"So... do you want to know what this place is? What these walls are for?" she asks with a very somber tone, as she turns her head to face Xess with a calm look to her face.

Her eyes piercing through his like daggers, Xess remains silent among the surrounding chaos. Looking straight at him, Eva finally answers the question.

"...This is where humanity is left behind."

Chapter 01 - Thus Passes the Glory of Humanity: END

to be continued...