Chapter 18 - Descendant

04.06.1642

The City of Above

49:23

Is it strange for you, reader? Or do you feel that it is pretty normal this scene that you are witnessing? To see two distant siblings that do not suffer each other just because of their separation at birth and because of those who took them? Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. But you are not here just to tell me what's your view on them after all. If you were, then what was the purpose of learning their story? After all, the writer has a plan... the God of this world Himself...

So, here we are. Two Errors of the same code now standing in front of each other and looking deadly at the eyes of what they call their "enemy". The little brother and the middle sibling. One is standing on a chair as said, waiting for the other one to say something, playing with a small thing that appears to be a tiny weapon around His fingers, while the other one seems pretty pissed off about His presence here. Why do they hate each other? Who knows. I'm not here to kill the fun for everyone. I will let you find the answers on your own.

[DU5TIN]-...So? Explain yourself. Why are you here?

[CHE5TER]-...I don't remember you being so impatient, DU5TIN. Can't I visit my second sibling as well?

[DU5TIN]-I don't want you to be here, CHE5TER. Leave me alone!

[CHE5TER]-Oh, so you remember my name. Guess the theatre of "Seven Two" doesn't work that well on you in the end.

[DU5TIN]-Just stop this already! Leave this place immediately! Only if you don't wish for me to tell everyone that you are here!

[CHE5TER]-Oh? I see we are starting well. But I'm afraid that a small threat doesn't scare me so easily. Do not forget that I'm more powerful than any soldier you could call in this room, even you. And I know you won't bring the General no matter the case, but if you do so, you know that's what I want in the first place. Now... would you stop begging me for nothing and start listening to my words?

As said, DU5TIN seems a bit pissed at this figure that stands in front of him, yet CHE5TER seems to remain calm... for now at least.

[DU5TIN]-...What do you want from me?

[CHE5TER]-I only came to negotiate, of course. As I always do.

[DU5TIN]-But I already told you my answer! A no is a no!

[CHE5TER]-But I don't want to hear your fears, DU5TIN. I want your true answer.

[DU5TIN]-This is my true answer, CHE5TER! Now leave this place immediately!

[CHE5TER]-Are you afraid of me helping you by any chance?

[DU5TIN]-No. Because I don't need your help on anything.

[CHE5TER]-How interesting... Because I thought that as successor of the General, you would want to know even the smallest detail of how to rule a city properly in the future. Even if it comes from a simple citizen of the city like myself...

Yet with those words of the ruler, it seems that they made DU5TIN look a bit in fear at the man that stares at him, as if He knows something. Something He shouldn't. So of course CHE5TER sees this fear in his eye and feasts Himself with it.

[DU5TIN]-...How did you know that I'm the descendant of the title?

[CHE5TER]-How stupid do you think I am, DU5TIN? But... to answer to your question, I guess the crevaators did a pretty good job while working for me in this miserable city. Even if they had to hide all of a sudden now.

[DU5TIN]-You were the one behind the crevaators' disappearance...? But how did you ev--

[CHE5TER]- --Doesn't matter now. All I can say is that they are well hidden from your sick people, in a safe space, from which only I can benefit from their existence now.

[DU5TIN]-...And what did they tell you?

[CHE5TER]-Oh? So you are curious about it after I told you a few things? You weren't so interested in the subject a few seconds ago though. How come?

[DU5TIN]-Don't play games with me, CHE5TER! Tell me what the fuck do you want to say to me or leave in this moment!

[CHE5TER]-Very well then. Oh, how should I even start...

CHE5TER looks at him, smirking even creepily as He enjoys this moment. Of course He does... He enjoys playing with those that are sinners after all, twisting their minds as He pleases. Yet now, the one that He plays with is no sinner, and He knows that too. Probably it is simply a game between the brothers of code that we don't understand.

[CHE5TER]-...Your name is simply DU5TIN, despite the fact that you are the successor of General DOLION C4E5AR for quite a while now ever since he took you from the central building and taught you how to be a soldier personally. As a consequence too, you were the youngest soldier in history because of that action of his, corrupting a young mind into believing whatever he wishes you to believe. A brainwashed soldier, if you wish. He taught you how to fight, how to behave... and who are your "enemies", without letting you have your own opinion on the subject itself and simply going after his words, thinking that it is the only truth. And because of these constant lies that you consider "protection", you've started seeing him more than just the General, but he doesn't seem to care, a reason why you do not have his name in the end. And even funnier is that he doesn't trust you as much as you think either. I mean... nobody knows his plans at all, remember? Not even you.

[DU5TIN]-...

[CHE5TER]-The more I speak, the better I see in your eyes that I am right. After all, that incident of ours from 14 years ago makes sense to me now. I was so confused seeing such a young soul being a soldier of the M, since they usually join the military at the age of 16 when they become adults, yet now seems like I found the answer on my own. Am I not right?

[DU5TIN]-...So? What do you want to achieve from this information?

[CHE5TER]-Well... nothing. I am here just to open your eyes and make you see the real world after all. That's what I told you the first time I came to visit you and that's what I am continuing telling you.

[DU5TIN]-...You are lying.

[CHE5TER]-I am not.

[DU5TIN]-You are. I sense it in your voice. You are not sincere with me at all. I sense that you are hiding something from me. You want to achieve a small reward from "opening my eyes" as you said, but you refuse to tell me what that is.

[CHE5TER]-...

He makes a small pause, looking at the soldier that stands in front of Him, disgusted by the figure. Yet He continues.

[CHE5TER]-...I do not lie when I say that I want to make you be able to see the truth. After all, you are buried in those lies that the General has told you over the years with no way out, and I am the only one in this city that you know who is able to help you. You know that those words which raised you are only harming you after all, DU5TIN.

[DU5TIN]-And yet you still refuse to tell me the full truth as well. Do not make it look like you are my saviour or anything like that. I do not need one. I never did and never will.

[CHE5TER]-You will one day. You know it well. As well as you know that I will be that guiding light of yours.

[DU5TIN]-Liar...

[CHE5TER]-Hmph. Why do you consider me a liar though?

[DU5TIN]-Because you are one. You do not tell me the truth after all.

And He takes another pause, giving a small sigh. It is true, He hides something from this brother of His, He hides something in general, yet He doesn't want to reveal it just yet.

[CHE5TER]-...Then tell me this: isn't it a bit... familiar to you?

[DU5TIN]-...What exactly? Those untruths of yours?

[CHE5TER]-No. This whole situation regarding a reality unknown to a specific person.

[DU5TIN]-What do you mean?

[CHE5TER]-Oh, where did I hear it before... A young child, so naive, that it can believe everything it is said to him, only because of who his model in life was and what title He had... Doesn't it ring you a bell?

[DU5TIN]-...

[CHE5TER]-No? Oh, I'm sure it does, DU5TIN. After all, that naive child from this story stands in front of you right now. And I know that you are aware of Him too.

[DU5TIN]-...Your father has entered a building that nobody has access to and you expect my people to let him be?

[CHE5TER]-I do not care what He did, Brother. Don't you realise how blind you are? I wouldn't care if it was me, I know your people hate my kind, but my father was born as an R being. He did nothing wrong but live His life, and yet your General killed Him without any kind of hesitation.

[DU5TIN]-We weren't even the ones who killed him, CHE5TER. You believe a lie yourself. My master told me that--

[DU5TIN+CHE5TER]- --He was already dead by the time the trigger of the gun was pulled, pointing at His head.

It sure awaken an unwanted memory for the ruler these words, even if the Officer is perplexed about His response. He did not expect CHE5TER to know the truth.

[DU5TIN]-...?

[CHE5TER]-...I know this story already. No need to remind me.

[DU5TIN]-How do y--

[CHE5TER]- --Only you, the General, the one who told me this information and I know about this secret of ours, DU5TIN. Everyone thinks He was killed because of that gun of your people. Not even RY4N is aware of this information till this very day...

[DU5TIN]-Then why are you so mad about this whole story from the past if you know the truth already?

[CHE5TER]-...I don't think you realise something. Even if He didn't die that early, your people would have killed Him anyway. No matter the case, He would have died that day. Your kind is guilty of His death, DU5TIN. Do you know how I felt when I heard that my own father died? Do you know how it feels to be only a child and lose the people you love only because of the hypocrisy of one man alone?? ...All that He left for us was nothing but this memory. I know where He died, I know when He died, but He didn't leave anything for us, not even a letter, not even a will in which He could write His last wish. Nothing... And I don't even know what He found that day, or even if He found something, as I don't think He chose that building randomly.

[DU5TIN]-It is not my fault that your kind started this whole war, CHE5TER. Don't put the blame on my people for the sins that you, monsters, did in the past.

And of course those words irritated the ruler, as CHE5TER throws His small weapon at His older brother, weapon which He was playing with all this time as said, while DU5TIN manages to catch it with his hand. He looks at it for a bit, not because he wants to use it, but because he knows His intention wasn't to hurt him, but rather to give him a small signal.

[CHE5TER]-...How sad is to believe someone's lies for eternity and not think by yourself. It is weird that 14 years ago you chose to save me and RY4N from getting killed in that building, and didn't even try to catch me back when you found out that I'm a C born. You knew back then that all of this is wrong, DU5TIN. But now you hide under these lies which you chose to represent you.

[DU5TIN]-I was only a child too 14 years ago. I made mistakes in the past and I still do. I'm a simple being in the end. But the biggest mistake of my life was that moment when I chose to help you out.

[CHE5TER]-You lie to yourself again. You know it wasn't a mistake at all. It was suppose to happen. It was suppose to be this way. This was your fate of changing this cruel world. But now it seems like you are afraid of it.

CHE5TER gets up from the chair, looking at His lost Error again for one last time. DU5TIN probably had enough of His shit at this point, but it is a small goodbye until their next reunion.

[CHE5TER]-...One day you will realise that I'm only trying to open your eyes, to help you choose the right path. I hope that you will start thinking everything you encounter from now on by yourself, not rely on others' weak words.

[DU5TIN]-...

[CHE5TER]-And also... solve that shit with your right eye. You look terrible.

[DU5TIN]-...You did this to me.

Yet CHE5TER smirks again, for the last time, before taking His leave.

[CHE5TER]-...No. You did this to yourself.

And then, He vanishes, as He has activated His device, making Him invisible. So, DU5TIN now stands alone, looking at that small weapon, reading what's carved on it, before continuing to mind his own business: 7 - 2.