11.06.1642

The City of Above

21:56

Another day, another torture to witness in this world, huh? But for now, we are going in the City of Above, not the Underground City. It isn't because the ruler of the underground is here and we are watching Him completing His tasks, nor because a mission of the soldiers from the Southeast Military Base is going on at this time of day, but rather because we are witnessing the M soldiers themselves. More exactly, we see the soldiers being in a hurry, organising each other and the environment around them for something that is going to happen.

There are a few people from this huge group of people that go inside a building nearby, which seems to be one of the buildings of the soldiers. Others are staying outside and do whatever they are doing around, while still arguing a bit with one another. What can cause such chaos around the M soldiers? Well, we will find the answer soon.

[MSoldier1]-No, no! You are doing everything wrong! It is suppose to be the other side, not like that!

[MSoldier2]-Then if you are so smart, why don't you do it yourself!? I'm sick of forever hearing your complains anyway, man!

[MSoldier1]-Because it isn't my task? Why should I do your work as well??

[MCaptain]-Enough, you two! Get back to your positions! The General is about to come in any minute now and we don't want him to see us like this at all!

[MSoldier1+2]-Apologies, Captain!

[MSoldier3]-He's here!!

After hearing these words, panicked, all the people that stay outside look towards the location from which the General comes. Then, everyone takes their position quickly, forming two straight lines, like a hallway for him to walk in as the General makes his way towards the building. The Captain of the team stands in the middle though, right in front of the entrance of the lines that the soldiers are forming, as the General comes closer to him.

He doesn't seem to be alone either, as it looks like Officer DU5TIN, young Officer of the M soldiers, is present with him to assist in whatever matters he will have to face, as well as two other men that are there to protect the General. Yet Officer DU5TIN is a bit down, he doesn't look so pleased about anything that's happening at the moment. Truth to be told though, we didn't really see him happy in any situation either. He is covering his right eye as always, either with his hair or an eyepatch, while looking down as he walks, following the General.

[MCaptain]-Greetings, General C4E5AR! Officer DU5TIN! I assume you came for the inspection, right? Regarding the inspection though, should we start by offering you something? Only if you wish, of course.

[C4E5AR]-No need. I'm here only for the inspection and to have a small talk with Officer R4NGAR regarding a subject that I'm interested in.

[MCaptain]-Officer DU5TIN? What about you? Should I bring you something?

[DU5TIN]-No. Nothing for me either.

[MCaptain]-Alright then... But if you wish for me to bring you anything in the future, do not mind asking me.

[C4E5AR]-Alright. So, should we get started? I don't have all day, do I?

[MCaptain]-Of course, of course... Right this way, General.

So, at the General's orders, they follow the Captain inside the building while all the other soldiers remain behind to do their work. As they walk, seems like no matter what man they encounter, everyone stands at ease the second they see the General himself coming towards their position. The inspection doesn't take too long though, so after they are done with everything, the General wishes to talk with the Officer he told the Captain about. In the end, their final destination in this building is one of the rooms that seems to be the office of that man.

As they enter, they are greeted by that Officer, as well as his assistant, offering them a seat, while all the other people stay outside to guard the area. Only the General, Officer DU5TIN, the Officer of the building and the assistant are now present at this discussion.

[C4E5AR]-So, Officer R4NGAR... I do hope that you remember why I requested to talk to you today.

[R4NGAR]-Of course. I wouldn't even think of forgetting your sayings, General. Your words are my orders.

[C4E5AR]-Good. Anything new about the subject in cause then?

[R4NGAR]-Only a few notes. Some of the researches managed to use the slaves you mentioned in the request to create a weapon close to your sketches, but I'm afraid that it is still not powerful enough as you wished for it to be. Regarding the boundless power for the equipment, we still didn't find anything about how to reuse any kind of object from its initial form. I'm afraid it will still cost us a few more months until we find a way, maybe even years. For whatever reasons, the pieces of Novha cannot be reproduced by the slaves no matter how many times we've tried. We used any kind of method to force them into doing these devices, but it seems that there is a small secret design that allows the devices to work that way which we are not aware of yet.

[C4E5AR]-Oh, they sure knew what they've created when designing these money. But I still don't understand why the other C borns cannot reproduce them as well. So, in the end, we are still far from our desires.

[R4NGAR]-Affirmative.

[C4E5AR]-Alright then. Any news on Seven Two? Did anybody find him at last?

[R4NGAR]-I'm afraid not, but he didn't appear anywhere in this past month either. Even if he survived, it's most likely that he is badly injured and hides for some time until he recovers. It's certain to say that we won't see him in the next few days or even months, so we might be safe. If anything, we can stop worrying about him. He is no longer a danger for us now.

[C4E5AR]-So he is still out of our way. Good. But be prepared for any kind of attack from him. I don't remember that child to give up so easily. So if he truly survived, it is most likely that he will attack us again when he has the opportunity.

[R4NGAR]-Yes, we will do as you said. But I think that Seven Two isn't the problem that we have to worry about now.

[C4E5AR]-Then what's the problem?

[R4NGAR]-The soldiers near the walls of the city say that we might have a small matter to solve regarding the creatures of the outside. I don't say they've managed to break the walls or anything like that, but seems like they've started wandering around the city's walls in bigger groups, trying to find a way in. During the day we might be safe, but at night we lose a lot of energy just to keep these demons out. It doesn't help that we are getting close to the Night Months either. We will need more sources of energy for the light of the Great Walls if we want to survive.

[C4E5AR]-I see... Did anybody try to find the reason behind their planned invades? There has to be something that we've missed if they decided to come back again.

[R4NGAR]-Even if we try, we can't get any closer to them without getting killed. And it's not like we can communicate with them either, they are too simple-minded to understand any small word. They only act based on their instincts, I'm afraid. But it scares me that their instincts somehow lead to us, especially now. Why would they start attacking us yet again all of a sudden...?

[C4E5AR]-The question shouldn't even exist, Officer R4NGAR. Staying here and wondering "why" and "how" won't get us anywhere. Tell the soldiers near the walls that we will deliver them some more slaves until we find another source of energy. Besides that, I would want all of them to investigate the situation and see what's happening soon. I know they can penetrate the immunity, but staying and not doing anything regarding the matter won't solve it. We have to take some risks sometimes, even if we don't like it. Maybe they are trying to find something in this city and we don't know. The quicker we get rid of them, the better.

[R4NGAR]-Yes, General C4E5AR! I will inform everyone right away!

[C4E5AR]-Before you do, are there any other problems encountered that you wish to talk to me about?

[R4NGAR]-Besides the ones that you already know, there aren't any so far. At least from what I know. I'm not sure about the other Officers though. I heard a few days ago about some soldiers talking about the problem of Novha, but more than that, I'm afraid I cannot help you with anything new.

[C4E5AR]-Alright. Then inform the ones that I told you about. From here on it is my decision alone to whom I will talk to next. You are free to go, Mr. R4NGAR.

[R4NGAR]-Yes. Of course. Glory to the General!

So, the Officer stands up and bows in front of the General as a sign of respect, before he leaves the room with his assistant while the other two men remain behind. But not for too long though, as they have other things to do as well. Still, a small chat doesn't kill anybody.

[C4E5AR]-...Them again, huh? I thought we got rid of them years ago. DU5TIN, do you have any thought on what's happening?

[DU5TIN]-I'm afraid not. I don't know any small detail more than you know. Shouldn't the researches start to analyse these creatures to see what's up with them anyway? If they keep coming back over and over again, it won't take long before they would actually enter the city and kill everyone including us. You know already that nobody has the equipment to get rid of these things if it doesn't include light. No guns can harm them. Why would you think that a small light will make them stay away forever?

[C4E5AR]-Indeed, it is a problem that we might had not paid enough attention to. It's true what you are saying. All the research is in the books. More than we already know, I'm afraid we cannot get any information regarding them. If only we managed to find the reason behind their strange actions... *sigh* Anyway, there is no need for you to come to my next destination. Go back to your work if you wish so. I will see you at the usual place.

[DU5TIN]-Yes, Master C4E5AR.

25:17

And now, DU5TIN seems as he sits alone in which what seems to be his own office, in one of the buildings of the M soldiers. In this city, the ranking works differently with the Officers compared to the underground rules. An Officer in the underground is more like an assistant of the Leader, having the authority to lead certain groups of people but only with the Leader's command, while here the Officer is more like the Leader itself, making orders to huge groups of people and also to some lower ranks. So, if you take it by that logic, the rank of "General" is something similar to the one of "Great Leader". Yet here they have more ranks compared to the underground people and each have tasks and even leadership when it comes to some groups.

DU5TIN seems to be reading a research book at the moment, or more like just looking around it, as he flips over pages after pages, only looking at them for a second. There are different topics that are investigated in more details in it, like ores with their usages and advantages that a normal being can use from it, the races that are being created by the Great Machine which gives birth to them, and even these creatures of the outside that they were talking about. But it doesn't seem as the creatures have many details no matter where you look. They aren't as well investigated as all the other things in this world, since normal beings fear them at all costs. It is maybe a reason why DU5TIN looks so disappointed, but also bored from all the research he has done, or maybe even annoyed that he couldn't find anything about them.

So, as a consequence, he gets up from his seat to take a small break, walking towards his balcony, where he lights up a cigarette and looks at the view of the huge city. Compared to the Underground City, you would rather say that this city is dead, as no citizens are seen that often in those streets, more like soldiers wandering around to do their tasks. Still, the city has a huge population compared to the underground, up to three billion people living here. But for a city with such huge numbers, you wouldn't say that we are talking about the same place here. After all, the citizens of the above live more in fear too, not only the underground ones. They fear the General and his soldiers, they fear to do mistakes and then be sentenced to death, they fear saying something wrong that might go off the General's words. It is maybe the reason why so few people decide to actually walk around the streets, while others stay at their places to live their lives in peace.

In the meantime, while he looks at the view, DU5TIN seems as he takes something from his pockets as well, a small weapon on which it is carved the numbers "7 - 2". It's the same small weapon that CHE5TER gave it to him, carved with His signature. Such hatred towards it... yet he looks as if he is pretty interested about it even so. As he looks at it as if... he remembers a memory... memory that he wishes to forget.

A horrifying one for sure, as there are the two enemies standing together in a room, one at the opposite side of the room from the other... and CHE5TER standing in front of him, holding an explosive in His right arm. He shows no emotion, no fear of what was about to come, with such empty eyes, emptier than the void itself, only waiting for the destruction of everything around Him. He was no being at that point, such a wild look on His face that could take your breath away. He wasn't moving though, He was simply standing in front of the terrified DU5TIN, holding that explosive and looking at him straight in the eyes. Almost as if He acted by His instinct, almost as if He was a demon.

But the memory ends not long after, as DU5TIN simply looks for a few more times at this weapon that stands in his hand and takes a deep breath.

[DU5TIN]-...I will never understand you, CHE5TER. No matter how hard I try, I could never understand you. What exactly do you want to achieve from just talking to me? You like to abuse the fact that if I say anything about you to anybody, I, too, will be executed for keeping it a secret for so long? You say you are my brother, yet you act like a monster towards me the more we meet.

He flips a bit the weapon and looks again at the numbers carved on it in the meantime, maybe trying to find the answer to his questions.

[DU5TIN]-Seven Two... You are still obsessed with your father's death even till this day. Heh... If only you knew what I've seen my entire life... You would've left me in peace.

He then stops for a little, taking one last breath to calm himself down, before he ends this thought for now, whispering to himself one final sentence.

[DU5TIN]-...What's your plan, little bastard?

But then, he gets scared when a voice appears behind him all of a sudden, entering the room in which he was standing, speaking to him.

[C4E5AR]-DU5TIN!

So, acting based on his instinct alone, he quickly hides the small weapon back in his pocket and looks back at the General.

[DU5TIN]-Y-Yes, Master?

[C4E5AR]-What are you doing there alone?

[DU5TIN]-O-Oh, it's nothing. I just took a quick break for a cigarette and admired the city for a bit. Anything happened? Do you need me to do something?

[C4E5AR]-No. I just came to check on what are you working at the moment. I see you had some troubles with these books on your desks. Are you trying to find something in particular?

[DU5TIN]-I thought that if I look in all the books I have here, I might get an answer to that problem we heard from Officer R4NGAR.

[C4E5AR]-I see... Any luck?

[DU5TIN]-*sigh* Nothing about the demons. It's how I said earlier: everything we know it's already written and there is no other detail that we've missed. I did find an ore that might bonus the effect of the Javihevetro Ore so it can generate more energy by around 40% if I'm doing the calculation right, but I'm afraid that the only ones with these supplies of ores were the crevaators and we might have to leave the city in order to find more. Looking at the situation now though... it seems like we don't really have any chances of finding these any sooner.

[C4E5AR]-You've tried at least. No worries, we will solve this problem eventually. Right now, let's focus on other subjects.

[DU5TIN]-Right...

[C4E5AR]-I assume that you will have to leave for a patrolling mission around the city at night with your team, right?

[DU5TIN]-Affirmative.

[C4E5AR]-Mind if I request a slave or two from those found today? Some of the researches requested me more C borns so I have to give something to them and I thought of asking you to help me out on this matter.

[DU5TIN]-No. I won't mind.

[C4E5AR]-Good. Inform me when you got your hands on the slaves. I will see you later.

Then, the General leaves, as DU5TIN remains alone in his office. He doesn't seem happy at all with this thought in his mind though. Why? Only he knows. He then takes a deep breath and looks again at small weapon for the last time, before getting back to his work.

38:29

So, hours later, the mission that they were talking about has started, as the M soldiers are patrolling around the City of Above to find more and more C borns. DU5TIN seems to be walking alone around the city though, as he waits for his people to do their work. Wherever he goes, he is greeted politely by the citizens and other soldiers. After all, he has an important rank that everyone knows about, not to mention that he is the disciple of the General himself. But he doesn't look happy about this life he has even so. Is it because of the rank? Is it because of the work? We don't really know, but it is a matter that simply won't get solved so easily.

Now as the patrolling has started and a few soldiers have already found some of the C borns that are hiding around the city, he stands and waits for his people to bring the C borns and to make the next orders, while others remain behind with him. Though the others talk to each other, he doesn't seem as he wishes to do it as well, staying all by himself and just wandering around as said. Minutes later, some of the people got back and managed to catch one C born that is crying heavily, scared for good.

[CBorn]-...No, plehehease! Don't do this to me! Let me go, please!!

[MSoldier4]-Shut up, you stupid brat! You don't have any rights of freedom after everything you've done! Your kind are just monsters playing victims!

[CBorn]-Please! Please, let me go!! I didn't do anything wrong! Please!!

[MSoldier4]-Move already!

And he seems a bit young as well, no older than eleven, a simple C born that goes into the category of "Lost Children of Heaven". He is crying so loudly, afraid of what's going to happen to him, just like all the other C beings that are caught by the M soldiers. Yet DU5TIN cannot help but just look at him. He doesn't seem pleased, but this is his job in the end.

[MSoldier5]-Officer DU5TIN!

[DU5TIN]-Hm?

[MSoldier5]-Where are we taking the slaves?

[DU5TIN]-Just get them to our base. I will hand them over to the General when he has the time.

[MSoldier5]-Should we hand them over for you?

[DU5TIN]-No. I can do it on my own.

[MSoldier6]-Apologies if I'm interrupting, but the last time I checked, we had no places left for the slaves in our base. Where do we put those that we find today? Do we get rid of those that we already had and make space for the new ones?

[DU5TIN]-I already spoke to Officer YUT0 and promised him the slaves he saw at our base for some researches. I will hand them over and this way we will have space for the new ones. If anything, I will leave with the transportation team in a few minutes to solve the problem myself. Colonel AL4UNUS will be in charge until I make my return, understood?

[MSoldier5]-Understood. No worries, Officer. We will do our duties while you are away with work.

[DU5TIN]-I didn't say I fear the fact that you will be lazing around until I get back. But if you promised, then keep your word.

[MSoldier5]-Right...

[DU5TIN]-Anyway, I should get going if I want to complete my task. And please, don't make AL4UNUS's life a living Hell.

[MSoldier6]-I'm afraid that none of us can promise such thing, Officer. Technically speaking, even if we try our best to keep everyone to behave properly, there are still some soldiers which won't follow the orders once you are gone. And you know that very well...

[DU5TIN]-*sigh* Just don't do anything stupid, alright?

[MSoldier6]-Alright.

So, once he has made the orders, the young Officer leaves with the transportation group as he said, taking the one C born they've found now and going to solve the problem regarding the space of the building. Minutes later, DU5TIN meets up with said Officer YUT0, talking about this subject further.

[YUT0]-Officer DU5TIN! Long time, no see!

[DU5TIN]-Are you here to chat or to work, Mr. YUT0? Because I'm here to work.

[YUT0]-Hmph, cold as always. You sure didn't change at all. Such an isolated child... how sad. Alright then, you do you. So, did you bring the slaves you've promised me a few hours ago?

[DU5TIN]-They are in the vehicle. Ask Mr. ZAF4R about them and tell him that you have my approval on taking them to your place. Now, if you excuse me, I have other matters to solve.

[YUT0]-Oh? You want to leave already? How come YOU don't bring them to me?

[DU5TIN]-I have other problems at my base that I need to look into, I can't just stay forever in one place. You can take them on your own. I do not need to waste my time here.

[YUT0]-*sigh* Alright, alright... Just give me a second to speak to Mr. ZAF4R and I will let you go to your next destination.

While the Officers were talking, the little C born who got caught seems to be watching in fear his fate, guarded by some soldiers to not run away from the vehicle. In the vehicle in which he was standing though, there are more C borns present than just one. All seem so unlively, like they've lost all their hope long time ago. Only he looks afraid, while the others don't even care anymore, as they gave up on the idea that they will break free and go back to their normal lives of running away.

And so, when the Officer comes, he asks for the slaves as said, and the soldiers start handing them over one by one, all except a C born, the little boy that just got caught. After everything is done, he remains alone in the vehicle, starting to look outside again, seeing all the others get dragged to follow the other Officer, while DU5TIN has already left.

Then, minutes later, the vehicle starts moving and goes towards a tall building, most likely the base in which DU5TIN works, one of the buildings of the M soldiers. When it stops, the soldiers inside push him out of the vehicle and start dragging him towards the entrance, entering the building in front of them, in which they go in a huge room full of people and organised technology at which they are working. More exactly, they drag him over towards a man that stands in that room, then begin waiting for the Officer to come.

And so he does. DU5TIN arrives a few moments later and goes towards them, starting typing something on a screen that stands on one of the desks. Another man gets closer to the little guy and actives a device from which the gas spreads around them, not taking long before he holds the kid's hand, making a small cut on his finger and getting the blood on a tiny piece of glass. Then, they put the glass into a machine, at which someone starts working and analysing the blood itself. They get some notes as a result, nothing more, being the code of the C born and the date in which he was created by the machine, resulting in it helping the men writing his full code.

Then, DU5TIN gets the notes on his screen in which he starts doing his work as well. While that happens, the others take the small guy in front of a white wall, while someone takes a quick photo of the C born, which also seems like this got to DU5TIN's screen as well. He works for a bit, only for some minutes later to go in front of another screen, one so huge that you could say it's actually a wall too, in which there are way more people working on. He inserts the information that he got on a smaller screen attached to the control panel and then starts finishing everything left to do.

On the screen itself though, there are so many people there, registered throughout those years, as well as a lot of categories. The categories are something like this: C BORNS, M BORNS, R BORNS, SUSPECTS, MILITARY, WANTED and so on. All of them have different categories as well, for example the C BORNS category has green squares around the photos of the people registered, above them being written their location, like who owns the person or in which base the being is used, and others have a red square around the photo being written MISSING, having files of investigations to find the C borns that were seen around the city but didn't get caught. For the convicted from all the categories there is a black square around the photo, while for the dead ones is a gray square. Under the photos of each person on that screen is written their full code and so on and so forth.

If you stay a bit to think about it, this is the panel in which are registered all the people present in this city, adding new people every day from new C borns found to newborns in general. After all, the little guy just got registered in this panel right now as well, being in the category of C BORNS with a green square, above him being written the name of this base for now and under him his full code that was found with the help of his blood code and birth date. But if you look at the category of WANTED, you can actually see a blurred picture with a figure that has voothrav C colour, being maybe who they know as Seven Two, and who we know as CHE5TER, the ruler of the Underground City. Besides Him, there are some more people like citizens who went off the General's words and vanished not long after, but also a few of the soldiers that we know from the underground, with photos that aren't so clear being taken quickly outside this base, just like CHE5TER's.

After DU5TIN is done, it doesn't take long before he makes some signs for people to complete it with more information, as well as updating the files of the slaves that he gave to the other Officer. Each person has a document describing them, like the job they have, the location in which they can be found, friends or kins of the person, and in the kid's case, where they found him and details after details. It's just so that they know a few things about the person, but the work is done on a smaller screen rather than the principal one.

After that, the kid is taken by the soldiers and walked towards the next destination, which seems to be something similar to the prison cells from our world. From now, the boy knows what's going to happen, so he tries to run away but in vain. Because of his struggle, the soldiers knowing that he isn't affected by the gas anymore shoot him with one of their guns to teach him a lesson. He doesn't get injured after all, only if the gas was still affecting him, but he can still feel the pain, making him cry again. And so, they finally lock him up, only for them to leave and him being left alone in the empty cell, waiting for other people to join his misery.

38:51

DU5TIN seems to be visiting the small guy, as he finished with the work at the panel and will have to go back in a few minutes to his people to patrol again. The little guy, on the other hand, seems to be standing on the ground, next to the bars, looking at the floor with his head on his knees and his hands covering it. The Officer doesn't really care though, as he is carrying something like a blanket and a small pillow. He then gets close to the cell and looks at the little guy, speaking to him.

[DU5TIN]-Look at me.

No response though.

[DU5TIN]-I said look at me.

In the end, the kid looks at him more like out of fear. So, DU5TIN takes a deep breath first, then sits down to put on the floor in his cell what he brought.

[DU5TIN]-...You might as well be grateful of my offering, because I don't think you will have an easy life from the moment you leave this place.

Still no response, but as he tries to get up and leave, the kid grabs him by his right foot. He looks back at him again, only for the kid to speak to him for the first time.

[CBorn]-...Help me, please! I know you can help me! Please!!

DU5TIN doesn't respond though either.

[CBorn]-You are their boss, right? You can tell them that I'm innocent! Please! Please... help me...

And yet again, he doesn't respond. But he takes a deep breath once more and looks at the floor, a bit unhappy.

[DU5TIN]-...I'm afraid that's not how it works. I advise you to rest for now rather than trying to convince me to help you out. You only waste your time, as well as you do with mine.

Then, he simply walks away and shuts the door, only for the kid to be left alone again. And so, the Officer goes back to his duty, yet this time he seems to be thinking about something... something that doesn't really please him.

"You know, CHE5TER... You are not the only one who suffers in this world. My entire life I've been taught that your kind are merciless monsters, creatures that we should fear and run away from. Yet the moment I met you and RY4N... you've changed my perspective on these people we call monsters.

I stopped running away out of fear when I saw a C born, I stopped fearing them in general. And it wasn't hate either. I was simply confused on what to believe... The more I met C borns, the more I felt like there is something that nobody told me, as if someone was keeping the truth away from me so that I won't find it. Don't you think that I don't feel bad when I see such souls that I used to hide from be more scared than I ever was?

And even if I wanted to help them or understand them, I just couldn't, not even with my title. The moment they find out what I think about all of this, I will be nothing more than a dead man. No matter what I will do, I will be convicted, just like all the others that disobeyed the General's orders.

It doesn't help that you want to talk to me either. If I ever get caught, I might as well blame you for my death. So why are you doing this? You say you want to help me, yet you make my life even harder than it already is. Or maybe you are simply trying to trick me and wanted me dead all along. In any case, you won't win. You will never do. Bastards never win. So give up on this plan of yours and leave me alone."

The more he worked, the more C borns were caught. The kid is no longer alone after all, as it's past the midnight and almost all were caught off guard. What can you say? In this city, if you have a rank in the military, you can enter in anybody's house even if they want it or not. Not to mention all the negotiations with the slave owners for the C borns going on now. If anything, you can't say that you have a space of privacy in this city at all.

And yet, knowing how Officer DU5TIN feels about all of this, is it even possible to live like this? Knowing that you might be wrong in your actions and all, yet unable to stop because of the people around you? After all, not only the Underground City has its problems, but also the City of Above. The perfect city that the M soldiers dreamt of, yet people still live in fear and sadness.

To think about it, it is said that this city has the highest suicide rates after all, especially when it comes to the M borns. Even if the "M" stands for "Immortals", they can still die. Not from natural causes, but from wounds and blood loss. Most of the people that kill themselves in this city are simply using the gas for some minutes and then jump off a building. The most deaths registered in this city that don't come from executions are, after all... from this method, and nobody is spared from this fate. Even if you think you are alright now, one day you will feel like ending it all. After all, who says DU5TIN is spared from this fate? He is an M born after all. How much will he endure this immortality?

12.06.1642

05:41

It's very late now. Most likely that at this time the Underground City is peaceful and quiet, yet here DU5TIN seems as he just finished his work for now. At least until he wakes up in the morning today and starts all over again. Probably not even the Great Leader of the underground works until this hour, even if He can't sleep. At worst He probably just wanders around. Because, after all, someone made His arrival as well, a bit sleepy but still determined to talk. As DU5TIN enters his office, he is greeted again by this guy, by this "brother", standing on his chair.

[CHE5TER]-...You know, it's a bit late, don't you think? Why aren't you sleeping?

[DU5TIN]-I could say the same to you. What's your excuse?

[CHE5TER]-Heh... Well, I simply can't rest peacefully. So I thought of coming here and try discussing with you again. Maybe it will help me fall asleep.

[DU5TIN]-What nonsense... So if I was truly resting now, you would've just wake me up?

[CHE5TER]-Hmph. Maybe.

[DU5TIN]-Look... It's too late for me to argue with you all over again. Just leave in this moment.

[CHE5TER]-Oh, but I'm never coming to argue with you. You only start the arguing like I'm doing something I'm not suppose to do. You know, RY4N does the same. If anything, you two would've got along so well if I could take him with me.

[DU5TIN]-It's true that I would've liked to stay with him rather than talk with you. He seems like a better person than you. What a pity the last time I saw him was 14 years ago... Now I'm only stuck with this "Seven Two".

[CHE5TER]-Is that so? You know you could see him any time, right? You just have to do me a favour.

[DU5TIN]-*sigh* Are you bringing this up again? I told you already, my answer is no.

[CHE5TER]-Alright, as you wish. But don't think that I will give up so easily, Brother.

[DU5TIN]-...Stop calling me that.

[CHE5TER]-Hm?

[DU5TIN]-...I said stop calling me that! I'm not your brother! I never were and I will never be your brother!

[CHE5TER]-Oh, your nonsense at this hour is nothing more but some empty words. You don't think so clearly, do you? And even if you think this way, you cannot just ignore the facts. The signs on your right hand should remind you the truth, shouldn't they? You know you cannot just run away from your fate, DU5TIN. I'm only here to remind you who you truly are.

[DU5TIN]-I know already who I am. I don't need you to tell me this. You are nothing more than a stranger in my eyes, why would you even think that I will ever believe your words?

[CHE5TER]-That's because you know already the truth, as well as I do. Do you really think this fear of yours will stop everything I've built so far?

[DU5TIN]-If you know about my fear, then why are you continuing it?

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Is it even that hard to understand? I swear that all of you are just a bunch of idiots sometimes. I don't think it's even possible for none of you to understand a word of mine.

[DU5TIN]-So you play the victim now?

[CHE5TER]-Aren't you playing this role as well? You act like you are the victim every time we see each other. At least I have my reasons that you already know about.

[DU5TIN]-Just go away and leave me alone. I only want to rest.

[CHE5TER]-Hmph. Perhaps it is better to let the little descendant rest for now, but don't get any ideas of you getting rid of me.

[DU5TIN]-Are you gonna mock me for now on regarding this subject? What do you want to achieve from knowing this information anyway? No matter what you try, you could never manipulate me into getting the General involved. You want to get revenge on him? Then do it yourself. I do not need to take part into this and I do not need to tell you anything about him.

[CHE5TER]-Oh, I'm afraid that my revenge will have to wait anyway. So put your mind at rest and stop thinking about that problem.

[DU5TIN]-Then what do you want to achieve?

[CHE5TER]-A lot of things, actually. Hard to explain them to you as you wouldn't even understand. But... maybe you will understand them one day. Or perhaps you understand them now... Who knows. In the end, didn't you want to be respected for who you are? Not the person you try to be for him? Not the Officer they see in you?

[DU5TIN]-...

[CHE5TER]-You have all the time in this world to think about it. But the moment you will realise that you are on the wrong side will be the moment when you will finally get the respect you've dreamt of.

[DU5TIN]-...I don't need your respect.

[CHE5TER]-Then what is this need of yours that I do not know about, if I may ask, hm?

DU5TIN looks at Him straight in the eyes without saying a word. CHE5TER is a bit disappointed truth to be told, but maybe it is time for Him to leave.

[CHE5TER]-...Okay then. Be it like you. We will see each other on another time. For now, have a good rest.

And so, He vanishes, rotating the chair only for him to disappear completely. Perhaps He used His device to go invisible, but DU5TIN couldn't really care less. He looks down, lost in his thoughts, before he says one final sentence.

[DU5TIN]-...Respect means nothing if justice wasn't made, CHE5TER. Maybe you've forgotten about that.

Yet, before He truly leaves, He stays outside, hearing these words of his, looking down and then leaving for good.

16:18

Now, everyone got in their positions in the morning and started working as usual. Yet DU5TIN seems to be lost in his thought again, maybe because of his encounter with his little brother.

"...I am called DU5TIN by the people that know me, a devoted little child of the City of Perfection. I was taken by the General when I was a newborn to be his next descendant in line, and as a consequence,  I... became an M soldier, learning more about this job and so on. I had questions, and I still have truth to be told... but the biggest perplexity of mine will be this blood code that I share with two other people. This... Error... that I'm suppose to be.

I was taught from a young age to fear the C borns, the monsters that brought only disasters to this world and gave birth to the whole war between the races. During my life, I was also being taught every day how to fight against them and what to do when I find one of these beings ever alive. And all I can say is that... my glory faded long time ago in my opinion, ever since I met you...

I've seen things... far more worse than you ever did, CHE5TER. And even from a very young age... I know that you saw deaths during your journey as well, but they don't compare to the torture that I've witnessed at my work. As descendant of the General, I had to learn to work for him ever since I was six and assisted him in some of his quests. But the older I got, the more horrible the quests were.

From helping him around his office with documents and learning about the importance of them, to sending messages to the soldiers themselves, to witnessing executions on my own. And from the moment I saw an actual execution with my own eyes, I knew that I had to obey to whatever he orders, no matter what happens. If not, I will become just like these souls, a fallen one, unworthy of mercy. So... fear has grown into me.

Then, when you appeared in my life for the first time, questions weren't leaving me alone... Are the C borns such cruel creatures as history says? Why are we executing all of them if they can be so scared and almost impossible to think that they can do something bad? If you are such a cruel person, then why didn't you kill me the moment you had the opportunity to do so? You were... interesting... At least when we first met. I never actually encountered or tried to even talk to a C born before that moment.

And then, years later... I've witnessed something else. That moment you remind us all... Maybe you don't even know what truly happened that day and only heard about it from someone else. Because your father... was the strangest person I have ever met in my life. Perhaps you don't even know I've assisted his death at all. But not only that I was present at his death... I actually got the chance to even talk to him before he died."

...

"Will you ever... forgive me?"

...

"He... begged me for forgiveness like I was suppose to know who he was. But he didn't seem to beg me because he wanted to be spared, more like to make peace with a problem in his mind. I was only accompanying him towards his execution so he wouldn't escape, yet he decided to speak so gently to me even if he knew his fate."

...

Memories from a distant past seems to annoy him now for sure. As if... he can hear some words that were spoken to him before, that he simply couldn't forget.

"...The people who raised you are lying. So please, don't believe everything they say. No matter what they tell you, believe only in your words. You have the fate to change this cruel world, little one... And to think that even you are obligated to take part of this war just because of my mistakes, huh?"

...

"I just... can't understand why... He was talking to me so calmly, even though I was leading him to his final breaths. He was talking like he knew me ever since I was born, like I was his son as well."

...

"...Maybe if I took you in time... you could've just lived a simple life."

...

"Just... why? He knew what I was doing to him. He knew everything that my work was about. He knew everything! ...Then, why did he do this? He was your father, not mine! Yet... maybe you are not even aware of this information to this day.

The moment it was time for him to be taken away and executed, I had so many questions to ask him. But time wasn't on my side that day, and maybe you have this problem with him as well. But I could never forget that day at all. I could never forget his last words to me..."

...

"...Thank you, son."

...

"...nor the moment when one of the Sergeants pointed the gun at his head and pulled the trigger, only for the red river to start flowing. While you only heard about it, I lived it on my own. I saw it with my own eyes. And I could never get rid of that image, no matter how hard I would try. He left me confused, with unanswered questions that nobody ever answered them for me till this day. And I know that you don't have the answers either. You probably have more questions than I do.

And yet the more I've witnessed execution, the more confused I got by each day. I saw so many souls cry for help and forgiveness, but never in my life did I encounter such strange man. When you tell me that I'm on the wrong side, why don't you explain it to me in more details? Why does nobody want to explain the truth to me? I want to know the truth as well!

...But perhaps one day I will get my answers. If not, then I don't know. But just by talking to you, it won't help me with anything. You don't want to tell me the truth either. But I know you want to achieve something. You have a plan that you refuse to tell me. We are connected through this code, yet you feel like a stranger to me no matter how many times I meet you in person. Your father was an actual stranger to me, yet he felt more familiar than you ever were.

Maybe one day you will finally decide to speak. You will get what you want when that happens, it's a promise. But until that day..."

"...don't even think you can trick me so easily, Seven."