Chapter 2 - Pieces On The Board

09.02.1642

The Southeast Military Base

16:47

"...You would think that such a wasteland cannot hold too many secrets behind its silence, yet our own history proves otherwise. Such a cruel one, almost with the desire of teaching the future to never repeat the past's mistakes. One secret among them is so well known, yet even to this day, nobody managed to find the real truth behind it. So well known, yet the most obvious question asked throughout history still has no clear answer: What happened to the lands we now live in? The lands that used to be home to a peaceful civilisation? Because war is the complete opposite of what we have known about our land. A war so devastating that it was believed the souls of the fallen people still wander the faded battleground in hope they will achieve their goal, trapped in the land of blood and fighting in a war that ended after they died with the desire of bringing the peace we deserve back home. Lost souls whose screams are still believed to be heard even after hundreds of years since their passing. And this is only one secret among many others.

Long time ago, before those lands lost their peace promised by the gods, two of the main races were given the fate of fighting each other until the last drop of blood. On one side were the Creators, the C borns, those blessed with the gift of making even the hardest ideas become real. Such powers that were once praised, even seen as gods themselves, and with such importance in our history that, without their existence, we would had nothing to begin with. Not even a place to call home. On the other side were the Immortals, the M borns, those blessed with the gift of an eternal life. The people whose existence guarantee our survival as a species no matter what the gods decide to throw at us in the future. But are these truly gifts? Some people doubt it. We all have our own thoughts on those "blessings" given by the gods. Such is the question behind the existence of a third race with no blessing that used to have no name. Normal beings whose fate is to live among those gifted by the heavens, and only the First Man knows why. But they weren't obligated to fight in the war.

Nobody exactly knows why the conflict between the Creators and the Immortals even started. It is said that it came so sudden to the point of the aftermaths being even worse than they were initially thought. But there was no doubt that these lands of peace have faded away once the battle of Life and Death began, and a red, cold ocean was created as a result. Millions of people lost their lives due to their lack of knowledge in combat from that time, and even that didn't stop them from fighting for the peace they missed. Others lost their places due to the merciless fate created by the conflict, remaining only with the fear of tomorrow. And others lost their glory, unable to recognise the people they once were ever again. As for the one who started the whole conflict and brought war into our lands? He was only known as "General 4RTHUR", ruler of the Immortals on the battlefield. His intentions of starting the conflict were unclear, as well as his actions took later. But something was known for certain: people died by his own bare hands. Years after years of constant torture for both sides, like a pain that constantly awakes to ruin your day. And the Creators were the ones suffering the most from this pain, close to simply giving up on their hopes when the times were against them and end up in surrendering to the General. But when they were ready to wave the white flag, a new hope appeared. Standing right in the middle of the red ocean.

Even today, His identity, looks or mindset on the whole war are unknown, yet He fought to protect His kind from the bloodshed no matter the pain He had to suffer. A Creator, so powerful that it is said His own blade killed more than half of the whole army of the Immortals. A man so quick in battle that not even the speed of light could compete, and the last thing His victims were to see was only His weapon with a thirst of blood. But nobody remembers anything regarding this person from legends, not even His real name. The only name we remember about Him is the title He achieved from the love and loyalty of His people: the God of War. For years, He has fought for His kind and gave the Creators the chance of rising victorious in the war. Yet even that didn't stop fate from taking action, as people woke up in the morning with Him being nowhere to be found ever again, resulting in the loss of the war. What happened to Him? It is a mystery we still have no answer to. But legends say that the God of War watched the sky in a night so bright and beautiful, all alone while others were resting, looking at the stars that refused to look back at Him. He regretted what He has become, wishing to put an end to His own misery, and only disappearing the next morning with no trace left behind for anyone to find Him. He has lost His own glory during the war.

After His vanish into the stars, the Creators lost the war against the Immortals, resulting in the M General ruling over the lands and establishing new rules against his war enemies. But this time, luck was on the Creators' side, as they have been promised a seconds chance by the gods above. She wasn't a Creator nor an Immortal. She belonged to the third race, having no blessings or even the strength necessary to lead those in need. Yet even so, She decided to fight for justice and freedom, the peace that was once a part of their lands. She was called M1NERV4, a goddess sent from the heavens to show a blind world that even those without a blessing can fight at the same level as the true gods. She gave birth to the group "The Renaissance" which promised the innocents freedom and peace, starting the revolution alongside those who worshiped Her belief and disobeyed the General's words. She was the one who gave a new name to the third race, the R borns, and was also the same person who founded "The Underground City", promising a home for those who suffered from the whole conflict. In the end, She succeeded in Her plan of revolution, killing the M General for once and for all. But as a price, She has given her own life in the process, hoping that the change will come into their lands in the future once She departs from this world.

It didn't take long from both M1NERV4's death and the General's assassination before the Immortals started taking desperate decisions regarding the Creators, considering Her action as a threat sent from their war enemy. As a result, they began to eliminate anybody considered an ally of the "sinners", the Creators, whether it was just a small gesture of pure generosity towards them or even the smallest sign of friendships being involved. All Creators were convicted to either death or a slave life, while any person proven or even suspected of an alliance with them will simply join the Creators in Hell. Be it even Immortals themselves. As for what happened to the Renaissance group? It is told that a new ruler took Her role anonymously, a potential descendant of the faded goddess. But nobody exactly knows who He is, even a nickname is impossible to get. Yet He continued Her dreams, fighting for the peace they dream of having back. For it is time for a new bloodline of warriors to appear and protect their home, remaining only the eyes of the eternal darkness from the night sky. From Her death shall rise the future of these lands, the true peace of this world, and the glory lost in the war. After all, "the dawn is waiting for us all". These were Her last words to Her people."

Then, the book's story is interrupted by the opening of a door. A woman enters the room in which she looks towards a person standing on a couch, present in the same part of the room as the door itself, and who also holds the same book from which the story came.

[TH3A]-Master RY4N?

The moment his name was spoken, the man shifts his attention from the book towards the woman and moves the book a bit further away from his view, only staring at her. He looks young, around his mid 20s. He isn't a C born, rather belonging either to the M borns or R borns. He wears a casual grey shirt, and on His right hand is visible a strange sign with three lines. The line above the other two shines, the line from down right shines the same but in a weak way, almost even looking as if it is ready to give up, while the line from down left has no light at all. His short hair's colour is light brown and has such amber eyes that you would think they were made from the suns themselves.

[TH3A]-Apologies if I'm interrupting you, but Officer KYR4 asked me to remind you about the Council meeting of today at 18:00. The other Leaders have contacted her again to make sure you two will present yourselves as they wished.

He doesn't really say anything, just nods affirmatively and cracks a very small smile back at her, simply to make the woman understand that he is aware of his responsibilities. She then leaves with the confirmation given, letting the man go back to his own peace in loneliness. Or at least... he seemed to be alone at first. Because the moment he moves his eyes back towards the book, a voice starts talking from the opposite side of the room.

[CHE5TER]-...I cannot understand you, RY4N. You've read that book so many times and you still insist in doing so every time we are together. Don't you get sick of it?

[RY4N]-Well, I could ask you the same about your choice of always staying with me every time I read it, CHE5TER. Besides, it was written by your own kind. The people that have looked into the history behind the whole war and the same people that have fought into it before we ever came into existence. If there is any information regarding our chance of victory in achieving peace and freedom, it should be into their own creations left behind for the future generations.

[CHE5TER]-You only waste your time. Do yourself a favour and stop believing everything you read. The "God of War" is and always has been just a legend. There is no such power able to kill thousands of people in the blink of an eye that a simple man can have. It's just a fabricated story so that the books can be sold, just like any other legend in our culture. And even if it was real, He wouldn't be able to help us win the war. He disappeared, forever! I don't even think He is alive at this point, no matter what happened to Him. And if He was alive, I would be the one to kill Him with my own bare hands for bringing this merciless fate into our lands. If it wasn't for Him, we wouldn't have lost millions of innocent people from the executions of the above.

On the other side of the room, from where a cold voice comes, there is a desk standing right in front of a huge window with the view of the Underground City. On the desk itself stand papers, some arranged and some scattered around. But more interesting are three coins that look to be out of place, lost among the papers. The silver coins belong to one of their currencies, "Verha", standing next to each other. One coin in particular seems damaged though, being closer to one of the normal ones and with the other being a bit separated from the two. But between the window with the view and the desk stands a chair, which is now with the back towards the man. The chair from which the cold voice comes.

When the chair turns around for it to be towards the person with the book, the source of the cold voice is revealed. It is another man, the same age as the other. The hair is as short but a very bit messier and a very bit longer towards the back compared to the other one, and with the colour being dark brown. On His face stands a scar that covers almost the whole left cheek and His expression looks as cold as the voice itself. So cold that it gives you the feeling as if you are looking at an actual dead man. Even the eyes don't help on this matter, as they seem as empty as the void, screaming the story of a lost life. Dead eyes, if you wish. His right arm is strangely covered by a torn cloth, making the right side of His body impossible to be revealed and for us to even know whether He actually has His right arm or not. As for His clothes, it stands out the black, elegant shirt He wears which has a few thin red lines around the neck and arms. In a strange way, almost similar, but at the same time, almost the opposite to what the man with the book wears. But He is a C born, with His colour being the same story as KYR4's. While our human vision sees a scarlet red in both His eyes and the end of His hair, their vision sees a cold colour called Voothrav.

[RY4N]-Then what's your plan? You want to keep doing what you hate for the rest of your life? Or you want to change the present for once and for all?

[CHE5TER]-Does it seem as we have something better to do? We don't have help from the gods, we are on our own to finish this war. We have to stick to the current plans until we find a solution and finally put an end to this whole conflict without any more blood to be the price.

[RY4N]-Weren't you the one who believed that M1NERV4's little descendant is our only chance of getting a true answer to the war?

[CHE5TER]-And you think that reading some old books will help you find who He was? That descendant remained anonymous as He pleased. None of our ancestors knew where did He come from or in what way was He related to M1NERV4 if He managed to get Her title so easily. Don't you remember that even our father didn't know anything about Him? I don't think He left any kind of information regarding Him in a simple history book for any random person to find His identity at any moment, RY4N.

[RY4N]-But there has to be an answer somewhere, we can't just fight all day until we--

[CHE5TER]- --I've told you already. The only way we can stop this war is by doing it our way. Be it with the help of the previous generations or not. We need to keep moving or else we will lose the last drop of freedom we have left.

The man on the couch doesn't say anything back, he only looks in the eyes of the dead man with such a worry, but with no real explanation given. Still, the dead man ignores his staring and stands up from His chair, going towards the door next to the couch.

[CHE5TER]-Go prepare yourself for the meeting. I will see what the others are doing in the meantime. Oh, and remember: I want all the details that are revealed, no matter how insignificant they are. I don't like the fact that they didn't let the Great Leader join this time after all. Seems like they're trying to hide something from me...

[RY4N]-...Yeah, I will remember.

[CHE5TER]-Good. Then I will see you in a few hours.

Once the cold man left the room and closed the door after Him, the other one went back to his book just for a few more minutes, standing all alone in the room. But even if the door closed, the eyes of The Watcher have opened.

[RY4N]-*sigh*...You have to give up on this person you wish to be, Brother. I'm trying to find a solution for the war just like you.