Humans. These creatures are the worst obstacles to themselves. Different-minded, opposing beliefs, self-conceited, diverse faces and yet they call themselves unique. Of course, but that one word is the basis of our suffering.
One hand builds, the other burns, some share, but many might as well have the world to themselves or destroy it.
Fame, wealth, power, or the name "human or mortal" isn't enough, that's why we continue to reach higher for things we do not know, things we cannot comprehend, things that are better off not altered, and then BOOM, we fall, even beyond the lowest cliff we've ever stood.
We, the government, groups intoxicated by their own ambitions, have reached beyond our capacity and have achieved nothing but mass destruction. Now, some decide to destroy the world, others—to rule over it, and even more would choose to take advantage of its chaos and acquire possession.
The sacred Nine Stones of Balance, once thought to be mere legend, have been tampered with by the very people they were meant to protect.
The Realm Stone, even while being protected by a God, has been pierced through, connecting life to the afterlife even more, and so death on earth became only the beginning.
The Existence Stone, thankfully, was only flipped front-back, making peaceful death a curse and heinous death the only guarantee of surviving the afterlife.
The life of happy ever after is now no more, as the ground was always waiting to feel your resolve and drink your blood at the very end.
More daringly, the Judicial Stone has been shattered, breaking the balance between good and evil and flawlessly confiscating the value of law.
Yet unbelievably, the strongest God has been defeated and a crack has been drawn across the Heavenly Stone. Now the world is being flooded with heavenly powers.
Selfish desires have brought us to this, yet we aren't willing to stop, not even when human sacrifices are to be made. We, the apex creatures, would pull through until the very end, where we either ascend or are terminated.
For Good.
☆☆☆
On his knees or lying prostrate on the floor, Jayden couldn't quite tell since he could hardly feel his limbs after two long years of torture. He could neither see above a blur, but apart from the cold, dark iron bars of the prison, he could easily picture where else these tall figures, dressed in white on both his sides, could be.
The Warden Inner Execution Platform.
*' Another fake execution, huh?'* Jayden vaguely thought, barely capable of keeping his consciousness.
Aged, untreated wounds itched over his body — as a result, only flies found him attractive. Dried blood was drawn like markings all over his skin, his own rot hadn't allowed him to pick up the scent of fresh air, not to mention an eye was already patched closed forever.
"Captain Burns," a warden soldier saluted before a broad-shouldered man dressed in a purple robe. "We've brought the sinner as you requested."
The hall fell silent immediately as Burns, Captain of Warden HQ #38, stood up.
Jayden blinked at first, and a blur of purple drew closer to him. Two more times and Captain Burns was already at his face.
He bent low, lifting Jayden's chin with a finger.
"Jayden Logan, as stubborn as your old man," Burns smirked.
Jayden gathered his every last ounce of strength and turned his head away.
That voice was something he could recognise in any nightmare — the man who took EVERYTHING he had.
"Hmph." Captain Burns smiled and backed away, rolling up his sleeves.
"Twenty-four times you have visited this ground of Justice, and twenty-four times you have refused to give us what is necessary to free humanity. But this would be the last time — since we've found it."
Jayden's frail heart skipped a beat, his eyes shimmering with consequences. *'They've found it? Tha — that can't be true, the world would be gone if that happens.'*
Jayden tried to force words, but blood spilt out of his mouth, splashing across Burns's boots.
A lieutenant-ranked warden stepped forward with a briefcase crafted from pure gold, something that clearly existed more than a century ago.
Jayden blinked again and again, finally washing his eyes with tears of disbelief, and then he clearly saw.
"My—" more blood burst out of his sore throat. *'My family's legacy!'*
Jayden broke into tears that even his endless torment hadn't been able to trigger for months now.
*' I couldn't protect what my ancestors treasured the most!'*
Burns let out a scandalous laugh. "Don't be so wimpy."
He picked the blueprint from the briefcase and pushed it at Jayden's face. "I'm sure your dead old man taught you how to read these blueprints. You're gonna help us build the world's salvation — take it as a privilege, sinner."
Jayden gritted his teeth before spitting on the captain's military robe.
Gasps filled the hall. Other wardens stepped back in fear that the Captain would burst with anger, but he laughed more dangerously this time.
"I see you would rather die than help the world escape its suffering. That's a great crime." Burns aimed a punch at Jayden.
"Then eat justice."
Emergency sirens blew off at that moment and the whole base began flickering with red light and hasty steps.
"Captain!" shouted a warden, running into the execution hall.
He ran up to the Captain and gave a proper salute.
"What's the havoc?" Burns grinned.
"Captain, the base has been infiltrated by the Black Wolf gang. I think they aim at stealing the gold briefcase."
Burns's fingers closed into a fist. "Damn these outlaws, they never know when to stop."
"All units prepare to engage in battle — we wardens are not going to let any outlaw escape."
"Yes sir!" About two hundred men within the hall shouted.
A wave of stomping feet echoed through the halls until Jayden could no longer hear anything.
He lay frozen, at his weakest since the very day he was captured.
*' I couldn't protect my family's only treasure.'*
Jayden wallowed in despair for several minutes until something jolted his cells.
His eyes opened. *'Did that bastard say* all units*?'*
Jayden struggled, limbs barely keeping him upright.
He spat out the bloody taste in his mouth before remembering his dad's last words.
*I'll never partake in the destruction of humanity!*
Jayden forced his long stiffened body into moving even though sluggishly. "I'd rather escape here or join my pops in the afterlife than fulfil your wishes, BURNS."