I pressed a thumb to the lump of his neck, his Adam's apple, and put force into it.
As my little group of rebels sat on the corner of the stage, people couldn't see me choking Lucas. Meaning, since we were at a blind spot, I could do as I liked to him.
Harbinger. The word brought up painful memories that I wished to remain entombed in the pits of my mind.
But what were the chances that it was simply homonymous?
Yet, I think disregarding that thought can be done. Lucas knew of my name, and was clearly provoking me.
I added more pressure to his neck.
The middle-aged men were slightly startled at my act.
Lucas gurgled and his saliva dripped down to his chin.
But, still, he wore that cocky grin that was akin to a past friend of mine.
I didn't want to think of him now in this type of situation, but I wondered how he was doing. I had not heard from him for more than a decade now. I was never that capable of maintaining friendships.
"H—Hey…" said the middle-aged man, extending an arm to stop me.
I jerked my head towards him and, in a livid manner, I barked, "What?"
[The round will begin in 00:02:01]
"The rounds will be starting soon. That's all it is."
"Ah."
Lucas, who was elevating off the ground due to my grip, was dropped. As he fell to the wooden flooring, he put his hand on his chest as he choked for air.
My group began walking away.
"Reverie!" said Lucas, who was still on the ground. "Don't you recognize me? I know you more than you realize! My job is to awaken you."
I halted in my tracks, while the two grown men named Kim and Jim walked further, but stopped when they noticed I wasn't.
Lucas's voice was grave.
"Don't you realize the situation our world is in? Isn't this world even the littlest bit familiar to you?"
He coughed. Even the words he said could not be said in his usual nonchalance that he exhibited earlier. Instead, each word he said was filled with rage.
"It's all your fault that twenty-five percent of humanity perished in the 0th round! Your fault that not even my older brother died peacefully! Now, more will die because of your antics!"
Jim muttered, "What is he even talking about…"
Still, I knew Lucas was right. The déjà vu, The Federation, the appearance of Benedict, it was all too familiar. To the point that I should've realized long ago.
But the fact remains that it can't be true. I would never wish for it to be true.
It was too unrealistic. There was no rational reason for it to happen.
That would mean I was a mass murderer who dictated the world as though a grandmaster with chess.
If it were true, I would be more than an angel. Though blasphemous, I would be a god.
No.
A devil.
The gods have fallen centuries ago.
But, before their fall, there were churches for each god.
Each god was crueler than they made it out to be.
If you do this sin, you will not be forgiven and hereby thrown to a fiery pit of hell. Prayers will be useless.
If you commit this even worse sin, however, as long as you pray you shall be forgiven.
This eventually resorted to their foreordained fall. At some point, to even capitalize the word god was blasphemous.
They said that the angel Lucifer was the one who first retaliated against the Abrahamic god, resulting in the descent of the gods and the Ever-Holy war.
But this were all baseless rumors.
I was not one to partake in rumors, but they also said that a second Ever-Holy war was to happen in five hundred years.
It just so happened that it was 1789 and had been four hundred and eighty-nine years since then.
Truth be told, it was difficult to believe in these rumors.
The records were burned at the once high-regarded, almighty Library of Alexandria. Two thousand years of knowledge were destroyed.
No, I did not believe in a god nor worshipped an angel.
Despite my interest in the mythology of it, it was all fiction to me.
But…on the off chance that I did write this story and it was all happening right now, could I possibly have been a fictional character in someone's fiction as well?
Could the memories I had right now been fabricated for the interest and entertainment of some higher being, one who lives in a more peaceful era and life?
This was useless to think about, I thought at once.
I only needed to worry about my problems now, not some primordial entity that needed not to worry of their survival every single day.
I must focus on the problem I was facing right now.
"Take responsibility, you son of a bitch—ugh!"
Lucas, who was laying on the floor like a mutt, was kicked on the face by me.
Kim tapped my shoulder. "Don't bother with him. He's a lunatic. He's not worth the pain."
Nodding, I beckoned Kim and Jim to move along.
"Let's go."
[The round will begin in 00:00:29]
I walked away from Lucas who stared haughtily but in pain at me.
I didn't need to resort to violence, but he had touched a nerve.
His face was purple-bruised, reminding me of the monster child I had aborted.
But I didn't feel as bad about it as I did when I had killed the child.
[The round is beginning…]
The drop lights lit up, the speakers resounding a tune that sounded more of a screech, the type played in arcades.
If I were to die in this round, I would die with minimal regrets.
For even I, the co-creator, would never wish to live on in the future I fabricated.
[Prepare yourselves.]
As the tune whistled, the stage's red curtains drew open, revealing us.
[Time limit: 00:59:51]
[Your role is C?]
My clothing had turned into a Japanese delinquent's school uniform.