The Prologue
50 years ago
The city or perhaps… A city seemed lively from above, citizens below it appeared to live very unique and calm lives.
A cold gust of wind flew throughout the streets, hustling and hushing over buildings and people.
Children ran around playing, animals journeyed around a park, adults conversed and gossiped about one another.
A simplistic style of lifeforms enjoyed its way of living with a carefree attitude.
A mysterious and random man sat on an armchair inside a cafe, observing the strange architecture and imagery of such buildings outside a type of see-through wall, basically a window.
He'd observe the constructs of various shapes and sizes, each having differing and unique features.
Non-euclidean buildings, while some of them exceeded the typical boundaries of a three dimensional space.
Although, the beauty, majesty and power of these structures are not what the man is thinking of.
He gazed upon passerby’s, innocent people living innocent lives, some were more eccentric than others, while most sported or even transformed into a sur-realistic maybe even extremely abstract fashion.
“Empty…” The man uttered out.
“These daily lives these people enjoy feel empty… Living only for the sake of.. Well, living.”
“It is imperative for one to live life and enjoy it to the fullest. Though, it is not much of a goal, yet it is a path that ordinary Users like them would not want to change, even if they could.”
Silence filled the atmosphere, the man pausing his sentence to sip on a glass of water, drinking the entire cup.
“And yet, each of them dreamed of their specialty, when in this world… Normality should be the crown of our achievements.”
“It would emphasize… Specify that Users have always been like this, each of them, each of us.. Unique in a mass of uniformity..”
The man paused again, shaking the cup of water, leaning back into the arm chair and crossing his legs.
“Truly, we live in a world of individualists! Where is the collective? Where are the blissful gray colors we cannot appreciate? Like a child having many games to play and yet not knowing which one to play.”
He'd lean forward, uncrossing his legs and placing the cup back down, his gaze still fixed outside.
“Truthfully, simplicity is what we need, unity, community, family relationships, I would like such simplicity.” He finished, smiling ever so slightly.
All the while the cafe waiter held out a notepad, sweating down a bit at the sheer awkwardness of the situation.
“That's great and all… Ehm, sir or madam! B-But what would you like to order?” The waiter asked, giving a warm smile facade.
“....Just another glass of water.” The man answered, handing them the cup.
“No problem!” The waiter replied, reluctantly grabbing the cup before awkwardly walking away.
The man smirked and silently laughed to himself, looking outwards again.
“I need to do this shit to users more.” The man grinned.
“Although, what about the plan? The game that I've been thinking about? Now that I'm no longer at the top of the food chain..” He thought, leaning into the chair once more.
“Not only is it risky, brimming with the possibility of failure but it is also filled with uncertainty.. Or maybe both are the result of one? Who knows..”
He'd shrug to himself, as he looked at his watch simultaneously.
“I guess I don't have the time to think.”
The waiter quickly approached the table but before they could place down anything, the man instantaneously vanished.
The waiter could only look at the armchair in shock, placing the cup down and looking around the cafe, scratching their head.
“I shouldn't have taken drugs before going to work.” They sighed.
Suddenly, explosions roared throughout the streets, as panicked shouts and screams echoed through the air.
Two masked figures wearing white clothing with seemingly snow white skin, one of them held a black sickle with a long chain attached to it.
It soared through the skies and sliced down buildings, thankfully the nearby civilians escaped quickly enough.
Meanwhile, the other masked individual had differently colored arms, his left coated with white whilst the other was enveloped with blue.
He'd attract debris with his blue arm, and repel them away at high speeds with the other.
The two caused massive amounts of collateral damage, destroying everything and anything it laid eyes upon.
But before they could destroy anything further, someone stopped them in their tracks, seemingly a robot with a tag that read..
“I am Noyd.” The robot stated.
“I am a bot in service for the cosmos government.”
“Please surrender and your punishment will be considered to be more light.”
“Though, further engagement with such activities will be replied with by appropriate force.”
“Please do not resist. But, I hope you do.”
The two masked men looked at each other, before immediately growing hostile and attacking the bot altogether.
“Exciting choice.” The bot finished.
Act - 2: An Angel?
Noyd swiftly dodged an incoming strike, their sickle missing by a hair’s breath as it struck and sliced through countless buildings, tearing them in half.
Noyd’s focus quickly changed onto a different one, weaving to the right before grabbing his arm and reeling him in.
The masked man with differently colored arms tried to block, failing immediately as Noyd struck him down onto the ground, cracking it slightly.
The sickle wielder reeled his weapon back, purposely doing so in a way that catches hundreds upon hundreds of skyscrapers, buildings and vehicles, utterly destroying them.
The skyscrapers quickly fell down, crashing onto each other, dust and debris fell down onto the streets below.
Their massive length created entire shockwaves upon becoming grounded, smashing and blocking entire roads and further collapsing infrastructure omnidirectionally.
The bot looked at the damage around him and calculated the repair time of such destruction to be quite problematic, immediately snapping back into the fight afterwards.
Noyd shifted his focus back to the sickle user, rushing forward, as the man tried to wrap Noyd in his chains.
He jumped through the chains and grabbed one of them, pulling the man closer in an instantaneous swipe.
The man stood his ground, pulling his weight backwards with intense effort, his boots gripping the ground.
Noyd immediately tugged harder, the man losing his balance instantly as he got dragged through the air, hitting and scraping fallen infrastructure along the way.
“Tch! Bitch!-” The man muttered, gritting his teeth in pain.
As Noyd dragged him back, his teammate swiftly took his chance and rushed beside Noyd.
He smashed his hands together, creating a fiery shockwave as his arms brightened instantly, forming an orb that warped space around his arms.
The man smirked, blood seeping down his head, the orb collapsing into a tiny dot.
“Heh, GODRAY!!”
The attack exploded and roared immediately, blasting throughout the street and into a massive area.
It created a crater from just getting fired, as Noyd dodged it barely quick enough, the blast travelling at indescribable speeds as it tore through almost endless constructs before collapsing on itself and erupted.
It created a beautiful yet terrifying glow on a farther side of the city, the infrastructures were erased from space through its wake as it left a gaping hole in a part of the city.
The man panted, his teammate grabbing his sickle and chains and running beside him, to prepare against Noyd.
“You know… If Ignotum can create robots like that.. Can it create me some bitches?” One of them asked.
“Just shut up, whatever what was created won't love you anyway.” The other replied.
“You-”
Before they could argue any further, Noyd blitzed downwards, cracking the ground beneath them as they managed to dodge in time.
Noyd was severely wounded, both of his arms were torn off and his left foot was practically erased.
A man quickly attempted to fire another godray, as Noyd collapsed on the ground.
He smirked and smashed his hands together once more, only for it to be interrupted as someone or something shot his arms, knocking him backwards.
“Ah, shit.” One of them exclaimed.
Another Noyd bot was hovering in the air, as slowly but surely, more and more started to pour in at the hundreds.
A legion of them was in the air, staring the two perpetrators down, there were at least a hundred of them, as they blocked out any ray of a star, casting down a shadow that illuminated them better.
“Fucking bots.” Another muttered, using his sickle and chain to turn invisible.
“This is gonna take a while.” The other grinned, wiping off some blood from his head as he started to create clones to even out the odds.
The legion of Noyd’s immediately descended down, as the two engaged in a fierce combat against at least a hundred of them.
All the while a man stood on top of some destroyed skyscraper, watching the fight unfold with a small smirk on his face.
He held a hammer firmly in his right hand, as he sighed afterwards.
“When we finally remove the core of this city, our terrorist attack will be successful.” He uttered, his hair moving like water against the intense shockwaves appearing down below.
“Now no one will be able to stop me with this successful diversion, I can freely reach the Control’s Main Outpost soon.”
“And because of some bullshit “Morality”, we will gain victory.”
“These idiotic concepts of "Kings" and “Heroes" think they can rule everything they want..”
He'd motion both his arms outward, basking on the shockwaves down below, feeling the strong air rushing through the wind as explosions erupted everywhere.
“ONLY ERROR404 CAN LEAD US TO TRUE JOY!! TRUE POWER AND DIVINITY!!!”
He'd laugh to himself, snickering maniacally, however he swiftly heard someone was walking up behind him.
“Your monologue was a bit cliché to say the least.”
He instantaneously turned around, ready to encounter a fight but was just stunned at the sight of such a creature that resembled an… Angel?
The angel wore a mask on his face, covering it entirely, his crimson eyes gazing through the mask.
“There shouldn't be any more civilians here!! What are you doing!?” The criminal shouted, in a surprised and mildly shocked tone.
“I like to have fun sometimes.” The angel replied, walking closer to him.
“Stay back! I'll kill you with this hammer!!” The criminal demanded.
The angel immediately stopped, raising both his arms slightly, making themselves appear as a non-threat.
“Relax, I'm a friend and I just wanna talk.” The angel spoke.
The criminal gulped, as the angel towered over him massively, yet their gestures were enough for him to drop his guard.
“What do you wanna talk about?” The criminal asked, lowering his hammer.
The angel quickly stood beside him and watched over the edge.
“Politics.” The angel replied, to the criminal's shock.
He was completely shocked and surprised, he didn't know whether he was dreaming or not but ultimately, the angel’s political views involved individualism, freedom and money’s power.
Both beings agreed at the same views, as the angel kept on talking about the irrelevance of money.
“Money, at present time, causes the rapid degeneration of society, the fact that people have everything for free makes the existence of such a senseless and degenerate society.”
The angel paused for a bit, gazing down onto the chaos unfolding below, as the criminal understood his political views, giving them a deep thought.
“Without the hierarchy, which money has created and given, there can be no one who would rightly rule over the masses…”
“Not elected by possibly non-existent gods or monarchs who play protective games with the people.”
The criminal nodded, his eyes sparking with newfound knowledge, as he peered down below.
Suddenly, he remembers his missions and abruptly points his hammer back at the angel.
“Dammit!! You almost got me there you sly fuck! Tell me what your true purpose is before I kill you right now!!” The criminal demanded, shouting with pure anger for being distracted that long.
The angel only stared at him, before completely facing him, staring him down, the atmosphere never grew more intense, in fact it only kept getting warmer and warmer.
The angel could only sigh slightly, his eyes never leaving the criminal's.
Act - 3: Pacifism.
The wind blew across aggressively yet warmly, it crossed through their ears, nose and hair as the angel kept staring at him.
“Your eyes, I can tell that they agree with me.” The angel continued.
The criminal kept trying to maintain a hostile demeanor but can't help but subconsciously lower his guard down with such a warm tone.
“I know that deep down, your views align with mine, we see the same vision together.”
“You can't fight against the truth, sometimes to go further, you have to go back to the beginning.”
The angel paused for a moment, walking closer, gaining a closer look at the criminal’s wavering eyes and shaken expression.
“I see the feeling of injustice in your eyes. The same thing that made us both share the same exact idea and vision just now.”
The criminal's expression slightly turned surprised and shaken at his words.
“Am I really that easy to read?....” The criminal thought, sighing as he tried to wipe a tear away.
The angel hands him a piece of fabric that he got somewhere.. Motioning him to use it to wipe instead.
The criminal hesitantly took it and swiftly used it afterwards, as the angel continued to monologue once again, looking away into the chaos below.
“Family ideals…. They've now disappeared due to the current state of existence…” The angel added.
“How families have become purposeless and their components slowly disintegrating until having a partner has become such a rarity.”
“And if it does occur, unfortunately, love is not real.”
The angel simultaneously looked at the criminal, gazing directly into his eyes as if staring down deep within the depths of his soul.
The angel spoke of this as if it knew his entire history, his entire life, the fact that he was never able to find anyone close to him due to.. Weakness..
“All domains of human nature have been corrupted and I know it all perfectly.”
The criminal froze for a bit, as if too afraid to ask a question, he'd visibly gulp for a moment before hesitantly opening his mouth.
“What’s a human?..” The criminal asked.
“Users.” The angel answered, as the criminal simply nodded, surprised at such a quick response.
“Let's get back to the main topic now, shall we?”
The criminal could only nod once again, wanting to understand the character in front of him more, falling directly into its trap.
“I firmly believe that power is the true law of everything, it's the fact where with absolute power, you can control most, if not, everything at once.”
The angel spoke with such conviction, his speech captivating, creating a feeling of absolute certainty with a touch of unknown emotions and feelings within the criminal.
However, the angel started to twist his own words, his own knowledge and wisdom that he just spewed all over the criminal.
“But, then again. Kindness and community are also a part of absolute strength.”
The criminal slowly raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of his words but couldn't help himself to not stay and listen to him elaborate further.
“With kindness, you build comradery, you create a sense of trust and faith for you and everyone around you.”
“And thus creates a community as you go on to become kinder and more disciplined for everyone you meet along the way.”
“This, of course, isn't an instant method of gaining true strength but it is definitely the most welcoming and complete one.”
“With true power, you gain nothing but solitude, with kindness and a community built with passion and unity, you not only create a sense of friendship and free relationships…”
“You essentially build an entire family you can look forward to every single day.”
“That, my friend, is true power in my book.”
The criminal could only listen, tears dropping from his eyes at such a warm and heartfelt speech.
He'd wipe away his tears with the fabric as the angel kept on going.
“Even your lover would have stayed with you had you been kinder and more loving.”
“I'm sorry that they left you, but after going down this path, they cannot be blamed.”
The criminal’s eyes shot up, he was surprised. Not by the fact that he knew about his lover, but because of how true his words were.
“Listen to me, it isn't too late to change, you can still become a kinder and decent person.”
“Just hand over your hammer and turn yourself in, because honestly, if you fight them, do you become just like them?”
The criminal could only remain silent, looking at his hammer before slowly lifting his head up to look at the angel once again.
“You're… Right.. I can still change.” The criminal spoke, his voice wavering between hesitant and determined.
He'd hand over the hammer to the angel, and like a free man, he'd enter the battlefield down below, jumping off the fallen skyscraper and into a field of Noyd’s as his two comrades tried their best to hold them off.
“HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?” One of them shouted.
“WEREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE SOMEWHERE THAT IS LITERALLY ANYWHERE BUT HERE!?!” Another added.
The criminal didn't reply any further, approaching a Noyd bot and relaying every piece of information to them.
The Noyd bot quickly nods and apprehends him gently, as the criminal swiftly tries to convince his allies to surrender.
“Guys, we can still become better people, we don't have to do this.” The criminal uttered, with a softer tone that his friends haven't heard from him ever.
“What are you fucking crazy!?” They both replied simultaneously.
“You're a traitor!! A blasphemy against the law of 404!!!”
They swiftly retreated, blasting away Noyd’s bots as much as they could.
All the while an angel with snow white wings hovered above the skies and into the heavens, following the two remaining criminals.
And after a few minutes of a brief discussion, the two would willingly surrender to the Noyd bots as well.
The angel watched from the heavens at the now calmed down situation, smirking very slightly beneath his mask with crossed arms.
The star light gleamed through the skies, shining down onto the Noyd bots and the three criminals who were reunited once again, as changed people.
Until suddenly, a spark of raging and powerful black lightning erupted beside him, as a black knight pierced through the space and stood near him.
The black knight calmly hovered just right beside him, his sheer presence disrupting the cloud all around.
“Your persuasive skills are truly incredible, remarkable even but they're still incomplete.” The black knight spoke, as the angel just kept his gaze at the knight, uncrossing his arms immediately.
Act - 4: The Knight of Black.
“You are one of the wisest beings in existence, if not, definitely the wisest being ever.” The black knight continued.
“So, if you may, I need an answer for something that bothers me.”
The angel gently nods, as the black knight hovers closer.
“What is the purpose of existence? Of life?”
The angel’s eyes widened slightly, not in surprise but in an intrigued fashion.
“The purpose of existence is exactly and precisely its definition.” The angel replies.
“Then, in that case. The purpose of life is also only life.” The black knight retorts.
The angel simply shakes its head in abrupt denial, the black knight intrigued by its next response.
“No, the true purpose of a singular sophont is ultimately the Ignis. It is its concept, its soul, mind, body, spirit, emotions.” The angel exclaims.
“Everything related and none of the above.”
The angel pauses abruptly, enjoying the beautiful view down below, the sky a stark contrast to the destroyed city beneath him.
“For most, an Ignis is just a source of personalized powers. But Ignis is the truth, the answer to all your problems.”
The angel shifts its focus back to the black knight afterwards, its gaze examining and analyzing.
“It is quite strange that you do not know of this… Despite being level 3 yourself.”
“The final level of Ignis.”
The black knight could only shrug, as the angel lightly smirked in amusement.
“If that's the case.. Shouldn't that mean that people have roles to play in this? Like some sort of big game?” The black knight questioned, the angel quickly nodding in agreement.
“Yes, life really and truly is one big game. Users are only actors in the strings of fate that bind them to their predetermined goal.” The angel answered.
“Although, whether we play with them or break them is another matter.”
The black knight takes in this new information well, taking a moment to compose his thoughts and ideas.
“Then, I will personally tie the new strings.” The black knight states, leaving the implications of his words ringing in the air.
And as instantly as he appeared, he would leave in a sparking flash of dark red light, his aura thundering before immediately dissipating.
The angel doesn't respond and only switches his eyes onto the infinite city down below.
His gaze observing the already setting star casting an evening glow to the sky and down below.
“Beautiful.” The angel mutters to itself.
Act - 5: Shard’s of the Cosmos.
The angel gazes upon the beautiful infinite scenery, before swiftly snapping back to his thoughts.
“Oh right, I'll be late.” The angel sighs.
It then instantaneously vanishes into thin air, as it blitzed across the skies in indescribable speed.
It soars through the high skies, across the vast and endless worlds, above the countless numbers of infinite worlds.
Such individual groups created an enormous nebula, which he flew in between through.
Infinite and endless cosmologies and worlds, each of them separate but have and in their own nature.
Each of them is identical, just like Milkimeda’s civilization.
Completely unique on the outside and same in nature, as if all the people and beings with varying forms were just badges with no absolute meaning.
But that wasn't important now, what is important is the meeting he had with someone he met on “accident.”
In a far, distant yet peaceful world, the angel gently lands on its surface, gazing upon its beautiful yet somehow bland constructs.
Suddenly, a figure appears behind him yet the angel doesn't seem surprised nor shocked, it more so already knew they were there.
“Hi, Birb.” The figure smiled.
“Hello there, Shard.” Birb replied, turning around to meet Shard’s gaze.
Shard smiles warmly, motioning Birb to walk alongside them.
As they walk through the beautiful and indescribable world full of distinct contracts as far as the eye can see.
They journeyed through a flat plain of grass, the star shining gently on the planet, they conversed with each other with great interest.
“Now then, I'd like to get to the main point.” Shard spoke, as Birb leaned in to listen accurately while still walking with him.
“I am creating a project.”
Shard pauses, letting the implication ring in the air between them.
“A project that could rival the Room of Oracle.”
“A place owned by Wise, I want to create something, a concept called a “Super Ignotum.”
“A computer that could and would predict everything, every move, anything and any move.”
“But I can't do that without data on every single User... I know that you know everything, and thus I did not have to ask for a meeting with Wise.”
Birb sighed, their gaze shifting into the gorgeous scenery around them both before swiftly refocusing back onto Shard.
“I recently lost this knowledge that I owned prior, albeit I want to regain it. In a far, far world to which I am heading to later.” Birb replied.
“That's why I ended up here by accident, fortunately I foresaw this and met up with you nonetheless.”
Birb finished, swiftly opening their palm, summoning what seems to be a Dekeract.
They'd hand it over to Shard, who accepted it gratefully.
“Unspoken requests are laden with unspoken promises.” Birb warned.
Shard laughs softly, their features softening, wiping a gentle tear of joy from their eyes.
“I should have expected this from you.” Shard grumbles, Birb laughs at Shard’s remark before instantaneously flying away.
Birb travels throughout the cosmos in divine speeds, headed towards the World to “heal”.
As Birb was close to a planet, wanting to go over to its moon and check the surroundings.
A figure immediately blitzed behind him in precise and thunderous movement, striking Birb with a roaring blow.
Birb managed to turn around and block it with minimal effort, getting pushed back just a few distance away from the man.
The surrounding space from the initial blow seemed to wave and rumble lightly, causing the atmosphere to lightly flicker before settling down afterwards.
“That's odd… I didn't notice him until the last second.” Birb muttered to themselves, swaying their hand lightly to cool off the sudden strike the figure caused.
Birb’s focus switches from a calm expression into a studying gaze, beginning to analyze who this figure is.
Act - 6: Userverse.
“Who are you and what are your intentions?” Birb began.
The figure smirked at Birb’s question, seemingly proud as they puffed their chest.
“I am Mael and as for my intentions?...” Mael answered.
“I want you gone.”
Mael’s smirk widened, Birb’s eyes transformed from an analytical form into a merciful and warm tone.
“You wouldn't really want that. Let's talk this out as fellow beings-”
“Oh? I'm surprised. But your pathetic conversion talks won't work on me.” Mael cuts him off.
Birb sighs deeply, hovering closer towards him.
“I am not afraid of death.” Birb states.
“Tell me, Mael. Do you believe in goodness? Kindness?”
Mael raised an eyebrow at his question, seemingly intrigued at what this is about.
“Why are you asking?” Mael retorts.
“Because most beings classify ‘goodness’ as a subjective concept. That to be considered good is to live life virtuously.” Birb elaborates.
“I for one, don't believe nor accept such a definition. Would you believe me if I told you goodness is an objective manner rather than a subjective idea?”
“No?” Mael replies, tilting his head in confusion and interest.
“I assumed. But that's where most beings are wrong.” Birb responds.
“Goodness is an objective concept, goodness exists in us all, even if you don't believe it to be so.”
“How, you may ask? It is quite simple.” Birb pauses, raising one of their fingers.
“A social harmony. Even if you don't have many good friends, community or relationships, as long as you treat someone or something with respect, fairness and other ideas, you are still objectively following a compass of goodness.”
“No matter what it is, no matter what it was, no matter what it may become… You still chose to follow through with a value of goodness, even if it was just a droplet of it.”
“Ultimately, goodness is not a rigid set of rules, but rather a dynamic.”
“An evolving set of values that guide individuals and societies towards a more positive and fulfilling existence.”
“That is why I believe goodness is an objective concept, and as such…”
Birb swiftly points at Mael, their finger unshaken and confident.
“I believe you are also a good being, deep within.”
Birb finishes, Mael takes in this newfound knowledge and wisdom to his mind, taking a few seconds to try and grasp them all and engrain it within his being.
“Pffft- Bahahahaha!!” Mael laughs, overjoyed with Birb’s speech.
“You are interesting! I'll let you live for now!”
Mael finishes laughing, fixing his pink hair upwards, yet he still kept a small smirk between his lips.
“Just let us live normal lives, and that'll be the kindest thing you will ever do!” Birb pleaded, with a fairly obvious sarcastic and melodramatic tone.
Mael didn't pick up on this act, and only assumed that Birb was begging for their life.
“Fine, but only because I want to ruin your lives later when you're all in a better place!” Mael smirked.
“I came here to slaughter for fun, to make people worship me as a God!”
Mael swiftly remembers the times he had murdered people out of boredom, his grin growing wider and more intense.
“Maybe I should use four hands more often.” Mael mutters to himself, waving bye at Birb with a sadistic glint on his eyes before immediately leaving.
He swiftly left the solar system in a blur, flying towards somewhere else, far, far away from Birb.
Birb smiles to himself, scratching his head.
“I improved my acting a bit.” Birb smiled, speaking to himself.
“Now then, Earth huh?”
Birb looks down onto the planet beneath him, gazing upon the mesmerizing planet, the strange clouds and lights of cities that were in the night cycle.
“What a strange world this is… To be called the Bending Machine Verse…”
“What is a bending machine anyway? I assume it's the shape of this World that I stumbled upon just several indescribable light years away ago.”
They'd briefly pause, still taking in the scenery of the clouds beautifully moving, while they basked in the sun’s embrace.
“The icing on the cake has finally arrived at the perfect moment… It's now time to start the game.”
Birb quickly places a hand on his chin, placing his arm on his free hand.
“But what should I name this game first?”
They quickly tried to come up with an idea, their mind racing to create a title or denomination.
“Client Cosmos?.... Totality Universe?.... Hmmm….”
A minute passed by, before Birb finally found the perfect name for their game.
“Userverse.” Birb smiled, testing the foreign idea on their tongue.
Their focus shifts back towards Earth, immediately blitzing to its surface and entering the atmosphere.
End of Chapter 0.
