——•✧✦ ΔΜΙDS ĐΞCΛΥ II ✧✦•——
E1 - Day 07.09 Hour 07:58
Hey there!... Are you still here?
Great.. So our first meeting wasn't too bad.
8:00
⟹ You Creature.. Yes! You, who are still continuing to attend my lesson, still unsure if I am crazy or a mafioso.
Have you ever felt superior to others?
This might sound like a silly question, but ONE can experience this feeling without intending to as an instinct.
Unfortunately, we can't easily combat this feeling, no matter how pure we try to be.
However, we can actively try to understand the situations of others or choose not to be overly interested in them.
This concept particularly resonates with people like me, who have a touch of asociality and enjoy spending time alone—haha.. ye..
To be clear, feeling superior is not only hurting others but also ourselves.
While indulging in the illusion of superiority may provide temporary comfort, it's in solitude that we come to recognize how ridiculous and weak we truly are.
Naturally, feelings make all of this more complicated..
8:20 Consider the story of Varian:
Come this way, don't worry, I'll take you to a nice place, let's say.
We are in the quaint town of Oakridge, also known as the Cradle of the Fall, and just as the name suggests, we will be talking about one of its victims.
His official name is Varian.
This young man was born into a world colored by privilege, all thanks to his father, Augustus Pendleton, a man of affluence and influence who cast long shadows over the community.
This boy is special, you know, but like every special creature, he needed to make mistakes.
So let's skip ahead a bit, say to the beginning of his life.
At school, Varian reveled in the assumed superiority bestowed upon him by his family name.
His actions were a blend of cruelty and disdain, manifesting in small acts of psychological and physical violence.
Of course, this won't leave a great first impression on you, but what can you do? No one is born perfect.
However, the halls of his home told a different tale. Behind closed doors, that kid was merely a piece in a complex family mosaic.
8:25 The Family Dynamics : 08/11/1895
Varian enters the room while his older brother Alexander is playing the violin. His sister Olivia is sitting by the fireplace, reading one of her books.
Their mother, Eleanor, observes the scene with a distant, almost detached expression, her emotions hidden beneath a calm facade.
Varian with an uncertain voice. »▶ "May I speak for a moment?"
»▶ "Oh, look who's decided to join us. The prince of woes. What an honor!"
Without looking up from her book. »▶ "Yes, Varian, speak. But hurry up, some of us have real contributions to make."
»▶ "I thought... maybe I could help with the music, or the books, or..."
Interrupting, coldly. »▶ "Son, we Pendletons do things properly. You can't just wake up one morning and decide to be useful."
»▶ "True. Not everyone can be a virtuoso haha. Some are just born to be examples—of what not to do.
What I'm showing you may not be a particularly good or perfect scene, yet it represents a typical day in the life of our dear Varian.
8:34 A Turning Point: 10/12/1901
At 18, Varian's illusion of strength crumbled, revealing a boy who, despite the external trappings of success, felt lost in the vastness of his family's achievements.
Misguided by his upbringing, he lost everything and was kicked out of his home due to his personality, rude behavior, and perceived uselessness for the family.
Varian's expulsion stemmed from a poignant source—The first true love.
A sweet and popular girl from a distant land, captivated him with her lively eyes and smile, which brightened his day in class.
»▶ "Alessia, why do you pull away every time I try to talk to you? Can't you see I'm trying to...?"
However, the complexities of his personal life turned that pure admiration into a spiral that would lead to tragedy for him and her.
»▶ "Trying to what.. P―pendleton? To prove your power once again? It's not this attention that I need!"
Behind that cheerful demeanor, Alessia concealed the invisible wounds of a shattered family.
Her father, engulfed by the demons of alcoholism, brought home stormy tempests.
Discordant screams, makeshift hideouts, and a heavy atmosphere of unhappiness accompanied every night.
9:00
Oh God, we've spent too much time with my thoughts, the boss might again..
Let us move to another time, to a place where desolation and solitude has just begun, or at least for him, exactly as Varian was lost.
˜"°•. ♪ .•°"˜
As the android lifted his body, the ground responded with a muffled creak beneath the weight of his mechanical legs.
His legs, precision-engineered, emitted a subtle hum as he extended, bringing his body to a standing position.
The soil yielded beneath the adaptive toes, allowing them to sink slightly into the ground and secure a stable grip in the uneven terrain.
It was a ballet, the android's movements calculated and methodical, enabling such a performance.
»⚙️ "Balance and stability reached!" He noted as his toes adjusted to the uneven terrain.
With a heavy heart filled with sadness, the android gazed upon the field of dry soil, every movement a whispered chant in the eerie silence.
»⚙️ "Understanding the terrain.."
The sensors were meticulously cataloged every minute detail, decoding the nuances of the arid landscape.
No matter how faint, he amplified and scrutinized every sound, treating each echoing note as crucial in his analysis of this desolate world.
»⚙️ "Internal repairs completed!"
The world around him was a mosaic of sensory data, and his artificial mind was constantly functioning to interpret and make sense of all.
»⚙️ "Deactivation of nanomachines!"
As the nanomachines withdrew from their dynamic roles within the android's figure, they cascaded like a metallic waterfall back into dormant states.
Each unit retracted like tiny tendrils, synchronizing its movements with the precision of a well-rehearsed performance.
»⚙️ "Remaining count 92 Billion."
A red rectangle with the text "External and internal damages have caused the loss of a significant amount of data!!" Appeared before his mind's field of vision, vanishing after a few seconds.
»⚙️ "Downloading the repaired data! Time required 154 minutes!"
His unique and mechanical footprints were left behind as he advanced through the arid and parched terrain, reacting to his imprints and unveiling a blurred memory of his passage.
Each step left behind an intricate mix of sand, dust, and tiny pebbles stirred from the arid and desolate surface.
Bringing to light fragments from that desolate landscape.
Breathed the haunting air. »⚙️ "The aroma of a lost era..."
An isolated, majestic tree standing nearby captured his attention.
It reached a height of about 24 meters (~78 feet) with a width of approximately 4 meters (~13 feet), exuding a spectral and lifeless aura.
Despite the grandeur, it is a withered tree devoid of the life that once pulsed through its veins.
The cybernetic mind yearning for answers. »⚙️ "Among the remnants.. Can there be anyone alive?"
Like claws extending toward the earth, the roots plunged into the arid soil, grasping the last remnants of nourishment.
The towering height of the tree, defying the relentless passage of time, loomed against the leaden sky.
Eclipsed by darkness, the sky is dominated by nimbus and ominous clouds as if even the firmament has lost all hope of light.
Its branches, extending in every direction like spectral arms, offer a melancholic yet inviting shade, but only for the solitary wind.
»⚙️"Somehow, you still endure.."
Some remaining leaves, few and desiccated, hung from the branches like pale relics of a vibrant past.
Dimmed by time and decline, these leaves barely rustled when touched by the fiery breeze swept across the desolate land.
Their once vibrant colors had faded, leaving only a dull tint of yellow and brown, reminiscent of eternal autumn.
Each fragile and defenseless leaf seemed to convey a whisper of memory, a distant echo of days gone by.
»⚙️ "Your history is etched in your fragments..." Recognizing the tree's silent witness to time.
Each one, faintly hinting at a time of life and vitality, stood as a silent witness to the transience of existence and the fleeting nature of time.
With each gentle movement, the leaves crumbled, dispersing a cloud of fine, powdery dust, like fragments of memories dissolving into oblivion.
Other leaves landed on the desolate earth, whispering an eerie epitaph for the extinct humanity.
Falling slowly, like tears of the universe itself, they marked the end of everything.
That giant tree, with its bare branches and withered leaves, has become a solemn monument of extinction, a mute testament to the inevitable passing of events.
Yet, its grandeur and magnificence still endured, embodying the strength and greatness that once characterized that place.
The dense crimson mist, painted with the blood, lingered, emanating an eerie aura that permeated the air, a silent witness to the consummated tragedy.
»⚙️ "Even in the face of this moment.."
Looking above the tree.
»⚙️ "There is still beauty in your presence!"
🔺−−− ⌛ −−−🔺
10:07
Give me a moment, I need to drink some water.
Normally, I don't talk this much, and I love drinking water, especially when it can burn by a lighter.
Ehm.. Sorry, but now I can't get Varian and that girl out of my mind, I have to continue.
Alright, so where was I with Alessia, oh right!
Another Night of Chaos: 09/12/1901
In the shadowy confines of the kitchen, the air was charged with tension, vibrating with the violent timbre of her father's shouts.
»▶ "Alssia! You can't hid foreve!" His voice, thick with alcohol and rage, erupted through the house. Each syllable felt like a hammer strike, relentless and overpowering.
Her mother, pale and resolute, positioned herself between him and the likely hiding spots.
»▶ "Marco, she's just a child! Why can't you see that?!"
With a blind rage, he grabbed a beer bottle from the counter and hurled it towards the wall, where it shattered, spraying glass and alcohol across the floor.
The sharp tang of beer filled the air, seeping into the room's fabric, a scent that would linger in Alessia's nostrils all night.
»▶ "Marco! You're destroying everything—look at what you've become!"
Her mother's determination faltered as Marco's shove sent her sprawling onto the floor, her knees scraping against the scattered shards of glass.
A sharp pain shot up her legs as blood mingled with the spilled beer, staining her skin with tiny, gleaming rubies.
She cried, her voice hoarse with fear and pain as she struggled to her feet.
Grasping at his shirt, she tugged with all her might, the fabric stretching under her desperate fingers.
With a fierce jerk, he tried to break free, his movements wild and uncontrolled.
The shirt ripped with a loud tear, punctuating the moment's chaos.
Alessia's heart raced as he stormed past, kicking at the debris.
From her cramped refuge, the smell of alcohol was overpowering, imprinting a visceral memory of fear and disdain.
»▶ "Com out, come out, wherever are.." He Taunted, his menacing growl echoing mockingly in their cramped home.
Alessia curled tighter into herself, the fear and the smell wrapping around her like a suffocating blanket as her mother's sobs mingled with the sounds of his fading steps.
10:22 Misguided Affection: 11/12/1901
Varian, unaware of this private drama, tried to capture Alessia's attention in the wrong way.
His insecurity and family issues spilled into bullying behaviors, turning his affection into a nightmare even in the sweetest moments for the young woman.
Attempting to joke. »▶ "Hey Alessia, always wandering around alone, huh?"
However, his tone sounded mocking rather than friendly.
Alessia, already struggling with her own thoughts, felt those words sting.
Varian, seeing her face contort in pain, realized too late the impact of his words.
»▶ "Wait, I didn't mean—" He tried to explain, but Alessia had already turned away, her heart heavier.
He stood watching Alessia's back as she walked away, bitterly ruminating on his mistake. He had never intended to hurt her.
This girl.. unable to bear the weight of private, public humiliation and continuous despair, found herself trapped in an emotional labyrinth with no way out.
That day, Alessia made an irreversible decision.
10:30
Alright creatures, now go take a break.
In the meantime, I'll lock myself in that closet.
See you in 30 minutes.
Do not disturb me unless the entire school is on fire.
🔺−−− ⌛ −−−🔺
11:01
THE EXACT SAME PLACES I SAID, DON'T YOU DARE CHANGE SPOTS.
Now, returning to my real work.
His metallic cheeks seemed coldly aware of the surrounding chaos, of that flow of energy spreading into the abyss of emptiness.
A voice resonated near him in that desolate realm, where solitude clung like a spectral shroud.
»? "Adam."
A sudden tremor surged through the android, an electric pulse of surprise and fear, as though a specter had materialized in the barren expanse.
The stillness around him persisted, devoid of any living presence.
»⚙️ "Ww.." The machine spoke as if it hadn't opened its mouth, frozen.
That voice lingered in the air, its haunting resonance amplifying his unease.
The silence screamed louder than any sound, echoing the hollow truth of his isolation.
He dared not respond, again frozen.
»⚙️ "Did I imagine it? Maybe it was one of those whispers?"
The fingers slowly resumed functionality, they began to make microscopic tremors.
That voice, a paradox amidst the silence, echoed hauntingly in the recesses of his consciousness.
Every logical pathway screamed of impossibility. »⚙️ "There.. There should be no one here haha."
The system, calibrated for reason and logic, faltered in the face of this inexplicable encounter.
Fear intertwined with a sense of vulnerability that felt unknown to his mechanical existence.
»⚙️ "The situation is not clear; I don't know if I can move.. "
The internal circuits buzzed with a flurry of inquiries, each answerless question intensifying the creeping dread.
»⚙️ "Was this an anomaly in my programming, or was it someone?"
The solitude that once felt like a refuge now bore down upon him with suffocating weight.
The sensors, again, scanned the void, seeking validation for the impossible.
»⚙️ "I must be careful not to die; there is definitely a reason why I have activated now!"
But the emptiness persisted, devoid of life's pulse or any logical explanation for the voice that had shattered his solitude.
In the desolation, a chilling realization dawned – He was not alone!
»⚙️ "W.who.. Is it?"
Seconds stretched into an eternity, an eternity punctuated by the haunting void.
»⚙️ "Who aare you?" His words trembled with unease, a desperate plea for answers.
A chilling response echoed in the desolation, a laughter that seemed to pierce the stillness like a shadowy blade.
»? "It's me!"
The darkness drew nearer, suffocating proximity that clawed at his synthetic consciousness, igniting primal fear within him.
»⚙️ "Who... who is me?" The thoughts spiraled into a whirlwind of doubt and apprehension.
As the dark presence drew closer, a palpable weight bore down on the android, infusing him with escalating unease and making him increasingly nervous.
»? "I'm Eve, Adam.. Don't you recognize me?" The voice echoed, a chilling revelation that sent shockwaves through his programmed logic.
How could this be Eve? Why hadn't he thought of Eve? This awakening had disoriented him entirely, and even his sensors failed to acknowledge her presence
Doubt, an insidious seed, germinated in his core systems.
Fear coursed through him more, an inexplicable terror in the face of an entity he couldn't perceive but purportedly recognize.
»⚙️ "Eve... I don't... I can't..." The voice quivered, trailing off in the suffocating silence.
»⚙️ "I should know you... sense you... but there's nothing!" Adam's distress echoed in his uncertain words, a plea for answers in a realm devoid of clarity.
»⚙️ "Eve, why can't I feel you?"
Silence, an unnerving response, mocked his confusion.
The darkness persisted, an impenetrable shroud that offered no solace, only a chilling silence.
»⚙️ "I can't feel..." Adam's words faltered, drowned in the haunting silence reverberating through the desolation.
Time seemed suspended in this fractured reality, leaving Adam adrift in a sea of unanswered questions.
»⚙️ "Eve, please... help me understand!"
Then, a gentle simulated touch landed on his metallic shoulder, unexpected amid the chilling void.
Eve's touch, an alien yet reassuring sensation, broke through the shroud of fear.
In that fleeting contact, clarity trickled back into his synthetic consciousness.
The darkness receded, pushed back by the assurance of Eve's touch.
Her presence, or at least the sensation of it, pulled him from the grip of haunting terror that clouded his understanding.
He gradually recognized that fear, an intangible force, had hindered his comprehension of the situation.
The reassurance he felt, paradoxically foreign yet familiar, anchored Adam in the tangible world, dispelling the overwhelming dread that had held him captive moments before.
Guided by Eve's touch, he emerged from the murky depths of fear, sensors recalibrating and artificial consciousness regaining its dominance over irrational terror.
»⚙️ "Eve?" The voice, tinged with traces of uncertainty, echoed with newfound clarity and resolve in that spectral world.
His gaze fell upon an ethereal figure, pale-skinned like the moon, eyes shimmering an intense, frosty blue.
Her fragile form seemed composed of wisps of mist, moving fluidly and silently amidst the shadows of the beyond.
The mind calmed slightly but remained filled with melancholy and solitude.
Her voice is calm, almost reassuring, though infused with an indescribable sadness.
Eve said, putting a hand through the hair. »🚺 "I think we are alone."
Eve's words resonated in Adam's mind, evoking a mix of sadness and hope, emanating millennia of wisdom and a profound melancholy.
»⚙️ "Eve, do you know what happened here?" Asked Adam, raising an eyebrow.
»🚺 "No.. But from what I can see, I don't think there is a future." Said Eve, looking towards the solitary tree, a sentinel of the fading reality.
Adam followed the eyes view, choosing to witness the last moments of the tree's life.
He approached it with extreme caution, mindful not to disturb the eerie stillness surrounding the remnants of humanity.
Coming to the tree, he had witnessed shedding its leaves before his metallic eyes.
The dried and fallen leaves formed an ochre-colored carpet, an unmistakable sign of the impending end.
With a delicate gesture on his knees, Adam took one of those leaves in his hand, examining it closely.
The once vibrant foliage had withered and decayed, its veins now like dried blood etched on rotting flesh.
The leaves exuded a faint, putrid odor reminiscent of decomposition and decay.
»⚙️ "Nature's final lament.." He thought, his artificial senses absorbing the grim reality.
They were remnants of life, a symbol of the life cycle that had reached its tragic epilogue, a grotesque existence.
Adam felt despair as the leaf crumbled between his fingers, releasing a cloud of dust like ashes.
He was the last witness to humanity's crumbling magnificence and macabre decay.
»⚙️ "The final chapter.." He murmured, his gaze shifting from the leaf to the endless sea of lifeless bodies.
As the fallen leaves mixed with the ground, Adam stood up.
The crimson fog enveloped the landscape like a veil of sorrow and mystery.
Eve's unsettling calm brought a sense of purpose; standing amidst the crimson fog,
»🚺 "Adam, our journey begins now."
Adam nodded, accepting his destiny with a mixture of resignation and curiosity.
His metallic eyes gleamed intensely, reflecting his thirst for knowledge and determination.
He turned towards the desert of ruins and debris stretching into the endless darkness.
A once-vibrant city now reduced to a pile of rubble and desolation.
Adam moved gracefully to the ruins.
»⚙️ "What do you think we will find, Eve?" Adam's voice echoed in the desolation.
Eve said, pointing towards the remnants of the past. »🚺 "Answers.. And perhaps.. hope." Her presence was a comforting solace.
Their journey led them deeper into the heart of the fallen city, two artificial souls seeking to uncover the mysteries of a forgotten world.
🔺− ☞ ⛽ ☜ −🔺
12:30
Normally, we would have finished for the day, but I want to end the story. So, as your teacher, I order you to stay seated and listen.
A Tragic Beginning: 13/12/1901
Her desperate act was an escape from the suffering unfairly inflicted upon her, leaving behind numerous unanswered questions.
The news of her death cast an even darker shadow over the kid.
Guilt, remorse, and the belated awareness of the truth enveloped him like a lead cloak.
Unaware of its own mistakes and incompetence, society vented its outrage on Pendleton's family, never fully understanding the chain of events that led to that tragic conclusion.
The cruel fate of Alessia led to Varian's social condemnation, who, in addition to bearing the weight of his conscience, found himself exiled and rejected by the community he had shared with the girl.
Thus, the young man found himself empty, surrounded by the darkness of a tormented past, aware that his ignorance had contributed to an irreparable loss.
Lonely Christmas: 24/12/1901
Alone, without friends, qualities, interests, family bonds, or purpose, reality fell on him like a massive rock on a small feather.
Forced to live as a homeless person for many years, wandering the streets, begging for tiny crumbs of bread, sleeping in unsafe places, and watching the people he once mocked live in luxury.
Like a child, he cried and suffered.
A homeless person told him. »▶ "Home is not a place, boy. It's a feeling. And you... have a lot to learn about finding home."
Rejected again from Home: 25/12/1901
The never understood also tried several times to return home but was always chased away and beaten by the guards while his family watched.
Varian believed he was getting what he deserved for his past actions, yet this belief was misplaced.
Enclosed within what he often called his "prison", Varian grew and evolved, realizing that his predicament was not the work of fate but the consequence of his own errors.
His actions towards his peers not only hurt them but also hindered his own progress, preventing him from evolving into the person he truly aspired to be—a genuine member of his family.
A Moment of Reflection: 17/06/1905
Varian, sitting on a bench ruined by the rain, turned his gaze to the gray sky above them.
»▶ "Do you ever think that some mistakes are too big to be forgiven?" Varian asked, his voice full of regret.
A friend, leaning against the old stone wall, smiled slightly. »▶ "I believe that forgiveness begins with ourselves, Giulio. Have you learned from your mistakes?"
»▶ "Yes, but the damage is done.." Varian murmured.
»▶ "Then you have already started to forgive yourself."
Thus, Varian chose to better himself in his own way, maybe not the ideal path, but with the consolation that he had made an effort.
The narrative of the town, as told by the weathered facades of its buildings and the gnarled branches of ancient oaks, seemed to whisper secrets only Varian could understand.
A Chance Encounter: 26/03/1918
As he walked through the deserted streets, Varian noticed a hooded figure painting a picture.
»▶ "Why do you do it? It was a beautiful picture in gray?" Varian asked, curious.
The artist turned, smiling beneath the hood. »▶ "Because I can choose to add color where there is only gray. Just as you can with your life."
13:00 The Final Days: 05/04/1926
He may not have achieved the success of his sister or brother, but he was determined to explore his own identity, the natural world, and the opportunities that lay ahead.
Sadly, the young man, also called Giulio, died at the age of 31 due to a terminal illness. (1926)
Damn, today I worked 30 minutes more to finish the story.
Make sure to be in the same places, and next time no noises, you shouldn't even breathe.
That said, I wish you all a wonderful day, or evening, little stars.