Elion stood at the edge of a wide cliff, his gaze fixed on the empty space before him. His eyes glinted with excitement, though his face remained calm and composed.
With a simple thought, he stretched out his hand, and within seconds, a sleek, futuristic aircraft began to materialize from thin air. It was large, black with streaks of silver, and powered by an energy source that Elion himself had conjured.
[A plane, huh? I guess it's faster than traveling the entire world with a ship.]
"You damn right." Elion smirked, stepping forward to inspect the aircraft. His fingers trailed over its smooth surface, feeling the hum of energy beneath.
[But you really know how to fly this thing, right? Because I don't remember giving you any 'pilot' skills.]"
"Don't act like you didn't know anything while you're with me all the time. It's getting repetitive now." He rolled his eyes, letting out a small sigh.
As Elion casually swung open the cockpit door and climbed inside, settling comfortably into the pilot's seat, the system remains silent.
"I found some manuals when I was wandering around America. I've read a few dozen books on aircraft mechanics, flight theory, and navigation. It's not that hard to be honest."
[Of course. You just read a couple of books and now you're an expert.]
Elion laughs. "Perfect memory, remember? That's all I need."
His fingers danced over the controls, and with a soft hum, the aircraft lifted smoothly off the ground. The wind swept past the plane as it ascended, climbing higher and higher until the world below became nothing more than a distant blur.
[So, where are we heading first? Another Dred nest or are we just taking a lovely flight around the world this time?]
"Both, actually. Time to see more of this planet. It's been ten years since I explored America. Let's start with Nigeria."
The plane surged forward, cutting through the sky with ease.
Elion's journey spanned across continents, yet every place he visited was nothing but a shadow of its former self. The once vibrant cities were decaying, but Elion remained indifferent, his mind focused on growth.
Nigeria
Standing before the towering Zuma Rock, Elion gazed at its imposing silhouette. The air was thick with humidity, though the vibrant life that once filled the streets of Abuja was gone. Only rubble remained.
System's voice struck in. [You know, they used to say Zuma Rock was mystical. Guess it wasn't mystical enough to survive the apocalypse.]
Elion chuckled, brushing some dust off his shoulder. "Yeah, guess even rocks can't dodge a world-ending event."
He moved toward the remnants of Kano's ancient city, flipping through old scrolls he found in what was once a library.
"All these stories of empires and history," Elion sighed, "yet here we are, with nothing left but dust."
[Empires fall, Elion. On the bright side, at least you're not living in medieval times. You wouldn't want to fight Dred in chainmail.]
Brazil
Elion wandered through the overgrown Amazon rainforest, the towering trees creating a canopy overhead. The jungle had reclaimed most of the cities, including Rio de Janeiro. He stood in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue, now cracked and crumbling.
"This place was once beautiful," Elion mused, looking down at the remains of the city below.
[Yeah, beautiful... before the Dred showed up and made it 'redeem' itself in a different way.]
Elion snorted. "Not funny."
His daily routine was unchanged: running through the Amazon for 30 kilometers, pushing his body to the limit with 1000 push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and reading. Thirty books a day, knowledge being his true obsession.
"At least the rainforest hasn't changed," he muttered, pausing to catch his breath.
[Not yet. Give it time, the Dred will probably open a tourist resort here someday.]
Elion rolled his eyes. "As if they'd know what to do with all this plants."
Nepal
Nepal's towering Himalayas stretched endlessly, their snow-capped peaks shimmering in the sunlight. Elion stood at the top of one of the mountains, the cold biting at his skin.
"Cold up here," Elion muttered.
[You're at the top of the world, of course it's cold. But hey, at least there's no one left to push you off the cliff.]
The ancient manuscripts in Kathmandu were fascinating. They spoke of ancient meditations and techniques long forgotten by humanity. Elion devoured the information, his mind expanding with new abilities.
"At least knowledge can't freeze," he said as he sat in a dusty library.
[Just like you. You won't freeze with that weatherproof outfit.]
Elion laugh while holding a book in his hand.
India
Elion stood in front of the Taj Mahal, the iconic structure bathed in the fading light of the setting sun.
"It's still standing," Elion remarked. "Not much else is."
[Well, if the Taj Mahal can survive centuries of monsoons, wars, and tourists, a little apocalypse isn't going to do much to it.]
"Guess love really does conquer all," Elion joked, turning away from the majestic structure.
In the libraries of Varanasi, he learned of ancient mysticism, unlocking new skills with every text he read.
"Who knew I'd be getting stronger in the land of karma and dharma," Elion mused.
[Maybe you'll reincarnate as a yogi next. Try levitating.]
United Kingdom
The British Museum lay in ruins, its ancient artifacts scattered amidst the rubble.
Elion picked up a shattered piece of pottery.
"You think they'd be mad if I broke their ancient history collection?" he asked.
[Who's they? The Dreds? Just face it now. You're the only person left.]
Elion chuckled, walking away from the museum that had now become a ruin.
Stonehenge was next. The ancient monument still stood, its massive stones worn by time but still defying gravity.
"Looks like it could use a new alignment," Elion muttered, walking between the stones.
[Maybe it was built as an ancient wifi signal booster. Too bad no one's around to check the connection.]
Italy
The Colosseum, though weathered by time, still stood proudly amidst the ruins of Rome. Elion walked through the ancient arena, imagining the gladiatorial battles that once took place there.
"Think I'd make a good gladiator?" he asked.
[No. You're too weak.]
Silence appeared for a moment in the air, but in the next moment, the two of them laughed sarcastically.
Venice was another story—flooded beyond repair, the iconic canals had turned into treacherous waters. Elion took a deep breath, standing at the edge of a crumbling building.
"The city of water... Now it's just all water."
[Well, this gonna happen sooner or later, even without the apocalypse.]
Macedonia
Lake Ohrid shimmered under the bright sun, its peaceful surface a stark contrast to the chaos the world had become. Elion sat on its shores, reading about the great Alexander the Great.
"This guy rocks! I bet he can even beat that Dragon Dred if he's alive now." Elion said, flipping through the ancient scroll.
[Nah. Even Alexander had limits.]
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's vast steppe was an endless sea of grass, the wind blowing softly through it. Elion found refuge in one of the last remaining cities, hidden knowledge buried deep in the libraries.
"So much history in these places," he said, his eyes scanning the pages of yet another book.
[And now you have all the time in the world to read it. You really lucked out with this apocalypse thing, huh?]
Elion smirked. "Yeah, lucky me."
Fifty years had passed since Elion began his worldwide journey. He had learned much, fought many battles, and mastered countless skills. But even as the years piled on, his appearance remained unchanged.
One day, as he looked into a reflection of himself in a clear lake, a thought crossed his mind.
"I'm... 74 now, huh? But I don't look a day over 24. What's going on?"
Elion stared at the reflection of his face in wonder on the surface of the lake. His face is still the same as it was 50 years ago. No beard or mustache grows. Only his hair grows and he always cuts it regularly.
[Oh, really? You're just now noticing? Well, it's not bad. You can think yourself as an immortal Idol with that face.]
Elion's expression turned sour as he heard the system's joke. However, he is so used to the behavior of the system that he can only sigh, holding back his anger.
"Very funny. But seriously, why am I not aging?" Elion asked.
[Well, I hate to break it to you, but... you're just not human anymore. Haven't been for a while. You can't expect to keep doing what you do, defying all natural laws, and think there won't be any side effects, right?]
Under the starry night sky, the words of the system made Elion froze.
I am not a human anymore?
Elion touched his face in disbelief. If he wasn't human now, then what is he? Has he already become some kind of Dred? Question after question arises, making him doubt his own existence.
"Side effects like... immortality?" He asked again, a feeling of fear began to grow in him.
[Bingo! Eternal youth, super strength, unlimited power. The whole package. Too bad there's no 'Return to Normal' button.]
"Great. What a wonderful life."
Elion sighed, looking up at a single Star that shines dimly in an endless and dark sky. His expression remained calm. But deep down, a new fear was starting to take root—a fear of eternity, of being alone forever.