What has happened to this word, today as I take my last breath an unbearable and suffocating burden lies on my shoulders, no maybe responsibility is a better word, no it cannot be responsibility, the burden is suitable enough, a word suitable enough to address their death, after all, I was just a tool it was them who chose their fate. This dark and murky air, burns my lungs, inside out, and these heavy noises, make my ears bleed, this burnt-out earth, eats my feet away, and that unholy water, only boosts my thirst, this is the result of humanity's efforts, Apocalypse or so it should be known, but no matter what I do none lives to hear me.

In my earliest memories, I remember a book, that spoke of a person who can summon fire from his hands, control water as his limbs, make the wind carry him, and change the largest of terrains, a Magician. I aspired to be like him someday, but to my bad luck they didn't exist, yet the young me wasn't ready to give up, I learned and mastered every trick shown by the illusionists, from basic palm to escape, I memorized all the 78 tarot cards, of fortune tellers, I mastered all the languages which are spoken, and which were spoken, I read all books from scriptures to science, and beyond, and in the year 2099, month December, date 31, the New Year's Eve, the day when my efforts bore fruit.

I remember clearly it was my 268th show, not a special number mathematically. Still, emotionally, it was my favorite, as on that day I was awarded the title of the greatest Magician. Yet I wonder now if was great, after all that show was my last, in the year 2100 a scientific revolution took place, AI which had already put most of the artists out of jobs, now threatened my place, it was put into function everywhere hospitals, shops, hell even police, and we humans now enjoyed the lives of luxuries, people who worked like me were viewed like oddballs after all the AI could create even movies out of thin air, the artist became valueless and performances were only viewed as a hobby, and that was how they thoroughly destroyed the entertainment industry.

Not long after that in the year 2102, the world came to an end, after my last performance I was recruited into Alpha lab, the main producer of these AI, after all science was my second-best subject, and of course, my smarts were known throughout the world, but now I wonder if that was a good thing, the ranks of scientist were hard to climb (but magic was harder) therefore the young and new scientists, or employees I should say, took a personal request from people who are high up to please them, and rise through ranks quickly, the wars which happened after years 2100 were quiet, some employees took assassination requests and made it look like the death was natural, if two countries were in a state of cold war then one must prepare for harm of life, such requests which defied their origin laws made the AI malfunction, resulting in an all-out killing of humanity, sadly the incident which was mainly responsible for this was led by my superior, and I was one of them, who stood still while the world ended, my protests were silenced and I was locked, I would have died even if the world didn't end.

"Ah! How I wish for that stage again, that stage where my dreams begin, that stage where my dreams ended, how I wish for my passion, my magic which is dying with me. God! If you exist then please hear me, if I were to be born again then please let me have magic."

These are my last words, the last words of the magician, I wonder what the afterlife is like. I slowly closed my eyes and fell into the void; I wonder if will I wake up ever again….

Surprisingly that wasn't my end, it's been less than two minutes since I opened my eyes, and a lush forest stood in front of me, trees at least triple the size of an average man, this moist and soft soil, that mild scent of flowers and rain, which runs like a wild beast enveloping every being which steps in its vicinity, sounds of the dipping droplets which fall from the tree, nature is truly beautiful, I never breathed air this pure. I am glad to be present in an atmosphere like this one, after all the scale of my trouble surpasses every known boundary any human has faced, and my body has shrunk no maybe it is better to say that I have become a baby, God, I wonder if it is a reward or punishment given by him, no, now is not the time to think about things such as that, this is the scenario about a baby being alone in a forest, if my luck is bad then I am most likely to run into wild beasts, which will be unfavorable for me after all this is reality.

When I opened my eyes the sun was nigh, but now it was setting slowly, the sky was turning red and stars had begun to appear, I couldn't see the moon though, maybe it was on the other side, my stomach grumbled and I am losing energy, I wonder how long I will survive, maybe I am fated to die here as well, I looked around into the forest which was turning dark, sounds of crickets was afloat in the air, but now these sounds don't appeal me, I am looking straight into the forest, looking for a chance, looking for someone who could help me, and then suddenly a flicker appeared, a deep red color which had made an unforgettable mark in my memory, fire… it was fire, my last chance of survival, my stomach was grumbling and my throat was sore yet I cried, I cried with all my might, and to my luck, it worked the fire changed direction and approached me, slowly and steadily, when it almost came near it stuck me, that fire isn't held by a human, a green bony body, muddled teeth, bloodshot eyes and drool which flows down from his mouth, a single piece of leather covered its lower body and its upper body remained bare, its size was smaller than an average human, similar to a dwarf perhaps, that single piece of glass which was attached to side smelled like blood, in the other hand it held a torch high up in the air, "monster" was the word which came out when I looked at it for the first time, it approached me slowly, his small hands with pitch black nails reached out for me, it drooled more with every step, I could smell it clearly now that smell of blood which came from its mouth, I knew then, that I was about to die.

Suddenly, a ball of fire appeared out of thin air, the monster in front of me was knocked towards its side, half of his body was burnt, yet it leaped again on me, in that instant I heard a voice "Fireball" another ball of fire rushed towards the half-burnt monster and reduced it to ashes.

I stared at it amused, was that really "MAGIC"

"a kid" came a voice from the dark, a woman I presume, but I am unable to comprehend those words.

"Jane what are you doing here" another voice followed, it seemed masculine by nature, and he speaks that unfamiliar language as well, for I who have learned most of the existing languages it was peculiar to be in this situation.

"Look Tom a child, it looks like a goblin was about to attack it"

"Let me see"

A dark figure appeared before me and knelt; I wasn't able to make up his face due to the dark but it seemed he could see perfectly fine. His hands reached out to me and with kindness like that of a mother, he held me in his arms.

"Why is a baby here of all places?" said that man, who held me right now.

"Hey Tom should we take him to the Guild?" spoke the lady with concern in her tone.

"No, we shouldn't, most likely he will be sold as a slave if we do that"

"Then what should we do?"

"let's take him to Anna"

"Ah! Yes we can take him there"

"What are you looking at"

Chuckle… "No, you just seem so different with that baby in your hands."

"Leave the jokes for later," said the man in a hard tone, as he started moving.

I could see that moon now, No! I can see those moons now, two moons one crescent and one full hanging up there in the sky, a new world, that is different from my own, a normal person would be scared right, but I can't help but feel happy, after all my life as a fake magician, my life as an illusionist, has come to an end, I don't fear these unfamiliar lands anymore, after all, if magic exist here then I would even fight a god to live.