If you're under 18 or easily disturbed, proceed with caution.
The content may not be suitable for sensitive viewers/readers—consider yourself warned.
....
Before we dive deeper into the story, let's make one thing crystal clear: this is a work of fiction.
Any resemblance to real events, people, or places is purely coincidental.
This is a story meant to stretch the imagination, explore the depths of human and inhuman ambition, and pose questions no one dares to ask.
...
"What does it actually mean, professor?" Simon asked, his voice filled with confusion.
The abstract nature of Magnus's words left him feeling lost. He didn't understand a single bit of it.
Magnus let out a soft sigh, almost as though he had expected this reaction. He shook his head slowly, his expression unreadable.
"As far as I can tell you," Magnus finally said, his voice soft yet powerful, "this is the law of Earth."
Simon frowned, confusion clouding his features.
"The law of Earth?"
"What could that possibly mean?"
"When you can understand those sentences," Magnus continued, "you will see truths far beyond what you have understood."
Simon furrowed his brow, confusion creeping in. "Wait, what happened to Professor Walsh?"
"She learned a fraction of the truth, and it consumed her. She left Valthar, abandoned everything she once believed in—all in the hope of bringing her daughter back. Her brilliance, her potential… all of it consumed by her grief and the pursuit of a miracle."
"That's why some things," Magnus said gravely, "are better left untouched."
...
Magnus watched Simon closely, his yellow eyes narrowing as he observed the young man lost in thought.
"How old are you, my boy?" Magnus asked.
Simon blinked as he snapped out of his thoughts, and turned his gaze to Magnus. "I'm… 21."
"Ah," Magnus said softly. "Twenty-one… young, full of promise, and at a crossroads."
"Well, Simon, I am now 4,090 years old."
Simon's eyes widened, his jaw slackening slightly.
"W-what?" he stammered, disbelief etched across his face.
"4,090 years…? That's… that's impossible."
Magnus tilted his head, his expression patient, as if he'd anticipated this reaction.
"Do you have parents, Simon?" he asked, his voice gentle.
"Yes, I do," he replied, nodding slowly, still trying to process the revelation.
Magnus gave a small, almost wistful smile.
"I wish I could say the same," he said, his tone tinged with a sadness.
"But, you see, I wasn't born like you."
"Huh?" Simon gasped, his voice a mix of confusion and shock.
"What do you mean? If you weren't born, then… how are you here? How are you alive?"
Magnus chuckled softly, "Bewildering, isn't it?" he said.
"But the truth, Simon, is that I was created—not born. Created by science. The very science that, in this age, is regarded as a miracle by most people of Earth. And those who wield such science… are what you call sorcerers."
Simon's mouth fell open slightly, his disbelief evident. He struggled to find the words to respond, but Magnus began,"You see,"
"This Earth you live on now, desolate, dangerous, and radioactive, was not always like this. Four millennia ago, it was a different world—a world of peace, of abundance. It was rich with resources, its lands filled with beauty and life. There were cars that roamed its roads, planes that soared through its skies, rockets that reached for the stars, and marvels of technology that people took for granted."
Magnus's eyes grew distant, as if he were seeing a world that no longer existed.
"There was wonder everywhere—so many things to see, to learn, to adore. People lived with hopes as vast as the sky, dreams that stretched beyond the stars."
Simon held his breath, captivated by Magnus's words.
Then, Magnus's voice darkened, laced with a sorrow. "But one day… everything changed."
"In the year 2024, the year I was created, Earth was divided into 195 nations. Among them was a nation known as 'IND'—a country filled with vibrancy, culture, and ingenuity. It was there, in that land, that I first came into existence."
"But the country I thought I knew—a place filled with endless potential, reduced overnight to a battleground of ideology, power, and despair."
Simon sat on the edge of his cot, captivated by the somber tone of Magnus's voice. The tortoise-like being seemed to carry the grief of centuries in his gaze as he continued.
"The year was 2025," Magnus said, his voice tinged with sorrow.
"A year that began like any other but would go down in history as the beginning of Earth's undoing."
"It began with a single declaration—an act that shattered the fragile unity of the world. The government of IND, under the orders of its Prime Minister, issued a decree: mosques, churches, and temples of every faith, save for those of Hinduism, were to be demolished."
Simon's eyes widened, disbelief and horror washing over him. "They… demolished them?" he murmured.
Magnus nodded solemnly. "The Prime Minister's vision was clear—or so he claimed."
"He called it a 'Hind Country' with a 'Hind Economy.' But what it truly was… was the death knell for peace."
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if bracing himself for the memories that followed.
"The world reacted as you might expect. Outrage erupted internationally. Nations from every corner of the globe condemned the act."
"It was a blatant affront to religious freedom, to the very idea of coexistence. But the Prime Minister… he stood defiant."
"'This is our destiny,' he declared, his voice filled with conviction that bordered on madness."
Simon leaned forward, his heart pounding in his chest. The history felt surreal, yet Magnus spoke with such certainty that he couldn't doubt it.
"Chaos consumed IND," Magnus continued, his tone darkening.
"The streets, once filled with life and laughter, became battlegrounds of fear and rage. Riots erupted like wildfire, fueled by desperation and betrayal. People clashed in the streets—neighbors, friends, even families turned on each other. The government, desperate to maintain control, responded with brutal crackdowns."
Simon swallowed hard, his throat dry as Magnus painted the scene.
"And then came the Prime Minister's proclamation—his chilling ultimatum. He went on air, his voice cold and resolute, and he said, 'We will declare the people of other religions as enemies of the nation.'" Magnus's voice dropped lower, mimicking the chilling authority of the Prime Minister. "'Anyone who does not leave this nation within a week will be considered a terrorist. And we… will eliminate them.'"
Simon's heart sank. "That's… monstrous," he whispered.
Magnus nodded gravely. "It was more than monstrous, Simon. It was the beginning of the end."
"Panic swept through the nation like a plague. Families huddled together in fear, frantically seeking refuge in neighboring countries. But not everyone could escape. Those who stayed—whether by choice or circumstance—became hunted."
"The police, the military—they followed orders without question. Streets ran red with blood as innocent lives were taken in the name of preserving a 'Hind Country.' People were dragged from their homes, accused of being terrorists simply for existing. The air grew thick with smoke and despair, the cries of the oppressed echoing through the night."
Simon felt a chill run down his spine, his mind reeling from the images Magnus described. "And the world… they just watched?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Magnus nodded again, his gaze distant.
"The world watched. They watched with horror, with outrage, but also with helplessness. Diplomats condemned the actions, sanctions were threatened, but nothing—nothing—could stop the madness that had taken hold of IND. It was no longer just a national crisis, Simon. It became an international tragedy."
He paused, his voice softening, but the sorrow in his tone deepened. "Families were torn apart. Children lost their parents, friends became enemies, and what was once a symbol of unity crumbled into a fractured, broken shell. Those who had once called IND home were either driven away or left to suffer unimaginable fates. For them, every moment was a gamble—a desperate fight for survival in a nightmare they never saw coming."
Magnus's voice trailed off, leaving only silence in its wake. Simon could imagine the history, his chest tight with a mix of anger, sorrow, and disbelief.
After a moment, Magnus spoke. "It all began with that single act,"
"A decision born of ideology and arrogance, one that set the world on a path to ruin. The scars of that year, Simon… they never healed. They never could."
The room fell silent once more, and Simon sat there, his thoughts racing.
"That," Magnus said softly, "is where it all began. That was the spark that ignited the fire which consumed everything."