Perched on a flat rock by the banks of the river Thanatamus, was a young man in his early twenties. His face should have been full of youthful vibrancy, yet all those lively features seemed to have vanished entirely, leaving him looking worn beyond his years.
He had been attempting to catch a fish for four hours, yet he still hadn't succeeded.
Exhausted and weak from three days without food, he realized that if he didn't catch something soon, he might succumb to hunger. With the sun set to dip below the horizon within the hour, the time was running out.
"Why is my luck so terrible these days?" he whimpered to himself, lacking the energy to even shout or curse at this wretched world.
All of a sudden, he heard someone yelling at him, "Hey, you crazy bastard, stay away from that cursed river!", He turned to see who was shouting so loudly and realized it was a member of A.C.P , which stands for Action Control Police, clad in an all black dress with white belt and shoes .It was a new division of the police department that was established just two years ago following the great ESCHATOS calamity, which wiped out 90% of the world's living population, including much of the planet's fauna.
The boy ignored the police officer's warnings and turned back to face the river. Seeing the boy's disregard, the officer began to approach him, muttering under his breath, "The number of reckless fools is on the rise these days. I knew I shouldn't have bothered coming here; people like him are just a burden to the current world."
Despite hearing every word spoken by the officer, the boy remained indifferent, and it only strengthened his resolve to stay there, either to find food or to meet Death. When the thought of dying crossed his mind, instead of fear, he felt a weight lift from his heart, as if sitting by this river was meant for that very reason.
The Thanatamus River appeared on Earth's map following the ESCHATOS calamity, formed when a massive serpent-like creature ripped through the land, heading toward the 'Mountain Of Hope.' Initially, the river was narrow and carried little water, as its source was primarily underground. However, its flow and volume have been steadily increasing every month. Now, it serves as a crucial water source for the city. Despite this, extracting water and resources from the river was extremely challenging, requiring weeks of preparation and planning—not because of its structure, but due to what lies within it.
"You deaf, boy?" a commanding voice called out from behind the boy. He turned to see the officer from earlier, standing about two meters away. The officer's expression made it obvious that he was reluctant to get any closer—not because of the boy, but because of the river.
"You must not be deaf, given how you reacted when I first shouted," he remarked, his tone tinged with irritation. "Stand up; this is not a place for leisure activities."
The boy showed no response.
"So please move away from that cursed river," the officer insisted, his words sounding more like a command than a request.
"I'm hungry," the boy said weakly, staring once more at the river.
"What?" the officer exclaimed, as if asking him to repeat himself.
"I'm hungry," the boy repeated.
As the officer moved closer, he could see the boy's features more clearly. The boy's face bore signs of a hard life, his body so emaciated that his skin seemed to cling to his bones. His clothing was no better—just a rag pieced together from garments of those who had perished in the disaster, stained with blood in places. His legs were so thin, it was a wonder they could support his weight.
"What's your name?" the officer inquired.
"Akito," the man responded.
"Are you Japanese?" the officer questioned further. "You don't appear to be," he remarked.
The sun was setting, casting an eerie darkness over the surroundings. The officer, now very close to Akito and the river, placed a hand on Akito's shoulder, as if understanding the reason behind his behavior. "Are you an orphan?" he inquired with a cautious tone, his gaze shifting to their reflections in the river. Akito's expression turned somber and weary, on the verge of tears. "Not exactly," he answered weakly, as if the words were difficult to utter.
"In what way?" the officer pressed. "I do have certain powers," Akito replied.
Upon hearing that response, the officer got energized. "Then why are you just sitting here like a lump, kiddo? I know things have been rough since everything happened, but we have to keep living our lives. We can't just sit around hoping for more from God." He glanced skyward and closed his eyes, seemingly in gratitude.
He looked back at Akito, who was still staring into the depths of the river, and suddenly realized what Akito meant by "not exactly." "Oh," he murmured.
Kneeling beside Akto, he again began to speak, "I... lost my wife and daughter in the calamity too. She was such a sweet child," he said softly. "My wife used to make omelets for me every day, and... I ate them every day even though I never liked them because I knew how much love she put into making them." He seemed lost in those fond memories. Akito watched him with empathy, as though he wished to console him but couldn't find the words.
The officer turned his gaze to Akito, speaking gently, "Everyone living today has lost someone dear to them in these past few years, but we carry on living so that those who come after us or depend upon us won't have to. So please, Akito, stand up and come—" He was about to finish his sentence when a loud crash sounded behind them.
They both turned their heads swiftly and cautiously towards the noise. Debris flew through the air, and smoke billowed everywhere as if something had scorched the ground.
"What the hell are you idiots doing here at this time?" a loud, assertive female voice boomed through the dust and smoke.