The Federation tower was concrete on steroids.
Around fifty-storeys tall with limewash interiors. The exterior was simplistic with only bare unpainted concrete to boast. Intricately designed sculptures of lambs and goats decorated the entrance.
I had never seen a building as tall as this one. Hell, I don't think our Earth had the technology to build one.
Harry told us more about the tower as we toured The Federation.
He said that the tower in their Earth grew from the seed of an albino plant. It just grew taller and taller until it had surpassed the Babel tower (A tower back in their former world). Then, beings known as constellations and goblins suddenly appeared and began dictating their lives.
"Enter the tower and fight to reach the 99th floor, the goblin commanded us." Harry cooed. "They say that whoever reaches the tower will be granted a wish."
The Federation was created on the 97th floor as a checkpoint for those who want to fight the 99th floor. The Federation served to be of help to nebula-less adventurers, just like what they were doing to Johnny and I now. A nebula was a group of adventurers that could share their abilities and stories with. The Federation was the strongest nebula on Earth-663.
Of course, determined to earn a wish, one of their men named Ben had dashed into the last floor by himself. That was seven months ago. They didn't have any idea what would happen, that they were going to be sent to this world.
"What happened to this Ben?" Johnny asked, nibbling on cheese cubes from a nearby shop.
Harry raised a finger to the sky, pointing at a circular, chalky figure in the vast sky.
"He reached the moon."
-
We were surrounded by technology from an Earth that is centuries beyond us.
There were computers as thin as leaves; portable computers with no keypads ("A cell phone," Junhan corrected me); and what's even more foreign to me? That a company like The Federation was able to afford all this.
Isn't this a charity firm? I stared at Harry. He didn't seem to understand my doubtful eyes so he waved back sheepishly with a grin.
He didn't threaten someone to give The Federation funds for all of this, right? Harry seemed to be that type of man.
The Federation was basically a small town square. There were stores filled with alien candy ("Candy corn? This shit tastes like candles," Johnny had said). Beyond the bizarre treats, there was something even more strange.
There were no homeless people. That much, I am thankful to see but… why was every child's face so dejected? As if they weren't living the life?
Eisenblad was filled with homeless people, young and old. Our government couldn't— wouldn't handle them.
I just wonder why people's faces looked so depressed.
Johnny had joined to listen to Harry's speech. I walked along the sidewalk. My foot tripped on a pebble that I kicked far from me.
[Months ago, seven men and women were sent to the moon. They will be coming back this week!]
The television's screen flashed my eyes. The televisions of my era were chunky and large but this one had been flat in design.
They were coming back this week, these astronauts. There was a picture on the screen of the seven astronauts. All of them had wide smiles except for one redhead. Had it been me that were sent on the moon, I would have rather not go back to this ruined world.
"One of our men—"
"...!"
I jumped in surprise. It was Junhan.
"—they were sent to the moon. He came to this Earth seven months ago."
I wasn't in the mood to listen to her story. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone at all. I wanted to go home.
I had been accepting at first of sending me to The Federation but I feel adamant now.
"You had mentioned that."
"Yes."
It was silent again.
We both stared at the news on the television.
There was a shriek of a woman
Oh.
So this was it. The reason for their sadness. I had forgotten we were in the middle of an apocalypse when I saw the tech of the future in front of me. The world had ended.
The child straddled the waist of an older woman. He held a knife with both of his hands, veiled in blood. The concrete road was darkened with splatters of red.
"Mother..?" The child barely mumbled.
The mother squeaked, "It's okay, my dear. It's for your own good."
The mother held the cheek of the boy one last time before her hand dropped. The boy coughed.
"Mother? No, mother!"
He howled in tears. His sobs could be heard from where I was from.
There was an interface that appeared in front of the child. A dark purplish interface. That interface was familiar to me.
I was the first one to have received it, after all.
The text was mirrored but I thought it wrote:
[You have joined the rounds]
I had seen that very interface in front of me. The child… he was too young for this.
It won't be a lie to say that the mother was kind for sacrificing herself so that her son may live. But it is also not a lie to say that she was cruel for doing so. I guess that is what makes a parent. You force a child to live in this world with no permission at all and now the mother forces him to take a life. What a pain.
Well, I wouldn't know what it'll be like to be a parent. I have no plans to become one and mine are as good as dead.
I approached the dead body of the woman and the boy. Blood flowed to the soles of my leather shoes.
"Reve?" Junhan questioned my actions but I moved on forward.
The boy's clothing was splashed with red.
He eyed me with tearful eyes, curious and scared all at once. When I neared, he flinched and raised his arm in defense.
I opened my mouth.
"Good job on killing your mother. I'll give you a prize later."
[Round 0 - Main]
[Kill a living being to join the rounds. The rest will die.]
Time left before the first round:
[18:11:12]