Humans, One of the beings in the world who are perfect and at the same time, they aren't.
They have inconsistency and contradiction in everything they do in their day to day life.
Think about it, they say "How was the roasted chicken? Tasty right, hahaha." But if someone kills a creature they adore, they say, "D-did that monster just kill its own dog?!? Disgusting, such vile creatures."
To make sense of their own chaotic actions, humans create rules like "common sense" and "morality." These rules help them feel that what they are doing is normal and right. I am sadly aware of this cycle, and I am a part of it too.
This was just one of countless other sins of humanity and unfortunate enough, I am also part of this cycle.
***
The sun was setting, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and red. I was sitting on a dusty bench in a park after my shift, munching on my sandwich.
I work different part-time jobs; as a plumber, carpenter,electrician,miner and many other jobs; whatever I feel like doing that day. I don't need much, just enough money to get by. I looked at my wristwatch; it was 5:34 P.M.
Today I was told to do a little more work than usual or otherwise I usually end my work at around 5:00 P.M. I stand up from the bench, my joints aching slightly from the work. I carry the extra sandwiches I had in the polythene bag. Since my work here was done, it was time to return to my home.
My walk home took me through a busy street. As always, my eyes drifted to a nearby alley. Inside, I saw them; people who looked broken and hopeless, sitting against the walls as if all the life had been drained from them.
They were the ones the Void had truly broken. That terrifying force didn't just take their homes or their money; it stole their entire worlds. It took their families, their friends, everyone they had ever loved. With nothing and no one left, these alleyways became their only refuge; a cold, hard replacement for the homes they lost.
There seemed to be more of them today than last week. Seeing them had become a regular, sad part of my journey. So, I had started a small habit. I began buying a few extra sandwiches to share with them.
I stopped walking and pulled out my mask from the bag. It was a simple, plain black mask that covered my whole face. I put it on and stepped into the dim alley.
As I handed out the sandwiches, their faces lit up. The sight of food brought a spark of hope to their eyes. They thanked me warmly as they began to eat. The sandwiches were thick and filling, enough to keep a person going for a day.
But my heart sank. I didn't have enough for everyone. The number of people had grown, and my bag was soon empty. I turned and walked out of the alley, feeling the weight of the hopeful stares from those I couldn't feed.
Once back on the main street, I took off the mask. I wear it to hide my expressions. It was a black mask which covered the entire face with no significant decorations on it.
You see, I have a strange ability: I can feel the emotions of people around me. I've been able to do it since I was a child. Their happiness feels warm and light, but their sadness, fear, or exhaustion feels heavy and cold, pressing down on me.
I tucked the mask back into the empty plastic bag and continued my walk home. A small, tired smile was on my face. All around me, I felt a swirling mix of emotions from the crowd;some positive, some negative. I can't just walk into someone's life and fix their sadness, but I help where I can.
I looked up at the evening sky, where the first stars were beginning to shine. "Tch," I clicked my tongue. Why can't our world be as bright and peaceful as the stars above? But just thinking about it won't change anything. I have to focus on surviving in this cruel world.
***
[Fragacia, One of the walls of Valoria]
"We thank Magus Victor for joining this stream and giving us a very important insight on the void. We also thank our precious viewers for joining our stream and helping our heroes to save us from the void!"
"Hahaha, you're too kind Sir Hanks, I do not deserve these words from one of the biggest heroes, "Silent death". Your sniper skills are one of the top notch I've ever seen."
"Hey, your magic isn't something to scoff at either, c'mon man, don't be like, We're all heroes here, working together. There are no ranks when it comes to saving humanity."
"Ha ha, I understand," Victor said humbly. "Well, I think we should end the stream now. We've been on for hours."
"Thank you, everyone, for subscribing!" Hanks said to the viewers. "And don't forget to subscribe to Magus Victor's channel! He's new, but he's a great guy! Have a good day, everyone! Bye!" "Farewell,my dear supporters!" Victor waved, his face lit up by a brilliant, friendly smile.
The moment the live stream turned off, Victor's smile vanished. His face went blank, and then twisted into an expression of pure arrogance. He stood up and left the green screen room without a word to the crew.
He walked into his luxurious living room, yanked open his refrigerator, and grabbed a cold beer. He slumped onto his soft sofa and took a long drink.
""Tch," he hissed in frustration. "It's not enough. The good feelings people have for me... they're not powerful enough. I need more."
He waved his hand, and a glowing, holographic map of the city of Valoria appeared in the air before him. His eyes narrowed as he scanned it.
"I've heard there are other ways to gain power... not just from positive emotions, but from negative ones too," he muttered to himself. A dark plan began to form in his mind. "I don't have a choice. No one will care if a few useless people from the alleyways disappear, right?"
He takes a sip of beer as he was making plans for his next action. After some time he is finished with his plans.
It is a known truth that Emotions empower a person with strong will and resolution, whether it comes from internal or external.
It is the undeniable truth that many legends have become one of THE strongest because of their strong will and resolution which hence they made many contributions throughout the entire world.
It had been researched quite a few years ago that not just positive emotions but even negative emotions empower a being.
Victor, a newly appeared hero, whose main goal is linked to his past, will do anything to become stronger, as he finishes the can of beer, he looks at the wall, it wasn't anything special nor was it decorated with anything.
The only thing hung on the wall was a mask, a normal mask with no particular design which stands out, it can cover the entire face of a person.
A black mask.