1: Origin [1]

Peace was never an option.

It is a quote that portrays humanity as a whole, humans are chaotical in nature.

We rose from the ashes of destruction, feared each other, hated each other, we waged wars for materials that nature had in abundance, yet we were never satisfied.

We are the only species that created weapons of mass extinction for the fear of themselves.

Our chaotical minds won't rest until we discover every unknown, we fear what we don't understand but what I'm feeling right now is a bit different. I don't understand what's happening but I am not afraid about that because being afraid won't help me, I'm confused and I am in need of answers.

Before I start to describe this situation I'm in, my mind wanders through the life I had moments before.

My name is Theo Albion, born 1992, in a small town called Provins near Paris.

My early life was normal considering I did what most kids do on a chronological order, I was neither a genius nor a dumb, I was an average like most.

My father was a French marine, he was a great guy, pretty cool at times and super supportive at the rest. He took the dad gig very seriously.

My mom on the other hand was a Doctor, she was always caring and a teensy tiny bit over protective, she was definitely not a helicopter parent but she was 'No girls inside the house till 16.' kind.

I still have no idea how my parents clicked, if anything they are the polar opposites of each other, maybe that's the reason, after all opposites attract.

Growing up in a medium country town like Provins had its pros and cons.

A pretty friendly neighborhood, it had a floating population, so a lot of strangers in the street, criminal offenses were something but they were mostly drugs and arson, a few quiet and aesthetic places around the corner.

The permanent residents were of a sort but almost all of them respected my parents.

My early life went by in a flash as I don't remember the majority of them but I think I was 9 when I met my best friend for the first time, Jesse.

Jesse was my cousin from my mother's side and all I knew then was that she used to live in America and had to move in with us after a plane crashed into the building her parents were working on.

My mom was her only relation, which made her Jesse's guardian by default. A fun fact about my mom, she doesn't trust America or its foster system.

One of the best things she ever did.

Jesse had a hard time adjusting to the culture, food and stuff, generally France for the first few months but I helped her settle and I learnt quickly how annoyingly fun she was.

Time kept passing and before I knew it, I was going to middle school, Dad got promoted, our house nearly burnt down by one of Jesse's more than fun pranks.

Yep, life was fun.

But then came the curse, the curse that would suck up all innocence from the children, Puberty.

When children lose their childishness, it means they are slowly becoming adults and with that transformation process comes choices.

My dad always used to say that 'Everybody's life is filled with choices, the choices we make, makes us.'

He would especially make it a point in times of crisis.

It's a way of saying that whatever problem we face right now was because of a bad choice we made in the past.

I think the first big decision I took in my life was when I was 14, I had just gotten out of the theater after watching a film, I looked my dad in the eye and I said.

"Papa, I want to create a Utube channel." And the first reaction I expected from him was immediate denial or various doubts about what exactly Utube was but what he said left me stunned.

"Ok."

From my childhood I was passionate about the world of fantasy, I grew up watching cartoons and reading comics, so when I watched my first ever movie adaptation of a comic, I was flabbergasted.

That movie was so good that somehow I overcame all my doubts, worries and asked my dad for it.

I decided to go through with my passion, I asked Jesse to join me on that endeavor and she was more than pleased as a fellow geek.

The first video we uploaded was 'The Dark Knight: Full movie Breakdown'.

With my marketing mind and Jesse's slightly pretty face in a few years we went big, we got sponsors, we got invited to premiers, I interviewed a bunch of celebrities, some even became my friends, life was going great as I finished highschool and moved to a media college.

While my dad was proud, my mother didn't exactly support the idea of staying before a camera, her Indian ethnic must have been scorching at the back of her mind.

Every time I would ask her why she was worried about me, she would say that if I keep watching movies and spend most of my life in a room, I will never get a girl but to prove her wrong. I did get a girl.

Her name was Nancy Spencer, she was not my first girlfriend, I dated a few back in highschool but none stuck, the simple reason was they were way too obsessed with their looks and attention rather than the relationship, so I fucked them for a few months and broke up like a true gentleman.

Anyways, Nancy was different, she talked about topics of general interest rather than cosmetics and Kardashians. Seriously, it was an extremely annoying thing with my Exes, just because I worked with celebrities didn't mean I would like to talk about them 24/7.

Nancy understood the relationship better than any of those girls, even though I was her first boyfriend, which was not surprising considering her father was the town's sheriff. Owen.

Owen and my dad were buddies, they would go hunting every time my old man is back from camp.

The Sheriff loved his daughter more than anything else in the world, Nancy lost her mother when she was just a child and Owen raised her alone, he would do literally anything to protect her.

Which was why he pulled a gun on me, when he found out that I was cuddling with his daughter on a Christmas morning in her bed.

Thankfully we were not naked.

I would accept it was not one of my greatest ideas but the thought of spending the night of Christmas with your girlfriend felt kinda cute at that time. Of course my mind forgot to make a note to leave, not stay and cuddle.

Things went the way they would after that, we had the Boyfriend-Dad talk and never once his hand left the rifle, actually he gripped the hilt tighter every time Nancy sided with me.

I knew he would never accept me, he wouldn't accept anyone as a perfect partner for his daughter but he did tolerate me for Nancy's sake.

A year passed, I introduced Nancy to my parents, my mom was more than pleased, I still vividly remember the conversation we had that night.

"So…" I trailed waiting for a word from my mom.

"I love her." She gave a big smile as she said it.

"Thank you." I sighed slumping down on the chair, my shoulders finally relaxed.

"She is one hella gal, the true mystery is how an idiot like you got her." Jesse quipped.

"Thanks for your existential note Jesse but I don't need it right now."

"No, it's true that you are a lucky guy." Mom added, causing Jesse to smirk.

"I think you meant she is a lucky girl." I chucked, shaking my head.

"No, it's you who's lucky." Dad barged in with a glass of whisky in his hand.

"Eu tu dad?" I asked in a mock fit of betrayal.

They all chuckled at my word as I smiled back before joining them.

My life was at the peak of happiness and as they say 'Life is a roller coaster and my down hill came soon.'

I remember it like it was yesterday, Nancy and I walked out of the theater with my hand wrapped around hers.

We came out after watching The Avengers, it was the third time for me but I wanted to watch it once more with her, so I compelled her to go with me.

"I would say RDJ owned that show." I smirked.

"How dare you, Hiddleston was better." She retorted.

"Oh please, 'burdened with glory purpose'-." I said imitating Loki's voice. "Of course he was better."

"See, even you accept." She smiled with her tongue out.

"I was being very sarcastic with that statement, you speak sarcasm?"

"I speak French."

"Then kiss me like you speak." I grinned at the dirty one liner and pulled her closer.

"Sneaky bastard." She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned in.

Our lips pressed against each other as our tongues played in our mouths, I locked my eyes with hers, it felt like I was in a trance, she gave into as we dwelled deeper.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Her head darted back as I saw her body fall, it all happened so slowly in my view, her pupils moving to the very top of her eyes, her white jacket turning crimson red, her back hit the road and she floated on her blood.

"T-Theo." She called my name and I stood in shock, unable to respond.

Nancy laid in the barren road, taking her last breath while I stood in the side, watching it all like I was frozen in time, her final words still resonating in my ears. "Theo-o."

"Nancy!!"

I don't remember for how long I was crying, holding her in my arms, her head on my lap and blood all over me, I think I fainted after a certain time and woke up in a hospital.

The police were already there, they said Nancy wasn't the only one who died that night, a total of eight people were killed.

The cops said they were chasing after a bunch of armed robbers and the robbers fired back, the stray bullets killed them but I knew they were lying. The night was still fresh in my head and I was damn sure I didn't hear a police siren or see their cars. I knew they were covering for somebody.

Owen on the other hand went absolute nuts,

After mourning for a few days, he went back to the station and demanded the file regarding the killings but his superior officer decided to pull him off the case as he was too emotional at the moment.

Owen didn't back down and demanded it but he only got a temporary suspension for half a year, it was clear as day that they were hiding something.

The police closed the case after arresting a bunch of old time criminals but I knew none of them were responsible for her death and I was in need of answers.

I started my research at the place the question was created.

The spot where she died was right before the theater's entrance. I found a security camera facing towards the exact direction we came out. I asked the manager for the footage of the night but I was rejected, then I called the owner of the theater, who was my friend or you can say a sponsor for my channel.

I reviewed the whole footage twice and found a black Lambo speeding through the street right as we were kissing. Not a single vehicle passed after it for an hour until a police car halted in the middle.

I tracked that Lambo using its registered license and found its owner. His name was Elliot, he was the Mayor's brother. I went around town asking about him, I found he was a well known druggie and the night she died, he was coming back from a drug party.

I knew too well that I can't take all my finds back to the cops, they were on the Mayor's payroll, so I took it to the guy who lost his only family.

I found Owen in his home, drunk and passed out, I got a bucket of water and dumped it on him.

"What The Fuck!!" He yelled, waking up in a fit of fury.

He turned around and looked at me for a moment before grumbling a swear and falling back on the couch.

"What the hell are you doing here kid? What the fuck is wrong with you?" He asked, clearly annoyed by my presence.

I didn't reply and took a good look at him, his beard had grown a bit longer, streaks of white and gray were all around his head, a distinct smell of alcohol surrounding him.

"I found out who killed her." I said without beating around the bush.

His eyes flashed with a spark of rage before he sighed and fell back with his hand laid over his forehead.

"I saw the paper too." He growled.

"Don't tell me you believe that shit!" I snapped back.

"They got those sons of bitches, what the fuck do you want me to do huh?! Take a gun and shoot them down?!" He yelled. "Is that what you want, they are way better rotting their lifes than a quick death, those bastards deserve it."

"They didn't do it!" I growled.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"They didn't do it." I sighed, repeating myself. "I went through the security cams and I found this."

I shoved my phone into his chest and took a seat next to him, Owen grumbled as he picked up the phone and blinked at the screen as the video played.

He clenched his fist as he saw Nancy falling down, his eyes razed above picking every single detail on the video.

"That's no shoot out." He noted in disbelief.

"It's not." I nodded.

"That son of bitch killed my honey bun." I took a minute and nodded again.

"Get your ass up, I know a guy from the vehicle board, if we run the number plate-."

"I already did." I replied. "It's Elliot Japerdes."

"Japerdes? Like the Mayor's brother."

"Yes." I gritted my teeth while I affirmed, he stayed silent for a moment before going for his gun.

"I'm killing that motherfucker!"

I gripped his hand, stopping him from reaching for it and pulled him down as I stood over him.

"You would kill jackshit." I muttered.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?!"

"I said you would kill jackshit!!" I roared in fury.

"He can't go out like that, he can't just take a bullet and fucking die, he should live, he should live while begging for death till the last moment he lives, he should regret every moment of living."

I stared dead into Owen's eyes as I finished my words.

"The gun is the easy way out, don't give him that, I have a plan, I need your help for that."

"Why are you doing this?" He asked in disbelief as he gazed at me.

"Do you know the feeling Owen? The feeling when you pour your time, your heart and everything into making an art but the bully breaks it without a second of thought because he doesn't understand it's worth, I felt like that except a thousand times worse." I took a breath and looked away.

"She didn't deserve to die, it should have been me, every day I wake up feeling like a part of me is crumbling down, like I left something on her grave, something I know I can never get back."

"Shit." Owen dropped the gun and turned around. "What the fuck is your plan?"

"Stage 1, take away his backer."

Elliot's biggest support was his brother, I needed to separate them and bring down his image at the same time, it wasn't that hard to do.

Things were already in a strain between after Elliot's latest fiasco, all the Mayor needed was a push and I decided to give it.

I stalked him for the next six months like a prey while Owen got his shit together and reinitiated as sheriff, all the pieces were set.

Jesse tried to talk me out of the plan when I first revealed it to her but in the end I convinced her and now she had a role in this long plan.

Jesse walked into the bar and began to flirt with Elliot, her objective was to spike his drink, obviously nothing lethal just the good ole morphine, it would knock him out for quarter a day.

Jesse pulled him into the back alley, we got him into our truck and drove to his brother's house. The Mayor had a rally that morning and only his 12 year old daughter was at home.

I covered my face and broke into the house, she screamed as she saw me lunging towards her, a hit in the back of her head did the job, I stripped her and Elliot and threw them in a bed.

I took her phone and sent a message to her father.

-Dad, uncle Elliot is in front of the house, he is screaming your name and trying to bargein!! Come here Asap!!

I still felt the smirk on my face as I saw the Mayor throw Elliot on the street while patronizing his daughter.

The same cops that hid his crime, arrested him for a crime he never did.

It was easy after this, the court sentenced him for 14 years in prison for attempted rape and murder, all I had to do was pay a guy on the inside and Owen to smuggle a bottle of cocktail and a lighter in. He did the rest.

Elliot's skin melted away before they were able to reach him and God, I was fucking done with it.

He was poor, in prison, with half his body melted away and struggling to live.

Whoever said revenge doesn't give me the satisfaction could never be more wrong, it had been done and I fucking loved it.

With my revenge plot done, I thought I was gonna settle in but then the whole world went crazy.

First Queen Elizabeth II died and the whole of England's economy crumbled in the following month, Russia and Ukraine went to war with each other while the Nato and UN tried to stop it, America was backing Ukraine in the shadows, when a Russian missile landed on Poland, it officially started world war 3.

As I said before peace is nothing but a limited interval of time between a war and another, at the age of 27 I was drafted into the French Military.

The war was a three part, United allied front consisted of America and its allies, while the Stronghold consisted of Russia, Japan, India and France, the final party was Imperial, China and most of the European countries were part of them, the gulf nations didn't want any part in the war other than profiteering. The African nations supplied soldiers to almost any country that was able to hire them.

At first I thought that America would be the one of the strong nation but nope, this generation of American soldiers that got drafted into war was fucking dumb, bunch of cry babies that couldn't handle a single death.

The only thing superior about them was their weapons and boy it gave us a headache, that's why after the first year of war Stronghold and Imperial formed a temporary alliance to wipe out America.

Mass nuclear attacks, it was Black Saturday except a guy pressed the big red button, for the first time in world history an entire country was wiped out of existence in a matter of days but America didn't stay dead for long, they had a killswitch of sorts, all their nuclear heads and their allies aimed at the other big cities.

Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Mumbai, Paris, London, it was one bad day, things didn't end anytime soon after that, the war between Stronghold and Imperial continued for years, until it was just what's left of Russia and China.

I was designated in Russia as a part of the last members of French special forces, I didn't know that it would be the last day for humanity.

"Sir! Imperial fired a warhead, the projectile department reported it's heading straight for us!" A soldier reported.

"Damn those bastards!" My chief cursed out. "Lads, on to the convoys now!!"

We got in our jeeps and drove for a mile, where our nuclear point was but we were ambushed at its entrance.

"Motherfuckers!!" Chief yelled in pain, the blast from a grenade had severed his leg but he was still shooting at the opposition.

I dragged him into the bunker and closed the door. I have no idea why the enemy soldiers were here, looks like they didn't know this place was going to be hit by a warhead or they did and still decided to come, a bunch of suicide maniacs.

"Hey Theo, how bad is it?" Chief asked, grunting in pain.

"Nothing much, just a twisted ankle." I sarcastically replied.

"Motherfucker, that bad huh." I shrugged at his words.

"Theo, turn the switch, let's finish this war for once and all." He said pointing at a big red button and lever next to it.

"Arise, children of the Fatherland~

Our day of glory has arrived~

Against us the bloody flag of tyranny~

is raised; the bloody flag is raised.~

Do you hear, in the countryside~

The roar of those ferocious soldiers?~

They're coming right into your arms~

To cut the throats of your sons, your comrades!~

To arms, citizens!~

Form your battalions~

Let's march, let's march~

That their impure blood~

Should water our fields~." I finished the first verse of the national anthem and banged the button as a warhead flew from our base.

I saw its trail of smoke in the bright sky and I saw another coming towards us or me, as I looked to my side to find my chief shooting himself with the pistol.

"I was the man that made humanity go extinct. Hahaha!" I laughed watching the warhead descend down, it blew a few feet away from me and I died in a flame of glory with a bloody smirk on my face.

We think life sucks but we never think about why our life sucks, even if we know the reason, we won't act on it until it's absolutely necessary but by then it would be too late.

I thought when I died I would either find myself in a pit of lava or in the arms of Nancy, the latter had very least possibility but the twist is I didn't end up in either of them.

I found myself in the ruins of what looked like an old Greek temple, surrounded by a group of men in black clothing with all their faces covered by masks.

"Welcome Bruce to the city of Eth Alth'eban." A stern voice came from the dark corner.

A man stepped out of the shadow, his cane thumping on the ground each time he took a step forward.

"Looks like your search for the league is finally over." He halted his steps a few meters before me and all the men in black bowed to him.

'What the fuck?'