End of the Odyssey(1)

"His version of a villain… it's pretty unique, isn't it?"

"Folks, I'm stunned! I thought this would just be some normal odyssey when I was sponsored to commentate on it… but I'm truly stunned! This guy is really something!"

"Now that I think about it, I realize that I've gotten really tired and sick of villains all acting… I dunno, evil? Why should a villain be evil, anyway? There are a few famous ones who just do their own thing… but that's because they're headstrong in their methods, not because they believe in something. Well, even if they do, we've never heard their thoughts, so how could we know? Don't miss a single moment, folks, because I'm telling you, this is history in the making!"

Those four words reverberated in the room, making Helena look up from the screen of the engineer she had been studying until now and smile.

The conference room was busier than ever. At one point, she had even ordered the wall behind them to be demolished so that the space could grow bigger, and hence, there were many more people now, and even many spectators who had been invited on her insistence.

All of them were the representatives of reputed toolmakers or advertising companies, and all of them seemed to be quite surprised due to the reactions being shown on the screen at the corner of the room.

It had been split into eight panes, each showing the video of a popular streamer commenting on the footage of the odyssey that had just been released by them.

The streaming culture was still very prevalent even after the descent of the gods. She didn't know why, but people seemed to have an abject interest in looking at other people experience something.

'Is it because it feels good to vicariously live life through someone else? I'll never understand it… but I don't need to understand to make use of it!'

All eight had been paid, and although they were prone to exaggerating things both for the benefit of their viewers and their employers, this time, their enthusiasm seemed genuine.

So far, the other five were still keeping their opinions close to their chests, merely commenting on little things while their eyes seemed to be growing shinier and shinier. If truth be told, those five were even more famous than the three who had already given their conclusions, and with excitement, Helena was waiting to see what they would say.

Projectors had been set up on the adjacent walls, too. One of them showed the TV broadcast, which was still the main medium they were using. Sadly, it had been normal for such channels to sign exclusive contracts, so the only thing they could do was use the footage already broadcasted to direct even more people to the channel.

A big red number was constantly changing on the top right corner of the image. Right now, it read 345,000, and with a grin, she bent down to an engineer who had finished making the changes she had ordered.

"Mandela…"

Al gave his speech, but she could bet that if he was the one seeing it, even he would not have been able to believe that that was how it had looked. He would be right, though… as they had been heavily editing the footage because they had all agreed that it was the main anchor that would repeatedly call people over, appealing to their never-ending search for something new and thrilling to see and feel.

When the speech was finished, she frowned. After thinking for a bit, she said, "Sharpen his chin slightly. Don't do it too much, though… he should still be recognizable outside. Also, make his voice go deeper when he mentions those that have influenced him. And finally, pan the camera at the ending to frame his face from the left, while a dull glow appears on the right. Got it?"

The engineer nodded. Satisfied, Helena got up and walked to the other end of the room, heading to the people spectating the odyssey while muttering between themselves.

On the way, she glanced at the wall opposite the one showing the live broadcast. It was also split into multiple panes, and each one showed a different social network, with a percentage that dictated how effectively they were penetrating it.

After the descent of the gods, there had been a shuffling of corporate entities where a few had had no choice but to assimilate and work together if they wanted to survive in the shifting climate of the world. Some of those that had undergone this turmoil had been the social networks, which had been targeted by the government for reasons unknown before being assimilated in a move that had shocked the world.

Currently, they were jointly run, with the advantage being that they could directly tap into the resources of the government which included the ability to watch odysseys. So, even though TV channels also had this right, they were secondary in the revenue they brought in, as too many people would always be hooked on to the social network that was showing an odyssey as it was a familiar platform, unlike the TV media which had begun to drop off in the beginning of the 21st century, itself.

Right now, the penetration wasn't very high in the combined, global social platform known as 'Atlas'. It was to be expected, though, as costs might run into the tens of millions if one wanted to advertise even the smallest of things, and right now, they were only targeting other ways of doing so, which had limited success, at best.

As soon as she reached the rows of chairs at the corner of the room, she was accosted by a tall, exuberant woman who had been talking to the bald manager until now.

"So, Helena… what're you thinking? I know that face, so don't tell me it's nothing!"

Joy had always had a way of reading her like an open book. They had practically grown up together, with similar backgrounds that had resulted in them being thrown together to play ever since they had been children.

Always the one who wanted to draw as much attention as possible to herself wherever she was, Joy was sporting purple hair that fell to her back in intricate locks. She was dressed in a backless, matching purple dress that was so tight that two dots poking out were clearly visible on her chest, and Helena had to look away and stop herself from wanting to admonish the girl.

Sighing and looking at the manager who was also forcefully keeping his eyes anywhere but on her friend, she said, "I've been feeling that the range is too small. We are only targeting our efforts in one city, in one part of the world. We should go global!"

A voice emanated from somewhere behind them, drifting over and standing apart due to its gender.

"Oh, please, Helena. You can't be serious. I just came here because you seemed really thrilled…but all this hubbub is getting on my nerves. I've been talking to the manager, too. Joy, can you believe that this was only supposed to be a very minor advertising stunt, with only the budget to reach just a hundred thousand people? It's been tripled, already, and she's still increasing it! True, there is some allure to what this inexperienced kid is doing… but at the end of the day, he's only going to be crushed by the Children of the Dragon! Why spend so much, if it's going to end with a loss anyway?"

The man who walked over was wearing casual shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. His hair was mussed up, but somehow, it still looked like it had been styled extensively. He shared features with her friend; they were both caucasian and they both had high cheekbones and sharp noses, but it was his eyes that completely set him apart.

They were red, the color of dark, seeping blood.

Helena had never liked to look into them. So, turning to the screen at the end of the room, she said, "Tell me, Zachary. How many newbies have you seen successfully kill a member of the opposing team, without sustaining a single loss, themselves, despite such a massive power difference? How many newbies have you seen who are so interesting that with just a little bit of push, they're being talked about by hundreds of thousands of people? How many newbies have you seen who have a clear understanding of themselves, and are ready to do anything to stand by their beliefs? Yes, he's a newbie, and yes, he might lose… but mark my words: he is a star. Some people just have that 'allure', as you've put it. That charm that can only be discovered, but never taught. I believe I've discovered it. But hey… don't trust me, just keep watching. After the end of the odyssey, we'll talk again, and then, you can tell me if I've made the right decision. Okay?"

Zachary shrugged and sat down. Joy smiled and gave her a hug. Before she could say anything, though, one of the engineers at the front of the room raised his hand and shouted, "He's going to express his plan! All those who do not wish to have the end exposed must leave now!"

'So it's finally time. Alaric… I hope you don't let me down.'

With one last look at that youthful face, she walked out, but even she couldn't ignore her fluttering heart, and the anticipatory excitement of someone who had watched an excellent movie… and was waiting for the perfect ending.