Prologue
Drip, Drip, Drip…
Water from a nearby pipe woke me with an incessant repetition of noise. I looked at the damn thing and just glared at it… 'I suppose you're only doing me a favor. God knows I wouldn't bother getting up otherwise.' I though as I got up from the water stained cement floor I call my bed. I was rather proud of it in the beginning, but after all this time it is no different than being on the ground out there. The only evidence of my existence here were my tally's, the counting system I had long ago stopped using. So many years had passed that the walls were full, the ceiling a myriad of scratches mirrored by its partner's, the floor.
"How is that true?" A person may ask me. If there were any of them left to talk to. "Where did they all go?" Another may ask me. I would say I just don't know.
I know a lot of things, a very, very large amount of information lies within me. From where does it stem, is a question I have oft asked myself. You see, I have a condition. A special one that affects my mind. If someone could hear me, they would recognize it. My knowledge names it amnesia. I have no memories before the Day, as I call it. The Day was my first memory. It went like this
/
Light flitted in through the gap in the rubble and woke me. My body reacted before I could think and I sat up, impaling my head on a jagged piece of steel rebar that stuck out of the rubble pile in front of me. That was when I learned I was not a normal person. I had somehow not only survived, but when I screamed, "God damn it! Fuck!" in pain and tore it from my skull, it shattered the concrete and went flying into a nearby wall and stuck there.
"What the hell?" I asked myself as I felt my skin knit itself together and my skull close the wound. "Where am I? What happened?" I asked louder as I stumbled to my feet and started walking.
I walked for ten minutes, through rubble filled streets and completely decimated buildings. There were no buildings larger than four stories still standing. I had stopped when I heard shifting rubble around the corner and loud pants/heavy breathing. I peeked around the building and saw a large fleshy beast. "Hunter" I whispered, 'How do I know that?' I asked myself before the beast interrupted me.
It roared in my direction and jumped onto the remains of the building I was hidden behind. Thankfully, it collapsed and killed the beast. Or, that was what I thought as I started walking again…
I made it about ten feet before I was blindsided by a car, which was thrown at ridiculous speeds and ragdolled me across the street and through a building where I laid in pain before blacking out.
I groggily opened my eyes and judged the sun. I had slept from three to four hours and the 'Hunter' had long left. Forcing myself from the wreckage, I stood and resumed my wandering.
/
I had wandered this Island ever since that day. I learned what I could of what had survived. I had seen glimpses of memories and felt desires I just acted on and arrived where I am today.
In this destroyed land of gray sand and metal trees, I am the only intelligent life form. I have lived in this place since before its desert era. I watched the ruins erode and the steel corrode into rust. I have walked every inch of it and can only dream of what lies across the waters. 'What lies across the sea upon the green shore? Is it the same as here?' I ask myself often, before wandering the land for the next time I saw the shore.
I had learned that I was similar to the beasts when I first killed one. Or, I suppose they were similar to me. I defeated the first through simple tactics and hand to hand combat; I had literally punched it to death after jumping onto its back from a great height. I had discovered my power then. It was a simple thing, yet it was so complex at the same time.
The things I kill become me. I gain their thoughts and memories. All of their skills and all of their abilities become mine, in time. I had learned that the beasts were somewhat civilized that day. They had families and cared for each other. After that day, I never attacked them first and tried to run away from a fight.
As time past, they grew less volatile and eventually began to learn. I saw them through their lives, growing old and burying their dead. I noticed they never burned the bodies, regardless of how far they had advanced by their end.
Long after my Tally count ended, they had learned to speak. It was a crude language, but I could understand it. I even helped the more open minded ones develop it and little by little they did. At this point I no longer considered them beasts; they were people of a sort, to me. They had named themselves at one point in time, Ones. They lived in their shelters and grew domesticated the animals that roamed free.
A scientific side, a large side to say the least, of my thoughts revolved around whether humans, the beings I once had been a part of, had truly developed like these Ones. Another part of me wondered how far they could go, and if I should even let them.
My decision was stolen from me an uncounted number of generations later. The Ones had changed physically by this time, their bodies grew sleeker and they shrank from an eight foot to a six foot stature. Their hands became dexterous and their claws, retractable. They covered themselves in animal skins of many shapes and sizes. They had weapons and tools and armors. They even had a leader and a police force for their city. But not once, not even once, had they ever become ill nor had they needed medicine… until one of them fought me, their legend and a god figure. He had been named Hun'fg T'un, or Rough Sand if translated. He believed me to be a demon, a wicked being. He fought me in a one on one battle and lost. Although I spared his life, he grew bitter and twisted. Not just his mind fell though; his body followed it into the darkness.
Amongst the Ones, a disease spread and infected almost all of them. It reverted them to their forms as beasts and they shredded life forms indiscriminately with a plethora of biological mutations. I fought them and with my ability gained their weapons, their knowledge, and in a way, their disease. It was then that I realized what I was, I was a disease. I was a sentient disease, and at one point in my past I must have caused them to exist.
The few living Ones threatened me never to interact with them again and I did not. But, it was too late for them. They lost almost all of their society and devolved over time due to the lingering virus. Only a small group remained intelligent. And they were at war with their brothers until both sides were nearly destroyed. And then, only a family of intelligents survived. A father and a son with a daughter who was slowly losing herself to the ravages of my disease.
I had tried to help them, but they refused and the next week she turned on them killing her father before her crying brother of 7 years slew her with his father's blade. I had taken the boy in. I raised him and loved him. He hated me at first, but later accepted my presence and eventually he accepted my fatherly love.
We wandered the island and I taught him things. He learned my language as well as the sciences I could show him with the ruins that surrounded us. He loved to talk with me, he said he loved my voice. 'When did I last use my voice?' I thought before remembering Our last Day…
/
I looked at the dying body of my first and only companion, the boy I had raised. He was dying, I knew this. Counting the sunrises, we had made a tally of 365 sunrises to celebrate his survival and to mourn his family's death every year. Seeing them I thought of his happy life and the short joy he had brought to my apparently eternal life, and how it would end all too soon. Though we learned that he was immune to my disease like 13% of the One population had been. He had still aged unlike me. My red and black body had never changed throughout my life. My clothes never tattered and my skin never blemished. But his light gray skin had, first his eyes weakened. Then his sound dimmed. Later his food fought him and his mind scrambled for clear thoughts. In the end, he could barely walk.
He had surprised me though, on his last day he seemed to have gained it all back. Almost.
"Father, please take me to the shore. I wish to see the other side once more." He asked me. No pause for thought or wavering eyes as he looked at me.
I had gladly helped him to my shoulders asking, "Well then Gl'and. Are you ready for a piggy back ride?"
"I would say I am too old for that, but I suppose you're still older." He laughed in response as I carried him.
I ran at my top speed and arrived at the shore in three hours. He had napped on my back and I had cried quietly for a length of time. He had woken with the sound of the waves and I sat him on our favorite spot. An old pedestal to a statue long dead and gone. He sighed in relief as he gazed over the waters, "Father, sing me the song, please." He asked of me.
I softly laughed at the request before saying, "I thought you were too old for that stuff?"
He stared at me with his watery eyes and I gave in to him. "Alright, alright. I hope you know how embarrassing this is."
"You shouldn't be dad, I love your voice. Every time you talk, it sounds like you sing to me." Gl'and said softly as his eyes fluttered open and shut.
His time was short so I began to sing,
"The distance shimmers and dances
The children learn righteous stances
And waves role back and forth
Glimmering suns fall and bounce like fun
The loving son's death would ever fade
And never see them done in day
The waves say hi and love the sky with tons of helpless time
The soothing feel of rain erupts and calming winds rage by
And ever the forest grows, but how? No one knows.
Across the sea the burnt red leaves stand upon trees of grey
The dirt is tread and living fed while dead will fade away
And fly across the waves
Their fun is done
Their time runs short
And they begin to wane
But the waves will whisper
So the sky will cry
And through them both will they travel
A new world lies across the sea
Where leaves are green and no trees gray
And never comes an ending day…"
I ended my song and looked at my boy, his breathing almost too soft for even me to hear. "Father?" he whispered.
"I am here." I said as a tear formed in my eye.
"I always wanted to see it…" he said as he looked across the sea.
"I know son, I know." I responded as I hugged him closely.
"I know I never will father, the song isn't true. I know this." He said as my tears started to fall. "I have one thing to ask though dad, is there really another side, across the sea?"
"Yes son, there is." I said through my clenched teeth as I held in a sob.
My son pushed me a way with the last of his strength and looked me in the eyes, "Then I hope I am wrong and that we meet there sometime. It would make my Day."
He then dropped into my chest and in my arms that day he died. Just short of his one hundred-thirty-seventh year.
/
I sighed in memory of his death, so many lifetimes ago. I had tried so many times to save his life in some way, but none worked. I only recently discovered exactly what I could have done to save him. It turns out, not only am I a disease. I am a virus, the most adaptable and indestructible thing on earth. And all of my powers, all of my abilities. They all come from my mind's manipulation of it, the virus. It whispers names, redlight blacklight whitelight, and hundreds more. But my virus is special, I don't replicate myself within others. I take in the D.N.A. and life stories of everything I kill, in a sense I replicate others within myself...
Had I simply ended him myself, I could have brought him back. Once I knew this, every day the pain grew and sometimes I don't get up.
But this sunrise, I got on my knees. I searched my mind for any memory of a higher being and I folded my hands. I searched my mind and for the first time since my son's death, I spoke. My voice vibrated the walls around me as my pain topped out inside of my head "God." I said, " My mind tells me that you exist. It says that you are a fair being of unequaled power. That you can do anything you wish. It also tells me that you are willing to help those who are in need. It hurts my mind sometimes. To imagine you that is. I find myself lost here. I have nothing left and I can't die. The water is uncrossable, my body just won't let me. So please, please help me. I know that you work in mysterious ways, but why have I been left here, why am I in such pain? What did I do that has given me this sentence? What do I have to do to lift it? I know not who I was nor what I did. But, I know who I am now. I take responsibility for the creation of the beasts and acknowledge myself. I, the Viral King, apologize for whatever I did; but, please help me."
I was stopped as a wind blew the sand and rust around me in a red and grey twister and my vision blurred. In a flash of light, the world spiraled out of control and went dark.
/
Third person
A young man lies on the floor across from a mighty throne. An incomprehensible being of great might stares at him, contemplating his options. He snaps his fingers and the room goes completely dark. The young man stirs and sits up in the darkness.
"Hello?" He asks. Two voices echo back to him in a tuned manner.
The being on the throne clears his throat, "I assume that you have an idea of what you are?"
The man says, "I do. But, please tell me who you are. It has been such a long time since I have conversed with someone. I would appreciate your name."
The being chuckles, "I suppose you would, after all. It has been almost 3 millennia since he died."
The man suddenly straightened his spine and glared directly at the being, disregarding the darkness completely. "Who are you, and where is my son?" he said in a cold voice.
"I am sorry, but he was reincarnated about 1,080 years ago. He is no longer who you know. But he left quite the legend there. The knowledge you installed in him clung to his very soul, Viral. Even after being reincarnated, he followed your morals to a tee."
The man sat on the floor and laid his head against the wall. His open trenchcoat showing his marble patterned red and black skin. The glowing crimson of his eyes danced under his hood in a shimmering light as tears fell to the ground. "Can I see him, the man my son has become?" he asked, pain ripping his voice and sending his echoes into a havoc.
"Yes, but I warn you. He doesn't look even slightly similar to before. Only his morals and opinions on life remain. He will not recognize you." The being cautioned.
"I don't care, I need the closure." The man assured him.
"Okay," the being raised his voice. "Come in!"
Jason's head swiveled to the doors that opened the room to light before the being made it stay. Through the doors trotted a four legged creature, herbivorous and apparently domestic in appearance as well as old from the grey facial hair. Judging by the general shape, Jason said "He became a HORSE?" before the 'horse' approached him.
"No, good fellow. I happen to be a PONY. Horses are much larger and live in the country of Saddle Arabia." He said. "Pleasure to meet you, my name is Starswirl the Bearded. But, you can call me Star." He then turned to the being and said. "I beg your pardon lord First, but who is this being? I can feel his taint, why is he in heaven?"
Jason connected the dots and said, "So you are god? I am not dreaming, correct?"
God looked at Jason and said, "Fortunately, you are not dreaming. But, please call me First. God is a title."
Jason stood and brushed off his black cargo pants before moving in front of the pony and kneeling. "Star, when faced with a dangerous situation in which either you die or you turn evil, what would you do?"
"I die, my power is great and were I turned evil I would be nearly unstoppable." He responded steadfastly.
Jason rose and looked directly at First. "That is exactly what I taught my son."
"I know, I told you your teachings remained. Even a lot of your sciences remained with him. He went on to develop magical versions of quite a few of them." First chuckled.
"So is there no way of regaining my son?" Jason asked.
"No, unfortunately Jason. He willingly erased his life and was reincarnated into the pony standing before you. Your son is gone, all that remains is Star and his legacy." First replied heavily.
Star spoke up, "So this being was my father in my past life?" Both Jason and First nodded. Star looked at Jason and said, "Thank you, you kept my soul pure enough that I ascended to heaven and was reborn, regardless of your own foul soul. But why are you here? In heaven I mean."
First said, "He is here because for the first time in an eon, this being prayed with the full power of his ancient soul on his knees begging for my help. He has lived for longer than any sentient being on his planet ever. It would literally be impossible for me to ignore his plea." He then turned to Jason, "You are aware of what you did, are you not?" he asked.
Jason looked into his eyes and said, "Through the glimpses of my past, I saw a battle of titanic proportions that consumed the world. A being swarming with black material versus a being swarming with red. They clashed with force unmatched and their battle lasted longer than I have seen. The ending is hidden but I put together the pieces and I think I know the truth."
First looked surprised at his in depth explanation and asked of him, "Do you believe your punishment was enough? Has your pain lessened your burden?"
"No, I have destroyed not one. But two sentient species First. There is no saving me now." Jason said as tears followed the red streaks of his skin.
"You are wrong, Jason. Your soul is not too far gone yet!" Star said encouragingly. Looking at First he said, "I am right. We can still save his soul."
First smiled inwardly, 'Good job Starswirl. If he loses hope, then all will fall. It is time that our trump card finally took his place on the table…' outwardly he said, "Do you believe this in all truthfulness?"
Star nuzzled Jason's neck and raised his hood, revealing his black highlighted red hair that swept back to his shoulders. "Jason, I believe in you. I may not be your son anymore, but I share his soul. And it tells me to believe in you. You are not lost yet."
Jason sighed softly and looked to First, "What can I do? What could make up for exterminating 2 sentient species? What will save my souls?"
Friend looked to Star and said solemnly in response. "There are quite a few things actually. But, the one you seem most suited for is guardianship. Do you have any idea what that means?" Jason shook his head. "It means that you must protect a species from threats for as long as you are needed. If they are broken from within, if they are destroyed in any way under your watch then you fail and your soul will be scrubbed. All that you are will be destroyed, including your abilities. If you are up to it, I can allow you to do this. Will you risk complete destruction for forgiveness?"
"Are there any catches? It seems a bit too good to be true…" Jason said in suspicion.
First sighed, "I suppose you might as well know. In order for your guardianship to count, you must do it from the bottom of your heart. You must actually want to protect the species. And for you, the only way to do that is losing your memories once again and starting anew. But, as help. You gain knowledge of the species' most important members as well as flashes of necessary knowledge so that you can settle in as a protector/guardian.
Also, the term guardian is held loosely. You can basically do whatever you want as long as the society remains stable and over fourty percent of them survive. Below that is a no go. There are a few other rules that my Friend would help you with subconsciously if you accept the offer.
Note that if you refuse, you go back to your island for eternity and I will never respond again to your prayers.
Now, knowing most of the risks and rules, do you accept a Guardianship role as your punishment for exterminating two sentient species?"
Jason thought little about his answer, "Will I ever regain my memories?"
First answered, "You may, they are not destroyed. They are contained. Normal beings would probably die from removing the block, but you? I don't know. If Friend finds it possible, he will do so. But do you accept this task?"
"Yes, but I have a request. Can I protect the species that my son reincarnated as, and do I keep my abilities?"
First smiled as the silver floor extended a tendril of liquid silver up Viral's coat, "Yes, I could. Also, you will probably forget most of them. But, your sub-consciousness should remember some of them and you can always make more."
A moment of silence ensued as the silver seeped through his ear and Jason fell to the ground as his memories were stored inside his new Friend and the Guardianship was initiated.
"Good luck child. You will need it."