HAPPY NEW YEAR
I'll be honest with you, new years don't feel special anymore. I mean it happened more than 20 times for me already, but I guess this year's special because in April the date will be 4/20
And what a crazy start to a year. Australia burning due to the insane amount of prayers to rid of the spiders down there, all the talks about WW3, more than 20 million trees planted, me updating a story
You just don't get these kinds of events often
Anyway, here's hoping for a better year for all of us than last year
Also, as English is not my first language, please and I mean please let me know of the mistakes. Pm or whatever you wanna do to let me know so I can fix them and stop making them in the first place. I really do want to get better however possible
Lucifer
Chapter XXV
||Dawn of Hope||
Lucifer stared without attention at the surface of the ceiling. Nothing could stop his mind from thinking about her, how to bring her back. Rossweisse was right next to him, resting on his arm, yet he could only think of her.
To be fair, Rossweisse wasn't dead.
But still, the guilt he felt wouldn't stop bugging him.
He breathed deeply. "Do you love me, Rosie."
"H-h-huh?!" Rossweisse who was in trouble of sleeping immediately jumped into a stiff sitting posture, "Wh-wh-wh-what are you asking?!"
"Fine." Lucifer got up as well. The room was dark, but not completely dark. The dusky purple lights from the artificial moon had seeped in through the window. "Do you still love me the way I am now?"
When she saw that his face was solemn, completely without his usual playful demeanor or smirking look, Rossweisse went quiet.
It must be about her.
"I do. Why did you ask?" She asked again, this time with a sorrowful tone as she a guess of what was coming; that he couldn't love her as he did to Rias. He was her first love, and it was by her own decision to love him despite knowing Rias also loved him, and loved by him in return. But none of that would be of help if her first love was one-sided.
Lucifer chuckled. "Look at me. I am a mess. A gorgeous mess but a mess nonetheless. How could I think about another woman when you're lying beside me?"
Expected, but hurt all the same.
"I know…" she whispered, glancing down at her legs and her clenched hands, "but I'm fine with that… since it's you. I don't have a very happy life, Lucifer, but that date with you was the happiest I've ever been."
She raised her head to look at him. He looked conflicted, a bit regretful that he asked it, probably. It made her glad a little.
"I don't need anyone's pity- I don't want them. See I've tried hard. So, so hard, but… I never feel appreciated. It's like no matter how hard I tried; I never get want I wanted. I had to work hard to get to where I was, so no one in my hometown can look down on me anymore. But… it doesn't really matter, does it? No matter what I'll do I'll still be seen as a failure."
"Rosie, I-"
"But not in your eyes!" She cried, "Not in yours… not in Kiba's… not in Koneko's… not in Asia's or Akeno's… not even in Rias'. In their eyes I'm one of them the moment I introduce myself as a devil… only one day, and I felt like I… belonged."
"What I'm saying is… everyone's given so much to me while I haven't given them anything. I even got Rias killed." Before Lucifer could say otherwise, she shut him up with a scream. "NO! That's the truth! Nothing anyone say can change that. She died because of me. And because of me… you don't have her by your side."
"Rias, she… she changed my life. That night, you both changed my life. Yes I worry about disappointing my grandmother… but I didn't have to worry about anybody else from my hometown. They don't worth the time. Instead, I have all of you now… but I made everyone lose her… I'm a failure still… in the end. As a valkyrie, or as a devil."
"She told me to love you." Lucifer froze. "'Love him', she said… right before she died. I know I can't replace her and I know you want to bring her back but- at least until you do, don't make me fail her. Please don't make me fail her again…"
"…I know I'm saying this as if it's for her… but it's for me. I'd rather be the second… or even third, fourth… even dead last than be rejected by you. I know that's pathetic, but I am helplessly in love with you Lucifer."
Lucifer didn't say anything aside from looking gloomy and sad, and extended his arms out.
Rossweisse crawled over and fell limply at him. He slowly lied down with her in his arms, and whispered, "Sod it all, I'll bring her back and love you both."
She cried until she was drifted to sleep.
That night, Lucifer stayed wide awake. That only steeled his resolve in getting her back, no matter what or how. Those vampires better pray they have that damned cup.
Break
"...Rossweisse..."
"A peculiar one, she is. Tenacious despite she often thought everything seemingly wanted to bring her down."
"..." Rias went quiet, staring at the televion screen that was showing the inside of a guest room of her home. The screen disappeared not long later as she turned away, silently sitting on the stalls.
"You've had enough?" Death asked.
"I... don't want to watch anymore." She replied, slouching to her arms. "It makes me wish I'm not dead."
Death chuckled. "I suppose this is where I try to steer your thought elsewhere. So tell me, now that you have experienced it, do you fear death?"
"I… well… yes." Rias paused. "Or I was... at least until I met you."
Death chuckled softly. "Do you know what I find the strangest? All living being has a misplaced fear towards death. What they fear is the dying part. Death the quickest event all living being will ever experience. Faster than a blink of an eye, you could say. And unlike taxes, it only turns up once for the many."
"I… guess that's true, but even so knowing that won't help much… I think." Rias pondered. She rarely ever second-guessed herself, at least when she was alive. She wasn't sure how much time had passed since she 'woke up' in this weird bar, but she had grown somewhat comfortable being around him – Death, as she guessed. "You- we still don't know what happens next."
"Fear of the unknown." Death corrected. Rias nodded. "Again, yet another misplaced fear."
"Hmm… Are you telling me that because you don't want to be feared?"
He tilted his head. "Hm? What makes you think so?"
Rias somewhat knew he already knew, but she replied anyway. "Because aren't you Death?"
He chuckled. His chuckle was a far cry from Lucifer's. If Lucifer chuckled, it was nearly always carried a playful ring onto it. But his father – his allegedly TRUE creator -, his chuckles sounded derisive. More of a repeated 'heh' than anything that resembled a chuckle. Same rang true for his smile. It was barely there, as if he was smiling only to be friendly with her.
Either way, he chuckled, and he smiled. Rias just wasn't sure what to feel about it.
"Even you're unsure of it yourself. Tell me, young miss, what do you think I am?"
"…Death?"
"Am I?" He asked as he crossed his legs, sitting atop his bar counter. "It does make sense, subjectively speaking from your side of perspective. 'Where there is life, death hangs idly by.'. Assume that my brother is Life – the Creator of all things, then it isn't strange for me to be 'Death'. Yin and Yang, and such. After all, we've known each other since the beginning, haven't we? Not to mention a number of 'Grim Reapers' doing my bidding, so it is only sensible for me to be 'Death', no?"
Rias grew skeptical. "Isn't that who you are?"
"No, I don't think I am. It's what most prefer to call me and choose to comprehend what I am. But I am not Death. I am the same being as the one who you call 'God'. The God from the bible – I suppose, only with fewer virtues. 'Death', to me, weighs nothing more than a name. Even the Grim Reapers was created by my sibling, not I."
Her crimson eyebrows furrowed. "…So that means… there are two Gods? By that I mean, the true, true Gods?"
"What of them who see themselves as one? Or they who are created by the faith of their people, including those who simply don't care. Aren't they 'gods' as well?"
"They… still are…" Rias slowly said, at the time trying to figure it out as well. "Wait… are they? Zeus, Ares, the Olympians? The Nordic Gods? The Japanese Deities? Compared to you, what… are they?"
Death simply shrugged, clearly not as disturbed as her upon learning the heavy truth.
"But… if they're Gods or… not… what does that make you…? You and the God from the Bible? Are you both Primordial Beings?"
"Will it sound strange to you if I wonder the same myself?" His chuckle was softer this time. "A being that questions its own creation… Is that being fit to be a 'god'? Not that I particularly worry about it. I am fine without knowing what I am, how I came into being, my purpose of existing, or if I truly existed since the beginning of time itself or whether there was a time before then or after my time."
He said such heavy ideas with such nonchalance when they terrified her greatly.
"How… How could you say such things? Living without purpose… Not knowing. It has always been my greatest fear… how can you be so… calm?"
"Perhaps that's what makes us different. To feel no uneasiness over uncertainties – to be exempt from the need of certainties. Fantasies."
"Fantasies?"
"Oh yes. Quite a lot of them, truly."
Rias furrowed her eyebrows again, and frowned. "I... don't get it. What kind of fantasies are you talking about?"
"Justice. Mercy. Virtues. Duty. An ideal order of how things shall proceed. A rightness in the universe by which it shall be judged. Purposes. That sort of thing. Something I am certain we both have different perception of, and requirement of. Would it be wrong of me to say you need those things to live?"
"But those aren't fantasies." Rias rejected, finding the idea outlandish.
"Are they? Very well. Then take the entire universe and grind it down to the finest powder, sieve it through the finest sieve, and then show me a single atom of justice, one molecule of mercy. You will find none, as there is none. There is no such thing as 'right' or 'wrong', just places to stand."
"But people need all of those things to live, else what's the point?"
"My point exactly. Science and rationality are all well and good, but belief gives color and poetry to life. Meaning, even if it's false meaning, is crucial in living."
And Rias understood this time. "…I… see…" A grim revelation that if it spread like a general knowledge to humans, or any thing living, be it on Hell or Earth, would spur unimaginable chaos. What would a life without the need for virtues turn to be? Horrible, she'd bet.
She liked to think she was a little bit wiser now – or at least more knowledgeable.
"All of the creations are very interesting beings. Capable of creating something new, even inventing boredom in a universe full of wonders. And yet, at the same time, dwell about many things as well. The past, the present, the future. It is no surprise your creation took quite a while."
"Didn't it take only 6 days?"
Death laughed quite happily this time – she truly felt like a small kid facing a grandfather with many stories to tell. "Child; how we perceive time is relative."
"…Oh." Great. He started to call her 'child' too.
"Have you wondered why among the many planets there is in your known universe; Earth is the only one habitable?"
"Surely there must be a distant planet, yet to be uncovered that's similar to Earth."
"Similar? Yes. Many. Habitable? There is only one, and that is Earth."
Rias thought long and hard, and she decided it was scary. "We're all alone? There's only one Earth? One Hell? One Heaven?"
"One Valhalla. One Olympus. All bundled in one nearby position – relatively speaking, of course." Death chuckled. "Let me bring back my previous question."
She thought long and hard once again, disregarding the biggest truth she learned so far about the existence. Her eyes widened when she arrived at her conclusion. "You're saying… all the other planets were failures?"
"You can find many people and scriptures that say God is perfect, but never once He claimed He was." Death said. "Certainly tenacious, however. I had watched Him fail many times, as His very first creations crumbled and faded from existence, and yet He strived until Eden was created. But before angels came to be, there was one. You know them well as demons."
"Demons?" Rias repeated. "Aren't demons spawns of Hell?"
"That is what you know them as – and what they think they are. At first, they weren't the demons you know. They were like Him; they understood everything. They also understood their little influence in the universe, that they were a mere… guinea pigs, as you say. Pets for God. And like you, they too, needed purposes in their life. Living in a glorified cage unfortunately did not sound appealing as a way of living."
"...What happened to them?"
"What would you have done if you were in their places?"
"I'd… choose not to live."
"Understandable. Not few claimed their life. Had God didn't take away their memories, you'd never hear of them. He was far too soft to hold all the power He had. He couldn't erase them. He gave them a place to live. Don't be mistaken, Hell was beautiful. It was closer to Eden than it was to the Hell you know. But God didn't take away their anger as a reminder of His failures, and thus they vented on whatever they could, and that was how Hell became… Hell.
"He created Eden then, now Heaven for His next creations; the angels. They have no ill intents, and He gave them a purpose; to serve Him faithfully. But blind faith did not sit right for Him. It was then I realized He had become vastly different than me; He too, as you are, required an ideal order of things, and that He had grown far too attached to His creations.
"Of course, as we were once the same, I tried emulating how He felt. Purely out of curiosity, I created a being myself."
"…Lucifer." She completed.
"Helel, he was called then by his cousins." Death continued. "I watched him grow with them, yet not once I felt attached."
Rias cast a dejected look.
"Don't worry. I might have grown soft on him as well." He said with a gentle smile this time. It nearly made her cry on how similar it was with Lucifer's. "Should I haven't, you wouldn't be here. You would be moving on with your next life."
"I… see… Thank you."
"It's unnecessary, but I accept your gratitude." Death softly nodded. "Then He created humans. At first, they weren't any different than the angels aside from the wings. A little bit limited, yes, but they revered Him in the end. At least, until one of the demons snuck by, jealous of how the humans seemingly had everything given to them.
God didn't dare banish this demon despite knowing full well of what was to come. You see, He had accumulated a lot of guilt from His past failures. You can say Sacred Gears were one of His few 'gifts' to atone for that."
"So He let that demon stay…" Rias added, "Wait… could it be? Was that demon, Lilith…?"
Death nodded. "Adam's first wife. Or rather, mate. The one who led Eve to take a bite to the forbidden fruit all to spite God. You could say it was too perfect to be un-orchestrated."
Her eyes widened. "He meant for humans to fall?!"
"Yes. The Tree of Knowledge was placed merely as a method of him confirming the existence of 'free will'. Had humans blindly listened to Him, what's the difference between them and angels? Why did He create humans in the first place then?"
"But… but why?"
"Eden was good, so was Earth. It was a far more suitable place for humans to live and thrive. The fact that Adam consummated with both Lilith and Eve showed Him there was a chance for humans and demons to live together. To start life anew."
Rias went quiet. "…Then… what about the Devils?"
Death was still indifferent, but there was a slight change on the air around him. As if he was remorseful.
"Devils… Devils existed because he failed to see what my creation did – what Helel did. Unlike any angels, because he never was one, he defended them. When all angels unanimously agreed to banish the humans and curse the demon that swayed him, he did what he felt was right, not what God deemed was right. Again, an ideal order. A rightness.
"And as an authoritative figure among the angels, God needed to maintain order. Punishments were dealt. He got what he wanted – to let humans rule Earth and live freely; to know humans and demons – His creations - can coexist, but banishing Helel was never a part of His plans, or mine."
"So that's why…"
"Everything fell apart for Him since then. I told him I cared not, but He persisted it was His fault. He banished him still, but sent a number of angels to 'fall' alongside him so that he was unalone. 72 of them became his loyal followers, the pillars that built everything you knew now. They stood by his side until the end of the Great War, when Lucifer did the unthinkable once again; sacrificing himself.
"But He didn't completely wipe him off of his existence. Instead He bound his soul to a human, and that his soul will forever wander from humans to humans, from life to death and to a new life again. At first, I speculated it was to teach Lucifer a lesson. Perhaps so that he no longer saw humans as 'lowly apes'. But I realized that it wasn't for him, but for me."
Death had a distant look on his face. The first real emotion she saw from him. "It was… a fickle thing, what he did. He failed to foresee what Lucifer did, yet He didn't fail to foresee that I will grow a sense of longing. That I would keep watch over him to make living for me, bearable."
Rias remained quiet. What could she say to that?
"My, how far have we strayed from our initial topic." He said as he gazed upon a corner of his quaint bar, at the empty chairs and tables, and the patrons that disappeared the moment they visited. Not few were quite happy with how they died, after all. Unlike this girl right here.
He was about to bring back the conversation, but he saw Rias was about to ask more, and so he stayed in silence.
And Rias did ask more. "You said that death happens to everyone… so does that means-"
"It applies to me? Well, yes. Of course. In fact, it happened to my sibling first."
"…What?!"
"I don't know where He had gone to. One moment He was there, in that chair over there, and then He slumped, and He vanished. God is dead, child. From heartbreak, unfortunately enough. As I said, He was too soft on His creations. He couldn't accept the fact that many had turned the world into something unimaginable."
Rias never felt sympathies for God, but now she did. As a devil, it was easy for her to see the wickedness lying in a man's heart, and what they could do just to gain popularity or wealth, earthly things. She knew full well of the slavery still occurring, all the human trafficking, the backstabbing between leaders, the reluctance of helping, among many other things. It was one of the reasons she prided herself as a devil.
But still. To learn that God, the creator who created it all, to be gone?
That said… "What of the good people? People who actually do good without reasons?"
"One in a thousandth. A continuously declining probability as we speak. The world has strayed too far from His ideal world. I suggested a clean wipe – but He never listened. As I mentioned; too kind. Too weak."
"…What would you have done?"
"I'd put an end to everything. As much entertainment provided by watching all of you, I don't find it is worth the guilt."
Rias gulped. She was glad Death wasn't God.
She decided to change the topic. "…So you can die?"
"You might think after witnessing the creation process, we would be immortal, but as proven, that is not meant to be. It has never been. There are many possibilities, but it can only shape one future. I've seen the paths I can take, and none can make me exist forever. A human once said, 'Wise men should see death as a friend', so perhaps, we can be as such when I meet mine, and that I will have a more… friendlier occurrence than my sibling did."
"Thus… though I may not know what purpose I have, for what reasons I exist, I can calmly say; I am fine with how the way things are, or how it will become. Of course, it's not the same for you. You had families. Friends. A lot more to lose than I do."
It felt strange to know a God – whatever he was – would had fewer things than her, a single devil. But, as she gave the thought a longer time, to had lost the sibling who had been together with him since the dawn of time… losing the only thing he had. If it was her, she would feel-
"Do you feel lonely?"
This time, it was Death who looked quizzed.
"Lonely?"
"You've lost your brother for… only you know how long. Were you alone all this time? Isn't that… Don't you feel sad?"
"Hahahaha!" That jovial laugh made her jump. "Hmm yes, I wonder. I suppose I do feel lonely at times. Perhaps a tinge of sadness and emptiness too. Perhaps that is why I wanted to look over him, to help fill that emptiness."
All the lingering fear she had about him disappeared in that instant, and Rias leaned forward towards him, like a granddaughter begging for an exciting story.
"You told me I can go whenever I am ready. Let me keep you accompanied until that time comes."
Death chuckled. He finally understood why Lucifer had taken a liking on her.
"Perhaps, in the meantime, you'd like to hear about the time a Phoenix flew into my bar?"
Break
Morning in Hell was cool and fresh, but the air in the Gremory Castle was grim and heavy. The servants were quiet, and not in the disciplined kind of quiet, mind you. The event from yesterday was freshly etched in their head, let alone the family members. Everyone had gathered so early by the entrance of the castle, to sendoff the trio whose success or failure would determine the future of House Gremory.
Lucifer was gravely silent. His eyes were focused, and nothing could shatter his resolution in saving her. Sirzechs and Azazel stood next to him, all three were in their dress suit. Black on Lucifer's, burgundy on Azazel's, and maroon on Sirzechs'.
"It's like we're going on a job hunt." Azazel broke the silence. He just couldn't stand tense silence, and would, as he just did, say something stupid to end it.
Thankfully, it did.
"You were stripped away from your title and was put under house arrest." Zeoticus began, "Know that the risk our House took won't matter, long as you are successful."
Sirzechs glared. Not particularly at his father, but at the thought of Rias staying dead. "I won't fail."
"We expect much from you. You especially, Lord Lucifer." Zeoticus stressed, "Bring back my daughter."
Lucifer nodded firmly, keeping his quiet. He exchanged look with Rossweisse who had been clutching her heart, and to the other devils who were now without a master to serve.
Then he smiled. "Why the doubt? Don't you know who we are? Who I am? We'll get that bloody cup. You'll get your daughter back and we'll all live happily ever after."
Azazel simply hung back and watched as their spirits rise. His confidence was painful, but at least he had the reputation to back him. Not many could say such promises and not catch any doubt, but there he was. Maybe its his charisma, or the fact that he had once united devils and demons against God, but Lucifer did so.
"Well then. Best get going." The Governor added, "Those vampires aren't a big fan of daylight."
.
.
.
"…And there they go… they're our only hope now." Venelana sighed. She had spent her night crying, and not bothering with her make up made her swollen eyes hard not to notice.
Zeoticus kept a hard and cold stare at the giant doors. "Nothing we can do now, but let us not forget of our duty." He glanced down. "Mio."
"Y-yes father!" It was rare for her to wake up this early, and it showed. She even had hurriedly put on her clothes and forgotten to button a button until a maid mentioned it.
This would be too soon for her, he realized. She was far too naïve, too doted upon. He had never let anything come to harm her, since he was forced to when it came to Rias. She was the heiress of the Gremory, the future of their House… but with her gone—temporarily gone—, he had to prepare her. There might not be another time. Bael might had finally played his cards and who could tell what they show.
"…Father?"
He then glanced at the servants – her daughter's servants that she adored. "You can't remain without a master. Momentarily or not. Please allow my daughter to be yours."
"F-father?! B-but I-I don't know what to do!"
"And they will teach you." He affirmed. "They are the servants of the Gremory Heiress, and they have done splendidly. They will teach you what I can't."
"I-I-!" Mio stuttered, but as she saw the look upon their faces, the regretful and yet determined look to be better servants, she could no longer refuse. "…Okay. I will do my best."
"We won't fail you." At Kiba's words, Rossweisse flinched. Last night's memory was starting to invade her minds, but she didn't allow it to bring her down this time.
"Don't worry." she said, smiling gently, causing Mio to be embarrassed by all the attention. "We'll get along well."
"Actually Sensei, you're the only new face to her." Kiba added. He had long since noticed the quietness of his peers, and decided to take it up upon himself to be more talkative in their stead.
As their daughter got acquainted with the Valkyrie-turned-devil, Venelana drew a long sigh as she and her husband stepped away from the crowd.
"…We need to tell my grandfather of this..." She said. Her tone was dreary. Exhausted, to put simply.
"…I don't dare to show my face to him." Zeoticus admitted.
"He has to know. But… I understand." Another sigh. "I don't dare either… Have Grayfia go then. He will understand."
Break
News spread fast, especially when you have spies everywhere to determine its validity. Lord Bael was one of such devils to have eyes everywhere, at any place, even the Gremory castle.
"Is that so?" He was not one to crack a smile, but this time, he smiled.
"Yes." Replied a woman dressed in a maid dress – Gremory's maid dress. She was a 'wedding gift' from Lord Bael to his daughter. "He had gone with the previous Satan and the Governor of Grigori. Grayfia Lucifuge was also seen leaving the castle to deliver the news of her death to m'lord's father."
"I have no such disappointment as a father. That will be the last time you say that assumption."
She trembled. "…M-my apologies."
"Hmph. Who could have expected her death to be the last catalyst we needed? One fell swoop, we've rid ourselves of two Lucifers. Even dragging the Grigori into this… Our biggest and only threats. I might consider sending a gift to whoever killed her."
"Indeed, m'lord. What of the Sitri and the Astaroth?"
"You needn't consider yourself with that. Go. Return to their castle."
The maid bowed. "At once, m'lord."
A flash of light, and the maid disappeared from his study, leaving Lord Bael alone with the other devil in the book-filled room.
"That 'eye' of yours raised a fair point. What of the Sitri and the Astaroth?"
"We have enough force to kill them twice if needed. That young fool was the tipper of the scale. And that Lucifer… his identity hasn't been made certain but it's best to assume the worst."
"Are you wary of him? Bael?"
"I won't be reckless. I consider all threats. For far too long I have planned this. Failure will not be an option."
A laughter. "Very well. You've earned my trust, you haven't failed me once; what reasons do I have to doubt you? Proceed as you must. Perhaps, that vision of Hell of yours might not be a distant goal anymore."
"Of course, my Lord Lucifer." Bael grinned as he stared unto the distance outside his window, "All I need now… is-"
The three knocks on his door stopped him and caused his smile to disappear. "What?!"
"P-pardon me m'lord…" The door swung open, and a terrified maid servant entered the room with an envelope in her hands. It was golden-colored with red markings on it – no doubt from a Phenex. "An invitation… f-for you."
Lord Bael opened his hand and the maid walked quickly to his place, giving the letter, and immediately excused herself. The maids in House Bael were trained not to look at his face or any of his guests, and nobody dared to question him or the other family members. They value their life too much. And their salary.
The grin crept back into his stoic face, and Lord Bael smiled once again.
"My, my… that fool of a Phenex has decided to marry in the end. I thought he had his sight on Rias, but it appears I was mistaken. No matter, this is excellent news."
"Is that so? To whom?"
"It doesn't matter." Lord Bael replied as he dissolved the letter with his dark magic. "All I needed was an opportunity; one that had just shown itself..."
To be continued
You've no idea how much I worry if my story bores the shit out of you all – especially during the Death part. I am very insecure of my writings, ykno, even if the reviews are generally nice and supportive
Also, writing that Rossweisse scene just hurts me yo. Harem isn't all asses or tiddies, and since this story isn't lighthearted, I try to be realistic with the complications of having that kind of relationship
even tho I dun hav a harem and nor am I a long lost indian prince searching for my haremettes so who knows how it goes but ey, I based it on Rossweisse's personalities, and she ain't no gold digger. It's hard to not agree if someone says she deserved someone else's
But anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm really grateful for all of the supports, especially for the recent chapters. My story isn't perfect, even I have doubts after reading it all, but I'll keep trying to write the best I can, for you and for me and the entire human race
yeet