The Darkness
1280 – Republic of Liberio
Elderia
Dr. Kirishina brought his family on a trip to Elderia, capital of Liberio. Eight years old Faust was very excited for the trip, as his father had told him a lot about that ancient nation. His mother was irked to visit the nation, as she had a very strong avertion to seeing the representations of her lineage.
Faust was fascinated by the combination of modern metropolis and ancient buildings, many of which had sculptures and statues of historical figures.
Dr. Kirishina brought Faust to the ancient port of the city. It had cobble roads and streets, old buildings… and enormous statues over 100 meters high.
Faust was in awe of the titans that stood in front of him.
Dr. Kirishina: I brought you here Faust… so you could see this in person. This is the Wall of Bravery, the national landmark of Liberio. This was built over a 200 years ago. It's a whole commemorative plaza of the history of our world.
Faust: Wow… who are they?
Dr. Kirishina: That's what's so important for you to know Faust… almost all of those people… immortalized in stone… are your ancestors.
Faust was shocked: You mean… they are family?
Dr. Kirishina: Yes son… here… let's take a look at each of them.
Both of them went up to the observatory of the plaza… meanwhile Sakura remained at ground level… and take a good and long look at the smaller statues… that told a much darker story… one that was barely remembered.
The Observatory
Faust was fascinated by the crowd that was visiting. His father took him to one of the Spotting Scopes and directed him to each of the statues.
Dr. Kirishina: These 6 statues are called "The Titans". Each of them represent the people that build the world we live in after a cataclysmic event that changed the world over 400 years ago.
Faust: What happened?
Dr. Kirishina: It is believed by science that a tectonic plate was suddenly activated, causing long and tremendous earthquakes that destroyed most of the continent. This event is called "The Rumbling".
Although… there is another story… based mostly on superstition and religion… that giant beings called the Titans, destroyed the world because of corruption in order to rebuild it. That's why these statues where named titans, to give a more positive use to that denomination.
Faust: The second one sounds much cooler!
Dr. Kirishina: Hah… yeah I guess… but stories like that cause too much confusion to people… and might make people do irrational things… In any case.. let me tell you about the statues.
He pointed the scope first to a woman, holding a book and a rifle on her hands.
Dr. Kirishina: That's Christine Arlert. She is one of my ancestors from my father's family. She was a genius that created most of the technology that allowed our society to live like it is now. She discovered the titanium chemical element, which was the basis to synthesize the orbs that produce electrical power to the world.
Faust was fascinanted but confused by the complicated words his father used… but he was used to it as he always talked like that.
Faust: Why is she holding a gun?
Dr. Kirishina: Well… in order to finance most of her studies… she helped to create the weapons and military technology that allowed Liberio to be a superpower.
Sometimes… in order to do something very good… you must do a Little bit of bad things… unfortunately that's how it is…
Faust: Oh…
Dr. Kirishina then turned the scope to another statue. It was of a small, thin man dressed like a soldier.
Faust: Oh I've seen him before!
Dr. Kirishina: Yeah I bet your teachers have talked about him in school. That's Levi Ackerman, the Last Soldier.
Faust: Yeah! The hero of the tales they tell us at school!
Dr. Kirishina: Yeah… over the years he has become a hero of legend in the Marleyan continent. But he was a real life person you know? And he is also an ancestor of mine… and yours too.
Faust: No way… REALLY?
Dr. Kirishina: Yes… I'll tell you more about him later. He was quite special… but not like the popular stories say he is… he was a very humane person… someone worth to remember and learn.
He then pointed the scope to the statue at the middle. It was an asian man, with adorned robes and a strange Crown on his head.
Dr. Kirishina: That's Emperor Hiroyuki of Hizuru.
Faust: Oh! The country of mommy's family!
Dr. Kirishina: Yes. Of my father too. Hizuru is the technological and economic superpower of the world. All thanks to him.
He was the leader who brought peace to world amidst the chaos of the Darkness and guided his nation to rebuild the world.
Faust: They've talked about the darkness in school but they haven't really explained it beyond that because of it there was no power in the world for almost a hundred years.
Dr. Kirishina brought Faust to a table and ordered lunch for them: Let's sit and I'll explain it to you. It's important for you to know.
Faust: Why? Will it be on a test on school?
Dr. Kirishina: Heh… yeah I guess… but it's more important than that… but I'll explain that when you are older. For now let me tell what was The Darkness.
Centuries ago… there was a country called Paradis. This was a pretty isolated nation, and it's people were very religious. It's the place where the myth of the titans came from. Anyway… Paradis and the nations of our continent where always at odds with each other. For political and religious reasons, the marleyan people blamed the Paradisians for the Rumbling and Liberio's chaotic politics… but the real reason was the technological and economic superiority of Paradis.
So 300 years ago, the nations of the world formed an Alliance that decided to eliminate Paradis. Without warning, the nations bombed the nation, which of course retaliated, causing the "20 Day War", which ended when the Alliance dropped two nuclear bombs on Paradis.
Faust: Nuclear bombs?
Dr. Kirishina: These were bombs that destroyed everything where it exploded… kilometers wide destruction… and worst of all… the soil and the air where it exploded became poisoned for thousands of years… that's why the northern part of the Paradis island is banned to people.
It's become a poisoned land, filled with deformed plants and animals due to the poison. So it's being called now as the Demon's Playground.
Faust was pretty shaken up: Wow… but… then how did all the world was left without power?
Dr. Kirishina: That's the very interesting part… one that has baffled science until now. It's pretty much the reason I became an antropologist.
The moment when the bomb exploded on Paradis, the blast reached the area surrounding a gigantic tree, which was a holy place for the Paradisians. But something extraordinary happened… the whole area surrounding that tree was protected by some kind of electric blast that came from that tree.
Not only that… that electric blast was so strong that it traveled around the entire planet.
That blast caused for the entirety of the titanium power orbs to suddenly dissolve, leaving the entire world without power… hundreds of years worth of information that where stored on the old internet disappeared in an instant.
Needless to say, this was an apocalyptic event for the world. Many people died due to lack of medical care, food shortages, car and airplane accidents. Plenty of technological advancements that had become a necesity for living were lost for decades, that event brought Civilization more than a hundred years behind in progress. So historians called the event "The Darkness".
Faust: Wow… so why did that blast happen? What was it?
Dr. Kirishina: We don't know. Nobody knows. That tree is still protected by something unexplained. But that blast was seeing by almost everyone in the world as punishment.
Faust: Punishment?
Dr. Kirishina: Punishment for how society had become. That for greed, thirst of power and hatred, society was willing to kill millions of people, under the excuse of religion.
That brings us to Emperor Hiroyuki. He gave voice to the grief, suffering and guilt of the people of the time. He made sure no one else used nuclear bombs ever again, a pact that has stood until this day, almost 300 years later.
Faust: Wow… but… you told me you'll show me people that had something to do with our family… is he an ancestor too?
Dr. Kirishina kept quiet for a bit: You should better ask your mom about him
Faust was left confused
Both them got down to meet Sakura. She was still seeing the small statues at the feet of the Titans.
Dr. Kirishina as they walked towards Sakura: I brought you here Faust… so you can learn from your ancestors… and to keep in mind… that no matter who you are… those that do good… are the ones that endure.
Faust was very puzzled by what his father said.
Dr. Kirishina: Darling, I have to go now, I have work to do here with some researchers.
Sakura: Yeah yeah, figures.
Dr. Kirishina: I'll be back in two hours, then we'll have a proper vacation ok?
Sakura: We'll see I guess. Say bye to your father Faust, he's leaving us… as usual.
Faust felt very unconfortable: Bye dad good luck on your job!
Dr. Kirishina: I'll be back in a while.
Faust saw his father walk away… he was always busy or away for work… but felt very happy to be able to be with him on a trip… even if it truly was a work trip for him.
Sakura: Faust. Turn around.
Faust turned timidly. He was afraid of his mother, as she was always cold and strict. He saw a sculpture at the feet of the titans, they were black in color and seemed to be rows of people kneeling towards three standing up figures.
Sakura: So… your father showed you those giant statues. Right?
Faust: Yeah…
Sakura: Did he tell you some of those are our family?
Faust: Yeah! He told me about the woman and the Hero Levi… but he said to ask you about the Emperor.
Sakura: Hmm… did he now… well first… let me tell you about this sculpture here.
This is called "The Forgotten". It's a representation of the loss of the Paradisians due to their beliefs.
It's both a memory and a warning…
I find it disgusting.
Faust: Then… why do you keep staring at it?
Sakura: Your father… told you the official side of history… but there is always another side. One that is mostly forgotten… You see those three standing up figures? Those are your family too… ancestors of your father… but unlike the others… their names have been lost to common knowledge.
They have been vilified after been admired for so long… and now are a footnote to lesser people. Nameless. And kept as a shameful past…
Faust: Who… are they?
Sakura: A family whose sin was to be too great for the world…
There is nothing wrong Faust… to be greater than others. Power shapes the world… like these 3 show. You can be a God… and when power goes to another… you become just a dusty page…
But that can go both ways…
Your father chose to settle a while ago… but not me. And neither will you.
Present
Faust was laying on his bed, accompanied by Bruno, as he reminisced his childhood… he thought about his mother and her drastic change towards him…
She had not told anything to his father since he returned a few days before, both he and his mother acted like nothing happened…
But something inside him… words that her mother had told him scattered through the years, began to resonate to him.
He remembered that moment when he was surrounded by people after the accident… how good it felt… to be admired.
Faust: Sigh… this is pointless… in any case… I guess there is no rush…
Rohr Academy
Faust had pretty much given up on studying as he felt it was pointless, so he just past time at school.
Niels: Hey… are you gonna drop out? It's only one more year you know?
Faust: Yeah I'll probably finish it… but still it all feels so pointless
Niels: I guess I would feel like that too if I couldn't die… like how boring can things get right?
Faust: I haven't thought about that for fuck sake… it's true…
Niels: Then what is it?
Faust: Just stuff with my mom…
Niels: Oh that again… did she try to kill you now?
Faust: No… it's the opposite actually… and it has kinda fucked me up
Niels: Wow… so she is being good to you now?
Faust: Yeah… she figured everything out… she knows stuff…
Niels: Ho… not gonna lie… I always found her pretty cool… like she could be an assasin if she wanted to right? Hah
Faust: Not helping.
Niels: Sorry… hmm let's ask a girl… maybe that point of view can make things easier to understand. BONN!
Lissa was hiding again: I… I WASN'T SPYING!
Niels: There is no need to hide you are part of teams of misfits haha for better or worse… remember… we know you are a sadist Little girl
Lissa freaking out: WHAT?! NO… I'm
Niels: SHH! Now help us with this… what's your take on this. You remember Lady Sakura from school right?
Lissa: Y… Yeah… she was scary
Niels: So how about it? Why do you think she changed so much towards Faust?
Lissa: Hmm… maybe… she thinks that he is… worth something now?
Faust and Niels are shocked.
Niels: Cold.
Lissa: S…SORRY!
Faust thinking: No… she is right… that's it. I'm… some tool to her…
Niels: Don't dwell on such stuff… parents suck in general.
Faust: Yeah…
Evening
Dr Kirishina was lively telling stories from his job during dinner to an uninterested Sakura and a distracted Faust.
Sakura then gazed over to Faust, which made him feel unconfortable. She smiled a Little, which made Faust skirm.
He felt her mother was enjoying keeping her father in the dark.
Sakura: Hey Darling… I've been thinking… we haven't seen your family in a while… how about a trip we take a trip to Riessbern to visit your brother?
I think it will do good to Faust… to reconnect to his roots.
Dr Kirishina: Yeah… I think I can manage… how about at summer vacation huh?
Sakura: Great! I'll start making arrangements. Isn't this exciting Faust?
Midnight
Faust was distressed, he knew his mother was planning something but had no idea what.
His father's family? It had to be about his power and his ancestry.
He felt like a Little child being dragged around… like in the moment he encountered The Entity.
He was pissed. Pissed that he was being toyed around… but then he thought…
Is it such a bad thing after all? He smiled to himself.
Faust: If you are poisoned for so long… you end up getting immunity… right?