The Children of Zegandaria, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov [first color ebook reader txt] 📗

CHAPTER SEVENTY: THE VETERANS

The Dargons had finished their work, and quite a few people sighed with relief. Their strange form was forgotten given the fact that they relieved suffering.

The "City of Light" would blossom to new life, and perhaps it was meant to be.

So many different things had happened to these human beings. They wanted to preserve their lives and gain redemption. Here they were among their own.

After the so-called ritual of purification, they formed a special group that wanted to receive full absolution and start anew.

There was a volunteer named Asin Man who wanted to integrate them and give them a second chance.

The "City of Light" was divided into two parts, one for the deeply guilty murderers and one for those who realized their mistake.

In the middle of this city there was a huge obelisk dotted with strange hieroglyphics. It was strangely shaped and its purpose was to house the ablest veterans who were trying to live virtuously.

They could live there for free with the only condition being that they had to show their qualities in terms of helping others.

That was their only salvation. And they knew it.

The community of veterans grew steadily with each passing day - they wanted to become more cohesive and strong and to resist new challenges more effectively.

Asin Man did not lust for power like Kazuk Mon and tried to help them wholeheartedly.

He spent some of his time teaching them to read and write because there were those who could not. It could be a clear sign to those who did not slave to prejudice that he was a broad-minded man.

He did this with such passion and zeal that he would certainly deserve some prestigious award, but there was none in the distant future.

Asin Man was tall and slender, with black hair and facial features so deep that it was even unreal how much wisdom was gathered in him. There was a kindness radiating from his posture, and he truly wanted to help.

Veterans were required to spend six months in a makeshift school that would teach them certain life skills. After that, those who wanted to advance went on to another eighteen-month course, where they received more advanced skills and could actively volunteer to help other misfits.

Asin Man was the founder of this program because he believed in being right. He wanted to demonstrate success, which was simply not to be underestimated.

In this situation, no one was threatened with prosecution if he failed - not for anything else, but he had to be helpful to the community in the best way.

Even so, this was more than commendable - somewhere deep down, everyone wanted to come forward and make their desire to develop - not just for themselves, but for others - audibly known.

Veterans also suffered from painful memories during the war, as many of them did not have their consciousness implanted and chipped away like children.

They believed in things that in today's ridiculous society were ridiculous to believe and suffered for things that are ridiculous to suffer for.

There was a strange charm about this obelisk - it was their connection to the sun, and they weren’t even believers.

Asin Man once said to them:

- Don't suffer for who you were and for who you could have been - today is the only important moment, and it's running out. Seize it! Tomorrow, no one will remember your merits on the battlefield or care about your good deeds. But you want to give and exalt yourself - do it for yourself. Save yourselves! In time!

The veterans believed him and felt guilty for the crimes committed. They just wanted to be purified. They remembered the horrors of Au Kaktir, and they remembered many other savagery. It was disgusting how their brains hadn't exploded after all they had been through. They were of the old school. To them, every deep and heartfelt word was filled with meaning.

Asin Man turned around. He didn't want them to see him cry. He felt their sadness with his whole being - he craved this existence. He could live through the suffering of others, but not for this suffering.

The "City of Light" was their last refuge, but as long as they were in his arms he would do all he could to help them. At least while they were in his arms they would feel empathy and help - real help, and that was definitely something.

The veterans weren’t interested in the light or the huge obelisk, they were clamoring to start a new job to give what little life they had left. Most of them were over the age of sixty, which was extremely rare in a situation like today. The deep danger was that they would fall into the abyss of self-destruction, which might well be irreversible.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE: THE SECOND TEAM

The second team was unique in its task of eliminating the first, appointed by the ruthless Doctor Gad ‘Di Enn. He also had something else to do. And that was much more important. Gad ‘Di Enn didn't want to have competition in the person of Ser Mac Zon. Yes, he was making some wild claims about humane inclusion for the guarron, but the Doctor would really have to deal with his misguided views as well. The guarrons were a mistake of nature, or more accurately a mistake of genetic experiments that could have been conducted at any time. But the selected human soldiers had fallen victim to the political situation on the planet - that was the important thing. None of that was coming back - not then, not now. Gad ‘Di Enn was also aware of Ser Mac Zon's profound knowledge of pathoanatomy, and worried that he might have stumbled across some compromises against himself and was likely to see through his scheme. "Nothing is lost in nature." he remembered a rather trite and hackneyed phrase. But this time he had to act preemptively - otherwise it would all go to hell.

Ser Mac Zon was the one who had turned the guarrons to the people's advantage, just as Gad ‘Di Enn  had turned the chipped children to the advantage of realizing Om Gur Nal's plans. The resemblance was murderous!

However, there was one major difference - Ser Mac Zon had a humanity that Gad ‘Di Enn did not. He wanted to bring the two races together and improve the quality of life - what an illusion!

However, the greedy and brutal Doctor would have thwarted his colleague who was definitely putting a rod in his wheels. He would deal with this impostor - and with a clear conscience!

Ahead was the prospect of a bright future - it was so pleasant, beautiful and all-consuming. So attainable!

But as Keith had once looked at the sun, now it was the turn of some others to simply forget to look at it forever!

The second team was full of instructions and had gotten the location of the first - and in a very sneaky way. Boss was also going to fall victim and cover his tracks to the perverted and despotic doctor.

Honestly, Gad ‘Di Enn had no intention of paying anyone. His goal was simply for the two teams to kill each other. It wasn't something unheard of and unheard of!

His lineup included true veterans.

The scowling Ames was leading these psychopaths - true Cerberus men, ready to kill - and without a drop of mercy.

In the depth of the feelings of every self-respecting murderer there is one quality that strongly distinguishes him from the mass of men. One, almost imperceptible, deviation thanks to which he survives in the environment called sociality.

Ames was just that - he was beaten and bullied by his father as a child, humiliated and tormented at school, ridiculed at the company he worked for, and sunsequently, expelled from the Military Academy in a not-so-pretty fight with one of the cadets. The hero in question had insulted his mother and he had jumped him. With quick movements and deft leaps he shortened the distance and smashed his teeth in with his head.

The trouble was that this cadet was a great tie-dyer and a little later huge and inexhaustible trouble began for him.

The headmaster called him in and told him the above and below:

- It is unacceptable to lash out in this brutal menner at your colleagues, especially since you are sure you will win. I cannot tolerate such behaviour. Not only will we exclude you, but we will also put a special stamp in your electronic file so that you do not get hired.

After that, the downward slide was precipitous. Soon Ames was completely alone and forgotten by his old friends. And all he longed for was to be like the others.

He had to earn something, but really all he could think of was to get involved in murder. It was a super lucrative business at the time.

He hastily rounded up some Haiwans willing to kill, even for free, and dove into the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life. Very quickly they moved on in their attempts to neutralize the competition.

Before they were hired by the Doctor, they had cleaned out so many other people.

The shrunken Ames met him on a surreal playground, where he told him the above and below:

- I have heard of your impressive fame, Doctor. But I can tell you one thing. All my life I have been underappreciated, I have been trampled on in this society. And somewhere deep down I found the strength to stand up and move on. Now the murders keep me alive.

- "You have a sad story indeed," the doctor agreed, "and how do you intend to deal with a seasoned detective like Boss, who seems to have outdone you,' he finished his speech cryptically."

- "Well, that's my business," returned Shabby Ames, politely enough, "but I can assure you that it will all be over very soon."

- "You know, dear, I've been looking at these beautiful sunsets on the planet for nearly forty years," the doctor shook his head, "and I've always found something new and magical and mysterious about them, but I've been getting tired of them for some time now, and I even feel like they're repeating themselves. The magic of nature is to convince us that things change, and they are in fact still the same."

The killer near him nodded in agreement. They shook hands and agreed to make contact only after Boss had been sent to the grave.

The medic was satisfied with that. The plan suited him.

Ames quickly rounded up Savage Ryan, Joseph Zerdakil, and a few other rejects of that ilk. And prepared to act and solve the problem in negative time.