Fatal Order

Part 6: Nothing But The Truth - FINAL

But fear could not control him. He'd been through way too much to give up now.

With this sudden burst of determination flowing in his veins, he firmly gripped the key and twisted it slowly to the right... until it finally clicked.

Then, he pressed the final button, the one that fully opens the bunker door.

*OPENING REQUEST RECEIVED. INITIATING. PLEASE STAND CLEAR.*

Taking the warning seriously, Alex stepped back with the others once more, as the door slowly opened, revealing the real world on the other side.

No matter what it was, dystopia or utopia, destroyed or stable, war-torn or peaceful, they were all going to push forward and find their purpose together in the new world.

Fate had lost.

Fate had been defeated.

As a matter of fact, Fate itself never existed.

Fate was an idea. A concept. Not a set-in-stone fact.

One gives power to fate when they believe in it, but the survivors of PyroTech's death match did not.

If fate binds you to any outcome in an unwanted situation, then it is up to the individual to change that fate.

Taking back one's individuality and embracing the power within oneself, is the first step to challenging any strong fate.

That was what the survivors knew.

They knew fate was strong, they knew it was hard to combat.

But, they pushed through.

They pushed through heartache, hardships, death, dejection, and destruction...

And the light at the end of the tunnel... was their freedom.

Their freedom from the despairing binding of a horrible fate.

But, again, in case you forgot, fate wasn't real.

The concept itself is built upon a certain future, but if the concept were true then the future could be determined, which obviously, it cannot.

Nothing is decided until it happens, regardless of whatever challenge lies ahead.

If Fate is against you, challenge it.

Don't let it control you.

The survivors didn't. They didn't believe in fate. Instead, they believed in themselves.

Their strength, their individuality, their power, their identities.

They believed in their own ability to decide their own outcome, not accept the fate decided by another.

"Isn't that right, Alex?"

"Huh-?" Alex gasped, shocked as he heard a voice in his head the moment he stepped out toward the now-open exit. "Dante? Is that you?!"

"What does it sound like, pal?" Dante laughed. "I knew you could do it, I really did. I'm so proud of you."

"Dante..." Alex whispered as his lips trembled. "I miss you. You were my best friend."

"You were mine too, my friend," he sighed. "But, you know how this goes. You know I'm not really there."

"I do," he sighed. "You can't be here. Such a miracle would be- fiction."

"Fiction, huh?" Dante pondered. "Yeah, I suppose it would be. But, reality is harsh sometimes, ain't it?"

"You can say that again..." he sighed.

"Whatever that world is out there," Dante said, "you're gonna fix it. It was your father's to destroy, and now it's yours to rebuild."

"Yes, Dante," Alex smiled with his eyes shut. "I haven't opened my eyes yet. I don't know what the world looks like."

"No matter what it is, you can fix it. I believe in you. I love you."

"Dante..." Alex smiled with teary eyes, "I love you, too."

"We-ll, I-'ll b-e go-ing n-ow."

"Yeah," Alex smiled softly, "See you, Dante. I will make you proud."

The voice faded, and a tear fell down Alex's cheek.

He knew that wasn't real.

He knew it was his brain playing with him.

But he wanted to believe.

He wanted to believe that somehow, Dante reached out, and passed a message to him.

But, that wouldn't happen.

After all, it's like he said: such a miracle would be fiction.

And yet, sometimes reality can be stranger than fiction.

As he was thinking of him, a daisy fell gracefully from the sky and landed upon his feet.

Alex didn't know where such a flower had come from, but he wanted to believe it had something to do with his best friend.

Believing this firmly in his heart and in his soul, he smiled, picked the daisy up, and continued on... as finally, he walked beyond the blinding lights of the gate, and with all his confidence, walked back into...

...the world.

"I kept our promise, Dante. I kept it."