Epilogue
Year 2018
Seven continents. Seven billion living people. A civilized government will be corrupted by a new system. A never heard group of people starts to manifest every country of the world to begin neutralizing their huge plan to take over everything. The High Council succeeded in their plan and divided the standards of living. Somehow, it is the start of the cruel system of new government modernized by the so-called smart and intelligent mind behind the process that will be called Rebirth.
And their purpose remains decade and decades.
And still, the population arises, hunger and strikes continue and the world still in despair.
Conrad and I fly above the meeting place where well supposed to meet President Chadwick or so if that'll happen. They are already sending warnings to every Licit residing in Noble Land that an attack could happen anytime. We received the message when it was also delivered to Conrad's tech. Of course, he still has the control to the technology around the Noble Land. He knows every codes and data. He could even corrupt every tech with a virus but he couldn't risk it at this time, he needs connection inside.
"Is this really the end brother?" I ask him out of nowhere.
He reaches out his hand on me, "I hope it is a buddy, almost six years in the Noble Land is a long way to get what we deserve and I just wanted this for everybody, not just for me. So, yeah, I hope it will be the end."
"What if the end will be the end of us—everyone?"
He sighed, taking off his hand on me. "Well, at least we fought for it, right?"
I nodded, "yeah, that's what matters after all."
Not that long when we see an upcoming three vehicles on our meeting place. We prepare ourselves as we have the feeling that President Chadwick was in one of that ride. Before we land the chopper on the ground, we make sure that the person we wanted to see were present. Conrad sends a message to his security and a minute after, they responded.
President Chadwick is here for the talk you wanted too. Bring the chopper down.
But of course, we wouldn't let them trick us with their action but my brother also gives his condition before we'll land down on the ground. It takes a lot of discussions for both parties to agree on every condition and as we are on fully determined by our actions, we know that we'll make it this time.
When the security starts to jump out of their vehicle, not that long when we see President Chadwick on his feet, surrounded by his guards. When the signal for us to come down, Conrad control the chopper and slowly landing back on the ground. I couldn't help but be nervous and I think it's a normal viewpoint when we're between in destruction of both parties.
As the chopper landed on the ground, we both look at each other, just giving nods and jumped out of the chopper and lead our way to President Chadwick. When we are moving closer to their direction, Chadwick was about to take a walk forward when his guards stop him to do it, but he insists to do it without their security.
When the three of us met on center, I could still feel that the guards are making sure that their boss wouldn't go in harm. And I wouldn't doubt if they already planted something here or in somewhere, we are already targeted by a sniper. We don't know but if this talk we'll come in peace, I wouldn't be gone into a bloodbath but if it's not... that's what I'm afraid of.
"Mr. Bertrand, good to see you." President Chadwick greeted my brother and when he looked at me nodding his head, "and to you, Dylan."
"We'll cut the intro Chadwick," Conrad said.
"I'm all ears." He said.
"Stop the Rebirth and there won't be a war coming."
Chadwick laughs with it, "how could I stop the initiation of the process that has been our system for a long time. It is part of us, kid. You are part of that process and you know how it made you the person who are you now. You made your own fate. I'm part of the High Council were just delivering what you deserve. We aren't cruel. We just forget the world we used to know."
"You're just manipulating every people, Chadwick. You aren't making everyone lives better, you're being unfair. It was your sole reason for changing the course of our lives."
"Can I ask you one thing, Conrad?" he said, my brother didn't respond and I couldn't stand how Chadwick's trying earn credits for what he has done to this world, where in fact he just took the place of his late father, but their blood still runs into the corrupt civilization. "How does being a Licit made you who you are now?"
"Nothing," he replied. "Maybe I get the things I never had, that's the prize I get but never the life. The Noble Land can give whatever we want, made us who wanted to be, but there is one fault you never see, Chadwick."
"And what is it, Conrad?"
"The purpose of their living." He said, and somehow Chadwick remains uncertain to what my brother said. "You may give what they want but their purpose stands still. And for whatever it takes, they will do anything to get it. Just like me, even though the life here in Noble Land were good enough but it will never replace the memories and experiences I had before. It made me stronger not just because of the Rebirth who we just did to survive but never the life and our purpose. You never look at it, Chadwick."
"And what should I care about that? The Rebirth still remains and we're still gonna run for in coming years. There are people who love their stay on the Noble Land. They are happy being Licit. You are too, Conrad. You made a mistake there, kid. You got a life here but you still chose the wrong side."
My brother smirks, "my decision was never a mistake, living in Noble Land with your leadership is wrong. Your family doesn't deserve everything. All you need to do us give up, end the Rebirth and let all the Null people stay in the Noble Land."
Chadwick laughs after my brother talks about the Null people. "Is that what you want? Make all those unworthy people stay in a land where peace and harmony strives? They don't deserve a place like this. Those people are unworthy of living on dynasty like ours. We won't stop the process. The Rebirth remains."
"One last time, Chadwick. A war would not come if you just end it. Just broadcast it to the world by stepping down on your position."
"That's pathetic." He said, "you couldn't just order me to do that. I'm still your boss here, Conrad. You are just an employee. An arm of the High Council. You are still in my leadership. And whether you like it or not, your demands won't happen. And for now, I personally gave you your sentence to death for being against the High Council."
"You can't just do that," I blurted out my anger. "You won't kill my brother." and after that, my fist landed on his face that made him passed out and fall down on the floor, but then it also started the war between the High Council and the defectors.
They start shooting us a rain of bullets, my brother and I dodge those incoming bullets ahead of us but we couldn't get away with easily. They are everywhere. They surrounded us. They're rising the war in between. When I tried to pull Chadwick away from them, they immediately targeted us and my brother pulled me out of the scene as we run back to the chopper.
When we got into the chopper, they keep shooting us and bullets are piercing through the metals and we're lowering down our heads to keep away from the stray bullets. As my brother was starting to control the engine of the chopper and get away from the situation, my heads are all over. This is what I'm expecting. They wouldn't get along to what we proposed. It couldn't be done in talks or persuading them to end the process but it ended up much worse. The war is started.
"I can't start it!" my brother exclaimed, frustrated along trying to start the engine but whatever he does, doesn't work. And when we notice the gas meter, it turns out empty from being half-full. "Oh shit, they shot our tank." He hissed. And he grumbles on his seat, confuses and frustrated. This isn't what I expected to see on him.
"W-What do we now brother?" I stuttered, my legs are trembling. And I don't know if we will make it out alive here. They didn't stop shooting at us. They will make sure that we are dead.
"This will the price you'll pay Conrad. The High Council remains!" President Chadwick shouted but long after that, other rounds of loud guns were heard. A thousand screams of angry people are heading. They are attacking for their freedom. When we back up on our feet, my brother and I saw what's happening outside and the High Council security are retrieving themselves from the fight and they are dispatching a call of help from their own Army. And we saw, Chadwick, running away, heading to the vehicle and too late before he could be stopped.
I couldn't hide my smile when I saw the Defectors—the Null people who are running towards their freedom. I even saw some familiar faces. Their bravery, courage and the fight they are taking are all the things they do because a purpose remains in the heart of our hopes. We would never stay worthless into their eyes. The equality shall rise into the malevolent of their cruel system.
When jumped out of the chopper that's been filled with bullet holes. I watched the Null people shooting guns, throwing improvised grenades and protecting them with home-made shields. We are ready, they are.
"We're making this our home!" I shouted and those incoming Null people agreed and shouted to it. My brother patted my shoulder, "now we fight with them, brother."
I nodded. And as before we could join the attack, Al runs to our direction. He told us that our Mom and Althea were on the safe ground and they are just somewhere contemplating with the plan. They know what to do. Conrad got a girl who knows what to do with her life.
"What about now, Al?" I asked him.
"On my tech, did Chadwick got runaway?"
"Yeah, we couldn't get him. They started shooting at us." I said.
"But don't you worry about it. Conrad, are all the High Council members have a chip in their wrist?"
Conrad nodded to him, "yes, how do you know about that?"
"Well, I got to track Chadwick's chip filled with all his data... just like the other member of the High Council whose at the headquarters now. Don't worry I can make this work. It's all on me now. Chadwick won't get away."
"That's the will, Al." my brother said. "That's the reason why we're fighting. For a person like you."
When the Null people shouted in chorus, our attention was caught by them and when we look into their direction. They put down all the security that surrounded us earlier. But when we thought our win has been on the line when we heard incoming military tanks on our direction. We could still fight them off but with their huge weapons that could kill a lot of our numbers and left us outnumbered. But our determination won't die just because they send their battalion of the army. The war has been started to end.
But one thing we didn't expect to come.
From the sky we look up, a human figure flying around landed the ground on his feet. Everyone step back when we saw a humanoid.
"They did it." Conrad mumble, "and they just didn't use it for operations but they send it also to war."
"What are you talking about, brother?"
When he looks at my face full of curiosity, he took a deep breath. I just don't understand what's happening.
"It's the CAI."
"Wait..." Al said. "Is that what they're experimenting? The collective artificial intelligence?"
"It is," Conrad said. "And they just bring it to kill all of us."
"No," Al said with finality. "I wouldn't let that CAI kill all of us. I would do anything to stop it. They already killed a lot of people to put into that humanoid and I won't let that take away a lot of people now. It has to end." His emotional state comes arises when he just runs towards into. I tried to shout, stopped his from his horrendous feeling he didn't listen. He wanted to stop Cai and he thinks he needed to. He was saved to be part of it and now he's saving a lot of people not to be killed by this deathly invention.
"Fire!" when the HC Army shouted and launch the canon. It was too late to save everyone from it when they're too late realizing that there's a big explosion than the grenade is coming on their way. When the bullet cannon hit those people, the explosion goes around. I fall on the ground and loss consciousness for a minute until I get back up on my feet and trying to see our people in amidst the smoke around.
I could still hear the attack made by CAI using an advanced laser weapon which easily brings the person in death just by one hit. I couldn't do anything this time. I was stoned on my feet. I look for my brother but he's gone. I couldn't find him. I'm lost.
I don't know what to do.
But my senses got back when a young girl approach and grab me, crying and insisting to help her. She was covered in blood. I couldn't understand what she's saying but I think she's trying to say that her brother was one of the people who was hit by the cannon. I got her out of the field and put her on the safe spot. While I'm trying to help some people, I come across a familiar face and very close to my heart.
My friend on the Waste Land.
She immediately called my name, hugged me and ask me if I'm okay. I just stare at her face and I couldn't believe that I'm seeing her again. She laughed at my face and it's like we are out of the battle now. And the change from the last time I have seen her.
She patted my shoulder, "okay, Dylan, I gotta continue helping our people."
I nodded, "okay... my best friend."
"Call me, Ella... they named me like that," she said.
"Okay, Ella. Be safe." I smiled and watch her runaway and help others.
But I was stoned on my feet, still in the blank state on what should I do until I heard a lot of aircraft above us. Some of our people are trying to shoot them but when they started to shoot from above, running away is the least option we could do. Whatever we do, they could kill us.
And I'm thinking now, that we won't win the fight.
We do think we can, but Chadwick's right we can't win the war.
And the next thing happened to open up my eyes into the reality where you cannot save everyone from the fight you wanted to win. I saw my brother trying to help our people but on the wrong timing. A High Council army shoots on their direction in which happen when Conrad face them, he received the bullet. Few seconds after that, he falls on the ground.
From being stoned, I started to run into their direction. My chest was screaming in pain, exhaustion, and loss. I paved my way to my brother. I shouted at the top of my lungs, calling out his name and I'm afraid because I don't even hear any of his response. My tears run like down a river when I found my brother on the ground, lifeless.
I fall down on my knees, screaming and keep shaking to wake him up. But he doesn't give a response to it. Al comes into our direction and he saw Conrad lying on the floor. His eyes are red and not that long when tears came out of it.
"They've gone too far." He said.
"I lost everyone... now he's gone."
"It's not the end, Dy." Al said, "Watch me."
With the exchanging of gun bullets and saw every death of people I care for. Now I lost the very close person in my life.
"You fought hard, brother... you know you did," I mumbled, sobbing. My emotions are high and I don't know what Althea and Mom reacted when they know that Conrad was gone. We lost him to a fight he wanted to end. He wasn't there to watch it. "But you gotta hold on... don't let them win the fight."
I look up at the sky, close my eyes, felt tears run on my cheek as I mumble the words, Oh Lord, help us, save my brother.
When I saw Al standing in front of CAI.
"I will be you, you will be me," Al said and put his attention back on his tech but the CAI rise up it robotic hand, energizing a launch attack on him. I shouted Al to get away with it and stop what he's doing now, but he doesn't listen. When the laser weapon was about to hit him, he initiated something on his tech that changes everything in course of the fight.
He got the control of CAI that supposed to be our enemy but now are attacking the High Council army. Everyone stopped fighting as when the humanoid started to do its purpose. The Army started to retrieve themselves from the fight but they didn't get away when in just one hit of the laser coming from CAI ended them all, even the aircraft.
Everyone shouted when they ended the High Council army but when they found out that the person who pursues our fight lost his life. Everyone gather around and begin to be emotional alongside the pain they got from the war. All bow down, remembering all that he has done for the movement.
For making sure that the Defectors would step into the Noble Land, claiming our own rights.
But maybe, there's always a price for everything. Barry sacrifices himself for the purpose of the movement and just like what brother did, I salute them from being a man of brave, courage and beacon of hope for everyone.
And the most painful thing to see is when the two important people in Conrad's life see his lifeless body. My mother rushes into the arms of her son and grabs him, hug him and her tears won't stop knowing that her son lost his life for a fight like this. I know my mother wasn't approved of what we are doing but because we have a good reason to do it, she let us do it. But she made a condition out of it. It is that we need to come home after doing our purpose.
And Conrad would never make it home.
Althea screams in heartache, loss, and pain. Seeing the person who she loves is heartbreaking. After wishing the fight would do right, they could live happily ever after but it didn't happen.
Althea hugs Conrad and we watched them for a long time on that position.
When Althea loses her hug on Conrad, she notices something on his chest. She felt something on his chest and when she pulled it out behind his shirt, a familiar medallion seen on her hands with the bullet on it.
I gasped upon seeing it and check if what I'm seeing is right. My Mom notices it too. She knows it very well.
When I get a hold of it and examine the medallion. There are only two things I had to remember seeing it. From Barry and years ago when my father gave it to him as a lucky charm.
"It's your father's, son." Mom said.
Immediately, Althea checks Conrad's chest if he was shot but there's nothing on it. There's no hole in his chest. I laugh at the thought of it. The medallion was his lucky charm. And I think my father really gave it on him with a purpose and all we thought he's gone, but he lives.
"Now, the fights aren't over," Al said and when we look at him and on his back the CAI robot. "We'll bring it back to the High Council."
"What are you talking about, Al?" I asked.
"Watch what I can do." He said.
He started to touch his tech and he controls the CAI as it flies above and he sends it directed into the High Council. From afar we saw the headquarters and the CAI that's on its way now on it. Not that long when it landed on the premises, an explosion comes after. We were shocked to see what happened. Seeing the High Council burn into ashes.
"That's how we end it," Al smirked. "The High Council is now dead. Rebirth is now gone. A new generation will now settle this place."
Not that long when my brother gets back his consciousness. We are all feeling good that he's okay and nothing bad happens on him, but of course, we're still sad for those who died out here. They were just wanting a life they deserve not death on their plate.
My brother asks what happened to him and he felt an ache on his chest and when we answered his questions, he couldn't believe it also. He laughs out of it and by the medallion, it saves him. He got it back from Barry, on the day he saves me. Barry told him to keep it back because sooner or later it might save him because solely it was his after all. A lucky charm he insists. And a remembrance on our late father.
"Did we win?" he asked.
"Yeah... I think." I smirked.
"Chadwick got a runaway, but we can still make a way too caught him back."
Conrad nodded, "thank you, Al... you did save us."
"No," he chuckles. "You had the reason to save us, we just use our ability to help the purpose you are raising for everyone. You made it possible for everyone to have a life they deserve and now, they all gonna experience it."
My brother nodded and took a deep breath, "it was really hard to think that we'll win this fight against the High Council but with everyone we made it. So, now, we gotta do it settle your selves and find your home around. Don't be ignorant. Just be yourself and you don't need to forget the life you had before because, from this day forward, there will never be a process of dividing the standards of our living. The Rebirth ended now."
Everyone couldn't hide their happiness, even if they experience worse they can still be happy amidst it. You could find happiness if you just look into the bright side, just don't let the darkness cover and hold you. Get away with and move forward to a better place and a better life we know we deserve.
The defectors did their purpose and now, we are settling down to our new home.
As we are marching into the city, Al also had news for us. He found a heat signature on the field that might be our friends. Brighid, Cha and other members of the movement before the ambush. Al said that there are thirty who survived and now are heading into the Noble Land.
"Al, I also had news for you." My brother said to him.
His forehead creases, "what it is?"
"Do you still got the key you found on a crate on the forbidden city?"
Al nodded, trying to remember it. "Yeah... I still have it." He said and get it from his pocket and show to us the key. "What's with this?"
"The key to your new home."
"What?!" Al exclaimed, shocked and surprised about it. "Is it true?"
My brother nodded, "yes... you can find your home on the Cereb Residence."
And with that, Albert couldn't contain his happiness and hug my brother. he bid us goodbye and run into it. Walking with my family on the Noble Land is indescribable. I just thought before that I would bring my Mother on this land no matter what it takes. And it may take a lot but I think it's worth it.
"Are you guys ready for the wedding?" Conrad teases.
Althea chuckles hit him on the chest but immediately apologizes because of his bruise on it. I just laughed at both of them and I'm happy that I'm gonna be there to witness their wedding. That my brother would finally tie his knot to the girl he loved the most.
"I may not know what's gonna happen tomorrow or in the next few days but I'm sure that It'll be a new course of life are waiting for us here. We change our fate... and today, we move forward."
As we begin to settle in our new lives, we may encounter new sets of challenges and problems ahead of us, but what good thing about it is that whatever's coming if we are all together, we'll win.
I may still have some questions in my head but after all, that would be answered as I stay in the land where everyone wishes to step foot. And now, the Noble Land will be our place to call home.
The lives of us before ended as we start a new beginning with new experiences, meet new people in a place where we don't know anything but a luxury of life.
I took a deep breath and says, "this is the place we settle in..." and reach my arms to my family as we take the road leading to our new home.
Great job, the defectors... we made it.
—THE END OF BOOK 1—