Untitled Document

Chapter 2: Land of Slow Annihilation

In the middle of the desert, filled of exhaustion and frailness...I barely have enough strength to carry on. One part of me suggest to give up and return home...to the land...never to forget...never...but I will not give up...I made up my mind...I will carry on...

Sometime later, I was well into my journey, and was heading towards a new country with the aid of an old map given to me by the old geezer...unfortunately, the map appears to be old and inaccurate...suits his age...there is a cliff along the way that wasn't in the chart...darn him...having a hunch that the town is just across...I had to find another route.

As I continue my way, I was suprised to the land itself shifting and changing around...the map was correct after all...apologies to the old geezer...it was just that the topography changed in the intervening weeks. As a path opens up, I was able to make it to the next town.

It was a busy town...yet not a human in sight. Machines run everything...from restaurants to hotels...cheap price...now thats new. After a satisfying meal, I rented a suprisingly large and luxurious hotel room, where I used the evening to study the mysteries of the Philia Sophia and practice alchemy.

The next day, I decided to explore this strange...empty country...now I doubt that the piece of Philia Sophia can be found here. Still no sign of people...the more I was losing hope...but after looking around a little, I discovered that there are people living here. However, everyone is staying close to their homes...alone? no families...

It was late...I still haven't found the piece...I decided to go back to the hotel...I wasn't able to sleep very well...thinking the mysteries of the town...

I have to find out....

this town....

its mystery...

accompanied to the piece...

On my final day of my stay, I walked out to an outskirt, known as the Periphery, the place where I saw the people. As I walked past the houses, the people all run and hide as soon as they see me. Finally, one girl overcomes her intial shock and returns to speak to me. She realized that I cannot read her thought, she became more welcoming and invited me for I drink..."too bad I dont drink," I told her.

The girl explains that this country is known as Land of Slow Annihilation, and proceeds to fill me in on how this place came to be. Years agao, this place was a prosperous place, far prosperous...people living together filled with greed and thirst for more prosperity along with their advanced machines that handled day to day chores. An old alchemist came to this town and manifested great things through alchemy. And on the day he left, he created a special liquid stimulating previously unused portion of the brain, giving those who drank it telepathic powers...the desire for such...made us lose a lot...we lost the inadequacy of verbal communication in expressing one's true feelings...in short...we cannot love...we are bounded by negative thoughts...we couldn't have our peace. There was only one solution...to be kept in solitude and seclusion, each of us could have peace and quiet. Thanks to the machines life was never hard...however with everyone living apart...no children can be born...this town will die...slowly...but surely...

Having heard her story, I knew that it was time to depart. The girl tried to convince me to stay...but I have my own cause to leave...I have to leave...to continue my path. The girl reached out her hand...I saw....the piece...the crimson piece....

"to the man who has his cause...may this piece guide you to safety," she slowly said.

And on my way...I felt I heard something on my mind...

"be safe...never to forget..."

To which I mentally replied that she shouldn't worry about me. Although I cannot be sure...I hoped that she got my message....

"The night fell at2:17 PM"
-------------------------------