1 Epilogue of the Second Sin

What is identity?

How can an identity be created?

These words had lingered in my mind ever since I was conscious.

I have watched movies and read comics about heroes telling someone that his fate is his decision to take. That their destiny is the part of their choosing.

It was also the lesson my father had taught me. Reverius, my father. The Sin of Humanity. The Traitor of Mankind. The Fallen Hero. He always said to push forward my dream and not to cower even in times of crisis. When I was a kid, my goal had been to become a hero, like my father once was.

Thus, hearing the news about his execution was devastating and unbelievable. He was a hero to everyone yet in just a snap, he transformed into a traitor that everyone loathed.

I kept asking but no one answered my call. I get more desperate day by day for an answer. Time soon passed and I did not notice the change in how everyone treated me.

I was 14 years old when I was kicked out of my own house, saying it was mortgaged and bought by some wealthy individual. I strayed on the road for days, trying to find somewhere to stay. Yet every time they realize my title of a traitor's son, they unhesitatingly dragged me out of the house like some kind of disgusting stray dog.

I kept wandering, eating food from trash bins and taking clothes from dumps. As everyone noticed my actions, however, they went and put on their guard. They beat me up every time I went near those places.

They had cut off my pitiful way of living. I soon wandered, seeking a way to earn my living. Yet, as expected of my title, no one failed my expectations.

At that point, my mind could not be any foggier than the misty dawn. My heart could not be any darker than the abyss. My body could not be any colder than ice. My spirit could not be any stronger than an ant.

I knew there was no future for me up inside these walls. The walls that had kept humanity alive for so many years. Thus, I gambled. I sneaked past the guards, ran without looking back, and went beyond the walls. It was not the wisest decision anyone could have possibly made, but it was the only viable option I was given.

From that day forth, every day was of no tomorrow. I fought monsters twice if not thrice as strong and agile as me, barehandedly. After failing I had to run and hide, not even doing anything but rest for the rest of the day. Even after succeeding, other monsters would try to steal my prey and there were times I had to escape with nothing but cuts and bruises.

Every victory was like a miracle. Days passed, then days soon became weeks, I fully adapted myself to the laws of the jungle. I had my territory and servants. Through a series of miracles I was able to develop my strength and earned myself a place in that place.

I soon become comfortable with my position, completely forgetting everything that I had left behind.

Yet, it seems comfort was never a good thing in the forest. Humans started trespassing my territory like madmen. I kept warning them to stay away but no one heeds my words. I had no choice but to retaliate.

Unfortunately, my retaliation was anything but successful. My territory was devastated, my servants were annihilated, turned their skins and claws into weapons and armors.

Humanity had never given me any future inside those walls, and even after leaving you all alone, you keep trying to steal my home away from me.

These creatures you call monsters were the ones that gave me home and authority. Never had I ever felt this much anger towards humanity.

After hearing all this, I assume you all know the reason why I had to break these walls. So that, no one would become like me, confused about the happenings in the world.

At this point forward, I remembered my questions in life.

What is identity?

It could be a label that would give the person the ability to differentiate you from all the other people in this world.

How can an identity be created?

Is it by the identity's beholder that decides his identity? Or is it the people that label the person his identity so that everyone would be able to recognize him?

Inside these walls, everyone gave me nothing but torment and suffering, without me even knowing what I or my father had done. Everyone gave me the identity of a treacherous individual's son, thus it was a given that I should be treated like one.

Outside, however, the monsters gave me the freedom to prove myself of my place. They gave me a way to forge my own identity from scratch, even though it was by blood and bones that I had done so.

To all of mankind, as the last wish of my last bit of humanity, I ask you. If anyone survives until tomorrow, remember what you had heard and witnessed today as this is the lesson that I had learned in my life as a human.

You can blame anyone for what happened today.

Blame the people who left me alone on the roads while I was sick and cold. Blame the guards that had deprived me of my food and clothes. Blame the government for not giving me my proper human rights. Blame the monsters for giving me a chance to survive outside the walls.

Blame me for doing all of this. And lastly, blame my father for even betraying the humanity that ignited the spark of all of this.

However, remember, my identity was not one of my choosing only. It was forged through crushing my very entity to the limit without any hope of salvation, added with my bit of determination to survive in the wild.

With your actions, I shall become the Second Sin of Humanity. With your betrayal towards me, I shall become the Second Traitor of Mankind. I may not be a hero, but I believe I could be called the Fallen Messenger. The herald that brought you this lesson you should learn.

At this point forward, I had let go of my humanity. I already recognize myself as one of the residents outside those walls.

Now farewell, my former brothers and sisters. I am sorry this had to go all this way.

-END-