This Paradise Is Fake

I walk toward the house in warm evening, trails of sun light flash down through the leaves, animals nearby all seem to be afraid to even come close even though this house is right in the middle of the forest. I breath a sigh of relive knowing i've reach my destination, it was another exhausting walk to visit my friend. Opening the iron door slowly, it creaks out loud, acting as an alarm if anyone enter the house.

"Ah, you're here!"

He turn back to me with excitement on his face, putting back the book on the shelf. His house was quite the fancy one, the living room is decorated with all kind of items he found while adventuring outside in the woods, mountains and yadda yadda. A big table but only 3 chairs, almost making it seem lonely. I was no stranger to this house after visiting it so much, it just seems to grow with more and more random decoration by the days. My fascination for his newly found items quickly fade away as i greet him.

"Hello, Relicta"

He chuckle, then walk into his over-decorated kitchen to grab some snacks, it is filled with unnecessary and un-related things. I simply sigh and sit down on the chair, he speak while preparing

"So, Joshua. How have you been the past week?"

I look out the window, thinking about my activities in the past week, considering what to say and whats not. Today is rather a hot day, the clouds look beautiful with the scorching sunlights. Peace days like these help me relax from all the problems this world offer to its residance. Before moving here, life was a mess for me, i couldn't find peace or be grateful to anything, everything i did back then ultimately leading to my suicide then reincarnation to this world but despite being a troublesome place, at least it's full of mysterious that keep me interested.

"It's been rather... Refreshing."

The chopping noise of his knife go around the house as his voice reach me

"How long have it been since i heard you say that i wonder. Don't ya dare telling me you got a good chick? Or did you do some dark magic and screw your mind over?"

Another tease, i'm not fond of teasing at all. It's annoying and barely amusing to me, the concept of joking too much can lead to unwanted situation. I prefer straight forward talk, but i put aside my annoyance to give him a reply

"Stop your nonsense. To be honest with you, i met some intriguing humans at the village and also a pathfinder in the mountain."

He wheezes out loud, it sound like an insult. Holding his stomach, he can barely keep his stance together, he turn around and come to the snacks in hand. Putting it down, he jump on the chair and look me dead in the eyes.

"Seriously?"

Such childish reaction always bored me, perhaps i need to remind this maniac our origins.

"Are we not the same as them?"

He lied back on his chair, my sentence seems to tick him off. He grab the drink on the table and take a long sip. Since the day we met to today, i have barely see any mature mannerism from him, so much for being 236 years old. Thinking back, it was like fate that we met. Back then, i was confused and frightened by the world around me, barely survive my days wandering endlessly. But he was thrilled, was amused by the monsters and the horrors. He wasn't the brightest, almost stupid but that's what make us a duo. We shaked our hands that day promising the day and moon, to me it was just a fake light at the end of the tunnel but turns out, it was a real. We did survived, got far and did the impossibles. This world hold too many mysteries to learn, knowledge i didn't even consider exist, the hardest of battles were in our way. We faced horrors that terrify humans to death with its existences, hardship that break even the strongest of willpower, challenge that sounds no less than a pun made of insanity. We did met many people, we saw many people die, we killed many things, discovers many areas and conquer lands after lands. It's a miracle we're not dead. On our journey, we learn the name of this world is T.R.A.M, short for The Ruins AfterMath. All beings here are either corrupted or evils, goods are rare like diamond in this godforsaken place.

"We already died as humans long ago Joshua"

I giggle at his irritated expression, it's like a child not wanting to hear things that make them unpleasent

"Yet that human name have for me stand it ground, no?"

He look away

"Whatever."

His eyes suddenly shine, looking back at me. I knew he just figure out a comeback

"Say, how's your wife doing."

Silence emerge to the room, out of anything that he could have said. He chose war.

"She's dead for a long time my friend"

He lied back again, even more irritated that he couldn't faze me with one of his cruel tease.

"Anything interesting to tell me? I'm almost bored to death. You know, the other day i visited the newly made shrine by that 9 tails fox goddess that just moved here, i think she heard about us because when i got there they were already prepared for battle. I won't lie, it wasn't the best welcome ceremony for such a sacred place. Of course i tried to reason with her, but they just can't get a grasp of what i was trying to say. Our reputation really is deep in the abyss huh? Even when i wanted to stop fighting they just seem to be too determind to get my head off my shoulders, even then i won't be dead. Fools after fools, was just tryna visit a shrine sometimes ya know? But i decided to be nice that day, i spared them and went home peacefully."

I let out an exhausting sigh, our sins really is affecting our lives isn't it. Thinking back, our decisions weren't all that bright either, we couldn't get anyone to listen to us and it would end in a blood bath every time, we weren't wise either back then. Were just some teenagers learning magic and ways to survive the cruelty of this accursed world. The only thing that spoke for us before our enemies were our blades and forbidden knowledge. So many near-death experience led us to be more ruthless and slowly losing our humanity. Until... we were no longer humans.

"What a pain, i'll share my encounters too. On my way to the mountain, i met a young pathfinder praticing magic of the dark arts. He saw me and fell down on his knees, not from fear. But to beg me with his head on the ground to teach him dark magic. I can't understand humans these days, they all go out of their way to find their "path" of life, such naive concept can never reach the truth of magic that they seek so desperately. I tried to warn him the consequences but i saw it in his eyes, there was no turning back for him anymore. I just threw him down the mountain to the human village then went on my way. Damming enough, when i go to the human village to buy food, he was there. Causing a ruckus with the villagers just because they wouldn't believe he survived an encounter with me, bragging about being worthy of talking to a god. I was annoyed and he was a threat the the villagers so i had to put him down. Of course, once i again i gave my reputation another push down in the abyss"

I sip the tea and catch my breath, then continue my story much to the amusement of my friend.

"I also went to the underground to check it's status, The Guardian we blessed was doing her job pretty good, threats were eradicated as soon as it was detected. Though the irony is admirable, the underground or hell have a better community and safety than the humans villages and kingdoms here on the surface, it's such a shame. But i guess it does make senses, the demons down there do their jobs because they fear and listen to our orders, without our adjustment. It would be a blood filled party down there. But while we're at it, i'd like to give a few comments on the humans. I'm sure you heard how messed up the laws for the humans can be, tyrant and corruption everywhere. Yet the oppressed won't listen to our advices. Rapes, murders and crimes commited on the dailies and the criminal roam free no problem. I'm starting to think about taking back those kingdoms."

He let out a loud laugh, not giving a care about anything i just mention

"Ahh, there you go again. Caring about this and that, pally have you forget the nature of this world? The evils will be free and the goods will die! Beside, don't we already have a town of our own? Why care about the outsiders? I mean, isn't you and your familiar getting a bit too intimate lately? I don't judge, everything and everyone gotta move on. We spent a good 100 years trying to make this world right and failed miserably in the end. Ain't that the reason our beloved Relic-Sortilegi town exist? There's full of lovable people here. I already lost all my interested for whatever shenanigins the humans have"

It's true, even after all the hardship we went through. There are people who we cherish and wish to protect. Originally that town was just a house that we live in together to pass through the days, slowly we gather more and more members with different sets of abilities as our allies, one of them was my wife that i love an awful lot, she met her end bravely before the old force of the West Kingdom. My hatred for the kingdom faded by the years but back then, the day i got the news it was like a thunder that pierced through my soul. Filled with hatred, i slaughters millions of lives, it didn't matter to me if it include innocent people or not. The preacher that ruled that place was easily overwhelmed by me, if it wasn't for my allies. He would have a fate 100x times worse than death. Only after the slaughter i regret my actions, out of pure hatred and sadness that i took away families, friends, brothers and sisters of too many people i could not repay. Since then i made a contract to not harm the West unless they start a conflict first.

The forces of this world have a wide variety, from the Jungle Council to the Demon Lair to the West,North,East and South Kingdom. Many have big influence and many are just puppets or slaves to be use. We faced all of them, bested them but only in violence, we barely made any good changes since for some reasons, almost all races in this world are extremely racist to human. Not my fault, they denied our help.

The sun was already setting as our conversation come to an end, i stand up from my seat and say my goodbye to my brother, i open the door and walk down the road i always walk on. Birds fly over my head, the sunlight slowly vanish before the tall mountains as the sun go down. Animals from before had already left. Eventually i reach our town, the watcher saw me and opened the door, voices welcome me back as i come through. I was at home again, i enter my enormous library, there my familiars stand waiting for me.

It was another day, it was a good day.