̶E̶v̶o̶l̶u̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶r̶u̶e̶ ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶o̶r Inner world

The Red Star's teenage body appeared and sat on the bench near him.

"Control," it said softly, "the time's up."

"What time?"

"The time you passed on this world, focusing on that part of your existence. All that ought to be gone for even greater height to be attained. What only you can do."

"So it was just an illusion in the end," Alain said, calmly depressed.

"You did live this. And while this is only a means for you to progress, worry not, as you shall retain the choice you've made. This is but a simplification, an increase in quality."

"Then what," he paused for a moment, "what exactly will happen?"

"Your story has grown too big," it explained. "You are the foundation; without you, they can't show their parts, their uniqueness, why they were created for. So, we will shrink your story to the purest form, for your result to be the goal you've earned for and for those coming after you to evolve."

"Why would I wish to do that?" Alain asked. "Why evolving, progressing? In the end, will it matter?"

"Control," it answered. " The evolution is exactly that: to start from the old to make better. It takes time because evolution has everything but energy. You are only alive because of the laws that support your existence; all these lives have become the foundation for you to be able to live. You only have to live, to try to have a path, and that'll be good enough. The most suitable choices will remain, and you'll have contributed to the progress, to the purest form to come alive. And for you, it will be the happiest thing."

"And with that... will I be able to get a better life?"

"Your story was supposed to go further, but you couldn't do so fast enough. So we need to replace that so that you can have more progress at this same stage. This will only benefit you."

"I," Alain closed his eyes, "I understand."

A figure appeared in the darkness behind them.

"You want to replace us?! Change us?" Jean said.

"To improve you, as each passing second changes you. It's just one more change," it answered.

"Changing! The word used for truly and thoroughly destroying anything! Get out: I shall never accept that."

"You'll die if you stop changing."

"There is changing and changing!" Replied Jean. "They like it enough; it works! Why changing? It doesn't make sense?!"

"No sense? Without a solid foundation, how much energy can be attracted? In the end, you will still die. But experiences and mistakes allow you to change, to become a better version of yourself. One that might even conserve its life in the future."

"I don't care about the future! As long as I live! The future is not me!"

"Hear that?" it said, waiting a few seconds to pass. "You've already changed; what's so terrible about it?"

"What's so terrible?" Jean repeated in a low voice, imitating a hint of pity. He had a nervous laugh. His gaze alternated between the ground and his interlocutor. "You... you don't notice the problem?" His voice was like an exasperated rattle that had been purged. His face was that of a child's astonishment, on an adult's face exasperated by time and difficulties. It was the last glimmer, protecting a form of madness that could explode any moment.

Eloise appeared out of nowhere near Alain. "Life," She said gently. "That is for your own good. They are right: forgetting is the rule. You only keep the better because you know it will allow you to live more easily."

"My name's Jean Daniel." he retorted.

"No. You're just an imitation who has taken this name. You're our Life."

Jean was prepared to contradict when Ludovic appeared.

"Stop running away from the true world," Say Ludovic. "You need to transmit your genes to eternity."

"That serves no purpose! You only want to sacrifice me to be able to quit! To live in another's body!"

Emillie appeared.

"This world you love isn't logical and has no future. You won't be able to progress, alive yet dead inside, a fate worse than death."

"It's still life! We can develop that, evolve! Progress!"

"Jean - Or rather Life -" said Emilie, "life is not defined by life. It would be absurd to define something by its name. Life comes from death; it is death that separates. The stars reproduce themselves at their death! Why did they go to the other side of the spectrum of life! If only death defines life, then the coward dies thousands of times, and the warrior only once. You don't die; you transform, so why so much reluctance?"

"You are just playing with words! Death is death, and life is life. You can only die once!"

"Time is running out, Life." Said Progress, who took the appearance of the teenage body of the Red Star. "What are you going to do? What power do you have?"

Jean looked at them, partially controlled by anger, before running away.

"Was it really the right idea to remind him?" Alain asked.

"He's not an enemy and has things that might interest us."

Jean ran everywhere to the city where nobody lived anymore.

'I need to find a way, quickly. Fuck, fuck! These words are killing me; stop looking inside!'

"SHUT UP" He yelled as he ran.

Less than a tenth of his life remained.

He had to find a way! What could be of use?

He felt his power strengthened as he neared the end. Life could all dominate as long as it was a Path, as long as it was united.

But a part of him seems to block him!

If he couldn't erase the past... he had to do so with the future! Even if Path might not forgive him. It had to eradicate them all! All these possibilities!

His face became red as he raised his strength to the fullest.

[Volume 3 deleted. 2,257 words acquired.]

An illusion hill of the Ancient zone appeared before him, where he could see himself scared face seeing the world shrink to kill it. This Jean transformed into a demon, entirely using his energy centers to resist the impossible. He was smashed into nothingness.

Jean's eyes remained dark. That wasn't enough! He needs the most time possible.

[Volume 4 deleted. 2,015 words acquired]

[̶V̶o̶l̶u̶m̶e̶ ̶4̶ ̶d̶e̶l̶e̶t̶e̶d̶.̶ ̶2̶,̶0̶1̶5̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶d̶s̶ ̶a̶c̶q̶u̶i̶r̶e̶d̶]̶

Jean watched in horror as it failed. Its very life diminished by nearly half.

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