Prologue: The Life of Alastair (REWRITE)

For all that lost. Will always come back to you, Alastair. The pain you see and heard is not an illusion. If this life is an illusion then what is the point of you working hard to survive? You aren't certainly a stupid person but the way you see everything else is not something normal humans see.

You are no hero. You are no monster. You are just a foolish person trying to do what is meant to be right but what's meant to be right is not always right to others.

. .

An orphan, Alastair Manikas. A young adult who's been in war for too long that his mental state is almost broken. For a young man like him, he is an excellent young captain who does every task that has been given to him completed or moreover, well done.

"Alastair Manikas, this is no ordinary task. It's a suicide mission but even then, it will decide the outcome of this war." General of the Rebel Army said.

For 7 years. The Rebel has been at war with the corrupt Prime Government. This bloody war is no longer war, it's hell and complete loss for everyone who's involved.

But knowing that, the Rebel Army never surrender and keep moving forward. And this mission given from the General to Alastair Manikas will decide the outcome of this war. Shall they fail, the Rebel Army will never have the chance to defeat the Prime Government or if the mission succeded, they will have a chance to defeat Prime Government from inside.

"I understood, General. I am ready to accept this mission." Alastair with his stoic face is unfazed by the fact that this is a suicide mission.

"You will not be arrested for treason if you decide to refuse this mission, Captain Alastair." The General tried to convince Alastair.

"Knowing that, I will still accept this mission, sir." Unfazed by the offer, Alastair still stood strong.

"I see... It is no use to convince you." He sighed in defeat.

"Alastair Manikas. Heed my order, you shall infiltrate the Prime Government's main base undetected and you will detonate the Colossal Bomb that has been leaked out by the spy. Your mission shall be the last that I will give to you and will decide the outcome of this war."

"Yes, sir!" Alastair saluted and left the room.

Seeing that Alastair has left the room. The General glance at the picture frame on his desk. A young Alastair and the General are in the picture, the young orphan was taken care of by the General and even though they don't have a strong relationship as the General was busy all the time. He sees Alastair grow up to be the man that will decide the outcome of this war.

He let out a second tired sigh. Hoping that this bloody war will end soon.

. . .

Alastair is in his room. He has a few hours before the helicopter that will pick him up arrive. He tidy up his room and sat on his bed.

His expressionless face doesn't have any fear even though he knows he will die in this last mission. But after seeing a picture frame that is in his drawer, he finally expressed an emotion.

A tired and broken emotion.

Alastair and a woman are in the picture frame. They smiled together after Alastair received Captain Rank.

"I will break the promise that we made together... I am tired of this painful reality." He put the picture frame down and left his room.

After entering the helicopter, he looks at the base he calls home for the last time.

"Captain Alastair, we will be taking off." The pilot informed Alastair.

"Alright." He closed the helicopter door and took a seat.

. . .

Arriving near the Prime Government's main base. They couldn't get any near as they would like to avoid detection. Most of the Jets and Helicopter that would patrol around the area have been assigned to a different area as Rebel Army create a distraction for Alastair.

They pay a huge price for this mission.

"Captain... I hope you succeed in this mission and thank you for everything." The pilot has been Alastair's Pilot for five years.

They create a friendship over the years but as Alastair's mental health deteriorates faster, their friendship is not like usual anymore. The pilot could only thank Alastair for the laugh they had together.

"I shall be the one who is thanking you. Goodbye, friend." Alastair patted the Pilot's shoulder and jump off the helicopter.

. . .

Alastair swiftly made his way to the main base. He killed and hide the bodies of the soldier of the corrupt government since the patrolling soldiers were less because of the Rebel army's distraction.

Alastair was seen adjusting his hat and tie. He is disguising himself as a commander of the Prime Government. He isn't nervous at all.

As he entered the main building, his demeanor make him unapproachable. The soldiers were saluting him as he walked to the lift.

But he wasn't alone as a trainee researcher is with him in the lift.

"Ah, sir! Good evening." The trainee researcher saluted him.

Alastair only nodded. His expressionless face was a little bit scary for the trainee researcher.

As the lift goes down, the transparent glass window made Alastair able to see the underground research base. A large bomb was in the middle of the area and he see many researchers and scientists working there.

The guards are not lacking like the outside, they strictly guard the scientist and researchers.

Alastair unconsciously let out a tired sigh. The sigh prompts the trainee to become a little bit talkative.

"Um, sir! It is a tiring day, is it? I guess that your work isn't over yet as you are here today. I hope that you will get rest soon enough." Even though the researcher is nervous about talking to Alastair, he managed to talk with Alastair.

"Thank you." Alastair gave a curt reply.

"Ah, it's nothing, sir!"

The lift has finally reached its destination and the door opened. He walks forward with a solemn expression.

After halfway to the colossal bomb. The alarm suddenly rang out and chaos ensue. As the chaos erupted, everyone panicked.

[INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!]

Alastair keep going forward to the colossal bomb area until a high-ranking officer stopped him.

"Freeze, identify yourself!" The high-ranking shouted.

Alastair quickly grabbed his gun and shot the high-ranking officer dead in the head in cold blood. The gunfire made the entire underground panic.

The soldiers who saw Alastair kill the officer quickly shot at Alastair but he quickly took cover.

Without anyone's notice, Alastair grabbed a detonation bomb from his pocket and detonate the bomb that has been planted around the area by a spy but was not too destructive to make the whole underground collapse.

The sound of the explosion made the whole chaos is in confusion. Are they under attack by one person or an army? But they have no time to think as they run away.

"These annoying bastards are persistent." Seeing that the soldiers still shooting in his direction.

Alastair pull the pin of the grenade and waited for the right moment to throw it. Alastair quickly threw the grenade in front of the soldiers and without time to react, they are blown into smithereens.

Seeing that there are no soldiers around, Alastair continues moving as he avoids soldiers' attention.

Finally, in front of the colossal bomb control room. He opened the door only to be shot in the stomach.

There is one guard that hasn't fled the scene. Alastair quickly jumped to the side to avoid bullets.

Groaning in pain, Alastair covered his wound with his hand. He grabbed his gun and prepare for battle.

But he wasn't just gonna head there blindly. He WILL blind the guard with a flashbang.

Throwing the flashbang into the room, he covered his ears.

BANG.

Without a second thought, he quickly entered the room and point his gun straight at the guard's head. Ending him without any mercy in cold blood.

He dropped his gun after seeing that there are no guards around. But after everyone knew that there is no army outside, they will soon go back and Alastair need to be fast.

After tinkering with the control system but Alastair wasn't alone as the best hacker in the country assist him.

"Hey, Captain. You know that this mission will cost your life, right?" The hacker speaks from a device in his robotic voice.

"I know." He responded.

"But knowing that, you still accepted this mission?"

"Yes, anything else does not matter."

"That is cold the way you put it but who am I to judge." Behind the screen, the hacker only shrug his head.

"..." Alastair only stay silent as he focused on working.

"And done!" The hacker announced.

The colossal bomb will take off in a matter of minutes. The sound of gas and machinery was heard by everyone.

"You want to be alone or do you want me to accompany you till the end?" The hacker asked.

"Leave me alone." Without any emotions, he answered.

"I see... Then goodbye, Cap." The hacker disconnected himself from the device to speak with Alastair.

Alastair suddenly coughs blood. He looked at his wound and realize that the bullet hit his lung.

He bitted his lips as he sat down on the ground. He reminiscences the old days when things haven't gone wrong.

"Is this the right thing to do? The bomb will reach the capital city and lives... many lives won't survive. But this sacrifice will put an end to this bloody war."

As he tried to make himself good. A light appeared in front of him, the light do nothing as if the light just stare at him.

Feeling that he has gone insane, he just laughed.

"Haha! Who am I kidding? I am a monster, not a hero. Even if this bloody war will end because of me, there is no denying that I will take many lives with me. I am monster!" He gritted his teeth.

"If only... the government is not corrupt. This bloody war won't happen in the first place, if only..."

"But I need to accept this reality. A reality where there is no pain is not here." Alastair continued.

"I hope that my second life. I have a good brother who can support me, parents who love me, and a little sister that I can adore. Heh, this is the first time I believe in second life bullshit but I guess it's just a hope." Unbeknownst to him, Alastair smiled as tears fell off his cheek.

Soon, the bomb went off and Alastair perished along with many lives he took.

* * *

Alastair. A lost soul. He accepted his death.

But this is not the end. Whether he is a monster, a hero, or a foolish person. It doesn't matter what he thinks of himself.

A destiny. Bound with his soul.

Anomaly fate resides within his soul. He is the master of his own fate, shall he succeed in changing his own fate and everyone else. He will get what he truly wanted.

This is beginning after the end.

- To Be Continued.

(Rewritten version: 06/07/2022)