“Sometimes, what defines a decision as being good or evil, merciful or cruel, is the thing we face when making that decision.”
Virgil

TESTAMENT

After a hundred years of conquests and reformations, the world transformed under the united banner of the Order. The immortal handlers of this administration transitioned from agents of domination to stewards of humanity, and the head of the regime tended to the variety of cultures with the care of an attentive gardener. Not all were content with the guidance he provided, however, so those with ambition sought power for themselves and plotted against him.

Despite the best efforts of these resistance movements, none succeeded. Instead of breaking the Order, they tested its resiliency and gave it new problems to solve. The Four Pillars rose as a bulwark against corrosion, and the governing houses were purged of corrupt officials. Cooperation and resource sharing increased, and regional connections strengthened to discourage infighting, but a contingency of malicious actors continued to appear throughout the ages, and they chipped at the collective confidence in the administrator.

The Sureshot Rebellion was the last attempt on the Order’s stability. Armed companies, wealthy benefactors, religious zealots, and political ideologues banded together to overthrow the Order and bring the regime to heel, but before their plans could reach fruition, the movement and the majority of its members were terminated overnight. Since then, the administrator was silent, and the Four Pillars carried out their roles in hushed tones. Something had changed. In the midst of these developments, a new mission was drafted to unearth an ancient secret hidden deep within the earth, but unlike the Rebellion, its emergence would change not only the Order but the world forever.

The ORDER

Spanning the world across every land and sea, the Order was a globally united body organized under the vision and principles of its founding figure. Every biome between the frozen lands of the polar caps was represented including towering forests, industrious cities, mountainous valleys, and wind-swept countrysides. Without nations, regions were logistically divided into numbered zones, and resources were pooled and equitably distributed. Without competition, public services were provided at no additional cost, migration was free, and friction between people was mitigated by a trained workforce of social workers, ambassadors, judges, and cultural specialists. Without war, people were free to pursue purpose and passions in their lives. There was but one accord: humanity was to be united.

Despite the best intentions of the administration, however, fissures within the will of mankind persisted. To mitigate this, day-to-day affairs were mediated by four bodies. The Pillar of Justice oversaw civil enforcement, regional safety, and the courts. The Pillar of Growth concerned itself with research, technological development, and healthcare. The Pillar of Endurance touched infrastructure, zoning, and human resources, and the Pillar of Guidance was enmeshed in education, cultural outreach, and relations with the Spirit Realm. Between them, the elected officials, and regional governors, corruption was kept to a minimum, and yet what remained pushed for more. Vice and ambition became more difficult to contain, and over time, the carefully cultivated accord started to fray.

Characters

Sirus

The Pursuant

Ever since he escaped with Reese into the real world, Sirus frequently found himself in a state of wonder. Reality was so much greater than what he was taught, and he would never be able to see it all. Still, he studied whatever he could between jobs. He had to learn about the world if he wanted to make an impact, and finding opportunities to do so was one of his strengths.

Only one thing bothered him. How could he help his partner recover? Their childhood was spent on a movement they had no say in, and though it was detrimental to them both, Reese came out far worse than Sirus. He hoped this new string of jobs would bring clarity to their experiences, and with that clarity, maybe they could find some closure.

There was a suspicious amount of layers obscuring whoever orchestrated the contracts, though, but the substance of the jobs was what mattered. The client could have whatever they wanted so long as it brought Sirus closer to the answers he sought. One more job, and it would be done. One more job, and Sirus could finally make the impact he wanted.

Carsis

The Zealot

Every day that Carsis did his job, he felt a measure of fulfillment. People smiled at him when he passed by, and subordinates respected his station and accomplishments. When he spoke, he did so with authority, so he was encouraged by others to maintain what he was doing. So what about this day made him so uneasy?

His duties were the same, and there were no particularly novel challenges. Aside from the usual politics, there was nothing in the news hinting at anything strange either. Perhaps he needed to drink more water. He was prone to overworking himself, and he had yet to fix the habit, so he made a mental note to address it the next day.

Even so, the notion that something was wrong bothered him well into the night. He went to bed with it in mind but brushed it off as bad intuition before going to sleep. The Order was fine, and it would still be fine in the morning. Unfortunately, he did not sleep long. Something had indeed gone wrong, and it had the potential to destroy everything he sought to protect.

Reese

The Marked

If life had any meaning, it felt lost on Reese. The great powers of the world did as they pleased, and the people went about their days with little discomfort apart from what they generated for themselves and each other. The talking heads that debated on the news were no exception, but Reese ignored them as much as possible.

He supposed he could have found meaning in the Armada had he stayed, but that ship had long since sailed. To think his anxieties would kick in so hard during an award ceremony made him want to curl up and dive into a hole, but his drinks were sufficient for wallowing in and posed less of a risk than a ready-made grave. It was not like he would be missed by the world.

Well, one person would miss him, but he could never understand why. Ever since that night twenty years ago, Reese lived primarily as a burden. He tried to carry his weight, he tried to stand up for something, and he tried to find something to believe in, but the gravity of his namesake was just too damn heavy. His infamy was misery, and misery loved his company.

I will not be overcome.

Available Now

That’s Not All!

Buy Now