The Story Of One World I, Chapter IX, Part III — Kevar [Major Spoilers]
Important Notice: This section contains significant spoilers from the final chapters of “The Story Of One World.” If you haven’t read the previous chapters yet, it’s highly recommended that you do so to fully enjoy the unfolding events. You can find a guide to the chapters here.
“Who are you? And where am I, for the sake of the Great Crystal?” Kevar tried to mask the fear in his voice but failed. Moreover, he realized that he couldn’t hide anything right now.
“Yes, Kevar, you can’t hide anything from me — I’ve known you too long. You’ll understand who I am soon. And where… consider yourself a guest. Because of you, I’ve spent much of my life here. But that’s all in the past now.”
“What is happening?” Kevar repeated, almost hysterically.
“Oh, that’s a bit closer to the mark. What’s happening… How should I put it? An introduction, an initiation… the beginning of a new cycle.”
“What cycle?”
“The cycle of our game. A game that started long before you were born but one that you are meant to end. With my help, of course.”
“What game are you talking about?”
“Oh, you have yet to learn about the game. To give you a rough idea, we’re dissatisfied with how the world is structured. We’re dissatisfied with what’s happening to humanity. We’re dissatisfied with many things — like many others. But unlike many, we chose to act. And this honor has fallen to me. Well, to us both, equally.”
“Wait. Are you Ombro? Ombro Kashita?” Kevar asked, terror rising in his voice.
“Of course, who else? It’s time we met. It’s indeed time.”
“What are you planning to do with me? I can’t possibly interest you — I’m not a politician, I have no power, I’m not even trying to oppose you anymore. Why do I matter to you?”
“Kevar, what nonsense. You have never been in my way. You did me an unimaginable favor once, so I can’t hold your foolish actions against you — like when you let Snake go. But I didn’t even get angry at you — you’re still so young and inexperienced…”
“How do you know?..”
“I know everything about you, believe me. When you first kissed, I know about your complicated romance with Doctor White — if you hadn’t gone to the front, something might have come of it. I know when and how you secretly smoked your first pipe and what you did during your student years on your nights out. I even know how you like to linger in the toilet, reading books.”
“Who are you?” Kevar asked, his voice dropping.
“I also know what happened to your brother Krrick.”
“I don’t know,” Kevar blurted out.
“Of course, because I didn’t allow those memories to surface for you — you’re not ready for them yet. It’s too soon.”
“What are you talking about? Answer me, who are you!”
“Haven’t you guessed yet, Kevar?”
Suddenly, the darkness a few meters from him seemed to grow even denser, beginning to take on the semblance of a form, the outline of a person. Finally, this tangible, deep darkness began to dissipate, and a peculiar light appeared around them. This light was strange — it illuminated only two chairs and the people sitting in them while everything else remained shrouded in impenetrable darkness. A neon blue light shone on Kevar and a red light on the person sitting opposite. Kevar looked up, trying to see the sources of the light, and for a moment, it seemed to him that there were two giant visor-eyes, blue and red, above his head. He shook his head, dispelling the eerie vision, and tried to focus on the person opposite. It took him a few moments, but he eventually managed to see them properly.
Ombró Kashita could be described as interesting, even beautiful. She appeared to be about thirty. Her face had neat aristocratic features: thin lips, a high forehead, and long, wavy dark hair. But all these details seemed merely incidental compared to her eyes. Large, expressive eyes, very dark and deep. They seemed to harbor wisdom mixed with sadness, faith, and danger. Her beautiful, albeit not femininely soft, face was crossed diagonally by a thin scar from her long bangs across her right eye, almost to her upper lip.
This face seemed familiar to Kevar, yet so strange — with its proper feminine features and the thin, long scar.
But all these strange marks that life had left on this woman seemed far less frightening to Kevar than the face itself.
“What? How are you doing this? What kind of trick is this?”
“It’s no trick, Kevar. This is my face.”
“No, it’s my face!” Kevar involuntarily exclaimed.
“No, not yours. Or rather, not just yours. Our face.”
“What are you talking about?” Kevar continued to ask hysterically. He felt as if he had lost his last support and was now falling into an endless abyss.
“I knew you wouldn’t understand and accept everything immediately, let alone believe it. Well, I’ll have to explain. To clarify, I’m not you, thank goodness. And you, accordingly, are not me. But we can’t exist without each other. Of course, we share one body between us. I didn’t immediately realize who I was — it was only when we were five. Well, you can probably guess after what. And then I never left you for a second. I always observed you and our life. When needed, I helped you take your pain and fears upon yourself. After all, I am much stronger than you. Sorry, but it’s true.”
“This can’t be! I would never…”
“It’s a natural reaction: denial. Think about the moments when you had what you call memory lapses. Especially in the most difficult situations, I thought it necessary to emerge from my hiding place — by the way, we are in it right now — and take control of our body into my own hands. My methods, values, and views are very different from yours, so you could never have handled problems as effectively as I can. So you wouldn’t have lived to be ten years old, believe me. However, you have always been necessary to me — I am much weaker without you. Unfortunately, I’m not as attentive or smart, I don’t have such a phenomenal memory as you… in short, we need each other — we always have and always will. Especially now, as the game becomes increasingly complex and dangerous.”
“I don’t believe it. I don’t believe you. Why are you saying all this?”
“You will know and understand everything soon. But now I need you to agree to continue cooperating: separately, we can no longer exist, and the plan, or game — call it what you will — must go on.”
“Cooperate with you? With a maniac who kills innocent people? With a madwoman claiming to share my body? What are you even talking about?”
“I’m willing to spend a little precious time to explain at least a small part of what you still don’t understand. Do you want that?”
“I want you to leave me alone and let me go. I promise I won’t interfere in your affairs anymore.”
“I thought it would be less difficult,” Ombro sighed, “usually you’re not so stubborn. Well, I understand you. Yet I will explain some things to you. In the monastery, I gained knowledge that clarified why I exist. Our existence with you is much more important than you could even imagine.
Listen, Kevar, and remember what I’m about to tell you. Understand — there are no evil people, but there are those who can’t find the good within themselves. The essence of goodness is not about being flawless but about constantly seeking the best within oneself, those around you, and the world. And the few who choose this path — the path of purification and self-improvement — are the ones who should lead society. But in reality, it always turns out differently — lost and conscience-depleted people come to power and gain the opportunity to impose their rotten views on others. Using force, lies, and cunning.
They hide behind beautiful speeches and a facade of seemingly good intentions; they skillfully manipulate people’s weaknesses and faith to achieve their personal, selfish goals. These tyrants with saintly faces have long strayed from the honest path of self-development, the search for good and truth — they have given up and even come to believe that there is nothing human and righteous left in them. Their false goals and values and false self-perception completely replace and cover up all the light that was once in them. And it was there — all children are initially bright and pure.
By the way, it’s worth noting that not only they but also their environment — parents and teachers — are to blame for what happened to them later. People must be taught to seek the path of good; otherwise, they will lose the remnants of humanity.
Either way, our society has long been in need, simply demanding cleansing from the filth accumulated over many centuries. This filth has different manifestations at different times, but it has always been there — at the dawn of human development and now, as humanity approaches the end of its life path.
From time to time — extremely rarely, much less often than necessary — individual personalities arise, strong and pure enough to at least try to improve society, but because they do not find support in society, this turns into an act of self-sacrifice. Beautiful, noble, breathtaking — but no less senseless and fruitless. And even if it sometimes happened that such a person found allies and achieved their goal, took power into their own hands. This power eventually led them astray, like a woodworm gnawing at the core and backbone, turning them into what they initially fought against. Or, if they could cope with the demon of power, they were still devoured — this time by so-called allies who were not as strong in spirit. In any case, the result is always the same, and it is a vicious circle.
Before the Ungurabuts, there was another dynasty of rulers, and before them — another, before humanity lived on planets, and they had no better rulers. The development of society, man as a being, and evolution could not affect people’s inability to seek good. And do you know why? Because it is in human nature to follow the path of least resistance — where it’s easier, there it’s better — that’s what most think. And what could be easier than giving up, succumbing to weaknesses, and wallowing in lies and deceit?
To somehow regulate all this, smart people long ago invented religions. Religion is a great thing until it becomes a means of manipulating the masses, and since it was created, in part, for this purpose, the conclusion is quite obvious.
Meanwhile, faith is entirely different. To live and walk the right path, you need to believe in something — whether in a god or, say, in science. A person without faith is like a planet without an orbit. It flies somewhere, but it will crash or burn sooner or later.
And so, true faith in a bright future exists in the Hidden Temple and the monastery on Fraktura. And for it to come, we need you and me. Consider that we are instruments of fate. Yes, it’s not easy to start perceiving your life this way, but it’s necessary. The deeds we do in small parts — these are great deeds. And absolutely necessary. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, I understand you. Now I understand,” Kevar replied thoughtfully, staring intently at the twin girl sitting in front of him, “But all these deaths… Nothing can justify them.”
“Oh yes, they can, Kevar. Someone has to take on the difficult role of someone who will dirty their hands with filth and blood. Otherwise, the world cannot be changed for the better. And it just so happens that this person is us. Whether you want it or not, you must accept this fact and go with me. I just really hope you will realize this soon enough — I need your help now. And together, we can achieve a lot, I would even say — anything we want. Our union holds tremendous power, which has been fragmented between us and hidden in the depths all these years.
“I can’t… It’s wrong. It shouldn’t be like this.”
“It’s right, and it must be. Now, I’ll show you most of my memories related to the game. Later, when you’re ready, I can share all my memories with you, and you’ll understand a lot.
“I don’t want to… become… a participant.”
“When you understand what I see and know, you will want to. Trust me. Now watch.”
This time, Ombro opened the stream of awareness not gradually, as before, but instantly. Many gaps in Kevar’s mind disappeared instantly — not all, of course, but many.
Here, he is returning from the rehabilitation center. Still, instead of the nightmarish dreams Kevar had seen in recent months, he (or rather, not quite he) is setting up a warehouse in an abandoned area at night.
Here, he is apparently sleeping, but in reality, he is watching his brother’s frightened face, then piercing his neck with a blade.
And here, he seems to be falling asleep on the summer terrace of “The Fate of Det’kin,” but at the same time, he is sneaking into the palace.
In the vast spiral mosaic, he sees before him, there are fewer and fewer empty spaces, memories fill them. Of course, there are still many missing elements, but now Kevar at least sees the field itself, the spiral of the game itself.
This last realization finally overwhelms him — he can no longer fight the infinite heaviness that has befallen him. He can no longer think about which path to choose — he will do that, but not now. Now, he just wants to sleep. He closes his eyes and shuts down.
Continued here:
The previous part is here:
