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Chapter 49: No Dreams, No Hope, No Future (The Other World Part IV)

Day N/A (it no longer matters I am with ONE)

And so my first assignment was to unwillingly help see the entity's plans through for World Five- whatever they were. ONE took control of my body throwing me back inside the box-cage in my subconscious.

I was once again a spectator within my own body. I followed the tan orc and red bull through a series of passageways leading above ground and the new lakeshore.

It was the waning days of winter but there was still snow on the ground and the morning sky was still quite red. I should have been very cold, but the clothing I had on when I was captured seemed adequate. Or was it that I had something else at my controls? I wondered how the bull who was almost naked except for the brown loincloth, sword and wrist bands was not affected. I also noticed that Fel seemed unbothered as well. Were they impervious to the cold?

Arriving at the lakeshore I received an overview of the labors I was to perform that day. Err... the synoptic was to perform using my body. The work would be grueling and tedious.

The entity had established a system for cleaning up the lake- the shark beastials who had fought my mistress and Sir Ram and a few other aquatic creatures would comb the lakebed looking for bodies. What they found they brought to shore. Another group also under ONE's control would form a brigade and pass the bodies down the line to Fel and the bull who would then lower the remains into a shallow grave. The entity used me to dig each and every grave and then to cover it up with dirt. Passing the strain, pain, aches and fatigue of digging into the frozen ground directly to me- my punishment for failing its loyalty test.

There was a separate group of Others who combed the buildings of the city, another group who combed the ice flows in the lake and another combing the forests for bodies they brought what the found to us.

At its height the population of World Five was about 100,000 inhabitants during my labors that morning it felt like we buried two-thirds of the populace.

(So many lives lost.)

The very first bodies that morning were the mated human couple I had watched conceive a child the day of my capture. Sir Ram had indeed shown the couple no mercy; their bodies receiving laser fire to the head and chest. ONE and I dug a hole for the man first, then the woman. It may have looked like we were burying two individuals- but it was actually three.

From there Fel and the red bull brought the remains of a adolescent cliff springer. The beastial's head had been split open from debris and shrapnel it died shortly after. I tried very hard not to look at it. The minotaur noticed.

They are all remnants of the former world. The red bull said to me. That is all.

"You are compartmentalizing." I said to him.

And you are thinking about this beastial's short life.

"You are reading my thoughts again."

We are ONE. He said to me .

"Yeah I heard that before- repeatedly." I said to him while watching myself dig the next grave. It was particularly difficult because the ground was so cold.

_ You also find me attractive and handsome. Do I remind you of someone else, a close friend perhaps? _

"Um...." I said stuttering.

So I do. There are no secrets between us Alex Winter.

(Yeah I am starting to find that very annoying.)

"Yes, yes very close. Only he is a bit older than you are and grey."

_And ONE of us. Have you tried reaching out to him since your awakening? _

"No, I haven't." I responded looking at his beautiful pecs and biceps that had a single band drawn on each. "I haven't quite figured out how that works."

Relax your mind and concentrate.

It didn't come easy for me. I don't know exactly why. Maybe because I was newly turned. From the box-cage. I tried to connect to the adult bull, to read his thoughts. I strained hard.

"Your name is Raier." I said to him. "How did I know that?"

We are of ONE mind you and I. The red bull said to me.

"I guess, I still don't understand what is it to be of ONE mind." I said as he and Fel tossed another corpse- a yellow avian beastial who looked like the life was just squashed out of him- into the grave that we had just dug.

When you were brought into the fold, you ceased being Alex Winter. Raier said to me. You were combined with another to become someone else. Something else. Something more than you were or ever hoped to be. It was the same for me.

"What was that?" I asked as my arms and legs started to ache from all the digging.

A new life form. The adult bull said. During your awakening you were merged with our master. Two life forms combined. You are no longer just Alex Winter and the synoptic but a blended life form ONE.

"So our minds, personalities?" I asked.

All blended. When you speak, you are speaking together as ONE, when you think your thoughts are together as ONE. When you move it is together as ONE. The young warrior said.

"So that is why you can read my thoughts?"

_And you mine. _

"We are all connected through the entity?" I asked. "This is still mind-blowing."

You are still confused. Why? Raier said receiving another corpse from Fel- a turtle whose face was frozen in horror.

I let Raier read my mind.

_The master occasionally lets us take control every now and again. But only the most obedient and loyal servants though. _

"I witnessed that with Britta and Shen. But what does that make Fel then?"

The master rejected Fel; He is flawed and imperfect as you suspected. Fel chose to stay to be with his sisters. He has his uses and limitations....

Raier paused reading my thoughts further.

My you are quite special indeed Alex Winter. I see why the master desires you.

(I didn't want to get into it at that moment.)

"This is such a macabre and morose job I hope we aren't forced to work on burial detail everyday." I said changing the subject. Apparently that got a rise out of my handler.

We will assign duties and tasks as we see fit little slave. The synoptic said through Raier and myself.

(I felt my lips move and a voice that wasn't mine come from my mouth when the master made that decree. Despite that it was still eerie.)

Fel, Raier and I worked all morning and part of the afternoon without a break. Fel because he could. Raier and I did not have a choice in the matter. I suspected that the handsome young minotaur didn't mind being controlled, I on the other hand...

"Master if I may..." The tan orc said bowing toward Raier and myself.

You may.

"What was that about?" I asked.

The master decided to share its thoughts with me.

"Eww!!!"

The unawakened have their limits little slave.

And so the burial line ground to a halt as we waited for the tan orc to come back from relieving himself. I got to reflect on the poor luckless souls I had helped bury- those who had died for this so called new world that was being created. My body mate couldn't help but notice.

You are saddened little slave?

"Yes- ONE err... master. The lives that were ended, it is such a waste."

But necessary.

(Oh no she, he or whatever it is didn't!!!!)

"Was it really master? You couldn't think of another way of conquering the empire- this world without the bloody nose?"

The being grew silent as made my case, ok I went of on him, she or it.

"I mean look at the twelve year old we just dropped into this hole like she was nothing! This little girl had her whole life ahead of her! Did you ever stop and consider what she could have become? A artist? A musician? A leader? A motivator?"

(Crap, I stepped into it now. But ONE had raised my dander.)

"Or how about these arms and legs one of the squids found on the lake bottom? They belonged to some body."

That was all that was found slave.

"What I am getting at master is that they might have belonged to a visionary or innovator whose inventions could have benefited society as a whole! Look at, at...."

It is a headless, armless torso slave. ONE said as we looked at what Raier was carrying.

"Whoever it belonged to could have been another individual who could have improved our lives as a well, a visionary, a healer, a athlete, a scientist? We will never know and that is on you... master."

(Shit, I really screwed myself now.)

"AUGH!!!"

I felt pain like I had never experienced in all my life! It was like I was melting from the inside out.

Do not cast judgement on us little slave. Lives were lost, but lives were also saved. The entity said chastising me. The Forward siblings were punished for being disruptions to the previous regime. They would have been forced to live the rest of their lives in obscurity had we not intervened.

"Well two out of three isn't bad. You welcomed the two females and rejected the brother."

"EEEYAH!!!

I was punished again for my outburst.

Young Raier here would have spent the rest of his existence in servitude forced to pay off his family's debts if we had not rescued him. The synoptic said as Fel returned.

Pixie and Dixie (the sharks) were trapped in a bland dead end existence, we took them from that and made them something more than what they were and they are better for it.

(Well they did enjoy being Others.)

The master pointed out how each of its minions on burial detail were in a bland meaningless existence before their awakening- The giant squid helping the sharks (who I learned were accountants) dredge the lake bottom, the funny looking capybara, the blue scaly next to her, the stern brown and tan owl next to him, the caprine next to him and so on and so on down the line all the way toward me. Who the master seemed to imply that my existence was also made better as well since my awakening.

After my humiliating chastising, we resumed. The next hole had been dug when the burial detail ground to a halt again.

"Master why are we stopping?" I asked as I involuntarily dropped the shovel next to the remains of an ermine.

Fel took notice. "Master?"

We have observed something near the western boundaries- survivors. We are to acquire them.

"The western boundaries of the city?" I asked.

Sounds like more stragglers. Very well let's investigate. Raier said. _ _

I was glad to have been relieved of my labors. The synoptic had the owl, capybara and caprine replace Fel, Raier and myself on the burial detail. We were on the southern edge of the city. The synoptic had us walk the five miles to the western boundary. Some form of transportation would have been preferred. But when you reject everything technological you get what you get. I got to see the western end of World Five and it like the building Sir Ram's labs were housed in, it was in a state of rebuild.

Raier led the way on our so called expedition. I watched the bull's finely shaped rump as it sashayed and swayed as he walked. It was so great to look at and even better to follow. Oh and Fel brought up the rear, I mean watched our behinds... You know what I mean. The things one thinks about when not in control of their own body. I think the synoptic took notice that I was checking out the minotaur again. I quickly decided to change the subject.

"Master what will you do if you find survivors?" I asked.

Tch! It said to me.

_Alex it is best not to ask questions you already know the answer to. _ Raier replied.

"Just trying to make conversation. So... how did you come into the fold?"

_You should already know that answer as well. _

(Yeah, we are connected.)

I tried to concentrate to see the young warrior's thoughts. I strained again; it was very difficult.

"You were a indentured servant, a gladiator- forced to fight for entertainment; sold into that life by your parents to pay for debts owed. I am sorry."

Interesting. And you are not from this world. But another similar it. Raier said as our minds touched.

"Perhaps we should compare experiences some time." I suggested.

There is not much to say Alex Winter. That existence was very hard. I was elated when it became irrelevant. Raier communicated to me as we walked by a surveillance device that watched us silently from the nearby woods. I knew what it was. But tried to hide it from them.

(Don't think about it Alex, clear your mind otherwise...)

Raier stopped moving. Turned around looked at me and then the metal box watching us from the tree. The red bull drew and then threw his sword at the device slicing it where it stood. He then retrieved his sword and we preceded onward.

(Damn. I was hoping I could signal Feleen somehow to tell everyone in the lost city that they were in extreme danger. I guess not.)

_We are here. _ Our master announced.

"A snowy vacant field?" Fel said looking around.

Yes.

"There doesn't appear to be anything around in either direction for a mile."

Look again little slave.

"Well there is that stone wall."

It was small entirely comprised out of rocks and extended around the perimeter of the property.

"Are you sure it was here?" The tan orc asked.

Yes. The entity responded through Raier and myself. It pointed at some tracks that had been made in the snow. Fel followed them, but they seemed to lead in all directions and none at all.

"Interesting a misdirection on purpose." The orc said.

A survivalist. What should we do master? Raier asked looking at me.

Wait. The words came from my mouth.

Afternoon turned into late afternoon, then sunset as the red sky disappeared and dusk made its entrance and as we waited. Waited and observed. Myself and the bull remained perfectly still. Fel had to step away for meals from time to time and to relieve himself.

When night appeared, I started growing concerned.

"Master how long are we going to wait out here?"

As long as it takes little slave.

"I only ask because it is not safe to be outside after dark. There are horrid things roaming around." I protested.

Then your abilities will serve us quite well.

"HUH?"

"You're our monster detector." Fel said re-joining our group.

So we conducted a stakeout looking for survivors. Raier and Fel studying the surroundings and myself on danger alert.

!!!

"There is another one!" I said as something large and very serpentine slithered by. It stopped and turned our direction. Its head was as large as a hover vehicle with very sharp fangs.

Raier showed the creature the blade of his sword. It wisely decided to move on. However, not long after, a few more night creatures passed by.

!!!

"There is another!" I squeaked as a grey lizard scaly with six legs, tail and lot of spikes but no eyes walked by. It was hunting something. Thankfully not us.

A little later a large rotund humanoid thingie came by as well. It looked mostly human except for the snake eyes, horns and stripes all over its body.

Then there was the quadrupedal wolf thingie that trotting by. The creature looked like it was an amalgamation of several animals. It had the body and tail of a wolf, the mane of a lion and the horns of some type of steer only pointed forward. From what I could tell its body was white while the head and mane were blue.

What a magnificent creature! We must acquire it!

*CREAK*

"Beg your pardon master, but something is coming up from the ground." The tan orc said redirecting our attention.

It is a trap door! The red bull said.

(But in the ground?!)

The door opened sideways and a female satyr- a blond one with tan fur and black jacket, jumped out and ran.

"Get away! Get away!" She said screaming.

"Hey! Get back inside!" An overweight macaque said popping his head out of the ground. "You know it is not safe out here. They are everywhere!"

"I don't care Bester! I don't want to spend rest of the apocalypse with you!!"

"But baby, baby, baby please!" The fat macaque shouted.

(Wow, someone is living large in these hard times.)

"Over here!" Fel said standing up.

"Thank goodness!" The she satyr said running up to the tan orc. "You don't know what it is like living with him! He is a dominating, overbearing tyrant! I just can't take it anymore!"

(I sympathize.)

Silence little slave.

*ZAP*

"GYAHHH!! I am sorry master!"

_Do not concern yourself with him anymore. _ Raier said stepping forward. We are here to bring you the good news.

"The apocalypse is over?" She asked.

"On shit Zen it is them! The zombies! You are on your own!" The fat macaque said closing the trap door.

We watched the registered look of horror on the female's face.

_Be at ease child. Your life is not in danger. _ The synoptic said through me and Raier. We are building a new world from the old. A better world.

"We would like you to be a part of it." Fel said grabbing her right paw.

"How?" She said backing up.

By adding resourceful individuals such as yourself to our collective.

"What did you do for a living in the past world?" Fel asked curiously.

"I owned and operated an arboretum." The she satyr said.

"You indeed will make a fine addition." The tan orc said grabbing her left paw.

"Wait... you are going to make me a zombie?!" Zen said struggling from within the orc's grip.

Not a zombie. But something so much more than yourself. Raier said reaching for her.

But I was quicker.

*Boop*

I tapped her right on the nose.

"GYAAAAARGH!!!!!" She shouted as her fur bristled as something foreign invaded her body; I had just converted my first non-believer.

And now for her companion. I nodded toward the red bull. Who acknowledged my nod and ran toward the trap door.

He forced it open and was about to climb down inside until the she satyr darted by him.

_We would like to speak with Bester and show him the error of his ways. _

There was sounds of a struggle inside.

"No, get away, get away! Don't you come near me!" The macaque shouted.

What was it that you said to us? Baby, baby, baby please!!

There was a horrifying shriek then the awakened Zen returned to the surface with the awakened fat macaque.

"That guy was a survivalist." Fel said climbing inside the hole. "It is an underground bunker- a comfortable one with enough food and supplies to last months if not a year!"

We were going to wait out the apocalypse. The awakened macaque said.

It turned out Zen had been living with Bester in that bunker since the day of the fall. It looked like the two had a falling out and as she escaped she brought the apocalypse right to his front door. Now they became living dolls for the entity and part of our collective.

The synoptic was very pleased with its latest acquisition; we spent the rest of the evening studying the bunker from top to bottom.

Around midnight as the entity was preparing to power down Raier, myself, Zen and Bester for the night:

You have done well little slave we are quite pleased with your performance today.

"Thank you master." I said meekly.

Now your reward.

*OAH* *OAH* *OAAAAAHHHHH*

"I never knew it could be this wonderful!!!" As wave, beyond waves of indescribable pleasure fell over me. It felt like thirty orgasms one after another.

Feels great doesn't it? The minotaur said.

"I don't know, I am still in my box-cage." I said changing the subject.

So you are on probation. But if you are obedient, subservient and submissive you will be rewarded. The red bull said to me.

"You enjoy being an Other don't you?"

It is much better than my previous life.

The minotaur is right Alex Winter. The she satyr said. We were fearful of our awakening. But now we believe in ONE. We support its cause.

"Zen?"

Thank you Alex Winter for showing us the light. We never ever in our wildest dreams thought that life could be like this!

I was floored at that revelation the two admitted to me.

My view outside my body grew dark as myself Raier, Zen and Bester went offline. Still after a day and a half it felt weird. Like I was some type of robot that could be turned off and on at a touch of a switch.

So now the four of us became inactive and went into standby mode until our master wanted to use us again. We continued our conversation in the between.

You know this place that you inhabit now doesn't have to be so dark and bleak. You can remake it into anything you want. Zen said reaching her paw into the cage to touch mine.

It is only a box-cage if you let it be. The minotaur said to me.

"Thank you, but I think I will keep it that way for now." I said. "It is a reminder that I wasn't awakened willingly.

(And I frankly don't know how to change it.)

The two looked at each other and disappeared leaving me alone with my thoughts.

So what to do now with all of this free time? I decided to use the between to reach out to Yama, Russell, Bess, Tess, Tauren, Lurie and even Lea. But for some reason I found it more difficult trying to contact them than it was for Raier and Zen to reach out to me. Why was that? For that matter why was the synoptic obsessed with obtaining minions? Hmm....

Then it happened again....

"GRRRRR...."

"Something wrong pretty lady bear?" The dark brown bear with the V shaped birthmark asked the growling she bear.

"Yes this place is flawless! Nothing ever happens here!" Lady Ursa said looking out from the entrance of our cave at the lush jungle. "No conflict! No struggle! It is too perfect!"

"You say like it is bad thing." Boris responded.

"What's wrong?" I asked running up to the quarreling couple.

"Pretty lady bear upset- she wants to resume previous life little freckled boy."

"I am a little frustrated that I can't be a knight again pet." She said to me. "Domestication is irritating."

"All things considered mistress, we have done well for ourselves after escaping The Maximum."

"Little freckled boy speaks truth. We were lucky to escape from evil, vindictive warden and find this place. Island is nice size, weather is nice, there is ample food and water and just us." The dark brown bear said.

"And much boredom. No rebels, dissidents, alarmists or other threats to the High Evolutionary. Just a pretty tropical paradise day after day after day." My fierce ursine warrior huffed.

"She does say that like it is a bad thing." I said to the dark brown bear.

"I am going to tidy up the cave. You two find lunch." Lady Ursa said heading back inside.

I nodded and decided to head back down to the beach to fish. Boris followed.

The temperature that afternoon was quite warm. We opted to stop by a pond on the interior of the jungle to cool off before continuing.

"This is divine." I said sticking my feet in and letting the orange and white fish nip at my toes.

The dark brown bear was silent.

"Alright out with it what is wrong?" I said standing up.

"Hmm?"

"I may not have the keen senses of a beastial, but I know my mistress is not the only perturbed bear on this island."

There was that silence again.

"You don't like me that much do you?" I asked him. "Is it because I am between you and your object of affection?"

"What? No!"

"Boris? I may be a flimsy and weak human, but I am not stupid. You only tolerate me." I said looking at the pond. "It has been that way since our time in The Maximum."

"Boris is jealous."

"Why?" I asked looking at the white V shaped birthmark on his chest.

"Boris wishes he had same relationship with pretty lady bear as little Alex does."

"Boris, my mistress and I have been together for a long time- she adopted me in order to treat her condition."

"Boris is well aware little Alex."

"Hey give her time- you two are the only bears on this island. It is not like she has any alternatives. Besides in the meantime we should work on OUR relationship."

"What does little freckled boy mean?"

"No jealousy. I want us to be close too." I said hugging the dark brown bear.

"Very well little Alex." He said placing his paw on me.

"We will have to rely on each other for our survival." I said snuggling.

"Boris and little Alex should become close friends?"

"Even more than that!" I said trotting off into the jungle.

"What little Alex mean?" Boris said when he caught up to me at the beach.

"A family big bear. It would also help if you wore a little more than a fundoshi." I said starring at his groin.

"Island temperature is very hot. Clothes are not required for warmth." The dark brown bear said removing what he was wearing.

"So we should just run around naked then?"

"It would be easier to cool off. Here let Boris help."

*YOINK*

"Hey!" I shouted as he removed my loin-cloth. We were both nude on the beach looking out into the ocean.

"Quite liberating isn't it little Alex? No restraints, no restrictions we are completely free." He said placing his arm around me.

"Yeah I guess it is." I said taking a look at his bear-hood. Say Boris what is going on down there?"

"Hmm?"

"Your testicles, they are quite swollen."

"Oh that. Boris has been saving himself."

"Why?"

"For pretty lady bear's next heat. Boris wants to cure her boredom."

"You mean by giving her offspring?" I asked the grinning he beast.

He smiled and nodded.

"Well she never had the time before while she was a knight and she has all the time in the world now and it would give her something to do and she would make a great mother..." I said reasoning.

"Boris agrees. Little Alex would make a great sub-parent as well."

"I would definitely talk that over with her big guy. You know make it a special night- dine out, a moonlit walk on the beach, you know romance her." I said to the brown he bear.

"Boris will come back to that." He said looking at the horizon as sky in the distance turned a dark black and the wind started picking up.

Boris lifted his muzzle and inhaled.

"Storm coming. Bad one. We should head back to cave." The dark brown bear said standing up.

"How bad?" I asked.

"Very bad Boris and little Alex need to seek shelter now."

(That is bad.)

To be continued....