N.E.C.R.O.

Part 1 - Chapter 1: Prologue

Bowing before the supernatural being, all of creations chanted, "All hail, Lord Praestes!"

Then the greater being, the unexplainable existence, spoke. "Close the gates, isolate the Throne and summon Praestes by the same. Orbis, or what they call "Earth", is under the gaze of Omnium-Perditor."

One of the protectors of the Door came closer to this 'Praestes'. "You have been summoned over to the Throne. It seems to be about the Celestial 'Ruin-er'. Your highness' planet is at stake." The emperor walked over to the Throne. "Close the gates to here. Isolate the Throne," Praestes demanded, in a brisk voice. The silver-white rostrum descended underneath, to where no consciousness can enter, other than ones invited.

Kneeling, with right hindleg on foot, the left hindleg on knees and with the right foreleg on the right knee, Praestes declared, "Even an immortal can sacrifice their life. I am ready for the 'Ceremony'. I beseech your command, O' embodiment of Infinity!"

"What should be done, must be. Any hindrance will only weather the beauty of the deed. I grant you the eternal guidance to the Void Piece and my command to begin the 'Ceremony'."

"I take my oath to protect Orbis. I place the Eternal Shard on the stone platter as proof for my vow." Both the mysterious existences departed the throne-room as the Throne was brought out of isolation. "Prepare for the 'Ceremony'! Open the Door!"

Within a mere two hours, the area was converted into something completely different. The citizens were gloomy, but they knew all too well that this must be done. This conveyance of the soul of Praestes into the Finite Realm was part of the great responsibilities they chose to take up.

It was time for the first stage of the Ceremony. 'Release'. Praestes and the greater existence were invited onto the raised platform in the heart of the city. The latter said, "It is time. Go! This is your only chance. One that you have been waiting for." Praestes moved into a special stance with the right foreleg over the left chest.

The concentration of the air in the area started to decline sharply. The citizens found it harder and harder to breathe, until the air abruptly reverted back to normal. There was but one thing that did not remain the same. The body of Praestes fell onto the ground, lifeless.

×××

I suddenly woke up from the dream. What was that? I felt like I had forgotten something... Something really important. No matter how many times I tried, I could not remember anything except the phrase 'Void Piece' from that dream. My holo-clock* read 03:44. It was still far from morning. I called Neuro, the domestic artificially intelligent butler. "Yes, master. Did you summon me?"

"Yes, could you bring me a glass of water?"

"Sure, master. The water is on its way."

"Thank you, Neuro." Soon enough, she entered the room again holding a tray of water.

"Anything else, master?"

"Yes, please stop calling me that. I have a name, you know?"

"Apologies, mas-... I mean, Nile. I seem to have gotten used to master. So, Nile, do you have any other request?"

"I'm not sleepy."

"Would you like to listen to a story?"

I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Seriously? How old do you take me to be?"

"Hmm..." Neuro said, thoughtfully. "Then do you want to play a game?"

"I want to sleep, Neuro, not to get more absorbed in something like playing."

"Then how about listening to a lullaby?" Neuro said, excited. She is always excited about singing. I responded with a 'yes'. So, she cleared her throat and started.

"Look around,

The moon is awake.

Full and round,

A beautiful night.

Did you know?

When the world's asleep

Rivers, they flow

Beautifully so.

Roam about,

The garden so pretty.

Quietly; don't shout,

For the world's asleep now."

I don't know if she sang any more, but by this time, I was sound asleep.

I woke up again in the morning. Neuro was dusting the bookshelf in my room, when the alarm rang at 07:30.

"Good morning, Nile. How was your sleep? Glad that my song helped you in falling asleep."

"Good morning, Neuro. I slept well. Yes, thank you, Neuro." Neuro has feelings and emotions. So, her attitude and behaviour changes on scolding, insulting, thanking or anything else that can affect a person's feelings. But Neuro cannot get angry. She can only get happy and less happy. Even still, I found it important that I thanked her when she wanted me to.

Everyone born after the 28th century has a biochip installed into their brains which stores all basic and intermediatory educational information. This concept abolished the need for educating children, because they already knew the concepts. But every eight years though, an intelligence test is conducted to check whether a biochip is accidentally attacked by the immune system, which happens, causing a block in being able to recollect memories and information.

I left the house that day to attend my intelligence test. I reached the building within a few minutes. 'November 1st 3015 A.D. – Intelligence Test. Origin-Terrain Educating System Welcomes You!' - the sign said. I entered the building, just like all the 35000 other students my age did.

Energy and its production, an anonymous scientist proposed a theory for infinite electricity. Her theory was evaluated secretly and was released to the public after precautions to prevent destruction of the newly found information. Now, the present-day-world runs majorly on this theory.

In the 24th century, there was the invention of an AL**. It was initially shapeless, but it could still be classified as a living organism, made artificially. A few centuries after, the concepts of currency, money, rich and poor, from the 22nd century, had all been abolished. All jobs, except ones relating to creativity or science, are now done by AIs and ALs.

Politically, the world is run by the Artificial World Management Intelligence (AWMI) which is a set of MAXCs*** that control everything that happens on the Earth, including the moving of transports, control of traffic and detection of illegal conducts. The range of control of the AWMI extends even till Mars, where 40% of the human population lives. Funny how humans have been able to inhabit stranger planets but have still been unable to reach the Earth's core.

Medical science has reached a level where no humans are infected by diseases, though cheating death has not been possible. Also, extreme and harmful human emotions are controlled by limiters. This way, the existence of traumas and other emotion-based disorders have been completely removed.

*The 'hologram' clock. As the word says, a clock in the form of a hologram.

**Artificial Lifeforms

***A type of computer which is even more capable than the Super and Ultimate computers. MAX Computers.