A Short Wandering Tale

 

 

 

Originally written on September 21, 2023 

    Once upon a time, there was a young high school student who was lost and aimless in his life. He was very creative and ambitious, but he was unsure how to collect his ideas and dreams and point them in a direction for him to follow. One day, he dreamt of being a writer, so that he could spread his new ideas to the world and inform the world the logical steps needed to fix society’s problems (this teenager thought he had it all figured out). However, the previous day, he had dreamt of being a creative director, as he wanted to express his emotions and ideals to captivate audiences and inspire others with his creation. The next day, he would dream about being an architect, so that he could devote his time and energy to using his hands and brain to build tall awe-inspiring structures. The week before, he dreamed about leading a tech start-up, to contribute to the technological progress of society. Clearly, this young student was unsure what path to take, and it made him anxious and worried about the trajectory of his life. He wanted to do it all, but by being aimless with his goals, he was about to do nothing.

    More importantly, this young teenager was very introverted, and found very few people to discuss and share his passions and worries in life. Much like with his ambitions, this student felt lost in a sea of people. He was an introvert throughout his life, so the communities and groups a normal person would gravitate towards was foreign and alienating for this student. As his time in school was nearing to an end, this student was filled with many regrets and doubts. The student felt that the most important decision for him to take was one that would instill a sense of belonging, community, and purpose to his life. While he had no idea what he wanted to do in life, he wanted to fulfill the desire of being in a tight-knit community above all else. He felt that whatever difficult struggles or trials he was to endure would be worth it if it could bring him discipline, pride, and a focused direction in life. Besides, just the other day, he had dreamt of being a soldier.

    And so, this young naive teenager dutifully enlisted in the US Marine Corps. After having just finished processing the insane decision he had just made, he said his farewells to his friends and family, and hopped on a plane headed towards San Diego, California. Within the first week there, this now young recruit had gone through training he had never thought he would do before. He had never been away from his parents. He had never been screamed at his face for hours on end. He had never been forced to run around in circles with a giant heavy log on his shoulder. He had never felt the tremble and recoil of a rifle’s powerful shot. He had never hiked so many menacingly tall and rocky hills. He had never done so much within the three months given to him. The recruit hated life every day, but he learned to appreciate the fact that every day came with new experiences for him to endure, no matter how awful or pointless they initially seemed.

    The recruit had believed prior to this point in his life that he must choose a path that closely resembled the life he had lived and was most comfortable with. As he embraced the novelty of the many challenges and obstacles he faced while in recruit training, he slowly changed his perspective on life. Why live a life of conformity when new challenges and experiences can help learn more about oneself? The recruit learned how much he enjoyed the art of self-defense ground fighting. The recruit learned how much he enjoyed clearing his jumbled mind by running. The recruit learned how much he enjoyed working with others as a team to make a huge impact on a mission. So much of what this young recruit’s life would become was forged by these new experiences, and it’s a shame to think that had he not made that initial leap of faith into the unknown, he would have become a very different person.

    After the longest twelve weeks of his life had passed, the young recruit became a person again, and was now a young Marine. He now had several months of further training to complete before he could be assigned his permanent duty station and role. While he had sighed in relief that the most difficult of challenges were over, he did not expect the new challenges that awaited him. Shortly after, the Marine felt lost again. The additional freedom that he was given, that he had so longed for, was now cursing him again. It was a difficult adjustment to become a person again, but he was no longer alone. He was surrounded by equally lost and young Marines who made the same mistake as he did. That common ground was enough to create a strong sense of camaraderie and community. The young Marine made friends with people of all different backgrounds and walks of life. The people around him looked and acted very differently from him, but they were united in their lost and wandering spirit. I have come to believe that commonalities such as looks, hobbies, and occupation are not nearly as strong as the struggles, ambitions, and worldviews shared among a community.

    The young Marine’s training had finally ended, and he was off to perform his duties for his equally wild and tumultuous country. The shared community and worldview he had been made a part of with his friends gave the young Marine a sense of belonging. The connections he had made, and the accomplishments he had achieved also gave him a sense of pride. These were feelings that he had been sorely lacking in his youth, and he felt a peace of mind having finally achieved it. Nevertheless, he also made sure to moderate these feelings, as to not let it get to toxic levels. All too often he witnessed the untamed levels of confidence and pride rear its ugly head. The diversity of his connections, and his past experiences in life, made sure to balance these feelings and emotions. As he experienced new and exciting journeys, he still felt lost and aimless. This was of no concern for the young Marine just yet, as he was able to live vicariously through the equally erratic and lofty ambitions that his companions dreamt. So long as the world remained relatively stable, he would find his path eventually.

    The world did not remain stable. In fact, everything became chaotic and unpredictable. The instability and turmoil came to define most of the young Marine’s time in service. At first, it was difficult to adjust to the new era for humanity. Luckily for him, he was privileged enough that it did not affect him negatively. As he had done so before, he learned to embrace the conditions, and make the most out of it. What these events finally did was to force discipline and focus into the young Marine’s life. His newly found pride, confidence and community helped establish a path for the young Marine to take. He had learned valuable lessons, and as the time unexpectedly came for him to move on to a new journey in life, for the first time ever, he finally felt confident in his abilities and ambitions.

    The young Marine finished serving his self-imposed sentence, and he is now the person I am today. As part of the path that I have decided to begin taking, I have found myself sitting at a desk with a paper and pen in hand again. It often feels as if the past couple of years was a long detour in my life, but I have come to embrace that. I’m still not quite sure where life will take me, but the new unexpected challenges in life excite me more than they scare me. While I often think to myself if my contributions to the world did any good, I will be forever grateful for the strong community I have now found myself a part of for the rest of my life. It’s not so much the physical journeys that I look forward to, but rather the mental journey as I continue to refine myself and find new pieces of me still waiting to be found.

"Little Dark Age" Song Review

    Melancholic and alarmist feelings for the future are often not discussed in daily life. It is comparatively more appropriate to discuss the past or present in a negative light than the future trajectory of one’s personal life or of the world. For people like me, however, it is often what we think about the most. The rising income inequality, climate change, and political unrest that the modern world is headed towards can give way to despair and anxiety for the future. It is for this reason that the viral Internet meme Little Dark Age by MGMT has resonated with many who feel these sentiments for the future. The song’s lyrical message evokes hope for a better future by recalling memories of a better past. Little Dark Age is an inspirational piece amidst a worrisome future that is capable of evoking strong and powerful feelings, and its Internet virality is a testament to that. The timing of its popularity couldn’t have been more appropriate.

    It had been amid a rising tide of instability and chaos that ravaged the world when I first heard of Little Dark Age. The beginning of the decade had me on the front lines of many world-changing events that drained my mental and spiritual energy. I was discontent with the chaotic changes that defined the modern world, and due to my line of work I was unable to simply turn off the TV or log off from social media to get away from it all. I began to feel alienated and isolated from the world, and I longed for a future where the tribulations of the world would make way for peace and stability again. Little Dark Age speaks to those who felt like me, who saw themselves in conflict with their personal values with the progressing descent towards the abyss the outside world was headed towards. The journey felt while listening to Little Dark Age was a mental and spiritual journey for me and many others, as you may soon experience.

    Little Dark Age starts off with a distinctly creepy synth-wave beat that sets you at the edge of the world. The world of Little Dark Age is solemn and dark, and the music is set to a retro-futuristic melody that slowly rises to describe the depressingly never-ending despair that surrounds you. While listening, one may start to feel the melancholic emotions are insular and experienced in solitude. The lyrics are pained and troubled as it describes the world as a once mighty but now rotting and decaying body. You are shrouded in darkness all alone. This was the only world you knew since you were born, and yet the artificial synth beat comforts you with faded memories you never knew you had.

    However, as the song hits its first chorus, the voice echoes and reverbs to cast out the darkness. You find yourself in a dark, large, and empty cathedral, and are awoken to the vast reach of your emotions. The world’s nihilistic landscape is revealed, as it becomes clear that the world has fallen into disarray. The near-angelic voice cries out “Forgiving who you are, for what you stand to gain”. You are momentarily reassured, to have your turbulent emotions be validated by the rotting environment around you. But as the lyrics state: “Just know that if you hide, it doesn’t go away”, you are reminded that you must not suppress your distressed emotions. The song will repeatedly evoke the setting of a stage, as you are called to publicly express your dissatisfaction with the world you find yourself in, and the little dark age looming ahead.

    As the darkness creeps in around you once more, you are left to somberly roam aimlessly in this world with the song as your only companion. However, as you may have noticed by now, the psychedelic synth-pop reminiscent of alternative rock music from the 1970’s and 1980’s brings back images of the past. As this world’s muffled memories from the past come to mind, strong feelings of nostalgia hit you and overwhelm your aimless and depressed spirit. The song’s chorus is repeated, but this time you catch a glimpse of memories of the past's beauty and legacy left behind from the crumbling ruins of your world. The conflicting visions of a bygone peaceful and joyous era of your life contrasts with the depressive lyrics that describe the soulless modernity of the world.

    The song’s bridge is as if flipping through the pages of a book or watching a montage of the world’s past. The beauty, adventure, and wonders from the past slowly decay and rot. You helplessly watch as the past is slowly corrupted by a creepy synth beat from the future, as the ghostly words “Little Dark Age” reverberate, as if to remind you of what this world’s future is headed towards. Otherwise, the relative silence of this part of the song exacerbates the feelings of despair, as the past withers away while the progressing march of the modern world only leaves you with dread.

    As if to repeat aloud your thoughts, the voice chants “I grieve in stereo, the stereo sounds strange”. The emotions and grief expressed aloud in this world are twisted and changed to be perceived as creepy and frightening. The lyrics once again reassures you, that you must not hide your emotions. The darkness as your audience, you stand alone amid the dark, with a horrified expression longing to reverse the tide of darkness over your nostalgic memories. The song distorts your surroundings, as the darkness embraces you, and the song shifts to its break before the great reveal.

    At the climax of the song, the darkness is triumphantly blasted away as the shining bright light of achievements, victories, and joy from the past fill the void. Blasting synth-like trumpets proclaim victory over nihilism and despair. The triumphant voice cry out “Policemen swear to God, love seeping from their guns”, as a call to action against the oppressive powers of darkness had been announced. The once bleak despair turns into a righteous rage against nihilism and depression. The voice commands, “come find us heading for the bridge, bring a stone, all the rage”. As the chorus rises, so too does your spirit and the hope for a better future.

    The triumphant memories slowly fade as the song reaches its end. The ghostly echoes of “Little Dark Age” bring you back into reality. As the world reverts to the dark and decaying present, you look back fondly at the past’s memories and achievements. You no longer feel despair or worries for the future. “Little Dark Age” lifts the spirits and offers encouragement and motivation to keep moving forward as the world enters a little dark age. The memories of the past serve as a model for all to build a new future to the best of our abilities. There is emphasis on the word “Little”, giving hope that the dark age of our times will end soon. The song’s last words, “all alone, open-eyed, burn the page, my little dark age” fully encapsulate the emotional journey that is possible. The story of “Little Dark Age” is a story of personal growth and fortitude amidst an empty and soulless world.

    It is likely that many people won’t resonate with these heavy and often polarizing themes. But to the countless people who do, this song serves as hope for a better future by recalling memories of a better past. As for me, the song has served me well in describing my spiritual journey in looking towards the past as motivation and inspiration to affect change in the present and future. For many others, their concerns might be different. The world of Little Dark Age inspired music videos expanding to topics of history, culture, music, politics, sports, and films from the past. Regardless, the predominant theme is the melancholic weariness of the modern world, and the nostalgic idealism for a brighter past to emulate. As the TikTok trends have shown, Little Dark Age can resonate to many people in a variety of different scenarios, and it is a great way to visualize these emotions you may not have thought you had. It is for this reason, on top of its powerfully emotional lyrics, that I believe Little Dark Age is such a great and motivating song.

Zero Day

“We’re getting off here?”

“Yes, this is as far as the hover tracks will take us out here. We’ll have to drive from here.”

    As Hilda and Jürgen stepped out of the hover train and out of the hover station, Hilda looked around the new environment curiously through her over-sized BT Visor. She had never been outside the city of Hallow, and she was struck with awe and curiosity. She noted how sharply the futuristic neon colored and advertising-plastered walls of the hover station contrasted with the rustic and dilapidated buildings and streets that surrounded the sole beacon of civilization. It was as if she had just stepped out of a time machine, and she felt uneasy as the two crossed the gravel road to approach a run-down charging station.

“Drive? Jürgen can drive?? Ha, I guess that ‘trad’ LARP of yours isn’t such a LARP afterall!”

“Oh, shut it. It’s really not that special. Besides, we aren’t that far behind. We at least drive solar-powered EVs here.”

    Jürgen pointed at the parked EVs by the gas station. Hilda dropped her briefcase as she gestured at the EVs and looked up the year and model of a dust-covered EV that had caught her eye.

“Oh, these are pretty old, do they still even run?”

“Of course they do! Wait right here, I’ll go grab the codes.”

    As Hilda waited outside, she could feel the few travelers that came in and out of the charging station glare at her with suspicion. At first she thought these strangers must know Jürgen and his secrets, and were suspicious of this new girl he’s hanging out with. The thoughts raced through her mind before she realized that it was most likely her dark blue Game Master uniform and her oversized visors on her face that caught people’s attention. She blushed with embarrassment as she logged out of her System’s game session and finally took off her visor and put them inside her tote bag.

“I guess I’ll see how long I can last like this…” Hilda muttered to herself.

Hilda set her gaze upon a vandalized billboard across the road from the charging station. It was a Blacktower recruitment poster for the Game Master Academy. The poster featured the image of three young Game Master recruits facing towards a rainbow-striped star, which was Blacktower’s corporate logo. It was clear to Hilda that the poster was at least 30 years old from its aesthetic. The propagandistic undertone appealed to the sensibilities of an older generation. Clearly it didn’t work, Hilda thought, as the poster was littered with graffiti reviling the poster. She felt a slight fear as she recognized the native language’s hateful slurs towards Game Masters plastered all over the billboard. Jürgen was as unwelcome here as she was, Hilda pondered. How anyone raised in this regressive and reactionary part of the world could ever desire to be a Game Master perplexed Hilda. She was determined to find an answer to this question that had been bothering her since she met Jürgen, and now was the perfect time to do so.

“Hilda! I’ve got the codes! It’s a couple hours drive home, let’s go!”

---

    Hilda sat anxiously and fidgeted with her hands in the passenger seat of the rental vehicle. Jürgen rolled down the side window and stuck his arm out and played with the wind as he unbuttoned his collar. Hilda envied Jürgen’s relaxed demeanor. How she wished to be so at ease and free driving through the open road, with nothing but rolling hills and golden farmland glistening in the approaching sunset. Hilda stared out of the car window and as she basked in the serene view of the countryside’s open fields, she felt a powerful feeling of home-sickness fall upon her. However, it was a yearning and longing feeling to return to a home she had never seen or felt before. Hilda felt the urge to jump out of the car and roam freely across the wide open world, free from the overwhelming and overstimulating concoction of advertising and propaganda within the borders of Hallow.

“Enjoying that Fernweh-esque view there, Hilda?

    Hilda was caught off guard by Jürgen’s astute observation. She remembered that Jürgen had once taught her the word prevalently used here, “Fernweh”, or far-sickness. She stammered as she attempted to find something to say.

“Oh, uh… Yes! It’s so beautiful out here. I’ve never been to the countryside in real life, ever! And yet I feel so alive and at home here. I remember when I was a little girl, I would play the rodeo simulator games on the System.”

    Hilda’s face turned somber as she began to think about how pathetic it must sound to have more fond memories of a virtual world than her real life offline. Nevertheless, she continued with her reminiscing story, hoping to inspire Jürgen somehow.

“While everyone else was competing in the rodeo games, I would always wander off to the simulation towns near the arena and just observe the world in silence. I became fascinated with the outside world away from Hallow ever since!”

“Ah yes, the good ol’ rodeo.” Jürgen interjected. “My aunt is a professional rodeo cowgirl, and very famous in our town. Maybe we’ll get to see her compete this week!”

“Ahh!!!! I just don’t understand!!” Hilda exclaimed in frustration. “Why on earth would you want to give all of this up to go to Hallow of all places? Do you even know what I wouldn’t give to live out here forever and finally disconnect from the System and leave that wretched Hallow behind?? Enlighten me, Jürgen. Is there some funny German word your people use to describe your insanity??”

    As Hilda pouted in angst, she could see Jürgen’s face lighten up as the afternoon sunlight hit his face and made his fair-skin and blue eyes glow.

“It gives me immense joy and optimism to hear just how much you yearn for this lost life that has been taken away from you. But you don’t have to give up anything, not anything that really matters anyway. Just count on me and join me when the time is right, and it won’t have to be a fantasy.”

    Hilda stared at Jürgen with an expression of mixed confusion and awe. Jürgen’s cryptic way of speaking when he’s in his impassioned zone only annoyed her further.

“What do you even mean, Jürgen?? Join you in what? When what time is right?”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. The virtual world reveals the most about a person’s deepest desires, as aspiring Game Masters like us should know.”

“Ah, I see. You mean to say you’ll marry me and move me out here??”

“What???? No! It’s not like that!!”

    Jürgen’s melodramatic look on his face finally broke as he returned to normal and stammered his words in annoyance and embarrassment. Hilda laughed at how easily Jürgen could break his composure when the topic of romance was brought up. She figured she could get a more honest answer this way.

“You know, Jürgen, I tagged along with you because I had nowhere else to go. It was either hanging out with you or wasting my leave within the System while wandering around Hallow aimlessly like a drugged-out zombie. But a marriage proposal would be oh so very kind and gentlemanly of you!!”

    Hilda laughed even harder as Jürgen sighed under his breath. Jürgen veered the vehicle away to the side of the road where a group of men on horseback were waiting for the duo.

“Oh, are you proposing to me right now??”

“No! My father wants me to pick up a package while he’s out at work. You should stay in the car.”

“No, no, Jürgen! I want to meet my future father-in-law!!”

“Hilda, I really think you should…”

    Hilda bolted out of the car, finally having her chance to frolic in the field. Jürgen sighed in disbelief as he awaited the cold harsh reality of his world to hit Hilda like a ton of bricks.

---

    Three men on horseback were waiting by the side of the road where Jürgen had parked his car. Their clothes were muddy and their hands and faces covered in dirt. Despite their dirty appearance, the leader of the group kept his clothes neat and presentable, commandeering authority and paternal respect. The leader of the group was Viktor Seier, Jürgen’s domineering and assertive father.

“Good evening, father.” Jürgen calmly greeted his father, taking  off his cap.

“Good day, son. How was the Academy?”

“Thank you for asking, father. I quite enjoyed my time…”

“Who is that girl, in the Game Master uniform?” one of the men blurted out.

    Hilda was taken aback, but responded confidently with her usual cheerful humor.

“Me?? I’m Hilda Reinhardt, Jürgen’s future wife, it seems!”

    Hilda awkwardly laughed as she realized her cheerful demeanor was left unappreciated. Viktor sighed and sternly berated his son with his eyes. The other man coldly replied.

“Your [REDACTED] son is an embarrassment, Viktor. If I didn’t know he was your son, I would beat the shit out of the two until they fucked off back to Hallow.”

    Jürgen indignantly replied back.

“Hate me all you want, but I’m not the one who ran away from the city. I’m actually standing up for what’s right against Blacktower and taking back what was once ours.”

“Yeah, whatever kid. Your quixotic cope won’t change the fact you just brought another VR-addicted degenerate to our homestead community. Before we know it, we’ll be overrun with [REDACTED]’s and have to leave again.”

“Simmer down, Johann.” Viktor ordered the man. “They’re only here on leave for a couple days.”

    Viktor turned his attention to Hilda, clearly annoyed at her presence.

“Jürgen didn’t tell me he was engaged. How long have you known each other?”

“I was only joking around, sir.” Hilda responded nervously. “We’re just friends, and we met at the Academy working on the zero-day project together.”

“A zero-day? You mean a cyber terrorist attack?” One of the men exclaimed. “Oh, that’s just perfect! Just go ahead and give Blacktower an excuse to show up and harass us again. You have fun fixing your son’s fuck-ups, Viktor!”

    The two men readied their horses, and rode off, leaving an exasperated Viktor behind. Hilda’s mind was fixated on the man’s ominous prediction.

“Why did God give me such an insubordinate son?” Viktor whispered bitterly.

    He grabbed a package envelope from his sack and tossed it at Jürgen to catch.

“We’ll speak about this later.”

    Viktor giddied up his horse and swiftly rode off. Jürgen simmered in rage as he quietly walked back to the car. Hilda paused for a moment, reflecting on the interaction she had just witnessed. Feeling rejected by a world she dreamed of joining felt like a swift kick in the stomach to her. The two sat in silence for the rest of the ride home.

---

    About an hour had passed before they arrived at Jürgen’s humble farmhouse, and by then the sun had begun to set. Jürgen’s mother, Eva, was outside on the patio reading on a rocking chair. She waved to Jürgen as the two stepped out of the vehicle and were invited inside.

“Jürgen! I’m so glad you came to visit us. Did you get the package from your father?”

“Yes I did, has he come home yet?”

“No, not yet, dear. Your father’s very busy managing the farms, y’know? He should be home for supper, though.”

    Eva slowly turned her attention towards Hilda as she warmly smiled at her. The two faced each other in silence for a couple of seconds, which made Hilda extremely uncomfortable. Hilda reflexively spoke up to ease the awkward tension she felt.

“Oh, good evening! I’m Hilda Reinhardt, Jürgen’s friend from the Academy.”

“Good evening Hilda. Where are your manners, Jürgen? You ought to first introduce me to your lady like a gentleman. Did we not teach you this, young man? Anyway, Hilda, if you don’t mind, I can lend you a dress for you to wear, and get you out of that hideously tight uniform.”

“Oh no, that’s okay, I’m fine…”

    Eva ignored Hilda as she walked away to retrieve a dress for Hilda. For once, Jürgen smiled at the relatively positive interaction. Hilda inquisitively walked around the living room, observing the cozy cottage aesthetic of the room. The room was only barely lit with candles, and the only form of entertainment to be seen was a large bookshelf next to a lit fireplace.  The living room was plain and simple except for its centerpiece of the living room, a vibrant altar full of candles, crosses, and religious icons. Hilda sat on a couch next to the fireplace, and closed her eyes. She felt at peace as the warmth of the fireplace replaced the bitter cold feelings of anxiety she had felt throughout her time away from the city.

“Hilda!” Jürgen whispered to her. “You look absolutely beautiful.”

    Hilda’s peaceful aura was exacerbated by her glowing appearance lit by the fireplace. Hilda’s golden wheat-colored hair and sky blue eyes gleamed defiantly over her dark sullen uniform. Before Hilda could quip back at Jürgen, the two felt a powerful vibration as the piping of their suits flashed brightly with a neon red notification. Hilda flipped her wrist and projected a bright cold blue holographic screen, and read aloud the notification that had been sent to them.

“A press release from Blacktower? It says they are monitoring a potential cyber attack against the System within the next couple of days. Be vigilant and report suspicious activity to the authorities.”

“Anything on who they think might be the cause?” Jurgen alarmingly asked.

“Hmm… they suspect reactionaries based out of Hallow. Nothing about Game Masters, though.”

Jürgen sighed in relief. “Perfect. They won’t suspect our zero-day project.”

“Of course not, Jürgen! Game Masters don't go around cyber-bombing their own employers. Which, by the way, I’ve still been meaning to ask. What do you even hope to achieve with all of this?”

“When you know, you’ll know. You keep asking about me, but what about you?”

    Hilda rolled her eyes in frustration from Jürgen’s deflection. Nevertheless, she entertained Jürgen’s question as she stared back at the glowing embers of the fireplace.

“Well, I wanted to follow you out here, and find my home.”

“So you won’t be returning to Hallow?”

    Hilda was unsure how to answer. She knew this was her only chance to escape and leave Hallow behind forever, but she was attached and drawn to Jürgen’s ambition, and wanted to be by his side until the very end. Just then, Eva came down the stairs holding a red sundress for Hilda to wear.

“Here you are, Hilda. You’ll look very feminine and pretty in it! You can change in Jürgen’s room upstairs at the first door to the right.”

“Thank you! I'll go and change right now.”

“Please do, I might need your help in the kitchen soon.”

“Shouldn’t I be helping, mother?” Jürgen interrupted. “She’s a guest, after all.”

“No dear, I’d love to teach your lady how to cook! Besides, your father said he wanted to talk to you once he comes back.”

    Jürgen’s heart sank at the thought of confronting his father again. He handed Hilda the package envelope.

“Can you drop this off at my room while you’re at it?”

---

    Hilda curiously perused through the family photos hung up on the walls of the hallway as she attempted to remember which door to enter in. The blue hue of light emanating from a door caught her attention. It was the same color as the neon ambient color Jürgen decorated his bunk with at the Academy. She knew it was his room. As she approached the door, she felt an eerie feeling from the family portraits, especially those of Viktor. His rigid and imperious image made her feel and act as an intruder. She opened the door, and as the loud creaking of the door and her footsteps made her heart beat faster, she saw the blue light emanate from a launchpad-like platform tucked in the corner of the room.

    Hilda ignored the platform as she undressed herself and tried on the dress Eva had given her in front of a mirror. She admired how the red sundress looked on her, but the blue oppressive light made her face appear cold and soulless. She reached for her tote bag and pulled out her visors, putting them on in order to cover her face. She observed through her visors the juxtaposition of her outfit and Jürgen’s rustic bedroom with her futuristic visors and the neon colors it emitted. She felt hideous and conflicted, and felt as if she didn’t belong in either world. She began to cry, because she felt unworthy and unwanted in this environment she so desperately wanted to escape to. The visor detected moisture in the lenses, and pop-up advertisements erupted on her visor’s screen, and voices shouted out in unison.

“Chase thrills and excitement, wash emotions away with Blacktower.” 

“The System needs happy workers, join the Game Masters and find fulfillment.” 

“Spend with Blacktower credits and own nothing, and be happy.” 

“Hallow, the beacon of modernity, the peak of humanity starts in Hallow.” 

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP! NOTHING IS WRONG WITH ME!” Hilda shouted while covering her ears. 

    Hilda became disoriented and stumbled around Jürgen’s room as she attempted to take off her visors. The commotion caused her to step on Jürgen’s VR platform by accident. She was immediately transported to a dimly lit Victorian-style library, and the room was surrounded by bookshelves, candles, and marble statues. Stacked books littered the large central table of the room, and scrolling holographic images of Jürgen’s past life floated above the table. The serene classical music in the background served to amplify the quiet and studious ambience of the room. The pop-up advertisements and voices ceased as she regained her composure. As she sat by the table and scrolled through the images, her curiosity laser focused on a sad and somber scene. Hilda stretched the image with her hand, and the image became a portal, and Hilda entered the portal with great determination.

    The portal led her to a room in a dark cellar, with a large brightly lit painting the only source of light in the room. Jürgen was kneeling in the middle of the room, staring in abject horror and despair at the painting in front of him. The painting depicted Jürgen’s lifeless body consumed by a great fire. Surrounding the altar-like sacrificial offering of his death were his Game Master comrades jeering and celebrating his death. Hilda stared at the painting with great wonder and horror at its beauty despite the gruesome and horrifying depiction of Jürgen’s fate.

“Please spare me from this fate!” Jürgen cried out in despair.

    Hilda’s heart sank as she saw her friend sobbing and covering his face. She approached Jürgen to hug and comfort him, and as she did, Jürgen hugged Hilda’s legs and cried out to her.

“They’re going to kill me, Hilda! They will hate me and kill me publicly for all of Hallow to mock me in contempt!”

“Why will they kill you?” Hilda asked somberly, as her eyes began to swell with tears.

“I destroyed their illusion. Their peace on earth in the virtual world was shattered by my actions. The world saw how poor and destitute Blacktower made them, and they killed me because of it.”

    Streams of tears flowed out of Jürgen’s eyes as he was overwhelmed with emotion.

“Oh God, I beg you, Father. Let this torturous task pass over me.”

    Hilda gracefully extends her hand over Jürgen.

“I will protect you, Jürgen. We will both run away and they will never harm us.”

“That’s not what I want. To run away is a worse fate than death.”

“Then what is it that you want?” Hilda asked.

“Victory. The victory that the Father promised us. May the Father bless my struggle if I must endure it. His will be done above all. Will you follow me, Hilda?”

“Yes, I will follow and protect you!”

    At once, a portal spawned behind Hilda, and two animated white marble statues greeted Hilda with a salute. The statues took on the appearance of religious sisters. Hilda immediately recognized them as personified automation scripts.

“Sister Reinhardt, we are Sisters Johanna and Hildegard. Your words have sparked the zero-day exploit. Follow us to execute the program’s code.”

    Hilda followed the sisters, leaving Jürgen as he reached his hand out towards the painting. She struggled to grasp the possibility of Jürgen’s death, much less under these circumstances.

---

    Eva and Jürgen were now in the kitchen, both reading a pocket-sized book they seemingly liked to carry around. While Jürgen was sitting on a stool by the countertop, Eva stood impatiently by the doorway to the kitchen. 

“I see city folk have no concept of time or manners! It’s been thirty minutes and all I hear is her rumbling upstairs.”

“She’s probably on the System at the moment.” Jürgen responded.

Eva took off her glasses and pinched her nose in frustration.

“Sigh. I know that girl looks pretty, but why a city girl, Jürgen? Your father had arranged a perfectly kind young lady from the parish for you to date before you decided to leave for the Academy.”

“Mother, we are not in a relationship!” Jürgen annoyingly replied.

“Ah, yes. That’s what your father said before he met me. You two are similar to us in many ways, y’know!”

Before Jürgen had the chance to retort, the front door opened and in came Viktor. With a cigar in his hand, he now wore a neatly formal attire evoking a 1950’s aesthetic of a family patriarch. Eva greeted Viktor with a kiss and handed him a glass of rum.

“Oh, welcome back dear! Supper will be ready very shortly, I hope you don’t mind.”

“That’s okay, dear. Game Masters are in the area looking for suspicious activity. Due to my connections with the community, they are bound to send their reconnaissance signals here shortly. Where is the package I gave to you, Jürgen?”

“It’s in my room, father, but Hilda is in there dressing up right now.”

“I gave that flooder to you, not her. I’ll go up and get it from her then”

    Jürgen was immediately alarmed at the mention of a packet flooder, a device meant for frying computer networking equipment. Jürgen quickly got up from his chair.

“Wait! Why do you need a flooder?”

“To destroy your VR network!” Viktor replied sharply. “If Blacktower finds out we have an unauthorized network, they’ll have us arrested on cyber conspiracy charges.”

“No! The zero-day is probably running right now!”

“I’m sorry, Jürgen, but that’s all the more reason for me to destroy your little VR project. I’ve fought too hard for our community to escape Blacktower’s technological wrath. Technology is a blight on humanity and we must ensure our community exists as a bulwark against it.”

“I know father, but Hilda is running the zero day right now. Let her use the flooder to amplify the zero-day attack. Blacktower will surely be destroyed if you give me and Hilda a chance!”

“I’m sorry Jürgen, but I’m also doing this for you. I am commanded by God to protect my family, and I can’t let my only son be hurt or killed because of your project.”

    As Viktor began to walk upstairs, Jürgen quickly sprinted towards Viktor and forcefully grabbed his arm to prevent him from moving. Viktor menacingly stared at Jürgen’s intensely passionate blue eyes as the two faced each other at an impasse.

---

    Hilda was led by the two sisters through a long but narrow hallway resembling a bunker, with a door at the very end. The two sisters sang a responsorial psalm while sounds of gunfire, explosions, and air raid sirens grew louder and louder. The bunker shaked with every explosion, and Hilda was confused at the rare imagery she was being presented.

“I’m sorry, but you really are a strange kid, Jürgen. First the crying, and now this weird religious war fantasy, you are such a weirdo!”

“Brother Seier’s heart desires an otherworldly experience, but is directionless with his approach.” Sister Johanna responded ominously.

“Yeah, I can tell! This is all a representation of his code, and a very sloppy code at that!”

“Please forgive our dear brother. He is a country bumpkin with grandiose desires of being a hacker. It’s the best he could do.” Sister Johanna chuckled to herself. “Which is why he needs you, Sister Reinhardt. Your great programming skills will allow you to spawn the perfect tools needed for this job.”

“Sister Reinhardt!” Sister Hildegard exclaimed. “You have seen the first great mystery, so behold! Now you shall see the second great mystery.”

    The three had reached the end of the hallway. The door opened wide, and Hilda found herself inside a dark atrium full of foliage and vines covering the pillars of the atrium. A woman wearing a gymnastics leotard was dancing in a circle. She waved her arms above her head while Blacktower’s corporate logo floated above her, casting an ominous and imposing dark aura holding the woman captive to repeatedly loop her dance non-stop. The woman shouted over and over again:

“I am Victoria! Victoria delenda est!”

    Hilda spawned three bows and arrows for herself and the two sisters. The three aimed at the star, and fired at the star. The star shattered, and immediately spawned a portal, leading to the next level of code. The woman began jumping around, freely performing gymnastics underneath the portal. The woman beckoned Hilda to enter the portal.

“Behold! You are Hilda the Victorious, who has freed me from the recursive loop of nihilism and despair! Enter the portal into the new world, and enjoy the spoils of Jürgen’s victory over the evil spirit that enslaved me.”

“War has been announced! It must be destroyed!” Sister Johanna shouted.

“War???” Hilda cried out. “What must be destroyed???”

“Blacktower!” The woman shouted. “It must be eradicated! Blacktower delenda est!”

    Hilda hesitated for a moment, unsure of the ramifications of what she was doing. In essence, the zero-day would not just wreak havoc against Blacktower, but completely destroy it from within. Nevertheless, she persisted, motivated by her promise to Jürgen to see the exploit through the very end. The sisters approached the portal first, crossing themselves before jumping into the portal. Hilda imitated their gesture, and followed behind them.

 

 

---

    The two stubborn men, Viktor and Jürgen,  continued in their standoff. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Viktor was unable to forcefully exude his usually stern and heavy-handed personality. Instead, Viktor calmly and compassionately attempted to reason with his son.

“Look at yourself, Jürgen. Is this what we taught you? To throw your life away for virtual reality addicts who’ll only want you dead? You must have learned it from the Game Master Academy! You exposed yourself to the virtual reality rot that you programmed for the masses, and now you have fallen head over heels for them.”

“Of course, father. I want to save those poor souls of Hallow. You taught me to pursue justice and righteousness, and behold, I am the fruit of your labor.”

“Cease with your wild-eyed ambition that somehow Hallow will be restored again. It is a broken city full of broken people under a broken system. There is no justice or righteousness to be found there.”

“You’re wrong father. I found it through Hilda’s heart, through her desire to escape the oppression of Blacktower and seek a better life for herself. What would you say to her? Does she not deserve to live a happy life away from the clutches of technology?”

“That girl is a minority, much like it was for your mother. We begged and pleaded to all those who would listen to join us in our homestead, and few answered the call. I doubt things have gotten any better!”

“No, they’ve gotten worse, as I could see with my own eyes as a Game Master. By becoming like those trapped in that city as a Game Master, I could see the yearning for a better life, and I intend to save them.”

    Eva pleaded with Jürgen as she began to tear up, aware of the possibility of her son’s imminent death.

“Please reconsider, Jürgen. I don’t want to have to see my son get executed in front of the whole world to watch.” Eva pleaded.

“I don’t want to die either, but only I can do it. Only a Game Master as myself can know the full depths of the addictive elements of the virtual world, and destroy Blacktower from within.”

“I only wish I had the guts to do the same when I left the System and joined your father. If your father lets you, then I will support you.”

“Thank you. I will make all things new, just as my father taught me.”

    He turned his direction to Viktor, and fervidly said to him.

“I’m not rebelling against you. I’m only finishing what you started.”

Viktor hesitated, but at that moment, he understood that he had to trust the effort that he had poured out raising his son would guide his values and morals wherever he went.

“OK Jürgen, I trust you will do well on your mission.”

    The family hugged each other as they shared their tender moment, and the three of them prayed over each other in the living room.

---

    Hilda and the two sisters were transported to a dark room illuminated by strobing neon-colored wireframe grids. A giant glowing crucifix stood front and center of the room.

“This is Jürgen’s home.” Sister Johanna said. “Here, Jürgen consults with his faith and writes his code. This home is what you make of it.”

“I have no home.” Hilda solemnly said. “I belong to neither the city nor the countryside. I am a confused and lost soul undeserving of this idyllic rural world Jürgen has had the fortune of living in.”

“The world is what you make of it. Is it perhaps necessary to blend both worlds in harmony, in order to save the people of Hallow from Blacktower’s control?

    As Sister Johanna said this, Hilda summoned a screen that floated in the middle of the room. The screen showed the dilapidated and run down slums of Hallow, with its inhabitants lying or sitting on the floor with headsets on their faces. Streams of tears gush out of their headsets, but nevertheless, are stuck in a trance-like state, fully immersed in the System’s virtual reality world.

“Are you willing to sacrifice your dream and ambition, in order to bring to these people their dreams and ambitions?”

“No, running away is no longer my dream. I will make Hallow be the dream I want it to be! I will have my home again!” Hilda exclaimed.

    As she said this, the headsets of the people shattered, and they took their headsets off. A great voice shouted to the people.

“I am the light of the world, the promised king of the great city of Hallow”declared the loud voice.

“Who is this madman, who declares himself the king of Hallow?” The people shouted, angry that their stupor had been interrupted.

“Jürgen is not a madman, he is far too smart for that.” Hilda said to herself.

    The people then built a giant fire, and they brought a young man to the fire, and shot him.

“This evil terrorist is dead, righteously killed for his reactionary and regressive movement against Blacktower, the provider of wealth and glory!” The people shouted.

“Jürgen is not evil either, he is far too kind for that.” Hilda said to herself.

    The city of Hallow trembled, and the Blacktower owned banks, police stations, database centers, power stations, and robotics factories of the city were destroyed in a great earthquake. A palace erupted from the ruins of Blacktower’s corporate headquarters, and at the entrance of the palace stood Jürgen and Hilda, dressed in royal attire, with Hallow’s shroud of dark purple and blue darkness finally gone and replaced with a heavenly glow.

“Therefore Jürgen is supernatural, and he has chosen me to carry out his plan! Very well, Jürgen! I will be your queen! I will summon the gift that you have given me, and execute your zero-day!”

    Immediately, Hilda’s vision turned dark and she was logged out of the System. She lost her balance, fell, and landed on her rear on top of the holographic platform in Jürgen’s room. About a second later, she saw an image of a dove on top of a halo, and a blurry cryptographic message underneath. Above the image were giant bold letters that read:

DOWN WITH BLACKTOWER
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

    Hilda took off her visors, stunned and in disbelief at what she had just seen. She was holding a flooder in her hand, and she saw Jürgen staring at her leaning by the doorway with his arms crossed.

“Did I just execute zero-day? “Hilda sheepishly asked

“Yes, you did it by shooting yourself with the flooder!”

“Well, how was I supposed to do it???”

“I don’t really know, but you did it just in time. Blacktower’s scanners just passed over us, they won’t know it was us until I return to Hallow and turn myself in.”

“You mean we, Jürgen!”

    Jürgen immediately straightened up. Realizing that Hilda had decided to intertwine her fate with his, he took a deep breath, and smiled warmly at Hilda.

“Thank you, Hilda. Thank you for believing in me.”

“Oh of course! How couldn’t I when you basically just proposed to me by asking me to be your co-reigning queen!?”

“Ughhhh. It’s SYMBOLIC, Hilda! If you come to Mass with us this weekend, maybe you’ll understand.”

“Cope more, Jürgen. It will happen, just you wait!”

“Whatever! Dinner is ready downstairs, we have a long day tomorrow tending to the farm so you better eat up!”

    Hilda got up from the ground and the two bickered at each other as they left the room. Jürgen’s fate had now been sealed, but he was now content that he had Hilda by his side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images generated by Microsoft Copilot