Chapter 1: The Most Perfect City
Mandulis City gleamed under the golden rays of the afternoon sun, its seamless blend of nature and technology stretching out in perfect harmony. Organic towers spiralled into the sky, their surfaces alive with creeping vines, while the streets below pulsed with life. Vibrant, clean, and serene. In Mandulis, the air was always fresh, the water pure, and the people moved with an effortless grace, their minds linked to the city’s vast network through the invisible hum of brain chips. Every step, every breath, felt like a part of a grander design, as if the universe itself had orchestrated this flawless symphony of existence.
Lilith Neith walked through it all, hand-in-hand with Kazan Ratna Romanov, his warm touch sending sparks of comfort through her. His presence always made her feel grounded, even in the artificial city where everything seemed too smooth, too controlled. She smiled at him as he leaned in, brushing a soft kiss against her cheek. They moved as one, effortlessly in sync, as though the city’s rhythm pulsed through them.
Behind them, Olly Cunobellinus and Zenia Bizunesh-Norman followed, their laughter ringing out as they playfully argued about which of Mandulis’ parks had the best view. The aim of the city was to emulate a paradise. No conflict, no pain, only the smooth efficiency of a life designed for perfection.
Yet to Lilith, something was different. Her senses were sharper, more attuned. The soft hum of drones delivering supplies, the gentle rustling of bio-engineered trees, even the distant hum of her classmates’ voices. It all felt like background noise to a deeper, more hidden melody. A melody only she seemed to hear.
They approached the central plaza, where shimmering fountains played delicate tunes, their waters dancing in rhythm with the breeze. The plaza was a picture of serenity: people lounging in the grass, children laughing as they chased each other, all under the watchful, invisible presence of the city's perfect healthcare system. Brain chips ensured everyone was healthy, balanced, and at peace. The citizens of Mandulis City lived free from fear, from illness. From anything that might disturb their tranquillity.
Yet Lilith could feel it. The faint pulse of something else beneath the perfection, something out of place in the beautiful, controlled world.
Her mind wandered back to the strange dreams she’d been having. Visions of civilizations long gone, of towering cities reduced to ruins. Atlantis. Mars. Names that seemed to call to her from across time. The visions felt real, vivid, as if she were glimpsing something more than just ancient history. Something that warned of the same fate for Mandulis City. And then there was the Cosmic Empire, a name that had begun to whisper its way into her thoughts, accompanied by the shadowy figure of King Norman. No one talked about the Empire in school, but Lilith felt its presence, lurking at the edges of her reality.
Kazan squeezed her hand gently, snapping her out of her reverie. “You okay?” he asked, his voice full of warmth.
“Yeah,” Lilith replied, offering him a smile. But the unease lingered in her chest. What wasn’t Mandulis telling them? And why did she, out of all people, feel like she was on the verge of uncovering something that could shatter the perfect world they lived in?
“Let’s go, we're going to be in trouble if we're late.” Kazan said as he began to lightly jog while they approached the grand golden gate of the Intergalactic Kaizen School.
Lilith followed his steps.
With a glance at Kazan, and her friends still laughing behind them, Lilith quickened her pace toward the school. Her mind raced with excitement, anticipation at the thought of having her favourite class that morning- Divine Individuation.
Chapter 2: Secrets in the Library.
The school library was a marvel of modern design. Rows of sleek, illuminated shelves hovered in mid-air, holding not physical books, but holographic displays. Students drifted from one shelf to another, their eyes scanning the glowing panels as they absorbed the endless flow of knowledge offered at a swipe of a finger. Every corner hummed with technology, and yet the place felt cold, sterile, devoid of life despite its vast collection of information.
Lilith Neith had always felt a strange pull toward the library. Perhaps it was because her mind, sharper and more attuned than most, often seemed to seek answers beyond the surface of things. Today, though, the pull was different. It was as if the library itself was calling her.
Kazan had texted earlier to meet up after school. She replied that she would.
As she passed by her classmates, her gaze fell upon a section of the library no one ever seemed to visit. Tucked away in a shadowed corner, beyond the rows of shimmering holograms, was a hidden alcove. It seemed almost... forgotten. Lilith’s heart quickened as she approached it.
The air here felt different. It was heavier, thick with a sense of age. She pushed aside a curtain of digital displays to reveal something entirely out of place in a school so rooted in technology. Shelves of real books. Dust clung to their covers, and the scent of ancient paper filled the air, a scent she had only imagined.
Lilith hesitated for a moment, her fingers brushing over the spines of the forgotten tomes. This section wasn’t on any map. How long had it been here, unseen by thousands of students passing through the library each day? She felt a tremor of excitement, a ripple through her extra senses. There was something important here. Something hidden.
Her hand paused on a particularly worn, leather-bound volume. The title, faintly visible beneath layers of dust, read: The Fall of Empires: Atlantis and Mars. The words sent a shiver down her spine. She pulled the book free, its weight solid and real in her hands, and settled into a nearby alcove.
As she turned the pages, the stories came alive in her mind. Tales of Atlantis, the legendary empire that had stretched its influence across Earth and beyond. The height of its power had come when it conquered Mars, a once-thriving planet brimming with life. But their thirst for technological dominance had consumed them. The more they advanced, the more they lost touch with the natural world, until both Atlantis and Mars fell into ruin.
Lilith’s fingers tightened around the edges of the book as she read about the destruction of Mars. How it had once been a planet as green and vibrant as Earth, only to be reduced to the barren wasteland it was now. The Atlanteans, in their arrogance, had harnessed forces beyond their understanding, and in their obsession with progress, they had obliterated an entire world.
Her breath caught in her throat. The parallels were undeniable. The city she lived in, Mandulis, with all its advanced technology, its seamless integration of organic life with digital perfection, was on the same path. The citizens, so wrapped up in their health chips and seamless lives, never questioned the price of progress. They believed they had mastered nature, when in reality, they were on the verge of losing it.
As Lilith read further, the room seemed to warp around her. The air grew heavier still, thick with something unnameable. Her vision blurred, and suddenly, she wasn’t in the library anymore.
Images flashed before her eyes. Vivid, impossible to ignore. She saw Earth from space, its blue and green surface so fragile, so small. And then, it was engulfed in flames, ruptured by forces too powerful to stop. The cities of mankind, once gleaming, now in ruins. But then, just as swiftly, she saw rebirth. New cities rising from the ashes, worlds restored to their natural beauty, free from the grip of unchecked technology. The vision swirled and faded, leaving Lilith breathless.
She stumbled back, the book falling from her lap. Her heart pounded, her mind racing. These weren’t just stories of the past. They were warnings. Warnings that mankind had ignored before. And if Mandulis continued down the same path, it would meet the same fate.
The visions had felt so real, so vivid, like a voice from a higher power guiding her. She couldn’t explain it, but deep down, she knew that she was meant to see these things. Something, or someone, was reaching out to her, showing her the truth.
Lilith took a deep breath, her mind spinning with the enormity of it all. She now understood that the future of Mandulis City, and perhaps the entire Cosmic Empire, was hanging by a thread. Humanity was once again on the brink of self-destruction, obsessed with progress, blind to the consequences.
But this time, Lilith knew. She knew the truth. And it was up to her to act before it was too late.
Her eyes fell on the ancient text again, now lying open on the ground. With trembling hands, she picked it up, closing the worn cover with a sense of finality. The past had been laid bare before her, and the future was hers to shape.
“I won’t let history repeat itself,” Lilith whispered to herself. The weight of her responsibility pressed down on her shoulders, but she stood taller now. Stronger. She had a mission, a purpose. And she would not fail.
The city might have been perfect, but it’s perfection, she realized, was a fragile thing.
Chapter 3: The Cosmic Empire.
Mandulis City sparkled under the midday sun, its shimmering streets lined with trees genetically engineered to perfection. The city’s towers, wrapped in organic materials, stood like sentinels over the bustling citizens below, who moved about with effortless efficiency. To an outsider, this was paradise. Orderly, clean, prosperous. But Lilith Neith, with her heightened senses and new knowledge, couldn’t shake the feeling of something darker lurking beneath the surface.
She stood on the crowded sidewalk, Kazan’s arm draped casually over her shoulder as they strolled past shops offering the latest in bio-tech enhancements. Olly and Zenia were a few paces behind, laughing over some viral holoscreen clip. It all seemed so normal, so perfect.
And yet, Lilith knew. She knew what most people didn’t or couldn’t see.
The Cosmic Empire, or Cosmic Union as it was called in some circles, exerted its control over everything. Every building, every citizen, every thought seemed to be shaped by the invisible hand of King Norman, the Empire’s elusive ruler. His presence was everywhere, though he never appeared in public, his image broadcast only through carefully curated messages of prosperity and security.
Lilith’s eyes scanned the streets, noticing the gentle hum of surveillance drones overhead. They were so subtle, hovering like silent guardians of the city, their presence so normal that no one paid them any mind. But now, each drone felt like an eye, watching, recording, reporting.
She glanced at Kazan. “Do you ever wonder why we’re so... perfect?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
Kazan raised an eyebrow, grinning down at her. “Because we live in the best city on Earth?” he teased. “We’ve got everything here. Peace, health, tech that does everything for us. What more could you want?”
Lilith smiled back, but the question lingered in her mind. What more could she want? The answer wasn’t more It was less. Less control. Less surveillance. Less of the hidden strings that held them all in place.
They passed the Governmental Center, a sleek, imposing structure that dominated the city’s heart. Inside, the officials who served the Empire managed everything. The brain chips, the healthcare systems, the daily lives of the citizens. It was the nerve center of the city, ensuring that everything ran smoothly, that no one ever stepped out of line. Lilith’s stomach twisted as she remembered her discovery in the library, the ancient tales of Atlantis and Mars, their civilizations crushed beneath the weight of their own advancements.
Her mind wandered to the brain chips that every citizen in Mandulis was implanted with at birth. Officially, they were for healthcare, monitoring and regulating the body’s vital signs, providing instant medical care, even preventing disease before it started. But now, Lilith suspected they were much more than that. She couldn’t shake the feeling that these chips were tools of control, ensuring obedience and compliance without anyone ever realizing it.
She tightened her grip on Kazan’s arm. What if their thoughts weren’t entirely their own? What if their very personalities were being manipulated, and shaped to fit the Empire’s idea of a perfect, harmonious citizen?
The thought sent a chill down her spine.
“Kazan,” she said, her voice more urgent now, “what if everything we’re told, about the Empire, the chips, our lives here, what if it’s all... more sinister? What if there’s more going on that we don’t know about?”
He stopped, turning to face her, his expression serious now. “Lilith, what are you talking about?”
Before she could respond, another wave of visions struck her.
Suddenly, the clean, orderly streets of Mandulis vanished. In their place, Lilith saw the Cosmos itself, vast and unyielding, its infinite stars swirling in chaos. Planets crumbled into dust, consumed by wars and technological excess. She saw the remnants of Mars. Its surface scorched and desolate, a once-thriving civilization brought to ruin.
And then, her vision shifted. She saw Earth, burning beneath the weight of its own technology, just as Mars had. She saw the cities of the world collapsing, the people fleeing in panic. But beyond the destruction, Lilith saw hope. She saw a future where mankind could reshape the Cosmos, not through domination, but through harmony with the natural world. She saw herself at the center of it, her mind linked not to the artificial networks of the Empire, but to something far greater, far older.
When she blinked, the vision faded, and she found herself standing in the middle of Mandulis once again, her breath coming in short gasps. Kazan was staring at her, worry etched across his face.
“What just happened?” he asked, his voice tight with concern.
Lilith shook her head, trying to steady her breathing. “I... I’m fine,” she lied. But she wasn’t fine. She had seen something. Something that confirmed her worst fears. The Cosmic Empire was just another version of Atlantis and Mars, repeating the same cycle of destruction, blinded by its pursuit of power and technological control.
Lilith knew she had to act. But the question was, how? The Empire’s grip was absolute, and any hint of rebellion would be crushed before it even began. She had to be careful, had to gather more information, more evidence. She had to understand the full extent of the Empire’s control over Mandulis, over the Cosmos, and over the people she loved.
“I need to find out more,” she whispered, more to herself than to Kazan. “Before it’s too late.”
As they continued their walk, Lilith’s mind was racing. The Cosmic Empire, with all its power and control, was not invincible. She could feel it—there was a way out of this cycle. A way to save Mandulis, and perhaps even the entire Cosmos.
But first, she would need to play the part. She would need to act like everything was normal, like she wasn’t on the verge of uncovering a truth that could shatter the world around her.
As the government buildings loomed in the distance, their sleek surfaces reflecting the sun, Lilith made a silent vow. She would find out the truth about the brain chips, about King Norman, about the Empire’s true purpose. She would unlock the hidden secrets of Mandulis, and in doing so, she would prevent the next catastrophe.
The Cosmic Empire might have control over the galaxy, but Lilith Neith was about to start a quiet rebellion that could change everything.
The path ahead was dangerous, but she knew, deep in her bones, that she was meant for this.
The visions had shown her the destruction of Mars and Atlantis. They had also shown her Earth’s potential for rebirth.
It was up to her to ensure that rebirth became reality.
Chapter 4: Visions of Eden Zero
The streets of Mandulis City were bathed in the soft, golden glow of the afternoon sun. From the outside, it looked like any other perfect day. Citizens moving with efficiency, smiling faces lit by the latest holographic updates streaming from their wrist-devices, the rhythmic hum of the city’s systems working flawlessly in the background. But to Lilith Neith, everything had changed.
She walked through the same streets she had always known, Kazan’s hand in hers as they passed rows of shops and gardens. But now, the vibrancy of the city felt hollow. The lush greenery, the organic architecture that seemed to breathe with life, the perfectly timed interactions. It all felt too clean, too artificial. A mask hiding something far more sinister.
Lilith’s senses were sharper than ever. Since her discovery of the ancient texts in the library, her thoughts had spiraled outward, expanding beyond the confines of the city, beyond the limits of the Cosmic Empire. She had seen things, terrible things. Visions that spoke of Earth’s fate, mankind’s endless cycles of destruction, and the role the Empire played in perpetuating them. The brain chips, the surveillance, the rigid control over thought and emotion. It all made sense now. The Empire was built not to protect humanity, but to enslave it.
She paused, glancing at Kazan, who was busy explaining something about an upcoming tech festival. His words washed over her, barely registering. There was something else. Something pulling at the edge of her consciousness. A presence she had been feeling more and more lately, something vast and powerful, like an invisible hand guiding her thoughts. She could sense it even now, like a distant hum, urging her toward... what?
They approached the city’s grand Cathedral of Technology, a towering monument to the Empire’s achievements, its glass spires reflecting the sky in every direction. Lilith’s footsteps slowed as they reached the entrance. There was something here, some unseen force that called to her from deep within the cathedral’s core.
“Kazan, I need to go inside,” she said suddenly, pulling away from him.
He frowned, confused. “What? Why?”
Lilith didn’t have an answer. She only knew she had to go. She offered a quick smile, trying to ease his concern. “I’ll be back soon. I just... need some time alone.”
Kazan nodded reluctantly His usual easygoing demeanor clouded by unease. “Alright. I’ll meet you later.”
Without waiting for more, Lilith entered the cathedral. Inside, the air was cool and still, the only sound the faint hum of the city’s distant life. Massive digital displays lined the walls, showcasing the latest advancements in medical technology, space exploration, and artificial intelligence. Yet, despite the grandeur, Lilith felt a deep stillness here. An ancient quiet, as if the walls themselves had seen beyond the Empire’s reign, beyond the thin veneer of technological perfection.
She wandered deeper into the cathedral, her footsteps echoing off the polished floors, her mind slipping into a dreamlike state. With each step, the world around her seemed to blur, fading into a haze of light and shadow until she no longer knew where she was.
And then, it happened.
A flood of energy washed over her, so intense that she staggered, gasping for breath. The air around her seemed to crackle, vibrating with some unseen force, and suddenly, she was no longer in the cathedral. She was somewhere else. Somewhere vast and boundless, a place where time and space collapsed into a single moment.
Before her, an immense presence. Something she could only describe as God manifested. It wasn’t a figure, not in the way she had been taught to imagine divine beings. It was light. It was sound. It was everything. And within that everything, Lilith felt herself connected to the entire Cosmos.
Her body seemed to dissolve into the energy, her consciousness expanding outward, stretching across galaxies. She saw stars being born and dying, planets forming and crumbling, civilizations rising and falling. And through it all, the same pattern repeated. Humanity endlessly advancing, reaching for more power, more control, only to destroy itself time and time again.
In the infinite place, the truth came to her. She was shown Mars, once thriving with life, now barren and forgotten. She saw the Atlanteans, their magnificent empire reduced to ruins beneath the ocean. And then she saw Earth, teetering on the same precipice of destruction, its people blind to the consequences of their relentless technological march.
But then, beyond the destruction, she saw something new. A future where humanity finally learned, where they broke free from the cycle. She saw the Earth restored, vibrant with life, its people living in harmony with nature, consciousness, and the very fabric of the universe.
And she saw herself.
She stood at the center of this new world, guiding humanity toward a future where technology and nature coexisted, where the Cosmos itself was in balance. Lilith saw how she could create a Dyson sphere, harnessing the energy of the sun without destroying the natural order. She saw the merging of the Andromeda Galaxy with the Milky Way, and how mankind could survive the chaos of that collision if they only understood their place in the greater cosmic dance.
It all became clear. God, a higher divine power, was telling her that she was the key. She was the one chosen to lead humanity into its next stage of evolution. It wasn’t just about survival; it was about transcendence.
In this new stage, humanity would unlock dimensions of existence they had never known, living in harmony with the natural world, with consciousness itself. They would no longer need to destroy and rebuild but could instead grow in infinite peace.
And as Lilith stood there, floating in the infinite light of this revelation, she understood her purpose.
Eden Zero.
That was the name of her vision. A place of balance, a city where nature thrived alongside carefully managed technology. A place free from the control of the Empire, where mankind could evolve without the chains of oppression or the fear of destruction. She would build it from scratch. It would be the beginning of a new era for humanity, one where they would finally break free of their past mistakes and step into the future they were always meant to have.
The vision began to fade, the divine presence retreating, but the message remained, burning in her mind like a beacon of hope. Lilith slowly came back to herself, her feet once again on the cold floor of the cathedral. She blinked, trying to reorient herself to the present.
But now, everything was different. She was no longer just a girl, no longer just a student in Mandulis City. She was something more.
“I will create a utopia from scratch,” she whispered to herself. “Eden Zero.”
And as she stepped out of the cathedral and into the bright light of Mandulis, she knew there was no turning back. The future of mankind depended on her, and she would not fail.
Chapter 5: The Infinite Revelation
The school library was eerily quiet. The holographic screens were dim, their vibrant colors muted in the late afternoon light. The familiar sleek surfaces and hovering displays seemed distant now, like artifacts from another life. Lilith Neith sat at a table in the back corner, surrounded by the ancient books that had led her down a path she never could have imagined.
Dust floated in the beams of light coming through the windows, settling softly over the covers of the forgotten tomes. These books, buried under layers of neglect, had revealed more to her than all the advanced knowledge of Mandulis City ever could. They had shown her the truth about humanity’s past, about the cycles of destruction that had consumed Mars, Atlantis, and countless other civilizations. But more than that, they had shown her the future.
Lilith closed the last of the ancient volumes with a quiet thud, her fingers brushing over the worn leather cover. Her mind was clear, more focused than ever before. Everything she had seen, everything she had learned, was building toward this moment.
She understood now. The perfect world she lived in, Mandulis City, was a false utopia. It gleamed with technological marvels and seamless order, but beneath its shiny surface lay the same flaws that had doomed mankind time and again. The brain chips, the control, the relentless pursuit of progress. It was all part of the same cycle. A cycle that would inevitably lead to destruction if left unchecked.
But Lilith had seen something greater. She had seen a vision of what humanity could become. Beings of higher consciousness, in tune with nature and the Cosmos, no longer bound by their destructive tendencies. She had seen a world where technology served to enhance life, not dominate it, where spiritual growth was as vital as scientific advancement.
Eden Zero. That was her purpose. Her destiny. The city she would create from nothing, a place where humanity could evolve into its true potential.
The thought filled her with a sense of awe and urgency. She had been chosen—by the divine presence, by the visions that had flooded her mind—to lead mankind into this new era. She alone had the knowledge, the insight, to break the cycle of destruction and bring about lasting peace.
Lilith stood slowly, her movements deliberate, as if every action now carried the weight of her mission. The dusty shelves, the forgotten books. They were no longer just relics of the past. They were the foundation upon which she would build the future.
Her mind raced with possibilities. The design of Eden Zero was already taking shape in her thoughts. A city unlike any other, where nature and technology existed in perfect balance. Where the mistakes of Atlantis and Mars would not be repeated. She envisioned vast gardens, organic architecture that breathed with the rhythm of the earth, energy harnessed from the stars without damaging the natural world. She saw humans living in harmony with the planet, their consciousness expanded beyond the physical realm, reaching into new dimensions of existence.
And it all started here. In this quiet, forgotten corner of the library.
Lilith took a deep breath, her heart swelling with determination. She knew the path ahead would be difficult. The Cosmic Empire would resist change, and there were forces—powerful, unseen forces. That thrived on humanity’s tendency to self-destruct. But she was ready. She knew. She had the vision. And she had the guidance of something far greater than herself.
As she stood there, surrounded by the echoes of ancient wisdom, she whispered the words that had been forming in her heart since the visions began.
“I will create a utopia from scratch,” she said softly, her voice filled with quiet resolve. “I will end mankind's destructive tendencies so that the Cosmos can finally have peace once and for all.”
The words echoed in the stillness of the library, a promise to herself and to the universe. This was her mission, her calling. And nothing would stop her from fulfilling it.
With one last glance at the dusty shelves, Lilith turned and walked toward the exit. The sunlight outside was bright, almost blinding, but she welcomed it. It was the light of a new beginning.
And so, Lilith Neith was determined to shape the future of humanity.
© Keren Obara. Oct 2024.
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