Back to the Past [Part II] [Bonus]

5/27/2022 — the notorious and infamous day, later commonly known as the "Tragedy of Glittero Massacre".

About 24 years ago, when Ezra had his first experience with his newly discovered power.

Moreover, also when the boy first discovered he was part of the first generation — the legendary 'Generation Genesis'.

On that fateful day, nothing out of the ordinary of people's daily lives happened. Therefore, they went to their respective schools, jobs and other tasks within the colonies they inhabited, looking for any kind of distraction.

With Ezra Trawlhaban, things weren't no different.

After all, at that time he was just a naive 14-year-old boy, with no particular aspect that set him apart from the lines of the masses of common people.

Heading towards the wooden bench in the central square of the Glittero colony, he decided to play alone. However, overwhelmingly to his innocent mind, the lad ended up lost in a narrow and dirty alley that he mistakenly thought was a shortcut.

During those times, Ezreal ''Ezra'' Trawlhaban, had nothing that made him stand out, other than his limited intelligence. He was like any ordinary boy, only interested in playing and, when necessary, studying.

However, it was that very day that he awakened to a new skill, the effects of which would change his life forever.

And it was also on that very day that things went downhill once and for all.

After saving the progress of his favorite game on his cell phone, he prepared to get out of the alley he was in as soon as possible.

There were cameras all over the place, but it could be dangerous one way or another; then decided, he began to go his way once more.

But to Ezra's surprise, leaving his feelings to the surface, there was a breach in the security of the main protective walls of the colony, very close to his location.

''Save yourself if you can!''

''The guards are all dead! Run for your lives!''

''NO SALVATION… THERE'S NO SALVATION ANYMORE! AAAHHH!''

Hopeless people, guts, blood, amputated limbs, and corpses shattered to smithereens to the invading monsters feast on, were what greeted his sight as he stepped out of the dark alley.

Seeing all that in just a glance, adrenaline coursed through Ezra's blue veins, evident in his pale Caucasian skin and his overly thin wrists.

''A-agh...''

He had never felt so fragile and strong at the same time as in that one minute.

However, even scared, he didn't put down his cell phone, calling the landline of the orphanage he lived in repeatedly, as he quickly ran without looking back.

Sadly, it was due to this and his mind being in such a troubled state, that he only noticed an orange wolf, about twice his size, with gigantic muscles and claws, approaching him when it was already too late.

That was Ezra's first death.

Anguish overcame the last remnants of his rationality, as he completely wallowed in a river of rancor and hatred for not having been able to escape from that place.

Going against his own principles, he felt angry with himself for having been unable to get to where the only important person in his life was.

Nonetheless, when he finally opened his eyelids again — which were heavier than ever, as if he were underwater —, he found himself in the middle of an endless dark abyss.

''W-what? What's going on?'' The questions shot out of his mouth in a torrent, nonstop.

He clearly remembered falling into a state of severe confusion when he had been in the Hall of Yggdrasil, forcibly summoned by the influence of his ability, for the first time.

Luckily, several bright blue tabs, in the style of cartoons from the 90s, appeared in front of him.

[The user's latent power, 'World Memoir', was awakened by {Pandora's Box}!]

[The user's anguish provoked the awakening of some variations of his main skill!]

A third screen, painted with a more vivid greenish hue, appeared before his static crimson eyes.

It contained many words, and due to the adrenaline still coursing through the boy's veins, it was easy for Ezra to understand – breathing, he remained calm enough to continue reading.

[Congratulations!]

[Your hatred made you awaken the true transcendence of your power: 'World Memoir']

"Hmm…" He muttered, intrigued.

[You were selected by Khaar Dhaam's mighty will, and inherited the ability to change your fate and time as you wish]

[The 'World Memoir' skill has been slightly modified]

[Some variations of the skill have been permanently added to the user's unique skill]

Other screens exploded in front of him with a sound similar to the popping of hot popcorn.

[World Memoir: Mnemosyne

- The heir to the Khaar Dhaam legacy has obtained the possibility to capture the moments of his life in one of the 5 save files available.

- The heir to the Khaar Dhaam legacy has been given the ability to load any of the save files — loading will allow the heir to restart from the save point.]

[World Memoir: Book of Despair

- Upon fulfilling certain requirements, established by the system provided by the unique ability, the heir becomes able to copy powers from other individuals.

- ???????????? (Blocked)]

[The unique skill, 'World Memoir', calls for Khaar Dhaam's blessings to reign upon the heir]

Since he was just a kid, even though he was smarter than most people his age, he could only relate those things to the game he was playing.

But, now that he stopped to think deeply about that specific case, maybe it was just his own excuse to deny reality, so he could maintain his sanity as it was…

[The first file, 'Unnamed', that was automatically saved by the system, has been selected]

Loading his first save file, for the first time in his long, hellish journey, he realized what those powers contained quickly, and that really changed his fate.

With the help of his powers, he became so strong that almost no human could match him.

However, over time, his madness, arrogance and sadness only grew bigger & bigger, growing dizzyingly when compared to his stagnant state of brute power.

Unbeknownst to him, that had been the beginning of a prison, whose sentence he believed had no definite end.

...

Anyway, by a quirk of fate itself, the one whose consciousness reigned over the 14-year-old's body was now the Ezra of a distant, dystopian future.

''I…I'm really back…'' He stated, still in disbelief.

As a version of him who experienced the many paths one can take in a lifetime, his mental age was alarmingly past 38. Frankly, if everything was calculated, it would be safer to say that he was the age of a man over a thousand years old.

Falling into absolute silence for a second, he looked down at the asphalt floor, head down.

''I'll have to do it all over again, won't I?'' Ezra said nonchalantly. ''Hmm...''

Ezra Trawlhaban, now trapped in his 14-year-old younger body, paused to calmly analyze the situation.

Time around him seemed to slow down. No wonder he had been leader and strategist of one of the biggest teams of Heroes, during his several previous attempts.

But that wasn't what he was worried about. There was only one thing that permeated his mind, like a big fish in a small river: This was clearly a chance to become unbeatable.

Thinking about countless things important to him, all related to the same topic, he knew what he should do next.

'World Memoir: Mnemosyne', in that filthy alley, he thought, trying to summon the windows of his power, resolute in his decisions.

Even though Ezra wasn't feeling like continuing mere moments back into the abyss, he tended not to give up easily. If there was a chance, minimal or not, he would always grab and reach for it at any cost.

Waiting for his power to react to his words, the brown-haired youth narrowly avoided shedding tears, heaving a deep sigh.

However, nothing happened.

Surprised by the event, he repeated the same words, this time verbally.

''World Memoir: Mnemosyne.''

Again, as if something or someone was mocking him, nothing happened.

Cold sweat formed on his face, catching his eyes and affecting his relaxed posture.

''.....?''

Quickly, without any control over his emotions, he broke away from his earlier confident demeanor, replacing it with one of complete confusion. At the same instant, the wind blew through the lad's slightly long hair, leaving it messier than before.

''The fuck? Like, for real... the fuck is happening now?''

With the vision obstructed by the disheveled hair, his ears seemed to perfect for a second. In the background, he heard screams, grunts, whistles, and footsteps that differed greatly from human feet.

In that moment, with a flash running through his pupils dilated by the influx of information, he suddenly had a revealing realization, sending shivers through his tiny body.

Grabbing his cell phone and tucking it hastily, clumsily, into the left pocket of his tight black shorts, he ran as fast as he could.

The limits of his weak body and ill-developed frame soon showed up, with the shortness of breath his lungs felt like they were about to burst.

''Get out of the way, asshole! Time is running out!'' Said Ezra, pushing back another boy, a little shorter than him.

Running straight for the main entrance of the alley beside him, the little boy arrived just in time to witness a hellish wolf in all its splendor.

Strangely, a devilish grin crossed his face as he screamed, leaping without hesitation and with his arms outstretched above the hostile creature.

''Screw everything!''

In a reflexive movement, the distracted creature, which devoured the corpse of a grown man as if it were a great meal, swung its front paw back.

Ezra felt a twinge of pain, but nothing that truly scared him.

Moreover, to make things worse, the last thing he saw before he died were the blue eyes of the poor boy from before, watching as Ezra's head was ripped from where it was originally supposed to be.

In the next second, fulfilling his main objective, he excitedly opened his eyes to the familiar black abyss.

As far as he could remember, there hadn't been a moment in his life when he was so happy to wake up in that wretched place.

''I did it! I did it successfully!'' He cheered.

And, interrupting his solitary ceremony, another screen soon appeared in front of him.

[World Memoir: Mnemosyne]

[Khaar Dhaam's Save Log has been activated]

[Would the heir like to activate a trigger word?]

[Yes/No]

Raising his little hands, he excitedly pressed the [Yes] button.