The birth of a Villian

[Time- travel; Back in the past]

Meriella and I stood in stunned silence, watching the scene unfold before us after passing through the time portal. We had traveled back in time to the city of Arcadia before it was split into two and what we saw was both fascinating and disturbing.

"Look at that," I whispered to Meriella, nodding towards a man standing in front of an office window, with a book and pen. "Seems like he is Journaling". I walked over to peek over his shoulder and read what he was writing:

Shadows of My Past

In the depths of my mind, a darkness resides

A labyrinth of pain, where shadows abide

The ghosts of my childhood, they whisper my name

Echoes of a fragile boy, forever lost in the flame

The bullies, they came for me, like vultures in the night

Their cruel laughter, a haunting melody, a constant fight

But it was the ones who should have loved me, who hurt me the most

Their addiction and hatred, a toxic poison, forever the cost

My parents, they beat me, with fists and with words

Leaving me broken and battered, like a fragile, shattered bird

The scars they left, they still linger, a constant reminder of the pain

A pain that I've learned to hide, but never to wane

But even in the darkness, a spark remains

A flame that flickers, a fire that sustains

A desire for power, for control, for revenge

A burning need to rise, to overcome, to ascend

And so I'll rise, from the ashes of my past

I'll build a new world, where I am the master at last

A world where the strong survive, and the weak are cast aside

A world where I am the one, who holds the power and the pride.

- Pedro Abstainance

.¸¸.•*´¨'* •.¸¸.•*´¨'*•.¸¸.•*´¨'*

"Meriella you should see this. It's deep. He's lost in thought, haunted by his past, he can't see us right?" 

Meriella's eyes widened as she took in the words of the poem. "Everything looks exactly how it was back then but no they won't be able to see us or interact with us. This is Pedro Abstainace, the man who would eventually become the first president of Arcadia," she breathed. "It's hard to believe he was once a fragile, timid boy, especially because he was a monstrous father."

Terrchel: "This man is your father!?"

Meriella: "Well, he was, although that is merely the title he was given. It means nothing to me".

I knew she was lying; I sensed her pain.

As we watched the scene before us play out, Pedro's thoughts seemed to drift back to his childhood, to the abuse he suffered at the hands of his parents.

I could feel a pang of sympathy for the man, despite knowing the current future version of Arcadia stems off these moments.

Meriella: "Look, Terrchel, there's Arnold Maximus, Pedro's childhood friend and also the man who's body you've reincarnated into. I'm sure you've been searching for more information on him."

She points over to the other side of the room, where a green haired man approaches. wearing a lab coat and carrying notes.

We saw Arnold and Pedro walking into a building named The Arcadian Academy together. This must be where they studied. Although it looks way different than the current version in the present time. There wasn't any high- tech equipment and cyber architecture and people dressing very modestly. Not like the bright colours we used to seeing in the New Arcadia City. 

Arnold and Pedro sat in a classroom cubicle and shared their love for science and disdain for the cruel world around them, daily confiding in each other during school breaks and after school hours, participating in debates and putting in extra study hours in the Arcadian Academy library which was linked to the main building but at the same timely securely separated.

It seemed the two boys formed an unbreakable bond, finding solace in each other's company. How they were laughing and crying together throughout the scenes displayed before us. 

Terrchel: "Meriella, this library they at, where is it now? I searched on my swatch earlier today, actually but it popped up as an error". 

Meriella: "Years ago, when my brother, President Lawrence Abstainace took charge. He shut down the library to cover up my family's lies and schemes".

Terrchel: "BROTHER? okay yeah I guess that's kind of obvious seeing that Pedro is your father. But how could he do that, that's a public facility and the information it holds is precious". 

Meriella: "Precisely. He is the president now. He does whatever He wants, and the people are too occupied with their glowing devices and tech advancements that has significantly removed all their responsibilities to notice what is going on. With only the Arcadia Space and Arcadia Webspace to search and retrieve information and materials from. Meaning the Arcadia patrol has complete control over what the people knows and limits their knowledge by all means possible. Hence you received that error pop up, but lucky for you I was the head scout for the patrol years ago and I know how to get you into that library!".

My mind was blown by what Meriella just said. I looked at her with my mouth open in shock of the extreme measures and not wanting to ask what those secrets were.

I'm sure if she wants to tell me or if it's important to all this she will bring it up, but it makes 100% sense I'll definitely remind her about the library when we get back to the present time but for now we need to keep up with what is happening here in the past. So instead I just said "that's crazy". 

As we watched them navigate the treacherous landscape of their school years, Pedro and Arnold would often discuss their dreams of creating a better world, a New Arcadia where people wouldn't have to suffer as they did. They devoured books on philosophy, psychology, and sociology, determined to understand the intricacies of human nature and create a utopia where everyone could thrive. 

The time portal fast-forwarded to after graduation and we saw how Pedro's determination only grew stronger.

He became a charismatic leader, rising through the ranks of Arcadia's government with ease, promising the people a better future.

Arnold, meanwhile, pursued a career in science, becoming one of the most renowned experts in his field. Their plan was always to combine their skills to succeed in their plans. 

As we continued to observe, we saw Arnold meet Arlene, the love of his life, a brilliant archaeologist with a passion for uncovering the secrets of the past.

They met on a dig in the scorching deserts of Enlyn, which according to Arcadia space doesn't exist. 

Arlene's sharp wit and Arnold's quick thinking saved them from a treacherous sandstorm that approached during their meet. We followed them as they navigated the ancient ruins, their mutual respect and admiration blossomed into romance.

They married soon after, and their son, Emerson Maximus, was born a few years later. The time-travel showed us all these events.

We saw how Pedro watched his friends' happiness with a mix of joy and envy. He had always felt like an outsider, a stranger in his own skin, and Arnold's newfound happiness only served to highlight his own emotional numbness it seemed. 

As the years went by, Pedro's obsession with creating a New Arcadia grew more all-consuming. He became ruthless in his pursuit of power, crushing anyone who dared to oppose him including his own family. Arnold, who had once been his closest friend, grew increasingly concerned about Pedro's actions, but his warnings fell on deaf ears.

Meriella: "And so, the seeds of villainy were sown, nurtured by the dark memories of my father's troubled past and his unyielding ambition to reshape the world in his image".

Terrchel: "What happened next how did everything come together?"