We are on Mercury. A planet humanity long left untouched, as if forgotten. Centuries after its discovery, it remained the most silent, the most elusive. It escaped human curiosity by hiding in plain sight—beside its greatest ally: the Sun.
— Huh... aah... what... what is this?
— Shut it, asshole. If you knew how disgusting your voice is to us... Next time you open that worthless mouth, you die. Direct order from Commander Radec Vorn.
— So that's what humans look like up close... Weird clothing. Said one of Vorn's soldiers.
— Hey! You piece of shit! Only I speak here. You follow orders, or I nail your tongue to your helmet. Got it?!
— "Human"... That's the name of my species…
— Ughh... my eyes... they drugged me... those bastards... — Damn it, damn it, damn it! Of course this wasn't going to last! Should've just SHUT UP!
— Soldier! Retrieve the body and bring it to a cell on Level 12. You have three minutes. Every second over costs you a limb.
— Understood, sir!
He throws a final glance at Ashan, unconscious.
Our amnesiac hero hadn't stood a chance against the cunning of the Nulithians. They were far better prepared. The clash had lasted only seconds.
Two hours later...
Inside a cold, metallic room bathed in sterile white light sat the King's Court. It was here that the monarch and his most loyal Mercurians decided the fate of Nulith's people. The air was heavy with silence, broken only by the beeping of surveillance devices. A knock. The door slid open with a hiss. A soldier entered and bowed slightly, handing over a recorder.
— Priority message for His Majesty Ormon Krell, he said in a neutral voice.
— My report: the boy has been captured and placed under high surveillance. Awaiting further orders... Commander Vorn.
— Excellent. Well done, Vorn. His corpse will send a very clear message to Earth: we will not be intimidated, declared a Mercurian court member, his tone icy.
— That makes seventeen attempts by those Earth scum... And the eighteenth will likely bear the name of Nulith if we don't act now, growled another.
— We can't deny the Earthling showed up at a convenient time... Nulith is on the brink of civil war since the king's name came up in the Xenox trafficking scandal. Executing this boy will smother that news, said the king's right-hand man.
— So, Your Majesty, what is the Court's verdict?
— Isn't it obvious? Ormon Krell orders his public execution, declared the king without hesitation.
— Understood. Spread the word: Nulith will have something to talk about.Notify Vorn and his Mercurians. Prepare the boy's execution.
Nulith was one of the first Mercurian villages built in the image of humans. Naturally solitary, the Mercurians realized their isolated lifestyle hindered their societal evolution. Inspired by humans, they began forming communities to stimulate growth and economy. But did this imitation truly bear fruit?
— Aaaaah! What a fool I am!, Ashan screamed in rage after being thrown into a cell.
— How could I fall into such an obvious trap? Of course those footprints were fake! If those creatures really left tracks, I would've seen several, crossed and chaotic—not one straight, perfect line leading kindly to that village.
— Still... I gained something from all this. He paused, eyes distant.
— So I am human. My memory loss isn't natural
—it feels tampered with. I remember passive knowledge: time, language, abstract concepts... But everything about my origin, my nature, or this ridiculous resistance to extreme conditions—it's all blurry.
— Hahaha... ahahahahahaha... AHAHAHAHAHA! He burst out laughing, alone, imprisoned.
— This feels like the plot of a video game... A game forcing me to recover everything I've lost. It's obvious, isn't it? Someone's playing with me!
— But whoever programmed this... botched the character. He raised his head, a strange glint in his eyes. — Hey, asshole who messed with my mind, listen up. Just a little tip for your next victim: If you want to control someone, the first thing you erase... is consciousness.
He smirked, lips twitching with nervous energy.
— Bad job, pal. You forgot to shut me off. You left the consciousness.
He stood, eyes burning.
— Because if I'm right... your days are numbered.
— I'll finish your little game, and then? I'll crush you. Tear you apart. Hah! You're not ready for what's coming.
— I have a pride to defend.
He struck his chest with a clenched fist.
— I, Ashan, am not your puppet.