"We Homo sapiens have evolved to use information particles much more proficiently, skillfully, and effectively over millions of years of evolution, reigning over all other specimens in raw power alone,"
said the man in his thirties, standing a head taller than me as I struggled to find a way to escape the scorching heat draining me dry.
His hands hovered over the meticulously orchestrated piece of art carved on the wall as he sang the remnants of the past cheerfully, completely indifferent to the predicament I was in.
It was decided.
"Uhm, excuse me, don't you think it's a little too hot here?" I spoke up, guilt creeping into my mind for interrupting the muscular man's enthusiasm...
His gaze flickered over to me, confusion etched across his face until he finally realized what I'd done to scrape his attention.
Realization struck him and he quickly began making strange gestures with his fingers while muttering an alien language, which I was sure was not Sapin.
I observed him for a while, then let my gaze wander around my surroundings and glanced around at the walls and shadows.
The space was quiet and still, I took in the shapes and patterns on the stone, each one whispering stories older than i could grasp.
"It should be fine now. I apologize for not noticing earlier,"
a voice called out, drawing my attention toward the guide — and it was only then that I realized I was no longer bathing in sweat; the temperature around me had cooled down significantly.
I gave a simple nod.
Then he continued in a casual tone, speaking about how archaeologists had been researching for centuries trying to figure out the source and formation of information particles, ravaging through various scriptures, scribes, ancient books, lores, humongous structures standing for millions of years now, and what not.
I wasn't particularly interested in his chatter, and this didn't go unnoticed by the man, who quickly posed a question.
"However, one question lingers!" he raised his voice, a mix of excitement and uncertainty, believing it would send ripples of thrill down my spine.
And he was right.
My ears perked up.
"How the heck in the world were these Great Pyramids of Elphthfe even constructed, and that too about a million years ago?"
I contemplated the question.
The Pyramids of Elphthfe were among the oldest structures dominating the skies for ages.
However, their construction remains a mystery because the amount of information particles required to create mass enough for these pyramids does not compare to the meager population that existed back then.
"For reference, even if humanity decided to build another structure akin to this, it would take no less than fifty thousand thousand years for all humankind combined to finish the project, and that too if we worked tirelessly,"
he exclaimed and paused, letting the words sink in before continuing.
"This in itself raises so many questions that most researchers prefer not to talk about, just to keep their reasoning alive. And who are we, as normal people, to discuss it when even the experts won't?"
The continuous chatter in my ears faded. I glanced around, surprised to see so many visitors within the short time I had been there.
'Did anyone else besides humans help them?'
I pondered as various thoughts swirled in my mind.
"Was it the aliens?"
muttered Mr. Han to himself, a visitor who had been standing with me for so long that I'd almost forgotten his presence.
The guide shook his head, placed his hands behind his back, and began strolling.
Once he was some distance away, he spoke in a rather high-pitched voice.
"Was it aliens? Were there any other species existing alongside humans, now extinct? Was it even built by humans, or did the civilization before them possess much greater insight into information particles than modern humans, and so on..."
We held our breaths as he continued voicing our thoughts in mockery.
He opened his mouth, eager to enlighten us with the conclusion we all assumed he must have reached after decades of experience.
"The truth is known by us all, yet many of us are foolish enough not to believe it."
He cleared his throat as if trying to make his voice reach the other visitors around us before speaking again.
"The information particles we know are nothing but the results of humans' forgotten memories, past eve-"
"Aye aye, promoting your faith now, aren't we Mr. Guide?" interrupted Mr. Han with a mischievous smile.
"It's not just 'faith'. It's reality. It's fools like you who don't want to accept it, even though the truth is laid out before your eyes,"
the guide retorted, losing his composure as he frantically waved his hands.
"Welp, you are the fool. How about we ask what Mr. Aurel has to say on this matter?"
Mr. Han pressed mockingly, both of them now glaring at me, expecting me to take their side.
I gulped, knowing full well that siding with either would result in my loss.
I needed the guide's help to jot down the last details for my project I had been working on for the past few weeks.
But I also absolutely didn't want to antagonize Mr. Han, who had stuck with me these past two days to assist with my research.
"I am faithless," I said plainly, which seemed to take both men aback.
"Well, at least you don't believe his stupid theory,"
the guide remarked, making his intentions clear.
A vein bulged on Mr. Han's forehead, making it obvious he was very irritated by that comment.
"Good for you. I wouldn't want to associate with any self-narcissistic bastards,"
he sneered, a grin daring to form on his otherwise monotonous face.
Their gazes met again, locking like swords.
Silently, I slipped away, well aware that their debate would last at least another hour or two.
"It always ends like that whenever faith is brought up,"
someone whispered as I walked, the sand crunching softly beneath my boots.
I slowed near a dimly lit chamber, my eyes scanning the hieroglyphs.
Watching those looping symbols almost lulled my mind into a strange trance.
One curious mark, a single falcon with its beak pointing toward a block, caught my attention.
I knelt, running my hands over the stone.
But the moment I did, I felt a massive force shove me forward as if an enraged bull had just rammed into its target.
The slab shuddered and rotated inward, like some ancient trapdoor of stone.
I squinted as dust burst into the air.
And then...
A voice, if it could even be called that, seeped into me.
It threaded through my bones and marrow, bypassing my ears.
"This time,humanity has lost its ability to die,"
it whispered, like the echo of a half-forgotten nightmare.
"Your brain will never stop functioning...
You will always remain concious."