In the year 2045, the world erupted into a worldwide conflict, just a century after the end of the last great war. A charismatic dictator took advantage of the lost youths of the world, whose existence became meaningless after artificial intelligence replaced 90% of jobs in the labor market. Through the power of his words, he wielded a revolution which quickly spread into civil war. Millions were killed as rebellion against every central government in all major nations began.
The moonlight glimmered over the endless body of water, shimmering its gentle light onto John's face. He was sleepless throughout the night, his heart pounding in fear of what was to come tomorrow.
A massive battle had begun on the rural outskirts of Indonesia, where tens of thousands of men were fighting on the forest frontier. After the revolution hacked into all major nations' security systems, drones and robots became ineffective for battle. Now wars were fought again with the blood of men.
As the sound of roaring engines settled into his ears, he recalled the day he was forced into mandatory service by the Global Alliance. He initially didn't care about the revolution, but decided it was better to fight than do nothing at home. As the image of his parents flashed through his mind, his eyes began to close as exhaustion overwhelmed him.
"WAKE UP!" the captain shouted.
He bolted up from his seat. The radiant sun shone on his face. The other soldiers glanced at him as they roamed the sturdy wooden floor, smirks written across their faces. He saluted and apologized.
The captain looked away. "We're near. Take your equipment and get ready."
Hours later he finally saw an island filled with greenery. The sandy beaches looked so welcoming; he'd never have thought it was a battlefield. As his and dozens of other ships disembarked, they organized themselves and got ready for the long march.
They marched for hours, passing through villages whose inhabitants seemed reluctant to help. They must quietly support the revolutionary forces. He wouldn't blame them. The dictator promised Indonesia was where the new nation would be built—a world free from technology and AI, like how it used to be before the rise of the Internet.
They reached the forest encompassing Mount Merapi. This was it, the battlefield. The tall trees felt like barriers to the horrors ahead. He had heard stories of how brutal the revolutionaries could be. The rest of the soldiers shook in their boots, sweat running as they gripped their rifles for dear life.
A few days passed, and the enemies were nowhere in sight. They walked through the dense forest, their boots sinking into the mud. John couldn't help but feel claustrophobic. The trees were like an endless maze.
Suddenly, a gunshot rang. His captain shouted for battle positions. They took cover. A rain fire of shots flew from around them. He looked around frantically but couldn't find where the enemy was.
A scream followed soon after. His comrades were shot. The captain screamed to retreat, but it was too late. He felt a rifle pressed to his back. He raised his hands in surrender. They were brought to the revolutionary campsite. The rebels swarmed around them as they were forced to kneel.
"Join us or die," the militant leader demanded.
His captain spat, "Never."
A loud bang erupted. The captain dropped to the floor, blood splattering around his head.
The leader instructed, "Bring them to the prison. Give them time to think."
The remaining five were thrown into a well a few feet deep, just enough for them to sit. His comrade Jeff cried aloud, wailing for his mother. Adonis sank quietly to the floor.
Days passed, and each day felt like awaiting execution. Bread and water were dropped into the well daily, just enough to keep them alive. Hungry and desperate, he could do nothing but think. He recalled back to the time the revolution started. He was just a teenager then, excited about the movement. From his parents he heard of how the world used to be, when they had freedom to choose their path. For his generation, life went downhill. Either you went into entertainment, stared at a screen all day, or lived on government subsidies. It was meaningless.
Deep in thought, a rope suddenly dropped into the well. They weakly held on as the rebels pulled them up. Even drained of energy, fear still struck his heart.
"This is your last chance. Will you join?" the leader asked.
The four nodded, but he stayed quiet.
The leader approached him, "You?"
He looked up. He realized he had no reason to be loyal to the Global Alliance. He was sympathetic to the revolution's ideas, but disheartened by their method of violence.
As he was about to speak, a man's voice boomed, "Leave him be."
Everyone turned. There was a quiet elegance to the way he walked, as if gliding through still water. His eyes showed defiance, as if he could fight the whole world. John immediately recognized him—it was the man who shook the entire world.
"You," the man told him, "Come walk with me."
He struggled to his feet. The commander warned the man, but he waved him off. As they walked around the campsite in silence, he looked around at the revolutionary's home. They were like a small community—laughing, playing games, talking together. He realized the rebels weren't how the Alliance portrayed them—devils and misfits.
"Why do you think we fight?" the man asked.
"You wish to create a world free from technology..." he stuttered.
"That is what we fight for, but why?" the man asked again, turning to face him.
He felt a strange sensation of freedom, free from the consequences of the established order.
He finally replied, "We wake up, eat, then sleep. If we're lucky we get a job that lets us look at a screen eight hours a day. It's all bullshit. You fight because you see something beyond all this."
The man's eyes glowed, "Yes. You understand. I knew there was something about you. I could see it in your eyes."
They continued walking. Every person they passed bowed slightly to the man. He asked, "How did you do all this?"
"Do what?"
"Start all this?"
"I didn't start anything," the man said calmly. "The house was already drowned in oil, all I did was light the fire. And now I have a request for you, John..."
"If you refuse, I will let you go as a free man. But if our paths cross again, I will see you as an enemy," the man warned.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I want you to join my forces," the man said. "If you come with me, there will be a place for you in the new world. We will build it together."
He hesitated. Does that mean leaving his family behind?
"But remember," the man said, "Once you come with me, there is no turning back. You will be reborn anew."
The image of his parents and sister stuck in his head. As the rebels laughed and sang around the campfire that night, his mind sank deep into thought. On one hand, he saw himself running back into the forest and going home. Until the war ends, they would deploy him again. He would only be able to see his family once more. But perhaps if the revolution won...
He glanced at the man laughing heartily with his men. He knew that if he followed him, the journey ahead would be hard. But if what he said was true, he could finally do something meaningful in his life.
Everything suddenly became clear. He did not want to go back and let machines dictate his life. He wanted freedom. He wanted more.
"I'm in."