[Asheron] A new dawn

January 17, 2522 - Nova Fortaleza, Kingdom of Ceará

The city lights of Nova Fortaleza were being turned off as it was almost 5am. While João really liked to watch the dawn, he knew what was needed to do. He is a scrapper (the way people call those who search through the ruins of Old Fortaleza), and he needs to take everything he finds to the atravessador (smuggler). Today he found, amongst other things, a strange shining artifact on the afogada - the region of the old city that never resurfaced nor the waters receded. Of course he would keep it, then ask his grandma what was this. While he was distracted on his thoughts, the atravessador catches him:

- Hey João, don't you realize that you're late? - he throws the kid on the floor - When I say 'be here 5am' you be here 5am... Understood?
- Yes, sir... - João was still on the floor - I apologize for that, and will never be late again.
- Better keep this promise. For you and for your family. - he takes João's hand and helps him to get up - Now, what are the goods?
- Here they are, sir.

João showed everything to the smuggler, except for that artifact he found earlier. After seeing everything, the man seemed satisfied and sent João back home. When he arrived there, he ran to grandma's house and showed her the thing:

- Oh my God! Does my old eyes betrays me? - she took the artifact and analyzed it - I'm pretty sure it's a data disk from the years before the Clarão.
- It must be an antiquity, then. - he looks closely to it - Do you think it may still be working?
- I can try to recharge it... - she searches for the old energy charger, another relic from the old town - I am not even sure if the charger still works too.
- We can at least try, right? - she plugs the thing and they wait - What if it contains some useful data?
- Then we could sell it for a higher price. - he looks at her with an odd face - Hahaha, I'm just messing with you Joãozinho...

After several hours, and a lot of luck, the artifact seemed to be fully charged. It was already noon and they both went to lunch on the nearby cantina, a small restaurant with fair prices. When they got back, João was eager to test the data disk (which wasn't really disky). However, the thing was missing and a bunch of soldiers of the Kingdom were there. What secrets it contained that it was needed to send a bunch of soldiers to their home? The oldest man said to them:

- João da Silva and Maria da Silva, you're arrested for keeping unauthorized technologies at home and hiding sensitive data from the Kingdom. - he seizes both of them and takes them to the royal prison.
- What did we do, vó Maria? - João spoke to her while they were throwed into the prison - I just took that data disk... If I had known-
- I know, pequeno, but it seems like this whole affair is bigger than we could ever imagine. - she takes his hand - We must be faithful that nothing bad will happen.
- Yes, grandma. I won't bother you with my fears again.

They kept holding each other's hands without understanding the complexity of what they found. The data disk had images and videos from the last day the humanity was complete and civilized, July 2nd of 2317.​

After more than one month being imprisoned on the royal dungeons, João and Maria had already give up. They had lost all hope, while didn't even understand why they were there. Although they didn't are being treated badly, they are still unsure whether their lives will be spared or if they were going to be killed as traitors. However, a flint of hope rose on their hearts when a soldier (which they remembered from the day they were imprisoned) opened the door at the mid of the night and spoke to them:

- Come with me... - said the guard sharply to the half asleep grandson and grandma - Now!
- Uhh, what? - spoke João to the man - Why does we need to go?
- Kid, don't ask questions, just come with me... - whispered the guard.​

- Listen to your vózinha, João. - the guard told to the kid as he helped the old woman to get up - She is so right.
- Alright then... - João murmured in a defeated tone - At least have the decency of saying your name.
- I'm Soldier Carlos Viera, but you may call me only Carlos. - he said smiling while João approached him - Got it, lil' guy?
- Of course, "only Carlos"! - to this remark they all laughed, then suddenly stopped as they remembered that they were supposed to be whispering - Damn, I almost got us uncovered, didn't I?
- Yes, you almost did, you little brat! - Carlos said in while holding back his own laughter - Now, let's go, I'm talking seriously.

They ran across the dark halls of the labyrinthic dungeons, trying to evade without being caught. When they managed to escape from the castle, Carlos explained why he take them away from the prison. "I uncovered the truth, the ugly truth our leader does not want us to know." When asked what that truth was, Carlos said he would show it when they get somewhere safe, his home. The sun was already rising, when they arrived there. As they got inside the home, Carlos showed them the data disk João found earlier. It was programed to show them an specific day.

- What happened the day it's set into? - asked curiously João.
- The images contained on this data disk are from July 2nd of 2317... - he completes - The day humanity has changed forever.
- No way! - shouted the kid - It's impossible. Nothing from that day survived the Clarão...
- Not only it has survived, but it is all recorded. - he shows them the device - It shows everything that happened back then, and watching this will change your lives forever.
- Show it, then! - said Maria, while sitting down - My old heart can't bear all this trashtalk.
- Alright, then. It's showtime. - he starts playing the record - Não diga que não avisei...*

He activates the relic, then it starts showing the videos of the Clarão's day. The camera point of view is from someone small, presumably a child when, suddenly, an enormous amount of light is seen engulfing the city, until all comes back to normal a few moments later. The people all around look at the sky astonished and, for a few seconds, nobody moves. Then, everyone goes back to their routines, back to their normal lives as if nothing had happened. Their entire lives everyone was told that, after the Clarão, the city of Old Fortaleza was engulfed by the Flash before the city was destroyed by a tsunami. This sole video, however, showed that everything they've been taught their whole lives was a huge lie. Fortaleza was left untouched by the Clarão, and that means the truth was so ugly, that their first king had to hide it.

What mysteries this single data disk would reveal? And what really happened to Fortaleza, as half of the city is still in ruins? They didn't know it yet, but they would do everything to uncover what happened, whatever it takes. This, however, would change their and the Kingdom's destiny forever.
​

The huge amount of scientists gathered in the conference room were all worried. More than three months had passed after the event known popularly as "O Clarão", however, there were still more questions than answers. The most unnerving fact was that the nature was beginning to act weird, to say at least. A few trees began to blossom despite it being mid-autumn, season when there's virtually no rain on the entire state. Others lost all foliage before the time and a few unlucky trees suddenly died. Central Government reports were still missing, though. It seemed like there was something tampering with the communications and even electricity was not working properly. The conference had been called to find a solution or, if not possible, an answer for what was the Flash and its consequences. The eldest person in the room, a woman, rose from her seat and shouted so that everyone could hear.

"It's obvious this was a top secret weapon test that had gone wrong!", she addressed. "We should discover whoever did this and declare war on them."

"You must be way too senile to be in this room if you keep saying things like that, Dr. Andressa." the person who answered her was another woman, slightly younger than her. An old colleague, if that's what they'd call each other, as their story preceded even the current century. "Dr. Clara", Andressa said in a condescending tone. "I know you are envious because I have more international trophies than you, but that doesn't justify being a bitch."

The two of them looked like they'd go for each others throat at any time. The tension in the room was palpable until a young man asked them both to calm down. "I don't care how much you hate each other. We're here to discuss what the hell is going on, not how many trophies each decrepit scientist has." Both of them sat down angry at the man's talk but none of them said anything, too ashamed of themselves to make any kind of snarky remark about him. "Great, you two have finally shut up. Now the real adults can talk. Does anyone have an actual theory about what's happening?"

"I'm not sure of what exactly is happening, Doctor Paulo." another woman rose from her seat, with such calmness that the others were surprised. "However, I know one thing for sure: it's gonna get worse. And faster than we think" Shocked murmurs from those present and many people were shaking their heads in disbelief. Paulo looked at her for a few moments, processing what he just heard, then he spoke once again: "Doctor Melina, would you care to elaborate?"

Dr. Paulo had a feeling that she wouldn't say something so unnerving if she didn't mean it. This sole thought made him suppress a shiver. He didn't want to look weak in front of all those people, as he had just become the Council's Leader. If what Melina said was true then, well, his entire career would be over soon. She took her time before opening her mouth to speak again, this time with a more somber tone. "In the last three months, while you all were enjoying yourselves before realizing something was wrong, I was studying the forest. Whatever is happening, it pretty much fucked up their magnetotropism. To the non-biologists present, it means that, basically, the plants blossoming and growth are being affected by disturbances on the magnetic field, which was certainly caused by what the commoners call 'the Flash'."

Once again, there was chaos in the room. Nobody wanted to believe that something that seemed to be completely harmless was the cause of what was going on. However, the scientist showed them overwhelming evidence that backed up what she said. Silence filled the room. If what they saw in the data disk was true, ultimate doom was getting closer day by day. Another scientist showed his predictions of tornadoes, tsunamis and even earthquakes, much to everyone's dismay. Never an earthquake had hit the city, however, everything he foresaw would become true, sooner and way worse than they thought. It was the beginning of the apocalypse. And the world would never be same.​

The camera shows a woman in her thirties, tan skinned with disheveled light brown hair and hazel eyes with deep pockets like she hadn't been sleeping in a long while. The woman was seated in a cushion chair, at daytime as the Sun reflects in the camera.

"There's no food left. Who would think so huh?" The woman runs her hands over her hair. "We waited months for the Central Governments response. It looks like these morons are dead already and we are on our own, as always. My name's Vanessa by the way. Usually I start the videos by saying my name but this time I'm really tired."

"I don't know how long we can keep going on. My son is starving and it pains me so much I could die. My husband is... gone." The woman sighs while tears form in her eyes. "After my last video, three weeks ago, he went to search for food. I presume he's dead, just like the trees are dying. This isn't a normal drought, I assure you that the plants never act like this. Whatever the scientists discovered during their summit, they didn't want to share with the rest of us. Perhaps the truth is too ugly."

"Well, looks who's awake!" The woman turns her camera towards a sleepy kid dressed in pajamas, with the same eyes as his mother. "Say hi to the camera, Henrique."

The kid points towards somewhere behind the camera, and the woman turns immediately towards where the kid pointed moving the camera as well. "Holy shit, what the hell is this?" The camera captures the window and beyond it, there is an approaching tsunami. "How is that possible?"

The woman tucks the camera away and only sounds can be heard from now on. A woman running sets of stairs panting heavily, a kid crying loudly, the sound of waters and waves drawing closer until the video is abruptly cut by the sound a wave crashing.

End of record
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