FA Chapter 25 Awoken to Reality

Energy was in the air, crackling against his ears, his skin and within his mind. That energy was excitement. Bosingwa could feel it wanting to draw him in, to make him attempt some embarrassing things like those people just a few seats behind him, who were waving around placards with "I LOVE YOU MUSANA.", written upon them boldly.

That would have been his course of action if he had been among strangers, ones he had zero interest in knowing. But here he was, seated between Bora and Ice, coupled with the others on either side of the two. He couldn't do that, so he focused on taking in the venue, one which was chosen by many if they wanted to hold virtual meetings, conferences and concerts.

A few hundred years ago, a man, a virtual architectural designer had proposed a structure know as the orb. It was made up of a single circular stage, surrounded by rings of seats, where each that was further from the stage was a notch higher than the one closer. And the good part about it was the fact that they could be infinite in number since in the virtual world, an image could be enlarged right in front of your retinas as if you were in the first circle of seats themselves.

At the time of its inception it had been a marvel, but now, it was the mainstream venue for many events big and small.

Bosingwa took in the theme, one which had no doubt been chosen by Musana or some people close to him. From the burning red stage depicting the surface of the sun, to the magma red seats and the domed sky that was vivid with red clouds that threatened to release red droplets of water, with a virtual drizzle already underway. Honestly, it was both beautiful and breathtaking.

Many people were nonchalant at this display, but there was something about it that caused his excitement to heighten. Inwardly, he wondered whether he would also reach a level where he could hold such a magnificent gathering...no! He had to stay optimistic. His feet had already been placed upon the path. It was now up to him whether he could achieve greatness.

"Bosingwa, it wouldn't be degrading if you wanted to join in." Ice spoke at this time, her chin nudging him towards the self proclaimed cheerleaders in the back, the ones he had already seen.

"Do you want to die?" Bosingwa asked through pursed lips, having even leaned in close to her, to make sure that his words didn't enter Bora's ears. How could she have let lose such an embarrassing question. He was a closet-fan!

But Ice appeared amused, even spotting a smirk upon her lips as she defiantly gazed back at him, those silvery white pupils of hers daring him to try.

Before he could even contemplate about what to dish out as punishment, his pheripheral vision caught sight of a silhouette materialising from within the center of the stage, with red hair billowing as if being blown by the wind, no doubt a virtual effect. Crimson pupils, not the color of blood, but of flames filled his vision as he gazed at the legendary figure, igniting his excitement to the point that it achieved an evolution into something else, prompting him to stand up and shout...

"I LOVE YOU, MUSANA!"

His words joined the others and transformed into a tsunami of sound that battered the venue and all the others. Bosingwa's thoughts even temporarily spiralled away from the fact that there were others here, or the fact that he was going to be embarrassed, instead continuing on to shout with the rest of the crowd.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins while his hands waved about in sync with the rest as the chant transformed to a cheer, then once again morphing into song that demanded his body to perform some rhythmic swaying. And all along through those transformations, Bosingwa followed along with his gaze having been taken in by the figure on stage.

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Everything else close to him had vanished, with his attention placed entirely upon the figure on stage, who was just calmly looking into the crowd, yet Bosingwa could feel a shred of excitement contained with the man's eyes, as if he was barely containing himself.

And it seemed like he wasn't the only one who noticed because the wild crowd increased their volume to the point that it was deafening, yet Bosingwa, swimming within the same excitement didn't even seem to notice, just going along like a fish following the river's flowing direction.

A full ten minutes passed like that, before the excitement managed to die down to a level where Bosingwa regained his senses, upon which he lowered his head and sat down, making sure that his gaze never fell upon those beside him. He was sure that right now they were gazing at him with a myriad of feelings and emotions painted across their faces, but he didn't want to gaze back as he was sure they would catch the burning embarrassment that was his blushing face. He was 100% sure that even his dark chocolate colored skin would not be able to mask it.

"Wow!"

That exclamation came from Luna. And Bosingwa could feel that she must have been stunned to the point where only that one word left her lips.

Before he could wish for the ground to swallow him though, words from the center of the stage saved him.

"Well... Even I didn't expect that." Musana started, as if he too had been stunned by the people.

"For a moment, I almost had a change of heart. But my mind has been tempered by experiences, so sorry to you my dear fans."

Bosingwa found the words strange, and it wasn't just him alone, because even the sporadic noise within the crowd disappeared as if the man had managed to capture their attention, which he had managed so effortlessly.

"30 long years have passed since I introduced the power of Forgers to this world. Now am approaching my 60th birthday yet I still look as if I am in my late twenties. Isn't that amazing! And it isn't just my outward appearance! Even my cells are still as vigorous as those of a teen."

Musana placed his hands behind his back and paced around the stage, and every eye within the seats followed, either captivated or waiting for him to continue.

Bosingwa was now thoroughly paying attention, having already kicked his embarrassment from earlier to the back of his mind. This was the first time he was in the presence of his idol, even if just in virtual form.

"30 Years ago, I was a heinous criminal, the kind that was about to be executed... Ah! Many of you might not believe it, or think that I was somehow wronged...after all, I have helped society and our species reach this level of advancement. But, there is absolutely no wrongful accusations in my tale. All of it is true."

Bosingwa was so taken aback that his mouth had opened to the point that an egg could fit within. And he wasn't the only one displaying his disbelief so blatantly. It was a trend adopted by the rest of the crowd.

"I was arrested and put in prison for the crimes of murder. Human life is simply too fleeting. I don't regret killing people, as that was what had made my dull and boring life, fun."

A criminal! His idol, the man he had admired for the past few years was a criminal?! The vile miscreants whose sole existence was supposed to be dedicated to living out their sentences in prison?!

Bosingwa's heart rate sped up as he felt the air fail to leave his lungs in reality, almost causing him to choke.

He felt that reality was cruel. It had just slapped him in the face, leaving behind a gigantic red print.

"...heh! Did those delusions you had about me just shatter?"

The man was addressing the entire audience, and yet, Bosingwa felt as if it was only him.

"Hahahahahaha...do you know how excruciating it was to act like a good person all these years? To hold myself back from killing all the Forgers I have ever duelled, because of my grand plan?!"

"The time has come for me to step out of the light and into the shadows."

"Many of you here have been impeding the progress of my plan, hindering the commoners from becoming Forgers by inflating the price of the serum."

Musana's gaze sharpened after those words, digging through those occupying the front seats, the ones right at the edge of the stage.

"I know all of you. Those greedy pigs, the politicians, have been aiding you, thinking that they still have everything under control because they wield the keys to those outdated weapons, the Nuclear warheads. I am here to say that none have yet to understand the true power of Forgers... Their destructive power..."

"Legends aren't born, they are Forged!"