On the thirteenth floor of an administrative office, Evan found himself once again working in the same cubicle he had occupied every day since his graduation.

Evan graduated in business administration and tried to enroll in a philosophy course which he never actually pursued. After a few exams, he found a job in the building where he currently worked. Not in a high position, but also not at the bottom of the hierarchy.

Colleague: "Evan! Yesterday’s client is still asking for the invoice for Monday’s transaction... What should I tell him?" His colleague said while holding a phone between his ear and shoulder and taking notes in a small notebook.

Evan sighed as he rubbed his deep eye bags, which looked more like the strange makeup of rock singers than the result of three sleepless nights.

Evan: "Isn't that the same client who called this morning? Tell him our system is down because of last week's attacks; 70% of our data network was destroyed, for God's sake! Can't he be a little patient?"

Evan's colleague adjusted the phone near his mouth and repeated the information given by his sleepy companion.

Colleague: "...He said he doesn't see how that's his problem."

And so, eight hours of exhausting work passed, just like eight precious hours of Evan's life during which he did nothing but send messages to people to make them talk to other people, so that these same people would do things that other people wanted to be done.

Yes, he knew how pathetic that sounded…

His way home in the late afternoon was one of the few moments of peace and tranquility in his day-to-day life…

Evan: "What a backache... I wonder if I can buy that ergonomic chair I saw online yesterday." In the middle of this thought, Evan suddenly stopped before crossing the street and voiced a depressing realization out loud: "Haha... I'm talking like a sad old man."

Hearing this, from the other side of the street, a familiar voice shouted to Evan,

Juan: "HAHAHA! What are you talking about, my boy!" Suddenly, looking toward the voice, Evan’s tired and sad expression turned into a warmer and happier one.

Juan: "Tell me, boy! How have you been these days?" said an old man sitting at an old counter of a small corner market.

Evan: "Good afternoon, old man! How are those legs of yours, huh?" Evan said, trying to steer the conversation away from his recent workdays.

Juan: "These beauties here?" Juan, after saying this, slapped one of his legs, which made a sound similar to metal, like two prosthetics made of steel or some similar material.

Evan: "I see you got the new models! I remember you had been waiting for them for quite a while…"

The smiling old man took a sip of his beer and, with energy that belied his age, began to speak.

Juan: "A while? HA! Saying that would be an understatement at this point… It's been two years since that old crappy model stopped working properly. It got to the point where I thought it would be easier to go to the other world, find the monster that ate my legs, and get them back than wait for the government to help me! BAHAHAHAHA!!!"

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Evan couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Afterward, he sat next to Juan to enjoy the sunset in the distance.

In this moment, Evan looked at his old drinking buddy and said:

Evan: "I know I always ask you this when we drink together, but… what was it like when you were an agent? Were you strong?"

Juan, finishing another sip of his drink, looked at his young curious friend and responded:

Juan: "Ha! For a long time, I was one of the best in my platoon… At my peak, my Rune was worthy of a Vice-Protector!"

Evan: "Really?! Then why didn’t you ever try to run for the position? Isn’t that the desire of everyone born with Runes?"

The old man placed his glass on the table and, turning his face to Evan, replied:

Juan: "In my time, the desire of those born with Runes… was to protect people." At this moment, Evan was stunned and a bit embarrassed by Juan's straightforward response, but despite his childish question, he continued to listen attentively to his friend.

Juan: "Nowadays, many Rune-bearer agents care a lot about status, wealth, and all those things that destroy a man's true desire!!! In my time, those things mattered little in battle."

Evan: "A man’s true desire?" questioned Evan, the spectator of this display of wisdom from Juan.

Juan: "Exactly, my boy… The desire of man, OR RATHER, the desire of HUMANITY!"

Evan: "And what exactly is this desire? Because so far in my life, everything I’ve wanted are all the things you described as unimportant..." Evan said, looking down at his tired reflection in a puddle on the sidewalk.

Juan: "BAH! Don’t say that, my boy… We all have or had the desire of humanity within us at some point; sometimes life’s disturbances just cause the desire to dissipate among other goals."

Evan: "Even saying this, I still have no idea what this desire you speak of is!" said Evan impatiently, wanting Juan to get to the point.

Juan then crossed his metal legs and his arms in a meditative position, and after a few seconds of silence, he continued:

Juan: "Tell me, Evan… Have you never had a cause you believed in?"

Evan: "...?"

Looking at the sunset, the old man smiled at the horizon and continued questioning his friend:

Juan: "Have you never felt that sense of being part of something greater? Something that, no matter how dangerous or unappreciated, you wanted to do for the sake of the people?"

Evan: "You mean… charity or something like that?"

Juan laughed with his deep, booming voice upon hearing his friend. After composing himself, he continued his explanation.

Juan: "That’s part of it! But it’s not just that… At some point in our lives, we all have had the desire for SELF-SACRIFICE! An example would be a child who, seeing firefighters emerging from a burning building with their bodies battered and faces burned, decides to become one just like them!"

Evan listened and gradually began to understand the true meaning of the "DESIRE OF HUMANITY."

Juan: "A more common example would be a woman throwing herself in front of a car, almost getting hit to save a puppy or a kitten crossing the street… In both these examples, everyone has everything to lose and may never be rewarded for their actions, no matter what they do. But still, many of us have these flashes of heroism that we often suppress to stay in the comfort of our lives!"

Evan: "So, you’re saying that the desire you’re talking about is—"

Juan: "TO SACRIFICE! TO PROTECT! TO GIVE EVERYTHING FOR WHAT YOU LOVE AND VALUE!" said old Juan, interrupting Evan as he lifted his two fists, which for a total of three seconds… emanated a spectral blue energy.

Evan, looking at his friend, couldn’t help but laugh at the unusual situation.

Juan: "W- WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING, BOY!!! NEVER LAUGH AT THE WISDOM OF THE ELDERLY, YOU LITTLE BRAT!!! Or do you wish to experience the fury of the great Lord of the Infernal Fists?" said Juan, striking a very extravagant fighting pose that probably wouldn’t be accepted in any martial arts school.

Evan, using all his strength to hold back his laughter, explained his reaction to his friend:

Evan: "Ha ha, it’s not that… I’m just surprised that your life’s resolution after all these years boils down to something so simple, and in a way, even a bit childish."

Juan huffed a bit after hearing his companion’s impudence but responded:

Juan: "Evan… life is indeed simple! People complicate things too much… and often the most childish desires, like being a hero who protects everyone… are the noblest ones there are!"

At that moment, Evan looked at his friend. After hearing those words, he felt like he was in a key memory of his life. A moment he knew, deep down, that he should never forget, no matter what happened in his life.

After all… these would be the last words of wisdom he would hear from his friend.