A small figure emerged from the shadows, moving tentatively through the rubble of a long-forgotten city. 

 

She was no taller than a stool, and her tattered clothing was muddy and ancient, only contrasted by her light skin and somewhat long silver hair.

 

Her once-beautiful silver hair, which had once cascaded like radiant moonbeams, now hung limp and lifeless like a forgotten silver chain.

 

The girl's green eyes, once full of life and energy, had gone out like a candle in a windowless room, leaving only a faint flicker of what once was. 

 

Her name was Gesus Ghrist, a superhuman genetically enhanced to carry the mighty Infinity Sword, a weapon so powerful that it could slice through mountains with ease.

 

During the brutal wars that had ravaged the planet, Gesus had been forced to wield the sword, and though she didn't fully understand how, she had complete control over the weapon. 

 

It was a formidable tool in her hands, but it had left her feeling empty and alone when the battles were over, as more often than not, she would stand alone with nothing to grasp except for the blood soaked grip of her blade.

 

She left a trail of blood, resembling a red thread weaving its way through her journey and depicting the countless battles and enemies she had slain along the way.

 

Now, Gesus was wandering the ruins of civilization, searching for a reason to keep going. 

 

One day, she stumbled upon an old, crumbling building, and heard the sound of someone moving inside. 

 

Inside, she found a young man, a soldier no doubt and a highly decorated one at that too judging from his uniform, in a way he was just like her. 

 

His once mighty body seemed weak and fragile, and it looked as though he was barely able to move. But he had a spark of life in his eyes, a glimmer of hope and determination.

 

Gesus was drawn to the war hero, and she approached him carefully. Her eyes were fixed on this seemingly mystical sight.

 

Observing the man, Gesus could discern small details about him.

 

As the scent of gunpowder emanated from his body. 

 

He donned a brown uniform decorated with medals and ribbons, which sat silently on his chest. 

 

Gesus imagined that the taste of his uniform would be bitter and stale, with a sensation similar to that of wood. 

 

A decorated revolver on his waist appeared to have aged like fine wine, with the saturated color of the metal exonerating its service to its owner.

 

The man's hair was dark and unkempt, reminiscent of the fur of an unwashed dog. 

 

A commanding officer's hat sat atop his head like a vulture making a nest on a sack of twigs.

 

And last but not least, a pair of black boots sat appropriately on his feet, with an elegance akin to that of a sitting black cat.

 

Gesus could sense something special about this man, compared to her.

 

In fact her previous assumptions about this man seemed to vanish.

 

At first it seemed to her that this man had accepted his fate, and was just waiting to die here.

 

But now, it seemed as though he was just resting, waiting… for something… or… someone?

 

The war hero glanced up at Gesus, and his eyes fell upon the Infinity Sword in her hand. 

 

He smirked a bit then replied, “J. Bottle,” in his husky and yet clear voice.

 

Although initially confused she understood his gesture and "G-Gesus Ghrist," she replied in a quiet and haunted tone. 

 

But a moment later a tear rolled down her cheek, and despite her efforts, she could not hold back her tears.

 

Bottle could make a good guess and understood all too well the anguish and isolation that Gesus felt, to be the last one alive… is not for the faint of heart.

 

He extended his hand, and Gesus took it, feeling a connection with the old war hero that she had never felt before.

 

"Gesus, huh?" Bottle said. "What a funny name... heh. Come on, let's go."

 

Bottle sprang up from where he layed, surprising Gesus with his burst of energy.

 

But from it, a sense of hope ignited in Gesus's heart. 

 

She wiped her tears, and together they ventured into the wasteland, searching for a new purpose and a new way to live in a world that had abandoned them.

 

The war hero's name was General J. Bottle, and it had been roughly a year since World War 10 ended. 

 

He had become an outcast of the world since then. His story was grand but equally horrific. However, in this new world, none of it mattered anymore or atleast, so he dared.

 

>>>

 

General J. Bottle and Gesus Ghrist journeyed through the desolate wasteland, a world fundamentally different from the one he had fought for, and different from the world before it.

 

As they traveled, the once familiar landscapes were now unrecognizable. 

 

Entire regions were terraformed, certain parts of the deserts into fields of shattered glass reflecting dangerous rays of light periodically and randomly.

 

The arctic was now filled with toxic promothin gas, acidic enough to burn your lungs like mustard gas. 

 

Certain regions had their gravity reversed even. Causing destroyed buildings to be raised and frozen in the sky.

 

Others had a strange magnetic phenomenon in which clouds would continuously form, causing that area to be perpetually covered in darkness.

 

Such is the world as it is now. Mangled and destroyed like some corpse of a destroyed beast that is bleeding and rotting.

 

It has been 4 days since their fateful meeting. To Gesus’s surprise Bottle was able to keep up with her. Rather, it was her who was getting tired of traveling day and night.

 

They ate very little, after all there was barely anything to eat. Although genetically enhanced, it has done little to prevent hunger.

 

"Um~ Bottle, where are we going?" she asked.

 

Bottle remained silent, leaving shallow footprints behind him.

 

After a deep sigh, Gesus continued on. But not long after, on the edge of her eyes she saw giant towers in the distance, a city of some sort.

 

"Wow! Is that a city!" she exclaimed.

 

As they approached the colossal spires rising from the ground, Gesus could discern faint details of a city. 

 

Five towering spires, reaching as high as the clouds, were visible behind a massive wall. The outer wall was lined with makeshift and industrial buildings, emitting loud and noxious sounds and smaller apartments and other archaic buildings.

 

“Why are we going here?” Gesus's mind raced to process this new location, her eyes fixed on the sight before her.

 

“Huh?” Bottle appeared confused by the question, scratching his goatee before replying, “WE'RE GONNA EAT SOME FOOD DAMMIT!” With that, he ran as fast as his body would allow, dashing towards the city.

 

Dumbstruck but equally excited, she yelled, “Wait for me!” as shescurried along, trying to catch up. 

 

Despite having talked just four days ago, she appeared happy, her cheeks turning pinkish-red, and her eyes brightening up.

 

Compared to the desolate wasteland, the city was even grimmer, with grey concrete dominating the landscape, occasionally interspersed with sheets of metal glimmering in the light.

 

Gesus couldn't get a good look at the people as they all blended in with their similarly muted garments. 

 

But the ones she could make out were disproportionately shaped, some appearing more human than others with cybernetic implants, grotesque bumps on their forehead, and diseased homeless people. 

 

To Gesus’s surprise, the smell of ash and smoke felt somehow familiar, perhaps a battlefield of sorts.

 

As her eyes returned from her internal thought she noticed Bottle stood out in his brown uniform, in stark contrast to the others. 

 

However, he was moving much faster for some reason, limping and passing by the strangers. 

 

Gesus reached out to grab something, maybe Bottle's shirt or pants, but lost her balance and fell face-first onto the ground, colliding with another person and knocking them both down.

 

“Uh~ u~U~uhk!” “ACK!”