《Reign of the Forgotten》


 Call Him Houdini

    He was running as fast as he could, each step pushing him further from the chaos behind. His breath came in ragged gasps as the wind whipped his face, but he didn''t dare slow down. He had already sent his child ahead, as far as she could go. As long as she could escape, he didn''t care what happened to him.


    The sound of footsteps pounding the ground behind him was deafening, but he didn''t dare look back. It didn''t matter. His creation had a chance, and that was all that mattered. He couldn''t let them catch him, not when she was still free.


    "Hey! I found him!"


    "Shit."


    Entro stumbled over a root, breathless and painfully aware of his exhaustion. He was out of shape, years of drinking had left him unable to outrun the average man, let alone the trained guards hot on his tail. He could feel his body starting to give out, but the thought of his creation kept him going.


    His baby was safe.


    Then, a piercing sound shattered the night, cutting through the darkness like a blade. Birds froze mid-flight, diving for cover in the tree line. Crickets fell silent, and even the frogs stopped croaking. The entire forest seemed to hold its breath.


    A howl echoed through the trees.


    It was so primal, so full of power, that Entro felt the hairs on his neck stand on end.


    "What the hell was that?" one of the men pursuing Entro muttered fearfully.


    In an instant, the night exploded with chaos, gunshots, screams, and the shrill sounds of battle ringing in his ears.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Entro pressed himself against a tree, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He couldn''t see what was happening, but the sounds painted a gruesome picture.


    The noises grew louder, then suddenly stopped.


    Then came the sound of movement, something massive, moving faster than he could process.


    Before he could react, the forest seemed to explode. A massive shadow, the size of a bear, burst from the brush and barreled into him, knocking him to the ground with the force of a freight train.


    The creature''s massive tongue licked his face, cleaning off dirt and leaves, as if nothing had changed.


    Entro laughed weakly, his heart pounding in his chest. There was something that tugged at his heart, seeing her safe. It felt primal, not complex, but excessively strong.


    "Hey, I missed you too."


    But there was no time for sentiment. He pulled himself to his feet, wiping blood and sweat from his forehead.


    "Come on. We''ve got to get out of here."


    The shadow beside him moved, staying close as they disappeared into the forest.


    As the chubby man stood before him, shoulders heaving in fury, Karl felt a flicker of real fear, not because of the man''s size, but because of his sway. Physically, Karl could take him down without breaking a sweat. But this was a man whose power extended far beyond the reach of his fists. With a single phone call, the whole world could turn on Karl in an instant, and the fear of that was palpable.


    "Run that by me, one more time."


    Karl''s heart skipped a beat. He knew better than to lose his cool, but the boss''s words were a threat, loaded with the kind of casual menace that set his nerves on edge.


    "We had three units on him and the asset. That should''ve been more than enough, given what we''re working with. But the comms went dead, and we found mauled bodies in the forest. Both assets are missing. We''ve sent dozens of men out in the last few hours. No sign of them."


    For a moment, there was nothing but silence. The man''s face was a stone mask, his nostrils flaring as he took a deep breath, like he was holding himself back from losing control.


    Then, in a heartbeat, his voice shattered the calm, sharp and venomous.


    "And how fucking hard is it to find a former alcoholic and a fucking dog?" His voice broke into a growl. "Find out where they went. They couldn''t have gotten far. Get me my animal. NOW."


    Karl''s stomach twisted, his mind racing to keep pace with the sudden shift. The man was a live wire, one wrong word and he could snap. "Yes, sir," he forced out, feeling the weight of that threat settle heavy on his chest.

 Dragon Among Bums

    The day he dreaded had arrived. Another step toward swallowing his pride, if he had any left.


    The day he could possibly turn his life around.


    Having shaved thoroughly, showering 4 times, cologne, deodorant, and brushed his teeth twice, how much cleaner could he get?


    Entro grabbed his coat and left his apartment. The only place he could wallow without judgment.


    Stepping into the outside world, it was bright and loud, far outside of his daily comfort.


    Lights flooded his peripheral as he walked towards his destination with his head down.


    He would''ve preferred to leave at night when it was nice and quiet, but his appointment was at noon.


    The streets bustled with life, children laughing, couples chatting, the occasional flash of luxury cars. Entro ducked his head, his coat pulled tight, as if the happiness surrounding him might rub off. Not that anyone came close enough.


    Entro only needed to make the two-mile journey, finish his appointment, and hurry back to his home, where all would be quiet and comfortable.


    Amidst his commute to a disguised interrogation, since that''s all interviews really were, pedestrians avoided him like a plague . Clutching their children and purses they made a wide circle around him, or crossed the street should traffic allow it.


    Why wouldn''t they?


    He looked like a pitiful escaped inmate; he had let himself go in recent years.


    However, Entro had long gotten used to the way he was treated publicly; no point in crying over spilled milk.


    As he approached his destination, casual strollers became sparse in population, opting for luxury cars and limos. Buildings transformed from apartments to high rise houses and skyscrapers with robotic appendages attached to every structure, allowing for fully automated accommodations like clean windows. Any individuals caught walking, primarily to flaunt their environmental awareness, wore opulent clothes and jewelry made from the same animals they claimed to be saving.


    This only made Entro, in his greasy jeans and fleece jacket, stand out even further; not wanting any more trouble than he already dealt with, he sped up his pace.


    One thing was certain: The wealthier the area, the more ''Voldstadt Industries'' branding he saw, boiling his blood under his skin.


    It took him slightly over 10 minutes to arrive, in front of a strip of futuristic buildings with excessive traffic coming in and out.


    The entire complex was far ahead of its time. Humanoid robot servants directed traffic, handled security, answered questions for newcomers, and even recognized people who were previously kicked out attempting to sneak back in.


    Entro entered through the main portion with a giant sign that read Voldstadt Enterprises.


    ''They could''ve changed the name, at least,'' he thought bitterly.


    Waiting in line to speak with a male robot outfitted in a suit and tie, Entro looked for changes to the area since he last found his way in here.


    There were a few notable differences, corners of the room were obviously repurposed from larger projects to simple, he recognized repainted shapes in the wall, suggesting an object that protected the paint from wear and tear.


    The robot''s movements were more sluggish, less efficient, and more often than not they would have delayed reactions. Whoever headed these were not familiar with their inner workings and on the back of most, they were weld lines, as if someone cut into them and then sealed the hole created, an effort was obviously made.


    Even the one he was attempting to speak with would slur its speech every 5th sentence, something everyone else didn''t seem to react to. It wasn''t right, such complex and beautiful creations should never be reduced to broken parts that run at minimum efficiency.


    Once it was his turn, Entro conveyed his intentions with a hurried tone.


    "I''m here for an appointment with the board of directors"


    "Please state yurth name"


    Unluckily, Entro landed on the 5th sentence uttered since the last conversation ended


    "Entro."


    "Your name is not down for any appointments."


    That was odd, he was sure that when he scheduled the appointment, he used his name.


    "Try again, Entro."


    "Invalid."


    "Deep search database, Entro."


    "Invalid."


    "Scour database, Entro."


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Invalid."


    The people behind him in line were getting impatient now.


    "Hey pal, can you stop holding up the line? If you''re not supposed to be here, then don''t be here, we have things to do!"


    "Entro, appoinment."


    "Invaleeed..."


    Entro knew the problem, regarding why his name wasn''t in the database, they couldn''t let him live in peace.


    "Deep search database, Entropy" he repeated, his voice strained. When the android slurred its reply, Entro clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms.


    "Hello Mr. Entropy, I see you have an appointment today. I am calling over an assistant android to guide you to where you''re needed, hang tight."


    They couldn''t just let me show up without some insult, could they? Leaning in, he muttered the override command, his voice like a scalpel cutting into the android''s command system.


    "Data recall 86, revert to file save 4, command key; Emperor''s Will"


    Immediately, the lights emitting from it''s body dimmed for a second.


    Once they came back on, they changed from their initial green hue to a bright and beautiful blue, and the demeanor of the android was vastly different.


    Its behaviors devolved into that of a curious child, interested in everything it could see and everyone it saw.


    "Hello, what is your name?"


    Seeing the humanlike curiosity in the android''s eyes broke something in Entro. Memories he tried hard to suppress surfaced.


    Memories of being back in his workshop, finishing project after project with a smile on his face. Personally cultivating their personalities into something just as complex as any human being. Watching them take different directions, interests, talents, dislikes and favorites.


    It wasn''t a job for him, it was a passion, through his work, his understanding of people improved.


    Pleased with the help he just did in programming their androids, Entro followed the one constantly gesturing for him to follow toward the back of the building.


    Here, things were far less flashy and fancy, which indicated it was not for public access under normal circumstances.


    The walls weren''t painted as consistently, nor were the floors as spotless.


    There were many large inventions scattered about while individuals with lab coats appeared to be closely investigating them, with a few small ones cordoned off with caution tape; the entire place looked like a maze turned into a warehouse.


    He passed a display case holding a prototype he had designed years ago, the plaque beneath it crediting someone else entirely. His jaw tightened, but he kept walking


    But Entro and his escort did not stop at any of the displayed contraptions, continuing deeper into the rear end of the company building, it didn''t take them long to arrive at the doors of a board room.


    "Your meeting is through those doors, if you ever need any more assistance, please let me know."


    The android did a bit of a bow.


    "Alright"


    Once given the verbal command that it was free from its task, the android dismissed itself and disappeared towards the direction they had just come from.


    ''Okay Entro, keep your temper under management''


    Stepping through the double doors, Entro mentally steadied himself for whatever they threw his way.


    "Leave and wait for us to call you in."


    ''Huh?''


    Although it took him a second to interpret the words, his body was already walking back out of the door, driven by pure embarrassment.


    He could hear the snickers and chuckles as he shut the doors behind him. Once they closed, several voices could not hold their laughter back.


    "The great Entropy, obeying orders like a scolded puppy, who would have thought," one voice exclaimed.


    "How does one have the entire world in their hands and allow themselves to be reduced to such a pitiful state, I would have killed myself if it was me!"


    Nearly the entire room burst into hysterics, it took several minutes before they all calmed down and donned their professionalism once more.


    "Come in, Mr Entropy"


    Especially humiliated, having heard everything from outside of the door, Entro approached the table boldfaced and with a neutral expression.


    "I''m here about the job offer you extended me; I would like to know the terms of my employment and my wage."


    He noticed a few looks of triumph getting passed across the room as their terms were explained by a rotund big wig sitting at the head of the table.


    "As blunt and straight to the point as always Entropy, glad to see you haven''t changed. To be brief, Forty years," the rotund man said, sliding the contract across the table. "A generous term, don''t you think? After all, where else would you go?" The others chuckled; their smiles venomous.


    Entro stared at the paper, his hands itching to rip it in half, but instead, he reached for the pen.


    Entro gritted his teeth as he was handed a contract stating he would be working, exclusively bound to the company, for the next 40 years.


    The pay alone was insulting; before he made his debut, most geneticists could make $35 an hour. After his rise to fame, more money was being invested into science than ever before, raising the average to $48 minimum.


    They didn''t bother offering half of that.


    Normally, anyone in this situation would scoff at this contract and walk away, but Entro didn''t have a choice. Every single job he tried to get ahold of, the employer would excitedly discuss a high position plus incredible pay, only to get back to him later that they wouldn''t be hiring him.


    Nobody would even take him for a job working as a cashier.


    He wasn''t stupid.


    Entro had a strong suspicion. This contract that left no room for discussion and gave no benefit towards him in the slightest, the sneers around the room, the looks of triumph. Everyone had something to do with his present condition, all to trap him in this contract for the rest of his life and profit off of his labor, it was detestable.


    He signed it, and just like that, his future was gone, not in flames, but cold and icy poof. Forever to remain, forgotten and unwanted by anyone.


    "Thank you for your cooperation. There will be an android waiting outside to take you to see your workspace and you will begin tomorrow, you''re dismissed."


    As Entro turned to leave, he heard someone loudly clearing their throat. Dismissing it at first, he kept walking, only for it to resound louder this time.


    Knowing it must be someone signaling him, but not wanting to stay here any longer, he faced the table of pompous bastards once more to assert their intention.


    "I said, you are dismissed."


    Entro, on a normal occasion, was very capable of concealing his emotions. This, however, boiled the pot over before he could get a lid on it.


    Entro''s fists clenched at his sides. He didn''t trust himself to speak, but the rotund man cleared his throat again, louder this time. "Yes, sir," he spat through gritted teeth, each word like acid on his tongue. The room erupted in laughter as he turned to leave, his jaw set tight...


    Without waiting for a response or reaction, Entro left and slammed the door shut behind him.


    Knowing they couldn''t antagonize him too much on the first day, the board members ignored it.


    Outside, Entro stomped after an android leading him to where he would be working his life away for the next 4 decades.


    Forty years. They''d won the battle, but they''d made one mistake, thinking they''d won the war: they''d be lucky to get forty days out of him.


    Entro followed the android, his mind already working through ways to tear their empire down from the inside.


    Within a few short minutes, he was standing at the entrance of where he was supposed to waste his life away for years on end.


    The lab was a shadow of what it once was, cluttered, chaotic, and stifling. Entro stared at the mess.


    "Oh no," he muttered softly.

 Echoes of the Past

    With the android gone, Entro began to explore the office, taking stock of what remained.


    The flickering light barely lit the room, casting long, uneven shadows that danced over stacks of boxes. Fragile equipment lay haphazardly piled, as if someone had started to move but abandoned the effort halfway. Dust coated every surface, drifting lazily through the stale air. The room felt untouched, frozen in time¡ªa relic of a life he could barely recognize.


    "What have they done to you?" he whispered, his voice cracking.


    This was once his workshop. The place where he had spent countless nights crafting the future, forsaking sleep and solitude to create something extraordinary. Here, amidst the clutter and chaos, he had poured his soul into his work¡ªnine androids crafted with human anatomy, brains wired to think, and hearts sparked with the passion of consciousness.


    They were no longer here.


    Shaking the thoughts off, Entro sought to distract himself by at least exploring the changes brought about over the years.


    Most of his, dutifully organized items were moved and broken down, obviously in an attempt to understand their properties.


    Organized wasn''t exactly the right word considering he tossed things in calculated directions, but he knew where everything was and that''s all that mattered.


    It was a large lab, enough to be a large garage, he needed the space for everything he used to work on.


    It was open spaced with not many counters or cabinets as commonly seen within a chemistry lab, with everything coated in Lent, a metal Entro engineered to brunt most explosions, and the properties to withstand any acid, solely to help in his experiments.


    Lent wasn''t something the public had access to; its applications were too dangerous, too potent. He had never made it known to the world¡ªnot because it couldn''t help humanity, but because humanity wasn''t ready for it. The metal was created solely for his experiments, made to endure the stresses of bioengineering and the volatile nature of his work.


    Without the necessary preparations, fostering an android was akin to raising a child in a small home; with nigh indestructible skin and the strength to snap a man''s femur.


    It took a lot of patience.


    This is where he would slave away for the rest of his life, making money for the very person who took everything from him.


    Remembering his face as he presented the terms of the contract, sitting there, partially spilling out of the chair he was so large. He hadn''t always been that size, but after backstabbing Entro, he put up numbers on the scale.Thinking back, it started long before he was ever betrayed. Withholding information, moving massive amounts of funds, under the table deals, he was fattening himself up long before his true character was revealed.


    On the wall was plaques galore, so many different awards and certificates, it could blind any man with all its splendor. Entro never kept account of things he was awarded with, nor did he show up to accept them. He stayed in his workshop where the magic happened, grueling away at the walls of scientific innovation. They were all placed here purposely, as a reminder of what he used to be, his pinnacle. An endless future promptly cut off by the one he trusted the most.


    His most famous words plastered at the top of it all.


    "To dream is to create. To create is to transcend. - E.V"


    Not wanting to linger on the past, Entro forced his focus back to the present, scanning the room for any remaining traces of his former life.


    A large capsule still remained untouched on the far side of the room, where he kept androids under stasis to be worked on and analyzed. They slept, healed, decompressed, and were allowed time to themselves in the capsule, until they were ready to be enlisted into their jobs and work for Entro.


    Feeling around the backside, he placed pressure on 3 points and watched a compartment slide out. Inside, a small note could be seen. It was stiff, slightly molded and appeared very fragile.


    Gently picking it up, Entro read the contents.


    ''To the greatest dad a little robot could ever know''


    The paper felt fragile in his hands, as though it could crumble away with the slightest pressure. Entro''s heart clenched, It was all he had left of them now. The androids¡ªhis creations, his children¡ªgone, and this note felt as fragile as the bond they once shared. He feared that if he wasn''t careful, if he didn''t handle it with the utmost care, this, too, would slip through his fingers like everything else.Instantly, the strong appearance he had been upholding crumbled. Tears fell with ease, as if there was nothing obstructing them, neither air, nor eyelashes. The single sentence brought him back to a better time.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "We finished it!"


    Entro smiled at the android, her bright blue eyes sparkling with pride. Every time she blinked, the faint click of her eyelids sounded like the shutter of a camera, capturing the joy of the moment. She sat on the floor, excitement radiating from her as she brandished the working mini-airplane, its wings cutting through the air with every enthusiastic spin.


    "That''s right, baby, you did most of the work though."


    In her excitement, she didn''t even hear him speak. She was too caught up in the wonder of the moment, flying the plane around the room in wild circles. It was an adorable sight, one that filled the room with warmth¡ªnow lost in the cold emptiness of time.


    "Oh, Hope, why did you have to be so stupid?"


    His back and knees screamed in protest, aching from¡ªwho knows how long¡ªcurled up in the fetal position, tears long since dried but leaving faint tracks on his face as evidence of his breakdown. His voice was hoarse, the words ragged as he stumbled to his feet. The room felt stifling, suffocating.


    He leaned heavily against the wall, using it for support until he reached the door. His head cleared enough to take in his surroundings: no one was around, except for a janitor, absentmindedly scrubbing the floor, by hand for some odd reason.


    Faint mechanical sounds reached his ears, the dull hum of automated machines, their gears turning rhythmically in the background. It was clear¡ªhe was alone. Just the cleaners. The others were gone.


    He didn''t want to be here any longer. His body ached with every step as he hobbled to the front entrance, his focus narrowed to a tunnel vision.


    The moment he burst outside, the cool night air hit him, sharp and biting against his skin. He had left his coat behind.


    ---


    The moment Entro stepped outside, the cool night air hit him like a blade, sharp and biting against his skin. He had left his coat behind.


    Shrugging off the chill, he began the familiar trek back to his apartment. At this hour, the streets were barren of families. The only life left on the roads was that of crooks and hoodlums¡ªbut even they steered clear of him. They knew his name, and more importantly, they knew what happened the last time someone tried their luck.


    He focused on the sound of his boots hitting the pavement, the rhythmic echo against the stillness of the night. But his mind betrayed him, pulling him back to a memory he''d worked tirelessly to suppress.


    It had been a warm night¡ªso different from this one. Entro had taken Raze out for a walk. Raze had always been more restless than his first creation, Hope. Entro thought a little open space might help, especially given how well Raze had been progressing with his training.


    At first, it had been pleasant. The hum of distant cars and the occasional honk of a horn blended into the soft bustle of a city that never truly slept. Raze walked beside him, composed and focused, his jacket catching the faint glow of streetlights as they passed.


    But peace is always fleeting.


    They had rounded a particular corner¡ªEntro still remembered every detail about it. It was just a block from his house, a spot etched into his mind.


    A drunk man had been in their path, shouting at a scruffy dog over a stolen sock. When he noticed Entro and Raze, the dog was forgotten, and the drunk''s attention shifted entirely to them.


    "Well, well, what do we have here? A man and a little kid taking a stroll down Mittleton Avenue. You know where you are, old man?"


    Old. Entro had been barely in his twenties then, his face still smooth and youthful. Yet here was this vagrant, calling him old.


    The man stumbled closer, his bloodshot eyes locking onto Raze. "And look at this kid¡ªnice jacket. Fancy. I''ve only seen these on TV."


    He reached out, his grimy fingers aiming for Raze pocket. Instinctively, Entro stepped between them, his silence conveying everything that needed to be said:


    Back off.


    The drunk snorted, but recognition flickered across his face. "Wait¡­ I know you. Entropy Voldstadt; the man of the hour¡ª all of 24 hours."


    Entro''s shoulders stiffened. The man''s tone had shifted erratically, swinging between mocking humor and seething anger.


    "What''re you doing slumming it here? Don''t tell me this kid''s one of your little projects. What, you here to show off? Flaunt how rich you are? Coming to remind us poor folk you can buy this whole block if you wanted?"


    The drunk''s words blurred into meaningless noise again. Entro barely heard him over the pounding in his ears. This wasn''t what tonight was supposed to be. He''d wanted a simple, peaceful walk, just him and Raze.


    "¡ªand don''t get me started on. You''re not even paying attention! Too rich to even listen, huh?"


    The man''s jabbing finger broke through Entro''s trance. The foul stench of alcohol rolled off him, strong enough to make Entro''s stomach turn.


    And then Raze moved.


    The android extended his hand, palm open, offering coins that gleamed under the streetlights. The drunk paused, his tirade faltering as greed overtook him.


    "See, now that''s how you¡ª"


    The words choked off as Raze fingers snapped shut, crushing the man''s hand with an audible crunch.


    The scream that followed was deafening, reverberating down the empty street. Entro''s stomach lurched, but before he could react, Raze had already hoisted the man off the ground by his throat.


    The fear in the man''s eyes was undeniable, his drunken bravado replaced by desperation. He looked at Entro, pleading silently, but it was too late.


    Raze grip tightened.


    The crack of bone was sharp, final. The man''s body went limp, and Raze dropped him unceremoniously, as though he were nothing more than discarded waste.


    If Entro truly thought about it, that incident seemed to vanish into thin air once Harlan, his financial executive, caught wind of it. No reports, no witnesses¡ªjust eerie silence. Nobody mentioned it, nor did anyone lead on that they knew. Perhaps they were paid to forget, or perhaps they truly never noticed.


    At the time, Entro didn''t care enough to dig deeper. He had been far too preoccupied with something else: figuring out what had gone wrong with Raze.


    It wasn''t until much later that he uncovered the truth. Raze hadn''t acted out of instinct or malfunction¡ªhe''d acted out of anger. Real anger. He''d seen his creator, his father, being disrespected and had passed judgment with the cold finality of a machine. In Raze''s eyes, disrespect warranted death.


    That was the moment the cracks had begun to show, the first glimpse of just how complicated Entro''s creations could be.


    And shortly after that realization came their demise.