Illusion of Power

In Mannfred Curze, Promo by Mannfred Curze

A man came to the Bleak one day. He had money and the will behind it to see an opportunity to take advantage of the state of the Bleak. He saw the downtrodden, broken, hopeless people and saw a golden opportunity to enrich his life, promising to help the many here achieve what he has achieved.

Many, many, people believed him. They flocked to his speeches, marveled at his technological skill. He towered over them, both literally and figuratively, and manipulated them out of what little they have down here. The desperate became more desperate, the poor became poorer. Meanwhile, his wealth and power grew.

Until one day, a stranger came knocking. The rich and powerful man thought he could influence this man with his technology. Make him marvel at his intelligence like all the others have.

That is until this rich and powerful man found himself crucified to a wall, his technology unable to help him. You see, he fooled those who wish for more. Who wish they could be powerful like that man was.

But it’s all an illusion. The man was not more powerful than those in the Bleak. He had no more influence or skill than anyone else. What he had was the illusion he could conjure up for the masses to believe in.

An illusion that shattered when I came to visit him. I saw through the smoke and mirrors, saw through all the technological prowess he had.

It didn’t amuse me. It didn’t make me fall over in awe.

It made me pity those who fell for the scam this man perpetrated.

He disturbed my peace. So, I had to show him that power doesn’t come from this façade of intelligence and skill. It truly comes from showing the people that they hold the power themselves to take down these tyrants who wish to rule over us.

I broke this illusion long ago, when I realized that nobody would come to bring me out of this filth but myself. That only I  was capable of improving my lot in this miserable existence in Arcadia. So, now, I try to instill these lessons on the people here in the Bleak.

I don’t need fancy tech, or a need to control every last variable of every last possible outcome.

That is fear, not power. That is your illusion, Stubbins.

That is the mistake you’ve made. You’ve bought into your own illusion of power. You’ve won prizes, you’ve won accolades. All while mystifying the people of Arcadia with your shiny toys and masterful planning.

But I’m the chaos in the plans you make.

All your technological skills, every plan you’ve ever conceived, has blinded you to the reality.

Just like that man never saw me coming, you will not see through the illusion until I’m standing over you. Standing in the middle of the trash heap that you call your technology.

You’ve failed to break your illusion, and for that…

May the night be filled with your screams.