Status: Conceptualized. Writing in progress. Possible help accepted.
Journey to a False Utopia
Sailing on my way home...
As I sailed back to my home islands of Elsempria, my mind was filled with regret. The supposed ‘adventure’ I had was little more than a fantasy run wild with fortune, and unchecked idealism. I had destroyed so much in my quest for heroism, for greatness, and for the revolution of an entire people.
Looking out towards the harbor of my home town, I saw the hundreds upon hundreds of faces, all of which cheered at me, as though I was some sort of national hero. All of which were greatly mislead by the constant upbringing from within our nation. It was this same sight of the warm-welcoming crowds that furthered my sense of guilt at my actions.
And furthering my sense of disgust in my home country.
Before I had set out on my journey, my views had been completely different; I felt pride in the lands of which I came from. Everyone in my nation did. We were the only known nation in the world at the time. The Elsemprian people had sailed to many other islands before, and all the natives we had discovered were filled with awe at the sheer fact that we came from the seas, and did not drown. No other place we had visited showed any signs of a nation of equal footing, or any nation at all. Thus, our island nation of Elsempria isolated itself from the world.
We developed for many centuries on our own. Each year, our nation would be richer, and stronger than before. We moved from agriculture to industry. We went from man-power, to horse-power, to wind-power, to hydro-power, and most recently, to steam-power; our pride and arrogance increasing in each advance.
I had also been rather proud of the fact that I was considered a highly intelligent man in Elsempria. My ideas were renown for being rather eccentric, but also highly plausible, and advanced. My intellect was sufficient to the point where in Elsempria, I was considered a young genius. A gemstone of our era. It is only now that I realize that this is not a compliment to me, but an insult to my nation.
Our nation had always considered ourselves the greatest, and the only nation in our world. We were far more advanced than any other island we had found. We had advanced mechanical machinery, and a large, stable economy. Our king was worshipped in all the known world, and our goods were prized among all the island natives we had found. For this reason alone, the entire people of Elsempria believed itself to be the sole standing civilization in the universe. I was the only person in Elsempria to ever think otherwise. I believed that there must have been another civilization out there in the world (perhaps not as advanced as us), and I made it my duty to search for it.
It is now that I realize that doing so was a grave mistake.
Looking out towards the harbor of my home town, I saw the hundreds upon hundreds of faces, all of which cheered at me, as though I was some sort of national hero. All of which were greatly mislead by the constant upbringing from within our nation. It was this same sight of the warm-welcoming crowds that furthered my sense of guilt at my actions.
And furthering my sense of disgust in my home country.
Before I had set out on my journey, my views had been completely different; I felt pride in the lands of which I came from. Everyone in my nation did. We were the only known nation in the world at the time. The Elsemprian people had sailed to many other islands before, and all the natives we had discovered were filled with awe at the sheer fact that we came from the seas, and did not drown. No other place we had visited showed any signs of a nation of equal footing, or any nation at all. Thus, our island nation of Elsempria isolated itself from the world.
We developed for many centuries on our own. Each year, our nation would be richer, and stronger than before. We moved from agriculture to industry. We went from man-power, to horse-power, to wind-power, to hydro-power, and most recently, to steam-power; our pride and arrogance increasing in each advance.
I had also been rather proud of the fact that I was considered a highly intelligent man in Elsempria. My ideas were renown for being rather eccentric, but also highly plausible, and advanced. My intellect was sufficient to the point where in Elsempria, I was considered a young genius. A gemstone of our era. It is only now that I realize that this is not a compliment to me, but an insult to my nation.
Our nation had always considered ourselves the greatest, and the only nation in our world. We were far more advanced than any other island we had found. We had advanced mechanical machinery, and a large, stable economy. Our king was worshipped in all the known world, and our goods were prized among all the island natives we had found. For this reason alone, the entire people of Elsempria believed itself to be the sole standing civilization in the universe. I was the only person in Elsempria to ever think otherwise. I believed that there must have been another civilization out there in the world (perhaps not as advanced as us), and I made it my duty to search for it.
It is now that I realize that doing so was a grave mistake.