A King of Exile by Jonathan Olvera

The story opens in a desert landscape—possibly Arizona—with a surreal, almost post-apocalyptic tone. A lone traveler, dressed in red and green with dusty boots, emerges from the wilderness. The desert is harsh but captivating, filled with mystery, danger, and signs of volcanic activity. He's given a task list involving studying the environment: its terrain, organisms, magnetic directions, presence (or lack) of water, and danger zones. The scene hints at deeper themes of displacement and survival. There’s a mention of “Hispaniola” and “The Caribbean Captivity,” alluding to colonization and slavery. The mood is reflective and heavy with history, perhaps suggesting a time-travel or multiverse context blending past and present. As Chapter Two begins, Jonathan—a character caught between political ambition and existential discontent—wakes up from what may have been either a dream or a memory. He’s in a mundane, routine-driven modern setting, yet part of a mysterious group known as the “Retardation Army”—a controversial force framed as both absurd and sinister. Jonathan feels out of place, caught between timelines or realities. His journal becomes a portal of sorts, grounding him amid the confusion of his world and the tasks he must complete—whether in the wilderness or in the strange modern dystopia he inhabits.