How std::memory_order_seq_cst works

I took the example about std::memory_order_seq_cst from: http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/atomic/memory_order

#include <thread>
#include <atomic>
#include <cassert>

std::atomic<bool> x = {false};
std::atomic<bool> y = {false};
std::atomic<int> z = {0};

void write_x()
{
    x.store(true, std::memory_order_seq_cst);
}

void write_y()
{
    y.store(true, std::memory_order_seq_cst);
}

void read_x_then_y()
{
    while (!x.load(std::memory_order_seq_cst))
        ;
    if (y.load(std::memory_order_seq_cst)) {
        ++z;
    }
}

void read_y_then_x()
{
    while (!y.load(std::memory_order_seq_cst))
        ;
    if (x.load(std::memory_order_seq_cst)) {
        ++z;
    }
}

int main()
{
    std::thread a(write_x);
    std::thread b(write_y);
    std::thread c(read_x_then_y);
    std::thread d(read_y_then_x);
    a.join(); b.join(); c.join(); d.join();
    assert(z.load() != 0);  // will never happen
}

This example is also mentioned in the question of Acquire/Release versus Sequentially Consistent memory order.

My question is how it is possible that thread c and thread d see different things? If it is possible, why this simple example below always prints 3? For instance, thread b could say "okay I see 0 even though thread a is already done so z becomes 0+1 again"

std::atomic<int> z = {0};

void increment()
{
    z.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
}
int main()
{
    std::thread a(increment);
    std::thread b(increment);
    std::thread c(increment);
}