Ink Chain

-Freya-Lynn Ellisc- (Chapter 2)

I pressed my foot to the concrete, pulling my pocket board to a stop. The Basal Technical University of Defense. The top tier school of Lunaris and, quite literally, a dream school.

This school was created based on a dream seen by a "visionary" symbol. He saw a school built for protection and potential. And so, with that, Mr. Carliel Basal built this school from the ground up. And so, the university was born!

I stepped off my pocket board and waited a few seconds. The pocket board then changed back into its resting form, a small little metal ball. I scooped it up and walked into the building.

The lobby was decorated top to bottom in small diamond flecks and pieces. Which is no surprise for any new students. Mr. Basal's symbol is the symbol of diamonds. He finds diamonds at least 3 times a week, each being able to sell for at least $6k apiece. Making him the richest man in Lunaris. I'd go as far as saying the richest man in Irwan.
-----------------
Irwan is the name of my homeworld. Irwan is split into 7 countries. These countries consist of;

Lunaris, the wealthy country. The top country in Irwan for gold, silver, diamond, and oil findings. The people who find the resources get the money. And like in any world, yours or mine, these are valuable resources. You are highly encouraged to never leave. Impossible rules are made to keep you from leaving. But that's another time. Lunaris is the wealthiest and highest populated country in Irwan. You must have a powerful-like symbol to live here.

Ramshorn, the water country. This country is filled with sailors, sea captains, and fishermen. Ramshorn practically lives on the water. Though it's a rather large country, the land is hardly inhabited. All the families and sailors only come to land to get either drunk or get a final feeling of stable land under their feet before they go back out to sea. You must have a water-like symbol to live here.

Hirane, the warrior country. Hirane has raised the best fighters, warriors, and weapons in Irwan. Their armor is made of platinum steel. Their swords, the same. Their warriors, both women, and men are the strongest people known to the planet. If there was ever an argument amongst countries, they would turn to Hirane for an answer. You must have a warrior-like symbol to live here.

Onryx, the glass country. The people of Onryx live on top of millions and millions of dunes. The most common sand that's ever been found there is Silica Sand, or rather Quartz Sand. You must have a strong-like symbol to live here.

Arkala; the fertility country. The second-largest country in Irwan, Arkala has the highest fertility percentage on the whole planet. Mostly inhabited by families, young orphans, or even some innocent men and women just looking for peace. You must have a peaceful symbol to live here.

Nor, the grass country. The smallest country in Irwan and the most harvestable soil and grounds are known. Farmers, gardeners, and some chefs have taken home in Nor. You must have a plant-like symbol to live here.

And finally; Ezraien, the bad country. This is the only country in Irwan that has never be inhabited in the 400 years Irwan has existed. It is a dark place, a place nobody has dared to go. This is the place where no matter what symbol you have, no matter the meaning, you can go. If you dared to.

-----------------

I walked into the diamond incrested school, making my way past the open library stacked ceiling-high with books, shuffling past the cafeteria to which was filled with the smell of coffee and french fries, and slowly passing the "Symbolic History" classrooms, taking a sneak peek at the symbol which sat on the board this time.

'Symbol of Demons...' I thought to myself. Might as well take my symbol and times it tenfold. That symbol, however, unlike mine, doesn't make people afraid of you. It attracts things like demonic entities and poltergeists. Those as just as real as the ink injected into our skins. And are just as dangerous.

-----------------

You see, with the negative symbols, most are specific. Such as demons, ghosts, and sickness. But with symbols, such as mine, we attract it all. Fear can be paranoia, anxiety, alarm, horror, angst, etc. My symbol attracts them on different levels. Whatever the person I'm interacting with is feeling most. If a person is feeling insecure, that's what I trigger. I'm pretty much insecurity and darkness in a meat sack.

I keep myself at a distance. And anybody who's met me has kept a distance too. It's like a silent rule we've taught ourselves. Even the dark symbols don't come near me anymore. Because all I did was boost their nervousness. Especially the way my symbol works differently scares people. Most symbols affect themselves, make themselves unnerved. But I do it to people. It's hardly unheard of but you are more respected if you can.

-----------------

At the end of the hall, a large monitor lit up with pictures of The Armory Cafe; the cafe I had just left. A man was sitting at an outside table, a woman and child with him.

"She just lost it, after she yelled at my child!" He held his daughter's hand firmly until the point she had to tug on her hand because the pressure was too hard. Her hand snatched an inch away from the man and she slowly pulled it back towards her. The woman picked up and held the girl and carried her off-camera, with a near-silent reassurance that her daddy was OK.

     "Nova's at it again," two students, at least a year above me. "Her temper is our entertainment." They both chuckled, seeing Nova's picture appear in the opposite corner of the screen, just next to the reporter. 

     I looked over at the boy and girl. The girl had long and pink hair, the other had orange hair and freckles. I scoffed. They were acting immaturely, talking bad about somebody quietly so nobody would hear. Not only immature but cowardly. With my bad luck, they had heard me.

     Their movements were confident and swift. One walked like a princess in heels, the other lagging a little behind. She seemed to be the highlighter version of Regina George and Sharpey Evans.

     "Excuse me, are you her friend?" The pink highlighter with legs stood tall and proud above me. The ginger-hair stood behind her with his eyes to his shoes.

     "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. What's it to you?" She chuckled and looked back at the boy. He looked up from the ground and smiled a small smile. She turned back around and placed one hand on her hip, the other on my shoulder.

     "I'm sorry, I completely forgot," She grabbed my arm and ripped open my symbol for everybody to see. A small crowd of students gathered around us. Most gasped and hiding behind their friends. However, she and the ginger didn't seem affected by it. I was shocked, it's rare that somebody isn't afraid of me. Sucks she had to be a major bitch, she would've made the perfect friend. But that boy wasn't affected either. What was it about them?

     "People like you, nightmares and freaks, don't make friends. Not here, not anywhere." She leaned down close. "You'd have better luck in the bad country." She whispered.

     I snapped my arm away and pushed her into the boy with my foot. I fell back onto the ground and people spread out, getting far away from me. I heard footsteps running up behind me through the crowd.

     "What the hell is happening in there?" A deep and female voice echoed in the hall. It was quick to be recognized. The headmasters' daughter herself, Nova Basal.