Light

PROLOGUE

Darkness. Just feeling of endless emptiness. I feel like I am marching towards my death bed.

This lingering feelings awfully disturb my heart that is seeking for peace. Currently, I am in a middle of the crowd but my claustrophobia is silently ending my breath. I don't know why I feel cold even though I am surrounded by many. My lungs is seeking a place to breathe. I ended up here in the marketplace to escape my reality even for few minutes.

Actually, it is summer. I can feel the scorching heat of the sun, penetrating through my cloak but my heart seems to be under an eternal cold spell. Frozen and chilling to the lowest temperature I could ever imagine. I know I take it too much. I am a bit exaggerated but I cannot put to words how much my being hurts.

In the middle of my walking, I saw a bench, partially shaded by a tree. I run towards it and finally rest my exhausted legs. I let out a big sigh. I wanted to scream/ out of my misery but this thing in my mouth prevents me. I fixed my cloak and tried harder to hide my face. Our nation is in deep crisis as of the moment. A nuclear plant nearby just had a leak from their laboratory, creating a mutant virus which had caused a global pandemic. An existing plague for almost a year now. We are all living here like pigs waiting to be slaughtered.

Apart from that, I feel worthless for almost a year now. I used to be someone full of colors and expression. My hands and feet used to be creative, showing marvelous works of art but now, my hand and feet are not like they used to be. They feel like they are just amputated.

Well, a little history. Our world is divided in five kingdoms but currently, three kingdoms remained standing now. This global crisis killed almost half of life here on our world. There is no hope. Aside from the viruses, the kings of the world is in great turmoil. They are fighting for power and trying to claim dominion. One thing I can be proud of my nation, we used to be a home for the peculiars.

I used to see persons with incredible gifts which they used for protecting and doing skillful works of hand but now they are hunted and treated lowly within the classification of the social classes. They are now considered as slaves.

I am one of them.

I wanted to reclaim our identity.

But I don't know how.

'Gather around, slaves! Faster!' a herald's voice, from the central city, echoed in an almost desolated city. 'The Central City is finding for volunteers, peculiars specifically. We are seeking volunteers to join the first ever survival contest for the slaves. The winner will be granted a citizenship from the state.'

I didn't allowed him to be finished. I shouted with all my might.

'I VOLUNTEER!'