The Harvested

Prologue: A World in Chains

In the not-so-distant future, the city of Ogalis stands as a monument to human ingenuity and despair. Towering skyscrapers pierce the skyline, their glass facades reflecting a world that appears vibrant and prosperous. Yet beneath this façade lies a grim reality—a society where emotions have become the most valuable currency, harvested and traded by a powerful Corporation that rules with an iron fist.

In Ogalis, the ability to feel is both a blessing and a curse. The Corporation has devised a sophisticated system to extract emotions from its citizens, converting love, joy, sorrow, and even anger into a commodity that fuels their relentless pursuit of profit. Emotion Harvesters, a chilling breed of enforcers, roam the streets, equipped with devices designed to siphon emotional energy from anyone deemed "excessive."

The city's inhabitants live in constant fear, forced to suppress their feelings in public to avoid becoming targets. Laughter is a rarity; tears are seen as weakness. The streets, once filled with life, have fallen silent, each person locked in an internal battle to shield themselves from emotional exploitation.

The rise of the Corporation began innocently enough, marketed as a means to improve quality of life through emotional regulation. Promises of stability and prosperity lured citizens into compliance. But as the years passed, the Corporation revealed its true intentions—power over the very essence of what it means to be human.

Citizens are taught to view their emotions as burdens, as liabilities that must be managed and suppressed. Schools teach children to control their feelings, while the media glorifies stoicism. Those who dare to express themselves are quickly silenced, their emotional energy drained and repurposed for corporate gain.

Yet, amid the oppression, whispers of dissent begin to surface. Small groups of resistors, known as the Feelers, have started to emerge from the shadows. They believe that emotions are not a weakness but a source of strength, a wellspring of human connection that can spark change. Their gatherings are secretive, filled with fervor and urgency, as they plot to reclaim their lives and challenge the Corporation's tyranny.

Lila, a young woman living in the heart of Old Town, feels the weight of the world on her shoulders. She has witnessed the toll the Corporation has taken on her friends and family, seen their spirits crushed under the burden of emotional repression. Deep within her, a flicker of rebellion ignites—a desire to break free from the chains that bind her and her community.

As tensions mount and the Corporation tightens its grip, Lila finds herself at a crossroads. The oppressive silence that once suffocated her is now filled with the murmurs of hope and defiance. She knows that the moment of change is upon them, but it will require courage and sacrifice to seize it.

Ogalis stands on the brink of transformation. The struggle between oppression and freedom hangs in the balance, waiting for a spark to ignite the flames of rebellion. Lila, driven by a newfound sense of purpose, prepares to step into the fray—a journey that will challenge everything she believes and force her to confront the very nature of her humanity.

As she looks out at the city that has long silenced its heart, Lila understands that the fight for emotional freedom is just beginning. The chains of the Corporation may be strong, but the power of the human spirit is indomitable. It is time to reclaim their emotions and their lives.