Descendants Of War

INTRODUCTION

The year is 2170. It has been three years since the Great War destroyed and crushed civilization, dismantling the once proud and majestic cities into nothing but blackened ruins. The sky, smeared with grey clouds for the greatest of distances, reflected the sun's dim light upon everything below it, making the cities appear gloomy and dead. All the dreams, joy, love and hope were forsaken.

Although the city appeared lifeless to the outside eye, within the shadowed corners and broken buildings laid abundant survivors. For all these passing years their fragile lives were spent in fear, regret and hate but there are now those who have finally chosen to take a stand to revive this city once more. In their hearts they knew, it is time the world goes through a change far greater than any being imagined.

The city of Cisthorn, one of the many cities lost in the havoc of the Great War, soon began to fill with life. The empty streets were starting to pack with people and gradually through a short time; this coastal city began to breathe to the steady rhythm of the sea tides. Redemption was well on its way.

Triovler was a bar downtown in Cisthorn. Elyria, the only dedicated waitress residing there was following the same routine every morning ever since the city picked up. The bar was silent and empty for now, but outside; the people were already bustling with expectation and wondering when they will be expecting their services. Every now and then a face popped up against the window to see if anyone was inside, but from their angle they could only see the fans rotating at an even pulse on the ceiling, drawing out the heated air.

The day had only just begun and she had finished polishing the last beer glass when the phone rang from the second floor. She heaved a sigh and hung the last mug by its ear. It clanked as it tapped the previous glass gently on its side. 06:27Am. Still too early for someone to be phoning for a delivery, she thought to herself. Finishing off, she wiped the counter with a dry cloth and immediately proceeded to the stairs. She passed the photos arranged evenly one after the other, each frame capturing different memories of the past. She entered her bedroom, hearing the continuous ringing patterns grow in crescendo as she approached. She took a glance at the photo lying adjacent to the telephone and smiled at all her friends who were all posing buoyantly for an invisible camera. She picked up and held the receiver to her ear.

"Hello this is Elyria here at Triovler, how may I be of assistance to you?" she said in a mundane manner. She was growing tired of reciting the same line day after day during all these years working at the bar. I should be hiring my own secretary by now; this whole answering phone business is getting tedious.

There was no answer at first but she suddenly heard a rasp cold chuckle on the other end when she was just about to cut the call. She froze in the spot as haunting thoughts overcame her. She recognized the voice but couldn't recall from where. She knew at that moment: something was wrong.

"Elyria..." a man chuckled mischievously on the other side, "I suppose you were expecting Skyler." He let out another cold laugh, "I've been wandering where he is too... I suggest you tell him to show up quickly before he finds a dead friend in a bar."

"Who is this?" she demanded, trying desperately to sound brave despite being engulfed with fear of what might possibly happen to her: dead friend in a bar.

Slowly Elyria peered out the window to see if anyone was watching her from the outside. Her eyes widened in alarm when she failed to find the enemy. "What do you want from us? ANSWER ME!" she growled, turning around quickly, expecting to find someone creeping up and grabbing her from behind. There was no one. She began tightening her fist in her free hand, waiting impatiently for his reply. But before she knew it, he ended the call.