Secrets Untold

A/N: First things first. Hi. I'm a new writer but professional reader. Had writing inspiration for a while so this is it. Please, sit back and enjoy the read!

P.S. This is unedited. There will be mistakes possibly. Please point them out as that will help me improve the book

P.P.S. I would appreciate it if you didn't try to copy this work as it is mine. Emphasise on mine.

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The sun is slowly drifting off, hiding behind the great walls of Hamel. I can already see the stars coming out to dance. I should look forward to the stars and the moon, even the cool night breeze. But I don't. Nobody does. And we're trapped within the walls, like mice in a cage.

I pack away vials back onto their shelves and plants back in their jars. Camaea oil stains my hands a deep purple.

"You've done well. Your elixir is almost fit for healing. But do not crush the seeds as you do. You crush away all the needed essence. That is all." And with that, Saaron sits himself in his chair at the side of the small room. His almost white beard barely reaches his knees and his eyelids droop over his calm grey eyes. His robes are old and dusty but he doesn't pay much notice.

We call him the Wise Man or the Son of Wisdom. We call him that because he knows more than anyone in the whole of Hamel. He is also the district's alchemist. I am his apprentice. I know something about Saaron that nobody else does. He has the knowledge to make elixirs even more powerful and with more uses than healing. That is what I want to learn. I know this because during lessons I'm treated as an ignorant student, but any other time, we're like family.

"Ximena, go home, to your family. Night is coming. Stay safe." Saaron's gruff voice gives out the last command of the day. Maybe the last one ever.

There are very few people on the streets. Most are inside their homes, barring windows and locking doors. I wonder whether dads at home or not. Please wait for me, I think.

The shops along the streets are all closed. The birds have stopped singing. The tension in the air is growing.

Around the corner is my house. The wooden walls and straw roof are all we have as protection for the night. It's lucky we've survived this far. Because of bad income, we live in the second outer district, Silver. Bronze have been evacuated to Silver due to severe damage, so a lot of the houses are packed.

Hamel is made up of four districts. Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Your status and the amount of money you own, depends on your district. Platinum is only for the government and royals. There are stories about how magnificent Platinum is, but nobody really knows. Nobody has ever been to Platinum.

Each district has there own speciality. The top district is Platinum. All that is known is that the government and royal family live there. Then there's Gold. High living standards. Jobs include tailoring, food production, furniture and housing development, etc. High income. Lots of large housing and theatres/museums. Silver. That's where I live. Mediocre living standards. Jobs include farming, pharmaceuticals/alchemy, etc. Mediocre income. Large amounts of various vegetation. Many of the plants are used by Saaron for his elixirs. Lastly there's Bronze. Bronze has poor living standards. Jobs include building, slavery, etc. Barely any income.

All these districts are divided by 50 metre high walls. The surfaces are smooth so no one can move or leave. Those who try suffer the consequences. Consequences like death. Why we kept in the walls? We are told of the dangers that could be encountered. For our safety, we must keep within. I don't believe it though. There's probably something else out there that the Government don't want anyone else seeing.

I creak open the front door, welcomed by the scent of freshly picked flowers and cooking. It's getting darker outside. I scan the house for my dad. He's sitting at the kitchen table, head in hands. I give a sigh of relief. I'm used to seeing him like this, sad for what comes ahead. But today is different. He looks worse.

"Hello sweetie. How did it go with Saaron today?" My mother asks from the kitchen.

"The usual I guess." She smiles, but i know it's forced. Her eyes are red, like she's been crying recently.

"Where's Gael?" I know something's wrong. There's concern in my voice now.

That's when the tears in my mothers eyes escape.

"He's...he's upstairs...getting ready," she sobs. "They're coming to get him."

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A/N: So? Yes I know, there was lots of weird info in there about districts and what not, but that will make more sense later. Promise. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a butter knife in my eye. Please comment what you think. Voting is nice... *whispers* so is following!

Happy reading!