A World Of Mortem

Chapter 1. A World Of Mortem

As I walk through the woods, I take in the Slight beauty of Autumn. I say slightly because just about nothing is beautiful in Mortem.

   To give you a bit of context, Mortem is the name of our island. I say our island because no one else can be here. About... I'd say a thousand years ago in the year 3028 someone out of their mind decided to do some...Experiments.They allowed the human to have more power then any man should ever have. Some have Fire magic, Water, Invisibility, Flight, Bioluminescent magic and last but not least, Extream strength.
   It didn't take long for them to realize they had made a mistake. So out of the "Kindness " of their hearts, they made a new island just for us. About the size of Australia, maybe slightly smaller and located in the Atlantic ocean between America and Eurasia.
  We don't have much connection with the outside world or modern technology. They have created a Dome like force field that starts about a mile out to sea and curves over us at an altitude of 3 miles high. the only entrance is an opening about 10 Ft. wide and only merchants and the kings highly trained guards can go anywhere near the exit. we call the opening "Est porta coeli" meaning Heaven's gate.
        To give you perspective on how not up to date we are on modern culture, We have gone back to using the basic Accent  European Feudal system. The King has all the power, next the Rich nobles, Then his highly skilled guards and lawmakers and merchants. After that is the Artist, Architects, and Teachers.then at the very bottom is the field workers and the poor people ( I'm allowed to call them that I am amongst the poorest people on Mortem ). 
    You can always tell what class and Social Status everyone is in based on what closses they wear. The King wears fancy, Sleek designed robes and cloaks. The nobles and merchants have access to modern clothes. Jackets with a sleek design.Duller colors and shiny jewelry. But everyone else wears bright, layered clothes. When I say layered I mean, different types of fabric tied together and sewn. It's actually quite beautiful. all the bright colors make us stand out from the others in Mortem.
    I would say Mortem is hell, But I have nothing to compare it to. No one leaves the island. Like I said before, they have a reason to keep us here. Over time we got to learn more about these powers. Some are rarer than others.
Those with fire magic are the most common. They are called Ignisons, 50% of people on Mortem are Ignisons.
23% of the people on Mortem have water magic. We call them Fearos.
15% have Invisibility magic. They are called Evecants.
10% Bioluminescent powers, if they need light they can make whatever they touch glow. They are called Luminas.
Last, There's Skyraes. only 2% of the people in Mortem have this power. These people are born with huge wings that make up about 2/3 of their body weight in total. Everyone wings are different, Some white, some brown, some look like hawk or bluebird wings. some are longer than others.
    Along with the other lucky 2% I have been "blessed " with the power of flight. Except I can't fly. My wings just happen to be too small and frail to pick even the smallest rock up off the ground. I'm definitely not that heavy. I'm 16 and 6 Ft tall and nothing but skin and bone( plus the feathers).
 
     I continue to walk my usual path in the woods. the leaves have mostly completely fallen from the trees and only a few animals walk this part of the woods. to close to humans for their liking. I come up to a slow flowing riverbed and I lean over it. My dark brown hair looks purple in the water. I hear a twig snap and I turn my head to look, and there's a huge Adult Evendi across the river, just on the other side. It stood tall and proud. its long mane of fur trailing and flowing down its body, its main body looked like a cross of a stallion and an elk. It has thick fur around its neck and the huge antlers of a male Elk. It the closest I've ever been to one... I take a step closer... reaching out my hand. The Evenki slowly raises its head to me. It looks into my eyes and huffs a cloud of warm air that turns to steam in the cold wind. just as its head touches my hand an arrow comes flying just above my head and into the skull of the Evenki.
   I quickly move my hand back and turn around looking for the shooter. I feel as my wings raise in an attempt to look bigger and more threatening. If my wings were normal this would work but my little blue wings don't do a justice to protect me. I look up to see my father standing just a few feet ahead of me. His bow still raised, he lowers it and glares at me. My dad stood a stong 7 Ft tall and had a muscular build.
He looks dead into my eye.I've learned not to fall for this anymore.
"Keith.Son. What have I told you about wild animals?! You could get hurt!"*he drops his bow and embraces me into his giant bear hugs.
See? that's what i mean. He acts tough but he's a big teddy bear. he is friends with almost everyone in Mortem, Before he met my mother he was a famous merchant. You can tell because most of his clothes are more modern, unlike mine. He gave up his position of trade when he met my mother, Sadly my mother fell ill after she had me and left me and my father alone. My father is now protective of me and just about everyone else.
   Once he lets go of me he grabs the Evenki by the antlers and carries it over his shoulder and we walk back to our makeshift tent of a house.
      Instead of living in actual houses, the poor live in a city of tents and in the center of the tents is out marketing place where we trade food and our daily hunts. Sometimes having a nice, former merchant father helps when trading. No one pities me for being motherless, most kids my age don't have parents. People are dying in the streets of hunger and the king still covers it up saying its "a mysterious illness". No. It's you not caring for your people. Of course, no one would ever call him out on that, you would be killed instantly. In Mortem they will cut off your toes if they don't like your face.
No wonder Morten translates to "death".