Distorted

Chapter seven, Merciless.

The iron world slowly rusted over time.

The machines grew louder and screams muffled underneath its roar. Revolution, you say?

Revolution doesn't value a class over another, in fact, it breaks the borders between them. It gives the world the justice it deserved, at least, that's what's believed.

Dignities were lost. Prides were smudged under the pointed shoes of the wealth. Skies turned gray and water turned black yet a heart struggle to remain as pure as it always had been even years after witnessing a world of cruelty, a world which displayed wicked power in the form of righteous leadership, a world of toxicity.

Merit's little world had no revolution. Five years have passed and her life took a turn into what she defines as a "Maze". She no longer feels entitled to a propose, still bugged by the unanswered questions she had, but by time, she reached the inevitable conclusion, she was locked in a prison for an eternity.

Izora was a small city, had a quite small population and almost no overseeing from the government. Milasic had no influence there, and the city was known for its craftsmen and various activities that are forbidden in Ilusia, including excessive drug use and immoral science practice.

The small hideout the revolutionists had chosen was an underground one built underneath and ancient mansion owned by George's well respected family. It sheltered children all under the age of twenty including Merit, but nothing comes for free.

"Discipline is an essential element for success here"

Echoed a male thick voice through the speakers as almost a hundred children stood rallied in a huge hall all wearing the same uniform, and same expression.

"The higher your rank goes, the higher the possibility of you being chosen as an overseer is" Repeated the voice once more as the children remained in the same state, expressionless, exhausted and calm.

The girls wore long dark grey cloaks and underneath it was black trousers and boats, each girl had a different necklace indicating their work inside the hideout. Some had an axe, another had an arrow while other ones had an eye, as for Merit, ironically, she had a silver eagle.

The boys wore the same outfit with a slight change in color, they had red cloaks and black trousers with gray boats, they were all keeping the same haircut, short and decent. They had the same necklaces as well with the same signs.

Merit was among the girls, standing in the back. The five years did change those golden eyes into dim ones, black halos under each eyes and a look of exhaustion on each face Merit looked at. Her icy hair remained the same, she refused to let it grow and constantly cut it into a boy cut that she believed made her feel more liberated, as for Mechi, he kept twitching and turning in her pocket in boredom while she kept muttering to keep him staying still.

"Stop it, L! You're making us look suspicious" Merit whispered underneath her breath as Mechi forced himself to stay still until the speech was over, It's been an hour now since these children has been forced to stand still wearing the expressionless face and even muffling their loud obnoxious breath.

Girls started eyeing Merit in an attempt to shut her as she was making a noise by trying to calm Mechi, fortunately for her, Mechi stopped before the security cameras caught her.

"Children of Revolution, each task you finish brings us closer to redemption day, the day where we finally unravel the truth behind the unexplored lands, remember your cause-and stay loyal to it."

These were the last words the man in the speaker said before the children all, in one breath, repeated, "Resist, explore"

As they were dismissed into their cribs, Merit let out a sigh of relief as she hurried into the line leading to her room, "I want to pee so bad" she muttered to herself as she kept going faster and faster till she reached the vast room where she and another twenty girls slept.