Sacrificial

Chapter 1

The sun rays painfully pricked her skin, as beads of perspiration trickled down her temples. Lucy Bauer could spot her home, the Ciel Headquarters, through squinted eyes. The sweet scent of roses penetrated her nostrils, and prompted her to pause and take a whiff of the flowery decorations around her, that were being prepared for later tonight. Tonight was what the four factions have been anticipating, for the past four months. It was the annual Mixer ball, where the four factions; Ciel, Rae, Eren and Vie, would unite as one, and make sure that it was a night to remember.

Lucy belonged to the Ciel faction, and so did her brother Luke, who was actually the head of the faction. Lucy had looked forward to this day for quite a while now, as it was the only time she could interact with her friends from the other factions. This was because the factions were prohibited from all interactions, except on every alternating Wednesday. No one knew why this rule was enforced, but no one dared to question the superiors.

Lucy knocked twice on her door, anxiously waiting for her mother to open. She was excited to pick out her dress for the night. She'd wanted to go for a shimmery party look, to match with her friends. Her mother opened the door to Lucy, with tiredness in her eyes. Her mother couldn't help but feel upset, for she couldn't reciprocate her daughter's enthusiasm. Today could be the day she loses her daughter.

It was called the Mixer ball, simply for namesake. The truth?, Well, the truth is that it was a draw, to pick one person from each faction, and pair them up. The lives of the firstborns of the two pairs would be sacrificed when they turn 18. The factions believed that the sacrifice had to be performed, in order for the prosperity of the factions. It had been hundreds of years, since humanity was wiped out clean, as a result of what seemed like an epidemic. An unknown epidemic that coursed through the world, destroying everything in its path, only to magically leave people of these factions, unharmed. These factions are the only remaining evidence that earth was once inhabited by humans.

Lucy's mother was deeply worried, that it might be her daughter that could be picked for the pairing. If so, Lucy's life would turn upside down, it would become a journey filled with anxiety, anger, and sadness when she would finally give away her child, only for it to be sacrificed, right in front of her eyes. Lucy thought her mom worried excessively, and that the chances of her being picked out of thousands, were extremely slim, or so she thought.