When Yi Tan opened the letter, he was met with a few lines of text, an emblem that had the Royal Valant Royal Academy's seal on it, and a money card. Yi Tan held the emblem as he read the letter. "Go to the academy and make something of yourself. Don't worry about your grandfather and me."
"Really!?" Yi Tan yelled as he kicked the table in front of him, knocking it over. He had never been so angry in all his life. "What the hell!? What happened to sticking together as a family!? You up and leave, abandoning me!?"
*Bang!* *Bang!*
"Shut the fuck up in there!" A voice filled with anger came from the apartment next door.
"Fuck you!" Yi Tan, who barely ever swore, yelled out at the top of his lungs. He was having a hard time containing his anger. He looked at the emblem in his hand, gripped it tightly, and tossed it at the wall.
*Bang!* *Bang!*
Yi Tan ignored the person banging on the wall cursing back at him. He could care less at this moment and time. He looked at the card with a taped on strip of paper with the card's pin on it. Yi Tan looked at as tears began forming in his eyes. He knew his father probably left him everything he had saved up."How are you two going to survive if you have no money…?"
Yi Tan was more concerned for his father and grandfather's well being than the fact that his father ran out on him. He knew his father did this in order to give him a better life. He was mad and frustrated but not at his father. He was more mad at the life he was living and how even his father would rather run off, leaving him with everything in order for his only son to have a better life. His body slumped down onto the old battered couch. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to understand the situation.
Their world, Earth, was not what it used to be. The world did not die out or become some kind of wasteland. In fact, the outside world beyond the high walls was flourishing with flora and fauna. It was the air itself that was poisonous. The cause of this was a man made virus that was released into the air. It brought about a new age for humans as people began gaining abilities. The first to gain an ability was a man named Tang Shen. He was named the God of Lightning for his mastery over lightning. He then grew to become the strongest ability user even as other ability users began to appear. He was an unstoppable force, and even to this day, he is looked up to as an inspiration for those who wish to become strong.
But while some were able to gain abilities, there were those who gained abilities but became monsters in the process. At first, the governments were able to contain the situation, but they never expected the virus, which allowed people to enter the next stage of evolution to turn into the downfall of humanity. Because this virus lived in the air, there was no means of stopping it from reproducing, and soon the air became heavy with this virus, and that was when people started to turn.
As the human population began to change into something else entirely. The world's governments made a decision. They began using all the resources they had to create domed cities that produced their own oxygen. And Valant, the city where Yi Tan lived, was one of the first cities to ever be made.
After a while, the virus became known as magic molecules, and for the survival of the human race, humans had to take a risk and begin awakening ceremonies to create ability users who would venture out into the new world. Those who succeeded would be able to have a good life ahead of them. Those who failed would be killed on the spot because failure meant turning into one of the monsters that roamed the lands beyond the walls.
But just because you were awakened did not mean you were safe when you ventured beyond the walls. You still had to wear special masks that made oxygen. With the advancements in technology, things began to change even the power source for this city used the magic molecules in the air. The same virus that could wipe out mankind was being repurposed to help mankind. This led to a new kind of technology called magi tech. And the place most of this was produced was here in the slums on the first level of the three level mega city Valant.
"Since you went through all this trouble, I guess I can only do as you wish and go to the academy." Yi Tan wiped the tears from his eyes as he made his decision. He would go to the Academy and make something out of himself, then search for his father.
Yi Tan wasted no time. Since he made his decision, he would follow through with it. He had always been like that. He would never waste time after deciding something. Although he felt tears threatening to fall from his eyes, he knew crying would get him nowhere.
He may be only fourteen years old, but because of his circumstances, he has had to grow up much quicker than others. He lost his mother when he was eight and his grandmother a few years after. After his mother's death, he took on the home responsibilities to at least try to make their run down apartment seem like home. He had no choice in this because his grandfather was too busy taking care of his grandmother, who did not have much longer to live. Then after his grandmother passed, he had another job handed to him which was taking care of his grandfather. Between all of this and going to the local school hall to learn to read and write, he had a lot on his plate.
"Okay, this should be it..." Yi Tan looked at the old duffel bag that had all his clothes in it, which was not much at all. Two pairs of worn out jeans and a few shirts, and a single sweatshirt. "Oh, I can't forget the picture..."
Yi Tan went to the old broken table in the room and grabbed the sole picture of his family. His father had given it to him the day his mother died so he would never forget her face. He cherished this picture. He took out the picture from the frame and gazed at it for a few minutes before softly saying: "Mom… You will not believe what dad did. He abandoned your precious son so that I would not stay in the slums. He gave up everything in order to force me to go to Valant Royal Academy. He's stupid, right? He knocked me out, took grandpa, and ran away. But I know he was doing this for my own good. So don't be mad at him. You know how he is. He only ever cared about me and you. He has worked hard for so long I hope for now he can take some time off and enjoy life. I will be leaving this house now. I hope you can look over me if there truly is an afterlife."
Yi Tan kissed the picture before folding it up and putting it in his chest pocket, where the academy badge was. He wanted to keep these two items close to him just in case he was robbed. He took a look around the apartment that was full of old broken furniture they had salvaged from the dump and smiled. "I grew up in this crappy place, so it will always be a part of me."
After saying these words, he grabbed his duffle bag, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out the door. Screaming and yelling could be heard as he walked down the hall. This apartment building was one of the worst. But it was cheap. There had been many murders in this building as he grew up. There were also many kids who lived here, some of which he befriended, some of which he fought with on a daily basis. Because of this, he had grown up learning to fight well. Many of the boys his age wouldn't dare mess with him, and the older boys just ignored him and left him alone. If one were to ask if he would miss this place, he would nod and then shake his head. The only thing he would miss was the loving home where he grew up where his family lived.