One hundred and fifty-two years ago, the world was thrown into chaos. The sky was black and ominous, with thick clouds rolling overhead. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the landscape in a blinding flash. The thunder followed moments later, shaking the ground. The storm raged on for weeks, the powerful flashes burning the eyes of people's retinas. If people looked too long, their eyes would bleed. on the fourth week, the lightning continued to strike, strange and twisted creatures began to emerge from the storm. They were dark and malevolent, with twisted limbs and glowing eyes. They were made of pure shadow, their forms shifting and flickering in the stormy light. The creatures moved with eerie grace, as if they were part of the storm itself. Every time lightning came down, one appeared closer. The creatures began to quickly attack anyone they came across, using their supernatural strength and power to overpower weak humans. The dark shadows tore the humans apart, some forming tentacles and invading them from inside, while others burned alive. Some shadows had ice powers, burning the limbs of humans, and shattering them, making them run and then freezing another limb, completing a cruel cycle. They moved with deadly efficiency, striking without warning, leaving destruction in their wake.
The world was in chaos, with people running and fleeing in terror. The world broke down into pieces, some countries being completely overtook. It must have been the pity of a mighty god, for people started to awaken powers. The government collected these awakeners, and the old world was thrown out, with the bases replacing countries. Bases are run by the strongest individual. The magic wall was established after 4 years of the shadow monster's invasion, making the bases safer for the people living in it. If the creature isn't stronger than the magic wall, we are safe. And so, after one hundred and fifty-two years, an academy opened dedicated to teaching students to control their power. Everyone is awakened now, with those who don't being considered disabled and having a genetic defect. The base maintains a good check on the monsters, as while times are rough, there have been no invasions since the rule of the owner. The base is called Umbral, and the leaders name is unknown. They call him "Void" and he only appears during intense conflict. He is always masked when doing so, his grey filmed eyes showing through the cheap cloth mask. While the place has changed, the order hasn't. there are still slums, and homeless people all over. There are brothels, which are now legal. The age of an adult is considered sixteen now, that being the age you can defend yourself. The people with powers are the rich and run the world as they see fit. If you aren't powerful enough – you're weak. There are schools and there are gangs. The only difference is the sheer cutthroat environment of a post-apocalyptic base.
There are seventeen other bases around the world – or what's left of it.
Everything else is gone.
I sighed, already discouraged.
My legs were weak and shaky, I stumbled and caught myself on the wall. I looked at my hands covered in dirt and grime, trying to remember my name. But I can't remember...
I huddled in between a dumpster and concrete wall, using this form to gather heat as much as I could. I am tired, hungry, and scared. I curved up in a ball, trying to conserve my strength. Due to fatigue, or even just from hunger, I passed out, sleeping deeply.
***
A student walked down a dark alleyway, his footsteps echoing off the walls. The blonde seventeen-year-old boy was tall and lean, with a handsome face and confident bearing. He had bright blue eyes, and a mischievous smile that made him seem both charming and dangerous. He was dressed in casual clothing, but you could tell that he took pride in his appearance.
He had a playful, easygoing personality, and he was always quick with a joke or a sarcastic comment. Despite his carefree attitude, he was a skilled fighter and a loyal friend. He was on his way back to the Academy after practicing the woods. He had a late-night study session, working on his magic control. he was ready to head out onto a main street but spotted something unusual. Between a dumpster and a wall, he saw the outline of a person curled up on the ground.
The student approached cautiously, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. As he got closer, he saw that the person was a young boy around his age. He was covered in dirt and grime, and his clothes were torn and ragged. His face was bruised and battered, as if he had been in a fight. The student knelt beside him gently shaking his shoulder.
"Hey," he said softly. "Are you okay?"
There was no answer. The boy looked for his arm, identifying his metal bracelet. He tapped it with his, the introductory information appearing. Islyl Gerard? And he's at my school too.
"Hi, Islyl. My name is Liam. I'm seventeen years old and we go to the same school. I've never seen you before though." Realizing he was getting carried away, Liam coughs and explains, "I'm taking you to the infirmary. The nurse is a family friend. Ah, why am I telling you this? Its not like you can hear me," Liam muttered.
Liam carefully picked up Islyl and carried him out of the alleyway, making his way to the academy. As he walked, Liam noticed that the bruises and marks on Islyl's body were all in various stages of healing, and some of them looked quite painful. Liam wondered what had happened to him, and who could do this to him.
Once they reached the school, Liam brought Islyl up to the infirmary, greeting the nurse as he placed Islyl on the cot. The nurse immediately got to work, and quickly set to examine the boy's wounds. She worked quickly and efficiently, healing what she could and bandaging what she couldn't. When Islyl was fully stripped, the nurses heart panged. There were many more bruises and wounds. She composed herself, focusing on tending to the wounds.
Once he was treated and bandaged, she dressed him in some spare training clothes. Liam helped lay him out on a cot in the back of the infirmary, covering him with a blanket.
"He's stable now, "she said, "but he'll need to rest for a while." She frowns at the boy, clearly troubled by what she sees.
"Do you know what happened to him, Auntie?" Liam asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," she says. "Some of these bruises look like they were caused by a blunt object, while others were made by hands and fingers. There are bite marks on his back, which run quite deep." She pauses, her expression becoming for serious.
"But there are also some marks that I can't identify. They look like they could be from an assault, but I'm not too sure." She looked up at Liam, her eyes filled with concern. She pointed to Islyl's neck.
"Whoever did this to him, they were trying to hurt him badly. And these bite marks… they belong to a human. But the bite marks on his back, they're not from a human. They look like they were made by some kind of animal. But I've never seen any animal with teeth that can cause injuries like this. Its like its teeth were designed to cause maximum pain.
Liams eyes widened in shock at her words. He had never heard of any creature with teeth like that. He looks down at the boy, who is still unconscious on the cot, and feels a sense of unease wash over him.
"Do you think it was a shadow?" Liam asks, voice barely above a whisper.
She doesn't answer, the silence permeating the room.
Liam thanks the nurse and leaves the infirmary, his mind racing with questions and worries. He can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going on, and it starts with that boy. He can't help but think this is the catalyst of something much bigger, and more sinister.