Chereads / Crossed lives / Chapter 3 - chapter 2: A changed start

Chapter 3 - chapter 2: A changed start

One by one, while doubtful the survivors still took turn going up the platform. Little by little the crow thined out disappearing on the circle and the wide hall emptied slowly.

The crystal ball was a tool used to determine the rank of each individual, depending on the color of the light shining out when someone touched it.

There were seven ranks recorded. Each of different colors. From the weakest: rank F purple, rank E red, rank D orange, rank C green, rank B silver, rank A gold, to the strongest rank S white.

Among the survivors whose status were measured there were no rank S but there was one rank A, a woman with white hair. She didn't look old so she probably died them. There were also a few rank B, C and D but more than half were rank E.

As almost all the others were gone and only four people were left, a young man stepped on the platform with a wobbly gait. Wearing a black T-shirt with short sleeves, white pants -or it should have been if not for the thick layer of filth on it- and a pairof white worn out shoes.

His small frame was pitifully swaying as if he would be blown by the wind. His arms that were exposed under the short sleeves were very skinny and so thin that the bones could be seen protruding from his wrists. From afar his complexion was very white but up close it could be seen that his skin looked so pale that it was almost translucent. And underneath the bristle surface, bluish veins could be seen forming ridges. Bruises could be seen marring his skin with purple and black that were evidently not result of accidents.

His bony fingers were clenching hard the hems of his shirt a anxiously as he came closer to the priest holding a paper sheet to record his informations. Because he kept his head bowed, his overgrown dirty black hair fell around his face almost covering his side up turned eyes, only showing a sharp jaw line, a pointed noose, chapped lips and a thin and fragile neck.

It didn't take too much time to fill in his informations and so he put his hand on the crystal ball which glowed a dim purple light.

Instantly the attitudes of the priests shifted from hypocritical concern to indifference. And almost perfunctorily, they gave him the paper sheetthen usheredhimontothe teleportation circle with a hint of impatience or was it dismissal?

As the white light swallowed him up, the young man closed his eyes.

****

Mc's p.o.v

When he opened his eyes, the young man found himself inside an empty room. It looked like an underground room as there any window. Only a lantern wash undo a wall bathing the room in a dim light. On one side of the room was a plain wooden door. There wasn't any decorations in the room and compared to the great hall where he was a minute ago, this room looked down right shaby...

He expected it...

He knew it would be like this.

Lifting up the paper he had in hand, the youth read it silently.

Name :Lee Sorin

Age : 19

Gender : Male

Rank : F

Yeah. A sh*ty rank F. That's what he was..

"Haaaa...I should get used to it..." he sighed.