"From ages of old, corruption advances against society. Strongholds are humanity's final safezone against such non-euclidian disasters.
I understand that you think you're curious about it- but listen kid, ask who became curious first?"
...
My grandfather told me these words seven years ago, eyes heavy from experience. He always seemed odd to the rest of us. For a man missing one leg, grandpa walked on his crutches around the entire neighborhood. Other people from his generation simply shut themselves indoors. He said it was necessary, in case they came back.
Nobody my age seems to know what happened to the first generation like my grandfather. All we know is that one organization called the Euclidean Order built several machines to counter it.
"Whatcha thinking about?!" Pink hair waves in front of my face for a moment. Stacy grins like we're having roast beef instead of potatoes for the millionth time tonight. I never understood how Stacy remains happy under our fake sky. Grandfather explained that a real sky moves.
"Thinking about applying for the knights again." I exhale. Stacy furrows her eyebrows. They've rejected me countless times by now.
"Nick." She states, blocking my view of the wall. Construction sites are constantly being updated now that humans have entered the 'reclamation age,' as I've heard some people call it. Stacy knows my habits well. "Sneaking out of the city is dangerous. You know that only moles can find a way back, and even knights have such a terrible mortality rate." Stacy groans.
"Yes, but I feel so helpless. You know the last time a reality breach happened I was sorta beating one of those creatures. Apparently one knight captain saw talent in my fighting skills but I kept failing the aptitude test. Stupid AI…" Stacy slumps down onto the recliner seat next to me. For such a shady real-estate spot, we sure have the nicest view. It almost helps distract from the fact of how we could be attacked any other minute.
At some point we'll have to work in construction like those people down there, or dive for resources, both professions with high accident rates or mortality. For now Stacy and I combined our parents' wills to budget some time for ourselves. Time, though, is completely worthless compared to money. We've only got about a month before worrying about tax hunters.
Right now we rent one shady apartment, even near the wall, which costs nearly five hundred credits per month. If our parents were simple laborers then we'd never attempt taking some time off. Normally people start working once they're 18, because 90% of people live below the poverty line. Our cheap rent totals most people's living wage.
"I'm thinking about becoming a waitress." Stacy explains from the right. I don't know which option sounds crazier, trying to become a knight, or a restaurant employee. Only rich people can afford to eat there, leaving few openings and corrupt customers. A single mistake can make Stacy go missing in no time at all. Rich people can just kidnap whoever they like.
"... what about diving?" I mention after a pause. Stacy shakes her head.
"All those contracting companies are scams. It's better to dive illegally than sign some bogus contract." She jokes.
"Exactly. Let's start our own company." Stacy laughs. We've surely had worse ideas in the past, but she didn't know I felt serious. "We dive for things ourselves, and sell them at our own price." I explained. Stacy knows my point. Even she decides to consider being reckless for once. Stronghold requires 10 year work contracts for nearly every job. Everything from janitors to construction work locks a person down for 5 to 10 years at least, then they can move to another job if the contract expires.
So, either they'd scrub toilets for 10 years or gamble their lives on construction and diving.
Construction happens to be dangerous because more than half of these projects involve expanding the stronghold. Corruption is still high in these expansion zones so disasters can occur frequently. Many people commit suicide due to insanity or simply fall into the land of corruption itself.
Diving is considered the most dangerous job of all. Where construction involves careful building on the edge, diving involves jumping straight into the land of corruption. Divers need to avoid unpredictable corruption and monsters, all while hoping to find good resources formed in the corruption. Food, water, and furniture are easy to find by diving.
Though, staying too long out there has drastic consequences on the mind. Even knights are prone to corruption. Their powers only extend for a limited amount of time. Once exhausted, a knight becomes just like any other human.
"Nick." Stacy furrows her eyebrows at me. "You know there's no way in and out of the stronghold, right? Unless you're given permission by the knight guard- we'll be making a one way trip at best." Stacy reminds me.
There's a reason nobody wants to illegally bypass the border guards. Whoever explores the land of corruption without a permit faces eternal banishment. People joke about diving illegally because it's a silent way to say 'one way trip to death.'
"Stacy." I watch the construction yards from a distance. We can already tell by the cheap material they use. These new buildings will become low income apartments. "One thought crossed my mind this entire time. What if we made our own exit below their construction before they close it." Danger turned into possibility when Stacy ran the chances.
Each district of the stronghold is built at three levels. Our level belongs to the poor. Above that is the middle class, then some place much higher for people at the top. Each district of the stronghold is reinforced by a single "reality bender," a machine that keeps our world intact, while stopping corruption from spreading within. Once that machine goes in place nobody will touch it for years.
"You've got a point this time…" Stacy groans. She leans back into the recliner enough to make me worry about it breaking. "Fine! Since I know you'll do this anyway, let me contact a few friends." Stacy glares. She knows that I'll disagree.
"Are you crazy?" I whisper, trying not to shout. "There's tens of people you know, Stacy. How can you trust any of them?" She smiles back in fake patience. That scary look reminds me about why she'd be so good for this job. Most people won't realize that Stacy's annoyed.
"Worst case scenario, we just go to work, Nick. I know you're planning to take a construction job just for this, so let me give it a shot." Stacy points a thumb over her shoulder, referring to those applications I've reviewed on top of the only table we own. There's no way I can stop her when she gets like this.
"Fine, Stacy. Have it your way."