The Wall of Domination

Blinding white light pierced Rael's closed eyelids. The sensation was sharp and sudden, as though it cut into his consciousness still adrift between dream and reality. Rael felt his body lying stiff on a cold, hard surface. The chill of it drained every ounce of warmth from his body, spreading through his skin and into his bones, making a biting ache settle into every inch of him. His breaths came in gasps, echoing in the silent space, accompanied only by the faint hum of machinery, in time with his pounding heart."Next," a faceless voice echoed into the void, cold and sharp. It seemed to come from all directions, reverberating in Rael's head, shaking his composure. Suddenly, his surroundings shifted. The metallic walls enclosing the space disappeared, replaced by thick, foreboding shadows. Rael now stood in a dark, suffocating field, a strange and claustrophobic place enveloped by a darkness that pressed on his chest.Rael tried to move his hand, but his body refused to obey. His limbs felt heavy as stone, as though bound by the dense mist surrounding him, mercilessly trapping him. Stranded in the darkness, he could only feel fear slowly creeping over his entire body, gripping his heart with an indescribable terror. The darkness seemed alive, waiting to swallow him whole.Rael awoke with a stifled scream, sitting bolt upright in his cramped room, his breaths still racing. Cold sweat trickled down his temples, tracing over his pale face. His grey eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign that he was no longer in that place—the cold, terrifying room filled with blinding white light. His heart beat wildly, pulsing in his ears and drowning out the deep silence of the night.He exhaled heavily, trying to regain his composure. The image of the dream still clung to him, like a mist that wouldn't dissipate, too vivid and real to ignore. With trembling hands, Rael wiped his face, hoping the chill and horror lingering on his skin would fade with time.Shifting, he sat on the edge of his hard, narrow bed. His breathing was still unsteady, but he forced himself to stay calm. In his mind, fragments of the dream spun wildly, filling his thoughts with questions that lacked answers. That dream... had plagued his sleep many times. It was always the same—white light, a cold room, and shadows that felt more real than anything.Rael glanced towards the small window in his room, peering at the dark night outside. A faint light appeared on the eastern horizon, slowly pushing back the night, signalling the arrival of dawn. Silence blanketed the Pariah Wall, the Dominion's outermost layer, where the outcasts lived. Cracked buildings, cobblestone streets littered with debris, and the smell of rust in the air painted this place as a crumbling remnant of civilisation.With a heavy heart, Rael rose and stepped out of his small room, walking to the kitchen where his family had already gathered. At the modest breakfast table, familiar voices greeted him—daily conversations about the increasingly erratic weather, the skyrocketing food prices, and complaints about how the Dominion seemed blind to the suffering of those in the lowest caste.But Rael's mind couldn't shake off the dream he had just experienced. The images of light and inexplicable darkness continued to haunt him, leaving him feeling fearful and confused. Chewing on a piece of stale bread, he drifted through unfamiliar feelings, unable to pinpoint their origin. His life felt directionless, hollow, and caged.After finishing his breakfast, Rael decided to step outside for a moment, searching for fresh air along the narrow path around the Pariah Wall. In the distance, the Aegis Wall towered, cold and unyielding, separating the Dominion from the mysterious, perilous world beyond. Its faded, unpainted surface was marked with small cracks here and there—a permanent barrier that both protected and imprisoned them. They said that beyond this wall lurked the Gloomspawn, terrifying creatures that would devour anyone who dared to cross its boundary.Rael walked slowly along the path, observing the quiet life around Pariah Wall. Old houses with cracked windows lined the road, standing still as if resigned to the harshness of time. The small market looked deserted, and the people who wandered by appeared weary, exhausted, and uncertain. Around the market, hushed voices spread, murmuring about the Dominion's indifference, rising prices, and the dwindling of hope."Young man, where are you off to so early?" An old man with a wrinkled face called out, pulling a nearly empty cart laden with a few withered vegetables.Rael managed a faint smile, looking at the man with sympathy. "Just out for a walk," he replied briefly.The man sighed deeply, his eyes reflecting sadness. "May your journey be more meaningful than our lives here," he muttered, his voice low and bitter.Rael returned the old man's smile before moving on, making his way closer to the Aegis Wall. The shadow of the grey wall continued to follow his gaze, standing tall under the light of the rising sun.As he neared the Aegis Wall, Rael stopped, gazing at the towering wall with a thoughtful look. A mix of curiosity and doubt swirled in his heart. Sometimes, he felt like life was a cage, a prison keeping them from true freedom. This towering wall symbolised the boundaries of their lives, barring them from whatever lay beyond.Was true freedom waiting beyond this wall? Or was it all an illusion, a game orchestrated by unseen powers?"Rael!" His mother's voice cut through his thoughts. He turned to see her figure in the distance, waving and calling him home. Before leaving, Rael cast one last look at the towering wall, as if wanting to send a silent message to whatever lay beyond, something he couldn't fully understand.Reluctantly, Rael turned and began walking back home, trying to ignore the wild imaginings that always crept into his mind. He greeted his neighbours with a small smile along the way, though his mind remained fixed on the world beyond—a world he could only see in the dark, haunting dreams that visited him night after night.Life by Pariah Wall never changed. But there was a feeling that continued to grow within Rael, something he couldn't quite explain, as if there was a call from beyond the wall. A sense that life was meant to be more than mere survival, more than walking down these broken cobbled streets.The Aegis Wall loomed in the distance, as if looking back at him, offering a promise he might never fulfil. The memory of that dream returned, the cold terror, the blinding white light, and the faceless voice whispering, "Next."With mixed feelings, Rael allowed himself to sink into silence. As life went on around him, his heart felt an intense pull to seek the truth—the truth about the world he inhabited.But in this world, hope was a fragile thing. And Rael knew that what he desired might never be within reach.