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The Space Between Stars

Space Age of the Forsaken

In the twenty-third century, the footsteps of mankind have already set foot in every corner of the solar system. When I lightly touch the intelligent terminal in my hand, the screen immediately shows a spectacular picture: countless space ships are shuttling between the stars, and human settlements have been established even on the distant planet Pluto. Outsiders claim that the environmental crisis on Earth has been completely solved, the energy problem is no longer a nuisance, the power of science and technology has made natural disasters a thing of the past, and even diseases have become a thing of the past. However, when the screen went out, the coldness of reality hit me instantly. I found myself lying in a small room, surrounded by a depressing atmosphere. The world outside may be glittering, but I was competing with more than 2,000 people for a minuscule job. My neighbor, an old man in his fifties, had waited since his youth for the opportunity to become a local doctor, and now, despite having waited for thirty years, he still had to face a competitive line of hundreds of people. In these seemingly good times, half of the population is marginalized, unable to escape unemployment for the rest of their lives, barely surviving on the minimum subsistence provided by the government. These people, in the face of the grand human dream, seem to have become irrelevant, and I have become one of them. As someone who has traveled from the past, I have witnessed all these changes. Was what I had gained the marvelous space stations, the ships traveling between the stars, and the colonies that had been established in outer space, or was it the perfect life that was flaunted in the media by the elite who had been genetically modified since birth? However, when a sudden threat of extraterrestrial life came upon us, I was plunged into deep thought. In front of the vastness and mystery of this universe, the struggles and efforts of human beings seem so small. In the depths of such a universe, faced with the fear of the unknown, which way of life is more frightening? Is it to be forgotten by society and spend one's life in poverty, or to face the endless darkness and death of the universe on the journey of exploring the unknown? The answer to this question can perhaps only be found when truly standing at the crossroads of destiny.
ritian_zhao · 107 Views

The Light Between Shadows

The air was thick with smoke and the scent of blood, heavy enough to choke her as she clung to the shadows. She’d grown up within these walls, the stone corridors of her family’s stronghold, where she’d always been the quiet one, the unassuming Luminary, watching her kin wield their power over the wolves below with an iron fist. Tonight, the fortress shook under the force of rebellion. A war-cry echoed nearby, and she shivered, feeling the ground tremble as wolves overthrew the guards in waves, the very magic that had once bound them broken. The legends always said that the Luminaries were untouchable, but here they were—falling, one by one, as the stronghold became a grave. She ducked into an alcove, her back pressed against the cold stone, heart racing as her mind fought to make sense of the chaos. The Luminaries’ rule was absolute; they controlled everything and everyone with invisible threads of power. They were feared, revered—and yet, she knew what had been done in her family’s name. The iron discipline, the cold cruelty that had been deemed necessary, even just. But now, face to face with what that cruelty had cost, she felt a hollowness settle in her chest. A shadow appeared at the end of the hall. She stiffened, recognizing him immediately. He was the one from the old stories, the one who had somehow resisted the Luminaries’ control, a man of a bloodline immune to her family’s magic. His eyes, dark as midnight, swept the corridor before falling on her. In that moment, every instinct told her to run, but her body wouldn’t move, caught between dread and a strange sense of fate. He stopped before her, and his gaze bored into her, assessing, calculating. “So,” he said finally, voice cold. “This is where they hid the last of you.” She swallowed, lifting her chin. “I… I didn’t ask for any of this.” “Didn’t you?” His words were sharp, cutting through the chaos. “How convenient. That’s what they all say when they’re caught.” The accusation stung, but she kept her gaze steady. “Not everyone deserves to die.” His lips curled in a bitter smile. “Spoken like a true Luminary. Even now, you cling to the lies they fed you.” The weight of his anger was palpable, filling the air around them. She could feel his fury like a storm, a hatred so raw it burned her. And yet, as he glared at her, she saw a flicker of hesitation, a crack in the armor he wore so tightly. She didn’t know that, in her softness, she held a power she didn’t understand—a quiet magic, subtle but unyielding, that drew him in against his will. He closed the distance between them, his hand gripping her arm firmly. “The others will die,” he murmured, his tone edged with finality. “But you, you’re coming with me. You’re too dangerous to be left alive, but maybe you’re just valuable enough to be kept breathing.” Her heart hammered, the weight of his words settling over her as he pulled her forward, binding her fate to his, a captive of the very rebellion that had destroyed her family.
dawnuts · 240 Views

Linking Stars

"Fate, a predetermined destiny assigned by an all-knowing being, is just a blatant claim meant to bolster one's drive towards a goal." Do we expect heroes to be valiant warriors, Vanquishing monsters with courage victorious, Leaving the sunset with the damsel in distress, Or is it someone more unexpected, we must confess? What lies in a bright, joyful world, Also comes darkness, tragedy unfurled, Self-hurting monsters that crawl and thrive, Inside your deepest trauma, they come alive. Our most powerful enemy lies beneath ourselves, We create our villains, from our inner shelves, We are the villains, through actions impressed, Our actions have repercussions, as fate is addressed. Weapons come in different shapes and forms, Sharp and strong, yet the most powerful storms, Are the losses of friends, our families dear, Stronger than any blade's angry tear. Beneath the night sky, stars intertwine, Creating constellations, in patterns divine. Some see mere beauty, a sight for sore eyes, Others see techniques, where combat lies. These stars, like people, bond and unite, Their strength in connection, a radiant light. A sunflower and a black rose, side by side, Coexisting, finding bonds, where threats reside. Cherry blossoms, sizzles, azaleas too, Anemones surround, providing support true. Each with their weaknesses, together they stand, Is it destiny, or fate’s gentle hand? As the universe moves, slowly they meet, Blades deciding fates, the challenges they greet. In a garden of struggle, where each flower grows, They find strength in unity, against all foes.
LightKazukiGray · 5.2K Views
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