One hundred and twelve years ago, the world as we knew it collapsed overnight. The skies darkened, and unimaginable creatures emerged from the shadows. Merciless beings—"Void Creatures"—poured into Elyndra, a world that had once known peace. In a matter of weeks, entire continents were swallowed by terror, and whole civilizations were wiped out. Humanity, unarmed and unprepared for this new threat, found itself fighting for survival.
Human weapons, no matter how advanced, stood no chance against this new form of life. The Void Creatures seemed invincible, and law enforcement was powerless. But all hope was not lost. Amid the chaos, some humans began to manifest strange powers, as if the world itself was responding to the threat. These rare and gifted individuals became the leaders of humanity's last stronghold.
The great leaders—now revered as kings and queens—guided what remained of humanity with wisdom and resolve. Together, they managed to preserve civilization on five continents, after losing three. These leaders possessed powers of mysterious origin, and it was thanks to them that humanity had survived.
The world was divided. Humanity lived behind colossal walls, barriers separating the wild lands from the human cities. Life beyond the walls, though freer, was far crueler. The inner cities hoarded rare resources and privileges, while the outer lands were left in endless misery. It was in these harsh outskirts that Kenzo lived, a young boy with eyes full of despair.
One day, as he was tied up and dragged aboard a truck—once an ordinary mode of transport—he looked around at the other prisoners. They all seemed his age, but their hollow eyes and slumped shoulders told of lives spent in constant struggle. The cold bit at their skin, and the air was thick with dust and damp. Kenzo was no stranger to the feelings of hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. He had lived in poverty for years, outside the city walls, where each day was the same: a relentless battle to survive.
Food was scarce, and the few cans he managed to scavenge had a taste beyond description, like they were made of rotten socks. The water he drank was muddy, impure, often contaminated. But the worst part wasn't hunger or thirst. No, what devoured Kenzo's spirit was the reality of life beyond the walls. Homes were nothing more than hollow, crumbling shells without heat. Electricity failed often, and basic resources were nearly nonexistent.
Kenzo often remembered the words of the elders who, in their despair, used to say:– « The only chance to escape this miserable life is to find work inside the walls. Or, if you're lucky, to awaken a power. »
But deep down, Kenzo knew the odds were close to none. Powers rarely awakened in those who lived outside. And when they did test people, the process was often fatal.
So why had he been captured? Why, out of thousands, had he, Kenzo, been torn from his miserable existence and thrown into this new ordeal? It was a question that haunted him, a question that had burned in his mind ever since he found himself tied up in this truck, surrounded by the silent, resigned stares of his fellow prisoners.
– « Why me? »
he whispered, his voice swallowed by the rumbling engine that carried away the last hopes of the day.
Kenzo had no answer. But one thing was clear: he was far from the only one fighting to survive in this ruined world.
The floor of the truck vibrated beneath the worn wheels biting into the dry earth. For hours, only the engine's hum and the metallic groans accompanied the suffocating silence of the crammed prisoners.
Kenzo, leaning against the cold wall of the vehicle, suddenly felt the truck come to a mechanical halt. A few seconds later, the heavy sliding door creaked open.
– « Throw him in. »
The deep voice of one of the kidnappers cut through the air, harsh and commanding. Immediately, a new body was thrown inside, landing with a thud just inches from Kenzo.
As soon as the door slammed shut again, the truck resumed its journey as if nothing had happened.
The newcomer groaned slightly as he sat up. He straightened his back and murmured, his voice heavy with restrained rage:– « They'll regret what they've just done... »
Kenzo stared at him, intrigued. The stranger then swept his gaze across the other silent prisoners. He was different.
Very different.
Unlike the others, he didn't look thin or worn out by fatigue or fear. His tanned skin looked healthy, his black, smooth hair shone despite the dust, and most striking of all were his eyes... golden. A warm, vivid hue, like metal heated white-hot—eyes full of determination.
He didn't look like a kid from the outside. He sat upright, almost proud, despite the chains and the situation.
– « Hey, how old are you? »
he asked Kenzo directly.
– « Huh? Uh... sixteen. »
The stranger nodded and asked the others the same question. One by one, the prisoners answered. They were all the same age.
Kenzo frowned.
– « Weird, isn't it? We're all sixteen. I bet they took us because they think some of us are going to awaken... »
At those words, a shiver ran through the truck.
The Awakening.
A pivotal moment in every human life. At sixteen, each teenager entered a critical spiritual phase: their soul's Essence would finally resonate with the world's residual divine forces. An ancient, mysterious, and temperamental legacy.
But not everyone awakened.
Only those whose souls were truly receptive, or those marked by divine energy—whether through blood, sacred places, traumatic experiences, or spiritual lineage—would develop a power. The rest... remained Mutes.
Kenzo spoke again, his voice tinged with bitter clarity:– « We come from outside the walls. We've got nothing... Our chances of awakening are slim. And even if we do... surviving the Awakening is a whole other story. But you... I don't know why, but I feel like you have a better shot than the rest of us. »
The boy gave a calm, almost amused smile.
– « I'm Yareth. And you? »
Kenzo looked at him for a moment, surprised by his confident, almost warm tone.
– « Kenzo. »