Before the universe, there was just time, and before time, there was nothing.
It was infinitely cold, volatile, and solitary.
And yet, there existed two.
Deities, as far as humans can comprehend.
Primal, unknowable, and all-present.
Life and Death.
Death groaned with unending ire, and Life laid with boundless dread, for their solitude knew no limits.
And through this mutual solitude came longing. No one knows how, or when, or why, but at some point, the two shared a common embrace, one that began everything.
Their union wrought a thing. The Conglomerate. A formless amalgamation of all things of the world.
Life looked upon its child with joy, breathing upon it the gift of life.
And, with its newfound love, created the Macrocosm. A beautiful arrangement of stars, planets, and satellites for its child to enjoy.
And so the Conglomerate did, darting across galaxies and playing amongst the stars. With its newfound life, it could forever enjoy its existence.
Death scorned at the prospect. Unwilling to accept Eternity, it thrust its own essence upon its child. This time, of finality. Of decay.
No longer could the Conglomerate move as it did. Its movements grew heavy, each turn among the stars more sluggish than the last.
No longer did the stars sing with joy, or the cosmos prance with glee. They were forced to watch as their beloved friend withered into nonexistence.
And then, at last, the Conglomerate died.
This act formed an irrevocable distance between Life and Death, never to be reconciled.
However, in the Conglomerate's final moments, it split off into trillions of tiny little pieces, each entrenched with its own life force.
And so, each would find their way to lifeforms. Tiny little vessels capable of containing their energy.
That is the genesis of the Way.
*********************************************************************************************************
"Hey, get back here!" a man yelled, waving a long, wooden hoe in front of him like it'd grow any longer--long enough to strike the kid running through the busy streets.
"Nah, I-I don't think so!" the kid stammered, narrowly avoiding a wooden station adorned with homemade fabrics and any number of decorations atop its front desk.
Then the kid spun, weaving past a group of delinquents.
"Watch it, you!" one exclaimed, pushing their fist forward to accompany their provocation.
On the other hand, the man in close pursuit slowed their pace, hand to their upper chest. "Wait-hahh... don't take... my-hahh... stuff!"
His eyes followed the kid's right arm, specifically the long object protruding beneath it. It was a carrot, large and enriched with the Way. More than enough to feed a family of five.
The kid snickered, tongue out as they continued down the narrow alleyway. "Then stop me! Or are you too exhausted, fatso?" Their taunting was followed by a provocative middle finger in the air.
"Why, you...!" the man gasped out, finally taking the time to stop in his tracks.
Finally, the kid had cleared themselves of the guy behind them. Again, they weaved past any number of food stands, clothing, and furniture. Each time, there was a heated curse thrown at them.
But they didn't care.
"La dee da! My, does it feel good to be alive--"
Thud!
Like solid steel, their speedy gait was halted by a sudden wall. Or, rather, person.
On the ground and barely recovering from the impact, they looked up to three hulking figures. Each adorning long, black plates of steel that formed a coat of armor. The only thing missing were helmets.
And not a single one looked particularly happy.
"Wh-what's up guys..." the kid stuttered, shuffling the carrot beneath their shirt. "Woaoaoah!"
Without warning, one of the men grabbed the kid by their sleeve, his face surging with major disdain. "You're coming with us."
With a loud gulp, the kid looked around, ashamed of all the people watching. "What's this about...?"
"You're about to find out," he remarks, face stone-cold.
***
Thwam!
"Gwahhh!" The kid yelled, lodging into the dirt floor. Their cheek swelled with a monstrous violet, groveling in the ground from the forceful slap of a man.
The one who'd been chasing them before.
"See how you like it!" he yelled, picking them up by the collar before following up with another slap, this time on the opposite cheek. "All that running... yet look at you now. Let's see how these legs do you."
The man raised the kid up even higher, then reeled his left leg back. At first, the kid took it as a sign the beating would stop, but then...
Krrrkkkkk!
A sharp crackle could be felt as the man slammed his leg into the kid's--directly into their knee cap.
"Kyahhhhh!" the kid roared, eyes white with shock. Their limbs shook abhorrently, and yet, it was only moments later that they'd gone fully limp.
Without restraint the man dropped them to the ground, smirking at a job well done. Then he looked up, past the kid. "Thank you, you three," he said, aimed at the suited men.
"It's no problem, Mr. Arden. This is only the duty of us Kingsguard."
"Yes, consider this no favor of ours. Instead, continue your commerce with the District, and you will have paid us back in full."
Arden chuckled, almost laughably so. "Hah! Well, regardless, I feel indebted to you lot. You see, this boy's been sneaking food from my vendor for--"
"We know," one interrupted. "We... "see them" around quite often. If you come by here around noon on any random day, you're more likely to see them out here than not."
Arden looked around at the vast, open field of green. Most noticeably, the horizon came into view far before any forestation did.
This was the Outskirts.
"To think that kids like these can live in the 101st District freely. Makes you wonder how they ended up here," he mused to the lot, although none of them responded. "Perhaps a love child?"
"You'll see that the Tunnel has a wondrous way of choosing its most proximal inhabitants," one said, shaking his head. "But to think that this is allowed anywhere near the Tunnel's gates... I think that is deplorable, if nothing else."
"I heard that..." the kid retorted, pushing up from the ground.
"Hey, stay where you are!" Arden yelled, gripping his fists tight.
"No can do... I'm allergic to the grass..." the kid joked, smiling through the pain, although their amusement was discolored by the trail of red leaving their lips.
"That's it...!" Arden grit, throwing a wild punch in the kid's direction.
That was interrupted, however, by a torrent of dirt in between them, rushing forth from the ground.
His arm had been knocked off course, struggling to see past the wild earth.
"What the..." he paused, too confused to do anything.
That was even further strengthened by a shadowy figure, small yet unyielding. It stood in the midst of all the chaos, perhaps even reveling in it.
The three Kingsguard stationed themselves, one even reaching for the blade at their side.
Then, the dust cleared, and the thing became conspicuous.
A boy. Young, small, and equipped with no weapon, or garments outside of a ragged robe.
"You guys better stop picking on the helpless!" he ordered, pointing his finger at Arden. "Or you'll pay the price!"