The Undercity. Built upon scraps, bonded with the lingering darkness of the people. This was the home of a young rebel – Si.
Si was a young male with sixteen years of life experience. Si had long tightly coiled hair which would seemingly glisten in sunlight matching his moonstone eyes. Despite his modelesque appearance, he wore a long t-shirt with its hem jagged with holes almost resembling a short dress. Paired alongside were ripped jeans barely held together by the seams with a singular bracelet (black beads with ivory lining resembling lightning in a storm) on his arm.
Si would regularly blaze through the market streets snagging anything and everything of use – from food to tech scraps. If he wanted it, he would have it. Due to this behaviour wherever Si trailed a furious herd was sure to follow. Dodging, weaving, sidestepping, it was as though his path was clear with no obstacles in his way. Once he had lost his companions Si would make his way back home.
Home was an orphan settlement rumoured to have a view of the heavens at its summit. Inside was separated into a multitude of layers each ruled by a 'Floor Master.' It was a lawless jungle ruled by power and status – strength was gained, strength was formless, strength was respected.
Wading through a sea of abandonment issues, Si made his way to his room. It was the size of a shoebox with barely enough to survive but to Si, this was his mini mansion which he filled with the trophies of his adventures. Today he had managed steal a week's supply food, broken gadgets with salvageable parts such as watches and phones and a few coppers and silver coins. Upon arrival and without fail, Si would always lay his possessions down, attempt to make something new to eat, sort his acquirements and tinker with the scraps before retiring to what he calls his bed. Before he would turn in for the night, Si always pulled out his parents' shrine (self-made at age six) offering prayers of appreciation and forgiveness.
From birth, it is taught that the night air is enchanted with the shadows being sent out and returning the inhabitants back to the darkness. While Si slept a mysterious figure moved towards him
In the frosty night air, under the moon's brilliance, within the towering orphanage, a figure shifted from door to door as though it was looking for something.
Gentle taps repeated upon Si's shoulders and in one fluid motion he awoke sweeping a bottle as he arose. "Kind Sir?" Si uttered to the intruder with is voice as soft as fresh wool – this was the usual way Si spoke to his elders as it is better to avoid conflict than to survive it. Kind Sir explained that he is here to escort Si to a New World, a world where hope and joy is commonplace. Si listened and each time Kind Sir spoke about the New World he could not help but envision him as a messiah sent by his parents – he had always hoped for this since he was younger.
At the end of Si's daydream, Kind Sir left him three precepts before taking Si away to the New World. They were:
Trust Noone but yourself. Strength is KING and it is gained by one's own skill. Learn from experiences, Grow from it – As long as you are alive there will always be a next time.
Upon leaving, Si packaged his parents' shrine ensuring its safety before leaving the orphan settlement. Once it was secure, he darted out with Kind Sir never turning back as his world faded into the dark of the night. From the rowdy market streets to the towering orphanage even the forbidden zones as they oozed with the stale stench of death. As Si stood at the boundary of his world a sense of nostalgia and pride filled his soul. It was not that would miss the place, but it was his homeland. However, he could not turn back not when he was this close.
"This is the Crossroads" Kind Sir exclaimed "and the road to the new world."
The Crossroads. It was a giant chasm spanning across an endless boundary. Within it where multiple bridges resembling a gothic story whilst keeping their unique shapes.
"Which road is ours?" Si asked as he looked at the various passers-by each occupying their own bridges with their numbers ranging from 2-3 no more, no less.
"This one," Kind Sir responded as he stepped into the void forming a path underneath. "Follow me closely."
After covering quite a distance, Kind Sir asks Si, "What was the first rule?"
"What was the first rule?" Si asked, his face scrunched up in confusion.
"Time's up" Kind Sir announced leaving almost no room to answer his question. In a practiced motion, Kind Sir severs the bridge plunging Si into the void.