Based on the themes 'Futuristic' and 'Conspiracy'
Genre: Sci-fi and romance. =)
This is one long chapter so bear with it XD
Prologue
Year 2078 A.D
Salen Village
Midnight
‘Daddy!
Daddy! Where are you?!’ Young Penelope screamed in the blazing fire, running
her hands in the air so that she could feel her father’s hands.
‘Penelope, I’m here!’ Kellen
Shawcross replied, barely able to see in the fierce fire blazing in their home.
Penelope grabbed hold of the hand
which held out to her tightly, not wanting to let it go no matter what
happened. The hand held hers tightly in
return.
‘Daddy, let’s get out of here now!’
Penelope screamed while searching for an exit. It was difficult for her to
search in this fire however, she immediately spotted one as she looked to her
left, an open doorway which led them out to the lounge from the kitchen. Her
father could not see well and it was about time he was going blind soon. It was
Penelope’s responsibility to lead the both of them out safely.
Kellen brushed off the fire which
caught on his sleeve and waved away the black thick smoke which surrounded
them.
‘This way!’ Penelope screamed as
she led her father out of the burning house to the open-aired compound.
Penelope puffed out air in and out urgently as she inspected around the burning
compound.
It did not take her long enough to
realised that their whole village, the village in which she grew up in was
destroyed. The houses were all burnt to an ash, only leaving a few remnants of
it. Most of the villagers died in the raid and the soldiers were still running
about, searching for remaining surviving villagers.
Penelope knew it was dangerous and
not safe. She urged her father to enter the house once again, hoping to stay
for a moment until the soldiers retreat but the moment she pulled her father
just one step, a laser shot through her father’s back, leaving him paralysed
and slumped to the earth ground. Penelope followed suite, not letting go of her
father’s right hand.
Devastation surged through her
insides, leaving her speechless by the sight of blood pooling around her
father. She knew the blood belongs to her father, the blood of miracles. That’s
what the Aspers often call it.
‘Penelope, listen to me. Look at
me.’ She could hear her father said weakly as he touched her left cheek with
his bloodied hand. Penelope obeyed him, tears already running down from her
eyes, dripping onto her father’s arm.
‘You must find this man, a man
with a moon birthmark near his left eye. He will lead you to the world of
Aspers and from there; you will be freed from this ugly world.’ Kellen said
weakly as he refrain the pain from his spine.
Penelope nodded vigorously, words
unable to escape from her lips.
‘Also, no matter what happens
after this, you must believe in Zachery. He will protect you no matter what
happens. You must protect the map as well. Don’t let anyone know about it.’
Penelope nodded vigorously again,
more tears dripped onto her father’s arm.
‘Promise me you will never give up
in life. Promise me you will keep moving ahead even after you find that man.’
Kellen fought the increasing pain as he spoke. It literally broke Penelope’s
heart to watch her father in that condition.
‘I will…father…I promise…’
Penelope sobbed, not holding back any of her tears. She knew she could not hold
them back.
Kellen smiled his last peaceful smile before
closing his eyes and his hand slipped away from Penelope’s cheek, dropping onto
the earth ground beside him. He was gone for eternity, Penelope realised.
Penelope did not fought back her
overflowing her tears and she finally burst out screaming as she called out to
her father who was lying on the ground beside her, he looks as if he was
sleeping. She knew she’d attract the soldiers’ attention but it was her father.
The only person who could care for her in her life, her only blood-relative and
the person she cherished the most.
Suddenly she heard a familiar
voice called out to her from nearby. The voice called out to her again and she
knew the voice must belong to Zachery Xaver Bishop.
Never leaving her father’s side,
she paced around until she saw the familiar figure of a boy, the boy whom she
loved.
He came running towards her
direction and stopped short, a few meters away from her because the smoke was
too thick and she could see him paced around as he called her name once again.
Just when she was about to call
out to him and knowing that she can’t through her sobs, she brought herself
together, calming herself down and that was when she noticed a soldier
approaching Zachery from behind. His sword held up high in the air, ready to
swing it down.
Not thinking, Penelope stood from
her kneeling position and lunged forward, pushing Zachery to her right with all
her might just in time when the sword came down and slashed her left feet near
her ankle. Penelope screamed in pain as the both of them dropped to the ground
with her on top of Zachery.
Her mind went blank at that moment, too
exhausted; too devastated from everything that happened. Blood oozed out from
the cut, the blood of miracles. She reminded herself.
She could hear Zachery calling
out to her urgently and then, she could hear voices approaching them, three
voices to be precise including Zachery’s. It was at that moment the world
around her went black, darkness surrounded her completely.
It was the day Penelope will
never forget, the day the Militia raided her village completely, leaving only
destruction.
It was that faithful day that determined
her life. What awaits her in the future, she’s yet to know and she was prepared
to face whatever befalls her the next time she opened her eyes.
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