8:33 AM, 16th of December, 1728.
Stars fell from the heavens, landing upon the Earth and bringing with them havoc and corruption. All sense of security had shattered as the sky fell apart. A bestial roar echoed in the distance, followed by a single loud crack, signifying the end of everything that had meaning.
Alexander woke with a start, gasping for air as if it had been stolen from him. His back was drenched in sweat, and his heart was racing, a deep pain resonating within it. He slowly got out of bed, staring up at the ceiling of his room as he caught his breath. The same nightmare had been tormenting him for nearly a year, with greater severity and frequency as time went on. As of now, it was nearly every single night in which he would be shown the same dream, identical to the others in every minute detail. Alexander believed the nightmare to be some part of his Authority, which warned him about the outcome of the choices he made, though the feelings were vague and inconsistent at best.
After calming his nerves, Alexander got dressed in a dark suit and admired in the mirror the height he had recently gained, leaving him slightly taller than the average man. He had just turned seventeen and would be Blessed by God in only five days. As he was busy looking at himself in the mirror, he heard his mother shout from outside his room.
"Hurry down for breakfast, Alex!" He quickly checked his pocket watch, not having realized how late it already was. Alexander hurried out of his room and down the stairs. He could absolutely not be late for the funeral.
"I'm just going to skip breakfast; I can't be late." Alexander hugged his mother and frantically put on his nicest pair of shoes.
Just before walking out, a small feeling rose within his chest, reminding him to grab his overcoat due to the cold weather. The weather may be artificial, but it was about as real as it could get. As Alexander ran to the park where the funeral would be held, he ruminated over how lucky he and everyone he cared about were to be alive. The dome that protected their city, created by Order to keep out the unimaginable horrors of the outside world, was so grand it could truly only be created by God. The water droplets layering the top of it glistened in the morning sun, creating what might be the most breathtaking sight Alexander had ever seen.
As he neared the park, he slowed down his pace to a walk, looking down to check his pocket watch again. Only ten minutes remained until the funeral would commence. Glancing up at the gathering, he changed his mind on what the most breathtaking sight might be. Standing closest to him was Aisha, facing away from him and wearing a simple black dress that complemented her long, dark hair and pale skin. Of course, Alexander would never mention what he thought of her looks at a time like this; it was her own mother's funeral, after all. She was talking to her uncle, Jensen, who also happened to be one of the few peace officers in their small town. He stood very tall, with a rather lengthy build, blond hair, and brown eyes. The peace officers didn't need to do very much enforcing and were more of a formality than anything else, usually assisting in only petty affairs.
Just as he was about to join the conversation, Aisha ran off, wiping tears from her eyes and seemingly unaware of Alexander walking up behind her. He was going to call out to her, but quickly changed his mind, thinking she might want some space.
"What'd you say to have her run off like that?" Alexander said in a slightly confrontational tone.
He didn't know Jensen on a personal level, only seeing him either on the streets patrolling or when they both happened to be visiting Aisha at the same time, leaving him unsure if he would have said something so hurtful as to have her run off.
Jensen turned to look at him, looking a little confused. "I honestly have no idea; I only mentioned how beautiful the plants are this morning."
While thinking Jensen might be a little dense, Alexander understood what led to Aisha running off and decided to go find her. Without saying another word to Jensen, he headed towards the trees he had seen Aisha disappear behind. Jensen yelled after him, questioning what might've been the problem, but Alexander paid him no mind.
The oak trees were full of life, the leaves a beautiful green in spite of the frigid weather. The state of the trees was only possible due to Aisha's late mother's Authority, which gave her control over the life cycle of plants. She was assigned to the upkeep of plant life all over the city, but this park was her greatest achievement. It was truly flawless, the plants in a permanent prime. As Alexander continued his walk into the grove, he noticed a single leaf fall from a tree out of the corner of his eye. Her Authority had slowly been wearing off in the week since her death, and soon enough, the entire city would look like winter had taken over, all plant life wilting and dying off until spring came. Her Authority was not a necessity due to weather still existing under the dome, but it was greatly valued by everyone for the aesthetic it provided.
A sudden stifled scream broke Alexander out of his thoughts, coming from nearby, only hidden by a small but dense growth of plants. He hastened his pace and quickly rounded the brush, finding Aisha crouched down, again facing away from him, and cradling something blocked by the view of her body in her hands.
"Are you alright? I heard you yelp and thought you might've been hurt."
She looked over her shoulder at him and gave a big smile, her eyes red and damp, yet no longer crying. "Yeah, I was just startled. I almost stepped on this little bird!" She turned her body and displayed the fledgling cradled in her palms. It was unconscious, and its breathing was rapid, with multiple parts of its body bent at almost impossible angles.
Meeting her in her crouched position, Alexander extended his hand and pointed at the bird. "You sure you didn't step on it? It looks like it tried to survive outside the dome or something."
Pointing up at a large tree that the overgrowth surrounded, Aisha responded, "I think it probably fell from its nest up there, poor thing, but here, let me try something."
Alexander, under normal circumstances, would have already recommended bringing the bird to the town's Doctor. But the funeral had likely already commenced, and they couldn't be much later than they already were. The best thing they could do right now was leave the bird to die, as grim as it sounded.
Aisha changed her position from crouching to sitting on her knees, the bird still cupped in her hands. A sudden warmth seemed to emanate from her entire being, and Alexander watched in awe as the fledgling's condition seemed to rapidly improve. The bones that were previously bent at near-impossible angles quickly restored themselves to their intended positions. The laborious breathing became slower and steadier, and even the dark blood matting its feathers seemed to regain its vibrant color, receding back into the unseen wound it had come from. The bird suddenly awoke, pecked at Aisha's finger, and flew away, as if interrupted from a nice nap it was having. Before either of them could take offense, even the wound the bird had left on Aisha's finger had healed.
Looking off in the direction the bird had flown, Alexander spoke, obvious shock and confusion lacing his voice, "What did you just do? Last time I checked, that's not what your Authority does…"
"Honestly, I have no idea. After my mom died, I just-" She paused for a moment, seeming to think it over. "Felt like I could do it?"
It made absolutely no sense; everyone knew there was no changing your Authority, you were simply born with it. At most, one could become more familiar and adept at using their Authority after years of practicing with it and coming to understand it more. Aisha's Authority let her always be in good health, never becoming sick, and healing moderately faster than others, but nothing on the level she had just demonstrated. It was simply impossible.