Chapter 1- The City Of Hope
It was early in the morning. So much so that the sun had not risen from the horizon yet, but its light was already peeping at the world. The winter season has passed, so those cold mornings became less cold… Well, as warm as mornings in that land could be.
That year's winter had been brutal, unforgiving, and in some cases, deadly even. People remained confined within their houses, feeding off the supplies that they stored before the winter started. However, even then, this winter had caused so much more damage than many thought.
Feet of snow accumulated above the 'City Of Hope' and clogged all roads, even burying many houses under the heavy snow. However, that didn't stop people from living their lives. The snow was the last of their concerns, really.
However, aside from the fact that that day was the last day of winter, and that the city was finally going to see the warmth of the sun again, there was a far bigger event happening. One that this city hadn't seen in over 50 years.
That day, early in the morning, countless citizens gathered at the harbor, ready to witness history in the making.
"Rrrrrr, it's still so damn cold." One person said as they rubbed their shoulders. "When are the nobles arriving? I want to go back to sleep."
"Shut up and be patient, you fool. Do you not know how important this is?" Another citizen asked, hearing him speak.
"I know that this is the first time we're sending a ship out there in God knows how long." He replied.
"I heard this is the most ambitious expedition so far."
"Really?"
"Yeah, some rumors are circling that the nobles want to truly make it to the other side this time."
"Pfffft, what a load of nonsense. We all know there is no damn thing beyond the ocean. They are all a bunch of lunatics who have too much money and influence for their own good." One person scoffed with a disgusted look on his face. However, his comment only garnered a few glares and nothing else. "Arrogance has wrecked their brains and made them think death picks and chooses."
The expedition these people were talking about was the event. A massive ship is about to set out of the city of hope into the sea in search of the mythical 'other side' that they found in ancient books. A side that is said to be paradise, filled with riches, treasures, resources, and everything any heart would desire.
A world that is said to be only green and bright. A world unlike the one they're living in, grey, dead, cold, and harsh.
In the hundreds of years of the existence of the City of Hope, many ambitious people attempted this suicidal trip, and none ever came back. Pieces of those ships eventually drifted to the shores of the city, telling them the story these adventurers experienced.
With each failed expedition, and as the number of casualties started piling up, people started losing hope of ever finding the 'other side'. For them, the city of hope and this piece of land they were living on was the only place in this world.
So, for an entire 50 years, the expeditions stopped, and people eventually forgot about it completely. This was their world… Their entire world, and they had long accepted it.
Then… On a random day a few years ago, the king of the city, Theodorix, announced that a new expedition would be sent out to explore the Wicked Sea to find the other side. At first, the reaction was skeptical and negative. So what? You're sending more and more bodies for the sea to swallow.
However, this one was rather special. The reason for that was simple… They were far more prepared than ever before, and some of the strongest warriors were going to leave with this ship.
"I will never understand how these nobles are ready to risk their lives for something as meaningless as this." One person muttered.
The feelings were, as expected, quite mixed about this. Some were hopeful, some were against it, and some tried to understand the reasoning behind it, or to be more precise, tried to weigh the pros and cons.
In reality, the past few years had been quite harsh on the city of hope. The weather had become even more brutal than before; the winters were way colder, and the summers were way hotter. That naturally heavily affected their crops and cattle.
The food supply was decreasing every year, and the diseases and deaths increased due to the sharp change in weather. It was an open secret that their land was becoming more and more uninhabitable with every passing year.
It was a matter of time before their demise. So, even though many refuse to accept it, finding a better place to live was way more important than ever before.
"Move, you lousy bastards!"
*WHIP*
As the citizens watched, they suddenly heard a yell behind them. Turning around, they saw a group of men clad in heavy armor holding whips in their hands walk toward them. Behind these men was a huge group of wretched people.
They looked weak, thin, tired, and miserable. Their bodies were covered in bruises, dried blood, dirt, and scars. Their clothes were old and torn, as thin as paper, so they didn't protect them from the cold. Their feet and hands were as blue as the sea before them.
These people were shackled with thick iron shackles, tying into one another to create a long and straight line.
"If I see any of you stop, I will personally make sure to behead them!" A man yelled as he whipped one of the men he saw slow down.
"Disgusting…" One person muttered. "Here they come."
The looks of curiosity turned into disgust and repulsion at the sight of these shackled people.
"At least knowing these disgusting criminals will get a taste of their own medicine."
"Rot in hell!"
"Leave our city!!"
"Die!"
The cries of anger loudened as the citizens started throwing rocks and other things at these prisoners as they walked through the street, their heads hanging low. Rocks hit their body, making them stumble, only to be whipped back into the line.
The closer they got to the harbor, the louder the sounds became. They were cursed, insulted, and belittled. But nobody dared to look up. They could barely even focus on walking, let alone on the profanity being thrown at them.
Among the hundreds or even thousands of prisoners, there was one particular prisoner who stood out. The reason for that was simple… While almost every other prisoner was an older man or woman, this one was young… Barely a young man.
His black, dirty hair covered half of his face. His frail body shook from the cold weather, and his lips quivered unintentionally.
One of the rocks thrown at the prisoners hit him square in the head, making him drop his head down as he winced in pain. Then, a few drops of blood dripped down his face as he stood up and looked at the person who threw that rock.
His eyes were exhausted, barely open, yet the cold, apathetic look within them sent a chill down the man's spine and made him hesitate for some reason.
"What the hell is wrong with that kid?" He muttered. "Go to hell!!!"
The cursed parade eventually came to a halt at the end of the harbor as the prisoners were lined up before the large vessel. The ship that will carry the expedition… Serenity Of The Sea.
The largest ship ever built and the most advanced. It was incredibly large, so much so that standing in the middle of it, one couldn't see the end of it on either side. It was built out of a strong alloy, metal, and hardwood, giving it immense defensive layers.
It had several large engines that could make it travel thousands of miles with ease. Not to mention all the facilities built within it for the pleasure of the nobles traveling aboard it.
Slowly, the stairs descended from the top of the ship down to the harbor to allow the passengers to get on.
The boy stared at the ship with a blank expression, as if he were staring at nothing. Meanwhile, the prisoners all around him started reacting.
"Please…" One whispered with a hoarse voice. "Please… I don't want to die."
"..."
Then, as if something snapped within his head, he suddenly cried at the top of his lungs.
"PLEASE!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!! I'M INNOCENT! I NEVER KILLED THAT MAN!"
"Shut the hell up!"
*Whip*
The guards immediately whipped him violently, leaving deep marks on his skin as he groaned in pain. "Get on, you bastard!"
*Kick*
Shoving a leg into his back, the man stumbled forward before he finally bit his lip as tears formed in his eyes. Then, he started walking up the stairs, staring back every few seconds at the city and the citizens.
One by one, the prisoners got into the ship. Then, they were immediately led down the stairs into the darkness of the ship, going to the lowest floor. It was a big room, dark with only a single lamp in the middle.
There was no furniture, no beds, not even chairs to sit on… Just the cold floor and the walls.
They were then forced inside until the room was completely filled with them, and the door was closed and locked… Darkness took over their vision, and everything became hard to see.