2 The City of Rambruck, Nero Valstine

It's been roughly 50 years since the 'Great Shift' had occurred on Earth, ever since that rumored day so long ago hardly recallable by those even in that year. No one even bothered to overthink things after years of being fed false information, as life had continued as the norm. Well, mostly norm, for if one investigated the sky of any city, in any sector of the world, they would see a giant golden ring that had enveloped a fraction of the sky. It shone in a mysterious ray and gave those who look at it a feeling of wonder and uniqueness; most even took it to be a sign of good things for the present and future.

Ever since that day, years ago, the world had changed in a way that science couldn't even describe as time had normalized for the entire planet, with every continent now merged into one super large landmass. Night and day were now the same everywhere, and with everyone collected into one place, all major powers could only conform to one major government being the United Earth Government, or for short, UEG.

Because of this merger, with the unity of human beings, since and technology that had been seeing slow signs of progression could finally show leaps and astounding breakthroughs. More and more geniuses came together and collected their thoughts, analyzing the unknown to make practical advancements to society.

It didn't take long for humankind to expand to other nearer planets such a Mars, building nearby space bases, and other things. While most found it to be incredible, many believed that these advancements came from the strange ring that hovered above their planet. Yet, as the media always influenced the majority's opinion, they were quickly drowned quietly over time.

What of those special chosen amongst humans rumored to have appeared in the remote past? Beings with special abilities and unique gifts along with various stories of another, more peculiar world. No one knows, in fact, no one even remembered…

***

United Earth Calendar, 2070, Rambruck District.

Rambruck District was a common area within the Levier Sector on the Earth Continent, a region governed by the Levier Family, which elected as head by the governing body of the municipality. It was home to tens of millions of lives with more than five major cities, many different rural areas in its domain.

Rambruck City was its most bustling metropolis of the entire district, filled with concrete for miles with towering buildings and skyscrapers for as far as one could see. Although the era was off into the future, one could notice that there were no such things as flying cars. Rather, there were electric vehicles that drove across the highways, each of a sleek, angular design as some of them carried similarities to old models for the past age.

Some people walked about their own business; some dressed in formal wear, others more loosely and freely with few individuals covered in trendy expensive wears with bright, happy, positive, and even spoiled expressions on their faces. They walked by various towering signs that floated in the sky by drones, with others placed on buildings, some even advertising video games, commercial products, and other things.

Yet, while though this city seemed bright and full of promise like most would present themselves, much like all others that existed in any Era, they had their dark sides.

In the darker regions of Rambruck, a sector known as the Gutter Zone, the smelly scent of the drains wafted through the streets, trash tossed about everywhere as shabby-looking individuals dressed in dirty, worn-out clothing ruffled back and forth almost like zombies.

Some of them sat down with empty liquor bottles, seemingly unfazed by the scent as they slumped over in drunkness to forget their life's torments.

Even what used to be beautiful women, had dark shades under their eyes, with their lips dried, dressed in scanty clothes at various corners with their hair like a mess, and suspicious stains on their bodies. They gazed towards the far-off dividing wall of the Gutter Zone from the Prominent Sector, guarded by stern-looking militia with an emblem of an 'RM' on their right chest and high-powered weapons in their hands.

These soldiers were a part of the Rambruck Military, positioned here to keep the order between those deemed as 'Gutter Trash' from ordinary civilians. The only exception of those who could venture beyond the wall were those with exceptional children—youths who had gotten scholarships for schools within the Prominent Sector.

Currently, the sounds of a beaten-down engine were heard from the distance, causing not only the soldiers but some of the locals behind the wall to look forward. There, they saw an old school bus slowly throttling its way from a far off-street, as it drove it shook from side to side as if at any moment it could break down.

The soldiers looked like they wanted to laugh, but they were well trained, capable of holding it without breaking their facial expressions. Not long after, the school bus arrived at the checkpoint, and the door open after struggling for a moment.

Soon, a fragile-looking 15-year-old youth began making his way out of this bus; his back was hunched as he held his backpack in his arms like it was his life.

Taking a closer look at him, one would notice that while his face was a bit chiseled despite a young age, he wore thick glasses over his strange red eyes, and had unwashed silver hair, including a torn T-Shirt and Jeans with stains of paint over it.

Right as he was about to make the final step downwards, the faces of the dirty, fat middle-aged bus driver, along with the soldiers, changed to that of a sneering look.

"Hey, Gutter Trash!" As if on cue loud and boisterous voice sounded from behind the youth followed by the appearance of a much large young man, muscular and fat, with a black jacket over his white T-Shirt with 'I am the King' written on it in red. He had short black hair, a plump face, and savage-looking sunken eyes.

The young man hearing this sighed as he turned around knowing full well what would happen if he didn't, he stared at the giant behind him with a look that didn't show fear but only tiredness. If one paid even more attention to him, they would notice that he elevated the backpack a bit, holding it in a safer posture.

"What do you want, Benson?" The silver-haired young man asked in an apathetic tone.

"Ho, you've got guts to say my name like that, this is the first! I always didn't like you, Nero. You know how it goes, we've arrived at the 'Dividing Line,' and there's only one way to send off trash..." Benson said as he cracked his knuckles.

The others on the bus looked at this scene with laughter as they spoke; only a few remained silent, staring at Nero with hints of pity on their faces.

Nero had grown numb to the years of pain, though this was bad, it was nothing compared to what he grew up facing.

Benson knew Nero's character well, so he didn't waste time, he grabbed him tightly and raised him to his chest, showing a great deal of power for a 15-year-old before he tossed him as hard as he could over the checkpoint.

With a smack, Nero fell on the ground about a meter or so a distance away from the bus, with his bag held behind him to mitigate the damage. Benson laughed and spoke, "Haha, I'm getting better, see you later, trash!"

Following his words, a few more Gutter Folks, exited the bus before it drove off once more, leaving behind the somewhat excited guards that spoke to themselves while letting the other students pass.

"That kid is getting stronger by the month, he managed to toss that brat by a meter, you don't think he's..." One of the guards was about to say something, but before he could finish, the other soldier grew serious and spoke.

"Idiot, watch your words; you know that those are only rumors, nothing else. Besides, it can get you in trouble these days I hear, if you keep spouting nonsense like those fools, who knows where you'll end up."

The other soldier's face turned a bit pale as he hurriedly nodded and spoke, "Haha, you're right, my bad-my bad, I'll keep my mind from straying to those old fantasies."

The other soldier gave him a look again as he spoke, "You better."

At this time, Nero had already picked himself up from the ground with great efficiency, the blood that flowed down his knees and elbows was ignored as if he didn't even feel the slightest pain. Looking at his expression, one would see a rich amount of coldness as his eyes were lifeless.

He took a step forward, ignoring everyone else as if they didn't exist. In his eyes, the world was gray, and before him, the only place with color was far off into the distance, a place that left a trail of smog visible only to his eyes that wafted to his nose, filling him with a tinge of vigor and purpose.

He walked for an extended period, bypassing the fierce-looking men that glared at him from the corners of the streets, and those that mocked his bloody appearance. After a good while, he arrived at a compound filled with uncut grass, a broken fence, and a small house.

Now arriving at the place filled with color, he walked up to the door and gave it a knock a few times before his lifeless eyes shone with color once more and a bright, cheerful smile came on his face as he spoke, "Mother, I'm home..."

****

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