The land was quiet after the attack. Not because it was peaceful, but because the terror had spread silence all across the world. It felt like the world itself was holding its breath. Smoke rose from faraway hills. The light was dim and the cracks were expanding rapidly as if they would devour the sky.
Survivors walked in a caravan, each step heavy as they moved through the route covered with blood and corpses. Children held the hands of strangers, tears in their eyes. Elderly people walked with the support of sticks. People cried for their loved ones, some in silence, while others screamed.
Some looked at the sky, hoping it would return to normal. While others looked at the ground, grief in their eyes. But no one had the energy to speak.
Kaen walked in the center of the group. His right leg hurt with each step, even though he had tied his shirt around the wound. Riku walked beside him, holding his arm, her movement shaky, moving back and forth whenever she remembered his parents.
Behind them, Darren walked, wiping his tears, a piece of cloth tied around his hand to stop the bleeding.
Draxion walked at the back, holding his books, protecting them as if they were something alive that he needed to guard.
Ryn walked at the front leading the caravan, his legs shaking with each step. Light glowed from beneath the bandages, marks spreading across his body at a rapid speed.
Kaen tried to help him earlier but he refused saying
"I'm fine. Walk with the others."
The healer had said it clearly
Solar contamination.
He won't survive for long.
Kaen refused to believe it.
They walked for hours, maybe four, maybe eight, across the barren land. There was no sun. The light was dim so it was hard to tell what time it was, and glowing cracks spread across the sky.
One child fell unconscious, and a stranger helped him by giving him the last sip of water he had.
The caravan kept moving ahead because there was nowhere else to go.
Until someone from the front line screamed,
"Look there..."
People whispered, lifted their faces, and moved their eyes toward the direction the villager screamed. The injured tried to get up and look at it.
They saw a massive, tall stone-like shape.
At first, Kaen thought it was a mountain, but as he moved ahead, the shape became clear. They were huge walls.
Stone walls.
Eldoria.
A city built by people long ago to withstand natural calamities.
Kaen had heard stories about it when he was small.
A city protected with a huge wall, a metal gate, and tall watchtowers.
A place where children are trained as soldiers from a young age.
The walls are so massive and tall that even a fractured beast couldn't cross or destroy them.
The caravan slowed down as they reached the front gate.The gate was already open, guarded by a group of soldiers. Their armour had scratches and dents. Sword near their waist.
A soldier stepped forward, holding a scanning device.
"Everyone stop right there
No one enters without inspection
Solar contamination is dangerous, we can't let you enter the city and put other people's lives at risk."
People were tense.
The guards moved forward. They checked each Survivor one by one, scanning their neck, arms, and chests. Anyone with glowing marks or abnormal body temperature was turned away.
"Next."
"Next."
"Step forward."
A woman begged to let her enter, her daughter holding her arms, crying.
The soldier separated them and turned the mother away.
An elderly man tried to hide his mark, but the soldier found him and was forced to leave.
Kaen felt a cold chill running down his spine. Sweat on his hand and face. His heart pounded rapidly.
Riku, Darren, and Draxion watched him from the other side. They all passed through the device.
The guard moved the scanner towards Kaen.
A blue light flickered on the device.
Kaen held his breath.
The device beeped and stayed blue.
Kaen took a deep breath, his legs trembled, but he moved forward.
The guard nodded his head.
"Move forward.
Next."
It was Ryn's turn.
The one who fought the solar beast, putting his own life at risk, bought them enough time to escape. carried children on his back.
The man who didn't sleep for 2 days so that he could protect the people.
Everyone's face was tensed as they knew the risk of fighting a solar beast
"He must have been contaminated fighting the beast," someone whispered.
The scanner moved near his chest.
Kaen felt fear rise in his body.
What if the light turns red?
What if Ryn was taken away?
The scanner moved slowly over Ryn. Kaen thought he saw something glow under Ryn's skin, a faint light
The device flickered.
A blue light glowed.
The guard tapped the device and tried again, but still it glowed blue.
"This is strange... the reading is not accurate it keeps fluctuating," the guard muttered.
Ryn stood still, sweat across his face. He didn't argue.
"I brought these people here," he said softly. "If you want, I can stay here, do any tests you want, but let the people in.
If I am dangerous, I won't step in."
The commander moved forward.
"This is an exceptional case, Move him to the medical examination center and take necessary measures.
If the mark glows, you would be turned away.
Ryn nodded yes.
"Let him in," the commander said and turned away.
A moment of relief spread across everyone's face.
After checking for hours, the guards said, "You may enter inside."
Anyone with contamination was still held aside.
Kaen walked toward Ryn, but guards stopped him.
"You are not allowed to meet him."
Kaen wanted to meet him.
Riku pulled his arm.
"You should not fight them.
If you rebel, they might take strict action against you."
"We are not leaving you.
You saved us "Kaen whispered.
Ryn looked at him and gave him a gentle smile.
The guards moved Ryn to the medical
examination center.
Kaen and the other entered inside the gate.
They saw stone buildings that were quite strong even for a fracture beast to destroy them.
The whole village was guarded by soldiers. A huge watch tower from where they could see their enemies.
Soldiers training, people working in the fields, children playing peacefully in the streets.
A bright blue crystal stone glowed in the heart of the city, spreading its light all across the village, protecting it from the solar beasts.
It is said that the crystal belongs to the first solar fracture.
But what Kaen remembered after entering the walls was his village, the one from where they had come.
His house, his parents, the rivers, the mountains
All that he loved was left behind.
Kaen noticed the way people looked at them, their torn clothes, tired faces, and bandages on wounds.
They called them refugees.
The people hated them.
Still, the guard guided them to the refugee section. They were taken to the village outskirts.
They were given a huge hall, an old training building.
The places were covered in dust, windows were cracked, and spider webs.
But the people didn't complain.
People dropped their bags, sat on the floor, and clung to their loved ones. Some cried softly. Others prayed.
They were tired, they hadn't had food for the past two days.
Kaen sat down near a window and stretched his injured leg. The bandages were covered in blood.
Riku sat beside him.
"We should get that checked."
Riku touched his shoulder gently.
"You did well today… keeping everyone together."
Kaen shook his head.
"I didn't do anything."
It was Captain Ryn who saved us.
"You survived. That's enough for me"
Darren and Draxion sat beside them, watching the sky.
Darren said, "These people hate us. Then why did they allow us to enter?"
Draxion said, "Maybe because of higher officials."
A loud bell rang outside.
People went out to check. It was the guards.
"Stay here for tonight.
Tomorrow you all will be assessed again."
Darren became angry.
"Great… more tests."
Draxion, reading his book, said, "At least they didn't abandon us like other villages."
"Darren, cool," Riku said.
Night fell over Eldoria.
People fell asleep.
Lanterns lit up all across the village. soldiers patrolled the village with mechanical birds that flew across the village, giving them control all over everything.
Kaen stepped outside the hall for some air.
He sat beside a wall.
A soft voice spoke beside her.
"Are you scared?"
Kaen turned. It was a small girl, maybe four years old. She hugged her blanket tightly.
"Yes, I guess so.
What are you doing outside this late night?
Where is your mother?"
The girl began to cry.
"She is no more… she protected me with her life."
"I am sorry about that."
After a while, she moved inside the hall.
Kaen sat there looking at the sky.
"This time I will not run. Even if my life is at risk, I will protect those who believe in me."
He clenched his fist, flames burning in his eyes.