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Chapter One

With the eyes of a wolf, the speed of a cheetah, the stealth of an assassin and the looks of a hungry soul waiting to devour its prey. Searching for food in a place where savages lay. Fighting for every piece of food they get like their souls never were satisfied with what they had. Wearing a cloak never protected him from the people watching him like hawks never leaving his gaze. Unable to run but just walk forward not looking back to the mess which lay of bones scattered everywhere of meat, stems and leaves of veggies and peels of fruits. He knew better not to mess with savages with souls that were hungry. Plus, they weren't human anymore with an illness ravaging through the mainlands and the walls imprisoned them. No one could escape even if they climbed the walls. With their hands and their nails scraping against the stone walls making it bloody. They would die with the illness spreading into their veins completely once they reached halfway with their bodies shriveled like a dead zombie but rather barely breathing.

Only some were immune like Lithion but sadly the majority were not immune like his younger brother Noah. Racing against time trying to find a cure before it could wipe out 90% of the population of the mainland. Only 10% would remain to tell the tale, seeing that only 5% will choose to live while the others will mourn for their lost ones and die eventually not eating and sleeping.

This is how the story always goes well for Lithion since he hasn't seen the sun cast its shadow over the mainlands in what seems like an eternity. Life used to flourish in the mainland, now the person who got first infected is nowhere to be found, while those who are immune to this illness search everywhere where their hands can reach to find that person in hopes of a cure. Giving up on hope in this broken world where the sun does not shine anymore but the darkness looms in every corner possible.

With nowhere to go but walk towards a shop cloaked in the darkness deceiving the human eye since it is small but really it is big once you enter inside. Everything but the antidote was there as if the illness wanted Noah and thousands dead. With their beady eyes looking at the shelves hosting many food, water and necessary necessities in life. Trembling hands as they slant their hand aimed towards the top shelf reaching for food knowing that in the mainlands food was hard to get. Hiding stuff in the cloak seemed reasonable but how many times before he would get caught and stripped down from head to toe. Lithion grabs the food after paying the store owner with a few coins and glides across the town like the wind takes an assassin in the night cloaked in darkness. Taking every step with caution before stumbling across a broken old age cottage. Knocking on the door abruptly answered by a pale looking young boy no more than the solid age of 13 with red eyes and black bags underneath their sore eyes. Barely smiling, they step aside as slowly as an injured person before Lithion enters.

"Brother, I told you to not bring me food since you know what the savages will do to you if they find you treating an ill person like me."

With a tone so calm but their body failing on them for a few days. Also, their eyes do not shine anymore but are replaced with the souls of a ghost lurking on the inside. Tilting his head as he looks at his older brother, with his cold icy hands touching his brother's cheeks wiping the tears trickling down his cheeks which used to be soft but now have roughen over negligence.

"Lithion I want you to promise me that you'll take care of yourself as well instead of just protecting others and trying to save them from an illness with no cure."

Lithion lifts his gaze and with his dull grey eyes stares at his brother who used to laugh, smile and be able to do anything he possibly could do. But now his legs lay limp dragging him to the ground but only his wheelchair keeps him operating before his arms will become jelly.

"How could you be happy when you're dying, Noah!!!"

Yelling at the top of his lungs fearing fumes will come out of their ears making their ears go red like a tomato.

"Brother it is not who I used to be since I've changed over time caring about others than myself. Remember that there are others out there dying, not knowing someday that I may die like them so I am happy, happy that I can spend time with you and happy that I've lived this long so please stop caring about me."

With his voice hoarse his hair falls in front of his ghostly eyes as he continues to speak more. In order to move the hair from his eyes, he uses his delicate hands to complete the task of letting him be able to see freely with no abruptions. With eyes that used to be pure white now red like the solar eclipse, with hair that used to be luxurious now rough with edges that are stiff, a body which was fit and now is barely holding up together.

"Lithion, do you remember how things used to be different?"

"Promise me Lithion that you'll be happy when I am gone up there to stay with Mum and Dad."

Slamming his rough and bruised hands against the table he knocked over the delicate cutlery which once stood on the table now falling onto the floor making a clank, thump and crash noise. Ringing in the ears a few seconds even after it has dropped, Lithion scrunches his palm up to form a fist and looks up at Noah with eyes that he has never used before filled with a type of rage igniting like an inferno.

"Never ever say that ever again Noah since you are not gonna die."

Little did he know that looking in the eyes of his brother that death was not inevitable, but it was predicted, and that Noah was the key to the madness ending. If he found out through the words of a barely living soul or through his brother's soul who is sulking.  

TO BE CONTINUED .....