SCAVENGERS: Blood Squad

CHAPTER TWO

Like splashed paint on a fogged canvas, clouds of orange milky blur occupied the skies. Even in a place like Parajunk, the sun always settled gloriously upon the waste landscape. Rays of dying light crawled over the vast broken windows of fallen structures like a creature casting shadows. At times likes these, this city gave off a moody vibe.

As the sun fell and darkness prowled the scenery, Ardy and Henri went up and out the sewers. Which was a good idea thought Henri. Still in awe, he also thought of the possibilities Ardy's abilities would allow. They would be an invisible pair, and scavenging will cost less effort.

"Thank heavens we beat them off, cause I'm really starving." Ardy commented in a tone familiar to Henri, his pal always had this bear-like appetite.

"Are you? You're always hungry Ardy." Henri tracked their way back, strolled around and picked up what was left of the goods they left behind before they sped into the chase.

Doing this job seemed to pay off, the Class S equipments were all worth 20 food tokens at least, and the person they stole it from deserved it. Emereleen Dunvall led the Dreary Grins, which was a gang of scavengers and raiders alike that occupied the areas in the West Regions of Parajunk. Rumors said that Emereleen or simply called 'E' in the slums, was the daughter of Elgran Dunvall, one of the most wanted savages of the Philon Islands.

Henri found a sackbag and filled it with their scraps, before the skies turn black they should head to the nearest trade post in the area. Being the sole breadwinner of his family, Henry desperately needed the food tokens.

Upon reaching a negotiation, Henri and Ardy divided their income, 13 food tokens for Henri since he needed more for his mom and little sister. The remaining 7 tokens were handed to Ardro, although it was his idea to operate the job, Ardy knows well enough that Riri needed to sustain his family. He reached out a palm and smiled, which Henri high-fived to show his gratefulness. It was his skill in negotiating barters, Henri has his ways of talking to the trader to earn more from his scraps.

The scrap equipment, armor and supplies they sell off comes from the raiders trash which in turn steals from the traders who passes vice versa the routes inside and outside Parajunk City. This system has been running long enough, ever since the city was abandoned, only Trade Posts remained in the areas and outskirts. Laws ceased to exist after the destruction of the city, but in certain islands outside Parajunk, the Sustaining Division still oversees the rehabilitation of many areas particular in places were survivor rates are high.

"Thanks bro, this will really help a lot." Henri kept the tokens in his leather pouch which he used to store authorization cards and identification papers.

The trade post they used just happened to be nearby the east location of Henri Incustodia's home, or as he calls it, Narrowbunk. A few blocks of walk from the trade post at the corner of St. Jonas St, you could stroll across it's greasy pavements of concrete with cracked veins corrupted by dirt and continue your way east. Behind depressed ruins of concrete were crystal-like minerals studied and researched by the Sustaining Division, based from the Phase-1 records, it was called Melanchol. The scientists of the Division observed that when human flesh is within the close range of a shard of Melanchi, radiation produced by the mineral will genetically re-associate your genes into its pure form. Upon reaching it's pure form, the reassociation will reveal the inferior and superior bloodlines. It was rumored long ago that upon the Birth of Creation, our world was created by the Allseer, by his powers of knowledge and intricate spiritual knowing, his hands gave structure, flesh, function and bone to the inheritors of his glory for one sole purpose.

"Herald my land and possess these gifts
For these will be the tools

of a unity as leaves

and its roots as peace"

These gifts were the Bloodlines. People who were blessed by the Allseer for each vital function of the world's growth and protection. The first clan of Bloodlines were Salamiones. To enable wisdom and knowledge as the spring of life, the Salamione clan took the responsibility of keeping sorcering powers in check, developing and performing feats of magic known to humans. Their main role were keepers of wisdom. The Salamiones were the principal bloodline who collaborated with the Allseer to develop the architecture and function of the other three recorded bloodlines.

Since the world flourished, the structures and engineering were built by the people of Laisonn in cooperation with the Takbilisan bloodline. Gifted by the Allseer, the Laisonn clan was blessed with the mighty capability of inhuman strength and robust limbs, in order to assist for the construction of mass structures and contraptions for the development of human life which was the duty of Salamiones.

The Takbilisan clan was chosen specifically for the maintanance of the world's resources and supplies, bearing undefeated speed, agility and stamina this bloodline were also known to have photographic memories. The Allseer seemed satisfied and impressed of the bounty and beautiful wonders made by his gifts, but not until the three bloodlines fought for authority of the world's lands. Destruction arose, and endless chaos ensued.

Witnessing this nature of humans, the Allseer assigned the fourth bloodline and named it Hagilan. In nature there will always be a catalyst to maintain order and balance into the systems where they fit in. This force became the target purpose of the Hagilan, to provide peace between all the bloodlines by making sure they are focused in their vital functions instead of letting envy and pride distract them. With this duty, the Allseer gave the Hagilan power over an entity's mind and its thoughts. No lies will be tolerated by a powerful Hagilan. By delving into a person's mind, the Hagilan would absorb memories and the emotions associated within them, therefore gaining access to their undying passions and ultimate desires.

Not expecting an another addition to the existing bloodlines, the Salamione took it as an insult from the Allseer because it never sought the clan's opinion on the creation of a new bloodline. Since then the Salamione always hated the Hagilan, until it grew to the point of extreme jealousy of their authority. They took law into their own hands and took advantage of their prowess in the fields of magic and mystic sorcery. Great leaders of Salamione territories were full of anger, when the Hagilan took observation and stood firm in opposing their beliefs on laws and regulations of magic. The two bloodlines boiled on the heat of arguments and issues, until the murder of a Hagilan high officer resulted into an all out war between the sorcerers of Salamione and the guards of Hagilan.

Infuriation possessed the Allseer, the rivalry and intolerable chaos brought by the two clans resulted damage to his creations and to the other neutral bloodlines. People were killed by dark spells of Salamione wizards, which only pushed the Hagilan headguards into rage and went on to produce mentally distraught Salamione victims. The Allseer took control of the uprising situation between the two, and with obvious fury he brought words of roaring lightning into the ears of both parties.

"I WILL NOT GO ONE AND WITNESS THIS UNABASHED BUSINESS OF YOU TWO BLOODLINES!" A fork of blasting thunder boomed.

"I HAVE ASCENDED INTO JUDGEMENT AND IT WILL BE FINAL! A DECISION WILL BE MADE TO KEEP ALL OF YOU FROM ABUSING MY GIFTS!"

There was murmur of fear and collective chattering of scared comments that seeped from both clans. The Allseer's rage shook them and their hearts became objects of afraid terror. He wasn't called the Allseer for nothing.

"ALL GIFTS THAT I HAVE ENDOWED YOU WITH WILL BE RETREATED INTO MY OWN POWER, THE SALAMIONE WILL BE STRIPPED OF MAGICAL FORCES, AS THE HAGILAN WILL BE BANISHED OF THEIR RIGHTS INTO FUSING WITH ANOTHER'S MIND. THE LAISONN WILL BE FUTILE AND LEFT WITH ONLY WEAKNESS, WHILE THE TAKBILISAN WILL RECOGINZE AN EXISTENCE WITHOUT VIGOROUS SPEED AND AGILITY!"

As if the skies were in sync with the Allseer's growing anger, patches of heavy storm clouds made the once bright day into an endless black night. Few golden tongues of lightning adorned the horizon, leaving only a white blinding light.

"UNTIL YOU HUMANS WILL FOCUS ON THE FUNCTIONS AND SOLE PURPOSES I HAVE ASSIGNED ALL OF YOU INTO, THERE WILL BE NO GIFTS OF POWER AND GLORY. I WILL LEAVE ALL OF YOU INTO YOUR OWN DEVICES AS YOU WILL BEAR THE STRUGGLE OF LIVING DAY BY DAY. MY CHOICE IS INALTERABLE!"

Just like that, the booming voice of the Allseer broke into deafening silence, and the human race became a species of regular meat and bones without extraordinary skills nor wisdom. Ever since, the people DID live in struggle for survival and power.