Who We Are

Prologue

My legs hurt and my throat was burning from lack of oxygen. I could have sworn that my heart would've jumped out of my chest at that very moment. It would probably be for the best anyway. At least I wouldn't be cast into the Void, like the rumors said, or murdered brutally. 

I could hear their heavy footsteps behind me, people in black and silver coats. All of them wore the same silver cross on their chest. They were members of the Order. They were people that hunt Contractors or soon to be ones. 

The next problem is that I didn't even know why they were chasing me. I would never try to establish a contract. I never wanted to be a freak. And yet there I was, running for my life like I was one. 

"Hawthorne, freeze, or I will be forced to shoot!" 

I didn't stop though. I've seen this before. They would shoot at me if I was a moving target, but if I stopped it would have just been easier for them to hit something that wasn't vital. 

A gunshot echoed through the alley.

People say that right before you're about to die, you see a bright light. It's true, in a way... Everybody can catch a glimpse of it, but some -not many, just some- get to talk to it. Sometimes, it gives them a choice. You can just die and move on, or you can turn away, walk back into your body and continue to live. The only condition is that you have to make a contract with it and complete one task it gives you. Usually, you would also obtain some weird power and a mark, which would tell everybody whose property you are. 

It's not true. 

I never had a choice. 

Most people are aware of their abilities to form a contract (when they feel they're ready). Some of them use this only as last resort. 

I remember sitting in a bright room with no windows. A tall, human, male, looking figure was radiating all of that light. It was like its body was made of light and my head hurt if I looked directly at it for too long, except for the eyes. It's eyes were the darkest shade I have ever seen. Well... To be fair, one of them was covered by something. The one eye that I could see held a warning of what might happen to me, if I failed or turned down it's offer. Legend says those people are sent to a place where time doesn't exist and you are forced to roam around for eternity, with monsters who could tear you apart at any moment. 

I couldn't control my body, when it extended my arm and index finger, they just moved on their own. Inch by inch they got closer to the creature and the light was slowly disappearing. By the time we touched, there was only enough left to see it's dark, visible orb slowly closing.

I could feel the skin on my chest burning and I knew I was crying out in agony, but in that moment I couldn't hear anything.

And then, when the moment over, I felt the ground beneath me, sensed people surrounding me... I heard their screams... And then I saw red...