章 2: Initium

Years passed, summer changed to fall as winter shifted to spring, continuing the beautiful circle of nature. Deep in a giant mountain range, a serene morning welcomed a new, dazzling future.

.....

Sounds of hustle and bustle broke out across the Cranny. Dirty and crowded was the best description for these early morning streets. Men and women with hunched shoulders, dirt covered fingernails that they have no time to wash, traveled in their fraying clothes that have not been replaced in years. Despite the beautiful sunny sky, it was just another normal day of hard labor for these slaves.

However, one family, tucked away in a hidden alley with a shabby, one room home, was welcoming one of its most blissful moments. That peaceful morning changed as a sharp cry filled with the sound of new life entered this world for the first time.

A woman, pale and covered in sweat, cradled her newborn young child with a tired smile. Interrupting this quiet scene of a loving mother and her baby, a young man laughed in his deep baritone like voice at the most inopportune time.

"Honey, look, it's a baby boy. Hahaha." It had a resounding quality that could comfort any listener. He could barely contain his happiness as he peered over his wife's shoulder.

"Raymond, stop! You're going to scare the child if you keep laughing that loud, " his wife spoke with a chiding voice. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black as she was yelling at him to stop shouting.

While his parents were revelling in the joy of having a son, the baby innocently surveyed this new environment. A few pieces of old furniture, a tiny stove, rusted beyond belief, and a dented bucket that was hidden behind a thin cloth, acted as a toilet.

Finding nothing of interest, the baby's inquisitive gaze flit across the cracked and flaking orange clay walls before settling on the roof. The loose, thatched roof that could barely block out the rain gently lit up the dark room with the early morning sunlight. Overall, it was the very definition of a poverty-stricken home.

However, the sun that shone through the only window in the house mesmerised the newborn child. Staring straight into that golden sun, majestically rising over the horizon, an immediate and inexplicable connection formed. That feeling of warmth and comfort was extremely similar to the people holding him. Squinting his eyes in a crescent, the baby smiled for the first time.

Those previously innocent eyes slowly morphed into a piercing, golden glow that seemed to grow in intensity. His gaze seemed to hold a power capable of burning the heavens and reversing the universe back to nothingness. And while this bright light continued to strengthen, to almost a blinding degree, time suddenly froze, leaving an eerily silent room and a baby that underwent a stunning transformation. Archaic golden runes illuminated the vicinity with a beautiful, intricate array that had an ancient feeling of antiquity that could rival sun itself. However, just as quick as those changes came about, they disappeared and left a much more intelligent light in the baby's eyes.

When Raymond finally looked back at the child his wife was holding, the dazzling sunlight shining down on him like a blessing from above, he said, "Angel, I think this child of ours is destined for great things in the future, I truly and deeply believe that!" Confused by why those words seemed to fit perfectly in that moment, Raymond just decided to attribute it to the favor from heavens.

Looking down at her cute and round baby, she slightly nodded and replied, "I just hope he can live a long and happy life." However, she immediately sighed afterward when thinking about their unfortunate circumstances.

Raymond understood her current feelings and gently embraced that thin, sickly figure with a soft look in his eyes. He too had a tinge of pain and despair that did not seem to fit with that large, muscular stature. After having lived in slavery for as long as he could remember, it slowly eroded the joys he had in life.

As the man of the house, he quickly regathered himself and said with some determination, "Don't worry honey, I have been talking with some close acquaintances and we might have an opportunity to escape soon. I just need you to believe in me. Please, for our child, y-you must hold on, okay?" Raymond was doing his best not to choke up at the end but his previous calm facade cracked as few tears slid down his cheek.

This sentence was spoken in such a quiet voice it was barely considered a whisper. That same sentence, though, echoed endless temptation in Angel's ears. A complicated expression formed, but she still did not acknowledge it as a possibility. While truly wishing for an opportunity to present itself, any sane person in the Blood Fiend mine gave up on that idea long ago.

All she could remember were those bloody, horrifying, and torturous executions carried out for all dissenters. After years of witnessing such events, it required an immense amount of courage to resist and still hope in the face of such forceful suppression. Slowly gathering her emotions and staring at the baby, she smiled thinly before changing the discussion. "Lets name the child Cyrus. He shall rise above the sky itself, unshackled and free, exactly like the sun on his day of birth."

With the family of three huddling together, a special air of tranquility left the surroundings in peace.

...

Deep in the pitch black starry sky, a man shrouded in darkness opened his eyes. Space trembled from the disturbance as those all-seeing eyes lit up the world in brilliance. Peering through void, he noticed the cause of this peculiar sensation.

A unique child was laughing happily in his small family of three on a faraway plane. As he took a closer glance, his aura rippled from the sense of familiarity. That previously cold, stern expression softened into a slight smile.

However, that subtle fluctuation created a disturbance in his surroundings. Chains hidden in the ether noisily rattled while emitting a bone chilling aura. Knowing what was coming next, he retracted his aura immediately while these chains pulled taut and a crimson glow coursed along their entire length like flowing blood.

His entire body, soon, erupted with unimaginable pain as he was suppressed and could only bear with the inhuman torture. Moments later, those bloody chains gradually disappeared like they were never there, leaving the old man panting lightly.

That profound look in his eyes never wavered, but to recuperate from the previous exertion, he settled down on this destitute, floating asteroid. Muttering under his breath, "Old friend, it seems like I still have some destiny with you."

...

As the years went by, Cyrus displayed an extremely high level of intelligence with a never ending thirst for knowledge. Every day he would sneak out in an attempt to discover new and interesting things that grabbed his attention. His energetic and adventurous personality seemed to never let him rest. However, that same mental acuity came with an early interaction and understanding of this, not so friendly, reality. Instances of seeing his father come back injured and worn out, with a pallid mother that was skinny to the point of seeing bone, left a new found and indelible impression on the young child. That's when the first inkling of realization came. He was different, very different from the other kids his age.

That same young Cyrus, at first, could not understand why his clearly weary and tired parents worked so hard every day. So after carefully observing bits and pieces of their conversations while also adding up the things he's witnessed around the neighborhood, individual clues came together forming a much larger issue. His childish mind connected these seemingly non-important pieces of information like his favorite toy puzzles. It must be said, although young, Cyrus was very meticulous. The only conclusion was forced labor.

One of his worse memories that left him shaking in fear while crying for nights on end, was the death of his friend's mother. She was a happy woman, so that tragic scream for help and tear-stained face was hard to bear. However, no one bothered with her as she was ripped apart, one limb at a time, by a giant, ferocious, black, monster. The most horrifying part was the normality behind it. Everyone just stuck their head in their chest, acting oblivious to the situation.

As a child that grew up with an almost overwhelming amount of love, he imagined his own mother facing the same situation. Even though that scarring memory was buried deep within, a newfound rebellious drive boiled in the pit of his stomach. Cyrus redoubled his effort, seeking to learn everything and anything that could even remotely alleviate his parents' present difficulties.

Having discovered his first goal in life, he became zealous in his endeavor to learn about his surroundings and their current situation. Through talking to his parents, Cyrus realized they tried to avoid certain topics concerning what they did outside the house.

So being as smart as he was, his deductions lead him to believe that his parents' difficulties were things a child should not have to worry about. He could tell from their caring glances and abundant attention that they wanted him to experience a happy childhood. Now having just turned 3 years old, they refused any of his requests to leave the house.

Cyrus, on the contrary, was not satisfied with their decision. Although he respected it, he felt a profound sense of duty to help his loved ones and concocted a devious little trick. Well, his parents could only blame themselves for not compromising.

That very next morning he threw his first tantrum after being denied the chance to help, yelling until he was blue in the face. Looking at his distraught parents that didn't know what to do, Cyrus moved in for the kill. Although he felt a little guilty, he could not help inwardly laughing in his best villain impersonation, "Muhahahahaha, muwhaahaaha, yes, yes, do my bidding large humans!"

The show had to go on though, and Cyrus quickly reined in his emotions. "Mommy, Daddy, your child only wants to learn more about the outside world. I know you guys want me to stay safe, but its so boring being stuck in here." He said with a slight pouting look and fake tears being squeezed out the corner of his eyes.

Angel couldn't bare to see him cry and hugged him all over, saying "Ahhhhh, my dear baby boy, you know mommy loves you the most. After comforting him a bit, she turned to glare at his Father, who had an awkward look on his face, like she was blaming him for the current situation.

As a great man himself, Raymond knew not to argue when she was in female tiger mode. With a self depreciating smile, he perked himself up and rubbed Cyrus's head while saying, "Alright kid, you win. Angel, will use some of our reward tickets for books for Cyrus."

"Honey, are you sure, I mean, you need those for...." as if contemplating whether to speak in front of Cyrus, she changed her mind and continued, "never mind. You're right, he's definitely talented and we should support him as much as possible."

Understanding what she was talking about, he nodded, saying, "I know. I will make sure to let the guys know." He turned back to Cyrus with a complicated look before firming his resolve.

"Son, we will bet betting our future on you. You won't understand now, but when you turn five, they will come and test you. From here on out we will invest everything into you so we can strive for a better future."

He looked at his father with a little confusion and asked, "Daddy, what do you mean by that?"

His father had a look of longing and a visible hint of fear. After gathering himself, he picked up the kid and sat him down on his lap. "Listen Cyrus. This world is like a boundless land with seemingly no end, and oceans that have no visible depth. Hiding in the bottom of the sea, soaring close to the skies, and concealed in mountains and forest, are large beats of mass destruction. It is a world for the strong out there with an endless variety of species. Sadly, our human race was not destined for greatness and was left as dregs of society in this amazing, boundless world."

Raymond then turned Cyrus around and looked him in the eye and said, "Me and your mother are going to start preparing you for the guard test. It happens every 10 years for children from age 5-15 and the participants that pass get a much better treatment. I hope for you to do your best and don't worry about anything else. Just remember that you must be the change you wish to see in the world, little Cyrus."

With a kiss on the head and a hug, Raymond and Angel both departed for the outside world he so longed to explore.

Seeing them leave, Cyrus still had a look of confusion concerning the lecture given by his father, but he figured it would make sense, eventually. Quickly putting that matter out of mind, he turned and rushed to his room in excitement before sitting cross-legged by the windowsill to bathe in that morning sunlight.