Chapter Text
He turned to see the world around him, stunned by the people in shambles fighting for something greater; freedom. In his eyes, he saw them as destructive- evil even. Before he could use his powers against them— his precious gems would shatter into pieces.
These gems didn’t lay on the ground, however.
Suddenly, his secret rule over the world, his desire for destruction until all the humans were either dead or bowing to him… led to his own demise.
——
Present Day
A young boy would walk into a shelter nearby his home. Currently, he stayed with his friends’ family after he and his mates were held hostage against a furious king.
This king, one who shall never be named, used his people to gain what he claims was his. Gems. Gems that hold the gift of all of life’s riches; the seas, the trees, the lighting, the fire, the caves, and the list goes on. Up until the gems gained a mind of their own, many were forced to run or stay.
For the young boy’s family, their fate is left unknown.
The young boy was one of the king’s most beloved hunters, but after a young group of teens snapped him back into reality… all he can do is move on.
“Mister Sean?” a young child asked the boy, Sean. “Did you bring some snacks for us? The food we were given today wasn't really… tasty, and I’m still hungry.”
Sean always brought extra snacks for the kids at the shelter. Sure, the food was very well done… but it doesn’t always satisfy the children’s taste.
“You bet, kiddo. I brought some empanadas, fruit snacks, and fish crackers. I will give you some, but you should eat something like fruit or a sandwich- can't always rely on snacks, you know?” Sean offered the young child the snacks. Suddenly, as usual, other kids ran to Sean- their hands out for Sean’s snacks.
Per usual, Sean brought them more healthy meals from the kitchen. He always does.
Just as he brought in another box of turkey sandwiches for the children, he was stopped by a young girl,
“Can you tell us the story, mister Sean? About the king?” asked the curious one. Sean, despite his hope to move on from that chapter of his life, nodded to the curious child.
Per usual with the snacks, the children surrounded him. Many of them knew the story by heart, but the joy of sitting down with Sean and hearing the stories of the ancestors… meant more than anything. Children held their stuffed animals, ate slowly to not let a crunch out during the story, and many had their crayons and papers out for their favorite parts of the story.
“Before this town existed, before any of us could even exist… once stood a land far from here. This world carried many gifts; the beautiful seas, the cheerful animals, the bright lights of the stars and even… ancestors. They thrived for decades, many built their societies on the gifts their world gave them.
However, they’d lose it to a hungry power… one built to destroy and eliminate these people. What did they want?
They wanted their gifts for themselves. All the gifts, powers, and sources… for themselves. Our ancestors’ creations from their gifts were broken down to dust and ashes… left to sit there for years.
Until, all those ashes… all the dust… become someone. Someone who would change the course of that world up to today. Who is he known as today?
The moon king.”
——
Centuries before…
The storms were strong. Blood was shed everywhere- left and right. No matter where you were… you were not spared from the horrors of those powers. Towns were destroyed, people were torn from their families, and life seemed to be over for many.
Out of the dust and destruction came… a spark?
Yes, that’s right, a spark. The spark shined for days, forming into the anatomy of a man. When the final of the people died in the nearby town…
He awoke.
“… what is this place?” mumbled the man to himself, looking around at what was left of the dust that created him. “Why am I here? Why do I look so… odd?”
Before the man could ask himself any other questions, he heard it. Music. Cheers. He heard a source of sound… sounding gleeful. With the curiosity he had in his mind, he walked over to the sound.
In front of his newly human eyes, he saw soldiers. These soldiers were covered head to toe in blood, but despite their bloody appearances, they were happy and cheerful. Beers were held to the sky, men exclaimed their excitement for new beginnings in a land that is now theirs.
The man made of spark felt their excitement jump inside his heart. He didn’t know what he truly was, but he knew one thing; he wanted to be in that excitement.
While he stood where the ashes once were, his vision turned to the happiness of soldiers… His first experience of happiness would result in the deaths of many.
But then-
WHOOSH!
Before the man could turn around, he saw it. Out of the leftover ashes came something else… a box filled with various gems connected to one another. These gems were in all kinds of colors and shapes.
The man held onto these gems. He was unsure of what the gems’ purpose was, but he’d hold onto it.
Holding onto the gems and seeing the happiness in front of his eyes, he ran.
Into the crowd.
——
1900s.
Erin stood in the city’s alleyway. The man once made from spark roamed the streets as a man named Erin; a name he heard once when soaring through Europe.
While he sat there, he saw a woman run out of her workplace; a soup kitchen. This woman always made Erin’s blood boil, anger growing every single time she ran out of her soup kitchen job.
“You tell us to work until we turn pale, but you don’t pay us anything more than ten pesos a day!? When will justice be served!? WHEN I’M DEAD!?” yelled the woman. Per usual, the soldiers dragged her back into her kitchen, telling the woman to shut up or she’ll be paid even less.
Erin never liked these kinds of people, people who disrespect authority. Before he could walk further, he bumped into one of these soldiers- immediately stumbling back in surprise.
“Oh? My apologies, sir. We’re here to check on the soup kitchen workers. Did you see any disturbances anytime today?” asked a young soldier, his hair cut short with his posture firm and steady.
Erin nodded at the young soldier.
“Another one of those ladies from the kitchen complained about their pay. I don’t want to be in these streets and hear that coming from anyone.”
The young soldier frowned, his face was covered in… guilt?
“Our deepest apologies, sir, we’ll check on the kitchen workers,” said the young soldier, “Don’t you worry about a thing.”
The young soldier walked away from Erin- immediately knowing what had happened.
The young soldier was named Lucas Marino, a Peruvian soldier who arrested anyone who spoke out against the authority. He knew the woman from the soup kitchen; her name was Elena Marino, his younger sister.
The two were polar opposites.
Lucas strived to work with the authority for the benefit of getting money for their family. Elena contributed too, but she very much hated the authority and their treatment of her people- ultimately ending up in her getting little to no pay some days.
Lucas walked into the soup kitchen, immediately seeing his sister near the sink. The sink was covered in the usual; leftover onions, egg shells, scraps of lettuce, and blood.
“Why do you keep on yelling at the managers? You’re a soup kitchen worker, why do you keep on thinking they’ll listen to you, hermana?” Lucas didn’t agree with the company’s policies, but he knew for a fact that they wouldn’t take anything his sister, or the workers, seriously.
“They’re lowering our pay by the minute, hermanito, not just mine? I’m not gonna let some asses tell me I don’t deserve pay for being a woman AND using a voice. You know I’m not the kind to let that slide, so don’t expect me to shut up about it” Elena exclaimed, her voice still shaking from the rage minutes earlier. “You think papá wanted this for his children…? For us to have to continue fighting for us to just get enough pesos for food? Hm?”
“I’m sure he’d want us to be alive, hermana. It isn’t fair, but what else can we do?”
“… fight. This isn’t right, and someone needs to do something about it.” Elena grabbed her shoes, running out the door as her brother stood there, worried for what his sister would get into now.
——
The next day.
Erin sat in another alleyway, taking notes on the many civilians who yelled against the authorities. Every time the authority took them down, holding onto the necklace he had since his creation, Erin smiled.
“My child needs medicine, please! Let me get medicine for my child!”
“You destroyed my church!? My family has been here for generations… you cannot take our beliefs away!?”
“I have nowhere else to go, soldier, let me stay somewhere. Anywhere!? I served as a soldier here before, just like you, let me have a home!?”
“Your authorities told us we can’t go into these schools like the other kids… why? Because we look the way we do!? That’s ridiculous!?”
The authorities did the same per usual; spitting in their faces and turned away- ignoring the world crumbling around them.
Erin smiled with happiness. Just as Erin closed his notes, the gems sparked…
snap, snap, snap.
Before Erin could react, he heard the sounds of rustling and shoving. Out of curiosity, Erin followed.
——
A minute later.
“Take the medicine, quick. Take my cards too, go to the library and take the books you need!” Elena whispered with seriousness to the people the authority spat at. In her bags pockets carried many things; medicine for the worried mother, two of the Bibles she saved from the man’s church, bus tickets for the homeless individual, and library cards for the child. “Try to find some place to hide these belongings, don’t let the authorities know it’s yours. If they ask, throw it into a hidden trash bin… Once they leave, grab it and run.”
Erin watched from the corner, immediately looking around for an authority member or soldier to report the activity too. Once he saw one, he hard it.
snap, snap, snap.
Something
Was
Awakening.
Erin knew it. Elena knew it. Lucas knew it.
The authority Erin praised was being undermined. The people Elena believed she could protect were being protected. The sister Lucas knew was becoming more clever.
The gems were flickering.
More was rising, and they knew it.
“End of chapter.”