What do you want?... There isn't anything you would wish to read. Not a wonderful, peaceful world with a happily-ever after, easygoing life.
This...This is my story. And it's not good. It's cruel, unkind, greedy, and bloody.
If you continue reading after this point, you have to be ready for them. Those–those so called 'good guys'.
So you are ready? But before I continue, let me ask you, my friend–
What is the greatest pain?
Is it when you touch a hot pot? Is it when you cut your hand? Is it when the person you liked rejected you?
Or is it when someone stabbed you, when your limbs are cut off?
No, it's when you finally realise that what you always believed in was just a lie. A lie made to protect another lie.
Lies after lies, you will finally see the truth. And remember the truth is always cruel.
The world itself will turn upside down. Just to hide the truth.
If you knew the truth, what would you do?...
Hear my story now. It was all peaceful– carefree even– until..
My name is Alifaan Cordi. I'm a thirty-five year old unemplo- ahem- job-seeking man. I live with my mother in a very comfortable and luxurious house. We have a cow shed, horse shed and a beautiful lawn and a small garden– though no one grows any plants.
But it isn't just ours, there are few neighbours who also share it with us. After all, our houses lean against each other like some old friends.
The rooster announced the rise of the sun in my ears, I was startled awake. I gasped a few times before looking around.
"Wh-What ?" I muttered.
My left hand ran across the bed and touched something like hot liquid. I reflexively drew my hand back and turned to look at what it was–it was hen poop.
And the culprit who woke me up was standing beside it. He looked at me like he was proud of pooping in my bed.
"What are you doing in my bed, shoo shoo" I waved my hands at it, scaring it away.
"Maa! Your dumb rooster pooped in my bed again!" I shouted to the other room across from mine.
"At least Tookoo knows where the biggest pile of them rests!" My mother shouted back.
I sighed in resignation. She has always been like that and I couldn't argue, because she is old and her only son, me, is still on the hunt for a job.
I picked up the time piece from the shelf, and it was already half past five. Looking outside the window, I saw the sun fighting his battles against the moon.
I put on my leather shoes, with my right toe sticking out through a hole. I slowly walked out and headed toward the pond, it was right before our house.
As I sat on my knees and looked into the muddy water, I saw a face staring at me. It had black messy hair and very ordinary brown eyes, rough skin. Nothing at all to say good-looking.
Yeah, that is me, Alifaan Cordi.
I have always thought what it would be like to have multicoloured hair or green or blue eyes, like the high blood and nobles.
That would have been a sight to see–but alas..
The crappy man in the muddy water glared at me like I owed him a silver coin.
I slapped that face in the water, and in turn that face spit muddy water onto my face. The touch of cold water made me shiver.
"Jerk", I muttered to myself, " I will show you for that."
I took off my rags of cloth, and jumped into the water. As the water caught me, I felt its cold arms wrapping around me, its stinking mud-breath nauseated me– I had to look away like some flustered maiden.
I didn't notice the sun had already won the morning as he looked at me over the clouds. Signalling me to finish my bath.
I exhaled slowly before swimming back to the shore.
Once again I wore my torn shorts and shirt but I didn't bother putting on my shoes.
I walked back into my house barefoot.
Maa was still sleeping, so I tried to make as little noise as possible. I tiptoed to my room and pulled down a shawl– that is, my door.
I glanced around my room. There's Tookoo and his poop on my bed, and a lot of gears and wires in a corner, it's maa's, she also works as a mechanic. Just between us, she is scamming her customers, she makes some minor problems in their time piece or clock and she fixes it herself.
A customer would come back at least twice a month. But I am not in a situation to argue with her about that. After all, she is earning for both of us in her sixties..
'Poor maa..' I felt a mix of sudden sadness and regret at that thought.
I have always seen her working her bones off and trying hard to earn money. I didn't even go to the charity schools, because I was helping her.
Now I understand how much of a mistake it was...I should have found a better job.
I looked around and found my big trunk I got from the slum-market. Don't let that name fool you, the items there are very expensive, this trunk? It cost me a bronze coin.
Well, maybe we can call it cheap..but the thing inside is definitely expensive.
I opened the trunk and inside it was a suit. I placed one by one on the bed.
There was a black vest, black pants, black shoes, an old black trench coat and a half top hat of the same colour.
This here, it cost me seven and a half bronze coins. Truly, very expensive.
After struggling for half an hour to wear the suit I went to look in the mirror, the mirror was made by me, using steel rods.
The man in the mirror was smiling proudly, as if he was handsome.
'Tough luck buddy, you're almost at average, almost' I thought to myself as I giggled at the embarrassed look in the reflection's face.
I walked out of my room and gently knocked on the door of maa's room.
"Where are you headed today?" Maa asked, her voice heavy with sleepiness.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday, I'm going to the main square. An interview."
The interview is for a janitor, if maa knew she wouldn't let me go. Saying ' pride this, family that' I don't even know what pride or family she is even talking about.
"Do not go on an empty stomach." Maa said.
"Yeah, sure." I said, as if on cue– my stomach grumbled.
Well, I think I need a sumptuous meal.
I found a mug and a pot in the kitchen. I opened the lid and slid the mug inside and took out a mug of water.
It's clean!
I drank all of it in a single gulp. I looked down at my stomach – no more grumbling.
"Haa! A sumptuous meal indeed!" I said as my lips curled up slightly.
I didn't stop or knock at maa's door again to let her know I'm leaving, instead I went out. The sun had climbed up a few more steps again– I had to squint my eyes to even look up.
'Can't this guy climb up a little slower.' I grumbled while glaring at the flame ball who was smirking at me.
Having figured out, there was no time to have a staring contest, I headed toward the main square– it is, well, as all main squares are supposed to be – at the centre. I'm in a small but crowded part of the city, called Lomere. Lomere is in the north of the main square.
To its south, is the Saltend port. It's always busy there, pickpocketing, scams and even murders. After all this, they still say lomere have a higher crime rate!
To its east , is the Brighthold. It's where merchandise and other industries and factories are situated. The amount the workers in the factory smoke is really a sight to see. I mean, look at their chimneys, they start smoking the moment they enter the gates.
'Don't tell me …are their jobs smoking? I wish I had that job.' Jealousy and regret washed over my heart slightly as I glanced at the black smoke rising in the sky.
"Haaa…." I sighed and kept walking.
To the west is Velcrest. As you can guess, it's the place where the rich and super-rich live. The rest of us can only sneak peeks through the gates at their polished roads and well built houses. It's a dream of many to live in a place like that.
But not mine! I mean, I already have a great house– expensive one!
'It only has a few cracks here and there.'
I arrived at the busy parts of the Lomere as a wind tried to grab my hat. He has always been a menace! He came at me with a strong smell of filth attacking my nose as the wind tried to grab other's hats or scarfs playfully.
I shook my head at the guy who was running after the wind to get his scarf back.
"I wonder how cheeky this menace would be during the winter." I muttered under my breath.
I kept walking towards the main square – occasionally bumping into others. But I didn't care to keep my guard on.. after all, nothing valuable with me.
After a few minutes of walking and sometimes feeling someone's hands in my pockets, I finally arrived at the main square.
People shouting at each other, horse carts running and the smell of fresh smoke! I was always happy to come here!
With a big smile, I inhaled all the smoke I could– but my breath got caught in my lungs as a fit of coughs slipped from my mouth.
I gasped slightly for air before looking at a woman who was also coughing beside me, "you like smoke too?" I asked her, but she just frowned slightly before moving away through the crowd.
As I kept looking around a signboard caught my eye–
" Welcome to Varaden.
The capital city of Eldranveil
City of future"