HOPE

The cries of a newborn pierced the air, echoing through the once bustling hallways of a hospital now laden with the weight of despair. The aftermath of the fall had left its indelible mark, a scar etched across a world that had crumbled under the weight of destruction. The once vibrant halls were now silent, save for the distant moans of the injured, a haunting symphony of agony.

Among the countless victims of this catastrophic event was the mother of Zephyr, Chloe Everwood a woman barely 24 thrust into the cruel hands of fate. Her husband, Henry Everwood, met his gruesome end in the chaotic exodus from New York. The city, once a lively metropolis, had become a nightmarish labyrinth of crumbling buildings and fleeing souls. It was amid this chaos that Henry, in a twist of horrifying misfortune, became one of the first casualties, struck down by debris from the destruction of air force jets.

The moments that followed were a nightmarish blur for her. Fueled by desperation, she found herself hurtling through the wreckage-strewn streets at breakneck speeds, seeking refuge in the next city. However, fate had more cruel tricks in store. A falling demon, one of many, crashed into the road ahead, triggering a catastrophic pile-up of vehicles.

In the blink of an eye, darkness descended. The world, once familiar, now seemed shrouded in despair. The air resonated with the anguished cries of the wounded, and the distant sounds of gods clashing reverberated like thunder through the earth. It was a scene of apocalyptic proportions, a collision of realms that plunged humanity into untold suffering.

Amid this chaos, a blinding light erupted from above, an eerie beacon in a sea of darkness. The details of this divine intervention were muddled, lost in the haze of trauma. Somehow, Zephyr's mother found herself healed, spared from the clutches of death that had claimed so many. With a heart heavy with grief, she emerged from the carnage, a survivor of the cataclysm.

In the wake of a colossal migration, a sea of displaced individuals flowed toward the newly formed borders of the world. It took an arduous four months, but she finally stepped into the boundaries of the nascent Union of Arcadia. The world had transformed overnight, shattered into irreparable fragments. Trade routes crumbled, and the once seamless flow of people and resources was in shambles. In this upheaval, the Arcadian government, helmed by a council comprised of former rulers from nations like Britain, Switzerland, China, and more, established an unassailable monopoly on minerals, weaponry, and foodstuff. This imbalance left the United Pantheon Coalition and Elysian Union, now at a severe disadvantage, struggling in the wake of the shifting global order.

The decision to merge nations sparked both internal and external discord. However, amidst the dissenting voices, a prevailing realization emerged: in the face of a world irrevocably altered, there were matters far weightier than borders. Survival itself teetered on a delicate balance, and the imperative to assist one another superseded national boundaries.

Driven by the pressing need for collective effort, the demand for labor soared, and as single mother, I found myself opting for a job in the retail sector, a far cry from a glamorous position, yet it ensured I didn't deplete savings left by Henry.

The days flew by as I took care of my little boy at home and stayed focused at work, but my life felt empty. 

 "We endure, and in enduring, we find hope." That was the slogan of the new world; it was what we told ourselves anytime things got too hard or seemed unfair. It was somewhat of a mental dependency which made it seem like everything was alright, but it wasn't.

Days, Months and Years passed by but the emptiness within just kept on growing. I had managed to obtain a reasonably moderate home in a nice neighborhood and there was an orphanage not too far away. One day when coming back from work it had gotten really late and I had to hurry to make Zephyr his dinner, but in midst of my thoughts I heard the cries of a baby nearby and instinctively went towards it. When I got there, to my surprise someone had dropped of their baby at the orphanage. It was late and no one seemed available, so I took her home instead.

"Look at you, so adorable. Who could've abandoned you at this time of the night?" She whispered to the baby.

But that was the harsh truth of the world, not everyone was as lucky as she and many find it difficult to make it to the next sunrise. Regardless of that she had already made up her mind to take care of the child and would register for a legal adoption first thing in the morning. By the time she arrived home the baby had gone to sleep, and she tried her best not to wake her. She went up the stairs quietly and gently opened Zephyrs room. He was fast asleep on his bed, and I gently woke him.

"Zephyr I'm home." She said quietly while tapping him gently.

The young boy awoke though a little bit drowsy but was nonetheless happy to see his mom.

"Mommy? Why didn't you come home early?" He mumbled.

 "Aw, sorry sweetie but mommy had to work the night shift today." She spoke.

"But did you enjoy your play date with Nikko?" She asked teasingly.

You could see him instantly turn red from embarrassment and tried to cover his face with his pillow.

"Oh my, but I thought you liked Nikko?" She teased him more.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!" He cried out hoping to stop her from saying anything else.

'Huh, my little man is already making friends, and he shouldn't be cooped up in here all day. Maybe it's about time he starts school, he is 4 already.' She thought to herself.

Then the baby suddenly started crying after being abruptly woken up.

"Ugh mommy whose baby is that?" He curiously asked.

"Here Zephyr, you can hold her."

He took her into his arms and began to look curiously at her. Her short chestnut brown hair and brown eyes were marvelous under the moonlight; and as he stared at her she stared back smiling before giggling.

"She's your little sister so take good care of her."

"I will." He responded.

"But what's her name?" He asked.

"Hmm; I got it, her name will be Naomi."

So, just like that many more months and years passed by, and the family found nothing but happiness in their daily experiences. That is until the day they lost it all.

About 4 years had passed since Naomi was brought into our family and I thank my lucky stars every day for her. She and Zephyr made an unbreakable bond instantly and since then he fully brought her into his life. They played, studied and ate together every other day and even made some new friends around the neighborhood. In fact, there was this new family that moved in, a single mother and her son both with orange hair. They both seemed nice, and the kids befriended her son like clockwork. I thanked God or at least his remaining angels that I could get to experience such happiness in my life.

That was what she thought after ending her shift and heading home a bit early for a change, but as she got home only horror was to be seen. The front door had been forced open and the screams of two grown men could be heard inside.

FLASHBACK 30 minutes earlier

Two unfamiliar men wearing coats moved through the yards of the urban homes as the sunlight dimmed quickly. Both were tall, white skinned, one had black hair and the other had brown hair; each having a thick black hoodie on. One wouldn't be able to discern whether they were brothers or not, but it was apparent that both grew up the same way.

"Oi Greg!" Shouted the brown-haired man.

"Yeah, what is it Rick?" Responded the black-haired man.

"You sure this is gonna be an easy bust? No alarms, no cameras, no supervision, no guard dogs; it all sounds too good to be true mate." Rick said.

"Trust me Rick I've been scoping this area out for months and I found the perfect place to get some extra dough." Greg retorted.

"If that's the case then those kids won't know what hit them, we'll be living the dream soon enough." Rick chuckled.

Upon reaching the house Greg and Rick both put on gloves, pulled up the hoods of their hoodies and wore black facemasks. Greg pulled out a screwdriver and easily opened up the door with only the slightest creek of the handle. They both entered to find a little girl glued to the television screen.

Sneakily they both crept into the house without a sound as they intended to nab her without a fuss. Slowly and carefully they watched their steps as she was immersed in the happenings of the animated characters on screen.

'Hmm I'm hungry' She thought.

"ZEPHYR!!!" She yelled out calling for her older brothers' attention.

That's when she noticed two shadows hovering over her, and turning her head in panic right before she was nabbed as one had gagged her while the other held her down.

"Alright Rick take her through the backdoor and dump her in the van." Greg commanded.

But just as he was about to go both men were stopped dead in their tracks. Malevolence hung in the air like a thick, suffocating fog; a wrathful aura heavy with an insatiable anger was what it was. Then came the silence, from the whistle of the wind to the rustle of the leaves; even the smallest of creatures stopped in an eerie stillness.

They both looked up to see a boy surrounded by a bloody presence emanating from him. His hair and clothes flickered rapidly, whilst his eyes expressed nothing more than overwhelming authority. The grown men fell right on their asses as the child walked down the stairs; their hearts raged faster than ever before threatening to burst their veins with its pulse. With each beat came a realization, a dreadful one too, that whatever they were looking at was not human.

[Bloodlust Active]

Rick had long since released Naomi and only sought mercy from whatever he had encountered. Tears dripped down his face, his weeping grew noisier as he sat there defenseless, right before passing out. Greg however simply had one thing in mind, his escape as it was quite apparent that this was a grave mistake.

Zephyr as well however didn't know what was happening; all that was in his mind was intense rage. His sister who he had sworn to take care of was about to be ripped from his life by the scum before him. The entire situation was dire and tense when someone came through the door. Zephyr's mother came running in to see the scenario, her pupils widened, and her breathing becomes irregular as all sorts of thoughts rush through her mind. What's happening? Who are these people? Are the kids safe? Am I gonna loose custody of them?

But her first priority was safeguarding the kids, and she ran over to Naomi who was on the floor and that's when it happened. Greg saw his opportunity and sprinted towards her; within a single moment he pulled out a pistol and shot her right in the gut before carrying his partner and heading out. 

Chloe fell to the floor shock etched all over her face as her two children rushed over to her fleeting self. My senses dwarfed and my body weakened as they begged me to stay with them. I didn't have the strength to speak and could only hold them both as my eyes closed.

What happened afterwards is anyone's guess, the case ran cold, and the perpetrators were never caught; with the savings left by their mother they were able to live off a modest lifestyle with all their needs paid for. The question of how the law left them without adult supervision needs not be answered as it couldn't bother less with their situation. In that day and age adult supervision and foster care was a luxury not a mandate. So those were the circumstances surrounding the life of a young Zephyr which leads up to the day we first met him.

"But then why were we reliving this experience?" Someone asked.

"Oh, I believe the young chap is in a state of shock after dying." Another responded.

"Huh well hopefully by the next chapter things would have been resolved right?" Another person said.

Who were these people and what role would they have in affecting the story of Zephyr.

"Oi, shut it narrator; some of us have better places to be, so stop extending the chapter."

Oh, then please be on your way.