Chapter 1 - The World You Built

At the heart of New Hope City, located in the central plains of the grand continent, a lifeless body floats atop Lake Unity. Passersby clamor and gasp as they watch the body drift by, wondering how anyone could dare desecrate the holy waters with their filthy body. More and more people gather onto the bridge to witness the spectacle. Amidst the crowd, a tiny figure struggles to fight his way through. Moments later, that tiny figure jumps into the lake. Ignoring the disdainful looks, the young boy swims towards the body.

What the hell?! Why is he so heavy?!

The boy struggles with all his might, kicking as hard as his feeble legs could kick. At the center of New Hope City, the normally tranquil and glass-like lake was suddenly disrupted by the desperate splashing of a dumb boy. Every second of his desperate struggle felt like an eternity. Little by little, the young boy made progress towards the closest walkway. Having dragged himself out of the water, the boy violently coughs up a mouthful of water. Barely able to crawl with his arms, he collapses face first onto the sidewalk with the body behind him. He lays there for a moment, face down, thinking about his decisions.

Surely it was worth it. Surely.

Without giving himself adequate time to breathe, the boy turns around and examined the body.

He's alive!

"Hey! Hello?! It's me, your savior. Wake up! Hellooooo?!"

It started with a gentle slap, but quickly devolved into violent shaking as there was no response.

"GAH! WAKE UP! Please please please wake up. Wake up wake up! Mister, you know how many laws I broke to save you?! If you don't wake up, who's going to reward me for my good deed?"

With no signs of life aside from a pulse, the boy decides to rummage through the body.

*Clink*

Found it! This looks like it's worth a pretty coin or two.

"Mister… you wouldn't mind right? I mean, I did save your life after all… and hey, you don't really seem like you need it. What I mean to say is uh- I mean, you kinda owe me. And uh- well- anyways. Just remember that I saved your life. It's not stealing, right? Yeah, it's a reward. That I took. From you. Without per-"

What the hell am I doing? The guy can't hear me anyways. I'm sure he'd understand.

With the strange trinket in hand, the boy musters up the last of his strength to stand up. Having successfully justified his thievery, the he disappears into the sea of spectators.

***

Lake Unity, rather than a lake, is more like a long and narrow like a river. The grand lake stretches from the western edge to the eastern edge of New Hope City. Some two-hundred bridges link the northern side of the city with the southern side. Despite being a convenient method of transportation, not a single boat could be spotted on the water from west to east. Lake Unity, as the name suggests, is a holy site that represents the bond between people of the grand continent. At the widest point of the lake, four massive bridges link towards the central island. Each of these bridges are wide enough to house buildings on each side. The walkway in between is wide enough for four carriages to pass by comfortably in either direction.

A strange man, dripping wet from head to toes, makes his way across one of these bridges. He wore a robe that looks like it's seen better days. It looks like it was once a beautiful red garment, but that red has long faded, leaving behind an off-white robe with a pink hue. He pushes his long hair away from his eyes and looks around. The hustle and bustle of the central bridge district was unfamiliar to him. He was not used to the lively chatter and laughter. Despite the strange looks he was attracting, the man smiles and continues walking. He takes his time, walking slowly to enjoy the cool breeze. Within the breeze, a savory aroma causes his stomach to grumble.

Making his way towards that savory smell, the man found himself in front of a steamed bun shop. He stands and watches as the lady lifts a batch of buns from the steamer. Placing the round bamboo tray on the table, she lifts the lid to reveal six plumb buns. Catching his gaze, she flashes him a polite smile.

"Esteemed sir, would you like a bun? They're the best on this side of the bridge!"

The question snaps the man out of his daydream. He looks to his left. Then he looks to his right. Seeing nobody besides him, the man looks back at the lady. His flustered confusion made her giggle. Though she was partially joking about the "esteemed" part, something about this man's old fashion attire made her say it instinctively.

"Yes, you esteemed sir. Come try one! I promise you'll love it."

The man reaches into one sleeve, then the other. He looks at her and smiles, gesturing that he had no money. She looks around before gesturing for him to come over. So he did.

"The boss isn't here right now, so you can just have one on the house," she whispers.

After slyly placing one of the freshly cooked buns into his hands, the lady smiles.

"Thank you for your patronage! Please come again!"

The man smiles back. Cupping his hands and bowing his head towards the kind lady. With that, he turns around and continues his walk towards the center as he enjoys the delicious bun.

As he got closer and closer to the central island, something tall caught his eyes. Something familiar. He decides to put his leisurely stroll on hold. The man disappears from where he stood, reappearing in front of a tall figure at the junction where the four bridges connect. A giant obelisk stands before him. The obelisk pierced into the sky, almost as if it could touch the heavens. It looks to be sculpted from some sort of clear crystal, reflecting the sky above and the water below. Some believe that it's a symbol of strength, others believe that it's a memorial for the fallen. While their beliefs hold some truth, few know the whole story behind the obelisk.

The blade that cleaved the Heaven.

The blade that sundered the earth.

He squints his eyes as he looks up at the familiar shape of the obelisk basking in sunlight. Recalling the memories from that moment–the moment he chose to give up on his vengeance and renounce his hatred–he couldn't help but smile.

So, my friends, this is the world you built.