Eve

On that bustling night, the city thrived with activity. Motorized vehicles zipped along the main road, their presence punctuated by illuminated billboards adorning the buildings. The cityscape was a vibrant tapestry of lights and motion.

Amidst the vibrant energy, people traversed through the crowds. Laughter, tears, jokes, and arguments intermingled, forming a symphony of human emotions. Individuals walked alone or in groups, spanning the spectrum of age from young to old, all seemingly savoring the richness of their lives.

In the midst of this dynamic urban landscape, atop the rooftop of a three-story business building, stood a young girl of around 17 years. She donned a white school uniform accentuated by a red vest. Her obsidian hair danced in the night breeze.

Her demeanor betrayed a sense of detachment from her surroundings. Dark eyes gazed blankly upon the bustling scene below. Within those eyes, unmistakable threads of hatred and anger coexisted with subtle traces of sadness and disappointment, casting an aura of solitude upon her.

"Wow, this view is incredible!" A cheerful and melodious voice chimed in the girl's ears, but her expression remained stoic. Unaffected by the voice, she didn't even shift her gaze.

"Hey!" The owner of the voice playfully waved a hand in front of the girl's eyes. After a moment of reluctant acknowledgment, the girl finally turned her head. "Nice to meet you, I'm Luna."

The voice's source introduced herself. She possessed long, flowing white hair that cascaded like a waterfall. Her eyes sparkled with vivacity, and her smile exuded an innocent and carefree air, as if untouched by the complexities of the world. Strangely enough, she seemed to be the antithesis of the girl in demeanor.

Appearing to be around the same age, Luna wore short jeans paired with a black and white polka-dot shirt adorned with a pink jacket. A shoulder bag rested on her right side.

Observing Luna's radiant smile, a sigh escaped the girl. She couldn't help but assume that the person in front of her led a charmed life.

"Hey, can you at least answer me? It's a bit rude to get lost in thought," Luna pouted in mild exasperation.

"I..." The girl hesitated, grappling with the decision to reveal her name. Her name was her sole remaining connection to the family that had abandoned her. Consequently, she harbored deep resentment towards it.

"I don't have a name," she eventually responded. Her statement held an element of both truth and falsehood, depending on one's perspective.

Technically, she did have a name. However, for a discarded child, the name bestowed upon her by her parents was something she desired to shed.

"Are you a magus?" The girl's query dripped with frigidity, coupled with a tinge of bitterness.

"Whoa, how did you figure that out? I haven't even mentioned it," Luna sounded genuinely surprised, though her words carried a subtle hint of sarcasm.

Magus, they were called—those who had awakened to the realm of mana. Nobody knew why, but this phenomenon had unfurled across the past six decades.

In the present day, the Earth's population predominantly comprised magus. Their advent had ushered in remarkable progress across various fields.

Hence, magus were revered and celebrated wherever they went. A person's social standing was determined by their proficiency in magic.

Upon awakening to mana, changes would manifest in the individual's hair and eye color, corresponding to their magical attributes.

With her white hair and vibrant orange eyes, Luna's appearance indicated her possession of the light attribute.

"Do you intend to interfere?" The girl's query carried a sense of inevitability. Her intentions atop the building were discernible.

"No," Luna responded, shaking her head gently. "I'm just interested in hearing your story." Luna's gaze met the girl's, her eyes filled with a cheerful warmth. "What you decide to do afterward is entirely up to you." And thus, a palpable silence settled, juxtaposed against the backdrop of the bustling night.

"What's the use of the story of a discarded individual like me?" the girl's voice broke the silence, tinged with a bitter edge.

"What's regarded as trash by some might be cherished as a treasure by others," Luna replied, her smile exuding genuine kindness. "So, would you be willing to share your story?"

***

That's how I met Luna. One of the most precious memories in my mind.

After that, we sat on the rooftop of the business building, surrounded by the night's commotion. I told her my story.

I sat there, across from her, the weight of my past pressing heavily on my shoulders. As I began to pour out my heart, memories came rushing back like a flood. My parents, once revered magus in our community, were the epitome of greatness, their names known far and wide for their extraordinary powers. Their love for me was tender in the beginning, and as a young child, I basked in the warmth of their affection.

But as the years passed, my happiness began to wane. At the age of seven, my friends started awakening to magic one by one. Their powers manifested like blossoming flowers, while I remained stuck in the cold grip of normalcy. The pain of feeling left behind ate away at my soul. My parents tried their best to comfort me with optimistic words, assuring me that my magical abilities would surface in due time. But as hope flickered, my friends' encouragement dwindled, replaced by ridicule and disdain. They transformed into heartless oppressors, taunting me as a failure, and all I could do was plaster on a sad smile to hide my crumbling self-esteem.

Loneliness engulfed me like a suffocating fog, and even the thought of reporting their cruelty seemed futile. Who would listen to the complaints of someone deemed unworthy in a world governed by magic? My parents, too, grew distant, their attention and affection now lavished solely on my younger sister, the golden child who had awakened to mana.

The day they decided to move me to a shabby apartment on the outskirts of the city was etched into my memory like a scar. They gave me just enough money to survive for a month, as if hoping I would vanish from their lives entirely. In a haze of despair, I tried desperately to find work, and by some stroke of luck, I landed a job as a cashier at a dingy mini-market. It was a place filled with the downtrodden and desperate, a reflection of what I had become.

The world around me seemed to echo my sense of failure. I would watch envious eyes gazing at my friends as they displayed their magical prowess. But all I could do was scan barcodes and exchange insipid pleasantries with customers, hiding the void that had consumed my once hopeful heart.

My parents, begrudgingly, still paid for the bare minimum of my schooling, but it felt like a mere formality. It was a stark reminder of my status as their failed product, someone they no longer wished to invest in. My dreams had withered away, and hope had turned to ash. I was a mere shadow of the child who had once relished life's little joys.

As the days turned into years, I found myself surrendering to the darkness that engulfed me. I became a vessel of sorrow, hollow and numb, my heart enveloped in the chains of despair. Life lost its vibrancy, and I moved through the days like a ghost, unnoticed and unimportant.

In the depths of my heart, I had given up. The once radiant smile had faded, replaced by a mask of indifference. I clung to the fragments of happy memories, but they only served as painful reminders of what I had lost.

And so, here I was, sharing my tale with her, a glimmer of hope that perhaps someone would understand the burden I carried. But in truth, I had accepted my fate as a perpetual outsider, a forgotten soul in a world that celebrated magic, leaving me to languish in the shadows of despair.

As Luna absorbed the weight of my story, her face became a canvas of emotions – happiness, sadness, frustration – all mingled together. But behind those expressive eyes, I caught a glimpse of something deeper, a longing, as if she was yearning for a connection that had eluded her for too long. She seemed to peer into the world through a glass wall, yearning to break free.

"Thank you for listening to the story of a failed product like me," I said, my voice laden with gratitude. Baring my soul to Luna had been cathartic, like shedding the heavy armor I had carried for so long.

She let out a sigh, and then her lips curved into a gentle smile. "I should be the one thanking you. You...," she trailed off, as if searching for the right words. "Your resilience and strength in the face of such hardships are truly inspiring."

I blushed at her praise, feeling a warmth spread through my chest that I hadn't experienced in years. Luna's kindness and understanding touched me deeply, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope.

"Eve," Luna said, her voice soft and tender, as if she were imparting a precious gift. "That will be your new name. For someone who has been discarded, the name given by your parents may feel like a weight you want to shed, right?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, but this time they were tears of gratitude. I nodded, unable to speak as emotions swelled within me.

"From now on, your name is Eve," Luna said with affectionate certainty, as if affirming my rebirth.

"Eve," I repeated, savoring the sound of the name Luna had given me. It felt like a fresh start, a chance to reclaim my identity and rewrite my own story.

"The dark night is not a sign of a bad end, but the beginning before the sun of hope rises," Luna said, her words resonating deeply within my heart. It was as if she were weaving a tapestry of hope and joy, promising that brighter days lay ahead.

"Thank you for giving me this beautiful name, Luna," I said softly, overcome with emotion. "From now on, I will be Eve."

With those words, a sense of liberation washed over me, and I embraced the newfound hope that Luna had brought into my life. I felt like a phoenix rising from the ashes, ready to embrace the challenges and joys that awaited me on this new journey.

In that moment, I knew that I wasn't alone anymore. Luna's presence had become a guiding light, and I believed that together, we could conquer any darkness that threatened to obscure our path. The weight that had burdened me for so long had lifted, replaced by a sense of purpose and a renewed will to live.

As I looked into Luna's eyes, I saw not only her longing but also a glimmer of fulfillment, as if the walls that had separated her from the world were slowly dissipating. In each other's company, we had found solace, understanding, and the strength to face the world anew.

As Luna chuckled softly, her ethereal presence became even more apparent. "It's a small gift because you were willing to share your story with me," she said, her voice tinged with both joy and melancholy. Then, without warning, Luna began to fade, her body becoming transparent, and white photons scattered in the air around her.

"Luna, what's happening?" I was shocked and tried to reach out for her, but my hand passed through empty air as if Luna had never been there. I remembered how she had avoided any physical contact while I was sharing my story.

"I'm sorry, Eve. I wish we could have talked longer, but my time is running out," Luna's explanation carried a weight of sadness, her eyes glistening as she fought back tears.

"I, the one you're seeing now, am a projection crafted with magic. My true body resides elsewhere, trapped in a cell," Luna's tone turned hollow, as if she had come to terms with her grim reality. "The magic I possess is unique—creation magic. Through it, I can materialize anything I wish."

Her revelation began to unfold the tragic chapters of her life—the discovery of her extraordinary abilities leading to her imprisonment within a cold laboratory. She was treated not as a person but as a mere subject of experimentation. Luna's visage remained impassive, her voice monotone, yet I could sense the turmoil churning within her. I yearned to see her smile, to wipe away the agony etched on her soul.

"They've completed their research. In three years, they'll put me into an eternal slumber and harvest my power," Luna's words resonated with a matter-of-fact acceptance, devoid of resentment. Her calm embrace of such a grim destiny shook me to my core.

"Wait!" I exclaimed, unable to fathom how Luna could speak of her impending doom with such detachment. 'This is madness! Why must you suffer? Why not fight back?'

As if deciphering the unspoken question in my eyes, Luna managed a faint smile. "I've surrendered," she confessed, a profound sense of resignation hanging in the air.

"Can't we find a way to meet again?" I implored, my desperation palpable in my plea.

Luna's radiant smile endured, and she conjured a sphere of pure white energy within her palm, offering it to me. "I've managed to siphon two-thirds of my power. This is the outcome," she explained before releasing the energy ball towards me. Instinctively, I caught it, sensing the surge of potency contained within.

"The remaining one-third is still within me. That's why I'm still here," Luna clarified, her determination unwavering.

The energy ball shattered into an array of vibrant photons, each hue seeping into my being. For a fleeting moment, my entire form was aglow with a brilliant white light. "Why me?" I questioned, still grappling with the enormity of the revelation. "We've just met. Why entrust something as crucial as this to a stranger like me?"

"Because I hold disdain for humanity, Eve," Luna confessed, leaving me momentarily stunned. "And, like me, you harbor your own aversion toward humans."

Her words struck a deep chord within, resonating with the pain and isolation I had endured. "I believe that my power will fare far better in your hands than in theirs," Luna added, her trust in me unshaken.

"Luna!" My cry was laden with desperation as her form began to fade further. "I can't bear losing you. I won't allow them to take you away! I promise, I'll save you!"

Surprisingly, Luna's expression exuded genuine happiness. "I'll be waiting for you, my friend," she assured, her faith in me resolute. And just like that, Luna vanished, leaving me with a newfound determination.

As the sun began to rise in the east, I felt a surge of emotions swirling within me. I had a new purpose now – to save Luna, to free her from the clutches of her captors. With a heart filled with resolve, I vowed to break through any obstacles that lay ahead.

Luna had shown me that even in the darkest of times, hope could be found. And so, with Luna's trust in my heart and a renewed determination in my soul, I set forth on a path that would lead to the liberation of my dear friend. No matter how arduous the journey, I would face it with unwavering courage, for I knew that I was not alone – Luna's spirit was with me, guiding me towards the light of hope and joy. Together, we would overcome the shadows that sought to engulf us, and I would save Luna from the chains of despair, as she had saved me from my own.