Chapter 2 - The Silvermist Family

On a small piece of land near the public cemetery, a family named Silvermist resided. Before the orb appeared, the youngest member of this family was already in the fourth year of high school. The father was a hired driver, and the mother sold various items to earn a living. 

The family consisted of three children—a harmonious trio comprising two lovely girls and a spirited, dedicated young boy. The youngest among them, a vibrant soul named Garner, exuded contagious enthusiasm, dedication, and understanding. He was 5'6" tall, with ash-brown wavy hair, brown eyes, a petite mole 1 inch below his left eye, and pale ivory skin with a dimple on his left cheek. The eldest, Gaia, carried an air of humility and politeness. She stood at 5'0" with curly ash-brown hair, tan skin, and dimples on both cheeks. In the middle stood Nova, a beacon of unwavering determination and resilience. She was 5'2" with ash-brown straight hair, a mole half an inch below her right eye, and ivory skin.

Financial constraints perpetually loomed over the family, their income stretching just enough to cover their day-to-day necessities. Despite their limited financial resources, they managed to navigate life's demands with admirable fortitude.

Gaia, the elder sibling, diligently worked as a sales clerk in a quaint merchandise store to provide additional finance to the family. Meanwhile, Nova strongly risked being a chambermaid, managing somebody's household. 

The family's life was just as simple and small. 

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As the mysterious orbs appeared, Silvermist refrained from attempting to seize any of them. Instead, they willingly directed attention to these enigmatic spheres. The father, stern in his demeanor, cautioned the trio against any involvement with the orbs, emphasizing the paramount importance of their safety.

When the raging war reached its peak, the Silvermist family was among those who survived. Explosions, guns, missiles, and even nuclear blasts filled the skies. In the midst of such intensity, how could a small and fragile family endure?

Amidst the loud screams of people, the heat of everything burning, and the lingering smell of smoke, it resembled an apocalypse worse than the time of dinosaurs. The sky was painted orange, and corpses lay everywhere.

The Silvermists kept running and running until they found themselves in a muddy river where most of the nipa that grew there had been flattened.

Gaia spotted an orb floating just a few meters away from them but was instantly pulled back by her scared father.

"Don't," he firmly said.

"It will make things worse," he added.

They continued to run until they reached the shore of the river, but a big ball of light struck just in front of them, sending them all flying. Most of the family was bloody, injured, covered with mud, and lost consciousness.

Gaia still had some consciousness left and painfully turned her head to look at everybody. She closed her eyes and slowly turned her head toward the orange sky. Inhaling deeply, she sighed heavily.

"Is this our end? I haven't provided them with a stable life yet," she thought.

As her consciousness slowly faded, a light shining with a yellow hue was the last thing she saw.

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Gaia abruptly opened her eyes, still haunted by the same nightmare that plagued her sleep. It had been eleven years since the war, but her family still remained silent about the horrors they had witnessed.

Miraculously, they had all survived that calamity.

She slowly sat up from her bed and tidied her sleeping space. She carefully folded the burned mattress that had served as her comforter for the night. She slipped her mismatched slippers onto her feet and headed to their small kitchen to wash her face. Stepping outside, she found her father preparing the fishing nets.

"Go help your sister water our plants before the sun rises," he said casually, without looking up from his task.

After the war, they had found themselves drawn back to their old home near the public cemetery. They had rebuilt their house from the rubble, and as the only surviving family in the area, they had no difficulty finding materials from the debris of the other houses.

It felt like they had stepped back in time after the devastating war. No internet, no television, no technology.

All the creatures of the world had gone extinct, and creatures that had been hidden emerged from the volcanoes, caves, and deep oceans. These creatures were stronger and some could even contend with King's Rank takers. As a result, the kingdom imposed restrictions on certain areas.

As the entire world had changed, so did every place upon it.

Now they lived in a desolate area, void of neighbors or anyone with whom they could share their harrowing experiences.

As individuals rose to power, the once-mayor-ruled region was now under the dominion of a self-proclaimed King. This era was governed by the strong, where power held sway and those without it were mere pawns.

Their former home, once known as the Province of Negros, divided into two general divisions: Occidental and Oriental, was now named the Kingdom of Earth.

The islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Cebu had merged with Negros, forming a vast expanse of land under the Kingdom's rule.

The King who sat upon the throne was known as King Manuel Neptunite, a man possessing an extraordinary class orb. His abilities remained shrouded in mystery, but rumors swirled that he had fought valiantly in the war and emerged victorious, securing the land as his own.

The Earth's Kingdom is now heading on a stable path with organized rules and systems imposed on its land.

Crystal Essence mines were mostly discovered and mined by the kingdom for its growth. Most takers are also being recruited or enslaved by the kingdom to work, and they are still searching for Takers in every place of the lands.

Non-powered folks are tirelessly working hard for their needs. The kingdom will buy their works for just a few Crystal Essences, enough for their needs.

The Silvermist's town was formerly known as Pulupandan, a small municipality where people lived simple and peaceful lives. It was now called Amber.

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Meanwhile, on the small pond, a small boat was maneuvered by 27-year-old named Garner. He threw his small fishing net again and again, hunting for fish. He noticed a fish that looked like a milkfish but had a fin like a flying fish. It was quite large, measuring about 1.5 feet in length and 5 inches in thickness. The fish swam back and forth on the pond, jumping with enthusiasm, making it difficult for the young fisherman to catch it.

This fish was actually one of many creatures that emerged after the orb appeared. Just one of these fish could provide enough food for a day.

Sadly, Garner didn't catch any fish that day and decided to return home before sundown. As he walked, the trees and grass swayed in the wind. He paused and turned his head to look around the surroundings.

He was lost in deep thought, still asking himself why all this had happened.

Before the orb's appearance, he was a high school student with pale ivory skin and an effeminate demeanor. He was always the target of bullies and would often return home feeling disheartened.

He sighed heavily and continued walking home. As he neared their house, he heard his father exclaim, "No! You can't take her away! She doesn't possess any of those stupid orbs!"

He hurriedly ran and found his older sister, Gaia, shaking in the backyard, held by his father. A group of people, the kingdom's authority, were searching for the takers.

There were six of them, two women and four men, all wearing the same clothes with the Kingdom's crest on their chests.

One of the women slowly approached them with her eyes glowing white. "I am a seeker, extraordinary class, Warlord Rank. I can see that your daughter possesses one, and it is a rare class. An amazing gift and opportunity bestowed upon your family, and you are still denying it?!" she said with annoyance.

"Don't make us do it by force. You may not like the result," she added.

The seeker nodded to the remaining five, and flames appeared in their hands.

"Your choice?" she smirked.

"Don't!" Gaia exclaimed.

A yellow light engulfed the family and surrounded them. Gaia was pointing her palm towards the Kingdom's authority.

"Honey, I know what you possess. You may have a rare class, but you lack essence to grow. You lack anything actually, and it's a waste of your gift. Without you during the war, your family would have already turned to ashes," the seeker said.

"If you come peacefully with us, we could help you become stronger, and we can pay your family Crystal Essence, enough to provide them with a stable life for a year," she added, her voice laced with a hint of desperation.

Gaia sighed, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision. "If I go, will you promise not to hurt them?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.

Slowly, she retracted her hands, the yellow shield fading like a flickering flame.

"We will," the seeker replied, her eyes softening slightly.

With a sorrowful smile, Gaia walked past her father, her eyes filled with unspoken fear and resignation. "Father, don't worry," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "This might be for the best."

She embraced her family one last time, each kiss lingering like a bittersweet farewell. As she turned to face the Kingdom's authority, her heart ached with the pain of separation.

Garner watched in silent agony, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Big sis!" he cried out, his voice choked with emotion. "I promise I'll get you back!"

Gaia nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. "I know you will, Garner," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "And I'll be waiting for you."

With one final, lingering glance at her family, Gaia turned and walked away, her shoulders slumped and her spirit heavy. The Kingdom's authority followed close behind, their footsteps echoing in the stillness of the night.