Chapter 1:Prologue

Red...As red as the sky that day. The day everything began to change, a rift tore open in the sky, and beady red eyes looked down on us. We didn't know what to make of it. Reactions varied amongst people; some panicked, and others stared motionlessly. Some even blatantly ignored it like it was an everyday occurrence.

However, this wasn't an everyday thing; it was far from it. A crimson-colored mist began spreading from the rift, minutes later, pouring into our skies. Falling like snow, people ran from the streets as they couldn't comprehend what would happen if this mist touched them. Little did we know that everyone's daily lives were about to be turned upside down by this unexpected situation.

Others watched as it fell with no hesitation in their hearts. I stood and felt the quick mist wash over me because I was too scared to move.

***

Inside a small apartment, a mother begins to panic as she realizes her youngest child isn't in his room.

"Mina! Where's your brother?! Do you know where your brother is?!"

The woman cried at her eldest daughter as she was panicking.

"I thought he was in his room."

However, he wasn't; he had left his room through his window.

"Wait here! I'll go find him!"

"But Mother! You don't know what that mist will do to you! You can't; it's not safe!"

"Damn it, Mina! I said stay, please! Just listen to your Mother for once!"

Mina held her breath as her Mother locked the front door behind her.

The mist began touching everything while vanishing like melting snow in the heat. But Mother didn't trust it as she opened up her umbrella and rushed out into the open. Screaming for her lost son.

"Si-Woo! Si-Woo! Where are you!!"

The Mother continued running in the streets, screaming Si-Woo's name. Hoping she'll hear his voice.

The Mother took in her surroundings as she ran. People were in their cars with the doors locked; others were just empty as the drivers and passengers rushed out of them. With no knowledge of what was happening, people were panicking. Wouldn't you panic if a random mist began flurrying from a dimensional rift torn open in the sky?

Panting heavily, The Mother reaches the nearby park and quickly notices her son.

"Mori Si-Woo!"

Suddenly the boy's head jerked to his Mother's voice. Surprised to see her standing out in the open with an umbrella.

"M-Mother, why are you..."

The Mother quickly rushed toward her son and raised her umbrella to shield the two of them.

"What were you thinking, Si-Woo! Why were you standing in the open like that!?"

The Mother wrapped around her son with slight tears forming in her eyes as relief filled her heart and mind.

"Mother, didn't you see?"

"See what, Si-Woo?"

"The red mist, it isn't doing anything to me. At least I don't feel any different."

Si-Woo takes a step back from his Mother and stands back in the red mist.

"Si-Woo, what are you..."

Slowly, she watched Si-Woo move around in the red mist and be completely fine.

How could he be fine after standing in it for so long? I mean, it doesn't make sense. What kind of phenomenon would not cause a catastrophe?

Slowly, The Mother began to close the umbrella and let the red mist fall onto her skin. She was slightly shaking in fear until she realized it wasn't affecting her either.

She hysterically laughed as if she had taken a significant burden off her shoulders.

Even Si-Woo began to laugh, too, as he felt relief that she was okay.

"Hey, Si-Woo, dear."

"Yes, Mother?"

The Mother embraced her youngest son.

"I'm so glad... That you're alright."

"Aww, Mother, why wouldn't I be?"

"I thought the red mist would've taken you away from me..."

Suddenly The Mother began reaching for something behind her dress.

"Well, you don't have to worry, Mother. I'm perfectly fine, see!?"

Si-Woo looks up at his Mother with a wide smile.

"You're such a good boy; I'm so glad that you're finally going to see your father."

"But Mother...didn't father die…?"

Suddenly his Mother's right hand wrapped around his thin throat. Trying to grasp for air Si-Woo grabs hold of his Mother's wrist with his hands but gets pushed to the ground. His Mother is on top of him, holding him down. Tears begin forming in Si-Woo's eyes as his Mother holds up the closed umbrella in her other hand.

"Stop struggling, Si-Woo; I'm just trying to show you your father!"

Si-Woo felt his mind going blank as he struggled to breathe. He struggled and worked to get free but was powerless against his insane Mother.

Nobody was around, and those who could see what was happening assumed it was the mist at play and wanted no part of it.

Si-Woo swung his right arm widely at his Mother in a desperate act. His attack collided with her face, shifting it to the left. Si-Woo stopped struggling, and fear began creeping into his body.

Slowly her head turned back to look at him, and her eyes sharpened.

"You little brat!!"

The Mother began swinging the umbrella like a bat at Si-Woo, each cold blow landing on his body.

His skin began to swell and bruise as he endured the abuse from his Mother.

Tears filled Si-Woo's eyes as his body lit on fire from the pain. He couldn't take it, unable to breathe and endure the horrific burning pain. He couldn't take any of it. He was just a kid, and his Mother, his very own Mother, was beating him to death. Then with a quick adjustment in her right hand, she aimed the pointed top of the umbrella at Si-Woo's head.

"Enjoy seeing your father in hell!"

She screamed before she thrusted it at Si-Woo. In a mere reaction to protect his head, Si-Woo's right arm shot up before his face, and in an instant, the umbrella pierced through his elbow and stopped right before his nose.

His crimson blood was dripping from the top of the umbrella and drooling down his newly opened wound. Before comprehending what had just happened, his Mother ripped the umbrella diagonally with force—gashing an even longer wound open on Si-Woo's elbow.

Blood slung across the ground as the Mother held the bloodied umbrella above her head.

"You won't be able to stop this one!"

As The Mother prepares for another killing blow, a baritone vibrato laugh begins emitting from the rift, pausing her action and switching her attention.

The beady red eyes were suddenly creepier as now a visual of sharp teeth formed like a smile had appeared. It laughed at the visual it witnessed like its goal was a success. As its mouth vanished, the red mist began to cease, and the rift slowly closed. Everything returned to normal; even the beady red eyes faded away as the rift wholly closed.

The people were still hiding, and Si-Woo's situation continued to escalate.

The Mother thrusts down the umbrella without a second thought, causing Si-Woo to whine and quickly shut his eyes as he's about to die. However, seconds pass, and Si-Woo feels no different. As he slowly opens his eyes, he notices his sister Mina pulling Mother's umbrella back. Mina cried out in desperation.

"Help! Someone help us!"

Mina fought hard, trying to keep her brother alive. Despite the struggle, The Mother paid no attention to Mine trying to stop her. She continued to press forward with the umbrella with a one-track intention to stab Si-Woo.

Mina's cries reached the ears of many. It took a few minutes before others started coming to their aid. Men and women began restraining The Mother, holding her to the ground and taking the umbrella away.

Mina rushes to her nearly dead brother and tries to help him. But she's instantly pulled away as the other adults try to tend to the dying child.

***

Hours pass as Mori Si-Woo is recovering in a hospital with his sister beside him. Their mother is currently held in captivity for attempted murder and child abuse. But that wasn't the end of their problems.

As days went by, Mina continued going to school and visiting her brother. From time to time, Si-Woo would have a therapist to talk to or have to talk to the authorities. Till one faithful day, everything came crashing down. On the same day, Si-Woo found himself discharged from the hospital. A tragedy fell upon the world.

"It's known as the Crimson Slumber, Scientists and doctors have come up with a simple solution to what caused this, and it was simply in the name. However, we have Doctor Ni-Park here to explain the situation to everyone. Over to you, Miss Park."

"Thank you. A few days ago, we had a phenomenal event happen in which the red mist was released from a rift that was torn open in the sky. We still cannot explain why this rift appeared or its intentions. But we can confirm that the mist does have effects on people!"

The Doctor put on a pair of glasses and opened her journal with some notes inside.

"As we know, those with mental or physical illnesses and touched by the red mist will be placed into a coma. We are unsure if they'll ever wake up as the cause for this is something we've never experienced. However, this isn't all we've uncovered. I'll be directing it to my colleague now who has a special guest with us."

Suddenly the television switched over to another person. This time, a scientist held a clipboard; he began examining the citizen right beside him.

"Sir, you were touched by the red mist, correct?"

The Scientist asked the citizen, who was eager to say yes.

"Did you feel any different when you came into contact with the substance?"

"Not at all; I felt nothing out of the ordinary."

"Then would you care to show the people watching what we've uncovered today?"

"Absolutely! Let's do it!"

Suddenly a set of weights was piled before the citizen, constantly getting heavier as they added more until it reached three tons.

"Would you say you're a natural bodybuilder?"

"Sure am! My record for the most bench was two hundred and twenty-five."

"That's pretty impressive! Do you think you can live three tons?"

"Let's find out!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

Si-Woo was fascinated but pulled between the mixed events happening as people rushed into the hospital he was still standing in. As they screamed about their loved ones in some unconscious state, Si-Woo felt uneasy and continued watching the screen.

Suddenly the citizen began lifting the three-ton weights like they were nothing.

"Incredible! I believe the red mist has altered our natural attributes in some manner. But we still don't know who was granted these abilities."

The Scientist introduced a second citizen, this time a weak-looking teenager.

"Would you please lift these weights for me?"

The teenager attempted to lift the weights; however, he could barely budge them.

"Now, what I find fascinating is that these two people are the same in many ways as they both lift weights and exercise. But if you take a look at this."

The Scientist instructs the bodybuilder to turn around and show his scar.

"This man has an abrasion on his skin, while this young man has nothing like that. We believe those who had scars during the event of the red mist were given special abilities, while others were either unaffected or, as you see now, affected by Crimson Slumber. That is about all we've uncovered. Thank you, everyone, and please be safe out there."

This is crazy, red mist falling from the sky, and suddenly those with scars get powers. It sounds almost implausible, yet here we are.

"I wonder... Does that mean..."

Si-Woo looked at his right arm as it was bandaged up and still healing.

"No, I shouldn't look too into it. It just wouldn't be good to get my hopes up."

Si-Woo shook his head and grinned a little before leaving the hospital. The streets were busy as ever as people resumed their everyday lives. Of course, on occasion, people would collapse out of nowhere. But that doesn't mean everything has to be like it.

"Or so I thought..."