"Haah, this is the life!"
Inside one of the many showers, separated only by thin, cracked concrete walls, a boy was washing himself with a wide smile on his face. Steam filled the narrow space, creating a fleeting atmosphere of peace. Despite the poor condition of the locker room, those moments under the hot water were a rare luxury for him.
The boy had an average build, typical for someone around fourteen or fifteen years old, but his protruding ribs told a different story. Malnutrition was a constant companion in the confinement zone, where food was scarce and in short supply. His hair, once turned grey from dirt and dust, slowly returned to its natural white color as the water flowed down his body, washing away the grime.
"How much longer are you going to take?!"
The voice from outside startled him out of his relaxed state. He answered back in the same tone, with a hint of irritation.
"Five more minutes!"
"You said that five minutes ago! Do you realize you've been in there for over half an hour?!"
The boy was surprised to hear that so much time had passed, it had felt like only a few minutes had passed. But when he looked at his wrinkled hands, he had to admit to himself that maybe he'd overdone it. Reluctantly, he turned off the water.
Still dripping wet, he walked toward the benches where a clean towel and clothes were waiting for him, something he hadn't seen in what felt like forever.
"It must be my birthday today… no, wait. On my last birthday, I got a cockroach pie. So today must be something even more special," he muttered to himself.
To most people, the idea of eating cockroach pie would be disgusting. But for the boy, it wasn't that bad. First, they were high in protein, and second, they rarely carried diseases. Growing up in the confinement zone meant adapting to whatever was available, and he had long since learned not to reject anything that could keep him alive.
Clank
The locker room door opened with a metallic sound, and a soldier walked in, looking annoyed.
"Are you done yet?"
"Almost. By the way, nice shower—very refreshing."
The soldier nearly slapped the cheeky boy, but when he saw the condition of his body, his eyes softened with pity.
"Life in there isn't easy, huh?"
"Take away the cold, the hunger, the sick people, the smell of burnt corpses, and the occasional lunatic you run into, and it could make a decent tourist spot," the boy replied with irony.
The soldier sighed and asked him a question.
"What was your name?"
"Axel," he said, finishing getting dressed.
"Alright, Axel. Your life is about to change forever. Whether that's a good thing or not... well, I don't know. After all, you're a Sinner now."
At the soldier's words, Axel looked at his right wrist, where the symbol of a red half-moon had magically appeared, exactly on the first day of the new year.
"Let's go."
The soldier grabbed Axel's arm, and after leading him through several hallways of the building, they finally stepped outside. They were immediately hit by a deafening storm of sounds. Explosions, screams, strange roars in the distance, the rumble of heavy vehicles, and cannon fire surrounded them. Yet the soldier moved with confidence, guiding Axel toward the helipad, where a helicopter was waiting.
"What took you so long?" the bored pilot asked.
"Long story. What's the situation?"
"Just some minor sea beasts. Nothing we can't handle with the gear we've got. Control tower reports clear skies."
"Then let's go. We're already behind schedule," said the soldier, giving Axel a look.
Axel just looked away, pretending not to notice.
The pilot flipped several switches on the control panel, and the helicopter's side rotors began spinning faster, lifting them rapidly into the night sky.
As they flew farther and farther away, Axel could see the island where he had grown up growing smaller, surrounded by the fires of battle. Axel couldn't help but wonder what fate awaited him now that he was a Sinner.
****
The world had changed irreversibly. In the early 2000s, humanity had finally reached the depths of the oceans, discovering an abundance of previously unknown natural treasures. Unfortunately, driven by greed, people began drilling recklessly, chasing resources like it was a new gold rush.
Exploration and excavation continued without pause, until one day, something went terribly wrong. A deep-sea team, digging at depths never reached before, broke through a rock formation, accidentally opening a gateway to an unknown dimension. That was when the Inverted World, a parallel realm filled with unimaginable dangers, made contact with Earth.
From that moment on, humanity faced a terrifying new reality. Frightening creatures, unknown diseases, and horrific monstrosities began to emerge from the breaches that opened regularly, spreading fear and destruction. Cities fell one after another, forcing humanity to retreat and give up vast territories.
In addition to monsters, the breaches also unleashed a mysterious new energy source called spiritual energy. This energy radically altered Earth's structure, causing whole fragments of continents to rise or sink.
Though extinction seemed inevitable, something began to change. As the world evolved, people did too. Many individuals vanished, only to return with weapons capable of killing the monsters, marking the beginning of a new battle for survival. But the road to salvation was anything but easy.
There were many failures and sacrifices, but through human resilience, progress was made. After countless attempts, humanity succeeded in reclaiming an entire continent, now renamed the Union.
Centuries passed, and humanity began planning to reconquer the other continents and explore the other dimension. However, progress on both fronts stalled.
Even though people had learned to seal the breaches, the frequency at which they opened made it impossible to close them all, especially the main rift deep in the Atlantic Ocean, which was so massive it couldn't be sealed. As for the Inverted World, it remained largely unexplored. The territories that had been claimed were minuscule compared to their estimated size, and the dangers lurking there were on a completely different scale.
"Does this holographic screen show anything besides the usual government speech? In the confinement zone, they played this thing almost 24/7," said the boy, clearly bored.
The two soldiers rolled their eyes, and the helicopter continued flying undisturbed. Soon, they reached the coast of the Union, which now covered most of the former European continent and the northeastern part of Asia.
Axel watched through the window as the scenery changed rapidly, from coasts and plains to a giant, advanced city surrounded by massive iron walls, built to protect them from the dangers outside. The walls were towering, dozens of meters high, made of a shiny black metal that looked indestructible. Guard towers and weapon posts were stationed along the top, constantly manned by well-equipped soldiers.
"Preparing for landing."
The helicopter slowed down, and thanks to the pilot's skill, landed gently on the base.
"We've arrived. Someone will be here soon to tell you where to go. Take these documents, and good luck, kid."
Axel nodded and stepped out of the vehicle, which took off shortly afterward. He watched the helicopter grow smaller in the sky, then turned to look around. Soldiers were moving and carrying supplies, but compared to the confinement zone, things here felt much more peaceful.
"Axel?"
Hearing someone call his name, Axel turned and saw a female soldier holding a terminal, studying him as if to confirm his identity.
"That's me."
"Perfect, I got the notice of your arrival. You're now officially registered in the database. Unfortunately, your official documents will take a while, so you'll find them in your dorm room later. In the meantime, keep those papers safe, okay?" she explained.
"Got it," Axel nodded.
"Great. Now, as much as I'd like to say you can relax, you'll need to catch a train to the central sector. The ceremony is tomorrow."
When he heard the word ceremony, Axel couldn't hide his curiosity about the event, famous, yet mysterious.
He followed the soldier through the compound, noting how clean and organized everything was, a stark contrast to where he had grown up. Soon, they reached the military station, where several young people were boarding a magnetic train. Their faces showed a mix of emotions: excitement, fear, and curiosity.
It was the first time in a long while Axel saw people his age since kids didn't last long in the confinement zone.
"Go ahead, Axel," the soldier said, pointing to a carriage.
Axel nodded and stepped onto the train, finding a window seat in a corner, and keeping his distance from the others. As the train departed, he watched the scenery blur past at incredible speed. Though the outside looked distorted, he kept his gaze fixed, trying to memorize every detail.
Nearby, some of the other boys whispered about the upcoming ceremony, sharing theories and worries. Axel remained silent, deep in thought. The soldier had told him his life was about to change, but that didn't mean it would be for the better.
'At least the food is good,' he thought while munching on some dehydrated crackers he had found.
If anyone had heard him, they would have looked at him like he was crazy. The crackers were so hard and tasteless that most people would rather go hungry.
Time passed slowly, but after several hours they finally reached their destination. The central district was massive, built to impress and intimidate. It housed the central government and those of the highest status.
The teens disembarked, looking around in awe. Most had never seen the central district before. The scale and luxury of the place were breathtaking and overwhelming at the same time. Skyscrapers gleamed under artificial lights, towering above perfectly kept gardens and clean roads.
"Welcome," said a man in a high-ranking uniform.
"You're the last group to arrive. I won't keep you long, I'm sure you're tired from the trip. My men will take you to the residence where you'll rest before tomorrow's ceremony."
Just as promised, the man didn't speak further, and several soldiers escorted the group to the waiting vehicles, which drove them to their destination, a luxurious resort hotel.
Axel's eyes were wide, trying to take in every detail. It was a world he had never imagined seeing up close.
"Follow me, I'll show you to your room."
Axel followed the soldier inside. The hotel lobby was massive, with high ceilings decorated with frescoes and a huge crystal chandelier hanging in the center. The floors were lined with thick, luxurious carpets, and the air smelled faintly of fresh flowers.
They took a silent, fast elevator up to one of the upper floors. The soldier opened a door, and Axel was left speechless. The room was bigger than anything he had ever seen. A huge bed, panoramic windows with a breathtaking view of the city, and a bathroom with a tub that looked straight out of a luxury magazine.
"This will be your room for the night. Rest well, tomorrow is a big day," the soldier said before leaving him alone.
Axel sat on the bed, feeling its softness beneath him. It was hard to believe that just hours ago, he had been in a crumbling shower stall in the confinement zone. As he lay back, he stared out the window, where the city lights sparkled like stars.
"Maybe now I'll finally learn why I'm still alive," he whispered to himself as the softness and scent of the bed lulled him into sleep.