Divided We Fall

United we crumble

AN: This chapter. Like most of my chapters in this book. Contains a swear word. You have been warned.

The world has been destroyed by radiation and collective human activity. Nearly all life on Earth has either died or are so injured that they lie in the old rotting cities, unable to prevent the weeds and roots from growing over them. They became the Wilters, decaying almost dead things that are useless to the Earth, they aren't even dangerous, just there. Kind of depressing really.

Yet out of the smoke and chaos of the old world. Survives emerged, people so strong and powerful that they lived through an apocalypse. There were eighty survivors all together, not many really considering that Earth grew to contain 9 billion people then plummeted to just eighty.

80.
8.
0.

Anyway, these people who survived, they grew to become different, completely different from the old humanity, not only were they still alive, war-hardened men and women, who had seen countless friends, family, children and of course enemies die or become Wilters, but they developed certain abilities.

Powers.

Like those superhero's in the old magazines.

The abilities split evenly between the eighty people. The first twenty developed abilities which meant they could set themselves and other objects alight, leading to an entire field of crops being set on fire, they called themselves Flares. The next twenty became immune to the cold and could make it snow or rain at random, christened Inber by their leader Atlas Rienbeck. Group twenty number three evolved to become one with the Earth, growing plants from the ground and occasionally accidentally growing vines around disused cars and tents. They collectively chose the name Orbis. The final twenty, formed much lighter abilities, literally. They began to float and fly as well as control the winds, often leading to hurricanes attacking the camps. They were named the Aura by the other three groups.

Together the four groups, now known as Guilds, became even stronger, refining and increasing their skills until they had complete control. Rules were established and cities were rebuilt, slowly but surely, people moved into homes and created families and a new generation of humans came into the world. One completely different from the old Earth.

The Flares, Inber's, Orbis and Aura's divided, each taking a section of land for their own, it was only sensible that people only had children with members of their own Guild, nobody wanted a child they couldn't control. Enough died trying to learn how to control their new powers let alone a child with whatever the mix of Fire and Water was.

Due to this rule the Guilds became separated, each sticking to members of their own kind, after all, there is safety in numbers, if they mixed, fights would often start and they were always deadly. It would only be further proof that different guilds don't mix. So as each guild developed, they grew further apart. Until it became what it is today, the most divided and united society the world will ever know.

***

"I bet your not going to do it." Aidan teased punching my shoulder so hard it hurt a little, I chuckle and step back rubbing the bruised area quickly to encourage blood to flow to the skin. "Then you are going to owe me that ration of yours." I counter, as he sends me a Your-Kidding-Me stare.

"Come on Kai, five flights of stairs? Are rations really worth it?" He complains as he runs to join me at the top of the staircase, skateboard in arm. I shoot him a look and steel myself.

Skateboarding down five flights is easy, no sweat. At least for me right? Because it's not like I have anything better to do. I grimace remembering the last time I tried to show off in front of my friends. It ended with the shed in flames.

Why did we have to chose an industrial site.

Yeah that's right I am Flare, descendant of the Leader of Flare's. Ember Aress herself. My dad is the current leader and when he passes away my brother will take over. So if anyone is going to jump these stairs it is going to be me.

My heart thunders inside my chest as I run back to give myself some space for a run up. I stop and turn around, Aidan watches on open mouthed and in shock as I jump on my board. Not bothering to look at him any longer I set off, pushing my foot on the ground as hard as I can, forcing myself to go faster and faster.

10 meters.

8 meters.

4 meters.

2 meters.

In the last second I release a satisfying burst of heat from my hands and use it to propel me and my skateboard off the edge of the stairs. The heat spreads through my body and I yell in giddy excitement as one, then two, then three flights of stairs fly beneath me, my body increases in heat as I pass the fourth.

Then the ground starts to move quickly towards me.

I yell again, this time in surprise as I narrowly miss the bottom of the fifth flight of stairs and crunch onto the concrete at the bottom, rolling until I face-plant the wall opposite the stairs. Groaning, I flop onto my back, I smell the acrid smoke floating off my body.

The sound of rushed footsteps seem to echo in my brain as Aidan races towards me, "Kai, you set yourself on fire again you twat!" He yelled and I raise my hands to my ears, his voice is too loud and annoying to listen to right now, he seems to notice and quietens down.

"Kai, you burnt your clothes off again."

Dammit.

Why is my best friend such a blunt guy?

To be honest I am not even sure how we became such good friends, it's not like our parents love each other, obviously they don't hate each other either. (You save that for the other guilds. Hate is a strong word.) We met by accident as well, so the likelihood of us actually becoming friends was low from the start. He bumped into me in the street while I was on the way to the shrine and he dropped a flimsy skateboard, I guess I started talking like usual and all of a sudden we were best buds.

"You owe me your rations." I manage and Aidan starts laughing, I watch him confused. Then I crack up, until we both are laughing. Me naked and covered in soot, Aiden close to crying. When we calm down Aidan forces words out his mouth while wiping his eyes. "Not a chance, you look like you live in a dustbin by the way my friend." He stands up and starts going back up the stairs.

"Wait where you going?" I yell struggling to sit up, he stops and turns round grinning, I catch a spark in his eye. "Home!" He replies.

"What about me?" I yell back, slightly hurt he is leaving with no clothes.

"You're a big boy now Kai. You can find your own way home." Comes the faint response. Aidan turns round and runs up the stairs two at a time until I can't see him.

Well thanks Aidan. I will go home naked then.

By the time I get outside, it's cold and dark, holding out my palm I cast a small flame and light the area in front of me. Slowly and carefully I make my way home, extinguishing my light every time I think I see someone. Something sharp and hard hits my toe as I feel myself forwards. "Shit!" I sit down and rub my foot, I notice the nail uprooted in the concrete, it is coated in a thick layer of rust that dyes my foot orange.

When I finally reach home, it's past curfew and I am freezing, naked, stood in a bush.

***

AN: Hai.
Welcome to the weird world that I have created.
Hope you enjoy it.
I am not very good at Author's Notes.
Kai is above I guess.

Alsoo
He is 16

soo

Kitty out!

^,~