Sins Vs Virtues

Chapter 1: Depths of Hell

          In the year 2526, five centuries after the fall of the modern world, there existed two clans of civilized society left. The people who were still in the light of the Christian God's mind, and the ones who had "sinned" and were banished from the light for eternity, condemned to burn in a fiery hell after death. At least, that's what they told us here. My name is Karia. I am a 16-year-old who lived in an underground military bunker along with all of the rest of the underaged children of my town. We have never met our parents and we know no family. All we know is the darkness, the sound of dripping water, and the education drones; constantly drilling information into our skulls. Our military decided that it would create a better society if the children only entered it after receiving a college level education and learned to think for ourselves. I personally finished the college portion of this training at the age of 12 and hoped to see the surface and the sunlight soon.

          I stared at myself in the mirror. My messy black hair with the tips dyed blood red hung down in front of my smooth, pale, freckle-covered face; my vivid maroon eyes stared directly into my soul. I pulled back my hair and teased at my bangs. I pulled off my skin tight sleepwear, allowing my breast to drop from their supported state, I then slid on a set of equally skin tight training gear. I had just booted up the simulator when a high pitched screech blared over the P.A system.

P.A Announcer: Would all course graduates report to the departure hall immediately.

Me: Fyoo! Today is the day I get to leave. Goodbye, moldy living cell. I'll miss you least of all. Ha ha!

          I walked down the hallway to the departure room; the decrepit walls lined with fluorescent bulbs and flaking paint. I walked past several empty cells similar to my own. I finally arrived in the hall where all of the other course graduates stood. It was a massive hall covered in ancient murals of post- modernist era graffiti, similar to what used to line subway tunnels before the war ended it all, and divided what remained. The general who was placed in the center of all stood about 7 feet tall and was balding under his tightly fitted cap. Surprisingly, I was the only person dressed in training garb; everyone else was still in their pajamas, if they could even be called that.

Military General: Alright all of you worms, listen up! Today you 20 children will be used in a military sorting test that was just integrated. You will be sorted into the dragon, bear, boar, goat, lion, snake and fox houses! From there we will choose the best 7 of you for an elite squadron.

Me(under my breath): the hell I thought we were going to the surface. What is this crap?

          I stood there waiting for my turn in the laboratory chamber for this surprise test.

Administrator: NEXT!

          I walked into the room, its decrepit interior matched the rest of this forsaken bunker; I laid on the metal cot. Its cold, hard surface stung the delicate flesh of my back. I recoiled for a moment before laying down on the torture table like surface.

Administrator: Number?

Me: 01-15-2510

Administrator: Alright, brace yourself.

          The administrator leaned over and injected a bright red liquid into the side of my neck. It stung like hell; I felt the burning sensation coursing through every vein in my body, my nerves fired rapidly overloading every fiber of my being. It was almost overwhelming; suddenly I went unconscious.