Preface
First I would like to make a quick thanks for clicking on this. This preface exist to just give you a quick heads up of what you are going into. This is a fan fiction developed from Golden Sun. I should first also put this disclaimer here to make sure no copy rights will hunt me down. Here it is:
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GOLDEN SUN. YOU HEAR ME? I DO NOT OWN IT, NEVER WILL.
Now we got that out of our way, ahem. This is going to be a pretty extended piece of work and I'll do my best to keep uploading. But the time it takes to upload, edit, and tweak is pretty long. And my priority puts fan fiction later on the list.
This world I hope to divulge you in is based off of pure fantasy that I hope you enjoy it. It will feel off from normal Golden Sun, but it will eventually reveal its resemblance. This story telling is first person but switches perspectives which can be indicated by the ... insert name here...
Reviews are stellar for me. My writing won't get any better if I don't get constructed criticism.
Well that's it. Here we are. Blue Ruins. I hope you enjoy.
A vision of grey
... Isaac...
Our enemies are smart, clever, and adapt pretty quickly. They are also quite brutal as well. They don't spare a single life. They hunt us down like animals. Can't blame them though, we stalk them like predators. If they are left open, vulnerable, we will kill them. If they had the chance, they would kill us. That is the world we live in.
I'm pretty lucky to be alive. When I stare back at the field that has grown grey and blackened by steel, I wonder how am I alive? Bullets wisped past my ear more times than I could count and I could feel the wind graze my skin as metal flies past me. I could feel the ground shake each time I hear an explosion. Sometimes they were mines, sometimes they were from rockets and missiles, and sometimes I wouldn't even know. I've learned how to run on unstable ground after so long. The field had many holes and craters from explosions and pricked by many bullets. They had much more arms compare to what we had. I had a M1911 that I wasn't even too sure worked and a bolt action rifle with fifteen shots. There could've been less if I could tell where to shoot, but all I did was hide behind cover until it was blown to bits and then skitter to another cover until they blew that one up as well. There were no shots from our side, just ton of shots behind the wall.
It started by seeing a child. It was hard to believe how much bitterness and rage stirred up in seeing a single child. Her cloths were vibrant, her hair was clean, and she seemed to have so much life with her stumbling out of the bushes. The look on her face was so pure and innocent. But something in us just went off. When I saw the men yelling and taking up their guns and began to chase the child, I just followed. After following what the people did around me so much and long, I didn't question it. I had nothing against the child. The child didn't do anything to me. Yet I felt a sick feeling in me and I took up my arms and followed the crowd. It was hard to describe. Seeing her so innocent and happy in this dirty, cruel land made me feel twisted. All I could think, was showing her what pain, what terror is. We heard the screaming of another girl and knew that there were two. Two is better than one. The sound of the steps appeared even closer and the group became excited, yelling out and crying out joyously with the intent of death. I joined in the yelling fray until I realized we were in the open. The scattered thin trees became a dead wasteland with scattered boulders, with shifting platforms, and brown grass. I slowed down after that. I'm not stupid. I saw the wall. I saw the barricades. I saw everything. The border of the wall is a battlefield and carelessly passing through it was stupid.
I ducked behind a large rock when I heard the sound of a whistling bullet piercing into the closest man and collapsing onto the floor. He fell to the floor with no struggle and a bullet in his chest. He bled an incredible amount and I knew it was a lethal blow. Where the others charged to the borders with boiling blood, I stayed behind a rock. What stupid men I thought. I noticed a group of people coming near the gate and shooting at us. We evaded by stepping into cover slightly and running to the next. After the first sniper shot, there was a second, then a third, then a volley of sniper shots. Another man collapsed to the ground, this time with half of his head popped off. I looked at his open skull and shivered, thinking it could have been me. I stayed behind the rock and observed from the cover. There was no one who could call me a coward; they were all too preoccupied in running and dodging. But the dodging became useless after I couldn't see the two kids. Why are they still going, I asked there was machine gun fire. Someone must have seen me and I felt a couple of bullets chip off a part of the rock I was behind. A couple of bullets screamed pass me. I hid for a bit longer, but I could hear machine gun fire come down like heavy rain. The rock I was behind was falling apart. I could tell just from the sound of rocks flying. The man was onto me badly and I had to change when I had the chance. The machine gun fire went on and then I felt the ground rumble. It wasn't a large explosion and I didn't hear a whistle or a blazing end that was came before it. Someone stepped on a mine. But I then felt explosions on the field that came as massive howitzers with a very peculiar scream that came before a loud explosion. The rock I hid behind exploded into fragments and I flew back with the air knocked out of me and my ears deaf. My eyes were confused. I could not see without feeling dizzy and blurred. I laid there for a second until I could hear the screaming explosions and the machine guns. After a bit, I quickly got back up and ran to the closest cover. I hid behind there again and I could feel a grudge that was onto me. More explosions came and the small cliff that I hid behind almost buried me alive. I jumped before the dirt and rocks could cover me. I leap and landed on my stomach. When I got back up, a sniper bullet missed me and I could hear it whistle past my ear. I felt scared now. The battlefield had gotten to the worst it could be. Everyone was died and I was the only target with barrages of bullets and explosions. Fearful, I had even more adrenaline pumping in my veins now and I reacted quickly and ran to the next stone. After hiding and peeping at the side, another bullet picked off the side of the rock and I quickly jolted back. But it wasn't long until the rock exploded and I was forced to find another cover. I ran to hide behind the small platform laying there until the multiple explosions in that particular spot told me it wasn't safe. More sniper bullets drove itself into the ground next to me and my heart beat almost popped out of my chest. I could feel the ground ring when the bullet drove into it. I took off even faster and it was cover after cover that kept getting blown up. After six times, a rock I hid behind exploded and I flew back again with dirt covering me. I lost control of my body and though my mind was racing, my body couldn't keep up. I didn't breath, all I did was laid there with a sweaty body and tired heart. They seem to have thought I was dead though I expected death and laid there frozen, waiting for it.
After a bit, when my mind was clear again, I realized that laying still had its benefits. I lay perfectly still for an hour with my gaze to the sky. The sky today was grey. It was a strange grey, a grey with no life to it. It was hard to tell if there was a cloud or not. All it appeared like was a smooth grey as if the sky itself was a perfect color. It was peaceful to look at and I felt like I could stare at it forever. But the grey began to make me feel sad. More particularly, I felt alone. The grey cloud and the silence combined gave me a feeling as if death was near, but not as a threat. It felt like something that watched over my shoulder, watching my every move. The grey sky was quiet and tranquil. But I've learned about death, and the grey tranquility was not at all tranquil. I know the things behind and outside the wall will kill me. The grey sky had no life, no death. I was forced to choose what the land offered me every day: death.
When I felt calm again, I quickly got up and smoothly leaped to the remains of the rock from before. Though it was barely any cover, it was enough to hide my body if I stayed prone. I laid there afraid to move. I laid there covering my face as if I was trying to melt into the ground. I laid there feeling my own heartbeat. It was soothing. It was a rhythm that created itself. I felt each pulse quiver my eye and body. When it began to slow down I felt a bit calmer. It was as if I forgot I was on the borderline. I laid there as if I could sleep there. But I couldn't. The smell of the ground had a burning scent to it that disturbed me. I could feel the rough ground and it couldn't let me be comfortable nor at peace. I opened my eyes again and saw the grey field blackened by steel again. There was no escape. Then I felt a bit of anger in me, sort of a rage. It was hard to explain, but it was there and it felt as real as could be. It made me hate the people behind the border. They call themselves people and look over us like the dirt on the ground. They could kill us in such a simple heartbeat and because of that, so can we. We hated them as much as they hated us. No, because of that, we must be able to do the same. I think that's why we could chase those kids with such killer intent. Our children had always been force to live with as much fear as we did. The fear that we could go hungry, that the wilderness could kill us, and that their expansion would kill us was all we thought about. It is what made me bitter. If they could point their guns at us so easily, how can we hesitate? Was it jealously? No. It was much deeper than that. It was that they could take away what I hold dear too so easily that there wasn't much too even live for, until we were left to the mercy of our basic drive: survive. And a part of surviving is killing what makes you sick.
I carelessly stood back up. Before a walked away, I looked at the border. The giant cement wall with barbed wires and cannons was no longer a frightening figure for some reason. As I peered at the wall, I also saw a person. It was a girl with pale hair wearing a casual blue dress. Those very sights are what makes us sick and gives us the will to take it away so easily. I walked away then, not caring. I just wanted to go home, though I had no home. I just wanted to escape, though there was no end to this abyss.
The walk home was in a path of dead trees that was fragile enough to snap with a simple touch. The ground was dead with brown dirt and grey stones. The breeze was cold to my burning skin. All I could see was endless thin trees with a grey blur to fill in the empty gaps of the trees. It was easy to get lost, no matter how much you think you know the path. I always got a feeling of being lost. All the trees look alike. I kept walking and wandering until I could see something familiar which seemed impossible. I felt like I was walking in the same place, nothing changing, no escape from this terrible place. I was tired. I still couldn't catch my breath from the explosion. My feet were weary from walking and running. I was thirsty and especially hungry. When I could feel the feeling of hunger again, I question how I was able to walk. I finally caught a view of a fire and figured that was camp. The people there were weary of me at first, but when seeing what sort of mess I was in, they paid no attention to me. If you look like a mess, you were an outsider. The people there didn't say a word to me. A man just held his gun tighter and a woman who appeared to be close to him, went into the tent to hide from the cold. As for me, I took a good look at myself. I looked at my hands which were wearing a dirty glove with the fingertips unprotected. I looked at my pants which were ripped. I took a look at my shirt which was covered in dirt. I saw a pot of water and took it. I was going to drink it until I saw my reflection in it. My face was covered in dirt. There was some blood on my cheek from a scratch or something. My hair grew long and my beard was starting to bother me again. I couldn't tell what color my skin was supposed to be. All I felt and saw was a pale face with no color to it that was hidden beneath the dirt. I rubbed a bit of dirt off my face, but nothing changed. I still looked like a sick man. I drank the water and lay on the floor exhausted. I closed my eyes but all I could still hear and feel was the hard ground and the cold air. The cold no longer felt weird for me though. If it did, I'd be a dead man.
... Mia...
My sister is a bit careless. She was always trying to match me in racing though her legs were much shorter than mine and I'm naturally a good runner. One day I was tending the lawn when she wanted to race me. I take care of my lawn because it bothered me when it was badly kept. Having a good lawn adds to the beauty to the house making it more livable. I was about finished planting so I told her, "Okay. I'll let you get a head start first." So Kayla joyfully ran off. After i finished planting, I didn't see her anywhere. But I caught a glimpse of her run to the sewage tunnel. I called out, "Its filthy in there! Come back!" But she didn't listen. So I start to follow her at a strong pace. I could barely squeeze into the gate the tunnel was covered in and all I could hear was Kayla's running in the muck making splashing noises. I ran after her beginning to lose my breath. The tunnel was unbelievably long. I kept calling out to her but all I heard was giggles and small footsteps. When we were outside, I saw that we were not in the town anymore. All I saw was a wall that was its borders. I knew where we were. "Kayla! Come back here right now!" I yelled out. My voice rang in the vast emptiness. She couldn't hear me. She must not have noticed the dead trees and land. I ran faster trying to follow her footsteps that I could have mistaken as the cold wind. I did not remember her able to run so fast. I kept running and running into the dead woods and began to panic. The woods hid the evil behind the wall.
After a bit, I couldn't hear the footsteps anymore. I stopped running then tried to listen more carefully. I called out her name again and then she came running to me with a group of outsiders behind her. They were armed with guns and seemed unnaturally excited. I quickly picked her up and ran to the border. I hoped that if I ran to the border, the soldiers would stop the outsiders. I ran faster than I ever ran in my life. My feet burned from the force I put on the ground and my lungs felt the cold air burning my lungs. The outsiders behind me were yelping and crying out joyfully. I glanced behind me and saw them running towards us like animals and I knew why they weren't shooting. I couldn't bear the thought if they captured us alive. They looked like humans, but acted like animals.
I kept running with Kayla in my arms until the small trees disappeared and we were in the open with the wall in sight. But the outsiders were even closer to us and I began to falter. My feet began to hurt and I was running short on breath. Suddenly I heard a gunshot and glanced back and saw an outsider on the ground bleeding. My heartbeat felt like it stopped for a moment. I thought I was shot. The outsiders still ran towards us and a couple of soldiers came to help us. One soldier came and guided us to a safe spot while the other three fired at the incoming outsiders. The soldier took us to the gate and I held Kayla as she was crying. We were safe, but scared. I held Kayla closer to me and felt my cold sweat running down the side of my head. I glanced back and saw the outsiders being gunned down and rockets exploding on the ground. I was angry at Kayla for being so reckless. But I kept her in my arms the whole time we were at the gate. I was more relieved than angry. But each time the ground trembled below me and the loud cracks of rifles bursted through the air, I felt more scares than relieved.
After the explosion ceased and gunshot stopped, we were taken to a barracks and interrogated. At first look we didn't look like outsiders. But they were still cautious. They took our blood test to check if we were outsiders. Kayla cried a bit more when the needle went into her skin and pulled on my arm for comfort. Kayla's hair was wet from sweat and so was mine. We were a mess and looked filthy like outsiders. The only thing that was distinguished us was our eyes. Outsider's eyes glowed a faint color like a cat. It was unique for outsiders and was the only physical appearance to tell us apart from outsiders. We sat in a very secluded area with a single chair and table in front of us. We couldn't tell where we were because of the bland color the room was. It was a calm grey. It added to the quiet of the room. It felt static. It felt like I was sitting in space. It just felt empty. I looked around and the calm grey walls seemed to have made a noise. Nothing in the room was moving. Kayla was asleep by now. But it wasn't breathing I heard. It was this faint ringing sound. I couldn't tell what it was. Maybe it was the single light bulb at the ceiling making that sound. If empty had a sound, it would be this. A very quiet and subtle sound that can only be heard when you are in complete silence. It didn't feel uncomfortable nor soothing. But it was noticeable. As we were left in the room alone for a long period of time, the sound began to feel unbearable. I began to sweat again though I should be safe. The quietness was starting to feel fearful. The calm grey was now an unsettling color reminding me of... isolation. I know what was at the night, what threatened us everyday. This empty feeling and then this reality made me feel afraid.
A large man walked in with a notebook. He didn't introduce himself. He seemed rude and just laid his book on the table. The large man began to ask us questions and the first one was, "How did you leave the border?" I explained that it was just a mistake that that we didn't know that the sewage tunnels would lead out of the borders. "The sewage tunnels are suppose to be well secure. Was there an opening?"
"Yes. The tunnel is near my house."
"Where is it?"
"Near Monterrey road."
"Okay. That's all we need to know." The large man opened the door and led us out. "Go downstairs and you'll be on the border walls. A soldier will lead you out then." We left the room and he closed the door behind us and went into another room. We walked on the border wall and I couldn't help but look over the barb wires. I knew this chance wouldn't come too often where I can take a look at the outside and feel safe at the same time. Looking over it I saw the battered field with holes on the ground from explosion I guessed. The woods seemed grey to the core and there was not a single color besides grey. The nature looked like it disappeared and the land seemed like it was dying. I looked back at our town and felt a bit better looking at it. There were quaint little house scattered about and living trees to make it a bit more beautiful. I glanced back at the grey terrain and felt sick again. The outsiders who inherited the terrible place were vicious. I never thought I would see one or have my life hang on the edge so close before. Now since I have, I knew for sure what lived beyond this wall. A terrible evil was behind these walls and I was thankful for the soldiers. I didn't feel so oblivious anymore. I stared at the wall and saw a man stand up. From the rubble, he stood up dirty looking like trash. I had a feeling he looked at me and I knew what he was probably thinking. He made me sick and I quickly walked downstairs and headed home.
I carried Kayla home. She was tired and I was as well. Walking into town at midnight, I felt a little better. The town was beautiful. The houses were small with a balance of housings and greens. It held a regal color of house wood, grass, and a well paved sidewalk. The sun was gone now but the well lit streets gave me a sense of security. After today, the town seemed and felt a little bit more beautiful.
Home was a peaceful place. I lived with my grandma and baby sister. My parents disappeared a little while ago and left me with Kayla. I found a steady job as a pharmacist and with my grandma's benefits, we live at a very steady pace and livelihood. Our house reflected who we were. It was a small and cute little house in my mind. It was all we needed. I had television, warm water, and food. That's all I need and it was good enough for me. Sometimes it gets lonely when my grandma is socializing with her friends and Kayla is asleep or at school. I can't help but to feel bored when there's nothing to do. But besides that, I cant find anything else to complain.
I tucked in Kayla in her bed and went to my room. I went to shower first. I felt incredibly dirty. I ran through the sewage, found myself behind the wall, and drenched in my own sweat. The hot water felt good on my skin. Outside was cold and the hot water was very relieving. I think I stood in the shower for a good hour. When I came out, I put on my nightgown and laid on my bed. I laid on top of the blankets at first. I stared at the ceiling and took a very deep breath. But I didn't go to sleep right away though I was extremely tired. I stood back up and looked outside the window. The town could have been endlessly beautiful if it weren't for the stale, large wall at the distance.
