The clock struck ten, and the solemn toll of a bell echoed through the air, announcing recess after endless hours of exams. The bronze bell, suspended in an outer tower separate from the main building, emitted a sound that had always seemed more funereal than festive to me.
I was lying on a flat rock, some distance from the children laughing and running around the rocky area, engrossed in reading a worn volume.
It was a book I had discovered hidden in a forgotten corner of the orphanage's library a few months ago. It was so cleverly concealed that even I, who spent most of my free hours among books, hadn't found it until recently.
The title, embossed in gold letters faded by time, read: _Encyclopedia for the Enlightened_.
"What we are today is but stardust. The earth you tread, the nitrogen in our DNA, the iron in your blood, the calcium in your teeth, the carbon dwelling in you and me, were born in the core of stars. When these stars explode in a supernova, they release into space the elements formed within them. Over time, these elements cluster to form new stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. Each time we gaze at the night sky, we behold a fragment of our own history. All the elements that make us were created in the heart of stars that shone long before the world existed. What you are and what you touch is stellar matter; we are, in essence… Children of the Stars."
I never tired of rereading that magnificent introduction that filled my spirit with an almost mystical fervor. The notion that every atom of my being had been forged in the fiery heart of a dying star made me feel simultaneously insignificant and transcendent.
"An Enlightened is someone who has activated the stellar core of their body to manipulate cosmic energy and use their prodigious abilities. While some powerful creatures are born with their stellar cores already formed, most—such as humans—are born with them in a latent state. Mastering control of stellar energy is the greatest challenge, but by absorbing a mutant's stellar core, success is practically assured."
I turned the page with reverence, fearing I might damage the yellowed paper.
"The stellar core is a mysterious and enigmatic spherical space located within the Enlightened's body, in the abdominal region. Being ethereal in nature, it does not occupy physical space as an internal organ would. The core is infinitely vast and, paradoxically, infinitely small. In contrast, a mutant's stellar core is an extraordinarily rare energy sphere that manifests upon the creature's death, with only mutants of third evolution or higher capable of generating such cores."
_I see, there's much to learn_, I reflected as I closed the encyclopedia and settled into a more comfortable position on the earthy bed.
In this world, various arcane forces existed, and the Enlightened could be classified into several main professions: Knight, Mage, Warlock, Warrior, Archer, Assassin, Sorcerer, and Priest.
The most well-known were the warriors: Enlightened who had undergone relentless training and awakened their latent abilities. Their physical attributes far surpassed those of any ordinary human.
These warriors not only possessed physical capabilities vastly superior to those of common mortals but also mastered the use of multiple weapons and martial arts. The kingdoms of the known world, along with their aristocracy, were generally composed of warriors who had achieved a certain level of power and prestige.
I sank into my musings, imagining what it would be like to become one of those formidable warriors, or perhaps even a mage capable of controlling the mysterious forces of this universe. In truth, I didn't care which path I took, as long as it granted me the power to protect myself.
My hands instinctively clenched into fists, resolved to discover my own potential and place in this dystopian society so different from the one I had known in my previous life.
Today was the day. Finally, after years of meticulous preparation, I felt ready.
I stood with a fluid motion, brushing off the dirt that had clung to my clothes, as the joyful voices of the children playing echoed faintly in my ears.
Teamwork would be crucial to escape, but a corrosive doubt gnawed at me: how could I convince those innocent orphans that their entire existence was an elaborate lie?
I wasn't even sure I wanted to take on the responsibility of protecting them in the cruel reality awaiting us beyond these walls.
I cast one last melancholic glance at those children laughing and smiling as they ran about, oblivious to their grim fate.
I looked away and headed toward my destination, recalling with bitterness how I too had once longed to live in the same carefree ignorance.
I had fervently wished to know nothing, to remain ignorant of the truth and simply enjoy this new life I had been given… but it was impossible.
Certainly, ignorance was a blessing, but the sacrifice of my mother weighed like a slab on my conscience. She had given her life for me, and squandering that sacrifice would be an unforgivable affront to her memory. To perish in this place would mean betraying the woman who believed in me until her last breath.
«It's okay», I repeated to myself. «It's okay as it is.»
I meticulously surveyed my surroundings, ensuring no prying eyes followed my steps.
I approached a small cave blocked by an enormous rock that showed signs of having been recently moved.
This had been the reason for my grueling training. The motive behind why most of the children found me exercising tirelessly day after day.
It had taken me years to manage to move that massive stone.
When I discovered the cave, I saw it as an excellent exercise to strengthen myself and leave behind my inherent weakness. I wanted to prove my worth, not only to others but mainly to myself.
No, reflecting honestly, it wasn't exactly like that. I wanted to punish myself, drowning in an ocean of guilt. The immutability of our situation was so frustrating and overwhelming that I felt my heart would burst at any moment under such pressure.
Perhaps this way, I could alleviate some of the weight crushing my soul.
I needed to immerse myself in remorse and regret for having been so weak, for not having been able to do anything when it mattered most, for having been nothing but a burden to my mother in her final moments.
Days, weeks, and months passed, and the rock remained as still as a stone sentinel. At first, no matter how much strength I applied, my feet simply slid backward while that mass stayed anchored to the ground as if it were part of the earth's very foundation.
There were moments when I believed the task was simply impossible. The rock wasn't particularly thick, just a gigantic disk without excessive depth, but to my childish eyes, it loomed as an insurmountable barrier between the known world and the unknown.
An ironic smile crossed my face as I recalled those days of trial, when my hands were covered in oozing blisters and painful calluses. But I never gave up. Physical pain transformed into unwavering conviction, conviction into stubborn tenacity, and tenacity into an obsession that consumed my thoughts.
I became so obsessed with the idea of moving that rock that when I finally managed to shift it a mere few millimeters, I felt indescribable relief. Sweat soaked my white hair and cascaded down my bare body like a tropical downpour, but I had succeeded in moving what I had deemed immovable.
Returning to the present, I prepared to complete my task. The rock rumbled as I pushed with every fiber of my being, a guttural growl escaping through my clenched teeth.
My hands trembled visibly as I shoved that mass—which no longer seemed as colossal as it once had—until it finally gave way enough to allow me access to the interior.
Though I held no grand expectations about the cave, I at least wanted to see its interior before proceeding with our escape plan.
Upon entering that space, I discovered a small cavern. It wasn't particularly wide or spacious. A subtle scent of wildflowers permeated the air, surprisingly fresh considering the entrance had remained sealed for so long.
Darkness reigned in the cave, forcing me to advance with caution.
After walking for about a minute, I suddenly perceived a glow ahead of me. My vision gradually adjusted to that new light source.
At the deepest part of the cavern rested a sphere of intense crimson, emanating a hypnotic luminosity. The light filtered through a narrow crack opening in the earth's surface, creating a spectacle of dancing shadows.
I reached out toward that scarlet gem, and the moment my fingers brushed its polished surface, a blinding light flooded my vision, brighter and purer than any sun I had ever beheld.