After the appearance of the Hollowlands and monsters, humans were no longer the sole rulers of this world. In just a few years, millions of people were devoured, literally and figuratively, by both monsters and Hollowlands alike.
Within a decade, more than ninety percent of the human population was gone, while the survivors lived every day under the constant shadow of death.
Thankfully, just when humanity seemed on the verge of extinction, a few powerful Ascendants banded together and built the First City, a place that at least resembled the Lost World.
Since then, more and more Cities had risen, becoming the last bastions of humankind.
Aaron was one of the few daring enough to leave their walls. As a scavenger, he spent his days searching the wilderness for anything of value, whether this was tools, weapons, or even remnants of monsters.
Yet, sooner or later, he would always return to City C17. The 'C' in the City's name referred to Region C, while the number 17 marked its order of establishment.
Aaron was sure that the name held some deeper meaning, but someone of his status had no way of knowing, nor the will to investigate further.
'No matter how many times I see it, it always feels strange.', Aaron thought as the City's walls came into view.
Perhaps because of the awakening of his past-life memories, he paid special attention to everything around him.
The City's walls were forged from an unknown black metal, and the scars running across their surface were evidence of the fierce battles they had witnessed.
On top of the high walls, flashes of light reflected from weapons as armored soldiers stood watch, alert for any threat lurking below.
The main gate was even more tightly guarded. Groups of fully-armored soldiers lined up on each side, while a team of Ascendants waited at the rear, ready to strike down anyone who dared to cause trouble.
A long line of people was waiting to be let in, mostly scavengers like Aaron, though a few merchants could be seen mixed among them.
Above the gate, a white crystal orb was embedded in the archway, which would emit a soft green light each time someone stopped beneath it.
Aaron knew that the orb wasn't ordinary. He had heard other scavengers say that it possessed the power to detect possible threats, whether these were a monster or a human.
It was precisely because of this that he felt faintly uneasy.
'Can this thing tell that I've become an Ascendant?'
'What if it can? Will they arrest me and interrogate me? Do they have a way to discover the secret of my past life?'
Countless thoughts went through his mind. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to take a few deep breaths, hoping that doing so would calm him down.
"Next!", a guard shouted.
Looking around, Aaron realized it was finally his turn.
He hesitated for a brief moment, but feeling the countless weapons pointed in his direction, he knew that he had no choice in what happened next.
Gritting his teeth, he could only step forward and stand beneath the gate.
Aaron looked up at the orb and could feel his heartbeat speed up as he waited nervously for the result.
He had gone through this test hundreds, perhaps thousands of times before. Yet this time, the few seconds it took for the orb to respond felt like hours.
Soon, the crystal orb above him vibrated lightly before emitting a green light. But Aaron didn't have the time to be relieved. The next second, the green light flickered, flashing with an imperceptible red hue.
'Did it find out?', he thought, and held his breath, afraid that any movement would alert the orb.
His actions, although inexplicable, seemed to have paid off, as the flickering came to an abrupt stop and the light remained green.
"Clear.", the guard said flatly and waved his hand, gesturing him to go in.
Hearing the word and feeling the tense atmosphere fade, Aaron finally dared to breathe again. He gave the guard a stiff, small nod and then quickly walked past the gate, resisting the urge to look back.
The moment he crossed the gate, it felt as though he had stepped into another world.
The noises of the city, chatter, hurried footsteps, and the hum of machinery, echoed in his ears, and, coupled with the smell of smoke, metal, and faint blood, gave him a strange sense of security.
He knew he wasn't the only one who felt that way. Every human, no matter how weak or strong, could only feel a hint of safety while within the City's walls.
Aaron glanced around.
The strange architecture, part ancient, part modern, part futuristic, had always interested him, and now that he had awakened his past-life memories, this was even more true.
Looking at the tall metallic towers standing beside stone buildings carved with ancient symbols while colorful neon lights flickered right above them, Aaron's expression grew strange.
'What kind of grotesque mess is this?'
'A stitched monster of ancient ruins, industrial slums, and... leftovers of a sci-fi movie set?'
Aaron felt a faint headache looking at this monstrosity and couldn't help but turn away, his attention shifting to the narrow streets winding between these peculiar buildings.
People hurried through them, their steps quick as if they were in a hurry. Beggars and scavengers made up most of the crowd, while a few merchants and soldiers stood out among them.
As for Ascendants?
None of them would linger for even half a second longer than needed in this damned place.