The society of those with powers and without powers has been built on wars and conflicts. The powerless rule the world, and those with powers are hunted.

  These rules weren't always forced onto the people, not too long ago these two sides, those with abilities, called the Resonants, and those without called Graceless lived in peace.

  One day, a man quickly rose to become a leader, Lucian Daichi. He claimed that those with powers are a plague to humankind, and will lead to destruction. His words gained popularity and through his innovations Graceless had a chance to fight back.

  He designed The Hunters, Graceless in hazmat-like suits using artificial elemental powers.

  With that, he waged wars and eventually the world headed towards a brutal civil war. Graceless won, and with that they became the leaders.

  In this new era, power what it once was doesn't exist, and only powerless get to live in a world created by both sides.

  ###

  In the city that was filled with towering buildings and busy streets, posters of Lucian Daichi, with the words, "We can stand against those with powers by uniting as one," lived Yamikuro Asaki, walking beside his childhood friend Elara, hands in his pockets.

  Yamikuro's dark blue eyes inspected each corner and alleyway, looking for something.

  One of the Resonants was on the run.

  "You're really going to do this?" Elara asked, yawning a little.

  "Of course," Yamikuro said without hesitation, "He needs my help."

  Elara sighed, "You're an idiot, you know that, right?"

  "You tell me that every other day."

  They turned a corner, and in the shadows was a young man, out of breath. His clothes ruined with bruises on his body. On a closer inspection, these were the clothes of prisoners, and his hands were still in cuffs, nullifying his abilities.

  "S-stay back!" The man yelled, trying to get away.

  "We're not here to hurt you," Yamikuro said in a calm down, raising his hands, "You need to get out of here before the Hunters find you-"

  Footsteps were heard, coming towards the alleyway.

  The Resonant got up and lumped towards Yamikuro out of desperation.

  "Show me your cuffs, I may be able to free you." Yamikuro reached into his pocket.

  But before he could do that, the Hunters stepped into the alleyway, facing towards Yamikuro and Elara.

  "We're done for." Elara's heart was beating out of her chest, the Resonant hiding behind her.

  "Well, what do we have here..." One of The Hunters spoke.

  "If it isn't that criminal again, you're lucky that you're not a Resonant. You would've been the priority to be executed." The other laughed.

  Yamikuro glenched his fists.

  "Killing your parents was it?"

  Without a word, Yamikuro handed the equipment to Elara, reached towards the broken pipe, grabbed it, and ran towards The Hunters.

  Startled, one of them just started loading their weapon, when Yamikuro landed a blow with the pipe. The other stepped back, and started running, but Yamikuro's accuracy was precise, throwing the pipe he hit The Hunter in the back of the head, knocking him down.

  Meanwhile Elara was freeing the cuffs off that man, and she succeeded just in time before more Hunters were heard.

  "We have to run!" She yelled.

  "I know that, let's go somewhere crowded!" Yamikuro yelled back, as he grabbed onto her sleeve.

  As they ran, they reached the city square- only to be in time for an execution of another Resonant.

  A crowd gathered, watching as a Resonant knelt before the execution platform. Just then, Lucian Daichi stood before them.

  "This is what happens to those who don't follow the rules." Lucian declared in his usual calm, yet eerie tone.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Yamikuro felt his blood boil, he hated everything about this.

  "They're just killing someone for being different."

  Elara, standing there with a straight face didn't react. "This is just how things are."

  Yamikuro turned around and was ready to leave. Before Lucian could give the execution order, a loud explosion shook the area.

  Smoke filled the air, and once it cleared, a girl stood on the platform, the Resonant standing free beside her.

  Yamikuro's breath caught in his throat. "Who's that?"

  Elara was equally as shocked.

  The girl leaped down, grabbing a sword out of thin air and swinging it around, flames swirling everywhere.

  One of the Hunters managed to hit her left arm, but she shook it off.

  "Not today," She said, taking down the Hunter, and facing Lucian.

  All Lucian did was smile as Hunters showed up all around, surrounding the square.

  When she saw the Resonant disappear, most likely escaping, she leaped into the air, and also escaped.

  Yamikuro ran after her, not thinking.

  "H-hey, Yami! Where are you going?!" Elara yelled, before losing him in the crowd.

  Trying to follow where she went, Yamikuro found the girl sitting in an empty park, hidden behind trees and bushes. Her left forearm was hurt, and a destroyed device laid on the ground.

  "Why did you follow me?" The girl asked, surprisingly confident near Yamikuro.

  "I'm not here to fight... I'm curious is all." He said.

  "Curious?"

  "Well, I've never seen someone fight back against the Graceless."

  "Yeah? I couldn't stand to watch someone I know die like this."

  After looking at Yamikuro closer, her eyes widened. "You're Yamikuro Asaki, aren't you?"

  "I am... Where'd you hear that?" Yamikuro raised his eyebrow.

  "You've saved countless of people living here, and helped them find a way to The Hideout."

  The girl forced herself up, "To be honest, you inspired me to take action against the Graceless... I'm Isabella, by the way."

  "I'm Yamikuro-... Never mind. It's a pleasure to meet a fan of mine." Yamikuro chuckled a little.

  "Don't be stupid, I'm not your fan," Isabella sighed, "But you're seen as a hero for the weak ones."

  Looking at the broken device, her expression changed. "How am I meant to get back there now?"

  Yamikuro reached towards the device and picked it up. "So this is what you all use to travel, huh. I can't tell what it looked like before getting smashed like a pancake."

  "I'm typically good when it comes to fixing stuff, but this is beyond repairable. You'll have to get a new one." Yamikuro handed it to Isabella.

  "If only it was that easy... I don't even have a way to contact anyone in The Hideout."

  "Haha, it'll be fine, don't look so down. There's plenty of you still in this world, you'll surely find someone that has this device."

  Just then, Hunters were heard talking near the bushes.

  "Where could she have gone? Lord Daichi has gone on a wide range search for her."

  "I wonder why." The other Hunter replied.

  "I thought Resonants were pacifists or something, why'd she have to cause such a scene."

  Sneaking out of the bushes, Isabella ran as fast as she could. Yamikuro didn't notice it until she was gone, but he quickly picked up the broken device, which she dropped, and tried to follow her. Noticing Isabella run out the park, he followed.

  "Sheesh, you sure run fast." Yamikuro panted, as he caught up to her on the rooftop.

  Isabella was caught off guard, "How did you-? No, I don't recommend you follow me. This is a dangerous mission, and someone like you shouldn't throw your life away."

  "The government has their eyes on me anyway, and I think they're trying to capture me as well but I'd be the only Resonant to be captured and killed like that."

  "I'll help you get to The Hideout, and then..."

  "Why are you doing all of this?" Isabella cut him off.

  "Why? ...It disgusts me to see someone like Lucian be in control of all these lives, and for what? But why am I going out of my way to save all of you, I guess this is just what I do. I've never thought about it like this, to be honest... Although I think it started ever since I had that dream."

  "That was also around the time when my parents died, I was the prime suspect, I still am to this day, their bodies just disappeared and I remember them questioning me for so long until they gave up."

  "...That's terrible, but how do you know they're dead if their bodies were never found?"

  "The killer left behind clues, mostly stains of blood. I was the only one who was with them during this time and they thought it was suspicious I didn't hear anything during the night they got killed. A few nights before that, I had a dream where I fought against a man, glowing purple, with dead bodies everywhere on the ground. After his powers burst in me, I woke up, feeling dizzy, tired and heavy for days."

  Isabella's eyes widened, "What if it was real?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "I've heard many myths and stories, and one of those talk about a being known as the Darkness. A dangerous power that-"

  "Power? No, that's not possible. I don't have anything like that." Yamikuro stopped her.

  Before they could continue their conversation, a drone flew up to them. Noticing it, Yamikuro turned his head the other way but Isabella grabbed onto his hand and dragged him to the stairs, inside the building.

  "Oh no, what do we do?" Yamikuro stuttered, his hands shaking.

  "We have to jump down." Isabella looked towards the door they came from.

  "Huh?"

  "My powers still work fine, I can get us down there."

  Taking quick breaths, Isabella grabbed onto Yamikuro's arm again and burst through the door, ready to jump. But that's when a helicopter hovered over them.

  "Do not make any sudden movements! We will shoot if you don't listen!" A Hunter said through a speaker.

  "Damn it..." Isabella quietly said as she raised her hands, accepting defeat.

  Yamikuro was about to do the same, when time suddenly stopped. Feeling multiple hands reached to him from his back, voices called out for him.

  Yamikuro tried to decline but that's when he felt head splitting pain, and his heart beat out of his chest.

  "Yamikuro!" Was all he heard while everything went dark.

  Waking up gasping for air, he faced the starry sky, moon shining onto the roof he was lying on. He looked around for the Hunters and Isabella but that's when he noticed bodies upon bodies on the ground.

  "What the hell?" He said out loud.

  Yamikuro stood up, stepping over the dead Hunters, trying to look down at the street below him. It was quiet, with nobody walking around.

  Was he dreaming?

  "Darkness wielder, what pleasure it is to meet you." Someone said behind him, sitting on top of the rooftop enclosure.

  Yamikuro turned around, sweat dripping down from his body. "Who are you?"

  "A god." He said, a wide smile appearing on his face.