Pov percy

I woke up to the lights flooding in through the shades and into my iris. Today was the day before the big vacation. I reluctantly got out of bed and got dressed. Going downstairs, I could hear my friends' voices echoing through the large spaces of the abandoned train station.

"Ahhhhhh, that's so pretty, you should wear that tomorrow."

Luna said so excitedly. She had gone with Sapphire and Kay the other day to acquire some clothing for the trip.

"Good morning," I said through my dry throat."

"Percy, you're up!"

Luna ran towards me to latch onto my hand and pull me into view. She had always been a neat freak in everything she did. Grimly showing off her suitcase, Adonis followed to look,

"It's only a week trip to some ocean, you don't need to do this."

He said it very tiredly, as he and I had stayed up playing rouge masters all night as well. There was a new update, but unfortunately we couldn't play it as we had to get dragged all the way to some cool ocean the girls planned for us.

"You're so negative; the trip for a week is a long one, and I want to make sure I have everything! And don't come whining to me if you forget something, Adonis."

She said she was sticking her tongue out. I realized she was still holding my hand, and I quickly let go. We had all known each other from a young age. Luna and I were both abandoned as kids and had a caretaker we didn't know for long. We later found Adonis as well as Sapphire. A couple months later, Pax and Sarah were found in an abandoned train station. We had been a tight group as none of us knew who our parents were or had anyone else to turn to, so we relied on each other.

(tv sounds)

"On today's news, there has been another report of strange celestial figures on the floating island that appeared just last year; they seem to be studying us from a distance, leaving the military and governments on edge."

"Ugh, more of that stuff. You know, that's all that's been in the news, and I bet there's just as much on the other unexplored continent as there is on our own. We've only explored a small part of the axis."

Sapphire said with a nonchalant tone as she mingled with her hair. I studied the image shown on the screen and wondered why the axis was so vast and big. We humans have been here for eons, and now they come? I've thought about them being figures of gods as some cultures reference them, and even now people worship the island like it's the gateway to heaven. I pondered as my mind went to think that all these human gods were just higher beings with more vast information.

"Why are we even going on a trip when there are crazy god-like people in the sky on an island again?"

Adonis was a bit annoyed at the fact the trip was so last minute, and he was—well, I should say, I and Pax were looking forward to being the best trio in rogue master history.

"All of us need to get out and get some fresh air. Besides, you heard her say that they stay far away, and the island itself has been there for a year now; what's the harm in stretching your legs?"

"I can stretch plenty in my room playing rouge masters."

Looking back at his phone to see the latest news about the game. I sighed as I agreed with him; the trip was so last minute, and I knew the girls were dying to get out of the house.

"Look, it's only one week and it's going to be fun. I heard that there are cool beasts and new creatures in the waters that shine like the stars."

"Yes, we all know about the seven seas."

Pax said hastily as I recalled the expedition to find land, yet the team never made contact back, leaving no trace and stopping all expeditions from setting sail into the unknown.

I quickly grabbed some food from the table and motioned for Pax and Adonis to follow. I could hear the girls giggle and play with the cameras they had bought from working all season.

"Man, did you see that rank-S explorer take down that jungle beast near the tide line?"

"Ya, he is a monster. To think he can use gravity abilities is quite frightening."

Humans have the ability to use the arts and make use of the world as a canvas to paint bright colors and do anything. There were many times I wished to be an explorer, yet the school was very expensive and competitive, as almost all the silver spoons would get in with the blessed arts.

"Man, if we were rich and gave an offering to the fountain of blessings, I bet we could get into the Isle of the Blessed Academy."

"Keep dreaming I said, "We barely made enough money for the cheapest rooms on a ship this past season; affording an offering is wishful thinking."

"Ya, your right, but I can do a bit with fire; watch, I've been practicing this art I call the phoenix's aim."

He took a sharp breath and his eyes opened in an amber color. He drew his arm back, motioning to pick up an arrow as if it were there, and arched in on the imaginary string. A fire bow lit with life and startled me a bit. We could all use art, but to use it to a level of usefulness was hard in itself. He let out a small breath, and the arrow zipped across the room, destroying a target we had made from scrap metal.

"Aha, look at that. I bet the IOTB Academy just wants me. I bet they don't have anyone who can do that."

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"Ya right, they can change the color of a flame like it's nothing and fuel a city for a year if they wanted to.’’

Adonis said, mocking him. In unison, we all laughed at our dreams to attend and live such a lavish life. Living in a makeshift home in an abandoned train station Looking around, I was grateful to live with people I cared about and that I would grow up with. Being 11 and the 2nd oldest, it felt weird seeing other kids my age, as they were immature and quiet. I guess living like this makes you grow up quite fast, I murmured to myself.

"Man, it's almost noon. We should go to work soon. I'm trying to buy the new expansion pack when we get back, after those girls drained all our play money on a trip to see some dumb creatures."

"Ya, I'm working overtime today so I can make a bit more; I want to buy Luna a gift."

Pax and Adonis both looked at me smirkingly.

"Ooooo, I bet you're going to ask her out during the trip."

Pax said it playfully. Knowing Luna spent the longest time alone, just the two of us trying to find a place to stay and running from the officers stealing food, gave me a nostalgic feeling.

"Oh, shut up, you two. I saw you guys pawning over Sapphire and Sara."

"Was not!"

They both spoke defensively; their faces were both beet red, and they were both smiling, trying to hold back a laugh. I got up and went to change into work clothes. I was a miner in a starlight mine just a couple miles away from here. The work was grueling, but the pay was pretty good, and it helped pay for food and water along with stuff we wanted. I quickly got finished and headed to our H-bikes.

"Be safe, and make sure you are home before 9, ok, Percy?""

I looked back to see Luna yelling and waving her hand; it was a bit windy, and her white hair sparkled as the sun hit it from every angle, almost as if she herself were an angel or a goddess that lived on the floating island. I mustered a smile and went off.

I arrived at the entrance, where many humans and non-humans were lined up to enter the mines. "Attention all miners! Please wear your safety gear, and there is no hunting allowed or stealing once you find an item of value. It is yours in all rights." The speaker cut off and on cue, the doors hushed open with a flood of people rushing through to get towards the lower levels for better finds.

"Ahhhhh" I finally found one; a hand-sized silver star lay below my feet as I quickly hid it and ran down towards the exchange house. One cash-in item, I told the exchanger, as I giddily plopped down the heavy ore in front of him. He took it to a gravity chamber to test its pull and see how much it attracted.

"Hmm, this one is quite dense and large at that, and here is your hourly and bonus fee for finding it.’’

Like a script, with his lifeless eyes going over the machine and jotting down prices. After a bit of negotiation, we settled on a high number. I tried to hide my excitement as I walked out in somewhat of a daze as I eyed the amount on the card. I had never seen so much like this. I giddily ran towards my bike, hidden behind the mines under a tarp. Three men approached me from the back, and I could feel the change in their presence as they crept towards me.

"Well, would you look here? Seems we found a little boy wandering the streets at night." The one in front said it with a cocky expression.

"Get lost, I don't have anything valuable."

I thought about using arts here, but with all three being way older, I could tell some of them could use high-level arts and didn't want to risk a major injury. Ah yes, I remember how cruel this world was. Right before we met the others, I and Luna were attacked left and right by people wanting to steal or sell us into slavery. I had seen slaves all the time in the mines, which is why it was such a dangerous job even at my age, but to come back to reality as I was thrown down and beaten up to the ground

‘’It looks like he doesn't have any money; he's just another rat trying to pick up leftovers."

I wait till their backs turn to strike them; a head-on attack is reckless, and I need to approach this with every advantage. There was a chance.

"Pacifist ruler," I said under my breath, casting an art spell that multiplied all damage and physiological damage done to me by tenfold if they were to attack first. A sharp light hit their chest, and a rain of blood arced over me. The scarlet color reflected light in a red array as it hit the ground.

Looking back at the lifeless bodies, they are barely recognizable from the state they were in.

I took a deep breath and tried to regain my senses.

I had tucked the card away from their view as they walked off; my ribs and legs were burning as I tried to hoist myself onto a nearby ledge. It took a bit, but I finally mustered up enough strength to heal myself and walk towards my H-bike. It lay on the floor completely stripped of parts; I had worked for it for a while, and to see it filled me with emotions.

I held back tears as I tried to see what there was to salvage. There was no hope, and to make matters worse, it was past 9 and close to 10; it would be suicide if I were to walk home, and even worse I would have stayed, but we had our trip tomorrow. I scanned the area and looked back at the few sheets of metal that lay below my feet and at the busy street of miners rushing home.

Maybe I can hitch a ride from them. I thought of drawing closer to the bright street of lights. I look around, staying hidden to try to find something that would take me home.

Atlas I spotted a waste truck and scurried towards it; the truck was relatively empty, and I took a quick glance at its data map to see where it would take me.

"Perfect"

I glanced over the console, seeing how it would take me close to my house, and jumped into the back quietly. We soon began with all the other vehicles and joined the flood of lights emitting from the fronts and backs.

I quietly watched as I sat in the back of a waste truck, thinking about where I would be in the future….I thought quietly about how I would become the best artist and become rich so no one could hurt me or my friends. As the slow hum of the truck and the sounds from nearby vehicles increased, my eyes slowly got heavier and heavier.

I woke up with a halt as the truck pulled over, and I looked around at the grayish world to see if I was close. I quickly hopped out and disappeared from the man working the truck, watching it drive off into the distance. I ran toward the old station in the cover of night, knowing exactly where I was.

"I'm home," I said loudly.

Moments after saying that a sharp pain cursed my ribs, I had run out of energy to use arts to heal my injury.

"What took you so long?" "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

I saw Luna walk up with a wand in her hand and a very worried face.

"I got sidetracked with work, but hey, look how much I made!"

I swiftly pulled out the card and put it in front of me, almost as a barrier from her rage that would diminish after seeing its value. She grabbed it out of my hand and looked at it with unchanging eyes; if anything, they seemed to glow more fiercely.

"Do you think you're worth this much, Percy? I told you to be back before..." What's that?"

She pointed at the spot where the bleeding was now visible.

"Percy,", she rushed over and started to use her water and ice arts to heal and close the wound.

"Hey, it's not a big deal, I just fell at work; there is nothing concerning, but look at the money I made."

I was sure that she would lighten her mood, but she looked up with tears in her eyes.

"Percy I don't care how much you bring home; the only thing I want home is you breathing and healthy."

She said that she applied more pressure to the wound.

"Ow, that hurts."

"Ya, it would not be an issue if you listened to me. You're always getting into trouble just like... "

Her voice broke, but I already knew what she was going to say. During the time we were together alone in this cruel world, I was constantly beaten up defending myself from guys who tried to take advantage of kids. I sat quietly while she applied the last of the treatment and wrapped me up in a silky cloth. I tried to talk, but my voice as well broke. I don't know what to say; she was always bandaging me up after a fight.

"What's going on?"

It was Sapphire and Sarah coming with broken makeshift targets I had made with Pax.

"Nothing just Percy acting stupid again, always getting himself into trouble. I'm going to finish dinner; don't practice art until you're completely healed."

I watched her walk off until I realized she still had my card.

"Hey, my card!"

"O this is your fee for making me worried; heal you."

With a shy smirk, she walked off.

"Percy, are you ok? What happened to you?"

I turned to Sara and Sapphire, who were eyeing my wounds.

"I got into a little trouble, but I made a lot of credits."

"How much have I heard Pax walk in behind me?’’

"How about you?" I asked.

Now making it a competition, we eyed each other and smiled to see who brought home the most. Pax was the oldest, being 14; he wanted to always be the best, which he was. He was an extremely talented artist who had an affinity for using shadow and light, a rare art that not many people have.

"I asked you first."

Pax said as he made a wider smile,

"10,000 credits, I said."

Uncomfortably pumping my chest to make it seem bigger, he rubbed my head like an older brother and laughed.

"Ahahhaha, 12,439 credits!"

"What?" I yelled, reaching for his card to see if he was lying or not.

He mockingly pulled back and waved it over my head, but I saw the value, and he wasn't lying.

"How do you always make more money, it's your job?"If I was better at arts, I could apply for a better job."

"What are you talking about? You're a great artist, but Luna just won't let you use them."

"Because I'm not good enough."

I murmured.

" DINNER"

I looked back to see Adonis kissing the chef's apron and clanking two pots. I realized how hungry I was because I had not eaten since this morning. We all walked towards the kitchen that we had made a few months back and sat at the table.

"Time to eat,"

Adonis eyes his food.

"Yes, yes, everyone is here, now dig in."

I looked at Luna to see if she was still mad, but to my surprise, she was smiling and handing out food to each of us.

"Man, tomorrow is the big day."

Sara spoke with a mouthful of food. I looked back at everyone enjoying the food and thought about my thoughts on being powerful and rich, but seeing this, I wanted us to stay here forever, smiling at each other and not worrying about what was next. As the night went on and laughter echoed through the empty station, I couldn't help but smile. This is all I want.