"THE ACTION OF BEING RESCUED OR SET FREE."

In this harsh reality we have served under, we gradually grow transparent and incorporeal. But there are others. Some who walk passively amongst others, some even living alongside us. They solemnly roam our narrow sidewalks. Perceived to be just like us both in nature and soul. As we search for those disparate to us, they on the other hand see through us as they see through time and as they do space.

They slither their way into our reality. A reality of free will. Or is it? That is a question even the wisest still have yet to answer. It rambles our cohesive brains and forces us to look back on ourselves. Look back at who we really are. In order to peel back the layers of internal certitude we have granted ourselves since the dawn of time. Humans have yet to mangle themselves, no matter the amount of times they may have sundered, or dissociate between themselves.

Even though that day may be sooner than expected. But someday, somehow, in the near or distant future, mankind hopes to have achieved a solidified answer to that question. Because truly, that’s what the expansive versatility of our minds allows for us.

The ability to answer the questions we are presented with. That’s why the boundaries of reality are against us. Our minds ponder far beyond what we are capable of. We are utterly incompetent contrary to our beliefs.

Nonetheless, everything seems to be at peace. It is monarchical times and society is persistent in sustainment. The acute whirring sounds of nearby contraptions, and the indistinct crowded murmurs that can be heard from a mile away all combined into this one massive amalgamation of audible indifferences.

Compounds of officers survey the surrounding environment, observing all passers. The concrete stumps sounding like earthquakes as the hundreds of people go about their day. Ambiguous, a young boy, waddling alongside his knight in obsidian armor, walks amongst the crowd undisturbed. A young man who by now was stuck in his own mind, unbeknownst to himself, let out a strict yawn of pent up tension, stretching out his arms widely in a circular motion as he walked.

He glared upwards vacantly to the early morning sky. His mouth now a gaping hole at the sight of the barely luminous sky. It’s dawn now, but his perception of time is lost in a daze.

Stopping in his tracks, a blank expression sat atop his face as he basked in the pure delight of solemnity. The wind gently breezed past his smooth pale skin. The boy did not care what the time was, nor did he care what others thought of him and his tattered attire. He just wished to continue to stroll aimlessly, with seemingly no end in sight. The hazy sky held a melancholic ambience to it, The wind snarled like a sleeping lion.

The constant chattering of passing civilians was an irritation to all. People engulfed the streets before him, crowding in one after another, but no matter how much he wondered; the people still continued to stroll just as he did. He begged that time could just stop, that he could just fall and sleep.

The frigid breeze swished past, roaring like a tiger in overwhelming vexation. The small boy who stood parallel to all others carried this particular aura with him. The aura of someone who is unique to all others; different.

His hushed yawn was not even a disturbance to the others beside him as he strolled. Not even the knight beside him. Nevertheless he still strolled, looking nowhere other than right in front of him while others sneakily stared upon him.

His short, dark black hair lusciously enjoying the wind’s sweet kisses. Still, all things seemed peaceful, the boy looking at the ground below him as he walked forward until suddenly; (BUMP!!). A group of joyful pedestrians from behind came rushing in, blowing past the others. One of them bumping into the right arm of the prince. They seemed to be a group of teenagers racing swiftly past the young boy. Basil stopped in his tracks, standing silently, a sharp pain in his right shoulder, though not even a single grunt came from him.

One even stepped on his laced shoes as they sprinted. In spite of all that happened in the minuscule span of a second, the young man’s expression also remained the same to the shock of some. He felt no anger, no annoyance, just nothing. The knight caught notice that he had fallen behind, walking over to Basil in her clunky armor that created loud mechanical noises as she walked. Crouching down and brushing the boy’s shoulder off as she tightly gripped his hand to continue their adventure. His eyes lighting up as he watched the back of the woman

“The people are not unified, they require completion. I am here to bring about said completion, but in the form of spiritual escape said the King.” spoke the head minister as he read through an open book.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The royal courtyard was in sheer uproar, it was the opening of a brand new building after all.

But the question was, why were they there?

Chatter flooded in as an even larger sea of students entered carelessly as they conversed.

“Welcome all. Please stand while we begin brief introductions.” the bearded man standing atop the podium announced in an impassive voice.

Excitement filled the air. New faces, new opportunities, new relationships to be made. A fresh start. Many people entered, tall children, short children; children of differing heritages as well, some even from varying regions. As everyone fell into place, many people were recognized in the crowd. Old friendships. Old acquaintances. But still, the boy who sat oddly from everyone else appeared seemingly incorporeal to the others. However, that tranquil solitude would all come reigning down from grace as everyone listened into the encouraging announcements. Basil gripping the knight’s hand even tighter as the underlying aura of discomfort seeped in.

“Before we begin, would anyone like to come up and introduce themselves first?” asked the announcer.

No response was given. The teenagers in the crowd simply stared back at the head minister, the snarling wind which snuck inside growing even louder with every lingering second of awkward silence. As he awaited an answer, he stared blankly back at the crowd. While he stared directly back at the ocean of countless disgustingly peering eyes, he couldn’t bear another moment looking at them. He was being pulled into submission with their mere gaze. Beginning to squint, sweat, and twitch, his blank expression turned into an annoyed one. Shifting his gaze away swiftly, he then ordered a random student from the crowd to come up on the podium and introduce themselves. Masking his inner annoyance with a somber, nonchalant tone.

“Hello? Uhm my name is Diane. I’m a new child at the royal orphanage. I enjoy art, singing, and dance. My favorite food is chicken, and my favorite drink is water. That is all, thank you for your time.” the female student nervously announced before bowing to the depressing crowd.

So that’s what this was. Another place to not call home. An exhausting experience for sure. Though, for some reason, the child just sat there, mindlessly. Surrounded by an aura of melancholy as always. Although, not panicking like many would believe.

“Anyone else?” the announcer just as nervously asked as the girl left the stage.

“No one? Alright then. I shall pick randomly from the crowd!” the minister yelled, now slightly enraged.

Still no one even bothered to respond to his announcements. Which in fact angered the minister even more than before. At this very moment, the minister was so furious, you could basically see the top of his head smoldering. Skimming through the crowd, no particular person in sight until-

“You! How about you young man! What’s your name?” he said, pointing at a random young man in the crowd.

The minister’s finger continued to gently linger, waving it around as if a fiddle. The young man from before prayed it would not be him, but the odds were seemingly stacked. The court’s focus shifted onto him, and only him. He could feel the eyes glaring. All movement ceased. The air in the court was once again smothering. So he looked up. Making eye contact with the minister himself as the court lights flashed brightly into his eye; the boy’s body was now motionless. All pressure was on him once again. His expression slowly fading back to its previous blank expression once more. Standing up straight, his mouth agape.

His oddly smooth, pulpy finger tips caress the gentle tailored silk of his old fashioned school pants. The eyes of the surrounding many enlarge into the endless void that encapsulated him in a nearly lightspeed manner. Their enormous pearly white eyes largely encasing him. Eyes, countless of them. Just staring. Blinking. It’s happening again. He had wished this had come sooner than current. The human mind tends to play ploys on those who are inefficiently disproportionate in self subservient authority. He began to sweat; his undeniable fear towards the act of public speaking, or any public conversation in general sent chills throughout his spine and boulders hurled down his throat. Sweat trickled down his now crimson red forehead, his gigantic gulps echoing through his skull. His eyes bulged wide, and his head tilted downwards. No more did he hold any influence over his thoughts. No merit held, and no indefinite closure. His mind simply continued to race. All with seemingly no end in sight. Until at last-

“I’m speaking to the tall young man with the long hair! Yes, you there! Would you like to come up and introduce yourself?” the minister yelled hopefully as he pointed towards the solemn and pale child standing beside the young man and the knight.

“Do you have a name?” the minister asked politely. Mainly due to the irritated atmosphere surrounding him.

Quietness creeped up lazily, encapsulating the entire locality in seconds. Scoffing at the minister’s questions, he refused to answer. Only joking and laughing with his few peers in the crowd. However, back to the quiet senior beside him, cold shudders ran down his pale skin. The eyes, they no longer phased him. As they slowly dim out of existing optical perspective, the other young man’s now racing heart decelerated; a feeling of relief had now overcome him. Releasing a sigh as he gently swayed his head downwards. Taking another humongous gulp as his head leaned in towards the squeaky clean ground surface. He overreacted over a simple possibility that had yet to be proven fact. Many things raced through his mind. Things that incorporated a sense of failure and embarrassment into his essence. He loathes massive crowds to a threatening degree and he knew that. Though now, his panic subsided but was quickly reformed into hysterical discomfiture. He had wished that he’d just vanished into the abyss alongside his multiple ill-minded worries.

Once again, no response was given. No one cared for such trivial introductions. They didn’t even want to be here in the first place. So for what seemed like the 50th time. Silence reigned supreme.

“Alright! I guess that’s it then. Opening ceremony is now over! We are now going to get ready to head to your dorms. Everyone, your name should be on the walls so please check for your name and class number accordingly.”

- End.