The town of Crania sleeps early. All the shops close by 8 and most residents shut their doors locked by 9. It was not always like this. Damien remembers walking down the streets with his father at late night, and seeing open doors during his early childhood. Families gathered and shared meals. The children played under the moonlight while the elderly told stories exaggerating their adventurous youth. Security measures developed shortly after mass immigration from the neighboring town, Kish. The people of Kish held almost identical values to the people of Crania. They shared the same language and practically the same dialect. Hell their towns were only 13 kilometers apart. However integration had never taken place.
Nowadays, you can notice that Kishians are mostly gathered within the same neighborhoods. A lot of their activities are kept within the ties of a private community. As for the people of Crania, they used to be wary of their longer distance neighbors. Through a series of unfortunate events the relationship of distrust between the two groups turned into dislike. After a couple announcements of crimes being committed by Kishian individuals, the mutual feeling transformed into hatred.
Damien's best friend is Kishian. His name is Halo. He is 13 of age while Damien is 14. Halo is considered a fool by all his peers. Everyone looks down on Halo. He eats soap and blows bubbles from his nose, they say. Halo is a cheerful kid. Damien swears he never saw him in a negative mood. 'Halo never pays mind to insults, he always laughs everyone off.' Damien believes. 'yeah he's always happy...'. Damien remembers however the one time he saw Halo unlike himself; It was when the kids surrounded Damien and threw pumpkin seeds at him. Despite Damien's family name, children of farmers were always bullied. The young kishian boy sheltered his friend despite being a foot shorter. He stared menacingly at the kids until they moved away.
After a few days of rest, Damien got out of bed to see his best friend. He had missed his cheerful presence. Halo lived in the outskirts of the Kishian district, in the northern edge. 194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiVUztnVvK
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Crania can be divided into 5 regions. The Kishian district to the south, the Bra'mi forest to the east and eastern north, the mountainous Hajki region to the western north where temples of Eena are most concentrated, the blacksmiths hub in the western south and finally the town square in the center of these 4 regions.
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Damien's farm situated on the far east right across Bra'mi forest. Lived there a few other farmers. Though their farms were not part of any region, they were considered residents of the Bra'mi forest. Most of the farmers remained stationary and tended to their crops. They fear the risks demanded to cross the forest if they wish to visit town. Access to the rock clad route is denied after all. Alternatively, it is unchallenging to visit the southern kishian district since the forest does not extend to the south. Damien made his way south after he had lunch. He memorizes deeply the way to Sirius Statue; the grand Kishian magician. Next to the statue, a small altar stood empty of visitors. Once Damien reached the statue, he walked around the grand memorial in a half circle, until he could touch his cape. Then he turned 180 degress and walked 14 steps forward. There he found a hanging rope swaying in the air. He pulled and sung with all of his strength. A grand bell rang with every mighty swing of the young man. Three rings travel the distance and Damien walks back to sit next to the statue. After a few minutes, he heard his best friend come runing.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSplRMNHn6t
"DAMIENN!! I'm here!"194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hcKJ4lpxb
"haha hey halo, as energetic as always I see." replied Damien with a sad but uplifted mood. As soon as he finished his sentence, halo had reached him and hugged him strongly. Damien could feel his ribcage shaking. It was always a mystery to Damien how a small frail boy like Halo generated so much physical strength and agility.
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"I'm so sorry!! It must have been so scary all alone!" Said the boy, with heavy remorse for his absence during his best friend's troubles.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49wTSJAXmc
"It's okay.. Halo... Would you please let go? I'm shoking.." Damien let out as his voice weakened. "Oh yeah of course!" The hold was released and Damien caught his breath once again. Halo continued "How have you been holding up? How's the family? Also where is your dad in all of this?"194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryxZOx1wKO
Damien made in deep breaths and answered "Up to date, huh? Well.. I'm okay sort of. It's my mother and siblings who really suffered the most. My mom stayed up for 3 days, first in worry then urgency to nurse me. My little May and Dani.. I'm ashamed truly. How could I let them see such a weak side of their big brother. Lastly, Dad is still travelling. Mom said he'll be back soon but she always says that."194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfRkxUroVS
"You're too hard on yourself. This was no choice of yours so stop self deprecating. Plus didn't Dani see you cry over a moth dying once? Big scary brother? More like big jello!" Halo then pulled on Damien's cheeks and laughed. 194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyzDqtKEgs
Damien pulled away his face and denied. He claimed it was an allergy that caused his eyes to tear up at that time. The boys sat under the shade of the temple. They argued and laughed as they always do.
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After a long while, Halo commented "Oh yeah by the way, you should ignore all those idiots and what they say about you. Crania's highest exports after your family's pumpkins are opinionated ignorants."194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxQLQysPyh
"What do you mean? Who's talking about me?" Answered Damien confused.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHlihuh0cG
"You didn't hear? Once word broke out about what happened to you, people denied it since you can't see. Subsequently they said it's because you're seeking attention. Well versions vary. I think I heard one old man say that since your sight is disabled, your auditory abilities are so developed you could hear into the future. I still don't know if he was being genuine or ironic."194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqzwGkynVt
"Wait who are these people? Why are they talking about me instead of the bear? I don't get it.." Damien paused mid sentence and turned to the side. He could hear despite the distance, a circle of whispers and laughter. When Damien turned, Halo followed his head direction and detected a few boys hiding behind a boulder. Halo felt a wave of rage bubble up at the invasion on his best friend's privacy "Hey! Come out right this instant! You good for nothing dweebs, hiding like cockroaches!" A tall lanky young boy stood straight up and revealed himself. Two smaller younglings followed him. The taller youth walked forward and exploded in anger "Who are you calling cockroach you filthy kishian?? At least I take showers, can you say the same?" He yelled in Halo's face while the two boys followed behind and echoed his insults.
The tall boy is called Gino, he is the son of a famous artisan in the blacksmith's hub. He along his two cousins saw Halo and Damien sitting under the temple shrine and decided to eavesdrop. When Gino heard how Damien was surprised by all the rumors circling around him. He laughed at the boy's obliviousness, and the two younglings imitated their older cousin. By contrast, Gino now feels his pride deeply hurt, since a kishian of all people scolded him. The tall lad lifted his head and humphed proudly after his reply. Before he could raise his nose, a swift hand flew over and landed on his face. The boy, shocked by the sudden attack turned his spun face to protest. Again, the same hand turned to the palm marked its fingers on the tall boy's face. Gino could speak no more and he fell down in deep shame and fear. He looked up at the form of the boy who slapped him left and right. It was Damien. His face was expressionless. Gino crawled back and hurled to his feet in order to run away. His two cousins ran behind. Damien blank twice and turned to his best friend.
Halo was dead quiet. He did not know what to say at first then he broke the silence "Wow that was.. unexpected. Did that bear hit you on the head?"194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbJnDmjGIB
"I uhh I don't know. I honestly don't get what just happened."194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRf8VcwT4r
"hmm, I do. You just slapped the wits out of Mr. Zerric's son. It was.. beautiful!!"194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEfUtdv0xL
"H- What.. What did I seem like?"194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvndKKanOHZ
"You seemed different. Like I'm not sure how to describe it, but the main difference is your eye focus. Generally you don't direct your eyes anywhere. Even when you talk to me, you usually just keep your head facing forward, and I get it. Why would you point your face anywhere? But just now with Gino, you looked down at him. When he fell, your eyes met him on the ground. This is just what I saw so take it with a grain of salt. But this was the first time I saw you 'looking' at someone." Said Halo excitedly.
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Damien felt utterly confused. Nothing prepared him for that action of his and he has no clue on how or why he did what he did. The boy has little to make sense of anything.
and then Add to home screen.