The hustle and bustle of the streets as I walked along the uneven path brings a sense of normality to this world, because it is far from normal. Vendors call out, desperately selling their rotten produce from a failed harvest, pleading with me to put what little change I had in my pocket in their hands. But I couldn't. Barely anyone could since the disaster. Nuclear warfare was always a possibility, nations filled their military supplies with weapons that could wipe out entire countries - and that is what exactly happened.

Conflict destroyed our world, destroyed the life we were so used to, destroyed the only home we knew and the effects were on catatonic levels: 7.9 billion people reduced to a measly 700,000 spread all over the continents. The people had enough of the wars, enough of the senseless violence, enough of mindless politicians hiding behind the broad backs of soldiers so they rioted. Families fought for their losses against the corrupt system that was the government, bringing down mighty buildings and reducing the proud structures to ash and bones. Once powerful nations were conquered by fear and vengeance and resembled torn pieces of paper. The overwhelming noise of destruction and havoc swept across the world, bringing everyone to a senseless panic and the instincts to survive finally set in and mother nature worked her cruel magic.

Then, there was silence.

Suddenly a flicker of... hope, light and a second chance appeared in the form of what we know today as 'Emblems' - the peak of human survival. Incredible people with the ability to manipulate mountains, seduce the raging seas and settle the violence that once ripped apart the Earth. Through years of fighting, damnation and utter misery, the sign of peace was welcomed with open arms and for a while the survivors embraced the gifts, learning the curious ways Mother Nature worked. The Emblems are most appropriately named due to the tattoo-like patterns that crawled across the arm, growing to show the person's power and status. The ink that resides on the skin came in a vast range of colours all from milk white to void black and Scale of Emblems was born, ranging from 1 to 13.

It demonstrated that people with darker, more vicious and larger tattoos were more powerful and dangerous than those who possessed light, more trustworthy-sized emblems. Of course, people took advantage of that and the peace... would never last.

A hard shoulder bashed me out of my thoughts as I glared as the culprit, a mouthful of curse words not even soap could wash out waiting to be released but they kept walking, as if I was just an inconvenient object in their path.

"Asshole." I muttered bitterly, my mood turned sour as I headed towards the only people who seemed to keep me sane.

The twins were an odd pair, and not the type to finish each other's sentences or be able to read their minds, no they were just... odd.

"Fine morning it is today Perun, I would have thought old man Krass would have wanted you down the shop?" Branwen cheerily started, she was always the most positive out of the two, in fact they seemed polar opposites to each other yet somehow made it work. Kannon was most laid back, careless and quiet, a strange combination but it worked - in serious times, he would show a wise attitude almost like he has lived for 200 years but I didn't care, he saved me too many times.

"One, the sky's polluted, the last time I saw it blue was in a children's book and two, Mr. Krass told me to take the day off, told me I would drop dead before I could admit I was tired. The man's got x-ray eyes I swear." I replied bluntly, though it did not stop a small grin appearing on my face. The twins had been my only friends growing up, our parents all died of radiation poisoning which they caught from the previous town before moving here, leaving me alone. Like the twins, I was an Emblem, though it was hardly impressive, the small botch curled around my skin much like a bracelet, displaying long and jagged white streaks surrounded by a black background. Unlike the twins, their emblems crawled up the upper length of their arms, beautiful patterns and both unique to each twin. Kannon was the strongest out of all of us, a deep brown colour curved and almost moved like water up his arm - his scale was 9. Branwen was a 7 but that didn't stop the sun-kissed yellow from being any less stunning.

They both protected me, harboured me because of one thing.

“Have you realised the number of Hunters have picked up? I think the District Leaders are getting ready for something?” Kannon asked, the serious tone he adopted told me to listen carefully, especially since all of our safety was at stake, we could not afford to make one mistake in this world or it would haunt you for the rest of your days.

“The Leaders are always up to something, it wouldn’t surprise me if Draven was planning an all out attack, there’s been more and more disappearances in the different Districts.” Branwen replied curtly before continuing, “But I think it’s best if we stay close, people have gone to desperate measures to stay alive and I have no doubt they will again.” The mood suddenly turned dull, the idea of people reverting back to during the nuclear fallout hundreds of years ago is less than ideal, especially for Emblems.

“Let’s head back for now, the sky is turning and I don’t particularly want to feel like a wet sock.” I said with a slight chuckle, being wet was something I despised and I took every chance to stay dry and somewhat warm.

As we took off down the all too familiar path, I came to the realisation that there was nothing substantial waiting in our cramped home so we compiled the little money we had and went into a small shop. I gathered the necessities while Branwen begged me like a deprived child every minute for little delicacies that we did not need. However, those big blue eyes tore into me like a knife and I couldn’t resist. Though I knew we didn’t need them as they would only last for a few days, the sweetness of the flavour, the softness of the sponge and the syrupiness of the strawberry jam was just too enticing to give up and I found myself drooling over the small cake. Kannon joined us outside after he grabbed some other essentials and the three of us trudged home, the sound of rumbling thunder made us scurry for shelter just as the heavens opened.

Back in our small apartment, me and Kannon started to unpack our shopping before Branwen could devour the lot. The apartment was far from home, the smell of mould and dampness always lingered in the air as the dull light flickered occasionally lighting up the sad excuse for a living area. The stained walls and peeling paper made the room ever more inviting while the creaky floorboards would drive any sane person away but, of course, where would you go? Settlements were few and far between and with Hunters on the prowl, you would have no chance of escape, less you wanted to face the District Leaders.

13 powerful Emblems controlling each area like a corrupt government, though nothing was new there, they ruled over poverty-stricken land and did as they pleased. They ‘collected’ anybody who was seen with an Emblem and used their powers for their own gain, as I said, nothing new before, however they were ruthless, merciless against anyone who defiled their wishes and commands, wiping their entire existence off the face of the Earth.

But those are just rumours, and you should never believe rumours, right?

“Perun, don’t go outside tomorrow, there’s going to be a raid.” Branwen’s once sugar-coated voice now laced with venom seemed to shake the room, stunning both me and Kannon. She shook on the spot, as if the vision she had witnessed was so devastating, it physically pained her; small mutterings were escaping her mouth and her eyes were trained on the streets below us like a sniper awaiting its next target. I waited for something else but nothing came as we both simply watched the girl stare out the cracked window, a single hand placed on the delicate frame. This had never happened before, never had a vision impacted the girl to this extent and the two of us realised the severity of it all.

Branwen had seen a vision, her powers allowed her to do so, the words “Thou Cannot Lie” glowed beneath her worn down shirt and the tattoo seemed to move on it’s own, the lines moved like a snake coiling up and ready to strike. All Emblems had a special text on their arms, it was a way of hiding their powers yet still intimidating enemies with the design.

All I could do was nod, it was once in a blue moon that I witnessed the twins' powers and it always stunned me beyond belief, the fact that someone could possess such power and have the ability to use it. If only I could do the same, if only I could protect the ones I loved, if only I didn’t have to fear that I would one day be caught and simply thrown away for my uselessness. I wouldn’t dare go through that again.

“Let’s… head to bed Branwen, we can discuss this in the morning, because I think you owe us an explanation, especially Perun.” Kannon spoke, gently removing his sister from the window and walking her to her room down the hall. A brief glance from the other twin told me only one thing could come from a vision that had left Branwen so distraught and it left me fearing once again.

I will not sleep well tonight.

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There it is! That's the first chapter in all of it's glory, I really hoped you enjoyed reading it. If there is anything that is confusing, please do not worry, things will be cleared up in future chapters I just like teasing my readers hehehe.

Apologies for any spelling or grammar mistakes!

Let me know what you think of the three characters that have been introduced so far! I personally love the twins, the concept of complete opposites was always the plan for them as all the twins I've been around are often quite like each other in personality, attitude and just overall. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that at all, you do you.

Anyways, thank you once again for reading, if you could leave a comment and like I would greatly appreciate the support.

Love ya,

Moosh <3