A vast ocean embraces me. I float within it, and I feel relaxed despite the lack of light. I could stay here forever. Gradually, the speed increases, and suddenly I find myself falling at high speed within what seems to be an enormous waterfall. Beautiful colors blend in the sea, merging into one and turning black.

  When I wake up, a mantle of red light assaults me. Beneath me, I can feel that I am partially submerged in a puddle of water. As my eyes adjust to the light, I see it: a titanic cave; inside it, a city of people living in houses sculpted within the stone mazes. I am on the shore of a lake, dyed red by the reflection of the red light.

  I stand up and start walking towards what seems to be a square or market. The people there look at me as if they are throwing daggers with their eyes. A group of them stops right in front of me. My eyes widen in terror when I see red marks on their wrists.

  "Have you gotten lost, little rabbit?" the man says.

  "Guys! Look at this! His mark is white!"

  The men react equally surprised.

  "If we sell him to the Dorados, we'll get a fortune!"

  Upon hearing their words, I instinctively move away from them and try to leave. But one of them hits me and pushes me to the ground. I try to defend myself, but my body doesn't respond, and I'm forced to endure the fury of blows.

  I look around hoping someone will help me. But the people around don't even glance in my direction and continue their routines as if it were the most normal thing. All with marks of different colors, but none in white.

  This is a world where white marks do not exist. This was the true nature of people.

  I close my eyes, accepting my fate, but then the blows directed at me stop.

  I open my eyes to discover the men on the ground unconscious. Standing over their bodies is a hooded woman.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  She walks towards me, extending her hand. A red mark peeks from her wrist.

  "Don't worry. You can trust me," she says, uncovering her hood a bit, revealing her green eyes and crimson hair. She gives me a warm smile. "My name is Emru."

  "I'm Altair," I say, grabbing her hand.

  Before I can say anything else, she tightens her grip on my hand and leads me away.

  "It's dangerous for us to be here right now," she says, looking in the direction of the people watching us.

  After walking through the mazes of stone buildings, we approach a bridge that spans a river. So many questions run through my mind. What was this place? Who is this girl? How did I get here? Wasn't I executed? I want to ask her these questions, but I'm not sure if it's safe.

  "Damn it."

  As we start to cross the bridge, men with pale skin and blonde hair appear on the other side. Some of them have violent golden tattoos covering their bodies. But what surprises me the most is the people in ragged clothes wearing chains. Unlike them, most have brown or black hair.

  "Keep moving and don't look at them," Emru whispers.

  We walk towards the bridge, and the golden-tattooed men pass by us. I try not to look, but I can see their terrified eyes.

  I want to do something about it, but I know I won't be able to do anything. My Mark will not let me.

  we manage to slip away, but then one of the golden-tattooed men blocks our path.

  "I've got merchandise here!" the man says, grabbing my shoulder.

  Emru then sharpens her eyes and lands a blow to the man, and in a second, he's collapsed on the ground.

  The other tattooed men rush towards us, but she moves in sync. Just as I think about helping, I feel my mark burning under my wrist.

  Thanks to the bridge, Emru avoids being surrounded and attacks the men one by one. The last man standing has shaved blonde hair, and golden earrings in his right ear.

  He starts throwing knives with such precision that makes me doubt if it's a person throwing them. Emru barely manages to dodge the darts, but eventually, she gets close enough to the man and delivers a blow that sends him to the ground.

  Emru is about to deliver the final blow, but then the sound of an explosion... no, a shot, envelops the environment. When I notice, Emru is on her knees, holding the side of her leg with blood.

  "Emru!"

  As soon as I want to go to her, someone grabs me and puts a metallic object on the side of my head.

  "Don't worry little pup, because Lord Eru is here" the person behind me says, with a tone as if everything in the world belongs to them.