Trials for survival

The new age has begun, lakes, streams, rivers turned to dust, creating a barren windy plain. Vegetation dying from lack of hydration, unable to grow society's demands needed for survival. A wasteland where the vigorous last and the feeble shall perish. Years, months, days, even time itself has become insignificant to all but a few. The land inhabited by less than a ninth of the population being challenged constantly by elements of nature. Dust storms thousands of miles long, hundreds of miles high, inescapable by all, blocking out the sun for hours, destroying lives, structures ridding away anything not affix. Little to nothing grows, food growing scarcer with every day that passes. Dehydration, starvation affecting everyone and humanoid impulse. The world lead by a malicious dictator, a man of divine power. A sorcerer, smiting all chance of rebellion during the beginning, to where the opposition is eradicated completely. Still, humanity has found ways of survival.

The day of choice soon commences, where young, old, strong, and weak alike contest together competing against a murderous monster to survive and escape for a glorious bounty…….

ADAM

There lies a tall honest slender man who has just come of age to be recognized as equal among the adults. This new man with sleek black hair laying flat just above his brow reclines in a chair merely relaxing from a long day's work nearly at an end. The sun setting on this rare clear day, his hands rough from labor rebuilding shelters. A medium build suggests he is one to hold his own in a fight if need be. His lovely wife has patched together some ragged blue jeans that fit just right, repaired enough times to be more patches than fabric that was there before, a long sleeve black jacket covers his torso stained with dirt and damage from elements. A call rings out in the distance, “ADAM!!!!!” his eyes burst open revealing cool crystal blue eyes unique to only him in his village, he launches outward towards the door realizing what is happening he grabs his hammer at once from the bedroom. He calls for his wife “ROSE WHERE ARE YOU!!!!” a response of relief meets his ears from the back of the house he hears Rose, “I’m here Adam there back again”. The new structure just built engulfed in flames, townspeople running amuck unable to defend themselves from their formidable foe. Adam watches in anger, clenching his hammer, ready to attack. He sees a young boy being dragged along the ground, his fingers bleeding in the attempt to free himself. Bone nearly showing, he cries out in pain for help, but he is trapped - a hook through his ankle, bright red blood running down his leg. “Crack.” Another hook through his shoulder. He yells again. “HELP!” Adam, among others, sprint to aid the young boy. - The Creatures as if connected smiled a destructive smile there black, runny skin like tar tightens and they pull together. The young boy's cries ring out as his flesh begins to tear, bones snap, and his stomach is ripped apart, the saviors only feet away sprayed with blood like when a water balloon breaks. They all stop in terror as the young boys torso and head is devoured by one of the creature's, blood dripping down his face he laughs a maniacal laugh and charges the men they all cower, but Adam yells “COME ON!!!” the creature comes just out of reach and bounds over Adam crashing through his ceiling. Adam then rushes for his home and is met by the second creature, a raspy voice comes out, “She is no longer yours, she will be one of us soon enough.”. Adam puzzled and confused snaps back to reality and says, “she is mine, you can not have her” Adam hurls his hammer with as much strength as he can muster and it hits the creature straight in shoulder and sticks the claw inward he screams a blood curdling scream, a tone so deafening it disorients Adam until he falls to the ground blinking slowly his vision growing dimmer he sees his wife being dragged off by the duo, and he whispers “rose” as he fades out into the dirt.

Adam awakens several hours later surrounded by his peers in darkness lying flat on a bed in a compact room, only lit by candlelight. He says in a low tone “what is going on? Where am I?”. A man, with eyes of griff clasping onto something, says, “Do you not remember? The creatures they came back…. We lost nearly everyone there's only a few left….”. “What do you mean where's my wife?!?!” the man opens his mouth to speak but no words come out, he only looks down and shows Adam a hammer covered in green ooze. A tear slipping down his cheek, followed by another. He hears the young boys cries for help. He hears the flesh tearing and his wife being dragged away from him. Adam reaches for the hammer and holds it to his chest staring down at it. He whispers to himself “rose….”. He sits up straight and rises from the bed his bare feet touch the cool wood flooring, all curious filled eyes gaze upon his actions. He pronounces “no more…. I'm done living in fear of what is to come for us, I'm done watching my friends, family and young suffer….,” Adam raises a fist in the air to further state “No more, we shall rise and we shall build and grow…. My choice has been made I shall face the beast in his realm and survive” the crowd gasps and faces cover from the words of such boldness, ”suffering will be no more from the bounty I shall return with.” Adam's eyes sparkling with determination and a fearless smile to compliment them declares “ I will return and our suffering will end I head out to arbitrium at first light.”