Breaking The Simulation

The time was 5 o'clock, and the date was the 24th of the month of Sol, the first month of spring. Above, dark clouds obscured the sun, casting a tumultuous storm of shadows on the ground below. A fierce storm was forming, and figures darted around in preparation for the deluge about to unfold.

Cale deftly navigated through the surging crowd of vendors and patrons. The market was packed, and moving felt like trudging through a muddy swamp, one so thick it bogged movement unrelentingly like the desperate grasps of damned souls, yet Cale managed to squeeze through eventually managing to exit at the bustling market gate. Before leaving, Cale took one last glance behind him at the teeming market, where people surged forward like they were escaping the gaping maws of a slumbering beast.

Cale wasn't the only one. Behind him, a sea of bodies surged forward like a flood, all young men and women in their primes teeming with uncontrollable vigor and excitement. Like a pack of field mice sighting food, these youths charge through the market—a marching army of destruction causing severe losses in property damage as they hurried toward the square on the other end of the market.

Traders and buyers alike followed the crowd with old men of ailing health who wielded canes for support wrestling exuberantly with the youth, their means of support serving as handy weapons against the unruly youth all so to inch a little forward through the crowd.

One such old timer—a granny with a basket of fruits and vegetables in hand seemingly shopping for dinner—wielded the basket like a mobile armory, the vegetables serving as ordinances which she chucked wildly at the heads of those in front of her stunning them after which she would deliver a swift kick to the back, felling them and stepping over their bodies.

This granny, ruthless in her actions headed towards Cale giving him a severe fright and prompting him to focus ahead, redoubling his efforts to get ahead.

The reason for all this madness was simple… spring was coming and for today in particular, a day for which the parched earth would receive its long-awaited drink to quench its thirst, transformations were abound.

At the first sign of spring rain, all understood what was to come. Most abandoned their tasks and rushed to join the throng, not just in the market, but throughout the entire fortress.

Such was the significance of Blessing Day to the humans of the cerulean realm. However, not everyone was in a frenzy; many chose to finish their work properly before heading out to witness the arrival of Blessing Day.

Facing forward again, Cale continued on his way. After the market, a wide stretch of road led directly to the central square. Once he crossed this road, he would reach his destination. With renewed vigor, Cale sprinted forward, the sound of his heart pounding like a drum in his ears. But without the sea of bodies in his way, he found himself falling behind the rest of the crowd.

“Move it, worm!” A voice came from behind Cale as a shadow zipped past him with blinding speed scaring Cale immensely. For a moment there, he had thought the granny had caught up to him.

Compelled by that thought to check, Cale narrowly avoided a large watermelon aiming for his head. Thinking of what could’ve been his outcome should it have struck and remembering the devious glint in the assailant's eyes as she stared daggers at him through spectacled eyes, Cale wisely deviated from his current course hoping to avoid disaster.

Yet, his worries were far from over as with the open road laying before him, the advantage of the crowded market was lost and Cake, sticking out like a sore thumb was unremorsefully pushed and shoved and left behind.

“Get out of the way.”

“Don't block the path.”

“You’re so slow… beat it, slowpoke!”

Watching one person after another pass him by accompanied by the frequent painful jab from them, Cale felt a surge of frustration. He refused to accept that he couldn't accomplish this simple task, so he pushed himself even harder—his goal ever in sight—to overcome his weakness. Finally, just when it felt like his heart was about to give out, Cale reached his destination.

Breathing rapidly, Cale collapsed at the edge of the central square, an ungraceful picture of exhaustion. Yet, he wore the victorious smile of someone who had overcome an arduous challenge. Even as others passed by, with looks of sympathy directed at him, and some of scorn, Cale's smile remained undiminished.

To him, he had conquered his limitations, proving that he could break past the confines of his fate. That realization was enough, so even though there was space available in the middle of the square, Cale chose instead to find a slightly hidden corner at the edge, a fair distance from the center.

Once settled, Cale observed everything around him. The storm continued to brew overhead, thick waves of cumulus clouds accumulating above the fortress, their bellies heavy with spring rain and the promise of blessings to come. Meanwhile, more people trudged into the square, filling every available inch of the area.

The central square was expansive, able to accommodate more than five thousand people. Behind it stretched a long road, two kilometers in length and five hundred meters wide, connecting the largest market—several kilometers in size—to the central square. Many branching paths led from the market to this road, making it the only official route to the central square. Right in front of the square stood the Coccyx—the central governing body of the entire fortress—overseeing the laws, affairs, and operations of the fortress and its people. This was the true reason everyone had gathered here, including Cale.

Blessing Day, also known as Awakening Day, was the day when people's fates were determined, heralded by the first spring shower that happened every five years. On this day, a singular event awaited the chosen—awakening!

Awakening Day was significant because it was when individuals could awaken various incredible and mysterious powers, igniting a frenzy among many. This pursuit was regarded as the most fervent aspiration for most.

The concept of awakening was both mysterious and straightforward. Few understood why awakening occurred, but most recognized it as a fundamental principle governing the universe, similar to gravity and electromagnetism. As such, not many questioned the reason for awakening but instead focused on how to better utilize it. Consequently, numerous understandings of the awakening process have developed.

First and foremost, awakening cannot be pursued but is instead left to chance. There is no discernible pattern that determines who will awaken, nor any way to predict the powers one might gain. A world-renowned athlete could awaken a scholarly power, just as a dwarf might gain the ability to transform into a giant.

Awakening is not governed by logic. Thus, it is not absolute that awakenings happen only on Blessing Day. The one certainty about awakening is that Blessing Day is the day with the highest likelihood of awakening. However, to awaken, one need not take any specific action.

Being outside or exposed to the spring rain is not a prerequisite. One could remain indoors, completely dry, and still experience awakening. Therefore, the only reason people gathered en masse at the central square in front of the Coccyx was simply for the joy of creating a spectacle by awakening in front of everybody.

Amidst the bustle of activity below, a slim figure navigated through narrow alleys and shadowy corners, leaving a fleeting impression in one’s mind. Like a bat, the small figure was nimble and quick, concealing a frail frame beneath an otherwise appealing exterior.

Cale paused in the corner of an open alleyway to rest, his chest heaving slightly as he took deep, steady breaths to calm his racing heart. His eyes, a glowing light shade of amber, observed the bustling crowd around him.

In this scene, which could only be described as wildly chaotic, there was a sense of order that stemmed from proper control and management. However, as the storm loomed overhead, this order began to dissolve into madness.

Like Cale, countless shadows of energetic youths stood out visibly in the crowd, their faces were steeped in a mix of excitement and frenzy as they filled the square.

These youths, with fit and solid bodies capable of displaying feats of astonishing athleticism like jumping over obstacles and scaling walls and rooftops in a remarkable show of superb parkour skills while weaving in and out of tightly knit crowds, causing far less chaos than one would expect were the subjects of Cale’s envy.

At 19, Cale possessed a tall frame that was deceptively slim and skinny beneath the layer of baggy clothes he wore. His overall appearance was appealing enough to command a second glance from any passerby, despite the messy mop of hair that obscured his beautiful amber eyes and the general aura of untidiness and timidity that accompanied him.

Yet, despite his acceptable outward appearance, Cale's physique was weak and sickly due to a bad heart that prevented him from even the simplest forms of exercise. A light jog would leave him wheezing for breath, and a full-on sprint would send his heart racing as if a herd of bison were stampeding across his chest, causing severe pains to wrack him and leaving him in a serious coughing fit. This left Cale envious of his more athletic peers, who could jump and sprint without fear.

However, Cale was not one to wallow in jealousy or accept the fate destiny had drawn for him. Within his breast, a flame of determination blazes brightly and Cale muttered to himself, reassurances to keep the fire stoked.

“Don’t worry, just you all wait. Today is the day I shed this weak coil and step on top of all your heads.”

Cale was determined to change his fate and pursue the life he believed was rightfully owed to him through sheer strength of will and effort. All of this was set to begin today, on this day of blessings.

After a brief rest, Cale picked himself up from the wall he had been leaning against and began moving once again. Slipping out of the alley, he joined the other rushing youths, his goal mirroring theirs. To avoid being crushed by the crowd and also to stand out from among them, Cale needed a place that was clear from the crowd.

A place where he would be easily noticed once his awakening began, and Cale knew just the place.