Another beautiful day announced itself as the sun slowly rose from beneath the horizon, bathing the ocean in its orange glow and chasing away the deep, dark waters, instilling them with life. The city of Atlantis welcomed the first rays of the sun as they traveled across long-abandoned waters.
The initial beams of light also woke the slumbering colossus from his dreamless sleep as the earliest inhabitants began their busy days. Some were heading toward anchored ships in an interior harbor, preparing for a day of fishing, while others appeared to be returning from work, having finished essential repairs on ships or nets.
The city was immense—far larger than one would imagine possible for such a structure. It housed millions of people, with room still available for more. Houses were stacked closely, and space was limited for its residents.
Yet life remained mostly peaceful. People worked diligently, relaxed in the evenings, went to sleep, and rose early to repeat their routines. They socialized on holidays or weekends, found love, and perhaps a partner.
Those wishing to start a family would request approval from the government and, if granted, receivepeople a family apartment within the city. This was life in Atlantis, and for many, it was satisfactory—not perfect, but certainly better than it could have been.
Only a select few understood that the world was far more dangerous than their idyllic existence suggested. However, knowing this didn't empower them to change things, so they continued their lives as usual, working, eating, and sleeping.
This particular morning was like many others; for most inhabitants, nothing seemed unusual. But for one person, this morning was about to change everything.
In one of the high-rises designated for maintenance workers, a young man experienced an earth-shattering transformation. His physical body changed slightly, but the greatest shift occurred within his soul, where a small kernel stirred.
It trembled like an egg about to hatch, and indeed, soon the shell of pure light cracked. With that first fracture in the perfect sphere, other parts began to disintegrate rapidly.
Soon, the sphere vanished entirely, leaving behind three small tendrils that resembled worms but were actually little roots. Three tiny roots, joined at the top, had emerged within this human's soul.
As the shell shattered completely, he awoke suddenly, grunting and clutching his chest. His face paled from shock as a wave of pain surged through him, coinciding with the last fragments of light exiting his body, the three roots now embedded deeply within his soul.
He stood shakily, quickly moving toward the bathroom. He wasn't alone; five other young men shared his room, but since today was a free day, they slept soundly. Still shaken, the young man reached the bathroom.
Upon seeing his reflection, he nearly shouted in alarm; his face was ghostly pale. Although nothing visibly unusual occurred, and the pain now felt almost imaginary, he knew it had been real. He was notoriously difficult to awaken; not even fierce storms at sea could rouse him.
He recognized immediately why he had awakened in such pain. It was a phenomenon well-known among his people, requiring immediate reporting to the government. Officially termed "awakening," the common people referred to it as "tainting."
This rare process primarily affected young people, and less commonly the old or very young. The transformation itself was quick, but its consequences were significant.
Those who became tainted were required to join the Atlantis Defense Organization, abandoning their peaceful lives to fight for the city's continued peace and freedom.
The young man felt blood slowly returning to his face, but anxiety surged again, causing him to stumble backward onto the cold toilet seat. Sitting there, he gradually understood his new reality.
"No, wait... no one knows I've become tainted. No one has to find out," he thought. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, shaking his head.
"I can't do that. Everyone knows a tainted person is a danger to themselves and others."
Gathering his resolve, he stood again, facing the mirror. The reflection revealed a young man of average height, with light brown hair and brown-blue eyes. His skin was tanned from a lifetime under the sun, his build sturdy from two years of labor.
Just as he was leaving the bathroom, another young man entered, startled. "Huh... sorry, Nemo, I didn't know you were here."
"Don't worry, I was just finishing," Nemo replied softly, avoiding eye contact as he slipped past.
As Nemo stepped onto the cool floor of their shared room, an oppressive sense of dread intensified with each step. Today's tranquility was merely a fragile illusion, soon to be shattered. Deep down, Nemo knew his life had irrevocably changed. Every path forward now inevitably led him toward the government's doors—whether he wished it or not.