NASHIRA

"Wait, what are you doing?" A WOMAN WAS shocked right after she saw what her companion was doing. They are both on the boat and the other woman was currently carrying a baby. The other woman was currently touching her right eye and easily removed her eyeball. She showed it to the former with her right eye closed. "...I could not bear to see my child having no other eye." After the woman said that, she put it inside the baby's eyes and the baby cried so hard. "You better surrender yourselves so that I could not harm the both of you," A man suddenly butted in. He was with another boat, staring intensely at the two women. "Leandra, take my child with you," the woman, holding the baby, said. "Nashira—that's the name. Please, grant my favor. Save the future of the empire." Tears started falling from her eyes as she gave her baby to the woman, Leandra. "Leandra, go!" she shouted and with that, Leandra jumped to the other boat. Then the last thing that Leandra saw was that the man slashed his sword towards the now-one-eyed woman causing the woman's blood to scatter. Leandra cried hard as she saw her companion fall out of the boat and… the water turned red. ××× Twenty years later... "What is the biggest change you would like to see in young women or men in the next generation?” A YOUNG AND pretty man in the middle took one step forward as he heard the question coming from the judge, leaving those two contestants behind about a meter. He is the guy wearing a crimson maroon suit with fit textured black pants which is showing how thin his thighs are. Skinny, yet he got this hot aura that he thinks is attractive enough to get everyone’s attention. And after hearing the question of the judge, a crunchy smirk released from his lips, melting some girls around as it added to the hotness of the guy. Then, he winked, but this time, his eyes were pinned down to the guy in the middle, wearing a round spec. The judge spoke again, “Again, your question is, what is the biggest change you would like to see in young women or men in the next generation?” 'You really are, genius. Good job, Theo.' The guy named Kai thought as he prepared himself to answer. He remembered what his friend told him. He smiled once before he parted his lips. “If I would be given a chance to look out for the biggest change in the next generation of men/women…" He then gazed at the side. "... It would be gender equality where men are no longer subjected to any dominance… In this generation, we only focus on women empowerment and saying men are dominant in the society, but we neglect the fact that men are recorded to be the most victims of depression, suicide, violent crimes, heavy works, wrong accusations, and there is no good dominance to that. We are the ones who deserve such pity. Maybe it’s time for real equality. Thank you!” The young man ended his answer with a wink leaving the crowd speechless and amazed by. His intonation, gestures, and confidence was done perfectly, and it made them cheer after seconds of silence. Meanwhile, the two young women in the middle of the crowd, Rye and Gigi heaved a long sigh after hearing Kai’s answer and disappointment came after. “That cricket! Who he thinks he is, f**k his answer!” Gigi exclaimed as she stood up and started walking out from the crowd. “We’re never gonna get the fourth ticket, let’s go plan B.” “Same thought, Gigi.” Rye agreed. This time, she is wearing eyeglasses, not round but an oval shape with a pink handle that actually suits her slim face. But suddenly, everything goes in slow motion as a huge explosion can be heard from afar. The cheerful yells and claps suddenly vanished and were replaced by complete confusion. It was a very loud, and destructive noise that made everyone look up and start to freak out when it was followed by a storm-like wind wiping the entire campus. Kai, who managed to notice that destructive wind, immediately rolled down and took hold with a pillar. The rest of the contestants and the two event hosts who were on the stage, their bodies flung to the wall that no one knows if they are still alive. Meanwhile, down the stage, a lot of the audience was taken together with the strong wind. Kai took a glance with his three friends who were on the ground, but the wind brought dust and fragments that created a blur and foggy view of him. All he could see were those people flying with the strong wind as if they were light weighted as leaves and dust. He just chose to close his eyes until the dusty wind stopped. And when he opens those eyes that were once painted with charm, they are already filled with frustration and distress. Kai immediately roamed his eyes around and he was left with nobody alive, but a bloody area, and his three companions were nowhere to be found. He tried to stand up, neglecting the aching part of his body. “Theo! Ryecinth! Gigi!” Kai called out using the maximum level of his voice. But no one responded to him. Everyone seems dead. The explosion and the storm-like wind disappeared. Kai walked out to look for his three friends, but the next thing he heard almost took his breath away. The 8-storey building on the left side of the area is starting to creak and it slowly bends to the position of Kai. “Holy s**t!” Kai mumbled as he stared at the slowly collapsing building onto his position. He then slowly stepped back and tried to run as fast as he could. He took a couple of steps after but he stripped the wires on the ground that made him stumble on the ground. Not just that, a big shattered piece of thick glass hit his thigh and penetrated to the other side when he dropped on the ground, making him scream very loud. “AAAHHH!" Hence, using his remaining strength, he tried to pull his body up and started to run again, not minding the piece of thick glass stuck in his skinny thigh. His blood started flowing down as he continued running away. Then boom! "Missi City had been completely touched by our firebombing raids, leaving few civilians and other ash in their wake and thousands of dead...” said the man in a green suit while bowing his head towards the man in front. Men are currently in a wide room with an authoritative man sitting on the soft chair. “Nashira, we are almost at the finish line.” The authoritative man said and sip his glass of wine. ××× DISCLAIMER: This story is a work of fiction. The places, names, and events are only products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to the actual person, places, and events would surely and purely coincidental.