01: Prologue - Dawn 

   [ ❉ This Scene is Set in the FUTURE - December 1st 2016 ]

   Distant memories of sitting on the Shard’s rooftop waiting for dawn to arrive drifted hazily across Jeongri’s mind. She watched as the sun rose slowly, peeking ever so slightly above the horizon. It bathed Pangaea in a warm, comforting glow, masking the burning lands below. She stifled a yawn as she sat down, her feet dangling over the cliff’s edge as she stared blankly out at the landscape before her.

   It was no more than a few miles to the edge of the Outskirts of the capital. Her eyes skimmed past the dilapidated remnants of the cities within the Outskirts towards the centre where the glowing marble walls of Central stretched far and wide. From afar, Central was beautiful. It had always been likened to a pearl on the horizon, and now Jeongri could see why. But she knew better now.

   Only the wealthy demons could reside within the walls of Central. It was a rotten place, thrown in hedonism and debauchery where her family held absolute power. Unpleasant memories of the past filled her mind as she looked on with deadened eyes, those memories making her stomach turn. She had been so naïve, enjoying her sheltered life under the graces of her family’s power, so farfetched from reality and willfully ignoring the real world outside those walls.

   And now with the end of the world imminent, Central showed no signs in slowing down their chaotic destruction of anything that could stand between them and the success of the demon race. Her father’s army had been unrelenting and unforgiving. The Outskirts had become a ghost of its former self; lands scorched black by dragon fire and entire districts annihilated. She had already lost count of how many plumes of smoke she could see within the Outskirts and beyond.

   Kyungsoo once told her that many decades ago when the Great War first started, it had been a lot worse than this, but she didn’t understand how. How could it be any worse than this? She hung her head, her exhausted mind was beginning to borderline deliriousness, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t fall asleep. It had been the same every night for the past few days. The moment she closed her eyes, the horrifying images of Merehua’s destruction raced through her mind jerking her back into consciousness.

   Dark circles had become a staple part of her features. Something she once would have cared for but not anymore. So, unable to sleep, she decided to watch the sunrise.

   Dawn was the one thing Jeongri knew could never change. She liked that. There was a serenity in it that seemed to calm her nerves, like a chance to enjoy the silence, knowing that in this moment, everything was fine.

   Today was an important day.

   Jeongri found herself staring back at the capital. How long had it been since she had been exiled? Maybe half a year? It took her a moment to realise that it had only been about three months even though it felt much longer. She turned back to look upon her friends sleeping around the camp behind her. They had been through so much in such a short time; more than most people had in a lifetime. It was hard to recognise what a different person she had been just a few months ago. A young, fragile princess listening to her father’s insane ideologies but how far had she come?

   How much had she learnt?

   How strong had she become?

   And could she protect the people that she loved now?

   The sound of someone shuffling behind her pulled her thoughts back into the present. Jeongri turned around to see Baekhyun walking towards her, his jacket and phone held loosely in one hand. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, yawning loudly as he sat down next to her with an unceremonious thump.

   “What are you doing?” he asked, “Why are you up so early?”

   Yawning again, he stretched his arms out and scrunched his eyes at the sun.

   “I couldn’t sleep again…” she said. Her voice was barely above a whisper, unable to summon more energy.

   “You need to get some rest, Jeongri,” Baekhyun said, “It’s a big day.”

   He tilted his head as he looked at her, noting her vacant expression.

   Experimentally, he leaned over and waved his hand in front of her face, “Hello~”

   “What?”

   The vacant expression was still plastered all over her face.

   Baekhyun laughed, “Look at you, you’re staring off into space like a zombie-”

   “I’m just thinking about stuff…” she muttered, feeling a little annoyed. He was always so noisy, especially in the morning.

   “-Next thing you know, I’m gonna find you drooling all over the place, wanting to eat my brains,” he continued.

   Instantly, she reached out to smack him on the arm, but he had already moved away, laughing like he always did.

   “Like you have any!” she huffed, crossing her arms, “Why are you up? You’re always the last one to fall asleep out of everyone. Getting you to wake up is like getting Snorlax to off without a poke flute.”

   Baekhyun’s eyes flew open in indignation, “Hey! I’ll have you know I’m much cuter than Snorlax.”

   “Oh yeah?”

   “Of course, I’m like Pikachu. He’s my spirit animal, can’t you see?”

   Jeongri rolled her eyes, “Stop. I know where you’re going with thi-”

   “We’re both shockingly adorable.”

   “Oh my god…” Jeongri side-eyed Baekhyun with disappointment, “Seriously? That was so bad.”

   She wanted to hit him again for being so dumb, but she couldn’t h