The sound of countless metal pickaxes resonating in the caves could be easily heard. Dozens of people were extracting crystals from the walls that shone in a mixture of various colors. The miners were a varied bunch.
There were strong, large men, young women, teenagers, and elderly people earning their living in the process of extracting crystals.
Among the vast cave system was a young man with red hair, hidden under a yellow helmet with a flashlight that was turned off. The young man wore the standard dark blue mining suit, perfect for blending into the surroundings. The young man, with a slender appearance and tired-looking eyes, held in his hand a small plastic cup which he was slowly observing, watching the dark brown liquid it contained.
Fallen, with a sigh that turned into a light mist due to the winter cold, brought the cup to his lips and drank its contents. The hot, sour liquid passed down his throat, making him grimace as he moved the cup away from his face.
The taste was too bitter for him to drink. However, he had used his valuable points to buy it.
Fallen took several bitter sips until the cup was completely empty.
He still couldn't understand why adults were so fascinated by that bitter drink. Nevertheless, he decided to try it; it was a special day.
It was his birthday. Today he finally turned 15 and was officially recognized as an adult. However, this brought no joy to Fallen.
Ever since he was young, he had always fended for himself, ever since his parents....
Fallen pushed those thoughts from his mind; he didn't want to bring those memories back, not now.
Fallen glanced at a corner where there was a bag full of essence crystals. Crystals that provided energy for the entire walled city. Fallen grabbed the brown leather bag and began to walk through the cave passage. He fastened it to his waist strap as he moved, observing how other miners, both men and women, continued extracting the crystals.
Of all the jobs available, becoming a miner certainly wasn't the most profitable, considering they could be attacked by monsters at any moment.
However, it was the safest one Fallen knew of. Besides being a miner, there was being an air filter worker, another for working on the walls to repair them, and also being an explorer.
Every day, dozens of people died and others replaced them in a constant cycle.
Fallen examined a piece of essence crystal. He had heard the old stories of how in the ancient era, they lived in a peaceful world full of natural resources and air that wasn't poisonous to breathe, where monsters were just fantasy for them.
However, due to their greed and selfishness, they led the world to inevitable ruin. Fallen wasn't naive; he knew the Earth was far beyond saving. The monsters grew stronger continuously, and the Drivers could barely push them back.
Fallen finally reached the elevator, stepping onto the platform along with other miners who were going to exchange the Essence Crystals for points.
Soon the platform began to rise, traversing dozens of meters in a matter of minutes until it reached the surface.
Getting off the platform, he walked towards the cashier. Fortunately, the line wasn't too long.
When Fallen arrived, he emptied the sack, dropping all the crystals he had collected. The machine scanned them quickly. Taking out his phone, he placed it on the device, and a few seconds later, he retrieved it, checking the points he had obtained.
"Only 300 points for 12 crystals. It's barely enough to buy synthetic paste," Fallen murmured. It had taken him almost the entire morning to collect those twelve crystals.
Fallen headed to the food zone. Upon entering, he watched as several miners with more points than him bought better-quality synthetic food. Steaming trays, thicker portions, flavors he had only tasted in his dreams.
He averted his gaze before envy could bite him from the inside.
He ended up buying the only thing he could afford: a portion of synthetic paste, a beige mass with a terrible taste, but with the necessary nutrients to keep working. It cost him 50 points. He also bought a bottle of water for 70 points.
One hundred and twenty points spent... almost half of what he had earned that morning.
He sat at a metal table and began to eat without enthusiasm.
As he chewed the thick paste, he noticed someone approaching with a light step. He looked up and saw a girl with long brown hair, tied in a high ponytail, light brown eyes that seemed to shine even under the poor lighting of the cafeteria.
She was thin—too thin, like everyone on the outskirts—but she still had a pretty, expressive face that radiated an energy that contrasted brutally with the hard life they led. Her standard miner's uniform was patched in several places, but clean; she always managed to keep it presentable.
Fallen recognized her instantly.
She was his self-proclaimed older sister.
Two years older than him, also born on the outskirts. She wasn't his biological sister, although he sometimes called her that. They had grown up together in the same orphanage, sharing tattered blankets, scarce meals, and cold nights.
When they were old enough, they started doing small jobs to earn points: cleaning filters, moving boxes, putting out minor fires, whatever was possible.
Among all the faces that had been lost over time, Liz was the only constant he had left.
"Fallen!" she greeted him with a wide smile. "Happy birthday!"
Fallen froze, his spoon halfway to his mouth.
"You... remembered...?" he asked, surprised.
Liz nodded proudly, crossing her arms.
"Of course I did! I'm not going to let my little brother pass his birthday without a 'happy birthday'."
Fallen opened his mouth to tell her she wasn't his real sister, but he knew she said it affectionately, so he didn't. He just replied quietly:
"But... we're not—"
"I know," she interrupted, giving him a light tap on the forehead. "We're not real siblings. But we grew up together, right? That's enough."
Before he could reply, Liz rummaged in her backpack and pulled out something that made several miners turn their heads.
A real loaf of bread.
Authentic, fluffy, freshly baked bread. The warm, sweet aroma almost made Fallen dizzy.
That bread was worth a thousand points.
Fallen's eyes widened.
"Liz! That's too much. You'd have to work two days straight to pay for something like that!"
Liz poked him gently with her finger.
"Shut up and accept it. It's a birthday present. And if you don't accept it, I'll throw it in the trash."
"You wouldn't do that!"
"Try me."
They argued for a few seconds, but Liz's stubbornness could break a wall if she set her mind to it. Finally, Fallen sighed and accepted the bread with trembling hands.
"...Thank you," he said, barely audible.
"You're welcome," she replied, satisfied.
Liz leaned her elbows on the table.
"By the way, have you heard what people are saying? They're recruiting for an expedition. They want to explore the deepest veins of the mine. They're offering two thousand points to each participant when they return. I was thinking of signing up."
Fallen almost choked on his synthetic paste.
Two thousand points.
With that, he could rent a room in a hive for a whole month.
A month without worrying about sleeping in the cold, noisy shared dormitories.
A month without waking up afraid that a monster might breach the outer barriers.
But he also knew what descending that deep meant.
"Liz... that's dangerous. Monsters could appear."
"I know. But they're sending a team of Drivers to protect us," she replied, her smile unwavering. "Besides, they say they found signs of some ruins from the Ancient Era. From like... seven hundred years ago."
Fallen felt a spark of curiosity burning in his chest.
Ancient ruins... enough points to live for a month... and a trip several days away from the cold and the routine.
It didn't take him long to decide.
"Alright. I'll sign up too."
Liz hugged him tightly, almost lifting him from the chair.
"I knew you'd say yes! This is going to be a great adventure!"
Fallen let out an exhale and—though small—a genuine smile appeared on his face.