Chapter 1

I walk home from my shift of guarding the city walls of my city. Oh, I live in a city called Outlands. Yes I'm part of the Outland community. We exist of the outcast from the capital and the Color cities.

There are three cities for the outcasted. Outcasts, Outlands, and Outhomes. Very creative if I say so myself.

I hate the sound of my armor as it clanked with every step I took. I was too loud. I like silence, when I'm silent I'm ignored. There wouldn't be any eyes on me.

But I needed to work to provide for my mom and 2 younger brothers. My dad... he choose to stay in Silver where he could follow his dream of crafting. My father and mother are both Silvers, meaning they can manipulate metals. Strangely I wasn't like the rest of my family who all had silver eyes. I had yellow eyes. No on had yellow eyes and I wasn't born with any powers...

Haha I'm special!

You thought!

I hate myself.

I'm the reason my mom and two of my siblings were outcasted. I have a sister who decided to stay with Dad. And the twins didn't have a choice since they were too young.

My mom didn't want me to be by myself in this strange city of irregulars. There is surprising a lot of families like that here.

Mom owns her own metal shop here in town, and we live above it.

As I made my way down the dark streets to the shop all around me echoes the sound of my armor. I can't wait to take it off. I hate the sound. Almost as much as I hated the buzzing of lights. It didn't seem to bother anyone as much as me.

Seriously! How can these people stand that annoying buzz?!

Everything annoyed me. From the talk between people to the way this government worked. Who decided that the King, or Queen, has to be the strongest.

All of them are just power hungry. If I was Queen I would make sure everyone is treated equally and those who can't provide for themselves to have free shelter and food when they need it.

....

What am I even thinking?!

I will never be Queen.

Finally! I can see the shop. Just another minute till I can take this annoying thing off!

As I walked up to the door of the shop I read the sign on the door that read CLOSED in the dim light that hanged over the door.

The door creaked as I pushed it open. The bell over head jingled it's welcome home to me. It was a soothing sound to me, it meant I was home.

As I walked to the other end of the shop, walking through the maze of different sorts of metal from knives to swords, armor to leather outfits. Mom also made accessories.

As I walked around the counter that served as the checkout area, I let my hand slid across its smooth surface. Then I was behind the wall and walking up the annoyingly noisy stairs that groaned when someone stepped on them.

I could feel that tv on upstairs, well I could hear the static of it, and I could hear the twins excitement at whatever cartoon they were watching.

"I'm home!"

They're excitement raised when they heard me open the door. I swear they are deaf. They never hear my armor clanking or the stairs whining. They only know I'm home when I announce it to them all.

The twins ran out of the living room and knocked into me, each of them hugging one of my legs, their tiny hands gripping on to the metal.

Then I watched as Bathala molded the metal of my armor like clay to form the anime figure I had in my room. I would have been awed but he DEFORMED SLEEPY ASH'S FACE!! How dare he!

...

Why am I getting so worked up over a child messing up a model...?

Mom walked into the kitchen and scolded the boys.

"Move move! Let me start dinner and leave your sister alone! She needs her rest she's been working all day!"

After she shooed them away, Mom walked over to me and gave me a hug. Then she bent down and smooth out the deformed Sleepy Ash, the metal now smoothed as if it was changed at all.

I always envied my family's power.

'If only I wasn't a screw up,'

I walked out of the kitchen after thanking Mom for fixing my armor.

Clank clank

That was getting on my nerves.

I started to take off my armor as I made my way to my room that was hidden in the back in between Mom's and the boy's.

I threw my discarded armor onto the floor. Then fell down on top of my messy bed. I laid there staring at the ceiling. I could hear the tv from my room.

"-sign up in your city for the Color Games for a chance to be the next King or Queen!"

What if I was Queen...?

I let my mind wonder with the thought. I was pretty skilled with a sword. If I could just sneak in....

If I could be selected for the games...

I could save the country from the unknown by being the unknown. I could fund the Out cities so that they aren't neglected. Colors could live wherever they desire without backlash.

They're won't be colorism (separation between colors). Everyone would be equally. Of course there will still be social rankings. I wouldn't have much power over that.

All I'd have to do was pretend to be my sister, get into the Silver City, and sign up to enter the Trials. The Trials were the first part of the Color Games where they select the top 5 strongest from each city to compete in the actually games.

The only downside was that I don't have powers....

Haha, what am I even thinking?! Entering the Color Games?! Trying to be Queen?! Am I power hungry as everyone else?

I mean if I had powers maybe I could-

Ding!!

"Dinner!"

I jumped out of bed and rushed to the dining room. I didn't realize how hungry I was till the smell of cooked meat hit me. My stomach growled as Mom placed a plate of chicken and mash potatoes in front of me.

I dug into the food. At these moments I'm so glad Mom came with me. I wouldn't be able to cook as good as she can. Anytime I cook everything ends up burnt...

If I was Queen I would have servants waiting on me at my every command...

No! Stop this madness self!

After dinner I headed to the bathroom and scrubbed off all the dirt on my skin and got ready for bed.

My dreams filled with pretty gowns, servants, all the food I could ever wish for, and lighting. Lighting was waiting for me, just under my skin, waiting to be called on, to be used, to fight, to kill. Who was this pretty girl in a dress that could call upon lighting? As I study the face in the mirror I realized it was me. The lighting was mine, and I was Queen.