I Want Freedom

Somewhere within the ninth ring of the universe, on the surface of a solitary blue planet, the ominous shadow of an incoming moon loomed, blotting out the once-bright sky. Dislodged from its orbit, the massive sphere hurtled toward the planet, carrying the weight of impending annihilation.

For most civilizations, such an event would herald the end of days. Yet, for the inhabitants of Planet Blue Eagle, it was little more than a disruption to their daily routine. Some glanced skyward with groaning indifference, retreating underground to their shelters. Others scrambled for higher ground, their hardened gazes defying the celestial threat with an almost reckless sense of curiosity.

Among the defiant stood Ged.

Perched atop the peak of a dumbbell-shaped mountain, Ged's muscular silhouette carved a heroic figure against the glowing horizon.

He squinted at the incoming moon, its fiery surface fractured with glowing cracks. "Which Celestial is it this time?" he muttered, his voice laced with sardonic curiosity as his focus lingered beyond the descending meteor.

Far above, a towering figure hovered alongside the moon, his frame sculpted with muscles that seemed forged from the stars themselves.

Like a master conductor directing a symphony, he guided the moon's descent with a series of precise and commanding bodybuilding-esc poses, each movement radiating an almost divine intensity.

As the moon dipped closer to the planet's atmosphere, the cosmic conductor grew serious, striking a powerful 'front double bicep.'

The moon shattered into countless fragments that rained toward the surface like a fiery storm.

But the celestial body sorcerer was not finished. With more calculated, deliberate flexes, he controlled the descent of each fragment, guiding them with precision to their destined targets scattered across the planet.

One such fragment spiraled nearby to Ged.

One such fragment spiraled toward Ged. He narrowed his eyes, its fiery glow reflecting in his gaze. "Celestial iron again," he muttered, shaking his head. "Something new would be nice for a change." He sighed and rolled his shoulders, loosening the tension in his muscles as the heat of the fragment's descent washed over him.

Below him, the circular city of Elpida sprawled across the barren landscape. Home to hundreds of thousands, its true nature lay hidden underground, where vast bunkers and cave systems housed its residents. Above ground, only temporary wooden buildings and indestructible stone spires broke up the monotony of the surroundings. Cracked roadways wove through the city like veins, leading to its heart: a vast, fog-shrouded pit known as the Abyssal Mouth.

The moon fragments crashed into the many Abyssal Mouths dotting the planet. Their impacts sent violent tremors rippling across the surface, tearing the stone ground like paper. Rivers of magma bubbled up through the cracks, spilling across the land in glowing torrents. The acrid stench of sulfur filled the air, and the suffocating heat turned the atmosphere into an oppressive haze.

Ged wiped the sweat from his brow, grimacing. Even his extraordinary physique strained against the unforgiving environment, the heat pressing against him like a suffocating weight.

Then, a deep, guttural sound rumbled through the air. A noise so primal it seemed to vibrate through his very bones.

The sound of unimaginable chewing.

The planet itself was feasting, grinding the celestial body sorcerer's offering with the monstrous tremors of its vast, unseen jaws.

"Can't this damn eagle chew quietly?" Ged muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.

The tattoo on his neck flared to life, a brilliant blue light illuminating the intricate image of an eagle with outstretched wings. The mark shimmered as though it were alive, mocking him with its vibrancy. Ged's hand shot to the tattoo instinctively, his nails digging into his flesh in a futile attempt to claw it away. Raw, bloody streaks appeared on his neck, but the mark remained untouched, pristine, eternal.

An unyielding symbol of his servitude.

The chewing subsided, replaced by a grotesque, resonant swallow.

Finally, the planet grew still as colossal orbiting body sorcerers appeared in the sky. Through commanding poses, they absorbed the planet's excess heat. Among them was the moon's guide, Koh, whose cosmic frame hovered as he performed his final pose.

From the depths of the Abyssal Mouth, a thunderous voice boomed, its tone majestic and cold. "Celestial Koh, your offering was adequate. Six quintillion kilograms of mass have been deducted from your debt. You now owe 5,872,564,347,431,234,128,123,000,888,167 kilograms left to repay in full."

Koh, unmoved by the staggering number, closed his eyes for a moment, before nodding. He resumed his orbit with the rest of the cosmic body sorcerers, their radiant figures slowly fading into the vastness of the sky.

Ged watched them go with a dark expression. "A six quintillion kilogram payment and he's still in so much debt," he muttered, shaking his head.

His gaze dropped to the faint glow of the Abyssal Mouth below, frustration simmering within him. "Can our freedom really ever be achieved?" he whispered, his voice thick with bitterness.

On Planet Blue Eagle, debt was not measured in coins but in kilograms. Even the mass of a single meal was meticulously recorded, with the debt compounded by crushing interest. Those who ascended to the stars became indentured servants, wandering the cosmos in search of offerings to appease their master and reduce their amounts.

For Ged, nothing mattered more than breaking free from the planet's control and exploring the stars as a free man. However, as a third-rate body sorcerer, he still had an impossibly long way to go. Only those whose mass rivaled that of a moon had even the slightest chance of freedom. Yet even among the few who ascended to become orbiting giants, none had managed to repay their debts in full. The cost of freedom seemed to come with an impossible price tag.

Despite his considerable size of 1,500 kilograms, Ged was not even one percent closer to achieving the mass required to join the celestial sorcerers high above. His dreams of true freedom felt less like achievable goals and more like childish delusions.

The planet's oppressive gravity seemed to bear down on him, as if mocking his ambition.

"No," Ged growled, his fists clenching. His gaze lifted to the sky where Koh had hovered moments before, a dim silhouette against the burning atmosphere. "I cannot despair." His voice hardened, low and steady. "I'll break the chains they dare to make unbreakable. I'll carve my own path away from this hell."

His eyes burned like caged lions. He turned his gaze toward the distant town of Elpida with a derisive sneer. "I must endure this miserable life tethered to the ground and find my place in the stars no matter the cost."

His determination lingering, Ged turned away from the mountain's peak and began his descent toward the city of Elpida. Activating his muscle ability, 'Goat Walk', a faint blue glow enveloped his calves as he bounded effortlessly down the treacherous terrain. His movements were fluid and precise, his feet finding purchase on jagged crags and loose stones as though guided by instinct.

The barren fields soon gave way to the smooth stone streets of Elpida, where the city was already stirring to life. After every planetary meal, crowds flocked to the streets to resume their routines, while merchants scrambled to capitalize on the sudden influx of foot traffic.

"Rare earth metals! I've got high-grade Turtle Stone. Perfect for growing your quads!" one stall owner called out, holding a sign emblazoned with his merchant group's logo of a swan. His eager gaze scanned the crowd, but when it landed on Ged, he froze. Awkwardly, the merchant averted his eyes, pretending not to notice him.

Ged recognized the man. "That's Barry," he thought, frowning slightly. "I haven't seen him order anything in a while." A devilish grin spread across Ged's face. "He's usually more sociable than this. Maybe he's found a new dealer."

Shrugging off the thought, Ged continued down the strip, weaving through the bustling crowd. "Workout passes! Daily deals for locals or top-tier access to the Great Barbell Palace!" shouted another merchant. Beside him, a teenage boy held a sign, his sheepish demeanor betrayed by a strange glint in his eyes. When he spotted Ged, he flashed a peculiar smile.

Ged returned the smile nonchalantly, his expression betraying nothing. "Damn it, Trevor," he clicked his tongue internally, noting the boy's pale, jittery appearance. "Rolling on Beehive mid-day? I get that you're off work, but at least try not to make me look bad." Shaking his head, Ged continued past his loathsome employee.

As he made his way through the bustling streets, Ged recognized more familiar faces. Some worked the stalls; others wandered aimlessly. They all had one thing in common: their lives had crossed paths with his during his time as a drug dealer.

"So many people out making money today," Ged mused, a sly grin creeping onto his face. "Looks like I might have a busy few days ahead."

As Ged moved through the main streets, something caught his eye, bringing him to an abrupt stop. Near the abyssal pit, a crowd of protesters had gathered. Their seething animosity toward body sorcerers was palpable, and anyone whose body bore even a shred of muscle became a target for their ire. Waving picket signs and shouting venomous slogans, the protesters jeered and cursed at the approaching giants, their eyes alight with hatred.

"Crack down on underground body sorcery!" a group chanted. "Ban the dangerous drug Blue Water!" another added, their voices tinged with righteous fury.

A muscular man in a white tank top walked through the crowd, his movements hesitant as he endured their verbal assault.

"Scumbag!" a white-haired old man shouted, shaking his fist. "You better have a well-paying job with that kind of physique!"

"I do…" the man replied cautiously, trying to calm the old man, but before he could say more, another protester jumped in.

"Yeah, right! You're just another selfish punk," a woman with frizzed hair yelled, pointing an accusing finger. "We don't need any more body sorcerers! You're all criminals, selling drugs and ruining lives."

The man opened his mouth to protest but faltered. Her words weighed on him, leaving him silent and listless.

A woman stepped forward, her face streaked with tears and pain. In her trembling hands, she clutched a faded photograph of a child. Her voice wavered, raw with grief. "My son idolized you people. He wanted to be strong, like you. But he got caught up in your underground gangs... and now he's dead!"

The mob's anger swelled to a fever pitch, their voices rising like a swarm of wasps, each word a sting of judgment. The man tried to placate them, his hands raised in a futile attempt to defend himself, but their fury drowned out his words.

And then Ged arrived.

He rolled his eyes as he swaggered toward the chaotic scene, his presence rippling through the crowd, drawing their attention like a spark to dry kindling.

As one of the infamous "underground body sorcerers" the crowd despised, Ged felt no need to justify himself. If anything, he welcomed their scorn. His iron will remained unshaken, his defiance a shield against their hostility.

"Screw off. I need these muscles," he snapped at a wiry man who questioned the point of his massive frame.

Using his arms like a snowplow, Ged shoved people aside with little effort or concern, clearing his path. Stray comments reached his ears, but only a few warranted responses.

"My daughter overdosed on the drugs you sold!" a man shouted, his voice cracking. "Can't you have a shred of decency and think about the lives you're ruining?"

Ged didn't stop. "Her decisions were her own," he said flatly. His eyes narrowed as he added, "Maybe if you'd been a better father, she'd still be alive."

The man's face reddened with fury. "You monster! Can't you at least respect the grief of a parent?"

"Respect for what?" Ged sneered, pausing for the first time. "Was she even your real daughter? Nobody's had a natural child in over two centuries in Elpida. Don't waste my time with your delusions."

The man's hands trembled. "Love isn't only about blood," he shouted, his voice rising with anger. "We're all struggling, what's wrong with looking out for someone beyond myself?" His voice rose with fury. "Just because you're just another one of those selfish Plunk-worshipping cowards, doesn't give you the right to dismiss my hardships as nothing."

Ged froze mid-stride, his gaze locking onto the man like a hawk sizing up its prey. The crowd fell silent under the weight of his stare.

"And what if I do want to be like Plunk?" Ged asked, his voice calm but sharp.

"For the first time in a thousand years, someone ascended from the ground to the sky. He gave us something to dream about. What's wrong with wanting the same?"

"He killed millions along the way!" the man snapped, his rage trembling in every word. "You can't possibly think that's a path worth following."

"I do. So what?" Ged shrugged. "He achieved what no one else could. Plunk proved we can dream of more, while you people just cling to what's safe. Tell me, what have you done in your life that gives you the right to judge him?"

The man faltered, his fury dimming under Ged's unrelenting gaze. "You're too far gone," he whispered. "I hope you burn in hell."

Ged smirked and continued deeper into the protest, unfazed by the fiery glares or venomous curses. The mob's hatred washed over him like rain against stone.

Ahead, a human blockade formed at the edge of the Abyssal Mouth. Their arms were crossed in defiance, a final barrier to stop him. Ged stopped and snorted.

Without hesitation, he began dismantling the blockade, flinging protesters aside as if they were debris. "Get out of my way," he growled.

"Stop it, you bastard!" a thin man shouted, barely dodging one of Ged's careless tosses. His voice trembled with a mix of rage and fear. "You think your strength gives you the right to treat us like pavement?"

Ged turned, his expression unreadable. "They were blocking my path, so I moved them. What about it?"

The thin man's fists clenched as he glared. Around him, injured protesters nursed their wounds, their eyes burning with indignation. "And that's the problem," the man said, his voice shaking. "You live only for yourself, destroying everything around you while we're left to pick up the pieces!"

His voice rose, emboldened by murmurs of agreement from the crowd. "What's the point of your strength? Is it just a tool to bend others to your will? Why can't you just leave us alone and let us live our lives in peace?"

Ged glanced around at the seething mob, their anger swelling like a storm. He let out a cold laugh, slicing through their fury like a blade.

"I just want to get ahead," Ged said, his voice firm but steady. "You call scraping by every day 'living your life'? What's wrong with wanting something more? And if my dreams put me at odds with your so-called 'peace,' then I'll gladly bend you all to my will."

The mob erupted in rage. Rocks, sticks, and debris flew toward Ged, but they rebounded harmlessly against his frame, as though striking steel. Ged shook his head, amused by their futility.

Desperation set in. Some clung to his arms and legs in a last-ditch effort to stop him. Ged frowned. With a single, calculated motion, he shook them off, sending them tumbling to the ground.

"I warned you," Ged said icily, his glare cutting through the crowd. "I'm not kind to those who stand in my way."

He turned to the remaining protesters, his voice rising like a thunderclap. "Now get back! Give me room! If I see any of you step out of line, I'll toss you into the Abyssal Mouth myself."

The threat silenced them. The protesters exchanged nervous glances but dared not challenge him again.

Satisfied, Ged nodded and turned his focus to the Abyssal Mouth. He approached the edge, his thoughts already moving beyond the crowd behind him.

From within his abs, he retrieved a fishing device and spun a magnetic ball-bearing hook into the foggy depths below.

As the line unspooled, Ged scanned the pit's edge, searching for anyone else fishing near the lip.

On the far side, a hairless body sorcerer stood, his forehead marked with puffy cloud tattoos in place of eyebrows.

"Cumulus Gang," Ged muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Their turf is Oizys. What are they doing here?"

Oizys was a distant town, one Ged knew mostly through whispers. He'd heard rumors of the Cumulus Gang's ousting but hadn't expected them to show up here, let alone cause trouble. Ged had deep ties to Elpida's dominant underground gang, the Golden Suns, and the scene before him sparked thoughts of potential profit.

"Interesting," he murmured, his voice low and almost amused. "Resh would pay well for this information. I'll have to pay him a visit later."

His gaze sharpened as he scanned the pit more closely, spotting similar figures scattered along the lip. The sheer number of Cumulus Gang members filled his vision, and his expression darkened.

He recognized some of their faces. They were all infamous criminals and high-ranking elites of the gang. Their presence wasn't just an inconvenience; it was a clear signal that something big was brewing beneath the surface.

"This is not good," Ged muttered, his voice weighted with realization.

"If things heat up too much, the authorities will shut this protest down before I can fish for my share of the Celestial Iron." His teeth clenched with determination as he stared at the descending line, a hint of madness flickering in his gaze. The situation was unraveling fast, and it seemed chaos would erupt before he could secure his loot.