Ova chapter: Life in the Lower Sectors
The sprawling metropolis of Old Veridia was a city of stark contrasts, a place where unimaginable wealth and technological advancement existed alongside abject poverty and social decay. While the elite lived in gleaming towers that pierced the clouds, bathed in perpetual sunlight and luxury, the vast majority of the population eked out a meager existence in the sprawling lower sectors. This is where Orion Pax called home.The lower sectors were a labyrinthine network of narrow, winding streets, towering, decaying buildings, and dimly lit alleyways. Sunlight rarely penetrated the dense urban canopy, casting the area in a perpetual twilight. The air was thick with the grime of industry, the stench of decay, and the ever-present hum of the city's underbelly. It was a place of constant struggle, where survival was a daily battle, and where the strong preyed on the weak.Orion's life was a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of the people who lived there. He was born and raised in the lower sectors, orphaned at a young age, and forced to learn to survive on his own. He became a master of parkour, his agility and speed honed by years of navigating the treacherous terrain of his environment. He could scale walls, leap across rooftops, and slip through the city's intricate network of shadows with unparalleled ease.His home was a small, hidden alcove in the ruins of a collapsed building, a space he had carved out for himself amidst the rubble and decay. It was a simple dwelling, containing only the bare necessities – a makeshift bed, a few salvaged tools, and a collection of salvaged books and datapads, remnants of a time before the city's decline. Despite the harsh conditions, Orion kept his living space meticulously organized, a small act of defiance against the chaos that surrounded him.Orion's days were spent navigating the city, often scavenging for supplies, trading with other outcasts, and using his skills to help those in need. He had a network of contacts throughout the lower sectors, people he had helped, people who trusted him, people who relied on him. He was a protector, a guardian of the shadows, always watching, always ready to intervene when injustice occurred.He earned what he needed through a combination of his skills. Sometimes he would work as a messenger, using his speed to deliver crucial information across the sprawling city. Other times, he would use his knowledge of the city's hidden pathways to help people escape dangerous situations or evade the authorities. He even, on occasion, engaged in less savory activities, such as retrieving stolen goods or disabling security systems, but he always adhered to his own strict moral code, only targeting those who deserved it and never causing harm to innocent people.Despite the harshness of his life, Orion maintained a sense of hope and a belief in the inherent goodness of humanity. He had witnessed firsthand the cruelty and corruption that plagued Old Veridia, but he had also seen acts of kindness, selflessness, and courage. He believed that even in the darkest of places, the light of humanity could still shine through.In his rare moments of solitude, Orion would immerse himself in the salvaged books and datapads he had collected. He was a voracious reader, eager to learn about the history of Old Veridia, the technologies of the past, and the philosophies of the ancient world. He sought knowledge, believing that understanding the past was the key to building a better future. He dreamed of a city where justice prevailed, where the gap between the rich and the poor was bridged, and where the darkness that lurked beneath the surface could be banished forever.