Numerous sounds of metal clashing against rocks were heard. Miners within the quarry struck through rocks and stone, collecting minerals or unpolished gemstones. Along with them, a pale young teenager, Azaworth, worked twice as hard as the other miners. Panting and grunting, Azaworth continued working and collecting as many minerals and unpolished gemstones as he could find.
"Alright, everyone! Enough working, shifts over now!"
The head miner yelled in a pitmatic accent and waved his hand, which stopped the group from mining, and the group immediately put their pickaxe down on the ground and began stretching their arms and legs.
However, Azaworth kept working until one of the miners had to slap the back of his head, at which point he stopped mining.
"You got lost in thought again, Azaworth."
The miner chuckled at the teenager and removed the gloves from his hands.
"Oh, uh, sorry about that, I'll be attentive next time."
Azaworth scratched the back of his head furiously and looked down.
"Yeah, better keep your word this time, pal."
The miner patted his back while chuckling to himself before grouping up with the other miner.
Azaworth put his pickaxe into a cart and stretched his arms as he walked behind the miner group. He thought to himself about his condition working here and whether it was suitable.
Azaworth caught up with the group and had no chat as usual, as he had nothing interesting to share. The Head Miner, looking back at Azaworth and the group who were chatting, feeling pity, the Head Miner approached him to have a chat.
"Hey, Azaworth. Not chatting again as usual?"
Azaworth stared at the Head Miner and just continued walking without saying a word.
"You should open up more often, y'know? You're still young, and you have plenty of opportunities, even if this world is terrible to its core. Just, I don't know, open up to people and slowly grow with them, I guess?"
The Head Miner gave a grin at Azaworth and gently tapped his back.
Azaworth stared once again and nodded at his words.
"I'll try my best."
The teenager spoke in a quiet tone
"That's what I'm talking about! Attaboy ahaha!"
The laughs of the old man reassured Azaworth as they made their way alongside the group. They walked up the dirt ramp and walked until they approached a gate, which had guards stationed up there. The guards looked, noticing the miners, signaled to the other guard who was inside the guard booth. The guard looked, then nodded at the signal and pulled a lever, which opened the white gate.
As the gate slowly opens to the highest point, a huge pickup truck is parked in front of the parking area beside the gate, opening the back ramp. Afterwards, the miner exited through the white gate and approached the truck. Once beside the truck, they entered into it one by one.
It took about 10 minutes due to also needing to scan their verification IDs. Azaworth was the last to board the truck, and he scanned his ID before proceeding to enter the truck and sat beside the Head Miner. The ramp retracted and locked into place on the truck.
The truck's engine started and began to drive out of the parking lot and out of the site. The miners within the truck chatted with each other once more. They chatted about their personal life, families, or anything interesting that had happened today. As for Azaworth, he looked away, which again, having nothing interesting in mind, and nothing to share.
Azaworth stared outside the truck and viewed the outside world. The landscape of a city was hideous, and the buildings of offices or houses, or shopping centres were run down or destroyed completely. He also noticed children and adults who were in poverty, and some even on the brink of death due to sickness.
There were also food stands, but they didn't have many customers, and some had none due to the massive poverty; some food stands were even abandoned due to not earning any income at all.
A few adults and children gaze at the truck and even at Azaworth. The teenager could only stare back at them. Did he feel pity? Who knows. He stared for a bit before turning his gaze away from them.
Azaworth also noticed something else. Inside the building, there was a group of 10 people with weird armour and shoulder and leg padding. They also seemed to be carrying different weapons such as swords, spears, and advanced firearms.
The head miner noticed Azaworth gazing at the group.
"Wondering who those guys huh?"
Azaworth's gaze shifted to the Head Miner.
"Nah, I know who they are already."
After responding to the head miner, the truck drove by already, seemingly soon, approaching a facility on the horizon.
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The world was still in corruption, however, it got worse when the Sinner Curse started appearing in the world. Those affected by the curse are then engulfed in a bright light, their body will glow in a bright red colour and their bodies are in chains and are reshaped into a pod and will be in a cocoon- like state. Those that are chained will remain chain for eternity and will never be free. It is presumed that when the victim dies while they are still affected by the curse, the cocoon will transform itself into a portal and beast and monster alike will come out from the portal.
When the goverment and minister's caught wind of this, they couldn't do much against the beast and monster even with preparation from the army equipment . Other countries were also affected by the curse which led to destruction everywhere and even killed 60% of the world population. However, those who survived the curse, were able to gain power beyond anything the world has known and they are able to combat the beast and monster with their newfound abilities. There were 2 categories given to the awakeners which are Heretic Sinners and Celestial Redeemers. They are also given jobs opportunity to protect the world from these creatures. But nevertheless, the world still remained corrupted as ever, as some official from the government had also obtained this power.
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After a long while of transportation, the truck halted which stopped the conversation of the Miner. After a bit of waiting, the truck's back door opens as the ramp reeled forward and onto the pavement. The miners, one by one, stepped outside the trucks.
As all of them exited the truck, they began to walk along the pavement towards the facility. Once they approached the facility, they went through an automated door that opened, and they all headed to the receptionist machine, where they began to clock out and sign their names to receive their paychecks.
Each of their paychecks was different, some minimally around 4 Kint to 9 Kint. It upset the miner once again and some even were enraged at the machine, which caused the other miners to restrain each other to not cause a ruckus, or else it would lead to severe punishment by the higher-ups. One by one went and headed away, until it was Azaworth's turn to collect his paycheck for this month. And this time, to his surprise, the paycheck was even lower than last time.
Azaworth gritted his teeth in frustration but could only clench his fist and eventually sighing to himself to avoid causing a ruckus. He eventually sighed and accepted his paycheck before turning away and looking at the Head Miner.
"Alright, see you tomorrow again Azaworth."
"You too, sir."
Once exiting, the area, Azaworth headed over to the locker room changed into his regular clothing. He opened his locker which was dusty in the inside and it caused him to cough due to the dust residue flying out.
He looked back into his locker and saw his bag, grabbing it and closing the locker door. Afterwards he locked the locker and left the locker room and proceeded to leave the whole facility.
Once outside the facility, he headed out of the facility compound and roamed through the empty streets, and spotted the same building earlier with the group of 10 people, despite not knowing what was happening, Azaworth got shivers down his spine that he shouldn't take a peek on what's going on and immediately took a detour.
Taking the detour routes, Azaworth went through multiple alleyways and streets. After a while of traversing, he finally arrived in front of a building called: 'Caring Centre'.