Zaria Dove

Sprite Harbor

"Please, go on," I encouraged.

"Sadly, Sprite Harbor was a place where daughters were treated as mere commodities, but not by the residents themselves. It was a strange situation where families mostly had daughters, while sons were a rarity. Once these daughters turned 10, they would be taken away and never seen again.

Then, one fateful day, an officer and his army invaded our land. They came with their tractors, destroying our crops, and were heavily armed," he narrated.

"When my great great grandfather heard the chaos, he hurried outside. At first, nobody knew their intentions, but it soon became clear that they had discovered that my great-great-grandfather was hiding a daughter in the village.

During the argument, they noticed someone peeking from behind a curtain and immediately sent their army to capture whoever was peeking.

It was a little kid, they forcefully took the 3-year-old kid named Elijah and held a gun to his head, demanding to see the girl."

"Eventually, the girl emerged from the house, visibly pregnant. She begged for forgiveness and offered her baby in exchange for her son's life."

An agreement was struck, but she soon realized the grave mistake she had made. Determined to protect her father and son, she made the brave decision to escape deep into the jungle.

However, the journey was long, and unexpectedly, she went into labor along the way. As her newborn cried, the sound caught the attention of two passing guards

Despite her weakness, she desperately attempted to flee with her baby before the guards could catch up to them. Regrettably, she collapsed, and her elderly father tried to carry her. Nevertheless, the soldiers were quick and managed to apprehend them before they could escape.

Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, a catastrophic earthquake shook the land. A massive fissure appeared, encircling our village, and the cracks continued to widen. Out of these cracks emerged a terrifying flood, with waves that seemed to reach the heavens.

After three days, the flood receded, retreating back into the cracks like a slithering snake. Astonishingly, the land remained unharmed, and there were no casualties or injuries. The most astounding revelation was that our surroundings had transformed into a river.

Witnessing this miraculous event, both guards realized they had been on the wrong side all along. They made a solemn vow to protect the villagers, acknowledging their past mistakes.

Our village vanished from people's memories and even from the map. No one came to our aid, but a few of our people took a boat and discovered that we had been relocated far away from the city.

Our elders believed this change to be for the better, and we rejoiced. However, a lingering fear persisted - the fear of being discovered and subjected to the cruelty of so-called humans.

When Elijah grew older, he disguised himself as one of the locals and ventured into the bustling city. His goal was to earn their trust, so he decided to intervene during a terrifying robbery that involved the president's son.

After gaining their confidence, he was granted access to their libraries and educational system. It was there that he immersed himself in the study of science, learning their combat techniques and survival skills. He then shared this valuable knowledge with his own people.

Thanks to him, our village underwent a remarkable transformation and became a tightly-knit community. We worked tirelessly and successfully created a device that could make anyone invisible. As a result, his students were able to replicate this device, ensuring that we were always prepared for any dire situations that might arise.

Initially, everything went according to plan. However, a curious group of individuals decided to venture out on a boat to explore the nearby city.

Among them, one person couldn't resist the temptation to touch a cat they spotted. In his excitement, he accidentally deactivated his invisibility device, unaware that someone else was watching. This caught the attention of one of their companions, who noticed the presence of an onlooker.

To protect our people, he took a drastic step and got rid of the observer by killing him. Meanwhile, the person who initially wanted to touch the cat activated his invisibility device again. Unfortunately, a woman witnessed a man being attacked by an unseen force.

This was a turning point for Sprite Harbor, once a pristine place, as corruption tainted it. It was the first time one of our own had taken a life. However, Elijah soon realized the importance of this action and intensified our training, incorporating combat skills. We knew it was only a matter of time before our existence was discovered, so we had to be prepared.

The woman who witnessed the events also noticed an empty boat leaving the shore. She quickly informed her husband, which eventually earned her a noble title. The entire country went on high alert, and fear started spreading among the people.

Then, one fateful day, we woke up to find ourselves under attack while we were asleep. A fierce battle broke out, resulting in significant loss of life on both sides. The survivors were the ones wearing the invisibility devices. However, our land was left in ruins.

We went from being a large group to just a hundred, and our means of survival completely disappeared. To obtain essential supplies, we made the decision to hide in plain sight. The people feared us, and we allowed that fear to persist. In the heart of an untouched forest, we built a sanctuary, a safe haven.

However, in my early years, our community was once again invaded by Type C, and they heartlessly massacred my people right in front of me. As a kid, it was an unimaginable ordeal that is not easily overcome. You can relate to this pain, having gone through childhood trauma yourself.

Your dad was different; he couldn't bring himself to harm us. He hid me up here on his rooftop, and ever since, I often come here. It's truly inspiring to see your strength and empowerment as a woman.

Especially in a time where you are often mistreated. I'm sorry if my words have caused any distress, but your mom seems unable to fulfill her role as a mother, maybe because of a traumatic experience." He finished saying.