1 Prologue (1/1)

What you perceive is nothing more than your interpretation of reality. Therefore, reality changes when viewed through a different set of eyes. If my perception differs from yours, which is true? And who are you to say it's false? Since I was diagnosed with mild schizophrenia, I've asked that question often.

When I was twelve, I saw people throwing fire and lightning at each other. At the time, I found it was strange that people from my dreams showed up when I was awake. We just left church on Easter Sunday, and no one else took notice of them. A stray ball of lightning hurled at me and I leaped out the way, knocking my mom over in the process. I didn't completely avoid the blow as pain shot through my arm along with the smell of cooked meat. Eventually, it was chalked up to my mind playing tricks on me in a moment of stress. And for the first few times, that's how it was explained away.

Later that year, the neighbors would point and whisper causing my parents to hide me away in shame. On Christmas Eve they threw me into the psychiatric institution with relish. Rarely visiting and only out of obligation.

In the end, everyone is out for what's best for themselves; so I can only rely on myself. To my psychiatrist, I'm just part of the reason he gets a paycheck. When he thinks no one is looking he hits a bottle of Jack. Lamenting about the shit hole he works at. To my family, I'm what ruined the perfect picture of a perfect home. So they put me in a dark corner away from prying eyes and never speak of me. When I turned eighteen, their sense of obligation ended with my status as a minor.

Since the world is such a selfish place why bother with the thankless job of trying to fix it, I might as well live how I want and fuck everyone else. So when I was old enough to check myself out the institute and saw no one waiting for me as I stood in the bitter cold, I was neither sad nor angry.

It's what I find refreshing about Asteria, the world of my delusions. To my psychiatrist's frustration. It goes by the simple rule of might makes right. People who have noble birth, strength, or power can follow their heart's desire. Regardless of how twisted, morally wrong, or disturbed the desire.