Chapter One: The Sound of Change

Kaden’s steps echoed down the cobblestone street, each footfall blending into the thick silence of Oridria. The city stretched before him like a lifeless painting—gray, still, and devoid of any color that wasn’t dictated by the Harmony Council’s strict rules. Buildings, squat and uniform, lined both sides of the road, their once colorful facades long since painted over in the Council’s sanctioned palette of dull, muted tones. No flags flew, no art decorated the walls, and certainly, no music filled the air. It had been this way for as long as Kaden could remember.

People moved through the streets like shadows, heads down, eyes fixed forward, their expressions a mixture of exhaustion and resignation. No one spoke unless they had to, and when they did, it was in clipped, practical sentences. Laughter was a rare sound—almost foreign. Joy had been smothered under the heavy blanket of silence imposed by the Council, which ruled the city with an iron grip. Any form of self-expression, especially music, was considered a threat. A threat to order, to control, to the very fabric of society. Or so they said.

Kaden knew the rules well. Everyone did. Music, in any form, was forbidden. Singing, playing instruments, even humming a tune—any of it could get you arrested, or worse. The Council’s Enforcers patrolled the streets day and night, always on the lookout for anyone who dared to challenge the ban. Kaden had never seen anyone break the law. He had never heard a song, never heard a note of music in his life. It was strange to think about, but it was just the way things were.

And yet, despite it all, something inside him didn’t sit right. He couldn’t explain it—couldn’t put it into words. It was just a nagging feeling that grew stronger with each passing day, a curiosity that gnawed at him whenever he saw the blank faces of the people around him. It wasn’t enough to act on, though. Not enough to take the risk. So, like everyone else, he kept his head down and followed the rules. It was easier that way. Safer.

Today had been no different. School had dragged on as usual, with the same lessons about obedience, history, and the importance of order. Kaden had half-listened to his teachers, his mind wandering as he stared out the window. The streets below were always the same—orderly lines of people going about their business, Enforcers standing on every corner, watchful and alert. No one dared step out of line.

As he made his way home now, the weight of the silence pressed down on him more than usual. Maybe it was the way the light filtered through the thick clouds, casting a dim, lifeless glow over the city. Maybe it was the monotony of another day exactly like the one before. Whatever it was, Kaden felt it more strongly today—the emptiness. The dullness.

He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and walked faster, hoping to shake the feeling. His parents would be waiting for him at home, dinner ready and the same quiet conversation filling the space. The same routine. Day in, day out.

His feet carried him through the marketplace, where vendors stood behind their carts, silently selling their wares. There was no haggling, no laughter or chatter. Just brief exchanges of goods and currency, punctuated by the occasional nod. Kaden glanced at the vendors—old women selling vegetables, a man with a cart full of bread. Everything was efficient, orderly, and utterly joyless. The marketplace should have been alive with sound, with music and voices, but it was as muted as the rest of the city.

Kaden felt his gaze drift to the alleyways between the buildings. He often took shortcuts through them on his way home. They were quieter, even more than the streets, and offered a strange kind of solitude that the open spaces didn’t. Today, though, something caught his attention.

A low, soft sound floated through the still air—so faint that at first, he thought he was imagining it. He paused, turning his head toward one of the alleys, straining to hear. The sound came again, barely audible, but unmistakable.

Humming.

Kaden’s heart skipped a beat. Humming was illegal. It was music, in its simplest form, and anyone caught doing it was arrested immediately. His pulse quickened as he glanced around, making sure no Enforcers were nearby. No one else seemed to have noticed. The vendors continued their transactions, oblivious to the sound.

Curiosity gnawed at him, pulling him toward the alley. He knew he should ignore it, keep walking, go home and forget about it. But something stopped him. His feet moved on their own, carrying him closer to the source of the humming.

In the shadows of the alley, huddled against the wall, sat an old man wrapped in a tattered blanket. His face was weathered and lined with age, his gray hair falling in tangled strands around his shoulders. His clothes were threadbare, little more than rags. But what struck Kaden most was the soft tune the man was humming—a slow, mournful melody, barely more than a whisper.

Kaden stood frozen at the mouth of the alley, his eyes wide as he listened. The sound was... beautiful. It was unlike anything he had ever heard, filled with a sadness that made his chest ache. How could something so simple, so quiet, be forbidden?

The old man’s eyes were closed, his lips moving slowly as he hummed, seemingly unaware of the danger he was in. Kaden wanted to say something, to warn him, but before he could open his mouth, a harsh voice cut through the air.

“Hey! You there!”

Kaden’s blood ran cold. He turned sharply, just in time to see two Enforcers striding down the street toward the alley. Their black uniforms gleamed in the dim light, their expressions hard and unforgiving.

The old man’s eyes snapped open, his humming cutting off instantly. He tried to scramble to his feet, but he was too slow. The Enforcers were on him in seconds, grabbing him by the arms and hauling him up. He let out a weak cry of protest, but it was no use. One of the Enforcers shoved him against the wall, pinning him there with brutal efficiency.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the lead Enforcer growled, his voice low and dangerous.

“I—I wasn’t... I didn’t mean to,” the old man stammered, his voice trembling with fear. “I was just...”

“Humming,” the second Enforcer finished for him, his grip tightening on the old man’s arm. “That’s a violation of the Harmony Code. You know the penalty.”

Kaden felt his stomach churn. He wanted to look away, to pretend he hadn’t seen anything, but he couldn’t. He was rooted to the spot, watching in horror as the Enforcers dragged the old man away, his protests growing weaker with each step. No one in the marketplace intervened. No one even looked up from their business.

It was over in moments. The Enforcers disappeared down the street, the old man between them, his frail form barely able to keep up with their pace. Kaden stood there, staring after them, his mind racing.

This was the reality of Oridria. The rules were clear, and the consequences for breaking them were swift and merciless. Music, even something as simple as humming, was forbidden. The old man had been taken away for nothing more than a few notes.

Kaden’s chest tightened. He had always known the rules, but seeing it happen like this, right in front of him—it felt different. Wrong. The old man hadn’t hurt anyone. He hadn’t caused chaos or disorder. He had just been... humming.

But that was enough.

***

When Kaden returned home, the same suffocating silence filled the air. His parents were sitting at the dinner table, plates already set with the usual bland meal of boiled vegetables and thin slices of bread. His father sat hunched over his plate, methodically cutting his food into precise squares before taking small, measured bites. His mother was no different, chewing slowly, eyes focused on the table in front of her. Neither of them spoke.

This was how it always was. Dinner was a quiet affair, conducted in near silence. The only sounds were the clinking of cutlery and the occasional swallow of water. Conversation wasn’t necessary, and after so many years of living under the Harmony Council’s rules, it was almost like they had forgotten how to speak to each other.

Kaden took his seat and started eating, the bland taste of the food doing little to distract him from the thoughts swirling in his head. His parents didn’t ask him how his day was, and he didn’t offer anything either. There was nothing to say. Nothing ever happened. Or at least, nothing worth mentioning.

But today was different. Today, he had seen something that wouldn’t leave his mind.

As they finished dinner, Kaden’s father cleared his throat. It was the first sound he had made all evening.

“The news says the Enforcers caught another criminal today,” he said, his voice flat and emotionless. “Some old man. Apparently, he was humming.”

Kaden looked down at his plate, his pulse quickening. He hadn’t told his parents what he had seen, but clearly, word had spread fast. The Harmony Council always made sure everyone knew when someone broke the law.

“It’s good they caught him,” his mother added, her tone equally dull. “Humming leads to disorder. You remember what the Council says—music only causes chaos, Kaden’s mother finished, her voice trailing off as she sipped her water. “It’s better this way.”

Kaden swallowed hard, forcing himself to nod in agreement. But inside, something twisted. He could still see the old man’s face in his mind—the terror in his eyes as the Enforcers had dragged him away. It didn’t feel like chaos. It felt like cruelty.

The rest of dinner passed in silence, and when it was over, Kaden retreated to his room. The dull routine of his life pressed down on him like a weight. The grayness of Oridria had seeped into every corner of his world, leaving him with nothing but questions he didn’t dare ask out loud. Why was music banned? Why was expression so dangerous? Why did everyone just accept it?

He lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind racing. For the first time, he found himself thinking about what life might be like if the rules were different. What if the streets weren’t silent? What if people could sing, play instruments, or laugh without fear of punishment?

But thinking like that was dangerous. Questioning the Council’s authority was forbidden. Kaden had seen firsthand what happened to people who disobeyed.

Still, the old man’s humming echoed in his head, refusing to be silenced.

***

The next day, the gossip spread through the school like wildfire. By the time Kaden reached his classroom, it seemed like everyone was talking about the old man’s arrest. Whispers filled the hallways—some curious, others fearful.

“I heard they took him straight to the Holding Cells,” one boy muttered to his friend as Kaden passed by. “He’ll probably be sent to the Correctional Center.”

“Serves him right,” another voice chimed in. “He should’ve known better than to hum in public.”

Kaden clenched his fists at his sides, trying to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach. It was strange to hear the students talk about it so casually, as if what had happened was normal, even justified. He had always known the rules, but hearing his classmates discuss the old man’s fate so matter-of-factly made him realize how deeply the fear of music had been ingrained in them all.

When he entered the classroom, the atmosphere was heavier than usual. The teacher, a stern woman named Miss Corwen, stood at the front of the room, her arms crossed. She didn’t waste any time addressing the incident.

“As most of you have heard,” she began, her voice cold and authoritative, “an individual was arrested yesterday for violating the Harmony Code. He was caught humming—a clear and blatant act of rebellion against the Council’s laws.”

The class sat in uncomfortable silence, eyes downcast. Kaden could feel the tension in the room, the unspoken fear that someone might ask the wrong question or show too much sympathy for the old man.

Miss Corwen’s gaze swept over the students, her expression hardening. “Let this serve as a reminder to all of you. Music, in any form, is dangerous. It stirs emotions, disrupts order, and undermines the peace we have worked so hard to maintain. The Harmony Council’s laws exist for a reason, and anyone who defies them will face the consequences.”

Kaden felt his stomach knotting tighter. It was the same speech they had all heard a hundred times before. Music equals chaos. Emotions lead to disorder. The Council knows best. But after what he had seen, the words felt hollow.

He kept his head down for the rest of the lesson, trying to ignore the unease gnawing at him. The hours dragged on in the usual monotony—lessons on history, obedience, and the importance of maintaining peace in Oridria. But Kaden’s mind was elsewhere, replaying the scene in the alley over and over again.

By the time school ended, the weight of the day had left him feeling drained. He walked home slowly, avoiding his usual route and instead heading down to the riverbank. The cool air by the water helped clear his head, and for a while, he simply wandered, lost in thought.

The river’s edge was quieter than the streets, the gentle flow of water the only sound. Kaden found a secluded spot near an old, abandoned warehouse and sat down on a patch of grass. He stared out at the river, his mind swirling with thoughts he couldn’t quite make sense of. The city was so rigid, so stifling. Why did it have to be this way? Why did music—something that seemed so harmless—scare the Council so much?

His thoughts were interrupted by a faint, distant sound, barely audible over the rush of the river. At first, he thought it was just the wind, but then it came again—stronger this time.

Music.

Kaden’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t like the old man’s quiet humming; this was different. It was livelier, full of rhythm and energy. A melody, with instruments and voices blending together, creating a sound that was entirely foreign to him.

He looked around, his pulse quickening. Where was it coming from?

His eyes landed on the warehouse. The windows were shattered, the walls covered in graffiti, but from within, he could hear the unmistakable sound of music. It was faint, as if it were being played somewhere deep inside, but there was no mistaking it.

Kaden hesitated, a mixture of fear and curiosity warring inside him. He knew he shouldn’t investigate. If the Enforcers caught him near something like this, it could mean serious trouble. But at the same time, the sound pulled at him, beckoning him closer.

His feet moved before he could stop himself, carrying him toward the warehouse. He approached cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest, and peered through one of the broken windows. Inside, he could just make out a group of people gathered in the shadows, their faces lit by the dim glow of lanterns. They were playing instruments—guitars, drums, and other things he didn’t recognize—and some of them were singing, their voices weaving together in a way that sent shivers down his spine.

Kaden had never seen anything like it. The music was alive, full of energy and emotion, and for the first time in his life, he understood why the Council feared it.

It was powerful. It stirred something deep inside him, something he hadn’t known was there. He could feel his pulse quickening, his body reacting to the rhythm in ways he couldn’t control.

He should have turned and run, should have gotten as far away from the warehouse as possible. But he didn’t. Instead, he crouched by the window, watching and listening, unable to tear himself away.

The music wrapped around him, pulling him in.

Kaden’s heart raced as the music filled the air around him. The melody seemed to carry an almost tangible energy, something that resonated deep within him. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced in Oridria's dull, muted world. The music felt free, alive, full of emotion and rebellion. It made him want to move, to tap his feet, to hum along—things he had never been allowed to do.

The band inside the warehouse played with a raw passion he didn’t understand but was desperate to feel more of. The instruments came alive in their hands, the drums beating a steady rhythm, the guitars wailing a mournful yet defiant tune. And then there were the voices, raised in a song that was both uplifting and rebellious. The lyrics were hard to make out, but the tone was unmistakable. These people weren’t just playing music—they were defying the Council.

Kaden's mind raced with questions. How were they able to play without fear? Why had they risked everything to gather here, in secret, to share this forbidden art? And, more importantly, what was it about this music that made the Council so afraid?

The notes swirled around him, tugging at the edges of his mind, urging him to stay. He crouched lower, trying to stay hidden as he inched closer to the window. His hands gripped the ledge, knuckles white, as he peered inside the warehouse, taking in the scene.

Suddenly, his foot slipped on a loose stone, and Kaden stumbled, his hand scraping the brick wall. The sound was small, but in the quiet space between songs, it echoed loudly. He froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he held his breath, praying no one had noticed.

The music inside came to a sudden halt. The musicians exchanged glances, their bodies tense with alertness. One of them, a tall figure in a dark hood, stepped forward, scanning the room as if sensing something was wrong. Kaden ducked down, pressing his back against the wall, his heart hammering in his chest.

He stayed perfectly still, not daring to breathe. He could hear the murmurs of the band inside, low and cautious. He didn’t know what would happen if they found him spying on their secret gathering, but he was sure it wouldn’t be good. The Council wasn’t the only thing to be feared in Oridria—people who broke the rules had their own way of dealing with outsiders.

The tension hung in the air for a few moments longer, but eventually, the music started up again, more cautious this time. Kaden breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but his body remained on high alert. He couldn’t risk getting caught. Not now. Not when he had finally found something worth listening to, something worth feeling.

He pushed himself up from the ground and backed away from the window, the music fading as he retreated into the shadows. His mind was spinning with everything he had just witnessed. The old man’s arrest had left a bitter taste in his mouth, but this… this had ignited something new in him. A spark of defiance, a flicker of rebellion.

Kaden couldn’t stop thinking about the music, even as he made his way back along the riverbank, keeping his head down and his footsteps light. The sounds lingered in his ears, the rhythm of the drums and the strum of the guitar echoing in his mind. He had heard rumors of underground concerts before, whispered in dark alleys and behind closed doors, but he had never imagined he would stumble upon one himself.

As he walked, Kaden felt a strange sense of loss when the last notes faded completely into the distance. The silence of Oridria felt heavier than ever now, almost oppressive in comparison to the liveliness of the warehouse concert. The world around him seemed dull, lifeless, like someone had drained the color from everything.

He rounded a corner, moving through the quieter streets that led back to his neighborhood. The Enforcers would be doing their evening rounds soon, and he didn’t want to risk being out after curfew. But even as he hurried home, Kaden couldn’t shake the feeling that something inside him had changed.

***

At school the next day, the usual routine felt even more suffocating. The teachers droned on, reciting the same lessons about the dangers of creativity, the importance of conformity, and the virtues of obedience. Kaden could barely focus. His mind kept wandering back to the music, to the way it had made him feel alive in a way that nothing else ever had.

He found himself tuning out the lectures, staring blankly at the walls as his classmates dutifully took notes. When his teacher, Miss Corwen, called on him to answer a question, he realized too late that he hadn’t been listening at all.

“Kaden?” she prompted, her eyes narrowing. “Are you paying attention?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. His thoughts were miles away, back at the riverbank, back with the forbidden sounds that still lingered in his head.

Miss Corwen frowned, clearly displeased. “If you can’t focus on your studies, you’ll never be a productive citizen of Oridria. Perhaps a reminder is in order.”

Her tone was sharp, but Kaden barely heard her. His mind was too full of questions, of thoughts he wasn’t supposed to have. Why was music so dangerous? Why was it banned? And why did he feel more alive listening to that secret concert than he ever had following the rules?

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Kaden grabbed his things and hurried out of the classroom, avoiding Miss Corwen’s disapproving gaze. As he stepped outside, the dull, muted sky above him only intensified the grayness he felt inside. He needed answers, but where could he possibly find them in a city that silenced every voice of rebellion?

Without thinking, he found himself walking back toward the river. The abandoned warehouse loomed in the distance, a beacon of everything forbidden, everything dangerous. He didn’t know what he was looking for, but he knew one thing for sure: he couldn’t go back to the way things were.

Not after hearing the music.

That’s a great twist! Adding Zephyra as one of Kaden’s classmates would create a lot of tension and give her a stronger connection to him even before their official meeting. I'll continue the chapter with this new addition, showing her observing him closely after spotting him at the warehouse.

---

As Kaden left the classroom, he was so absorbed in his thoughts that he almost didn’t notice the girl walking a few steps behind him. Zephyra. She had always been one of those quiet students, blending into the background like everyone else. But today, there was something different about the way she looked at him. Her eyes seemed to linger just a little too long, and Kaden could have sworn she was watching him.

Zephyra wasn’t exactly someone he knew well. She sat near the back of the class and never spoke up much, except when called on by the teacher. She kept her head down, did her work, and stayed out of trouble—just like everyone else. But as Kaden hurried down the hallway, he could feel her gaze boring into the back of his head.

He didn’t want to be paranoid, but the way she watched him made him uneasy. Had she seen him by the riverbank? Had she been at the warehouse, too?

The possibility sent a shiver down his spine. If she had seen him, would she report him to the Enforcers? Or worse, would she think he was going to report *her*?

Kaden turned a corner, hoping to lose her in the crowd of students pouring out of the building. But when he glanced back, Zephyra was still there, moving swiftly through the throng of people, her eyes never leaving him. She was keeping her distance, but the intent in her gaze was unmistakable. She wasn’t just following him by chance.

He quickened his pace, his heart pounding in his chest. This wasn’t good. If she knew he had been at the warehouse, if she suspected he was connected to the underground concerts, everything could unravel. He wasn’t sure what Zephyra’s connection to the music rebellion was, but he couldn’t risk getting tangled in it any further.

As he made his way through the school’s gates and onto the street, Kaden ducked into a narrow side path, hoping to throw her off. His breath came quick and shallow as he pressed himself against the wall of a nearby building, peering cautiously around the corner.

Zephyra paused at the entrance of the path, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the area. She hesitated for a moment, then turned and continued down the main street, blending into the crowd of students heading home.

Kaden waited a few seconds before stepping out of the shadows, his heart still racing. He didn’t know why Zephyra was so focused on him, but one thing was clear: he needed to be careful. Very careful.

He walked the rest of the way home, keeping his head down and his thoughts in a whirl. The music he had heard, the band, the old man’s arrest, and now Zephyra… it all felt connected somehow. But Kaden wasn’t sure how to piece it all together.

When he reached his family’s small, dimly lit apartment, the usual monotony greeted him like an old, unwelcome friend. His parents sat at the table, silent as they ate their bland, flavorless meal. His younger brother was already in his room, probably studying or doing something equally uninteresting. Kaden dropped his bag by the door and sat down, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the world outside was so much bigger, more vibrant, than this tiny, colorless life they were all trapped in.

He barely touched his dinner, his thoughts still spinning. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the warehouse, hear the music, feel the excitement it had stirred in him. He wanted to ask his parents about the old man who had been arrested—why humming could be considered such a dangerous act. But he knew better than to bring it up. They had been living under the Council’s rules for so long that questioning anything was unthinkable.

After a silent dinner, Kaden retreated to his room, lying on his bed with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. His thoughts were a mess, a jumble of questions and uncertainties. The music had woken something in him, something he couldn’t quite explain. But now, with Zephyra keeping a close eye on him, he knew things were about to get even more complicated.

***

The next day at school, whispers filled the hallways. The old man’s arrest had become the topic of conversation among the students, especially after the teachers used it as a stern reminder of why music was banned. Miss Corwen spent the first part of the morning drilling the importance of obedience into them, her voice hard and unwavering.

"Creativity," she said, "is a gateway to rebellion. And rebellion is a threat to the stability we’ve worked so hard to achieve. Remember the man who was arrested yesterday? Humming leads to more dangerous things. You must understand that our world is safe because of these laws. Music is a temptation that can unravel everything we’ve built."

Kaden’s stomach twisted at her words. He glanced over at Zephyra, who was sitting a few rows ahead of him. She was staring straight ahead, but he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Did she believe what Miss Corwen was saying? Or was she, like him, starting to question why everything was the way it was?

The day dragged on, the hours ticking by painfully slowly. By the time the final bell rang, Kaden felt more restless than ever. The same questions kept bubbling up in his mind. Why was music banned? What was it that the Council feared so much? And why did the music he had heard make him feel so alive?

After school, Kaden decided to take the long way home again, heading toward the riverbank. He needed time to think, to clear his head. The water shimmered in the afternoon light, and the sound of the current rushing against the rocks was the closest thing to music he had ever experienced before last night.

He walked along the edge of the river, his thoughts swirling, when he heard it again.

The distant, faint sound of music.

His heart leapt in his chest. It was coming from the direction of the abandoned warehouse. He glanced around, making sure no one was watching, before following the sound. It grew louder as he approached the old building, the same vibrant, defiant tune from the night before echoing through the walls.

Kaden crouched down behind some bushes, peering at the warehouse from a distance. The musicians were there again, their instruments creating a symphony of rebellion. He couldn’t make out the faces of the people inside, but something about the scene called to him, urging him to stay, to listen.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her.

Zephyra.

She was standing near the entrance of the warehouse, her hood pulled low over her face, but Kaden recognized her immediately. She wasn’t just watching the concert—she was part of it.

His breath caught in his throat. Zephyra, the quiet girl from school, was one of them. One of the rebels.

Now he understood why she had been watching him so closely. She had seen him last night by the riverbank, and now she was afraid he would report her. But as Kaden watched her disappear into the warehouse, he realized something else.

He didn’t want to turn her in.

In fact, he wanted to know more. About her. About the music. About everything the Council had tried to hide from him his whole life.

Kaden stayed hidden for a while longer, his mind racing. His world was about to change forever, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready for it.

But deep down, he knew he couldn’t go back to the way things were. Not now. Not after everything he had seen and heard.

The music had found its way into his soul, and it wasn’t going to let him go.