A/N: Well howdy! Thanks for stopping by my story. This story will make use of the "game" features of CHYOA at some point, though I haven't gotten it to that point. If you like what you're reading, please don't forget to favorite, like chapters, or comment encouraging (or critiquing) words. It means a lot to me. Last bit: Any time there's content that readers may not enjoy, I'll try to label it at the beginning of the chapter. Anyway, enjoy the story, and thanks again for reading!
PROLOGUE: David wandered the wasteland. He had to scavenge daily for everything. Food, water, and other supplies. All scarce in the massive desert. Then again, he'd become an expert at scavenging over the years. That thought struck him, and he realized it had been more than 7 years since he'd been exiled from Navarra. They didn't take very kindly to stealing when everything was scarce in the first place. But then, that was why he had stolen. Navarra was his birthplace, but it had never been his home. The laws there were far too strict for his liking, and his soul yearned to be free. Well didn't that turn out great, he thought to himself. Still, his existence now was just as quality as before, though perhaps more dangerous. But you didn't live 7 years in the wasteland without gaining special skills. He pushed the thought from his mind, instead refocusing his mind on his task of sifting through the various plastic and metal refuse that littered the sand. Something particularly shiny caught his eye, and he felt for it in the sand. Whatever it was, it was large and very metal. Something perfect to trade in the next village he came by. He began digging for it in earnest, using his handy shovel to clear the sand off of the top. After a few scoops, his shovel began clanking on the metal, and he had to use his hands to clear the rest of it. Luckily, there wasn't too much sand left, and he stepped back and took a good look at his handiwork.
There was a metal ring jutting out from a thicker piece of metal further down. He silently cursed as he realized it would be significantly too large to carry. It looked not unlike a safe, and since the sand was relatively low, it was a good possibility that someone else had been here recently. He figured there may at least be something valuable inside. Given the threat of someone else guarding their treasure, he decided to act quickly.
He tried to turn the wheel, and after some effort, it eventually gave way. The wheel slowly turned, and the the hatch released, allowing David to swing it open. To his surprise, he found a ladder underneath, rather than treasure. While disappointed, he figured there was still a chance at finding something worthwhile at the bottom of this hole, so he lowered himself in. His feet found the bottom about 20 feet down.
Being 20 feet underground, it was too dark to see. He activated his flashlight. In front of him was a tunnel that lead straight, but he recognized a trap halfway down the tunnel. Definitely something to guard down this way. He gingerly avoided the explosive, and continued down the tunnel. At the end was a more open area. He decided to go straight, avoiding several traps in the process, almost triggering one. On the other side, he found a large metal blast door, and realized there was a camera outside of it.
He turned around, and realized he was surrounded by masked soldiers. "Well, shit." he said, "Guess now is a bad time to leave?" The soldiers didn't respond. David raised his hands. "Alright, alright, you've got me, I won't fight you." he said. The closed in on him, taking him by the arms. One injected something into his arm. "God damn, that hurt!" he exclaimed, fighting the grip of the soldiers, before his vision faded quickly to black.