Color Or Die Map Chapter 1

Caroline Mae

2 min read

·

10-12-2024

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The air crackled with anticipation. Not the nervous energy of a looming thunderstorm, but the electric hum of a thousand whispered secrets, a million untold stories waiting to be unleashed. This was the dawn of the Color Wars, and the map – a crimson stain spreading across the once-vibrant world – was our only guide.

A World Divided by Hue

Before the Great Fade, the world was a kaleidoscope of colour. Emerald forests whispered secrets to sapphire rivers, while ruby sunsets painted the ochre deserts in fiery hues. But something shifted, something fundamental. The colours began to drain, leaving behind a monochrome wasteland punctuated only by pockets of intense, vibrant colour – and the relentless, ever-expanding red.

The Red Tide, they called it. A creeping infection that stole the vibrancy of the world, leaving only a stark, blood-red landscape in its wake. Those within its reach were… altered. Their memories, their identities, even their very essence, were consumed by the crimson tide.

The Map: A Lifeline in a Sea of Red

This is where the Color or Die Map enters the narrative. Rumored to be the creation of a forgotten cartographer, possibly even before the Great Fade, it’s more than just a geographical chart. It’s a key, a legend, a roadmap to survival. Its intricate lines, painstakingly drawn with pigments that defy the Fade's encroaching monochrome, depict not only landmasses but also the remaining pockets of color – and the strategies to navigate the ever-shifting Red Tide.

Chapter One introduces us to Anya, our protagonist. A young woman raised in one of the last remaining villages boasting a full spectrum of color. Her world is a vibrant contrast to the crimson wasteland beyond its borders, a testament to their ingenious methods of color preservation. But their fragile sanctuary is threatened. The Red Tide is advancing, and Anya holds the key – a fragment of the Color or Die Map.

Anya's Journey Begins

Anya's journey begins not with a grand adventure but with a quiet desperation. The village elders, their faces etched with the weight of generations of knowledge and fear, entrust her with the map fragment – a priceless heirloom, a last-ditch hope. Her mission is perilous: find the legendary "Chromatic Core," the source of all color, before the Red Tide consumes everything.

The map, however, is more than just a pathway; it's a riddle. Its cryptic symbols and enigmatic clues require deciphering. This is not merely a race against the encroaching red, but a test of Anya's ingenuity, her resilience, and her will to survive.

This is just the beginning. The path ahead is fraught with danger, secrets, and the chilling reality of a world where color is not a luxury, but a necessity for survival. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of a young woman armed with nothing but courage and a map. The journey to the Chromatic Core has just begun.