The Eight Cities

Nearly a thousand years ago, humanity faced extinction. War, drought, and famine wracked a ruined planet, killing billions. But the gods took pity on humanity and gathered up as many humans as they could, carrying them to a new world where they could start again.   Humanity's new home was harsh and unforgiving. Blasted with heat and frozen by turns, air barely breathable, no life-giving oceans. So the gods gave the survivors eight great cities, nestled safely underground and connected by a webwork of tunnels; only the Spires of each city pierced the surface of the world and allowed the survivors to see the open sky again. But it took the last of the gods' strength to give humanity their new home. With their lives spent, the gods faded, leaving behind their descendants to rule over the descendants of humanity and guide them in developing a new society.   But there were others in the Eight Cities, too - when the gods saved humanity and brought the survivors to their new world, they took pity on the demons who had caused the destruction of Earth, and brought some of them along as well, giving them a second chance. Their descendants remain in the lowest levels of the Eight Cities, thieves and malcontents, or are taken to work the great agri-dome on the surface until the harsh conditions kill them.   Now, things are changing again. The lowest levels of the cities suffer frequent floods and quakes. The Spawn are driven ever closer to the main levels by the rising waters, encroaching upon the true-humans as they struggle to survive, crushed between the Spawn and the nobility in the Spires. The Ministry of Eyes tightens its grip on the people of the Cities with each passing cycle.   Humanity is already on its second chance. Will there be another, if this world fails?