《Super Human》
Prelude
[Your record has been locked]
Akhand stared at the message, expressionless.
He¡¯d been here nearly a day now, and he still couldn¡¯t believe the words in front of him.
He¡¯d been separated from it, disconnected from the great magics of the Akashic Systems. All because of a single ¡°mistake¡±. It didn¡¯t make sense. All he¡¯d ever wanted was peace and freedom, for this reality to prevail.
He¡¯d only ever wanted his home to be safe. So, he¡¯d done everything to keep it so. Akhand dedicated his life to the Systems, to fighting their wars, crushing their enemies and proclaiming them to the rest of the unenlightened universe as saviours of the universe.
And they¡¯d tossed him aside.
After everything, they¡¯d just thrown him away and stolen the only gift they¡¯d ever given him. If they could do this, then they weren¡¯t and had never been what he¡¯d thought they were.
He stared at the message, reading over the words again, reliving the immeasurable pain they¡¯d brought him the first time he¡¯d laid eyes upon them.
[Your record has been locked]
He reached out for it, but like always the message was in front of his hands, within his vision. He never had been able to touch it, let alone change it. His hand fell to his side and finally the message disappeared. He took a moment to look around, to gaze over the great hills of grass and trees in the distance.
The natural beauty of his home world was as breath taking as usual. And it was only here because of him.
[Your record has been locked]
He¡¯d saved his world and it had cost him everything.
He hung is head, the last of his hope nearly dying. But as he stared at the grass, he remembered his childhood. He remembered the blue sun above them, the wondrous laughter of his brothers and sisters, the endless joy he¡¯d shared with them in these very hills.
The systems hadn¡¯t taken everything. Not yet at least. But if his suspicions were right, they¡¯d come for him soon. His home would be under threat, and with his current powers he couldn¡¯t leave without some measure of risk.
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But if his home was destroyed, then his life, his sacrifice would¡¯ve been for nothing. He would¡¯ve been severed for nothing.
It meant he needed to respond before anything happened. A pre-emptive attack could spare his world. Though if this was how they¡¯d treat him, after everything he¡¯d done, then it was an attack he likely wouldn¡¯t survive.
It doesn¡¯t matter now. Only the memories that fill these hills do.
He clenched his fists tightly, feeling his mana swell. His growth may have been severed, his record locked, but he still had his power. And now that he knew how theirs worked too, he could fight them. Maybe only for a moment, but at the very least he¡¯d make sure the damage lasted. He¡¯d make sure they felt this blow for ever.
He glanced down at his foot to the small slime that bounced up and down, nudging his foot gently. He could sense the curious joy emanating from it, the childlike ignorance that almost brought a tear to his eye. It knew not of what was happening, or the importance of its existence.
¡°Forgive me Etrea¡± he whispered, kneeling to gently pet it. He looked up from it as it nuzzled into his hand, looking back out of the sprawling hills of his home. ¡°Forgive me¡±
Then Akhand stood, holding the slime in his palms.
He focused on the feeling the slime had, the essence of its heart and soul. He could feel the layer of protection he¡¯d created around it, the only thing currently protecting his world. He destroyed it and instantly felt the atmosphere shift.
More messages scrawled across his vision, warnings, alerts, threats, but he ignored them focusing on his own power. The sky above his head began to darken the clouds fading along with the sun as hundreds of impossibly bright stars appeared in the sky above.
He centred his energy on the blinding star within his chest, the rest of his body glowing as he took to the air. His surroundings rippled with energy, physical space warping from the power that emanated from his soul.
Engage he whispered, the words echoing through the physical and magical space around him.
The slime looked to him and he could feel it¡¯s fear and confusion as it looked to him and the stars above.
¡°It¡¯s ok little one¡± he whispered. ¡°You¡¯ll be ok¡±
He pressed his cheek against it and closed his eyes. With focused his intent on the slime in his hands and uttered one word.
Protect
His energy bent around the slime, warping reality even further as the stars in the sky continued to grow. The slime squirmed for a moment and looked to Akhand who could only offer a smile. Then it was gone, taken to a place of protection by the will of Akhand¡¯s soul.
It was beyond the systems now, beyond everybody. No one would be able to retrieve it until they met the conditions of his kindness. Until they could offer Etrea a home.
Then he looked to the stars, watching as great runes filled the sky, the chains of Akash breaking for the first time in millennia .
¡°No¡± Akhand whispered in disbelief.
The chains were only supposed to break on him. They were only supposed to attack him. He roared powerfully, flying upwards faster then he ever had before. He reached out to the chains with his power, but the act was futile. The chains were beyond the systems, there was no doubt they were beyond him.
His eyes widened with horror as the sky suddenly grew bright. He reached out with all his might, setting his body aflame with his own power, extinguishing his life for the singular desire of protecting his home world.
[STOP]
The word shook the very fabric of reality, the heat of Akhand¡¯s magic reaching even the Systems. But it was not enough. In the face of the Akashic Systems even magic as powerful as this could only slow. After only a moment, the power of the stars struck him, obliterating him and his world into absolute nothingness.
Slowly the stars faded, leaving only darkness. Or so they believed. Beyond them, beyond everything golden sparks, the fires of hope, flickered. Waiting.
Prologue
Carefully, Samuel placed the last of the ingredients in the machine. He watched the plant for a second before gently grazing its leaf with a finger. He let out a sigh then closed the hatch and secured the lock, pulling away from the device.
His eyes scanned over the other parts, double checking all the settings were correct. He already knew they were, but the process of double checking steadied him. And for this he liked to be steady. Needed to be.
¡°Hurry up slowpoke¡± Divine said from behind him, clearly annoyed.
¡°Let me focus¡± he mumbled back.
¡°Yeah, let him focus¡± Nigel chimed in.
¡°Oh, shut up¡± Divine said ¡°Just hurry up. You¡¯ve been doing this for almost twenty minutes.¡±
¡°Sure, sure¡± he muttered dismissively.
Samuel could tell she was rolling her eyes, but he didn¡¯t care. He quickly triple checked the buttons and dials, then nodded to himself as he took a deep breath. He stood, dusting off his knees before flicking on a few buttons.
The vacuum machine came to life, it¡¯s whirring building slowly as it echoed in the space louder and louder.
Samuel¡¯s fingers stopped over a final button and he stared at it, licking his lips tentatively. He wiped sweat from his forehead, his foot tapping against the ground restlessly as he stared at the glowing button, unblinking.
It has to work. It has to.
He pressed it quickly, then stepped back, joining his friends who¡¯d both fallen into a nervous silence.
¡°Now¡± he whispered, the words only for himself, ¡°¡we wait.¡±
The trio watched the vacuum sphere, the loud whirring of their machine reverberating in the very floor beneath them. They stared, watching the empty air in front of them. The seconds stretched out, steadily ticking into minutes, and only the sound of the machine reverberated through the room unchanged.
¡°This was stupid, we didn¡¯t get enough plants¡± Divine said stepping forward. ¡°We need to turn it off¡±
¡°Don¡¯t¡± Samuel spat, grabbing her arm.
¡°Back off idiot¡± she spat back elbowing him.
¡°Hey! Don¡¯t!¡± Nigel said, moving to separate them. But he only succeeded in tripping, falling into both his friends, who crashed into the machine. The whirring from the device grew louder as the sound of metal striking the ground echoed through the room.
¡°What the hell you idiot?!¡± Divine cried.
¡°S-sorry, sorry¡± Nigel mumbled, trying to help the two up as he scrambled to his feet. Samuel slapped his hand away and turned to the machine, panicked.
¡°It¡¯s not broken, is it? Is it broken?!¡± he cried out, looking over their machine.
¡°I¡¯m fine thanks¡± Divine mumbled, standing as she dusted herself off. Samuel ignored her, searching the machine over desperately. The vacuum machine wasn¡¯t broken, but their device - the important one - was.
A few wires had broken, lying on the floor lifeless, along with a few of the screws and the secondary battery they¡¯d prepared.
Shit
He reached out instinctively to put it back together, and a sudden flash of yellow crackled between his hand, and one of the open wires. He cursed and scrambled back, knocking into both his friends.
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They all went down in a heap again, hitting the floor hard. But Samuel¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t on the pain from the fall. His body felt strange. More present, realer in a sense that was new to his mind. He groaned, his movements clumsy and slow, his mind struggling to deal with the weight of the sudden extrasensory awareness he¡¯d gained of himself.
¡°Get the hell off you moron¡± Divine cried, pushing him off.
He rolled onto the floor and coughed hard, before a sudden wave of heat flowed through him, centred from his hand. He gasped, pulling the hand to his chest but then the heat vanished, leaving him only with a frown. The machine behind them began to buzz with a new sound, and all three turned to it, eyes wide.
Sparks. Golden white sparks flashed into existence from nothingness within the vacuum, then sputtered out.
¡°Samuel?!¡± Nigel cried, grabbing his friend by the shoulder.
¡°Quiet¡± Samuel hissed eyes still fixed on the occasional flickering of sparks. They all stood, staring at the sparks as they grew into a steady stream, then grew further eventually becoming a maelstrom that pinged against the inner glass of the vacuum machine.
The counter they¡¯d kept on hand, the one that had only pinged twice since its creation, began to ping wildly, the pings growing into a near constant buzz, almost louder than the machine itself.
¡°Holy shit¡ we did it¡± Divine muttered. She turned to the others grinning, then threw her hands up in the air in triumph. ¡°We fucking did it!¡±
The other two turned to her and began to laugh. The laugh was filled with joy, relief, and excitement. They had been mocked, shamed, ridiculed, but they had finally proved the others wrong. They¡¯d been right. The life energy existed. And they¡¯d found a way to materialise it.
¡°I- wow. What do we do now?¡± Nigel said.
¡°What do we do?!¡± Divine cried. ¡°We fucking celebr-¡±
[¡ê$%^&*!:¡°¡ê%^8]
The words were instant. They impressed into the mind like a hand into clay, a hot knife through butter.
There was no noise, no sound, no indication anything had happened at all. Yet the words were still loud, powerful. They words were nonsensical, but the message was clear.
It was a warning.
They trio fell to the floor as the words reverberated in their brains, overpowering all other thoughts with a swiftness like nothing they¡¯d ever felt.
The other two cried out, grabbing the sides of their heads as they fell to the ground. But not Samuel. He simply stared at the now glowing cloud of golden yellow sparks in front of him, grinning as the words pounded on the inside of his skull.
He forced himself upwards, staggering forwards and reached out for the cloud, with trembling hands. Blood began to ooze from his eyes, and ears, waves of an immaterial pressure slamming into his body, tearing apart things within himself he couldn¡¯t yet understand. But he ignored it.
Divine looked to her childhood friend from the floor, shouted for him to stop. But it was too late.
The glass of the vacuum chamber shattered, spraying out everywhere as the glowing cloud of rippling golden energy grew. The glass cut across Samuel¡¯s hand and face, drawing blood but he pushed forwards regardless, unaware of the pain.
His hand - burning now - stretched out through the empty air towards the cloud of pure power he could not look away from. Its light was wondrous. Perfect. The life energy, this magic, it was everything he¡¯d ever dreamed off and more. He had to touch it. Grasp it. Feel the energy that called out to him.
Finally, his hand met the cloud, and everything went black.
Samuel¡¯s mind twisted with pain, contorting and folding in on itself as reality bent forwards and backwards, time no longer linear. He tried to cry out, but his mouth no longer existed. Nothing physical did. There was only darkness and the thing he could not yet see.
Am I¡ dead?
His question was not answered, but right then, within the black, more sparks of the golden yellow begin to trickle through. Like rain, the sparks fell from above. In the silence of his mind, in the darkness, he watched as they fell.
It was peaceful, a feeling entirely separate from the mind-numbing pain he¡¯d experienced earlier. Then they struck him, setting fire to his existence once more.
It was horrible. Painful. Twisted.
The experience was simply just plain wrong in so many ways.
And yet, so very, very right.
-
[WARNING: MANA IGNITION DETECTED]
[Locating]
[Found. Location designation: Z1-E94-C]
[Mana limiter engaged]
[Z1-E94-C to commence Trial protocol]
[Beginning stage 1: Advanced surveillance and integration]
[Stage 2 to begin in 1 system cycle]
Chapter One - No Dreaming
Caleb sat in the passenger seat of Casey¡¯s old and beaten Honda. His eyes watched the road, fixing on passing cars before they eventually pulled ahead, then drifting slowly to the next. His breathing was even, his breaths steady and slow as he mulled over the events of the past half-hour.
He glanced at his stepmom, who ¨C still on the verge of tears - white knuckled the steering wheel, her breaths heavy. She made it a point not to look over at him, but he could tell she noticed his gaze.
Caleb looked away, turning his attention back to the road. He didn¡¯t want to make Casey feel worse than she already did. She was a bad enough driver at the best of times. With a sigh he lent his head against the window, the coolness damped by his hair, but still penetrating through to his scalp.
It felt nice against his skull, distracted him from the dull warmth of his headache. He took another breath, this one far shallower, and then felt the beginnings of a hard cough rise into his throat. He stifled the first, but quickly descended into a small fit, half covering his mouth as he wheezed breathlessly.
He recovered quickly, forcing himself to sit straight even as pain lanced through his side. He caught his stepmom spare a glance at him in his periphery, her already unsteady demeanour growing even more panicked.
¡°I¡¯m fine¡± he muttered. Casey gave a half nod half grunt in response, clearly rattled. She glanced at him twice more, and he turned his head completely to the window, unwilling and unable to watch her descend further into her own anxiety. If they we¡¯re going to crash, he¡¯d rather not know it was coming. It¡¯s not like it would make much difference for him anyway.
His neutral expression fell into a frown.
¡®Stage four lung cancer¡¯, he thought, recalling the words of the doctor. Is it weird I don¡¯t feel that afraid?
It probably was. Maybe it just hadn¡¯t hit him yet. But that didn¡¯t feel like the truth either. It felt closer to apathy, but that wasn¡¯t right. He definitely felt something, it just wasn¡¯t very sad.
I guess I¡¯m just¡ disappointed. Just a bored kind of disappointment.
¡°Mooom¡± Kayla ¨C his half-sister - droned from the backseat, looking up from her tablet.
¡°Y-yeah honey?¡± Casey responded quickly, her voice cracking.
¡°I¡¯m hungry. Can we get McDonalds?¡±
¡°Uh¡ I don¡¯t know¡±
¡°Then Taco Bell?¡±
¡°Sweetie¡± she said, forcing a bitter chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ now¡¯s not the time¡±
¡°Please? Pretty please? Pretty pretty please?¡±
Casey didn¡¯t respond, an uncharacteristic silence dragging out between her and her daughter. Caleb¡¯s frown deepened, tinging slightly with annoyance. He knew Casey was looking to him, and he knew why she was looking. For some kind of confirmation that stopping to get something to eat would be fine.
You never considered me before. Why now? Cause I¡¯m dying? Gee, thanks.
¡°Yeah, I¡¯m kind of hungry too¡± he muttered. ¡°I could do with some food¡±
¡°Alright. McDonalds it is¡± Casey said, a note of relief in her voice.
¡°Yay!¡± Kayla cried. Caleb scoffed, but a small grin settled onto his lips as he glanced back at his sister. It was nice to see that at least someone was enjoying themselves right now.
He turned back to face the road, pressing his head against the window as he continued to watch the cars go past, the glare of the occasional brake light illuminating his face in a hue red. He shifted in his seat and looked up, staring past the cars, at the occasional glimpse of the sea, and even further the horizon in the distance.
It was later than he¡¯d thought, the sun having already started to slowly to dip underneath. He let out another sigh and then suddenly, as he stared off into the horizon, he couldn¡¯t help but recall a distant memory.
The feeling of sand under his feet, and the lapping of waves in the distance. A soft, joyous kind of laughter ¨C his own ¨C accompanied by a deeper but just as hearty laugh - his father¡¯s. They¡¯d been playing together, on the beach during sunset. It¡¯d been their last day of his only holiday ever.
They¡¯d gone to Brazil, Bertioga - where his father had grown up. His dad had chased him in a game of tag and he¡¯d laughed, kicking up sprays of sand as he¡¯d run from him. His dad had caught him eventually, and pulled him close as they¡¯d laughed together, and fallen in the sand.
Then they¡¯d just stared out to sea for a while, kept at peace by the wind before his father had spoken.
¡®Can you see it?¡¯
¡®What? What!?¡¯
¡®The point where the sky meets the sea, the point where the world ends¡¯
¡®Yeah! It¡¯s the ho- hoyzons?¡±
¡®Horizon¡¯
¡®Yeah! Horizon! So cool¡¯
¡®It is, isn¡¯t it? Sometimes you just want to reach out and touch it, right? Go right over there, just¡ reach the edge¡¯
¡®Yeah!¡¯
¡®Well Caleb, you know you can¡¯t actually reach the horizon¡¯
¡®What!? Why? What did I do?¡¯
¡®Nothing, nothing. No one can reach the horizon son¡¯
¡®Why?¡¯
¡®It¡¯s not a real thing you see. It¡¯s¡ a kind of illusion¡¯
¡®Aw! I want to touch it! That¡¯s not fair. I should be able to reach out and touch it!¡¯
¡®It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t¡¯
¡®No. It¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s not cool anymore now¡¯
¡®Really? What about the moon and the sun? What about the stars? Are they not special anymore either?¡¯
¡®Yeah¡¯
His father had laughed, heartily, the kind of laugh you can¡¯t fake. Then he¡¯d ruffled Caleb¡¯s hair, kneeled next to his son and they¡¯d both looked up at the newly shining stars as the final wisps of sunlight had faded completely past the horizon. Then he¡¯d finally spoken again.
¡°Sometimes the distance is what makes it special¡± he muttered to himself.
¡°Caleb?¡± Casey said.
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°You say something?¡±
¡°Oh¡ no¡± he replied. Casey glanced at him, still clearly uneasy. She watched him for slightly longer was comfortable, than looked back to the road, still clearly struggling to control her anxiety.
¡°Y-you okay?¡± she asked.
¡°Yep. Just fine¡±
Casey nodded, keeping her eyes on the road this time. They continued driving in silence, Kayla muttering to herself occasionally as the tapped away thoughtlessly at her tablet. Finally, the McDonalds came into view up ahead and they slowed slightly as they neared it. Casey turned the car into the lot and made for the drive through as she glanced out the window for a better view.
¡°Oop. Drive through¡¯s closed¡± Casey muttered to herself. She slowed the car, the brakes creaking slightly then started to reverse.
¡°What happened?¡± Kayla mumbled from the back.
¡°Drive through¡¯s closed¡± Caleb said. ¡°Sorry, no McDonald¡¯s today¡±
¡°Aw!¡± Kayla cried. ¡°Can¡¯t we go inside?¡±
Another uncharacteristic pause stretched out between the three of them. Caleb scowled slightly.
She¡¯s looking at me again, isn¡¯t she? he thought. Come on Casey, you¡¯re the adult here.
¡°Well, there are people inside, so¡¡± he trailed off, unable to stomach the bitterness in his words.
¡°Guess we¡¯re going inside¡± Casey said, forcing the usual excitement back into her voice. The words hurt more than he expected them to, and this time Kayla¡¯s cheer grated against his ears, all joy gone, replaced by traces of anger. He quickly let the anger fade, his scowl disappearing into a saddened frown.
He wasn¡¯t usually like this. The sudden anger worried him more than he cared to admit. The car turned, slowing as they made to stop, and Casey reversed into a parking spot.
¡°Alright, alright¡± Casey said. ¡°Everybody out. It¡¯s time for McDonalds¡±
The three got out the car, Kayla marching forward triumphantly as her mom tried to slow her. They entered the store, it was mostly empty, which was fair given the time and location, only a few patrons gracing tables closer to the back of the store. They made their way forward, joining the line behind a group of teens and an elderly woman.
Caleb glanced behind him, staring out the window, before looking to the floor as he absent-mindedly rubbed at his side.
His thoughts wandered away from him, to places he mostly didn¡¯t expect for a dying person.
Random encounters he¡¯d had at the ice cream shop near home, the small scraping sound his fan made ¨C how it was different in winter and summer, and that small red sticker he¡¯d put on the bottom of his mattress, one he double checked every morning just to see if it was still there. He wondered if anyone would ever look at it again once he was gone. He frowned.
Aren¡¯t dying people supposed to think of regrets or people they care about? Stuff like that?
They probably were. But it wasn¡¯t exactly like he could look into other dying people¡¯s heads to see what they were thinking about. And even if he could, they¡¯d probably all be old, which he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to relate with. Maybe that was what he was missing. Maybe he just wasn¡¯t old enough to have regrets yet. Well, not many to really think about at least.
¡°Caleb?¡± Casey said.
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°What¡¯d you want?¡±
¡°Oh¡ uh a cheeseburger¡±
¡°You sure?¡±
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about money or anything. I can-¡±
¡°Hurry up¡± Kayla interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Hungry!¡±
¡°Kayla!¡± Casey said, surprisingly harshly. Kayla shrunk into herself, stepping away from her mother. ¡°S-sorry¡± Casey muttered pulling her close before gently rubbing her shoulder. Kayla¡¯s fear quickly disappeared, and she looked to him, her face shifting to the picture of impatience as she glared at Caleb, urging him to order.
He looked awkwardly between her, Casey, and the cashier who averted their gaze, both trying to mind their own business and pay attention to the order.
¡°I¡¯ll get a sprite too then¡± he shrugged.
¡°P-perfect¡± Casey said, turning to the cashier. Caleb looked away, staring out the windows of the store behind him, before looking back to the floor, hands in pockets. His mind was empty, the hollowness brought about by the grim disquiet that was slowly starting to seep into his bones.
He shook his head and sighed, letting his shoulders fall limp. His side was starting to hurt him and he was far too tired for thoughts or any kind of stress.
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A hand tapped him on the shoulder, and he glanced up to see Casey pull away from him tentatively. She forced a smile and chuckle, and he awkwardly forced one back.
¡°Uh¡ so, you okay?¡± she asked.
¡°If you keep asking, I might actually end up being honest¡± he chuckled.
Casey didn¡¯t laugh in response, and he looked away awkwardly. It¡¯d been a stupid time to make a stupid joke. ¡°S-sorry¡± he muttered
¡°No, no¡ it¡¯s fine¡± she mumbled back.
They continued to stand in silence, the hubbub of the kitchen and general murmuring from the other costumers filling the space around. It was strange, everything being so normal and yet so different. He didn¡¯t know how to feel about it.
He turned to look at Kayla as she stared at the toy collection on display, and impatiently scuffed the heel of her flip flops against the floor. She caught him looking at her and stuck her tongue out before going back to scuffing her heel on the floor as she held her mother¡¯s hand. It was a small and silly gesture, just like her. He chuckled to himself, and a single thought crossed his mind.
I wonder if she¡¯ll miss me?
His smile faded instantly, and he felt the disappointment return, clouding his senses, as he stared at the ground, his frown returning.
Will she even remember me?
¡°Caleb?¡± Casey suddenly said.
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°I- we¡¯ll get through this¡±
¡°Uh¡ okay?¡±
¡°It¡¯ll take a while and it¡¯ll hurt, but we can get through this¡± she repeated, probably more for herself than him. He looked to the ground, nodding before he felt a sudden wave of guilt.
¡°You¡ you don¡¯t have to you know?¡±
¡°W-what?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to. Take care of me, I mean¡± he mumbled, scuffing the floor with the heel of his trainers. The silence between them felt cold now, tense.
He glanced up, seeing the mixture of confusion and fear in Casey¡¯s expression and quickly looked to the floor. The silence persisted and he felt himself tense up before suddenly speaking again.
¡°I know the doctor said we can try chemo, but it¡¯s not like the treatment will work and I don¡¯t wanna spend all my time at the hospital. Plus, I don¡¯t want you to take out some huge loan from someone shady and just¡ you still have to think about Kayla. She¡¯s supposed to be starting school soon and you¡¯re close to finding somewhere you can rent and¡
¡°I mean, I¡¯m not even your kid. I¡ I don¡¯t want to put you through this¡± he said, his fists clenched tightly within his pockets. ¡°It might even be better if you just forgot about me. I- I wouldn¡¯t mind¡±
He remained silent, his expression pained as he stared at the ground, before realising what he¡¯d really said. He glanced to Casey who stared at him wide eyed, her expression painted with fear and shock.
¡°S-sorry¡± he muttered, his shoulders slumping as he looked away.
¡°W-what¡¯s happening?¡± Kayla whispered nervously as she tugged at her mom¡¯s arm gently, glancing back and forth between them. Casey looked to her daughter, then to the floor her eyes distant. Again, she was unnervingly silent. He needed to say something.
¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just being weird Kayla. I¡ uh¡ I¡¯m gonna go to the toilet¡± he said, before turning to leave. The words seemed to shake Casey out of her trance and she turned to him suddenly, her expression now tinged with hints of anger and hurt.
¡°Sorry. Uh¡ just going toilet¡± he repeated, pointing off towards the toilets. She nodded quickly, almost frantic, before looking away. His words were clearly weighing on her. He felt a stab of guilt but turned and continued toward the toilet.
¡°C-Caleb?¡± she called out as he turned.
¡°Yeah?¡± he said confused. Casey hesitated a moment, then spoke.
¡°I- I¡¯m sorry¡± she mumbled. He nodded awkwardly, then continued making his way into the toilet.
He went quickly, then stepped away from the urinal over to the sinks. He washed his hands slowly and with intent as he furrowed his brow, various thoughts going through his mind.
¡°Why did I say that?¡± he muttered to himself. Casey wasn¡¯t the nicest stepmom, but she wasn¡¯t exactly a horrible person. Even if the sudden shift in personality towards him because of his diagnosis made him feel bad it was a good thing really.
She was trying to be nice to him, considerate. He would only be here a few more months. Even if he didn¡¯t get the treatment, telling her to abandon him was like saying he didn¡¯t have faith in her as a person. Casey and Kayla were all he had left. He needed to at least try and be nice in return.
¡°Kind like Dad¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Strong like Mom¡±
He finished washing his hands and stepped over to the dryer. He winced slightly, his side throbbing as he placed his hands underneath, the hot blow of air striking them. He coughed hard, and the pain worsened forcing him to momentarily support himself on the wall. For a moment he stared at the floor, struggling to breathe, then forced himself to stand and headed for the door.
He stepped out of the toilet, rubbing his side as he made his way back out to the front. But unexpectedly, Casey and Kayla weren¡¯t there. He frowned for a moment, looking around in confusion. He made his way through the store peering around corners. A few of the costumers glanced at him, but no one said anything, and he quietly returned to the front desk. His frown deepened.
Wow, did she actually leave me? Talk about karma.
¡°Hey kid¡± one of the workers said to him.
¡°Y-yeah?¡±
¡°Your mom left your stuff here¡± the guy said, pointing at the bags of food that lay untouched.
¡°¡thanks¡± he mumbled, taking the bag and drinks. He looked back around the rest of the store, sipping at his drink.
Maybe she went out to the car?
He shrugged and headed for the door, stepping out into the cool summer night¡¯s air. The car sat where it¡¯d been parked before, the driver door ajar. He made his way over in an awkward half jog, but as he neared the car he froze. He could hear crying. Casey¡¯s crying.
I made her cry.
¡°Oh¡± he mumbled as the realisation hit him.
¡°Mommy what¡¯s wrong?!¡± Kayla cried, on the verge of tears herself. ¡°Mommy?! Do you need help?! Should I get somebody?!¡±
He paused for a moment, trying to manage the mix of emotions that swirled in his stomach. He looked to the floor, gripping the bag in his hands tighter, then started forwards. He rounded the car to the driver side. Kayla stood in the open doorway, desperately clutching at her mother as she sobbed into the dashboard.
She turned to Caleb and her eyes brightened with relief.
¡°Caleb! Help¡± she cried, rushing over to him. Casey whipped around at the sound of his name, and quickly shielded her face, trying and failing to wipe the tears away.
¡°A-are you ok?¡± he said, his voice cracking. Casey nodded; her sobs reduced to sniffs now. His guilt grew as he watched her, then glanced to Kayla who held him tightly, a poster of uncertainty.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just¡ I¡¯m sorry¡± Casey said, wiping at her eyes as she turned to face them. She sniffled a bit then raised her arms, beckoning for a hug. ¡°Come here¡± she said. ¡°Both of you¡±
Kayla rushed forward, leaping into her mom¡¯s arms, and Caleb awkwardly stepped forwards, joining the hug too. It was surprisingly nice, even with the warm bags of McDonald¡¯s pressed against his stomach. When he finally pulled away, Casey looked a lot better, wiping the final few tear streaks left on her face away as she let out a heavy sigh.
¡°Sorry about that¡± she said, forcing a grin.
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± he responded.
¡°Yeah, it¡¯s ok!¡± Kayla chimed in. ¡°Caleb brought the food. We can eat and all be better now¡±
Casey let out a small laugh as she looked to her daughter, the first real one today. She gently stroked her hair, before pulling her close.
¡°Yeah¡± she said sadly, glancing to Caleb. He offered a sad smile in return.
¡°Ok, let¡¯s go home¡± Casey said, tickling her daughter ¡°It¡¯s nearly bedtime for you missy.¡± Kayla giggled as she jumped away, then rushed to the back of the car and threw open her door as she clambered into the back seat. Caleb closed the door behind her softly and gave an awkward nod to Casey as he made his way around the car then took his seat shotgun.
He handed the bags of food to Casey and set the drinks down on the cup holder. Casey looked through the bags, and then handed her daughter her happy meal first. Kayla hummed excited, but the sound cut short as she rifled through her bag.
¡°You forgot to give me my ice cream¡±
¡°Uh¡ there¡¯s no mcFlurry in any of the bags¡± Casey responded.
¡°What?! Where¡¯s my ice cream?!¡± Kayla cried out.
¡°Oh, sorry. I probably left it on the counter¡± Caleb said.
¡°Silly shitface!¡± Kayla cried, kicking the back of his chair.
¡°Kayla!¡± Casey shouted.
¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go get it¡± he said. Caleb quickly stepped out the car, set down his food on the seat, keeping his drink, as Kayla and Casey descended into arguing about the ¡®special words¡¯ Kayla was using.
He closed the car door softly behind him and made his way back to the McDonalds. He chuckled to himself then sighed, kicking a stray rock, and watched it skitter across the ground in front of him before stepping up onto the curb.
As he stepped up onto the sidewalk surrounding the store, a weight suddenly pressed against his mind, pushing his thoughts aside as it dominated the entirety of his attention. He pressed a hand to his head as he gasped out, and then ¨C as soon as it appeared ¨C the pain was gone.
He blinked, confusion, as he steadied himself against one of the store windows.
What the hell was that?
An answer came instantly, in the form of a bright yet transparent square that materialised within his vision. He flinched away from it, the light surprising him, but even as he blinked the glowing square remained in his view.
As his eyes focused on it, he furrowed his brow, reading the words scrawled across the box¡¯s surface.
[Hello]
¡°Uh¡ hello?¡± he responded.
The box seemed to register his words and shifted in response to them.
[Thank you for the greeting]
He stared at the words confused.
What?
¡°Uh, sure. You¡¯re welcome I guess¡±
[As a member of the most predominant species on this plane, you have been selected to represent all humanity within the trial assigned to Z1-E94-C]
¡°Wait, what?¡±
[As a member of the most predominant species on this plane, you have been selected to represent all humanity within the trial assigned to Z1-E94-C]
¡°I don¡¯t¡ what? What is this?¡± he said growing more confused.
[A small proportion of humanity will be taken and placed on a assessment world, then subject to a test of will, strength, and character. Should you and the other selected pass, you will be allowed access into the Intergalactic Akashic Federation. Should you and the other selected fail, humanity will be denied access to the Akashic Federation and left to the mercy of the Hilaric and Moshaic energies]
Mercy of the Hilaric, and Moshaic energies? Intergalactic Akashic Federation? Test of will, strength and character? he thought. ¡°This sounds¡ insane. Am I dreaming?¡±
[No]
¡°¡ ok then¡± he said staring at the message. ¡°Uh¡ is it dangerous?¡±
[Yes. You risk suffering and death. But you will receive a record in the trial as a form of protection, you will keep the record even after participation, though non-assessment rules will be applied]
Death?!
He hesitated for a second, unsure of what to say or do. He glanced around to make sure he really wasn¡¯t having some kind of strange dream and noticed a woman inside shepherding her kids away from the window as she glanced at him concerned. He frowned but then glanced back to the bright semi-transparent rectangle in front of him, realising its light somehow didn¡¯t extend to the rest of the world.
She can¡¯t see the screen? he thought. I guess that does make it look like I¡¯m talking to myself.
He shook his head and looked back at the words on the screen in front of him.
[Yes. You risk suffering and death. But you will receive a record in the trial as a form of protection, you will keep the record even after participation, though non-assessment rules will be applied]
¡°This is so insane¡± he mumbled to himself. He didn¡¯t know what to make of it. The very idea of a trial, of a box of light and words floating in front of him that nobody else could see. He had far too many questions to even think straight.
I¡¯m probably dreaming right? I mean, I have to be. Where would something like this even come from? Suddenly the words on the screen shifted again, the lettering larger this time.
[Please prepare for teleportation within the next minute]
[Warning: This process may be painful, and some will risk death]
¡°Well¡ that¡¯s not ominous at all¡± he mumbled. He frowned, watching as the words and box dimmed into nothingness. He let out a breath and wiped sweat from his palms against his khaki shorts. Whatever this trial thing was, it seemed serious.
There was talk of intergalactic federations, tests of will and ¨C worst of all - death. He was absolutely certain there was nothing on Earth now or in the history of its entire existence that could even help him understand anything that would make this situation make sense. And he only had a minute to make sense of it. He paused and rubbed at his side.
¡°Uh, how long is this trial going to take?¡±
[The average completion time based on the median is 3 months]
¡°Three months¡± he mumbled to himself.
That¡¯s when I¡¯m supposed to die anyway.
¡°Shit. Uh, so¡uh¡ where exactly is this testing ground?¡±
[All $¡ê*! million participants will be sent to one of three trial worlds. BZA-A49-C, BZA-A49-B, DZA-S14-C, DZA-S14-D, and DZA-S14-E. Designation is random]
¡°That¡¯s¡ helpful¡± he mumbled. ¡°Uh¡ can I say no?¡±
[Any formal requests submitted against the trial will be taken into consideration]
¡°That doesn¡¯t¡ ok, how do I do that?¡±
[You currently do not have clearance]
¡°Great¡± he replied. ¡°Just great¡±
So, I don¡¯t get a choice then? My last three months are just this trial thingy? And it¡¯s on a different world? I must be dreaming, right? This has to be a response to my diagnosis. Crap, I knew I wasn¡¯t fine.
He paused. But what if this wasn¡¯t a dream?
He looked around, glancing back to their beaten car. He clenched his fist tightly, a sudden surge of emotion flowing through him as he looked to it and the fading light of the sun beyond.
Before he realised it, he was racing for the car. The soles of his shoes slapping against the concrete, pounding hard as he ran forwards. Whatever was happening to him seemed kind of twisted and horrible, and very not ok. And even if he didn¡¯t exactly have much to lose, he didn¡¯t want to just disappear.
He carried on running, his breaths becoming short and fast quickly, his lungs already burning. Then he fell, hitting the ground hard. He coughed, the sound almost wet, and powerful enough to make his entire chest hurt.
¡°Shit¡± he mumbled, from the floor. He forced himself up, wincing, as he picked up his drink, half the sprite gone. He scowled, then winced again, grabbing his side as he descended into a coughing fit. A sudden flush of heat burst from within his chest, a cozy yet powerful feeling and then the transparent box returned to his vision.
[Registration complete]
[Teleportation to tutorial trial grounds in 3]
¡°W-wait¡± he whispered.
[2]
¡°Just give me a-¡±
[1]
A portal warped into existence under his feet and with a cry he fell into it. A sudden wave of air rushed past him as his surroundings warped, an endless sea of darkness blotted with sparks of golden yellow. Then another portal appeared beneath him and he hit the ground with a thud.
His legs gave out from underneath him and he fell face first into sand. It was hot, the warmth of it stinging his exposed arms and legs, as it singed his cheek. He groaned, sitting up quickly as his body also started to register the heat around him.
He pulled himself up quickly and covered his eyes from the blindingly bright light. He looked around, seeing only low dunes as far as the horizon in all four directions. He blinked again, glancing up at the sky.
It was bright to such a point that the pale blue looked almost white. He caught a glimpse of the two blindingly bright suns in the sky and looked back to the ground, trying to blink away the black spots in his eyes.
¡°Ok¡± he mumbled, warm sand pouring into his shoes as he stumbled around. ¡°Definitely not dreaming¡±
Chapter Two - Heat
Caleb looked around for a moment, stumbling across the sand as he clutched his jacket tightly.
The heat was unbearable. Seriously unbearable. It beat down against him like rain, tearing at his skin with invisible hands, then digging deep into his muscle and bone. He was lucky he only had light clothes, and he was even luckier he¡¯d walked in the right direction.
He couldn¡¯t tell how long it had taken him, the heat had already distorted his sense of time, but he¡¯d found a large rock formation. In the middle of the endless sand, he¡¯d found a twisted mound of rock. It was hard to gauge how close it was or its size given the lack of reference points, but it¡¯s existence meant shade. And shade meant rest from this unbearable heat.
Because the heat was seriously unbearable. Another hour like this and he¡¯d pretty sure he¡¯d just keel over.
He took another sip of his sprite finishing off the final drops, before wiping the sweat off his forehead as he adjusted his top, which covered the his head and the back of his neck. He took a moment to stop and take a few deep breaths. But it didn''t help. There was no reprieve from the sheer heat of the desert. It was nightmarish.
He stood straight, wheezing, and looked toward the rock formation again.
¡°Geez¡± he mumbled. It seemed to be getting bigger and bigger, and further and further away. He hopped it wasn¡¯t a mirage. He didn¡¯t need false hopes and empty promises right now. He just needed shade.
He looked around again, before pausing as he stared out. He could see something in the distance. A small human-like figure clad in black. They moved slowly but purposefully toward the rock formation.
It was hard to tell in the wafting heat of the desert, but when the air stilled, it was easy to see it was probably a person, just shielding themselves with a jacket just like him. The knowledge brought a calming sense of relief. The screen had said there¡¯d be two million people in this trial, but the desert seemed pretty big.
[Look! There¡¯s another!] a voice echoed out. Caleb jumped, caught off guard by the sudden shout. It came from the rock formation ahead, a distant echoey voice, but a voice nonetheless. Suddenly he heard more shouts, cheers of encouragement from the rocks.
¡°Come on mate! Come on!¡±
[Come on you can do it!]
He looked back to the figure, and watched as they shifted, a change in demeanour. They¡¯d heard the people too. There were already people beyond those rocks in the shade. If he could hear them, it couldn¡¯t be that much further.
¡°Thank god¡± he mumbled to himself. He picked up the pace slightly, ignoring the heat of the sand within his shoes. He could empty them once he reached the shade. As he drew closer, the sand underfoot began to change, becoming harder, more packed, and denser.
The rock formation extended further than what he could see, under the sand too. He was already walking on it. He picked up the pace, jogging easily now, despite his tiredness.
He slowed as his chest began to hurt, the feeling of coughs incoming calming him slightly. But he¡¯d sped up enough and was close enough now to get a better look at the large rock formation. It was really multiple stones, chalk, a harder grey rock, and smooth sandstone, all beaten into shape by time.
He made his way around the structure, before finally finding a small crevice that split between two larger rocks. He breathed a sigh of relief and slipped into the shade, grateful. He slumped against the wall, letting his arms fall to his side as he breathed desperately for air.
He took a few moments to catch his breath, the task a huge effort within itself. But eventually he calmed down, and wiped the sweat off his face, before glancing out at the endless sand dunes and pale blue sky.
¡°Geez¡± he mumbled to himself. He hung his head, the sound of a soft wind blowing at his ears at it cooled him slightly, despite still being hot in its own right. The sound of cheers and excited chatter further into the rock sounded and he was reminded of the other people.
He forced himself up, poking at his still throbbing side before making his way forward.
His steps were slow and careful, an edge of anxiety cutting through him as he made his way through the crevice, nearing the voices. He slowed as he came to an opening, the voices clearer to him now. He paused at the end of the path he¡¯d taken and listened closely to the others.
[Where are you from?]
¡°Detroit¡± someone said, nearly breathless.
[Grandpa, give her a moment]
[Right. Sorry dear, sorry]
This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
The voices fell silent and he frowned. There was a grandpa and what had sounded like a granddaughter here? He didn¡¯t understand how that worked, but there wasn¡¯t exactly a lot he was understanding right now.
He peeked past the corner. An older south-east Asian man, girl, and a white guy all stood around a black girl who lay on the floor panting heavily.
[Would you like a drink?] the Asian man said, offering a thermos flask he held.
¡°Yeah¡± the girl said still breathless. She sat up, took the drink, unscrewed the cap and gulped down on it gratefully. ¡°Thanks¡±
She handed the older man the flask back and wiped her mouth as she looked forward, eyes locking with Caleb¡¯s. He darted back but it was too late, she¡¯d already seen him.
¡°H-hello?¡± the girl called out. He hesitated, then peeked his head out from the crevice to find the entire group looking at him.
¡°H-hi¡± he said awkwardly, stepping out onto the ledge they all stood on. The others all gave wary nods of acknowledgement, clearly spooked by the fact he¡¯d been hiding. ¡°Sorry about that. I heard you guys shouting, then you got all quiet and¡ yeah¡± he mumbled, nodding awkwardly.
The old man offered a knowing smile, as he nodded leaning forward.
[Of course, of course. It¡¯s important to be wary in strange situations]
His granddaughter who stood next to him tapped him lightly, and gave him a look.
[Oh. Sorry, dear] he said before offering another nod back to Caleb.
¡°You got a name?¡± the white guy said suddenly. He looked to him, sparing a glance to the girl who still sat on the ground. The uneasy tone on the boys voice told him all he needed to know, but their gazes were similar too. They both looked to him somewhat warily, and he couldn¡¯t exactly blame them. He had been hiding from them, even if it was a few seconds.
¡°Caleb¡± he mumbled back.
¡°Caleb¡± the boy nodded, repeating the word softly. He had an accent. Caleb couldn¡¯t tell if it was British or Australian. ¡°I¡¯m Ryan¡± the boy said, before looking to the others.
[Ojiro, well Kana since Grandpa¡¯s here] the south-east Asian girl said.
[You can call me Kenji] her grandpa added with a polite nod.
¡°Sierra¡± the other girl said, dusting herself off as she stood.
A silence descended on the group, a measure of awkwardness filling the space between them.
[Would you like a drink?] Kenji said, offering him the flask. He nodded thankfully and took a few sips of what was slightly warm tea before handing the flask back.
[Where are you from?] Kana asked.
¡°LA¡± he mumbled back.
[Oh wow. You must see lot¡¯s of movie stars]
¡°Not exactly¡± he chuckled. ¡°Where are you guys from?¡±
[Kyoto. It¡¯s a prefecture in Japan] Kana said.
¡°I¡¯m from Adelaide. It¡¯s in Australia. You wouldn¡¯t have heard of it¡± Ryan said.
¡°Detroit¡± Sierra said, voice detached, her gaze fixed on the endless dunes surrounding them.
[Did either of you see anyone else out there?] the older man asked, looking between him and Sierra.
He shook his head, then glanced to the girl. She wore an all black tracksuit, the jacket still draped over her head for shade. If her shoes were any indication, she¡¯d probably been on a night time run when she¡¯d been teleported away.
¡°I was with someone, but¡¡± she shook her head, trailing off.
¡°Uh¡ what exactly is that supposed to mean?¡± Ryan said.
¡°They died¡± she said bitterly.
[They died?! How?] Kenji said, the old man¡¯s demeanour shifting.
¡°It¡¯s¡ probably best I don¡¯t say how¡± she said, taking a deep breath.
¡°Too late for that¡± Ryan scoffed, oblivious.
¡°Ok, but¡ don¡¯t throw up¡±
Ok then. I guess people are already dying gruesome deaths.
Sierra looked to the floor, then clutched her hands together tightly as she ground her teeth together, her eyes distant.
¡°There were these bug things. The sand was a bit different and¡ I don¡¯t know. We were making our way towards this rock, there were other people there, then¡ the bug things attacked. They weren¡¯t big, like two books maybe. But there were like twenty of them and¡ they cut through flesh like butter. They ate Andre alive, right in front of me. He was screaming and I just¡ I ran¡± she mumbled. She leant against the rock behind her, and slumped to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest as she buried her face between her own thighs.
Quiet sobs escaped her, and the others all looked to each other awkwardly. Caleb felt slightly sick.
They stood silent for a moment, before Kana started towards the crying teen. Her steps were slow and tentative, uncertain
[I-it¡¯s ok] she said, awkwardly, putting a hand on Sierra¡¯s shoulder.
Sierra didn¡¯t seem to acknowledge the contact and continued crying, sniffing loudly now in between. Caleb glanced to Ryan who looked back at him uncertain and gave a small shrugged. The three guys stood still, then Kenji set forward, to comfort Sierra beside his granddaughter.
Caleb knew he should comfort her, but his mind was drawing blanks on what to do right now. He glanced to Ryan, who was looking out over the dunes, frowning.
¡°Do you hear that?¡± Ryan said.
¡°No?¡± Caleb responded, looking in the same direction. He listened closely, and his brow furrowed unable to tell if that high pitched whine was simply tinnitus, or actually a thing. As it grew louder second by second, and its bass increased Caleb knew it wasn¡¯t in his ears.
Ryan moved further out on the ledge, down towards where the curve of the rock blocked their view away, and momentarily peeked his head into the sunlight to get a better look.
¡°I don¡¯t- wait¡ what the hell is that?¡± he mumbled. Caleb¡¯s worry grew and he started forward toward the edge, where Ryan stood.
Suddenly a deep rumbling echoed out from around them. The entire group went silent as the rumbling grew louder. Then Kenji was moving, pulling the group back, further into the ledge, underneath an outcropping of rock to hide them. They all remained silent, looking out, then they saw them.
Great swooping birds, with grey white scale like feathers, and wingspans at least fifteen feet. Their large teeth were sharp, and the ones that weren¡¯t a pristine right were stained red with blood. They soared high in the sky, ridden by people clad head to toe in white, somehow glowing, armour on their backs.
The one leading the pack still had tatters of what looked like part of a ripped up Nike hoodie, and lots of stringy pieces of red flesh stuck between its teeth. They shot across the sky overhead the drone of the beasts tanking a pitch as they passed before steadily growing quieter and quieter as the trio faded off in the distance.
The others remained silent even after the large birds had disappeared, all staying underneath the rock. Caleb glanced to them, their faces marked by the same worry he held in his chest. He looked back into the sky, at the distant almost invisible specks.
¡°What the hell is going on?¡± he muttered to himself.
Chapter Three - Dune
The group sat in silence, still shocked by Sierra¡¯s story, and the people that¡¯d been flying massive half lizard half eagle things. They all stayed under the outcropping, half because they didn¡¯t want to be seen by whatever the hell had flown overhead, and half because the sun had started to creep onto the ledge.
To Caleb¡¯s estimation it¡¯d been around an hour, and no one had said a word, though Sierra had stopped crying. But she looked about as good as someone who¡¯d watched a friend get brutally murdered and had realised they were probably next could.
He probably didn¡¯t look much better either. He was hungry, thirsty, his side was hurting a lot, and the few hard coughs he hadn¡¯t been able to keep down had been enough to draw some blood. That wasn¡¯t a good sign at all.
It was probably just the heat. And the dust. And the bottomless pit of fear in his stomach that had him constantly on edge.
The fear made sense though. He¡¯d been whisked away, and now he was on a planet where there were huge lizard eagles who definitely ate people, people who flew on the lizard eagles in glowing armour and bugs the size of books who could tear through flesh like butter.
He grit his teeth. Knowing where the fear came from didn¡¯t make it any better.
I need to get the hell out of here.
But he couldn¡¯t. He was on a different planet and the trial was supposed to last three months. He bit his lip as he gripped his arms tighter.
At this rate, cancer would be the least of his worries. He probably wouldn¡¯t even make it another day here. He¡¯d probably die here, under this rock.
¡°We need to do something¡± Sierra said suddenly. The others all turned to her, and she looked around, before talking again. ¡°We need to find somewhere with water soon¡±
¡°How?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just saying. If we don¡¯t then we... we probably won¡¯t make it past tomorrow¡±
[She¡¯s right] Old man Kenji said. [We can survive without food for maybe three days, but in this heat, without water¡] he shook his head.
¡°But what about the lizard eagles?¡± Caleb muttered. The others turned to him. ¡°I mean, it definitely ate someone from our world right? I¡¯m pretty sure they don¡¯t have Nike here.¡±
There was a moment of silence as everyone processed what he was saying.
¡°Well¡ it¡¯s a hard decision, but we¡¯ll still die if we stay here, right?¡± Ryan said.
[He¡¯s right] Kenji said again. [I think we should go, but together. If there are less people the journey will be harder on the mind]
Caleb nodded. He¡¯d been close to giving up a few times when he¡¯d walked through the heat by himself. He didn¡¯t want to do that again.
[So, we just walk? Out there?] Kana said. [I don¡¯t think I can do it]
[You¡¯ll be ok, little Kana. You¡¯re strong]
[Not like that Grandpa. I won¡¯t last an hour out there] Kana replied.
¡°Then we should go at night¡± Sierra said.
[Night? It¡¯ll be pitch black] Kana replied.
¡°Yeah, but no heat, and we won¡¯t be visible¡± Sierra replied.
¡°Neither will anything else out there. I don¡¯t want to get eaten alive by a horde of bugs I didn¡¯t see coming¡± Ryan said, clearly nervous.
Everyone went silent, glancing to Sierra.
¡°S-shit, sorry¡± Ryan mumbled, glancing to Sierra.
¡°It¡¯s fine¡± she sniffed. It clearly wasn¡¯t. The silence continued for a moment then Kana spoke.
[What about near sunset?] Kana said.
¡°Won¡¯t that still be hot?¡± Caleb asked.
[Yeah, but it¡¯ll give us more time in which we can see properly and it¡¯ll be darker so we¡¯re not as visible. Plus people go to sleep near only an hour or two after sunset, so maybe no monsters?]
¡°But what if we get caught in the middle of nowhere at night?¡± Caleb asked.
[That¡¯s¡ a good point]
[We could use flashlights? You have smartphones right] Kenji said.
¡°Not me¡± Caleb said.
¡°I do¡± Ryan muttered.
[I do too]
¡°I do as well, but they make us really visible¡± Sierra mumbled.
[They¡¯re only for if we get caught in the middle of nowhere at night. Having light and being visible is better than being blind. And if we need to, we can always turn them off]
¡°I mean, it works. I just¡ don¡¯t like it¡± Sierra said. ¡°But I don¡¯t like any of our options. If it¡¯s our best option and it helps us find water then I¡¯ll do it¡±
[Great] Old man Kenji said. [Ryan? Caleb?]
¡°I¡¯m in¡± Caleb muttered.
¡°I¡¯ll do it, but if we¡¯re going to be out there at night, we should probably sleep now¡± Ryan said, glancing up at the sky.
[Oh, that¡¯s a good idea] Kana responded.
¡°So, we rest now, then we set out as the suns starts to set.¡± Caleb asked. ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s the plan?¡±
The others all nodded in agreement. His stomach shifted uneasily, but he calmed himself by nodding.
Well, I guess we can¡¯t exactly do anything else
¡°I guess we¡¯re agreed then¡± Caleb said.
[Wait, who¡¯s going to wake us up?]
¡°I¡¯ll set a timer¡± Ryan said.
[Won¡¯t that be pretty loud?] Kana said.
¡°Oh¡¡±
¡°Well you guys were shouting earlier, and nothing showed up except me and Sierra. It should be fine" Caleb said. "Probably¡±"
¡°I¡¯ll set it to vibrate only¡± Ryan said.
¡°Ok. For when?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°Uh¡ eight hours?¡± he mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what time it is here¡±
[Eight hours should be fine] Kenji said, grabbing his jacket as he rolled it up into to form a pillow. [Now come on everyone, let¡¯s get some sleep]
-
Caleb stared out at the pink and purple sky, filled with orange hues. It was beautiful, a picture of magnificence like none he¡¯d ever seen back on Earth.
He didn''t understand how the colours could be so much richer than back on earth. It must¡¯ve been something to do with the atmosphere, or the way the twin suns worked, but it just made the sunset look absolutely spectacular. He stepped back from the edge, still smiling and began dusting himself off once again.
He¡¯d woken himself up an hour ago, by a slight fit of coughing, and had decided to watch the sunset rather than go back to sleep. He¡¯d made the right choice. It''d calmed him slightly for the journey ahead.
Well... at least for now.
He heard shifting behind him and quickly glanced back, watching as Sierra pulled herself out from under the outcropping, yawning. She frowned when she saw him, and he gave a small wave. She nodded back and made her way over.
¡°How long have you been up?¡± she asked.
¡°Not long¡±
¡°You think it¡¯s time soon? The sun¡¯s pretty low¡±
¡°If it doesn¡¯t go off in the next ten minutes we can just wake the others up¡±
She nodded, then stared out silently at the surroundings.
¡°Reminds me of Dune¡± she muttered.
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°Dune. The series¡±
He stared at her blankly.
¡°Not familiar?" she asked. "There¡¯re a ton of books, three really good movies. Well-¡±
¡°Oh!¡± he said, suddenly recalling. ¡°I saw a ton of posters for that. The second one I think, but that was recently so I don''t know¡±
¡°You haven¡¯t watched it?¡±
¡°Nope¡±
¡°Seriously?¡±
¡°Yeah. The last time I went to the cinema I was four¡±
¡°Well, you should watch it. It¡¯s¡¡± she trailed off, the excitement dying as soon as it reached her eyes.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Right, she¡¯s realising we¡¯re probably going to die before then.
They both went silent, and stared out at the dunes together. She spared a glance to the sky both ways and sighed.
¡°I¡¯ll wake the others. We might as well get going now¡±
He nodded and watched her get the others up. The group got ready quickly, an air of nerves in the air as they prepared, then they set off, down the ledge, onto the rocks below. They climbed down slowly, bit by bet as they went from one ledge to another.
Caleb was surprised by how well old man Kenji moved down the rocks. The geezer was more limber than he''d assumed. That''d serve them well, they wouldn''t have an old guy they''d have to look out for.
Finally, they reached a flat, the smooth rock of the formation fading practically seamlessly into the endless sand beyond. It was cooler than before, much cooler, but still quite warm; the heat of the sun merely pressing against his skin now.
The group slowed, all glancing to the old man who only looked to the horizon.
[A sunset on another planet with two suns] he mumbled. [It¡¯s wonderful]
¡°It really is¡± Caleb mumbled, surprising himself. The old man turned to him, smiling as he nodded, then looked to the others. He seemed to become aware of their gazes, the expectation in them, and nodded again, something shifting in his eyes.
[Let¡¯s go everyone. We¡¯ll head in a straight line that way and adjust course accordingly]
The group started forward at a slow but steady pace, and Caleb was once again reminded of how annoying it was to walk over sand. They moved for a while in silence, before Kenji, Kana and Sierra started talking to each other.
He and Ryan trailed slightly behind them. Ryan slowed as they neared the top of another dune and looked around, at the seemingly endless sand of their surroundings.
¡°What¡¯d you make of all this, eh?¡± Ryan asked as Caleb came to stand next to him.
¡°You mean the planet?¡± he replied, as they continued on.
¡°No, well yeah, but the situation in general?¡±
¡°It¡¯s¡ insane really¡±
¡°Yeah. I mean one second I was chilling at school then bam, middle of fucking nowhere¡±
Caleb chuckled.
¡°Pretty much. I was just about to eat McDonalds¡±
¡°Bummer. I¡¯d kill for a Big Mac right now¡±
¡°I¡¯m more of just a cheeseburger guy¡±
¡°Fair enough¡± Ryan responded. The taller boy looked around for a second then frowned, shaking his head.
¡°You looking for the lizard eagles?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do but¡ fucking scary man¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb nodded, shivering as he recalled. ¡°I just hope w-¡±
Suddenly there was a cry up ahead. The two looked forward, and their eyes widened as they spotted the other three rushing back, followed by about five dog sized scorpions that skittered across the sand. Neither waited to say anything and simply turned, running away.
Caleb¡¯s heart beat hard as he heard a shout of panic behind them, followed by a scream.
He pushed forward harder, but the sand pushed back against him. He was running up an incline now, already on the other side of the next dune he¡¯d started from.
His lungs burned, his lungs struggling desperately for more air that just wouldn¡¯t come. His mind grew further away from his own body as a stitched stabbed into his side and stars shot across his vision. It felt like no time had passed, but his mouth was already dry, his legs tired and his body slow. Clumsy.
Too clumsy. He stumbled, then fell, rolling back down the side of the dune as sand tumbled over and around him. He managed to stop himself through sheer force of effort but heard the sound of panicked voices and footsteps rush past him. He looked up to see the scorpions only a few feet away.
Oh shit.
He scrambled in sheer desperation to stand, flinging sand out of his path as he practically pulled himself up the side of the dune. He flew up it with an incredible speed, his feet pounding hard against the sand as if it were stone.
Then he was over the other side, rushing down it as he cried out, the sound of the skittering still loud behind him.
He looked out ahead as he rushed down the dune, spotting Ryan, already clambering over the top of the other dune, Sierra having almost caught up to him, and the grandpa granddaughter pair not that far ahead of him, Kana desperately pulling her grandfather forwards.
He continued rushing forwards, running desperately as he struggled for breath, the cancer within him fighting his lungs every step of the way. It was a painful and desperate struggle, but one he was unwilling to lose.
So he kept running, kept pushing, until he realised he couldn¡¯t hear the skittering anymore. He glanced behind him, no sight of the scorpions anywhere. He slowed as he reached the top of the dune, and put his hands to his knees, his vision almost white with stars. He could taste iron in his mouth, and everything felt heavy, most of all his chest.
Caleb collapsed to the floor, struggling for air as he wheezed, his lungs on fire. He coughed hard a couple of times before rolling over and vomiting everywhere. He struggled for breath, his wheezing desperate as he clawed at the sand and slammed a fist into his chest, struggling for air.
Eventually the panic started to fade, and he realised he was breathing properly again, even though his body still burned.
He pulled himself up, looking away from his vomit and down at the others. Ryan and Sierra had climbed back up to the top of the dune across from him, and Kana and Old man Kenji sat on the floor of the basin between them, Kana supporting her grandfather as they both breathed heavily.
¡°Are they gone?!¡± Ryan called out to him. Caleb gave him a weak thumbs up, then coughed hard. ¡°You ok?!¡± the Aussie shouted next.
He gave another weak thumbs up, before stifling another cough. Caleb slumped back to the floor, a euphoric feeling of relief flooding through him, enough to stifle the pain. He took a few more breaths before stretching out and forcing himself back to his feet.
Holy shit. I almost died.
He shook his head, quickly dismissing the notion and the fear that came with it, before starting down the dune toward the grandpa and granddaughter. Sierra and Ryan followed suit on the other side, and the group met in the basin between the two dunes.
¡°What the fuck was that?!¡± Ryan said breathing heavily as he ran a hand through his hair.
[Scorpions] Kana wheezed.
¡°I know it was scorpions but¡ Jesus¡± he mumbled, brushing his hand through his hair again.
[It¡¯s ok. We managed to escape] Old man Kenji said. The way he wheezed the words out wasn¡¯t very reassuring, but the sentiment was there.
¡°Sorry¡± Sierra mumbled, staring at the ground as she bunched her shoulders tightly. Caleb looked to her confused and realised she was on the verge of tears. ¡°I¡ I didn¡¯t mean to leave you behind¡±
[I-it¡¯s ok Sierra. Really] Kana said.
¡°No¡± she said, struggling to stop the tears. ¡°I left Andre and I- I- I just¡ I¡¯m sorry¡±
She turned away.
[Sierra it¡¯s-] Kenji started. He stopped suddenly, eyes wide as he stared out at empty space in front of himself.
[Grandpa?!] Kana said worried.
He reached out for his granddaughter, but before he could say anything, a small portal opened up beside him, and reality warped as he was pulled through it, before it vanished. The others all stared at it in shocked silence.
¡°Uh¡ what the fuck?¡± Ryan said.
A portal. Caleb thought still dumbfounded. I guess that¡¯s what the teleportation looks like to an outsider.
Before anyone could respond a deep rumbling echoed out from around them. It grew louder by the second, like a roaring wind that buffeted in your ears. Caleb¡¯s heart dropped and he turned looking up at the sky behind them.
They were distant, but the three specks of white that zoomed toward them in the light of the sunset were unmistakable.
¡°Shit¡± Sierra cursed. ¡°Oh fuck. Oh shit¡±
[Run!] Kana shouted. The words were enough to kick the group into action. They turned and ran, all bolting forwards as quickly as they could muster. But Caleb didn¡¯t have anything to muster. He¡¯d barely managed to catch his breath, his lungs still burned and his body still ached from the effort.
He lagged behind quickly. Meanwhile, Ryan left the group behind with his speed, and Caleb couldn¡¯t blame him. Sierra however, who¡¯d been Ryan¡¯s equal if not faster, ran next to him and Kana. He could see the desperation in her face as she held herself back, willing them to move forward faster. He felt guilty and angry at the same time.
¡°Don¡¯t wait for us!¡± Caleb wheezed. ¡°Don¡¯t die because we held you back!¡±
She looked to him wide eyed, then to Kana.
[Go!] she shouted. Sierra nodded, her eyes wet then took off, gapping the two of them.
As death neared, Caleb watched Ryan and Sierra leave him and Kana behind. He wanted to think it was their shoes, and their lack of cancer, but Sierra moved with a practiced grace and Ryan was simply just fast. They would¡¯ve gapped him even if he¡¯d been healthy. That probably said a lot about how athletic he thought he was compared to reality.
But now wasn¡¯t the time to think about any of that. He was about to die.
As he continued forwards, struggling more and more for breath, he started to slow. His legs became weak and his mind numb as he ran up the incline of another dune, Kana leaving him behind now.
He glanced behind him again, the lizard eagles and their riders clearer now. In the light of the sunset, they¡¯d been tinted somewhat purple. It gaze their scales and the armour a beautiful gradient that faded almost seamlessly into the wings of the beasts, making them all the more beautiful.
It was funny. They¡¯d be on him in a few seconds, and he was appreciating their aesthetic appeal.
His eyes widened as one of the riders pulled hard at the reins of his mount, then leant forwards. It swooped down from above, cutting through the air as it shrieked, the sound filled with bass and yet freakishly high. Caleb dived from the top of the dune, throwing himself forward as far he could.
He felt the air rush past him, the smell of stagnant rotting flesh and iron wafting past as the clack of its teeth sounded behind him. Then it was gone, past him and he was falling. He cried out before hitting the sand and rolling forward again. He tumbled hard then crashed into Kana and they continued down the as the dune together, the screech echoing loudly all around them.
They came to a stop near the bottom, and both quickly picked themselves up, looking to the sky. The beasts had slowed, and the three circled now, the pitch of the roar fluctuating between them, almost like laughter.
¡°Shit¡± he heard Sierra shout from further away.
She and Ryan had come to a stop halfway up the next incline, clearly realising there was no escape from this. They looked up at the three lizard eagles, the hope draining from their hearts. Then One of the riders dived with its beast, shooting downwards toward them. Caleb¡¯s heart pounded hard as he stared up into the sky, his death imminent.
I just hope it comes for me first, he thought. It¡¯s a bit selfish, but I don¡¯t want to watch it pick off the others. Plus, I¡¯m going to die anyway. Maybe the others get away if it gets me. I doubt it though.
Then the system notification appeared within his vision.
[Z1-E94-C GENERAL ACCOUNCEMENT]
[Due to an error in assignment, 20 million people were selected for your trial rather than 2 million]
[The necessary steps have been taken, and we have returned all humans not previously intended for trial participation to established safe zones on your homeworld]
[Those who were injured or lost loved ones will be compensated adequately by the planet¡¯s host system as soon as possible]
[All trial participants will also be fairly compensated at the start of the first phase]
[As a result of this error, we were unable to start the tutorial as scheduled. The tutorial for the trial will officially begin after successful relocation for all participants.]
A flash of heat shot through Caleb and he gasped, along with the others, a new presence appeared within his mind. Before any of them could do anything else, a massive portal opened up beneath them and they all fell through.
A sudden wave of air rushed past him as his surroundings warped, an endless sea of darkness blotted with sparks of golden yellow. This time he could hear the screams of the others, feel their presence in a way beyond sight.
Then light appeared and he hit the ground with a thud. He fell to his knees, groaning for a second when a new message appeared.
[Welcome to the Tutorial]
[Objective: survive for 38 hours]
[Reward: access to your record. Progression to the first phase]
[Prior survival difficultly and achievements will be taken into account for first phase tiering]
[We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused]
[Thank you for your patience]
Caleb stared at the messages confused, then looked around, the screens fading from view. The others all lay around him, groaning too as they picked themselves up off the floor. The group lay in the middle of the desert, but it was different. The sand was flatter here, the incline and decline of dunes barely noticeable.
Above them the sky was mostly dark, the suns gone. In their place a vast array of stars, bright enough to illuminate the sand and the faces of the group. Further ahead, in the distant sands, glowing yellow lights of what looked like a village were visible.
Caleb stood along with the others as they all looked to the stars, to village in the distance, then to each other.
¡°What in the world just happened?¡± he mumbled to himself.
Chapter Four - This Sucks
The group stood in silence for a few moments before Ryan finally spoke.
¡°So¡ that was¡ something¡±
Caleb put his hands on his knees, breathing heavily as Sierra began cursing up and down to herself.
Kana still sat on the floor, hugging her knees.
¡°So, um¡what now?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°Uh¡ we head to the place with the lights?¡± Caleb suggested, still struggling to breathe.
¡°It could be dangerous though¡±
¡°I think we¡¯ve established being out here is dangerous¡± Caleb said, sitting on the floor before leaning back to gulp in air.
¡°Right. That¡¯s fair¡± Ryan said nodding. ¡°Uh¡Sierra? Kana?¡±
Sierra sniffled a bit more, then nodded wiping her eyes.
¡°Sorry. Right, ok¡ if it¡¯s safe over there, they might have food and water. But we still have to be careful¡± she said. Caleb nodded, and they all looked to Kana who looked lost, and uncertain as she stared at the floor.
¡°Kana?¡± Sierra said. She looked up quickly at all of them, clearly not having paid attention. ¡°You ok?¡±
The girl nodded, but Caleb could see the uncertainty in her clearly.
¡°You sure?¡± he said. She glanced to him, then looked back to the floor.
[Do you think Grandpa¡¯s ok?]
¡°Uh¡ I think so¡± he said back.
[R-really?]
¡°I mean the messages said he was put on a safe zone back home right? He¡¯s safe¡± Caleb said. Probably a lot safer than we are he thought.
She nodded, some of her confidence returning at his words.
[Ok. Sorry. Let¡¯s go to the lights]
The group all nodded, then started off through the sand toward the village. The sand was harder her, more packed than before. It was tough in a similar way to the rock formation, but nowhere near to the same degree. It gave Caleb a sense of security though.
Sand this tough meant there probably weren¡¯t any huge bugs, or dog sized scorpions waiting to leap out the ground. He shuddered slightly, recalling the sound of the skittering.
He never wanted to see something like that ever again, but something told him he didn¡¯t have much say in the matter.
As the group continued, Sierra and Kana fell into a pair, and began talking to each other again. Ryan drifted back towards him and flashed a smile.
¡°Just when you thought things couldn¡¯t get any weirder, am I right?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb chuckled. ¡°How does something that teleports people to different planets mess up on the number of people it teleports?¡±
Ryan laughed then looked out ahead toward the village, his smile fading fast.
¡°What do you think we¡¯ll find?¡± he muttered.
¡°Other than people?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°Something that helps with the monsters I hope¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. But if it¡¯s not¡¡± Ryan trailed off.
¡°I think we¡¯ll be ok. Whatever dropped us off here probably doesn¡¯t want us just dying. I mean, we haven¡¯t even started the proper trial¡±
¡°Right, this is the tutorial¡± Ryan said. ¡°Still...¡± he trailed off again, looking to Sierra. Caleb was reminded of her friend - Andre - once again too. Whatever had sent them here probably didn¡¯t intend for any of them to die, but things had gone wrong last time. What was stopping them from going wrong now?
¡°We¡¯re getting a bit close¡± Caleb said. ¡°I think we should slow down a little, start being careful¡±
Ryan nodded, then the two sped up, catching up to the girls.
¡°Let¡¯s slow down a bit now¡± he said. The two nodded, and the group slowed. As they continued forward, Caleb could feel the atmosphere shift.
As the lights of the village grew brighter, and the stone buildings clearly the uneasiness which had fluttered through their earlier conversation was forced to the forefront of their minds.
They all moved stiffly, their bodies tense as they drew closer and closer.
As they neared, Ryan gestured for them to slow. The group stopped and dropped to the ground. Caleb still thought they were probably visible, but they were in the dark looking into the brightness; someone from within the village would still have a hard time seeing them if they weren''t looking.
They waited for a while, then continued forward staying low, their faces close to the sand. As they came to a stop again, they were still a decent distance from the village, but now the intricacies of its buildings and the few people that milled around were clearer.
The village was circular, and most of the buildings were made of smooth stone, only one or two stories tall. A low wall circled the outskirts of the village, one that could be hopped easily enough by all four of them. The banners and lights that decorated the buildings suggested some kind of festival, or event, but Caleb couldn¡¯t be sure.
The people that walked around wore wonderful colourful garments made of a strange slightly shiny silk. A few wore the dress along with strange, hardened carapaces, the skin dyed various colours across the surface in a few different ways. There didn¡¯t seem to be a pattern to where they were worn, or what sizes they came in, and there were even a few kids wearing them too.
There was also a decent few wore similar clothing, brighter coloured silks with a strange leather arm band covered in glowing marks whose light shifted like fire. It was a weird atmosphere, not unwelcoming, but still completely foreign to him.
[It¡¯s smaller than I thought] Kana whispered.
¡°Yeah. Barely any buildings¡± Sierra whispered back. Caleb frowned as they watched for a bit longer.
¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a village¡± he mumbled. ¡°I think they¡¯re guarding something¡±
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
¡°Yeah¡± Ryan added. "It feels weird"
[Why?] Kana asked.
¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just off¡± Ryan mumbled.
¡°I mean, they¡¯re too many people out for night time. Children too. It might be some kind of event or celebration, but regardless Ryan¡¯s right. It¡¯s... weird. Might just be because we''re unfamiliar though¡±
¡°I think you guys are right¡± Sierra said. ¡°There¡¯re too many people with those weird armbands. And their clothes are all too similar. It¡¯s nothing I¡¯m overly familiar with but it just seems like¡ I don¡¯t know¡±
¡°Cops?¡± Caleb guessed.
¡°Yeah. I was thinking closer to military¡± she replied.
[So the armbands are weapons? You think it¡¯s a military outpost?]
¡°¡maybe¡± Sierra mumbled.
¡°You guys want to go around? Find somewhere else?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°That might be a good idea¡± Sierra said.
¡°I¡¯m not sure" Caleb said. "I think we¡¯re assuming too much. This is a different planet, different culture. If they¡¯re friendly we could really be screwing ourselves over.¡±
[And we don¡¯t want to run into any more monsters] Kana said. Caleb nodded. They definitely did not want that.
The group went silent, still watching the people as they milled about enjoying the festivities.
¡°Ok. I¡¯ll go closer and try to see if I can listen in¡± Ryan said.
¡°Will you even understand them?¡± Caleb frowned.
¡°Well the message thing is translating for Kana, so maybe. It¡¯s worth a shot¡± Ryan said.
Caleb blinked for a second before realising he was an idiot. It¡¯d been so seamless he hadn¡¯t even realised that Kana¡¯s words were being translated. It¡¯d just felt right. Of course she was speaking in her native tongue, the words literally felt different in his mind.
He frowned.
How exactly did that work though? Did you just hear everyone who spoke in your native tongue? When had he been given the ability to even do this? When he¡¯d first been teleported? Sometime during his aimless walk around? There wasn¡¯t a way for him to know.
The fact he was the world¡¯s biggest idiot likely played a part in his failure to notice, but also the seamlessness of it all. What other changes to his brain had this higher entity made that he hadn¡¯t even noticed yet?
That¡¯s kind of worrying
[Wait] Kana said, stopping Ryan. [We should stick together like Grandpa said]
Ryan paused and looked to the others.
¡°I¡¯m ok with it¡± Sierra said. They all looked to Caleb.
¡°...sure, why not?¡± he mumbled. If we''re going to die we might as well die together.
Caleb kept the last part to himself, turning his eyes back to the village. Ryan only nodded and together the four moved forward, the light from the town illuminating them more now. But as they drew closer the fear and apprehension grew, the group slowing bit by bit till they were almost at a standstill.
¡°It¡¯s weird¡± Ryan mumbled, his voice slightly shaky. ¡°I should be able to hear them now. It¡¯s¡ muffled¡±
Caleb frowned listening out, a realised Ryan was right. But he felt something too. A kind of weight in his mind, tugging at him. He''d picked it up only moments ago, but as they''d drawn closer the feeling had become more concrete.
¡°Guys... I- I think there¡¯s something here¡± Caleb said, reaching forwards. Suddenly a spark of yellow shot from the ground to his hand, and instantly a ring of glowing golden yellow symbols appeared on the floor all around them. ¡°Shit¡±
They looked to the village, the people dressed in white silk with the strange leatherlike armbands already rushing toward them.
Well, I guess we were right.
Without a word, the four turned to run. But the ground crumbled behind them, and more of the soldiers appeared from underneath the sand, the markings of their armbands glowing golden.
Kana skidded to a stop and threw her hands up in surrender. The others all followed suit as the approaching soldiers stopped, swords and other weapons materialising in their hands in flashes of golden yellow, their armbands glowing brighter.
¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck¡± Sierra cursed.
The soldiers were upon them now, pointing their raised weapons as they all shouted, barking orders in a cacophony of vicious cries that simply turned into muddled noise.
Then a woman stepped forward, the crowd parting for her. She wore the same clothes as the others but had two armbands, and a carapace headband - close in style to a crown - with a large amber encrusted into the surface.
[Who the hell are you?!] she shouted, the vehemence in her voice clear. [Where did you come from!?]
¡°Tutorial. We¡¯re doing the tutorial¡± Ryan said desperately. The soldiers exchanged confused glances, then looked to their leader. She simply crossed her arms, unimpressed by Ryan¡¯s words.
[Enough of this nonsense, I¡¯ll not allow waywards to ruin Evingaard. Ekihnzt, bag them]
[Yes milady]
Before he could even realise what had happened, a bag was pulled tight over his head. Caleb tried to struggle, but then something hit him on a level beyond physical, and he felt his entire body slump to the ground, his consciousness beginning to fade into nothingness.
-
The first thing Caleb became aware of were the aches all over his body. Then it was the sound of echoing footsteps, and something being dragged along stone floor. His feet. He shifted his weight, trying to lift his legs from dragging behind him as he was held under the armpits, but his body refused to listen to him, still too distant from his mind.
[He¡¯s awake] the person to his right said. [That was fast]
[You think he¡¯s a baby spirit?] the left voice said.
[No way. We¡¯d be dead already] the right voice laughed. Caleb didn¡¯t attempt to wrestle himself away from the other two, his body still far too weak from whatever had happened to him earlier. It felt like a part of him had been hit with a sledgehammer and the rest of his body was reeling, struggling to understand why it wasn¡¯t working properly.
His captors slowed as they held him, then something metal creaked loudly, before banging against stone. He was dragged forward again, then thrown against cold stone floor. He winced, coughing before the bag was pulled off his head.
He blinked in confusion trying to shield himself from the light, before his hands were grabbed and bound together by something.
[Don¡¯t even think about freeing yourself] the right voice said. Then the metal creaked again. Caleb breathed heavily as he lay against the floor. He felt strangely peaceful, despite the aches and pains.
The distance giving a sense of calm that reminded him of half-asleep car journeys. But still his mind urged him forward, to take control of his body and get out of this mess.
So he focused, not on just reclaiming his body, but the metaphysical sense of distance he felt. Once he grew more aware of it, saw it more keenly within his senses, he pulled himself towards his body. All it took was a light tug, then the forces of reality did the rest, his bodies separate existences, naturally drawn to themselves.
And just like that, everything went back to normal.
Caleb¡¯s eyes flew open, and he blinked hard, tears leaking from his eyes as he sat up.
He felt sickly, and his head hurt. He pulled himself off the floor, then wiped the droll from his mouth, realising his hands were bound together by rope. He sighed and looked around, finding himself trapped in a sandstone cell with a metal door.
On every wall names and symbols were engraved, likely by prior inmates because of the clear like of artistic intent and discernible pattern. Caleb sighed, and forced himself up, the wall. The cell was completely empty except for a bucket, and a roll of the strange semi leather semi silk fabric.
¡°Well, this sucks¡± he mumbled. He leant against the wall, nursing the bruise that¡¯d slowly begun to form on his cheek, before sitting back down on the floor, frowning.
It wasn¡¯t all bad. Sure, he was trapped in some strange prison, on a planet that seemed to be doing its best to kill him, and absolutely no idea what to do to get out of this. But at the very least he wasn¡¯t dead, and the others likely weren¡¯t either. They were all just imprisoned.
I mean, it¡¯s not exactly good either he thought. But there wasn¡¯t anything he could do. Was there? Maybe he could ask whoever was talking to them through the glowing boxes if he could something to get out of here.
¡°Uh¡ hello?¡±
No response.
¡°Ok. How about¡ glowing box?¡±
Nothing.
¡°Higher entity, you there?¡±
Still nothing. He was going about it wrong. Did he have to say something about the tutorial itself?
¡°Hello, Tutorial master?¡±
Still nothing.
¡°System? Tutorial system? Tutorial? System tutorial check? Tutorial system check? System check? Tutorial check?¡± he said aloud. Suddenly two boxes blinked into existence in front of his face.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 37 hrs 42 mins 22 secs]
¡°Well¡ that isn¡¯t exactly what I wanted¡± he muttered. It was better than nothing at least.
And I guess I am surviving by being here.
He leant back against the wall, resting his head against the stone. He stared up at the light on the ceiling, a small circular disk that simply glowed. He stared at it for a while, a hundred different thoughts passing through his mind as the time ticked away.
He blinked slowly, thinking of his sister, his step-mom, his dad once again, and then back to absolutely horrible day he was having. He sighed, leaning forward as he began to tap his foot against the ground. He eyed his shoes, then quickly dusted the sand off them, and leant back against the wall, staring back up at the light.
¡°Tutorial check¡± he mumbled.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 37 hrs 41 mins 31 secs]
He stared at it blankly before groaning.
¡°This seriously sucks¡±
Chapter Five - Deities
Caleb jerked awake as the door to his cell swung open. He wiped the drool from his mouth as two of the silk soldiers stepped inside, glancing to each other warily before looking to him. He wiped the drool from his mouth and backed away slightly, but the soldiers raised their hands in a display of peace. Then one stepped forward, and gently undid his restraints.
Caleb looked at the man confused, before looking to the other soldier who simply offered a polite nod, then gestured to the still open exit. Caleb stood slowly, then looked between both of them as he started forwards and stepped outside.
Another person stood waiting; this man dressed in different much darker silk attire, in the style of a singular robe. He looked somewhat like a priest. The man smiled as Caleb walked up to him then bowed politely.
[The Lady is very sorry for her ignorance, Mr deity]
¡°Uh¡ wait what?¡±
[She apologises for any harm caused by her or her people]
¡°Wait, I don¡¯t- I¡¯m confused¡±
[That¡¯s ok. All will be explained. Now, if you¡¯d please follow me to the Lady¡¯s meeting chamber Mr deity, the others are already waiting]
¡°Um, ok?¡±
The robed man nodded politely then turned and began to walk away. Caleb followed behind the man, glancing back to the soldiers behind who closed the door to the cell, then rushed away. He frowned, then turned back to follow the man.
He had no idea what was going on, but couldn¡¯t he just, run away right now? Probably not, and if he did, where would he go? Or was that just what they wanted him to think? Or maybe they wanted him to run off so they¡¯d have a n excuse to execute him if he did.
That seemed a bit far-fetched, but why had they suddenly changed their tune? It¡¯s only been¡wait, how long had he been out?
¡°Tutorial check¡± he whispered.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 32 hrs 21 mins 56 secs]
He stared at the screens in surprise. He¡¯d been asleep for five and a half hours nearly. Whatever had messed with his head had definitely taken a lot out of him. And the run from the scorpion too.
He continued following the man as they made their way through the corridors. They were nice, the edges where the wall meet the ceiling and floor inscribed with beautifully intricate patterns. The lights were different than in the cells too, softer, richer in warmth.
The corridors were quite long as well. He definitely hadn¡¯t seen any building this big. Were they underground? That made a lot of sense for a desert like this actually.
As they continued through the building, he noticed other people inside, sparing glances at him and whispering. He caught small snippets of there whispers and heard one word repeated over and over.
Deity.
He couldn¡¯t understand it. It seemed less and less like a ploy the more workers he caught whispering about it. But then did they actually think he was a deity? That just seemed insane. He hadn¡¯t done anything besides sit in a cell. Had it been one of the others?
Had they said something that¡¯d been misinterpreted? Or somehow pulled off some incredible magic out of nowhere? It was impossible for him to know and he was afraid to ask questions and ruin things if this was a plan.
Guess I just follow this guy and pray then.
They turned a corner and went up some steps. They reached the top and entered a long, even fancier looking hall with a silk carpet underfoot. At the far end of the hall, a large set of double wooden doors engraved with the same strange markings he¡¯d seen everywhere stood.
Two of the soldiers stood outside, glancing to each other, before looking to him and the robed man warily.
[Reverend Wsikztho. Mr deity] one of the men nodded, offering a polite bow to the Reverend then to him. The other man bowed too and then together they opened the doors. The first thing that Caleb noticed was the light.
He flinched away from it, confused at the cool air that blew over him along with the harsh, daylight of the desert that beat upon him again. But it didn¡¯t feel hot, simply warm. The next thing he noticed was the smell. It wasn¡¯t a bad scent, just a strong one. It smelt like sage and lavender yet different somehow, both sweeter and more savoury in the wrong ways.
[Caleb!] a familiar voice said. As his eyes adjusted he dropped his arm, and looked around the room. The room was large and circular, with a ring of tinted glass around the ceiling that let light stream in from above.
The walls were lined with bookshelves and stacked high with scrolls. In the centre of the room sat Kana and an older lady dressed in all black. They sat at a large table made of stone and metal, the metallic parts sanded down perfectly, and the
¡°Hey, Kana¡± Caleb mumbled, glancing to the old woman. ¡°Uh¡ hello. What¡¯s going on?¡±
[Have a seat first young one] the older lady said, smiling warmly at him as she gesture to a seat. He nodded, and took the seat across from Kana, who looked to him excitedly before sipping on her tea.
[Would you like tea too?]
¡°Yes please¡± he nodded politely. The woman gestured for the man to go get it, and the man retreated into a side door by the main entrance Caleb hadn¡¯t even noticed. He looked back from the door to the woman and then to Kana.
¡°So¡?¡±
[You were right Caleb. These people are here to help us] Kana said. He frowned and looked back to the older woman.
¡°Wait you know about the tutorial?¡± he said, turning to the lady. She nodded politely, his eyes widened. He hadn¡¯t expected to be right, but it was good. Really good actually. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking what do you know about¡ everything? About what brought us here?¡±
[We¡¯ll wait for your partners to arrive. For now, please drink]
He jumped slightly as the robed man from before set tea down in front of him and smiled warmly. He hadn¡¯t heard the man¡¯s footsteps at all.
Must be some weird magic. he thought. Cool. Freaky but cool.
¡°Thank you¡± he said, to the man, then to the old lady before taking a sip. The tea tasted like a mixture of extremely diluted honey water. There was barely any flavour, but he wasn¡¯t going to complain. Water was water and he was pretty thirsty.
He downed half the drink then set it down as the large wooden doors opened again.
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A robed woman stepped inside this time, with Sierra in tow, who flinched at the light then looked at them confused. He frowned at the robed woman who seemed unaffected by the change in light. The guy who¡¯d led him inside hadn¡¯t flinched at the change in light either.
[Sierra! Come, sit] Kana said excited. Sierra glanced between them confused, and clearly on edge but made her way forwards and took her seat next to Kana. She looked across the table to Caleb, acknowledging him, then looked to the older woman. Caleb frowned as he watched her. In the brighter light it was clear she¡¯d been crying. He felt a pang of pity.
¡°What¡¯s happening? Why¡¯re the guards suddenly so friendly?¡± Sierra said, looking between the two of them.
[Don¡¯t worry, Mrs Nessaiea is going to explain once Ryan shows up]
Sierra looked to the old lady and gave a small nod of recognition.
[Tea?] Nessaiea asked.
¡°Ok¡± Sierra nodded, still wary. Her guide disappeared into the side door too, her movements completely soundless. She appeared only a few seconds later and set the tea down in front of Sierra before stepping back to the very edge of the room, back to the bookcase.
He glanced behind him, and the robed man who¡¯d. He looked back to the old lady, who still smiled at him warmly, then to the others. Sierra was still wary, and Kana was less cheery now, having picked up on the others¡¯ demeanour.
The situation made him feel slightly uneasy. It was just plain weird. Or maybe he was just looking too deeply into things?
The doors opened again and a robed man walked in, followed by Ryan, who shielded his eyes from the light. When he removed his arm, Caleb winced. Ryan had a dried cut on the side of his face and a black eye.
[Oh dear. Are you alright young one] Nessaiea said as he entered
Ryan nodded as he looked to the others, clearly nervous.
[I¡¯m sorry our watchmen were so tough] Nessaiea said. [Please sit. Adnrqio, get him some tea, and a towel to clean his face]
Ryan stepped forward slowly, limping slightly, before taking a seat next to Caleb. He glanced around the room quickly, looking over all the scrolls before looking to the others.
[You okay?] Kana asked. Ryan nodded again, still not saying anything.
[Okay. Now that we¡¯re all here, firstly I would like to apologise on behalf of the Lady. She has newly become our leader after her father succumbed to the rot and she can be overly aggressive at times. I apologise] Nessaiea said. [She will be joining us later to apologise in person if that¡¯s ok with you, but for now, I¡¯ve told her to remain away from you lest we anger you]
¡°Anger us?¡± Sierra said confused. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why do you care if you anger us?¡±
[Apologies, the ancient texts are sometimes fanciful and very vague. I was unsure of it at first, but it appears your unaware of the intricacies of your own situation. Is this correct?]
¡°Yeah¡± Ryan said curtly. Caleb frowned. He¡¯d taken his silence for nerves, but the boy wasn¡¯t nervous, he was angry.
[Again, I apologise on behalf of the Lady and any of our people who¡¯ve caused you harm]
¡°Mhm¡± Ryan said, folding his arms as his guide set the tea down in front of him.
¡°Ryan stop¡± Sierra said. ¡°We don¡¯t know these people and they could probably kill us very easily¡±
Ryan frowned but nodded, leaning back in his chair.
[Again, we would never dream of harming you, let alone killing you] Nessaiea said, her expression growing somewhat fretful.
Is she scared of us? Caleb thought. Or maybe she¡¯s worried about what we think of them?
He didn¡¯t understand.
¡°Sorry, we don¡¯t mean to worry you or anything, we understand you won¡¯t harm us¡± he said as the others looked to him. ¡°Can you just explain things to us? Please¡±
[Of course. But there¡¯s no need to use such formal language with me young one] the older woman replied.
¡°Oh. Sorry¡± he said, confused. He hadn¡¯t used any formal language. It must¡¯ve been a translation error or something similar.
[Alright. To properly explain things I must first understand your situation. When did you first appear here?] the old woman asked.
¡°A few hours ago?¡± Sierra said. ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell¡±
Nessaiea nodded, before speaking again.
[And when did were sent here, did the arbiters speak to you?]
[Arbiters? Do they speak on glowing screens] Kana asked.
[I do not know. But if it was a form of communication completely foreign to you, then that aligns with the rest of your situation]
¡°I¡¯m confused, when you say situation what exactly do you mean?¡± Sierra said.
[Right. I mean your planet¡¯s¡ circumstances? If you¡¯ve never encountered the arbiters before, then it¡¯s likely that your planet is a new and you are the first generation of ones.]
[Ones?] Kana said. Nessaiea nodded before looking to the confused looks on everyone¡¯s faces.
[Ah. It appears however you¡¯re communicating with me, there¡¯s some sort of misunderstanding. Is demi-god better? Deities? Or chosen?]
¡°Chosen?¡± Caleb said. ¡°I guess that seems less confusing than one and a bit less holy then deities, or demi-gods. We¡¯re definitely not holy. We¡¯re just people¡±
Nessaiea looked to him with a small smile.
[Just people don¡¯t tend to have connections to the arbiters]
¡°So the screens are rare then?¡± Sierra said.
[Oh yes, very. Our people had them a long long time ago, but after the Great mistake, we fell out of favour with the arbiters. We¡¯ve existed for a while as we are now, waiting for you]
¡°For us?¡± Ryan said.
[Yes. For chosen within the tutorial. Well, most have forgotten. They know the wider ideas, and general sentiment, but not the intricacies of the way. If they had they would not have attacked you]
[Wait, you¡¯ve been waiting this? For how long?] Kana said.
[Roughly two thousand years]
Everyone in the table stared at her in shock.
¡°W-what?¡± Sierra said. ¡°Why?¡±
[To regain favour with the arbiters. Chosen are the favoured of the arbiters, and if we gain your favour we become one step closer to them. If they look upon us and deem us worthy, we will have chosen]
¡°Wait, so your trying to the them to¡ give you a trial?¡± Caleb said.
[Yes]
¡°And helping us gets you that?¡± Ryan said.
[Not necessarily, but it brings us a lot closer. If we do well maybe, but even that might not be enough, Either way, this moment will be of great significance in the ages to come]
¡°So our appearance is, what¡ of great religious importance?¡± Ryan said.
[Yes. Your appearance has given us hope of a return to the heavens. And it¡¯s really spooked the non-believers] Nessaiea said with a small chuckle.
Caleb leaned back in his chair uncertain. He hadn¡¯t exactly gotten as much clarity as he liked, but all he knew is that the
[Why¡¯re are the arbiters so powerful Mrs Nessaiea?]
[Magic. They provide entire planets with chosen who can use their great magics]
¡°So we have magic?¡±
[I believe so. Since you¡¯re still in your tutorial it is slightly different. I¡¯ll have to refer to the ancient texts again]
The room went silent as they tried to process what she was saying. Magic. It sounded insane. But given the fact he was currently sitting on a different planet after having being teleported twice, it didn¡¯t sound as
But the idea of him having magic? That was throwing him a little. How did the magic even work anyway? Did you get one of the armband things, or that strange glowing armour, or something else? He had no point of
He paused. What had Nessaiea said? Since they were in the tutorial it was slightly different. He frowned, trying to remember the . The memory of the messages came to him easier than most, almost as if his brain had been waiting for him to try to remember. Then he felt a rush of energy, a presence grow in his head just like with the tutorial message, and a screen appeared in front of him.
[Reward: access to your record. Progression to the first phase]
¡°The record?¡± Caleb mumbled. Nessaiea gasped along with the other guides in the room, and the message disappeared as he turned to look at her. Her eyes were wide and she stared at him, before she turned to the others.
[Wsikztho, Illioma, Adnrqio, Nephritioa the Imprim, Loktot, Akaidon, and¡ Umprim texts. Quickly, quickly!] the older woman said standing. The guides moved quickly, without sound as they summoned ladders from within armbands hidden under their robes and then scaled up the
¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Sierra said, leaping out of her chair.
[It¡¯s ok] Nessaiea said, looking back to them
¡°D-did I say something?¡± Caleb said, breaking out into a nervous sweat.
[The record] the older woman said. [It¡¯s a word I recognise from the texts. I did not understand it¡¯s meaning completely, but if you speak of it in the same sentence as magic then¡]
She trailed off, sinking deep into thought. The guides returned from the shelves, the ladders disappearing into glowing sparks of gold as they landed on the floor, then made their way to the old woman.
They set the scrolls against the table and opened them up, Nessaiea parsing through them as the group muttered to each other.
Caleb glanced to the others, who all looked uncertain. Kana still sat in her seat intrigued, Sierra looked to Kana then to the older woman, and Ryan eyed the door. Caleb made eye contact with Ryan and shook his head, before looking back to Nessaiea.
[Ah¡ ¡°To see is to understand. To know is to be. To record is to exist¡±] Nessaiea muttered. [It¡¯s not merely Lokot¡¯s saying of the ancient text¡¯s importance. Language changes! Lokot was in the¡ 13th age. He means to exist in the magical sense. To be magical. ¡®To know is to be or exist and to record or have record is to be magical!¡¯]
The old woman looked to the other reverends with a glee as the group laughed together. The four teens simply stared at the group, then too each other confused. As the laughter died down
[You four really are young ones. This record you speak of is proof. If even I was not aware, then yes, you absolutely must be. I apologise for even holding doubts]
Suddenly a screen appeared in front of Caleb¡¯s face and from the sudden gasps of the others, in front of their faces too. Caleb read the message quickly and felt his heart sink.
[Tutorial Alert: Your location ¨C The southern Endagon Caves ¨C is currently under attack]
¡°Oh shit¡± Ryan muttered.
Chapter Six - Will to Fight
[Tutorial Alert: Your location ¨C The Southern Endagon Caves ¨C is currently under attack]
¡°Oh shit¡± Ryan muttered.
[What¡¯s wrong?] Nessaiea¡¯s eyes widen as she looked to them, then
¡°W-we just got an alert¡± Sierra said. ¡°We¡¯re under attack¡±
The old woman¡¯s eyes narrowed and she raised her hand, checking a bracelet on her wrist. She frowned, then her eyes widened as colours shot across it in strange symbols.
[Your right!] she said. [Is this the record you speak of?]
¡°It¡¯s just the screen thing. I don¡¯t know, it might be¡± Sierra said.
[It doesn¡¯t matter. We must take you to the surface quickly. Have you face the threat]
¡°What?!¡± they all cried in unison. Nessaiea¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and she looked to them somewhat uncertain.
[I apologise. I thought- it¡¯s... heavily implied the arbiters make you aware of your own nature regardless of whether your planet is newly awakened]
¡°Nature? What nature?¡± Ryan said.
¡°Fighting. She means chosen fight¡± Caleb mumbled.
It was obvious to him now. This place wasn¡¯t a place of protection, it was supposed to prepare them to survive. It was a helping hand. A teacher. A tutor for the tutorial.
Shit.
¡°What? W-we can¡¯t fight¡± Sierra said, just as panicked as Ryan.
¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice¡± Caleb grimly said looking to the faces of the other reverends. Ryan looked to them too his expression desperate.
¡°Well, what happens if we don¡¯t fight?¡± Ryan said.
[Well¡ it would be dishonourable. You are ones, chosen; we cannot kill you. But we would have to release you out into the desert. Even as powerful as you are, you''re only in the beginning stages of your divinity. You¡¯d... likely not survive] the old woman said.
Sierra cursed loudly and Caleb¡¯s heart sunk.
I guess I was told there was a risk of death.
¡°What the... shit. Dammit¡± Ryan cursed to himself. ¡°What are we even fighting? Do we even get weapons?¡±
[Of course. We will help you, provide as much aid as we can]
¡°But we have to fight?¡± Caleb mumbled.
[Yes]
[I can¡¯t] Kana said, shaking her head. The others all looked to her, their faces grim.
¡°Kana¡¡±
They were interrupted by the doors flying open, and suddenly a cacophony of noise that they definitely should¡¯ve been able to hear through the doors flooded the room, drowning out all sound. The woman who¡¯d led the attack from earlier, and capture them strode in, her face a strange mixture of confidence and uncertainty.
She was followed by a few of the white silk soldiers, and stopped when she reached the foot of the table. The doors closed quickly, and the panicked chaos outside came to an abrupt stop.
[Avanessa, you cannot just enter the Seer room like that] Nessaiae said, her voice suddenly cold.
[I apologise Great Seer. But I have to inform you that we¡¯re under attack. A horde of goblins. Larger than we¡¯ve ever see] she said. He recognised the note of fear in her voice. She was afraid. Probably unsure the village would be able to fight them off. That didn¡¯t make him feel any better.
[I¡¯m aware.] Nessaiae said. [The chosen were notified by the arbiters]
The Lady Avanessa¡¯s eyes widened, but she attempted to hide the surprise, and forced a frown, nodding.
[Then they¡¯ll come with me. I¡¯m right to believe they¡¯ll join us on the battlefield?]
[W-well¡]
¡°Yes¡± Caleb said, suddenly. The others all looked to him shocked.
¡°S-sorry¡± he mumbled. ¡°But¡ we die if we don¡¯t fight, right?¡±
Their faces all went grim, and Sierra cursed loudly again.
¡°Fine. Let¡¯s fucking do this then. We don¡¯t have a choice¡± Sierra said. Ryan cleared his throat and gulped loudly before nodding along. Kana, on the verge of tears now, still shook her head.
But the Lady ignored her, simply pointing to the other three.
[Come with me, quickly] she said.
[Milady, wait-] Nessaiae said.
[There¡¯s no time] Avanaessa responded curtly, before turning on her heel. [Follow, quickly]
She barged through the doors, her silk soldiers following behind her as the sounds of chaos washed over them, more distant this time.
¡°Shit¡± Ryan cursed moving forward. Caleb clenched his fists tightly and followed him, glancing to Sierra.
Sierra was pleading with Kana who was shaking her head in tears. Then he was out the door surrounded by the chaos. He jogged quickly to catch up with Ryan and the Lady Avanessa as they made their way down the corridor, the faces of everyone grim.
[Only you two came? So be it] the Lady said glancing back at them. Her voice was tough, completely devoid of emotion. Just looking at her, the way she carried herself, Caleb could tell she was a fighter. [You two will fight with me and my men on the front lines.]
Shit
¡°We can fight for you but it¡¯s probably best if we¡ stay closer to the back of all the fighting¡± he said.
¡°Yeah¡ were not exactly trained¡± Ryan added.
[It matters not. You¡¯re ones. Young ones, but you have magic, I can sense it. You¡¯ll fight on the front lines]
¡°No, we don¡¯t have magic y-¡±
[Aunina. Reuputar, take them to the weapons room] she said interrupting him. [Get them two armbands each and sun shields. I¡¯m joining the battle now]
¡°W-wait¡± Caleb cried out as she left without another word. ¡°Miss lady!? We don¡¯t have magic. Miss Lady Avanessa?!¡±
She disappeared around the corner and his heart sunk further.
[You two. This way] one of the silk soldiers said. They started walking even further down a corridor before stopping outside a heavy set metal door. One of the guards pressed his hand to the door and it clicked open, before he opened it.
The shelves were mostly bare, but it was clear from the style of the storage, the place usuall had a lot of weapons. One of the soldiers pulled out the leather armbands and handed them both two each, along with a carapace bracelet that glowed softly. Caleb held the armbands before glancing to Ryan who slipped one on, his face white as a sheet.
I shouldn¡¯t have said anything dammit. I was too afraid and now I¡¯ve screwed us both.
He bit his limp, his arms and legs shaking now, weak with fear. The lady clearly didn¡¯t understand the stuff about the tutorial well enough, and it was backfiring on them. He gripped the armbands tightly, and squeezed his eyes shut, his head pounding with the rush of blood.
Ok. Ok. I caused this, I need to get us out of it. Or just Ryan, at the very least.
He looked up at the soldiers, then to Ryan whose hands trembled worse than his own
¡°Uh¡ I¡ my friend is ill!¡± Caleb said.
[What?] one of the soldiers said frowning.
¡°My friend here, Ryan. He¡¯s ill¡± he repeated. ¡°He can¡¯t fight¡±
The soldiers glanced to each other then to Ryan who stared at Caleb dumbfounded.
[Is this true?]
¡°Y-yes¡± Ryan stuttered. ¡°I¡¯m ill. We¡¯re both ill¡±
Crap. Don¡¯t say that. It makes it less believable you idiot.
The silk soldiers glanced to each other again, clearly suspicious. But before they could say anything the girls sped into the hall, Sierra helping Kana along.
¡°We¡¯re ok. You¡¯ll be fine Kana. I¡¯ll protect you¡±
[I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t] the girl said shaking her head.
They reached the rest of them and Caleb dug his fingers into the surface of the fabric, his heart hammering harder. The excuse definitely wouldn¡¯t work for all of them. But he didn¡¯t know what else to do.
The soldiers handed armbands to Sierra and Kana. Sierra started pulling hers on, cursing like a sailor the entire time as Kana¡¯s entire body shook.
[You two need to put your sleeves on. There¡¯s no time] one of the soldiers said to him. Caleb looked to see that Ryan had given up, having already pulled on one armband and in the process of pulling on the other.
I guess they¡¯ll know I¡¯ll try to lie now. Shit.
He looked down to the armbands then shook his head. He wasn¡¯t getting out of this. It¡¯d be better to go with the others than to fight it tooth and nail and get himself kicked out. He begrudgingly pulled on the first armband and frowned feeling it¡¯s weight on his arm in more than one way.
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As he secured it, the presence in his mind grew, reminding him of a similar sensation to when he¡¯d overcome the mental distance. But now the sensation had a shape, like a sword. He looked over the armband, something shifting in him as he watched the flicker of golden light in the markings on the sleeve.
He pulled on the other, as similar sensation coming to him. This one¡¯s shape was a shield. He pulled on it slightly and felt the weight shift, closer to the forefront of his mind. Almost to reality. He frowned as the sleeves glowed brighter, then the light faded as he let the weight fall to the back of his mind.
It¡¯s quite easy actually. he thought. Almost intuitive. Less magical than I expected. It¡¯s just... self-awareness. Like tensing a muscle.
[W-we¡ we don¡¯t know how to use them] Kana muttered.
¡°Dammit Kana. We need to fight or they¡¯ll kick us out¡± Sierra said curtly. ¡°Get a grip¡±
Kana looked to her surprised, and then looked to the floor her face falling.
¡°S-sorry¡± Siera said, stepping forward. She took the gear from Kana and started helping her into it. She pulled on the last armband and the soldiers led them away, to a set of long stairs. As they climbed it grew slightly hotter.
The sounds of shouts and panic grew as they got closer to the surface, and Caleb noticed the fear in the expression of the guards. The others looked afraid too, moving stiffly and slow as they climbed. Kana still sniffled as they climbed, the sounds louder than anything.
¡°You¡¯ll be fine Kana¡± Sierra said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok Kana¡± Ryan said. ¡°You¡¯ll be ok¡±
¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll all probably be fine¡± Caleb lied. Kana nodded looking to the others.
[I¡¯m s-sorry]
¡°No, it¡¯s fine. If you need to, just stay behind us. And if we¡ if things go south just run¡± Sierra whispered to her.
[No] Kana said, still sniffling. [We all stick together]
She looked to them with a new determination in her eyes and the others nodded in response. They settled into a strange silence, their nerves settled slightly by the strange show of companionship from Kana. They continued climbing, finally reaching the
[Your sunshields. Make sure you put them on]
Caleb nodded, pulling on the carapace bracelet. As it secured to the end of his sleeve he felt and saw a wave of golden energy wash over him, before disappearing. He frowned for a moment and waved his hand through the air slowly.
It felt different, his skin slightly cooler. The same happened for the others and the soldiers looked to them then nodded. They opened a set of doors and the group stepped into brightness and open air.
Caleb let his eyes adjust for a moment, his heart beating out of his chest as he tried to calm himself. When his eyes finally did he found himself in the middle of the town, one sun shining far above their heads. All the other buildings were boarded up, and glowing symbols covered all the buildings.
Nearby, a group of soldiers emerged from a set of doors and rushed towards the chaos, chanting wildly. The battle, still obscured by the buildings that surrounded them, sounded like nothing Caleb had ever heard.
What the hell is going on? Is it really just goblins? Was there some kind of translation error?
He wanted to stop, to ask more questions and plead to be kept away from whatever the hell was happening beyond the town walls. But he couldn''t think of a way out of it with what he knew. He needed time, but he had none.
[Quickly] one of the silk soldiers said, guiding the group forward. They jogged together, Caleb¡¯s hands shaking violently, his legs heavy like lead. He grit his teeth, somewhere in the back of his mind registering how cool the lack of heat was because of the sun shield, but the rest of it focused solely on the chaos that surrounded him.
They finally passed the last building and the four slowed as the two silk soldiers carried on.
In the flat plain of packed sand, a sea of small pale white creatures rushed forth from glowing blue portals that surrounded the village in a wide ring. They charged toward the comparatively tiny group of soldiers, unarmed yet unflinching.
The soldiers all stood in small groups between large tunnels of translucent golden light that surrounded the village forcing the crowd of goblins to group into smaller clumps and face each of the soldier squads.
But even with the large walls of golden light, it was clear blood spattered the floor all around, staining the sand. Piles of goblin bodies piled up, but a few people had fallen too, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of goblins.
The Lady fought the furthest outward, at the edge of the golden tunnels of magic, waving around a golden sword.
¡°What the fuck?¡± Sierra swore. One of the soldiers glanced back as the other hopped the wall, rushing toward the battle.
[Hurry. The Lady¡¯s waiting for you]
They all remained still, then looked to each other. Sierra spoke first.
¡°D-do we go?¡±
¡°I think we have to¡± Caleb muttered.
¡°Yeah. I mean... if we didn''t where would we even go? Place is surrounded¡± Ryan said.
[Let¡¯s go. Stick together] Kana said.
Caleb nodded and together the group set forward. They hopped over the wall and then jogged slowly toward the battle. The soldiers shouted to those further forward and a few glanced behind, their eyes widening as they spotted the group.
¡°Shit¡± Sierra mumbled underneath her breath. Caleb¡¯s hands shook more and he looked for something anything to distract him from the smell of iron in the air, and the cackling cacophony of goblins. His mind was drawn back to the strange presence and he started to play with the weight in his mind, feeling the shapes of the weapons in his armbands.
He pushed and pulled at it in a rhythm, in tandem with his breath as he tried to steady himself.
Then he gripped his hands tightly and pulled them both forward. He felt the shapes soar forward through his mind and into the rest of the world. In a hue of golden energy the sword and shield appeared in his hands weighted and sized perfectly.
The others all turned to him wide eyed.
¡°How did you do that?¡± Ryan said, somewhat surprised.
¡°Uh¡ just¡ pulled on the weight?¡±
¡°The weight? What weight?¡± Sierra said, dumbfounded.
¡°The weight of the armbands. Like in my head. I just focused on it and-¡±
There was another hue of golden yellow and a shield appeared in Kana¡¯s hands.
[Oh. It¡¯s simple] Kana said, surprised.
¡°Holy shit you two. It can¡¯t be that easy?¡± Ryan said. He closed his eyes for a second and then in a golden hue the sword formed in his right hand, followed by the shield in his left. His eyes grew wide and he let out a surprised chuckle. They all looked to Sierra who stared at their weapons dumbfounded.
¡°Wait. Wait. Just- shit. I can¡¯t just fucking- give me a sec. Let me-¡± there was a flash and a sword appeared in Sierra¡¯s hands. She let out a sigh of relief, before the fear returned to her face and she looked to the rest of battle. The shield appeared in her left as she watched the soldiers backs, a few still looking to the group.
¡°Fuck¡± she mumbled ¡°I guess we fight now?¡±
The others all nodded, the fear apparent even in their silence. Together, they started forward, tentatively stepping toward the group ahead of them. The soldiers cried out, cutting down the goblins as they charged forward, unimpeded by the near constant slaughter of their comrades.
The close quarters combat was just gruesome to watch.
¡°Don¡¯t these people have bows?¡± Ryan muttered under his breath.
¡°You can throw your sword if you want¡± Sierra muttered. ¡°Maybe that¡¯ll be enough to get us out of it¡±
¡°Please don¡¯t joke guys¡± Caleb muttered, sword rattling against his shield.
¡°S-sorry¡± Sierra mumbled.
Suddenly one of the soldiers looked back to them. His eyes widened and he turned to the others shouting.
[Make way! The ones are here! The deities are here!] he shouted. Others glanced back and the squadron cheered as he the group continued forward. Caleb felt his legs grow heavy as the group slowed almost to a stop under the weight of the new expectations from the others.
The soldiers toward the back looked to each other confused and then the Lady emerged from the crowd, both her and her sword covered in blood. She pointed it at them, her gaze hard.
[You¡¯re late. Come fight. Now!] she shouted at them.
The group stayed still eyes wide as they stared at Avanessa¡¯s sword. The lady stepped forward and the group stepped back, Sierra nudging Kana slightly behind her.
[These pests are here because of you! Do it or I¡¯ll invoke the Reindaag and remove you from my home now!]
They all looked to each other the fear written across their faces shared.
¡°I don¡¯t wanna die¡± Ryan mumbled. Caleb nodded. He didn¡¯t either. It was a strange feeling, knowing now how close death was to him. He¡¯d been trying to distance himself from it, but he couldn¡¯t right now. He didn¡¯t want to die. He doubted anybody ever really did.
But even if he survived now, he¡¯d still die in the next few months. That wasn¡¯t true for the others though. If they made it out of this, they could live long full lives. He could help them, put his own life on the line to make sure they didn¡¯t die.
If it gets me killed, well¡ that¡¯d be pretty bad actually. I probably shouldn''t think about that.
¡°I¡¯ll take lead¡± Caleb said. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go¡±
The others looked to him then nodded as he made his way forward, following behind. He looked to the Lady Avanessa then nodded. She nodded back then turned marching forward with her sword.
[Make way!] she shouted.
¡°Put your shields up and stay close¡± Caleb said to everyone. The others nodded raising their shields and together they made their way forwards, toward the battle. Caleb¡¯s heart beat hard, and his hand shook the sword rattling slightly against the edge of the shield. The shouts felt too real now, their cries overly close and the smell of iron thick now.
They bunched together closer following behind Avanessa, as they stepped past a few of the furthest back soldiers, these ones with large spears. Then they were on the front lines. Avanessa cut through a few goblins with twin swords, one a half-glowing gold and the other normal steel.
She cut through them with ease, the art of dual wielding in full effect. But a goblin slipped directly past rushing toward Caleb. Its eyes were wide, it¡¯s teeth and claws sharp. And its screech echoed in his head as time seemed to slow down. His eyes went wide and with a panicked cry he stepped forward. The goblin slammed against the shield and crashed to the floor.
It remained still for a second as he stared at it, then a sword shot out from beside him and stabbed into it, cutting through naked flesh easily. Caleb looked to Ryan who stood wide eyed, his sword stabbed through the goblin¡¯s chest.
¡°Caleb!¡± Sierra shouted. He looked back to see two more goblins rush forward. He stepped back slightly as they pounced on him, one biting into his shield and the other into his shoulder. He cried out and stabbed through its side with his sword, pushing the other away as he struggled to scramble upwards. The goblin rasped releasing him, but still reached to claw at him. Then it was gone, kicked away by Sierra.
He scrambled to his feet as the others looked to him surprised. He glanced at his shoulder, but the wound was only skin deep. The sun shield helped blocked more than just the sun¡¯s heat.
[You okay?] Kana asked. He nodded, then looked back to the goblins still rushing Lady Avanessa and all the other soldiers. He looked beyond to the endless horde of goblins charging toward the village.
¡°Let¡¯s¡ let¡¯s focus¡± he mumbled. The others nodded, all raising their weapons as a few more goblins struggled past. Caleb swallowed hard, then pushed forward his shield again knocking one into another before swinging his sword downward. Neither of the goblins got up.
Caleb stared at the blood and the bodies, unable to look away from the horror. He glanced at the sword, then cried out as another goblin jumped at him. Sierra cut it down with a wild swing, then stepped next to him sword raised. Kana and Ryan followed suit as the group formed a reverse V.
Suddenly there was a shout of panic as a bunch of soldiers cried out in the walled section next to them were suddenly overrun by goblins. Individually they were weak, but in a horde they were overwhelming, the line collapsing quickly. He glanced to them and then back to the Lady Avanessa in front of him.
She cut down a few more goblins then raised her sword and turned to the others.
[I¡¯ll go to help them! Keep fighting! You have the ones to support you here!] she shouted.
¡°What?! N-no we can¡¯t-¡± Caleb cried, but she was gone, and the horde was charging them regardless of his protests. He wouldn¡¯t be able to bat away that many goblins with his shield. Silently he swore to himself, then roared and stepped forward with a large swing, bringing his arm across as hard as he could.
For a moment his blade just met air, then he felt the sword meet resistance, it''s path slowed as it cut through flesh and crunched against bone.
His sword came to a stop as it slammed against Ryan¡¯s shield and blood sprayed onto his face. He stumbled back for a sec and the others swung wildly cutting down more goblins before he rejoined the fray. Together they swung together wildly, cutting down the cackling goblins as they continued to rush toward them.
His heart beat hard and ringing echoed in his ears as his breaths grew shorter and shorter. The chaos began to consume him, his mind only echoing the cackling of the goblins, and the impact of his sword. The terrible sensation, the slickness of the blood, the burning of the small scratches on his arm, and the smell of iron around him, it all felt distant.
For the first time in his life, he was actively killing things. To protect him, his mind was forced to create distance between itself and reality.
It was strange. He felt like a puppet, pushed forwards only by his will to live. His will to fight.
He pushed further forwards, his slashes growing wilder, faster as he cut the cackling of goblins in front of him short. His shouts of desperation grew louder, a maniacal fury filling his voice as he pressed forward even further.
The conscious part of him watched as the goblins began to slow, fear tinging their faces as whatever spell that''d bound them, convincing them to charge to near certain faded. He cut them down anyway, the fury made of fear impossible to simply reign in. And so he kept swinging, and swinging, his mind getting further and further from the fight. He felt like a monster.
Then he swung his sword again and it cut through thin air. And just like that the distance was broken. He breathed heavily, suddenly intimately aware of the sensations that''d been kept from him. His hands shook violently, and his heart. But even though he was back, only one thought remained at the front of his mind.
The goblins.
He scrambled backwards, and raised his sword. But it wasn''t necessary. The goblins had stopped coming, having all turned tail and run back to the now fading portals. Caleb breathed heavily, wheezing before falling to the ground. Instead of dry sand he sat against wet, warm flesh and gasped.
He stood quickly, looking away. But the smell of iron was still clear. And even as everyone cheered, the sound of Ryan and Sierra¡¯s defeated breaths and Kana¡¯s sobs were clear to him.
Chapter Seven - A New Day
Caleb dropped his sword and shield before wiping desperately at his face. His arm stung and his lungs burned, but apart from the scratches in his shoulder physically he was fine. But his mind was a mess. A jumble of confused thoughts and emptions.
He felt hot, and not because of the twin¡¯s sun light beating upon him. It was a panic, and it was different than before. Not one based in fear, but in disgust, horror. He gripped at his hair tightly shaking his head as he felt the weight of the shapes return to his mind and the armbands.
He pulled them off quickly the weight disappearing from his mind before he covered his face with his hands again.
He''d always hated violence, ever since he was a little boy.
¡°You guys ok?¡± Ryan said, his voice shaky.
¡°I¡¯m not hurt¡± Sierra muttered, sniffing. Kana continued to sniffle as Sierra comforted her, but Caleb simply held his face in his hands.
¡°Caleb?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°J-just give me a sec¡± he said, pulling his face out of his hands and onto his hips. He stared up at the sky, noticing the shift in light as the second sun rose higher.
[Well done deities] a voice said. Caleb turned to look at its source, Lady Avanessa who stood drenched in blood. [The monsters were weak, but they were many. You fought well, showed your promise.]
¡°Fuck off¡± Ryan muttered. The Lady¡¯s demeanour changed, her golden sword appearing in hand with a flash of gold. The group all froze.
[I should have your head for such an insult. You¡¯d do well to remember you¡¯re only here at my say-so, not the old witch. For now you¡¯ve held up your end of the bargain. I hope you continue to do so, both for my sake and yours] she said, glancing to the bodies, then to the rest of the desert as the blue portals disappeared.
Then she turned making her way back to the village. Caleb glanced to Ryan, whose face was deathly pale, then to Avanessa who walked toward the cheering crowds. They noticed her and rushed towards her, their cheering growing louder.
She said a few words to them and the crowd looked to her, then to the four of them and continued past her.
¡°Oh shit¡± Sierra mumbled, stumbling as she tried to stand. The soldiers all rushed towards them, and he stepped back but it was too late. Caleb cried out, but they hoisted him up, lifting all the members of the group onto a sea of upwards outstretched hands. He tried to protest against it, but it was too late, his body already out of his control.
Caleb looked over the faces of the soldiers as they lifted him above their heads. His fear dissipated slightly, their faces filled with joy, as they lifted the group above their heads.
Oh, they¡¯re celebrating us.
The thought made him queasy. They were a sea of people drenched in blood, cheering and laughing as they held them up, chanting in reverence.
[DEI-I-TIES! DEI-I-TIES! DEI-I-TIES!]
The word rung hollow in his head. Right now, he was a hero to them. And he hated it.
-
Caleb lay on a hay mattress couch staring up at one of the disk lights they used to illuminate the rooms here. The room was silent for the most part, but traces of distant music occasionally reverberated through walls, Caleb catching hints of the strange but pleasant melodies.
He shifted on his sofa-mattress thing and sighed. He sat in a room with the others, all of them having decided to stick together for the time being.
They were supposed to be celebrating with the others ¨C the source of distant music - a victory over the holy trial in union with Evingaard or something to that nature, but Lady Avanessa and Nessaiea had respected their wish to be left alone.
So they¡¯d given them buckets of water to wash - which was apparently a big honour - and then taken them to the washrooms. The wash rooms had been weird, similar sized square rooms covered in hardened tiling with a small indent on the floor that¡¯d indicated where he was to wash.
There hadn¡¯t been a drain anywhere, the water had just collected in the shallow basin for collection apparently. He didn¡¯t know what to make of them collecting his dirty, blood stained bathwater. At least the rooms had been separate. After the wash they¡¯d come down here where they¡¯d been for a while. For Caleb, it felt like the first real break from things he¡¯d had in a while.
He looked around and frowned. Kana slept on the bed nearby, and the other two sat at the stone table in centre of the room in silence, playing their four hundredth game of tic-tac-toe.
They¡¯d all played a board game when they¡¯d first gotten down here, but the pieces were weird and none of them had really been in the right state to want to understand the rules properly even with the rule stone they¡¯d been given. So, they¡¯d played hangman and charades till Kana had gone to bed and now they were doing nothing.
Caleb glanced down at himself and tugged at his collar, if you could even call it that. He and the others all wore the strange silk clothes of the Endagon, their other clothes currently being washed to dry off all the goblin blood. They¡¯d been allowed to keep the sleeves in honour of their victory, but none of them wore them, the leather piled up onto the table in a heap.
They¡¯d also been given weird carapace things to wear too, but he¡¯d opted not wear his for now. He glanced at the sunshield bracelet on his wrist and tapped at it. It felt like glass but sounded like metal. Strange. He raised it into the light watching how it passed through the semi translucent material but also darkening the material in points. It was definitely a material he¡¯d never seen before for.
He shrugged and let his hand fall back to his side. But his mind still stayed on the sunshield, not the bracelet itself, but the presence of the physical barrier. It softened the mattress underneath him, which was still pretty hard, but bearable with the shield.
There was something else too. A magical presence, weight in his mind. He couldn¡¯t quite grasp it the same way as he could with the weapon storage sleeves, but he knew it was there. His mind was curious about it, about how the magic worked, how he could suddenly just sense it. But he knew he didn¡¯t have the answers. He sighed again, then tentatively poked his side.
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¡°Tutorial check¡± he mumbled to himself.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 26 hrs 37 mins 16 secs]
He sighed, and sat up, running a hand quickly through his hair as he stared at the ground.
He wanted to get out of here. But he had nowhere to go. And it made him angry. A boiling anger that bubbled in his gut, threatening to rise further. He crossed his arms, putting his hands under his armpits as he tried to calm his breathing.
Was it even right to be this angry? The others weren¡¯t. They were probably just traumatised. He was angry at everything, the situation, the lack of understanding, and the people of the village. Especially the people of the village, and they¡¯d only been protecting their home.
He closed his eyes and focused. His anger wasn¡¯t fair and it wasn¡¯t right. It¡¯d lingered far too long to be reasonable outside of his head. He never stayed angry for more than a few minutes at most.
He took a deep breath and tried to release the anger.
¡°Uh¡ do you guys think we¡¯ll have to do that again?¡± Ryan mumbled.
¡°I hope not¡± Sierra said, looking slightly sick.
¡°We probably will¡± Caleb said. ¡°I mean there¡¯s still an entire day left for the tutorial. I doubt nothing¡¯s going to happen for the rest of the time¡±
¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°Just a guess. I hope nothing happens either. Don¡¯t think I can do that again¡±
¡°No, I meant the time¡±
¡°Oh right. Just say tutorial check. The timer comes up¡±
The other two said the words and their eyes widened in surprise.
¡°Twenty-six hours? What the fuck, it¡¯s been way longer than that¡± Sierra groaned, laying her head against the table. Caleb nodded. It had felt like a lot more time than twelve hours had passed.
¡°How¡¯d you know to do all this man?¡± Ryan said, chuckling as he stared out at the screen in front of him, eyes full of wonder.
¡°Just messed around I guess¡± Caleb shrugged. They sat in silence for a few more moments before Sierra yawned.
¡°I¡¯m tired. You think there¡¯re more rooms next door?¡± she said.
¡°Maybe¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go check¡± she said, standing. ¡°If I don¡¯t come back, I got kidnapped. Goodnight¡±
She stepped outside and closed the door softly behind her.
¡°I¡¯m tired too man. Let me go look for a room¡± Ryan said standing. He left too and Caleb was left sitting alone as Kana softly snored on the bed.
It¡¯s creepy if I stay right?
He rose, the mattress creaking under him loudly as he stood. Then he stretched out, and made his way for the door. He paused, then quickly retrieved his sleeves from the table. It¡¯d be good to have them. Just in case.
He yawned and moved to the door again when the bed creaked behind him. He glanced back to see Kana sitting up, rubbing her eyes as she looked around confused.
[Caleb?] Kana yawned. [Where is everyone?]
¡°Oh, they just went to sleep. I¡¯m going now too¡±
[Oh] she nodded, sitting up. He nodded back to her, then started towards the door.
[Uh¡ Caleb?]
¡°Hm?¡±
[Why¡¯re you wearing your sleeves? Are we in danger?] she said, her voice slightly shaky.
¡°Oh no. I just¡ just in case¡±
She nodded, but her demeanour had shifted somewhat. He watched her for a moment, before moving to leave again.
[I don¡¯t think I can go through that again] she whispered. He turned back to her, this time letting the door close behind him as he sat at the table, facing her
¡°Yeah it was difficult¡± he mumbled. She nodded, pulling her knees to her chest as she rested her head a top them. ¡°But we can power¡±
[You don¡¯t understand. I won¡¯t go through it again. I won¡¯t]
¡°But Kana¡ I know it¡¯s hard, but we might. We only have to last a day¡±
[I re-read the message. This is only the tutorial, not the first phase. That means we might have to do more stuff like this again after it ends. Who knows how long that will be?]
Caleb¡¯s breath caught in his throat as he looked at her. Three months. The arbiters had said three months. He couldn¡¯t tell her they might be forced into doing this for three months.
¡°That¡¯s¡ fair¡± he said, unsure how to respond. They sat in silence for a moment before Kana spoke again.
[You must think I¡¯m selfish.]
¡°W-what? No¡±
[It¡¯s ok. I know it¡¯s a little selfish. Risking everyone¡¯s lives just because I feel bad.]
¡°No¡ it¡¯s not like that¡± he replied. She remained silent, clearly lost in her own head. She¡¯d been so afraid on the battlefield, it made sense that it¡¯d affected her the most.
[I¡¯ll try to make sure you guys don¡¯t get punished. But I¡¯m sorry, even if they have to kill me or force me out, I won¡¯t do it.]
¡°S-seriously?¡±
[Yes. I don¡¯t want to be the kind of person that hurts people, or other things.] Kana said. [I¡¯ve always cared about everything too much. Flowers, insects, stray pets. Anything. My mom used to tell me a story about how I tried to stop eating plants when I found out they were alive. She used to always tell me that to show me how stupid it was. But grandpa thought it was sweet.]
She smiled slightly, before the smile faded.
[My¡ my older brother, iro, was mean when we were younger] Kana mumbled. [He knew how much I cared about everything. He enjoyed teasing me about it. At first, he would do it by ripping apart flowers I said I liked, then call me a cry-baby. But then he got worse. He would get insects and pull them apart in front of me.
[He¡¯d tell me not to move or he¡¯d kill it, whilst laughing. It was like he was holding me hostage with the bugs, making me feel like it was my fault they died. It was so horrible. When I used to tell mom she always used to take his side, even when grandma and grandpa would chastise him. So, he kept doing it and doing it.
[One day¡ it was a stray cat. He threatened to hurt one of its kittens if I didn¡¯t kick it. I cried so much, but he didn¡¯t budge. So, I kicked the cat. I didn¡¯t want to and it was stupid, but I didn¡¯t want him to hurt the kitten. I¡¯ll never forgot the way it cried out. I cried so much.
[He¡. he stabbed it anyway. He got sent somewhere afterwards, by mom but I never forgot about the kitten or the cat. We adopted all of them and buried the little one in the garden. They¡¯re back home now. Mari, Minako and Miki] she said, her smile returning slightly. Her eyes grew distant for a second, then her smile faded again and she looked down at the bed.
[I¡¯ve always hated hurting things. But I hated it more after that.] she said. [Today I hurt something. Killed things. They would¡¯ve killed me but¡ I don¡¯t want to fight anymore. I don¡¯t want to hurt anything. Even if it gets me in trouble.]
Caleb sat in silence, dumbfounded by what she¡¯d said. He hung his head and stared at his shaky hands as he let out a heavy breath.
What the hell? Why is she telling me this?
[S-sorry for just dumping that on you.]
¡°It¡¯s fine¡± he muttered. It wasn¡¯t.
Kana¡¯s words made him sad. It put everything into even more context. But her final sentence made him afraid. Angry too.
The same anger he¡¯d felt earlier. It wasn¡¯t reasonable, she¡¯d just poured her hurt out to him and the sympathy he could muster up was barely anything compared to the anger. She hadn¡¯t caused it, maybe it was the sense of helplessness, but either way, what she was saying made him angrier. It was selfish, maybe even downright stupid.
They didn¡¯t understand how the culture here worked so by doing it, she could be screwing them all over.
He didn¡¯t want to fight either, but he knew because of this sick and twisted tutorial he had to. Like Kana had said, they¡¯d already hurt things to save themselves so why stop now? It felt like an insult to the sacrifice he¡¯d already made, the lives he¡¯d already taken.
But that didn¡¯t make forcing her to fight the right thing.
He clenched his fists tightly. A part of him wanted to shout at her to leave him alone, to not dump her own personal problems on his lap, more stuff that he couldn¡¯t deal with, but that¡¯d just make things worse. She was scared, just like him. He couldn¡¯t let his anger make her more afraid. He needed to calm himself.
Kind like Dad. he thought to himself. Strong like Mom. He let go of his clenched fists and leant back in his chair, nodding.
¡°That¡¯s¡ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the best idea¡± he said. ¡°But if it¡¯s what you want to do, if it means that much to you, then we¡¯ll support you¡±
[R-really?]
¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll try to convince the others at least, but I don¡¯t want you to do anything you don¡¯t want to. I mean, we stick together, right?¡±
She let out a breath of relief, a weight having left her shoulders.
[Thank you]
¡°It¡¯s ok. Uh¡ thanks for sharing. It was pretty personal. That was probably hard¡±
She nodded back at him and smiled. He offered a smile in return, then stifled a yawn. ¡°S-sorry¡±
[It¡¯s ok. If your tired you should get some sleep]
¡°Right, right¡± he said standing. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go get some sleep then. There¡¯s probably a room I can have somewhere¡±
[Ok. Goodnight Caleb]
¡°Goodnight Kana¡± he said, giving a small wave as he stepped out the room.
Chapter Eight - Violence Returns
They were shouting again. Loud vicious shouts.
It didn''t happen often, maybe only once or twice every other month. But when they did happen, he knew the monster and the banshee were back.
The banshee was loud, her shrieking like daggers that pierced through the walls. He could hear it so clearly from his room, and even clearer from the tops of the stairs.
The words weren¡¯t even directed at him, but he knew how powerful they were. They were mean and angry shrieks, all directed at the monster.
But the monster was big and strong. It didn¡¯t matter how much the banshee shrieked, or how lethal the words were, it always ended the same way. The monster would hurt the banshee, and her shrieks of anger would turn to cries of fear.
It would always make Caleb feel small, weak. He hated the violence.
When the chaos ended, when the monster had fallen asleep the banshee would come for him.
Sometimes he¡¯d get away in time, back to bed. And sometimes he wouldn¡¯t. When he wouldn¡¯t the banshee would find him. Sometimes she¡¯d cry. Sometimes she¡¯d whisper sweet words to him. And sometimes she¡¯d hit him. She¡¯d hit him till he was crying too, then she¡¯d pick him up and whisper the sweet words anyway.
¡°I¡¯m sorry sweetie. Please don''t tell anyone¡± the banshee would whisper ¡°Mommy¡¯s sorry¡±
[Tutorial Alert: Your location ¨C The Southern Endagon Caves ¨C is currently under attack]
Caleb woke up drenched in sweat, the silk of his clothes sticking to his skin. He pulled them off, coughing hard as he stumbled out of bed, his chest tight with panic. He slipped and crashed to the floor, his side throbbing harder for a moment as he groaned, rolling onto his back.
The message on the screen still blinked at him and he finally registered it, realising what it meant.
¡°No¡± he said, sitting up. ¡°Crap. No, no, no¡±
He quickly scrambled to his feet and threw the door to the corridor open. He could hear the sound of the first panicked shouts in the distance and his heart sunk.
¡°T-tutorial check¡± he muttered harshly.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 22 hrs 17 mins 46 secs]
¡°It¡¯s only been four hours?¡± he said surprised. That was bad. If he¡¯d been asleep for four hours that meant the last attack had been ten hours ago. So they got attacked every ten hours? So there¡¯d be two more? But was there even a regular timeline set up for the attacks? What if it was just random?
It didn¡¯t matter. The place was currently under attack, and from the shouts around him he could tell it was worse than .
The door across the hall opened and Sierra stepped outside wide-eyed. She looked at him, then to his armbands, the markings on them glowing slightly. He hadn¡¯t even noticed himself playing with the weapons magical weight in his mind.
¡°D-do we really have to fight again?¡± she said.
¡°I think so¡±
¡°Fuck¡± she muttered. She rushed over to Kana¡¯s room and the door swung open as Kana poked her head out wide-eyed. Sierra slipped past her as Kana looked to both of them. Caleb saw the fear in her expression, but also hints of determination. She wouldn¡¯t be fighting.
Before he could say anything Ryan stepped out of his room, the door slamming against the wall hard. He scowled as he stepped into the hall and clenched his jaw
¡°What a fucking joke¡± he muttered, clearly annoyed. Sierra stepped out of Kana¡¯s room and handed Ryan and Kana their sleeves. Caleb watched as they all pulled them on, frowning at Kana. Then Sierra cursed loudly, clenched her fists tight then let out a breath.
¡°Let¡¯s go¡± she said, her voice hard.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait for someone¡± Ryan said.
¡°I remember the route. It¡¯s better if we just get this over with¡± Sierra said, before starting in a jog down the corridor. The others glanced at each other, then followed, catching up quickly as shouts echoed from further away, screams amongst them this time too.
Together the group exited the corridor and stepped into a rush of chaos as people rushed through the corridors a few even carrying or leading along children. A few looked to them and pointed upwards as they cried at them to help. Caleb felt a sudden pressure, the expectation in the civilians¡¯ eyes desperate.
Sierra ignored them, and pushed past a few, as she made her way against the tied. A few shouted and the crowd gave way parting as they allowed them to pass. They reached a set of stairs and rushed upwards, before turning onto an empty corridor that Caleb recognised slightly.
He coughed as they continued to jog, his side throbbing painfully. He pushed past the pain and momentarily looked to Kana, before frowning.
¡°Kana?¡±
[Yes?]
¡°What¡¯re you¡ you don¡¯t have t-¡±
[It¡¯s ok. We stick together]
He frowned confused.
¡°But¡ I thought you said you didn¡¯t want to fight?¡±
¡°What?!¡± Ryan said.
¡°Ryan leave it¡± Sierra said, still looking forward. Ryan glanced back at Kana before looking forward as he shook his head.
[It¡¯s fine. I thought about and I can¡¯t leave you guys to fight on your own. I won¡¯t fight with you, but I have a shield. I can protect]
Caleb¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but he nodded at her as they continued forwards.
Seems a lot riskier than just fighting, he thought. I guess she did seem serious about it from the start.
Suddenly a loud roar reverberated through the floor, the bass carried well underground. The group skidded to a stop as they all looked to each other wide eyed.
¡°That didn¡¯t sound like goblins! What the fuck was that?!¡± Siera shouted, the fear in her voice clear.
¡°I¡¯m sick of this shit already man. I wanna go home¡± Ryan muttered angrily, grabbing the sides of his head as his breaths grew heavy. Kana only stayed silent
Suddenly a group of the silk soldiers rushed past, led by the man who¡¯d bagged them when they¡¯d arrived. He slowed and turned to them, relief
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[Come with me]
[You must come, must you not?!] he said, his tone slightly accusatory. The others all looked to each other, remembering Lady Avanessa¡¯s words then started forward, joining the group. The squad took a different path this time, rushing forward through the halls before they entered a larger room filled with other squads.
The soldiers turned and cheered as they saw them, and Caleb felt his chest grow even tighter. Their group rushed through the crowd towards the end of the room as all the other squads parted for them.
They reached the front and came to a stop by a flat wall covered in the strange markings. Caleb looked to the others, all of them just as confused as him.
[Fight! Ire! Sand fall! Release!] the man they¡¯d followed suddenly shouted loudly. Suddenly the wall in front of them glowed, and then fell into the ground. The roof fell with it and Caleb stepped back as sunlight washed over all of them. The roof had fallen at an angle, and now served as an incline that led to the surface.
The soldiers all rushed forwards into the day and the teens quickly followed too. Their feet stomped against the sand as they climbed then emerged into the open. The soldiers looked around for a second, slowing as they searched for the threat.
Then they heard a loud roar behind them, a lot closer to the village. The group turned to find a large ¨C almost eight-foot-tall ¨C hulking green orc. It was covered in red tattoos and wore dense fur as clothing.
It stood by the village wall. Bodies and blood lay at its feet, with only a few of the silk soldiers left, standing far away. It roared at them before stepping forward, crushing the remnants of a body underfoot.
As it looked upward, one of the silk soldiers tried to dart in toward it, but the monster simply turned and kicked them, obliterating the soldier into red mist. There were gasps from the crowd, but Caleb only stared silently in horror. The orc roared again, looking around as it beat its fists against its chest.
[G-go. Fight] the leader of the squadron said, turning to them as he stepped back.
¡°You want us to fight that?!¡± Ryan said, wide eyed.
[Yes. You¡ you have to] the guy mumbled. The orc roared again and rushed towards a few soldiers who tried to turn tail, only to be crushed underfoot.
¡°Nope. Just... nu-uh. No fucking way¡± Sierra said.
[Y-you have to!] the guy shouted, pointing his sword at them. The other soldiers around all gasped, looking back and forth between the group and their squad leader.
¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Ryan cried.
[You have to! It¡¯s here because of you!] the man retorted.
[Stop shouting!] someone cried.
But it was too late. The orc had turned to them, and with a roar of fury, rushed towards them as fast as it could. The group split in two, everyone. The orc roared as it kicked and swung its fists, sprays of blood and body parts flying all over the place.
The soldiers cried out in panic as everyone raced away, and Caleb¡¯s chest grew tighter with panic as fear. A hand grabbed him and pulled him along as he stumbled, keeping him from being knocked over by the rest of the crowd.
Ryan pulled him closer as they moved, shepherding him in front of him as the girls ran ahead. Caleb glanced back, and watched the orc decimate another person with an arm the size of a log.
Then there was a shout of fury, and Caleb looked to the side, Lady Avanessa emerging from the sand floor with her troupe. She spotted the orc and rushed towards it without hesitation, raising her golden sword as she charged.
The monster turned to her and roared swinging a hand wildly. She leapt into the air unnaturally high, skipped past its arm with a single step and slashed at its face cutting its eye. The monster stumbled back as she landed, crying out in pain. For a moment, you could feel the panic lift, the entire crowd¡¯s morale shifting.
Lady Avanessa looked to the rest of her soldiers, then to the group of teens.
[Deities! Fight with me! You must!] she shouted. [The rest of you, lock up the village!]
The soldiers cheered in assent then gratefully all rushed away as their leader went back to attacking the orc with her twin swords. The group of four looked to each other, and then steadily started to back away from the fight, watching it with a twisted curiosity.
[This is crazy] Kana muttered.
Avanessa fought against the orc with a speed and grace, cutting at the orc then narrowly dodging it¡¯s heavy handed attacks. Caleb noticed now her movements were almost too fast to be human and her skin glowed softly along with her sword.
Magic, he thought. And she expects us to fight alongside her?
Suddenly the orc roared in frustration, and with a foot kicked up a spray of sand. Avanessa managed to dodge the spray but was blinded to the orc¡¯s movements. It swung wildly with a large arm again and the Lady cried out, the large orc knocking her back with a powerful fist she couldn¡¯t avoid.
She hit the sand and skidded but didn¡¯t get back up. Then it turned to them. There was a moment of silence, then roared to the heavens, before rushing forward. It was slower, it¡¯s legs cut deeply by Avanessa''s sword. It gave the group enough time to dodge out the way as it leapt for them, crashing to the floor hard.
But the orc clambered to its feet quickly and turned to them, still roaring. Caleb and the others got a face full of its breath, the stench of rotting meat, and iron. It smelt like death, a smell that was more than terrifying. Then orc rushed toward them again, roaring like a wild beast.
¡°Shit!¡± Sierra cried as they all rushed apart separate. But before it could reach them, a golden sword flew through the air and cut into its side. It roared, slapping it away as it spun to see Lady Avanessa lying on the floor, bleeding heavily. It shrieked, the sound filled with frustration and immediately charged toward her, drawn to its immediate opponents almost like an animal. Avanessa made no attempt to move, still to wounded from her injuries.
Caleb stared wide eyed. She¡¯d treated them somewhat coldly, but that didn¡¯t mean she deserved to die. She¡¯d just saved their lives after all. There had to be something he could do. Anything. But like always he remained frozen, staring passively as the beast charged away from him.
Then a shield suddenly soared through the air and hit the monster in the back of the head. The monster stopped and turned back, roaring at them as the others all turned to look at Sierra, now shieldless and wide-eyed. Then it charged them.
They dived out of the way again, separated down the middle. But this time it swung a meaty hand for Ryan and Sierra. It missed them narrowly then stumbled and fell to one knee. Sierra and Ryan scrambled back up off the ground and Ryan kicked his loose shoe off at the monster, which bounced off it¡¯s head.
It roared and reached for him again, narrowly missing as Ryan fell backwards to avoid it. But as he fell the beast stood, towering over him and Caleb¡¯s heart dropped.
Instinctively, just like Sierra, Kana threw her shield at the back of the monster¡¯s head. It hit a point Avanessa had slashed and the monster cried out gripping at it¡¯s neck as it stumbled sideways, it''s raised foot narrowly missing Ryan.
But then it turned to them, it¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and its body language different. It stared at him and Kana then jumped. It was too fast for Caleb to realise what was happening. But Kana reacted in time. She slammed into him from beside and then he was on the floor. She lay atop him, shielding her and then the ground reverberated as the orc landed and brought it¡¯s fists down, spraying them with a copious amount of sand.
As it roared again, Kana rolled off him and stood. It took Caleb a moment, the shock overwhelming. Kana pulled him to his feet as she cried out in panic, the orc reaching for the two of them. He simply stared at it in shock, and then he was on the floor, Kana having pushed him out the way yet again
He looked back up quickly and watched as the orc grabbed Kana¡¯s arm with a sickening crunch. She shrieked in pain as she was yanked back, her arm practically folding in on itself as dribbles of blood oozed from between the orcs fingertips. Caleb¡¯s world seemed to freeze as the orc roared, lifting Kana off the ground, screaming in agony. It raised her high, roaring as it prepared to slam her to the ground.
It was going to kill her. She was going to die, just like that. She¡¯d never see her cats again. Never see her mom or Grandpa. Her life would be over, all her dreams, goals and aspirations. All because he¡¯d been too slow to react, twice. Too afraid.
He roared louder than he ever had before, the sound powerful, guttural. The orc hesitated for a moment glancing at him and then he was on it. He stabbed his sword into a wound in its side with as much force as he could and it gasped in pain as the sword met it¡¯s insides.
It stumbled sideways, dropping Kana, as the sword was violently ripped from Caleb¡¯s hands. He fell to the floor hard, face planting against the ground. He pulled back from the ground, gasping as his hand and face throbbed. Then he looked up. The orc had fallen to the ground, holding it''s side as it moaned in pain.
Then it groaned loudly, rolling over. It¡¯d landed on its own arm awkwardly, exacerbating the injuries Avanessa had already caused. Now one arm hung limply on the floor as it still clutched desperately at the wound he¡¯d stabbed.
But it sat up anyway, roaring at Caleb, it reached for him and grabbed his leg between a thumb and a finger, enough power in its grip alone to twist his ankle. He cried out as it started to drag him along and squeeze at his leg, then it let go roaring in pain. Sierra had stabbed it in the back, deep into the spine. It tried to turn to face her, but its legs flopped somewhat uselessly, and it fell atop her.
Then Ryan was on it, stabbing it repeatedly in the side of the head with Avanessa¡¯s golden sword. Caleb stared in shock, as the orc¡¯s body went limp, breathing heavily as he stared at the horrific sight.
¡°Shit!¡± Ryan cried, stepping back as he dropped the sword, his white silk completely drenched in blood. He quickly rushed over to Sierra pulling her out from under the orc. Sierra thanked him before the two rushed over to Caleb and Kana.
Caleb struggled to breathe, holding his hand to his chest as he clutched his leg. It was broken or fractured. And his face wasn¡¯t faring much better. He had hit the floor pretty hard. But still he rolled over, looking to Kana. She lay on the floor unconscious, her arm a limp mess of blood, bone and flesh.
He looked beyond her to the soldiers as they rushed forward, exchanging shouts as they looked to the fallen orc, Lady Avanessa and the teens. He blinked and rested his head against the sand, suddenly feeling lightheaded. He felt hands on his back, lift him Ryan and Sierra helping him up.
¡°Help Kana¡± he mumbled, clutching his nose as he leant on Ryan. Sierra nodded and rushed forward, the fear written clearly on her face. Ryan supported him as his consciousness started to fade.
¡°You okay?¡±
¡°No. This really fucking hurts¡± he mumbled.
¡°Help!¡± Ryan shouted. ¡°He needs help¡±
Caleb tried to say more, tried to look to Kana to see if she was ok, but his body was already failing him. As his mind started to drift away he felt the magical weight of his sword return to his sleeve.
Chapter Nine - All that is Rotten
¡°Enjoying your ice-cream?¡±
¡°Mhm¡±
¡°Well try not to eat it too fast, you¡¯ll get brain freeze¡±
"But I don''t want it to melt"
"It''s not going to melt"
"But what if it does?!"
"It''s not going to"
"Wait, I can just eat it in one go. No melting or brain freeze!"
"Don''t do that"
"Why?!"
"Caleb, you can do it, we just won''t get ice cream anymore"
¡°Ok! Sorry mommy. Are we going to the comic shop now?¡±
¡°No, you have to finish you ice cream first. But you don¡¯t have to rush, we¡¯ve got all day¡±
¡°But I want to get there quick¡±
¡°Well we can talk about comics before we go. Let¡¯s see¡ uh whose your favourite superhero?¡±
¡°Uh¡ who¡¯s yours?¡±
¡°I asked first Caleb¡±
¡°But I want to say the right one¡±
¡°I don¡¯t mind which superhero you prefer¡±
¡°Mhm, but can you just tell me? Please¡±
¡°Ok, I¡¯ll give you three guesses, then ¡¯ll tell you¡±
¡°Hmm¡ Spider-Man?¡±
¡°Nope¡±
¡°But you have all those Spider-Man posters¡±
¡°You were close but. He¡¯s my second favourite¡±
¡°Uh¡ Batman?¡±
¡°Hehe. That''s quite funny actually¡±
¡°Then.. Flash? Wonder Woman?! Silver surfer?!¡±
¡°Wrong, wrong, and wrong.¡±
¡°Then what is it? What is it?!¡±
¡°I¡¯m surprised you couldn¡¯t guess, it''s pretty obvious¡±
¡°Tell me! Tell me!¡±
¡°Superman¡±
¡°I said Superman¡±
¡°No, you didn¡¯t, silly. Now who¡¯s your favourite superhero¡±
¡°Superman!¡±
¡°Oh, really now?¡±
"Of course, of course. He''s all tall and green and I like his cool ring and all the stuff he makes. He could make ice cream!"
"Ha! That''s green lantern silly"
"N-no it''s not!"
Caleb opened his eyes slowly, the sleeping memories fading quickly into a half-remembered dream. It took them a second to adjust to the light as he sat up. He looked around, and found himself in a strange cobble stone, room.
It was decently sized, and similar in style to the library of Nessaiea and the Reverends, just without the bookshelves, the tinted windows that let light flow into the space near the very top. There wasn¡¯t any door however, instead only a set of steps that led up to a balcony.
He lay in some sort of metal basin, filled with black sand. The sand was warm, He¡¯d been stripped down to his underwear, and now had the strange symbols marking all over his body. He felt their magical weight in his mind, the presence stronger than even both the sleeves combined. It made him feel different. Stronger somehow. Less¡ weak.
He pulled the rest of his body from the sand, looking over more of the markings, all over his skin. They were faint for the most part, but still somehow very clear to him. It felt like a strange optical illusion.
He tried to make sense of it but his brain refused to correspond, and he quickly gave up shifting his attention. There was a strange wrapping on his hand and on his leg, like a cast, but slightly more flexible. He wiggled his toes, then became aware of the complete lack of pain, the idea somewhat disturbing.
He stepped out of the basin, testing his foot against the ground, without pain. Just to be safe he balanced on one foot before steadily leaning a comfortable amount of weight on his injured one. It felt fine as always.
Quickly, he started dusting the last pieces of black sand off himself before he pulled on the clothes that¡¯d been left for him. They were darker robes, slightly tighter fitting than the ones he¡¯d had before. As he did his mind drifted back to the battle.
Kana¡¯s screams echoed within his head, and the sight of her raised above the ground by a broken arm was etched into his brain. He closed his eyes and shook his head
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
She¡¯s fine. She has to be, he thought.
He opened his eyes and looked around again. The place was definitely some kind of hospital. If they¡¯d fixed him up in here, they¡¯d probably taken Kana and the others somewhere similar. The question was how long had he been here?
¡°Tutorial check¡± he said, pulling on the shoes left for him.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 9 hrs 37 mins 46 secs]
¡°Well¡¡± he mumbled. It felt both good and bad, knowing this chaos was almost over, but also fearing what was to come. And there was the possibility he might have to face another enemy. If they were going of the same strength difference between the orc and the goblins, then they might not even stand a chance.
[Ah, you¡¯re awake I see] a voice said from above. He looked up to see that someone stood on the balcony above him. Lady Avanessa.
¡°Y-yeah¡± Caleb mumbled in response, taking her in. She wore knew clothes, in the same style and material but in a richer golden colour. A patch of the same wrapping was around her head, her carapace crown still worn over it.
[Do you feel ok?]
¡°Uh¡ yeah I feel fine. Which is kind of surprising¡± he mumbled.
[Good. We spared no expense with the higher ritual] she said.
¡°Ritual?¡±
[Yes. You bathed in the burnt sands and were covered in the arbiter¡¯s runes. It strengthens the body, improves vitality and inner strength]
He frowned, looking over himself, then tested his foot against the ground again, and flexed his fingers. Still no pain, not even lingering pain. He really did feel good. Even his breaths felt clearer, less forced.
¡°Thank you¡± he said, looking back up at her. She nodded, choosing not to respond as she looked to him with a sad smile. ¡°A-are my friends ok?¡±
[Yes. We had to have another ¨C the girl with the broken arm -go through the lower ritual, but she¡¯s fine. Still sleeping]
¡°Lower ritual?¡± Caleb frowned.
[Yes. Injuries that simply require repair can be done with only the lower ritual]
His frown deepened confused, then his eyes widened.
¡°The ritual treats my cancer?!¡± he said eyes wide.
[You knew of it?] the Lady said, starting down the set of steps from the balcony that led into the chamber.
¡°Yeah¡±
[Why didn¡¯t you say?]
He shrugged as she stepped, and her gaze saddened.
[Cancer?] she muttered [Is that what your people call the affliction?]
¡°Yes¡±
[It¡¯s an odd word. Interesting but odd. We call it the Rot]
The rot. Didn¡¯t someone already mention that? Nessaiea maybe?
¡°So¡ I¡¯m cured?¡± he said, the note of hope in his voice surprising him.
[N-no. Given its level of advancement within you, it¡¯ll only temporarily slow the spread. I apologise for not being clearer.]
He wilted slightly at the words but nodded as he looked to the floor.
¡°That¡¯s¡ it¡¯s fine¡± he said, before raising an eyebrow. ¡°But, if magic can slow it, could it cure it maybe?¡±
[I¡¯m not sure. Maybe people with better magic could. But¡] she trailed off and shook her head.
He nodded, looking to the floor once again as he fiddled with his fingers deep in thought. After a few seconds he looked back to the Lady. He watched her, her demeanour uncharacteristically uncertain.
He looked to her face, the sadness clear and as he met her eyes, they sparkled with wetness. She noticed his gaze and looked away almost immediately, turning from him.
¡°A-are you ok?¡±
[Yes] she said, solemn. [I¡simply reminded of my father]
Oh right, he thought. Nessaiea said her father died of it.
He felt slightly guilty for his question now.
[It¡¯s a nasty affliction the rot] she said, turning to him suddenly. The sadness was gone now, replaced by the cold determination he¡¯d seen in her before. [Hopefully, you can find a cure with your powers before you succumb to it]
¡°Thanks¡±
[Now come. I take it you¡¯d like to see your friends?]
¡°Yeah. I¡¯d like that a lot¡±
She nodded warmly, then turned and started up the steps Caleb following slowly behind.
They walked up the stairs and onto the enclosed balcony, making their way to a set of doors. Either side of them were shelves, to his left they were filled with books, and to his right, various jars filled with different coloured transparent liquids, some even housing plants.
They exited quickly, stepping into a large but empty corridor before turning left.
They walked slowly, neither of the two speaking. The silence was soothing to Caleb, and he took the time to look around him, appreciating the foreign decoration and architecture.
They made their way through a few more corridors and down a set of stairs, before finally slowing as they reached a golden door, decorated beautifully with the same markings he¡¯d recognised over his skin.
[Your friends are in here] Avanessa said, looking to him.
¡°Thanks¡± he said, moving to open the door.
[No. Thank you]
¡°Hm?¡±
[You and your friends saved my life.] she said. [I understand your nature a bit more now. It was cruel of me to send you into battle, even if you are chosen. You especially. I apologise]
¡°It¡¯s ok, really. You don¡¯t have to thank me. I mean we definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to beat it without you¡±
She smiled politely and nodded, before turning to leave.
[If a new threat comes, I won¡¯t expect you to fight]
¡°Really?¡±
[Yes. Goodbye young one. I wish you luck and good health] she said with a wave. He watched her disappear around the corner, then turned back to the door opening it slowly.
He entered a larger, lavish room, Ryan and Sierra sitting in the centre at a table of marble playing a different board game. They both looked up from it, and turned to him, their faces shifting in surprise. They both jumped up and rushed forward, all smiles.
¡°Caleb! You¡¯re ok!?¡± Sierra said.
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°Holy shit¡± Ryan said. ¡°You passed out and got all cold and- I¡¯m just glad your ok. What¡¯s with all the markings?¡±
¡°Uh, their healing ritual thingy. Not exactly sure how it works but I¡¯m all better now¡± he said.
¡°Good, good. And Kana?¡± Sierra asked.
¡°Lady Avanessa said she was fine. Still sleeping¡±
¡°Can we go see her?¡± Sierra asked.
¡°I¡ don¡¯t know¡± he said,
¡°Well¡ ok. Ok¡° Sierra said, hints of
¡°She¡¯ll be fine right?¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb reassured them. ¡°I mean Lady Avaness had no reason to lie. They¡¯ll probably bring her here soon¡±
¡°Ok¡± Sierra said nodding. There was a lapse of silence then Ryan spoke again, starting back to the table.
¡°Well, come on, come on. Sit down with us. Help yourself to the food whilst we wait. They brought us a new game. I think it¡¯s for kids but it¡¯s easy to understand and the more players the merrier¡±
He sat down as they ushered him to the table, then handed him a plate of strange fruit, then picked out a piece for him for the board game.
¡°Where did the food come from?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°I- that¡¯s a good question. But don¡¯t worry about it, you can ask later. They¡¯re treating us enjoy it¡± Ryan said.
Caleb looked between the two of them, surprised by how suddenly carefree their attitude was.
¡°Are, uh¡ are you guys ok?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Ryan mumbled, his voice cracking a little. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Well as fine as I can be¡±
¡°Just¡ trying not to think about it¡± Sierra added.
Caleb looked between the two of them, noticing the shakiness hidden behind their smiles. The last few hours for them had probably been horrible, waiting, uncertain if he and Kana were ok.
He hadn¡¯t really had a chance to completely process what he¡¯d seen when the orc had been attacking the soldiers, and even he was struggling to keep it together. They probably didn¡¯t want to think about it all again.
¡°Ok. That¡¯s fine. Now, about this game, you¡¯ve got to take it slow when you teach me how to play. I¡¯ve only ever played connect four before¡±
¡°Seriously?¡±
¡°Yeah. I¡¯m gonna suck¡±
Suddenly the door behind them creaked on it¡¯s hinges and swung open. One of the soldier guards stepped inside, smiling at them before ushering a familiar face into the room.
¡°Kana!¡±
Her arm was wrapped with the strange cast-like bandages, and hung in a sling over her shoulder. But she still wore a bright smile.
[Hey guys]
Chapter Ten - The Dead of Dusk
The group all sat in a tense silence, their breathing slow. They¡¯d turned off all the lights except a single disk that sat in the centre of the stone table. Caleb glanced to the others, and his eyes fixed on Ryan, who carefully held his hands together in prayer. Finally the boy opened his eyes, looked down at the table and rolled the dice.
It rolled across the table before landing on the symbol for 12, it¡¯s highest possible number.
¡°Booyah!¡± Ryan cried pumping his fist
Everyone groaned, dropping their coins onto the table as Ryan pushed his piece forward, singing to himself as he won, again.
¡°Anyone want to go for another round?¡± he said gleefully as he leaned back in his chair, smug smile clear even in the lowlight.
¡°No¡± Sierra said curtly.
[I think we should. I got unlucky at the start and nearly won. If Ryan had had a bad turn I would¡¯ve got it this time, I can feel it]
¡°That¡¯s all well and good for you Kana¡± Caleb laughed. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I want to come last again¡±
[It¡¯ll be different. You¡¯re getting better so you might beat S-]
Suddenly a hard knock came from the door and all their heads turned. They all frowned then another hard knock came, this one clearly panicked.
¡°Shit¡± Sierra mumbled. They all stared at the door, waiting for a moment before looking to each other. Then Sierra stood and made her way over to the door, opening it slowly.
[I am sorry deities, but we¡¯re under attack again]
¡°What?¡± Ryan said confused. They all looked to each other again, confused. None of them had received a message.
[If you wish you can join us in the fight]
¡°What. If we wish? We don¡¯t have to?¡± Sierra said confused.
¡°Oh¡± Caleb said. ¡°Sorry guys, I got caught up with the game but Lady Avanessa said we didn¡¯t have to fight anymore¡±
[Really?] Kana said turning to him.
¡°Yeah¡± he nodded. They all looked at each other for a moment, a thousand different words shared with just their eyes. Then Sierra turned back to the soldier.
¡°H-how bad is it?¡± Sierra she asked. He shrugged.
Well that''s real helpful.
¡°If it¡¯s here because of us then do we go?" Ryan said. "I mean isn¡¯t it kind of our responsibility?¡±
[But we didn¡¯t get a message?]
¡°Maybe the message thing¡¯s broken?¡± Caleb said.
[Tutorial Alert: Your location ¨C The Southern Endagon Caves ¨C is currently under attack]
[Tutorial Alert: 3 new members of the tutorial have entered your location]
Caleb stumbled, taken aback by the suddenness of the screens. Then he read over the words frowning.
¡°I guess it¡¯s not broken then¡± he said.
[What happened?] the solider asked.
[We got a message] Hana said. [There are more people like us here, I think]
¡°Do you think they brought the danger?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°Maybe¡± Sierra said. ¡°Shit. Do we go?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t fucking know¡± Ryan cursed.
¡°Then we decide individually¡± Caleb said. ¡°We don¡¯t have to go, so if you want to stay you can s-¡±
[No. We stick together] Kana said.
¡°Bu-¡±
[We stick together. Always] Kana repeated firmly.
The sound of distant shouts came again and Caleb grew tenser.
[Can you please make a decision?] the soldier said, his expression more desperate now.
¡°Just give us a sec¡± Ryan said. The sounds of panic got even louder, and with them the tension grew.
¡°Uh¡ uh¡ we vote¡± Caleb said. ¡°Who wants to fight?¡±
Caleb and Sierra raised their hands. There was a beat of silence and then Ryan cursed under his breath and raised his hand too.
¡°S-sorry Kana¡± he mumbled.
[It¡¯s ok. Let¡¯s go]
Without another word the group started forward, Ryan grabbing the sleeves off the table as he shared them around. They rushed through the halls the soldier leading them along the path then up more stairs. As they ran, Caleb frowned to himself.
Why do I want to fight? I mean I¡¯m scared shitless, why did I put my hand up?
He glanced to the back of Sierra¡¯s head, and then to Ryan.
Sierra had made it clear why she¡¯d wanted to fight, because she felt responsible for all this. Ryan had lifted his hand because¡ maybe deep down he agreed with Sierra? But him? He¡¯d wanted to fight because¡ there wasn¡¯t a good reason.
It just felt right in some way. Maybe he wanted to fight in part because he felt bad for Lady Avanessa.
Maybe it was because she¡¯d used so reverse psychology on him and he felt bad not fighting now that he had the choice. Or maybe it was because he remembered the bodies. The smell of iron. The hopeless expressions the soldiers had shared, before they¡¯d looked to them. Maybe the others did too.
He shook his head and played with the magical weight of the sword and the shield.
Their presence had grown more in his mind, the shapes more defined. And he felt the power of the runes too. His breathing was still easier, his movements more controlled more fluid. He hadn¡¯t run out of breath from just the short jog down the halls. He clenched his fist tightly. He hadn¡¯t felt this good in a long time.
They rushed up another set of stairs and emerged into the middle of the village again. It was night above them, the stars as bright as ever, and the air cool.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
The group continued through the village to the outskirts of town where they spotted the commotion. All the soldiers that had lived from the orc fight, which looked like approximately less than half the number that¡¯d fought the goblins stood out in the sand, fighting their way through a horde of zombies.
Lady Avanessa fought at the front, flying around as her golden sword glowed in the dark along with her skin, cutting the heads off the monsters left and right. But this time the golden magic walls weren¡¯t up and it was a chaotic free for fall.
¡°Zombies? Fucking zombies? Seriously?!¡± Ryan said.
¡°It¡¯s better than the orc¡± Sierra said, summoning his sword. The group hopped over the fence and rushed to the battle.
[Stay together] Kana said.
¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll fight them like we fought the goblins¡± Ryan added.
Cale glanced to Kana, and she nodded to him.
[I¡¯ll protect you guys from the front]
¡°You sure?¡± Sierra asked.
She nodded, stepping forward with her shield in her good arm as the others took formation around her. A few of the soldiers glanced back to see them and cheered, the fighting shifting as they gained a new vigour. They continued to push forward through a gap in the crowd, and came to a stop as they neared the threat.
The first zombie turned to them and stumbled forward, before lunging at Kana. It bit into the edge of her shield and reached to claw for her. Caleb swung wildly, his own movements faster than expected, and his sword cleaved through its head, the zombie practically mush.
It dropped to the floor dead as another shambled toward them.
¡°They¡¯re weak¡± Caleb said to the others. ¡°Flesh like butter¡±
¡°Got it!¡± Ryan replied.
Together they forged ahead, and began cutting through the zombies left and right, Kana acting as their shield. Caleb¡¯s swings, although wild and untrained felt clean, powerful, and with every new swing the weight of the sword grew in his mind, and in his hand.
It cut through the zombies easier until there were no zombies left to cut through. The group came to a stop all breathing heavily as they turned and looked around, the other soldiers finishing the last of the zombies off.
The battle had been quick, practically nothing compared to the other two.
Caleb looked down at the bodies of the zombies across the sand, and then to the soldiers, only a few having fallen. A grim sort of satisfaction settled in him and he let his sword and shield fade into sparks as he covered his nose to escape the rotting smell.
The others all looked around too, then without a word they started back toward the village.
A few of the soldiers watched the group, acknowledging them with raised fists and cheers. But nobody rushed them to celebrate.
There was still an aura of triumph, but it was muted by the even further loss of life. Caleb frowned as he looked at the bodies. It hadn¡¯t completely made sense to him yet, but he was starting to piece things together from everything he¡¯d observed.
[Deities!] A voice cried out behind them. The four turned as a soldier rushed over to them, a smile on her face. [We have more of your friends. Come. See]
¡°Friends?¡± Ryan said confused.
[Yes. More deities. They wore your people¡¯s clothes] the soldier said.
[The others from the message] Kana muttered.
¡°I want to see this. Come on, let¡¯s go¡± Sierra said, nodding. The group followed the woman, making their way through the field of corpses back towards the wall, where Lady Avanessa and two other silk soldiers stood over a group of three.
Caleb¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he grew closer. They were three more teens, dressed in familiar styles of clothing, though they were mostly caked in sand. They sat with their backs to the wall, gratefully sipping water from pouches the Lady had provided.
They all wore a slightly different style of sunshield bracelets but had no weapons. There was one girl, Latino with long dark hair, and two boys who looked like twins, both pale white with brown hair.
Avanessa turned to look at the approaching four as they neared and the trio on the floor stopped drinking their water, eyes widening as they saw the group.
[They came a long way. From our brothers and sisters in the far Northern Caves. You can see it in the make of their sunshields] she said to them. They all nodded, then looked to the trio.
[What¡¯re your names?] Kana asked. The girl offered a smile in return then gestured to herself and the others.
[I¡¯m Elena. This is Markus and Jakob]
¡°How did you get here? Did you bring the zombies with you?¡± Ryan asked. Elena¡¯s face dropped slightly and she glanced to the weapons in the hands of the soldiers all around.
[We¡¯re sorry about that. We saw the lights and thought we could get help. We didn¡¯t mean to cause this]
¡°Wait, you were just walking through the desert?¡± Sierra asked, her tone concerned.
[Yes]
¡°How long were you out there? Are you guys ok?¡± Caleb asked.
[Only a few hours. The sun was starting to set when we got kicked out. Uh¡ I hurt my leg, and Markus gotten bitten on the arm, but we¡¯re ok.]
[Why were you out in the desert?] Kana asked.
[Because my idiot brother didn¡¯t want to fight] one of the twins spat.
[Fuck you] the other one spat back. They both looked away from each other, clenching their jaws.
[Uh, we fought these dogs, then there was a big insect thing and Jacob¡ well-]
[Don¡¯t sugarcoat it. He chickened out, ran and hid. It got us kicked out. Fucking idiot] the brother mumbled.
[Markus stop!] the girl said.
[Stop?! It¡¯s his fault we were out there! It¡¯s his fault Anne is dead!]
[It¡¯s not my fault!] Jakob shouted. [I told her to fucking run and she died waiting for you!]
[Fuck you!] Markus roared leaping at his brother. They crashed into the wall and exchanged blows with each other as everyone else cried out. The soldiers rushed forward and tried to pull them apart, but were knocked back as the boys rolled over with one another, pulling and punching as they did.
Sierra rushed forward and Ryan followed, the two pulling them apart as Elena got between the brothers, pushing them both back as well.
[Stop! Stop it now!]
The boys both quieted down as Markus ripped himself away from Sierra and Jakob fell to the floor in tears. Everyone went silent for a moment as Jakob''s sobs echoed across the battlefield.
[Sorry] Elena said crestfallen. [Is there somewhere we could¡ go? Wash?]
[Yes] Lady Avanessa said. [Ekihnzt, take them all to the washrooms. When your finished we¡¯ll all meet in the chamber of texts with the Seer Nessaiea]
-
Caleb ruffled his still damp hair before letting out a heavy breath.
The reverend he followed was a different one than before, one he didn¡¯t recognise, but they were as polite as the previous one had been. He yawned, then tugged at his new silk overalls, these ones a mixture of black and gold.
Since he¡¯d only ever seen Avanessa wearing gold he was pretty sure they were meant for royalty or whatever she was, but he wasn¡¯t going to complain. They were far more comfortable than anything he¡¯d worn up until this point.
His mind wandered, thinking back to how long the past two days had been for him. A cancer diagnosis then immediately afterwards this nonsensical mess.
Magic, monsters, and blood. So much damn blood. He¡¯d seen enough blood to last him lifetimes in the past twenty hours alone.
But what was weirdest was how quickly he¡¯d grown used to it. Sure he¡¯d been around violence a lot in his relatively short life and they did say children adapted to things faster, but this?
It was almost alien.
All it had taken was constant fear and anxiety, a gory massacre from an orc, a broken leg, and some weird ritual that¡¯d made his mind clear. Or maybe it¡¯d just been the ritual, he still didn¡¯t know exactly what they¡¯d done to him. His body felt better and his mind clearer in a sense, but that didn¡¯t mean it was a good thing.
He didn¡¯t like it. The lack of concern or feeling despite hating it so much at first. He hadn¡¯t even been that out of it after killing all the zombies. It felt like it had just flown by.
Kana¡¯s decision to not actively fight made more sense to him now. He yawned and caught a glimpse of his face in one of the polished metal doors.
He frowned slightly and rubbed at his cheek, feeling the slight difference of texture between his skin and the rune. Caleb sighed.
He¡¯d been worried about them coming off during his bucket shower, but now he was worried about them never coming off. If he lived long enough he could probably find a magic tattoo remover somewhere.
He paused for a moment, furrowing his brow.
¡°Tutorial check¡± he whispered.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 1 hrs 47 mins 56 secs]
There wasn¡¯t long left. The gruelling thirty-eight hours of the tutorial was almost over. Then they had the three months of the first phase. His face fell slightly and he looked down at the ground.
If it¡¯s any harder than this, I¡¯m going to die painfully aren¡¯t I?
Sure, his cancer had been slowed from spreading, but it hadn¡¯t been stopped.
If the environment was worse than this, if there wasn¡¯t any safe space for him to find and die quietly, then he¡¯d be forced to fight alongside the others as his condition steadily got worse and worse. Eventually he would grow so weak he¡¯d make a fatal mistake and die, or worse get the others killed.
Unless I cure it with magic. I mean, Lady Avanessa said there¡¯s a possibility with better magic. With a record, I might even be able to do it on my own.
He looked at the runes on the back of his hand, squinting slightly before a small smile formed on his lips. Even if it was small, there was a chance he might not die in three months. He might actually make it home. This whole thing was horrible, but magic, that was a blessing in disguise.
[Mr deity, we¡¯re here] the reverend in front of him said. He nodded politely before looking to the two soldiers at the doors.
They opened them and the sound of chatter slowly died as he stepped inside. He took a second to adjust to the change in light, then looked around the room. He was the last one there, with all the others, even the new trio sat around the table. Nessaiea and Avanessa sat at the head of the table.
[Caleb] Nessaiea said. [So nice of you to finally join us.]
Chapter Eleven - You Give and you Get
Caleb took his seat close to the foot of the table, sitting down next to one of the twins.
¡°Sorry I took so long¡± he said sheepishly.
[It¡¯s ok] Avanessa said with a smile. [Now we can get started.]
¡°With what exactly?¡± Ryan said curtly. Everybody looked to him. ¡°Sorry that came out wrong. I¡¯m just a bit confused on why you called us here¡±
[We came here to discuss matters of ascension] Nessaiea said smiling.
[Ascension?] Markus said.
[Yes. Based on our texts, we believe the tutorial will be over soon] the old woman said. [When it ends, you may be asked by the arbiters about our aid. We know we did not serve you completely to the best ability, but would like to know if there¡¯s anything we could provide with in your final hours here that would¡ improve that sentiment]
Oh. It¡¯s about that. They¡¯re asking us to put a good word in basically.
¡°Uh¡ wait what do you want us to do exactly?¡± Sierra asked.
[In return for gifts we would like a promise of good will. You speak well of us to the arbiters and we will give you what we can] Lady Avanessa said. [I know this may feel very forward, but it¡¯s an important matter. One that could mean everything to the future of my people. It doesn¡¯t look like it, but we¡¯re dying out. Our water reserves run lower and lower every year as the recycler relies on a magic we cannot comprehend or alter. So, while my life may not be affected, this is a matter of life and death for my people''s future. As their sovereign it''s my duty to ensure it.]
Caleb glanced around the rest of the room, frowning as he looked over the other¡¯s faces. Nobody said a word, all just as uncertain as each other.
[I can see there''s some uncertainty on this matter. We¡¯ll leave you to discuss amongst yourselves] Avanessa said. And with that she and Nessaiea stood, exiting the room quickly with all the other reverends.
The large wooden doors closed with a heavy thud and everyone stared at them for a moment before looking to each other.
[Uh¡ well that was a lot] Elena muttered.
¡°Tell me about it¡± Sierra said. ¡°They don¡¯t seem the best at informing us properly of things beforehand¡±
The room went silent for a second
¡°So, what do we do?¡± Ryan asked.
[Well, they¡¯ve been nice. If it¡¯s not hard to do then we can do it] Kana said.
¡°That¡¯s fair¡± Ryan said as Sierra nodded. Then he looked to the new trio. ¡°What do you guys think?¡±
[Don¡¯t care] Markus said, putting his feet up on the table as he glared at his brother.
[Uh¡sorry about him] Elena said. [We don¡¯t really know these people, so we¡¯ll leave any decision up to you. Right Jakob?]
[Sure] the other twin mumbled, solemn.
¡°Caleb?¡± Sierra said.
¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s weird. I don¡¯t know if they even understand what they¡¯re asking¡±
[What do you mean?] Kana asked.
¡°Well they haven¡¯t had anything to do with the arbiters for hundreds of years. What if they¡¯re misunderstanding something that was written by someone ages ago?¡± he said.
¡°That¡¯s a good point actually¡± Sierra said. ¡°If we say yes, we could end up promising something we can¡¯t give¡±
The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
¡°Well, they won¡¯t exactly know that¡± Ryan said. ¡°We could just say yeah, and give them hope there not all just going to fucking die in a hundred years or something. It seems better than telling them to fuck off because we''re uncertain about the whole thing¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s probably worse¡± Sierra said.
¡°What? How?¡± Ryan said back.
¡°It¡¯s just cruel. They could change their whole way of life based on our promise. I mean what if they start using their water recklessly because they think they¡¯re about to get magic?¡± Sierra said.
¡°¡ alright then. Jesus. I didn¡¯t think about that¡± Ryan mumbled back. The room went silent again.
[So, what do we do?] Kana asked.
¡°Probably just tell them we¡¯ve got no clue how any of this works¡± Caleb said.
¡°We have to give them more than just that" Sierra said. "I mean they¡¯re dying out. We can¡¯t just say sorry we don¡¯t understand this anymore than you do and then disappear into the aether. They¡¯re human beings, we have to at least try and help¡±
¡°Well¡¡± Caleb mumbled.
¡°Well? What¡¯d you mean well?¡± Sierra said, furrowing her brow, a note of anger in her voice.
¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I just¡ they¡¯re... they¡¯re different somehow. Not¡ people? No, human''s a better term. They¡¯re not human in the same way we are.¡±
¡°Uh¡ where the fuck is this coming from?¡± Sierra said, instantly stand-offish.
¡°I¡¯ve been watching them for a while, thinking about things here and there. The way they reacted to light, the way they react to sound, how it is they have trained soldiers dying but we¡¯re completely untrained and apart from the orc we were fine. I mean, even with the orc, it barely crushed my leg when it grabbed it, and it only managed to crush Kana¡¯s arm with practically all its strength, but these guys were getting liquefied easily.
"They¡¯re shorter on average, lighter too, they barely make a sound. You can tell if you watch the way Lady Avanessa moves, or the way the Reverends climbed the ladders. Plus, it seems like only the higher ups wash, but nobody here smells at all even though there¡¯s barely any ventilation. They¡¯re weaker than us physically too, I think. I mean when the twins were fighting, they couldn¡¯t even separate them, Ryan and Sierra had to do it. When they first captured us, I don¡¯t think they could even lift me. I¡¯m small and they had to drag me along¡± Caleb said.
Everyone stared at him in silence, mouths agape. ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know what any of it means and I¡¯m not saying we shouldn¡¯t help. But I think it¡¯s probably all in service of the tutorial. There¡¯s a lot of things like that here. The idea that they expect us to fight, how easy the weapons are to use, all the soldiers that can fight with us who¡¯re weaker and a kind of mentor who¡¯s stronger than us but not perfect, so still forces us to fight. And that¡¯s not even including the fact they have tech that healed our broken bones in less than a day.
"It¡¯s¡ I don¡¯t know¡ it¡¯s like too perfect, like their culture was custom made for the tutorial. Like the NPCs that help guide you through the tutorial for a videogame. I don¡¯t think the arbiters will just let them die.¡±
¡°Holy shit¡± Sierra mumbled.
¡°I- I could be wrong though¡± he muttered sheepishly.
¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like it. You¡¯ve given this a ton of thought man¡± Ryan said.
¡°N-no, I was just watching. I¡¯m probably wrong¡±
[I think he¡¯s right] Kana said, nodding.
¡°Wait a second guys-¡°
[I agree] Elena said. [I know I¡¯m new here, but it sounds like he¡¯s put a lot of thought into it]
¡°Wait. Stop, just forget what I said. I didn¡¯t say anything¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok Caleb, we¡¯re not going to just tell them no just because they¡¯ll probably be ok¡± Sierra said.
¡°Oh, thank god¡± he said, letting out a breath as he leant back in his chair.
¡°So¡ we say we¡¯ll see what we can do but no promises? Also, that they¡¯ll probably be ok?¡± Ryan said.
[That seems ok] Kana responded.
¡°What about what we want in return?¡± Ryan said. ¡°Maybe they have magic or something that they could give us?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think so. All the magic is in items and stuff. I don¡¯t think they can use any magic you see in the movies and stuff¡± Sierra said.
[So we ask for items?] Kana asked.
¡°If we can take them with us to the first phase then the sleeves would be pretty nice¡± Caleb said.
¡°So, just the sleeves then?¡± Sierra said.
¡°Maybe some food too. If we get caught in the middle of nowhere again I want to have something to eat¡± Ryan added. Sierra nodded, then looked around the table.
¡°Anything else?¡± she said. Nobody said anything. ¡°Ok then. I guess we let them back in¡±
They all turned to him and Caleb hesitated a moment, wondering if he should ask for more, then shrugged stood to open the doors. The reverends, Nessaiea and Lady Avanessa came back inside and took their spots around the room, and in their seats.
[So, you¡¯ve come to a decision] Nessaiea said, her smile slightly forced. The anxiety was practically written on her face.
¡°Yeah.¡± Sierra said. ¡°We don¡¯t exactly know if we¡¯ll be able to do what you¡¯re asking, but if we can, we¡¯ll make sure we do. But there¡¯s a few conditions¡±
[What conditions?] Avanessa asked.
¡°We get to keep the weapon sleeves and we get some food to take with us¡±
[Is that all?] Nessaiea said.
¡°Uh¡ yeah¡±
[We can arrange that] Lady Avanessa said smiling uncharacteristically. [Thank you for your benevolence. Really. It¡¯ll be appreciated for generations to come]
[Now, let¡¯s get you everything you need. Then you can join us in the halls. It¡¯s time to celebrate] Nessaiea said clapping her hands together.
Chapter Twelve - Connections
The Endagon knew how to celebrate. That should¡¯ve been clear from the music he¡¯d heard on their first day there, and the decorations they¡¯d seen when they¡¯d first come to the village. But seeing the halls as the Endagon celebrated, being in the same room with the musicians, and feeling the excitement from everyone else was a completely different experience.
He¡¯d been at one or two big parties before and they¡¯d always been chaotic and noisy. And while this was even nosier and more chaotic than the others, it was a totally different vibe.
It felt fun. The kind of fun you saw extras having in music videos with parties in them. But it was real, happening right in front of him.
It was almost enough to wipe away the anxiety he felt, knowing the timer till the end of the tutorial was ticking.
¡°Tutorial check¡± he whispered to himself.
[Tutorial objective: Survive]
[Time left: 0 hrs 12 mins 26 secs]
He double checked the weight within in the back of his mind, feeling the power of magic within the sleeves he wore.
He let out another breath and felt at the folds of his clothes, then glanced to the others at his feet. The twins Markus and Jakob sat either side of him, along with the bags they''d been given of their now washed clothes.
He looked back to the crowd, spotting Ryan, Kana and Elena dancing with the others in the hall, both with carapace necklaces wrapped around their necks.
Meanwhile Sierra spoke to Lady Avanessa at the front of the hall, all smiles.
He bit his lip and tapped his foot against the ground looking around. The atmosphere was brilliant, but he still couldn¡¯t rid himself of the sinking feeling within his gut. That swirling of doubt and uneasiness. He rubbed his sweat stained palms against the silk of his baggy trousers, feeling the slight tremor within his hands.
He didn¡¯t know how the others could be so calm, couldn¡¯t understand how they weren¡¯t completely freaking out. Or maybe they were, maybe they were choosing to enjoy this small bit of happiness they''d been given, because worrying about what was to come wouldn¡¯t change their future. He didn¡¯t know. And even if he did, he doubted it¡¯d bring any comfort, or still his unrest.
This anxiety wasn''t anything new. He¡¯d always been someone who worried about things. It¡¯s why he¡¯d been so surprised at the lack of fear at his cancer diagnosis. Or maybe it wasn¡¯t surprising at all. Maybe the lack of uncertainty, the unchanging nature of what would happen to him resigned all the horrible emotions to just disappointment.
But then why was he so worried now?
Because now, maybe, just maybe¡ there¡¯s a chance.
He clenched his fists again, his breathing growing slightly heavier.
[What the fuck are you looking at?] Markus sneered at his brother, interrupting Caleb¡¯s thoughts. Jakob quickly turned away, looking to the floor with slightly wet eyes.
Markus continued glaring at him regardless, as Caleb glanced between the two. The twins¡¯ atmosphere was in complete contrast to everything around them. The pure hate Markus kept spewing at his brother was just depressing to watch. Caleb wanted to say something, but didn''t know if he could handle Markus'' ire.
Suddenly a loud clanging came from within the chamber. Caleb¡¯s eyes darted up with panic only to spot Lady Avanessa, swords raised as she clanged them together again, looking out over the crowd. The music died and the crowd steadily grew silent, the loud chatter replaced by only curious murmurs.
The lady let her swords fall to her sides, disappearing as she clasped her hands together the markings within her soft leather sleeves and the topaz stone in her forehead flickering with that golden orange light.
[Hail all!] she cried.
[All hail!] all the Endagon said, the cry reverberating through the chamber.
Caleb glanced around the room, seeing the expressions of the people throughout the room. He hadn¡¯t been entirely unaware of it, but now he could definitely see it, the almost reverent respect they held for their leader. He looked back to her as she regarded the room with a satisfied smile.
[Today marks a brilliant day in our people¡¯s history. No longer are we left helpless, lying in wait for our descendants to die of thirst. While nothing has happened yet, whilst nothing is promised, we have hope. And that is thanks to the chosen, whose presence graces us even now.]
She looked around the room to each of them, her gaze filled with respect. Finally, her eyes stopped on Caleb¡¯s, and a hint of sadness tinged her face as she smiled at him. He offered a smile back and Avanessa nodded. [Even if you¡¯re unable to provide a gift from the arbiters, you have given us more than you could ever imagine. I¡¯m glad you were here and wish you luck on future endeavours].
There was a moment of silence as Caleb stared back at the Lady, surprised by the sincerity in her words. Then she turned to everyone else the sadness vanishing from her expression as she grinned.
[Here, here!] she roared raising a fist.
[Here, here!] everyone shouted in unison. Caleb looked to the crowd, watching as they all cheered loudly, the music resuming. He felt a mixture of emotions at the sight, a surprising amount of gratefulness and pride. These people were happy, in part because of him. He''d saved them in a way. Realising that eased him somewhat.
He smiled slightly to himself and looked out to the crowd. His smiled faded, replaced by a slight frown as he watched the others all start to make their way through the crowds towards the front. He looked back to the podium and spotted that the Lady had stepped down and was gesturing for him to make his way over.
¡°Guys? I think we have to go¡± he said to the twins. They glanced to him and then to Avanessa. Markus hopped up without a word and Jakob followed behind quickly. Caleb simply shrugged and picked up the bag of clothes, then made his way through the crowd as the others all joined him.
Avanessa continued gesturing for them to follow before stepping out the room. They followed her out into the large hallway and then across to a large door where Nessaiea stood waiting with a few of the reverends. They stood, holding full backpacks made of a similar material as the sleeves.
The offerings, he thought.
Avanessa turned to them and smiled warmly, gesturing for the Reverends to hand them out.
[We¡¯ve prepared food and extra armament sleeves] she said as the Reverends stepped forward, giving everyone a bag.
[We hope the offering is sufficient] Nessaiea added.
¡°It¡¯s great¡± Sierra said, glancing into her bag. ¡°There¡¯s a ton of fruit and stuff in here. Thank you.¡±
[The pleasure¡¯s ours] Avanessa responded. [Now¡ I guess this is farewell. We¡¯ll leave you be]
[Leave us be?] Elena asked confused.
[The room to your left is for you. We usually allow those who partake in rituals such as this, to be left alone during the time of them.] Nessaiea said.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
[Oh, w-]
Without a word Markus barged the door open and stomped into the room, interrupting Elena. Jakob spared an awkward glance at everyone else and then followed silently.
[S-sorry.] Elena said, before offering a polite smile to Avanessa, Nessaiea and the Reverends. [And thanks for rescuing us]
She quickly followed into the room as mutters of bickering between the brothers slipped through the ajar door.
¡°Thanks. It was a bit mental but¡ yeah it was really mental. But we¡¯re all ok. So... uh... thanks¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah, we¡¯re seriously grateful¡± Caleb said.
¡°Hopefully one day you guys get your water. Maybe even as soon as we¡¯re gone¡± Sierra said. The reverends all chuckled slightly and Sierra gave them all a final nod, Ryan following behind with a thumbs up.
[Thank you for having us] Kana said with a polite bow, before slipping inside. Caleb nodded and then made to follow her through before pausing, halfway through the doorway. He turned back to see the reverends, the seer and their leader, had already started back towards the party.
¡°L-lady Avanessa¡± he called out. She paused, glancing back at him.
¡°Thank you¡ for the runes and stuff.¡± he said.
[Wear them well] she said, offering a smile. He nodded, a finality in the action, then stepped into the room closing the door softly behind himself. The others all looked to him and then amongst themselves and atmosphere of anxiety starting to seep into the room.
[T-tutorial check] Jakob muttered. His eyes widened slightly, and he gulped.
[How much time?] Elena asked.
[T-thirty seconds] he mumbled, his breaths shaky. Everyone stayed silent, a few sharing glances but most looking to the floor.
¡°We¡¯ve got this guys¡± Sierra said.
[Yeah, we¡¯ll be ok] Kana said. Caleb glanced to them and Ryan, and they all shared a nod.
[Tutorial Alert: Tutorial completed]
[Congratulations]
Before any of them could completely register the message, a portal appeared beneath the groups feet and they were all pulled into it. Caleb¡¯s heart dropped as he fell into nothingness, the others fading from view but their presence still clear in his mind.
A sudden wave of air rushed past him as his surroundings warped, transforming into a near endless sea of darkness dotted with sparks of golden yellow.
But then the presence of the others disappeared and so too did the golden sparks. The darkness remained in its entirety as the others completely faded away. Caleb tried to call out but he had no voice. Only the weight of the magic in his mind, and something more, something deeper.
What''s going on? Am I dead?
Then, within the darkness, more sparks of the golden yellow appeared. Like rain, the sparks flew forward toward him. He tried to pull away, to shield himself, but it was impossible. Then they struck him.
It was instant agony, the weight of it overbearing. But then as the pain grew and grew, a euphoria began to sprout from it. And from the twistedness, from the horror, came life. The weight of the magic in his mind changed.
It took on colour, texture, taste, smell, sound. It became a part of him, an innate part of him. A new aspect to his form, as integral a part of him as any other.
[Complete mana connection formed]
As soon as the feeling settled in, the darkness around him too colour and shape.
Stars glittered all around him and he felt himself in his metaphysical entirety, his body shining brightly with golden yellow light. He could see something within himself, a root of a different power. Something beyond the magic. As he looked at it, it grew spreading throughout him, weaving itself into his essence. Then it grew hot and pain overwhelmed him again.
[Record unlocked]
He felt it now a connection to something beyond, higher, within the stars that surrounded him.
The arbiters.
[Congratulations on your completion of the tutorial]
[Now that you have received a record you must choose a name]
Uh... Caleb. Caleb Martin Souza
[Name confirmed]
[Now that you have received a record you must select a primary skill]
[Alert: This is a life changing decision. Please take careful time to consider which skill you select as once confirmed a skill cannot be changed]
[Would you like to select a primary skill now?]
No way.
[Selection suspended]
[Alert: If you do not select a primary skill within the first phase of the trial, you will have one automatically selected for you based on synchronicity]
[Alert: If you have any questions regarding how your record operates, please find the necessary information located within your record]
That seems¡ stupid.
[Please wait while we analyse tutorial data]
[Pending]
[Pending]
[You have placed within the 2nd tier of 20]
[Congratulations on your performance]
[Based on your performance you have received the title: Mindful Watcher]
[Based on your efforts and innate capability you have received 2 free stat points]
[You were located in the southern Endagon caves for the majority of the tutorial. How was your experience with this group?]
The people, Endagon were good. 10/10. Well, 8/10, they were nice at the end but a bit stand-offish at first. But no, 10/10 really. They probably deserve magic, so they don¡¯t die out in twenty generations or so. That seems like a bit much. Plus, nice fruit. Weird, but nice.
[We¡¯re glad to hear your feedback]
[You will now be sent to your first phase on R67-C12-D]
[Good luck and use your record wisely]
Suddenly the lights around him winked out, and he felt the weight of his physical body return to him. He cried out as the feeling of falling returned and then heard the sound of the others shouting too.
Light opened up beneath them and they all cried out before hitting the ground.
Caleb opened his eyes and found his cheek pressed against the wet bark of a tree. The sound of rain beating against the floor echoed around him and thunder boomed in the distance. He pulled himself away from the tree and looked around.
He was in a rainforest, the sky above almost black with storm clouds. Sierra, Ryan and Kana had been dumped down next to him, and Elena lay a few feet away with the twins.
But beyond them were more people. Another group of four teens all dressed in strange, dark winter clothes, and a single girl, still in her regular clothes drenched in blood and a sword in hand. Before he could say anything, a huge screen appeared in front of his face.
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 0
Title: Mindful Watcher
-
Primary skill ¨C N/A
-
Speed ¨C 0.18
Strength ¨C 0.15
Stamina ¨C 2.02
Constitution ¨C 0.63
Mana - 2
Finesse ¨C 1.12
-
Free stat points: 2
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 5.]
He stared at it wide eyed as the rain continued to poor down on him and the others.
¡°Woah¡±
Chapter Thirteen - A Whole New World
¡°Holy shit¡± Sierra said coughing hard. ¡°Did you guys just¡ wait, what the fuck is this?¡±
¡°You¡¯re seeing it too?¡± Ryan said, as he stood, staring out in front of him.
[It¡¯s our record] Kana mumbled. [It¡¯s real magic]
¡°It¡¯s like a videogame¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah" Caleb muttered, as he stood. "I didn¡¯t think the record would be like this¡±
Caleb body felt strange as he slowly looked down at his hands.
He felt different. More alive somehow. His body felt whole in a way it hadn''t just moments ago, like he''d become part of something bigger than himself. No, not just like. He had.
Yes. He could still feel it, remember it. The sensation of the stars all around him, of the new sense of self that the experience had brought. He clenched and unclenched his hands slowly as he felt the flickering power within and around himself.
What the hell was that?
He looked to the others, Elena and the twins making their way over to them as the other group of four banded together. The girl in the blood-soaked jeans and hoodie simply looked around at the rainforest, her gaze distant almost passing everything. He watched her for a few seconds, the sight of blood and viscera being washed away by the rain bringing him back to reality.
With a shake of the head, the strange distance between him and reality faded, his mind focusing. He looked over the others again, his brain kicking into gear. There were twelve of them total in the clearing. Two groups and the girl on her own.
They must''ve all come from different places. There was no way to know what kind of environment the girl covered in blood had come from, but the winter clothing definitely wouldn''t be found in a desert. Maybe they''d come from the same planet, just different locations. But then why''d they been grouped together?
Maybe that tiering system thing? Does that mean everyone here is in the top 10% out of everyone in the tutorial, Caleb thought. But for what exactly? Killing?
He glanced to Elena and the twins, then to the girl with the blood stained sword. He wasn¡¯t completely sure whether the ranking was individual or team based, though he was leaning closer to team based. That made sense actually. In sending them here altogether, it seemed whatever organised things prioritised keeping the groups together.
Plus, for some reason, they also all seemed to be around the same age.
Interesting.
Maybe it balanced the groups out based on tiering? Big maybe. It could be based purely on location, getting people to experience different biomes. There wasn''t really a way to know.
He looked around again, his heart sinking slightly as he was only met with more and more rainforest. The air was hot and humid, even the rain was warm against his skin. He stepped forwards, his lighter shoes slipping slightly in the wet mud.
Three months here? he thought. God, this is going to be a nightmare.
[What now?] Kana asked.
¡°We talk to the others?¡± Ryan asked. They all looked over to the new people. The girl in jeans still stood in the rain, eyes closed as she let it wash over her, but the other group all stood under a tree which shieled them from the rain. They¡¯d taken off their hoods and looked back at them wearily.
¡°They look suspicious of us already¡± Caleb mumbled.
"Well then let¡¯s go break the ice. I mean, we¡¯re in this together, right?" Sierra said, starting forwards. The rest of them trailed behind her as they made their way over to the over group, stepping underneath the canopy and out of the rain.
This new group was made up of three guys and one girl, all in winter clothes, with varying looks on their faces. But they all shared a similar hardiness, as if prepared for the worst as they watched the group of seven near them.
"Hi. I¡¯m Sierra" Sierra said, stepping forward. One of the guys, one with dreadlocks and darker skin stepped forward too.
¡°Michael¡± he said, in a British accent. ¡°This is David, Mario, and Layla¡±
The others all gave small nods of acknowledgement.
"This is Kana, Ryan, Caleb, Elena, Jakob and Markus" Sierra said. They all gave their own nods of acknowledgement.
[We¡¯re all of you together in the tutorial?] Mario said, looking over their similarly styled silk clothes.
¡°These three showed up a bit later, but yeah¡± Sierra said.
¡°Where exactly did you guys come from?¡± Layla said, in a midwestern accent. ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t exactly looked dressed for winter¡±
¡°We were in a desert. Serious heat¡± Ryan said.
¡°The middle of the desert?¡±
¡°Yes and no. There was like an underground cave thing with these desert people. It was pretty cool¡± Ryan said. ¡°What about you guys?¡±
¡°We were stuck on this mountain. There were a bunch of tribes and monsters trying to kill us, so we just hid in a cave¡± Michael said, shaking his head.
¡°You just¡ hid in a cave?¡± Caleb said confused.
¡°Well, we had to fight a few people and run from some monsters, but yeah. We took some food and some clothes and just waited it out. It was only a day and a half, but things got tough in the last five hours. We only made it cause of this guy¡± Michael said, slapping David on the shoulder.
¡°You didn¡¯t try to talk to any of the tribes?¡±
¡°None of them could even speak properly. They just hurled spears and shit at us. It was crazy¡±
Caleb frowned, watching as his well-constructed mental image of his current circumstance collapsed.
They hadn¡¯t had a welcoming place for them at all? Maybe they just hadn¡¯t found it? But then why would the arbiters have dropped them off there? It seemed like he could¡¯ve been missing something, but it didn¡¯t feel that way.
Suddenly there was another loud and a lot closer clap of thunder and a large group of birds flew away from the sound. Caleb frowned as he watched them, before they disappeared beyond the trees. Then he looked to the rest of the clearing, the girl with the sword gone.
That¡¯s not good. Did she just leave?
He looked back to the group, looking to see if anyone had noticed. No one said anything, everyone standing in silence awkwardly waiting for someone to say something.
¡°So, what now?¡± Ryan said.
¡°No clue. We¡¯re just as confused as you¡± Michael said.
Caleb looked behind him and saw that the girl with the glowing sword was nowhere to be found. The uneasiness in the pit of his stomach grew and he looked to the others.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°I think we should go¡± he said.
¡°What? To where exactly?¡± Michael asked.
¡°Somewhere not here. The storm¡¯s getting closer to here and the other girl already left without us¡± he said. The others all glanced back to see the blood drenched girl had vanished.
¡°What the hell?¡±
[Alright, let¡¯s go] David said. [We should look for a river and follow it to see if we can find people. If not we set up camp as close as we can to the source before nightfall]
¡°Big man David. Look at you already coming up with plans¡± Michael grinned as he slapped him on the back.
¡°But what if we find monsters?¡± Layla said, her voice slightly shaky.
[These four are good fighters] Elena said suddenly, pointing to them. [We saw them work well together]
¡°You guys are fighters?¡±
¡°Not exactly¡± Caleb said as Ryan summoned his sword whilst grinning. Everyone in the second teams¡¯ eyes widened and they stepped back instantly.
¡°Don¡¯t just summon the sword you idiot¡± Sierra said shooting a glare at Ryan.
¡°S-sorry¡± he said, letting it disappear as he put up his hands. The other group seemed to calm down slightly, though still looked incredibly spooked.
[Sorry about that] Kana said, laughing awkwardly.
¡°Was that magic?!¡± Michael said wide eyed.
¡°Yes and no¡± Caleb said. ¡°It¡¯s an artifact. It¡¯s made with magic to do that somehow¡±
¡°And he just has that?¡± Layla said.
[We all have them] Markus said, his tone less than friendly as he glared daggers at his brother.
Really? Caleb thought. He¡¯s not even doing anything.
¡°And you guys can fight?¡± Michael said.
¡°We barely know what we¡¯re doing, but yeah we did fight a few monsters¡±
[You fought the monsters?] Mario said wide eyed.
¡°We had to¡± Ryan said.
¡°Had to?¡± Michael said.
¡°Yeah it¡¯s-¡±
¡°Guys? Sorry to interrupt, but I really think we should get moving¡± Caleb said, glancing to the sky as the rain grew heavier. ¡°We can talk and walk, right?¡±
[He¡¯s right. The wind¡¯s picking up] David said. [Let¡¯s go]
The others all nodded and then they looked around and started through the clearing.
Caleb peered up at the almost black clouds, shielding his face from the rain before stifling a small cough. The storm above them was big, powerful in a way that made him uncomfortable. He hoped they weren''t stuck here for the three months. He sighed and looked down at the ground, as he continued walking with the rest.
They walked in silence for a bit the atmosphere slightly tense, before Michael spoke again.
¡°So, what do you mean you guys had to fight?¡± he said.
¡°Uh¡ the people we met, Endagon I think, they had this whole like religious thing" Sierra said. "Told us we had to fight our we¡¯d get kicked out into the desert¡±
[So you just fought the monsters?] Mario said. [Wouldn¡¯t it have been easier to leave?]
¡°No way man. We walked through the desert heat for like twenty minutes and nearly died¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah. And they fought alongside us. It was scary, but definitely easier¡± Caleb said.
[Hear that Jakob?] Markus snarled.
[Markus stop] Elena said. The group went quiet for a second everyone glancing to the twins as they looked around awkwardly.
¡°Uh... so¡¡± Michael said. ¡°¡ what do you guys make of all this?¡±
¡°It¡¯s bullshit¡± Sierra said.
[Yeah] Mario said. [We just got snatched away for no reason and thrust into this]
¡°Yeah, this whole mess with the arbiters is just¡¡± Ryan sighed and threw up his hands annoyed.
¡°Arbiters?¡± Layla asked.
[The things that sent us here] Kana said.
[You know what sent us here?] David said turning to them.
¡°Yeah. The Endagon told us¡± Caleb said.
¡°So, these people were fighting with you and explaining everything?¡± Michael said. ¡°How the hell did we get so unlucky we got stuck in a cave?¡±
[How did they even know what was going on?] Mario asked.
¡°They had some ancient texts and even this old holy woman who¡¯d studied them for years. They were calling us deities and stuff, had a whole mini religion that made them revere us in a weird way¡± Sierra said.
¡°A religion?!¡± Layla said, wide eyed. ¡°They called you¡ deities?¡±
¡°Yeah. It was weird. I don¡¯t think they thought we were gods but people like us, chosen was the other word they used. But yeah, we were to be respected in their culture. Caleb thinks they were put there by the arbiters. Made for us like side-characters in a videogame¡±
¡°I was wrong¡± Caleb said, quickly as the others all turned to look at him. ¡°From the sounds of it you didn¡¯t have anything like that¡±
[Well, the records have stats and skills like a videogame] Mario said. [Maybe there was a group like that for us in the tutorial and we just missed it]
[The situations already crazy enough. It¡¯s plausible] David said.
¡°Seriously?¡± Michael said looking around. ¡°You guys think this is like¡ a videogame?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not exactly-¡± Caleb started.
[I mean have you looked at the record?] Mario interrupted. [It¡¯s quantifying our speed and strength and other stats, and it offers a skill and stat points.]
[I saw it right at the start, but it disappeared. How are you still looking at it?] Kana said.
[I¡¯m not I was just s-]
[I am. Just think about it hard enough] David said.
Caleb paused for a second and tried to remember the feeling of the record, of the heat that¡¯d emanated from the root of magic within him as he¡¯d fallen through the stars. He felt it easily and a slight heat twisted in his mind as a screen appeared in front of him.
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 0
Title: Mindful Watcher
-
Primary skill ¨C N/A
-
Speed ¨C 0.18
Strength ¨C 0.15
Stamina ¨C 2.02
Constitution ¨C 0.63
Mana - 2
Finesse ¨C 1.12
-
Free stat points: 2
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 5.]
¡°Oh. It¡¯s pretty easy¡± Caleb mumbled.
¡°Yeah. Wow. But these stats seem¡ kind of low¡± Ryan said. ¡°I mean only point twenty one in speed? What is this even relative to?¡±
Caleb frowned, looking to Ryan. Ryan was much faster than him, Caleb had seen that clearly in the desert. But to only be point zero three above him in whatever metric it was the record measured their stats? That couldn''t be right. His eyes flickered to the two free stat points, then back to his stats, hovering over constitution.
This might just be that better magic.
[Has anyone picked a primary skill?] David asked, looking around.
¡°No. I was way too overwhelmed by all the stars and shit¡± Ryan said. There were mutters of assent from everyone, most in the same position.
[Should we pick out skills?] Elena said. [I mean its magic right? It seems like it could be important. Help keep us alive]
¡°I don¡¯t know man, it seems kind of¡ spooky, all this magic stuff. Cool but spooky¡± Michael said.
[It don¡¯t care if it¡¯s spooky if it keeps us alive] Mario said.
[Yeah well don¡¯t pick a skill just yet] David said. [We¡¯ve got no idea what that could do to you, and you could wind up taking a bad one. These¡ arbiters have made it pretty clear that you only get the one]
¡°What about the stat points then?¡± Ryan said.
[I don¡¯t know. We can¡¯t do anything with them yet, so I say we just leave it as well] David said.
¡°Leave it till when, though?¡± Michael said. ¡°I mean if something attacks us out of the-¡±
¡°Hold up a sec ¡± Ryan said loudly. The group all paused turning to him. There were a few seconds of silence as Ryan looked around.
¡°What? You hear something?¡± Caleb said, suddenly on edge.
¡°Yeah. Do you hear that?¡± he said.
¡°No?¡± Sierra said. A small grin formed on his lips.
¡°This way¡± he said starting through the forest.
¡°Ryan wait¡± Sierra said. But it was too late, the boy already making his way out of the clearing and toward the trees. Sierra cursed then followed, Caleb and Kana trailing behind her. The others all looked between themselves, then followed into the trees too.
They made their way through the thicket of bushes, leaves and trees before emerging into a dry area, the canopy of leaves above. A wide river of water washed through the centre of the canopy, and the others came to a stop at it¡¯s edge.
¡°Looks like we don¡¯t need to use our water reserves yet¡± Ryan said grinning.
¡°You guys have water reserves?¡± Michael said.
¡°Yeah. But mainly we¡¯ve got a ton of food¡± Sierra said.
[Welcome to the First phase]
[Objective One: Survive for 5 hours]
[Reward: Progression to Objective Two]
The whole group froze, in their tracks as they stared up at the message.
¡°Oh, you¡¯ve got to be fucking kidding me¡±
Chapter Fourteen - Just some trees... and a little fire
[Welcome to the First phase]
[Objective One: Survive for 5 hours]
[Reward: Progression to Objective Two]
Caleb stared at the message, his expression grim.
¡°What do we do?¡± Sierra said.
[It¡¯s the same as the tutorial right? Just less time] Kana said. [So maybe there''s somewhere safe around here]
[And if there¡¯s not?] David said. A grim silence descended on the group. [I know you can fight and all, but you had help. If something attacks us, we won¡¯t be able to help you. We don¡¯t even have weapons. We should look, but be prepared to make our own safe space]
¡°He¡¯s right¡± Michael said. ¡°Maybe the videogame stuff''s right, but it¡¯s better to play it safe. It¡¯s only five hours and then maybe something else that¡¯s quick and we get to go home¡±
¡°No¡± Caleb said. Everyone turned to him, a few with raised eyebrows. ¡°Not to the shelter or safe space. To going home.¡±
[What do you mean?] David asked.
¡°There''s not an easy way to say this, but... we''ll probably be here around three months¡±
¡°What?!¡± Michael said loudly.
¡°D-did the people from the tutorial tell you that?¡± Layla said.
¡°No, no. It was the arbiter thing before the tutorial¡±
[What arbiter thing?]
"The screen before we teleported into the tutorial. I asked it questions and it told me"
¡°Three months" Michael said wide eyed. "And you''re sure?¡±
¡°Yeah. It said the average time is three months.¡±
[Average?! We could be here longer?] David said.
¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe¡± Caleb said. His already sweaty palms grew sweatier, and his heart sunk as he watched the faces of everyone around him fall.
He¡¯d killed the mood, along with any small hope they''d been holding onto. And he''d done it at probably the worst possible time. He clenched his fist in frustration, digging his nails into the skin of his palm.
You idiot
[Ok. We can talk about this later, but right now we need to move. If this is like the tutorial, then we need to find somewhere before we get attacked] David said. His words seemed to pull the teens from their stupor, and they all nodded.
¡°Alright. The plan is, we go find a village was downstream?¡± Sierra said.
[Yeah] David replied. [Well look for an hour, and if we don¡¯t find anything we¡¯ll set up camp. If we find somewhere really good along the way we can camp out anyway. Is that good?]
¡°Sounds perfect¡± Michael said.
"Ok. Let''s go" Sierra nodded. Together everyone began making their way forwards. As they did, Caleb stepped into a walk beside Ryan, looking to the floor with a forlorn expression.
Three months, he thought. Three whole months.
It''d felt bad before, but now that the weight of that time in a place like this was really starting to sink in, he was starting to feel hopeless.
Constantly worrying about survival from monstrous creatures whilst his own lungs steadily killed him from the inside out didn''t exactly seem like the best way to go. And sure, he had the magic of the record now, but there was no guarantee he''d be able to use it to cure himself. He clenched his trembling hands tightly, digging his nails deep into the skin of his palms.
Almost involuntarily, a small part of his mind began to wonder if maybe, just maybe it would''ve been better to die in the tutorial.
No, he thought. Now you''re just being stupid.
Ryan glanced to his friend, noticing the distant look in his eyes and his trembling hands.
¡°Caleb?¡± Ryan said tapping on the shoulder.
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°You ok?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb replied. "I''m fine"
-
The group had been walking for a while, and the storm hadn¡¯t let up. It sounded much more distant now they were underneath the canopy of leaves, the constant patter creating a hum lower than the steady rush of the river. But it was still definitely there.
A teetering hum, marked by the occasional rumble of thunder. It had been unsettling, at first, but now the deep bass of far away thunder penetrating even through the canopy was almost soothing. Almost.
Caleb trudged through thick undergrowth and relatively dry mud, following the path Sierra had cut through the plant life from ahead. The others spoke amongst themselves, a mixture of chatter, those ahead quiet, and those louder, more jovial, from the group behind him.
Ryan and Caleb had talked, but Ryan¡¯s constant jumping at the thunder and distant sounds Caleb couldn¡¯t hear had killed any light heartedness their conversation had.
So, Caleb just observed. It came to him naturally, his thoughts drawn to his surroundings.
He spared another glance around at jungle. The trees were recognisable but different, a strange mix of the familiar and the unknown. They were a bit taller too, at least they seemed that way. He hadn''t exactly been in the heart of a rainforest before.
Still, and he didn¡¯t know what exactly it was, but even with the threat of monsters, the relative silence underneath this canopy made him uneasy. Maybe it was just the fact the rainforest served as a reminder for the fact he was on a different planet.
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His surroundings looked like a rainforest, but was devoid of all it''s usual noises except that of the rain. No chirping cicadas, not the tweets of distant birds, nothing. Just the river, and the storm. It was uncanny.
He shook his head, trying to dispel the uneasiness, but it remained. He''d just have to live with it.
He looked to the river again, staring at some of the small boulders on the bank. He looked at each one as they passed by, wondering how long they¡¯d been there untouched, unseen. Then he frowned. He looked around again, feeling his chest constrict slightly.
It¡¯s getting darker.
¡°First phase check¡± he whispered.
[First Phase Objective One: Survive for 5 hours]
[Time remaining: 4 hrs 2 mins 39 secs]
They were due to stop any time now. It was good, they¡¯d be able to set up camp and he¡¯d finally be spared the effort of exertion. His feet were starting to hurt and despite the runes covering his body, enhancing it, he was out of breath, his side throbbing dully. Not nearly as much he''d expected though. The runes really were something.
He frowned as he focused on the sensation of runes, not just on his skin, but on his mind. He focused on the sleeves too, feeling how different they felt. It was hard to make a comparison to a previous state of mind, but he knew they were different.
The feeling felt fuller now, less disconnected from him. He didn¡¯t even have to really focus on it to feel it. He recalled the way it¡¯d changed during the transition from the tutorial to first phase. He focused on the feeling and for a moment, closing his eyes as his mind strained.
Nothing happened for a moment, then he felt it push beyond himself. His eyes flew open as instantly the jungle around him took on an entirely different texture.
He stumbled slightly, whipping his head as he looked around at the others.
He could sense them in a new way. Could feel their magical weight in his mind, even without touching them. Layla¡¯s was the heaviest, then Michael¡¯s, Kana¡¯s, his own, Ryan¡¯s, and finally Sierra¡¯s. The others were all lighter, but harder to distinguish apart, all around the same level.
Still, everyone¡¯s weight was noticeably heavier than that of the plants and trees in the background around them.
¡°Caleb?¡± Ryan said, looking to him.
¡°Huh?"
"You alright?"
"Oh yeah, I¡¯m fine¡± Caleb said,
¡°You sure? Your eyes just got all wide¡± he said.
¡°Well I¡ uh¡ I think I just got a new sense¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Uh... how to explain" he muttered. "You know the feeling from the transition? When you lost our body, saw all those stars? You could feel... their weight?¡±
¡°Wait, you can do that?¡±
¡°I¡¯m doing it now¡±
¡°How?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know I just focused on it. It''s... I can feel everyone¡¯s magic presence or something. I don¡¯t know¡±
¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know. You¡¯re doing it right?¡±
¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to anymore. It¡¯s just happening¡±
¡°You said you just focused right?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°Let me try this¡±
Ryan furrowed his brow for a second, and held his breath. For a few moments he was silent, his face growing redder bit by bit. Caleb didn''t know whether to let him keep trying or stop him from embarrassing himself.
[Alright guys] David said. [Let¡¯s stop here]
¡°Finally¡± Layla said, slumping against a tree.
[We¡¯re not just resting, we¡¯re going to set up camp]
¡°Here? Isn¡¯t it a bit¡ open?¡±
[It is, but it¡¯s getting darker quick. At least here¡¯s shielded by the rain] David said. [Uh¡ we can set up spikes and stuff to protect us if you want? Sleep in shifts?]
¡°We¡¯ll sort that out after. Let¡¯s set up camp then¡± Michael said. ¡°Is here good with everyone?¡±
Everyone nodded, none with any better ideas.
[Ok¡ we¡¯ll clear the ground here. We can do that with your swords, then we can use the plants for the exterior and to cushion the ground and branches as the frame for the tents] David said.
¡°We have spare clothes¡± Ryan said. ¡°We can pull them apart, use them instead of plants for cushions¡±
[Perfect. Uhh¡ you guys cut down the plants and give us the clothes to pull apart]
Caleb and the others who¡¯d been in the desert pulled off their backpacks and handed them to Michael¡¯s group.
Then they took their swords and carefully cleared the planet in a large swathe. Then together everyone used the branches and sturdier stems to construct the frames. It was relatively fsst with all of them working together, and they quickly finished, draping the silks over the frames, then covering them with more plants.
[If we hide it behind some more leaves¡ perfect] David said stepping back. The four mini shelters they¡¯d made looked shoddy, but they¡¯d only be using them for a few hours. They¡¯d be fine.
[Now, it¡¯s time for food] Mario said.
¡°What about the spikes?¡± Caleb said.
¡°We probably won¡¯t need them¡± Layla said. ¡°I mean we haven¡¯t even seen any monsters yet¡±
¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯ll jinx us¡± Sierra said.
[We can decide later. I¡¯m hungry, let¡¯s eat] Mario said.
¡°Yeah, let¡¯s eat¡± Michael said rubbing his hands together. ¡°Make the spikes after¡±
The group all turned to the bags and pulled out a few wrapped pieces of food.
[Not too much, guys. We might need to ration] David said.
[It¡¯ll be fine.] Mario replied, unwrapping a piece of meat. He pulled away from it instantly holding his nose.
[Is it off?] Kana said worried.
[Does that smell good to you?] Mario said, holding it up to her. She instantly pulled away too, making a face. Ss the smell wafted closer to Caleb, he gagged, covering his mouth and nose. He looked to the others all of them stepping back from the meat.
Crap, did we get screwed?
Mario set the meat in it¡¯s wrap down, then tested another wrapped piece and turned away from it.
¡°Shit. We got swindled¡± Sierra cursed.
¡°T-try another bag¡± Ryan said. Mario pulled another slice of meat out of one of the bags and sniffed at it without even opening the packaging. He still pulled away.
¡°Is it all off?¡± Layla asked, panicked.
[Fuck] Mario swore. [Now we have no food. I can¡¯t sleep on an empty stomach]
[There¡¯s still the fruit right?] Elena said. Mario quickly searched the bag as David picked up the slabs of meat inspecting them.
[Yeah, there¡¯s still fruit, but it¡¯s all¡ weird] Mario said.
¡°It¡¯s fine though. Still something to eat¡± Michael said.
"Unless it''s poisonous" Ryan muttered. A few glanced to him, then back to Mario who stared at the weird purplish blue sphere.
[The cuts are fine] David spoke, sniffing the meat. [They smell strong because of the wrapping and because they¡¯re bone in cuts. If we cook them they should be fine to eat.]
¡°You sure?¡± Michael said.
[Yes]
[I¡¯m not eating any of that] Mario said.
¡°I¡¯m with him on this¡± Sierra said, still holding her nose.
¡°I¡¯m not saying I would eat any, but how would we even cook it?¡± Layla said.
[Did you not get matches?] David said looking to the others.
"Well, the Endagon weren¡¯t exactly starved of ways to start fire" Ryan muttered.
[Then we can just eat the fruit for now] David said.
[Wait] Mario said. [We have the skills. Maybe there is magic that lets you create fire]
Everyone went silent, their eyes widening.
[W-what? It was just an idea] Mario responded.
¡°No, it¡¯s a good idea¡± Michael said. ¡°I¡¯ll check¡±
The others all looked to each other again, uncertain, then back to Michael who stared into the space in front of him wide eyed.
¡°Michael? You ok?¡± Layla asked.
¡°Yeah, I just¡ holy shit there are a lot of skills¡± he mumbled.
¡°How many?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t¡ oh¡ twelve billion¡±
¡°W-what?!¡±
¡°I- yeah. They¡¯ve all got crazy names. You can definitely get a fire power¡± Michael said. ¡°There¡¯s like¡ hundreds of thousands. Oh. There''s fifty seven million, seven hundred and forty nine thousand, five hundred and ninety two.¡±
There was a moment of silence as they all stared at him, befuddled.
[So... you want to get one?] David said, looking to him.
¡°I mean, we need the fire now, don''t we? Or at least we will eventually. We¡¯re going to be here for three months after all¡±
[But are you ok with it? It¡¯s permanent]
¡°Uh¡ I don¡¯t see why not?¡± Michael said. ¡°I mean ¡®Beholder of Azalon¡¯s breath¡¯? That shit just sounds cool¡±
¡°What kind of skill is that?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. The descriptions are kind of vague. It just says you become one of the beholder¡¯s of Azalon¡¯s breath and gain access to the dimension of fire, flame and fury¡±
[Dimension of fire?!]
¡°Yeah¡± Michael said. Suddenly his smile brightened, his expression shifting from awed, to slightly nervous. ¡°I¡ I took it.¡±
[What? Seriously?]
¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t feel any diff¡¡± Michael trailed off, blinking as his movements slowed. Suddenly Caleb¡¯s perception of the mana around them shifted, as Michael¡¯s weight suddenly grew, changing. It warped slightly, then he felt it''s intensity grow, a heat emanating from it''s core. He stared wide eyed at the other boy who remained still, physically unchanged.
[Michael?]
He looked up at the rest of them, took a breath and then looked down at his hands.
[You alright man?] Mario said.
¡°¡holy shit¡± he muttered. Then suddenly blue flames leapt up from both his hands, crackling as they illuminated the space. Everyone jumped backwards but Michael just laughed, then stumbled and the flames vanished as he fell to a knee. All his teammates rushed forwards and stopped him from falling to the group as he blinked surprised, then he looked up at them and smiled.
¡°Now we¡¯ve definitely got fire¡±
Chapter Fifteen - Mystery Meat
[Infinite Vitality]
[Soul Strength]
[Power of the Heart]
[New Osslinder Purity]
[Devian¡¯s Constitution]
[Alysisus Natural Cell Reform]
[Purities Final Embrace]
[Hands of Vitality]
[Bearer of the Divine Soul]
[Healing Soul]
Caleb scrolled through the list of skills, reading over them one by one. Whenever a new idea for a power came to him, the list shifted in tandem with his thoughts. His eyes flew over the words, barely reading over their names and descriptions before moving to the next.
¡°It¡¯s incredible¡± he whispered to himself.
[You still looking at the skills?] Kana said, glancing to him. He nodded, almost imperceptibly, his focus still fixed on the wall of text scrolling past his vision.
They sat with the others around a fire pit, a bundle of wood burning with soft blue flames, against the stone like ground by the river. The others all joked and laughed to each other as they ate the fruit, the meat cooking over the fire, it¡¯s smell mostly gone. Their was an air of calm and security surrounding them now. Likely because of the skills.
[Caleb?] Kana said.
¡°Hm?"
[You okay? You seem out of it]
"Oh sorry. I''m fine. I just... I mean there¡¯s just so many. You couldn¡¯t even get through all of them in a single lifetime. Probably. With some of the skills you might be able to give it a shot¡±
[Have you found one you like?]
¡°Not exactly¡ but a few are eye catching¡± he muttered. ¡°You found any?¡±
[A few. I¡¯ve narrowed it down to two]
¡°Which ones?¡±
[Protective energy, and Healing presence]
Caleb frowned, looking back to his record.
[Protective energy]
[User gains the ability to manifest energies that amplify regenerative capability and ambient mana]
[Healing presence]
[Users presence becomes regenerative to all chosen organisms within a certain radius]
¡°Healing powers? That¡¯s¡on brand actually¡± Caleb said, smiling at her. She smiled back, then looked to the fire, her smile remaining.
[With healing I¡¯ll be able to fight in my own way] she said. Caleb watched her for a bit, then looked to the fire nodding.
¡°You¡¯ll be a great healer¡± he said. Kana''s smile brightened as she continued to stare into the flames.
Caleb continued looking at the fire, then his record appeared again, scrolling over the skills as new ideas came to him. It absorbed his attention again completely, drawing him into the world of the skills, and descriptions. All the promising ones were all so vague.
There''s got to be something here somewhere.
"Hey, uh... Caleb. I''ve been meaning to ask, but what''s with all the tattoos?" Michael said, looking over to Caleb. Caleb paused, mildly surprised, then let the screen in front of him fade, his vision falling to everyone else. It shouldn''t have been that surprising that someone would ask about it. He probably should''ve expected it.
"Uh... it was just part of a healing ritual the people we were with did" he said.
[Wait, you got hurt?] Mario asked.
"Yeah. It wasn''t anything serious though"
"Well..." Ryan mumbled.
[Well?] David said, looking between the two.
"Your leg got broken. And Kana''s arm I wouldn''t exactly call that nothing serious" Ryan said. Caleb stared at Ryan for a moment, frowning, then looked back to the fire. He''d been trying to downplay their injuries, but maybe that wasn''t fair to the other four.
[Holy shit] Mario said.
"So are you guys actually good fighters or not?" Layla asked. There was a beat of silence, and Caleb watched as the others sense of security slowly faded.
"We were fine against groups of things close to us in strength, but if we face an orc again we''d lose nine times out of ten" Sierra said. "The skills will make up for that though. You won''t be as helpless as you think"
The others relaxed slightly at Sierra''s words, though some of the nervous tension remained.
[Ah, I can''t get stressed about all this stuff on an empty stomach. It''s not good for my health.] Mario mumbled. [Is the food ready?]
The others looked to it, watching as the sword cut strips sizzled over the fire. Then David got up, and stepped towards the meat.
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"Uh, David?" Layla said.
[What?]
¡°You¡¯re seriously gonna try it?¡±
[The smell¡¯s gone. It¡¯ll be fine] David said, as he carefully pulled a strip of meat off the makeshift tray.
Everyone watched with bated breath as he stared at it, frowning. Then he bit into it, and chewed slowly.
[Is it good?] Mario asked.
[Wow. Yeah. It¡¯s great]
¡°You¡¯re not just saying that?¡± Michael said.
¡°What meat even is it?¡± Sierra asked, peering at the food over the fire.
¡°That¡¯s a good question¡± Ryan said. "Maybe it''s from one of those eagle snakes we saw"
"Oh, maybe" Caleb said.
[Eagle snakes?!] Mario said.
"Yeah. They were huge with white scales and everything" Ryan said grinning.
"I don''t think it''d be them" Sierra said. "I mean how would you even kill one of those things?"
[Then what is it?]
"Probably some random rodent or something. Or maybe goblin" Sierra said.
[I hope it''s not human] David said suddenly.
"No way" Ryan mumbled. "Right?"
"Probably not" Caleb said, unnerved. "I mean they didn''t seem like the kind of people that eat each other"
"David what does it taste like?" Michael said.
[Chicken?]
"It''s probably chicken then"
"But everything tastes like chicken if you''re not familiar" Layla said.
"It''s probably goblin" Sierra repeated.
[Goblin?]
"Yeah, we killed a ton of them. They probably took the dead ones to use as food whilst cleaning up" Ryan said. "Makes more sense then people anyway"
[Jesus. Goblin... I don''t want to eat goblin. What even is that?]
[It''s fine] David responded.
[Nah, It needs to have a good sounding name or I can''t eat it. It''ll taste bad] Mario said.
"The meat''s not going to change you idiot" Layla said, rolling her eyes.
[We can call it mystery meat. Make things exciting] Elena said chuckling to herself at Mario''s expression. [We used have that for lunch on Monday¡¯s back at school]
¡°Seriously? Is that even allowed?¡± Michael laughed as he glanced to Mario''s horrified expression.
Suddenly Caleb froze. Everyone continued laughing and talking amongst themselves, the surroundings forgotten. But Caleb had been reminded. It was small, only a flicker on the radar of his new sense. But it was out there, in the shadows. And it was getting closer.
¡°G-guys?!¡± he said, panicked as he looked around. Everyone went silent and looked to him.
[What is it?] David asked.
¡°T-there¡¯s something out there¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°It¡¯s close¡±
The others all looked too, spooked by his words. But their silence stretched out, for one minute to two, and the fearful faces turned confused, then doubtful.
¡°You sure?¡± Michael said, turning back to him.
¡°I¡¡± Caleb trailed off, a seed of doubt in his mind now.
¡°I don¡¯t hear anything¡± Ryan said. The others spared a few glances at him before, slowly returning to conversation.
[Are you alright?] Kana said looking to him.
¡°Yeah. I just¡ I¡¯m on edge or something¡± he mumbled. Then Ryan¡¯s head whipped around, his eyes widening and Caleb felt it. A shift in the mana landscape around him, a weight greater than even Michael¡¯s with his skill.
Caleb turned slowly as he looked into the forest, looking straight for the disturbance. A distant set of red eyes stared back. They held for a few seconds, Caleb¡¯s heart pounding wildly. But he didn¡¯t dare break eye contact or move. And neither did the monster in the darkness.
[Caleb?] Kana said.
¡°Run¡± he mumbled.
[What?]
Suddenly the mana landscape shifted again and Caleb felt the weight approach him.
¡°RUN!¡± he roared.
But it was too late. A two headed tiger leapt out of the forest and flew forward with an unholy speed.
It narrowly missed Caleb and Kana but sunk it¡¯s teeth into Jakob, the other head roaring as it slashed part of Elena¡¯s side with its claws. Jakob shrieked loudly for a split second then the tiger head clamped its jaw shut and he was in two, his blood and guts spilling over the floor as everyone stared momentarily in shock.
Then the tiger hit the ground and skidded slightly, before growling as he turned to the others. Without hesitation Michael launched a ball of fire it. It hit the monster and it cried out, pulling back from the wash heat the fireball provided.
Michael threw two more, one hitting the beast and another missing. The stray fire ball, shot past and landed in a thicket of bushes nearby, the leaves instantly catching fire. Then Michael collapsed, David catching him.
The tiger roared, protected from the weak flames by it''s own magic somehow. Then it leapt at the two of them, and just like that they were gone.
Layla screamed as the tiger¡¯s heads crunched down on the bodies, blood spraying outwards. It clawed for her next but she stumbled backwards, and fell into the river, instantly pulled along by it¡¯s current as the tiger growled, pulling away from the water.
By that time, everyone had already turned to flee except Markus who stared at his brother¡¯s corpse, expressionless.
The tiger roared again and turned to jump Markus when a shield suddenly hit it in the side of the head. It turned to face Kana who stared at it wide eyed, glowing slightly in the darkness. She turned to run but slipped and fell as it pounced.
Caleb suddenly became aware of himself again, his eyes widening as he realised what was happening.
Then the tiger was crying out, a sword piercing it¡¯s second head as it crashed to the ground, missing Kana. Caleb only registered the sudden whoosh of air, like a gunshot a moment after.
Sierra - somehow holding her sword through the tiger¡¯s head - roared then pulled the blade out stabbing at the creature impossibly fast again and again before it swatted her away screeching. She flew back, hit a tree and didn¡¯t get up.
The tiger roared again, then looked between the unmoving Sierra and Kana. It snarled at Kana as she scrambled to her feet and prepared to pounce. But Ryan roared, rushing forwards as his sword and shield appeared, and stupidly Caleb found himself rushing forwards too, sword in hand, screaming.
The tiger turned to them, and took a fearful step back, snarling at them. Ryan slowed slightly as it prepared to pounce at them now and Caleb realised he¡¯d charged, stupidly, right to his death.
As it leapt at them his mind instantly went to the stat points and without a thought he split the two between strength and speed.
The stat points were like crack. He¡¯d never tried crack, only seen others in the trailer park smoking it from their pipes. But investing the stat points was exactly what he¡¯d imagined taking a hit must feel like.
The euphoria was instant and incredible. And for a moment his body felt weightless. Then his mind returned to reality and he felt powerful. Incredibly powerful.
The sword felt lighter in his hands and his entire body felt better. The feeling was so overwhelming that it took him a second to remember the two headed tiger was leaping at him, Ryan nowhere to be seen.
Caleb didn¡¯t know what to make of that, but his attention was focused on the tiger. His entire body tensed as he started to raise his sword, his heart leaping into his mouth. But - as he watched it ¨C he noticed it seemed slower now, ever so slightly. Still fast, but just slow enough that he could react.
He jumped, and then he was up, more than twice as high as he¡¯d ever jumped in his entire life and the tiger shot past underneath. He landed, on the floor perfectly normally and froze for a second confused. He¡¯d easily just cleared at least two, maybe three metres. He glanced behind him to see the two headed tiger roar again and turn to face him, charging.
But before it could reach him one of the riverside boulders flew through the air and slammed into it. He looked to the side to see Ryan standing by the edge of the river, looking down at his hands in surprise.
The tiger shrugged off the boulder its side dented slightly. It looked to Caleb, then to Ryan and snarled louder. Ryan wide eyed, scrambled back and jumped over the river easily with his new strength. The tiger looked to the water and snarled, then turned to face him and with a loud roar charged him.
It rushed at him again, but this time he didn¡¯t freeze, or stare at it too distracted by his own new abilities. This time he just charged it too.
He skipped to the side as it leapt, dodging almost easily, then swung his sword as hard as he could, cleaving off its outstretched paw. It hit the ground, then squealed loudly, and quickly scrambled into the darkness of the forest, tripping over itself.
He watched it go before looking around. The jungle around the river was ablaze, the canopy one of the few places in the jungle dry enough for a fire to spread. He covered his mouth shielding himself from the smoke as he looked to the others, ignoring the mess of blood and body parts.
Sierra sat dazed against a tree, Ryan stood on the other side of the river in shock, and Kana knelt over Elena who lay near the river, unmoving as blood leaked from her side. Markus still stood over his brother¡¯s corpse silent, and David was gone and the others.
Caleb looked down at his own hands, then over to the bloody tiger paw before rushing over to Sierra.
He stumbled slightly, not used to his newfound strength and speed, but managed to tone it down enough as he came to a stop by Sierra.
¡°Y-you ok?¡± he said. She looked to him quickly, then nodded, clutching her side tightly.
¡°You?¡± she wheezed.
¡°Yeah¡± he mumbled back. She nodded again, then she was up and moving to Kana. He followed behind her, slowing as they came to a stop behind her. Kana held Elena¡¯s hand with her bad arm, as she laid her head in her lap, her good hand held against Elena¡¯s side, glowing brightly.
Caleb stared at the magic shocked, then to Elena¡¯s still paling face.
¡°Kana? Kana what are you doing?¡± Sierra said.
[I don¡¯t know] she said, sobbing. [Just¡ it¡¯s not working. I¡ she¡¯s gonna die¡ I can¡¯t¡ she¡¯s gonna die]
A thud came from the rocks behind and he flinched, turning to look at Ryan, who knelt in the gravel dirt, having leapt back over the river. He stood and dusted himself off, before looking to the girls on the floor. They watched as Kana struggled and failed to heal Elena, the bleeding only getting worse.
Then suddenly Sierra violently yanked Kana¡¯s hands away.
¡°Hey!¡± Caleb started forwards but froze. Kana bled from the nose, and blood had started to seep from her ears too. Kana cried out, trying to fight Sierra as she held her back.
[I need to heal her!] Kana cried. [I need to¡ let me heal her!]
¡°Stop it! Fucking stop it!" Sierra cried "You¡¯re hurting yourself!¡±
Kana¡¯s hands finally stopped glowing and she went limp, sobbing as Sierra held her. Sierra looked to the two of them, her face filled with silent horror. She didn¡¯t say a word as she held Kana, whose sobs were louder than the rain around them.
Chapter Sixteen - Perfect Blue
Caleb and Ryan watched in silence as Kana sobbed into Sierra¡¯s chest, blood still seeping from her nose and ears. Sierra looked up to them, then around at the chaos, her eyes wet. Finally, her gaze stopped on the growing blue flames and she looked down at the ground, still holding Kana close.
Caleb glanced to Ryan as he stood silent, his expression hard to read.
He¡¯s in shock. We all are, he thought. He glanced back to the fire. I need to do something.
Caleb slapped himself aside the cheek and clenched his fists tightly as the others looked to him.
¡°W-we need to move¡± he said, looking to the still spreading fire, then back to the others. ¡°The fire¡¯s going to keep growing around here, and it¡¯s magic so there''s no way to know if the rain will stop it¡±
¡°But¡ to where?¡± Ryan muttered.
¡°I don¡¯t know. Further downstream, maybe?¡± he said. ¡°How long have we got left for objective one?¡±
¡°T-three and a half hours¡± Ryan muttered.
¡°Ok¡ ok. Let¡¯s go¡± Caleb said, offering Kana a hand.
[What about Markus, Layla and David?] Kana muttered.
¡°Markus can come with us. Layla fell in the river and David ran off somewhere¡±
[We should look for him]
¡°I- we don¡¯t have time¡±
[We have to at least try. We can¡¯t leave him alone]
¡°Kana¡ he could be long gone by now. We don¡¯t know where he went¡±
[No. We can¡¯t just leave him here alone]
¡°Look we can¡¯t fucking stay! Ok?!¡± he shouted. Kana wilted slightly and he immediately regretted the outburst.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he tried to reign in his emotions. His mind was a mess, but within the mess he found his mantra and repeated it to himself, the words a magic in their own right.
Kind like Dad. Strong like Mom.
He felt his trembling hands stop, his mind clearing slightly as the angered fear faded.
¡°S-sorry for shouting. We¡¯ll call out for him, but you¡¯re hurt and I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to handle a monster attack. We need to go before more of them come, or at least get away from the fire¡± he mumbled.
[O-ok]
She wiped her eyes and took his still outstretched hand as he pulled her to her feet. Kana leant on Caleb, but with the newly invested stat points she felt light, easy to carry. He put her arm over his shoulder, steadied her, then started forwards barely affected by her weight.
¡°G-guys wait¡± Ryan said. Caleb turned back to see Sierra still on the floor, breathing heavily.
¡°Sierra? What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°I- I can¡¯t stand¡± she mumbled, the pain in her voice clear. ¡°It¡¯s my legs. I must¡¯ve done something when I used my skill¡±
¡°Shit. Is it¡ is it bad?¡± Caleb said, his trembling returning slightly.
¡°I don¡¯t know. I just¡ I can¡¯t stand¡±
[I can heal you] Kana said.
¡°No way. You¡¯ll have a fucking aneurysm¡± Sierra said, wincing. "I... just leave me. It''s not worth it"
¡°No. I¡¯ll carry you¡± Ryan said. ¡°I put all my stat points into strength, you can¡¯t be heavier than a boulder¡±
He scooped her up with surprising ease, Sierra wincing as her legs flopped uselessly. Ryan shifted his hold on her, then looked to Caleb nodding. Caleb looked at the now raging fire, the heat of the blue flames wafting toward him. He stepped back, then looked over to Markus, who still knelt over his brother.
¡°Markus?¡± he called out. The boy looked up from the two pieces of his brothers corpse and stared at him, eyes red. ¡°I¡ we need to go¡±
¡°But¡ I¡.¡± Markus trailed off, mumbling something.
¡°What?¡±
¡°I¡ need to bury him¡± Markus said louder. Caleb looked to the body, then back to the boy¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t know what to do, caught between his desperation for safety and yearning for compassion.
Then there was a distant roar, followed by a shriek of agony. David''s agony. Instantly the group all turned to each other and backed away from the sound.
¡°D-do we run?¡± Ryan said, looking to Caleb. Caleb looked back to Markus.
¡°Markus we have to go¡± he hissed.
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¡°I- I-¡±
Caleb didn¡¯t wait for him to make a choice.
He picked Kana up, throwing her over his shoulder and rushed forward, pulling Markus off the ground easily, cradling him in his arm. Then he was running, the weight of the two, only an inconvenience as he sprinted away from the fire and the sound.
Ryan was rushing beside him too, his strides slower, but footsteps heavier. He took great leaps, each step covering at least eight metres as they raced away from the fire, running downstream through the low canopy. The raced through the forest with ease, leaving the fire behind in seconds.
Caleb looked down at his own feet, surprised by the ridiculous increase in speed and strength from only two stat points.
A small laugh escaped his mouth as he forgot himself, thrilled by the sudden power he now had.
Wind rushed past him, as he felt out his new sense of magic helping guide him through the darkness. Then the monsters burst out of the trees behind them. Three monsters, large wolf-like creatures with brown fur like a bears, glowing green eyes, and bloodstained mouths.
They roared at the two and continued chasing. Caleb cursed. Even with stat points, the wolf-like creatures were gaining, their bodies built for speed.
Caleb and Ryan raced through the shrubbery, the sound of the wind rushing past, and blood beating hard in their ears loud. Caleb could hear the throb of his heartbeat in his ears and feel the mass in his lungs sapping energy from every breath.
With every step the next grew harder and harder, even with the stat points. And the brown wolves only began to gain faster.
Lightning still rumbled in the background, and a momentary flash from above the leaves reminded Caleb of the darkness of his surroundings.
Maybe if we stop they''ll run past, he thought. Maybe they won''t see us.
Then the almost imperceptible blue hue of light behind them grew.
Caleb spared a glance back, his eyes widening as he spotted the raging blue fire that¡¯d engulfed everything behind them. It tore through the jungle with a life of its own, its heat pressing forward, warning of its danger even from this distance. The wolves looked back too, and their snarls became yelps of panic.
Another flash of lighting came through the trees, and Caleb began to notice the patter of rain atop his head. He glanced up momentarily, and watched as the canopy faded the types of trees shifting and revealing more of the sky ahead.
He blinked rain out of his eyes clearing his vision as his feet pounded against the now wet ground. But as his vision cleared his eyes widened.
¡°What the hell?¡± he mumbled. Above, the storm continued to rage, but out in front of them, beyond a perfectly horizontal line, the sky was a bright and brilliant blue. The sun shone beautifully, and the blue, endless, stretched out onwards and onwards as far as he could see.
He didn¡¯t have time to even try and understand what was happening, as another burst of heat washed over him, Kana and Markus gasping.
He pushed forwards faster, not daring to look back, or even question how the fire could continue burning in these now horrifically wet conditions. He only focused on maintaining his balance as he raced forwards, Ryan leaping in great bounds just behind him.
Suddenly he was plunged into near darkness again, the trees growing in density, shrubbery and fallen twigs littering the ground as he tried to race through it. It slowed him slightly, but he continued to push on, the knife of fear stabbing at his back.
He heard the wolves screech out, their howls of agony quickly captured by the roar of fire. Its blue hue grew, illuminating the space around him somewhat as its hands stretched out towards him, almost pleading for him to just slow down.
He could feel it. It''s magical weight, and the almost whisper that emanated from it''s flames. It¡¯d catch him and the others soon. It was inevitable.
He shook his head violently.
What the hell? he thought. Is this some kind of magic? The fire''s trying to mind controlling me?!
He cursed repeatedly as he felt the heat grow more and more.
He needed to get back to the river. At some point in all this chaos he¡¯d lost it. It might not work, but it might also be his only shot. He glanced to his side and cursed.
The forest was too crowded to see any further than three or four metres, and his speed meant the landscape was constantly shifting, negating his ability to get a view of anything reasonable. He just had to force his way right and pray.
As he continued to race forwards, through the thick canopy above he spotted hints of blue. Light from the bottomless blue sky beyond the storm. The light helped extend his vision, only slightly but enough. He spotted the river, farther to his left than he¡¯d first imagined, but there. He let out a small relieved laugh then pressed forwards.
¡°RYAN!¡± he cried, over the crackle of the flames. He continued, now racing diagonally towards the river.
But as he did so, the canopy above grew weaker and weaker, and so too did the density of the forest ahead. He focused beyond just where he¡¯d take his next step and looked far further. His eyes widened. Light shone through the trees ahead, unobstructed.
The forest ends.
With a final burst of strength he pushed forwards, toward the blinding light of the day. He burst from the trees and instantly realised his mistake.
There was nothing beyond them. Just like how the storm ended with the line in the sky, there was only about five metres of flat grass before a sheer drop into a valley at least forty metres below. And he was moving too fast to stop. His steps grew short and quick, and then ¨C with a shriek ¨C he jumped, his legs flailing as he kicked at open air.
For a moment he flew forwards, heard Ryan shout out behind him, and then he fell. His heart shot into his mouth, his voice ripped away from him as he plummeted toward the valley of plain grass and the river below.
Instinctively he aimed himself for the river, clutching Markus and Kana as tightly as he could.
He pulled them together and spun aiming for the water with his back as an explosion of fire rocked the cliff above him. He clamped his eyes shut, almost blinded by the flame.
Then, there were a few seconds of nothing. He fell, weightless through the darkness, the wind roaring in his ears. It would''ve been peaceful if he wasn''t the most afraid he''d ever been in his life.
Suddenly he felt a wave of heat. He barely had time to register the heat¡¯s ridiculous potency before something crashed into him and the others.
Then he hit the water.
-
Caleb gasped, coughing out water as he sat up.
He coughed hard, flipping onto his side and accidentally rolled onto someone ¨C Kana ¨C before pulling away. He wiped water from his eyes as he continued to cough, when a hand clamped on his back. In his panic he tried to pull away, but only managed to succeed in face planting into grass.
Grass?
His panic began to fade and he looked up. Ryan sat beside him, drenched and breathing heavily as he smiled at Caleb, then hung his head, placing his hands on the ground.
"You... pull me out?"
"Yeah" Ryan mumbled.
"Thanks" Caleb said, struggling for breath.
¡°It''s ok. I...that was fucking insane¡± he muttered. ¡°You okay?¡±
Caleb looked around, watching Markus throw up into the grass as Kana stared dazed at him. Sierra lay in the grass next to Ryan, muttering obscenities to herself, a hand covering her eyes from the sun.
Caleb looked back up to the face of the perfectly flat cliff, the fire raging against some invisible barrier as the entire forest burned a white blue.
He took a deep breath, then clutched his side falling back to the ground.
¡°Yeah¡± he mumbled. ¡°Just¡ great. Perfect¡±
Chapter Seventeen - Little Town on the Prairie
Caleb trudged across the dirt path, his feet aching dully. His steps were slow, and lazy, his mind adrift as he tried to ignore the exhaustion and hunger plaguing him. Markus lay unconscious across his shoulder as Kana walked by his side, Ryan ¨C carrying Sierra in a piggyback ¨C slightly ahead of them.
Beyond him were huge fields of tall grass, lined with the occasional spattering of distant trees. Ever further, far behind the trees were great mountains, their white peaks clear against the backdrop of sky blue. It was a picture-perfect sight, really. Well, except for the five of them.
Caleb looked back to the path beneath his feet. It''d strayed from the river, but they''d decided as a group to stick with it till they found somewhere. There couldn''t have been a path for no reason. At least that was what they''d assumed when they''d spotted it. After almost two hours of walking, Caleb wasn''t so sure anymore.
It''ll lead somewhere. Don''t worry. It''s not here just "because".
¡°Hey Caleb?¡± Sierra said.
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°Are we gonna keep following this path or go off course. I think I saw some trees with fruit over there¡±
¡°Uh... stick to the path? We¡¯ll probably find something eventually. And if not we can always turn back before nightfall, or whatever happens for objective two¡±
¡°How long left now?¡± Ryan asked.
First phase check, he thought.
[First Phase Objective One: Survive for 5 hours]
[Time remaining: 1 hr 14 mins 17 secs]
¡°About an hour¡± he mumbled. His stomach grumbled slightly, and he sighed. The fruit hadn¡¯t been enough and now they didn¡¯t have any food. He didn''t know how he''d forgotten the bags. At least he still had the sleeves; not that he¡¯d needed them since the tiger.
He looked around again. The fields were empty. No monsters in sight. And he hadn¡¯t sensed anything above or below. It was only them, the path, the sun and the sky.
He licked his lips tasting the dryness of his mouth, then bit into the still damp lapel of his top, before sighing again.
They probably should¡¯ve stuck close to the river, but they could always walk back to it if they really needed too. The path at least provided them with the hope that someone had been here, even if it was a long time ago. But Caleb was holding out for a safe place, like the Endagon caves.
Though that hope had started to steadily wane. He sighed, heavier this time and brushed still damp hair out of his face.
[What¡¯s wrong?] Kana asked.
¡°Tired¡± he mumbled.
[I can carry you if you want? Put my stat points into strength]
¡°No, your arm¡¯s still hurt. Plus, you should save your stat points till we know how to better use them¡±
Kana frowned, but nodded and they went back to silence. It would''ve been peaceful if not for the constant foreboding none of them could shake.
¡°Guys?!¡± Ryan suddenly said.
¡°W-what?!¡± Caleb said panicked, his sword appearing instantly in his free hand.
Ryan pointed off in the distance and the group looked off, spotting a few taller trees.
¡°Uh¡ what are we supposed to be looking at exactly?¡±
¡°There were people over there¡±
¡°People?¡± Sierra said perking up. The group all stopped and watched to where Ryan pointed, waiting quietly. The taller trees only waved slightly, there leaves shifting in the slow breeze.
[You sure you saw something?]
¡°For a second I thought¡¡± he trailed off. ¡°Never mind¡±
The group continued trudging forward, following the path as it began to curve away from the trees.
¡°Are we really not gonna leave the path?¡± Sierra grumbled, annoyed.
¡°Do you really want to?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know why you''re so insistent on staying on it¡± Sierra said.
¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just like¡ it was just there right after we came out of the forest. Like it wanted us to find it" he said. "It has to lead somewhere. Somewhere safe maybe?¡±
¡°Probably, but it might be far away. Like, really far away. I think we should look for food, drink from the river, take a break then come back. I mean what if after objective one we get sent to somewhere with no food?¡±
There was a beat of silence passed as he mulled it over in his mind, mostly agreeing with some of her. The path still felt convenient, though. Safe. And he desperately needed to feel safe right now.
¡°Caleb?¡± Sierra said.
¡°Hm? Oh sorry. I guess I agree. But¡ I don¡¯t know¡±
¡°Fine¡± Sierra sighed.
¡°Wait we can go off the path if you guys want to¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s ok¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have to stay on it, I¡¯m just being weird¡±
¡°Come on, if you want to go this way, we¡¯ll go this way¡±
¡±What?¡± he said confused. ¡°When did I start calling the shots?¡±
¡°I mean you literally did start calling the shots right after the tiger ran away¡± Ryan said. ¡±You cut it down then was all like, ''Get up everyone, we need to do this and that and this''. And when Markus wasn¡¯t doing anything you just fucking grabbed him then bolted. You totally took control¡±
¡°I was just panicking¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t seem panicked to me¡± Ryan said.
¡°Well I was¡± Caleb said. ¡°I was terrified¡±
¡°Even if you were, you kept everyone alive. And well, you did notice the monster way before anyone else. And like Ryan said you took on the tiger and won. Even back on the sand planet, when we were fighting the goblins you were all like, ¡®I¡¯ll go ahead¡¯¡± Sierra said.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°No, I wasn¡¯t¡± he said frowning.
[You definitely were] Kana said.
¡°Well¡ Ryan¡¯s super strong now. And he¡¯s got great hearing. He heard the tiger first, hey he even charged it before I did. And he threw a boulder. Make him leader¡±
¡°No way¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to be leader either. You be leader Sierra. You practically cut off one of the tiger¡¯s heads on your own, and you¡¯re always the first to react in a fight or just in general¡±
¡°I- wait I am?¡±
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°See? I didn¡¯t even notice that and you did. You¡¯d be a great leader. You''re great at spotting things.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t try and deflect here, we were talking about you¡± Caleb said.
[Caleb would be a good leader] Kana said.
¡°See?¡±
[But I don¡¯t think we need a leader. We should vote on things]
¡°I wouldn''t mind that. But excluding Markus for now, there''s four of us, what if it¡¯s a tie an-¡± Caleb stopped mid-sentence, as a magical weight drew his attention in the distance. His head whipped around, focusing on the location of the weight, and his eyes fell on the taller trees Ryan had pointed to.
¡°Guys?¡± he said, his sword reappearing. ¡°I think Ryan was right¡±
[What? What happened?] Kana said.
¡°You sense something?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°Yeah. There¡¯s magic over there¡± he said, pointing to the trees with his sword.
¡°Wait, what?¡± Sierra said. ¡°Sense something? What¡¯re you talking about?¡±
¡°Oh right. Caleb said he could feel magic or something¡±
¡°¡ ok then. How exactly?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, I just tried to replicate what happened when we went from the tutorial to here. It¡¯s not important right now, I think there¡¯s something dangerous over there¡±
¡°Do we run?¡± Ryan said.
¡°Well only you and Caleb can fight. I mean I could swing a sword, but I wouldn''t want to accidentally hit you. You¡¯d have to not jump around so much¡± Sierra said.
[Maybe the people are nice?] Kana said.
¡°Kana your optimism is great and all, really uplifting, but I don¡¯t think the people are going to be nice¡± Sierra said.
[They could be nice. The Endagon were nice]
¡°Not at first¡± Ryan said.
Kana went quiet, along with the rest of them as they stared at the trees frozen by indecision. Caleb felt the weight shift and warp, changing texture slightly. His confusion grew and he bit his lip.
¡°Ok, let¡¯s-¡±
Suddenly a group sword and spearmen burst out of the trees, crying out as they raced away from a pack of boars with skin covered in rock. Caleb blinked in surprise, watching as the group spun around, one loosing off a blast of mana, as another¡¯s sword began to glow brighter.
They circled around the creatures, cutting down a few as others kept them back with the mana missiles.
Now, with the added context of what he saw, he understood the fluctuations in the magic weight he¡¯d seen. The weight of the battle shifted, drawn to the bracelets around the hunter¡¯s wrists, as the spells formed, and smaller magical weights followed the swords and spears around as their wielders moved.
That¡¯s, pretty cool actually. Seeing things like this.
¡°Holy shit¡± Sierra said. ¡°Do we¡ help?¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t look like they need it¡± Ryan said.
[Yeah. They¡¯re hunting them] Kana said, softly. [Look. They don¡¯t seem overly afraid.]
Kana was right. A few wore scared expressions, but others only looked focused, some even laughing. More of the sword and spearmen emerged from the forest and Caleb¡¯s eyes widened as he spotted the girl with the glowing sword, still in her jeans, hoodie and all.
¡°Isn¡¯t that the girl that ran off?¡± Ryan muttered.
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb responded.
¡°So, they¡¯re friendly?¡± Sierra said.
The group of seven felled the last boar and a few cheers echoed out from the group.
¡°Maybe¡± Caleb said. They continued to watch unsure, when a few members of the group spotted them and called out to the other members of their group. The entire hunting team turned to them then began talking amongst themselves.
¡°Do we go over or no?¡± Sierra said. Before anyone could say anything, the girl that¡¯d appeared with them stepped forward and waved, before gesturing for them to come over. The group all looked to each other.
¡°Eh, why not?¡± Ryan shrugged. The others nodded and the group started forwards, leaving the path. The girl in the hoodie stood, watching them as she rested the sword on her shoulder, one of the hunters by her side as the others wrapped up the boars.
[Wow] she said. [You guys look like shit. What happened?]
¡°Everyone died¡± Sierra said bitterly.
[Oh] the girl said, slightly surprised. [Everyone?]
¡°Yeah¡± Ryan muttered.
[What about him, is he dead?] she said, pointing to Markus.
¡°Just unconscious¡± Caleb responded.
[And you?] she said, turning to Sierra.
¡°Legs are broken¡±
[I can still try heal them] Kana said.
¡°I said no Kana¡± Sierra said. ¡°Not until you figure out how to do it without bleeding from the ears¡±
There was an awkward moment of silence then the girl with the hoodie stepped forward and spoke.
[Sounds nasty. So, you wanna come with us?] she said, her grin returning.
¡°Where to exactly?¡± Caleb asked.
[Rad and the others here come from a town nearby] she said, gesturing to guy beside her. He gave a small wave.
[You can come if you want. The chief will probably be happy something¡¯s actually happening for once] Rad laughed.
¡°Wait, were you¡ expecting us?¡± Caleb asked. Rad frowned and shook his head.
[You haven¡¯t heard anything about chosen or anything?] Kana asked.
[Nope] he laughed awkwardly, glancing to the rest of them.
[What¡¯s with all the weird questions guys? You¡¯re freaking him out] the girl said. [Anyway, you in?]
¡°Uh¡ sure. I mean we¡¯d be welcome right?¡± Ryan said.
[Yeah] Rad nodded [Probably].
¡°Probably?¡± Sierra said, raising an eyebrow.
[Some of the older folk hate newcomers, but they all stay inside anyway.]
¡°And how far away is the town?¡± Caleb asked.
[About ten minutes that way] Rad pointed through the trees.
¡°Uh¡ you guys sold?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°We¡¯ve got nowhere else we¡¯d go¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sick of the path already and I¡¯m not even walking¡± Sierra said. ¡°No offense Caleb¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine"
"Let¡¯s go then¡±
[Great. With all of you Chief Enrico might even put on a feast] he said. He turned to the other hunters and clapped his hands together as he started forwards. [We¡¯ve got guests boys. We¡¯ve got guests!]
They all cheered, acknowledging them with waves and raised weapons.
The team waved back and then the group all made their way together through the trees. The girl with the sword walked between them and the group of hunters. Caleb watched her carefully and felt the weight of magic in her sword. The weapon was connected to her somehow, like how his sword was connected to the sleeve.
The comparison wasn¡¯t totally right, but it was the only one he could think of.
Is it a skill?
¡°Uh- hey, what was your name again.?¡±
[Hm?] The girl said glancing back.
¡°I don¡¯t think I got your name¡± Caleb said.
[Eriana]
¡°I¡¯m Caleb¡± he said offering his hand. She shook it, looking over him. Her eyes lingered on the sunshield and sleeves, before she smiled brightly again.
[What is that cool thing?]
¡°A sunshield. Protects from the sun¡±
[That¡¯s amazing, no wonder none of you look like you¡¯re hot. Where the hell did you guys do your tutorial?] she said.
[Desert planet] Kana said. [What about you?]
[It was just normal. Like a normal forest with some medieval village nearby] she said. Caleb looked over the blood covering her tattered grey hoodie and jeans.
¡°Did you not have a group?¡± Sierra asked.
[They all died before we reached the village. Well Aliyah didn¡¯t but they were only medieval. They didn¡¯t have the medical stuff to¡] she trailed off, and the atmosphere grew slightly awkward.
¡°S-sorry¡± Ryan muttered.
[No, it¡¯s ok. I didn¡¯t really know them. I guess it is still pretty sad] she said.
The others all nodded, understanding her sentiment. Caleb recalled the sudden flash of panic he¡¯d felt when he¡¯d seen Jakob get eaten right in front of him. He shivered and glanced to the still unconscious Markus on his shoulder. Then he frowned and looked to Eriana.
¡°Why did you leave?¡±
[Huh?]
¡°You left right away. Why?¡±
[Well, I wanted to explore, then the message came, I showed back up and you guys were gone.]
¡°Oh. Sorry about that¡±
[It¡¯s fine.]
The group continued walking, before emerging from the line of trees into another large field. In the middle of the field, the grass faded into dirt and a decent amount of small buildings rose out of the ground. It was larger than what the Endagon had, but still rudimentary compared to back home.
The buildings were mostly made of wood, though some of the roofs of the larger ones looked to be made of cobblestone bricks. It looked halfway between a western and a medieval English village.
Caleb looked around and spotted that the river they¡¯d left had curved around from behind them, through the trees and toward the village. Behind them, barely visible now past the treetops was the occasional lick of white blue fire, still burning. It had spread all along the face of the black rock cliff and seemed to be growing brighter.
I hope that doesn¡¯t destroy whatever was keeping the monsters there.
[Welcome to Outer Arell. Where the beer¡¯s always hot and the women are ho-] Rad said, turning back to them before doing a double take, as all his friends pointed to the dark blue flag that rose above the town. A few of them looked to each other wide eyed then back to Caleb¡¯s group.
¡°What? What¡¯s happening?¡± Caleb said, his sword¡¯s presence growing in his mind.
[T-the flag for newcomers is already up. There are more people here already]
The chosen all looked to each other, then back to the town.
¡°You think it¡¯s more people like us?¡± Ryan asked
¡°Definitely¡± Sierra said.
[There¡¯s only an hour left till the second objective] Kana said.
¡°Let¡¯s go quickly then, something big might be happening in the next hour and I want to make sure we¡¯re all at least somewhat ok¡± Caleb said. The group nodded, and picked up the pace, jogging toward the town with Rad and his friends.
Chapter Eighteen - Wood, Dust & Stone
As the group neared the town, Caleb got a better look at everything. The town was larger than he¡¯d first thought; the long dirt road stretching through the middle of it enclosed by buildings on either side for far longer down it¡¯s stretch than he¡¯d first assumed.
People stood or sat on their porches, talking amongst their own families as they looked to the waving blue flag. A crowd of the townspeople had gathered toward what must have been the centre of town, all standing outside the largest of the cobblestone buildings.
[Something¡¯s definitely going down] Eriana said, her grin widening.
¡°What building is that?¡± Caleb said, turning to Rad.
[The church hospital]
Church hospital? That can¡¯t be good.
As they neared, a few people on their porches turned to the group, the atmosphere changing. A few pointed at them, some whispered and others quickly shepherded disgruntled pets back into their houses. It was clear these people weren''t used to guests. And they didn''t seem anywhere near as enthusiastic about them as Rad and his friends had.
Caleb glanced back to the rest of the team, their expressions all as uncertain as he felt.
He looked back to the town, and nervously wiped the sweat off his palms. It probably wasn''t dangerous. Finally they stepped onto the road, the grass disappearing beneath their feet, fading completely into the dust, gravel and dirt.
But as they continued onwards, Caleb''s eyes fixed on a line of red, a fresh stab of panic passing through him. Further along the path, as they entered town a healthy trail of blood stained the dirt. Splatters of it, along with footprints running along the road, still fresh, unwashed by the soft wind that drew up dust.
¡°People got here recently¡± he said. "And someone''s hurt"
[I might be able to heal them]
¡°Maybe, but don¡¯t push it¡± Sierra said.
Caleb looked down at the footprints, then back up at the crowd as they jogged past the houses of the town, his chest growing tighter. As they neared, the crowd outside the church noticed them, the chatter instantly dying down as the group shifted to look to the newcomers.
[Chief!] Rad shouted. [Chief!]
A man, standing on the stone steps outside the church and deep in conversation, looked away and stepped forward, turning to face their group. His eyes widened and quickly he rushed through the crowd, coming to a stop in front of them. Caleb took him in as their group finally came to a stop.
The chief was a small man, wiry in frame, but despite it he had a presence of calm about him. Everyone watched him as he looked to them, then chuckled to himself with only a mildly surprised look.
[Welcome all] he said smoothly. [I must say it¡¯s quite a surprise to have more of you]
He turned to look at the hunters, then to Rad.
[Where did you find these newcomers?]
[By the piwot trees. We were out hunting the boar when we found Eriana, and the rest saw us from afar]
[By the piwot trees, or past them?] the chief said, his eyes narrowing.
[Ah. Well... s-sorry chief, the boar don¡¯t exactly follow the town rules] Rad said, laughing sheepishly.
[That¡¯s alright] the chief said, some of his calm gone. [Rad you take the boars to Gerard, I¡¯ll take our guests into the church hospital]
Rad nodded, then waved a quick goodbye to the others. The chief turned away from them but gestured for the group to follow. They started forwards, the silent crowd parting for them as they made their way up the steps.
The chief opened the wooden doors carefully, revealing the inside of the church, a largely empty space, with wooden flooring, a patterned carpet, and a few decorative ornaments on a pedestal at the far end. He waited for all of them to enter, then turned to the crowd as he started to close the door.
[I¡¯ll be back soon all, just showing our guests around. Don¡¯t worry] he said, with a large smile. The tension in the crowd withered and they went back to chatting amongst themselves. Then the door closed, and their chatter became muffled, as the chief turned to them, his mask of calm slipping further.
[Follow me] he said, making his way past them, to a side door.
They all followed silently, Caleb quickly looking around. There wasn¡¯t very much to see, beside the ornaments on the pedestal and they held no meaning for him without context. But he could sense the presence of more magic weight in the room they were heading towards. People. Seven, no eight in total.
The chief opened the side door and stepped straight through everyone following.
They entered a smaller space, filled with beds. At the other end of the room was a group of three adults all standing around a bed as nurses attended to a bleeding person. Two of them wore tattered regular clothes and the other wore strange, almost religious looking garb.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Beside them was a group of three teens - all in regular clothing - whispering amongst themselves. And next to them another teen lay on a bed. Caleb¡¯s eyes widened as he recognised the person, Layla, lying on the bed unconscious as nurses attended to her.
¡°Is that Layla?!¡± Ryan said loudly as everyone turned to them. A few of the people¡¯s eyes widened as they saw the group, the atmosphere changing.
[How many of us are there?] one of the adults muttered. The chief looked between everyone his confusion growing.
[You guys don¡¯t know all each other?]
[No] one of the adults ¨C the blonde woman in quasi religious garb - said. [But why are you all kids? That¡¯s weird. Or are we the weird ones?]
[No clue] Eriana said laughing, clearly enjoying the confusion. Everyone looked to her blood covered sword, as she continued to let it rest on her shoulder, wilfully oblivious to their gazes. As the atmosphere grew awkward with tension, Sierra spoke.
¡°This is a hospital or church hospital, right? I''ve got broken legs and they¡¯re starting to really hurt, so could I maybe get some medical attention¡± Sierra said, her tone somewhat sarcastic.
[Right, right] the chief said. [Hala please go get the others.]
Ryan laid her down on one of the beds and Caleb laid Markus on the bed next to her, as some of the nurses came over.
Caleb took a step back, taking a seat on one of the beds and sighed, his clothes still slightly damp. Ryan and Kana sat next to him as Eriana looked around, intrigued by the uniqueness of the room¡¯s architecture.
"The corners of the room are all rounded" she chuckled. "Isn''t this so cool?"
"I guess" Ryan muttered.
Caleb ignored her, his eyes darting over to the adults who watched them, then to the other teens. The magical weight, or presence of the chosen were all noticeable, but still none more so than Layla''s. Nobody here had more weight than anyone in his original group either.
The only thing of note was the adult with the religious garb. She wore a pendant with a strange constantly shifting magical weight. It didn¡¯t feel dangerous, but it still drew his attention, just like Eriana¡¯s sword had.
[So¡] chief said, turning to them. [I¡¯m going to assume you all came from the same place as these other newcomers?]
[The forest?] Kana asked.
[Yes, the death forest] the chief said.
¡°Death forest?!¡± Ryan said, wide eyed.
¡°It¡¯s the one with the cliff and the waterfall?¡± Caleb asked.
[Yes. With all the storms, monsters and a very powerful magical protective barrier. Do you¡ happen to know anything about the fire currently burning it to the ground?]
¡°Oh¡± Caleb said. ¡°That was¡ well we got into a fight and things got a bit crazy¡±
[Wait you started it?!] one of the teens said, standing angrily.
¡°N-no, not us. Someone we were with¡± Caleb said.
[Where the fuck are they?!] the teen shouted, pointing a rigid finger at him.
¡°They¡¯re¡ dead¡± Caleb mumbled, recalling what¡¯d happened.
[Good] the teen said. [Good fucking riddance]
They swore before sitting down again, slapping their friends¡¯ hands away angrily. Neither of the other two said anything, only looking to the floor.
I¡¯m guessing they lost people then.
¡°Were they a friend?¡± one of the taller adult said, his tone slightly sympathetic.
¡°Not exactly. We just met him¡± Ryan said. ¡°But he was friendly. Seemed nice.¡±
[He was just trying to protect his friends. He didn¡¯t mean to hurt any of yours] Kana said.
The room went awkwardly quiet, as a few eyes fell on the teen who¡¯d had an outburst.
[Wait, if you were right by it when it started, how did you get away?] the other adult said, a slightly shorter man with glasses.
¡°We ran¡± Caleb said.
[Ran!? The fire was moving pretty fast] the blonde said. [I mean, we were out of the forest and it still caught of us guard]
[Ryan and Caleb are fast. Strong too. They used their stat points] Kana said.
The others all frowned, looking to Ryan and Caleb.
¡°You guys have stat points already? How?¡±
¡°Uh¡ I just got given them¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb mumbled confused.
The others hadn¡¯t gotten stat points? His frown deepened.
Did it have something to do with the weight of the magic he felt? Their presences were even weaker than the other members of the group they''d been with in the death forest. Was that what the groupings were based on?
[How is that fair? How many did you get?] the blonde said.
¡°Two¡± Ryan said.
¡°Two¡± Caleb said.
[Did you guys get stat points too?!] she asked, turning to the other teens.
¡°Christina calm down¡± the taller adult said.
[Sorry. I just¡ who else got stat points?]
¡°I did¡± Sierra said. ¡°Put them into speed and then broke my fucking legs¡±
[I did as well] Kana said.
¡°I did too¡± Layla said sitting up as she clutched her head.
[Layla! You¡¯re awake] Kana said.
¡°Only because everyone¡¯s so damn loud¡± she sighed, rubbing the side of her head.
[We thought you died. How did you survive?] Kana said.
¡°I just fell into the river. It¡¯s not like there were any fish monsters or anything. It was just shallow, and really fucking fast. I just had to stay above the water. It was easy up until the waterfall¡± she said wincing as she clutched her head. After a moment she looked up, glancing around the room, before stopping, her face growing sadder. ¡°The others are dead, aren¡¯t they?¡±
[Yes. I''m sorry] Kana said. [Are you okay?]
¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t¡ we didn¡¯t talk all that much¡± she mumbled. The atmosphere grew awkward again.
[I¡¯m sorry for all your losses, really] the chief said, still warily eyeing Eriana¡¯s sword. [And your all welcome here as long as you don¡¯t cause trouble, but¡ about the fire. Is there a chance it could destroy the magical barrier?]
[How would we know?] the angry teen said curtly.
[Well, I¡¯m not sure. It just seems that your all¡ different in the same way? From what I got from your conversation you share a sort of magic. I thought maybe the fire was some magic of yours]
¡°It was but we don¡¯t understand it. There are skills and stats and other stuff, but it¡¯s all new to us. It¡¯s a bit difficult to explain¡± one angry teen''s friends said. Caleb frowned, then looked to the chief as he mulled over the information.
¡°Excuse me sir mayor, but have you¡ heard of chosen before? Ones? Or deities?¡± Caleb asked. The chief¡¯s eyes widened for a second, but suddenly the door opened and a few more nurses stepped inside, with a ton of medical equipment, some of which had magical weight.
Caleb glanced back to the chief but his expression was calm again.
[Ok then] the chief said. [Well, all of you rest for now. The nurses will attend to the injured, and we have separate rooms in the rest of the chapel if you want to sleep, just ask Hala or one of the others to show you to a room. Or you can feel free to just talk here, but I will have to recommend not leaving just yet. I have to go now, calm a few things down.]
He started toward the door then stopped and turned to everyone. [If you do figure something out, please let me know. And Hala, help this nice young lady find a place for her sword. Anyway goodbye]
He closed the door quickly behind him and everyone stared at it before the main nurse - Hala - cleared her throat.
[Would any of you like a change of clothes?]
Chapter Nineteen - Blood, Guts & Bone
[First Phase Objective One: Survive for 5 hours]
[Time remaining: 0 hr 04 mins 43 secs]
Caleb stared at the timer, then let it fade, looking over more skills again.
[Cellular manipulation]
[Soul undying]
[Incandescent Purge]
[Erasure]
[Reconfiguration]
[Bridger of the Last Man¡¯s Soul]
[Soul taker]
[Rejuvenation]
The excitement had faded now, replaced by hints of anxiety and uncertainty. He sighed and let the screen fall away from his vision, his surroundings replacing them.
He sat in a decently sized but bare room, the only items of note the bed in the corner, the chair he sat on, and the religious ornament nailed to the wall.
Ryan lay on the bed snoring, Eriana lay on the floor her head resting against her rolled up and still bloody hoodie, and Layla stood by the window looking out over the town. Her eyes hard to read, cast into the shadow of her brow as the sun shone down on her expressionless face.
But he could still tell something was wrong. She clutched her still wet winter coat tightly, an unnatural stiffness to her hands and the way she stood. He didn''t know what to say to her to make it feel better.
He glanced to the door, still waiting. Kana had stayed in the infirmary with Sierra. She¡¯d said just to keep her company, but he knew it was to heal Sierra and the others. That was the only reason the nurses had let her stay. He shifted in his seat, then flexed his fingers before grabbing the of the arms chair firmly.
He didn''t know why not being near them made him so uneasy. He knew they were in the building, but not seeing them felt like he''d suddenly lost an important part of himself. It was strange. He sighed and leant back, tapping his foot lightly against the ground as he focused on his breaths, trying to ignore the voices of the others through the walls.
The others were all upstairs with them, spread throughout the three others rooms in this corridor. He could hear wisps of tense chatter from the adults next door, and it was starting to drive him mad. He wanted to go back downstairs, check if Kana and Sierra were ok, or just take a walk. But something was keeping him firmly planted in the chair.
Probably the fact that part of him didn¡¯t want to move yet, because it knew once the second objective started he¡¯d probably have to keep moving for a while. He bit his lip. It was frustrating, getting a moment of peace like this and not being able to enjoy.
He probably should''ve risked nightmares and just tried to sleep. Not that it would''ve been much easier. With a sigh, he looked back to the ground, tapping at his sunshield with a finger.
At every tap he felt the mana of it shift ever so slightly, like the warping of pixels when you pressed against a screen too hard. It was more fragile, at least more magically fragile than he¡¯d first thought. So were the sleeves, and the runes across his body.
He frowned as his awareness parsed over the runes. They were getting weaker, the magic on them lighter and lighter. The sleeve ever so slightly too. He peered at the sleeve, then tugged it under his clothes before brushing dust off the fabric.
He¡¯d changed from the wet silks to a simple cotton long sleeve shirt and trousers. They were slightly itchy because of dryness, and a bit big, but far more comfortable than wet clothes.
He shifted in his seat and looked back to Layla who rubbed at her temple, a small bruise still marking it.
"Layla?"
"What?"
¡°You sure you shouldn¡¯t be in the infirmary?¡± he said.
¡°Yeah¡± she mumbled, not looking away from the window. Caleb nodded and choose not to pry further. He looked to Ryan momentarily, then to the floor and rested his cheek against a palm. His thoughts flicked back to the trial and the screen appeared in his vision almost instantly.
[First Phase Objective One: Survive for 5 hours]
[Time remaining: 0 hr 03 mins 51 secs]
He blinked it away, a sudden tiredness washing over him. It was a kind of dry tiredness, not one that made him want to sleep. Closer to a mental exhaustion of his circumstance. It just felt like too much. It was weird to think that only five hours ago he¡¯d still been in the Endagon caves. It felt like a whole world away.
Well, it literally is, isn''t it?
He turned suddenly, frowning as he felt a magic weight steadily get closer to him. He focused on it, noticing the slight difference in the minutiae of their fluctuations. He hadn¡¯t realised before but all the weights were different slightly. He was pulled out of the sense as he heard two familiar laughs coming down the hall. Sierra and Kana.
He stood and opened the door, peering down the corridor as Kana and Sierra both arrived. Sierra was walking just fine and Kana¡¯s sling was gone.
¡°Wow, you guys are all healed¡± he said.
[Yes. It was amazing] Kana said, smiling brightly.
¡°She¡¯s not exaggerating. Her power¡¯s really cool¡± Sierra said.
¡°She just healed you?¡±
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°Yes and no. She put my bones back together but half of it was the nurses stuff. The magic equipment here is crazy¡± she said, smiling as they entered the room.
[Layla!] Kana said, still cheery, before frowning as she spotted Eriana on the floor.
¡°Hey¡± Layla mumbled back, still staring outside.
[Do you want any healing, Layla?] Kana asked.
¡°I¡¯m fine¡±
Kana nodded, then turned back to Caleb.
[I can heal you too]
¡°Slow down Kana, you said you already exhausted everything¡± Sierra stated.
[I have a little left in the tank] she said.
¡°Wait, why would I need healing?¡± Caleb asked confused.
[Your leg might not be too good. I can check]
¡°No, no. It¡¯s ok¡±
Kana¡¯s expression dampened slightly, but she turned back to Layla.
[Layla you sure?]
She took a moment, furrowing her brows as she stood, still staring out the window.
¡°Why not? It can¡¯t hurt¡±
Kana brightened and stepped forward, her hands glowing slightly as Layla turned to face her. Gently put her hands on the sides of Layla¡¯s head, and held them there, the light changing colour slightly. Then it faded and Kana stepped back, slightly unsteady. Sierra caught her and it took a moment, but she regained her balance, face flushing red.
¡°I told you to be careful¡± Sierra said.
[I¡¯m fine] Kana responded pulling away. She looked to Layla, smiling hopefully. [Better?]
¡°¡not really¡± Layla said, still rubbing at her temple.
[That¡¯s ok. I¡¯ll heal you when I¡¯ve got enough mana again] she said determined. [You too Caleb]
¡°I¡¯m fine¡± he mumbled, sitting back down in his chair. Sierra glanced at Ryan, then Eriana and sat on the edge of the bed frame, facing Caleb, as Kana joined Layla at the window.
¡°I¡¯m glad your legs are healed. That could¡¯ve been bad¡± Caleb said. Sierra nodded, her smile fading for a second, before quickly returning.
¡°At least now I know what happens when I push full speed¡±
¡°Right, what exactly happened again? Was your a skill?¡±
¡°Yeah. Aura of Acceleration. I was already thinking about taking it and I sort of did it by impulse when I saw Kana in trouble¡±
Caleb nodded, then frowned.
¡°You¡¯d think these skills would come with safety locks or something¡±
¡°I was probably just being stupid and reckless¡± Sierra said.
¡°I don¡¯t think so. I mean, Michael passed out quickly, Kana nearly had a stroke trying to heal Elena and you broke your legs running faster than you were body was capable of handling¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s no limit to some of these powers except how much you can withstand. They¡¯re cool, amazing really, but dangerous¡±
Sierra nodded, furrowing her brow.
Kana stepped over Eriana and took a seat next to Sierra at the foot of the bed.
[What¡¯s dangerous?]
¡°The skills¡± Sierra said.
[Oh, have you picked one Caleb?]
¡°No. We¡¯ve got until the end of the first phase, so, probably a lot of time¡± he said.
[Well, you should pick one soon. You¡¯ll get used to it faster, and level up]
¡°Level up?¡±
¡°Yeah. She put her stat points into mana then used her skill and levelled up¡±
¡°Oh¡± Caleb said, furrowing his brow.
¡°Your videogame theory still holds true¡± Sierra said with a grin.
¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant with that¡±
¡°I k-¡±
¡°There¡¯re more¡± Layla said suddenly.
¡°What?¡± Caleb said, as they all turned to her.
¡°More people outside¡± Layla said. ¡°One of them¡¯s hurt¡±
They all rushed to the window and looked down into the street.
Two people in almost full armour, a girl with a spear on her back, and a guy whose hair and eyes that literally glowed, were both struggling to carry their friend, also in full armour but covered in blood down the street.
Everybody else in the street steered clear of them. When Caleb turned to look to the others, Kana was already gone, rushing down the stairs. He rushed after her, flying through the doorway then the corridor incredibly quickly before remembering the stat point he¡¯d added in speed.
He slowed slightly, but still caught up to Kana and slowed further to match her speed. They reached the stairs together and descended quickly, bursting through the doors at stairwells base, before racing through the main hall and out the exit.
Caleb flinched, shielding his eyes as he looked around. The crowd had mostly parted, but a few stragglers still stood on the front steps, all of them looking off into the distance. He turned to where glowing hair and spear girl were, then looked to Kana.
[Go ahead] she said.
He nodded then raced forwards, his strides far stronger and faster than he¡¯d even realised. With the town as a frame of reference he realised now, he and Ryan had been running speeds fit for a car.
He flew down the road as the townspeople stared at him wide eyed, then frantically skidded to a stop in front of the group.
¡°I can help¡± he said as they both looked at him wide eyed. He stepped forward and looked over the girl they carried, her face deathly pale. He moved to help them from the middle, picking up some of the slack. The armour was cold against his skin and she was heavy, but not heavy enough that Caleb couldn¡¯t lift her on his own.
¡°Let me carry her¡± he said. The two looked to him confused, and he moved his hands, then lifted her easily in a bridal carry. ¡°There¡¯s a hospital over there. I¡¯ll run her to it¡±
[Thank you, thank you] the guy sobbed, even his tears glowing.
He nodded, then turned and ran. He was slower with the girl, his steps more careful, but still incredibly fast. He glanced to her again as he raced past Kana and Sierra. Her injuries were worse than he¡¯d first thought, pieces of blood and bone poking out a damaged part of her armour.
Part of the wound had been cauterised, but blood still seeped through, staining his hands and shirt. He looked away quickly, but the image was firmly planted in his mind.
He leapt up the church hospital stairs in a single bound, then burst through the doors. He ran for the infirmary and crashed through that door as well, stopping in front of all the surprised nurses as they attended to the now awake, final adult and the still unconscious Markus. They stared at him, their shock evident, then all at once rushed forward, barking orders at him.
It was a blur for a few seconds, then he found himself standing in the corner, watching as the nurses as they worked. Ryan, Sierra, Layla and Eriana rushed through the door he¡¯d half broken followed by the two armoured teens.
¡°Shit¡± Sierra cursed, stopping beside him. The armoured teens rushed past, pushing forward to the side of the bed as the nurses protested. They quickly moved back, joining the others in the corner. As the seconds passed, it was clear from the nurses¡¯ grim looks, things were bad.
[Should I help?] Kana said.
¡°And kill yourself? No way¡± Sierra said.
¡°I could pick a healing skill¡± Caleb said.
¡°No way¡± Sierra said. ¡°You don¡¯t have any stat points to put into mana, it''d be pointless. That goes for you too Ryan¡±
"I already picked one" Ryan said. "Back at the waterfall"
"Good" Sierra said, then glanced to Caleb noting his expression. "Save the skill for yourself. Trust me"
[What?!] girl shouted turning to him. [If you still have your skill you have to save her!]
¡°Hey, back off¡± Ryan said, getting between them.
[Fuck you. My friends¡¯ dying and you won¡¯t help her]
¡°I- I-¡± Caleb stuttered. Sierra stepped in front of the both of them.
¡°Fuck off¡± Sierra said. ¡°You don¡¯t get to shout at us just because your friend is hurt¡±
Spear girl let out a huff and turned around, clenching her fists tightly. Caleb watched her back as she breathed heavily, her shoulders trembling. He looked to Sierra then down at his own hands as the list of skills appeared almost instinctively.
[Healing Presence]
[Protective Energy]
[Hands of Healing]
[Invenet¡¯s Disciple]
[Taker of Pain]
His eyes fixed on Hands of Healing. Somehow, he knew that if he could just use it properly, it¡¯d help with the situation at hand. Without a thought he reached out to select it, then froze.
But what if there¡¯s a skill that can really cure my cancer?
The thought was selfish, but powerful. He tried to push past it, but a sudden fear gripped him.
He didn¡¯t know if taking Hands of Healing would fix him and that terrified him. Even though, he knew in some respect he was doing the wrong thing, he pulled his hand away from the screen and let it disappear.
[I need everyone out. We need space for more equipment] Hala said, looking up to them.
[You can¡¯t kick us out!] spear girl shouted.
¡°Angelina stop¡± glowing hair said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She slapped it away, glared at everyone then stormed out of the room. The others followed into the main hall slowly, watching as she angrily kicked at a pillar and yelled.
¡°S-sorry about her¡± glowing hair said, sniffling as he turned to them. Suddenly an array of screens appeared in front of their faces.
[First Phase Objective One completed]
[Objective two: Pending]
[Objective two: Pending]
[Objective two: Pending]
[Objective two: Protect the town of Arell]
[First Wave commencing]
[Time remaining: 30 mins]
Chapter Twenty - Fight
¡°Shit¡± Sierra said. They all looked to each other wide eyed, then Caleb felt it.
It was far away, but the shift in weight was so drastic he stumbled into Ryan, his balance shot. His eyes widened as he felt it grow, shifting the landscape like a black hole. The absoluteness, the overwhelming nature of it, simply made it feel evil.
¡°Caleb?¡± Ryan said, holding him up. Caleb straightened out quickly, his hands trembling violently as he stared at the floor. ¡°Caleb?¡±
¡°S-sorry. Just¡ we¡¯re in danger. A lot of danger¡±
¡°What? How do you know?¡±
¡°There was a huge weight, in the distance. I- shit. I haven¡¯t felt anything even close to it¡±
[Weight?] Kana said.
¡°Magic presence¡± he said. ¡°It was big, caught me off guard. I don¡¯t... we can''t face it.¡±
¡°So what do we do?¡± Sierra said. Caleb went quiet for a second, then clenched his hands tightly as his side began to throb.
¡°We can¡¯t just leave¡± Ryan said. ¡°I mean it¡¯s telling us to protect the town¡±
Suddenly they all turned as the others rushed down the stairs, all in new clothes except for Eriana. The group came to a stop, spotting Caleb who was covered in blood and the other two, most looking to glowing hair guy.
[What the fuck happened to you?¡± Eriana said, looking to glowing hair.
¡°Skill¡± he said bluntly. Eriana shrugged then looked to the rest of them with a grin.
[Time to fight some monsters!] she said excitedly, racing for the door.
¡°Wait¡± one of the adults said. ¡°We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re facing here¡±
¡°T-there¡¯s definitely something. There was a big dangerous presence just out of town. That way¡± Caleb said, pointing. ¡°It¡¯s still there.¡±
[How can you tell. Is it a skill?] one of the teens asked.
¡°I- sure¡± Caleb replied. ¡°We need to do something. Quickly, this is bad¡±
[Well we don¡¯t have any weapons] one of the teens said. [And we can¡¯t fight for shit]
¡°Well you¡¯re going to have to¡± Sierra said.
[That¡¯s easy for you to say!] the blonde ¨C Christina ¨C said. [You have stat points!]
¡°Enough!¡± the taller adult said. ¡°Anyone confident in their fighting ability, we''ll fight. If your not, warn all the townspeople then find somewhere to hide¡±
[You¡¯re going to fight without a weapon?]
¡°The townspeople have weapons, we can borrow them. Now come on, if you want to fight, let¡¯s go!¡± the guy shouted, moving for the front door.
Caleb looked to his friends and they all nodded, jogging for the exit.
Everyone else followed behind them. His heart beat hard as he clenched and unclenched his fists, then he was out in open air, the sunlight beating down on him. Everyone looked grim, the only sounds the rhythm of their footsteps against the dirt, and Eriana¡¯s cackling as the magic weight on her sword began to grow.
Caleb took a deep breath and let his sword and shield appear in hand, the group reaching the middle of the road. The others looked to his group, surprised by their sudden weaponry.
¡°Ok. If you¡¯ve got a weapon, then go ahead. But be careful¡± the taller adult said.
Caleb nodded and continued jogging forward, feeling the uncomfortable tightness in his chest return. He stifled a cough and continued to run forward, forcing himself to keep up with the others despite his fear. Finally, they emerged past the last few buildings on the edge of town and Caleb spotted the source of the weight.
A large blue portal swirled about two hundred metres away from the town, and from it five orcs had emerged, followed by even more.
¡°What the fuck?!¡± Sierra said.
[What? Scared of a few orcs? We¡¯ve got skills now!] Eriana shouted, running towards them.
¡°W-wait!¡± Ryan cried out, but Eriana continued forwards. Then Sierra was following behind, cursing.
¡°We can¡¯t just let her die!¡± she shouted. Ryan cursed too and followed, then so did Angelina - the spear girl - and glowing hair. Caleb turned to Kana and grabbed her to stop her from moving forward.
¡°You stay here¡±
[What? No I-]
¡°At least stay further back. Recharge and then heal anyone if you can¡±
She went to protest but he turned to her completely, his desperation growing clear to her. ¡°Please¡±
[F-fine] she said. He nodded, then turned back to see the orcs had started charging too.
He cursed and raced forward, magnitudes faster than the two armoured friends at the back. He overtook them quickly his eyes constantly flicking between the orcs and his friends, heart in his mouth as they drew closer to each other.
Then they met.
The first orc roared and reached out to crush Eriana. But her sword grew a brilliantly blinding white and she slashed upwards.
Caleb felt and saw the attack that followed the path of the blade, the slice carrying a magical weight of its own. It cleaved cleanly through the orc and blew its halves backwards into the three behind it, the last one dodging the others as they crashed to the floor. Eriana cackled loudly, then instantly fell to the ground as the others neared her.
But the fallen orcs didn¡¯t stay down for long, tossing the dead one''s parts aside before roaring once again as they all stood, then lunged forward at the fallen Eriana.
Sierra cried out, and then suddenly her movements accelerated. In a blur, and with a ridiculous boost of speed, she rushed forward, grabbed Eriana and zoomed away, easily avoiding the nearest orc¡¯s fist as it slammed against the ground.
The orcs looked to Sierra, now in the distance, confused then to him and Ryan as they started to slow.
Without hesitation, the two closest pounced at Ryan, but he leapt away in a huge bound, clearing them by at least ten metres as they crashed to the floor.
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The other one though, continued running directly for Caleb. It was slower than the first orc he''d faced, a lot slower. He dodged to the side as it slowed to grab him and backpedalled in an arc as it struggled to turn and face him.
He felt his anxiety diminish slightly, realising he was fast enough to easily avoid the monster now. Like he was now, as long as he didn''t do something stupid, it wouldn''t hurt him. But still he kept back, too scared to find out if he could do any significant damage with his sword up close.
I need a skill, he thought dodging again as it raced toward him. He looked past his orc to see that more still were coming out of the portal. Ryan and Sierra were still only evading the orcs like him, afraid to do any damage.
He cursed. If they got swarmed, even with their increased speed, he doubted they¡¯d be able to get out. He needed to do something. Now.
He dodged again, but this time instead of backpedalling, jumped forward and stabbed with all his might. The sword sunk easily into the flesh and the orc howled, the blade biting through it¡¯s ribcage. But then it pulled away, yanking the sword a long with it and nearly breaking Caleb¡¯s fingers again. He cursed and stumbled back as the orc pulled away, shaking his hand.
Shouldn¡¯t have stabbed so deep.
He glanced to the side, watching as the portal and its magic weight disappeared, the last of the orcs stepping onto the battlefield.
There were ten in total, and only one was dead. Caleb cursed, looking to Ryan as he leapt around, and Sierra still running with Eriana in tow. They were still all too afraid. Still hesitating. There wasn''t any time for him to waste if he wanted to help them. He looked back to the orc, clenched his fists tightly, and raced forwards as it groaned, clawing desperately at his sword with clumsy hands.
It caught Caleb in its periphery and turned to him, but far too late.
He leapt with his new strength and, heart still in his mouth, kicked the hilt of his sword further into its chest. Its eyes widened as it released a grunt, then it fell backwards, reaching out for him.
Unable to move in mid-air Caleb could only pray as it grabbed him and together they hit the ground. Caleb cried out in a panic, quickly pulling himself leg free of the monster¡¯s grip as he looked to it. But it didn''t move, simply lying their as blood began to pool onto the floor from the whole in his chest.
[You have defeated a grade 0 Moshaic threat]
He blinked in surprise at the message. He hadn''t expected the attack to work so well.
His surprise was short lived, as a series of roars echoed out from behind him, followed by a thunderous herd of stomps. Caleb spun around eyes wide as six of the other orcs all charged at him, angered by the sight of their fallen brother. He scrambled to get up but slipped on the orcs¡¯ blood that¡¯d already pooled onto the floor.
His eyes widened as he realised he wouldn¡¯t be able to get away in time.
Then a thin laser of white shot over his head from behind and slammed into the pack. Caleb didn''t have time to react before the flash of white hit him. Instinctively he flinched away, then a blast of air and heat threw him back. He coughed hard, his side throbbing as he rolled across the floor, blinking black spots from his eyes, as his ears rung.
He took a moment to breathe, then looked up, back to the orcs.
Only one was left, and half its face was missing, charred to a crisp as it lay dazed amongst its friends scorched remains. Wide eyed, Caleb looked back to see that the glowing haired guy, on one knee, the light in his hair and eyes gone.
He nodded to Caleb, then collapsed to the ground as Angelina rushed to him.
Caleb looked back to the remains wide eyed, as the final orc started to pull himself up, stumbling.
Caleb jumped to his feet, searching desperately for his sword. He could feel it¡¯s magic weight, somewhere underneath the orc. He rushed for it quickly, then glanced back to see the orc, now stumbling towards him. He wouldn¡¯t make it to the body in time.
He turned to face the orc and dodged as it slammed a large hand down into the earth. It swung quickly again and he barley evaded the attack, nearly slipping again, his shoes still slick with blood. He threw his shield, and it bounced off the orc¡¯s charred face. The monster reeled for a moment, then roared even louder, and pounced at him with a sudden fury.
He dodged, but the orc was far closer this time, and when it clawed at him, it¡¯s fingers only missed by millimetres.
He continued to back pedal, crying out for help as the orc¡¯s fury continued. But help wasn¡¯t coming. Ryan and Sierra were too busy with their fight, spear girl was tending to the now unconscious non glowing hair, and the others were just now reaching the field weapons in hand.
No, Kana was rushing towards him. He cursed. He couldn¡¯t let her get close. He needed a weapon and he needed it now.
Briefly his mind went to the skills, but he dismissed it, focusing on his sleeves. He thought about how the weapon worked, how it appeared and disappeared. Its presence and absence. He focused on its absence within the sleeve and his mind, feeling how the weight of the sleeve felt stretched.
He tugged at it, then pulled, and like a slingshot it snapped back, the magic weight of the sword returning. His eyes grew wide, then he allowed it to appear in his hand.
¡°Holy shit¡± he mumbled, his entire body feeling hot. He could feel it more clearly somehow, the magic around him, like he¡¯d suddenly shifted his perspective.
The magic felt in tune with him, an almost oneness with his body both physical and beyond physical. He could sense the way Sierra used her skill, the way Ryan used his ¨C their weight now fundamentally different now they''d activated.
He could feel how deep Eriana¡¯s connection to her sword was, how glowing hair¡¯s body acted as a magnet for the magic that permeated all around them. But most of all, he could feel the gaseous flow of mana within him, different somehow, a vague mess of golden yellow energy, constantly shifting and flowing.
He could tell the way he sensed it wasn¡¯t quite right, but it felt good. Better than good.
[Trait awoken: Mana Awareness]
He stared at the message in front of him, feeling all the sensations grow.
Then the orc roared again, the sound bringing him back to reality. He dodged its next attack, then raised his sword and cut down hard. The slice was quick, clean and powerful cutting through the back of the orc¡¯s arm.
The orc cried out, and as it pulled away Caleb attacked again, circling around it and cutting at its heels.
It stumbled and fell, crashing hard against the ground.
Caleb hurried forward and before it had a chance to recover, with a final shout, he stabbed through its temple. He held the sword their for a moment as the monster grew still, then let go and looked down at himself, once again covered in blood.
[You have defeated a grade 0 Moshaic threat]
He stepped back, slipped and hit the floor, breathing heavily as a twisted relief flooded him.
He felt both grateful and sick. He¡¯d killed something again.
Two things actually, and it''d brought him more relief than disgust. A part of him was glad he''d done it, glad he''d ended the fight so quickly, that he''d lived. He shook his head dispelling the thought and forced himself to stand as he recalled the sword to the sleeve.
He looked over to remaining orcs. Two lay dead on the ground and now Ryan, Sierra and Eriana worked to kill the last one. It was easy.
Ryan - with his new skill able to match the orc¡¯s raw strength, holding it in place, Sierra a nuisance with her incredible speed - cutting repeatedly at its legs, and Eriana ¨C her sword alone a mountain of mana - stood at the back, her blade glowing brightly. Then she leapt forwards and with a single slash of glowing brightness, cleaved the orc in two.
[Wave 1 defeated]
[Time to wave 2: 5 minutes]
Caleb stared at the message, then cursed and struck the ground hard, his fist leaving a divot in the dirt, the orc''s blood seeping into it.
He leant his head back as he rested his weight on his palms. His heart beat hard, hard enough to shake his chest with every thud. His side throbbed dully too, and it took him a few seconds to catch his breath. He hadn¡¯t realised how scared he¡¯d been, even with his stat points. And now he''d have to do it all over again.
A seed of resentment began to grow within him, an anger at the monsters and the arbiters.
[Caleb?!] Kana said, rushing to meet him. [Are you okay?!]
¡°I¡¯m fine¡± he mumbled. She placed a glowing hand on him anyway, energy flowing through her and into him. He felt it pass through his body, almost scanning over him. As it reached his lungs, his eyes widened and he tried to move, but it was too late.
[Caleb you¡ there¡¯s something wrong. With your lungs and all around them]
¡°It''s nothing. It¡¯s¡ just my skill" he lied. "It¡¯ll go away¡±
Kana frowned as she stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded, pulling away. He stood too, stifling a cough before taking another deep breath. Then he looked over to the others as they continued to rush over, a mixture of weapons in hand.
The chief and a few others behind them, their faces all worried. He looked down to himself then over to Ryan, Sierra and Eriana who all knelt on the floor, tired and covered in blood. He wiped at his face, his hands trembling again.
¡°What a mess¡± he wheezed.
Chapter Twenty One - Five Minutes
Caleb walked forward, beside Kana, towards the others as they all came to a stop in a small circle. The mixture of uncertainty and fear written so clearly on everyone''s faces didn''t ease Caleb at all. He resummoned his sword and shield, holding them tightly in an attempt to hide trembling hands.
¡°You guys all ok?¡± the lead adult said, as the group neared. All the fighters nodded except Eriana who laughed.
[That was amazing!] Eriana cackled.
¡°You would¡¯ve died if I hadn¡¯t saved you¡± Sierra said, her voice hollow.
[I could¡¯ve continued fighting] she said defensively. Sierra choose to ignore the comment, simply staring at the ground, her eyes distant.
[You really beat all of them? I mean how many orcs even were there?] one of the teens said.
¡°Ten¡± Caleb said. ¡°But we got lucky. If half of them weren¡¯t all bunched up together then¡ uh¡ what¡¯s your name?¡± he said pointing to formerly glowing hair.
¡°James¡±
¡°Then James wouldn¡¯t have been able to do most of the leg work. Seriously, if that¡¯d gone a little differently then the town would already be gone¡±
Everyone remained silent as they stared at him, reality setting in.
[W-well you got them. It¡¯s over] the chief said.
[No] one of the adults said. [That was only the first wave]
[What?! When¡¯s the next one?!] the chief cried.
[Five minutes] Eriana said, still grinning.
[Shit. W-well, how many more are there? How do you even know all this?] the chief said looking around.
¡°It¡¯s the magic I was talking about earlier¡± one of the teens from the group of three said, ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s difficult to explain. But we¡¯re all told things by screens. We don''t were they come from¡±
¡°The arbiters¡± Sierra said. ¡°We got told on the tutorial planet we were on¡±
[Arbiters? What the hell are the arbiters?]
¡°Well, the people didn¡¯t really know either" Ryan said. "But they give people magic, and they¡¯re the ones that brought us into this in the first place¡±
The chief nodded along, taking a moment to collect himself as the other townspeople stared at them. Caleb watched him carefully as he frowned and muttered something to himself.
¡°You need to evacuate the town¡± one of the adults said, to him.
[And go where? The nearest town is twenty miles from here at least. We won¡¯t make it and I doubt they could even help if we did. You¡¯d need the brigadiers] The chief said.
[Brigadiers?]
[They¡¯re like you. Strong. Can use proper magic, not what we¡¯ve got with our cheap artifacts.]
[Can you call them? Bring them here?] Kana said.
[Yes, but they¡¯d take days. We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere, so we haven¡¯t got a teleport hub they can come to and we¡¯ve got the forest of death right by us. It¡¯s¡ attacks don¡¯t happen here. Not like this] the chief muttered, clearly panicking.
¡°Call them anyway¡± one of the adults said. ¡°We have no idea how long this could be going on for¡±
The chief nodded, his face growing paler by the second.
[Do you maybe have somewhere the people can hide for the time being?]
[People have basements, but I doubt that¡¯ll be much help against whatever the hell those things were. I can gather them in the church hospital. At least that won¡¯t just blow over if one of them monsters tries to come on through] the chief said nodding. [Alright, I¡¯ll go sort that out and send out a few more of the boys to help if you need it. Uh¡ good luck]
Quickly he turned away, racing back to town. Everyone watched him go for a few moments before looking between themselves.
¡°Ok everyone¡± the lead adult said, stepping forward. ¡°I know this is probably going to be really tough for most of us, but it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s a way out of this. We don¡¯t know these people, but we¡¯ve been given the power to help them. So we should use it. And lets be frank they¡¯re probably in this mess because of us¡±
[What¡¯re you trying to get at?] the angry teen said.
¡°We have to work together to beat these things. Even if you¡¯re scared, please don¡¯t run. Prepare yourselves to fight¡±
There were weak murmurs of assent from the others, only Eriana¡¯s cackling clear. As her laughter quieted, there was a beat of silence and everyone turned to their own groups, talking amongst themselves.
"Thank god we all survived that" Sierra muttered.
[Yeah. I was really worried when you were fighting the orcs, but it worked out. What skills do you have?] Kana said, looking to Caleb and Ryan.
¡°I got Will of the Iron born. It basically converts my willpower to strength or something like that" Ryan said. "All the magic fireball skills and stuff seemed like a one and done thing, and I was not passing out whilst fighting the orc. It¡¯s great. Took a full punch and it barely bruised me. I¡¯m way stronger¡±
¡°You got grazed and you were stumbling afterwards. Don¡¯t exaggerate¡± Sierra said.
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¡°I was fine¡± Ryan said.
[You sure? Do you need me to heal you?]
¡°Nah, I¡¯ll be fine¡± Ryan said. ¡°Anyway, what skill do you have Caleb? I saw you lose your sword and then just summon it back like nothing¡±
¡°I¡ it¡¯s difficult to explain¡± Caleb said.
¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t be embarrassed it¡¯s not as cool as mine¡± Ryan chuckled as Sierra rolled her eyes.
[It did something weird to his lungs] Kana said.
¡°What?¡± Sierra said, frowning.
[They¡¯re wrong? Weird? I don¡¯t know, it was just... strange. He was okay but not okay?]
¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± Caleb lied. ¡°Think of it like the Ryan¡¯s skill. I get stronger for a short burst in return for a hit to my health after. I just pushed it a bit far¡±
¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Ryan asked, suddenly serious.
¡°Yeah, I already feel better¡± he responded. The others nodded, then looked out at the rest of the group, as everyone prepared for battle. Only Eriana was smiling.
I guess she must really like fighting, he thought.
Caleb looked to all the others and frowned. A few people were picking skills, he could sense it with the trait he¡¯d awoken; could feel their metaphysical weight change fundamentally. He frowned, then brought up his record and went straight to the skills section.
He scrolled past many, the list constantly shifting as the focus of his muddled thoughts changed repeatedly. His chest grew tighter and tighter as he struggled more and more to pick, held back by his fear of the unknown. Then he sighed, his shoulders sagging. He needed to pick now. If he didn¡¯t, in the next fight he was probably going to die.
He looked back up to his record, his heart rate picking up, then closed his eyes.
Can you hear me? You can, right? Or at least sense what I¡¯m feeling, I mean the skills list wouldn''t change otherwise. Uh... if you can really hear me, then please, give me the best skill. For me that is. I don''t need to be a super strong monster hunter or anything like that. I just need something that at least helps beat my cancer, helps me protect my friends, and helps me come out the other side of this whole mess in one piece. That''d be pretty nice, if you could give me that somehow.
He watched as his record changed, the list disappearing as a single skill appeared in his vision.
[Mana Soul Core]
He stared at it for a few seconds, then let out a heavy breath.
¡°I¡¯m trusting you¡± he whispered. And then he selected the skill.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then he felt it. He let out a small gasp as his own weight shifted, bending everything around it. The vague gaseousness magic within him grew in intensity, and heat flooded him, warming his metaphysical and physical bodies. Then it all drew inwards, swirling around a singular point quicker and quicker. The heat grew further, and he clutched his chest slightly, doubling over.
[Caleb?] Kana said.
But he couldn¡¯t respond, his chest burning now as the storm of fire and heat continued to grow. He let loose another gasp, looking down at his chest as it began to dimly glow a golden white. The magic within him continued to swirl around the point, even faster and the pain grew.
[You have awoken a level]
[Alert: Due to nature of awakening, your stat points have been automatically assigned to Mana]
[You have awoken a level]
[Alert: Due to nature of awakening, your stat points have been automatically assigned to Mana]
[You have awoken a level]
[Alert: Due to nature of awakening, your stat points have been automatically assigned to Mana]
Others glanced to Caleb, as his friends crowded around him. Eriana frowned, as she watched him, her sword drawn to him, it¡¯s awareness of him as a threat changing.
Danger
Her eyes widened at the word, the warning from her sword sudden and clear. Then it was gone, her sword returning to normal. Her sword had only spoken to her twice before, and both times had been in relation to a direct threat. She turned to face Caleb, and continued frowning, watching as he stood, gently pulling away from his friends as they worried over him. Her eyes narrowed further.
Weird, she thought. Wonder what that was about.
She shrugged and turned away, returning to searching the surrounding plain for any sign of another portal.
[Caleb?!] Kana shouted, her voice echoing through the plain. [What happened!?]
¡°It¡¯s¡ fine¡± he muttered. ¡°Just my skill¡±
¡°It didn¡¯t look fine¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah, your chest was fucking glowing. You¡¯re not going to explode are you?¡± Sierra added.
¡°¡no¡± Caleb mumbled, still dazed.
[Caleb just let me check you¡¯re ok] Kana said, reaching out to touch him with glowing hands. He didn¡¯t back away, his mind still processing what¡¯d just happened to him. Kana frowned as her hands met his chest. [You¡¯re¡ fine. Same as before]
¡°Yeah I¡ I told you¡± he mumbled.
¡°Do you need water?¡± Sierra said.
¡°No. I¡¯m fine. Really¡± Caleb said, straightening as his bearings returned. The others all looked to each other, then back to him, but decided not to say anything further.
¡°Hey everyone¡± the lead adult called out. ¡°We¡¯ve got a few spare spell bracelets from the chief if you want them¡±
Ryan glanced to the others, his eyes lingering on Caleb worriedly for a moment, before he looked to Kana and Sierra.
¡°We getting any?¡± Ryan said.
¡°Of course¡± Sierra said, marching over ¡°I¡¯ll get some for you guys too.¡±
Caleb watched as Sierra walked over, noticing the slight tremble in her hands. Then he looked to the others, Ryan and Kana both just as nervous. He frowned and looked down at his own, still blood-stained. They¡¯d stopped trembling.
He felt completely calm, subdued even. His fear felt muted along with his confusion.
What the hell''s going on? he thought.
He looked at himself, felt his own magical weight and he furrowed his brow. He could barely sense it. After taking the skill his weight had grown for a moment, but then it¡¯d vastly shrunk. It was less even than the chief¡¯s, someone who couldn¡¯t use magic. Negligible.
But a golden yellow star burned brightly in his chest, near weightless as it continued to emanate a soft magical heat.
What in the world?
¡°Here are bracelets¡± Sierra said, four in hand. ¡°These ones only fire thirty times before you have to recharge them¡±
Caleb took one of them and stared at it, before slipping it on. Suddenly the magical landscape shifted again and Caleb¡¯s eyes shot up, watching as physical and magical space distorted and a green portal formed in the distance.
As the portal formed a large half spider, half scorpion monster stepped out, at least ten feet tall and far wider. Past it rushed, a bunch of smaller versions of the creature, all dog sized.
¡°Jesus.¡± Ryan said, sword appearing in hand. ¡° I guess it¡¯s go time"
[Stay together]
¡°We know Kana¡± Sierra said, her voice slightly shaky. ¡°We know¡±
-
[Alert: Mana Soul Core selected by Z1-E94-C: Testee - 1,224,379]
[Guidance request submitted to Trial Overseer]
[Pending]
[Pending]
[Guidance request denied: Note - Don¡¯t concern me with such trivial matters again. I''m busy.]
Chapter Twenty Two - Pure skill
The group all remained still for a moment, then Eriana charged forwards, sword raised. Sierra cursed and chased after her, the rest of them following close behind. But as Sierra rushed forth, she glanced back to them slowing slightly, her face filled with worry.
[Go!] Kana said. [All of you. I can¡¯t keep up]
¡°You sure?¡± Caleb said.
[Yes. I¡¯ll catch up] she said. They nodded and picked up the pace, leaving her and the others behind. Sierra gapped them easily, moving ridiculously fast as Ryan began to create distant too, with great leaping bounds. Then Eriana met the scorpion spiders, swinging her sword wildly.
She cut through them easily, the spiders hardly a nuisance. And as Sierra neared the crowd, she began firing small blasts of magic, the orbs of light cutting through the monsters.
The others behind them all did the same, firing a barrage of magic missiles at the spiders, including the large one. They ripped through the crowd of smaller insects, but the large spider scorpion only screeched backpedalling as the spells burned momentarily against it''s skin.
Caleb frowned, slowing as he reached the crowd of monsters. He fired at them with the spell bracelet, the monsters squealing as the orbs eviscerated them.
[You have defeated a grade 0 Hilaric threat]
[You have defeated a grade 0 Hilaric threat]
[You have defeated a grade 0 Hilaric threat]
[You have defeated a grade 0 Hilaric threat]
[You have defeated a grade 0 Hilaric threat]
[You have defeated a grade 0 Hilaric threat]
[You have defeated a grade 0 Hilaric threat]
Then he met the crowd and brought his sword down, batting the rest away with his shield.
The monsters fell easily, cutting them down barely an inconvenience. A slew of messages flew across his vision as he killed them all with ease. A few did stab at him but the stabs wouldn¡¯t have pierced his skin even without the added stat point in strength.
The monsters were pathetic, maybe even weaker than regular scorpions. The only threat was getting swarmed, but even then, the monsters were falling far too quickly to gather in numbers.
He glanced back, to see the others making light work of the creatures too, then forward to see Eriana stabbing violently into the large spider scorpion''s eyes as it squealed and scuttled around. Eriana¡¯s sword glowed and she brought it down again, slicing easily through the spider-scorpion¡¯s head.
It fell to the ground, dead, and a chorus of uncomfortably high pitched shrieks came from the smaller ones as they scuttled around, panic consuming their will to attack.
[I levelled up! And I get stat points?! Yes! Yes! This is incredible!] Eriana shouted loudly.
Caleb frowned, coming to a stop as he watched the pitiful creatures race around helplessly, crashing into each other.
Compared to the orcs, this is way too easy, he thought. Well, I''m not complaining.
Instantly, he felt a sudden shift and looked behind him to see another green portal appearing. His eyes widened as a trio of strange, shambling creatures emerged from the portal, each of their magic weights almost heavier than the portal itself. With lanky bodies and small heads hidden by dark and shaggy fur, the creatures lumbered into the field a low rumbling click shared between the triplet.
An aura of power emanated from them, one that outclassed him and all the other chosen present. Caleb knew instantly, even without his sense, they wouldn''t be able to face them as they were.
¡°Run!¡± he shouted immediately. The others who¡¯d heard all looked to him confused as he backpedalled, unable to take his eyes off the monsters. But as he backpedalled, the monsters began to move, their long arms dragging against the floor as they groaned, the dissonance of their vocals painful to hear. Then their horns began to glow, the magical weight around them growing even heavier.
A barrage of mana missiles and various magics ¨C shards of ice, balls of fire, even chunks of rock - flew from the group that¡¯d gathered at the rear, a mixture of skills and artifacts. But as they struck the monsters their furred skin only flashed briefly, and they remained unaffected.
The monsters¡¯ skin and horns shared some kind of magical weight, a weight similar but far more powerful than his sunshield bracelet.
Crap. They can make shields, he thought.
¡°Stop!¡± Caleb shouted. ¡°You¡¯re wasting your mana!¡±
But the crowd couldn¡¯t hear him over the chaos of the still scuttling spider scorpions and continued to fire, some even falling to the ground as the light from their magical weight dimmed slightly. They were exhausting their mana reserves and the ones who fell were getting attacked by the remaining insects.
Then he felt the mana from the monsters behind him build to an intense crescendo. An attack was coming, and he was far too late to do anything about it. A panic overcame him as he desperately cried out, trying pointlessly to put distance between himself and the monsters.
Then with a rush of air Sierra was at his side. She grabbed him and time around them seemed to slow as she held him and cried out, diving with him to the ground.
As they flew backwards, Caleb watched a blast of electricity and mana mixed together explode on the spot he¡¯d been standing on, kicking up a spray of dirt and smoke. He hit the floor and turned wide eyed to look at the monsters, the front one¡¯s horn smoking, as the other two¡¯s continued to glow the intense crescendo building in theirs too.
Before he could react Sierra grabbed him again, time slowing around them and the edges of his vision greying as she leapt up and pulled them across the field. Caleb¡¯s eyes widened as he watched another bolt of mana and electricity shoot out towards him, it¡¯s magical weight unlike anything he¡¯d seen before.
It was focused, directed like a jet of water. And as it arced through the air cleanly, it glowed a brilliant golden.
Caleb''s mana awareness fixed upon it, entranced by it''s beauty. He couldn''t help it, even though he knew if it struck him he''d die.
It was strange how he found such an intense appreciation of the magical, especially when it was about the kill him.
Then the sudden moment of clarity was ripped away from him. Sierra gasped and the slight slow in time disappeared as she stumbled. The bolt shot forwards - faster without Sierra''s skill in effect - and struck the ground just behind them, some of the sparks shooting off and zapping them.
He cried out and in an instant his wrist grew hot, a golden glow surrounded him before disappearing, his sunshield bracelet shattering like brittle brick.
He and Sierra crashed to the ground, skidding across the floor before finally coming to a stop.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
He quickly scrambled up as she groaned, still lying on the floor as droplets of blood dripped from her nose. Frantically he turned to the monsters, eyes wide as he desperately tried to help Sierra to her feet.
The third one hadn¡¯t fired yet, instead turning to face Eriana and Ryan.
Eriana charged forward, sword raised as it began to glow and Ryan cried out, reaching out for her. Caleb cried out too, but Eriana was fast - almost as fast as Sierra - closing the distance impossibly quickly with a single leap. She cut at the beast, slicing off part of it''s arm.
The monster cried out in protest shambling back, as it released a wave of mana from its horns. The attack slammed against Eriana and Ryan, knocking them back with the force of a car.
They flew through the air like ragdolls and crashed to the ground hard.
Even after a moment of silence, they didn¡¯t get up.
Caleb¡¯s hands began to tremble, his heart sinking. But he didn¡¯t have time to worry about others.
The first monster had turned to him and Sierra, its horns glowing again. The second had turned to face the rear group as they struggled with the last of the insect monsters and continued their mana missile barrage, and the third shambled towards Ryan and Eriana''s bodies.
He stared wide eyed at the hopelessness in front of him, frozen once again.
He only ever froze when things got really bad. Maybe it was just the way his brain worked, maybe it was because part of him when overwhelmed just thought it was better to give up. Or maybe it had something to do with his childhood, some kind of poor defence mechanism borne of trauma. Regardless, it kept him frozen, now just an observer of the situation; his mind distant from his own body.
Then suddenly Sierra clasped a hand onto his shoulder, jolting him back into reality. Before he could say anything, she wiped blood from her nose and in a rush of air and magic weight was gone, sword appearing in hand.
She zipped across the plain and launched her sword and shield through the air at the monsters. With the speed, the force of the weapons was enough to knock the one facing her backwards, the beast crashing into the other two as some of the magical weight faded from its horns.
Sierra skidded to a momentary stop, then charged for Ryan and Eriana as the monsters roared struggling to pull themselves up.
He watched, trembling as Sierra grabbed Ryan and Eriana, then raced away, slowing as her steps became uneven. Then one of the monsters released another, slightly weaker wave of mana, knocking her off her feet.
Caleb¡¯s eyes widened as Sierra struggled to get up, blood seeping from her nose as the monsters stood behind her, two with still glowing horns.
He needed to do something, right now. But what? The mana missiles weren¡¯t doing anything and he wasn¡¯t as fast as Sierra or Eriana. He wouldn¡¯t be able to get there in time. He needed to do something from here. Anything.
Oh right, my skill.
But how? The others had used theirs easily enough, but his was just a magic star in his chest that¡¯d given him a few levels. There was no instruction manual, no guidance, nothing. He wasn¡¯t even sure he could use it long distance. He clenched his fists tightly, forcing back the doubt and fear. He had to at least try.
He roared, rushing forwards as he tried with all his might to focus on his skill, sensing and feeling at the magical glowing star in his chest.
As he did, he felt his awareness of it grow, understanding it¡¯s a nature a little better. Somehow, innately, he knew. It was a core, for power. A magic core made of his soul, for the singular purpose of focusing magical weight, harnessing its power.
As soon as he felt it, understood it, his understanding of the magical landscape around him shifted.
The things he''d been sensing, they weren¡¯t weights, they were masses. Like black holes that bent the fabric of space, they bent the fabric of the magical all around him. They glowed dimly too, just like stars. Just like his core. Dimmer, but they still glowed. It had been harder to notice without knowing first given how faint the light was.
But now that he knew, the magical landscape became clearer; a backdrop of dimly what lit and distant, magical stars. For a moment he felt closer to he¡¯d experienced during the transition, in the ethereal space beyond reality. And it was good. He could feel everything, their magic, their strength, their potential.
Everything had more to give. Especially the artifacts.
His eyes widened and he looked down at the dim star on his wrist. The spell bracelet stored more magical potential in it, a clear power he could use at distance. He focused on it, felt it¡¯s connection to his mind, the switch to trigger it. He could feel it¡¯s power in tandem with his skill and trait.
With them, he could make the artifact reach its full potential.
He grabbed a hold of the weight within his mind and felt a flicker of fire and heat from his core. The small flush of heat moved across an invisible barrier, and the weight of the star, the presence, it glowed brighter. Not nearly as bright as the star in his chest, but as bright as he could push it.
¡°Sierra! I¡¯m attacking!¡± he roared, levelling the spell bracelet with the monsters. Sierra turned to look at him, and so too did all three monsters, roaring loudly. They could sense the shift in the magical weight too. But it was too late.
He focused on the weight within his mind then released, letting the star burn brightly as it acted for the last time.
The magical space around him shifted, the bracelet bending magical space like it had done so many times before. But this time the warped magic continued to grow, larger and larger as the bracelet¡¯s markings grew white hot. Then everything went white. Caleb shielded his eyes as he felt the bracelet turn to ash around his wrist, and a ridiculous magical power shot toward the monsters.
He barely had time to process it before it vanished and then the thunderous roar of air and heat hit him, throwing him back.
[You have defeated a grade 1 Hilaric threat]
Then the light faded and he looked forward to see a crater in the ground, one of the monsters vaporized the same way the orcs had been by James¡¯ blast. The other two lay on the floor as well, their horns smoking, emptied of all magic.
Sierra knelt on the floor by the crater, holding Eriana and Ryan as she coughed hard. Caleb felt a shot of relief flood him, glad they were ok. But the feeling was short lived, the other two monsters, although injured, forced themselves upright again, their dissonant roars quickly drowning out the shouts of the others. And this time, with a fury in their cries, they both turned to him.
Shit.
He turned to run as he felt the magical weight build, but stumbled clumsily and fell, his body heavy. A barrage of mana missiles shot out from the rear crowd again, barraging the monsters. One turned away to roar at the crowd but the other one continued towards him. Caleb stumbled and fell again, as it neared, the magical weight building around it as its horns began to glow.
He wouldn¡¯t be able to run away. Ryan and Eriana were unconscious, and Sierra was busy trying to get the hell away from the other monster.
Nobody from the group at the rear would reach him in time, not that it stopped Kana from trying. Regardless, nobody could save him.
Is this it? Is this really it? he thought staring at the ground.
His eyes fell on the sword he still held in his hand, and his mind shifted to its magical weight and brightness almost automatically. His eyes widened.
Of course, it had more to give too. He gripped it firmly, both with his hand and with his skill, pulling at its magical essence as heat escaped his core once again. The sleeve grew hot on his arm, the runic markings across the leather growing bright all at once.
Then the sword began to glow too, a brilliant golden in its light. He felt the monster behind him slow slightly, but it was too late.
Caleb leapt to his feet, stumbled but managed to turn and jump. The monster shrieked as it tried to release a shockwave, but Caleb was faster, screaming as he slashed forwards.
The sword met the ivory of the horn and instantly both shattered in a spray of golden sparks and debris. He cried out as the shards peppered him and he landed atop the beast. In pain and panic, he held tightly to the monsters fur, waiting for some overlong finger to pierce through him, but the monster only stumbled back, the magic weight around and within it fading without the horn.
Then a barrage of magic missiles began striking it. In it¡¯s weakened, practically non-magical state, they had an effect. The monster shrieked as the magic missiles tore into it, it¡¯s natural magic shield gone without the horn.
Caleb held on to its strange wet fur for dear life as it shambled away shrieking as the magic missiles began to burn and scar at its body. Finally, one burnt through its skin and into the flesh of its leg. It fell to the floor and Caleb was thrown from it into the grass.
He scrambled away from the monster, then shielded himself with an arm, watching as the barrage continued the magic missiles struck it, the dimmer ones enough to keep it down and the brighter ones burning right through its skin.
Finally, it shrieked for the last time, then went still.
Caleb stared at it wide eyed as he heard the group cheer. Then the other monster shrieked loudly, the sound echoing in the physical and magical realms. Caleb winced and looked to the monster, the beast shambling around desperately as it reached for Sierra, releasing the occasional weak mana shockwave.
But Sierra - although slower - deftly raced back and forward, her speed and agility incredible.
She avoided the weaker shockwaves, and slashed at its legs as it shambled around uselessly reaching for her. Meanwhile a decent distance away, Ryan kneeled holding his head, as Eriana stood next to him completely still, her sword glowing as she held it.
A barrage of mana missiles began raining on the monster, but they were mostly useless against the mana shockwaves and its mana charged skin. A few nearly hit Sierra and she was forced to back away from the monster.
Caleb cursed, wiping blood from his nose. They needed to stop, or they were going to get her killed.
He tried to stand, to force himself up and join the fight. But his body felt even heavier before, his legs practically useless.
A fatigue plagued him, not his physical body, but his magical one. The star still shone brightly in his chest, but the small wisps of heat and flame it occasionally emitted had gone cold. He could barely keep his eyes open, let alone stand.
But the fight¡¯s not over. I need to help, make sure that the others are ok.
But as he forced himself forward, he only stumbled and face planted against the floor. As his thoughts and sense began to drift away from his mind, he recalled everyone else that¡¯d fatigued their skills, their dreariness and lack of coordination and realised he was probably going to pass out.
In the distance, as his eyes began to close, there was a flash of bright blue as Eriana cackled.
[Wave 2 defeated]
[Time to wave 3: 5 minutes]
The messages scrolled across his vision, but he was too out of it to read them. Still on the ground, he faded into unconscious, his body still burning.
Chapter Twenty Three - Scream
When he was slightly older than just a boy, the monster¡¯s beatings grew worse.
Not of him, no the monster never touched him. He only ever put his hands on the banshee.
He¡¯d tell the boy to leave, and then he¡¯d start.
But the boy wouldn¡¯t always leave. Sometimes he¡¯d stay outside, watch through a crack in the door, frozen, knowing there was nothing he could do.
The banshee would be screaming and shouting and crying. Her cries had always been filled with so much agony. So much pain.
He¡¯d hated it.
The situation. The monster. But most of all, he hated himself.
For simply staying still.
Caleb opened his eyes to the sound of screams.
Someone held him, hands pressed against his arm, mana flowing between the two. Kana from the texture, weight and glow.
He furrowed his brow. She wasn¡¯t just holding him; she was healing him. Dragging him too. Away from something. He tried to force himself up, get his legs under control, but he could barely stand, his body rejecting any input from the brain.
The movement only loosened Kana¡¯s grip and he slipped from her grasp, falling to the floor.
[Caleb, please. I can¡¯t¡ dammit I can¡¯t lift you!] Kana cried, trying to pull him up, his arms hard to lift from all the blood, monsters and his own.
¡°S-sorry¡± he mumbled, trying to regain control of himself. He tried to focus, to push himself forward faster, but he felt weaker than ever. He coughed hard, the pain in his side growing sharp as his chest grew tighter and tighter.
Something¡¯s seriously wrong. And it¡¯s not just the cancer.
He coughed hard again then glanced behind him. His eyes widened as he watched Eriana, Ryan and Sierra struggle desperately against a monster, a demon-like figure whose magical power glowed brighter than even the portal. It laughed as it fought against them not using any magic at all, only a blade like hand, it''s other behind it''s back.
And it was winning anyway.
His eyes flicked over to the others, watching as the second demonic creature rushed at them, the team scattering.
They shouted and cried out, Layla even grabbing one of the teens and taking to the air as Angelina carried James away with large and powerful magic filled leaps. The others weren''t so lucky. When the monster reached them, all hell broke loose.
The panicked shouts turned into short lived screams, their bodies flung about like damaged dolls, as the demon monster began decimating them with a bladed hand. Christina crouched on the ground, clutching the pendant she¡¯d had, a bright forcefield surrounding her body.
But with a sudden burst of mana, the demon cut through even that too, cackling as her blood and guts, splattered across the grass.
Six dead, in an instant.
Caleb barely had time to register what he''d just watched before it turned to the rest of them, and raced forwards, grinning wide. Eriana, Sierra and Ryan were losing against just the one, they wouldn¡¯t beat both. He felt a sudden fear rise up in his chest, gripping his heart.
He tried to push harder, past the block between his brain and his body, but only succeeded in stumbling to the floor, dragging Kana down with him.
[Caleb?! Caleb?!]
¡°Go¡± he wheezed. But even as he said it, he knew that if she ran now, she still wouldn¡¯t make it.
But Kana didn¡¯t run. Instead she lifted him up as she looked to the danger, shielding him with her body. As he realised, his eyes widened and a burst of strength came to him, the same sacrificial strength that¡¯d driven him to try take one of the demons one on one. He was going to die in three months anyway. Kana wasn¡¯t.
A wave of heat, borne of the star within his chest washed through his body. It wasn¡¯t the fire, or anywhere near enough to allow him to manipulate anything. But it was enough to give him control of his body for just a moment.
¡°Layla!¡± he roared as the girl zoomed through the air with reckless abandon. She turned to look at him and without hesitation he grabbed Kana and threw her upwards. Kana shrieked wildly, as she flailed then Layla caught her, veering off course wildly before she managed to spin and shoot off away from the town.
Caleb slumped to the floor and lay unmoving as he stared at the battle behind him.
Sierra was desperately shouting at the others to run as Ryan ignored her, and Eriana released scream after scream of frustration as her attacks of electric blue did nothing. The other monster drew near, slowing as it laughed loudly, taking delight in its prey¡¯s fear.
Well shit, he thought. I guess this really is it.
Caleb felt a spike of magic power above the monster and fear gripped him. He''d known it was coming, but that didn''t change the fear that took a hold of his soul. He didn''t want to die.
Then a man clad in full leather armour appeared out of thin air above the first demon, the magic disappearing.
With a slash of pure power, he cleaved it in two and landed on the floor in front of Sierra, Eriana and Ryan. The three stared at him wide eyed as the second demon roared and charged forwards faster. But the man simply turned and fired a ridiculously powerful magic missile from his spell bracelet, which simply shot through the demon¡¯s chest. It froze, grasping at the whole in it''s torso, then fell to the floor.
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[Wave 3 defeated]
[Congratulations, Objective 2 completed.]
[Please wait until all trial participants have completed Objective 2 for objective 3 assignment]
Caleb, blinked in shock, still unable to move as the man turned to them and smiled, sheathing his sword, the magic emanating from it and him, potent. The leather knight pulled off his helmet, and ruffled his hair. He looked to be in his early twenty¡¯s, with short blonde hair.
[You guys alright?] he asked.
¡°I- yeah¡± Sierra said. Ryan just nodded, whilst Eriana stared at the man dumbfounded. Then Sierra spun around eyes wide, and rushed over to Caleb, Ryan stumbling quickly behind her. Blood stained both their noses from over exertion of their skills, and as they lifted him off the ground, he realised it was dripping from his nose too.
¡°Caleb?!¡± Ryan cried.
¡°I¡¯m¡ fine¡± he muttered.
¡°You¡¯re not fine¡± Sierra said.
¡°Well¡yeah. I¡ think I need a doctor¡± he mumbled.
[Then let¡¯s get you to that church hospital quick] the leather knight said glancing over the rest of the battlefield as he jogged forwards. [We don¡¯t need anyone else dying]
-
Caleb sat on, his back against a pillow that was firmly pressed to the headboard.
He stared at the bed, lost in thought, a bandage had wrapped around his head, and the relatively healed burns on his wrist sat in a magic gel that seemed to be rejuvenating it somewhat, its magic power glowing softly.
Kana sat at the bedside, with Sierra and Ryan at the foot board. The sounds of aggravated chatter, and heated discussion came from the opposite side of the room. He glanced up, looking at the leather knight in the corner, talking with everyone left, the chief and a few of the townspeople.
Caleb simply stared at the group, watching as they talked, but unable to make out what they were saying. still lost in his own thoughts.
A lot of people died, he thought. I nearly died again.
The thought was a constant, a singular sustained note within in the symphony of thoughts.
Even as he tried to think of other things the memories of all the fighting, fear and battles flashed through his mind. The bodies of the goblins, of the Endagon, of the first orc, the zombies, Jakob, Elena, Michael, David, Mario and now all the others out in the field.
It made him want to scream.
His mind''s fixation on violence, on death, scared him. But what scared him more was how familiar the feeling was starting to become.
Is this what the trial''s supposed to be? he thought. What even comes after? Is this what it will be like if I get out? Is this my life now? Endless fighting, fear and then... a horrible death?
He glanced down at his trembling hands and quickly clenched his fists tightly before wincing, his wrist throbbing.
[Caleb?] Kana whispered.
¡°I¡¯m fine¡± he said, relaxing his hands. He felt Kana¡¯s eyes remain on him, her magic power glowing slightly brighter. ¡°You don¡¯t have to heal me¡±
She watched him for a few moments longer then turned to look back at the others. Caleb did too, shaking his head to discard the thoughts of violence, before focusing on the town chief¡¯s words.
[-can¡¯t just evacuate on your orders alone] the chief said angrily.
[I¡¯m sorry sir b-]
[That¡¯s Chief Maron to you!] the chief spat. The knight nodded, clearly annoyed at having to tolerate the chief¡¯s abrasiveness.
Caleb frowned as he watched the man, staring intently at his magic power. It was the only thing that took his mind of the violence. So almost like a compulsion, he stared at it, studied it. It dwarfed everyone¡¯s, at least five times larger than even Layla¡¯s.
But it was still nowhere as bright as his own, simply larger. And it still had weight. Caleb frowned, confused. He couldn¡¯t make sense of it. He needed to know more. Wanted to.
[What right do you have to j-just waltz in here and take what we have?! To tell us to just leave our home?! All you of the last generation are so-]
[Look] the leather knight said harshly. [I¡¯m sorry Chief Maron, but we have to evacuate. It¡¯s a direct order from the King]
[The King?!] the chief sputtered. [I- Where would we even go? Surely not to those savages in Kipell?]
[No, they¡¯re being evacuated too. We have to go much further, Chief. Past the mountains]
[WHAT?!!]
[I know, but until we fix this, nowhere in the plains is safe]
The chief¡¯s eyes widened and he froze in his tracks, train of thought stopping dead.
[What do you mean the plains aren¡¯t safe?] Angelina said, no longer in her armour.
[There¡¯s a possible threat. We word of it from a good prophet] the knight responded. [That¡¯s¡ all I can say]
¡°Will we have to leave too?¡± James said. The leather knight shrugged.
[Maybe, but I doubt it]
¡°Why?¡± Caleb said suddenly, his eyes narrowing. The knight turned to him and hesitated but spoke anyway.
[You guys have magic. Proper magic. I mean, you managed to kill all those Wielderhorns. I- let¡¯s just say if you guys really are who I think you are, then the Captain will want to have a word with you]
¡°You mean help with your mission?¡± Sierra said.
[Yeah, I can¡¯t say anything about it till he confirms, but we¡¯re going to need all the help we can get]
Caleb nodded, looking back down at the white sheets of his bed, frowning. Everything was becoming awfully convenient for fighting again. They were trapped somewhere unsafe and might be forced to fight to protect somewhere with one, maybe two people stronger than them. Just like the tutorial.
No shit dumbass. It¡¯s called a tutorial for a reason. Of course they¡¯re going to be the same.
Except that it was probably going to be harder.
His hands began to tremble, and he hid them quickly beneath the sheets. He wanted to say something, to protest, but no one else was. Everyone just continued to stare at the soldier and chief in silence, seemingly resigned to their fates. He cursed the world, the arbiters, and himself silently. He¡¯d have to fight again. He really didn¡¯t want to. But it looked like he didn¡¯t have much of a choice.
[Well¡ I think for now it¡¯s best to just wait until your captain gets here. For now, we should let the injured be] the chief said, scratching his head. [I¡¯ve got¡ things to attend to]
He quickly walked out of the room, followed by the leather knight. A moment of silence passed over everyone, before the few that remained began to leave too. Sierra and Ryan remained at the foot of the bed, only turning to look at him.
¡°You guys look tired¡± he said.
¡°Yeah¡± Ryan chuckled bitterly. Sierra only nodded, eyes still distant.
[I¡¯ll stay with Caleb] Kana said. [You two should sleep]
¡°You sure?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°It¡¯s fine guys. The beds are probably comfier upstairs, and they¡¯ll probably let me go quickly¡±
They both nodded, then trudged out of the room with everyone else, but Eriana who sat in the corner, sword on the floor and knees pulled to her chest. Her eyes were wet, but behind the hurt was a clear and horrible anger.
¡°Eriana?¡± he called out.
[What?] she said curtly.
¡°Are you¡ uh¡ never mind¡± he mumbled as she glared at him. Kana glanced to her, then to Caleb and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
[You should lie down. It¡¯ll be better for your head]
¡°If I lie down I¡¯ll fall asleep¡±
[It¡¯s ok to fall asleep now. Your head¡¯s healed and you have no concussion] she said. Caleb thought the words through for a second, then shrugged.
¡°Whatever you say¡±
He lay down against the bed, staring up at the ceiling as Kana stared at Eriana. His mind drifted quickly, the mess of thoughts weighing on him without the buffer of conversation. Caleb sighed. He was so damn tired. If whatever the arbiters had planned next was just as bad as this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to take much more.
At the very least I¡¯m still alive.
His side throbbed slightly in protest at the thought. He scowled momentarily, before ignoring the pain and closing his eyes. It was time to sleep.
Chapter Twenty Four - Tonights Woes
Caleb was running.
Darkness and trees surrounded him, only slivers of moonlight peeking through the canopy above. Enough to illuminate the steam of his breath against the cold air, but barely anything else.
His breaths were slow, heavy. With each he struggled against the mass in his lungs, the effort growing harder and harder, as his heartbeats reverberated through his chest.
His feet pounded against the dirt in beneath of him as he struggled, unable to push faster than a slow jog.
A mixture of sounds echoed through the dark wood behind him. The grunts of orcs, the howl of wolves, the gnashing teeth of zombies, and of many, many more foes. And they were steadily getting closer.
The monsters were coming.
And he knew, that despite his stat points, his skill, and even the fear that forced him to press onwards with each dying breath, they¡¯d catch him eventually.
The thought pushed him harder as he stumbled over burnt and mangled corpses, his feet slipping on the blood of the less fortunate, the ones the trial had already taken all left behind to rot in an unfamiliar world.
The monsters had killed so many.
And they were going to kill him to. Him and everyone else he cared about.
Ryan, Sierra, Kana and all the others in the trial.
They''d find them, then, with outstretched fingers from gnarled claws, or bladed hands they¡¯d tear them limb from limb until only blood and memories were left.
It didn¡¯t matter how far he ran, he knew.
They¡¯d get him eventually.
Caleb¡¯s eyes flew open.
He froze, confused as the panic within him started to fade, his eyes adjusting to the soft candlelight in the darkness of the infirmary. He wiped sweat from his face, breathing a sigh of relief as the night air began to cool him.
After a moment he made to sit up, only to get instantly pulled back to the bed, practically locked in a tangled mess of sweat-stained sheets.
With a heavy sigh, he slowly started to untangle himself. As he threw off the last of the sheets, he looked to his side and found Kana; still seated in the bedside chair, snoring peacefully as her head lay against a pillow she¡¯d propped up against the side of the headboard.
Was she that worried? he thought.
He chuckled to himself then sighed, the notion bringing a mixture of emotions. He shifted as he swung his legs off the bed, the frame creaking loudly. Kana sat up quickly, dazed and looked over to him.
¡°You, ok?¡± he asked. She nodded.
¡°You could¡¯ve used a bed you know?¡± he said. She chuckled slightly.
[One of the nurses must¡¯ve done this. I only remember sitting next to you. I must¡¯ve fallen asleep at some point] she said.
¡°Well, you didn¡¯t have to stay with me the entire time¡± he said. ¡°Thanks though. I appreciate it¡±
[It¡¯s fine]
He stood up and stretched out yawning as Kana stood too. She watched him nervously, mana flowing into her hands as she stepped over to him.
¡°I¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t¡¯ have to heal me¡± he said.
[Are you sure?] she said, still clearly worried.
¡°Yeah¡± he chuckled.
[Ok. Just let me know if you change your mind]
Caleb chuckled slightly to himself, then gently yawned again before giving Kana a warm smile.
¡°You¡¯d make a good doctor¡±
[Thanks] she said, returning his smile.
¡°Now come on, let¡¯s go find a proper room. These beds are awful¡±
Kana nodded and made for the door. Caleb followed and stepped out of the room behind her before they slowly made their way across the church hall towards the other rooms. Caleb slowed as they walked through, looking over all the ornaments and decoration once again.
He scanned the room, his eyes falling on the various trinkets placed ceremonially throughout. All symbolic ornaments seemed to be made of a dark chrome, but the majority were made of a wood dyed orange. It clashed weirdly with the red banners and carpets.
Though he supposed it wasn¡¯t likely religious tradition here was founded solely on aesthetic appeal any more than it was back on earth.
He looked up higher to the window, line with the black chrome which reflected the clear stars beyond them. For a moment his breath caught in his throat as he stared up at the marvel of stars. Like glowing glitter painted across black. He¡¯d never seen them so clearly.
[Caleb?] Kana said.
¡°Oh¡ sorry¡± he said, jogging to catch up to her. But as they started up the steps to the rooms, Caleb paused.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
[What¡¯s wrong?] Kana asked.
¡°Could we go outside for a sec? Maybe look at the stars?¡±
[I¡¯m not sure if we should]
¡°Ok, ok. You go to bed, I¡¯ll take a quick peek¡± he said. He quickly started down the steps, but found footsteps echoed behind him. He glanced back to see Kana following him down the steps.
[I can¡¯t leave you alone. You just left the infirmary] she said. He grinned and together they quietly made their way out of the church hospital and onto the stone steps at it¡¯s front.
They both instantly froze, staring up at the brilliant night sky. The stars dotted the sky all around them, staining corners of the night with beautifully complex patterns that the two couldn¡¯t tear their eyes away from.
Together they stared at the sky, a cool summer night¡¯s breeze washing over them. For a moment all their troubles were forgotten. No monsters. No fighting. No blood. Only the stars.
[It¡¯s beautiful] Kana whispered. Caleb nodded silent for a moment as he stepped further down the steps, looking around.
¡°You think we could see home from here?¡±
[Maybe] Kana said then let out a small laugh.
¡°What?¡±
[I forget sometimes that we¡¯re not on Earth. This is an alien planet, maybe a hundred million miles away from home, but the people here look just like us. The aliens are just us]
Caleb nodded, a sinking feeling growing in his stomach. The beauty of the moment had been suddenly ripped away from him by her words; replaced by the small dread he¡¯d forgotten about. The nature of the trial. Such conveniences, such familiarity went against everything he understood about the world.
The fact that they could be entire galaxies away and yet the people looked exactly the same, some of the animals, even. And not just once, but twice. It was almost impossible. Near zero. It felt like it could all be manufactured.
Maybe it was.
He looked to the sky again, the stars twinkling back at him and he was reminded of the space in between, of the arbiters. His eyes narrowed as his hands began to tremble slightly.
What are you really?
[Caleb?]
¡°Hm?¡±
[We should probably head back inside] Kana said. He nodded but paused, looking to floor then further down the main road as another gust of wind drew up dust. He waved it away from his face then poked at his side, the familiar slightly dull throbbing still there. Even if the runes helped. he was still running out of time.
¡°Kana?¡± he called out. ¡°Could we maybe, walk around for a bit?¡±
From the doorway, Kana turned to face him. She watched him for a few seconds, then frowned. She was still getting used to her skill, but the anxiety in his demeanour and the swirl of negative emotions that plagued his mind were clear to her powers.
It''d been disturbing at first, seeing people''s negative emotions as something her power could ''correct'', but it was proving to be helpful. Especially in Caleb''s case.
Mentally, he was far more fragile than she''d realised. His mood swings weren''t like anyone else''s except maybe Eriana''s, but at least she was somewhat happy most of the time. Caleb rarely was. It was almost as though a constant cloud loomed over him.
But her powers had helped fix that, even if it''d only been for today. She hadn''t healed him without his permission, but whenever he got sad again she''d tried to nudge him in the right direction. Tried to at least make it easier for him to stay normal. It wasn''t easy, but doing small stuff like this, just looking up at the stars even when they should be sleeping, helped.
And he¡¯d been fine, happy for a moment, before he¡¯d gone off the deep end just like that. The cloud had returned in an instant.
Had it been something she¡¯d said? Or was it whatever was happening to his lungs? She didn¡¯t know, but she knew better than to pry. She didn¡¯t want him to pull away from her, that would only make it more difficult to help him in the future. So, she forced smile.
[Yeah, that¡¯s ok]
-
¡°You think she¡¯s ok?¡±
¡°Fuck if I know. Maybe she¡¯s just looking at the stars¡±
¡°Should we go talk to her?¡±
¡°You could¡±
¡°What? Why just me?¡±
¡°I mean you''re both girls and-¡±
¡°That¡¯s not a good reason. Why can¡¯t you do it?¡±
¡°She¡¯s just¡ batshit crazy? I don¡¯t know. She was way too eager to fight and¡ she just gives me the creeps¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ a good point actually¡±
¡°Eh, I¡¯m probably just being paranoid. You¡¯ll probably be fine¡±
¡°Fuck off, we¡¯re doing this together¡±
¡°Do we have to? I mean she might not even know we¡¯re here. We could just leave. I mean it is kind of cold out, and I think I can even hear my bed calling back to me¡±
¡°Quit complaining you idiot. Come on, let¡¯s just do this¡±
¡°Really? I don¡¯t know¡ what if she came out here to just be left alone?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not¡ ok, that¡¯s a good point too¡±
Ryan and Sierra went silent, staring out at the field in front of them and the river beyond. Eriana set in the tall grass, barely visible in the starlight. She¡¯d slunk out of their room in the middle of the night and woken the others. Layla had opted to stay asleep whilst they¡¯d followed her out into one of the fields, on the opposite side of town from the massacre.
She¡¯d been sitting in the grass for at least ten minutes now, silent as she held her sword staring off into the distance.
I hope she¡¯s not having a mental breakdown. She probably is actually. Dammit, I can''t deal with this. What do I even say? Everything''s going to be ok? It''s just not. God, this situation is so fucked. Sierra thought, before glancing to the sky. At least the stars are nice.
[Guys?] a familiar voice said from behind them. Ryan and Sierra turned to see Caleb and Kana making their way over through a gap between some of the houses.
¡°You feeling better?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°I was fine in the first place. Just tired¡± Caleb said.
¡°Good. But what¡¯re you two doing out here?¡± Sierra asked.
[We could ask you the same] Kana said. [It''s not good not to sleep]
¡°We¡¯re out here because of Eriana. She just got up and came out here¡± she responded.
¡°Uh¡ ok. Should we go talk to her?¡± Caleb asked.
[I think that''d be good] Kana said.
¡°You sure?¡± Ryan asked.
[Yes] Kana repeated.
¡°Alright then¡± Ryan said. ¡°Rock, paper, scissors?¡±
¡°What?¡± Caleb responded.
¡°For who goes to talk to her?¡±
¡°Why?¡± Caleb replied.
¡°Ryan¡¯s being a baby because she creeps him out¡± Sierra said, rolling her eyes.
[I¡¯ll talk to her]
¡°No, we should do it together¡± Sierra said.
¡°But what happens if she wants to be left alone?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°We¡¯ll leave her alone¡± Sierra said. ¡°Now come on¡±
Sierra started forwards and the others followed behind. They came to a stop a few feet away, glancing to each other before finally Sierra spoke.
¡°Eriana?¡±
Eriana glanced back at them, then looked ahead, still silent.
¡°I don¡¯t think she wants to talk¡± Ryan muttered. Sierra glared at him, then looked back to Eriana.
¡°Eriana can we talk?¡±
[About what?] she mumbled, her voice missing all its usual maniacal enthusiasm.
[Are you okay?] Kana asked.
[No] she muttered. Her words were met with an awkward silence.
¡°Look, I know you probably want to be left alone but maybe you could come back to the church¡± Ryan said. ¡°It might not be safe out here¡±
[And do what? Talk about my feelings?] Eriana said, the venom practically dripping from her voice. [I¡¯d rather die]
[You don¡¯t have to talk to us if you don¡¯t want to] Kana said.
[Then fuck off] the girl practically spat. Kana nodded, then gestured for the others to go.
¡°Wait, we¡¯re just leaving?¡± Sierra whispered.
[It¡¯s better than trying to force her to come with us] Kana said. [She¡¯s upset and it¡¯s probably safe out here. We can let her deal with it, then talk later without making things worse]
Ryan let out a breath of relief, and together the group started towards the town.
[Wait] Eriana called out.
They all glanced back and watched as the girl stood up, sword in hand.
[Do you guys¡ hate still being so weak too?]
The four looked to each other confused, then back to Eriana.
Caleb understood the sentiment of the question, but it was strange to be asked about it outright. Well, maybe not that strange given the circumstances.
[Yes] Kana said suddenly. [It¡¯s frustrating]
Eriana nodded, seemingly satisfied and wiped at her eyes.
[I¡¯ll come back to bed. It¡¯s a little cold out here anyway]
Chapter Twenty Five - The Brigadiers
Caleb ate silently, ruminating on his own thoughts. He sat at a table filled with various grain foods and milk, along with the all the other chosen in the trial, the mayor and the lone brigadier. They ate mostly silently, though some exchanged a few words, mutterings about their own tiredness and other mundanities. The rest only spared the occasional glance amongst themselves before continuing to eat.
The food was nice. Plain, but enjoyable, probably because of how hungry he was. Caleb hadn¡¯t realised his appetite till they¡¯d been woken and offered breakfast at the chief¡¯s house. He glanced up at the others, looking. It was strange, seeing so few of them now.
Well, they hadn¡¯t lost that many, but the deaths were still fresh in everyone¡¯s minds. Caleb¡¯s mind flicked back briefly to the battle. He shook his head. It¡¯d be better not to think about that right now, he didn¡¯t want to lose his appetite most of all when he needed to eat.
He went back to eating his bread, taking a few bites before glancing around the room. The chief¡¯s house wasn¡¯t much bigger than all the others in the town, his dining hall slightly crowded with all of them sitting around the table. But Caleb was less intrigued in the lack of space and more intrigued by the interior.
It reminded him of the interior of a Victorian house, the perfect mixture of brick and wood. But the decoration threw the aesthetic off.
It was strange, a mix of random religious trinkets he recognised from the church that lined the walls, along with proper photos of various of people lining the walls and the odd painting of landscapes. It created a strange, somewhat comforting vibe and framed the chief in a completely different light. That and his offer to let them have breakfast at his house.
The only decoration that seemed out of place had been the taxidermy boar head that sat over the doorway. That¡¯d given him the creeps. For some reason when he¡¯d looked into its lifeless eyes he¡¯d been reminded of Jakob¡¯s and the girl in armour who¡¯d died in the infirmary.
He didn¡¯t know why. Maybe it had something to do with his dreams, a mixture of memories, guilt and fear that he could only remember in emotion alone. His brow furrowed further as a slight tremor passed through his hands.
[Caleb?] Kana whispered.
¡°Hm?¡± he said, sparing a glance at Markus and Angelina before looking to Kana.
[Are you not hungry? You¡¯re playing with your food]
¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine¡± he mumbled, before returning to his bread. She continued watching him for a few seconds, and he took a few bites, awkwardly waiting for her to turn away.
[Caleb?] she said.
¡°Yeah?¡± he replied, confused as he looked to her.
[Back during the fight, with the red sword hand creatures, why did you throw me?]
¡°What?¡± he mumbled.
[You threw me. To Layla. Why did you throw me?] she said, a note of sadness in her voice.
He stared at her for a second, before realising what she was talking about. He¡¯d forgotten about the moment already.
¡°I¡ wanted to save you I guess¡± he mumbled.
[Please don¡¯t do that again] she said, the solemness. [I don¡¯t want anyone to sacrifice themselves for me]
¡°O-ok¡± he said nodding. He looked back to his food, silent again as he stared at and through his plate, a confusing swirl of emotions going through his mind.
Suddenly everything shifted. It was sudden, an assault to his senses. Like a bright flash of light at the edge of his periphery, a sudden weight imposed itself onto the outer edge of his magical awareness. Magic greater than anything he¡¯d ever felt.
Caleb eyes widened and he dropped his fork, his sense of balance pulled towards the weight, like gravity. He blinked for a moment, realising too late that he was leaning back in his seat, then his chair tipped and he crashed to the floor.
[Caleb?!] Kana cried worriedly as the others all looked to him.
¡°I¡¯m fine¡± he muttered, still struggling to manage his sense of up and down.
¡°What happened?¡± Ryan said, as he, Kana and Sierra helped Caleb up.
¡°There¡¯s- something powerful coming¡± he muttered, his heart beating hard
[It¡¯s the others] The brigadier said, standing as he frowned at Caleb. [The captain and the rest are here.]
Everyone looked to him, then to the mayor as he let out a heavy sigh.
[I guess it¡¯s time then] he said standing as he dusted himself off and stood from his chair in the corner. Without a word he made his way over to the door and stepped out of the house, the door slamming behind him. Everyone looked amongst themselves, uncertain.
[We should probably follow] the brigadier said, before making his way to the door. The chairs quickly began scraping against the wooden floor as everyone stood from the table, finishing off the last of their meal. They filed out quickly, Caleb sparing one last glance at the boar head before stepping out into the heat of the early morning sun.
He slowed slightly, shielding his eyes from the sun. Without his sunshield, he could really feel the heat. The others began murmuring amongst themselves, and he watched as the brigadier and the chief made their way down the road, closer to the three magical weights that.
Caleb could see the people clearly now. A man and two women. One of the women wore similar armour to the leather knight, but the other two - the ones with the greater magical brightness - wore a strange metallic armour.
It looked like a cross between football pads and a knight¡¯s armour, with a leather base with inscribed iron panelling over the top, and extra armour on the shoulders.
And on their person, each carried a weapon that seemed to exude just as much mana as they did. The woman in leather had daggers at her hips and a short sword on her back. The other woman had a great sword on her back that glinted bronze in the sunlight. And finally the man, an absolute giant, had a huge war-hammer strapped to his back. He had to be at least a foot taller than Caleb, maybe even more.
¡°Holy¡± Ryan mumbled. ¡±I can see why the chief said we should call them. I think I can feel whatever it is you can Caleb¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Sierra muttered. ¡°It¡¯s like the air just got twice as heavy¡±
Caleb glanced to Ryan and Sierra in surprise, then to the others, noticing the subtle shift in their mana. Everyone was noticing the magical pressure the Brigadiers exuded.
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These guys are seriously strong, he thought. It¡¯s worrying.
Caleb frowned as he watched them even more. He didn¡¯t understand how there were people here with magic. The artifacts were one thing, but now that he was really starting to think about it, the brigadiers were the only people he¡¯d seen outside of people in the trial with magic. Why? Wasn¡¯t magic supposed to be special? Had they gone through a trial of their own?
The trio come to a stop with the chief and the other brigadier, quickly descending into discussion. Caleb and the others slowed, slightly apprehensive.
[What do we do?] Angelina, the spear girl said.
¡°Go talk to them?¡± James said. ¡°I mean, the guy said they¡¯d need our help¡±
¡°But they could be dangerous¡± Sierra said. ¡°I know the guy saved us, but there¡¯s no guarantee they don¡¯t just turn on us. I¡¯m pretty sure they could kill us pretty quickly. We just need to be careful¡±
[You think they¡¯re going to kill us?] the girl whose name Caleb still hadn¡¯t gotten said, wide eyed.
¡°I- it¡¯s just a possibility¡± Sierra mumbled back. Caleb glanced to her, then back to the group of knights as the discussion continued. She had a point. He didn¡¯t know why they¡¯d do it, but if they did that wouldn¡¯t really matter, he and the other chosen would just all be dead. It¡¯d be better to at least be somewhat prepared instead.
The sinking feeling returned to his gut and he wiped the sweat from his palms onto his trousers. Once again he was reminded of the hostile nature of the trial.
[So what do we do?] Kana asked.
¡°We haven¡¯t gotten a message from the arbiters or anything¡± Caleb said. ¡°Maybe we wait for that?¡±
[Screw this] Eriana said suddenly. She broke free of them, and marched forwards, to the still discussing group.
¡°Crap¡± Sierra said, quickly following behind. Ryan, Kana and Caleb shared a glance, then followed too, the footsteps of all the others followed not far behind.
Caleb clenched and unclenched his hands as he neared, glancing between the brigadiers. He didn¡¯t have a weapon, everything already destroyed from yesterday¡¯s battle. He felt exposed. And the creeping fatigue that he¡¯d felt when they first arrived became present in his conscious mind once again.
Then the group broke, the mayor quickly hurrying away as the Brigadiers turned to them. They watched them for a second, then Eriana began talking.
[So you guys are these so called Brigadiers?]
[Yes] the tall man said, sparing a glance at the teleporting brigadier.
[Well who do you want us to fight?] Eriana said, her tone aggressive.
¡°Hi" Sierra said, quickly pulling Eriana back before she could say more. "Uh¡ sorry about her, she¡¯s¡ tired¡±
[Cut here tells me, that you are all children of the Gods] the older man said, ignoring Sierra''s greeting.
"Uh..."
Caleb came to a stop behind Sierra and frowned at the Brigadier¡¯s phrasing. Did he mean deities? Was this another translation error?
[Was I mistaken?] the man said, glancing between Cut ¨C the teleporting brigadier and then back to them.
¡°No¡± Caleb said. ¡°I think we are what you think we are. We¡¯ve got magic and everything¡±
The older man nodded, then glanced behind him as the chief disappeared into the church hospital.
[That¡¯s good] the woman in the half leather half steel armour said stepping forwards. [I¡¯m Roeca, these squirts are Cut and Aima, and the big guy is our Captain, Reinhard. We¡¯d appreciate it if you could help us]
[With the evacuation?] Kana said.
[No] she replied. [Aima here is best suited for that. Cut, Captain Reinhard and I are focused on stopping the threat to the plains. We¡¯d like your help finding and exterminating the cultists responsible for this whole mess]
[Wait- cultists?] Angelina said.
[Yes. Cultists. I suppose it¡¯s a bit difficult to explain, but they¡¯re a group using religious texts to try and reawaken our planets connection to the Gods. They¡¯re well intentioned, but their assumptions of the text are wrong. Because of a reliable prophet, a descendant of the Farsight, we believe their antics could cause the release of a calamity that could cause the destruction of the entirety of the plains or even the northern side of the continent]
¡°Woah, you¡¯re saying you want us to fight a continent destroying calamity?!¡± Ryan said.
[No. Just the people trying to cause it] Roeca said. [They¡¯re strong, but with your blessings, you¡¯ll be able to beat them, define your legends and grow stronger]
[We¡¯re in] Eriana said instantly.
¡°W-wait a second¡± Sierra said, pulling her back. Eriana struggled against Sierra¡¯s grip and shoved her away, glaring at her. The stared at each other for a few seconds, the tension growing, before Eriana looked to everyone else, then back to the brigadiers.
[Uh- we¡¯ll give you a moment to discuss] Roeca said awkwardly.
¡°Thanks¡± Ryan said, gently steering Sierra away from Eriana. ¡°Alright everyone, team huddle¡±
The group stepped slightly away from the Brigadiers and formed a circle, a few sparing glances between Eriana and Sierra.
¡°So¡ you guys want to vote on this or something?¡± Ryan asked.
[But what are we voting on?] Markus said. [I mean, I know they said fight cultists, but we''ve got no reference. If these guys need our help then it¡¯s just suicide]
[Yeah] Angelina said. [Plus we still haven¡¯t gotten a message or anything. What if these guys are supposed to be the bad guys?]
"Let¡¯s not jump to any hasty conclusions¡± James said, glancing to the Brigadiers. ¡°They might actually just want our help. I mean they¡¯re probably the good guys¡±
¡°I think they are¡± Caleb said, eyes narrowed in thought.
[Why?] Kana asked.
¡°I mean, it makes sense¡± Caleb said, looking to the others. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this was the same for you guys, but when the tutorial officially started we got teleported to a kind of settlement, that had soldiers, a good fighter that helped you fight monsters that attacked and someone who explained things a bit. A guide, kind of. Did you?¡±
Everyone except Layla nodded.
¡°I think it¡¯s a bit different, but here ¨C the plains - is our settlement, and these guys are our a mix between fighter and guides. We don''t have context for a lot of the stuff they''re saying, but it sounds kind of similar to what the people back on our tutorial planet were saying. Blessings and records, gods and arbiters"
[What''re you trying to say?] Eriana said.
"I think we got put here by the arbiters, or whatever the hell they''re called, but I think we got put here specifically when all this is going on for a reason. I think this mission is that reason, that this is our test, or at least a second one. I don''t know. It just seems too convenient for them to show up almost as soon as we do and need our help out of nowhere. And plus, if there really is a big calamity coming then why not help them stop it?"
"Yeah" James mumbled. "I mean, from the way they¡¯ve been talking, it doesn¡¯t sound like the villagers will be very safe if they fail¡±
Everyone glanced to the still leaving villagers as they continued down the road, towards the distant mountains.
[I mean that¡¯s all well and good, but it¡¯s just speculation] the girl whose name Caleb still hadn¡¯t gotten said.
¡°I¡¡± Caleb trailed off.
[He has a theory. Kana said. [About the trial. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all right, but parts of it definitely are]
[What theory?]
[That the world of the trial, the places, the events and even the people are designed around us somehow.]
¡°And you think that means these guys were supposed to find us and ask this?¡± James asked.
"Well, I mean, we all somehow showed up to this town one way or another, didn¡¯t we?" Caleb said.
Everyone went silent, furrowing their brows as they slipped into thoughts of their own. Caleb looked over their expressions, struggling to gauge their reactions, before glancing to the brigadiers.
[Can we just fucking do this already?] Eriana said, annoyed.
¡°Alright, everyone. let¡¯s just vote¡± Sierra said. ¡°All against?¡±
Layla, and the girl whose name Caleb still hadn¡¯t gotten raised their hands.
¡°Ok, well, For?¡±
Everyone else raised their hands, though some more hesitantly than others.
[Thank you] Eriana said with a huff as she turned back to the Brigadiers.
¡°Shit¡± Ryan mumbled. ¡°I guess we¡¯re really doing this then. More fighting¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb mumbled, glancing to the others as the group began to spilt apart.
¡°Welp, If things go south I¡¯m pinning it on you¡± Ryan said jokingly.
¡°H-huh? Why?¡±
¡°I¡¯m kidding man. I just think everyone brought into your idea. The guides, the settlements, the fact that everyone else had them and now we¡¯re basically doing a repeat with a few differences¡ just another tick in the box for your theory, huh?¡± Ryan said.
Caleb looked to him, then nodded, somewhat disturbed. Not everything lined up perfectly, but the number of similarities definitely fed the flame of his idea more. He looked to the villagers that stood on their porches, to the clear lack of mana they had, then to the Brigadiers and finally to the rest of the chosen.
It disturbed him, the implications of what his idea meant. He glanced up to the sky, frowning as he wiped his palms against his trouser.
Kana frowned as she glanced to Caleb, then the others, sensing the unease that was slowly starting to take hold of the group. Sierra looked to her and frowned.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.
[Everyone seems so scared. I¡¯m not sure if this is really the right thing to do] Kana muttered.
[Objective 2 complete]
[Objective 3: Assist the Brigadiers and stop the calamity]
¡°Well¡± Sierra mumbled, staring up at the message. ¡°I guess that answers that¡±
Chapter Twenty Six - Need I say more?
Caleb stood just outside the town, watching the river as it flowed around the town, then curved out beyond the low grass and into the wider fields. It was later, the sun higher in the sky, illuminating everything in front of him clearly.
The temperature was nice too. A gentle breeze rolled over him, ruffling his hair, and glossing over his skin.
He continued to stare out at the endless fields at the distant mountain tops, but his focus was different now, instead on the magic all around them. It was beautiful to watch. The way it twisted and flowed, centred around all the living things. It moved in a soft rhythm in tandem with the birds in the sky, the plants on the ground, and the people.
Seeing it like this, feeling it like another sense, it really did feel magical.
His eyes drifted away from the landscape, down to himself. Like all the others he wore a set of mildly uncomfortable leather armour, a sheathed sword with a dim magic glow at his waist and spell bracelet on his wrist.
The chief had handed out the artifacts to all the chosen of the somewhat reluctantly and probably at order of Reinhard. Caleb felt pretty guilty about it, but he was pretty sure he¡¯d need it more than the villagers. He felt good with the weapons, safer. Though the sleeve had been a lot more comfortable than a sword at his hip.
He adjusted the sheath¡¯s belt as he looked up and turned back to the village, his gaze falling on the villagers. They moved with small carts, and wheelbarrows of luggage, likely filled with heirlooms as they made their way into the fields, led by Aima.
Many faces were grim, the mixture of anger, disappointment and uncertainty clear. These people were moving from their homes, maybe forever. From what he¡¯d gathered, most had never even left the village before. He couldn¡¯t blame the clear discontent they had with the situation.
He watched the inhabitants of Arrell exit down the main path for a few more moments, then frowned. He scanned the crowd over again, his confusion growing.
¡°Where are all the kids?¡± he mumbled.
[What?] Kana said from beside him.
¡°Kids. I mean it¡¯s a whole town and there¡¯s just¡ no children?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Ryan said. ¡°I thought that was just me¡±
¡°Wait¡ wow.¡± Sierra mumbled as she squinted. ¡°That¡¯s weird¡±
Caleb frowned, and glanced to Roeca, the chief, and Reinhard as they spoke. The chief had mentioned something about the last generation when he¡¯d spoken to Cut. Now that he really thought about it, Cut, Aima and Rad had seemed like the youngest people from this world that they¡¯d actually met.
Wait¡ no, it can¡¯t be, he thought.
¡°It¡¯s probably just this town¡± Caleb mumbled. ¡°Maybe they send them all to some school in a different place¡±
¡°Maybe¡± Ryan muttered back. Caleb nodded, though his unease remained. He looked back to the chief, Reinhard and Cut as they spoke. The chief¡¯s face looked grim as he nodded, before looking back to his villagers. Then he shook Reinhard and Cut¡¯s hands.
With a final nod to the chief Reinhard turned to them, followed by Cut as they made their way over. Caleb watched the man, still slightly intimidated by his magical presence. A few of the others began to notice him too, turning to face him as Roeca stepped forward, dusting off her armour. Reinhard muttered a few things to her and she turned to face them.
[Alright!] she said loudly, everyone turning to her. [Before we set off, I need to know your abilities, so I can work out the most effective pairs]
¡°Pairs?¡±
[During this mission a few of us, might have to split up, it¡¯s better to have effective pairs so we can split the group quickly]
Everyone glanced amongst themselves. There were ten chosen in total. Five pairs.
¡°Uh¡ I have Aura of Acceleration¡± Sierra said, looking to Roeca.
¡°I have Will of the Iron born¡± Ryan said.
[Protective Energy] Kana said.
¡°Mana Soul¡± Caleb answered.
¡°Telekinesis¡± Layla said.
[Hand of the Old Osslida] Markus said.
¡°Mana Battery¡± James said.
[Will of Action] Angelina responded.
[Beholder of Oqifketharfar¡¯s shard] the girl whose name Caleb still didn¡¯t know said.
[Sword of Soul] Eriana said last. Roeca looked over all of them, uncertain, then awkwardly looked to Reinhard and Cut.
[Well¡ they definitely all sound cool] Cut said.
[Not helping] Roeca said sternly, before turning to the rest of them. [Um¡ could you explain them?]
[We don¡¯t have time. Come on, we¡¯ll do pairs later] the captain said gruffly. [We¡¯ve got our supplies. It¡¯s time to head North]
-
Caleb and the others trudged along, behind Reinhard, Cut and Roeca, who walked slightly further ahead.
They¡¯d gathered into groups, Caleb with Kana, Sierra, Ryan, Angelina with James ¨C whose hair was starting to glow again, Eriana on her own, and Layla, Markus, and Olivia ¨C whose name Caleb had finally heard in passing.
At first they¡¯d all tried to talk amongst themselves, but the atmosphere had grown sombre when Olivia had mentioned how much her friends would¡¯ve liked the view of the mountains. Now they walked mostly in silence, only Markus and Olivia occasionally sharing the odd comment.
Caleb wasn¡¯t enjoying the quiet. Usually when it was only him, the soft sounds of the wind and the tweets of distant birds, he¡¯d feel calm. At peace.
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Being out in nature like this reminded him of the good times with his mom and dad, allowed him to switch his mind off somewhat.
But not here. Here he felt up to his neck in anxiety, the tension slowly choking his thoughts to death. Being on constant alert wasn¡¯t good for him, especially with the lack of sleep. He rubbed at his eyes.
At least, in some twisted way it was better that they weren¡¯t talking. If they had been, then he¡¯d feel even more anxious about not hearing something coming.
Is this how cavemen felt? he thought. Constantly on the run. Constantly worrying about survival?
It felt nightmarish. He looked up at the others. He was overthinking things. Maybe it¡¯d be better to talk, to try and relieve some of his worry. And if something did appear, it was probably better to die ignorant than aware and completely unable to stop it.
He looked forward, eyes falling to Reinhard, Roeca, and Cut. He watched them scanning the fields for a moment, then frowned.
¡°It¡¯s kind of weird, isn¡¯t it?¡± he muttered suddenly.
¡°What?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°How these brigadier guys have magic¡± he said, pointing forward. ¡°I was just thinking about it¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Sierra asked.
¡°Their powers¡±
[Well, the people back in the village had it. The spell bracelets and some of the swords]
¡°No, I meant like actual magic¡± Sierra said. Kana furrowed her brow in confusion.
¡°I think Sierra means that they¡¯re using magic. Not artifacts¡± Caleb said. ¡°They have artifacts as well, but Cut¡¯s teleport thing is just him. Weight changes and everything. The others magic looks closer to ours than the regular villages too. I guess because of Cut I¡¯m just assuming they have skills¡±
[You can tell that?]
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°What in the world is this magic sense of yours?¡± Sierra asked.
¡°I don¡¯t know¡± Caleb said. ¡°I¡¯m starting to realise that it¡¯s a bit more special than I first assumed¡±
¡°Wait, why wouldn¡¯t the Brigadiers have magic?¡± Ryan asked.
¡°Well, I just assumed no one but us could use it¡± Caleb said.
¡°Why?¡± Sierra asked.
¡°Seer Nessaiea just made it seem really special. She got all excited about the record, and I think she literally said that magic was something holy. I guess they had artifacts and magic tech so¡ I don¡¯t know. The brigadiers seem special and maybe they are? It¡¯s weird¡±
[Do you think they recruited us because we¡¯re like them?] Kana asked.
¡°Maybe¡±
¡°Then they should¡¯ve gone through the trial too then?¡± Ryan said. ¡°Or at least some version of it¡±
¡°Maybe¡± Caleb mumbled.
¡°That¡¯s a lot of maybes¡± Ryan said glancing to Caleb.
¡°Well, I mean we don¡¯t know how any of this works¡± Caleb said. ¡°A million and one things could be possible. These guys could have records like us. What if they¡¯re doing the trial?¡±
[I doubt it. They seem familiar with this place] Kana said. [They feel somewhat safe here]
¡°Well maybe they¡¯ve just been stuck in the trial for years? The system said the average if we get back to was three months, but who knows how long we could be here?¡±
[It¡¯s ok Caleb. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve been doing the trial for that long] Kana said. [I don¡¯t think they¡¯re even in the trial]
¡°But the point is that we don¡¯t know for sure¡± Ryan mumbled. ¡°I mean, crap, what if they are in the trial and they¡¯ve roped us into some kind of incompletable mission. I mean how long have they been doing this? What if we get stuck here?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t say that¡± Sierra said, suddenly. ¡°Seriously, I puke¡±
[They wouldn¡¯t have done that] Kana said. [They seem nice]
¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough to go off of¡± Caleb mumbled, wiping his hands against his trousers as his breathing grew unsteady. ¡°We have to assume there¡¯s a lot we don¡¯t know we don¡¯t know, and don¡¯t know how we¡¯d figure it out¡±
[You could just ask them] Markus mumbled. The four glanced to him then back to each other. The boy glanced away sheepishly, fiddling with his armband, then the straps of his armour.
¡°That¡¯s a fair point¡± Sierra said. Caleb bit at his lip, then glanced forwards to Reinhard¡¯s magical weight again.
¡°¡I don¡¯t know¡± he muttered.
[Oh quit being wimps] Eriana said, suddenly marching forwards. [Hey! You three!]
¡°Shit¡± Sierra said. The three brigadiers glanced back to the group of chosen, then to each other before coming to a stop. The group slowed slightly, but continued forwards Eriana at the head.
[These guys have a few questions for you] she said, gesturing to Caleb and the others.
[About what?] Roeca asked.
¡°Uh¡ well, we¡¯re a bit confused about everything¡± Sierra said. ¡°Like why you can use magic? Is it rare?¡±
[Ah right] Roeca said. [We thought you¡¯d be aware given your station, but I guess our bloodlines have diminished to the point that they¡¯re unrecognisable. We¡¯re the descendants of your kind. Before the great sever]
[Great sever?]
[Our people angered the gods many generations ago, and they reclaimed their divinity from us. There are still remnants, traces of the old age scattered throughout the world but for the most part they¡¯re gone]
¡°Remnants? Like what?¡±
[Like us. Enchantments, artifacts, and the Great wonders. Like the whispers of Mont Friar, The forest of death, and more. Even as remnants of divinity, they do incredible wonders for our world]
[Don¡¯t forget the bad stuff too] Cut said, glancing back. [It¡¯s why we¡¯re out in this dump in the first place]
[You shouldn¡¯t be so disrespectful to your birth-grounds Cut] Roeca said, looking to him.
[Whatever] the blonde mumbled. Reinhard gave him a harsh look.
[Sorry] he said, glancing back to Roeca. [I wasn¡¯t trying to be disrespectful]
[It¡¯s fine] Roeca said, before turning back to them. [Right, where was I? Yes, old age. Cut is right of course, there are remnants of the old age that¡¯re good, and remnants that¡¯re bad too. Calamities, magic plagues, and¡ another matter. Though that¡¯s a controversial topic]
¡°Magic plagues?!¡± Ryan said.
[Yes. Though they¡¯re mostly in the Far North]
¡°That¡¯s¡ a lot to take in¡± Caleb muttered.
¡°Yeah¡ wait, circling back real quick, you guys are descendants of people with records?¡± Sierra said.
[Records?]
¡°Uh¡ what did you call it¡¡±
[Blessings?] Kana said.
¡°Yeah, blessings¡±
[Yes] Roeca said nodding, before she furrowed her brow. [It¡¯s most confusing. Meeting demigods who seem to know very little about gods and their blessings. You also¡ um¡ how can I say this?]
¡°Don¡¯t seem that strong?¡± Caleb proposed.
[Y-yes] she said, somewhat sheepish. She and Reinhard both glanced to Cut.
[Oh, come on. I was telling the truth. I saw them using blessings. Well, these four at least] he said, gesturing to Layla, Sierra, Ryan and Eriana. [And plus, they¡¯re all younger than me. They¡¯re demigods sent here by their divine parents. No doubt]
¡°Wait, younger than you? Why would that be important?¡± James said. The three shared another look between themselves. Caleb watched their gazes, some of his unease from earlier returning.
[Well, it¡¯s a difficult matter to-]
[Warning ¨C Your location is currently under attack]
The roar came as soon as the message did. Instantly Caleb felt it, from above him and behind something falling out of the sky towards the ground. His shield appeared in hand, and he spun around, pulling his sword out of its sheath.
A large half goat half pterodactyl screeched at them, clacking together sharp blood-stained teeth as it descended through the air. Its eyes were red, crazed almost and its head twitched strangely atop it¡¯s malformed body.
Instantly, he felt the magic landscape around him shift instantly, the others all preparing to fight.
But before they could do anything, a gust of wind cut its wing in two. He glanced back, watching as Roeca slashed through the air again and again, projecting sudden and sharp blasts of wind from the edge of her blade, pushed forth into the world with her magic.
The monster screeched from above as it flailed uselessly, unable to avoid the next two slices of air with its wing gone. Its cries ended quickly, its body crashing to the ground in a heap of flesh and blood.
The group went silent, everyone staring at the beast, before jumping back as it lurched suddenly. It went still again. Eriana stepped forward and tapped its wing gently with a foot, but the creature remained frozen this time.
¡°Holy shit¡± James mumbled. The others all stepped back, the tension dying down as they looked around at the now empty sky.
[Where do you think it came from?] Roeca said, putting her sword back on her back.
[Errell¡¯s in that direction] Cut said, frowning as he stared off into the distance. [One of the two towns beyond the death forest]
Roeca¡¯s face grew stiff, but Reinhard only nodded.
[Send Aima a warning pulse. We¡¯ve likely got monsters behind us, either from the forest or the anomalies. She¡¯ll need to move faster. And we will too. Quickly everyone, we¡¯ll have to jog to reach the village before nightfall]
Chapter Twenty Seven - Faces in the Sky
Caleb was exhausted, and probably even less so than the others. The group had been forced to jog for nearly two hours before Reinhard had let them stop. And that¡¯d only been because the group had started to spread too thin, the less fit and those without stat points lagging far behind.
He took another deep breath, still lying on the floor as he struggled, stars blinking across his vision as his side throbbed dully.
Caleb didn¡¯t know whether it was because the captain thought they were holy, or if he just assumed they¡¯d have as much stamina as him because they had magic, but the man definitely didn¡¯t have realistic expectations for the group.
The points in strength and speed helped him not have to put as much energy into jogging, but they didn¡¯t improve his stamina a lick. He was still just as unfit as before.
He sat up, glancing to the others as the final stragglers reached the group that¡¯d come to rest. The others all laid on the ground around him breathing heavily, only Sierra and the Brigadiers somewhat fine.
Finally, James, the last of the group, slumped to the floor, the light of his glowing hair ebbing and flowing with each tired breath.
[There¡¯s no point taking a break] Reinhard said. [We¡¯ll get going soon]
¡°I don¡¯t think¡ we can go much¡ further¡± James mumbled, slumped against Angelina.
[Do you need a long rest?]
¡°Yes¡± multiple group members said in unison. Reinhard seemed to consider them all for a moment before nodding, still expressionless.
[Fine] he said. [We¡¯ll set up camp now and rise when night comes. I¡¯d have preferred to arrive before dusk, but it¡¯d be pointless if you¡¯re all exhausted. I doubt our enemies will expect us to come for the town at nightfall. They¡¯ll believe us too honourable]
Caleb nodded, not taking in most of the words except for the agreement to let them rest.
[Cut you help organise the tents.] Reinhard said. [We¡¯ll organise dinner and rotation of guard afterwards]
-
He¡¯d sat with his dad, in a park, eating ham sandwiches. They¡¯d come from the cinema, just watched the most recent Super Man film with his mom before she¡¯d had to go to work.
They¡¯d sat in silence, which¡¯d started happening more now. Caleb couldn¡¯t tell if that was a good thing. Sometimes he liked the silence. Other times, he hated it.
That day he¡¯d hated it. So, he¡¯d talked.
¡°Do you remember that time we went on the beach? Back in Bertioga?¡±
¡°How could I forget?¡±
¡°You let me win our games of tag, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Oh, come on, I had too¡±
¡°I hope you don¡¯t do that anymore¡±
¡°I would never¡± his father had said, half joking.
¡°I still remember what you told me back then.¡±
¡°About money?¡±
¡°No. About the horizon. How sometimes the distance is what makes a thing special¡±
¡°Hah. Right, I did say that¡±
¡°Wow, you didn¡¯t even remember¡±
¡°No, no, I remember. We were on the beach, and it was just the two of us and the sea. I chased you across the sand then pulled you into the tightest hug as you giggled happily enough to make my heart melt. Then we¡¯d sat down in silence, watched the sun set, and just listened to the sea¡± his dad said wistfully. ¡°It was nice. Fun¡±
¡°Yeah¡± he¡¯d replied. ¡°It was¡±
Then his dad had laughed, a heart and sudden one, as if suddenly remembering a joke.
¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±
¡°From back then. What did you call it again?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°The horizon? You called it something funny. I think it was hoyzon?
¡°Ah! Stop remembering that¡±
¡°Was it Hizen?¡±
¡°Dad, stop¡± he¡¯d grumbled embarrassed as he¡¯d pulled his cap over his face. ¡°I was four¡±
¡°Or maybe Hozyzon? Oh, you said it with so much confidence I¡¯d almost not corrected you¡± his dad had joked.
They¡¯d laughed over the joke for a while, before his dad had spoken again.
¡°I think I said that line, the one about the horizon, trying to be weirdly profound. I¡¯m not sure it even means anything¡±
¡°I guess¡± Caleb had said. ¡°I think little me got it though. In a way I don¡¯t quite do anymore¡±
¡°You¡¯re still my little guy¡± his dad had laughed. ¡°Still so sweet and innocent.¡±
¡°No. I don¡¯t think I am anymore¡±
His dad had looked to him and frowned.
¡°Why¡¯d you say that?¡±
Caleb had been silent for a moment, memories of the monster surfacing. They¡¯d never done that before, not when he was enjoying something with his dad.
But he guessed it was getting easier for the two to overlap. Easier to see the similarities, to allow himself to remember.
He¡¯d felt a tightness in his chest, a constrictiveness that felt like his own body was at war with itself.
He hated it. Hated this feeling more than anything.
His dad was nice. Nice to him at least. A part of him didn¡¯t want to hate him. Not like this. Not now, at the very least.
¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess I do still like ice cream¡± he¡¯d laughed.
Someone was shaking Caleb awake.
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He blinked, opening his eyes slowly. Ryan shook him gently, grinning from ear to ear.
¡°What?¡± Caleb mumbled, wiping at his eyes.
¡°Come on, the sun¡¯s setting. You¡¯ll want to see this¡± he said. Caleb sat up slowly, ruffling his hair before yawning loudly.
There was chatter coming from outside, everyone else already awake. Caleb frowned, and quickly pulled the cover off himself, pulling himself forward to the now open tent door as Ryan left.
He yawned again, then stepped out of the tent, pulling the sword belt, sword still sheathed, on as he stepped onto the grass. He froze in place, looking up to the sky.
The sun had started to dip below the horizon, and although it¡¯s brilliant rays of sunlight still graced part of the sky, the majority of it had fallen into darkness. To his right stars filled the sky, and to his left.
But above him in the gap between them both, like a ripple across a lake, was a shimmering pattern of colour, like the northern lights. But instead of simple lines the colours danced forming a ever shifting kaleidoscope of colours and shapes, that graced a thin strip in the sky.
It was like looking at a mirror, the world beneath it reflected in the everchanging, ever shifting colours but also more.
The shapes of memories, places, people, faces and more. Like the strip was something shared but personal for all. It was just as beautiful as looking at magic.
Caleb simply stared up at it, breath taken.
¡°Is it like this every day?¡± Caleb muttered.
[Yeah, though the symbols change] Roeca said. [Is it not like this where you¡¯re from?]
[No] Kana muttered. [We have something similar but not like this]
[Interesting] Cut said, yawning. [I for sure thought you guys would have more interesting skies]
¡°Why¡¯s it like this?¡± Sierra whispered, eyes still fixed to the stars.
[It¡¯s been like this since the old age. A remnant of the god¡¯s power on display for all to see] Roeca said. [I forget sometimes, how beautiful it really is]
They all watched in silence for a few moments longer, as the strip curved along the sky, before finally it faded over the horizon with the final remnants of sunlight.
¡°Well¡ I can¡¯t believe we missed that last night¡± Ryan said.
¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever forget that¡± Sierra said. The others nodded, muttering words of assent, as they looked down from the sky, a few looking as though they¡¯d been physically wrenched back down to reality.
[So, captain, are we setting off now?] Cut said, looking to Reinhard. The captain glanced at the group then shook his head.
¡°We¡¯re not as far as I first thought¡± he said. ¡°Start a fire. We¡¯ll eat first. Then we move¡±
-
Caleb sat around a fire, this one deep in a pit, with the top partially shielded to hide the light.
The sky above him was completely dark now, lined from north to south with unfamiliar stars. The others all sat around the fire too, talking amongst themselves and eating.
Right now, they were going around the circle, playing an icebreaker game. Caleb was only half listening, more interested by the stars in the sky above.
[You¡¯re turn James] Olivia said.
¡°Uh¡ I used to play for the Arsenal youth team¡± James said, his glowing hair covered by a hat Reinhard had given him.
[Really?] Markus said, intrigued.
¡°Yeah, but it was only for like under thirteens. A lot less cool when I mention that¡± he laughed, before looking to Angelina.
[I¡¯m related to the Belgium royal family. It¡¯s quite distant but we did an ancestry a while ago] she said, staring at the fire.
[That¡¯s amazing] Kana said,
[Not really] she replied, her expression flat. The atmosphere grew a bit awkward before Olivia turned to him.
[You¡¯re turn Caleb]
¡°Uh¡ I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not¡ uh¡ my middle name is Martin¡± Caleb said.
[Oh, come on, give us something more interesting] Olivia said.
¡°Uh¡ well¡ I¡¯m kind of boring¡±
[It can be anything. Like¡ where are you from?]
¡°LA¡±
[No, I mean, ethnically]
¡°Oh. My dad was born in US but lived in Brazil for a few years. His dad¡¯s American and his mom was from Bertioga, it¡¯s a place in Brazil. And my mom is half African, half Arabic, I¡¯m pretty sure, but she was born in France¡±
¡°Seriously?¡± Sierra said, turning to him wide eyed.
¡°Yeah. I guess they never really talked about it that much so I don¡¯t really think about¡±
[Wow, you¡¯re from everywhere] Kana said.
¡°I guess. Uh, what¡¯s your fun fact Ryan?¡±
¡°I have been stabbed on two separate occasions¡± Ryan said, grinning.
¡°Wait what?¡± Sierra said, turning to him.
Ryan continued grinning then lifted up his shirt, to show a red mark on the lower left side of his torso, and then rolled up his sleeve, revealing a scar on the back of his elbow.
¡°Holy shit¡± Sierra said, even wider eyed.
[How did that happen?!] Kana said. [And why¡¯re you so happy about it?]
¡°I¡¯m not happy, but it¡¯s kind of cool¡±
¡°Sure. So, how exactly did this happen?¡± Layla said, her brow furrowed.
¡°My older brother¡¯s. I¡¯d say we were playing with knives, but my mom never let us anywhere near them. It was scissors both times. First one was an accident, the second one to prove that I could really take it. Mom nearly killed them when she found out¡±
¡°¡ right¡±
[How many brothers do you have exactly?]
¡°Six. The oldest three are half-brothers. I¡¯ve got a sister too, but she¡¯s way older than all of us¡±
¡°Oh wow. That¡¯s pretty interesting¡±
¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s enough about me. What about you Markus?¡± Ryan said, turning to him. Markus glanced to Ryan, sipping at his drink quickly.
[Uh¡ well¡ I¡ I¡¯m not that interesting] he said.
[Oh, come on]
[No really. The most interesting thing about me was that I was an identical twin] he said, his face growing sadder. Everyone went silent, an awkwardness permeating the group.
[I¡¯m sorry] Kana said.
[No, it¡¯s fine] Markus said. [Really. I¡ it¡¯s fine]
Everyone went silent again, a few glancing to Markus and others looking away.
[Uh¡ Roeca.] Markus said. [How about you tell us something interesting about yourself?]
[Umm¡ I trained under the Great Master Rohann.]
[Trained?]
[Yes. We all train] Roeca said.
¡°Because of your powers?¡±
[Yes. We¡¯re taken from our home when we first display signs of them and are trained to use our blessings effectively in Divin.]
[Divin?]
[It¡¯s a holy city for people like us. In the mountains] she said.
¡°Wait, you¡¯re taken from you homes?¡± Layla said alarmed
[Yes. I was born far North and Cut was born here. Reinhard¡¯s parents were born in Divin.]
¡°Why?¡±
[To retain the divinity of our bloodlines. We¡¯re sent there so we can all have kids together] Cut said.
[Wait what?]
[People like Aima, Roeca, and I are rare cases. Most people with remnant blessings are born in Divin because their parents have blessings. But even with everyone with any divinity breeding, numbers are still dwindling. My older sister doesn¡¯t have a blessing, and most people in Divin have a sibling, cousin, or Uncle who doesn¡¯t either. We¡¯re going to die out eventually, this cultist thing has just sped it up]
[Cut] Roeca warned.
[What? I¡¯m not wrong]
[I apologise on his behalf] Roeca said, looking to the chosen. [His childhood was difficult, and he didn¡¯t receive the right education]
[Ouch] Cut said dryly. [Anyway, I was just on watch, and no way am I going into battle tired. I¡¯m going to bed. Wake me when we set off. Or don¡¯t, you¡¯ve got the demigods so you probably won¡¯t need my help]
They watched as Cut disappeared into one of the furthest tents from the fire, closing the door quickly.
[What¡¯s his deal?] Eriana said.
[He¡¯s not dedicated to the cause] Reinhard said. Roeca glanced to him then looked to the fire, silent. The others glanced at each other, their expressions a combination between confusion and intrigue.
[He and Aima are part of the last generation] Roeca said suddenly. [Their lives have been difficult]
¡°Last generation?¡± Caleb asked.
[I¡ it¡¯s a difficult subject to talk about] she said, glancing to Caleb. [I wouldn¡¯t want to offend any of you]
[Offend us?] Angelina said confused.
[Yes] Roeca said, shrinking into herself somewhat.
[It¡¯s ok] Kana said. [I doubt we understand enough about the gods to be offended]
Roeca nodded though still seemed somewhat apprehensive, glancing to Caleb.
[You appear to have the old markings on your skin. I don¡¯t want to appear rude, but are you a child of Novea?]
¡°Novea?¡± Caleb
[The god of runes]
¡°No¡± Caleb said.
[Where did you get them?]
¡°I was given these by a person. It was a gift.¡±
[They are very beautiful] she said.
¡°T-thank you¡± Caleb said, awkwardly.
[I¡¯m so confused right now] Olivia muttered.
¡°Yeah, what does this have anything to do with Cut¡¯s age?¡± Ryan asked.
[The old binds] Reinhard said suddenly. [There are three. They use runes to create are large scale spells too complex for us to understand, and were deactivated during the sever. The cultists we are hunting messed with one and partially activated it in an attempt to get the attention of the gods. In the process they eliminated the person¡¯s ability to reproduce across the continent. Cut''s generation were the last born. I apologise for the blatant disrespect to your kind¡¯s works, the actions of the cultists don¡¯t represent general opinion of you or your ancestors]
There was silence throughout the camp.
[So, nobody in the world can have any children?] Angelina said.
[No]
¡°What happens when people Cut¡¯s age start dying?¡±
[Then we all die]
¡°I-is there a way to fix it?¡± Layla asked.
[Well, you¡¯re here, but you don¡¯t appear to be familiar with runes] she said. [I wouldn¡¯t presume that you¡¯d do something for us, but¡ maybe you could ask the gods directly?]
[I¡¯m not sure if it will have any impact.] Kana said. [But if we get the chance we will]
[Really?]
[Yes] Kana said firmly. She glanced to the others, and everyone nodded, though the uncertainty was clear on their faces. Caleb frowned and looked to the fire as the conversation continued around him.
This entire world is dying because of magic, he thought. If I¡¯d known, I would¡¯ve taken a rune skill in a heartbeat. But we weren¡¯t even told about it. Why? Why don¡¯t the arbiters seem worried about it at all?
He looked up at the stars once again, his eyes narrowing. He felt like he understood better now, saw more of those above.
And he didn¡¯t like what he saw one bit.
Chapter Twenty Eight - Ab astris, ad astra
The conversation between the brigadiers and chosen had continued for a while, everyone sitting around the campfire as they talked amongst themselves. It was an intriguing conversation, both sides learning a lot.
At least the ones who were listening that was. Caleb had long since fallen silent, lost in his own thoughts.
He¡¯d been thinking about everything. What the trial really was, why this place was like this and more. The ideas that swirled around in his head were many, vastly different shapes, weights and sizes. He was struggling so desperately to put them into order, to organise them in line with his theory, but more and more it was making less sense.
This world was real.
He was sure of it as much as he was sure of the tumour growing in his lungs. Well, almost. A small seed of doubt still remained in the back of his mind, but he was so certain now.
Given what Reinhard had told them, the lack of magical weight the magic ¡°star¡± in his chest shared with the villagers, the magic ¡°stars¡± within the brigadiers, and what everything else probably meant, his doubt felt a lot closer to irrational than it had before. At this point it didn¡¯t warrant that much attention.
The problem now, wasn¡¯t whether the world was real or not, but rather the scale of everything happening.
On that end, it probably would¡¯ve served for him to listen to the other¡¯s conversation. But he felt safer in the comfort of his own mind, in a place where his thoughts couldn¡¯t be challenged or shared.
And as he thought, parsed over his thoughts, considering all the things he¡¯d seen, heard, or been told, it became clearer to him that whatever was happening was far greater than he¡¯d first considered. The reverence everyone showed magic, and these arbiters, gods even, that seemed to have such power and reach across the universe.
He should¡¯ve realised before.
Of course, any entity that could just do interstellar teleportation, and accidentally teleport twenty million instead of two halfway across the universe, then send eighteen million back at the drop of a hat wasn¡¯t something he could even begin to understand. On top of all the portals, all the records, all the messages they¡¯d had to give or make?
He shook his head. The tutorial had started on multiple planets. They¡¯d been speaking and watching people on multiple planets. They were probably still watching him now. He thought about all the small things he¡¯d picked up about the Endagon, wondered if the way he¡¯d interpreted what they¡¯d said had led him to this point.
But no, it¡¯d been right in front of him there too.
He frowned. How had his circumstance and biases led him to such a strange idea, such belief in a theory in the span of only a few days. Especially when he¡¯d barely known anything.
Did a part of me not want to believe in any of this? he thought. Was I just in denial?
Maybe.
He glanced to the night sky, the stars reflected in his eyes. The planet with the Endagon, the desert planet ¨C if it was even one ¨C was out there somewhere. In the vastness of space and stars above him. People like here and back on Earth, yet so different.
He didn¡¯t know what to make of it anymore. He didn¡¯t know what to make of any of it.
The people there and here had shared only two things in common. They both had an absolute veneration for magic and they both looked like humans, even if there were some small differences.
Their terminology for magic had been the same way. Blessings and records. Gods and Arbiters. Deities and demigods.
The similarities were close, very close, but they were ¨C ultimately ¨C different.
What else is there? he thought, thinking about his interactions.
On this planet it seemed like the magic had been lost a lot more recently. They seemed to know more, and people had magic ¨C even if it was only a few. He frowned. Losing magic. They hadn¡¯t exactly just lost it, it¡¯d been taken away from them. The great sever Reinhard had called it. The gods taking back what they¡¯d given.
But why?
Was that why they were so scared to offend them? So purposefully respectful? He frowned. The arbiters had taken the records from the people of the world, but somehow, they¡¯d still kept their powers.
He didn¡¯t understand it. The people in front of him had magic, but the more he looked at it, it was ever so slightly different to his.
They¡¯d said their magic had come from their bloodlines, so that meant magic was inheritable? But how? He only had magic because of his record. Or did he?
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 3
Title: Mindful Watcher
-
Primary skill: Mana Soul Core
-
Trait: Mana awareness
-
Speed ¨C 1.18
Strength ¨C 1.15
Stamina ¨C 2.04
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
Constitution ¨C 0.62
Mana - 8
Finesse ¨C 1.12
-
Free stat points: 0
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 7.]
He blinked in surprise, staring at his record, before quickly waving it away.
He thought of the stats, the title and the skill frowning. Did he just have the skill now? If the record was taken from him, would he still be able to use it? What about the stat points? Would he always be this strong? He furrowed his brow harder.
What was ¡°1¡± even supposed to be in terms of anyway?
He could remember the absolute euphoria he¡¯d felt when he¡¯d put the stat points into strength and speed, but it hadn¡¯t been the same with mana. That¡¯d been slightly different though. It¡¯d claimed he¡¯d awoken the points because of his skill. Just because of his skill?
He frowned harder, as if the act could dismiss his confusion.
On his record, his stamina stat had changed slightly. His constitution too, and he hadn¡¯t touched either of them. So, was the record simply a reflection of his capability within a certain field? A record of it? That seemed a bit too on the nose, but he couldn¡¯t exactly think of anything else.
He frowned. There had to be so much he was missing.
The problem was, he couldn¡¯t get concrete answers to all these questions.
But what if I could?
He paused. What had it said during the transition in the in between space? Something about answers to questions being located in the record?
Uh¡ hi there, he thought. what exactly do my stats show?
[Strength ¨C Reflects the beholder¡¯s physical power and durability]
[Stamina ¨C Reflects the beholder¡¯s endurance]
[Speed ¨C Reflects the user¡¯s speed of reflex, and movement]
[Finesse ¨C Reflects the user¡¯s accuracy and control of movement]
[Mana ¨C Reflects the amount of fundament energy at the user¡¯s disposal]
[Constitution ¨C Reflects the user¡¯s quality of physical and magical bodies]
¡°Oh¡± he muttered, staring at the messages in front of him. He hadn¡¯t expected it to be that easy.
Uh¡ and what are the numbers in terms of? he thought.
[All stat quantities are graded in terms of a singular unit of mana. This is not to imply that singular units of mana are divisible, but rather that the scores, based on guidelines provided by the systems, are accurate predictions of what equivalents would be]
What a lengthy explanation. I guess this thing can be wordy when it wants to be.
He took a moment to consider.
What exactly is a stat point?
[One unit of fundament energy]
Ok. Interesting. How exactly does adding a stat point change me?
This time, he didn¡¯t get a response. He frowned, rethinking the question, but again, no response was given.
Uh¡ what is fundament energy and how does it change me?
Still no response. He furrowed his brow. The abrupt stop in information gave him pause.
He didn¡¯t know the record wasn¡¯t telling him because he wasn¡¯t supposed to know, or if he just didn¡¯t understand what the term ¡°fundament energy¡± meant. But then wouldn¡¯t his record tell him he was asking a nonsensical question?
Caleb shook his head. That was besides the point.
So, if the stats were reflections of his capability, and he could just change that by throwing in stat points then what exactly did the record do to him? Was this fundament energy something that could just change a person¡¯s ability. Why? And how?
He hadn¡¯t really thought about it before, but just being able to just improve his strength at the flick of a switch was beyond incredible. Plus, his numbers had been really low to start with. Adding ¡°1¡± was a lot. What would five look like? Ten? Twenty? Fifty? A hundred?
How high could the numbers go? Was there even a limit to this thing?
His eyes widened.
The obvious answer was yes. But what if it wasn¡¯t?
He was only just starting, with one added point in strength and speed and he could already run faster than any person back on Earth had. Maybe even twice as fast. What about someone who¡¯d been killing monsters and levelling up for years. How strong could they be?
His hands began to tremble and he quickly stuffed them under his thighs, his palms scratching against the coarse dirt.
This Akashic Federation thing suddenly seemed a lot scarier. He couldn¡¯t even imagine the scale of it, but the lengths codes given to planets was more than enough to get a rough idea. The amount of insanely strong people out there was probably in the millions, if not billions.
He couldn¡¯t imagine living in a world, no universe, as dangerous as that. With fearful eyes, he looked to the stars, once again.
His side began to throb dully again, a sickening reminder.
I guess it¡¯ll only be dangerous if I make it there, he thought. I¡¯ve got a lot more pressing things to worry about than the future right now.
He glanced up at the others, his eyes landing on Roeca as she looked around, somewhat pleased.
[Is there anything else you wish to know?]
¡°You¡¯ve told us pretty much everything¡±
¡°Wait, what about the cultists?¡± Layla asked.
[What about them?]
¡°I mean I know you said they¡¯re bad, but what exactly these cultists are doing?¡± she said.
[We said] Roeca replied. [They¡¯re trying to summon a great calamity]
¡°But what exactly is a great calamity? It¡¯s not exactly a specific term¡± Ryan asked. Roeca and Reinhard glanced to each other then back at the group.
[I don¡¯t understand. Cut said you fought a few lesser ones back outside the town] Reinhard said. [Am I mistaken?]
[You mean monsters?] Eriana asked.
[Monsters?] they said confused.
¡°Yeah?¡± Sierra said confused. The Brigadiers shared another confused look, then glanced back to each other.
¡°Oh¡± Caleb said suddenly. ¡°I think there¡¯s a translation error. I think calamities and monsters mean the same thing¡±
[So, we¡¯re going to fight a powerful beast or animal?] Eriana said.
[Not fight it] Roeca said. [We¡¯d lose. We¡¯re trying to make sure they don¡¯t summon it]
¡°How?¡±
[We¡¯re not sure yet, but we know they¡¯re searching for long forgotten magical relics from the Old age. Once they¡¯ve gathered them they¡¯ll summon it]
[And why¡¯re they doing this?]
[They believe if they summon it, it¡¯ll force the gods to intervene and they¡¯ll be able to convince them to reforge their connection to us. A noble endeavour but misguided] Roeca said.
[I guess in a way they were right. Though not in the expected manner] Reinhard said, looking over to the chosen.
[I guess] Roeca added. The group all went silent.
Caleb wiped his dirt covered palms against his trouser legs as he glanced around at the group. He could tell from their expressions, everyone else knew what stopping the cultists implied now. It meant killing people.
Sure, they might be doing evil, but it felt different to killing monsters. He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about the situation now.
[It''s night-time, so are we leaving soon?] Eriana said, a note of impatience in her voice.
[We¡¯ll leave, but not yet] Reinhard said. [Give Cut some more rest first. I¡¯ll keep watch. The rest of you can return sleep for an hour if you wish]
Chapter Twenty Nine - Sanguine Battle
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 3
Title: Mindful Watcher
-
Primary skill: Mana Soul Core
-
Trait: Mana awareness
-
Speed ¨C 1.18
Strength ¨C 1.15
Stamina ¨C 2.04
Constitution ¨C 0.62
Mana - 8
Finesse ¨C 1.12
-
Free stat points: 0
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 7.]
Caleb looked over the screen, his eyes fixed onto the message bottom. He stared at it, unblinking. Not reading the words, but simply wishing it away. Whether his record gave him a way to get rid of it, or it simply vanished, he¡¯d be better for it.
[Caleb?] Kana said.
¡°Hm?¡± he replied, letting the screen fall away as he turned to her.
[You okay?]
¡°Yeah¡± he mumbled. He stood slowly, dusting his trousers off, before strapping the sword sheath to his waist.
They were preparing to go into battle. After Cut had slept for about two hours, he¡¯d gone ahead to scout out the town, as the rest of them cleaned up. The group had packed up the last of the tents now, Reinhard placing the pack on his back as Roeca and a few others put the finishing touches on covering up the remnants of the fire.
He looked to the faces of the others as they all prepared too, double checking their weapons. The atmosphere was grim. Only a few spoke, the rest were silent, their faces blank or their fear clear as day. Only Eriana stood out her expression filled with a cold determination, the magic around her blade twisting violently as she readied herself.
Caleb looked to Sierra who knelt against the ground, looking to the floor with closed eyes. Ryan stood next to her, adjusting the straps of his leather armour, before looking off into the night. Caleb followed his gaze, into the darkness beyond, sensing a magic presence getting closer jump after jump.
¡°Cut¡¯s back¡± he said. The others looked to him, then in the direction he stared towards. There was a burst of mana in in front of them and Cut appeared, his face filled with frustratin.
[What¡¯s wrong?] Roeca said, stepping forward.
[They were there. Saw a fire outside the church hospital and tried to get closer to scout them out. Appeared near a guy in one of the cloaks they wear taking a piss right outside. Sorry, he might¡¯ve seen me]
[Dammit Cut] Roeca muttered.
[Look, I know I fucked up, I¡¯m sorry] Cut said [He might not have even seen me]
[I always taught you to-]
[Stop] Reinhard said curtly. [Even if they¡¯re expecting us, or if they¡¯re on the move it doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t change what we have to do. Let¡¯s go.]
The two brigadiers nodded, and then Reinhard began jogging into the distance. The group all glanced amongst themselves, then followed behind, this time the run far more accommodating. Caleb glided across the floor, taking it easy with his strength and speed.
The group jogged silently, for five minutes, only the sound of heavy breathing and footfall filling the space between them. Then as they came over a hill, the town came into view. Much like Arrell, a river curved around and passed behind it, the buildings mostly the same. The only noticeable difference was the lack of light within the windows.
Up ahead Reinhard slowed, and the rest of the group did too.
[If this becomes a prolonged battle, Cut and Roeca have healing artifacts. Find them if you become injured]
They all nodded, then followed Reinhard as he crouched, quickly making his way towards the village. The others followed suit, crouching as they raced towards the village.
[Alert ¨C You are entering an area of danger]
¡°Crap¡± someone muttered.
[What?] Reinhard said.
¡°W-we got a message¡± Sierra said. ¡°It says we¡¯re entering an area of danger¡±
Reinhard nodded, then put a finger to his lips as he pulled his war-hammer off his back.
The group all drew their weapons, Caleb feeling their magic warp as they mentally prepared for battle. Reinhard then slipped between one of the gaps of the building, making his way forward as the group followed behind.
They inched forwards slowly, holding their weapons tight. Caleb could feel one powerful magic presence up ahead, only a few metres away.
¡°T-there¡¯s someone really strong¡± he whispered. The others all glanced back to him, and Reinhard nodded. The brigadier came to a stop close to the edge, where the house ended and the main road began.
Everyone stopped behind him, quiet. They could hear voices, slightly distant, likely coming from the steps right outside the church hospital. Caleb furrowed his brow as he focused in on the voices.
[You think they¡¯ll get here soon?]
[Of course mate]
[But they¡¯re already forty minutes late.]
[They¡¯ll be here]
[You¡¯re not just saying that?]
[Yeah, just felt like lying for no reason. Gods Vad, of course I¡¯m not just saying it you idiot]
[Sorry]
[It¡¯s fine. Just have some patience]
[No, Vad¡¯s right. I don¡¯t like it. We shouldn¡¯t just be waiting here]
[Yeah, let¡¯s do something I¡¯m tired of waiting!]
[Keep it down will you. What if one of those monster things hears us?]
[Or worse a Brigadier]
[The Brigadiers ain¡¯t coming here you doofus]
[Well, they could be. Bell said he saw one]
[Bell¡¯s been smoking too much pi-leaf]
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[Hey!]
[Could I have some quiet please?] a calm voice said, regal in the same fashion as Roeca¡¯s.
There was a beat of silence, followed by a muttering of apologies. Caleb could only really catch one voice.
[S-sorry father]
He frowned.
Father? he thought. Well, I guess they are cultists.
[We¡¯ll go carefully] Reinhard whispered. [They could have dangerous artifacts and there¡¯s a priest with them. He¡¯ll have a blessing]
The others nodded, and Reinhard looked to Cut. Cut gestured to a few others to get closer to him, then grabbed them and teleported across the road, to the gap between the other houses.
Now with the forces split, Reinhard gestured for them to move once again, round the house as Cut¡¯s group flanked the cultists.
They moved carefully, back around the house, and then two down, only one house over from the church hospital the voices were a lot louder now, and Caleb could make out the feet and heads of sleeping men. They crept forwards, the other group opposite them.
Reinhard gestured for them to wait, then peeked at round the corner and quickly pulled back.
[Does anyone a projectile attack?]
James raised his hand, his hair still covered by the shirt Reinhard had given him. Reinhard nodded, and beckoned him forward.
He whispered something in James¡¯ ear and the boy nodded, before Reinhard looked to them and across the way. It was time to fight.
James stepped forward, the mana shifting around his hand, and then leapt out of the alley as he prepared to fire, followed closely by the others.
An explosion rocked them all and instantly people were gone. Caleb didn¡¯t know who, didn¡¯t have time to figure out before chaos descended upon him.
People were screaming, Reinhard was shouting and Caleb was already on his knees, in the town road grabbing at his left ear. His face covered in a warm wetness and the ringing was louder than anything he¡¯d ever heard.
He could feel the landscape of mana shift around him instantly. He looked forward, the world around him moving in slow motion.
Cultists had seen them and were already moving to fight.
A slash of air cut across the battlefield as Cut teleported towards the priest, who now hovered in the air ablaze with lightning. There was another boom, then mana missiles and skills were flying, raining down on the cultists, crying out as many fell, but more still charged forwards.
Caleb felt small as he struggled to stand, his sword trembling violently in his hands as the cultists approached.
Then Ryan and Sierra were helping him, pulling him up, then pushing him behind them. He found his balance against Kana as Ryan and Sierra charged, meeting the cultists head one with some of the others.
But some cultists made it past them, swords raised as they charged, their expressions monstrous.
Kana cried out for Caleb to run, but the helplessness had seized him again. He was frozen, his eyes fixed onto the blade that came for him. Kana yanked him backward, and the slash missed. But the man continued, preparing to slash again.
Caleb stumbled backwards, raising his sword. He blocked the blow but reeled away, the sword almost knocked from his unsteady grip. The cultist slashed at him again, but through sheer desperation he barely blocked the blow, tripping over a leg as he did.
The cultist slashed yet again, but the swing was poor, panicked and Caleb was starting to regain his bearings. He moved, and the sword only grazed at the armour, nicking into his shoulder before he pulled away. But Caleb slipped, his boots slick with blood and with a desperate cry, the man barged him hard, sword forgotten and both of them slammed to the floor.
Caleb coughed hard, then felt the man grab at him. In a sheer panic he pushed back, and struggled away. They rolled in the dirt together, weapons lost.
Then Caleb broke free and fought desperately to pull himself upright. But as he did, he came face to face with another cultist, dagger aimed for his throat as the man thrust it forward. Caleb¡¯s sword was still on the ground.
He knew instantly he couldn¡¯t do anything in time. His eyes widened and he froze in place.
Then he was on the floor. It shocked him for a moment, but before he could make sense of it Kana screamed. Instantly he felt his blood go cold as his chest grew hot. He shot up to see Kana, the knife in her gut as the cultist barrelled into her, both falling to the floor.
Without hesitation, Caleb lunged for the man. But they¡¯d fallen awkwardly, Kana''s body stood between them, the cultist kicking her backwards as he pulled out another dagger. Caleb caught her as the cultist stood, screeching in sheer frenzy. Caleb¡¯s eyes grew wide as the man dove at him.
For an instant it felt like he was going to freeze, then he felt the warmth of Kana¡¯s blood on his hands. In one smooth motion, he let her go, grabbed a sword off the ground and brought it between the two of them.
Their blades clashed, and Caleb braced himself. But the extra pressure never came. The attack had been weak, even without using his skill.
His eyes widened. They were weaker than him. He¡¯d fought monsters and these were just men. Of course, they were weaker.
But he''d let them hurt Kana. He¡¯d let them hurt Kana and they were weaker than him.
With a sudden roar of fury he batted the man¡¯s dagger aside. The man cried out, the force from Caleb¡¯s swing enough to rip the blade out of his hands and shatter his fingers.
Then he punched the man, crushing part of his face as he knocked him to the ground, then raised his blade upwards. The cultist scrambled back; hand raised in defence as he cried out. Caleb hesitated for a moment, staring into the man''s fear filled and pleading eyes. Then he remembered Kana¡¯s scream.
He cut down, the sword¡¯s edge biting into the dirt before he felt any resistance. He heard a cry of desperation behind him and spun around. The first cultist was charging at him with his sword, only a step away from stabbing him.
But Caleb was fast. And his swing was faster. His sword flashed through the air, no technique, just pure power and speed. He cut the cultist in two, the man¡¯s sword shattering.
Then he looked down, to Kana, and rushed to her side. She sobbed, shaking as she lay on the floor, clutching the knife in her stomach as blood seeped into her clothes, and pooled onto the floor.
¡°I-it¡¯s ok. It¡¯s ok¡± he muttered, as she grabbed him tightly. But it wasn¡¯t. She dying because of him and he didn¡¯t know what to do. He needed help.
He looked up, tears in his eyes.
¡°Help!¡± he roared.
But there was no one to help. He¡¯d killed two cultists, and almost all the other ones were dead, but the battle wasn¡¯t over. The priest leaped around, his entire body covered in lightning as he desperately tried to run, only to be fought back by everyone, Reinhard, and Roeca at the forefront of the battle.
He cursed. They had the healing artifacts. If he wanted to get Kana help, he had to end this now.
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± he said quickly, pulling away from Kana as he grabbed his sword.
Instantly the sword changed, the star in Caleb''s drawing out its power. He could feel it in his mind now, understand the enchantments instilled within the metal were for toughness, and the barely visible runes lining it''s edge for sharpness. The weapon glowing brightly, enough to illuminate the surroundings as he strengthened it. Then with a desperate cry he leapt forwards and slashed at the priest¡¯s open back. The priest cursed, dodging the unexpected blow with a blast of lightning.
But it was enough to distract him, slow him down. And the others didn''t waste it. A blast of wind obliterated his leg, followed by a slash of blue, a barrage of mana missiles and then as the man screamed, falling out of the air, Reinhard smashed him against the ground a supernatural strength behind his hammer, the boom shaking the earth.
The priest''s lightning died instantly, and Reinhard fell to one knee. The cultist was dead, and the fight was over. They¡¯d won. But Caleb turned to Roeca, still filled with desperation.
¡°The healing artifact¡± he said desperately. She looked to him eyes wide.
¡°It¡¯s Kana. She¡¯s injured¡± he said, pointing to her. ¡°I- I need it¡±
Roeca nodded, fumbling with her bag as he rushed back to Kana. He fell to the floor, kneeling at her side again. Her hands found his instantly.
[You left] she mumbled, clutching him tightly. [Why did you leave?]
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± he mumbled. ¡°But¡¯s it¡¯s ok now. Everything¡¯s ok¡±
Kana nodded, feeling the anguish her words had caused Caleb clear as day. She winced as the cold of the knife spread through her gut and clutched his hand tighter.
[Sorry] she muttered.
¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything¡¯s ok¡± Caleb repeated. He held her for a few more seconds, then looked up at Roeca as she held the artifact in hand, staring at him as she stood still.
¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± he mumbled. She hesitated, staring at him, then glanced behind.
¡°What¡¯re you doing?!¡± he shouted. ¡°She¡¯s fucking dying! Don¡¯t just stand there! Help! Just- help!¡±
Roeca snapped out of her trance and started forwards, jogging slowly, before reaching them.
She dropped to her knees, then wrapped the band around Kana¡¯s arm, twisted the dial on it, and pulled the blade out Kana¡¯s stomach. Kana gasped and writhed in pain, crying out. Caleb held her tightly, his heart sinking as he watched rivulets of blood seep out of the wound.
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± he muttered. ¡°You¡¯re going to be ok¡±
He watched intently as the magic of the artifact flowed through Kana. He held her hand tightly, feeling the hard thumping of her heart in her fingers.
She cried out in agony, but bit by bit, less blood flooded out from the wound, and as the magic came to a crescendo, the flesh around the wound begin to shift, knitting back together.
Kana''s breaths grew steadier and steadier, and her wound disappeared, replaced by slightly marked flesh. The magic of the artifact died, the dial on it losing its colour. Kana felt at her stomach, then looked up at Caleb wide eyed.
He instantly pulled her into a tight hug.
[Ow, ow] she chuckled. [That hurts]
¡°S-sorry¡± he said, instantly loosening his grip. He held her for a while longer, before pulling away, still holding her shoulders as he looked into her eyes.
"You''ve done that twice now¡±
[What?]
¡°Putting yourself in danger to save me¡± he said. ¡°Please, don''t ever do that again"
Kana hesitated, then nodded before looking to Roeca. The brigadier kneeled next to them staring at the floor, expressionless.
[Thank you] Kana said.
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb said, earnestly. ¡°Thank you. Seriously¡±
Roeca mumbled half-heartedly something in response, before looking away. Caleb followed her gaze to a charred corpse, armour, artifacts, hair and skin all gone. Only Cut¡¯s sword remained, lying a few feet away.
He felt his blood run cold once again. Before he could say anything else, Roeca stood and walked over to Cut¡¯s corpse, kneeling beside it. He stared at the two as Sierra, Layla and Ryan rushed over to them, the others gathering into their groups.
Then his eyes wandered, his gaze passing over all the corpses strewn through the street. At least thirty cultists lay dead on the floor, most caught in the crossfire of magic, but some cut down by blades.
And on their side, Angelina knelt on the floor beside James'' arm and Markus stood over a patch of ice, where Olivia lay dead in a pool of blood, a sword in her neck.
The sight made him feel sick, Roeca''s expression most of all. He looked away.
He¡¯d never wanted to be home as badly. Never wanted to get away from a place as much as he did now.
He clutched Kana''s hand tighter, as tears sparkled in his eyes.
¡°It¡¯s going to be ok¡± he whispered.
Eriana frowned as she watched Caleb mumble to himself but shrugged and looked away.
She stood tall, sword bloody as it rested on her shoulder, looking amongst the dead with a flat expression. She''d barely been able to do anything again. The cultists had been weak, carried by their artifacts and the mines. But the priest with his lightning powers had been more than enough to hold them all off for the minute the battle had lasted.
He''d been the strongest person she''d seen yet, and she hadn''t even been on his radar. She clenched her jaw tightly, the leather of her hilt creaking under her fingers.
She kicked at the dirt, then turned to look over Reinhard who''d retrieved the satchel the priest had been protecting. The brigadier stared at the contents of the bag, his face pale.
[What¡¯s wrong?] Eriana said.
[T-they''re the rubies of Arithor]
[Is that supposed to mean something?]
[Arithor was a great calamity. Sealed away during the Old age. If they''re using these, actively trying to summon it, this is far worse than we first thought. I get why you might¡¯ve been sent now]
[Well, we''ve got them, don¡¯t we? So, it''s all over]
[No. There are seven rubies. This group only had three]
[So, let''s go find the other ones]
[Patience godchild] Reinhard said, standing as he regained his composure. He turned to everyone else, and cleared his throat loudly, drawing their attention.
[The situation is more dire than we first anticipated. But because of those that''ve fallen here, we''ve made headway and have a chance to stop any further turmoil. This group were waiting for another. We¡¯ll set up camp in hiding spots, in pairs. Wait for this group, then strike as soon as they enter the heart of town] Reinhard said. [I understand this is not what you want to hear right now, but it''s necessary. If we work together now, we can grieve later. In a world without a calamity.]
He glanced to Roeca, who looked to him with tear-stained eyes but nodded.
[Alright everyone. We''ll clear the dead, move the mines, then hide. Let''s move!]
Chapter Thirty - NPCs
¡°It¡¯s ok. Everything¡¯s going to be ok¡±
She¡¯d said the words to him over and over again as she¡¯d hugged him. He hadn¡¯t understood why. He hadn¡¯t done anything bad, she hadn¡¯t hit him, and she hadn¡¯t been hit. Tonight had been one of the good ones.
And yet she was more worried than usually. He hadn¡¯t been able to understand it. And that¡¯d worried him more than anything. Made him feel like a little kid again.
He hadn¡¯t said anything though. Just tried to enjoy the hug.
She¡¯d muttered to herself, then kissed him atop the head and muttered some more.
¡°¡ I can¡¯t. I¡¯d hurt you. I¡¯d be just as bad as him and I¡ I¡¯m sorry¡±
¡°Mom? Mommy?¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok baby. You have to be strong. You have to be strong¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand¡±
She¡¯d looked at him with so much sadness and pity in that moment, a weight
¡°Mommy¡¯s so sorry. I love you honey. I love you¡±
¡°I love you too¡± he responded.
Then she¡¯d tucked him into bed like she usually did on the good days and read him one of the stories he¡¯d begged her to read him when he¡¯d been younger. He¡¯d been too old for the stories, but it was nice for her to finally read them to him.
He¡¯d gone to sleep a bit confused but happy. He¡¯d dreamed of a fun and loving home that night, where Dad and Mom could coexist, where they didn¡¯t have to be the monster and the banshee with each other.
But when he¡¯d woken up, his mom had been gone. And she¡¯d never come back.
Caleb opened his eyes, sitting up slowly as his senses adjusted to the surroundings. Eriana glanced back to him, then looked back outside, through the thin slits of light that illuminated their hiding spot.
Right, he thought. We¡¯re waiting for more cultists.
[Finally awake?] she muttered.
¡°Sorry¡±
[It¡¯s fine. You can go back to sleep if you want]
He frowned.
¡°I don¡¯t think now¡¯s exactly the time for sleeping. You should¡¯ve woken me up¡±
Eriana shrugged, still staring out of the thin slit between the planks. Caleb stood carefully and quietly and peered through too. He blinked adjusting to the light, then wiped wetness from his eyes frowning before focusing on the path ahead.
¡°How long¡¯s it been?¡±
[I don¡¯t know? Three hours? More. The sun¡¯s risen, so it kind of throws the plan out the window if they see some of the destruction. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re even coming anyway. Reinhard¡¯s probably just getting desperate.]
Caleb nodded, then sat back down, grabbing his sword. It wasn¡¯t as well weighted as the other one, but he could sense the power in it, the one he¡¯d used yesterday. There was far more. It probably had something to do with the sword¡¯s magic not being tied to being able to switch between the physical and magical dimensions.
He furrowed his brow, then glanced up at Eriana¡¯s sword. He could feel the power radiating from it, all the untapped potential. It was practically growing with every second. He wanted to take it, test it out.
Eriana momentarily glanced at him, narrowing her eyes.
[What the hell are you doing?] she said.
¡°W-what?¡±
[You¡¯re doing something dangerous. My sword told me]
¡°What? I¡¯m not¡±
[Don¡¯t lie] she said coldly. [You¡¯re fast but I¡¯m faster. I could kill you before you unsheathe that]
Caleb stared at her shocked for a moment before his eyes flicked back to the sword.
¡°C-can your sword sense intent?¡±
[So, you were doing something] she said, her magic flaring.
¡°I-it wasn¡¯t anything malicious, I just¡ my power is weird. It works with magic potential or whatever and your sword just has a lot. I think, for a moment I wanted to take it. It wasn¡¯t serious though¡± Caleb said.
Eriana furrowed her brow for a moment before nodding satisfied and turned back to watch the path.
¡°Is that it?¡± he said, confused by the sudden change in attitude.
[You were telling the truth] she said.
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¡°Your sword can tell that?¡±
[Not exactly but yeah. It¡¯s¡ I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just weird.]
¡°Pretty cool¡± he said.
[Yeah, but it feels like I could be doing more.]
¡°How so?¡±
[When I levelled up I wasted my stat points on strength and speed instead of mana]
¡°Well you can always level up again¡±
[Not if I die first]
Caleb went silent, as Eriana frowned, clenching her jaw tightly.
[What level are you?]
¡°Level 3¡± he said.
[Really?] Eriana said with a frown.
¡°Yeah, it just came with the skill¡±
[That makes sense] she said, clenching her jaw.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
[Swordy¡¯s only warned me about a couple of stronger monsters, Layla, you, the Brigadiers and the lightning priest] she said. [I think it means you¡¯re all stronger than me in some way]
¡°Swordy?¡±
[It¡¯s¡ what I¡¯m calling it] she said, flushing slightly red.
He nodded, choosing not to respond.
[It¡¯s a perfectly reasonable name]
¡°I didn¡¯t say anything¡±
They both went silent, Eriana¡¯s face still slightly red as they looked back at the road, watching it together. But the name of her weapon quickly drifted from Caleb¡¯s mind, as he stared out at the various stars of mana dotted out throughout the town.
He focused on the sense, staring into each star, watching their twists and flows, the currents of power that defined a person¡¯s essence. It was beautiful to just watch, to just enjoy. He looked over the ambient mana in the air, the buzz of it less beautiful but still just as calming to watch. It helped him forget.
His smile faded slightly, and he glanced to Eriana.
[What?] Eriana said, her face flushing again.
¡°Last night¡ did I do the wrong thing?¡± he asked.
[What?]
He looked away furrowing his brow as his eyes
¡°Roeca¡± he mumbled. ¡°I practically forced her to heal Kana instead of Cut¡±
[Well, she chose to, didn¡¯t she?]
¡°No. The people here, they respect us too much. They¡¯ve probably been taught their entire lives to revere magic, the gods and demi-gods. And she still hesitated¡±
[She still chose to]
¡°I just feel like¡ do you remember that girl? Back in Arrell?¡±
[What girl?]
¡°The one Angelina and James came with. She died in the infirmary¡±
[What about her?]
¡°I didn¡¯t have a skill yet, but I didn¡¯t pick one even though I could¡¯ve saved her¡±
[Ok?]
¡°I¡ I feel like this is the same thing. Or similar somehow. Except Roeca helped Kana¡±
[Right]
¡°I just feel like I forced her to make a decision I wouldn¡¯t be able to. If I was in her shoes, I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve saved Kana. No. I know I would¡¯ve saved Cut. And¡ it makes me sick¡±
[Alright, where is this going?]
Caleb glanced to Eriana, the annoyance clear on her face.
She doesn¡¯t even care, he thought. And why should she? It¡¯s not like she did anything. She¡¯s got no reason to feel guilty.
¡°Don¡¯t worry¡± he said, turning away.
[Oh, don¡¯t be like that]
¡°No. Seriously. Don¡¯t worry¡±
[Come on. You shouldn¡¯t even feel guilty. I mean, you would¡¯ve died if you took a healing skill and saved that girl. And Cut wasn¡¯t even a real person]
Caleb froze.
¡°What?¡±
[I mean you said this world wasn¡¯t really real, just for us to level up right?]
¡°No, I-¡±
[Ok, maybe not verbatim, but it¡¯s what you meant]
¡°No. Well I- yeah, bu-¡±
[Then why¡¯re so torn up?]
¡°I was wrong¡±
[Sure. You said that already]
¡°I actually mean it¡±
[What? When did you change your mind?]
¡°Yesterday. Those cultists¡¡± he trailed off recalling the fear in the man¡¯s expression before he¡¯d killed him.
[Really? Why?]
¡°Cause it¡¯s wrong¡±
[It sounded solid to me]
¡°It wasn¡¯t¡±
[Uh, ok I¡¯m probably not understanding this. Explain it]
¡°Why? It¡¯s wrong¡±
[Really? Made a lot of sense to me. The town, the guides, the fighting and all that. The system or record or whatever you call it too. Like being in a videogame]
¡°I was wrong¡± Caleb repeated uncertainly.
[You sure?]
¡°Yeah I¡¡± he paused and looked away.
[You don¡¯t sound sure]
¡°Well, it¡¯s¡ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not completely sure, but it¡¯s¡ I don¡¯t know. I think I¡¯m just misunderstanding things. The stars probably don¡¯t mean as much as I think they do¡±
[Stars?]
¡°Oh, sorry. I can see stuff, magic wise. All the people from Earth have like¡ more in terms of mana. Something extra at the core compared to those that aren¡¯t from Earth¡±
[So, they are NPC¡¯s?]
¡°What? No. I just said they¡¯re probably real¡±
[I¡¯m confused, what made you say they weren¡¯t real before?]
¡°Uh¡ there are a bunch of things. Like the convenience of situations for fighting, having mentor figures that help us fight groups of monsters that we wouldn¡¯t be inclined to fight on our own, and small differences in characteristics that make them better for the environment. Even putting us into situations where any reasonable person would fight to protect. But I think I¡¯m just assuming things. Adding reasoning, justification to something I already think is true.¡±
[Why?]
¡°Everything I said could be true and the people and monsters can still be real. I think a part of me just felt safer if it believed none of this was actually real¡±
[¡ I get that] Eriana mumbled. Caleb glanced to her, frowning. She didn¡¯t say anything, just stared at the floor, as the mana swirled around Swordy with more intent.
¡°You okay?¡± he said
[Yeah] Eriana lied. [I don¡¯t¡ I¡ my dad¡ don¡¯t worry]
Caleb watched her for a few moments longer, furrowing his brow further.
¡°Y-¡°
[I said don¡¯t worry] the note of vitriol returning to her voice.
¡°Sorry¡± he said, looking back out onto the path. As he stared through the gap, his confusion grew.
Eriana was so strange. When he¡¯d first seen her, he hadn¡¯t known what to make of her. The second time, with Rad and the boars, she¡¯d seemed so happy. Overly joyful to be here. She¡¯d even been excited during the fight with the huge scorpion-spiders. But after that, she hadn¡¯t smiled since they¡¯d been defeated by the sword-hand red devils.
It¡¯s like all the joy had been sapped out of her the second they¡¯d started losing.
I guess I don¡¯t like it that much either.
[So I guess it is like a videogame]
¡°Hm?¡±
[Even if whatever you¡¯re saying¡¯s right or wrong, the trial is kind of like a videogame. Defeating the big evil thing, killing monsters, levelling up.]
¡°Yeah. I guess¡±
[What was it you said before. It¡¯s like everything was put here, this world and situation manufactured just to train us]
¡°Uh¡ yeah¡±
[Like tools to make us stronger]
¡°What? That¡¯s not¡ don¡¯t say that. Tools sounds wrong¡±
She nodded silently, her brow furrowing.
[I wonder what happens when we get home]
The words were like knives to the heart, and Caleb stifled a cough, immediately feeling his side throb.
¡°Y-yeah¡± he mumbled. ¡°This whole thing, magic I mean, it¡¯s really amazing, when you think about it¡±
[Yeah. When we get home we¡¯re going to be freaks of nature. I mean, I could probably cut a tank in two]
¡°I hadn¡¯t even really thought about that¡± he said. ¡°But yeah I guess¡±
[There were two million of us, right? I wonder how many people lived. Just imagine how many incredibly strong people are out there. Like Roeca and Reinhard. How many other people have incredible skills better than mine?] she thought.
¡°Probably not many¡±
[Says you]
Caleb chuckled to himself before a sudden spike of magic flared up in the distance. He turned to look out at the road, eyes wide. It was a large group, unmistakable. And this time there were three powerful people, leading them forward.
¡°Shit¡±
¡°They¡¯re here?¡± Eriana asked.
¡°Yeah¡± he whispered.
[Perfect] she said, the power in her sword flaring. Caleb glanced to her, then unsheathed his own, his hands trembling once again.
Chapter Thirty One - Fire & Blood
[Alert: Four members of the Trial have entered abandoned village Kipell]
[Huh?]
¡°Huh?¡±
Caleb stared at the message surprised, then looked to Eriana.
¡°There are chosen with them¡±
[I saw the message] she said. [What the hell?]
¡°You think they got an opposing objective or something? Like complete the ritual and summon the calamity?¡± he mumbled.
Eriana froze, then her expression hardened and she gripped her sword tighter.
[I don¡¯t know. Just be ready]
He nodded, his hand tightening around his sword.
Then Kana and Sierra emerged from their hiding spot, both shouting and waving their hands as they rushed forwards. They were warning the group about the mines.
[What the shit!?] Eriana cursed. [Fucking idiots]
Without another word she burst from their hiding spot, blowing the planks apart and rushed forward. Caleb cursed, then followed close behind. As the two rushed down the street others emerged from their hiding spots, a combination of fear and confusion written across their faces.
He glanced forward, spotting the group of incomers now. Three brigadiers were among them, two in leather armour, and one in steel. Behind them were the four chosen, wearing strangely colourful clothes covered in blood.
Relief swept through him a weight lifted off his shoulders at the realisation he wouldn¡¯t have to fight. Then another realisation hit him. All of the newcomers were rushing forwards, towards the mines. Caleb¡¯s eyes widened in horror and he looked to Sierra and Kana, realising they were shouting for the group to stop. But the group were still running forwards. Why?
Shit, Caleb thought. Do they think we¡¯re calling for help.
He pushed forward harder, shouting and screaming as he waved his arms too. The group only ran forwards faster. Then in a sudden woosh of air and dust, Sierra moved forward in a blur. But it was too late.
A sudden boom rocked the earth, a cloud of black dust and smoke rising into the air. Caleb flinched, skidding to a stop as he passed a slowing Kana. Sierra and Eriana stopped short too, as the calls of the others fell silent behind them.
But as the smoke billowed up in front of them, Caleb could feel a glowing barrier of mana, the seven magic weights still present. The weights all stood inside the shield, only one fluctuating in tandem with the barrier.
Caleb let out a small sigh of relief, as he glanced back to Kana.
¡°I think they¡¯re ok¡±
[Yeah] Kana said. [They feel fine]
¡°You can sense it?¡±
[My skill] Kana said.
He nodded and looked forwards again.
¡°That was close¡± he said.
[Yeah] Kana nodded.
Reinhard, Roeca and the others had reached them now, the two brigadiers jogging past towards the commotion. Ryan stopped next to Kana and Caleb, looking to the smoke, then back to them.
¡°What happened?¡± Ryan said. ¡°I saw the message then heard a bang¡±
¡°They¡¯re friendly, just set off one of the mines¡± Caleb said.
¡°What?!¡±
[Everyone¡¯s ok] Kana said. [Just shocked, I think]
¡°Right. Sorry. Should¡¯ve led with that¡± Caleb said.
Ryan looked between the two of them, then forward, to the smoke. As it fizzled out, a green, glowing barrier became visible. The newcomers all stood inside it, their expressions shocked.
¡°Oh thank god¡± Ryan said. The three began making their way forward as Reinhard and Roeca directed the group through the mines. Caleb watched the brigadiers as they moved, the one in the lead even stronger than Reinhard. Then his eyes moved to the chosen.
Two boys and two girls, all with similar curved blades. They appeared close, muttering amongst themselves as they looked to him and the others. He could feel their magic power. They were strong, their weights brighter and heavier even than Layla¡¯s.
He came to a stop as they met the group just beyond the mines, crowding all together.
[Hell of a trap you¡¯ve got there] the lead brigadier said, removing her helmet. She was an older woman, with slight wrinkles and fine grey hairs woven in between black.
[Master Patricia] Reinhard said, kneeling as Roeca followed suit. [I apologise for our stupidity.]
[Nonsense. And we¡¯re not at the tower, young one you can stand] Patricia said, gesturing for them to rise. They did so quickly, and the other brigadiers - a short brunette, and a skinny male - nodded to them, their gazes filled with respect.
Reinhard and Roeca nodded back, then acknowledged the rest of the chosen before returning to Master Patricia.
[We arrived here last night. There were several cultists led by Sir Ilor] Reinhard said.
Master Patricia¡¯s face grew serious.
[We managed to best them and recover three of Arithor¡¯s rubies. We were lying in wait for a group supposed to meet them here] Roeca added.
[Good] Master Patrica said.
[Y-you¡¯re not surprised?] Roeca mumbled.
[No. We encountered a band of cultists west of here and recovered a ruby. They were supposed to meet a group here. Likely to gather the rubies. Do you have any information on a possible third group?]
[No. I¡¯m sorry] Roeca replied.
There was a pause as Master Patricia seemed to consider the words, then nodded to herself.
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[It doesn¡¯t matter. This is good] Patricia said. [We¡¯ve got more rubies than them, which gives us leverage. If they get desperate and decide to release a calamity with only two of the rubies, together with the godchildren, I have hope we can defeat it.]
[What should be our plan of attack?]
[We¡¯ll remain on the offensive. If they¡¯re as lacking in coordination as I think they are they won¡¯t know we have five rubies. We can reclaim them all by pressing the cultists or even take their base of operations and remove the threat of a calamity all together]
[But how will we find them?]
[I managed to squeeze it out of one of those backwards bas-]
[Valyre] Patricia warned, glancing back to the brunette brigadier.
[Sorry] she replied.
[We managed to get it out of a cultist that the stronghold is within the mountains] the other brigadier said.
[So close to the Central Kingdom? That¡¯d be foolish] Reinhard said.
[No. They¡¯ve got artifacts that keep the place hidden]
[How would they get their hands on that?]
[Naddan believes the place isn¡¯t artificially constructed, but a relic from the old age] Patricia said, gesturing to the skinny brigadier.
[Where is it exactly?]
[We¡¯d be there already if we knew the location] Naddan said, stepping forward. [We were hoping to find some more cultists here and uncover its exact position]
[We can head for the mountains regardless. We¡¯ll be bound to find cultists there sooner or later] Valyre said.
¡°D-do we have to fight again?¡± Caleb asked. Everyone looked to him and he shrunk into himself, clearing is throat in embarrassment. ¡°I-ignore me¡±
[No, it¡¯s a reasonable question] Patricia said. [If you don¡¯t wish to fight, you don¡¯t have to]
¡°No, no. It¡¯s fine¡± Caleb mumbled, his face flushing as eyes remained on him.
[Wait, can¡¯t we destroy them?] Eriana said.
[What?] Patricia said turning to her.
[The rubies]
¡°Obviously not¡± one of the chosen from the other group, a ginger, said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we would¡¯ve done that by now?¡±
[Erin, stop] the other girl, one of Arabic descent, said
¡°I was just saying¡±
[Don¡¯t bicker. We¡¯re all friends here] Naddan said, as Eriana¡¯s face flushed.
[Right] Patrica said, loudly clapping her hands together. [We¡¯ll if we move quickly and rest during the night, we¡¯ll reach the mountains by tomorrow morning.]
[If we move through the night, we¡¯ll get there even sooner] Valyre said.
[No. We don¡¯t need to rush. If we''re careful we''ll win this without too much extra effort] Patricia said. [Now come on. Let''s go]
She turned and walked away, retracing her path through the mines as the others followed behind her.
Caleb glanced back at the town, towards the church hospital. The bodies of everyone who had fallen were still there. It was weird to think they were just leaving them behind.
[Caleb?] Kana said.
¡°Sorry. I''m coming¡±
-
Caleb couldn¡¯t breathe. His lungs had withered away, replaced by the mass of rotten flesh within him, sapping away his strength.
He clawed and clawed at it, tearing through his own skin, covering his hands in his own blood, just to pull pieces of it out himself, but it only grew more and more.
As his body weakened, so too did his will, his hands getting slower and slower until they stopped. He gurgled, struggling for breaths he knew would not come. And when he couldn¡¯t struggle any longer he fell.
Into an endless darkness, as black as night, the only star the useless one in his chest.
He wanted it to work. So desperately needed it to work and fix him, before his life just became fighting. The endless fighting.
Oh the fighting. The horrible, horrible fighting.
He¡¯d cut through men as easily as cutting through butter. Taken their lives without second thought.
The memories rushed back to him and he found himself in the battle again, surrounded by explosions and screams.
He was rushing forwards, screeching like a monster as he cut down cultist after cultist, leaving bodies in his wake. With every slash, everybody, more blood stained his hands and his face, burning against his skin.
Then it was over. All the enemies were dead. All his friends were dead. It was only him and the smell of blood. He turned around, his eyes widening in horror as he looked upon the corpses behind him.
Beyond them, Cut stared at him, his skin charred, burnt to a crisp. He pointed a rigid, bony finger at Caleb, as he looked upon him with hollow eye-sockets filled with hate.
His mouth opened and moved, though no words came, only hoarse croaks.
But it didn¡¯t matter. Caleb knew what he meant.
He¡¯d seen the same hatred before, felt it inside of him whenever he¡¯d looked upon the monster.
And now he was a monster too.
Caleb jumped up from his sleep, his heart beating out of his chest as he struggled to breathe.
Ryan glanced to him, his expression filled with surprise, but he waved him away, taking a second to gather himself. The panic faded slowly, and he slumped back down onto his makeshift pillow, sweat beading his forehead.
His eyes fluttered open and he sat up, coughing as he felt at his side.
It was dark again, the stars flickering in the sky above. He and all the other chosen sat around a fire again, sounds of community and comfort surrounding.
Muffled whispers and chuckles of the first watch floated through the camp as the rest slept. Caleb was part of the group meant to be resting, but he doubted he¡¯d be able to go back to sleep. So, he simply sat still, staring blankly at the fire in front of him. It flickered, shuddering and twisting as it danced in the wind.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be sleeping?¡± Ryan said looking to him again.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Yeah, but I basically slept the entire time I camped out with Markus. I don¡¯t think he was too happy¡± Ryan said, chuckling to himself.
¡°I slept too¡± Caleb said.
¡°I guess we both enjoy sleeping¡± Ryan chuckled again, the laugh slightly forced this time. Caleb glanced to the teen, noticing the bags under his eyes and the tiredness in his expression.
¡°You okay?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°You alright? I mean, you look a little tired¡±
¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Just¡ great¡± Ryan mumbled back.
¡°Good¡± Caleb nodded, before looking back to the fire. The two of them were silent as the laughter from the other group trickled over to them.
¡°D-did you kill anyone?¡± Ryan mumbled, suddenly. Caleb glanced to him quickly then looked back to the fire.
¡°Y-yeah¡± Caleb said. ¡°Two people¡±
Ryan nodded
¡°I killed three. The first guy¡ I was just trying to knock him out¡± Ryan said. ¡°I knocked his sword away and¡ I mean I¡¯ve thrown a punch before. Got into fights with my brothers all the time. I just¡ I guess I was scared. Forgot I¡¯m strong now and these guys aren¡¯t- weren¡¯t monsters. The other two. I was so shocked from the first one I don¡¯ think I realised what I¡¯d done till afterwards¡±
Caleb glanced to Ryan¡¯s clothes.
He¡¯d wrapped himself partially with one of the blankets, but it was clear even in the poor light, the entirety of his left arm was stained dark, and dark stains stretched across the rest of his clothes.
¡°It¡¯s okay¡± Caleb mumbled, though he didn¡¯t quite believe it himself.
¡°I feel weird now¡± Ryan muttered.
¡°I get what you mean¡±
¡°Yeah. Almost cursed, y¡¯know?¡± Ryan said, forcing a chuckle. He went to say something else before pausing, and glancing behind the two of them.
¡°What?¡± Caleb said.
¡°Do you¡ hear that?¡± Ryan whispered. Caleb could only hear the crackle of fire laughter, but by now he knew better than to doubt Ryan¡¯s senses.
He turned slowly looking around past the dim glow of orange the fire provided and into the darkness. The campsite suddenly felt a lot more exposed. He remained still for a moment, unsure if he should call out or not.
He glanced to his side to see Ryan, sword in one hand as he shook Kana and Sierra awake. Caleb unsheathed his sword, pressing all his remaining attention into his trait. He couldn¡¯t sense anything.
[What the hell are you lot doing?] a voice said behind him. He glanced back to see the on watch brigadier, Naddan, from the other squad looking to them with a scowl.
[Put your weapons away yo-]
Before Caleb could respond a large swathe of red fire and white light appeared and vaporised the far side of the camp, the force and speed of the explosion so instant Caleb registered the burst of magic power only after he¡¯d been thrown off his feet. The pain of burning hit him immediately after but it faded quickly and he felt the familiar sensation of Kana¡¯s magic.
He blinked in surprise for a few seconds, still in shock, his mind reeling from the fact his skin and clothes had been charred ¨C even if momentarily.
Then he heard the roars. He recognised the cries. The frenzy and fanaticism in them. It was the cultists. Of course it was the cultists.
He pulled himself up quickly as the smell of charred flesh filled his nostrils and realised he¡¯d lost his sword. He sensed it, his core¡¯s connection to it and scrambled to it out of sheer instinct. His hands clasped around the handle and his body was flooded with euphoric relief before he remembered his surroundings.
His eyes widened and he instantly looked back at the others, Ryan desperately throwing the remains of a tent at incoming cultists as Sierra helped a now unconscious Kana to her feet, as blood seeped through her nose.
The rest of the camp who hadn¡¯t been decimated by the explosion pulled themselves up too.
He moved, and instantly felt the skin on the left side of his body protest, the air burning against it.
He winced, falling back to one knee as he looked down to himself. Half his top was charred, and parts of it gone. His skin looked weird, almost half charred, like he¡¯d been burned years ago, and healed over time. He could sense remnants of Kana¡¯s healing all throughout.
He cursed, then looked up to see a wave of at least a hundred cultists rushing towards them, weapons raised as the fire within their camp grew.
[Alert ¨C Your location is currently under attack]
Shit
Chapter Thirty Two - Blood & Fire
He didn¡¯t understand it. Didn¡¯t get how the arbiters had failed to warn them of the danger before the cultists had set the camp aflame. Or how he hadn¡¯t sensed anything, not the magic of the initial blast or the traces of mana within the attackers.
But he didn¡¯t have time to think about it. They were being attacked and he needed to deal with it.
Through a grunt of pain, he leapt up, gripping his sword tightly as he rushed back over to Kana and Sierra, the sounds of cultists growing as they neared the camp. Sierra looked up to him eyes wide as Kana remained motionless in her arms.
¡°She¡¯s getting cold¡± Sierra muttered.
¡°Dammit¡± he cursed. ¡°Shit¡±
He looked over Kana, his hands trembling violently as his face twisted with anguish. Then he glanced back to the cultists as they met those from their side, or at least the remnants that¡¯d risen from the camp. Magic missiles and skills already flying, the magical twisting and warping violently.
Caleb cursed again, then knelt down next to Kana, placing a hand against an already cold shoulder. Her mana was fading, receding from her body ever so slightly, bit by bit. This was worse than when she¡¯d been stabbed, but now he didn¡¯t know if there was a way to fix it.
¡°Shit!¡± Sierra cried, looking past him.
He turned just in time to see a cultist raise their sword. With a burst of speed he batted the sword away, then kicked the man backwards into the group behind. Some fell, but most continued charging at him. He couldn¡¯t avoid the battle any longer.
¡°Run!¡± Caleb screamed at Sierra, shield appearing in hand. ¡°Take Kana and run!¡±
He heard the woosh of air before he¡¯d even finished his second sentence and a smidgeon of relief coloured his panic.
As the cultists charged him, he jumped back and levelled his magic bracelet with the masses. He fired it repeatedly at the men approaching him, cutting them down in swathes as he continued to back away, towards the quickly spreading flames.
But they continued unperturbed by the quick and sudden deaths of their allies, practically a mindless horde as they raced for him. Caleb kept firing, cursing wildly. It wasn¡¯t enough to force all of them back.
¡°Stop!¡± he cried. ¡°Please! Just leave me alone!¡±
But they continued, nearing closer and closer. He cursed, and with tears in his eyes focused on the star within his chest, and the far dimmer one on his wrist. He knew what he had to do.
The connection in his mind was instant, the power of the bracelets magic star warping in tandem with his skill. Wisps of heat shot across the across an invisible barrier, and the bracelet glowed brightly on his wrist. Then he fired.
The light was bright again, and the shockwave was practically instant this time. He braced for it, the wind pushing him back as he held to his feet, the magic bracelet disintegrating on his wrist. But as the heat and roar washed over him, he knew the power of the attack had been lesser.
He¡¯d been panicked, desperate, and - in the end - a part of him hadn¡¯t wanted to fire on the people.
The smoke cleared and a crater had formed in front of him filled with charred corpses and body parts. The cultists, disaffected, continued to charge forwards. He couldn¡¯t understand it, didn¡¯t see how they could be so brazen in the face of death, attack their enemy so relentlessly.
He tried to back away further, but the raging fire behind him blocked his path. With nowhere to go, cultists pounced, lunging at him with their swords at the ready. He cut through the first of them with a single swing, his power already seeping into his blade too now, a reflex in the heat of battle.
More men lunged at him and he cut them down too, the pain of his burned arm and the heat on his back stinging as he desperately tried to fight the cultists back. He shrieked with an unhinged anguish in some twisted attempt to frighten his enemy, to stop them from attacking him, but the tide of people kept pouring towards him.
And his sword kept cutting.
He could hear the final screams as people died all around him, some at his hand, some at others, and some by the fire behind him, knocked into it by the uncaring horde of fellow cultists as they rushed to attack Caleb and his friends.
It was sheer and utter chaos. Everything had gone to shit in seconds, and Caleb was right in the middle of it, alone. A single mistake and his life would be over, swords stabbing deep into his stomach and neck as he fell backwards into the blazing heat of fire.
And all he could think about was Kana.
How cold her skin had felt, the way blood had oozed out of her nose and ears. The lifelessness with which she¡¯d hung in Sierra¡¯s arms.
She¡¯d already almost died. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen again so soon. That¡¯s not how things worked. You didn¡¯t survive a heart attack just to die in a car crash. You didn¡¯t undergo life threatening surgery and live, just to trip randomly, fall and break your neck.
People like Kana weren¡¯t supposed to die.
And yet, she¡¯d laid lifeless in Sierra¡¯s arms cold at the touch. All because she¡¯d healed him.
He cursed himself, cursed the cultists, her brother, her and everything else he could think of.
He¡¯d asked her not to do it again and she¡¯d promised. But she¡¯d lied. And now she might¡¯ve killed herself for a dead person.
Why didn¡¯t I just tell her? he thought, fighting against the pain of his burned side, the dull throbbing worse than ever. Would that have even changed anything?
[Alert ¨C Your location is currently under attack]
His eyes widened as he stared at the message, his confusion growing. But he didn¡¯t have time to care about it, didn¡¯t want to either. The messages malfunctioning were just another surprise atop the pile of many on his plate. Another rung to the ladder of this absolutely shit day.
So he simply continued onwards, cutting and slicing desperately as he fought for his life. He was stronger and faster than the men in front of him, with a sword that could cut through them like scissors cut through tissue. But numbers were numbers, and even a thousand chickens could suffocate a lion.
They were starting to cut him. His skin was tougher than a regular person¡¯s, but not tougher than sharpened steel. Barely nicks, not even from full swings, just pitiful stabs as they were cut down. But the nicks were building up, and some of the wounds were deeper than nicks. Cuts that were starting to slow him down, make it easier for others to find openings.
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So, he cut faster. Harder. His sword swinging wildly through the air as he waved it around. But the openings only grew larger.
The tip of a blade sliced cleanly across the length of his arm and he cried out, stumbling back. The cultists swarmed him and in a moment of desperation, he threw his shield hard, then kicked others away. But he was still surrounded and now without a shield.
In a panic, he leapt upwards, clearing the cultists as he kicked down at their faces.
He landed against the floor amongst the cultists and shrieked, cutting them back with even greater ferocity, then jumped again, slicing through the men beneath him as he leapt around over and over, his sword beginning to glow, as a tightness grew in his chest. But he was bleeding badly now, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep leaping through the crowd forever.
[Alert: Two members of the Trial have entered your location]
Suddenly, an explosion of fire rocked the field. It cut through a large swathe of the battle, killing far more cultists than chosen or brigadiers, its heat washing over everyone as it knocked many to the ground. Caleb stumbled but fought to keep upright.
Then another wave of fire ¨C one clear to his trait ¨C washed over a group of cultists to his left, powerful enough to knock him to the floor. He tried to pull himself to his feet, but another wave of heat blasted him, another magically invisible explosion of fire rocking the battlefield only a few metres away.
He hit the floor hard, wincing as the heat singed the ends of his hair, and sheared at the surface of his skin. He didn¡¯t understand what was going on. Didn¡¯t know why he could sense the magic of some fire and not the others. He didn¡¯t have time to make sense of it. In a panic, he scrambled to his feet, grabbing his sword again as he looked around.
The cultists who hadn¡¯t been eviscerated by the flames were getting up too.
He leapt back, barrelling some of them out of the way as he fought to find an opening. But there wasn¡¯t one. He was surrounded by a raging magical landscape, practically no end in sight.
Then he felt a magical presence above. Some screamed, then the sounds of battle were drowned out by a horrendous shriek. He looked up, spotting several goat pterodactyl descend out of the sky, snapping their teeth together viciously.
He understood the messages now.
They swooped just over the battle and snapped people up into their jaws before shooting away as they crunched bodies into blood and flesh. The cultists around Caleb screamed and scattered, barrelling over each other and dead bodies. With reckless abandon they rushed hard in all directions as fast as they could, their opponents forgotten.
He didn¡¯t understand the sudden shift in attitude, but he was grateful, nonetheless.
He stumbled and glanced up again, watching as the monsters flew back down for seconds. He a slash of blue, and burst of flame shot upwards into the air, cutting through the monsters as they shrieked and flailed. One of the beasts fell towards him and he darted backwards, it¡¯s flaming corpse thrashing on the ground as it died.
He stared at it for a moment, before finally realising the sounds of battle had stopped all around him.
Now that the mass of bodies had left, the dead were clear for all to see. There were far more, than he¡¯d expected. Hundreds of bodies, some even being consumed by the still raging fire.
With weak knees and a head of exhaustion, he fell to the floor breathing heavily. His side throbbed intensely, making his breaths all the harder and his burned side stung badly, blood seeping from the mixture of cuts in the already damaged skin. But, despite it all, he was still alive.
His eyes widened.
Kana.
He looked around, forcing himself up.
[What the fuck was that?!] he heard Eriana shout out behind him. He turned to her as she cursed, a few of the others standing around as a great fire blaze on the grass behind them. He looked over them only spotting the familiar faces of Layla, Eriana, alongside two new ones too. A new brigadier in leather armour and a chosen he didn¡¯t recognise.
Reinhard and Roeca were nowhere to be found.
He jogged forwards, frantic.
¡°Kana?! Sierra!? Ryan?!¡± he shouted. Layla looked to him, then pointed off to the right.
He looked and spotted Sierra, knelt on the ground, balancing against her sword a few others beside her. He rushed over but slowed as he neared. Roeca¡¯s body lay lifeless nearby, mangled by blades.
But even worse Kana lay in the arms of Sierra, and Ryan lay beside her, both on the ground, unmoving as brigadier Valyre, and the Arab girl from earlier tended to him, identical healing magic flowing through them both.
¡°They¡¯ll be ok, right?¡± Sierra said.
[I¡ don¡¯t know] the chosen replied.
¡°But they¡¯ll be ok?¡±
[I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t¡ I don¡¯t know]
[Just focus] Valyre said to the girl, wincing as blood dripped from a cut on her face. Caleb watched in shock, the last of his hope withering away.
Everything had gone so horribly wrong.
[Objective alert: The cultists have collected all seven crystals of Arithor and are headed for the Caverns of Raeinor]
[Emergency Objective: Stop them immediately]
He blinked in surprise at the message as in his peripheral vision he became aware of a red marker. He turned to it, and found it hovered over a singular point in the mountains. The direction most of the cultists had run away.
¡°Fuck!¡± he heard Eriana scream behind him. Caleb glanced back to her, watching as the stragglers from the battle slowly gathered together, a couple heavily injured dragged along by others. There were less than before, even with the new additions. Even Reinhard wasn¡¯t among them.
Caleb looked to the ground as the rest of the stragglers stopped nearby, one of the new chosen falling next to Valyre and the Arab girl to help, a different healing magic flowing from his fingers. Everyone was quiet, the silence shared between them loud. The harsh, almost fleshy crackle of the fire behind them reverberated in his ears, it¡¯s light casting everything in a harsh orange glow.
[What the fuck happened?] Sierra hissed.
[Anya] Master Patricia said. The other brigadiers glanced to her, shocked.
[But she¡¯s one of ours]
[Nobody else can trick the senses like that; control so many people and transform them into mindless fighters. She¡¯s betrayed us. I sent her word of our location and circumstance when we left Kippel, in the hoped of receiving support. I led her right to us. This was my fault. I apologise]
One of the two new brigadiers cursed.
[So, we¡¯ve lost then?] Eriana said.
[In part. It¡¯s unlikely they recovered all the crystals, but I saw them recover a few. In our current state we can¡¯t reclaim them. We¡¯ll have to hope they have the patience to believe waiting to gather the other crystals will serve them better. We can regroup by that time, reorganise and try to reclaim the ones they¡¯ve stolen]
¡°No¡± Caleb mumbled. ¡°They got them all¡±
[What?!] the brigadiers said turning to him.
¡°W-we got a message from the arbiters- or gods. They¡ got them all¡± he said. The brigadiers looked to each other in horror.
[What was the message from the gods?] Patricia asked.
[It doesn¡¯t matter. They¡¯ve got the crystals. We need to go now, right?] Eriana said. Caleb looked at her, confused.
¡°We can¡¯t leave¡±
[What?] she said, turning to him. [And what the fuck would we do?!]
¡°S-stay here¡± he mumbled, uncertainly.
[Stay here?! And do what? Fucking lose?!]
¡°Lose?¡±
[You saw the message! They¡¯ve got all the fucking crystals! If we don¡¯t do anything, then the calamity comes!]
[Please, what was the message from the gods?] Patricia repeated.
[They told us to stop the cultists immediately. So we leave]
¡°B-but, people are hurt. Kana and Ry-¡±
[Shut the fuck up. We¡¯ve got healers. They can stay. They¡¯ll either save your friends or they won¡¯t. It¡¯s out of our hands, but the cultists sure as hell aren¡¯t. We need to stop them!]
Caleb looked at her, his thoughts frozen in place as the rest of the chosen remained still.
[You know what, screw this. If you guys aren¡¯t coming, I¡¯m going alone]
He stared at Eriana in disbelief, as she turned away without another word and charged off into the darkness, sword glowing dimly. He looked to Master Patricia, who watched as Eriana marched away, then began brushing the soot and blood of her sword.
[Brigadiers. Move out.]
[What?!] one of them cried.
[We¡¯re tracking down the cultists, and if we have to we¡¯ll fight whatever monster they¡¯re making]
[But captain, I can¡¯t leave Shaerry like this] the brigadier shouted back, his blood stained hands pressed firmly to a wound on another brigadier¡¯s neck. [The demi-gods will heal their own first! She¡¯ll die!]
[We¡¯re Brigadiers, Set! We came here for a reason! I¡¯ll be damned if I let these cultists destroy everything, just because a few of our own died.]
[But-]
[That¡¯s an order] she said harshly. [Brigadiers, move out!]
There was a moment of hesitation, but then the remaining brigadiers stood, pulling the remnants of their weapons off the floor. Caleb watched them in disbelief, then his eyes fell on Sierra as she stood too.
¡°Sierra?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Caleb they¡¯re right. We have to stop this, or everyone could die. Not just Ryan and Kana¡±
¡°But¡ Ryan? Kana?¡± he mumbled.
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Sierra said, solemn. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come.¡±
She started after the now jogging Brigadiers, leaving him and the others alone with the crackling of fire. He watched her for a few moments, then at the charred remains of the ground.
He clenched his fists tightly in frustration. He looked back up to the stars, then to the chosen. Layla, Markus, and two other chosen watched as the Arab girl and another tried desperately to heal Ryan and Kana.
¡°Shit¡± he mumbled. Then, he followed the others.
Chapter Thirty Three - This Ends Here
The night was cold. Colder than any Caleb had ever experienced. His side throbbed dully, his burned skin numb as he raced across the plains alongside the brigadiers, all in total silence.
He didn¡¯t want to be here. But there was nothing waiting for him back with the others. He couldn¡¯t help.
A healing skill would¡¯ve come in real handy, he thought. He ignored it and continued forwards, staying near the back of the pack as he maintained the same pace as the brigadiers. They¡¯d sped up slightly at the word of Master Patricia, but taken a curved route, meant to take them around the fleeing group of cultists.
The group was too small to manage a full-frontal assault against the numbers they¡¯d just faced. But they were faster, especially Sierra, Eriana, and Caleb.
If they made it around, then they could cut the cultists off before they even reached the mountains, cut down the leaders with the crystals, grab them, then book it.
That was the gist of the plan anyway. Caleb wasn¡¯t so certain it was anything more than a hail Mary. The last hopes of an optimistic leader in the face of doomsday. But he kept his mouth shut. There was no point arguing with the Brigadiers. Not now, and especially not when he¡¯d chosen to come. It¡¯s not like he had a better plan either.
He glanced back at the now distant fire, then forward to the ever nearing mountains. They were large, overbearing as they grew higher and higher into the night sky swallowing stars. It was less a distant sight now, more an overwhelming testament to the grandiosity of nature.
The red marker hovered within the mountains, closer to the ground than to its heights.
His dread grew with every second that he neared it, his heart telling him to turn back already. But he continued onwards, glancing occasionally to the focused faces of Sierra and Eriana. They stared ahead, ready as they ran, easily keeping up with the brigadiers pace.
He could admire the quality somewhat.
The sheer and utter determination in the face of despair. Sierra had barely hesitated after Master Patricia had called for the Brigadiers to leave. She¡¯d left, her mind focused on her duty to help people she barely knew.
He didn¡¯t understand how she¡¯d done it, how she¡¯d left her friends behind like that, even if the situation had called for it. He guess, he¡¯d left too. Though he didn¡¯t feel anywhere near as confident as the others looked.
He turned back to the front, his heart pounding as they grew closer and closer to the mountain. They were in a fall in the grass now, the ground here less even, the gras covered dirt rising and falling like waves that pressed against them, slowing them down bit by bit.
A large hill curved upwards to their side, blocking their view of the path the cultists had taken. From here, he couldn¡¯t sense anything. Not even a whisper of the magical. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was Anya, the brigadier traitor, or just the distance. It was driving him insane.
They continued on, picking up a burst of speed as they descended down the incline of a hill. Only the breaths of the brigadiers, the clank of Master Patricia and another¡¯s a
[Is the marker near?] Patricia said, glancing to him. He looked to it, the red beacon, glowing only in his vision above a now not so distant point in the mountains.
He nodded.
Without a word, the grey haired brigadier gestured left. The group turned, curving around as they began to make their way back towards the cultists path, trudging slower now up the side of a rising hill.
Caleb¡¯s eyes widened as they curved over the hill. The path ahead of them was mostly flat, before it smoothed upwards into an incline and merge with the base of the mountains. And the path ahead was empty. They¡¯d really arrived before the cultists.
He heard the breaths of relief from the four brigadiers and then
[Over there!] Eriana called out, pointing to a decently opening, surrounded by cultists. The group turned to look at them but before anyone could do anything, a bright slash of blue cut across the air, Eriana¡¯s magic soaring with a ferocity. It struck above the opening, and large chunks of rock crumbled down, crushing the cultists as they cried out. As the dust settled, only splatters of blood and rock remained, the opening sealed.
[Well done] Patricia said, turning to her.
[Is that¡¯s it? Do we win?] Eriana said.
¡°No message yet¡± Sierra said.
[Then we stay. Fight to reclaim the rubies] Patricia said. [There may still be an entrance we¡¯re unaware of.]
They slowed to a stop and glanced back to the rolling hills behind them. In the distance, under the darkness of the night he could see the silhouette of a great mass of people rushing forwards.
¡°That¡¯s them, isn¡¯t it?¡± he mumbled.
[Yes] a brigadier said, tone serious.
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¡°There¡¯s a lot¡± Sierra mumbled.
[We¡¯re stronger] Valyre replied. But there was a lack of certainty in her voice, and she glanced to Patricia unnerved. Patricia noticed her look, along with the looks of the others, all filled with anxiety. She sighed, then drew her weapon, a greatsword, from its sheath on her back.
[I know this will not be easy, but we were made for hard times] she said, her voice even, calm. [If we fail, lose, then the world as we know it is over. This calamity, Arithor¡ it isn¡¯t something we can defeat. We can hold off for a while, give a final warning to the Kings and Queens of the empire, and pray the gods save us. But it¡¯s clear to me they do not want this beast loose.]
She glanced to the Caleb, Sierra, and Eriana. Caleb gulped, feeling the weight of her words.
[So we fight. And thank you, for fighting with us] she said with a sincere nod. [The Gods bless us, and we serve]
[The Gods bless us and we serve] the others repeated, making a gesture over their face. With that they turned back to the steadily approaching crowd, the fallen rocks still steaming behind them.
There was a moment of silence between everyone, and Caleb could feel the tension growing with each second, the torturous sense of foreboding like a sharpened knife hovering over your eye.
He twisted his sword¡¯s hilt in his hand and squeezed the hold of his shield. He could sense them now, the crowd of cultists, led by two incredibly powerful s, their mana like a wave, slowly curving over the hill in front of them.
His hands shook, his breaths growing quicker. He wasn¡¯t ready, but there was nowhere else.
The cultists had begun to appear over the hill
[Akaelson, you¡¯re our only long range attacker, remain here]
[Yes Master] the two said in unison.
[Set, Valyre¡ I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re with me. We¡¯ll charge together. Aim for Anya first, then Dion]
The younger brigadier nodded, his face pale. Finally, Patricia turned to Caleb and the others.
[Godchildren, I don¡¯t deign to command you, but I¡¯d hope you could join us in the fray. Your help would be appreciated]
[We¡¯ll join you] Eriana said, glancing to the other two. Caleb looked to the two girls, and together they shared a nod. Patricia nodded, offering a smile.
[Let¡¯s go then]
Together they jogged down the hill, Patrica trailing behind the group. She stabbed her sword into the ground, dragging it from the rocks to the base with them, as Akaelson found a perch.
Then with an impossible strength, her magic warped and she slammed her fist against the line she¡¯d cut. The ground shook and broke apart into large crooked and uneven stone, cutting off a direct pathway from the base to the rocks over the opening where Valyre and Akaelson stood. The path upwards was difficult now. Practically impossible for a normal person.
Caleb gulped, then looked back to the far closer crowd of cultists. They¡¯d slowed to a stop, the group following behind a younger woman in leather brigadier armour and an older man in the full cultist garb.
[We don¡¯t have to do this Master!] the younger woman, Anya, shouted. [This whole mess can end if you let us into those caves]
[No!] Master Patricia roared. [This ends here!]
And in an instant the battle was on, Patrica and Set rushing forwards, with Caleb, Sierra, and Eriana alongside them. The cultists rushed forward in a horde, silent, as the old man¡¯s body turned into flame. Slashes of blue shot forwards from Eriana¡¯s blade, cutting across the crowd and then they met.
Caleb¡¯s blade was quick, Sierra¡¯s quicker and Eriana¡¯s made of pure power. He cut and slashed alongside the others. He hated that it¡¯s had taken only a moment for him to forget the humanity of his enemies once again. But no matter how much he hated it, he¡¯d chosen to be here. And he had a mission to do.
Thundering booms from fire and Patricia¡¯s strength shaking the battlefield. But like before the cultists were many, overwhelming the five of them as their numbers forced them apart.
But unlike before, not all were moving to attack, some simply rushing past to the broken ground, those that reached helping each other to scale the rocks like a well-oiled machine. Suddenly a wave of fire engulfed half of them. Caleb glanced up to see Akaelson¡¯s magic shifting as another large fireball grew in front of his hand.
But even with the blasts of fire, there were still many slowly scaling the broken ground, the unity the cultist fought with surprisingly effective.
Caleb cursed and fought desperately to get back. But the crowd fought against him, fighters turning to force him back as more and more rushed past.
[Alert - A non-selected has attempted to use dangerous and direct altering magic on you. The effect has been temporarily nullified.]
[Because of the quality of your record the effect cannot be permanently nullified. Please find a safe area.]
His eyes widened as he looked around, then spotted Anya charging towards him. Altering magic. Like Patricia had said, the kind that affected the sense. Its why the cultists fought so differently. If he got her, then the union of the cultists ended.
Maybe I won¡¯t have to kill anyone else.
Instantly he leapt through the crowd with a shout. Anya froze in shock, before raising her sword to protect herself as cultists dashed to her aid. With a ridiculous speed her cut through them, knocking her sword from her hand and slicing through her fingers with ease. She cried out and for a second the crowd froze, then they all turned to him.
Shit.
He jumped as they swarmed him, swords stabbing from all directions. He fought to stay above them, cutting and slashing as he leapt back, the same message appearing in his vision over and over again.
[Alert - A non-selected has attempted to use dangerous and direct altering magic on you. The effect has been temporarily nullified.]
He could feel his movements slowing down, some of the swords cutting at his now burning feet and ankles. His shoes had come off at some point, and he¡¯d lost his shield.
His mind felt weary now, weaker and weaker as bit by bit, something began to shift. He stumbled, falling to the floor slightly beyond the bounds of the battle, as more cultists rushed to him. He fell to one knee, the broken stone harsh against his skin as he coughed, his side throbbing terribly hard as his heart pounded, cuts covering his lower legs.
What am I doing here again?
Suddenly a shout echoed out.
[They¡¯ve got the rubies! Please! Go!] Master Patricia roared. [We¡¯ll hold them off!]
Rubies?
He looked up and behind him, spotting Anya rush down the now clear opening into the mountains, Akaelson nowhere in sight. Hundreds of cultists followed after her, and some stopped in front of the opening, weapons raised.
Suddenly Eriana, covered in blood cut through them in a single deranged swing. She kicked others out of the way, then charged inside. Caleb looked around, his head pounding.
Right, he thought, the rubies. The world ending rubies.
Without a second thought, he pushed himself up, and barrelled towards the opening, cutting down cultists as he rushed into the tunnel of brick and stone.
Chapter Thirty Four - Youve got to play the Game
Caleb raced through the tunnels, cutting down people left and right as his feet burned and muscles ached. Ahead of him bodies fell as flashes of blue illuminated the darkness as they raked across stone, Eriana¡¯s screaming preceding every blast.
Blood and bodies littered the ground, and more fell as he kicked and punched and slashed, Eriana only slightly beyond him as Anya steadily gained distance from the two.
The sight of the former brigadier, rushing forward as she clutched her bloodied hand to her chest, the bag of rubies swirling with mana in the other, drew Caleb forward. With each second, his panic grew, his thoughts descending into disarray.
He needed to make being here worthwhile. He needed to stop Anya, no matter the cost.
So he forged ahead, forgetting himself with every step, every swing, pushing forward desperately, trying to make his decision worth it.
Trying not to make this whole thing pointless by failing now. What he was doing was good. Cutting through these people, these mindless and unwilling slaves, it was the right thing to do. Even if it didn¡¯t feel like it.
His sword cut through more cultists, blood spattering across his face as broken bodies fell to the floor. There were less now, but the gap between the two chosen and Anya had grown. The tunnel around them had shifted growing larger, as the jagged rock of the tunnels smoothed into sleek obsidian walls.
Ahead, beyond the walls of obsidian, stood a large square opening, covered in strange symbols and markings, the sight of which merely invoked a sense of dread in Caleb.
The mana here was different. Wrong. And not in a beautiful way.
Anya passed through the small gap between the doors, the cultists behind her closing them as soon as she¡¯d gone through.
[Emergency Objective Alert: A grade 2 renegade magic user has entered an area of partial Moshaic with intent to harm the universe using grade 6 summoning crystals]
Caleb¡¯s eyes widened in confusion at the content of the message, but he didn¡¯t have time to register it before his feet touched the smooth obsidian floor.
[WARNING ¨C YOU HAVE ENTERED AN ARTIFACT UNDER PARTIAL MOSHAIC JURISDICTION WITHOUT THE NECESSARY LEVEL. TURN BACK FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY]
His body felt heavier here, as though. The star in his chest pulsing slightly, as it pushed back at the strange darkness that seemed to surround him.
But he didn¡¯t have tine to focus on it. He and Eriana were side by side now, fighting desperately to keep the doors open and force their way through. More and more cultists screamed and fell as they attacked, fighting desperately. But as Eriana¡¯s mana continued to rage, bursts of the blue light cutting through enemies, she began to falter.
¡°Slow down!¡± Caleb shouted, glancing to her as blood leaked from her nose. She ignored him, pressing forward, then suddenly went limp, falling to the ground.
Caleb cursed, and with a final burst of power, cut through the last of the cultists manning the doors. He turned to Eriana, but she¡¯d already pulled herself up, and without hesitation raced past him, into the deeper darkness beyond the doors. Caleb took a breath, then slammed his side with a fist, and chased after her.
The darkness grew and grew, until only the lights of their swords remained. There were no cultists here, all of them dead, left behind.
The sound of Eriana and Caleb¡¯s footsteps echoed through the tunnel as they rushed down it at blistering speeds. But the darkness remained, the path seemingly to stretch on forever, and ever, curving downwards as it did. And as they ran down it, the air grew warmer, the darkness pressing up against his mana, it¡¯s hold of the space around him firmer. There was a sinister presence here.
[You bitch!] Eriana screamed. [Where the fuck are you?!]
Caleb frowned confused. He couldn¡¯t sense Anya, her magic gone.
¡°She¡¯s not here¡±
[What?] Eriana called back.
¡°She¡¯s not here¡± he said, slowing to a stop.
[How?! We watched her come here. We should¡¯ve caught up to her by now.]
Caleb frowned and focused. It was barely noticeable, hidden behind the sinister pressure that surrounded his sense. There was something beyond the wall. Something magical.
He frowned harder, focusing. Torches. There were torches lining a corridor.
¡°There¡¯s passageways in the wall¡±
[Where?]
¡°There¡± Caleb said, pointing at the obsidian in front of them. Eriana didn¡¯t wait for more info, a slash of blue disintegrating the wall as the cave around them shook.
A hole into another passageway, lit by mana fire opened up and the two leapt inside. Eriana instantly rushed downwards, but Caleb stopped. He could sense a greater sinister presence below them, but he could sense Anya, and a few other powerful presences above.
¡°Wait!¡± he called out. ¡°She¡¯s above us!¡±
Eriana didn¡¯t need to be told twice. She roared, a feral sound, and leapt past him. With flying strides she practically floated up the stairs, leaving him behind as he charged up the steps.
As they neared the source of the mana, a newer, brighter light began to illuminate them. They emerged into a large cavern, glowing crystals filling the walls, with a strange intricate mural of the dark markings and symbols covering the entirety of the far wall, a perfectly flat face in the rockiness of the cavern
Across from them, a group of cultists stood at the base of the mural, fumbling with the bag of rubies desperately. Three among them had ridiculous mana power, and Anya was at the centre, clutching her bloodied hand.
The former brigadier turned to them, eyes wide. Caleb watched as her mana warped, spreading out across the cavern.
[Alert - A non-selected has attempted to use dangerous and direct altering magic on you. The effect has been temporarily nullified.]
[STOP THEM!]
A great slash of blue cut through the crowd, obliterating half the cultists. The rest continued charging towards them except a man whose skin turned to stone, an older man who created a barrier, and Anya, who hid behind the older man, still fumbling with the rubies. Eriana leapt through the crowd, roaring desperately as she reached for Anya.
Caleb followed behind her, desperately cutting men and women down as he felt the power of the cavern shift as one was added to the mural on the wall.
¡°Don¡¯t do this!¡± he shouted. ¡°Stop! Please! Stop!¡±
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But the former brigadier ignored him, continuing on. Eriana sensed Caleb¡¯s despair, and with a shriek of desperation, her magic warped and a powerful sweeping attack of projected blue energy cut down the rest of the crowd, knocking down the old man and sending the stone man and Anya flying.
Caleb¡¯s eyes widened with a sudden hope and he charged towards the rubies as only Anya and the stone man stood.
The stone man met him, Caleb¡¯s sword striking the man¡¯s skin. But it didn¡¯t break, sparks flying off the blade as the two looked at each other with wide eyes. But even if his sword hadn¡¯t cut through, Caleb was still stronger. With a burst of strength, he pushed him away the man stumbling back.
He looked to Eriana who stood over Anya, sword raised.
We did it.
Then Eriana screamed. Her sword fell from her grasp and she collapsed to the floor, grabbing the sides of her head as Anya¡¯s mana warped. The former brigadier didn¡¯t hesitate, pouncing.
¡°No!¡± Caleb shouted, diving at her.
[Alert - A non-selected has attempted to use dangerous and direct altering magic on you.]
The message flashed across his vision, and memories of his childhood flashed through his mind. But he ignored it, bringing his sword down as the stone man leapt at him.
He cut through Anya, sword, neck and all as the Stone man, slammed a fist into his side. Caleb felt pain roll through him, then darkness. When he opened his eyes, he was under a pile of rubble, held firm by the pain in his ribs, and the fatigue. His sword lay a few feet away, covered in Anya¡¯s blood.
He looked past them, to the remnants of the battle.
Eriana stood, cutting away at the stone man, as he desperately trued to hold on. But Eriana was faster than Caleb, and while her normal attacks were weaker, her skill was based in her sword. And it didn¡¯t seem to be running out any time soon.
The powerful blows of blue, were knocking the man back, tearing away pieces of his stone armour and revealing soft flesh underneath. His desperate cries for mercy fell on deaf ears as Eriana continued attacking, over and over and over and over. Then, she blasted him back, and with a final slash of bright and brilliant blue, cleaved him in two.
[Emergency objective complete]
[First Phase of the trial complete]
[Congratulations]
[For your performance you have been gifted a level and two stat points to use as you wish]
Caleb let out a sigh of relief, then winced shifting as the rock dug into my back.
¡°Ow¡± he muttered, before letting his body fall limp. He¡¯d done it. He¡¯d come here, he¡¯d fought and he¡¯d won. Even if it¡¯d cost him everything, more than everything, he¡¯d done it.
If he returned now, at least a part of him would be at peace with the fact he¡¯d made the right decision. Even if it didn¡¯t totally feel like it.
He looked up at Eriana as breathed heavily, knelt on the floor resting against her sword. Blood dripping from her ears and nose.
¡°You ok?¡±
[¡yeah] she muttered.
¡°Could¡ could you free me? Please?¡± he wheezed. ¡°Take your time if you need to¡±
Eriana remained kneeling, one hand clutching her sword as her entire body began to tremble. ¡°Eriana?¡±
She looked to him, her crystal blue eyes clear, despite the blood that covered her face.
[It feels incredible] she whispered, the words echoing through the emptiness of the chamber.
¡°W-what?¡±
[This power¡ my sword¡¯s voice. It¡¯s clearer] she muttered. [Levelling¡ it feels incredible]
¡°Y-yeah¡± he said, slightly unnerved. ¡°I¡ uh¡ I know levelling¡¯s cool and all, but can you help free me? I know your injured but could you maybe-¡±
She stood suddenly, turning away from him as she stalked across the room. He watched her, her steps graceful and even as she made her way towards the corpses of the final fallen cultists. In one quick motion she moved Anya¡¯s body aside, then picked up the bag of rubies. She held them for a second, the mana buzzing strangely.
[Warning - ]
[Warning - %¡ê¡ê¡ê!%&**]
[¡]
[Alert ¨C Apologies, your supervisor has temporarily ceased supervision and is currently directing their much needed attention elsewhere. They¡¯ve being notified of your emergency level. Please wait for proper instruction]
What the hell? He thought, his eyes falling back to the crystals. What is even happening?
He looked past the messages to Eriana, who continued to walk through the room, the buzzing in the crystals growing greater, crackling almost.
¡°Eriana?¡± he called out. She continued forward, then stopped in front of the stand, and emptied the bag. He stared in disbelief as she placed the first ruby into the wall, her smile widening.
¡°Eriana?!¡±
[What?] she said, her eyes darting to him.
¡°W-what¡¯re you doing?!¡±
[Are you stupid? Don¡¯t you see what this whole game has been leading up to. This calamity, we weren¡¯t supposed to stop it from happening. We were supposed to kill it]
¡°What?!¡±
[I¡¯m going to summon it, then I¡¯m going to kill it and level up]
Caleb¡¯s eyes bulged as he stared at the blood-soaked girl, dumfounded. She turned away from him and placed another of the rubies into the wall, their magical power swelling together in tandem.
¡°Wait!¡± he shouted. She turned to him, her expression slightly angrier this time. ¡°Just¡ wait, ok? I- You¡¯re not thinking straight or-¡±
[I¡¯m thinking perfectly fine] she spat.
¡°No?! No you¡¯re fucking not!¡± he shouted. ¡°We just fought our way through hell to get here, to stop this! We killed people! We nearly died! Our friends might be dead! But we stopped this. That was the whole- How can you just- you can¡¯t do this!¡±
[Are you serious?] she said, annoyed.
¡°W-what?¡± he mumbled confused.
A small laugh escaped her lips and she covered her mouth, trying to stifle the chuckle.
[You¡¯re being kind of a hypocrite, no?] she said [It¡¯s really funny actually]
His eyes widened as he stared at the girl, still in her blood-soaked hoodie as she put another ruby into the centre of the mural.
She¡¯s insane. Absolutely insane. How didn¡¯t I realise it before?
¡°Eriana! You ca-¡±
Suddenly she spun and with a blast of mana, fired a projected attack at the rock above him. Caleb cried out as the rubble shook violently and crushed him further.
[Just stop talking, it¡¯s getting annoying] she said with a condescending sneer. She turned back to the wall¡¯s carvings and placed another ruby into the wall, the magical power swelling even further.
¡°Eriana! I¡¯m begging you! Don¡¯t do this! Don¡¯t!¡± Caleb shouted. Her smile returned as laughter echoed through the chamber.
[Why? Scared?] she cackled.
¡°Don¡¯t joke about this! If you release whatever the hell that thing is, people die and everyone we just killed to get here died for nothing!¡±
Eriana¡¯s face fell, the smile disappearing.
[They¡¯re not people. You even said it yourself, they¡¯re NPCs]
¡°No! I said I was wrong! They¡¯re real! They¡¯re all real!¡±
[That¡¯s your insecurity talking. We both know you were right]
He cursed. Talking to her like this wouldn¡¯t work. She¡¯d already convinced herself of what she wanted to believe. He needed a different plan of attack.
¡°If you do this, people like us, the blessed, the players, we¡¯ll die too!¡±
[If I have to kill a few players to get stronger, I really don¡¯t give a shit] the girl said, staring at him coldly again. She stepped forward, toward the engravings and pulled the last ruby from her pocket.
¡°Shit¡± he cried, pushing against the rock. ¡°Dammit! Eriana don¡¯t! Don¡¯t! Stop!¡±
She ignored him dusting off the ruby to reveal it¡¯s glow as she observed, her face expressionless.
¡°Stop!¡± he cried, the runes on his skin growing as he pushed up against the rock even harder. The mass above him creaked, shifting with his strength, but he still couldn¡¯t free himself. ¡°ERIANA!¡±
But Eriana couldn¡¯t hear him. She stared at the last ruby in her hand, entrance. Then with a quick gesture, she clenched the ruby tightly her eyes flashing blue.
After this, after I beat this, no one will be able to touch me. Nobody will ever be able to beat me again, she thought. Not even dad.
The maniacal grin reappeared on her face as she placed the final ruby in the stone. Blue flames began to emanate from her sword her eyes glowing brighter as Caleb roared.
The mana in the room began to spike and the rubies glowed brightly. The chamber began to shake as a deep rumble began to reverberate through the mountain.
¡°No!¡± Caleb cried, but his voice was drowned out by the rumbling. The mana spread even further through the rubies, the chamber of stone cracking. The power of the mana grew and grew, powerful enough to impress upon his mind, threatening to push Caleb and Eriana into unconsciousness.
They fought against it, forcing themselves to remain awake as the waves of mana washed over them, growing stronger by the second. The power accelerated bit by bit as it charged the crystals within the mountain, the stone throughout beginning to glow.
Eriana laughed, her sword glowing white hot as the blue energy crackled around the sword. The chamber begin to collapse, large pieces of glowing stone falling from high above.
And somewhere far below, energy from another universe began to fill a space that¡¯d been dormant of centuries. After only a moment, the beast trapped between space and time, manifested in the physical reality of the Akashic, and opened its eyes for the first time in a thousand years
It¡¯s mind threatened burst at the seams, struggling to contain the sheer abundance of energy that flooded into it as it was born into new existence. But like it had many moons ago, it regained control a connection like no other forming between it and the presence of matter within the physical part of the Akashic universe.
It moved, currents of mana raging as one thought rang true within its mind. It¡¯s singular mission.
Kill.
The calamity had awoken.
Chapter Thirty Five - The fight of our lives
Caleb could feel the raw power beneath him. He could see it too, the mana so blindingly bright that it shone through the cracks of the floor with the light of a thousand suns, bathing everything in a purple glow that shifted like water.
And through it all Eriana cackled. Caleb could only listen to her horrible grating laugh through the sounds of crumbling rock and stare at the floor, frozen in disbelief.
He¡¯d made a terrible, terrible mistake.
He¡¯d come here, chosen to leave Kana and Ryan behind, chosen to kill hundreds of cultists just to stop this, just because he¡¯d felt guilty, just because some stupid floating message in the sky had told him to.
He¡¯d done all this just because he¡¯d seen the faces of the others, of Reinhard, Roeca, Cut, of all the chosen he¡¯d convinced to follow them and he¡¯d felt guilty. He¡¯d done everything to stop it, covered himself in blood he¡¯d never ever, be able to wash away,
And it¡¯d happened anyway.
The cavern shook more violently more as he stared at the floor, Eriana¡¯s laugh echoing in the background.
Anya had to have messed with her mind, he thought. She¡¯s not¡ this isn¡¯t¡ this can¡¯t be happening.
The cavern shook harder, more and more crystals crumbling from the ceiling as the flat face of the mural began to grow brightly, the initial red of the rubies shifting into a much darker blue. The darkness which had existed all around him, began to press against his body now, crushing it more than stone that rested a top his back.
He coughed hard, then stretched out his bloodstained hand, reaching desperately for nothing in particular as he struggled against the stone that trapped him.
¡°No¡± he muttered, clawing at the floor. ¡°You fucking¡ you can¡¯t. Please¡ no! NO!¡±
He let loose a feral shout, trying so desperately to deny the reality of the situation.
But he couldn¡¯t.
Then the calamity beneath him roared, sound reverberating through the physical and magical realm distorting everything. Pure power given form.
It shook Caleb to his core, loud enough to obliterate all his thoughts, to cause pain in a way he couldn¡¯t even describe. And as the roar faded into a low rumble, he felt his fear grow uncontrollably, watching as the light from its magic shifted faster now.
This monster was the greatest he¡¯d ever faced, and he couldn¡¯t run away. He was going to die.
Then the ground shuddered violently, and he was falling. The air rushed up and around him as the monster¡¯s glow brightened beneath, the floor that¡¯d been shielding the majority of it gone. Caleb cried out, his screams taken by the wind as he fell through the air, sprays of rock blasting him from all directions.
Then he hit water. The sudden smack was painful, a sharp stinging pain that radiated outwards from his stomach and side. It consumed him as he rolled around in the lukewarm liquid, trying ¨C and failing ¨C to distance himself from the burning of the pain.
Then the rocks crashed down into the water like rain, throwing up the surface in large splashes before shooting down towards him. The rocks peppered him, cutting into his skin and tearing through flesh. He screamed, precious bubbles of air escaping his mouth as he shielded his head with trembling hands.
But the rocks didn¡¯t slow, the onslaught growing as the monster roared again. He needed to get away.
Down! Go down!
Even in his current condition, he twisted through the water, pulling himself down as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. As he pulled himself downwards, away from the falling rock, the water grew warmer, stinging his cuts.
He felt the beginnings of a hard cough rise into his throat, and fought to stifle it, before quickly descending into a small fit, half covering his mouth as precious bubbles of air escaped his lips.
Suddenly he felt the water pull on him, the current shifting violently. The light of monster grew again, expanding as it raced upwards. He clamped his eyes shut, but even with them closed he could still sense the monster¡¯s magical power. It was too bright for him to perceive anything else, it¡¯s star far outshining everything, even his own.
His other senses were starting to become overwhelmed too, his ears ringing, his entire body warm, the sweetness of mana pressing against his tongue, and the weight it placed on his body incredible. He couldn¡¯t think. It felt like he was burning up his mind, his existence simply overwhelmed.
[Trait Mana Awareness has developed]
[You have awoken Mana Sense]
The light instantly faded. He could feel the monster now, sense it in a way that didn¡¯t correlate to his old senses anymore. It still weighed on his mind, his brain barely able to comprehend the sheer gravity of it, but at least he could think again.
He opened his eyes and looked around, into darkness. It took his eyes a second to adjust but they did, taking in his surroundings. Everything was still now. The rocks floating around through the water slower now. Too slow.
He tried to swim and realised everything felt heavy, his limbs almost impossible to move. Fear slithered up from his gut and into his heart, and he felt his trembling hands fight uselessly against this added weight. He so desperately wanted to scream, but even that was impossible.
Then the spell was broken, everything moving again. Caleb didn¡¯t have time to react, the rock simply smashed into him as the currents of water exploded into action. The monster¡¯s roar echoed through the water, obliterating his thoughts again. The currents grew vicious, twisting, and turning, pulling and pushing. Caleb spiralled around, shielding his head as he prayed a rock wouldn¡¯t be his end.
Then he felt it, it¡¯s presence in his mind growing exponentially nearer. He craned his neck, fighting against the currents of water to get a good look beyond the scatter of rocks below. And he saw it. A glowing figure roaring upwards, leaving everything behind it molten hot. Everything around Caleb started to grow in heat too and he cried out as the pressure shifted around him, his ears popping.
His surroundings slowed again, coming to a stop and he realised it was the monster¡¯s magic, holding everything in place. Then the spell broke and he was thrown up faster than he¡¯d ever moved before.
The fear was worse than any pain he¡¯d ever felt. The speed was so great, he couldn¡¯t even clutch his head with his hands. So, he focused on his power, staring at the glowing star in his chest as he tried to calm himself.
Everything shook around him, the surroundings growing increasingly hotter as he picked up speed and shards of rock tore across his skin, only barely stopped by the flesh.
Then, with a horrible and continuous roar he felt his skin grow cold and realised he could breathe again. His eyes flew open and his heart flew into his mouth as he realised he was flying upwards, with the rest of the debris, high above the mountain. He continued to ascend surrounded by a mess of boiling mana water, and rock, his entire body burning as he sailed upwards into the night sky.
¡°Shit!¡± he cried. ¡°Holy shit!¡±
Steadily, as they neared the clouds, the field of debris and water started to disperse outwards. Caleb, spotting a distant city in the line of mountains filled with glowing nights. And beyond, to the north a huge forest, with barely visible red sands at its edge stretching out into the horizon.
To the south stretched the plains, an endless of dry dirt, with spattering¡¯s of trees, and great flowing rivers that converged and flowed between the mountains. He looked below again, as the wind whipped his hair around, blinking tears out of his eyes as steam and smoke rose from the mountain top. The group fighting by the base of the mountain had scattered, running from the cloud of ash and smoke that rose into the air.
Then the monster emerged, pulling itself from the mountain, no volcano and roared. The roar echoed outwards across the flats as the monster pulled itself completely from the smoking volcano and began descending down the mountainside.
It looked like a cross between an armadillo and a raccoon, a quadrupedal with a strange mix of scales and fur, and a softly shell-like rings between the fur on its back. Except its eyes glowed golden, and it was at least seventy feet long. Everything around it floated, hanging in the air suspended by its magic. Caleb stared at it both awed by its size and its magic presence.
But the then he started to slow, and his awe was replaced by fear, as he began to fall back toward the ground. He cried out loudly as debris pelted him from all sides, their motion ¨C and his ¨C no longer constrained by the power of the monster beneath. As everything twisted and turned wildly, plummeting toward the ground he knew he was going to die.
Falling from this height was an assured death, even for his level of strength. Even if he put the two stat points he¡¯d gained into strength, he¡¯d only have three in strength. He¡¯d only be fifteen times stronger and more durable than the average person. That wasn¡¯t enough to tank falling from above the clouds.
So he screamed, flailing helplessly.
There has to be something! Anything! he thought.
He looked around desperately for some kind of hope. His eyes fell on the runes on his hands and widened. Maybe he could be durable enough. Instantly he invested his stat points into strength, the heavenly and euphoric feeling coursing through him again before instantly fading. His focus returned and he closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fact he was plummeting so he could focus on his core.
He couldn¡¯t slow himself down, but he could strengthen himself. By putting as much power as he could into the runes he could expound his strength stat, make himself more impervious than the ground. It would still hurt, maybe even break a few bones. But he wouldn¡¯t die. He steeled himself, clenching his jaw tightly as he focused intently on the markings on his skin.
He felt their connection to him, to his body. How their weight altered his own slightly. They encouraged magics of strength, vitality, durability and immutability in his own soul, not to an outstanding degree, but enough to slow the spread of his cancer.
But most importantly, they had far more to give.
So he focused on them, letting wisps of heat drawn from the star in his chest further ignite their now burgeoning flames. A spray of rocks and water peppered him as he fell into the billowing black smoke, nearing the monster. The runes against his skin began to flicker with life, then glowed, illuminating the smoke with golden orange rays of light.
He cried out, his runes glowing brightly as he closed his eyes.
But he didn¡¯t hit the ground. Instead, he slowed, caught in the monster¡¯s magic. His eyes widened as he looked to it, the monster staring at him as he glowed brightly. Then a great slash of striking blue cut through the air, blasting the monster back. Caleb fell through the air, at least thirty metres and slammed to the ground.
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The earth shook as he laid against it, dazed, then he sat up, his feet stinging but still intact. He was alive. He looked up and quickly leapt to the side as huge chunks of rock crashed to the mountainside. He breathed heavily for a second, the cold mountain air unaffecting as his runes continued to glow brightly.
He looked around, finding himself in the middle of the mountains, on the opposite side of the peak he¡¯d originally entered. The ground rumbled, and his shock was replaced by fear. The monster was still alive. He needed to run.
But before he could look for a way out, he felt a heat on his back. He blinked in surprise and turned as the heat continued to wash over him.
Fire. Great roaring blue flames cut across the across the beast in slashes of fury as Eriana roared. And not just any flames, but a heat that touched his soul.
It¡¯s the fire from her soul, he thought. She¡¯s using the fire from her soul.
The monster roared back, stomping with enough force to shake the ground violently as its magic tore patches of the mountain high into the sky, then allowed them to fall. Eriana had wanted a fight, but the monster was more than just an opponent.
It was like Master Patricia had said. The monster was a force of nature. But it still didn¡¯t deter the girl, the blindingly blue flames her sword burning even brighter now, hot enough to char her hands, and scorch the mountainside around.
Caleb could only watch in awe as she battled the calamity, unable to look away no matter how desperately his body urged him to run. The fight in front of him, the dance of violence, of earth and fire, was breathtakingly beautiful. A force of nature versus an indomitable opponent.
Caleb couldn¡¯t help but think in some ways, Eriana was exactly who he¡¯d always wanted to be. She was facing the monster. She was hurting it. She might¡¯ve even been winning. A single person against an unimaginably powerful force of nature, powerful enough to literally raise mountains.
I don¡¯t even understand what I¡¯m seeing right now.
Then it was over just as soon as it¡¯d started.
A rock fell, and the monster roared loudly. She girl wreathed in fire cut the rock in two but was to slow to block the blast of air. The monster¡¯s roar knocked Eriana off her feet, sending her flying. Then almost as soon as she¡¯d taken to the air Caleb felt the monster focus all its power above her.
Gravity intensified tenfold and like a bug swatted against a wall, Eriana slammed to the ground. She screamed out in agony, the fire on her sword dying as she desperately tried to pull herself off the ground, straining against her shattered limbs as blood pooled onto the ground. Her ferocity remained, her sword igniting once again despite her condition. But ferocity simply wasn¡¯t enough. Another rock slammed upon her, and she went silent, dead.
The monster roared to the sky, parting the cloud of ash, earth and debris, a celebration of its victory. Caleb simply stared at monster, then realised he was alone with it. The others were all far too far away to reach him, and he couldn¡¯t run away from a beast like this. His hands trembled, but he remained still, frozen. His body was like lead, his limbs weights of fear that held him in place. His heart
Run you idiot. Just try and run.
But what would that accomplish? What would that get him but a pathetic death after everything he¡¯d done? After everything he¡¯d survived in these ridiculous past few days? He¡¯d made it this far already and if the trial had taught him anything it¡¯s that he had to fight to live. Even if everything was telling him not to. Even if he¡¯d lose.
Before he realised it, he was running forwards, runes glowing brightly. His feet felt alien as the raced across the ground, his body strangely distant. It was exactly like before, when he¡¯d raced at the two-headed tiger with Ryan without a single thought inside his head.
Then a great flood of mana filled the area around him. He leapt to the side as the ground was ripped upward, the mountainside tearing into the sky as he narrowly escaped the danger zone.
His eyes widened. With his trait he could see where it would focus its power.
Another wave of mana swept over the ground as the monster roared, slamming a foot against the ground. He dodged again, and the dance continued, the monster using its magic to try and crush him whilst Caleb used his new strength to throw himself around, narrowly avoiding the attacks. Bit by bit, the monster grew more frustrated, before roaring moving forwards to him as it¡¯s attacks.
Caleb fought harder to avoid the rocks, his skin peppered over and over again, as his runes glowed brighter, protecting him, but burning up. The last of their magic had almost been used up, and they unwound, the enchantments effect decreasing.
But he ignored their unravelling, focusing on the monster in front of him as his heart beat out of his chest. The calamity neared, it¡¯s magic growing and growing as it focused the gravity powers in smaller and smaller pockets, obliterating the stone with sharp bursts of power that missed Caleb by only inches.
But Caleb dodged again and again, with great leaping bounds. Then a glimmer of light caught his eye, moonlight reflected off Eriana¡¯s sword. He leapt towards it as another rain of stone descended on him, a thin layer of dust covering the mountainside now. Quickly, he snagged the blade from off the ground, before leaping away.
As he held it in his hand, the blade began to vibrate, glowing a slight blue. He looked down to it, eyes wide. It¡¯d been changed by whatever Eriana¡¯s skill was, hardened by the fire of her soul. It was broken, but still far more powerful than anything he¡¯d ever held. And he could still draw more from it. He could feel it, deep in his core.
He looked back to the monster again, the beast suddenly feeling a lot smaller. With the blade, he could hurt it. Maybe not beat it, but he could at least give this world a fighting chance. He dodged another burst of gravity as the monster roared, but this time leapt towards it.
The calamity attacked again, enraged by the glowing pest that hopped around it. But Caleb simply hopped towards the monster again. With leap after leap, he neared the monster, nearly on top of it now.
His heart beat hard, his side throbbing dangerously as his feet burned. But his eyes were fixed on the monster.
I can do this. Just need to time it right. Just time it right.
He felt the beast¡¯s mana picked up again, and as it pulled downwards, he leapt upwards as hard as he could. Propelled by his stats, and the power of his skill amplifying the runes that covered his body, he soared through the air, easily clearing thirty feet before landing on the monsters head. He skidded across the surface, scraping his arms against the rough skin before he found purchase.
The monster instantly roared again, tilting its head back to throw Caleb off. But he dug the sword in between scales and held it there as the monster bucked and roared, trying to throw him off.
As it turned, the already broken sword ¨C caught between the scales ¨C snapped like a piece of bark and Caleb was thrown sideways, skittering across the coarse shell again. But he strengthened the runes further, practically burning the magic as he gripped the skin tightly, holding on.
With his heart in his mouth, he held himself close to monster and forced his eyes open. The monster had taken to the sky, using its gravity magic on itself as it shrieked. Caleb grit his teeth desperately as the monster picked up speed, the wind roaring once again in his ears.
He was losing grip, and he couldn¡¯t risk snapping the last piece of the sword in between the scales. But falling would be fatal. Even if he wasn¡¯t in the best position, he had to attack now.
He focused on his core, and with a bright burst of flame that made him dizzy, he strengthened the broken sword. It glowed brightly, a brilliant mix of Eriana¡¯s harsh electric blue, and his golden orange emitting from the broken blade. Then, as hard as he could, he threw it at the monster¡¯s head for a mark left by Eriana¡¯s slashes. The throw was poorly aimed, but powerful, carried by his strength. It cut cleanly through the hide and embedded itself deep into the monster¡¯s neck.
The calamity roared twisting and turning ferociously as it screeched in pain. Then it fell out of the sky.
Caleb held on for dear life as the beast descended towards the mountains below again, crying out in desperation. It struck them with a thunderous boom, shattering the peak as it carried an avalanche of snow, and stone down into the recesses between the mountains. Caleb was thrown from the monster and cried out before crashing to the ground hard.
He skidded across the frozen stone, flying down the mountainside as the monster finally began to slow with help of his own magic. Caleb dug his hands against the ground, and slowed to a stop, the runes glowing more dimly now. His entire body ached, but he could still feel the monster behind him, it¡¯s mana raging.
With a frenzied cry, he forced himself up off the floor quickly, ignoring his injuries. He stared back at the beast as he felt its power radiate outwards, a pure force of nature. But it was hurt, its softer underside damaged badly by the collision of the mountain, and parts of its hide scratched bare.
He''d hurt the beast far more then he¡¯d intended to. In this state, he might be able to run away from the beast. But as the harsh, mountain winds swept across him, only one thought went through his mind.
I can win.
He rushed towards the monster again, but the monster was panicked, and it could sense him coming. In a sudden burst of power the ground around it was torn up and Caleb was thrown backwards in a mess of stone before hitting the floor hard.
He coughed, the pain of his side stabbing into him like a sharp blade. He let out an anguished cry but forced it out of his mind and leapt up, dodging a more focused blast of power and more rocks.
He landed, but stumbled, and fell to one knee as the calamity¡¯s magic began to redirect. He dodged again, and landed hard, instantly falling as blood dripped from his nose and ears, his head ringing. He could barely breath, effort like pulling teeth. The glow of his runes had gone, along with the initial markings. Caleb cursed. Without the runes his body was failing him now of all times, and it was going to get him killed.
The beast¡¯s magic began to roll over him again, as it pulled itself up from the crater it¡¯d formed in the mountain. He tried to stand but fell back to the ground, the pain of his side dragging him into the dirt and stone.
¡°Please! Not now! Just work properly!¡± he cried, slamming his side with a fist. ¡°Stop hurting!¡±
He felt a flicker of his own energy flood him, and the pain disappeared. For an instant he felt strength return to him, like the past hour had all been a dream. He pulled himself to his feet and dodged the blasts easily, his body fine.
Then as soon as it came, a wave of tiredness hit him, almost enough to knock him out. But the fear kept him awake. He dodged another blast but fell to the floor breathing heavily as his power weakened, the pain returning threefold. Suddenly his eyes widened. He couldn''t put into words what had just happened, but on some intrinsic level he knew.
His power worked on himself.
The same way his sword had had extra power, the same way the bracelet and shield had, so too did his body. Even with changes the stat points in strength had made, there was still so much more he could be doing. He could feel it now, sense it.
All that wasted ambient mana within the connective path between the magical and physical. If he could use it, he could be so much stronger. He just had to find the energy to release it, to set the coal aflame.
He dodged another roar from the monster and then with a battle-cry, focused on his centre, the shining star in his chest, and pulled at it.
Flickers of light shot from his core, like bursts of flame. He felt the heat of them, momentarily spread through him and the power that heat brought. He pushed harder, but the further he managed to ignite, the harder it became to continue.
He could feel the effort tearing him apart, breaking something he knew shouldn¡¯t be broken. And it scared him. But greater than the fear, was the desire to make this whole mess mean something. He had no weapons now, only his body, only his fists. But with this power, this golden energy, his fists could be enough.
Just a small bit. I just a tiny bit of this power in my fist
So, with all his will, he forced the flame further, pushing the ignition past his chest, into his arm and further, letting the small trickle of fire of heat, of pure magic flow between realties into his fist. He could feel it tearing him apart, obliterating, tendons, muscle and bone. His body wasn¡¯t ready to contain the energy. But it didn¡¯t have to contain it. For a moment, just one moment, all it had to do was release it.
The monster roared loudly, but this time Caleb stood his ground. The blast shook everything around him, tearing the rock apart, but he dug his feet in and held. The small remnants of heat from the star in his chest reinforced him, made him whole, one in a way that was immutable, unchangeable by the magic of the monster in front of him.
As the roar ended the monster looked to the being in front of it, confused by the continued increase in its power. Its mind was primitive, that of an animal, but even it knew the little creature should be dead.
But Caleb wasn¡¯t. And the monster was unprepared. He roared, leaping forwards through the air and his power grew even further. A narrow pathway through his arm leading all the way to his fist glowed golden, bright enough to make everything else dark.
Then he slammed his fist into the monster¡¯s face, along the line of Eriana¡¯s initial cut. A deafening boom rocked the entire mountains and everyone still alive, even those far away were blasted back by a rush of air.
[You have defeated a grade 3 Moshaic threat]
[You have levelled up]
Sierra and the others picked themselves up, looking off into the distance as the echo of the shockwave faded a mushroom cloud of dirt, stone and debris, lit by remnants of a gaseous mix of golden and blue energy towered high into the sky. She could feel the mana physically, like a weight pressing against her.
[%¡ê¡ê¡ê!%&**]
[¡]
[Emergency objective complete]
[First Phase of the trial complete]
[Congratulations]
¡°Holy shit¡± she mumbled.
[Alert ¨C You are in a grade 3 danger zone. Do not panic. A selected has been sent to deal with threat.]
Sierra stared at the message in confusion.
¡°My gods¡± Valyre muttered from behind her. She turned and found all the remaining cultists and the last brigadier looking to the sky, eyes wide. She looked too, and watched as a huge translucent black spherical barrier expanded outwards from above them, dimming the stars as it stretched to the ground, engulfing the huge mushroom cloud, mountains and all.
Then a red portal appeared in the sky above them, many gasping as it began to grow. From the portal a figure emerged, dropping down from the sky. They slammed to the ground, spraying dirt over everyone before standing.
Sierra stared at the girl in front of her. She couldn¡¯t have been older than sixteen, with long red hair and strange futuristic looking black armour, covering in silver runic markings.
[Janky fucking locator. I¡¯m not even in the fucking mountains] the girl said, shaking her head as she drew a scythe off her back. She glanced to Sierra and gave a wave, before turning back to the mountains. She froze and made a face as she stared at the huge mushroom cloud, still filled with gaseous energy.
[What the fuck is that?]
Interlude - Champions of Tomorrow
Norrea had never known true fear before. Not until the skies above her home had turned to fire and shadow, and the light of her sun had been engulfed by darkness of the demon from the sea.
One second she''d been enjoying a peaceful afternoon, and the next her entire world was ending.
All around, the people of her small village cried out, their screams echoing through the great valley as they ran, leaving their homes and farms, their prized possessions and livelihoods, running away from everything they had ever known as the entire world was destroyed by the darkness that''d begun to surround them.
They pushed and shoved, rushing forward in a horde, all desperately trying to escape the great tendrils of darkness that extended from the demon incarnate above. But there were too many people caught at the village gates, the town''s new wall serving against it''s people. Most would die here. Norrea knew it already, could feel it in her bones.
She clutched her baby tighter, searching desperately amongst the crowd for her husband. Her gut was telling her to leave, to save their child, Merocus be damned, but she couldn¡¯t do it. Although she moved with the crowd, guilt hindered her, made her slow. With the hopelessness of the situation, she justified it to herself. Told herself if she would likely die either way, she did not wish to spend her last moments betraying him. But she didn''t know what she believed, and the cries of her baby were only growing louder.
So she kept moving, pressing forwards with the desperate rush of the crowd. The twisting torrent of emotions, fear, guilt, anguish, grief, and panic made it impossible to focus. She had never known such hell. Never seen such fear. It was pure chaos.
The stuff of nightmares borne true. The demons from their folktales were real, but there were no champions here. In reality there were no heroes. But as her child cried, she prayed for them anyway.
Please Gods, she thought. If our faith ever meant anything, please, save us.
[Alert ¨C You are in a grade 19 danger zone. Do not panic. Members of the Yildaric Guard have been sent to deal with the threat.]
Strange words floated across her vision, and in her surprise Norrea stumbled and fell. She clutched her baby tightly as she crashed to the ground, shielding the child with her body as others rushed past her in a terrible stampede. Boots and heels crushed against her legs as she cried out, her baby wailing in the chaos of it all.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Then some people slowed, even stopped as cries of confusion rang out through the valley. Norrea scrambled out of the mess of bodies and legs, beaten, bleeding and bruised, but alive. She breathed heavily, checking over her unharmed darling before looking to the crowd.
Most had stopped now, and amongst them several pointed up, all with eyes wide in awe.
She looked above as others pointed, searching for the idol of attention. The sky was still shrouded in shadow, the people of the village thrust into the darkness of night, but now - within it - a star had appeared. And then great glowing red portals began to appear, growing in number to the point they littered the sky.
The face of the monster, the skull of darkness in the clouds turned to the portals and roared, the sound of death echoing through the valley. Then, like gods, men fell from the sky.
And with them came a rain of hellfire and magic, a storm of pure power. The Might of the old gods.
It knocked the monster back, erasing half the shadow in an instant, continuing to push it back even further with every passing second. And it did not stop, instead growing in number as light, power and nature itself rained down upon the demon, beating it back to the waters.
The people stared in awe, and then one of the god-men fell from the sky and came to a stop above them floating overhead as her eyes glowed. She wore white armour with an almost oily appearance and a sheen at its edge that glinted with all colours, hinting at more beyond what Norrea could see.
Her silver-white cape fluttered in the wind, and atop her head rested a silver-white band of metal, a crown. Her face was hard, beautiful in appearance, but not expression. Marked by a singular thin scar that ran across her face, from her chin to her brow, the eye it cut across unaffected.
[Do not fear] the woman said, as her silver-white crown glinted in the light of the new day. [We, the Yildaric Guard, have come to defeat this great beast]
Behind her, and in the distance the monster continued to scream, it¡¯s shouts pitiful now, pathetic.
Fire, lightning and more continued to descend from the sky, the god men raining fury upon the dark demon. Unrelenting, they barraged it with magic incomprehensible, and for the last time, the monster screamed.
[Alert ¨C The threat has been defeated.]
Cries of joy and relief swept through. And just as soon as they¡¯d come, the godmen disappeared, back through their red portals, the monster no more.
The woman gave them one final nod before taking back to the sky, disappearing into a portal just like the others. Norrea stared up as the last of the portals disappeared, eyes wide. Just like that, the chaos was over. She and the other villagers found themselves thrust back into day, the sun shining brightly in the blue summer skies.
Suddenly Norrea was hefted off the ground, held tightly in familiar hands as her husband wept tears of joy into her neck. She felt tears come to her too and find herself weeping as her and Merocus sagged to the floor together, holding their baby gratefully.
As the tears faded, they laughed together, wiping at each other¡¯s eyes as relieved laughter echoed out all around them.
¡°What was that?¡± Norrea mumbled to herself, looking to the sea, then the sky. ¡°The Yildaric she said... who were they? Gods?¡±
¡°No,¡± her husband whispered as he held their child, smiling. ¡°They were heroes.¡±
Chapter Thirty Six - Messages from the Deep
¡°Ends to ends¡± Caleb had mumbled to himself, a little inside joke he said to himself as he put the last of his Lego car¡¯s pieces together once again.
He¡¯d sat on the stairs, fiddling with his beaten Lego car, as he¡¯d pretended not to watch his father through the banister. His dad had been sorting through papers, adult stuff that had usually bored Caleb.
But the collection of documents, passports, and the beaten book his father took with him everywhere told Caleb things were a little different than usual.
So, he¡¯d watched intently as his father had parsed over the papers again, and again, uncertain.
Then his father had noticed him and smiled. That great big smile he always did, before shuffling the papers out of view.
¡°You alright kiddo?¡±
¡°Are we moving again?¡±
His dad¡¯s smile had faded somewhat, before he¡¯d sighed and glanced back to the papers.
¡°Sorry Caleb. I meant to tell you earlier¡±
They¡¯d both remained silent for a second before his father had forced a laugh. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be able to do another ice cream tour this year after all¡±
Caleb hadn¡¯t said anything, only looked to his Lego car with a mixture of sadness and disappointment.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Is¡ is it Casey?¡±
"Uh- yeah, actually"
The words had only reinforced his disappointment. Twisted the sadness in his gut like a blade.
He hadn''t really wanted to say anything, but a part of him had known - even then - that somebody was supposed to say something. To stop this. And it''d only been him and his father.
So he''d spoken.
"Are we... are we leaving because you... y''know?"
¡°W-what?¡± his father had stuttered, before looking away. ¡°I- no, no. She¡¯s uh¡ she¡¯s coming with us¡±
Caleb had frowned confused. The situation was new to him, foreign.
Ever since his mom had left, whenever they¡¯d moved before it¡¯d always been because of a woman.
The incidents between them and his father were few and far between, but whenever things had gotten as bad as before, they¡¯d simply left.
Caleb couldn¡¯t understand the difference now.
¡°Why?¡± he muttered.
¡°Oh, she¡¯s¡ uh¡ she¡¯s pregnant¡± his father had said. ¡°Actually, crap, don¡¯t tell her I told you that. She wants to tell you as a surprise¡±
¡°Oh¡ ok¡±
He¡¯d sat on the stairs quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond. Casey was pregnant. That meant he¡¯d be getting a little sibling. A little brother or sister.
Weird, he¡¯d thought.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Nothing¡± he''d mumbled.
¡°Oh, come on Caleb. It¡¯ll be fun¡± his dad had said, making his way over to the stairs. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be living in LA. The city of stars. We¡¯ll have a whole new place, you¡¯ll have a little sibling, and there¡¯ll be tonnes and tonnes of ice cream and other fun stuff. Hey, you might even end up at school with some actor¡¯s kid¡±
¡°I guess it sounds fun¡±
¡°Think about it. A totally new beginning¡± his father had said, grinning again. ¡°You¡¯ll love it¡±
Caleb had only nodded silently.
Because even then, he hadn¡¯t been so sure.
He woke to the soft sounds of the sea. A slow sweeping sound that rolled over him, like a soft, and gentle breeze. Like quiet waves. It soothed him, calmed him through memory, reminding him of far simpler times, a bliss he''d all but forgotten. He was at peace. For the first time in a while he was at peace.
"He moved!" a voice shouted, grating against his quiet. "Guys he moved!"
At the voice others started shouting too, calling out in the distance.
The sound of the sea intensified as he tried to focus on the voices. In his half-woken state he couldn¡¯t tell whether they were panicked, or thankful, let alone recognise more than a few words. But he could feel it change him. Remind him.
He was supposed to tell someone out there something. He couldn¡¯t remember what, but it was important.
So, he fought harder, struggling to listen. But his mind remained half asleep, his thoughts were held down ¨C almost forcibly ¨C by a slight pressure.
¡°Caleb?¡± a familiar voice said.
Sierra¡¯s, he thought. Are Kana and Ryan there too?
He tried to listen closer, to find his friends in the mess of voices. But suddenly they receded, fading again. He struggled against the pressure, more desperate now, but it simply increased - muffling his surroundings as it drained his will to resist it.
Then came to pain. The sharp flaring pain in his left hand, and his feet. His nerves burning with the fire for a thousand suns, the heat writhing it¡¯s way slowly to the rest of his body.
Then one voice came through loud and clear.
[Stop shouting, you¡¯re causing him pain] the voice said. [He isn¡¯t ready to wake up yet]
He felt the pressure intensify, carried forth by a gentle hand as it pushed his mind back into rest. The soft sound of the waves rolled over him again.
[Go to sleep child] the voice said. [You still need to rest]
The words were overpowering and yet comforting. As their echo rang out in his mind, he slowly drifted back to sleep, the slight pains throughout his body fading as the dreams took him once again.
-
The journey to LA had been fun. He''d known he''d been on a plane before, when they''d gone to Brazil, but he hadn¡¯t remembered being on one. He''d just remembered the fear and having to cuddle up to someone.
Going on another had scared him at first, but now, looking down on the world from above was like nothing he¡¯d ever experienced before.
Flying was - without a doubt - the coolest thing he''d ever done.
So he¡¯d just stared out the window, forgotten his worries and fears. He''d existed in a pure state of wonder and bliss. At least for as long as he could, until his new stepmom had tried another way to talk to him.
¡°Peanuts?¡± Casey had asked.
He¡¯d shaken his head, and she¡¯d offered him an awkward smile. Then he¡¯d gone back to looking out the window.
His dad and chuckled then ruffled his hair before leaning in close to whisper in his ear.
¡°You know you can talk to her¡±
¡°I want to look out the window¡±
His dad had laughed again.
¡°You¡¯re enjoying this more than I thought you would¡±
Caleb had only nodded, staring out at the fields below, at the world that stretched out around him seemingly endlessly.
In that moment, he hadn¡¯t wanted to come down. He¡¯d wanted to live in the clouds, and see the world from above forever.
He''d wished more than anything, that he''d been able to enjoy this when he''d gone the first time.
When it''d been just him, mom and dad.
The sound of the waves returned alongside Caleb¡¯s thoughts. They remained still, silent. Then slowly they came alive, igniting each other in a chain reaction until his mind was a rush of thoughts.
But as he tried to press forward, pull himself up from the strange bed he lay in, he found his body still couldn¡¯t move. The symphony of thoughts turned into a cacophony of desperate cries before the pressure of bliss suddenly returned.
He would¡¯ve panicked, but the pressure kept him calm. Forced the calm onto him, limiting his expression of self.
He could sense it now, within the pressure. Someone¡¯s magic. He could feel the intent behind it too. It didn¡¯t feel harmful, rather quite gentle. Soothing almost, like the soft touch of Kana¡¯s healing.
Kana, he thought suddenly. I¡¯m supposed to tell her something. Where is she?
His questions weren¡¯t met with answers, but beyond the sound of the waves Caleb could hear a voice.
Someone was talking to him.
It sounded strangely like a song, an angelic voice singing in an unfamiliar language and tune but pleasing, nevertheless. The voice was powerful, changing in tandem with the mana that pressed against his body, mind and soul - it¡¯s pitch and tone varying as great resounding echoes flowed through the mana.
It was beautiful to feel.
He sensed the patterns carefully, entranced even as parts of his mind were pulled deeper into darkness by the song.
And slowly, it pulled all his thoughts back to sleep.
-
Caleb opened his eyes slowly, blinking back waking tears as he became aware of his own breaths. His eyes struggled to adjust to the light, his vision blurred, before gradually focusing. He found himself staring up at a stone ceiling, adorned with runic markings surrounding the image of two crossed swords behind a fist. He recognised them. The sword he''d gotten at Arrell and Swordy - Eriana¡¯s broken one. He frowned in confusion, and then the messages flooded in.
[Emergency objective complete]
[First Phase of the trial complete]
[Congratulations]
[¡]
[Please wait patiently for completion awards. Others from your trial are still yet to complete their first phase]
[You are free to journey on R67-C12-D until all participants of the trial have completed their first phase]
[Please do not interfere with other participants of the trial]
[¡]
[You have received special permissions]
[Welcome to Alareon (B2-F14-D)]
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
He wiped the last of the tears out of his eyes completely, then struggled to sit up. His body felt stiff, his muscles weak and his side throbbed dully, still sapping at his strength. He managed to sit anyway, slightly out of breath as his hands trembled.
He took a moment, then glanced at the space surrounding him. As he looked around, his confusion grew.
He sat in the centre of a circular stone room, the walls - at least fifteen feet high - and floor with the texture of limestone brick used in medieval castles. But there were no bricks. The entire room was one rock, with no cuts or breaks in sight except for the two large floor to ceiling openings that served as windows.
Light streamed through them, revealing below, rolling hills of grass and meadows in each direction, all blanketed by the golden glow of sunlight.
Despite the size of the openings, no wind seeped through, the presence of magic surrounding the edge, and some kind of invisible magic barrier filling the space.
But what drew the majority of Caleb¡¯s attention was between the windows, on the walls all around him. Runic markings were engraved into the stone, woven into a pattern between a mural of stars, mountains, and the monster he¡¯d fought against, trembling at the sight of a figure with a glowing fist.
Him.
¡°What in the world?¡± he muttered, swinging his feet off the raised bed he lay on. He stood slowly, then made for the mural. His balance was poor and he stumbled but caught himself, before staring up at the figure in the mural. It really was him. With the same darker olive skin tone and curled black hair. The figure¡¯s fist glowed brightly as it fell upon the great beast, it''s face - no - his face, filled with fury.
Why is this even a thing? he thought. And is that really supposed to be me?
He stared a bit longer, before placing his hand on the mural, feeling at the drawing of this figure, of him.
His eyes were instantly drawn away from the mural to the scars on the back of his left hand. Like a jagged web they pulled outward from the centre, deep and red scar tissue, clear against his skin.
He stepped back from the wall and looked down at himself. He wore a strange outfit, some kind of half-rigid long-sleeve top made of a white cloth he wasn¡¯t familiar with. His trousers were tight at the waist, but baggy at the ankles, and made of a different but no less white fabric. And his feet were bare, riddled with scars as well, though different to his hands.
The clothing reminded him somewhat of traditional Chinese clothing he¡¯d seen from a film on TV once, though the comparison was somewhat tenuous and the decoration far different.
He frowned deeper. He could sense mana coming from it, woven into the very fibres of the cloth, denser even than the mana in the sword he¡¯d had. He looked over the clothes, pulling at them to glance at the seamside of the fabric.
Huh, the runes are gone, he thought, glancing at his forearms and chest. He looked over himself again, this time magically, taking in the clothes and his own mana signature.
[Caleb?] a voice said sudden from behind him. He jumped in surprise then glanced back, to one of the openings, which had now shifted into a doorway. In it, dressed in similar, but slightly different was one of the chosen he¡¯d only met during the big attack. She¡¯d been the one helping the brigadier to heal Ryan and Kana.
¡°I- hi¡± he muttered.
[You¡¯re awake] she said matter of factly.
¡°...yeah¡± he mumbled. An awkward silence stretched between the two before the girl spoke again.
[Sorry about the scars] she said. [I asked to heal them, but the Esaeni wouldn¡¯t let me. Said you¡¯d earned them.]
¡°Earned them?¡±
[Yes. She got offended that I even offered to heal them] she said with a frown. [I think it¡¯s a culture thing]
He felt at his side where the throbbing continued, although less intense.
¡°And¡ my friends?¡± he said. She broke away from his gaze, eyes falling to the floor.
Oh.
[I¡¯m sorry] she mumbled.
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± he said quickly, surprised by how calm he still felt. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, they were both hurt and-¡±
[Oh no, I¡ s-sorry, I should¡¯ve been clearer.]
¡°They¡¯re alive?¡± he said, a sudden burst of hope stirring his emotions.
¡°The girl, Kana, she¡¯s still alive, but¡ she¡¯s been asleep for a while. Her soul¡¯s damaged. And since she caused it it¡¯s harder than usual to fix. I don¡¯t understand it completely but¡ it¡¯s bad. The people here, they called in a favour, but the person they need is busy. Will be for a long time¡± she muttered, clearly flustered.
¡°Kana¡¯s alive?¡± he said, relief swirling through his stomach. ¡°But Ryan¡¯s¡¡±
She nodded, her face grim.
Ryan¡¯s gone, he thought. He¡¯s really gone.
He instantly felt sick at any hints of relief he¡¯d felt.
¡°I¡ what¡¯s your name?¡± he muttered, his voice suddenly weak.
[Aliyah] the girl said with a small nod.
¡°Caleb¡± he responded.
[I know] she said. [Everyone here does.]
Caleb froze, unsure what to make of Aliyah¡¯s words. He looked away, suddenly nervous at the implication. A moment or two passe and his eyes remained fixed to his hands, watching as fingers played with fingers.
¡°Can I... see them?¡± he asked, surprising himself. He glanced up to Aliyah quickly, watched as she hesitated, but finally nodded.
[You can] she said. [But I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll want to]
¡°I do¡±
[Then I¡¯ll take you. They¡¯re on the other side of the palace]
¡°Palace?¡±
[It¡¯s what the people call this place. Daen¡¯s Palace. It¡¯s closer to a mansion. Well it¡ actually that doesn¡¯t matter. For now, all you need to know is if people bow, it¡¯s best to ignore them] she said. [You probably don¡¯t want to get caught up in a long conversation right now]
¡°R-right¡± Caleb nodded.
[Are you okay to walk?]
¡°Yeah¡±
[Alright. But tell me if you feel off or anything] she said, stepping back towards the doorway. [You feel fine from here, but I''m not skilled enough to accurately measure internal damage for very long]
He nodded then followed her, feeling his sense of balance slowly return. But he paused at the door, looking down to Aliyah¡¯s feet and then his own.
¡°Could I get some shoes?¡±
[Uh¡ I don¡¯t think if you¡¯re allowed to wear shoes]
¡°But you¡¯re wearing them?¡±
[I¡¯m not an esteemed guest, well- at least not as you. It''s- you''d probably need a whole lesson to understand, I don''t even completely. I think it¡¯d be disrespectful if you wore them]
¡°A culture thing?¡±
She nodded.
[You¡¯ll be fine though. The floors are kept clean by magic]
He nodded again, and then followed her out of the room. The corridor was most of the same, limestone walls and floors, with large floor to ceiling openings barriered by a strange and intricate magic.
¡°Are all these¡ window openings things fake?¡± he asked.
[The ones on the east facing wall are. I¡¯m not sure about the other ones]
¡°And how do you know which doorway is which?¡± he asked.
[They have markings above them?] she said, as they turned the corner stepping through one of openings as the image of fields disappeared, revealing a short flat area that led to a set of steps.
¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± Caleb said as they started down the steps. ¡°Not being able to see what¡¯s on the other side?¡±
[I think the people who usually walk through here can. Plus, only healers and priests assigned to you are allowed in here. Us too, and Daen]
Caleb nodded looking out one of the empty wall faces at the endless greenery that surrounded them.
¡°You said this was Daen¡¯s palace. Who''s Daen?¡±
[That¡¯s¡ he¡¯s a famous fighter, I think. For the system guides]
¡°System guides?¡±
[It¡¯s the thing or things that control the universe. I don¡¯t really know. People are a bit cagey when it comes to explaining things. Not wanting to upset] akolan [or something]
He blinked in confusion.
¡°Akolan? Why wasn¡¯t that word translated?¡±
[I don¡¯t know. It means social order, or something like that. There are a few others, and some they''ll explain, but most they won''t. It''s weird and complicated. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re even really supposed to be here. A few people have visited to complain about us but Daen just shows them you and they leave]
¡°Me?¡±
[Yeah. I think it¡¯s cause you beat the monster. I don¡¯t know]
¡°I- how many people have visited?¡± he asked.
[About fifteen or so. But they¡¯re usually in pairs or groups]
¡°And how long we been here?¡± he asked.
[About six weeks] Aliyah replied. Caleb went silent.
Six weeks, he thought. I was asleep for six weeks.
That was longer than we were in the trial and tutorial for. Weird.
Ryan¡¯s been dead for longer than I knew him.
The thought was like a knife to his side, sudden, sharp and painful. His steps slowed, and he caught himself against the wall of the staircase.
[Caleb?]
¡°I¡¯m¡ fine¡± he muttered, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
[Are you sure?]
¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go¡± he said. She frowned but nodded. They continued onwards, down the last of the steps before reaching a set of metal doors inscribed with runes and a language Caleb didn''t know but somehow understood.
House of Souza
He decided to leave his thoughts on that for later.
Aliyah turned to him, stopping by the doors as she looked him over.
[It¡¯s better if we¡¯re quiet and walk fast here] she said. [People will think we¡¯re going somewhere important]
¡°There¡¯s people out there? How many?¡±
[Not that many. But they¡¯ll all be interested in you] she said. He nodded and gulped slightly glancing down at himself, before nodding. Aliyah opened the doors and the sound of distant chatter blew inside, carried by a soft wind. She stepped out, into the daylight, and Caleb followed after her.
They found themselves in the corner of a strange courtyard, on a stone platform. To the left, right and in front of them walkways of wood, hovering over perfectly even and unmoving water that filled the courtyard.
People stood on the walkways, conversing by doorways that led into the buildings surrounding the courtyard. Among the people, there were two distinct types of outfits, one a red gown, and the other a black one paired with a strange hat, though he had no idea what kind of status they denoted.
"Are all the clothes like that?"
[Only the important ones]
"Oh. Makes sense why they''re so overly fancy" he said, looking over himself again. Briefly, he glanced behind him, up at the two towers adjoining the one he¡¯d just come from, before looking to read the words across the door.
House of En
He looked back to Aliyah, who had started down one of the sheltered walkways, and quickly, he followed after her, feeling the weight of everyone¡¯s gazes as they made their way across the path.
The mutters of conversation stopped instantly, some even gasping as they saw him. He suddenly felt incredibly self-aware, his white garments in sharp contrast to everyone else¡¯s browns and greys. People stepped forward, and bowed as he and Aliyah passed, but she didn¡¯t acknowledge them so neither did he.
Finally, they reached the door at the end of the walkway and stepped inside closing it behind them. They were in a different style of corridor now, one made of marble with intricate patterning covering the floor and walls. On the other end he could hear the sounds of children singing a song.
¡°What¡¯s over there?¡± he asked as Aliyah started for the stairs slightly further down the hall.
[The nursery]
He nodded then followed her up the steps, these much wider, more akin to what he¡¯d expect from a great palace or modern mansion. They reached the top of the stairs quickly and made their way past a series of rooms before exiting into an outdoor walkway that bridged the palace and a separate, slightly smaller building together.
He glanced behind them as they walked across. From here, he could see the palace clearly, styled with a strange mix of familiar and foreign architecture. It looked closer to a government building with fancy castle like decorations than a palace. Off to their right and left more walkways connected the two buildings, both stretching on longer than he''d assumed given the size of the courtyard.
He looked beneath the walkway, to the green grass below where hundreds milled about in what looked to be a lively market next to a large solid metal gate guarded by men dressed in clothes similar to his but made of red cloth, and considerably more armoured. There were more gates under each of the walkways, and more markets. He could feel the magic permeating through all of it.
Some glanced of the people below glanced to him, pointing and he quickly pulled back, looking ahead. The building they were going to looked much the same as the one behind them, only smaller.
On the roof of the other building, only a few floors up, a few girls in clothing similar to Aliyah¡¯s laughed amongst themselves.
Aliyah waved, and they waved back. Caleb waved too, and the girls simply bowed before disappearing out of view.
¡°You know them?¡± Caleb asked.
[I''ve met them. They¡¯re training to become healers]
Caleb nodded, trying not to think too hard about everything he was seeing and continued behind Aliyah as they entered the building.
They found themselves in a somewhat empty foyer, a few teens in strange armour or in the healing gowns Aliyah wore, talking amongst themselves and laughing.
He and Aliyah walked through quickly, Caleb trying to ignore the cries of surprise as the teens spotted them. Then they came to two sets of stairs, one upward, and the other downward, and made their way up, passing a few students in the grey healing outfits. At the top they passed a door labelled in the strange language he could understand without understanding.
En School of Healing
There were fewer people in the corridors here, instead people in rooms reading over books or talking amongst friends.
Finally, they turned another corner and made their way up a set of stairs before reaching a set of large black metal doors on which read.
En House of Ends
I guess they¡¯re here then.
Aliyah hesitated but opened the door, and they stepped inside. A teen in the grey healing robes stood ahead of them and instantly looked back. The girl¡¯s eyes widened, and she froze in place before quickly bowing.
[S-sorry, sorry] she sputtered, clearly already on the verge of tears.
[It¡¯s fine. P-please. We won¡¯t tell] Aliyah said. [It¡¯s ok. Go quickly]
The girl looked up at them - eyes wide - then nodded hard as she bowed, before rushing away. Caleb watched her go, the door closing softly behind her.
¡°Who was she?¡±
[One of the trainees]
¡°Why was she so scared?¡±
[She could get into serious trouble for being here]
Caleb nodded, and they continued onwards, passing a few solid black and grey doors before stopping at the end of the hall, in front of two large red metal doors.
[T-this is it] Aliyah said stopping by the door.
¡°They¡¯re in there?¡± he asked. Aliyah nodded. He looked to the door again. It was simple. There were no markings, no great symbols or magic. It was nothing. Just a red metal door.
It seemed almost too plain compared to everything else he''d seen so far.
Caleb hesitated, unsure what he was feeling. So he steeled himself, quietly gulped, then pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room wasn¡¯t that big, mostly empty too. The wall opposite him one of the standard openings that showed the great rolling hills surrounding the palace. To his left, in the corner of the room was a woven chair of strange silk, fibres and metal. A man in the healing robes and a red hat sat in it, the eyes closed as he whispered to himself burning incense in hand.
Caleb watched the man for a second, but he didn''t move. He frowned then looked to his right.
In a row lay several matt black boxes of stone, resting atop lit coals. The runes that covered them glowed softly, each a hint of their own separate mana signatures within them.
He recognised most of them.
All the chosen who''d died at Arrell. The girl in armour who he''d carried down Arrell''s main street. The teens they''d meet while they''d camped out in that town. And all the others. The ones whose names he knew.
Elena. Markus. Jakob. Michael. David. Mario. Angelina. James. Olivia. Eriana. Ryan.
They were all there. Dead.
He instantly pulled back, crashing into Aliyah as he forced his way out of the room. He stumbled and fell to the floor breathing heavily as sweat began to bead on his forehead, his breaths short and shallow.
[Caleb?!]
¡°Sorry. I- this was a mistake. I¡¯m sorry¡± he mumbled.
[It¡¯s ok. We can come back] she said, her concern palpable.
He nodded quickly and forced himself up, backing away from the door. He came to a stop still for a moment, before staring at the floor as memories of it all flashed through his mind. He could remember it all so clearly. Especially the slickness of blood staining his skin.
[You ok?]
Caleb didn¡¯t say anything, only looking at the floor.
The last thing he said to me was that he felt cursed, Caleb thought. The last thing Ryan told me before he died was that he hated himself for killing people. Was that what killed him? Did he think of his hate for himself in the middle of the battle? Did he hesitate and die? Could I have said something to change that? Could he still be here? Could any of them still be here?
[Caleb?]
Why did this have to happen? he thought. We weren''t hurting anybody. We¡¯re just kids. Why this have to happen to us?
[Caleb?]
¡°S-sorry¡± he mumbled, sniffling as he wiped at his face.
[It''s alright. Do you want to go back?]
"I... I should see Kana"
"You don¡¯t have to see Kana now. We can always come back]
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± he said, wiping his hands against his trousers. Aliyah nodded and then stepped past him, towards the door across the hall. Caleb hesitated, before taking a deep breath and followed after her, stepping inside.
This room was far smaller. And just like the other room, it was practically empty except for the bed in the corner.
In the bed, covered in runes and with a glowing orb of magic gently circling around her Kana lay still. She looked so peaceful sleeping, so still. But her skin was pale, and only a few strands of black remained in her now grey hair.
He made his way over to her, hands trembling as he came to a stop by her bedside. He reached for her hand, but it was still cold. Still just as cold as it had been after she¡¯d healed him.
It was one of the worst feelings he''d ever experienced.
He wanted to move her from the room, to take her home, to her grandpa and her mom and her cats, to take her to a place that would fix everything and make her happy. But a place like that didn''t exist. And even if it had, he couldn''t take her there. He didn¡¯t know where he was.
He clutched her hand tighter.
Seeing her like this, knowing Ryan¡¯s corpse was in the other room, and that Kana was being kept here, in a place called the House of Ends... it was horrible. Everything about this was so so horrible.
Aliyah had been right. He should have waited. He wasn¡¯t ready to see this.
He fell to his knees, gripping her hand tightly as he sobbed beside the bed.
[C-Caleb?!] Aliyah cried rushing to his side. But his sobs only continued, his cries reverberating through the room as he so desperately clutched Kana¡¯s hand.
¡°Why did you heal me? I have cancer¡± he sobbed. ¡°Dammit Kana, I have cancer¡±
Chapter Thirty Seven - Billions
He was running. Through mountain tops, covered in blood and guts, holding a broken sword that wasn¡¯t his own.
It flickered intermittently with the crazy girls power, but it was useless in his hands. And with every step it grew weaker, along with the runes that strengthened him, and the potency of his soul, his power fading when he needed it most.
And the monster, large enough to destroy mountains, chased after him - along with an avalanche of blood and bodies, of snow and stone.
He¡¯d done this. He¡¯d killed all those men, spilled their blood and left them to lie dead in the ground. All to stop a monster that had come anyway. He¡¯d allowed this to happen, and now he was paying the price.
No. No that wasn''t true.
Someone was trying to get in his head. Trying to twist his thoughts, maim his mind.
He wouldn¡¯t let them. Couldn¡¯t. Otherwise, they would win. But who was they?
He didn¡¯t know. All he knew is he had to be somewhere, to tell someone something before the tumour in his side killed him, and the evil woman stole his mind.
But wasn¡¯t he already too late?
The thought scared him more than anything in the world. At least until the great monster roared.
Caleb woke with a sudden start, breathing heavily as he desperately clutched at his side. His arm throbbed dully as his body glowed, his left hand brightest of all. He took a moment to steady himself, then looked to the material of his bed frame, crushed in hand.
Slowly the glow faded, lingering slightly in his chest before he was bathed in darkness once again, only the flickering lights of the stars from the window visible. His breaths slowed as the panicked warmth left him, his skin cooling from the layer of sweat that covered his skin. He wiped it quickly with his hands, before pressing his back to the bedframe trying to calm himself further.
But the sweat was somewhat warm against his hands, slick and wet. In the darkness he could imagine with an added weight, an extra viscosity. It felt just like-
¡°Blood¡± he whispered.
It felt like blood.
Images of battle flashed through his mind. Of screams and chaos. Of fire and blood.
¡°Shit¡± he muttered, wiping his hands desperately against his bed. ¡°Shit, shit, shit¡±
But even as he wiped the sweat, even as his hands dried, even as he tore the sheets with his inhumanly strong hands and threw them across the room, as he dug his nails into his skin and pressed his fists to the sides of his head, he couldn¡¯t forget the feeling of blood staining his hands.
Before he could stop it, he was crying again.
Tears flowing hard as a river down his face. He wiped at them desperately, but the tears continued. As his face grew wet, he could only imagine it as blood once again.
So, he stopped and slowly pulled his knees close to his chest. He cried for a while, feeling more painfully alone then he ever had before.
He wanted to get up, to run away from his thoughts and feelings, to get away from all the eyes beyond the castle, from the murals on the walls which made out all the bloodshed as part of some great deed. He just wanted to get away. He felt like if he wished it hard enough, the universe would swallow him and take him there. To this great haven.
But he couldn''t think of anywhere to go.
-
Caleb awoke slowly to the soft sound of tweeting birds in a forest, undercut by the slow yet rhythmic lapping of waves against a beach. He frowned, the mixture of sounds strange, but comforting. They soothed him for a moment, then he sat up slowly, yawning as he stretched out looking around the room.
The right wall still served as a strange kind of windowless window, but the left had become a regular door now.
He frowned, finding himself wrapped in new sheets, the mess of fabric he''d made gone, and breakfast at a new table beside his bed. There was something else too. At the foot of his bed was a strange white floating box. One that emitted a steady - weirdly constrained - stream of mana.
He glanced to the plate of eggs, chicken, and tomatoes at his bedside, then looked back to the floating white box. As he watched it, the mana¡¯s flow seemed to change again, almost bending in tandem as it noticed his mana sense.
What in the world? he thought, quickly jumping out of the bed. Slowly he stepped over to it, his gaze wandering across the strange machine, noting it¡¯s surface. He reached out to touch it but pulled back hesitantly, before placing his ear near it''s hood. It was completely silent.
He walked around the thing again, looking over it before finding the strange language he could understand without understanding written on scrawl on the side.
To Caleb, A Gift From Daen
¡°Daen¡± he mumbled.
That was the guy who owned this whole place. Why was he giving him this?
Well, he did build a castle for you, his thoughts replied.
He frowned again, moving closer as he looked over the flat white surface. The entire surface was covered in tiny and intricate runes. But there wasn¡¯t any mana in them. They were purely for artistic effect.
¡°Strange¡± Caleb muttered. He reached out again, feeling the magic of the box condense around his hand.
It wants to scan me? he thought. His brow furrowed again.
¡°How do I know that?¡± I whispered. He sensed the mana of the strange box further. It didn¡¯t feel intrusive or threatening. He knew he¡¯d be able to tell.
How do I know that too?
Was it mana sense - his trait? So he could sense mana and how dangerous it was to him?
That seemed weirdly¡ arbitrary.
What constituted as danger? Was it what he thought or knew was dangerous, or what was actually dangerous? Then, it was like Spider-Man¡¯s spider sense? But how did his sense know what mana was dangerous? Was it drawing from some kind of database in his record or was it just going off vibes?
He shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself. It probably wasn¡¯t something he needed to put much thought into. He¡¯d been doing far too much overthinking recently.
He accepted the mana¡¯s request, and the mana congealed around his hand began to spread out, encompassing his entire body. Then just as soon as it did, it pulled back into the machine. He looked over himself. Nothing was different.
Suddenly the machine warped shape, growing larger and Caleb cried out, falling back into the table. He crashed to the floor, his breakfast spilling across the tiles. He cursed, quickly cleaning it up, and placing the mess back atop the table before looking behind him.
The box loomed over him now, wardrobe shaped as its shape solidified. Then a square appeared in the centre of the artifact. Caleb stood slowly, looking inside the opening. A set of clothes rested inside, emanating a soft hue of mana.
He took them out, frowning as he looked over them.
¡°Oh¡± he realised, placing the top against himself. It was just some kind of wardrobe. It¡¯d been scanning him to check his size. He looked over the clothes again, the same material as the one¡¯s he already wore, but a different style. These were long sleeve, baggier, embroidered with patterns.
Wait, he thought, looking at them closer. These are the runes Avanessa gave me?
He looked over it again. Up close the patterns of the fabric strangely seemed to mimic the runes he¡¯d had. And some of the scars too. The fabric of his left sleeve was far coarser than the rest, with lines running in tandem with his actual scars.
And even without all the added detail, the mana emitted from the items alone told him it was high quality. From afar it just looked like somewhat formal but normal baggy clothes, well the normal for this world. Whatever you¡¯d call a strange mix between a gambeson and some kind of military uniform. Regardless it was nice.
He pulled the clothes on, swapping them out for his old, before looking back to the wardrobe. New openings had appeared. A set of shoes lay at the bottom, and a simple band of steel like a crown.
He didn¡¯t know what to do with it.
Then a knock came from his door. Caleb looked to it, somewhat uncertain before a voice echoed through.
[Can I come in?]
¡°Uh¡¡±
The door creaked open before he could answer and a tall man, around his mid-twenties, peered his head through into the room. He had well combed red hair, a short beard and wore an identical metal band to the one the magic wardrobe had given him around his head.
His eyes brightened as he looked over Caleb, then offered a small wave.
[Finally, we meet¡] he trailed off, glancing to the mashed up food on the bedside table. [Uh¡ did you not like it?]
¡°Oh no I- I got scared by the box¡ accidentally knocked it on the floor¡±
The man stared at him blankly for a second then burst out laughing as he stepped the rest of the way inside. He wore similar clothes to Caleb, with a few extra pieces.
Most notable was the cape, the rings around his fingers and porcelain white sword on his hip.
[Sorry about yesterday. I wasn¡¯t here to take you on a tour and my wife¡¯s still attending to our newborn so she didn¡¯t leave our castle all day]
¡°I-it¡¯s ok¡± Caleb said awkwardly. ¡°Aliyah showed me around¡±
[Yes, yes. I¡¯m told right after waking you went to see your battlefelled friends]
Caleb froze for a moment then nodded.
[Wow. Very honourable. I knew you¡¯d do something of the sort. Man. You¡¯re just¡ perfect, just amazing] the man said grinning.
¡°I¡ don¡¯t understand¡± Caleb muttered.
[Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just getting all caught up on stuff that doesn¡¯t matter] the man said, clapping his hands. [So, you feeling alright?]
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb said. ¡°Uh¡ I should thank Daen for these clothes, and the room. The castle too. It¡¯s all very nice¡±
The man stared blankly at him before bursting into laughter again.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
[Right, right I forget] he said. [Too familiar with everyone recognising me. I¡¯m En Daen.]
The man said offering his hand. Caleb shook it.
Of course. Caleb thought. He¡¯s wearing a crown you idiot. And who else would show you around the palace?
[Handshakes] the man muttered grinning as he shook his head. [What a strange greeting. Anyway, this is good. You ok for a busy day? There¡¯s lots of stuff to do]
¡°I¡uh¡¡±
[If you¡¯re not that¡¯s fine. We can leave it till another time. Well¡ we can sort something out. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll leave you here. If you need anything, Maera¡¯s your attendant, she¡¯s just outside and can get you stuff, and if you need to speak to me, I¡¯m always free]
¡°Oh, ok¡± Caleb. He wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the man. For one thing he was far more casual than he¡¯d expected for the owner of a place like this.
[Alright, then Caleb Earthson. It was great meeting you. I guess I will see you later] the man said, grinning before turning around. Caleb watched the man go, somewhat nervous, before stepping forward.
¡°W-wait¡±
[Hm?]
¡°Uh¡ the others?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°I saw¡ um¡ Aliyah, her name was, but I can¡ can I see the others?¡±
Daen¡¯s face brightened again.
[Of course.]
-
The palace was far more beautiful than he¡¯d first thought.
Aliyah had taken him through a semi-formal religious meeting place near the palace centre, where there had been less people. But Daen had taken him through one of the walkways that connected his castle to the rest of the building.
The corridors were a lot larger here. A lot more lavish, with walls made of pristine marble, and strange mellow overhead lights paired with the daylight that streamed cleanly through the occasional floor to ceiling windowless window.
And there were a lot of people.
It was weird in a way. Seeing so many people in strange alien clothes, sensing so much magic around from random items and general appliances. Even weirder were the bows. Lots of people were bowing.
He¡¯d been so preoccupied with the others yesterday he hadn¡¯t stopped to think about just how strange this all was. There was an element of strangeness to everything he looked at. An element of uniqueness he hadn¡¯t quite gotten on the other worlds he¡¯d been to. This felt more alien than anything he''d seen off Earth yet. Well, apart from the monsters.
Maybe, it¡¯s cause this place was comparatively futuristic. The others had just felt like he¡¯d been on a different place on Earth, entrenched in a unique culture, but still not too far off something he¡¯d find back home, ignoring all the magic. Maybe that¡¯d been the point of the tutorial and first phase.
He sighed. He was glad to finally be done with it all. To be safe. He wanted to forget all about it and go home. But forgetting would feel like a disservice to Ryan, Kana and all the others that¡¯d died. And he doubted that he¡¯d ever be able to forget, even if he did get rid of the guilt.
[You alright?] Daen said glancing back to him.
¡°Y-yeah¡± Caleb mumbled, adjusting his crown slightly. It felt awkward to wear, but he hadn¡¯t wanted to insult Daen by refusing.
They turned a corner and Caleb found himself in front of another one of the fancy doors. Across their front read.
Halls of the Chosen
Daen opened the doors and they stepped inside, to a simpler corridor. This place was structured like airport duty free, but with rooms filled with books, talking spaces, or leisure spaces. There was even a strange kind of pool further along, half hidden behind a screen.
As they walked through, others passed them. These people didn¡¯t bow, instead acknowledging Daen and him with nods of their heads, before continuing onwards. Caleb could sense it; they were different to the others. They had the same weight that his friends in the trial had had.
Records.
He slowed slightly, caught off guard by the realisation. He watched them all closely, taking in the twists and flows, the currents of power that defined the essences around him. It was just as beautiful to just watch as it had been the first time.
He frowned, noticing a familiar presence, a mixture of mana.
He stopped, looking into one of the open areas where a girl read a book alone. Nothing about her was particularly special, but he could still sense it clear as day. She had Protective Energy. Kana¡¯s skill.
The girl looked up at him, her eyes widening as they flitted between Daen and himself before she offered a small wave and quickly walked off.
[Don¡¯t stare so hard] Daen chuckled, [You¡¯ll end up scaring them all back to their quarters.]
¡°S-sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to stare at her. I just¡ recognised her skill¡±
[Really?] Daen said, raising an eyebrow. [Wow. You really are good]
Caleb glanced up at the man, frowning, but continued on.
As they made their way up a flight of stairs at the end of the corridor, Caleb kept his eyes fixed to the ground, his expression flat.
It was there again. That weird simultaneous sense of emotions, a voracious whirlwind and absolute emptiness. He forced it down, trying to keep the negativity out of his head for now.
Together they turned and reached a set of doors, the sound of chatter and laughter coming from inside.
Like a cafeteria.
Daen entered through the doors and Caleb followed behind. The room was large, and a cross between a cafeteria and auditorium. A buffet area and a kitchen sat in a middle and all around, where stands about five in total, all lined with circular tables.
More people, chosen, sat amongst the tables, gathered in small and middling sized groups throughout. Some noticed Daen as he entered, many giving waves before returning to their meals.
Caleb looked around before following Daen as he entered a side door, into a smaller but more lavish room.
His eyes widened as he entered, spotting the others as they sat at a table eating. The others glance back at him and Daen, their eyes all widening and instantly Sierra zipped across the room, pulling him into a tight hug.
"You''re awake" she whispered. "You''re really awake"
"Yeah" he mumbled.
"I- are you here to stay?" she asked, finally pulling away.
"Y-yeah?" he mumbled. "Why wouldn''t I be?"
"I don''t know- you''re all important now"
"I-"
He paused, then glanced back at Daen. The man understood his worry without a word.
[It''s ok, Earthson. Go, have fun with your friends]
¡°T-thank you¡± Caleb said.
[It¡¯s no problem. And if you need anything from me, just send a pulse through your crown] Daen said, tapping it. [And if it¡¯s not too serious Maera will be just outside.]
Caleb nodded, somewhat confused, then watched before turning back to the others.
There were only four of them, Layla and Sierra the only ones he knew. But still, he recognised the other two, one ¨C a brown-haired boy - one of the people who¡¯d tried to heal Ryan and Kana, and the other ¨C a dark haired girl with tan skin, of mediterranean descent.
¡°Hi¡± he said awkwardly. The boy stepped forward and offered his hand, grinning ear to ear.
¡°It¡¯s great to finally meet you¡± the boy said, his accent strikingly British. ¡°I¡¯m Harrison¡±
[Ria] the girl said, nodding awkwardly.
¡°Oh come on Ria, try to be more enthusiastic¡± Harrison said.
¡°Harry, leave her alone¡± Sierra said, rolling her eyes.
¡°Alright, sorry, sorry. Just¡ he¡¯s awake!¡± he said, still grinning.
Caleb frowned, glancing between them.
I guess technically she¡¯s known him longer than me, he thought. Weird. Really weird.
He took a seat at the table as they led him forward, before frowning.
¡°Where¡¯s Aliyah?¡±
¡°She spends all her time in the healing school" Sierra said. "She¡¯s getting really good at it.¡±
He nodded before glancing to Harrison who still stared at him, his grin wide.
¡°Wow, you got the white clothes and everything¡±
¡°Is that bad?¡±
¡°No way¡± Harrison said. ¡°Only Daen and important guests can wear them in the palace. And the crown¡¯s only for Highers¡±
¡°Highers?¡±
¡°Think like... feudal lords¡± Sierra said.
¡°L-lords?¡±
¡°It¡¯s similar but different. You have to earn it in a way. But it¡¯s still not¡ I don''t know, it¡¯s difficult to explain. What did Esaeni say again?¡± she continued.
¡°Uh¡ it¡¯s like what was the word? Layla mumbled.
¡°Meritocracy?¡± Harrison replied.
¡°I think so¡±
¡°Alright, like that, but basically, the crown doesn¡¯t give you any actual power¡± Sierra said. ¡°I think¡±
¡°Right. It¡¯s more like a status symbol¡± Layla added.
¡°But why do I have it?¡± Caleb
¡°Cause you killed the great Arithorson¡±
¡°What?"
"The big monster" Layla said, frowning.
"The flying armadillo?¡±
Harrison instantly burst out into a fit of laughter.
¡°Flying armadillo?!¡± he laughed. ¡°You didn¡¯t say he was funny Sierra¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s trying to be¡± said, offering Caleb a half-embarrassed smile.
¡°I-I¡¯m not¡± Caleb said. ¡°I know it was strong. I don¡¯t even know how I beat it, but how does me beating it get me a¡ higher crown?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated¡± Sierra said. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure but think the thing¡¯s dad, the original Arithor, killed Daen¡¯s dad¡±
¡°Because you killed it, he¡¯s kind of adopted you¡± Layla said.
¡°Adopted?¡± Harrison frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a strong word¡±
¡°Well, what would you call it?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s more like¡ a temporary guardian. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s permanent or anything¡±
¡°He built him a castle in the middle of his palace. He kept calling him and he kept calling him Caleb Earthchild, or Martinson¡±
¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t think of it like that. Maybe he did adopt him?¡± Harrison said, bringing a hand to his chin.
[No.] Ria said. [Daen¡¯s a sponsor. As the chair of House En, Daen¡¯s a sponsorship holds a lot of weight. It¡¯s like applying for US citizenship with the president as your sponsor. He got him citizenship, the governor of Alareon granted him higher status, and Daen built him an honorary house. And that doesn¡¯t come with the crown. Higher status is just a title, reflected in the clothes you wear. The crown implies chair status. Since Caleb was given an honorary house, and he¡¯s the only member, he gets chair status]
¡°What? How do you know all that?¡± Harrison said turning to face her.
[I listen] Ria mumbled. [And read]
¡°Well why didn¡¯t you say earlier?¡±
[Busy. Reading]
¡°Oh. Alright¡± Harrison said.
Caleb frowned, looking over to Ria as she sat silently staring off into space strands of mana writhing strangely around her. Layla caught his confused expression.
¡°Clones. She¡¯s practicing mindshare by reading¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it¡±
He nodded, glancing to Ria, and then looked back to the others.
¡°So¡ I got citizenship and a crown for killing this Arithor thing?¡±
¡°Arithorson¡±
¡°So I got citizenship and a crown for killing Arithorson? Because it killed Daen¡¯s dad and it was strong?¡±
¡°Pretty much¡± Layla said.
¡°Crazy part is, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. The whole objective was to stop the cultists from putting the crystal in the thing to stop them from causing an explosion that would set off a world ending volcano. Arithor was already dead I think? But ¡ what¡¯s the Hilaric system called again?¡±
[Everaan]
¡°Everaan, he played a trick on our system and hid a copy of Arithor in the mountain to be released instead of the explosion. I- how did Esaeni describe it?¡±
¡°It was one of their weird words. I think it translated to infant, or like an embryo something. No clue how it works¡±
¡°Wait, slow down? Everaan? Esaeni? Who¡¯re they?¡±
"Esaeni''s Daen''s wife" Layla said. ¡°Everaan, he¡¯s like¡ the system for the evil green guys. The Hilaric. The evil blue ones are the Moshaic. That¡¯s Gildarch¡±
¡°I- alright¡± Caleb mumbled, accepting that he couldn''t follow along.
¡°Right so¡ where was I?¡± Harrison muttered.
¡°Infant, embryo thing¡± Layla said.
¡°Right. What made it so dangerous was that it was a quasi-named monster. Arithor, but less¡ Arithor¡±
¡°Quasi-named?¡±
¡°Named monsters are the powerful ones" Layla replied. "The one you fought was an underdeveloped one so, quasi-named¡±
¡°Underdeveloped¡± Sierra said, shaking her head as her eyes grew distant. ¡°If that monster was underdeveloped¡ I don¡¯t want to think about that actually¡±
¡°If it was weak, then why¡¯s it such a big honour? Or is Daen just being¡ nice?¡± Caleb said frowning. He couldn¡¯t imagine someone built you a castle just to be nice. Unless a castle meant nothing to them.
¡°Because of when you killed it¡± Harrison said. ¡°It¡¯s weak compared to the strong monsters out there, but it was still strong. A quasi-named monster for a trial? It¡¯s unheard of. People are still trying to figure out how the Guides let it happen. They¡¯d usually send someone from one of the Guardian orders to deal with it.¡±
¡°They did¡± Sierra said. ¡°Daen¡¯s younger sister. Rhylla. But she was like ten minutes too late. And you¡¯d beaten it by then¡±
Guides? Guardian Orders? he thought. What in the world?
¡°You, ok?¡± Sierra said.
¡°I¡ you¡¯re going to have to explain everything to me, right from the start¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know exactly how it works, Daen hasn¡¯t been around to explain things, but when Esaeni¡¯s free she¡¯s nice about it and Earth¡¯s governors came-¡±
¡°You saw people from Earth?!¡± Caleb said wide-eyed.
¡°Only three people. They were like our age. It wasn''t that big a deal"
[Wasn''t a big deal. They''re like the most important people in the universe right now] Ria scoffed. [Besides Caleb and Pedro]
"Well... yeah"
"I- what?"
"Don''t worry. They came to visit" Sierra said. "It was this whole thing. I think they¡¯re probably more famous than you. And you¡¯re pretty famous¡±
¡°I- I am?¡± Caleb muttered.
¡°Yeah. There have been tons of important people visiting here" Harrison said. "To see Caleb Souza, slayer of Arithorson despite only being a trialee, and you''re a descendant of the Ikiron¡±
¡°W-what? What¡¯s with all the titles? And how do they even know my name?¡±
¡°Your record. There¡¯s like a whole database of everyone who has and has had one.¡±
¡°Wait, how many chosen are there?¡±
[They call them selected, and currently there¡¯s a few million, with about eighty thousand pending]
¡°Pending?¡±
¡°People from Earth still in the trial¡± Sierra said. ¡°You should see it. Some of the worlds people got sent too¡ Jesus. Makes me feel sick¡±
¡°Well a lot have it easier than we did and they¡¯re seriously taking their time¡± Layla said.
¡°Yeah. Like that guy who''s living it up with a princess. He got her pregnant you know? That¡¯s gonna be a serious nightmare for him when the trials over. Ha! I can¡¯t wait to see the look on his face when he realises he can¡¯t just go back and forth for the rest of his life. That¡¯s what you gets for living it up in a damn castle for nine weeks!¡± Harrison said.
Layla and Sierra rolled their eyes.
¡°Wait¡± Caleb mumbled, ¡°you guys can see what everyone¡¯s doing?¡±
¡°Well¡ we¡¯re not supposed too, but Esaeni used a favour, so we¡¯ve got access to the main database. We can see everything. The whole thing¡¯s recorded and streamed by the guides. It¡¯s supposed to be for proper analysis for the orders and stuff, but since it¡¯s a rare occasion, some of the big fights get streamed illegally because everyone wants to see them. I don¡¯t think the systems care all that much¡±
Caleb stared at them blankly.
¡°My fight was livestreamed?¡±
¡°Not exactly. The main feed cuts out when you finish the trial. There was a weird bug, so the feed cut out and then came back just in time to catch the explosion. All they have is the stuff before, then about six seconds before you punch Arithorson and the aftermath¡±
¡°Yeah, it¡¯s why so many people visited. They wanted to see if you were ok¡±
"That''s... ok" he mumbled.
¡°Crazy right? You have the second most watched video from this trial¡± Harrison said.
¡°I- second?¡±
¡°Yeah. It was first until Pedro¡¯s. It¡¯s only got more views cause the whole thing got recorded. He fought a dragon. You should watch the whole thing, it¡¯s cool. There¡¯s tons of debates online about which one of you would win and where you¡¯re going to go¡±
¡°Debates? Debates by who?¡±
¡°Everyone¡±
¡°¡ who¡¯s everyone?¡±
¡°Everyone in the Akashic Federation. The main four planets at least¡± Harrison said. ¡°Caleb, your video has over twenty-two billion views¡±
¡°What? H-how many people are in the Federation?¡±
¡°It¡¯s weird. There¡¯s technically over fifty planets, but only fifteen have selected, and only three have passed phase two to claim war rights. Etimos isn¡¯t a war right planet, but it¡¯s got such good technology they gave them an honorary seat on the council anyway¡±
¡°So¡ how many on the main four planets?¡±
[About thirty three billion]
¡°And¡ this is all organised by the system?¡±
¡°And her guides.¡±
Caleb stared blankly at the others in front of him.
¡°You ok?¡± Sierra asked again.
¡°Can I- can I see the database?¡±
¡°We were gonna head right over after we¡¯d eaten¡± she said. "If you¡¯ve got any questions I¡¯m sure Esaeni won¡¯t hesitate to answer them¡±
Chapter Thirty Eight - Fun & Games
The database wasn¡¯t so much a database as it was a large stone library. One filled with white-blue screens and holographic projections of strange weapons and symbols. The others had taken him here quickly, not even bothering to completely finish their meal. Their excitement had been palpable before, but now ¨C as they walked inside ¨C he felt as though he could physically feel their giddiness. He could feel the magic of the space too. It was potent, almost overwhelming.
But his trait adjusted slowly, the waves of information and energy slowing as the others led him further into the room. Even without looking, he could tell from his trait alone, this place had more than enough information stored in its halls to drive any man insane.
The walls seemed older than those outside too, the general architecture stranger in a way, simpler in style. It reminded him more of a modern building back on Earth than a palace, though many paintings of red-haired men and women with magic and swords adorned the walls and ceiling of the hall. Daen''s ancestors. It was to the point many nearer the door wore an entirely separate style of clothes to those closer to the untouched walls.
How long has this place been here? he thought.
He looked away from his surroundings, to the others as they led him deeper into the halls of the strange room. They turned a corner and passed by one of the strangely dressed religious men who offered them a deferential nod, before resuming his reading of a tablet.
The group continued on, before finally, coming to a stop by a small seating area, in the centre of which sat an open white box filled with tablets and another Ria sat looking over stuff from a table in the corner.
¡°I thought you said you were reading?¡± Harrison said turning to her.
[I am. I came here to check for stuff] Ria said. [But there¡¯s nothing interesting going on right now. Well besides what''s already happening.]
¡°Well, we can still show Caleb all the important places¡± Sierra said.
¡°Dibs on E6-F37-E¡±
¡°You can¡¯t do that¡± Layla laughed ¡°You just want to make fun of the prince guy¡±
¡°He¡¯s not a prince¡± Harrison grumbled.
The rest of the group laughed, walking past the Ria clone towards the wall. Caleb followed, uncertain, then watched as they stepped through the panel between two symbols - a holographic door.
Right, he thought. These are probably everywhere.
He stepped through too and instantly he found himself in a darker room, this one filled with constant changing holographic feeds, each displaying a different landscape or person. Throughout all of them, men, and women, but mostly teens fought monsters and other humansm swords, spells and magic flying wildly.
¡°Uh¡ wow. This is cool¡± Harrison said, looking around. Caleb frowned.
¡°It¡¯s not usually like this¡± Sierra added, noticing his expression.
[I set things up] another Ria said suddenly emerging from behind a cabinet filled with tablets.
¡°Geez, don¡¯t scare us like that¡± Harrison said, taking a tablet from Ria¡¯s second clone. She handed them out to the rest, Caleb taking one of his own. It was heavier than he¡¯d expected, and practically vibrating with magic.
¡°Seems powerful. What¡¯s it for?¡± he asked.
¡°We use these to search up anything we want to¡± Layla said.
¡°We can show you how to use it¡± Sierra said. ¡°It¡¯s easy just-¡±
¡°We can do that after¡± Harrison said, tapping away it his screen. A few of the holograms disappeared and then one of the walls shifted seamlessly into a screen filled with data on the left-hand side, and a view of a planet of blues and greens against a backdrop of black on the right. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the good stuff first.¡±
[Wait] Ria said, tapping a few buttons. The feed shifted slightly, and then the screen came alive, projecting out of the wall into a hologram, the planet turning lazily in front of them, as the various pockets of data changed all around it.
¡°You can do that!?¡± Harrison said surprised. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±
Ria shrugged.
¡°I- alright. Anyway¡± Harrison said, grinning once again as he looked to Caleb. ¡°This is E6-F37-E. One of the three trial planets¡±
¡°Three?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Sierra said. ¡°There¡¯s only three. There were five tutorial planets, and three trials planets. As it turns out we were all on the same tutorial one.¡±
¡°We were all on the same first world?¡±
[Yeah] Ria said, tapping as she brought up another planet and more data. [DZA-S14-C. It¡¯s kind of a special designate world, but I can¡¯t explain more than that.]
Caleb looked over it, then suddenly his eyes widened.
¡°S-Sierra! Did the system do anything about the water thing?¡±
Sierra looked to him surprised for a moment, then chuckled.
¡°The system only takes that into consideration after the trial, but it¡¯s fine. I asked Esaeni and she used a favour to fix it¡±
¡°So Avanessa, Nessaiea, all the people, they¡¯re ok?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t been to check, but they should be. Esaeni said it was a simple problem to fix¡±
¡°Ok. That¡¯s¡ can we check? On this¡± Caleb said, pointing to the holographic globe in front of him
[That¡¯s not how it works. We only get the footage that the guides capture. I doubt they¡¯d be in one of the random underground cities in the middle of the desert]
¡°Right¡ sorry¡± he mumbled.
¡°It¡¯s alright¡± Harrison said. ¡°It''s a normal thing to worry about. We all asked for a few things. Ria fixed the monastery we stayed at on our tutorial world, and I asked to fix the rune thing back on the world we were just on. They can¡¯t do it yet since it would disrupt the trial, but the system agreed to do it after. Apparently if it comes from a person of good enough renown the system will just do it¡±
¡°Well I asked to go home¡± Layla chuckled. ¡°That was the only one they completely shut down.¡±
¡°Wait, why can¡¯t we go home?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°I can¡¯t remember if you mentioned it.¡±
¡°The trial¡¯s still happening" Sierra said. "I don¡¯t know how it works exactly, but we¡¯re only allowed to be here as long as we don¡¯t leave. And there¡¯s certain things they can¡¯t tell us about the way things work in the Federation itself.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
¡°Ria¡¯s figured most of it out anyway¡± Harrison said. ¡°She got partial reading privileges from Esaeni¡±
¡°Wait, we¡¯re not allowed to read?!" Caleb said surprised.
¡°Well you know all the blacked out boxes in your vision you see occasionally? It¡¯s hidden info. If someone tried to talk about it we¡¯d just not understand. System blocks it¡±
Caleb looked to the others frowning.
¡°What blacked out boxes?¡± he muttered.
The others looked to each other, then back to him.
¡°You don¡¯t see the black boxes over text and stuff?¡± Layla asked.
¡°No?¡±
¡°Wait, that actually makes sense¡± Sierra said. ¡°They gave reading privileges to Ria and she doesn¡¯t have a castle¡±
¡°Fair. Now, right where were we?¡±
¡°Your precious princess¡¯ planet¡± Layla joked.
¡°Right¡± Harrison said, swiping away the tutorial world. ¡°E6-F37-E. This place, in my opinion is the most exciting one overall of any of the trial worlds¡±
¡°He¡¯s wrong¡± Sierra whispered to Caleb.
¡°It¡¯s got a little bit of everything. King and Queens, strange religious countries, a magic wasteland or two, a few governments that¡¯re kind of unique to the planet, people with the remnants of magic and the whole Gods used to roam among us thing. There¡¯s even a crusade that¡¯s going on, between two sides who disagree on what the ¡®Gods¡¯ were. Well, it was until the trial started. Now they¡¯re fighting over who incurred the wrath of the gods. I can¡¯t tell you how many people from Earth are fighting in that¡±
Harrison tapped a few more buttons on the screen, and then the planet changed, flattening out and then zooming in on a large, highlighted swathe of green.
¡°Oh god¡± Layal said, audibly rolling her eyes.
¡°This is one of the three places they sent people here, and my favourite¡± Harrison said. ¡°The Empire of Ueris. It¡¯s like a fantasy kingdom from books. Think the Hobbit, Game of Thrones, Wheel of Time, that kind of stuff. It¡¯s awesome. And it¡¯s huge. Fourteen culturally distinct kingdoms all brought together by the central power. Altogether their about the size of Africa. Forget about the Kings even just the nobles are like our Monarchs from medieval times. It¡¯s got the paladins, and knights, legends of great heroes and gods and all that.¡±
¡°And a princess you¡¯re absolutely obsessed with¡± Layla said.
¡°I¡¯m not obsessed¡±
¡°Right¡± she said sarcastically.
¡°Anyway, this is where they sent the most people. I think about forty percent of people who passed the tutorial were just dropped in here.¡± Harrison said. ¡°Ten percent were scattered in the wasteland and some religious kingdoms on the other side of the planet, and for the other planets they split us in two, both got about twenty five.¡±
¡°Forty percent?¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°How many is that?¡±
[Five hundred and fourteen thousand, and twenty-eight] Ria said, as Harrison started tapping away at his tablet.
¡°Yeah¡± Harrison nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a higher percentage of the population than they usually even have for an entire trial planet. We did really well in the tutorial, even despite the screw up.¡±
¡°Wait what?¡±
¡°They usually take about a one four-thousandth of the population of a trial world to put through the whole thing¡± Sierra said. ¡°Most don¡¯t even have forty percent make it through the tutorial.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Just the way things are¡± she replied.
¡°But why¡¯d it happen? This whole... thing? To our world specifically?¡±
¡°No one¡¯s said. Don¡¯t think they can¡± Layla said with a shrug. He nodded, looking back to the satellite view of the Empire beneath him. His frown grew as he tried to make sense of the muddle of thoughts he was struggling to deal with.
An uneasy feeling had begun to creep up into him now, a chill almost, passing through the base of his spine as the edges of his scars tingled.
Something doesn¡¯t feel right.
¡°I- how many are still alive?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°We started with two million, right?¡±
[No] Ria said. [Because of some kind of mistake, twenty million were sent originally. They sent the extra people back, at least the ones who didn¡¯t die. But the chaos caused a lot of premature deaths that the system didn¡¯t fix. So, we started with one million, eight hundred and forty seven thousand, two hundred and eighty nine]
Caleb nodded.
¡°Right, where were we?¡± Harrison said, before zooming in on one of the Kingdoms of the Empire. ¡°Ah, the Kingdom of Uer. The biggest and the best of them. A bunch of people were sent here, some in the western mountains, others on the edge of the Northern desert, but most by the Ueran forest between the three megacities. With all the knights and lords, and just cool stuff¡±
¡°We get it Harry¡± Layla said. ¡°The explanations are supposed to be brief so we can go over everything. Esaeni''s going to be here soon¡±
¡°Man, it must have been amazing¡± Harrison said ignoring her. ¡°I would¡¯ve thrived there.¡±
[Sure] Ria said. [I guess that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t pick up a sword until our final fight.]
The others laughed, but Caleb only frowned looking down to the map below. Listed in one of the data boxes, beside the area Harrison was talking about was a high danger warning in red.
¡°It says great danger¡± he said.
¡°It¡¯s because of the location" Sierra said. "There¡¯s goblins in the forest. Not the other goblins we fought in the tutorial, a different kind"
"Yeah. It¡¯s not really that dangerous¡± Harrison added.
[They¡¯d have gobbled you up in seconds] Ria said.
¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t have been stupid enough to walk into the forest like all the other idiots¡±
[Yeah, you¡¯d have run into it and died first.]
The others laughed, and Caleb¡¯s frown grew. Sierra glanced to him, and frowned.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she whispered as the others continued to talk.
¡°It¡¯s¡ I¡¯m confused¡± he muttered struggling to get his thoughts in order. ¡°If the system was just dropping people into danger... how many people are alive?¡±
¡°You can check the numbers on your tablet¡± Sierra said, pressing a few buttons. He nodded and following her direction as Harrison continued to laugh along with the others. It didn¡¯t take long to find the death summary.
Trial Stats for planet Z1-E94-C participants: - Death summary
2,000,000 selected for the trial from a population of 8,161,972,572
Note - 152,711 died before the official tutorial began. Making the actual number that participated in the tutorial 1,847,289.
1,285,071 survived the tutorial
Of the 724,929 (39.24%) that died during the tutorial, 310,407 were killed by monsters (Hilaric - 115,287, Moshaic - 195,120), 82,349 were killed by other players, 94,852 were killed by non-players and 237,321 died of starvation or dehydration, or other survival-based incidents.
[PENDING] 91,1078 have survived the first phase
Of the 1,193,963 (92.91%) that have died during the first phase, 971,233 were killed by monsters (Hilaric - 501,344, Moshaic - 469,889), 19,341 were killed by players, 17,712 were killed by non-players, and 185,677 died of starvation or dehydration, or other survival-based incidents.
Caleb stared at the numbers on the tablet in front of him, quiet.
More than a million people, just dead. Gone. And the others were laughing about it. Joking and calling those that''d died idiots. No. That wasn¡¯t fair. They weren¡¯t laughing about the deaths, but they were ignoring them. Treating them like just numbers on the screen. Like this was a game.
He felt sick. No part of him could understand how the others were enjoying this. Sure, they were talking about how cool these new worlds were, but they were making jokes about people just like them too. They were making jokes of people, scared and running in an unfamiliar world.
Memories of fire, blades and blood flashed to his mind and he flinched hard.
For a moment his balance disappeared, but he quickly steadied himself struggling to catch his breath, as he wiped beads of sweat off his forehead.
Have they forgotten? he thought. How?
How could anyone ever forget? He looked back up to the others, the map on a new location.
¡°And here Caleb, is the sea of monsters. It¡¯s mostly just a regular sea with a few bad stories. But if you go further out there¡¯s like a weird gas thing going on. It just blankets the ocean and suffocates people Think really stinky cause of all the methane, but also really hot¡± Harrison chuckled. ¡°Definitely wouldn¡¯t want to die like that. I mean, do you guys remember that one girl who tried to sail out across it to get away from the dwarf raiders?¡±
¡°Oh my god¡± Sierra chuckled as the others all started laughing. Caleb stared, his face twisting with a confused horror.
¡°Why¡¯s that funny?¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°I- why is that funny?¡±
Everyone went quiet, the air suddenly filled with an awkwardness. Caleb looked to the floor, recognising the sudden shame in the others faces.
¡°Sorry I just¡ sorry¡± he mumbled.
¡°No, it¡¯s- you¡¯re right¡± Harrison muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not I just¡ uh¡ do you want to see the other places?¡±
¡°It¡¯s probably best if we leave it¡± Sierra said. ¡°Sit outside and just wait for Esaeni¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Layla muttered, her voice strained. They filed out quickly, before taking seats in the seating area just outside the door.
Caleb could feel it suddenly in the way the others had spoken, how the conversation had shifted.
They¡¯d been here for so long, watching the chaos behind screens that it had become a game for them. Something to talk about, and bond over. Of course they hadn¡¯t forgotten. But they¡¯d tried to. And he¡¯d reminded them for a moment, of all the horrors they¡¯d lived through. Of just how many people they¡¯d lost.
The database likely suddenly seemed a lot less fun.
Chapter Thirty Nine - Ancient History
Caleb stared at the holograph in front of him, his head resting against his hands as he watched a projection of Earth spin around slowly, then looked to the other tablet propped up beside him. The tablets in the database were incredible.
They had a wealth of history and information on every habitable planet that was within the reach of the Akashic Federation. Even Earth.
It¡¯s history and information on Earth wasn¡¯t complete, not by a long shot, but there was so much data complied all together about the current workings of the world, languages, culture and all in such detail he doubted experts on Earth themselves had even known about stuff in this much detail.
There was so much stuff there that he didn¡¯t know about or recognise. Earth was so much vaster and more detailed than he¡¯d ever imagined. And the grand scheme of things so small too. The scale of the Federation was incredible, and so was its history. It was giving Caleb a headache just thinking about it. So, he¡¯d decided to just focus on Earth. Humming, he scrolled through some more of the listed notes under Z1-E94-C History.
Current Analysed Artifacts
Current Prehistory Summary
Culture of Storytelling
Connection to the Ikiron
He paused frowning.
Ikiron, he thought. I¡¯ve heard that before. Harrison mentioned it too.
He clicked on the last section, opening a new tab. A picture of a man and woman dressed in black armour with black face paint and shaved heads appeared beside.
Ikiron Tribe
The Ikiron were a small but powerful tribe that originated from planet W98-V11- E, a quasi-habitable planet. One of only two peoples to form a mana connection and join the Akashic Federation[1]*, during which they immediately received a seat on the war council for their great military capability.
As a people they integrated quickly, welcoming the technological advances and developing their militaristic society alongside it.
While they were extremely capable and shared an unidentifiable natural affinity for magic, they were also extremely dangerous and mentally unstable.
Due to their militaristic society, which trained children as young - as four - to kill and had a general philosophy of Forceful Darwinism, they practiced many backwards and barbaric customs (e.g. cannibalism, regular ritual killing, and methods of exercise that bordered on self-inflicted torture) in an attempt to harden their population.
Lasted a total of 98 years within the Federation and believed to be the reason behind the creation of the trial protocol.
Status: Extinct**
* Number may change. Dependent on status of Z1-E94-C.
** After they attempted to overthrow the Akashic Federation and take control of the system and her guides through unknown methods, the groups of the population responsible were executed. The only remnants were placed on at the time prison planet designate 4441 (currently Z1-E94-C), with all records sealed, and restrictions drawn from the chains of Akash placed upon them for a period of ten thousand years. Currently their descendants (remain closer in genome to natural inhabitants), humans of Earth, are participating in the trial protocol after Samuel Afolayan, Divine Igwe and Nigel Umaru, used unknown methods to form a mana connection. This is currently being investigated.
Oh, he thought. I guess the Ikiron thing isn¡¯t a good thing
He shuddered slightly, reading over the customs section again.
¡°What is it?¡± Sierra said looking to him.
¡°I¡¯m reading about our connection to the Ikiron¡±
¡°The Ikiron? Our magic ancestors?¡±
¡°Yeah. It¡¯s insane. They were put on the Earth ten thousand years ago as some kind of punishment.¡±
¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying¡± Sierra muttered.
¡°Oh. Right¡± he mumbled. Caleb went back to looking over his tablet, quickly clicking off the Ikiron page, before wincing and rubbing at his side. Slowly he sat up, closing the tablet as he looked to the hologram of Earth again.
His mind wandered, to Casey and Kayla. He wondered what they doing. Wondered if Casey was still only half chastising Kayla whenever she threw a tantrum, if the Honda had been taken back by Casey¡¯s Aunt, and if Kayla still drew the sun from the trailer window. There were so many other things, small things, human things that he¡¯d all but forgotten.
He liked thinking about them. The little things. It helped distract him. He¡¯d had enough of bloodshed and death for the rest of his life.
He sighed. He never thought he¡¯d miss the trailer, or Kayla¡¯s endless nagging, and the awkward air between him and Casey. But now, more than ever, he wanted to go home.
¡°Oh¡± Harrison said suddenly. ¡°I just realised we forgot to show you Pedro¡¯s fight¡±
Caleb looked to him uncertain.
¡°Is it bloody? I don¡¯t know if I want to see that¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s good. You¡¯ll like it¡± Sierra said. ¡°He¡¯s really heroic. Saves a ton of people¡±
¡°Alright¡± Caleb mumbled reluctantly. Harrison chuckled, almost giddy and quickly made his way around the table, pulling up his tablet. The others moved around too, forming in a semi-circle behind him, all eager to watch his reaction.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
¡°Is it really that good¡±
¡°Awesome¡± Layla said. ¡°Made me glad I picked my skill¡±
¡°Yeah. You¡¯re gonna love this¡± Harrison said.
Caleb looked to the screen uncertain before a scene of chaos suddenly came to life.
They had a slightly distant view of the ground from above. Like a shot of below from a helicopter. In it there was a town, a small medieval village, half of it covered in fire. The people were running in a horde, desperately sprinting away as the sky above them darkened with smoke.
The sounds of the scene were muffled, somewhat distant as though they were being recorded through a wall of some kind. But it was clear the people were all screaming.
It was chaos.
And in the centre of the screen, teens and an adult, chosen like him, raced forward arguing with each other as they scrambled through the crowd, one girl putting out fires as she manipulated a large blob of water with her hands. But it was slowing done, the movement growing cruder. Her limit was nearing.
Then a roar came from above and Caleb watched as a dragon swooped down towards the ground. Instantly the group turned to it, a huge forcefield appearing over a section of the city. But the dragon¡¯s fire burned over it and washed into the unshielded parts torching them.
Caleb flinched, and the dragons swooped out of view gone just as soon as it¡¯d appeared.
The barrier disappeared with it, and one of the group of four fell to the ground, almost lifeless. Caleb recognising the clear sign of over exertion. There wouldn¡¯t be another barrier.
The remaining three. The adult raised his hands and a stark yellow blast of electricity shot into the air. The dragon roared, but the man cursed as the others continued to look up. The group began arguing again, the water girl putting tissues to the barrier girl¡¯s now bloody nose. Suddenly the man stepped forward and said something to the last member as the dragon roared again.
¡°That¡¯s Pedro¡± Harrison mumbled.
¡°The man?¡±
¡°No, no the kid¡±
¡°Quiet it¡¯s coming, it¡¯s coming¡± Layla mumbled.
¡°Shh¡± Sierra whispered, ¡°let him watch it.¡±
Caleb looked to the ground again as the man grabbed a hold of Pedro, trying to do something. And then, Pedro pulled away and took off into the air, large axe in hand. The dragon descended again, but this time as it opened its mouth Pedro launched his axe, a boom carrying it forward. It struck the dragon in the eye and its fire cut out early, Pedro narrowly avoiding the blast that didn¡¯t reach the village below.
The dragon took off upwards again, but this time Pedro followed it, both disappearing off camera.
Suddenly the feed cut, to a different, higher camera. And Caleb watched as the boy flew around, slamming and slicing at the dragon with only his bare fists and telekinetic power.
He wasn¡¯t just running away, praying he didn¡¯t die, he was fighting it. And he was winning.
Suddenly the dragon descended out of the sky, appearing to run away before cutting back towards the village, as it released another burst of fire. Caleb watched as Pedro dived towards the ground, cutting through fire as the wind grew harsh, directing it into the farms beyond the village.
Then, despite the burns on his body he grabbed the dragon by a tooth and threw him back to the sky. As the dragon screeched loudly, large chunks of rock tore off the ground launching themselves back into the air before Pedro shot up himself.
¡°How can he even¡¡± Caleb mumbled. ¡°This is amazing. He¡¯s¡ amazing¡±
¡°He is isn¡¯t he?¡± Sierra said, chuckling.
Caleb watched as the dragon roared again, dodging the rocks as they flew towards it. But then a blast of lightning struck it¡¯s wing. It faltered for a moment, but it was far too late. Pedro shot at it hard, flying straight through it¡¯s head before it had a chance to react.
Then the beast fell, it¡¯s corpse spiralling to the village below.
The camera cut again, to the first view.
Pedro shot down and caught the dragon, hovering over the people his bloody yet determined face clear for a moment, before he was gone flying off, setting the monster down in the safety of the valley. Then he landed down, and the feed cut again, this time much closer, almost next to Pedro as he stood, bleeding heavily from the nose and ears.
He stumbled back, and then suddenly released a triumphant shout.
And then the feed cut out.
¡°Damn¡± Caleb muttered.
¡°Fucking amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sierra said, grinning.
¡°Yeah it¡¯s¡.¡±
¡°Cinematic?¡± Layla added. Caleb nodded.
¡°It¡¯s basically the finale to a fantasy action movie¡± Harrison chuckled.
¡°I- what¡¯re they doing now?¡±
¡°They just stayed in the village apparently. Helped them rebuild. Pedro¡¯s healed up mostly from his burns, and the others are okay too.¡±
¡°I- wow¡± Caleb mumbled leaning back in his seat. ¡°He really fought a dragon. And won¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Harrison said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a named monster or anything like that, but dragons are pretty powerful¡±
¡°And they¡¯re only on this world?¡±
¡°No, they¡¯re everywhere¡±
¡°Wait how does that make sense? Is it still a monster from one of the other worlds?¡±
¡°No. And it¡¯s¡ Ria? I can¡¯t remember¡±
[It because of a Hilaric assault ages ago. They left a bunch of them here then staged a kind of attack. They killed a lot of them, though some went into hiding. Though most of the descendants have lost their Hilaric power]
¡°I¡ still. He was just flying around and throwing huge rocks. What level is he?¡±
[Last we checked level seven]
¡°Seven¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°I¡¯m only level four¡±
¡°Yeah. Only¡± Harrison muttered.
¡°Sorry I just¡ why in the world do people think I can beat this guy?¡±
¡°Synchronicity¡± everyone said in unison. Caleb blinked confused as he looked to all of them.
¡°It¡¯s a weird thing¡± Sierra said. ¡°To do with your physical body and magic body¡±
¡°Like the connection and stuff¡±
¡°I- yeah. I think so¡± she said with a frown.
[It¡¯s a calculation Based on the natural transfer of fundament energy between the magical self and the physical one, divided by the ¡°strain¡± of your skill] Ria said. [The higher synchronicity the easier it is to use your skill. Your synchronicity rating¡¯s off the charts. Pedro¡¯s is around average for trial members. Your trait¡¯s really good to.]
¡°Oh. So like efficiency basically¡±
[Yeah]
¡°What the hell was that?¡± Harrison said, looking between the two of them.
[What?] Ria said with a frown. [Oh, I was explaining]
¡°Now I want reading privileges¡± Harrison said.
¡°We can just ask when Esaeni gets here¡± Sierra said. ¡°It¡¯s what I was going to do¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t want to be rude though¡±
¡°How would it be rude?¡± Layla said.
¡°I don¡¯t know it¡¯d just be weird. Plus I wasn¡¯t even sure and-¡±
¡°You should do it¡± Caleb said. ¡°S-sorry. There¡¯s just a lot in there. Cool stuff about here and stuff about Earth. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll really have access to this when the trials over¡±
Caleb said, looking around.
¡°If you like learning about stuff, you should probably ask¡±
¡°Alright¡± Harrison said with a nod.
[Seriously?] Ria frowned. [I¡¯ve been telling you for weeks and only now you agree]
¡°Well¡ it¡¯s Caleb¡±
[I-]
Suddenly Ria paused, frowning.
¡°Uh¡ Ria?¡± Layla mumbled.
[Holy shit] both Rias suddenly said.
¡°What? What happened?¡± Harrison said looking between the two of them.
[She¡ she. did it. Eliza I mean. She actually did it] Ria muttered. Sierra was at her side in an instant, Layla and Harrison not far behind. Caleb looked to them, studying the looks of surprise in their expressions.
¡°Oh my god¡± Layla said, as she stepped away, tapping at her own screen. ¡°Is this real? No way right?¡±
¡°Holy shit. This is crazy!¡± Harrison said, his excitement clear. Caleb quickly made his way over to them, peering between Sierra and Ria to Harrison¡¯s screen. He could only make out the top of a Latino girl¡¯s head.
¡°Who is that?¡± he asked, the unease of not knowing colouring his tone. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Sorry¡± Sierra said, moving out of the way. Caleb stepped forward again, getting a clearer look at the screen.
He watched as a girl, dressed in strange armour stood over a sea of people, holding a glowing sword as she gave a speech.
¡°She¡¯s Eliza¡± Sierra said. ¡°She finished her first phase early. Earlier than us. Then she decided to go around and help everyone complete there¡¯s¡±
¡°What about the rule? Not interfering and stuff¡±
¡°The system sent someone to tell her and her friends to stop, and she did for like two days before continuing¡± Harrison said. ¡°The system sent someone else but she just ignored them and so they left¡±
¡°And¡ what¡¯s happening now?¡±
¡°The system changed it¡¯s mind like two weeks ago¡± Layla said. ¡°She¡¯s already helped more than sixty percent of trial participants on her planet, so the system just gave them all the same mission, but made it really hard¡±
¡°What was it?¡±
¡°They had to win a war. It was against this really strong enemy¡± Sierra said. ¡°Everyone thought they¡¯d fail. But she stepped up to the plate and¡ yeah. They just won¡±
Caleb looked to the girl again as she raised her sword and everyone in the crowd began cheering.
¡°So what now? Everything¡¯s basically over, right?¡± Layla said. ¡°I mean it says here more than ninety eight percent of people have finished the first phase now¡±
"So it ends now? It''s finally over" Sierra said.
"Maybe. Isn''t it a bit early?" Harrison said.
"Well I think we just completed it fast" Layla said. "So it''s the second phase now? Or is there a grace period?"
The group all looked to Ria.
[What?] she said. [How would I know?]
¡°Uh¡ isn¡¯t it in the books or something?¡±
[No. And nothing on the tutorial or the first phase is easy to find in here. Only that the whole trial thing began like ten thousand years ago]
¡°So we don¡¯t know what happens in the second phase?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°Has nobody told you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s one of the things they can¡¯t¡± Sierra said.
¡°So¡ is there more afterwards? The system said this whole thing could last three months. Is there a third phase? A fourth? Maybe even a fifth?¡±
The group were silent once again.
[I should probably double check]
Chapter Forty - Everything, Everywhere, All at once
Caleb¡¯s head was starting to hurt as his eyes flicked back and forth across the tablet, skim reading another paragraph before moving on to the next. He sighed, massaging his temple as he flexed the stiffened fingers of his left hand, sitting up.
The reading had been fun when he¡¯d been fun when he¡¯d been looking over small stuff for himself. But now, with this nebulous weight of uncertainty pressing down upon him he couldn¡¯t focus. He looked up to the others. Just glancing at them it was clear the former air of joy was gone, replaced by a cold dread.
Harrison was pacing around, his excited demeanour gone, replaced now by jittering hands and a constant mumbling. Layla was silent, unmoving as she sat a hand covering her mouth, her gaze distant ¨C just like it had been back in Arrell. All the while Sierra sat in her seat, scouring over her tablet gaze focused. Caleb didn¡¯t know what she was looking for, she couldn¡¯t read anything from the database, but she seemed just as determined as him, if not more so.
Ria was the only one unchanged, her flat expression mirrored by three clones who sat around her, all reading from separate tablets.
He sighed again and looked back to his tablet.
What can I search next? he thought. Trial protocol allowed information? Won¡¯t that still be blocked?
¡°Have you found anything yet?¡±
Caleb glanced up at Harrison who still roamed around nervously.
The four separate Ria¡¯s all remained silent, ignoring him. Harrison looked to Caleb; his desperation clear.
¡°Sorry, no¡± Caleb replied quietly.
¡°R-Ria?¡±
[Let me focus] Ria said curtly.
¡°Sorry¡± Harrison mumbled stepping back.
Caleb looked down to the in front of him, frowning. It was useless. There was basically nothing to be gleaned that he didn¡¯t already know. And worse, there was nothing directly on the trial either. Just everything referencing the trial protocol.
He glanced up, frowning as a muttering Harrison slowly grew louder and louder.
¡°This isn¡¯t the end. This isn¡¯t. You¡¯ll still get to go home. See whiskers again, mess around with Jamie, even let Chelsea annoy you twenty-four seven.¡±
[Harrison] Ria muttered.
¡°And then you can just go back to school, show off your healing and pretend everything¡¯s ok. And- shit. No. What if this is it? But h-how can this be it? I mean you have to survive right? You can¡¯t have come this far just to die.¡±
[Harrison stop]
¡°I mean if it really comes down to it we could even try and hide. Get out of it we need to and just stow away. Who cares if they call you a coward? You¡¯ll be alive. That¡¯s all that matters. The only thing that matte-¡±
[Harrison!] Ria said, her voice hard. He looked up quick, flinching, before looking around embarrassed.
¡°S-sorry¡± he muttered, hanging his head.
The room was silent, shreds of Harrison¡¯s anxiety permeating through the space. Caleb clutched his tablet tighter, flexing and unflexing his hand.
¡°There¡¯s no need to shout or be nervous¡± Sierra said, setting her tablet down. ¡°If we have to go through this again, then we have to. We¡¯ll face whatever¡¯s coming head on. We¡¯ve done it already; we can do it again¡±
He looked to Sierra, the look in her eye different. He could see the focus so clearly written on her face, the determination he¡¯d seen during the trial. She was thinking about things properly again.
He looked back down to his tablet, before turning it off. As he set it down Caleb considered her words, reminded of the grim determination that¡¯d given him these scars in the first place.
She was good in that way. A leader. Someone always willing to charge into danger first, but strong enough to survive.
She was the one who¡¯d convinced him to follow her to the mountains after all. Without her they might not have even been here. And on top of all that, even after experiencing the comfort of safety, she could snap right back into the right mindset almost effortlessly.
He wanted to speak up, tell her she was right. But his trembling hands betrayed him.
Sure, he hadn¡¯t had the chance to forget like the rest of them, but he wanted to. Now, he wouldn¡¯t ever get the chance. In a way he felt robbed. To wake up in the comfort of safety only to immediately have it ripped away.
How cruel.
Without another word she stood, walking off with clenched fists.
¡°Where are you going?¡± Harrison called out.
¡°The training rooms¡± Sierra said.
The others watched her go before Layla hopped up, quickly following after her.
[She¡¯s right] Ria said, closing her tablet too. There was a fizzle of magic and the clones at her sides disappeared as she sat back tired.
¡°W-what¡¯re you doing?¡± Harrison mumbled.
[There¡¯s no point searching] she muttered. [It¡¯s designed not to give anything away. The only thing I found was an article that hinted at a bunch of stuff. All I know is that it¡¯ll probably no- maybe, be shorter than the first phase.]
She went quiet leaning her head back as she stared up at the ceiling.
[Dammit, I should¡¯ve been learning how to fight better. Not just reading. What am I going to do, attack the monsters with a book?]
Caleb let out a half-snorted chuckle, before Harrison turned to him.
¡°S-sorry¡± he mumbled quickly going quiet.
Harrison stood still, his eyes darting side to side ¨C frantic ¨C as he looked over the floor, his panic building. Then just as quickly as it came it vanished and he was gone, walking off as he muttered to himself.
Caleb had never seen someone¡¯s change so quickly. But he couldn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t understandable.
¡°Is¡ is he going to be ok?¡± Caleb asked.
[I don¡¯t know] Ria mumbled, still lying flat on her chair. [He wasn¡¯t¡ he¡¯s not good with stress. I¡¯m not either but I think¡ I don¡¯t know]
Caleb looked back to Ria, noticing the hints of anguish in her expression, and the well-hidden fear. Her mana fluctuated almost in tandem with her emotion, like the shimmering surface of rippling water. Caleb could feel the waves
¡°Are you¡ ok?¡±
[No] she replied flatly. He waited for more, but she didn¡¯t speak again. So he sat in silence, the halls of the database quiet. He glanced behind him, then forward again, before looking up to the murals of Daen¡¯s ancestor¡¯s, the space suddenly feeling larger.
What now?
He looked down to his hand, the lines of his scars glowing dimly his hands trembled. His skill responding to his fear. It was a little unsettling he didn¡¯t have control over something so dangerous, but probably necessary. If he wanted to learn how to use it properly. Knowing a trigger was a first step.
¡°I should probably get to training too¡±
[Uh¡ well¡ good luck] Ria replied.
¡°You¡¯re going to stay here?¡±
Ria nodded, hand still covering her face. He nodded too, then stood, making his way towards the exit. The halls of the database felt cold now, empty as he walked alone. He¡¯d been so excited to see his friends again, and now he was left with the same emptiness he¡¯d felt after seeing Kana and Ryan.
He exited the database, his thoughts falling to the back of his mind as he looked around, attempting to retrace his path via memory of the architecture. But as he walked he found the corridors and halls of the palace twisted and turn, a new yet profound sense of abnormality meeting him at everywhere corner as he retraced his steps, then retraced his retracing in an attempt to find a familiar sight. But the palace led deeper than he¡¯d known, and bit by bit he found himself in stranger and stranger places, steadily growing more concerned at his circumstance before he finally accepted reality.
He was lost.
¡°Crap¡± he mumbled. He took off his crown wiping the sweat on his forehead, before looking around the now empty torchlit corridor he found himself in. ¡°I thought this was¡ dammit. These stairs look exactly like the ones that lead to the courtyard. I should¡¯ve just asked for directions. Why don¡¯t they put signs around here?¡±
He looked to the crown.
I should¡¯ve asked how to work this thing, he thought.
Sighing, he turned starting back up the marble steps when he felt a powerful yet familiar energy stop on the landing above him. He looked up, watching as a group of silhouettes ¨C all women ¨C came to a stop talking amongst themselves.
They were all well dressed in simple but detailed and varied garments and graceful in manner. But one woman stood out amongst them. He could tell who she was from the crown atop her head. Esaeni. Daen¡¯s wife.
He pulled his crown on again She started slowly down the steps towards him, her gazed fixed on him, as her troupe remained on the landing behind her, still talking quietly.
[You really are awake] she said with a smile, her sharp blue-white eyes in stark contrast to her tan skin and dark hair. She offered a hand. [Welcome to my home Caleb Earthchild.]
¡°Esaeni¡ milady¡± he mumbled awkwardly, taking her hand in a half curtesy half bow. She considered him for a moment then burst out laughing. He chuckled awkwardly letting it go as he stepped back.
[There¡¯s no need for such titles here. Please, just call me Esaeni]
¡°Right. Sorry¡±
[It¡¯s ok] she said with a warm smile. [Walk with me]This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
¡°H-here?¡±
[Yes. Why? Would you prefer something more inviting than the halls of Faena?]
¡°I- no. It¡¯s ok¡± he replied, not wanting to be rude. She nodded and started down the steps. He followed after her, glancing back up to the silhouettes of her retinue against the sunlight from the skylight before looking back to Esaeni.
She was shorter than he¡¯d expected, but held an air of grace about her that made her stand out. Her magic was interesting too. Strangely unnoticeable in a way he hadn¡¯t quite seen before and yet familiar.
His mind wandered for a moment, back to the first moments he remembered after waking. He frowned.
¡°Did you- were you my healer? With the waves?¡±
[Yes] she said smiling as she looked back to him. [It was quite comforting healing you. It¡¯s rare I find someone with such a shared love for the seaside here given Falleon¡¯s Fables]
¡°Falleon?¡±
[An old folktale of my people. Pay it no mind] she said, taking a torch from the wall of the corridor. She continued on silently, and he followed, the natural light behind them quickly fading. As they reached the far end, they turned a corner a corridor that stretched into darkness beyond. Caleb took another glance back at the stairs, distant now. He looked back to Esaeni, finding her further down the corridor, medieval torch still in hand.
¡°Is this¡ safe?¡± he mumbled. She glanced back to him, her eyes almost glowing in the darkness of the corridor.
[It¡¯s fine. A relic of an old age, but still fine] she said. [We can leave this for another time, but I have something important to show you. And I doubt I¡¯ll have much time before your second phase.]
¡°I- you were looking for me?¡±
[Of course] she replied, turning away. He jogged quickly, catching up to her.
¡°How- I don¡¯t understand? How did you find me? How did I end up where you wanted to take me?¡±
[Maera, Daen asked her to keep an eye on you after all. If you were lost you should have called to her, or at least used your crown.] she said with a small smile. [As for this place¡ well it¡¯s not in only one location shall we say]
He frowned, then looked to the corridor, feeling the sudden shift in the magic around him. He looked around but was met with only darkness, the only light that of the torch. He expected it to creep him out, to throw what little sensibility his frayed nerves had left to the wind. But with the sound of flickering fire filling his ears and the slow pad of their footsteps he felt weirdly even.
¡°Where are we?¡±
[A transition point] she mumbled.
¡°Transition point?¡±
[I can¡¯t explain more without using what little favour I have left]
Frowning, he looked around again, then to the flames of the torch, it¡¯s light constantly flickering in tandem with every waving lick of fire. The mana in the air warped again, the darkness taking on an even deeper quality.
How the hell did I even end up here? he thought.
One second, he¡¯d been lost, and the next he was following some kind of magical healer Queen into a darkness that even his mana couldn¡¯t escape. He reached out for the darkness, watched as the black of the shadow receded at his touch before filling the space once again as he moved his hand.
¡°It¡¯s all weird¡± he mumbled, still looking around. ¡°Usually there¡¯s noise¡ but now it¡¯s just. Like my trait can only sense the mana of the darkness itself. It¡¯s¡ flat¡±
[Really? Interesting.] Esaeni replied.
¡°I- what are we doing here?¡± he said. ¡°What did you want to show me?¡±
[It¡¯s difficult to explain. I think it¡¯ll be important for you to see, to understand. You have religion back on Earth, this is similar in a way. But this is¡ it¡¯s a little more than that. Though a little less in some ways too]
¡°I don¡¯t understand¡± Caleb muttered, bewildered. The surroundings shifted again,
[What do you know of the systems? Of our universe and those who wish to destroy it?]
¡°Uh¡ I know that the system controls the Akashic Federation. I read it in the database. I know that there¡¯s others too, that help it. Guides or something. And there were evil ones too. They control the Hilaric and Moshaic. I can¡¯t remember their names, and I don¡¯t really understand any of it. My friends, they explained it in passing but- I was lost to be honest¡±
[Seems like a succinct summary for a beginner. What don¡¯t you understand?]
¡°I don¡¯t understand any of it¡±
[Would you like me to explain?] Esaeni asked.
¡°Yes¡± he said.
[It¡¯s a long story]
¡°I don¡¯t care I just¡ s-sorry¡± he stuttered. ¡°I- yes. Please. Some answers would be nice¡±
Esaeni nodded, chuckling to herself, even her laughter graceful.
[Alright. Since you¡¯re so eager, I¡¯ll start from the very beginning. With the fables.]
¡°Fables?¡±
[Yes child. The fables of everything] she said, her footsteps slowing as she turned him, eyes glowing softly. He gulped slightly unnerved, and Esaeni turned, continuing with her walk.
[As the story goes, and as it has been told many times before, first there was nothing, then there was everything. In this everything there was chaos. Raw unfiltered power. The fundament, or primordial soup as my father likes to call it.
The surroundings shifted again, and Caleb noticed the scars on his arm begin to glow dimly.
[And from the chaos came order. No one knows how long it took, but a being emerged from the mess of base reality. A being of absolute and divine power.]
¡°The system?¡±
[Listen child, listen.]
¡°S-sorry¡±
Esaeni continued walking, and Caleb glanced to the flames of the torch growing brighter.
[This being ¨C The Super ¨C as all refer to him to, is the father of magic. Through his will, he manipulated physical space and reality, shaping the chaos of the fundament energy into order. His will is mana itself. All who connect to his will, to mana are enlightened, given dominion over the universe in a way regular life is not.
[But in doing so, in manipulating reality and giving it order, shaping it into what we currently know, love and cherish, he destroyed parts of himself. Key parts even he could not repair.] Esaeni paused suddenly, making a gesture over her heart and muttering to herself. [In his sacrifice we remember him, and live.]
¡°Is¡ is that a prayer?¡± Caleb mumbled, his curiosity getting the better of him.
[In a way] she replied. [Now. After recognising his inevitable doom, The Super decided to create his children. Three aspects of himself to oversee and maintain order his new and great universe. And so he created the great systems ¨C The Akashic, The Hilaric, and The Moshaic.
[The Moshaic ¨C Everaan. His youngest and the embodiment of his desire for domination and control over all things. The Hilaric ¨C Gildarch. His second and the embodiment of his determination and will, and The Akashic ¨C Yuniea. His eldest and the embodiment of his desire for order.]
¡°The systems¡± Caleb muttered.
[Yes. They were created with the last of his strength, in perfect balance and harmony to maintain order, prosperity and peace within his new and wonderful universe]
¡°But then why¡¯re they fighting?¡±
Esaeni smiled for a moment suddenly coming to a stop, as a small joyless chuckle escaped her lips. Her eyes lingered on the floor a moment before she looked back to Caleb, their sharp blue suddenly almost frightening.
[All have asked that question Earthchild. Most have relinquished the idea of receiving an answer, but many have devoted their lives to it. Some have prayed for answers, some fought, and others, a small few sought to find the answer through greater means, though those are stories for a later time. Regardless despite how long this great civilisation has existed, how many great scholars and warriors have sought such answers, we still do not know.]
Caleb gulped, unnerved by the hints of cynicism and in her tone. He felt like he¡¯d missed something, stepped over some kind of line. But his curiosity got the better of him once again.
¡°So- I know they¡¯re fighting, but how exactly¡ the Akashic Federation is big. How big is this fight?¡±
[It permeates all corners of space, Every known land, sky and sea. All men are its soldiers and all matter it¡¯s grounds. It is a complete and utter intergalactic war, all three thirds of the universe fighting with each other]
¡°And this is all¡ this just everything? This war?¡±
[Yes] Esaeni said, solemn.
¡°I- the entire universe it at war? That- how? How would- wouldn¡¯t we have been able to tell beforehand?¡±
[The universe is large Earthchild, and this war feeds on it. There are hundreds of planets like yours wiped out every day by its chaos, with every decision, every ebb and flow of battle billions are lost overnight.]
¡°Can¡¯t the system, our system do more? I mean- she¡¯s basically God right? Isn¡¯t¡ I don¡¯t know, isn¡¯t there a way to stop this?¡±
[Do you not think she does everything she can? Yuniea, is our greatest asset, and the only one who truly embodies her father¡¯s wish to . The others manipulate, break and bend reality in horrific ways that defile the sanctity of their father¡¯s order. But Yuniea remains true to it, even if it costs her. She grants many more than the Everaan or Gildarch would even consider with her direct power. With records. She puts faith in us, in all her subjects in this federation, whilst putting her own existence constantly on the line. And you ask if she could do more?]
¡°S-sorry¡± he mumbled. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean- I just¡±
[It¡¯s alright] Esaeni said calming. [She is a being of absolute order, and she prioritises what she must. I understand it¡¯s hard to accept. It is a harsh reality, but it is reality nonetheless]
They both went silent, Caleb mulling over the words she¡¯d told him. The entire universe, at war. He couldn¡¯t even fathom it. The space around him shifted again and the darkness disappeared revealing a wealth of mana so potent Caleb¡¯s sense was instantly overwhelmed. He reeled from it for a moment before Esaeni steadied him, soothing him with the touch of a hand.
[Apologies] she said. [I had not realised your trait was so sensitive. I should have warned you]
He looked to her, then around as the ringing in his ears subsided, and found himself in an almost ethereal circular cavern. It was quiet. Only the soft and low hum of wind, the ruffling of grass and the tweet of birds carried into the cavern from a hole in the overhang above, through which a singular and soft beam came through illuminating the space. Infront of him lay a path, surrounded by water that led to the centre where a stone structure stood, bathed in the sunlight that streamed through a hole in from above.
¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡± Caleb mumbled.
[Yes. Yes, it is] she said.
¡°Is this what you wanted to show me?¡±
[No. Come]
Esaeni held him steady, and then slowly, they made their way down the path and into the structure.
Caleb looked over the stone as they entered, studying its strange texture, before his eyes were drawn to an even stranger stone embedded in the far wall, and bathed partially in sunlight. He stepped over to it, looking over the marking engraved into its surface.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked.
[What I wanted to show you. Can you read it?]
He looked over the words, reading them carefully.
The world for which we inherit, and all manetic will,
kingdoms of above.
Destined soul, and the strands of fate,
Do to all as the guide does.
Our descent, and all that is divine,
we bless unto you, The Super and his love.
In golden fire, In skies of ash,
flies the Earthbound dove.
From this day, and forever more we shall wait,
For thine hero, sent from above.
Ender of Ends, winner of wars,
by his fist, all will be reborn with order, liberty, and love.
¡°Yes¡± he said. ¡°Is it a poem? What does it mean?¡±
[It¡¯s a totem. A prophecy or... hope of sorts. They¡¯ve been found all over the place, written by our ancestors on this planet and many others years before any were even part of the federation, before many had even made the connection to the Super''s will. And they all read the same. No one knows their true meaning, but many believe... things.]
¡°What do you think?¡±
[I think it¡¯s about you]
¡°What? Me? I- what does any of this have to do with me?¡±
[IAs of right now, it would be unwise to explain more. I don''t know if I even could. Using more favour than I already have... I''m sorry, it''s not possible.]
¡°W-why?¡±
[It¡¯s the way things work. I¡¯ve already informed you of far more than you should know.]
He looked back to the stone.
¡°I don¡¯t understand¡±
[You will in time]
¡°I- do my friends know about this?¡±
[No]
¡°Can I tell them?¡±
[You can try. Though I do not know if your favour will be enough. Many believe this to be about you, but Supreme Guide Yuniea does not yet seem so convinced. I doubt she''d allow you to share this information so freely]
Caleb stared at the stone, before looking at the scars that ran along his hand. He¡¯d come here looking for answers, and he¡¯d received them. But now he had far more questions too.
¡°Why¡¯re you telling all this to me?¡±
[When you defeated Arithorson with the power of your punch and the detonation of selected Eriana¡¯s sword, you did a great favour for this family. Restored honour in a more than meaningful way. People already believe you are special but my husband think¡¯s you¡¯re connection to this family is divine. And I do too. But my Daen is a powerful man. He will make you an offer before the end of today, or at least before the second turn of your trial is upon you. He hopes to guide you to the future so many believe you can achieve. You would be wise to accept.]
¡°I¡ alright¡±
[I¡¯d talk to you more, but I¡¯ve said too much already] she said, with a small smile. [Sorry if I¡¯ve unsettled you, I¡¯ve found myself rather unable to keep my emotions in check. Must be the baby. Or maybe it¡¯s something else entirely. These are exciting times after all]
She took Caleb¡¯s scarred hand, looking over it for a second before letting it go. As she released it, Caleb found himself back in the original courtyard, outside his castle door. He looked around surprised, sensing no shift in the magic, then looked to Esaeni as she made her way back down the walkway. She paused suddenly, turning back to him as her silver blue dressed flowed beautifully in the wind.
[Caleb?]
¡°Y-yes?¡±
[You should visit our child some time before you leave. Hold her] she said, nodding to herself. [It¡¯d be good will for both of you.]
¡°I- ok¡± he said. With that she offered a smile and turned away continuing down the walkway as people bowed for her.
He stared at her in silence, confused sort of tranquillity settling in his stomach before looking up to the sky. The wind washed over him, ruffling his hair gently as he sighed.
¡°What the hell have I gotten myself into?¡± he mumbled.
Chapter Forty One - Mark of the Return
Caleb stood in his room, frowning as he looked out over the rolling green hills of Alareon. He¡¯d thought about leaving, going to the training rooms, but his mind was still fixed on all that Esaeni had told and shown him.
¡°What a load of nonsense¡± he mumbled.
It seemed so ridiculous, so absurd that he almost couldn¡¯t help but find it funny. Almost.
An ancient prophecy hidden in some religious cavern for thousands of years. And it was supposed to be about him?
There was so much to unpack there, he didn¡¯t know what to make of it. The others had made Esaeni out to be a kind helpful figure, not a religious fanatic. If you could even call it fanaticism. Her god was very clearly real. And she thought he would somehow help said God end a war between the other literal children of the first being to ever exist.
He really was surprised he hadn¡¯t laughed when she¡¯d told him. Maybe he¡¯d just been so caught off guard by the whole thing. Or maybe¡
His eyes drifted to the ground as he recalled Esaeni¡¯s words.
People already believe you are special but my husband think¡¯s your connection to this family is divine. And I do too.
His mind drifted back to the poem once again. He couldn¡¯t even remember it completely, but he could remember the room. The soft and subtle flow of its mana, yet with a presence so overwhelming it had almost brought him to the floor. He could still feel it now. The power of the place. The mana flowed all throughout the palace, stronger in points. This room was one of them. He felt it. If he wanted to go back, he could.
The thought alone scared him. The pressure of the mana, the weight of the words, it was all too much. He shook his head. Right now, he didn¡¯t want to ever go back there. Though maybe that would change one day. Maybe one day he¡¯d read the words again and consider them differently.
It¡¯d be nice in a way. To be some great hero of prophecy or legend. It¡¯d make all this feel worth it. Not that he really believed in any of it. Sighing again, he looked back to the fields out ahead of him, his thoughts drifting back to Esaeni.
Well, he thought, it was definitely a first impression.
With a sigh Caleb fell back into his bed, his expression a mixture of acceptance and frustration. He brought his hands to his face pulling lightly at the bags under his eyes as he stared at the sword and fist engraved into the ceiling above him. He watched them, the way the filtered sunlight highlighted the outlines of the mural, his fist glinting with a gold while Eriana¡¯s sword a blue.
He sat up suddenly, feeling sick as he grabbed at his side wincing.
¡°Ow¡± he mumbled, massaging his side. He took a few breaths, steadying himself then stood making for the window. He came to a stop next to it, pressing his head to the wall beside it¡¯s opening, the cool of the stone nice against the warmth of his headache.
Then a knock came from his door.
¡°C-come in¡± he said. Daen popped his head around the frame, smiling as he set his eyes upon Caleb¡¯s.
[Ah, enjoying the view, are we?]
¡°Yeah. It¡¯s nice¡± Caleb mumbled, somewhat uncertain. Daen looked around, before clearing his throat as he stepped inside, closing the door softly behind him. The man stepped toward him, Caleb once again taking note of his size.
[Uh¡ right] Daen said. [There¡¯s been something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you and everything. It¡¯s not serious or anything like that just¡ well it is a little serious.]
¡°What is it?¡± Caleb asked, his heart thumping. Was this about the offer Esaeni had mentioned? What was it going to be about?
[I probably shouldn¡¯t be doing this but hey, I¡¯ve got some remaining favour, and I¡¯ve taken a liking to you Earthson. You¡¯re exactly what a guardian needs to be. Maybe even more. Hopefully more. On top of that you¡¯ve got a connection to this family. An important debt that needs to be repaid in full.]
Caleb suddenly felt the man¡¯s mana dance, shifting as complex but beautiful patterns rippled outwards.
¡°W-what¡¯re you doing?¡±
Before Caleb could say anything more, a blade of golden red mana fire appeared in Daen¡¯s hands, materialising out of pure mana. Caleb¡¯s eyes widened and then Daen spoke.
[Caleb Martinson, champion of the unnamed, defeater of Arithorson, and hero of manertic will, I, En Daen Avarson, slayer of the Fourth and Seventh great Dragons Azal, and bane of the Hilaric, hereby offer you a position amongst my squad and thus the great Guardians of Yildar, Champions of Tomorrow.]
The message came instantly.
[You have been offered a position on the 105th Yildaric Guard squad under Dragonbane ¨C En Daen Avarson]
[Congratulations]
[Do you accept?]
[Y/N?]
[Acceptance would make you an official member of the Akashic Federation and due to the nature of the position, exempt you from a 2nd phase of your planet¡¯s trial.]
Caleb stared at the messages wide eyed, then looked up to the still grinning man, the presence of the mana emitted from the sword alone almost crushing. He looked back to the message again, his eyes fixed on the final message.
Exemption from the 2nd phase.
He was instantly filled with a burst of relief before freezing in place.
What about the others? he thought. Would I just be abandoning them?
His thoughts went instantly to Sierra, to everything they¡¯d been through since meeting a top that desert rock. Abandoning Sierra after everything, just leaving her like that, he couldn¡¯t imagine it.
¡°C-can I think about it?¡± he mumbled.
In a flash of sparks the glowing sword of golden red mana disappeared, the pressure in the room disappearing.
[Sure] Daen laughed, slapping him lightly on the back. [I trust you¡¯ll make the right decision.]
¡°R-right¡± Caleb laughed awkwardly, ¡°Right.¡±
-
Caleb hadn¡¯t been able to stay in his room. The quietness of it all had shifted from peaceful to an echo chamber perfect for the negativity in his mind. Almost the second Daen had left, he¡¯d gone to the training grounds.
It hadn¡¯t been all that hard to get there. He¡¯d just called out for Maera, and she¡¯d directed him to the place with ease. So now he sat, watching as Sierra zipped back and forth, whilst Layla threw things at her telekinetically. When he¡¯d thought about coming before it¡¯d been to join in, but now he¡¯d come just to escape his room.
Maybe being here would make it harder for someone to find him and drop another earth-shattering piece of news or request on his head. He doubted it, but it was worth a shot. He had to at least make an attempt at stopping his brain from getting fried by stress.
Leaning back he looked over his clothes, scanning the runes covering the strange silk like cloth, before bringing the message back up again.
[You have been offered a position on the 105th Yildaric Guard squad under Dragonbane ¨C En Daen Avarson]
[Congratulations]
[Do you accept?]
[Y/N?]
[Acceptance would make you an official member of the Akashic Federation and due to the nature of the position, exempt you from a 2nd phase of your planet¡¯s trial.]
It¡¯d all happened so fast.
He took of the crown and stared at it, before looking to his friends as they trained. He looked back to the crown, to his reflection in its near pristine white surface. He looked tired, more tired than any fifteen-year-old should. More than ever though, he felt he shouldn¡¯t be in this position.
He sighed, feeling again at the smooth porcelain like metal of the crown he wore, running his fingers along it¡¯s smoothed edge.
Can¡¯t these people give me time to think? he mumbled.
[Congratulations]
[Your planet has completed the first phase of the trial and has been officially recognised as a member world of the Akashic Federation]
[You have been officially recognised as a selected of the Akashic Federation]
[For your efforts and performance, you have received two extra levels and the additional corresponding stat points]
[You have received a new title ¨C Golden Hand]
---
[Final Pass statistics and Achievements]
78,657 survived the first phase
1 Level 9
1 Level 7
1 Level 6
3 Level 4¡¯s
314 Level 3¡¯s
7,297 Level 2¡¯s
64,512 Level 1¡¯s
6,534 Level 0¡¯s
-
[Caleb Souza defeated a quasi-named monster]
[Eliza Cobb defeated the False nation of New Uer]
[Pedro Manilla defeated a false dragon]
[Tao Weimin defeated a Grade 2 Hilaric orc infestation]
---If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
[ALERT]
[You have completed the first phase of the trial. Would you like your world (Z1-E94-C) to participate in a Phase 2?]
[Y/N?]
[You have 1 minute to vote]
[If you do not vote within the allotted time frame your vote will automatically be counted as yes]
[In the event of a draw the answer from your planet will be considered no]
[59]
[58]
[57]
Caleb stared at the message in disbelief.
A loud crash echoed out across the as Layla dropped two of the weights atop each other.
¡°You¡¯ve got to be fucking kidding me¡± Sierra¡¯s voice echoed from across the room. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been- it¡¯s barely been three hours?!¡±
Caleb looked to her, then back to his message blinking in surprise. He¡¯d expected a lot of things, but not this. He stood quickly, already breathless as his heart thumped hard against his chest.
¡°I- do we get the others?¡± he mumbled stumbling over to the girls.
¡°There won¡¯t be enough time. And what would be the point?¡± Sierra said.
¡°Then what do we do?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. I- shit I don¡¯t know¡± Sierra cursed. ¡°Crap. We¡¯ve only got like forty more seconds¡±
¡°We just vote no right?¡± Layla said.
¡°I think so¡± Caleb replied.
¡°But what are the repercussions of that? I mean- shit why is it giving us this option? Does it give everyone this option?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t matter right? Just- no?¡± Caleb said.
¡°I- I¡¯m voting¡± Layla said. ¡°I voted. No¡±
¡°Ok, ok. I¡¯m voting no, too¡± Sierra said.
¡°Got it¡± he said, relief flooding through him. At least this way he wouldn¡¯t feel as horrible as he would have if he¡¯d made the decision alone.
He looked back to the messages.
No, he thought.
[You have answered No]
[Would you like to confirm this answer?]
Caleb confirmed his vote. The message disappeared and he stared into empty space in silence. The others both looked to him.
¡°Done¡± he mumbled. ¡°I- is this good?¡±
¡°I think so¡± Layla replied.
¡°It is¡± Sierra said. ¡°I mean, people would definitely die if we did a second phase. This way, we¡¯re safe. Probably.¡±
¡°Yeah, but what if we¡¯re put to the mercy of the energies thing again?¡±
¡°No. We passe the first phase, they wouldn¡¯t- no¡± Caleb repeated, uncertain. The two girls looked to him, then shared a glance between themselves.
¡°We¡¯ll be fine¡± Sierra said unconvincingly.
Then the message appeared.
[Results]
-
Yes ¨C 53.55%
No - 46.45%
-
[The second phase of the trail will begin in 15 minutes]
[Please prepare adequately.]
¡°What?¡± Caleb muttered, his knees suddenly weak.
But even as he said it, he realised exactly what had happened. He should¡¯ve realised beforehand. People wanted power. And they¡¯d gotten so much of it from the trial already. What reason would they have to doubt that this wasn¡¯t just a way to get more?
¡°What the fuck?!¡± Sierra shouted. Her voice echoed through the auditorium, Caleb flinching. He looked to her, watched as her expression fell, betraying a hint of fear before she closed her eyes clenching her fists.
His eyes moved to Layla next who breathed heavily, then turned away bringing her hands to her face.
¡°L-Layla?¡± he said.
¡°I¡¯m gonna be sick¡±
She fell to her knees then immediately threw up on the floor.
¡°Shit I- I¡¯ll run. Get a doctor¡± Sierra said.
¡°No, it¡¯s- M-Maera!¡± Caleb called out. ¡°Maera quick! Our friend needs help!¡±
-
Caleb stood in one of the infirmary rooms, as Layla sat in one of the beds still deathly pale as one of the healers attended to her. Sierra stood next to him, the two of them watching her as they thought to themselves silently.
Caleb tapped his foot in a rhythm, his trembling hands sealed beneath his armpits as his tried to ignore the timer in the corner of his mind.
[07:15]
[07:14]
[07:13]
This is it, he thought. This is really it.
No time to prepare, just straight into it. Into this absolute mess. He understood it, but still couldn¡¯t believe it was happening. What really got to him was the fact the system had given them hope, given them a chance to get out of this just to rip it away.
It was so cruel. The past week, everything that had happened in the tutorial, the trial, and even before. It all just¡
He really needed some air.
Quickly he made for the balcony, stepping through the holographic door and out into the open. He rested his hands on the ledge, breathing heavily as the crown slipped slightly, crooked on his head. He reached for it, but another¡¯s hand straightened it before his could. He looked up, his eyes falling upon a solemnly smiling Sierra.
¡°You ok?¡± she asked.
¡°Yeah¡± he mumbled.
¡°You don¡¯t look it.¡±
¡°Yeah¡± he replied, looking away as he chuckled. He was silent for a moment, before looking up at the glowing utopia beyond, the curls of his hair flapping slightly in the warmth of the wind. He looked back to Sierra, his face falling. ¡°Are¡ are you ok?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know¡± she responded. ¡°I just- I want to go home, you know?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± he said. ¡°Just have things go back to normal.¡±
¡°Yeah. I miss going on runs with my track friends.¡±
¡°I never did anything like that. I wasn¡¯t really athletic or anything really. But I miss listening to the radio. I miss drawing with my little sister too. And I could really do with some ice cream.¡±
Sierra chuckled, before her expression fell just as quickly.
¡°It was hard without you¡± she said suddenly. He glanced to her, noticing the way the sunlight reflected of the wetness of her eyes. ¡°I know we didn¡¯t really know each other that long but¡ just losing all three of you like that¡ at once¡ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back¡±
He nodded, unsure what to say, then looked back to the hills. They stayed in silence for a while. ¡°If we- if I-¡±
¡°We¡¯ll be fine¡± he said suddenly.
¡°Right¡± she mumbled back. ¡°Right. Of course.¡±
The silence continued, then she rested against him, her arm against his shoulder, leaning with only some of her weight. He glanced to her, then offered a saddened smile met quickly with one in return.
He looked back to the fields of green frowning to himself. He wasn¡¯t used to it, the closeness with others. The last time he could remember a moment like it, it¡¯d been the night before his father had died. He guessed Casey and Kayla hugging him the night he¡¯d been scooped up into all this was close too, even though he hadn¡¯t felt the same at the time. This was different. He would¡¯ve thought it¡¯d have felt strange.
But it didn¡¯t.
It didn¡¯t feel strange at all.
So, they stood together, in the perfect near silence of the balcony, enjoying the view.
¡°Guys?¡± a voice said behind them. They both glanced back, spotting a breathless Harrison standing in the doorway.
¡°You alright?¡± Sierra asked.
¡°I- yeah. Well no but- Daen¡¯s inside. He says he can help us.¡±
Sierra and Caleb shared a look, then immediately follows Harrison inside. Instantly upon entering they were met with all the other chosen, a ¨C for once serious ¨C Daen and Esaeni, who stood at his side.
[Well, this isn¡¯t exactly the nicest place to meet, but times of the essence] Daen said. [Your set to partake in the second phase. This is an important milestone that you cannot fail. I¡¯ve bargained with the system, and it¡¯s allowed me to provide you with weapons.]
[S-seriously?] Ria muttered. [Isn¡¯t interference a big no-no?]
[Yuniea has made a special exception in this case] Esaeni said, her eyes lingering on Caleb.
[I would give you my best equipment but I cannot give you the blades of Yildar, nor her armour] Daen said. [What I can give you is blacksteel.]
¡°Blacksteel?¡±
[Yes. Steel infused with mana.] he said, pulling a wrap off his back, and opening it. A row of blades lay against one another, the end at the handle exposed despite the sheath a pure black. [These are of good make, close to the limit. Take one each.]
The others each took a blade of their own, strapping the sheath around their waist. But as Caleb reached for his, Daen stopped him.
[For you Caleb Earthson] Daen said, handing him a white blade, the edge curved at the tip like a katana.
¡°What is this?¡± Caleb muttered, staring at the blade¡¯s edge.
[Soulsteel. It¡¯s unrefined, but good enough. A blade for your soul] the man said. [It¡¯s designed to conduct the force of your soul without breaking as easily.]
Caleb twisted the blade over, frowning as he tried to sense anything from it. But there was nothing. It was dead.
¡°I- there¡¯s nothing to hold onto¡± Caleb mumbled, the blade empty.
[Latch onto the space.]
¡°H-how?¡± he muttered, embarrassed.
[Just do what you did with your fist against Arithorson.]
Caleb looked up to Daen confused.
¡°I can¡¯t just do that on command¡±
[Ah¡] Daenn said scratching his head awkwardly. [Then it¡¯s probably best you take this as well.]
The man handed him a blacksteel blade, and Caleb took it.
[Re-registration Finalised]
[Teleportation to tutorial trial grounds in 5]
¡°Oh shit¡± Sierra muttered.
[4]
Daen turned to him suddenly, mana flaring.
[Remember Caleb Earthson, if you do join the order, you¡¯ll be sparing your world a lot of pain.]
¡°What? What do you mean?¡±
[3]
[The Yildaric guard fight primarily against named evils of the opposing dominions. And all war worlds must bear their quota. Should Earth succeed you will become a member of a war world.]
¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±
[2]
[You will] Daenn said, his face growing colder. [You will.]
[1]
Then the space around him warped, and he fell, A sudden wave of air rushing past as his surroundings warped, an endless sea of darkness blotted with sparks of pure white. Slowly as he fell, his physical body disappearing, the nothingness took on an incredible colour and shape, warping and contorting as his feeble mind tried to make sense of the infinity of the power beyond.
He tried desperately to scream out and stop his mind from as he fell. But it was impossible. Caleb could see it so much more. And it was so much clearer. The power all around, it swirled and swirled coalescing around a point of darkness so distant his mind would hesitate to even call it a hallucination, were the record in his soul not so poignantly drawn to its call.
Then, he suddenly felt the weight of his physical body return to him. He cried out as the feeling of falling returned too, and the lights all around disappeared. He felt his body accelerate even faster his screams pulled apart by the impossible speeds.
Then he was met with the sound of a boat horn and blinding sunlight. He stumbled back, shielding his face from the sun as he took a moment for his eyes adjust. But as he blinked, his ears were met with a chorus of confused voices and his trait an overwhelming wash of mana. He was surrounded by others like him. By chosen.
Sierra and the others were at his side, but all around them hundreds of others chosen. No, the number of chosen stretched out further and further, despite all of them being packed so closely together. There had to be in the thousands.
Finally, he looked up and around, spotting all the others. A varied mixture of clothes, colours, armour, and people stood all around some eager as they held their weapons or readied their magic, and others scared. But a palpable sense of confusion washed over all. He noticed a lot of eyes drawn to him and his friends, their extravagant garb making them stand out.
There¡¯s a lot of us, he thought. Why? Are we fighting a lot of enemies?
He turned around more and froze, his eyes settling on the monument behind him. The statue of Liberty.
¡°What the hell?¡± Layla said, looking to it too. ¡°We¡¯re¡ we¡¯re back home.¡±
Similar mutters rang out from all around them as others pointed to the monument, before looking around themselves, the confusion of the crowd growing.
¡°Why¡¯re we back home?¡±
[The statue of liberty? Seriously?]
[Is this some kind of trick?]
[¡ so many of us.]
¡°¡thought it¡¯d be bigger¡.¡±
[Where¡¯re the monsters?]
[Jin stay close]
¡°¡started yet?¡±
Caleb tuned out the voices his thoughts turning inward. He felt Sierra pull him closer and stepped inward, along with the others as they formed a tight ring.
¡°Ria, you got any idea what¡¯s going on?¡±
[No] she said, voice trembling.
Suddenly felt a spike of mana. It was beyond anything he¡¯d ever felt before, but similar enough to remind him of one thing.
Arithorson.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he instantly drew his sword, looking out towards the location of the spike. But he couldn¡¯t see past the mass of people.
¡°S-Sierra!¡± he cried, pointing. ¡°Over there. Can you see anything?!¡±
She looked forward, standing on her tip toes as she peered over those in front of them.
¡°No. I-¡± she froze.
¡°What?¡± Layla muttered. ¡°What is it?¡±
¡°A portal. A- it¡¯s a blue portal¡± she mumbled. ¡°Out over the bay.¡±
¡°Holy shit that¡¯s big¡± Harrison said paling. Suddenly others began muttering and pointing, some even calling out.
¡°It¡¯s growing¡± Sierra said. ¡°It¡¯s- holy shit that¡¯s huge.¡±
Caleb could see it now. Over the heads of others as they looked to it. A rolling mass of mana, like a storm, swirling about a central point as it crackled, and grew, already at least three stories tall. And it was still growing, the mana of the portal deepening.
This is bad, Caleb thought.
¡°We need to get out of here¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°We-¡±
Suddenly his eyes widened. Where would they go? Even if they managed to run away, put heaven and earth between themselves and whatever the hellish creatures were about to unleashed on them, New York was still right there.
Millions of people. Normal people.
And there were billions more out there. The entire world was at stake.
This situation it was practically forcing them to fight.
But someone else can deal with this, he thought. I mean there¡¯s thousands of us here. Pedro¡¯s probably here, right? And the other two on the achievements list? But- can the island even fit that many people? Crap. I don¡¯t know. Just¡ not me. Please don¡¯t make me the strongest person here. If I am we¡¯re all in trouble. I don¡¯t even know how to use my skill.
He looked down to his arm, a thin golden line glowing underneath his skin. The brightest yet. The sword shook in his hands, his breaths growing short and sharp. Then the message came.
[Battle of Dominion for Z1-E94-C]
[Seven Sins Salar vs Selected of Z1-E94-C]
[Frontier 5 ¨C The Battle of Liberty]
[Ekhut ¨C Destroyer of Worlds vs Selected Pool 5 of Z1-E94-C]
[Based on agreed terms, no protective barrier will be applied to any frontier]
Everyone burst into conversation as they stared at the message in front of them.
¡°Fucking destroyer of worlds?!¡±
[¡ can¡¯t be good¡]
¡°¡ kill it in one shot¡¡±
¡°What the fuck?!¡±
[¡ run? Where?]
[I told you not to vote yes!]
¡°God fucking dammit!¡±
[¡dead. We¡¯re all dead, and¡]
¡°¡ teleport us out of here!¡±
Caleb glanced to the others and saw the fear in their expressions before he looked back to the portal, which continued to grow. Slowly, bit by bit, conversation around them died out, along with Caleb¡¯s trembling. The general atmosphere of fear faded replaced by a silent despair.
The portal towered over them, taller even than the statue of liberty now, it¡¯s blue glow encasing everyone.
Gradually the crowd began to shift back, people pushing past others as a slow rush steadily began to start moving backwards. But it was already too late.
The mana of the portal built to a crescendo, then a cracking sound rang out from it, followed by a sound like the crisp pour of cracked glass, like reality itself had shattered. Then the first real monster Caleb had ever seen emerged from the blue. It was tall, slender and absolutely inhuman. With a mix of tentacles and scales, of long human like limbs and other appendages, it looked like a unholy mix of man, mythic sea creature and demon pulled from the depths of hell.
And it stood above them silent. It¡¯s oily deep black skin practically vibrating and it¡¯s red, alien but intelligent eyes scanning the crowd as it waded into the water of the shore.
Caleb felt Sierra grab him, pull him close as others started to scream.
Then everything went white.
Chapter Forty Two - Phase 2
Harrison screamed, and Caleb was pulled to the ground as the air electrified with mana. A piercing echo of a sound rung out as the world shook ¨C crackling with power ¨C and others screamed too. But no pain came.
From the ground Caleb looked up, his heart beating hard as his eyes fell upon the monster and the air, rippling with pure power. Above, three layers of portals encompassed them, each of varying size and differing mana signatures. He sat up quickly, eyes wide as he looked around.
He was met with horror. Magic barriers had been erected all over the island, but between them were only smoking chunks of dirt, with only a few cowering behind smoking shields as they screamed. Practically everyone not covered had been extinguished in an instant.
He watched as a barrier fell and the people, then the ground below it, were completely vaporised. Others cried out in panic, cursing as they looked to the barriers that protected them, realising just how close they were to death.
Suddenly the outermost barrier above cracked. He and everyone else cried out, cowering on the floor.
Then the attack stopped, the pure power that filled the air receding. Caleb looked back to the monster ¨C Ekhut ¨C watching as it lazily stepped forward. Then reached with a pincer like appendage dripping with mana, it stabbed at a barrier. The construct cracked under the sheer weight of the blow, and the ground everywhere shook as the people inside screamed, vaporised by the magical aura of the attack alone.
¡°Fuck! Holy fucking shit!¡±
[Oh my god! Oh my god!]
[Someone! Teleport us out of here now! Now!]
People all around screamed and shouted, their voices hoarse as the absolute horror reduced them to nothing more than scared children.
Then suddenly a laser hit the beast in the side, and it screeched, an unholy reverberating echo. It stumbled back falling into the water as the beam cut through two of its smaller appendages, and raked across its body.
As it fell beneath the water, more of the barriers fell several heroic chosen collapsing from the exhaustion of defending the attack. Instantly people were running. Some towards it, and others away. But most stood still in pure shock. Caleb one of them.
The numbers had been cut to at least a tenth in an instant.
The smell, a horrible ozone like smell, sharp, crisp like chlorine cut through the air washing over him now the barrier was gone. Caleb wiped the sweat of his palms against his trouser legs, then picked up the sword he¡¯d dropped.
[H-Harrison!] Ria cried. [Harrison it¡¯s ok! Harrison!]
Caleb looked at Ria as she held a bawling Harrison, curled up on the floor.
Sierra stood next to him, still as tall as always, but the anguish and uncertainty in her face were obvious. Layla was nowhere to be found.
¡°Layla?¡± he muttered. ¡°Where¡¯s Layla?¡±
¡°She flew off¡± Sierra muttered. ¡°I- I didn¡¯t-¡±
Suddenly a sharp reverberating whistle rang out from the water. Caleb gasped, covering his ears, then turned quickly, watching as a barrage of attacks flew forward from the brave chosen that¡¯d rushed to meet the monster.
They struck the water as Ekhut merged again, pulling itself ashore. It screeched, some of the attacks hurting it, but most of them little more than a nuisance. And as it shrugged off the majority of the blows, with a powerful sweeping claw, it cut across the base of the island shore, sending up a huge spray of rocks as the ground rumbled.
More people were running now. Caleb didn¡¯t know to where. There wasn¡¯t anywhere to go.
¡°W-we have to do something¡± Sierra muttered.
[Do what?!] Ria cried. [I- do you see that fucking thing?! We¡¯re all dead!]
¡°D-don¡¯t say that!¡± Sierra shouted. But the fear in her voice betrayed her as the monster stood again. It¡¯s piercing echo rang out again and Caleb felt the mana of the air rebuild to a crescendo.
¡°S-SHIELDS!¡± he cried, grabbing Sierra as he dived for the floor. Everything went white again and Caleb felt the ground shake before a fuzzy feeling of static engulfed him. People all around cried out, and then suddenly ¨C the sounds of the monster were far away.
He blinked, opening his eyes and looked around. The raging monster ¨C Ekhut ¨C now stood on the other side of the island, the air around it crackling with power. Caleb lay on the ground, the presence of someone¡¯s mana fading from around his body. Confused cries rang out all around and he sat up, heart thumping. Sierra, Harrison, and Ria lay next to him, and other familiar faces all around. Someone had teleported them across the island.
He stood quickly, helping Sierra to her feet before picking up his sword again. The ground shook as a huge explosion rocked Ekhut, darkening the sky as it sent the creature stumbling. Then another huge laser struck it, forcing it back further. There were still people fighting on the other side of the island.
How many people had been teleported then? He couldn¡¯t tell. It was far too crowded and he wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind. But the situation was far worse than he¡¯d first thought. They were a disorganised and confused mess, and this monster¡¯s power was singular in its focus. Pure destruction.
It wasn¡¯t something they could face.
¡°W-we need to run¡± he mumbled, before grabbing Sierra. ¡°I- Ria! We need to run. Swim away or- we need to get out of here!¡±
Similar sentiment was being echoed around him, along with screams of panic, grief and agony.
EVERYONE CALM DOWN!
Caleb winced, pressing a hand to his temple.
¡°Did that- did you hear that?¡± Sierra said. ¡°I- was that in my head?¡±
EVERYONE LISTEN.
ANYONE WHOSE A HEALER OR WITH LONG RANGE ATTACKS GET TO THE BACK.
DAMAGE DEALERS AND SHIELDS GET TO THE FRONT.
ANYONE WHO CAN MOVE FAST, OR FLY GET THE INJURED TO HEALERS.
AND YOU IDIOTS IN THE WATER, GET OUT! WE¡¯RE NOT GONNA OUTRUN THIS THING!
WE HAVE TO DEFEAT IT!
People looked around, their confusion growing at the sudden change of location, and the sound of the voice in their heads.
Suddenly a loud horn echoed out and everyone turned looking to it. A trio dressed head to toe in golden armour stood atop the museum, on a raised platform of rock.
¡°Listen to her dammit! Or we¡¯re all gonna fucking die!¡± one of the trio shouted, his voice carrying across the island. Slowly people started to move, some people rushing back while others tentatively moved forward, watching as Ekhut¡¯s magic of destruction faded.
Slowly, the monster started to moved before another even larger explosion rocked it, sending the creature stumbling back to the water.
[W-what do we do?] Ria said, two clones holding a now unconscious Harrison.
¡°I- we listen to the voice¡± Sierra said. ¡°I mean we have to do something.¡±
[Do what?] Ria said, her eyes still wide with adrenaline.
¡°Caleb¡± Sierra said turning to him. ¡°You can- you can beat this thing¡±
¡°W-what?!¡°
¡°It¡¯s- the thing you did. I don¡¯t know you should have enough power to kill this thing.¡±
¡°I- I can¡¯t do that on command!¡±
Sierra¡¯s face contorted with a mixture of frustration and anger.
¡°You- can you try? I- we need to try¡±
¡°I- ok¡± he muttered. He looked at the monster, then cursed. Quickly he sheathed the sword and looked down to his still glowing hand.
¡°Work dammit¡± he muttered. ¡°Just- work. Power up.¡±
The glow remained unchanged, ebbing and growing with the beat of his heart.
How the hell does this damn thing work?
[Frontier 7 ¨C Battle of Giza has ended]
[Selected of Z1-E94-C Win]
[Key players]
-
Kang Lan
-
He blinked suddenly in surprise as he stared at the message.
¡°Holy shit¡± Sierra said.
Caleb suddenly felt a burst of hope. If somewhere they¡¯d won already, against something as strong as this then it meant this was doable. That they really could win. The guys name . Maybe the creatures had a weakness. He looked up to Ekhet as more lasers struck it from multiple angles, the creature moving around surprisingly quickly as the water beneath it began to lift into the sky, forming an almost protective shield.
Is fire a weakness? He thought. Or just heat?
He looked down to his hands again. Maybe he really could do this. He closed his eyes focusing on his power with a newfound hope.
What had he done last time? He¡¯d recognised he could use the power on himself, that he could latch onto his own mana. But he¡¯d also realised that it was near impossible to keep a hold of the power within himself for longer than a few moments.
But releasing it practically meant blowing himself up ¨C if his hand was any indicator. And what was it Esaeni had said? That he¡¯d only killed Arithorson with the combination of his own power and Eriana¡¯s sword? Then was this really doable? Ekhut seemed far stronger than Arithorson, and his attack might end up being far weaker. If he could even make it close enough that was.
This isn¡¯t good, he thought.
Suddenly people everywhere screamed. Caleb looked up, his focus disappearing as he watched an unholy amount of water stretch out across the sky. It hadn¡¯t been a shield. The water had been a weapon. He cried out as it crashed to the ground, knocking him hard against the concrete of the floor and legs of others.
Quickly he pulled himself from the mess gasping, then felt a hand grab and wrench him away. His eyes widened as he looked around, time slowed all around him in a familiar sensation. He looked to Sierra as she pulled him along, then off to the side, eyes wide as a huge secondary wave shot towards them even in the slowed time.
It decimated trees, slammed against barriers, shattering them before consuming the people beneath. Suddenly, as it neared Sierra skidded to a stop then leapt upwards, carrying them both barely over the wave as time sped up once again.
They crashed back down to the floor, rolling several times before coming to a stop in the mess of water, bark, and blood. Caleb scrambled quickly to his feet, struggling to stand as the knee-high water pulled at him.
¡°S-Sierra!?¡± he shouted looking around frantic ¡°Sierra?!¡±
She pulled herself from the water gasping, and he quickly rushed over to her helping her help.
Suddenly the air behind them crackled with power. Caleb turned, pure fear obliterating his sensibility as harsh purple electricity began to build up all around the monster, crackling outwards as it reached for the water. He screamed, rushing for Sierra as he desperately tried to pull them from the water.
It all happened in an instant. He felt time almost start to slow down, his body glowing brighter than ever before as the ripple of Ekhut¡¯s mana washed through the water. The then another laser, originating from behind him hit the monster, carrying enough force to send people flying back through the plaza. The rush of electricity died instantly mere moments before it engulfed them all as the monster fell, clutching at the hole in its shoulder.
It hit the water hard, a piercing whistle echoing out as the water all around it seemed to contort flying outwards in another wave. People all around screamed, but it was too late, the attack raining down upon them.
A huge rush of water smacked into Caleb sending him flying as he cried out, grabbing at the fresh bruises across his side. It pulled and rolled him before he crashed into something hard, and air finally graced him again. He gulped in air before water washed over him again, leaving him in a coughing fit as he tried to stand, the harsher currents pulling him along.
He stopped himself, and as he finally pulled himself to his feet. He was next to a tree, somehow the currents pulling him towards Ekhut rather than away. Behind him he heard people all around curse and scream. He wiped at his eyes and looked around, watching as others picked themselves up in the mess of water, weapons and bodies. Someone crashed into him and he helped them up quickly as they coughed hard, blood staining their mouth. He looked up again, searching for Sierra, as he struggled to stay on his feet. the currents of the water still pulling at him. Ekhut¡¯s mana filled the space, a blinding stench that drowned out all others.
[Fuck] they person next to him muttered, looking around. [Shit.]
Caleb stared out the chaos before him, his hope disappearing too. They¡¯d been devastated again. There were far more lifeless bodies, than moving ones now. Even the electricity attack had still reached some people, their bodies smoking as the water currents pulled their corpses through the trees, past him and into the plaza.
Suddenly the boy next to Caleb grabbed him.
[We- run. We have to run] he said.
¡°To where?¡± he replied. The teen was silent, unable to muster a response. Silently Caleb looked back over to the chaos, then through the destroyed forest, and past the obliterated remains of the statue of Liberty to the still silent Ekhut. It was still in the water. If he had to figure out his powers to end this, he had a feeling now was his only chance.
He looked down to his fist again, then looked inwards, towards the core of his power, the star that glowed with life in his chest.
Before it¡¯d been a release of pure energy, and he¡¯d struggled to control it. But he could, couldn¡¯t he? It was his after all. There had to be a way. And if there wasn¡¯t, he had to make a way. It was all he had.
He closed his eyes in desperation, focusing on it. The raw power of the star itself was almost like liquid fire. Too fluid to control, too unconstrained. But the heat? That was almost simple. With a push, he felt it emanate from his core again, fuelled by his will. It flooded him, searing at the contours of his magical form. He winced, but held strong as the ridiculous tension, an internal pressure that brought forth the feeling of power built.
His breaths quickened as he felt his awareness of his surroundings dim, his own presence growing within his trait more and more. Like this, when the heat wasn¡¯t focused but directed throughout the entirety of his body it felt a bit easier. Almost like investing stat points, just without any of the euphoria. The heat continued to build, almost to a crescendo before he slowed it, closing off his core from the rest of his body.
The heat stilled, holding in place as it continued to burn, like leaving his hands under hot water. But it was a pain he could withstand. A precarious stability.
The heat gave him power, but he wasn¡¯t a bomb. He wasn¡¯t meant to use the heat itself to attack. He was meant to let it fuel him. It seemed so simple now. So obvious.
He let out a heavy breath as he clenched his fists, feeling the pure density of power that flowed through him. He didn¡¯t know exactly what he could do now, but he knew, more than anything, with the power of his soul¡¯s heat in his body, he was stronger than he ever had been before.
Suddenly a piercing whistle cut through the air. Caleb opened his eyes, watching as Ekhut moved, ridiculously fast straight for him. The monster¡¯s mana built up in an instant the air around it electrifying as it unhinged its jaw, a purple glowing from within.
The boy next to Caleb screamed as his own eyes widened and he cried out. Desperately, he reached forwards with all his might as the magic rained down upon him. For a moment everything went white, a blinding pain searing itself onto his skin before- nothing. He breathed heavily, forced to the ground by the pressure of the mana itself, but with pain no longer.
He opened his eyes, struggling to remain even partially upright as the pressure rippled over him, pressing him to the ground. His entire body glowed gold, like wisps of heat a protective aura encompassed him, emanating all around as he was forced to the floor.
His eyes widened further. He¡¯d done it almost instinctively. With the desire to protect himself, the heat had grown, emanating from him with such force and power it protected him. He felt strong. The space beyond his aura weaker somehow. The power that eviscerated everything around him, the teen next to Caleb gone. Caleb cursed, and tried to force himself to stand, to pull away from the vicious pressure.
Suddenly a claw whipped through the energy, stabbing at him hard. It struck him in the chest and he went flying, air roaring before he hit water. He cried out as he skidded across it before coming to a stop and sinking into the water. He blinked hard, clutching at his chest as pain lanced through him, then he swam upwards desperate for oxygen as an exhaustion threatened to take him.
He emerged out of the water breathing heavily, his head light as he reoriented himself, looking back to the island.
Ekhut, stood silent and still, watching him from the shores with cold red eyes. Suddenly a huge laser struck it in the side, before a barrage of magical attacks struck it, the piercing echo of a scream washing over the island.
Caleb took a beath leaning his head back, before looking down at himself as the monster¡¯s whistle echoed out again. He was bleeding. A large, jagged cut raced across his chest, oozing with the monster¡¯s mana. He should¡¯ve been dead. Completely and utterly dead. Not just from the blow, but the pure wash of energy that¡¯d nearly disintegrated him.
But his power had protected him. Not just him, but his clothes and weapons too. Everything but the point Ekhut had struck him at was unharmed.
¡°Mana soul core¡± he whispered, almost laughing. ¡°What even are you?¡±
Suddenly everything went white. He cursed shielding his eyes as a strange low hum seemed to echo out from the island. He looked back, blinking in confusion at the sudden inversion of colours.
¡°What the hell?¡± he muttered, his voice echoing weirdly all around him. Then a piercing echo rocked, then the sound of glass shattering rang out as Ekhut¡¯s mana raged. Suddenly the monster screamed, as if hurt and the effect disappeared, a massive wave of heat and energy was. Caleb watched eyes wide, as Ekhut flew back, sailing through the air before crashing back into the water, smoking the entire way.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
[Frontier 2 ¨C Battle of Rio has ended]
[Selected of Z1-E94-C Win]
[Key players]
-
Pedro Manilla
Tao Weimin
-
Caleb¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at the message, his hope growing even further. Quickly he began swimming back towards the island, passing floating bodies before finally reaching the shores.
EVERYONE LISTEN.
WE STICK TO THE PLAN!
HEALERS AND RANGERS TO THE BACK.
DAMAGE DEALERS AND SHIELDS GO FORWARD NOW! DON¡¯T LET IT GET UP!
ANYONE WHO CAN MOVE FAST, OR FLY GET THE INJURED TO HEALERS.
WE CAN DO THIS!
He pulled himself up back onto the plaza, the water mostly gone now. He breathed heavily, then collapsed, falling to the floor as he clutched at his chest. Instantly someone grabbed him and he felt the world around him shift before he appeared somewhere else. The person set him down, and a set of hands pressed against the wound on healing it quickly.
He blinked in surprised as the pain vanished and sat up
[You¡¯re good to go] the girl said, wiping at the blood that dripped from her nose.
¡°A-are you okay?¡± he muttered. She nodded.
[Hey! You¡¯re healed right? Move!] a guy said, landing from the sky as he set someone else down. Caleb stood quickly, moving out the way as he looked around. He was atop the museum, and healers were all around, healing people as others floated in from the sky with injured or teleported them in.
It was messy, chaotic, but it was working. People were getting healed.
A screech echoed out behind him and Caleb turned, watching as six or seven lasers from the plaza below shot forward, striking Ekhut as he emerged from the water, once again knocking him down.
[Move!] a speedster said, suddenly rushing past.
¡°S-sorry¡± he muttered, stumbling out of the way.
¡°What¡¯re doing?¡± a person suddenly said, appearing in front of him.
¡°W-what?¡±
¡°You¡¯re just standing there, blocking¡± she said. ¡°Are you a close fighter or a long range guy?¡±
¡°I- uh- close¡±
¡°T-then go! Go!¡± the girl shouted, before rushing past with the injured she was carrying.
¡°Right. Sorry¡±
He looked off into the distance where people were barraging the partially emerged Ekhut with a ridiculous number of spells. He didn¡¯t know what he could do, but now that he knew how his power worked, he knew he had to at least try. It was hard to stomach, but he could search for the others later. If he wasted time searching for them¡ he didn¡¯t want to think about what would happen. He unsheathed his sword, his body filling with heat as he stepped forward.
He rushed forward, focusing on his soul core as he made his way forward. But as he did one of the guys he¡¯d seen in golden armour passed in front of him, eyes widening as he looked over Caleb.
[Holy shit] he said, looking to him. [Your still alive. And- you look fine.]
¡°I did just get healed¡± Caleb mumbled.
[But your clothes are fine too. I mean- what level are you? What¡¯s your skill?]
¡°Level four¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve got mana soul core.¡±
The ground shook violently again, a massive explosion rocking the shores as Ekhut¡¯s piercing scream rang out louder now. He moved to step past the guy, his heart thumping wildly.
[Wait, wait.] the guy said, grabbing him. [Come, quick.]
¡°What?¡±
[This way. Aleka¡¯s organising things. We might be able to use you]
The guy pulled him forward, and Caleb followed before emerging into an area half cordoned off by rock. The girl in golden armour stood on the raised rock platform, her magic working overtime as her eyes darted around, looking over the battlefield.
[Aleka!] the boy leading him along called out. She glanced back. [This guy¡¯s practically completely resistant to the delete attack. He¡¯s gotta be strong.]
The girl nodded, then pointed at a group of others in the corner before looking back to the battlefield.
The guy directed him forward to a group of others, all with potent magical presence, then ran off.
[Who¡¯re you?] the closest girl said, her magical signature strangely fluid.
¡°Caleb¡± he said back.
[As in Souza?]
He nodded.
¡°Damn¡± the boy said. ¡°We might actually be able to do this.¡±
[I¡¯m Iris] the girl replied.
¡°Elliot¡± the guy replied.
¡°Avana¡± the last girl replied.
Suddenly the girl a top the raised platform turned to them, leaning down.
¡°Quick. What¡¯re your levels?¡± she said.
[Four] Iris said.
¡°Three¡± Elliot replied.
¡°Three¡± Avana said.
¡°Four¡± Caleb added as they looked to him.
¡°Then you four are probably the strongest among us¡± she said. ¡°We need you all hit it once. I- what can you do?¡±
[I can do whatever these guys can. But only two at a time.] Iris said.
¡°I can multiply my strength¡± Avana said. ¡°Right now, only by fifty times at my strongest.¡±
They turned to him.
¡°I can charge with energy. Hit it hard.¡± Caleb said. ¡°If I need to, I think I can hit it hard enough to kill it in one shot.¡±
[And if you can¡¯t kill it in one shot?] Iris said.
¡°I can hit again¡± Caleb said.
¡°And you?¡± Aleka said, looking to Elliot.
¡°I can summon the Brightbringer. It¡¯s powerful. A magical blade. But for a full attack¡ I can only do it once, then I¡¯m spent for the day. And it¡¯s iffy. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll even be allowed to use the full power, or if I can even hold it for more than three seconds¡± he said, before looking to Iris. ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t think you can copy it. Sorry.¡±
[I¡¯ll take Avana and Caleb¡¯s then] Iris said.
¡°Alright, here¡¯s the plan¡± Aleka muttered as the ground rumbled. ¡°We¡¯ll get each of you someone that can fly, and someone with a barrier. You¡¯ll fly in and strike from above, while everyone distracts it from the ground. Is that¡ alright?¡±
[Yeah] Iris said firm.
¡°Alright¡± Caleb mumbled, his heart thumping hard. This was it. This was their big attack.
¡°I¡ well I can¡¯t really say no¡± Elliot said, forcing a chuckle. Aleka¡¯s face darkened slightly as she fell into herself. ¡°Don¡¯t feel guilty. It makes sense. If we die¡ it won¡¯t be you fault¡±
[We¡¯re not gonna die] Iris said. [Now quick. Call the people we need.]
Aleka turned away in an instant, her mana sharpening as her telepathy washed out over everyone. In a moment a flier touched down followed by four more.
¡°We only need four¡± Aleka said. ¡°You. Grab those guys with barriers. They¡¯re hiding behind that tree.¡±
¡°I- alright¡± the girl said flying off.
[What¡¯s going on?]
¡°We can take it down.¡±
[They can?! What¡¯re they waiting for?!]
¡°They need you to fly them over there¡±
The faces of the fliers paled.
[W-what about the storm that deletes things?]
¡°We¡¯re bringing barriers¡± Elliot said. ¡°They only need to hold long enough for us to attack¡±
¡°Yeah. It¡¯ll be fine¡± Avana said, unconvincingly.
[If you don¡¯t want to do it, go get someone that will. There¡¯s no point wasting time.]
[S-sorry. I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll do it.]
Suddenly one of the fliers came back, two more in her grip.
¡°Barrier skills¡± she said, setting them down before flying off. The two newcomers looked confused a moment, before a few more rushed up the stairs.
¡°Can all your barriers hold against the monster¡¯s big attack?¡±
They all nodded.
¡°Alright¡± Aleka said, ¡°We¡¯ve got enough. You guys together, you guys to together, and split you guys down the middle.¡±
[What¡¯s going on?] one of the barrier people said.
¡°You¡¯re going to fly over to that thing and these guys are going to take it out¡±
[What?!]
[Just do it!] Iris growled. [Everyone¡¯s lives are on the line!]
[I- ok]
¡°Quick, groups¡± Aleka said, looking off into the distance as Ekhut roared again.
Caleb moved into his group, a guy flier stepping over and girl barrier user.
[Heh. Nice crown] the guy said.
¡°Huh? Oh, right. Thanks¡± he muttered, unsure how it was still fixed to his head. ¡°Uh¡ what¡¯re your names?¡±
[George] the boy said.
[Nadija] the girl replied.
¡°What¡¯ve you got?¡±
[Telekinesis] George said. [I¡¯m a bit spent, but hey, if we fall the barrier will break the fall, right?]
Nadija didn¡¯t respond.
[B-bad joke] he mumbled. [ I can do it. Uh¡ what¡¯ve you got?]
[I¡¯ve got Repel Construct. It can form a strong barrier, but- I don¡¯t know if it can break a fall from that height] Nadija said.
[It¡¯s only water] George replied.
[Isn¡¯t that worse that high?]
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡± Caleb said, feeling his desperation start to grow. ¡°It¡¯s- we¡¯ll be ok. Alright? Let¡¯s go.¡±
[Uh- do I carry you both?]
[It¡¯ll be easier to just move the barrier.]
[Right. Let¡¯s-]
¡°Wait¡± Aleka said. ¡°Let¡¯s get someone to enchant you guys.¡±
[We don¡¯t have time] Iris said.
¡°Just- just in case¡± Aleka said, tapping her foot nervously, as she looked back over the battfield. She pressed a hand to her temple as Caleb and the others all looked back to Ekhut as it struck at a new formed wall of barriers and shields, cleaving through some as sparks of mana flew about.
We¡¯re co-ordinating properly, he thought, hope rushing through him.
[Frontier 3 ¨C Battle of Sydney has ended]
[Selected of Z1-E94-C Win]
[Key players]
-
Dayita Chaudhari
Sadhika Jayaraman
Maleah Arellano
Krishna Parikh
-
Caleb looked to the message then to the others, seeing the hope grow in their faces.
Then people were rushing up the steps, making their way onto the platform.
¡°Enchanters! Quick!¡± Aleka said. ¡°These weapons! Quickly! Charge them up with everything you¡¯ve got left.¡±
¡°Wait¡± Caleb said, pulling his blacksteel blade from it¡¯s sheath. ¡°This sword is good. Someone take it.¡±
Iris took it from him and nodded, before turning to her enchanter.
Caleb turned to his and held out the soulsteel blade to her. She raised her hands, preparing her magic on it when he realised what he was doing.
¡°I- wait, can you do it to my fist?¡± he asked.
¡°No. Only non-living things¡±
Caleb cursed.
¡°Can you- is there another way?¡±
But it was too late. She was already holding the blade in her hand, whispering to herself as mana flowed around it, glowing runes appearing on the blade.
¡°I¡¯ve enchanted it¡± she said. ¡°Your next attack will carry the strength multiplied by twenty.¡±
¡°A-alright.¡±
He looked down to the blade, and then a circular barrier formed around him. Before he knew it he was being lifted off the ground, as George moved them forward, his expression focused. He glanced back, watching as the other three took to the air as well, flying behind them.
We¡¯ll attack as a distraction. Tell me when you want us to fire, Aleka said in his head.
Got it, he thought back.
His heart thumped hard, and he looked forward to Ekhut. They were going to fast. He looked down to his blade and clenched his fist around it tighter. A twenty times strength boost? He couldn¡¯t waste that. He had to use the sword.
What had Daen said to him? Just latch onto it? Latch onto what? In his body it was different, there was power there before. Like an echo of himself he could reinforce. But in the blade there wasn¡¯t anything. How could you latch onto nothing?
Suddenly his eyes widened, an understanding coming to him. He wasn¡¯t supposed to latch onto nothing, he was supposed to focus on the space and fill it with his power. The same way he could fill the space he inhabited with his presence and power he was supposed fill the nothingness. He was supposed to connect with the artifact, not it¡¯s magic. It made sense now.
He closed his eyes focusing on his blade as heat rippled out from him and into the weapon. He felt it flow into the material, and hold, the weapon carrying his power like no other. Slowly he let the heat fade. Ekhut had been drawn to it for some reason. It¡¯d be best to wait, then use his magic. On the enchantment and on the sword. He opened his eyes again, thumbing the hilt of his blade. Before breathing deeply.
They were high now, and ahead Ekhut raged, blasting the surroundings with pure destruction, various barriers erected on the front line. He looked around at their own barrier as the rippling power washed over it, then over to the others. The shields were holding, but the power was picking up. They continued flying forward faster, when suddenly the outer shell began to crack.
[I can¡¯t hold much longer!] Nadija shouted.
[Shit!] George shouted, their flight shaking as the storm of power became more violent.
Aleka! The guys on the ground need to fire!
Instantly a huge explosion rocked Ekhut, a barrage of lasers, blasts and mana missiles striking him from the other side of the island. The barrage shook the air, reverberating their barrier as the beast roared, stumbling back. Its skill disappeared instantly, and it roared clawing at the deep wounds across its front. The massive attack had caught it off guard.
Suddenly Avana leapt forward out of her barrier, falling out of the sky her glaive raised. Caleb felt her mana build and then she struck the beast. The blow was deafening, even through the silencing of the barrier. Caleb watched as windows in the city beyond shattered and the water in the Hudson buckled under the force of the blow. Ekhut flew back, roaring as blood spurted outwards from the gash that cut through its neck and down into its body. But it didn¡¯t fall, instead screeching it¡¯s loudest as it grabbed at the wound.
¡°Quick!¡± Caleb shouted. ¡°Catch up! Quick!¡±
[I¡¯m trying!] George shouted back.
They flew forwards faster, but one of the other barriers shot past them flying forwards ridiculously fast. The barrier disappeared suddenly, and Elliot fell from the sky, a huge glowing sword of light in his hand. Ekhut roared, a loud piercing whistle cutting through the air and then white engulfed everything. Caleb cursed looking away. The world was silent for a moment, only the sound of Caleb¡¯s breathing audible before the shockwave rocked the barrier, the three of them screaming as they spun wildly.
As they stabilised, George cursing, Caleb looked forward. A huge plume of water rose into the air, a mini mushroom cloud of steam. Caleb swore, watching as Governor¡¯s Island was engulfed by the water and steam. But despite the size of the explosion, within the steam, Ekhut¡¯s piercing whistle rang out.
[Holy shit] Nadija said. [How was that not enough?]
Caleb cursed. They weren¡¯t co-ordinated enough. They should¡¯ve struck all at the same time.
He looked back to the mushroom cloud.
If we had, there might not be a Brooklyn anymore.
¡°C-come around from the back¡± Caleb said. ¡°If we knock it back further then-¡±
[Got it] George said. The trio shot forwards faster, as they rose, curving around the mushroom cloud of steam.
Suddenly a huge blast of power rocked out from the steam, the air around it rippling with Ekhut¡¯s attack.
[Shit!] Nadija shouted, as George screamed. Caleb gripped the hilt tighter, trying to refuse his shaking hands.
[We need to turn around!] George said. [I can¡¯t hold on much longer!]
He glanced behind, seeing that Iris¡¯ barrier had slowed to a stop, hanging in mid-air. If Iris¡¯ team wasn¡¯t going ahead that meant they were wasting this opportunity. This was there chance. Maybe there only chance. He had to keep going.
¡°No! Go!¡± Caleb shouted. ¡°Throw us if you need to!¡±
He gripped the sword tighter, readying himself as the barrier shot forward, uncontrolled now, George straining as blood seeped from his nose. It was nearly time. The moment of truth.
But he could feel it. Despite everything it wasn¡¯t enough. It wasn¡¯t going to be enough.
Caleb cursed, closing his eyes as he tried to tune out the sounds of Ekhut¡¯s storm and quell his shaking. He breathed deeply, still shaking, and pressed his forehead to the flat of his blade.
¡°Dammit. What use is a record in the face of something like this?¡± he muttered.
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 6
Title: Golden Hand
-
Primary skill: Mana Soul Core
-
Trait: Mana awareness
-
Speed ¨C 1.18
Strength ¨C 1.15
Stamina ¨C 2.04
Constitution ¨C 0.62
Mana - 8
Finesse ¨C 1.12
-
Free stat points: 6
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 7.]
Huh?
He started at the page for a moment before cringing. He had to be the stupidest fucking person on the planet. A life-or-death scenario and he¡¯d so lost in his own despair he¡¯d forgotten about the stat points he¡¯d gained from beating Arithorson and completing the first phase. He would¡¯ve slapped himself if he¡¯d had the time, but there were more pressing things to focus on than punishment.
What did he need right now? What did everyone need from him?
Power, he thought, as much power as I can give.
He dumped the stat points all into mana, feeling a new strength flood his magical body. Without hesitation he let the newfound strength pour into the blade, it¡¯s runes and his body. The blade glowed brightly, taking on the true essence of the golden yellow energy within his core as the space around him darkened, and he grew in prominence.
¡°I¡¯m ready¡± Caleb muttered to himself. He turned to the others as Ekhut screeched, the storm raging harder. ¡°Nadija! Can you drop just me?!¡± he shouted over the wild crackling power of the beast below.
[What?!]
¡°Can drop me? Just me!¡±
[But-]
¡°It¡¯s ok! I¡¯ll be ok!¡±
Nadija looked to George who nodded. Suddenly another barrier formed within the first and then, Caleb was falling.
He cried out, feeling the pressure of the storm was over him as he fell, flailing for a moment before he regained control of himself. Then he fell into the steam, Ekhut¡¯s piercing whistle cutting through the air as purple strands of lighting narrowly missed him. A claw cut through the air too even closer and he continued falling, before the storm suddenly disappeared. He felt Ekhut¡¯s mana build up all around as his eyes widened.
Pure power struck him, enough to send. But he pressed against it, letting more of the heat fill his body to fight Ekhut¡¯s darkness. He continued to fall, crying out before finally Ekut¡¯s mana failed, exhausted.
His body smoked, as he fell the steam scalding him as his mind threatened to slip into unconscious again.
But he fought it back. He could fall unconscious later.
Right now, he had to give everything he got.
He focused on his blade, on pouring power into it, and the magic of the runes that covered it. They glowed brightly, the space around warping as the power within the blade growing and growing until he was met with Ekhut¡¯s red and hateful eyes from below.
With as much power as he could muster, he sliced downwards.
His blade cut cleanly through Ekhut¡¯s eye, slicing part of its body clean off as a shockwave carried his will forward. Then he slammed into the creature as it screamed bloody murder, tentacle appendages instantly going to the grievous wound as Caleb continued downwards cutting until his sword finally dislodged. He continued to fall, before crashing into Ekhut. He skidded across the creatures¡¯ smooth oily skin, cursing as he tumbled struggling for purchase.
He¡¯d expected an explosion, but the power was still all contained in the blade, radiating through it. His eyes widened and he cut at Ekhut as he fell, slicing at appendages as the shockwaves of mana and force were carried forward by his sword. Ekhut screamed more, then moved fast. But Caleb grabbed a hold of him, digging his fingers into the beast rock hard skin.
But a claw and slammed into him, sending him careening through the air. He cursed and stabbed the glowing blade back into Ekhut to slow his fall. But the beast continued to move, unwilling to fall despite its injuries.
And suddenly they were out of the steam. He glanced back as Ekhut ran, the wind pressing against him and as his eyes widened. The monster had just stepped off the Eastern shore of Governor¡¯s Island.
It was heading for Brooklyn. Caleb looked up to the beast gritting his teeth in determination. With a final roar, he filled his blade with as much power he could, the steel glowing bright enough to darken even Ekhut¡¯s skin. He felt the steel reach its limits, his arm burning with his own heat, and then he stabbed it into the creature and released his power.
Everything went white, the heat of his soul¡¯s fire washing over him and he flew downwards, the deafening shockwave reverberating through the bones of his left hand. He cried out, as he flailed, trying to right himself. Then he smacked the water, hard. The wind was knocked from him, and he was thrown like a ragdoll as the twisting currents of the water pushed and pulled at him.
He fought for stability, and eventually the water fell still. He lay there, silent in the darkness of the water as he stared to the sky beyond as the light finally faded.
Jesus, he muttered. No wonder Sierra thought I could beat that thing.
Slowly he swam upwards, pulling himself to the surface as he took a grateful breath. It was silent for a moment as he looked around confused. Then he heard Ekhut¡¯s piercing roar above. He looked watching as Ekhut fell back towards the water, a magical barrage of lasers blasting it before it crashed to water in front of Liberty hard.
He watched waiting for some kind of win message to appear. But none came, his hope turning to despair.
Then Iris fell out of the air, and the air glowed red. He recognised his own power, or something akin to it but weaker, fuelled by a lesser source, something only imitating a core. But then with a sudden flourish of magic, another power bolstered it, replicating what he¡¯d felt from Avana. The power, far more than anything he could¡¯ve hope to achieve descended, the red of Iris¡¯ soul mana illuminated the entirety of New York, as she fell out of the air. And as Ekhut emerged from the water, the blacksteel blade struck its mark.
A bright flash of red washed over everything, and Caleb briefly shielded his eyes.
[Congratulations]
[You aided in defeating the named monster Ekhut Destroyer of worlds]
[You have levelled up]
[Battle at Frontier 5 has ended]
[Selected of Z1-E94-C Win]
[Key players]
-
Avana Hoyt
Elliott McCormick
Caleb Souza
Iris Christison
Aleka Biros
-
[Battle of Dominion for Z1-E94-C has ended]
[Seven Sins Salar vs Selected of Z1-E94-C]
[0 - 4]
[Selected of Z1-E94-C victory by default]
[Akashic Victory]
[Phase 2 has ended]
[You have levelled up]
[Earth (Z1-E94-C) has earned War Right]
[Earth (Z1-E94-C) has received a position on the Akashic Council]
[Trial Complete]
[Congratulations]
Caleb hung his head back, staring to the sky again as he slowly treaded water. He closed his eyes, anxiety ebbing away as relief took hold.
It was over. It was finally over.
Chapter Forty Three - Heavy is the Head
Caleb remained treading in the water a while. It wasn¡¯t silent, the sound of sirens in the distance, helicopters and military jets flying overhead almost deafening. But in between the sounds he found a quiet peace. A comfort in his own relief. As the water washed over him, soothing the burns on his skin, he breathed in and out.
In a strange way it reminded him of that beach, once again. He closed his eyes, basking in it. He¡¯d forgotten what it was like to have hope like this. To feel suddenly opportunities for the future instead of dread and despair.
But slowly his thoughts drifted away from the hope, returning to his friends. With an effort he pulled his head upwards from the water, looking forward to Liberty Island, as helicopters circled it from overhead. Without a second though he moved to swim forward, but his arms flopped splashing uselessly as he tried to lift his limbs beyond the water, instantly gasping.
The relief had distracted him from the effort of simply treading, but now as it faded it was obvious. He was far too tired
¡°Crap¡± he gasped, his body suddenly heavy.
What a stupid way to die this would be, he thought. I hope the others don¡¯t drown too. They deserve to live.
He winced at the iciness of the water on his exposed burns as he kicked, half desperate now to stay above the water. He could hear more and more sirens, more and the beating of propellers louder and louder as more jets soared above.
Stars as flit across his vision as he breathed harder feeling the tug of water beneath his feet. Slowly his desperation grew as he kicked at the water, thrashing around now.
¡°H-help¡± he wheezed uselessly, closing his eyes. ¡°Somebody h-help.¡±
Then he felt it. Magic from above. Warm hands pulled him from the water, lifting him into the air. A light force ¨C fuelled by magic ¨C pressed against his body, lifting him. He recognised it.
¡°Layla?¡± he said.
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± she replied.
¡°Are the others-¡±
¡°They¡¯re ok. They¡¯re all ok.¡±
He nodded, his shoulders sagging as they slowly dipped back towards the broken shores of Liberty. He looked over the island, seeing the chaos, and hurt, the still smoking remnants of the statue of Liberty, but also the relief. All throughout the island the people left were hugging each other, celebrating the victory or at least the end of the battle. Still just as others cradled loved ones, the number of dead far outnumbering the living.
And from above helicopters descending landing in spots cleared of bodies and water by those below, before soldiers emerged, making for the injured in the mess of kids and corpses. Caleb and Layla descended out of the sky, slowing before they finally landed amongst the others who¡¯d helped slay the beast.
His feet met the floor and he slumped, instantly, half falling out of Layla¡¯s grasp as He slumped to the floor breathing heavily. He¡¯d never been so tired in his life.
¡°You alright?¡± a voice asked him.
¡°Yeah¡± he mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m- yeah.¡±
Slowly Caleb sat up, looking to the others. Avana sat still, breathing heavily as some kind of healer attempted to mend her very broken legs with what little reserves they still had. Then his eyes moved to Elliot, who sat with a t-shirt wrapped around the now burned stump on his right arm, and finally to Iris, who lay on the ground, holding the massive bruise that covered the left side of her body.
¡°We did it¡± Elliot said before wincing ¡°We fucking did it.¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb said, unable to hide his smile, ¡°We did.¡±
He looked around, to the soldiers as more helicopters landed, medics rushing around as Aleka stood on the platform still directing the healers. Then there was a sudden rush of air and Sierra was hugging him tightly.
¡°Ow¡± he said, wincing. ¡°Ow.¡±
¡°Sorry, I- sorry¡± she muttered pulling away. They looked over quickly, Caleb noticing Sierra¡¯s cuts and Sierra noticing Caleb¡¯s burns, both equally concerned.
¡°You¡¯re injured¡± he said.
¡°It¡¯s fine. Harrison healed the worst of it¡± she said, before reaching tenderly for his damaged skin. ¡°A-are you ok?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine¡±, he said, looking to the lightning like burn scars that ran along his body.
¡°I¡¯ll get Harrison¡± she said.
[Get another healer as well] Iris muttered, her breaths still shallow. [Feels like I¡¯m dying over here]
Sierra nodded, before speeding off. Caleb watched her blur vanish amongst the mess of others atop the museum roof, then looked again to all the helicopters circling above. Most were military, but some of them looked like news helicopters.
¡°Cool, right?¡± Elliot said.
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb replied. ¡°It¡¯s like a movie.¡±
¡°Seriously¡± the teen laughed. ¡°This is like the biggest thing that¡¯s ever happened. I mean we¡¯re probably going to be seriously famous now¡±
[Oh god. Don¡¯t say that] Iris muttered. Caleb chuckled, before a swirl of mana suddenly appeared in front of him.
-
Second Phase Statistics
1,696 survived the Second Phase
Of the 76,961 (97.84%) that died during the second phase, 75,894 were killed by The Sevens Sin Salaar
and 1067 were killed by players.
-
[The Chainic Foundations were agreed to by Earth¡¯s representatives]
[Thank you for accepting the Chanic Foundations]
[This agreement has been sent to all selected of Earth and is accessible via your record]
[Unfortunately, the official terms of your War Right and Council Membership are still being negotiated by your representatives]
[We must wait until the terms have finalised before taking any Council affiliated action, aid or service to your planet]
[We thank you for your patience]
Caleb stared at the stats his heart sinking. They''d won, but they''d paid a heavy price.
¡°Uh¡ so what does that mean?¡± Elliot said. Caleb frowned, then quickly re-read the message.
Representatives. Were those the people who¡¯d visited him, the ones the others had talked about?
What exactly did they agreed to?
He didn''t know. And he definitely didn¡¯t have the brain power to think about it all right now.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°No clue" he said, resting against the broken log of a tree. "We¡¯re just as lost as you.¡±
¡°Right¡± Elliot said, looking down to his stump, then up at the helicopters clearly unnerved. ¡°Uh¡ so what now? Is it just over? Or is there stuff we find out about this war right and stuff?¡±
[Who knows?] Iris muttered. [Who know?]
¡°Home¡± Avana muttered, through her pain. ¡°Now we get to go home.¡±
-
Akyren (A2-C1-C)
Yun Evryd Dys
House of Council
Palace of Earth
One Hour after the Battle for Earth
Samuel¡¯s head was starting to hurt.
He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever read this much in his life, let alone in the span of twenty minutes. And he definitely didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever be under this much pressure. It seemed so obvious though. When the messages had started getting more frequent, and he and the others had been whisked off into space, questioned and then, revered for their "discovery".
He really should¡¯ve realised just how much power he''d had, when they¡¯d offered them a planet. Each. It probably would¡¯ve been clearer if he''d taken the time to learn the context in more depth. But that time had passed now. If''s were only for idiots and those living in the past.
¡°Idiots¡± Divine muttered. ¡°I mean- come on! Who the hell wants to fight more?¡±
Us, Samuel thought, staring at all the data in front of him.
¡°Don¡¯t call them idiots¡± Nigel said. ¡°They fought well, and this is great for Earth. It was a good decision.¡±
¡°A good decision. I don¡¯t think it was exactly a collective effort. Half the people got blindsided by the idiots. They were lucky to come out alive. The number that did at least.¡±
¡°They still fought well.¡±
¡°Like that fucking matters.¡±
¡°Of course it matters, Earth would¡¯ve fallen if they hadn¡¯t.¡±
¡°They shouldn¡¯t have risked it in the first place. They had no fucking idea what they were going up against!¡±
¡°Yeah, but they won anyway. See, this is why I said you wouldn¡¯t have been able to hack it in the trial. You¡¯re way to conservative and all you do is complain abo-¡±
¡°Fuck you! You¡¯re the one who nearly killed us by backtalking to the fucking Empresses.¡±
¡°Fuck off! And that has literally nothing to do with anything¡±
¡°Sure¡± Divine muttered. ¡°All I do is complain? Fuck you¡±
¡°I mean am I wrong? You forget what happened when we visited the Waste? I bet we¡¯d be able to make a deal with Hallon if you¡¯d just kept your mouth shut¡±
¡°Really?!¡± Divine said enraged. ¡°You¡¯re bringing that up now?!¡±
¡°What?! You started it!¡±
Samuel felt the magical energy of the room build to a crescendo, in tandem with his anger.
¡°Stop!¡± Samuel roared. ¡°I- Can you two stop?! I can¡¯t hear myself think!¡±
¡°S-sorry¡± Nigel mumbled.
¡°I mean- now? You¡¯re seriously arguing now?¡±
¡°Yeah, sorry¡± Divine said, sitting down as her mana died down. The room was silent again as Samuel continued to think. He hated this. This uncertainty, and the weight of knowing billions of lives rested in the palm of his hand. He was deciding the fate of the Earth here. And there weren¡¯t any good options. But what scared him the most wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t make up his mind, it was the fact that he already had.
There has to be another way, he thought. There has to be.
And if there was, he¡¯d have to find it. The other two couldn¡¯t be trusted to take this seriously. He clicked on another of the agreements and offers made by the systems and other planets within the federation, skimming over the words as he sighed.
He should¡¯ve spent more time learning. Journeying through the federation had just been fun, but now he¡¯d gotten to the stuff that mattered, the reason he¡¯d been given so much wealth and freedom and he wasn¡¯t prepared. He doubted anyone could be prepared for this responsibility, but there were definitely ways to be better prepared than he was now.
¡°Sam I- look I know you want to think things through properly, but we can¡¯t keep stalling¡± Divine said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to sign a set of terms eventually.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you think I know that?!¡± Samuel said angrily.
¡°Don¡¯t fucking shout at me.¡±
¡°I- sorry. Sorry¡± he said. Divine glared at him and he sighed, bringing his hand to his face. There wasn''t another way. There was no point stalling anymore.
¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll get started with option fifty-two then. It¡¯s the best one¡±
¡°W-what?¡± Nigel sputtered. ¡°B-but-¡±
¡°It¡¯s the right one¡±
¡°I- I don¡¯t- I-¡±
¡°If you¡¯ve got something to say, spit it out¡± Samuel said annoyed.
¡°Are you serious?¡± Nigel said. ¡°It¡¯s- we¡¯ll become a fucking work camp. It¡¯s basically slavery. It¡¯s- I¡¯ve got the right one, right?¡±
Samuel kissed his teeth. Now, out of all times was when Nigel was choosing to disagree with him.
What great luck.
¡°Not if we have individuals bear the weight of the burdens¡± Samuel muttered, rubbing at his eyes as he yawned
¡°You want to sell them out to the fucking orders? Now?¡± Nigel said astounded. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s crazy right? That¡¯s usually that¡¯s third generation at least.¡±
¡°There¡¯s already interest¡±
¡°Don¡¯t say that. Caleb¡¯s not a commodity¡±
¡°In this, everything is, even us.¡±
¡°I- Divine help me out here. I mean this insane right?¡± Nigel said. Divine glanced between the two, uncharacteristically silent. ¡°Uh- hello? Come on I know he¡¯s smart bu-¡±
¡°Nigel if we do it right, we can make Earth a hub of trade, growth, and invaluable in the war. An indispensable part of the Federation. We¡¯ve already got the infrastructure for tech so we can lessen the burden by and focusing on magical development. We build up favour, and slowly take control of the hybrid tech market and we could be the strongest planet in the Federation. I mean, think about the position our discovery gives us. Sure, we rejected it at first, but we might even be able to reconvince Yuniea to expand our dominion¡±
¡°Oh my god¡± Nigel muttered. ¡°This is about power isn¡¯t it? You want to control a planet. You want to be a fucking god emperor or something to people outside the federation¡±
¡°No¡± Samuel said through gritted teeth. ¡°This is about our own survival. Earth¡¯s. If we each take control of a planet in the solar system, develop terraforming tech, maybe even figure out how to make some sci-fi shit real with the hybrid tech we could literally become the strongest planet there is. I mean we¡¯ve seen how many years behind everyone else is, the lack of growth or expansion because of the church¡¯s power and focus on the war. We don¡¯t need the church. I mean they already think we¡¯re divine and all that other bullshit If we take something else, a shittier deal, then Etimos could gather enough favour and do all this.¡±
¡°That would take too long.¡±
¡°The wars not ending any time soon, and once they get their hands on the higher secrets no one would be able to stop them. I- come on, do you want fucking corporations running the universe? This is it. We can do this.¡±
¡°So what? You want to take control of the Federation¡± Nigel said, astounded.
¡°Eventually¡±
¡°Why?¡± Divine said suddenly.
¡°Because nobody¡¯s ever going to win the war at this rate. I mean you saw things. It¡¯s not- the culture been stuck in its ways for too long. But we can shake it up. We¡¯re in the perfect position to change things. Given our standing, the prophecy with Caleb, and our tech we can become a superpower, build up and then ask Yuniea to maybe consider change things up.¡±
He saw the realisation come to Divine¡¯s face.
¡°You want her to make everyone powerful¡± she said. ¡°Give everyone under her dominion a record?¡±
¡°I mean not exactly, but yeah. Maybe it¡¯s how we win the war? Instead of one super powerful being we have hundreds of slightly weaker ones, supported by billions of super humans.¡±
¡°And if it goes wrong, you shackle us with a burden we can¡¯t withstand and enslave humanity in a dying system in a forever war¡± Nigel muttered shaking his head. ¡°Right, I¡¯m just being silly. It¡¯s no biggie.¡±
¡°He¡¯s right Nigel¡± Divine said.
¡°What?!¡±
¡°I mean¡ if we do this, we can end things. I don¡¯t want my grandkids or their grandkids, or any of my descendants to have to fight in a war like this¡±
¡°But it won¡¯t be your grandkids or descendants! It won¡¯t be any of our descendants!!¡± Nigel shouted. ¡°It¡¯ll the descendants of the people back home right now. People who don¡¯t get a say in any of this!¡±
¡°W-we could use the favour we build to change the agreement without the council¡¯s permission anyway¡± Divine stuttered.
¡°That could take literally hundreds of years.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll still be around¡± Samuel said.
¡°And lots of other people won¡¯t be!¡± Nigel said the desperation in his voice clear. ¡°I mean we¡¯d be enslaving maybe five, six generations of people to an agreement they for what? A maybe at ending a war that a literal child of God or whatever couldn¡¯t.¡±
¡°And what if they¡¯re right about Caleb?¡± Samuel said.
Nigel kissed his teeth, pulling his chair back from the table.
¡°Nigel I¡¯m serious.¡±
¡°So, let me get this right. One second the religion is bullshit and the next their prophesised chosen one is real? Oh wow. Real convenient¡±
¡°Nigel, what if they¡¯re right? What if I¡¯m wrong and this religion and divinity stuff is actually real?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not.¡±
¡°What if it is?¡±
¡°I-it¡¯s not!¡±
¡°Just¡ just humour me¡±
¡°I- well- I don¡¯t know. Then we do this, put Caleb out there under the Yildar, and while you pull all your shenanigans the war ends and none of the burdens matter anymore anyway. But who know how long that could be till. It could be now, it could be a hundred years from now. It could be ten thousand years from now. There¡¯s no way to know.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the point¡± Divine said. ¡°The longer it goes on for then the stronger we become?¡±
¡°And if it¡¯s not successful.¡±
¡°Then Caleb frees us anyway¡± Samuel said, leaning back in his chair.
¡°And if Caleb¡¯s not the one?¡±
¡°Someone else will eventually.¡±
¡°And if the religion is bullshit?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll get enough favour eventually to break readjust the arrangement.¡±
¡°Yeah. In a million fucking years.¡±
¡°The reward outweighs the risk¡±
¡°I- even if it does do you not see the flaw in this plan?¡± Nigel said. ¡°I mean, what if we die before it ends? If the plan does work, then we¡¯ve built a system to end the war that literally only benefits from the war continuing and everyone staying starry eyed and stagnant to Yuniea?! I- don¡¯t you see how that could go wrong?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the best option¡± Samuel said.
¡°For who?¡±
Samuel clenched his jaw, glancing to Diivne.
¡°I-I don¡¯t want to agree with him but he¡¯s right¡± Divine said. ¡°It¡¯s the best option.¡±
¡°For who?!¡± Nigel said, throwing up his hands.
¡°Humanity.¡± Divine said. ¡°Everyone.¡±
Nigel let loose a laugh,
¡°You can¡¯t even be honest with me¡± Nigel said. ¡°I- look at you. You can¡¯t even be honest with yourself. I know what Sam wants but you? I thought you were better than this.¡±
¡°Fuck off. It¡¯s the right thing for everyone.¡± Divine repeated, more for herself than Nigel.
¡°No,¡± Nigel said. ¡°It¡¯s the right thing for you. Cause whatever way this goes, it¡¯ll be fine for us and our families.¡±
¡°Nigel it¡¯s the righ-¡±
¡°Save it Divine¡± Nigel said, styanding suddenly. ¡°You¡¯re not going to convince me. You don¡¯t need my vote anyway. Go on, enslave humanity for¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what we¡¯re doing!¡± Divine shouted.
¡°It is¡± Nigel replied, solemn.
¡°It¡¯s not! I- quit acting like we have a better option!¡± Divine shouted. But Nigel wasn¡¯t listening anymore, walking towards the door. ¡°Nigel! Nigel!¡±
The door closed with a soft thud.
¡°Leave him Divine¡± Samuel said, looking over the data again. ¡°We need to get started on signing stuff.¡±
His cousin stared back at him silently, then spared a quick glance to the door.
¡°I- alright.¡±
Chapter Forty Four - Sacrifice
Fort Hamilton was a lot smaller than Caleb had expected. At least the mess hall was. Or maybe it was just all the rowdy kids filling the space, laughing, sleeping, talking or just sitting quietly like he was. He didn¡¯t know.
Still, it¡¯d looked pretty big from above.
He yawned, trying to ignore the last dregs of tiredness as he shifted in his seat. He sat next to Sierra who snored against his shoulder, Harrison shivering opposite them clutching the foil blanket he¡¯d wrapped around himself tightly. Ria sat staring out of the window a few feet away, talking quietly with a few others, and Aliyah was gone, already doing rounds at the nearby hospital with the healer volunteers, despite injuries she¡¯d sustained herself.
Caleb glanced around as the last of the chosen were led inside by a few soldiers, their eyes searching desperately for friends amongst all the rest. He looked away quickly back to the floor. They¡¯d been brought over in groups by helicopter, the more injured and healers taken to the hospital first, then the rest, brought here.
By that time Caleb the gravity of the situation had started to weigh on him. The last flashes of relief had given way to an anxiety as more and more helicopters had appeared in the sky. News helicopters that¡¯d recorded him and the chaos all the others had been subject to, or even caused themselves from every angle, distance, and detail. He¡¯d been glad when it¡¯d been his turn to get scooped up by the military. But as they¡¯d flown up, he¡¯d been reminded again of the destruction. Seeing all the bodies from above, of the still steaming statue of Liberty and the churning waters of the Hudson, it¡¯d neutered any trace of joy.
And when they¡¯d flown beyond, his heart had grown even colder. Seeing the chaos below, the ambulances, police cars, blockades. The buildings and their windows ¨C shattered, and the people, herded down the streets in orderly fashion by armed soldiers, trucks and tanks as sirens echoed through the entire city. Brooklyn had been in disarray, and that was even after they¡¯d tried to minimise things.
He couldn¡¯t help but consider the worst-case scenario. What if that monster had beaten them? What if Ekhut had won?
He shook his head as if to dismiss the thought. That was something he really didn¡¯t want to think about.
The memory of the flight slowly faded, his mind emptying before he looked back to the chosen in the surrounding hall. There couldn¡¯t be more than two hundred people in here. Mostly kids, teens a little older or younger than him, though some adults too. It¡¯d seemed like so many in the heat of battle, in all that chaos on the museum roof. But it wasn¡¯t. From the small whispers of conversation he¡¯d picked up, the entire island had been packed with people and by the end, it¡¯d been easy to stand without touching anyone. And yet corpses had been everywhere, dragged around by the water.
They¡¯ll probably take days to find all the bodies, he thought.
It made him feel sick. The whole thing did. It was almost a cruel joke. Thousands brought back to their home after being forced into weeks of torture and survival, just to die moments before their freedom was returned. Caleb clenched his fist slightly, feeling the tightness in his newly healed skin. He wanted to do something about it. Fix it. But he couldn¡¯t bring others back from the dead. And he knew he certainly couldn¡¯t bargain with the system.
At the very least he hadn¡¯t lost anyone. Not here.
His fist unclenched almost on its own, the sudden burst of tension released from his body. He stared at the floor for a few seconds, glad to have Sierra¡¯s head on his shoulder. Even though he was still wet, tired, and mentally exhausted there was a sense of calm in the moment. The same relief that he¡¯d had at sea.
The worst-case scenario hadn¡¯t happened. Sure, it¡¯d come at a cost, a great sacrifice but everyone had banded together, and they¡¯d overcome. He looked to the rest of the hall once again, almost enamoured by the sudden sense of community he felt.
But with it came a sense of foreboding.
But there¡¯s more after this isn¡¯t there. The stuff with Daen, and whatever happened in that tunnel, he thought. I still don¡¯t know how any of this works.
Suddenly he paused, his thoughts bringing with them a horrible realisation. One he knew no one except he and Ria probably grasped. They we¡¯re important now. All of the chosen. And not just here, but to the universe. To the war. They¡¯d have to fight again. And that meant-
We might not be home much longer.
He suddenly wanted to call his sister. Hear her childish laughter and petty insults before she was ripped away from him again. He even wanted to speak to Casey, to apologise for disappearing so abruptly, especially on the day he had.
And even if he couldn¡¯t, he just wanted to know they were ok.
¡°Hey! Hey!¡± some shouted.
All eyes turned as a group leapt up off the floor attempted to pat down, a now partially aflame boy, before a gust of cold washed over him extinguished the flames. The group sagged with relief but by the doors and around them, soldiers had raised their guns.
The atmosphere changed immediately, Caleb feeling mana rise up all over the place as people shouted at the soldiers, who shouted back panicked.
¡°Stay back!¡± one of the soldiers shouted.
¡°G-get on the ground!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±
¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± an officer shouted, entering the room with an entourage ¡°Lower your guns dammit!¡±
The guns lowered slowly, the soldiers uncertain, as they looked to the spooked chosen. The officer glared at the soldiers as the last of them pointed their barrels to the floor, shaking his head. Then he turned back to the rest of them. ¡°Try not to use your¡ abilities for the meanwhile. We¡¯d prefer the building intact¡± one of the officers said.
[S-sorry. It was an accident] one of the guys said before sitting down.
The muttering and ramble continued, building slowly before returning to prior level. But Caleb could sense it. The atmosphere was sharper now, a quiet edge to it. The calm had been wiped away, replaced by a reasonable anxiety, and the others were starting to get a little restless.
His eyes moved to the officer who¡¯d shouted. He spoke now with a few others, glancing occasionally to the chosen with somewhat anxious but calculating eyes. Caleb had never been any good at reading lips, but he could make out a few words.
¡danger¡
¡safety¡
¡threat¡
They were probably discussing them. And he couldn¡¯t exactly blame them. The chosen were dangerous. Together they¡¯d defeated a threat people probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to conceive of outside comic books and movies.
Suddenly the officer and his group¡¯s eyes turned to a TV, and he motioned for another to switch it on.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sierra suddenly mumbled from next to him, wiping at her eyes.
¡°Nothing¡± Caleb mumbled.
¡°How long was I asleep?¡±
¡°Not long. Ten minutes? Fifteen?¡±
¡°Oh¡± she said yawning. ¡°Have they said anything yet?¡±
¡°No. I think we¡¯re going to be here a while.¡±
[Holy shit]If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
The chatter slowly died down as others turned their attention to the TV.
Caleb found himself struggling to make sense of what he was looking at before his eyes widened. He was looking at Christ the Reedemer. Or at least the remnants of it. Most of the statue still stood, though it¡¯d clearly been broken and reassembled again, haphazard pieces smashed together by sheer force. But the surrounding location was unrecognisable. Large chunks of dirt gone, replaced by scorched holes in the ground, and still steaming molten rock.
And as more of the view was revealed, the devastation to the town was captured in its entirety large footprints and scorch marks leading to the sea where the body of a huge monster lay face down.
Then the feed cut to Paris where the Eiffel tower lay against crushed buildings, in a twisted and warped heap behind it the space warped and twisted, still shattered like glass. Then it cut to a desert plain, where a monster¡¯s body lay strewn out against one of the pyramids, the face half collapsed. Then the Taj Mahal, or at least it¡¯s ruin where the shattered glass effect shimmered in the air again. Next then the ruins of the Sydney Opera house, a colossal monsters form not even completely in frame despite the distance of the helicopter. And finally, to New York, where from a distance, the devastated island, and body of Ekhut were captured with the city of New York against its backdrop.
Weren¡¯t there seven frontiers? Caleb thought. But he didn¡¯t have time to consider the thought further
It cut back to several reporters in a studio, their expressions a mixture of shock and awe at the images.
¡®I mean the scale of the destruction is just imaginable¡¯
¡®Of course it was! Did you see those things? Those aliens?¡¯
¡®Straight out of a Godzilla movie¡¯
¡®And what the hell¡¯s happened to the sky? It looks like it¡¯s shattered. I- just unbelievable.¡¯
¡®I mean what can we even say. Is this it?¡¯
¡®I mean it¡¯s over now, right? They¡¯re dead?¡¯
¡®We don¡¯t- Oh. I- I¡¯m getting word we¡¯ve received footage of one of these seven calamite. Warning you may see some distressing images. Viewer discretion is advised¡±
The feed cut abruptly to something else. Darkness and heavy breathing. Then suddenly light. Someone was running with their phone, the camera shaky as they attempted to point it forwards. Suddenly they stepped as they emerged between two buildings, and the sight of a monster came into view for a moment, before a gust of air knocked the cameraman back.
Roars and the sound of explosions rocked the area before the camera righted itself, the person running as they made their way through the streets. The monster was out of view again now, but from the sound of it, dangerously close.
The roar echoed out again, and the feed rocked back and forth as several chosen flew past before finally the camera emerged past a building revealing the monster. It towered over the camera, the strange flashing effect through the video it¡¯s intermittent blocking out of the sun. Caleb almost couldn¡¯t believe it. It was even larger than the one they¡¯d fought.
The monster moved slowly as blasts of energy hit it, tearing at its outer shell which only continued to rebuild itself before it roared and brought a fist down to the ground. The impact was tremendous, the monsters roar echoed by the roar of dirt and earth as a cloud of dust rushed forward through the street.
The videographer turned suddenly and then the feed cut.
¡®And, sorry to interrupt again, but we have even more breaking news for our viewers. The President has arrived to give his speech on this devastating event.¡¯
The cut again, to the President as he made his way out onto a podium, the flashes of cameras harsh against his face as he set a folder down on the stand in front of him and cleared his throat looking to the crowd. Caleb frowned. He wasn¡¯t exactly caught up on politics, but he was pretty sure this man was different to the one who¡¯d been President before he¡¯d left.
It was quiet for a moment as the camera flashes slowly started to die down, and then finally the President spoke.
¡®Good evening, citizens of America.
I¡¯m sure, by now, most if not all of you are aware of the dire situation. Roughly forty-five minutes ago, several anomalies occurred over the world in seven places of significant symbolic and cultural importance or notoriety. People received metaphysical messages from some unknown entity and were transported out of what were defined as Frontiers. In their place, an unknown number of human anomalies and aliens were transported in, where they proceeded to battle. The battles took place in Rio, Sydney, Giza, Paris, Agra, the South Pole, and of course New York. The resulting damage in every place has been catastrophic. I cannot begin to establish just how devastating this incident has been not only for the American people, but the people of Earth as a whole.
We believe, from first hand reports gathered from these human anomalies, that this incident is connected to the mass disappearance and reappearance of twenty million people worldwide that occurred roughly two months ago.
Currently it is unclear why this happened, but I can assure you I am doing everything in my power to find out. But until the citizens of Brooklyn and other neighbourhoods of New York have been, I¡¯ll be providing aid alongside emergency services. And from here, looking forward, we¡¯ll hope to work closely with our military and those of other countries to ensure an event like this does not happening again. I can promise you and whoever caused this that much.
For now, that¡¯s all.¡¯
The room burst out into chaos as a barrage of questions and camera flashes assaulted the president. But the man simply stepped back and walked off stage.
¡°That didn¡¯t sound very friendly¡± Sierra said as others in the room all burst out into conversation.
¡°No¡± he agreed.
¡°He didn¡¯t even say we were trying to help everyone¡±
¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t know?¡± Harrison said.
[It doesn¡¯t matter] Ria said, her tone solemn. [What matters is what people think]
Caleb looked to her, the mixture of s and fear in her eyes, then looked back to the TV. He couldn¡¯t help but agree with her.
-
Earth (Z1-E94-C)
The United States of America
New York, New York City, Brooklyn
Fort Hamilton
Four hours after the Shatter
Richard Craft had worked hard to get where he was. He had served two years in the Vietnam war, done his fair share in the Gulf as an officer, been promoted to general during the mess in Iraq for his outstanding service and capability, and then after his discharge, he¡¯d worked tirelessly to become a politician to serve as an advocate for US militarism in the greater search of a way to provide the brighter future his country so desperately deserved.
He''d made his way up the ladder faster than anyone else. And now at seventy-one after his repeated and endless success he was the Secretary of Defense. An upstanding member of his society, a leader in the bastion of the new and developed world. A world that he was slowly shaping. Well, had been. After today, he didn¡¯t know what world he was living in. Everything he¡¯d ever known or conceived of was falling apart in front of his very eyes.
Aliens had appeared out of portals, and hundreds of thousands of teens and young adults had fought against them with unexplainable abilities. Abilities that rendered the modern landscape of military technology practically useless for all he knew. And even worse, the one spearheading it all, the strongest man in the world, was this pitiful excuse for a President. James Radner III.
Richard shook his head. He didn¡¯t like him. No one in the cabinet did he suspected. For one, he was far too young. Only thirty-eight. And secondly, he¡¯d gotten in through the back door through a case of sheer luck.
After the disappearance of twenty million people world-wide over a month or two earlier in which the President¡¯s youngest granddaughter had gone missing, the President had had a heart attack.
And then, the youngest VP in modern history had been sworn in and taken the Presidency. Sure, Richard had been promoted to VP but that¡¯d been less of a James decision and more of a party decision. And it wasn¡¯t worth it, especially now, when they were expected to be together to show unity in the face of challenge. Richard grit his teeth. James was a pathetic man-child, who¡¯d gotten into politics off the coattails of his father. A freeloader through and through. And now he was the goddamn president.
The man isn¡¯t fit to run a hot dog stand, let alone the entirety of the US.
And it had to be God¡¯s greatest joke that he just so happened now of all times, in likely the most important moment in history.
He glanced over him as they made their way through the base led by soldiers. He was doing that stupid thing with his fingers again, fidgeting like a child.
¡°Oh for God¡¯s sakes¡±
¡°Can we not argue here¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to focus.¡±
¡°For what? A conversation with a bunch of kids.¡±
¡°Powerful kids.¡±
¡°Kids being the operative word.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve argued about this enough already¡± James said shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore.¡±
¡°Right, you shouldn¡¯t even be talking to me. You should be out there, giving speeches to the people while you pretend to help them pick up the pieces of rubble.¡±
Jame ignored him.
¡°Didn¡¯t hear me? Thought a guy as young as you would have better hearing than a geezer like me. I said you should be doing what you¡¯re best at. Giving speeches and looking pretty.¡±
James whirled on him, the anger on his face apparent. It would¡¯ve been threatening if he hadn¡¯t been half a foot shorter.
¡°I can fire you any time Dick.¡±
¡°Oh yeah? Go ahead and try. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make a lot of people real happy.¡±
James clenched his jaw and stepped back as the soldiers all around them glanced between the two. They started forward again, faster now. Richard shook his head, slowing deliberately as he sighed to himself. He could just feel it. Things were about to go horribly wrong.
[All agreements have been confirmed by the representatives of your planet]
[Welcome to the Akashic Federation and the Akashic Council]
¡°Shit¡± James said, coming to a stop. Richard stared at the messages for a moment, shocked before chuckling to himself ironically.
¡°Looks like your plan to get in on these talks fell through. So, what happens now?¡± Richard said, as he stepped back.
¡°We talk to the kids and then wait¡± James replied. ¡°We just- wait until this all makes sense.¡±
Richard shook his head.
Dammit Bill, you just had to go and die.
Chapter Forty Five - War of the Worlds
Caleb awoke to the sound of whispers. He lifted his head slowly, pulling it off Sierra¡¯s shoulder as he rubbed at his eyes. Looking around he found himself still, the rest of the chosen gathered now, nearer the front of the hall. For a moment uncertainty gripped him, but it quickly faded. The atmosphere rather than one of restlessness or anger, was filled with excitement.
He frowned, half yawned, then drearily glanced to Sierra.
¡°You¡¯re finally awake¡± she said
¡°When did I fall asleep?¡± he said, yawning again.
¡°A few hours ago.¡±
He nodded glancing out of the windows. It was a little darker now, still definitively day, but the sky cast in the deeper orange and pink hues of the evening. Sitting up, he looked back to the crowd ahead, still bustling with excited chatter.
¡°What¡¯s happening there?¡± he asked, turning to Sierra.
¡°The President¡±
¡°W-what?¡±
¡°One of the military guys just said that the President is coming. To talk to us.¡±
¡°Uh¡ ok?¡± he said. It confused him a little. The man hadn¡¯t exactly spoken about them favourably on TV and now he was coming to visit them?
Well, the speech probably wasn¡¯t how he truly felt, Caleb thought. And it makes sense he¡¯d want to try and make a good relationship with us.
He looked over the crowd again, catching glimpses of the tired faces of his peers, now filled with anticipation. It wasn¡¯t hard to see why people would be excited. It wasn¡¯t everyday you got to speak to the President of the US, especially when he was coming to visit you. Plus, he might even give them all a chance to go home.
But why now? It probably didn¡¯t take long to fly from Washington to New York, especially not if you were the president.
[All agreements have been confirmed by the representatives of your planet]
[Welcome to the Akashic Federation and the Akashic Council]
He stared at the message in surprise.
¡°Oh¡ when did that happen?¡±
¡°Hm?¡± Sierra said, turning to him.
¡°The agreement stuff¡±
¡°Oh, the message?¡± Sierra said. ¡°About twenty minutes ago. Nothing¡¯s changed yet but apparently everyone got one, not just us.¡±
¡°Everyone?¡± he said confused.
¡°Yep. Literally everyone¡± she reiterated. ¡°All people on Earth. It¡¯s been all over the news the past half hour¡±
¡°I- how is that possible? I thought it only spoke to us through our records?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. I was expecting you to know more about that then me. You didn¡¯t read about it in the database?¡±
He shook his head. She nodded and the two returned to silence, staring at the TV.
But Caleb couldn¡¯t focus on the screen, his thoughts returning to the anxiety that fluttered around in his chest. There was little relief to be found in the moment when he knew of the things to come. And now, with the representatives ¨C whoever they were ¨C having confirmed or agreed to some kind of deal, he had the feeling it would be arriving sooner or later.
Besides his thoughts on the war, and the strange prophecy Esaeni had shown him, his mind thought of Daen¡¯s offer. All the weirdness around it, the urgency with which Esaeni had urged him to accept, and Daen¡¯s final words to him.
¡®The Yildaric guard fight primarily against named evils of the opposing dominions. And all war worlds must bear their quota.¡¯
He didn¡¯t understand it completely, but he was certain he was starting to. And he didn¡¯t like the prospect at all. With a slow inward breath he brought up the message again.
[You have been offered a position on the 105th Yildaric Guard squad under Dragonbane ¨C En Daen Avarson]
[Congratulations]
[Do you accept?]
[Y/N?]
Quickly he dismissed it, then looked from to the still bustling crowd.
Do I tell them about the war? About everything? he thought. Is it wrong that I don¡¯t want to be the one to say? To ruin things?
He brought a hand to his face, wiping before taking the crown off the top of his head, thin lightning like trails marking its formerly smooth surface. The almost mirror-like reflection was still clear though. And as he stared into it, he couldn¡¯t help but stare at his reflection. The tiredness of his slightly gaunt face, the tension that racked him ¨C evident from his knitted brow and bunched shoulders, and the brown of his eyes. Somehow, they were sadder than usual.
He looked older than he remembered and yet younger than he¡¯d expected. In the still wet, torn higher overalls of Alareon, he suddenly felt stupid. Like some kind of phony, though for what, he wasn¡¯t quite sure.
He tore his eyes away from the crown, dropping it into his lap. It wouldn¡¯t do him any good anyway, staring into his reflection, analysing how every bit of his appearance reflected the weakness and fear he felt inside. It¡¯d only make his anxiety worse, and the critique more and more paranoid. Like some horrific feedback loop.
¡°Caleb?¡± Sierra said, her tone tentative.
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°You okay?¡±
¡°Yeah. Just tired¡± he replied. He felt her watch him for a few more seconds before turning back to the crowd. Carefully he leant back against the wall, steadying himself. He needed to think about something else. Anything else.
Oh right, he thought. Record?
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 8
Title: Golden Hand
-
Primary skill: Mana Soul Core
-
Trait: Mana awareness
-
Speed ¨C 1.18
Strength ¨C 1.15
Stamina ¨C 2.04
Constitution ¨C 0.60
Mana - 14
Finesse ¨C 1.12
-
Free stat points: 4
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 7.]
Level eight. That was certainly something. And so were his stats.
So lopsided.
He looked over them stats, his eyes narrowing as he considered them. It was time to actually start doing something about that bottom message.
Without a second thought he invested all his stat points into constitution.
The rush returned to him for a moment, the feeling of pure euphoria merged with a sudden and great feeling of strength. Almost instantly he felt the aches and tiredness of his body disappear, replaced by a new sense of stability, firmness of being he hadn¡¯t quite expected. And while the euphoria faded quickly, the new feeling of vitality remained. This was the best he¡¯d felt in a while.
He looked down to his fist clenching and unclenching it, the newly healed skin across his body no longer tender. Even the small pains of his scars which had become so familiar he¡¯d forgotten about them were gone now. A smile came to his face as he poked at his left hand, the pain mostly gone now.
This is definitely designed to be addictive, he thought.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
Quickly he looked back to his record.
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 8
Title: Golden Hand
-
Primary skill: Mana Soul Core
-
Trait: Mana awareness
-
Speed ¨C 1.18
Strength ¨C 1.15
Stamina ¨C 2.04
Constitution ¨C 4.60
Mana - 14
Finesse ¨C 1.12
-
Free stat points: 0
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 7.]
His excitement dimmed somewhat, as he stared at the bottommost message. He didn¡¯t understand. His body definitely felt better. Did constitution make him more resistant to its negative side effects? But then shouldn¡¯t that mean his improved body could¡ fight it somehow? Decrease the grade?
His brow furrowed further. He couldn¡¯t remember exactly how the doctor had explained cancer to him, but wasn¡¯t it part of him? Or did the record somehow considered it separate? But that was all assuming he understood how constitution worked? If it wasn¡¯t improving his body somehow, how did it even work? He shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to get wrapped up in thoughts about that now.
¡°Should we go over?¡± he said, turning to Sierra.
¡°Uh¡ yeah. I need to stand anyway,¡± she said. ¡°Legs are falling asleep.¡±
They stood together, making their way over to the back of the still waiting crowd. There Ria stood with Harrison, and a very clearly tired Aliyah. All the healer volunteers had been called back.
[Finally awake?]
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb said, glancing to Aliyah. ¡°You ok?¡±
[Yes. Just tired. We could¡¯ve used more help in the hospital] she said.
¡°Sorry, sorry, I was just having a heart attack¡± Harrison replied, the joke falling flat in the face of his clear embarrassment.
[It¡¯s ok] she replied curtly. The group fell silent, Ria still staring at the door with a laser focus, quiet as she tapped her foot nervously.
¡°So, can¡¯t believe we¡¯re going to meet the president¡± Harrison said, with a half-forced smile.
¡°Yeah. I guess it¡¯s kind of c-¡±
There was a sudden burst in chatter and the group quickly looked to the door. It opened, and in stepped the President and his retinue. He was shorter than Caleb had expected, though the air of professionalism that surrounded him, the other suits, secret service and soldiers around them couldn¡¯t be denied.
¡°Please step back everyone¡± one of the soldiers near the front said, as the president stepped forward into the room.
¡°Hello¡± he said, taking everyone¡¯s clothes and condition. ¡°¡±
¡°So, does anyone know anything at all about this agreement?¡±
[I do]
All heads turned to Ria.
¡°Would it be possible to talk to you in private¡±
She nodded, quickly starting forward through the crowd as murmurs started. Caleb watched her, surprised, before nodding himself.
I guess she did meet them.
Plus she was the only one of the others who¡¯d had reading privileges. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure the privileges covered, but if she said she knew
¡°Caleb- shouldn¡¯t you go?¡± Harrison
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°I mean, your kind of important right? Crown, castle and everything you know?¡±
¡°But I have no idea what the agr-¡± he fell silent, his eyes widening. He hadn¡¯t wanted to think about it, but wasn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to talk about the war? If anyone could do something it was probably the government, right?
¡°I- right¡± he said. He glanced to the front again, watching as Ria finally emerged from the front of the crowd, a serviceman stepping forward to meet her.
¡°Uh- excuse me?¡± he mumbled, hesitantly. He cleared his throat before starting forward, trying . ¡°E-excuse me?¡±
¡°We do too!¡± a voice suddenly shouted behind him. He looked back to Harrison with everyone else, relieved someone had taken the initiative for him. He¡¯d never been good in situations like this.
¡°You do?¡± the president said.
[They do] Ria said. [They¡¯re my friends.]
¡°I- alright. And what exactly is your connection to the representatives and this Akashic Council?¡±
¡°We¡¯ve met them¡± Sierra said. ¡°The representatives and a few council members at least.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve met them?!¡± a large man behind the president said surprised. ¡°Good God. Could you call them here now?¡±
¡°I- probably not. They only visited us to see Caleb¡±
¡°Caleb?¡±
Sierra pointed to him and all
¡°I- you can you call them?¡± the president said, looking to him.
¡°Uh¡ I don¡¯t think so?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t think so?¡±
¡°No. I didn¡¯t see them- I mean- they saw me but I wasn¡¯t- I-¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright kid¡± the president said. ¡°You three just come with me, we¡¯ll discuss this outside.¡±
Caleb glanced back to Sierra and the others as they made their way through the crowd, following behind Ria and the president. The eyes of everyone in the room felt heavy on him, despite his best efforts to ignore them.
Finally, he stepped outside, past a serviceman who held the door open as.
¡°Right, Caleb¡± the President said, offering his hand. Caleb shook it, gulping. ¡°Can you explain to me exactly who these representatives are?¡±
¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t clear¡± Caleb said. ¡°I¡¯m not- I didn¡¯t meet them. I was unconscious.¡±
¡°What?¡± the president said.
[They came to see him] Ria said. [He¡¯s- it¡¯s difficult to explain.]
¡°So, you can¡¯t tell me anything?¡±
[Not much. But I know the rough structure of the council, the federation itself and a lot about one of the main planets in the Federation.]
¡°Is it verifiable information?¡±
Ria nodded.
¡°What can you tell me?¡±
[No. I need a phone call first. To my mom.]
¡°Done. Someone, anyone have a phone?¡±
¡°Here sir¡± a serviceman said, handing it to the President. He handed it to Ria, who quickly tapped away at the buttons, pressing the phone to her ear. She stepped slightly away from them, the mask of clam falling almost instantly as she waited anxiously.
¡°I- can we get phone calls?¡± Sierra said.
¡°This isn¡¯t candy land¡± the tall man said. ¡°This is a national security matter. You can get a phone call once you tell us what you know¡±
¡°Dick, stop it.¡± the president said, before looking to the rest of them. ¡°I¡¯ll get you your phone calls, but first what can you tell me about this agreement?¡±
¡°Uh¡ I- their names. Sam, Divine, and¡ uh¡. Nigel¡±
¡°How old were they?¡±
¡°About our age? A bit older?¡±
¡°Jesus¡± the taller guy muttered as the president grimaced.
¡°Surnames?¡±
¡°Sorry can¡¯t remember¡± Harrison said. ¡°But they sounded Australian. Probably from somewhere around there.¡±
¡°Perfect. That¡¯s good. Brenda?¡±
¡°I¡¯m on it¡± a woman said behind him, stepping away as she pulled out a phone.
¡°Right, anyone else? If not about the agreement, then the nature of this situation as a whole.¡±
¡°That¡¯s easy¡± Harrison said. ¡°We got teleported to different worlds for a tutorial, then to for a kind of first phase. It gave us this magic called record which gave us our powers and-¡±
Caleb tuned Harrison out as he glanced to Sierra, and Aliyah, the anxiety on their faces clear as they remained quiet.
¡°-but that¡¯s just a summary¡± Harrison finished.
¡°It¡¯s- it¡¯s fine. Doesn¡¯t matter. Anyone else?¡±
¡°I- I have something to say¡± he said, interrupting Harrison and the President.
¡°What is it?¡± the President said, frowning.
¡°It¡¯s about more than just the tutorial, of the trial as a whole. It¡¯s about what¡¯s to come.¡±
¡°Tell me.¡±
Caleb went to speak but hesitated. He didn¡¯t know how to phrase this, explain that this might only be the beginning of much greater troubles for the world. And maybe, the man in front of him didn¡¯t exactly have the best intentions for the rest of the world.
Still, while he understood Aliyah and Sierra¡¯s fears, this was bigger than anything that¡¯d ever happened before. And if the government really did try to use this information for their own advantage, if they didn¡¯t spread the word he could. He didn¡¯t have to stop at just the President.
¡°It¡¯s a war.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°This whole thing, it¡¯s a war.¡±
¡°A war? Against who? Aliens?¡± the taller man said.
¡°No, it¡¯s¡ well yes, but it¡¯s bigger than that¡± Caleb said. ¡°I- I can¡¯t describe it properly, but it¡¯s an intergalactic war. With billions, maybe even trillions fighting.¡±
¡°Jesus Christ. Is- can you tell me more?¡±
¡°It¡¯s¡ there¡¯s three sides. Our side, the Akashic, and then the other two, the Hilaric and Moshaic. They, they¡¯re led by godlike beings, like the thing that gave us this power. I don¡¯t know who¡¯s winning but the point is¡ I don¡¯t know how to describe it. We¡¯re a war world now? I think. We passed the second stage so we¡¯re on the council and- I think it means we have to fight.¡±
¡°What¡¯re you saying? I- you mean like today?!¡±
Caleb gulped, feeling the eyes of everyone else on him. He could see the confusion in Sierra and the others faces, the realisation that everything he was saying made sense. From what they¡¯d seen in the messages, and everything they¡¯d seen at the palace. Beside the religious and domestic rooms, only combat training and healers.
¡°I don¡¯t think¡ today¡¯s the end. I- the king of something, the man who gave me these clothes and this crown, he said that all worlds, war worlds, must meet their quota.¡±
¡°Quota? For- you mean fighting those monsters? How often?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°It was probably in the agreement that the representatives made. I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°I- so we need to prepare? Militarily?¡±
¡°What the hell is the military going to do against those things James?¡± the tall old man said, curt. ¡°I mean, they were blasting those creatures with pure energy, energy that sheered through fucking steel like a knife through air. I-¡±
¡°Shut up! I- alright. Just¡ please be quiet¡± the president said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Everyone was silent for a while, then tension thicker than swap water. Finally, the President spoke.
¡°I- how many of you are there?¡± he asked.
¡°Uh- a thousand six hundred and ninety-six¡± Caleb said, the number coming to him almost automatically.
¡°Ok. And you defeated what? Six? Seven?¡±
¡°Seven.¡±
¡°So¡¡± the president began mumbling to himself, as he stepped away, hand pressed to the side of his head. As he stood there silent, Caleb looked to the others. Harrison stared at him horrified, while Aliyah¡¯s. Sierra only gripped his wrist, still staring straight at the president. He looked way from them, unable to bear the weight of their expressions alone.
The president still remained still, silently thinking.
¡°Sorry for my¡ partner. He struggles at times like this¡± the tall man said, leaning closer to Caleb.
¡°Dick, I¡¯m warning you¡± the President said.
¡°About what? Your-¡±
¡°Oh stop it you two¡± the woman behind them said. ¡°Seriously. Now is not the time.¡±
They both fell silent, before the woman looked to him with an apologetic smile. He nodded back, awkwardly then glanced between the President and other man. He almost couldn¡¯t believe it. The President and a member of his cabinet, bickering at a time like this.
¡°Alright¡± the president said turning to the other suits. ¡°I¡¯m thinking a conference. Is that a good idea?¡±
¡°Now?¡± one of them said. ¡°I mean, you already gave one, and to tell people this? Today?¡±
¡°It¡¯d be chaos. People would panic. More than panic. They¡¯re already panicking¡± another said.
¡°Well, we can¡¯t leave this. If someone finds out, we knew?¡±
¡°Then we spin it?¡±
¡°How?¡±
¡°Well, they won, didn¡¯t they?¡±
¡°Sure, they may have one, but the worldwide damage to infrastructure alone is just¡ just look at Paris. It¡¯s never going to recover.¡±
One of the members glanced to Caleb and the others, before stepping back.
¡°If we¡¯re going to have this discussion, let¡¯s have it elsewhere¡± she said. The President looked to all of them, then back to the rest of the suits. The president fell silent, dragging a finger across his clean-shaven chin. His eyes were fixed to the floor, clearly deep in thought. Then he nodded, stepping away too.
¡°Alright, take them- wait. Who defeated the monster?¡±
¡°It was Caleb and a few others¡± Harrison mumbled.
¡°I- someone go get me the others. Bring them out here to wait while we talk. Take those three inside and get her something to transcribe what she knows onto as soon as she¡¯s finished her call¡± the president said. ¡°And get them new clothes. They¡¯re dragging water all over the place.¡±
¡°Of course, sir¡± a secret serviceman said, quickly walking back into the room, as another moved to guide Harrison, Aliyah and Sierra back into the room.
[Wait! O-our phone call?] Aliyah said.
¡°I- right. Get everyone a phone call. But monitor these five. Nothing about this to anyone yet, alright?¡±
¡°Yes sir¡± another serviceman said.
With that the president and the others walked away, Aliyah, Harrison, and Sierra guided back towards the cafeteria by soldiers. Sierra spared one last glance back at him as he stood silently in the hall surrounded by a few guards. He offered an apologetic smile before she disappeared behind the door.
Then his eyes fell to the floor, as he wiped his trembling hand against the trouser legs of his clothes ¨C as if to steady them. But it didn¡¯t help. He finally said it all out loud, crystallised his thoughts. He thought everything would be better for him having finally said it.
But he felt worse now.
¡°Your call¡± a serviceman said suddenly, handing Caleb a phone. His eyes widened and he clutched it greedily.
¡°T-thank you¡± he stuttered, as he fumbled with the phone. Quickly he tapped at the screen, typing in Casey¡¯s number before pressing the phone to his ear. The dial tone rung for a while, his hope slowly dying.
Right, he thought. She doesn¡¯t pick up, unknown numbers.
He moved the phone away from his ear, when suddenly it picked up.
¡°Mommy!¡± Kayla shouted, her voice distant from the phone. ¡°You¡¯ve got a call!¡±
He chuckled to himself, almost brought to tears by the sound of his sister¡¯s voice.
¡°Who is it?¡± his step-mom shouted, barely audible.
¡°Uh¡ hello Mr caller?¡± his sister said, doing her best impression of a professional voice. ¡°Who are you?¡±
Caleb couldn¡¯t help but laugh uncontrollably, practically unable to answer.
¡°Kayla?!¡±
¡°They didn¡¯t say anything!¡±
¡°W-what? Did you answer it?! I told you not to answer calls! I- dammit. Is it an unknown caller?¡±
¡°Uh¡. n-no?!¡±
Caleb¡¯s laughter continued as tears of laughter began to form at the corners of his eyes.
¡°Kayla, don¡¯t make me come over there. Hang up the phone!¡±
¡°Uh¡ what do you want Mr caller? Are you important? I¡¯ll hang up if you aren¡¯t.¡±
¡°Kayla¡± Caleb laughed, ¡°it¡¯s me.¡±
The other end of the line silent, as Caleb''s heart beat hard in his chest.
¡°Kayla?!¡± Casey said, closer now. ¡°Kayla you have hung up by the time I get in- Kayla? I- oh my god! Why¡¯re you crying?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Caleb¡± Kayla sobbed, audibly through the phone.
And Caleb found he was too.
Chapter Forty Six - For Years to Come
It took a while for the tears to stop, long enough for Caleb to be surrounded by the others from the battle, all having emotional phone calls of their own. But he was too distracted by the now excited sound of his sister¡¯s voice as she proclaimed her excitement over and over again.
¡°We¡¯ll go get all the ices creams and go to Disney land and then- and then- I¡¯ll even draw you your own comic book!¡±
¡°That sounds great¡± he laughed.
¡°And Mommy can even help you buy one if it¡¯s not good enough. But it will be. It¡¯ll be the best. Oh and we¡¯ll can get the dog we¡¯ve always wanted, and we can- uh¡ we can-¡±
¡°Alright¡± Casey laughed. ¡°I think Caleb¡¯s getting a little tired of all your big dreams.¡±
¡°Oh. S-sorry¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± Caleb said. ¡°You can keep going if you want.¡±
¡°No, no. Mommy should get to talk to you now¡±
¡°You sure?¡±
¡°Mhm. I¡¯ll write a list of everything. For when you get home¡± she said confidently.
¡°Alright¡± he smiled. He heard muttering as the phone exchanged hands, before the noise quieted, falling into the sound of his stepmother¡¯s slightly unsteady breaths.
¡°Caleb?¡±
¡°Casey¡± he replied awkwardly.
¡°Are you alright?¡±
¡°Mostly. It¡¯s ok here¡±
¡°I- where are you? I mean I saw on the news what happened to Paris and New York and all the other places¡±
¡°I¡¯m here. I was at the Statue of Liberty¡±
¡°Oh my god, are you alright!?¡±
¡°Yeah. I¡¯m ok. I¡¯m ok.¡±
¡°You¡¯re really not hurt?¡±
¡°Only a few scratches¡± he said. He heard her continue to breath heavily, silent for a while. ¡°Casey?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just¡ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re ok¡± she said, almost on the verge of tears. ¡°I mean one second you were there, and then you just didn¡¯t come back and I was so worried and-¡±
She cut off abruptly, the sound of air rushing past the phone filling his ear.
¡°Hello?¡± he said.
¡°Sorry¡± she said, sniffling. ¡°Didn¡¯t want Kayla to see me cry.¡±
¡°I-it¡¯s alright¡±
Then he felt a tap on his shoulder. He glanced behind him, as a servicemen gestured for him to wrap up. Beyond the president and his entourage were returning.
¡°Can I have a few more minutes?¡± he asked. The man shook his head. Caleb¡¯s face fell into a frown as he turned attention back to the phone.
¡°Caleb?¡± Casey said concerned. ¡°What was that? Do you have to hang up?¡±
¡°¡yeah¡± he muttered, a cold disappointment taking his tone.
¡°Alright. Let me put Kayla on. Let her say bye¡±
¡°Ok¡±
¡°Kayla honey!¡±
¡°Yeah?¡± his sister shouted, her excitement almost bringing him to tears.
¡°Caleb wants to say bye¡±
¡°¡already?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Casey said, her voice cracking. ¡°Here quick. Say bye.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you talk for a little longer?¡± his sister asked instantly solemn.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I- I¡¯ll be with you soon.¡±
¡°Do you promise? Do you?¡± she sniffled.
¡°I do¡± he said, sniffling too. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve got to go now. Bye Kayla, Casey.¡±
¡°Bye¡± Kayla sniffled.
¡°Stay safe Caleb¡± Casey replied, her voice trembling.
¡°I will¡± he muttered. ¡°I will.¡±
Slowly he pulled the phone from his ear pausing before finally hanging up. He turned to the serviceman handing the phone away as the President arrived, shaking the hands of the others.
The was an air of confidence as he went between the others acknowledging them individually, before shaking Caleb¡¯s hand again. Then he stepped considering them, his eyes narrowing in thought. And finally he nodded.
¡°You guys are heroes. National- no international, heroes.¡±
[Uh- wow. T-thank you] Iris stuttered.
¡°You¡¯re very welcome. Now. I know this is a lot to ask, but the people need hope right now. They¡¯ve just been met with the reality that we¡¯re not the only ones in a very hostile universe, and that we¡¯re vastly outmatched. And if what I¡¯ve been told is true, then they¡¯ll need to trust you guys most of all. We¡¯ll need to create the right image of you, now. Before any can make you seem like anything else.¡±
¡°What do you want us to do?¡± Aleka asked.
¡°I need you to make an appearance for me¡±
¡°An appearance?¡±
¡°You won¡¯t have to say anything, you¡¯ll just stand behind me onstage and- ¡±
¡°O-on stage?¡± Avana said. Caleb shared her surprise.
¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be anything serious, you¡¯ll only be on stage for no more than thirty seconds, and you won¡¯t have to say anything¡±
¡°But if we don¡¯t say anything then why?¡± Elliot
¡°The public need faces. We can give this message, tell everyone what¡¯s happening and explain things, but without faces to show the public, there¡¯s more uncertainty. If we present you to them, make you seem like superheroes made real, the saviours of New York? I can promise you tomorrow, people won¡¯t be talking about the damage done today.¡±
¡°Alright¡± Elliot said. ¡°I¡¯m in.¡±
[Seriously?] Iris said looking to him.
¡°Well, I said I wanted to be on T.V. didn¡¯t I?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll do it too¡± Aleka said nodding. ¡°I think sir- Mr President¡¯s right. If we all do it then it looks good.¡±
¡°O-ok¡± Avana said.
¡°I¡ are you sure?¡± Caleb muttered nervously. ¡°I mean if we do this nobody forgets our faces. Ever.¡±
¡°There¡¯s only a thousand of us or something¡± Elliot said. ¡°I doubt any of us won¡¯t somehow be famous¡±
¡°But he¡¯s right¡± Avana said. ¡°We¡¯ll be the first. The most famous.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that good?¡± Elliot said.
¡°I don¡¯t¡¡± Avana trailed off, her eyes searching the floor.
¡°We¡¯ll compensate you. If necessary¡± one of the president¡¯s retinue said.
¡°That¡¯s not¡ I feel like it shouldn¡¯t just be us¡± Avana said.
[Everyone].
They all turned to Iris.
[We can do it if you bring out everyone. Everyone that wants to. One of us will even talk.]
The President glanced behind him to a woman with a clipboard who nodded.
¡°Deal¡± he said clapping his hands. ¡°Now, someone get them some clothes. Proper gear. I want them to look professional. I¡¯ve got speech to prepare.¡±
¡°Yes sir¡±
¡°And someone get Marie. We¡¯ll need a proper stage and stand¡± he said walking as the others followed behind.
¡°We¡¯ll get them ready and out in twenty.¡±
¡°Good¡± the President said, making to leave. But for a moment he paused, looking back to them. ¡°Thank you for this you guys. I promise you won¡¯t regret it.¡±
Then he turned and continued walking off as the soldiers slowly guided the group back into the mess hall.
¡°Well¡ guess that¡¯s happening¡± Avana muttered.
[Sorry] Iris said, putting a hand to her face. [I shouldn¡¯t have just-]
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± Aleka said. ¡°Plus, it¡¯s better this way. I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve been able to go up if it was just us.¡±
Calen nodded in agreement, before looking to the rest of the room as his friends rushed over.
¡°You okay?¡± Sierra said. ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°Well¡ we¡¯re all gonna end up doing a talk¡±
¡°The president wants to make an announcement with us¡± Aleka said.
¡°Us? As in you guys? Or everyone?¡± Harrison asked.
¡°Everyone¡±
¡°Wait where¡¯s Ria?¡±
¡°She¡¯s still talking to someone I think¡± Caleb replied.
[About stuff she read?] Aliyah said.
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°Wait, what¡¯s the announcement about?¡± Layla asked.
¡°The war¡± Caleb said grimly.
[War?] Iris said confused. [What war?]
Caleb glanced back to her before his eyes widened. But before he could speak a booming voice interrupted him.
¡°Alright!¡± an officer said stepping to the front of the hall. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that all of you are supposed to make an appearance alongside the president for an announcement in half an hour.¡±
[What? Why?]
[I don¡¯t want to do that. When do we get to go home?] someone shouted.
[Yeah we¡¯ve been here for hours]Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°They said on TV that they were taking the powered in Egypt to the airport hours ago. They¡¯re probably home already!¡±
¡°Yeah!¡±
[My mom¡¯s probably worried sick]
¡°Can I just fly home? I live in Jersey¡±
Quickly the room flooded with chatter, some even crying out to go home.
¡°Quiet!¡± the officer shouted, the hall falling silent. ¡°Right. You¡¯ll only be on stage if you want to. It¡¯s not expected, though it says taking part in demonstration would aid the process in which we can provide you with avenues home¡±
Another spattering of murmurs passed through the hall, this one more subdued.
¡°Alright now. Since you¡¯re all unclean, we¡¯ll provide you the chance to wash and clean yourselves and take new clothes. If you want to continue wearing certain unique articles, you¡¯re currently wearing you may, though the clothes provided are a prerequisite to going on stage¡±
[What about weapons?]
¡°Weapons will still only be returned to you once we¡¯ve organised a possible method of your return to home. Now, just follow the soldiers, men and women separate.¡±
The crowd burst into chatter as they trickled towards the door, the sudden announcement exciting in the face of the former hours of boredom. Caleb watched them go, an unease stirring in his gut as Iris¡¯ confused expression remained fixed on him.
None of them knew. He couldn¡¯t allow everyone to just be surprised like that, caught off guard while on stage. He stepped forward, half preparing himself as his hands shook.
Guess the moment came sooner.
¡°Wait!¡± he said suddenly, his voice amplified by fear. Everyone looked to him confused.
¡°There¡¯s a war¡± he mumbled. He was met with silence as everyone looked amongst themselves confused.
[What?]
¡°We can¡¯t hear you man¡±
[What¡¯s he doing?]
¡°Is that a crown?¡±
He ignored the voices for a moment before steadying himself. Then spoke again, a solemn calm taking him.
¡°There¡¯s war¡± he said. ¡°Between the Akashic Federation and a bunch of other things. The things that created the monsters. The ones we fought with in the trial. I found out on another planet from someone seriously important. It¡¯s what I told the president, and what this talk is going to be about. It¡¯s what our powers are for and¡ yeah¡ I just thought you should know. Not get surprised on stage.¡±
The room was silent for a moment, then it burst into chatter.
¡°War?!¡±
[Oh, what the hell]
¡°¡ joking, right?¡±
[¡never ends]
¡°What important person?¡±
[¡ doesn¡¯t sound good.]
¡°¡ kinda makes sense¡±
[¡not serious.]
¡°¡hit his head?¡±
[Created the monsters?]
¡°HEY!¡± the officer shouted, silencing the room. ¡°Talk in the damns changing rooms. We can¡¯t keep everybody waiting.¡±
-
The changing rooms felt ridiculously crowded. Probably because everyone had gathered around Caleb to grill him with questions for the past twenty minutes. They were starting to lose a little interest now, especially considering he was skipping over the weirdly embarrassing details about the prophecy, and it was obvious he didn¡¯t have a total picture of things himself.
[So¡let me get this right?] Rithvik said, as he tapped his chin. [The super¡¯s kids are like all powerful. Basically gods that control everything.]
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure¡±
[But not a hundred percent?]
¡°Not really. Like I said was a little overwhelmed. I¡¯m probably forgetting details¡±
[My question is why everyone¡¯s human?]
¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t ask that. Sorry¡± he muttered tired.
¡°That seems really important though. You sure this Esaeni Queen didn¡¯t mention it?¡±
¡°She might¡¯ve but I¡¯m pretty sure she didn¡¯t¡±
¡°Do you know Harrison?¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t read anything and none of this got told to me¡± a dejected Harrison said.
[You sure you¡¯re not just making this up?] someone else said to Caleb.
¡°Yes¡±
[You¡¯re sure?]
¡°Yes¡±
[Feels pretty made up to me.]
¡°Wait, what was the super-child¡¯s name from the Hilaric place again?¡± someone muttered.
[Everaan wasn¡¯t it? Or was that the other one? Hey Caleb, which one was it again?]
¡°Jesus!¡± Elliot said, exasperated. ¡°Enough of the questions. Just leave him alone. We¡¯ll probably figure this shit out later anyway.¡±
The crowd all grumbled before spreading amongst the changing rooms and taking seats in their own groups.
¡°Thanks¡± Caleb sighed.
¡°No problem¡± Elliot said.
With a sigh Caleb leaned back on his bench, tugging at his collar before looking down to his clothes. He¡¯d never expected to wearing a military combat uniform in his lifetime. It felt weird. Though he supposed it was better than wet clothes.
Still, he thought. I know they took the badge off, but is this a good idea? Kids in military uniform?
His eyes drifted from the uniform to the crown that sat in his lap. He picked up, staring at the ever-shifting reflection as he flipped it around over and over again.
His gaze wandered some more as he looked to the others. They too were dressed in the combat uniforms, though some still kept certain pieces of clothing or armour from the trial. Sentimental items. It was a strange mix to look at, be a part of even. Just like the atmosphere. Some of the others looked excited and others who sat silently waiting in groups, like they were preparing for a test. There was a weird childlike air filling a space that seemed almost alien to the concept.
¡°This is killing me¡± Harrison ¨C who sat to his left ¨C mumbled. He sat up, rubbing at his temples as his foot tapped away.
¡°We¡¯ll be fine¡± Caleb responded.
¡°I know I just¡ I don¡¯t know¡±
He fell silent, foot still tapping away nervously. Caleb watched him, a part of him wanting to help, but another just as anxious.
Across from them, silent and calm, sat Elliot. He was fixated on his new hand flexing and unflexing his fingers. He caught Caleb¡¯s eye on him and flashed a grin.
¡°Can¡¯t help it. Still feels a little weird¡± he said, quickly sitting on it.
¡°I get it¡± he said. He still remembered the alien feeling of his skin, from earlier today and after the cultist attack. Right after Kana had healed him.
Kana, he thought. She¡¯d have been with Sierra now. Probably fretting over whether everyone was ok. She might¡¯ve even refused to leave the hospital.
And Ryan would¡¯ve probably been next to him.
His gaze fell to the floor as he squeezed the bench with his fingers.
¡°Alright guys¡± a voice called out from the door. ¡°Follow me.¡±
He turned, watching as the guys began filing out of the room. He let out a breath. It wasn¡¯t time to be thinking about those things right now.
Silently, he slipped on the crown, then stood, focusing on his breaths as he filed out of the room behind the others, snaking through corridors as they made their way to the broadcast.
Eventually they came to a stop, before emerging onto a field. The field was large, half of it in shadow and the other cast in the evening orange of the sun. Out ahead, in front of them, was a stand filled with the girls, a podium a top a stage in front of them and beyond that a series of chairs for the press, some of which were already seated. All illuminated by lights.
Caleb¡¯s gaze darted to the back and he spotted the TV cameras, people already filming or at least preparing to. His gaze moved back to the stage, podium and stand.
Aleka, Avana, and Iris stood at the front, on the lowest part of the stand only a few feet behind the podium. As the boys came to a stop, a man stepped out ahead of a crowd, checking over a clipboard.
¡°Uh- can a Caleb and Elliot come to the front please?¡±
Caleb started forward making his way up the stage and onto the stand beside the girls. The entire time glancing back to the reporters who were already slowly beginning to file in, their expressions of shock and excitement clear.
He gulped nervously, standing in front of them.
¡°So what¡¯s the plan exactly?¡± Elliot said from beside him. ¡°I mean is one of us going to talk or?¡±
[No clue] Iris said. Elliot nodded, nervously laughing to himself. His laughter died down as he glanced to Caleb.
¡°You alright?¡± Elliot asked. He nodded, wiping his hands against his trousers, before putting them behind his back.
¡°Should I take the crown off?¡± he mumbled.
¡°Nah it¡¯s fine man¡± Elliot said. ¡°Looks good.¡±
¡°Wish I had a crown¡± Avana said. ¡°I could hold my hair down. Can¡¯t believe I agreed to this with my hair this messy. I mean they might use this in documentaries in the future.¡±
[Please don¡¯t remind me] Iris groaned.
The others chuckled, loosening slightly. Caleb¡¯s eyes wandered across the slowly growing crowd of reporters below him as he focused on his hands, struggling not to play with his fingers behind his back. He could see it in their faces, the intrigue and also the surprise. Eyes were lingering on him, and on others. And the cameras loomed over them all.
He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many people would be watching through them.
Suddenly a man stepped before the stage, waving to get everyone¡¯s attention.
¡°Alright everyone. We¡¯ll be going live soon. Just try to be quiet, look natural and don¡¯t look at the cameras. Got it?¡±
A murmur of assent came from the crowd, and Caleb glanced back, spotting Layla, Aliyah, Sierra, and Ria standing near the middle. Sierra offered a small wave and Caleb met it in kind, before glancing back to the now filled seating of the reporters.
A few were taking photos, the light from their cameras bright. Caleb tried to ignore them, tugging at his collar slightly as a small layer of sweat beaded his forehead.
Then a sudden murmur started to pass through the crowd below, the cameras shifting. He looked to the side, watching as the president make his way onto the base of the stand, and forward onto the podium.
He stood still, silent for a second as he looked to the stand, then he looked up out to the reporters.
¡°Hello America¡± the President said his voice smooth. ¡°Today has been nothing short of catastrophic; a day that¡¯ll be long remembered for years to come. And while I do not doubt there is no limit to the tragedy experienced by all across the world, there is a new future we must consider. A future we were not expecting, but one we must prepare for all the same.¡±
He took a breath, holding the sides of the podium as the weight of the world seemed to rest on his shoulders, then he spoke.
¡°We are at war¡± he said. Murmurs passed through the crowd of reporters. ¡°Today¡¯s attack was the first, but as I have been informed, may only be one in a number of others yet to come. These deadly monsters were sent here by an enemy so great and vast, I can scarcely imagine it¡¯s enormity myself. And it is not one we can fight with our current technology alone.
¡°But I urge you, do not despair. After today¡¯s events, and the message received worldwide, I¡¯m sure you all know that we¡¯ve become recognised as a member of the Akashic Federation. This Federation is like nothing we¡¯ve ever seen before. An intergalactic federation of over ten planets, filled with other humans and possessing technologies and powers beyond our wildest dreams. These humans have been fighting this enemy, defeating it for longer than any of us can imagine. And today, we ¨C the people of Earth ¨C join that fight too.¡±
He paused adjusting his suit as the reporters below looked amongst themselves, clearly struggling to tell if he was being serious.
¡°I¡¯m sure right now, a great deal of you are confused. But fear not. More will be revealed in time. Not just by me, but hopefully others out there. I¡¯ve been in contact with Earth¡¯s representatives, three honest and noble souls who¡¯ve helped gather a proper place for us amongst the stars. And as you can see behind me, there are many more important people to talk of. For now, unfamiliar faces, though they won¡¯t remain so for long. As behind me stands, not soldiers, but something more. Brave champions of this new world. This new fight. Behind me stands only a few of the heroes that saved the world today and are prepared to do so once again in the future. These brave souls behind me in particular fought against the monster that attacked us here in New York. And they defeated. For that I would like us all to offer those behind us and the ones who gave their lives, here and all others across the world, a great show of gratitude¡± the President said, turning to them. ¡°Thank you. Thank you all.¡±
He turned back to the crowd, as various reporters began to mutter amongst themselves.
¡°And now for exemplary performance on the field of battle, in the protection of not only the American Republic and its people, but the worlds, I would like to offer Avana Hoyt, Elliott McCormick, Caleb Souza, Iris Christison and Aleka Biros, each Medals of Freedom.¡±
Caleb eyes widened as the President turned to them, smiling as several soldiers stepped on stage, and handed each of them a small, opened box. Inside against a soft black cushioning lay the golden medal.
Holy shit
He hadn¡¯t expected this at all.
¡°I¡¯m told whilst all provided aid in defeating the monster, these five in particular contributed immensely to its defeat. I hope in time, to also reward those who fought valiantly to protect lives in other countries and hope other countries can award those here tonight.
¡°For now this is all you¡¯ll be seeing of them. They¡¯ve more important matters to attend to and then homes and families to see. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have plenty of chances to question them in the future, though today, you¡¯ll have to settle with the usual. In a minute we¡¯ll take a short break, allow this kind ladies and gentlemen time to leave the stage and after a few of my secretaries will make short announcements regarding our plans for the future. Thank you.¡±
Instantly the cameras in front of Caleb exploded with light. Shouts and flashes practically blinding him as the reporters called out desperately, screaming a barrage of questions. Before he knew it he was being turned around, and was following a line of other chosen back into the compound.
He found himself inside the hall, following along a line of others as their excited chatter echoed through the hall, his eyes fixed to the medal in hands as he recalled the presidents¡¯ words.
A part of him couldn¡¯t help but smile.
¡°Caleb¡± Sierra suddenly said, gently pulling him closer. She paused as he turned to her. ¡°Wow. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you smile so much.¡±
He pointed to the medal, his smile wider now.
¡°I got a medal¡±
¡°From the fucking President¡± Harrison said, appearing next to Sierra. ¡°This is amazing!¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Layla said. ¡°My brother¡¯s in the military and he always used to say getting one was basically impossible.¡±
[You deserve it, you all did] Aliyah said.
¡°Yeah¡± Harrison said. ¡°I- that whole thing was fucking amazing.¡±
¡°It really was¡±
¡°But I didn¡¯t expect him to just come out and say it like that¡± Layla added.
¡°Yeah. What did you tell them Ria?¡± Harrison said, wheeling on her.
[Just stuff. I think he lied about a few things th-]
Caleb felt it instantly, his mind torn away from Ria¡¯s words. A sudden shift in the mana of the space behind him. He whirled around, readying himself, as a red portal appeared, and a person stepped through.
He was young, eighteen, nineteen, a teen bordering on adulthood. His skin was dark, a rich sepia in tone, that paired well with the white and gold regal cloak he wore over golden armour. All of it was filled with potent amounts of mana, and atop his head he wore a crown, similar to Caleb¡¯s but made of gold. Its details were more intricate too, from top to bottom engraved in a unique style that all centred around a singular engraving of Earth. But most importantly, his magical form itself seemed to exude power, a heat that seemed to warp the edges of physical reality around his body.
His body¡¯s like my core. No different somehow but¡ the same?
The response to him was instant. The soldiers all around raised their guns, wide eyed, as chosen magic flared, everyone crying out in a panic.
[S-stop!] Ria called out. Then the man raised his hand, and barriers formed throughout the room, blocking the man off from everyone but Caleb. Caleb¡¯s fist began to glow, but from the sheer force of the mana in front of him he knew he didn¡¯t stand a chance.
¡°Caleb¡± the guy said, his voice gentle. ¡°Could you come with me please? I¡ I¡¯m sorry but I really need to talk to you¡±
¡°W-who are you?¡±
¡°Nigel¡± he said, his face sad. ¡°I¡¯m one of Earth¡¯s representatives¡±
¡°Can¡¯t we talk here?¡± he said, glancing to the walls of pure mana either side of them.
¡°I¡¯d prefer a little quiet¡± he said. Caleb hesitated. ¡°We won¡¯t be long. I promise.¡±
¡°What¡¯d you want to talk about?¡±
¡°Daen¡¯s offer.¡±
Caleb hesitated but nodded. Nigel seemed to sag with relief for a moment, and then a red portal appeared beneath them. Caleb cried out as his body became weightless, then his feet hit solid floor.
He took a moment to gather his balance then looked around, met with dry desert shrubbery and a sea of orange dirt in all directions.
¡°Where are we?¡± he muttered panicked. ¡°What planet?¡±
¡°Sturt. Still Earth, though I certainly wouldn¡¯t blame you if you thought otherwise. I used to come here with my dad but¡¡± he trailed off, staring out into the distance. Caleb watched him, as he looked around before wiping sweat from his forehead with a hand adorned with various golden rings.
¡°That doesn¡¯t matter now¡± he muttered, looking to the ground. ¡°We need to talk about stuff. Important stuff.¡±
¡°About Daen?¡±
Nigel nodded, before looking back to him. He seemed to look through Caleb for a moment before looking away again.
¡°But before that, walk with me?¡±
¡°Uh¡ sure.¡±
Chapter Forty Seven - Forgone Conclusion
They walked mostly in silence for the first few minutes, Nigel occasionally pointing out a cloud or to piece of shrubbery, explaining things about it. It was odd, almost like he was intentionally trying to avoid something.
No, not almost, Caleb thought. He is.
¡°How did you become a representative?¡± Caleb blurted suddenly. Nigel glanced to him, his strange eyes dancing with magic, watching Caleb for a moment, before he chuckled to himself, looking away. But there was no humour in laugh, only a grim kind of irony.
¡°Uh¡ well, luck I guess¡± Nigel muttered.
¡°Luck?¡±
¡°Yeah¡± he said. ¡°I just¡ we were messing around. Well not messing around. That I know now. It¡¯s¡ it¡¯s a bit difficult to explain¡±
¡°Could you explain it? Please¡± Caleb said. ¡°I mean if you don¡¯t want to you don¡¯t have to, just¡ this whole thing can get a little confusing¡±
¡°Ah. You want to know how representatives work?¡±
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°Well you can¡¯t use me as an example¡± he chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s quite funny actually. They¡¯re usually elected. Yuniea runs a poll with the entire population of a planet and the three highest votes take the seats¡±
Caleb frowned.
¡°Why wasn¡¯t it like that here?¡±
¡°Uh¡ well what happened here is pretty special. Put simply, planets usually cross the threshold, by having a member of the species form a mana connection. Usually, it¡¯s naturally occurring but here my¡ friends... we formed it. Through a kind of experiment¡±
¡°Wait you formed a mana connection? Intentionally?¡±
¡°Semi-intentionally. Sam was trying to prove something he''d discovered existed, and roped me and Divine into it. During a particular experiment, there was an explosion and the three of us each formed a mana connect. When you understand the science behind it, it¡¯s an incredible coincidence really - if you can even call it science.¡±
¡°Wait¡ you caused this? Everything? The trial¡± Caleb muttered, coming to a stop.
¡°In a roundabout way¡± he said. ¡°Though I had less to do with it than the other two. I was just in the right spot at the right time I guess.¡±
Caleb slowed to a stop, staring at Nigel as he continued walking. After a second, the older boy glanced back at him.
¡°Sorry. It¡¯s¡ it¡¯s a lot I know¡± he said. Caleb nodded. ¡°Are you angry? I¡¯d understand if you were.¡±
¡°No I¡¡± he trailed off remembering everything that¡¯d happened to him. ¡°You didn¡¯t know, did you?¡±
¡°No¡± he replied, his voice solemn too. They were both silent again, only the sound of the wind rolling through the space.
¡°Who¡¯re the other representatives?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°Sam and Divine. They¡¯re my¡ I don¡¯t actually. I used to think of them as friends but I don¡¯t know anymore¡± Nigel said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter right now. I¡¯ve avoided it long enough. We need to talk about Daen¡¯s offer.¡±
Caleb glanced to him again, spotting the clear mixture of apprehension and fear in his voice.
¡°What about it? Is it¡ bad?¡± Caleb asked.
¡°No. Well¡ it depends on who you ask¡± Nigel responded. Caleb frowned. He was finding this whole thing difficult to gauge, especially given Nigel¡¯s vagueness.
¡°What do you want me to do?¡± he asked, his voice firm.
¡°Well,¡± Nigel muttered. ¡°I need you to accept.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Caleb replied, his heart sinking slightly.
¡°The agreement the other two signed is a rigorous one. The other two are ambitious you see. They didn¡¯t want to just be apart of the Federation, they wanted to be the most powerful within it. And it''s doable. Because the rest of the federation, the main people in power at least they''re¡ well it¡¯s a bit difficult to explain. Put simply, they¡¯ve been here so long, so fixed in their ways that it¡¯s changed them. They¡¯re different from us¡±
¡°Different how? They all look human¡±
¡°No, not like that. In the way they think. And I guess there are probably some biological differences, small ones based on the time spent in certain locations, but we¡¯re all human in a certain way.¡±
¡°Oh right, how does that all work? Everyone being human?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t get a straight answer my entire time there. It¡¯s a little- no that¡¯s too much to explain right now. Basically, best I got was a scientist on Etimos told me we probably all share a common ancestor, though the widely held belief is that all important creatures are made in the great Yuniea¡¯s image¡±
¡°That seems very... religious¡±
¡°It is¡± Nigel said.
¡°Wait, wait Yuniea, the system is human? Or looks human at least?¡±
¡°Yes. We think at least. No one actually knows. But getting back to everyone else, they¡¯re¡ how do I say it.... stagnant in a way? Fixed? Yeah. Fixed in their methods¡± he said. ¡°Sure Etimos is different, like Earth, in the fact that they¡¯ve developed technology like ours and have had constantly shifting cultures, but they¡¯re not a war planet.¡±
¡°War planet? What¡¯s the difference between a member of the Federation, and a war planet?¡±
¡°The war planets make all the major decisions¡± Nigel said. ¡°I- you ever watch Star Wars?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡± Caleb said, frowning.
¡°Think of war planets as a Coruscant and a regular planet as a Tatooine, though probably slightly more considered. Non-federation planets are probably closer to Tatooine¡¯s. Anyway, everything happens on the war planets, and they decide where the majority of the troops. To control it would be to control all people in the known universe¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
¡°Wait, your friends want to control it?¡± Caleb muttered, horrified.
¡°They¡¯re not- no. They just want to be the most powerful¡± Nigel said, clenching his jaw. ¡°You see in the realm of the council, money doesn¡¯t matter that much. It still matters but favour matters more¡±
¡°Favour? I¡¯ve heard that word used a lot¡±
¡°Put simply, it¡¯s a goodwill token from Yuniea. The amount of liberties she¡¯s willing to grant you uncontested.¡±
¡°What? So¡ like wishes from God?¡±
¡°In a way¡± Nigel said.
¡°What can you even do with it? Can you ask her for anything?¡±
¡°Not anything. But you can do a lot. You can ask for stat points, to share hidden information with certain people, for dominion over certain territories, free teleportation rights and more. But the main thing is that it can be traded, between anyone. You can use it get rights, things or even information. Think of it like a currency that¡¯s gained from contributing to the war¡±
¡°That seems¡ overpowered¡± he mumbled, his mind turning back to all the times Daen had mentioned using favour for him. He gulped hard. The crown on his head suddenly seemed a lot heavier.
¡°It is¡±
¡°How does this all come back to Daen¡¯s deal?¡± he asked. But from the look on Nigel¡¯s face alone, Caleb already knew the answer.
¡°There were a series of deals and offers made. From Yuniea and the other planets. There always is when a new planet joins the council. The other two, they took on a heavy burden from Yuniea, minimal help from other planets and organised lots of specific trade agreements.¡±
¡°Burden? As in quota for fighting monsters in the war?¡±
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°So¡ high risk, high reward?¡± Caleb said.
¡°No¡± Nigel laughed bitterly. ¡°The ¡°favour tax¡± is about as high as you can reasonably imagine. Put simply they¡¯ll take a majority of the favour earned by world members for themselves, and use it ¡®for the betterment of Earth¡¯ as they say, but we all know what¡¯s going to happen. They¡¯re exploiting everyone basically. I guess I¡¯m included in that too. But even then¡ it¡¯s just too much. They¡¯re asking for too much from everyone. We can¡¯t¡¡±
Nigel trailed off. Caleb watched him, then looked to the orange dirt beneath his feet, furrowing his brow. For some reason, Daen¡¯s words came to him, clear as crystal in that moment.
The Yildaric guard fight primarily against named evils of the opposing dominions. And all war worlds must bear their quota.
Is that what Daen had meant? That joining would help cover the quota for his world. That it¡¯d make things easy for everyone?
¡°You want me to fight to help cover the quota?¡± he asked.
¡°No¡± Nigel muttered, ¡°they took you into account when setting the quota. If you don¡¯t do this then¡¡±
Nigel left the rest unsaid, but Caleb could feel the sinister tendrils of choices made far beyond his reach already constricting around him. His face fell as he looked to the ground.
¡°That doesn¡¯t seem fair¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Caleb. But the representatives set the rules¡±
¡°That¡¯s just, so¡ horrible? Can¡¯t that just be exploited?¡±
¡°Well usually the representatives can be changed if the people aren¡¯t happy¡±
¡°And they can¡¯t for us?¡±
¡°We formed a mana connection through our own actions Caleb. Even if it was just a fluke, it¡¯s never been done before. The position¡¯s were granted to us by Yuniea. You could try to vote us out, but I think the rest of the council would stop you.¡±
Caleb went silent, looking to the scars across his hand with an intense frustration. Any relief he felt, any joy, it was gone now, replaced by a cold dread and coarse frustration. He hadn¡¯t expected things to be easy, but this? This wasn¡¯t right.
They¡¯re not even giving me a choice, he thought.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Caleb¡± Nigel said shaking his head. ¡°I guess in a way I¡¯m complicit in all this. I was too caught up in all the awe of my circumstances, in the trust that I¡¯d placed in my friends. I think¡ I think I just thought it would all be ok. That things would be like usual. That Sam would figure out how to fix things. Just¡ not like this¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to apologise¡± Caleb replied.
¡°I do¡± Nigel muttered sadly, adjusting his robes. ¡°I know it¡¯s not much, but I can give you three days, keep the others off your back. After that, I¡¯m sorry but you¡¯ll have to make a decision. I¡¯m not telling you to accept¡ I could never ask you to-¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± Caleb repeated, though his tone implied otherwise.
He frowned, before clenching his fist tightly as his side began to throb.
He¡¯d expected to have his life changed forever, to be slowly and steadily pulled from everyday life as magic became more and more a part of the world. Just not so soon.
¡°You can take me back now¡± Caleb said.
¡°No¡± Nigel said.
¡°No?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to go back if you don¡¯t want to¡± Nigel said.
¡°I can¡¯t stay here¡±
¡°No Caleb, I¡¯ll let you go anywhere¡± he said. ¡°For the next three days, just request it and I¡¯ll cover the favour.¡±
¡°Anywhere?¡± Caleb mumbled, awed.
¡°Anywhere¡± Nigel said with a smile. ¡°Where do you want to go first?¡±
¡°Home¡± he mumbled. ¡°I want to go home.¡±
¡°Just think of the place and it¡¯s done¡± Nigel said. Caleb closed his eyes, remembering the dusty dryness of the trailer park, of the chainlink fence that surrounded the lot, of the beaten sidewalk he and some of the other kids would cover in chalk drawings in the summer. He remembered the taste of the place, the smell, and the sound. The feel of it and the memories. His mind stretched beyond the place, beyond just his actual home to the feeling of it. To all the places, and space where his memory had felt at home. From the park he¡¯d played in with his middle school friends, to the tree he¡¯d sat in for an hour during a picnic, and even the hill he¡¯d chased his sister up once. Before any thoughts of cancer, magic and monsters had ever existed in his mind. Back when everything had been simple. Normal.
He felt connected to the space itself in a way he hadn¡¯t quite done in years. Maybe even ever. It was both surreal and the most grounding experience he¡¯d had in a while.
The rush was sudden, powerful as if a force was connecting the memories within his mind to a place beyond. Instantly a red portal appeared in front of him, warping the space around it. Caleb hesitated, reaching out to it, feeling the whirlwind of its magic wash over his hands before finally stepping through.
The change was instant, a sudden feeling of power, almost ecstasy-like, as he stepped through the portal. Then he was on the other side, the sound of his home surrounding him. He blinked hard looking around as his heart beat in a slow and steady rhythm. He stood on the slope he¡¯d chased his sister up, overlooking a few houses and then the sea beyond it, as the glow of the sun beat down on him.
¡°This home?¡± Nigel asked, the portal behind them disappearing.
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°You live in one of those houses?¡± Nigel said.
¡°No, no¡± he muttered, voice quiet. ¡°It¡¯s a slight walk away. I just remembered up here more¡±
¡°Yeah, that happens if you have a connection to the place. It goes away after the third or so try though¡±
¡°I- thank you¡± Caleb mumbled, turning to Nigel suddenly.
¡°I- don¡¯t thank me¡± Nigel said, his joy at the thanks, overshadowed by guilt.
¡°Thank you anyway¡± Caleb repeated.
¡°Well, if you really mean it, you¡¯re welcome.¡±
They stood in silence on the road for a while, before Nigel sighed.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Caleb asked, turning to him.
¡°It¡¯s the others¡± Nigel said, swiping at the air as his eyes scanned over various invisible messages. ¡°They¡¯re having a meeting with someone important. Say they need me.¡±
¡°Is it important?¡±
¡°No¡ yes, but I should probably stay¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok. You can go¡±
Nigel looked to him, frowning before looking back to the message.
¡°I won¡¯t be able to convince them anyway. They¡¯ll just keep going the way they¡¯re going¡± he said.
¡°I mean they could always get worse¡± Caleb said. Nigel frowned, his face twisting with uncertainty.
¡°That¡¯s¡ true¡±
¡°You seem like a decent guy¡±
¡°Then I gave off the wrong impression¡± Nigel half joked.
¡°You seem compassionate Nigel. I mean, you told me all this. You could¡¯ve just told me I had to accept and not explained anything¡± Caleb said. ¡°It sounds like the other two need a voice like that in the room.¡±
¡°It won¡¯t be enough¡± Nigel muttered dejected.
¡°Can¡¯t you at least try?¡±
Nigel was silent for a moment, looking out over the sea as the mana all throughout his body seemed to rippled down from his head.
¡°I guess I could¡± he muttered. ¡°Well¡ thanks for that. And uh¡ bye. The free teleport will still be active by the way. Just¡ try not to do anything insane.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t¡± Caleb said. Nigel nodded, then waved his hand, a red portal appearing next to him. He hesitated, then stepped through the portal disappearing behind him. Caleb watched as the shimmering of the space died down, then turned his attention back to the sea. The sun glinted off it perfectly, the light shimmering off the water. In the distance he could see the horizon, though somehow it looked just a little closer than he remembered.
He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh smell of air as a small smile, the plague of anxious worry temporarily leaving his mind as he allowed the childlike joy to sweep through him.
He was home. He was finally home.
Chapter Forty Eight - Home
Caleb walked through the streets slowly, steeping himself in the atmosphere of home. For the most part the streets were empty, people inside watching T.V, or rushing home panicked as they spoke on the phone about the ¡°shatter¡±. He stuck mostly to the secluded streets as he walked, though still earned a few stares. Given the time that¡¯d passed since the and the distance, he doubted anyone who saw him would think he was the same Caleb on T.V, though they¡¯d probably be confused by the resemblance.
A few probably wouldn¡¯t even recognise him, still unaware of exactly what was happening on the East Coast. Still, it¡¯d probably be better to get home before someone stopped him and started to ask all sorts of question.
So weird he thought. The idea that people would know him now, actually know him was a little confusing. Given his fame from the trial protocol, and whole prophecy thing, he was probably more famous in the Federation, but it felt more personal here. Familiar in a way he understood completely.
I¡¯m famous he thought. Like actually famous. The President said my name on TV, people saw my face, and I have a government medal.
He clutched the box a little tighter. It was so surreal. Not bad in the same way he thought it¡¯d be. Maybe it could even help kickstart Casey¡¯s acting career. That would be nice. Now that he thought about it, his mom was probably going to get the shock of her life.
He kicked a stray stone and came to a stop, looking back out towards the sea atop a hill. His eyes remained there for a moment, fixed to the still shimmering sea. He remembered swimming in it, during a holiday. It¡¯d been a bit further down from here, during a relatively cool summer, and the beach had been busy. But it¡¯d still captured that essence that he remembered from Bertioga. A little less personal but he remembered it in the same way. It¡¯d been one of the last days where it¡¯d been all of them. Him, Kayla, his father and Casey. It¡¯d been fun.
I never went swimming with mom.
He frowned; the serenity his joy had brought dimming somewhat.
¡°World¡¯s gone to shit hasn¡¯t it?¡±
Caleb glanced behind him to an older man with a white mane of a beard, sunglasses, jean shorts and a more than colourful Hawaiian shirt strolling along towards him. He stiffened slightly, waiting for the moment of recognition.
¡°Oh, sorry I shouldn¡¯t swear¡± the man said, chuckling to himself.
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± Caleb nodded nervously. The man slowed as he neared Caleb, looking him over with an obvious frown.
¡°You look a little young to serve?¡± he asked questioning.
¡°Uh¡ I haven¡¯t¡±
¡°Well¡ I guess it¡¯s not a crime to wear camo. Though it¡¯s probably a little hot¡±
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb muttered, tugging at his collar.
¡°Plus might not be the best time to wear it. People¡¯ll think you¡¯re a soldier. You seen what¡¯s bene going on news?¡±
Caleb relaxed slightly. He didn¡¯t recognise him.
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°Crazy right?¡± he laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve just been pacing around ever since, waiting for something else to happen¡±
¡°I think we¡¯re ok for now¡±
¡°You never know kid. You never know¡± the man said, shaking his head. as he laughed. ¡°My daughter¡¯s all worried, trying to book us a flight to New York to go see if my granddaughter¡¯s ok. She¡¯s called like five hundred times, though Mary stopped answering after the third, even texted her to stop calling then turned off her phone. Hilarious isn¡¯t it? Even in the midst of a catastrophe the like of which we ain¡¯t never seen and a parent can still annoy the shit out of their child¡±
¡°She¡¯s ok? Mary?¡± Caleb muttered, stiffening as heartbeat quickened.
¡°What? Oh yeah, she¡¯s just fine. She goes to Coloumbia so you know, a little close for comfort, but she was mostly bummed that she was so close and could barely see anything¡±
Caleb nodded as the man¡¯s laughter faded, his gaze fixed on Caleb.
¡°Sorry, don¡¯t mean to make light you know. Just how I cope. I¡ you lose anyone?¡±
He went to respond but froze, the images of all the bodies and blood, dragged along by water flashing through his mind
¡°Sorry¡± the old man said. ¡°probably shouldn¡¯t ask that.¡±
¡°No. It¡¯s ok. I didn¡¯t, but¡ well someone I know got injured. And I knew someone who disappeared but we can¡¯t contact them so I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s ok. It¡¯s fine¡±
What? he thought, Why did I say that?
The man was silent for a second, before nodding as he looked away.
¡°I guess that¡¯s why you¡¯re out here?¡±
¡°Y-yeah.¡±
The man nodded again, looking off at the sunset.
¡°I know it¡¯s not what you want to hear, but¡ things will get better son.¡±
¡°Will it?¡±
¡°Well it¡¯s what they told me when my wife died¡± the man chuckled, before falling silent. ¡°That was a few years back now. And I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re right or not. But there was a time when I thought they weren¡¯t, where I was certain of it¡±
Caleb looked back to the man as he stared wistfully off at the sunset.
¡°We used to come up here. Watch the sunset whenever she had one of her flare ups. I used to be so against it, she seemed so fragile and frail you know? Now? Now it¡¯s all I remember, the laughter we shared up here¡± the man said. He stood silent for a moment, his eyes slightly wetter than before. ¡°You got any good memories?¡±
Caleb thought back to the trial, suddenly reminded of when he¡¯d first met Ryan and Kana, to all the memories they¡¯d shared.
¡°Yeah¡± he muttered softly, ¡°Yeah I do.¡±
¡°Then that¡¯s enough¡± the man said. Caleb nodded, quiet again, before he thanked the man with a small smile.
¡°Wait a second, do I know you?¡±
¡°I¡ don¡¯t know¡± Caleb mumbled, stiffening again.
¡°Wait... you was on TV wasn¡¯t you?¡± the man said.
¡°I uh¡ yeah¡±
¡°You some actor¡¯s kid?¡±
Caleb paused, then smiled to himself.
¡°Something like that¡±
¡°Well¡ good luck kid¡± the man said. ¡°Hope everything works out for you¡±
¡°Yeah. I hope your granddaughter¡¯s ok too¡±
The man glanced back at him and offered a smile.
¡°Thanks. You¡¯re a good kid¡±
Caleb nodded and then watched as the man walked away. He thought to himself for a moment, then turned and started down the opposite side of the hill. He walked slowly quiet as he absently mindedly crossed over the various streets, finally reaching his own.
He¡¯s pace dragged to a stop as he reached the gate, his eyes scanning over the sight in front of him. The park was just as horrid as always. The broken and cracked asphalt, overrun by weeds, grass and pockets of sand, filled with trailer homes, RV¡¯s and a few tents. Caleb stood by the broken and beaten entrance, looking over the in the lot as he thought to himself.
Then a group of kids ran past with their water guns, laughing as they sprayed each other. One kid, Jimmy ran closest to him, glancing to him before freezing. The two stared at each other for a second before Jimmy spoke.
¡°Are you a ghost?¡± Jimmy muttered.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°No¡± Caleb laughed to himself, walking past the boy as he made his way into the lot. He passed a few of the homes, before reaching his He stopped outside, then knocked on the door and stepped back. There was the muffled sound of voices for a moment before Kaya¡¯s head popped up in the kitchen window, wearing her signature frown. Her eyes widened as she saw him and she cried out, disappearing as the door opened.
¡°Kayla? Don¡¯t scr-¡± Casey froze, staring at him wide-eyed as Kayla shot past leaping into his embrace. He laughed as she held him tightly, hugging her back.
¡°C-caleb¡± Casey mumbled, stepping forward. ¡°How¡¯re you here?¡±
¡°Teleported¡± he said. She laughed at the ludicrousness of the situation, then stepped forward pulling him into a hug too. The three remained in the embrace before finally Casey pulled away, wiping at her eyes.
¡°This is amazing. I can¡¯t believe your really here so soon¡± she said.
¡°I can¡¯t either¡± Caleb nodded, smiling to himself.
¡°Kayla¡± Casey said, ¡°I think Caleb¡¯s had enough hugs for now.¡±
¡°No¡± Kayla cried. Caleb laughed to himself.
¡°I do you want to come inside. Can I get you something to eat or drink?¡±
¡°We should get takeaway¡± Kayla cried. ¡°McDonalds!¡±
¡°Let¡¯s let Caleb ¡±
¡°Right, right¡± Kayla mumbled, finally letting as Caleb set her down. He thought for a second then smiled to himself.
¡°Uh¡ we could have ice cream?¡± he said.
¡°Ah, we don¡¯t have any. We finished it all last week¡±
¡°Uh we could go and get some¡±
¡°Alright¡± Casey said nodding before she paused. ¡°I mean, you sure it¡¯s a good idea to go out? People might recognise you. I know how you are with stuff like that¡±
¡°Oh yeah! You were on TV!¡± Kayla cried.
¡°Quiet Kayla¡± Casey said, glancing around, before looking to Caleb. ¡°I was a little surprised you even did something like that¡±
¡°It was sort of a last minute thing. And I should be fine. I can just wear some sunglasses and change my clothes. I should be ok¡±
Casey nodded to herself, and smiled.
¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go get some ice cream¡±
-
Kayla wouldn¡¯t let go of his hand. It was adorable in a way. She¡¯d hated ever holding anyone¡¯s hand, especially in public areas, but today their hands were stuck together like glue. Almost as if the second he let her go he¡¯d disappear. Casey was enjoying it. It was clear she was relieved Caleb was back and probably enjoying the sight of Kayla being so happy. The freedom was definitely a plus too.
And Caleb was as content as he had been in a while. Finally out of the military uniform, in his usual shorts and t-shirt, as he made his way down the street, donning Casey¡¯s sunglasses. Sure he was a bit conscious about the scarring so clearly visible on his arm, but it wasn¡¯t that bad. And besides, he had Kayla¡¯s singing to enjoy to take his mind off of it. He grinned to himself as she skipped along, humming as they rounded the corner onto the lane of shops.
Things felt normal. Better than normal. He was finally going to be able to eat ice-cream again.
He adjusted the glasses slightly as they stepped into the Bill¡¯s Sundae, the cool of the air-conditioning hitting his face. The two siblings were working behind the counter today, one stood by the till as the other looked to the TV in the corner where footage of New York played.
¡°Oh¡ hi¡± the boy said, turning to them as they came in. ¡°What can I get you?¡±
Caleb glanced to Casey, as Kayla bounded over to the glass, cackling with glee.
¡°You can get as much as you want¡±
¡°You sure?¡±
¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve earned it¡±
Caleb looked back, stepping up next to Kayla as he looked over everything, before him.
¡°Uh¡ what do you want?¡± he said nudging his sister.
¡°I want some of everything!¡± Kayla cried. Caleb laughed to himself as the cashier looked to Casey, then to his sister. He frowned for a second, as his eyes fell on Caleb, then he looked back to the TV.
Crap. I guess they would recognise me in here.
¡°Are you¡ Caleb?¡± he mumbled.
¡°Uh¡ yeah¡±
The two siblings stared at him then looked to each other.
¡°Mom!¡± the boy called. Caleb winced, before glancing bac
¡°What?!¡± a woman called out from the back
¡°Caleb¡¯s here¡± the girl said, glancing back and forth between the TV, as if waiting for his face to reappear on screen.
¡°I told you. He¡¯s always in here with his sister and his mom¡± a woman said, emerging from behind a staff only door. She looked to all of them smiling. ¡°Oh you¡¯re all here. How wonderful. How did you get over here so fast Caleb?¡±
¡°T-teleport¡±
¡°Teleport? Oh my god. This is amazing isn¡¯t it. He¡¯s all magical. Like Harry Potter¡± the owner said to her kids, before turning to him. ¡°Ooh, could you do a spell that makes our ice cream taste better? Or makes people want to come here? We¡¯ll give you free ice cream for life. You can have as much as you want whenever you come here. You can have as much as you want now. Here, take this tub for free. Oh you can have these tubs too. And a bunch of this as well.¡±
The woman, raced around behind the counter, stuffing a bunch of ice-cream tubs into a plastic bag as her kids tried frantically to stop her.
¡°Oh, we¡¯ve got some waffles as well, do you want waffles?¡±
¡°Mom stop¡± the girl said embarrassed. ¡°Your embarrassing us.¡±
¡°Alright, alright¡± she huffed. ¡°But are you sure you don¡¯t want the waffles?¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± Caleb said. ¡°But¡ uh¡ could you not tell anyone I was here?¡±
¡°Of course. Wait, how is it wizards in that show of yours greet each other¡± the mom said, before doing a half bow. ¡°Your wish is my command, Mr Caleb.¡±
The girl ¨C now beet red ¨C shrunk into her apron, as the boy put his face into his hands. Caleb simply tried not to laugh, as Kayla looked back to him tugging at his arm.
¡°Thank you¡± he said, taking his ice cream and the bag she¡¯d given them.
¡°Thank you¡± Casey said, before looking to Kayla as Caleb handed her her ice cream. ¡°What do we say?¡±
¡°Oh! Thanks for the ice cream!¡±
¡°Your welcome dear¡± the owner said. ¡°And please, Caleb your welcome anytime¡±
¡°Thanks¡± he said with a nod.
Together they stepped out of the shop, Kayla taking his hand as they started back down the street.
I hope not everyone¡¯s as weird as that, he thought chuckling. Though if this is what being famous is, it might be nice.
-
He was trying to hold onto sand. He didn¡¯t know why, but it was precious. He had to keep every last drop in his hands as he raced forward, trying to keep away from the cold behind him.
He had to remain in the cool heat. For himself and Kayla. But everyone was telling him to stop, to let go, let the cold take him.
Even if they didn¡¯t want to he could hear their voices. They were telling him to just let go. That he just needed to let go of the sand, let the cold consume him.
But he didn¡¯t want to. But the sand was disappearing, and his clumsier and clumsier hands couldn¡¯t hold on.
He wasn¡¯t going to make it. He knew that already.
But still he refused to slow. He wouldn¡¯t let go of the sand.
He couldn¡¯t.
Caleb¡¯s eyes opened slowly, and he was met with the cool air of a summer morning. The sound of cars echoed in the distant as he heard kids laughing and playing amongst themselves, just outside. He sat up slowly, glancing either side of him.
Right, he thought, I¡¯m home.
He took a moment to gather himself, instinctively feeling beneath the mattress, and caressing the sticker underneath it. He smiled to himself before leaning back against the wall.
Casey stood by the hob, cooking as the radio played softly and she sung along. He yawned, then stretched out his arms before calling out to her.
¡°Morning¡±
¡°Good morning¡± she said, smiling as she looked to him. He offered a smile back, before it faded the happiness replaced by an onslaught of memories from his dreams. His heart rate quickened and he looked down to his hand, the scars glowing softly. With a quick breath he stood, suddenly nervous.
He knew already. He had to tell them. Now rather than later.
¡°Casey?¡± he mumbled. She turned to him picking up on the tremble in his voice.
¡°You alright? What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°I- I got offered a job¡± he said. She frowned, turning the heat down on the eggs. ¡°It¡¯s a space job. An important one, but probably dangerous. I¡ if I don¡¯t accept I think a lot of people could get hurt.¡±
¡°You¡¯re taking the job, aren¡¯t you?¡± Casey said, looking at him sadly. He nodded, almost embarrassed. Casey forced a smile, then stepped forward and pulled him into a tight hug. For a moment it was awkward, then Caleb hugged her back, a warmth in the hug he hadn¡¯t expected.
¡°Just come back in one piece¡± she mumbled, her voice shaky. ¡°Please.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the idea¡± he said with a slight nod.
¡°How long till you have to sign up?¡±
¡°Three days¡± he said. ¡°Well, two now.¡±
¡°How long will you be gone for?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know¡± he muttered. ¡°I probably should¡¯ve asked. It seems like an important job but maybe I get holiday? I¡¯m not sure how alien jobs work.¡±
Casey chuckled, but her smile quickly disappeared, her eyes falling to the floor.
¡°I¡¯ll go tell Kayla¡± she said.
¡°No¡± Caleb said. ¡°I can.¡±
¡°Caleb¡±
¡°I can do it¡± he replied firmly.
¡°Are you sure?¡± she said, no lack of doubt in her voice.
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb said with a determined nod. ¡°It¡¯s not like this will be the hardest thing I¡¯ve done all day.¡±
Casey nodded a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips before fading.
¡°Should probably go do it now. Get it over with¡±
Caleb nodded and gulped, wiping his palms against his trousers. He started quickly out of the caravan, and towards Kayla as she drew on the table outside.
¡°Caleb!¡± she said excitedly, noticing him. ¡°Come draw with me! I¡¯m drawing you and all the other cool superheroes!¡±
Caleb walked forward as Kayla hummed to herself, drawing intently on one of the many sheets of paper that covered her desk. He watched her for a moment, smiling at her abundance of happiness, but the feeling disappeared quickly, ground to dust by the weight of the words that rested on his tongue.
Kayla glanced back to him quickly, an annoyed frown clear on her face.
¡°What¡¯re you doing?! Come draw! Draw!¡±
¡°Kayla I-¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re not good¡± Kayla shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not good either. But it¡¯s fun. Fun!¡±
She turned back to the paper again, kicking her feet and retuning to her humming as crayon met paper. Caleb remained still before cursing himself. Kayla glanced to him again, prepared to shout before she caught his expression.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°Do I have crayon on my face?¡±
He shook his head.
¡°Then what is it?¡±
He stayed silent, looking to the floor as. He¡¯d been wrong. This was hard.
¡°Caleb?¡±
¡°I¡ I have to leave¡± he muttered. Quickly he looked to his sister, watching her expression closely. Kayla¡¯s face fell, her expression shifting from confusion to quiet sadness.
¡°Why?¡± she mumbled, her eyes growing wet.
¡°Some good people offered me a job¡± he said, quickly taking her hands.
¡°But why do you have to leave?¡±
¡°The job¡¯s far away, up in the stars¡±
¡°The stars?¡± she said, her voice growing shakier.
¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to use my powers to help people in space. All throughout the stars¡±
¡°But¡you can do that here¡±
¡°Kayla I-¡±
¡°You can¡¯t leave again. You just got back¡± she said, upset now.
¡°I-it¡¯s ok Kayla I¡¯ll be back¡±
¡°No. You¡¯re supposed to stay. You can¡¯t leave. You can¡¯t¡±
¡°K-kayla it¡¯ll be good I-¡±
¡°No! Stupid silly shitface! You can¡¯t leave!¡± she cried out, grabbing him tightly.
¡°Kayla I-¡±
She screamed loudly, clutching his collar tightly with one hand whilst hitting him with the other. The blows didn¡¯t hurt, but the expression on Kayla¡¯s face did. He hadn¡¯t expected her to get so angry.
Suddenly Casey was at his side, scooping up his sister as she kicked and screamed at them both.
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± Casey said, soothing Kayla as she gently caressed her, stroking Kayla¡¯s hair as she made her way back inside the caravan.
¡°He can¡¯t leave!¡± Kayla screamed, crying so very desperately as her mother held her. ¡°He just got back! It¡¯s not fair! It¡¯s not fair!!¡±
¡°I know, I know¡± Casey said, ¡°I know.¡±
She left quickly, but Caleb could still here the sounds of his sister crying echoing through the space.
He looked down to Kayla¡¯s play desk, at the drawing of his sister¡¯s imagined superheroes, him and his golden sword in the centre. He brought a hand to his face quickly, covering his face, but his eyes were already wet.
¡°Shit.¡±
Chapter Forty Nine - This is where the fun begins
Caleb sat in silence, his back resting against Kayla¡¯s desk. He stared at the ground, picking at the grass, blade by blade, before looking back up to the empty window of the trailer home. Kayla¡¯s crying had stopped a while ago, a few hours maybe, but the wailing screech still echoed in his head.
He didn¡¯t know what to do. He knew she¡¯d take it badly, but not like this. Kayla had never been one to cry. Sure, she was loud, obnoxious at time - violent even ¨C but she had a stiff upper lip as his father had liked to say.
He¡¯d promised to protect her. His father had made him promise, right after she¡¯d been born. And he¡¯d sworn to live by it.
But I''m going to the stars and fighting monsters so they don''t come here, he thought. Isn¡¯t that protecting her?
He didn¡¯t know if it was. Didn¡¯t know just how big this job was. It seemed important, and from what Nigel had said he knew that not doing it would cause serious problems. But leaving would cause serious problems too. To such an extent he might as well be breaking his promise. He was on his feet before he realised it, pacing around as he stuff trembling hands into short pockets. His thoughts ran rampant as he tried to reconcile the gap between what he felt was right, and what he knew was.
He paced around for a few more minutes, before eventually sitting back down next to the table. Bit by bit, thoughts fell silent, as he stared at the sand and dry grass of the ground again. Eventually just the quiet remained, his mind echoing only the sounds and sensations around him. And like always, he was drawn predominantly to his newest sense. With closed eyes he felt at the mana all around him. He didn¡¯t know how he could tell but it was growing. In density, in complexity, in geometry ¨C size and shape ¨C it was growing. The process was slow, barely noticeable. But it was there.
He wondered what it meant. What an increased amount of mana on Earth really signalled. When he thought about it, really compared, Earth¡¯s mana was sparse, thing, compared to the trial worlds. And now it was changing. What would happen? Would Earth become like those places? With two headed lions, scorpions the size of lawnmowers, and dinosaur dragons? What about the Ekhuts of the world? Would they get larger? Or simply stronger? How many of them would there even be?
What kind of monsters would come here next? he thought.
He shook his head as images of a monster twice the size of Ekhut, with ten times the power decimated LA, his step-mom and sister thrown about and decimated in the rubble. He stood quickly, taking a breath.
Why had he even been thinking about this? The decision was clear as day. He couldn¡¯t let something like that happen. Not now. Not ever. If he was right, if this had even the chance to stop it, he had to at least try.
He sighed, letting the tension fall from his shoulders. There wasn¡¯t any point waiting any longer. Not to fix things or say a final goodbye. He¡¯d waited long enough as it was, trying to mull things over. He had to stop letting his emotions get in the way. He clenched his fist tightly and pressed his knuckles firmly against his brow.
This was for Kayla. This was for her and all of humanity. Not just the living, but the dead too.
The mana swirled in front of him as he brought up the message.
[You have been offered a position on the 105th Yildaric Guard squad under Dragonbane ¨C En Daen Avarson]
[Congratulations]
[Do you accept?]
[Y/N?]
He paused, before grabbing a crayon, and quickly scrawled a note on a blank sheet of paper. Then his eyes drifted back to the message and with a deep breath he spoke.
¡°I accept¡±
[Congratulations]
[You have become an official member of the Yildaric Guard]
He stared at the message waiting for more to happen, but nothing did.
¡°Uh¡ hello?¡±
Caleb frowned. He hadn¡¯t expected anything in particular, but nothing was a little confusing. The message disappeared leaving him alone in the middle of the day.
Well, guess that gives me more time with Kayla, he thought. Maybe she won¡¯t be so mad if we get ice-cream again.
He started towards the door when he felt the world shift around him, an intense spike of mana filling his conscious awareness, as a million stars blinded him at once, before a small splash of red arced across his vision, then he was standing once again, his body real, and the air different, cooler. He blinked as his eyes adjusted, then looked forward coming face to face with a grinning Daen.
[Welcome to Alareon (B2-F14-D)]
[I knew you¡¯d make the right choice Caleb] the man laughed.
¡°H-hello¡± he muttered half bowing.
[Ooh, is this a new greeting?]
¡°N-no¡± Caleb muttered, before glancing around. He stood in a small office space, various portrait paintings of family members with frames of gold hanging on the walls, beside various swords and other weapons and trinkets he didn¡¯t recognise. A desk sat behind Daen, a quill and a few sheets of paper resting a top it. It wasn¡¯t a room he was familiar with, but the style of architecture was enough. He was back in Daen¡¯s palace.
[So let¡¯s get- wait where¡¯s your crown?]
¡°Ah, I left it at home¡±
[Hm, you should really make a habit of wearing it. It¡¯s very hard to damage and it doesn¡¯t rust. It¡¯s fine to wear everywhere you know?]
¡°Sorry¡± Caleb mumbled awkwardly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to draw attention.¡±
Daen frowned then waved his hand dismissively.
[It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go get it] Daen said. He felt the mana swirl around Daen¡¯s hand as a he raised it and a red portal appeared. Daen stepped through quickly, and Caleb followed behind, finding himself exactly where he¡¯d been before the teleport.
He looked around confused and horrified as neighbours stared at him and Daen. He shrunk into himself before frowning, as a question immediately came to his mind.
He knows where I live? he thought.
[Alright, where is it?] Daen said.
¡°Mom! Mom!¡± a kid cried out rushing for his home. ¡°There¡¯s a wizard knight here!¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
¡°It¡¯s inside¡± Caleb muttered, shying away from the others as he attempted to hide his face. Daen walked forward, then came to a stop as the door opened, Casey blinking in surprise as she looked between Caleb and Daen.
¡°Uh- please. Come in¡± she said.
Daen nodded, then ducked under as Caleb followed him inside trying to ignore the look of confusion Casey was burning into the back of his head.
[Aha] Daen said, pointing to the. It lifted off the counter suddenly and flew across the room into Daen¡¯s hand¡¯s before he handed it to Caleb, as Daen¡¯s dancing mana faded.
¡°Thanks¡± Caleb muttered, confused.
¡°C-can I offer you anything to drink?¡± Casey asked, nervously
[Oh, right] Daen said, before quickly clearing his throat. [Good¡ afternoon. My name is En Daen Avarson. Thank you for the hospitality. I would like a coffee please.]
Caleb stared at the man, confused by the sudden declaration and just how proud it seemed to make him.
¡°R-right. I¡¯m Casey¡± his step-mom nodded before
Daen looked to him with a smile then flashed a thumbs up, before looking around the trailer nodding to himself. Caleb didn¡¯t know exactly what the man was so impressed by.
¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± a voice said from behind them. Caleb glanced back to his sister as she peered her around the toilet door.
[I am En Daen Avarson] Daen said proudly, [What is your-]
¡°Are you gonna to take Caleb?¡± Kayla said, glaring.
Daen¡¯s face fell slightly as he looked between her and Caleb.
¡°K-Kayla honey¡± Casey started.
¡°You can¡¯t take him¡± she said defiant. ¡°You can¡¯t!¡±
[I-I apologise if I¡¯ve offended you young Earthchild] Daen said. [But your brother is very important]
¡°But it¡¯s not fair. You can¡¯t take him!¡±
¡°K-Kayla¡± Casey said, slipping between Caleb and Daen, as she scooped Kayla up. ¡°Sorry about her. She hasn¡¯t had anything to eat.¡±
[It¡¯s ok]
¡°No!¡± Kayla cried. ¡°You can¡¯t take him! You can¡¯t have him forever¡±
[We won¡¯t have him forever. And if you¡¯re so against it, he can return regularly.]
¡°R-really?¡± Kayla said, her tantrum stopping.
[Well it will be difficult, but the wishes of family are very important in these matters. Even those of a child¡¯s] Daen said nodding.
¡°Uh- he has to come home everyday¡±
[Hmm, I don¡¯t think we can do every day. What about every double deci-cycle?]
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
[Ah right¡ it¡¯s about every Earth weekend. That¡¯s probably a bit better for you. It¡¯s a bit irregular given the time differences, but we can make it work]
¡°Every weekend?!¡± Kayla said excited.
[Yes]
¡°Will you come home every weekend?¡± Kayla said, looking to Caleb.
¡°Uh if I can, then yeah¡± he muttered, his brain still processing his initial confusion.
[Consider it done] Daen said.
Caleb looked between Kayla, and Daen before realising how stupid he was. He hadn¡¯t even considered the idea of both.
What an idiot, he thought. Of course you get holiday.
-
Daen was both weirdly caught up on Earthen customs, but also very oblivious. He knew a lot about greetings, and random details about Earth history, but his questions were weirdly direct, and he seemed almost entirely unaware that the living conditions were less of a choice and more of a forced circumstance.
He also seemed to be giving Kayla¡¯s words a bit too much credence, especially concerning her stories about how heroic Caleb had been in ¡®saving the world¡¯.
Caleb had a bunch of questions he wanted to ask, but it seemed rude to interrupt when Daen was explaining to Kayla the complex migration patterns of the pink unicorns native to Alareon with a hologram. Kayla seemed more interested in the hologram of the unicorn than the topic itself.
Caleb glanced to the window as he took a sip of his water. A few neighbours had milled around outside, but they were gone now. He couldn¡¯t hear the sound of kids playing outside, which worried him. He wondered if they¡¯d all gone inside, if anyone had filmed him and Daen. Though he also wondered how likely it was that any of them had any cell phones. At worse they¡¯d just called the police on the landline.
[And that is why we can only hunt them in the later months of the cycle]
¡°You hunt them?¡± Kayla said, looking away from the hologram.
[Of course. It is an important tradition.]
¡°You shouldn¡¯t hunt them. That¡¯s mean¡± Kayla said, shaking her head.
[Hm. I guess you are right in a way Souza Kayla Caseysair. I will bring this to the attention of the family at our next meeting.] Daen said nodding.
Kayla giggled at Daen¡¯s use of his people¡¯s version of her name, as Casey tried to calm her down.
¡°Kayla why don''t you go draw something for our guest?¡±
¡°Ohh, would you like me to draw you something!?¡± Kayla said excited.
[It would be an honour]
Kayla leapt up and rushed out of the caravan, outside. Caleb stood, glancing out the window. A few of the neighbours were doing the same, staring at Kayla as she drew. But she seemed blissfully unaware of the neighbours stares as she scribbled away.
¡°So¡ uh Mr Daen?¡± Casey muttered.
[Just Daen is fine]
Casey nodded, drawing her hands together as she looked to the floor.
¡°I- how dangerous is this job?¡± Casey asked. Daen¡¯s face grew serious, his smile fading.
[It¡¯s a dangerous] Daen said. [But Caleb will be in good hands. We will train him, and he will excel. This I know.]
¡°Alright, there''s just- I don¡¯t understand. What is the job exactly?¡±
[We will be fighting against the evils of the other realms. Save the universe from monsters, myths, men. Anything that we must face, we will face] Daen said. [But we will win. We always do.]
¡°But he could get hurt?¡±
[I won¡¯t allow any grievous harm to come to him. I¡¯d first sacrifice myself. And should he receive injury, he will wear the scars with pride, like the ones he already has]
Casey¡¯s eyes moved to Caleb¡¯s arm, as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
¡°He¡ I just worry, because he¡¯s so young and- he had cancer. Before all this. Bad"
[Yes. But this too is a battle he must overcome]
¡°Overcome? I thought-¡± Casey frowned as she looked to him. Caleb averted his eyes quickly, looking to the floor. ¡°Caleb? Caleb are you¡ is it still there? Do you¡¡± she trailed off unable to finish. Caleb played with the leg of his shorts, his tongue fiddling with the gap between his back teeth.
¡°Caleb?¡± Casey repeated, harsher this time. "Caleb answer me."
¡°Uh¡ I still have it. It¡¯s¡ I think I can get rid of it?¡± he mumbled.
¡°You think?! You¡¯re doing this and you still have cancer!?¡± she shouted, her eyes wide. ¡°I- no! Why didn¡¯t you- no!¡±
[He can recover] Daen said. [His skill allows it]
¡°I don''t... are you certain?¡± Casey said, her tone serious.
[Yes. Many of my ancestors have recovered from this. All it takes is patience and commitment.]
¡°Good¡± Casey said, sitting back down. ¡°I- I still don¡¯t want him doing anything. Not until he¡¯s healthy.¡±
[I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible] Daen said. [He¡¯s already part of the order. He will have to fight or he will have to die]
¡°What?!¡± Casey cried.
What? Caleb thought.
[Ah, sorry. This is one of our sayings as you call it. In my culture most would rather die than face the dishonour of betraying the order by leaving]
¡°¡right¡± Casey said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But he can leave? He can stop at any time?"
[Technically yes] Daen said. [But he shouldn''t have to.]
The room fell into silence as Casey tapped her foot against the ground, still pinching the bridge of her nose. Daen sipped at his coffee before looking to Caleb and offering a small smile.
Does he think this going well or something?
¡°I finished!¡± Kayla cried suddenly bounding back into the room. ¡°Look Mr Daen! Look!¡±
Daen took the drawing, his eyes scanning it quickly as he smiled to himself.
[It is wonderful Souza Kayla Caseysair.]
¡°Really?¡± Kayla said, bounding up and down with excitement.
[Yes] Daen said with a nod. [I shall frame it in my office. Maybe my son will take inspiration from it in his later childhood]
Kayla grinned to herself, as Casey pulled her into her lap, calming her down. Then Daen, stood offering a half bow to Kayla and Casey.
¡°Are you leaving?¡± Kayla said, her joy vanishing.
[Yes we must go now. We cannot to be late for Adar Vedys.]
¡°Adar Vedys?¡± Casey said, looking between Daen and Caleb. Caleb shrugged.
[It¡¯s a holiday celebration. Very important for the Protectorate orders. Lots of people.]
Caleb looked to him frowning.
¡°Lots of people?¡± he mumbled.
[Yes] Daen replied grinning. [Millions will come to watch and celebrate the existence of the orders. We must get you dressed up before we show you to the universe!]
Oh jesus, Caleb thought.
¡°Can I come?¡± Kayla asked.
[No I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯m sorry earthchild. Though maybe next year]
¡°Ok¡± Kayla nodded, frowning to herself. Daen looked to Caleb - expectant - and Caleb stood slowly, placing the crown atop his head with a nervous gulp.
[Thank you all for hosting me in the Souza abode. It has been an honour and a pleasure. Goodbye] Daen said with a wave, before stepping outside.
¡°Bye¡± Kayla called out to him, before looking to Caleb.
Caleb knelt quickly and hugged his sister.
¡°Promise you¡¯ll come back on every weekend?¡±
¡°I promise¡± he nodded.
¡°You pinky promise?¡±
He locked their pinkies then pulled her into a hug.
¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s ok¡± Kayla sniffled. ¡°You¡¯ll be back every weekend.¡±
He chuckled to himself then pulled away as Casey pulled him into a hug. Theirs was briefer and as she pulled away he noticed the tremor in her hands, and the fear in her eyes.
¡°Please Caleb¡± she mumbled. ¡°Stay safe.¡±
¡°I will¡± he mumbled. ¡°I will¡±
Then, with a final wave to his sister, he started out of the trailer and onto the lawn outside where Daen stood waiting amongst the watchful eyes of the neighbours.
[You ready?] Daen asked. Caleb nodded. Daen raised his hand, but as the mana swirled around them Caleb stopped him.
¡°I know how expensive teleports are. It¡¯s- I already have teleportation privileges or whatever you call it¡±
[Really? From Yuniea?] Daen said, looking to him with a sudden intensity.
¡°No, from one of our planets representatives¡±
[Oh. Was it the rude one? I¡¯d rather you use my favour than his. We don¡¯t want any bad karma]
¡°Uh¡ it was Nigel¡± Caleb responded confused.
[Oh, that¡¯s alright then. Nigel is nice]
Caleb chuckled to himself, and nodded, then raised his hand out in front of him. He remembered, the rolling hills of green and the mixture of hope and despair he¡¯d felt as he and Sierra had looked out over them in the moments before the trial. His mana leapt outwards, mixing with the worlds as an unseen power from above ignited the magical, splitting and joining reality as a portal of red appeared in front of them.
He took a deep breath, lowering his hand then smiled to himself, both nervous but also excited. It was time to start saving the world.
Chapter Fifty - When do I get a cape?
[Welcome to Alareon (B2-F14-D)]
Caleb stepped out of the portal and looked around. They stood on the bridge he¡¯d walked down with Aliyah, the sun off to the left hand side now. People from below looked up from the markets gathered by the wall doors, pointing as he looked down to them, and Daen stepped out the portal behind him. A few cheered and others. He backed away, offering a small wave after Daen¡¯s example.
[Well¡ it¡¯s close enough to where we need to go anyway] Daen said. [Good for a first time. Though I should note, especially given your privileges, you shouldn¡¯t teleport to a place without express permission first]
Caleb nodded, then followed after Daen as they made their way back to the palace. Then he frowned.
¡°Wait, if people can just teleport anywhere, isn¡¯t that a huge security risk?¡± he asked.
[Well usually people can only teleport to specific points. We keep them in teleportation ports. But given your sponsor you can teleport to anywhere you desire.]
Caleb nodded. He still didn¡¯t understand why the representatives of Earth held so much influence or favour with Yuniea. Probably because he just didn¡¯t get the importance of personally connecting to the Super¡¯s will. It didn¡¯t matter completely, if it was the way things were, it was the way things were. But as he continued his acceptance, slowly shifted into confusion.
¡°Wait, if people can teleport to teleportation ports whenever they want isn¡¯t that a huge security risk?¡± he muttered.
[Well very few people get personal teleportation privileges. It¡¯s mostly larger scale stuff, prompted by Yuniea and for military purpose. But we do have the wormhole gateways we¡¯ve implemented from Etimos are for general public use] Daen said as they stepped inside, earning immediate bows from those nearby.
¡°Wormhole gateways?¡± Caleb said. ¡°How¡¯re they different from the other portals? I mean they feel and look like wormholes¡±
[They¡¯re made without magic. Etimos has a lot of stuff like that. Your world too] he said. [I¡¯ll have to read over the deal your representatives made sometime. From what I¡¯ve heard, they¡¯re going for a lot of trade, but independent infrastructure and all that sort of stuff. A little strange, but you¡¯ll be contributing a lot more than expected and we all get your tech, so it¡¯s a win a win.]
Caleb frowned. He was starting to understand some of Nigel¡¯s mutterings a bit more now.
They stopped outside a room with another set of words he couldn¡¯t read but understood.
House of Dress
Daen looked to him smiling.
[Are you ready for your uniform?]
Caleb nodded, before they stepped inside. The room was smaller than he¡¯d expected but still adorned with similar ornamentation and decoration as outside. The walls were lined with large realistic paintings of men and women adorned in armour and unique clothing Caleb had never seen before.
And in the centre of the marble room was a strange two metre by two metre square, and an even smaller unreflective white circle within it.
[Helana!] Daen cried.
A red-haired woman who sat in the corner tapping away at a tablet before looking to the two of them. She smiled, standing as Daen walked ahead and greeted her.
[Caleb, this is Helena my distant cousin] Daen said. [And Helena, you¡¯ve already heard of Caleb]
The two shared a looked before Helana laughed
[Yes, I have] she said. [It is nice to finally meet you.]
¡°Hello¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too.¡±
Daen cackled to himself as Helana glanced to him with a raised eyebrow. Caleb frowned, looking between the two.
[Sorry about him] Helana said. [He¡¯s been trying to get me to practice Earth greetings and now he¡¯s acting like a child because I¡¯ve finally used one]
¡°Oh right¡±
[Now, you¡¯re here for an imprint of your uniforms I¡¯d presume] she said. Daen nodded, clearing his throat as he stopped laughing.
[Good] she said, [Caleb, if you¡¯ll just take off your shoes and step forward onto the white square]
Caleb glanced to Daen, who gestured for him to step forward. He made for the square, slipping out of his sliders and standing atop the platform. It was strangely lukewarm against his feet. He looked up, to Helana as she waved over a floating white box, as it unfolded, revealing a series of jars, rocks, bottles, strange tools and a few smaller weapons, all neatly stacked onto at set of shelves.
She grabbed a jar then a small dagger, and turned to him, dagger at the ready. Caleb pulled away slightly and Helena gave pause looking to Daen. Caleb looked to him too.
[It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s part of the ritual Caleb] Daen said. [She¡¯s a practiced witch]
¡°Witch?¡±
[You didn¡¯t explain anything to him?] Helana said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
[I¡¯ll explain now.] Daen muttered, laughing awkwardly. [Uh¡ right, witch. it¡¯s what we call those who practice the study of magic outside of their skill. She uses artifacts and other things to exert will on the world she can¡¯t with her own power. She¡¯s very good, especially with bonding souls to the steels]
Caleb nodded, looking back to Helana.
¡°Sorry¡± he muttered, shuffling back towards her.
[It¡¯s alright] she said, before stepping forward again. She stepped forward and then raised his left palm. With perfectly even hands ran the edge of the dagger across his hand, and then opened the jar, smearing a strange smelling red goop across it.
Then she stepped back, cleaning her hand with a towel, before closing the jar as she put it back and hung up the dagger. She turned to him and he felt her magic swirl around her in a beautiful pattern, focused on her eyes. She was seeing something. Past his physical form.
He tried to stay completely still as she walked around him, suddenly strangely aware of his own body. She moved around him in a lazy circle, her steps slow as she tapped away at the tablet, her eyes never leaving him.
Then she paused for a second, before nodding to herself. She grabbed a cup, and a strange paddle like tool. Then carefully, she scooped the goop of Caleb''s hand before wrapping it with a cloth.
[And that¡¯s it]
¡°That¡¯s it?¡±
[Yes]
[I told you she was good] Daen said, making his way over. [Fast right?]
Caleb had no idea exactly what had happened, but he still felt normal. Nothing seemed to have changed given his magical or physical form.
[Do you have any questions?] Helana said, looking to his confused expression.
¡°Um, what exactly did you do?¡±
[Just stored some of your essence. We¡¯ll give it to the smiths and have them forge soulsteel tempered for your soul]
¡°Oh. Don¡¯t you need to measure me?¡±
[The household already has your measurements. They took it from your wardrobe] Daen said.
Caleb nodded frowning. The place was more high tech than he realised. It¡¯d felt magical before, but now ¨C even despite the ritual ¨C it felt closer to futuristic tech.
Though this is all to make armour, he thought. What a strange clash of the mystical and futuristic.
Caleb looked to Daen.
[Now, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you back to your House and we¡¯ll have your wardrobe make you the formal uniform for the festival]Stolen novel; please report.
[You¡¯re taking him?] Helana said, raising an eyebrow.
[He¡¯s part of the squad]
[Great Mother] Helana said, sighing, before she looked to Caleb. [You don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to]
¡°Uh¡ it¡¯s fine¡± he mumbled.
[Look what you¡¯ve done to the poor boy. He feels obligated to go with you.]
[No he doesn¡¯t. You don¡¯t, right Caleb?]
¡°N-no?¡±
[If you¡¯re going to take him, don¡¯t take him to any of the private parties. The ceremony and afterparty only. Understood?]
[What? But the private parties are were all the fun is. The Chosen at least deserves to-]
[I¡¯ll tell Esaeni]
Daen paused then sighed.
[Alright. Ceremony and after party only]
Helana nodded pleased, then looked to Caleb.
[Have fun. And don¡¯t listen to everything Daen tells you. People think he¡¯s childish for a reason]
[Enough of that] Daen said, clapping a hand onto Caleb¡¯s shoulder as he steered him to the door. [I¡¯ll not have you put any more poisonous thoughts into the Earthchild¡¯s brain. Bye.]
[Goodbye Caleb. Daen]
¡°B-bye¡± he called out, glancing back to her. They stepped out of the room, and Caleb looked to Daen. The man suddenly seemed a lot less intimidating. He didn¡¯t know exactly how it worked, but it seemed like Helana had some kind of power over Daen. Maybe because she¡¯d been older? Or maybe they just seemed more comfortable around each other. More casual as just family. Whatever it was he hadn¡¯t seen this side of the man yet.
It was quite weird to think about just how much he¡¯d been assuming. He¡¯d been thinking of all Daen¡¯s actions as supremely important, of him as a king. He did own a palace after all but he did seem quite young. It was difficult to understand the social dynamics with no frame of reference. But humans were still humans in the end. Even if their society was completely alien. It made sense that someone would want to show something off, especially if that thing was supposedly
But does he really just want to show me to his friends at some parties? he thought. Is that why he made the offer?
[You look confused] Daen said, looking down to him. [Do you have]
¡°Yeah¡± he started before stopping himself. It wouldn¡¯t do good to question him about all his motives, and there wasn¡¯t exactly anything stopping him from lying more if he had been. Plus, he didn¡¯t feel entirely comfortable about questioning the guy about everything just yet. He wasn¡¯t that close with him.
[Ask away]
¡°I¡ uh¡ do all of your family have red hair?¡±
Daen looked to him, quiet, then burst out into laughter.
[Our hair is dyed at birth, Earthchild. It¡¯s an old tradition. You could adopt it if you like. I think the blonde dye would suit your soul]
¡°I think I¡¯m okay¡±
-
Caleb tugged at his collar as he looked at himself in the mirror. He had to admit, even though it was slightly uncomfortable, he did look good.
It was the same kind of uniform he¡¯d gotten before, but with the additional pieces Daen had had, and a few more. The shoulder guards, the strange belt with a porcelain white dagger in that seemed weirdly out of place, white gloves, and a strange golden sword pin Daen had said he¡¯d earned and a golden sash over the front of it all that read in the strange lettering
House Souza
[Do you like it?] Daen asked.
¡°It¡¯s nice¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m still confused on exactly why I need the dagger?¡±
[For surprise attacks of course] Daen said. [The sword has to wait, since it needs to properly tempered, but nobody really pays attention to the dagger.]
Caleb nodded like he understood what Daen was saying.
[Ah right] Daen said, standing before giving a small bow to Caleb. He produced a ring from his pocket and offered it to Caleb.
[Souza Caleb Martinson. I En Daen Avarson, offer you this gift and title as a testament not only to your bravery and courage, but the honour you¡¯ve restored to my house. The signet ring of your house and the title of higher as recognised by the representatives of Alareon. May your challenges be mighty and good fortune befall you and your kin.]
Caleb accepted it, looking over the fist that stood in gold, raised against the black of its surface, then turned it over, reading the words along the curve of the ring.
by his fist, all will be reborn with order, liberty, and love
¡°Thank you¡± he muttered, slipping it on. The gold of it felt cold against his finger.
[You like it?] Daen asked. Caleb nodded, then looked at himself in the mirror again. He suddenly felt a little strange. Out of place in the face of all the formal stuff. It felt almost wrong in a way. Uncanny.
[You alright?] Daen asked. Caleb nodded, before flexing the fingers of his hand.
¡°Just feels a little cold¡± he said.
[What¡¯s what I said when my father asked me to try it on] Daen laughed, looking to his own. [It warms with time though. In many years, you will be able to tell your first child the same.]
Caleb blinked surprised, as he looked back down to the ring Weird. His children would be inheriting a noble house.
Will my future wife even be from Earth, he thought. His head was starting to spin now. This was probably thought for a different time.
¡°So, what else do we need to do?¡± he asked.
[Nothing. You¡¯re all set. Learning etiquette and all that other stuff won¡¯t really matter. Just don¡¯t use Yuniea¡¯s name in vain or anything and we¡¯re all good. Unless you want a stand in sword?]
¡°I think the dagger¡¯s enough¡± Caleb said before looking to Daen¡¯s clothes as he frowned. ¡°When do I get a cape?¡±
[Ah. The white cloak. The envy of lesser men.] Daen laughed. But there was a hollow quality to it, different to his other ones. [You get it when you¡¯ve been to the frontier.]
¡°The frontier?¡± he asked, turning to him.
[The big battles of the war] Daen said. [For the most part the wars are fought through sneak attacks, and higher being politicking or schemes. That¡¯s all for Yuniea and her guides to manage. We just cut the head off the things that slip through her net, or we fight the on the frontier.]
¡°What¡¯s it like?¡±
[Chaos] Daen said. [Imagine an entire planet consumed by war. millions of men, women, and beasts magical and non-magical, fighting against each other with a billion weapons and enough magic to blind you. All who go there die. In body, mind or spirit. You won¡¯t be the same when you return.]
¡°I-I have to go there?¡± Caleb stuttered.
[One day. You¡¯re took weak now, but we¡¯ll give it a year] Daen said. [The squad will train you while we go through easier missions. Build up the difficultly.]
Caleb nodded, a cold sweat suddenly beading his back.
You knew it was a war, he thought. This is to protect everyone.
[Ha!] Daen laughed. [I had that same expression when I found out. It¡¯s alright. You¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯re the chosen]
Caleb nodded, the uneasiness in his stomach calming. A year. He¡¯d gotten strong enough to defeat Arithorson in on only a few days, even if it¡¯d been half a fluke. A year sounded like enough time to survive that. Especially with proper training.
¡°Ok¡± he nodded again. ¡°Alright.¡±
[You alright?] Daen asked.
¡°Yeah¡± Caleb said, straightening as he looked to Daen.
[Good. Let¡¯s go] Daen said standing before making a face.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
[Your hair] Daen muttered, rubbing at his chin. [Ah it¡¯s fine. We¡¯re running a little late already and we can cut it there]
Caleb glanced to his hair in the mirror. It looked fine to him. A little long maybe, but still fine.
¡°Do I have to cut it?¡±
[Well I¡¯d recommend it] Daen said. [I know longer hair is normal for men on Earth, but on Akyren it¡¯s a little frowned upon]
¡°Akyren?¡± he muttered. He recognised the name.
[Where the festival is. It¡¯s the mother planet, the founders of the Federation]
¡°Wow. How long have they been around?¡±
[About two hundreds of thousand years] Daen said. [It¡¯s not that impressive. They have a ton of rules that limit the things they can and can¡¯t do, so it¡¯s a bit¡ backwards? That sound rude. They¡¯re just really religious over there. Even Esaeni gets a bit creeped out by them sometimes. Don¡¯t tell anyone I said that by the way.]
Caleb frowned, thinking back to Esaeni. If Daen thought the people of Akyren were overly religious, and she got creeped out by them, then they must¡¯ve been really hard core. The hair should¡¯ve been his first sign.
I guess it¡¯s understandable, he thought. They interact directly with their god practically everyday. Who knows what Yuniea¡¯s told them over the course of two hundred thousand years.
Caleb paused, shaking his head. He was still struggling to comprehend the scale of everything. He still didn¡¯t even really know exactly how big the Federation was, let alone how any of it even worked. The politics, the societies, the war, and all the different magic. And the tech too. How on earth had this Etimos planet managed to create wormholes for teleportation without magic? He paused then looked to Daen.
¡°Daen?¡±
[Yeah?]
¡°How did you know where I live?¡±
[Ah. You accepted the position in my squad] Daen said as they turned a corner. [As a cadet of my squad, I have the ability to go locate where you consider home, and you. There were three places in your case, but I chose the one with the most recent connection.]
¡°Three places?¡±
[Yes. It¡¯s quite common. Your mana usually connects strangely to places within space you hold sentiment for you. Yuniea can sense it through you record]
Caleb frowned.
[What¡¯s wrong?]
¡°To just know it like that¡ does Yuniea see everywhere?¡± he muttered uncomfortable.
[No. But she and her guides see a lot. They have to. To monitor possible threats, though they¡¯re constantly shifting their attention.] Daen said. [But I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to know she would keep an eye over you. You¡¯re the chosen after all.]
Caleb frowned. He didn¡¯t know what to make of it. A super god being spying on him because he could supposedly end a war it couldn¡¯t.
So strange.
[Now enough¡ what¡¯s the Earth saying¡ aha! Enough] chit-chat. [We¡¯ve a festival to go to.]
Caleb nodded as Daen stood, then waved his hand, creating a swirling red portal.
[I¡¯d go after you, but you¡¯re not on the guest list] Daen said. [Probably best if I go first. Stay close though.]
I¡¯m not on the guest list? he thought. Oh Jesus, that can¡¯t be good.
Daen stepped through, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, Caleb followed right behind. He felt the swirl of energy and the flash of a thousand stars, then cool air met his face. He opened his eyes to a larger hall, above which a glass atrium stood, filling the room with sunlight.
[Welcome to Akyren (A2-C1-C)]
[WARNING ¨C You are within a regulated zone without permission. The necessary authorities have been notified.]
Crap.
¡°D-Daen¡± Caleb muttered.
[Huh? Oh the message? Just ignore it] he said. [Yona will think it¡¯s funny]
Yona? he thought.
A strange music played as they walked forwards, a grouping of servants in strange cloak-like dress lined the room, their faces covered by veils. Daen started forwards towards a woman in black and green dress, her dark hair stretching down to her waist.
The woman looked to him, frowning, then gave a small bow to Daen.
¡°Good evening Master Daen sir. Who¡¯s your guest?¡± the woman said.
[This is Caleb Souza] Daen said, his voice brimming with pride. The woman¡¯s eyes widened and she offered him a quick bow as well, before gesturing through the room, to the set of doors across from them.
¡°Please, go through. You¡¯ll find a courier ship outside¡± she said with a quick bow. Daen started forwards quickly, walking along the silk roll carpet that lay embedded in a thin strip along the floor.
Caleb followed quickly after him over to the set of lavish glass doors, before they stepped out onto the greenhouse of a courtyard.
Instantly Caleb¡¯s eyes widened. They stood the skies around them filled with huge skyscrapers, of white, glass and black stone that stretched high into the sky or down to the ground far below them. The buildings were all uniform in shape except a few that stood out, huge pyramids, or strange spires built out of gold and white stone. It was like a metropolis straight of sci-fi and positively brimming with magic. Absolutely beautiful, filled with its lights and set against the backdrop of a slowly darkening night sky filled with stars.
[See? Not that impressive]
¡°Right¡± Caleb mumbled. ¡°Right.¡±
Chapter Fifty One - Adar Vedys
They two made their way through the flower littered courtyard, down a winding trail of scattered dirt, before emerging into an open area. Several strange wingless ships sat on the marble of the large balcony, practically oozing magic. Caleb looked from the balcony with an unobstructed view. Further out the buildings grew smaller and smaller till they reached a large wall, littered with lights like a night-time skyscraper. And beyond that were hundreds of thousands of even smaller lights, much more distant, stretching all the way to the horizon where he could see the clear curve of the planet
We have to be impossibly high up, he thought, following after Daen.
[What¡¯s with the face?] Daen asked.
¡°I just¡wow¡± Caleb said.
[Don¡¯t look at it like that] Daen responded, [People will think you¡¯re in awe.]
¡°I am¡± Caleb muttered.
[You didn¡¯t look at the palace like this] Daen said, frowning.
¡°I know¡ sorry I just¡ I wasn¡¯t expecting it to be like this.¡±
They slowed as they reached one of the vehicles, a man stepping forward and nodding to them.
[Master Daen sir. Master Caleb] the man said with a nod, [Please, step inside]
Caleb followed Daen as the entered one of the strange vehicles, stepping into the main body, the interior of which reminded Caleb somewhat of a Gondola. Daen took a seat in one of the rows lining the sides of the body as Caleb looked out over the window, marvelling at the beauty of it all.
Then, slowly the mana seemed to buzz to life, and the vehicle rose seamlessly, and started through the city. Daen frowned as Caleb pressed his face closer to the glass of the ships¡¯ large windows, marvelling at the city of the staggering metropolis below him.
[I don¡¯t understand] Daen muttered, his arms crossed. [All the buildings look the same]
¡°They still look beautiful¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°And they¡¯re huge. I can barely see the ground¡±
[That¡¯s not a good thing. I mean, it¡¯s not that impressive. Even the smallest cities on Alareon are nicer than this]
¡°They are?¡± Caleb said, looking back to the man. Daen nodded, smiling to himself.
[If you think this is impressive our cities¡ our cities¡ wait I can get it¡ our cities will¡ uh¡ aha! Our cities will] blow your shoes off!¡±
¡°Socks¡± Caleb said, chuckling to himself
[Ah. Close enough. And get away from the window. You don¡¯t want people staring at you when we land]
¡°Where are we going?¡± Caleb asked, stepping away.
[To the] Asumamorium [Adar Vedysar.]
¡°Asumamorium?¡± Caleb frowned, noting that the word hadn¡¯t translated.
[Yep. It¡¯s the reason this city is so special. Some people say that it was the first monastery ever built in Yuniea¡¯s honour. I think it¡¯s probably around the twenty-fifth though. Lord knows how many wars they fought here to be considered part Yuniea¡¯s people. Don¡¯t tell anyone I said that]
¡°Right¡± Caleb said, looking at the skyline behind them. ¡°Wait, is it here?¡±
[Yeah. Where else would it be?]
¡°I¡¯m just confused. Why even fly us? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for us to teleport straight in.¡±
[Well, some people like to walk. No idea why. The streets are even worse than the skyline] Daen muttered. [Suppose they tend to be the more religious ones though.]
¡°Is the walk religious somehow?¡±
[Everything here¡¯s religious]
¡°That makes sen-¡±
Caleb did a double take, looking out the window. They¡¯d emerged into some kind of open area, the huge buildings surrounding a large circular area of fountains, paths, and greenery. And at the centre a towering statue of a horrific faceless monster with a sword driven through its chest.
Caleb stared at the statue trying to make sense of it, but even as they flew around it¡¯s form seemed to change, growing more horrific with every second as the stone itself seemed to phase in and out of reality within places. As if moving.
¡°What on Earth is that?¡± he said, tearing his eyes away.
[That is the greatest monster the Akashic Federation has ever beaten. Well, on home turf.]
¡°How¡¯s it doing that? Being all weird?¡±
[It¡¯s just a property of the monster left over. The Akyrenai forefathers turned it to stone, but it still does its phase shifting. Not properly, but well you can see. They fought it was cool and used it as a monument. A reminder of what we¡¯re fighting against. I hear it¡¯s pretty effective at convincing some tourists who¡¯re on the fence to join the effort.]
Caleb looked down to the ground, then back up to the height of the monster, marvelling at the sheer size. He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine people fighting something as large as that. And he didn¡¯t even want to know what kind of power it possessed that even after turning to stone, it could still move in some weird way.
The ship continued, Caleb leaning back in his chair as he took a deep breath.
[You alright?] Daen asked. Caleb nodded before frowning to himself.
¡°How does this all work again?¡±
[The festival?]
¡°No¡± Caleb muttered. ¡°Everything. The war, the orders or what you called them, the religion¡ if this is going to be my life, I need to know.¡±
Daen shifted, before patting him on the back.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
[You¡¯ll learn everything in time. There¡¯s no need to get so worked up. You¡¯ll be fine. I promise]
¡°Can you tell me anyway? Just a basic summary¡±
[Well, what do you want to know?]
¡°Uh¡ well for starters, the war and us. People with records I mean. I can¡¯t remember how many Ris said there were but¡ do other people fight? Regular people I mean. It can¡¯t all be just us¡±
[Of course. Most of the army is regular folk]
¡°How?¡± Caleb mumbled, his mind flashing back to the orc.
[Well, they don¡¯t have magic, but many are wizards. And some are plain regular folk, with proper gear of course. It¡¯s like your militaries, just better weapons. Well¡ your people were quite inventive. Probably your heritage. Some of your weapons are strange, but a few are seriously something. The nuke, for example. Quite insane. Etimos had research on it, but not even they used it to blow other people up. But anyway, they¡¯ve got magic guns and stuff. I don¡¯t know specifics.]
Caleb frowned.
¡°If you know about all that already, then can¡¯t you just make it? I don¡¯t understand how we¡¯re exporting stuff like that or whatever the representatives are doing¡±
[No. Each planet has a right to its own tech. You let people use it for a price, like a patent or you can just build it for them. Of course, people on the black market make stuff anyway, but that¡¯s mostly for the non-magical, which in your case is everything I guess. Though I doubt anyone¡¯s courageous enough to make a nuke]
¡°Isn¡¯t it still dangerous?¡±
[You sound like the old records] Daen laughed. [It¡¯s fine. We have failsafes for this stuff. We had to make a ton when Etimos came into the fold.]
¡°Alright¡± he muttered, tugging at his collar. ¡°But if there¡¯s guns and stuff why do we have swords and armour. I assume we fight with them?¡±
[You¡¯d be right to an extent. We don¡¯t really need the swords or the armour, though they do help sometimes. And as part of the order we can¡¯t use guns or anything like that, though we don¡¯t really need them. If things get tough on the frontier, there¡¯s always an officer nearby with a bomb anyway.]
Caleb nodded. It was strange to think that there were regular men and women out there, fighting against magical monsters with guns and bombs. Probably magical guns and bombs, and assisted by people with incomprehensible magic, but still.
It¡¯s like something out of a sci-fi videogame.
¡°Why doesn¡¯t Yuniea give everyone records?¡± Caleb asked suddenly.
[Everyone asks this at some point. I understand. It makes sense, but if she could¡¯ve, she would¡¯ve done it by now. Some think it¡¯s to conserve fundament energy she needs to put towards fighting herself. I¡¯m inclined to agree]
¡°But she gives records, or fundament energy to everyone who makes a mana connection. Or at least their people right? And there¡¯s planets where they have magic but not mana connections?¡±
[Either prison planets or exile planets. All the other planets with life have no magic]
¡°What if everyone formed mana connections? Or at least everyone on all the planets with life?¡±
[Well, that wouldn¡¯t happen, but it¡¯s not a bad argument if we ignore the fact that Yuniea¡¯s not a machine. Either way there¡¯s not really an answer to your question, but many great minds have theorised what could happen. A bit too much to get into right now though. Maybe another time.]
Caleb nodded. It made sense. There probably wasn¡¯t a question he could ask that hadn¡¯t been thought of or considered before. It was best to stick with the simple stuff. He could ask the more complex stuff or even research it in the database another time.
¡°What about the orders? How do those work?¡±
Daen looked to him with a grin.
[The Protectivat Orders. There¡¯s three. The Akashic, the Epotaric, and the Yildaric. Ours is the best obviously, but everyone thinks that about their own one. The others are all wrong of course.]
¡°There¡¯s only three?¡±
[Yep.]
¡°Isn¡¯t that too few?¡±
[Well not everyone can just make a Protectivat order. And there¡¯s other things to join. Like the Osslinder faiths, or certain military groups of units. The Orders are the best though. We¡¯re a small gathering of elite soldiers, taken from all over the Federation, and trained to fight and win against the great forces of evil within our own realm, but most importantly outside of it. We¡¯re the best of the best. Even the non-member planets who¡¯re aware of the Federation know who we are.]
¡°I¡¯m not trained or anything though?¡±
[You¡¯re the chosen Caleb. And you already defeated a quasi-named monster, and helped defeat a named one. Your fine.]
¡°I- alright. How many members are there? In the orders?¡±
[Uh¡ the Akashic? About fifty something. For the Epotaric it¡¯s about five hundred, and for us it¡¯s about a thousand.]
That seems ridiculously small, he thought.
[I told you. We¡¯re an elite group.]
¡°Why¡¯re there so few?¡±
[Well, most people aren¡¯t good enough. A lot of selected are only around level two to four, especially from the non-war right planets. And that¡¯s over a lifetime. Yuniea tends to prioritise people with more promise as a species or who prove themselves early on.]
¡°Only level four?¡±
[Yep] Daen said. [Your already way above average. And the average selected is a vital member of the war effort anyway.]
Caleb¡¯s frown grew as he struggled to make sense of exactly what he was feeling. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was the pressure of suddenly understanding his situation a little better, or the fear that most of the armies in this seeming God war, were weaker than him.
¡°But if that was over a lifetime¡ there were like hundreds of people who were level three or level two in our trial. Pedro was level seven or something. That can¡¯t be right? Right?¡±
[Most of the higher level ones will get scooped up by the orders. And the rest will probably become pretty important for the war effort. Your planet¡¯s been a major boon all around. Seriously. There¡¯s a reason people think you¡¯re the chosen. They see your planet as a sort of awakening. The start of the end.]
Caleb frowned to himself, not entirely sure how to take Daen¡¯s words.
Suddenly the ship slowed and Caleb peered out the window. Below them stretched a large compound of marble, granite and stone buildings. It was nice, but far less extravagant than Caleb had expected. It wasn¡¯t like the other buildings, a fusion between medieval and futuristic with an alien feel; it was simply a large, interconnected web of domed buildings, strange pyramids and corridors with a large horizontal version of the common skyscraper shape in the centre, headed by a statue of a faceless woman with a sword. It was somewhat reminiscent of Daen¡¯s palace, though distinctly different in a way Caleb couldn¡¯t quite place.
Maybe it¡¯s the lack of windows, he thought looking closer. The buildings, all throughout were only filled with openings, and window holes. Not a pane of glass in sight.
They dropped faster, and Caleb pulled back from the window, gripping his seat tightly. Then they slowed, before landing in a courtyard in front of one of the domed buildings. Daen stood, Caleb following quickly, and they exited the ship onto the marble of the courtyard.
Daen made his way forward, waving to the pilot who took back to the sky and disappeared into the distance, back the way they¡¯d come. Caleb followed quickly after Daen, as they made their way across the courtyard, and over to one of the domed buildings, a few of the men and women looking to them and offering nods.
A few people milled around outside the steps of the domed building ahead, mostly those that wore the same garb as the men and women in the place they¡¯d been greeted. The air was crisp, noticeably cooler than it had been before, and the mana all around seemed to dance with a practiced rhythm, repeating shapes and patterns that emanated constantly from the structures around them endlessly.
As they continued up the steps, Caleb marvelled at the intricate inscriptions gouged into the pillars and walls of the buildings marble, detailing names, faces, weapons and more artwork Caleb didn¡¯t have time to look over. Then they finally reached a set of open doors, passing a group of men and women who bowed as they stepped inside.
Like a switch was flipped Caleb was instantly met with a strange but fun music. He flinched slightly as Daen laughed, then continued forward, to a set of steps that led down into a circular hall. Ahead a crowd of people milled around, talking, eating, and laughing to each other as the music played.
The interior was well decorated. The walls lined with hundreds of paintings of men and women battling monsters, thousands of strange ornaments filled with magic, and more weapons than he could count. And on the series of marble pillars throughout inscribed more of the beautiful artwork he¡¯d seen on the exterior.
But more than anything his eyes were drawn to the mix of people. Some with clothing like theirs, some with clothing in similar styles but black or red, and some with strangely simple gowns with intricately patterned trim in a varying array of colours and fits. It looked like some kind of royal ceremony out of a space opera.
And it feels like a tsunami, he thought.
Even Ekhut couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the mana of this room. Suddenly, Daen clamped a hand on his shoulder grinning.
[Welcome to Adar Vedys] he said. [Are you ready to meet the squad?]
Chapter Fifty Two - Meet the Team
Caleb had never seen so much strange food. It wasn¡¯t just the small differences in the animals he was familiar with, but the way it¡¯d been prepared. He¡¯d seen a blue tinged chicken with a weird magical tint to it, called silver favoured domarii, a bowl of damp french fries that sat over a bowl of steaming milk called geiggt, and what looked like fried cheese, smelled like chicken and was called yora eartsdese.
Fortunately, he was more than familiar with the chicken, tomato and eggs dish Daen had first served him back when he¡¯d woken up. Which was apparently also a special kind of food. A customary dish that signalled wealth because of the special species of tomato and chicken that laid the eggs. It tasted normal to him, but that was enough given the circumstance. He didn¡¯t want to try something else and end up throwing up all over the place.
He took another bite before glancing out over the growing crowds of people. Daen was keeping him in a corner, sat at one of the crystal glass tables that lined the edge of the hall. They were waiting for the other members of their squad, rather than going around greeting the other party guests.
A few people from Daen¡¯s planet ¨C faithmen as Daen had called them ¨C had come over and introduced themselves, but overall, not that many people seemed interested. Caleb thought it strange. Daen seemed relatively important, especially given the size of his palace and from what Caleb understood of portal privileges. And he¡¯d expected to be more than popular given all that Esaeni, Daen and even Helana had said. All that on top the talk about how many billions of people had seen the video of him killing the Quasi named monster, it seemed like he¡¯d be the talk of the town.
He was glad he wasn¡¯t, but this reception felt a little disappointing in a way. Not everyone seemed to buy into this prophecy as he¡¯d first thought.
At least it means I¡¯m not that important, he thought, relieved.
Or maybe everyone here was important. It certainly felt that way. The wealth of mana was practically oppressive. Especially from some of the older people in red suits.
He shuffled around in his seat slightly, tugging at his collar, before using the strange cutlery he¡¯d been given to take another bit of his tomato.
[Enjoying the food?] Daen asked.
¡°Hm? Oh yeah. It¡¯s nice¡± he replied, before looking back to the crowd.
[What¡¯re you looking at?]
¡°Just people¡± he replied. ¡°There¡¯s less than I¡¯d thought there¡¯d be.¡±
[Well, the event is pretty exclusive. Mostly the people who show up early are the important ones. They like to talk and make greetings before the first record-say and festivities]
¡°First record-say?¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°Does Yuniea give a speech?¡±
[No, no] Daen chuckled. [The governors of Akyren give a short speech, then a blessing, and we all move to the church, give a few words to the first sword, the hand of Ossilnda, and we¡¯re free for the rest of the night. But we won¡¯t do anything insane. We¡¯re to be up early.]
¡°Right¡± Caleb muttered.
He probably should¡¯ve asked more questions, but he was content to simply sit and eat, taking in the grandeur of his surroundings as he mulled over his own thoughts. His eyes moved over the various paintings and weapons that lined the walls, then to the guests once again, fixed to the small differences in their clothes beside the colour. It felt so strange to him, to suddenly be so immersed in a entirely new culture. He¡¯d barely had time to really take in Daen¡¯s and now an entirely new.
Daen had said there were four or so war right planets, and however many more. It was weird to think that there were so many unique cultures out there, built by humans. Weirder still to think about how they would all interact with his own.
He sighed as his eyes fell upon a drawing of a god-like woman shrouded in light, her face mostly obscured, as various men and women in different clothes lay prostrated before her raw eminence.
It was strange to think that only a few weeks ago he¡¯d been a normal kid on Earth, and this had all just been out there, happening.
The universe was incredible in so many ways. And scary in so many others.
Caleb winced suddenly, swallowing his food slowly before poking at his side, a small but sharp pain protesting back. He needed to ask Daen exactly how his skill could get rid of his cancer, but a celebration probably wasn¡¯t the time for that.
He frowned, watching a bald man in strange overalls similar to the ones Nigel had worn begin to make his way over to them. He was followed by a retinue of others, all in similarly fancy clothes, though muted in colour.
¡°Uh¡ Daen? Do you know that guy?¡±
[Hm. Who Reddi? I¡¯ve spoken to him o- Crap]
¡°Crap?¡± Caleb said, looking to him
[You were speaking of one of my planet¡¯s representatives. A governor. My grandfather.] Daen said, suddenly sitting up as he tugged at his clothes. [Stand when he gets here. Address him as governor and don¡¯t say a word unless he speaks to you.]
¡°¡ right¡± Caleb said looking back. Awkwardly he looked away, before quickly checking over himself as he set his cutlery down. Then Daen¡¯s grandfather was upon them.
Caleb stood, following Daen¡¯s lead as he gave a quick bow.
[Holy governor Ren] Daen said.
¡°H-holy governor Ren¡± Caleb repeated. The man was silent, towering over him, the same height as Daen. He looked between the two of them, his eyes a sharp blue. Caleb could feel the flow of the mana around them change from the man¡¯s mere presence alone.
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He¡¯s strong, he thought. Seriously strong.
And his retinue were no slouches either. He could feel the sheer strength they exuded, each and every one of them leaps and bounds ahead of him in strength.
[You may raise your heads. Daen, Souza] the man said, his voice simultaneously gravelly and perfectly even. Caleb looked up, to the man, who remained stony faced, eyes fixed to Daen. He couldn¡¯t help but feel maybe this was more of the vibe he should¡¯ve expected from a planet representative.
[Where is your squad?] Governor Ren asked.
[They¡¯re on their way]
[Good. But you¡¯ll need to leave them after the welcoming. We need to speak regarding matters of Earth] he said, eyes flicking to Caleb.
[For how long?]
The governor remained silent, eyes narrowing as he stared at Daen, the pressure of the intensifying.
[As long as necessary I assume?] Daen mumbled, quickly, eyes flicking to the members of the retinue.
[Of course] the governor nodded,
[Right]
The governor was silent a moment, looking to Daen before he turned to Caleb.
[Evening]
¡°G-good evening¡± Caleb muttered, struggling somewhat to get the words out.
[Souza Caleb Martinson] the man said. [The fifty seventh, some say.]
Fifty seventh? he thought.
[Are you enjoying the evening?]
¡°Yes¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s very uh¡ nice. The city too. Very nice.¡±
He tried not to cringe at his suddenly inability to speak in silence that followed, the weight of everyone¡¯s eyes a constant pressure on his neck. The moment seemed to stretch on, a tension building in Caleb¡¯s chest, when the governor suddenly laughed, the sound genuine. Caleb frowned, glancing to Daen, who looked more afraid than he had before.
[Nice you say?] he chuckled. [I suppose.]
The governor fell silent for a moment, the sounds of music and chatter washing over them as he looked behind at the walls of the hall.
[Do you know the name of this city?]
¡°N-no¡± Caleb replied.
[Yun Evryd Dys. The first city] the governor said. [And what about the name of this place?]
Caleb paused, wracking his memory.
¡°The House of Council?¡± he thought.
[Very good.] the governor said with a nod. [This is a very important place. A city that stands thirty-five thousand feet high, sustained by the might of the first sword, and the strength of all those that wish to preserve its hope. Here was the first stand of men and many say it will be the last] he said. [Maybe you will fight here, in that last battle. Maybe you will not.]
[Great father I-]
The older man silenced Daen with a simple motion of the hand, his gaze still fixed on Caleb.
[You are strong. I can feel it. See it too. Your fire burns bright. But as of now you are too young, too new. I can see that you see much, but you¡¯re yet to understand that which you see. Time yet will weather you, and one day you may stand beside us, or maybe even ahead. But for now, I apologise. My childish Daen and his wife have brought you into our family so soon and told you of many things you are likely not ready for. I hope you can forgive us. Regardless, I look to great things from your future, Souza.] Eternal blessings. May your challenges be mighty and good fortune befall you and your kin forever more.¡± he said, offering Caleb a hand.
¡°T-thank you¡± Caleb muttered, shaking it. The governor smiled, then with a nod looked to Daen, stepping back.
[Take good care of the earthchild Daen.]
[I will]
[Good. I must go now. Have a restful evening, each of you.]
[Yes great father]
¡°You too¡± Caleb said.
With that the man turned, walking away as his retinue followed behind. Caleb watched them as they slowly disappeared into the crowd, somewhat captured by his words. He¡¯d seemed genuine in a way Caleb couldn¡¯t quite place. Slowly, he took a seat, then glanced to Daen. The man sat slumped in his chair, frowning as a bead of sweat rested on his brow.
¡°Was that bad? Did I do something wrong?¡± he asked, nervous.
[No] Daen muttered. [I think he likes you]
¡°He seemed nice¡±
[Well, it¡¯s hard to judge in these public settings. He¡¯s always been a good actor, and he sort of has to like you lest he claims I¡¯ve brought our family shame] akolan [and all.]
¡°Shame?¡±
[Well, it¡¯s like he said. It was a little brazen what I did. Asking a position of you before you¡¯d completed your decision of the second phase] Daen replied, wiping sweat from his forehead as he sat up. [Alas, I think it¡¯s alright. Probably. At the very least, I¡¯m just glad the others weren¡¯t here to see that. They¡¯d never let me live it down.]
Caleb nodded quietly, looking to his food as he wiped at his brow.
His eyes moved back to the crowd, spotting more people sprinkled throughout the crowd, who wore similar robes, decorated with slightly different details and colour. He counted six, including Daen¡¯s grandfather.
¡°All the people in those robes, they¡¯re governors right?¡±
[Yeah]
¡°And our governors will come to the festival?¡±
[Considering they didn¡¯t provide any food, probably not. But you never know with new arrivals. When my ancestors first showed up after their second phase, they misunderstood the rules and showed up on the third day with half the highers. It was quite funny]
¡°Third day? How long did you say this was again?¡±
[Five days]
¡°Five days¡± Caleb muttered, failing to keep the apprehension out of his voice.
[We¡¯ll only stay the first two, given my promise. Today and tomorrow are where we have the proper events]
Daen suddenly grinned, his eyes moving to the door.
¡°The others?¡± Caleb asked.
[Yes] Daen said with a smile, standing. [Come, I¡¯d like to introduce you.]
Caleb stood and looked to the entrance, watching as three people stepped inside, all adorned in the white formal attire, only one wearing a cape.
[You¡¯re gonna love them]
Caleb stood following after Daen, the muted fear gone, replaced now by an excitement. The three spotted them, glancing to each other. They stopped at the bottom of the steps, as the three others started down them.
Two were girls, one of them older, with the cape, a thin scar across her face. She had platinum-blonde hair, around twenty, and the other maybe a year or two older than Caleb, her hair the same colour, but her skin tan. The boy was around the same age, noticeably shorter than the two others, his skin darker, a caramel tone, and his hair buzzed. Though the most outstanding thing about him were the thin metal lines running underneath both eyes, and the soft artificial glow his irises held.
[Osilla, Iricea, and Sillan, I give to you Caleb, the chosen.] Daen said. [Caleb, Osilla, Iricea and Sillan]
They looked to him nodding, and he nodded back.
[What gives?] the boy ¨C Sillan ¨C said suddenly. [You said the Earthchildren were short.]
The younger girl ¨C Iricea ¨C elbowed the guy, before looking to Caleb with a smile. She stepped forward, then offered him both hands.
[I am Dor Iricea Aerasair] she said, eagerly.
The older girl ¨C Ossila ¨C burst out laughing, as Iricea¡¯s face fell.
[It¡¯s one hand you idiot. Like this] said stepping forward, offering Caleb one hand as she knocked the younger girl¡¯s hands aside.
[D-don¡¯t call me an idiot. It¡¯s an honest mistake. And let me finish my introduction first]
[Nope you messed up. My turn now.]
[You asshole. You always do this.]
[My what language. And here of all places?]
[D-don¡¯t do that! You were swearing on the flight here]
[No I wasn¡¯t]
[Don¡¯t lie you bitch. You can¡¯t accuse me like that, then just lie. Especially here.]
[Bitch?]
The two quickly devolved into an argument, introductions forgotten. Caleb glanced to Daen who sighed to himself, putting a hand on Caleb¡¯s shoulder.
I¡¯m guessing they do this a lot, he thought.
[Can we go get some food?] Sillan grumbled. [I didn¡¯t get to eat before I got here.]
Caleb looked between the three of them. They seemed a lot less like a military squad, and more like regular teenagers. He could feel their mana, and sure, they were strong, but nothing like the heavyweights in the room. And Ossila had a cape. She didn¡¯t seem like someone who¡¯d seen the horrors of war. Well, neither did Daen for that matter.
[Alright, alright] Daen said, stepping forward and separating the girls. [Let¡¯s grab some food and introduce ourselves. I think it¡¯s pretty clear we¡¯ve got a lot to learn.]
Chapter Fifty Three - Wild Card
They sat in silence, at a table, plates of food as the two girls glared at each other, no lack of menace in their gaze.
They¡¯ve got to be sisters, Caleb thought before quietly returning to his food.
He took a few bites of the last of his chicken and looked around the hall. More people had taken to tables now, some form of silent agreement having passed through the crowd. They sat down in groups ¨C most sticking to their colours ¨C and began to eat in earnest.
The atmosphere seemed to have shifted too. With a slight change in the music¡¯s pace and volume it suddenly felt less welcoming. Closer to general ambience than before. And with the change, the room seemed to take on a whole new life, almost as if his perception of it had changed completely through no action of his own.
He didn¡¯t understand how a simple change in music suddenly made the room appear so different when he couldn¡¯t sense anything.
Probably some strange sort of magic, he thought. Guess that¡¯s another thing to add to the list of questions.
Caleb watched as new tables that rose from the ground within the centre of the hall, layered with foods. The last of guests, the ones Caleb whose presence still nearly overwhelmed Caleb, took seats at them Daen¡¯s grandfather was among them. Their small smiles and pleasantries fell as they took to the tables in their groups, their faces suddenly growing serious.
Then A large snapping sound came from his table. Caleb turned quickly, pulled from his curiosity and found Osilla chuckling to herself as she continued obnoxiously chewing on a chicken bone right beside the reddening Iricea¡¯s ear.
[Will you stop it?] the younger girl whispered harshly. Another loud crunch caused her face to redden more, conversation at the tables around them quieting as Osilla continued.
[S-stop it you idiot. People are looking!]
Another crunch came from the bone, and Daen muttered to himself, half covering his face with a hand. As the next crunch started, Daen spoke.
[Stop] he said suddenly. [Enough of your child¡¯s play Ossila.]
Ossila glanced to him then sat back in her chair, grinning to herself with a content. Iricea shot her a glare.
[Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t start your stupidity again] Daen muttered
[I¡¯m not doing anything!] Iricea protested.
[Not doing anything? Your shouting¡¯s making a scene dear cousin] Osilla said, grinning.
[Stop it now. Both of you. I¡¯m serious.] Daen said, glancing to them. The girls fell silent, both sparing each a glare, as Daen muttered to himself, returning to swirling his finger around in a transparent bowl cup of orange juice dejectedly.
Caleb looked between the three of them, trying to limit his frown.
The atmosphere felt so strange. Not just in the actions and reactions of the others, but their general rhythm of conversation and exchange. It¡¯s been less pronounced before, but now, surrounded by the unfamiliar he could feel it clearly.
With Daen¡¯s sudden mood shift from excitement to disappointment, the girl¡¯s constant bickering between themselves, and Sillan, who seemed incredibly miserable he felt for the first time that he was being properly exposed to something profoundly alien, and yet completely human. It felt like a first day at school in some ways, though a lot more serious in others.
He glanced around him at the other tables as people spoke and ate, noticing a few glances from others in his direction. There was that too. He was still confused exactly how important he was.
He shook his head slowly returned to eating his food.
[Ah] dsaeyuoh¡± Sillan muttered under his breath, grabbing a wad of milk fires from his plate and dropping them onto the napkin square thing that sat between them. Caleb glanced to it then to him.
[Don¡¯t be picky Sillan. Eat it] Daen said.
[Is that an order?]
Daen gave him a look, and the boy grumbled, taking the milk fries off the napkin and putting them back onto his plate. Caleb frowned, watching Sillan. He really did seem strangely miserable about being at this whole festival thing.
He frowned, looking to him closer. He couldn¡¯t feel any mana from whatever was embedded under his eyes. A flexible chrome steel it looked like, just sitting there, though Caleb couldn¡¯t understand why.
Daen had said he was from Etimos. Maybe it was simply one of their customs. A strange one, but definitely. Just different in a manner he was unfamiliar with. Like something out of a cyberpunk video game.
Sillan glanced to him, and he quickly looked away, eyes boring into his eggs. But he could feel Sillan watching him, before he set the cutlery down and spoke.
[What gives? Why¡¯re you staring at me?]
Caleb looked to him before chuckling awkwardly.
¡°Sorry. Just your eye things¡ only seen them on TV and stuff¡± he mumbled. ¡°They¡¯re cool. Interesting¡±
Sillan considered his words for a moment before shaking his head.
[Nope. I don¡¯t like that reason. Give me a better one]
Caleb frowned, looking to the others as the girls continued glaring at each other, some kind of staring contest going on whilst Daen sat idle, head resting in a hand as he looked off towards his grandfather¡¯s table.
[Hey] Sillan said bluntly. [Answer.]
[Don¡¯t be so rude] Daen said, before glancing to Caleb. [Sorry. He¡¯s usually more considerate of newbies.]
[I¡¯m not being rude] Sillan said.
[Just eat your food] Daen sighed. [That¡¯s an order.]
Sillan grumbled to himself returning to his plate of milk fries and grey jelly, the electrical light of his eyes dimming slightly.
Caleb looked around the table again, slightly confused.
There is definitely some kind of culture thing I¡¯m not getting.
Well, if he was going to make it a little less awkward, he had to at least make an attempt to socialise.
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¡°So, uh, where are you all from back on your planets?¡± Caleb asked. Iricea looked to him, before smiling brightly.
[My and Ossila¡¯s palace is in the North, in the Dor Sun Sea] she said.
¡°Your palace is in the sea?¡±
[No] Iricea said chuckling. [It¡¯s just a big grass field. A plain really. Daen mentioned you were at his palace for a short while. Did you see the hills surrounding it? It¡¯s like that but a lot more flat.]
[They have plains on Earth you idiot] Ossila muttered. [You don¡¯t have to explain like he¡¯s a child.]
[I was just explaining]
¡°It¡¯s fine¡± Caleb said quickly, before looking to Sillan. The boy continued eating his food.
[Sill] Iricea whispered.
[What?]
[Caleb awaits an answer]
[But he didn¡¯t give me a proper reason for staring]
[Just answer]
[New Newshore] Sillan said, before continuing to eat. Caleb nodded silently, knowing no follow up would come. They probably wouldn¡¯t be on speaking terms any time soon.
[Where are you from?] Ossila said suddenly.
¡°Ah, I¡¯m from the US. It¡¯s a country in North America.¡±
[Ah!] Iricea said, eyes suddenly sparkling. [The home of the nuclear missile!]
[Don¡¯t shout] Daen muttered, hand still resitnf.
[Sorry] Iricea muttered before looking to Caleb. [But it must be a wonderful place. To have created the nuclear bomb. It¡¯s truly a wonderful weapon. And no magic. Incredible.]
[We¡¯ve made better] Sillan muttered.
[Yes Sillan, we know.] Ossila said rolling her eyes.
[Well, Iricea didn¡¯t gush about our weapons when you first met me. What was that about.]
[None of them were new]
[We¡¯ve made new ones. I haven¡¯t heard a thing about them.]
[Well, they¡¯re not exactly that impressive. There¡¯s a reason the planet has been granted a renewal]
Caleb looked between the three of them, as they quickly descended into a hushed argument. He glanced to Daen, as the man sighed, head till resting in hand, his expression bored.
¡°Daen?¡±
[Hm?]
¡°Uh- where exactly is your palace?¡±
[The centre of the Engrass mounds. It¡¯s not that far from the Dor Sun Sea. I¡¯ll show you sometime from one of the orbit stations. We can go to one of the Etimos ones too. See Sillan¡¯s home.]
Sillan made a face, the argument stopping in it¡¯s tracks.
[We don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want us to Sillan. Though I guess it¡¯s a good idea.] Daen muttered, [We could make a point visit a few other important places too. Though you¡¯ll see a lot of places even when we¡¯re working. People too. It would be nice to- no nevermind.]
Caleb frowned.
¡°Is there someone you want me to meet?¡± he asked.
Daen glanced to him, then shook his head.
[I did. But it doesn¡¯t matter today. With these children¡¯s current behaviour-]
[Stop calling us children] Sillan said. [It¡¯s aggravating.]
[I¡¯ll call you as you act. At least act excited to be here.] Daen said, frustration leaking into his voice.
[I¡¯m not] Sillan said.
[You shouldn¡¯t say that Sill] Iricea added glancing to him. [It¡¯s bad favour.]
[My favour¡¯s unaffected] he replied bluntly.
[For now] Daen muttered. [At least smile. People are looking.]
[Why? I don¡¯t care for this farcical masturbation ritual.]
Daen sat up, drawn from his boredom, as a few at the other tables turned their heads at Sillan¡¯s words.
[What did I say about your swearing?] he said, leaning towards the now visibly nervous Sillan.
[Sorry]
[Now come on. I understand, but you could at least act joyous for Caleb¡¯s presence.]
[Why?]
Daen gave him a look and Sillan sighed, before looking to Caleb.
[Wow. You are so incredible. It is a wonder to be in your presence.]
[Why do I try?] Daen muttered sighing.
[Don¡¯t worry] Osilla laughed, [You¡¯ll get promoted soon.]
[If I do, I¡¯m only taking Caleb with me.]
[W-what?] Iricea said, suddenly wide eyed.
[It was a joke Iri] Daen said.
[Not a funny one] Sillan grumbled, as Osilla laughed to herself. Caleb glanced between the four, even more confused than he had been before. Then slowly the mana in the air warped, shifting as it changed. Caleb frowned, looking to the disturbance as the music began to adjust too.
[Ha] Osilla muttered, poking Iricea¡¯s cheek. [You should see your face]
[It¡¯s not funny] Iricea said, her face red again.
[It totally is]
[It is not]
[Quiet now] Daen said, glancing off to the side. [The speaker¡¯s coming.]
The three looked off to the side, before slowly adjusting their chairs as the lights above began to dim. Then suddenly Caleb felt, a wealth of mana wash forwards like nothing he¡¯d ever seen. It pooled through the room, sweeping over things as it practically drowned out all the other noise.
Like a declaration that this space was there¡¯s. Maybe that¡¯s exactly what it was. A declaration of someone¡¯s presence.
As the lights dimmed to almost completely dark, a woman stepped up to the podium, adorned in the same style of dress as Daen¡¯s grandfather, her eyes covered by a black blindfold, her jet black hair intricately braided in a style similar to some of those in the religious dress. She was young, likely no older than twenty, but carried the grace of someone much older. She stood atop the stage, behind the podium surveying the crowd, before smiling.
[Welcome all] she said, her voice clear, as if she was standing next to him.
[We thank you for your hospitality] the crowd spoke.
[Thank you] she said with a quick bow. [And now I address you as current Governor chair of Akyren, and thus speaker of the Federation.]
Caleb blinked in surprise.
Speaker of the Federation, he thought. Wow. She¡¯s probably the most important human in the universe. Literally.
He couldn¡¯t imagine what that felt like.
[First, I would like to offer an apology from our newest governors. They¡¯re still busy organising operations on their planet and couldn¡¯t attend today. I hope you can extend your forgiveness.]
A murmur passed through the crowd, and Caleb looked around, spotting a few disgruntled faces.
[And speaking of new, as you all know, we were joined yesterday by the great planet of Earth. The first planet in over ten thousand years to join the Council upon entering the Federation. And today we are joined by the presence of an Earthborn, who some of you likely recognise.]
She smiled as another murmur passed through the crowd, his heart thumping loudly in his chest.
[Now, I know some people disagree with the means through which he was acquired by the Yildar, but though my conversations with Yuniea I¡¯ve confirmed that all transactions were favoured, and thus there will be no challenges allowed today. However, I¡¯ve agreed with our beloved governor Ren and Great Leader Kalana, and the governors of Earth that all other orders and faiths will have the priority over the Yildar in choice of selected from Earth.]
Caleb frowned glancing briefly to Daen.
[Now, onto congratulations. First, I would like to congratulate Governor Abrinius Wylad-Orico-Can Cae IV on his three hundred and second year and achievement of level seventy-five. It is a truly a wonder. You continue to bring joy, favour and good fortune to all those within the Federation. Thank you.]
[Thank you] the crowd said chorus, before applauding. Caleb joined in quickly, looking through the crowd as an old man stood, bowing briefly to those applauding before returning to his seat.
[Secondly, I would like to congratulate Great Leader Sun Kalana Diasair, and the Yildaric guard for their bravery and quick action in defeating the hidden Hilaric threat on VB32-FF49-C. Your strength, and great co-ordination provided us with another victory that will be recorded in the-]
Suddenly the speaker paused, her mouth hanging open a moment before she chuckled to herself, her air of professionalism briefly vanishing.
[Well¡ that¡¯s certainly¡ interesting]
A murmur passed through the crowd, and then Caleb felt it. The shift in mana before a message appeared.
[Battle of Dominion: Yun Evryd Dys against Moshaoler]
[Akashic vs Moshaic]
[Yildaric Guard of the Akashic vs The Unnamed of the Moshaic]
[Eliminate, capture or defeat all enemies]
[Battleground: C3-W34-B]
[Winner gains dominion of wagered location]
He felt eyes on him suddenly, from all across the room, his heart thudding hard in his chest. Then he looked to the others, their expressions just as surprised as his. This time, he wasn¡¯t missing anything.
His eyes went to Daen, whom stared at the message wide eyed then looked to Caleb, before bursting into raucous laughter as the hall descended into chaos.
[It looks like this year¡¯s festival¡¯s ending early] Daen said, grinning as his mana came to life, body flooding with the power of his soul. ¡°Ihm tha epyre rizen.¡±
¡°What? What¡¯s happening?¡± Caleb muttered. Daen looked to him, grinning as he did.
[It¡¯s a contest Earthchild. Like the second phase in the fight for your planet. An official fight between us and the Unnamed. A battle of strength. A test of existence.]
¡°Us against the Unnamed?¡± he muttered. ¡°Like Ekuht?¡±
[Worse] Daen said, before his smile grew wider. [Prepare yourself Souza. Your legend starts today]
Caleb¡¯s heart sunk, then he nodded, his trembling left hand clenching into a fist as the right went to the porcelain white knife at his hip.
It was time to fight.
Chapter Fifty Four - Chaos
Portals of red began appearing before Caleb realised what was happening. An unfamiliar mix of mana and energy spilled forth through sudden tears in reality filling the room. All around others in the white formal dress brandished swords, skills readying themselves as a woman levitated into the air barking orders.
Caleb stood quickly pulling the knife from its hilt at his hip, his breaths short and sharp. He looked over the faces of those surrounding him again, trying to ignore the panic rising within his chest. But their expressions of surprise and uncertainty, and the countless eyes that lingered on him unnerved him further.
The other members of his squad prepared themselves too, their demeanours changing instantly. Ossila, Sillan and Iricea¡¯s expressions. Gone was the childishness that¡¯d plagued their dinner, replaced instead by a focused calm.
A whistle echoed out through the hall, and he turned his attention to the woman in white who floated over everyone, shouting, as others looked to her.
[Form squadrons and hold!] she cried. [If separate we¡¯ll brave the initial rush and then gather around your squad leaders. The unnamed are superior in number but disjointed! This our win!]
A raucous cheer rose from the crowd and the woman roared back, raising her sword.
[For Victory!] Anas Veys!¡±
¡°Anas Yunveys!¡± all others shouted in return. Caleb looked to them as groups leapt through the portals, swords and skills at the ready.
Then a hand grabbed him on the shoulder. Caleb spun around, Daen looking to him with a palpable mixture of excitement and uncertainty. The others stood beside him, swords drawn as they stood in front of a portal, looking to him.
[Focus Caleb. Focus] he said. Caleb nodded, letting out a breath as Daen guided him over to the others. [If he gets in trouble, protect Caleb.]
They all nodded silent.
Daen looked to him again smiling, before handing him his sword. Caleb took it, the blade heavy, unwieldly in his hands.
¡°W-what about you?¡±
[Don¡¯t need it] Daen said. [Now, just follow behind us. Move as we move, do as we do. If there¡¯s an issue tell me and when it comes time- don¡¯t hesitate. Ever.]
Caleb nodded, his hands still trembling as he gripped the hilt.
[Alright. Let¡¯s go!] Daen shouted. Instantly the others rushed forward, and Caleb ¨C gripping the sword tightly ¨C followed behind.
Then the floor swallowed him whole. He fell alone, crying out as his body seemed to leave him.
Space warped, his body fleeting for a moment. In a rush of mana, he felt the flash of thousand stars above him, then light revealed itself and he crashed to the ground, barely maintaining his balance.
He staggered, then come to a stop on one knee, breathing hard. As the shock passed, he took a moment to gather himself, then looked around, blinking hard as he shielded his eyes from the harsh light of day.
He stood on a steep yet smooth incline of black rock, the incline continuing onwards behind him up towards the snowy peak of a mountain. Beneath him the incline continued before descending into a thick blanket of clouds that stretched around as far as the eye could see. The air around him was thin, cold, the air from every breath steaming like vapour as it was blown away in the wind.
He couldn¡¯t sense anyone. He was alone, on some kind of mountainside, above the clouds, the bright the light of a sun beaming him in the face as it began its descent past the clouds, colouring the blue of the sky in orange hues.
It feels different, he thought. This place¡ it feels like that cavern. Back in the trial.
He coughed again, reeling from the cold and foreign nature of the reality around him, before looking to the sky again. Above him a huge grey gas giant hung in the air, great swirling patterns on its surface. But his eyes were drawn not to the beauty of the scene, but the swirling blue portals above him, and the alien mana pouring into the space all around.
His heart thudded hard as people emerged, some floating, some falling out down toward the clouds and rock as flashes of red appeared beneath them.
It was starting. And he was still alone.
He clutched Daen¡¯s sword tighter, practically willing his power to do something, protect him. Like before the panic gave rise to strength from within. But it felt different from how he¡¯d used it before, reserved almost.
The space around the mountain grew denser with magic, the unfamiliar and familiar clashing at once in a mess. A fight of dominance by the very mana in the space around. He couldn¡¯t understand it, even with his sense. He only knew a war waged somehow, and still the men were yet to trade blows.
Caleb cursed, starting down the mountain before he paused looking to the feeble golden glow that emanated from him. He could feel it already. It wouldn¡¯t be enough. Not here. He skidded to a stop, turning his mind¡¯s eye inward to his core.
The raw power of the star burned like normal in his chest. But the fire of its flames, its heat, was dampened, weakened by something beyond him.
¡°Just do what you did with Ekhut. With Arithorson¡± he muttered, taking a breath. ¡°Just focus. Just focus.¡±
With a push borne of panic, he felt that power emanate from within him, fuelled by will. In bursts it flickered through his form, flashes of heat burning through magical body. But it wasn¡¯t like before. And with each push reality seemed to resist him and his will for strength.
He strained, against it before realising the obvious. He couldn¡¯t treat it like simply filling a jug with water. Here, to maintain his strength, he¡¯d have to maintain a constant outpouring of power from his core.
He cursed to himself, the effort already strenuous.
He needed to find help fast.
Suddenly he a wave of the foreign mana assaulted him. He spun, coming face to face with a blue portal only a few metres away. A giant of a man stepped out, holding a club against his shoulder, body wrapped in furs. Others stepped out after him, all in the same garb. A tribe. All of looking towards him. Caleb stumbled away, his eyes wide with panic. Then the man raised his club at Caleb, roared, and then they were charging him.
¡°Shit¡± he mumbled. ¡°Holy shit.¡±
Then he was running, his entire body flooded with fear as his heart hammered in his chest. The chorus of shouts grew louder behind him but he didn¡¯t dare look back stumbling forward, towards the layer of clouds with all his might.
He slowed as waves of mana rolled out, upwards from the clouds. Men and women from the portals of blue descended downwards into the clouds as men and women he recognised from the festival emerged upwards. They met just above the clouds, some continuing upwards but others falling back through them, large flashes of bright light illuminating below as the mountainside shook with waves of pure power.
The roars at his heels ¨C joyous ¨C grew louder and he cursed, continuing forwards. Then he felt it. Something filled with mana was chasing him. Several things. He dived to the side, hitting the ground before rolling over quickly, several balls of fire flying past or crashing to the ground in explosions of rock.
¡°Crap¡± he cursed, shielding himself from the debris as he looked back to the tribe.
They¡¯d split into two groups, the rear filled with various men and women preparing fire spells, whilst the others rushed forward, roaring as mana poured of their bodies. He turned to run, but slowed, spotting the holes that¡¯d been blown in the cloud layer, a blinding storm of magic and raw power raging beneath as men and women fought in the sky.
Going down there alone just looked like suicide. But he couldn¡¯t stay here.
What then? What could he do? Wait for Daen? Run in circles around the mountain? Plead for mercy that he wasn¡¯t supposed to be here, and he¡¯d made some huge mistake?
Fight you idiot, a voice shouted in the back of his mind. You signed up to fight and protect. Fight!
Heart hammering in his chest, he poured more power into his magical body and turned to his opponents, the sudden change catching them off guard. The forward most group slowed, readying themselves as more bursts of fire rained towards him from the rear.
He slammed a foot against the ground, and raised Daen¡¯s sword, letting even more power flood through him and the weapon as his body glowed, his chest burning hot. Then, with a single leap, carried forth by a panicked burst of power from his skill, he jumped forwards, soaring over the attacks easily, before slamming back to the ground.
The tribe immediately began shouting amongst themselves, the front group slowing to a stop as he continued forwards. Instantly more attacks of fire, shot towards him, though he avoided them easily, the effort noticeably less organised. Then, as he continued leaping around, dodging attack after attack, the attacking group retreated, running back in an unorganised mess.
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He reached them and, in an instant, it was a frenzy. His sword clanging against clubs as shards of wood splintered outwards in sprays. A mess of guttural shouts, cries and roars. Clubs and axes that swung dangerously close to him, some dodged and some blocked, sending shudders through his fingers as he fought keep a hold of a sword.
As his skill began to struggle he pulled away quickly, letting the constant outpour cease for a moment as he took a breath. He came to a stop a distance away from them, breathing heavily as booms echoed off in the distance and the air above, the occasional flash of light temporarily casting the mountain in shadow. But he ignored it, focusing on the attackers in front of him.
A trio stood a head of him, slightly away from the group. Some of them had been cut, but none harmed badly. Caleb breathed heavily, his hands trembling as he watched the three. Then a barrage of fire came from behind. He raised his skill once again, and dodged easily, landing to the ground his eyes still fixed to trio as they returned to the rest of the tribe.
They were the ones to watch out for. The strongest. And yet, in the small skirmish he¡¯d felt it. He was faster than them. They were larger, but he could cover more ground and match their strength. Up close the fire from the rear was useless.
He could beat them. He could win.
But he¡¯d stopped. He¡¯d stopped because the suddenness and absurdity of his situation hadn¡¯t faded. As the sky shook, mountain trembled, and mana warred, something had shifted within him. Before his had been the only chaos. His fights anomalies in the wider world. But here, he was surrounded by it. By chaos and destruction so great his mind almost refused to register it. Here only conflict existed. There was nothing to protect except his own life. Nothing forcing his hand.
And now he was panicking. Afraid of what he had to. Afraid of what he¡¯d become a part of.
But the trial had prepared him for this. Even if a part of him didn¡¯t want to, this was for the greater good. Wasn¡¯t it?
They may have looked human, but he could feel it somehow. Just like the space all around, they were different. Alien in all the ways that mattered. Just like all the monsters he¡¯d killed. Just like Ekhut. Just like Arithorson.
And yet he remained here, separate from them.
He dodged another blast of fire, cursing himself as his chest burned and the memories of the trial flashed through his mind. Of fire, blood, and blades.
A sickness rolled through his stomach at his own hesitation.
What was he doing? He had to kill them. For Kana, Ryan, and everyone else who hadn¡¯t made it this far, who¡¯d died preparing people like him for this. He couldn¡¯t let their deaths be in vain. There was something to protect. This was to protect his home and his people. This was to save the universe.
He clenched the hilt of Daen¡¯s blade, gritting his teeth as his core came alive in a way that defied the space, the flickers of fire and flame growing into a thrum that shook his body, illuminating the air around him and the sword with a golden glow.
A blast of fire shot towards him and cut through it, the mana dispersing instantly as it met his blade. Then he leapt forward, practically flying across the ground with a single step.
The leader cried out, jumping forwards as his axe glowed green. Axe met and sword, and then the leader was dead, his body in two. Others cried out, clubs and stone axes flying towards him as he knocked them aside, cutting through the tribesmen as they screamed. A wave of fire washed over them all, but he remained unharmed, the heat painful or only a moment before it faded as he continued to cut.
And then it was over.
He breathed heavily, coming to a stop as various notifications scrawled across his visions. He let out a breath before looking to himself. The golden aura of energy still surrounded him, almost unconsciously maintained. His skill no longer felt restricted, the warmth in his chest comforting instead of burning. He felt good. His mind was clear. Focused.
For the first time in a while the lingering pain in his side had faded completely. He felt he had a purpose. The mountain shook again, and he turned, looking further down. There, hundreds of men and women fought in a near constant explosion of mana, light and sound, the mountain¡¯s surface desecrated. Beyond them ¨C in the sky, legions of people flew around, explosions igniting the sky as they fell by the dozen and the sky darkened.
Then he looked behind him, further up the mountain, as more fought amongst themselves, hundreds of the Moshaic unnamed outnumbering the Yildaric Knights. They were struggling, falling back to the strength of the hundreds. With a new determination, his uncertainty forgotten, he rushed forward, sword at the ready.
Then he was amongst the unnamed, sword held high as he danced about, cutting and slashing as a wash of noise surrounded him. Mana, blood, screams, skills and spells. The raw chaos of battle.
And he fought through it, burning brighter with each swing, each victory, a certainty sweeping through him that was unfamiliar but not unwelcome. Then he was beside two others, one whose blood flowed around them crackling with energy as it cut and slashed at opponents, and the other who released shockwave bursts from their hands, blowing back opponents with ease.
They looked grateful to see him, the power of swings blasting back opponents and reducing the pressure from the enemies surrounding.
[There¡¯s too many! We need to go!] lightning blood shouted over the chaos.
[Downwards!] shockwave cried. [To the mountain base!]
Caleb didn¡¯t need to be told twice, moving together in unison with the two, as they fought towards the rest of their comrades.
Then one of the knights cried out with a panicked awe.
[Great mother!]
Caleb glanced back, catching their expression as they looked to the sky. Others around them did too, the fighting grinding to a halt. Caleb turned, looking up and his eyes widened.
The largest portal he¡¯d ever seen appeared; it¡¯s size so great its scale was hard to judge. It glowed a radiant green, and a deep unnatural sound carried through the air, seemingly both in Caleb¡¯s head and outside it. Then the hand of a creature reached through, grabbing at the edge of the portal, as something moved to pull itself forward. But the hand enough was alone, it¡¯s mere presence darkening reality itself, the atmosphere shifting as warning messages scrawled across his vision.
[Warning: Sarukar the Death - First Great Azal has entered combat]
His glow flickered for a moment then faded slightly, reduced to a thin line that covered the outside of his form. With a shaky breath, he gulped as hundreds around them muttered to themselves. The distant booms and echoes faded, as the fights in all domains ground to an instant halt. Then hundreds were shouting and crying out. Not in anger, but fear. Then they were fleeing, running past Caleb and the others battle forgotten.
Caleb kept his sword raised, prepared for enemies to rush forward, but none came. He looked between the fleeing Moshaic soldiers and the creature of pure evil in the sky, uncertain. Foreign mana continued to rage all around him, people using skills to leap away as some were sucked into blue portals. He looked back to the two other knights.
¡°Do we run?¡± Caleb said.
[I don¡¯t know. We-]
Lightning blood didn¡¯t have time to finish the answer, sliced in two as shockwave pushed Caleb away. Caleb hit the floor, and instantly felt something change within him, the clear feeling fading from his mind as an all to familiar panic returned. He pulled himself up just in time to watch shockwave get dismembered and kicked face first into the stampede before the sword wielding woman turned to him.
She muttered something, then leapt at him sword pointed forwards.
For a moment time seemed to slow down. He wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge. She was going to stab him in the face, and he was going to die. And there was something wrong with the sword. If he allowed it to touch him, it would hurt him in a way that would make his death worse. His final moments would be torment of the form, both magically and physical.
With a desperate cry he raised his fist forward, almost pleading as power flooded his body and released from his arm.
Heat. An unimaginable heat coursed through his arm as every fibre of his physical body screamed at him in protest. His mind, white hot with pain, only screamed at him. He¡¯d made a mistake. A horrible mistake.
He¡¯d forgotten just how painful his first punch was.
Caleb gasped, reopening his eyes. His body was cold, and he lay on the floor his left arm mangled, and his suit jacket torn to shreds. He lay in a steaming crater; the echoes of a deep and distant rumble audible in the distance.
As he remembered himself, panic flooded him and he sat up, cursing as he clutched his broken arm. He looked around. The stampede atop the mountain had parted, hundreds vaporised by the explosion. But as he stared across the crater, the woman in strange grey armour held her now broken sword, still standing. She was unaffected. No, not unaffected, her mana was different. Weaker. But she was still alive. Almost unharmed.
She rushed forward, now unobstructed by the crowd. He cursed, struggling to pull himself up as a tiredness swept his clumsy limbs. He forced himself off the ground, gasping before stumbling away. No use. Wouldn¡¯t make it. He turned, brandished his knife, and readied himself, heart beating harder than ever before.
Don¡¯t die. You can¡¯t die. Don¡¯t die. Don¡¯t.
Then she was upon him, her power flaring for a moment. And that primal fear was back, every piece of his magical sense warning him of the skill that coated her sword. But he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge. All his senses, warning him, telling him to avoid it were pointless now. He had no choice but to face it with his own. No matter how weak he was.
Memories flooded through him as his core brightened the flames of life burning hot throughout his body, and his last words to his sister echoing through his mind.
With a sudden roar of power, he met the blade in mid-air, his heart pounding as it weighed against him with a heaviness he¡¯d never felt before. Not physical, but magical. His core strained his power twisting as it burned in a way he¡¯d never felt before. But he held, staring back at the woman, her expression filled with shock. Then she overpowered him with raw strength, throwing him back to the floor before stabbing down at his chest.
Shit
Then a burst of golden red fire washed through the air, the woman evaporating along with her blade. Caleb shielded his eyes, waiting for the fire to take him, but he felt no heat. Then Daen was at his side.
[Are you alright?!] Daen said, grabbing him. Caleb nodded, breathing hard, too tired to speak. Daen looked him over, his gaze filled with panic, before he froze. [You blocked it properly¡ you¡¯re not even hurt! You blocked it properly!]
Caleb looked to the man confused, before blinking hard, laying back down as a sudden exhaustion took him.
[Caleb? Caleb? You alright?]
¡°No, no it¡¯s- go. Fight¡± Caleb muttered.
[It¡¯s alright] Daen said, chuckling to himself. [Can¡¯t you feel it? We¡¯ve practically already won.]
Caleb¡¯s mana sense was far too out of whack to sense anything, his mind and magical body reeling from strain of whatever it was he¡¯d done. He didn¡¯t understand how they¡¯d won when that creature was about to join the battlefield, but Daen had no reason to lie. Daen instantly pulled him up, righting him as his mind spun.
[See?] Daen said, pointing to the now fading green giant of a portal, the hand gone. [Everaan pulled a fast one on all of us. Had me for a second there. Crazy bastard.]
¡°Wait, don¡¯t-¡± Caleb muttered, grabbing Daen to steady himself. ¡°Need to lie down. Think I¡¯m gonna pass out¡±
Daen looked to him laughed, slapping him on the back. Caleb winced, clutching his arm.
[Look at you! Singularity already!] he laughed. [Just pulled it off in combat! You¡¯re a natural!]
Caleb simply struggled for breath his shoulders slumped in relief.
[Do you understand Caleb? How incredible this is?]
¡°No¡± he mumbled, struggling to formulate words. ¡°Is there- healer. Arm really hurts.¡±
[Battle of Dominion: Yun Evryd Dys against Moshaoler]
[Yildaric Guard of the Akashic vs The Unnamed of the Moshaic]
[Akashic victory]
[Congratulations]
[You have levelled up]
A cheer rung out all around them as Daen laid him back down, patting Caleb on the chest as he wilted with relief.
[I didn¡¯t even say anything] Daen laughed [What were you even thinking about? What did you even do?]
¡°Home¡± Caleb muttered, ¡°Told¡ told Kayla I¡¯d be back on weekends.¡±
Daen burst out laughing again, before looking to the sky.
[I told them you''d be amazing. Singularity already.... we''ve got a legend in the making here. Right. Now, let¡¯s get you a healer.]