《The Ring of Avernus [ACADEMY LITRPG]》 1. Death Season 1: Flames of Darkness It was September 2024, when millions of meteorites the size of pebbles fell to our world. Those who touched the seemingly tiny stones were infected with what humanity calls the Xyz virus, turning humans into the Ashen, mindless cannibalistic creatures that preyed on and devoured others. But despite humanity¡¯s efforts. They could not contain them. And in just a few decades ¨C humanity has fallen. Earth has fallen. As of 2300, roughly only 45 million people remain across the world. Yet there is hope. With the coming of the Ashen, humanity discovered the aether, colloquially also called magic. And with the aether is the rise of individuals capable of manipulating it. The Awakened. ¨C The Museum of Human Cultures, published March 2334 1. Death 2347 A.D., Panamerican League of United Dominions, the Dominion of St. Johh, the rich neighbourhood of Upper Claret District. Horror. How else could he describe it as he watched from up high? Abandoned vehicles, doors flung open in haste, as a stampede of people ran for their lives. The buildings were ruined and in flames. Sirens blared, yet they were without the persons that¡¯s supposed to man them. No¡­, Lucas thought, eyes bloodshot behind his black mask. He leaped down from the rooftop, bending his knees to absorb the impact from the ground. That hurt. Frantic, his eyes darted about, seeking them ¨C a nigh suffocating fear welling up in his chest ¨C making it difficult for him to breathe. Amid the street¡¯s destruction, and through the smoke, he yelled their names¨C¨C looking about the chaos with crazed eyes. ¡°Mom! Micah!¡± He yelled their names, past from the point of caring if anybody finds out his identity as a SPECTRA. After all, their mask only bears meaning if they have others to protect. So, why would his identity matter if his family dies anyway? Yet. He didn¡¯t find them. Wherever he ran ¨C went ¨C it was the same. A stampede. It was a miracle that they had not yet ran over him in their panic. For everyone sought their own survival. Their screams overlapping in the air in a song of death¡­ Some pushed against each other, instincts of survival overshadowing their instincts to care. Not that he blamed them. It is in the nature of men to care first about their own before others. Just like what he¡¯s doing now. And if they can afford to, then they can choose to care about the lives of others later. Only heroes would see to others first before themselves. And in this world. There are no heroes. Only survivors. No matter how much that frail woman in the distance screamed for a hero, she found none but the foot of others stepping upon her being; pushed by the surging crowd. Yet she didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Amica! My daughter! Where is she? Where is she?!¡± Lucas was about to look away, knowing the mother¡¯s death was a hair¡¯s breadth away. When suddenly, a hulking man stepped in to protect her from the stampede. ¡°We need to leave now!¡± the man said as he dragged the mother with great force. Yet it was futile. The mother¡¯s eyes spoke true¨C she did not want to live. ¡°Brock! You need to help me! I can¡¯t find Amica!¡± the mother begged. An excuse to remain. An excuse to die. Lucas understood. ¡°She¡¯s gone, Jen!" the so-called Brock said as he pointed at a nearby body. "We have to go!¡± he said and tried to make the mother stand up again. ¡°Brock! More are coming! They¡¯re getting close! We have to go!¡± a loud voice echoed about. When Brock heard this, Lucas saw within his eyes only sheer surrender. Surrender. Yes. That means Brock is leaving the mother. But as Jen slumped, and Brock briefly released his grip, he whispered something. They may be far, but with Lucas¡¯ enhanced hearing, he heard it. ¡°¡­Jen. Two of your babies survived. Are you really going to kill yourself and abandon them?¡± Jen paled, bowing her head as if in shame, her form visibly shaking. Brock signalled a group of men to escort Jen away. And as to why he was drawn to this scene, Lucas didn¡¯t know. But he had not the time to ponder. Thoughts interrupted by a scream, he noticed from his peripherals a group of children running away from something. They were led by a bigger child. A child just like him but still a head smaller. She looked about his age. No less than 13 years just like him. ¡°Get away! Get awaaay!¡± she screamed. They were being chased by an Ashen. Ashen¡­ A lifeless husk with a skin like ash ¨C white. Its grey eyes filled with mindless hunger and wrath. It¡¯s too late, he thought, deciding to leave the children to die. Not even the others stopped to help them. So, why would he? Sure, as a SPECTRA, he¡¯s duty-bound to protect others, so long as that is reasonable. But what could ever be the point in saving them if they were going to die anyway? And if he were to stop, he had to help them find safety somehow. But if he does, what about his family? They could still be alive. And every second counts. He then closed his eyes as the Ashen leaped forward. But the girl leading the group stopped to face the threat, opening both her arms wide open as she closed her eyes to meet her fate. Don¡¯t be a fool, Lucas thought as he flashed his eyes open. His body moved, as if with a will of its own. Mom, Micah¨C¨C and everyone¡­ will hate you if they find out. Moving like a blur, he rushed to the chaser and swung his blade. A clean slice. Its head parted from its body easily. He looked around, and noticed people were being bitten left and right. They will turn any moment soon. So. ¡°Follow me,¡± he told the group of children before leading them through a maze of alleys. He slew some stray Ashens in the way and only stopped when he found an abandoned house. Inside, he swung off the blood from his blade. ¡°Do you guys know them?¡± he asked as he removed his phone from his pocket, showing them the photo of Micah and his mother. The girl leading the group shook her head as she slowly pushed the door close with her back. She sniffed her snot as she wiped the unstoppable waterfall of tears from her silver eyes. Silver? Is she also a Prime? But I can¡¯t sense aether from her, he thought. And if she truly was, the government would have already found out about her. SPECTRA would already have. So that can¡¯t be the case. Whatever. It doesn¡¯t matter right now. When Lucas saw the children begin to huddle behind the girl, their eyes darting about in fear, he said, ¡°When I go back out, leave immediately.¡± He pointed out the window to the direction of 55th Street. ¡°That¡¯s where I came from. So if you keep heading to 55th Street, you¡¯ll find the Defense evacuating people out there. It¡¯s too dangerous to send dropships here,¡± he said. ¡°When you leave, exit from the back door of the house and move through the alleys. Not the main street.¡± The group of kids looked reluctant. Lucas sighed. ¡°I suppose with more Ashen showing up, it shouldn¡¯t be long now for reinforcement to arrive,¡± he said. ¡°Alright. Stay here and remain quiet. Even when a stray comes in, you¡¯ll be fine if you just keep your lips sealed and stick to the shadows. Leave only when the rescue arrives.¡± The Ashen have camera-like eyes. Their vision is dependent on the amount of light. If the human eye can still see in low light, it would be akin to darkness for the Ashen. So they hunt only during the day. But even if they were like humans¨C¨C quiet at night. They¡¯re never asleep. The silver-eyed girl asked. ¡°How would we know when rescue arrives?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know. It¡¯ll be noisy,¡± Lucas said before heading for the door. The girl grabbed his sleeve. ¡°What about you? You¡¯re not much bigger than me. Than us.¡± Lucas forced a smile behind his mask. ¡°I¡¯m a Prime,¡± he said, pointing at his own silver eyes. He then touched his mask. ¡°And you see this, right? This means I¡¯m a SPECTRA too. The best of the best. So, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± There was doubt in the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°But you¡­ your eyes. Are you crying? A-are you OK?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just dust.¡± The girl didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°O-okay. BUT¡­ take care, OK? I hope you find them!¡± her voice trailed off as Lucas left. Lucas wished he did as he returned their waves of goodbye. *** While their district didn¡¯t look the same anymore, long gone was the pristine streets and avenues ¨C replaced by only ruins ¨C the path was still familiar. So he kept running. Their house should just be a few blocks away. Until finally, there it was ¨C Plume Boulevard. Rushing to their house, he stopped. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. His complexion turned a ghostly pallor as if the very life had been leached from his veins. The house was gone. There was only a debris of where it once stood. ¡°Mom!¡± he said when he saw her lying on the ground. One of those monsters stood over her. The walking corpse of a child. An Ashen, Lucas thought. But it looked like it was hesitating. Why? When the Ashen turned around. It was his little brother. ¡°Micah¡­?¡± He hesitated with a gulp and Micah roared before jumping at him, his fangs far sharper than Lucas¡¯ blade. He¡¯s gone, Lucas, he thought. That form is just but a bastardization of his memories. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lucas embraced him¡­ his blade piercing his brother¡¯s heart. The prior rage in Micah¡¯s eyes. They were gone. Just a look of peace and relief instead. A tear streaked down Lucas¡¯ cheek, as he gently lay his brother on the ground. He bowed his head, his locks curtaining his features. A voice. ¡°¡­Cass?¡± He shot a glance to the voice. She¡¯s still alive. His mom is still alive. He coughed, waving at the smoke as he rushed by her side. He knelt on the ground and grasped her hand. Light. Cold. As if to never regain their warmth¡­ perhaps they never would. ¡°Mom.¡± Not yet. Please. He quivered as he checked her pulse. Beating. But weak. She opened her eyes and with a gasp, struggled to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything, Mom. Here, around my shoulder, we¡¯ll get you out of here,¡± he said. Instead. ¡°Always remember,¡± she said, touching the birthmark on his left index finger with her thumb. ¡°This is a key¡­,¡± she said, a squint in her eyes. ¡°What are you talking about, Mom?¡± he asked. His birthmark has always been odd. It was shaped like a ring tattoo. ¡°Livia and the Director. They will tell you. You must¨C¨C find it.¡± ¡°Find w¨C¡± She interrupted him, her eyes briefly regaining their strength. A gaze of sheer intent. ¡°Let me see your face,¡± she whispered. With a gentle motion, she lifted his mask. Lucas closed his eyes. ¡°¡­You knew, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Always. But there is no way I could have ever stopped you,¡± she said as a smile played on her lips when she traced the lines of his cheek. ¡°God¡­ You look so beautiful,¡± she said. He shook his head. ¡°We need to go, Mom¡­ Please, come on. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m already here, yes?¡± he said. It¡¯s no time to dawdle. Her lips quivered as she teared up before shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Cass. For everything.¡± Lucas widened his eyes. ¡°Sorry? It was I who ran away from you guys. I¡­ I¨C¨C,¡± he whispered a stutter. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry I abandoned you.¡± Many Primes found and trained by the government like him are orphans. And perhaps it was because of this that Lucas felt compelled to run away from home. He had to somehow justify his existence to others, who, unlike him, lived only to fight¨C¨C without a family to come back to. But he was different. He had a family. And he hated that he had a family. And so, he abandoned them, simply because he wanted to fit in. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mom,¡± Lucas whispered as he bit the lower side of his trembling lip ¨C his tear falling upon his mother¡¯s cheek. She let out a weak laughter. ¡°Oh, please¡­ We¡¯ve always been proud of you. Because we lov¨C¨C¡­¡± Her hands slowly fell to her sides. ¡°¡­Mom?¡± She did not respond. He gently shook her. ¡°Mom? Wake up, we need to go.¡± She did not respond. Denied even closure, he grew quiet, lips pressed together in denial. Gone. She¡¯s gone. Just like that. The flames still roared, their heat searing his skin. He held her hand again, refusing to let go this time. Who else would hold her? No one. ¡°So much for being a Prime,¡± he whispered to himself as he knelt on the ground, still holding her hand. A Prime. Oh, how he remembered constantly boasting about it to Micah too, long before he ran away from home. He sat cross-legged on the carpet, his aether-coated sword resting above his palms. ¡°What do you think?¡± he smiled back at his little brother who sat before him. Micah touched the blunt end of the blade, voice just touch of a whisper. ¡°You¡¯re special, you know that?¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s something I¡¯d wish for anybody.¡± Lucas frowned. Sometimes, when he looks at Micah, his brother gives him a certain look. Not envy. Not hate. Not even apathy. No¡­ it was pity. To be a Prime. It is a great responsibility. Or so, that¡¯s what they were taught¨C¨C children who have unlocked and started to cultivate their soul cores at birth. A Prime¡­ follows the art of death. ¡°You want to change the world, right?¡± Micah said as he withdrew his hand from Lucas¡¯ blade. ¡°To give Mom and me that world without Ashens and bad people?¡± Lucas smiled. ¡°Yeah. I did say that.¡± Even if his brother was 3 years younger than him ¨C it seemed like Micah¡¯s more matured at times. Micah yawned as he stood up, facing the direction of his bedroom, but not before sparing Lucas a final glance. ¡°A change could be too late for us, but not this world,¡± he said, as if he had a premonition. ¡°I believe in you.¡± And yet¡­ I failed you, Lucas thought with a scoff. He¡¯s not worthy of it¨C¨C the power of a Prime. And he¡¯s not worthy of that black mask he once more donned after picking it up from her mother¡¯s palm. The symbol of his supposed duty. Yet he was denied even a chance to mourn when sudden low guttural growls entered the boulevard from the west. There were more of them. It seemed they were freshly turned, evident by the blood and bite wounds on their necks. Bullets rained upon them. Those must have been from some of the civilians who chose to remain. They yelled at the others to keep running, while they buy them more some time. Brave but fruitless. Lucas glanced up and saw the shooters on the rooftops, who halted in horror when their bullets bounced off their targets ¨C ineffective against the horde. The body of an Ashen hardens when hit with high-speed projectiles like bullets, practically nullifying them. Ever heard of an oobleck? It¡¯s something like that. Their shots only enraged the Ashen more, but when hope was about to vanish, a cry resounded throughout. A war cry. From out of the many alleys, were civilians who donned swords, charging forward to meet in melee the ever-increasing Ashens, led by a huge man¡­ Brock. Yeah. The same Brock. While fighting, Brock asked the others to provide fire support with their bows, crossbows, and arrows. Brock. He must have created a makeshift militia, Lucas thought. He came back for stragglers. While they may not be the reinforcement Lucas expected, they looked pretty organized. So while they may not be Awakened or Framers, they¡¯re still effective against the Grade I Ashens. But then, as if the horde of Ashens wasn¡¯t already enough, he felt a disturbance in the aether. Portals, he surmised with dread in his eyes. There are some unique Ashens that could open portals. The Summoners. And it¡¯s because of those damned Summoners that the city was so easily penetrated in the first place, leading to such a slow response. Looks like they haven¡¯t found them yet, he thought. He was right. About five portals appeared in the vicinity, releasing dozens of Ashens each. There¡¯s one more and Lucas widened his eyes as he witnessed the biggest Ashen portal he¡¯d ever seen. It appeared before an apartment building, which immediately collapsed, followed by a deafening roar. There loomed an Ashen as big as the three-storey building it smashed. Hideous. Its body was an amalgamation of human flesh and limbs ¨C of distorted features writhing in horror and pain. It is those amalgamation of flesh that makes it so hard to kill, protecting its only vulnerability ¨C the aether core deeply embedded within. And the hundreds of eyes on its head, those that it consumed, looked in all directions, making it impossible to catch it by surprise. Surprise¡­ Gasps of surprise from the remaining civilians resonated throughout the chaotic street, voices of hopelessness in a chorus with Argus¡¯ roar. ¨C ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s Argus!¡± ¨C ¡°What is it doing here?!¡± ¨C ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± ¨C ¡°We need to run!¡± Lucas shuddered in fear himself, still trying to find comfort in his mother¡¯s cold hand. ¡°Argus, the Herald of Doom,¡± he muttered. A Grade VI Ashen, or a Calamity-grade. One of the only 14 documented Grade VI Ashens in the world. For 300 years, the appearance of Calamities spelled destruction and death. There were attempts to hunt them down and kill them. But they all ended up in failure, leading only to the countless loss of lives. Not even Class V, or a Continental-class Awakened can ever dream of defeating a Calamity. Only a group of Sovereigns (Class VI) ¨C those who reached beyond the peak of the Path (beyond Level 100) ¨C could ever hope to defeat them. But how many Sovereigns were there? Just nine. So how would Lucas, who is only a level 37 Class II Awakened, even hope to kill the giant? Argus advanced, stomping on those who ran for their lives. If there was some sort of relief, then it would be that Argus¡¯ movement speed was slow. Very slow. Someone dropped his bow and bumped into Lucas. ¡°Y-you! You¡¯re SPECTRA!¡± said the guy as he pointed at Lucas¡¯ mask. ¡°Do something about that!¡± he screamed before running away. Yes. Run. For there is no hope. But. I¡¯m SPECTRA, huh? Lucas thought as he cut in two a boulder of rock the giant suddenly threw. He couldn¡¯t let his mother and brother be hit by that. But that stranger was right. He¡¯s a SPECTRA. And as a SPECTRA, he needs to somehow take care of Argus, right? If he doesn¡¯t, then the rest of the people here will die¡­, right? And if he runs away, then could he really call himself a SPECTRA? No, he can¡¯t¡­ right? Even so, no matter what I do, everyone here will die, Lucas thought, looking around him. They¡¯re panicking again. Even the makeshift militia was slowly being overwhelmed, losing its order as each second ticked by. Because they¡¯re not listening to Brock. For them to live. Someone has to take the lead. Someone must create order out of disorder. And to do that, Lucas thought as he stood up. He carried his mother and placed her beside the sleeping Micah. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± He then manipulated the aether, allowing them to flow to his vocal cords. ¡°I¡¯m SPECTRA 37 of the Hummingbird Unit. All remaining combatants, clear out and guide those who you were able to rescue to the evacuation area,¡± he said before his voice burned with calm, cold rage. ¡±¡­I¡¯ll keep that giant and all of the Ashen here occupied.¡± Silence. A seeming silence even amid the loudness of the battlefield. Lucas already expected that. After all, he sounded like a child¨C¨C he¡¯s still a child. And who would listen to a child? But all he did was to give that man the opportunity for the others to listen to him. The same man who tried to help the mother from earlier, and the same man who led the charge of the makeshift 100-man militia¨C¨C Brock the Leader, or so what Lucas called him in his thoughts. And Brock thankfully understood Lucas¡¯ intention; nodding before he yelled out loud to gather the attention of everyone. ¡°I¡¯m Major Brock Moore! If you all want a chance to survive, follow my lead!¡± Brock said as he clubbed the head of an Ashen who dared to interrupt him. Lucas nodded at him in appreciation. ¡°Everyone, listen¡­¨C!¡± Brock started commanding the men and made things much more organized. In response, a shattering, ¡°YES, SIR!¡± echoed about. Lucas sighed in relief. It was fortunate he trusted his gut. Brock managed to make the civilians respond like soldiers, lighting the fire back in their eyes. It¡¯s as if Brock have given them purpose and direction when they had none. As that was going on, Lucas¡¯ eyes trailed back to Argus; the giant slowly making its way to 55th Street. Lucas briefly wondered how it knew where to go, or why the portal did not just appear at the evacuation area if it was the target in the first place. Not that it matters, he thought. After all, what even makes sense anymore? ¡°If you wish for blood. Then let it rain¡­,¡± he whispered before closing his eyes. From his chest, the aether flowed within his veins. When he flashed his eyes open, his pupils turned from silver to red. ¡°Awaken...¡± [Aura Activated. Shield Activated.]
Status
Name: Lucas Hale Shield (SH): 3700 (Enabled)
Level: 37 Force: (FR): 370
Age: 13 (DOB: 2/14/2334) Basic Attack: +185 FR
Class: Sentinel II (Body) Aether Essence (AE): 91/3700
Spell Control (SC) Level: 3.10
National Rank: 33,237 (of 70,000+)
Global Rank: 120,892 (of 400,000+)
Spells ¨C 4/5 (Spell Damage = Force x Spell Power)
1. Aether Blade III (Common) (Sentinel-exclusive) SC Requirement: 1.10 Type: Active. Effect: Form a blade of aether and strike forward in an arc. Spell Power (SP): 3.5 Cooldown: 16 seconds. (Starter Sentinel Spell.)
2. Aether Amplify (Common) SC Requirement: 2.10 Type: Buff. Effect: Increase your Force by 50% for a limited duration. Duration: 5 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
3. Aether Mist (Rare) SC Requirement: 3.10 Type: Active. Effect: Transforms into a mist. You are invulnerable and cannot cast a spell during the duration. When you cancel the spell during the duration, the cooldown becomes double. Duration: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 24 seconds.
4. Aether Blink (Rare) (Sentinel-exclusive) SC Requirement: 2.10 Type: Active. Effect: Instantly blinks to a chosen location within 10 metres. Cooldown: 24 seconds.
Aura(s)
Aether Aura II (Common) Class Requirement: II Description: Basic aura used by all Awakened. Cannot stack with other Auras. Effect(s): Enables Shield (SH) +Basic Attack = (FR x 0.50) +10% Force
Locked Aura Spell Requirement: Class III Description: Elemental Aspect not unlocked. Unlock at Class III (Lv. 51)
2. The White Sovereign 2. The White Sovereign He danced amid a group of Ashens, whom he almost pitied as he cut them to pieces; blood spraying about, drenching his being. More¡­ Lucas thought. He lost count of how many he killed, but it¡¯s as if their numbers never dwindled at all. How long has he been fighting? It felt like forever. About an hour? No. After a swift glance to his watch, Lucas realized only 5 minutes had passed. Not good, he thought. While he still has a full Shield, that doesn¡¯t mean anything if he¡¯s exhausted. Shield only refers to the limit of how many times ¨C and how much ¨C his wounds will be able to heal. But there is more to combat for the Awakened than just managing their Shield. If he¡¯s exhausted, it means he will make more mistakes. More mistakes mean more wounds. Finally, more wounds mean his Shield will decrease until he has no more. And to be without a Shield means he¡¯s akin to the non-Awakened. And in this situation, it means he will die. Not that he minded. He just needed to make sure to bite the pill to stop his heart from beating. Dying is better than getting infected and turning into a high-grade Ashen. And do you know how scary it would be if a Prime turns? Suddenly, a boulder flew to Lucas¡¯ direction. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t panic and immediately figured the trajectory. He needed to minimize his movements to conserve energy. It¡¯s going to miss, he thought and chose not to move, allowing the boulder crash into the dozens of Ashens behind him. Heaving a sigh of relief, he turned his attention back to where the boulder came from. ¡°Argus,¡± Lucas whispered to himself. Argus has been throwing whatever it could grab from the ruins around it, and that was perhaps the sixth boulder Lucas dodged or sliced apart. But if this goes on, Lucas would fall from exhaustion. It may be slow, but its attack speed is pretty fast, he thought. I need to reach him somehow. So, he narrowed his eyes as he sought for a way to rush the giant. But there were too many Ashens on the way. It should be fine, he thought. There are no Grade IIs around, which means he could force his way through. He was about to beeline the giant when the air shook and time seemed to stop. What¡¯s happening? Lucas thought when the horde suddenly became frozen in their tracks, like stone sculptures carved by a morbid man. Even Argus simply just watched and loomed in the distance. Why did they stop moving? But then, from his peripherals, a silhouette approached. An oppressive presence that seemed to command the Ashen to stay their hands. With measured pace, the silhouette revealed herself from the shadows, a blade sheathed on her side. Lithe and slender, she looked looked¡­ beautiful. A beautiful woman not dressed for a battlefield. She wore a sleeveless black dress, except from the strips of fabric that flowed down her shoulder like black mist. And cinched on her waist is the symbol of a flower ¨C silver as the long hair that reached behind her knees. But. She had a skin white as snow. Not like that old fairy tale, but a skin just like an Ashen. An Ashen without the hunger. Without the wrath. And she was without the Ashens¡¯ dead, gray pupils. Instead, she had bright, silver eyes. An Ashen with the eyes of an Awakened? Lucas wondered, his head aching as he tried to figure out what she could be. A moment of clarity. A moment of realization. ¡­An Ascended, he thought. The Ascended are Awakened who were infected with the Xyz virus, but retained their ability to think and communicate. However, they are still hungry for flesh. But apparently, they were wiped out ten years ago. So. How? The figure directed her gaze at him. Crimson lips curling into a light smile. Lucas suddenly found it hard to breathe, the air seemingly all but abandoning him. Dread. The Ascended emitted dread. ¡°Interesting. A child. Yet one who dons a Mask,¡± the Ascended said with a slight pause. ¡°This means you¡¯re a Prime with SPECTRA. A rarity, indeed. But to others¨C¨C a rare piece of a commodity,¡± she added. When she said that last phrase, Lucas knew it wasn¡¯t a threat. No, she couldn¡¯t hide her rage even behind her mask of calm. An Ascended who sees no pleasure in human trafficking. Lucas never expected to see the day, when apparently, they were once the underground industry¡¯s biggest clients. But what would an Ascended be doing here? Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­, he thought as he slowed his heartbeat. To calm himself from what he already knew would be the answer. Smoke and fire still hung heavy with the noxious air¨C¨C vexing his nostril. Yet, with a deep breathe, he somehow calmed himself before the coming figurative storm. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You want my name. Yet you conceal your own.¡± Her voice was barely more than a whisper, but it seemed to fill the entire space with its clarity. When Lucas¡¯ response was only a glare, the woman slightly shrugged. ¡°I am Muriel. Herald of the future,¡± she said, uttering each syllable as if they wore heavy meaning Muriel? Lucas thought as he felt a shiver run down his spine. His chest tightened, impeding his ragged breathes as he recalled where he heard that name. White hair¡­ she who commands the ash, he thought as he took a step back. Muriel¡­ Muriel¡­ ¡­It¡¯s her, he thought. A Class VI Awakened. A Sovereign. ¡°Muriel,¡± he muttered underneath his breathe. ¡°¡­Matriarch of the Order of Lewisia. The White Sovereign¨C¨C the Betrayer.¡± Lewisia. They were once an influential society composed of a membership of equally influential Awakened as its members, they waged a war against the Panamerican League of United Dominions 10 years ago. A war won by the League. But Muriel should be dead when Lewisia lost the war. ¡°But¡­ Beral killed you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ The Bearer of Ares,¡± she drawled out as if she was contemplating. ¡°I understand how the truth can sometimes be so difficult to fathom. But¡­¡± At the pause, Muriel smiled¨C¨C the silver rings of her pupils glinting with the pale glow of the moonlight. ¡°¡­the loathing in your eyes; your mask cannot hide¡­ I can see it,¡± she said. ¡°As if I am¡­¡± she tilted her head, a finger light on her temple, seemingly deep in thought. ¡°¡­a monster. A great evil.¡± Lucas looked about him, witnessing again the corpses strewn about. Their bodies were mauled. Their innards¡­ they¡­ Lucas shook his head. And with a deep breath, he looked back to Muriel. ¡°Can you blame me?¡± he said. ¡°What do you call someone who could kill others without even batting an eye?¡± Muriel lowered her hand, her veneer of calm betrayed by a minute disturbance. ¡°You speak seemingly beyond your years, but you are nonetheless naive. We are at war, child,¡± she said, words spoken slowly and deliberately. ¡°The war of ten years past have never ended, no matter what the League declared¨C¨C for we have never surrendered. And war, child. War is a necessary evil. It embraces not one, but everyone.¡± ¡°¡­Necessary?¡± Lucas whispered, venom in his voice. ¡°Look at them¡­,¡± calmly, he said as his eyes darted from one corpse to the next. Some of the bodies were small ¨C children ¨C and already decaying. ¡°Just look at them.¡± ¡°Collateral dama¨C¨C¡± He¡¯s usually calm and measured, but at those words, his voice rumbled, rivaling that of the roaring storm of flames around them. ¡°You killed those powerless to fight!¡± Muriel did not respond immediately, only walking toward the corpse of a dead child. She knelt and shut the child¡¯s eyelids close. ¡°A tragedy that could have been prevented,¡± she whispered. ¡°¡­All these deaths. Does it not remind you your history? When the League butchered those children who were also too powerless to defend themselves? Or do you not? Just another hypocrite who spouts injustice, but blind to the injustice of those whom he serves¡­¡± Lucas was stunned, ¡°The¡­ League?¡± ¡°Collateral damage,¡± she said with a raised tone. ¡°That¡¯s what the League called them. Collateral damage,¡± continued Muriel with a faltering voice. ¡°The children from the Seed Settlement of Riza. Once a settlement under our protection. They were just collateral damage.¡± ¡°Riza. Didn¡¯t you¨C¨C¡± ¡°Used the children as meat shields?¡± she said, glaring at Lucas. ¡°Of course, you believe the League.¡± ¡°But the war¡­ It was you who started the war. And you¨C¨C¡± Lucas growled, before biting his tongue, realizing the implication of what he just said. Was he seriously going to actually say that: You started the war. And you expect the League not to strike back? He felt repulsed of himself. Why did he even think to say that? But Muriel didn¡¯t seem to mind, and for some reason, that only made Lucas¡¯ feel of shame even greater. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Do you know why Riza burned?¡± Muriel asked, raising an eyebrow. Lucas pursed his lips and did not answer. ¡°Because they were Ascended. Mira, Clark, Heather, Blake, Clarissa, just of the few names I can remember, slaughtered like cattle. Why? Because children are the future. And the League believes they will inevitably rise up against them in the future.¡± Lucas¡¯ grip on his blade faltered, widening his eyes at Muriel. Would the League really go that far? ¡°And do you know why we rose against the League?¡± she continued. ¡°Because of their power and greed.¡± ¡°¡­Power?¡± Her eyes narrowed in fury even while her voice remained so calm. ¡°You are ignorant of the evil you serve, and yet you dare speak to me of murder?¡± Lucas could not help but bow his head. The Tragedy of Riza. A highly classified incident the League apparently swept under the rug, yet the public somehow still knows about. ¡°But a lot of people were against that,¡± he tried to justify. ¡°They even asked for those responsible to step down. Ascended or not, it¡¯s never a good cause to kill children.¡± ¡°Fool,¡± Muriel muttered, just barely loud enough for Lucas to hear. ¡°Against? They¡¯ve done nothing but talk and watch. When the opportunity to do something arose, they refused to act,¡± she said, pausing to let her words sink in. ¡°And even now, the public act ignorant of Riza, finding comfort in the idea that they¡¯re innocent of it all ¨C satisfied of criticizing the government just so they can say that they have played their part.¡± Lucas did not reply for a moment as he closed his eyes. He couldn¡¯t deny her words. But what was he supposed to do with all the information at that very moment? Nothing. ¡°And these deaths. Are they not enough to sate your lust?¡± ¡°Lust? You think I take pleasu¨C¨C¡± ¡°If what you say is true, then what the League did was indeed evil, and I shall do my best to see that justice is served¨C¨C as is my duty,¡± he said, lowering his voice once more. ¡°But these deaths. Does it make it right? Does it make you right? Does it justify your massacre? Does it not make you the same as those whom you loathe?¡± Muriel scoffed. ¡°What can a mere Prime do to find the root of that evil, when society itself has already failed? Your arrogance is unbecoming, child,¡± she said. ¡°Blood¡­ it has already been spilled.¡± She continued when Lucas did not respond. ¡°Revenge. Justice. It matters not. Death is a necessity. And soon, the others will follow,¡± she said. It should have sounded like a threat. But Muriel said it as if it was a prophecy. ¡°But humour me, child. You speak of evil. But do you truly understand what it is?¡± Lucas parted his lips to speak, but no words came out. He only unknowingly gripped tighter the hilt of his blade. ¡°Evil is¨C¨C disregard to morality. An indelible mark etched into the very fabric of our being. Darkness lingering deep within our hearts and minds, corrupting what makes us men,¡± she said. Muriel then turned her back against Lucas, as if he wasn¡¯t even a threat, gazing at the stiff Argus instead, as though the giant was her pet. ¡°The gradual decay of the soul, the erosion of empathy, and the indifference to suffering. It thrives when we, as a collective, pretend to be blind. It thrives when the conscience of men becomes numb to the cries of the oppressed.¡± With heavy eyes, Lucas did not answer, his gaze only lingering upon Muriel¡¯s back. ¡°Something that perhaps you must not understand¨C¨C for you belong to the special few. Someone cultivated by the League, hidden from those who starve and cut each others¡¯ necks just for something to eat. Just for something like a sliver of a bread to feed their youngs. Like pigeons¡­ yet without the freedom to break free and fly.¡± Lucas, hearing her words, seemingly absent-mindedly looked at the bloody ground with dead eyes. Why could he not respond? Why must she make sense? ¡°Yet you must feel that you¡¯re innocent of it. No?¡± she said, still not parting Lucas even a glance. ¡°Even when you see the signs. Even when you feel it. Even when it makes you sick¨C¨C you¡¯d rather remain in your little bubble of ambition and dreams: To destroy the Ashens, to be a hero,¡± she said with a scoff. ¡°So much for being a hero¡­ choosing to hide from it all as you live in comfort and luxury.¡± At that, Lucas felt¨C¨C conflict. ¡°Do not blame me when the League failed to heed my warning¨C¨C evacuate your people or they will die. Yes. Given chance, twice even, they remained stoic and self-important,¡± Muriel said. ¡°Their arrogance caused these deaths. It is them who you should be pointing your blade at.¡± ¡°¡­Warned? You warned the League?¡± Lucas paled, unsure how to process that or if he should even believe Muriel. If the White Sovereign is telling the truth, and only wanted to destroy St. John for some reason and wanted to avoid killing innocent people as she implied, then this could all have been avoided. While he refused to believe her words, it only made sense. If the League heeded Lewisia¡¯s warning, that would be them admitting that they have failed to crush Lewisia in the past. That would threaten the position of those at the top. Muriel craned her neck as she seemingly studied Lucas¡¯ features from the corner of her silver eyes. ¡°Peace, child. Only with true peace and order can humanity be free from its own perils. And only within the embers of destruction can humanity rise once more¡­ as one,¡± she said. Her voice soft. Lucas locked his jaw as he silently met Muriel¡¯s gaze. ¡°And blood is the price for peace. The debt we all pay,¡± Muriel said as she swivelled, leisurely directing her body back to Lucas. ¡°A debt that couldn¡¯t have existed if we hadn¡¯t been drowned by our own ambition. Our own greed. Our own irrational fears.¡± Lucas avoided Muriel¡¯s gaze. He stood there for a while, trying to come up with a justification to attack Muriel. But since when did he ever care for justification? He¡¯d killed in the past. He¡¯d assassinated people. Because he was told they were corrupt or evil. He only had to take care of the job. But this time. It was different. No one told him that Muriel must be struck down. That she¡¯s evil. But could he really call her evil? When suddenly, a voice entered his mind. Stop showing off, the voice said. It was a memory from the past. A time of innocence; of dreams. He was just younger then, long before he joined SPECTRA. He hadn¡¯t learned how to kill then yet. Lucas cut an apple in six separate pieces with a single slash of his knife, grinning to Micah who watched with widened eyes. ¡°Stop showing off,¡± Micah scoffed but he still laughed anyway. After a moment, however, he sighed. ¡°I wish I was an Awakened too. So I can also protect you and Mom.¡± Lucas¡¯ face gentled, placing a palm over his little brother¡¯s head. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t. I¡¯ll keep getting stronger and stronger. I¡¯ll keep protecting you and Mom! You¡¯re also the smart one between us! Maybe one day, you can invent something to destroy all the Ashens!¡± Micah¡¯s a genius. Unlike Lucas, Micah inherited their parents¡¯ aptitude for science. Micah sighed again. ¡°But¡­¡± The door slammed open. ¡°Fried chicken?¡± It was Mom. She grinned as she held a smoking bucket of chicken. She¡¯s finally home from work. The smell grew bolder and Micah ran to her, leaping like a cat to whisk the bucket away. But she twirled, and Micah was about to hit the door when her firm hand snatched and held him by the scruff of his shirt. ¡°Manners, Micah!¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°Go set up the table, you goof!¡± He prevented himself from cursing God, for recalling only memories where he promised to protect his family. Why must he be served with recollections that only reminds him of his failures? His guilt? But that memory somewhat filled his eyes with tranquility. His family. They were his everything. They kept him in the light when he felt the world swallow him with its ever-growing darkness. They healed his mind when he witnessed for himself the depravity of men. They were his fireflies. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Lucas said. A smile from the Ascended. Sympathetic. A kind one. ¡°Child. To kill you would be a waste. Your potential is boundless. Join me and you shall witness a world anew.¡± A pause as she gestured to the surroundings. ¡°This¡­ horror you see. It¡¯ll all be over. All of it. Imagine a world without evil. Humanity as one. Oh, all the things we could accomplish, to the stars that await us beyond.¡± Lucas hummed, as if contemplating Muriel¡¯s offer. Indeed, he wondered how strong he would be if he had the strength and constitution of an Ashen. And apparently, Muriel can provide that power. But¡­ ¡°You say blood is the price for true order and peace, right?¡±A mutter tainted with disgust. ¡°But the price of blood is also blood, no?¡± Muriel responded with a raised eyebrow. ¡°¡­A sentiment I do not deny.¡± Lucas dropped to his knees, and lowered his head to a bow. Muriel smiled. And Lucas tied his shoes. Muriel frowned. His family, killed by monsters he loathes, then offered a hand of sanctuary ¨C by the same kind of those monsters that took them all away ¨C Lucas felt repulsed. Peace? Order? he thought. He stood up and breathed the acrid air. ¡°Then you¡¯re prepared to pay for their blood with your own, no?¡± he said with a lilt. ¡°¡­A child who speaks the tongue of hatred as if he understands it,¡± Muriel stifled a laugh. ¡°I would have been impressed. But alas¡­ as a Prime, they edified your brain with the illusion of maturity. They tamed your eyes the sight of death. They denied you¨C¨C pleasure of your youth.¡± She paused, allowing her words of platitude to momentarily hang in the air. ¡°Is this right to you, child?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Lucas shrugged, not even bothering to respond with a platitude of his own. Why should he? It may be foolish to aggravate Muriel, who has stayed her hand so far. But there¡¯s only two outcomes out of the situation; Lucas dies, or Muriel dies. The former would likely happen. But death. Lucas is prepared for it. ¡°We are born to die anyway. Even better if I can take you down with me.¡± ¡°To die for the future of humanity. Is that what they taught you?¡± Muriel smirked. ¡°Ha¡­ Children. They can be very, very impressionable, it¡¯s almost sad.¡± Gesturing to the surroundings, the Ascended continued her spiel. ¡°Look around you, to the Ashens you have slain. And in the name of justice, how many lives have you stolen?¡± A dark cloud enveloped Lucas¡¯ features. ¡°¡­Did it make you feel better? At peace?¡± Lucas did not reply. No. He could not reply. He didn¡¯t know how to, as memories of his past escapades flashed in his mind ¨C how the people that he killed haunted him every night. ¡°¡­You accuse me of murder, yet your hands are no less stained,¡± she said. ¡°In our more peaceful past, children played, not taught to kill. But you. You are enslaved. A machine for slaughter.¡± Lucas did not reply. ¡°You are not the saint you think you are. You are no hero,¡± she said. ¡°¡­You have no right to rage.¡± Lucas gazed up the starry sky. He did not deny Muriel¡¯s words. Those were all true. There is no denying that. ¡°Yeah¡­ something about fighting so the children of tomorrow won¡¯t have to or something,¡± Lucas said with a whispery tone of voice as he paused for a moment. ¡°And it¡¯s stupid, I know. As if it will ever stop.¡± He shifted his gaze back to Muriel, who just tilted her head and surprisingly allowed him to continue speaking. ¡°You¡¯re right. I am no hero nor will I ever become one. I¡¯m a murderer,¡± he said with a peaceful smile. A smile that befits the warm welcome of death. ¡°And you¡¯re right. War is a force that spares none, embracing all in its merciless grip. ¡± Lucas continued and spoke over Muriel who parted her lips to speak, his gaze shifting cold and emotionless, not allowing her to interrupt. ¡°And it will stop only when humanity kills itself.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Muriel said, seemingly amused. ¡°Humanity can die for all I care,¡± he said as he raised his blade once more. ¡°All I want now¨C¨C is to kill you. If I am a machine for slaughter. Then so it shall be. I¡¯ll slaughter you if it¡¯s the last thing that I do.¡± But while, and again, he may stand no chance against the White Sovereign herself; did he really have a choice? He would be spitting on his honour, his duty, and the memories of everyone he lost if he were to flee. Not that he could even flee against a Sovereign as a mere Class II anyway. And it¡¯s not as if he had no chance. He does, albeit how minuscule it was. While the Awakened could heal instantly as long as they still have some Shield left, there are two ways to kill them with one shot ¨C cut off their head, or stab their heart. It doesn¡¯t matter what Class they are. As long as you catch them unaware, Shield or not, they will die. And who¡¯s good at catching their opponent unaware? SPECTRAs are. But his pistol will be ineffective against Muriel, who has the traits of an Ashen. He has to cut off her neck. He activated Amplify, shrouding himself with a flame-like cloak of pure aether. Muriel just looked at him with that same smirk of amusement, her pupils becoming bright blue ¨C the indication that an Awakened activated their Aura. Blue. She¡¯s an Evoker. A ranged-type. That puts me in a range disadvantage, thought Lucas. But the fear and alarm he should feel was nowhere. That smile. That goddamn smile. He wanted to crush it. She may be long-ranged, but the distance between them was no more than 20 feet. He could reach her in a single breathe. So, after two beats, when Lucas was off his global cooldown, he stomped on the ground. It cracked, and the momentum pushed him with great speed. He didn¡¯t need a spell to move that fast in close range. He zipped behind Muriel and aimed his sword at her neck. A distraction. When she turned her body to him, he used Blink to appear behind her again. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t use Blink immediately when he charged. There, he thought as he stared at her nape before immediately using Aether Blade. ¡°¡­Die.¡± ¡°How juvenile.¡± Muriel shifted her body with a slight step from one foot to the other. She tilted her head, and Lucas¡¯ blade phased through nothing, inches away from her neck. Lucas didn¡¯t even hit the ground when she gripped his shoulder and slammed her knee on his stomach. And he didn¡¯t even have the chance to activate Mist to avoid the attack. ¡°Yet just another one blinded by mindless wrath. Perhaps it¡¯s best to end you lest you become a Rogue. You are becoming one anyway,¡± said Muriel¡­ pity in her eyes. Lucas gasped for air; crimson splattering and painting the cobblestone as he tumbled on the ground. He coughed on his hand ¨C blood. He wasn¡¯t healing. This could only mean¡­ [Shield Remaining: 0/3700. Recommended Action. Retreat.] He felt his insides squirm and his wounds refusing to heal; his eyes shifting back to silver from red. [Aura deactivated. Shield deactivated.] She neutralized me with just¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C one hit, Lucas thought as he struggled to get up. What was he thinking? Why would he think he could beat a Sovereign? The power difference is too much. It¡¯s like an infant trying to defeat a raging lion. But he could still fight. The Awakened still has enhanced physical body and senses compared to the non-Awakened, even without their Shield. So Lucas clenched his jaw and raised his blade once more, zigzagging toward Muriel for a final assault. Not yet, he thought. He roared and aimed at Muriel¡¯s neck. But he missed his mark again, and the Ascended¡¯s knee connected to his jaw this time, sending him crashing against the wall of a nearby house. ¡°Trash.¡± A single word from Muriel. Mumbled. Lucas lay bloodied on the ground. But there was a smile behind his partially shattered mask. A smile of self-mockery. Of defeat. To raise his blade against a being much stronger than him was truly foolish. But he felt no regret. He fought until his death. And he was more than satisfied. He stood up, his blade still drawn, but he knew he could wield it no more. ¡°Pathetic,¡± said Muriel with a tone filled with disappointment as she finally drew her blade. Step by step, she slowly moved closer to Lucas. Her footsteps drummed, each beat like the ticking of a clock counting down to Lucas¡¯ death. ¡°You¡¯ve been told you¡¯re powerful. A blessed. Special. But now¡­ you wouldn¡¯t even be a footnote to what is to come. Just¡­ a number. A statistic.¡± Lucas looked at Muriel¡¯s blade. Sharp. Clean. But death ¨C he welcomed with nigh indifference. 3. What is Power? 3. What is Power? While Lucas expected to be cut down, Muriel instead took a deep breath before slowly sheathing her sword. ¡°But you are unworthy of my blade.¡± With that, she lifted a finger. The previously unmoving Ashens started to quiver. Screaming. Wailing. Even Argus finally roared ¨C freed from their invisible shackles. But they didn¡¯t take a step forward¡­ yet. It seemed as though they waited for Muriel¡¯s command. Lucas would be lying if he said that he didn¡¯t feel slightly scared at the sight of the Ashens. So many of them. Oh, so many of them. He hoped that at least, his death would be painless. ¡°Kill him,¡± said Muriel before vanishing into the aether as the Ashens¡¯ roars pierced Lucas¡¯ ears. Lucas closed his right eye as he gritted his teeth in pain. But he still readied his blade. One. Two maybe. Maybe three. Four would be pushing it. But at least, if he could free some of them from pain, then he would be happy. ¡°Fuck it,¡± Lucas said, but before he could charge against the horde of Ashens, his knees collapsed on the ground. The birthmark on his index finger that looked like a ring tattoo vibrated¨C¨C shooting pain throughout his body. Lucas clutched his head and clenched his jaw, trying not to scream. *** The pain eased and when he opened his eyes and looked around. He was confused. Gone was the chaos, and the scorching flames searing his skin. Instead, he was in a¡­ throne room? ¡°Greetings, Elysian.¡± A voice called out. Above the dais, there was a throne that Lucas could only describe as futuristic, exuding a glow from what looked like purple LED lights that lined its contours. And there he sat upon the throne, a pale man donning a regal obsidian exo-armor. His long, black mane crowned his face; as if tattooed with veins of black visibly running down his neck. The man tilted his head, resting his forearm against his throne, palm cradling his jaw. Then for some ungodly reason, a great pressure forced Lucas to bend his knees. He gritted his teeth as his patellas slammed against the crystalline ground. The man smiled, seemingly satisfied. ¡°Who are you?¡± Lucas asked with a huff, mustering the will to speak. ¡°Where am I?¡± While his mind tried to convince him that the man on the throne was just but a figment of his imagination¨C¨C he felt it. It was as if the aether itself whispered in his ears, that the man before him is of a cosmic origin. ¡­A deity? He didn¡¯t know. But this being. Lucas knew¨C¨C is one capable of bending the laws of the universe itself. ¡°¡­No,¡± Lucas said. ¡°What¡­ are you?¡± The man just raised a brow, as if confused. ¡°Does it matter?¡± he said with a whispery tone as his crimson eyes, like that of a bird of prey, studied Lucas. Lucas tried to speak, but he was surprised when he couldn¡¯t. What¡¯s going on? he thought. With a bored expression, the man sighed before speaking very slowly but deliberately. ¡°Faiths of old, or faiths you perhaps believe in, call their fated coming with many names. Some call it the Ragnarok, the completion of the Kali Yuga, the hour, or the apocalypse before the Armageddon ¨C and many, many more.¡± Even while Lucas remained confused, SPECTRAs are trained to keep calm in different and unexpected situations. After all, they deal with the mysteries of the aether. And with the aether, they are to assume that anything can happen. Thus, while he may not have been able to fully calm himself, his training at least allowed him to gather his bearing. So, at the man¡¯s words, he thought: Is he talking about the Ashen? Lucas was about to voice his question, but he still couldn¡¯t part his lips to speak. ¡°Whatever you call it¡­ it is naught but a tiny speck of a machination that threatens not only this planet but all of the galaxy. And yet, Gaia, once a great shield, is this¡­ close to breaking.¡± Lucas may just be 13, but he¡¯s no fool. Despite the man¡¯s lazy demeanour, Lucas knew that the man knew something¨C¨C is something. Is he the key his mother referred to? ¡°The galaxy? What are you impl¨C¨C¡± He was forced into silence. Literally. What in hell¡­ is going on? he thought. ¡°This key your mother speaks of is a beacon. But do not mistake. It is not the key you think it is. For the Ashens¡¯ descent is not a puzzle. No grand secret to unravel. No door to open. The cause of their coming over 300 cycles ago is actually very simple.¡± Lucas grunted as he forced himself to stand up from his knees. ¡°¡­Then why? Why have they come? What are they?¡± The man seemed amused. ¡°To finish what they have failed in the past ¨C they, the real threat out there in the stars,¡± he said. A slight pause, just enough to let his words hang in the air, but not enough to let Lucas interrupt. ¡°The forest may be dark, but it is nonetheless a forest.¡± ¡°¡­Why? Why must you hide the truth if you truly have it?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Because it will stray your path. You are not ready. You would not understand.¡± Lucas took a deep breath. ¡°Primes. Ostracized when we voice our thoughts because we¡¯re¨C¨C young. Yet killing is alright. And you tell me I won¡¯t understa¨C¨C,¡± he said when the man forced him to silence. Again. Lucas ground his teeth. ¡°No matter¨C¨C you are here because I¡¯ve allowed you so. Your thoughts. I hear them. Your desires. Your memories. I see them. I know what you seek, and I have mine. Even that woman you faced have seen through you. She knows what you seek, for your wrath is only but a manifestation of your helplessness. One, she hoped, she could wield. But in her hubris, she failed to understand.¡± What I seek? ¡°My champions etched their names in history ¨C human history. Both existing, forgotten, or erased. But despite their differences, they all had one thing in common. One goal,¡± said the man as he lifted his point finger. ¡°Power. And power, I have given them.¡± Lucas pursed his lips as he tried to consider the man¡¯s words, trying to gauge his identity. After all, he saw and sensed no lies. This man, he truly speaks true. ¡°Something you so too desire, no?¡± the man said as if he read his mind. ¡°¡­And what is so wrong with that?¡± The man hummed. ¡°Why do you seek power, Elysian?¡± Thoughts rushed through Lucas¡¯ mind, but he failed to find an answer. But to seek power. It sounded inherently wrong. Almost evil. He muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The man shrugged. ¡°Power is a tale as old as time. This desire. It¡¯s what makes a human, a human ¨C their mortality,¡± he said. ¡°You understand the answer to your own desire. But you? You fear it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fear it,¡± he denied. No. He tried to convince himself. How could he fear something he so desires? The cadence of the man¡¯s soft laughter fleeted, his features painted with a momentary gleam of glee. ¡°Power is humanity¡¯s response to their¡­ irrelevance. A desperate bid for control in a universe teeming with uncertainties,¡± the man said, his brief joviality promptly waning ¨C morphing to pensivity. ¡°This ceaseless yearning for dominion and ambition. It¡¯s the eternal cycle of men. One, as the Almari have already proven once, caused its own demise.¡± The man lazily lifted his other hand, summoning an orb of black above his palm. ¡°With power comes the promise of certainty. Promise of freedom in a world they often feel to be so capricious and arbitrary. It whispers assurances of mastery over fate. A semblance of order in the chaos of mortality. A trap,¡± the man said and closed his fist, snuffing out his orb of darkness. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Lucas gulped at the sight of the snuffed orb. For some reason, he felt fear. A fear far eclipsing his prior fear for Muriel by a thousandfold. But overwhelmed and confused, he still had no answer to offer. But for some reason, he knew that the man was referring to something ¨C a tale perhaps. It sounded like it. ¡°With all due respect, I¡¯m not good with riddles.¡± ¡°Power in itself is a riddle. A paradox. It is a question without an answer. A prison humanity created for itself, seeking meaning in the shadows of their own aspirations. So, tell me what I already know, Elysian. Do you seek power to escape?¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. For some reason, Lucas steeled his gaze at the question. Escape? Maybe there is indeed a prison to escape from, or maybe there is not. But if he had a semblance of power. It would be the power to destroy. Destroy those who took them all away. As far as tales of power go, the power to destroy is a platitude. But banal as it may be, is that not enough of a cause? Does it have to be something else he has to justify? Justice, he¡¯s already been denied. The laws of men have become irrelevant. He¡¯s beyond helpless. So, what is left of him but his blade to raise and fight? A brief flash of Muriel¡¯s face entered his mind. And he finally answered what his very being previously tried to deny. ¡°Revenge.¡± ¡°¡­Truly juvenile,¡± the man nodded. ¡°Retribution. A facet of ambition. One that grows like a twisted vine around even the gentlest and most tender of souls. It corrupts all those the avenger touches. And the tales of those who seek it is always the same ¨C destruction. Not even redemption can save them from themselves.¡± Lucas frowned. Save them from themselves? A gentle inclination of the man¡¯s head hinted content. ¡°It is not power you fear, Elysian. But the countless possible results of your own ambition. It is an instinctual fear. One borne of humanity¡¯s realization to its own morality ¨C a concept borne out of conflict and fear. After all, for society to function, morality is taught to a child: what is wrong and what is right. It¡¯s a concept humanity created to prevent it from destroying itself. To create order out of disorder.¡± ¡°¡­What are you trying to say,¡± Lucas said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Conflict is borne out of ambition. Ambition is the very threat to peace. And society fears the ambitious,¡± the man said. ¡°¡­You fear what may be the results of your own ambition.¡± Rogue Awakened, he thought. Those who get greedy for power often turn into Rogues. His mother always cautioned him to be careful, so he wouldn¡¯t lose himself to the whispers of the aether. Especially as a Prime. It is said Primes are the most vulnerable to losing control. That¡¯s why¡­ he may have feared power itself. But. ¡°I will not become a monster, if that¡¯s what you imply.¡± No, he wouldn¡¯t. He would try to. The man quietly observed Lucas for a moment, humming to himself. ¡°Yet you¡¯ve almost failed,¡± he finally said. ¡°And you haven¡¯t even realized it yourself.¡± Lucas widened his eyes at those words, before recalling his encounter with Muriel. ¡°¡­Yes. That rage. A Prime you may be ¨C a Varas ¨C but you¡¯re still a child. And does a child really speak of blood and feel the lust for death so indifferently? You¡¯ve become a harbinger of death, that you have come to believe you¡¯ve become numb to it. No. Your sins. It will stay with you forever. For whatever cause or justification may be for the blood in your hands; you¡¯ve still betrayed your faith¨C¨C and disregarded the sanctity of what you call life. And that realization, borne out of guilt, is bound to burst¨C¨C you become a Lost. A Karis. A Rogue. One who freed himself from morality; becoming a personification of chaos himself; one who creates disorder out of order.¡± Lucas gritted his teeth as he glared at the man. While he denied those words, it seemed his body did not, trembling in denial. He promised. He promised his mother that he wouldn¡¯t lay upon the cradle of wrath; the embrace of rage; the lust for death. But the man is right. Even in that regard, he failed¡­ The man flicked his finger, drawing Lucas¡¯ attention back to the present. ¡°You¡¯ve become a monster, and yet you still fear becoming one. That hypocrisy and arrogance befits a Rogue.¡± But before Lucas could even respond, the man leaned back against his throne, clasping both hands together on top of his knees. ¡°No matter. If vengeance is your wish, then vengeance it is. I just hope you won¡¯t lose sight of that,¡± the man said with a flicker of a smile. ¡°Mundane revenge may be as your cause, it matters not. I do not seek a champion who is¨C¨C complex. A weapon is much deadlier when they are simple. After all, a spear is useless when it pretends to be a shield. And you are no shield.¡± Lucas¡¯ features darkened at that. The man made it sound akin to being a slave. And every fibre of his being screamed against becoming a slave. Yet his desperate hope for power was too much to bear. It beckoned him. ¡­Thankfully, this desire was not enough to overshadow that tiny seed of doubt, preventing him from grasping that of which enticed his greed. And once again, as if by instinct, he felt as if he could talk again. It was odd. ¡°But why me? Why do I deserve YOUR power, if I am that monster you seem to abhor?¡± A lingering question ¨C the source of his doubt. What makes him so special and worthy of a power he doesn¡¯t need to work for? Is it because he¡¯s a Prime? That can¡¯t be. So, what¡¯s the catch? Why him? What¡¯s the price? ¡°Deserve? The constant rambling in your head is proof of your own delusion. You¡¯re not special. You don¡¯t deserve anything. You are unworthy,¡± the man said. ¡°But¡­¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow. ¡°Alana¡¯s blood runs through you. A soul untainted by the cruelty of men. A soul who has lost so many. Far more than you can imagine. Yet one who remained steadfast and strong despite being so pitifully weak. Despite being so powerless.¡± ¡°Mom¡­?¡± Why would the man speak of his mother¡¯s name? But for some reason, Lucas shivered at the mention of it, unable to prevent a tear from tracing his cheek. Her name¡­ just another reminder of his failure. ¡°That you are, and I am repulsed by the sight of you. Do you really believe the universe could have granted you with such a gift? To be a Varas, or a Prime, as your primitive tongue calls it?¡± the man said. Lucas shot the man a glare. He wanted to respond, but the man did not allow him to speak. ¡°You¡¯re a Prime because of my mark¡­,¡± said the man, before he seemed to trail off. What¡­? But just as the echoes of the man¡¯s words were about to disappear, his voice chimed once more. ¡°¡­Yes. She freed me, but she did not have the¨C¨C capacity. So her toddler was the most suitable host. Weak and untainted. You¡¯ve become a Prime only because of a string of many coincidences.¡± ¡°...Coincidences?¡± ¡°Your mother¡¯s occupation. Your birth. That¡¯s all there is to it,¡± the man said with a shrug. "You are simply lucky, and I am not. But you''ll make do." "I see..." "Your hesitation stems from the idea that power must be earned. But humanity''s concept of power is borne out of its limitations; their lack of grasp and understanding of the vast cosmos of the universe," said the man with another flick of his finger. Gone was the endless void of black about them, and when Lucas looked up, he saw what looked like the universe instead, of countless flickering lights seemingly not beyond his reach. ¡°The source of your power is irrelevant, young one. But if you wish to wield the fullest of my strength¡­ then shatter what chains may bind you and make it your own. Forget everything and be reborn.¡± Lucas knitted his brow. ¡°Forget everything? Even Mom? Micah?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It shouldn¡¯t be a very difficult decision. To live without this pain? How could he not accept it? But he bowed his head defeated. ¡°If I refuse?¡± "Would you? You would attain power beyond the comprehension of men. You WILL break through the realm of immortality, and you could destroy the Ashen once and for all," he said... seemingly as a matter of fact and Lucas sensed no lies. "Muriel would be dust before you. You could lead humankind to ascension, and destroy those who sought to glass your realm. This... sacrifice. Your memories. It wouldn''t even be right to call it a sacrifice to the power you will gain." Lucas gazed upon the stars. Only after a long silence, did he finally say, ¡°¡­Forget them, huh?" Even at the promise of power, that is one thing he could never do. "Forgive me. But I¡¯d rather burn in hell.¡± But when he glanced at the man, who also admired the canvas of stars, the man only said, ¡°I see.¡± No mockery of Lucas¡¯ decision. Just a simple acknowledgement of it. Lucas looked back toward the stars, where a bright twinkle suddenly appeared. A twinkle that gave him comfort amid the silence-filled space, save for his own stifled sobs. He didn¡¯t even notice he was crying. I¡¯m so tired, Mom¡­ He longed for her smile. The hot meals she cooked every time he came home from training. He longed for her embrace. Their embrace. I¡¯m so¡­ tired. What joyful memories, yet so painful at the same time. He wanted to erase it. To remove them all. But doing so... is just wrong. Then, like a gentle drop of water, the man¡¯s voice broke the silence. But his words were far from gentle. ¡°Your mother may be saintly, but the saintly is always a fool. She¡¯s just like everyone else. Playing the part of a hero. Idealistic. Naive and¨C¨C,¡± he said. ¡°¡­Arrogant.¡± ¡°Stop¡­¡± ¡°She believes humanity will find peace. That this cycle of cruelty will stop. That this world will rise from the ashes,¡± the man said and began to laugh. A laughter that immediately stopped with a beat. ¡°Then she begged me for help. You should have seen her face. So desperate. So¡­ stupid. She was crying like you are now. Like mother, like son.¡± Lucas roared through gritted teeth, despite the man willing him not to speak. ¡±Don¡¯t pretend like you know her!¡± As he and Micah grew up, his mother has always told them to keep to their faith. To not lose themselves. To not lose their humanity in a world of darkness teeming with death. They were told to be pillars of hope. To never stop fighting. And they were taught to be good people, just like that time. Lucas remembered, she was so mad then. ¡°You know that what you did was wrong, right?¡± she said. While her voice was calm, she looked very angry. And that scared Lucas. ¡°I know already,¡± Lucas clicked his tongue. He just wanted to go to his room and play a video game. Cale already beat him up after he tripped a kid without powers, and he already got a lecture from Master Livia. He didn¡¯t need his mother lecturing him too. His mother sighed. ¡°You want to be like Missile Man, right Cass? What does he do?¡± his mother said as she applied ointment on his wound. ¡°He¡¯s a good person and he fights evil,¡± Lucas said as he pressed his lips, glancing to a poster of Missile Man on his room beside the calendar. ¡°Yes. Missile Man, with his great power, can easily harm others if he wants to. But he doesn¡¯t use it for that. He uses it to defend the weak,¡± she said, angrily meeting Lucas¡¯ eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t harm others because you think it¡¯s funny. That¡¯s called bullying, and bullying is not OK.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She smiled. ¡°When a good person does something wrong. What do they do?¡± ¡°Apologize¡­?¡± ¡°Good. Do you think you can apologize to Mary and Cale?¡± ¡°But¡­ Cale already beat me up!¡± ¡°Cass?¡± ¡°OK¡­ Fine, I will.¡± ¡°Great!¡± she said and hugged him. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you!¡± God, how he hated her always treating him like a child. Lucas glared at the man as he lowered his voice. ¡°You don¡¯t know her¡­¡± ¡°Oh, but I do. I¡¯ve seen her whole life. Witnessed what she stood for. A world without suffering, but a world filled with only peace, hope, and happiness,¡± the man said with a sing-song voice. ¡°She stood and fought for nothing, Lucas. She fought for a senseless delusion.¡± ¡°No. She didn¡¯t¡­!¡± ¡°Then rise, Elysian! Seek your own vengeance! Grit your teeth and spare me your pathetic sobs. Rise and prove her right! That humanity will find salvation. That it could rise beyond the skies, to the stars where it belongs!¡± said the man with a thunderous voice, of commanding authority. ¡°Prove your mother right, that you are worthy of the power of a god!¡± Lucas locked his jaw and gripped his fists tight until they bled. And the man stood up from his throne. His lips did not move, but his voice echoed in Lucas¡¯ mind. You seek my name, I, whose Trial you have overcome. He who shall grant you your desire. I am Hades, King of the Is¡¯mar, Suzerain of Apathania, Speak the Elysium''s Oath, And my mantle of great power, Upon you, I shall bestow. Lucas widened his eyes, as a great pressure descended upon him, forcing him to dig his knees even deeper on the ground. Oath. The Oath. For some reason, he knew what the oath would be. He only had to say it. And casting his fist against his left chest, to hesitate, he did not. ¡°I, Lucas Hale, Progeny of Daniel and Alana, Swears fealty to he, King of the Underworld, Suzerain of the Undeath. I am your spear, Your avatar. I am, Your Elysian.¡± 4. The Awakened System 4. The Awakened System After he said the Oath, a female-like voice entered his mind. The Awakened System. [Linking Process¡­ 1%¡­ 2%¡­10%¡­ 50%¡­ 90%¡­] What¡¯s happening? I¡­ I can¡¯t breathe. Lucas clutched his head and tried not to scream. But it hurt so much that he squirmed. [Linking Process¡­ 94%¡­ 99%¡­ Complete.] Another voice entered his mind. Unlike the Awakened System, the voice seemed to belong to a male. [Mark of Hades successfully linked with the Awakened System.] [Absorbing aether essence¡­] The Mark¡­ of Hades? [You¡¯ve reached level¡­ 38!¡­ 42!¡­ 46!¡­ 49!¡­ 50!]
Aether Essence (AE): 5000/5000
Level 50. That¡¯s the bottleneck level to Class III! On average, Primes reach that level at around 18 years old, while the Awakened can reach it in their early or mid 30s ¨C provided they survive their journey. Meanwhile, Lucas is just 13. And if he breaks through, reach level 51 and rank up to III, he¡¯d finally unlock his Elemental Aspect. He¡¯d be among the one per cent of the Awakened! But breaking through is too dangerous. When he broke through to Class II, even as a Prime, his soul core was damaged. It took him months to recover. So, while it may take him months, perhaps even years of preparation before he attempts to class up, he¡¯s still confident. After all, he¡¯s a Prime. So, how could he not be excited? But¡­ ¡°AARHG!¡± Pain once more jolted throughout his body as if he was struck by a thousand daggers ¨C interrupting his inward celebration. He wanted to rejoice. But. W-What is happening?! He was drenched in sweat as the pain only grew stronger. ¡°Persevere,¡± said Hades. [Reforming Soul Core.] [Attempting to break through to Class III.] Wait. No, no, no! He doesn¡¯t have the constitution for a breakthrough, no Elemental Orb to help unlock his Aspect, and no wizard to watch his being. And the System is forcing him to class up without preparation? He wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. Am I¡­ going to die? Lucas screamed and held his chest, tears forced out of his eyes. No, they weren¡¯t tears. They were blood. ¡°¡­Please! Make it stop!¡± Even with blurred vision, he saw Hades raise his hand, lips moving, but he didn¡¯t hear the words that came out. But whatever Hades said made the pain vanish. [Soul Core reformed.] Just¡­ like that? [Congratulations. You¡¯ve ranked up to Class III. Fire Aspect unlocked. Spell Slots expanded from 5 to 10. Would you like to register your name in the Rankings?] No¡­ [Understood. Name listed as Unknown.] Lucas collapsed on his back, gasping for air, his breathes ragged in exhaustion. He was about to rest, but Hades called to him. ¡°It is no time for rest. Steel your mind. It is time to think,¡± Hades said as a matter of fact. ¡°Right,¡± Lucas said as he panted. While the difficult part was over, the breakthrough process isn¡¯t technically over yet. When an Awakened classes up to III, they can start anew. This means all the Spell Points (SPP) he used for all his Spell Upgrades will be refunded due to the reformation of his Soul Core. Every 10 levels, an Awakened earns an SPP to upgrade a chosen spell. SPPs cannot be saved. They must be used immediately upon receiving it. That¡¯s why SPPs are not included in an Awakened¡¯s status sheet. So, at level 51, he should have 5. But. [10 Spell Points refunded. Please choose spells you would like to upgrade.] 10? But it should be 5, thought Lucas. Not that he was unhappy about it. In fact, he was very excited. 10 SPPs? That¡¯s the equivalent to the SPP of a Class V! To put that into perspective, there''s only two known Class Vs in the League. So, does the Mark of Hades provide an extra spell point every 10 levels? That could be the only explanation. ¡°Show status.¡±
Status
Name: Lucas Hale Shield (SH): 8900 (Disabled)
Level: 51 Force: (FR): 890
Age: 13 (DOB: 2/14/2334) Basic Attack: 0
Class: Sentinel III (Body) Aether Essence (AE): 0/8900
Spell Control (SC) Level: 3.10
National Rank: 693
Global Rank: 2,306
Spells ¨C 4/10 (Spell Damage = Force x Spell Power)
  1. 1. Aether Blade (Common)
(Sentinel-exclusive) SC Requirement: 1.10 		Type: Active. Effect: Form a blade of aether and strike forward in an arc. Spell Power (SP): 3.5 Cooldown: 22 seconds. (Starter Sentinel Spell.)
2. Aether Amplify (Common) (Sentinel-exclusive) SC Requirement: 2.10 Type: Buff. Effect: Increase your Force by 50% for a limited duration. Duration: 5 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
3. Aether Blink (Rare) (Sentinel-exclusive) SC Requirement: 2.10 Type: Active. (GCDE) Effect: Instantly blinks to a chosen location within 10 metres. Cooldown: 24 seconds.
4. Aether Mist (Rare) SC Requirement: 3.10 Type: Active. Effect: Transforms into a mist. You are invulnerable and cannot cast a spell during the duration. When you cancel the spell during the duration, the cooldown becomes double. Duration: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 24 seconds.
Aura(s)
Aether Aura III (Common) Description: Basic aura used by all Awakened. Cannot stack with other Auras. Effect(s): Enables Shield (SH) +Basic Attack = (FR x 0.50) +15% Force
Fire Aura (Common) Description: A basic elemental aura. Cannot stack with other Auras. Effect(s): Changes appearance of aether spells to fire. Basic attack and aether spells deals burn effect. (SP: 0.1 each second for 5 seconds.) Enables Shield (SH) +15% Damage Reduction (DR) +15% Force (FR) +Basic Attack = (FR x 0.50) Grants the following Spell(s): Name: Fire Dash (GCDE) Effect: Instantly dashes 5 metres forward, leaving a trail of fire that deals 0.2 SP each second. Trail Duration: 5 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Mark of Hades (Mythical) Requirement(s): N/A Description: Hades is the King of the Underworld. Those bestowed with His power are prone to psychosis and must maintain a calm state-of-mind at all times. Effect(s): Changes your appearance akin to the image of the great Hades, the King of the Underworld, and Suzerain of the Undeath. Changes appearance of spells and Aspect aura(s) befitting the glory and might of the great Hades, the King of the Underworld, and Suzerain of the Undeath. Enables Shield (SH) +20% Damage Reduction +20% Force +Basic Attack = (FR x 0.5) Can use Soul Core Absorption to Class (III) and above Awakened, providing the user a massive amount of aether essence. The target will lose their Awakened status upon successful absorption. Wings of Darkness (SC-3): Allows you to fly. Can be activated and deactivated at will. Locked Effect(s): ? (SC IV) ? (SC V) Extra Effects (Applies even if unactivated): [Common] spell upgrades ensures success. Class (II) and below cannot detect your presence. Effect can be deactivated at will. Grants the following Spell(s): Name: Cloak of Darkness (GCDE) Req: SC I Effect: Briefly cloaks you in total darkness, rendering you immune to all damage for a short duration. Type: Active. Duration: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute. Name: Might of Hades (GCDE) Req: SC II Effect: If a target has a higher level, increases Force and Shield by 10 for every level difference. All attack deals 0.10 FR Curse damage every second for 10 seconds. Type: Buff. Duration: 1 minute. Cooldown: 24 hours. Name: Spears of Darkness Req: SC III Effect: Summon 10 Spears of Darkness that swiftly tracks and follows the chosen target(s). Spell Power: Type: Active. Spell Power (SP): 2 SP per Spear. Duration: 10 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes. LOCKED SPELL(S): Name: ??? Spell Req: SC IV Name: ??? Spell Req: SC V
Looks like the three SPPs I assigned to Aether Blade has really been refunded, thought Lucas. But, as he reviewed his new stat sheet, he gasped in surprise. ¡°Hold on. I can stack Mark of Hades and Fire Aura?¡± [Yes.] ¡°No way¡­,¡± Lucas muttered. Aura stacking is impossible. For example, one cannot stack their Fire Aura with Aether Aura. There are also some Awakened with two Elemental Aspects, but they can only use either one of their Auras, not both. ¡°Are there any drawbacks?¡± [No.] ¡°What¡¯s the cumulative effect to my status if I activate it?¡±
Combined Aura
Black Fire (Mythical) Description: Mark of Hades and Fire Aura combined. Effect(s): All effects are combined, including the following: +Basic Attack = (FR x 1) +40% Force
¡°No. I mean. Calculate my status with Black Fire activated.¡±
Status
Name: Lucas Hale Shield (SH): 8900 (Enabled)
Level: 51 Force: (FR): 1157
Age: 13 Basic Attack: 1157 FR
Class: Sentinel III (Body) Aether Essence (AE): 0/8900.
Lucas blinked and rubbed his eyes. But he saw it right. His basic attack is actually equal to his Force! If he was hitting a level 51 dummy, he could destroy its Shield with just 8 basic attacks. That¡¯s equivalent to a Class III offensive spell. Of course, while it would be different when fighting an actual moving target, he can¡¯t deny the power of the Mark. ¡°How is this possible? I thought Aura stacking wasn¡¯t possible?¡± It was Hades who responded. ¡°The Mark isn¡¯t an Aura,¡± he just said as he flipped a page of his¡­ is that a comic book? Anyway, it wasn¡¯t time for Lucas to be distracted as the Awakened System hurried him up. ¡­How annoying. [Please choose spells you would like to upgrade. If you remain idle, a spell will be upgraded in random.] ¡°Right. I¡¯m not idle. Just reading. But 1,157 Force. That¡¯s really high. Are you sure you¡¯re calculating it correctly? What¡¯s the base equivalent of that in levels?¡± [77.] ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re kidding. Can you give me the FULL list of the Aetheric Path Chart?¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Level Cumulative Force Shield
Class I 1* 10 100
¡­ ¡­ ¡­
30 300 3000
Class II 31* 400 (+100) 4000 (+1000)
32 410 4100
33 420
34 430
35 440
36 450
37 460
38 470
39 480
40 490
41 500
42 510
43 520
44 530
45 540
46 550
47 560
48 570
49 580
50 590 5900
Class III 51* 890 (+300) 8900 (+3000)
52 900 9000
53 910
54 920
55 930
56 940
57 950
58 960
59 970
60 980
61 990
62 1000
63 1010
64 1020
65 1030
66 1040
67 1050
68 1060
69 1070
70 1080
71 1090
72 1100
73 1110
74 1120
75 1130
76 1140
77 1150
78 1160
79 1170
80 1180 11800
Class IV 81* 1680 (+500) 16800 (+5000)
82 1690 16900
83 1700
84 1710
85 1720
86 1730
87 1740
88 1750
89 1760
90 1770
91 1780
92 1790
93 1800
94 1810
95 1820
96 1830
97 1840
98 1850
99 1860 18600
Class V 100* 2860 (+1000) 28600 (+10,000)
Class VI 101* ??? ???
¡°You¡¯re not joking¡­¡± [No. Now, please choose the spells you would like to upgrade. If you remain idle, a spell will be upgraded at random.] ¡°I know. I hear you. But I¡¯m not idle. Just give me a moment,¡± said Lucas before reading his new status sheet again. He didn¡¯t know what to upgrade. He wished he could delay making a decision. But again, all Awakened are forced to spend their spell points as soon as they get it for whatever reason. This is the reason there are no perfect spell builds, and why the Awakened prepare years in advance before breaking through to Class III, so that they¡¯ll already know what spell or spells to upgrade. Because upgraded spells also cannot be refunded. What should I upgrade, he thought as he eyed his spells. The obvious decision was to upgrade either Aether Blade or Amplify because they¡¯re common spells. Common spells can be upgraded to V without the risk of failure. On the other hand, rare spells like his Blink and Mist, has a 50% chance of failure¨C¨C even by just upgrading them to II. But sure, that could be remedied with an Upgrade Potion III, reducing the risk of failure to 0%. But he doesn¡¯t have those, and he didn¡¯t want to risk wasting his spell points. He recalled his lessons back in Amaryllis, as to how the universe always finds a way to find balance. That includes limitations in the Aetheric Path, like how only Class IIs can upgrade Rare Spells beyond V. Which is, in fact, the foremost reason why Lucas couldn¡¯t upgrade his Mist and Blink, because he was already above level 30 when he gained both of those spells, and have already used up his three SPPs on Aether Blade. This is why preparation is important¡­ breaking through is just too complex, thought Lucas. He sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just upgrade Aether Blade,¡± he said aloud, subtly hoping for Hades to provide input. But the god did not say anything, who only remained in his seat, still reading his comic book. When Hades gave no indication of talking, Lucas clicked his tongue and shifted his attention back to his status sheet, wondering what attribute of Aether Blade he should upgrade. Previously, he upgraded cooldown reduction and wondered if he should do the same. When upgrading a spell, an Awakened can only choose one attribute of the chosen spell to upgrade. For example, they can choose to increase their spell¡¯s duration by 2 seconds or reduce its cooldown by 2 seconds. Or they can instead choose to upgrade the spell¡¯s SP (Spell Power) instead. But for SP, the upgrade isn¡¯t by 2 points. It varies depending on the type of a spell. For example, for Active offensive spells like Aether Blade, each SP upgrade is 0.5. So, an SP-only Aether Blade V upgrade would have 6 SP from a base SP of 3.5. On the other hand, the SP upgrade for DoT-based Active spells, or Damage over Time-based active offensive spells are upgraded at smaller increments. Sometimes, to even as low as 0.2 SP per upgrade. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve decided. System, allocate 5 SPPs to Aether Blade¡¯s cooldown reduction,¡± said Lucas. [Done. You now have Aether Blade V. Cooldown reduction decreased from 22 seconds to 12 seconds.] Lucas heaved a deep breathe. He wished he could upgrade Aether Blade beyond V, but upgrading a common spell beyond that has a 50% chance of failure similar to rare spells. And that requires an Upgrade Potion I. So, his only other option is Amplify. He had no other choice. ¡°Now, upgrade Amplify to¨C¨C¡± Hades finally interrupted him. ¡°While the universe seeks balance, there are powers like mine that shatters that balance.¡± Lucas widened his eyes. Hades¡¯ words reminded him to read his status sheet again. It didn¡¯t take him long to find what he was looking for and read it aloud. ¡°Common spell upgrades ensures success.¡± Which means he won¡¯t need an Upgrade Potion! ¡°Where there are limitations, my Mark removes that limitation,¡± proudly declared Hades. ¡°You have the opportunity to max out a spell. So, why do you struggle to make a decision? It¡¯s not that difficult.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ You¡¯re right,¡± Lucas whispered. He could upgrade Aether Blade to X! That¡¯s the maximum upgrade level for all spells, and he can do that with practically no risk due to the Mark of Hades. When a spell reaches X, it transforms, becoming arguably more powerful compared to spells of a even a higher rarity or class requirement ¨C far more powerful. The only reason why it¡¯s uncommon for people to do it, is while spells can be upgraded ten times, it requires 10 SPPs. This can only be earned at level 100. And how often does the Awakened reach the peak? Less than 0.001%. But it¡¯s possible to bypass the upgrade limitation, as demonstrated by a living legendary figure ¨C Urus Amil of the African Dominion. One of the few Sovereigns. The Blade Sovereign. When Urus leveled up to 51, he consumed 5 Upgrade Stones, gaining a total of 10 SPPs. He upgraded his Aether Blade to X, reducing his spell cooldown to just 2 seconds, and transforming the spell itself. His Aether Blade became long-ranged and a GCDE spell. He could practically spam the spell every two seconds without delay, and he was known to be able to fight somebody at a much higher level. So, even if Urus was only level 51 at the time, he was able to deal a base spell damage of 2,670 every 2 seconds. That¡¯s, once more, another example of the importance of preparation prior to a class-up attempt. Which was Lucas¡¯ foremost concern earlier. Because preparation is also expensive. For example, in Urus¡¯ case, each of his Upgrade Stone costs around $100,000 each in the present market. Then, since he upgraded his Aether Blade beyond V, he also used an Upgrade Potion to reduce the fail rate to 0%, which costs another $300,000 in today¡¯s market. That¡¯s a total of $800,000. And most Awakened, even the Class IIIs, are not that rich. So, only a few were able to replicate it. That¡¯s not to say that it was because of this discovery that Urus attained the peak. It surely helped, but becoming a Class V takes way more than an optimal build. Anyway, it seems Lucas¡¯ preparations have already been conveniently completed for him through the Mark of Hades. Upgrading Aether Blade to X like Urus did will cover his core weakness ¨C range. Range is the biggest weakness of the Sentinel-type, since they have to reach melee range to fight. But with Aether Blade X turning into a long-ranged spell, he would have that weakness covered. ¡°System. Give me a preview of what Aether Blade X would look like, with all SPPs allocated to Cooldown Reduction. Calculate the base damage relative to my current level. And calculate the cumulative damage with the Mark of Hades and Fire Aura activated.¡± [0. Your SC-level is insufficient.] ¡°What? How come?¡±
Spell Description
1. Aether Blade X (Legendary) (GCDE) SC Requirement: 4.10 Type: Active. Effect: Form a blade of aether and strike forward in an arc. As an alternative, you may also manifest an arc blade that travels a vast distance. Spell Power (SP): 3 Cooldown: 2 seconds.
Right¡­ it does turn into a GCDE spell too, Lucas swiped the sweat off his forehead, paling at the sight. But with the Force buff effect from the Mark, I¡¯ll theoretically be stronger than Urus when he was level 51. Perhaps¡­ I¡¯d even be the strongest Class III in all of the League¨C¨C if not for the SC requirement. I forgot about that. Lucas sighed. ¡°A Legendary? SC-4.10?¡± said Lucas. [Yes.] ¡°Right¡­ That tracks. Of course it wouldn¡¯t make sense for it stay as a common spell.¡± It¡¯s a common misconception for many non-Awakened, that the Spell Control (SC) Level of an Awakened only limits what kind of spells they can learn. No. SC-levels are divided into 10 sub-levels, from .01 to 0.10. Sub-levels refers to how much of the spell¡¯s potential can an Awakened release. An Awakened always starts with .01, whereas the full potential of a spell is always .10. So, for example, if an Awakened only has an SC-1.01, they can still imprint a spell with an SC Requirement of 1.10. But they can only utilize 10 per cent of that spell¡¯s full power. This means, that even if Lucas increases his spell control from 3.10 to 4.01, he will only deal 10% of the usual total damage. SC-level also affects other attributes, including his cooldown. A 0.01 SC sub-level increases their cooldown by +90%. Then it decreases by 10% each time they raise their SC sub-level, until it disappears when they reach 0.10. Thankfully, since the original cooldown of Aether Blade X is already very low at 2 seconds, his cooldown would only increase to around 4 seconds. Which is still very good, thought Lucas. ¡°System. Do a comparison for Aether Blade X between SC-level 4.01 and SC-level 4.10 at Level 51.¡±
Level 51 (890 Base FR) SC-4.01 SC-4.10
Cooldown 3.8 seconds 2 seconds
Spell Damage 267 2,670
Calc. Damage with Mark/Aura (+40% FR) 373.8 3738
So, if I don¡¯t fully master Spell Control 4, Aether Blade X is practically worse than my basic attacks damage-wise, Lucas thought. But, I wonder¡­ ¡°Lord Hades. Aether Blade X¡¯s spell control requirement is still above my current spell level. Will I still be able to learn it?¡± ¡°That restriction only applies with Imprinting. You¡¯re upgrading an already-imprinted spell, so it will be fine. But you won¡¯t be able to use it until you reach 4.01,¡± said Hades with a bored tone. ¡°Makes sense. Improving my spell control wouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± said Lucas. The average SC-level of a Level 51 Prime is 4.10, because the Awakened usually max out their SC first to make the breakthrough process much easier. It just so happened that he leveled up so fast. But this only means he has to work harder. That¡¯s the least he could do if he¡¯s to utilize his newfound strength. Speaking of strength, Lucas isn¡¯t so ungrateful that he didn¡¯t know who made this all possible. He glanced at Hades, before borrowing the East¡¯s custom of bowing deeply to assert his¡­ gratitude. ¡°Thank you.¡± Hades just shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re too slow.¡± Lucas smiled. ¡°I suppose I am. System. Upgrade Aether Blade to X.¡± [What attribute did you want to upgrade?] ¡°All to cooldown.¡± [Done. No SPPs remaining.] Lucas let out a satisfied sigh. Finally¡­ it¡¯s done, Lucas thought. Then Hades broke his thoughts. ¡°Are you a gambler, Lucas?¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°Would you like to try your luck with an Epic spell?¡± said Hades with a mysterious smile. 5. Primal Spell 5. Primal Spell It is said that just one epic spell allows an Awakened to fight somebody at a much higher level. But they¡¯re also as expensive as a nuke. ¡°What do you mean by try my luck with an Epic?¡± Lucas asked, just to make sure he actually heard it right. It may be a simple question on the surface, but it¡¯s a statement equal to that of: You¡¯ve won the lottery jackpot, would you like to claim your prize? ¡°Spell combination.¡± Lucas raised a brow. Spell combination is when the Awakened combines two spells of the same rank to acquire a spell of a higher rank. It¡¯s the only way that the Awakened can imprint high-rarity spells. There is practically no risk, even when combining two rare spells for an epic. Failure is possible but an Awakened can try again and again, given enough time passes for each attempt. But there is a caveat. An Awakened will not be successful combining two spells if they don¡¯t have the corresponding spell control level. For example, an Awakened must have a level 2 spell control to be able to successfully combine two commons for a rare. Lucas has a level 3 spell control, so he could combine up to epic ¨C the tier after rare. In addition, one still needs to have the spell book for their desired spell, like how he combined four common spells to imprint the Mist and Blink spell books that SPECTRA issued him. ¡°But I don¡¯t have an Epic spell book.¡± Hades summoned a spell book that hovered above his palm. ¡°This is called Cooldown Reduction. I would say it is the most powerful spell of all. Far even more powerful than any Class V Elemental Spells.¡± Lucas raised a brow. ¡°Pardon me. But that¡¯s difficult to believe.¡± Hades sent him the details of the spell via the Awakened System.
Cooldown Reduction (Epic) Class Requirement: III Type: Passive. Effect: Decreases spell cooldown reduction by 5%.
Just 5%? But..., Lucas thought there should be a catch. ¡°For a spell at the base level, this is a bit underwhelming. Although, if it¡¯s upgraded to V, I guess a 30% Cooldown Reduction is pretty strong ¨C assuming the effect increases by increments of 5.¡± Hades shook his head. ¡°50% at V.¡± Hades explained that [Cooldown Reduction I] enhances the effect by 5%. But after that, each upgraded increases the effect by increments of 10%. So, [Cooldown Reduction II] gives 20% ¨C up to 50% at [Cooldown Reduction V] ¡°Do not ignore the fact that [Cooldown Reduction] is a passive spell that directly affects an attribute. It¡¯s a Primal Spell. One not limited by your spell control.¡± Lucas thought about it for a while. Now that he pointed that out. This spell... how potent, he thought. ¡°A Primal Spell?¡± ¡°There are 12 others. Cooldown Reduction is the 13th Primal Spell. The strongest one.¡± Lucas really didn¡¯t understand, but Hades wouldn¡¯t be too prideful for no reason. Primal Spell. Spells that directly affect an attribute. Never heard of them, but they do sound unique, Lucas mused. ¡°Are you saying there are others like it? Like a Force Passive?¡± ¡°Yes. There is a Primal Spell called Force. But to compare it to mine is an insult. There are many ways for you to artificially increase your Force. But name me a spell or a magical equipment that breaks the limitations of time,¡± Hades said, before muttering a few other words. ¡°Not that your world has any notable magical equipment aside from a few anyway.¡± But at Hades¡¯ inquiry; indeed, nothing came to Lucas¡¯ mind. ¡°So. Would you like to gamble?¡± ¡°¡­Why do you keep saying gamble? There¡¯s no risk to combining spells in any categories, unlike spell upgrades.¡± ¡°Sure. But Primals are unlike other epic spells. You can only attempt to combine a Primal Spell once. And if you fail, you also lose your Rare spells.¡± At that, Lucas hesitated. Mist and Blink are difficult to find. Even within SPECTRA, only a few operatives were given the spells. And that¡¯s saying something as the League has access to a Class III wizard. Rare spells are also very expensive in the market. They cost an average of $300,000. That¡¯s the price of a small one-bedroom condominium. And even the top Class III Awakened only earn around $200,000 a year. That is if they choose to consistently partake in high-level missions. But, no matter how much he looked at the cost benefit, Cooldown Reduction is indeed practically priceless. ¡°Can I hold on to this decision until I raise my spell control to 4? Just to make the Imprinting process easier?¡± asked Lucas. ¡°Sure. But would you really want to wait that long?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°When you leave this place. The time between now and the next time we meet will depend on your abilities.¡± Lucas frowned. ¡°You¡¯re saying even if I reach 4, I would have to wait to meet you again. Is this why you provided me the Mark this early? Because of timing?¡± ¡°You will not understand.¡± Those words ticked off Lucas. ¡°What could be so difficult for me to understand? Must you mock me every time I seek an answer?¡± Hades regarded him for a moment with a silent gaze, until he finally answered, his tone sounding a bit annoyed. ¡°My abilities and intent are not for you to muse, Elysian. But if you must find the answer to your question, it is for you to get as much as benefit and advantage from the Mark as early as possible. It¡¯s not timing, but practicality. Unlike what those fools believe,¡± Hades said, his tone filled with ridicule as he uttered that last phrase. Hades continued. ¡°Power is provided to those without it. Not to those who already do. But the universe always finds a balance. So, for one to attain true power, one must take risks. For risks are the currency we must pay the universe to bend its balance for us.¡± Lucas grew silent as he considered Hades¡¯ words ¨C wondering what he meant. He felt a tad bit regretful that he did ask in the first place. ¡°Right¡­ risks, huh?¡± ¡°Well? What is your decision?¡± ¡°Not that I earned these spells by myself," he said. He can worry about SPECTRA or the Director (most likely) getting mad later on. He planned to tell everyone he trusted about what happened here anyway. "Let¡¯s do it,¡± said Lucas as Hades tossed him the spell book. ¡°System. Combine Mist and Blink.¡± [Combining¡­] Lucas gulped, closing his eyes to concentrate. He felt a tug on his soul core as if it were being ripped apart. The Soul Core is like an orange. Inside is the central core, surrounded by the individual slices of the fruit. Those segments of fruit are the spells imprinted to the Soul Core. And combining spells is akin to peeling an orange with a knife and unrolling it. So, peel off the top and the bottom, slice one end, then unroll it on a table. Then he needed to remove two slices of the fruit with surgical precision and combine them. After that, he needed to place the combined piece back into the orange. And roll it back to a sphere, before putting back the peeled-off skin on the top and the bottom of the sphere. [Success. You have acquired Cooldown Reduction.] ¡°Congratulations,¡± said Hades as he summoned a comic book. ¡°Your spell control is at least impressive.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­,¡± he said, trying to remain cool and hide his excitement. Hades might know what he¡¯s thinking or feeling, but that doesn¡¯t mean he should ignore decorum altogether. He had already ignored it long enough. But in his excitement, he still dreamed. ¡°System. Show me what Cooldown X would look like.¡±
Cooldown Reduction X (Epic) SC Requirement: 3 Type: Passive. Effect: Decreases spell cooldown reduction by 100%.
Lucas paled. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­¡± Hades scoffed for some reason, but Lucas ignored him. Hades must be scoffing at his comic book. ¡°Cooldown Reduction X¡­ If I manage to do that. I can literally use even high level spells indefinitely. This is too powerful.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten the most basic universal rule when upgrading a non-common spell? If you hope to game the Aetheric Path, you¡¯re in for a rude awakening.¡± ¡°Oh. Right¡­,¡± he sighed in disappointment. Even upgrading highly-sought epic elemental spells like Meteor from I to II has an 80% chance of failure. And one would need to chug a higher-concentrated Upgrade Potion to bypass that. ¡°There is another limitation to a Primal Spell aside from being able to only attempt it once,¡± said Hades. ¡°Unlike other Epics, there are zero risks upgrading a Primal to V, but upgrading them beyond V requires you to spend 5 spell points per level.¡± Lucas began counting his fingers, trying to do the math. ¡°Slow¡­,¡± Hades said with a tone filled with sheer disappointment. ¡°A Cooldown X costs 30 points in total. 5 points to V, and 25 to X. Since my Mark doubles your SPP, you¡¯d have 30 points if you reach level 150 ¨C 35 if you consumed your 5 Upgrade Stones. That¡¯s still under the assumption that you never fail your upgrades, which is highly unlikely.¡± Lucas was a bit surprised that Hades said Level 150 so casually. Level 150? Yeah. That¡¯s impossible, he thought. Even the War Sovereign, Beral, the League¡¯s strongest, is only Level 103. And he¡¯s already 133 years old. Meanwhile, even the highest level Awakened in the world is only Level 107 ¨C the Emperor of Asari or the Sun Sovereign. ¡°Also, since you¡¯re upgrading a Primal, even epic Upgrade Potions won¡¯t have any effects. So, even if the universe is being generous to you, that means you¡¯d likely only upgrade your Primal to VI even if you try five times.¡± That''s a lot of ''even'', as if he''s deliberately saying them, thought Lucas as he rolled his tongue in his cheek, before sitting down in a meditative position to think ¨C still unconvinced; still dreaming of what he already knew to be impossible. But after denial, came the acceptance. ¡°I understand. So, I just need to acquire 5 Upgrade Stones for [Cooldown V],¡± muttered Lucas. ¡°That would let me spam Aether Blade every second.¡± A 3 SP spammable spell is practically equivalent, or maybe even stronger than a Class V offensive Elemental spell. But 5 Upgrade Stones to achieve that? Where in hell is he supposed to get those? Not even SPECTRA or the government can procure them that easily. Well, he''ll just have to worry about that later on. ¡°System. Can I defeat Muriel if I have CD V?¡± [Unable to complete query. Muriel¡¯s spell build is unknown. But simulating via your recent duel, there is a 0% chance of victory.] ¡°Right¡­ Of course. How about any of the nine other Class VIs?¡± [Their spell builds are unknown as well. But simulating via limited records of them, you would have a 0.0001752% of success. Please indicate a lower figure.] ¡°Class V?¡± ¡°0%¡± ¡°Wait¡­ how about. Uh. Do you have full information on any¡­ dead Class IVs?¡± asked Lucas. Sometimes, some Awakened earn a lot of money to have their spell builds uploaded in the System when they die. It¡¯s to allow for situations like this; to help the Awakened by allowing them to simulate their spell builds. [Yes. Kim Belanger died in 2344. Level 87. Evoker. Global Rank 92 at death. Full access costs $1,230,000 at the Awakened Society.] This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I can¡¯t afford that. But do you think I can beat them at my current level if I have CD V?¡± [Running simulations¡­ 37.2% Win Rate.] ¡°If I have Mist and Blink?¡± [47% Win Rate.] ¡°Damn¡­ Okay. So, with Mist and Blink, can I, at least, beat some Class Vs?¡± he asked, although he knew he was hoping for the impossible. Class Vs may not be Sovereigns, but Class V is the only Awakened rank that refers to only one level. And that¡¯s Level 100. They still reached the so-called peak. And attaining such power is so difficult that there are only seven Class Vs in the world, with two of them being in the League. There hasn¡¯t been a new class V in five decades. They die one way or another before they break through beyond the peak. On the other hand, while the difference between a Class V and a VI is only one level, breaking through to 101 is said to be twice more difficult than leveling up from Level 1 to Level 100. So, he didn¡¯t feel so bad when the System answered his question with a: [No.] ¡°I mean. What about the percentage?¡± [Please be reminded to be specific with your inquiries. But if you have Mist, Blink, and Cooldown Reduction V at your current level. Your chance of success defeating a Level 100 based on their limited information is 5%.] ¡°Rude¡­ But that¡¯s surprisingly high,¡± said Lucas with a smile, but that smile shattered not too long after. [That¡¯s the assassination percentage. You asked if you could beat a Class V, and you have 5% of success if you catch them unaware. If you fight, your chance of success is 0.00000012%. Be reminded that Class Vs have multiple Tier V spells; an epic spell or two; and multiple high-grade equipment.] Lucas sighed. ¡°OK. I get it already. Can you please show me my spells?¡±
Spells ¨C 3/10 (Spell Damage = Force x Spell Power)
1. Aether Blade X (Legendary) (GCDE) SC Requirement: 4.10 Type: Active. Effect: Form a blade of aether and strike forward in an arc. As an alternative, You may also manifest an arc blade that travels a vast distance. Spell Power (SP): 3 Cooldown: 2 seconds.
2. Aether Amplify (Common) SC Requirement: 2.10 Type: Buff. Effect: Increase your Force by 50% for a limited duration. Duration: 5 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
3. Cooldown Reduction (Epic) SC Requirement: 3.10 Type: Passive. Effect: Decreases spell cooldown reduction by 5%.
¡°I guess that¡¯s it,¡± Lucas said, extremely satisfied. ¡°I suggest that you pursue what you call buff and movement spells in the future. Aether Blade X is more than enough as your sole offensive spell. I doubt you¡¯d need anything else,¡± said Hades. ¡°You¡¯re right. And I¡¯m totally going to miss Blink and Mist.¡± Hades hummed as if he had some question in mind. ¡°Your inquiries to the System.¡± Lucas looked at him. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked, though he wondered why Hades seemingly had a question to ask, even if he could hear his thoughts. Maybe he just wanted to chat? ¡°Is there something that compels you to hurry?¡± Lucas fell silent at that. ¡°You wish to kill her. A Sovereign with the Aspect of Light. She who has lived for over a century and perhaps have slain many like you¨C¨C before you. To enact your vengeance with your own hands alone as you are now, you will never achieve your goal,¡± said Hades. ¡°¡­I know.¡± ¡°Yet you think that somehow you will strike her down? Even when you¡¯ve denied the golden path, and would rather walk a road full of thorns?¡± ¡°¡­Yes," Lucas said as he gazed at the stars. "Because there is only one way I can ever defeat her with my own hands, right?" When Lucas glanced over to Hades, the God of the Underworld smiled. "To reach beyond the peak," said Hades. Lucas nodded. "I will become a Sovereign." ¡°Interesting,¡± said Hades before raising his hand. Oddly enough, Lucas understood what that simple gesture implied. ¡°Wait!¡± he yelled out as he saw only black. Hades¡¯ voice entered his mind. ¡°This is just the beginning. To truly unravel the mysteries of the Almar, you must rise and grow. When the time comes, we will speak again. But¡­ perhaps, to rush is not so bad. After all, evil does not wait.¡± "What do you mean?" Lucas said weakly as he felt like drowning, no way to swim up, and with no air to breathe. Hades may not have heard him or simply chose to ignore him. But the being''s final words echoed deep within Lucas'' mind. As if it was a warning. Or more... "Perhaps in the future, you will come to realize, the power you forsake." *** Lucas flashed his eyes open, still groggy and exhausted. The fact also still remains that Muriel shattered his Shield. He would have to wait for 24 hours before his Shield reforms again. So, he¡¯s practically defenceless. That doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t fight. His focus was drawn back to reality as he took a step back, barely avoiding an Ashen that reached his range. And just like before, he could probably take out at least two or three Ashens before he makes his escape. ¡°Perish.¡± His blade of steel chimed as it cut through the air and the Ashen¡¯s head flew overhead. Damn it¡­ I won¡¯t last very long, he thought as he realized that just a light swing of his sword already felt too heavy. It¡¯s like swinging a giant hammer. And there still were too many of the Ashens ¨C hundreds. It would be foolish to keep fighting. From the distance, Argus also moved and threw a massive rock at him, which he narrowly avoided before looking around with those same crazed eyes for somewhere to hide. There! He ran to what led to a narrow street, but as he was about to turn the corner, he stopped. Around a dozen Ashens looked up from their meal a few yards away, tilting their heads at him. ¡°No way,¡± he said as the Ashens he tried to flee from also caught up, completely blocking his paths of escape ¨C behind and at the front. Both the groups of monsters then roared and charged at him. ¡°If this is it¡­ then come.¡± But ripped to pieces, he was not. Instead, it was the Ashens that were sliced to pieces like butter. ¡°What?¡± Fully armoured figures that looked like silver robots dashed past Lucas. No, they weren¡¯t robots. Combat Frames? Indeed they were. Dozens and dozens of figures fully donning lithe armours of silver steel. Framers, he realized. Looks like the Defense is finally here. And there were hundreds of them. Some of them engaged the Ashen, while the others engaged Argus. That was only the beginning. The amount of reinforcement didn¡¯t stop for they had come too¨C¨C the Awakened. And¡­ the Society is here as well, Lucas thought as he watched them. Unlike the Framers, the Awakened wore sleek black Kevlar suits (Armada Armor System or just Armada suits), the protective metallic fabric stretching up to their necks. But even if they couldn''t equip Combat Frames, they were no less dangerous. There were also hundreds of them. The Sentinels, their blades shimmering with silver light, clashed with the Ashen; while the Evokers shot their spells from afar. It looked like the Framers and the Awakened had a contest to see who could kill the most. But his attention was drawn to something particular. Among the Awakened are dozens and dozens of Class IIIs just like him; evident with their elemental-infused blades, or the deadly elemental spells they cast from afar. He never thought he¡¯d see the day that so many Class IIIs would be gathered like this. After all, there are only 700 Class IIIs among the League''s total population of about seven million people. It''s rare for someone to see them in their lifetime. Exhausted but relieved, Lucas finally dropped his blade, which rang as it touched the ground. It didn¡¯t take long for the combined forces of the Defense and the Society to clear out all the Ashens, before joining those who assaulted Argus first, keeping the giant at bay. But Argus didn¡¯t even flinch from their combined flurry of spells, reminding Lucas of the true capability of a Calamity. ¡°¡­Of course,¡± he whispered as that feeling of hope was dashed away. No doubt, the Ashens would be useless against the combined wrath of the Framers and the Awakened. They were only Grade I. Even a level 1 Awakened could deal with them¨C¨C they¡¯re just mobs, after all. Dealing with Grade Is simply is just a matter of stamina and some combat training. The reinforcement were all truly here to slay the giant. But at what cost? The colossal Ashen easily swatted them away and stomped on those who dared to venture too close. They were helpless as more screams of horror filled the air when Argus tossed them in his mouth. The Combat Frames were crushed, along with their Framers. The Awakened were flattened, turning into mounds of unrecognizable flesh. When suddenly¡­ a man with a black Combat Frame rushed to Argus. A colour different from the standard silver issue. Wait. That¡¯s not a CF, thought Lucas. It¡¯s an Archframe! The Archframe¡¯s accents of silver, tracing the black suit, shimmered with light. In the chest area was a hexagonal core, radiating a soft, pulsating white glow. The Archframe is a Combat Frame that could only be used by an Awakened. They¡¯re so rare and expensive that the League only has 10 of them, divided among the League¡¯s various agencies and organizations that deal with the Ashen. And that black colour means that this particular Archframe is him¨C¨C the only Archframer in SPECTRA. ¡°Black Spear,¡± muttered Lucas. ¡°This also means they¡¯re here. SPECTRA.¡± As he expected, trailing Black Spear not too long after were five masked figures. It¡¯s the Black Spear Unit. The strongest unit in SPECTRA (thus by extension, the strongest Awakened party in all of the League). They¡¯re all composed of Class III Awakened, except for its leader, of course ¨C Oliver Hill, the Black Spear himself. He¡¯s Rank 4 in the national Awakened Rankings and one of the only six Class IVs in the nation. A State-class Awakened. ¡°The five of you, retreat! I¡¯ll buy us some time,¡± Oliver commanded his squad as he hurled a shadow spear at Argus. ¡°But sir!¡± ¡°I said go. Take 37 with you. I don¡¯t want to hear Hummingbird screaming at me if he dies,¡± said Oliver with a laugh as they all dodged a big rock thrown by Argus. ¡°But for someone who complains a lot, she¡¯s dramatically slow.¡± Lucas tried to move to join them in battle, but he could barely move his limbs. ¡°But it¡¯s Argus! We don¡¯t a chance,¡± one of Oliver¡¯s squad members yelled. ¡°And you call yourselves SPECTRA?¡± Oliver told them as they briefly retreated from the giant, with the Society and the Defense giving them some cover. ¡°Look alive! Look around you! Are you telling me Class I and IIs are braver than you?! That THAT child is braver than you?!¡± said Oliver as he pointed to Lucas without looking at him. Oliver¡¯s unit fell silent. But although Lucas didn¡¯t like how Oliver said that, he understood the sentiment. ¡°Sure, the city has fallen,¡± said Oliver as his Archframe¡¯s headpiece parted to reveal his handsome face. Then with a quick glance to Lucas, Oliver nodded at him. ¡°And all we can do now is buy more time,¡± he said and shifted his gaze back to the giant, a shadow spear materializing on his hand. ¡°But if we do that, even if we all die here today, then countless people will survive. And perhaps, we¡¯ll finally see this giant slain once and for all.¡± Lucas considered Oliver¡¯s nod for a moment. He realized not too long after that it was not without a meaning. Black Spear is right. The Dominion is lost. Lucas¡¯ home city is lost. And Oliver would die. He¡¯s prepared to die. So Lucas nodded back. A simple gesture of respect to the damned. Lucas may be a piece of shit. But he respected Oliver¡¯s sacrifice. Whatever it was that he was buying time for. Oliver danced and flew about Argus, able to actually wound the giant ¨C much to Argus¡¯ rage. A Class IV with an Archframe is almost equal in strength to a Class V. So, the giant focused all its effort on Oliver, ignoring the torrent of spells from the other Awakened, and the blades of the Framers. That¡¯s impressive. Even if he¡¯s not a Sustain, he actually managed to get all of Argus¡¯ aggro, thought Lucas, but he wondered how long Oliver would last. And¡­ the Black Spear himself didn¡¯t last for long. That time he sought, the Class IV could only buy a few minutes at most. Lucas closed his eyes as Argus¡¯ fist descended on Oliver. And Oliver Hill, the Shadow Spear. Rank 4. He died just like that. ¡­The League lost one of its State-class Awakened just like that. Oliver¡¯s squad then retreated without even showing a hint of panic. True professionals even after witnessing their leader¡¯s death. They beelined for Lucas. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said one of them. Lucas nodded and opened his eyes, but as he was about to follow the group, he saw corpses in the distance. Why am I running again? Lucas thought as he felt time seemingly slow down almost to a halt. ¡°37¡­! Why did you stop? We have to go!¡± one of them grabbed him. But Lucas ignored him and slowly picked up his fallen sword. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Ah, he felt sleepy. His vision was already blurry. And he could feel his consciousness slipping away. He¡¯s reached his limit. But perhaps with rage-fuelled adrenaline, he rushed at Argus, venom in his eyes. Right¡­ that giant needs to die. Voices from the Black Spear Unit mixed in the air. - ¡°Stop!¡± - ¡°Come back! You can¡¯t even activate your Aura!¡± But from behind him, there was a loud thud, as if something landed, and he felt a tight grip on his shoulder. Looking back, he saw Mildred looking at him. Through the slits of her crimson mask, Lucas saw the anger in her eyes. ¡°37! That¡¯s enough!¡± She roared with fury. ¡°Team leader¡­?¡± Lucas whispered as four masked figures appeared out of nowhere, forming a protective circle around him and Mildred. Despite their masks, he recognized them. They were his friends; Cale, Soren, Adelia, and Lucy. And they¡¯re also his teammates ¨C the Hummingbird Unit. One of SPECTRA¡¯s only two all-Prime units, the other being Black Spear. Among the six of them, Lucas and Cale were the youngest ¨C who were both 13. Adelia, Soren, Lucy, and Mildred were 15, 17, 19, and 20 respectively. Lucy and Mildred are both Class IIIs, but Soren shouldn¡¯t be far from breaking through. They have so much potential, so why are they here? To die? Mildred addressed the members of Oliver¡¯s squad. ¡°We got him. Thank you,¡± she said, cold eyes upon the mangled sight of Oliver and his Archframe. ¡°Go¡­ seek your revenge.¡± They nodded before rejoining the fight, leaving the six of them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Lucas said when they were gone, his tone barely audible. When the attack happened, he abandoned his duties to find his family, refusing communication with his team. So, he understood why Mildred was furious. He presumed the other four would be mad too. But instead, they ignored him. Mildred, not showing a hint of concern at the rampaging Argus, regarded Lucas. ¡°Cass¡­ where¡¯s your Mom? Micah?¡± she asked. Lucas just shook his head. Mildred widened her eyes, before averting her gaze back to Argus, still busy killing people with no signs of stopping ¨C as if it was easier for her to begrudgingly witness death instead. Thankfully, with the Black Spear Squad helping, the deaths were kept to the minimum. But Lucas wondered why they still fought if there was no chance of winning at all. Mildred then gave him a light nod, and with her other hand, clicked something on the lobe of her ear. A comms device. ¡°Dr. Alana¡­ Micah¡­ they¡¯re gone,¡± she whispered to it before looking back at Lucas. ¡°Lucas survived,¡± she said and with another click, ended the transmission. If she used Lucas¡¯ real name, she must have spoken to the Director. Wasn''t he planning to tell the Director everything that happened? And didn¡¯t his mother tell him to ask him and Mrs. Livia about his birth mark anyway? But he scoffed at the thought. When he received Hades'' powers, he was too preoccupied with the prospect of the future that he forgot he still had to survive. With how easily Argus felled Oliver himself, how could he even have the chance to tell them? The battlefield is lost. Not even the combined might of the Society and the Defense can do anything against the giant. And even if all of the League¡¯s five remaining Class IVs and its two Class Vs were here¨C¨C it wouldn¡¯t change anything. Not even if you suit them all up (and four more) with the League¡¯s 10 Archframes, killing Argus would only be a dream. Calamities have been named as such for a reason. Only a Sovereign would give hope. Multiples of them. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lucas said, still weakly. ¡°You don¡¯t stand a chance,¡± he said with a grunt, a jolting pain in his spine. ¡°You need to run.¡± Lucas can¡¯t have them carry him and slow them down. But it seemed his words agitated Mildred, who slapped his cheek without delay. ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Lucas crashed to the ground, holding his reddened cheek. But he felt no pain. It¡¯s as if the other four, who formed a circle around him and Mildred, were the ones in pain instead when they all grunted in unison and averted their gaze at the slap. But for Lucas, Mildred¡¯s familiar tone of tough love¡­ was comforting. ¡°How¡­ did you even find me?¡± Lucas said. Mildred took a deep breathe, calming herself. When she answered, her voice seemed to fade away. But, he could still make sense of some of her words. ¡°¡­survivors at 55th Street said there was only one Awakened fighting the Ashen in this district. A masked child. A SPECTRA. And there aren¡¯t any other operatives your age aside from you and Cale. So we joined the reinforcement led by Master Hill.¡± At the mention of Oliver, there was subtle rage in Mildred¡¯s eyes. Lucas remembered that Oliver was akin to a father for her. After a brief pause, she spoke again, her voice filled with pride. ¡°But good job. We¡¯ll need to talk about your¨C¨C actions, later on. But I must admit you helped save a lot of lives today.¡± Lucas just pursed his lips. ¡°¡­Oh. Look! He¡¯s come. It¡¯ll be over soon,¡± she said, pointing at the sky. At the sight, all that hopelessness he felt disappeared. Even the fear he didn¡¯t realize he actually felt¡­ vanished. Time. They were fighting for time. Oliver died for time. This was why they didn¡¯t retreat. He¡¯s come. ¡°I¡­ see,¡± Lucas said as his consciousness slowly faded to black, but not before witnessing an armoured figure descend from the sky ¨C a pair of flame-like crimson wings on its back ¨C accompanied by a battleship with six Archframes of various colours standing on the deck, visible from the ground. Of course, if there is an Awakened who could deal with the giant. It would be him. ¡°Beral¡­¡± muttered Lucas. The most powerful Awakened in all of the League. And one of the only nine Sovereigns ¨C or ten if you include Muriel ¨C in the world. Mildred replied. ¡°Mhm. And that suit of armor¡­¡± Lucas completed her sentence. ¡°¡­is Godframe Ares.¡± One of the 12 Godframes. Humanity¡¯s most potent weapons against the Ashen. 6. SPECTRA 6. Specialized Covert Enforcement and Tactical Response Agency (SPECTRA) A week since then has passed. Before the skyline of the ruined city ¨C his home ¨C Lucas stood with his head bowed down, Mildred¡¯s arm around him. Beral was slain in a battle against Muriel. But not before killing Argus ¨C a legendary feat ¨C and grievously wounding the White Sovereign. While Muriel escaped, it would take years, and hopefully even decades before she recovers. However, there was no sense of victory. To Lucas, he felt only hollow defeat. Many perished, and they did not even have a grave. While they were out of sight, millions of Ashen ¨C previously the city¡¯s populace ¨C now occupy it. Their roars and groans he could hear in the distance. He raised his head and looked around. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered all grieving in sorrow ¨C all holding a candle of light. With voices filled with vengeance and hope, in unison, they sang. ¡°Beneath the ashen sky, A cry echoed, a last goodbye. In the chaos, amid the pain, A sacrifice not in vain. Against the endless tide, Blade raised, we will not to hide. O¡¯, in the embers, where hope seems gone, The great Dominions rise. From Noah, where twin rivers flow, To White Hills, where mountains glow, To forge anew our home bereft, We shall ever prevail. Against the endless tide, Blade raised, we will not hide. O¡¯, in the embers, where hope seems gone, The great Dominions rise.¡± *** Following the candlelight ceremony, Lucas and the Hummingbird Unit flew to the City of Marianne. It¡¯s where SPECTRA¡¯s headquarters is located. They entered a tall office building, but this was no ordinary place. It was a disguise. This is the headquarters. They were all supposed to discuss Lucas¡¯ punishment for abandoning command. Normally, one of the worst things that could happen following insubordination in the military or the Defense is imprisonment. But in the case of SPECTRA, if insubordination is proved, the punishment is worse than death ¨C his soul core will be permanently shattered. And Lucas himself believes this is fair. Most SPECTRAs, especially Primes, are provided military-grade spells like Mist and Blink, so it is only fair that the privileges and the power they were given for free would be revoked if they were insubordinate. This understanding is what ironically made him more anxious as they climbed the elevator. This doesn¡¯t mean operatives are slaves to SPECTRA. They can leave after serving for 10 years if they want to. Finally reaching their destination, Mildred halted before an office door, raising her hand, and gesturing for the others to stop. ¡°They¡¯re talking.¡± An excited high-pitch, but gentle chirp, replied to Mildred. It was Lucy. She¡¯s always so bubbly, a contrast to Mildred¡¯s usually cold demeanour. ¡°They?! Who?!¡± ¡°Master Livia and the Director.¡± The wizard? What¡¯s she doing here? Lucas thought. Mrs. Livia is the only Class III wizard in all of the nation. She is also the headmaster of Noah Awakened Academy ¨C one of the League¡¯s now only five Awakened academies. And also it''s the most prestigious. Just like the rest of the academies, the NAA is named after the city-state it¡¯s located in ¨C the Dominion of Noah ¨C the capital city of the League located about 200 kilometres north of Marianne. But one of Mrs. Livia¡¯s duties includes helping train Primes at SPECTRA. So, pretty much all Primes know the wizard. ¡°Let me eavesdrop,¡± Lucy said but her smile suddenly dropped a moment later. ¡°I¡­ think they might be talking about you, Cassy.¡± Lucas raised a brow and stopped manually limiting his sense of hearing, wondering if they¡¯re talking about his punishment. Eavesdropping is not that difficult because the Awakened have stronger senses compared to the non-Awakened. They just had to train to control these senses. He surmised the others must have done the same thing seeing the frowns on their faces. ¡°Lucas is Marked. A proof of a 13th¡¯s potential existence. Protecting his identity is paramount. Are you sure this is the best course of action?¡± said Mrs. Livia. The Director replied with his usually stoic tone. ¡°We already are undermining the League, Livia. If we want to avert suspicion? Then yes, this is the best course of action.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like the idea. He¡¯s still a child. They¡­ are all still children.¡± ¡°Primes. Members of SPECTRA. They¡¯re all Awakened. Not children to be coddled,¡± said the Director. ¡°It is a sad truth, indeed. But this is a sin we all must carry and someday must pay for.¡± It was quiet for a while. A silence only broken with Mrs. Livia¡¯ audible sigh. ¡°Five. They were five when we began to sharpen them like blades to be thrown into the gutter, just because they were Primes,¡± said Livia. ¡°¡­Livia. The monster Muriel has become is naught to do with you.¡± ¡°And I wish I could find comfort in those words.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Lucas suddenly felt a touch on his shoulder, gently pushing him out of the way. When he looked over, Soren had an impatient look on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± the androgynous red-hair said. ¡°Wait Soren¨C¨C¡± Mildred tried to stop him, but Soren already kicked the heavy door open. ¡°Jesus¡­¡± Lucy chuckled and followed Soren in, but not before parting Mildred a pat on the back. ¡°It¡¯s a bit rude that they¡¯re talking about us when they know we¡¯re listening, no?¡± ¡°Hey guys!¡± Mildred chided them as she also followed in. Lucas did not move for a while, and after hearing such a dismal discussion, he didn¡¯t know what awaited him beyond that partially open door. ¡°Nervous?¡± he heard a voice behind him. It was Adelia. Like the rest of them, she¡¯s like an older sibling to him. Lucas nodded silently. Adelia tilted her head and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine, Cass.¡± It¡¯s going to be fine. A phrase all too often used when something goes bad. But not one of the Hummingbirds said it in the last two weeks, and Lucas sensed it was deliberate. After all, he felt the same way. How could anything ever be fine again after all that has transpired? But for some reason, when Adelia said it, it felt as if everything was truly going to be alright. ¡°I hope so,¡± Lucas whispered back. When he looked back forward, Cale stood there blinking. The only boy his age in the group. Even so, while Cale is like a brother to him, he finds it hard to relate to him sometimes. Cale is quiet, but ever so observant. Lucas often wondered what his friend thinks about when he looks like he''s spacing out. ¡°Hurry,¡± Cale said. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Adelia said and clasped Lucas¡¯ wrist, dragging him with her. *** For a Director¡¯s office, it was pretty modest. Modest but elegant nonetheless. You could even see Marianne¡¯s skyline from the wide windows adjacent to the room¡¯s entrance. Lucas would have been able to see the glory of Marianne, but his focus locked on him, sitting on a desk situated between Lucas and that great view. One would think it was a silver-haired child who sat behind the desk, seemingly busy with the mountain of paperwork before him. But no. While he looked like a child. That¡¯s actually the Director. Even after three years of being with SPECTRA, Lucas still did not get used to it. Apparently, the Director has some kind of a special condition. ¡°Sit,¡± said the Director without looking up, still flipping through his pages, making Lucas wonder why the Director didn¡¯t use a computer at all. Adelia briefly touched Lucas¡¯ shoulder ¨C as if to reassure him ¨C before the three of them sat together on an empty couch perpendicular to the Director¡¯s desk. Before the trio, there was another couch, where Mrs. Livia sat with Mildred, Soren, and Lucy, who all nodded when their eyes met. ¡°It¡¯s been a while you three,¡± said Mrs. Livia, who looked impeccable as always with her red dress and equally red hair. Her hair didn¡¯t look like Soren¡¯s at all. Soren has locks akin to the colour of flames, but Mrs. Livia truly does have red hair like an apple. She also has bright, green eyes, because, unlike the Awakened, wizards retain their natural eye colour. So, she did quite resemble an apple¨C¨C if that makes sense. But. If only her comely features and seemingly comely manners mirrored her teaching methods too¡­ There¡¯s a reason Primes call her the Nightmare. But she¡¯ll burn you if you call her that. The trio greeted her back before Lucas glanced at the Director as he waited for the meeting to begin. Still¡­ without looking up from his desk, and STILL scribbling here and there, the chi¨C¨C the Director finally addressed the group. ¡°As everyone is here, I suppose we can begin,¡± he said before FINALLY looking up. ¡°Lucas Hale. Operative Number: 37 ¨C of the Hummingbird Unit,¡± he said before pausing, silver eyes drifting to Lucas as if trying to gauge a semblance of a reaction. Lucas gulped as he met the Director¡¯s silver eyes. ¡°You disobeyed command. Why?¡± Lucas averted his gaze and closed his eyes with a bow. ¡°I have no excuses, Director.¡± It was a selfish act to operate by himself during the attack so he could find his family. But he knew he would do it again. He sensed the Director¡¯s eyes digging into his skull, never wavering as time seemed to cease, thankfully only for a brief moment. It was uncomfortable. The Director hummed. ¡°You have no excuses,¡± he said as he leaned back on his chair, his tone measured and calm. ¡°Do you believe you deserve punishment, 37?¡± Lucas didn¡¯t know how to respond, only clenching his fist as he bit his tongue. ¡°...I will take that as a yes. So. What punishment befits you?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know, sir.¡± The Director then asked Mildred this time. ¡°Hummingbird. As the team leader, does he deserve that punishment? A Soul Core Break?¡± Mildred¡¯s response was immediate, which surprised Lucas. ¡°No, sir,¡± she said as she stood up. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Technically, he did not disobey command.¡± ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°We were on standby prior to the attack¨C¨C free to do as we please. When it did happen, I have not been able to properly issue a command. Lines were down and I couldn¡¯t reach 37,¡± Mildred said, before narrowing her eyes to Lucas, as if telling him to keep quiet. Lucas knew it was a lie. He crushed his comms device when Mildred summoned the squad. When news of the assault spread throughout the League, he stowed away inside a Defense ship that rushed from Marianne to reinforce St. John. ¡°But¨C¡± But Mildred cut him off. ¡°Not to mention. Even without his presence, didn¡¯t we successfully accomplish our task?¡± she said. ¡°We captured a Summoner.¡± ¡°And where was he when you made the summon?¡± ¡°As I said, we were on standby. And he was on a two weeks vacation in St. John. Have you forgotten, Director? As the one who approved his PTO?¡± Lucas looked between Mildred and the Director. What are they talking about? That¡¯s not what happened at all, he thought. Vacation? He didn¡¯t remember being on a vacation. He was in Marianne before the attack. ¡°The government believes it is too much of a coincidence,¡± the Director replied. Mildred raised a brow. ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Why did it so happen to be Claret? Does the person behind 37 have a familial relationship with somebody from the District?¡± ¡°All conjectures, Director,¡± she said with a casual shrug. ¡°It just so happened that he was in the area. A cultural district known for its entertainment¨C¨C entertaining himself.¡± The Director gave Mildred quite an unamused stare for a while. ¡°¡­Right,¡± he said. A wonder how he managed to keep his calm. ¡°Anyway. Claret was among those that was hit last. Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense for 37 to be in the other districts that were hit first? Like the districts where the higher grade Ashens actually appeared?¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of Claret being among the last districts to receive military aid that 37 chose to remain, save for the evacuation area set up by the Defense. And since he was already on the area and evacuation efforts were already underway, remaining was the most reasonable approach. Without his help, thousands would have died.¡± Lucas tilted his head as he listened, wondering why Mildred kept mentioning that he was already in the area in the first place. Cale, who was playing some type of a pixelated game on his phone, seemed to have been able to read his mind. ¡°Consistency,¡± he whispered. ¡°Sorry?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°When you lie, come up with an excuse and stick with it,¡± Cale replied. Before Lucas could ask more, the Director cleared his throat and addressed Mildred once more. ¡°According to the Tribunal, if 37 were to have reinforced the military in more populated areas like the downtown¨C¨C¡± Mildred interrupted the Director. ¡°That more people would have survived? By sacrificing one for two? I refuse to acknowledge a suggestion lacking any statistical basis. They have no case.¡± She then briefly glanced at Lucas. ¡°He must be commended, not punished.¡± ¡°This is just a performance review, Hummingbird. Not a military trial. So, I would suggest against insinua¨C¨C¡± Mildred looked pissed when she interrupted again. ¡°My apologies. I understand you¡¯re just doing your due diligence, Director. But I must have misunderstood the intent of this discussion when you suggested a punishment on something that even I was not aware of.¡± The Director shrugged. ¡°In any case, I suppose coincidences do happen all the time. But the fact remains that the government believes he shirked his duty.¡± ¡°Believes? Do they have proof? Or is it all just speculation?¡± ¡°What are you trying say?¡± ¡°Before that,¡± Mildred said as she pointed a finger upward. ¡°Just for the record, we are conducting a preliminary report for the Hummingbird Unit¡¯s activities during the attack, yes? And this is being recorded?¡± The Director nodded. ¡°You are correct. Recording and transcription of the meeting will be sent to the Department of Defense post-haste.¡± Lucas wondered why Mildred asked that, before whispering to Adelia who sat beside him. ¡°Why does she have to confirm that we¡¯re on the record?¡± Adelia just winked at him before placing her index finger before her lips. Mildred sighed as she muttered to herself. ¡°I see, I thought it would have been the Tribunal,¡± she said with quite the¡­ sarcastic tone. This didn¡¯t sit well with the Director. ¡°I¡¯d have expected more decorum from you as a Named. But do go on.¡± Mildred ignored the comment and retrieved her datapad, eyes scanning the surface. ¡°Based on actual reports, there is nothing that suggests 37 shirked his duty.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± the Director said. ¡°According to multiple accounts, he cleared the path to 55th Street, helping allow the mass evacuation to proceed at the Upper Claret District. He reacted as a SPECTRA should in moments of chaos and uncertainty. He did all these when St. John¡¯s chain of command was momentarily broken during the surprise assault. He did NOT shirk his duty, as I¡¯m sure the elites of Claret can easily testify. Here, take a look.¡± When the Director received Mildred¡¯s data pad, he raised an eyebrow. ¡°This witness account is pretty detailed for a civilian. Who¡¯s Brock Moore?¡± ¡°Military. Retired. He led the evacuation.¡± While the two discussed Brock Moore¡¯s background, Lucas stared at Mildred in disbelief. Sure, he did do the things she said he did, but it was because the Ashen on the path was on his way. And he already admitted to Mildred that he prioritized finding his mother and Micah rather than clearing the Ashen at Plume Boulevard to help people escape. When he fought, it was only out of necessity. So, why would she omit those details? The Director nodded. ¡°Thank you for the clarification. You may proceed with the rest of the report,¡± he said. With wide eyes, Lucas looked at the Director. What? he thought. He expected a punishment. What''s going on? Lucas thought. It couldn''t be favouritism, no. The last person he''d expect to show some sort of preference is the Director himself. Adelia just giggled beside him. 7. Questions 7. Questions Just like that? Lucas thought, having mixed feelings about the matter. He¡¯s part relieved, and partly feeling guilty. Because while his actions may have been true, his intent was proof of his own insubordination. Adelia whispered to him, hiding a smile on her face, before explaining what just happened. ¡°The Director is trying to avoid a court martial. After a gigantic tragedy like the Order¡¯s attack, the Defense are looking for as many people as they can to blame ¨C scapegoats ¨C no matter how stupid their reasoning is.¡± "Why?" "Government pressure." ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± She nodded. ¡°And your name, or rather 37, have popped up in that list because you operated solo,¡± she said with a scoff. ¡°Stupid, right? That¡¯s literally their excuse. But the solution is actually quite simple¨C¨C and equally stupid too.¡± At her words, Lucas glanced at Cale, remembering what his friend said earlier. ¡°To lie,¡± he said as he looked back to Adelia, who grinned in response. Lucas managed to somehow connect some of the dots. A court-martial cannot occur when there is only speculation. The Defense is trying to build a case, and he surmised that they might be trying to gain some evidence through Mildred¡¯s report. Lucas whispered back, ¡°But won¡¯t that put the Director in trouble with the government if they lie?¡± Adelia shook her head. ¡°Nope. There¡¯s no evidence, and I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯d rather not his position be questioned in court. Don¡¯t forget that he¡¯s also the League¡¯s only other Class V, and that he¡¯s the Director of SPECTRA.¡± ¡°Yeah, so?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°He¡¯s huge, Cass. We¡¯re huge. Going against us would cost the government a lot, especially in such a critical moment when we¡¯re waging a shadow war against Lewisia. So even if they don¡¯t believe us, if we give them nothing, they will just move on and find other targets.¡± Cale clicked his tongue as he joined the whispering. ¡°Just a bunch of dumb politics.¡± Lucas scratched the back of his neck. ¡°But if this is all a show. Then why did it seem like Mildred was pissed off with the Director?¡± Cale looked at Lucas as if he were stupid. ¡°It¡¯s being recorded, remember?¡± Lucas sighed. ¡°I see.¡± Adelia nodded. ¡°Cass. You know. It¡¯s really easy to forget how scary SPECTRA can really be, especially since you¡¯re a part of it,¡± she whispered. ¡°But there¡¯s much more to the world¨C¨C than ours.¡± ¡°But why would they do that for me?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°And you guys also know what¡¯s going on, so aren¡¯t you also risking yourselves here?¡± ¡°Eh¡­ Structure and command is important, sure. But everybody understands why you did what you did. You¡¯re one of the few SPECTRAs with a family in St. John. If the same thing happened to my family in White Hills, I would have done the same thing,¡± Adelia whispered with a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, Delia¡­ We both know I don¡¯t¨C¨C¡± ¡°If you¡¯re feeling guilty. You just have to live with it¡­¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Mildred to finish her report. ¡°This concludes my report.¡± At that, ¡°Thank you, Hummingbird,¡± said the Director. ¡°Now. I suppose it¡¯s time to address the elephant in the room,¡± he said and directed his gaze back to Lucas. ¡°As a Class III, you are now a Named Mask. Hence, from here on, you shall be named Avernus.¡± Lucas nodded at the promotion. To become a Named after reaching Class III was simple protocol. Although he wondered about the origin of his new name. Also, while promotion is normally the time for celebration¨C¨C a symbol of a SPECTRA¡¯s progress and potential. Lucas felt nothing. Not that the promotion meant he¡¯d have more weight in SPECTRA, anyway. To actually climb the ladder, he¡¯d need more than just combat power. But at least, he¡¯ll get a raise. Or, at least, he should. The Director continued. ¡°Hummingbird Unit will be dispatched on a mission, but you will not join them. You will continue to operate as you did but on a solo-basis. You will be called upon when required.¡± Lucas widened his eyes as he looked at his teammates. ¡°What? I¡¯m not joining them? Why?¡± The others just shrugged, except for Cale beside him who didn¡¯t seem to care, still playing with his phone. The Director just waved a hand. ¡°You are dismissed, Mr. Hale.¡± Lucas did not dismiss himself. ¡°With all due respect, I believe I am entitled to an explanation, Director. Is it because I¡¯m now a Named?¡± he asked, but that shouldn¡¯t be the case. Multiple Named can be within the same unit like the Black Spear Unit. ¡°No.¡± ¡°So, why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a complex matter. At the moment, it will be difficult for you to¨C¨C¡± ¡°¡­understand?¡± Lucas interrupted, raising a brow. Hades said the same thing. Always and always¨C¨C the child always never seems to understand. He¡¯s grown tired of it. ¡°Yes. This is a matter much bigger than you are. I would appreciate you exercise patience, caution, and restraint, Mr. Hale. We are doing our utmost best to take precautions following your¨C¨C report.¡± Cale looked up from his phone and spoke up. ¡°If I may, Director,¡± he said, but did not wait for the Director to give him permission to speak. ¡°It seems SPECTRA do not view us with the same level of professionalism, trust, and respect of which we are owed¨C¨C due to our age. Even when our contributions for the nation is as equal as the others. If not more.¡± ¡°Us? What do you wish to imply, 36?¡± ¡°Avernus is a SPECTRA,¡± Cale said and waved his phone. He was actually reading the SPECTRA handbook. ¡°And as a member of the Hummingbird Unit, he is owed information as much as everyone else. To omit to him what you told us is a bit¡­ flawed, don¡¯t you think?¡± Lucas just stared at Cale, not knowing how he should express his gratitude. He noticed Mrs. Livia, who sat on the couch before them, do the same. But there was a hint of amusement on the wizard¡¯s face. Meanwhile, Lucy and Soren laughed, while Mildred tried to maintain her composure with her utmost effort, trying to avoid the Director¡¯s gaze. Adelia ruffled Cale¡¯s head. ¡°He¡¯s not wrong, Director,¡± she said. ¡°Avernus is still a member of our Unit. Even prudence is not enough of a justification to leave him out.¡± The Director acted like he didn¡¯t hear them as he multi-tasked, still busy with his papers. But he did address Lucas. ¡°Telling you Hummingbird¡¯s mission will only cause you to ask more questions. Questions of which the answers we may not be able to afford to tell you. And if you become aware of the situation, you may as well make an enemy of the League.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Lucas widened his eyes as he scanned the room. From the Director, to Mrs. Livia, and to the rest of the Hummingbird unit. They all looked dead serious. Even Cale stopped playing with his phone and looked like he just realized something. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± The Director continued. ¡°The question is¡­ are you prepared to fight the League if it comes down to it? To commit treason?¡± Lucas didn¡¯t know what to say. However, the Director acted like he already knew Lucas¡¯ answer. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed, Mr. Hale. Go take some rest. I only ask that you trust us and your team.¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°I understand¨C¨C¡± he said with a pause, ¡°is what I would like to say.¡± It was the Director¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°Please tell me everything. I already know their mission has something to do with me judging by your words. Or am I wrong?¡± Lucas asked. Not to mention, even if the Director suggested treason, there must be a good reason why. Especially if the Hummingbird Unit will be on the frontlines. There must be a reason that even Cale was surprised. Is it because he''s not aware that they will be committing this treason? No, that can''t be. It must be something else. But what could it be? What is this mission that they¡¯re risking treason for? If his teammates are risking it, then why shouldn¡¯t he? It took a while for the Director to respond, studying Lucas¡¯ features for some time, as if trying to sense some hints of lies. ¡°I see. Well. If you think you¡¯ll understand, then so be it,¡± he said. Gesturing to the wizard, the Director continued to speak. ¡°As you can see, Master Livia is here with us. Alongside the Hummingbird unit, we were supposed to discuss your mark upon your leave.¡± Lucas wanted to say: You wanted to talk behind my back? But of course, the Director said it in such a way that pissed him off. Government talk. It¡¯s an art they were trained to master. An art that Lucas has yet to master. But an art he still learned nonetheless. ¡°¡­My mark,¡± he muttered. ¡°As per my mother¡¯s wishes, it was with the greatest of confidence that I told you and Master Livia about it. In return, I expected a proper response. A plan of some kind. And you¡¯ve decided to exclude me instead?¡± This time, it was Mrs. Livia who surprisingly answered. ¡°Forgive me. It was upon my advice, Lucas, that I asked the Director to¨C¨C exclude you as you have said. It¡¯s simply too dangerous for you.¡± ¡°Because you guys are committing treason? It¡¯s dangerous for me, but not for my team? Please, Mrs. Livia¡­,¡± Lucas said, but thought he should at least hear her out. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°Because of your mark,¡± she said. ¡°You need protection, Lucas. Now, more than ever. That includes protection from knowledges you must not yet know. At least for now, until we know more.¡± ¡°I genuinely appreciate your concern,¡± he said. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who told us, Primes, how we are both blessed and cursed. Fated to die in the embrace of the shadows. Such is the fate of those who live to fight in times of war and uncertainty. We¡¯ve been trained to kill and we¡¯re prepared to die. So even if it may be against the League, I do not need any protection. I just need to know why. Is that too much ask?¡± Mrs. Livia opened her mouth, before locking her jaw and averting her gaze. ¡°Mrs. Livia. That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Lucas said when he saw the hurt in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s¨C¨C¡± Mrs. Livia shook her. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said. ¡°You are right. Not that I am pleased to see not only you, but all of you here, who must fight a war forced upon you.¡± Lucas felt pricked by the answer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The Director sliced through the sudden uncomfortable silence. ¡°I told you he will not stand aside.¡± Lucas glanced at him, realizing that the Director asking him to leave earlier was all for a show for Mrs. Livia. He recalled something when they eavesdropped on them earlier¨C¨C how Mrs. Livia and the Director seemed like they were not on the same page. Was that just the Director¡¯s ploy to convince Mrs. Livia? But convince her with what? Lucas thought. ¡°Perhaps you are right, Director,¡± Mrs. Livia said with a sigh, before directing her gaze back to Lucas. ¡°Well. If it is answers you seek, I¡¯m afraid we can only provide you so little,¡± she said as she looked back to the Director. ¡°Director?¡± ¡°Right,¡± the Director said. ¡°Master Livia is here because she believes that your mark is proof of the existence of a 13th Godframe¨C¨C Godframe Hades.¡± Lucas looked at the Director in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re saying my Mark is a Godframe¡¯s Mark?¡± Mrs. Livia replied on behalf of the Director. ¡°Yes. Your mark is similar to the 12 Marks.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Long story short. Your Mark does not only bear resemblance to the other 12, but your tale of speaking to Hades is also somewhat similar to the tales of those who cleared the Godframe Trials. They all have spoken to someone. And the only difference is that¨C¨C you remember ALL of it.¡± ¡°But how is that possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if you wish to know the origin of your mark, then we could provide you some explanation.¡± ¡°¡­Please do, Mrs. Livia. I would appreciate that.¡± Mrs. Livia nodded. ¡°Myself and the Director, respectively as representatives of the Consortium and SPECTRA, have worked with the Godframe Initiative, which your parents was a part of, to locate a ring as per the League¡¯s directive some 14 years ago.¡± The Director cleared his throat. "Just for the record, I wasn''t the Director yet at the time." ¡°Right... But a ring?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Yes. But, I suppose it¡¯s a tattoo now,¡± Mrs. Livia said, looking at the thin tattoo-like line around Lucas¡¯ left index finger. His birthmark. The Mark. For a moment, Mrs. Livia scrutinized Lucas¡¯ mark; her features unreadable. ¡°The Godframe Initiative is a group of scientists created by the League to research the Godframes in conjunction with other international research groups doing the same thing. Their job involved scouring through surviving data pertaining to Greek mythos, after which the Godframes were oddly named.¡± Lucas nodded. That made sense. The names of the Godframes are oddly derived from the Greek Olympians, even if data suggests Godframes have been here longer than humanity¡¯s history. But when the Ashen overrun the world 300 years ago, humanity only managed to retrieve a few archives. Many archives are suspected to have survived, but they remain inaccessible due to being located at extreme-danger hotspots. ¡°And 14 years ago in 2331, a year before you were born, the League happened upon a Greco-Buddhism virtual archive that includes information on a supposed artefact of Hellenistic origin called the Ring of Avernus. The League believed this to be a magical artifact. And it was.¡± ¡°This ring,¡± Lucas said as he slightly raised his index finger, studying the Mark of Hades. ¡°Yes. The virtual archive indicated that Avernus was located on a ruins that was previously a Greek museum in a Grade-II danger zone,¡± said Mrs. Livia, before touching her wristwatch to reveal a holo-map before her. The red point indicated the location of this museum. An old city called Chicago. ¡°The League directed the Initiative to retrieve the ring and some other artefacts. They were escorted by members of the military and SPECTRA. But all of them perished, including your father, save for your mother and a few of the escorts.¡± Lucas widened his eyes. ¡°My father?¡± he said. His mother told him he died during an expedition. But he didn¡¯t expect this to be the case. Mrs. Livia¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°Yes. Him and the others. But not because of the Ashen.¡± The Director cut in. ¡°Assassins,¡± he said. Lucas gulped at the revelation. ¡°Who? And why?¡± The Director steepled his fingers, leaning over his desk. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be discussing this if we knew, no?¡± he said before proceeding to talk in length. ¡°Who were the assassins? Who ordered them? An outsider? Is it because it was, in fact, orchestrated by one of the five foreign nations? Or was it maybe the Order of Lewisia? And was it a coincidence that your mother was killed two weeks ago?¡± Lucas frowned at all the suggestions but did not speak. ¡°Or maybe. Was it the League itself? Perhaps those who were in power at the time? It was them who created the now-defunct team to look for the ring in the first place. So only they should know about the retrieval mission, right? If so. Then why? And who? And why is it that even SPECTRA found nothing even after over a decade of searching?¡± No one responded, and the Director took this as a cue to keep talking as he glanced at Mrs. Livia. ¡°But if we overwhelm ourselves with questions we cannot answer, or even hope to answer, then progress is moot. So, at the time, your mother, Livia and I, thought that the only correct move forward was to assume.¡± ¡°Assume?¡± Lucas asked. Mrs. Livia responded this time. ¡°Assume that enemies and traitors surround us. That involves hiding from the League the fact that Avernus was actually successfully recovered,¡± she said before pausing, slowly shifting her gaze back to Lucas. ¡°That involved asking your mother to hide it following its recovery and the assassinations. At least until we find out who the assassins were and what necessitated them to try and steal it. And we had no answer, only hoping that perhaps someday, we will find one. A hope borne from the fact that the ring turned into a Mark similar to the 12 right after you were born.¡± Lucas glanced around the room. They all didn¡¯t look surprised, and Lucas realized they already had been briefed. ¡°Right after I was born¡­¡± he muttered, recalling Hades'' words who told him that he''s a Prime only because of the mark. ¡°Yes,¡± said Mrs. Livia. ¡°We¡¯ve all been waiting, Lucas. Waiting for what could your Mark truly mean, and what it truly is,¡± she said. ¡°If only your mother¡­ is still with us. ¡± Lucas frowned. ¡°I see¡­ so you and the Director. You always have known about this Mark.¡± The Director nodded. ¡°Yes, but as Mrs. Livia said. We didn¡¯t know what it truly was. Only that it was strange. But whatever may have been the cause, nothing changes the fact that you have the Mark, and you have spoken to this Hades. And that his Mark is so similar to a Mark of a Godframe.¡± Mrs. Livia had a grave nod. ¡°And if Godframe Hades does exist. It means that you, Lucas¡­ is a Bearer of a Godframe.¡± 8. Godframe 8. Godframe Godframes. Humanity¡¯s most potent weapons against the Ashen. Weapons of unknown origin, wielded by the strongest of the Awakened. And Lucas is supposed to be a Bearer? Lucas slowed his breathing to calm his emotions. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± he asked. ¡°As I said. To commit treason,¡± the Director said very casually. ¡°¡­Right. Of course,¡± Lucas said. He almost forgot that Mrs. Livia nor the Director hadn¡¯t yet addressed that part. So he listened patiently. ¡°SPECTRA will look for Godframe Hades for you, as well as find more information about Hades being the King of the Underworld. This will involve tracking information, as well as finding people and experts who may have some obscure knowledge with Greek mythology. But as it will be done without the League¡¯s knowledge, it will be composed of trusted people who already knows about your Mark ¨C the Hummingbird Unit,¡± said the Director. Mildred, Soren, Lucy, Adelia, and even Cale all nodded in response. ¡°Except for you, of course,¡± said Director. Lucas frowned and waited for the Director to explain further. But there was no more of that further explanation. And he hated how the Director always assumed operatives to immediately understand what he may have implied. Aren¡¯t the intelligence community supposed to be about being very specific with details? So, he was left to battle with the idea that his friends were risking their lives for him while he was left to do¡­ nothing? ¡°Haven¡¯t we already established that you will tell me every¨C¨C¡± said Lucas. The Director interrupted him. ¡°We¡¯ve only established that you are owed an explanation. We¡¯ve never established a change of plans.¡± Before Lucas could respond, Soren, who had been quiet for a while, spoke up. Soren must have noticed his expression. ¡°Don¡¯t get it wrong, Lucas. We¡¯re not only doing this for you. If a 13th Godframe does exist, that¡¯s a game changer in our war both against Lewisia and the Ashen,¡± he said. ¡°You also mentioned about your Mark being a beacon, no?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what Hades said.¡± Soren nodded. ¡°Our mission also involves finding out whatever that means.¡± Lucy was eating a cup of ice cream. She¡¯s been eating that pretty much the whole time. Where did that even come from? ¡°I don¡¯t know about him. But I¡¯m doing it for fun,¡± she said with a shrug. Mildred told them to shush. Cale remained quiet as always, but his eyes remained as observant as ever. Nothing almost escapes those eyes. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, Soren. But,¡± Lucas said as he directed his attention back to the Director. ¡°While it¡¯s indeed not through my own efforts that I gained this Mark and the power that comes with it. The fact remains that I¡¯m already a Class III. So, it eludes me why I¡¯m supposed to remain idle,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s, I admit, quite the convoluted plan. I doubt you would understand,¡± the Director said. ¡°I only ask for your trust and understanding. In the future, all shall be revealed. But not now.¡± Lucas clicked his tongue. You¡¯re not ready. You won¡¯t understand. ¡°Then allow me to understand,¡± he insisted. ¡°What could be so complicated after all I¡¯ve already heard? If it¡¯s a plan that risks my friends¡¯ lives for me, then please, allow myself this burden. You seek my trust, then this is the least I could ask of you in return.¡± ¡°¡­Fine,¡± the Director said after a long while. ¡°First, no one said anything about you remaining idle. But as I said, for the time being, you will do as you¡¯ve always done. Complete your missions and train.¡± Lucas shook his head. ¡°I understand. But, why? Why am I not supposed to join them?¡± ¡°You will be a bait,¡± replied the Director. ¡°A bait?¡± ¡°Your new Mask. Avernus.¡± ¡°¡­Right?¡± The Director sighed and expanded on whatever he meant. ¡°Let us speak casually.¡± ¡°I would prefer that,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°We¡¯re killing two birds with one stone. First, contrary to your expectations, 37 will not be promoted, because that''ll raise many questions. Avernus is a new entity, because there¡¯s just no way for us to explain to the world how you skyrocketed to Class III in such a short amount of time. We could allow that to happen, but that would require us revealing your Mark, and I do not believe this is the best time to do so.¡± ¡°And what happens to 37?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°He will die in a year, because 37 and Avernus, at some point, needs to have existed at the same time.¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°To avert any suspicion.¡± ¡°Aye. But you don¡¯t have to worry about the specifics.¡± ¡°Right¡­ and that¡¯s ironically convenient too,¡± Lucas said. It should be easy to create a new identity in the form of Avernus, because the identities of both Primes and SPECTRAs are hidden anyway, including to top bureaucrats and government officials. And they cannot say anything to change this, because the system simply works¨C¨C SPECTRA have always remained a pillar of the League. Both domestic and foreign. So, no one knows that 37 is Lucas Hale, and no one knows that Lucas Hale is a Prime. As far as the public and the government are aware, Lucas Hale is just an average boy who happens to be the son of Dr. Alana Hale. As for the more specific details on how SPECTRA kept their identities hidden, Lucas never had to worry about that. ¡°And the second¨C¨C bird?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°The assassins. They know about the Ring of Avernus, and we still have to find them, somehow. We need to find out what they know about it, and if they know more than we do. There¡¯s a reason they risked stealing it in the first place,¡± the Director said. ¡°And, by donning the same name as the ring, and showing off your unusual abilities¡­¡± ¡°They will look into me,¡± Lucas completed his sentence. ¡°But how do I know when or if they¡¯re doing that?¡± The Director shook his head. ¡°You won¡¯t. It¡¯ll be my job to figure that out. When they investigate you, there are bound to be movements, and it¡¯ll be my task to track down those movements¨C¨C may they be simple curiosities from the curious. All you have to do is do as you always have had. Follow your orders, participate in missions, and use your powers to the fullest. To earn your keep.¡± Lucas hummed. ¡°So, no need to hide it? But since we¡¯ll be faking 37¡¯s death to hide the fact that SPECTRA has a new Class III. Isn¡¯t this a bit contradictory?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not hiding your powers. We are hiding as to whom it belongs to. It¡¯s about minimizing the complications so we can take more risks,¡± said the Director. ¡°Thus, to hide your abilities would be the most foolish path to take.¡± ¡°Because it will be impossible to do so,¡± Lucas said as he furrowed his eyebrow. But he still didn¡¯t fully understand. Cale must have noticed Lucas¡¯ confusion, and elbowed him. ¡°What he¡¯s saying is there is no point with having power if you¡¯re not using it to the fullest. So, we create a situation where you could use it without holding back.¡± At those words, Lucas realized the nuances. ¡°You¡¯re saying because I¡¯m bound to slip, it¡¯s better not to hide it at all.¡± Cale nodded. ¡°This is why you¡¯re not joining us. Because when you do, you will draw attention to yourself and the team ¨C potentially compromising the integrity of the mission,¡± he said, before looking at the Director. "That''s why even you looked surprised earlier," Lucas said, realizing Cale also understood just now that donning the name of Avernus means acting as bait, and not because the Director cannot afford to give Lucas his answers. Cale nodded. He may not speak much, but when he does, he doesn¡¯t hold anything back. Even toward the Director or Mrs. Livia. ¡°You may be Marked, but as long as you¡¯re with SPECTRA? You have a job to do. And the Director somehow needs to find a way for you to be useful.¡± If there is one person who could make the Director look so offended right now, that would be Cale. But Cale disregarded the Director¡¯s brief stare and shifted his attention back to Lucas. ¡°Remember, Lucas. The Director is a dirty person and puts his agenda above everything. The same as with Master Livia, even if she thinks her morals are above everyone else.¡± Lucas felt afraid for Cale when he looked at the Director, who stopped moving his pen to meet Cale¡¯s eyes. Mrs. Livia also quirked an eyebrow at Cale. Cale did not budge from their combined glares, while the rest of the Hummingbird Unit tried not to laugh. When Mrs. Livia and the Director exchanged glances, Mrs. Livia shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s not wrong, Director,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°I suppose he¡¯s not,¡± said the Director. Cale looked back to Lucas. ¡°But dirty people are what we need if we¡¯re dealing with other dirty people.¡± The Director locked his jaw. ¡°...You don¡¯t have to say it twice, Cale.¡± Lucas took a deep breath and just nodded. ¡°I understand¡­ But what about the Order?¡± He wanted to hunt them down. At his question, the Director abruptly halted, and Lucas swore his eyes sharpened with bloodlust. ¡°They¡¯ll be quiet for a while. But it won¡¯t be long. I have a way of drawing them out from where they hide,¡± he said as the atmosphere in the room turned chilly and suffocating. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Not even Mildred, the other Class III among them, could hide her discomfort. But the atmosphere immediately returned to normal, with the Director acting as if nothing had happened at all. ¡°But you won¡¯t have to worry about that for some time. You¡¯ll all know when the time comes. That should be everything for this discussion.¡± Mildred raised her voice. ¡°Wait! Since Lucas is now a Class III, aren¡¯t you going to give him another Blink and Mist, and five Upgrade Stones for his Primal too?¡± Ah, Mildred, you¡¯re a hero, but even Lucas understood that would be impossible. The Director quipped, ¡°I¡¯m not going to go through the arduous paperwork of explaining to the League why I¡¯m using SPECTRA¡¯s budget to acquire military-grade spells. It¡¯s impossible at the moment with all the potential complications it could result to. It¡¯s best to avoid the League asking more questions than necessary. But¨C¨C he gets a raise.¡± Mildred clicked her tongue. ¡°As if that¡¯s enough,¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°80K of annual pay? I swear to God, we need a union.¡± The Director shrugged. ¡°Good luck with that.¡± Mildred shifted her attention to Mrs. Livia this time. ¡°How about you, Master Livia? You¡¯re a Circle III, can you really not just make him some?¡± Mrs. Livia looked appalled. ¡°Just make some? I do not have the knowledge nor the resources to create those. The ones you¡¯ve all been provided was imported, and even acquiring those took a lot of effort in part of the League. What you¡¯re asking me to do is to summon two nukes out of thin air. Well, maybe not that bad, but you get the gist of it.¡± Mildred rolled her eyes. ¡°Geez. It was a joke!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mildred. I¡¯ll find a way,¡± said Lucas as he tossed Mildred a wrapped lollipop. Strawberry. She likes those. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re not allowed to accept missions outside SPECTRA anyway.¡± It¡¯s actually one of their privileges. SPECTRAs can accept missions at the Awakened Society outside of work hours. And they have the special privilege of being able to hide their identities. It¡¯s become this way because of a past incident when an agent was forced to use his full powers to save his party from a complete wipeout. But this resulted in that agent¡¯s family getting killed by those who held grudges against him. But with all their privileges, comes with a cost, such as SPECTRA being aware of an agent¡¯s every movement. There¡¯s a reason why the agency is so strict that they would resort to as far as destroying an agent¡¯s soul core if they betray the League. *** After some more discussion concerning the logistics of Hummingbird¡¯s mission, everyone stood up, just bidding Lucas farewell and promising to meet up later on. When they left, only Lucas and the Director remained. As Lucas sat still on the couch, he wondered why he himself didn¡¯t leave yet. Was there something else he wanted to tell the Director? Thankfully, the Director didn¡¯t seem to mind, satisfied with working in the silence; the room filled with only but the scribbling of his pen. After a long while, Lucas finally spoke. ¡°Director. Actually, what happened wa¨C¨C¡± The Director cut him off. ¡°You seek punishment, but punishment is for the guilty,¡± he said. ¡°What are you guilty of?¡± ¡°I. I¡­ uh¡­,¡± Lucas stuttered. He¡¯s guilty of a lot. It was wrong when he abandoned his team for his family. He¡¯s supposed to prioritize SPECTRA above all else for the sake of everyone. But he didn¡¯t. Then again, he knew he would do the same thing even if he knew what the outcome would be ¨C failure. ¡°Actions have consequences. But you received none of it,¡± said the Director as he stood up and placed some paperwork on a cabinet. ¡°So you are finding a way to punish yourself. To kill yourself. That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t retreat, no?¡± Those words silenced Lucas as he tried to piece together the puzzle of the conflicting emotions within him. They boiled, turning his stomach and burning his throat. But, why? Why did he feel so guilty? He should feel relieved that he got off without any punishment at all, and that the rest of his team understood his decisions. But that made that feeling of guilt even worse. ¡°You¡¯ve already been assigned a counsellor, if that¡¯s what you seek.¡± Lucas shook his head. ¡°¡­No. That wouldn¡¯t be necessary,¡± he said. ¡°Well, you¡¯re required to do so. At least once every two weeks.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Lucas said. ¡°But it¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°That?¡± Lucas fell silent. He didn¡¯t know nor did he understand what he wanted to say. What to express. He didn¡¯t know how to articulate what he felt. But he felt as if the Director sensed this. And perhaps it was because of that feeling that Lucas remained in the office, even if he truly didn¡¯t understand why. The Director slammed shut a cabinet, putting Lucas out of his reverie. ¡°Did you know? There is a punishment worse than anything men could ever come up with. A prison. Do you know what that is?¡± Lucas silently shook his head. ¡°Guilt, Lucas. It will slowly eat you up,¡± the Director replied. ¡°So if you seek solace, I can provide you none of it. Only you can search for a way out.¡± ¡°¡­Did you ever break free of it?¡± The Director remained standing for a while at the question, only staring at a parchment of paper, but his back was facing Lucas, hiding whatever expression he may have had on his face. ¡°No,¡± he said, before going back to his seat to work some more. ¡°You just have to live with it.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Do you know why SPECTRA exists, Lucas?¡± Lucas sensed it was rhetorical, so he did not respond. ¡°If we are merely but a collection of the finest Awakened in the League, then our role is redundant. No, we exist to hunt the deeper scourge that gnaws at our society¨C¨C humanity itself. While some see us, the Awakened, as mere tools; discarded when we lose ourselves to the whispers of the aether. The same is true for the other side of the coin. There are those among us who see the non-Awakened as lesser forms of life, taking perverse pleasure in their slaughter, intoxicated by the power they wield. And there are Awakened, too, who have lost themselves entirely, consumed by madness and twisted by the aether into something far more sinister from who they once were. Our duty, Lucas, is to hunt them down. We are tasked to kill our fellow men for something as mundane as preventing a societal collapse. We exist to kill the Awakened. After all, what is the point of fighting the Ashen, striving for a brighter future and the promise of peace, if within our ranks lie those who corrupt and decay humanity from within? ¡­That includes Muriel.¡± After a very long while of silence amid the same old, but ironically calming scribbling of a pen, Lucas nodded and stood up to face the door. ¡°Thank you, Director.¡± ¡°Lucas.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°We are killers, yes. But if you think yourself a monster, understand that only good people feel guilty when they caused no harm to others. And only monsters could find grand justifications to kill others.¡± Lucas closed his eyes at that; those words not giving him any comfort at all. *** Two years later. Friday. March 18, 2349. 5:53 AM¡­ Capital city of the League ¨C the Dominion of Noah. Lucas walked between rows upon rows of gravestones basking in crimson under the rising sun. A cemetery, where the chirping and fluttering birds sing an endless song of tribute to the fallen. Two years passed by quickly. But really. Nothing much of great importance occurred. After all, he¡¯s not living in a movie, where he could rush right to revenge when a tragedy occurs. He¡¯s not that special. He¡¯s not a protagonist. So, all he could do was improve. And wait. He became known as Avernus, a newly minted Named Mask. That means a lot of questions from the public. They asked about his Black Fire, which looked like the stacking of two Elemental Auras¨C¨C which is true. Only that, as far as everyone is aware, this is impossible. But SPECTRA¡¯s official explanation didn¡¯t stray much from the truth. It¡¯s just that instead of Aura Stacking, Avernus has a shadow spell that allows him to infuse the Shadow element into his Fire Aura. Thankfully, the public accepted this explanation. Not that SPECTRA was worried about the public, because only the Director and the Hummingbird Unit knew about the truth. No, the Director was more worried about what the other five nations may do, and what the League itself may do. Anyway, as for the Order of Lewisia, they indeed, have been quiet for a while. Minimal activities. Almost nothing at all. When they did show up, it was a hit and a run. So, most of his activities didn¡¯t change much from what he did when he was 37. He still trained and completed missions. Perhaps the only thing that changed was that, as a Named, he was able to travel abroad to help with some national and international co-operative missions. From his exploits, he¡¯d even gained quite a fanbase. But that¡¯s normal for Class IIIs, SPECTRA or not. They¡¯re like celebrities. After all, among the approximately 400,000 Awakened in the world, there are only less than 4,000 Class IIIs in existence. Meanwhile, for the Hummingbird Unit, the last time he heard a few months ago, they were abroad in Europa at the Holy Athuran Empire. Apparently, they found a lead related to Godframe Hades. Ah, it¡¯s been a while since he¡¯s seen them. ¡°There it is,¡± he said. It didn¡¯t take him long to reach his destination, before three gravestones. Alana Hale. A loving mother. Micah Hale. A loving brother. Adrian Hale. A loving father. Lucas smiled as he knelt. Upon the broken framed photograph against Micah¡¯s gravestone, did his eyes linger for a moment. It was the only surviving item from their house. The other half of it was burned, with only the face of him and his mother he could see. While so, he remembered that day. They were at the park, and he thought the image, frozen in time, would forever be with him. Alas. Nothing lasts forever. Lucas traced his fingers over the edges of the photograph. As he looked at it for one last time, tears once more threatened to fall. But, even if he so wished to force it, he had no more tears to cry. He let go of the photograph, allowing it to fall upon the ground, before gazing at the sky. He closed his eyes, the breeze caressing his cheek, imagining as if it were his mother¡¯s touch. *** On his way to the exit, he stopped on his tracks, feeling as if he¡¯s being observed. But nobody was around, except for a woman in the distance, holding back her tears as she knelt before a gravestone. Weird, he thought, until he heard a familiar voice. ¡°A world where mothers outlive their own children, fated to forever grieve.¡± Lucas looked at the direction of the voice. There stood a beautiful woman donning a navy suit and a black overcoat. She had a long red hair. It was Mrs. Livia. She was looking at the woman. As always, I didn¡¯t even notice her, thought Lucas. ¡°Do you know her?¡± he asked. ¡°Walk with me,¡± she said as they began to walk to the exit gate. ¡°But yes. Her son was an Awakened who perished two years ago.¡± Lucas spared the woman a final glance as they left the vicinity. ¡°It¡¯s funny, isn¡¯t it? A world where children has become soldiers in a war they should not even be a part of. A world wherein safety can never be assured, and a world where even the supposed places of safety... are not safe at all.¡± Lucas has always found it odd that Mrs. Livia was not a fan of children fighting the Ashen. For the last 300 years, since the coming of the Ashen, that has been the status quo. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mrs. Livia. How have you been?¡± asked Lucas, changing the subject. ¡°I¡¯ve been well. Thank you,¡± Mrs. Livia smiled. ¡°Anyway, what level are you now?¡± ¡°Levelled up only twice. So, only 53,¡± said Lucas, bummed out about the fact as he also recalled Hades¡¯ final words to him: This is just the beginning. To truly unravel the mysteries of the Almar, you must rise and grow. When the time comes, we will speak again. But¡­ perhaps, to rush is not so bad. After all, evil does not wait. He didn¡¯t know why, but this urge that he needed to hurry up never disappeared. ¡°Don¡¯t look too disappointed. To level up twice in two years is still a very fast progress even for a Prime,¡± Mrs. Livia said. That¡¯s true. There¡¯s a reason there are only about 4,000 Awakened in the world who are Class III and above. It takes an insane amount of time to level up just by absorbing the aether in the surroundings, or by using only aether stones. There¡¯s a cooldown when someone uses aether stones. The best way to level up is still to absorb an aether core. Just one Aether Core I can level up a Class I several times, and there is no cooldown between the uses. But¡­ ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that we can only absorb the aether core of an Ashen of a corresponding level or above,¡± Lucas said, trying to make small talk. He can¡¯t grind levels by slaying Grade I or Grade II Ashen, because Class IIIs can only absorb aether cores that are also Grade III or higher. Not that there are a lack of Grade IIIs. They¡¯re just too risky to take on solo even for Lucas, and there are about 700 Class IIIs in the League competing to kill them. Even if he manages to kill one, there¡¯s only a 50% chance they would even drop a core, and the party who killed an Ashen together would have to decide who would take that loot. And aether cores are not always of a good quality too. A Low Aether Core III won¡¯t even level him up, but a Medium quality would. In comparison, a High quality would level him up several times. ¡°The universe always finds a way to find balance,¡± said Mrs. Livia. Lucas sighed. ¡°Right¡­ So. What prompted Master Livia herself to come and find me?¡± ¡°You have a new mission.¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow, wondering why it was supposed to be her telling him this rather than a handler or the Director. ¡°It¡¯s an official mission between the Consortium and SPECTRA. And since it¡¯s a cooperative mission, it is only proper that I tell you of it¨C¨C personally,¡± she said as she halted on her steps, nodding to a man in a black suit who opened the door of a black car waiting beyond the open gate. However, Lucas knew that she could have just emailed him or something. There should be something more for her to deliver the news in-person. ¡°Interesting,¡± said Lucas. ¡°No treason this time?¡± Mrs. Livia chuckled for a moment. ¡°Not this time.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Lewisia infiltrated MY academy. We don¡¯t know who and how many,¡± she said, albeit a bit too casually, as if she wasn¡¯t even bothered by the fact. Lucas frowned.. How could he not? He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the government would be the one to be infiltrated. Hell, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if SPECTRA itself was infiltrated. But an Awakened academy? ¡°Why?¡± Mrs. Livia gestured to the car. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride and we can go get some coffee somewhere.¡± ¡°Your treat?¡± ¡°¡­Sure.¡± ~END OF INTRODUCTORY ARC ~UPCOMING ARC ¨C Noah Awakened Academy 9. Mission Request 9. Mission Request They found themselves in a coffee shop. Lucas watched as Mrs. Livia waved her finger to create a sound barrier. They¡¯re whispering, so normally it wouldn¡¯t be necessary. And looking about, Lucas didn¡¯t sense any Awakened either, who would be able to hear them with their heightened senses. But the wizard had the penchant for being too cautious. Lucas took a sip of his ice vanilla coffee. Yummy. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll need someone to go undercover,¡± realized Lucas. ¡°And you are the perfect candidate. You should be able to blend in as a first year.¡± Lucas considered that statement for some time. Indeed, looking at it from a different perspective, he is the best candidate for the mission because of his age. There aren¡¯t that many Primes his age in the nation. In fact, according to the Director, as of the present, there are only nine Primes ages 5 to 18 throughout the League, including Lucas (15), Cale (15), and Adelia (17). The remaining six are all 13 or under, with four of those Primes being trained by SPECTRA. "But dispatching a Prime for an undercover mission? That seems like an overkill," said Lucas. And a waste of time too, especially when they have better matters to attend to. Just yesterday, Lucas was on an escort mission to help establish a Seed Settlement in the northern part of the continent. "The situation simply calls for it," said the wizard. ¡°I get the idea, but what about our Legacies? Maybe Carl. He''s already turned 15, and should be unlocking his soul core soon. This type of mission would be perfect for him,¡± he said. There are three types of Awakened. The Naturals, the Legacies, and the Primes. Naturals are the most common type of Awakened. Their soul core forms when they turn 15 and they can choose to unlock it. Approximately 90% of the Awakened are Naturals. Legacies, like Primes, also formed their soul cores at birth. But just like the Naturals, they¡¯re only able to unlock it at the age of 15. There are only about 8% Legacies among the Awakened. And as the name implies, Legacies are the offspring of other Awakened. But while a Legacy¡¯s soul core may be locked at birth, thus being unable to use spells, or activate their Aura, they still have the same sensory and physical enhancements equal to an Awakened. They simply can¡¯t level up or use spells¨C¨C unlike Primes. So, often, when a Legacy is born, they are sent to a preparatory Awakened school. Or, if they¡¯re rich, they train in private. But if they¡¯re neither, like if they were orphans for example, they join Awakened groups like the Mexurians¨C¨C a group of Christian warrior-priests. Or. They¡¯re recruited and trained by SPECTRA. In fact, there¡¯s several Legacies that Lucas found to be much more talented than him in practical combat and martial arts, so it¡¯s not that uncommon for them to also participate in low-risk missions. ¡°The stakes are simply too high,¡± simply said Mrs. Livia with a sip of her coffee. "SPECTRA Legacies may be well-trained like Primes, but the fact remains that they still will be level 1. The same is true for Carl, no matter how capable he may be." ¡°Makes sense,¡± he replied as he wondered about one more crucial matter. If Lucas were to go undercover, it¡¯s a given that there should be a handler who will guide the mission. Someone who could provide him objectives to accomplish. The brain of the mission. Thus, someone who also has to go undercover. And handlers are often much more capable and experienced than their agents, just in case the agent go rogue in instance. But who would even fit that criteria? Who¡¯s much more capable and experienced than him? Someone who could deal with him if he, by chance, goes rogue? Not that he would. And since all handlers are Awakened, his handler could possibly be a high-ranking SPECTRA posing perhaps as someone from a higher year. Maybe a fourth year? ¡°Nah¡­ They¡¯d have to be a transfer,¡± he whispered to himself as he placed his elbow on the table, resting his head against his palm. But it¡¯s highly unlikely for SPECTRA to send someone in as a transfer. It¡¯d be too suspicious, he thought. ¡°Sorry?¡± Mrs. Livia asked. ¡°Just wondering about something.¡± ¡°You could just ask me?¡± ¡°Yeah. Who¡¯s going to be my handler anyway?¡± ¡°Cale.¡± ¡°Cale?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been recalled from that mission. He¡¯ll also go undercover¨C¨C in addition to his other various duties.¡± Lucas raised a brow. ¡°Various. Right,¡± he repeated. Well, not that it mattered. He¡¯s more excited to see Cale again more than anything. But. ¡°He¡¯s a Mexurian. People will be closely watching him.¡± ¡°Mexur sends one of their own to join Noah Academy every year, anyway. It won¡¯t be that suspicious.¡± ¡°Does that mean Mexur knows that he¡¯s a Prime?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mexur who sent Cale to train at SPECTRA. He''s never left them.¡± Lucas thought the Mexurians were just warrior priests who so happened to be the Guardians of Godframe Ares, keeping themselves from other worldly affairs. ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re working with Mexur too?¡± ¡°By we, what do you mean?" she asked. "SPECTRA." Mrs. Livia smiled. "I appreciate that you consider me a part of SPECTRA, but I''m not." "You''re practically family," he said, due to the fact that Mrs. Livia is the primary magic instructor for Primes and Legacies in SPECTRA. She laughed. "I''m not going to deny that. But yes, Mexur has always been working with both SPECTRA and the Consortium. They have, what you may call, a symbiotic relationship. Sometimes, Mexur sends people to train at either of the two, providing them some¨C¨C benefit in the short term, then Mexur gains a topnotch Awakened in the long-term." "And is Mexur in on this mission too? Seeing as Cale is also participating?" "Yes. They have their own agenda in the matter for sure, which should be obvious for you to realize," said Mrs. Livia. And Lucas did realize. The World Council assigned the Holy Order of Mexur as the Guardian of Godframe Ares, as they assigned House Hill to be the Guardian of Godframe Hera. ¡°The League. SPECTRA. The Consortium. And now Mexur,¡± Lucas said as he slowly tapped the edge of the table. ¡°Sounds big. Too big that it makes you wonder why they all came together¨C¨C just for an undercover mission,¡± he said. Mrs. Livia just smiled. Mysterious. ¡°Seriously. What¡¯s really happening, Mrs. Livia? Why did Lewisia show up now? What do they want from the Academy?¡± he asked. Not that he''s complaining. He''s been patiently waiting for a showdown against Lewisia. ¡°Since this is an officially-sanctioned mission, I cannot tell you that just yet.¡± Lucas understood, but he still couldn¡¯t help but quip. ¡°Why wait? You could just tell me,¡± he said, despite already knowing the answer. ¡°Secrecy is only necessary to minimize security breach. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll get compromised before the mission even starts and divulge information to the enemy,¡± he said, very confidently so. There are only a few thousand Awakened in the world who can best Avernus. ¡°I would if I could,¡± said Mrs. Livia with a brief pause. ¡°But this is a spiderweb-operation.¡± Lucas widened his eyes. A spiderweb-operation is a type of operation often used by SPECTRA in times of war. This means while agents are not aware of what each others¡¯ tasks may be, their individual missions all connect with each other to achieve the same ultimate goal. There¡¯s a reason it¡¯s called a spiderweb operation. Because just like a spiderweb, even if a thread breaks, it does not necessarily mean the destruction of the web. This means the undercover mission is just but a thread of an even bigger mission¨C¨C the spiderweb. But it¡¯s extremely risky, especially if multiple groups with their own agendas are working to achieve the same thing. It¡¯s impractical, he thought. Not unless¡­ Mrs. Livia must have noticed his surprise when she nodded. ¡°I took the Contract along with the others involved at the top. The Director also did.¡± ¡°¡­Of course,¡± Lucas said. The Contract is a type of wizard-magic that prevents people from committing certain actions. Of course, the real name is actually not the Contract. People just say it that way because that¡¯s what it does ¨C a contract. But it¡¯s expensive to do a Contract. It¡¯s not like wizards can just spout a few words and it will happen. A ceremony needs to occurs which takes a lot of resources and time, so it¡¯s applied only when discretion is required at the very highest level ¨C like a spiderweb-operation. Or worse¡­ a slavery. The punishment for Contract slavery is death. However, finding out who is a slave can be very challenging because the Contract compels them not to divulge to others that they are a slave. Mrs. Livia spoke, breaking the strings of Lucas¡¯ thoughts. ¡°Many people are involved, and it¡¯s because of that, that details are on a need-to-know basis,¡± said the wizard. ¡°You know how it goes, Lucas. Protocol. Confidentiality clause. Red tape. People not trusting each other. So, you¡¯ll have the full details after the orientation. This applies to all the missions under the operation, including yours. We can¡¯t give special treatment to anyone. We¡¯re all professionals here.¡± Lucas groaned and just took a sip of his drink. ¡°I sense your impatience, but there is reason for regulations, Lucas. To operate simply through the conjectures of trust is us begging for failure.¡± ¡°Yeah. I know,¡± Lucas nodded. He understood it¡¯s not about him. There are just too many things that could complicate a mission. So, limiting information is crucial to minimize security breach and reduce the risk of exposure, especially when multiple agents and people are involved. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. And those are just at the very basic level. That urgency weighed on each regulation are multiplied during a spiderweb operation and when a Contract is involved. ¡°This is too complicated. Why would the Director risk working with other people with their own agenda?¡± ¡°I say¡­ just trust him.¡± ¡°Right¡­ So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± "Don¡¯t draw attention to yourself during the orientation. The Order will be on high alert and are expecting the League to send agents in. So make sure not to stand out. Once you¡¯re in, you¡¯ll be provided the full details.¡± ¡°And once the classes begin?¡± ¡°You find the rats.¡± ¡°To find out what they¡¯re looking for?¡± Mrs. Livia shook her head. ¡°No. You just find who is with the Order.¡± Odd, Lucas thought, but he just needed to do what he¡¯s ordered to do. He can figure things out later on. ¡°Is that everything?¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more. Consider it as a side-quest. It¡¯s akin to, as the Director is so fond to say¨C¨C killing two birds with one stone,¡± she said as she clicked her wristwatch to activate her hologram, revealing a freckled orange-haired girl with green eyes ¨C Aoife Manners. ¡°A-wi¡ªfe?¡± asked Lucas. ¡°Ee-fuh,¡± corrected Mrs. Livia. ¡°Sure. What about her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the youngest daughter of Brandon Manners, the Secretary of Defense.¡± Manners? That¡¯s Ian¡¯s Bloodline. Is she a Bloodliner? thought Lucas as he studied the girl¡¯s profile. Bloodliner. A sub-type of a Legacy almost as rare as a Prime. Bloodliners have unique qualities that gives them certain advantages called Bloodline Traits. They can be spells, mutations, or both. Those who can produce Bloodliners are called Bloodline Families¨C¨C like the Manners. But to inherit a Trait is rare. So, often, those who inherit their bloodline¡¯s Trait are viewed in such a high regard in both their families¡¯ and in society. In the case of the Manners family, their trait is quite powerful ¨C the Mark of the Black Dragon. But of all their four active Legacies, only two are Bloodliners. One is Defense Secretary Brandon Manners. And the other one would be Ian Manners, a Class III Awakened. Lucas worked with Ian multiple times in the past. (The Awakened works with each other quite a lot, especially those at the upper ranks, because there¡¯s not lot of them.) Lucas remembered talking to Ian after they completed a Grade III Expedition-type mission. ¡°Hey Avernus. Everyone¡¯s talking about your stuff,¡± said Ian as he wiped the blood on his blade, the bonfire¡¯s light flickering across those silver, slitted eyes. Their 12-man party just took down a horde of Grade I and IIs, and even a couple of Grade III Ashen. ¡°Stuff?¡± ¡°Yeah. The thing you do when you like¡­ infuse your Aura with your secondary Aspect?¡± ¡°Oh. Right. That one.¡± ¡°Yeah. Is that actually a Bloodline?¡± ¡°A Bloodline?¡± asked Avernus. ¡°Yeah. Like my Black Dragon,¡± said Ian, raising an eyebrow as he set his blade aside and lifted his right hand. Avernus watched as black scales slowly spread across his arm. Those scales are harder and much more durable than a Combat Frame ¨C the exosuits that Framers use. And even if the System can¡¯t quantify how durable Ian¡¯s black scales would be in binaries, one could estimate using Frames as a base, which are roughly equivalent to 3,000 Shield in durability. Ian laughed. ¡°Hey, you may have a mask, but I can tell you¡¯re staring too much,¡± he said. ¡°Sure, these scales are cool and all. But your bloodline is kind of way more OP? I mean, stacking your two Auras? That¡¯s just crazy!¡± Avernus smiled behind his mask. ¡°Damn. You actually figured it out.¡± "Seriously? That¡¯s crazy!" SPECTRA created a tier of information access to Avernus. The first being the explanation behind his Black Fire. The second tier, those with a higher security access like members of the congress, would know that his spell is a Bloodline Trait ¨C the Mark of the Chimera. Meanwhile, someone with even higher access, such as the president and top bureaucrats, would be fooled into thinking that he belongs to the Griffiths Bloodline Family. The family to whom the Mark of the Chimera belongs to. A high access info also indicate that the Griffiths produced its last Bloodliner over 100 years ago. According to the false information, SPECTRA suspects that the Griffiths did produce multiple Bloodliners over the years, but their Bloodliners may have only had one Aspect, or that their Aspects may be incompatible ¨C ultimately making their Bloodline Trait useless. And it¡¯s because of this that they managed to slip under the radar, until Avernus, of course, who has two compatible Elemental Aspects. But these are all just false classified background for the overly curious and the privy, to hide the truth about the Mark of Hades. ...And for the Director to find out those responsible for the Chicago Ruins incident. Ian broke his thoughts. ¡°Hey Avernus. You there?" "...Yeah, sorry. What was that?" "Your family. Was asking what family you''re from.¡± Avernus only responded with a light laugh. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you tell no one,¡± he said. He didn¡¯t feel the need to explain about the non-existent Griffiths Bloodline. Ian smirked and made a zipping gesture before his lips. ¡°Right. SPECTRA. Don¡¯t worry. Ian quiet!¡± Mrs. Livia cleared her throat. ¡°¡­What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Ian.¡± ¡°Ah. He¡¯s a Bloodliner, no?¡± Lucas looked back to Mrs. Livia. ¡°Yep. So, is Aoife a Bloodliner too?¡± Mrs. Livia shook her head. ¡°No. She¡¯s not even a Manners Legacy. Just a Natural. See her eyes?¡± ¡°Oh, right, her pupils. They¡¯re not vertical,¡± said Lucas as he looked back at Aoife¡¯s profile. Even if Bloodliners haven''t awakened yet, they should still retain their physical mutations if they have any. But that''s not the case for Aoife. ¡°So? What about her again?¡± asked Lucas, even though he already had an idea where this was going. ¡°She¡¯s enrolling at Noah. It¡¯s not an official mission. But, I was hoping you could protect and look after her.¡± So, that¡¯s why she¡¯s personally here? For this one? Lucas thought. ¡°Why? Because of the Order?¡± ¡°There¡¯s that possibility, yes,¡± said Mrs. Livia. ¡°The Order may use her as a hostage.¡± ¡°Did her father piss them off or something?¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°How come? He wasn¡¯t the Defense Secretary only until a few years back, no?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. But during the war twelve years ago, his eldest child was slain by Lewisia, and he never stopped looking for them ever since ¨C to root them out ¨C to kill them all. So, when Lewisia showed up again two years ago, Brandon was among those who heeded Muriel¡¯s warning to evacuate St. John. He never believed the White Sovereign died, nor did he believe the League actually destroyed the Order.¡± ¡°But he was outvoted.¡± ¡°Yes. Aside from that, he¡¯s also made many enemies due to his career and position. So there will be those who will try to kill Aoife just for being Brandon¡¯s daughter.¡± Damn. Politics is a shit-show as Cale always said, Lucas thought. ¡°And he¡¯s still sending her to an Awakened academy to die?¡± ¡°You make it sound like my academy is a graveyard,¡± Mrs. Livia said, her voice with an upward lilt, as if she just suffered a great offense. ¡°No offense, but is it not?¡± Lucas laughed. ¡°Jesus¡­ no,¡± she said before pausing, and Lucas noticed a shadow briefly cast over her features. ¡°¡­But. I¡¯m not going to say you¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°Oh? What in particular?¡± ¡°About Brandon sending her daughter to die.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You have to understand how the Manners family functions to answer that,¡± she said. ¡°Shoot. I¡¯ve got nothing to do anyway.¡± Mrs. Livia nodded, explaining that the Manners family¡¯s Black Dragon bloodline also allows them to produce more Awakened than the norm, even when compared to other bloodlines. They even have four Legacies within just a few generations, with two being Bloodliners themselves. ¡°On the other hand, other Bloodlines only have one,¡± Mrs. Livia continued. She said most Bloodlines produce only one Bloodliner once in every few generations. ¡°It¡¯s because of this advantage, that the Manners family see strength above all else.¡± ¡°¡­Okay?¡± ¡°So, when Aoife did not form a soul core a birth, she was shunned by her own family,¡± continued Mrs. Livia. Lucas blinked. Shunned because she wasn¡¯t an Awakened? Isn¡¯t that the common outcome? Why should a Bloodline family expect they¡¯re the exception? Bloodline Families are not immune to the Balance. Or the fact that ultimately, whether it be Naturals, Legacies, or Primes, only 0.01% of the human population can become Awakened. And being a Legacy, a Bloodline, or a Prime is just an unearned privilege. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± he said with a scoff. ¡°Did they forget about the Balance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to explain the arrogance of men, Lucas. Sometimes there¡¯s just no logical explanation to something, or a justification behind an action, except for one¡¯s own hubris or greed.¡± ¡°So, the Manners are assholes. Although Ian didn¡¯t seem to be one,¡± Lucas said with a shrug. ¡°Anyway. What happened next?¡± ¡°When Aoife solidified her soul core a few months ago and revealed herself to be a Natural, that¡¯s when Brandon saw fit to cultivate her into an Awakened worthy the name of Manners ¨C even if she may not be a Legacy or did not inherit the Manners¡¯ bloodline Traits. It¡¯s a play to increase the status of their family.¡± Lucas looked out of the coffee shop as if there was something to see, aside from the heavy traffic and two cars that just bumped into each other. Oh, and they''re fighting. And... damn, that must have hurt. The old guy just knocked out the other guy. Lucas looked back at Mrs. Livia. ¡°Which means, if there¡¯s a play, others would also have a counterplay to prevent it from happening. Like the rivals of the Manners who will try their best to stop Brandon by harming Aoife.¡± ¡°Precisely. Such as the Locksmith family.¡± ¡°The Locksmith family. Of course. And this Brandon guy sees this is as a trial for his own daughter. If she cannot survive enemies from all directions, then she does not deserve the name of Manners?¡± He sighed as he closed his eyes. ¡°Not that I¡¯m one to talk, but that¡¯s just messed up.¡± Mrs. Livia sipped from her cup. ¡°It is an unnecessary development, indeed. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to protect her,¡± she said. ¡°So, no other reason to protect her at all, like her becoming a powerful weapon in the future, or protecting her to get the favour of the Secretary General?¡± Lucas smirked, flashing one eye open. Mrs. Livia, like the Director, is terrifying because they will do anything to achieve their goals ¨C no matter how noble those goals may be. And he wouldn¡¯t want them as his enemies. But what could be her true goal? ¡°You¡¯ve been busy with your movies, but there is nothing of the sort,¡± Mrs. Livia scoffed with a smile. ¡°Ha¡­ You seem fond of her. Or you wouldn¡¯t give her special treatment. Why?¡± ¡°It is not fondness, but pity. She¡¯s a girl with such a heavy weight on her shoulders just because she¡¯s a Manners. And whether she likes it or not, she¡¯s already part of this¨C¨C whole ordeal. A pawn to politics. The least we could do is ensure she doesn¡¯t die until she¡¯s strong enough to protect herself,¡± said Mrs. Livia. ¡°The Academy isn¡¯t a place for wanton murder and politics, but a place of development and learning. And if she were to become a student, that applies to her as well¡­ I¡¯d do the same if other students were in the same position.¡± Lucas just tilted his head, not knowing if he should agree or not. Awakened academies, like SPECTRA¡¯s Prime training facility, are institutions to train children how to kill. So, it¡¯s a bit hypocritical to operate under the idea of protecting them. But I suppose it¡¯s also hypocritical of me to think of it that way, thought Lucas. As a Prime, they needed to complete missions to level up, but SPECTRA did make sure they didn¡¯t die. Eh. Whatever, he thought. ¡°I sense your doubt, Lucas," said Mrs. Livia. "I said nothing." She sighed. "Listen¡­" "I am," he said, raising a brow. "Our society functions similar to a transaction. A give or take relationship, a contract, or as we glorify it ¨C a cooperation. The Awakened are sent to their deaths to protect society, and it is the duty of society to provide them the highest quality of training to best arm them the necessities to survive and do their duties. And to use the Awakened as mere tools for ambition or to raise one¡¯s standing in society? Wouldn¡¯t that mean that we, as the society, have failed in our responsibility? And failure of responsibility means the ceasing of a cooperative relationship. It turns a relationship into that of a master and his slave.¡± Lucas hummed when he found himself actually listening to the wizard¡¯s monologue. He may act like he doesn¡¯t care. But, what she said actually made sense to him. ¡°I understand. But you¡¯re more sentimental than I give you credit for, Mrs. Livia,¡± he said. ¡°Perhaps I am growing too old,¡± whispered the wizard. Lucas shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s going to complicate the main mission, for sure. But you and the Director have given me a lot. It¡¯s the least I can do to repay all that.¡± Mrs. Livia smiled. ¡°Thank you. Of course, the priority is still the main mission. So, just do your best to protect her. I can only wish there¡¯s something I could do for you in return.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already given me plenty,¡± he said as he leaned back against his chair. ¡°Speaking of. The new semester begins next month, right? Should be plenty of time to prepare.¡± ¡°Mhm. That¡¯s right. But you¡¯re awfully confident, aren¡¯t you? It makes me wonder if you truly understand the gravity of the mission. There¡¯s a possibility that a teacher or maybe even multiple teachers¨C¨C are with the Order,¡± she said before humming. ¡°And you may have to face them.¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not fond of the idea too. They¡¯re all Class IIIs, right? You don''t trust them?¡± ¡°It''s not that. But if there''s someone I can really trust, that would be Zoren.¡± ¡°Trust? Sure. But as much as I appreciate your thoughts and advice. With all due respect, that¡¯s a dangerous thought, Mrs. Livia,¡± said Lucas. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to sway you.¡± ¡°I know. But other than that, you seem awfully unconfident of the very people you work with.¡± Mrs. Livia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust the faculty. But Lewisia has ways to dig its claws deep within someone¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Give someone a reward big enough to outweigh the risks.¡± Mrs. Livia let out an extremely rare dejected sigh. ¡°Or blackmail.¡± Lucas bit the side of his lip. ¡°Still not really sure I¡¯m fond of the idea of fighting someone forced to betray the League.¡± Nor is he comfortable with the idea of fighting Class IIIs at a much higher level. Because in the end, while he could fight multiple Class IIIs at his level, it would be troublesome to fight any of the Academy¡¯s professors who must already be in the mid Level-60s or even low Level-70s. Not that he would lose, but even if he won, he probably would suffer a grievous wound which would take months, or even years to heal. Mrs. Livia broke his thoughts. ¡°If it comes down to it, what are you going to do?¡± Lucas¡¯ features darkened as he looked at his palm. ¡°Soul Core Absorption¡­¡± Mrs. Livia¡¯ face became incredibly serious. She previously cautioned him about the spell, spouting something about morality. But while the wizard said nothing at the moment, Lucas found the need to justify himself. ¡°The laws of men judge whether the life of someone should be snuffed or not. And I have been called upon by those laws as its executioner,¡± he said. ¡°Your own words, Mrs. Livia.¡± She did not respond. Lucas continued. ¡°Call me a hypocrite. But I¡¯d rather see an Awakened permanently crippled than killing them,¡± he said, although he wasn¡¯t utterly convinced by his own statement. ¡°¡­Even if losing our soul core is worse than death.¡± ¡°And you consider yourself fit to deliver that punishment?¡± Lucas narrowed his eyes to a slit, refusing to answer the wizard¡¯s question. 10. Talus 10. Talus About a month later at the Manners Estate. Saturday. April 11, 2349. 6:07 AM¡­ Capital city of the League ¨C the Dominion of Noah. Two days before the Noah Academy orientation. Aoife¡¯s blade sang through the crisp morning air, whistling a sharp tune. She moved her feet like she was dancing, purposely finding a position that would break her balance, but would still not affect the precision of her blade. The training yard behind the Manners estate was her sanctuary, somewhere where she could channel her frustrations and not think. Somewhere to be. Just to be. Sweat trickled down her brow, but she didn¡¯t dare pause to wipe it away. She rotated in mid-air before striking her blade with a shout, but her blade loosened and dropped to the ground. She knelt as she caught her breath. How does she do it?! Aoife thought. Her cousin and best friend, Fia, can use her blade even when she¡¯s out of balance. Do you know how hard it is to do that? But speaking of the devil¡­ ¡°Aoife! What the hell?¡± a familiar voice called out. ¡°You¡¯re going to hurt yourself.¡± Aoife turned to see Fia leaning against the wooden fence, the blunt end of her sword resting casually against her shoulder. Fia, a Manners Legacy, had always been a golden child, so swift with both guns or blades. A prodigy. An epitome of what the Manners family valued most ¨C strength. She hated her when they were young. She was jealous. But Fia never stopped trying to be her friend. She¡¯s just so goddamn adorable that Aoife¡¯s unjustified hate for her vanished. Fia became her best friend. ¡°Heya!¡± Aoife grinned with a nod, before picking up her fallen sword as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Heya, my butt. It¡¯s time for breakfast,¡± Fia said with a sigh as she walked toward Aoife, briefly closing her silver eyes to emphasize the sigh. Aoife rolled her eyes. ¡°Okay, mom¡­¡± ¡°But seriously, you¡¯re already the best in our age group. Only next to me, of course!¡± Fia managed to let out a grin in between her words, before her voice softened once more. ¡°But if you keep this up, you¡¯ll wear yourself out before the Academy even starts.¡± Aoife sheathed her sword and took a deep breath. ¡°I just¡­¡± she said but stopped. ¡°What?¡± Aoife gritted her teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Fia. I hate being weak,¡± she said, although she did not quite like how that came out. It¡¯s like she¡¯s being too dramatic. ¡°Weak? You mean Finn?¡± Fia¡¯s expression softened as she placed a hand on Aoife¡¯s shoulder¨C¨C before gripping it tight that Aoife almost squealed in pain. ¡°He¡¯s just jealous! So, don¡¯t say that. Even if you are, fuck the family. You have nothing to prove. Especially to that cunt,¡± said Fia with a growl, obviously referring to Aoife¡¯s father. Aoife smiled, appreciating the gesture. Fia had always been there for her, even when the rest of the family dismissed her as a disappointment. ¡°They¡¯ll hear you.¡± ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t think they did. So, why don¡¯t I¨C¨C yell louder?¡± Fia took a deep breathe, charging her special technique¨C¨C ULTRA SHOUT! Aoife giggled and stopped her. ¡°Hey! Stop! I get it already!¡± she said before letting out a smile. ¡°But seriously, thanks. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do without you.¡± ¡°Work yourself to death?¡± Fia replied with her usual grin. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take a break, fast. See what I did there? Break. Fast!¡± she said before breaking out in a bout of laughter. It took her a while to calm down. ¡°¡­How high are you?¡± said Aoife with a sigh. ¡°Good, thanks!¡± ¡°God, I can¡¯t with you.¡± After they sat on a picnic blanket, Fia handed Aoife her favourite sandwich. Tuna. They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments. ¡°So,¡± Fia said between bites, ¡°Nervous?¡± Aoife shrugged. ¡°A bit. But, I mean, it¡¯s not like I have a choice anyway.¡± Fia nodded. ¡°I still don¡¯t like your father sending you off like this. Besides, I¡¯ve been hearing rumours.¡± Aoife chuckled. ¡°Anything juicy?¡± Fia did not share her chuckle. Instead, her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s going to be more Bloodliners than usual this year.¡± ¡°First years?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re probably familiar with some of them.¡± ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°That Niall kid,¡± said Fia with a click of her tongue. ¡°Niall Locksmith?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Is he that bad?¡± Fia paused. ¡°I mean¡­ I don¡¯t know? I just heard stuff.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover!¡± Fia played with her earring as she averted her eyes. ¡°I meeean~¡± ¡°Oh, just stop. We¡¯ll see.¡± Fia sighed. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Aoife. Too kind for your own good. But speaking of Bloodliners. Ever heard of the Twin Beasts?¡± Aoife raised an eyebrow. She did. The Twin Beasts is a duo of elusive Bloodliners who¡¯s apparently been at the frontlines and have slain numerous Ashen¨C¨C even if they haven¡¯t unlock their soul cores yet. It¡¯s quite odd, because Bloodliners are normally kept away from danger until they turn 15. So, the Twin Beasts are quite famous in the younger generation, but no one has ever actually seen them, aside from the adults talking about them. Apparently, for the Twin Beasts, the battlefield is their training ground. ¡°Are you saying they¡¯re enrolling too? No way! Someone as talented as them would have been recruited by SPECTRA! ¡­Or any prestigious Awakened groups, really,¡± said Aoife. ¡°I mean. Yeah, there¡¯s some rumours that apparently they¡¯re already with SPECTRA. But who knows. They might not even be real.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯re not real?¡± ¡°Dad said they¡¯re real. But I think that maybe some stories about them are just a bit exaggerated, you know?¡± said Fia. ¡°Like how they apparently slew a Grade II Coal by themselves. Like seriously? They haven¡¯t even awakened yet, so how is that even possible? ¡°Yeah I guess. But I mean, even so, if we¡¯ve got some really talented kids our age, that¡¯s a good thing, right? So, what are you worried about?¡± Fia frowned. ¡°No. I¡¯m not worried about that.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong? Sometimes I really can¡¯t follow your train of thoughts. You¡¯re saying one thing, but thinking of another. It¡¯s annoying!¡± ¡°¡­Dad said that the Order of Lewisia infiltrated the academy.¡± Aoife¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But whatever it is¨C¨C¡± said Fia before shaking her head. ¡°What is it?¡± Aoife asked, not liking Fia¡¯s display. ¡°Forget about it. Let¡¯s get back to training,¡± she said, offering a hand to Fia. ¡°God! You always do that!¡± ¡°HEADS UP! RAISE YOUR BLADE!¡± ¡°WAIT!¡± *** City of Noah. Chocofee Shop. Sunday, April 10, 2349. 6:49 p.m. One day before the Noah Awakened Academy orientation¡­ Aoife tapped the edge of the table repeatedly as she sat at the red, leather bench sipping her chocolate drink. Fia was on the other side of the corner table. It was cozy and warm, the smell of fresh coffee and baked pastries wafting through the air. Gentle chatter and the clinking of coffee cups created a music of its own, a chorus with the usual coffee shop music being played. Coffee shop music, they always give off that same calming feeling, even if their melodies are different ¨C enough to calm that gnawing anxiety deep in Aoife¡¯s chest. When she looked out through the fogged window facing a street outside, the April rain poured against the sun already setting low. She saw a couple holding hands walk by, the mother holding an umbrella, while the father laughed as he pushed their baby¡¯s cart with his free hand. How peaceful. Her grandfather always told her, that humanity has a knack of finding happiness within even the bleakest of days. Bleak. He loved to use that word. One of his catchphrases. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. But despite the serenity, her friend Fia couldn¡¯t help but sigh in exhaustion. Aoife chuckled. Fia has been helping her shop all day in preparation for the Academy. She must be exhausted. Verily so. But they still have a next stop. The talus shop. All Awakened needs a talus to use magic. While they could have gone there first, the discount rate will only apply from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., for some reason. ¡°Tired already, Fia?¡± she asked. ¡°Eehhh¡­¡± Fia sighed as she gently placed her hamburger down, before also looking outside. Aoife raised a brow. ¡°There you go again. Look alive. Is something wrong?¡± Fia is already level 12, a couple of levels higher than the average new second-year. She¡¯s very strong! Confident! So, it¡¯s not often that she sees her friend be seemingly worried about something. And she seems to have been worried a lot since yesterday. ¡°I just can¡¯t shake off the feeling that something dark is brooding.¡± ¡°Brooding? Poetic.¡± Aoife smiled. ¡°How come?¡± ¡°Remember what I told you yesterday? About Lewisia? We¡¯re talking about the White Sovereign here. You¡¯d think the Academy will take care of it first before opening up.¡± ¡°I mean, that wouldn¡¯t make sense. Sure, she¡¯s a Calamity-grade and a Sovereign too, but I doubt she¡¯d dare risk attack the Academy,¡± Aoife said. ¡°People are on high alert, and we still have Godframe Hera.¡± ¡°¡­Sure. You¡¯re right.¡± Aoife pursed her lips. Normally, Fia would argue back. But she¡¯s not? For some reason, that rubbed Aoife wrong. ¡±Fia. Seriously. I think you¡¯re worrying too much.¡± Fia glared, but not at Aoife. ¡°The White Sovereign killed the Bearer of Ares, the War Sovereign. He was our strongest Awakened. Who knows what Muriel is capable of doing?¡± Aoife tried to come up with a rebuttal. But Fia¡¯s right. While it will take a long time for the White Sovereign to recover after her battle with Beral, her Order of Lewisia is unpredictable. They even tried assassinating Aoife¡¯s father one year ago. But eventually, Aoife did find her rebuttal. ¡°But you have to remember that she only managed to do that because of the Summoners. She also baited Beral. She made sure he was weakened after killing Argus,¡± Aoife argued. Perhaps it¡¯s because she¡¯s actually scared that she¡¯s even arguing in the first place. ¡°And if there¡¯s somebody as cunning, or even more cunning than the White Sovereign, that would be Lady Livia herself.¡± While Aoife tried to hide it, Lady Livia has always been an inspiration to her. ¡°Geeze. You¡¯re such a fan. Let¡¯s change the topic.¡± Aoife pouted. ¡°Can you cut it out? You always do that. Say something then change the subject.¡± Fia chuckled. ¡°Right. But I mean. I¡¯ve always been wondering. Why did you choose to become an Awakened anyway? It¡¯s not a pretty¡­ occupation. And don''t give me that crap about your father. You know my dad would have supported you if you chose not to awaken.¡± Aoife blinked with a tilt of her head. What Fia said didn¡¯t sit right with her for some reason. It bothered her. That question is something people often ask a stranger they just met. But she¡¯s been with Fia since they were just a child. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you?¡± ¡°No. I mean. Yeah, that stupid family looks down on you,¡± said Fia as if she didn¡¯t belong to the same family, which made Aoife chuckle. ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t be this hard on yourself just because of that. I doubt Finn really even bothers you. So, seriously, why?¡± Aoife grinned. ¡°I mean. Who wouldn¡¯t want to learn magic? I¡¯m actually excited to find out what my Class would be. Hopefully, I¡¯d be a Sentinel.¡± ¡°You wish,¡± Fia chortled. ¡°Everyone wants to be a Senti.¡± There are two Awakened Class. One are the mind-based Evokers. Fia is an Evoker. The other are the Sentinels, who are body-based Awakened. Apparently, Evokers outnumber the Sentinels by around 100 to 1. In the League, with around 70,000 Awakened, only 7,000 are Sentinels. That doesn¡¯t mean Sentinels are automatically stronger because they¡¯re rarer. Their spells are just different compared to most. And people always feel cooler when they¡¯re different. That¡¯s pretty much it. When Aoife didn¡¯t say anything further, Fia frowned. ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t answer it then,¡± Fia said with an exaggerated harrumph. Aoife flicked a nail-sized ball of paper at her friend, who snatched it easily in mid-air with a playful smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t trust you, Fia. You know that. It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t have a grand cause or anything like that,¡± she said. Then she looked at her drink, swirling it with a teaspoon. ¡°I just want to be like her.¡± Fia widened her eyes before heaving a deep breathe. ¡°Aunt Mary¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± Aoife nodded her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not a unique story. It¡¯s not only me who lost people to the Ashen. All of us did.¡± Fia, pressing her lips, glared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s as valid as the others,¡± she rebuked her, flicking the nail-sized ball of paper back, which hit Aoife¡¯s forehead. ¡°All lives are valid.¡± Aoife smiled with a nod, before flicking away the ball of paper that fell on the coffee table. ¡°We should go. It¡¯s almost 7.¡± *** Not even ten minutes later, Aoife and Fia found themselves at the Square of Hope on their way to the talus shop, their umbrellas opened wide to protect themselves from the pouring rain. ¡°Noah,¡± Aoife said with misty breath as she admired the surroundings, smiling at Fia whose profile reflected the flashing neon signs from the high-rise buildings. ¡°It¡¯s loud,¡± said Fia with a frown, clicking her tongue at the loud cars going to and fro. ¡°And no matter where I look, there¡¯s always that.¡± Aoife laughed, but she didn¡¯t disagree. She followed Fia¡¯s eyes at the holographic billboards breathing countless product ads; luring passerby of their dollars with promises of convenience, succour, and most of all ¨C pleasure. Fia must have noticed her excitement and chose not to spoil the mood. ¡°But I guess you can¡¯t deny it¡¯s lively,¡± admitted Fia with a smile as they passed by street performers who sang or danced; while people watched, clapped, and tossed money on the performers¡¯ jars. She tossed a coin herself. ¡°It is,¡± Aoife said before removing her phone from her pocket. ¡°And where is the shop again?¡± asked Aoife as she tinkered with her phone¡¯s GPS, not paying attention to the surroundings. Fia shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just ahead. And pay attention!¡± Aoife felt Fia pull her by the scruff of her collar. ¡°Oops,¡± said Aoife as they stopped at a crosswalk, filled with a sea of people also waiting for the stoplight to turn green. ¡°Don¡¯t oops me.¡± Aoife tapped her shoes in impatience. But it didn¡¯t take long for it to finally turn green. ¡°Finally!¡± Aoife looked up and hurried on, passing through the many people also crossing the walk, screaming for her to watch out, while she screamed back ¡®Sorry¡¯ repeatedly. ¡°Aoife! Watch out!¡± Aoife just grinned, until she bumped into something huge and dropped her umbrella. No, not something. Someone. She fell on the ground and stared at that someone who looks like a bear. When he loomed over her, he looked angry! Is he going to eat her?! ¡°I¡­ I¨C¨C I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Ayo. Chill. Do I look at that ugly?!¡± the bear laughed loudly and offered her a hand. It can talk?! But when he smiled, it was actually very gentle. And when Aoife calmed herself a bit, he noticed there stood a very pretty blonde girl beside the bear wearing a boy''s clothes. She looked about Aoife''s age. ¡°You actually do LOOK that ugly,¡± said the pretty blonde... boy?! She''s a boy! Aoife thought. The blonde boy thankfully didn''t notice Aoife''s surprise. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s as gentle as a bear.¡± ¡°Bears are gentle?¡± the bear asked the boy. ¡°¡­Good point. Gentle as a panda then.¡± The bear chuckled for a moment before he gasped in surprise as if he just remembered something. That something was Aoife, whom he immediately helped stand up. ¡°Sorry! You good?¡± Aoife was easily lifted up by the bear. ¡°Thank you. And sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to come off like that. You¡¯re not ugly by any means, no!¡± she said and scrutinized the bear¡¯s features. She really should stop calling him a bear in her thoughts, though. Actually, even if the bear-like person looked about as tall as her father, he looked young. He looked more like a cub and around¡­ her age too? ¡°¡­God. You¡¯re actually adorable,¡± Aoife whispered. The bear person grinned and scratched the back of his neck. ¡°You think so? Thanks!¡± ¡°Damn right, he is,¡± the blonde boy laughed. Fia also finally caught up. ¡°Geeze, Aoife¡­ Oh. Hey guys, sorry about her! She¡¯s just¡­ too excited.¡± The blonde boy beside the bear-person gestured to the sign before the building where they stood. Rose Talus Shop, it said. ¡°I¡¯d be too if we¡¯re all going at the same place. You guys here for the discount as well?¡± Aoife nodded. ¡°Yeah, we are. How¡¯d you know?¡± The blonde boy looked at Fia. ¡°Miss here is uh¡­¡± ¡°Fia,¡± said Fia. ¡°Miss Fia here is an Awakened, no? They¡¯re silver,¡± asked the blonde boy, gesturing with his brows to Fia¡¯s eyes. He must have figured that Fia was showing Aoife around. Fia nodded. ¡°Yeah. Just second year though. This is my cousin, Aoife.¡± ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Aoife.¡± ¡°Yeah. Mark. Mark Collins,¡± said the blonde boy. ¡°Oh yeah, that was your name,¡± said the bear person as if he just remembered. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± Mark said before pointing at the bear person, parting his lips to introduce him. But when he was about to speak, he stopped mid-way. ¡°Oh wait Bear, what was your name again?¡± Aoife widened her eyes at them. Bear is actually his name?! ¡°Hold on, you guys don¡¯t know each other?¡± They seemed to be familiar with each other. ¡°Oh, we do. We came from the same school,¡± said Mark. But you don¡¯t know each other¡¯s names?! Aoife thought, not even knowing why she even bothered trying to figure that out in the first place. ¡°Yeah. Name¡¯s Aaron. Nice to meet you guys!¡± said Bear¡­ or rather, Aaron. ¡°Anyway. We should be going. It¡¯s eight past seven.¡± *** A background of soft music greeted the four. ¡°Wow,¡± said Aoife, looking around. Surprisingly, it¡¯s empty of people. There were multiple glass displays, reflecting light that bounced off from the orbs of light that hung from the ceiling. Inside the displays were an array of taluses. Taluses are designed to be worn and cover the whole of the right index finger. They look like those one-finger claw rings famous as exquisite pieces of jewelry. The only difference between those one-finger claw rings and taluses, is that taluses are magical. The taluses in the shop had different designs and colours. Some were more straightforward like the one designed like a bird¡¯s claw ¨C the most common design ¨C while others were more complex but beautiful. Some seemed to be made of gold or silver, and others were metals of various colours that Aoife could not identify. ¡°I swear¡­ it¡¯s so hard to find a left hand talus,¡± Mark complained as he clicked his tongue. Aoife wondered if he¡¯s left-handed? Left-handed taluses are pretty¡­ niche. ¡°Sucks to be you,¡± Bear laughed. Mark sighed and replied with his usual, ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± Aoife giggled, before noticing maybe one of the prettiest talus she¡¯s ever seen. ¡°Oh, I like that one!¡± It was a talus with a floral design ¨C a golden metal rose. The rose¡¯s long stalk coiled, supposedly around the forefinger, with the tip of the stalk protruding away from the rose. ¡°Pretty,¡± Aoife said as she stopped. But when she looked at the price tag¡­ ¡°The¡­ FUCK?!¡± ¡°What?¡± the other three asked her in unison. When Mark and Bear looked at what she was looking at, even they paled. ¡°$50,000? Holy shit,¡± Mark said. ¡°Bro, we¡¯re fucked,¡± said Bear. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­¡± Fia, perhaps wondering what was going on, squinted at the price tag. ¡°Oh¡­¡± She then looked at the line of display cases running along the rose talus¡¯ left and right. They all had the same price. ¡°Right. We¡¯re in the expensive section.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Aoife asked. ¡°Talus shops are usually divided into multiple sections ¨C divided by price,¡± explained Fia, pointing at another corner of the shop. ¡°That corner is the cheap section. See the prices? The cheapest taluses costs $1,000 ¨C like those bird¡¯s claw taluses. Those ones are for the newly Awakened. What you guys¡¯ll need.¡± Indeed, as Aoife looked around, some of the sections were more expensive. There were those tagged at $10,000, and the really expensive ones reached $50,000. They were at the $50,000 section. ¡°I¡¯m guessing these ones are usually for Class II Awakened or above,¡± said Mark. ¡°So, we¡¯ll have to pop 50 grand when we class up? That¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Yep. Believe me. I dread that day too,¡± Fia replied. ¡°Oh look, this one is pretty too,¡± Aoife said as she leaned down to inspect another talus beside the rose one. This time, one with a snake design, its sharp tail the one pointing away from the base ¨C a snake head with its tongue out. ¡°I wonder¡­ I¡¯ve never seen a talus not worn on the forefinger before,¡± Aoife said. A woman¡¯s soothing voice responded. ¡°Practicality, culture, tradition and¡­ beliefs.¡± The voice came from a silver-eyed woman with a long platinum blonde air. She wore a pretty black dress. She looked... ethereal. It seemed as if she was gliding when she approached. Fia looked like she knew the woman, offering her a nod. The woman smiled at her before shifting her attention back to the snake talus. ¡°Taluses are made from rare metals and gems with the ability to resonate with the aether, allowing us to cast spells without¨C¨C blowing up,¡± said the woman. When the woman looked at Aoife, her eyes briefly narrowed ¨C her inscrutable features betrayed for nigh a second. But immediately, the woman smiled again as she gestured to the snake talus. ¡°It¡¯s truly a wonder how we even discovered them in the first place.¡± Aoife blinked, still in awe of her beauty. Her attention broke when Mark asked a question. A question that made Aoife herself become curious. ¡°Discovered? We didn¡¯t create them?¡± Mark asked. The woman nodded. ¡°We did not. They¡¯ve far existed way long before even the first Awakened appeared about 300 years ago, leaving so many questions for humanity to answer. Who created them? And what does it all mean?¡± Bear¡¯s booming voice echoed out. ¡°Who created them, eh? Sounds like the same question we have for the Godframes, no?¡± The woman smiled. ¡°Just like the Godframes,¡± she repeated, before slowly placing a palm on her left chest, as if the movements were very deliberate¨C¨C from the speed to the pace. Aoife tilted her head in curiosity, recalling the times when she accompanied her father to meet foreign delegates in the past. Wait. That gesture..., she thought. How could she forget? That gesture. It¡¯s a gesture so simple and common as placing a palm over one¡¯s chest, but at the same time, it also looked so different, unique, and elegant. It¡¯s the customary gesture of greeting used by nobilities of the Holy Athuran Empire in Europa. ¡°I¡¯m Sarah Rose. Shop owner,¡± said the woman. The group then introduced themselves, except for Fia, who seemed to already know Sarah. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re all enrolling at the Awakened Academy tomorrow.¡± They all nodded. Sarah placed a hand on Aoife¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well then. Come,¡± she said, gesturing them to follow to the $1,000 section. ¡°Let¡¯s pick your taluses.¡± 11. The Three Archetypes 11. The Three Archetypes Monday, April 11, 2349. 7:37 a.m. Day of the Noah Awakened Academy¡¯s Orientation Day¡­ Aoife looked out through the car¡¯s tinted window, observing the passing scenery. They were cutting through the middle road of the Square of Hope. A busy intersection. Because, apparently, the usual was blocked because of an accident. Then the car slowed down. There was heavy traffic ahead. Worried, Aoife looked at her watch. Good. They¡¯re not late and still have some time to spare. Looking back out of her window to the tall metal buildings of glass, she thought it was dull. For her, the square looked prettier at night. But her mouth watered a bit when she smelled the street food the vendors were cooking on their stalls, the wind blowing the smell away every time someone with a hoverboard sped through them. Aoife¡¯s never tried riding a hoverboard before. Maybe one day she will. All of a sudden, she heard the very easily identifiable news music chiming through the air. ¡°Hm?¡± She looked up as a gigantic holo billboard on the side of a building shifted from advertisement to morning news. The anchor was talking to someone. An Awakened wearing what looked like black monk robes with golden trimmings. She knew the person was an Awakened because of his silver eyes. ¡°Araldas Theron. A Mexurian,¡± said Fia. ¡°A Mexurian?¡± replied Aoife, stealing a glance at Fia in surprise. Mexurians, the order of warrior Catholic priests, are one of the 12 Guardians of the Godframes. They are the Guardians of Godframe Ares. ¡°He must be very strong.¡± ¡°Yes. He was one of the winners of the year-end tournament a couple of months ago ¨C the Four Champions Tournament. He was a third year but he competed in the fourth year category and actually won it. Even if by barely,¡± said Fia. Aoife has become particularly interested in the FCT when she learned she had a soul core. It¡¯s an Awakened tournament for all five Awakened Academies across the League that happens annually every February, before the end of the school year. She also found that the Manners family is a regular sponsor of the event. ¡°Seriously? I didn¡¯t know you could compete upwards.¡± ¡°Yep. I mean. The idea of the FCT is to test how much students have improved. That¡¯s why it happens every end of the school year. And if a student wants to see how they¡¯d do against someone much stronger than them? Why should we stop them? The system also keeps the higher years on their toes.¡± Shifting her gaze back to Araldas at the holo board, Aoife nodded. ¡°Well, I suppose that makes sense. Especially for a Mexurian like him. They¡¯re a cut above the rest.¡± Any members of the Guardians are strong. But something didn¡¯t make sense for Aofie. ¡°Still, by the end of the school year, a fourth year should already be around level 40, and have already broken through Class II. For him to be around their level, that¡¯s some insane progress. Is Araldas a Legacy?¡± Aoife asked. Fia didn¡¯t answer immediately, only narrowing her eyes, as if carefully considering the words she¡¯s about to say. Aoife hated it when she does that. Maybe because it works and she¡¯s being played like a fiddle as she still waited in anticipation. Fia finally answered. ¡°He is. But he didn¡¯t Class Up. He was still level 29 when he competed. A Class I. And he actually almost lost every fight. Then in the finals, he fought against a level 41 Class II¨C¨C and won. He¡¯s a genius. A prodigy.¡± While Aoife didn¡¯t know much about the wider Awakened world. She¡¯s still someone from a Bloodline family, so she was at least familiar with some of the concepts. But she¡¯s still not familiar with how much the power gap between levels and rankings really are. Is it really that big of a deal to win as a late-Class I against a mid-Class II? ¡°Is the gap really that big?¡± Aoife asked. Fia took out her phone. And Aoife scooted closer to her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Showing you a chart,¡± replied Fia as she showed her the chart on her phone.
Level Cumulative Force Shield
Class I 1* 10 100
2 20 200
¡­ ¡­ ¡­
29 290 2900
30 300 3000
Class II 31* 400 (+100) 4000 (+1000)
32 410 4100
33 420 4200
34 430 4300
35 440 4400
36 450 4500
37 460 4600
38 470 4700
39 480 4800
40 490 4900
41 500 5000
42 510 5100
43 520 This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. 5200
44 530 5300
45 540 5400
46 550 5500
47 560 5600
48 570 5700
49 580 5800
50 590 5900
Class III (Aspect Awakening) 51* 890 (+300) 8900 (+3000)
¡°See that? There¡¯s a huge power difference between a 29 and a 41. Here. Check this out. A Level 29 has a base cumulative Force of 290, and a Shield of 2,900. Meanwhile, a Class II Level 41 has 500 and 5,000, putting the Class I at a major disadvantage.¡± Thankfully, Force and Shield were some of the stuff Aoife was somewhat familiar of. Force, as the name dictates, is the number that affects both the Basic Attack and the spell damage of an Awakened. Shield and Force are activated only when the Awakened activates their Aura. The Shield is invisible protective aether that coats the body. When an Awakened is wounded ¨C except when their heart is stabbed ¨C they immediately heal as long as they have enough Shield. Every level. An Awakened¡¯s Force increases by 10, and their Shield by 100. Except during breakthrough levels like Level 31. That¡¯s when an Awakened classes up to II and their force increases by 100, and their Shield by 1000. Then, it goes back to 10 Force and 100 Shield again per level. Until another power boost at Level 51, when an Awakened classes up to III; or when they level up to 81 and classes up to for IV; or when they level up to 100 and classes up to V. But that¡¯s all she knew. She doesn¡¯t know what would happen if an Awakened levels up beyond 100 and becomes a Sovereign. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a very big difference, though?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Fia said. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say that even if a level 41 uses a weak spell with a spell power of 2, calculated as spell-power times force¨C¨C that would still deal 1,000 damage. That¡¯s a third of a level 29¡¯s Shield. And usually, level 41s would also already have Class II offensive spells with a 5 spell power. That¡¯s 2,500 damage against a Shield,¡± replied Fia as she cleared the chart to open the Note application, writing a bunch of maths which the Note app immediately calculated. ¡°Let¡¯s use aether bomb as an example.¡±
(Spell Damage = Force x Spell Power) Aether Bomb (Level 41) = 2,500 Spell Damage = 500 FR x 5 SP Level 29 Shield = 2,900 2900 - 2,500 = 400 SH remaining.
Aoife blinked. ¡°Right¡­ I¡¯m gonna pretend I understand what I¡¯m seeing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s basic algebra!¡± ¡°I hate algebra!¡± Fia sighed. ¡°Basically. Just two offensive spells from a level 41 would destroy Araldas¡¯ Shield,¡± Fia explained as she pocketed her phone. Aoife paled. ¡°How did he do it?¡± Fia tipped her chin to the holo-board. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best to listen to the man himself.¡± Aoife followed her eyes. Araldas was grinning from ear to ear, answering the anchor¡¯s questions. - ¡­But! I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll win this year¡¯s tournament again! - Why is that? - Oh! Actually, the reason I joined the fourth year category was because of the third year winner. I likely would have lost against him. - Joran Voss? Heir to the Voss Company? - That¡¯s the guy! - Are you saying Joran could have won the fourth year category too? - He¡¯s a monster, for sure. But no. Let¡¯s JUST say he counters my spell build. - I¡¯m confused¡­ But I¡¯m assuming you won¡¯t let me pry about Joran¡¯s build. - Of course! That would be rude! - I understand. But for those who haven¡¯t watched the tournament, can you briefly explain how you won? After all, there¡¯s a big power gap between a Level 29 and a Level 41. - Awakened duels isn¡¯t all about Force and Shields. Spell builds plays a huge part too. You know about the three build archetypes, right? Melee, Sustain, and Kiter? Melees beats Sustains, Sustains beats Kiters, and Kiters beats Melees? - Indeed. But you¡¯re a Sentinel. A melee-based Awakened. Normally, one would think you¡¯re naturally disadvantaged against Evokers, who are range-based. - Bingo! But! My build is a combination of two archetypes. A Melee Kiter. - That means? - Melees have the lowest mobility among the three, right? But I have some cool movement spells to compensate for that! While the cost is a lower offensive power, these movement spells lets me chase after Kiters. And I still have enough offensive power to break a Sustain¡¯s Shield. - I see. But you are disadvantaged against pure Melees. - Yes. Pure Melees have more offensive spells. If I fought a pure Melee, I likely would have lost, because I have no ranged spells. And my movement spells will be redundant because I use those to run away or close the distance against someone trying to keep their distance. - I see¡­ And it so happened that the other Melees fought in a different bracket than you. - Yep! For Class Is and IIs, Sentinels are usually Melees, and Evokers are either Kiters or Sustains. And we both know Evokers outnumber Sentinels 100 to 1. So, it¡¯s easy to predict how the tournament bracket would look like, since organizers will try to ensure it¡¯s balanced. - And for the last tournament, that would be 4 Sentinels and 16 Evokers, divided into 5 brackets. Because of that you avoided unfavourable match-ups. Was this part of your strategy, Araldas? - You could say that! Hahaha! - Well! We¡¯re out of time. Thank you again for joining us this morning! Any other comments you would like to make before we end here? Araldas looked at the camera. ¡°It¡¯ll be an interesting tournament at the end of the school year, everyone! I hope you guys watch and cheer on us! And oh! If any new students are watching this, Welcome to Noah Academy!¡± The anchor nodded. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Today¡¯s the Orientation Day for freshmen. But second years to fourth years are beginning classes next week.¡± With that, the news holoboard flashed back to advertisement. I¡¯m not sure if I understood a lot of what he said. Eh, I¡¯m a Natural. They¡¯ll teach us all about that later, Aoife thought, before she suddenly jumped on her seat, her reverie broken when a car honked behind them. Mister Jacob, their butler, was startled himself. He was fixed at the interview too. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize the traffic cleared up,¡± he told himself with a light chuckle. When they were back on the road, Fia addressed him. ¡°Mister Jacob. You do a lot of shady work for that cunt, so you must be in the know. Who do you think is the strongest Awakened in our generation? Joran or Araldas?¡± Mister Jacob answered without a halt. ¡°Neither, Miss Fia. There are people born with such great gifts, that they are concealed from the masses, so that those with ill wills do not steal those gifts from them and society.¡± Fia raised a brow. ¡°¡­What?¡± She then nudged Aoife, lowering her voice to a whisper. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand why Athurans talk that way.¡± Mister Jacob laughed. ¡°Pardon me, Miss Fia. I¡¯m talking about Primes.¡± Aoife opened her mouth in wonder. She¡¯d heard about Primes. Apparently, Primes level up so much faster. If an Awakened, may they be a Natural or a Legacy, is level 1 at the age of 15, a Prime would already be in the level 30s. And if an Awakened is at the level 30s at 18 years old, a Prime would already be in the level 50s ¨C or Class IIIs. Class IIIs are on a totally different level because they unlock their Elemental Aspect. There are over 400,000 Awakened in the world, and there are only about 3,500 Class IIIs. The most common Awakened are Class I and IIs, with even Legacies struggling to class up to III. But all known Primes are all Class IIIs. They really are so lucky! Fia bit her nail. ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s a Prime in our generation?¡± Mister Jacob smiled. ¡°Yes. Multiples of them, actually. Have you two ever heard of the Hummingbird Unit?¡± Fia nodded. ¡°They sound familiar.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all Primes. A special combat unit even within SPECTRA itself. Once in every decade or so, SPECTRA creates a unit composed of Primes. Those that they have trained in secret.¡± ¡°Yeah. Like the Black Spear Unit, right?¡± said Fia. Mister Jacob nodded. ¡°You could say the Hummingbird Unit is your generation¡¯s Black Spear Unit.¡± Fia raised a brow. ¡°Why do you have to say Unit twice?¡± Mister Jacob laughed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s to differentiate the Unit from its team leader. SPECTRA Units are based on the team leader¡¯s code name.¡± ¡°I see¡­,¡± Fia said with a hum¨C¨C contemplating. ¡°Wait. Didn¡¯t one of them die during an expedition last year?¡± Mister Jacob seriously nodded. ¡°Operative 37. He was 14 when he died.¡± Both Fia and Aoife raised their voice at the same time. ¡°14?!¡± Mister Jacob sighed. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not really that uncommon for Primes to die young.¡± Aoife paled. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ horrible.¡± ¡°It is, Miss Aoife. Due to their unique characteristics, they are exposed to dangers earlier than the rest of the Awakened. There¡¯s a reason we only hear of a few Primes who reach their fullest potential, and why none of the Sovereigns were Primes¨C¨C except for Muriel, of course.¡± ¡°But¡­ why would they still choose to risk their lives? I mean, they become very strong at some point, right? So, why not just stop and live an easier life? People do that a lot, right?¡± Mister Jacob did not respond for a while, only driving the car in silence. ¡°It¡¯s the only life they know.¡± *** Finally, they reached their destination. A¡­ park? Whatever. Aoife checked her watch and heaved a sigh of relief. 8:52 a.m. ¡°Cool, we¡¯re not late,¡± she said before looking at Fia. ¡°But are you sure this is the right place? This more looks like a park to me. Not an airport?¡± ¡°Well, it is a park. Due to limited spaces, the League has no dedicated spaces for small airports, so we put them wherever we can put them,¡± said Fia. ¡°Anyway, we just have to keep following the western path and that would lead us to the Academy¡¯s mini-airport.¡± ¡°Weird,¡± Aoife said. ¡°You guys will be using it often too in the future, so the Academy thought that it would be better to have it surrounded by nature¨C¨C distinct from industrial ports.¡± Aoife smirked. ¡°Cool. But I¡¯m not sure I needed that info on industrial ports or something.¡± Fia widened her eyes at Aoife. ¡°Why, you!¡± Aoife tugged at Fia, excited to explore for a while. ¡°Whatever you say! Let¡¯s go!¡± They strolled toward the park and headed to the path leading to the west. ¡°So, what build are you hoping to go for?¡± Fia asked. ¡°Actually. I was going to ask you about that. Can you explain what spell builds are again?¡± Aoife replied. ¡°Araldas didn¡¯t really go into too much of a detail.¡± Fia sighed. ¡°Well, he had limited air time. But¡­ Melee, Kiter, and Sustain. These are the three build archetypes that depends on your spell choices.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°Builds are similar to rock-paper-scissor in a way. Kiters beats Melees, Melees beats Sustains, Sustains beats Kiters.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Kiters have low offensive power, with high mobility. So, they can slowly whittle down a Melee. The idea behind a Kiter is hitting the enemy from afar while avoiding getting hit.¡± ¡°What about Melees?¡± ¡°They have high offensive power, but have low mobility. So, even with their offensive power, they still have a hard time dueling a Kiter. But Melees are good against Sustains.¡± ¡°Not sure I follow. But, how is that? You¡¯re a Sustain, right?¡± ¡°Sustains have low offensive power, with low mobility. But we do have multiple spells to regenerate our Shield. So, against Kiters, who also have low offensive power, we just whittle them down until they lose. But against Melees, our Shield regeneration cannot keep up with their high offensive power.¡± ¡°I think I follow.¡± ¡°But these archetypes are most noticeable on a duel between two Awakened with around the same or a similar skill level. For example, a common Melee archetype could still defeat a common Kiter archetype, given the Kiter is less experienced in combat. The three archetypes is just but a rough estimate created by some battle-hungry Awakened in the past¨C¨C to conceptualize spell builds.¡± ¡°I see. So, that¡¯s what you mean by rock, paper, scissor,¡± said Aoife, pretending she truly understood. ¡°Yeah.¡± Aoife took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air as she listened to the chirping birds around them. ¡°It¡¯s pretty here, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t listening, were you?¡± Fia said, rolling her eyes. ¡°I meeeean. We¡¯re going to an Academy, anyway! I¡¯ll figure it out!¡± ¡°You''re the one who asked! But... I suppose it¡¯s best for you to experience it yourself. The body can be a better teacher than the mind,¡± said Fia as she looked around. ¡°But yeah. I guess it¡¯s always a nice stroll here. It¡¯s even prettier at night. You¡¯ll see. There will be like a bunch of yellow orbs floating between these winding paths, and there are fireflies too.¡± Aoife imagined what that would look like as they passed by big trees, sniffing at the fresh scent of air from a lake nearby. ¡°You should write a book or something, but that sounds pretty.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up. But I suppose it¡¯s a different kind of pretty here during the day too,¡± Fia nodded to herself, reaching out to those literal rays of sun that pierced through the leaves of the trees lining their path, creating that calm backdrop with the distant lake in the horizon. Finally, they were close. Hue, that was a long walk! Aoife thought, seeing people scattered about from afar. Many of them stood around a big circular pad of white, enough to land at least five dropships. ¡°That must be the landing pad,¡± said Aoife. Some stood and admired the adjacent lake, chatting with each other. There were probably around¡­ uh, roughly 300 of them in total. "Woah. That''s... lots of people," said Aoife, noticing most of them were around her age. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re students too, Fia?¡± She couldn¡¯t tell. They haven¡¯t been issued their uniforms yet. But she guessed they must have. There were students accompanied by adults, and she even noticed some accompanied by people not much older than them with silver eyes. They must be Awakened escorts, like Fia to Aoife. ¡°Pretty sure they are," said Fia. "God. This actually reminds me of my first orientation. Like seriously, you guys are so lucky." "Yeah? How so?" "We weren''t allowed escorts. Mr. Jacobs just dropped me off and fucked off. So, it was a clusterfuck. We were confused as fuck too. But, I guess you''ll understand why freshmen assemble here before going to the Academy.¡± ¡°I mean. Yeah. I''m honestly still confused. Like what are we even waiting here for?¡± Fia winked at her. ¡°Dropships, obviously,¡± she said before looking around. ¡°I wonder where those guys are, though.¡± ¡°Mark and Bear?¡± ¡°Yeah. They said they¡¯ll meet up with us, right? I trust them to take care of you.¡± "Jesus, Fia. Can you like... NOT?" "What?" "Stop being weird," said Aoife with a sigh. And as if in the queue, her phone beeped. Fia asked, "Who''s that?" "Apparently, they¡¯re running late,¡± she said as she squinted at Mark¡¯s text. ¡°They ended up¡­ exploring too much of the downtown last night. Got into a scuffle and ended up in¨C¨C prison¡­?!¡± Fia raised a brow. ¡°Prison? Who said that?¡± ¡°Mark.¡± Fia laughed, earning a few looks from some other people before she lowered her voice. ¡°Juvenile detention, probably. Makes me wonder what the hell they did. But. THAT, is a good way to find themselves in the good graces of the professors,¡± said Fia with a definitely not-so-obvious sarcasm. "Faculty are so uptight about decorum and public appearances." ¡°Those guys¡­,¡± Aoife sighed before her attention was drawn toward rushed footsteps and a panicky voice behind them. When she looked over, a boy with a long black hair panted as he gasped for air. ¡°Sorry! Hello?¡± said the student as he combed back his hair to swipe the sweat off his forehead, revealing his confused expression. Gosh, he looked so lost. Fia, for no reason, suspiciously glared at the boy. ¡°Can we help you?¡± Aoife nudged at Fia, mouthing ¡®STOP IT¡¯. She knew her friend was just looking out for her, but she needed to stop being so high on alert all the time! Thankfully, the boy seemed unaware of Fia¡¯s glare as he almost dropped his phone when he took it out in a hurry from his pocket. ¡°No, no, no, no,¡± he told himself. ¡°Where is it? Address, address. This should be the right place.¡± Aoife laughed when she saw his screen. That¡¯s a lot of spam emails and she could relate. ¡°Why don¡¯t you¨C¨C breathe for a bit? Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re in the right place, I think! Because I¡¯m new here too! See?¡± she said and showed him her own screen indicating her admission to the Academy. The boy squinted at her screen before heaving a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank God¡­¡± ¡°Oh. You should also click that ¡®Verified Emails¡¯ button. You¡¯re in ¡®General¡¯ so even your spam emails are showing,¡± Aoife said, wondering how even after humanity¡¯s advancement in technology, they still haven¡¯t managed to find a way to filter out spam emails. ¡°Let¡¯s check¡­ Oh¡­ You¡¯re right! There! See? I found it!¡± the boy cheered. His admission indicated his name ¨C Lucas Hale. 12. Chloe 12. Chloe And so the mission begins, Lucas thought. He had two objectives for the day. The first is to find the Secretary General¡¯s daughter. The second is to get in contact with his handler ¨C Cale. But the former wasn¡¯t too difficult. There was only a single path leading to the landing pad. So, he only had to hide. It didn¡¯t take long for two girls to walk past him, merrily chatting with each other, unaware of his presence behind a tree. There she is. Aoife Manners. And looks like she¡¯s with Fia Manners. A second year, thought Lucas. He inhaled deeply and thought of ways he could approach. How would someone, close to unlocking their soul core, feel at the prospect of joining the lucky 0.01% of the population? Excited? Pensive? Apparently, it depends, but according to the Director, the most common surface emotion is a balance between excitement, anxiety, and confusion. But aside from that, all the instruction he got from the Director was: Just act naturally. You¡¯re not infiltrating a cartel here. It¡¯s not that hard. Or something like that, whatever that bastard meant. So, he donned his most confused expression when he made contact with the two girls. For some reason, Fia glared at him with her silver eyes. She¡¯s suspicious. She¡¯s protecting her. She must be aware of the dangers, Lucas thought, but he chose not to react and pretended to fumble his phone instead, keeping up the act. After Aoife helped him out, he thanked her. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said before looking at Fia. ¡°And sorry to jump on you guys like that. I¡¯m Lucas, by the way, Lucas Hale. I just really thought I went to the wrong address.¡± ¡°Oh! I was actually wondering about the same thing. But Fia¡¯s not telling me anything,¡± said Aoife with a laugh. ¡°Right! I¡¯m Aoife by the way. This is Fia!¡± Lucas smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you guys! And, seeing as¡­ there¡¯s lots of confused students here too. We should be on the right place, right?¡± He still didn¡¯t understand why they had to be flown to the Academy from here. The Consortium does this every year for its new students across all five academies. The explanation is simply that the landing pad is the most accessible location to most. But also, at least according to Mrs. Livia, crisis fosters a stronger connection between students. So, while inconvenient, it has become a tradition. If you can even call collective confusion a crisis. Tradition my ass, Lucas thought, before shifting his gaze back to the duo. But what should I tell them next? Make small talk? How do you even do that? ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us, Lucas? But God! My feet are getting tired,¡± said Aoife. ¡°Same¡­ but they¡¯re all occupied,¡± said Lucas with a sigh. He noticed many of the benches had people on them. And it looked like many of the students had also already formed their own groups. ¡°Oh, look at that,¡± said Fia, pointing at a girl sitting on a bench alone scrolling through her phone. ¡°I think she¡¯s alone. We should join her.¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s alone,¡± Aoife mimicked her voice back. ¡°Yeah, I totally see someone with her.¡± ¡°Shush!¡± Fia elbowed Aoife. It was odd even to Lucas. The girl occupied a bench alone. He would have expected other students to have already joined her. But he figured he¡¯d find out why not too long now. Aoife asked with a booming voice. ¡°Mind if we join you, Miss?!¡± ¡°Jesus fuckin¡¯ Christ, Aoife. You¡¯re scaring her!¡± said Fia. Startled, the girl looked up with widened eyes. She had bright, silver eyes. The eyes of an Awakened. This must be the reason why. Is she a Prime? Nah. That can¡¯t be, thought Lucas. If she were a Prime, people would flock to her. Not to mention there¡¯s no way a Prime would be here. He also felt as if he had been here before. A deja vu. But his string of thoughts were broken when the silver-eyed girl responded. ¡°Ah, yes, of course you can!¡± the girl said with a smile before scooting over. Her smile lingered on Lucas a bit longer than the others. Lucas smiled back, of course, but he immediately shifted his gaze away, gulping as he pretended to check his phone. What¡¯s wrong with you, Lucas. Fia and Aoife sat with the girl, while Lucas chose to stand up. There was no space. The group then introduced themselves. You know how it goes. ¡°Nice to meet you too guys! I¡¯m Chloe. Chloe Auclair.¡± They talked more about themselves. Where they came from, and if they were excited and stuff. The usual. ¡°How about you, Lucas?¡± asked Aoife as she tossed him a wrapped gum. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. She seemed oblivious to the glares of some students in the distance. And Lucas, with his Awakened ears, could hear them. And judging by the subdued frown on Fia¡¯s face, she must be doing the same thing. ¡°So, that¡¯s Aoife and Fia Manners,¡± a student with a dark combed-back hair stared at them. The son of a public figure ¨C Niall Locksmith. A Bloodline Legacy of the Locksmith Family. According to Mrs. Livia, Niall¡¯s father is a member of the federal cabinet. The Presidential Palace''s Chief of Staff. Niall was with two other students, and Lucas was familiar with the sight. They¡¯re lackeys. Lackey A and Lackey B. ¡°Ha. She¡¯s just hiding behind that Fia bitch,¡± said Lackey A. ¡°What should we do about them?¡± Lackey B said. ¡°Nothing. I was just curious,¡± Niall said before shifting his gaze away. Lucas unwrapped his gum. ¡°Thanks. And oh, you mean where I come from? Originally from St. John until two years ago. Then I moved to Marianne,¡± he said. He didn¡¯t lie. Marianne is where the SPECTRA headquarters is located. Also, he had no reason to lie about his background. After all, SPECTRA already kept his information classified anyway. And he wouldn¡¯t expect students to dig his information. He didn¡¯t need to lie, he just needed to omit things. ¡°St. John¡­ isn¡¯t that,¡± Aoife stammered. It¡¯s like she wanted to say something, but she prevented herself from doing so. Fia replied to her. ¡°The Dominion that fell two years ago, right?¡± Chloe affirmed. ¡°Yeah. I was also from St. John,¡± she said. The four grew quiet. If people were looking at them, they might mistake that the group were just enjoying the peace, listening to the birds that descended on the ground before them, chirping their songs. Aoife broke the silence. ¡°It makes you wonder, doesn¡¯t it? Why this is happening to us. What did we ever do¨C¨C to deserve all the death around us,¡± she said with a gentle voice. When Lucas glanced over, she was petting a small bird on her palm. ¡°And will it ever end? Will I be still alive when it ends?¡± ¡°Even if I don¡¯t see it in my lifetime,¡± started Chloe, staring into the lake with wistful eyes. ¡°I do believe it will someday end.¡± Aoife smiled. ¡°I guess we all just have to keep on fighting,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°By the way! I don¡¯t mean to pry, but your eyes. I just can¡¯t resist myself but ask. Are you a Prime?¡± Sheepishly, Chloe shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve had these since I was a child. But my soul core only materialized when I turned 15 some months ago.¡± And cue¡­ silence. Aoife didn¡¯t seem to know what to say. Fia asked with furrowed brows, ¡°Wait, really?¡± ¡°I know¡­ doctors said it¡¯s just another mystery of the aether.¡± Fia very slowly nodded. ¡°I see¡­¡± As they talked, Lucas thought: Interesting. That could only mean one thing. She¡­ Their attention was immediately drawn to the sky at the approach of three dropships. The ride is here. *** The students lined up in three, waiting for their turn to go in. Lucas and Chloe were assigned on the same line, while Fia went home and Aoife was assigned on another queue. They all promised to get in touch later on for some coffee. It¡¯s been a few minutes already but Lucas was already bored. The queue moved pretty slowly as the Academy staff verified the identities of everyone ¨C manually. ¡°Hey Lucas?¡± Chloe asked. ¡°Just call me Cass. And what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°You said you were originally from St. John, right?¡± Why is she asking that? Lucas tilted his head in thought. ¡°Yep! You are too, right?¡± Chloe smiled. ¡°Yeah. And it¡¯s just¡­ you remind me of someone.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Chloe lowered her voice to nigh a whisper. ¡°When the Ashen attacked St. John. There was an Awakened who saved me. I was surprised, because I didn¡¯t know there were kids around my age who were Awakened. I didn¡¯t know about Primes at that time,¡± said Chloe as she narrowed her eyes to the ground. Lucas frowned, his mind running at such a high speed as he tried to recall the past. Now that I think about it, she does look familiar. ¡°And I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever thanked you for saving my life,¡± whispered Chloe as she looked up once more, meeting his eyes. Time might as well have stopped when he met her eyes. He didn¡¯t know how to respond, or how to feel. But with that look in her eyes, he knew what it was. Maybe he was just being delusional, but it was as if she had been looking forward to this moment, as crazy as that sounds. Her eyes were filled with sheer gratitude and relief, and he felt compelled to respond. To acknowledge her words, at least. But he thought he didn¡¯t deserve it. He felt¡­ strange. But why? Why must his heart feel so heavy? But of course, he remembered now. That girl, he thought. How could he forget? Sure, he did initially rescue the girl and those kids, but he ultimately left them in that house to fend for themselves. There was still a high chance that they would have died. A chance that they would not have made it out. Guilt. He felt guilt. He shouldn¡¯t have left them. So he didn¡¯t know what to tell her. Nothing came to mind. What was he supposed to say? How is he supposed to answer? To apologize? Just say ¡®I¡¯m sorry I left you to die?¡¯ He looked away from her. ¡°I remember¡­ But I should have gone with you. I¡¯m so¨C¨C¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Chloe shook her head, and Lucas never imagined how a soft-spoken girl like her could look at him with such a fierce, cold glare. ¡°I¡¯m not that pathetic that I needed to be coddled at that time,¡± she said, and that glare immediately disappeared when she smiled. ¡°We all survived.¡± At that, for some reason, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but smile back. She looked at him for a while. Then she lowered her voice back to a whisper. ¡°It was more than enough, Lucas,¡± she said. ¡°For me, I¡¯m thanking you because you gave me the opportunity to survive. An opportunity denied to others who may have deserved it better than I.¡± Lucas pursed his lips, averting his gaze to the ground. Those words didn¡¯t make him feel any better. Shadow covered his face, and he realized Chloe reached out toward his face with both her hands, as if seeking his permission. He felt like he did not have the right to refuse whatever it was she intended, no matter the discomfort he felt when others touched him. Perhaps he hoped for punishment, no matter how unlikely that may be. A slap on the face would be nice. But she just gently pinched both his cheek. ¡°Smile,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why a Prime would be enrolling in an Awakened academy. But if you¡¯re going to pretend to be a student. You¡¯ve got to at least pretend you¡¯re confused, excited, or nervous.¡± Lucas scoffed but lifted the corner of his lips. ¡°Like that?¡± ¡°Like that. And maybe it¡¯s just me. But you¡¯re being too¡­ observant,¡± she laughed and withdrew her hands. ¡°Observant?¡± ¡°Suspicious. Like you¡¯re always looking for something. Always looking around,¡± she said. ¡°But besides that, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re doing well. Have you found Micah, by the way?¡± Lucas nodded his head. ¡°But I was too late.¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes softened as she held his wrist, gripping it lightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°No. Seriously. It¡¯s fine,¡± he laughed as he shook his head. ¡°It is what it is.¡± But Chloe did not laugh. "...Don''t say that." Lucas frowned. He shouldn¡¯t have said that, but he didn¡¯t know how to really respond. He was saved from the sudden uncomfortable atmosphere when the student on the queue before him nudged him to move along. He didn¡¯t notice the line already moved. ¡°Oh, sorry uh¡­¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes widened at the extraordinarily tall student. About 6¡¯0 feet and a few inches more, with equally long black hair that almost reached his knee. The student was also the only one to wear the signature gold-trimmed, black monk robe of the Mexurians. The robe looked similar to the hanfu worn in the Empire of Asari in the east. ¡°Cale?" 13. Meant to Die 13. Meant to Die "How didn¡¯t I see you? You¡¯re like¡­ tall now,¡± Lucas whispered. It¡¯s been so long since Lucas saw him. ¡°¡­And aren¡¯t we supposed to be¨C¨C lowkey?" ¡°Our senses narrow when we find ourselves drawn to a single person,¡± whispered his Mexurian friend, ignoring Lucas'' inquiry and the students who were a bit too obvious when they stared at Cale like hawks, whispering among themselves. ¡°Be more attentive.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Chloe smiled at Cale as she released Lucas¡¯ wrist. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Greetings,¡± said Cale, his tone almost cold, before turning away. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude,¡± Lucas chastised his friend, before looking at Chloe. ¡°And you sure don¡¯t wanna know?¡± he asked, noticing how Chloe seemed to hide her worries about something. But he had an idea as to what that might be. She¡¯s sharp, Lucas thought. Wait... we''ve already met before. She knows I''m a SPECTRA. So, that''s why. If he was in Chloe¡¯s position, even if she did not outright say it, he also would be wondering why a SPECTRA is enrolling at the Academy, and he would be worried why that even would be the case. So, he needed to assuage her worries. ¡°Why you¡¯re here? Of course I want to,¡± she said. ¡°But it¡¯s not like you¡¯re gonna tell me?¡± Lucas mustered the most mysterious smile he could ever muster. He also wanted to look cool and show off a bit. Hell, he¡¯s a Prime and a top-ranked Awakened. He¡¯s Avernus! But until he¡¯s come of age in three years, he wouldn¡¯t be able to show off, so he has to don the fucking mask. So, for someone, especially Chloe, to know what he is, he actually welcomed the feeling despite the inherent risks. But, it still wouldn''t be wise to reveal that he''s Avernus. ¡°Let¡¯s just say the League sent me out on a secret mission. And that there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. Think of it as a secret government audit¡­ and a secret between the two of us," he said. It wasn''t an outright lie, but he won''t be complicating the mission or putting her in danger by saying that. But God, he¡¯d been dreaming his whole life to say that to someone. Chloe rolled her eyes. ¡°Sure¡­ whatever. I¡¯m not gonna pry,¡± she said, but she looked more relieved, and it seemed she believed him. Lucas nodded proudly to himself as he moved along the queue. ¡°Hey, Cass?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Ask.¡± Lucas glanced at her from his peripherals, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Ask?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re curious about something, and I can see it in your eyes. You¡¯re being too¡­ you know? So, ask.¡± ¡°Says the one being too observant,¡± Lucas said before pointing at his hazel eyes. They''re contact lenses. ¡°I was just wondering if you¡¯ve ever tried contacts.¡± ¡°Lenses?¡± Chloe said and nodded her head. ¡°When I was younger, yes, because I felt sort of self-conscious about it. But people weren¡¯t that interested. So, it¡¯s like, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Like even for magic people¡­ err..., the Awakened. They just talk when they see me, but that¡¯s about it. But it does make it harder to make friends, even the non-Awakened. Most people are not rude. It¡¯s mostly the other way around. They¡¯re too polite that it¡¯s almost like, I can feel them walking around eggshells every time they talk to me.¡± Lucas nodded in realization. He felt as if he just did the same thing without even realizing it. ¡°Sorry.¡± Chloe shook her head. ¡°No, I mean, you were not like that. You guys don¡¯t like see me as¡­ different, I guess? Like I didn¡¯t get that feeling. It sounds egotistical, I know. But I mean, it¡¯s like, just a relief, I guess?¡± While she tried to keep calm and cheerful. Her voice sounded a bit crestfallen. Lucas chuckled a little bit. ¡°Like¡­¡± ¡°Oh shut up¡­¡± Lucas cleared his throat. ¡°Just kidding. But like you said, as those doctors told you in the past, there are just so many mysteries with the aether. That quite literally anything could happen. Assumed rules and laws are broken each day. So, the Awakened have been trained to expect the unexpected. Just in case,¡± he said, quoting an epigraph he learned at SPECTRA. ¡°Yeah¡­ I wish more people were like that.¡± Suddenly, Cale¡¯s calm and almost hypnotic voice echoed out. ¡°It is said that our eyes turn silver when we awaken¡­ because it mirrors the colour of the aether. But it¡¯s simply how we see it. In its raw form¨C¨C how we see it with our limited vision. Its true appearance may be something we cannot comprehend,¡± said Cale with a glance at Chloe. He is a tad bit introverted, and barely spoke. But he must have been paying attention to their chat after all. So, Lucas was surprised. Chloe slightly canted her head. ¡°I see.¡± Even Lucas wondered what direction Cale was going in on his statement. Cale continued, speaking more in plain terms this time. ¡°My people believes the Awakened Eyes is merely a side-effect of a person¡¯s connection with the aether. For yourself, Miss, it may simply indicate your stronger connection to it. One may see it as a gift. A blessing awaiting to be unlocked. While others, like us, only sees it as it is.¡± Chloe waited with bated breath. ¡°That is?¡± A disease, thought Lucas as he frowned. Cale hesitated but did continue. ¡°A curiosity. The same curiosity when we look at the stars. Wondering if we¡¯re alone. Wondering if anyone else is out there.¡± Chloe smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a really romantic way of putting it.¡± Lucas raised a brow at his friend¡¯s response, scrutinizing his countenance. A curiosity, my ass. But Cale must have noticed his gaze. Cale¡¯s lips parted, but no words came out. A form of communication common among those who works in the intelligence community: ¡®There is no need to have her live in fear. I¡¯m sure the Consortium plans to help her, no matter what their intent may be.¡¯ But, shouldn¡¯t she know? Lucas thought. However, perhaps his features were so easy to read, that it was as if Cale was able to read his mind. His friend is showing more and more of the same characteristics as those two ¨C the Director and Mrs. Livia. Cale mouthed once more. Shorter this time. It¡¯s like writing in short-hand but through silent lip communication. But, Lucas was able to translate it in full. Basically, Cale said: ¡¯It is likely she already knows. Many hide behind the guise of a smile, and yet deep beneath, there is only hopelessness and desperation. There is no need to remind her of her misery. All you can do is be a friend.¡¯ Lucas narrowed his eyes at Cale, before stealing a glance at Chloe for a second, who kept that seemingly innocent smile. But he¡¯s not wrong. ¡°She seems desperate for friends and it seems she already sees you as one. It¡¯s something that often happens when two souls shared a moment of disaster at the same place and at the same time,¡± Cale whispered and looked away. With the same look he has every time he didn¡¯t want to be bothered. ¡°¡­and if the Consortium have given her hope. Who are we to take that hope away?¡± Lucas pursed his lips but did nod in agreement, remembering what Chloe said ¨C how she felt as if people were walking around eggshells when they talked to her. Perhaps that was why she was alone in the first place on that bench. Right, of course¡­ She was speaking to me under the assumption that I already knew about her condition. She just didn¡¯t want to talk about it, but I practically forced her to, thought Lucas, feeling stupid. Man, fuck you Lucas. ¡°You two seem to know each other,¡± asked Chloe after Cale turned away, perhaps sensing herself that the Mexurian would rather not be bothered by further small talk. Cale only has so much energy to spare speaking to lesser beings like them, or so Lucas thought. ¡°Oh yeah. He is. We¡¯re childhood friends,¡± said Lucas. Since his relationship with Cale was pretty evident, and his secret was out to Chloe anyway, which he still felt conflicted about because who knows what SPECTRA would do¨C¨C he opted not to lie to her and make matters more convoluted or worse. ¡°Is he a Prime too? SPECTRA?¡± Chloe leaned forward, lowering her voice to a mere hush. But maybe he should lie to that question. ¡°Cale? No,¡± Lucas said. Lie and divert. ¡°Wait. Hold on. Are you assuming I have no other friends aside from Primes and SPECTRAs?¡± Which, honestly, would be true. The Hummingbird Unit are the only ones he could truly call his friends, and obviously, the younger generation of Primes still training at SPECTRA. Wow, now that I think about it. I¡¯m connected with a lot of powerful or future-powerful people, Lucas thought in a moment of disgusting arrogance. But the reason he said what he said is to take advantage of the common perception of Primes. That they¡¯re unfortunate children trained to be emotionless killing machines, taken advantage of by the government. It¡¯s just a matter of Chloe taking that bait. ¡°What? No! But, I mean. I guess Primes are indeed normally born only once in every few years. You and Cale are the same age, so I guess it wouldn¡¯t make sense that he¡¯s a Prime too. But, who knows, right? Not to mention it¡¯s an open secret anyway that the government actively looks for them and trains them secretly, right? So, it¡¯ll be an educated assumption that they¡¯re kept out of the public and be with each other instead, right? Which sounds¡­ sad!¡± Chloe whispered really fast her excuses that didn¡¯t really directly answer Lucas¡¯ question in a bid to defend herself, waving her hands as she did so, averting her gaze from his sarcastically accusatory eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ really saving yourself here,¡± said Lucas as he inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. Diversion successful, he thought. However, her assumption was fairly accurate. In fact, it was dead on. Because while Primes are normally only born once in a few years, there are some special cases when two Primes are born in the same year ¨C like Lucas and Cale. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The idea is that: Primes are so rare that there¡¯s no way there could be two born in the same year. That¡¯s how rare they are. Thankfully, Chloe herself already made the conclusion, and he didn¡¯t need to over-explain himself. When Cale glanced at him, there was a subtle nod from the Mexurian. A rare compliment. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to save my¨C¨C,¡± Chloe said before playfully clicking her tongue as she looked away. ¡°God. I¡¯m sorry, OK?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding,¡± Lucas grinned. ¡°Cale¡¯s a Legacy. Sometimes, we go to Mexur to train with their young Legacies. That¡¯s really how we know each other. And he saw my real face by accident. But as you can see, he doesn''t really care. And that''s how we became friends." As Cale has always told him. Sometimes, when you lie, it''s better to include an anecdote indicating¨C¨C stupidity. "Jeez. You''ve got to be more careful," said Chloe. Lucas wasn''t sure if she believed him or not. But she''s not giving any indication that she''s someone who would rat him off. "But I gotta give it to you, though. Not a lot of people bothers learning about Primes.¡± ¡°If you were in my position, you would be too. Like imagine being in a position where you¡¯re saved by a Prime who didn¡¯t even introduce their name. Wouldn¡¯t you be curious too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re gaslighting me or not.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Lucas laughed. ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t just pause and admire how cute you were,¡± he said. But when he realized what he just said, he cringed. Who says that? Like seriously? I can¡¯t just pause and admire how cute you were? That was bad! Lucas wanted to puke. He also noticed Cale cringe at him in sheer disgust. ¡°Cute?¡± Chloe smirked. ¡°Beauty is not everlasting,¡± Lucas coldly replied. ¡°Rude. Negging doesn¡¯t work on me.¡± ¡°What the fuck is negging?¡± said Lucas with a cracked voice. ¡°Forget about it!¡± He laughed. ¡°But yeah, I was just telling him earlier I¡¯d rather not be here,¡± said Lucas with an exaggerated scoff. ¡°And do you know what he told me?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Chloe said. ¡°He said, ¡®Arrogance is the downfall of many,¡¯ then looked at me as if I was a scum,¡± he said, mimicking Cale¡¯s voice. Cale did not react, pretending as if he didn¡¯t hear them. Chloe chuckled. ¡°But he¡¯s right! You know, my dad said¡­¡± Chloe began to talk in rapid fire. But basically, she told him there could be a lot of things the Academy could teach him. As if¡­ Lucas leaned to whisper. ¡°Are you forgetting I¡¯m a Prime?¡± Chloe scoffed. ¡°So? That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t learn new things, mister Prime.¡± ¡°Hey now¡­¡± ¡°Hey now¡­¡± Chloe mimicked his tone. ¡°Prime. Pshh¡­ You think you¡¯re better than us?¡± They were still whispering, by the way. ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t say that. You did,¡± Lucas said with a pause, before smirking. ¡°But¡­ am I though? Better than you all?¡± Chloe looked offended and disgusted before continuing to lecture him about the importance of learning. About how it¡¯s important to remain open-minded. But it sounds more like she¡¯s berating me more than anything, Lucas thought. She¡¯s got a point though. But as they talked, Lucas¡¯ mind was partially elsewhere. The reason he, Aoife, and Fia were surprised earlier about Chloe¡¯s eyes was simple. She¡¯s meant to die. *** They soared through the sky, with Lucas finding the open deck of their dropship, taking note of the other two dropships that flew on a distance. He was still thinking about Chloe¡¯s condition. It bothered him that while he had no reason to care, he couldn¡¯t help but be concerned. So, he slipped away from her with Cale to look it up on his phone, just to make sure. He also had to be briefed by Cale anyway. ¡°Soul Core Imbalance. A rare chronic disease,¡± Lucas said as he read an online news article about the disease from his phone. ¡°It¡¯s not something you could deal with,¡± said Cale; gone was his usual blank features, replaced only by sheer confusion as he raised a brow. ¡°Why are you so invested, anyway?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Lucas said and ignored his friend, going back to his musing. It¡¯s a common knowledge among the Awakened that the aether is like blood. It flows everywhere, and can even flow within the veins of the body. Such is the case for those with a soul core. If the heart pumps out blood, the soul core pumps aether. It doesn¡¯t stop flowing. But what he didn¡¯t know, was that too much aether causes the body to die. According to the article, it bursts out:
¡­Awakening was previously believed to be the cure for SCI. But it only delays the inevitable ¨C death. Those with SCI who awaken usually have a few years at most. In a recent study conducted by the University of Stirling and the Consortium of Awakened Academies, they posit that the only potential cure for the disease is for an Awakened to reach Class III when the soul core can only be injured and not destroyed. However, Dr. James Atkinson with the University of Stirling¡¯s Awakened Studies department, who also led the study, said he believes the theory is a fact, but it only remains a theory because there are no documented cases in history to prove it. "If you have an SCI, your sweet spot of reaching [Class III] is 15 to 21," Atkinson said, explaining no one with SCI ever survived past 21 years old. "But the thing is, it''s impossible to do that." So, he adds that the survival rate for SCI remains zero. According to Atkinson, those with SCI are as rare as Primes, or about one in every 10,000 Awakened. ¡°You could say that those with Soul Core Imbalance are Primes who did not unlock their soul cores at birth,¡± Atkinson told the Noah Herald. But Atkinson remains positive, expressing hope that a cure will someday be found.
¡°To reach Class III, huh?¡± Lucas whispered. He understood why the survival rate for those with a Soul Core Imbalance remains zero. On average, obviously except for Primes, the Awakened reaches Class III in their early 30s ¨C provided they actively cultivate and hunt the Ashen for their aether cores. It¡¯s just impossible. She won¡¯t have until then to rank up that high, Lucas thought. He heaved a sigh and gazed toward the cloudy sky. Why did he feel so¡­ powerless? He¡¯d just met Chloe, but he felt the need to help her, and he¡¯d never felt that way before. What¡¯s going on with me, he thought before slapping his cheek. ¡°You are troubled,¡± Cale said, stating the fucking obvious. Lucas did not respond to that and just stared at his palm. He needed to distract himself somehow. ¡°Anyway. How have you been?¡± ¡°A sudden shift of interest indicates a¨C¨C¡± ¡°Cale.¡± ¡°¡­Well. We¡¯ve found some information about who Hades is,¡± said Cale with a nod, placing both hands behind his waist as he stared at the distant horizon. ¡°But nothing about Avernus.¡± ¡°What did you learn?¡± ¡°It''s funny, really. The information we got was from some elder on a coastal city in Athura. He said that in Greek mythology, the Underworld is a realm of the dead, separate from Olympus where the Olympians reside.¡± "Yeah. When I spoke the Oath, that''s how I referred to Hades. But he said something else." "King of the Is''mar. Suzerain of Apathania," Cale nodded. "Your Oath seems to imply that Is''mar refers to the Underworld, while Apathania refers to the Undeath. And we''ve cross-referenced the words with other archives." "And?" Cale shook his head. "We found nothing. Not even anything about this... Almar," he said. While he tried to keep that stoic expression on his face, Lucas noticed an ever-rare subtle frown of frustration. Lucas couldn''t blame him. Two years of research only to find minimal information must be frustrating. "I see... But you must have some idea what this could all mean, no?" "As much as I appreciate your confidence in me, even Master Livia, with all her knowledge of obscured history, is left stumped with the puzzle of Hades." "Damn... That''s fair. How about you? What level are you now?" asked Lucas. Within those two years, Hummingbird was also active internationally against the Ashen. They still had to somehow keep up appearances that they were not going behind the government''s back. So, Lucas was particularly curious about each of their progress. "Level 47." "That''s impressive. You''re just 5 levels away from catching up with me," Lucas said, unable to hide the shock on his face. He remembered that Cale was just Level 38 two years ago, and within two years, he levelled up nine times. Even calling it impressive would be an understatement. Because even for Primes, to level up that fast would take five years at the very least. But Cale practically doubled the speed. "Exploration of ancient ruins has its perks," Cale said. "But that''s too fast. The other nations would be wondering how you leveled up that fast," replied Lucas. There''s a reason that 37 had to die. To avoid a public scandal. Cale showed his phone to show an article. The headline said: Unprecedented progress for Hummingbird Unit
NOAH ¨C The Hummingbird Unit, famed as the Specialized Covert Enforcement and Tactical Response Agency''s (SPECTRA) new all-Prime squad, is showing unprecedented progress in the past year due to their active exploration of high-danger ancient ruins, as well as their continued participation with high-grade Ashen missions. All of them have increased their rankings, with two members already breaking through to Class III. But their progress has earned some doubts. Some analysts believe that SPECTRA found a way to level up faster, criticizing the organization for not sharing its methods with the rest of the nation. The Noah Herald reached out to SPECTRA for answers. Hummingbird, Unit Team Leader, said in an interview, that their method is anything but new. "Anyone, even Naturals, can level up this fast if they choose to do so," she said, explaining that in the past, there were far more Class IIIs and Class IVs because they were forced to fight the Ashen, "and they do not hide behind the comfort of their Walls." "The only benefit we have is that we''re Primes," she concluded. Asked what inspired the group to participate in increasingly dangerous missions, Hummingbird fell quiet for a moment. "When we lost 37 to a Grade III Ashen a year ago, it was my fault. I swore after my master [Oliver Hill] died, that I will push my team harder so they won''t meet the same fate. But I was wrong. I did not push my team hard enough. We were complacent and that led to 37''s death," she said. Another SPECTRA, Avernus, also rose to stardom two years ago due to his unique ability ¨C Black Fire. The SPECTRA website reads that Avernus is a "Solo Operative". When asked if Hummingbird is aware of Avernus'' abilities, she revealed that he was also a protege of the late Oliver Hill.......
Lucas'' jaw dropped after reading that. "No way in hell I''m going to read the rest of that. What the hell is this?" Cale shrugged. "PR. And if you check Socials, it worked. We''re getting tons of support," he said. "And Mildred wasn''t lying anyway. While we had less Awakened in the past, their qualities far surpassed us. And we did really level up that fast because of the quantity of missions we undertook." "I feel like there''s another purpose for that interview though, but I can''t put my finger on it." "Those ancient ruins. They were all leads to Hades. That interview is to avert any suspicion." "Right... And? The others? How are they doing? Says in your phone two members already classed up to III. I''m assuming that''s Lucy and Soren." "Yes. They''re thriving." "Seriously? How about Adelia? When is she planning to break through? She should already be Level 50." "She''s in no rush. But the Hummingbird Unit is trying to gain CPs as fast as possible so she could procure the spells she needs before she attempts a breakthrough." "Wait, CPs? We''re not purchasing them?" Lucas replied. CPs or contribution points are far more valuable than money. Just like how the Awakened Society functions, SPECTRA follows a similar contribution system. In addition to their individual pay, when SPECTRA Units complete missions, they each gain a contribution point. While CPs are primarily gained through the completion of missions, they can also be gained by accomplishing smaller objectives. After all, missions sometimes take a while to complete. Just like undercover or expedition missions. CPs are also only gained during Grade II missions and above, making it more difficult to acquire them. Grade II = 1 point, Grade III = 2 points, Grade IV = 4, Grade V = 8. So, if all five members of the Hummingbird Unit complete a Grade II mission, they would gain 5 CPs in total. That doesn''t change the fact that CPs are extremely slow to obtain. But at his question, Cale shook his head. Lucas frowned. "How much more CP do we need?" "20 more CPs. So, Hummingbird needs to complete at least 5 Grade II missions," Cale said. "That''s insane. How come?" Lucas asked in surprise. Spells from Common-rate Elemental Aspects like Fire are easy to procure. Even at the Awakened Society, it takes only 10 CPs in exchange for a spellkit, or a set of three common elemental spells. So people usually just buy them, because CPs are a far more valuable type of currency. "She''s got an Epic Aspect. Nature," said Cale. When an Awakened reaches Level 50, while their Aspect remains locked, they would learn what it is. "Holy... That explains a whole lot," Lucas said. People often mistakenly believe that rarer Aspects are always good. But that''s not always necessarily the case, because their spells are few and far between, more so for Epic Aspects like Nature. So, purchasing their spells is rarely an option. "Indeed," said Cale. "And how much CPs do we have?" "30 CPs." "Does that include mine? I gained 10 CPs as Avernus in the past year," Lucas said. Cale shook his head. "No. It looks like Avernus is not officially a part of Hummingbird. The Director said it is to avert suspicion after 37 died." Lucas sighed. "So, that''s how it is, huh? What should we do then? 50 CPs in total for an Epic spellkit? That''s crazy. How would we even get 20 CPs? You''re stuck here with me too. How do we even¨C¨C" "Stop," Cale said. "You''re making my head ache. You need to calm down," he added. "And we''re fine. The Director told me that I, as 36, can gain 10 CP if we find anybody from the Order. So if we find just one, I''m sure Mildred and the rest will have gained the rest for Adelia." "Oh, that''s right. We can still get a CP by completing objectives. But, 10 CP for completing an objective? That''s really high, though. I assumed our mission, at the very least, would be just Grade III?" Cale let out an ever-rare smile. "No. But since we''re talking about the mission anyway, I suppose this is the best time as any to brief you." ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°OPERATION: ROLLING PANDA. A Grade VI operation. Our mission, Case Farewell, is under this operation." ¡°ROLLING PANDA,¡± Lucas stifled a laugh. It sounded funny. Even funnier when Cale said it with such a straight face. But Lucas'' laugh broke in a beat. Hold on, did I hear that right? he thought with a dead gaze at Cale. ¡°Did you say Grade VI?" he asked. Cale nodded. A Grade VI operation is practically equal to hunting down a Grade VI Ashen or¨C¨C a Calamity... 14. A Lull 14. A Lull A Class VI. A Calamity. Those words briefly reminded Lucas of Argus and St. John. He gulped. "This is getting serious... I know we''re dealing with the Order, but a Grade VI operation? Just what the hell is happening?" ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait. Mrs. Livia will provide us the full details later tonight.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ And do you know many agents are involved? I know it¡¯s huge,¡± Lucas asked. ¡°No idea. But I¡¯m working with a dozen other handlers. So¨C¨C a lot. We also have the Ghost Unit and Black Spear Unit involved.¡± There are 20 Units in SPECTRA, and Hummingbird ranks somewhere in the bottom. The Ghost and the Black Spear units are ranked at the top, with the Ghost Unit being at the very top of the hierarchy. Each of those units is composed of all Class IIIs. And putting that into perspective, Lucas is slowly beginning to realize the gravity of the overall operation. "That''s insane. Our mission is to go undercover," Lucas said. "But it''s still classified as a Grade VI?" He already knew the answer, but he deliberately made his question very specific to ensure he wasn''t hallucinating. Also, how could Cale remain so calm anyway? May the world come to an end, but it probably would just be another Tuesday for him. "Don''t be too impatient. Don''t forget we''re still in the very early phases of the operation. So, intel-gathering, and finding who our enemies are," said Cale. "And that applies not only to us, but all the other moving parts, as well." Lucas was about to respond when the door leading inside the dropship suddenly slid open. ¡°Found you guys.¡± It was Chloe. ¡°Met new friends?¡± Lucas replied. ¡°Yep! You guys catching up?" Cale bid them farewell before Lucas could respond, leaving them on their own. After Cale disappeared, Chloe made a sad expression. ¡°Does he hate me?¡± ¡°What? No. It¡¯s not like that. He¡¯s a Mexurian. They¡¯re, uh¡­, reserved people,¡± Lucas said. ¡°¡­If you say so.¡± ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re fine. And come. Look at this.¡± Chloe leaned against the metal railing, eyes widening below. ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s so pretty,¡± she whispered. ¡°And look at those houses. I kind of want to live at the Sky Bridge one day.¡± From the sky, Noah seemed to shrink ¨C spread out. The view was akin to some of the city-builder simulator games he played when he was little. But what those games could not even begin to simulate was what appeared to be Noah¡¯s beauty. As Chloe dictated, immediately noticeable were some wide spiralling bridges that twisted through the sky at the centre of Noah. On those bridges, the houses of the affluent stood ¨C exemplar to human vanity and opulence ¨C so unlike the underbelly of the city, of its shadowed alleys and crowded streets; unceasing with its struggle. He remembered what Muriel said, of how millions of people cut each others¡¯ necks just for something to eat. Killing for something like a sliver of a bread to feed their youngs. Like pigeons but without the freedom to break free and fly. Noah. It¡¯s beautiful indeed. But it¡¯s beautiful as it was ruthless. Beyond the great walls around the gigantic metropolitan city-state where two million people live, Lucas saw the farmlands and the other means of agriculture to feed the city. The city and the agricultural regions about it is called the Greater Region of Noah. Just like the other Dominions, this region is protected by mountain ranges that acts as shield, and the rear protected by the seas. A perfect placement to survive the onslaught of the Ashen. Because further beyond those mountain ranges are the endless greenery and patches of blue ¨C forests and big lakes ¨C where beneath lies ruins of the past, and Ashens idling, waiting for their prey. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Lucas smiled as they continued to fly. They were headed toward a very big island with a very long bridge connecting to Noah ¨C the Island of Greendale. He''d never been there before, but according to the mission files, it''s the home of a town of the same name, as well as the home of the Noah Awakened Academy. He could make out some ships descending to its port. There¡¯s also a bridge connecting to the nearby Isle of Mexur, which is about a quarter the size of Greendale Island. And from up high, the bridges looked like thin lines. Chloe looked at him. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Have you seen pictures of the past, Chloe?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What did you think?¡± ¡°Pretty¡­ But apparently, we were destroying the planet. And some people say the Ashens are the universe¡¯s wrath, the consequences of our own making. A punishment,¡± said Chloe with pursed lips. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Yeah¡­ Looking at all those greenery from up here. I can¡¯t help but feel a little bit of the same way. If there¡¯s an upside to all of this. It¡¯s that nature is regaining its vitality.¡± Chloe''s lips curled into a light smile, her raven locks tousling with the wind. ¡°You sound like my Dad,¡± she said as she fixed her hair. ¡°He was with the Defense and he hated the Ashens. But he said something similar. That maybe we deserve what happened to us.¡± ¡°Who knows¡­,¡± Lucas said and paused. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it to be this deep.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re good. I like talking, learning, and thinking. About anything, really,¡± she said, flashing a smile. Lucas frowned but managed to immediately hide it with a smile back. For some reason, those words seemed sad. Desperate even. ¡°I see,¡± he said. And talk they did. It was mostly Chloe though. She tried living a normal life even after losing her parents ¨C her tale similar to his own. A tale similar to so many others. She also has hopes and dreams. And now she¡¯s excited to becoming an Awakened. ¡°By the way, why do you want to become an Awakened?¡± ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t know. But like¡­,¡± she said with a hum, as one would do when they are considering their words. ¡°It¡¯s just. When you see all this stuff happening, right? And you know that you could do something to help?¡± Lucas tilted his head. ¡°I mean. It¡¯s sort of like back in St. John, right? I wish I could have done something. But I just ran. Then people, like you did, risked your life to help me escape.¡± Lucas furrowed his eyebrow. ¡°Run? You protected those kids, Chloe.¡± ¡°No, I mean. Like¡­ not being able to do anything? That¡¯s like the worst feeling,¡± she said. ¡°And I just don¡¯t want to ever feel like that again, you know?¡± ¡°Guilt?¡± ¡°Not really guilt. But like, sorta, I guess? I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just really hard to explain.¡± ¡°No. I think I get it. You just want to do it.¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly!¡± she said with a grin before elbowing Lucas. ¡°And hey, what about you? I mean. You¡¯re a Prime and all. But I¡¯d like to think you chose it?¡± Lucas contemplated hard for a moment before responding. ¡°I mean, like, yeah. I¡¯d rather do other stuff, you know? But it¡¯s just like. What am I gonna do, right? I unlocked my soul core when I was born, and growing up, all I wanted to do was protect my family. So, I felt like it was the only option for me, you know? So, yeah, it¡¯s not like I was forced or anything like that, unlike what most people might think of Primes. I just wanted to do it. You know?¡± ¡°No, yeah, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just that you want to do it, no matter how scary it may be. And I think that¡¯s admirable. Like in the long run, I think our reasons doesn¡¯t really matter, right? Like, I mean. I¡¯m not saying our motivations don¡¯t matter. They do. I just think what¡¯s really important is that we¡¯re doing something for the better, right? It¡¯s like that quote. Something about words and action?¡± Lucas bit the side of his lower lip in thought. ¡°Words speak louder than actions?¡± Chloe laughed. ¡°No, no, silly. Like the opposite. Action speak louder than words or something. And, I think that¡¯s more noble. But for me, I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m doing it because I¡¯m¡­ being noble? If that makes sense?¡± ¡°Yeah, no, totally.¡± ¡°I mean, like, this is totally going to sound cheesy? But, for me, I guess I just want to at least be a part of something big, you know?¡± Chloe seemed to trail off for a moment. ¡°Be a part of something special¡­ before I go,¡± she said with a whisper. Lucas¡¯ lips parted as he locked gazes with Chloe, yet words refused to escape. She just smiled, before looking back to the city below. He smiled back and followed her eyes as he also leaned against the railing. For some reason, despite the silence, it didn¡¯t feel awkward. He felt at ease. Peaceful. A feeling he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d feel again. Is it because it has been so long since he was able to talk to somebody like this, without worrying if he¡¯s going to die tomorrow? But, nothing good lasts forever. Suddenly, they heard a voice over their dropship¡¯s PA system. [Whoo! Professor Zoren here calling at the Island of Greendale! You guys are descending in ten, so meet at the cabin! Can¡¯t wait to welcome everyone! Zoren OUT!] ¡°Loud¡­,¡± said Lucas. Lucas worked with Professor Zoren before as Avernus. He surely hoped the professor wouldn¡¯t be one of those working with the Order. All professors, both old and new, are suspected. If the 10th Ranker of the League is a member of the Order, I doubt even I and Cale combined can take him on, he thought. The Prince of Ice is no joke. Thankfully (or sadly?), Professor Zoren is not part of the Defense, so he doesn¡¯t have an access to an Archframe. A Class IV Awakened can fight a Class V to a standstill for some time if they have an Archframe. And apparently, Professor Zoren¡¯s not that interested with taking on the Trial of Godframe Ares as well, despite being its best candidate. Something about growing powerful by his own strength and merit. But maybe that¡¯s a good indicator that he¡¯s not with the Order of Lewisia. ¡°Professor Zoren?! THE Professor Zoren?! He¡¯s welcoming us?!¡± Chloe said. ¡°Okay, chill. Yes, he¡¯s THE Professor Zoren,¡± Lucas said with a click of his tongue. Oddly, he hated the fact that Chloe was swooning over the professor. ¡°But I think Avernus is cooler,¡± he muttered, but at the slip of his tongue, he paled. Fuck¡­ ¡°Avernus, huh¡­?¡± Chloe said, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. ¡°Hm,¡± she said and opened her phone, flashing her camera at Lucas. ¡°Hey¡­ what are¨C¨C¡± She smiled and pushed her palm at him. ¡°Halt!¡± she said before tilting her phone horizontally and typing something on it. Her fingers then moved with such precision, that Lucas had no idea what she was doing. ¡°¡­and we just put the photos together, and TADAH!¡± Chloe turned her screen at Lucas, showing a photo of him as Avernus, alongside the photo of his current appearance. She smirked proudly to herself. ¡°You should really cut your hair," she said before deleting the photo. ¡°Yeah¡­,¡± he sighed. ¡°You won¡¯t tell?¡± Chloe repeatedly shook her head. ¡°Nope! But you¡¯ve got to do a mission for me,¡± she said, suddenly sounding very serious. ¡°That is¡­?¡± Chloe cleared her throat. ¡°We¡¯ll call it Operation Steak.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Shush. There¡¯s a steak house in downtown,¡± she said before clicking her tongue. ¡°But I can¡¯t access my late parents¡¯ bank accounts until I turn 18. SO! You will bring me there and pay for it. You¡¯re a Prime, so it should be no problem for you. I will pay you in the future, of course!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ so be your piggybank.¡± ¡°What? No! It¡¯s not like that! I¡¯ll even give you something for insur¨C¨C¡± ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m just messing with you,¡± he laughed. ¡°But steak? I mean, it¡¯s not a problem. But it¡¯s not like it¡¯s too expensive. You should have some allowan¨C¨C¡± ¡°God! Stop being so logical all the time! I used up all my savings to buy my own personal tal, OK? I don¡¯t wanna use an Academy-issued one,¡± she said. ¡°So?¡± Lucas blinked and after a long while, asked, ¡°What¡¯s a tal?¡± ¡°A talus? Short for talus?¡± Tal? Lucas thought. Seriously? But he seriously nodded. ¡°Okay. Whatever. Deal.¡± Chloe let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good! Now, hurry up! I want to see him!¡± Chloe said as she grabbed his forearm and dragged him away. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s not like you¡¯re not going to be seeing him everyday!¡± he said. ¡°Jealous?¡± ¡°You wish¡­ I am Avernus. Flame of the Underworld.¡± ¡°¡­Flame of the Underworld,¡± Chloe mimicked his voice. ¡°Psh¡­ That''s so extra.¡± "What? It isn''t!" "It is!" *** Cale leaned against the wall as he eavesdropped on Lucas and Chloe. When he heard Zoren''s voice over the PA system, he pushed himself against the wall and began to walk to the cabin to join the rest of the students. You may not know it, Lucas. But if the Consortium fails, you may as well be her last hope, thought Cale. But this will come with such a great cost that if ever that time comes¨C¨C I wonder, if you and her will be willing to pay the price. 15. Welcome to Noah Awakened Academy 15. Welcome to Noah Awakened Academy The whole trip didn¡¯t take long. Lucas surmised it must have taken at least half an hour as he glanced at his watch. It must have taken way, way more if they took the bus. They landed on a flat surface just before the summit of the island''s only mountain ¨C Mount Horvath. In the middle is the Upper Horvath Lake, just shimmering beneath the sunlight. They left their three dropships, and the students had the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air. Some were tempted to dive into the lake. But Professor Zoren, sporting shorts, a patterned tee, and sunglasses, called their attention. He even wore a floater around his waist. His short, black hair was still wet, so he must have been swimming. ¡°You guys can do that in the future. I am Zoren Castillo, who would be your combat professor.¡± Many of the students¡¯ eyes sparkled at the professor, their murmurs a bit too loud to be murmurs. - ¡°So that¡¯s Zoren, the Prince of Ice. He¡¯s as carefree as the rumours say.¡± - ¡°Yeah! You wouldn¡¯t know he¡¯s actually the Rank 10.¡± - ¡°¡­Apparently Lewisia fears him so much that they avoid direct combat when he¡¯s around.¡± When Lucas heard that last statement, it was true. While the Order have been generally quiet in the last two years, they still showed some rare activity. There have been times when some Ascended were sighted; ambushes on aether stone mines; random raids to Seed settlements; or an attempt to assassinate a political figure. But every time Zoren showed up, they immediately retreated, when they don¡¯t even retreat against a group of Class IIIs which at times even includes Lucas. Hell, they always actually seemed glad to see and fight Avernus on the rare occurrences that they met. When he glanced at Chloe, she looked dazzled at Zoren, which, for some reason, slightly annoyed Lucas. ¡°Wow¡­ He¡¯s really amazing,¡± she said. ¡°I guess so¡­,¡± Lucas replied, trying not to roll his eyes. Professor Zoren didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°I know I¡¯m cool and all that, but what¡¯s cooler is¡­¡± he started, swivelling on his feet to point at the town below the summit, of structures dotting and encompassing the eastern portion of the island facing the ocean. ¡°The Town of Greendale!¡± he said and clapped. Chloe perked up beside Lucas. ¡°It looks¡­ quaint? It¡¯s like those tourist towns I saw on an old Earth encyclopedia.¡± ¡°An old Earth encyclopedia? There¡¯s something like that?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh! Yeah, there are even like pictures of animals and stuff! Architecture too! And Greendale looks like a tourist town.¡± He didn¡¯t know what a tourist town was, nor did he understand Chloe''s excitement. But. ¡°I see¡­,¡± Lucas said, shifting his gaze back to the town, noticing houses and buildings built with wood and stone. The roofs had pointy parts and cute little windows sticking out. Some of them even had big balconies where people were standing, seemingly relaxed. Meanwhile, the structures came in different colours, like pinkish wood, yellow, or faded blue. If he were to describe them, he¡¯d describe their design as old but... homely? Those houses were connected to other facilities, as well as parks, filled with sprigs of nature like trees, shrubberies, and small lakes or ponds. Professor Zoren¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts as he addressed the students. ¡°Girl in white got it right! IT IS a tourist town! With around 3,000 people, it¡¯s alive throughout the year.¡± He then went on a tangent about how even in the 21st century, tourist towns deliberately retained architectural designs dating back as far as the late 1800s, thus drawing a specific demography of people ¨C tourists. Whatever that meant. ¡°You guys should try riding the ferry next time. It¡¯s fun!¡± said Professor Zoren. ¡°Furry?¡± a student said. The others laughed. ¡°Ferry!¡± corrected Professor Zoren, before going on another tangent of how the Town is apparently just 10 square kilometres. But the whole island is approximately 174 square kilometres big, connected by 10 kilometres-long bridges each away from the Isle of Mexur in the west, and Noah in the east. Lucas noticed most of the students didn¡¯t seem interested, except for a few like Chloe. ¡°I knew it!¡± Chloe said with a grin. ¡°Cass, do you know why tourist towns attract people?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°People are usually drawn to older architecture because there¡¯s beauty in history ¨C there¡¯s beauty behind the stories of their creation. Compare that to modern architecture, which almost cannot be defined by a single tenet or design. For example, residential architecture evolved in a way that cater to functionality, affordability, rather than aesthetics. More so now, after the Descent,¡± she said, even if what she said was lost to Lucas. He wasn¡¯t drawn to older architecture, but he let Chloe speak about what he presumed to be her interest ¨C history. Or maybe she¡¯s just interested in the odd knowledge here and there. So, he just smiled at her and did not interrupt as he listened. ¡°It¡¯s just really amazing, how we still try to retain architectural designs of the past,¡± she said. ¡°Like, even with what¡¯s going on, we still preserve our history!¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I never thought of that before. I think that¡¯s actually really fascinating,¡± he said. ¡°Right?¡± she said. Cale whispered, his usual dead eyes locked on Lucas. ¡°Sure you do¡­ Simp.¡± ¡°Shut up man,¡± Lucas whispered. Thankfully, when he looked at Chloe, she seemed oblivious to it. Professor Zoren then pointed to the western portion of the island ¨C roughly 50 kilometres away from the Town of Greendale, separated by fields of farmlands and forests ¨C to where the professor pointed to a massive group of white, glass buildings, surrounded by walls of¡­ also white. They seemed to be the only modern architecture throughout the whole island. It looked like the only way in was through that big forest around those buildings. ¡°You all see those glass buildings at the middle of Loncier Forest? That¡¯s Noah Academy!" Professor Zoren said, but most students, excluding the Legacies who could see that far, struggled to see what the professor pointed at. Lucas thought that the professor must have forgotten that the students hadn''t Awakened yet. But, Professor Zoren kept going anyway. "And those four buildings at the edges are the dormitories where you will be staying at for the next four years,¡± he said, much to the ¡®wows¡¯ and ¡®woahs¡¯ of some students ¨C probably the Legacies. ¡°This island has been the home of Noah Academy for the last 100 years.¡± Easy to defend, Lucas thought. That was mostly what he cared about. But it won¡¯t matter if Summoners are involved. ¡°And did you guys know that the Consortium¡¯s five Academies are all located at tourist spots?¡± said Professor Zoren. ¡°Why is that?¡± Chloe asked¨C¨C quite genuinely as a matter of fact. ¡°Gives tourism dollars throughout the year, especially during school breaks! Which means more resources for you guys.¡± Professor Zoren explained that the Panamerican Consortium of Awakened Academies (PCAA or just the Consortium), which is the overall educational authority encompassing all League Academies, signed an MOU with the Department of Tourism when the Academies were first established over around a century ago. This old MOU stated that the League would provide the Consortium parcels of land. In exchange, the Awakened academies¡¯ presence will boost tourism and security across all its tourist sites. Revenue raised will benefit both the Consortium and the Department of Tourism. ¡°Also, many deals like this are common between many entities, including private ones, due to the limitation of space where structures could be built. Like in this case for Noah Academy, they¡¯ve been given space on a tourist town,¡± said the professor. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± said Chloe. ¡°So, when are we going?¡± one student asked. He looked bored. It was Niall Locksmith, the student with combed back jet-black hair with two lackeys. And just like the rest of the Locksmiths, he also looked so pale. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°We go now, actually! Get back in your respective dropships, everyone!¡± said Professor Zoren. The students groaned in defiance. ¡°Can¡¯t we just hike down?¡± Lucas also felt excited at the prospect of a hike. Noah is just a jungle of metal and glass. And it¡¯s very rare for people to see nature. Well, Lucas often finds himself in nature as Avernus, but he never had the chance to really enjoy it because of the Ashen. ¡°Oh. You guys are free to do that in the future,¡± said the professor before checking his wristwatch. ¡°We¡¯re late, so¡­ get moving guys!¡± *** Lucas stood at the centre of the auditorium ¨C the Alvine Grand Theatre ¨C with the other 300 students. A podium arose from beneath the ground. Five people stood on them, their hands behind their waist, observing the students. They must be the teachers and Professor Zoren stood before them. Meanwhile, there were windowed rooms above them. Due to the dark glass, he could only make out silhouettes. ¡°Sorry for the wait. But, it is an honour to introduce your headmaster,¡± said Professor Zoren as a woman suddenly appeared out of thin air beside him, donning a navy three-piece suit and a black overcoat. She does love to make a show, Lucas thought. "I am Dr. Livia Cara with the Panamerican Consortium of Awakened Academies. A Circle III Wizard who serves under the World Council, as well as the Headmistress of the Noah Awakened Academy." Even if everyone already knew the famous headmistress of the Academy, the students still couldn¡¯t keep their excitement to themselves. It must be akin to seeing an A-list celebrity for them. After all, there are only four Circle III wizards in the world ¨C the rest are Circle IIs and below. Around the world, scattered among the six major powers, there are less than 8,000 wizards. And in the League, there are only a bit over 1,000 wizards and only one Circle III. That¡¯s Livia Cara. Wizards of eld were instrumental to the creation of the Awakened System; the discovery and replication of taluses; and they¡¯re also the ones who create and produce spell books for the Awakened. ¡°First of all, congratulations to all of you. With your dedication. Your abilities. We trust you will not waste¨C¨C the academy¡¯s resources. For that, I am grateful,¡± Mrs. Livia said. What the fuck? Lucas thought. That''s one way to welcome students, I guess. And silence. Lucas looked toward the other students, but all their eyes sharpened instead. They all seemed to brim with silent pride ¨C despite Mrs. Livia¡¯s cold words of warning ¨C and not of welcome. ¡°Now, why are you all here? ¡­To learn how to harness the aether¨C¨C magic. But what is magic? It is one that unravels the very fabric of reality¨C¨C entropy dismissed with indifference; the sacrosanct laws of the universe ignored, and causality, at times, is forsaken altogether,¡± said Mrs. Livia, allowing her words to momentarily filter through the air. Her words were met with a loud silence. ¡°To wield the gift of magic without the ability to temper its power is death¡ª inevitably succumbing to the abyss of unintended destruction of others¡­, or themselves. Imagine a child walking on a street armed with a rifle, and the capacity to end lives on a whim.¡± Chloe whispered beside Lucas. ¡°So, Lady Livia is saying that we¡¯re a danger to others?¡± ¡°Pretty much. But it¡¯s true. Magic is like a gun. You don¡¯t want to accidentally shoot someone.¡± Chloe looked at Lucas stupefied, as if she wanted to say something, but she only pursed her lips and remained silent. ¡°What?¡± Lucas asked. Chloe hesitated. ¡°I understand the logic. It¡¯s just. It feels¡­ wrong.¡± ¡°Feels wrong? ¡­Yeah. I guess it does,¡± he said with a sullen face. Why am I suddenly¡­ thinking of Muriel? Mrs. Livia¡¯s voice once more reverberated in the auditorium. She didn¡¯t even shout and her voice remained calm. But it was still so loud. ¡°Quiet,¡± Mrs. Livia said calmly, and the students shut up. She continued talking after a satisfied nod to herself. ¡°Recognizing these dangers emerges the imperative to control what may or may not be within the confines of learning institutions like ours; young talents as yourselves, guided by teachers who will also do their best to ensure you will not wilt until you bloom. Because for you, the Awakened, magic¨C¨C in essence¡­, is a path of death.¡± In short, where there is magic, there is always danger ¨C even within the confines of a learning institution, thought Lucas. ¡°So, blame not our rules for their¨C¨C strictness. Your safety is our top of mind. But while that is so, it is foolish to promise we can provide you true safety from the volatility of magic, and the inherent dangers of walking the Aetheric Path. Thus¨C¨C it is encouraged that you all look after one another,¡± said Mrs. Livia and scanned the students. ¡°Because this road you are about to walk is a road most filled with blood. While competition is encouraged, there is no room for foolish conflict and contempt with one another. For humanity to advance, we are all in this together.¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t help but look at Chloe who yelped and paled at Mrs. Livia¡¯s words. It was arguably a terrifying speech. However, despite the gloom and doom implication of the wizard¡¯s speech, Lucas had already studied the dangers that come with Awakened academies. He had to at least understand the basics of how Academies function to be able to do his job properly. But also, understanding would allow him to make a decision about when he should and should not protect Aoife. A lack of understanding may lead him to protect her from controlled environments, which would then lead to his identity being compromised. His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the sickly features of Chloe. ¡°It¡¯s fine. No matter how exaggerated she sounds, all five academies boasts a low per cent rate of student death. Sure, there¡¯s a little bit of a higher percentage of professor deaths. But that¡¯s mostly for keeping students safe during optional dangerous activities like controlled expeditions,¡± he leaned and whispered to Chloe. An attempt to calm her down. ¡°Even then, there has been no professor deaths for the last ten years as a result of controlled activities. This is good news.¡± The reason for the low percentage of death is that while there are indeed inherent risks to magic ¨C including death ¨C it does not justify an Academy''s carelessness. They are never free from fault. All Academies would still need to do their best to keep everybody safe. Only when situations truly beyond their control occur, will judiciaries even entertain the possibility of no guilt. This is how education has evolved since the Descent. Innovation and survival. Even students at normal schools are taught survival in some way. So, while Mrs. Livia may have spoken harshly and cold. Lucas understood it was necessary. Chloe replied. ¡°No professor deaths¡­ except for St. John,¡± she whispered, before heaving a sigh not a moment after. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It must be annoying to see someone get so scared because of¨C¨C¡± Lucas interrupted her. ¡°Chloe. If you¡¯re not scared, I¡¯d say you¡¯re a psychopath,¡± he grinned, nudging her shoulder. But she¡¯s right. The professors at St. John Awakened Academy were all but wiped out two years ago, ensuring minimal student casualty. With her Summoners, Muriel found a way to send multiple Grade IIIs to assault the academy, leading to the deaths of 10 Class IIIs. Dead. Just like that. Chloe covered her lips to hide her laugh. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± she said, tipping her chin to Mrs. Livia, who looked a bit annoyed at the students¡¯ chatting with each other. ¡°Am I understood?¡± Mrs. Livia asked. ¡°Yes, headmistressr!¡± They all replied in unison. ¡°Good. Now, before I go. I need everyone to listen carefully. This is very important,¡± Mrs. Livia started, her voice even becoming more serious. ¡°We¡¯re bringing back a system from the past.¡± A system from the past? ¡°With the passing of Bill C-23, an Act amending the Awakened Code. All Awakened students, from this day forth, can now once again accept and complete Awakened missions from the Awakened Society,¡± said Mrs. Livia. The students had mixed reactions. Some were afraid. Some were excited. ¡°It¡¯s all optional,¡± Mrs. Livia clarified. ¡°If you think you¡¯re strong enough, then the Awakened Academy cannot do anything to stop you. This decision by the League came due to increased Ashen activities, and less and less Awakened to take on the jobs. Any interested to find out more, including information on incentives, can go to the Society. The Consortium¡¯s part ends here.¡± Lucas frowned. The Consortium¡¯s part ends here, huh? A small string of words but heavy with meaning: We do not agree with this decision, because you can die. But we are legally required to tell you. Basically, Bill C-23 is a complete disregard for the Consortium¡¯s philosophy of protecting Awakened students until they are ready for the world. ¡°We will now proceed with the next part of today¡¯s program. Professor Zoren will take charge,¡± said Mrs. Livia before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Lucas removed his phone from his pocket to check the schedule for today.
Noah Awakened Academy Orientation Programme, April 11, 2349
Time Programme
10:00 a.m. Headmistress Livia Cara¡¯s opening remarks.
10:15 a.m. Augmented Reality Presentation: The Descent, a Documentary.
11:00 a.m. Closing Remarks by Professor Zoren Castillo.
11:15 a.m. Academy Tour.
12:00 p.m. Lunch.
3:00 p.m. Awakening Ceremony
7:00 p.m. Dorm Assignment
¡°Look at this, Cass. Augmented Reality! Doesn¡¯t that sound exciting?¡± Chloe cheered as she showed him her phone. ¡°The Descent, huh? I wonder what the documentary will show.¡± Lucas shrugged. A quick glance at the auditorium revealed state-of-the-art projectors. There were also smell and touch simulators. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°They really are going all out.¡± But he found it suspicious. Using an all-sense AR for a documentary? That¡¯s honestly a bit overkill. Even when they used AR for training back in SPECTRA, they didn¡¯t use smell simulators. ¡°Weird,¡± he whispered to himself.
As the school year begins, so too does the curtain slowly fall. Coming up next week on the Ring of Avernus... Anthony briefly stopped, looking at a student in the distance who shook on the floor, watching the Ashen murder civilians around him. ¡°It¡¯s in the nature of men to be greedy. And it is because of our acknowledgement of our own nature that we have democracy. So if power ends up with the corrupt, and society fails as a result, then society deserves to burn. It is not our duty to play gods, Zoren. Do well to remember that.¡± Zoren frowned at that, before flicking his finger, turning the surroundings black. He turned his attention back to the students. Death¡­ mirrored within their glazed eyes. Like those of a dead fish who just stopped struggling for the seas. *** Cale considered what others might think of him if they found out. After all, who is he to even interfere? As the old adage of romance and love do solemnly proclaims, if two souls are meant for each other, then it will work out. Intervention is unnecessary. But Cale has no belief in such concepts as fate. No. Fate is created. Weaved. Manipulated. And if he can sculpt fate and destiny itself, why should he deny himself that power? What is power without utilizing it? If others could hear his thoughts and judge him for it, then so be it. ¡­And is it also not the duty of a true friend to advance the blossoming of love, and to tear down the barriers hindering its fruition? So, let others call him a villain if they must. For he shall wear the title with pride. 16. The Descent 16. The Descent Zoren scanned the students. They looked excited. Who wouldn¡¯t be excited to become an Awakened? It never gets old. Always the same excited look that disappears a few years down the road, Zoren thought. ¡°Everyone. The next part of the program is a documentary called ''The Descent''. It¡¯s a brief summary of our history going into the last 300 years, beginning with the coming of the Ashen.¡± Groans resonated throughout the room. Zoren wasn¡¯t surprised. It sounded boring. And they¡¯ve all heard it all before. The beginning of humanity¡¯s fall; its continued survival; its chase for freedom; and its dream for the stars. Hopes and dreams that lead to excuses justifying the Awakened academies. Institutions built to create living weapons of destruction. Excuses to justify training children to be masters in the arts of killing and war. They heard it all. It¡¯s been drilled into them since they were born, of how the Awakened became necessary for humanity¡¯s continued survival. It¡¯s part of the League¡¯s preparation for the inevitable outcome of how some children awaken their soul cores when they turn 15. A propaganda. ¡°Many of you have varying reasons why you¡¯ve come here,¡± Zoren said with a slight pause, and the students became quiet. ¡°Honour, glory, status¡­ adventure. But as Headmistress Livia stated. The Aetheric Path is a path of death¨C¨C even more now than ever. The Ashen have become stronger. More active. The five Dominions struggle to keep them at bay. And more and more of the Awakened die each day. We even lost the Dominion of St. John two years ago. And if you choose to walk this path¨C¨C your death is inevitable.¡± Some students were sombre and indifferent, like several of the Legacies, just like him¨C¨C Cale Scott. This batch¡¯s Mexurian. Some students showed surprise. But when he showed no indication of jest, those expressions of surprise shifted into hints of hesitation. The tell was all too obvious to him. Widened eyes. Pale features. Trembling bodies. But that¡¯s the point. To shock them. He felt bad. But, they¡¯re just children. It¡¯s not right to fool them to fight just because they could choose to use magic, he thought as a reminder for himself. There are those too who looked determined. May be it out of sheer overconfidence or just coolish pride. ¡°But we already know that Prof. Can we just get on with it?¡± one of those determined students said. Niall Locksmith. ¡°Niall, right? Have you ever personally seen an Ashen before?¡± Niall shook his head. Zoren wasn¡¯t surprised. Bloodliners like Niall are treated with so much care until they unlock their soul cores. ¡°How many of you here personally encountered the Ashen before?¡± asked Zoren. Nobody raised their hands. But many of the students glanced to a corner of the room, to a group of about a dozen students who stood erect and undeterred, hiding deep within their calm eyes their rage for vengeance. These students were all from St. John. The Academy has a strong order to keep an eye on their progress. They¡¯re hungry for it, Zoren thought. ¡°Many of you believe that you understand what you¡¯re getting into,¡± Zoren began. ¡°But it would be irresponsible for us to not show you the future that awaits you. To truly walk the Aetheric Path, you must understand that what awaits you is not the glamorous life of the top Awakened you see portrayed in the media. Less than 1 in 100 of the Awakened can achieve that status. And that¡¯s coming from someone who has been stuck for decades at the peak of the Class III himself,¡± he said as he pointed to himself. Anthony, one of the professors, walked up to him, whispering. ¡°What are you doing, Zoren? We¡¯re not supposed to scare them. But inspire them!¡± ¡°Take it up to the Headmistress,¡± said Zoren. ¡°You¨C¨C¡± ¡°Go back to your lane, Anthony. We will begin immediately.¡± ¡°Just because you are top Ranker does not mean you can just do what¨C¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of that, that I can do whatever I want. Now, scram,¡± Zoren said. Anthony sneered, walking back to the other professors. He huffed when none of them sided with him. Zoren addressed the room once more. ¡°And to show you this future, requires an understanding of the past. What you are about to¨C¨C experience, is unlike the videos or photos you¡¯ve all watched in your history classes before. No,¡± Zoren shook his head. But rather than explain what he meant, it¡¯s better to show them instead. With a flick of his hand, the projectors came to life, casting ghostly light across the auditorium. The augmented reality documentary portion of the orientation was supposed to be inspirational in nature, as Anthony put it. But Zoren tampered with it. He removed unnecessary elements like music, or even the pre-recorded narrator with her hopeful tone. He decided he would do the narration himself. For these children to truly understand, their eyes must see it raw. ¡°September 2024. This is the year the Descent refers to. The first coming of the Ashen over three hundred years ago, and the beginning of humanity¡¯s fall,¡± he said as the surroundings changed. The students looked around in awe. They were in New York. A place called the Times Square. It wasn¡¯t a perfect visual replica. But with the addition of auditory, tactile, and olfactory simulators, not to mention the tendency of the human eye to ignore details they deem unnecessary, it was as if they were truly there. A conversation began among the students. Excited and cheerful still. But Zoren knew it wouldn¡¯t last long. ¡°This is amazing! I didn¡¯t know we had this technology,¡± said one of the students. ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s some kind of a new technology the media developed. A new way for the public to consume the news or watch movies.¡± ¡°You can even smell stuff. And this place looks so modern. Was this really 300 years ago?¡± ¡°Right? It¡¯s like we¡¯re actually here.¡± How lively¡­ Then after a beat, a rain of meteorites descended from the sky, crashing and killing many people. People screamed, and even some of the students did. They could feel the heat, but they weren¡¯t hurt. ¡°This is the Descent, when pebble-sized meteorites rained throughout the world. They carried the Xyz virus. Xyz is supposed to be a placeholder term to represent something. But humanity doesn¡¯t understand the virus ¨C not even today. So, they only named it as such. A symbolic name for the unknown,¡± said Zoren. But the students weren¡¯t interested in that. Zoren just felt the need to say it. Instead, some students puked at the stench of decay and rot; of dead flesh, feces, and blood. Zoren ignored them. ¡°Xyz is a virus that infects the human brain, turning them into the Ashen. A virus that we know are not of our world,¡± he said as he looked around, gesturing to the Ashen devouring people, of corpses coming back to life, becoming the Ashen themselves. Some Ashen looked more menacing than the others; with shell-like skins that acted as natural armour. Others were bigger with elongated limbs and nails that easily cut through various metals and steel. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. And there were the Ashen that hulked over the rest of their counterparts, easily tossing vehicles and even tanks. The Ashen are essentially super zombies. Watching all of these, some of the students unsheathed their blades. The Legacies. But when they struck, they struck at nothing. At the realization, they knelt on the ground in despair. Zoren¡¯s eyes lingered for a moment at a student who stumbled when she tried to embrace a dead child. It was the daughter of the Defense Secretary ¨C Aoife Manners. She shook and cried as another student comforted her, Chloe Auclair. The girl with the condition. The sight wasn¡¯t uncommon. Many students attempted to save the mirage of the past. Souls long gone. Zoren as he transported the students to different places in history. They have fallen. Aflame. Ruined. ¡°New York, Washington, Vancouver, Mexico, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, New Delhi, Singapore¡­ so many more. Once great cities mirroring humanity''s grand civilization, within the blink of an eye¨C¨C destroyed," he said. ¡°And this is just the beginning of our fall, for years of war soon followed,¡± Zoren said, as footage of war and destruction further played ¨C no narration, no nothing ¨C only footage of once lively cities turning into graveyards of death. It must have been 10 minutes when Anthony finally walked up to him again to voice his defiance. But at least, he still whispered. It¡¯s not the best time to show the children there is division. ¡°Enough, Zoren. Giving them that speech is one thing. But tampering with the documentary? That¡¯s unforgivable!¡± Zoren scoffed. ¡°Look around you, Anthony,¡± he said and tipped his chin to the other four teachers. They remained standing like statues, eyes of indifference only observing the students. ¡°You¡¯re the only one against it. Even Professor Owen doesn¡¯t care. Are you really going to fool these kids with your false perceptions and do as you¡¯re told like a dog? ¡­And you call yourself a Class III?" he said, realizing too late he lost his calm. Anthony loves¡­ no, is so infatuated with order, that he has become blind to the whims of the League. The reason professors have to be at least Class III is precisely because every word they utter has weight. They have a say. They have influence. And influence can simmer the greed of the ambition of those who sit and watch behind their desks, their flowery words directing the downward progress of the nation. So, Zoren never understood why Anthony had to always follow power and¨C¨C authority. Anthony just glared at him. ¡°Your contempt for power and authority, Zoren, I can never understand. A society without authority declared by the people is a dead society,¡± he said as he swivelled on his feet, phasing through a flaming car that briefly flickered with binaries when his body touched it. ¡°And our society is filled with leaders out for their own, rather than the people they should serve,¡± Zoren said. While the two of them whispered despite being a few spaces away from each other, both had adjusted their sense of hearing to still hear each other ¨C even with all the chaos in the air. Anthony briefly stopped, looking at a student in the distance who shook on the floor, watching the Ashen murder civilians around him. ¡°It¡¯s in the nature of men to be greedy. And it is because of our acknowledgement of our own nature that we have democracy. So if power ends up with the corrupt, and society fails as a result, then society deserves to burn. It is not our duty to play gods, Zoren. Do well to remember that.¡± Zoren frowned at that, before flicking his finger, turning the surroundings black. He turned his attention back to the students. Death¡­ mirrored within their glazed eyes. Like those of a dead fish who just stopped struggling for the seas. ¡°No matter what we did. Humanity, once the apex of predators, have become the preys,¡± finally said Zoren. ¡°But there was hope.¡± Walls of wood and stones rose around them. ¡°Small settlements appeared in remote locations. There was a hopeful attempt to rebuild. This is one of them ¨C the Frontier of Hope ¨C founded in 2038,¡± said Zoren. ¡°The Dominion of Hope was named after this Frontier.¡± He snapped his finger and they found themselves on Hope¡¯s training ground. ¡°Then in 2040, there were 15-year-old children who exhibited extraordinary abilities. The ability to manipulate the aether¨C¨C magic. They became known as the Awakened.¡± The professor strolled to the students, joining them to watch a group of children with glowing crimson eyes equipped with iron swords seemingly aflame with grey flames ¨C raw aether. ¡°Sentinels. Awakened who use body-based magic.¡± Behind the Sentinels were other children with azure eyes who cast balls of raw aether. ¡°Evokers. Those who use mind-based magic.¡± They were guided by robed figures, their features hidden beneath the shadows of their hoods ¨C wizards. He paused the footage to a still. ¡°Before we proceed, does anybody have any questions so far?¡± he asked, but the real reason for the pause was to allow the students a moment of mental rest before the brutality they were about to witness. A student raised her hand. She¡¯s one of the few who seemed very unaffected so far. Elise Levin, a Bloodliner. ¡°Professor, why was it that the Awakened only showed up in 2040?¡± He nodded in acknowledgement of the inquiry. A valid one. ¡°Good question. As I said earlier, Miss Elise, 2040 was the 15th year of the war. Do you think this is a coincidence?¡± Elise gasped before replying quietly. ¡°They¡¯re 15-years-old. That¡¯s when we can unlock our soul cores. They¡­ were born during the Descent,¡± she said. Zoren corrected her. ¡°Could, Miss Elise. Soul cores could only be unlocked at the age of 15. If it isn¡¯t unlocked, then it remains dormant forever,¡± he said. It was a minor error, and most likely just a grammatical error on Elise¡¯s part, as most people already know that. But a reminder doesn¡¯t hurt for those who may not know. ¡°But you¡¯re right. They were born during the Descent. At the time, there were those carrying babies in their wombs who got infected with the Xyz virus but did not turn. It is believed these children were the first Awakened. Or so at least, the wizards theorize.¡± ¡°Wizards. What about them, professor? We know they had their own society separate from ours even before the Descent. So, why did they only show up in 2040? They can manipulate the aether without a soul core or using a talus. And they can learn and use how many ever spells they want without any limitations. They should have been able to drive away the Ashen. So, why did they wait too long to help?¡± Elise¡¯s tone sounded almost accusatory. At least she didn¡¯t outright ask: How could the wizards be so selfish? ¡°You raise a good question, Miss Elise. I¡¯m sure many of you here share the same sentiment,¡± he said before scanning the students. ¡°Have you all ever asked yourselves. How was it that we weren¡¯t wiped out even before the Awakened showed up?¡± Of course, no one responded. ¡°The wizards and the military are actually not given the credit they deserve. We even lack footages of their effort in trying to make sure we did not go extinct in the first 15 years,¡± he added, before looking back to Elise, who raised her eyebrow. ¡°Three hundred years ago, we had Circle IV and Circle V wizards. They took down Ashen that the military cannot ¨C dozens and dozens of high-grade and even multiple Calamity-grades like Argus. And some of those they couldn''t kill have been sealed, but at the cost of the lives of those who sealed them," he said. "None of the higher Circle wizards survived.¡± At this, Elise averted her gaze, and Zoren could see the light of realization in her eyes. ¡°But the Ashen were, and still are, far too numerous, so most of the wizards were wiped out in the initial stages of the war. And their population only dwindled since then. This is why there are only about 8,000 of them today. Not to mention it takes decades for a wizard to be combat-ready unlike the Awakened.¡± ¡°D-Decades?¡± asked Elise. ¡°It takes them decades of studies to learn spells the Awakened can learn in an instant through spell-imprinting. They have to study multiple fields of studies before they can even hope to begin learning magic. So, imagine the sacrifice they made. Decades of learning magic ¨C not combat ¨C just to die in the fog of war. It¡¯s like a scientist choosing to become a soldier out of necessity and desperation.¡± Elise whimpered. Some students sniggered at her. Zoren glared at them. ¡°I speak not out of spite, but to provide understanding. Miss Elise, despite her reservations, tried her best to speak with respect and kept an open mind. THAT¨C¨C is the quality I seek from my students,¡± he said with a pause. ¡°But I digress¡­ let us continue. If any of you wish to leave, then feel free to do so. You won¡¯t be in trouble, nor will it affect your enrolment.¡± They all looked at each other. Some with tired, expectant gazes as if they were were hoping for somebody to take the lead. Of course, there were the students who remained unfazed. Niall, in particular, was smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s see who the cowards are.¡± His two lackeys laughed. Zoren didn¡¯t like this, so he cast a cold gaze upon the Locksmith boy. He wasn¡¯t doing this to shame others, but to give them an option. The Aetheric Path isn¡¯t the only way to help humanity. Not to mention, that it is far more dangerous to have an Awakened who hesitates. Hesitation only leads to death. And Niall may be from an influential family, but Zoren, and many professors, are titans in their own right. As Class IIIs, the Consortium of Awakened Academies is virtually un-influenced by those who throw their power or authority around. Niall gulped and refused to meet his eyes. No one walked out the door. But perhaps some of them will choose to back out later on. ¡°Next,¡± Zoren said as he changed the surroundings again. The Frontier of Hope burned, as a group of Awakened were fighting a bunch of Ashen. The same Awakened who were training earlier. They were doing well. Some students, their eyes burning with rage, even cheered as the Ashen were decimated by the dozens. But¡­ ¡°Despite humanity trying to rebuild from the ashes, now with the help of the Awakened, it was not enough,¡± said Zoren as he continued to let the footage play out. Initially, the footage should have already ended with the Awakened and the Frontier of Hope becoming symbols of hope. Followed by footage of the rise of the League and what it now looks like today. But Zoren found the full footage of what happened next to the Frontier, even enhancing the voices of the characters to mimic a personal connection between them and the students. ¡°Go, Eric,¡± commanded a hooded wizard as he showered aether missiles toward a group of Ashen on the narrow street. ¡°Take the children to the bunker. We¡¯ll hold the line.¡± ¡°What? No, Master Dylan! What about¡­¨C¡± An armoured Ashen managed to break through their defence line, crushing Dylan¡¯s head in an instant. Wizards have no Shield. Even if Dylan did, that Ashen was a Grade D - equivalent to a Class II Awakened with an activated Aura. Master Dylan wouldn¡¯t have survived either way. Eric widened his eyes and stiffened. Blood splashing against his face. The Ashen was about to kill him too, but a group of Awakened stabbed it from all directions. One of them nodded at Eric. ¡°Go,¡± she said. ¡°When you¡¯re done at the bunker, head to the hospital. There are other Awakened out there. They can¡¯t leave until everyone¡¯s evacuated.¡± Eric managed to get his bearing back and nodded. ¡°Miss Lina¡­¡± ¡°It was an honour fighting with you, Eric.¡± Eric pursed his lips, wiping the tear from his cheek, before rushing with the other Awakened who led the children away. Looking back to his comrades who remained to cover their backs, more of them were slain. Lina slew a group of Ashen with a single flourish of her sword, before briefly glancing at Eric from her peripherals, smiling with a nod. She mouthed: Survive. Eric headed to the hospital and helped evacuate people. But in the end, even he perished after fighting until the end. The footage came to another still, to an equally still room. 17. Villain 17. Villain The still Alvine Grand Theatre was almost suffocating, even to Zoren, but he continued to talk, as if ignorant to some of the students'' breakdowns, or the glare of Anthony. ¡°It was only after over 100 years later when the Awakened academies were established in the League,¡± said Zoren to break the silence. ¡°Prior to that, the Awakened learned while they died.¡± After a quick glance at his watch, he figured time was running out. It¡¯s almost 11 a.m. So he snapped his finger again. They now hovered in space, looking at a footage of Earth from above. There were only a few specks of light left. ¡°This space footage is dated October 6, 2045, when humanity finally lost. The year of the Fall. It¡¯s estimated that only half a billion people survived, with only a very small portion of the world ¨C not even a quarter of it ¨C becoming inhabited by humanity,¡± said Zoren. The documentary soon kept moving forward in time. Years. Decades. And humanity¡¯s settlements have even become more scattered. More separated. Their connection. Severed. ¡°Fast forward to the present¨C¨C 2349. Our population only dwindled. There are now only about 45 million of us who remains, scattered among six countries and our very little cities,¡° he said, before turning off the projectors. While he wanted to show them more, he ran out of time. It¡¯s now 11 a.m. Between 2045 and 2349. A lot has happened. He didn¡¯t even discuss the Godframes discovered in the 2200s ¨C which the documentary tried to portray as other symbols of hope and inspiration. But they¡¯re irrelevant to the documentary, anyway. They¡¯ll just have to learn about the Godframes during their history class, he thought. His eyes wandered across the auditorium, to the many students who now only knelt on the cold floor, still shivering at what they saw. Some even passed out. He thought that perhaps some of them might even choose not to ever awaken, and choose a more normal life. Others might still choose to awaken just for the sake of becoming an Awakened, and not bother risking their lives to level up. But, those who choose this path often gets stuck at Class I, as it becomes more difficult to level up the older an Awakened gets. There¡¯s a reason why most Awakened are Class I or II. While Zoren believes this to be unfortunate, his belief in free will is stronger. Governments in the past have tried forcing the Awakened to fight the Ashen, but this led only to civil war. Zoren¡¯s eyes then lingered on a student who leaned against a window sill, watching Noah¡¯s skyline. Chloe still held the hand of Aoife, whose eyes only stared at the ground. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zoren said with a whispery voice. ¡°Flying ships. Skyscrapers piercing the skies. High-rise buildings that hides from sight ¨C areas bleak of hope ¨C people scrounging for scraps¡­ Hungry,¡± he said, before gesturing to the high walls in the horizon as big as the skyscrapers themselves. ¡°And giant walls that does not escape the eye.¡± When Chloe looked at him, her eyes were wet with tears. ¡°It¡¯s like...¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re all still prisoners,¡± Zoren nodded. *** What is a villain? Someone selfish. Perhaps evil. Cale wondered if what Professor Zoren did was evil. But it wasn''t. He agreed that it was better to show the students the realities of the Awakened. But him? Cale considers himself a villain. A man of great intellect and cunning; all others beneath himself ¨C even his best friends. Take, for instance, Lucas. Lucas, as his Avernus persona, may seem mysterious and cold. But for Cale, he is neither of those things. When you remove the great potential and power Lucas holds ¨C when you remove the mask ¨C he is just like anybody else. Someone who can fall in love. Someone who denies his heart. Someone who¡¯s hurt. A human. Lucas has great affection for Chloe, as Chloe does for Lucas. That much is quite very obvious to Cale. Though he thought he understood, it truly escaped him how could two souls show so much care with each other when they barely even knew each other. Earlier, Professor Zoren had the 300 students divided into 30 groups for the school tour ¨C with each group composed of at least 10 students. After all, it is far easier to make such an arrangement, than having a mob of 300 students be lost in the echo. And when the two lovebirds ¨C or so as Cale had declared ¨C had to part for the school tour, he noticed their already longing gaze for each other. Did it disgust him? No, it just made him curious. And herein he began to scheme. He swore to himself. It may take time, but I will ensure these two will marry each other. Cale considered what others might think of him if they found out. After all, who is he to even interfere? As the old adage of romance and love do solemnly proclaims, if two souls are meant for each other, then it will work out. Intervention is unnecessary. But Cale has no belief in such concepts as fate. No. Fate is created. Weaved. Manipulated. And if he can sculpt fate and destiny itself, why should he deny himself that power? What is power without utilizing it? If others could hear his thoughts and judge him for it, then so be it. ¡­And is it also not the duty of a true friend to advance the blossoming of love, and to tear down the barriers hindering its fruition? A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. No, Cale thought as they toured the school. Those are all just excuses. Deep within himself, his scheme to have those two marry each other is but for his own amusement. They are a project. Nothing more, nothing less. So, let others call him a villain if they must. For he shall wear the title with pride. He looked at Lucas, absent-mindedly looking at a drinking fountain on the hall as if it were the most interesting object he had ever seen, whilst their tour guide gestured to a nearby vending machine with great pride¨C¨C a machine that vends ice cream. He misses Chloe, Cale thought. He¡¯s sure of it. He was in the same group as Lucas, and he knew that Lucas would rather be in the same group as Chloe than him. Cale has observed the nuances of human interaction with his keen eyes. He has dissected their behaviours and emotions. How they connect and how they perform. He surmised that Lucas must have longed for the school tour to end. So he could see Chloe again. From the libraries, the lecture halls, the dormitories, the dining hall, the four campus parks, the Sky Hall, and the Sparring Quadrant ¨C Lucas showed no interest. Because he missed Chloe. And how could Cale be so sure of it? Because the two have bared themselves naked before his eyes. *** After the tour, they met up with Chloe. She was with Lucas¡¯ person of interest ¨C Aoife. Not a person of interest in that way, but something to do with doing a favour for that wizard. The two girls were also with two other students; Bear, who looks like a bear; and Mark, a beautiful blonde boy. Apparently, Aoife met them by chance when she was shopping around for taluses last night, and Bear and Mark ended up late. They missed the documentary. Cale briefly wondered if the duo were spies trying to get close to Aoife, given their background. But, people often meet each other and if they click, they become friends. It just happens. It¡¯s a matter of retaining that friendship in the long run. After all, people come and go. So, while it¡¯s highly unlikely for the Twin Beasts to be spies, it would still be wise to keep an eye on them nonetheless. Anyway, the six students then introduced themselves to each other. ¡°So, how was your tour guys? It was pretty nice for us,¡± Lucas asked as he lowered his fork. They were eating lunch at the Hall of Dining. What a haughty name for a place where humans devour carcasses only made palatable through the power of flames. But Lucas couldn¡¯t help but steal glances at Chloe ¨C who also did the same. How their hesitant and longing glances at each other, how they silently tiptoed around each other, bound by the chains of uncertainty and confusion, were not hidden from Cale. They¡¯re in love. Ah, how nice it is to be so young, Cale thought, even if he¡¯s of the same biological age as them. ¡°Same! And I guess the Sky Hall was pretty awesome,¡± Aoife replied to Lucas with a grin. However, the way she played with her food indicated she may not be feeling well inside. That documentary. It must have slightly traumatized her, thought Cale as he sliced his smoking steak. He may be critical of the consumption of meat, but he understands that it¡¯s humanity¡¯s nature to feed. He¡¯s a proud hypocrite. Chloe looked gloomy but did join the table talk. ¡°Yeah, like you could see Greendale from the Sky Hall,¡± she just said, before stealing another glance to Lucas. She just couldn''t help it, could she? Lucas smiled at her but the fool couldn¡¯t even maintain a millisecond of eye contact. Cale succeeded in not rolling his eyes. Bear let out an audible sigh. ¡°Okay, guys. Clearly the air is off. And I¡¯m having trouble breathing because of it.¡± Lucas and Chloe looked at Bear in alarm. For obvious reasons. But Cale knew Bear was referring to something else, and he was right. Bear immediately followed up his statement with a question. ¡°Was it really that bad?¡± He was referring to the documentary, of course. The two lovebirds sighed in relief. Idiots, Cale thought. ¡°Was gonna say,¡± Mark mumbled. He looked more interested in eating his chicken pie. And when he noticed Cale didn¡¯t touch his cake, Mark gulped as he intently looked at him. ¡°Go ahead,¡± said Cale. He wasn¡¯t fond of sugar anyway. Mark grinned. ¡°Thanks!¡± Lucas replied to Bear. ¡°They used simulation technology with augmented reality to transport us back into the past. We might have some students back out.¡± Cale thought that Lucas must be trying to impress Chloe. Usually, his friend doesn¡¯t have much interest in scientific technicalities, or the nuances of technology ¨C even if his parents were quite the figureheads in the research of the Godframes. Well. I suppose he¡¯s still a SPECTRA, Cale thought. And speaking of impressed, Chloe did look impressed. Or at least she pretended to. She must have. ¡°Oh! So, that¡¯s what it was! Simulation technology. That¡¯s so cool,¡± she said. Bear nodded. ¡°I agree. But to use it that way is pretty fucked up.¡± Mark replied. ¡°Without a warning too. I¡¯m glad I missed it!¡± he said as he deliberately raised his voice. There were some glares from the other tables at Mark¡¯s words, but the blonde didn¡¯t seem that much affected, as if he actually revelled from their hateful gaze. How amusing. ¡°¡­Not cool, bro. Not cool,¡± Bear slapped the back of Mark¡¯s head. ¡°Yo, chill!¡± the blonde cried out. Chloe chuckled as she swirled her soup. She hadn¡¯t taken a bite since the lunch started. ¡°They delayed the Awakening Ceremony for 4 p.m., instead of 3, right?¡± Clearly, she didn¡¯t want to recall what had transpired. Aoife nodded. ¡°Yeah. Apparently, we could go and check out Greendale. They¡¯re probably doing this to let us take it in before making a commitment. Me and Chloe are going out. You guys are coming too, yes?¡± She didn¡¯t seem to want to hear ¡®no¡¯ for an answer. Bear and Mark nodded their heads. ¡°We should check out the sauna,¡± said Bear in particular. ¡°That¡¯s too early! That sounds fun, though. Let¡¯s go check it out after the orientation,¡± Aoife said before looking at Lucas and Cale. ¡°You guys?¡± At Aoife¡¯s question, while subtle, Chloe¡¯s eyes sparkled at Lucas expectantly. No one noticed. Only Cale. Lucas exchanged glances with him. ¡°We¡¯re heading back to the city in a bit. We forgot our taluses. Apparently, can¡¯t awaken without those.¡± A lie. ¡°Bummer¡­ Well, we can always show you guys around tomorrow! Apparently, there¡¯s no classes since we begin on Wednesday,¡± said Aoife as she stood up, followed by the others. Lucas and Cale bid them farewell after they exchanged contacts. ¡°You can go with them. I can handle the hideout by myself,¡± said Cale as he wiped his lips with his handkerchief. Lucas looked nonchalant, trying to seem as if he didn¡¯t care. But that look. Cale knew he was depressed. ¡°Mrs. Livia and the Director advised me to keep my distance. I¡¯ve already initiated contact. That should be more than enough.¡± Right. He¡¯s doing the wizard a favour, Cale thought. ¡°I do agree with them¡­ that friendship at this stage, when cultivated, may prove a hindrance to you in the future. Because you can¡¯t always make excuses when you require yourself to disappear.¡± Lucas smirked. ¡°Sure. But didn¡¯t you just tell me to be Chloe¡¯s friend? Is that really okay?¡± He took the bait. He believes that as his handler, I won¡¯t be too fond of the idea of a secondary, unofficial mission, Cale thought, feeling as if he has already achieved great success. ¡°While she¡¯s aware you¡¯re a Prime and a SPECTRA, she promised not to talk, no? And she doesn¡¯t seem the type to lie.¡± "I see..." "Well, if you''re not going. Let''s go check out the hideout. SPECTRA just sent word. They''ve already set it up. We just need to make sure everything''s in place, and we have all we need." Lucas looked surprised. "Already? And where is it again?" "At the Loncier Forest." "Alright, let''s go."
Lucas and Cale begin to prepare for Case Farewell. But it seems things are not going as smoothly as the duo hoped. Coming up next week on the Ring of Avernus... Cale''s phone buzzed. Supplies responded. [We apologize for the mistake. We will have the issue sorted out in a week.] Cale sighed. If they''re making a move soon, a week would already be too late, he thought. I expected there would be some logistics issue with how big the overall operation is, and with different organizations working together. But I wasn''t expecting it to be this bad. What a blunder... *** ¡°Nevertheless, it¡¯s going to be interesting,¡± said Master Livia, before joining Cale on the table. ¡°But that is not why we¡¯re here.¡± Cale nodded. Master Livia is supposed to talk about the reason why the Academy was infiltrated, and explain why Operation ROLLING PANDA is a Class VI operation. He poured the wizard some of her tea, and said, ¡°Speak freely, Master Livia.¡± 18. Hideout 18. Hideout Somewhere at the Loncier Forest... It didn''t take them long to reach the hideout somewhere at the Loncier Forest. It''s the giant forest encircling the academy like a shield. The hideout was underground, beneath a big tree, concealed from prying eyes. It wasn''t large. About the size of a small basketball court. Cale, with a casual flick, brought the lights to life, revealing a command center. A wall of monitors sprang into view, each screen displaying a different vantage of the Island of Greendale. There''s a command terminal before the monitors. "Impressive. Who set up those cameras?" asked Lucas "They''re the Academy''s. We have authorized access," Cale replied. Looking about, he noticed a computer in the corner. "Oh, there it is," he said. "You... brought in a gaming PC?" "Calling a state-of-the-art computer a gaming PC is quite the insult, don''t you think?" said Cale before pulling a gaming chair before the computer. "Fair," Lucas said with a shrug before exploring the area. Meanwhile, Cale plugged in a flash drive, and the computer buzzed to life, projecting a geo-spatial map of the Dominion of Noah. The screen showed a cluster of blinking dots, all within Greendale, except for one lone signal back in the city. "Can you do the inventory, Lucas?" he asked, eyes sweeping across the room to dozens of metal boxes that should contain their Armada suits, Axara capes, taluses, and the array of various weaponry and gear they require. They needed to be fully equipped if his suspicions were correct. "Sure," replied Lucas as Cale began to tinker with the computer. "But it''s odd. We shouldn''t have these many boxes, no?" "Yeah. Just make sure we have have everything, including the Axaras." "We have Axaras too?" asked Lucas. "Way to go!" When Cale glanced over, he noticed Lucas'' eyes were seemingly aflame, likely excited. And it''s understandable if Lucas could not hide that excitement. Axara capes are made of reinforced graphene, making them somewhat bulletproof. These capes are tough and expensive to produce, and the materials used to reinforce the graphene can only be found in the Empire of Samirthya. But Cale managed to convince the Director to issue a couple of them for him and Lucas. Because when Armada and Axara are layered, while far from the level of protection Combat Frames provide, the armour set should give them some protection against some ballistic-based weaponry, which the Awakened are extremely vulnerable to. ...If only the Awakened could also use exosuits like Combat Frames, then they probably would have already destroyed the Ashen. But alas, when they use their taluses, they can''t use any form of technology. For some reason, magic and technology don''t work together, and the research on magitech is still in its infancy. Even magitech exosuits like the Archframes are only poor imitations of the Godframes. So, even if the Awakened wears Combat Frames, it would be no different from wearing hunks of useless metal once they equip their taluses. Thus, the best protection the Awakened could wear are often armours that function without the aid of technology, just like Armada suits made primarily out of Kevlar. As Cale worked, he heard Lucas ruffle through their stuff. But he''s taking a while. It''s been 10 minutes. It shouldn''t take that long. "Done?" he asked, glancing over. "Yeah," Lucas said as he scratched his head. "And?" "We got food," said Lucas, pointing to the opened boxes filled with non-perishable goods. "Pardon me?" asked Cale. It was a stupid question. He could see what Lucas was talking about himself. But he could be mistaken. According to some studies, hallucination due to exhaustion is not that uncommon. "We. Got. Food." But it looked like Cale wasn''t hallucinating, after all. Someone in Supplies and Logistics made a cruel error. He took a deep breathe and just nodded to Lucas, but he felt impatient within. This is bad, he thought. We will definitely need those. "Cale, you good? You''re looking a bit pale." "I''m fine. I''ll just have to email Supplies and give them a call later on," he said, before whispering to himself, "I just hope we get them in time." "Hey. I heard that. In time for what?" Cale ignored him, only allowing silence to descend on the room as he wrote an email to inquire about their supplies. He figured there must have been a mistake, and the boxes they got were supposed to go to another team. But after a while of just white noise, he noticed something odd. "You''re awfully quiet," Cale said as he wrote a quick email demanding what happened. Usually, his friend can''t help himself but talk to fill the silence. "Says the one who''s always being so awfully quiet. But it''s nothing. I was just thinking about what you said earlier." "What in particular?" "You''re really okay with me being friends with her? With Chloe?" ¡°I don''t see why not. As your handler, you have my permission. Feel free to maintain amiable contact with your new friends¨C¨C and do watch over her too," said Cale. He''d expected that Lucas himself would bring up the topic after he planted the idea of romance earlier. His friend just couldn''t help it¨C¨C just as he expected. ¡°Watch over her too? Who?¡± said Lucas, his expression looked like those times when he got caught stealing someone else¡¯s lunch in the refrigerator. ¡°Chloe.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes glinted to that of suspicion. ¡°Is there something about her I should know about?¡± ¡°You like her, don¡¯t you? You must confess,¡± said Cale. It¡¯s important not to beat around the bush, as the old saying goes. "And do you mind checking the server tower in the corner? There''s some delay here," he said as he continued setting up the terminal. Lucas'' cheeks tinged with pink. He¡¯s so easily flustered it¡¯s almost comical. ¡°Sure," he said as he proceeded to do what was asked. "And where did that even come from? Confess? Seriously?¡± ¡°None can fool my senses. When both your eyes meet, the air can only succumb to the stiffness of it all. It makes it difficult even for myself to breathe. She likes you, as you like her. It is only obvious,¡± said Cale quietly, stealing a glance at Lucas. Lucas paled as he fiddled with the server tower''s wires. ¡°That sounded more like a declaration. But I''ll bite. How do you even define ¡®like¡¯?¡± Yet another proof that he does indeed adore the girl, thought Cale. Normally, Lucas would shrug off a subject he¡¯s not particularly interested in, or pretend that he¡¯s listening for the sake of being polite. But he¡¯s doing neither and is actually actively engaging the subject. Cale pretended to consider his words for a moment, before responding. ¡°How do you define that pleasant feeling when you see her? When you''re close to her?" he asked. A rhetorical question. "Lucas, my eyes sees through many. It cannot be fooled. Not even by you.¡± ¡°Look. I¡¯m not going into this with you. If you¡¯re worried as my handler, that my feelings will hinder the mission, you¡¯re wrong," said Lucas. "And I found the problem. The GPU is just a bit loose." Feelings. He said feelings. A subtle acknowledgement, thought Cale as he allowed Lucas to spout his excuses while fixing the server tower. When Cale did not respond, Lucas cleared his throat. "Also, can we stop talking about this? We have much more important matters to atten¨C¨C¡± ¡°You are an embarrassment to us all if you choose to hide your¨C¨C emotion; beneath an insipid logic of walking down a path of thorns beyond love and reason,¡± said Cale. He cannot allow his friend to wallow and hide. ¡°Why, because you think you¡¯re cool? The strong, silent type?¡± He scoffed as his fingers flew across the keyboard, confirming the server was back to normal. ¡°¡­Laughable.¡± Lucas¡¯ mouth dropped at his words. As it should. ¡°What? No! That''s more like you!" Lucas said and pointed at Cale. "And are you saying I¡¯m a coward?¡± he said, before pointing at himself and nudging his own chest. ¡°Me?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I just said that.¡± ¡°Is everything alright, man? What¡¯s gotten into you? Why are you acting like this?¡± Lucas said with a nervous chuckle. Cale did not respond immediately for some dramatic flair, just staring at the geo-map as Lucas waited wide-eyed in impatience and tension, until Cale tapped a glass of water beside the keyboard, allowing a high-pitched sound to briefly filter through the air. Lucas blinked, snapping back to reality. ¡°Much as you refuse to accept the truth, Lucas, our mission is at peril if you refuse to confess. As your handler, I cannot allow that,¡± he replied, before taking a sip of his water. In fact, the logic behind his words had nothing to do with anything. Just random babble. He just needed something, no matter how improbable to push Lucas to take action¨C¨C to confess. And he chose the mission as an excuse. When someone wants to do something, but hesitates, it is crucial to give them a reason to do it. It doesn¡¯t matter what that would be. What is important is as long as there is reason, no matter how big or small, then they will convince themselves to do it¨C¨C obviously, given they already want to do it in the first place. It¡¯s a textbook example of the SPECTRA Handler Guide: Manipulation 101. ¡°What does confessing even have to do with my mission, handler?¡± Lucas laughed as he pulled a chair to sit beside Cale, emphasizing the word handler. His eyes then also shifted to the set of big monitors before them. Cale expected Lucas¡¯ hesitation, who he figured grasped for a reason of his own not to act on his own emotions. But Cale didn¡¯t care. It won¡¯t be fun if Lucas puts up no resistance. However, he did struggle to find an answer to his friend¡¯s question. Indeed, he needed a more tangible excuse to relate the mission to Lucas¡¯ confession. To say, ¡®Your mission is at peril if you don¡¯t confess,¡¯ can only do so much. It just sounds like a bad joke. Not to mention it sounded ridiculous and unprofessional. So, he needed to come up with something. Fast. I need to come up with words having such seemingly deep implications, that just the utterance of them make it seem like they mean something, Cale thought before a light bulb exploded in his head. He cleared his throat and spoke, slowly articulating his words while he thought of other strategies he could use in this conversation. ¡°You need to understand that your life is of blood and death¨C¨C¡± ¡°Hold on. Don¡¯t give me that. We¡¯re the same,¡± Lucas said, before pointing at the geo-map. "And that blinking dot. Who''s that? That''s the only dot not in Greendale." ¡°Do not interrupt me when I talk,¡± Cale shot him a chilly look. ¡°As I said, your life is of blood and death. You must find succour. A place of rest. Because you¡¯ve been slipping, Avernus¨C¨C careless. I can only surmise your state of mind have become too erratic. Too consumed with impatience and fear of failure that you have forgotten how critical it is to maintain the ease of your mind. Thus, you must confess," he said. "Also, that''s Fia." Lucas'' mouth dropped. ¡°Damn. So much for our training to be as emotionless as possible," he said. "And why are you tracking Fia?" ¡°Being emotionless is a concept you seem to misunderstand. We train to control our emotions because we can never rid of them. Men are ruled by it. That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s always a bad or a good thing. And it¡¯s up to us to realize when emotions can get in the way of our job,¡± Cale said. ¡°But we can only do that when we accept our emotions. Denial only leads to ruin.¡± ¡°¡­Sure. But confession? What does that have to do with anything?¡± Lucas questioned. ¡°Like seriously, I can never tell if you¡¯re joking or not. And again, why are you tracking Fia?¡± ¡°Joking? Why do you say that? Am I wrong? You don¡¯t like her?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not¨C¨C¡± ¡°Then what prevents you from telling her you like her? Nobody is asking you to put a ring on her finger,¡± said Cale, repeatedly mentioning the word ¡®like¡¯ to truly cement it in Lucas¡¯ mind. To acknowledge his friend¡¯s emotion without hints of mockery is a powerful tool against his hesitation. ¡°Wait¡­ what? Put a ring on her finger? Where did you even learn how to talk like¡­ Whatever, man. I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯m goi¨C¨C¡± ¡°You stumble with your words. Do remind yourself that your poor excuse at deception fools me not.¡± ¡°Deception? You¡¯re the one giving me unsolicited relationship advice?¡± ¡°Why? Is it unwelcome?" "Yeah, actually, it''s unwel¨C¨C" "And do you think I care?¡± began Cale with the straightest face he could muster. ¡°What do you suppose should you do about it?¡± ¡°Man, you really are like those two. There¡¯s like no middle line. You really don¡¯t have to do that, you know?¡± Lucas sighed. ¡°And look. Even if I want to. How would I tell her that? What if she rejects me? And I¡¯ve never been in a relationship before," he said. "Also, again, why are you tracking Fia?" There it is. He ate the bait and acknowledged his own feelings, Cale thought. I¡¯ll just push a little bit further then stop for today. ¡°As I said, no one said anything about a relationship or marriage. Confession isn¡¯t synonymous to dating,¡± Cale said, planting deeper the following words: relationship, marriage, dating, and confession. ¡°Exploration of love and relationship is crucial to growth, Lucas. It may, or may not work. But you learn from it.¡± When he said that last part, while subtle, Lucas was unable to mask his distraught. Indeed, Lucas might be imagining a future with Chloe, and Cale¡¯s words just shattered that vision. But, a vision of failure is not enough to stop his friend. Cale wouldn¡¯t be suggesting confession if he knew Lucas was to give up out of sheer fear. ¡°I need specifics. Like, how do I even tell her I like her? I don¡¯t wanna look like a creep. Like, I mean, sure, I saved her in the past. But I don¡¯t want to use that as an excuse. I don¡¯t want her to feel like I only like her because I saved her¨C¨C,¡± said Lucas as an almost unnoticeable sweat slid down his jaw. ¡°Fuck¡­ am I even making sense right now?¡± Cale scoffed. ¡°You adapting even her pattern of speech is proof enough that my eyes are divine,¡± he said before shaking his head. ¡°Divine? You can be real pretentious sometimes.¡± Cale ignored his friend¡¯s words. ¡°You need not an excuse to justify your feelings. What matters is how you feel, no matter how that came to be. How you like her and her company, and of course, letting her know that¡­ is much more important. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t tell you how to do that. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± said Lucas impatiently. ¡°But if there''s a piece of advice I could provide. That is to be natural with your approach. Talk to her. About anything. Then tell her you like talking to her, and being around her, and that you like her,¡± said Cale, again repeatedly repeating the word ¡®like¡¯, to push Lucas to take action. ¡°Integrity, in this context, is far more important than doing what you believe is the proper way of doing something.¡± There are two ways a man acts when they like someone. They distance themselves, or they confess. They distance themselves because they may be confused, or believe as if they have to rationalize their feelings. Or they are simply afraid. Or they simply act and confess. Which is, again, what Cale is pushing Lucas to do. He cannot allow his friend to hesitate. ¡°What if I come out needy?¡± ¡°When you confess, then admit it is selfish for you to do so if you must. Apologize if you must. But you chose to confess anyway - even at the risk of her ire - because you¡¯d rather not live regretting you¡¯ve never told her how you truly feel. That way, you won¡¯t come across deprived.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to destroy our friendshi¨C¨C¡± ¡°Do you really consider her your friend when you¡¯ve just met?¡± ¡°Well. Yeah. You said it yourself, that even she already considers me her friend. And who cares if we just met? We¡¯re friends. What¡¯s so wrong with that?¡± ¡°Nothing. But when two souls like each other beyond friendship, and both refuses to acknowledge their own feelings. That feeling of¨C¨C love, turns into hate,¡± said Cale. There really is no factual basis behind that, but if he speaks words with so much confidence and authority, the unwary is prone to believe anything. Lucas blinked at Cale. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re¨C¨C¡± ¡°Right? Of course, I am. When was I ever wrong? There¡¯s a reason I¡¯m a handler. A reason I was recalled." Lucas pressed his lips and gulped. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just afraid of her rejecting me.¡± He¡¯s not changing the subject. I can push a bit further, Cale thought as his eyes sharpened. ¡°Then expect the worst. She WILL reject you. And it will hurt. Far sharper than a serrated blade ripping through your chest. But take it with grace. Because you are Avernus,¡± said Cale. ¡°What¡¯s important is you tell her you like her, while letting her know that you don¡¯t expect her to return your feelings. And that you¡¯re alright with that. Do you understand?¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t even meet Cale¡¯s eyes. But he scoffed. ¡°Right. Yeah, just tell her. Sounds easy enough,¡± he said, before shifting his gaze back to Cale, slightly raising his voice. ¡°Are you serious? Like how do you even do that? Like, no matter how you put it. That just sounds selfish.¡± ¡°Lucas.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As one of the Hummingbirds. Do you remember all our promises to each other?¡± Lucas¡¯ gaze suddenly shone with bloodlust. ¡°To kill Muriel.¡± ¡°Yes. And you cannot waver. If you walk this road half-heartedly, then you do not deserve to fight with us,¡± Cale said, lifting a finger as he did so, not allowing Lucas to speak. ¡°You waver when you walk with regrets. You already have enough of them. To add love onto the list not only pushes you deeper into the abyss, but it will also put those who fight with you in danger. Love is powerful. It gives you something to defend. A stronger reason to fight, no matter how cliche it may sound. So do not be a fool and underestimate it. No one, not even you, is invulnerable to love. It¡¯s a matter of how you react to it.¡± Or something along those lines, Cale thought, acknowledging that his own words were supposed to seem to mean something when they meant nothing at all. The idea was to make it seem like he knew what he was talking about. Something about stringing together similar platitudes in a confusing mess to reach an idea that seems to mean something, when it means nothing at all. ¡°I know¡­¡± ¡°Hate me for crossing your boundary, but do know that I do not say all this as you¡¯re handler, but because while we do not share the same blood, you are still a brother of mine.¡± Lucas smiled. ¡°You have to teach me how to gaslight like you do in the future. But yeah, I already get it.¡± But Cale shattered that smile as he circled back to the genesis of their discussion. ¡°Nothing prevents you from chasing love. So, do not tell yourself that love has no place in your heart. Because as someone, who walks the same path as you, that logic is the logic of a coward. And I do NOT fight with cowards.¡± And that¡¯s the sinker ¨C a fallacy. Lucas sighed. ¡°Cale¡­ you¡¯re a fucking asshole," he said. "Also, why are you avoiding my question? Why are you tracking Fia?" "I''ll tell you about Fia, later," Cale said. He can talk about the matter on Fia later on, once he''s actually confirmed his suspicions. "Alright." Cale then stretched his arms before standing up from his seat. "Also, you need not rush, Lucas. But do not wait too long. Someone else might snatch her. Someone who sees her value,¡± he said before briefly silencing himself for another yet deliberate dramatic pause. ¡°Or.¡± ¡°Or?¡± ¡°Or you or she may die tomorrow for all we know.¡± Lucas looked pallor and afraid as he widened his eyes at Cale. It may be too much to remind Lucas of Chloe¡¯s condition. But it was necessary. After all, Cale is a villain. The idea of boundaries is beneath him. ¡°Anyway, we''re done here for now. We need to head back. But we need the Veils. Can you check if it''s somewhere? Those are the most important things we need, right now. I hope they didn''t forget." ¡°Sure. Aren''t those the necklaces that are supposed to temporarily lock our soul cores?¡± asked Lucas as he busied himself. "...Found it." ¡°Yes. Should allow us to fake an Awakening.¡± As agents of SPECTRA, they have to be very careful no matter how insignificant something may seem to avert any type of suspicion. Thus, they must use a Veil Necklace to temporarily lock their soul cores. It¡¯s somewhat of a watered-down version of those collars used to lock the cores of captured Rogues. The only difference is that the necklace will also allow them to dampen their soul core, making their levels temporarily go down to a lower level that they desire, which they would be doing most of the time at the academy. So, even if Cale is Level 43, he could power himself down to Level 1. ¡°Can¡¯t we just keep hiding our soul cores? Then do a slight release and activate our Aura?¡± ¡°No. We have to act as natural as possible. We have to limit anything or any actions that might point to our identities as Primes, no matter how insignificant.¡± Lucas shrugged. ¡°Whatever you say, boss.¡± Cale''s phone buzzed. Supplies responded. [We apologize for the mistake. We will have the issue sorted out in a week.] Cale sighed. If they''re making a move soon, a week would already be too late, he thought. I expected there would be some logistics issue with how big the overall operation is, and with different organizations working together. But I wasn''t expecting it to be this bad. What a blunder... 19. The Awakening Ceremony 19. The Awakening Ceremony Cale scanned the arena-like auditorium. The seats were filled to the brim on one side with 300 students for the Awakening. Surprisingly, nobody backed out after the stunt Professor Zoren pulled. Literally nobody. Rather, the documentary seemed to have created the opposite effect. Students looked more determined than scared. Normally, Cale would consider them naive, but he could only begrudgingly respect their courage. He and Lucas reunited with the group. Which means it¡¯ll be noisier. Not that Cale minded. He made sure Lucas sat with Chloe. Lucas glared at him as he was sandwiched between Mark and Chloe. Meanwhile, Aoife, Bear, and him ¨C in that specific order ¨C sat on a row of seats behind them. At the centre of the auditorium facing the students, three hooded figures (wizards) stood, each holding a silver orb ¨C the Awakening Orb. Professor Zoren stood before them. Those Awakening Orb are critical to the Awakening. They¡¯re tools used by wizards to help unlock the soul core. Without a wizard guiding the flow of the aether to someone making the Awakening attempt, and without an Awakening Orb, there is a high chance of failure¨C¨C even for Legacies or Bloodliners. And an Awakening can only be attempted once. Failure, sometimes, may even lead to death. ¡°By threes, you will be called to take on the Awakening,¡± Professor Zoren said as he gestured to one of the wizards who toyed with a silver orb on his palm, tossing it up and down. ¡°You will be called in no particular order. But we will begin with one student, to give you all an idea on how we¡¯ll proceed. We will begin with¡­ Elise Levin.¡± The student called Elise looked pale when she descended. It must be nerve-wracking for her, especially being the first Levin Bloodline Legacy in ten years, Cale thought. Not that he understood the pressure. For one, Primes like him never had to unlock their soul cores. And two, contrary to public perception of Mexur as warrior priests, they are unlike Bloodline Families obsessed with power and status. As followers of the Christian faith, they only care about protecting society and sharing unto others the Word of the Lord. It just so happened that they are really that good at fighting and cultivating the Awakened. ¡°Miss Levin. Are you ready?¡± said Professor Zoren. From beside Cale, Aoife grinned with a whistle. ¡°And so it begins.¡± Chloe replied, ¡°I¡¯m nervous.¡± Mark yawned as he wiped a tear from one eye. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. You just place your hand on the orb, and done. It¡¯s the wizards doing the hard part for you,¡± he said. ¡°So you won¡¯t have to be worry about shattering your soul core. There¡¯s practically no risk with an Awakening Orb.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. But it¡¯s just the nerves, you know?¡± It was Aoife this time. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said as she slapped Chloe¡¯s back from behind. And then there was a loud explosion. ¡°Oh, wow. Elise did it. We have our first Awakened. See, Chloe? It¡¯s that easy!¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Chloe said with a wry smile, obviously still anxious. ¡°I guess wizards really are that amazing.¡± Professor Zoren narrowed his eyes to Elise, her eyes turning blue. Specifically cerulean. ¡°Evoker.¡± When Evokers use their Aura, their eyes turn from silver to cerulean. While Sentinels¡¯ eyes shift from silver to red. Chloe, as if her prior anxiety was immediately gone, spoke in excitement; almost jumping from her seat as she did so. ¡°Oh, I know what that is! Evokers use mind-based spells, or the outward manipulation of the aether, like aether blasts, aether shields, or aether bullets! Right?¡± Cale thought she must be trying to impress Lucas. After all, Professor Zoren also already did mention that during the documentary. But, I suppose nobody was paying attention at all, he thought. Anyway, Lucas just smiled in response to Chloe, oblivious to her attempt for a chat. How unrefined¡­ Aoife grinned and hugged Chloe from behind. ¡°You must have done a lot of reading. Good job.¡± ¡°I did!¡± Chloe grinned back. Back to the centre. Elise stood up from a meditative position. Professor Zoren instructed, ¡°We¡¯ll now proceed with the spell control test. Wear your talus.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Elise said. After she wore her talus on her index finger, she stiffened, looking surprised, seemingly looking at something before her. No. She is looking at something. Something only visible to her. Professor Zoren smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the Awakened System. It¡¯s like an augmented reality headset¡­ without the headset. So, only you can see it, not unless you share it to others, of course. Now, use your first spell,¡± said Professor Zoren and gestured to a group of metal dummies. ¡°Destroy one of ten. Even if you don¡¯t, it¡¯s no big deal.¡± Elise nodded and shot an Aether Blast. It looked like a blob of aether. The first spell an Evoker-type Awakened automatically learns when they first awaken. Elise missed. Professor Zoren asked. ¡°Did you¡­ not close your System window?¡± Elise sheepishly nodded. ¡°Yeah. It blocked my vision.¡± Professor Zoren laughed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just think ¡®Close System¡¯, and it¡¯ll close. In the future, you¡¯ll do it by instinct. It¡¯s a matter of conveying your intent to the System. And don¡¯t overthink! Sure, this is a test, but you¡¯re not being graded here,¡± he said. ¡°Again.¡± Elise nodded again before lifting her talus. She looked more focused this time. She cast Aether Blast toward the furthest dummy, before her spell curved like a boomerang to hit five more. Then it finally crashed against the wall. But the wall did not even get a scratch. ¡°Six! Good job, Elise!¡± said Professor Zoren. Aoife, Mark, Chloe, and the rest of the students clapped in uproar as Elise wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°Amazing,¡± said Cale. He¡¯s rarely impressed. ¡°Yeah. To get six, she¡¯s probably already an SC-2,¡± Bear glanced at Cale as he shifted his bear-like frame on his seat. Bear¡­ he¡¯s sharp. But that¡¯s expected for someone with the Mark of Ursa, Cale thought. The Mark of Ursa is the Dube family¡¯s Bloodline Trait. Bear is one of the Bloodline Legacies in this year¡¯s batch of freshmen. There are seven of them, almost double the average compared to previous years. Cale nodded at him. ¡°Agreed. She¡¯s a Bloodliner.¡± ¡°I see. But even Bloodlines normally should only have SC-1.10 in the beginning,¡± Bear said as his eyes briefly sharpened, lips curving into an almost indiscernible smile. He¡¯s excited. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t just Awakened, I would¡¯ve mistaken her for a Prime.¡± Chloe then exclaimed, looking at Aoife. ¡°Sentinels?! Wait! I know that! Sentinels are locked to body-based spells, like enhanced strength, speed, or endurance! But¡­ uh, what¡¯s an SC-something?¡± Still trying to impress Lucas, Cale thought, noticing how she stole a glance at Lucas after she spoke. This made Cale understand that she already knew the answer to her own question. She was just hoping Lucas to answer. Bear raised one eyebrow before whispering to Cale. ¡°Bro, she sure likes Lucas, eh?¡± Cale scoffed. ¡°He likes her too.¡± Bear laughed. ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re a bit too obvious.¡± But the seemingly oblivious Lucas did not say anything to Chloe, and Cale closed his eyes at his friend¡¯s stupidity. While Cale and Bear were whispering, more students went on to Awaken. At the same time, it was Aoife who replied to Chloe. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± she said as she pinched both Chloe¡¯s cheeks. ¡°And SC just means spell control. The highest is five, but each level is divided into 10 sub-levels.¡± Chloe widened her eyes. ¡°10?! That¡¯s a lot¡­¡± ¡°Yep! If Spell Control Levels indicate what spells you can use, the sub-levels indicate how much of the spell¡¯s potential you can bring out. Each sub-level below the max decreases your spell potential by 10 per cent. And every sub-level increases the total damage of the spells you have on a corresponding rank by 10 per cent.¡± ¡°Sorry, I might have lost you there. What do you mean by below the max?¡± asked Chloe. A genuine inquiry this time. Full understanding of spell control in the beginning can be difficult to understand. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to show you.¡± Aoife brought out her phone and leaned over her seat to show Chloe a Stat Sheet. Cale could see it from where he sat. ¡°So, the following is a Stat Sheet of a typical Level 1 Natural. They have an SC-1.1. That¡¯s the SC-level we usually start with. That means their spells only function at 10 per cent the normal capacity,¡± said Aoife.
Status
Name: Lorem Ipsum Shield (SH): 100 The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Level: 1 Force: (FR): 10
Age: 15 Basic Attack: 5 (10 FR x 0.50)
Class: Evoker I (Mind) Aether Essence (AE): 0/100
Spell Control: 1.1
National Rank: N/A
Global Rank: N/A
Spells ¨C 1/5 (Spell Damage = Force x Spell Power)
1. Aether Blast (Common) (Evoker-exclusive) SC Requirement: 1.10 Type: Active. Effect: Form a sphere of aether and shoot forward, pushing your target back. Spell Power (SP): 4 Cooldown: 30 seconds. Effective Cooldown: 57 seconds.
Chloe patiently waited for Fia to continue explaining. ¡°The Stat Sheet says an Aether Blast have 4 SP, right? That means it¡¯s full damage potential is 40. But with an SC-1.1, you can only bring out 10 per cent of the spell¡¯s full potential. This means you¡¯d only be dealing 4 damage every cast ¨C which is way less effective than just using your basic attacks.¡± ¡°It also says Effective Cooldown. So, Cooldown is it affected too?¡± ¡°Yeah, it does. With a 1.1 spell control, your Cooldown is up by 90 per cent. But as your SC''s sub-level go up, your effective cooldown also goes down," said Aoife. "Then when you reach 1.10, the cooldown effect goes away." Chloe nodded eagerly. ¡°I see. Does spell control also correlate to the level of an Awakened? Similar to how Ashen grades correlate with Awakened classes?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Kinda, I think? I mean, I do know that if an Awakened is a Class II for example, but they only have a level 1 spell control, they won¡¯t be able to imprint a Class II spell book,¡± said Aoife. ¡°How do you improve your spell control then?¡± ¡°Through aetheric meditation or aetheric control exercises.¡± ¡°Meditation? That¡¯s how the Awakened absorb aether from the environment and level up though, right?¡± ¡°Correct. But meditation isn¡¯t only done to level up. It¡¯s main purpose is to increase your spell control. The best way to level up is still to absorb aether stones or by killing Coals and absorbing their aether cores. But why do you ask?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ we also have to increase our spell control levels in addition to our Awakened level too,¡± said Chloe with a groan. ¡°Urgh¡­ it¡¯s just so complicated. Why do we have to worry about spell control levels too?¡± ¡°I know¡­ But I suppose, it¡¯s why we have the Awakened System in the first place. It makes it easier for us to understand the concepts of the Aetheric Path,¡± said Aoife. Chloe hummed in thought. ¡°I still don¡¯t know how the System works. Because I thought that the Awakened can¡¯t use technology when they¡¯re wearing their talus. But at the same time, the System is so similar to augmented reality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But the System is magitech in nature, so we can use it. I think it was around a hundred years ago when the wizards shot a satellite in space to kind of like act as a server for the System, allowing all the Awakened across the globe to access it through their taluses. Don''t ask me how it works.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting. So, the Awakened in the past didn¡¯t have the System?¡± ¡°Nope. They relied on sheer cultivation,¡± Aoife said as she leaned back in her seat. Chloe tilted her head. ¡°Cultivation?¡± ¡°Cultivation of the soul core. We still do it, the term just changed to levels. And instead of Classes, I believe they were using the terms ¡®Realms¡¯ to refer to their soul core ranks in the past. Like for example, a Class I Awakened would have a First Realm soul core, and so on and so forth,¡± said Aoife. ¡°Apparently, the wizard who headed the project loved video games so much that he borrowed terms from them. Something about not fixing or changing what¡¯s not broken.¡± Mark, who fell asleep somewhere in the middle of the conversation, woke up and yawned beside Aoife. ¡°That¡¯s so long-winded, Aoife.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± joked Lucas. Bear snickered. Aoife glared at them. Chloe shook her head. ¡°Oh! No, no, no. It¡¯s totally fine!¡± She grinned. ¡°It¡¯s actually fascinating. And I think I get it!¡± Chloe cleared her throat. ¡°So, basically, we still follow the same form of cultivation as the Awakened of the past did, right? The Awakened System simply just uh¡­ how do I explain this.¡± Lucas finally spoke. Finally. ¡°It numeralizes.¡± Chloe looked at Lucas who scooted closer to her so she could hear him better. Not that she needed to. ¡°Numeralizes?¡± ¡°The System provides metrics or numerical calculations equivalent to the bioscan of an Awakened through their taluses,¡± said Lucas. Chloe didn''t react and just stared at him. Lucas cleared his throat and continued. ¡°Through a talus, it scans your body, and shows you the metric equivalent of your soul core ¨C levels and ranks. And the amount of spells you can imprint. But all you have to worry about for now is¡­ to improve your spell control if you want to use your spells¡¯ full potential, and if you want to learn a higher classed spell like Aoife said.¡± ¡°So, Spell Rank correlates to the Awakened¡¯s Spell Control, and not their Class Rank?¡± ¡°Exactly. Because while we do unlock our starter spell when we awaken, Imprinting after that takes a level of focus ¨C your SC. It¡¯s like getting a tattoo, you need to have a certain level of pain tolerance. So, theoretically, you can learn a Class II spell even if you¡¯re still a Class I. That is if you have a Level 2 Spell Control. But that¡¯s extremely rare.¡± Cale hid a smirk. Now, it¡¯s him trying to impress her, he thought. To see them interact is akin to watching a romantic comedy with a 1.3/10 rating in the movie database. Mark made an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Thank you, Lucas!¡± ¡°Shut up, Mark! I was explaining the full details!¡± said Aoife. Chloe briefly looked at Cale and Bear¡¯s direction. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you guys were so impressed with Elise,¡± she muttered. Cale just nodded. And Bear did affirm her words. ¡°Yeah. With an SC-2.01, Elise practically has a 90 per cent Force advantage compared to Naturals. And as a Bloodline Legacy, she would have access to Class II spell books from the Levin family. That¡¯s the difference between Naturals and Legacies in the early stages.¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so amazing¡­,¡± she said before looking back to Lucas. She didn¡¯t seem to mind Lucas scooting closer to her earlier. ¡°I forgot to ask. But you said there¡¯s a spell limit, right? What¡¯s the limit?¡± Cale looked at Chloe. Most students in the auditorium should have done their homework in preparation for becoming an Awakened, and should already know the basics like spell limits, or even how the System functions as Lucas explained. Still pretending she doesn¡¯t know, Cale thought. But maybe she didn''t truly fully understand the concept of spell control. She did seem to really have no idea how that worked. But that knowledge is pretty obscure for the non-Awakened. The public generally only cares about Class Ranks, after all. But it would be foolish if Lucas hadn¡¯t already realized she¡¯s just pretending. He¡¯s not that stupid. ¡°Five spells. But 10 spells for C-III and above,¡± Lucas replied and looked back to the middle of the auditorium. ¡°So, we have to be very particular with our spell choices and combinations ¨C ensuring optimal synergy. They¡¯re called spell builds¨C¨C er¡­, apparently. And it¡¯s up to an Awakened to figure out what works for them and what doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Spell builds?¡± asked Chloe. ¡°Spell builds, spell-kits, or just builds. They¡¯re the combination of spells an Awakened chooses to imprint. But I don¡¯t think we¡¯d have to worry about that for now. We¡¯ll probably only have two or three aetheric spells in the next couple of years until we become third years, and the teachers should help pick the most optimal spells for each of us.¡± ¡°Can an Awakened change their imprinted spells?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I think so?¡± But Cale knew he lied. It¡¯s a bit of common knowledge that the Awakened can change their imprinted spells. But someone still has to find that information for themselves, which requires them to already have an interest with the Awakened. And as part of Lucas¡¯ cover as a Legacy, he has to pick what information he should and should not know. Spell Refund is one of those that he chose not to know. A bit of a stupid option. I''ll have to tell him to be more careful in the future, Cale thought. Any Legacy knows about Spell Refund. Also, Cale noticed how Chloe only asked what she knew a prepared student would only be able to answer. Even she is being careful not to reveal Lucas¡¯ identity as a Prime. It seems they really just want to talk to each other. Even if they don¡¯t realize it, Cale thought. But, Chloe knowing what questions to ask means that she knows more than she lets on. Student after student later, soon it was finally Lucas¡¯ turn. Of course, he unlocked his soul core and became a Sentinel. The first Sentinel among the students so far. Then it was Aoife¡¯s turn. A Natural. Evoker. Mark. A Bloodline Legacy. Evoker. Bear. A Bloodline Legacy. Sentinel. Chloe. A Natural. Evoker. Cale. A Legacy. Evoker. Anyway. It took quite some time, about 2 hours, to awaken all the 300 students before the orientation finally ended. As Cale expected, there were only four other students who became Sentinels besides Lucas and Bear, and they were all Naturals. So, six Sentinels. No other Legacies and Bloodliners were lucky enough to become Sentinels aside from Bear. But, Bear is an exception. A Dube Bloodliner will always become a Sentinel. Overall, there are 33 Legacies in total, and 8 of them are Bloodliners. The rest of the students, about 270 of them, are all Naturals. *** After dinner, they were sorted into the dormitories. It was nothing interesting. There were four dormitories, divided into four grade-levels; first year, second year, third year, and fourth year. The dorms are located at the edges of the four cardinal directions of the campus. They will be staying in the same dormitory for all four years. So, first years are moving into the dormitory previously occupied by the fourth years ¨C the House of Winter (North). The current second years are in the House of Spring (East); third years are in the House of Summer (South); fourth years in the House of Autumn (West). The dorms, however, are in no way related to the school curriculum. It¡¯s just where they¡¯ll be staying to sleep, eat, and defecate. So, it eludes Cale why some students, particularly the seniors and the alumni, holds such pride as to the House where they belong. ¡°Legacy and merit, Cale. It is everlasting,¡± said Master Livia as she stood before the window, watching the moon resting on a cloudless night sky. ¡°It¡¯s been just a bit over 100 years since Noah Academy and the four Houses were established. Previously, these Houses were just places of residence. But as time passed, the alumni of these Houses have achieved many great feats during their time in school and when they have graduated.¡± ¡°I see. They became a source of pride and inspiration,¡± said Cale as he sipped his green tea. He figured the tea leaves must have been imported from the Empire of Samirthya. ¡°Yes. The House of Summer, for example, while have remained¨C¨C average, for quite some time. It dominated the FCT two decades ago for four consecutive years. No Houses have been able to replicate that feat ever since.¡± ¡°Shadow Spear. The late Oliver Hill,¡± Cale said. Oliver Hill also won the World Awakened Championship when he was a Class III. The WAC is a tournament that happens every four years open to all Awakened. ¡°Yes. And just last year, your House of Winter represented the League at the World War Games, claiming the championship.¡± ¡°I see. The War Games. That¡¯s for fourth years, no? So, it will be the House of Autumn representing Noah this year at the qualifiers. Do you think they stand a chance?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see. Araldas is very promising, indeed. They also have Joran Voss. A very good strategist, and an equally capable Evoker. But Great Lake Academy have a very strong lineup as well, that even Joran, who could defeat Araldas, lost to Great Lake¡¯s best third year in the last FCT.¡± Cale sipped his tea as he considered Master Livia¡¯ words. He silently agreed. Araldas have admitted himself that if he didn¡¯t join the Fourth Year category, he would have lost to Joran. And Joran lost to Great Lake¡¯s Valora Heade in the Third Year category. That¡¯s not to say Valora is stronger than Araldas. But between the three, it¡¯s a rock-paper-scissor situation. Araldas would beat Valora, while Valora would beat Joran, and Joran would beat Araldas. ¡°Nevertheless, it¡¯s going to be interesting,¡± said Master Livia, before joining Cale on the table. ¡°But that is not why we¡¯re here.¡± Cale nodded. Master Livia is supposed to talk about the reason why the Academy was infiltrated, and explain why Operation ROLLING PANDA is a Grade VI operation. He poured the wizard some of her tea, and said, ¡°Speak freely, Master Livia.¡± ¡°What do you know of Victor?¡±
The truth behind the Grade VI operation is finally going to unravel, and it seems the battle Lucas seeks may not be as far ahead in the future. Coming up next week on the Ring of Avernus... "When there''s lull, it''s usually just an illusion," said Cale. Master Livia looked out the window. "I couldn''t agree more..." 20. The Truth Behind the Grade VI Operation 20. The Truth Behind the Grade VI Operation Cale crossed his legs, holding his cup of tea before his chest, but he didn¡¯t take a sip as he considered Master Livia¡¯s question. ¡±Victor. A ring, or rather, as we all now know, a talus said to have been worn by a great emperor in the past ¨C Julius Caesar. A Grade V magical relic that could only be wielded by a Class V or a Class VI. It¡¯s one of the only four Grade V relics in the world, previously wielded by Beral. But for some reason, he did not use it two years ago.¡± Cale believes power is useless when it is not being wielded. Perhaps, if Beral used Victor too, alongside his Godframe, he wouldn¡¯t have been killed by Muriel. ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s a wonder, no? How there are so many taluses in ancient history when the Awakened only came to existence around 300 years ago. Victor¡¯s existence alone seems to point out that the Awakened existed in the past.¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s another mystery of the aether.¡± ¡°What if I tell you that Victor is not of this world?¡± Cale shrugged. A light curl of Master Livia¡¯s lips. A smile. ¡°You seem very unsurprised. I¡¯d have expected at least a bit of bewilderment.¡± ¡°It matters not to me. Xyz isn¡¯t of this world too, no? Even you, Master Livia, I often wonder if you yourself is from here,¡± Cale started as he took another sip of his tea. Lovely. ¡°Besides, why are we discussing Victor?¡± ¡°We have Victor. And the Order wants it.¡± ¡°I see. So rather than have the Defense or SPECTRA secure the sword, you chose to hide it at Noah instead,¡± Cale said. It must have taken them a lot of effort to transfer Victor from the League Treasury to Noah Academy. But the Academy is the most secure facility due to Master Livia¡¯ existence, so it shouldn¡¯t have been that hard to convince the government. The question is: Why now? ¡°A bait. Victor is a bait. Everything is a bait, Cale. SPECTRA have tried hunting down the Order. But you cannot hunt what cannot be hunted. They are elusive. So, instead of finding them, you make them find us.¡± ¡°I understand the rationale. But if that is the case. Why not make it seemingly easy for them to acquire it?¡± ¡°You speak of a trap. But when hunting a predator, an effective trap must be subtle to avert any suspicions of a trap. This adds complication and may lead to situations we cannot control. So instead of hunting¡­,¡± Master Livia smiled. ¡°We fish,¡± Cale completed her sentence. ¡°So, the Order infiltrating the Academy, it is you who caused that. You leaked Victor¡¯s information.¡± ¡°Not me, but the Director. OPERATION: ROLLING PANDA is an invitation to the Order of Lewisia. If they win, Victor is their prize. And if they lose, Muriel is our prize. They have bigger risks to take on while we play defense.¡± Cale''s eyes sharpened. "Thus, the Grade VI Operation. We''re hunting Muriel. A Calamity herself," he said, with the wizard responding with a sombre nod. ¡°But we are operating under the assumption that Muriel would act herself or that she would play the game. But would she really do that with her injuries? She wouldn¡¯t dare show herself especially with SPECTRA and Hera actively hunting her down.¡± ¡°She will because she needs to. She has no Godframe, and she¡¯s already failed twice trying to acquire one; 12 years ago to try to steal Hera during the war, and two years ago for Ares. She needs Victor if she is to steal either of the two.¡± ¡°I see. But it still eludes me why Beral chose not to wield Victor against Muriel.¡± ¡°Premonition,¡± said Master Livia. ¡°That¡¯s what he told me. That if he were to have used it; it will forever be lost. And we can argue if it might or might not have been the best decision. But, it remains a fact, that if Muriel managed to steal the talus, she wouldn¡¯t be hiding right now.¡± Cale fell quiet in thought. If Muriel does acquire a talus that would provide her with an additional 300% Force. She would be more than a match even against any of the Sovereigns with a Godframe. After all, even if partially, Muriel is still a Calamity-grade Ashen herself. At that, Cale briefly stole a glance over his shoulder, to a portion of the room shrouded in shadows. Looking back to Master Livia, the wizard had a frown on his face. Understanding the situation, Cale, while he may not have agreed with the implication, could only silently sympathize with the decision. ¡°One more thing. How did you even manage to have the League and the Consortium work together?¡± ¡°Their pride.¡± ¡°Mind expanding on that?¡± "The League wants security, and the Consortium wants the honour that comes with protecting a magical relic," she said. ¡°But it¡¯s more important to note that it wasn¡¯t I who came up with the operation, but the Director himself. He suggested that Victor be moved to Noah from the Treasury to ensure it is not stolen until the League finds a worthy wielder.¡± Cale raised a brow. A worthy wielder? The League only has two Class Vs, and one of them is nowhere to be found ¨C Eclipse. The other is the Director himself, who obviously has no interest in Victor. As for their only Class VI, the Sky Sovereign and the Bearer of Hera, she already has a talus most compatible with her build. She doesn¡¯t need a talus that increases her Force. ¡°I sense your confusion, Cale,¡± said Master Livia. ¡°But remember we still have five Class IVs.¡± ¡°Right¡­ I failed to consider that,¡± admitted Cale. "And these¨C¨C preparations. If I may be so bold. I presume it has considered factors that might lead to the overall operation¡¯s potential causes of failure? We both understand that a gigantic operation like this must be free from the greedy, the ambitious, and the unreasonable for it to be successful, no?¡± Cale insinuated that the League was partially at fault with the destruction of St. John. Top secret reports dictate that Muriel has warned the League about her imminent attack, even multiple times, to provide them with an ¡®opportunity to minimize civilian casualty¡¯. But apparently, the federal government took this as an insult, believing that Muriel had already been slain 12 years ago and that remnants of the Order of Lewisia ¡®faked¡¯ her liking as a foolish attempt at deception. In hindsight, they should have taken the warning seriously, so Cale had little to no trust in the federal government¡¯s competence. ¡°Speak plain, for you are justified behind that which you imply. And while I can only provide you reassurance, do know that the League now understands there is no place for arrogance. They¡¯ve learned their lesson, albeit with such a tragic cost¡­,¡± said Master Livia as she lifted her right wrist, showing a star symbol ¨C the Contract. ¡°Right. And Muriel? She must have something up her sleeves.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve taken into account Muriel¡¯s brilliance as a strategist. She¡¯s quite fond of diversion as one of her tactics, if I may say so myself. So, we¡¯ve simplified various aspects of the operation to minimize any potential complications¨C¨C including Case Farewell. We had to make sure your mission is as simplified as possible and no trails would lead to your true identities. At least, at the early phases of the operation. This is partially why you both have been given minimal information and why we¡¯ve deigned it necessary to have an equally minimal contact until today.¡± ¡°You made sure that even the Consortium and the League don¡¯t know that we¡¯re with SPECTRA.¡± ¡°Yes. As far as they are aware, SPECTRA is helping out. Just not the ¡®How¡¯. That applies to the other operatives, as well.¡± ¡°Is it possible to know where the others are? What their missions may be?¡± Master Livia shook her head. ¡°I see. Well. Let us hope you are right, Master Livia. Though, I suppose it only makes sense, as the government would be foolish to ignore your counsel,¡± said Cale. Anybody could talk about enacting justice; or revenge against Lewisia. But to act without thought is akin to a child walking in a den of mindless, hungry Ashens, ultimately provoking his own death. And Muriel and her Order are more than mindless. The White Sovereign wouldn¡¯t be as much of a personification of crisis herself if she were only powerful in the body and not the mind¨C¨C for her true strength lies in her wit. For instance, SPECTRA analyzed and studied Muriel¡¯s attack in St. John. First, she warned the League that she would be attacking St. John, and advised to evacuate civilians. The League didn¡¯t listen. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Muriel then sent a group of Ascended from the Lewisia to destroy a portion of the wall at the City of White Hills (at the southern border of the League), requiring Godframe Hera to respond. The League fell in panic, but they thought they at least made the right call by not heeding Muriel¡¯s warning to evacuate St. John, and focused their efforts on defending White Hills. However, while they were convinced, they didn¡¯t know why they were supposed to think they made the right call. They thought they got lucky. But they were wrong. White Hills was a diversion. With Hera out of the equation, Argus and thousands of Ashens attacked St. John. So, the League ended up dispatching Beral and his Godframe Ares. And they must have thought that Muriel was stupid, believing in their old beliefs that two Godframes are enough to defend the entirety of the League from extreme threats. Of course, they were wrong. Muriel¡¯s true purpose was to kill Beral and steal Victor and Godframe Ares. She made sure to only show up when Beral was already weakened after killing Argus. The ploy worked. When Beral fought Muriel, he reportedly only had less than 50% Shield remaining. And as everybody already knows, that was enough for Muriel to kill him. Only after the loss of St. John and Beral did the government finally learn their lesson. They were outplayed. Embarrassingly so. Does that mean the League is incompetent? No. They simply have grown too complacent and Muriiel realized that. If there was an upside to all of that, it was that Muriel was too wounded to steal Ares after their battle. Attempting to steal the Godframe meant suicide because she wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape Hera and several Archframers who were already on the way. In hindsight, Muriel¡¯s tactic was painfully simple. But often, when executed well, a simple tactic is far better than a complicated one. And Muriel took advantage of the League¡¯s arrogance to ensure an almost perfect execution. She may have failed to steal Ares, but she still managed to destroy a Dominion and kill the League¡¯s number one. She killed the War Sovereign. And a Sovereign hasn¡¯t been killed in over 50 years. Master Livia nodded as if she read Cale¡¯s mind. ¡°There will likely be many diversions. But that¡¯s for us to worry about. Just worry about finding the spies.¡± Cale glanced to a corner of the room, to a silhouette hidden in the shadows. ¡°Is that enough to assuage your concerns, Lucas?¡± Lucas revealed himself from the dark, yawning with tears in his eyes. ¡°So, to sum it up, nothing changes, aside from old people playing politics again. Doesn¡¯t change our job of just finding the spies and protecting Aoife,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s your job to protect her. Not mine.¡± Cale felt the need to clarify that. Of course, he would help Lucas with fulfilling his favour for the wizard, but Lucas has to be constantly reminded that he shouldn¡¯t expect help if he¡¯s choosing to be a help to someone. Not unless he asks for it or begs for it. ¡°Right, right,¡± Lucas sighed, before turning his attention back to Master. "Anything else we should know about?" Cale was tempted to yawn himself, but that would be uncouth. However, he understood his friend¡¯s exhaustion. It has been a long day. Master Livia shook her head. ¡°No. But I must remind you, that your mission isn¡¯t an assassination mission. I would suggest against drastic measures not unless the situation truly calls for it. Your job, I repeat, is simply to find out who works for the Order.¡± Lucas slumped on a couch, giving her a thumbs up. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Master Livia kept his gaze on Lucas, narrowing her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re worried about something.¡± Lucas tilted his head as he crossed one of his legs to the other, meeting Master Livia¡¯s eyes. His demeanour immediately shifted. One of poise and cold indifference. He''s in Avernus-mode. ¡°There are too many holes in your plan. Too many uncertainties. And too much division in the government. A Contract is not absolute. We haven¡¯t even found the traitor¨C¨C,¡± said Lucas before halting as he narrowed his eyes. Cale himself realized why Lucas stopped as he recalled that conversation two years ago at the headquarters, before Hummingbird departed to find Godframe Hades. Lucas asked the Director, ¡°But what about the Order?¡± The Director abruptly halted at the question, the atmosphere in the room turning suffocating and cold. ¡°They¡¯ll be quiet for a while. But it won¡¯t be long. I have a way of drawing them out from where they hide,¡± he said, adding, ¡°You¡¯ll all know when the time comes.¡± Cale locked his jaw at the recollection. So that time has finally come, he thought. Has the Director and Master Livia been working on this for the last two years? I admire the patience¡­ Master Livia smiled. ¡°If the Order is able to infiltrate the Academy, they must have help from the inside. And that help may or may not be the same people who tried to steal the Ring of Avernus in the past. Even if that¡¯s not the case, it would be foolish for us not to investigate it¨C¨C to find out who¡¯s helping Lewisia. This is why you and Cale have been assigned to the mission. Everything is just noise, Lucas. Everything. From us working with the League, to using Victor as bait, to eliminating Muriel, to OPERATION: ROLLING PANDA as a whole¨C¨C they¡¯re all just diversions.¡± Cale sipped his tea. ¡°This is all a show to find out more about the Ring of Avernus, assuming that those traitors even know something about the ring in the first place. And just for that, he does all of this. I must admit¡­ the Director is clinically insane.¡± Master Livia nodded. ¡°It took two years of preparation to find a possible solution for a simple uncertainty. But drastic measures are required when dealing with something of a cosmic origin. Remember Cale, finding out more about the ring may help us find Godframe Hades,¡± she said, before looking at Lucas. The wizard briefly paused, with Lucas meeting her eyes with a raised eyebrow. Then Master Livia continued. ¡°Not only that, but we might find out more about this beacon. The door that your mother, Lucas, is hoping to find and open,¡± she said. ¡°Our ultimate goal is to destroy all of the Ashen. Remember that.¡± With a raised finger, she stopped Lucas from interrupting. ¡°I¡¯m not saying your quest for vengeance is irrelevant. After all, all this search for information about the ring does not change the fact that we¡¯re still at war.¡± Lucas muttered as he closed his eyes. ¡°Killing two birds with one stone. One is to find information about the ring. Two is to kill Muriel with ROLLING PANDA.¡± ¡°Yes. Muriel herself have already told you¨C¨C the war of 12 years past has never ended. We are still at war, even if we might presently wage them in the shadows, and it is a given that things will go wrong with war. Many of us will die, and I do not exclude myself from the possibility of it. But I wish you both come out of it alive.¡± When Cale looked over, Lucas slowly opened his eyes to recite SPECTRA¡¯s Oath. ¡°We are spectres of the night. In the shadows we tread to shield the light.¡± Master Livia nodded. ¡°Men scheme because they lack absolute power and that applies to Muriel. She who schemes to destroy because even she cannot topple the League through sheer power alone. She schemes because she also fears us,¡± she said. Lucas gave a light nod, his silver eyes gleaming coldly. ¡°I¨C¨C understand,¡± he said, each of those two words trailing off like a wisp of smoke before he vanished into thin air. ¡°Go take some rest, my friend,¡± Cale whispered to himself, despite no longer feeling Lucas¡¯ presence in the room. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long, long year.¡± Who knows who or what they will encounter. The Order will likely send out high-level Awakened one way or another, and there will likely also be students who are actually working for the Order. Child soldiers. That¡¯s a pretty common occurrence among terrorists and even among the six nations. ¡°Cale?¡± said Master Livia, trying to grab his attention. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯d also teach Lucas that not everything could be solved with just brawns, right?¡± ¡°That''s an odd question. But that¡¯s the plan. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°¡­Well. He¡¯s around that age when he won¡¯t listen to adults. To kids, someone around their age with the mentality of an adult can sometimes be the best guide.¡± ¡°Am I not a¨C¨C kid, as well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about an older brother, Cale,¡± she said with a chuckle that tinkled like bells. ¡°But I suppose you are different. It¡¯s as if¡­ you have all these wisdom, but you¡¯re not afraid to be wrong. It¡¯s as if you have already lived through a lifetime¡­ or more.¡± Cale couldn¡¯t help but smile as he closed his eyes. Ah, to smile, he often doesn¡¯t do that. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t want to smile, or is deliberately not trying to smile, but there are simply a few things out there that could make him smile. And he didn¡¯t expect her words to be one of those. ¡°I read a book when we were in Samirthya,¡± said Cale. ¡°Oh, that one lead on Hades? Where at?¡± ¡°Yes. In Nivatara.¡± ¡°Ah. Their capital. It¡¯s a wonderful place.¡± ¡°Indeed, it is. The book was written by a Tenzin Yeshi, a Samirthyan wizard,¡± said Cale. ¡°Somewhere, he talked about how sometimes people mistake knowledge for wisdom, that the two are two but one,¡± he said. ¡°Do you know what that is?¡± Master Livia smiled before shaking her head. ¡°It must have been the translation, but while what you said isn¡¯t entirely wrong, what he said was that sometimes, people mistake that there is only one kind of wisdom. That there are not one, not two, but many. You must be referring to the part when he was criticizing the Samirthyan Empire.¡± Cale nodded. ¡°Yes. He said that while the nobility may be called nobles, that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re nobles.¡± ¡°Indeed. He referred to phron¨¥sis, a Hellenistic philosophy on practical wisdom,¡± she said before pausing, tilting her with narrowed eyes at Cale. ¡°But I see now what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re saying that you only appear smart and full of wisdom.¡± Cale smiled. Master Livia shrugged as silence briefly descended. After taking a sip of her tea, she broke the silence with a giggle. Cale raised a brow. ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just¡­ His pattern of speech. His tone. It has slightly changed,¡± said Master Livia as she stood up. ¡°Lucas?¡± ¡°Yes. His voice seems more lively when he¡¯s not¨C¨C Avernus. What happened? It hasn¡¯t even been a day yet.¡± ¡°A girl,¡± just said Cale. Master Livia chuckled. ¡°I see. He must like her so much.¡± ¡°¡­I suppose he does,¡± Cale said with a pause to scrutinize the wizard¡¯s features. ¡°May I ask who?¡± Master Livia said, eyes sparkling at her own inquiry. Cale resisted rolling his eyes but did provide an answer. ¡°It¡¯s Chloe. Chloe Auclair.¡± But he did not reveal Chloe¡¯s name simply to satisfy Master Livia¡¯s curiosity. No. Because as expected, the wizard frowned at the mention of Chloe¡¯s name. ¡°You¡¯re not confident you can heal her, are you?¡± asked Cale before he stood up. ¡°¡­What am I saying,¡± he said with a shake of his head. ¡°Of course you¡¯re not. Let¡¯s just hope you¡¯re not providing her a false hope.¡± Master Livia let out a hum as she gazed back to the outside, to the orbs of light that lit the forest¡¯s paths below. ¡°There might be a way. But you are right. It might be impossible.¡± ¡°Does she know?¡± Cale asked as he headed for the door and placed a hand on the doorknob. ¡°Of course,¡± Master Livia nodded. ¡°Even she does not believe it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°She only wishes to live her life as meaningfully as she could. And if working with us, even if it may ultimately not benefit her in the end, means we will be helping people like her in the future¨C¨C?¡± ¡°¡­then she is happy to cooperate,¡± Cale completed her sentence as he twisted the doorknob to exit. ¡°What a sad fate.¡± Master Livia smiled. ¡°Is it?¡± But at the question, Cale stopped, glancing back to Master Livia. ¡°She may actually be happier and more fulfilled than most, Cale. She, who understands what most of us take for granted¨C¨C how to live.¡± "Right..." Cale then opened the door to leave. But. "One more thing," she said. Cale wanted to groan. He needs rest as much as everyone else. "What is it?" "Any leads so far?" "There''s one. The deal with the Manners family. It may not be as irrelevant to the mission as we have previously thought," he said. "And if I''m right. The Order will make a move soon." Master Livia narrowed her sights at Cale. "How soon?" "Before next week." "That''s very specific, but I''m not going to bother you too much about the details," she said. "But it looks like you and Lucas will see action far earlier than we''ve all expected." "When there''s a lull, it''s usually just an illusion," said Cale with a sharp gaze at Master Livia. Master Livia looked out the window. "I couldn''t agree more...," she said with a wispy breath. 21. After the Lull 21. After the Lull Wednesday, April 13, 2349. 7:46 a.m. First Day of Classes¡­ Chloe clutched at her course catalogue, the pages wrinkled from hours of anxious flipping when she felt a nudge on her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be gentle with paper. They¡¯re not tablets,¡± Aoife said with a laugh. Chloe had a wry smile on her face as she looked at her files. She agreed with Aoife. Apparently, they¡¯re trying to use technology very minimally because it can fail when out in the field. So, they¡¯re teaching students early on how to document things by hand rather than relying on their phones or tablets. ¡°Hey, Chloe. You can tell me, you know?¡± Aoife said. Chloe heaved a long sigh. ¡°Just the nerves,¡± she replied as they made their way from the House of Winter to the Cameron Building. That¡¯s where the freshmen hold their classes. But apparently, they just call it the A Building. ¡°Yeah, well. Not that I blame you,¡± Aoife said as she took a deep breath. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m a bit nervous too,¡± she added as she looked around, to the hundreds of uniformed students also making their way to the A Building. Not one of them looked excited. ¡°Man, way to start the academy year.¡± ¡°Right? But I guess it¡¯s great that we were at least able to choose the classes we want. It would really suck it it were all randomized,¡± said Chloe. She had little to no idea why she even had to mention that, but she guessed it must have been because she didn¡¯t want to be separated from her new friends. That¡¯s not something to be embarrassed about, right? ¡°I know!¡± Aoife said. Not too long after, they reached the A Building¡¯s second floor. ¡°There it is. A-10, right?¡± asked Chloe as she stared at the hallway. There were five rooms here, but judging by the signs beside the rooms, room A-10 is that one at the end of the hallway. After flipping her paper here and there, Aoife nodded her confirmation. ¡°Yep, we¡¯re A-10,¡± she said before leading the way to the room. Inside, it looked¡­ old. Not like in a bad way, though. It¡¯s just that in a typical classroom, you would usually see some walls of smart, interactive glasses; holo-boards; or smart desks. Here, however, there were none of those. The black chairs and the polished white desks were made of wood. And instead of a holo board, it was¨C¨C Well, Chloe didn¡¯t really know how to describe that. But she was sure it was a board. A green board. On the bottom of the board is a protruding steel frame. There were two thumb-sized white materials sitting on them. Meanwhile, the rest of the students were doing their own thing. Some were chatting. Others were reading from their tablets. And Chloe noticed some were using¡­ VR gaming headsets. When she looked back to Aoife, her friend was glaring at a couple of students who stood before her. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you guys picking up your phone? Where were you?¡± asked Aoife. Bear scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Sorry¡­ we kinda¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Aoife urged, moving closer to Bear, who meekly took a step back . It was funny, how such a big guy could be so docile before someone much smaller than him. It made Chloe giggle. Mark yawned and answered for Bear. ¡°Overslept,¡± he said. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°We waited for like half an hour for you guys! And you didn¡¯t even let us know you were already here?¡± Aoife said with a huff. They were supposed to get breakfast together and go to the classroom together. Mark took a step back and pointed at Bear. ¡°Blame him. He turned off my alarm.¡± ¡°¡­It was loud,¡± Bear clicked his tongue. ¡°Alarms are supposed to be loud!¡± Aoife said. ¡°Ugh. Just don¡¯t do it again.¡± Chloe tilted her head. ¡°Oh. Where¡¯s Cale and Lucas?¡± Mark pointed to the back of the classroom. ¡°They got here first.¡± When she followed Mark¡¯s finger, Chloe smiled at the sleeping Lucas, washed by the sunlight filtering through the window. He looked so peaceful. He must have been very tired. Beside him was Cale reading an actual physical book! That¡¯s a rarity. All of a sudden, she felt a touch on her shoulder. ¡°Make way.¡± Looking back, a pale boy a head taller stood over her. It was Niall. He was accompanied by two students she wasn¡¯t very familiar with. She saw him during the orientation, but did not get the chance to speak to him. Well, actually, no. It seemed like he was evading her. But why? ¡°Nia¨C¨C¡± ¡°Pretend like you don¡¯t know me,¡± Niall whispered with a glare as he passed through with his friends.. ¡°We¡¯ll have to talk later.¡± Chloe just absent-mindedly nodded. But after that moment of shock, she fumed. Why did he have to act like he didn¡¯t know her? She was about to grab his collar and maybe slam him on the ground when Aoife touched her wrist. ¡°That¡¯s Niall Locksmith. His father is the military¡¯s chief of staff,¡± whispered Aoife. Chloe was surprised. The chief of staff is apparently the strongest Framer in the League, but Niall never told her about that. Aoife whispered, ¡°I know! It¡¯s crazy. They¡¯re the only Awakened family with connections to the military.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°They produce both Awakened and Framers. But on the Awakened side, it¡¯s been a while since the Locksmiths had a Bloodliner. If Niall grows up, people say he¡¯ll raise the status of the family.¡± Before Chloe could answer, a handsome figure entered the room. A man with silver eyes and a long, black hair. He looked so young as if he was still in his mid-20s¨C¨C or maybe early 30s. He wore a striking suit. Black pants, black vest, black tie, white shirt, and a striking crimson jacket. This was Professor Owen Bell. A Class III Awakened with the rare Aspect of Wind! ¡°Why are you guys just standing there?¡± said Professor Owen when he gazed at Chloe and Aoife. After a quick glance of the room, Chloe noticed everyone was already sitting, even Bear and Mark who Aoife was yelling at just a moment ago. That was fast! Chloe blushed for a moment and looked away¨C¨C toward the direction of Lucas for some reason, who was also already awake. He even smirked as he stifled his laugh. While Lucas hid his lips, Chloe knew, he was mocking her! I¡¯ll get you later! Chloe mouthed to Lucas. ¡°Sorry, sir!¡± Aoife said as she dragged Chloe away. The duo found two empty chairs literally right before the teacher¡¯s table! ¡°Urghh. This is so embarrassing! Now we have to sit here too,¡± Chloe lowered her voice almost to a whisper. This is why they were hoping to come earlier, so they can choose and claim a spot before everyone else. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. But it looked like everyone had the same idea. Some of the class laughed and Aoife blushed. ¡°Chloe¡­ you know we¡¯re all Awakened now, right? They can hear you,¡± Aoife said as she also lowered her voice, to an even quieter whisper. ¡°Shoot!¡± Chloe said as she covered her lips. Thankfully, Professor Owen broke this brutally embarrassing atmosphere as he cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m Professor Owen Bell and this is¡­,¡± he said as he raised one of those white cylinders with his fingers. ¡°¡­a chalk.¡± He then tapped the green board behind him with this chalk. ¡°And this is a chalkboard,¡± he said. Chloe couldn¡¯t help but feel as if the professor were treating them like small kids, which was quite honestly, a bit infuriating. Professor Owen continued, dragging the chalk against the chalk board in cursive to write his name. ¡°This is how you spell my name.¡± Yeah. It¡¯s literally in the syllabus, Chloe thought as she lazily leaned forward, resting her cheek on her palm. ¡°I¡¯m your survival teacher, but also your homeroom teacher,¡± said Professor Owen. ¡°That means I need to make sure your class beats the other nine.¡± One of their classmates raised her voice. ¡°Beats the other nine?¡± ¡°Yeah. The Four Champions Tournament, First Year Category.¡± ¡°How do we beat the other classes?¡± asked another student excitedly. It was Bear. His booming voice was easily distinguishable. ¡°By performing the best,¡± Professor Owen smiled. But isn¡¯t the FCT an individual tournament? If I recall correctly, isn''t it also an individual tournament? Chloe thought. Thankfully, another student asked the same question she had in mind. Professor Owen nodded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But to encourage students to participate and work together, classes are given points based on how they perform on the tournament. You''ll also be given points based on the amount of students who sign up from your class. Then the top class with the highest point will receive a prize and an advantage when they become second years.¡± Bear replied. ¡°Oh! I think I get it. What¡¯s the prize?¡± ¡°A trip abroad.¡± ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s crazy! Where at?¡± Professor Owen pulled out his tablet.¡°Let me see¡­ Oh¡­ this year¡­ Looks like the winner will go to Asari.¡± ¡°Asari?¡± Bear asked. ¡°The Empire of Asari in Asya. The top class will go there for the exchange student program,¡± said Professor Owen. "And the advantage?" Professor Owen just responded with an inscrutable smile. *** Later that night back in the City of Noah. 6:35 p.m. Fia and her three friends revelled in the lively chaos of the Square of Hope, wandering from one busy street to another. She met up with her friends to go shopping, because they wouldn¡¯t be able to do that when classes begin next week for sophomores. Liam lagged behind, his face scrunched in concentration. He wasn¡¯t wearing his earmuffs, which Fia found odd, because Liam always struggled with controlling his enhanced hearing. So, he always had to use earmuffs. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Fia asked, nudging him. ¡°You¡¯re being weird.¡± It was also Liam who suggested the idea to go for a night¡¯s out. ¡°Shh!¡± Liam hissed, holding up a hand. ¡°I¡¯m trying to listen.¡± Abby, the class princess of the House of Spring (the sophomore House), tilted her head as she moved an arm over her right ear. ¡°Listen? To what?¡± Abby asked. ¡°Some guys... They¡¯re talking about something weird. I think¡­ they kidnapped Awakened children, I think,¡± Liam said. The group fell silent. ¡°Kidnapped?¡± Fia repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart skipped a beat. Nate Warren, the second-strongest of the House of Spring, looked annoyed. ¡°You think? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah. Like where did you hear that?¡± asked Fia. Liam closed his eyes, his brow furrowing as he tried to focus some more. ¡°Over there, by the bar,¡± he said, pointing towards a dingy-looking establishment. ¡°They said they¡¯ll be rich once they sell¡­ the little magic kids¡­ to some¡­ people?¡± Nate frowned. ¡°By little magic kids¡­ do you mean?¡± ¡°You know what I mean,¡± said Liam. ¡°Not kids like us. Kids¡­ like Legacies." The group exchanged uneasy glances. Fia controlled her sense of hearing too, and she noticed the others do the same. But all of them, including Fia, cringed as they stopped listening. It was too loud. Too noisy. This is why the Awakened tunes out the background noise to preserve their sanity. Abby rubbed her temples. ¡°Liam, we can¡¯t all just turn our hearing on and off like you. It¡¯s giving me a headache.¡± ¡°Just tell us what they¡¯re saying,¡± Fia said, her playful demeanour turning serious. ¡°Alright,¡± said Liam. *** Gregory cackled as he chugged his beer. ¡°Shh¡­ someone¡¯s going to hear us. You don¡¯t know if there are any Awakened nearby,¡± said Joseph with a slurred voice, clearly drunk. Gregory scoffed. His friend needed to grow a pair. ¡°In a bar? Yeah, right.¡± Joseph giggled, satisfied with Gregory¡¯s answer. ¡°I wonder how much they would fetch.¡± ¡°A lot!¡± Gregory said before letting out another bout of laughter, only stopping with loud coughs when something got caught in his throat. *** Fia noticed Liam take a deep breath. ¡°What?¡± ¡°They¡¯re serious, and they think no one can hear them.¡± Fia felt a cold knot form in her stomach. ¡°What should we do? Stand here and do nothing?" ¡°I¡¯ll call the cops,¡± Abby said, pulling out her phone. ¡°No, wait!¡± Nate interrupted, his eyes beginning to shine. Was it excitement? Fia couldn¡¯t tell. But they looked dangerous. Crazy, almost. ¡°We can handle this ourselves.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Fia snapped. ¡°These guys are fucking dangerous. We have to call the cops.¡± Nate tipped his chin to Liam. ¡°Hey, Liam. Do you think they¡¯re Awakened?¡± Liam hesitated when he looked back to Nate. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Nate smiled at Fia. ¡°Abby and Liam are both Level 10. And we¡¯re 11s. Think about it. If we save those kids, what do you think will happen?¡± Fia frowned, but she wasn¡¯t too against the idea. When she didn¡¯t answer, Nate smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll be heroes,¡± Nate insisted, his voice filled with confidence. ¡°Like, come on guys. We''ve been training forever for this! And how long do you think would it take before the cops shows up?¡± Fia wanted to insist that it would still be faster to call the cops. But for some reason, she remained quiet. Was it because she also wanted to be a hero? ¡°But they¡¯re probably armed,¡± Abby said, her voice tight with fear. ¡°We¡¯re just students.¡± ¡°Students with magic,¡± Nate countered. ¡°And dude, what do you mean armed? Trust me, my mom works for the government. There''s no way criminals can get their hands on guns.¡± "But¨C¨C" Abby said when she got interrupted by Liam. Liam raised one arm, gesturing for them to keep quiet. ¡°Listen, guys. I heard them say they¡¯re taking the kids to a warehouse at the city outskirts. We can, maybe, at least check it out.¡± Fia felt torn. They were clearly out of their depth, but he couldn''t fathom the image of kids suffering. ¡°Fine,¡± she said finally. ¡°But if things go south, we call for help immediately. Yeah?¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Nate said, a grin spreading across his face. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± *** How fucking ominous. That warehouse looming before them, with cars and even some trucks moving in and out, looked so fucking ominous. Fuck, fuck, fuck! What are we doing, Fia thought. Even if they all activated their Auras, she didn¡¯t feel that safe. ¡°Stay close,¡± Liam whispered, his ears still straining to pick up any sounds. They crept forward, their steps careful. They managed to sneak through the guards and entered a window from the side of the warehouse. It was dimly lit, but the Awakened Eyes can adjust to the dark. They all also decided to activate their Auras just in case. Soon, as they explored the halls and avoided the guards by sticking to the shadows, they finally heard voices echo from a nearby room. ¡°That¡¯s them,¡± Liam said, nodding towards a half-open door. Fia peeked through the gap, her heart pounding. Four men were gathered around a table, a laptop open in front of them displaying a list of names and pictures¨C¨C Legacies. Legacies born in the slum areas. Rage bubbled up within, but she forced herself to stay calm. ¡°What''s the plan,¡± she whispered to everyone. But before she could say more, the floorboard under Nate''s foot creaked loudly. The men looked up, their eyes narrowing. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± one of them barked, reaching for a gun. ¡°Run!¡± Liam shouted, but it was too late. About a dozen men were on them in an instant, guns drawn and aimed. Guns!? Fia thought. Those are very highly regulated. Only law enforcement should have them! This means these thugs are sponsored by someone. Someone with an influence in the government. Chaos erupted. The deafening crack of gunfire, the rush of bullets, they shot through Fia¡¯s torso. Abby also fell down with a pained cry as bullets pierced through her. Nate went down with a cry, clutching his leg. Liam was shot multiple times in the chest before losing consciousness. But it couldn¡¯t have been because he exhausted his Shield. No. It must have been from the shock. They missed his heart. The kidnappers grabbed them, rough hands shoving them to the ground. They all lay in a pool of their own blood. But thankfully, because of their Shield, they healed their wounds in an instant. Fia noticed that she only had 40% Shield left after that barrage. She could still fight! But when she was about to cast a spell, one of the kidnappers laughed. Gah! He¡¯s so ugly and his breath stank! ¡°Move or you die. This isn¡¯t the first time we killed the Awakened,¡± said Ugly, who kicked the head of the still-crying Nate. ¡°Thought you could play hero, huh?¡± one of the men sneered, pressing a gun to Fia¡¯s temple. He had an ugly goatee. ¡°Man, you guys are stupid. The guards already noticed you before you even sneaked in. Did you really think we¡¯re that stupid?!¡± Fear surged through Fia, but she met Goatee¡¯s eyes with a glare of defiance. ¡°You''re fucked.¡± Goatee laughed. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that," he said as he slammed the butt of his pistol on Fia''s head. Fia cried out in pain as her mind raced with questions. How did this happen? This wasn''t how it was supposed to go. But does that even matter? With their fates now uncertain? She noticed Abby¡¯s hand in her pocket, and Fia was immediately filled with hope. Abby, who managed to keep her phone hidden, was calling for help. Goatee yelled at Ugly. ¡°Jo! Go grab her phone!¡± he said with a grin. Ugly once more kicked Nate''s head, knocking him out this time, before looming over Abby, cackling as he did so. ¡°You know why we¡¯re laughing, bitch? Because here, you can only get a call. But you can¡¯t call someone.¡± Abby paled as her figure shook. Fia felt equally alarmed¨C¨C when her own phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket. Fuck. No, she thought. Ugly grabbed her phone too and raised a brow. ¡°Uwi¡­ fe? Fa?¡± Goatee snarled at Ugly. ¡°Ee-fuh! That¡¯s fucking Ee-fuh you fucking idiot! Give it to me!¡± ¡°No¡­ No! Not Aoife!¡± yelled Fia as tears began to form in her eyes. ¡°Oh? You know her?¡± said Ugly, grinning with his broken tooth. When Fia heard Aoife¡¯s voice over the phone, her vision blurred and she prayed. Please¡­ Oh God. Not Aoife, please¡­ Please¡­ Someone. Find us. *** Coming up next week on the Ring of Avernus... Lucas widened his eyes at Cale. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Suit up. We¡¯re heading into combat,¡± Cale said. 22. Sparring 22. Sparring Wednesday, April 13, 2349. 5:47 p.m. A clearing somewhere in the Loncier Forest¡­ Lucas traded blows with Chloe using their wooden swords. Long story short, she asked him to help her train. It was roughly just a bit over an hour ago after classes were dismissed when she made the request. ¡°Please. Can you help me?¡± she asked, pulling him to the hallway, away from the others. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Right now¡­¡± ¡°Sure? But I mean, it¡¯s literally the first day of class. There¡¯s really no need to rush,¡± he said with a raised brow, scrutinizing the girl¡¯s eyes. It was a look of fear¡­ but also determination. But for what? ¡°Why not just take it easy for today?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said with a disappointed sigh. ¡°Are you busy?¡± ¡°No. Not really,¡± said Lucas. ¡°But fine. I guess. Although, why though?¡± Chloe hesitated for a moment. Her cheeks tinged with pink when she finally replied. ¡°The FCT,¡± she whispered, as if embarrassed with the prospect of her competing. ¡°The others have a lot of advantage, and I never really learned how to fight.¡± Lucas hummed before nodding. ¡°You know. You¡¯re pretty cool Chloe. I kinda like you, but you¡¯re asking a Spectra for training. And while I¡¯m not the best teacher, I really take this seriously. It¡¯s not going to be easy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± But. ¡°I can¡¯t anymore,¡± Chloe broke his thoughts, trying to catch her breath. ¡°You can still fight. And listen. The point of duels is for us to get more comfortable with fighting. And at some point, you¡¯ll find yourself fighting a Rogue,¡± he said. Chloe shook her head. ¡°Come,¡± he said, fist gripping tight his wooden blade. ¡°It¡¯s when you can¡¯t but still do it, that training benefits you the most!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she repeated, her usual cheerful mask long have shattered. ¡°You can! I believe in you!¡± Chloe¡¯s fists clenched tight her own training sword, her knuckles turning white. ¡°Why do Evokers have to train martial arts, anyway? We¡¯re supposed to be long-ranged. You hear me? Long¡­¨C¡± She coughed. Her throat must be dry. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°To train your instincts,¡± Lucas smiled as he lowered his sword. Chloe may complain a lot, but she didn¡¯t give up. They¡¯ve been training for over an hour. ¡°When you fight, it''s difficult to actually do something, even if you know what you should actually do. Theory can only do so much. Your body has its own memory too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done!¡± she roared and stood erect, aether once more embracing her form until they disappeared, activating her Aura and Shield. Her now shimmering blue eyes stabbed Lucas like a blade. He wondered where her sudden motivation came from. Chloe dashed to him, and Lucas did the same. Their wooden blades met again and Chloe immediately retreated, fighting defensively, and blocking Lucas¡¯ flurry of attacks. Lucas stopped, seemingly to retreat as he stepped back, deliberately giving Chloe an opening by lowering his sword, leaving his torso vulnerable to attack. But Chloe did not follow through and raised her blade defensively instead. Lucas sighed. ¡°Why did you not follow up? My guard was down,¡± he said. She should know when an action is a bait or not. Or maybe he¡¯s expecting too much? Chloe hesitated and muttered. ¡°I. Uh. You look scary.¡± ¡°¡­Right,¡± Lucas sheathed his blade. ¡°I know you¡¯re not a Sentinel, but you still need to understand how we fight. That means knowing how to fight in melee combat. And to do that, sometimes you have to use your Shield offensively.¡± ¡°Offensively?¡± A nod. ¡°Yes. In melee, you need to stick to the enemy and not be afraid of getting hit. As long as you have your Shield up, it doesn¡¯t matter if you get hit. Just hit them twice as much. It¡¯s a matter of shattering your opponent¡¯s Shield first.¡± Chloe tilted her head, confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to keep up your Shield as much as you can and avoid getting wounded? All the while trying to find openings or ways to counter attack?¡± she asked. ¡°Against the Ashen, yes. And in a melee duel ¨C ideally ¨C also yes. But, realistically¡­,¡± Lucas did not complete his sentence and rushed Chloe. Instead of his blade, he used his fists. Chloe tried to defend his flurry of attacks, but Lucas gave her no ground. He did not stop attacking, until Chloe dropped her blade, and Lucas¡¯ fist halted just a few inches away from her face. Colour drained from her face. ¡°¡­it¡¯s not that easy to find that opening. So you have to create it yourself,¡± reiterated Lucas. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you have to fight dumb. The basic idea of combat still applies,¡± he said, but he wished the others were around so he could better explain it to Chloe. He¡¯s not the best teacher. ¡°I think I get it¡­ So, even if I¡¯m getting hit. Try to hit you back?¡± she asked, but her features slightly changed. She looked more nervous and afraid. ¡°Mhm. I mean. It¡¯s fine to retreat, but make sure you do it with a plan. That applies especially to Evokers, who kites around,¡± he said. ¡°Kites?¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll pause with martial arts for now and switch to some ranged-combat training,¡± he said. He thought that training further in melee combat at this time won¡¯t be beneficial to Chloe. She simply didn¡¯t have the foundation yet to understand what he was trying to teach her. He may be a Prime. But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a good teacher. He also wouldn¡¯t want to somehow corrupt Chloe¡¯s education at the Academy with improper teaching. ¡°Ranged combat?¡± she asked, interrupting his thoughts. ¡°Yeah. This time, you¡¯ll fight with everything you have,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to kite.¡± Or rather, he¡¯ll show her just the basic idea for kiting. The concept should be easier to understand compared to martial arts. ¡°Remind me what¡¯s kiting again?¡± ¡°Kiting is staying out of your opponent¡¯s range and hitting them from afar.¡± ¡°Ohhh. Right.¡± ¡°I think it might be better to demonstrate it. How much Shield do you have?¡± ¡°Um¡­ 80%?¡± ¡°Still plenty. Let¡¯s do another round.¡± ¡°So, I can use ALL that I have? Even Aether Blast and Dash?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can I use my Basic Attack too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Unlike Sentinels, Evokers¡¯ gain Aether Bullets as their basic attack. Bullets are like mini Aether Blasts. But they are not spells. Evokers can use them indefinitely because they don¡¯t have a spell or global cooldown. But the attack speed depends on the Evoker¡¯s mental ability to swiftly create those bullets¨C¨C their spell control. And unlike Evokers, a Sentinel¡¯s basic attack is just coating their fists or weapons of choice with the aether, reinforcing it. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start,¡± said Chloe with a slightly quivering tone. Lucas raised a brow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chloe gulped and hesitated, looking away. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s fine.¡± Lucas just looked at her and said nothing. Chloe sighed. ¡°Fine¡­ Look, it¡¯s just... I know that when we have our Shield, our wounds heal up immediately even if we get cut. But it¡¯s painful¡­¡± ¡°Right¡­ of course.¡± Lucas scratched behind his neck as he looked at the bright sky. ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe I¡¯m not the best person to train with¡­,¡± he muttered. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Back in SPECTRA, they were trained to improve their pain tolerance. But I shouldn¡¯t expect that of someone who isn¡¯t even Awakened for a week, he thought. ¡°What? No. Don¡¯t say that,¡± she said with a glare, biting her lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ using and expecting your own body to get hurt, just so you can find an opening,¡± she heaved a deep breathe, as if considering the words she¡¯s about to say next. ¡°¡­How do you do it? How do you stand the pain?¡± Lucas kept a stolid expression , but deep within, he wondered if he should lie. He remembered the times when he was five. They were tortured as a form of training. It was before the current Director, and before Mrs. Livia became their instructor. He had his bones broken. He was burned, and he had a limb or two detached. And he remembered the pain, and he still shudders to this day. It was arguably unethical. Even the Defense don¡¯t do deliberate pain tolerance training for its soldiers. Even their special forces just root out soldiers without a naturally high pain tolerance. Or so Mrs. Livia said. But Primes? They had to. It was cruel. Thankfully, they stopped it when they realized it was a waste of time and proved no benefit to Primes. At least, that was the excuse. But, as much as Lucas hated to admit it, it helped him to a certain extent. ¡°You never get used it,¡± he just said. ¡°You just learn to tolerate it.¡± Chloe rolled the tip of her tongue inside her cheek, seemingly deep in thought. It¡¯s like she wanted to say something, but is choosing not to. ¡°Take a quick breather. But can you send me your status, real quick?¡± Lucas asked. Chloe nodded and silently sent her status sheet.
Status
Name: Chloe Auclair Shield (SH): 82/100 (Activated)
Level: 1 Force: (FR): 10
Age: 15 Basic Attack: 5 (10 FR x 0.50)
Class: Evoker I (Mind) Aether Essence (AE): 7/100
Spell Control: 1.2
National Rank: 71,203
Global Rank: N/A
Spells ¨C 2/5 (Spell Damage = Force x Spell Power)
1. Aether Blast (Common) (Evoker-exclusive) SC Requirement: 1.10 Type: Active. Effect: Form a sphere of aether and shoot forward, pushing your target back. Spell Power (SP): 4 Cooldown (CD): 30 seconds. Effective Cooldown (ECD): 39.6 sec. (Starter Evoker Spell.)
2. Aether Dash (Common) (Evoker-exclusive) SC Requirement: 1.10 Type: Active. Effect: Instantly dash in any direction. Cooldown: 15 seconds. Effective Cooldown: 27 sec.
Aura(s)
Aether Aura I (Common) Description: Basic aura used by all Awakened. Cannot stack with other Auras. Effect(s): Enables Shield (SH) +Basic Attack = (FR x 0.50)
Locked Aura Spell Requirement: Evoker III Description: Elemental Aspect not unlocked.
As Lucas read her status, Chloe looked at him expectantly. Close window. Lucas directed her gaze back at her. ¡°Okay, so, I know our spells have a really high cooldown. Even so, you¡¯d have to play around them.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Uh. Like for example, when you use Blast, and it hits, it pushes me away, right? Then you can keep hitting me with Bullets. When I get close, use your Dash to widen the distance again.¡± ¡°Not save them until I have to use them?¡± ¡°You¡¯re partially correct, I guess. In duels, the idea is cycling your spells. Right now, our spells sucks until we upgrade them,¡± he said, trying to sound like a Class I just in case someone might be eavesdropping nearby. He can¡¯t be too careful, even if Chloe already knew his real identity. And even if it¡¯s not that uncommon for a Legacy to train with a Natural. Lucas continued. ¡°But the idea still applies. For example, if you use Blast, that puts you in an effective 40 seconds cooldown, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Because my SC-level is low,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah, so, when you push me back with Blast, use that opportunity to widen the distance while still hitting me with Bullets. But don¡¯t use your Dash. Keep it on reserve. Ideally, you would want to use it when your Blast is close to coming off cooldown.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the goal is to be able to use your spells at the most optimal times.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow,¡± Chloe said with a tilt of her head. Lucas wasn¡¯t sure either if he was making any sense. How could he even articulate the concept of kiting? ¡°Like¡­ I mean, with Blast and Dash. They both widen the distance, right?¡± ¡°They do?¡± ¡°Yeah. Like Blast pushes the target, and Dash push or pulls you away. But your goal with them is the same¨C¨C trying to keep your opponent from closing in. And, because Blast is difficult to hit when you¡¯re aiming at a moving target. Use it only when you think you have a high chance of hitting me to push me back. This will widen the distance. When I get close too close in your range, then use your Dash to widen the distance again. Rinse and repeat! That¡¯s what I mean by spell cycling and using your spells at the most optimal moment.¡± The edge of Chloe¡¯s lips curved upward into a wry smile. ¡°Cass¡­ I literally understood like 0 per cent of that. Sorry if I¡¯m disappointing you. Also, you¡¯re too fast!¡± Lucas grinned. ¡°Well. Just try to hit me as much as you can, alright? Fail as much as you can! Let¡¯s just try learning on the go!¡± Chloe huffed as if hurt by the comment. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re honestly doing great. But yeah, that¡¯s how spell cycling and kiting works. You actually already kite when you fight defensively. It¡¯s just a matter of doing it deliberately.¡± Chloe groaned. ¡°That¡¯s so much easier said than done.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we spar, no? It took me years of training to learn how to trust my instincts. And even more years to actually learn how to think while fighting. You just can¡¯t automatically think and fight at the same time¨C¨C if that makes sense. Now. Again! On your position!¡± Both of them moved further away from each other until they were at least around 30 feet afar. That¡¯s about the maximum range for a Class I Evoker to hit their spells and remain at a safe distance. For Sentinels, it¡¯s a matter of crossing that distance, which he planned to do. Chloe nodded and held her blade in her left hand. She then raised her right hand and slightly opened her palm, adjusting her wrist so her fingers would face the ground; except for her right index finger, where she wore her talus, pointed toward him like a gun. She fired an aether bullet, which Lucas immediately avoided. Aether Bullets, despite their name, are not as fast as real bullets ¨C which are twice as fast. And she kept firing. There¡¯s about a few seconds of delay each time she fired. She needs to at least reach SC-2.10 if she wants to fire Aether Bullets like a semi-automatic pistol. And because of this delay, Lucas could reach her easily with a simple, straight dash. But she wouldn¡¯t learn anything if he did that. So he zigzagged to avoid her bullets. Chloe looked alarmed as she kept firing more bullets. But most notably, she didn¡¯t move. She¡¯s placing most of her focus on aiming, Lucas thought, as he allowed a few of those bullets to hit him. It hurt. It¡¯s like being hit by a rubber bullet. But he shrugged off the pain, allowing the damage to be cushioned by his Shield. That means whatever blunt trauma the aether bullet caused was immediately healed. He didn¡¯t allow those bullets to hit him to make Chloe feel better. Rather, he did so to make her uncomfortable. And he was right. Chloe¡¯s face scrunched a bit, as if she didn¡¯t want to hurt him. But because of her hesitation, Lucas managed to get closer. He¡¯s a few yards away. Just 10 feet. Chloe gritted her teeth, panic in her eyes, and used her Aether Blast, most likely to try and push him back. But. Too early. Lucas predicted the attack, so he only slightly tilted his body to avoid the spell. Five feet, he thought, calculating the remaining distance. But it took him just a slight push of his legs to reach her, before slashing her torso. Chloe avoided the attack by activating Aether Dash. Moving like a blur, she dashed to her left, widening the distance by another five feet. At least she knew not to Aether Dash behind her. But five feet was still a short distance, and she didn¡¯t move immediately, so it didn¡¯t take long for Lucas to reach her again. As expected, she moved back and fired more bullets. They hit Lucas. But unbothered, he kept attacking, letting her practice her dodging. But he made sure not to really hit her. Because even if her wounds might heal with her Shield, it would still be painful. She moved back as she tried to avoid his attacks, until she yelped when she lost her footing and fell on the grass. He stopped and stabbed his sword on the ground. ¡°One way to sure-hit a Blast is to shoot it at point-blank.¡± Chloe sighed. ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°Also, don¡¯t move horizontally or diagonally. Move in zigzags,¡± he said. That¡¯s what he wanted to teach her the most. Chloe, clearly exhausted, panted and struggled to answer. ¡°What¡­ does that¡­ even mean?¡± ¡°So, when you fight, you instinctively face someone right?¡± said Lucas. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Ideally, always try to position yourself so your body is not directly facing your target even when you¡¯re attacking.¡± ¡°Even when I¡¯m attacking?¡± ¡°Yeah. Like in a melee duel, instead of attacking head on, try to hit them when you¡¯re on their flank,¡± he said. ¡°Because when two Awakened fights, they move around a lot. It¡¯s not like two boxers fighting in a ring duking it out, right?¡± ¡°I see. Because of spellcasting.¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s like bringing guns to a fight. You have to keep moving. That applies to Evokers the most. So now, when you move, never move in straight crisscrosses, especially when moving behind you, because your opponent will just chase after you.¡± ¡°I think I lost you there.¡± ¡°I mean. Sometimes, you already move in zigzags, right? Just like how you did when you dashed left to avoid my initial attack, instead of dashing back. That was great. So, keep that up, and train yourself to move that way more deliberately,¡± he said. ¡°Why is that?¡± But it wasn¡¯t Lucas who responded. Cale revealed himself from the surrounding shrubbery, wearing a black three-piece suit this time. The uniform of Noah Academy. Cale walked toward them as he addressed Chloe. ¡°Because it makes it harder for your opponent to follow your movements,¡± he said before nodding at Lucas. What¡¯s he doing here? Lucas thought. He¡¯d rather be left alone, so it¡¯s definitely not because he wants to hang out. ¡°Let¡¯s demonstrate for her,¡± Cale said as he stopped 15 feet before Lucas. 23. Lewisia Makes Their Move 23. Lewisia Makes Their Move Lucas smiled to hide his confusion. ¡°Sure. Shadow or physical?¡± ¡°Shadow,¡± Cale said, shifting his attention back to Chloe. ¡°Watch,¡± he said, nodding to Lucas to begin the demonstration. Lucas dashed to Cale and immediately covered the distance. Cale reacted by jumping behind him in a straight line, widening the distance between them again. ¡°When you try to widen the distance by stepping behind you, don¡¯t move in a straight line like this,¡± he said as he stopped. Understanding the cue, Lucas dashed and swung his blade in a downward motion, only stopping when it was just a few inches off Cale¡¯s forehead. Cale just looked at Chloe again dead in the eye. ¡°As you can see, I basically wasted my movement, because he was able to easily follow me with his body and eyes. It didn¡¯t matter that I briefly widened the distance, because he covered that same distance much faster and with ease due to his positioning.¡± Chloe bobbed her head. ¡°He was on the offensive.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Cale said before nodding at Lucas again. ¡°Reset.¡± They went back to their initial positions ¨C 15 feet away from each other. Lucas dashed again, but this time, when he was close enough, Cale dashed forward diagonally past Lucas. He now stood behind Lucas¡¯ left. ¡°When you move, the idea is finding a way to shift to an offensive position from a defensive one. And even when you¡¯re the one on the offensive, do still move in a tilted line, or diagonally,¡± Cale said. Lucas rotated to face Cale. Cale continued to talk. ¡°Then, when your opponent turns to face you again, do the same thing,¡± he said and dashed, again positioning himself diagonally behind Lucas. And Lucas did have to rotate 180 degrees to face Cale. Cale looked at Chloe. ¡°Moving this way also makes it harder for your opponent ¨C Sentinels and Evokers alike ¨C to adjust their aim. It keeps their mind more active, which means they¡¯ll highly likely make more mistakes. This is especially important in high-speed duels.¡± Chloe nodded seriously. ¡°That¡¯s why Cass was zigzagging. I had to constantly adjust my aim,¡± she said with a click of her tongue. ¡°God! That was annoying.¡± Lucas thanked Cale. ¡°Yeah, the idea is no different than you shooting an arrow or firing a gun,¡± he said. ¡°I see. I think I get it a little bit?¡± ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s hard for me to put it into words. But yeah. Like Cale said, keep moving, even if you¡¯re attacking and defending,¡± said Lucas before pausing. Right, he should test her. He clapped his hand to get her full attention. ¡°Okay. So, as a recap, how should you move?¡± Chloe rolled her eyes. ¡°In zigzaaaags¡­.¡± Lucas laughed. ¡°It¡¯ll be challenging, but you¡¯ll also be able to practice your aiming.¡± Chloe smiled. ¡°Thanks, guys. Sorry I had to bother you.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re fine. It¡¯s not like I had anything else to do,¡± Lucas said and wiped the sweat off his forehead, before looking at his watch. It¡¯s already 6:35 p.m., so it looked like they have been training for a while. ¡°Indeed,¡± said Cale. ¡°Man, I¡¯m beat though. Let¡¯s end it for today. Rest is equally important,¡± said Lucas. ¡°Already? But I¡¯m not tired yet!¡± Lucas smirked, eyes glinting. ¡°You sure you wanna go again?¡± Chloe grinned and backed away. ¡°Jesus. Learn to take a joke.¡± ¡°Oh right. If you¡¯re serious about this, I can probably help you out once a week.¡± ¡°That¡¯s plenty, thank you! No backing out now, okay?¡± *** Lucas frowned when she was gone. ¡°So? Anything new?¡± he asked. He¡¯s grown a bit impatient, wondering when the Order will make a move. ¡°Do we just have to wait for them to do something?¡± Cale shook his head. ¡°Wait? While the enemy plans and are already making moves?¡± ¡°¡­What? Why would they do something this early on?¡± asked Lucas. He didn¡¯t know how to explain it, but if he were to put himself in Lewisia¡¯s boots, it probably wouldn¡¯t be the best idea to make a move this early on in the academic year when classes just began. He would wait for opportunities. ¡°A pre-emptive strike.¡± ¡°Can you like¡­ not talk in puzzles like the Director does? What¡¯s going on?¡± said Lucas. ¡°Does it have something to do with Fia? You never really told me why you placed a tracker on her. If I recall correctly, she¡¯s not, in any way, related to the mission.¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s good that you¡¯re not as stupid as you look. But don¡¯t overthink about it too much. I put a tracker on her for precaution. Remember that report from the underworld? There¡¯s a rumour that the Order recently placed a bounty on Brandon Manners.¡± ¡°Yeah. And I mean, he¡¯s the Secretary General. He has a lot of authority, especially being the liaison between the Defense and the Society. But it¡¯s not really that uncommon for political figures to have a bounty on their heads.¡± ¡°Think, Lucas. Think. Aside from being a political figure, who is Brandon Manners?¡± And that was when Lucas realized his mishap. ¡°The Rank 5 Awakened in the League,¡± he muttered. ¡°This means those qualified to take on the bounty are going to be really powerful.¡± ¡°Yes. But that is not the problem. Now, imagine that you¡¯re with Lewisia and you somehow wants to get to Brandon. What would you do?¡± ¡°I mean, even with powerful Rogues, it¡¯s almost still a death-wish to try to hunt down the Black Dragon himself. So, obviously I¡¯d find his weak¡­,¡± Lucas said with a halt, widening his eyes at Cale. ¡°I would find his weak spots¨C¨C his family.¡± ¡°The bounty is a distraction.¡± ¡°I do know they tried to kill Brandon about a year ago. But why would they want him now?¡± ¡°Villains just don¡¯t sit still and do nothing. Remember Master Livia said that Operation: ROLLING PANDA is an invitation. That means, Lewisia is aware that something is going on. And if it involves a relic like Victor, it¡¯s only prudent for them to think that this something involves more than just the Academy. But to confirm that, who would be their best target to take?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°The second-in-command of the United Departments of Defense, and the official liaison between the Awakened and the government. Brandon Manners himself,¡± Lucas said seriously. ¡°Since Master Livia leaked the information to the underworld that the Academy now houses Victor, which was a few months ago, Lewisia had also been busy preparing.¡± Lucas widened his eyes at Cale. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Suit up. We¡¯re heading into combat,¡± Cale said. ¡°Right now? But we don¡¯t have gears.¡± ¡°Yes, but unfortunately, we have a job to do. Fia has gone missing.¡± ¡°Wait, Fia has gone missing? Aren¡¯t you¨C¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost her connection. But occasionally, we still get some splotchy signal on her location. She¡¯s still in the city. But where she is isn¡¯t the problem. It¡¯s the situation itself.¡± Lucas understood what Cale was trying to say. Considering all the information he just heard, it¡¯s obvious someone took Fia. And if they captured her, it could only mean one thing. A hostage situation. And a hostage situation means that whoever is behind the kidnapping also wants something. A ransom. ¡°You want me to go at the Defense headquarters and find Brandon, right? Because we can¡¯t do anything since this case isn¡¯t under SPECTRA¡¯s jurisdiction.¡± ¡°Yes. The kidnapper should have already contacted him by now.¡± ¡°But what do you want me to tell him, anyway? The guy hates us. If you¡¯re asking me to convince him to let us take care of Fia, I don¡¯t think he will budge.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s more than just a conflict of jurisdiction. Brandon is among the figureheads of Operation: ROLLING PANDA. And it¡¯s safe to say that Lewisia is aware of that.¡± ¡°Hold on. Are they blackmailing Brandon for information about ROLLING PANDA?¡± Lucas asked, but he swore, that even if almost indiscernible, Cale actually sighed. ¡°Why would they do that if they don¡¯t know anything about ROLLING PANDA?¡± ¡°But, you said that they¡¯re¨C¨C¡± ¡°Take a guess. Lewisia may be aware that the League is up to something because of Victor, but not the specifics. But they¡¯ve still taken the invitation and infiltrated the Academy,¡± Cale said. ¡°They have limited information, so what else could it be that they would want in exchange for Fia?¡± Lucas almost slapped his cheek. ¡°They will ask Brandon for Victor in exchange for Fia¡¯s life.¡± ¡°The answer is often the simplest, Lucas. You just have to know your enemies¡¯ intentions,¡± said Cale. ¡°But the question is, if they could just kidnap someone if they want something, then why would they have to go through all the trouble of infiltrating the Academy in the first place?¡± ¡°¡­They know that this won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°That. And that there are forces in Lewisia who are working independently,¡± Cale said. ¡°It¡¯s the only explanation for how Lewisia sometimes behaves erratically. This situation is no different.¡± Lucas frowned at that. ¡°Of course¡­ The Seven Petals of Lewisia.¡± *** Meanwhile¡­ Somewhere in a condominium in the City of Noah. Araldas just needed to capture her alive ¨C Fia Manners. It was simple, really. If they want the relic, then it¡¯s better to just find something or someone to exchange for it. It¡¯s a far better idea than infiltrating the Academy. Why go through all the trouble of stealing something, if they could just ask for it? Thus, he scoffed at the idea. There¡¯s no need to overcomplicate matters. But, he¡¯s not too arrogant to claim that he came up with the idea of just asking for Victor, instead. No. He disregarded Niall in the past, but it was actually his idea. With a wave, Araldas deactivated the hologram showing her profile, frowning at Niall who sat across the long table. ¡°So? What do you want? I doubt you¡¯re helping me out of the goodness of your heart.¡± Niall slowly opened his silver eyes, his features almost as silver too. Araldas would have mistaken the boy for an Ascended, but Niall¡¯s complexion hadn¡¯t yet lost its warmth. ¡°You seek to prove yourself to her, while I wish to prove myself to my father.¡± Araldas smirked. ¡°And they told me you¡¯re just a mindless tool to your old man. It seems I was mistaken,¡± he said before pouring a glass with wine and sliding it across the table to Niall. ¡°Drink.¡± The boy looked at it for a while. ¡°What? You don¡¯t drink?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯m not 18¨C¨C¡± Araldas clicked his tongue, interrupting the boy. Seriously? ¡°They send us off to war, but we¡¯re denied a sip of wine. Does that make sense to you?¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Niall said before taking a sip, his face contorting a bit with displeasure. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Your first?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Araldas stood up and moved to the window to let the wind in. He smiled as he gazed at the city below, the setting sun just barely above the skyline, showering the city with reddish gold. ¡°You must rejoice. It is because of you that we captured her¨C¨C without even lifting a finger,¡± he said, shifting his gaze back to the Locksmith. ¡°Would you join me, Niall? To meet our new¨C¨C friends?¡± ¡°Of course. I wouldn¡¯t throw away the chance to see a Manners suffer,¡± said Niall. Araldas grinned. *** A few hours later at 8:26 p.m. United Departments of Defense HQ¡­ Scott Manners had his eyes closed in contemplation, arms folded as he tapped the floor impatiently with his boots. Scott¡¯s brother, Brandon, may be the Defense Secretary, which means he has command over the armed forces. But they¡¯re dealing with a hostage situation on the outskirts of Evander District¨C¨C a hostage situation involving Scott¡¯s very own daughter, Fia. If they act recklessly, she might die. In exchange for his daughter, the Order of Lewisia wanted Victor. They have stooped so low as to involve a child in their war against the League! Those pieces of shits, he thought. But the very individual they needed at the moment wasn''t even present. Headmistress Livia Cara is apparently outside the Walls and outside the signal area. Where the hell even is she?! Wasn¡¯t today the first day of classes!? Scott took a deep breath. Not that it matters. We only have two hours left, he thought as he bit his nail. I need to save her. But how? When no answers came to mind, ¡°Those bastards!¡± he growled before slamming both his hands down, crushing the round stone table. ¡°And are we just going to sit here and lick our thumbs?! Who the fuck even brought cookies here?! Is this a fucking picnic you incompetent bastards?!¡± He looked around the room, to the three Defense officers donning Combat Frames; to the General of the Army Marius Gibson; to two of the Elders of the Manners family, Elder Dick and Elder Willie; then to Brandon, who looked stoic as ever. And seeing that nonchalant look, Scott was tempted to reach across the table to slam his brother¡¯s head against the pavement. ¡°Talk, Brandon,¡± said Scott. ¡°Why the hell did the Order take my daughter?!¡± Brandon remained silent, only narrowing his serpentine eyes at him. ¡°I said¨C¨C TALK!¡± One of the Manners Elders dared to raise his voice. It¡¯s that old bastard Elder Willie who always licks Brandon¡¯s feet. The most sycophant of them all. What the hell are two Elders even doing here? They¡¯re not part of the military or the UDD! ¡°Calm down, Scott. I¡¯m sure that Brandon¨C¨C¡± Scott vanished from sight, only appearing once more after a loud explosion. He now held the elder¡¯s neck, pushing him against the ruined metal wall. A protruding bar of metal stabbed through the elder¡¯s chest, just inches away from his heart. ¡°S-Scoottt¡­ I c-can¡¯t breathe! Let.. go!¡± the elder begged through hacks of blood, activating his Aura to avoid bleeding out. The other elder, Elder Dick, called out. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Scott?! You dare wound an elder from your own family?!¡± ¡°Scott,¡± Brandon finally called out. ¡°I understand how you feel. But we must¨C¨C¡± At that, a dance of lightning enveloped Scott as his pupils turned red. He let go of the elder, throwing him like a ragdoll on the metal ground. Facing his own brother, he frowned. ¡°You? Who cast away his own daughter? YOU?!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Brandon said with a glare, allowing black scales to cover the entirety of his form. Partial-dragon transformation. ¡°You¡¯re losing yourself to the aether!¡± Scott scoffed. His mind was as clear as day, save for the wrath he felt for Brandon¡¯s indifference. How dare he accuse him of becoming a Rogue! ¡°That¡¯s a convenient excuse,¡± he said as the three Framer officers positioned themselves between Scott and Brandon, aiming their rifles at him. But Scott just laughed at them. He has the Aspect of Lightning, an epic-grade elemental Aspect. Even if the three Framers and the Class III Elders were to work together, they won¡¯t pose any problem to him. The problem would be Brandon. General Marius too, but thankfully, he¡¯s not suited up with his Combat Frame. Shifting his gaze back to his brother, Scott¡¯s tone was filled with quiet rage when he spoke. ¡°Always. You always blame the aether before killing someone. To disregard your guilt. ¡¯There was no other way. It¡¯s the only way. It must be done¡¯. And I grow tired of it.¡± ¡°Scott¡­¡± ¡°If you all choose to sit idle, then do so. But God forbid, if you get in my way¨C¨C,¡± he said, when suddenly, an ominous presence entered the room. Then all eyes locked at the middle of the room, with the trio of Framers shifting their rifles away from Scott, trained on a new target. Above the ruined stone table stood a black-clad figure donning a long-horned devil¡¯s mask. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you, Mr. Scott,¡± said the figure. ¡°Avernus,¡± Scott said with a frown, toning down the intensity of his aura in respect for a fellow Class III. Not to mention that while Avernus may be newly minted and about 20 levels lower than him, Scott has a feeling he wouldn¡¯t be able to win. ¡°What is a Spectra doing here?¡± Avernus looked at Brandon. ¡°To make a request of him, Defense Secretary Brandon Manners of the Unified Departments of Defense,¡± he said. While his words were formal, it sounded so lackadaisical and forced, as if he wasn¡¯t in the presence of the Rank 5 of the League himself.
*** Coming up next week on the Ring of Avernus... ¡°Let this be a warning, Mr. Secretary. Do not waste our time again. It is only thanks to His Excellency¡¯s command that your niece still lives. But it¡¯s not our job to save the princesses of those who pretend to be kings.¡± And with that, Avernus vanished without a trace. 24. The Black Dragons Pride 24. The Black Dragon''s Pride Scott smirked as Brandon¡¯s mask of indifference briefly waned at the Spectra''s words. His brother never liked being spoken to without reverence. But Scott smiled at his brother¡¯s reaction. It wasn¡¯t too often that he¡¯s a witness to someone crushing Brandon¡¯s ego and self-esteem. It was oddly cathartic. ¡°Did the Director send you here?¡± Brandon said, before expanding some of his aura, allowing a massive pressure descend on the room. And clearly, it wasn¡¯t just a pressure for the three Framers, even to Elder Dick, because they looked like their energies have been drained¨C¨C except maybe for General Marius, despite not being an Awakened. But surprisingly, even Avernus looked undeterred. He only stood still like a statue, not revealing if he was affected by Brandon¡¯s pressure release or not, much to his brother¡¯s chagrin. ¡°Mr. Secretary. On behalf of SPECTRA, we request that you please withdraw the following persons from Noah Academy,¡± said Avernus before taking out a slip of paper from his suit jacket¡¯s pocket. ¡°Aoife Manners and Fia Manners.¡± Elder Dick, while healing Elder Willie, yelled at Avernus. ¡°WHAT?! How dare you tell us what to do!¡± But Avernus ignored him as he addressed Brandon again. ¡°The presences of the aforementioned individuals is cause for complication. I trust you understand, Mr. Secretary.¡± Scott raised an eyebrow. Complication? And what was odd too was that even his brother could only grit his teeth before the Spectra¡¯s words. He offered no rebuttal at all. Is the UDD and SPECTRA working together? Don¡¯t they hate each other? Scott thought. ¡°Speak plain. What are you trying to say? Why are you here?¡± Brandon said with tone so impatient. Avernus stared at Brandon for quite some time before replying. ¡°As I said, we request that you please withdraw Fia Manners and Aoife Manners from Noah Academy. Their presence is cause for complication.¡± ¡°This is not the place or time. Bring me this request later in the future. We are currently dealing with another matter here,¡± Brandon said almost with a growl as he spoke still through gritted teeth. But clearly, his intimidation wasn¡¯t working, as Avernus just calmly replied. ¡°And this matter you¡¯re dealing with is connected to the nature of our request. Fia Manners was obviously captured to get to you, Mr. Secretary. For reasons unknown. But no matter what the cause may be, you would still surely understand, that we cannot allow that to happen,¡± said Avernus before looking at Scott. ¡°Thus, we will take care of the matter, and in exchange, I make the same request to you as well, Mr. Scott. Please withdraw your daughter from the Academy.¡± Brandon narrowed his eyes dangerously. But, surprisingly, he did not tell Avernus to get out. At least, that was what Scott expected. Instead. ¡°Be frank. You¡¯re here because you can¡¯t act without my permission.¡± ¡°Cooperation,¡± Avernus corrected after a moment of pause. ¡°But you are right, acting without your cooperation would be a conflict of jurisdiction between SPECTRA and the UDD. We wouldn¡¯t want to impose on you.¡± Scott frowned. SPECTRA is not here as help, they¡¯re demanding Brandon to cooperate. And while there were definitely a lot of undertone beneath Avernus¡¯ words, Scott didn¡¯t want to waste any more of his energy dwelling on what those may be. ¡°If you¡¯re going to rescue my daughter, I will come with you.¡± ¡°As powerful and capable as you are, Mr. Scott, we must refuse.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°I understand your frustration. But two Spectras are involved. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of Spectra 36. He¡¯s handling the rescue operation,¡± he said. Scott pursed his lips in thought. He would be lying if he said he felt no relief after hearing that, because even if 36 isn''t a Named yet, he''s got quite the reputation as the very own handler and brain of SPECTRA''s all-Prime team ¨C the Hummingbird Unit. A team that only lost a single member throughout the five years of its existence. And that''s quite an impressive feat, considering the job that comes with being an Awakened. More so for elite Awakened like members of SPECTRA. ¡°Are you saying Hummingbird is here?¡± ¡°That would be a waste of resources for a job like this. And the only reason that even a Named like I was sent here, is to express our respect to the United Defense,¡± said Avernus. ¡°And as the father of the objective, be assured that the rate of success is 95 per cent. The highest predictable rate of success. Hence, it is unwise to change our plans at this stage. Because you, as an unpredictable factor, may instead prove to be a hindrance rather than a help.¡± Scott shook in subdued rage at those words as he gripped tight both his fists. If you were a father, how would you feel if somebody told you to sit on your ass and let others do the rescuing of your daughter? Not to mention, how in hell would SPECTRA retrieve his daughter anyway? As capable as they are, this is still a hostage situation! And SPECTRA specializes in assassinations. They can¡¯t just go in and kill the kidnappers. If it was that easy, the Defense would have already taken care of it. Hell, not even. If it was a matter of taking care of local thugs, even the local police would have sufficed. But Avernus seemed to be able to read his thoughts. "We have our methods, Mr. Scott," he said. "Call us arrogant, but we consider the success of this rescue operation already a success. However, it is not the situation that concerns us, but rather the intent. Allow us to handle this." Shadow covered Brandon¡¯s features as he glowered at Avernus. ¡°Leaving aside my role within the UDD, do not forget that the Manners is a Bloodline family. Are you saying we need SPECTRA¡¯s help to take care of our own problem? Don¡¯t you think that''s both insulting and presumptuous? To dare question me? The Black Dragon himself?!¡± Brandon said those really fast, clearly agitated. Scott controlled himself from lashing out as his brother still dared to put on airs. Even he kept himself calm when Avernus suggested he shouldn''t get involved. Because this is not the time for pride! But Avernus, instead of arguing back against Brandon, fell quiet instead. For a moment, the Spectra seemed to consider his words, before he finally pierced through the suffocating silence. ¡°I see. Then forgive me if our concern is unnecessary," he said with a nod. "If you have the situation under control, then we will withdraw. Feel free to disregard our request. We didn¡¯t mean to impose.¡± Elder Dick spoke this time. ¡°How dare you act so smug! Are you forgetting that SPECTRA is under the UDD¡¯s authority? So, why don¡¯t you scurry along and just do your damn job?!¡± Elder Dick said. This time, it was General Marius who responded. Until now, he has just been watching the exchange like a hawk as he enjoyed his black coffee. ¡°While the Defense Secretary¡¯s position within the UDD makes his authority over the armed forces secondary only to the head of state, SPECTRA is the only Awakened organization working for the government. And they are under the president¡¯s direct command,¡± said the general, as if directly reading an excerpt from the government¡¯s website. Scott wondered if the general encountered a similar situation in the past. After all, SPECTRA and the UDD, specifically the UDD¡¯s army and intelligence division, really do hate SPECTRA. But sometimes, they''re forced to work with each other. And entities forced to cooperation often leads to conflict. ¡°What are you talking about General Marius?!¡± Elder Dick demanded. ¡°That cannot be right! It cannot be!¡± ¡°SPECTRA is here as part of a direct partnership with the UDD,¡± said General Marius. ¡°But I cannot speak more to what that is. Just revealing you this fact is already complicated enough. Isn¡¯t that right, Avernus?¡± SPECTRA is here as part of a direct partnership with the UDD? What the hell is going on, and how did Fia get caught up in all of this¡­, Scott thought. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°That is correct, General Gibson,¡± said Avernus as his pupils trained at Elder Dick, who almost shook uncontrollably. Elder Dick, obviously not wanting to be embarrassed, spoke again, not wanting to back down. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If you¡¯re that confident, then you could¡¯ve just rescued Fia. But where is she, huh?! You¡¯re just using this situation to disrespect Brandon!¡± Avernus stood still and did not reply, but Scott swore he saw the Spectra roll his eyes behind his mask. Elder cackled. ¡°Ha! I knew it. Just empty promises. So, go on! Retrieve the child! ¡­What? Why are you just standing there? Go on, why don¡¯t you hurry along?!¡± Avernus let out a soft breathe as he ignored Elder Dick, before addressing Brandon once more. ¡°As you already know, Mr. Secretary, our request concerns national security, which I cannot speak of while in the presence of¨C¨C irrelevant parties,¡± he said, his cold, indifferent eyes shifting to Elder Dick. ¡°¡­Too much information has already been disclosed by my presence here alone. But I trust that you will take of the matter, Mr. Secretary. Not doing so would be treason.¡± National security?! Scott thought in alarm. Elder Dick replied. ¡°Treason?! How dare you! You need to watch your tongue boy! You are addressing one of the Six Elder of the Manners family!¡± Again, even behind the mask, Scott could tell Avernus¡¯ displeasure and¨C¨C killing intent. He¡¯s not one to mince words, he thought. And perhaps the Spectra would have already cut off Dick¡¯s neck if Brandon wasn¡¯t here. ¡°Oh, look! He¡¯s angry! Are you mad boy?! Ha! So quick to violence!¡± Elder Dick said with a laugh. But Avernus only stared at Brandon, who remained quiet in deep contemplation, eyes trailed on the ruined table as he sat back on his seat. This irked Elder Dick, who promptly abandoned the still unconscious Elder Willie, before stomping his way to Avernus with a raised hand. ¡°¡­Touch him and I¡¯ll kill you myself, Dick. You may be an Elder, but my daughter is still in danger,¡± Scott warned, lightning briefly crackling around his legs. ¡°Do sabotage that, and I swear to all that¡¯s holy, I WILL fucking murder you,¡± he said, before looking at General Marius. ¡°Even if the League hangs me for it.¡± Elder Dick turned pallor; his head becoming full with veins. He looked afraid, but not afraid enough to stop himself from spouting nonsense. ¡°He¡¯s an uninvited guest!¡± Scott looked at Brandon. ¡°Make your decision, brother,¡± he said. The choices are simple. First, is for Brandon to let SPECTRA handle things, in exchange for withdrawing Fia and Aoife from the Academy. Second, is to refuse SPECTRA¡¯s help, and risk failing the rescue of Fia and her friends. Brandon sighed. ¡°Elder Dick. Please retrieve Elder Willie on your way out,¡± he said as he released his Aura, making his black scales disappear and reverting back to his normal form; steely, silver eyes, and sharp-angled features crowned with a military-cut red hair. When the Elders left, but not after some more complaints from Elder Dick, Brandon addressed Avernus once more, regaining his usual low, chilly voice. ¡°Unpleasant Dick may be, he is still correct. You are in my presence. A member of the federal cabinet, and you are also in the presence of General Marius Gibson, and Councillor Scott Manners of the Awakened Society. While I do not demand your respect, Spectras are still expected to provide decorum and a modicum of respect.¡± But Avernus¡¯ voice was colder when he replied. Almost accusatory. And Scott couldn¡¯t help but admire the man¡¯s candour, may he have a death wish or not. ¡°As someone in your position of power and authority, it is your duty to ensure the security of your family, so as to avoid our enemies from using them against you,¡± said Avernus. ¡°Yes, and SPECTRA has no right to impose itself in my duties.¡± ¡°And I do not deny that, but as I said, this matter now concerns national security. There are others who are concerned with the situation. Thus I have come to verify if¨C¨C you failed your basic vow.¡± Brandon looked like he wanted to say something as he only glared at Avernus, but he surprisingly did not reply. Scott wanted to revel in the sight of his brother looking stumped and helpless, but this was not the right time. His daughter was still in danger. Avernus continued. ¡°Well then, I will take your silence as confirmation that you have the situation under control. SPECTRA will send you a public apology and compensation for daring question your competence and authority.¡± At that, Avernus bowed. ¡°But please understand that it is only prudent for us to ensure that you are not exposed. And that there is no threat for an information leak,¡± he said before standing erect, and turning around to seemingly leave. But. Brandon stood up, glaring at the Spectra. ¡°Hold on right there, assassin. If you don¡¯t like me, then that is your right. But I cannot allow this disrespect to continue! Who do you think you¨C¨C¡± Avernus interrupted him as he glanced over his shoulder. ¡°I am but a messenger. Thus, you mean nothing to me, Mr. Secretary,¡± he said with a pointed tone. ¡°I am here on SPECTRA¡¯s behalf, but also of His Excellency, President Brian Harvey.¡± ¡°President Harvey? This means that you¡¯re here because of¨C¨C¡± Brandon said with widened eyes, until Avernus hastily interrupted him again. ¡°Yes. I thought that was obvious to you, being the Defense Secretary,¡± Avernus said as he casually flashed Brandon the presidential seal, which shone with golden light to establish its validity. And seeing the seal, Brandon couldn¡¯t help himself but pale. Scott dared not imagine what his brother would be feeling right now. A presidential seal means a situation is of utmost priority. And within the government, if an individual says he is working directly on behalf of the head of state, it is usually enough to just say so. Because verification of the truth is very simple. They could just text the president himself. But to actually reveal the presidential seal is more of a symbolic gesture. A gesture that states: There is no time for formalities, and you have no choice but to obey. Yes, everything up until now were just formalities. SPECTRA was letting Brandon save face. But, Brandon failed to read the room and let his pride get in the way. When Brandon did not reply, Avernus said, ¡°I suppose that is all, then. If you have things under control, then consider our request unnecessary. And we trust that you will continue ensuring your family¡¯s safety. After all, you have all the resources you need, and it was indeed foolish of us to believe that with all those resources provided to you, that you would fail to provide the utmost basic care.¡± Scott thought that Avernus¡¯ words of provocation was unnecessary, but he glanced to Brandon who looked like he needed to poo. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Brandon? Do you have things under control?¡± he said, trying to rile up his brother too. But while he did not understand what made Brandon hesitate, he understood that everything is a matter of pride to his brother. Like in this current situation, allowing SPECTRA to handle things means that Brandon is admitting that Fia and Aoife are his weaknesses, and that he could not protect them. The Awakened circle also believes that he sent Aoife to an Awakened Academy as a test of will and strength. So, to go back on his own words would mean diminishing the weight behind his actions. And as someone obsessed with strength and power, Brandon values his own words even stronger than others. It¡¯s a matter of pride. His stupid philosophy on strength completely backfired, thought Scott, before finally realizing what Avernus, with his words, tried to imply. He¡¯s forcing Brandon to beg for SPECTRA¡¯s for help. He¡¯s calling him incompetent, he thought. Not that I even care, why. But it¡¯s not that Brandon is truly that incompetent. He¡¯s actually very good at his job as the Defense Secretary and the patriarch of the Manners. But he¡¯s grown greedy with power due to his hatred for Muriel. And he pushed this greed to the family, believing that in this world, the strong survives while the weak dies, and it¡¯s important to teach every Manners that philosophy of strength. After all, he believes, that with the rise of the Awakened, sheer strength rules above all. It¡¯s a philosophy that convinced Scott that being a Class IV does not mean one is wise. But ultimately, the problem is, will he swallow his own pride? If not, then¡­, Scott thought as he placed a hand behind his waist. ¡°Put away your dagger, Scott,¡± finally said Brandon after a long silence before looking at Avernus. ¡°Fia and Aoife Manners will be withdrawn. They will transfer to another Academy, and I give my word that security will be improved.¡± While his tone still sounded arrogant, there was a hint of shame and defeat. Scott did withdraw his dagger. If Brandon chose his pride over Aoife and Fia, Scott planned to kill him¨C¨C even if he dies himself too. ¡°Thank you for your cooperation. Consider Fia rescued, and I hope the Defense and SPECTRA will continue this pleasant relationship in the future. After all, we all are working together for the benefit of our people and our nation.¡± Brandon frowned at the sarcasm. ¡°Of course. Is there anything else I could do to help ensure your success?¡± ¡°Yes. Please withdraw your forces encircling the warehouse where they are being kept. And to proceed with the kidnappers¡¯ demand.¡± Brandon ground his teeth. ¡°What are you talking about?! We do not have access to Victor, and Master Livia is presently occupied!¡± ¡°Pretend that you have it. Send one, single personnel as the kidnappers¡¯ requested. Because if your forces are in the vicinity, you might as well consider this mission a failure. And we both know what that means,¡± said Avernus before looking at Scott. ¡°That applies to you too. Let us handle the matter.¡± Scott sighed. What else could he do, but nod? Brandon took a deep breathe. ¡°Fine. But if you¨C¨C¡± Avernus¡¯ eyes sharpened. ¡°Have we ever failed?¡± he replied. ¡°Your arrogance is unbeco¨C¨C¡± ¡°With all due respect, please control your tongue, Mr. Manners. We know what failure entails and I don¡¯t have to listen to your threats. Politics is beyond SPECTRA¡¯s scope, and since we will be working more together in the future, I must remind you now¨C¨C your pride is meaningless.¡± Scott was surprised when Brandon did not even reply, only meeting Avernus¡¯ gaze with his own steely eyes. Avernus nodded to all in the room before heading for the door. Brandon raised a hand. ¡°Avernus,¡± he said, his voice becoming calmer. The League¡¯s youngest Class III did halt but did not to speak. ¡°Tell me. How about you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Forgive me for my outburst, but you must understand that those were not directed to you. It¡¯s clear that you¡¯ve relayed only what your handler told you over your comms device. So, consider their words noted. But I¡¯m curious, what about you?¡± Avernus hesitated but swiveled to face Brandon. ¡°¡­Is this an order?¡± ¡°No. I am merely curious. Are Spectras not allowed to make small talk?¡± Brandon grinned. ¡°Speak freely. Messages from the Director and the President aside, what¡¯s your opinion of me?¡± ¡°Freely¡­,¡± echoed Avernus with a whisper. And beneath his mask, his eyes slitted as he looked down on the seated Brandon. After a hum, he said, ¡°I have no desire to entertain the musings of an incompetent man,¡± he said. Amazingly, Brandon just raised a brow. ¡°Oh? I said to speak freely, but don¡¯t you think¨C¨C¡± ¡°Let this be a warning, Mr. Secretary. Do not waste our time again. It is only thanks to His Excellency¡¯s command that your niece still lives. But it¡¯s not our job to save the princesses of those who pretend to be kings.¡± 25. Stay Put 25. Stay Put Scott stared at where Avernus previously stood after the Spectra vanished without a trace, while Brandon¡¯s laugh reverberated through the messed up room. ¡°Interesting,¡± said Brandon. Scott hummed before looking out the wide, glass windows, to the direction of Evander District. ¡°I must thank that man. To think he satiated my anger by insulting you.¡± ¡°Oh, please.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s odd. To see someone talk to you like that. Even if it was a Class IV like you, I would have expected you, to at least, tear off one of their limbs. Not that I would let that happen with what¡¯s on the line,¡± said Scott, not hiding his murderous intent, even if directed at his own brother. SPECTRA may be helping now, but that doesn¡¯t mean that he had completely let his older brother off the hook from how he dealt with the overall situation. Brandon is still a scum. Brandon grinned, similar to that carefree, cheerful grin he always had when they were younger. What a quick turnaround. What the hell happened to him? ¡°Are you stupid? He¡¯s backed by that guy. You might as well ask me to kill myself.¡± ¡°Oh? Who?¡± It was General Marius who replied. ¡°The Director of SPECTRA. One of our only two Class Vs.¡± ¡°Ah, of course. Brandon may be the Rank 5, but a Class IV is still leagues below those who reached the peak,¡± he said, clearly still trying to provoke Brandon. Brandon clicked his tongue at that. General Marius replied. ¡°Yes. But even so, Mr. Scott. You¡¯ve seen how calm Avernus was, no?¡± ¡°Yes? Unusually so.¡± ¡°Aye. He was prepared to duel your brother to the death. And I can only wonder what gave him that confidence,¡± General Marius said, his weary features flashing with an amused smile. ¡°There is much more to him than you may think. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Ian?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The door opened, and Ian walked in. ¡°There is a saying among active Class IIIs in the frontlines: ¡®Do not fight Avernus. You¡¯re doomed to die¡¯,¡± he said. Scott raised a brow. Sure, while he felt, even as a Level 70 Class III, that he could lose to Avernus¨C¨C that doesn¡¯t mean he has no chance of winning. ¡°That¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think? Isn¡¯t he only Level 52? Surely, he can¡¯t be that strong.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a sparring, he¡¯s not much. But in a true battle, I doubt he¡¯d lose to any Class III. Even Zoren told me he¡¯d most likely lose.¡± Scott briefly stole a glance at Brandon, wondering if the asshole¡¯s pride would push him to call bullshit. But, he only kept his eyes closed as he listened to the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. So, you could say that in terms of strength, he¡¯s within the Top 10 within the Awakened.¡± ¡°You could say that, since the System Rankings only ranks us based on our levels, anyway. Like, it¡¯s a well-known fact that father can beat Headmaster Kelly, right? Even if he¡¯s a level lower,¡± Ian said. Scott inwardly agreed. In terms of true power, the System Rankings really isn¡¯t the best platform to measure an Awakened¡¯s true strength. To use Ian¡¯s example, Brandon may be the Rank 5 in the System Rankings, but he¡¯s considered the League¡¯s fourth strongest, next only to the Sky Sovereign, the Director of SPECTRA, and Eclipse. Still, "I still feel like that¡¯s a bit of a reach,¡± he said, perhaps out of his own pride as a Class III. ¡°Trust me. You¡¯ll know if you spar him,¡± said Ian. ¡°When we sparred, I won. But it¡¯s like,¡± he added before pausing, gazing out the window, seemingly lost for words. ¡°It¡¯s like you could smell your own death. A subdued smell. So, it would interesting to see him truly fight an actual Class IV.¡± At those words, no one spoke. Scott wondered if the others must be imagining themselves in Ian¡¯s shoes like he did. To smell your own death, huh? Ian broke the silence when he addressed Brandon. He did not look amused at all and spared his own father no warmth. ¡°Anyway. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve chosen the wise path, father. We should not have sent them to the Academy in the first place. I warned you, that if Lewisia couldn¡¯t kill you, they¡¯ll go after the family.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve come to gloat, then you may take your leave,¡± Brandon replied with a huff. But it was Scott, alongside General Marius, who took their leave as the father and son ensued their usual senseless verbal spat. *** Lucas panted as he splashed cold water on his face inside a public washroom. Holy shit. I thought I was going to die! Lucas thought. He remembered that when Brandon did that Pressure Release thing, Lucas was so afraid that he actually mentally blacked out for a few seconds. He¡¯s fucking insane. He¡¯s not the Rank 5 for nothing. But we¡¯re past that. Mission is complete. Now, I just have to wait, Lucas thought. And wait he did, not knowing why he waited inside the public washroom. Like, can you imagine the smell? Thankfully, it didn¡¯t take long for Cale to ring him. [Report.] ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m in a washroom. Let me go to the rooftop real quick. Signal here is pretty bad,¡± he said, wasting no time before he vanished, appearing at the rooftop of a building, overlooking the city from above. He managed to procure Blink again after losing his previous one when he used it to combine for his Cooldown Reduction spell. He tightened his fluttering cloak around his body when he chilled from the cold wind, eyes at the Evander District. It would likely take him roughly half an hour to reach his destination. As he considered the fastest and most inconspicuous path to take, he deactivated his Aura to allow his comms device function again. A buzz and some radio noise later, Cale¡¯s voice entered his ears. [Report if you can hear me.] ¡°Brandon transferred the operation over to us. We can proceed,¡± Lucas said. They only have about an hour and half left before the deadline, and he¡¯s itching for a fight. ¡°But what was that about anyway? Did you have to be so rude?¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. [The Director and President Harvey wanted to rein him in. This situation is simply the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back.] ¡°But why?¡± [Master Livia. She¨C¨C expressed concerns regarding his treatment of Aoife.] ¡°She snitched.¡± [I suppose, but good job. Now, I need you to head to these coordinates.] ¡°Okay. Should take about half an hour,¡± said Lucas. ¡°Evander District, right?¡± [No. Lowell District. The city¡¯s western outskirts. Check the coordinates I sent you. But your ETA should be roughly the same.] Lucas blinked as he checked his phone, to the coordinates Cale just sent. ¡°Isn¡¯t Evander where they¡¯re being kept? Where is this?¡± [An abandoned port at Lowell. I¡¯ll explain the details later. Just disconnect your comms and go. Let me know when you¡¯re there.] Lucas fell into silence¨C¨C hesitating. Why Lowell? Rescuing Fia should be easy. But as he waited for Cale to further explain, there was nothing. [Did you hear me? Your line is still on. Respond if you copy.] Truly, he trusts Cale. He really does. But this would be Lucas¡¯ first mission with him as his handler. He¡¯s not sure if this would be the proper decision. ¡°Why Lowell?¡± [I said I¡¯ll give you the details later on. You need to get moving. We¡¯re running out of time.] Lucas frowned but nodded. For some reason, even if Cale wasn¡¯t physically in the vicinity, the Mexurian¡¯s voice had an air that screamed: Everything will be fine. So, despite his hesitation, Lucas chose to trust him. ¡°Understood. I¡¯m going offline,¡± he said. ¡°But while I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re sending me there, I. trust you know what you¡¯re doing, Cale.¡± [Your concerns are noted, Avernus.] *** It took Lucas a bit just over half an hour to reach his destination. Thankfully, his ETA didn¡¯t change much after he changed route to make sure nobody saw him jumping through the buildings. He could have flown as he originally planned, but air transport was also particularly busy tonight. There¡¯s some kind of a concert going on at the Freedom Arena, so plenty of hovercrafts of all sizes flew to and fro on the night sky. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said as he stood atop a hill overlooking the abandoned port, save for the shipping containers that must be empty inside. ¡°Am I too close?¡± [No, you¡¯re fine. I¡¯ll tell you when to jump down later. Remain hidden for now.] ¡°What am I waiting for?¡± he asked as he looked at the time. They only had an hour left before the deadline. [Stay put and remain on the line.] Lucas frowned as he heaved a light sigh. ¡°This is going to be boring.¡± [Do you sense anybody? Any third-party Awakened?] ¡°That¡¯s a hard ask without my Aura on,¡± he said before removing an orb-like object from his pocket and throwing it at the sky. It silently exploded and melted like salt dissolving in water. ¡°Just one soul core detected in a¡­ uh, 5 kilometre radius.¡± [That¡¯s bad.] ¡°It is?¡± [The Detection Orb can only detect Class Is, remember? To only detect one means there are Class II Awakened or above hiding their soul cores.] ¡°If we have Awakened hiding somewhere, what are they waiting for?¡± he said. [Aoife is on her way. She¡¯ll be there in about 10 minutes.] ¡°I see. Gotch¨C¨C Hold up. Did you say Aoife?¡± [I said Aoife.] Lucas fell quiet, squinting his eyes. ¡°Hold on. Why the hell is Aoife coming? Did you ask her to¨C¨C¡± [She doesn¡¯t know about us. She¡¯s coming for Fia.] ¡°Then we need to¨C¨C!¡± Lucas was about to shout, but managed to calm himself. ¡°¨C¨Cwarn her.¡± He didn¡¯t know why he was agitated. He suspected that Cale must be using her as bait, and he didn¡¯t like that. [If you don¡¯t want her to die, you need to stay put.] ¡°Damn it, Cale. Come on. Can¡¯t you just tell me what the hell is going on?¡± [¡­Do I have to spell out everything to you? I¡¯m not sure how, but what¡¯s important is that the kidnappers obviously told her to come alone if she wants Fia alive, and not tell anybody about. Then they gave her a false location. Thanks to our tracker, we know the coordinates they gave.] ¡°And she took the bait? That¡¯s hard to believe. No one is that stupid. I¡¯m pretty sure she must at least have told Scott if not her father.¡± [Weren¡¯t you paying attention earlier? They were only concerned about Fia. That means they don¡¯t know what Aoife¡¯s up to. That¡¯s one of the reasons why I sent you there, to confirm that they don¡¯t know Aoife¡¯s being baited. As far as they¡¯re aware, she¡¯s still at the Academy enjoying her sleep.] ¡°But¨C¨C¡± [Remember that she¡¯s not trained how to act rationally under pressure like us. But even you¨C¨C you¡¯re making your own training slip, Lucas. If you don¡¯t want her to die, remain calm and stay put.] Speaking of calm. For some reason, while Cale¡¯s voice was calm, it had a hint of impatience and annoyance. [Think. False information? Awakened hiding their soul cores? You should already realize why you¡¯re there.] Lucas gulped, finally realizing the rationale behind Cale¡¯s decision. ¡°I do. . . ,¡± he whispered as he closed his eyes. [No one is that stupid? Lucas, people act mostly based on their emotions. And as much as you must hate it, I need you to know that applies to you too. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t give you the whole picture. Because I want you to realize that you¡¯re only being logical when you want to. You apply logic to others, but not to yourself.] That¡¯s right. Lucas does criticize others when they act irrationally, like how he criticized Aoife for falling to an obvious bait, and obviously without a plan too. What can she even do when she reaches her destination? Save her cousin from a bunch of armed thugs? But, did he really have the right to call her stupid, when he acted just the same? If he was in Aoife¡¯s shoes, he most likely would have done the same thing. And if he didn¡¯t listen to Cale and rushed to save Fia, then he would have fallen to Lewisia¡¯s bait, and Aoife would be in danger. He dreaded at the thought. I really am I slipping, he thought. Basically, Aoife is Lewisia¡¯s contingency if the Defense lied with having Victor. ¡°Sorry, Cale. For not trusting you . . .¡± [In the future, there will be many more cases like this, and you won¡¯t always have someone to guide you. It¡¯s going to be a long process, but you¡¯ll learn.] ¡°The future, huh. . .?¡± Lucas smiled. The future. It¡¯s like Cale can see the future. Lucas initially thought that it would be stupid for Lewisia to act this early on to steal Victor. After all, he was under the impression that Lewisia infiltrated the Academy to find and create an opportunity to steal the relic in the first place. But instead, they blackmailed Brandon to give them Victor by kidnapping Fia, potentially bypassing whatever security the Academy might have for Victor. And Cale foresaw this. Cale foresaw Lewisia making an early move. A pre-emptive strike. To act when they least expected it. Lucas didn¡¯t understand how Cale could have predicted their move. But he did. Sure, Cale told him all about that criminal underworld stuff, of Lewisia placing a bounty on Brandon to learn what the government is planning to do by leaking Victor¡¯s information. There¡¯s also the matter with the Seven Petals of Lewisia. But knowing all of that in advance? It¡¯s like he really can see the future, thought Lucas. He wasn¡¯t swayed about the kidnapping, and focused on the bigger picture¨C¨C Case Farewell. And here I am, jumping at every fucking situation. [We¡¯ll take more later. For now, let¡¯s focus on the mission. Once the Defense¡¯s person gets here to do the exchange, and when Lewisia finds out they have been lied to, then I¡¯ll rescue Fia and the rest. That¡¯s when the kidnappers will come to capture Aoife.] ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll make sure that doesn¡¯t happen,¡± Lucas said, understanding Cale¡¯s plan was not without its merit. Because if he was in Lewisia¡¯s position, he would know that there¡¯s no way the Defense would give up Victor. He would know the Defense will use the exchange as a distraction to rescue Fia. The how doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is the intent. That¡¯s when he would capture Aoife. In hindsight, it really is a very simple plan. But knowing this without hindsight is what makes Cale truly impressive. [Good.] Ten minutes later, Aoife showed up, looking around in confusion. She retrieved her phone and placed it before her cheek. She looked both afraid and angry. Lucas read her lips and expression. ¡°I¡¯m here. You can see me? Where are you? You want me right? What? Wait for what? But you promised to release her if I show up! He hung up¡­ What should I do now?¡± Lucas whispered on his comms attached to his mask. ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± [Still waiting on the Defense.] Five minutes later, Cale¡¯s voice echoed through his comms. [Defense is here. They¡¯re going inside to do the exchange.] ¡°Got it. I also see five figures approaching Aoife. Four of them are wearing cloaks, but one of them isn¡¯t. Gotta admire the confidence,¡± Lucas said before retrieving a small telescope from his pocket. ¡°Damn¡­¡± [What?] ¡°It¡¯s Araldas.¡± [I see. Go offline. Let¡¯s move in. No matter what, don¡¯t let them get close to Aoife. And try to capture Araldas alive.] ¡°Consider it do¨C¨C,¡± said Lucas as his mouth widened. ¡°Holy shit.¡± [I heard gunshots. What¡¯s happening there, Lucas?] ¡°One of them, the Class I we detected, just pulled out a gun and began firing. Araldas avoided getting shot, but the other three¨C¨C head shots. They died on the spot. Araldas looks angry,¡± said Lucas as he watched Araldas activate his Aura. ¡°I¡¯m going offline, Cale. Good luck on your end.¡± Not waiting for Cale¡¯s response, black flames roared about Lucas as he activated his Aura, killing the comms signal. He used Blink just before Araldas could stab the shooter deep in the chest.
*** Coming up next week on the Ring of Avernus is a battle...