《Worldbuilder》 Prologue: Hidden Blade <...> Static filled the transmission, signalling the end of all communication lines between the Swan Contingent. ¡°...At least they will live.¡± Perfect. The silence he craved for this execution. Taking a deep breath, he disengaged the Atlantean Coil from his nape¨C How long has it been since his mind wandered in this eternal limbo of silence? The constant struggle resembled a maelstrom of memories from a distant past as his mind rumbled incessantly, keeping him awake in this timeless dimension. Flames and a tsunami of blood engulfed the once-white makeshift research lab, littered with dead bodies everywhere as it went up in smoke. Amidst the chaos, the anomaly stood defiantly against him. The anomaly that sprouted from the roots of nature came from an advanced weapon system, originating from this out-of-place island that appeared overnight. Despite possessing physical combat prowess honed to the highest echelons of human potential, he knew he wouldn¡¯t survive. For as long as his subordinates could return home, that was the only thing that pushed him to commit this noble self-sacrificial act. With no way of returning home and his back against the walls, he could channel the inner recesses of his mind, a state of mind only hardened warriors who understood that time exists as a construct, toward putting the anomaly down. He did what he could, but at what cost? The anger fueling the supernatural force subsided after he unleashed the coup de grace.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The apology came too late. The Federation¡¯s blind trust in their researchers led to the brutal slaughter of those who participated in this expedition. If only he had exercised more caution and questioned the thought process of the project¡¯s stakeholders, his squadron would still be alive. The end arrived once the mental and physical fatigue from the battle started taking its toll. What a way to go out. With blood and guts spilling out, his mortal body was beyond saving. There was no way that any modern medical instrument could patch him up, even if he made it to a medical facility. Accepting his impending doom, he mustered the strength to smile for the last time. The colours of life blurred as he bled out to eventual death, where his soul passed on into the pitch-black void where the dead lingered after passing. Despite existing in the realm of the dead, an invisible force prevented the void from consuming him. Binary bits of memories started to resurface, shaking his ethereal form to the core. Amid the digital chaos, several memories stood out from the flurry of information. Where, when and who these memories originated from did not matter for the constraints of time and space did not exist to him anymore. He witnessed a soldier open his eyes to unveil shining, peculiar eyes as he drew his translucent-white sword against an adversary with pitch-black wings, seemingly preventing the enemy from approaching a giant monolith emanating a mystical aura. ¡°You will always be my brother.¡± The shining-eyed soldier¡¯s final words before switching to another scene. ¡°Let¡¯s see the world together!¡± That sweet voice sounded distant yet familiar. The force enveloped him like a gentle embrace, coating his soul with a rejuvenating touch. Regardless of how long it would take him to return to the realm of the living and what lies ahead, the world still needed him to purge the darkness hiding in plain sight. Then. Now. And Forever. For he is the¨C Chapter 1: Pendulum Was this the only way out of this predicament? The promised future of a better tomorrow loomed at the back of Swaine¡¯s mind as he took another step forward. The Crimson Imperial Hall, where he spent his youth playing with his siblings, looked the same, except he was alone now. The title of ¡°Crown Prince¡± bestowed upon him meant that this solemn undertaking of relaying this proclamation rested on his shoulder. ¡°There is no other way, isn¡¯t it?¡± Exuding a long, drawn-out breath, he steadied himself for his impending task. Swaine knew the king only looked at him as a petulant child, not a prince ready for responsibilities within the Empire. Hence, that fueled him to stray off the golden path, a decision the elders of his bloodline warned about, for the consequences extended beyond the spectrum of life and death. Since his youth, he had undergone the customary training of those carrying the Drazen blood. This formal training had a limited scope¨Csword fighting to familiarity with firearms¨Cand even the nitty-gritty noble procedures of ballroom dancing and wine-tasting. That begs the question: what good were these skills compared to today¡¯s modern warfare? ¡°Your duties as the next-in-line to the throne far outweigh the noblemen we employ in court.¡± ¡°But, father¨C¡± ¡°The time for war has long passed, for we now live in an era of peace. As the Empire¡¯s descendants, we only need to maintain foreign relations with our neighbours. Diplomacy is the name of the game we play. ¡°Fath¨C¡± ¡°Enough! One day, you will understand¡­¡± His father, the king, believed in the promise set aside thirty years ago with the cursed survivors of the technocratic regime. How foolish. Gazing out, Swaine soaked in the sprawling landscape engulfing the unending green plains. The Empire¡¯s rebuilding efforts had not gone as smoothly as expected, but there was still some progress. If the castle grounds looked this catastrophic, one could only imagine what the rest of the continent had become since the fall. Somehow, animals were spared from the collapse, for the machines of destruction never saw them as targets. The abandoned tracks and trains in the depot littered around the castle grounds reminded the survivors of their fallen predecessors¡¯ mistakes. Who was at fault for the catastrophic event? North Atlantea. The North¡¯s constant pursuit of progression led to the rapid rise of technological marvels the human race has not seen since the mythical tale of Atlantis. The synchronicity resembled one another as both expanded forward until they eventually fell apart.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. North Atlantea stood as the pinnacle of world superiority in the previous era as countries started assimilating themselves into its ecosystem. Even the old Drazen, under the Fifteen Council¡¯s rule, fell prey to the seductive whispers of the North. Before the revival of the Drazen Empire, this group of shadowy bureaucrats had ruled the lands via a revolution by overthrowing the old Imperial Faction. These bureaucrats had only one goal: to give power back to the people from ¡°lazy nobles¡± who, they claimed, wished to profit off the back of the working class. The former subjects of the Drazen Empire turned into citizens longing for equality and progress; in doing so, they forgot about individualism and tradition, transforming them into mindless drones who relied on the state''s handouts by exchanging their sovereignty for it. Eventually, the day finally arrived when the Singularity War spread to the doors of Drazen, knocking it down and annihilating the unsuspecting citizens of the failed democratic regime. Flags of the noble houses within the Drazen Empire draped down from the high corners of the Imperial Hall. Only two stood out¨Cthe flag of House Drazen¨Cand another who chose to remain in the shadows. As foretold in ages past, the Drazen Empire had finally revived from the ashes, united in blood and purpose, where the banners had unified as one with the Empire¡¯s newly commissioned flag. Riding his mythical stallion, Swaine¡¯s father and his fellow noblemen purged their homeland from the influence of the Fifteen Council¡¯s regime and the plague of civil unrest. Taking over the reins as the undisrupted rulers of the newly christened Drazen Empire, the continent finally saw imperial rule after a century. But. There¡¯s always a but. That was the official story told to the masses. Swaine had discovered the truth recently, leading him down the left-hand path to seek knowledge only accessible to his bloodline¡¯s inner circle. He clenched his left fist, which had become replaced by a silver claw-like glove covering the scars of his momentous choice. In moments, he would address a nation as torn and wrecked as the Empire he would eventually inherit. A new form of governance saw the unification of Atlantea into one superstate. This unified Atlantea maintained diplomatic ties with the Empire but was severed when their collaboration turned sour thirteen years ago. The team he handpicked for the Drazen Empire¡¯s new reign took him longer than expected, for its complexity was akin to finding several unique needles in a haystack. ¡°Your Highness, all preparations are ready. We can begin whenever you are!¡± ¡°Thank you, my squire. Please take some time to take a break, I know you have been working hard since dawn.¡± Waving his hand, Swaine acknowledged his squire¡¯s hard work. ¡°Yes, your Highness!" It was surreal to see a mixture of guards and civilians together, something that would never happen a hundred years ago. The guards wore armour, with weapons stored at the waist, whereas the civilians wore plain shirts and pants, a dressing style from the Fifteen Council¡¯s influence of modernity. Regardless of his subjects¡¯ respective code of conduct, they believed in the king and his promise to restore the Drazen Empire to its former glory. That, to him, mattered above all. The old age of relying on military prowess had proved insufficient; their Empire¡¯s bloodied past taught him just that. For the Drazen Empire to rule this realm undisputedly, embracing and utilising the hidden arts became part of the winning formula. The painstaking task of assembling the peak in physical and combat prowess from each noble house now assembled in his revived Imperial Faction. The brightest minds possessing the lost arts during the Fifteen Council¡¯s era littered across the continent congregate in his Imperial Research Labs. The time has finally arrived to deliver a message for the Drazen Empire¡¯s next renaissance: a proclamation of war. And the recipient? The United Atlantea Federation. Chapter 2: Oblivious Makeshift dormitories littered the streets of Marina Port. The lamp posts in this shady town centre barely functioned, but nobody cared or paid attention. Best of all, it was the reality of the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s decrepit infrastructure when the grid¡¯s electricity supply, the centralised powerplant based in the North, known as the Smart Grid, forcefully shut down during the final days of the Singularity War. To resolve this issue, the United Atlantea Federation''s government laid out plenty of grand projects in the pipeline during their annual budget speech. Yet, the projects had not begun nor shown signs of commencement. The neverending scene of nature, with wild animals roaming around, filled his eyes every morning. If one were to think of freedom, nothing captured the essence of liberty than animals roaming about without caring about the manmade, self-imposed issues humans have. They could go anywhere they pleased. They could enjoy the thrill of the hunt without worrying about tomorrow. Compared to this daily trip from the North to the South that became a part of his rigid, mundane life, Neptune always wondered, what true freedom would taste like. Even with the bright overcast of the rising sun, the scene he feasted upon had no hue. Emptiness. Mundane. Pathetic. To him, the world had only two colours. Black¡­ ¡­And white. Even his growing years seemed like a lifetime ago, for he could barely remember what he did as a teenager until his life ended a year ago. The weekends were the only time to savour what remained of civilisation. Even with scraps of free time available, there was nothing to do apart from reading torn-up books left behind by their ancestors and completing brain-wrecking theoretical homework, those state-mandated spreadsheets forced upon the youths to instil national identity had plenty of holes and information deemed as relevant by the authorities. Roads to nowhere, with massive signs leading to defunct attractions, littered through the junctions of the North; also, the closest recreational parks and shopping malls weren¡¯t accessible to where the average citizen lived. The best the citizens had was a seaside park where families roamed about. Venturing into the great outdoors sounded fun, but had too much of a hassle. Since nobody knew when someone last conducted maintenance on the faulty lamp posts, going for these expeditions carried far too much risk for a day trip. Nobody wanted to have a return journey cloaked in darkness. And those shining eyes of mammals rumoured to glow in the dark stalking their every move. How scary indeed. "How are we going to carry out maintenance with them?" He shook his head slowly, knowing his contemporaries did not share mirroring thought processes. That¡¯s if anyone alive past the Singularity War had the technical skills to do so. Nobody would work weekends; the population had shrunk to such a degree nobody could carry out the hard labour¨Cor desire to learn the skills¨Cto restore the rotting infrastructure around them. The transport vehicles had to operate with minimal capacity, for the oil rationed by the Federation meant that every drop of liquid gold carried heavy rationale for its utilisation. The subject matter experts refused to teach the citizens who wished to pick up these skills anything, especially from the Southern parts of the Federation, who carried disdain toward the former North Atlantean survivors who cast aside their ideologies in favour of a unified supernation to save their skin. Despite the merger, the three great countries still lived their respective lives based on cultural differences, where the only thing binding them was by law and nothing more. ¡°What did you say, Neptune?¡± One of the youths called out to him. ¡°Nothing. You must have heard a ghost.¡± Neptune quickly brushed off the fool before using his forearm to cover his eyes. The youth shrugged his shoulder before resuming his lighthearted conversation with someone else. ¡°...Sure.¡± Life in these times, in A.W.30, was fantastic despite the physical labour involved, according to the men in white. When the trip takes them to the South, Neptune and his fellow citizens must get to work in the hot sun. The thought of restarting strategic pipelines made the citizens lose their appetites, but in the name of a better tomorrow, they would do anything for their homeland to rise from the ashes again. In the name of rebuilding for the future, everyone looked forward to ushering in an eternity of peace and progress! Except for him, the lone mind of sanity in an insane world. ¡°This is bullshit. This reality. Nothing makes sense.¡± Muttering under his breath, Neptune quickly fell into a deep slumber, hoping this reality was a bad nightmare he could wake up from. * ¡°...Guys, where are we now?¡± Neptune yawned as his waking vision caught an oddity. Everyone¡¯s eyes fixated upon him like he was a prime piece of Ribeye steak, a delicacy he once heard tasted like heaven. Realising he¡¯d been watched, Neptune cried out in frustration. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are all of you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Everyone answered in synchronous unison. Eyeing his observers incredulously as light entered his eyes, Neptune raised his eyebrows. ¡°Then, explain why all of you are looking at me like I¡¯m lunch or something? Hope you guys aren¡¯t cannibals¡­¡± ¡°H-huh?! It''s nothing.¡± ¡°You guys aren¡¯t good liars.¡± There are certainly more things than that being one of their inefficiencies. ¡°Yoyo! Carmelo said he wanted to shake you up while you were sleeping!¡± Bronston admitted while slapping Carmelo on the head. ¡°Hey! It was your damn idea, Bron!¡± Carmelo leapt from his seat toward Bronston, putting him in a side headlock. As they fooled around, everyone began to erupt in loud laughter. Here we go again.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The same sequential event repeated as their faces faded into a blur. It then transformed into nothingness as thick, heavy greenish-blue scribble-like lines messily filled their disfigured faces. ¡°...Whatever suits you all.¡± Ignoring the Faceless beings, his attention shifted toward the scene sprawling from his window seat, the vast fields of greeneries and the almighty ocean, with its pristine clear-blue water. Dark thoughts filled his mind as he closed his eyes from reality, for the dream world he fantasised was more fun than this meaningless life. The dream of a utopia resting in the far North, where its siren call allured him to awaken them from their graveyard of mechanical hell¨C ¡°What was that?¡± Neptune suddenly shifted his attention toward the sprawling landscape, beyond what his vision could see, as if he heard someone whisper his name. ¡°¨CI¡¯m starting to wonder how humanity ended up in this mess in the first place¡­¡± Since Neptune and his batchmates turned sixteen, they had received a mandate to register for the General Education Program, the GEP, a visionary plan created by the Federation as a holistic education program for the youths to equip themselves with theoretical and hands-on skills. Like a good slave reporting to the plantations to serve his sentence, he had no choice when the notice arrived on his doorstep. He had long given up hope in this world upon realising he was just another flesh heap with a predestined future to become a cog in this machine. Was this the same fate that the next generation of Federation citizens would have? Would he condemn his siblings to this fate? This macabre existence, a life of utter hollowness that crushed the souls of the living with each passing day? Neptune started drifting into a dream world at his meaningless work. The table he was working on to inspect the gold coins belonged to the Bronco Mining Corporation. Heck, the entire operation was the property of Bronco Corp. From the uniform he wore down to the boots, everything belonged to them. And even his life. When he first stepped into this mine, the GEP Administrators had given him a mind-crushing task: inspecting the excavated gold coins. As inspecting coins became more mundane, he began studying the intricacies of each gold coin¡¯s design. The realisation started to set in when these coins shared a similar trait. Why does every coin have a face on it? He would survey his surroundings to answer his questions. The more he did, the more questions started to arise. Each gold coin inspected had intricacies carved into it that belonged to a distant era, a chapter of humanity lost in time. Unless my eyes are playing tricks with me. There was a date when the coins stopped minting, perhaps signalling the Singularity War¡¯s beginning. It was an unprovable theory, just another musing that made his day more bearable. With a sleight-of-hand trick, he held onto coins that had duplicates, pocketing them upon sensing nobody nearby within his peripheral vision. He took precautionary measures despite the inadequacy of the citizens, not out of carefulness but hoping these mindless walking drones would catch him in the act one day. To his disappointment, one year passed, with nobody calling him out. He was spurred into action to steal these coins out of curiosity, hoping a day would come when someone could answer the questions he harboured in his heart. ¡°Interesting¡­I hope someone can answer this.¡± The rays of sunlight reflected onto that coin he held up high into the skies, creating an illuminating effect akin to a flamed torch wielded by athletes in history. The face on the gold coin belonged to an individual held in reverence during the minting year. "What did you say, Neptune?" A voice called out which he quickly disregarded. "Nothing." As Neptune spent more time in this mining facility, the rabbit hole continued to go deeper and deeper¨Cboth figuratively and literally. * With the North¡¯s past littered with connecting cities scattered throughout its grid system, it formed a cloud of interconnected systems, acting as nodes similar to a computer network system. Ever since the Singularity War ended, the survivors escaped the unfunctional cities to the forested areas near Marina Port. Some questioned why and how the War started. Even fewer asked how the War ended. With the lives of the Federation¡¯s citizens filled with social activities and national programs from sunrise to sunset, there were no times apart from the weekend for them to bother with the past. ¡°The President of the United Atlantea Federation, Janus Nicola, is the hero that saved our nation from eventual collapse¡­¡± The lecture theatre stood as a testament to North Atlantea¡¯s technological might as one of the last vestiges of its dominance. Without the GEP, this university decked out with megalithic air-conditioned facilities, would never have become utilised, becoming living proof of the North¡¯s luxurious times. Some historians, if they dared challenge the narrative, would cite this as a reason never to allow an elastic monetary policy again. ¡°... How many times have I heard this?¡± Neptune groaned miserably, knowing his brain cells had become culled by the mind-crushing adlib. Janus Nicola, the hero of the Singularity War, became the President of the United Atlantea Federation when the three countries of Atlantea signed a decree uniting them under the same flag. That was the official tale of the Federation¡¯s formation, force-fed down his throat since birth. He knew there was more to his life than the fate of spending his time in the hot sun during the morning, indoctrinated in this lecture hall until dusk and ending his day in the same conversation with his brethren in the bunks. But what could be done? He wasn¡¯t a military general with the authority to participate in the battlefield to change the status quo. Also, he wasn¡¯t born into the Temporean family. And he wasn¡¯t even part of the political regime, for his family was not part of the founding government responsible for rebuilding Atlantea. There was an idea. But ideas don''t carry weight¡­ ¡­Unless a brave soul gives it life. ¡°I must be kidding myself.¡± The concept of war seemed out of the question. Neptune''s eyes widened in excitement until the thought dwindled, casting him back to reality. The tragedy he faced gave him suicidal thoughts from the nights staring at the horrendous, decrepit ceiling of his bunk bed. It was funny how things could change when another surviving nation makes the ultimate proclamation and names them as the guilty party; not that it would ever happen, considering they were the only survivors of the Singularity War. To even entertain the idea of another survivor would be¨C ¡°...Ridiculous.¡± That was when Neptune¡¯s daydream came to an abrupt halt. ¡°Greetings, United Atlantea Federation. I trust you¡¯ve been well.¡± The world seemingly came to a standstill when an unfamiliar commanding voice echoed inside the lecture theatre¡¯s four walls. Neptune''s eyes froze in shock as he slowly raised his head, seemingly stunned by a voice he had listened to from old audiotapes. Recognising the traits from the tales of their legend on the projector¡¯s screen, Neptune felt his heart beat so quickly it felt like an impending stroke would overwhelm him. His worst fears came to light as the impossible became possible. The distinctive features of a man whose warrior bloodline he thought had ceased to exist with the Singularity War¡¯s outbreak. ¡°Drazen!¡± Despite that, an opportunistic, sardonic grin found itself on his face. Chapter 3: Intent A man, presumably in his early thirties, appeared on the projector¡¯s screen. The man¡¯s luscious golden hair appeared tied up in a neat ponytail; the attire worn symbolised his affinity to a conqueror¡¯s bloodline, complete with his unwavering gaze carrying dignified affluence. Murmurs and whispers descended upon the theatre. ¡°Who is that person on our screens?¡± ¡°Wake up, everyone, something¡¯s going on¡­¡± ¡°Who is that?!¡± ¡°It has been thirty years since the world ended.¡± The emblem on the hijacker¡¯s coat fashioned a new design. There were lions from an era. Some winged animals from another. And reptiles, to name a few. The new Drazen Empire crest had become a chimaera-like fusion of various factions who ruled in their respective eras into one solitary, unified emblem. ¡°Where are my manners?¡± The man smirked, ¡°Pardon me for not introducing myself. I am Swaine Drazen, the Crown Prince of the Drazen Empire. It is a pleasure to introduce myself to you, the citizens of the United Atlantea Federation.¡± The Drazen Empire had a storied legacy of ruling the earth with otherworldly strength. However, their feats of dominance had faded into history due to a violent revolution a century ago. The truth was, nobody thought they would ever have a resurgence after that horrific purge. ¡°Drazen¡­?¡± ¡°What is Drazen?¡± ¡°What Empire?¡± ¡°The Drazen Empire has been rebuilding since the Singularity War. It has been a challenging endeavor but we have managed to do what we can to move forward. A long time ago, Drazen was a sprawling continent with various countries. This was the time before the catastrophe when we could not find peace. We had our differences, but this is not a topic of discussion today; the message I intend on relaying to you is of greater importance.¡± The prince took a deep breath, taking a few seconds of respite. ¡°When the Singularity War unravelled and spread to our borders, that marked the Drazen Empire¡¯s revival. I¡¯m sure you,¡± he pointed his finger, ¡°The citizens of the United Atlantea Federation know about it. After all, you are the survivors of your fallen technological utopia.¡± ¡°What is this bloke talking about?¡± ¡°Y¡¯all heard that?¡± ¡°Thanks to the North¡¯s technological marvels, the world could enjoy the greatest luxuries. Several developing nations had an improvement in quality of life due to the North¡¯s foreign aid policies. This is a fact I cannot refute, for the benevolent hand of the technocrats reached far and wide, like a hydra with many heads.¡± The projected screen showcased a world map different from the version the Federation¡¯s youths had seen growing up. ¡°Is the world¡­really that big?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that map is real.¡± ¡°This fellow is pulling our legs.¡± Akin to a sea of blooming lycoris flowers, the map turned red. Several countries on the map turned blood red, including Drazen and North Atlantea. ¡°Hey, why is it turning red?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a watermelon bursting!¡± ¡°Fruit punch!!! Fruit punch!!!¡± ¡°The final innovation of North Atlantea resulted in the Singularity War. As a result, ninety per cent of humanity perished. Can you see the sea of blood on the map? Look at it closely¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not our problem!¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Foreign objects¨Cpaper cups, lecture notes, napkins¨Cflew in the projected screen¡¯s direction. ¡°...What followed suit was an era of rebuilding. Globalisation, as we knew it, ended. The world swore to honour the mistakes committed by the previous technocratic and political regimes. How quickly that changed thirteen years ago¡­Words¡­are just words after all.¡± Images of engineered feats¨Cforeign objects to the eyes of the youths¨Cappeared on the projector. A creeping thought pricked Neptune¡¯s neck as he witnessed his fellow citizens whipping out their smartphones to take snippets. Hold on¡­These images look oddly familiar. A video started playing, showcasing the emergence of a landmass rising from the depths of the abyss. This landmass had an architectural design that did not fit with the official timeline of history; its aura gave off a mystical feel, with emerald energy particles floating around, defying the laws of physics and gravity. On that day in A.W. 17, the world stopped to marvel at this glorious revelation. It seemed as though Atlantis, the mythical civilisation that sunk to the ocean¡¯s floor, had found its way back to Earth. * ¡°Papa¡­? W-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Son.¡± His father carried him to the balcony in the master bedroom. His mother was also awake; the aura of emerald lights captured her attention while whispering and rubbing her giant belly. Something caught his attention in the sky, but there was no way an island could ever float in the skies. But there it was, an island suspended in the skies. Rubbing his eyes, he wanted to wake up. But no, this is reality. ¡°How¡­?!?! I thought it ended with him?¡± His father¡¯s final words remain a mystery to this day. And it also marked the last time Neptune saw his father. * ¡°The landmass codenamed New Atlantis appeared thirteen years ago. The Drazen Empire and the United Atlantea Federation agreed to sign a memorandum to launch a joint task force to research it. We had to prevent another arms race between the other survivors to preserve peace. Our combined intelligence sources revealed that the Tundralands¡­¡± The prince paused a second too long. ¡°...And the Republic of Azea survived.¡± In the Frostlands, near the tip of the icy sphere, the superpower nation of Tundralands, a winter wonderland deep inside the mountains with rumours of ancient giants and beasts calling it home. As for the latter, when the Singularity War began, the Republic of Azea was the first country to avoid the gruesome fate countries suffered. Their rumoured arsenal of technology far exceeding North Atlantea''s capabilities saved them from utter collapse, shrouding the Republic from any form of contact with the rest of the world. The mythical land in the east had become lost in time. ¡°If the Republic of Azea and Tundralands were to harness this technology ahead of us, there might be a chance the world would soon fall into the same spiral again, one which we wanted to avoid since the Singularity War. However, the moment we launched the joint research effort, something unforeseen happened,¡± The prince¡¯s gaze, with rage in his eyes, sent digital shockwaves to the Federation, ¡°The Empire¡¯s representatives on the New Atlantis passed away on that island, with their bodies never returning to rest. We believed that the Federation would never double-cross us¡­However, we were wrong. After an internal investigation, the Drazen Empire discovered the Federation betrayed us.¡± More stuff flew like crumpled javelins toward the screen. ¡°Lies!¡± ¡°Lies!¡± ¡°Liar!¡± ¡°We have learned that the Federation has actively sought new scientific developments with the instruments of destruction plundered from the island. As avid students of history and to prevent another disaster like the Singularity War from repeating itself, the Drazen Empire will undertake the noble task of becoming the guardians of this realm. In the name of preserving peace and charting a future for humanity, we will declare a proclamation of war against the United Atlantea Federation.¡± The screen started to fizzle out. ¡°We will invade Atlantea unless the United Atlantea Federation repents for their betrayal and surrenders the technology plundered from the New Atlantis.¡± Before the feed cut out, the prince¡¯s final words silenced the captive audience, rendering them speechless at the prospect of war. ¡°In the name of the Drazen Empire, we will see you on the battlefield.¡± ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t move!¡± Several youths screamed and clasped their ears as the fear of uncertainty filled their malleable souls. Emergency sirens started blaring. More bright red flashing lights added further distress in the theatre. The crimson beams drowned the atmosphere, infiltrating their sensory receptors like bulls seeing that bloody shade of chaos. ¡°Ah!!!¡± ¡°Mommy! Daddy!¡± In a crimson-themed asylum, Neptune remained unfazed by these parlour tricks. ¡°It¡¯s as though¡­¡± An analogue idol observed the maddened crowd shouting and grabbing one another to vent their frustrations on the surge of negative emotions swelling in hearts of darkness. ¡°I knew it.¡± The overwhelming disdain for the Federation¡¯s lies caused Neptune to groan in displeasure. ¡°I know you want to see our reaction to this. Don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°If the Federation gives up the North. If only they would tear it down, but¡­¡± Looking deep into the historical figure enshrined for eternity in the coin¡¯s design retrieved from his pocket, he squinted at the synchronicity. ¡°...That¡¯s impossible.¡± The gold coin featured Nero, a symbolic figure from a distant past. Rumours had it that Nero once burned the city he was emperor in as it fell from grace. Nobody knew if such an event had ever taken place. Even if it did, nobody cared. Chapter 4: Peace The journey home felt different. A few days ago, the world changed and the reality envisioned that future generations could live in peace had died. Did all the meaningless labour under the hot sun¨Cthe insufferable mental torture¨Cjust a facade? Once consumed by mediocrity as an identity-less human drone, an obsession to find meaning became the oil that fueled him. Relief and sheer happiness filled his soul upon realising a new fork in his path. A destiny his life would lead to whenever his mind drifted off imagining exceeding the aspirations of greatness to become immortalised forever. Nobody harboured dreams or aspirations. Even better, they simply accepted this reality as gospel without question. ¡°...Well, I can¡¯t blame them.¡± Speaking under the blanket of glittering stars, Neptune mouthed out his deepest thoughts. ¡°What else can one expect from these hopeless idiots? The light above flickered as each step brought him closer to home, the lone estate on this quiet street overlooking the harbour. With the thinking process removed from their lives, these nobodies could focus on educating themselves on what the Federation required to propel them forward. If one possessed a sliver of brain cells, the Federation would dispatch their agents in white to reeducate that individual. That was the ¡°fortunate¡± fate of a questioning mind. ¡°I¡¯m back home.¡± A flurry of stomps filled the hallway. ¡°Welcome home, Neptune bro!¡± ¡°Big bro, welcome home! You¡¯re finally back!!!¡± His two younger brothers, Jupiter and Pluto greeted him by hanging onto him like a giant cedar tree. Anyone could tell they were related with their messy brown hair and eyes. Neptune could not help it as he faintly smiled at the familiar embrace. ¡°Oh, hey! You two, how was everything going on this week?¡± ¡°Pretty good! We just helped Mom out with housework!¡± Pluto boasted as he puffed his chest out. ¡°Yeah! Yeah! We also worked on some gardening projects in the backyard¨Cwanna come see?¡± Jupiter executed a five-star jump, ecstatic to see his brother back home. ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Jupiter, Pluto. I¡¯ll talk to you both later after I talk to Mom. Alright?¡± Neptune patted his two younger brothers as they frowned and nodded their heads. ¡°That¡¯s a promise?¡± Jupiter pouted. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll take you both to see the sunset later.¡± Neptune placed a hand on his brother¡¯s head assuringly. A simple gesture turned Pluto¡¯s frown upside down. ¡°Woah!!! Woah! Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Now, carry on with whatever you both were doing!¡± ¡°See you, big bro!¡± ¡°See you later!¡± His younger brothers jumped up in excitement before running back to their rooms. ¡°Come here, Neptune. My dearest boy.¡± Another voice called out, prompting him to turn toward the kitchen¡¯s direction. His mother, wearing her apron, had prepared two cups of coffee. One for herself, which she drank without sweeteners. And the other for him, who enjoyed his coffee with raw milk and a little honey. Drinking coffee harvested from the coffee beans in their backyard was a luxury most North Atlantean families did not have. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°My boy. You look¡­great as always.¡± ¡°Great?¡± His mother said nothing but spread her arms. After a long embrace, he joined her on the sofa and sank into the soft wondrous materials. Nothing beats being home, for his sofa was a far cry in terms of comfortability from the miserable bunk beds in the makeshift dormitories. ¡°Mom, how has the week been for you?¡± The sun started to set in the distance as he heard the doors to his younger brothers¡¯ door creaked open. He had to bring up the topic now. ¡°Mom, father was part of the New Atlantis Project, right?¡± ¡°...¡± The same silence filled the living room whenever this topic came around. ¡°Mom?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. With a swift turn of her head, his mother¡¯s emotions lay bare like an open book. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it another time.¡± What could he expect apart from the resulting silence whenever he deliberately switched topics? ¡°...So, it¡¯s true that the Federation betrayed the Empire?¡± Another difficult question she could not answer. ¡°Neptune Smith.¡± ¡°Mom¡­?¡± ¡°...¡± Delicately resting her hands on her lap, his mother solemnly contemplated what to say next. He noticed her lips curling up into a bitter smile. ¡°I understand. Sorry for asking you this difficult question.¡± The conversation had stonewalled as expected. There was nothing to get out of it as the footsteps got louder. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that some things are better left unanswered.¡± No amount of reasoning¨Cor carefully woven wordplay¨Ccould make him think otherwise; he had heard this response one too many times from his mother. ¡°Big bro!!!¡± The unmistakable voices of those too young to understand his plight. Even if they had reached his age, would they, because of the genetics they shared, develop the same mental prowess that plagued them from becoming like another one of these stupid Federation human drones? To suffer and eternally loathe their existence in a wrong era¡­? I¡¯ll figure it out myself. ¡°I¡¯ll go bring them out for a walk. We¡¯ll be back for dinner!¡± Once her children left, her head gazed upon the neverending horizon, where the floating island hung in the skies, seemingly mocking her in atoning her husband¡¯s sins. ¡°Why can''t you let it go? Why are you just like him?" * The gentle rays of the setting sun shined upon Marina Port. The light sea breeze gently caressed him as his brothers ran around. The ignorance and simplicity of a child''s mind always struck him as odd. If only he functioned more like one of these children in his younger days, life would have been much simpler. Way simpler. Since it was the weekend, it became a ritual for the citizens to watch the sunset together in hopes of a better tomorrow. But something changed. The atmosphere carried a drastically different vibe since that fateful day. The citizens watching their children running around looked miserable, akin to a soldier with a thousand-yard stare. Their facial expressions had failed them, as though their mind and heart were no longer in sync. Days ago, the United Atlantea Federation had carried out its media campaign since the Drazen Empire hijacked the broadcast studios. With heartfelt speeches made by the President to soothe the population, the citizens did not look convinced during these times of uncertainty. Several citizens from online forums voice their thoughts, only to get swiftly shut down by the Federation¡¯s enforces. The Central Atlantean staged protests to demand the Federation split up into three regions again. The South Atlanteans wanted no part in the affairs of the North, citing ideological differences as the main factor. Utter pandemonium and civil unrest filled the United Atlantea Federation, where the only thing ¡°united¡± was in the official title. What would the Federation do¨C Unaware of the intrusiveness of the incoming henchmen in white, the footsteps caught him by surprise. ¡°Wh¨C¡± ¡°You¡­Over there!!! Hey there, you ok, young man?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that face, fellow citizen?!¡± The white uniform of the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s voluntary military corps, the Swan Contingent, was a rare sight. He never in his wildest dreams expected the Swans to appear in public. And in this manner. ¡°...Yes, I¡¯m good. Thanks for asking,¡± Neptune met the gaze of the uniformed personnel in their signature attire, ¡°What brings you corpsmen out in public?¡± ¡°Oh ho ho ho ho. You are a vigilant one, eh?¡± One corpsman smiled while the other whipped out a pamphlet, thrusting it forward. The tag team effect felt coordinated and eerily synchronous. ¡°We¡¯re out here on civil patrol!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, fellow citizen! Everything is safe! Trust the government!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Trust the government! Don¡¯t forget to turn that frown of yours upside down!!!¡± The corpsman gave a dubiously creepy smile as he raised the pamphlet toward his eye level. Quickly darting from left to right to left, he rubbed his eyes to review the headline again. Neptune could not help but gasp in utter outrage. For the Swans to publish this without batting an eye felt like a slap in the face of the citizens¡¯ intelligence. ¡°What¡¯s this? Wait a minute¡­¡¯The Drazen Empire¡¯s¡­non-existent threat¡¯?!¡± Are these guys serious? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. We at the Swan Contingent are ready to protect the United Atlantea Federation from the Drazen Empire! We will do anything to protect Atlantea from those threatening our democracy! Those Drazens do not stand a chance against the Swans¡¯ combined might and power! Believe in us!¡± How can you lie to us? He swore he had heard this line in the past. However, he could not expose himself right here. And not right now. ¡°...Is there a problem¨C¡± ¡°Yes! I believe¨Cwait,¡± Flashing a socially acceptable grin, a voracious laughter emerged from within, followed by a well-timed salute boosting the confident corpsmen''s egos, ¡°I know the Swan Contingent can protect the United Atlantea Federation! I am uber confident in the Swan¡¯s ability to punish those threatening our democracy!¡± The pair of patriotic warriors with courageous hearts returned the salute enthusiastically. ¡°That¡¯s right, citizen! We, the Swans, are undefeatable!¡± ¡°Undeniable!¡¯ ¡°Unstoppable!¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Another goofy, wide smile enveloped Neptune¡¯s lips. He could barely wait for the Swans to leave him alone. ¡°Next one.¡± The corpsman¡¯s eyes glitched as he narrowed it like a predator spotting its next prey to terrorise. Once the damage had been done, the corpsmen quickly disregarded their existing target and moved on. ¡°Alrighty, fellow citizen, have a nice day!¡± Like a lion stalking their prey, the men in white carried on their hunt toward an unsuspecting sheep. ¡°Ciao, my fellow citizen!¡± ¡°Have a good day, too! Ciao!¡± Neptune waved them goodbye as his heart began slowing to a slow beat. The anxiety of having the swans interrogate him had ended. Oh god, that was close. The best approach toward riding his vicinity off these fools revolved around compliance and following the masses. Who knew if these corpsmen had body cameras on them? Even better still, under orders of their commanders, they might feign ignorance to assess the public before attempting another campaign of mind-warping insanity. In times of deceit, agreeing with the ignorant masses while holding a secondary opinion under wraps seemed the optimal play. Chapter 5: Change Uneasiness began to set in when a sea of white entered his peripheral vision. A week ago, the tides of change had swept up onto the shores of the United Atlantea Federation. But for the events to happen this quickly? Something was amiss. Mandy grabbed Julia, who sat next to her in the lecture theatre. Despite attempting to keep her tone soft, the entire row could hear her obnoxiously loud voice. ¡°I don¡¯t like this one bit¡­Who are these people?¡± ¡°Mandy, didn¡¯t we see them while shopping on Sunday?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re called the Swan¨C¡± Mandy tilted her head sideways. ¡°¨CSorry, I forgot.¡± Julia scratched her head. ¡°I forgot what they¡¯re called, too.¡± ¡°Those guys are so cool! They told us that the Federation has everything under control and we should¨C¡± Tasha noticed more heads were turning in their direction. ¡°Mandy! Julia! Everyone can hear you.¡± ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡± ¡°My bad!¡± ¡°Good thing we have Mandy over here making this lecture less tense than it already is.¡± Carmelo winked at Mandy, who had already hidden her face in her hands. ¡°Shut up, Melo!¡± ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t talk to ladies like that, ok?!¡± Carmelo seemed taken aback by Mandy¡¯s words. ¡°Ladies?! Julia-wise, I understand. But you?! You certainly weren¡¯t acting like one the other night¨C¡± Mandy¡¯s face flushed red in an instant. ¡°I¡¯ll keep quiet now.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Tasha eyed Mandy suspiciously. ¡°What, Tasha?¡± ¡°That explains everything.¡± ¡°Explain what? Nothing happened between me and Carmelo.¡± Tasha could not help but shrug her shoulders. ¡°Wow, I did not say anything between you two. Why are you getting so suspicious¡­unless?¡± Mandy looked away quickly. ¡°Nothing happened.¡± ¡°Sure, sure, Miss Lady. I¡¯m sure you disappearing at 3 am on a Thursday wasn¡¯t anything suspicious, yeah?¡± ¡°Wh¨Cstop that, Tasha!¡± There was an unbearably tense silence where the sea of white standing at the front of the lecture theatre had their gaze staring forward into nothingness. The corpsmen started to arrange themselves into a row-by-column formation. The sequence where they executed the move elicited a roaring ovation from the youths. Never in their lives had they seen soldiers performing drills in living colour. ¡°Encore! One more time!¡± The youths started applauding at the display of choreography. From the formation, one representative emerged to swiftly turn his body gracefully clockwise to face them. ¡°Swans, attention!¡± Almost instantaneously, the corpsmen placed their hands by their side in a coordinated manner as a guest, escorted by a staff member, walked into the lecture theatre. The corpsman representative turned toward the guest, saluting him with immense vigour. The entire act felt like a drill they had rehearsed to the point it became second nature. ¡°Sir, good day, sir!¡± Returning the salute, the guest nodded his head. He looked older, with his well-kept greyish-black hair. His unique facial features featured sapphire-blue eyes, giving him a look akin to a scholarly commander from bygone eras littered throughout history. Also, his chiselled physique hugged his well-fit uniform, causing the female citizens in attendance to blush, gasping at his masculine appearance. ¡°He¡¯s pretty handsome, yeah?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were into older guys, Tasha.¡± Tasha frowned. ¡°Come on Mandy, so it¡¯s your turn to poke fun at me?¡± ¡°Hah, just getting back at you for earlier.¡± The corpsman turned his body around, returning to the formation. ¡°Thank you, sir! Swans, corridor formation!¡± The formation split into two groups as they awaited their next orders. When the man, accompanied by the Administrator arrived at the lecture desk, both groups formed columns at opposing ends in the lecture theatre, with the corpsman representative rejoining them. ¡°Good day, students. Last week, the United Atlantea Federation began its journey through uncharted territories. Before I continue, please remain silent¡­¡± The Administrator paused for the response he desired. ¡°...Thank you. The United Atlantea Federation has strategised and thought of our efforts to counter this threat from the Drazen Empire.¡± Maintaining an emotionless, almost lifeless expression, the Administrator read word-for-word from the printed paper. ¡°Today, I have Commander Alexander Temporean, representing the Swan Contingent, to brief you on the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s countermeasures. Kindly put your hands together to welcome our esteemed guest.¡± Satisfied by the equipment check after beating into the microphone, Commander Alexander Temporean spoke into the microphone with a voice filled with unwavering might amplified by the A-V system. ¡°Thank you for that warm introduction, Professor Greenspan. I am the Chief Commanding Officer of the Swan Contingent, Alexander Temporean. You may or may not have heard about me, however, I am honoured to stand before you on behalf of the contingent I lead. A pleasure to meet you all, future soldiers¡­of the United Atlantea Federation Armed Forces.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Commander Alexander Temporean?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s him!¡± As though a celebrity had descended from the mountain of omnipotence, Commander Temporean smiled confidently at the ovation. He seemed entranced by the cult-like devotion of the youths. ¡°Just in case all of you are wondering, what I did earlier was known as a mic-check. With that out of the way, I would like to thank all of you, my dearest fellow citizens. Or should I say, the youthful and passionate youths of the United Atlantea Federation?¡± Commander Temporean spoke with a cheeky tone laced with a tinge of humour. He raised his hands like a maestro controlling the crowd¡¯s emotions with his carefully attuned tonality. ¡°Give yourselves a round of applause. Without you, the youths of the Federation, all of this is for nought. Carry on, don¡¯t be shy. I promise I won¡¯t judge any of you. That¡¯s between you and me.¡± As Commander Temporean winked, the youths started cheering and applauding. ¡°He is so funny and witty!¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°He is so charismatic!¡± ¡°No, this applause isn¡¯t for me. It¡¯s for you all.¡± Commander Temporean saluted the youths quickly and skillfully retrieved pieces of paper from his jacket. ¡°From the bottom of my heart, I can only adorn this heavy uniform to serve as the defender of the United Atlantea Federation because of the citizens¡¯ faith and trust in us.¡± The projector screen began playing a screen of the Empire¡¯s economic factors, containing a factsheet of bite-sized information. The slides presented had information about the Drazen Empire, ranging from economy to population and the various nations that unified them under one flag. ¡°Let me begin, shall we? The Drazen Empire was once a continent filled with various nations and has formed, or I would say, reformed a unified Empire from its glory days. Before I continue, give me a show of hands if any of you here study history diligently?¡± Almost nobody raised their hands except for Neptune. ¡°Allow me to continue. Thirty years ago, the Singularity War changed the world drastically, ushering us in a new world order where the old establishment fell and the status quo shifted. After all, ninety per cent of the human population perished at the war¡¯s peak. A historically dark blemish in the world¡¯s history, as the survivors recounted.¡± Commander Temporean walked away from the lecture desk with a microphone in hand. ¡°We, the survivors of the greatest catastrophe known to man, have a vested interest to ensure the same mistake never repeats. Since then, we have been hard at work. Those countless hours our citizens have sacrificed to rebuild our homeland. The hard labour and unfavourable conditions you all have endured fulfilling your duties. We know. We all acknowledge it. Your actions inspired us to defend our homeland with as much will as you citizens. That brings us to our enemy, the Drazen Empire¨C¡± There was a nervous twitch in the audience. ¡°¨CDespite having a storied history as the world¡¯s mightiest warriors, they lack one thing that we have¡­can you guess?¡± ¡°A vision for the future!¡± ¡°A future of peace and prosperity!¡± Commander Temporean smiled at the youths, like a father proud of his children¡¯s achievements. ¡°Excellent. I always knew all of you would harbour these strong ideals and principles President Nicola has instilled in us via his vision. We all have a reason for our existence. The Empire refuses to look forward, blaming us for retaining the infrastructure of the North¡¯s tragedy. Truly, what a shame. However, one fact remains. As a nation, we have never looked back since our founding. When our brave leader, President Janus Nicola, unified Atlantea." Taking another step forward, Commander Temporean basked in the glory of having an audience of captive souls looking down upon him with intense admiration like a conductor orchestrating a musical performance. ¡°However, there is something that we, the United Atlantea Federation, must admit. There is a reason for the Drazen Empire¡¯s actions. It''s time for the Federation to unveil the truth after years of keeping it under wraps due to security classification reasons. And that is why I¡¯m here today, on behalf of President Nicola." Going off-script, the commander hesitated, unaware a youth possessing a trained eye had caught him in the act. "It all started thirteen years ago.¡± * The sunset in the distance cast a brilliant glow as the youths had chowtime. Despite the meal consisting of a wondrous feast of roasted delicacies, many found themselves unable to eat in peace, especially after the revelation earlier. A long silence descended upon the massive table, where even chewing and the shuffling of metal cutleries touching the plates became audible. ¡°Hey, Carmelo.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Do you think¡­We are going to have to fight eventually?¡± Bray asked timidly, his plate full of chicken breast, which he couldn¡¯t bring himself to eat. ¡°Stop ruining the mood, Bray.¡± Finn scowled as he begrudgingly pierced the lamb rack with his fork. ¡°Just eat the damn meal and get on with it.¡± Nobody liked the tense mood and hoped things returned to their simple days of not worrying. As usual, they imagined this Drazen Empire ¡°war thingy¡± would pass like every other bad day. Unfortunately, this time was different. Everyone knew it. Yet¡­ ¡°Yeah, stop that depressing talk, Bray.¡± Mandy shook her head to dismiss the negativity. ¡°Can¡¯t you just let us eat in peace?¡± Natalia joined in, not wanting to miss the chance to say something stupid. ¡°Exactly, Bray. Just let it slide, man¡­¡± That goes for Dom as well. ¡°Yeah, Bray¨CHey, what you doing¨C¡± Before Bronston could finish speaking, his words were caught in his throat as he reached his hand out¨C A sudden whirlwind of emotions engulfed Bray as he slammed his hands onto the table with brute force. The chair he unknowingly stood up from fell backwards with a loud thud, catching his batchmates by surprise. "Hey there, what''s wrong with you?!" "Watch it, asshole!" The girls began shouting at Bray for his sudden behavioural change. ¡°I would appreciate it if all of you at least show some damn concern!¡± With all the pent-up aggression he suppressed, Bray screamed to let it all out, startling his batchmates. ¡°You girls have no care about anything except playing house like dumbasses!!! All you do is talk shit! This war is real! Are you guys blind or pretending like it''s another joke? The Drazen Empire is not some made-up story tale-like warriors from history who take things lightly! They were serious when they said they were going to invade us! They¡¯re coming for us! What do you not understand, huh?! The Federation lied to us! The New Atlantis Project was ultimately real! It is not a stupid conspiracy theory they disregarded for years! Didn¡¯t you hear that they were forced to admit it happened¨Cand they were directly responsible for the Drazen Empire¡¯s proclamation?! We are going to fight for the mistakes of our stupid politicians!¡± The ultimate truth sliced deep into their collective consciousness, stunning them momentarily, yet, it did not faze them from accepting it as gospel. Instead, they would rather reply in a manner befitting those that emphasised their feelings over rationality¡­ ¡°Watch yourself, asshole! Do you think you¡¯re a big guy with that stupid tone?!?! You think you''re so smart now?¡± Mandy¡¯s eyes enlarged as she retaliated with anger. ¡°Of course! What are you doing to do about it?!¡± Bray got into Mandy¡¯s face to challenge her, the severity of his heartfelt words spurred him to embrace his courageous side¨Cfor the first time. ¡°...! You¡­you!!!¡± Mandy¡¯s face turned red as she stared at Bray with intense scorn. Rather than having a civil discussion, the easier route seemed highly favourable to her. ¡°You know something? You idiots can all die for all I care!¡± She hurled her cutleries like a child throwing a tantrum, causing everyone nearby to marvel at this glorious spectacle of verbal vomit. The spectators pointed their fingers toward their table, transforming their argument into the epicentre of the night¡¯s chowtime entertainment. ¡°I¡¯m done here! Let¡¯s go girls!¡± Mandy led the charge as the girls stormed out of the dining hall. Julia quickly followed suit, with Indy and Tasha closely following behind. Unlike her counterparts, Roxanne remained on the bench, bowing down before clearing the plates left behind. ¡°S-sorry for her behaviour! Erm, let me talk to them. I¡¯ll catch you guys later.¡± Roxanne waved goodbye before departing with her hands full with plates to return them. ¡°Ciao, Rox.¡± ¡°See ya later, Melo.¡± Unsure of the Federation¡¯s grim fate ahead, Bray stared in the direction where the girls ran off. A part of him regretted allowing his emotions to take reign. And another¨Ca small part of him¨Cwanted validation for his honest thoughts. ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good, Bray¡­¡± Carmelo patted Bray on the shoulder after that impromptu screaming competition. ¡°Is it wrong to tell the truth? What about the New Atlantis Project?¡± ¡°Commander Temporean said we won¡¯t be the ones fighting. So, let¡¯s just play it by ear. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± Bronston left a passing remark as he helped himself to another round of food. It seemed he was the only one in the dining hall with an appetite after all that transpired. ¡°Yeah, the Swan Contingent has never lost anyway. Let them handle this then.¡± Bray reasoned, unknowingly permitting himself to consume the comfortable lies, regressing to the sheep-like self he detested. The tension quickly faded as their simple minds regressed to their original state and they began their mindless banter like every other day. ¡°Er, so, what you guys up to this weekend?¡± ¡°Well, nothing much. Maybe go to the brothel or something?¡± ¡°Count me in. It¡¯s so hard to get anything on here. The girls are prudes except for a couple¡­like Roxanne.¡± Carmelo winked playfully. ¡°Wait, you and her?¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. I¡¯ll tell you how it went tomorrow morning.¡± Eyeing the piece of overcooked chicken breast with disgust, Neptune chewed it disdainfully, using his vivid imagination to transform the lifeless meat he consumed into a gourmet course. Would he, as a result of the Drazen Empire¡¯s fury, end up like this unmoving piece of meat without a head? Like another consumable carcass without an identity. A lifeform reduced to its general name found in the latest state-sponsored dictionary. Neptune¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile as he recalled the lunch prepared by his female batchmates. How delicious that simple meal was. Perhaps, the ultimate sign of a well-cooked meal is dedication. And maybe a light sprinkle of love. ¡°That¡¯s one out of two good meals today.¡± When one¡¯s life highlight revolved around food, one can guess how pathetic their existence was. According to that spokesman, the war would never involve the citizens¨Cif it ever happened. But could he take the words of someone of that elite calibre lightly? It sounded fabulous, but that also begs the question: why did they lie about the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s status as the only country that survived the Singularity War? Also, why did they finally admit their fault in the New Atlantis Project? If they could lie about this without blinking an eye, what sort of skeletons remained hidden in the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s closet? Chapter 6: Ravens The decrepit infrastructure looked marginally different as the roads gradually became more organised moving forward on an unfamiliar path. Gone were the animals running about in the sprawling emerald green beyond. Instead, a lifeless grey wall, blocking their view from the scenery, became the scene they had to register. The transition of the bumpy road into a smooth surface felt so congruent it made everyone sit up straight in anticipation of what came next. The confusion and bizarreness of the journey could have become a topic of discussion. But, the Drazen Empire¡¯s threat continued to haunt their subconscious mind like a bad nightmare. The complex computation of adding another thread to their brain¡¯s processing ability would prove too much for them to handle so they chose to look straight ahead, hoping someone comes up with a fantasy that would distract them from this reality they secretly desired a sweet escape from. ¡°I have a couple of questions for you all.¡± A multitude of complex emotions swelled up in Neptune¡¯s heart as he tried to sound as neutral as he could. "What do you all think about the New Atlantis Project?" "..." Even with everyone turning their heads at him, nobody said anything. The words of the Swan¡¯s top dog had become forgotten. It was futile to expect an appropriate response capable of appeasing the fire that had fueled the adrenaline in his soul since that day. "Forget about that, I''m sorry." What are we fighting for? He thought they did not register his question, so he tried again with something simpler for their puny brain cells to compute. ¡°...If the world ends tomorrow, what is the last thing you would want to do?¡± That extremely random question elicited a response from the pea brains when they started looking at one another. Maybe he had underestimated their collective cognitive abilities after all. Perhaps simpletons could think to a certain degree. The perpetual silence ended with Indy¡¯s meek voice. ¡°I-I would cook for you all one last time.¡± ¡°Same here! I would join in, too!¡± Julia smiled at her friend before seeking further affirmation from her friends. Mandy read the cue and punched her fists to the ceiling. ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Count me in!¡±Roxanne seconded. ¡°Man, you girls have no originality¨C¡± ¡°Shut up, Bronston,¡± Bray glared at Bronston menacingly. ¡°Come on, what gives?¡± Bronston pointed the middle finger at Bray. ¡°I would have a threesome.¡± ¡°Oh, wh¨C¡± ¡°¡°¡°What!?!?!?!¡±¡±¡± The girls exclaimed in shock as they shockingly turned to where the confident voice came from. And to no one¡¯s surprise, it came from Carmelo who winked at his female batchmates. ¡°Why not? I¡¯ve yet to experience it! Since the world is ending, I should go out with a bang.¡± Carmelo mimicked a handgun, firing a shot with his right hand. ¡°Go to hell, Carmelo. You disloyal asshole.¡± Roxanne spat at Carmelo, her face visibly disgusted by his verbal offer. ¡°Whatever¡­That¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. Also, don¡¯t come policing my little brother. Didn¡¯t you tell me not to take this so seriously?¡± Carmelo waved his index finger at Roxanne playfully. ¡°Shut. Up.¡± ¡°You started it first, Rox.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that publicly!¡± ¡°You are so predictably easy to tease, Rox.¡± Roxanne gave Carmelo the middle finger before resuming her conversation with Indy. Carmelo then switched his attention to the man who asked such a cryptic question. ¡°How about you, Neptune?¡° ¡°...¡± No response. ¡°Hey, Neptune. I¡¯m talking to you.¡± Neptune felt someone shove the sides of his shoulders roughly. Unknown to everyone, including himself, his mind had become filled with thoughts from elsewhere. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Carmelo asked you a question,¡± Bronston eyed Neptune curiously, ¡°Something wrong with you, smarty ass?¡± ¡°If something is bothering you, do let us know!¡± Tasha gave Neptune a thumbs up, which Neptune returned in kind by turning toward where she was seated, with a fake smile to boot. ¡­But he knew otherwise. Mustering the willpower to address lesser beings on his mental list, he decided to give these idiots another chance at redeeming themselves. ¡°No matter what happens,¡± Neptune turned to face his friends on the bus sitting behind him, ¡°Promise me you will live life without regrets.¡± ¡°...Huh? What¡¯s wrong with you today?¡± Folding his arms, Finn declared. ¡°Neptune is drunk, Bron.¡± ¡°Drunk? It¡¯s daytime, dude.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right, Bray¡± Laughing nervously, Finn brushed it off. ¡°It¡¯s still morning. My bad.¡± What could I expect¡­ Accepting the hopelessness of those he unwillingly surrounded himself with since surrendering his livelihood for eternal servitude, he tilted his head upwards. There was only one last living thing in the skies that this barricade didn¡¯t block his vision from. Somehow or rather, they seemed to possess more intelligence than those blessed with a pre-frontal cortex.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°The birds¡­just look at them,¡± Neptune pointed at the birds flying in the skies, ¡°They will survive...¡± ¡­Unlike you all. Since the Singularity War''s end, none of these birds changed their migratory patterns. This environment must have fulfilled their biological imperatives¨Cuntil now. With unseen gifts of nature bestowed upon this species of birds, they had finally begun their move. ¡°Yeah, the birds. They look great.¡± Bronston eyed Neptune curiously, trying to piece together what Neptune was implying. ¡°Why do you care so much about the birds?¡± ¡°Yeah, Neptune, why the birds?¡± Bray asked. ¡°Yes, they do. Yes, they do¡­¡± Neptune responded without thinking. His mind was preoccupied with speculating on the site of their next slaughterhouse. This bus journey to the lecture theatre seemed longer than usual. The bus driver would go straight from this cross junction, instead, it took another route elsewhere. The new environment they found themselves in as the bus sojourned had given away the next phase of their slave sentence. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no need to find out what¡¯s next, huh?¡± Never once had they gone underground or known there were planes deep under the surface as the dark tunnel illuminated with the luminescent lights engulfed their irises. Carmelo¡¯s brows furrowed and he started speaking nervously. ¡°Ya¡¯ll remember that lecture? Prof once told us about these tunnels. But shit, it is scary.¡± ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t remember it being this dark,¡± Mandy recalled past lectures on how these tunnels connected inaccessible places underground. ¡°Never knew the Federation had something this cool,¡± Bronston quipped, desperately attempting to sound wittier than he ever could be. ¡°I wonder if this is some new program in our program.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Neptune answered resoundingly. ¡°We are¨C¡± He closed his eyes to reaffirm his theories. ¡°¨Cgoing to one of their camps.¡± ¡°Camps?¡± Bronston raised his eyebrows. ¡°You mean those camps?¡± Roxanne punched the bus¡¯s seat. ¡°No freaking way, are we going for a tour?¡± ¡°Sounds about right. We haven¡¯t had a tour in ages.¡± Mandy smelled an opportunity to scare her batchmates. ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re sending us on a tour before we all get massacred?¡± ¡°Damn, that¡¯s dark coming from you, Mandy.¡± Bronston teased. Proud of her statement, Mandy gave a wide grin. ¡°You didn¡¯t know I had it in me, Bron?¡± Neptune noticed the road signs in the tunnel, learning they were heading to Ravens Camp, one of the camps littered around North Atlantea. It stood on a giant piece of land only accessible through underground tunnels for security reasons. This massive camp was more than a camp-like accommodation facility; it featured state-of-the-art recreation facilities and manufacturing warehouses. There were rumours it had an energy plant. Not that anyone would ever get to see them in person unless¨C Eventually, they arrived at the camp¡¯s entrance and Neptune spotted someone waiting for them to disembark from the bus. The emergence from the dark tunnel into the light temporarily blinded everyone. ¡°Someone is waiting for us.¡± He called out to his batchmates as he noticed a staff member wearing a shirt with the camp¡¯s logo, presumably their escort from Ravens Camp. ¡°Neptune, I think you need a doctor, bro. You¡¯re acting strange.¡± Dom gave his batchmates a concerned look. ¡°Guys, we should start counting the number of times Neptune goes all weirdo on us. What you fellas think?¡± ¡°Good idea. Our boy Neptune needs to see the doctor. He¡¯s gone loco.¡± Bronston agreed. Ignoring the idiots, Neptune continued his analysis of the staff member, noticing him carrying something unusual. ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± Tablets doubled as personal devices during the North¡¯s regime. With the Smart Grid shut down, no publicly available network exists for the device to connect unless the rumours were true. ¡°Good day, citizens of the United Atlantea Federation! How was the bus ride? ¡± The abrupt loud voice startled the youths, causing them to turn their attention toward the staff member dressed in a uniform with the camp''s crest after they disembarked from the bus. ¡°I asked, how was the bus ride?¡± His question was answered with resounding silence. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a splendid ride!¡± The staff member tapped his tablet¡¯s screen furiously. ¡°Allow me to continue. Let me introduce myself. My name is Sergeant Manuel Osha. I¡¯m not a big fan of ranks, so please call me Manuel. From this day on, I will be one of the many trainers you¡¯ll see! Welcome to Ravens Camp!¡± ¡°...Another weirdo like Neptune.¡± Carmelo teased. ¡°I heard that.¡± Shocked at Neptune eavesdropping, Carmelo wagged his finger at him. ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Carmelo. This Manuel guy is a weirdo like our boy.¡± Finn glanced at Carmelo upon witnessing the camp trainer give a goofy smile. ¡°Don¡¯t talk too loud, bro. He might catch you.¡± Carmelo whispered. ¡°Ok, ok. Point taken.¡± Clapping his hand, Manuel summoned the attention of the youths. ¡°Before I continue with today¡¯s program, let me inform you that I¡¯ll address your questions later inside the camp. Can I get an ¡®OK¡¯?¡± ¡°OK¡­?¡± ¡°Perfetto! Batch 123 of the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s General Education Program, assemble yourselves in a straight line, I would like to take your attendance.¡± Seemingly pleased with Batch 123, Manuel clapped his hands once. ¡°Di nuovo perfetto! Let me proceed!¡± Whipping out his tablet, he began walking while tilting his head. Batch 123 had assembled themselves into a neat line, akin to the way factory workers in the past used to line up to clock into the work day. Several beep sounds became audible as Manuel went down the line. ¡°Put your right arm forward,¡± Manuel commanded Neptune, who placed his arm forward without question. ¡°OK, perfect. Let¡¯s see here¡­¡± Was there a glitch? ¡°Hmm. Let me try again.¡± Manuel stared at the tablet as though he did not expect this result. ¡°Why is it not working¡­What the heck? Wait, it can''t be¡­¡± Tilting his head, Neptune imagined the system had some bug. ¡°Is there a problem, trainer?¡± Manuel narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Neptune. ¡°You must be¨C¡± ¡°CAW! CAW!¡± Coincidentally, the ravens occupying the top of the entrance¡¯s gates started croaking. This haunting visage of Manuel¡¯s shocked face, with the raven''s voice in the background, sent chills down Neptune¡¯s spine. ¡°Name please.¡± ¡°Surname is Smith. Neptune Smith.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you later.¡± Manuel gave a quick one-liner and skipped past him to resume processing Batch 123¡¯s entrance into Ravens Camp. After a short while, Manuel retraced the queue, returning to the front as he stomped his boots. ¡°Thank you, fellow citizens, for your cooperation! That is all. Batch 123, kindly proceed with entering the gates of Ravens Camp! I will deal with all of you shortly.¡± In an orderly fashion, Batch 123 marched into Ravens Camp, not knowing what the future holds for them. Before Neptune could enter the camp¡¯s ground, he felt someone grip his shoulders firmly. ¡°You!" ¡°Me?¡± Neptune turned his head to face Manuel, whose eyes carried heavy intent, shadowed by his cap. ¡°Yes, you. You¡¯re coming with me.¡± Unsure why the system had singled him. Neptune stepped out of line, knowing the importance of following orders in this unknown setting. ¡°You¡¯ll be ok, bro?¡± Bray, who stood behind Neptune, questioned him nervously. His eyes carried a look of immediate concern. ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± What else could he say? What could this ignoramus do to aid him? He deliberated over the option of not following orders over a split second. He also thought about making a beeline¨Cbut to where? Only a fool would run for it without accounting for their mediocre options. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Looking around, he knew one undisputed universal fact: the United Atlantea Federation had lied to its citizens¡­again. Chapter 7: Secret A giant steel door constructed long before the North¡¯s ascent to the top as the technological superpower of the old world stood between two men. The monotonous colours of black and grey filled the mind of the young man standing before it as he marvelled at its structural complexities. How long has it been since he had seen a piece of work that inspired him? To instil hope in this hopeless reality where he lived begrudgingly until recently. Once the door swung wide open, both men would meet one another for the first time in a chance encounter decades in the making Was it the thin red string of fate that connected both men? Or was it more than that? Manuel knocked on the giant steel door with a swan-like insignia, awaiting a response from the person occupying the room. ¡°Sir¨C¡± The unmistakable sound of the mighty steel door opened with a loud creak. Unexpectedly, a female soldier emerged. ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Oh, Manuel, it¡¯s you! What brings you here this early? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be elsewhere attending to the recruits?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I have brought the recruit OC instructed us to find. I have requested for someone to take over my duties.¡± Manuel flashed his tablet to the female soldier before respectfully straightening up and saluting her. The female soldier returned the salute before resting her hands on her waist. ¡°Captain Graves has gone out for a run. He will probably return¨C¡± The female soldier looked at her smartwatch before gesturing elsewhere. ¡°¨CHmm, I think he will return soon. Why don''t you both take a seat over there? I¡¯ll call you when he¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, Manuel.¡± The female soldier slammed the door shut as Manuel turned to redeliver the orders toward another lesser-ranked personnel. ¡°May I know what the term OC is?¡± Neptune broke the silence as Manuel scrolled endlessly on his tablet, looking for something worth his attention. He wasn¡¯t sure if the camp staff had heard him. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, Manuel.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m talking to you.¡± ¡°Can you wait?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m doing?¡± Manuel clicked his tongue. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°You broke my damn momentum. Anyways, you have some surprisingly good attention to detail. Very impressive indeed.¡± With his brain unlinked from the tablet, Manuel looked displeasingly at the recruit he was forced to entertain by orders given by his superiors. ¡°The term OC is Officer Commanding! Are you happy now? Don¡¯t bother me again. I thought nobody cared about stuff like this anymore.¡± ¡°Can you elaborate further?¡± Manuel groaned loudly and ignored the recruit he was forced to entertain. ¡°I would appreciate it if we¨C¡± ¡°Later, I¡¯m busy.¡± Manuel raised his tablet to resume his scrolling. ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°God, please. Stop asking me questions, won¡¯t you¨C¡± Manuel stood up to salute in the steel door¡¯s direction. ¡°Perfect timing. I¡¯m going to hand you over to Lieutenant Reynolds now.¡± Manuel stepped back as the female soldier approached him, greeting her with a respectful nod. ¡°Lieutenant Reynolds.¡± Neptune finally had a clear view of the female soldier and one thing stood out, the uniform¡¯s design. From the several National Day parades he attended, he only recognised one style of uniform adorned by the Swan Contingent. However, the uniform worn by the female officer had a desert camouflage design, similar to the ones adorned by soldiers from the old world. It was a complete design overhaul from the signature white uniform of the voluntary corps. The olive green beret hid her perfectly bundled hair. The nametag on her desert camouflage uniform read ¡°2LT. BRENDA REYNOLDS¡±. The female officer looked only a couple of years older than Neptune, but her presence alone was awe-inspiring. She had sharp eyes with olive-tanned skin; her face had little to no excess trimmings. The uniform hugged her slim figure, giving her the perfect fit. ¡°Hello, Manuel,¡± Brenda greeted Manuel, ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s so important with this witty brat,¡± Manuel spoke under his breath, which Neptune caught wind of. ¡°Hey, I can hear that!¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to.¡± Manuel¡¯s distant voice echoed as he disappeared into the hallway. ¡°Look over here,¡± Brenda cleared her throat to get the recruit¡¯s attention. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Brenda led the way toward the door and opened it to speak to the person in the room. ¡°Sir, Recruit Smith is here.¡± A faint voice from within responded. ¡°Roger that, Lieutenant Reynolds. Let him in.¡± Lieutenant Reynolds remerged from the door to gesture for him to enter. With careful steps to pay homage to the beautiful quarters, he noticed how big the room appeared as he feasted upon this reality. The walls had banners with the disbanded World Army¡¯s former logo. The display cabinets had accolades and commemorative figurines neatly displayed. In the middle of the room lay a massive mahogany table, with two individual armchairs at both ends and a beautifully crafted sofa chair in the middle. Simply put, this room was way too luxurious for military personnel. ¡°I recognise that¡­¡± ¡­The smell of freshly brewed tea filled the room, which reminded him of something¨C ¡°...Would you like a cup of tea, young man?¡± The deep voice came from the back of the room, where the tea¡¯s aroma withed from. Neptune turned to face a weathered man, whose green uniform did not match his vibe. The man carried a haughty expression as he gestured for his guest to come over. ¡°Yes, please. I am rather a huge fan of tea.¡± ¡°No, the pleasure is mine,¡± The man looked him straight in the face unflinchingly as he poured a cup of tea. ¡°I am the Officer Commanding, the OC of Batch 123, Captain Troy Graves.¡± Troy introduced himself with a strange tinge of hostility, taking a slow sip of tea. ¡°Let¡¯s take this to the sofa.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± After settling comfortably on the sofa, Neptune placed his cup on the beautiful mahogany table, shifting his eyes toward the officer, who looked at him to break the awkward silence.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I feel like I know you.¡± ¡°Interesting, how so?¡± Neptune knew he had to say it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you from the Swan Contingent? I have seen you many times during televised marches.¡± ¡­And that broke Troy¡¯s momentum. ¡°Yes, I am. Let me correct myself, I was. Why did you bring that up?¡± Neptune copied Troy¡¯s actions and took the exact methodical sip of tea, executing it with surgical precision. ¡°My younger brothers enjoy watching the marching parades you led. That¡¯s why we can remember you so well. Also, what happened to the white uniform? And you said, ¡®Was¡¯?¡± Troy raised his eyebrows, knowing he had no reason to explain the President¡¯s decree¨Cespecially to a recruit. ¡°You have a vigilant eye, but let¡¯s discuss that later. Let me ask you a question. I had the chance to read through some papers in my free time. You know¨Cjust a curious soldier who had not read documents beyond planning missions and the occasional routine orders. I heard of the GEP, or whatever it is. That¡¯s when I happened to chance upon something that caught my eye. A rare chance to unravel a striking intellectual¡¯s answers, or should I say, intriguing thought process¡­¡± Troy leaned back on the sofa to cast a dubious look at Neptune. ¡°I must say, your test answers seem peculiar?¡± Walking over to his study table, Troy whipped out a dossier and threw it on the mahogany table. The dossier skidded from its smooth surface as it landed close to Neptune¡¯s cup of tea. ¡°Here, take a look.¡± Neptune reached out to grab the dossier, with his name seemingly plastered all over it. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± ¡°It is rather self-explanatory.¡± Neptune carefully opened the dossier to discover confidential information about him since he entered the GEP. All his personal information since birth existed on a piece of printed paper. The sheer accuracy of the stored records made him shudder. His mother¡¯s name. His two younger brothers. Even his blood type. How could someone have access to something this private? Flipping the dossier page by page, he stumbled upon a stack of exam papers from his time taking those GEP exams. None of the exam papers in his hands contained anything incriminating, but he felt he had walked into a trap. This sly bastard. How does he have it? His facial expressions had failed him. ¡°...So, which one, in particular, are you talking about?¡± With a displeased look, Troy signalled to his subordinate to come over as he shook his head. ¡°Lieutenant Reynolds, kindly hand me that document.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Like clockwork, Brenda walked over to the shelf where several binders were stacked to retrieve one particular binder. Troy acknowledged his subordinate¡¯s assistance before raising the binder with the recruit¡¯s name printed. ¡°This one. Does it juggle your memories?¡± A small hidden blade forged with spiteful scorn pierced his skin from down under. You got me. The paper raised by Troy jolted a memory from Neptune¡¯s early days in the GEP. ¡°What makes you believe, through your words, that it was the truth?¡± ¡°I knew.¡± An unsettling, long silence ensued between both men until Troy hissed softly. ¡°How did you know? Where¡¯s your evidence? To what extent can you support your thesis?¡± ¡°I choose not to answer.¡± Neptune''s response came quickly without hesitation. He felt the officer was hiding something from him. ¡°You know I can make you answer that if I want to. But, that¡¯s not necessary¡­¡± To use force this early wasn¡¯t necessary. After all, Troy knew he had all the time in the world to extract information from this recruit during this new training program signed into law hours ago. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I understand,¡± Troy spoke curtly, ¡°I apologise if I invoked any bad memories. After all, we are all entitled to our respective opinions. Such is the law of a democratic society.¡± ¡°Enough about me. How about you? Did I invoke any bad memories?¡± Neptune saw Troy shift nervously for a split second. ¡°Why does it concern you that I believe¨C¡± ¡°Because as a former member of the Swan Contingent, it was my duty to prevent civil unrest from ever happening in the name of peace.¡± It was another dead end, just like talking to his mother. ¡°That¡¯s a way of answering without answering.¡± ¡°There are some things that are better left unspoken.¡±Troy returned the exam paper to the binder and looked at his recruit. ¡°Also, the next time we meet, you have to call me ¡®Sir¡¯, do you understand?¡± ¡°Is there anything else you have for me?¡± Neptune responded in a way Troy had least expected. Troy blinked once and raised his eyebrows curiously. ¡°What sort of question is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Troy looked in his subordinate¡¯s direction. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost noon, sir,¡± Brenda replied as a matter of fact. ¡°Lieutenant Reynolds, do see the recruit out. Let him have his lunch.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As the giant steel door slammed shut, Troy slumped onto his reclining chair. Everything about the young Smith reminded him of that man. The mannerisms and the look on his face when asked a question. Even their preferences. He thought he could forget about the past until he noticed the young Smith filed under his command. Troy looked at a picture on his giant study table, where the picture¡¯s frame sparkled as the sun began to set in the distance. The picture seemed to give off a joyous vibe. But joy was an emotion he could not feel. He tried, but because he had committed an unspeakable act. Despite the pledge he made as a soldier, he had committed a mortal sin punishable in the depths of hell. ¡°Why do you still haunt me?¡± ¡°Am I supposed to call you ¡®Ma¡¯am¡¯?¡± Neptune watched the female soldier turn around as she led him down the hallways. ¡°You¡¯re that eager to call me that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± ¡°The time will come for that.¡± Neptune kept silent and followed her lead. ¡°You¡¯re in for a treat today. Lunch today is amazing.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think anything can top the food back in the GEP.¡± Eventually, they reached a door that led to the dining hall and Lieutenant Reynolds tapped the entrance lightly. ¡°This is where all of you recruits would have your meals from now on.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we going back to the dormitories?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to.¡± ¡°Is this part of the GEP?¡± Lieutenant Reynolds gave a wry smile before opening the door. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± ¡°I thought they said¨C¡± ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll have to call me ¡®Ma¡¯am¡¯. Also, I¡¯m the platoon commander of your batch.¡± His commander began walking back to where they came from. Her womanly hips, fit for child-rearing, swayed with each step that did not fit her. ¡°...And that man earlier is your Officer Commanding. Welcome to Ravens Camp and Batch 123.¡± * Neptune¡¯s passion for gastronomic experiences had rekindled with the excessive food available. The additional welfare spending included in their defence budget made the recruits forget about their impending death sentences as food occupied their mind at all times outside of their regularly scheduled programming. Where and how the money came from did not matter. They rationalised the intensity of their training to match the sustenance¡¯s quality. The sound of sharp-pitched whistles filled the air during the wee hours of daybreak, knocking them out of their food coma from the previous night. ¡°That¡¯s one way of surprising all of us.¡± Neptune groaned as he recognised the intent of the sudden noise. ¡°Hey! Come on now, we¡¯re sleeping! Can¡¯t these guys give us a break?!?!¡± ¡°Sheesh, Bron. Shut up!¡± Bray exclaimed. Loud static, followed by an intrusive voice bellowed. ¡°Good morning, please get into your exercise attire and assemble at the parade square in front of your bunks at 0630 hours.¡± ¡°Guys, what in the world is that?¡± Neptune turned his attention to his batchmates carrying a pair of identical singlets and shorts he had in his drawers. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t believe they¡¯re making us wear the same goddamn thing.¡± Dom shrugged his shoulders. ¡°We¡¯re gonna look like superheroes or something.¡± ¡°You know what?¡± Bronston walked over to Dom, snatching the exercise attire from them. ¡°I ain¡¯t wearing this freaking prison uniform.¡± Bronston left the bunk and stormed into the hallway in his sleeping clothes, his intention to exercise in an attire of his choice clear as day. Neptune reached into the closet next to his bed. A standard issue exercise uniform of singlet and shorts lay neatly folded as he picked it up. ¡°Hey Neptune, you going to put that on?¡± Bray asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± Neptune started to remove his clothes to put on the kiddy-looking exercise attire, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get into trouble, follow me. However¡­¡± Even if everyone in the bunk changed into it, he knew they were in for a treat. Suppressing the urge to chuckle, obfuscating his tonality sounded like a better option. ¡°...I can¡¯t guarantee we¡¯ll be safe even if we change into it.¡± Bray widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± His batchmates may not have realised it yet, but now they are part of a team. One person¡¯s action carried massive repercussions for the entire team¨Cespecially in the military. Fortunately, Neptune had already accepted this new reality. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Chapter 8: Magnitude Weeks quickly went by as the citizens underwent a new training program in Ravens Camp. With their nonstop physical and mental states pushed to the brink, these weeks eventually turned into months quicker before they could register the changes around them. Before they knew it, their memories of the GEP had become forgotten as originally intended. ¡°Guys, this Batch 77 is a problem.¡± Carmelo pounded his fist onto the basin causing water to erupt everywhere. As they neared their book-out timing, Batch 123 had to quickly wash up their soiled clothes before leaving Ravens Camp for home. ¡°Why did you have to do that, asshole?!¡± Furious by the water splashing on him, Bronston retaliated by slapping Carmelo on the head. ¡°Not my head, you¡¯re gonna make me dumber!¡± ¡°You¡¯re already a dumbass! One more smack wouldn¡¯t make a difference.¡± ¡°Say that again, you idiot musclehead!¡± ¡°Guys.¡± Like the voice of reason, Neptune¡¯s voice silenced the dissent. ¡°Don¡¯t overcomplicate matters. Let¡¯s just finish up the washing and call it a week.¡± ¡°...Fine,¡± Carmelo grunted. Bronston turned his basin upside down before looking over at Neptune. ¡°Do you know who is in this Batch 77?¡± Even though he didn¡¯t feel like talking about them, Neptune forced himself to respond. ¡°I have no clue, but someone always seemed to score higher than me, even on the theory tests.¡± ¡°We gotta go smoke em¡¯ out.¡± Bronston nodded his head as Batch 123 copied suit. ¡°Good idea, we can send Bronston over to beat the crap out of them,¡± Dom suggested. ¡°You know what? Second place is good enough for us. Let¡¯s not bother with them too much¡­¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Neptune forced himself to smile as a recent memory resurfaced. On that day when checking the scoreboard, Neptune isolated a lone voice speaking to his batchmates. For some strange reason, the voice¡¯s owner did not seem to be in a celebratory mood¨Cperhaps attaining the top spot did not satisfy, or worse, mattered least to him. As the boy slowly turned his head ever so lightly toward his direction, everything made sense instantly. ¡°No wonder. How could I ever compete with a¨C¡± * ¡°Big brother, can I have an additional dollar?¡± Jupiter pulled at his big brother¡¯s shirt with a sulk. ¡°Hmm? I thought I gave you enough.¡± Neptune knew dementia was an impossibility for his age and was proud of his ability to memorise the prices of goods sold in this weekend¡¯s farmers market. ¡°Big bro¡­The price went up,¡± Jupiter pointed at the price display. ¡°Everything else also went up this week. You can ask Mommy! When we went to the supermarket the other day, everything went to the moon!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Neptune traced his brother''s finger and handed over the dollar note after inspecting the other items on sale. His little brother was right. ¡°...Damn, a price hike.¡± Looking beside him, he realised his other brother had disappeared. ¡°Jupiter, where is Pluto?¡± ¡°Pluto is with Mommy. Let¡¯s go join them!¡± Proud of his haul, Jupiter raised his grilled mackerel on a stick to the skies and ran away. ¡°Wait¨Cslow down, Jupiter!¡± Neptune struggled to catch up with his sore legs until he made a sharp turn at the corner. ¡°Ah, there you are¡­?¡± What greeted him was his mother talking to someone publicly which triggered his goosebumps to stand. ¡°Neptune, perfect timing!¡± Ops handed a big bag of groceries to her son.¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would like you to bring your brothers home along with this.¡± ¡°Big brother!¡± Pluto called out to his elder brother. ¡°Pluto! Oh, erm¡­Sure, Mom.¡± Ops noticed her son staring blankly at her friend. ¡°My son, is something wrong? You don¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°Mom, I¨C¡± ¡°Is this your eldest son, Ops?¡± The woman with an almighty presence asked. ¡°Yes.¡± With her luscious black hair tied in a ponytail and a cute top hat featuring crochets of tropical fruits, his mother¡¯s friend exuded the dignified grace of a lady. No, calling her a lady was an understatement. The contrast of her attire with the other citizens was like night and day. Her speech pattern was pristine and each alphabet had a distinct, precise pronunciation behind it. And the way she stood confidently exuded supreme dominance and authority over everyone. It was like an Ascended leaving their enclave to bless those who served under them on rare occasions. The lady tilted her head, but her sapphire eyes never once blinked throughout the exchange, triggering Neptune¡¯s sweat to trickle down his temple. ¡°Is something the matter, young man?¡± Suddenly, two bodyguards with loud, heavy footsteps approached the lady. ¡°Ma¡¯am. Is everything okay?¡± ¡°This boy is my friend¡¯s son. You can just carry on watching me from afar.¡± With a deep bow, the two big, burly bodyguards returned to their respective positions. ¡°My name is Alexis,¡± Alexis offered a handshake with a smile, her pearly whites reflecting the sun¡¯s brilliant rays. ¡°Your mother and I are old friends who haven¡¯t met for a long time. It truly is such a shame. We should have at least met for some tea when time permits.¡± ¡°I believe my mother has told you all about me,¡± Neptune accepted the tight-gripped handshake. Ouch, that hurts. ¡°Well, well. A nice handshake that you have over there,¡± Alexis tilted her head gracefully. ¡°You truly take after your father.¡± ¡°Oh, you know my father?¡± Neptune asked casually. Within his peripheral vision, his mother tensed up to avoid his gaze. ¡°Of course I do¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a move now. Hope you two have a great time catching up.¡± Like a thief fleeing into the night, Neptune knew he had to escape. No. He had to leave now. ¡°See you later, son.¡± His mother still could not meet his gaze. ¡°Pluto. Jupiter. We¡¯re going.¡± ¡°But, big¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see each other soon, Neptune,¡± Alexis waved goodbye before turning to his mother. ¡°Let¡¯s have some tea, Ops. Would you prefer Matcha or Houjicha at the¡­¡± Unaware of himself clenching his brothers¡¯ hands, he had unwillingly dragged them out of the market to catch a breather, clearing that unbearable lump in his throat. The voices of his kin failed to reach him as he spiralled down into the abyss, drowning his thoughts in a sea of anxiety. ¡°Hey, it hurts¡­¡± ¡°Yes, big bro¡­¡± * Bray sat on his bed to ¡°doom-scroll¡± through his phone, looking for something to pass his time. He knew he would find nothing interesting there but did it to pass the time. His lips parted to speak words that carried no weight. ¡°I wonder why the speakers haven¡¯t announced today¡¯s Routine Order (RO) yet.¡± Dom sat on the bunk floor playing a game of chess with Finn, seemingly to pass the time. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡±Your move, Finn.¡± ¡°What a dirty move¡­¡± ¡°Say you, Mr. Prince¡­¡± Unlike his idiotic batchmates passing their time, Neptune stared at the ceiling, thinking of the optimal strategy. As thoughts floated through his mind, he realised he had not interacted with his female batchmates for a month. Perhaps due to the intensive training in Physical Education (PE), his mind drifted away from the thoughts regarding the opposite gender. He knew they were safe when he saw buses depart from another section of Ravens Camp toward the common exit. He knew both genders were equally essential in wars, especially with the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s current plight, their population problem. Even though the three regions of Atlantea had united under the same flag, not every citizen shared the same sentiment. The merger only benefited the survivors of North Atlantea, whereas countless citizens from their neighbouring regions had to step up to bail them out of the mess they created. The GEP & PE program also reignited the tension between the three Atlantean nations, with their neighbours having different cultural beliefs regarding raising their youth under their respective communities instead of a centralised authority dictating the education curriculums. ¡°Guys, I¡¯m going to the washroom. I¡¯ll catch you guys in the hallway in a minute.¡± Stepping into the hallway, the emptiness felt unreal. Where¡¯s everyone? Dead silence filled the hallways at 0830 hours. He then went round the corner to enter the toilet and brush his teeth. ¡°Oh, yo, Good Mornin¡¯!¡± A fellow trainee greeted him upon entering the toilet. Neptune gargled water before spitting the contents into the sink to address the trainee ¡°Morning.¡± Realising this trainee was from another batch, he decided to try his luck. ¡°Did they miss today¡¯s RO? The loudspeakers were radio silent.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s because it''s measurement recording day!¡± The trainee splashed his face with water and wiped it off with his towel. ¡°The Administrator will summon us by batch to take measurements.¡± ¡°I presume today is ¡®Free & Easy¡¯ until then?¡± ¡°Yup! You can go to the parade square to play games. Or else, you can head to the library,¡± The trainee laughed while using his towel to wipe his face, ¡°I have a batchmate there; don¡¯t ask me why because I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s there. My friends are playing ball now though. Do you wanna join us?¡± ¡°No thanks, I¡¯ll pass,¡± Neptune knew a more enticing offer existed. ¡°Where¡¯s this library?¡± ¡°At the North Wing, straight up ahead. It¡¯s hard to miss it, so you probably wouldn¡¯t get lost.¡± The trainee placed the towel around his shoulders and began stretching. ¡°Before I forget. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Surname is Smith. Neptune Smith.¡± ¡°Nice name you have there. Neptune, huh? That¡¯s the name of the mythical sea god!¡± The trainee¡¯s eyes began sparkling. ¡°My name is John. Nice to meet you, god of the seas!¡± ¡°Hey, stop that,¡± Neptune grabbed John¡¯s hand to lower it, ¡°You only salute a commissioned officer, not a wannabe sea god.¡± ¡°I learned something new today.¡± ¡°You would have downed ten here if you tried this with someone else.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? My commander hasn¡¯t taught us anything about that though.¡± ¡°Commander? Mine only exchanges a couple of one-liners before she runs off to perform her other duties.¡± John tilted his head curiously. ¡°You don¡¯t have an active commander?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? An active commander? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Oh, I mean somebody that actively checks up on you.¡± ¡°Nah, I could count with my fingers the number of times my commander has checked up on us.¡± Speaking of commanders, Neptune realised he had only seen Lieutenant Reynolds once a week when booking out. As for Captain Graves, that man was nowhere to be seen. Except for that few times he bumped into him at the dining hall. He still wondered why that man kept staring at him. John began laughing at Neptune¡¯s nonchalantly flat tonality. ¡°Let¡¯s catch up some other time.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you which batch you¡¯re from but let¡¯s save it for another time.¡± ¡°Alright, ciao, Neptune!¡± * From the exterior, the Ravens Camp Library had the architectural design of a famous formula. The exterior framework responds to the golden ratio: thirty marble blocks run across the face of the building¨Cten run vertically and twenty run along its depth¨Crepresenting the ratio 3:1:2. Surrounding this work of art was a garden filled with flowers, represented by different species and colours, in full bloom, further adding a grand feeling toward the impressive design of this compound within this soul-crushing mega camp facility. Taking a step into the library after marvelling at this glorious art piece from afar, his mouth widened in admiration soaking in the beauty that captured his heart as the door swung wide open with a simple push. ¡°...Woah.¡± The inner walls of the library gave off a radiant aura, channelling the sun¡¯s rays from outside to transform them into the natural light used to illuminate the interior without modern electricity infrastructure. The complete silence, mixed with natural lighting, created an extraterrestrial experience. The librarians shuffled along the halls carrying out their tasks, only stopping to greet the lone visitor by bowing their heads in silence. No directories, signs, or legends exist in the library. Neptune realised he could only look for books based on the first letter in the titles. Naturally, the first letter that popped into his mind was that one. On instinct alone, he automatically walked to that column. Found it. Without making a sound, a librarian appeared beside him, handing him a paper that read: ¡°If you wish to look for a specific book, kindly inform me. I will use the ladder to retrieve it for you.¡± ¡°My apologies. Are we allowed to speak in here?¡± Unsure of the acceptable voice level, Neptune spoke in his softest tone. ¡°Of course. However, please keep it to a minimum. There are other trainees here that would appreciate us maintaining the silence.¡± The librarian whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t sure that there were other people here with us.¡± ¡°Yes, there is another trainee just like yourself. He is completely immersed in his studies as we speak. Are you looking for something in particular?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Swallowing nervously, he became unsure if the librarian would take his prompt seriously. But he had to try. ¡°Are there books on the New Atlantis here?¡± The librarian scanned the nominal roll from the file she carried. ¡°Yes, we have books on that topic here. Please follow me.¡± Neptune followed the librarian as she guided the way to another massive pillar that pierced the skies above. ¡°Give me a moment. Please wait for me here.¡± The librarian whispered before disappearing into the sea of printed paper. She then emerged as quickly as she left. ¡°I¡¯m back, trainee.¡± ¡°You nearly scared me.¡± He did not know librarians could float like a ghost. ¡°My apologies, trainee. It¡¯s a habit.¡± The librarian returned with a stepladder smaller than her frame. Its original length collapsed into a small compact size for carrying around in the library. Neptune instinctively stepped aside. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± The librarian slowly ascended to the top to retrieve a book from the pillar before slowly retracing. With each step she took back to the ground level, his temperature rose as his heart thumped harder at the moment of truth as the book landed in his hands. ¡°Here you go, trainee.¡± A defeated smile formed on his face, one constructed out of the despair he carried. He stared at the book¡¯s cover momentarily before reading the title out loud angrily. ¡°New Atlantis¡­Francis Bacon. You got to be kidding me!¡± The librarian looked at her visitor sternly, poking him in the chest. ¡°Mr. trainee, if you do not heed my warning, I will not hesitate to have security escort you out of the library. Please remember that other people are here studying in solitude. Your selfish actions are unsatisfactory behaviour of a soldier.¡± ¡°Sorry...¡± Sheepishly apologising, he half-assed the word vomit. ¡°We have another copy of the book with your keywords but I believe someone else here has borrowed it.¡± Who would read that book? Neptune blinked once before raising his head in disbelief. ¡°Sorry, you said someone else borrowed it?¡± ¡°Yes, is that a problem? You might have to¨C¡± Like a ghost, a boy appeared beside the librarian without a sound, let alone an opening for anyone to register. ¡°Miss Librarian. Thank you for the assistance for today.¡± Unlike the North Atlantean¡¯s casual speech patterns, the boy spoke with a peculiar, dignified tone he found strangely familiar. ¡°Oh, you are welcome, trainee. Are you here to return your book?¡± The librarian bowed to the boy respectfully. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not. I would like to apply for a loan permit.¡± The boy responded with a pleasant tone and posture that carried the unmistakable demeanour of one born into nobility. ¡°Give me a moment¡­¡± The librarian hurried to the administrative office at the corner of the majestic library after retrieving the book from the boy. Neptune jerked in surprise as he stared obsessively at the boy, his eyes never blinking once or getting fatigued. ¡°My apologies, but I believe you were looking for the book I borrowed. That¡¯s just an inference from my end.¡± The boy spoke indifferently, without empathy for a lesser being as he finally addressed the other odd soul in the library. ¡°What brings you to research the New Atlantis?¡± Stunned by the boy¡¯s acknowledgement of his existence, Neptune unknowingly mouthed his response in awe. His mind spiralled into chaos like he had come face to face with God. The boy squinted his eyes. At that moment, the sun¡¯s beam shone from the skies, blanketing him in the sun¡¯s magnificent rays as it cast a long, dark shadow on the library¡¯s floor. ¡°That¡¯s a good question.¡± ¡°My name is Neptune Smith.¡± Neptune felt the need to introduce himself as he caught the boy enlarging his sapphire eyes oddly. ¡°Smith, you say?¡± Neptune noticed the boy¡¯s earlier dismissive tone changing to one of curiosity. ¡°...Is there a problem?¡± The boy¡¯s expression grew more tense. He started looking around frantically, seemingly wanting the librarian to return with his loan application. ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so interesting?¡± ¡°I believe coincidences are part of the universe. And for one not to live without considering the possibilities of synchronicity is truly a sad reality.¡± After methodically closing his eyes, the boy lifted his head to the library¡¯s massive ceiling. ¡°If you want this book, I will hand it over to you on Friday morning, just before we book out.¡± Chapter 9: Elasticity Excitement quickly transformed into fury when he noticed his guest was late. He refused to consider the possibility until he curiously inched his head toward the massive clock in the library. ¡°What could I have expected differently¡­?¡± The days he spent hoping to get another shot at interacting with the Ascended went up in smoke. Like a typhoon sweeping past terrains, an invisible spectre moved at lightspeed, unleashing a mercurial dagger to inflict mortal harm upon him. Like an assassin¡¯s attempted flawless execution, its movements sent shivers down his spine¨C ¡°Ho¨C¡± ¡°Please respect the other trainers in the library. I do not wish to repeat myself.¡± Sensing the tip of a knife at the back of his neck, Neptune quickly regained his composure. The rules were simply¡­rules after all. ¡°Sorry.¡± Neptune wondered if the librarian was secretly an intelligence agent in disguise. ¡°Please respect the silence in the library, trainee.¡± ¡°...I understand.¡± ¡°This is for you.¡± The librarian handed a book over, which seemed more like thrusting with applied force. Cocking his head to the side, he grew curious. ¡°May I know what this is?¡± ¡°A request from earlier.¡± ¡°I should have known.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Upon recognising the book¡¯s title, Neptune felt the invisible wound deepen with the mental turmoil inflicted by his spiralling, out-of-control thoughts. The mere fact his guest refused to meet him in person¨Cto rely on a proxy instead¨Cmade his blood boil, transforming his face into a ripened tomato. ¡°You said something, trainee?¡± However, he understood. Quelling the rage, he smirked defeatingly. Unlike most ignoramuses who placed themselves above others, he could empathise with the boy¡¯s actions. Why would someone like him ever take a nobody seriously? A person with no nobility. No social standing. Nothing. Why me? Why wasn¡¯t I born¨C ¡°Thank you for this. See you again soon.¡± If only the roles had reversed, would he have done the same? * ¡°That¡¯s odd. Where is she?¡± Silence. Nobody greeted him in the living room after he reached home after another week of wasting his life in Ravens Camp. Looking at the clock, he wondered where his mother could have gone. There was no chance his mother could develop an uncharacteristic change in routine that quickly, too. The markets were closed by eleven in the morning; also noontime during summer did not merit a visit outdoors under that sweltering heat. Stomps filled the hallway. ¡°Big bro, you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Hey¨C¡± Unlike the past few times when he felt warmth hearing his siblings¡¯ voices, something did not feel right. He wanted time to himself. And he desperately wanted it now. His cold, brown eyes darted toward his siblings as Pluto knocked him down from a shoulder tackle. Now¡¯s not the time for this. Get lost, the both of you. Lying on his back from the tackle, his hands automatically ruffed through Pluto¡¯s hair. ¡°Have you seen mom?¡± ¡°Mommy went to work!¡± Pluto flashed a grin, raising his completed homework from school for Neptune to review. ¡°Big bro, help me see if I made any errors!¡± Neptune thought he heard wrongly. ¡°Work?¡± ¡°Yes! Mommy has prepared food for us in the morning in case we¡¯re hungry.¡± On the other hand, Jupiter started gorging on the fruit platter their mother had prepared in the fridge. Neptune turned his attention to the hungry devil. ¡°Jupiter, let me check your homework.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done with it yet,¡± Jupiter frowned, ¡°Big bro, I hate school.¡± Neptune chuckled to himself and walked towards Jupiter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help out with your homework later. Let big bro take a rest first.¡± ¡°Alright, big bro.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°See you later, big bro¡­¡± Neptune changed out of the military uniform in his room for an oversized shirt. The Camp Administrators had enforced all trainees to wear their uniforms when booking out, a decision made during the mass measurement-taking exercise¡¯s conclusion. I wonder. What¡¯s next? Glancing at the military uniform on his bed, he folded it nicely and placed it into the soiled clothes basket. Peeping into his younger brother¡¯s room, the twins were quieter asleep than awake. ¡°All¡¯s good. The coast is clear.¡± Exiting his bedroom, Neptune stood in front of a wall. This particular wall didn¡¯t have any doors or anything worth looking at. There weren¡¯t any display cabinets, paintings, or artworks on the wall. Simply put, it was a plain-looking wall. Placing his hand forward, a voice only audible to him spoke. ¡°The passphrase.¡± He reactively looked past his shoulders to check his surroundings. ¡°Tartarian.¡± The beige-coloured wall distorted into a corridor in plain sight. The breakdown of base states as they transformed from one form to the next was a miracle his father created with his genius. ¡°Verification approved. Welcome back, Neptune Smith.¡± The voice died down as Neptune walked across the corridor. The beige wall formed again, obfuscating the corridor it hid from the other side. An unlocked door with the sigil of a jade dragon imprinted awaited him. Click. And a lab came unveiled, hidden from plain sight, with every making of a genius¡¯s property¨Cfrom books to unutilised computer parts. A hidden dimension within the compound of the Smith household, worthy of an investigation¨Cif it ever gets leaked. ¡°Alright, where do I start?¡± Neptune walked over to the bookshelves to single out various copies of books. He had read these books countless times, leaving indicators on a few pages to revisit them; these indicators had colour markings based on the genre¡¯s types. With his mind set on that family, he immediately got to work, putting on his blue-light-resistant glasses. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I can find today.¡± ¡°Shit, what time is it already?¡± Neptune had completely forgotten about dinner preparation after getting engrossed with his study. If anything else, his younger brothers would get angsty when they found out there wasn¡¯t anything to eat. Taking the time to tidy up the room before leaving, Neptune placed the stacks of paper he had written stuff on the study table. ¡°All¡¯s good.¡± Locking it up after one last glance, Neptune walked through the corridor, which distorted away as he weaved right through it back to the other side of the wall. ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± He hummed out loud as he walked past his siblings¡¯ room. It was uncharacteristic of them not to occupy their rooms outside of mealtime. ¡°Son, you¡¯re just in time for dinner.¡± He heard his mother call out to him from the kitchen. ¡°Mom! You¡¯re back. Oh, erm!¡± Neptune placed his hand behind his head in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to cook. I wanted to prepare it but had some loose ends to tidy up.¡± ¡°No problem, my son,¡± His mother patted him endearingly, ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten to tell you I have started working.¡± That was certainly unexpected. He suppressed the urge to raise his eyebrows. ¡°I have received an appointment with the Atlantea Central Bank.¡± His mother scooped a massive serving of poached Atlantic Salmon onto his plate. Normally, he would support the plate with his hands, but the measly weight caused the plate to tilt in his trembling hands. ¡°My friend, Alexis. I think you met her at the Sapphire Market. She gave me a role after we chit-chatted.¡± Neptune didn¡¯t realise he had stopped eating, clenching the spoonful of fish angrily. ¡°Alexis informed me of the Federation¡¯s plans; she figured that with my history in finance, I would make a great fit,¡± She noticed her son¡¯s ghastly expression, ¡°My son? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°N-n-nothing.¡± He wanted to walk away and process the information but his mother called out to him. His mother¡¯s affectionate tone switched to a stern one. ¡°Neptune Smith.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Stop right there,¡± She knew the answer but still asked anyway. ¡°What were you doing in the study room at this hour?¡± Neptune looked at his brothers, noticing their eyes peeled onto the screen. The coast was clear for him to speak his mind. ¡°I was researching the Temporeans. I find it coincidental that your old friend would suddenly partake in the activities of us mere subjects.¡± ¡°Wh¨C¡± The blunt response caught his mother off-centre as she lost her footing for a second. ¡°The Federation recently admitted their part in the New Atlantis Project.¡± ¡°Th-that, I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°So when are you telling me the truth of what happened to my father?¡± His mother swallowed hard and looked away. He knew the Federation unveiling the truth was merely the tip of the iceberg. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m asking you¨C¡± ¡°Whatever you do, I hope you don¡¯t cross the line on this topic. Whatever you have researched on the Temporeans, keep it to yourself. Please do not share it with anyone. For your safety.¡± She turned her head toward her sons in the living room. ¡°And for them, too.¡± ¡°Then, is it true?¡± ¡°Yes. If I know what you¡¯re referring to, then yes. That¡¯s enough for tonight. Please have your dinner before it gets cold.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t told me about what happened to my father!¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for it, I fear.¡± Fear? He blinked once and noticed his mother¡¯s lips trembling. Neptune had one last question before he returned to hell on Monday. ¡°Why is there a Central Bank again?¡± The acceleration of their mass burial site had begun. Things had rapidly transitioned in the Federation and nobody could stop studying the steps they had retraced into hell. His mother helped herself to a glass of wine to quell the guilt before her lips parted one last time. ¡°Another day, my son.¡± Neptune eyed the crimson liquid with disdain. ¡°Mom, please watch yourself.¡± ¡°I will.¡± An empty bottle near the sink reminded him of his mother¡¯s old addiction. A recount his father had written on accounts in his journal when she promised to give it up after giving birth to him. And for her to pick it up after all these years seemed like an omen. Chapter 10: Eater of Worlds Neptune sighed deeply before writing an overly large ¡°365¡± beside the already large ¡°365¡± he wrote a year ago in his notebook. ¡°...Another goddamn year just passed by.¡± Several months flew by when he stepped into Ravens Camp, where a new metamorphosis had taken place, changing the face of this once innocent program into one with two faces. He wondered why he even bothered to believe in the words that the propagandists in white would fight in their stead. He looked at himself in the mirror, noticing how this uniformed attire had become a mainstay in his life since shedding that Bronco one-piece. There was a stark difference between both but they shared the same symbolic meaning. ¡°What have I accomplished in the past two years¡­?¡± The answer to that question? He did not want to admit it, for the answer was pathetically obvious. Absolutely nothing. These months they spent learning how to fire an assault fire. The long procedure of learning how to toss a grenade a week ago. That insane amount of time they wasted learning how to move in urban warfare tactically. And that final assessment that stood in their way, Field Camp. Do these things warrant a pat on the back? That question answered itself, too. Carmelo ran into the bunk, startling his batchmates from their idleness. ¡°Boys, did you hear? We are getting vocational training! Some of the batches were discussing it earlier in the hallway.¡± Bronston turned his head toward Carmelo. ¡°What¡¯s with that stupid face, Bron Bron?¡± ¡°Say that again and I¡¯ll mess you up, Melo.¡± ¡°Did you even hear what I just said? Vocational training! We¡¯re getting¨C¡± ¡°And where did you hear that from?¡± Bronston¡¯s face conveyed a look hovering between interest and disinterest. Most would deduce it bordered toward the latter. He then kicked up from the bed to a vertical base. ¡°Sometimes, I have trouble believing anything anyone says nowadays. Are you sure the news source is authentic?¡± Finn started laughing. ¡°Honestly, we are past the point of caring.¡± ¡°To be fair, does it matter to us soldiers?¡± Bronston asked. ¡°Damn right, Bron Bron.¡± ¡°Not even you, Finn. Stop calling me that.¡± ¡°Life¡¯s too short. Let¡¯s just enjoy life as it is until we die or get our faces skinned off for some god-forsaken reason.¡± Where did Finn get that sadistic idea? Nobody wanted to know. ¡°That¡¯s dark as hell, Finn.¡± Bray felt a little chill in the bunk thinking about faceless soldiers. ¡°My brothers¡­We are all going to die on the battlefield,¡± Carmelo pretended to drop dead on the bunk¡¯s hard floor, spreading his limbs. ¡°Any of you have any last wishes? How about a visit to the red light district with me when we book out?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll only be a matter of time before your little brother gets chopped off, Melo.¡± ¡°Shut up, Bray! Don¡¯t police my little brother! You¡¯re starting to sound like Tasha.¡± ¡°Wait, what? Even Tasha, too?!¡± ¡°All of you¡­¡± That stark contrast in his tone caused Batch 123 to turn towards Bronston, who seemed on edge. ¡°Woah, Bron Bron, what happened to you?¡± ¡°Yeah, Bron Bron, are you deprived or¨C¡± Casting his gaze downwards, Bronston spoke in a low, monotonous voice unusual for an idiot like himself. ¡°Is there any difference between dying on the battlefield or living in this concentration camp until they tell us what we¡¯re getting indoctrinated next?¡± Everyone looked at one another without speaking. The invisible guillotine hanging above the recruits had become unveiled to their eyes. They knew it, yet nobody dared to address the truth. Carry on this lie. Live without consequences. How simple their minds were! They had rationalised internally to avoid it for as long as possible. Until they could not. For nearly two years, Neptune accepted this death sentence when his soles first landed in the North¡¯s dormitory. Each citizen of the United Atlantea Federation¨Cregardless of which region they lived in¨Chad a personal identification number. A number marking their existence as belonging to a country, like soldiers associated with their bunks¡¯ batch numbers. They were no different than livestock. Cattle. Subjects of a regime. Regardless of an individual¡¯s complexity and personal struggles, their life had become reduced to a screen¡¯s graphic binary display of zeroes and ones, immutable, yet carrying no weight in anything. A number representing their life on a soulless blockchain network, easily lost into the eternal abyss of an expandable digital hell¨Cthe ocean of obscurity where their lives served no purpose. Yes, they could have every facet of their lives written and recorded. But did it matter? Those meaningless days of their lives where they spent doing nothing for two years as a good slave? They could live noble lives of honour and integrity¨Cbut was that sufficient to live forever? How would the Drazen Empire treat their corpses once they had discarded them in a pile of rotting flesh? Most importantly, would history remember them as brave warriors who fought to defend their homeland? How foolish to think history would treat them any different from those snuffed out in a revived superpower¡¯s new renaissance¡­ Thanks to you, I have found it. These questions filled his mind, tormenting him for an eternity until that day¨Ca date worth remembering¨Cwhen a special someone hijacking their broadcast unknowingly changed his life. Regardless of circumstances¨Cbirthright or genetics, the opportunity had presented itself on a silver platter. He knew only a fool would not capitalise on it to become a legend like those enshrined in gold as proof of their deeds. And as they say, fortune favours the bold.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Then, what? Are you all going to sit there and sulk? Are all of you going to carry on your pathetic, meaningless existence and just wait to die?¡± Neptune broke the silence, causing his bunkmates to turn their attention toward him. ¡°Does it mean we allow the enemy to come onto our shores and do whatever they please on our fellow countrymen? You should all know this better than I do: there are worse fates than death itself.¡± ¡®...............................¡± The greenlight to continue without interruption. ¡°Imagine this. The Drazen Empire lands on our shores and has a field day on us, soldiers who failed to pick up the training we received. Instead, we blamed everyone else for our problems. The Empire rolls up and sees a bunch of soldiers who can¡¯t even throw a damn grenade¡­¡± Neptune threw a dirty look at Dom, who, a week ago, stumbled and got into a verbal argument with the trainer as he had forgotten the grenade-throwing procedures. ¡°They are not going to slaughter us. Do you think they will let us off this easily? Have you all forgotten that we bear the sins of our past?! The Drazen Empire might be the only one taking action toward us, but the rest of the world, have you all forgotten what we, as the survivors, had done in the past?¡± ¡°Imagine once the Empire gets a hold on us, what would they do with us¡­or what would they do with our women?¡± Neptune added on for dramatic effect, causing his batchmates to wince at the vivid implications. How did I? Never mind. His ability to give a speech worthy of a propagandist surprised him¨Cnearly scaring him with his unlimited potential to sell the dream. ¡­Unknown to him, that seed of persuasion had lit a flame within a lost sheep, sparking a revolution he had no foresight to imagine would eclipse him ¡°You¡­are right, Neptune.¡± A lost sheep had seen the light and the shackles placed upon him had come undone. ¡°Bray.¡± Neptune did not expect someone to resonate with him. ¡°Guys, we can¡¯t do much since we¡¯re all stuck in this camp. Let¡¯s do our best to ensure the next generation gets all the good stuff promised to us.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s build the world for the future,¡± Finn spoke with his eyes closed. ¡°We¡¯re all in this together.¡± ¡°I agree, bro.¡± Bronston agreed. ¡°Aye.¡± Dom seconded. That was¡­certainly easier than expected. For the past two years, all they had was one another after losing everything on the day they enrolled in the GEP. Since Ravens Camp and the GMT, they exchanged what remained of their sanity for a statistic for the government to play around with. However, there was a fork in the road. If everyone worked together, believing in the bond they had forged as a batch, anything they dreamed of could become a reality. ¡°Together, as one.¡± Neptune declared. ¡°Sounds good, bro.¡± Bray nodded. I¡¯ll create a future of my desires¨C Even if building for a brighter tomorrow consisted of a slim chance of toppling the mightiest conquerors in the realm¡¯s history, he would do anything to ensure this dream turns into the future he envisioned. However, one question remained¡­ Is it him? Or were they in charge? ¡°We will do our best to become proud soldiers of the United Atlantea Federation!¡± Neptune exclaimed in harmony upon establishing common ground as Batch 123 cheered him on like good sheep herded by the shepherd. ¨CAnd become a god! * ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re ready for Field Camp.¡± With his batchmates leading the way toward the dining hall, Neptune shared what was on his mind as he recalled the final assessment awaiting them before they graduated. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Damian asked. Neptune held his breath. What other response could he have expected from his clueless batchmates? ¡°Think of it as some ¡®rite of passage¡¯ for recruits.¡± ¡°Oh, cool. It can¡¯t be that tough, right?¡± He had watched movies and documentaries about jungle warfare during the weekends. However, he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that these shows weren¡¯t a good representation of what was to come. ¡°Do I look like I have a crystal ball¡­?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Nevermind, forget¨C¡± From a distance, the sound of chatter filled the hallway. ¡°Why is it so noisy?¡± Bronston called out from the middle. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on? Dom tilted his head to the side to catch what was happening in front. Finn reached the dining hall¡¯s entrance and stood there. ¡°Holy shit.¡± ¡°Why are you standing there¨Coh, I get it.¡± ¡°Holy shit.¡± It seemed Batch 123 wasn¡¯t the only one excited about the vocational news. The dining hall was noisier than usual, possibly from the other batches eagerly discussing their fates. The idea of receiving specialised training upon graduating from GMT sounded like music to the recruits¡¯ ears. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s loud!¡± ¡°Shit, what did you say, Finn?¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting louder in here!¡± Neptune acknowledged the rising voice levels from the batches discussing their fate in this enclosed dining hall. ¡°Yeah¡­We need seats, boys.¡± Carmelo rubbed his belly. ¡°Damn, not even an empty table?. Dom jumped up and facepalmed himself while trying to find an empty table in the oversubscribed dining hall. When all hope seemed lost, Carmelo waved his hands frantically to capture Batch 123¡¯s attention, knowing the noise levels had drowned their voices. ¡°Guys, over here! I got one.¡± ¡°Good job, bro!¡± ¡°You a real one!¡± Except for Bray, who had its eyes fixated upon something. ¡°Guys, wait.¡± Dom glanced over irritatedly and clicked his tongue. ¡°What is it? We¡¯re hungry, mate.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up, Bray. Let¡¯s chope a table and whack some food. What do you guys say?¡± Bronston asked as he rubbed his belly. ¡°Hell yeah.¡± ¡°Sounds awesome, Bron Bron.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, you little¨C¡± ¡°Solid ass suggestion, homie.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let it pass, Melo.¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t that the batch whopping our ass every week?¡± Bray pointed his finger at a specific table¡¯s direction. He did not notice someone eyeing him with a look of disbelief mixed with surprise. ¡°Let¡¯s go grab some food before everything gets cold!¡± Bronston challenged Carmelo to see who got their food first. ¡°Yo, you wanna join us to grab some first?¡± Finn noticed Neptune taking a seat. ¡°You guys go ahead. I¡¯ll stay behind. Just help me to get a plate of food.¡± ¡°What would you like? I¡¯ll help you, bro.¡± Finn offered. ¡°No preference. Anything will do.¡± Neptune had more urgent matters to settle. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Finn fist-bumped Neptune and joined Batch 123. ¡°Hey, wait for me¨C¡± A vice-like grip stopped Bray abruptly. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± An unfamiliar frosty chill enveloped Bray, shaking him to the core as goosebumps began to form. The haunting aura from that individual felt devoid of emotion, as though the devil had possessed his batchmate after fleeing the gates of hell. ¡°...Is-is something the matter?¡± Bray felt fear upon gazing into Neptune¡¯s cold brown eyes which seemed to drag his soul into the madness of the abyss that spiralled within. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in private.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes. Just you¨C¡± Neptune licked his lips as he could barely contain his excitement. A chess piece far more valuable than any pawn on his chessboard had presented itself. ¡°¨CAnd me.¡± Chapter 11: Sound & Unsound Ravens Camp Library stood magnificently in a bygone era when the art of architecture had lost its lustre. A sea of red and yellow lilies, the physical manifestation of summer, was in full bloom, creating a scene where the old majestic temple of worship stood in solitude amongst those who lived yet were dead on the inside. Several soldiers walked along with the display of flowers, soaking in the atmosphere only Mother Nature could create. The coming of summer did not faze the youths, for they have lived in this chamber of madness since they unwillingly swapped their respective freedoms in exchange for the Federation¡¯s empty promises. This white monument contained history captured in ink from eras beyond the fleeting lifespan of a human. The concept of writing to capture the moment¡¯s essence was one solution many scholars have thought of in the past for achieving immortality. The art of putting their soul into words, to translate the inner recesses of their intellect, for they knew their tongues would suffer the fate of getting severed by the tyrannical rulers of their time. These works became proof of their existence to immortalise themselves in the history of time. That was until technology progressed to the point of no return. Humans no longer found a need to nourish their minds with words, with their curiosity cast to the wayside in the name of progressivity. Technology rapidly advanced in the world until it did not¨Cwith the fallout of the Singularity War. While some of the North¡¯s technology only survived based on a political decision, the writings of scholars stood the test of time. Architecture can be built and destroyed. Humanity can rise and fall. Ideology can pervade society and dissipate over time. However, books once written cannot be rewritten. As history has proven, human ingenuity prevailed. Since discovering Bray¡¯s sharp eye and intuition, Neptune had spent considerable time getting to know him. To understand him. To pick into his brain. And dig deeper into the core of his existence. But from an outsider¡¯s point of view, the words ¡°knowing¡± and ¡°understanding¡± would likely be replaced with another word. Highly likely, that replacement would be interrogating. Under the foliage of blooming flowers, Batch 123 had nested themselves comfortably in the shade, experiencing the coming of a new season. Finding a corner far from his batchmates¡¯ eavesdropping ears, Neptune gazed upon the spot Bray pointed. ¡°I believe this is where you first met him. Tell me more about it. And I want you to be specific. Super. Specific.¡± ¡°He stunned me.¡± ¡°Did you not hear what I said? What do you mean by stunned? That is not specific enough. More! Give me more details! You can do better!¡± Bray looked at Neptune blankly. ¡°Hurry up! We don¡¯t have all day.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I told you about it. You know that it''s ridiculous for someone to move like that!¡± Neptune placed his hands to reassure him. ¡°You can trust me. I believe in you, Bray. Tell me about it. Slowly.¡± Bray didn¡¯t want to come off as the type of person to believe in supernatural phenomena, but what he experienced on that day when coming face to face with that extraterrestrial-like being was nothing short of otherworldly. ¡°Ok, that alien appeared from out of nowhere. Poof! Like magic! Zoom, boom, zoom!¡± Neptune didn¡¯t know if Bray was pulling his legs. ¡°See? You don¡¯t even believe me! I¡¯m not telling you anything from now! Bye!¡± ¡°...So you¡¯re calling him an alien now? Hey wait¨C¡± Bray suddenly rose. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? Fine. I¡¯m gone now!¡± Neptune started nodding in frantic eagerness.¡°Wait. I believe you. He¡¯s an alien. Yes, an ET!¡± Bray clapped his hands as he had a eureka moment. ¡°I can¡¯t recall where I have seen them before, but those eyes remind me of the ¡®Unseen Rulers¡¯ myth! That same ol¡¯ myth my parents read to me as a kid!¡± Neptune raised his eyebrows. ¡°Wait a minute, do you know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± Bray covered his mouth in shock as Neptune shook his head. ¡°Oh my god, what a childhood you have there.¡± Thanks for reminding me. ¡°...Well, sorry to inform you but my mother didn¡¯t read that myth to me. I can faintly remember her reading bedtime stories about the Drazen Empire though¨C¡± ¡°What?! Did you just say stories about the Drazen Empire?¡± Bray gasped uncontrollably, wondering if Neptune¡¯s childhood of listening to those horrific tales had influenced his upbringing. ¡°Well, I just did.¡± ¡°That explains your weirdness¡­¡± ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Your mom¡­She¡¯s 100% a masochist. Come on, of all the stories to read to a child, why the freaking Empire?! Does she have a kink for those golden-haired barbarians?¡± ¡°Certainly not, look at me,¡± Neptune pointed at his brown hair, ¡°I¡¯m sure my seed came from a brown-haired man.¡± Neptune swiftly grabbed Bray by the shoulders and began to shake him senseless. ¡°Can you start with the damn story?¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re ready for it?¡± Neptune released his grip and nodded. ¡°Are you sure you want to listen to it? It¡¯s very long, though¨C¡± ¡°If you start now, perhaps the story would have already finished.¡± Bray straightened himself up and grinned from ear to ear, excited to recite his favourite story from his childhood days. ¡°Oh, it¡¯ll be my pleasure! Here we go!¡± ¡°A long time, more than millennia ago, the first inhabitants of Atlantea were a population of indigenous people. The concepts of building and harnessing the earth were foreign to them. Our ancestors lived primitive lives, one where they lived for today instead of dreaming of ¡®what could be¡¯ tomorrow.¡± ¡°One day, from the heavens descended a celestial being. This celestial wore garments intricately designed and OOParts (Out-of-place Artifacts) foreign to the eyes of these primitive souls. However, what captured the attention of these souls wasn¡¯t the possessions or clothing of the celestial but the aura he possessed.¡± ¡°The ancestors of Atlantea came before this celestial being to pledge their servitude, christening him with the title of Founding Father. The Founder possessed the power to change the base states of this realm. He had the aura of omnipotence that commanded authority with his presence. The sheer might he drew with the esoteric powers by his side conveyed his mastery over the living and the dead. Finally, the mark of a conqueror, the crown he wore on his head, showcasing his pedigree of warfare success achieved through brute force, instilling fear in the hearts of the ancestors of Atlantea.¡± ¡°The omnipotent Founder, with the powers he wielded, created the first schools in Atlantea. He imparted the ancestors of Atlantea the skills to cultivate civilisation. With these skills, Atlantea began its first renaissance in agronomics, becoming a rich country filled with bountiful crops in its vast lands. However, there were lands far beyond the reach of the ancestors.¡± ¡°The Founder selected a family whom he had seen great principles and morals. A family that has served the interest of Atlantea over themselves¨Ca hallmark of success he knew would ensure the prosperity of Atlantea after his departure. The Founder blessed this family with a portion of his power. This family is known today as the Temporeans.¡± ¡°Knowing that he had imparted most of his knowledge to the ancestors of Atlantea, the Founder departed Atlantea for new lands. Ancient Atlantea, known as South Atlantea in modern times, became the first trading port of the old world. As time passed, the Temporeans dedicated the exploration of lands beyond the South, starting their expansion upwards.¡± ¡°The Highlands, known as Central Atlantea today, started the second renaissance in Atlantea. The Temporeans utilised the raw materials and commodities found in the mountains of Central Atlantea to boost Atlantea¡¯s strength as a trading hub.¡± ¡°The Komodo Lands, known as North Atlantea today, was the final exploration by the Temporeans. The Komodo Lands were filled with abundant natural gas and energy, prompting the Temporeans to create the first institutions of higher learning to harness the possibilities of science¨Cthe ancient art of alchemy.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°The Temporeans, after spending thousands of years in the service of Atlantea and serving the wishes of the Founder, began to retreat into the lush wilderness of South Atlantea. Their name became lost in history, with nobody knowing what became of the esteemed first Atlanteans. Today, many have labelled them as the ¡®Unseen Rulers¡¯.¡± ¡°North Atlantea, with its rapid expansion, became the lands of opportunity for those foreign to Atlantea. Thousands of years have passed, with North Atlantea becoming the first country in the modern world to welcome foreigners seeking opportunities.¡± ¡°As time passed, the technocratic regime in the North grew more ambitious. They demanded a separate rule of governance from the South, desiring the separation of the North from the Republic of Atlantea. They then declared war against the South, utilising technology designed for humanity¡¯s progress to inflict harm on their oppressors. The North, filled with immigrants with no semblance and tradition, started to bite the hand that fed them for generations.¡± ¡°The Temporeans emerged from the sprawling landscapes and used their authority to inspire the ancestors of Atlantea. The Temporeans rallied the Republic¡¯s Armed Forces to enact justice on the ¡®servants of the devil¡¯ living in the North. Eventually, the North succumbed to defeat at the hands of the Republic.¡± ¡°Yet, the Temporeans were merciful. Upon the North¡¯s defeat, they declared that the technocratic regime had subverted the North¡¯s culture beyond their imagination. With a heavy heart, the Temporeans annexed the North, allowing them to rot on the inside until they repented for their wrongdoings. There was a prophecy the Founder imparted to the Temporean before departing. There would come a time when the world would become challenged by the forces of nature wielded by an ¡®Alchemical Worldender¡¯. And when the day arrives, Atlantea will unite before joining forces with other nations to defend against the catastrophe to come.¡± Bray waved his hands but Neptune did not budge one bit. ¡°Yo, something up with you?¡± He tried waving again. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t make me¨C¡± Neptune seemingly snapped out of his trance and placed his hands together to form a prayer ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°Was what?¡± ¡°That was mind-blowingly amazing.¡± ¡°Nah, you¡¯re pulling my legs!¡± ¡°One day, I¡¯ll have you be my assistant for every great work I intend to create. A storyteller like yourself deserves a roaring ovation for that magnificent act!¡± ¡°Nah¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, Bray. That was amazing.¡± Bray clenched a fistful of fabric over his heart as tears started streaming down his face. ¡°You¡¯re not pulling my legs, right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a penchant for telling tales,¡± Neptune feigned a burst of laughter. ¡°I could a hundred per cent guarantee imagine you as a salesman selling snake oil if the Empire didn¡¯t declare war on us.¡± ¡°Snake oil¡­? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a figure of speech.¡± ¡°Figure of speech? You¡¯re speaking in a slang I don¡¯t understand, my dawg!¡± ¡°What the heck is ¡®my dawg¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same thing I feel with your ¡®Neptune-speak¡¯!¡± Neptune leaned his head back. ¡°¡®Neptune-speak¡¯?! What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Your speech patterns, duh!¡± ¡°¡®Duh¡¯?¡± Bray glanced around quickly before whispering into Neptune¡¯s ears. ¡°Forget about that. I got some alpha.¡± ¡°...Alpha? Is that ¡®Bray-speak¡¯?¡± ¡°Yeah, my dawg. It means sauce. Like source. I got some good info to share with you.¡± ¡°Can you stop with that?¡± ¡°Come on, that makes me who I am.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s speak proper English.¡± ¡°Fine by me. Anyways, are you ready?¡± Neptune straightened his posture, his intent speaking for itself. ¡°That soldier visits the library at least once a day when the sun is about to set,¡± Bray inched closer to Neptune, who seemed to have reached the limits of his patience., ¡°Wait, wait! Don¡¯t get angry! Here¡¯s the best part. Are you ready?¡± ¡°You need to know when to stop with this suspense thing you¡¯re doing when we¡¯re talking about something serious.¡± ¡°I was just getting to the good stuff¨C¡± Neptune clicked his tongue, cutting into Bray¡¯s needlessly long speech. ¡°Fine, I get it! He knows I¡¯m stalking him!¡± Neptune blinked once. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Damn right.¡± ¡°Hold on right there. He didn¡¯t do anything to you despite that?¡± ¡°Nope, not a single scratch on me!¡± Bray puffed his chest, flexing his nonexistent biceps. ¡°It seems he doesn¡¯t care one bit about me. No teleportation, disappearance, or any shenanigans¨Cnothing! Nada!¡± Neptune didn¡¯t know what else to say at this ridiculous exchange. ¡°I have a question for you.¡± Can you shut up for once? ¡°What is it¡­?¡± ¡°Why are you so obsessed with him?¡± Neptune breathed in deeply, pausing before closing his eyes. He struggled to find the right words but decided to spare Bray the fate of overusing his brain cells. You¡¯ll never understand. Everything about that soldier ticked him off. His circumstances. The birthright he attained since birth. And the heritage from his bloodline¡¯s illustrious deeds. That singular, uncontrollable factor, known as the genetic lottery, had given the Temporean everything he wanted out of life. The butterfly effect advantage was unfair. Not only did that soldier possess intellectual gifts, but he also possessed a natural flair for physicality. That Temporean was strong in mind and body, something he lacked due to their complex genetic differences. For days and nights, he had spent every free waking moment researching everything about the Temporean family. His obsession led him down the rabbit hole, wondering if there was an opening he could exploit¡­ That¡¯s when he figured out that one giant loophole. There exists a glitch in the matrix. ¡°Bray¡­I am not obsessed with him.¡± ¡°If you say so. Oh, they¡¯re going back!¡± Bray pointed his finger at Batch 123 as he spotted them walking to the garden¡¯s entrance. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Something did not make sense with that soldier¡¯s participation the more his brain computed more complex permutations. ¡°I got an idea.¡± ¡°Uh-huh?¡± ¡°Hold on right there. Do me a favour, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Unless you want me to kill someone, that¡¯s a no.¡± Bray wanted to laugh until he saw a sinister expression developing on Neptune¡¯s face. Unadulterated fear began to rise within his heart. ¡°Wait a minute, you¡¯re not joking.¡± ¡°That day will come.¡± Bray laughed nervously to diffuse this strange conversation that took a turn for the worst. ¡°Erm¨CWait¡­what?¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± ¡°Come on now, Neptune. Stop making these kinds of bad jokes! I have no idea whether you¡¯re serious or joking sometimes.¡± ¡°Fine, my bad. Here¡¯s the task. I need you to help me find out that soldier¡¯s name.¡± Bray¡¯s jaw dropped at the simplicity of the task. ¡°Wait¡­that¡¯s all? I thought you wanted me to do something else!¡± ¡°That might come in handy during Field Camp.¡± ¡°Field Camp?! That¡¯s like¡­a month away from now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that. But do you think they¡¯re ready?¡± Neptune pointed at Batch 123. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just a week in the wild. What¡¯s the worst that can happen?¡± Neptune breathed and exhaled slowly before standing up. ¡°Exactly, what¡¯s the worst that can happen¡­¡± ¡­These idiots are going to fumble the bag. I know it. Leading the way to rejoin their batch, Neptune brushed off the grass on his trousers, gesturing for Bray to hurry up. ¡°That¡¯s it, let¡¯s go.¡± * ¡°Batch 123! Kindly report to the eagle¡¯s briefing hall.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t get thrown into the trenches of infantry,¡± Upon hearing the announcement, Neptune moaned jokingly as Batch 123 walked through the hallways. ¡°Infan¨Cwhat?¡± Finn curiously tilted his head. ¡°Something new you picked up from the dictionary?¡± ¡°Infantry is a branch of service where the soldiers are foot soldiers, putting it simply,¡± Neptune replied. ¡°Well¡­I don¡¯t see anything bad about it?¡± ¡°My brother, nobody wants to get posted there.¡± ¡°Why not¡­?¡± The gold coins in his collection had stories affiliated with their mint. These heroic tales commemorated legends about leaders who had conquered lands. Some tales spoke of brave warriors who became emperors and kings. Ultimately, they all had one common denominator: history celebrating the legacy of these great men. Which begs the question: what determines one worthy of becoming celebrated? The more one wonders about legacy, the closer one gets to the ultimate truth: most are remembered as a collective. And only some are worth remembering as individuals. The stories and insignificant lives of the rank and file, those footsoldiers of history, had become lost. Regardless of their feats, nobody remembers them. Even fewer know where they met their end apart from them ending up in mass burial sites. After stepping into Ravens Camp, his mindset evolved from a man cursed to die to a desire to become the hero his homeland could depend upon in dire times. Like the legends whose faces were minted on gold coins, he had found a reason to carry on his newfound existence. He could not fathom taking up the role as a backdrop in someone else¡¯s story. The tale would be his to tell as its author and the architect of his destiny. If he were to go down, he would at least ensure his heroic tale became worthy of commemoration. Because, even after death, he knew his future feats would warrant him a place in Valhalla amongst the great legends of history. ¡°I think there is more to life than sleeping in the jungle with a rifle as a wife!¡± Neptune faked another round of laughter. ¡°It sounds fun though!¡± ¡°Trust me, if you can survive Field Camp and still have that type of enthusiasm, then I think you¡¯re cut out to be in there.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know I like the outdoors? Doesn¡¯t sound like a challenge to me!¡± Finn laughed off Neptune¡¯s warning like a bad joke. ¡°Alright, boys! The moment of truth!¡± Dom pushed Eagle¡¯s Hall doors open as Batch 123 began to high-five each other in anticipation. ¡°Let¡¯s see what the future has in store for us all!¡± Neptune allowed his batchmates to proceed first. He wanted to soak in this experience, to find the words he would one day write about in his memoirs. Oh, how glorious that retelling would be. The thoughts he harboured with each step forward would form the core of his existence from this point on. I will become the hero of this story. Chapter 12: Ashes Like the other batches who had received their vocation slips, the recruits huddled together outside Eagle¡¯s Hall to share the vocations they received. Digesting words foreign to them, most wondered what these military terms mean. And fewer questioned the fate in store for them in their formations. ¡°Administrative Assistant Researcher, Rank TBC. Reporting Location: Atantea Military Research Institute, AMRI. That''s what it says. ¡± Neptune read the words on the piece of paper, which differed significantly from the vocations his fellow batchmates had received. All he received was a bunch of bewildered stares from his batchmates. ¡°What do you guys get?¡± ¡°Not as cool as yours, bro. Check this out,¡± Carmelo grabbed Bray¡¯s posting slip, flashing it at Neptune¡¯s face. ¡°Hmm, Administrative Assistant, Rank TBC. Reporting Location,¡± Neptune¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°It sounds similar to where I¡¯m heading. The Atlantea Military Ammunition Institute, AMAI.¡± Damian scratched his head. ¡°That¡¯s way too many words.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re an idiot, Damian.¡± ¡°Shut up, Bron Bron.¡± ¡°Call me that again and I¡¯ll mess you up real bad!¡± ¡°Bron Bron!¡± ¡°You!¡± Bronston and Damian began engaging in a scrappy fight with Batch 123 cheering them on like mindless spectators. ¡°Yo, Neptune.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, Finn?¡± ¡°You and Bray sure have some ¡®fancy-dancy¡¯ posting, eh?¡± Finn shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly. ¡°The boys and I are heading to the Atlantea Infantry Corps. Now that I think about it, most of us are.¡± Neptune feigned a look of shock and gasped loudly. ¡°Did you just say infantry? My condolences¡­¡± It seemed fate played an awful trick on Finn as Neptune remembered teasing him about it minutes ago. ¡°Yeah, you have more stuff to warn us about?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t wanna play spoiler. All you need to know is that you¡¯ll have a teaser of the infantry lifestyle during Field Camp.¡± ¡°Did you just call it a lifestyle?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it.¡± ¡°Your sarcastic tone always gets me, Neptune.¡± ¡°At least tell us what we¡¯ll experience in the infantry!¡± Dom overheard the conversation and pleaded with Neptune for more information. ¡°Like I said, you¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°¨CUhm, you are¡­?¡± A pale-white-skinned female soldier waved her hand at the recruit who had started daydreaming in broad daylight outside the research institute¡¯s giant gates. ¡°You leave me no choice, I¡¯ll have to send you to the Medical Wing because you look¨C¡± ¡°...Ah!¡± Neptune snapped out of his daze and saluted the officer addressing him. ¡°M-ma¡¯am! I received an order to report here at 0800 hours!" He could tell the officer did not believe him. "My apologies!¡± "I actually contemplated sending you there. I guess everything¡¯s fine from a visual perspective.¡± The officer began to size him up from head to toe. ¡°I at least have to commend you for being early." "My apologies again, ma¡¯am." ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Recruit Neptune Smith.¡± The officer nodded. ¡°Perfect timing you got there, recruit. We were awaiting your arrival. Also, it¡¯s not a good habit to stand out in the open and you know¨C¡± The officer winked. ¡°¨Cdo what you just did. Some might think you¡¯re, for lack of a better word, crazy. Anyways, that''s water under the bridge.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, I am Second Lieutenant Anastasia Nicola. Glad to meet you. Welcome to the Atlantea Military Research Institute.¡± The female soldier had pearl-white fair skin, features not of Atlantea but of a faraway land. Her eyes were a dazzling clear blue, a distinct feature of those born in the Tundralands. The way she carried herself resembled a person of a high social class. And considering her last name, Neptune wondered about her affiliation with the elite. ¡°Ma¡¯am. I am in your care.¡± Neptune held the salute despite his arms feeling the soreness of maintaining it at an intense, unwavering angle. ¡°You can rest at ease, recruit.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± Anastasia gestured for the recruit to follow her beyond the gates into the AMRI through a steel door. ¡°Alright then, follow me. There¡¯s no need to change passes since you¡¯re with me.¡± They walked past the pass office toward the gantry, where the soldiers on duty saluted Anastasia on sight. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the training in Ravens Camp, recruit?¡± Neptune was surprised at the lieutenant¡¯s polite tone, considering the officers he often interacted with seemed boastful and at most times, unapproachable. ¡°The training thus far has been challenging but my batch has managed to pull through every obstacle we faced as a team. Adjusting to a physical regiment was a problem initially but it became manageable as we got used to it.¡± ¡°What a detailed and diplomatic response, considering you''re only a recruit,¡± The automatic door slid open and Anastasia gestured for the recruit to follow her, ¡°I¡¯ll inform the training officers about your feedback.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the truth, ma¡¯am.¡± Anastasia did not say a word and smiled. ¡°This looks like serious business.¡± This massive room had a gantry for them to pass through. The number of soldiers guarding the entrance intimidated Neptune from stepping forward until Lieutenant Nicola gave her next orders. ¡°Alright, Recruit Smith,¡± Anastasia waved at the security trooper, a soldier who belonged to a branch of military personnel trained in securing strategic perimeters. ¡°Kindly remove all your belongings in your possession. After that, empty them onto the tray over there.¡± Anastasia pointed at a row of trays as she emptied her pockets of its contents. Picking up the tray, she placed it onto the automatic conveyor belt to scan the contents before walking through the smart gantry, detecting any hidden, undeclared objects on her, as the trooper inspected and processed her entry through his monitor. The trooper gave a thumbs up and saluted her, which she returned in kind. ¡°All clear, ma¡¯am. Please proceed.¡± ¡°Thank you. Have a good day ahead soldiers.¡± Neptune moaned bitterly. ¡°This looks excessively complicated¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, what did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Just follow what I just did,¡± Anastasia called out to the recruit at the other end of the gantry, where she stood beside the security trooper. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I have to hand hold you for this¡­¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It just feels incredibly pointless for such a measure.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°Nothing, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll go be going through now.¡± Neptune maintained his composure as he walked through the gantry, wondering if he had to repeat this process daily. Intellectuals like him hated two things: red tape and bureaucracies. ¡°I got a question, ma¡¯am.¡± Anastasia heaved a long sigh, placing her hands on her waist. ¡°...You sure ask a lot of questions, Recruit Smith.¡± ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll not ask you about it again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Carry on, what would you like to ask me?¡± ¡°Is it always like this, ma¡¯am?¡± Anastasia folded her arms as she raised her eyebrows. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°The procedure to enter the AMRI. It is always this complicated?¡± ¡°...Well, for starters, we don¡¯t want you smuggling things in and out.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Smuggling?¡± Neptune leaned his head back in shock. ¡°Ma¡¯am, there are people who smuggle stuff? I thought most people are, well, civilised?¡± ¡°You already said most people.¡± ¡°Does that mean the exceptions to the rule are all in here?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s for you to find out. A couple of times, some researchers tried to bring back some dead animal carcasses to bury it after an experiment went wrong. They claimed they developed an attachment to that piece of meat, funny indeed. We also have some incidents where they tried stealing toilet paper to replenish the ones back home. Don¡¯t ask me about that, I thought only girls would do that. There¡¯s more, too. I can probably spend the whole day here sharing it with you. You seriously want to listen to all of them?¡± ¡°...Thanks, but no thanks.¡± The fact Lieutenant Nicola could reveal everything without flinching made him think twice about calling this place home after graduating from the GMT. ¡°Good choice. You should experience it first-hand rather than hear it from me.¡± ¡°Experience it¡­? Ma¡¯am, what exactly goes on in the institute?¡± ¡°Nothing that concerns you immediately, let¡¯s carry on.¡± A hint of nostalgia struck Neptune as he walked inside the walls of the AMRI. The colours and structure reminded him of somewhere familiar. He felt his head throb violently, as though it had gotten progressively worse as the wailings intensified. The cold black walls with no windows reminded him of an abyss that engulfed the souls of those who walked through this passageway. These souls contributed to the blueprints of destruction, resulting in the near end of humanity decades ago. This institute contained rooms and quarters without windows, carrying a sinister vibe to the secret duties of a type of soldier Neptune had to become. He wondered who else occupied this institute and the more he thought about it, he noticed its structure mimicked an asylum from the old world. It was as though the environment, with its dark colour scheme and nefarious vibe, could transform a good-natured man into an evil genius over time. ¡°Erm¡­ma¡¯am,¡± Neptune was surprised to hear his voice echoing throughout the narrow hallway. ¡°Where are we going¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I have another question for you if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Another question, eh?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I do not want to trouble you in any way, so¡­¡± ¡°Go ahead, Recruit Smith. We still have some time.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. Which batch are you commanding?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a first. Nobody has asked me that question outside of the administration.¡± Anastasia lightly smiled at the thought of someone special to her. ¡°I¡¯m the platoon commander of Batch 77.¡± ¡°...The first place batch.¡± Those words carelessly left his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re aware of it?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I heard about it from my batchmates.¡± ¡°Ah, alright.¡± Anastasia continued walking, leading the recruit from the front, never looking back to check, for she knew there was nowhere for him to run. ¡°Are you a researcher, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Are you seriously interrogating me?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m just curious. I¡¯ll lose my mind if I don¡¯t talk. How does someone work in such a place like this?¡± ¡°Trust me, it isn¡¯t that bad.¡± ¡°Roger, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll see it for myself.¡± ¡°To answer your question. I do carry out research tasks here. Apart from my appointment as a platoon commander in GMT, I¡¯m a researcher here.¡± "What sort of research, ma''am?" "Another question, recruit? And you said this wasn''t an interrogation¡­" They took a sharp right turn and the corridor had the same black obsidian walls. Neptune noticed the lieutenant''s olive-green beret. ¡°Isn¡¯t that an infantry beret?¡± ¡°Yes it is, I also have another,¡± Anastasia whipped out a dark-blue beret as she led the way, ¡°This is the beret I commissioned with as an officer. The green one is part of my attire as a platoon commander. As you know, the GMT falls under the Infantry Corp''s command.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to brush up on all your military lingo¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Anastasia finally stopped, facing a wall with the same obsidian black colour as the other walls. Neptune stared at the blank space, then turned to face the lieutenant, who he believed had made an error. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Recruit Smith. Hold on right here. Just turn around.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Sensing a presence disappearing into thin air, he turned around, dropping his jaw in shock. ¡°Wh¨C¡± The lieutenant had disappeared. Her existence vanished. Poof. Like that. Turning his head around frantically, he knew there was nowhere she could go. Unless there exists somewhere metaphysically beyond his imagination that one could access from here. Neptune pinched himself to check if he was dreaming. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t. ¡°Where did she go¡­?¡± Suddenly, an unsettling voice whispered. A creepy, sombre tone that haunted Neptune for many sleepless nights. ¡°Smith¡­¡± His head instinctively turned toward the North¡¯s direction. Who was that? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± This time around, Neptune recognised the voice. A human voice, unlike the almost robotic one from earlier. Her distinct foreign accent had an undertone that made her stand out from the North Atlanteans. ¡°You have been approved.¡± The lieutenant waved her hands after mysteriously appearing behind Neptune. ¡°Ma¡¯am, where did you go earlier?¡± ¡°The answer to that question would be answered soon.¡± ¡°Holy¨C¡± Anastasia tore the wall open beside her, revealing a pathway toward another corridor. This wall that appeared solid in reality was an optical illusion, similar to the technology he had back home. "That legitimately surprised me." Neptune nearly lost his balance at the lieutenant''s magic trick. ¡°Let''s not keep them waiting.¡± She pressed the door¡¯s bell button, then placed her hands at her back, a customary practice for soldiers of a lower rank interacting with a senior officer. ¡°Sir, permission to enter the room!¡± The door slid open with a vacuum sound. Instead of a male officer emerging to greet them, another female officer walked out as scented perfume filled Neptune¡¯s nostrils. Immediately, he recognised who she was from that stunning visual alone. This officer, Lieutenant Brenda Reynolds, truly captured his primal instincts as a man. Never once has his eyes been blessed with the sight of a beautiful young woman trapped in the fittings of a military uniform. If not for the United Atlantea Federation''s draconian policies, Lieutenant Brenda Reynolds wouldn¡¯t have her feminine curves concealed by the uniform of assured doom. She would most likely be a highly decorated athlete, judging from her physique and stature, winning multiple gold medals in those international sports competitions that have ceased since the Singularity War he read about in books. The chance of her capturing the gaze of several nobles from Drazen and the warlords in the Tundralands would be uncontested. Even the royalty in the Kingdom would desire her. In all likelihood, this superior female specimen would be betrothed to a superior male from a faraway land, where her vessel would serve as a seedbed for genetically superior offspring one could no longer artificially create with the Smart Grid¡¯s deactivation. ¡°Ma¡¯am, congratulations on your promotion.¡± Neptune respectfully saluted his platoon commander. Brenda smiled, showcasing her well-maintained pearly whites, ¡°How did you know I got promoted?¡± ¡°There are two black bars instead of one now since the last time we met, ma¡¯am.¡± Neptune pointed at his commander¡¯s upper torso section, where that fabric signified her rank. ¡°You have a good eye..¡± ¡°Thanks, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move on, shall we? Your commanders are awaiting you,¡± Brenda gestured for her recruit to follow her lead as she turned her attention to her subordinate, ¡°Lieutenant Nicola, please proceed with your research.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Oh, wait, one more thing!¡± Anastasia turned around. ¡°ME5 Newton wants a progress sheet update. You can send it to him at the end of the day. That is all. Sorry for holding you up.¡± ¡°Roger, ma¡¯am.¡± Neptune watched Lieutenant Nicola salute First Lieutenant Reynolds before walking into another wall as she bid him farewell. ¡°Farewell, Recruit Smith.¡± ¡°Take care, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I would like to have your attention now.¡± Brenda snapped her fingers to summon her recruit¡¯s attention. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°The most important thing: remember to store your phone in one of these lockers,¡± Brenda pointed at the small wooden cabinet outside the room, ¡°Strictly no cameras allowed inside.¡± ¡°Is this necessary?¡± ¡°We have SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) here.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s the same as entering this institute.¡± ¡°Yes, get used to it.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Neptune stored his phone in the locker after setting a password on the monitor to lock it. He groaned in annoyance at the numerous security protocols and standard operating procedures he had faced in just one day. Who knew if the strict security protocols would accompany his research work at this institute? First, a full body scan. Now, no more camera phones. Neptune wondered what came next, working naked in this facility so nobody would ever suspect anyone smuggling research out? * The room was similar to the obsidian black hallways with its single-tone colour scheme. Instead, the entire room was painted white, with the equipment sharing a similar beige-white tone everywhere. A section of the lab appeared cordoned off with giant red and yellow tapes covering it, which he surmised was where experimentations happened. Neptune remembered his father telling him about the importance of labs having the colour white to spot stains. She was right. Something about the symmetry of equipment lined up in this room spooked him. The overall cleanliness felt freakishly spotless. Simply put, this lab was taking the overcompulsive-like disorder too far. Way too far. ¡°Troy, this must be the young Smith?¡± A bespectacled soldier spoke, his white coat extended to the floor as he sat, observing the young soldier he had read about. Neptune analysed that the soldier¡¯s spectacles would easily cost as much as an average worker¡¯s wage for a week. ¡°Yes, it is. I believe that¡¯s the first time you have seen him in the flesh?¡± ¡°Once when he was a toddler, but that was ages ago.¡± ¡°Even you had the chance to get invited to their bashes, what a perk of being his mentee.¡± ¡°Anyways, he does look like him. A splitting image, I would say¡­¡± ¡°Allow me to make the introduction.¡± Captain Graves walked over to the recruit under his command. ¡°I trust you have been well, Recruit Smith.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Neptune responded, concealing distaste for his OC. ¡°I received an order to report to the AMRI.¡± Troy nodded his head, for the decision for the young Smith to get assigned to the AMRI was a mandate from the President himself¨Cnot that this boy would ever know about it until he passed all the assessments. ¡°I was just talking to your new commander over here, who will be in charge of your time as an assistant researcher moving forward.¡± The bespectacled soldier stood up to walk over. The soldier had a neat haircut and a moustache¨Ca facial aesthetic rare for military personnel. His white coat was far longer than he imagined. Also, the rank insignia he wore wasn¡¯t something he recognised. Perhaps it was a new military scheme? Five black dots on his rank insignia made Neptune wonder what it meant. ¡°I¡¯m Military Engineer Five, Ivan Newton. I¡¯ll be your commanding officer after you graduate from the GMT. Long story short and to save time, I¡¯ll be your mentor after graduation.¡± Strangely, Neptune felt he could trust his mentor already. ¡°Sir, I look forward to working under your tutelage.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll look forward to it more than you,¡± Ivan smirked at his new assistant, noticing his strikingly, familiar features. ¡°Does everyone get a mentor upon graduating?¡± ¡°No, only you.¡± Neptune blinked rapidly, unsure what to make of this special arrangement. ¡°This feels strangely poetic,¡± Ivan remarked. Newton. A family known for their scientific marvels that built Atlantea during the Founder¡¯s era. He never knew someone representing the South¡¯s interest would exist across the border on the Federation¡¯s side. ¡°Indeed, sir¡­.¡± How did a Newton end up here? Neptune did not know. For one to imagine a Newton living away from their ancestral home would be preposterous. Chapter 13: Rogue Days had passed since Neptune first stepped foot into the AMRI, his eventual home after graduating from the GMT. Apart from the higher food standards compared to the mass dining hall, everything else about this place made him sick to the stomach. The emptiness. The long commute back and forth by foot. And most importantly, not having a phone. As he had not received the clearance to participate in classified work, his days were spent in the holding room reading unclassified documents he could have searched about¨Cor watched in documentaries. He tried napping to pass the time until he noticed the constant surveillance. Luckily, Neptune possessed an amazing brain. Not just any amazing brain but a superiorly amazing one. After extensively observing and analysing the compound, he knew the only locations in Ravens Camp that were not under surveillance. And that¡¯s why the luxurious washroom and their spacious cubicles had become his unofficial second home in the institute. ¡°What took you so long?¡± Unbeknownst to him, his mentor had entered the room while he went to the washroom. ¡°I needed to answer nature''s call, sir.¡± "For that long?" That''s when it dawned upon him that he spent too long catching a quick one. He knew his mentor wasn''t buying it but he still nodded. ¡°I''ll take your word for that. Your camera phone. In the locker. Now.¡± Neptune placed his hands in his uniform pants to reveal the emptiness within. Ivan waved his hands dismissively to change the subject, whipping out another giant stack of paper from within his labcoat and slamming it on the desk his mentee occupied. ¡°I need you to read through this. It is pretty self-explanatory, so fill out the forms accordingly. If need be, here¡¯s a phone to ask your mother for more information.¡± Ivan dropped a phone on the table as he walked over to the door¡¯s exit, ¡°Don¡¯t even think of using it to surf the internet; it can track everything down to even your keystrokes.¡± ¡°My mother?¡± ¡°Yes, your mother.¡± Neptune found it strange for someone to mention his family. ¡°Sir, why would I need my mother¡¯s input for these forms?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you know enough to fill everything up. Besides,¡± Ivan stroked his moustache before pressing the door¡¯s button to exit the room, ¡°I don¡¯t like this ¡®cat and mouse¡¯ game that you and Captain Graves have been playing.¡± During his mentee interactions with Captain Graves, Ivan noticed the cold war ongoing between them. He found it difficult to comprehend Troy ever wanting to vent his frustrations on an innocent boy for the sins of his father. ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡± Ivan walked away from the door, his large frame towering over Neptune, who remained seated at the desk, his hands placed on the stacks of paper. ¡°You don¡¯t have to play coy with me.¡± An intense staredown between master and student ensued, with neither backing down. A master trickster himself, Ivan knew the trick to pull. ¡°You don¡¯t know what your father did to your OC and his allies, do you?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re saying¨C¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason for your his disdain for you¡­¡± Their fallen allies never returned home. Those who survived could not speak of the tragedy of that day due to confidentiality agreements. It was all because of the mentor he trusted. Ivan thought he could forget but some wounds¡­just do not heal. ¡°Your father is the Federation¡¯s biggest black mark in its history. A literal black sheep¨C¡± Ivan heard a loud slam on the table that his mentee occupied, unleashing a vortex of untamed anger. That fit of fury he had witnessed several times as a young researcher fourteen years ago whenever a trial experiment went sour in this lab. The vehement hostility one could sense from geniuses who lacked moral compasses. He glanced at his mentee, knowing he had triggered him by that simple bait. Fourteen years ago, he was an immature researcher who believed in the words of his mentor. Everything his mentor instructed him to perform would come to fruition in the name of science¨Ceven at the cost of unethical experimentation¨Cto achieve progress and innovation at any price. ¡°Why, professor, why?¡± ¡°Ivan, you never knew me. And you never will.¡± Those were the final words of his mentor before he gave in to it. He truly believed his mentor wished for the same thing. All the scientific arts they performed. The hidden practices the ethical board had made them swear never to practice. The desecration of the departed. They shared a bond of cruelty as master and student to create a shared future for the Federation shrouded in secrecy. But that all changed on that fateful day when their work of progress transformed into the instruments of destruction. Fast forward fourteen years later, it has become the Empire¡¯s turn to play these instruments and change their tune into a symphony of vengeance. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk about my father in this manner!¡± ¡°...You failed.¡± Neptune gave his mentor a bewildered, murderous look. ¡°You¡¯re still immature and weak. Both in mind and body. You have so much potential, yet, you cannot fully grasp the raw strength that lies within.¡± Neptune¡¯s rage faded once his mentor''s words started making sense. "Don''t take people¡¯s words personally. Those who can''t keep themselves in check often get manipulated by someone else." Neptune took a moment to calm himself down and realised he had overstepped his boundaries by unleashing an uncharacteristic burst of unfettered rage. Carefully crafting his emotion matrix, he bowed his head solemnly, portraying his regret for his immaturity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ivan sighed loudly. ¡°You better get used to this, young Smith. I was merely testing you and you have failed miserably. This institute has researchers carrying massive egos, where you¡¯ll tend to butt heads often; arguing over work is commonplace, so get used to it. If you think what I said earlier was harsh, wait till you meet the rest who do not mince their words. I¡¯m not here to scare you¡­I want you to mentally prepare for what to expect when you join us.¡± ¡°...Yes, sir.¡± ¡°You understand that the final assessment is coming, right? Nobody can survive the wild when they can''t keep their emotions in check.¡± Neptune widened his eyes, understanding the implications behind his warning. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The environment you¡¯ll be in during Field Camp is significantly different from this cushy ¡®four-walls¡¯ kind of playground you recruits have trained in for months. None of you are prepared even when you might claim to be. If you can¡¯t control your emotions there, you¡¯ll lose it. Imagine just one,¡± Ivan raised his index finger, ¡°Just one soldier unprepared for the wild losing his marbles. Can you imagine the morale of the platoon? Even better, the morale of the entire company and battalion?¡± Neptune swallowed hard. Every word his mentor preached sounded like the gospel. ¡°Control your emotions. Keep yourself in check. Never let external circumstances control you. Remember to work together as a team, as one coherent unit. Like they say, one for all and all for one.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice, sir.¡± ¡°Also, your mother.¡± Neptune swallowed nervously. ¡°What about her?¡± ¡°I know the arrangement. You want to know what happened, don¡¯t you?¡± Neptune nodded and silently observed his mentor place his hand on the door¡¯s scanner. ¡°Young Smith, you must understand that all actions have consequences. Some day, when the time is right, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Turning around, Ivan spoke the last thing on his mind before letting his mentee start filling out the forms. ¡°...Yes, sir.¡± ¡°One more thing, this is more important than anything we just discussed,¡± Ivan reverted his tone to a deep-sounding professional voice, prompting his mentee to sit up straight. ¡°Those forms, please write your entry above the black line. Do not touch the black line, you understand?!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°If you fill those forms wrongly, I¡¯ll need you to fill them again with a new copy. No matter what you do, do not touch the black line! The processing time for these security clearances would take months. If you screw it up by writing on the black line, I¡¯ll send you to a ¡®line drawing¡¯ competition. You understand?!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°You understand what I just said?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Good, then repeat what I just said.¡± ¡°For this form, write above the black line. Also, do not touch the black line. Ever.¡± ¡°Perfect. You have a good memory. One that is needed for our work in these four walls.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°That concludes lesson number one.¡± ¡°Huh¨C¡± The automatic door slid shut before Neptune could probe his mentor further. When he was first posted into the AMRI and traversed this maze within the institute, he slammed his head when walking through the wrong walls. Neptune wished there was a guide, an administrative assistant on the institute¡¯s payroll, to guide researchers to their respective rooms. However, that was not the case. His wish would never become fulfilled based on his observation. From his short stint of two weeks, the institute had nobody apart from commissioned officers, amounting to a total headcount of fewer than ten people, including himself. It truly was a madhouse. ¡°Now I have to¨C¡± ¡°Let me help you with that, Recruit Smith.¡± Neptune widened his eyes, for he recognised the sweet, delicate voice. For a maiden trapped in the recesses of war, only a victory by his hands would save her from the clutches of a uniform unworthy of her god-given natural curves. ¡°M-ma¡¯am! What are you doing here?¡± Brenda quickly gestured for her recruit to stand at ease. ¡°I have some work to tidy up before heading back. Some loose ends to keep in check.¡± ¡°I seem to have lost my way again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lost again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the best with directions.¡± ¡°Understandable, you can¡¯t be good at everything. Before that, have you remembered to retrieve your phone?¡± Neptune placed his hands in his pockets and froze. ¡°Erm¡­¡± Brenda chuckled as she accompanied her recruit back to the locker. Sometimes, Neptune had forgotten that they shared the same wonderful youthfulness. But that thought quickly faded into despair upon knowing she could have lived a more meaningful life without the Federation and its selfish, draconian policies. And that, tragically mirrored him, too. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, we don¡¯t have time to waste.¡± Neptune, with phone in hand, could hardly believe his luck. If he had left the research institute without it, the entire night would have become an insufferable night of listening to his batchmates talk about their miserable combat vocational training. ¡°Luckily, I just happened to bump into you after leaving my room. Who knows if someone else would have helped you? This institute will be empty for a while, as the total headcount the Wartime Budget Committee gave us has yet to fulfil its quota. Also, we won¡¯t have any other recruits from this cohort join the institute. Most of them just don¡¯t fit the cut.¡± ¡°Then I must thank the heavens for they sent you to aid me, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Brenda flashed a big smile, causing her recruit to soak in her smile like a goddess blessing her devotees, ¡°I finally have the chance to help out a capable soldier under my command. You do not know how much time you have saved your commanders on disciplinary stuff.¡± ¡°You implore me, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Every other batch causes problems for their commanders, except for Batch 77 and us.¡± Brenda stopped in her tracks, turning around to tap her recruit on the shoulder lightly. ¡°Over there, we have reached the pass office. Can you remember the way back?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, ma¡¯am. Like I said, I¡¯m terrible with maps and all that.¡± Neptune sighed, causing his commander to chuckle lightly. Sensing his commander¡¯s authenticity, Neptune knew he had to go for it. He wanted to make himself accountable for his goal. He dropped his laughter to look his commander straight in the eyes. ¡°I have made a vow, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Batch 123 is going to get a first-place finish before this phase of military training ends.¡± Seemingly impressed, Brenda gave her recruit a thumbs up. ¡°I look forward to it, Recruit Smith.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Thank you for the help today and I¡¯ll see you during Field Camp.¡± Neptune saluted again, to which his commander returned it. ¡°Are you prepared for it?¡± Neptune sensed danger in his commander¡¯s tone. ¡°Any advice?¡± ¡°Just remember to work as a team and you all will do fine. See you soon, Recruit Smith.¡± Brenda walked toward the military vehicle with a transport operator waiting for her in the driver¡¯s seat. She turned around to speak her parting words, smiling at Neptune while the setting sun basked her beautiful olive skin. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t get lost returning to the bunk!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Oh! Before I forget!¡± Neptune tilted his head confusingly. ¡°You won¡¯t like me as much during Field Camp!¡± ¡°What do you¨C¡± Before Neptune¡¯s words reached his commander, she had already ridden off into the sunset. The sound of a jeep driving off toward the officer¡¯s quarters in Ravens Camp started loud until it became softer. And eventually, silence. ¡°She¡¯s gone¨C¡± ¡°Neptune!¡± Then, from a distance, he heard hurried footsteps as an enthusiastic voice erupted from behind. ¡°Perfect timing!¡± Bray, who had left the ammunition institute, shouted at Neptune from a distance, running to catch up where his batchmate stood. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it,¡± Bray nodded excitedly, flashing a big grin, ¡°I can¡¯t believe how I even got it.¡± ¡°If you have something to say, say it quickly. I¡¯m getting hungry.¡± The only thing on Neptune¡¯s mind was what he would feast upon during chowtime as his stomach began to growl. ¡°Come on, say it.¡± ¡°I got it!¡± "What did you get?" "It!" "What''s ''it''?" "His name!" Neptune looked at Bray intensely. His eyes once droopy by hunger were reignited by the revitalised will within him. He knew this was a game-changer, the coup-de-grace that would end the humiliation he suffered once and for all if it was what he speculated it to be. ¡°His name is¡­¡± Bray whispered the words into Neptune¡¯s ears, causing him to widen his eyes before they gradually returned to their natural state. Smirking ever-so-lightly, Neptune placed his hand on Bray¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The Field Camp is the day we claim first place.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How in the world did you get his name?¡± Bray winked playfully. ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Come on, you¡¯re good at this. Spill the tea.¡± ¡°Another time.¡± ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s time we go on the offensive during Field Camp.¡± Chapter 14: The Jungle The sun started rising on the Ravens Camp soldiers embarking on the ultimate test, Field Camp. The tens of thousands of them had marched through the roughest terrains, unimaginable to the minds of these soldiers, who could not imagine the camp had the sheer capacity to house facilities beyond the scope of a military installation. This epic finale would assess their mental and physical fortitude as defenders of their homeland. Each heavy step they took, with the sheer weight of their military gear resting against their backs, had started to take its toll as they slowly descended into fatigue-induced madness. Their eyelids flickered as the perspiration penetrated their eyes within the constraints of their stuffy helmets. They collectively wondered, not just as soldiers, but as curious citizens of the Federation, what would the Field Camp entail if the march was already this challenging? That sickening thought became the anchor that propelled the fearful soldiers forward into the unknown. They would have to pay the ultimate price if their fearful words escaped their subconscious. It somehow slipped past their minds on the state of their seemingly smooth transition. In a few short months since donning the uniform, they had become the unthinkable¨Ca promise even the salesman in white told them they would never become. "...H-how long more?" Bronston panted as he tried to catch his breath, his body strapped with the Full Battle Order standard, FBO for short, a military term for soldiers to know the appropriate types of equipment to bring for their mission. He could feel the built-up fatigue wearing his body down, wondering how long they had started marching since dawn. ¡°Shut up, Bron.¡± Finn started to drag his feet, his mind wandering into the great unknown as his blisters began to form from the wear and tear. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it. It¡¯ll only make us feel worse.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else¨C¡± ¡°Shut up, Bron! Just fucking march and shut up.¡± ¡°Finn, did you just cuss, you fucking wuss?¡± ¡°Fuck off, Bron! You¡¯re cussing as well!¡± ¡°You started first¨C¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± Nobody was in the mood for small talk in their current physical state. ¡°Fuck, I can¡¯t think anymore.¡± Dom panted, his feet gradually becoming heavier with each step compounded by the load pressing upon his lower back. ¡°Brothers, we can do this!¡± Bray cheered his batchmates on as his vision started to blur from fatigue. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± Dom released the hands on the rifle, patting Finn and Damian beside him in the marching formation¨C Suddenly a bone-chilling howl from the rearguard made everyone¡¯s neck hair stand at attention, with their goosebumps activated in a fight or flight response. ¡°Recruit, I said, hands on the fucking rifle! Get out of your formation now! Drop ten!¡± Nobody in Batch 123 dared to turn as they continued marching. Everyone recognised the blood-curdling scream from the force-prep hours ago. ¡°Oh my god, isn¡¯t that her?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her, Finn.¡± Finn gritted his teeth. ¡°Holy smokes, I never knew she had it in her. I thought model-lookalikes couldn¡¯t possibly be this whack.¡± ¡°Well, ever heard of the ¡®crazy-hot matrix¡¯?¡± Carmelo asked. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Me, neither.¡± ¡°The hotter she is, the crazier she is,¡± Carmelo answered. ¡°Now we know,¡± Damian remarked. ¡°Indeed, now we fucking know. My condolences, Dom.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Dom stumbled out between his batchmates, dropping himself into a push-up position on the jagged terrain. With the weight of the massive field pack pressing upon his body, Dom silently cursed under his breath. The sheer pain quaked through his already compromised back as he struggled to maintain the position. ¡°Permission to carry on, ma''am!¡± ¡°Have you forgotten about the orders I gave you during the brief? You are not allowed to have your hands off the rifle during the route march? Are you an idiot?¡± ¡°No, ma''am. I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± ¡°What?! So you¡¯re a genius? Then why did you put your hands off the fucking rifle?¡± ¡°Sorry, ma''am! I¡¯m an idiot!¡± ¡°Good that you acknowledge that fact! Carry on, idiot!¡± ¡°Yes¡¯ ma''am!¡± Dom dropped to a vertical base as his lips almost touched the hardened earth. ¡°ONE, MA¡¯AM! TWO, MA¡¯AM¨C¡± Lieutenant Reynolds screamed at Dom again, with more forced anger directed at him. She furrowed her brows at the unacceptable physical standards of her recruits. ¡°What the fuck is this standard? Start from scratch again! I want you to do a full-form push-up! Who the fuck taught you to do push-ups this way?!¡± ¡°Sorry, ma''am!¡± Dom had run out of breath, his body losing all strength he once had at the start of the route march. ¡°I don¡¯t think you are, idiot! Say it with conviction! Or else your batchmates will knock it down with you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma''am! I¡¯m an idiot!¡± ¡°Good! Carry on!¡± Neptune turned around slightly to catch a glimpse of Dom with his head close to kissing the ground. ¡°We are almost there. I can smell water ahead.¡± Bray, the ever-dependable cheerleader of Neptune, joined in the motivational rally. ¡°Ohhhh! I see it.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Over there!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Finally, some closure¡­¡± Batch 123 finally saw light at the end of this tumultuous path that took them through the worst terrains imaginable to men. ¡°I¡¯m back¡­¡± ¡°Yo, Dom, welcome back.¡± ¡°You know what? I¡¯m never doing that again.¡± And for the first time since setting off, Batch 123 laughed. A deep shade of azure blue entered their vision as they marched forward. Pelican Reservoir, where the soldiers found themselves marching, was where they would link up with the other batches to begin the next phase of the Field Camp. It also served as the strategic location that would mark the headquarters of this mission. The calming scent from the reservoir travelled downstream, spurring Batch 123 to fight through the pain and endure this final stretch. With the cooly natural breeze emanating that coated the exhausted soldiers, the blistering heat from the glorious sun had finally found its match. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Neptune could feel his head spinning from the march but chose to bite down deep and endure it a little longer. There wasn¡¯t time to complain, for succumbing to pain would only land his batch in trouble. ¡°A little more¡­¡± One final push to the promised land. ¡°Let¡¯s go, brothers!¡± Their collective roar ignited a fire in them to march forward, momentarily forgetting the accumulative pain in their feet. Batch 123 had started marching at 5 a.m., waking up as early as 4 a.m. to finalise their packing. The force preparation procedure and the mandatory military equipment check went smoother for them. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. With preparation like this, it was no wonder the commanders were utterly impressed with their professionalism and combat readiness as soldiers. Batch 123 was the first batch setting out for the Route March, a military practice for soldiers to travel over a designated route from their bunks to their location for the next mission. ¡°Why are they taking so long?¡± He had noticed they needed to catch up with their unusually slower force preparation timing, an uncharacteristically odd blunder from the undisputed first-place batch. Nonetheless, Bronston only cared about arriving early to rest his feet. He was sure his fellow soldiers shared the same sentiment. ¡°Oh well¡­Whatever.¡± * ¡°Well done Batch 123, take this time to pat yourselves on the back!¡± Captain Troy Graves, who led Batch 123 from the front, turned around and addressed his recruits. He had found a shady spot under the trees, blocking his recruits from the sun¡¯s intense rays, instructing them to gather there. ¡°Alright, Batch 123, everyone here?¡± Carmelo took the initiative to tally the total headcount before reporting to Captain Graves. ¡°Sir, everyone is accounted for!¡± ¡°Alright, guys, bottles out! It¡¯s time for a water parade!¡± Captain Graves whipped out his green Canteen Bottle from the right side of his ILBV. ¡°What are the seven core values of the United Atlantea Federation Armed Forces?¡± The chatter was silenced immediately. Batch 123 looked at one another as fear started rising under their belly. However, one soldier, who knew to think ahead, came prepared for a trick question like this. In his mind, when one preps at a twelve, performing at a ten comes easy. He knew this Captain would attempt a trick like this to catch them off-guard, giving him a valid reason to punish them mercilessly. ¡°Loyalty! Duty! Respect! Selfless Service! Honour! Integrity! And personal courage!¡± ¡°Impressive, Recruit Smith.¡± The commander and recruit exchanged a second-long glare before raising their canteen forward. The battle-hardened visage of Captain Graves did not waver as he met his recruit¡¯s brown eyes. Something about the young Smith felt odd, but he struggled to find the words to describe this sensation. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°Bravo, let¡¯s drink up!¡± Troy drank from his canteen while maintaining eye contact with his recruit, who did not let up from the exchange. ¡°¡°¡°Drink up!¡±¡±¡± Batch 123 screamed out loud as they began devouring the contents of their water canteen. The sun did not give any chances with its magnificent rays as the soldiers sat on grass patches sprawled throughout the campsite. As noon approached, the reservoir¡¯s serene, cooling aura could not compete with the glorious sun¡¯s intensity. Neptune grew impatient as he watched the batches fill in from beyond, each batch slugging to drag their foot toward their first checkpoint. Everything started to make sense when he realised Batch 77¡¯s absence; their deliberate act of taking their sweet time to assemble their force prep, too. There was no incentive to arrive at Pelican Reservoir other than to have more time to rest in the shade. However, if a batch were to leave later than the rest, preferably under better weather conditions when the sun¡¯s rays were more tolerable, the last platoon of marching soldiers would carry out their route march under favourable conditions. He knew soldiers in GMT undergoing this military training would not have attained this knowledge of understanding the terrain that easily for this wisdom only comes from experience in the wilderness. The last batch could take their time to march as slowly as they desired within the timeframe, for they knew, in the military, no exercise could proceed without the full strength of the battalion accounted for. Batch 123 was the first to arrive, but they had to spend hours sitting under the shade with their commanders stalking them to catch them faltering in their attempt to stay awake. One tiny mishap from them and the predators would swoop in, snatching their rifles and combat equipment. He knew the consequences were too dire this early during the Field Camp exercise. It wasn¡¯t just their mind being tested, it was also an endurance trial. ¡°We didn¡¯t plan for this boys.¡± Damian sighed loudly, sweat dripping down his forehead onto his soiled uniform. ¡°This is just day one only, bro.¡± Rey took a whiff of his armpits and nearly vomited. ¡°Heck, we smell bad.¡± ¡°The best part is we don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll get to change to a new set.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fucking right.¡± Damian scoffed. Bray turned toward Damian and threw a sachet at him. ¡°Big man, check this out.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Try it and let me know.¡± Damian curiously bit into the sachet and he instantly threw up¨C ¡°What the fuck is this? Bray, what the fuck?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sample of what we¡¯ll eat for the next few days. Bon appetit.¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be real.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what we¡¯ll be eating here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re capping.¡± Neptune curiously picked up the fallen sachet and widened the hole in it. ¡°This looks like some synthetic stew or something.¡± He then sniffed through the hole he widened. ¡°Ah, no wonder. That smell is pungent.¡± ¡°Damn, Neptune. You know this shit?¡± Neptune looked at the expiry date of the green, lifeless sachet and covered his nose. ¡°That¡¯s a standard issue combat ration packet. Goodness, with how they engineered this thing, it can survive an apocalypse.¡± ¡°Engineering? Combat Rations? Is that food? How does one engineer food?!¡± Damian had a horrified expression on his face. ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad right¡­?¡± Rey asked. Bray and Neptune nodded synchronously. They wouldn¡¯t want to know what goes on in the research institutes¡­ ¡°Oh god¡­¡± ¡°Damian, you¡¯re lucky I didn¡¯t toss that insect rice thingy at you.¡± Neptune waved another sachet with an assortment of insect stickers imprinted on it. ¡°Insect rice?! Fucking hell!¡± ¡°I would prefer it if you stopped cussing, Damian.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even realise it. I¡¯ll stop.¡± ¡°What else do we have here?¡± Bray opened his field camp and began rummaging through its contents. ¡°We have tons of biscuits and dehydrated packets of stuff¡­?¡± ¡°That looks like isotonic powder.¡± Rey pointed at the packets. ¡°We can just rip it open and pour it into our mouths.¡± ¡°Nah, don¡¯t do that now.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Save it for later when we need it.¡± ¡°Gotcha. There¡¯s a lot of stuff in here. I can¡¯t believe I threw things in here while force-prepping without knowing what they¡¯re used for.¡± ¡°Where are we going to sleep?¡± Damian asked, his eyes desperately surveying his surroundings for shelter. ¡°Tents, perhaps? We gotta pitch them with these.¡± Bray raised a couple of poles. ¡°Certainly hope so¨C¡± ¡°Why the hell are we waiting this long?¡± Bronston punched the ground beneath his feet, his rifle dropping from the resting position on his shoulder. ¡°Bron, watch it.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Don¡¯t get us in trouble.¡± Finn and Rey chided while Damian shook his head. ¡°Just because OC ain¡¯t here doesn''t mean you can run amuck!¡± ¡°What the hell, Bron,¡± Carmelo shook his head while leaning back to the giant cedar tree behind him, ¡°You could have gotten us punished, you d¨C¡± Like a flash of lightning in a thunderstorm, a familiar disciplinarian screamed in Batch 123¡¯s direction. ¡°Recruit Hayes, stop leaning against the fucking tree! Don¡¯t you have a fucking backbone, you piece of trash!¡± Everyone understood the intent of the message. ¡°We¡¯re in for a fucking treat.¡± ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake! First Dom, now you Melo?!¡± ¡°Shit, Carmelo!¡± ¡°My bad!¡± Carmelo immediately positioned himself straight up, turning his body toward a furious Lieutenant Reynolds approaching them. ¡±S-sorry, ma''am!¡± At that moment, Batch 123 stopped whatever they were doing and sat as still as possible. There was no need for words, for they knew what was going through the other¡¯s mind, especially after spending three months together in the same bunk. Whatever was going through the mind of their commander wasn¡¯t good. Lieutenant Reynolds closed her eyes as she inched closer toward Carmelo, who winced sharply before lowering his head. ¡°Recruit Hayes, enter ¡®jumping jacks position¡¯ in your FBO! You have ten fucking seconds. Carry on!¡± She squatted down to scream at the top of her lungs, pelts of fluid and her voice levels shaking her recruit to the core. ¡°Yes, ma''am!¡± Carmelo quickly slung his assault rifle forward. Finn, who sat next to him, assisted him in putting on his field pack as they stood up together. Carmelo thrust his rifle forward, ready to commence with the punishment. ¡°Jumping jack position ready, permission to carry on, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Are you an idiot, Recruit Hayes?!¡± ¡°Yes, ma''am!¡± ¡°Good, at least you acknowledge it! Carry on!¡± Neptune knew Batch 123 could have gotten away if they knew how to follow orders and not do anything outside their assigned roles. All the decisions they made as a team rested on his shoulders while they would carry out everything planned without question. However, the status quo changed when they entered the wilderness. Yes, the soldiers who marched from the inner sectors had ample supply of water to prevent dehydration and the odd chance of sunstroke. However, one last factor remained unaccounted for. The soldiers who arrived at Pelican Reservoir had their last meal six hours before they departed the mess hall. They had combat rations in their field packs, those pathetic slabs of processed garbage given to them a day ago, but that could not substitute the warm feeling of having freshly cooked food going down their oesophagus. There are some things that technology cannot replicate or replace. ¡°What an idiot!¡± As Carmelo was getting punished, Bronston pointed his finger at him, laughing hysterically. The sheer fatigue combined with the madness of an empty stomach caused the primal beast to lose control of himself. ¡°Give it a break¨Cshit.¡± Dom knew it was too late as Lieutenant Reynolds began to face them slowly. Neptune shook his head silently, knowing their commander would take matters into her own hands. Law and order had ceased once the wilderness transformed men into savages. ¡°We¡¯re in for a treat.¡± Chapter 15: Choice ¡°Everyone, get on your fucking fours! Push-up position in FBO! Fucking hurry up!¡± Lieutenant Reynold¡¯s scream reverberated throughout Pelican Reservoir, causing soldiers and commanders from afar to turn their heads in her direction, wondering who would possibly execute punishments of this magnitude when officers like herself could retire to their tents for a break after that long march. Murmurs from the observing batches started as they watched Batch 123 get pulverised. Many, with their water canteens held in half-musk, stopped and stared. They all hoped their commanders would not enact the same punishments on them. Fortunately, for the other recruits, their commanders couldn¡¯t be bothered. ¡°Looks like all of you are idiots! Not just idiots but fucking idiots!¡± Lieutenant Reynolds''s insults were unrelenting. ¡°Quick, quick, come on, guys!¡± Bray stood up quickly to assist Dom in putting on his field pack and guarding his rifle. ¡°Come, come, let¡¯s hurry up. Let¡¯s salvage this issue before it gets any worse.¡± ¡°Damn right, Bray.¡± Dom adjusted the rifle forward, swapping positions with Bray and assisting him in putting on his field pack while holding onto his rifle. ¡°What about you, Bray?¡± ¡°Cover for me¨C¡± ¡°Fucking hurry up, Batch 123. You bunch of fucking idiots! Hurry the fuck up!¡± Lieutenant Reynolds screamed again and Bray began pilling on everything he removed from the field pack back into it. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I need more time¨C¡± ¡°Fucking hell, Recruit Rotunda! Are you telling me or asking me?! Fucking recruit!¡± ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Why the fuck did you take out everything?! Are you trying to be smart, Recruit Rotunda?!¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am¨C¡± A twisted, sadistic smile found its way onto Lieutenant Reynold¡¯s lips. ¡°Recruit Rotunda. Everything out.¡± Bray looked at his commander with a ghastly expression. It can¡¯t be, that¡¯s what he thought. ¡°I said. Everything. Out.¡± Bray swallowed hard and hesitantly forced out a response. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Everything in his field pack was emptied and on full display for inspection within seconds. The combat rations. Towels. Extra sets of uniforms. Toothbrush. And more. Based on the force prep¡¯s requirements, the items were neatly aligned next to each other without gaps. ¡°Good, now put everything back in. You have,¡± Lieutenant Reynolds took out a stopwatch, ¡°Sixty seconds.¡± ¡°Sixty?!¡± ¡°Oh, you seem rather confident! Let¡¯s make that forty seconds instead.¡± Bray instantly wisened up. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! Permission to carry on!¡± ¡°Carry on!¡± Bray had never completed a force-prep this quickly and almost puked from the stress he endured. Placing the items back into his field pack based on the order he took them out, he completed it easily with two seconds left to spare. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m done.¡± Without acknowledging him, Lieutenant Reynolds stood with her arms crossed as Bray immediately got into position. Even with his face almost turning blue, he did not want to burden his batchmates. ¡°I¡¯m ready, boys.¡± ¡°Are you sure¨C¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time, let¡¯s do it. Go, go¡­¡± ¡°Quick, come, hurry up.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± In less than a minute, Batch 123 had gotten ready. The only thing left was judgment day. Neptune looked around, his mind finally at ease after seeing his fellow batchmates helping one another by taking turns to get into their FBO. He charged to the front, giving a thumbs up to show an example. ¡°All good, guys? Give me a thumbs-up.¡± His batchmates returned the thumbs-up, with Bray leading the charge. Neptune acknowledged it with a nob. ¡°Alright, Batch 123, get on all fours!¡± Batch 123 dropped to the floor, entering the push-up position. They ignored the weight on their lower backs, wishing punishment came swiftly. Bray looked around to check if everyone was doing the same when he noticed Bronston disregarding the orders given by Neptune. Bray cursed under his breath, signalling Finn to force Bronston down to the ground. ¡°Tell Bron!¡± ¡°Bron, get on all fours, you idiot!¡± Finn tried forcing Bronston onto the ground. Instead, the angry musclehead snapped. ¡°What the fuck! Fuck this woman! This bitch can¡¯t punish me! She isn¡¯t going to do a goddamn thing to me!¡± Bronston refused to budge, grabbing Finn by the collar while attempting to punch him in the face. ¡°Put your hands off me, Finn! Else, I¡¯ll drop you where you fucking stand!¡± ¡°Bron, wake the fuck up!¡± Finn screamed desperately into Bronston¡¯s ear, sensing their commander¡¯s patience about to reach their limits as she started walking towards them. ¡°Dammit, Bron! Just drop to the damn floor, you dumbass!¡± Dom pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m not going to! Fucking make me!¡± ¡°Recruit, are you deaf?! On your fucking fours!¡± Lieutenant Reynolds glared at Bronston with a distorted, twisted expression. She then turned her attention towards her recruits. ¡°Oh, you motherfuckers are in for a fucking treat.¡± That menacing hiss at the end of Lieutenant Reynold¡¯s words made Neptune¡¯s toes curl. Neptune stared at the grassy patch beneath him, his face almost touching the wondrous creation of nature. His lips were close to the grass as if about to share his first kiss with it. The infighting had gotten from bad to worse with the vulgarity screaming contest. What can I do? A hail-mary play, a scene from a movie he watched, if there ever was a time to embrace his inner acting skills¨Cthe time has finally presented itself. It was now or never. ¡°...Ah!¡± Neptune dropped to the floor, bending his body to the limits like a professional contortionist. As though the field pack he carried had somehow broken his body in half, he writhed and squirmed in sadistic euphoric madness to the point he had believed it himself. No, even if he knew it did not hurt physically, he still convinced himself that it hurt mentally. Every minor detail¨Cfrom screams to motions to facial expressions¨Chad an execution pattern carried out with utmost surgical precision. That¡¯s when he realised the power of emotions; the mastery of manipulating them could turn the tides of conflict overhead. Truth did not exist. Neither did lies. All that mattered was the desired outcome he wished upon. With most people¡¯s emotions easily manipulatable and malleable like water, he just needed to make a tiny adjustment to attain his desired results. ¡°It hurts! Dammit! Someone¡­¡± The end. ¡°...Help me! Help¨C¡± Right on cue, the facade dropped. ¡°...Recruit Smith!!!¡± With nimble feet empowered by her athlete¡¯s grace, Brenda turned around, her face stripped of its dazzling caramel tone, dashing toward her recruit. She wanted to punish Batch 123 further, but her actions had indirectly caused her prized recruit to suffer. ¡°S-someone, call the medic team! Now! I said now! Don¡¯t just watch! Do something!¡± Brenda did not realise it, but her anxious tonality gave away her insecurities. ¡°Ah-h-h, ah¨C¡± ¡°A-are you ok, Recruit Smith?¡± Before Neptune could speak further, Brenda lifted her recruit from the ground, cradling him in her embrace as she looked deep into his eyes. ¡°...I-I can¡¯t feel my legs. Ma¡¯am, I can¡¯t feel them¡­¡± Neptune raised his forearms, covering his eyes in the process. He skillfully flashed his teeth, changing his facial expressions to match the imaginary pain simulated in his mind, masterfully reenacting the scene from a movie he binge-watched as a child. Thanks to his photographic memory, he could replicate the scene and possibly star in the role itself¨Cif the producers decided to have a reboot. ¡°It hurts. Ma¡¯am, it hurts.¡± ¡°You! Go get the medics!¡± Brenda turned around, barking orders to the nearest soldier, Damian, who stood there paralysed by what had transpired. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. But we are idiots.¡± ¡°Now is not the time for this!¡± Brenda groaned desperately. ¡°B-but¡­M-ma¡¯am, what are we supposed to do?¡± ¡°Recover? I said recover¨C¡± ¡°Let me handle this, Damian! Ma¡¯am, permission for Batch 123 to recover!¡± Bray cut in to replace the stunned Damian, noticing several of his fellow batchmates still in push-up positions, not knowing whether to stand back up or remain in this position until their commander gave new orders. ¡°Re-recover! Quickly, go, go! ¡± She then screamed while supporting her injured recruit to a vertical base. ¡°Do you feel better?¡± ¡°H-Ha, ha, ha-a-a. No, ma¡¯am, I still can¡¯t feel anything,¡± Tears started to stream down Neptune¡¯s cheeks as he recalled a sad movie scene, causing him to choke on his words. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the Field Camp has just begun¡­I don¡¯t want my brothers to go through this without me¡­¡± ¡°I understand. Just hold on, ok?¡± ¡°...Yes¡­Yes, ma¡¯am. A-Are my brothers okay?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, don¡¯t move too much. The medics are on the way. Just hold on.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Brenda spotted the medics arriving with a stretcher, with her recruit running alongside them to guide them toward her under the shade. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the medics have arrived!¡± ¡°Roger, bring them over here!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Bray jogged briskly toward his commander, accompanied by the medics carrying the stretcher above their heads. A slow-walking soldier followed behind methodically, his attire significantly different from the combat medics with their stretcher. Neptune noticed something on the soldier¡¯s arm: a medical armband and a commissioned officer¡¯s rank. He recognised the soldier as a Medical Officer who served in the United Atlantea Federation Armed Forces, the UAFAF. Neptune realised the age difference between the MO (Medical Officer) and himself was only a year. Maybe two. How this MO received his medical license at such a young age bewildered him. It seemed this soldier seemed uninterested, with bored eyes frozen in place. ¡°Let me handle this, lowly infantry officer. Move aside for greatness.¡± The MO used his stethoscope hanging from his neck to read the injured soldier¡¯s vitals. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Is he okay, Dr Pavlov?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t permit you to speak. He can do better under my care than yours.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave him in your professional hands, then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°...You can at least talk to me nicely, Dr Pavlov.¡± ¡°Shoo, shoo. Get lost, you infantry officer.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be this rude.¡± "Am I? Really? Don¡¯t get too over yourself, Miss Infantry Officer. Let me, a certified professional, have him at the medical shed for a while. Amateurs like you, just stand by and wait for the experts to handle the real stuff.¡± ¡°If we weren¡¯t in uniforms, I¡¯d punch you in the balls. Whatever, that will be good. Thanks,¡± Brenda sighed softly, ¡°Boris, you mind helping me lift my recruit?¡± The MO lowered his apparatus and eased his head slowly toward Brenda. It was as though his ears had picked something akin to an insult (to him). ¡°Hold up, Miss Infantry Officer.¡± ¡°Is there a problem¡­?¡± ¡°Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?¡± Boris changed his tone upon the orders given by an officer beneath his magnificent pay grade. Regardless of them sharing the same rank (and seniority), he felt his Medical Officer title held a higher significance than ¡°just another infantry stooge¡±. ¡°You don¡¯t have to play appointments here¨C¡± With a bossy attitude, Boris raised his eyebrows, puffing his chest out to speak in a dignified tone. ¡°I¡¯m a Medical Officer, not some infantry loser like you, Brenda Reynolds! Know your role and shut your mouth!¡± ¡°Come on, Boris.¡± Brenda facepalmed, groaning loudly. ¡°You¡¯ll never shut up about it.¡± Boris placed his hands on his waist and lifted his head to the skies, ready to educate the lowly combat officer on his scholarly achievements as she appeared to have forgotten about them. ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s scholar! The youngest! The greatest! The smartest! The genius who received his medical degree within a year! Yes, that¡¯s me! Call me Meister Doctor, the legendary Dr Boris Pavlov!¡± Boris adjusted his spectacles to the tip of his nose, eyeing Brenda with scrutiny, awaiting a response from her. ¡°Good for you, but can¡¯t you tell we have an emergency on our hands?¡± Brenda started to get pissed but respected Boris¡¯s authority and status as a Medical Officer, permitting him to finish his monologue. ¡°It seems you are a lost for words, you mere mortal. The greatness of Dr Boris Pavlov knows no bounds!¡± ¡°I know how great you are, but now¡¯s not the time for this. My recruit is hurt. Can you at least use your giant brain to help him? I¡¯m not asking you to write a freaking thesis!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Boris touched his forehead, realising his speech had gone too far, finally settling himself back on earth again. ¡°No wonder they have summoned me!¡± ¡°Why else would I have called for your help, Dr Pavlov¡­?¡± ¡°Good question.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insufferable.¡± Boris felt his massive ego getting poked as a vein popped up, prompting him to rise from his squatted position. ¡°Don¡¯t make me walk away, Brenda Reynolds!¡± ¡®W-wait!¡± ¡°Ask me nicely, then.¡± ¡°My recruit is hurt and needs immediate attention. Can you and your Medical Corps attend to my recruit?¡± ¡°Not enough.¡± ¡°Pretty please, Dr Pavlov¡­?¡± Boris seemingly enjoyed getting a reaction out of Brenda. ¡°Well, Of course! That¡¯s the reason for my participation in this Field Camp! Medics, come over here!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Come on, medics! Hurry up.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°They¡¯re taking too goddamn long. Brenda, assist me with lifting your recruit. Let¡¯s carry him on, three, two, and¡­one!¡± A combined effort of Boris and Brenda lifted Neptune to a standing position. Brenda then shouted at the combat medics, directing them to come over. ¡°Medics, come here now!¡± The medics rushed quicker to Brenda¡¯s aid over their MO. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°What the hell, you perverts only move quicker when a beautiful lady tells you to?!¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll punish you horny bastards later.¡± ¡°Please sir¨C¡± ¡°I was just joking. Whatever. Ok, medics, on my count, lay him down on the stretcher!¡± Boris instructed his team as he looked at Brenda to coordinate their movements. ¡°Three! Two! One! Perfect!¡± The material wasn¡¯t comfortable, but it beat having to sit crossed legs for hours while always needing to stay on guard in case a commander swoops in to steal one of their combat pieces of equipment. As his mind wandered, he heard a feminine voice speak to him worriedly. ¡°I-Is everything okay, Recruit Smith?¡± ¡°...Y-Yes, ma¡¯am. Take care of Batch 123. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going away for a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok. Rest well,¡± Brenda patted her recruit on the shoulder as he lay on the stretcher before turning to Boris. ¡°Dr Pavlov, kindly take care of my recruit. Can you report to me his status every hour?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little excessive, Miss Infantry Officer.¡± ¡°Pretty please?¡± Brenda effortlessly blinked her luscious eyes and pleaded. Her beautiful, plump lips also moved in a sensual rhythm. Boris rolled his eyes. ¡°I give up. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re hot. I¡¯ll drop you a message on the comms every hour.¡± ¡°Thank you, Boris.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± He then faced his Medical Corps, rubbing his hands together at the thought of finally getting utilised since getting his monthly fat paychecks. ¡°Stand attention!¡± The sounds of the Medical Corps stopping their feet in unison, ready for their next orders. ¡°Alright, my medics, are you ready to do some work?!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s proceed!¡± Boris stepped back to watch his combat medics spread out to the four corners of the stretcher. ¡°On my mark, let¡¯s head back to the medical shed! It¡¯s time to work!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡± The medical shed was a far cry from the airconditioned Medical Wing located in the administrative wards of Ravens Camp. The Logistics Officer had instructed his logistical support team to pitch a tent, invoking the memories of olden warfare scenarios. The equipment setup was primitive, a complete one-eighty from the state-of-the-art facilities in the Medical Wing. Then again, it had shelter compared to the recruits who had to endure the heat. ¡°Smith, that¡¯s your name, right?¡± Boris tossed a book he was reading onto the nearby bench before walking beside the stretcher with the recruit his combat medics were carrying. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Neptune replied, clutching his heart to carry on the performance show he enacted. ¡°You can drop that damn act, dammit.¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯m hurt.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a good liar, you know that?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Forget about that. You¡¯re smart, how about that? Also, what an interesting name you have there. Your parents must have named you after the god of the seas.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the second time someone has called me that, ever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the first?! That¡¯s unacceptable. You know what, recruit?¡± ¡°What, sir?¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s here to tell me to police me on how I choose to call you.¡± Neptune noticed the MO¡¯s stack of books on his makeshift table. ¡°You enjoy reading books, sir?¡± ¡°Yes, but not so much as last time. Books are great, but you know what¡¯s better?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir.¡± Boris adjusted his spectacles, ready to deliver his Magnum opus¨Ca mental script he had prepared for his valedictorian speech, which, due to time constraints during his graduation ceremony, he couldn¡¯t present. ¡°Books are a great source of inspiration, to allow the mind to visualise what the writer wrote about. However, it is limited to what the writer wants you to feel and think. You want to know why?¡± ¡°Why, sir?¡± ¡°The writer has an invisible boundary he cannot expand beyond. Think about the books you have read. What do they tell you about reality?¡± ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡± Shaking his head, he pointed at his combat medics to leave the ¡°injured¡± recruit on the stretcher after laying him down on the grass after they finally arrived at the medical shed. ¡°...Hold on, Recruit Smith. Let me talk to my medics.¡± ¡°Medical Corps!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°My medics, please go take a break. We¡¯ll resume the checks on Recruit Smith in a few minutes. Go rest up!¡± Boris addressed his medics, permitting them to take a much-needed break after finally being put to work before he could direct all his attention to his patient. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Boris watched his combat medics scurrying off into the distance, possibly to hydrate themselves with a can of ice-cold isotonic beverage. ¡°Before I forget, grab me a can or two, will you?¡± His medics did not respond, causing Boris to heave a giant sight, knowing he had to complete a task he could have his underlings perform. ¡°Looks like they can¡¯t hear me, but whatever. I¡¯ll grab some later. Where were we?¡± ¡°Something about¨C¡± ¡°It was a figure of speech. I have a good memory.¡± Boris grabbed a foldable camp chair, placing it firmly beside his patient¡¯s motionless body on the stretcher. ¡°Books are information sources based on what the people who publish them want you to know. Think about it¡­The author can write anything and everything! That begs the question, why can¡¯t he sprout lies to paint them as truth!¡± ¡°I¡­never thought about it this way.¡± ¡°Heh, that is why¡­I said there¡¯s something better.¡± ¡°What is it, sir?¡± ¡°Do you want to know what it is, Neptune?¡± ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m at your level yet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®sir¡¯.¡± ¡°Then what should I call you, sir? ¡°I said don¡¯t call me sir.¡± ¡°Then what should I call you¡­?¡± ¡°Good question.¡± ¡°I thought you had an answer, sir.¡± ¡°I said don¡¯t call me sir.¡± ¡°So what, then?¡± ¡°Dr Pavlov.¡± ¡°Roger that, Dr Pavlov.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak so seriously with me, young Smith.¡± ¡°Then, how am I supposed to talk to you?!¡± Neptune¡¯s exchange with the MO got him all confused. For a man touted to be the Federation¡¯s only genius, Dr Boris Pavlov carried a uniquely odd figure of speech, making him impossible to understand¨Cand at times, comprehend. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Besides,¡± Boris whipped out a small piece of paper from the pocket of his uniform. From his pants pockets, he drew a pen to write on the paper in his hands. ¡°Look here, I¡¯m giving you a three-day medical certificate.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this, Dr Pavlov?¡± Boris gave out a loud chuckle at Neptune¡¯s transparency. ¡°I¡¯m legitimately surprised.¡± Seemingly pleased with his patient, Boris paused before carrying on yapping. ¡°This paper is every soldier¡¯s favourite silver bullet, but you don¡¯t seem like the type of soldier who would skirt responsibility. You know what? You don¡¯t have to know what this certificate is. Here, just take it.¡± ¡°As you wish, Dr Pavlov.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let your commanders know about it. All you have to know is this! You can only perform light duties during the Field Camp. Most importantly, you must report to the medical shed for an examination at the end of every day!¡± ¡°Roger that, Dr Pavlov.¡± ¡°Alright, wait over here! I¡¯m going to grab us some ice-cold drinks to rehydrate ourselves!¡± Boris danced away as he stood up, satisfied with his latest treasure haul. ¡°At least get me out of the stretcher?!¡± Neptune lifted his head from his mummified position. ¡°That can wait.¡± ¡°...Yes, Dr Pavlov.¡± Chapter 16 Call of the Wild The storm overhead seemed unending, as though the heavens had decided to smite the cursed survivors of the former technocratic regime. In ancient times, the rain symbolised the tears of god¨Csigns of the celestial beings¡¯ displeasure with their creations, who had corrupted their existence through nefarious means. The first inhabitants of Atlantea were taught by the Founder the importance of the wondrous cycles of nature. As times have progressed, at the peak of the North¡¯s regime and into the present, the symbolic coming of the rain has lost its symbolic significance in the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s soulless reality. For the young soldiers who would one day pledge their hearts toward the mighty cause of defending their homeland from the Drazen Empire, they enjoyed the rain¨Calbeit differently¨Cfor it meant the scheduled training program ceased until the weather cleared up. However, it wasn¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows. After retiring from an excruciatingly tough day of tactical manoeuvres, the soldiers could not fathom a natural threat from their overused sensory receptors. They were sound asleep under a night sky in their shell scrapes, those earthly coffins they had dug for themselves deep within the earth as part of their Field Camp training until the earth beneath their bodies started to cave in slowly at first as the skies began to drizzle slowly¡­and then quickly, like a torrential tribute offered to the heavens. His senses honed by unfortunate circumstances and the genes passed down through generations of selective breeding ensured his mind remained on a constant level of vigilance despite drifting toward a dream-filled restful state. He suspected a storm brewing in the clouds when the sun seemed to have its dazzling ray obstructed by the cloud clover during the day. The smell of precipitation building up in the air was something he felt, too. ¡°...That¡¯s not good.¡± 3.33 a.m.¨Can inauspicious time affiliated with the occult practitioners from his former kin when he looked at the watch he wore on his wrist, a relic found in his former home¡¯s treasure room. The watch was a heirloom passed down from father to son, from first Atlantean to the next, a prized treasure he thought his father would hand down to him when he came of age. However, that thought remains a fantasy to this day. Looking at his watch, he counted the seconds needed to evacuate his batch to the nearest training shed. Kairos knew they had to execute it surgically while maintaining absolute silence. With precise movements of his chiselled jawline to ensure no one except for a lone recipient heard, Kairos gently tapped his batchmate on his right with a fallen tree stick. ¡°John, wake up.¡± John was sound asleep, but when he felt a nudge on his shoulder, he instinctively woke up to see the ace of Batch 77, Kairos, standing atop his shell scrape, squinting his dazzling eyes. ¡°...Uh¡­W-what¡¯s up, Kairos?¡± ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wake everyone up. Save your questions for later.¡± John looked at Kairos bizarrely, but the curiosity faded away quickly as Kairos reached out his hand. After supporting John back to a vertical base, Kairos led the way forward with his hand gestures. ¡°Roger that. Oh! By the way¡­¡± Upon hearing John calling out to him, Kairos halted and directed his eyes toward him. Without a hint of emotion, those eyes gave off a penetrating feeling of indifference. As though to symbolise the stark contrast between the ruler and the ruled, that gaze created a giant chasm widening the gap between them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± John marvelled at the beauty of his ace¡¯s eyes in contrast with the untempered wilderness¡¯s backdrop under the magnificent night sky. ¡°I didn¡¯t know your eyes could glow in the dark¡­¡± John thought Kairos¡¯s eyes had a tinge of beauty when he first saw them. As time passed, these eyes seemed to carry a pedigree of nobility, a mark of Kairos¡¯s brilliance. ¡°Like a cat! Meow!¡± John mimicked a cat¡¯s signature call that sounded like a half-ass attempt. ¡°...Should I say thanks?¡± Kairos raised his eyebrows, his unwavering, monotonous tone conveying no emotions. ¡°Well, whatever¡­just want you to know¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to include that awful sound effect.¡± ¡°Fine, then¡­as you wish¡­¡± Kairos began walking ahead when his heightened visual senses made out John¡¯s final speech prompt upon his mouth¡¯s complete closure. ¡°Ok, see you in a bit.¡± Within a minute, they had gathered everyone. Finding their way back to the muster area wasn¡¯t difficult, as Kairos had taught his batch how to leave markings when they chartered into unknown territories. ¡°Yo, so what¡¯s up, big man? I heard from John that you have a mega announcement.¡± Andre whispered, barely audible for his batchmates to hear, but was sufficient for his confidant to pick up. Kairos squeezed his fingers on his right hand together, forming a five-pronged circle and placing it on his head. His batchmates knew to huddle as close to the person making that action. He then pointed to the nearest training shed. ¡° Let¡¯s head over to the shelter over there.¡± His batchmates gave him a thumbs up. ¡°I knew it would rain eventually, judging from the precipitation I felt during the day. Before we embark on this mission, there¡¯s a problem we need to address,¡± Kairos faced the giant jungle shrouded in darkness, with several dug-out shell scapes littered throughout, ¡°If it rains, all these soldiers will start panicking; let¡¯s just say we all know how it ends.¡± Kairos picked up the soft snorts cloaked by the leaves surrounding them despite his batchmates'' inability to notice them. ¡°The wild boars are ready to pounce.¡± His batchmates nodded in agreement, for they remembered the daily stampedes in the mess hall when the chowtime announcement played. As for the boars, they had hoped never to encounter one of them. They had heard stories of boars rampaging through field packs from their commander earlier in the day. ¡°We reach the shelter before it rains. And if it doesn¡¯t rain, we can inform Lieutenant Nicola at reveille that we thought it might. All clear?¡± ¡°Yeah, sounds good to me,¡± Jasper responded, looking around to see if anyone else agreed. ¡°Yup, ok.¡± ¡°Aye, aye.¡± Kairos stepped forward to give one last reminder. ¡°Alright then, it¡¯s decided. Before we forget, there¡¯s one more thing. Don¡¯t forget our wives.¡± ¡°Yes, we can¡¯t go anywhere without her, huh?¡± ¡°Of course, she would cost us our weekends if we let her get captured!.¡± ¡°Alright, we have thirty seconds. Let¡¯s meet back here once we collect her.¡± Kairos spoke once more, turning around to return to his shell scrape where his wife¨Cthe assault rifle¨C lay in wait. After reassembling with their rifles and gear worn, Batch 77 was ready to move out. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°All ready?¡± ¡°Aye, aye, let¡¯s go!¡± * The sounds of rustling leaves and droplets falling from the heavens had a familiar chime. The once ticklish sound transformed into hydro cannons fired from above. The roar of nature that would come without the cover of modern infrastructure sheltering the youths became the death blow for the soldiers. He knew this experience certainly wouldn¡¯t be his last. He knew he had lucked out several times when he returned to the jungles in his refuge, where it didn¡¯t rain. But for these soldiers, this might be their first and last time depending on the vocation assigned. They still have somewhere to call home, somewhere to return to see the faces of their loved ones. Unlike him. Faces, something Kairos could no longer remember. He couldn¡¯t remember his parents¡¯ faces. Even their voices had faded into static. And their touch had become lost in the spiral of sensitivity deprivation since calling the wilderness his home. Everything became blurry since that day the massive gate slammed shut in his face, rupturing his eardrums and killing the innocence in his adolescent soul. He never found a need to form any connections apart from one exception¡ª ¡°My nephew, how have you been? I trust training has gone well for you.¡± He watched his uncle sit opposite him on the wooden bench with a fireplace in the backdrop in the vacation home within the Azure National Park, a beautiful lumber house crafted by great architectural visionaries commissioned by his former family. The flame created a tense atmosphere, as shining and dazzling as the sapphire-blue eyes, a trait possessed by the rulers of Atlantea shared between uncle and nephew. ¡°Uncle, yes, it has been.¡± ¡°How is the training thus far?¡± ¡°Too easy.¡± Alexander chuckled a little and gave his nephew a nod of approval. ¡°You sound exactly like your father.¡± ¡°You should drop by Ravens Camp to see it for yourself.¡± ¡°When time permits.¡± ¡°Right, your schedule is rather packed.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to business, shall we?¡± Alexander placed his right hand out. Instinctively, a soldier from his entourage stood forward to place a dossier in his palm. He then opened it carefully, taking the contents from within out, a piece of parchment revealing itself to the natural flames illuminating the lumber house. ¡°Thank you. You may take your leave.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Kairos looked on as the entourage saw themselves out to the entrance of the lumber house, closing the door behind them. Luckily, the soldiers in the entourage didn¡¯t come from the family that disowned him. He loathed facing those hybrid bastards, the creations of uncontrolled lust who formed his family¡¯s private security task force. The fact that bothered him was even as crossbreeds, they had their birthright acknowledged. And just thinking about it upset him. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He wondered if that parchment contained his missing vocational posting. On the day the recruits received their notice, he was the only one who did not receive it. ¡°This is where you will spend the next phase of your military career, my nephew,¡± Alexander smiled briefly, ¡°Your posting will be at the Atlantea Air Force Training Center.¡± Kairos''s eyes brightened up upon hearing the news. He would finally reunite with his uncle outside the confines of civilisation within the Air Force. ¡°A pleasure to be by your side.¡± ¡°Yes, my nephew. You have performed well enough for the Air Force to handpick you to join us. Congratulations to you. You have done well. As they say, the work has just begun.¡± Alexander placed his head on his nephew, who began reading the appointment letter. ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°One question. Why is this part ¡®to be determined¡¯?¡± Kairos noticed the rank section had bright red ink, causing him to clarify the details. ¡°This all boils down to your final performance in GMT,¡± Alexander looked into the eyes of his nephew, who he knew could easily surpass everyone in the military, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have heard about the impending Field Camp from your commanders?¡± ¡°Yes, I have.¡± ¡°The Field Camp is the site of the final assessment of soldiers who have shown exceptional bravery and their will to perform under pressure. And most importantly, they have shown exemplary leadership that could inspire their subordinates.¡± As Alexander placed his strong right hand on his nephew¡¯s shoulder, the flames coincidentally illuminated his eyes intensely when his mouth parted to speak with intent. ¡°I believe in you, my nephew. After all, you are my precious elder brother¡¯s son.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Kairos met his uncle¡¯s gaze, lowering it bashfully. ¡°My nephew, I know you will do what¡¯s right. For if you excel in the military, maybe one day¡­¡± Alexander stood up, spreading his arms to give his beloved nephew a familial hug from within his soul. ¡°...The time will come when you will regain your birthright.¡± ¡°When will you tell me what really happened during the New Atlantis Project?¡± The question caught Alexander by surprise as he was embracing his nephew. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me now, then¨C¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time.¡± ¡°Then when? There¡¯s more to it than the public address of it, right?¡± Alexander rose from his seat and walked towards the door without saying anything. ¡°You¡¯re adamant on never unveiling the truth. I should have guessed.¡± ¡°There are two versions of the truth. I¡¯ve already told the official part of it. Unfortunately, the onus is not on me to unveil the other one.¡± ¡°Quick, before anyone else wakes up!¡± The first people who felt the rain moved alone toward the training shed, where they saw a group of soldiers already seeking refuge. They abandoned their buddies to save themselves from the ensuing madness. Many did not think of the consequences of their actions, for they still had to face one another until the bitter end. One could only imagine the tension unfolding once this episode ends. ¡°Oh, shit! It¡¯s raining!¡± ¡°Mud?! Why is there mud everywhere!¡± Then there was the second group, who hastily awakened the ones beside them. They realised it was better to move in a group in the cover of darkness. The noise generated as they gathered caused them to unleash the call of the wild, awakening the primal survivor instincts of those stunned by the torrential rain from above. Kairos could sense the hurried footsteps, where the chaos would begin. These soldiers cared not about trampling and stepping upon others to save their skin. Kairos finally opened his eyes, fixating on the darkness and observing the spiral of negativity from within the jungle. First, he heard screams. Then he heard shouting. Suddenly, there was a short moment of silence. ¡°Rectify the issue, commanders!¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± The commanders dashed forward, with torchlights and gortex jackets. Like clueless fools, the commanders displayed incompetency in improvising and leading the flock of sheep toward the promised land. If only the Drazen Empire knew how easy their invasion would be. As predicted, there were loud slurs from the angry soldiers directed at him and his batchmates. ¡°Damn it, those cunts knew, right? Their commander must have given them a heads-up!¡± ¡°These guys, damn cheaters! ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, not even a single drop of water on them! Assholes!¡± Kairos knew about the darkness in men¡¯s hearts and played it off like it was nothing. The selfishness of humanity was something he had experienced before when his kin pointed their fingers at him as the symbol of everything that went wrong. How quickly they changed the tune they sang to alleviate themselves of all responsibilities and walked away scot-free. Even blood did not matter in the face of adversity. As quickly as the soldiers angrily hurled insults at Batch 77, it went away like a bad dream. The commanders had somehow restored order. Based on their respective batches, the soldiers sat together in a single file under the shelter, staying awake until the rain subsided. The atmosphere was tense, with soldiers grumpy from the abrupt disruption of their sleeping hours. They couldn¡¯t find the will to fall back to sleep, as the smell of sweat mixed with the rainwater created a tense environment where conflicts would erupt instantaneously. The commanders constantly surveyed the soldiers in the shelter with hawk-like vigilance, suppressing their innate instinct to sleep. They no longer wanted to dedicate energy toward punishments and desperately wanted to catch a few minutes of snooze. ¡°¡­You can¡¯t leave me alone, right?¡± Kairos could feel a familiar, stalkerish pair of eyes plastered upon him. The same eyes belonged to that soldier he met in the library in a fateful encounter. The soldier had arrived at the library seeking a book he was reading, a coincidence he believed could have been the work of the heavens. The book had a link only to victims who suffered from the consequences of an expedition gone wrong. The same event that his father became the ¡°fall guy¡± of. ¡°A genius born in a rather unfortunate time.¡± He remembered the author¡¯s name before entrusting the book to the librarian to hand it to that soldier. How could he not remember? For that man held the keys to his resurgence. And the chance to rewrite the greatest injustice of his existence. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± He could not help but wonder about the works of that genius¨Cthe rumours of his research¨C if he could ever come to unravel and harness them. In his heart, Kairos thought there could be a chance to risk it all in a gamble. A small, minuscule sliver of hope. ¡°...Do you have any relation to the Professor?¡± Chapter 17: Left & Right ¡°Young Smith, look at your fellow recruits over there,¡± Boris spoke mockingly, turning his attention to the recruit who sat next to him in the medical shed. ¡°Yes, Dr Pavlov.¡± Neptune obeyed the orders, placing the papers he was reading on the table before giving his full attention to the MO sitting across from him. ¡°My goodness, Neptune, can you drop the act for once?¡± ¡°What do you mean? ¡°This Field Camp won¡¯t help us in any way, shape or form. Do you honestly think our soldiers stand a chance against the Drazen Empire¨C¡± Boris leaned in closer. ¡°¨CIn direct confrontation?¡± Neptune wondered if the MO was trying to lure him into a trap. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the reports.¡± ¡°What reports, Dr Pavlov?¡± ¡°The medical check-ups you fellas have completed before getting cleared for training. I couldn¡¯t help but sneak in and read the combat logs, too. What a mess. I¡¯m truly thinking about deserting my duties and running off elsewhere.¡± ¡°Run? To where?¡± ¡°The world is huge, Neptune. Besides, you can just call my first name.¡± Boris shook his head, wondering why the recruit under his care still refused to drop all honorifics, even when they were all alone. ¡°Dr Pavlov, I¨Cnever mind. Boris, I am not comfortable calling you by your first name, even if we are alone¨C¡± Before Neptune could finish his sentence, Boris interrupted him by snapping his fingers. ¡°Your surname is Smith?¡± Boris smirked, to which his test subject nodded. ¡°My, my, young Smith. I don¡¯t think it is a coincidence that the North once had a Smith before you who achieved astronomical feats beyond the reach of human intelligence in this fallen realm. You have the same last name as the former, yet remain humble. I wholeheartedly believe you possess the ability to go far! The gods have blessed me with meeting you, young Smith!¡± Neptune remained silent, for he knew it was better to keep his mouth shut and think of a deflective response when faced with an outlandish, flamboyant buffoon sitting beside him. Yes, the Smith the buffoon was talking about shared the same last name as him, but to acknowledge it would only perpetuate this banter further. ¡°I do not think I am close to the level this Smith you discuss. Then again, I don¡¯t think we live in times where the pursuit of innovation is of utmost importance¨C¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Boris interrupted Neptune again, this time with conviction in his voice. ¡°...This Smith I speak of, he¡¯s the key to everything¡­¡± ¡°What about this ¡®Smith¡¯ makes him the key?¡± ¡°He knows way too much. That¡¯s why, in a way¡­¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°I think he knew. However, most don¡¯t realise someone is pulling the strings behind this.¡± ¡°Pulling the strings? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a lil too ¡®far-fetched¡¯?¡± ¡°Heh, you really can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°See what exactly?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± Boris pointed at a particular group of soldiers sitting in the training shed. Unlike the other soldiers showing faces of displeasure at huddling closely without space, this group had a serene and relaxed vibe, as though nothing fazed them. That kind of zen felt odd for soldiers who should feel fear and uncertainty in this environment. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right.¡± Neptune remembered the chasm between first and second place. ¡°You recognise that?¡± ¡°Recognize what?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something peculiar about them,¡± Boris folded his arms, directing his laser pointer at the back of a soldier from that group, ¡°That recruit over there, that¡¯s the kingpin. He¡¯s the head honcho calling the audible. All those hot routes. He¡¯s the QB.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nice to point this at someone.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Boris turned off the laser pointer. ¡°Fine, you get the point.¡± ¡°Ok, what are you talking about again¡­?¡± ¡°The QB, young Smith.¡± ¡°QB?¡± ¡°The quarterback.¡± ¡°What in the world is a quarterback?¡± ¡°Young Smith, you have much to learn. I suggest you read some sports history.¡± ¡°Sports?! You mean the same distraction emperors in history would utilise to prevent their serfs from reading between the lines?¡± Boris grinned mischievously. ¡°Damn, I was right about you.¡± ¡°Right about what?¡± ¡°Anyways, that¡¯s the guy.¡± ¡°Who, what? Which guy? You¡¯re making me more confused.¡± Neptune traced the switched-off laser beam¡¯s trajectory to that soldier¡¯s back. Of course, he knew who that was. However, what piqued his curiosity was how Boris derived this conclusion so quickly. ¡°That recruit, there¡¯s something about him. He has that presence.¡± Neptune eyed Boris coldly. ¡°Please enlighten me, greatest doctor in the history of the United Atlantea Federation.¡± ¡°Bravo, say it with conviction this time.¡± ¡°Dear Dr Boris Pavlov, the greatest doctor of the United Atlantea Federation, humbly enlighten me on your intellectual thesis¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s here, Dr Pavlov!¡± One of the medics called out to them. ¡°Wait a second, is that what I think it is?¡± Neptune caught a whiff of something that should not be possible in the wild. Something tantalising. Mouthwatering. Savoury. A supply assistant placed two white boxes on the MO¡¯s table. ¡°Dr Pavlov, this is for you and the recruit.¡± Neptune licked his lips. He had his sights on the boxes as the distinct smell became too strong to ignore. ¡°How?¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting weird.¡± Boris opened a white box, unveiling the piping warm and aromatic contents in front of his test subject who had accepted his fate of combat rations for the entire Field Camp. ¡°Is¡­that for me?¡± Neptune swallowed hard at the delectable pork cubes and sauteed vegetables in Boris¡¯s ration box. ¡°How could I¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said you¡¯re smart, unlike these idiotic recruits. Talk again and I¡¯ll eat your portion. You recruits don¡¯t know when to shut up, even during mealtime. We¡¯ll carry on later.¡± Without hesitation, Neptune reached out and grabbed the white box. Like a feral beast on the brink of losing his sanity, he gorged on the box of freshly cooked food like a wandering nomad discovering an oasis in the desert. After Boris finished his lunch, he burped loudly and rested his hands on his belly. ¡°Have you heard of the hidden rulers of Atlantea¨Cnot this phoney bureaucratic mess known as the United Atlantea Federation? Eh, you finished lunch quicker than me.¡± ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t had a proper meal since yesterday.¡± Neptune licked his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of some tale regarding a shining eyes founder but that¡¯s about it. I believe what I know is just folklore passed down through¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, young Smith,¡± Boris couldn¡¯t resist stopping Neptune in his tracks, ¡°That folklore isn¡¯t some stupid tale told to the children of Atlantea to make them fall asleep. That¡¯s some real truth right there¡­¡± ¡°How do you know it''s real?¡± ¡°The first Atlanteans are the Temporean family, the true unseen rulers of Atlantea. Everyone is an expendable piece of trash to them. You. Me. Everyone here¡­¡± Boris pointed at himself and Neptune before gesturing at all the soldiers¨Ccommanders and recruits¨Cin the shed. ¡°...And the entire continent of Atlantea.¡± Neptune never imagined that someone apart from him knew of their existence, especially with the amount of knowledge hidden from the masses by the censors. Yet, he chose to assume a look of disbelief and shock to permit Boris to carry on his speech. ¡°However!!!¡± ¡°However?¡± Boris attempted to build up suspense¡­which failed. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand! Nothing makes sense! If it doesn¡¯t make dollars, it doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± ¡°What do you not understand, greatest doctor in the Federation¡¯s history?¡± ¡°This!¡± Boris pointed at the kingpin again, this time with his index finger. ¡°Alright, then?¡± ¡°But it does not make sense! Not at all. I can¡¯t comprehend why.¡± Boris switched to a thinking pose, questioning whether this soldier¡¯s existence in Pelican¡¯s Reservoir made sense. ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± ¡°That soldier. Wait for it, just wait, young Smith.¡± Finally, their target turned around. His back was no longer facing them and his face came into full view. Except, somehow, someway, this soldier was looking directly at both of them, with his sapphire-blue eyes giving off an authoritative, serene air. With no words spoken by the soldier, both men held their collective breath, soaking in the feeling of having someone close to a god paying attention to them, mere mortals living in his realm. ¡°That soldier¡­¡± Boris¡¯s jaw hadn¡¯t recovered since it dropped to the floor. ¡°The question is¨C¡± ¡°Why in the world is a recruit like him sent here to die?¡± ¡°Why in the world is a soldier like him sent here to die?¡± Both men completed each other¡¯s sentence with synchronicity. They couldn¡¯t fathom why someone from that family could send their very own to the battlefield¨Cwhere they would meet a cruel fate, with death being one of the possibilities. They could have utilised their family¡¯s power to pull the strings, ensuring their kind would remain well hidden from plain sight and live off the backs of their wage slaves through taxation. Without speaking further, they knew the rabbit hole went deeper than they could ever fathom. Chapter 18: Purpose It was time to return. After spending a long time away from the main activities, Neptune strategically reinserted himself into the fray on the final day. As fresh as he could be thanks to the doctor¡¯s orders (and the fresh rations), he possessed the advantage of walking into assessment day with a full energy tank. Upon rejoining Batch 123, he sensed his batchmates eyeing him suspiciously without saying a word. Even Bray who would usually partake in senseless banter when the opportunity presents itself, only acknowledged him with a light nod and a look that said the words ¡°be careful¡± telepathically. A part of him felt that they weren¡¯t in the mood after all that gruelling training and he quickly disregarded their behaviour as him merely overthinking it. The night sky seemed empty on a pitch-black night. It never occurred to the survivors of this realm why there weren¡¯t any stars. Perhaps these humans were occupied with ideas fed to them by their controllers, or they were simply ignorant of the microcosmic roles they play in the history of time. The Smart Grid system the North built was beyond anything the world had ever seen, with its satellites fired toward the galaxies blocking humanity¡¯s vision of the stars. His eyes were wide open as he reached out his left hand, trying to touch the lone star in the skies, the only star left unblocked by the satellites launched into space ages ago that turned the technocratic dream into a reality. ¡°Is it selfish to dream?¡± He could not turn away from the vacuum of greatness he desired to fulfil. Apart from a handful of cicadas buzzing, the perfect silence created an optimal setting for him to express himself. Unobstructed by buildings, the cooling air in an exposed field made this night in the open more enjoyable. The grass tickling his body, stimulating his five senses made him feel at peace in this realm. He wished for this moment to last forever but unfortunately, that privilege has been stolen from him since day one. There was only one way to attain this peace he sought and he was well on his way toward achieving that goal. But one goalkeeper stood in his way. Someone he had a bullet-proof plan to deal with. As his mind drifted to the endless possibilities of his ascension to the throne, one of the Faceless next to him suddenly jerked to awakening¨C ¡°What the heck!¡± Neptune didn¡¯t realise he got carried away, accidentally slamming the groundsheet he shared with a fellow batchmate, waking him up from his deep slumber. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Damian. Are you okay?¡± Before he could check on Damian, a flurry of voices joined this whirlwind of irrationality. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Someone attacked you?!¡± Within seconds, Batch 123 had all woken up from Damian¡¯s scream. Neptune gave an irritated sigh, gesturing with his hands to calm everyone down. However, the roars persisted as though his batchmates had gained several brain cells during his absence. To his surprise, Batch 123, led by Bronston approached Neptune with hostile intent, deliberately disobeying his orders. ¡°Bron, what¡¯s up?¡± Instead of a friendly response, Bronston shot a look of vehement hostility, filled with untempered rage towards him, causing Neptune to stumble back in shock. ¡°Wh¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare ¡®what¡¯s up¡¯ me!¡± Bronston grabbed Neptune by his collar, lifting him from the ground. The pent-up aggression he concealed was about to become unleashed. ¡°You¡¯re one sneaky bastard! How dare you show your fucking face again!¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Neptune spoke confidently, changing his expression to convey indifference, an emotion he knew would tick the right boxes. ¡°You snake!¡± Bronston lifted Neptune and effortlessly tossed him onto another patch of grass with a force only a wild beast could manage. That brutal manoeuver caught Neptune when he least expected, causing him to gasp in unadulterated horror as the air left his lungs. Bronston with the carnal rage swelling in his leg strength, swung it at Neptune in the abdominal area, sapping the betrayer of his vitality in one fell swoop. ¡°Stop¨C¡± With Bronston¡¯s almighty offensive, Neptune landed on his back onto the grass fields with a sickening thud, rolling from the impact until he was lying spread eagle. As his eyes caught on, the visage of a burly, vengeance-seeking beast shadowed him with malicious intent. What¡¯s happening?! He couldn¡¯t fathom the sudden change in his subject¡¯s behaviour with his eyes fixated upon the perpetrator, frozen in shock. To think his pawns could have a change of heart this quickly was certainly not part of the plan. ¡°I¡¯m not done with you!¡± Bronston squatted down as he rained fists from the heavens onto Neptune¡¯s shocked face, gradually increasing the force with each hit. The impact rattled Neptune to the core, his eyes unblinking, refusing to accept this reality. ¡°You think we can¡¯t see through your laziness, huh? You just want to avoid the tough part of military training! Motherfucker!¡± ¡°I thought! We were. Going through. This together!¡± With each pause between his sentences, Bronston added more force behind his fists, smashing Neptune¡¯s face in as Batch 123 looked on silently. ¡°...G-guys, you are mistaken¡­¡± Neptune mustered the strength to speak and pleaded with his batchmates. His batchmates shook their heads in disbelief as though they could see through his theatrics. ¡°Mistaken about what, asshole?¡± ¡°I was hurt!¡± ¡°My ass! We saw you and that damned doctor having the time of your lives in the shed!¡± ¡°It was not intentional¨C¡± ¡°While we were eating trash with our dirty hands, you had forks and spoons!¡± Neptune had no response to the truth. He thought his batchmates were too preoccupied with training to bother with the welfare he received for being ¡°injured¡±. ¡°Fresh meals! Fuck! Look at you,¡± Bronston grabbed Neptune by his neat uniform with a speck of grass on it, ¡°And look at us! We¡¯re dirty as heck! Smelly as shit! What the heck! Liar, you still want to lie to us?!¡± The punishment just kept raining on like the storm the other night. ¡°Guys¡­please¨C¡± From the group of Faceless casting their invisible visage down at him, Neptune could isolate a figure approaching forward, a face he could recognise, the only one from Batch 123 he acknowledged. With his body as a shield, that person stood defiantly against Bronston, locking eyes intensely without backing down. ¡°Move away, Bray, or else.¡± ¡°No.¡° ¡°Don¡¯t make me do what I did on that asshole to you, Bray!¡± ¡°I think we should go through with Field Camp and call it quits from there. There is no point quarrelling or all that anymore.¡± ¡°Huh?! He was not even present when we had to dig our graves!¡± ¡°Bron, we won¡¯t see each other anymore after we graduate in two weeks.¡± The end of GMT and the start of their official vocational training. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Bronston got into Bray¡¯s face. As he recalled the pain he endured while smashing his spade into the earth¡¯s unyielding matter under the noon¡¯s heat, he wondered if the betrayer even cared about them one bit in his beautiful sheltered heaven. ¡°Fucking hell! Bray, are you siding with him? After all the stupid shenanigans he pulled off?¡± ¡°Carry on with the preparation for the situational test.¡± Neither man wanted to back down. ¡°...Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Bronston leaned his head backwards, backing off from Bray¡¯s insistent stance. ¡°See you in abit, Bray,¡± Carmelo left without turning to face the wounded Neptune, gesturing to Batch 123 to leave the graveyard where they buried the betrayer. Batch 123 started to walk into the sunrise¡¯s shadow, far away from where Bray and Neptune lay on the grass fields. As the chatter faded into the wondrous, soft sounds of the wild, Bray remained silent, knowing Neptune had trouble putting two and two together. ¡°Bray!¡± With pent-up animosity, Bray heard a scream as haunting as a banshee¡¯s wail. ¡°What happened?! Three days? And they turned into this? This?!¡± Neptune had a crazed look, akin to a dictator whose ironclad rule appeared challenged. ¡°What do you think they were going to do? Sing Kumbaya?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for jokes!¡± ¡°In your absence, many things have changed¨C¡± ¡°What changed?!¡± ¡°Let me explain¨C¡± ¡°You stupid fool, hurry up with whatever you want to say!¡± ¡°Have you not thought about who dug that shithole for you to shit in?¡± ¡°Wh¨C¡± Bray¡¯s words caught him completely off guard. Neptune widened his eyes as he remembered the massive earthly hole, the makeshift latrine, at the back of the medical shed where he urinated. It had never crossed his mind who dug up that pitiful hole. Let alone who shouldered the responsibility of cleaning it up daily. As the realisation set in, he lowered his head in shock. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t be joking.¡± ¡°Now you know why the boys are pissed.¡± ¡°...They were clearing up the shit daily?¡± ¡°No shit, Sherlock.¡± ¡°...Oh god.¡± ¡°You know, those paper napkins you used last night to wipe your sweat before sleeping?¡± Neptune regretted having Bray lay down the truth as he swallowed hard. Real hard. ¡°...What about it?¡± ¡°Guess what. None of us had that luxury.¡± Bray fished into his pockets, emptying a handful of leaves onto the grass fields. ¡°We used these to clean our goddamn snot.¡± ¡°...Impossible.¡± ¡°Captain Troy Graves was there at every turn. Every struggle. Every moment that Batch 123 wanted to give up. He filled in the gap you left open,¡± Bray stood up, casting his shadow onto Neptune before turning around to join Batch 123 for breakfast, ¡°You know, it seems we all have a role to play in this, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°W-where are you going? Come back here!¡± Neptune tried to get up but fell on his back. The physical damage inflicted upon him had started to take its toll. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare walk away without me! Come back here, Bray Rotunda!¡± Bray paused in his tracks to speak. ¡°You were the one who taught me the laws of the jungle and you seem to have forgotten about it.¡± Neptune widened his eyes in disbelief, caught with his hands in the cookie jar by a lesser being putting him in his place. ¡°You¡¯re not the quarterback of this operation!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the situational test then.¡± Bray disappeared into the shed as Neptune forced himself to sit up, trying to piece everything together that hurled at him like a hurricane. He did not want to come to terms with reality but with everything that transpired, he finally had to admit that man harboured a personal vendetta against him. And the question was why? * ¡°Everyone, attention! Get into your assigned groups!¡± The Overall In-Charge commander of the Situational Test, Captain Troy Graves, spoke into the loudspeaker. Upon giving his command, the recruits scrambled to find their respective groupmates. ¡°Look here. Look here! Group 1!¡± ¡°Yes, Group 2 here!¡± ¡°Group 13!¡± Some soldiers raised their hands, showing the number assigned to them minutes ago. ¡°Hey, which group are you in?¡± ¡°Where you¨C¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Stop interrupting¨C¡± A handful ran around, like headless chickens, asking whether they shared the same grouping, unknowingly raising the noise levels and disturbing the other lifeforms they shared a commonplace with. ¡°Soldiers, always respect the jungle! That¡¯s the number one rule of field training! Don¡¯t ever forget it!¡± ¡°My apologies, sir!¡± ¡°Sorry, sir!¡± Several soldiers turned around, saluting him before they returned to normalcy. ¡°It¡¯s been ages¡­¡± This lively scene before him reminded him of the day he first joined the Swan Contingent, back when he was a ¡°lower lifeform¡±, a term often used in the military for soldiers of a lower rank. As an inexperienced teenage volunteer, his combat prowess wasn¡¯t the finest, stamina average, but he had a sheer indomitable will to last longer than his peers. While his peers would complain about everything under the sun, partially due to noble or political birth, Troy would soldier on, committing to training to the best of his abilities. Eventually, he became the mentee to a commander who, like him, didn¡¯t come from a famous lineage from the South¡¯s industrial elite or the first Atlantean bloodline. Troy¡¯s mentor exemplified a craft beyond the limits of human potential and a generous will to teach others. He had a kind soul that was a far cry compared to the other veterans in the Swans, who never bothered to get to know the volunteers beneath them in seniority. ¡°...Interesting development.¡± He watched as the last recruit got into his group, finding it odd that his recruit appeared legitimately injured as he limped over to join his group. How coincidental for a coward who feigned injury to end up like this. Poetic justice they say. If that boy ever finds out about it¡­ Troy rationalised his decision on the floating island, knowing his fallen comrades would understand. For as long as I honour the agreement, I should be fine. If the Federation had a trump card against the Empire, the son of Judas could fill that role, but Troy had trouble accepting the President¡¯s decision. There was a side to the Rogue Scientist¡¯s son he couldn¡¯t comprehend¨Cand put to words. This recruit had an aura that felt sinister, a dark side to him that he had heard from Batch 123 with his manipulative, sociopathic tendencies. The goosebumps forming on his right hand were a testament to that. ¡°Sir, the recruits are ready. Shall we report to our respective groups and begin the situational test?¡± A group of junior officers approached him, seeking permission to commence the situational test. For some would-be future officers of the UAFAF, this was the time for them to prove their worth. For others, it served as a formality in their graduation certificate. Troy swiftly turned around, nodding to give his approval. ¡°Carry on with the situational test. Don¡¯t forget the scenarios and locations where the groups are to assemble. We will comms all of you to begin once everyone is ready.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The junior officers took their nominal roll and mission brief clipboard before dispersing to their respective groups. Troy sensed a group of junior officers remaining where they stood; one was Lieutenant Brenda Reynolds, the junior officer under his charge. ¡°Sir!¡± Brenda saluted her OC, carrying a clipboard in her other hand. ¡°Ah, Lieutenant Reynolds. Why are you still here? Something wrong?¡± ¡°My accompanying officers aren¡¯t here yet.¡± ¡°Tardiness is something I do not condone, Lieutenant Reynolds. Let me make a call¨C¡± Before Troy could finish his sentence, the latecomer interrupted him like they were having a casual conversation. ¡°Captain Troy Graves!¡± ¡°Drop ten right now, Dr Pavlov. Knock it down.¡± ¡°Not me, sir! I¡¯m the genius doctor!¡± ¡°How ironic you mentioned it. Where are your standards? And why are you late?¡± ¡°Sir, I had to pick up the other officer because you didn¡¯t approve the clearance.¡± ¡°You are absolutely right.¡± ¡­Because of the past few days in the wild, he had forgotten how to function like an administrative officer. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not cut out for admin roles, huh?¡± Troy muttered. ¡°Sorry, sir, what did you say?¡± ¡°Keep quiet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± Ivan removed his hands from the pocket and removed his lab coat, which didn¡¯t suit the stuffy and hot environment he found himself in. ¡°My apologies. I believe you are ready to watch your mentee in action?¡± Troy placed his hand on his old comrade¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Oh yeah, I heard stories about how much of a genius the young Smith was from Boris.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Genius or not, I¡¯ll be the judge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the attitude you need to carry out your assessment duties without prejudice.¡± ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll proceed with the assessment as professionally as I can.¡± Chapter 19: The Unlikeliest of Alliances Ivan found a perfect vantage point to observe the mission assigned to his group¨Ca simple to execute but complex scenario for his recruits to carry out. His group consisted of eighteen recruits, five of whom were marked with an asterisk. Those marked had shown the aptitude to qualify for the Officer¡¯s Cadet Course, requiring his further input to vet them before their eventual procession into future officer cadets. That¡¯s not to say the other unmarked ones were irrelevant; as they say, everyone has a role in the military. However, Ivan found the top brass¡¯s decision regarding two specific recruits intriguing. One had a ¡°Classified¡± tag assigned to him. Due to security concerns, the recruit¡¯s name was deemed ¡°Top Secret¡±, a classification he could handle, with him possessing the highest security clearance in the Federation. Ivan looked at the document, and those sapphire eyes instantly gave away his identity¨Calias or not. Without a doubt, he knew who this boy was, even without any supporting form of identification. ¡­An image of a soldier with jet-black hair and sparkling sapphire eyes, dressed in a crisp white uniform of the Swans, wielding lightning with ease, resurfaced in his mind. For the other, he gave an irritated, exaggerated click in his mouth upon noticing the ¡°Special¡± tag. The short time spent with his mentee had given him a glimpse of what this young man was all about. Ivan had a bad feeling in his gut when he first saw his surname in an email addressed to him. It invoked memories of the past when he was a young researcher looking up to someone he idolised as a hero. He heard the Federation had plans for his mentee, but he could never unveil this information until he proved himself worthy with the trials ahead. He thought how much of a coincidence was at play when both recruits involved in the same tragedy ended up in the same group. It either was a cruel stroke of fate to reunite two victims or a ploy to make two unknown mortal enemies face each other in combat. ¡°Sir Ivan, I know you¡¯re up to no good. Before I explain my rationale, I want you to know that I don¡¯t mean that in a disrespectful manner¡­¡± The voice came from the unmistakably feminine Infantry Officer who did not belong on the battlefield. Ivan noticed the MO had accompanied her. ¡°Sir, you purposely gave us these three recruits so you could have him for yourself.¡± ¡°Rest assured that I had no part to play in this grouping,¡± Ivan replied nonchalantly. ¡°Why, sir, Recruit Smith isn¡¯t like the man you knew! He might share the blood of his father, but¡­¡± Brenda pleaded with ME5 Newton, who returned an indifferent look. ¡°...They aren¡¯t the same person!¡± ¡°You have a soft spot for him, Lieutenant; so much for trying to be a professional. Only I possess the experience to evaluate him at this conjuncture. Not you. Or the Medical Officer. Both of you stand aside and watch me handle adult business. This is above your paygrade, and both of you better know where you stand. Understand?¡± He noticed Lieutenant Reynolds flushing red in embarrassment. ¡°I said. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡­¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s true? You know you could be implicated with a ¡®Conflict of Interest¡¯ (COI) charge? I¡¯ll let it slide because I know you¡¯ll sort it out before I involve the senior command.¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey¡­That was supposed to be between us. Come on, sir. The young Smith is a genius if we can cultivate his talents!¡± Boris got into Brenda¡¯s defence and reasoned. ¡°He has not proved himself. There¡¯s too much risk involved.¡± ¡°Risk? There¡¯s no risk. Just let him pass and commission already! There¡¯s nobody else with his talent and brains. The other commands don¡¯t fit him. The task force needs him immediately!¡± Ivan blinked rapidly, unsure if the MO knew the implications of his suggestions. ¡°They can wait. Do you know what you¡¯re saying? We can¡¯t just throw him into that.¡± ¡°We need him.¡± ¡°That boy is not ready,¡± Ivan warned direly. Boris stepped forward. ¡°Our homeland needs us. We are out of time already. I have already signed my name on the dotted line. Have you?¡± ¡°Do you know what you have involved yourself in?¡± ¡°Even Lieutenant Reynolds has signed it. Captain Pershing, too. And Captain Jessory¨C¡± Ivan glanced at Lieutenant Reynolds, who immediately looked away. ¡°Why? You didn¡¯t even run it through with me first!?!¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s the only way for the Federation! What¡¯s taking you so long, sir?¡± ¡°Are you challenging me, Dr Pavlov?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. There¡¯s no reason for me to challenge you, unless¨C¡± Boris placed his hands behind his back and glared maliciously at his superior. ¡°¨CYou¡¯re returning to the South¡¯s side in this conflict.¡± ¡°Watch your tongue. I could have you stripped of your rank for insubordination, Dr Pavlov, for insinuating this nonsense,¡± Ivan warned, his fists clenched. ¡°Oh, yeah. The President is aware of it already, the son of their ¡°Chosen One¡± is ready. Then why are you trying so hard to gatekeep young Smith from restarting Project¨C¡± ¡°Stop it! Stop arguing!¡± Brenda screamed at her subordinates, not wanting to see them fight over a trivial issue. Both officers looked at each other, rationalising they had crossed the line. ¡°Lieutenant, take him with you. I will join you all shortly.¡± Ivan regained his composure, turning around to use his binoculars to observe the recruits below. ¡°Alright. Boris, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°...Sir, I¡¯m not done with you.¡± ¡°Dr Pavlov. Let¡¯s go.¡± Brenda grabbed Boris by his arm when he assumed a heated stance. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°...Aye.¡± As he heard the footsteps of his former cadets descending from the perch, Ivan breathed in slowly to ease his temper, wondering why his thoughts still lingered in the past, where his innocence got crushed by the man he once looked up to. Whatever transpired fourteen years ago had come to pass, yet, he still could not move on. The emotions he held close to his heart as the closest person to Judas weighed heavily on his consciousness, forever latching on to him like an anchor deep in the abyss. That, after all, was the sin he and his mentee inherited. ¡°All I ever wanted from you¡­¡± Clenching his spectacles tightly, he spoke sorrowfully. ¡°...Was an explanation.¡± * Irritated by the slow movement of the A-team, Neptune clicked his tongue and breathed into the comms. No matter how hard he tried to control his nerves, he disliked the complexities of managing a team of soldiers. The emotions and irrationality in the thought processes of humans only serve to infuriate him. IF only they operated like machines! That would solve all of my problems! He could not believe his luck, as the situational test assigned to him was the toughest out of the three scenarios he witnessed. Despite sensing foul play, he could not do anything about it. Unlike his batchmates, who he knew would complain about their circumstances, that was not a good solution. The only way forward was to take ownership of whatever happened after the mission brief to make the impossible possible, somehow or some way. A soldier from one of the teams responded. Neptune replied, happy with the imbecile¡¯s propensity to obey simple orders. Neptune lowered his comms set, gesturing to subgroup A to follow him behind as he took the lead. The test given to Neptune consisted of a ¡°terrorist and counteroffensive scenario¡±. The counteroffensive team had two groups¨Csubgroups A and B¨Cand had to enact a scene where they remained stranded inside an urban warfare building. The first objective is to regroup at a meeting point. Both subgroups had comms set given to them with a time limit to finish it. Once they had reunited at the common point, their second objective was to execute a ¡°cover and move¡± strategy to escape the building. Standing as the opposers of this test was the other group of soldiers undertaking the role of the terrorist team. Unlike the counteroffensive team, this team remained as one unit. Their objective was to prevent the opposing team from escaping the building. The flexibility of how they wanted to execute their role rested entirely on the terrorist in charge''s shoulders. At the start of the situational test, where they gathered in the well-trimmed grassy fields, Neptune had surveyed the recruits in his group, quickly classifying them as idiots. He hoped this test would be like a walk in the park until someone stood across from him. ¡°Hey, you.¡± To add insult to injury, the sapphire-eyed soldier ignored and walked past him like he was invisible. This deeply fueled his desire to stand tall above his rival before closing the chapter on the GMT. The setting of the situational test grouping by the commanders, allowing him to dance with his challenger at the final test, where they stand at opposing ends, felt strangely prophetic. Neptune led the tactical manoeuvre with the subgroup behind, knowing his date with destiny drew closer with each step. Even the physical toil inflicted earlier would not impede him from achieving greatness. Meanwhile, the terrorists¨Cin role only¨Cremained hidden as a blade sheathed from the world, observing the counteroffensive team complete their first objective. They received a simple order: wait for the opposing team to execute their ¡°cover and move¡± strategy. The terrorist team¡¯s overwatch reported the latest status to the group. The Overwatch team had laid prone on the rooftop with two other soldiers, rifle at the ready, watching the other team¡¯s movement with an eagle¡¯s focus, his finger ready to pull the trigger at any moment. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Kairos breathed slowly, hiding under the table in the urban warfare facility. Black, huh? Kairos thought how ridiculous the proxy surname his uncle assigned didn¡¯t raise any red flags amongst his fellow soldiers. The surname was a clear giveaway as a fake one, but nobody probed him on it. It wasn¡¯t until he met that soldier in the library that someone finally acknowledged his true status. He had since made the right call to stay as far away as possible, not to blow his disguise. Breathing in slowly, Kairos couldn¡¯t comprehend how coincidental he and that soldier had ended up in the same situational test group¨Clet alone a test where they both found each other on opposing ends. There appeared to be manipulation from the commanders, but it remained too farfetched of a conspiracy to consider. Regardless, this soldier had kept hounding him since that day¨Cfrom sending a sidekick to stalk him¨Cto ruthlessly staring at him on several nights in Pelican Reservoir. ¡­However, if that soldier possessed a blood link to the legendary researcher, it would change everything. He also discovered another odd coincidence in his assessment group, where one particular accessor stood out. Not the female officer who looked like a propaganda showpiece. Neither was it the talkative doctor who can¡¯t keep his thoughts to himself. The one who captured his attention was that soldier with the military engineer rank and that immaculate lab coat only a researcher would wear as the pride of their life¡¯s work that he stashed away in his bag. With keen eyes, he spotted a lone item in the military engineer¡¯s possession that gave his identity away. Those spectacles he wore that carried a mark he recognised from his youth. That unmistakable coat of arms belonged to one of the Tempus Guards. ¡°Newton.¡± His childhood friend¡¯s elder brother, who remained stuck in the North since the New Atlantis Project, had somehow aligned himself with the Federation. The impenetrable access code remained bound within their highly sought-after genetic sequence. He had calculated the chances of that blood bond but decided against it. If he had family, they would likely have received persecution¨Cthe extremity of a death sentence was possible. ¡°It¡¯s time to end this, Smith,¡± Kairos spoke only one sentence as he steadied himself, his tone as cold as the Tundralands. <¡°Roger that, T Team, let¡¯s move out. Toss a smoke grenade in their path from both directions.¡±> Kairos reached into the back of his ILBV for a Swiss army knife (SOG). All the terrorist team needed was the smoke to cause a blinding effect on the opposing team. After spending the last five days in Pelican Reservoir, this experience allowed him to witness the other soldiers¡¯ lack of composure. With the smoke grenades doing their magic, obfuscating their vision would be no different from the soldiers panicking in the pitch-black darkness of the night. The canister¡¯s sound rolling into the room that the counteroffensive team occupied sounded like a chime¨Ca symphony of the end for his opponents. Kairos reminded his team again, pausing before dashing forward at a speed that rendered him invisible. <...Alone. Provide me with the necessary cover¡­> The counteroffensive team started to move fluidly, teetering on the edge of overconfidence as they executed the ¡°cover and move¡± strategy taught by their field commanders days ago. Suddenly, a distinct sound of chimes¨Csomething rolling on the floor¨Ccaught his attention as Neptune heard a chime, catching something silver entering his peripheral vision. ¡°...What¡¯s that?¡± In a split second, as his team noticed the canister, loud wails amplified by the comms combined with the proximity of several idiots screaming ruptured his eardrums. ¡°...What?!¡± His team''s strategy of moving to the next room was disrupted, and they broke formation. Chaos set in, the same disharmony that had occurred the night the heavens punished the living with torrential rain. Cold sweat broke out as he stood there, stunned by his rival''s superior tactics. The team started to disperse in every direction. Some ran forward. Some stumbled backwards. In all, it was utter pandemonium. Bedlam, truest to its name. His team ignored his command and scattered like the wind, running away from the canister. That¡¯s when reality hit him like a truck. The past three days of field camp, until a day ago, he had spent every waking moment in the medical shed. His combat knowledge had stagnated while everyone else learned something new. Looking down, he saw the canister emitting what seemed to be a cloud of white mist as it dawned upon him¨Cagain. ¡°I¡¯ve lost.¡± In quick succession, another canister rolled in. His team became cloaked in the clouds of white mist in an adjacent room. Within seconds, he heard the chorus of screams filled with the firing of dummy shots. Another sound of a blank. This time, it wasn¡¯t the sound of someone firing a blank. Instead, it sounded like a master swordsman brandishing a sharpened edge on the battlefield. The precise, swift slashes created a whirling sound of calmness, a serene end, for those who met their demise by the swordman¡¯s mercy. The white mist enveloped Neptune, leaving him dazed. ¡°...Why is life so unfair?¡± Neptune lamented when he heard footsteps approaching him ahead. ¡°...Tell me why?¡± The sounds of two shots of blanks fired filled his eardrums. ¡°Why am I so unlucky? Why wasn¡¯t I born¡­¡± The room, enveloped by the white mist, created the perfect cover for anyone to execute a flawless assassination. The colours of white appeared like a sea, representing the endless victories Neptune could achieve as a hero. On his path to glory, someone stood in his way. And no matter how hard he tried, he always fell short against what seemed like divine intervention, preventing a mere mortal from besting those blessed by him. That someone, the figure approaching him with silent steps, had come into full view, his visage barely visible, with one thing standing out¨Cthe sapphire-blue eyes piercing through the ash-white smoke. ¡°...A Temporean.¡± As though he had given up on everything, laughter erupted maniacally from the bottomless traphole within. He had long given up, for this Ascended, who could have ended it any other way, had chosen an elaborate path of complexity to end him. With a voice dripping with loathing for the first Atlanteans, Neptune howled into the mist that enveloped him. ¡°To this moment, you never acknowledged my existence!¡± His team can eliminate themselves for all he cares because he would perform one final act of defiance¨Ceven if it would drag him and his rival down together in the abyss. ¡°Kairos Black!¡± He felt the floating figure pausing hesitantly, seemingly shocked by his brilliance in discovering his name. ¡°I know your secret!¡± Neptune watched the Ascended disappear into the white mist, allowing it to cover him as he stalked his prey. ¡°You are a Temporean, aren¡¯t you?!¡± Still, the Ascended did not say a word. ¡°You say nothing? Are you too high up your ass to acknowledge me as a human? Is this what the first Atlanteans view their livestock as?¡± Another long silence ensued. ¡°You are getting on my nerves, but I know why you¡¯re here!¡± Neptune spat saliva onto the ground, ready to unleash the evilest slander he had thought of. There could only be one reason why this Temporean had to serve in the military and accept a certain fate of death. ¡°You are a bastard, aren¡¯t you?! You are not one of them, just a bastard child born to a Temporean who couldn¡¯t control his urges! That¡¯s why you have received the order to die¨C¡± Before his mind could process the sentence¡¯s end, Neptune watched in awe as the Ascended dashed forward without a sound, his eyes intensifying as it created a dazzling sapphire-blue streak, moving faster than the limits of human speed, finishing him with the sound of a knife swiping his uniform in a soft slick. Neptune couldn¡¯t see or hear the shot that took him out. He had witnessed the sheer depth between him and his rival firsthand. With that, victory belonged to the terrorist team. From a distance, Neptune could hear another team screaming in joy, celebrating the victory. ¡°We won!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Neptune stood with his eyes plastered wide open after getting humbled. He could not find the right words as the smoke started to thin out, revealing the Ascended standing before him. ¡°I have to give it to you to discover my name.¡± Neptune could not process the Ascended¡¯s words, his brain still trying to process his rival¡¯s one-sided victory. ¡°You did not need to lose your cool over something as trivial as my name. Also, let me clarify something. I¡¯m not a bastard.¡± Kairos gave a blank expression as the words left his mouth. He noticed the tension subsiding and Neptune¡¯s shoulders sagging once again. ¡°Wh-what?! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Caught by surprise, Neptune stuttered. ¡°Also, I should apologise for that day when I stood you up. I need to come clean with why I did so.¡± Kairos squatted down, patting Neptune on his shoulders. He had always wanted to explain his rationale for leaving him high and dry. ¡°Why-why are you apologising after all I¡¯ve done¡­?¡± ¡°That book I left you,¡± Kairos lowered his face, ¡°It¡¯s an important day to me. The truth is¡­I want to forget that day, but I can¡¯t. I lost too much on that day.¡± Neptune watched Kairos suppress himself from bearing his emotional state. ¡°And I¡¯m sure you have lost a lot, too.¡± ¡°How do you¡­¡± ¡°Before that, we have to come to a common consensus.¡± Neptune nodded. ¡°The Federation is hiding the truth of what happened.¡± Neptune choked on his words, tears starting to swell as he finally found someone who acknowledged the hidden iceberg beneath their homeland¡¯s official narrative. ¡°At first, I did not want to take the gamble. There was no way someone from his lineage survived. But then, after the earlier events, I knew I had to.¡± ¡°Gamble¡­?¡± Kairos''s expression turned serious as he began to choke up. He wanted to believe in the impossible. ¡°I want to know something.¡± Kairos swallowed hard. ¡°No, I must know.¡± Kairos knew if the next question he asked didn¡¯t elicit a desired response, he would return to square one¨Cnot coming close to closure. Still, he resolved himself to ask. ¡°Professor Jordan Smith, the author of the New Atlantis Project book, is he your father?¡± Neptune, who had held back his tears, started to unleash the emotions he had bottled up for his entire life. He had endured several years of pent-up sadness, knowing that the Federation had lied to him since day one. All of the memories of his father, Jordan Smith, returned to him like an avalanche falling from the mountain¡¯s peak. His loved ones had denied his father¡¯s existence. The system had denied him. Everyone had denied and profited from his father¡¯s work. Neptune looked up at Kairos, knowing he finally found someone who believed in the truth. The Federation might have hidden what truly transpired from the masses, but the pain and agony remained in the victims¡¯ hearts to fuel their adrenaline in pursuing the truth. ¡°...Yes, Jordan Smith is my¨Che was my father.¡± Kairos, for the first time in years, felt hope. An opportunity to finally regain his birthright had appeared. The missing pieces of his puzzle had shown themselves. His face, which usually gave a calm, indifferent visage, turned into one that resembled hope as a spark of newfound inspiration lit up the blue flames within him. ¡°...That means¡­¡± ¡°My father was the lead researcher of the New Atlantis Project.¡± ¡°...The Federation is hiding the truth of what happened from its people. We¡¯re fighting a needless war for no reason. But, it¡¯s too late for that. The Drazen Empire is coming and we have no chance but to fight.¡± Kairos lifted his head and breathed in a solid chunk of air. ¡°I don¡¯t sound that crazy anymore. Also, I have a question.¡± ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll answer to the best of my ability.¡± Neptune took a moment to steady himself before speaking. ¡°Why is your surname¨C¡± Kairos kept mum, thinking of the best answer without showing his hand. Neptune immediately noticed Kairos¡¯s shift in behaviour and frantically waved his hand. ¡°¨CI¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± ¡°I lost my birthright fourteen years ago.¡± Neptune paused upon hearing that bombshell. Fourteen years ago¡­? Wait, isn¡¯t that? ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who lost someone important. And yes, it¡¯s related to that.¡± Chapter 20: Answering a Higher Calling Kairos arrived earlier, as usual. He desired time alone in these halls that echoed every sentiment he kept close to his heart. This library has existed since the days of ancient Atlantea, which his estranged family once owned, albeit under a far more complex name. A civil war that took place hundreds of years ago broke up the lands of Atlantea, dividing this magnificent continent into two power structures. The seasons may change, but Ravens Camp Library, with its marvellous architecture, stood against the test of time. The ash-white architectural monolith stood in the backdrop of flowers blooming in the new season as reddish leaves created a sea of crimson waves while the winds from above caressed his skin. With the habit of a ghost floating without a sound, Kairos entered and walked the halls of paper towers lined up to the heavens, soaking in the grandiosity of its intricacies and beauty. The library, in name, was leased to the administration, but he knew the title deed still belonged to its founder. These placeholders¨Cpoliticians and technocrats¨Ccan play whatever game they dream of, but everything in Atlantea belonged to them since the founding day. With the blood link established, Kairos could quell his doubts whenever he wondered if any genius survived. He knew the majority had assimilated into the Smart Grid which remained dormant behind guarded doors in the wastelands. Without embarking on that dangerous journey northward, triggering the censors that would place him in the crosshairs of the military police, he had, by the red string of fate, established contact with a comrade who would architect the end of the Drazen Empire. Kairos hoped Neptune would become the comrade he always wanted, to reclaim the birthright he desperately desired¨Cthe missing piece in his glorious comeback story. It didn¡¯t matter if he had to spill another person¡¯s blood. It also didn¡¯t bother him to know the Drazen Empire¡¯s serfs would suffer a worse fate than death by his hand. It didn¡¯t make him lose sleep over the reality that he would become the devil in the eyes of the Drazen Empire. Kairos would willingly sell his soul to the devil to achieve the one thing he lost fourteen years ago. As the door creaked open, he closed his eyes and muttered a silent prayer, ready to descend into madness. ¡°You¡¯re unsurprisingly early.¡± Neptune strolled into the library, noticing Kairos looking up to the heavens from where he stood. ¡°Neptune.¡± Kairos had sensed Neptune¡¯s presence from a mile away but allowed him to close the gap as the hostile intentions from months ago had ceased. After establishing common ground, they finally greeted each other as allies. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t that vigilant, are you?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Kairos dropped his gaze downward from the heavens, looking deep into Neptune¡¯s eyes with a cold, emotionless glare. ¡°Did you check if there are people following us?¡± ¡°My right-hand man has taken care of that.¡± ¡°That guy¡­¡± ¡°Bray¡­remember him?¡± Neptune had recalled that time when Bray had himself caught in the act by Kairos, who seemingly ¡°appeared¡± to confront him. ¡°Of course. Recruit Rotunda, if I can recall.¡± ¡°You even remember his surname.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t know you are one for small talk.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Both soldiers exchanged a look of approval as librarians circled the towers of historical paper-based relics in the background, as it cast an immense glow upon two men whose fates had finally intertwined. Their attire as uniformed personnel was a stark contrast to the scholarly vibe this institution had. Kairos reached out his hand and offered a handshake. ¡°He must respect you that much to undertake the ridiculous task of stalking me like the paparazzi.¡± ¡°Paparazzi? Don¡¯t people from your family get stalked often?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t stand out in the crowd and there certainly aren¡¯t people pointing at us like zoo animals. Here¡¯s the kicker: you¡¯re the first person I met who has identified me from physical traits alone.¡± ¡°You make it sound like the other citizens are not that bright.¡± ¡°That knowledge isn¡¯t circulated in the mainstream media.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°...And if I were to compare you to them, there obviously is a stark difference.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Neptune accepted the compliment and handshake, realising he had not introduced himself formally to his ally. ¡°Neptune Smith.¡± There was a slight pause, where Neptune noticed Kairos hesitating to introduce himself. ¡°My apologies¡­I¡¯ve forgotten about¨C¡± ¡°I,¡± Kairos remained silent, thinking whether it was appropriate to share his birth name with his comrade, ¡°Kairos Black. The pleasure is mine.¡± Both young men exchanged the long-awaited handshake, knowing they had cleared the first hurdle in their relationship. ¡°¨CHow are you affiliated with the New Atlantis Project?¡± Kairos quickly raised his eyebrows as Neptune¡¯s question caught him off guard. ¡°You are quick to drop bombs, slowdown.¡± ¡°My apologies, I don¡¯t like to waste time.¡± Pausing for a while, Kairos spoke again, conveying a tone as vague as he could be. ¡°My parents were affiliated with the New Atlantis Project fourteen years ago.¡± ¡°Hold on, does that mean your parents¡­know my father?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t answer that question.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Within my capacity¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Your parents never told you about it¡­?¡± ¡°Why would they? We were children back then.¡± ¡°...I figured.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about this connection because,¡± Kairos shook his head, ¡°There are no official records. Your father did not officially exist. Nobody knows if he ever lived. That means your father¡¯s book is technically a ¡®glitch¡¯ in this system unless everyone presumes the author used a pen name, basically a pseudonym.¡± Neptune had a depressed look, but at least he knew his father didn¡¯t disappear alone. ¡°Neptune,¡± Kairos switched to his default authoritative tone, his sapphire eyes fixed upon Neptune, causing him to stand at attention. ¡°You must understand that the masses had accepted the official tale as the truth. There¡¯s nothing we do from here that can change the public sentiment. We need to focus on what¡¯s ahead, the Drazen Empire and¨C¡± ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Neptune blurted out. ¡°To what extent do you know about your father¡¯s work? Is there anything noteworthy you can recall?¡± Neptune could sense Kairos¡¯s hastiness in switching topics. ¡°What? Nothing, of course. Hey, how is the New Atlantis Project not important?!¡± ¡°You must forget about it,¡± Kairos replied intransigently. ¡°At least give me a reasonable explanation.¡± ¡°Before you rudely interrupted me, I was about to get to the main point.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°The Temporeans are getting ready and we must prepare for what¡¯s to come very soon.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?!¡± Neptune felt Kairos¡¯s cryptic tone carried a tinge of confidentiality. ¡°The sins of fourteen years ago are coming home to roost.¡± ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t understand!¡± ¡°I need your help. Only you and I can solve this together.¡± With his mind made up, Kairos solemnly declared. ¡°We can destroy the Drazen Empire. That¡¯s the first step.¡± ¡°Hold on. Wait, you¡¯re moving too fast. I don''t get what you¡¯re saying.¡± Somehow the conversation they had flipped on its head like a pancake. Before Neptune could finish what he had to say, Kairos had seemingly disappeared like a gust of wind. Turning his head to the door, Neptune saw Kairos standing close to the exit, with his entire frame seeming to have teleported there in an instant. ¡°We¡¯re not done!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time for the Drazen Empire¡¯s empty threats. That¡¯s a problem for another day. We are not getting the truth from the Federation. But I¡¯m sure our ¡®presumed enemy¡¯ would gladly share it with us on our deathbeds.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll carry on this conversation soon. Until that day comes, remain vigilant. In the meantime¡­¡± Kairos exited the library, his voice fading into a spectre¡¯s whisper in the winds. ¡°...Your father¡¯s work. It¡¯s still incomplete. I know you can do something about it within that institute.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making me more confused than ever. Hold up!¡± Kairos exited into the sea of crimson flowers, disappearing into the inner halls of Ravens Camp, leaving Neptune standing alone under the library¡¯s dome in astonishment. ¡°What am I supposed to do now?¡± Neptune had initially arrived to gain enlightenment in his struggles. Instead, he left this encounter, scratching his head, with more unresolved questions. * A small stack of binders filled his table as he braced himself to finish the assessments of the recruits before the weekend. After spending the past few days since returning to his quarters carefully selecting the recruits who would enter the officer¡¯s course, he finally found the time to enjoy a delectable assortment of fruits left for him by his subordinate. ¡°Lieutenant Nicola, how is everything?¡± ¡°Sir, I have streamlined the selection. All I require of you is your signature,¡± Anastasia walked over to her OC¡¯s desk and placed the binder on his table. ¡°This will be quick. Only one recruit from Batch 77 has passed the assessment.¡± Captain Pershing looked at the binder with the ¡°Top Secret¡± tag and added it to the pile of his binders. All the chess pieces had fallen into place by design. ¡° I¡¯ll sign this later.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°You can see yourself out, Lieutenant Nicola.¡± ¡°Sir, I have an update.¡± ¡°We can discuss this later with the task force.¡± Captain Pershing pierced a delectable cut of melon on his plate, bringing it to his eye level. ¡°Sir, I believe I should inform you before bringing it up during the meeting.¡± Understanding the implication of his subordinate¡¯s words, Captain Pershing placed his porcelain plate of cakes on his magnificent table with immaculate precision. ¡°Take a seat.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As Captain Pershing gazed into the eyes of Lieutenant Nicola, he nodded at her before casually placing his hand on a switch under his table. ¡°It¡¯s safe now. Speak.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Carbon¡¯s Edge.¡± Chapter 21: Resentment Brews Between Two Generations The soldiers were en route to graduating from the GMT after clearing Field Camp. To successfully graduate as newly minted privates of the UAFAF, these recruits had to master the beauty of parade marching and display their uniformity of excellence under the adoration of those they would defend with their lives. Neptune observed his batchmates marching under the hot sun from the stands above the parade square. He couldn¡¯t understand how stupid his batchmates were to believe in that charlatan¡¯s propaganda. No matter how he tried to think about it, reframing it from every rational angle, this unnecessary procedure of walking in rounds, with the amount of gear they had, made zero logical sense. To think he used to watch the Swan Contingent march for years and to witness the final product come to life from all that rehearsal boggles his mind. ¡°No wonder they¡¯re idiots.¡± ¡°My esteemed young Smith. Mind if I, the greatest medical genius in the Federation¡¯s short history, join you?¡± Upon hearing a familiar voice, Neptune turned to see Boris descending the stands toward him. ¡°I thought you had things to do.¡± ¡°Yes and no. My medics are busy because some recruits did not hydrate themselves adequately.¡± ¡°You mean they caught a heat injury?¡± ¡°Something like that, a minor heat stroke. Then again, I do understand their excitement.¡± Boris leaned closer towards Neptune, sensing he might not share the same sentiments as his batchmates. ¡°You don¡¯t feel the same? That feeling of achievement of conquering the unknown?!¡± ¡°You¡­are serious, right?¡± ¡°How dare you doubt my ingenuity?!¡± Neptune began fanning himself with his hands. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I just can¡¯t fathom marching under that intense heat. They must be idiots or something.¡± ¡°Well, during the Field Camp, a couple of recruits did admit they were idiots.¡± ¡°...You do know they admitted that under distress.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s switch subjects, young Smith.¡° Boris yawned loudly as he sat down. ¡°Hold up.¡± Neptune folded his arms. ¡°Why are you calling me young Smith when we¡¯re the same age?¡± ¡°Can you stop asking these tough questions?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a simple one.¡± ¡°Not that simple, you know. It looks like you¡¯re enjoying the immunity I gave you?¡± Boris smirked, lightly tapping his test subject¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Yikes, this bench is so uncomfortable. This will induce back problems for all of the young studs!¡± ¡°You are whiny for a guy.¡± ¡°Is that a problem? How have you been using the free pass I¡¯ve given you?¡± Neptune raised his eyebrows. ¡°Without my immunity, guess who¡¯ll be marching under the hot sun in this unforgiving weather? Now¡¯s the time for you to thank me!¡± Boris grinned audaciously at his patient while pumping out his chest. Neptune was a little reluctant to boost Boris¡¯s ego and kept quiet. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m waiting.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr. Pavlov, the greatest medical genius.¡± Neptune¡¯s eyes were fixated on his batchmates as they marched around the parade square. ¡°Perfect. How are things with them? Patched things up like boys do?¡± Neptune looked up at Boris briefly before turning away. ¡°I get it. Must be bad.¡± ¡°Who cares? I won¡¯t see them soon¨C¡± Neptune spotted something odd. ¡°¨CWait a minute, where did they come from?¡± Neptune pointed at the female soldiers he had not seen since arriving at Ravens Camp. It was surreal to see them after so long. ¡°You mean those fertile soldiers who should be pumping out babies instead of serving in the military?¡± ¡°That¡¯s crude,¡± Neptune spat at Boris, who pretended to wince, falling back from the bench dramatically, ¡°What sort of training did they receive?¡± ¡°Why do you want to know so much?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m just curious.¡± ¡°Lies. You can tell me, young Smith. I won¡¯t tell. My lips will be as sealed as super glue.¡± ¡°Did the Federation mess up their officer selection criteria?¡± ¡°You better take back those nasty words. The same people who picked me also picked you!¡± ¡°Are you implying¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out yourself. The ball is not in my court to tell you anything. Why don''t you go talk to your mentor?¡± Neptune¡¯s memory of his mentor lecturing him resurfaced and he sighed loudly. ¡°Sir Ivan isn¡¯t happy with my performance during the situational¨C¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t switch subjects on me. I know what you¡¯re up to. Come on, don¡¯t tell me you like someone from your batch. Someone would be upset with you!¡± ¡°What did you just¨C¡± Boris flicked his finger at Neptune¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡¯re dense as hell, young Smith.¡± ¡°Ouch. Give me a hint. Don¡¯t leave me hanging high and dry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a virgin¡­aren¡¯t you?¡± Neptune''s face turned as bright red as a ripened tomato. ¡°You might possess a brilliant mind, but when it comes to matters of the heart, you¡¯re as clueless as they come. However, I understand. You¡¯re too young to know the signs.¡± ¡°Like you said, I¡¯m a young Smith.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a nickname.¡± ¡°I¡¯m young and a Smith.¡± Boris seemed flabbergasted at Neptune¡¯s ability to tell a stupid, cold joke. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again. It doesn¡¯t match your vibe.¡± ¡°Spill the tea.¡± ¡°Alright, I give up. One of my colleagues is smitten with you! I won¡¯t tell you who, even if you ask! Go figure!¡± There was no way someone like her would find him remotely attractive. Neptune looked down at his oversized uniform and not-so-fit physique shamefully. ¡°...Is it my platoon commander? You¡¯re pulling my legs.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°..........................¡± ¡°Hey, young Smith.¡± Boris¡¯s prompt received no response. ¡°It seems you¡¯re looking a little flustered. Are you starting to feel your groins heat up? Are your genitals activated in anticipation of planting your seed far and deep within what¡¯s between her legs? I won¡¯t fault you for that. She¡¯s hot. Hot with a capital H. She might be able to teach you a couple tricks here and there.¡± ¡°Tricks?¡± ¡°The indoor olympics and all that good stuff. You need to know the joys of using your dipstick, young Smith!¡± ¡°You do have a vivid imagination. Shut up.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t deny your primal instincts awakening..¡± Neptune sighed quickly, slumping his shoulders. ¡°You forgot I¡¯ve studied the human anatomy as part of my curriculum.¡± ¡°That¡¯s way too much information. Now I can¡¯t erase what you just said.¡± ¡°Nothing quite like improving the Federation¡¯s birthright! You and her will make¨C¡± ¡°Please stop.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s some advice, don¡¯t live life with regrets. Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re still young. There¡¯s still plenty of life ahead of us. With a war coming up on our shores, we will never know our last day. Take it from someone who had lived some life ahead of you, young Smith.¡± Neptune raised his eyebrows at Boris¡¯s words. It seemed as though he had quadrupled in age. ¡°Aren¡¯t we the same age? You¡¯re starting to sound like a grandpa.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your evidence?¡± Boris challenged. ¡°...Sometimes I forget you¡¯re an officer.¡± Now, it was Neptune¡¯s turn to tease. ¡°I¡¯m not just any officer, young Smith. I¡¯m a Medical. M with a capital M. Medical Officer! Also, I¡¯ll be a grandpa if you can fertilise¨C¡± ¡°You sound like a child compared to my contemporaries. I wonder which is worse¨C¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m the same age as you, young Smith!¡± ¡°So, you admit it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m admitting it under distress, so it doesn¡¯t count!¡± ¡°Every time I speak to you, I feel like I¡¯m getting nowhere.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°That¡¯s your problem, not mine! You¡¯re lucky you have an acquaintance such as myself entertaining you. Where do you find doctors that can provide such good after-consultation services?! Tell me!¡± ¡°Fine, thank you. You know, even though we are the same age¡­¡± Neptune imagined a world where the North had not fallen. ¡°...It feels like we are two lost souls living in the wrong era.¡± ¡°Hold it right there, we aren¡¯t the same age! I¡¯m older than you!¡± ¡°Shut up, you admitted it earlier. What are your thoughts about the Drazen Empire?¡± It seemed a lightbulb went up in Boris¡¯s nefarious mind. ¡°You mean Goldilocks?¡± ¡°Goldilocks¡­?¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re talking to a Drazen when they have freakishly annoying, beautiful golden blonde hair!¡± ¡°That¡­I must agree.¡± Boris rubbed his chin in a scholarly-like manner. ¡°How do they maintain that beautiful mane?¡± ¡°...You worry about that?¡± ¡°No, but we should be worried about which house is leading this invasion.¡± Throughout the Drazen Empire¡¯s reign of dominance throughout history, each noble house took its respective turn occupying the throne. It was a never-ending struggle for dominance and power amongst the descendants of their neighbouring continent. ¡°The Crown Prince was the one who declared war against us. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± ¡°House Drazen isn¡¯t known for being geeky. Maybe House Corvus¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting a little over ourselves. Isn¡¯t that just myths? I thought they were constantly infighting.¡± Neptune suspected Boris¡¯s knowledge of the Empire and their state of affairs were outdated. After all, thirty years is a long time. ¡°Nah, by the time we know who the Empire sends to our doorsteps, we would be dead already. There¡¯s something else we should worry about. I¡¯ve always wondered about it on several nights. You remember the day we got hijacked?¡± How could he not? Since that day, his reality started to have hues that were not monochrome. ¡°What about it?¡± Neptune knew there was no way the Drazen Empire could have hijacked the Federation, given its multilayered security protocols nested deep within the North¡¯s data centres. A data kingdom that stood undisputed and impenetrable for more than three decades, unless someone had compromised them from the inside. ¡°There must be spies¡­¡± Boris gave an enigmatic passing remark. ¡°I heard that spies are often the ones who look the least bit suspicious. Considering my batchmates all act like idiots, there might be a chance one of them is.¡± Neptune felt some truth in Boris¡¯s remark. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not wrong. Even my medics? They might be a spy sent from the intelligence branch to monitor the greatest doctor in the Federation¡¯s history!¡± ¡°Here you go again¨C¡± The alarm on Boris¡¯s watch sounded off. ¡°Damn, that was a good break. I got to prepare for some training now. Don¡¯t misuse the good stuff I gave you. Ciao!¡± Boris stood up and returned to his medical station in the stands. ¡°I want to see what you can achieve with your mind in the war effort. A soldier like you cannot be sent to the trenches to die.¡± Boris stretched his arms as he gave one last glance at the fields. ¡°Especially to march like an idiot in the fields below. Also, I wanna see your child soon.¡± ¡°What¡­?! Ciao, Boris.¡± With a wandering mind and his eyes fixated upon the idiots marching in the heat, he heard footsteps, the sound of seasoned military boots stomping the hard concrete floor with indomitable force, approaching from the top of the stands. Feeling curious, Neptune turned his head to see a group of senior staff officers looking down at the parade square. Neptune felt deep resentment as he looked at them. These older men who stood at the top of the stands, escorted by several Administrators, observed their mandate of death marked onto the youths, who surrendered their sovereignty for a battle these officials should have fought themselves. They did not mutter ¡°livestock¡±, but their body language gave it away. ¡°Dear sirs, we welcome you to Ravens Camp.¡± An Administrator, holding a nominal roll, bowed deeply, boosting the egos of the senior officials she escorted. Her tone portrayed a level of respect one would give to someone who held a high appointment in the highest levels of military command. ¡°No worries, Staff Paula, we enjoy the new facilities. It has been decades since we stepped into this camp.¡± One of the senior officials, wearing a camouflage green uniform and a green beret, spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Staff Paula, we appreciate your kind hospitality. All of us do, right, my fellow gentlemen?¡± Another senior official wearing a grey uniform spoke. ¡°Aye, Admiral Ulysses.¡± ¡°Aye, sir.¡± Neptune glanced over at the Admiral, whose annoyingly squeaky voice riled him up. Despite this Admiral¡¯s short stature and stout physique, he possessed an intimidating aura that words could not describe. Neptune wasn¡¯t sure if any word in the dictionary could fit him. His unwavering gaze seemed hardened from seeing hell on earth, considering he was one of the war heroes of the Singularity War. It seemed as though Admiral Ulysses had gained this supernatural veil surrounding him from his illustrious military career. The rank of Admiral wasn¡¯t something to take lightly, for it meant Ulysses had achieved this rank as the Navy¡¯s number one officer by sheer naval excellence. ¡°My dear Staff Andre, where is our esteemed Brigadier General?¡± Admiral Ulysses probed one of the Administrators who had put down his phone. ¡°Sir, he will be arriving shortly!¡± Staff Andre replied nervously, holding both hands together, shivering in the face of the almighty Admiral Ulysses. Admiral Ulysses locked eyes with the Administrator, sending a frightening chill down his spine before he eased up and cackled humorously loudly. ¡°Relax, young man! Take it easy.¡± Admiral Ulysses turned to face his subordinates as he continuously patted Staff Andre on his back, increasing the tone of laughter as he did so. More talking heads joined the typhoon of laughter, creating an atmosphere where the combined laughter sounded loud¨Con purpose¨Cbut devoid of emotion. It was the act of laughing for the sake of laughing. A type of forced compliance that made these sheep follow their shepherd dutifully. Neptune felt a cold, dismissive chill from observing the robotic-like interaction. The hollow laughter continued reverberating in the stands until another pair of loud footsteps, accompanied by an entourage of blue-uniformed officers, appeared. Unlike the unprofessional, disorganised marching by the recruits under the hot sun, the sounds made by this entourage sounded akin to an award-winning orchestra¡¯s performance. Neptune recognised the officer standing in the sea of blue-uniformed soldiers. Instead of the white uniform he had worn originally, that officer now wore a blue uniform with a cloth bearing one black star in the middle. His commanding presence and immense physique spoke volumes about his last name¡¯s pedigree. One would say it was a worthy visual of holding the rank of Brigadier General compared to the other senior officials who were old and out of shape. ¡°Good afternoon, sirs. My apologies for running late.¡± The General apologised, bowing respectfully to his fellow senior officials. ¡°Oh, ho, ho, what good manners! It¡¯s fine! We weren¡¯t doing much, right?¡± Admiral Ulysses laughed loudly, making his subordinates mimic his gesture out of fear of not following orders. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you after so long. How is it going along?¡± ¡°Everything is going according to plan. However, I had to tie up a few loose ends earlier, hence my late arrival. I hope you, fine gentlemen, had plenty of wine to drink and cheese to savour earlier. If you would like more, you know where to look. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll handle all of your needs in haste.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, indeed! The finest wines and cheese from South Atlantea! The greatest gifts from the lands where your esteemed ancestors have cultivated with their heavenly gifts!¡± Admiral Ulysses cracked a loud laughter, which elicited an even bigger response from his subordinates, who mimicked it¨Clike a mirror image¨Cagain. It was a classic case of monkey see monkey do. Neptune failed to notice someone closing in on him from a distance as he was distracted by that Air Force General¡¯s ability to maintain a poker face. ¡°Young man, what are you doing here?¡± Neptune froze in fear like a child with his hands caught in the cookie jar. ¡°Sir! I am medically ineligible to participate in the parade.¡± Neptune could not summon the courage to face the senior official, for the weight of their ranks caused his head to hang low in their powerful presence. Also, his speech patterns were so quick that any discerning eye could tell he wasn¡¯t being authentic. ¡°Must be sad knowing this rite of passage would not happen for you¡­ever again.¡± Another squeaky voice joined in the interrogation and Neptune nervously swallowed. ¡°Well, what happened, young soldier? What would handicap you from experiencing this wondrous finale?¡± Admiral Ulysses cast his gaze downward, with his surbodinates copying the same action, creating an atmosphere of inferiority, where the joy of life seemed to have become sucked out of. ¡°I injured my lower back during the Field Camp, sir.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? An injury of that kind would leave one of my soldiers out of commission?¡± Neptune dared not meet the Admiral¡¯s gaze. ¡°So specific. Is it self-diagnosed or¡­? I did not know our soldiers are this fragile.¡± ¡°Sir, I¡­¡± He had the immunity bestowed upon him by the MO, Dr. Boris Pavlov himself. Even the President couldn¡¯t revoke anything the Medical Corps had issued. The Admiral¡¯s piercing stare spoke volumes, creating a tense environment where nobody dared speak. ¡°A back injury can set you back a long way so consider yourself¡­well¡­lucky. I hope you know what to do with this stroke of fortune because second chances don¡¯t come by this often, young soldier. Well, then. Let¡¯s not talk about such trivial matters,¡± Admiral Ulysses laughed again. His tone suggested that this irrelevant soldier¡¯s injury carried little significance. After all, if this injured soldier couldn¡¯t participate in the war effort, the parade square had other lambs to the slaughter available. ¡°How I wish I was your age and could return to marching in ceremonies! I would have volunteered in advance if I knew you were hurt.¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sure the parade commander would allow you to join in if you insist!¡± One of the senior officials praised the Admiral from above. ¡°Not this march. Most definitely not this one.¡± The Admiral¡¯s words sounded like a warning as everyone went eerily silent. ¡°How many graduating soldiers are there again? Aren¡¯t they called batches?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Neptune responded but the Admiral had already turned his head upwards. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you, young man.¡± ¡°Yes, sir, they¡¯re called batches.¡± The Administrator urgently replied. ¡°Hurry up with the numbers. We don¡¯t have all day.¡± They could fabricate a random number, for it would not matter. The Admiral did not have to know how many batches existed, not even the total count of livestock ready to die on the battlefield. The details were simply insignificant. These were mere numbers to someone of his rank. An insignificant rounding error on the nominal roll his secretaries would prepare upon the aftermath. With his tenure spanning that many decades, what was another million added to the final count? ¡°Most definitely, my esteemed sir.¡± As the Administrator trembled where she stood, she quickly tabulated the official number, not that the higher brass cared, to share the numbers. ¡°My apologies for the delay, sir!¡± ¡°Get on with it.¡± ¡°Admiral, we have Batch 1 to Batch 180. There are a total of 180 batches in Ravens Camp. Each batch of soldiers has around 10 to 15 recruits. On average¨C¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Admiral Ulysses waved his hand to dismiss the Administrator. He only wanted to know how many batches of livestock he had, not the total number, as he could easily change the number in reports completed by his field officers. ¡°My goodness! I forgot!¡± The Admiral placed his oversized hand on his forehead and looked at the injured recruit. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your name! How rude of me!¡± ¡°Recruit Neptune Smith, sir.¡± Admiral Ulysses seemed taken aback by his name. Most people who heard his name would comment on how rare his name was, but this reaction from the Admiral was a first. ¡°Smith¡­¡± Admiral Ulysses had a puzzled expression as he sank deep into thought, as an Administrator walked forward to assist him with a background check of this recruit. ¡°Sir, I can assist.¡± ¡°No need, Staff Andre. Recruit Neptune Smith, your surname¡­I¡¯m sure you have heard of the Legendary¡­¡± Admiral Ulysses seemingly recalled an old memory before bellowing. ¡°...Adam Smith!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the mythical father of economics?¡± The Admiral cackled again. ¡°You are one smart kid. I didn¡¯t know a young sapling like yourself even heard about the legendary father of economics!¡± ¡°I have a love for books, sir.¡± ¡°What a coincidence! I presume the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from that tree. Where would you be posted to after you graduate?¡±Admiral Ulysses took another step down, reaching the same level where Neptune sat in the stands. The accompanying senior officials dared not make a step, for none felt worthy of sharing the same floor level as him. ¡°If you would indulge me, young soldier?¡± ¡°The Atlantea Military Research Institute, the AMRI, sir.¡± Admiral Ulysses gave a nod of approval without saying anything. He seemed to have acknowledged this recruit¡¯s existence for the first time. ¡°Alright, gentlemen. We have overextended our time here. Let¡¯s make a move.¡± The Admiral gave the recruit a parting glance before ascending the stairs. The staredown was painfully long, with no words exchanged for a long moment. ¡°One last word of advice for you, soldier.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± The Admiral smirked lightly before lifting his chin gently. ¡°Treasure your gifts wisely because second chances don¡¯t come by that often.¡± ¡°Yes¡­sir.¡± ¡°We will meet soon, Recruit Smith.¡± Admiral Ulysses turned his back and walked up the stands, where the Administrators escorted his group to their next location. As the senior officials left the vicinity, Neptune spoke softly to himself, quizzically, puzzled by the Admiral¡¯s strange conduct toward the end. ¡°See you soon, sir.¡± Chapter 22: Parade and an Unsuspecting Work Day ¡°Leave it here.¡± Under the cover of dusk where the moonlight pierced the silent night skies, a platoon of soldiers left a massive wooden crate of supplies in the holding area. A few hours from now, they will commemorate their first cohort of graduating soldiers in a grand display of ceremonial festivities. That meant everything planned for had to be precise¨Cwith every nook and cranny inspected for things to proceed smoothly. ¡°Yes, sir. Is there anything else?¡± The commander touched the crate momentarily before turning to face his soldiers. ¡°We carry on as planned. Armskote Team head to the armoury. Delta Branch stay with me.¡± The Armskote Team, led by their in-charge, nodded and headed to the left wing of the holding area. ¡°The rest will proceed with the graduation ceremony setup.¡± ¡°Roger that, sir.¡± The remaining supply assistants nodded and returned to the loading bay, ready to carry on setting up the venue. He then took a nominal roll from his folder and handed it to his Delta Branch¡¯s quartermaster. ¡°Please pass this to the Security Officer. He¡¯ll know what to do.¡± The quartermaster looked down at the printed paper and noticed a couple of unrecognisable names. Civilians, perhaps? However, he knew not to question his superior and simply followed the orders. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Sensing the heat signatures of his subordinates dissipating, he placed his hand on his nape. Now that all the pieces were strategically in place, he knew they could proceed with their version of the festivities. His nape started to prick as the Atlantean Coil activated, connecting him to the private network. * Finally, graduation day had arrived. All the trials and tribulations the recruits have endured would culminate in this glorious day of the ages. The loudspeakers above sounded the opening bell, with the emcee giving the speech, which began with: ¡°Welcome to the United Atlantea Federation Armed Forces General Military Training Graduation Ceremony!¡± ¡°Are you ready?!¡± Carmelo clapped his hands excitedly. Right on cue, his batchmates followed him in tandem, clapping like mindless drones copying their originator. ¡°Man, I wish we got to meet our OC sooner. It makes me wonder how we would have been if we had OC leading us from the start compared to that coward.¡± ¡°Word.¡± ¡°Truth, bro.¡± Bronston crushed a can and tossed it at the bin a short distance away. ¡°If I see that little bitch again, I¡¯ll beat the shit out of him. Fucking little asshole cunt.¡± ¡°You missed that, Bron Bron.¡± Carmelo teased. ¡°What a loser.¡± ¡°Shut up, Melo. If you think you can do better, why don''t you try it out?¡± ¡°I try it out? Bro! I can do it better than our boy loser Smith!¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s some solid fucking motivation.¡± ¡°Damn right.¡± Batch 123 erupted in laughter, remembering their former brother, who turned tail and ran off again with his new medical certificate. Damian shook his head. ¡°A weakling like him will never make it.¡± ¡°You guys noticed he has been in the Medical Wing too often lately?¡± Rey asked concerningly. ¡°Since when did you care about him!¡± Bronston eyed Rey suspiciously. ¡°Come on, at least be a little concerned about our boy¨C¡± ¡°He ain¡¯t our boy.¡± Bronston corrected Rey. ¡°Besides, you should have stood up for him like our good buddy Bray. But I don''t remember you doing that so you don¡¯t have the right to flip-flop on your stance! Weren¡¯t you the one who said Neptune abandoned us?!¡± Rey looked away in shame. ¡°Stupid hypocrite.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, enough. Speaking of that coward, has anyone seen him?¡± Dom asked, reaching into the packet for a tiny piece of cracker. ¡°Well, I did spot him in the stands during practice,¡± Carmelo answered. ¡°How about the rest?¡± ¡°No idea, boys.¡± ¡°Never seen that lil¡¯ bitch since that day, mates.¡± Carmelo snapped his fingers, pointing at Bray, who silently sat in a corner reading what appeared like a stack of papers. ¡°Maybe Bray over here knows.¡± He relocated beside Bray, offering him a packet of soy milk. ¡°Yo, have you heard anything from our dear Neptune?¡± Bray looked up and his attention immediately turned toward that¡­thing. ¡°The last I heard from him was about a week ago, the same time as you guys.¡± Bray, who had spent the last few minutes reading documentation given to him, looked up and saw Carmelo offering him a packet of synthetic trash. The Federation had no access to the Central highlands and the South¡¯s agriculture lands, meaning most sustenance they consumed was synthetic or just¡­recycled garbage. ¡°No, thank you.¡± He then waved his hand to decline the soy milk. ¡°You sure? It¡¯s tasty.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Then I guess none of us knows where he disappeared to, huh?¡± Having perfected the art of lying with a straight face, Bray stood up, bidding his batchmates farewell and goodbye. ¡°Alright, Bray, don¡¯t take too damn long! OC is coming to join us soon!¡± ¡°Aye, Bron Bron.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ya¡¯ dare call me that! Come back here!¡± Bray grabbed his notebook from the ILBV before walking briskly toward another section of the lower halls. He never knew the stadium could be this big, with the massive tunnel-like system interconnecting everywhere. From the site recce performed days ago by his ammunition commanders, he learned that this stadium had a secondary purpose¨Cone used in warfare where it acted as an ammunition dump for strategic logistical supplies. He had spent considerable time cleaning up the abandoned rooms, alongside fellow ammunition assistants, littered throughout the stadium before the graduation ceremony for no apparent reason¨Can order by his Commanding Officer who claimed these rooms had received redesignation for new strategic purposes. That¡¯s odd. From his peripheral vision, he saw stacks of weapons and various forms of ammunition prepared. In another corner, what looked like perfectly cut wood was stacked neatly. He stopped briefly, pausing to wonder if his fellow corpsmen had omitted an error in their setup by fulfilling more than what was procured. He quickly concluded it was impossible. The Logistics Command had one of the most stringent procurement and fulfilment systems in the military¨Cespecially with that straight-edge trainer they had. ¡°Who the hell dragged all this stuff out of the room?¡± Bray asked into the stale air¡­and someone seemingly spoke to answer his rhetorical question. ¡°Look at all that.¡± They all responded with a ¡°Wow¡± as Bray heard footsteps approaching, curiously turning to see a man dressed¡­oddly. Behind him was a large squad following his lead. This group of men looked close to their middle ages, with a few ranging from young to adulthood. The men wore the same attire comprising a jet-black cardigan and military camouflage black pants. Also, their combat boots looked worn out, possibly from their experience in operations. What confused Bray were the shades they wore inside the stadium, for there was no need to protect their eyes indoors. Based on this visual alone, he could conclude one thing: these soldiers were too old to qualify as recruits graduating today. ¡°They overprepared.¡± ¡°Hey asshole, don¡¯t say that. The taxpayers are paying for this shit!¡± ¡°Hey, boss, they even got burgers prepared for us!¡± The group of men laughed loudly, seemingly out of place in the context of the stadium. ¡°Burgers? How poetic!¡± ¡°It tastes good though!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t just begin without us!¡± ¡°...Wow, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°They¡¯re generous, all right.¡± They then noticed a soldier staring at them, his hands holding onto a stack of papers. ¡°Guys, look there.¡± ¡°Where? Oh.¡± ¡°Is that him?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s him.¡± Are they looking at me? Bray pointed at himself and the men nodded. He then waved at the group of men as though they were friends. His friendly act was met with the men returning the gesture mockingly with a snicker as though he wasn¡¯t welcome. ¡°Hey, young man!¡± One of the men called out to Bray. It was the same older gentleman calling out to him. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Yes, boss!¡± Bray responded with a goofy smile. ¡°Get your ass over here, young man.¡± ¡°Yessur!¡± Bray walked over to the group of men, clutching the master weapons list and the notebook with his incorrigible scribbles. ¡°...................................¡± The man looked Bray deep in his eyes, wanting to know if he was the man sent as the point of contact for the hired job. ¡°May I ask you somethang¡¯?¡± ¡°Go ahead, boss.¡± In a soft, yet, deadly tone, the man whispered into his ears. ¡°...Are you him?¡± Bray nervously looked around him as though time stood still for a fraction of a second, studying the supplies and their behaviour. Sweat trickled down his neck as he understood the shark¡¯s tank he had unfortunately stumbled into. The hidden intent of this group¡¯s presence in the stadium. The implication of having these weapons left around in broad daylight without any armourer handling the handover and taking over. He wanted to scream and run away but the thought quickly dwindled as they easily outnumbered him. Nobody¨Crecruit or commander¨Cwas close as the nearest room was at least a hundred meters away. Surely, somebody else was supposed to handle this, possibly another representative. That thought alone made him sick. And for him to walk into this unfortunate circumstance was simply bad luck. Considering all his options, he only had one second to decide his fate. I¡¯m screwed. Suddenly, an insane, epic turnaround surfaced, suppressing his nervously frightful instincts from taking over. He had made his decision thanks to the dumb luck he had to bring it with him. ¡°Yessur, look at this, boss!¡± Bray raised his stack of papers like a grand trophy. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You know what it is!¡± ¡°Let me see that, won¡¯t ya¡¯?!¡± The man snatched the papers, quickly scanning through them with intense scrutiny. ¡°Rifles, check. Bombs, check. ILBVs¡¯, check, Hmm¡­¡± The man read through the list, reading out a couple of foreign words Bray had never heard of¨Cpossibly weapons he would never touch¨Cand learned the purpose of. Bray eyed the man nervously, his legs beginning to give way from the immense pressure as time stood frozen for an eternity. If the real representative were to show up now, he would be screwed¨C ¡°I-is everything good, boss?¡± Bray asked timidly, knowing his life was on the line. ¡°...One second.¡± Bray felt his heart almost beating out of his chest. The pressure alone from that wait was just too much. ¡°Yas, it looks mighty dandy fine.¡± The man slammed the papers onto Bray¡¯s chest as he looked him dead in the eye. Suppressing the urge to sigh in relief, Bray felt it come out from his arse instead. It was a long, drawn-out poop sound. ¡°A young man like you would go very far in life. I¡¯m glad I now have you around as the rep. That surely makes tasks easier, hell yeah.¡± As the man offered Bray a handshake, he noticed the black gloves stained by a distinct crimson-coloured liquid. The contrast of red on top of black was simply too striking. He nervously swallowed upon recognising what that stain was. ¡°Give me a hell yeah, young man.¡± ¡°Hell yeah.¡± ¡°Damn, you¡¯re good. You¡¯re very on the ball, too. Awesome stuff.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s very kind words, boss.¡± There was no turning back now. Bray accepted the handshake firmly, looking the man deep into his eyes. The blood from the man¡¯s hand transferred onto his, unknowingly forming a blood pact between them. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s up!¡± ¡°Atta¡¯ boy!¡± The squad of men erupted into a joyous chorus of cheers varying from ¡°Hell yeah¡± to ¡°This is awesome.¡± ¡°Holy smokes, I love this guy! Boys, what chu¡¯ think about him?! This young man is good! Real good! A hundred out of a hundred, if you ask me!¡± The group, decked out in black, nodded in agreement and surrounded him like a shiver of sharks. They looked at one another before each took their turn to give their vote of confidence by slamming their fist repeatedly onto their chest. ¡°¡°¡°Yesser, Boss.¡±¡±¡± The men returned to gorge on the food after voting. Some even started to clock their rifles, loading the magazines with live rounds after inspecting them. A handful performed stunts by twirling and performing tricks with them¨Call while laughing. The way they strapped themselves with these weapons felt like another day in the office. It seemed like second nature for them to be surrounded by these toys. ¡°Before I forget.¡± Bray felt the man¡¯s bloodied glove on his shoulders. ¡°What is it, boss?¡± ¡°Dammit, we haven¡¯t even introduced ourselves! I can¡¯t believe we got straight into business! My bad!¡± ¡°Business always comes first, right?¡± ¡°Damn, son¡­¡± ¡°Yes, boss?¡± ¡°Damn, you sound smart for your age. Young man, what¡¯s your name?!¡± ¡°Boss, my name is Bray Rotunda!¡± The leader nodded his head, acknowledging this young man¡¯s brilliance. He had always found the ammunition soldiers too uptight and was glad their commander had picked a gem to represent them. ¡°No rank insignia, too. Perfect. We didn¡¯t know soldiers like you still exist; for a moment, we thought the brave had died young the last time. Bray, huh? That¡¯s a good name. What¡¯s better? You have a good spirit¨Ckind and modest, just how we like it,¡± The leader touched Bray¡¯s cheeks with his blood-stained glove, ¡°Young man, here¡¯s some advice. Damn, I wished I imparted this the last time we had a rodeo. Your commander had done you dirty, leaving you here high and dry. Let me help you out. Take my advice wisely, or else you might end up like these fools above us.¡± The leader menacingly warned as he pointed to the ceiling above, seemingly desiring to warn this boy of the murky waters ahead where the sharks he led would feast. ¡°Wait! Boss, you haven¡¯t introduced yourself to me.¡± ¡°Dammit, we can get to that later, my boy!¡± ¡°Yessur¡­¡± ¡°Listen close, alright?!¡± Suppressing a heavy gulp of saliva, Bray never once broke eye contact to soak in the gospel of his partner in crime. ¡°Yes, boss! Anything you say, I will listen! I am here to learn from older, wiser men!¡± ¡°Goddamit, Bray. I wish yerr¡¯ my son!¡± ¡°Never too late, boss!¡± ¡°Dammit¡­¡± The leader placed his arms around Bray before speaking methodically into his ears, ensuring every verb and pronoun was crystal clear. Each word he spoke sent shivers down Bray¡¯s spine like a shockwave. ¡°Let me introduce myself to you, my boy. You can call me the Fiend.¡± The Fiend then grabbed Bray as close as he could and whispered more intently than usual¨C ¡°Bray, I want you to take your friends, loved ones, families¡­especially anyone you hold dear far away from this stupid stadium.¡± The Fiend slapped Bray on the back, sliding a slip of paper into Bray¡¯s pocket as he delivered his final words, which echoed like an earthquake, rattling his entire consciousness. ¡°As soon as you fucking can like your life depends on it.¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± Bray understood the intent of the Fiend¡¯s message and the severe implications for everyone involved. He reached into his pockets to pull out the name card, burning the Fiend¡¯s name into the inner recesses of his mind. ¡°Now, get your ass outta my sights, Bray.¡± ¡°Boss, we will keep in touch,¡± Bray swore his legs had never moved this quickly. ¡°We will. Take care, my son.¡± ¡°Take care, Dad¨Cwait, am I allowed to call you that, boss?¡± ¡°Whatever, Bray!¡± The Fiend started laughing as he shook his head. ¡°I wish you all the best. You¡¯re a good soul, a good boy,¡± The Fiend took out a cigarette before glancing at the no-smoking sign littered at a corner, ¡°But, there¡¯s something you will learn with age¡­¡± The Fiend bid Bray farewell, making a toast with his cigarette at him. ¡°...And that this world is an ugly place! Godspeed, my son. See you at the next rodeo.¡± * ¡°Bray, you¡¯re late. Where have you been¨C¡± Neptune spotted Bray running towards him. ¡°¨CWait, you never run, what¡¯s the urgency?¡± ¡°My apologies!¡± Bray¡¯s face had turned white, seemingly lacking oxygen. ¡°You look like you have seen a ghost.¡± ¡°You need to get your family out of here now!¡± Bray¡¯s piercing light-green eyes conveyed urgency as he slammed his hands on Neptune¡¯s shoulders. Neptune was taken aback by Bray¡¯s words and started blinking rapidly. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Hang on, one step at a time¨C.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± Bray hastily whipped out the name card from earlier, slamming it onto Neptune¡¯s chest while panting heavily, ¡°Here.¡± Despite the loud noises in the holding area, Neptune managed to zoom in, focusing on the conversation between him and Bray. He grabbed the name card from Bray¡¯s hand and read it out loud. ¡°Private¡­Security Enforcement? What¡¯s this all about¨Cwait.¡± Is that blood¡­?! He felt a dark, ominous feeling of terror upon his fingertips coming into contact with what felt like dried blood. Whoever handed this card to Bray had unintentionally shown their hand in the depravity they would sink to if what he suspected became true. And for the first time, he felt a challenge to his warped intellect from this tiny piece of paper. ¡°Let¡¯s start from the beginning. Who, or should I say, how did you get this?¡± Bray diverted the question and cut to the chase. ¡°Where¡¯s your family?!¡± ¡°My family? What about them? They¡¯re not here yet.¡± ¡°Tell them to leave. Call them!¡± Neptune fished out the phone in his pocket and hesitated to make the call. ¡°...But my younger brothers won¡¯t listen. They have been waiting for this for weeks. There¡¯s no way I can convince them not to come!¡± ¡°Just drop them a message. Lie. Do something. Something!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get why my family shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Bray clicked his tongue and had his hands on his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this!¡± ¡°You better tell me what happened!¡± ¡°Terrorists are preparing to hijack the ceremony! They have weapons!¡± It took an eternity for Neptune to process the words thrown at him. The dried blood on the name card. Bray¡¯s affinity with the Ammunition Institute. Something bad must have happened for him to be this late. ¡°What did you just say? Oh, wait, you¡¯re serious¨Cthis isn¡¯t a joke, right? Tell me you mean it. ¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Neptune found difficulty comprehending what Bray had unveiled. Regardless, the evidence made sense. Without further hesitation, he whipped out his phone to activate the speed dial function. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s me, Neptune.¡± His mother¡¯s voice sounded fuzzy, possibly due to the network connection. ¡°Mom, this is urgent. I want you to leave the stadium now. There¡¯s an emergency about to take place.¡± He had to cut to the chase and settle things from his end as quickly as possible. ¡°Take care, Mom. I¡¯ll¡­¡± Neptune breathed deeply, wondering who else he could save if the worst came to light. ¡°...Talk to you over text.¡± As Neptune lowered his phone, he looked at Bray with eyes filled with desperation. No words left their mouth as they wondered what to do next. After all, they were two teenagers who barely knew how to fire a gun. Let alone make plans for complex missions. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Neptune broke the silence. ¡°It¡¯s up to me¡­¡± Uncertainty filled Neptune¡¯s mind as his hands started to tremble. Even with his otherwise confident persona, he could not help but second guess himself. ¡°S-so, what can we do when there are terrorists just a couple of blocks away?¡± ¡°...Aren¡¯t you the guy with the brains?¡± Bray knew the only man in this stadium who possessed the ability to save everyone from their bitter end stood before him. He had to rally his chosen one to make the winning play if there ever was a time to turn this miserable situation around. ¡°...Have you forgotten that I¡¯m not the brains of this operation?! It¡¯s you, Neptune! Get your goddamn act together! You have been yapping on and on about how great you are. Now, you can¡¯t do anything when we need you to show up? What are you? All talk? You¡¯re no different than a goddamn politician!¡± Neptune widened his eyes at the pep talk, noticing the keys of destiny had landed in his hands. He had to think fast and act decisively. Yes, he could tell this to those he deemed as crucial, but who was of the highest priority? Also, what determined their priority? Time had run out and he needed to move and think on the fly. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 23: United by Believe, Divided by Capacity

Chapter 23: Believe

¡°¨CHere we are.¡± Bray pointed to where the private security enforcement team had assembled earlier, trying to convince Neptune, who appeared stunned by the information overload and unable to rationalise. His thoughts were jumbled. ¡°These burger wrappers¡­¡± Neptune struggled maintaining his balance while walking over to Bray, surveying the crime scene with utmost scrutiny. He noticed wrappers in a black trash bag on the floor, inferring these were the burgers mentioned earlier. ¡°I wonder where I have seen these before.¡± Bray squatted down and inspected the oily, discarded wrappers. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re hungry, Bray.¡± ¡°No?! Of course not! I have lost my appetite ages ago.¡± ¡°Whoever supplied arms to them also prepared food. This is distasteful. Complete sadists.¡± ¡°...And disrespectful, too.¡± Bray completed Neptune¡¯s sentence and facepalmed himself. Bray looked around the area, noticing that the private security team had already left with the supplies. ¡°There were some items here earlier and I believe they took with them.¡± All that remained were empty crates and wood stacked in a corner. ¡°Do you believe me now? I¡¯m not just any random conspiracy theorist touting fantasies.¡± A fleeting light sparkled in the distance, catching Neptune¡¯s attention with its shiny reflective coating. He then walked over and picked it up to examine, reading the inscriptions out loud. ¡°Do you know this label ¡®AAFSF00-666¡¯? It sounds like a shipment label.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the unique identifier. AAF stands for United Atlantea Federation Armed Forces. As for SF, I¡¯m not sure. 00-666 has to be the number for this shipment.¡± Those words seemed to have jogged up a memory from one of the lectures in the ammunition institute. ¡°Wait, SF. Where have I heard that before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you have. It¡¯s one of those formation codes.¡± Bray ground his teeth upon acknowledging the potency of this piece of metal as he held his breath for a long time. ¡°It¡¯s¡­from the Special Forces.¡± Bray raised the tiny shard of metal as he started speaking softer. ¡°This is a live round. It¡¯s nothing compared to that dummy we practised with.¡± ¡°...You mean¨C¡± Bray gave a ¡°you¡¯re dead¡± gesture from left to right. ¡°One shot, one kill.¡± Neptune and Bray exchanged a nervous staredown, knowing bloodshed and carnage in the stadium could become possible if the relevant authorities did not know about the private security team involved¨Cpotential terrorists¨Cwho could invoke destruction from the pits of hell upon their fellow soldiers. ¡°What is a shipment of live rounds doing here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we should approach it from this angle. Instead¡­¡± Bray spoke silently with a worried expression, knowing the formation he swore to serve had dirtied their hands. Also, due to guilt by association, combined with the aid offered to the terrorists earlier, he was just as guilty himself. ¡°...Who ordered all of this equipment?¡± ¡°It has to be someone high up the food chain.¡± This equipment wasn¡¯t ¡°run-the-mill¡± random stuff lying around. Neptune knew the equipment issued to the terrorists had complex procurement procedures. It required someone with authority to purchase and deliver them into the stadium. Furthermore, this group of terrorists also needed the skills to pull off this operation. The more the pieces came together, the more obvious the jigsaw puzzle looked. He never felt more disgusted with them till now. ¡°We only have fifteen minutes left before¨C¡± ¡°We need to tell him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Kairos.¡± ¡°...Why him?¡± Neptune wanted his comrade safe from harm, for their grand mission could only end in a glorious victory if they survived this black swan event. ¡°Like you said, now is not the time for discussion, only action.¡± ¡°How about Captain Graves?¡± ¡°Captain Graves is a seasoned soldier. He can fight if the scenario calls for it.¡± ¡°So, Batch 123 and Captain Graves, we don¡¯t need to inform them?¡± ¡°They will know what to do.¡± ¡°What if they don¡¯t?¡± ¡°They are soldiers.¡± Neptune could sense a cloud of doubt growing in Bray¡¯s mind. Having someone second-guessing him now would only prove to be disastrous. He did not want to play his trump card but desperate times call for equally desperate measures. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me we don¡¯t have time? Here I am after making the decisive call, yet you can¡¯t follow orders? I thought I could trust you! We are in this together since day one. Do you need me to spell it for you?¡± He watched Bray look away embarrassingly. In that instance, he knew Bray was wrapped around his finger. The emotional highground was established. ¡°...Then who is the next priority?¡± Neptune knew the answer to that question and closed his eyes to declare solemnly. ¡°The civilians and female soldiers.¡± ¡°P-pardon¡­?¡± Bray thought he heard wrongly until Neptune¡¯s eyes proved otherwise. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°The female soldiers, we need to get them out of there. As for the civilians, they are in the stands. We need to gather forces to get them out of here.¡± ¡°Wait! Slow down. Hold your horses. That means everyone graduating has been marked for death! You understand what you¡¯re saying, right? How could you?!¡± ¡°We have no choice. That¡¯s the play we¡¯re making¡­and we must execute it now.¡± The enormity of Neptune¡¯s decision hung like a guillotine over the first cohort of graduating soldiers. These recruits would receive an ovation as martyrs who died for a cause¨Ca significantly better fate than their pathetic, miserable existence before today. Regardless, Bray had decided long ago to follow his chosen one till the end. Until their judgment day arrives, he would become the hero¡¯s watchful guardian. It did not matter what action they took or the decision that led to this. According to the Federation, the end was long decided when they planned for this to happen. However, that did not mean those who had discovered their plans by sheer luck had to accept and fall together with them ignorantly. ¡°I understand.¡± If he had to follow Neptune to hell and back, he would willingly obey his orders to his final breath. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with your play.¡± ¡°The fate of the United Atlantea Federation rests on our shoulders. Here¡¯s the plan: you locate and inform Dr Boris Pavlov,¡± Neptune, with newly found vigour, pointed to where the Medical Corps had stationed in the lower halls, ¡°He has his combat medics on standby. We need manpower to pull this off. And another problem is we can¡¯t trust anyone¡­¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± ¡°As for myself¡­¡± Neptune knew he had to rely on chance for this. ¡°...I¡¯ll be heading to the female recruits¡¯ holding area to find our commander. I heard from Kairos that she and a few commanders will lead their marching contingent. I¡¯ll link up with her to get the female soldiers and civilians out of the stadium.¡± Bray noticed Neptune had left out one massive detail. ¡°What about Kairos?¡± ¡°We can only hope he knows. The blood in him always keeps him vigilant at all times.¡± As both soldiers looked into each other¡¯s eyes, Bray slammed his fist onto Neptune¡¯s chest, his voice heavy with the responsibility of undertaking a do-or-die mission. ¡°Neptune Smith, I will ensure you succeed in the war effort¨Cat any cost. This roadblock won¡¯t stop you¡­us.¡± ¡°Bray¡­¡± ¡°...I mean this. Today¡¯s setback will not stop us. Nothing will.¡± ¡°...........................¡± ¡°I will ensure your story ends with you becoming the hero of the United Atlantea Federation. You are our only hope against the Drazen Empire.¡± Bray looked into Neptune¡¯s cold, brown, soulless eyes that had lost their compassion. Like a devotee worshipping the devil, Bray declared. ¡°Even into the depths of hell, I will follow you. I will stand by your side and lead your army for eternity. I¡¯m with you till the end, brother.¡± Neptune returned the gesture, slamming his fist onto Bray¡¯s chest. He knew the path they had chosen together had only one way forward. And nothing, not even the terrorist attack, could stop him from becoming like the hero enshrined in gold for the world to remember. ¡°I know you¡¯ll survive, Neptune Smith. The hero of the United Atlantea Federation.¡± ¡°Bray, I know you¡¯ll too.¡± * The speaker system sounded the bell, signalling the start of the graduation parade ceremony. Storming through the lower halls, Neptune tried locating where the female recruits were stationed. He knew the domino effect would commence once he could identify one female recruit. One female recruit would lead the chain up to the highest-ranking female officer, who could desperately connect to relay this life and death information. ¡°N-Neptune? Is that you?¡± From the back, a familiar, delicate voice called out to him. He widened his eyes upon recognising that person¡¯s voice. His thesis had worked. ¡°J-Julia¡­?¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! It¡¯s you! It¡¯s been so long!¡± Julia looked around to ensure no other female recruits were looking at them before she jumped into Neptune¡¯s embrace, hugging him out of the pure joy of reacquainting with an old friend. ¡°My gosh, just look at you!¡± Neptune gave a soft smile as his eyes turned soft temporarily. ¡°How have you been, Julia?¡± ¡°All good¨Cbut, damn, look at you!¡± Julia squeezed Neptune¡¯s arms teasingly. She then followed up by caressing his shoulders and abdominal area with her delicate, feminine touch. It was a move that a female need not learn by experience but through nature taking its course. ¡°Looks like someone is no longer just a nerdy bookworm anymore, eh?¡± ¡°Stop that, please¡­¡± The sudden thought of his female batchmates turning eighteen caused him to blush like a ripened tomato. They weren¡¯t just girls to him anymore¡­ ¡°You have gotten much tanner as well. How¡¯s the rest of the boys?¡± Julia winked at Neptune, causing him to look away shyly. ¡°They¡¯re doing good¨C¡± Neptune felt no need to tell Julia about his falling out with them. After all, they wouldn¡¯t survive the hell that was to come. His version of the story would inevitably become the truth. ¡°Julia, I need your help urgently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rare from you!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that¡­¡± ¡°I thought the genius didn¡¯t need any help!¡± ¡°Come on, Julia. Now¡¯s not the time for this.¡± ¡°Alright, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your commander?¡± Julia turned around, noticing her commander had gone missing. ¡°I swear she was here five minutes ago. Maybe, she went elsewhere. Hmm, she might be having a meeting.¡± ¡°How about the rest?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s one over there¨Cer, wait! That commander has gone off for a briefing.¡± ¡°Anyone else you know that might be available around here?¡± Neptune''s voice started reeking of desperation. ¡°Hmm, you hold on here.¡± Julia approached a group of recruits, asking them where their commander had gone. Finally, she returned, giving Neptune a thumbs up. ¡°There¡¯s a commander at the operations side. I¡¯ll bring you over to her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a godsend, Julia.¡± Neptune quickened his pace, prompting Julia to walk faster to catch up. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had it in you!¡± ¡°Had what?¡± ¡°Such a vibe you have going on there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re confusing me¨C¡± ¡°You walking so quickly, dummy! You never do that when you were a slow little piggy. Something tells me you have become manlier,¡± Julia teased Neptune while grabbing him by the back of his shoulders, giving him a light rub that felt too intentional and somewhat¡­arousing as her fingers traced to his back, ¡°Impressive. Oh wow¨C¡± ¡°Stop it¡­¡± Neptune tried shaking off the rising tension he felt. He had always seen Julia and the rest of his female batchmates as sisters and nothing more. However, months apart changed the dynamics between them drastically. This fact made Neptune feel more self-aware than usual. ¡°Hey. We should catch up after the graduation ceremony.¡± Julia was unaware of her underlying seductive tone. Neptune''s mind went blank, knowing things would change forever after today. At the end of today, the United Atlantea Federation they knew would no longer be the same. However, that did not mean he could deny himself the right to indulge in the peak of human experience when it was all said and done. Julia waved her hand at Neptune. ¡°Hello! You ok?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s carry on.¡± ¡°Hmm, you don¡¯t seem fine to me¡­¡± Julia inched her head closer, inspecting her friend at a proximity a little too close for comfort, causing Neptune to step back reflexively. With that action, Julia knew Neptune had recovered from his usual daydreaming habit. ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± Chapter 24: A Perfect Setup for a Memorable Day

Chapter 24: Setup

¡°Why are you here? Answer me.¡± Brenda wondered why her recruit, accompanied by a female recruit, had arrived at her command post looking like he had seen a ghost. His ghastly expression did not match the joyous vibe she expected of soldiers looking forward to their graduation. ¡°Ma¡¯am¨C¡± ¡°I believe you have someplace else to be at this moment,¡± Brenda furrowed her eyebrows intently to convey the severity of his negligence of duties as a soldier. ¡°As your commander, I want to know why I should not punish you for neglecting your orders.¡± Neptune had run out of breath, sprinting the final mile (just meters) to reach the operations room, where its air conditioning helped cool him down from the stuffy air in the lower halls. He panted loudly, barely catching his breath to inform his trusted commander of the terrifying news he had unravelled. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I have something important to tell you.¡± With all the heart he could muster, he pleaded. ¡°Please hear what I have to say.¡± The operations room belonged to the days when the stadium held domestic and international competitions before the fall of North Atlantea. During those days, nations organised large-scale events in this stadium due to its size to accommodate a massive capacity. The international visitors who visited the North reached an astronomical number annually, gaining the stadium a reputation as the premium venue for organisers. Neptune marvelled at the operations room¡¯s setup. It had massive monitors displaying different sections¨Cfrom the stands to the entrance gate to the lower halls and parts where he had no access. The lights reminded him of a submarine setup, with black walls and minimal lighting, where the monitor¡¯s light acted as the primary light source. Several soldiers fashioned a light green beret like Lieutenant Reynolds, likely infantry troopers, were stationed at each control station and tasked with monitoring various strategic points of the stadium for hostile elements and suspected terrorist activities. Each control station had several monitors displaying sections of the stadium and Neptune couldn¡¯t help but notice the crushed empty energy drink cans stacked at the side of each trooper¡¯s table. He surmised they had worked overnight to ensure the graduation ceremony went as planned¨Cfrom the setting up to showtime. ¡°But first. Did you receive orders from your commanders? Yes or no?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I received orders from the deputy commanders earlier.¡± Brenda whipped out a piece of paper listing the duties of all recruits not participating in the march. Before she allowed her recruit to explain himself, she had to remind him of his assigned duties that he discarded without authorisation. ¡°What happened to your task of escorting the guests to their respective zones in the stands?¡± Neptune knew he had to cut to the chase while not overstepping his boundaries as a recruit. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t have time to explain why I¡¯m not with the soldiers on light duty, so I¡¯ll keep it brief.¡± Brenda left her table and stood directly in her recruit¡¯s face. Despite her height being shorter than her recruit¡¯s, her authority made him shudder a little before he found the footing to match her gaze. Despite all that, she felt his resounding tone extremely intriguing. It seemed he had set his mind on something and would not back down no matter what. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to speak, but do not waste my time.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, let me explain. You are the only person I can trust with this information. I am taking a gamble by being here.¡± ¡°Gamble? You¡¯re just a recruit.¡± ¡°Trust me please.¡± Taking a gamble meant her recruit trusted her as a commander and a senior soldier. But after peeling away all of those layers, she knew her duties first and foremost. She had to inform her trusted recruit of the dire implications of his selfish decision-making. ¡°Recruit Smith.¡± Commander and recruit locked eyes without blinking even once. ¡°As your immediate superior, I must inform you of the implications of your decision to disregard the orders given to you earlier. Let me remind you that not carrying out orders given by your superiors makes you liable to get charged with insubordination. Do you understand?¡± A world-ending event would take place if nobody took the appropriate action against it. He knew the commanders lacked the foresight to plan for a terrorist attack, let alone one that commenced hours ago. The terrorists, whom Neptune speculated to be a group, were sufficiently prepared to execute their job at any moment. He understood time was of the essence; any word he exchanged from this point on had to be precise. ¡°I understand, ma¡¯am. I believe this information I¡¯ll relay to you is of utmost importance. It is so important that I am willing to forego everything to ensure you hear it firsthand.¡± He knew to serve the coup-de-grace with a tinge of choking sprinkled in his words. ¡°Have I ever disappointed you before?¡± Like a maestro conducting a perfect symphony, he knew his commander felt her heart skip a beat. ¡°No, you have not,¡± Brenda knew her recruit had something important to inform her, desiring to test his will and courage before spilling the beans. ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± Not withholding his words, Neptune declared. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I suspect there is a terrorist attack.¡± For a split second, he caught his commander¡¯s eyes enlarging.¡°And we have the evidence to back it up.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Brenda walked over to her master station to observe the areas under surveillance. She then turned around, gesturing for him to join her at the station. She then turned toward the other recruit. ¡°Recruit, wait outside the door.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Julia contemplated whether she should bid farewell to Neptune and decided against it, leaving to wait outside the operations room as ordered. ¡°Recruit Smith, come here. Let me show you the full extent of this operations room.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°In this room, terminals are linked to surveillance cameras connected to various strategic locations within the stadium. With that, we can monitor everything in real-time.¡± The master station, with its various cables connected to ports all over the room, appeared like a Kraken with tentacles gathering feed from all data points. Even with his experience using computers with superior capabilities in the research institute, the amount of brain capacity to take in that massive inflow of information was something Neptune could not fathom. Only an artificially enhanced humanoid or machine was adept at such information processing. Or a human augmented with nanomachines. It would be paramount to suicide if humans attempted to analyse the rapid information. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I don¡¯t see any suspicious elements at any corner. Look at this,¡± Brenda pointed at the screen hosting views from all over the stadium. ¡°This master station has a remote view of everywhere. If there is going to be a terrorist attack, my troopers would have informed me of it before anyone else.¡± She then pointed to her troopers sitting in their respective cells. ¡°Just a second.¡± Neptune tried to focus hard on the master station¡¯s screen and assimilate his mind with the machine¡¯s consciousness¨Ca Faustian bargain to harness the information available to decipher the truth. Okay, this panel shows the soldiers having lunch. Alright, they¡¯re throwing the trash away, OK? This panel¨Coh, they¡¯re waiting for their turn to join the parade. Okay, another group of soldiers is having lunch. Brenda stood in silence as she observed the pupils of her recruit transform into the physical manifestation of a processing terminal absorbing this vortex of insanity, becoming symbiotically linked with the master station¡¯s artificial mind. It was as though she had witnessed history playing out again, where its citizens lost their humanity by augmenting themselves with their creation¡¯s allure in the name of progress, innovation and immortality. ¡°Recruit Smith.¡± She tried to call out his name as the smile on her recruit contorted into an ecstasy-filled sadistic smirk¨Cas though the hive mind within had assimilated his consciousness into its lower-level frequency. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you.¡± The operations room had something weird about it. The feeling of someone tampering with it seemed impossible, but after spending a minute observing the footage, Neptune finally arrived at the definitive conclusion. ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Neptune watched the same group of soldiers consuming their lunch, throwing their trash in the same manner¨Conly to be repeated. Then, he saw two panels of soldiers holding their rifles in an identically odd pattern. If two groups had identical behavioural patterns, he would believe in synchronicity. However, should a third panel display another group of soldiers holding their rifles in that manner? And a fourth at that? The revelation was too ridiculous to be true. The tornado of binary and machine language would destroy the unprepared, but somehow, it did not affect him. Pulling himself out of the abyss, Neptune, with a sense of unease at the back of his mind, faced his commander to share his damning inference. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the footage is tampered with.¡± Neptune wished his eyes played tricks on him as he pulled himself back from the ritualistic assimilation, seemingly unscathed from the madness. ¡°All these videos are prerecorded.¡± ¡°A-are you sure you¡¯re ok?¡± Brenda felt fear rising under her belly. After that strange immersion with the machine, she had become more concerned with her recruit¡¯s mental state. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Brenda brushed off her oversensitive remarks, snapping back to her professional self again. ¡°Recruit Smith, are you sure about the tampering?¡± Brenda looked incredulously at her recruit before she gestured for him to move aside. ¡°Where did you derive that conclusion from?¡± With his fingers, Neptune pointed at three panels in succession on the master station. ¡°These three panels. If you would like a fourth one, here¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s next? What am I supposed to spot?¡± ¡°Their movements.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°This is still not enough¨C¡± Brenda noticed something odd as she scrutinised the panel intently. ¡°¨CWait. Hold on.¡± She widened her eyes in shock. According to the time stamps, the CCTV footage captured and displayed on her monitor looked tampered with. ¡°How about the other nineteen panels?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, is this not sufficient?¡± ¡°I want you to know I believe you, but you must show me more evidence.¡± Neptune had prepared additional evidence and pointed at one definitive panel, ¡°Ma¡¯am, where is this CCTV monitoring?¡± ¡°This is directly outside the operations room. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Outside.¡± Neptune¡¯s jaw dropped as he repeated his commander¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, outside of this operations room.¡± Brenda noticed her recruit¡¯s ghastly expression. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Neptune hesitated when he finally put two and two together, ¡°You mean outside here¡­as in outside right now?¡± ¡°Yes. Is something the matter?¡± Brenda asked quizzically. She felt a cold shudder as reality started contradicting each other. Neptune felt a gigantic lump in his chest. He wanted to be proven wrong, to know this was a bad nightmare, but the evidence appeared too glaring to look away. ¡°There should¡­¡± The most damning evidence yet. ¡°...Be a recruit outside your operations room now.¡± The footage shows the room¡¯s entrance, from the hallway to the door¡¯s entrance, containing a group of soldiers that shouldn¡¯t be there¨Cmale soldiers¨Cwhen this section was strictly assigned to female soldiers. Furthermore, Julia was nowhere in sight in the footage. ¡°Why are there¨C¡± Brenda choked on her words. ¡°¨CThat recruit is supposed¨C¡± Neptune stepped back in shock as his commander stood up and slammed the table with an earth-shattering force. ¡°Everyone! All of you wake up now!¡± Neptune knew she had gone mad, furious at her troopers sleeping at their job and not shouldering their duties responsibly. Stunned by their commander¡¯s sudden outrage, the troopers slowly opened their eyes from their various states of rest in their respective cells. Some were slumped over their chairs. And some had slept by leaning forward. They turned their attention toward her with a half-awake look, further infuriating her. ¡°The footage has been tampered with. How can all of you not notice it?¡± Brenda snapped at her soldiers¡¯ sloth-like behaviour. Regardless, she still kept her composure. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°How did they temper it¡­?¡± There was a mixed response from her troopers. ¡°...All of you¨C¡± If she were to punish her soldiers, it would only waste time. Especially with time being this tight, Brenda knew she had to be rational and prioritise her soldiers¡¯ cohesiveness. ¡°Team. Proceed to draw arms and muster back in a minute. Carry on!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡±¡±¡± The troopers jumped out of their seats and scrambled towards their equipment area. Handling a rifle sounded like music to their ears, jolting them awake instantly. ¡°Neptune.¡± Brenda finally called Neptune by his first name when the room cleared out. Neptune remained as cool as a cucumber, not wanting to treat it as a big deal. ¡°Yes, Lieutenant Rey¨C¡± ¡°You can call me Brenda, but only when we¡¯re alone. I know you and Boris are on a first-name basis.¡± Neptune struggled to find the words to say. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°This is too sudden.¡± Brenda placed her hands on her perfect waistline. ¡°Do you want me to give that to you as an order?¡± ¡°Sorry to ask, but are you jealous?¡± Brenda had unknowingly tilted her head to the side, closing her eyes to show the girlish antics she thought were suppressed due to her rank. ¡°Eh¨CWhat?! No! I¡¯m not! I just¨Cnever mind.¡± Neptune bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you for believing me.¡± ¡°Neptune, we don¡¯t have time¡­¡± ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t.¡± Brenda rested her soft hand on Neptune¡¯s shoulder, rejuvenating his soul from all insecurities. He felt his beating heart gradually slowing down as the invisible burden placed on him as the executioner eased away. ¡°I know you¡¯re tense. I¡¯m here as your commander to ensure you, my precious recruit, graduate today. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m also here, out of my capacity, because I trust you¨C¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°We¡¯re back, Ma¡¯am!¡± Brenda coughed out purposefully to snap herself back to reality. That switch in demeanor was executed so well that Neptune wondered what other tricks she had up her sleeves. The troopers returned to her, decked out in their SBOs. Their light-green beret, the mark of an infantry soldier, stored in their pockets, with the helmet at their sides, ready for their commander¡¯s next orders. ¡°Ma¡¯am, full strength accounted and ready for your next order!¡± Brenda nodded at Neptune before fully switching to her professional, business-like mood, knowing the fate of the graduating soldiers rested on this next order. ¡°There is a suspected terrorist attack in the stadium. Due to our faulty equipment, we must conduct manual venue checks. We do not have confirmation of the details, but we should do our best to ensure today¡¯s ceremony carries on as scheduled. With that in mind, let¡¯s move out!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡±¡±¡± Chapter 25: Hope cannot be lost The inadequacy of Lieutenant Brenda Reynolds was on display as her troopers had to step in multiple times to readjust the impromptu mission¡¯s flow. After they exhausted their leads on where the terrorists could hide, Neptune finally had enough, stepping into the fray and doing what no recruit has ever done. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we should look for Batch 77.¡± ¡°Batch 77? Why?¡± He could not reveal his true intentions and chose to tell a white lie. ¡°They would form a great alliance with us.¡± That¡¯s never going to work¨C ¡°Let¡¯s change plans; we head to the holding area.¡± Before Neptune could complete his monologue, he watched the infantry soldiers, adorning their light-green berets, charge forward, leaving him stranded with his mental state in a mess. If the standards of the UAFAF had sunk to this level, there was no way the Federation could survive tonight. And if they did¡­ ¡­Would they survive the Drazen Empire? ¡°We¡¯re doomed.¡± * ¡°A recruit did that?! How¡­?!¡± After navigating to a silent corner to strategise, Brenda faced Neptune upon hearing the news from another platoon commander that a recruit had done the unimaginable. They suspected this recruit was none other than Kairos, who had led his batchmates away from the holding area. Neptune suspected Kairos had long made the precise tactical move to deal with the potential terrorist by his uncanny foresight. ¡°Could it be that he sensed the terrorist attack?¡± Neptune speculated. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be. How did the recruit know?¡± It dawned upon Brenda that if Batch 77 were to enter combat against the terrorists, the outcome would be disastrous. ¡°We need to find Batch 77. Now!¡± ¡°I got a question, ma¡¯am.¡± Brenda started panicking, her bravado turning shaky. The nerves had gotten to her. ¡°C-carry on.¡± ¡°How are we going to find Batch 77? ¡± ¡°Let me contact Lieutenant Nicola.¡± Brenda took out her walkie-talkie and tried to make a call, but to no avail. She then whipped out her phone to call the Security Officer but received the same response. ¡°Why is it not working?!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I believe the lines are disrupted.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°Since earlier when I tried to contact someone¨Coh no¡­¡± Neptune started to feel his guts swelling. ¡°What ¡®oh no¡¯?¡± ¡°Bray¡­¡± ¡°Recruit Rotunda?¡± Neptune realised Bray must have reached the same conclusion. Due to their lack of communication devices, there was no way for them to liaise and update each other once they completed their respective tasks. ¡°Recruit Rotunda was the one who informed me of the suspected terrorist attack. I figured it would be wise to split up and find you and Dr Pavlov respectively.¡± ¡°What?! How did Recruit Rotunda learn of the terrorist attack?¡± ¡°Even I don¡¯t know.¡± Neptune lowered his gaze. ¡°You understand that without a reliable means of communication, you both are stuck¡­.¡± A mission that would remain uncompleted until they established contact. ¡°...On opposite ends.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, may I?¡± One of the troopers raised his hands to catch his commander¡¯s attention, recalling the security brief from earlier. ¡°Carry on, Corporal.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, if you said draw arms and weapons, only one place in the stadium fits the description. We should head there now.¡± ¡°Where is this place?¡± ¡°The armory room. The Armskote IC has set up shop with his crew at one of the hall¡¯s meeting rooms.¡± ¡°We have a map here.¡± Another trooper passed it to his commander and rejoined the ranks. ¡°Roger that. Everyone, are you ready?¡± Brenda adjusted her beret, facing her team. ¡°Let¡¯s move out!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±¡±¡± Upon arriving at the armoury, Brenda could not believe the scene that greeted her eyes. The armoury had all its weapons drawn out with the crates and display empty. And the armskote men were busy playing chess and eating snacks to pass the time, oblivious to the impending calamity. ¡°Wh-what are you guys doing?!¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°We¡¯re out of guns.¡± The armskote IC gave her a puzzled look as he snacked on a piece of nachos. ¡°What else do you want?¡± ¡°What do you mean you have run out of guns?! Whatever happened to the weapons on standby? I demand an answer now!¡± ¡°We only prepared 180 batches worth of guns.¡± Sergeant Tanesh, the Armskote IC, explained himself. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me,¡± Brenda grabbed the armskote papers filled with signatures from the graduating recruits. She furiously inspected it, noticing an error, ¡°You say 180 batches, but why are there additional weapons on the list? Where are they?¡± ¡°As I said, all weapons are drawn and accounted for. We had the Medical Corps come over to draw them¨C¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Brenda inspected the armskote paper and immediately recognised Boris¡¯s signature¨Cthe typical scribble-like drawing doctors. She lost her cool as her lips curled into a nasty snarl at the Armskote IC¡¯s negligence. ¡°Why in the world are medics drawing arms?! The Medical Corps are not allowed to draw arms! How could you have allowed them?¡± ¡°I was just following orders. The Medical Officer told me to issue weapons for them. He also said he could not explain why because of security reasons.¡± Sergeant Tanesh answered, remembering the MO¡¯s urgency. ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡± Neptune cheekily found a way to infiltrate the conversation. Sergeant Thinesh looked at Neptune quizzically. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Sergeant, was there a recruit with them?¡± ¡°I remember that guy, he was the one leading the Medical Corps. He had a cool call sign.¡± ¡°Thank god.¡± Neptune recalled a book he read in his study room regarding call signs. These call signs often carried a trait of the soldier or to embody something. In some cases, the responsibility of shouldering the namesake of a legendary figure. However, he still had time to think of one worthy of his intellect and ambitions. ¡°Sergeant, how about Batch 77?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, as I said, all the batches have¨Chold up,¡± Sergeant Tanesh grabbed the master weapon list and used his finger to scroll through each batch¡¯s signature. ¡°They are the only batch that drew the weapons before Batch 1.¡± ¡°I need to see it for myself.¡± Brenda snatched the list and scanned through it, verifying that Batch 77 had drawn their weapons several hours before the start of the ceremony. She returned the list to Sergeant Tanesh before whipping out her phone, hoping to get a miraculous signal. ¡°It¡¯s still not working. Of all the time for it not to work, it had to be today.¡± ¡°The signal hasn¡¯t worked since an hour ago. Luckily, the armskote room has a machine connected to the intranet¨C¡± ¡°Why did you not say it earlier?¡± Brenda had forgotten that all armskote rooms came equipped with a separate connection to the intelligence branch at headquarters. ¡°Yes, we do. The Medical Officer used it to contact intelligence earlier to inform them of a ¡®potential attack¡¯, his words, not mine.¡± Brenda heaved a sigh of relief, thanking the heavens for Boris¡¯s ability to perform under pressure. ¡°Sergeant, do you have any idea where Batch 77 went?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am. They drew the weapons alongside their commander and left without saying further. They looked like they were in a rush¨C¡± ¡°Their commander?¡± ¡°The only thing I know is she made them execute a force preparation.¡± Sergeant Tanesh pointed to an empty corner outside the armskote room through the window. As the two got deeper into their conversation, the loudspeaker system connected throughout the stadium started relaying a message, informing the soldiers of the impending doom. ¡°Batch 180, get ready to proceed!¡± Time had passed so quickly that every male recruit involved in the graduation ceremony had made their way to the fields¨Cunknowingly walking into their death sentence. Neptune gave her an acknowledging nod to fill her soul with courage. A small gesture that would give her the will to shoulder a heavy responsibility. It was now or never, as Brenda remembered the vow she had taken to receive her formation patch. ¡°...Team, do we have sufficient ammunition?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. But we have a problem.¡± ¡°Speak up.¡± ¡°Each of us has two magazines.¡± On a day when their homeland celebrated, those tasked with safeguarding had insufficiently prepared for the worst contingency. Not that the ones involved could ever dream of a terrorist attack. But it still showed their lack of experience. Brenda recognised the earbuds inside their ILBVs. ¡°What else do we need?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, may I?¡± ¡°Go ahead, Recruit Smith.¡± ¡°I think the strategy is simple.¡± ¡°Explain yourself.¡± ¡°Since the Medical Officer informed the intelligence branch an hour ago, I presume help is coming. If we stagger the time he called to now, we¡¯ll have some backup arriving soon. All we have to do is hold up.¡± Neptune knew hope was not the best strategy, but with time running out, it didn¡¯t help to wish for the best outcome. ¡°We need to hope that backup comes soon.¡± ¡°We will follow your strategy.¡± Turning to face the soldiers she commanded, Brenda swept her hand forward and the soldiers under her charge stood at attention. ¡°Everyone, you heard Recruit Smith. We will employ an evacuation strategy¨Cthe priority is to ensure every civilian in the stands makes it to safety. Through this, we hope to establish contact with Batch 77.¡± Brenda took a paper from her pocket to write and draw the summary of the mission brief. The scribbles were barely readable, but the drawing was clear enough for clarity purposes. ¡°Our next priority goes to the female recruits in the holding area,¡± Brenda ordered, knowing how the female soldiers would never stand a chance against terrorists with their service-level training. ¡°If everything goes according to plan, backup from the intelligence branch will arrive. Let¡¯s hope there¡¯s no terrorist attack¡­¡± With all the heart she could muster, Brenda spoke in a low tone, befitting one harbouring hope in her soul. ¡°That¡¯s the only thing we can do now.¡± With the lack of standard-issue military weaponry, the armskote soldiers had to rely on ineffective weapons like knives and handguns. The infantry troopers were the only soldiers with rifles, but their limited ammo meant a prolonged counteroffensive would spell trouble. ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you want a pistol?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need one. Any other weapons you have?¡± ¡°Mini handgun or a knife, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± Brenda then turned to face Neptune, who seemed like a scholar standing with his hands behind his back. ¡°What about you, Recruit Smith?¡± Neptune maintained a blank face, lifting his hands to feign weakness, knowing Brenda¡¯s soft spot for him would never allow him to participate in combat. He knew he had to strategically utilise every physiological technique to defend himself from fighting, a skill he learned from military officials in history. He knew those at the apex of the food chain never participated in their battles. They would send the soldiers under them to fight, protecting themselves from losing their lives and ensuring they reap the benefits of victory. After all, history was written by the victors¨Cthe survivors and instigators of conflict. ¡°You will join us in gathering all the civilians and female recruits. Next, we locate Batch 77 to regroup with them. And finally, we will regroup and escort them out of the stadium to safety. Everyone, do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! Understood!¡± As the foolish combatants readied themselves for a dance with death, Neptune grinned opportunistically. He would do anything to ensure his survival, even if he had to manipulate his showpiece of a commander with subtle gestures and voice tones. ¡°Let¡¯s move out!¡± Chapter 26: Blessed Foresight from the Heavens ¡°Esteemed guests, kindly follow the soldiers out of the stadium. We have an emergency underway and require everyone to temporarily exit the stadium until it is safe to return to your seats!¡± Anastasia could feel her heart beating faster as she held the microphone unsteadily. For the past thirty minutes, she repeated the public service announcement when her recruit informed her that a possible ¡°accident¡± might occur due. The graduation ceremony was well underway, with only sixty batches joining the marching contingent. She knew time was running out, as sweat trickled down her temple, for the incident Kairos informed her carried heavy repercussions if it was true. Nonetheless, he trusted her and that was all that mattered. Also, she had only received permission moments ago to execute the evacuation from the highest-ranking officer available, Brigadier General Alexander Temporean. The sheer pressure of determining the livelihoods of those believing in her should have caused her to stumble and fall. However, she found it within herself to hold on tightly to her resolve. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. He needs me to be strong. I need to be strong for everyone.¡± Silently observing the evacuation process, she muttered. ¡°Come on, quickly. We don¡¯t have that much time left.¡± ¡°Master Sergeant, may I¨C¡± ¡°Kindly refrain from stepping too close.¡± The big, burly, intense gaze from a battle-hardened veteran caused Anastasia to shudder at her feet. Instead of stepping forward, she found herself stumbling backwards. The Master Sergeant, who stood at least a head taller than her, curled his lips, carrying an indignant expression symbolising his disdain for inexperienced junior officers. ¡°Please maintain a distance from¨C¡± Before the Master Sergeant could complete his sentence, a calm voice quelled the tension. ¡°Allow her to pass through.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± The Master Sergeant swiftly stepped aside and placed his hands behind his back, permitting the junior officer to approach the General. She still could not believe she had broken the chain of command by entering the private box above the stands. She recalled the conversation with Kairos minutes ago, where he seemed agitated, not because he had to share a roof with other graduating recruits in the lower halls but because he had the omniscient ability to predict sequential probabilities before they happened. Just like that, today, which was supposed to be a celebratory occasion for her recruits, had the vibes and innings of an unfolding nightmare. * ¡°Come here with me.¡± With a firm grasp on her wrist guiding her toward somewhere they could have some much-needed privacy, she whispered into his ear after they were alone. ¡°Kairos, what¡¯s the matter?¡± His sapphire eyes sparkled with intent. ¡°Something is about to go down.¡± There was more to it. Anastasia felt Kairos holding back his words. ¡°Just speak whatever¡¯s on your mind¡± Kairos blinked rapidly, bearing his vulnerability for Anastasia to see. ¡°I have a weird feeling. Don¡¯t bother¨C¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Anastasia watched Kairos attempt to find the words to say, knowing he often placed her well-being above everyone else. Instinctively, she touched his hands and the soft touch made him feel at ease. She had to remind him of the promise they made to one another. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about it.¡± ¡°With my life.¡± Kairos¡¯s blank expression was still impossible for anyone to get a read on. ¡°I got a question for you.¡± Anastasia slumped her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on your mind most of the time.¡± ¡­All she got in response was Kairos staring blankly at her. His unblinking face made things feel¡­awkward at times. ¡°Fine. Shoot.¡± ¡°Have you received any messages as of late?¡± ¡°Let me check, hold on.¡± Anastasia took out her phone, noticing it had no signal. She then took out the walkie-talkie and saw no connection established¨Can ominous sign since this device had a separate network from the mainline. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a big deal¨C¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am, this is a big deal. Who controls our infrastructure?¡± She knew Kairos would never lie about anything, given his serious tonality. ¡°Recruit Black, explain yourself.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, you don¡¯t have to call me by that awful surname.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Anastasia defaulted to her naturally playful demeanour and stepped forward, whispering into Kairos¡¯s ears. Her scented perfume and the smell of her silky hair reached deep into his heightened sense of smell, causing his ascended-like primal senses to stir at attention. ¡°I thought when you called me ¡®ma¡¯am¡¯, you weren¡¯t playing around anymore.¡± She began purring, teasing him like a cat. There it was. Finally a chink in his impenetrable mental barrier. ¡°...Can you stop with that? There are people around here, you know.¡± ¡°Ha, I thought you liked it when I did this in the cabin.¡± Kairos struggled to maintain his blank expression when the steamy memories of their scandalous affair started flushing in. ¡°There are people around us.¡± She blew a small puff into Kairos¡¯s ear before backing off. ¡°I¡¯m just having fun with you.¡± ¡°Now is not the time for this, Ana.¡± ¡°Fine, alright,¡± Anastasia stepped back, switching her persona to represent herself appropriately as her recruit¡¯s commander. ¡°What is this ¡®feeling¡¯ you have?¡± ¡°In history,¡± Kairos steadied himself, for he knew history didn¡¯t repeat, but it sure did rhyme, ¡°When communication lines get cut off, bad things happen.¡± ¡°...What? That¡¯s it?¡± Anastasia¡¯s clear-blue eyes, from her Tundraland lineage, widened in shock. She looked into Kairos¡¯s sapphire-blue eyes to form an unbreakable connection. A part of her did not know if his analysis based on a historical trend carried weight. She then recalled a tactical lesson taught by her father on disrupting communications and how warfare has evolved. ¡°...Wait a minute, do you think?¡± ¡°Whatever you think might happen, may happen. This is merely a hypothesis.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your gut feeling, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Anastasia touched Kairos on his right shoulder, giving him the green light to share his thoughts. ¡°...Say it.¡± ¡°There might be a possible terrorist attack. I don¡¯t have any further evidence apart from knowing the majority of senior officials have suddenly pulled out of attending this graduation ceremony.¡° ¡°How did you know about that?¡± Anastasia asked softly. This information was supposed to be classified. ¡°But that¡¯s the thing¡­¡± Kairos paused for a second. ¡°...Sounds impossible, right?¡± ¡°...A terrorist attack? Here? Of all places? When there are civilians here, too?!¡± Anastasia found it hard to believe this thought process, but considering it came from Kairos, she had to trust him. ¡°I think,¡± Kairos knew his words had a treasonous vibe that leaned toward fantasy, but he trusted Anastasia¨Cboth as a person and a commander¨Cenough to tell her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say it. You know it. However, I don¡¯t know why they would do such a thing.¡± Anastasia closed her eyes to think. She desperately wanted to ridicule him, but deep within her heart, she trusted this man. No matter how ridiculous or full of derision his analysis sounded, every inch of her soul believed in the pureness of his heart. She trusted. No, she absolutely believed in him. ¡°This is no laughing matter. You¡¯re telling me the mastermind has ordered this terrorist attack, specifically picking this location where civilians and graduating soldiers are involved?!¡± Kairos slowly turned to face the holding room¡¯s exit. Closing his eyes, he made a silent prayer to the heavens. If only the gods had eyes. If only they could put a stop to this madness. If only¨C ¡°We¡¯re too late but we can try.¡± Anastasia could not control herself as she instinctively held his hands together. Even with her touch, she could not understand the burden he carried. No matter what she tried, she could not reach him beyond the mental shields he put up. All his silent thoughts. The anguish he harboured. And the burden of being this strong. It seemed like he always had a sword of Damocles hanging over his head. At any moment, that thing could fall and eradicate his existence. She remembered a tale from her youth about a cursed blade only meant to exist on the battlefield. Coincidentally, his existence reminded her of it. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°You believe this with every fibre of your soul?¡± ¡°Yes¨C¡± ¡°Say nothing more.¡± Before Kairos could finish his sentence, Anastasia released their interlocking hands and returned to Batch 77. She squatted down and whispered into the ears of her recruit, who immediately passed the message down the line. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kairos watched as his batchmates readied to move out within seconds after putting on their ILBVs and helmets. ¡°What¨Cwhere are we going?!¡± ¡°Yo, Kairos. Ma¡¯am said we gonn¡¯ draw some weapons now.¡± ¡°Hold on¨C¡± Anastasia took out her light-green beret, dusting it off as she made a scowl, disliking having her long blonde hair stuffed inside whenever she wore it. ¡°Batch 77, we are going to draw arms!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±¡±¡± Kairos watched in astonishment as his batchmates began to move out while the other soldiers turned to look in awe at them, with some thinking they had gone loco, based on their expressions. ¡°Hey, bro, get your stuff on!¡± Without wasting another moment, Kairos grabbed his ILBV and put it on, running forward to catch up with Batch 77. ¡°I was right.¡± Kairos looked at the list handed over by the Armskote IC and immediately pulled Anastasia closer to him. ¡°I don¡¯t like the feeling of this. If people find out, it¡¯ll be bad news.¡± The name that signed off that list. The fulfilment of the extra ammunition and logistics for this ceremony. Everything had an ominous vibe to it. ¡°Yes, I know how you feel, don¡¯t say it,¡± Kairos placed his hand on her lower back to soothe her after checking to see his sworn brothers were preoccupied with drawing their weapons first, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. Just trust me, ok?¡± Anastasia lowered her gaze as she felt an odd sensation that her man would meet a tragic fate today. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing¨C¡¯ ¡°Nothing will happen to me. That¡¯s a promise.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Anastasia looked endearingly at him when she noticed him struggling to find the words. ¡°...Before we execute this mission, we need to seek permission from my uncle.¡± ¡°...Your u-uncle?!?!¡± The thought of approaching the Air Force¡¯s top officer made her shudder in terror. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s here to watch me graduate. I can¡¯t meet him publicly, as that¡¯s part of the agreement. A lowly recruit like myself would never pass through his security. However, it¡¯ll be different when it¡¯s you.¡± Kairos pointed at Anastasia¡¯s rank insignia. ¡°I trust you will seek permission.¡± ¡°But that means¡­¡± ¡°Only you can do it.¡± ¡°...That means I¡¯m breaking the chain of command if I do that. Am I not supposed to find the Security Officer¨C¡± ¡°Whoever planned this probably has their people stationed to ensure it happens.¡± There was no denying his accurate analysis. Anastasia lifted her head and breathed slowly. ¡°You know it.¡± Anastasia slapped her face for a much-needed boost of confidence. ¡°I¡¯ll go find him. Batch 77 will wait for me outside the private box after we ascend the staircase. I¡¯ll meet your uncle alone after drawing arms.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Huh¨C¡± Anastasia saw Kairos shiver as he stared at the wall. She knew something else was bothering him. It was an invisible force that could elicit such a response from him. ¡°Hold on, before we go.¡± Kairos pulled her in close as his batchmates were preoccupied inspecting their rifles. After their brief intimate moment, Anastasia touched her lips where she could still feel his gentle imprint. She smiled adoringly at Kairos, internalising her man¡¯s trust in her to lead. * ¡°Young officer of Ravens Camp, take a seat.¡± Alexander gestured for the junior officer to take a seat beside him. Anastasia blinked rapidly as she couldn¡¯t believe she was standing before the Air Force¡¯s highest-ranking officer. His thick, immense aura exuded authority, something Kairos faintly had, which paled to the General¡¯s much more complex one. ¡°Sir, I am Second Lieutenant Anastasia Nicola, Platoon Commander of Raven¡¯s Camp Batch 77.¡± Alexander waved his hand at the armed entourage to leave him, giving him and his guest privacy in their conversation. After the last soldier left the room, he smiled faintly before speaking. ¡°Noted, what brings you here?¡± The immense pressure from his gaze petrified Anastasia where she stood. The intensity of the gaze reminded her of Kairos¡¯s when they first met at Ravens Camp. ¡°...Is something the matter?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if the General was laughing at her flustered face or something else. ¡°...S-sir?¡± Alexander shook his head, glad he told his entourage to leave them alone. He couldn¡¯t imagine the young Nicola embarrassing herself in front of his subordinates. ¡°Let¡¯s get to business. Lieutenant Nicola. Don¡¯t just stand there, take a seat.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± After the junior officer sat uncomfortably beside him, Alexander resumed his inquiry. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Sir, I would like permission to evacuate the civilians from the venue.¡± A long silent pause ensued, where the sounds from the stands started to penetrate the box¡¯s semi-soundproof walls. Alexander raised his eyebrows at the pale-skinned female officer sitting beside him, for he thought he had heard her say something ridiculous. ¡°...Can you repeat yourself?¡± ¡°Sir, I would like permission to evacuate the civilians from the venue.¡± ¡°I guess age is catching up with me for I thought I heard wrongly,¡± Alexander crossed his legs, ¡°Under what grounds, if you would indulge me with the details?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I was advised by¨C¡± ¡°You can easily find the Security Officer for this matter. I believe this request is a little beneath my pay grade.¡± Alexander interrupted. ¡°Back to it, who advised you? ¡°I have a recruit that goes by Recruit Kairos Black¨C¡± At the mention of Kairos, she noticed the General giving her his fullest attention. ¡°¨CHas advised me to seek your guidance.¡± Alexander stared deep into the young Nicola¡¯s soul, leading her to continue. ¡°Sir, Recruit Black has told me not to look for the Security Officer. His worst fears¡­¡± Noticing the General¡¯s expression changing upon hearing his nephew¡¯s alias earlier, she saw it as a green light to tread on. ¡°...The Security Officer might be compromised.¡± Alexander folded his arms, intrigued by his nephew¡¯s spectacular foresight. ¡°Interesting hypothesis. For a recruit to make such an analysis at such a young age, is truly interesting and intriguing.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Indeed, he is. I suppose he told you to seek permission from me? And only¡­me?¡± Anastasia nodded slowly. Alexander knew his nephew had his reasons for something this outlandish. There must be a reason for this call¨Che knew he couldn¡¯t allow the stadium to have their civilians evacuate for no apparent reason. Unless¡­ ¡­His nephew had sensed something else. ¡°I have a question to ask before I approve anything. Regarding this thing Recruit Black wants to execute. What is his rationale?¡± ¡°Sir, he suspects there is a potential terrorist attack. He cited historical analysis¡­¡± Unbeknownst to his guest, what she deemed a conversation was an entirely different perspective for him. Alexander observed the junior officer¡¯s speech patterns by slowing down her movements. Since she began talking, he had rendered her movements to half their speed, allowing him to read every micro action she made¨Cbody twitch and facial expressions¨Cto make his final judgment. So far, the officer¡¯s words correlated with her body¡¯s movements. He knew she wasn¡¯t lying and was not trying too hard to convince him of his nephew¡¯s judgment. ¡°...And that¡¯s all I have to report, sir.¡± ¡°You haven''t answered my question¡­What was Recruit¡¯s Black rationale?¡± ¡°Sir, Recruit Black mentioned the communication lines have stopped working. Also, additional supplies were procured and fulfilled for this ceremony, exceeding the number of active graduating soldiers and commanders accounted for.¡± It clicked with him for their sudden absence and the need for compartmentalisation. ¡°I believe you said ¡®additional supplies¡¯? Where? Please indulge me.¡± ¡°In the armskote room. Also on the way toward there.¡± Alexander reached for a phone in his trousers and read through the messages. ¡°What¡¯s that, sir?¡± Unlike the phones with massive screens used by most citizens, this cell phone device had buttons instead, puzzling Anastasia about its functionality. ¡°A toy for someone on my level.¡± Suddenly, as swift as a marksman firing at its prey, Alexander gave his acknowledgement. ¡°I approve of your request.¡± ¡°...Ok, sir¨Cwhat wait?! You approved it?!¡± ¡°Lieutenant Nicola, is there a problem?¡± ¡°...No, sir! It was so sudden!¡± Alexander put down his phone, for the messages he received had changed everything. ¡°Also, I have orders for you.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°I want you to lead the soldiers in escorting the civilians and female recruits out of here as soon as possible.¡± ¡°...Why the female recruits¨C¡± ¡°The number one lesson as a soldier is to carry out orders from above. Save your questions for later. I believe you were taught this in the officer¡¯s cadet course.¡± ¡°Yes, sir! Thank you for permitting us!¡± ¡°After that, we shall regroup at the field.¡± Anastasia widened her eyes in shock. She thought she had heard something Generals would never do. ¡°Sir, you will be joining us on the frontlines?¡± ¡°Why do you sound surprised?¡± ¡°I thought soldiers with your rank do not participate in combat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s usually the case. However, I¡¯m built differently. I have a question for you, will that be a problem?¡± ¡°Erm, no, sir. On the contrary, I respect that a lot!¡± ¡°Do you think because of my age¡­I¡¯m not fit for combat anymore?¡± Anastasia shook her head. For his age (and maybe because of his genes), the General looked half his age with those bulging muscles and defined forearms. ¡°Ok, then carry on.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Anastasia saluted General Temporean before dashing out of the door. There wasn¡¯t time to waste, for the ceremony¡¯s start time was close to starting in a few moments. As she hastily opened the door, she heard the General call out to her again. ¡°Before you go, tell Recruit Black this.¡± Alexander paused for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll tell him in person.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As the young Nicola rushed out of the door, Alexander shook his glass of ice-cold spring water, eyeing the ice cube with intense scrutiny, wondering if the messages on his blueberry phone, a device only officers his rank possessed, had received a vote vetoing the need for using it. ¡°...You know they would strike back, won¡¯t you?¡± Cursing under his breath, he knew there was no turning back. He had to pick a side once the curtain fell, marking the escalation of a conflict that had thousands of years in the making. Chapter 27: Ranks are mere pieces of paper Under Lieutenant Anastasia Nicola¡¯s stellar leadership, the evacuation process went smoothly and quickly. With the civilians out of the way, the soldiers had to prepare themselves for a daunting task. But the question was, were they ready for the unexpected? ¡°Brothers, we are down to the last group!¡± Ever the hyperfocused individual, Kairo''s unrelenting pursuit of mission success kept him on the edge. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, keep up the tempo.¡± Years of spending time alone in the wild had wiped out all semblance of emotions he once had, turning him into an icy, cold-blooded being. He had informed the female recruits to continue the escort task from the stadium¡¯s entrance to the public area outside, killing two birds with one stone by ensuring both parties¡¯ safety. All that was left¨C ¡°Good job, everyone! Let¡¯s take a breather!¡± Despite the voice¡¯s low threat level, the battle-hardened instincts of a lone wolf kept Kairos on hyper-vigilance. He swiftly turned to face the person interrupting his plan. ¡°Here you go,¡± Anastasia said, taken aback by Kairos¡¯s feral-like behaviour. " Are you okay?¡± Kairos¡¯s intense eyes softened as he met Anastasia¡¯s light-blue eyes. There was a slight pause when their eyes met where neither spoke. She placed a can of energy drink into his strong hands with a gentle touch. ¡°Hey, is everything alright?¡± She sensed Kairos¡¯s demeanour felt off. He could sense someone staring at him intently. But where? This sensation had only gotten stronger ever since. ¡°We don¡¯t have time, Ana.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want to tell me, you know you¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The curt response felt like a cold dagger pressed against her neck. ¡°Fine then. I won¡¯t pursue it anymore.¡± ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s regarding your sixth sense. I know.¡± Clearing her throat loudly, she knew not to breach that subject further. ¡°Your uncle told me to link up with his team in the fields below after we¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised, you know.¡± ¡°...Surprised about what?¡± Happiness, an emotion Kairos feared to show. He had discarded his feelings as a child, for it made him weak. Without knowing, he had transformed into a tortured soul with nothing to live for. No future. No past. No present. Becoming a soldier gave him a reason to live. An artificial purpose he embraced, hoping it would aid him in restoring his birthright. That was until he met Anastasia. He had imagined that his emotions made him weak until she opened her arms to receive him with all her heart. For once, he had something to look forward to that did not involve violence. When he found out his uncle had given them leeway to proceed with the evacuation, a warm feeling rose from within as he vaguely sensed his uncle¡¯s approval of her. ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t leave me in suspense!¡± Her attempt to remain professional had failed as she began to pinch him on the cheeks. ¡°I think my uncle likes you.¡± ¡°What¨C¡± Turning away from Kairos bashfully, Anastasia flailed her hands nervously. ¡°¡°¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯re back!¡±¡±¡± Like a switch flipping, Anastasia immediately snapped out of her flustered self, returning to her professional self upon hearing her recruits¡¯ triumphant battle cry. ¡°Welcome back, Batch 77. We have prepared refreshments to replenish your energy.¡± Anastasia pointed to the ice box filled with all sorts of drinks. ¡°Eeeee, ma¡¯am! We saw that earlier; we also want the same treatment!¡± ¡°Go and die. All of you.¡± The response came swiftly and deadly, like a flash of tempered steel. ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am.¡± Batch 77 silently approached the ice box, retrieving a drink without exchanging glances with their commander. ¡°Quick, take it and run. Ma¡¯am¡¯s angry.¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s not poke her.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Another group of heavy footsteps began marching with intent toward their designated resting area, prompting Kairos to address the potential hostile elements. He instinctively got into a combat stance, drawing his weapon and swiftly turning it to his side. He was ready to fire at the potential threat that would harm Anastasia and his brothers. No other soldiers should be present, for the loudspeaker had announced all the graduating soldiers had marched onto the fields unless the terrorists had appeared¨C ¡°Freeze right there! I¡¯ll shoot if you carry on!¡± He threatened mercilessly with his brows furrowing. Like someone landing a sucker punch on him, his expression lightened when he recognised a soldier from the approaching platoon. ¡°Neptune Smith?! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re fine.¡± Neptune was relieved to see his comrade safe from harm. Even better, someone else had finished escorting the civilians and female recruits. Now, that¡¯s settled. Let¡¯s all get out of here¨C Like an untamed horse, an irredeemable fool broke his chain of thought. ¡°...Ma¡¯am!¡± Anastasia called out to her superior as both officers saluted one another respectfully. ¡°And you, Recruit Smith!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Neptune smiled awkwardly at Lieutenant Nicola. He did not want to relive the experience when she caught him slacking off in the research institute. ¡°Lieutenant Nicola, it appears you have escorted the civilians out. May I know why?¡± Brenda inquired as her expression softened to see her subordinate safe from harm. ¡°There was a suspected terrorist threat.¡± Anastasia glanced over at Kairos proudly, gesturing for him to lower his rifle with a wave. Kairos nodded, lowering his weapon while maintaining a vigilant stance. ¡°I¡¯ll carry on a lookout over there. ¡± Kairos¡¯s masculine, indifferent response made Anastasia fluster as she tried to redirect her thoughts to wipe the red flush on her naturally pale face. ¡°Er-hem,¡± Brenda cleared her throat to get Anastasia¡¯s attention. ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. I was just tying up loose ends.¡± ¡°Who gave you permission to carry out the evacuation?¡± ¡°We received the green light from General Temporean¨C¡± Brenda thought Anastasia was pulling her legs. ¡°You involved a General?!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°It was your recruit who informed you of the suspected terrorist attack? Mine did, too.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, you also have a brilliant recruit under you?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice reeked of jealousy. She felt Lieutenant Reynolds, only one rank above her, wanted to one-up her. ¡°Of course, Recruit Smith has been diligent with his duties¨C¡± ¡°Recruit Black is smarter, more handsome, comes from a good¨C¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste, ma¡¯am.¡± Kairos interrupted the catfight between the commanders, not wanting it to escalate in such a dire scenario. ¡°Oh¨Cright, thanks for reminding me. Sorry, Kai¨CRecruit Black.¡± Anastasia stuttered. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t hear that?¡± Brenda could not let up with the teasing. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were on a first-name basis with a recruit,¡± Brenda teased her subordinate, causing her to blush upon hearing it. ¡°Your secret is safe with me. For as long as you know when to use protection¨C¡± Anastasia gave Brenda an embarrassed look before pouting to interrupt her. ¡°We are going to join the General in the fields. Will you be joining us, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°...Eh?¡± Brenda didn¡¯t know what to say. She did not expect her subordinate¡¯s courageous response to floor her. ¡°Er¨Cwhat? Erm, my team will head to the entrance and await backup.¡± ¡°Roger. Then we will head to the fields,¡± Anastasia gestured for Batch 77 to follow her lead. She didn¡¯t know what went through the mind of Lieutenant Nicola, who had willingly decided to head into the fields¨Can outcome of uncertainty about whether they would survive depended on more than a coin flip at this conjecture. The silent sensation of inadequacy crept on her as she acknowledged her ineptness. She gazed upon the lieutenant insignia adorned on her uniform and the olive-green beret entrusted to her, wondering if it was all for show. ¡°How could¡­¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Anastasia turned around. ¡°You said something, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°How could you be so brave?¡± Brenda felt her oesophagus tighten upon forcing those words out. Anastasia smiled, her light-blue eyes sparkling, as she recalled an old memory of her youth in the winter wonderlands. ¡°I¡¯m their commander.¡± She glanced at her soldiers endearingly, who followed her command since day one. ¡°We, as commanders, must lead by example.¡± The afternoon sun radiated upon Anastasia¡¯s fair skin, basking her in the sun¡¯s vibrant glow like an angel who had descended upon humanity for salvation. As she remembered the pledge she swore upon commissioning, she could not help but flash her pearly whites for a beautiful smile befitting her femininity. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the creed we swore when the heavens commissioned us as officers? To lead, to serve and to excel?¡± Brenda couldn¡¯t believe her ears when she heard those words. Her only motivation to serve in the military was because of the scholarship she took to take up advanced education and a steady paycheck. This woman, who was not an infantry officer by training, possessed more guts than anyone else commissioned as an officer months ago. They had mirroring appearances, yet, her heart and soul were far mightier than she had ever imagined. Clenching her light-green beret tightly, Brenda felt she had discredited the infantry¡¯s code. ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Alright, ma¡¯am. We have to go, time¡¯s running out.¡± Batch 77 obeyed their platoon commander¡¯s orders without question. It was as though those under her charge would dive into hell and back with her. That was how strong the bonds they had cultivated over the months had evolved into. Brenda, upon witnessing this scene of undying loyalty, felt shameful. It took a lot of her to pretend it didn¡¯t bother her. Kairos turned to face Neptune before joining his trusted comrades. He had some words to say before venturing into the unknown. ¡°Neptune.¡± ¡°Kairos, you don¡¯t have to go.¡± ¡°Someone is waiting for me. They won¡¯t leave us alone until I am there.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Neptune saw Kairos staring into blank space, his eyes squinting at an invisible threat only he could sense. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re coming out of this alive!¡± Kairos looked conflicted, his eyes darting toward the ground beneath his feet. ¡°...You want to restore your birthright, don¡¯t you?¡± Kairos, who possessed the brutal strength of a wild beast, did not retaliate when Neptune grabbed him by the collar. ¡°Say something, please. Don¡¯t you want to reclaim your last name?¡± ¡°Stay you of this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Only I can handle this.¡± Neptune¡¯s selfish request fell upon his comrade¡¯s deaf ears and for the first time in his life, he slouched his shoulders in defeat. ¡°I¡¯ll return. I promise that to you, Neptune Smith. Believe in me.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s an excuse. I know why you¡¯re going in there¨C¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t deal with that person, none of us will survive.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Not every gift we receive is a blessing. There are some things we have been cursed with since birth. The universe always finds a way to balance itself. There are things we can see and feel that are unexplainable¡­.¡± ¡°Tell me about it after you return. Also, my father¨C¡± Neptune felt Kairos¡¯s hands on his shoulders, looking up now to see his torn expression conflicting with his sworn mission. ¡°¨CIt¡¯s about his incomplete work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll return.¡± His comrade¡¯s response was resolute. ¡°Godspeed.¡± Neptune closed his eyes again, praying silently for Kairos¡¯s safety. After Kairos disappeared alongside Batch 77, he returned to Brenda¡¯s side. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the entrance.¡± He noticed her sunken face and clenched jaw. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°...Am I a coward?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°We have to go, ma¡¯am.¡± * Neptune was pleased with himself to escape the clutches of death. Breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the panic amongst the civilians who wondered what was happening, he eventually located his family amid the chaos. But something was amiss. His mother¡¯s grave expression. Pluto¡¯s guilt-stricken look. He began connecting the dots and that¡¯s when he knew his plan had not gone entirely according to plan. ¡°W-what did you just say, Mom?!¡± He had thought his family would be safe from the imminent crisis, but everything that could go wrong went wrong. ¡°Recruit Smith, we can launch a search party if that helps?¡± ¡°No¡­That won¡¯t work.¡± He pointed at the sea of uncertainty, with the public in attendance getting angry about not being able to enter the stadium on this momentous day. ¡°By the time we find him, it¡¯ll be too late.¡± With his eyes enlarged to portray his worst fears, Pluto felt his heart beating incredibly quickly. He finally understood the consequences of his selfish actions, wondering if there was anything else he could have said earlier to change this nightmare unfolding. ¡°...Big bro, I think Jupiter ran into the stadium to look for you,¡± Pluto stiffened as he answered, fearing the worst, tears streaming down his cheeks, ¡°I saw him running towards the entrance.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°...Yes, big bro.¡± Neptune knew he had to take a gamble. If he returned to the stadium to find Jupiter, he didn¡¯t know whether his younger brother would end up in the crosshairs of the terrorist attack. It was a 50-50 coin flip he knew he had to take. After all, his motivation for fighting, to serve in the military like a good dog¨Cobeying the orders of his plantation masters¨Crevolved around ensuring his younger brothers did not have to suffer the same fate as him. The decision was quick as a gamble with Hades was what he had decided. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you stay behind and await backup. In the meantime, try ushering the civilians with the female recruits to groups for better visibility.¡± ¡°Good plan¨Cwait! How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¨C¡± Brenda¡¯s worried expression went from bad to worse. ¡°Recruit Smith, I have the final say!¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± Brenda¡¯s composure and confidence had fallen apart completely. The picture-perfect officer''s image had fallen apart as she fell to her knees. First her subordinate. Now, her recruit. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry¨CI¡¯m sorry for being useless.¡± Instead of commanding her recruit to think otherwise, her voice sounded almost like she begged him to stay. Not to leave. To remain safe and let it go. Let them all die. She chose herself over the creed she swore to uphold¨Can dishonorable act for those who had fallen in the infantry profession. Brenda¡¯s words fell on deaf ears as he started to walk toward the entrance. He watched his mother dash forward, blocking his path, her arms wide open to prevent her precious son from sacrificing himself. ¡°No! I won¡¯t allow you to go! I can¡¯t lose you, too!¡± Neptune couldn¡¯t bear to face his mother, but she needed to know the truth. ¡°Jupiter is in the stadium. I¡¯m going to rescue him.¡± ¡°...Please, don¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m going off, Mom.¡± The desperate plea did not work. ¡°Come back here, Neptune Smith! Come back!¡± The voices went from audible to pure silence as the distance between them grew. Neptune didn¡¯t turn back as his mother dropped to the floor, unable to plead with him to reconsider his decision. With each step he took back into death¡¯s open arms, he knew what he must do. Maybe this scene of him showing his back to his mother was d¨¦j¨¤ vu of what happened fourteen years prior. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your big brother is coming to save you.¡± Like a death row inmate walking toward his final destination, he entered the entrance gate without second guessing, imagining it as a giant guillotine about to decapitate his head. With its monochrome colour, the emptiness of an unguarded gate painted a haunting image of his impending journey into hell. As his mind wandered, he felt a firm hand grabbing him from behind, instinctively making him turn his head to acknowledge who it was. ¡°Sir?!¡± ¡°I figured something had happened when the communications line suddenly turned off,¡± Neptune¡¯s mentor had appeared out of nowhere, with a platoon of soldiers behind him. ¡°Someone sent an SOS signal from here.¡± ¡°Sir, it was Dr Boris Pavlov.¡± ¡°You mean the Medical Officer?!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Ivan feared the worst for his former officer cadet. If Boris sent the signal and was not with his favourite test subject, he must have charged into the fields to provide backup with the Medical Corps. ¡°We need to head to the fields in pronto. You guys made a good call rescuing the female recruits,¡± Ivan looked at the massive crowd outside the stadium, ¡° I swore I heard gunshots earlier¨C¡± His eyes quickly darted toward the fields ahead. ¡°¨CI never thought this would happen again. We must hurry since medically trained soldiers aren¡¯t suited for combat. Besides¡­¡± Ivan squinted his eyes. ¡°...I wonder if they know about the oath.¡± ¡°What oath, sir?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to discuss that. Let¡¯s move out.¡± With a resounding shuffle of their boots, the platoon-sized team behind Ivan got into a standard two-row formation. With every breath of their lungs, they bellowed out loud. ¡°¡°¡°Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡± Ivan noticed something odd when his mentee also responded to his orders. ¡°And what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± He didn¡¯t know why this young man would want to return to the stadium. This future researcher had every fibre of an innovator within him. The brute strength of a warrior didn¡¯t fit his profile, especially not after the fiasco during the situational test assignment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come with us,¡± Ivan chastised annoyingly, knowing his young mentee had no flair for combat, let alone heroic acts of courage. ¡°Sir, I have to.¡± ¡°What for? There¡¯s nothing in it for you. Besides, your tactical skills are a complete mess.¡± ¡°...Sir,¡± Neptune paused, contemplating the words he wanted to say before finally deciding to tell the truth. ¡°My younger brother is missing. I suspect he might be stranded in the stadium, lost during the evacuation procedure¡¯s shuffle.¡± ¡°Your little brother¡­¡± This situation, which was horrible initially, became worse after that revelation. ¡°Yes, sir. I tried looking for him around the entrance area but to no avail. Lieutenant Reynolds is assisting with the grouping of civilians¨C¡± ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± Upon his mentee calming down, Ivan looked him deep in the eyes. ¡°Look at me. Stop talking for a moment. I need you to digest what I¡¯m about to say. So please, listen closely.¡± Ivan braced himself before asking the young Smith a question he knew would elicit a response he would not agree to. ¡°...If I told you to stay behind and assist the other officers, would you?¡± ¡°But, sir¡­That¡¯s my younger brother.¡± ¡°You forgot the biggest lesson I taught you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my younger brother¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t decide on a whim. Use your logic and assess the scenario to the best of your ability. I¡¯ve always told you not to let your emotions control you. What are you doing now?¡± He also had a younger brother he would protect with his life. But the question was, would he be able to function if the roles swapped? Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind¨C ¡°Fine then.¡± Neptune looked up at his mentor, unsure of his sudden tonality shift. ¡°There are certain risks involved,¡± Ivan admitted the truth regardless of his mentee¡¯s feelings, ¡°He might not be alive. You must acknowledge this fact first over everything else.¡± Neptune¡¯s hands started to tremble in trepidation, for he knew this gamble with Hades could end instantly¨Chis pathetic, miserable life would amount to nothing before it even began. He was going to put everything on the line to save his kin. ¡°...I understand, sir.¡± Ivan shook his head as he noticed his mentee¡¯s hands were empty. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you armed?¡± With no pistol or knife, let alone grenades, Neptune looked like a soldier unprepared for the harshness of reality. ¡°...Forget it, we don¡¯t have time. I believe you¡¯ll make the right call¨C¡± Ivan adjusted his glasses. ¡°¨CSo, don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Chapter 28: The Ascended meets his match Upon hearing the recruits¡¯ final echoes of anguish and the unmistakable smell of rotting corpses, he knew time had run out. As gunshots rattled the fields, transforming it into a maddened, crimson portrait of insanity, Boris knew he shouldn¡¯t have taken it upon himself to play hero. That one blunder had caused his combat medics to split up, becoming unsure of their fate. The sun hung in midday and cast its orange rays upon the freshly slaughtered corpses littered throughout the fields, brightening them like pieces of barbequed meat under an incandescent light display. He found himself stranded in a corner with a recruit, who weaved in between the clutches of life and death, barely hanging on to his mortality. These freshly charred meats did not have their innards carefully removed, their body mass undrained, creating a messy affair of meat chunks available for all to see. If he was not careful, the recruit might join this pile rather soon¡­ ¡°You ok, recruit?¡± ¡°...Si¡­r.¡± He managed to hold out for as long as possible, hoping help would soon arrive, but with barely any ammunition left, the borrowed time had finally run out. The recruit chalked up the final strength from his spirit to speak, where even moving his oral muscles had become a problem. ¡°...Yes, sir. I¡¯m just¡­¡± Boris could not bring his eyes to the recruit¡¯s gaze, for his wounds were far worse than he imagined. ¡°Don¡¯t talk. Oh, god¡­¡± He had unknowingly found himself calling the almighty creator¡¯s name in vain. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Recruit, just stay silent, please. I doubt I can pull off a medical miracle without it.¡± The medical equipment he had trained with was a long distance away inside the makeshift medical wing. ¡°We need to provide you medical assistance¡­But look at us¨Cshit!¡± Bray lay against the debris caused by the bomb set off by the terrorist as cover; his leg from the thigh up had received a severe gash, prohibiting him from moving as he desired. His face had gone pale from the blood leaving his body. The sweat generated from his response to pain and the lack of supplies had severely weakened his energy levels, rendering him lethargic and dehydrated. And their water supplies had run out after they had finished their water canteens¡¯ contents. ¡°This is not good.¡± Boris looked at his combat medics, fearing they had lost the war of attrition. ¡°We¡¯re completely done for.¡± Was it the desperateness of the situation Boris faced¨Cor the soul within him¨Cthat reached out for salvation? His hands moved uncontrollably, guided by an invisible force, to form a prayer. At wit¡¯s end, he could only think of one final solution. He often had fascinations of life beyond death, based on several concepts of immaterial studies, where those beyond the realms of mainstream sciences had piqued his interest. He recalled reading books on faith and philosophy until his parents screamed at him to put those scriptures of ¡°abomination¡± away. ¡°Why, Dad?¡± ¡°Carry on with your studies.¡± ¡°Dad, please answer my question.¡± ¡°In this world, hope is useless. Only reality exists. You only need to study numbers and the sciences! ¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the North¨Cthe place where ¡®numbers and sciences¡¯ caused the greatest disaster in humanity¡¯s history?¡± ¡°...Stop it, son.¡± ¡°Dad, the North¨C¡± ¡°Boris Pavlov, what did I say¡­?¡± ¡°Dad, the philosopher in this book¨Che said that¨C¡± The young Boris remembered his father¡¯s face contorting with rage, the maddened ecstasy mixed with his ice-cold thoughts as he wailed incessantly. ¡°Boris!¡± The look on his father¡¯s face¨Cthe anger and craziness¨Cremained imprinted in his mind until he finally left home to enrol in medical school. Boris remembered stashing those books in his drawer, only to read them in secrecy with his phone¡¯s light as the moon made its ascent to the night sky, creating a starless pitch-black atmosphere where he knew it was safe to commit that unspeakable act of harbouring faith in this immoral reality. ¡°You don''t need God or morality in this world! The only thing you need to do¨C¡± His father¡¯s crazed expression reached a trance-like euphoric state akin to the North¡¯s biologically enhanced parties of eternal utopia, recalling the dream-like state he and his wife had enjoyed before it all came crashing down, having to marry out of convenience to satisfy the Federation¡¯s new mandate of producing children, in the name of improving the birthrate. ¡°¨CIs to become God.¡± Boris smiled peacefully, remembering his father¡¯s words as death approached him. ¡°Ever since I left, have you ever thought about what became of me?¡± Boris wanted to believe in a higher being. To know the actions he had committed were decisions he did not make but derived from a higher being. A doctor trained in the medical field, a profession forced upon him due to his academic pedigree, became a blessing in disguise. He had received access to scores of medical history dating back to historical times. The weekends he spent in the Ravens Camp Library alone helped create an environment where he could learn more about history than the Federation''s lukewarm censors employed. The philosophers discussed how society would collapse once they moved away from faith or the belief in a higher being. The history books never lied with the truth he could see in plain sight. Therefore, Boris knew a higher power must exist; as foretold in the prophecy, the chosen one would return to purge the evil plaguing his homeland before time ran out. ¡°Even if I die today¨Cno.¡± As death approached him, he finally saw the light. ¡°Eureka.¡± A brilliant idea surfaced in the medical genius¡¯s mind as he clasped a small book in his pocket before completing his prayer and executing it¡­ Boris raised his hands above his head. As soon as he did, the footsteps approaching him stopped. ¡°I surrender.¡± A momentary pause ensued before an unnaturally deep voice spoke from behind the debris. ¡°...Place all your weapons on the floor and walk towards us. Hands in the air.¡± Boris wondered why the tone used was so professional. ¡°I have no weapons,¡± Boris spoke complaintly as if his life depended on it. ¡°What else would you want me to declare?¡± ¡°Empty everything you have on your body and walk over. Slowly.¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± Boris reached into his pockets and emptied everything¨Cincluding his pocket bible. He felt the terrorist pause momentarily to assess his belongings. ¡°Stand up and slowly walk towards me. Raise your hands.¡± Boris stood up, his head popping over the debris shielding him where the injured recruit lay beside him, who had reached an unconscious state due to blood loss. ¡°Recruit, you know¡­¡± If nobody came to help them, this young recruit who hasn¡¯t experienced life or the chance of victory against the Empire would leave this realm without accomplishing anything. ¡°...They say the good die young. See you in heaven.¡± And there it was, the terrorist clad in an all-black uniform standing like a victorious dark knight in the sea of unmoving corpses and displaced rubble. As the terrorist wore a helmet, the face of this soldier of fortune was hidden¨Con purpose or not, he did not know. The rifle and load vest the terrorist carried belonged to the United Atlantea Federation and Boris could not help but laugh softly as he silently lamented. ¡°The irony¡­¡± The terrorist noticed the Federation¡¯s soldier walking towards him had forgotten a simple order. He knew if any of his fellow insurgents saw it, they would instantly open fire at him. Mustering the urgency in his lungs, he bellowed at the soldier with hostility. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I said raise your hands and walk over.¡± The soldier walking over raised his hands; from the corner of his peripheral vision, he saw a medical cross armband¨C ¡°Are you a combat medic, soldier?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not a combat medic. I am a Medical Officer and a doctor by formal profession serving in the United Atlantea Federation Armed Forces. My duty today is to provide on-site support for would-be graduating soldiers wounded during the graduation ceremony. Regarding combat medics, I have a platoon-sized contingent of them under my command. Does that answer your question?¡± After a hesitant pause, the terrorist spoke. ¡°Did you not receive the memo to evacuate?¡± They have screwed up. It never occurred to Boris that this terrorist seemed aware of the Hippocratic oath. ¡°...No, I did not receive any memo. I heard gunshots. Hence, I¡¯m here to provide medical support,¡± Boris lied through his teeth, knowing his politically correct tone would work wonders. ¡°A doctor has to save people. That¡¯s the oath we swore to uphold.¡± ¡°I have requested to excuse you and your team to leave this venue in one piece¡­¡± The terrorist paused to read the mandate displayed on his visor. ¡°...However, you must never tell anyone what you have seen here today. This graveyard is the final resting place of these recruits and their commanders. You and your team can never speak of this to anyone. Not even your higher-ups. Do you understand, Medical Officer?¡± ¡°I agree to your terms, but I have one condition,¡± Boris answered firmly as the terrorist paused, possibly to speak with his commander. ¡°Affirmative, carry on with your request.¡± ¡°I have a soldier who is injured¨C¡± ¡°All recruits and commanders must die today. That¡¯s the order given.¡± These were the terms and conditions set by their paymaster. ¡°This soldier is medically ineligible for combat.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten what I just said earlier?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doctor and I have to save lives.¡± Boris pointed at the medical patch he wore with pride and felt the terrorist staring intently at it, never once taking his eyes off it despite the helmet hiding his facial features. ¡°This is a condition we cannot agree to.¡± ¡°Fine then, as a Medical Officer, I have decided to exercise my right to save this soldier¡¯s life.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you, Medical Officer? You don¡¯t set the¨C¡± ¡°You know what? Why not you come over and see it for yourself?¡± Like a spider¡¯s web where the queen spider could control its subjects, backup arrived to form a section-size contingent around the terrorist. The terrorist team approached the Medical Officer with suspicion, noticing a soldier lying unconscious with the medical armband on his right arm, seemingly nearing the brink of death. ¡°Affirmative. Carry on, Medical Officer.¡± Boris turned around to face his combat medics lying in wait nearby, hidden from plain sight from other debris in the fields. ¡°Medical Corps, let¡¯s evacuate the field.¡± The combat medics stood up and noticed their Medical Officer negotiating with the terrorists. They knew leaving the field was the priority after the mission¡¯s botch and how lucky they were to survive. From the corner of his eyes, the terrorist noticed a protruding barrel from a combat medic¡¯s possession. ¡°Why are your combat medics armed?¡± Shit. Boris smiled awkwardly at the terrorist, knowing any answer he gave wouldn¡¯t save them from this scenario. ¡°What is the meaning of this? Are you even a Medical Officer? What about this injured combat medic? Medically-trained soldiers do not carry arms.¡± ¡°What nonsensical slurs! I am a Medical Officer!¡± ¡°Prove it now.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to when my certification is back in the hospital?¡± The terrorists huddled amongst themselves, discussing the appropriate steps to take. The combat medics had left the fields, leaving only the supposed Medical Officer and the injured ¡°combat medic¡± behind. ¡°You are coming with us, Medical Officer. Your injured combat medic, too. My team will deal with your medics.¡± ¡°He needs immediate attention.¡± ¡°We can provide him with it once we perform our due diligence checks¡­¡± Boris felt his chest tightening, not knowing what to do once they discovered the truth. Clicking his tongue, he wished upon the stars that someone would come to save them. Someone. Anyone. If only the heavens could hear his prayer. ¡°Come with us, Medical Officer.¡± The terrorists threatened again before making their way toward Boris. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat¨C¡± Within earshot, the sounds of hope rang like a chime from a distance. ¡°Dr Pavlov, lower your head!¡± Unlike the professionally orchestrated massacre by the terrorists, the sounds of gunfire filling the air sounded displaced and messy. As the angel charged forward, her knight and guards protected her from all angles. Their swift ¡°room-clearing¡± manoeuvre, a technique they learned from the urban combat module, came in handy as the bodies of the terrorists fell like toy soldiers. ¡°Their backup has arrived. Someone, retrieve the Medical Officer and Combat Medic¨C¡± The knight vanished from sight and repositioned beside the terrorist, his sapphire eyes glistening with temporal fury. With a swing of the rifle¡¯s butt, the knight slammed it with brute force onto the terrorist¡¯s helmet, causing him to fall backwards, arms spread eagle on the bloodied grassy fields. ¡°Temporean¡­¡± Boris set his sights on the sapphire-eyed Ascended, marvelling at the features of the first Atlanteans he once read from books. To finally see it this close left him in awe. He remembered that stormy night when the forces of nature wrecked the unprepared soldiers. This lone recruit had anticipated the clutches of the universe, saving them from the fallout and sat solemnly alongside the guards who arrived in the shed before anyone else. Several bodies lay on the grassy fields that had turned into a sea of red lycoris, a scene of smashed watermelon, with its juices overflowing everywhere. The smell of putrid liquid lingered, causing the living to grimace. ¡°Batch 77,¡± Anastasia looked at her recruits and never felt heartache this badly before, ¡°We¡¯re too late.¡± Her recruits lowered their rifles and the grief written on their face silenced every other thought that crossed their minds. Nothing they said could bring back their fallen brethren. They had become exempt from this gruesome fate by a stroke of luck. Turning towards their sworn brother who had once again predicted this outcome, they wondered what went through his mind to live with the burden of being strong on his mighty shoulders. Even without him saying, they knew that this cursed blade might eventually chip¡­and chip until he eventually broke into a million pieces. And there was nothing they could do to help him. ¡°My goodness, Anastasia, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Dr Pavlov! Boris?! Aren¡¯t you supposed to be elsewhere?¡± ¡°I am sorry¡­¡± ¡°What were you thinking coming out here?!¡± Anastasia couldn¡¯t believe Boris had risked his life as a Medical Officer, a trained doctor with no combat training, by entering the battlefield. ¡°You know you¡¯re putting their lives at risk with your decision?! Come on!¡± ¡°I made a giant mistake.¡± Boris grabbed Anastasia''s hands, shaking them profusely as tears started to stream down his cheeks. ¡°Thank you, thank you for coming to my rescue.¡± ¡°What exactly happened earlier?¡± ¡°I would like to explain, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°They¡¯re terrorists.¡± Anastasia looked at the fallen pile of black-clothed intruders. ¡°No way¡­He was right.¡± You¡¯re still watching me, aren¡¯t you? That invisible force was here. Even with the fallen recruits scattered throughout the field, he had rationalised that there was no need to bother about them. For what¡¯s done was done. Their grievances would not bring back the dead to this realm. Kairos observed the banter between his commander and the Medical Officer from a respectable distance while maintaining his indifferent, composed look until an unspeakable dreadful feeling overcame him. That¡¯s when his eyes finally caught a fissure-like crack in reality. So you finally decide to show up. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± As though he had trained his entire life for this moment, his body reacted like a moth to fire and reflexively repositioned itself. Instinctively, Kairos dashed to the front, using his body as a shield to protect Anastasia from the perceived threat he could sense with every fibre of his soul. ¡°Recruit Black, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I will be the vanguard. All of you, provide cover for me.¡± The order sounded¡­bitterly selfish. Batch 77 instinctively created a shield around Kairos, Anastasia, the Medical Officer, his Medical Corps and a wounded recruit whom he recognised as Recruit Bray Rotunda. ¡°Anastasia, why is your recruit¨C¡± ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Anastasia interrupted Boris, for she saw no immediate threat approaching them. ¡°If you need to tell me something, tell me now!¡± ¡°Something¡¯s coming.¡± He never felt this weird sensation this strongly before, even when he received news of his parents¡¯ disappearance from his uncle and the day his last name was stripped. He felt his brain spinning from the information overload, leaving him nauseous. His sensory capabilities had become heightened from the crack slowly manifesting to the human eye. Why do I feel¨Cwhat is this familiar feeling? ¡°There.¡± Anastasia¡¯s finger was trembling as she pointed toward thin air. ¡°Where¨Coh.¡± Boris''s shaky voice joined the enigmatic pool. Kairos frantically looked around, unsure where the source of this myriad of extrasensory sensations had derived from apart from that lone visible crack. Reading Anastasia and the Medical Officer¡¯s frightened expressions, he turned towards where their fingers pointed. They can see it now. He anticipated a type of threat the United Atlantea Federation, as they stand, could not defend themselves from. As he blinked his eyes, a giant hole that went beyond mainstream science appeared in the middle of the fields, sucking in the corpses of the fallen recruits and commanders into it mercilessly. ¡°...W-what?!¡± The flush of tidal waves made its signature sound, akin to a sea at high tide, as the vortex consumed the corpses with one giant gulp. The vortex had a greyish-red colour that could draw any unsuspecting soul into it, where the enticing aura acted like a lure for the uninitiated. The sounds from within sounded like a siren¡¯s call to capture the hearts of men, grabbing them deep within the abyss, where they would remain stuck in space forever. As more corpses from the fields continued their final destination into the vortex¨Ca wormhole where their lives would meet their meaningless end, Kairos steadied himself for what came next. He could feel the bone-chilling presence of someone emerging from the opposite end of the vortex. Kairos did not turn back as his eyes fixated upon the hostile element he could sense emerging from the portal. ¡°Get prepared,¡± Kairos ordered Anastasia. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming for me.¡± They could dream about living past today if he didn¡¯t put this threat down. The presence drew closer as Kairos could sense its Deja Vu-like nostalgia, as though the blood in his veins had activated its fight or flight response, warning him of the impending danger from whoever emerged from within the vortex. Above all, he felt the need to protect Anastasia, refusing to allow whoever it was to harm the person he promised to safeguard with his life. Chapter 29: Lightning and Portals Without a sound and unbound by the laws of physics, a hooded figure emerged from the greyish-red vortex. A vortex conjured by the hooded figure¡¯s supernatural powers was unexplainable even by the best minds of the North before their assimilation into the technological hive mind. The figure wore a long dark-blue coat, covering its body from any visible exploitation. The long fabric engulfed the figure¡¯s arms, not revealing an inch of their skin for anyone to figure out their hidden identity. Kairos looked up from bottom to top, noticing the figure had worn a mask, the one thing obfuscating his superior sensory abilities to perceive who this familiar person could have been. The mask¡¯s design featured a modernistic take on art¨Cthe sour cruelty of minimalism and secrecy etched into it. Was it a final act of defiance toward the North¡¯s historical horrendous taste in art? Or was it simply¡­something else? He had an odd feeling that this hidden art form left hints for the initiated on the owner¡¯s identity. A white mask. Three sloppy salmon-pink painted lines symbolising the wearer¡¯s affiliation to a specific bloodline forming a big ¡°S¡±. It was as though the hooded figure intended for someone to know they still lived. The figure raised its left arm methodically from under the long hood. Kairos reactively entered a combat stance, swinging his rifle towards the firing position, ready to unleash a barrage of shrapnel on this hostile element. He knew he lacked the luxury of time to explain the threat level of this hooded figure and the esoteric symbolism adorned by it to his allies. However, he was puzzled at his adversary''s calmness. Instead of an offensive manoeuvre, the figure snapped its fingers, causing the vortex at its back to dissipate into thin air, triggering his batchmates, who stood behind him to gasp in awe. The sound of tidal waves retreating into the great seas as the vortex started to transform, like how the vortex appeared without a trace, disappeared similarly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­gone.¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°I wish I could answer.¡± ¡°And what was that?¡± Anastasia bit her lip in annoyance. She had a tough time digesting what she witnessed. The figure stood as a solemn monk against the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s soldiers, surveying them curiously. Yet, it still spoke nothing, choosing to hold its tongue for some unknown reason. If anyone were a betting man, the twenty-plus soldiers would have decimated this figure in a heartbeat, for there was a sizeable group advantage. Moments passed where nobody dared make a move. Even the Ascended did not move an inch as though permitting the Federation¡¯s soldiers to make their first move, graciously giving them the first mover¡¯s advantage. As the sole combat-trained officer, Anastasia knew the onus was on her to create a plan to deal with this hostile element. ¡°Ma¡¯am, your orders, please.¡± ¡°Everyone, be on your guard,¡± Anastasia commanded her recruits while maintaining a combative pose. She then turned her attention to Boris. ¡°Dr Pavlov, you think you can evacuate with the injured recruit?¡± ¡°Now? You want me to execute an evacuation with that thing over there?!¡± ¡°We have to take a chance.¡± ¡°I can do that, but,¡± Boris couldn¡¯t take his eyes off that figure, wondering if escaping was even possible, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± He knew it was all or nothing, for the recruit under his care would be beyond the brink of resurrection if he hesitated any longer. ¡°Medical Corps, follow me. We are evacuating to carry out medical procedures for Recruit Bray Rotunda.¡± ¡°Affirmative, sir.¡± The Federation¡¯s soldiers did not notice that the figure had anticipated this very move they would make. Lifting its left hand again, it snapped its fingers. With all the wind in his feet, Kairos dashed forward upon catching the snapping motion, trying to safeguard the medics from potential harm. What?! Nothing happened? Kairos became puzzled when nothing had happened to the Medical Corps. They had successfully reached the exit of the fields and were leaving the vicinity. Something is going on. Until it finally dawned upon him. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°No way¡­!¡± Like a broken radio singing the same tune, the Medical Corps appeared next to where Anastasia had last interacted with them. Boris didn¡¯t know what was happening as he ran to the exit with his team, only to return magically to the same starting spot. Again. And again. Like a pendulum swinging back and forth to no end, the Medical Corps repeated the same movement for the tenth time. Finally, on the eleventh time, Boris screamed out for help. ¡°Help! Someone help us! The combat medics, with their contorted faces, didn¡¯t know what to do. Their bodies were moving at the same pace; though they didn¡¯t tire, the mental stress of watching their actions for the eleventh time started to take its toll. They found themselves stuck in a simulation where it never ended. Back and forth. Back. And forth. A dimensional loop like a broken radio record. ¡°Someone, save us!¡¯ ¡°Ah¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s body froze as her mind wondered if this was possible: an Ascended who could manipulate the fabric of space to create an infinite prison loop. ¡°W-what¡­what should I do?¡± The petrified angel mouthed to herself as she wondered if she should bless the Medical Corps with mercy by ending their lives with a swift, merciful metallic kiss¨C ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t you dare!¡± Kairos growled at Anastasia upon noticing her shaky movements, not wanting her to make a rash decision without considering every possible out. ¡°I know you were thinking about it¨Cdon¡¯t!¡± ¡°What else can I do¡­¡± ¡°We can think of another countermeasure.¡± Kairos knew she contemplated ending the lives of the Medical Corps, freeing them from their infinite torment in the incessant prison. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­I¡¯m sorry for my incompetence¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m useless. I can¡¯t fight. We can¡¯t fight¡­¡± Anastasia did not want to admit it. ¡°...None of us stands a chance¨C¡± Her expression changed into a miserably painful one. ¡°¨CExcept for you.¡± ¡°I need all of you to provide me with backup,¡± Kairos said, placing his hand out. Anastasia instinctively placed a loaded magazine into his hands. ¡°This is the real deal, huh?¡± He gazed at the live rounds within the magazine in his clutches, wondering if it was sufficient to deal with a rogue Ascended with an equally, if not more devastating ability. ¡°Wh-What¡­are you planning on doing?¡± She feared Kairos had taken it upon himself to do the unthinkable. ¡°I¡¯m going to fight.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°This is the only way.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fight that person alone!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy time.¡± Even Anastasia knew he was lying as she crumbled to the ground, her voice quaking to the point of utter despair. ¡°Buy time?! I beg you, Kairos¡­Do not leave me¡­Just wait, ok? Your uncle¨C¡± Where was the help? Would it come on time? Kairos knew no other alternative. ¡°Please, don¡¯t make this any harder for me¨C¡± ¡°Let me do it! I am your commander!¡± Anastasia tried to snatch the loaded magazine, but Kairos¡¯s grip was far too tight for her to release. ¡°Please! I can¡¯t lose you!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t lose you, too.¡± He knew no other option after she resorted to using her rank. ¡°...Don¡¯t go.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice bordered on the edge of collapsing to her darkest thoughts¨Cher fear of losing him in this manner. She placed her hands on Kairos¡¯s strong, muscular hands, unwilling to submit her loved one to death¡¯s door. ¡°Believe in me.¡± Breathing in slowly, she calmed her nerves down and looked him deep in his eyes. ¡°Recruit Black.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Survive. That¡¯s my only order. Survive until General Temporean arrives.¡± With a silent prayer to the heavens, Anastasia released her grip on the loaded magazine, guiding it toward Kairos¡¯s chest. Both hands were locked on his chest, creating a highly charged emotional grip on their souls. ¡°I trust you¡­¡± ¡­And please come back to me. As Anastasia and Kairos locked eyes, the loaded magazine entered his rifle¡¯s chamber, ready to engage in a duel between two Ascendeds. Anastasia swiftly turned to face her recruits, commanding them with newly found vigour. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Batch 77, support Recruit Black from the rear! Recruit Black will lead the vanguard while you lot will secure the perimeters.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±¡±¡± She stared at the Temporean soldier who seemed to have readied a magazine of real bullets, unlike the dummy rounds she knew the wannabe soldiers had practised with during their pathetic field camp weeks ago. There were two objectives in this mission. The first was to observe the United Atlantea Federation until the first signs of distress. And the second, rescue the Temporean, who lost his birthright when the time was right. Somehow, the heavens have aligned; the location she teleported into placed her in arm¡¯s reach from the estranged Temporean, who now lived as a nameless individual sent to the gallows to die. With a heart filled with sympathy for this bureaucratic mess known as the United Atlantea Federation, she groaned from within the confines of her mask. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Two-Face¡¯s soldiers could be this weak. Let me buy some time while Zeus has his fun.¡± She placed her hands behind her, wanting the estranged Temporean to fire the first shot. She had plenty of time on hand to play with her food. ¡°My fellow kin, show me the powers bestowed upon your family by the Founder!¡± * The lone commander stood alone, a solitary unit against the terrorists who took the lives of his precious recruits. Turning to his right, he saw a pile of human flesh in all shapes and sizes. Turning to his left, he saw a handful of his recruits barely alive from the damage inflicted on their mortal bodies. Soon enough, they would fade to dust, succumbing to the limits of their measly human existence. ¡°Why is it happening again?¡± As though to curse the heavens for dealing another merciless blow upon him, Troy screamed out in agony. Today held a special significance to the recruits graduating, a milestone they had passed as newly minted soldiers of the Federation. Yet, the cruel hand of fate had robbed them of this glory. A group of hostile elements, terrorists that descended from beyond, arrived to ruin a momentous milestone in the Federation¡¯s short history as a nation, a day that had the potential to mark a new era turned into an Atlantean nightmare for those involved. He smiled wryly, beginning to laugh like a senile elderly plagued with dementia, remembering that short moment of happiness, like a father celebrating the achievements of his children when he led Batch 123 from the front in the march. The final moments of his memories as a proud OC flooded his mind as judgment day slowly approached with the terrorist footsteps nearing him. ¡°Sing along, Batch 123~!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Troy started singing the customary marching song, ¡°Purple Light¡±. A song he had sung during his days as a novice soldier alongside his fellow volunteers in the Swan Contingent years ago. As per tradition, the lyrics and tunes had their rites passed down from one class of soldiers to the next, ensuring the unity of marching, from the sequence to the tempo had a steady rhythm. ¡°Repeat after me!¡± ¡°Repeat after you!¡± ¡°Purple light In the valley!¡± ¡°Purple light in the valley!¡± ¡°There is where I want to be!¡± ¡°There is where I want to be!¡± ¡°Infantry, Close companion!¡± ¡°Infantry, close companion!¡± ¡°With my rifle and my buddy and me¡­.¡± ¡°With my rifle and my buddy and me¡­.¡± In his heart, he had prepared to send them off to the next phase in their military careers, wishing the best for them. He then noticed something odd in the distance, why were the spectators leaving? Lifting his head to the private boxes the senior officials occupied, he saw them leaving in droves, which meant an emergency evacuation was underway. Troy convinced himself that nothing terrible or out of the blue would happen. All the soldiers had joined the parade to march to their hearts¡¯ content as the euphoria of graduating had set in, turning the sea of green into a cauldron of ecstasy. Eventually, even the guests had evacuated the stadium. Regardless, he had to carry on the march as a proud senior officer, to exemplify and wear the proud honours of an infantry officer for the world to see, even if the audience had left! For the show must go on! Even if nobody is watching, the soldiers must finish this¨C A loud sound started erupting from the back. He quickly dismissed the sound of fragmented metal piercing something malleable, akin to flesh absorbing a swift, puncturing blow as it melded into one unified product, downplaying it as unworthy of his attention. He chose the path of obliviousness, ignoring the unmistakable sound of gunfire, even as its cruel scent entered his nostrils. He continued marching, singing the marching song to carry on the tempo. He assumed it was a daydream and nothing more. ¡°Repeat after me!¡± Nobody repeated after him and the trumpet stopped blaring. ¡°Purple light in the valley!¡± Nobody sang after him, too. Next, the drums that beat according to the ceremony¡¯s tempo stopped beating. ¡°There is where I want to be!¡± The symphonic tune had ended. The marching band¡¯s sole existence was to inspire and fill the hearts and minds of these soldiers with a rhythm worth marching to. The clarinet, with its mellow tune, had paused indefinitely. That was when Troy acknowledged this reality. The heart and soul of the ceremony had ceased to exist. With that, all he saw was scrap metal raining down the once-green field, covering it in crimson red. Nobody was marching because they were all spread eagle on the fields. The once-green landscape of grass freshly trimmed by the lawnmowers had turned into a red sea of tantalisingly freshly squeezed fruit punch. Nobody was laughing or singing anymore. Only the distinct sounds from the firing of tiny shards filled the solemn atmosphere. Still, he refused to acknowledge the scene before his eyes. ¡°Stop being lazy! Carry on marching!¡± The recruits had all fallen like flies to the grass fields, their contents spilling out from their bodies and joining the bowl of fresh fruit punch beneath, altering the colours to an even darker, redder tone. ¡°Come on! Batch 123, get up! I command all of you¡­¡± There was no response, only silence, apart from the occasional sound of shrapnel tearing through a living person from somewhere Troy didn¡¯t care. ¡°...Get up!¡± ¡°...Sir¡­Help me.¡± He heard a plea nearby, spurring him to address that familiar voice. ¡°...Bronston! Why are you¨C¡± Bronston¡¯s body had suffered the misfortune of being split into two, the contents spilling out of it and joining like a Megazord into the fruit punch basin beneath. The warped circumstances Troy faced made him panic like the pathetic soldier he had always been. ¡°Sir¡­Help me¡­¡± Help? That was the last thing on his cowardly mind. ¡°No¡­¡± Overwhelmed by what transpired, he staggered backwards and fell to the ground. The food he consumed for lunch launched from his stomach like a ballistic missile¡¯s launch procedure, changing a small portion of the fruit punch beneath him into a rainbow. ¡°No¡­¡± The last thing he expected was to see this nightmarish scene again. But life had to be cruel to him again. ¡°...Somebody, help me.¡± He begged for help as he heard more distinct gunshots ringing in the distance. He could no longer deny the gunshots as mere background music anymore. Now, the sounds of the recruits'' final moments played like a crescendo, buzzing like flies, in his ears. As the only living human narrowly spared from the slaughter, he heard those cries. The lamentations of the recruits who never wanted to fight on the battlefield, let alone march like idiots under the hot sun. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here¨C¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Why¨C¡± ¡°I said shut up.¡± ¡°Mom! Help me¨C¡± ¡°I said shut up, didn¡¯t I?!¡± ¡°Ah, it hurts! It hurts¨C¡± ¡°I said¨C¡± ¡°Shut up. All of you. Water parade now!¡± Nobody responded to his call. ¡°Knock it down, ten!¡± Even if some still lingered between the twilight of existence, they had since lost their will to move their bodies. How could anyone attempt a push-up with their bodies in that state? Roleplaying was all that he did. All the stories he shared. The gutsy persona the recruits loved about him. Troy had played the role of a senior officer, an Officer Commanding to perfection. His acting had reached stellar performance levels until he convinced himself he could fight on the frontlines. ¡°...I am no soldier.¡± As death knocked on his door, Troy finally admitted his weakness. Lucky for him, his tale of inadequacy would get lost in history as there were no witnesses. He knew he couldn¡¯t fight. All he knew was to run like he ran to save himself fourteen years ago. He had enough of this nonsense. What had he done to deserve this fate¨Cnot once, but twice? How could a man like him, a proud volunteer in his youth and now a noble officer of the Federation, do to invoke the wrath of the heavens? He knew the gods above would send down a mighty being to save him again. ¡°...Please, someone save me.¡± Unexpectedly, his call for help received a thundering response. A greyish-red vortex opened up in the fabric of reality, as a hooded figure with a long dark-blue coat stepped out. Salvation arrived as a masked figure looking down upon Troy with unspeakable disdain. The figure wore a white mask with a nimbus pattern to show its affinity with the powers of thunder and lightning for the world to witness again. The mysterious figure spoke nothing. Instead, it shifted its focus towards Troy¡¯s back, unleashing two rods from under his coat, swinging one into the skies above. Within a split second, thunderclouds instantly manifested where the rod hung in the skies from its mystical weather manipulation abilities. With his buttocks firmly glued to the bloodied fields, Troy stared at the mystical formation in the skies as though he had seen someone rise from the dead. It finally dawned upon him who this person was. The rods multiplied into a thousand copies of themselves as they turned yellowish-white, landing on the crimson sea. A thousand rods started emitting sparks as the figure raised its other rod, generating a giant field of electricity as it roasted the terrorists with the white-hot artificial lightning. The bodies of the terrorists fell into the sea¡¯s depths one by one. Like marionettes having their strings cut off, followed by loud thuds. The impact razed the perpetrators beyond their pain receptor limit, causing them to become motionless instantly. In less than a second, the terrorists caught in the lightning web had received a fate much more merciful than the soldiers suffered when their collective bodies joined the fruit punch. No weaponry. No panzer tanks. And not even scrap metal fired from a barrow. None of these tools of modern warfare could compete with the Artifact the saviour possessed in its arsenal. ¡°Spashiong, absorb all of it.¡± The vortex began to absorb the motionless bodies like a giant vacuum cleaner before closing up. The saviour then turned its attention toward Troy. Without muttering a word or revealing its face, Troy could sense the intensity and loathing it had toward him. Troy knew who it was subconsciously, but chose to discredit it. Acknowledging his identity would render the past fourteen years a lie¨Chis entire tenure as a soldier as a fabrication. ¡°...Time to go.¡± Standing up, he attempted to make his way out of the stadium, not wanting to involve himself with the affairs of the dead. All he had to do moving forward was to report the incident to the higher-ups, which, to him, concluded this minor setback in his illustrious military career. As he did so, a distinct bolt of white lightning flashed ahead of him¨C With his authoritative tone ingrained since birth, he called out to the coward he saved in a commanding voice. ¡°Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?¡± He jumped from the invisible platform where the vortex vanished, blocking the coward¡¯s point of retreat. For fourteen long years, he had waited for this day when he could get revenge on the man who abandoned him and his sworn brothers on the floating island. But the coward didn¡¯t hear his words. He did not even acknowledge his gracious deed of saving him. Instead, that ungrateful idiot diverted to a new path toward the exit, oblivious that he had rescued this lesser being. Grabbing his rod, he pointed it at the coward who wore the rank of Captain. How this fool earned his last rank made him dizzy with anger. He spoke emotionlessly, without a hint of emotion, as though the past decade had turned his soul grey from the accumulated anguish and suffering he had endured till now. ¡°I am talking to you.¡± ¡°Oh, you there! Thank you for saving me!¡± Troy woke up from his stress-induced sleepwalk to address the person calling out to him. He continued feigning ignorance until the hooded figure swung his rod¨C Suddenly, a thousand rods flew towards him, forming a multi-layered prison structure with no room for escape. Akin to a legendary layered butter cake from the lands of Azea, the saviour created an electrical prison web with both men trapped inside. There was no room to hide anymore as Troy was forced to admit who this person was. ¡°Y-you should have died fourteen years ago!¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re genuinely surprised.¡± The saviour spoke with a voice full of deep-seated hatred, as though he had patiently waited for this day for far too long, for the roof on the lid of his emotional fuse was about to explode violently. He slowly removed his mask in one fell swoop, unveiling the face underneath. As the jet-black-greyish hair poured out, Troy started gasping uncontrollably as though he had seen a vengeful spirit. ¡°C-Captain?!¡± The saviour turned toward Troy with his undisputedly handsome face, something he hoped his son had inherited. ¡°It¡¯s been fourteen years, Troy Graves.¡± Troy fell backwards, attempting to make a mad dash for safety, which he knew would be fruitless. Any further would have meant he met his end by electrocution by the electrical web created by one of the Artifacts uncovered on that cursed island. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes, for he now came face to face with the commander he abandoned fourteen years ago in Ex-Captain Andrew Temporean of the Swan Contingent. Also known as the legendary call sign Zeus himself. Interlude: The Promise The location designated the Grand Atlantis Forum, with its majestic columns of ash-white pillars, crashed down from its perch atop the skies. The pillars, which would never break apart from their mighty foundations, had begun to disengage and free fall. The ultimate sin known to men had come undone; the seals meant to safeguard this realm had become forcefully unleashed. The intellectuals and the brave suffered a fate far worse than their predecessors did seventeen years ago, when their creations gained an artificial mind from the insane progress they discovered, slaughtering and plunging humanity into the second coming of the dark ages. The brave, who adorned the colours of white as the last vestige of the world¡¯s allied fighting force, watched as the intellectuals gave into the madness of their intellect. From the jaws of hell, the physical manifestation of an artificially generated liquified pool of madness crawled out from the binary vortex, taking the form of a grotesque abomination. As the abomination towered over him, he could not help but wonder. Were we ever on the same page? Andrew watched the fellow researchers who looked up to the scientist get crushed by their apparatuses. ¡°...Why?¡± An eerie silence. The abomination said nothing, for no words could explain the grand plan he swore to fulfil, for even after death, the show must go on. ¡°Were they all lies?! Tell me, Jordan!¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A familiar hand grabbed him on the shoulder. ¡°...Sir!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left. Here¡¯s the plan¡­¡± The plan sounded perfect except for one jarring detail. ¡°We can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°You go round up the survivors.¡± His sworn brother spoke fearlessly, knowing he might not survive this cursed night. Andrew knew nothing he said would change his brother¡¯s mind, for he was a warrior who never backed down from fulfilling his duties. ¡°That¡¯s like signing a death warrant,¡± Andrew pointed at the terrorist insurgents who hijacked the research project. If he allowed his sworn brother to go into combat alone¨Cone versus all, he knew his brother, even with the almighty strength of a war god, wouldn¡¯t survive. ¡°That¡¯s an order, Captain Temporean.¡± Andrew felt his comrade¡¯s brief jitteriness before it faded into calmness, like a serene lake with still water. The courage within had enveloped the man known by his legendary call sign. ¡°...Go, now.¡± ¡°Wait. On one condition.¡± His sworn brother said nothing. ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll come back alive.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Andrew ran off from the Grand Forum, leaving his sworn brother alone to face the terrorists and the man who betrayed them. He knew his sworn brother wouldn¡¯t survive this affair but harboured faith that he could make the impossible possible. Unfortunately, little did the Swan Contingent and Drazen Empire¡¯s representatives know¡­ ¡­Their return was not part of the mission plan. Chapter 30: Vengeful Lightning Pt. 1 How long had he dreamed of this day since he lost everything? His name. Legacy. Family. And everything he stood for. Nothing mattered anymore as the day of reckoning had arrived. His unwaveringly frightening glare, empowered by his dark thoughts, remained fixated upon the man who betrayed him. Drunk on vengeance, he felt his sanity slipping away for the very moment he could sink his rod into¨C ¡°How could it not be me in the flesh? It sounds as though you do not want to believe it. Judging from your expression, I believe I¡¯m not welcome in your version of reality, Captain Graves. That pathetic lie you forced upon yourself to justify your existence. If only you could see your reflection right now. What a pathetic man who dares wear that rank.¡± ¡°If you were alive, you should have told us!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh! We all know. And I know. That damned project did not account for any survivors. Those who lived only survived out of luck. Like yourself, who ran away when we needed you most. You only had one simple order to follow, yet, you decided on another.¡± ¡°We thought you were dead! We tried looking for you.¡± Andrew squinted his eyes. Out of honouring his promise not to utilise his abilities in this manner, he chose silence. ¡°You do not believe me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie, Troy. I understand you. I finally did, after so long. Funny, I only came across the ultimate truth when I opened my eyes. Who benefitted from this the most? You know the answer to that question¡­¡± Jabbing his lightning rod forward, his understudy, the betrayer, stood in its crosshairs. "...Troy, was it worth it?" ¡°Sir¨C¡± That was the last straw. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me that, you coward!¡± The Ascended¡¯s scream echoed like a strong gust of wind, sweeping the crimson fields where two former allies finally reunited in the most tragic way possible. Only two remained alive in this section of the world, where the remnants of the departed coloured its surroundings in a shiny crimson-blood-red dye. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­accept this. No, you stop it. Stop it now!¡± Troy compartmentalised his cowardice within his feeble heart, summoning the false bravado to break the long silence. To an outsider, it appeared he was talking to himself. ¡°...Accept what?¡± ¡°This is unacceptable behaviour,¡± A feeling of duty engulfed Troy as he stood in the face of someone masquerading as his officially KIA¡¯d upper study. ¡°Whoever you are, please stop with this ridiculous act. This is a warning! Or else¡­!¡± "Or else what?" "I won''t hesitate to have the relevant authorities deal with you!" Andrew was almost speechless. "Surrender now!" ¡°...What a joke. Can you even hear yourself?¡± Andrew spat mockingly, for this clown of a soldier who somehow attained the rank of Captain, a title he held before death, is now going through an astronomical case of mental gymnastics. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. You truly are a piece of filth, Troy Graves. The lengths you would go to¡­¡± The truth. ¡°...No wonder everyone under your command¡­and those who trusted you¡­all perished for your benefit.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Watch your language, criminal!" With one hand, Troy released the safety mechanism. With his other hand, he placed it on the trigger. Raising the rifle to enter a firing position, Troy fired one round at the man who stole the identity of his fallen ally. ¡°I will have your tongue for that, filthy terrorist!¡± The bullet escaped the chamber of Troy¡¯s rifle, travelling at a lightning-fast speed beyond a human¡¯s standard vision. ¡°Foolish. So, so foolish. That will never work. Yet, you still try. I must commend you for that A+ attempt. I did not want to do this but you leave me no choice.¡± The bullet''s immaculately homing sound silenced the profound, regretful moan from the other end. However, Troy had ignored the fact that this ¡°identity thief¡± wasn¡¯t just any human. ¡°A fool like you never learns from their mistake.¡± A flash of white. ¡°What¡­?!¡± Troy gasped in shock as a steak of lightning engulfed the invisible bullet, unsure of the sequence of events that rendered his weapon obsolete. ¡°That¡¯s all you got? I thought you would show me a technique you have learned. I expected a new trick in your arsenal, considering I haven''t seen you for so long.¡± Even as Andrew wanted to punish his understudy for his cowardice, he still harboured sympathy for his student, wanting to make him look presentable in an unwinnable duel. ¡°Funny. You already know the outcome but still choose otherwise. You¡¯re committing yourself to perfection in this role, Troy. Your complacency has led to your downfall. It reminds me of the Swan Contingent¡¯s volunteers years ago. Nothing has changed. Absolutely nothing.¡± Andrew pointed at the puny weapon Troy held in his trembling hands. He wanted to laugh but suppressed that unneeded gesture. ¡°You honestly think that is going to work on me? At least have a sniper hiding somewhere where I can¡¯t see!¡± He shook his head, knowing that since the day he last saw Troy, the Federation had done nothing to improve the standards of their soldiers. ¡°That would make even a toddler from the Drazen bloodline laugh.¡± The Federation had chosen the path of least resistance instead of establishing friendly ties with the Empire. This act by the President had every semblance of treason, an act that could become grounds for stripping the President of his title. The newly christened UAFAF had no place where the survivors only wanted peace. The survivors had embraced an era of nationalisation, for globalisation pushed by North Atlantea had ended in a glorious heap of mechanical scrap buried deep within the heart of the Tribal Chiefdom. Why, Janus, why did you choose this instead of¨C Andrew suspected the reason, but there were no grounds for his accusations. He could only theorise until he was proven right again. As he contemplated the reasons for the commander-in-chief¡¯s action, Troy''s exaggeratedly brave voice cut through his thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare disgrace the memory of my commander, you thief!¡± With his head tilted slightly upwards, Andrew sighed softly. ¡°You¡¯re remarkably irredeemable.¡± Even if this man standing before him was the real deal, Troy couldn¡¯t let him live. He had to rationalise a way to end this person¡¯s life before the truth got out. He couldn''t, by any means, allow him to exist, for he remembered the words of the President¨C ¡°Soldier.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. President.¡± Those words ignited a spark in him to carry out his duties¨Cno matter what it took. ¡°Soldier, you must ensure the past remains in the past forever.¡± ¡°Pretender, I will have your tongue!¡± He remembered the esoteric skills and techniques his mentor passed down to him. Even though he had lived in peace for a decade, not showcasing these skills except for recreational purposes, Troy knew that this combat style gave him an unparalleled advantage on the battlefield. With a warcry that sounded like a man auditioning for an action movie, Troy executed his offensive. He knew this decisive manoeuvre was unlike anything his foe had ever seen. ¡°Die!!!¡± ¡°The President¡­?¡± With a deep, prolonged sigh Zeus knew what he had to do. ¡°I must commend you for this stellar act, Troy. At least you¡¯re pivoting. I must commend you where commendation is due.¡± Zeus intentionally laughed loudly so his cowardly understudy could hear. His words transformed into a whisper in the wind as the coward had assumed this trick¨Cthe fighting style his sworn brother had perfected in his life and graciously passed down to soldiers beneath him in rank¨Ccould be used in this shameful manner. Nobody could execute this technique as he knew the originator had crafted it in an era where physical combat had become cast to the wayside for modern warfare. Since humanity could use weapons of all forms, the need to use one¡¯s body as a weapon didn¡¯t fit in this era. Humans could try, but their physical prowess lacked the aptitude and strength. He stashed the rods at his waist, readied his fists, swinging his legs backwards to enter a sparring stance. ¡°Hand-to-hand combat? You¡¯ll regret this.¡± The lightning prison changed in formation by switching its bouncing route and transforming into a squared circle¨Ca wrestling ring-lookalike¨Cwhere professional wrestlers would entertain their audience before the Singularity War ended the status quo. With the crowd¡¯s roar, wrestlers would enter a momentous dance with one another. They would showcase the art of otherworldly movements that defy gravity to stimulate the vision of their audience, ending it with a showcase of finishing manoeuvres to end the performance at a high. Unfortunately, there would be no audience for this fight. It was a public execution. Chapter 31: Vengeful Lightning Pt. 2 Troy did not see the squared circle¡¯s formation. He had forgotten about the past when he and his seniors would enjoy watching old tapes of this art form together. To move on into the future, he had to wipe his memories clean and embrace his role. I don¡¯t care who died. I don¡¯t care who survived. For as long as I survive, I can rewrite the story. Nothing else matters! To honour the memories of the fallen, he must slay the pretender before him in combat. For as long as he lived, nobody from the past who resurfaced to usurp his current standings in the present could take it away from him! Nobody. No one. Not even if his former commander had returned from the dead. His reality¨Cthe United Atlantea Federation''s official narrative¨Cis the only truth! ¡°The President believes in me, not you!¡± Troy glitched for a moment before his programming was restored. With blind rage fueled by his innate insensibility, he chose to ignore the authenticity of the pretender, who was his ally in the flesh. The decision to disregard the past for the future became his resolve. The past must remain buried in the past. If the past decides to challenge the present, attempting to alter the future, then he, Captain Troy Graves, under the command of the President, must ensure this spectre never haunts their path forward. ¡°...You haven¡¯t changed one bit.¡± With spiteful toxicity, the Ascended smirked as he watched the uniformed cosplayer dash at him without caring about his surroundings, catching him amid his offensive. ¡°Was the whisper of illusionary glory so tempting that you would blindside all of us so you could live in this fake paradise? Was it worth it to sacrifice all of us for your benefit? Those sleepless nights that I¡¯m sure you had. The mental torture from our allies¡¯ lamentations of despair. The nightmare of your selfish decision. Did you ever regret your choice? If you could turn back time again, would you have made this decision¡ªagain?¡± Andrew stared down Troy as he grasped his right hand with a vice-like grip. Any further he exerted, he would have crushed his hands. ¡°What justifies your decision to ¡°kill me¡± as you did fourteen years ago?¡± As Troy threw his other fist forward, Andrew caught it smoothly again without exerting the full extent of his abilities. The blood in his veins enabled him to control time with varying applications across his family tree, unexplainable to mainstream science. ¡°A futile attempt¡­as I expected from a fraud unworthy of the rank of Captain!¡± Andrew jumped up, releasing both captured hands, grabbing Troy¡¯s pathetic weasel-like face to make it kiss his knee. The kiss of death dropped Troy to his knees, hanging onto Andrew by the waist like a tree trunk. He then raised his hands to form a prayer of mercy, as though begging for mercy would appease the furious lightning god. ¡°...Please, stop. I beg you¡­¡± Andrew thought he heard wrong. ¡°...Stop, please stop.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Andrew watched as Troy clasped his hands hard in prayer as though he walked into an ancient temple to pray for blessings. Instead, he was begging for mercy. ¡°Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Can you see how pathetic you look? Goodness, if only she provided me with a mirror. That reminds me¡­What happened to your proud persona earlier? Come on, don¡¯t be shy. Let it out for me to see. Come on.¡± ¡°Please, sir¨C¡± ¡°What happened to you calling me a phoney?! You called me a pretender.¡± ¡°Please¨C¡± It was too late. Tensing up, Andrew swung his leg backwards, channelling all the anger he bottled up for years to jab it forward, replicating a move used by wrestlers in Azea, except with force amplified behind it. The knee strike landed with full impact onto Troy¡¯s face. The exhaustion mixed with saliva in his mouth flew into the air, landing beside the grass surrounding them. This time, the blow knocked something pearly white in Troy¡¯s mouth in another direction, never to be seen again. Again. And again. The blows kept coming like a freight train. The maddened Ascended repeatedly struck the mortal¡¯s face. This time, he didn¡¯t grab his subject¡¯s waist, watching Troy land on the tip of the fruit punch¡¯s bowl, the final resting place with its natural colours stained by the blood of his fallen recruits. After what seemed like an eternity of hell on earth, a soft whimper left the mouth of the guilty. ¡°...Stop. Please s-stop. Mercy. Give me mercy¡­¡± Standing above his former understudy, with his eyes casting a condescending look downward, the Ascended primed himself to enact justice for his fallen allies, whose chances of escaping their gruesome fate would have been higher if only this coward had followed his orders. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The Ascended swiftly used his hands to push the coward onto the crimson grass field, bouncing the coward¡¯s head stiffly like a rag doll, each hit ricocheting with more force and impact, back and forth to eternity. With brutality harnessed through years of close combat experience before joining the Swans, Zeus became the executioner and began raining fists down on the guilty. With each jab of Zeus¡¯s fist, the coward¡¯s scream only heightened in agony. His already bloodied face became more unrecognisable with each punishing motion. Soon enough, even the coward¡¯s scream ceased to exist¡­ From the pretender¡¯s brunt force trauma, Troy¡¯s mouth had become disfigured, with several missing teeth punched in or swallowed down his oesophagus. His mind was in a haze from the punishment he received. He continued to absorb punishment with each compounded strike, his subconscious drifting toward a fantasy of dying in combat just like his mentor. He thought, how great it would be to have a glorious end on the battlefield. How would it turn out in tales told to the Federation¡¯s youths? Even with his life fading into dust, he only cared about his public perception. ¡°Sir¡­Andrew.¡± Andrew knew he was moments away from ripping the soul from this shell of a lesser being. For that, he wanted to hear the coward¡¯s final words before he finished the revenge he had sought for a decade. ¡°...Sir, I am a soldier who has fought to the bitter end.¡± The stale wind blew onto Andrew, who looked down on his former understudy with unadulterated shock. His understudy¡¯s words had stunned him, for he did not expect these words to form his final moments. ¡°...After all the mess you created? Do you think I can forgive you? Do you think our allies can forgive you for what you¡¯ve done?!¡± Andrew took the rod from his belt, causing it to glow mercilessly¨Cas though it had formed a symbiotic relationship with his raw emotions¨Cto form a white lightning bolt, contrasting the midday sun with a dash of white in an orange-hued master artwork. Soon, this bolt of justice, in the form of a flickering energy blade, would take the life of the man who betrayed their sworn brothers¨C ¡°Say that again, Troy.¡± He needed to hear those last words. ¡°...Sir, I am a proud soldier who carried out his duties¡­¡± A sick smile painted the face of the delusional commander. ¡°...Today, when I die, the world will remember me as the hero who protected his recruits to his dying breath,¡± Troy added, believing in his lie until his life faded into the abyss. He summoned his last breath of strength, turning to face his recruits who had longed to leave this realm. It didn¡¯t matter the circumstances of their deaths, for he had convinced himself he had done his best. The truth did not matter, for he knew the Federation could change the story to fit their desired narrative. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± With a swift, surgical-like, precise motion, Andrew guided his energy blade downward with force like a guillotine in freefall. Before it reached the point of no return, a voice suddenly rang in his head like a bell¡¯s chime. ¡°We have no right to take another person¡¯s life.¡± ¡°As a soldier, we only take a life to defend others.¡± Andrew stopped himself as the weapon reached the tip of Troy¡¯s throat, the energy frequency burning the coward¡¯s throat to oblivion. Any further he went, this coward would have his head separated from his body, decapitating him immediately. He finally understood living a life of revenge was beneath him. As he slowly came to his senses, a smile hovering between sadness and longing found its way to his revenge-stricken face. With profound clarity, Andrew stood up and walked away silently, leaving this pitiful soldier alive. This coward did not deserve the easy way out like the fallen soldiers here today, as the Drazen Empire¡¯s fury would be a thousand times worse than today¡¯s false-flag operation. Those who had fallen had received a merciful exit from this cursed reality, for he knew the Empire possessed a military might and a conquering force the Federation could not withstand. The dead did not understand the extent of the Empire¡¯s threat and were lucky to be spared from the Drazen Empire¡¯s all-out offensive. Despite all that, he could see right through the dark suits the Federation¡¯s bureaucrats wore. He had long suspected the Federation had an ace up its sleeves. The UAFAF, in its current state, had no fighting chance. Unless¨C His eyes quickly darted northward, remembering the secret hiding in plain sight high up in the North, cordoned off by his former allies from the Swan Contingent¨C And as he did so, a weak voice called out to him. ¡°...Why?¡± It was a voice on the brink of Hades¡¯ doorsteps, whose body appeared mangled by a feral wild beast. Andrew felt ashamed of his savagery when vengeance cloaked his judgment. How close he was to losing it¡­ ¡°That¡¯s not for me to decide.¡± Andrew¡¯s resounding voice was clear as day. ¡°Please end me, sir¡­¡± ¡°Death is an escape from this realm you do not deserve. A coward like you deserves their judgment day. And like I said, I do not possess the authority to take your life.¡± Andrew walked over to Troy, casting his sapphire eyes downward at him, like a superior being looking down on his subjects. He could feel his throat starting to choke up at the memory of his sworn brother¡¯s sacrifice. ¡°Do you know this is how he felt before you abandoned him on that island? Bruised and damaged with nobody coming to his aid? Now you know.¡± Troy finally remembered him: That someone he respected, emulated and formed the core of his fake person during his recruits¡¯ training. He then wondered what his final moments were like. Did it hurt? Did the terrorists kill him? A soldier could fight for victory, but surviving¨Creturning home¨Cis another story. Andrew noticed the portal opening up behind him once more. He couldn¡¯t wait to return to the Abyss, for his comrade had successfully finished their second objective. ¡°Troy, I¡¯m glad you can remember him. He¡¯s the hero who saved us all. Unfortunately, nobody would know the tale of his heroic deeds and self-sacrifice. After all, this reality¡­¡± That noble act bought the Federation additional ¡°peace¡± before they foolishly threw it away. ¡°...The United Atlantea Federation is living on borrowed time.¡± Andrew sensed a giant conspiracy looming in the distance upon inspecting the terrorists¡¯ uniforms, for this might be a setup for an outbreak of hostilities. Stepping into the portal, he looked back one last time at his understudy, who had not moved a single inch since then. What he did today was a form of duty toward his former homeland, which ironically turned his back on him. As he returned into the void, Andrew recalled his younger brother, who he knew now fought on the opposing side. The day would come when they would reunite under different circumstances. ¡°Brother, we will meet again.¡± Chapter 32: This is Goodbye Pt.1 The living grimaced at the sight that greeted them when they finally escaped the darkness of the unending tunnels into the light. Helios, in his physical manifestation as the glorious sun shined upon the fields where it seemed an artist high on psychedelics had an art drawn with uneven brushes of red and green, melding both colours into an unfettered parchment of insanity. The result was the final work on display for those who wished to marvel at its chaotic depravity. An indescribable scene of carnage was all that was left of the terrorists¡¯ rampage. How ironic for the soldiers graduating to meet their end with the weapons they meant to employ against the Drazen Empire. Help had arrived at last, but it was too late. The slaughter show had reached its climax, and the commanders, whose task involved safeguarding their recruits discarded the responsibilities they had sworn to uphold. They committed a cowardly act worthy of court-martial trials by deserting without looking back as their recruits called out to them in vain. Unfortunately, little did the commanders know, that the terrorists had anticipated this cowardly act. ¡°Team, incoming movement to point SSS01-03. Intercept.¡± One of the teams on standby noticed their prey entering another zone. ¡°Roger. Move on to point SSS01-03.¡± With seething rage, one of the gunners readied the GPMG, a general-purpose machine gun. Loading the barrel with what appears to be an infinite roll of rounds, he aimed at the honorless officers through the crosshair, with his hand on the trigger. He muttered softly as the section leader beside him gave a thumbs up. ¡°Burn in hell, cowards.¡± The cold steel fireworks show that heralded the commanders¡¯ end had begun. Gleeful ecstasy filled the commanders'' faces as they approached the exit, moments away from leaving this dreaded hellscape where their recruits had perished. Justifying their shameless act, they conspired to paint this event in a new light once they were safe. But today¡¯s events sang a different tune. They were not meant to leave the crime scene alive, too. ¡°...Wait, what?¡± ¡°Why are they here?!¡± Panic started to set in. The terrorists had blockaded the path toward their exit. ¡°N-no way, run. Run!¡± "What''s happening¨C" ¡°They got our escape route on lockdown!¡± "What?!" It was too late. The machine gun operator stood ready with his hand clutched on the trigger. With a prolonged press, the sound of steel zipped past the gun chamber and rattled through the air. Bodies flew to the skies, with each metal shard ripping through the husk of every weak, measly human vessel. As the brutal pieces of metal pierced the flesh, the subsequent rounds of precisely engineered bullets brutalised and pulverised the bodies beyond recognition, where the only fate for the slaughtered would only be a chimeric monument of remembrance. The final screams faded into background noise as the machine guns started firing again. There was complete and utter silence except for the sounds of steel piercing the newly-christened graveyard to ensure nobody survived. The terrorists knew no mercy, having chugged away their morality back home, for they needed not of it. ¡°Isn''t that?" ¡°Nim¨C¡± When the terrorists least expected, the sound of heavens slammed down, faster than the metal shards'' trajectory, as white-hot lightning engulfed their surroundings, followed by the smell of quick winds carrying the scent of blood from one end to the next. The blue-on-blue had surprised them as their helmets registered the Artifact as a friendly element. Next, the smell of burning cinder plunged the fields into a chemist¡¯s wildest dream as the quick bolts of flashing lightning struck the grass beneath. The heavenly smite first encircled the terrorists before crashing down, leaving them crisped and charred. The white energy bolts bounced around the crimson-dyed grass fields, from one rod to the next, creating an illuminating effect of mysticism. The dance of light encapsulated by the streaky bolt of thin lightning zoomed past each living individual, not marked as a hostile element, entrancing them in an ecstatic, euphoric high and coating them in a blanket of warmth when the sparks flew at an inhumane speed only one who possessed the blood of a first Atlantean could ever command. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In mainstream science, many refer to it as physics. But to him, he knew it was not. This researcher, who had seen these supernatural powers during his tenure, immediately knew who the wielder was. Acknowledging his survival meant everything the Federation had sold him to this point was lies. The horrors of questioning the status quo would only brew dissent amongst their ranks, further fragmenting the shaky trust their command structure barely held on since that disaster. Caught in his thoughts, Ivan seemed in a daze, unaware that a team of surviving hostile elements had crept up behind him. ¡°Sir, watch out!¡± His team narrowly spotted the team of terrorists and fired on sight. ¡°Perfect cover, team.¡± Ivan could not believe how close he was to knocking on death''s door. One second where he lapsed in focus could have ended it all. "Let''s move." If his intel team had not come with him, he would have swapped places with the terrorists on the bloodied fields¨Cbecoming part of those who would join the inevitable unmarked grave. ¡°No problem, sir.¡± ¡°Sir, look around.¡± Ivan took in this sombre atmosphere, where nothing within his scholarly scientific mind could ever label. ¡°We¡¯re too late.¡± The terrorists had succeeded in their mission, slaughtering the lives of the innocent and the guilty alike. Their lifeless bodies were indistinguishable from one another¨Cjust like how they entered naked and left similarly into this realm. In the grand scheme of things, history would talk about this day as a nameless tragedy, with the identities of those who perished bearing no significance. Ivan¡¯s gaze lingered in one particular direction, where the only thing on his mind was his former ally, who had miraculously survived that dreadful day. ¡°We need to go, now.¡± As the backup surged from the front, he strutted slowly like a diva into the field as though he had arrived to greet the graduating recruits as the guest of honour, only to see them unmoving, with their bodies stacked up like a Jenga block. "Young Smith, we need to go." "Sir." He knew no urgency, only pride in himself for embracing his role in deciding the fate of those who lived and died. As his mentor walked cautiously in the bloodied fields to avoid stepping on the dead, he did otherwise. Neptune deliberately smashed the fallen watermelons on his path forward, with each step forcefully squashing the exposed flesh. One step at a time, he felt a light, airy feeling of walking on cloud nine as juices started splurting onto his boots, covering them in a new shade of red. He could hear soft whimpers from the squashed fruits which would only make up a rounding error on the final death count¡¯s statistic. ¡°...Someone. Please.¡± ¡°...Help¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Help.¡± The fruits varied in different sizes, like those sold at the farmers market on weekends, but he never looked down upon them to acknowledge their existence. For someone who would become remembered as a legend, there was no room for empathy, especially for these nobodies. Then, from the corner of his peripheral vision, Neptune saw a flash of luminescent brilliance from beyond his imagination ripping through the fields. ¡°¡­!¡± Turning his head, he saw his mentor, stunned after he survived a terrible fate by a thin margin as bodies dropped to the ground. But his face did not convey shock from the terrorist¡¯s attempt to assassinate him. Instead, it derived from witnessing the unnatural phenomenon blitz through the fields. ¡°Sir, what was that earlier?¡± It was rare to see his mentor mentally preoccupied for so long. ¡°...We need to head over to where the lightning came from..¡± ¡°Where did the lightning come from?¡± Neptune, with his photographic memory, traced the lightning from the endpoint to the origin. ¡°It came from the middle!¡¯ Neptune bellowed, recalling the lightning bouncing from one rod to the next, where it acted as a conductor of electricity. The place where the lightning originated from came from the middle of the fields, bouncing from the source to the right, then to the left, creating a six-point vortex where everyone caught in it, carrying metal without appropriate insulated gear, absorbed the electricity, roasting them into cooked meat. ¡°...How sure are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a prediction, sir.¡± Without hesitation, Ivan faced the intel team and issued his next order. ¡°We are following Recruit Smith¡¯s lead. Let¡¯s move out.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± As they were about to move, two distinct footsteps stumbled upon them. His mind immediately filtered away that insignificant fool in black to stare at a mirror image, albeit a younger version of himself carrying similar genetic traits. Just as he thought he could proceed with the next step in his ascension, another roadblock hooked him to the past. Chapter 33: This is Goodbye Pt.2 ¡°...Jupiter?!?!¡± ¡°Big brother!¡± ¡°Stay still, or he dies.¡± Such immaculate timing, Neptune thought. Looking at the skies, Neptune fantasised about an imaginary hourglass with sand hanging oppressively, like the floating island from a distance, above him. And in his hands, an unbalanced scale that sought balance. Ivan clicked his tongue, knowing he had no time to waste. ¡°What timing¡­¡± A terrorist had shown up at the worst time possible with an equally unbalanced hostage. ¡°Is that your younger brother?¡± The timing of this hostage scenario was impeccable and he needed to decide quickly, or they risked losing the key objective. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Ivan whispered to his side, where the intel team stood at the ready. ¡°Team, what¡¯s the chance?¡± ¡°Realistic or unrealistic, sir?¡± ¡°Both. I¡¯ll be the judge of it.¡± ¡°Unrealistic chance is saving the civilian and executing the terrorist¡­¡± The intel team soldier held his tongue. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to mince words. Speak your mind.¡± ¡°Realistically, we take them out at the same time.¡± The intel team soldier had studied the terrorist and saw a baby-like bulge attached to his chest. ¡°Sir, now is the perfect time to take it.¡± With decisiveness ingrained within his hyper-advanced logical mind, Ivan commanded coldly. "We go for it.¡± Suddenly, a whimpering voice cried out in agony. ¡°No! Don¡¯t!¡± Neptune pleaded, interrupting his mentor inadvertently. He couldn¡¯t allow them to take his younger brother¡¯s life. ¡°Stay out of this.¡± ¡°¡­Please.¡± Ivan ignored his mentee, his cold eyes affixed on removing the enemy standing in his way. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Neptune Smith,¡± Ivan glanced at his mentee, knowing the son of the betrayer had once again risked everyone¡¯s life in a do-or-die situation. ¡°Look at the bigger picture¨C¡± Ivan directed his eyes at the bomb tied to the terrorist, barely visible, with the hostage blocking the view from the front. ¡°¨CWe can''t waste any more time." It all made sense. Something within him awakened, spiralling him down into the abyss. Neptune widened his eyes as a flurry of information flooded his information-processing terminal, engulfing his five senses. Hold on, did he say the bigger picture? As the invisible maelstrom of cries filled his mind, Neptune entered a trancelike state as he recalled his modus operandi throughout Ravens Camp. What made him take up a leadership role amongst Batch 123, who most likely had perished from the terrorist attack, wasn¡¯t about leading them to the promised land. It revolved around him uncovering the truth of fourteen years ago. This desire slowly transformed into a grand dream of becoming a hero, the legendary figure who would lead the United Atlantea Federation¡¯s war effort against the Drazen Empire. He knew in history that victory requires sacrifice; if today requires one, he would willingly offer anything on the altar of the Gods. As though his brain functioned like a disk defragmenter executing a memory wipe, the memories of his past, of his family, turned into binary data files reaching beyond the recycling bin of his information processing system¡­ A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡­Only to be replaced by a melancholy, logic-filled CRUD command. With his finger hovering over the command button, everything became crystal clear as to why he even started this story in the first place. His motivations. His dream. And for glory. Taking a gold coin out of his pocket, Neptune reaffirmed his vow as he clenched it tightly. Even if someone from his family had to take up the position of sacrificial lamb to further his story on the road to immortality, it was a sacrifice he had to take. No, he must take. He knew one thing: every hero has a background story, either a heartfelt or purposeful tale, pushing them to wear the mantle of greatness. This background story of heroes, those enshrined in legends, made him wonder if these stories¡¯ origins are a work of reality¨Cor fabricated, like the one he is creating now. From that moment on, there was no turning back. Click. The scales finally balanced as the sand in the hourglass had timed out. He had chosen this path. ¡°Take the shot.¡± Neptune felt his mentor silently assessing him with his eyes. ¡°I said, take the shot, sir,¡± He repeated heartlessly in a dominant trance. Ivan took a long breath, deliberately selecting the words to say. He felt those brown eyes cracking to unleash something evil within the monster beside him. However, the unofficial assessment was a success. ¡°You need to understand that in the future, a second lapse carries heavy consequences for all parties involved. You get what I mean, young Smith?¡± Neptune nodded. Ivan made the decisive call. ¡°Fire when you are ready.¡± ¡°Affirmative, sir. In five¡­¡± Stepping forward, Neptune wanted one last word with Jupiter, knowing that his sacrifice for him was for the greater good. But in truth¨C ¡°Jupiter.¡± ¡°Big brother!¡± Jupiter smiled at his elder brother, knowing he had come to save him. That¡¯s when his smile slowly eroded as he studied his brother¡¯s face in detail. Jupiter¡¯s lips trembled at the sinister feeling of cold, penetrating fear he felt from his older brother, whose eyes carried no warmth, replaced with emptiness from the apparent lack of a soul. ¡°Big brother is here to save you.¡± A sick, twisted feeling enveloped him. ¡°...I¡¯m scared, what¡¯s happening big brother?!¡± It was a weak plea, like a child on the precipice of bawling his eyes out. His brother¡¯s soulless eyes carried nothing but despair within those bottomless echo chambers. ¡°Trust me.¡± ¡°...Big bro?¡± The distinct clocking of a live round entering the rifle¡¯s chamber signalled the end of his kin¡¯s meaningless existence and the beginning of his story. ¡°Jupiter. Big brother has decided to save you.¡± Neptune watched as the colour on his kin¡¯s face started to drain; the demented look he gave his younger brother remained etched forever as his final memory. A maniacal look worthy of a man who would sacrifice anyone to attain glory. An evil smile contorted with self-praise and admiration toward the great deeds he would accomplish at the cost of this tiny price he had to pay in advance as the Gods once demanded in ancient history. ¡°Big brother?!?!?!?!¡± ¡°I love you, Jupiter.¡± ¡°Say one more word and¨C¡± The contrast between his older brother¡¯s chilling eyes and warm body posture became the last thing Jupiter witnessed as he took his final breath. On this day, not only would Jupiter lose his life. His elder brother, whom he looked up to, had also lost his soul. And there it was, the almost silent sound of a shard of metal floating like a butterfly through the air¡­ The invisible, silent bullet escaped the soldiers¡¯ rifle chamber, piercing both targets like a dagger through the heart reminiscent of a lamb skewer from Azea. Their bodies fell to the floor, where their lives faded instantly with the potency of the intelligence branch¡¯s deadliest weapon. With cold, steely eyes, Neptune pondered about the afterlife where his kin would live in paradise for eternity. This benevolent gesture extended to his younger brother was the gift of freedom. Free from life. From suffering. From warfare. From growing old. Free from sickness. An eternity of freedom in the heavenly gardens without pain. Free from the fate of those who had died¨Cbut will still live. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Chapter 34: Commander Pt.1 "You passed." This assessment was far more accurate than the make-believe simulated test environment. Looking at the unmoving corpse, Ivan knew there was nothing he could do to bring the dead back to the living. No technology of that calibre exists¡­ ¡­At least for now. Even after discarding all semblance of humanity, Neptune still could hear Jupiter¡¯s lamentation from beyond the abyss. It was futile to clasp his ears as it came from within, where the wailings of the assimilated haunted his existence. He had suffered a loss beyond words and moved as commanded, but was unsteady in his pace, barely following the lead of his mentor. They eventually stumbled into the crosshairs of what seemed to be a prison made up of solidified lightning with the strange sighting of a masked person. When the dust settled, the person had their back against a fallen foe¨Ca soldier wearing the Federation¡¯s uniform with three black chocolate bars signifying his rank. ¡°They must be here, too.¡± He spared a fleeting glance at a pile of carcasses, choosing not to acknowledge them, but when memories of fooling around came flooding in like an unrelenting storm, he could not help feeling a certain way. As his eyes slowly crept toward the fallen soldier, he instantly recognised who it was. ¡°...Sir, what a pleasant surprise¡­¡± Neptune looked down with disgust at the soldier, who seemed to be near the point of passing out from the damage inflicted upon him. A Machiavellian feeling engulfed him upon witnessing his weakened, vulnerable state. Like a shark swimming toward its prey, he wondered what he would do to his half-dead commander. Thoughts wavering on the borderline of madness and genius from parts unknown whispered into his ears as he contemplated how he would dissect his foe. The societally accepted justification beneath his facade faded when his predatorial instincts took over, turning his mourning expression¨Ca facial mask he had to pretend to wear for historical purposes¨Cinto a sadistic grin. Since arriving at the scene, Ivan had not taken his eyes off the perpetrator behind the assault before him. Troy lay motionless in a puddle of his blood, his body seemingly ravaged beyond words by the esoteric powers wielded by a familiar soul he had spent time in service with before his untimely ¡°death¡±. Ivan knew who it was by the Artifact and swallowed nervously hard as he inched closer. His boots caressed the crimson grass where his former ally stood at the rear with a nostalgic vortex behind him. ¡°...Andrew, is that you?¡± Despite the siren calls from within pulling him in, Andrew reactively turned upon hearing someone calling his lost name. It had been far too long since someone addressed him with that, making his heart skip a beat. Andrew registered the voice, for it belonged to the man from a famed lineage who once served his illustrious family. ¡°The heavens sure love playing with us.¡± He could not help but chuckle in despair. In his wildest dreams, he could never imagine having multiple reunions in such a miserable setting. He turned away from the vortex, looking at his former comrade from under his mask. Despair engulfed him as his breath was caught in his lungs upon noticing that unmistakable bleached fabric stashed behind him. The UAFAF. This terrorist attack. And the heaps of corpses. The paper trail led to the revival of the ultimate work. ¡°Why do you still have that?¡± To see his former ally carrying on the sins from a decade ago made him sick. He wondered why the Newton heir would swear fealty toward a cause that would dye his soul with the blood of the dead. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ivan recognised the unmistakable confident posture of Lord Temporean¡¯s eldest son. The habits of his dignified grace had lasted the test of time, even with the lack of practice through the years. ¡°How did you¨C¡± ¡°Survive?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Andrew lowered his obfuscated face and said nothing. "How¨C" ¡°You don¡¯t have to know.¡± ¡°If you lived, you should have returned to us back home. Your son, did you know he¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. The Federation. The President. Their latest compulsory conscription policy. Everything you know, I know, too. You can spare yourself the pleasantries of explaining further.¡± Andrew remained strangely calm for a man who returned to the same homeland that left him for dead, as though he attained knowledge beyond an Ascended could ever dream of acquiring. ¡°And that is why I did not come alone.¡± The greyish-red vortex behind him meant she was here too¡­ ¡°You mean¨C¡± ¡°Go on, impress me.¡± ¡°Candice survived as well? Did anyone else survive?!¡± Andrew laughed from under his mask. ¡°That¡¯s not the smartest question to ask, given your intellect. It seems you¡¯re clinging on to hope. Don''t embarrass your last name, Tempus Guard.¡± "That honour is not mine." Ivan could sense the inauthenticity behind that sneer. "It''ll belong to your kin." Andrew felt Ivan jerk nervously from his words. ¡° And you will become the villain of his story. How tragic.¡± ¡°I can say the same for you.¡± Andrew said nothing and lifted his head to the heavens, wondering if his ancestors were judging him. ¡°Where is Candice?¡± ¡°A strategic pivot. You won¡¯t be seeing her today, unfortunately. But, I¡¯ll let her know you asked. That¡¯s the most I could do for a former ally. She would be delighted to know you survived. Since I¡¯m a kind man, I¡¯ll leave out the details of you carrying on your mentor''s cursed legacy.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Why do you have a problem with that?¡± Andrew suppressed the urge to laugh. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem¡­for now. Besides, we¡¯re about to make our move.¡± "To where?" Ivan wished he had worked on that project''s research. Silence. ¡°Why are you here? Why is it so coincidental that it had to be today?¡± Another question that was met with silence. ¡°You have a dual objective mission. While you¡¯re here to deal with the terrorists, Candice has come for your son¡­¡± Andrew folded his arms upon acquiring a satisfactory response. ¡°I had to make you work for that. No wonder he took you under his wing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened¨C¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be. The sins of your mentor no longer hold any significance. You did not know his intent. Your role involved following his orders, like a good subordinate¨Clike how it should be. I do not hold any grudges against you.¡± ¡°But it was your wife¨C¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Your¨C¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Andrew jumped from the vortex¡¯s opening onto the bloodied grass, realigning his position next to his fallen understudy. He drew the rods at his waist, ready to strike until he noticed Ivan did not come alone. However, assuming those backups could even land a scratch on him was an impossibility. ¡°So the Federation has given you a dual appointment. An interesting decision by the President.¡± All Andrew needed was one look at the backup''s arsenal to know who they were. ¡°You¡¯re equally sharp yourself.¡± ¡°Given the circumstances of the Federation¡¯s birth statistics, it was obvious.¡± Ivan gazed upon Troy¡¯s motionless body, wondering the magnitude of punishment Andrew had inflicted upon him. ¡°What did you do to him? Why is he in this state?!¡± Andrew shook his head in displeasure. ¡°Why would you hurt an innocent man?!¡± With a swift motion, Andrew removed his mask, releasing his greyish-black hair. His sapphire eyes found their mark, staring deep into Ivan¡¯s. He joined both hands in unison, clapping at Ivan¡¯s ridiculous statement. ¡°After fourteen years, you still are as clueless as this piece of human trash lying here! The same applies to the rest of the Federation. Don¡¯t tell me that even you got hoodwinked!¡± Andrew lifted Troy¡¯s motionless body by the arm with relative ease. ¡°You see this right here! Look at this rank! He can¡¯t even fight! What sort of standards have the Federation fallen to?!¡± Andrew maintained a composed demeanour even as he forced those insults out. ¡°He¡¯s a useless piece of human filth cosplaying as a make-believe soldier! How does a soldier like him even possess the ability to defend the Federation from the Empire?!¡± His brows furrowed as his voice deepened. ¡°It appears you are underestimating the Empire¡¯s arsenal.¡± ¡°They have one of it,¡± Ivan remembered the recovered haul missing multiple pieces of equipment upon leaving the floating island. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s in Swaine¡¯s possession or any of the Imperials, you know your chances.¡± Ivan was left speechless as he clenched his fists. ¡°The Federation does not stand a chance. Give up. Nobody can wield it by the time they arrive on your shores.¡± That was the undisputed truth. Ivan knew the facts; the soldiers in the current rendition of the UAFAF lacked the combat prowess the Swans used to possess with him on their side. If the Drazen Empire arrived on their shores, the United Atlantea Federation would fall in a day without contest. Their soldiers had no resolve. The commanders were unmotivated. The entire military sat on a ticking time bomb but still chose to do nothing. Most importantly, no worthy candidate could wield their Artifact. ¡°You are absolutely right. But¡­¡± Ivan lifted his head, understanding his role in the war effort. Grabbing the lab coat he stored at the back of his ILBV, Ivan pushed it forward for the comrade he thought had perished to view. ¡°That¡¯s why I have this.¡± Andrew shook his head again with a disappointed expression. ¡°You know that the path you walk leads to hell.¡± After what seemed like a lifetime, Ivan answered with resolve. ¡°I have prepared myself for it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early. Turn back now. Before you regret it, like your mentor.¡± It was Ivan¡¯s turn to shake his head. ¡°Why sacrifice your humanity for the Federation?¡± Andrew tensed up, not wanting Ivan to walk the same self-destructive path as his mentor. ¡°The Federation you knew¡­It had died a long time ago! Why are you fighting for a cause unworthy of your last name?! I don¡¯t understand. The North will never rise again from its fall! Return home to your family!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Ivan wondered. Was it due to personal glory? Or simply to protect his homeland? Did the President¡¯s rallying cry influence him to sacrifice his humanity for the pursuit of national defence? ¡­Or was it because of someone he wanted to protect? ¡°...And wrong at the same time.¡± When faced with this revelation of having his life¡¯s purpose revolving around architecting the systems of calamity, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder about his cruel destiny. If not him, then someone else would have to take his place. And for that reason, he had to bite the bullet. Did you go through what I¡¯m going through, too? ¡°...I get it now. My role in this. This cycle of madness that perpetuates us for eternity.¡± The lengths a scientific genius would go to even without the advent of war or a great cause. The boundaries of innovation he would once against push. Then. Now. And forever. Like the Primordial Beast of the Kingdom of Middle that bites its tail, the Ouroboros. The responsibility of those born with a genius¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t for everyone. Only those who possessed the psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies to be beyond the limits of morality could achieve glory at any price. ¡°I must protect the United Atlantea Federation as a soldier,¡± Ivan spoke with conviction, causing Andrew to clap in disgust even louder. ¡°Anyone who dares question the sovereignty of the Federation is my enemy.¡± ¡°You have made your choice.¡± Ivan nodded resoundingly without hesitation. ¡°That was what I thought fourteen years ago. No wonder the Federation, built on egalitarian promises, had already fallen¨C¡± Suddenly, Andrew felt an irritable buzzing sensation. Time¡¯s up. However, he couldn¡¯t resist shaking the hand of his former ally before departing. Putting his right hand forward, Andrew offered a handshake. ¡°I wish you all the best. I¡¯ll be observing all of you from afar.¡± Ivan looked at Andrew¡¯s offer and remembered the Temporean¡¯s condescending tone during his youth. ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Why are you not accepting my handshake, you lowly peasant!¡± The arrogance of a lesser being not accepting his gesture had gotten on his nerves. The ancestral genes within him blessed by the Founder could not take this disrespect lightly. Then, someone from a distance caught his attention. A soldier in Ivan¡¯s entourage came unarmed¨Ca disrespectful gesture for someone who blatantly knew this field had turned into a battlefield. From that soldier¡¯s body language, he could sense, for some odd reason, that he had made the conscious decision not to bear arms. A strange dreadful thought enveloped him as he studied the soldier¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t understand this ominous feeling from this young recruit, but his sixth sense warned him of the darkness in that boy¡¯s heart. There was something about that boy he couldn¡¯t explain in words. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± Ivan positioned his arm forward to protect his mentee from Andrew¡¯s advances. Slightly turning his head to face his mentee, Ivan shouted at the intel team providing support a few yards away for their next orders. ¡°Young Smith, join the intel team and look for survivors. I will join you later¨C¡± Oh shit. Ivan gritted his teeth from his mistake, but it was too late. That was a misstep with heavy repercussions. He noticed Andrew¡¯s frozen sapphire eyes shaking with unpalatable anger. It wasn¡¯t hard to connect the dots since the Swans used to invite their families together for gatherings¨C ¡°...Wait!¡± Chapter 35: Commander Pt.2 Andrew failed to suppress his anger as the rage held within spilt over, where a deep, seething madness consumed his mind. A memory resurfaced when he remembered a name he thought he could forget. He also has a son. Neptune Smith. Those haunting images swelled up from the memory hole as he recalled them in a moment of blind rage. ¡°It was your father¡¯s fault!¡± He swore never to take another¡¯s life to uphold his sworn brother¡¯s creed, but when faced with his mortal enemy, even his strong moral compass couldn¡¯t control the emotions bottled within. Like the uncontrollable lightning from the skies, his usually calm state shattered and violence surged out from the pits of despair, he frighteningly teleported in a flash to reappear above the one who carried the Devil¡¯s Strain, withdrawing his rods to end the nightmare from fourteen years prior forever. As Neptune watched his mentor raise his hands to prevent the Temporean from moving forward, the Ascended suddenly vanished¨C ¨CTo reappear directly above him. The sapphire eyes belonging to the Temporean appeared blinded with anger and hatred in point-blank rage, as though they wanted to enact revenge against him for some bizarre reason. At that moment, he saw his reflection in those glistening rage-filled sapphire eyes. Neptune¡¯s eyes remained open as always, never enlarging or closing at the proximity of his life taken in a few moments from him. He felt a sense of calmness, ready to accept the fate of death that comes to all men. He knew the time had come when he would join the proud warriors in the halls of Valhalla. I can¡¯t die here. Nobody will remember me. I haven¡¯t accomplished anything yet. But, to accept a fate like his younger brother''s would humiliate him. Time seemed to pause for an eternity as the Temporean, armed with a bolt of lightning, slowly descended from the heavens, like the mythical God of Lightning, ready to rip his soul from his body and cast the powers of divinity on his feeble mortal coil. He gazed stoically at the mythical Zeus, where he could faintly hear his screams of anguish through the raging lighting. Somehow, with death approaching, he felt calm¨Cas though he knew someone would bail him. Surely someone would. Ah, so this is how death feels like. Shifting his eyes to the side, he saw the intel team call his name in vain, the voice inaudible, with everything surrounding him moving at half the speed. On the front, his mentor, bellowed in fear at him, his voice silenced by Zeus¡¯s deafening lightning as it drew closer. ¡°Goodbye, everyone¡­¡± As the lightning crashed upon him, he wondered why death felt so painless, as though the novels he read on end seemed like an over-exaggeration of illustrious wordplay. The sweet release from his mundane existence felt boring. Emptiness. Meaningless. He thought death would come to all man, but this final moment where he finally left this realm felt strangely cold and empty. He felt miserable at discovering the revelation that life has no meaning. Neptune slowly opened his eyes, hoping to arrive in heaven. Instead¨C ¡°Captain Graves¡­?¡± Captain Troy Graves, mustering the final strength from his body, had used his body as a shield to protect his recruit from doom. ¡°T-Troy! Troy!!¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He watched as his mentor shuddered in his feet, gasping uncontrollably, dashing toward his ally, who fell backwards in slow motion, landing onto his body. Troy¡¯s back was pierced by the searing lightning protruding from his damaged, feeble body. The heat from the spear had made the blood spurting out of his body evaporate within milliseconds. Neptune struggled to accept his OC, who he thought hated him with his dying breath, had intercepted the blow intended for him. The man known as Captain Troy Graves finally acknowledged his duty as a proud officer of the UAFAF, fulfilling his duties by jumping forward to protect his recruit from harm. However, he did not even feel thankful for his commander¡¯s sacrifice, especially not after unravelling the truth about Captain Graves¡¯s cowardice from classified reports. With a detached, businesslike expression, he wanted Captain Graves''s semi-closed eyes to witness the face of the recruit who would never thank him for his heroic deed. Do you think I¡¯ll forgive you? Neptune, whose face remained buried under the weight of his OC¡¯s body, feigned a look of shock that masked his darkest thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m legitimately surprised¡­¡± Andrew stood there, storing the rod at the back of his belt. He knew nobody would survive his augmented lightning; the fact his understudy took the death blow surprised him. ¡°I am very proud of you.¡± He watched Troy freefall from the devastating blow meant for his enemy. ¡°...Time¡¯s up for me too.¡± His leader¡¯s gaze, from somewhere only he knew, meant that he had overstepped his boundaries. All it takes is one hiccup to compromise the entire mission¨Clike the excessive use of his Artifact without recharging. ¡°...Why did you do that?¡± His former ally''s voice seemed on the verge of breaking, unable to process the dreadful scene before him. He watched Ivan hold onto Troy¡¯s lifeless hands as he stared holes into the vortex that started to spin into existence behind him. Before leaving, his attention turned to the devil, with unflinching indignation, who narrowly missed death by an inch. ¡°Neptune Smith, that¡¯s your name, right?¡± ¡°H-how do you¨C¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I know who you are. The next time we meet¡­¡± He swiftly turned around and made a giant leap to where the greyish-red vortex hung like a beautiful art portrait suspended in the air. ¡°...I¡¯ll kill you.¡± The voice faded into the distance when the vortex disappeared into thin air. The whispers of a threat far deadlier than the Drazen Empire¡¯s proclamation of war proceeded to haunt Neptune¡¯s subconscious. * Nobody knew how long had passed. The only thing the living knew was the smell of corpses had reached a fever high. ¡°Get a grip!¡± ¡°...Ah!¡± Neptune fell backwards from his mentor¡¯s shove, noticing his hand buried deep within something with a squishy texture. Before he came to his senses, it was too late. His hands, which refused to participate in taking another¡¯s life, had unknowingly touched the final gooey remnants of a former soldier. ¡°Young Smith, you ok?¡± Before Andrew retreated into the portal, he had a few parting words to share with his mentee. Those words might have hit hard as his mentee seemed lost in a daze. ¡°...Yeah, I think so.¡± ¡°Forget it. You don¡¯t seem fine.¡± Ivan gazed upon Troy in his arms, who executed a medal run to protect his mentee from the lightning strike. Due to the severity of the lightning¡¯s scorching burn, Troy suffered a mortal wound that would end his life if no medical attention came immediately. ¡°Young Smith, intel team,¡± Ivan called out hastily to his team, who immediately closed the distance and surrounded him, awaiting their next orders. ¡°Team, we¡¯re going to look for the Medical Corps. We need to act fast before Captain Graves succumbs to his wounds.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡± Turning to face his mentee, who still seemed visually stunned by his former ally¡¯s words, Ivan gave one last order before standing up. ¡°Young Smith, continue applying pressure and ensure Captain Graves remains awake until help arrives.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Upon sensing their vessel was alone, a dreadful voice whispered into his neural network, quelling his discombobulated mental state, and reinvigorating it into a second life. As the opportunity of being alone with the weakened, vulnerable state of the man he hated materialised, a devilish grin bordering on the brinks of sadism filled his face.