ã€ŠThe Streaming Spirit Sculptorã€‹


 Chapter 1 The First Step

    She sat under the Canopy of Creation, looking out at all the different worlds, and waited. She was very good at waiting. So many worlds had come and gone since She last performed Her duties that it was getting kind of ridiculous, but She was patient.

    The old fogies picked on Her all the time for being lazy, but it wasn¡¯t Her fault that mortals were so incompetent, She wanted to work too!

    But She was optimistic. Of the countless sounds of knocking that came rumbling from all the infinite worlds, one of them could succeed at any time and get their visit. She just had to be vigilant and keep waiting.

    Not for the first time, She wondered if there was anyway to raise the success rates a bit. Those stinky fools and their ¡®prestigious schools¡¯ and so called ¡®powerful sects¡¯ had reaped no tangible results in who knew how many eons, and yet they had the nerve to tease Her?

    She was grumbling as She sometimes did when bored, when a strange hum, softer than the softest feather, went nearly unnoticed even by Her. It differed from the usual reverberations mortals made challenging the tribulations; more like a small ripple on a still pool, so weak yet undeniably transformative. It was a strange phenomenon She couldn¡¯t explain yet, and it wasn¡¯t the first time she felt it.

    In the recent few cycles, more and more of such tiny ripples tickled her curiosity. She didn¡¯t know what it meant, but Her intuition screamed that something important was going to happen. Something different.

    She looked up at Mother and her fruits, so many times fewer than in her youth, a new twinkle in her eye.

    And she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d have to wait for too long.

    ¡ª

    It''s always the start that''s the hardest. That initial step feels like facing a colossal mountain, a daunting ascent into the unknown. It''s as if standing at the threshold, facing the gatekeeper to greatness, a formidable guardian of artistic destiny. All doubts reside in the first step. The only thing more challenging than slaying the dragon is summoning the courage to embark on the journey to face it, right?

    This was the turmoil in the mind of the self-proclaimed genius sculptor, preparing to bare his soul to the world. Jittering before an elevated 4-foot-tall block of marble stood Jun Hopper, a lean muscled, five foot nine, 22-year-old aspiring sculptor in a world that had long forsaken the profession. Dressed in dirty jeans, a worn shirt that had once been white and a leather apron with pockets filled with the tools of his trade, Jun¡¯s sweaty palms tightly gripped well worn tools, attempting to regain composure. If he could just gather himself, everything would be fine. Once started, everything would flow, he reassured himself.

    To be fair, Jun wasn''t usually the nervous type when it came to his work. Obsessed with the arts since a young age and never ceasing to better his skills, he was confident in his craft. The issue was that others were observing him. Sculpting had been such a deeply personal thing to him that having onlookers now felt more exposing than being naked, even after so many sessions. It was disconcerting.

    ''No, just tune out the drone cams. Focus on the piece. It¡¯s just me and her now. She¡¯s more than ready to be free, so what am I waiting for?'' He took a deep breath.

    Though his face was hidden by a scuffed and worn gray breathing mask and plastic safety goggles, Jun''s observers could still make out his expressive black eyes, so it was instantly clear to all when the shift took place. Gone was the nervous young man trying to get comfortable in front of the hovering drone cams, replaced by a master artisan beholding his work through his critical eyes.

    Nothing else existed for him now.

    His followers were familiar with the ''Switch,'' as they had admiringly dubbed the phenomenon. It signaled the beginning of a process few believed was even real. Many dismissed it as an impressive AI-generated hoax posing as reality. Despite the skeptics, there were those with broader vision and experiences who saw the beauty in his movements, recognizing a master of his craft at work.

    Jun had been very excited about this session.

    When he first got the mass of marble, he had gone wild with excitement. Secretly leaving the city limits, he ventured into the ruined remains of an old city for inspiration and materials. Initially, he thought it was a broken half of a stone column, but feeling the textured surface along its side, Jun had a suspicion confirmed by a scan with his wrist com.

    This was the epitaph of someone who had once lived in the city.

    Luckily, the main surface was preserved enough to be mostly legible. It read:

    In loving memory of Marcia Wellby. Brilliant of mind, generous of heart and kind beyond measure, the best Mother a son could be blessed.

    2124 - 2196

    Jun did not know Marcia Wellby. He could not even imagine what kind of life someone from before The Fall could have lived, but he knew she was loved. Someone had cherished Marcia enough to leave a memento that had survived beyond civilization to reach him. It had moved Jun deeply.

    It also made him remember his own mother. She was a proud and strong mom, and she loved him fiercely. He missed her.

    For days, Jun pondered how to transform the stone that held such memories and emotions. It was a tribute that had survived the end of the world and into the new. How could he preserve the love for someone he had never met?

    He spent hours feeling the different sides of the stone and its weathered etchings, wondering what images were deemed worthy of representing Marcia Wellby upon its crumbling surfaces and what final form lay beneath the layers of stone.

    Had she been a great warrior? No, there were no Hunters back then, right? She was a splendid mother, that was for sure. She was brilliant, so obviously intelligent and accomplished, probably very kind and patient. Perhaps she was also strict, like his own mom. She obviously did a great job raising her kid. He could afford a giant stone epitaph, so he must have done well for himself, and how can a son¡¯s success be untied to the loving nurturing of a mother¡¯s love?

    Jun had, of course, held back a few tears during his process of finding the image in the stone, but it was close.

    The more he pondered Marcia Wellby and the story he was constructing, the clearer the image became until the moment he knew it was perfect.

    Now it was time.

    With hammer and chisel, Jun knocked and chipped. Stone fragments flew in all directions, but his focus never wavered. A constant rhythm of taps sang a song that could capture the heart and suddenly a singular block of marble was transforming.

    Hours felt like minutes as a rough block of stone transformed into something beautiful and refined.

    To the casual viewer, the rough and weathered stone was simply shedding its excess to release the trapped figure within. His movements were so effortlessly refined that it felt like the sculpture had always been there and was only just being released.

    A woman sitting upright on a rough stone with her worn and accomplished hands resting on her lap.

    Her long, flowing hair fell freely over her right shoulder, elegantly draped in a dress of soft fabrics that hugged her comfortably. She had a beauty that could only come with the passing of time, with eyes that had seen the world change. Her face was oval and happy, and her figure was comfortable and strong, her posture relaxed and in harmony with the world.

    It would be wrong to say that she was a peerless beauty, but she had a charm that drew the eye and raise a natural curiosity about the stories she could tell.

    The small stone upon which she sat read the original etching scaled to fit the new surface.

    Jun didn¡¯t know Marcia. Jun didn¡¯t know Marcia¡¯s son. But Jun knew a mother¡¯s love, and he knew what it was to love and adore his mother, and in that moment, he knew Marcia Wellby, and he loved her. He hoped that this nameless son would at appreciate the tribute.

    What would have taken weeks of a Master Sculptor¡¯s time and dedication of endless refinement in the pre-Gate era only took Jun, a body refinement practitioner, a few hours. The speed and grace of the process were visually remarkable, captivating the casual viewers of the live stream who found it impossible to stop watching. It wasn¡¯t until Jun stepped away and allowed the drone cam to hover around the finished work that many viewers realized they had not moved in hours.

    The hundreds of viewers within the Ten Gate Cities observing the final work of art all had the same thought.

    The marble had come alive.

    How could anyone say that this dignified lady was of stone?

    Obviously, she is the proudest mother in the world. Oh, there are tears in my eyes? Liar! You¡¯re crying, not me! Wanna go?!

    Jun didn¡¯t know what kinds of emotional responses his work was generating. He was proud of what he had created, and that was enough.

    OK, no, it wasn¡¯t, but it was for him.

    OK, no, it wasn¡¯t, but people liked it, so it was fine.

    OK, no, most people didn¡¯t like it, but some did, so that was great.

    And yes, yes, it actually was.

    This whole streaming business was stressing Jun out like crazy. He absolutely hated it. Well, ¡®hate¡¯ was a strong word. Perhaps ¡®overly fatigued?¡¯ There were a few aspects he liked, especially at the beginning when he started streaming his sculpting sessions a year before because of Danny.

    Danny, his best bud, had made the astoundingly astute observation that Jun wasn¡¯t doing shit to progress his dreams of reintroducing the fine arts to society. A society that only cared about cold efficiency and killing Gate monsters. Danny argued that now was the perfect time to press his agenda.

    After 200 years of fighting and development, society had finally progressed to where humanity was no longer in constant danger of extinction. The greatest indicator of that was the reemergence of global communication for the masses through the newly established Global Rune Information Network and the ever sprouting and developing entertainment industries that followed which hadn¡¯t been seen since before The Fall.

    People finally had the leeway to care about other things besides survival and were essentially starving for some cultural nourishment. If Jun wanted to reintroduce the arts to this world, now was the time to do it.

    Hence the live streaming.

    Multiple live streaming platforms, well documented as a popular platform before The Fall, had formed almost immediately after GRIN was up. Talents buried without a chance to shine were given opportunities to showcase what they could do. Most, of course, did not go beyond the initial presentations of their skills, but some shot straight to stardom and financial success, which only bolstered others to try their fortunes.

    Jun had actually enjoyed the first few months of his streaming career.

    No one had sculpted anything with their hands since fabrication tech took its final steps toward complete automation by the end of the Last War, so his whole streaming concept was unique only to him.

    Well, when 80% of all streamers was focused on Gate-related content, it wasn¡¯t hard to be unique.

    He also didn¡¯t struggle in being interesting, which was saying much, especially since he hadn¡¯t been saying anything at all. Jun was an introverted guy who would rather work on his next sculpture while hanging out with his girlfriend Desi than go to a party, for instance. It didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t speak in front of crowds, he just reaaally loathed it. He just didn''t like being the attention of a crowd and the thought of talking to so many hundreds of strangers through a drone cam was a nightmare and a half.

    So yeah, nope. He just didn''t talk. Mystery concept, right?

    Blah.

    It was fun reading the comments and infinitely flattering when monetary gifts started coming in.

    At the time, the question about its authenticity was a fun conversation that he and Desi loved to giggle about.

    Then it got mean.

    One day, Jun''s live stream became flooded with haters, the chats filled with cruel mockery. It was confounding, making him wonder what he¡¯d done to upset so many people. He¡¯d was hurt and demoralized, seriously considering quitting altogether until Desi and Lily combed through and found many loud voices of support buried in the muck.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    That and the ever-increasing donations gave Jun the courage to continue.

    Hell, with the current rate of gifts, it was possible to really pursue his dreams, so he was thankful. Just don''t look at the comments and all was well in the world.

    The gifters were relatively few, but faithful and generous. Generous to the point that Jun was feeling guilty. Well, he had a rough plan for that.

    He let the drone cam do its thing for a bit more as he walked out of his Streaming Corner and towards a familiar figure lounging on his couch, watching something from his wrist com projection.

    Although the Streaming Corner was well organized for the audience, the rest of his studio was a clutter of projects at different stages of completion.

    Jun carefully passed around a four-foot-long glass piece that just needed rune engraving and the fittings to hang from the ceiling. Right behind it was an eight-foot metal monstrosity that never made it past conceptual. Jun wasn''t sure if it deserved a revisit or scrapping.

    Passed the working space was what most would consider a gallery of madness rather than a home. Finished works of art hung elegantly and strategically from almost everywhere; ceilings, floors and walls filling the open two-story space with Jun¡¯s many creations. Although overwhelming at a glance, as one passed through the spaces, they would find the order to the madness. Jun positioned everything to encourage natural movement and lit the space to create different experiences. Small intimate pockets existed throughout the space for resting while appreciating the works from different perspectives.

    It was all a great blessing, and none of it would have been possible without the support of his best friend Danny who encouraged Jun to follow his dreams and never hesitated to help at every step.

    Having no funds to buy property, Jun was stuck with rental and no property owner was comfortable with Jun''s ''hazardous'' hobbies. To them, anyone wanting to make anything without a fabricator was a lunatic and the worst tenants.

    So it came to be that Jun''s short dash towards his dreams had come to a dead end before he could eve start.

    Then entered Danny.

    With utmost nonchalance, he came by one day and handed Jun a rental agreement form. Apparently, an old warehouse in the East District had gone up for sale on the cheap because of a lack of maintenance and he snatched it with a small chunk of his inheritance.

    What could he say? His bro was the best.

    Danny Guard, at the same age as Jun, was a tall guy at over six and a half feet and, after years of focused training, had developed an impressive warrior''s body. Dark-skinned and classically handsome with his prominent nose and cheekbones, the son of a bitch even had glorious silken brown hair that did whatever its owner wanted, as opposed to Jun''s unruly black mop that even Desi had given up on.

    Still dressed in his bright red workout gear, Danny lounged on a comfy chair, relaxing with his feet on the coffee table. Thankfully, Desi wasn''t here to see that cause she would have gone nuts. By the Nexus, had she not been by once since the argument?

    Nearing closer, he saw a live stream of a Hunter team on an active hunt. These were hugely popular and birthed many local Hunter heroes and sponsorships. This team looked to be in a bit of a bind, though.

    ¡°Whose team is this? I don''t recognize the armoring.¡±

    A deep and lazy voice responded. ¡°It''s a new team. And I mean brand spanking new. These idiots are apparently the top of some graduating Hunter class from Lions Gate City. The team leader made a big deal about how their journey to the top was starting today. Ha!¡±

    ¡°Man, I can''t even laugh. They''re getting slaughtered. Did they seriously go that deep without at least one guardian mech? Why isn''t anyone helping- OH SHIT!¡±

    On screen, two of the forward attackers were desperately fending off a giant, black-shelled insect like monster with ferocious scythe-like arms when a new threat exploded from the earth at their feet. Two deadly gleams slashed the blinding clouds of earth and brutally bisected them from the crotch up.

    The blonde-haired defender gave a shout of retreat as he activated his rune. A glowing brown symbol manifested on his right arm, gathering power. The defender gave a mighty shout and stomped his right leg with a boom. A rock wall 10 feet tall shot up with a bright flash to cover the retreat. Only if it was thick enough.

    Although the light show was impressive, it was painfully obvious that it was inadequate.

    Two giant nightmares slammed through the barrier like it was paper before grappling in competition with what was but a moment ago, the body of a talented but foolish Hunter. Similar fates quickly befell the rest of the party.

    ¡°Damn.¡± Danny mumbled. ¡°K. Didn''t need to see that.¡±

    The screen fizzled out of existence as Danny sat upright.

    ¡°Sorry bro,¡± Danny apologized, looking sheepish.

    ¡°Yeah, that wasn''t helpful.¡± Jun collapsed into another comfy chair, having lost all the good feelings from the session. The Gate was a dangerous place. It was rare to see such talented young hunters disregard that danger in arrogance. Now they paid the price.

    ¡°So, I guess you''ve talked to Desi?¡± Jun asked, realizing the meaning of Danny''s sheepishness.

    ¡°Just a quick chat between classes. I didn''t get the chance to even get a word out honestly. She just gave me the short, but not the whys. She''s pretty pissed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. She hasn''t spoken with me since,¡± Jun said, feeling ridiculous about the whole thing honestly. ¡°And as for why she''s letting go of her dreams of being the world''s greatest Film Prompt Master, that she''s worked so hard for and become a Hunter which she¡¯s had no aspirations for, is, get this, Sandy Dandy.¡±

    Seeing the blank look on Danny''s face, Jun elaborated. ¡°Sandy Dandy is some new Film Prompter from Blue Sea Gate City. He''s been very active this year. He popped out a new Hunter-themed project basically every week. Personally, I feel like his work is crazy overrated, but he''s been getting some steady traction. Especially the female teen demographics.¡±

    Danny was getting impatient.

    ¡°Aaaaaaanyways, Desi became obsessed with his new series, ''The Reborn Hunter Saves the World.'' Blah. It''s just epic fight scenes and corny one-liners, but it''s a serious over glorification and romanticized view of the Hunter lifestyle. I''m sure this dude has never actually gone beyond the Gate.¡± Danny scoffed at the thought.

    No one really respected the Film Prompters that made Hunter-themed content without having at least braved stepping past the Gate. These were cowards that worshiped and idolized the Hunters the most, and their glorification of what they were too scared to even face and clearly didn¡¯t understand, lacked the realism for those who knew better.

    Because Hunters were not heroes.

    ¡°No matter how much I''ve pointed out how ridiculous it all is, Desi''s been charmed by this crap so much she can''t seem to hear me or anyone else,¡± Jun recounted with growing frustration before he laughed.

    ¡°Her mom was soooo mad. She chewed her out for even suggesting switching career paths right before finals and graduation and after she found out she was pregnant, but I''d bet my left nut Desi didn''t hear a word of it."

    ¡°Haha yeah when she gets li - What?!¡± Danny stood up so fast he almost knocked the coffee table over. ¡°You knocked up my sister?!¡±

    ¡°Yup! Hahahahaha! Yo- your face!¡± Jun was clutching his chest in laughter at the reaction of his best friend.

    The three had been childhood friends ever since they were twelve, but Danny and Desi were cradle buddies and as close as any siblings.

    The three had bonded easily, since they all shared a similar history of loss. Shortly before Jun''s arrival, a great scandal had shaken both families. Danny''s mother and Desi''s father were discovered having an affair.

    The divorce was fast, brutal, and final. Neither wanted the children. They both went off together to who knows where.

    When Jun showed up, he found two broken families in need of healing. The five children, including Lily, Desi''s younger sister and lil Davie, Danny''s younger brother, learned to lean on each other for support and formed a close bond.

    Right now, he was enjoying watching Danny, his best friend and soul brother, freak the fuck out. He had never ceased teasing Jun and Desi since they started dating five years ago, at fifteen. In retaliation, Jun loved to steal a smooch with Desi when Danny was around to watch him gag.

    This definitely topped that.

    After Danny calmed down, he went around to give Jun a brotherly power punch in the chest.

    ¡°Well, congrats Daddy. Way to break the news, bro. Wait. Desi''s prego and wants to be a Hunter, now? She hasn¡¯t practiced nearly enough for her First Cleansing, right?¡±

    ¡°Yup. My cute lazy butt never had time for practice.¡± Jun laughed before becoming lifeless again.

    ¡°I''ve always encouraged her to practice more, but it''s only now she''s been motivated. Not that she is practicing now, don''t worry. She''s gonna have to wait for after the baby. That means we''ve got a little over nine months to convince her out of this. I mean, I''ve never seen a clumsier person in basic combat practice. Just the thought of her on a hunt gives me nightmares.¡±

    Flashes of the poor idiot getting bisected came and went unannounced and unwelcomed. He felt like puking a little.

    Desi had never shown any talent in any of the weapon''s introductions or combat classes and no matter how much Jun helped her study runetech, the fundamentals for rune weaponry, it just looked like squiggly lines to her. It was a miracle to get her to pass Basic Runetech Maintenance last year, her own graduation having been threatened.

    Naturally fickle in character, the only thing Desi had shown a consistent and unwavering passion for was Film Prompting and Jun.

    With the AI tech readily available to the masses, it was possible to create simple films with just a few prompt words. Those that could push this craft to the next level were commonly referred to as Film Prompters.

    Desi Khis had been producing various carefully crafted films with guidance from both her mom, Mary Khis, a reputable Film Prompter herself, and Danny''s father, Juan Guard, who was a popular Set Prompter of great demand. For years, Desi had been steadily improving in her productions and had developed her own gathering of faithful fans. Jun imagined their reactions to her retirement plans.

    She, like many others, had been driven creatively by the occasional excavated cultural artifacts from before The Fall. Many civilian databases from military bunkers survived the conflicts. Contained were vast libraries of movies, music and media that were popular at the time. It offered a rare glimpse of what the world and their culture was like in the age of prosperity, but too many it was much more than even that. It inspired a wave of creativity that saw the start of many Film Prompter careers and the birth of a few revered Film Prompt Masters with social standings and influence rivaling the powerful Hunter Families.

    But for every success story lied ten thousand failures at their feet. It was an over-saturated market that saw a constant influx of new blood. So for Desi, a junior in the industry, to achieve what she had at such an age was monumental for her career.

    Jun suspected a combination of stress from being newly pregnant and her recent burnout from over production had her emotionally worn out and made her in need of a new stimuli. Only if it weren¡¯t so life threatening. Go-carts were fun, right?

    He couldn''t watch her throw away everything she built and endanger her own life on such an unstable whim.

    ¡°I''m not crazy for not supporting her on this, right? I mean, I always want to support her in everything, but this is crossing some lines she''s gonna regret, right?¡± Jun asked weakly, waiting for someone to make him feel less like an asshole for not backing her.

    ¡°No way dude,¡± Danny said resolutely. ¡°This came so out of nowhere, man. She can''t be this upset with you for this when we all can see it¡¯s insanity. I''m gonna talk to her again and find out what''s going on in that crazy brain of hers. I mean, if she wants to be a Hunter now, why didn''t she come talk to me? An actual Hunter Cadet?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that was another ''issue'' she''s having. She wants me to be a Hunter too.¡± Jun said, looking even less like a human being as he melted into his comfy seat.

    ¡°...your puny ass a Hunter? Is everything all right with you guys? Is this a double suicide attempt or something?¡± Danny asked, looking genuinely concerned.

    ¡°Hey! I''m not as good as you, but I still had my First Cleansing by twenty. That still puts me in the top 40 percent.... Bitch....¡± the blob that was slowly finishing its assimilation with the chair, weakly protested.

    ¡°Is that supposed to be a brag when you''re ranked at the bottom of that forty percent you''re so proud of? And then there''s Si, someone ranked so far down that it would be easier to count from the bottom to find her, wants to play Hunters?¡± he asked before looking sorrowful.

    ¡°As the big brother, I feel like I''ve succeeded in protecting her physically but neglected her intellectual development. Sigh~.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you suck.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you.¡±

    ¡°Not now. I''m still sore from getting railed by Desi.¡±

    They laughed. It felt good to laugh.

    ¡°What''s she doing now, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Jun looked down at his wrist com to check the time. ¡°I think she should still be out shopping. Lily told me she went out with Nicole and some of the other girls to buy baby stuff. The girl''s night out is baby themed tonight.¡±

    ¡°Damn, am I the last to find out or something?¡±

    ¡°Haha nah. The list was relegated between the two of us. She tells everyone and I tell you. I just forgot to mention it to you earlier. My bad.¡±

    Danny knew what Jun''s mind was like before a sculpting session, so he could only give up.

    ¡°I''ll call her later than. Look, the guys and I are planning on hitting up a club tonight. You should come with me and unwind, man. You gotta relax some, bro.¡±

    Jun just shook his head. ¡°Nah, tired tonight. And we still have finals this week, you know. What are you all doing out partying?¡±

    Danny laughed. ¡°Its fine bro, relax. You knew last year was my last difficult exams. Physics bro, why.¡± His eyes lost their life for a moment before regaining clarity with a shiver. ¡°Thankfully, I''ll never have to do that again.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you have left?¡± Jun asked with a chuckle.

    ¡°Some physical exams and then the Five Team Hunter Battle Simulations the rest of the week. Just showing off the routine battle drills. It''s gonna be time for my big reveal. Peak of First Rank of Body Refinement before Graduation! Guild Scouts cometh! I welcome thee!¡±

    Danny stood, striking some poses that defined his impressive physique.

    ¡°Yeah, shake that ass,¡± Jun laughed, though inwardly he couldn''t help but sigh.

    If Danny had access to his birthright as a recognized descendant of the Vaults Family, then he could have soared to much greater heights.

    Danny''s mother was from a small branch family to the prestigious Vaults Family. As one of the few S-Rank Hunter families that lorded over the city, an opportunity to become recognized as a child of the Family would have been huge.

    Unfortunately, Danny''s mother had rescinded any claim on her children when she disappeared with Desi¡¯s dad, cutting any connection he should have had with the Vaults Family.

    Even for the esteemed scions of the various S-Rank Families, few could claim to have reached Danny''s current heights at his age. If he had their methods and resources, Jun was sure his brother would have blasted past through Second Cleansing long ago.

    Most average hard workers would rejoice if they could reach the peak of the 1st rank in their thirties while the moderately talented could get there in their late twenties. Then there was his brother, with the most primitive tools, building a fortress by twenty-two, only one step away from his second cleansing and joining the ranks of the strong.

    Jun felt such injustice for Danny, which always followed with guilt. Danny had done so much for him and here he was, his so-called brother, holding out on him. He knew Danny wasn''t compatible with his art and even if he was, it would only endanger him and his family by just being aware of it, but the mere act of hiding his practice from someone that had been so consistently genuine towards him made Jun feel despicable.

    He didn''t know the first thing about rental spaces, or setting up financial accounts for his live streaming. Danny had taken care of all that because he wanted Jun to focus on his craft. There were few good men like Danny in the world. Danny had shown him so much support over the years and what had Jun done for him?

    ¡°I''mma get pumped for them scouts tonight. There''s a girl I''ve had my eye on and I''m thinking tonight''s the night, bro.¡±

    ¡°Who you been talking to? Wendy?¡±

    ¡°What? Wendy? No man, com''on ew!¡± Danny spat.

    ¡°What''s wrong with Wendy? She''s super cute and way too smart and interesting for your dumb ass, but for some reason only the Nexus knows, she''s into you and you say ew?!¡± Screw this guy! Wendy was great. She was a close friend of Desi''s from her prompter circles that was very smart and had a wonderful creative process that Jun admired. This bastard should be groveling to the Nexus Gods in thanks for her looking his way and he goes ew?!

    "Hey hey hey, calm down! Wendy is awesome! She''s a real nice girl, but that¡¯s the thing, bro. She''s a nice girl. When did you see me mess around with nice girls? Hell, man, you''re her friend! You should warn her about me, bro, not try and hook us up.¡± Seeing Jun lose steam, Danny pressed on.

    ¡°Anyways man, I''ll let you know how things go tonight and if things work out, you''ll be the first to know.¡± And with that, he was gone.

    Jun chuckled to himself. His good brother needed a good girl to keep him see straight like he had Desi. He had so much potential but lacked motivation and focus, only ever taking Body Refinement seriously.

    The guilt came back.

    He was sure he had made the correct choice. It was to protect his family. Aunt Mary, Uncle Juan, lil Davie, Lily, Danny, and the love of his life, Desi. He couldn''t risk their safety by exposing them to some ugly truths.

    Later, when he was stronger. It wouldn''t be too late then.

    He was sure.

 Chapter 2 The Last Day of School

    Boring repetitive glass towers lined both sides of the travel lines to his university, the very peaks lighting up as the dim beams of artificial morning lights began activating on the eastern horizons.

    The public transit rune carts glided along the glowing white lanes in such perfect silence Jun could hear the breathing of the old man sitting behind him and the young girl across the aisle giggle at something she found funny. He wished he could open a window and feel the gust of the wind on his skin as he looked out with interest.

    He wasn''t the only one that found the cold repetition to be distasteful. Some people were expressing their individuality on their real estate of building surfaces with colorful projections, resulting in a continually changing landscape of human expression.

    It was a new trend that he was thankful was catching on. He wouldn''t say everything was to his taste, but he loved that there was a more human touch to the once monotonous scenery this journey was only recently like.

    Danny was right. Now was the time to take advantage of the times to get his work out there. He had remained anonymous and not responded to all the controversies because Danny had assured it wasn''t time yet. He wasn''t sure what Danny was waiting for, but he felt like if he didn''t get some momentum soon that he would lose courage.

    But that''s not what was weighing on Jun''s mind at the moment. Neither was it about his last day of exams that would finish his academic career.

    It had been over a week since the fight, and Desi had refused to speak or meet with him. It had made what would have been a mildly stressful finals week into an emotional hurricane.

    She had been more upset about his lack of backing on her Hunter career change idea than he thought. She said she needed some personal time to breathe, and he had tried to respect that, but it had been a week of silence and he was reaching his mental breaking point. This was the mother of his child that was emotionally pulling back from him. He couldn''t accept that.

    Lily informed him that Desi hadn''t been talking with anyone else in the family either and their mom was PISSED.

    Danny had promised to try talking with her, but hadn''t had an opportunity with everything he had going on.

    She had finally sent him a message promising to meet at his thesis presentation, after which the two families would go out to celebrate like they had planned.

    That was progress, right?

    It took some serious planning, but Jun had altered his thesis presentation into a bit of an event. One he was relying on to get back into Desi''s good books.

    He hoped the gift he had worked on for the last year would appease her enough to come back to talking terms. The plan was desperate, but that was how he was feeling. He hadn''t even considered his thesis being rejected. That would be ridiculous.

    Gates, he was gonna be a dad. What if it was a boy? Would he be like all the other kids and dream about risking his life as a hunter? If it was a girl? Some asshole kid was gonna try to take his baby from him.... he knew how to hide a body.

    The rune cart came to a graceful stop and a cool voice announced his destination.

    ¡°Approaching Trident University Transit. Have a pleasant day.¡±

    Walking out of the busy transit terminal, the first thing people were forced to see was an enormous, intimidating bronze monument of the Founder of Trident Gate City, who was also the Founder and only Headmaster of Trident University.

    General Anthony Trident the Third, a legendary figure that had been a naval officer who survived the Last War that established a force with the remains of humanity and conquered all the emerging Gates and monsters that spilled out.

    He established order within the chaos and was instrumental in the establishment of numerous Gate Cities.

    On the gleaming surface the intimidating 8'' black stone of the 20'' bronze sculpture of an even more intimidating man . with an imposing physique in military garb with a face that spoke of the years of hardship and duty.

    ¡°Never doubt: the Gates were our salvation.

    In our hubris and despair, we destroyed the world with our own hands.

    The days of nothing were hard. We tried to rebuild, but there was nothing left. Starvation threatened to break the wills of iron men.

    Then the Gates opened and out poured a bounty. Like mana from heaven, food came to us when even the strongest of us began wavering.

    After the years of hunger, God had gifted the undeserving an opportunity.

    No more wars. No more hate between men because of our skin colors or beliefs.

    There was only the endless joy of having survived the end times.

    To be given one more chance.

    Those precious few survivors united in the exhilarating thrill of the hunt.

    It was a time of feasting.

    When the Wave had subsided, one by one we awoke from our battle lust and knew that this was to be our future.

    Our old world, shining but rotten, lay wasted by the foolish games of a few, but here lied our opportunity to build anew.

    The Nexus and the Gates gave our despairing souls hope for a future still.

    We must never forget.

    Let this be a place where wisdom and knowledge can be shared so that we may learn from our past as we pave the way for future generations to thrive.¡±

    -General Anthony Trident, the Third of the New World Alliance

    Jun always shivered a little when he passed by the memorial. He could just feel the madness and desperation in those words. The Wave, the event when the mysterious rifts in space termed as Gates simultaneously appeared in ten different locations throughout the world, was well documented. It was not a peaceful time. Monsters and beasts of nightmares poured out of them by the tens of thousands. Only once the areas around the Gates were conquered did mysterious stone monoliths emerge to swallow the cracks in space, and the situation took a turn, and new opportunities arose.

    If it had been the old era before The Fall and the Last War, perhaps the monsters would have been the cause of the end of times. But humanity had beaten them to it. The Last War had purged all the weak, leaving only warriors bathed in blood. What the monsters found when they crossed the Gate into their world were not fat, helpless prey to be devoured, but savage beasts that eyed them with joyous hunger.

    They didn''t have a good time.

    Passing by the bronze giant, Jun stood before the imposing gates of Trident University. The most prestigious educational institute in Trident Gate City and arguably the world, where Jun had spent the last four years earning his Masters in Rune Studies in the time it took a regular student to get their Bachelors.

    This would be the last time he stepped past these gates as a student. After his last finals and thesis presentation and upon confirmation of his scores, Jun''s status would automatically shift to Graduate.

    He''d hoped to have shared this moment with Desi, but who said life was perfect?

    The buildings here had more character and a very different kind of energy than most of the Middle City.

    While the world outside the campus could only be characterized as monotonous efficiency, here within the university grounds where every department was in constant competition for students and prestige, the structures reflected the spirit of each field of study.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    The buildings of the Hunter''s Athletics Department were all visually tall and sturdy, just like their students. Powerful protective runes flashed at the borders of the massive Colosseum, where the youthful shouts of students pursuing strength could be heard training at all hours of the day and night.

    The Traditional Sciences Department was steeped in history and tradition, which was reflected in their style of stone architecture of the pre-War era that blended with modern aesthetics. All their ornate buildings didn''t exceed three levels in height except the main lecture hall that had an impressive glass and gold domed roof, atop a stone building worthy to be called a palace. Intricately detailed buildings formed individual charming courtyards with shaded seating and fountains and other spaces of leisure for the intellectuals of the department to gather and study.

    The Military Mecha Department was a mix of the cold military efficiency he was used to with a healthy blend of irrational chaos. The place where students went to train as disciplined Mecha Pilots for the New World Alliance Military was also where future mad scientists were nurtured in the Mecha Design School.

    Giant individual transparent hangers housing student mecha design projects dotted the department, breaking up the monotony of repetitive glass and steel buildings that housed the different arrays of simulation pods, with the most outrageous mecha designs that only students could freely think up. Seeing the amateur mechs, designed with all the visual pomp and pageantry and their attempts at intimidating and regal, wobble around like drunken freshman was a department staple.

    As Jun walked on familiar pathways passed hurried and stressed out finals takers towards his department, he couldn''t help reminiscing of his experiences he''d cherish from this place.

    The time Desi had convinced him to fool around behind the Mathematics building, unaware of how extensive the surveillance system was back then. The conversation they had with Campus Security had been both humiliating and hilarious.

    The scar-faced middle-aged man that reprimanded the embarrassed duo after showing them the security footage that had caught their youthful passions had also been too embarrassed to look either of them in the eyes. To see a grown man blush and avoid eye contact while acting stern was weirdly adorable.

    Instead of learning from her folly, Desi had instead taken it as a challenge to not get caught.

    Jun would say to anyone that asked that he was the voice of reason in their relationship, but everyone that knew them well knew he loved Desi''s free spirit too much to ever say no to anything she wanted. It made him happy to see her smile so freely.

    He was determined to bring that smile back to him tonight.

    A voice calling out his name brought him back to reality.

    Stopping and looking back, Jun saw a familiar aged figure walking towards him with his signature slow and eternally relaxed pace.

    ¡°Good morning, Professor Kindley. How are you today?¡±

    ¡°Good morning to you as well, Jun. It''s a beautiful day for conflicted emotions, don''t you think?¡±

    ¡°Oh? How so?¡± Jun asked politely.

    ¡°It is a day of accomplishments for my cute little students, so that''s good, but it''s also a day for partings. For most, I''m just thankful if they learned anything at all.¡± They both laughed as they resumed their walk. ¡°But for students like yourself Jun, it''s a true loss for the University to see you go,¡± Said Professor Kindley, now more serious.

    ¡°You know our offer to continue your research here at the University still stands. Your thesis project on the Simplification and Modulation of Rune Purification Systems is simply groundbreaking. If you can continue your research, I''m sure it wouldn''t be long before we see applications of your research being used across the ten Gate Cities.¡±

    Jun''s smile couldn''t help but strain a bit. He didn''t know how many times he had declined this offer. Professor Kindley had been pushing for him to go for his doctorate in Rune Studies and then Professorship.

    He had already elaborated his plans, but Professor Kindley couldn''t accept his ''most prized pupil go off into the Arts rather than what the Fates clearly demand based on his talent in Runes alone.''

    Jun tried a different approach this time.

    ¡°Well professor,¡± Jun gave a dramatic sigh, ¡°I''d love to but didn''t Dean Banderby say my direction lacked realism and decide to endorse Professor Dickinass in his Strengthening and Expansion of Purification Runes System? Even if I stayed on, I wouldn''t be able to get the funding for my research so-¡±

    ¡°Banderby wouldn''t recognize a genius idea even if it shat on his face and Dickinass''s theories are a mishmash of hopeful fantasies with no competence or foundation to make them work. Your work is both graceful and cost effective and most importantly, real. It¡¯s merely the form of your sample Purification System that''s confusing the old man. He''s so entrenched in what he considers orthodox he can''t wrap his stupid dementia addled brain around your organic Rune Structures! He''s become so comfortable sitting on his gilded throne he''s forgotten the innovative spirit that brought him where he is! Once he sees an actual working model, I''ll make him eat-¡±

    Jun didn''t know what to say to his professor''s uncharacteristic outburst. He had long suspected that his professor had history with the Dean he didn''t want to know about.

    ¡°Actually,¡± Jun interjected. ¡°I was planning on telling you earlier, but I''ve finished the Project I consulted you on early and brought it for my thesis presentation this afternoon. I didn''t just bring a single demonstration piece, but the entire project.¡±

    ¡°You''re finished already?!¡± Professor Kindley was stunned for a good reason. He had helped with some of the underlying rune structures. He didn''t know the full extent of what his student was trying to achieve, but even from what he''d seen, he knew it was an extensive project.

    Fabrication technology could not create runes. Each rune had to be done by hand to ensure a fluid and natural flow of energy. With simple base runes only needing a few strokes, this wasn¡¯t really a problem, but as the tiers of the rune increased, so did the complexity of the design and the number of required strokes, and a single mistake meant the entire rune was useless and had to be redone. Jun''s research aimed to break that process into smaller, more manageable chunks beyond current practices. It was a completely new direction of rune design from the current model, and, if achieved, would mean the birth of a new era.

    Even so, they were talking about thousands of runes that needed to be made by hand on complex structures. The boy only had two hands, and he was done?

    ¡°What time was your presentation slot again?¡± He had to see this. After trading details, the two finally separated to their respective destinations.

    Jun couldn''t help but sigh. Professor Kindley had been of tremendous help throughout his studies. Over the years, he had even become something like a grandfather figure to Jun, always excited to listen to his crazy ideas and help guide his thought processes in manageable directions. Now that he was leaving, he was beginning to savor the bitter taste of partings.

    He¡¯d chosen this field of study for a variety of reasons. Mainly because there was no such thing as an arts program, which he wouldn''t dare say to Professor Kindley, but also because Jun was good at it. It was interesting, and it came naturally to him, so he picked it to supplement his artwork.

    The lazy bum originally intended on coasting on his talent and graduate peacefully in the middle of the pack. That way, he could comfortably focus on his art and his girlfriend. Those were important priorities, right?

    Unfortunately, Professor Kindley wasn''t a tenured professor for nothing. He easily saw through Jun''s charade of mediocrity and ruthlessly exposed his high potential in rune research.

    It didn''t take long before it became widely known to the rest of the department how Professor Kindley had a new treasured pupil. They set up special accelerated classes just for him, and they frequently included him in research projects far beyond his expected level, making it impossible to avoid the overwhelming flood of jealousy of not only his peers, but even some professors.

    Luckily, Jun had come to an understanding early on with his ''peers''. He wasn''t a threat to their advancement or grant opportunities and Guild selection quotas. Since the Professor¡¯s arrangements usually brought in him through the back door, they kept their distance with resentment.

    Jun felt a complicated helplessness when he thought of his classmates. He¡¯d been really excited to make friends here.

    ''Oh, how fleeting the dreams of youth,'' Jun often mourned.

    The Trident University Department of Rune Studies was one of the most competitive programs in the world. Getting into the program meant beating down thousands of other hopeful applicants from all ten Gate Cities. Once they entered, the fight continued for resources and funding and, most importantly, attention from the professors, the key holders of all future opportunities and advancement. It was cutthroat and merciless. If you didn''t watch your back, you could find your project mysteriously ruined. Jun hated the environment from day one.

    All he wanted was to learn in peace, do his own thing, and then graduate. He had wanted to add making friends to that list, but based on the hostile environment he was in, Jun thought better of it lest he get poisoned by his ''friends''.

    After four years of study, he had only made one friend from his department, which was only more than a little depressing.

    Jun''s wandering thoughts ended once he reached the venue for his Advanced Rune Stabilization final.

    Regardless of his failures at socializing with this group of nut jobs, everything would be over after today.

    A new chapter awaited him.

    It was bright.

 Chapter 3 Friends Like These

    Jun walked out of his last exam with an hour to spare. He''d been prepared and was confident he''d done more than simply pass. His plans for the future didn''t require stellar grades, but it still felt good to do well. No matter how these kids tried, there was no way anyone was gonna take his position at the top of the class... Maybe this was why he had no friends here...

    Feeling both antsy from accomplishment and anxiety for the plans he had later that evening, Jun was walking towards the Student Square where Aunt Mary and Lily should still be setting up the last bits for his thesis presentation / Unveiling Event / desperate plot to get on the good side of his wifey when he heard some familiar voices. They were loud and angry. ''Who''s voices were these again?'' Jun thought with a chuckle.

    Pulled by his curious nature, Jun followed the voices to a bigger situation than he assumed happening right in front of the Experimental Runes Research Facility.

    The day was blessed with unnaturally good weather, with the black clouds of poison that blanketed the skies blessedly thinner, allowing a few glimpses of rare sunshine to pass through. The world was no longer as dark, with patches of warmth blessing the city for a few hours.

    There were, of course, many more people outdoors on days like these to enjoy the treat of nature¡¯s gift that their ancestors had taken from them. It was a joyous time that the peoples of Trident City rarely savored.

    Yet, despite the serenity, there seemed to be an angry patch of darkness that even the gifted light could not shine away. Two powerfully spiteful but beautiful voices clashed and chased all the happiness away while attracting more and more attention of the curious.

    Two figures stood at odds, and battled with words so sharp they even hit the growing crowd of bystanders.

    ¡°It¡¯s so brave of you to walk outside looking like a cross-dresser who forgot their padding. I just love how you don¡¯t give a shit. You¡¯re a real inspiration.¡±

    Three flat chested girls in the crowd went down.

    ¡°You surround yourself with simps that only know how to lick your pretentious flat ass and now a whore like you thinks you can judge my charm as a woman?¡±

    Five simps in the crowd went down.

    Seeing as how the argument had devolved to name calling, it was time to bring it to a close.

    Desi''s best friend, Nicole Silverwind, was arguing fiercely with the infamous Queen of the Rune Research Department, Tiana Firestorm and her gang of tag-alongs, while a couple of incoming freshmen were caught shivering like puppies between the two unopposable forces.

    He''d heard enough as he approached to understand what was happening.

    ¡°Hello ladies. Having a pleasant afternoon? Have you all finished with your Finals as well?¡±

    Both women shot fierce glares at the rude intruder, only to soften when they saw who it was.

    ¡°Hey Jun,¡± said Nicole, ever the polite and more approachable of Desi''s circle of girlfriends. If you didn¡¯t tick her off.

    Standing at a little under five and a half feet, even with her increasingly dangerously high-heeled boots, Nicole was anything but small in presence. Shoulder-length blonde hair, always styled with sophistication, complimented her striking blue eyes and highlighted her delicate features. Wearing a sleek formfitting black dress with gold accents, she carried herself with unshakable confidence and dignity, her very presence declaring her identity as the warrior princess of the S Rank Silverwind Family.

    ¡°Hello Jun. I was having a very pleasant afternoon until very recently. Thank you for asking. How about yourself?¡± said the second major force in this conflict.

    Tiana Firestorm, the red-haired goddess of the Runes Department and daughter of the S Rank Firestorm Family, in her yellow sundress, was every bit the equal in aura as her opponent, who eyed her like a predator.

    Her¡¯s were the eyes of an intellectual superior, capable of making the bravest feel meek and inferior. She was soft-spoken and reluctant to express her emotions on her face, but her eyes had a way of letting fools know exactly how little she thought of them. A single disdainful glance of her pretty green eyes was all it took to fell uncountable suitors. And right now, those expressive eyes were scanning Jun from head to foot before slightly smirking.

    Jun rolled his eyes.

    Tiana was as tall as Jun, but in her heels she got to look down at him, which she loved. Since she was the only friend Jun made in the Runes Department, he knew it wasn''t malicious. She was just frustrated that she was always stuck as number two over the entire four years they were in school together. She just liked to enjoy the little victories. Poor thing.

    ¡°Well, I''ve had more emotionally stable weeks, but what''s life without parties?¡± Jun had finally arrived before the small group.

    He couldn''t help but give these two silly friends of his a pointedly confused look before asking them, ¡°Have all the exams ended in the Rune Res?¡± With that, he made a show of looking up and passed them.

    As if he had been the conductor, all heads followed suit. The actual conflict was happening only feet from the entrance to the academic facility. Looking up, they saw numerous pairs of curious and bemused eyes looking down at them, including a furious Professor Dillion, who they saw bring a finger to his mouth, signaling to shut up or else.

    While Nicole and Tiana were busy blanching, he looked at the two freshmen and said gently, ¡°It''s alright. They''re just kind of naturally scary, but they''re good people, I swear.¡±

    The two social titans pouted, made eye contact with each over and quickly looking away in a huff.

    The two smaller students began to relax once they realized no one was screaming anymore.

    ¡°This is the Experimental Rune Research Facility. You''ll be spending a lot of time here in your third years. If you go down this way, you''ll get back to the Quad. You split off from one of the new student group tours, right?¡± Two little heads nodded with vigor, seeking salvation.

    ¡°Haha. It''s alright, everyone''s friends here. This is Nicole Silverwind, a top graduating member of the Elite Hunter Class and a rising star in Trident''s newcomer Hunters circles and a top pick for Rookie of the Year. You''ll for sure be hearing a lot about her in the coming years.¡± He couldn''t help smirking a little when he saw how Nicole puffed up her little chest at Jun''s praise. She kept glancing smugly at Tiana, who was firmly staring in any direction but hers.

    ¡°She''s also very passionate about standing up for the little guy. In fact, she''s so passionate that she can sometimes not recognize when someone''s being a bully or not. For instance,¡± Jun gestured towards the pouting girl that cutely had her face turned away.

    ¡°... Tiana here may have PBF Syndrome, but is in fact one of the most thoughtful people you''ll ever meet. Don''t know about PBFS? Perpetual Bitch Face Syndrome. It''s not contagious, I swear...¡± He glanced at the chilly faces of Tiana''s entourage. ¡°Maybe it''s contagious.¡±

    ¡°JUN!¡± Tiana barked with a blush that matched her hair.

    ¡°Jokes! Jokes!¡± He gently placated her briefly before turning back to the freshmen. ¡°But seriously, I''m not joking. This is Tiana Firestorm, the second highest ranked student in the Rune Research Department, the next Associate Professor and the only person who can compete with the number one. You are in the presence of a legend.¡±

    Jun could see the cocktail of emotions playing across Tiana''s pretty face, represented in shades of reds and purples and the old faithful pulsing vein on the right side of her forehead. Oh, she was gonna blow soon. Better wrap this up.

    ¡°She just looks mad all the time, but I swear she only has good intentions. I heard she caught you trying to get into the Experimental Rune Research Facility. You can get into a lot of trouble going into these buildings without authorization. Sometimes it can be as harsh as expulsion.¡± Both of the little chicks paled in fright. ¡°She just doesn''t want you guys losing out on the opportunity to study here for something like that. Anyone else would have just let you get in trouble, but she didn''t. Understand her good intentions?¡±

    Nodding even more emphatically, they both glanced at each other before turning towards Tiana and bowing. ¡°Thank you for your good intentions, Seniors.¡± They quickly did the same for Nicole.

    Wow, talk about close friends. They were so in sync. Creepy.

    Having been impressed by something weird, he steeled himself to be shameless and addressed the group.

    ¡°Well, since a whole crowd is here, don''t forget to check out my thesis presentation in the Student Square in an hour. There will be a big unveiling of my latest masterpiece. You won''t regret it.¡±

    Seeing that the fun was over, the extras trickled away while the two little chicks still looked a little unsure. With a gesture of his eyebrow, he let them run away from the two scariest girls in the University, ready to brag to all their friends.

    Front row tickets to the clash of the two legendary women of Trident University. There was also a cute senior boy. Their friends were going to be so jelly.

    The crowd finally dispersing, Jun once again looked back at his two exasperating friends. As scions of two of the six S Rank Families that ultimately ruled the city, their relationship couldn''t help but be volatile.

    Their attitudes in public often reflected the relationship of the two Families. When the two Families were friends, they were friends. When the two Families were neutral, they were neutral. And when the two Families were enemies, they were enemies. It was freaking exhausting.

    ¡°I just want you both not to forget that while you may be members of your respective families, your identities go beyond that. Don¡¯t you think this one was a bit silly?¡±

    He was heartened to see his friends hear him and have the grace to be embarrassed. Lackey number three - or was it four? - however, had had enough.

    ¡°How dare you tease and lecture the Princess of the Firestorm Family! Know your place, you filthy orphan!¡± yelled a real greasy looking kid. No matter how good his features were, he couldn¡¯t hide the arrogant, demeaning sneer that proclaimed to the world how much better he was. This did not bother Jun. It didn''t need to.

    ¡°Clines...if you say another word, I''ll have you shipped back to my mother in a shoe box. Now apologize to my friend for being a little bitch.¡± Everyone present knew when they heard the gentle mannered threat that Tiana was truly angry. The scuffle with Nicole earlier had been more out of family obligation than genuine emotion for both sides, but to these annoying flies that hovered around her constantly by the designs of her family, she couldn''t care if they dropped dead that instant.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Clines and lackeys one and two knew it, too. Those deep green eyes that usually inspired great fantasies now only produced dread. She would totally do it. The blank stare didn''t even see him as human. He was so scared that he didn''t have the chance to feel disappointed.

    Survival first, moping second.

    The normal arrogance was replaced with fear and unwillingness as Clines gave a reluctant bow and mumbled an unintelligible apology.

    ¡°...All of you get out of my sight. I''m going to speak with my friend..s...¡± Fed up with these children, all she could do was shoo them away with exhaustion.

    ¡°I''m sorry Jun, I''ve failed in disciplining my subordinates. Again. Sigh.¡± Tiana was looking very tired now.

    Seeing this, he led the duo over to sit and chat, away from the major crowds. He still had time, and it looked like Nicole had come for him.

    ¡°You know, of these duets you two perform, it''s the ones when you two are playing friends that are the most genuine.¡± And it was true. In the instances when the two families had amicable relations, the two were free to be friends. The windows were brief, but they were the moments when the two had permission to be themselves with each other. But when the windows closed, they also closed their hearts. He wished they could finally be a bit more honest with themselves.

    Seeing their blush and reluctance to address the issue, he decided he had meddled enough.

    ¡°Nicole, what brings you to visit our lovely corner of the world?¡± he asked, hoping to move things along.

    ¡°Well, um...¡± she glanced at Tiana and hesitated, so Jun reassured her that everyone was friends so she could speak. Neither noticed Tiana''s small smile.

    Seeing that he didn''t mind, she shrugged and decided not to care, either.

    ¡°I''m worried about Desi.¡± That statement woke Jun up.

    ¡°Is she alright? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°She''s fine. Nothing happened, but she''s been saying some concerning things and she''s been increasingly more distant.¡± Nicole said, looking uncomfortable.

    Jun''s heart clenched and asked for clarification. Why couldn''t this girl just say everything at once? Didn''t she know she was killing him here?

    ¡°Well, it''s about her obsession with becoming a Hunter and living in the Fortress. We''ve mostly laughed it off at first, thinking she was messing with us or something, but she''s been so serious. She almost didn''t even attend her finals. We finally told her mom so she could knock some sense or fear into that girl, but even if she went, I''m not sure if she did more than attend,¡± she explained, looking even more helpless now.

    Jun was silent. He hadn''t known about this. Last time he visited their house was a few days ago. Aunt Mary was so mad about something that she wouldn''t leave her room, and with Desi locking him out of hers and actively not speaking with him, the only outlet for any news was Lily. She mentioned nothing about this, though.

    ¡°Jun, what do you think about becoming a Hunter?¡± Nicole suddenly asked.

    ¡°Not interested.¡± Jun replied flatly.

    ¡°You''re not interested in becoming a powerful Hunter and making lots of merit? What about the prestige and benefits?¡±

    ¡°I don''t care about those things, Nicole, you know that. And even if I were, with my potential, I could never rise to those heights.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I mean, first Cleansing at twenty is pretty good, but it''s nowhere near enough to even get noticed by the guilds, right?¡±

    ¡°Really. First Cleansing at twenty, huh?¡± Nicole stared intensely into Jun''s eyes as if she were trying to see into his soul.

    ¡°Of course. Remember? A few months after my birthday before midterms. First Cleansing. Please stop looking at me like that.¡±

    Tiana, having caught up from the shocking news that Jun''s fianc¨¦e wanted to suddenly become a Hunter, responded to Nicole''s shameless poaching attempt with real heat.

    ¡°Nicole, everyone knows about Jun''s mediocrity in Body Refinement, just as everyone knows about Jun''s position as a once in a lifetime genius rune-smith that''s going to change the world! How could you even suggest putting him on such a dangerous path? What if he died!? Do you know what the world would be losing!?¡± Tiana demanded with surprising passion.

    She was convinced that Jun was the most brilliant Rune-smith of their generation, whose genius rivaled and maybe even surpassed the great minds that cracked the code and laid the foundations for modern rune research. Turning his attention to something so barbaric as becoming a common Hunter when he should be here, focusing on changing the world of rune studies with her, was not permissible.

    Nicole and Jun were both a bit stunned by the outburst. Jun had never known how highly his friend had regarded him, while Nicole was genuinely unaware of Jun''s status within the Runes Department.

    Ever since she caught a glimpse of Jun¡¯s secret, all she had observed was that Jun was an amazing artist and boyfriend. She wasn''t ashamed to admit to anyone else besides Jun that she was jealous of her best friend as a fan of Jun''s streaming and art.

    But even with this, she hadn''t considered his talent in runes because it had never come up before. As a fairly busy person herself, she had few friends at the University and none within the Runes Department besides Jun. She had always assumed that he did well since she couldn''t imagine Jun doing anything poorly, but very precious few had any real talent in Runes.

    Those given such high praise from someone as proud as Tiana Firestorm had to be a monster.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect then! The Guild I¡¯m about to found will have its own rune research department, so you can head it! Then, even if Desi goes over, we can ensure her safety!¡± Nicole exclaimed, genuinely excited.

    ¡°Research! He needs to do research! Here!¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡± These girls looked like they were about to throw down.

    Both girls turned to look at Jun, who was still rosy, but resolute with his response.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I already have a path in mind, and it doesn¡¯t involve staying at the university or going into the Gate. But even if I did, it¡¯s the idea of Desi fighting monsters that I think should be our focus.¡±

    ¡°There are other paths then active hunting if you live in the Fortress. I think if we can get her a position exposed to the Hunter world away from the action, that would be enough. I don¡¯t want her out there exposed to danger either. If you¡¯re concerned about streaming, you can do that in Fortress. There will be more interesting ways to film there then just here, right?¡± Nicole encouraged.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. I¡¯ve had some ambition recently to do something for our home, maybe involving my art.¡±

    ¡°Trident City?¡±

    ¡°Um, the planet.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Please speak in complete sentences.¡± Tiana demanded, irritated that Jun kept wanting to leave.

    ¡°I was thinking. ''We broke it shouldn''t we fix it?'' If babies could be born beyond the Gates, then it wouldn''t take long for all mankind to end up migrating because it¡¯s so shitty here, but they can''t. That means the planet is important. And yet there aren''t even any discussions about it. I think that''s insane.¡±

    They both nodded in agreement, knowing that he was making sense.

    Not everything about the Last War was clear, but the initial trigger to the chaos was well known. It was the violent collapse of the space colonization programs. The reason wasn''t because of politics or financing.

    The world''s supply of natural resources was rapidly dwindling and the unregulated destruction of the world in search of more was only hastening the planet¡¯s expiration date.

    All governments around the world were forced to make peace in order to solve the very real danger of human extinction.

    Great space faring colony ships were designed and constructed with the entire world working as one. A new age of humanity was being birthed, and it would start with peace. Humanity had finally learned to come together.

    It was considered The Great Human Miracle.

    Until the day the first baby was born without a soul.

    Many fertility studies were conducted in the United Earth Space Station, an orbital laboratory that housed two thousand scientists studying the effects of living in space in preparation for the Great Migration. Many healthy children were successfully birthed in the UESS so why was the first child born on one of the many construction stations orbiting Mars not showing any active brain activity?

    What first was thought to be a unique case resulting from a radiation breech in the station hull turned out to merely be the first.

    After the second, people started paying attention.

    After the third, scientists became seriously concerned.

    After the 143rd within six months, many of the greatest minds on Earth had gone literally mad from the conclusion.

    Humanity could only gain a soul if born within Earth¡¯s influence. The UESS was within the range of influence, but even the newly established Moon Bases reported similar cases.

    The Earth gave humanity its souls and were tied to it. They could not leave.

    The Last War started one hour and twenty-three minutes after the scientific conclusion was drawn and announced.

    Over eighty percent of the global human population of thirty billion was wiped out in the next 24 hours.

    The rest kept fighting for reasons they didn''t even care about anymore.

    For years.

    Until there was nothing left but a lifeless, radioactive rock with poisoned oceans and skies.

    Now in the Gate Era, the rule applied still. Humans could only be safely birthed on this side of the Gate.

    ¡°This planet is all we have as our foundation, and I think I¡¯ve got a great platform to do something to help it.¡±

    ¡°And how does your art play into this?¡± Nicole asked, unsure of the connection.

    ¡°Well, at my core, all I want to really do is make beautiful things and raise beautiful babies with Desi. After so many visits out of the city walls, I also grew a desire to do something about cleaning things up. Especially when I found out about our baby. I want them to someday see actual trees. I realized while I was here that those two things don''t have to be mutually exclusive.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Babies?¡± Tiana blushed in a daze.

    ¡°Ah, yeah, we''re having a baby.¡± Jun said, now sporting the biggest, dumbest smile that either had seen Jun make. Now both girls were feeling uncomfortable for reasons.

    ¡°Congratulations.¡± Tiana said in a soft voice.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jun replied, not thinking much of it.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Nicole said, trying to ignore the uncomfortable pressure in her chest.

    ¡°Well... if you guys both come to my thesis presentation, you''ll see something I think is special. You''ll understand more of what I''m aiming to do, I think.¡±

    Neither could understand their overwhelming desire to punch that mischievously smiling face.

    ¡°Desi has always been my number one supporter. She''s been with me every step of the way and she knows how important it is to me as well as my deep aversion to the Gates.¡± Jun said, reminding the two why they were even having this conversation.

    ¡°Honestly, I don''t know what she''s thinking right now. That fight we had didn''t make any real sense to me and we haven''t talked since.... I''m hoping to change that tonight, so wish me luck, yeah?¡± Jun said, more subdued than the moment before.

    ¡°I actually gotta go and make sure everything is in order. Don''t be late or you''ll regret it.¡± and with that he was gone.

    There was an awkward silence as both girls found themselves alone during a period where they were supposed to be enemies, without Jun to act as the mediator.

    At the moment, Tiana wasn''t interested in politics. She had too many questions and the only person who could give her any sat before her.

    ¡°What does he mean by art? Is Jun also into Prompting?¡± Tiana asked.

    Nicole looked up and considered only briefly before answering honestly. ¡°Jun is a talented sculptor. Sculptors are artists that create things with their hands and tools. He has a live-streaming channel where he shows his process. Did you not know about that?¡±

    ¡°....No.¡±

    Nicole was about to act smug out of habit when she stopped herself after seeing her frenemy''s pitiful expression. It was the first time she''d seen Tiana Firestorm make an expression of true vulnerability. Right now, she didn''t look like the Youngest Princess of the S Rank Firestorm Family. She looked like a puppy that had been abandoned by its owner. After some consideration, Nicole understood.

    ¡°The only reason any of us know about the streaming is because Desi told us. From my understanding, Jun doesn''t like to actively bring it up. I''m not sure why. So, stop looking at me like that.¡±

    Tiana''s furrowed brows relaxed a bit before softly asking for more information.

    Nicole rolled her eyes before bringing up her vid files she saved from his streaming sessions. All of them. She was a fan.

    While the two most terrifying women in Trident University sat huddled together watching clips, Nicole was interrupted from her evangelizing the fangirl way when an incoming message popped up.

    Seeing as it was a message from her best friend, she opened it with little thought while Tiana politely looked away. She quickly turned back when she heard a horrified gasp from her new fangirl mentor.

    Nicole had burst to her feet while she continued reading the message. Whatever it was, it was obviously bad news. Tiana grew concerned when Nicole''s hands trembled, her eyes began to tear up as they read on. Finally, the screen fizzed out of existence as Nicole raised both her hands to her face, still in shock at what she had read.

    It was too much.

    Jun had to know.

    Nicole tried to run but in her state of distress she tripped on her own feet, face rapidly about to be introduced to floor. A hand grabbed her by the back of her collar, stopping her descent mere inches from the ground.

    ¡°What is going on? What''s happened to make you like this?¡± Tiana asked, still shocked as she set the girl straight.

    ¡°I have to tell Jun,¡± Nicole replied, her hand rubbing her throat as her eyes watered from both the fall and her emotions.

    Seeing her still unable to focus, Tiana merely offered to help her get to the Student Square. They still had about 15 minutes before the start of Jun¡¯s presentation. She hoped it wasn''t too bad but to earn such a reaction, how could it not be awful?

    Well, maybe Nicole was just over-reacting.

    Maybe the dinner reservations for the after-party were canceled last minute?

    She just didn''t want her only real friend to get hurt.

 Chapter 4 Anxious Hearts

    Clothes check.

    Shave check.

    Mouthwash check.

    Hair¡­ uuurgh.

    Jun threw his hair brush into the sink in disgust and looked back into the mirror. Dressed to impress in a specially tailored suit gifted from his baby momma, Jun was looking pretty suave with simple silhouettes and silver framed glasses to establish the look of an intellectual. If only his hair would work with him.

    Desi had planned out his entire look and was in charge of getting him ready. He could have asked Aunt Mary or Lily for help, but even till the last moment, he hadn¡¯t given up hope that she¡¯d show up.

    She hadn¡¯t. But she would. She promised, after all.

    Frustrated hands roughed up ten minutes of failure, and the mop returned to its natural state. Mopy.

    Leaving the men¡¯s room, his feet feeling uncomfortable in his new shoes, Jun power walked towards the Student Square. Even from a distance, he could already see the crowds beginning to form around a massive white glowing cube that was dominating the public space, easily towering over the heads of curious bystanders. It was a simple, solid magic light barrier that was hiding his surprise from view and access.

    The entire project had been designed into individual modules and secretly handcrafted during the past year. Hours had been spent the night before, digging out a huge chunk of the square and assembling all the components behind the veil of the barrier that would soon play the role of the backdrop for his presentation.

    A lot of preparation had gone into planning with a lot of help from Davie and Lily. Lily composed the accompaniment and designed the acoustics programs while Davie had taken it upon himself to handle the fleet of drones that were going to make it all possible. Davie was great with drone cams and they all had a lot of fun coming up with the coordination. Even Aunt Mary come early to lend a hand with the setup while he was still finishing exams. Uncle Juan had a collaborations project with a few other film prompters, but promised to make it on time.

    Jun owed them a lot.

    He scanned the crowds in search of a face. One small group standing by his nervous looking aunt and Lily was especially noticeable as the only group of elders in a sea of young students. Professor Kindley and several of his colleagues amiably conversed with Aunt Mary, while the Dean and a few other professors, including Professor Dickinass, looked like they had a thousand other, more important places to be. What a bunch of dicks.

    Scanning around, he still didn''t see Desi or Danny. The plan was for Danny to check in and ensure Desi came before the presentation. He was the only person he trusted to take the assignment. After his chat with Nicole, although he seemed calm, Jun was feeling a growing unease in his chest. He couldn''t explain it, but he was desperate to hold the mother of his future child in his arms again. It had been too long.

    ¡°Jun!¡±

    Excitedly, Jun turned to the voice, only to be disappointed.

    ¡°Geez, don''t be so happy to see me bro,¡± said lil Davie, Danny''s 18-year-old little brother who, along with Lily, was entering the University as freshmen. Although younger, it was clear that Davie was going to be much larger than his older brother. Even at just 18, Davie was already 6'' and almost as bulky as his brother. He had the same good looks and dark hair his brother had, and an even greater blessed talent in body cultivation.

    Another inheritance of his mother was an impressive temper. Boy liked to fight. A week wouldn''t go by without lil Davie getting into trouble. Thankfully, the comparisons with the woman stopped there.

    Perhaps due to the trauma of the early abandonment of his mother, Davie valued bonds and loyalty as his personal ethos. His and the Khis Family were his number one priority. He didn''t open up to others easily, but once someone earned his trust, lil Davie wouldn''t mind making any sacrifice for a friend in need, so was especially hurt whenever a friend would betray that trust. Jun was always honored to be included in the core circle of Davie''s heart.

    ¡°Haha, sorry, I''m just anxious. Have you heard from your brother yet? They should be here by now.¡± Jun asked, giving the surroundings another scan.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°No, neither of them have been answering our calls. Danny said he was going to have a talk with Desi on the way over. I''m sure they''ll show up any second now.¡± Davie reassured him. ¡°Actually, I came by because of something else.¡±

    Davie became more serious, so Jun did too.

    ¡°What''s up?¡±

    ¡°It''s the streaming platform. I can''t seem to log in. I''ve tried contacting the devs, but I''ve been on hold since forever. We need to start soon, right?¡±

    Jun didn''t like the sound of that. Davie helped with his streaming sometimes, but it was Danny that really drove the technical side to the business. Now the question was, could he afford to wait for Danny to resolve the issue, or did they need to act now?

    The plan had been to stream his thesis presentation and the unveiling of his vision. He''d take this opportunity to reveal his identity while also introducing his rune concepts, as well as thank his supporters with the prepared gifts. Most of this had been planned with Davie so as not to distract Danny from his own finals period. Now he was regretting not running things by him first. Whatever. Decisions had to be made.

    Jun accessed his wrist com and sent a file to Davie.

    ¡°I just sent you the list of my live stream supporters. Let''s just start up a new channel for now and only invite that list. We already notified them of tonight, so a quick message for the change in room should be fine. Once you''ve got that done, release the drone cams. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Without another word, Davie was gone. Jun was thankful.

    ¡°Jun!¡± Once again, Jun turned with anticipation, only to be disappointed, which he couldn''t show.

    ¡°Professor Kindley, thank you for comforting my aunt. She''s been very anxious.¡±

    ¡°Not at all, not at all. Delightful young woman. Absolutely delightful. I reassured her she had nothing to be concerned about, which is true, but then the Old Farts Gangs came over to be snotty.¡± The Professor actually spit on the ground at this, shocking Jun once more, ¡°Childish. Utterly disgraceful behavior. I''m very much looking forward to seeing their stupid faces when they see what you''ve brought. Hell, I''m looking forward to my stupid face when I see this. I''ve even set up my wrist com for a selfie. Heehee.¡±

    His confidence touched Jun and felt it was well placed. He, too, was interested in everyone''s stupid faces. Recorder drones equals memories of youth, get.

    ¡°Anyway, I understand it from the lovely Ms. Khis that you''re planning to start things off with a dedication? Has the young lady made her appearance? We should start soon, I think.¡± Professor Kindley said, looking around as if expecting to see her hiding behind Jun''s back.

    ¡°Um, no Professor, but she should be here any second now.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. I''m very excited Jun. Very excited.¡± The Professor said one last time before sauntering back towards his aunt, waving excitedly with a smile. It seemed his professor was crushing on his aunt. Dirty old man was 165 this year and making moves. He was excited to see what would happen when Uncle Juan finally made it.

    ¡°Yo, Jun!¡±

    Jun turned around, another shot of adrenaline meeting a wall of disappointment.

    An assembly of familiar faces approached with a strange atmosphere. Some were mutual friends he shared with Desi, and some were guys he knew through Danny. Jun liked them just fine on most days, but being more their friends than his, he didn¡¯t really want to talk to them when he was feeling so fragile. But he smiled and waved a greeting and gave the customary banter and thanked them for coming by.

    He normally got along fairly well with Desi¡¯s friends since they were usually in creative fields as well, so they had lots of things to talk about and had a good rapport. Danny¡¯s friends were the usual alpha pack jocks that Danny refused to believe he was a part of, and didn¡¯t normally hang out with their physical lessers, so Jun interacted with them the least. Not that they were overtly dicks about it, but they were usually some form of dicks. Nice guys though.

    The added peculiarity of the situation was that he¡¯d never seen the two groups interacting before. Did the they just naturally collide as they were approaching to greet him? Was that why they kept nervously eying each other? Was this going to be the day multiple couples were going to form? Could he take credit for the formation of so many auspicious unions? He¡¯d be made godfather to at least a few kids, right?

    Jun¡¯s mind was wondering aimlessly as he looked at his friends and waited in the awkward silence while they glanced at each other and communicated with their eyes. He¡¯d just casually asked if they¡¯d like to join their group for the after-party and was met with this scene. To him, it looked like a bunch of boys and girls in the beautiful process of falling in love. It was adorable.

    Finally, after a few heavy moments of silence, Wendy looked like she was going to speak for the group. All eyes were on her as she looked Jun straight in the eyes and said.

    ¡°Break a leg.¡±

    And ran off. The rest of the group was stunned as they watched her waddle away.

    Kennedy, the biggest of Danny¡¯s friends, towered over Jun and patted his back and said, ¡°You got this brother,¡± before running after Wendy. The rest of the group gave Jun a strained smile and hurried after.

    ¡®Oh my lordy, is Kennedy crushing on Wendy? He¡¯s super gentle in contrast to his image, so I think Wendy would be into him. Damn, I was hoping to get her and Danny together. Your loss my brother.¡¯ He thought as he watched the group run off.

    That was a very odd interaction.

    ¡°Jun!¡± Heart in his throat, he turned to find Nicole and Tiana running towards him, looking stricken.

    Jun didn''t know why his friends were so anxious but it awoke something. Something revolting that had been hiding in the corners of his heart. Something he couldn''t face was now demanding his attention.

    He didn''t know why he felt like he was about to suffocate, why a chill was forming in his core, or why he suddenly wanted to run far away, but he knew that there was a change.

    Something had shifted.

    He didn''t know what, but rather than finding out, he wanted to flee.

    But he didn''t. He couldn''t.

    He wished he had.

 Chapter 5 When You Thought You Knew Someone

    Something was wrong.

    Everyone saw the shocking scene of two of the most fierce and respected characters in the university have an emotional breakdown.

    The once bustling and excited atmosphere had fallen mostly silent.

    No one approached out of respect or fear, so no one knew what Nicole and Tiana had said to Jun. The amount of tears shed and the looks of distress on the faces of the two women that prided themselves at never showing weakness was incredibly unnerving to those who knew them.

    Davie couldn''t see what was going on since he was too busy trying to set up the new streaming account. He wasn''t usually mentally equipped for tasks like this, but knowing how important the event was for his bro had given him an unprecedented focus. As he entered the last confirmation key, he was feeling pretty good about himself as he checked the time.

    He was so happy as he was running back that he didn''t notice the strange atmosphere till he was standing right behind his bro and slapped his back. Then he froze. He too knew the identities of the two girls that were now weeping into his bro''s arms.

    ''Okay, what the hell?''

    Then Jun turned around.

    ¡°Is everything ready?¡±

    ¡°Ye-ye-yes. Yeah, just say when, and drones are up.¡± Davie stuttered. Jun''s eyes.

    ¡°Great Davie. Thank you for that. Start it up now and start the presentation now too. I''ll be inside. I''d like a few minutes for myself in there, thanks.¡± Jun said as he gently disengaged from a snot-nosed Nicole and Tiana, which was enough to fuck with Davie''s brain except Jun''s eyes...

    ¡°What happened, bro? What''s going on?¡± Davie had finally asked.

    ¡°...They can tell you. I think. In a bit maybe. It''s a crazy story.¡± Jun tried to joke with a small smile, but his eyes were still....

    ¡°We have to start now,¡± Jun said again, limply patting Davie on the shoulder. ¡°Let Aunty and Uncle hear it too. They should know.¡±

    He walked away, nodding politely to those concerned, saying the presentation was about to start. He looked back at Davie again and smiled, nodding, before disappearing around the corner opposite where his Aunt and Lily were waiting with the professors. Jun''s eyes...

    They were eyes that Davie would never forget.

    Eight years ago, it had been Lily that had discovered a filthy and injured child sitting in the park they had favored for after school games for its relative solitude. No one else played there, so it felt like their personal play heaven. Davie had been late in meeting with Lily at their regular place to find her sitting quietly, comforting a little monster. At least that''s what he thought it was at first.

    The memory still sent chills down his spine.

    Covered in filthy rags and animal furs, it was also heavily injured. Dirty bandages, dyed black in dried blood, had been roughly applied, probably by itself, on almost every inch of his body. Its hair was long and tied into ropes like a black snake that wrapped around its neck and lower face.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    But the reason Davie thought it a monster was because of its eyes.

    They looked into space and at nothing and had an emptiness that the little eight-year-old Davie had never encountered. He didn''t know humans could have such lifeless eyes. It terrified him. He didn''t want those eyes to look at him. He was afraid of losing his own soul to fill the void in the monster.

    It was only when Lily''s little voice registered that he awoke from his terror induced stupor.

    The eight-year-old Lily, in her little blue sundress, sat as closely as she could without touching him. Her hands were clutching her dress tightly in anxiety. She spoke softly and earnestly.

    ¡°Does it hurt? My mom said it''s alright to cry when it hurts. It''s not good to keep it in. I think she means the tears. I guess it''s not good for your eyes to keep your tears in, so if you want to, you should. I won''t tell anyone you cried, I promise.¡±

    It was this final plea that brought a change.

    The monster''s eyes became a little human. Lost and confused, but human.

    It slowly turned to look at Lily, and after another pause, it shook. It was a little at first, but then it trembled. The little monster began to cry. Its eyes looked so lonely then.

    A soft little hand gently reached out and rested on the dirty, blood-stained hands of a monster that turned into a boy.

    To the boy, it was so warm. He remembered another hand that used to give him warmth. The hand that was lost to him twice. The boy tentatively brought his free hand and laid it atop the little girls.

    Gratitude and warmth had filled a bit of the void, and he was thankful.

    This had been a private memory for Davie, Lily, and Jun that bonded them more intimately than even with Danny and Desi, who had never seen Jun at his lowest. They were Jun''s saviors, and he loved them and had been their fierce protector ever since.

    Danny and Desi had come home from a class trip to find that there was a new, odd addition to their family.

    The official story had been that Jun was the son of a family friend that had died in an accident that left Jun with his injuries. He had nowhere else to go and out of gratitude for a past favor from Jun''s mother, Mary decided Jun should live with the Guards boys. Davie and Lily never contradicted and Danny and Desi had never asked.

    Jun''s transformation into a proper human was an experience in itself. Davie and Lily loved their creative and over protective big brother, but they never forgot those eyes.

    The eyes he had now.

    Aunt Mary and Lily were rushing over as Davie input the commands to start. The stream officially began as dozens of tiny drones arose from their containers. Some began projecting lights and images onto the white surfaces of the giant cube, bringing it alive with vibrant colors, while others bathed the audience and surroundings with lights and music that transformed the space with a festive energy.

    As attentions were drawn to the visually and audibly impressive presentation, no one else but a few paid any attention to the gathering of emotions in the back corner. So distraught were the gathered family members that they didn¡¯t notice a few overly curious onlookers stand a little too close.

    Juan Guard had arrived in time to join his son and his best friend and her littlest daughter to hear the worst thing he''d heard since his wife left him and their children with Tony.

    He couldn''t believe the things that these two daughters of S-Rank families were telling them. If they weren''t so obviously distraught, he would have thought, hoped, prayed they were messing with them as some sick joke of the wealthy.

    He supported Mary, who looked like she might faint. His heart hurt for her as well. She was devastated. Her husband''s betrayal had once nearly destroyed her, but she bravely held on for the love of her children. Now this?

    He looked over and saw lil Davie doing the same for lil Lily, who was crying into her hands as Davie rocked her comfortingly in his arms. Even in his grief, he was proud of his remaining son when he saw how he controlled his rage to be gentle. He could see it building in his eyes, but Davie had such a brave hold on it. His obvious concern and care for his family as he cradled Lily in his embrace was strong enough to tame even this. Good boy.

    But was he strong enough? Would he be strong enough to face Jun?

 Chapter 6 The Ballers

    Under the Veil of Darkness, where the veil was thinnest and glimpses of the heavens beyond would grace the world, was a perfect sea of clouds that denied those small gifts to those underneath its seemingly infinite reach.

    The Southern Cloud Sea blanketed the southern hemisphere in perpetual darkness even more complete than the Veil of Darkness above.

    Another sin of man from the Last War.

    Atop this vast perpetual sea of white cotton peeked a single human structure of steel and magic, the tallest man could currently build to be a closer to the elusive light.

    Of the three Gate Cities that lay under the Southern Cloud Sea, only the Luna Family of Luna Gate City had the wealth and influence to pierce the clouds.

    The very top level of the majestic Tower of the Stars was open to the heavens, protected by powerful rune barriers. Motes of soft magical lights danced with the summoned breeze of purified air within that belied the true dangers of the poisonous winds outside.

    There were rare new species of flowers and trees that had been artificially developed by their Family that could only survive under extreme care and fortune and fountains and pools spouting streams of magical waters that danced in perfect sync through the air, creating a fantastical picturesque scene of a magical paradise sitting in the clouds.

    In the center of this beautiful Sky Garden, where only a few had privileged access, was a crystal desk where a graceful beauty with long, flowing silver hair sat with an imposing elegance.

    She wore a regal dress of crystals and magical threads that only served to accentuate her natural beauty and poise.

    On her pale and delicate wrists, her favorite silver bracelets, covered in hundreds of minuscule rune inscriptions, chimed with her gentle gestures as she entered the last commands on her display.

    Her perpetually aloof, deep silver-gray eyes showed a rare focus that her followers associated with moments of great importance.

    And it was.

    It was a momentous day of great excitement.

    So extreme was her anticipation that she had cleared her schedule for the day by force, something she had never done before that was bound to have offended many. But they were not important, so she cared little.

    Seeing that the time was near, Celestia Luna, the new Tower Master of The Tower of the Stars and Guild Master of the renowned Heavens Piercing Guild, straightened her posture and, with a profound dignity, raised her voice to call out, ¡°Bitches! It¡¯s starting! Where the hell are you?!¡±

    Suddenly, figures began emerging from all corners of the Sky Garden.

    Cries of ¡°Here! Here!¡± sounded out like the call of little chicks responding to their furious mother as a group of powerful people gathered with childish excitement.

    ¡°Shut up! It''s starting!¡± Celestia gave a final shout that returned her treasured silence before hurriedly activating the primary display. The motes of light dimmed out of existence and all the streams of water arcing above moved out of the way as the sky became their screen. People began taking out comfy seats or laying out in blankets. Snacks and drinks magically materialized and were passed around in eager silence. Don''t piss off the boss and everyone could have a good time.

    The members of the Heavens Piercing Guild were greatly amused by their cute Guild Master. She had been the last to join the group, but had immediately taken leadership once she had.

    The Silent Sculptor was, at first, a favorite streamer among some of the younger guild members that sought comfort from their grueling training and the constant dangers they faced on missions.

    The Silent Sculptor soothed their weary souls without saying a word. He would take mundane materials and transform them into gorgeous works of art. The entire process was a magical experience that was a pleasure to watch. His masked form as he worked magic with his hands and tools held so much charisma that he had began captivating more and more members of the Guild till even their Guild Master had been caught.

    When Tom had casually introduced his leader to the stream, nobody had expected her sending out an official guild announcement proclaiming herself as the official president of the Silent Sculptor''s Fan Club.

    Every member of the Heaven Piercing Guild found they had been forcefully enrolled in a club that had its own clubroom in the coveted upper levels of the legendary Tower of the Stars. The walls were covered in photos and looping vids of every streaming session that had ever aired with illegally fabricated replicas of all the sculptures proudly displayed in personal pedestals with dedicated spot lights.

    Tom had cold sweats when faced with absolute obsession. He really hoped nobody outside of the Tower found out about this. Her obsession aside, just the illegal replicas could land her in actual trouble.

    Digital ownership laws were no laughing matter in their world. Even the S Rank Families could be liable for legal sanctions. Although small, the trouble would still tarnish the Luna Family name.

    When broached, Celestia scoffed at his petty concerns and said that as a true follower of the Silent Sculptor she was merely creating a center of appreciation so that more people could learn about his greatness and that she knew with all her heart that the Silent Sculptor would approve.

    She had said that instead of worrying about something so nonsensical; they had to battle the True Enemy. The forces of darkness that hide within the shadows. The angry sea of trolls must be battled and defeated. She would no longer tolerate the intrusion of the barbaric scum that had polluted the sacred Chat.

    Because of them, it was impossible to discuss with the other believers in peace.

    She and the most devote began an all out war in the Chats and her artillery was the massive donations she would drop. She didn''t even pay Tom that well.

    Now, almost every one of his live streams was displayed in the sky for the elite members of the Guild and fan club to enjoy together with the Guild Master. The days she was forced to miss a live stream meant that hellish torment would befall the guild members, so an unspoken agreement had been formed to never hinder the Guild Master in her viewing pleasures.

    When the announcement for the Unmasking Event where received, Tom had thought his leader was having a stroke. He hoped for her emotional stability that the Silent Sculptor wasn''t hideous. Or maybe that he was. It was difficult to process.

    The silence was interrupted with grandiose music and the darkness was illuminated with a scene that differed from the normal format.

    Instead of the quiet corner of an artist''s studio, which had become the opening trademark of every stream so far, they saw from an aerial perspective a large crowd of people standing before a giant towering white cube. From the surrounding academic architecture and the many youthful faces, most could tell that this was being taken from some prestigious university, while a few even recognized its source.

    ¡°That''s the Student Square at Trident University! That''s my Runes Studies Department!¡± came an excited voice among the viewers.

    Tilly Bluesky, one of the dignified Rune Masters of the Heavens Piercing Guild, hopped up and down, squealing in excitement. ¡°The professors are all there! That means this is a masters thesis presentation from the Rune Studies Department! Gates! The Silent Sculptor is a student?!¡±

    ¡°Thats amazing!¡±

    ¡°I knew our dude was talented, but runes too? That¡¯s crazy!¡±

    ¡°SHUT UP!¡±

    Silence fell again, but everyone could see the Guild Master''s giddy excitement.

    The images on the screens converged into the form of a simple rune and the melody became still and anticipatory with a single, repeating chime.

    Most of those present recognized the base rune of purification, while only a few recognized this one was slightly different. This in itself wasn¡¯t anything strange. Rune-smiths were constantly experimenting with the usage of base runes in search of new efficient ways of productivity. What stood out with this rune was the nature of the alteration.

    All rune knowledge came from the Nexus''s gifts. Anyone that slew a monster from beyond the Gates for the first time would receive White Merits and a Rune Seed. This rune was first thought to only serve as a terminal that accessed the Nexus Local Market, a mysterious virtual market that allowed trade of specific goods throughout the world, with Merits as currency. Once used in a transaction, White Merit became Gray Merit and was only good as currency that fueled the new economy.

    Only when Hunters accidentally offered their White Merits directly to the Rune did they know it grew. With greater offerings, the first examples of completed Base Runes shocked the world. Runes could alter reality.

    Materials altered, manifested and disappeared, defying modern physics and combined human wisdom.

    The excitement for all related industries came when they discovered the upgrades did not end there.

    When powerful Hunters continued to offer greater amounts of White Merit, the world learned that the personal rune could grow three more times, with rumors of a fourth being the key to becoming an S-Ranker. Each level up resulted in a more complex rune and specialization of power. People that started with the same base rune had vastly different abilities by their third-level runes.

    Rune-smiths were those dedicated in the search of meaning. Studying the base mysteries of the Runes and their use had started an age of exploration separate from the Gates. The resulting fruits had brought wonders to their bleak worlds.

    Magical rune barriers and purification runes elevated living conditions while accessible runetech like rune powered vehicles connected people to their city and wrist coms reconnected people to the world.

    Modern fabrication technology, integrated with simple but powerful runes, made the cities plentiful and rich.

    While the Hunters brought peace, Rune-smiths brought prosperity, and the relationship between the two could not be unwoven.

    Rune-smiths learned from the growth of personal runes and based their theories and designs around similar growth patterns and complexity. Base runes represented the rank zero foundation for rune-smiths to build upon one level at a time, from rank-one runes to rank-three runes.

    The base rune of purification on the screen was not altered to the rank one standard which would have tripled the rune¡¯s complexity. No, there were just a few extra lines. Then a second base rune appeared and connected with those mysterious lines. Absorption.

    Many heads were tilted when the second base rune connected with the first. That¡¯s not how that worked, right?

    But it looked alright? Why wouldn¡¯t that work?

    Their normal thought process was to integrate properties of absorption into a base purification rune to form a single layered rank 1 rune with two attributes. This was just pairing two base runes to work together in perfect sync. It made a lot of sense.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    The strange double rune on the screen shrank in size before multiplying from one to two to four, and so on till they flooded the display and a new supporting rune structure tied them together.

    The sea of purification runes was now tied in an organic structure that resembles veins before a third rune cluster arose from the ground and joined.

    It came alive.

    The previous black backdrop crumbled away into motes of white light that covered the Student Square.

    When stillness returned, there was a tree.

    It looked nothing like a normal tree they had all seen from the old movies.

    This was a crystal tree that glimmered with countless glowing runes.

    For those who understood runes well, the presentation was clear. This was a brand new rune structure proposal that interwove many smaller rune nodes into a whole. It was a completely new way of looking at rune structures that simply ditched the preconceived limitations every rune-smith bound themselves to. Instead of looking at a ranked rune, it was like looking at a living, breathing entity made of simple runes.

    Then there were two and then four and so on, till a new world emerged.

    The wonderfully choreographed display of lights and music told a story of a beautiful potential.

    Everyone in the room were considered masters of their fields and had received the best educations in the world. No one had missed the significance of what was being freely displayed.

    Most thesis presentations would deliberately obfuscate key components of the Rune structure being presented. Although base theories were easily shared, any competent Rune-smith would hold their core secrets close at heart. This was so they could secure their own positions in the cutthroat world of runes.

    This presentation was the opposite. For those who knew more about the world of runes, they couldn''t help but feel helpless.

    Was their idol a fool?

    He was detailing the entire rune creation process, as if he was afraid people wouldn''t understand.

    But as they watched more, their eyes widened in wonder.

    Tilly couldn''t help but marvel at what she was seeing. The slowly forming strokes of the runes held a beauty in its simplicity that even the uninitiated could appreciate. It was like watching the Silent Sculptor''s other live streams, but instead of stone or metal, he was now sculpting with lines of energy.

    This should have been presented at a world summit, not a live stream for sculpting fans with who knows how many people that understood anything.

    As a recognized master of her craft, Tilly was captivated by the beautiful sea of runes that wove together into something organic. A tree. A forest. A clean world.

    The concepts she saw were refreshingly simple and yet groundbreaking. It went against the current trends in rune research, yet it made absolute sense once presented to her.

    For free.

    All of it.

    She and a few others could understand the generosity of the act for what it was. He wanted to spread this technology. Not for fame or recognition. His desire was plainly spelled out for them.

    This was a noble goal that would require the cooperation of all ten Gate Cities. A Second Great Human Miracle with the same noble spirit as the first.

    Numerous practical and elegant applications of the Modular Purification Runes System were freely detailed, one after another.

    Simple runes kept forming and growing into new and miraculous things.

    Ornate towers arose among the trees and pierced the skies. Runes sparkled in arching masses along its surfaces that periodically generated magical clouds that dispersed into the poisoned skies to purify them, forming lost rainbows.

    Titanic floating airships could be seen speckled throughout the skies of toxic clouds, leaving streams of clean air in their wake, rising higher and higher till they reached the untouchable Veil of Darkness and brought back the stars.

    Small rivers and streams of purification water were being generated from different sources to pool into a pristine lake of crystal clear water. Fish and fisherman swam in their endless chases as people and animals of all shapes and sizes gathered on the shores for nourishment.

    Runes formed tracks in the air as trains crisscrossed above the trees at different levels, connecting towers in a growing organic web of civilization.

    As the city grew, the skies cleared, and a forgotten sun openly greeted mankind once again, real trees and plants began replacing the beautiful fakes as the world became beautiful with new vitality. The earth finally healed, and the city finally had a backdrop worthy of its dream.

    Everyone knew what the world looked like outside the City even if they hadn''t ever been outside themselves. Why would they go there? It was a nightmare!

    But a new spark of excitement was lit in everyone watching. Could we live in a world like that? A clean world with trees? Can they breathe the air and see the sun? Could they and their children live like their blessed ancestors?

    Drip

    Drip

    Drip

    Tears rolled down Celestia''s blushed face in a nonstop torrent.

    ¡°So this is the world he wishes to see. How marvelous.¡± She whispered.

    Celestia had been moved every time she had watched the unnamed artist in his work of creation.

    Her relatively short life of 25 years, first as the Princess of the Luna family and its future Head, to her recent ascension as Tower Master of the mighty Tower of the Stars and Guild leader of Heavens Piercing, the largest and most powerful guild under the Luna family, had all been about strength and conquest. It was her strong dignity and her powers of destruction that cemented her lofty position in a fiercely competitive family.

    She had created nothing in her life. Only destroyed and conquered. Never stopping.

    The first time she watched something Tom, her annoying but competent subordinate, had recommended watching on her down time, her life had changed, irrevocably.

    She had, not once, ever considered the value of something that served no purpose but to be beautiful or what the creation process of such a thing would be like. Why would she divert any of her most precious limited resource such as her time on things like that?

    Simply put, Celestia Luna was charmed.

    She was charmed by how delicately he handled his creations as if he was holding a lover.

    She was charmed by the Switch, where a normal man became a master with a focus that was blind to all but his craft, and how expressive his warm brown eyes became when he was happy with his work.

    She was charmed by the masterful dexterity and flow of movements that put to shame even the masters of hand to hand combat within her mighty family.

    She was charmed by the body that held so much skill and potential for destruction, used solely to create.

    The works born from those magical hands were something else, however. She couldn''t demean her appreciation for this mysterious man''s works as merely charmed.

    They made her look at her world differently and brought attention to a void in her soul that had finally found nourishment.

    Watching the soothing hours of his work and the creations after, had brought the first peace she had felt since she last embraced her sister. She was grateful.

    She had believed herself emotionally prepared for anything that could happen, but she was pleasantly surprised to have been foolishly mistaken. He hadn''t even shown up yet, but just the vision he had shared was enough to shake her spirit. Compared to this man''s overwhelmingly generous nature, she felt like what she had been doing to be small and selfish.

    So what if she had beaten out all her brothers and sisters and claimed her birthright as the Lord of the Tower and secured the seat as the heir of the Luna Family for a bit more time? What had she contributed to the world? Just more blood debts. So much blood.

    And then there was this man that freely shared what could have made him the wealthiest Rune Master in the world. She wasn''t one of the fools that couldn''t understand the value of what had been freely offered.

    A city that was one with nature, skies so blue and clear like a dream, clean lakes and oceans filled again with life.

    What a dream.

    Was all this possible?

    This thought emerged in every viewer, old and young, dreamers and cynics. It didn''t matter. The dream was too beautiful. An unknown yearning grew in all who watched.

    And then the images vanished. The music stopped.

    While Celestia was still immersed in her visions, the white cube began to slowly fade. The barrier was lifting. The mystery was being unveiled.

    A slow melody herded their collective breaths for the single moment of revelation.

    As the last of the barrier faded away, they saw it bloom.

    Trees.

    Colorful flowers.

    A pavilion.

    A small stream and pond.

    A real magic garden from a fairy tale everyone wished they lived, had sprung alive in the middle of the Student Square.

    Magical trees, flowers and plants were given permission to grow and expanded well beyond the original boundary in moments. Those that stood closer now stood under the shade of crystal canopies.

    Each side was lined with gracefully twisting trees and bushes with impossibly beautiful flowers. A single ornate entrance covered in beautiful floral reliefs gave passage.

    The view followed and past the first crowd to give a tour that no one would have believed to have been real without conviction.

    It was all too much.

    The flowers chimed and glowed with a tinkling that followed the breeze. The trees slowly swayed their branches, and crystal leaves glowed in waves of soft greens and blues, releasing a gentle orchestra of ethereal music.

    A mist magically formed from the trees into small glowing clouds that formed above the tree canopies, creating a new sky for the Garden that glowed in spots like hidden stars, changing the air all around. Those present experienced the cleanest breaths of their lives.

    The view moved along the lightly meandering stone path that spiraled around and down, leading from one marvel to another.

    In the first corner, a large tree had branches that arched protectively around a rippling giant floating sphere of water that was constantly spilling down a glittering stream of crystal clear water that ran freely down the path between the stones and filled the garden with the sounds of trickling. Two delicate crystal clear fish, only visible from the small runes that lighted their eyes, slowly swam around a small light at the center.

    The path went on, lined with fascinating little sculptures of animals that had an undefinable quality that made one sure that they would blink if you looked away, surrounded by flowers and plants that came out of a dream.

    An elegant creature with antlers stood tall and proud as its mate and children grazed and played in security, while a family of squirrels and other small critters played between the branches.

    The flowers came in all beautiful and delicate sizes and colors, glowing and chiming with different tunes as they contributed to the audible feasts as well as the visual.

    The second corner, now slightly lower, sat a small crystal pavilion overlooking the Garden. The pavilion was small and intimate and immensely intricate and visually delicate, only made possible with the lines of runes that wove through the crystal latices. Even more beautiful crystal flowers embraced the three sides of the pavilion. This was a seat for lovers.

    Beautiful works of art lined the sloping path that lead down to a final landing. The water had finally diverged into a small, independent stream that flowed into a small, glowing pond. Crystal water lilies sparkled and sang their songs from a gently rippling surface as colorful glass fish swam in little schools, the small runes that controlled them glowing from their cores.

    Facing the pool of purification water was the final piece. Sitting on a large stone under the most beautiful tree in the garden was the most beautiful sculpture, surrounded by the most beautiful flowers.

    It was a woman sculpted from white stone. Shoulder length hair framed a young, pretty face with the look of absolute love. There was trust, dependence and a bit of playful yearning all tied together with a confidence that was addicting.

    She was small and slim with a modest chest, draped in flowing sheets as she sat relaxed under the tree, one hand supporting her gently leaning frame, shoulder bare and mischievously leaning forward, as the other delicate hand held the sheets to her extended life nurturing belly, protecting her modesty.

    It wasn''t vulgar.

    She was simply beautiful and there was a purity to that.

    And standing in front of her was the back figure of a man.

    Celestia caught her breath. She knew this back. This was the back she saw, even in her dreams.

    She both yearned for him to turn and finally reveal himself and hoped he never did.

    She realized as more was revealed that this garden was a dedication to love and new life. Seeing the final piece shook her for its natural beauty and seeing the face of the one this Garden was made for.

    She was beautiful with a youthful delicate features, but it was the expressiveness of those features, captured in stone, that drew the eyes.

    Celestia wanted to deny it but, the emotions expressed, was what she wanted. She wanted to be able to make that kind of face.

    She wanted to see his face, but didn''t. She''d never felt so contradictory before, never having allowed it. Decisiveness and always moving forward had been the traits that she had nurtured since the young age, when she competed for dominance. She loathed the indecision and felt some embers of anger and frustration begin to light before the drone cam adjusted its position.

    A small group had formed closely behind the figure that was decidedly not happy. Even surrounded by the wonders of the garden, there was a clear distress in the way they watched the back of the sculptor.

    Celestia and all the other viewers now realized that the atmosphere was strange. Even the people further behind that had just entered the garden were cautiously paying attention to the sculptor, even as they marveled at their surroundings. There was an atmosphere of watching a show they weren¡¯t meant to see.

    He hadn''t moved a muscle since the beginning, not attempting to address the growing occupants or progressing his presentation as the music stopped. Only the sounds of the Garden and murmurs of the crowd remained.

    He just stood there.

    Staring at her.

    There was a tense stillness that didn''t suit the surrounding beauty. Everyone was waiting for something that Celestia and the viewers couldn''t understand. What had happened? They couldn''t hear the soft whispers.

    Slowly, there was movement. A step. And then another. And then one more.

    The drone cam, awakened at last, gave the view they¡¯d been waiting for.

    Only the real active supporters had been invited to view what they had all longed to see. The face that beheld the hands that created so many beautiful works of art, uncovered by any masks.

    After seeing his greatest masterpiece, their curiosity was mounting. They needed a face to go with their admiration.

    And now they got it.

    A haggard face they didn''t recognize.

    The eyes were wrong. Even though those were the only features they had known, once familiar eyes had become a stranger¡¯s. They didn''t have the light and gentleness that had captivated them.

    While Celestia was growing in a suffocating anxiety -

    A deep sigh.

    His right hand moved up slowly.

    Celestia stood violently, her seat sent flying, while she and everyone on the top level of the Tower of the Stars stared in shock.

 Chapter 7 A New Creation

    Jun snuck through his barrier on autopilot. He didn''t really remember walking to where he stood or how much of the first part of the presentation was left before the barrier lifted and people would pour in, where he planned to personally present to the world his greatest masterpiece and his vision for the future.

    He had felt that he had created something of significance that he could leave with the university that had given him so much before he moved on to the next chapter of his life. One that was bright and beautiful and filled with lots of babies.

    His chest tightened.

    This was... so.... painful. Jun couldn''t breathe. He was feeling lightheaded, and bile kept threatening to make a scene.

    Then he saw where he stood and what lay before him.

    Although the Garden was beautiful and he was very pleased with it, in terms of effort, the most difficult had been the sculpture of his beloved. The crystal rune flora had been difficult to form at first, but once he''d worked out a proper work flow, along with his enhanced body, it had gone by surprisingly fast. As his proficiency increased with repetition, the faster he was and the more creative he had been. It was fun.

    Desi was hard.

    The original composition was easy. If there was one person Jun could easily visualize, it was the love of his life.

    When they had first met, he had only just started learning what it meant to be in civilized society and had just begun his healing process with the help of Aunt Mary, who held him like he was her own child. Lily and lil Davie were constant companions that taught him how to be a kid, while Uncle Juan''s few but sincere words showed him what a father was, which was a strange comfort.

    But it wasn''t until he met Desi that he had started becoming human again. She was like sunshine. She was warmth and happiness that Jun hadn''t imagined possible after losing his light.

    They were twelve, an age where the world was new and mysterious and adventures lied just beyond the horizon, but not for Jun. He had seen too much of the evils of the world at too young an age. But he''d been lucky.

    The first people to offer a helping hand to Jun, who had less than nothing, were two families of angels and he''d met his soul mate before he knew what love was. She helped heal his wounds and became the center that had previously been torn out with his own hands.

    With the feelings of love and gratitude to the universe, he carved. The first iteration was fast. It was beautiful. But it wasn''t right. Something important wasn''t captured correctly and Jun couldn''t identify it.

    So he tried again.

    Desi''s playful spirit got Jun to enter the world and learn to be social. Her generosity filled the void in his soul and then, years later, the night they made love for the first time, she made him feel whole again.

    She was the one that brought Jun to art and sculpture and his first fan as an artist and encouraged him to chase his dreams. Her constant adoration gave him confidence in himself and only affirmed that she was his future. The year prior, when he had proposed a dream where the two of them formed a bond so tight that it would last a lifetime, she said yes.

    He worked again, with the love and excitement of a new future he carved.

    It was beautiful.

    But again, it wasn''t right.

    So he tried again.

    Desi and Jun had a lot of fun planning for the future. Wedding and honeymoon ideas led to career plans and where they would live and what kind of home, which led to more important considerations, like how many babies. She would laugh her twinkle that he loved so much as she''d tell him all the ideas for baby names and all the things they would experience together.

    And then when she held Jun with trembling hands and told him she was pregnant.

    That had been a joy bomb.

    With the bursting love for the happy future family that was now guaranteed, he carved.

    It was the best he had ever done.

    But something still wasn''t right.

    He then concluded, with a tired sigh, that his overwhelming love for Desi wouldn''t allow even his art to perfect what was already perfect. He was going to have to learn to be satisfied with having someone with a beauty that couldn''t be replicated as the mother of his child. What a terrible hardship.

    Thinking about what Nicole had told him, he knew what was missing from his sculptures of Desi.

    He couldn''t help but laugh a little weakly.

    ¡°Jun,¡± Nicole had said through repressed sobs. ¡°Desi and Danny¡­ they¡¯re eloping...¡±

    ¡°....I''m sorry. What?¡±

    ¡°She sent me a message before disconnecting her com. She...sniff sniff... she said that Danny got an opportunity with the Vaults Family in Fortress city and that she''s going to marry Danny and enter with him....¡±

    ¡°....where is she now?¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°They already left. They might have already gone through the Gate.¡±

    ¡°...what about our baby? She can''t go through the Gate with a baby... Nicole. Please answer me.¡± Jun asked in a small voice. Nicole was barely hanging on. She was so distraught while Tiana, who was supporting her from the side, was only a bit better. Through the numbness, he wondered with a twisted amusement what they were so upset about. It was his pain, wasn''t it? He almost wanted to laugh.

    ¡°Jun... she said she¡­ got rid of it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    He understood the words. They weren''t difficult words, but they didn''t make sense.

    Got rid of it? What was she talking about? She said it like she took out the trash. Not their child, right? That couldn''t be right.

    No matter how long he looked into those cold white stone eyes, he couldn''t understand. His mind was a chaotic inferno of emotions, reflections, and questions, but as if fate were mocking him, he finally understood what was missing from this piece.

    Doubt.

    There were moments where Jun could see a layer of uncertainty in her cheerfulness and in her love, but he always attributed it to something happening at the time. Was that look for him?

    For instance, the time he asked her to marry him, did she look as he had remembered?

    The time she said she was pregnant... was she happy?

    When was it, Jun wondered as he looked into the lie that gazed back at him, that she fell out of love?

    How didn''t he notice when he never stopped looking at her?

    And with Danny?

    His mentor?

    His best friend?

    His brother?

    The one that had always stood by Jun''s side?

    But they had just spoken.

    When had he contacted his mother''s family? Did uncle know?

    Jun felt himself losing it when some of his senses detected people were all around. He couldn''t think about anything like presentations or the whispers that seems to know too much. He didn''t care.

    All he cared for was right in front of him, but just like the eyes that professed loyalty and love, it was a lie.

    Did he hate Danny?

    Did he hate Desi?

    Was he capable of hating Desi?

    Familiar voices murmured words he couldn''t quite make out, but he recognized who stood behind him. Uncle Juan had finally made it, and his voice was filled with a soft strength as he comforted his Aunt Mary. They were hurting, too. He wasn''t the only one that was left behind.

    Jun took a step closer.

    Desi and Danny were responsible for who he had become today.

    A step closer.

    Desi and Danny gave him a family that he had lost and allowed him to live a blessed life for ten years.

    A step closer.

    But Desi and Danny had left behind too many emotional debts. They all had to heal.

    And their child... family... future........

    He stood still. The girl, resting on her perch, leaned ever slightly forward where her longing gaze met hollow eyes.

    A deep, tired sigh breathed out.

    His right hand moved up slowly, to gently caress his lover''s cheek one last time, but when his hand touched stone, there was a tremble in the air that was visible to the naked eye.

    And then a lie disintegrated into dust.

    Today he lost many things. The two of the most important people in his life were dead to him now. And one eagerly awaited laughter of new beginnings would never be heard. He mourned their loss.

    Jun''s outstretched hand was hard to withdraw. Though the image in his eyes was gone, the one in his heart was hard to set down.

    ¡°Don''t be silly. She made her choice. Now we must live with it.¡± Jun chastised himself.

    With that thought, Jun waved his hand and a great wind gushed and blew the stone dust into the trees.

    The branches swayed in stress as chaotic choirs of twinkling crystal leaves shone with the light of runes that quickly purified the massive amounts of stone dust out of existence.

    No traces were left behind. Another small voice in the back of his head mumbled how that wasn''t a good thing to do. Secrets had been exposed.

    But he didn''t care.

    Jun stared blankly at the now pristine void between the roots of the tree that he had spent hours designing and crafting.

    Leaf by leaf, branch by branch, he had crafted it with custom rune-smith tools to process materials and then inscribed enough runes to classify it as a masterpiece of basic rune mastery.

    Everything had been designed to be child friendly through the use of durability and softness runes. He wanted her to enjoy this garden with him alongside their child that was on the way to meet them. It was all for them. He was so excited to meet em...

    Now it wasn''t for her. It wasn''t for a family that had its future clipped.

    It was for.....

    Jun closed his eyes as he thought of a face.

    A face that was getting harder to remember with time. The most beautiful smile was fading from his mind.

    But when he stilled his heart and thought of those few precious moments that the world gave them to be together... he could hear her laugh.

    And if he could hear her laugh, he could hear her sing.

    And if he could hear her sing, he could almost.... just almost remember how it felt when she held him.

    She smelled like home.

    And if he could bring it all together.... he could see her smile...

    Lost in a trance of emotions, Jun didn''t hear the growing astonishment around him. He had revealed a peek of a truth he''d long promised to keep till he was ready.

    It was probably fine.

    Without opening his eyes or removing his focus, he gave a second flourish. A complex weave of runes glowed below his right eye and a crack in space formed with an audible snap that could be felt in the air. A black abyss widened its jagged maw and a giant block of natural stone towered where once there was nothing.

    The soft voice in the back of his mind felt like he should care that he did that.

    It was probably fine.

    All that existed for Jun was the image in his mind and all the love he knew she wanted to love him with. Of his many doubts, his mother''s love was never one.

    Crack

    Crack

    Two smaller cracks formed above Jun''s outstretched hands as familiar tools fell into his grasp, completing him.

    A love so strong that it transcended death for her to deliver a final, painful gift for her child.

    Tap

    A hammer hit a chisel and a stone''s shape was changed. The first tap silenced the agitated crowd.

    Tap

    The second tap resounded in the silence and was felt in their core.

    Tap

    The third tap resonated with their hearts and they became captives to the hammer''s cry.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    Hammer met chisel, and an artist conversed with his canvass. Stone constantly crumbled, sometimes

    in chunks and others as dust.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    Jun let go of everything and just rode the waves of memories of the one that taught him what love was. It had been his first lesson.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    Life had been about surviving the day and worrying about tomorrow, tomorrow.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    The constant dance of life and death had been his daily routine, as was existing beyond even the Fortress''s eyes.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    But the first lesson that was taught from the day of his birth was that his mother loved him.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    The way she smiled every time she looked at him, no matter her great sacrifices, told him how much.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    Enough to come back from death¡¯s grasp.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    Even if it was for only a while.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    She never stopped loving him.

    Tap

    Tap

    Tap

    That was a mother''s love.

    Tap

    Tap

    ...Tap

    It was when Jun made his final mark that he realized that the world was on fire.

 Chapter 8 Unexpected Ascension

    ''Huh.'' Jun looked around. Ethereal flames of colors and shades he¡¯d never seen consumed the entire Garden.

    ''You''d think people would freak out more if everything around them was on fire, including themselves, but everyone seems to be doing fine. Oh. Okay, everyone is frozen with looks of absolute terror on their faces, but they''re frozen in space. Sure, this happens all the time. I''m not freaking out.''

    Feeling an irresistible draw from behind him and no immediate danger(?), Jun escaped reality and drew his attentions back to his creation. Because of his abnormal state, Jun hadn''t sculpted based on any image, but on the wave of memories and feelings from his youth. He wasn''t sure what he made.

    Jun bit his lip hard. He drew blood. He gripped his hands around his tools so tightly that they groaned under pressure as his eyes became instantly blood shot. How could he have created this? This painful moment.

    No. It was right. This was her love. He had no right to run from it. This was the moment he knew that love transcended even death.

    Before him was a towering demon on her knees in her last moments. Her form kept her graceful elegance from when she had been human, while her beauty was elevated in her demonic transformation, even at the moment of demise.

    Four sharp horns rose from her temples and curved into a crown to highlight her demonic beauty. Even on her knees, she was over eight feet tall with elongated limbs that ended in deadly claws and talons that offered no menace as they clutched her mortal wound. Tattered wings that once stretched so wide it seemed they''d blot out the world lay limb and broken at her sides.

    Other than that, she looked just the same as before.

    The same beautiful wild hair.

    The same gentle face.

    And the same tender smile that held so much pride for him.

    Through two lives and two deaths, she loved him.

    Even though he killed her.

    The tears that didn¡¯t fall when life derailed in betrayals fell freely now. He stroked the face that he thought he''d forgotten as all the sorrows, new and old, finally found its outlet.

    He didn''t notice his tears burn into streams of energy or how the fires were congregating on his body, turning white and flowed into the sculpture and then dispersed into the rest of the Garden and back into Jun in an ever visually dynamic cycle.

    Jun didn''t notice.

    He had not allowed himself to be truly vulnerable since she was lost to him, but now, with his rejuvenated memory of her, he didn''t try to hide it. He just missed her.

    As his grief had run its course, he was grateful for one thing.

    To have been able to bring up an image of his mother, he thought he''d never have, regardless of the pains, was worth a few tribulations.

    Eyes still closed, hands still resting on the cheeks of the mother in his dreams, he found a slight moment of peace. He could now remember her face from before, when she would hold and comfort him, when the terrors of the demon lands threatened to break his little mind. She would smile and hold him close and sing ever so softly into his ear to chase all his fears away. Then she would thank him for blessing her life.

    She chose to live and die a life of suffering so that he could live. She didn''t even hesitate.

    He opened his eyes and momentarily doubted his senses when, instead of his wounded, transformed mother, she stood there like how he remembered her. When they were happy, healthy and whole.

    His mother looked at him with a mischievous smirk at the edge of her lips, like she knew a secret joke that never failed to tickle Jun¡¯s curiosity.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    For a brief instance, he was back in the dark hollows of the wilderness, surrounded by the perils that colored his youth. She stood before him with her typical playfulness, wearing the one dress that she had kept safe, only to be worn on special occasions like Jun''s birthdays, Christmas, Happy Jun day, and a dozen other reasons his mother had found to bring some cheer to their dreary world.

    The dazzling dress made of the most precious materials and gemstones was once the source of endless envy of the upper class. Now faded and threadbare, a mere ghost of its days of glory, Jun thought it was the most beautiful dress in the world as it was, because it had seen all their best days together.

    He never told her she never had to do those things to make him feel special. There wasn''t a time that he wasn''t happy when they were simply together. Regardless if it was in a poisonous swamp, a monster infested cavern, or a rare moment of safety and rest, it was all good times because she was there.

    And now she stood before him.

    He was sure that it had been a completely different scene before, but he didn''t care. This was good.

    A true peace.

    A true smile.

    Then the world lost its focus, and the world became dark.

    ---

    Jun no longer felt a sense of self. Only his soul bore witness as the greatest secret of the universe shared its presence through the darkness.

    An impossible canopy that challenged the infinite sheltered fruits as large as worlds and shined bright and numerous like an endless starry sky.

    Far in the distance, a vast trunk that shattered his understanding of the universe proudly supported the vibrant heavens.

    Roots like the towering titanic mountain ranges stretched out in every direction as endless rivers of energy, wider than any ocean, flowed and swirled through the roots like small streams into the trunk, to the infinitely twisting and reaching branches and leaves that offered it back to the world, new and clean in an endless glorious cycle with the purest energies flowing into the Fruits of the Worlds nurturing the Laws that defined existence itself.

    Jun''s soul, in its rawest state, made no effort to understand the impossible and only observed in awe at the majesty before it.

    This wasn''t something that mortals should see. Their minds and spirits would collapse at the barest glimpse.

    Jun didn''t know that.

    He didn''t see the light of his soul brightening and growing and strengthening. He didn''t notice his senses gradually improving as sensations he couldn''t understand washed and purified his soul.

    Jun was too lost, barely holding on to his sanity from his position under the World Tree.

    Knowledge and insights into laws and concepts he''d never even conceived were overwhelming his consciousness as the world became clearer to all his senses, new and old.

    A single fruit above him resonated with Jun.

    He looked up.

    It looked like a glass apple that shined with infinite galaxies in infinite colors.

    Somewhere in that swirl of colors was the Earth. That was his Fruit. A little dimmer than the others but his none the less. He just knew.

    It was perfect.

    Except....

    That''s when Jun became aware of an ugliness hidden between the shadows of the titanic leaves. Nausea inducing black tendrils weaved through vast blotches of the canopy, like countless vile snakes, connected to and defiling countless fruits.

    Including his own.

    He watched a new tendril emerge from the darkness between the worlds and slowly slither towards a clean and healthy fruit.

    The connection was made and darkness spread.

    There was nothing anyone could do about it.

    This was their enemy.

    The monsters beyond the gates.

    The demons that haunted his youth.

    ...his mother.

    Jun felt a raw, undiluted hate boil through him. How dare this filth defile their worlds! A powerful desire to cleanse all the darkness and all evil so that this wonder of creation could grow free and beautiful again, burst from his core.

    A pulse of foreign emotion harmonized with his own.

    A voice that spoke no words was calling out.

    It was faint. He couldn¡¯t understand, only feel.

    It was pleading.

    It was in such pain.

    Help me.

    The fear was felt through his soul and had marked it.

    Jun awoke with a start, his hand still on his mother''s human face. It helped calm his thundering heart, wondering if he¡¯d been drugged.

    Was that real?

    It felt... more than real.

    The wonder and awe.

    The fear and disgust.

    The World Tree had pleaded with him.

    That was a head trip.

    A flood of noisy agitation demanded Jun''s attention.

    He couldn''t keep ignoring reality forever. Some sense was returning as Jun realized he''d done a lot of stupid things while blinded with emotions.

    Shit.

    The drone cam hovering by his face made him realize how fucked he was.

    He turned his head away to see... his family.

    Uncle Juan was holding an emotional Aunt Mary next to lil Davie that was supporting a tear stained Lily. Nicole and Tiana, looking dazed, stood close by. Even in their clear grief and confusion, he could see their concern for him.

    That''s right, he hadn''t lost the most important things. His family and good friends that loved and supported him when he had nothing to where he was now.

    They were his home.

    As long as he had his home, everything would work out.

    ¡°Jun you''re being evicted! We have to go over there now!¡±

    ¡°...what?¡±

 Chapter 9 Eviction

    ¡°...what?¡±

    Davie replied, spitting with venom, ¡°I just checked what else Danny could have done besides terminating your Live Stream account and being a piece of shit! He emptied your shared accounts from the streaming and sent a letter of eviction. It says they have rights for forceful eviction of violation over bullshit. They''re going to clear out your studio. We need to get over there now.¡±

    Uncle Juan lowered his head in shame, unable to look at his third son for what his first had done.

    Lily looked panicked as more tears streamed down her face.

    Aunt Mary got out of Uncle Juan''s embrace as all frailty left her countenance, replaced by the strict authority figure of their youth.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, wiping the moisture from her eyes as she took charge.

    ¡°Juan, you take the boys to the studio and figure out what''s going on while Lily and I take care of things here. We can think about everything else afterwards. Got it? Good. Now go.¡±

    And with that, Aunt Mary turned to address the crowd when a group of distinguished professors rushed over with crazed looks, demanding answers.

    Jun was still dazed when a pair of firm hands found his tired shoulders.

    He looked up to see Professor Kindley''s face an inch from his own, their noses so close that he could feel the elder''s breath on his lips.

    Gross.

    Jun jerked back but couldn''t escape the clutches of his professor that was spitting in his face as he asked questions in rapid fire.

    ¡°JUN! Was that spirit fire?! You''ve ascended to S-Rank?! What did your flames do to the runes?! The RUNES Jun! The RUNES!¡±

    Jun was getting dizzy from all the shaking as he tried to protect his face. Flames? That''s right, people were on fire? Frozen? Drugs?

    ¡°You hid a perfected third tier spacial Rune Jun?! SPACIAL RUNE?! And what are these runes?! These RUNES!¡± the Professor shouted, red faced in agitation as he''d lost all composure after what he''d experienced. His poor old heart couldn''t handle so many surprises from his monstrous prized disciple. He was in so much shock he didn''t even know what he was doing anymore.

    ¡°PROFESSOR! Comport yourself! You are a distinguished professional and a leader of the community. Now please unhand my son.¡± A sharp reprimand cut through the professor''s meltdown.

    Jun looked to see a seething Aunt Mary. She looked like she intended to get physical if he wasn''t let go in a second. The professor looked embarrassed as he quickly let go of Jun''s shoulders, clothes wrinkled.

    Jun didn''t pay attention to his apologies, having not stopping looking at his Aunt Mary.

    She''d called him son.

    Sensing lil Davie''s impatience, he looked to his professor.

    One thing at a time.

    ¡°Professor. The Garden is a gift to the University. I hope it can find a home here somewhere. I have to take care of an urgent matter.... and sorry for digging up the ground. Cough.¡±

    Not giving chance for a reply, he next addressed the drone cam. Gates, how long has that been that close?

    ¡°Thank you so much for everyone''s continued support for my work. I honestly wouldn''t have been able to become who I am today and come as far as I have on my journey without you. Thank you.¡± Jun said before looking down at a virtual screen that only he could see that connected him to the Local Nexus Market, messed around and hit a confirmation key.

    ¡°To show my appreciation to all of you for your continued support, I''ve sent you all a gift. I''m excited for my work to find its way into the hands of those who will treasure them. Until next time...¡±

    Jun signaled Davie to cut the feed before leading the others past the gawking crowds. Familiar and unfamiliar faces crowded all around, but made way for the three without any fuss.

    Stand in the way of an angry S-Ranker? Do you have a death wish?

    Uncle Juan drove his beloved classic cherry red Titan 32 Runester through traffic as if a demon were chasing him.

    If any other person tried driving like that, Jun would never get in the passenger seat, but Uncle Juan was the best driver Jun had ever met.

    A skilled but reckless, illegal street racer in his youth, Uncle Juan raced dangerously through traffic with one hand while his other was tightly wrapped around a pendent at his neck. His anxiety had nothing to do with the road.

    The ride was silent, each to their own thoughts.

    Pulling into the old warehouse lots where Jun was renting from Danny, what they saw drained the remaining blood from Jun''s and Uncle Juan''s faces while the safety handle lil Davie had been depending his life on was threatening to break from his trembling hand. That fucker.

    Several roughly customized rune cars, along with one garish luxury rune car that jun recognized, were parked messily in front of his studio. All three doors, including the large garage door on the front side, were left wide open while everything he owned was being destroyed and piled into heaps out front by a group of young thugs.

    All his work.

    The hundreds of finished and unfinished projects from his journey as an artist.

    All the glass and crystal sculptures were shattered into mountains of glittering trash. He could recognize the glass hand, now missing fingers and a body, of a piece that was made for Lily. She¡¯d always admired the dancers she¡¯d see in the old era vids, but with her health condition, couldn¡¯t even dream of dancing on her own, so Jun had been sculpting a series of crystal dancers for years. That one took over a week to get just right.

    Stone, clay, metals, glass and crystal, each had designated mounds, weirdly organized for such destruction.

    Jun pushed down lil Davie''s shoulder, preventing him from rushing out.

    ¡°Uncle, please stay inside with the doors locked. Don''t let this kid out.¡±

    Uncle Juan looked at Jun hard before nodding gravely while lil Davie struggled to contain himself.

    ¡°I can help,¡± he managed through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Davie,¡± Jun''s grip tightened in reassurance, ¡°sometimes a man''s gotta take care of his personal matters, personally. Don''t worry. I''m not weak. I''m stupid strong.¡±

    Jun waited to see Davie give a grudging nod before he left alone with heavy footsteps.

    Seeing Jun slowly approach, one thug called out to someone inside his home.

    Walking inside, Jun saw he was too late.

    Everything was gone.

    Years of work. Hundreds of sculptures that had so much of his heart.... all destroyed.

    While Jun was looking blankly at what remained of his sanctuary, fifteen kids playing men carrying sledge hammers and crowbars leisurely encircled him.

    Slam! X3

    Click X3

    ¡°...what have you done, Jonathan?¡± Jun didn''t see him, but of course he was there.

    The sounds of boots stepping on the shattered pieces of Jun''s life¡¯s work revealed his presence. He turned to see the smug face that had been tormenting Jun for the last four years.

    Jun didn''t care about the sneering idiots and their childish attempts of intimidation with their backstreet weapons or that they''d foolishly locked themselves in there... with him.

    ¡°Junny Boi! It''s so great to see you!¡± Decked out, head to toe, in the latest blaring trends and the most prestigious brands, Jonathan Steeltower, AKA Johnny Steel - blegh - swaggered over like he''d seen an old friend. His butt-lickers made way for their boss as his welcoming smile transitioned into a proper villainous sneer.

    It was impressive. It was just the right mix of pride and condescension with his head tilted back just right, so that it was clear he was looking down on you.

    He must have practiced a lot.

    ¡°Believe it or not, this isn''t personal. We just got commissioned to do some good, honest work.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Jun ignored the mocking laughter as he looked at the idiot who still didn''t know how far beyond the line he''d gone.

    ¡°Your landlord called up, needing some muscle to clear out his old tenant''s trash so that he could have it ready for the next tenants. There was so much junk here that we really had a hard time, but we made it fun for us so the work went by so quick. You missed out Junny Boi, we had all kinds of fun. Cleaning out the trash can be such a tonic for the soul, let me tell you. I feel like I''ve really contributed to society, you know?¡±

    Jonathan came from a separate branch of the Vaults Family then Danny''s mother. Apparently, the two had gotten along well enough in their youth before their paths were forcefully cut with Danny''s mother''s abandonment.

    When they reunited years later, it was as hostile rivals, but when Danny''s talents bloomed, he left Jonathan''s mediocre talents so far behind it was despair inducing. He couldn''t do anything to Danny, so he quickly set his sights on his weak little friend that he found more hateful than even his annoying cousin.

    Jun never knew why Jonathan hated him so much, but understanding a bit about his pain and seeing as how the harassment never escalated beyond childish pranks and name calling, Jun never took him too seriously. Just a yapping dog on the side of the road. Pitiful thing, really.

    He''d been rather scarce in the last year, so Jun was surprised to see him here like this.

    ¡°You know Junny Boi, I used to hate you. Some nobody orphan brat getting so close to the princesses of the Silverwave and Firestorm families. The. Fucking. Nerve.¡± He''d spoken calmly enough, but the last three words were spat with such sudden venom that Jun feared for his mental health. Look, he just switched back to smiling in a blink. That can''t be normal.

    At least that was one question answered. Maybe they could go find a therapist together.

    ¡°But then when I found out you were living that cuck life, well, I thought I should lay off you a bit. I mean, that''s fucking rough, man. Having your own bro bangin¡¯ your chick behind your back for over a year like that? I heard she got knocked up too. Is it too soon for you to see who the daddy is yet? Hahahahaha!¡±

    Jun had been trying so hard to hold back.

    ¡°Wha- ACK ¨C Kegh - KIK!¡±

    He was fully aware of what kind of damage he could cause if he didn''t control himself.

    ¡°SHI- ARGH!!¡±

    He''d promised himself that this new life would be a peaceful one.

    ¡°GATHER TOGE- hurggg ARRRGH~!¡±

    He concealed his cultivation base and his past from even his new family, only to reveal it live-streaming to who knows who. Foolish.

    ¡°FIRE?! HE, H- KEHACK!¡±

    There were so many important considerations for his next actions and decisions if he wanted to protect his future peace.

    ¡°Pl, pl, plea- ARRGH!¡±

    But all he could see was his lover laying with his brother.

    ¡°FUC- shhGAH!¡±

    For over a year? Of course, he could just be lying. But why would he need to?

    ¡°I go- ARGH - puk!¡±

    Looking back, suspicious signs had appeared starting about that long.

    ¡°Regroup! Toge- HACK - ACK!¡±

    Just little things that seemed strange. Time lines that didn''t quite add up. Excuses that were a little odd. Gatherings that were a bit random. But he trusted them, so he had never even considered it.

    ¡°Open the doors! Hurry u- KEH!¡±

    But looking back with clearer eyes, they were fucking suspicious.

    ¡°The windows! Out through the win- ARGH - KA!¡±

    Was the child... not his?

    ¡°We''re all going to die he- KEH!¡±

    Jun had thought their lives had been perfect.

    ¡°STOP NOT THE- hiiingg ~ ¡±

    They had been perfect.

    ¡°Mommy was right, moomy wa ri- KAK!¡±

    But a year was a long time to fake it. Weren''t they tired?

    ¡°I swear I didn''t do noth- bllleagh!¡±

    How many faces did they have, he wondered.

    ¡°Get back I, I, I HAVE A KNIF- KEEEEEK!¡±

    In the end, what did it matter? Diving any further was only an exercise in self torment without destination.

    ¡°Haah haaah plea ¨C ACK!¡±

    If he let himself sink into the ''what if''s?'' he''d lose his mind. It was better to focus on what was in front of him before he thought about the next problem.

    Twitching bodies lay in heaps, with limbs twisted and bent in odd directions.

    Even momentarily blinded by rage, Jun kept it to mere violence. The consequences of this were enough to alter his plans further already. He didn¡¯t need the deaths of insects tying him down.

    Doing a last sweep, Jun found a single sculpture that had missed the purge. On second thought, it was possible they merely saw it as a random misshapen piece of dried clay.

    This had been the first gift he had made for Desi.

    All those years ago, Desi came home one day and found their families had adopted a wounded feral child that needed guidance and she had made him her personal responsibility. She tutored him in all the basics of being a kid and was there for every step of his journey to becoming civilized. To Jun, she was the most beautiful girl in his little life and he wanted to give her a gift. So he dug into the ground and found some clay and made a clay flower like he had done in a distant memory for someone else that was beautiful.

    She had not recognized what it was when it was presented to her, so Jun had kept it away in shame behind an embarrassed smile.

    He''d make something better. And better. And better.

    This oddly shaped piece of earth was the center. This was where Jun''s journey had started.

    A heartfelt gift that wasn''t good enough.

    Jun never explained its significance to anyone, even to Danny, merely keeping it close.

    Jun stretched out his hand.

    As his fingers grazed familiar surfaces and ridges, polished from years of caresses, a pulse from his index finger reduced the dried clay to dust.

    His art didn''t need that kind of insecurity at its center.

    Since everything else was changing today, might as well start anew here as well.

    He''d find a new center.

    ¡ª

    Kicking away a twitching body, Jun calmly unlocked his door for the last time and stepped out to meet a group of anxious faces.

    Aunt Mary and Lily had caught up and were standing with Uncle Juan and lil Davie. Nicole and Tiana again stood awkwardly by the side. Those two seemed to have really bonded today.

    They relaxed when they saw he was unharmed, but couldn''t hide their many other emotions.

    ¡°Um Jun, the screams from inside,¡± Nicole asked in a stammer.

    ¡°Don''t worry, nobody was hurt too bad.... probably.¡± Jun said, looking almost certain.

    ¡°More importantly, now that we have a moment, did Nicole catch everyone up on her end?¡±

    Seeing the round of uncomfortable nods, Jun pressed on.

    ¡°I''m sure you noticed that I''ve hidden some things from you all. I just want you to know that it''s only in your interests that I''ve always withheld getting into my past. The more you know, the more dangerous it can be. Even for you, Nicole and Tiana, and your families.¡±

    The two would normally scoff at anyone inferring their families incapable of anything, but they knew that the one who spoke wasn''t some ignorant brat. It was an awakened S-Ranker. If he said it was better for them not to know, they wouldn''t question it, but it pained them to be so useless in this man''s eyes.

    ¡°The major families have powerful abilities. Their interrogators will see through all lies and deception, but it''s fine since I''ve only been what I want to be with you all as the people that I love that have accepted me as family. Nothing you know of me will endanger you, so if they come, just cooperate, please, don''t fight back.¡± Nobody liked the direction the conversation was taking.

    ¡°Nicole, Tiana, I hope that I can ask this favor from you. Can you look out for my family and make sure nobody bullies them? I''ll owe you biggies.¡±

    ¡°The fuck is ''biggies''?¡± Nicole couldn''t help herself, fighting the growing moisture in her eyes.

    That wasn''t important right now.

    ¡°Where are you going Jun? Why do you have to go? Just stay here with us!¡± Lily cried out as she rushed into Jun''s arms. The strong protective arms that was her third favorite after her mother''s and Davie''s.

    The thought of losing her big brother, right after what her sister had done to his heart, she couldn''t accept it. It wasn''t fair.

    ¡°What''s the matter Honey? We can figure it out together, so let us in,¡± Aunt Mary plead, almost begging. It wasn''t fair to her either.

    Jun wrapped an arm around his second mother and brought her in close beside her crumbling daughter. He tried to be reassuring as he spoke gently to the lovely ladies in his life.

    ¡°It''s only temporary. I''ll be back to you all soon. It''s just that my mother and I had some conflicts that I''m very close to being able to resolve. It will just take some time.¡± Jun hugged them tighter and whispered in their ears, ¡°I love you. Thank you for helping me find myself. Mom. Little Sis.¡± The last words were spoken with all the feeling Jun could pack, and Mary and Lily trembled, their little faces buried in his tear soaked chest.

    He embraced them one last time before he went to his Uncle Juan and lil Davie. Jun gave his lil brother a fierce hug and whispered something only lil Davie could hear. He disengaged to grab his little brother''s shoulders in a firm grip while demanding a response with his eyes.

    Davie looked back with firm conviction and gave his response. ¡°I got it. Leave it to me.¡±

    Jun smiled with pride before repeating the process with his uncle. Only when Jun looked at Uncle Juan, the response was a bashful mumble of consent.

    Jun''s grip firmed while his eyes grew more demanding. Only then did Uncle Juan roll his eyes before saying out loud, ¡°I got it you little bastard. I will!¡±

    Jun''s teasing smile was so revolting that Uncle Juan wished he could kick it.

    Finally, he looked to his friends for a response.

    It came quick.

    ¡°You have my word as the daughter of the Silverwind family that I, Nicole Silverwind, third daughter of the main line, will do my utmost to protect your family''s peace and safety.¡± Nicole said, hand saluted over heart.

    Tiana stepped up and made a similar vow as a daughter of the Firestorm with an equal passion.

    His friends were awesome.

    He was grateful.

    ''I''ll repay this debt,'' Jun vowed deep in his heart.

    It would be better to move faster from now on. He wanted clear records of his departure from the city to lessen any potential interest in his family. He could only have faith in his friends beyond that.

    After dispersing his reluctant family and friends, Jun changed out of his formal clothing and into his exploration gear, and did something very ordinary. He rode the public tram.

    The route towards the Southern City Station was even duller than traveling through the Middle City.

    The Outer Ring was where most of the city''s industrial and ''agricultural'' facilities were rooted. Vast stretches of land were dominated by the ugly, lifeless automated monstrosities with their constant belching clouds of foul odors.

    The areas around the city entrances along the boundaries were different. All the facilities associated with the Southern City Entrance Station was constantly alive with human and vehicle activity by design.

    The routes connecting the different Gate Cities were only sustainable with constant use. Too much time between travels could lead to unknowable dangers. This led to the current system of small armored convoys dispatched on a staggered schedule that meant each convoy was traveling at a distance to provide support to another when in need.

    Jun''s plan was simple.

    Bully his way onto the next convoy to anywhere with a discreet display of his strength. Learn the trade routes and the locations of the surrounding Gate Cities and disembark to.... somewhere.

    Gates. Where was he going?

    All he had been thinking about was making his exit as fast as possible to make as much distance from the last people he had left worth protecting.

    But then, where was he going?

    So much had happened that day that he really needed a moment to process his shit.

    It was in this state of mental weariness that he approached a well dressed portly man that seemed to be the convoy leader. A column of heavily customized all terrain rune trucks was patiently waiting for their turn by the giant steel gates that served as one of four portals that allowed access in and out of the rune barriers that protected the Gate City.

    The man had just received some kind of confirmation and was just about to enter the lead truck when an iron hand clamped down on his shoulder and brought his rising jiggles back down to the earth with a heavy thunk. Without a chance to react, another hand came around from behind and presented a loosely clenched fist.

    ¡°Please allow me to freely offer my services along this perilous journey. Behold, an insignificant demonstration of my strength.¡± After the lifeless voice whispered something ridiculous into his ear, the fist was clenched.

    A ripple of pressure that only a master of peak third cleansing was capable of producing proceeded an even more shocking pulse of ethereal white flame.

    This was an awakened S-Ranker.

    He wanted a ride?

    No problem.

    Does he want his whole convoy? Fuck! Who dares to grumble?!

    No?

    Oh, thank the Nexus...

 Chapter 10 The Stellar Star Watched

    When the Stellar Star first learned that his daughter had found something that interested her outside of her obligations, he froze in shock for an entire eight seconds before bursting with tears of joy.

    His daughter, who had closed her heart to life after the death of her sister, had allowed herself to enjoy something.

    The ever imposing Stellar Star, a conqueror and a warlord and one of humanity¡¯s five Crowns, shed tears he had not shed even when his beloved breathed her last.

    He saw her interest in some common born streamer as an indicator that her barriers were finally thinning and minded, not the boy that apparently made things with his hands. Perhaps his daughter was interested in creating art herself? Whatever it was, The Stellar Star had missed seeing the signs of emotions on the face that once smiled so readily. He was content knowing that she was finally crawling out of the blanket of gloom she¡¯d encased herself within. She even smiled at him last week. He was happy and hopeful.

    Then he saw the evidence of her obsession. The shrines to his creations. The glorification of the artist''s working form. The posted essays on her personal interpretations of his work and artistic philosophy.

    She worshiped this man.

    The Stellar Star began plans to painfully execute this charlatan - rusty nails - when his assistant gave him a brief rundown of things.

    It seemed things had started innocently enough with her trusted subordinates merely looking for ways to get his workaholic daughter to rest. No one had predicted her instant fascination or her drastic reactions. It seemed the streamer in question had never even interacted with his daughter.

    Okay. He could live.

    For now.

    Then he decided to actually sit down and watch one of the looping vids in Celestia''s church to see if he could better understand the mystery that was his daughter''s mind.

    After eight hours, the assistant had to remind the Stellar Star that the little miss was scheduled to return to the tower shortly and if he wanted to avoid seeing her, they must depart at once.

    The Stellar Star understood now. He was even a bit upset she had not shared something so interesting with him.

    Those movements, although limited to the power of the first cleansing, could not conceal all of its glimmer. This masked man, bursting with unrestrained vitality, was a master. Perhaps someone that could even speak with him as equals, at least regarding technique.

    He didn¡¯t speak his thoughts aloud, but he believed this person was a powerful family¡¯s hidden master. No one specific came to mind, but then his circle was as small as it was wide.

    While considering the families with the resources to develop and hide such a monster, he learned the streamer was planning on revealing himself. He cleared his schedule and planned to watch the live stream himself. He was curious about the identity behind the mask.

    ¡ª

    The Stellar Star wasn''t prepared for the shocks he felt that day.

    The generosity of the presenter was not lost on him. As a lord over three Gate Cities with Luna Gate City as his center, he knew more than most of the unlimited potential that was being given and the wordless message that came with it.

    Then the reveal of the practical demonstration of that technology.

    Stunning.

    An artificial garden sculpted and rune-smithed by human hands. A true marriage between beauty and function.

    Wonderful.

    And then the boy.

    Seeing how young the focus of the event had been was utterly astonishing.

    He barely looked twenty.

    Had he been wrong in his estimations of hidden strength?

    The atmosphere was obviously odd. It seemed something had happened. The crowds were both in wonder and in gossip. Drone cams circled the different carefully crafted details and picked up bits and pieces of murmurings through the pleasant jingles of the crystal rune flowers and trees.

    The Stellar Star frowned. With his superior sensitivity, he could hear more. A child abandoned? A great betrayal?

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Although confused, the drone cam finally revealed the main piece.

    She was very pretty and wonderfully crafted.

    He only had a moment to appreciate the masterful craftsmanship before he saw a hand reach out to stroke its cheek where its entirety disintegrated into dust. A dust that was instantly purified by the crystal rune trees with a gesture.

    Ha!

    The Stellar Star and the assistant on the side both had their jaws drop and eyes widen in a most undignified manner.

    This was the total control of strength that he¡¯d termed the Shattering Realm. Only a few in the peak third cleansing could achieve the monstrously difficult level of body control to even attempt what was just done so casually.

    Even the Stellar Star was unsure if he could have done it as gracefully. When he was in the peak third cleansing, he usually needed to meditate for an hour in a specific posture to guarantee success in applying a concentrated blow containing his entire strength with a mere vibration of the body.

    In contrast, the revelation of the third tier spacial rune was now only mildly surprising.

    But then when he began sculpting...

    The Stellar Star was feeling ashamed of himself.

    He couldn''t understand what he was seeing.

    A single tapping sound but a thousand forms.

    A second single tapping sound, but a thousand more.

    A third single taping sound but now all was a blur as an uncountable number of afterimages and partial visions of movement engulfed the giant piece of stone.

    The sound continued to resound as if a single hammer tapped at its chisel in a slow and steady rhythm while visual blurs of thousands of powerful arms holding gleaming hammers came up and down, up and down, pounding at thousands of gripped chisels.

    The Stellar Star could think of many movement techniques meant for battle that could produce similar feats, but there were great differences.

    There was a powerful intent in the flow of power, but none of it held a speck of killing or destructive intent. This wasn''t something designed for war.

    Then the flames.

    It started small as a speck on the hammer, but with so many visual images it was obvious as it appeared and grew as it engulfed whatever was inside.

    Sometimes vibrant reds and warm yellows, then all shades of cool blues and purples, the colors of the flames that flowed not up but in all directions, including down and to the sides, harmonized into a single clear ethereal fire that engulfed the world. Then it was white.

    He was awakening.

    ¡°Sir,¡± the assistant hesitated, ¡°this must be a prompter generated vid. I''ll have it investigated. If everything so far is also prompter generated, it would be - ¡°

    ¡°No,¡± The Stellar Star said firmly, eyes locked on the white display.

    The assistant spoke no more, having overstepped himself.

    ¡°This is a real awakening.¡± The Stellar Star spoke into the silence. ¡°But it was much...grander than most.¡±

    That was an understatement. Even the most formidable peak Hunters, with solid foundations and ample experiences of life and death, would at most engulf their own bodies in their awakened spirit fire. He¡¯d never even heard of an awakening spirit fire of that scale, nor could he explain its behavior, which explained his assistant¡¯s misconception of duplicity, but he knew it was true. It was just different.

    It was then that the whiteness dissipated and a new sculpture sat in the place of the old.

    The Stellar Star slammed his desk in his haste to stand, disintegrating it, but he only had attention to the figure he thought he''d never see again.

    How was it possible?

    Was it possible that she still lived?

    What was their relationship?

    He heard nothing else and didn''t think about the absurdity of such a young and talented child awakening his spirit fire that dwarfed any other awakening he''d seen.

    Even as the stream ended and the display cut off the shaken Stellar Star raised his hand and made a gesture that restored the projection back to the moment where the perfect recreation of the woman that once bewitched the world, stood in a dress that only vaguely resembled the dream it had once been.

    But she looked happy.

    Was she happy?

    After all she had suffered?

    After her father, that vile man, had cast her out to die?

    The Stellar Star clenched his fists. Was it still possible to make up for the mistakes of the past?

    He finally turned to his assistant, ready to give orders, when he saw the man scrutinizing something large in his hands. It was a beautiful bouquet of crystal rune flowers, not unlike what he had just seen. They shone and tinkled as they swayed with natural movements, like actual living plants and not one¡¯s made of crystal.

    ¡°Where did you get that?¡±

    The assistant, eyes wide and gleaming, looked up and reminded the Stellar Star of their invitation to watch through his account.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Well, he sent out gifts to everyone he invited.¡±

    ¡°Why did you get invited?¡±

    The assistant didn''t answer immediately, which surprised the Stellar Star.

    ¡°Cough. Everyone who¡¯s been on his live streams as a loyal fan got an invitation to the unveiling.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we only just return from Celestia¡¯s ¡®club room?¡¯ When did you have time to become a ¡®loyal fan?¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡­.Since I visited the little miss''s tower for some paperwork regarding the construction of the ¡®club room¡¯, I have become the vice president of the Silent Sculptor Fan Club.¡±

    There was a silence.

    ¡°And how much have you donated?¡±

    ¡°...My contributions rank second after the little miss.¡±

    The silence was heavy.

    Salvation came when the beautiful crystal rune flowers spontaneously combusted with a flash of bright light.

    White ethereal flames engulfed the flowers once and vanished with no heat, the assistant having felt nothing but a warm sensation. In his trembling hands, the crystal sculpture remained unchanged in form, but everything was different.

    Sculpted crystal petals made slightly soft and durable with minuscule rune engravings now had the impossible textures of a real flower petal, and the quality of the purified air it emitted had grown vastly. Each breath was like inhaling comfort.

    The Stellar Star''s eyes gleamed in wonder as he saw the flows of energies flow in a rune language that differed from the demon runes that were originally inscribed.

    He recognized these runes.

    It was the same rune language found in that wondrous place.

    Seeing his assistant protectively embracing the flower from his covetous gaze brought him out of his daze.

    Sigh.

    He was too old for this.