Caleb stood in his room, frowning as he looked out over the rolling green hills of Alareon. He’d thought about leaving, going to the training rooms, but his mind was still fixed on all that Esaeni had told and shown him.
“What a load of nonsense” he mumbled.
It seemed so ridiculous, so absurd that he almost couldn’t help but find it funny. Almost.
An ancient prophecy hidden in some religious cavern for thousands of years. And it was supposed to be about him?
There was so much to unpack there, he didn’t know what to make of it. The others had made Esaeni out to be a kind helpful figure, not a religious fanatic. If you could even call it fanaticism. Her god was very clearly real. And she thought he would somehow help said God end a war between the other literal children of the first being to ever exist.
He really was surprised he hadn’t laughed when she’d told him. Maybe he’d just been so caught off guard by the whole thing. Or maybe…
His eyes drifted to the ground as he recalled Esaeni’s words.
People already believe you are special but my husband think’s your connection to this family is divine. And I do too.
His mind drifted back to the poem once again. He couldn’t even remember it completely, but he could remember the room. The soft and subtle flow of its mana, yet with a presence so overwhelming it had almost brought him to the floor. He could still feel it now. The power of the place. The mana flowed all throughout the palace, stronger in points. This room was one of them. He felt it. If he wanted to go back, he could.
The thought alone scared him. The pressure of the mana, the weight of the words, it was all too much. He shook his head. Right now, he didn’t want to ever go back there. Though maybe that would change one day. Maybe one day he’d read the words again and consider them differently.
It’d be nice in a way. To be some great hero of prophecy or legend. It’d make all this feel worth it. Not that he really believed in any of it. Sighing again, he looked back to the fields out ahead of him, his thoughts drifting back to Esaeni.
Well, he thought, it was definitely a first impression.
With a sigh Caleb fell back into his bed, his expression a mixture of acceptance and frustration. He brought his hands to his face pulling lightly at the bags under his eyes as he stared at the sword and fist engraved into the ceiling above him. He watched them, the way the filtered sunlight highlighted the outlines of the mural, his fist glinting with a gold while Eriana’s sword a blue.
He sat up suddenly, feeling sick as he grabbed at his side wincing.
“Ow” he mumbled, massaging his side. He took a few breaths, steadying himself then stood making for the window. He came to a stop next to it, pressing his head to the wall beside it’s opening, the cool of the stone nice against the warmth of his headache.
Then a knock came from his door.
“C-come in” he said. Daen popped his head around the frame, smiling as he set his eyes upon Caleb’s.
[Ah, enjoying the view, are we?]
“Yeah. It’s nice” Caleb mumbled, somewhat uncertain. Daen looked around, before clearing his throat as he stepped inside, closing the door softly behind him. The man stepped toward him, Caleb once again taking note of his size.
[Uh… right] Daen said. [There’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you and everything. It’s not serious or anything like that just… well it is a little serious.]
“What is it?” Caleb asked, his heart thumping. Was this about the offer Esaeni had mentioned? What was it going to be about?
[I probably shouldn’t be doing this but hey, I’ve got some remaining favour, and I’ve taken a liking to you Earthson. You’re exactly what a guardian needs to be. Maybe even more. Hopefully more. On top of that you’ve got a connection to this family. An important debt that needs to be repaid in full.]
Caleb suddenly felt the man’s mana dance, shifting as complex but beautiful patterns rippled outwards.
“W-what’re you doing?”
Before Caleb could say anything more, a blade of golden red mana fire appeared in Daen’s hands, materialising out of pure mana. Caleb’s eyes widened and then Daen spoke.
[Caleb Martinson, champion of the unnamed, defeater of Arithorson, and hero of manertic will, I, En Daen Avarson, slayer of the Fourth and Seventh great Dragons Azal, and bane of the Hilaric, hereby offer you a position amongst my squad and thus the great Guardians of Yildar, Champions of Tomorrow.]
The message came instantly.
[You have been offered a position on the 105th Yildaric Guard squad under Dragonbane – En Daen Avarson]
[Congratulations]
[Do you accept?]
[Y/N?]
[Acceptance would make you an official member of the Akashic Federation and due to the nature of the position, exempt you from a 2nd phase of your planet’s trial.]
Caleb stared at the messages wide eyed, then looked up to the still grinning man, the presence of the mana emitted from the sword alone almost crushing. He looked back to the message again, his eyes fixed on the final message.
Exemption from the 2nd phase.
He was instantly filled with a burst of relief before freezing in place.
What about the others? he thought. Would I just be abandoning them?
His thoughts went instantly to Sierra, to everything they’d been through since meeting a top that desert rock. Abandoning Sierra after everything, just leaving her like that, he couldn’t imagine it.
“C-can I think about it?” he mumbled.
In a flash of sparks the glowing sword of golden red mana disappeared, the pressure in the room disappearing.
[Sure] Daen laughed, slapping him lightly on the back. [I trust you’ll make the right decision.]
“R-right” Caleb laughed awkwardly, “Right.”
-
Caleb hadn’t been able to stay in his room. The quietness of it all had shifted from peaceful to an echo chamber perfect for the negativity in his mind. Almost the second Daen had left, he’d gone to the training grounds.
It hadn’t been all that hard to get there. He’d just called out for Maera, and she’d directed him to the place with ease. So now he sat, watching as Sierra zipped back and forth, whilst Layla threw things at her telekinetically. When he’d thought about coming before it’d been to join in, but now he’d come just to escape his room.
Maybe being here would make it harder for someone to find him and drop another earth-shattering piece of news or request on his head. He doubted it, but it was worth a shot. He had to at least make an attempt at stopping his brain from getting fried by stress.
Leaning back he looked over his clothes, scanning the runes covering the strange silk like cloth, before bringing the message back up again.
[You have been offered a position on the 105th Yildaric Guard squad under Dragonbane – En Daen Avarson]
[Congratulations]
[Do you accept?]
[Y/N?]
[Acceptance would make you an official member of the Akashic Federation and due to the nature of the position, exempt you from a 2nd phase of your planet’s trial.]
It’d all happened so fast.
He took of the crown and stared at it, before looking to his friends as they trained. He looked back to the crown, to his reflection in its near pristine white surface. He looked tired, more tired than any fifteen-year-old should. More than ever though, he felt he shouldn’t be in this position.
He sighed, feeling again at the smooth porcelain like metal of the crown he wore, running his fingers along it’s smoothed edge.
Can’t these people give me time to think? he mumbled.
[Congratulations]
[Your planet has completed the first phase of the trial and has been officially recognised as a member world of the Akashic Federation]
[You have been officially recognised as a selected of the Akashic Federation]
[For your efforts and performance, you have received two extra levels and the additional corresponding stat points]
[You have received a new title – Golden Hand]
---
[Final Pass statistics and Achievements]
78,657 survived the first phase
1 Level 9
1 Level 7
1 Level 6
3 Level 4’s
314 Level 3’s
7,297 Level 2’s
64,512 Level 1’s
6,534 Level 0’s
-
[Caleb Souza defeated a quasi-named monster]
[Eliza Cobb defeated the False nation of New Uer]
[Pedro Manilla defeated a false dragon]
[Tao Weimin defeated a Grade 2 Hilaric orc infestation]
---
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
[ALERT]
[You have completed the first phase of the trial. Would you like your world (Z1-E94-C) to participate in a Phase 2?]
[Y/N?]
[You have 1 minute to vote]
[If you do not vote within the allotted time frame your vote will automatically be counted as yes]
[In the event of a draw the answer from your planet will be considered no]
[59]
[58]
[57]
Caleb stared at the message in disbelief.
A loud crash echoed out across the as Layla dropped two of the weights atop each other.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me” Sierra’s voice echoed from across the room. “It hasn’t even been- it’s barely been three hours?!”
Caleb looked to her, then back to his message blinking in surprise. He’d expected a lot of things, but not this. He stood quickly, already breathless as his heart thumped hard against his chest.
“I- do we get the others?” he mumbled stumbling over to the girls.
“There won’t be enough time. And what would be the point?” Sierra said.
“Then what do we do?”
“I don’t know. I- shit I don’t know” Sierra cursed. “Crap. We’ve only got like forty more seconds”
“We just vote no right?” Layla said.
“I think so” Caleb replied.
“But what are the repercussions of that? I mean- shit why is it giving us this option? Does it give everyone this option?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter right? Just- no?” Caleb said.
“I- I’m voting” Layla said. “I voted. No”
“Ok, ok. I’m voting no, too” Sierra said.
“Got it” he said, relief flooding through him. At least this way he wouldn’t feel as horrible as he would have if he’d made the decision alone.
He looked back to the messages.
No, he thought.
[You have answered No]
[Would you like to confirm this answer?]
Caleb confirmed his vote. The message disappeared and he stared into empty space in silence. The others both looked to him.
“Done” he mumbled. “I- is this good?”
“I think so” Layla replied.
“It is” Sierra said. “I mean, people would definitely die if we did a second phase. This way, we’re safe. Probably.”
“Yeah, but what if we’re put to the mercy of the energies thing again?”
“No. We passe the first phase, they wouldn’t- no” Caleb repeated, uncertain. The two girls looked to him, then shared a glance between themselves.
“We’ll be fine” Sierra said unconvincingly.
Then the message appeared.
[Results]
-
Yes – 53.55%
No - 46.45%
-
[The second phase of the trail will begin in 15 minutes]
[Please prepare adequately.]
“What?” Caleb muttered, his knees suddenly weak.
But even as he said it, he realised exactly what had happened. He should’ve realised beforehand. People wanted power. And they’d gotten so much of it from the trial already. What reason would they have to doubt that this wasn’t just a way to get more?
“What the fuck?!” Sierra shouted. Her voice echoed through the auditorium, Caleb flinching. He looked to her, watched as her expression fell, betraying a hint of fear before she closed her eyes clenching her fists.
His eyes moved to Layla next who breathed heavily, then turned away bringing her hands to her face.
“L-Layla?” he said.
“I’m gonna be sick”
She fell to her knees then immediately threw up on the floor.
“Shit I- I’ll run. Get a doctor” Sierra said.
“No, it’s- M-Maera!” Caleb called out. “Maera quick! Our friend needs help!”
-
Caleb stood in one of the infirmary rooms, as Layla sat in one of the beds still deathly pale as one of the healers attended to her. Sierra stood next to him, the two of them watching her as they thought to themselves silently.
Caleb tapped his foot in a rhythm, his trembling hands sealed beneath his armpits as his tried to ignore the timer in the corner of his mind.
[07:15]
[07:14]
[07:13]
This is it, he thought. This is really it.
No time to prepare, just straight into it. Into this absolute mess. He understood it, but still couldn’t believe it was happening. What really got to him was the fact the system had given them hope, given them a chance to get out of this just to rip it away.
It was so cruel. The past week, everything that had happened in the tutorial, the trial, and even before. It all just…
He really needed some air.
Quickly he made for the balcony, stepping through the holographic door and out into the open. He rested his hands on the ledge, breathing heavily as the crown slipped slightly, crooked on his head. He reached for it, but another’s hand straightened it before his could. He looked up, his eyes falling upon a solemnly smiling Sierra.
“You ok?” she asked.
“Yeah” he mumbled.
“You don’t look it.”
“Yeah” he replied, looking away as he chuckled. He was silent for a moment, before looking up at the glowing utopia beyond, the curls of his hair flapping slightly in the warmth of the wind. He looked back to Sierra, his face falling. “Are… are you ok?”
“I don’t know” she responded. “I just- I want to go home, you know?”
“Yeah” he said. “Just have things go back to normal.”
“Yeah. I miss going on runs with my track friends.”
“I never did anything like that. I wasn’t really athletic or anything really. But I miss listening to the radio. I miss drawing with my little sister too. And I could really do with some ice cream.”
Sierra chuckled, before her expression fell just as quickly.
“It was hard without you” she said suddenly. He glanced to her, noticing the way the sunlight reflected of the wetness of her eyes. “I know we didn’t really know each other that long but… just losing all three of you like that… at once… I’m glad you’re back”
He nodded, unsure what to say, then looked back to the hills. They stayed in silence for a while. “If we- if I-”
“We’ll be fine” he said suddenly.
“Right” she mumbled back. “Right. Of course.”
The silence continued, then she rested against him, her arm against his shoulder, leaning with only some of her weight. He glanced to her, then offered a saddened smile met quickly with one in return.
He looked back to the fields of green frowning to himself. He wasn’t used to it, the closeness with others. The last time he could remember a moment like it, it’d been the night before his father had died. He guessed Casey and Kayla hugging him the night he’d been scooped up into all this was close too, even though he hadn’t felt the same at the time. This was different. He would’ve thought it’d have felt strange.
But it didn’t.
It didn’t feel strange at all.
So, they stood together, in the perfect near silence of the balcony, enjoying the view.
“Guys?” a voice said behind them. They both glanced back, spotting a breathless Harrison standing in the doorway.
“You alright?” Sierra asked.
“I- yeah. Well no but- Daen’s inside. He says he can help us.”
Sierra and Caleb shared a look, then immediately follows Harrison inside. Instantly upon entering they were met with all the other chosen, a – for once serious – Daen and Esaeni, who stood at his side.
[Well, this isn’t exactly the nicest place to meet, but times of the essence] Daen said. [Your set to partake in the second phase. This is an important milestone that you cannot fail. I’ve bargained with the system, and it’s allowed me to provide you with weapons.]
[S-seriously?] Ria muttered. [Isn’t interference a big no-no?]
[Yuniea has made a special exception in this case] Esaeni said, her eyes lingering on Caleb.
[I would give you my best equipment but I cannot give you the blades of Yildar, nor her armour] Daen said. [What I can give you is blacksteel.]
“Blacksteel?”
[Yes. Steel infused with mana.] he said, pulling a wrap off his back, and opening it. A row of blades lay against one another, the end at the handle exposed despite the sheath a pure black. [These are of good make, close to the limit. Take one each.]
The others each took a blade of their own, strapping the sheath around their waist. But as Caleb reached for his, Daen stopped him.
[For you Caleb Earthson] Daen said, handing him a white blade, the edge curved at the tip like a katana.
“What is this?” Caleb muttered, staring at the blade’s edge.
[Soulsteel. It’s unrefined, but good enough. A blade for your soul] the man said. [It’s designed to conduct the force of your soul without breaking as easily.]
Caleb twisted the blade over, frowning as he tried to sense anything from it. But there was nothing. It was dead.
“I- there’s nothing to hold onto” Caleb mumbled, the blade empty.
[Latch onto the space.]
“H-how?” he muttered, embarrassed.
[Just do what you did with your fist against Arithorson.]
Caleb looked up to Daen confused.
“I can’t just do that on command”
[Ah…] Daenn said scratching his head awkwardly. [Then it’s probably best you take this as well.]
The man handed him a blacksteel blade, and Caleb took it.
[Re-registration Finalised]
[Teleportation to tutorial trial grounds in 5]
“Oh shit” Sierra muttered.
[4]
Daen turned to him suddenly, mana flaring.
[Remember Caleb Earthson, if you do join the order, you’ll be sparing your world a lot of pain.]
“What? What do you mean?”
[3]
[The Yildaric guard fight primarily against named evils of the opposing dominions. And all war worlds must bear their quota. Should Earth succeed you will become a member of a war world.]
“I don’t understand.”
[2]
[You will] Daenn said, his face growing colder. [You will.]
[1]
Then the space around him warped, and he fell, A sudden wave of air rushing past as his surroundings warped, an endless sea of darkness blotted with sparks of pure white. Slowly as he fell, his physical body disappearing, the nothingness took on an incredible colour and shape, warping and contorting as his feeble mind tried to make sense of the infinity of the power beyond.
He tried desperately to scream out and stop his mind from as he fell. But it was impossible. Caleb could see it so much more. And it was so much clearer. The power all around, it swirled and swirled coalescing around a point of darkness so distant his mind would hesitate to even call it a hallucination, were the record in his soul not so poignantly drawn to its call.
Then, he suddenly felt the weight of his physical body return to him. He cried out as the feeling of falling returned too, and the lights all around disappeared. He felt his body accelerate even faster his screams pulled apart by the impossible speeds.
Then he was met with the sound of a boat horn and blinding sunlight. He stumbled back, shielding his face from the sun as he took a moment for his eyes adjust. But as he blinked, his ears were met with a chorus of confused voices and his trait an overwhelming wash of mana. He was surrounded by others like him. By chosen.
Sierra and the others were at his side, but all around them hundreds of others chosen. No, the number of chosen stretched out further and further, despite all of them being packed so closely together. There had to be in the thousands.
Finally, he looked up and around, spotting all the others. A varied mixture of clothes, colours, armour, and people stood all around some eager as they held their weapons or readied their magic, and others scared. But a palpable sense of confusion washed over all. He noticed a lot of eyes drawn to him and his friends, their extravagant garb making them stand out.
There’s a lot of us, he thought. Why? Are we fighting a lot of enemies?
He turned around more and froze, his eyes settling on the monument behind him. The statue of Liberty.
“What the hell?” Layla said, looking to it too. “We’re… we’re back home.”
Similar mutters rang out from all around them as others pointed to the monument, before looking around themselves, the confusion of the crowd growing.
“Why’re we back home?”
[The statue of liberty? Seriously?]
[Is this some kind of trick?]
[… so many of us.]
“…thought it’d be bigger….”
[Where’re the monsters?]
[Jin stay close]
“…started yet?”
Caleb tuned out the voices his thoughts turning inward. He felt Sierra pull him closer and stepped inward, along with the others as they formed a tight ring.
“Ria, you got any idea what’s going on?”
[No] she said, voice trembling.
Suddenly felt a spike of mana. It was beyond anything he’d ever felt before, but similar enough to remind him of one thing.
Arithorson.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he instantly drew his sword, looking out towards the location of the spike. But he couldn’t see past the mass of people.
“S-Sierra!” he cried, pointing. “Over there. Can you see anything?!”
She looked forward, standing on her tip toes as she peered over those in front of them.
“No. I-” she froze.
“What?” Layla muttered. “What is it?”
“A portal. A- it’s a blue portal” she mumbled. “Out over the bay.”
“Holy shit that’s big” Harrison said paling. Suddenly others began muttering and pointing, some even calling out.
“It’s growing” Sierra said. “It’s- holy shit that’s huge.”
Caleb could see it now. Over the heads of others as they looked to it. A rolling mass of mana, like a storm, swirling about a central point as it crackled, and grew, already at least three stories tall. And it was still growing, the mana of the portal deepening.
This is bad, Caleb thought.
“We need to get out of here” Caleb muttered. “We-”
Suddenly his eyes widened. Where would they go? Even if they managed to run away, put heaven and earth between themselves and whatever the hellish creatures were about to unleashed on them, New York was still right there.
Millions of people. Normal people.
And there were billions more out there. The entire world was at stake.
This situation it was practically forcing them to fight.
But someone else can deal with this, he thought. I mean there’s thousands of us here. Pedro’s probably here, right? And the other two on the achievements list? But- can the island even fit that many people? Crap. I don’t know. Just… not me. Please don’t make me the strongest person here. If I am we’re all in trouble. I don’t even know how to use my skill.
He looked down to his arm, a thin golden line glowing underneath his skin. The brightest yet. The sword shook in his hands, his breaths growing short and sharp. Then the message came.
[Battle of Dominion for Z1-E94-C]
[Seven Sins Salar vs Selected of Z1-E94-C]
[Frontier 5 – The Battle of Liberty]
[Ekhut – Destroyer of Worlds vs Selected Pool 5 of Z1-E94-C]
[Based on agreed terms, no protective barrier will be applied to any frontier]
Everyone burst into conversation as they stared at the message in front of them.
“Fucking destroyer of worlds?!”
[… can’t be good…]
“… kill it in one shot…”
“What the fuck?!”
[… run? Where?]
[I told you not to vote yes!]
“God fucking dammit!”
[…dead. We’re all dead, and…]
“… teleport us out of here!”
Caleb glanced to the others and saw the fear in their expressions before he looked back to the portal, which continued to grow. Slowly, bit by bit, conversation around them died out, along with Caleb’s trembling. The general atmosphere of fear faded replaced by a silent despair.
The portal towered over them, taller even than the statue of liberty now, it’s blue glow encasing everyone.
Gradually the crowd began to shift back, people pushing past others as a slow rush steadily began to start moving backwards. But it was already too late.
The mana of the portal built to a crescendo, then a cracking sound rang out from it, followed by a sound like the crisp pour of cracked glass, like reality itself had shattered. Then the first real monster Caleb had ever seen emerged from the blue. It was tall, slender and absolutely inhuman. With a mix of tentacles and scales, of long human like limbs and other appendages, it looked like a unholy mix of man, mythic sea creature and demon pulled from the depths of hell.
And it stood above them silent. It’s oily deep black skin practically vibrating and it’s red, alien but intelligent eyes scanning the crowd as it waded into the water of the shore.
Caleb felt Sierra grab him, pull him close as others started to scream.
Then everything went white.
