Caleb awoke to the sound of whispers. He lifted his head slowly, pulling it off Sierra’s shoulder as he rubbed at his eyes. Looking around he found himself still, the rest of the chosen gathered now, nearer the front of the hall. For a moment uncertainty gripped him, but it quickly faded. The atmosphere rather than one of restlessness or anger, was filled with excitement.
He frowned, half yawned, then drearily glanced to Sierra.
“You’re finally awake” she said
“When did I fall asleep?” he said, yawning again.
“A few hours ago.”
He nodded glancing out of the windows. It was a little darker now, still definitively day, but the sky cast in the deeper orange and pink hues of the evening. Sitting up, he looked back to the crowd ahead, still bustling with excited chatter.
“What’s happening there?” he asked, turning to Sierra.
“The President”
“W-what?”
“One of the military guys just said that the President is coming. To talk to us.”
“Uh… ok?” he said. It confused him a little. The man hadn’t exactly spoken about them favourably on TV and now he was coming to visit them?
Well, the speech probably wasn’t how he truly felt, Caleb thought. And it makes sense he’d want to try and make a good relationship with us.
He looked over the crowd again, catching glimpses of the tired faces of his peers, now filled with anticipation. It wasn’t hard to see why people would be excited. It wasn’t everyday you got to speak to the President of the US, especially when he was coming to visit you. Plus, he might even give them all a chance to go home.
But why now? It probably didn’t take long to fly from Washington to New York, especially not if you were the president.
[All agreements have been confirmed by the representatives of your planet]
[Welcome to the Akashic Federation and the Akashic Council]
He stared at the message in surprise.
“Oh… when did that happen?”
“Hm?” Sierra said, turning to him.
“The agreement stuff”
“Oh, the message?” Sierra said. “About twenty minutes ago. Nothing’s changed yet but apparently everyone got one, not just us.”
“Everyone?” he said confused.
“Yep. Literally everyone” she reiterated. “All people on Earth. It’s been all over the news the past half hour”
“I- how is that possible? I thought it only spoke to us through our records?”
“I don’t know. I was expecting you to know more about that then me. You didn’t read about it in the database?”
He shook his head. She nodded and the two returned to silence, staring at the TV.
But Caleb couldn’t focus on the screen, his thoughts returning to the anxiety that fluttered around in his chest. There was little relief to be found in the moment when he knew of the things to come. And now, with the representatives – whoever they were – having confirmed or agreed to some kind of deal, he had the feeling it would be arriving sooner or later.
Besides his thoughts on the war, and the strange prophecy Esaeni had shown him, his mind thought of Daen’s offer. All the weirdness around it, the urgency with which Esaeni had urged him to accept, and Daen’s final words to him.
‘The Yildaric guard fight primarily against named evils of the opposing dominions. And all war worlds must bear their quota.’
He didn’t understand it completely, but he was certain he was starting to. And he didn’t like the prospect at all. With a slow inward breath he brought up the message again.
[You have been offered a position on the 105th Yildaric Guard squad under Dragonbane – En Daen Avarson]
[Congratulations]
[Do you accept?]
[Y/N?]
Quickly he dismissed it, then looked from to the still bustling crowd.
Do I tell them about the war? About everything? he thought. Is it wrong that I don’t want to be the one to say? To ruin things?
He brought a hand to his face, wiping before taking the crown off the top of his head, thin lightning like trails marking its formerly smooth surface. The almost mirror-like reflection was still clear though. And as he stared into it, he couldn’t help but stare at his reflection. The tiredness of his slightly gaunt face, the tension that racked him – evident from his knitted brow and bunched shoulders, and the brown of his eyes. Somehow, they were sadder than usual.
He looked older than he remembered and yet younger than he’d expected. In the still wet, torn higher overalls of Alareon, he suddenly felt stupid. Like some kind of phony, though for what, he wasn’t quite sure.
He tore his eyes away from the crown, dropping it into his lap. It wouldn’t do him any good anyway, staring into his reflection, analysing how every bit of his appearance reflected the weakness and fear he felt inside. It’d only make his anxiety worse, and the critique more and more paranoid. Like some horrific feedback loop.
“Caleb?” Sierra said, her tone tentative.
“Yeah?”
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Just tired” he replied. He felt her watch him for a few more seconds before turning back to the crowd. Carefully he leant back against the wall, steadying himself. He needed to think about something else. Anything else.
Oh right, he thought. Record?
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 8
Title: Golden Hand
-
Primary skill: Mana Soul Core
-
Trait: Mana awareness
-
Speed – 1.18
Strength – 1.15
Stamina – 2.04
Constitution – 0.60
Mana - 14
Finesse – 1.12
-
Free stat points: 4
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 7.]
Level eight. That was certainly something. And so were his stats.
So lopsided.
He looked over them stats, his eyes narrowing as he considered them. It was time to actually start doing something about that bottom message.
Without a second thought he invested all his stat points into constitution.
The rush returned to him for a moment, the feeling of pure euphoria merged with a sudden and great feeling of strength. Almost instantly he felt the aches and tiredness of his body disappear, replaced by a new sense of stability, firmness of being he hadn’t quite expected. And while the euphoria faded quickly, the new feeling of vitality remained. This was the best he’d felt in a while.
He looked down to his fist clenching and unclenching it, the newly healed skin across his body no longer tender. Even the small pains of his scars which had become so familiar he’d forgotten about them were gone now. A smile came to his face as he poked at his left hand, the pain mostly gone now.
This is definitely designed to be addictive, he thought.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Quickly he looked back to his record.
[Caleb Martin Souza]
Lv 8
Title: Golden Hand
-
Primary skill: Mana Soul Core
-
Trait: Mana awareness
-
Speed – 1.18
Strength – 1.15
Stamina – 2.04
Constitution – 4.60
Mana - 14
Finesse – 1.12
-
Free stat points: 0
-
[Alert: The beholder is currently suffering from Cancer, grade 7.]
His excitement dimmed somewhat, as he stared at the bottommost message. He didn’t understand. His body definitely felt better. Did constitution make him more resistant to its negative side effects? But then shouldn’t that mean his improved body could… fight it somehow? Decrease the grade?
His brow furrowed further. He couldn’t remember exactly how the doctor had explained cancer to him, but wasn’t it part of him? Or did the record somehow considered it separate? But that was all assuming he understood how constitution worked? If it wasn’t improving his body somehow, how did it even work? He shook his head. He didn’t want to get wrapped up in thoughts about that now.
“Should we go over?” he said, turning to Sierra.
“Uh… yeah. I need to stand anyway,” she said. “Legs are falling asleep.”
They stood together, making their way over to the back of the still waiting crowd. There Ria stood with Harrison, and a very clearly tired Aliyah. All the healer volunteers had been called back.
[Finally awake?]
“Yeah” Caleb said, glancing to Aliyah. “You ok?”
[Yes. Just tired. We could’ve used more help in the hospital] she said.
“Sorry, sorry, I was just having a heart attack” Harrison replied, the joke falling flat in the face of his clear embarrassment.
[It’s ok] she replied curtly. The group fell silent, Ria still staring at the door with a laser focus, quiet as she tapped her foot nervously.
“So, can’t believe we’re going to meet the president” Harrison said, with a half-forced smile.
“Yeah. I guess it’s kind of c-”
There was a sudden burst in chatter and the group quickly looked to the door. It opened, and in stepped the President and his retinue. He was shorter than Caleb had expected, though the air of professionalism that surrounded him, the other suits, secret service and soldiers around them couldn’t be denied.
“Please step back everyone” one of the soldiers near the front said, as the president stepped forward into the room.
“Hello” he said, taking everyone’s clothes and condition. “”
“So, does anyone know anything at all about this agreement?”
[I do]
All heads turned to Ria.
“Would it be possible to talk to you in private”
She nodded, quickly starting forward through the crowd as murmurs started. Caleb watched her, surprised, before nodding himself.
I guess she did meet them.
Plus she was the only one of the others who’d had reading privileges. He wasn’t entirely sure the privileges covered, but if she said she knew
“Caleb- shouldn’t you go?” Harrison
“Huh?”
“I mean, your kind of important right? Crown, castle and everything you know?”
“But I have no idea what the agr-” he fell silent, his eyes widening. He hadn’t wanted to think about it, but wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to talk about the war? If anyone could do something it was probably the government, right?
“I- right” he said. He glanced to the front again, watching as Ria finally emerged from the front of the crowd, a serviceman stepping forward to meet her.
“Uh- excuse me?” he mumbled, hesitantly. He cleared his throat before starting forward, trying . “E-excuse me?”
“We do too!” a voice suddenly shouted behind him. He looked back to Harrison with everyone else, relieved someone had taken the initiative for him. He’d never been good in situations like this.
“You do?” the president said.
[They do] Ria said. [They’re my friends.]
“I- alright. And what exactly is your connection to the representatives and this Akashic Council?”
“We’ve met them” Sierra said. “The representatives and a few council members at least.”
“You’ve met them?!” a large man behind the president said surprised. “Good God. Could you call them here now?”
“I- probably not. They only visited us to see Caleb”
“Caleb?”
Sierra pointed to him and all
“I- you can you call them?” the president said, looking to him.
“Uh… I don’t think so?”
“You don’t think so?”
“No. I didn’t see them- I mean- they saw me but I wasn’t- I-”
“It’s alright kid” the president said. “You three just come with me, we’ll discuss this outside.”
Caleb glanced back to Sierra and the others as they made their way through the crowd, following behind Ria and the president. The eyes of everyone in the room felt heavy on him, despite his best efforts to ignore them.
Finally, he stepped outside, past a serviceman who held the door open as.
“Right, Caleb” the President said, offering his hand. Caleb shook it, gulping. “Can you explain to me exactly who these representatives are?”
“Sorry, I wasn’t clear” Caleb said. “I’m not- I didn’t meet them. I was unconscious.”
“What?” the president said.
[They came to see him] Ria said. [He’s- it’s difficult to explain.]
“So, you can’t tell me anything?”
[Not much. But I know the rough structure of the council, the federation itself and a lot about one of the main planets in the Federation.]
“Is it verifiable information?”
Ria nodded.
“What can you tell me?”
[No. I need a phone call first. To my mom.]
“Done. Someone, anyone have a phone?”
“Here sir” a serviceman said, handing it to the President. He handed it to Ria, who quickly tapped away at the buttons, pressing the phone to her ear. She stepped slightly away from them, the mask of clam falling almost instantly as she waited anxiously.
“I- can we get phone calls?” Sierra said.
“This isn’t candy land” the tall man said. “This is a national security matter. You can get a phone call once you tell us what you know”
“Dick, stop it.” the president said, before looking to the rest of them. “I’ll get you your phone calls, but first what can you tell me about this agreement?”
“Uh… I- their names. Sam, Divine, and… uh…. Nigel”
“How old were they?”
“About our age? A bit older?”
“Jesus” the taller guy muttered as the president grimaced.
“Surnames?”
“Sorry can’t remember” Harrison said. “But they sounded Australian. Probably from somewhere around there.”
“Perfect. That’s good. Brenda?”
“I’m on it” a woman said behind him, stepping away as she pulled out a phone.
“Right, anyone else? If not about the agreement, then the nature of this situation as a whole.”
“That’s easy” Harrison said. “We got teleported to different worlds for a tutorial, then to for a kind of first phase. It gave us this magic called record which gave us our powers and-”
Caleb tuned Harrison out as he glanced to Sierra, and Aliyah, the anxiety on their faces clear as they remained quiet.
“-but that’s just a summary” Harrison finished.
“It’s- it’s fine. Doesn’t matter. Anyone else?”
“I- I have something to say” he said, interrupting Harrison and the President.
“What is it?” the President said, frowning.
“It’s about more than just the tutorial, of the trial as a whole. It’s about what’s to come.”
“Tell me.”
Caleb went to speak but hesitated. He didn’t know how to phrase this, explain that this might only be the beginning of much greater troubles for the world. And maybe, the man in front of him didn’t exactly have the best intentions for the rest of the world.
Still, while he understood Aliyah and Sierra’s fears, this was bigger than anything that’d ever happened before. And if the government really did try to use this information for their own advantage, if they didn’t spread the word he could. He didn’t have to stop at just the President.
“It’s a war.”
“What?”
“This whole thing, it’s a war.”
“A war? Against who? Aliens?” the taller man said.
“No, it’s… well yes, but it’s bigger than that” Caleb said. “I- I can’t describe it properly, but it’s an intergalactic war. With billions, maybe even trillions fighting.”
“Jesus Christ. Is- can you tell me more?”
“It’s… there’s three sides. Our side, the Akashic, and then the other two, the Hilaric and Moshaic. They, they’re led by godlike beings, like the thing that gave us this power. I don’t know who’s winning but the point is… I don’t know how to describe it. We’re a war world now? I think. We passed the second stage so we’re on the council and- I think it means we have to fight.”
“What’re you saying? I- you mean like today?!”
Caleb gulped, feeling the eyes of everyone else on him. He could see the confusion in Sierra and the others faces, the realisation that everything he was saying made sense. From what they’d seen in the messages, and everything they’d seen at the palace. Beside the religious and domestic rooms, only combat training and healers.
“I don’t think… today’s the end. I- the king of something, the man who gave me these clothes and this crown, he said that all worlds, war worlds, must meet their quota.”
“Quota? For- you mean fighting those monsters? How often?”
“I don’t know” Caleb muttered. “It was probably in the agreement that the representatives made. I don’t know.”
“I- so we need to prepare? Militarily?”
“What the hell is the military going to do against those things James?” the tall old man said, curt. “I mean, they were blasting those creatures with pure energy, energy that sheered through fucking steel like a knife through air. I-”
“Shut up! I- alright. Just… please be quiet” the president said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Everyone was silent for a while, then tension thicker than swap water. Finally, the President spoke.
“I- how many of you are there?” he asked.
“Uh- a thousand six hundred and ninety-six” Caleb said, the number coming to him almost automatically.
“Ok. And you defeated what? Six? Seven?”
“Seven.”
“So…” the president began mumbling to himself, as he stepped away, hand pressed to the side of his head. As he stood there silent, Caleb looked to the others. Harrison stared at him horrified, while Aliyah’s. Sierra only gripped his wrist, still staring straight at the president. He looked way from them, unable to bear the weight of their expressions alone.
The president still remained still, silently thinking.
“Sorry for my… partner. He struggles at times like this” the tall man said, leaning closer to Caleb.
“Dick, I’m warning you” the President said.
“About what? Your-”
“Oh stop it you two” the woman behind them said. “Seriously. Now is not the time.”
They both fell silent, before the woman looked to him with an apologetic smile. He nodded back, awkwardly then glanced between the President and other man. He almost couldn’t believe it. The President and a member of his cabinet, bickering at a time like this.
“Alright” the president said turning to the other suits. “I’m thinking a conference. Is that a good idea?”
“Now?” one of them said. “I mean, you already gave one, and to tell people this? Today?”
“It’d be chaos. People would panic. More than panic. They’re already panicking” another said.
“Well, we can’t leave this. If someone finds out, we knew?”
“Then we spin it?”
“How?”
“Well, they won, didn’t they?”
“Sure, they may have one, but the worldwide damage to infrastructure alone is just… just look at Paris. It’s never going to recover.”
One of the members glanced to Caleb and the others, before stepping back.
“If we’re going to have this discussion, let’s have it elsewhere” she said. The President looked to all of them, then back to the rest of the suits. The president fell silent, dragging a finger across his clean-shaven chin. His eyes were fixed to the floor, clearly deep in thought. Then he nodded, stepping away too.
“Alright, take them- wait. Who defeated the monster?”
“It was Caleb and a few others” Harrison mumbled.
“I- someone go get me the others. Bring them out here to wait while we talk. Take those three inside and get her something to transcribe what she knows onto as soon as she’s finished her call” the president said. “And get them new clothes. They’re dragging water all over the place.”
“Of course, sir” a secret serviceman said, quickly walking back into the room, as another moved to guide Harrison, Aliyah and Sierra back into the room.
[Wait! O-our phone call?] Aliyah said.
“I- right. Get everyone a phone call. But monitor these five. Nothing about this to anyone yet, alright?”
“Yes sir” another serviceman said.
With that the president and the others walked away, Aliyah, Harrison, and Sierra guided back towards the cafeteria by soldiers. Sierra spared one last glance back at him as he stood silently in the hall surrounded by a few guards. He offered an apologetic smile before she disappeared behind the door.
Then his eyes fell to the floor, as he wiped his trembling hand against the trouser legs of his clothes – as if to steady them. But it didn’t help. He finally said it all out loud, crystallised his thoughts. He thought everything would be better for him having finally said it.
But he felt worse now.
“Your call” a serviceman said suddenly, handing Caleb a phone. His eyes widened and he clutched it greedily.
“T-thank you” he stuttered, as he fumbled with the phone. Quickly he tapped at the screen, typing in Casey’s number before pressing the phone to his ear. The dial tone rung for a while, his hope slowly dying.
Right, he thought. She doesn’t pick up, unknown numbers.
He moved the phone away from his ear, when suddenly it picked up.
“Mommy!” Kayla shouted, her voice distant from the phone. “You’ve got a call!”
He chuckled to himself, almost brought to tears by the sound of his sister’s voice.
“Who is it?” his step-mom shouted, barely audible.
“Uh… hello Mr caller?” his sister said, doing her best impression of a professional voice. “Who are you?”
Caleb couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably, practically unable to answer.
“Kayla?!”
“They didn’t say anything!”
“W-what? Did you answer it?! I told you not to answer calls! I- dammit. Is it an unknown caller?”
“Uh…. n-no?!”
Caleb’s laughter continued as tears of laughter began to form at the corners of his eyes.
“Kayla, don’t make me come over there. Hang up the phone!”
“Uh… what do you want Mr caller? Are you important? I’ll hang up if you aren’t.”
“Kayla” Caleb laughed, “it’s me.”
The other end of the line silent, as Caleb's heart beat hard in his chest.
“Kayla?!” Casey said, closer now. “Kayla you have hung up by the time I get in- Kayla? I- oh my god! Why’re you crying?”
“It’s Caleb” Kayla sobbed, audibly through the phone.
And Caleb found he was too.
