Time passed.

Otto didn’t want to go. His grandparents didn’t want him to go either, so they spent as much time together as they could beforehand. He would be gone for an indeterminate amount of time, and while he wasn’t barred from calling or texting them, travel in and out of Babylon wasn’t easy to come by for myriad reasons.

They didn’t do anything crazy. Mostly, they stayed home. Otto helped with the garden and once the leaves started falling, raking them up. He cooked with his grandmother, hung out with Kim and Tobe, and tried to not think about the impending deadline, and what it would mean. By doing such normal, mundane activities, they could almost pretend he wasn’t being taken away at all.

But alas.

Rank: A

[Class Assigned: Leviathan]

[Otto Schmeling, under authority of the Jarran Government and agreement of the civilizations of Earth, do you willingly accept your service as one of Earth’s Agreed in pursuit of the greater good?]

[Yes/No]

[24h, 2m, 46s Remaining]

There wasn’t any time left.

Otto’s hands shook with nerves as he got into the car with his grandparents. He was sitting in the back, one leg bouncing while he looked out the window to his grandparent’s house. He didn’t know the next time he would see it, if ever. In theory, he could get approval to visit home once he proved himself to not be an imminent threat that could snap at any moment, but nothing was guaranteed. He had done more research into Babylon and the way everything worked, but there was a strangely low amount of information available. It was like the only people who understood the system were people from or living in Babylon, and he was neither. Yet.

The drive passed in relative silence. His grandfather put on a local radio show until they got out of range, and he switched to a 70s channel. His grandmother read a book in the passenger seat, and Otto kept looking out the window, thinking about what came next.

He was scared. There was no shame in admitting that, he had read countless times from articles by the Babylonian government, but that didn’t make it any more pleasant. Everything they wrote had a manicured air to it; the nation was outwardly amazing, the best place to live on earth. It had every climate, every type of food, type of person, everything. You got guaranteed housing, food, healthcare, and a stipend each month. It was more technologically – not to mention magically - developed than anywhere else on the planet, and all of this was possible due to it being filled with the highest concentration of Agreed on the planet by far. Countries like China and America who had disproportionately high number of Agreed on their payroll not only had to work through Babylon to get them, but they had a fraction of a fraction of how many were on the island nation. Every Agreed in the world was required to live in Babylon. It only made sense that they had the most.

None of it made him excited. On paper, he had just gotten the opportunity of a lifetime. He was getting a guaranteed high standard of living for the rest of his days, not to mention actual superhuman powers, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to buy in. It was stained from the roots, and if common superheroes had people covering for their flaws, he couldn’t imagine the nation they came from was any different.

They arrived in Albany upsettingly fast. The registration building came into view, just as squat and depressing as it had been the last time, but now it cast an invisible pressure on its surroundings. Every step he and his family took towards the doors felt weighty, profound.

He pushed open the doors, and blinked in shock when he saw who was waiting for him.

“Surprise!” Tobe and Kim said in unison. Angel was grinning from behind the desk. She was in the same clothes as last time, although her hair was combed straight instead of the bun it had been in last time.

“How are you guys here?” He asked with a laugh, walking over and giving them both hugs. Tobe was grinning wide.

“I got my permit, remember?” He said. “My parents lent me the car, so Kim and I decided to surprise you.”

Otto’s grandfather raised his eyebrows. Otto did the same.

“Are you even allowed to drive alone with just your permit?”

“I wasn’t alone, Kim was with me!”

Kim looked to Otto’s grandparents with wide, traumatized eyes.

“Please let me ride back with you.”

After a few more minutes of nervous conversation, it had to come to an end. They all knew it. Angel waved them over, and they crowded around. Otto stood front and center before her, while everyone else was waiting behind. He shifted nervously, and Angel flashed him a reassuring smile.

“You’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it.” She said with a wink. “There’s a little bit of pageantry involved, but once we get passed that, we’ll get started on your registration. Sound good?”

Otto nodded, trying to stand upright without being tense, failing utterly.

Angel sat up straight, suddenly looking much more serious than she usually did.

“As a Planetary Representative of the Jarran Government, I stand as witness to the contract signing, and later, domestic registration of one Otto Schmeling.”

He could feel his grandparents tense behind him, while Tobe and Kim stood in somber silence.

Her eyes glittered with some amusement. “Since you called ahead of time, the paperwork is all finished. That only leaves the ceremony.”

Angel snapped her fingers, and the lights in the room dimmed. Her wings emerged – much faster this time and without constipation, thank god – and she went from an ordinary looking human girl to a real angel looking down on him, weighing and judging. His heart beat faster.

“Otto Schmeling,” Her voice intoned, “The Donor of your planet has selected you for the honor of signing the contract, thus contributing to your planet’s tithe to the Jarrans. Do you willingly accept this, with all the benefits and responsibilities that come with it?”

He swallowed hard. His mouth was very dry all of a sudden, and the sudden change in environment didn’t help. Unbidden of his own request, the acceptance screen appeared in front of him.

“Yes.” He croaked. The screen dissolved in front of him, and a new one appeared. This one noted when his class would actually be physically applied, and the timer currently read ‘Indetermined.’

“The class affixation will occur when the ceremony is complete.” Angel said before he could ask. Her expression changed – from a real angel straight out of myth, she now looked a little nervous. She glanced to the side and took a deep breath.

“…As Jarran representative, it is also my duty to inform all Agreed on all privileges they are now privy to.” She twitched for a moment, glaring behind her, but continued.

“As an Agreed, you now may have legal claim to various types of galactic citizenship. This includes, but may not be limited to, Jarran citizenship. It does not overwrite your citizenship to your home planet, but it does supersede it.”

Angel leaned forward, looking at him very directly.

“This information is not new to you, as it is on page six-hundred-twenty-two of the Contract. I am merely reminding you of something that you already know.”

Otto blinked. He hadn’t known that. He didn’t know if, well, anyone knew that outside of the psychos who actually read the contract. He was suspicious of the Jarrans to be charitable about it, and he didn’t even read it. It was just…so long. If there was anything important inside, he figured it would be widespread information by now.

“Jarran citizenship comes with some downsides. And many benefits.” Angel added after a moment, sounding a bit nervous when he stared back without saying anything. She jumped and grimaced hard, shaking her head. Her hand slapped towards her back, and Otto swore he saw tears spring into the corners of her eyes.

“Are you okay?” He asked with concern.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Fine,” She croaked, waving him off, not sounding fine at all. “Peachy. A-okay. Hunky-dory. Copacetic. Ducky. Wow, listen to all those synonyms you guys have. Necessary? Debatable.”

“Uh.” Otto said. “Right.” They stared at each other for a few moments. “Now what?”

“Now, you sign your domestic registration papers.” She said, pulling a stack out from behind the desk and plopping it on the desk. She set a pen down beside it. “I advise you to read them thoroughly.” She glared behind her. “As I would advise any Agreed signing their registration papers.”

Otto glanced up at her as he grabbed the first page. She was acting strange, and he had no idea why, but he felt compelled to listen. He wasn’t a complete idiot; she was obviously trying to tell him something, he just didn’t know what it was. The added comment at the end felt significant too, so he decided to avoid the same mistake he had apparently made with the Contract, and didn’t skip to the end. He started reading through, even though it was painfully long.

Angel watched him nervously along with his friends and family, although the latter had a good bit of confusion. None interjected, not knowing if they were even allowed to, but his grandfather looked close.

Just when he was about to call it quits and skip to the end to sign and be done with it, he noticed an odd section.

Claimed primary citizenship: Babylon (Domestic, Earth)

Claimed secondary citizenship*: __________

*Note: Certain (Galactic) citizenships will override (Domestic).

Otto stared at the words on the page. He resisted the urge to look back up at her. He had been very nervous about missing whatever she was hinting at, but it seemed she had made it as clear as possible for the dumb, dumb human.

It was, in many ways, a leap of faith. He didn’t know Angel very well. Even if she seemed nice, she could have ulterior motives he didn’t understand. Maybe she was an agent for an evil shadow branch of the Jarran government; he had no way to know.

…Maybe that was being dramatic. Angel had only ever been helpful to him, and unless she was an amazing actress, her personality didn’t seem conducive to secret-evil-society-agent work.

He pointed at the secondary citizenship line.

“Can I put Jarran for this?” He asked, a bit hesitant that he was getting it wrong.

Angel looked the way he imagined a woman in love did when she finally was proposed to. A grin split her face in two, and tears once more dotted the edges of her eyes, though this time it didn’t seem out of pain.

Otto was distinctly uncomfortable. She coughed and schooled her expression.

“That is your decision, Agreed.” She said monotonously, face impassive. Otto stared back.

“Yes. You can.” She added after a beat.

Otto had no idea what he was getting into, or signing himself up for, but…

He lifted the pen and wrote ‘Jarran’ on the appropriate line. Angel released a sigh of relief. He flipped to the last page and signed his name where necessary. He looked up at her.

“That’s it?” he asked. She nodded.

“That’s it.” She took the papers from him and slid them somewhere in the desk. “Congratulations, Otto. Your registration is complete; you are officially an Agreed of Earth.”

His stomach clenched at the words, but all he could do was nod. He felt a hand on his shoulder, then two, and when he looked behind him, his grandparents were standing there. They smiled at him, and he forced one back.

None of us are happy about this. He could see it in their eyes, but there was nothing they could do about it. He understood his grandfather’s anger, now; it was frustrating, immensely so, to be powerless. Even Otto, with the class that he was soon to be given, couldn’t do anything. No Agreed could, no matter their rank or level.

“Am I going to get teleported now?” He asked Angel.

Angel clasped her hands. “Your class will be properly affixed first, and a few minutes after that, the teleport.”

“What’s the affixation like?” He asked with concern.

A wry smile crossed Angel’s face. “You’re about to find out, aren’t you?” She looked to his grandparents and friends, and her expression softened.

“Don’t worry, it won’t hurt. You might even…”

A wave of fatigue hit Otto, and the room around him swayed. His vision slid and blurred, and the ground beneath him didn’t feel real anymore.

Otto collapsed, his grandparent’s holding him up. Both looked at Angel.

“…pass out. Well, drag him to the couches. He’ll be fine. It’s better this way, honestly.”

Otto’s grandmother looked at him concerned while Kim, Tobe, and his grandfather dragged a couch closer and placed him on it.

“How long will it take?” She asked. Otto’s eyes were closed, and he was breathing slowly and evenly, like he had just fallen into a deep sleep.

“I’m not sure.” Angel admitted. “Not everyone passes out, and it varies among those who do.” She looked down at him and bit her lip.

“All we can do is wait.”

* * *

All Otto received were impressions.

There were no memories. He didn’t remember touching, smelling, seeing, hearing, tasting; his senses were muted, or maybe they didn’t exist at all. He had no recollection of things that ‘actually’ happened, only concepts, suggestions, inklings – but where his consciousness had gone, that was the truth. Physical form was limiting to a being that had no need for it.

So in the space between the physical and the mental, in the liminality of existence, the Donor did its work.

Cold water. Pressure on all sides, crushing, suffocating to some. No light for miles in every direction; sunlight doesn’t penetrate this deep, and to produce light is to die. It’s comforting. Inky blackness is all I’ve ever known.

I? Yes, I.

My body feels different. But correct. Long and sinuous, a serpentine skyscraper silently drifting through ancient waters. Small creatures swim nearby but I pay them no mind, and they ignore me back. They know I seek bigger prey.

The sensation of great teeth tearing into flesh. Bones crack and blood pours into the water, but the job is not finished. One blow is not enough to fell any worthy prey.

Claws slash against my side, but skid off sturdy scales. The damage is light, cosmetic, another invisible scar in the blind abyss. Our dance continues. We work off instinct and displacement, feeling the water pushed by the other’s similarly colossal body.

The prey lunges. I twist. My jaws crunch once more.

Victory.

* * *

Otto’s eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was a screen.

It wasn’t what he wanted to see upon waking up. The faces of his friends and family would have been preferred, or even Angel. Anyone familiar and friendly.

Instead he saw:

[Agreed: Otto Schmeling]

[Rank: A]

[Class: Leviathan (1)]

[Rank Bonus: Additional 2 Foundation Points]

[Options:

Automatic Selection (Recommended)

Manual Selection (Advanced)]

[Class Skills:

Leviathan’s Mass

Abyssal Body (Passive)]

There was slightly more detail, but that was what it boiled down to.

Otto, out of curiosity more than anything, opened the ‘Manual Selection’ menu, and regretted it immediately.

There was. So much. Too much. Foundation Points could be used for just about anything; he could get stronger, faster, smarter, more appealing, and they got very, very specific. He could make his left pinky toe six-point-five-billion-decimal-numbers percent sturdier, if he wanted. They were what made the gaps in ranks so noticeable. The higher your rank was, the more points you received per level, and the more powerful you were outside of pure skills.

The problem was, they could be used for just about anything. A mind numbing chart filled with equations, values, and numbers constantly shifted before his eyes, with countless areas that he could improve with the two points he was allotted.

He closed it before he got a headache. Besides, there were more important things to focus on.

“How do you feel?” His grandmother asked him when he slowly sat up. Otto stood and walked around a little bit, shrugging.

“Kind of the same?”

Tobe looked excitedly at him. “Did you get your skills? What do they do?”

“I got them.” He replied, still trying to recognize if he felt different at all. “There’s no description on them, unfortunately. I’ll just have to figure it out as I go, I guess. They’re called ‘Leviathan’s Mass’ and-“

He was cut off by another screen popping into view. This one was much more simple.

[Teleportation to Babylon-1 commencing in: 4:57]

Otto’s stomach dropped. He turned to his family.

“I just got the teleport notification.” He said. His grandmother’s shoulders slumped, and his grandfather tensed. Kim and Tobe looked at the ground.

“I guess this is it.” He said, forcing a half-smile onto his face. He gave them both hugs, along with Tobe and Kim. “I’ll call you when I get there, okay?” he said.

“You better.” His grandmother said, squeezing his hand.

There were no tears. They had said their goodbyes again and again over the time leading up to his departure; it wasn’t a surprise. They had prepared the best they could. That didn’t mean it was pleasant, but they weren’t inconsolable.

Still. He got a little misty eyed.

“Two minutes left.” He said. Everyone sat in silence, waiting to see what would happen. “I wonder-“

[Teleportation Cancelled.]

Otto blinked at the screen. Before he could say anything, it changed again.

[Rerouted. Teleportation to Baffa-Sea-Base-44 Commencing in 0:44]

He immediately turned to Angel.

“Angel?” He asked. She looked up. “It says my teleportation was rerouted.”

Her head snapped to his with an expression of alarm.

“What?” She said immediately. “Where does it say you’re being sent?”

Otto stumbled over his words as he tried to get them out. “Baffa-Sea-Base-44. It’s happening in thirty seconds now; what do I do?”

Angel started typing rapidly on her computer. “Baffa…that’s not…” she trailed off. Her eyes landed on something, he saw them go back and forth, rereading the same sentence again and again.

“…That’s not on Earth.” Angel said. She looked up at him and bit her lip.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know – you aren’t supposed to get called on yet. I don’t know what’s happening.” She said with frustration. She turned around one hundred eighty degrees.

“Are you going to help?” She demanded.

Otto heard no response, but after a moment, she growled in anger anyway and swung back around. Her eyes found Otto.

“Okay. Listen to me.” She said, her eyes locked on his. His heart pounded in his chest. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. The world was spinning, and it wasn’t from teleportation.

“Can’t you do something?” He heard his grandfather ask from behind him. Angel’s eyes never left his; she didn’t even react. He saw Kim and Tobe were babbling to each other in confusion.

“Otto!” She barked. He focused on her. There was nothing else: all that he saw was Angel and the timer. It ticked down further.

“You are being teleported off world.” She said calmly. “You will be okay. This is not supposed to happen, but it is, and whoever’s responsible is going to get an asskicking when it gets found out. Do your best. You will be okay.” She emphasized. He nodded hurriedly. Nothing felt real.

He turned to his grandparents.

[…Commencing in 0:07]

“I’ll see you guys soon. Okay?” He said. He sounded more confident than he felt. His grandfather looked barely restrained, about to yell at Angel to help, to do something. When Otto spoke, it got cut off, and his eyes fell on him.

“Come back to us.” He said. Simple words, but they contained so much. His grandmother squeezed his arm and didn’t let go. Otto struggled to nod.

“Yeah.” He said, trying to clear his head. He blinked a few times and looked at his grandmother, and then up to him.

The timer ticked down to zero. “I will.” He said. He meant it.

Otto felt something envelop him, and then, he was gone.