‘Holy crap, I just did that,’ Darius thought, still panting as the possibilities expanded in his mind. The sheer thrill pulsed in him, yet as he caught his breath, the strain of it set in. ‘Why did it take so much effort, though? My first jump was way farther, and I barely felt a thing.’ He shook his head, brows knitting. If every jump took this much energy, he’d be as useful as a dead flashlight when it counted.
But he needed to test something more. If he could teleport objects, he’d be a lot more versatile. He staggered to his feet, the room spinning just slightly as he grabbed the smallest item within reach—his old Netacts case. It was barely the size of his palm, beat-up with years of scratches, but it would do. He focused, picturing that same elongated tunnel linking the space above the couch cushion to the case in his hand. With a final burst of mental effort, he imagined pushing it through, not expecting much.
But then—thud—the case landed softly on the cushion.
Two things struck him immediately: one, something had happened, and two, it had taken an absurd amount of effort. The moment he heard the soft thud of the case landing, he was out of breath again, gravity dragging him down to the floor as his muscles turned to jelly.
‘That hurt,’ he thought miserably, his head pounding. Moving a tiny Netacts case had drained him as much as teleporting himself across the room. Then, a horrifying thought flashed across his mind: Thank God my entire body had made it through intact. Imagine if it only moved part of me? The notion turned his stomach, and he resolved to approach this power with a lot more caution.
The plush bed in the other room had looked like heaven, and without another thought, Darius crawled over to it, climbing up with whatever strength he had left. He sank into the luxurious mattress, barely pulling the covers over himself before sleep claimed him. He drifted off, the day’s exhilaration and exhaustion fading away without even a moment to celebrate the impossible things he’d just done.
When Darius finally woke, he checked the time on his Netacts and saw that he’d slept for fourteen hours straight. He couldn’t say he was surprised—between the chaos of the attack, the devastating loss of his mother, and the energy-draining teleportation attempts, his body had needed it. Stretching out, he realized he’d slept in his new clothes, now rumpled, but still looked pretty good as he straightened them out. His stomach growled loudly, and for the first time since he’d arrived, he felt genuine hunger.
Pulling up the hotel’s interface that had automatically linked to his new Netacts, he discovered he could order almost anything right to his door. He decided to indulge a little, picking out something he hadn’t eaten in years—chicken and waffles. Any protein that wasn’t fish was a luxury on the Driftspires, and the thought of a real, hearty breakfast made his mouth water.
As he waited for the food to arrive, he realized he needed a few essentials, so he ordered a fresh shirt, underwear, and socks as well. He then let himself check his friends’ social profiles. He couldn’t summon the emotional energy to reach out yet, to explain everything, but he had to know they were alright. Relief flooded him as he saw Aaron, Cole, and others had been online since the attack. They’d made it to shelter in time. Then, with a pang of guilt, he read the worried messages his friends had sent, each one asking if he was okay, if he’d made it out. He decided he’d reply later when he could figure out what to say.
A soft chime echoed through the suite, indicating room service had arrived. Darius practically leapt to the door, swinging it open and retrieving a tray filled with the warm, mouth-watering smell of chicken and waffles, along with the garments he’d ordered, neatly packaged. Fast service, he thought, barely acknowledging it as he carried everything back inside.
Within minutes, he’d devoured the entire tray, savoring each bite. The blend of crispy waffles and juicy chicken was pure heaven, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten something so good. Finished, he set the dishes outside the door as instructed and went to clean up, taking a shower and brushing his teeth until he felt refreshed.
Stepping out of the shower, he decided to get in another practice attempt with his power. He closed his eyes, visualizing a tunnel linking him from the bathroom to the living room just out of sight. Focusing, he mentally stepped through it. The now-familiar stretching sensation took over, and in a heartbeat, he was in the living room, panting from the exertion. Though the same draining wave hit him, he’d braced himself and managed to stay on his feet, gripping his knees and regaining his breath. A triumphant grin spread across his face, the thrill of his newfound power still fresh.
With his mind buzzing, he sat down on the sofa and pulled the cheap phone from his bag. He’d have to tread carefully, but he needed to research ways to avoid conscription. Opening the phone’s browser, Darius took a deep breath, letting the gravity of his decision sink in. If he wanted any hope of escaping the Guardians, he’d have to be smart, determined, and a few steps ahead of everyone watching.
The first thing Darius did was search his favorite forums, typing in “conscription” and “empowered.” He scrolled through pages of posts—most of them about pay rates, relocation to different Driftspires, and training experiences, but nothing useful on actually dodging conscription. Frustrated, he swapped out “empowered” for “dodge” in the search bar. Only a few results popped up, but one caught his eye immediately:
User: krakenslaya498
Title: not cut out for this
Body: i don’t know what to do here, i live on one of the outposts and i just awakened. A man came to see me saying he was with the guardians and that i was going to have to join them too. he told me id have to move to a driftspire and leave my family. i cant do that and i dont want to be a stupid guardian. what can i do??? i don’t have much time
Reply by: oldbutgold
Comment: Join Dodge.
krakenslaya498: whats dodge??
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
oldbutgold: pm me.
And that was it. No other replies, no links, but it was enough to give Darius a flicker of hope. He quickly sent a private message to oldbutgold, hardly daring to breathe as he typed.
Private Message to: oldbutgold
From: deepdive25
Message: Hey saw a thread you replied to abt getting out of conscription. What’s Dodge?
A small green check mark appeared, confirming the message had been sent. With a sigh of relief, Darius leaned back and resumed his research, now focusing solely on “Dodge” and hoping to find more answers to cling to.
As Darius continued his research, he pieced together bits and pieces about Dodge. From what he could tell, they were an underground organization with a reputation for helping newly awakened Empowereds avoid the claws of conscription, though rumors hinted at criminal connections. The more he read, the more intrigued he became, and the more he wondered if they could be his ticket to freedom.
His thoughts were interrupted when a notification lit up in the corner of his small phone screen.
(1) New Message
His heart thumped as he opened the notification, barely daring to breathe.
Private Message from: oldbutgold
To: deepdive25
Message: I see you’re in New Toronto. Get to the Soca district and meet me at the Anchor & Tide if you’re serious about this. 9PM. Don’t be late - Dodge.
Darius felt a jolt of confusion. How did they know he was in New Toronto? He’d taken every precaution, using a burner phone and encrypted networks, yet somehow, Dodge—or at least this mysterious user—had pinpointed his location. He didn’t have the luxury of time to worry about that detail now, though; the clock was ticking.
It was already 1 PM, which meant he had eight hours to get to Soca. The problem? Soca district was roughly 200 kilometers away, in the opposite direction from Wavecrest, the coastal district he grew up in. Each step since the attack seemed to pull him farther from everything he knew, everything familiar. But there was no time for second thoughts—he had to make a plan.
Traveling covertly meant ruling out trains, Netacts, and most public transportation. Which left him with only one option: teleporting. The idea of covering such a huge distance filled him with dread, but if he could break it down, maybe he could make it work. He just had to iron out the details and, hopefully, conserve enough energy to make it there in one piece.
As he surveyed his options, Darius knew he’d have to be smart about his jump. He needed somewhere both discreet and accessible, and, ideally, he wouldn’t land himself in any trouble. Restaurants, bars, department stores—all too public and too risky. He scratched those off immediately. He needed somewhere closed or at least empty that he could easily slip out of. But, as he thought it over, he knew he had one shot at this; another jump immediately after might knock him out cold.
After searching a bit, he found a gym closed for renovations that would be empty for a few more days. It seemed perfect—until he realized he’d be stranded if the doors were locked. He needed something better, and a long-shot idea sparked to mind. If he could find a public restroom visible on one of the Driftspire’s live cams, he might catch a moment when it was empty. These public cams were common, set up so residents could avoid the crowded levels and see which paths were most accessible. If he got really lucky, maybe he’d even find one near the Anchor & Tide.
He got to work immediately, combing through the live cam feeds, and after a bit of digging, he struck gold… sort of. He found a camera feed showing an outdoor restroom a little under five kilometers from the bar. The only downside was that it looked to be in a rougher part of the Soca district. Not ideal, but he decided it was close enough to take the risk.
After watching the feed for a while, he noticed a steady stream of people passing through. It wasn’t until around 3:30 PM that the restroom finally emptied, giving him a small window. He didn’t hesitate. Mentally preparing himself, he pictured the tunnel stretching from his suite to the restroom he’d glimpsed through the feed, sending up a silent prayer he wouldn’t end up on some broken, dangerous route. Bracing himself, he pushed through.
He arrived soundlessly in the restroom, still in the seated position he’d been in on the couch, only to collapse to the cold, tiled floor with a startled thud. The stars clouding his vision were overwhelming, making it difficult to grasp the floor beneath him as his head swam. He panted, desperately gripping the floor for stability, trying not to let the exhaustion take him. The jump had felt like he’d teleported twice in a row; the strain was immense, and it was all he could do to keep his eyes open. Forcing himself up, he managed to stagger to the door and lock it before collapsing back onto the grimy floor, muttering through ragged breaths, “Why does my power hate me?”
Five minutes passed before he could muster the strength to stand, but it was only a moment later that a loud banging sounded from the other side. He pulled himself up, opening the door slowly to meet a line of impatient, irritated faces. The sudden sunlight stung, and he stepped out into a part of the city that felt distinctly… rough. The cracked sidewalks and salt-covered buildings reminded him of Wavecrest, but Soca had a grittier, worn-down vibe. The scars from the salt air and storm damage went unrepaired here, giving the streets a haunted, weathered look.
As he started his trek, still shaking off the daze of the teleport, he caught something unusual out of the corner of his eye—a man leaning against a street lamp, casually lighting a cigarette with the tip of his finger. Darius’s eyes widened. Back in Wavecrest, he barely saw anyone openly using their abilities. But here, Empowereds didn’t seem as scarce or as restricted. It made sense, though. In a place like this, anonymity was probably its own form of freedom.
Darius quickened his pace, glancing around as he took in his surroundings. A few hawkers were selling suspicious-looking wares from carts on the corner, and he could hear faint music drifting from a nearby alley, gritty and raw. The entire district felt like it was simmering under the surface, ready to spill over into something chaotic. The occasional empowered individual, flashing their abilities as they went about their business, only added to the strange, electric vibe of the place. Darius shook his head, half-amused, half-wary. Well, this place has character, he thought, as he kept his eye on his destination.
After a grueling hour, Darius finally reached the Anchor & Tide. The bar’s exterior was as rough as the rest of the district, if not worse. The building’s paint was peeling in jagged strips, exposing warped wood beneath. Small cracks ran along the walls, patched over with mismatched bricks that looked like they’d been salvaged from a demolition site. A rusty metal sign swung above the entrance, its faded lettering barely legible, creaking faintly in the coastal wind. An unlit neon light shaped vaguely like an anchor hung near the door, so worn and corroded it looked like it hadn’t glowed in years.
The whole place had an air of decay, but the scuffed steps and trampled cigarette butts outside suggested it was well-frequented by locals. Just beyond the door, he could hear the dull thrum of muffled voices, punctuated by occasional bursts of raucous laughter. A faint whiff of stale beer and saltwater hung in the air, the kind of heavy scent that seemed to stick to everything here.
Darius took a deep breath, preparing himself. Only four and a half hours to kill, he thought grimly. He glanced around, the sinking realization dawning that the ragged look wasn’t just the bar—it was everything here.