Chapter 40

Luke sized William before laughing. “Ha! What do you think those Ranks are?! Rank 6 is already greater than most Walkers would ever get, let alone dream about! How many Walkers advance that far, eh?”

Some pride got hurt once more, though William was unable to determine his Rank. Luke wasn't the youngest; William bet on his forties. Low ones, however. Luke was still vigorous and appeared in his prime.

William frowned. “Don't know. A lot? If not... I mean, Darks would slaughter us.”

“Well, that is not a bad argument. Ranks are forms that are quite important for everyone. For every success, some deaths or inability to move upwards counts as failures. Going again or restarting is very hard. The further one goes, the harder it is. Do you want to hear harsh statistics?”

“Yes?”

Luke thought he would refuse him, so he paused and recollected his thoughts, while his Emblem huffed, moved, and wavered in many ways.

Anna began to draw his chest once more, figuring something nice came up.

“Walkers at Rank 1 through 4 are rather normal,” Luke said after some thinking. “Their growth is considered stable as long as their hunt and talent are average. Each Rank might take months to years. For Rank 5 and above, things are more difficult, and for some, even Rank 4 is like eating across a large chasm. Not every Rank 5 Walker can become Rank 6. It is like one in dozens on average and survivability is another topic altogether. At some point, more strengths come with higher Ranks and one could keep their life intact. But reaching that point is harder.”

“15%,” Anna added. “That is a statistical chance for Rank 4 to reach Rank 5. Then, it is like 5% for Rank 5 to reach Rank 6. Do you want to hear specific numbers, eh? I know them by heart.”

Luke sighed, figuring she wasn't in a bad spot since she was great at this topic.

While he wasn't.

“Isn't 15% a lot?” William bluntly asked, causing Anna to frown and make an error in her painting. She cried and moaned, and tossed the book at him.

William dodged, fearful and shocked. “S-sorry...”

“It isn't that easy...” Luke said. “Statistics are exaggerated because they are numbers. In truth, talents can crack the statistics. How much success does the Academy have, eh? Or some DIvisions who carefully pick their talents?”

“Bigger?”

“Aren't you a genius?” Luke sarcastically said, finding some pity in his question. “That is correct.”

“How much? Can every Rank 5 Walker become Rank 6 in there?”

“Nah. Success and getting that far isn't that important if one sees Skills and actual Emblems with clear eyes. Regular people don't get it. Ranks and their success are just means for them to see how terrible the reality is. Darks, I mean. Walkers are different. We see how it is. Hurdles of the Rank-Up are filled with troubles and choices full of chances. Gripping them is different than some made-up 15% chance to get to Rank 5 from Rank 4. It is about the spirit and who is willing to go further. Some people are not enough. That number goes lower due to age limitations, power, and Walker spirit.”

“Training, huh...” William sighed and lowered his eyes. He appreciated this remark. That meant his father must have been really impressive to go that far this quickly. “What about age?”

Anna poked Luke with her pen again. “Luke. Don't underestimate mathematics, or me, or our research. We care about Emblems and Walkers alike. Someone has to do it! Association has deeper roots, so don't give William some bad ideas about us.”

“Sure, you do make a lot of sense, Emblem Fanatic...”

“Hey, William,” Anna ignored Luke and pointed behind him. “He is right. Getting ahead is great and well beyond regular people. Walkers who do so are respected and great meritorious people. We take them as important members of the current time and great honors to current or new generations, or for future generations. One has to respect that and knowing how they do things or why is up to observers. Our reach and research allows Walkers to grow exponentially. Don't underestimate us like this mad dog.”

They almost got to a fight but Luke restrained himself well beyond his ability. It was weird. Considering his age, he was much older than Anna. They didn't have a good chemistry at all. William wondered if there were others like them in the Federation.

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In a minute, they calmed and returned to their conversation. “As far as age goes,” Anna proclaimed before Luke got a chance to speak. She went as far as leaning forward and clutching his mouth, and going far too close to his Emblem with her head. She spoke to William anyway. “Rank 4 has many beaten records. There have been some Walkers at that Rank before they were my age. After some interesting links between the age and Emblem, the rate of Rank-Ups slows down. Crashing the Walls is next, and that is what Rank-Ups are. Transfomration. Tribulatio. Spirit. Years can lead to different power spikes and issues of Emblem give headaches like hunts. In that case, difficulties are universally known as Walls! Massive ones!”

At that point, Luke snapped and pushed her many seats away. She smirked at him as if she won a battle, but not the war.

“She might be right, but not every researcher is sane. Most are like her!”

“I don't give a shit. I like to know things. From where it doesn't matter to me.” William said bluntly, surprising both Anna and Luke, and changed the subject. “What about my parents? If they were so young, could their history and Emblems be special? How much?”

“Well, your mother is rather complicated. I don't know much about her Rank-ups, Emblem, or history. I was not that close with your father back when they were together, while he had... issues. Occasional drinks or words were most of our exchanges, with few deployments together being distant and different than regular pace. He was almost like a general without being one by name. I knew him better from stories and from the reputation that shook the Federation up. I looked up to him since he was Rank 4 and we weren't even that far in age.”

“Oh, so nothing about my mother?” William demanded and glared at him.

Luke got nervous, and he could hear clicking noises behind him, coming from Anna who took her distance for safety and played with her pen.

“I only know that your mother was part of starting generations of the Emblem Academy,” Luke revealed yet another important detail that shouldn't have been omitted. It was also something that he didn't want to mention, for it was better omitted.

“My mother was from the Academy??” William rightfully shouted right to his face.

Luke pulled him away. “Calm down, brat. I am telling you this for your own good. Take it for that next and don't bother me about your mother ever again. It is terrible. Nothing else.”

“Why? How could she be terrible?” William got defensive and didn't like to imagine his mother being like that. She was his sun! His hope. A warm hand that was there as guidance and love.

“What why? You wanted it, and...”

Anna smirked behind him. “I am telling... Mi-Yuuuung...” she whispered like the Reaper behind his head.

“I can be compassionate. Sometimes...” Luke forced.

“What Rank was my mother?” William asked without care, realizing that Luke was nervous and sweating, but he clutched this change anyway. Bullying high-Rank Walker came as a nice surprise.

This was an incredible scoop. Just the mere idea that his mother was from the Academy was a historical achievement that he was thrilled about. It meant he could get to know her history if he got to the Academy or dig through people or some history, or some records. It also meant that she must have been an incredible person because the start of the Emblem Academy was a time in history veiled in many rumors, and hopes.

Only the best of the best went there, establishing a massive groundwork for the future. That was decades ago, so his mother must not have been the youngest. That meant her picture in his heart was what? She looked young, didn't she?

William frowned as his imaginations and emotions rose, softening the hues of crimson in melancholy and even his heart calmed. A thin goal rose inside William's heart right at that moment, close to many other promises.

“Don't know her, sorry,” Luke answered and glanced away.

William was still happy and didn't make it more difficult for him afterward. This knowledge pushed his confidence to a new turn. It wasn't so good for Luke, so he shifted attention somewhere else.

His chest was still exposed, so Luke might as well show something else.

“Wanna hear some other things? Since we have hours ahead in our flight, we might as well talk about some lessons or your groundwork.” Luke changed the topic. Information about William's mother was even more restricted than his father's, so his hesitation came off as lacking and forceful.

But William didn't know about it. Anna did but she didn't care for the rules when she got out of the Federation after years of secluded research.

“What Rank are you?” William asked, figuring he might as well go in his direction.

“Rank 5.” Luke proudly said and puffed his chest.

“Is it that good? How old are you anyway....”

“Eh!?” Yet another bit of pride cracked. “I am not even forty! It is good! I feel proud of myself. I am a Captain of a team, charged with two other Walkers, and working with rather good missions.”

William wasn't all that impressed.

Luke lost his words.

Anna laughed behind his back.

“I am joking,” William forced a smile. “You are a good person, Mister Luke. Strong also. Rank 5, eh? That means you must've experienced many things Outside, including Raids, many Dives, and a large amount of Darks fell in your steps, moves, or Skills. Have you seen and been into their nests as well? Which Ranks have you conquered?”

“Yes.” Luke nodded and watched William's expectant eyes and deafening silence. “Do you want to hear about them?” He didn't have to ask. “Fine. Let's start with important pieces of tips for someone like you. It goes from my heart.”

William sharpened his ears and leaned on the chair to see Luke better.

“A lot of Darks are always around like flies. They are like endless tides. It has its lows, but it also has its heights. Young Walkers are born left and right no matter how. It is because death is always tracking us behind, giving numbers, and breeding some rules. Some believe there is a fixed number of Walkers. How large or good it might be is subjective, or straight-up terrifying. The world is way too big to count on it. There are some rumors and statistics that speak of ten thousand Walkers. I say it might be lower or bigger. Not as if it is that important because that amount is laughable against the Darks anyway. In a world that is not even fused as one right now, it isn't awful, nor great for a vast majority of them. People are... people. Walkers are the same, but our weight and responsibilities are different, while... humanity has numerous faces.”

“What do you mean?” William asked even after realizing where he was going with it. He could only hope that Luke would say it nicely.