[ Please stay seated until we take care of the threat ]
I watched the commotion outside. The creature was large, too large. Its wings expanded to the size of the ship and its beak-like mouth had scratches running until its eyes. It’s hind was of another creature. One with legs and a deformed face on its back. It looked like a horse. Or a lion I couldn’t tell from the small window.
“That must be a revenant class. Don’t worry, if this ship wasn’t equipped with the tech it had we would’ve been six feet under a long time ago.
I looked to my right to face the man sat next to me. He had round glasses with a full beard. He seemed of normal stature and… no emblems? Maybe its hidden like mine.
“Even then some on this ship can take that creature alone.”
‘To think I struggled against two sheltered
“Revanent classes are almost always just a larger form of Minion class voidborn. They’re capable controlling of up to 20 others, almost making an attack squad of sorts”
“Revenant class huh… What other classes are there? I've only ever heard of sheltered and revenant”
He looked at me confused.
“Well, there are 6. The sheltered, minions, revenants, Titans, Monarchs, and finally the 7 void-slaves.”
‘ The one that killed Mom was said to be revenant class, but could that really be true if even General Thadeus couldn’t find it? ‘
“So what brought a child like you into the attack sector? Only academy graduates get to experience the outer sectors and you don’t really give the aura of.. You know… a strong person.”
I looked at him dumbfounded. I mean he was right but that felt a little uncalled for.
“To fight, to train, and to kill the Voidborn”
Suddenly his face went from a smile to a grim expression.
“Do you know how many die fighting the Voidborn”
He leaned in closer to my face.
“10% die on their first mission, 30% by the fifth, and 60% by the tenth.”
Cold sweat started to form on my back.
“Not everyone can do this line of work. So do you really think you’re ready?”
I placed my hand on my emblem, instinctively channeling my energy. The man in front of me wasn’t someone to be played with. He emanated a deep aura as if something weighted down on my very soul.
“It’s not a choice for me… I have to be”
Leaning back onto his chair the man muttered something under his breath.
‘Just what were you thinking Thade… ‘
***
[ Please find your weapons in the compartment and make your way back to your seats as we prepare for landing ]
Jarvis sounded through the hull, waking me from my sleep.
As we walked out of the plane I was greeted with a sign with my name on it while the rest of the passengers walked to a large building to the side of the plane. The facility was primarily grey with a blue accent. It had the same shape as the stronghold in Umbria just smaller.
The surrounding was a pure forest with no civilization in sight, just paths vehicles could access. In the middle, there was a large pertrugin that started to build to shake.
Streaks of blue energy entered its sides as the area started to shutter.
VOOOM
It was even stronger than General Thadeaus’ beam.
Just what in the world did they need to use to make a cannon like that.
And more than that. What did they need to kill?
I walked toward the man with the sign. He had blond hair with no facial hair with formal clothing accentuating his fit body.
“Hi”
“Hey…”
“What do you call a cat without a face?”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
I looked at him confused.
“A purr-anormal cat.”
He smiled in glee whilst I tried to wrap my head around what he just said. He placed his arm forward with a smile on his face.
“Ed-Ordene Aurelie at your service. Or maybe not since you won’t be doing any missions… or soon at least. Born in Iogia but raised in Umbria like you”
Shaking my confusion away I took his hand.
“Arthur Romanov. Pleased to meet you Mr. Ordene.”
He placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Loosen up cadet, this is still a lot that you need to know before your first mission. So follow me so we can get to HQ.”
We entered a small car making our way to HQ.
“Can I ask you some questions Ms. Ordene?”
“Shoot.”
“What was that large cannon?”
“That's a Giga beam, super expensive to use and super helpful when you need to retreat. The VEA always likes to make things look nicer than they actually are, you know cause social acceptance and all-cause funding is getting limited.”
“What am I going to do in HQ? You said I won’t be going on any missions.”
“Train, learn, and prepare for the academies entrance exam for next year.”
BUMP
The vehicle shook again under the road.
“How long till we arrive”
“T minus 10 minutes sir”
He looked at me with a smile.
“You are insane”
“Quite mean for someone younger than me”
I sighed in with amusement.
“Are you finished? want you to hear something”
“Sure, we can continue this later right?”
“Ya….”
He pressed a button on the dashboard starting a song.
‘Never going to give you up?’
As we listened I looked at Mr. Ordene.
“You like it?”
“No”
As he started to dance in the car he placed a hand on my shoulder shaking me to the beat.
“Sing with me Arthur!”
“ I don’t even know the lyrics”
“We’re well-acquainted with love”
He looked at me trying to mouth the next words
“Familiar with the rules, you and I”
“Wholehearted commitment is my intention”
“Something no other man could supply”
‘This is going to be a long ride’
***
Step
Step
Step
‘Finally’
I walked inside HQ with black circles under my eyes and disheveled hair.
‘Who would’ve thought it would take 8 hours to get here’
“There she is, a beauty ain't she.”
The HQ did look nice. It was much smaller than a stronghold but its stone arches complimented the white accents it had. It had sturdy walls with vehicles identical to ours parked outside.
“Let's get you inside”
Mr. Ordene placed his hand on a display next to the gate to open it.
Making our way inside we were met with a tall woman with dark brown hair wearing black suited armor. She was holding a sword larger than my whole body and emanated a cold aura. She was nice to look at.. Just like Ms. Cassie.
“Oh My God. Are you Arthur?”
She squished my cheeks with her cold fingers.
“I’m sorry to ask this but who are you?”
She opened her eyes in surprise and stepped back.
“Oh, where are my manners? I’m Sarah Sentinel at your service”
She smiled at me while bowing a little.
“Thadeus told me you were coming today but you guys are early. You were meant to come in 4 hours.”
She looked at Mr. Ordene with a squint in her eyes, walking towards him.
“S- Sarah it was Arthur here. He kept asking questions and I kept answering he just never shut up!”
Walking back slowly, Ed-Ordene made a run towards the door as if running from his death.
With a cold grace, Ms. Sarah lifted her and brought her palm up to make an upwards motion.
“AAAHHHH”
Mr. Ordene was frozen from the waist down.
“Come on Sarah we just got the place cleaned up don’t do this. At least let the kid get to his room…”
She smiled with her lips before replying.
“No”
Covering my eyes with one arm all I could make out was some screams and ice breaking.
Lifting her arm off my face I saw Mr. Ordene on the floor with ice surrounding his body parts.
“Looks like I’m in charge of showing you around now Arthur.”
I forced a smile trying to show appreciation.
“Alright follow me”
She walked with her hands behind her back. As I stared at her large figure I caught the suit emanating from the base of her neck over her back.
‘That must be her emblem’
“The corridor on your right here is where the rooms all five of us live in, six with you now. That large door to your left is the training room where we practice techniques and battle against captured Voidborns. We do have a small tourney between us every other month but we just had one last week so you won’t see how strong I am.”
“Any place I can access information, Ms. Sarah?”
“Call me Sarah. And yes, if you go to our library you'll be able to find books copied by authors from thousands of years ago. Online sources also work well but misinformation is everywhere these days so I’d stick to the originals.”
“Ms. Cassie told me about the internet back at Umbria, any way I can access it? I wasn’t given a device by the VEA.”
“You’ll find a phone in your room. Its procedure to receive one once you’re on base to avoid leaking where HQs are located”
“Great then I’ll head to bed it’s getting late”
Just as I was turning my back to Sarah I felt a cold finger on my chest.
“Now just wait one second… We haven’t seen your strength yet”
“We?”