"Arth…"

"Arthur"

"ARTHUR"

With a sudden jolt, I came to my senses. I was back on the bed with a needle stuck.

Following the tube, I found a blue sac labeled Restorative Agent.

"You're finally awake"

When I looked to my side I saw Ms. Cassie smiling at me. Behind her three men were adorning black suits. Though they all seemed from different descents each held a badge with an odd acronym.

VEA

"Are you ok Ms. Cassie?"

"Yes. don't worry those burns were quite light for what I've experienced before."

placing her hand on my shoulder she pulled her chair closer to the bed.

"Well, Arthur as you know you are an awakened."

"An awakened?"

"Yes, but being awakened you have a special set of abilities humanity needs to defend against the Voidborn, creatures that appeared since the modern Greek."

As she explained, one of the suited men intervened.

"But before you make any decision Mr. Romanov each awakened is placed in a rigorous evaluation to measure their talent."

Ms. Cassie then sighed in discontent. She seemed to harbor some ill will towards this evaluation.

"Don't stress it, if you don't want to join a squad in the VEA. You could always pursue a normal life with foster parents in the Urban Sectors"

"Ms. Cassie, did you say there was a chance that I was manipulated into awakening?"

I looked at her with a serious gaze.

"Yes, but Arthur we can't identify the source. The readings were too sparse. It's as if it knew how to access your mind with ease."

"But there's still a chance, right? Is it possible to get strong enough to defeat whatever came to kill… mom."

"Then your best bet is the academies, their resources are government-funded. Though your chances of joining one now are slim. Most academies have entrance exams situated for students that awoke at ages of nine through eleven."

"So it's close impossi-."

"that's not always the case Arthur… there have been some late entrances by students that exhibited talent beyond their age."

Pointing her finger at my chest she started to grin wildly.

"So you have to get to work"

"And that's where the VEA is willing to step in. General Thadeus, responsible for sector 102 of Phalanxus decided to give you the chance of joining a void hunter squad."

"And what if I refuse all of this?"

The suited man frowned a little.

"Well, you waste your talent, and live a normal civilian life in the urban sectors, being a hunter is an option, not a consequence…"

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

I looked at my first, clenching it as hard as my small fingers could stand.

Do I really deserve to avenge Mother…

Whoever they were, Whatever they wanted.

I swear on my current life, to never rest until I have hunted every kin you housed, every being you love, and avenged every soul you've brought down.

Fixing my eyes on to the suited man. I gave him my answer.

"If I can avenge what I love then there's no options I need."

I grind wildly right back at Ms. Cassie.

"I'm in."

***

As I was brought to the VEA's main facility through a jet black car I was met with the outside world for the first time. The mainland or Umbria was beautiful. Surrounding its perimeter there seemed to be large metal walls, vastly larger than

'I wonder what voidborn could destroy that?'

Scanning the area again I layed my eyes upon a large building right in the middle of the city. It was as if a sword from space pierced the earth.

Watching me stare at it with interest the suited man nudged me back onto my chair.

"That's what we call a stronghold. It's what holds these Urban cities in Umbria and every other sector safe. That's also where we'll be conducting your evaluation."

Finally arriving at the stronghold, We walked to the large steel door. My bones shook as it started to open with a metallic reverberation in the area. The inside was the same, with metal lining every corner of the facility.

Clenching my fists, my heart rate started to spike. I wasn't nervous about the evaluation, but nervous about how strong I might be.

"Follow us."

As we made our way to the testing site I was met with a large variety of faces. People wielding weapons I had never seen before. Some had yellow fists as if lighting had ate away at their very skin and others had white streaks lining their bodies.

'Those are the emblems Ms.Cassie was talking to me about.'

As we finally arrived, I stepped into a large room with bulges coming out of the walls, and black burn marks running through the sides.

"Please make your way to the far side of the room for the strength evaluation."

Looking around I found a large glass pane situated above me. Looking at it I tried to see what was behind it but to no avail. Then a robotic voice started to talk whilst a large hologram displayed a bunch of words.

[ Initiating Freedman Level Evaluation ]

[ Cadet Name: Arthur Romanov ]

[ Emblem origin: Unknown ]

[ Estimated Power level: Unknown ]

[ Estimated Control level: Unknown ]

[ Power characteristics: Combustion ]

These must be the parameters I'll be covering in the test. But how come they don't know the origins of my Emblem?

I scratched my head in thought when I was finally met with the first challenge. A black aura appeared on the opposite side of the room. Thin arms crawled out of the shadow with a putrid sound following it. The creature seemed to have short claws and a long nose. Its black skin accentuated its marble-white eyes. Its figure was deformed but still human at the same time. Its smell attacked my nostrils with raw death.

Holding my hand over my mouth, I leaned forward almost letting my lunch leave my stomach. This creature was like nothing I've ever seen before.

[ Voidborn: Sheltered ]

[ Difficulty: Easy - Easy ]

Locking eyes on me the sheltered creature started to twitch wildly. Its mouth opened to reveal a large set of fangs. Its arms dangled behind itself as it made its way towards me.

Oh, I forgot to mention, they decided to let me pick a weapon before coming to this room. Clenching my fists I looked at the two gauntlets surrounding my arms. They were heavy, but still manageable.

I glanced back at the creature while trying my best to get into a safe stance.

Finally reaching me, the sheltered swang its arms towards my face.

'Fast'

Blocking the swing I moved back quickly to try to make a counterattack on its left.

'Take this!'

Punching its abdomen, the creature twitched a little whilst still looking at me. It was uninjured, Not just that, it bore its teeth again as if to mock me.

With a full of swings, the creature started to pumle me down. Its strength numbed my hands even with these gauntlets on.

BAM

I was struck back with one of its punches, skidding down the room. I coughed wildly on my hands to see blood.

'Too weak'

How will I ever avenge her like this?

'I don't deserve…'

No.

I glanced up again at the monster as it walked slowly towards me.

My eyes watering from the pain. I tried something. Something that could make me let me see this thing die.

I closed my eyes and tried to feel it in my body.

There it was, right where my emblem was. I stifled feeling, as if a power was imbued into my skin.

I closed my eyes, trying to channel this power into my arms.

Step

My body started to tingle with sensation as sweat started to pour from my head.

Step

I saw my hands turn red while my chest started to glow

Step

I lifted my body, making my way to the monster again.

Step

Finally, it arrived right in front of me, ready to finish me off.

As it bit down on me I let my hands be taken first. Its teeth dug through the gauntlet as if it wasn't steel.

I grinned from ear to ear.

"Do you know what it means to die?"

It bit down hard trying to take my hands.

"Well, you will now mother fucker"

KABOOM