“Are you sure it’s okay for me to just ditch school like this?” I ask Celeste as I pull on my shoes.
It feels extremely odd not to be putting on my school uniform on a weekday morning. Instead, I just wear a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt to keep out the early morning chill, and a pair of simple athletic shoes. I feel like I should be wearing combat fatigues and a leather jacket or something, but… well, this is comfy and much more me. Maybe I should wear a dress? I mean, I want to make a good first impression.
I frown down at my outfit, which is pretty much my standard for the weekend. Should I change it? I’m probably going to be meeting important people. I should really dress up, shouldn’t I?
Celeste bounds up to her favored spot on my right shoulder as I move to the door. I’d wondered a bit about why she likes to be on my shoulder rather than just becoming unmanifested, but I suppose I get it. While unmanifested, she pretty much can’t do anything, and I would have to pay the not insubstantial mana cost to manifest her again. It’s probably just easier to stay out pretty much all the time.
[Don’t worry about missing school. The GDF will make sure your absences are excused. In fact, they will probably ask you to miss tomorrow too. I would expect to be going into GDF Headquarters every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.] Celeste says as I continue to pick at my sweatshirt. She’d already told me not to worry about my clothes but…
[Also, stop fussing over your clothes. It’s fine. No one will care,] she chides me, lightly swatting at the back of my head with her fluffy tail.
“But… fine. I’ll stop fussing,” I sulk, pulling open the door and stepping out into the hall.
Truthfully, I do think my outfit is cute. Although, with my enhanced features, I imagine I’d have to work to find anything not cute. Really, as long as I wear anything with blue in it, my eyes go with it perfectly.
Looking around and seeing the hallway empty, I feel okay with continuing to talk with Celeste. I really need to try the whole telepathic communication thing I’m supposed to be able to do now, but… eh. I kind of like talking to her out loud. I’ll probably only talk in my head when people will think I’m insane if I don’t.
“So, the GDF knows I’m coming, right?” I ask, making my way to the elevator.
[I would assume so. Our soul gem’s absence will have alerted them that a new sentinel has been created and that they should expect you to arrive today or tomorrow. Also, I was sent to you in a new wave of recruitment. So, they should expect around twenty new sentinels to arrive at GDF Headquarters this week. Orientation will be held on Friday when the new sentinels have finished arriving. In short, they won’t be expecting you specifically, but they will be expecting new sentinels to arrive being guided by their familiars,] Celeste responds as I step into a crowded elevator.
Due to the people around me now, I don’t respond to Celeste but instead continue making my way towards GDF Headquarters with Celeste’s instructions. Not that the GDF Headquarters building is easy to miss. Easily the tallest building in the Shinara, it towers above all other buildings in a city already full of giants.
Most buildings in Shinara are at, or a little over, one hundred floors tall, with some pushing against one hundred fifty. The average is already an absurd height in any other city, but in Shinara, it’s simply the minimum to be able to join up to the skyway. Of course, there is also the odd building that is around two hundred stories tall in the city as well, mostly owned by other prominent groups in the city, like the Sanctum Collective. However, none of them hold a candle to the GDF Headquarters, standing exactly five hundred stories tall.
In history class, we had been taught how the GDF was formed. A history that spanned back before contact with the Centurions. A history that shows how the GDF rose to become the dominant military force on the planet.
Around one hundred twenty years ago, the Volcora attacks started, creatures of darkness crawling out of holes in reality before anyone knew how to shut down incursion zones. Luckily, the Volcora had still been weak then. Well, not weak, but weak enough for the military of the time to deal with them. The main problem was that no one could figure out when or how they would arrive. The points of attack seemed completely random, although almost always in or around a space populated by humans.
To deal with the threat of the Volcora, an international task force was created, governed, and funded by the United Nations. The GDF, or Global Defense Force, started researching new ways to kill the Volcora and defend against them. One realization that was quickly made is that the incursion zone apertures always formed at or below ground level. While the GDF did not yet have the tools to enter the incursion zones before they deposited their deadly payload, they could get people up off the ground, an idea that radically changed how cities were created. This allowed the military to deal with the Volcora threat while the civilians were elevated safely away from the conflict. Or at least, the civilians they cared about.
Only the poorest were left at ground level in those days, those left behind by society. There weren’t many of them, and the constant assaults by the Volcora were constantly thinning out their numbers. Today, though, the sentinels can open the apertures and deal with the Volcora before they even enter our world, and advancements from the Centurions allow them to meet the constantly rising tide, stopping all incursion zones south of the front.
All this meant that the ground level was now much safer than it's been for a long time, and the number of people living down there had swelled, as had the resentment for the people who could afford to live higher up. It was from that resentment that the Apostles of the Maw and the other gangs that surround them had been formed.
I’m lost in thought as I reach the public tram station and pay for the ride to GDF Headquarters, which has its own stop. I continue to consider the organization that I’m about to go and tie myself to as I travel. It had never been stipulated by Celeste that I have to work for the GDF. However, I’m still legally required to do so. Besides, the GDF will have the resources to help me, prop me up, and make me into a proper sentinel. Alone, I would be flying blind with nothing to go on but what Celeste knows. I have no doubt that there are a few rouge sentinels out there, but I have no desire to be one. Besides, most sentinels work in a team, and due to the supportive nature of my mists, it seems wise for me to do so as well.
GDF Headquarters looms in the distance as my tram continues forward. It’s both intimidating and encouraging at the same time. Intimidating because I don’t know how I will even fit into an organization so massive and powerful. Encouraging because, humanity did this! Made buildings that stretch higher than ever before — utilized magic to fight back against threats no one thought could exist. Not to mention that Shinara didn’t even exist fifty years ago. If anything, the GDF Headquarters in Shinara is a testament to humanity’s strength and perseverance. I hope it stays that way for a long time to come.
In far too little time, I find myself standing in the glass sky bridge of the massive building. The tower seems to stretch up forever, and its base is wider than a normal city block. I stand before the main entrance, looking up and doing my best not to be intimidated. Sentinel or no, I feel utterly insignificant. Like I’ll be swallowed up by this massive building, never to emerge again.
[Are you okay?] Celeste asks, nudging my neck with her soft nose. [We can come back tomorrow if you aren’t feeling up to it today.]
I shake my head, “I’ll only be more scared tomorrow. No, this is the right choice. Let’s do this,” I say, not caring about the weird looks people give me as I walk through the front doors.
I’m immediately greeted with a massive lobby with tile floors. The GDF logo of a multi-colored star is emblazoned in the center of the lobby, although it’s hard to make out with all the people walking all over. Each and every one of them looks like they’ve got important business to attend to. Despite all the people, the lobby still has a strong scent of a type of lemony cleaning solution, making me guess that it had been cleaned this morning.
The lobby, and the interior as a whole, have a strong utilitarian feel. That isn’t to say that there are no decorations, just that the whole place looks like the military had tried to make a corporate office and had only somewhat succeeded.
Making my way towards the reception desk, I immediately decide that I am severely underdressed. Almost everyone is wearing some kind of dress or suit. Dang it, Celeste! I knew I should have changed! Whatever, I’m here now, and I’m not going back. Besides, sentinels are near the top of the chain of command, right? It shouldn’t even be a problem.
I approach one of the ten receptionists who isn’t currently with someone while, at the same time, trying to find any shred of confidence within myself. The woman looks down at me with that fake smile that anyone working in customer service eventually develops. “Hello, and welcome to the Shinara GDF Headquarters. How can I help you?”
Nope, I can’t do this! I’m going to run away! My cheeks burn with embarrassment as I try to figure out what to say. “I-I… uh.”
With a leap, Celeste bounds off my shoulder and onto the reception desk, looking up at the receptionist. She gasps as she is suddenly able to see Celeste, although no one else seems to notice her.
[This is Serena, and she is my sentinel. She just formed her bond last night, and this is her first time here. She’s a little shy, but I promise she’s awesome!] Celeste declares.
Somehow, my cheeks seem to get even redder at Celeste’s proud declaration. Unlike me, she doesn’t seem to feel any embarrassment. Probably because she’s a super cool-looking mystical creature. It’s super unfair.
The receptionist’s eyes widen as she looks between Celeste and me before she gives a much more real smile. “Serena, was it? Come, let’s get you out of the lobby. We don’t need anyone figuring out your real identity,” she says, walking out from around the desk to gently take my arm.
Celeste hops back up to her perch, looking very pleased with herself as the receptionist guides us towards a door at the back of the lobby. I follow her gratefully. Right now, everything and everyone just feels so big. That might just be because I’m kinda tiny, but it’s more than that. I feel like a little girl wading into deep waters she is in no way prepared for. Yet, I know I must continue. My drive to heal and protect others still burns strong within me, and I know this is where I will find people to help me do it. At least, I hope so.
Making our way through the door and out of the chaos of the lobby, I breathe a sigh of relief. The space we make our way into is much calmer. Just a few offices with people typing away, only some of them even giving us a glance. Together, the receptionist and I make our way to a room towards the back that is clearly some kind of break room.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Once there, the receptionist gestures for me to sit on a couch near a little mini fridge filled with sodas. I sit, still vibrating with fear and nerves, even as the scent wafting from the coffee machine starts its magical work of calming me down. I don’t really have a logical reason as to why I’m so scared; it’s just… GDF Headquarters is a place of legends. No one really knows what technology they have or how they are organized. They are fairly tightlipped about a lot of it, leaving me feeling as if I’d just wandered into the den of a beast.
The receptionist woman gives me another of her gentle smiles and sits beside me. “Hi, Serena. My name is Ashlyn,” she says, taking out her phone and shooting off a quick text before putting it away again.
“H-Hi,” I manage weakly. “S-Sorry, I’m usually not this… flustered.”
Ashlyn shakes her head, “Nothing to worry about. It’s perfectly normal to get nervous. Although you do look rather pale, can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“I’m okay. T-Thank you,” I say softly, stroking Celeste’s soft fur to calm myself. Ugh! Why am I this nervous? I’m supposed to be a sentinel. Fighting to protect the world from impossible dangers. Not this meek girl who can’t even get through a conversation.
“That’s fine,” Ashlyn says, her tone still carefully gentle. “I just texted Prof, so he should be down to talk to you shortly. He’ll be the one walking you through everything, alright?
I nod, and Ashlyn pats my shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll sit with you while we wait.”
For a long moment, we sit in silence before I just can’t take it anymore and speak up. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what you must think of me,” I say with a weak laugh. “I’m not exactly the picture of a sentinel.”
Ashlyn shrugs, “I’ve worked here for five years and have actually brought in new sentinels a few times. Not often, mind you, since you are so rare, but three times before now. Each one of them acted differently. One acted like he was the chosen one, constantly proclaiming how great he was. Another acted like the whole thing was a misunderstanding and there was no way anyone would want her to become a sentinel. The last was just quiet, not wanting to talk to me at all before Prof came down to get her. You know what I learned from those experiences, Serena?”
I shake my head, intrigued at the insight into other new sentinels.
“I learned that they were all just people. Sentinels, both new and experienced, higher-ups in the GDF, and anyone else you think is too big or important for you. All of them are just people like you and me. It doesn’t matter how much power a person has, Serena. They are all just people. I think it’s important that you remember that. Don’t let them intimidate you too much,” Ashlyn finishes.
I sit in silence for a moment, considering her words. She’s right, I know, but I just can’t banish my feelings of fear. I tend to be on the shy side during social interactions, too willing to submit to what others want me to do. However, I know that what Ashlyn said is important for me to remember. Hopefully, it will help me keep calm.
“I don’t know about the not getting intimidated part,” I say, calmer now and offering her a smile of my own. “I’ll try to keep that in mind, though. Thank you.”
“Anytime,” Ashlyn chirps happily. “By the way, if you don’t mind sharing. What is the color aligned with your astral path? Just curious.”
I glance at Celeste, who’d hopped down to my lap; when she doesn’t protest my telling, I just go ahead. I don’t really know what it means anyway, so maybe Ashlyn will. “It’s blue.”
Ashlyn gives a small laugh, “I suppose that makes sense. I’ve never talked to a blue before, but you fit the bill perfectly with how sweet you are.”
I blink; maybe she does know what it means. “I-If you wouldn’t mind, could you maybe tell me about what my astral path is?” I ask, voice timid once more. Normally, I’d ask this to Celeste, but she’d said that learning things from other humans might help me, so… here goes nothing.
“Sure!” Ashlyn exclaims, looking excited. “So, I know more about the color association than the actual astral path part, but it is basically the general path you are destined to follow. You know how different sentinels wear different colored outfits in their assault states? That color directly correlates to their astral path and helps determine what powers they will receive. They also generally line up with the personality type of the person. You’ll learn about all of the different colors and what they mean from Prof, but blue is a kind of rare color. It’s not as rare as violet, mind you, but the rarest of the standard color set. Blues tend to be smart, shy, and very empathetic. They normally receive support powersets to heal, empower, and generally help others. Some sentinels can do well outside of a team, but blues mostly can’t. They need more combat-focused sentinels to protect them. However, they are easily the most sought-after sentinel type for teams because there aren’t enough blues for every team to have one, and everyone wants a healer.”
I see, so the color differentiates a sentinel’s general role, and I have supportive magic. I’m guessing that my actual astral path, Chiron, denotes more specifically what kind of support I will be, although I get the feeling that it has deeper meaning than even that. Yet another conversation that I’ll need to have with Celeste, I suppose; they sure are starting to stack up.
“That makes sense. Thank you,” I say, already beginning to feel much more comfortable with Ashlyn. I’m happy that I’m already making a kind of friend in the GDF, even if it is the receptionist.
After a few more minutes of general chatting and Ashlyn mostly just trying to calm me down, her phone buzzes once more, prompting her to stand from the couch. “Looks like Prof is in the lobby. I’ll pass you off to him. Don’t be a stranger, Serena!”
“I won’t,” I promise, following Ashlyn back into the bustling lobby.
As soon as we reenter the lobby, that intense feeling of being completely out of my depth returns in force. However, Ashlyn’s attempts at calming me had helped as I’m not running for the door. Seeing the man we are heading towards does not help my stress levels, though.
The man I assume to be Prof, is on the older side of middle-aged. His pale blonde hair mixed with gray gives him the appearance of being older than I suspect he really is due to the lack of significant wrinkles. Other than that, though, the first thing I notice about the man is the fact that he is massive, easily standing over a foot above my tiny frame. He gives me a strong vibe of a general on his day off, with his combat boots, camo fatigues, and a tight blue t-shirt stamped with the GDF logo.
Ashlyn guides me quickly over to the man before breaking away from me and whispering in the guy’s ear. Prof frowns for a moment, watching me, before his expression clearly softens and he gives me a kind smile.
“Hello, Serena, is it? My name is John, but most people just call me Prof because I’m in charge of sentinel training. Please come with me; let’s get you up to the sentinel areas and away from all the hustle and bustle,” he says, and despite his friendly tones, the man’s voice sounds naturally clipped and authoritative.
Not trusting my voice, I just nod to the man, fear once more churning my gut. I just wish I was in school right now. How did I think this was a good idea? I should have just listened to Celeste earlier and gone tomorrow.
Prof leads us towards a bank of elevators as Ashlyn waves us goodbye and makes her way back to the reception desk. We stand in silence for a few moments before the elevator dings, and we step inside. No one else seems to want to get into the elevator with us, leaving a few people to just wait for the next one.
After the elevator door closes us in and we begin to make our way upwards, I simply do my best not to fidget nervously. The small elevator doesn’t help with that, as small, confined spaces really aren’t really my thing. Prof seems to notice my discomfort as he speaks up again.
“So, Ashlyn tells me that you are a blue sentinel. Is that correct?” he asks.
“Yes. Although, I really just learned what that meant from Ashlyn. I… I really don’t know very much about all this. I’m sorry,” I say, feeling incredibly awkward. I need to stop freaking out and just act normal. I feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest!
“Don’t worry about that, dear. Anything you don’t know, either I will teach you or your familiar will. You’re very new to this, so learning will take time,” Prof says before his features become more serious. “Serena, I don’t like to beat around the bush, so I’m just going to tell you how things are, straight up. My job is to make sure that you and your fellow sentinels don’t die. That means I’m going to teach you all I can, I’m going to yell at you to try harder, and I’m going to make your life difficult. I will tell you right now that I don’t do these things to hurt you; I do them because the last thing I want is to see another teenage girl come home in a body bag. In that regard, I think we want the same things. Don’t you?”
I nod quickly, “Y-Yes, sir. Not dying is a goal of mine.”
Prof laughs, “As it should be. Now, before we get started on anything else, I want to make sure Ashlyn didn’t put any misconceptions into your head. What did she tell you about blue sentinels?”
I frown, “That we have supportive magic and need to rely on a team.”
Prof nods seriously, “That is very much the case, but I want to make something absolutely clear. Never put all of your cards on one of your teammates protecting you. The most important thing to learn about battle is that all obligations and plans go out the window as soon as the fighting starts. At least until you and your team get more experienced. That means that no matter how much your front-line fighters promise to protect you, you are not to trust them. You have to always have a plan to protect yourself, and if you can’t, you are to back off and do what you can from a distance. I see more blue sentinels die because they depended on someone to save them than any other reason. They follow some headstrong front-line warrior out into the chaos to save their life and get themselves killed in the process. You are not to do that. If a teammate overextends, then it is up to them to get back. Otherwise, they should not have overextended. I’m giving you this lecture now, and I’ll give it to you a hundred times more, a thousand times more, because each time I give it is another time you are alive to hear it. Understand?”
I nod seriously, “Yes sir, I understand,” I say, before timidly adding, “S-So… if someone gets themself into a lot of trouble, I’m not to try and help them?”
I’d asked the question rather timidly, but the answer does mean a lot to me. My entire reason for becoming a sentinel was that I wanted to be able to protect others, even in the worst of circumstances. Being told not to do that isn’t a command I feel like I can follow.
Prof shakes his head, “Not quite. Ultimately, that’s just part of the job. However, the hardest thing for you to learn will be to tell when someone is past saving, and trying will only get you killed, too. Imagine this, you are part of a team protecting a town under assault by volcora. One of your teammates goes in way too deep and gets themself hurt. They are surrounded by enemies, all more powerful than you can handle. You can rush to their defense, ultimately getting you both killed, or you can stay with your team and keep defending the town. Except, it’s worse than that, as you are your team’s staying power. You dying has overarching consequences that gets your entire team and everyone the town that you were trying to defend killed. I know that situation is contrived, but that’s what I mean. You have to make the choice that will ultimately save the most lives, even if that choice means leaving others behind.”
“Also,” Prof continues, “nobly sacrificing yourself, even if it does help others in the short team, is nearly always the wrong play. You’re a blue, which means you will almost definitely receive healing magic soon. If you die, how many people that you could have saved over the years of your life will die as well? Don’t throw your life away. Living to fight another day should be your motto.”
I nod, and we continue the extremely long elevator ride in silence for a few minutes as I contemplate. Ultimately, I can see Prof’s point. Triage is something that every medic has to learn, and some patients are just past saving. I can already tell that I have a lot to learn, and I'm very thankful that someone like Prof is here to guide me. He does seem like the kind of person who will work some kind of lesson into every conversation, though. Dad has some teacher friends like that.
Still, while I can’t disagree with his logic, I’m not sure I can do what he wants. If I saw a friend, someone as close to me as my father, about to die? Even if there was only the slightest chance of being able to save them, I would go for it.
After another few minutes of still ascending in the elevator, I turn to Prof in surprise. “How high up are we going?”
Prof smiles, “We’re going to floor 450, although technically 450 through 460 are all combined and serve as the Sentinel Hub. Above that, floors 460 through 470 act as living quarters for any sentinels who want to stay in GDF Headquarters rather than return home. Above that is admin housing on 470 through 480, and the rest of the way up has conference rooms and command centers for dispatch. To be honest, nothing directly involving sentinels starts until floor 450.”
“What are the other floors used for then?” I ask, noticing the elevator finally begin to slow.
Prof shrugs, “Oh, lots of things, but mostly marketing as well as barracks for our less magical forces.”
With that, the elevator finally comes to a stop and opens with a soft chime. My eyes go as wide as saucers as I look around at the area I just stepped into. A place I can only describe as a miniature city in the sky.