In the dimly lit cell, a young man with short, thin brown hair sat hunched over on the cold, hard ground. His hand crossed his knees, and his head rested on his wrist. His deep snoring echoed off the damp walls, filling the small space with a dull drone. Despite the noise and the coldness around him, the young man seemed to be in a deep sleep.
The sound of keys clattering against each other, footsteps echoing down the hall, and puddles splashing against the hard stone floor outside the cell startled the young man awake. It was time for another day of work. It was unfair. It felt like he had just gotten to sleep, but it wasn't like anyone here would care what someone like him thought. With a moan and a grumble, he stood up, waiting for his turn to be let out of his 'room' like the rest of his people.
It had been two hundred years since the mutations were noticed in the Alchemic Race, and for a lucky few, their mutations were seen as positive and allowed to prosper, even gaining a name and identity. As for the others, they were like him, servants for the Alchemic Race.
"Zero and Twelve both of you will be working at the Council Office again today. The elders there seemed to like you two. Keep at it, and maybe you can get out of here like some of the others." said a guard with a clipboard as he walked down the long line, giving out jobs to the different servants.
The young man stole a quick glance at the young woman standing beside him; he noticed her brown hair cascading down the side of her face. Despite the obstruction, he could see her displeasure as she let out a huff, causing her pale pink eyes to squint momentarily. Was he lucky or not? It was hard for him to guess. During his school days, all he wanted was her attention. Nothing had to come from it; he just wanted her eyes to be on him. However, the current situation felt bizarre as his family, mainly Alim, was responsible for it. The circumstances had taken an unexpected turn, and the longing for her attention had transformed into a complex situation where he didn't even want anyone to look at him.
"Zero!" The young woman screamed
"Yes!"
"Hurry up! I want to be on time this time."
"Of course."
A group of guards escorted the pair to the Council Office of the Ambrosia Race. The pair had been coming here every day for several decades now. The young man understood why they were so interested in the woman but was confused about why they let someone like him have a job like this while the others had hard labor like mining, cooking, butchering, and so many others.
It wasn't always comfy jobs like this; no, at the beginning of this was chaos. Everything was disorganized, and a lot of his people died because of the extreme conditions that were forced on them. One day, out of nowhere, everything changed, and the system that they followed now was introduced. Not long later, he started to work for the Council Office by himself, but only after several years did the woman join.
"Oh great, Zero, Twelve, you are just on time. These documents need to be organized; also, Twelve, Grandmaster Yurth said he would like your help again today for his research."
The pair nodded, and Twelve left the room. With the sound of footsteps growing more distant, the man who had given them their instructions stood still, staring at the young man.
"Is there anything else, sir?"
"Zero, someone would also like to meet you."
"Me? Really?"
The man nodded, "Follow me..."
As the man led Zero, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. How long had he been coming here, and no one had even spared him a glance, so why now? There was something off about the situation, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Once they reached the lobby, the man saw himself out, leaving Zero feeling more confused. This wasn't common; he had escorted others before and was required to stay and watch the guest until the owner of the lobby and lab came to see the guest. As he looked around, the room was unfamiliar to him, and he couldn't understand why someone would take an interest in him. He wandered around the room, taking in every detail, hoping to find clues to help him understand the situation. From the paintings hanging on the walls to the furniture, everything seemed strange and out of place for the Council Office of one of the Grandmasters, which only added to the mystery of why he was there.
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"Accended Ter," he said, looking at the plaque in his hand, "Is this his lobby?"
"Yes, it is young Erlminin."
As the young man was absorbed in his search, he heard a grumbly, deep, raspy voice. Startled, he quickly turned to see an old man standing next to him with short white hair and a thin grey scruff on his face. The old man's clothes were wrinkled and disheveled; the young man could only think he had been in the lab for many days without a break. The old man's eyes appeared heavy and tired, possibly from long hours spent working on his research or experimenting in the lab. Despite his worn appearance, the old man's presence exuded a sense of wisdom and experience that commanded respect. The young man's stammering mouth betrayed his panic as he struggled to address the Ascended Alchemist, the highest rank possible for an Alchemic Race Seedling.
"I am so sorry. I will clean this..."
"Stop. Please take a seat."
The man, Accended Ter, walked and locked the door to the lobby. It was a simple action, but it made the young man uncomfortable.
"Sit, young Erlminin."
"YES!" he screamed and sat in one swift motion.
Accended Ter stood beside the chair across from the young man as if waiting for someone. After a moment, a figure with a pure white mask walked out of the doors leading into the lab area.
"Greeting Arbiter." Accended Ter said
"You may return to your task now." The figure said as they sat in the chair across from the young man.
"Yes..." Accended Ter said, returning to his lab.
The young man sat in silence, watching the event unfold, completely unsure of what was happening. How could this Seedling be ordering an Accended around like a servant? After all, Accended was the pinnacle of the Alchemic Race, an eight-star Seedling. Could it be possible that this figure was a nine-star Seedling from another race, or was there actually a hidden title above Accended? Perhaps there was something else at play that the young man wasn't aware of.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind, child?" The figure asked
"I am uncertain about the situation," the young man admitted hesitantly.
"That is fine. I am here to explain and ask for a favor from you."
"Me? Why? What can a servant like me possibly do for someone who can order an Accended Alchemist."
"What would you say if we could get you and all your people out of this situation that your kind has found themselves in?"
"We?"
"..."
"I'm sure this isn't free... but if I can get us out of this, then I can do whatever I need to do."
"Smart man. This is a complex matter that requires the involvement of many individuals. To get started, we simply need to connect you with someone in the higher echelons of the Alchemic Race.."
The figure placed several documents in the young man's lap. The young man's eyes grew wide, wondering where the documents had appeared.
"Please review these options and select the family from the higher echelons you want to connect with. This decision is crucial as it could change the destiny of your kind. Our only request is that if we ask for something, you agree to it. It's that simple."
"..."
"If you are going to continue with this, you will need a name. We will let you choose, so take your time."
"Pata! That is the name I want."
"Quite quick. Are you sure you do not want more time to think?"
"No."
"Well then, young Pata, we look forward to working with you."
As Pata was lost in his thoughts of the past, he suddenly felt a sharp, cool blade lightly pressing against his skin, just under his chin. The feeling immediately brought him out of his memories. He tensed up as he tried to see who or what was behind him, holding the blade, but a familiar sense kept telling him that he knew who held the blade.