The fall was harder than Darius expected. With a bit of pain throbbing in his legs, he got up from the squat.

‘It would be pretty embarrassing to miss my first day, well more like night, in work because I recklessly injure myself doing stupid stuff,’ thought Darius as he went to the door.

With a light jog he went down the stairs, reining himself not to take more than two steps at one time. He arrived at the first floor before doors numbered with 8. With practiced movement he took the key from his pocket and opened the door with it.

“I am back,” half-shouted Darius.

“Did you see it?” asked his younger brother Kik after he rushed to Darius from kitchen.

“Yeah, it looks the same as before but still really fascinating.’

“See, mom? You could have let me watch too, it wasn’t dangerous!” said Kik, looking a bit angry, but Darius found it cute. It was really hard to take his little ten years old brother seriously. The two of them went to kitchen where mother was sitting.

She looked up when they entered and smiled slightly at Darius, relieved he was unhurt. She then grabbed her youngest child and embraced him in hug.

“It’s better to be cautious Kik. Your brother knows how to take care of himself, but you are still too young,” she said to the victim who was unsuccessfully trying to get away from her hug.

“Welcome back Daru, “ came a little late reply as father entered the room. Behind him came the third and the oldest sibling, Emilia, Darius’s sister two years older than him.

Kik finally managed to get away from his attacker and like a little ball came rushing to Emilia.

“Emi, Emi, tell mother that I can take care of myself too! And I am not scared of the Program and big shiny net!” said Kik to his one and only supporter, making big eyes.

Emila grinned at him and ruffled his dark short hair, same color as mothers. Emilia and Darius had brown, after father.

“Of course you are not scared. How could some shiny lights scare a hero who defeated the evil tests of professor Kalego? “

A smile tugged at father’s face with the mention of his colleague’s tests. Father worked as a teacher in the same school Kik was attending and kept an eye on his sometimes naive and too innocent son.

The family sat around the table. Mother managed to get a ball of wool with needles and started to knit. There was a silence for a while as everyone was thinking about their things.

“I will leave in half an hour. We should be very busy in hospital tonight, they will need every hand they can get, it might be like this for a few days,” Emilia broke the silence, mentioning her work.

“When are you coming back?” asked father.

“I don’t know, but it won’t be before 4 am. “

“Did you manage to get some sleep in the afternoon?” wondered mother.

“Yes, a couple of hours. Don’t worry, I will be alright.”

The parents gave a nod.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I will pack my things and go too,” said Darius, not wanting to start talking after another heavy silence.

“I thought you still have some time left? The Program said it will start in 6 hours.”

“Yes mom, but I need to be there an hour or two before it starts. And it will be a long way till I get there, the streets will be packed with people. Everyone will try to get in there. “

“I just thought you may be there a bit too soon.”

“I know, mum. But it is like I am in army now, although my unit is probably closer to some assistants. I need to arrive with some reserve.”

The mother just sighed in defeat. Father stood up and put his hands on her tired arms from behind her.

“Don’t worry, the two of them are old enough and need to take care of their things. And I will be staying home with Kik for a few days until the schools are open again.”

She nodded again and put her hand on his.

“I know darling, I know.”

Darius carefully packed his things in backpack. Most of the things he needed like civilian clothes were already in his units temporary camp. After he finished packing he turned to look one more time into the mirror. Looking back was a young 18 years old man, still feeling like a boy, wearing green uniform. Honestly, he did not like that even his trousers were green, but at last it was going well with his eyes. The outfit marked with code PA36 B72. PA stood for ProgramAssistant unit, 36 was the code of area while B72 stood for his company and registration number, each company consisted of 100 people. So, he belonged to ProgramAssistent unit of area 36 of B company. It was long but thanks to this each area could have up to 2600 assistants. Each of the most populated cities were area of their own, with the biggest ones taking two or three.

No one really knew what was the full scope of their workload. In general, they were responsible to assist the army with securing places and interacting with civilians. And help with resolving any problems which might arise from the changes of Program. Like the change that was supposed to come in less than six hours.

In six hours, the Program will finally start working and activating everything it prepared until now. The first change was the opportunity of magic. The Program informed in advance that there would be special places where you will be connected with magic energy for the first time, sort of a baptism.

Then you were supposed to make your choice, if you wanted to first concentrate your magic energy on your body, new companion or control of specific elemental energy. Program claimed to explain these three things after everyone made their choice. In Darius’s opinion that was kind of a dick move. Not that he could do anything about it.

For those that didn’t visit the special places in a 7 days time, the Program will visit them, will give them the baptism of magic and through some calculation, will make a choice for that individual which of the three ways of focusing magic energy is his most desirable one and will give it to him.

There was one such special place in Darius’s city at at city center, marked with floating bulb of light. And Darius’s first task was to get there and assist with the cooperation of the people during baptism.

There were two noteworthy details to this task. First, the “organizator” used the baptism before civilians, so on one side they were guinea pigs in case something went wrong and on the other they were given the chance to be the first to gain something from the Program. Darius had already chosen on which one of the three ways he wanted to focus first.

The second noteworthy thing. There were more than 100 000 people living in the city. With one place to obtain the super duper magical thing which may or may not be sealed off by government. In this topic, there were uncountable hoaxes.

Darius’s let out a small sight.

Then, he grabbed a small grey flower from his table, but didn’t put it on. It was a sort of a medal for those enlisting willingly into PA right after it’s creation.

With backpack in one hand and the flower in the other, he went out of his room. He gently put them down and put on his high brown military boots.

Then, he called out.

“Mom?”

She exited from the kitchen are stood before her adult son.

“Would you pin it?” asked Darsius, handing the flower to her.

She took it and with great care pinned it on his uniform. He felt that the moment of pinning lasted for a very long time.

While she pinned the flower, the rest of the family came.

Firstly, Darius hugged his mother.

“Don’t worry about me, I will be fine.”

“Of course you will.”

Then came father’s turn.

Although their shoulders were at the same height, Darius still felt like a small boy before him.

“I will make you proud dad.”

“I already am.”

After that came little rascal’s turn. Darius lifted him into the air and hugged him while the little victim pretended to be dying.

Last came Emila.

While in hug, Darius slowly whispered to her ear.

“Keep an eye on them while I am gone, okey? “

“I will.”

Darius picked up his backpack and turned in the doors one last time.

“Goodbye.”