Chapter 2
Ken painstakingly finished writing a note explaining the precise way to water his plants, and when and how to feed his cat. Not that it was super complicated, but there was a specific ritual to it all that Ken had carefully crafted over the years. If there were one word to describe Ken, it would be efficient. Some may have added “like a serial killer,” but Ken was far from anything like that. He simply enjoyed optimization. From his cold showers in the morning to his keto diet and his 1% body fat, all worked together to give his body maximum output and efficiency. Frankly, he didn’t know any other way to live. Though it may have more to do with his upbringing as The Coin’s, Jasmine Morgan’s, only nephew. That sort of familial legacy had certain expectations that came along with it. Regardless of how he became this way, he always tried to exceed expectations.
A knock at his apartment door echoed throughout the massive Tribeca loft. Quickly predicting who had just arrived, Ken didn’t bother moving from his kitchen. He placed his note perfectly on the fridge, creating an almost art-like arrangement with the various things stuck to the refrigerator door.
Ken’s cousin, Lizzy, opened the door to let herself into the apartment. Before she could take the first step into the loft, Ken quickly said, “Shoes.” She let out a loud over-the-top groan. Unlike her cousin, who she often called bland and boring, she was the epitome of New York wealth. Head-to-toe couture, she evoked a sense of superiority. She didn’t just want you to know that “yes, I am indeed rich,” she needed you to know that she was better than you because of it. People either worshiped her and every decision she made or, more likely, hated her for just how out of touch she was. “Just hurry up. Mom said I have to escort you to the competition.”
Ken turned and walked toward Lizzy as she disappeared from the door frame. He locked the door and put on his shoes, taken from a neatly arranged shoe rack in the hallway. Ordinary people would have to worry about their shoes getting stolen by neighbors, but Ken’s loft was the penthouse and the only apartment on the top floor. He didn’t have such worries. He joined Lizzy in the elevator, swiped his key card, and pressed the “L” button.
“Sorry, I’m just a little frustrated with Flint. I tried to pull every string I could so that you didn’t have to compete in the first round culling, but I suppose even my charm has limits.” Lizzy said as the elevator gently descended the massive building. Ken had grown immune to his cousin’s subtle jabs.
“Even if you could have pulled those strings, I would not have accepted.” Ken explained, “I will earn this.”
Lizzy examined her cousin. Sometimes she wondered how they were so different. They usually got along, but there was no denying that he was just odd. A Cheshire-like grin spread across her face. “Excited to show off your magical girl transformation?” Lizzy teased.
Ken squinted at her, not with hatred but more of a playful frustration as if this was a common occurrence. “You know very well that I do not know what that means.”
“You know, from the anime..? How is it that after all this time, you still haven’t even watched anything like it?” Lizzy laughed.
“Because television is a waste of time. I do not understand how you have so much time to waste on such triviality.” Ken said.
The elevator opened to a lavish lobby straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. Though unlike the whimsy found in the films, this place radiated privilege. Ken and Lizzy walked across the beautiful marble floor. “Work hard, play hard, cousin.” If Ken were a little more socially aware, he might have noticed a slight edge to her tone.
“And that is why I am going to win this competition,” Ken said, almost to himself, as he opened the door for Lizzy. The loud hustle and bustle of New York City erupted into the lobby, and a never-ending sea of people from all walks of life hurried down the sidewalk. Most ignored each other, just trying to get by.
Venturing out of the lobby, Lizzy smiled while appreciating this sibling-like rivalry. Ken seemed to as well, but there was no way she would lose. She wanted to not just be like her mother; Lizzy needed to surpass her mother. Becoming The Seed was just the first step.
Of course, Ken had his own plans. Plans his cousin would never understand. Plans reinforced by the fact that he was getting into an Escalade to take him and Lizzy to the airstrip, to his family’s private jet, to fly to Eden, Ohio. Barely an hour later, Ken stared out the window of his aunt’s G6. What he saw was far from what he expected of the location of The Herald’s headquarters. The entirety of Eden, Ohio, seemed to be covered in cornfields. Surely, this small, rural, midwestern town was too small to host the grand event promised and produced by The Show. As far as Ken could remember, The Show never did anything small. As the plane banked to the east and slowed for an eventual descent, Ken thought of the locals and the disruption this year-long reality competition would bring. Ken must have had a puzzled look on his face because just as he was thinking about the logistical nightmare descending on this town’s limited infrastructure, Lizzy chimed in, “You know this is just a front, right?”
Ken snapped out of his daze and met Lizzy’s eyes, “A front for what?”
Lizzy cackled a playful yet mildly cruel and petty laugh before explaining, “This is just the town for the normies. The Herald’s Eden, Meta-Eden, is hidden behind an invisible barrier to obfuscate and shield the massive HQ. You’ll see in a sec”.
As Lizzy finished, the jet passed through a shimmering field, crossing an invisible border into a whole new world. Instead of the dusty, dull, drab gray tones of the small Ohio town they had just left behind, this place seemed to radiate vibrancy and life. Just across the boundary was a considerable rise, like a plateau. On top of that rise sat not one but twelve giant skyscrapers, arranged in a circle, shooting up into the sky. They reminded him of a massive hotel he knew in Singapore. The twelve towers reflected the sun, shimmering gold and silver and chrome, emblazoned with the symbols of each council seat. At the very top, a hundred stories up, a four-story disk connected the towers. Atop the disk was a huge outdoor plaza with infinity pools, cabanas, multiple parks, and small building-like structures. Piercing the disk, right down the center, was a 30-story spike that looked to Ken like the spindle holding a vinyl record.
Lizzy hadn't taken her eyes off of Ken. Seeing where he was looking, she said, “The Spire houses the convention center, visitor center, and Herald's museum. It’s open to any civilian lucky enough to be invited in and willing to sign a dozen NDAs to protect the secret of this place. The only way to access the Spire is by an invisible elevator.” She pointed to the ground in the center of the tower complex that, from afar, looked like a tractor beam pulling dozens of people at a time up to the modern marvel of a building that seemed to defy physics and maybe reality itself. “The full complex of towers spans twenty city blocks. Each member of the council runs their affairs out of their own tower. Still, the council as a whole meets and operates as one entity out of the penthouse up top.” Then, pointing down, she said, “Down there is a huge urban park and rec center for kids who are invited to try out for one of the Herald teams. I actually had my ceremony in that park when I made the Manhattan Heralds team.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
So much to see, Ken couldn't just focus on these meta-made structures. To the North of the HQ was a park with snowy peaks, waterfalls, and giant valleys, sprawling like a colorful painting to Lake Erie. The South and East seemed to be where all the people who lived and worked in Meta-Eden resided. Beautiful suburban tree-lined residential streets, as well as shopping centers, movie theaters, clubs, bars, and two giant arenas, graced these areas. The arenas themselves were astonishing. Both were open air and one sat above, looking down into the other, potentially allowing spectators to watch two events at once.
Ken couldn't help muttering softly, “I guess the grass is greener on the other side,” which seemed to be a reality here instead of simply an idiom to explain the idea of relative happiness. And the “other side” was seemingly better in every way. Lizzy smiled and pointed at a line of cars just across the border at the base of the giant rise that signaled the transition from Ken’s past life. “Our jet was cleared to pass through. Most competitors will have to wait in that line to get onto that flying barge that will ferry them through the barrier and over the peak of the cliff. Perks, I suppose.” She winked at Ken. Speechless, he just turned back to look out his own window. He didn't want to miss a thing.
The jet banked hard, heading to the North, where he saw a series of helicopter-style landing pads, each marked with a symbol corresponding to one council member. The wings on their jet folded up, turning the plane into something like a drone. They landed moments later on the landing area marked with the symbol of The Coin: basically, just a hand tossing two coins in the air.
Ken disembarked, and Lizzy began to lead him to the center of the headquarters. There were tens of thousands of people moving about, queuing in different areas, as if he were at Fairytale World on the Fourth of July. He lost sight of Lizzy behind him, then heard her voice over his shoulder say, “They will handle our bags and things.” She was treating him as if he had never flown private before. “We need to get you to the registration area in the convention center in the Spire. Plus, I need to meet up with some of my friends. I heard The Show wants to see me before he announces me as one of the twelve competing All-Stars,” she bragged.
Seeing all the line markers, signs, and billboards that read “Top Seed,” Ken realized a few things: One, this event was bigger than he could have even imagined. Two, the Council of Heralds must have landed on the name “Top Seed” for this whole TV show/competition. And three, just how popular his cousin Lizzy was in this meta-celebrity world. She was Horizon, the up-and-coming hero, popular with teenage girls and boys alike. At least, that was what her extensive PR team was working hard to portray. And judging by the reactions he was seeing around them, it was working. A wave of anxiety rushed through Ken’s body, screaming at him to separate from his cousin immediately. He did not want to use his family’s connections to get into the hero world, which was why this opportunity was so perfect for him. He stayed by Lizzy’s side nonetheless, as she led him past the ever-winding and zig-zagging line of people waiting to get onto the invisible elevator up to the Spire. His long-term aspirations were one thing, but at that precise moment, if it meant he didn't have to stand in that long ass line, Ken would practically join his cousin’s fan club and become a Skychild himself!
Lost in thought, Ken walked sideways onto the elevator and bumped into someone who barely came up to his shoulder. He started to apologize to the beautiful, buff, young black woman when she interrupted him to ask a question.
“So… Who’s your sister?” she asked. Ken noticed she was standing with a young man who was likely her brother, or some relative, at the very least. It took a second, but he suddenly recognized them as Summerset’s kids. June and Jay. No, that wasn't right….Jax. June and Jax. He paused even longer as he decided not to out them as legacy heroes right then and there. But he must have been staring for a few beats too long as June waived her hand in front of his face. “Ummm…..Hello?” Ken blinked a few times as her words pulled him back into the moment, “Is she a Herald or something?”
“Oh, that is my cousin. Maybe you have heard of Horizon? She has become quite popular,” Ken stated, trying his best to sound as neutral as possible, which must have worked because it didn't seem like June picked up on the subtle mix of jealousy and ambition that still leaked into his tone.
“I thought we only had to face other noobs,” Jax groaned as he scanned everyone in line.
Trying to pinpoint what Jax was looking at, Ken realized that Lizzy disappeared into the crowd, forgetting that she had previously motioned to him to follow her. She probably was being polite and didn't want to interrupt his conversation with the twins.
Ken decided it was worthwhile to try to make some friends in case he needed allies later in the competition. It would be a long shot if they all made it through, but they were stuck on an elevator together, so what the hell. He faced Jax directly but made sure he was clearly speaking to both of the Bradley twins and leaned in close so no one else around could hear him. “From what I understand, there are two parallel streams to qualify for this competition. For non-Heralds like us, we must survive this weekend’s culling. This will include anyone not currently on any of the Herald teams. I heard close to one hundred thousand metas are expected to be winnowed down to twelve over the next three days. Then those twelve metas will join twelve All-Stars selected by The Show. They will be chosen from all the current Herald team rosters.” Ken leaned in even closer and whispered, “My cousin is one of those All-Stars, so it is going to be a very tough road to become the one and only winner at the end of the year.”
“Only one can be The Seed.” June echoed her new mantra under her breath as the group of three ascended the invisible elevator. Ken realized that, although it looked like a tractor beam, it felt more unsettling than he had imagined. The floor existed. Even if he couldn't see it, he could feel it. It was like eating one of those fancy cakes that looked like corn but tasted like chocolate. A total mind fuck. Originally, he thought the elevator would act like one of those Alien beams in Sun Wars or Galaxy Trek. But he imagined alien technology would be much different, pulling like a rope rather than pushing from below like a spring.
“Should make for some must-see TV,” Jax said as he gazed out at the gorgeous futuristic surroundings as they rose through the center of the circle of towers.
“Yes, I believe that would be The Show’s plan. Well, that and to ensure that the public forges a close bond with whoever ends up winning the seat. This sort of spectacle is sure to make the entire country feel invested in the eventual winner.” Ken said as the elevator slowed to a stop. He had a sudden pang of embarrassment wash over him. “I am so sorry, I failed to introduce myself earlier. My name is Ken.”
“June. Jax.” June and Jax said in unison, as though they’d rehearsed it their entire lives, though that might have been a symptom of having a well-established and respected hero as a parent. “Or rather, a once well-respected hero,” Ken thought as the elevator came to a stop, spinning to reveal a chaotic convention hall filled to the brim with metas ready to take up the challenge of a lifetime.