Blake and Harry followed Chelsea Otto into Atlas Tower, their footsteps echoing against the marble flooring. The towering structure of the building loomed above them, and the air was thick with tension.
“So, what do you think they want from us?” Blake asked, breaking the silence.
“I don’t know,” Harry replied, his voice low. “But I get the feeling that this isn’t going to be good.”
Chelsea stopped in front of the elevators and turned to face the two of them. “Gentlemen,” she said, her voice low and calm. “I hope you’re ready for what’s about to happen.”
Blake and Harry shared a look of concern. They both had a feeling that they were about to be thrown into the deep end.
“What do you mean?” Blake asked, trying to keep his voice level.
“I mean,” Chelsea said, her eyes flashing with a dangerous light. “That you two are about to experience the presence of one of the most powerful humans on planet Earth. You would do well to remember your place and answer his questions as honestly as possible.”
Blake and Harry stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed behind them. The elevator started to Ascend, and as it did, the sense of unease in the air only grew stronger.
The walls of the elevator were made of glass, providing a stunning view of the city below. Blake could see the sprawling metropolis of New Meridia stretching out in all directions, with growing skyscrapers and bustling streets.
He spotted the construction site he’d worked on last week, and the people walked around like tiny little ants building their nests. But despite the beauty of the view, Blake was filled with a growing sense of unease.
He glanced over at Chelsea, who was standing calmly, her hands clasped in front of her. Like much of the city and the system, she was a total enigma.
Blake thought about using his Meteor Colossus to escape the tower and make a run for it, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He was in too deep now, and he had come too far to back out.
He needed to find out what was going on, and what role Chelsea Otto and Clay Atlas had to play in it all.
As the elevator climbed higher and higher, Blake’s nerves began to get the best of him. He felt like he was walking into a trap, and he didn’t know what was waiting for him on the other side.
He glanced over at Harry, who was standing calmly and seemingly unphased by the situation. Blake wished he could be as calm as his friend, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go very wrong.
Finally, the elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened onto a luxurious penthouse suite. Blake and Harry stepped out, ready for whatever was to come.
Clay Atlas’s home was a lavish space located at the very top of Atlas Tower. The suite had walls made of floor-to-ceiling glass that offered breathtaking views of the city below. The interior was designed with luxury and opulence in mind, featuring plush velvet furnishings, gold-plated accents, and marble flooring.
The main living area just beyond the entrance was spacious and open, with a grand fireplace as the centerpiece. A large, plush sectional couch surrounded the fireplace, creating a cozy seating area for entertaining guests.
Throughout the suite, various works of art were on display, including paintings and sculptures, showcasing Clay Atlas’s taste and wealth. The overall atmosphere was one of sophistication and elegance, with a touch of menace lurking just beneath the surface.
As Blake and Harry followed Chelsea Otto into the penthouse, Blake saw a striking figure awaiting their arrival, standing in the center of the living room. Clay Atlas, a tall and imposing man in his late forties, exuded an aura of authority and charisma.
His chiseled features truly gave him the look of an anthropomorphized mountain, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to evaluate every person in the room with a single glance. He wore a tailored, dark gray suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and muscular build, and a silk pocket square added a touch of elegance to his ensemble.
As they approached, Clay smiled, and the look sent a feeling of unease through Blake. Clay’s smile reminded him of an apex predator who knew that no one could threaten their place in the food chain.
“Blake Thornwood, Harry Grenfell, this is our City Lord, Clay Atlas,” Chelsea announced as she inclined her head in deference.
To Blake’s surprise, Clay extended his hand toward him. Blake reached out and took his hand as a reflex and was surprised that the City Lord’s grip was firm, but not crushing. It conveyed an unspoken message of confidence and control, but without undue aggression.
Clay then shook Harry’s hand in turn. His voice, deep and resonant, welcomed them into his domain.
“Blake, Harry, welcome to my penthouse. I’m glad you could make it on such short notice. Please, make yourselves comfortable.” Clay gestured toward a luxurious seating area, adorned with plush velvet sofas and a glass coffee table with an intricate gold base.
As they sat down, still taking in the magnificent surroundings, Clay poured them each a glass of whiskey from a crystal decanter, the rich aroma filling the air. Clay then settled into a high-backed leather armchair, his posture relaxed but attentive, giving them his full attention.
“Now, let’s get down to business,” Clay began, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I know almost everything that happens in my city, but something occurred yesterday that I did not foresee. Two Challengers, relatively new arrivals, have suddenly become eligible for a Rank 3 exam without even sitting the Rank 2 exam. How is this possible?”
Harry and Blake shared a look, and Blake figured he should take the lead. “You want me to tell him what happened?”
Harry nodded. “You’re better with your words, man.”
Blake nodded. “We defeated an overpowered boss monster, and the system decided that we were strong enough to sit the Rank 3 exams. As I’m sure you’re aware, neither Harry nor myself have actually booked in to take them yet, because we’re not sure if we want to.”
Clay furrowed his brow. “Why would you not want to take the exams? You’ll expand your deck size and gain access to far more anima than you can currently access.”
“It should make sense once I explain,” Blake said, and he reached into his pocket.
Clay Atlas’s expression began as a mixture of curiosity and calculation. However, when Blake suddenly reached into his pocket, Clay’s demeanor shifted in an instant. His eyes widened, and a hint of fear flickered across his face.
Clay reacted quickly, producing a card from his sleeve. With a swift and practiced motion, he played the card, summoning a suit of armor that materialized before them. The armor was a gleaming masterpiece, standing over seven feet tall, with intricate engravings and precious stones adorning the metal plates. The visor of the helmet revealed a cold, lifeless void, an indication that it was enchanted and not worn by a human occupant.
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The massive suit of armor came complete with an enormous sword and a shield that appeared to be indestructible. The sword shimmered with an otherworldly glow, its razor-sharp edge reflecting the penthouse’s opulent lighting. The shield bore the emblem of a fierce, snarling beast, its eyes seeming to follow each person in the room.
As the armor took its place beside Clay, a palpable tension filled the room. It was evident that Clay had just played a powerful card, one that demonstrated his readiness to defend himself and assert his dominance. His fear quickly subsided, replaced by an air of confidence and control.
With a stern gaze, Clay addressed Blake, his voice steady and commanding. “Care to explain the reason for reaching into your pocket, Blake?”
Blake, realizing the misunderstanding, slowly pulled his hand out of his pocket to reveal a few sets of keys that he’d taken from the quarry. A tense moment passed before Clay relaxed and made a hand motion for his suit of armor to stand by.
“I’m sure you’ve seen that Harry and I went out to the quarry to clear out some monsters,” Blake said, keeping his tone even and measured. Clay Atlas was clearly ready to defend himself at a moment’s notice. “We found a number of pieces of heavy construction machinery, some diesel supplies, and lots of resources left behind during the collapse. My Foreman said you wanted all these things, and I was going to offer these to him, but now I can offer them to you.”
Blake placed the keys down onto the glass table in the center of the sitting area, then pushed them toward Clay. The City Lord nodded from Chelsea to the keys, and she took them into her possession.
“What kind of machinery did you see?” Clay asked.
“Excavators, front-end loaders, bulldozers, and a crane. There could be more resources hidden there, but that’s all I can recall for now,” Blake said.
“That doesn’t explain why the system has made you eligible for the Rank 3 exams though, or how you managed to kill one hundred enemies in less than an hour, or how you defeated an overpowered boss monster. That level of power should be reserved for someone who is already Rank 3,” Clay said.
“We found explosives,” Blake said, and that made Clay’s eyes go wide. “Harry has some experience rigging charges, so we used those to destroy lots of monsters, and the big one.”
“How did you learn that skill?” Clay asked and directed the question at Harry.
“I worked with a gold prospector in the Yukon for a while. He taught me the basics, and it just kind of stuck with me, you know?”
Clay nodded in appreciation. “So you used explosives to kill these monsters. And the system confused your power with the power of the explosives you used?”
“Once we’d killed a hundred stone golem type monsters something happened with the ambient anima in the world around us. It all started coalescing the broken stone golem bodies into one massive stone colossus. We were almost out of empowered time at that point, so Harry rigged two massive charges and we used that to destroy the boss monster,” Blake explained.
Harry made the noises of two explosions, and then made hand gestures to go along with it. “And that was the end of that,” Harry said.
Clay nodded. “Interesting. Very interesting. Now, I have a proposition for the both of you. You both seem like the kind of men who are able to take on difficult tasks and see them done. I’ve accessed your work history reports from your current work orders, and you both appear to be completing these diligently, without the need for close supervision. I wish to cultivate my strongest and most driven citizens, and you two have begun to make quite an impression.”
Blake and Harry shared a look of relief.
“What did you have in mind?” Blake asked.
“I will leave it up to you both. You tell me what you want out of being a citizen of New Meridia, and if it is within my power to grant, I will set tasks for you that match that desire,” Clay said.
Harry spoke first, almost like he was waiting for the chance to ask for what he wanted. “I don’t want any more work orders. At least not like the kind I’ve been given. Four hours a day in food prep just makes me want to leave the city entirely, renounce my citizenship, and go live in the wilds.”
“Is the work truly that awful?” Clay asked. “Food preparation is a vital service for the people of New Meridia.”
“It’s not the work that’s awful, it’s just that it’s not right for me. I’m a wanderer, Mr. Atlas, sir, and being tied down in one place for this long just makes me want to run away,” Harry said.
“Would you prefer a job that takes you outside the city walls?”
“Oh yeah. Hell yeah!”
“We have vacancies in both our scout teams and our monster hunting teams for Rank 3 Challengers. You would need to rank up to be eligible for inclusion in those patrol teams, but we can easily arrange for that to happen once you’ve ranked up,” Clay said.
“Shall I pencil you in for your Rank 3 exam later on today?” Chelsea asked.
“Sure! Let’s do it!” Harry looked ecstatic at the opportunity to get out of the city and explore the rest of this new world beyond the borders of the city.
“Then it’s settled. Now, Blake, what is it that you want?”
“I want to find my parents, and I think you have them locked up in your dungeon,” Blake said in a careful and measured tone.
Clay didn’t react immediately. He nodded as though digesting what Blake had just said. “What are the names of your parents?”
“Eileen and Jacob Thornwood. I’ve searched the city for them since I arrived, and I haven’t been able to find them. I’ve left messages for them with your administration team, and no contact has been made. That leaves two options: either you have them locked in your dungeon, which is not as secret as you’d like it to be, or they never made it to the city,” Blake said. His voice grew in temerity as he spoke.
Clay looked to Chelsea Otto. “Check our records and see if Blake’s parents are in our holding facilities.”
Chelsea took out a clear tablet device and started searching, but Clay continued.
“If they are in our holding facility, then they would have done something to transgress against New Meridia. Depending on their crimes, the requirements of what needs to be done to secure their release will change,” Clay said.
“Hm,” Chelsea said. “It appears as though Jacob Thornwood was arrested for illegal dueling outside of sanctioned dueling arenas, and Eileen Thornwood was arrested for trying to interfere with Jacob’s arrest.”
Blake scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense. My father doesn’t have a violent bone in his body. I can’t see him ever picking a fight with anyone. Is there any information about what happened in the lead up to the illegal duel?”
Chelsea shook her head. “No. The notes by the arresting officers are quite slim on the details.”
Rage coursed through Blake's veins as he considered the situation. His father was not the type to engage in senseless brawls or seek out conflict without just cause.
It was far more likely that someone had provoked him, leaving him with no choice but to retaliate. The revelation that his father had been arrested for illegal dueling meant that he, too, had become a Challenger in this treacherous world.
This newfound knowledge only served to fuel Blake's determination to uncover the truth behind his father's arrest. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story than what he had been told.
After all, his father was a man of integrity and honor. He would not willingly violate the established rules and engage in illegal activities.
As Blake mulled over the information, he couldn't help but wonder if his father's Challenger status had something to do with his arrest. Were there hidden forces at play, seeking to manipulate the outcome of events?
And if so, what was their ultimate goal?
Blake had to delve deeper into the matter, and he vowed to do whatever it took to uncover the truth and clear his father's name.
As the pieces of the puzzle slowly came together, Blake's resolve crystallized. He would not rest until he exposed the real culprits and put an end to their nefarious schemes, clearing his father's reputation.
The only upside of this was that he knew for a fact that his parents were alive, and now he had the chance to free them.
“What do I need to do to free my parents?” Blake asked.
Clay considered this for a moment. “Well the crime is, as far as crimes go, not all that serious. However I am very curious to see you in battle myself, Blake Thornwood. If you wish to free your parents, you are to participate in three sanctioned duels in the dueling arena in front of the people of New Meridia. Before that, you must take your Rank 3 exam.”
With one single move, Clay Atlas ensured that Blake could no longer lurk in the shadows, concealing the true extent of his abilities. In public duels, the true nature of his cards would inevitably be exposed.
This left Blake grappling with a torrent of emotions – anxiety, frustration, and anger, all bubbling to the surface.
The prospect of unveiling his cards meant that he would be vulnerable to the scrutiny and greed of those who would seek to exploit his powers for their own gain. It also meant that the delicate balance he had so carefully maintained between his public and private lives would be shattered, leaving him exposed to dangers he could not yet anticipate.
In spite of these concerns, Blake knew he had no choice but to face the challenges ahead. With the stakes higher than ever, he would need to summon every ounce of courage and determination to navigate the treacherous world of professional dueling.
Now that he needed to prepare for the Rank 3 exam and the inevitable public duels, he could not help but wonder what the future held for him and those he held dear.
Would he be able to protect his secrets and maintain his integrity in the face of overwhelming pressure?
Only time would tell, but one thing was certain: Blake was not going down without a fight.