I can’t die like this. No, not like this, he thought after coming so close I can't go like this.
In a fit of desperation, Travone reached under his bed and drew the black blade. With the laser of his energy, he pushed into the man’s neck causing him to loosen his grip and for. Travone to take in lungfuls of air. With an aim to finish the fight, Travone pushed the blade deep, causing blood to splatter his face as his breath came to him.
Travone pushed the body off himself and breathed, looking at the black centaurian blade with fear, then wandered. Even though the other man was not a strong seeker, the blade had passed through him with little to no effort. What was worse was that now he had a dead body in his crate. He couldn’t just leave it here; he thought of the smell, and then he thought of the warden’s arresting and questioning him. Travone knew he had to get rid of the body.
Travone turned over the body, he grimaced and stepped back. He had just killed a man, he looked at the gashing wound in the man’s neck and. He felt the panic reassert itself. He had to get rid of the body and get another sleep crate.
In a rush, Travone turned the man over and took off the thin nano tech leather amour that was like a second skin on the body, where the blood had pooled; a greenish sleek sherd form stood out as the man’s gem class formed.
It was nighttime when Travone was done cleaning his room and shoeing his grim prices, and now he was looking at the body, then at the small window, he tried to imagine how it would fit through it and out into the dark corridor. He tried and filed the window in the case was too narrow.
It took Travone another hour to get any empty storage box from the flood floor, fill it with the body, and carry it outside. Travone reached the refabrication areas below the fiftieth floor and dumped the body along with the box in one corner alongside garbage.
-----
The call came after three silent days. He had stirred at the black blade he had used, still stained with blood, the power class gem that had pooled out of the man's body, and then there was the thin nano suite that had cleaned off the blood after the smell had started become unbearable and in all that time a call on his com was all he got, not the UNE banging opening his door and arresting him.
Travone, are you there? The call came from the com as his mother spoke.
Ma am here.
What happened, Travon? You sent only one Hundred credits.
That's all I had, ma.
You lie; you want to forget me like everyone.
Ma, that's not it.
after all that i have done for you she interrupted.
I am having a tough time right now, and before he could say anything, he had the beep, and his mother was gone.
Credits: He needed more credits, so he should sell the credit, but then they would ask him where he got it. He could have sold the gem, but then he would have had to register his name and where he found it, and that did not raise questions about how he got his hands on two gems. And he needed credits. Making his mind up, Travon would have to take this chance; as a seeker, he would make twice or three times more than he made as a miner, at the very least.
The seeker suit was thin and light and hung on his body like a second skin. It covered his body; he grabbed the black centenarian blade, wrapping it in torn cloth; he grabbed his jacket and placed it over his shoulders and hid the power gem. If he was to sell the power gem, he needed the strength to back it up.
Before he could see his Status, he carried the guidebook off his bed and flipped through it; the first pages described the activation words, with each activation a Xanthian word for the weapon class. No wonder he had failed to see his Status; he placed the book down and activated the first class. He hoped his conclusions were right. He spoke the word and activated the shield class first.
Weapon class: Armoury Shield.Activated.
Trying to calm his excitement, he filled through the book, moving on to the next.
Weapon class: Armoury Spear.Activated.
And the next.
Weapon class: Armoury Dagger.Activated.
Weapon class: Armoury Bow.Activated.
He flipped through the book frantically, and a good chunk of it had been torn out. He did not get the activation words for the staff class, Hammer class and the blade class. Travone felt his anger bloom. How could he have expected anything else from the underground?
Done with the book and all the little it could offer, he activated his class Status and felt an electric shiver run through his body.
Status
Name: Travone Lee
Class: Armoury Class
Integration Level: 1.1%
Rank: Zeta
Attributes
Attribute Value
Strength 2
Dexterity 3
Constitution 1
Control Base
Perception 2
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Skills: None
Armoury Class Passives: None.
Looking at his Status and the guidebook, he realised that he had got the point for each class, he had got 2 strength points from the spear and shield class, 3 dexterity from the spear, dagger and bow class, 1 constitution point from his shield, and a 2 point perception from the dagger class and the bow class. With all these points accumulated, he had points similar to someone at level five or higher. His decision and deliberations were made, and Travvone left his room and headed to the Seeker station.
Standing in front of the seeker station, Travone did not see the Aprocing guard approach him. Hey, boy, the store will be closed for another three hours.
Why is it always open?
No, son, it's nighttime on the planet, and not many people are willing to fight the creatures that come out on the planet's surface.
Travone looked out at the start of Alpha Centauri, and before he could speak.
The man raised his hand. The platform rotates differently from the planet, but if you are itching for a fight, you can go to the training grounds.
The taring groups of UNE were empty at this time, and no doubt most seekers were asleep or indulging in their vices. Those few who custody in the many constructed arenas were those who, much like him, had dreams of reaching the high ranks of the seekers. The room, on the other hand, was large and reminiscent of a large hall. Seeing no point in wasting time, he felt and commanded his weapon class, his astra, for the first time.
Armoury Available: Sheild, Spear, Dagger, Bow
Sheild he chose, and from within him, he felt the astavores leave his body in a cold wave metallic and focus on his arm into a Reddish ivory metal shield with a flat top and rounded bottom. Mesmerised by the sight, Travone did not notice the loud blaring of the sirens that went off as soon as he manifested his weapon class.
Hey, you, what are you doing? Step into the area if you are going to activate your weapon gem.
Travone looked up at everyone glaring at him and then realised the sound of warning alarms in the area; he quickly deactivated the shield and looked at the UNE guard walking towards him. There were rules that you were not allowed to activate your weapon outside the area, she repeated.
She looked him up and down, and noticing his low level, she shook her head. You must be new.
I am.
She looked over his shoulder. Rai came over here for a second, she called, gesturing with her hand, and a minute later, a young man similar to Travone in age stood beside him.
Hey, I have a job for you. This is... she looked.
Travone. Travone pointed out.
Travone is new around here. I want you to show him around, sparring with him a bit, and keep him out of trouble.
You, she turned on Travone and saw you manifest a shield, thinking of joining the United Nations of Earth Guild; we are always looking for shield uses to protect.
Not really, but I'll think about it Travone said.
And you, she looked at Rai.
Been training for a while, and it won't hurt. Besides, we can spar afterwards. Rai shrugged nonchalantly.
Rai was a young man of Asian descent with short dark hair and broad shoulders. His dark eyes looked lazily at everything, and he moved with a fighter's readiness.
Good, she nodded. Go ahead, don't cause me trouble again.
This time, Travone made sure to step into the warred area and activated his shield, and again, like before, the cold left his body and solidified into a shield. After all, he couldn't activate another weapon from his class after the grued had pointed it out and most assuredly noted it.
Is it your first?
Rai asked his voice deep for his age and lean frame.
Yeah, it is.
So, do you have any questions he questioned about appraising Travone?
Yeah, how do I start?
God, you are a rookie, groined a tone of disappointment in his voice. Ok, let's see what you've got.
Now, Travone managed to say before Shoulder struck him in the chest, throwing him to the ground.
I didn't think Zetas could hit that hard.
I am a high zeta. Don't sell yourself short, he said, his voice slowed as he held out a hand.
Am ready this time. Travone took his stance, looking at Rai, who made no moves; aren't you gonna use your class weapon.
No, it is quite useless. You're a shield user and a new one at that. There is no way you are a match here; I will show you. Put the shield away.
Travone did as Rai said and took on a similar stance as he shook his head.
Overdraw, you shouldn't manifest your weapon that frequently. It is bad for you.
That does feel right, Travone said. And before he could get his feet under him, Rai rushed forward, and all he could do was shield himself with his hands.
You're pretty fast for a shield user.
Wanting to pay the hest back in kind, Travone rushed forward, aiming blow at Rai's face. He threw another punch, stepping into the other seekers' guard and throwing a combination of two hooks and a straight, all of which Rai avoided when he settled for a high maker. Rai closed the distance, stepping into his guard and punching Travone, sending him back, clapping at the pain in his chest.
Integration level up
What was that?
That was a skill.
A skill, but you not using your weapon.
You can use your skills without manifesting your weapon.
You can Travone asked, coughing out blood. In Rai's case, he had activated his in reflexTravone had been getting faster and faster as he advanced, and his training had kicked in. he had used his Swift Strike skill as soon as he realised the other seeker wouldnt be slowing down. The only conclusion was that he has a very high baseline in his dexterity.
Check your stats, Rai said.
Travone focused on his Status, and through the pain, he missed the message from his weapon class.
Integration level up.
Dagger and Shield skills Available:
Reflex Guard: Automatically blocks or dodges one incoming attack based on your dexterity and control.
Barrier: Creates a protective barrier that absorbs damage for each point in control.
Status
Name: Travone Lee
Class: Armoury Class
Integration Level: 2.8%
Rank: Zeta
Attributes
Attribute Value
Strength 2>3
Dexterity 3
Constitution 1>2
Control Base>2
Perception 2
Skills:
Barrier(Level 1 ), Reflex Guard (Level 1)
Armoury Class Passives: None
Rai looked down at him. Did you get a skill? Yes, I did.
That's good another way; you took the blow for nothing, Travone whizzed.