“Hmm?”

Rahdin woke up, his mind blank for the moment. Where am I? He looked around to see himself within a room, its walls made of wooden boards. He was lying on a simple bed, also made of a darker wood with white bedding and cloth. Next to him was a table that had a candle, burning steadily. Outside, the wind and snow fell, albeit more intensely than when he’d gone to the obelisk.

The obelisk…what happened? The last thing I remember was me hitting it before I blacked out. Why am I here? Did I pass?

He noticed his right hand was bandaged up, seemingly prompting pain. He rubbed it gently.

The door to the room suddenly opened, ever slightly startling Rahdin as a woman walked through. She was tall and slender, with light skin and a long, blonde pony tail. Though she wore no armor, he knew she must have been some sort of military personnel, perhaps a nurse. “Oh, you’re awake! How’re you feeling?” She quickly moved to him and kneeled down, cupping his face and lightly feeling all over his upper torso, seemingly worried. “I’m alright. T, thanks,” was his reply. Wow, so frisky. She seems worried.

“You’re so quiet! Come on now, were you scared? It’s all right baby, don’t worry.” She hugged him, trying to convince him that yes, it WAS all okay, though he was more concerned about this woman who’d he just met. “I’m good, I’m good! Really, ma’am…” She stopped, getting up while saying, “If you say so. Sigh, most kids go for it.”

????

“Anyways, you can call me Caitlyn, Cait for short. I’m a nurse for the military. Can you tell me what happened?” She opened the pack that she’d brough with her and was pulling out different instruments and tools while she talked. She held up that seemed to be two metal rectangles. Upon closer inspection there seemed to be engravings as well.

“I…don’t know. I remember that as I kept getting closer to the obelisk, a buzz in my head started to appear. The closer I got, the more it hurt, so-“ “Well, at least we know you’ll be an essence user,” interrupted Cait, as she turned back towards to him. “Hold your hands out on the bed.” Rahdin laid them on his legs with the hands facing up as she put both rectangles on each arm. They glowed for a moment while Caitlyn, her eyes closed, nodded.

“For the most part, you’re ok. Slight scratches, but your fist…I don’t where all that extra force came from. The amount of force you used to hit it, the bone itself started splintering.” With a sigh, she moved; “As for the buzzing, I have an idea for now, but I doubt you’d understand.” She had a weird smile that slightly ticked off Rahdin, but he put it off.

“Can you stand?”

Rahdin took off the cover he was under and slowly got up, keeping note of his hand. “I seem to be fine. Thank you.” Caitlyn took note of the curtness, but before she had a chance to speak the door opened again. In walked a tall man with a fur coat. Before she had a chance to speak, Rahdin was walking towards him, arms outstretched.

“There you are, Din. Are you alright?” His father’s voice, gruff but soft, immediately seemed to fill the room and Rahdin’s heart with that indescribable feeling of a warm hug. “Yes, father. All is well,” he responded. Caitlyn noted the unusual way he spoke before she continued, saying “The parent is not usually allowed in with patients…but for now, I’ll let you be.” His dad raised his head from the boy that clung to him, looking straight at her.

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“I wouldn’t have needed your permission.”

Though he had no essence, she almost took a step back before composing herself. “Be that as that may, you’ll want to sit down. The military has assigned me to serve as an initiator. You have some information you’ll need.”

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“As you know, the Vadoran military is responsible for the defense and for the military interests of our nation. As you can use essence, you’re automatically included. This service is mandatory, but carries with it benefits. For the next 20 years, your training, food, water, clothing, and whatever needs will be taken care of. Afterwards, you’ll be let free of our ranks, allowed to do anything you want.”

Rahdin’s father asked suddenly, “So what’re you trying to say? That he’s up and going to be picked up from his home? To fight for a country that he barely recognizes he’s a part of? Then, he’ll just be let off..if he survives.” Though he seemed calm, Rahdin could almost smell the cynicsm exuding from him.

“Bluntly, yes.”

Well there goes the cynic.

“You may choose, however, different parts of the military. All will be combat affiliated, at first, but over time you as you gain experience and your qualifications build up, different roles will open up to you.”

Her look towards Rahdin changed then; “Consider yourself lucky; most conscripted will never enjoy the benefits you have.” Though true, his stomach seemed to churn at the thought. “This also means that the expectations of you are high. As an essence user, your ability to shape the battlefield is better than others in the order of magnitudes.”

“Your mistakes as well.”

The churning in his stomach grew ever so slightly, as he was beginning to question what his future held. He couldn’t describe it, but he almost pitied everyone that didn’t pass. He’d never seen or used essence, but the way that Caitlyn had described its ability, his imagination painted scenes of slaughter similar to the ones he’d seen illustrated in school books, only more vivid.

“Rahdin. I now address you as a G rank user. This places you slightly above regular soldiers, infantry as you would call it, but not above regular officers. If your strength, intelligence, and overcall capacity as a soldier and essence user grows, you will surely rise through the ranks. The highest ranks, well, need not be spoken for.” Her air as a friendly nurse, by now, had completely vanished. What was left now was a hardened commander, who spoke with a tone that brought the already tense atmosphere in the room to a high. He could feel his father next to him be still. There was no telling what he thought.

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It was the dead of night when Rahdin and his father walked out of the inn. Rahdin looked around and noticed the domineering presence of the obelisk had now disappeared. What remained was only the sky, a beautiful canvas of stars that, to him, held more beauty than a painting. As beautiful as he thought it though, he could not help but feel nervous anticipation, as well as countless other emotions.

His father had raised him alone, for as long as he could remember. The bond between the two was as close as it could get, evidenced by the way the normally aloof and mature-seeming Rahdin seemed to always cling to him whenever he was around. Now, a world seemingly totally different from the one he’d known all his life only through books had suddenly grabbed him, tearing him away from the sole center of support that had guided him through his 11 years of life.

“So you’ll go to an academy, huh? Wonder what they’ll teach you…” His father pondered while he walked beside Rahdin. He looked up to his father, asking, “I’m…scared, dad. I don’t know what I’m getting into.” His future was starting to change in ways he couldn’t recognize, aggravated by the fact that he knew he would eventually go to war in some shape or form.

“No worry, Din. I’ve known you for too long. The way you stay quiet and learn, how you always seem to have bigger goals in mind, how you deal with conflict,” his father said, now kneeling down. Even then, he was a head taller than his son. “Know that I, who’s raised you for so long alone, trust you’ll be fine.” The gentle voice soothed Rahdin, who quieted down.

They now walked back to their mount, a long walk in the snow that had piled up to their ankles. Though the cold seemed to bite at everyone, the two, clad in their dark, fur cloaks, formed a pair of embers that made their way home.