A Legend in golden armor and a young warrior in a black turtleneck and grey sweatpants were standing on the roof of the highest building in fortress Tiberius.

“I want you to come back to New Rome with me,” said Alexander. “I’d like to make you into a proper Legend.”

Edward’s eyes widened. “Huh? What do you mean? And why me?”

Alexander’s armor reflected the glaring morning sunlight, as he turned towards the east. “Surprisingly enough, you seem to have the best shot at it. When I met you six months ago, I didn’t anticipate this kind of growth rate. That’s why I’ve decided to invest in you heavily.”

Ed scratched the back of his head. It was hard for him to believe what was happening. Becoming a Marked half a year ago was already a huge shock, but aiming for a status of Legend was always more of a distant goal rather than something actually in his reach.

“When are we leaving then? What does making me into a Legend entail? And what about Marcus and Layla? Are they going with us?”

“No, they’re not. I hope for them to grow quickly in the upcoming battles, but so far, you’re the one standing out the most.” He rested his wrist on the hilt of his sword. “And when are we leaving? In about an hour, so pack your things. As for the rest… You’ll find out later.”

Edward caught a glimpse of a mysterious smirk on the man’s face. Many possibilities flashed through his mind, but trying to discern what it meant was pointless.

“Okay then… Can you at least take me back to the others now?” Edward walked towards the edge of the building.

“Sorry buddy. No can do. I still have a lot of stuff to handle. You can use the service elevator right over there,” he pointed towards a simple metal door on the corner of the rooftop. After that, Alexander stepped off the rooftop and flew away to god knows where, leaving a golden streak in his wake.

‘Great…’ Edward rolled his eyes and walked over to the elevator. It was time to say goodbye…

***

An hour later Ed walked out onto the streets. He already explained everything to his friends. Despite being disappointed, they understood the situation. It’s not like he could’ve refused Alexander’s request now, could he? And who in their right mind would’ve wanted to refuse in the first place? Both Layla and Marcus seemed to burn with a competitive spirit, envious at the opportunity the moment he brought them the news. Kat took it a bit worse. They were just reunited not long ago after all. But she handled his departure once already. She could do it again.

“I think I’m ready then…” He looked at a sports bag in his right hand. A simple grey sack, holding all of his belongings. “Come to think of it…” Edward looked around the courtyard. “Where were we supposed to meet…?” The young man massaged his temples. “He didn’t tell me, did he?” Ugh, he really shouldn’t hold such an important position…”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Hey Edward!” A cheerful voice came from behind. “I forgot to tell you about a meeting place. Sorry, that’s on me. Well I’m glad I found you here.”

Edward felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck as he turned around. ‘Shit… He didn’t hear me, did he? Uhh… you should never disrespect your superiors. At least not openly, that is…’

“Hey si… Alexander! Not a problem. I’m all good and ready to leave.”

“Great! Hold on tight then!” He approached Ed grabbing him under his arms.

“Hmm? Oh shit!” The duo flew up suddenly. Edward quickly calmed himself, refusing to get any more embarrassed.

“Alright now, be ready to get on the plane,” Alexander said.

“A plane?” Edward looked around. They were currently suspended high in the air. RIght over the fortress. A moment later, his ears picked up a low humming sound. He turned his head in the direction it was coming from. A large military carrier plane was approaching from a distance. Edward recognised it as a C-17 Globemaster. The huge machine was practically a flying fortress…

“How are we going to get on?” Ed asked with wide open eyes.

“Well, just relax and watch carefully. I’m going to show off a bit again,” Alexander responded. When the plane got closer, the Legend raised his hand. And just like the day of the battle, a golden aura spread out over the surroundings. The soft yellow glow gathered around the Globemaster. The machine started slowing down gently, eventually getting suspended in the sky.

“Here you go. Now we can get on.” Alexander smiled happily.

Ed stared at the Incarnation in disbelief. ‘This guy… That’s so over the top… Damn, I want to be able to do that too…’

The doors on the back of the plane opened and Alexander brought Edward inside. The sight of the enormous plane suspended in the air like a christmas decoration must’ve been quite the shock for the people below. Both civilians and soldiers alike.

Edward looked around the inside of the cabin and at the ramp door closing behind them. “That was… pretty impressive.” The cargo space was mostly filled with the usual equipment expected of a military shipment. Two armored vehicles took up most of the empty space and as for the rest, he could only guess what was hidden in all the boxes and containers. Everything was tightly secured to the ground either by steel wires or large nets attached with small metal hooks.

But there was one part of the space that completely didn’t fit the rest. At the back of the room, near the wall, there was a small section made up of two large red armchairs, a soft couch of the same shade, as well as a small wooden coffee table and a rug underneath it. That’s exactly where Alexander was going towards. He laid down on the couch, throwing his legs over the armrest. His forehead scrunched, and the entire plane shook a bit as he focused.

The plane started moving slowly, and after a moment the engines took over, humming louder and carrying the machine forward.

“Great. Now go ahead and relax. It’ll take a couple hours before we get there,” said Alexander, closing his eyes with a nonchalant expression.

“Sure, sure…” Edward hesitantly sat down on one of the chairs. The wires holding the furniture to the floor creaked when he moved. He snuggled into a comfortable position and leaned his head back. Now he could only hope his thoughts would let him rest, although being honest, he wasn’t counting on it.