Chapter 16: Chapter V12: Train Ride

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“Vincent.”

 

“Yes father?”

 

“The Academy's grand opening will be a few weeks from now. Roy tells me you’ve achieved B-Grade with the spear, but you’ve yet to master the fundamentals of the White flame?”

 

“It is challenging father, but there is nothing that I can’t do.”

 

“I expect nothing less. As my youngest scion, you must shine brighter than anyone else if you are to inherit the Silver Flames, your brothers already have a head start.”

 

“Of course father, I won’t besmirch the Cordell name.”

 

“Good, see that you don’t. We mustn't show weakness, otherwise those vultures will leave nothing left for the worms. Remember that wherever you go, from this point on you represent the Cordell family.”

 

-Justin Cordell of Cordell Engineering, giving his son Vincent a “pep” talk before the Ephyra Academy grand opening.

 

Chapter V12: Train Ride

Apparently, Jack had made it to the right location, at least, that’s what he thought as several other examinees stood around bickering about if they were in the right place or not. 

“Help me break in then! We can see if it’s the spot or not!”

“And get charged for trespassing or destruction of government property?! Are you insane!”

“Well then stop your whining! They won’t jail us for bad instructions, if this is the spot, this is the spot. If not then someone will come to us.”

“Jazz, you sure as shit have alot of confidence in the government, we’ve been out here for an hour, why don’t we just go to a nearby Peacekeeper Station.” 

“There’s no one there! Didn’t you see all the protesters on the train ride up? The blues are all busy dealing with them or the precincts have been surrounded, no one is going to bother helping us with instructions!” The woman named Jazz screamed at a bald man. 

“Citri’s sake, why don’t you two fuck already,” Another woman wearing some sort of business outfit called out from the side, making the two turn and yell at her to shut up. 

Jack turned towards the man next to him who had been watching the discussion while shuffling a handful of cards.

 

“So, uh how long has this been going on for?”

 

“Eh, for about an hour now. My guess is that this warehouse leads us directly to Shelby Station.  I’m Ivan by the way, but my friends call me Drifter,” The man introduced, extending a hand.

 

“Uhh, Jack,” Jack replied, grabbing the man’s outstretched hand in a shake. Surprisingly the man’s hands were rough, real rough as if he had spent years of his life doing hard labor to develop the calluses on them.

 

“Well happy birthday to us eh partner?”

 

“Yea, I suppose so.” Jack replied back, too worried about the coming test to entertain the man.

 

“Oh perk up brotha! We’re about to find out if we’re about to Awaken! Aren’t you excited?!” Ivan exclaimed, smacking Jac’s back and causing him to flinch at the unexpected touch. “C'mon, where's your sense of adventure, excitement?! If we Awaken we’ll be rich!”

 Yea, but we’d have to fight. Jac was tempted to say.

He was about to say something about the man’s unsolicited touch, but suddenly the giant doors of the warehouse began to move revealing a man in a military uniform. He looked around at the gathered people who backed away as the doors extended further.

As the soldier walked out of the building, a tram cart could be seen within the warehouse, followed by a series of tracks that led into a large tunnel.

 

“See? What I say?” Ivan brandished a smile, before walking towards the forming line of men and women. “It’s time to get rich brotha.”

Jack followed behind the man, as the soldier started barking out orders and issuing instructions.

 

“Alright listen up!” The soldier yelled while reading from his clipboard. “If you are here for your Awakening test, please form a line and step forward with your ID chip in your hand, raised above your head.” 

Jack looked at the chip and did as ordered while getting in line with the rest of the examinees. 

When the first person walked into the warehouse he appeared to be having trouble. An audible buzzing could be heard before the doorframe of the warehouse and flashed green, allowing the man to walk in with a confused look on his face. 

“That’s normal to feel some resistance, the field won’t let you enter without the ID, next.” The soldier explained, addressing the tester’s concerned gazes.

 

There were only five people ahead of Jac who all seemed to struggle for a moment before going into the warehouse. When it was Jac’s turn, oddly enough, he wasn’t met with any resistance.  In fact he easily moved through the supposed field like a knife through butter. The only indication that he had passed through anything was the slight tingling on his skin.

 

“Halt!” A soldier barked upon realizing that the doorframe hadn’t flashed green before walking up to Jack. “Hand me your ID,”

Jack did as he was told, unsure why several soldiers were now surrounding him. They weren’t pointing their guns at him, but from the way they were holding their weapons made him nervous.

The man inserted Jac’s ID card into a portable tablet, where it flashed a color before he looked back up at Jac and then at the tablet. He then took out a scanner that emitted a light that scanned Jack up and down. 

“Stand down, he’s green. Sorry about that sir, you’re good to go.” The soldier said, handing Jack back his card and ushering him towards the tram where the other examinees were boarding. 

 

Jack got onto the car where he turned to see Ivan struggling to get through the doorframe of the warehouse. A moment later the frame flashed green, allowing him to go through and join Jac in the car.

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“Well that was intense, what happened there?” Ivan asked, taking a seat next to Jack.”Why didn’t the field activate for you?”

 

“I don’t know, I guess it was a bug?” Jack replied, as he eyed the big warehouse doors closing. A second later a man with a ladder began checking the door frame where the sensors supposably were. 

 

“Hey! Maybe you’re special or something, that barrier they put up is made by mana ya know? Maybe you’re body is reacting to it?” Ivan offered. “Heard a rumor that some folks naturally absorb it, could be the thing happening to you.”

 

“Oh, “ Jack replied. That did make alot of sense, actually. And it could explain the itching feeling he got when he passed through the barrier. In fact, was the itching feeling that he’d been getting lately him reacting to mana?

 

“Whoa buddy, take it with a grain of salt,” Ivan said, upon seeing the hyperfocus look on Jack’s face.  “Like I said rumor, don't want to get your hopes too high up haha."

 

The next moment the soldier with clipboard boarded the tram with the cart's doors closing behind him. At the sound of the man's heavy steps, Jac and the rest of the car's occupants turned to face him.

 

"Ok, listen up! I'm only going to say this once! This tram is going directly to Shelby Station. Once we arrive you will exit single file to the door on my left and onto the platform with your personal belongings in your hand to be collected by personnel. After which, you will await my instructions." As the officer spoke, the tram began to move. "Until then please be mindful of the space, your personal belongings, and each other. Happy birthday everyone."

The soldier took a seat as the tram started picking up speed. 

A chill crept along Jack's spine as he listened to the man's words. For some reason his leg wouldn't stop tapping. But judging from the man sitting next him he wasn't alone. 

Ivan's feet were restless, with his jaw clenching and unclenching despite the smile on his face. 

It gave Jac some relief knowing that he wasn't the only one feeling anxious. 

"So, what style are you gonna go with?" Ivan asked, trying to make small talk. 

 

"Style?" Jack asked, confused. 

 

"Yea man, ya know. Styles, Warden, Controller, Blaster, Tanker? Ya know, styles. What, don't tell me you don't follow the Adventurer's Guild weekly?"

 

"Errr no."  At Jack's response the couple from across from the pair perked up. 

 

"Seriously? Even we know what the styles are and we live on the lower floors." The woman named Jazz said. 

 

"Really?! What a coincidence, me too." Ivan beamed back, catching the two by surprise. 

The pair looked at each other in their rags and then at Ivan's vest and fedora. 

"Oh yea, which floor?" The bald man asked, his tone a bit heated. 

 

"Sixty-Nine," Ivan replied, causing the woman to snicker before being elbowed by the bald man. 

"Fancy clothes you got there for a lowlifer," Jazz said, eyeing Ivan up and down. 

"Well you know how it is, big day n all. Should always be dressed for the occasion. If I didn't know better I'd say you were jealous." 

At Ivan's remark the woman snickered again. 

"Only peeps that dress that fancy are Poshpushers, Highlifers, and Beggers, and the way you talk sounds like a Begger." Jazz spat with the pair glaring at Ivan. 

 

"Your half right, but I'm not a Begger, least not anymore," Ivan flashed a smile that seemed to infuriate the duo. "Think of it as me trying to turn a new leaf." 

 

Without warning the man suddenly spat at Ivan's feet muttering "Scum." As he did so.

 

"Hey! Have you lost your damn mind?!" The soldier in the back barked, apparently listening to the altercation. "Cut that shit out! You’re adults now! Behave like it!"

At the soldier's yelling, the pair got up and moved seats, all the while glaring at the blonde man. Jack heard the bald man curse something under his breath as he left. 

He didn't quite get why the two were so angry at Ivan, besides being pushy the guy seemed like a nice person.  

Maybe it had something to do with the man being a Begger, but judging from his clothes he didn't seem poor, quite the contrary. 

Jack was about to ask Ivan why they were so upset, but green lights in the tram suddenly flickered, lighting up the interior. Looking out the side window Jac could make out wide double doors attached to a green brick wall where several soldiers stood guard.

From Jack's peripheral he could make out the soldier onboard standing up. He walked towards the tram entrance where the doors parted ways before turning to face and address the nervous and excited passengers.

"Alright everyone! Welcome to Shelby Station AEPS! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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