As they exited his room, Luca sank back in his bed, his gaze staring lazily at the ceiling.
'He completely controlled everything. The air, the atmosphere… my reactions.'
That man, and the others that came with him, Luca wasn't certain what rank he was, but he was sure he was at least two ranks above him.
And unfortunately, so were the other four.
The Ranking went thus; Explorers, Observers, Reckoners, Invokers, Integrators, Convergers and Eclipse.
Each has its minor stages from first to fourth.
If his identification talent couldn't work on any, it meant they were at least at the 2nd Stage of the Reckoner ranks.
In a tight room with Patrol Guardians and five Egoists, Luca knew clearly that resistance would be futile.
'That doesn't mean I will go down without a fight.'
His gaze shifted to the door where a particular smiling man stood for a while.
"Don't worry, Kiddo. Your parents are in good hands." He walked out with the rest of the Health Professionals.
With the clock barely hinting at an hour since the start, their job was yet to be done.
The night was truly long for them.
Luca furrowed his brows. "Liars."
Why did it seem like everyone around him was trying to either spare his feelings or completely ignore them?
Lawbreakers weren't treated well, not to mention rebels.
Even if his parents had not outright initiated or provoked such, the small chance of it occurring was enough to make the Federation cautious.
'This is troublesome.' He thought slowly. 'I can't see my parents.. and they're most likely getting tortured, I have an invitation from a god who nearly killed me and I've just been affiliated with the Federation…'
This was not a good way to start his birthday morning.
He jumped off his bed immediately. 'But who cares?'
Just then, an agent– the female from before, with green short hair and sparkling emerald eyes walked back to the room.
"A CyberBully will be coming first thing in the morning, so be prepared for your immediate departure. Every item you possess will be taken into custody, and a new uniform will be given to you at the entrance."
Luca stared in silence.
"Got it?"
He nodded once.
"Good." Then she departed once more.
Luca folded his arms as a sigh escaped his lips.
"Must be the Institution."
Immediately after the Trance was the trip to the Military Institution of Ardent, a school which was more of a boot camp in the Military State.
Luca could remember the minute details. But still, he found it odd.
'They don't care… nor try to care about our predicaments. It's all procedures for them.'
He shook his head as he turned to his interface.
At this point, Luca had a feeling that if he was going to get by in this new world, he would need to up his game.
"Not game… power."
Power was a necessity for most, but a pipe-dream for the vast majority.
Not everyone truly reached the precipice of what it truly meant to be powerful– not even Egoists.
And Luca… was beginning to eye that spot.
'It might be because I'm an Egoist now… but I simply want the best for myself. No– I want the absolute… these people– Egoists and civilians alike will gawk at my name.'
It was a thought. A funny one considering his standing.
The thought of using that power for his family, or the people had not even crossed his mind.
It was intoxicating, and Luca found it toxic.
'My mind is already getting influenced by Ego.'
Ego wasn't free energy after all. It originated from the body, yes, and some had more than others, but its quality and nature depended on the individual's soul and most times it corrupted the mind.
Egoists become more and more like their names… selfish, self-absorbed heroes.
But the process was slow, and the majority of them already possessed a strong mind.
'It doesn't matter. whom I choose to use my powers for is entirely my decision.'
He nodded slowly.
'Unless it's a strict mission from the Federation, I won't be playing hero or any of that kind… what did the world offer us farmers, that I have to spill blood for them?'
He scoffed at the thought. 'Nonsense.'
Then again, absolute power wasn't everything.
Reaching Reckoner was enough reason for people to respect you.
Growth was difficult since Synchrony was a hard thing to increase. Some even spend years stuck at a particular percentile, but he had the whole thing.
A perfect stage.
'But… stages like this… don't they come at a cost?'
His thoughts immediately flashed to the god. The 21st god to be precise.
'That man– no, that being is suspicious… but I can't help but be burdened by the fact that he may be my benefactor.'
The gods were a common thing in the current human world.
Powerful entities that granted Egoists their bloodlines. The closer one was to their god, the purer the bloodline and the stronger its effects.
For someone like Luca, a bloodline had been a pipe dream… until now.
As he recalled the tomb, its chilling presence and regal tone made him shiver slightly.
Then when the face threatened to replay in his head, the throbbing pain from before began.
Of course, he stopped himself every time.
'The 21st god, huh, I wonder if the ranking is based on their strength or something…'
Suddenly, his brows furrowed.
He looked around until he found a bag beside his bed. 'They left this here, after all.'
He sat up and grabbed it, then tapped the side where a plastic button revealed itself.
The button clicked, then an image bounced in the air. It was a keyboard.
Luca typed in digits, and the bag clicked open.
"Where is it…" He muttered as he tugged his hand into the bag, searching through layers of clothes until he felt a hard object.
Immediately, he pulled out a phone– though, its design was completely out of the current scope of things.
It was composed of neon blue layers of fibreglass and a solid circuit that ran through invisible layers. Its screen glowed with a light blue before projecting into the air.
Funnily enough, this highly technologically modified phone was actually one of the cheapest and most used commodities in the market.
Even his bag had those in the Higher Districts used ROILS, Reflective Optic Information Lenses and storage rings.
He tapped through the images until he opened a page. On that page, there was the name of the website– EgoistsAgenda.
He clicked and scanned through the various messages.
"Oh, Prince Orinaz is celebrating his Adult Coming Of Age? That would have been a fun watch."
He skipped and went to their search engine– GASEO.
Then searched up for the rankings of the gods, and what he saw made him stumped.
"21st god?" He narrowed his gaze at the numbers the search engine provided.
In black ink, it was stated cleanly– twenty.
'Hah… I had assumed it felt weird.'
He swallowed.
'Who… who is this 21st god?'
The thought sent a chill down his spine and raised questions he was neither prepared nor willing to find.
He sank those thoughts away.
'In the end… I will find out.'
He dropped his phone and turned to his interface, instead.
They were traits, talents and titles, whose descriptions still needed understanding, and he would do all that immediately.
Time ticked under the night sky of Earth Supreme, and while chaos began to settle within the Hospitals… something else entirely was being rung in a different location.
*
*
*
The Ostaria Federation had been one of the eight cornerstones for Earth Supreme since the Day of the Umbral. And specifically one of the greatest.
They encompassed former Europe and West Asia before the call.
And had the fourth largest population.
With their dual system of a Constitutional Monarchy. Power was granted not only to its people but to the Royal household, though the Royal Household had the final vote.
And today marked a special occasion not just for the Ostaria Federation, but also for the Royal Household, House Aurelith. It was the birthday night of the first Prince Orinaz Von Aurelith– and his Introductory Age into Adulthood.
The Capital state– Central Domain, Aurium, was bustling with life.
The streets were vibrant. A hue of gold from neon lights and explosions of fireworks that lit the sky in a cascade of colours.
The world seemed to have forgotten about the lingering threats that lay in wait. In fact, at this unholy hour, it merely crossed the minds of the multitude.
Tall buildings hung beside asphalt roads that glowed by their sides. Night lights, they called them.
No longer were the high-light poles that guided night travellers. It was now replaced by humming, electromagnetic lights attached to the sides of the road, long stripes that stretched throughout the Capital.
And the asphalt roads wrapped across the Capital like a living coil. Synchronised motion. Predetermined through careful coding and taxing.
Hover cars and giant chunks of metal and wheels rolled in perfect candance along the road. FibreVehicles, CyberBullies and even MotorRollers. There were still pedestrians— those who chose to use their legs to fill the streets.
The land was congested. And the direction was predetermined— The Grand Castle.
All headed there in unison– Perfect tandem.
Excitement bubbled in their expressions. Smiles widened with expectations. Heads bobbed. Conversations of what was to come filled their hearts with warm blood.
The Emperor Regent had always been an extravagant person.
But contrary to his behaviour, he was by far one of the wisest.
And on this day, it would forever be marked as the World's Grandest Celebration.
Among the pedestrians, a hooded figure walked with the others. Arms in their pockets and a big bag crossed over their shoulders.
They halted. Head rising above, revealing violet eyes that reflected the golden castle ahead.
Their lips curled into a grin as they adjusted their strap and marched on.
Mixing cleanly with the crowd.
Today would truly be a memorable occasion.