The First Mention

"Akin," A female voice resounded in the dark. "Akin," A male voice behind.

The darkness was beginning to disappear, two people standing, looking at a small escape ship in serious emergencies. The man must have been six feet tall, pale skin and dark hair. The woman appeared to be six feet tall, with dark skin and hair. Her eyes overflowing with tears. The woman pressed her face against the ship's display, smearing tears as she whispered softly. The man behind her, holding her hand tightly.

Akin would like to pretend he didn't know those two people, but deep down he knew who they were. They were his biological parents, Francis Weaving and Danai Damijo, both soldiers on behalf of the Foundation.

"We love you very much, Akin. We love you." The two said at the same time, while Francis wiped the tears from his face. They fired the ship and it started to leave.

No ship should have left Earth at that time, world authorities had prevented anyone, whether poor or billionaire, from leaving the planet at that time. They tried to reach an agreement with the Athorians, an agreement that was not accepted by the result in the end. Thousands tried to circumvent the system, but were stopped. Akin's parents then broke into a Foundation base of operations on the ground, his son's safety being the reason to fight another day.

Akin watched from the sky, rising continuously, his parents looking up without hope of living. The boy screamed, exclaimed for his parents and then an explosion. Hot, very hot, the ship rocked, spinning in space, throwing the boy back and forth on the ship hundreds of times, until he passed out.

And then, he woke up. This time, not in the dream world, but in the real world. He was left to die on the swampy planet, in the freezing cold of the night. But instead, he was once again beside the waterfall, with a camp fire heating him. A long cloth covered the muddy floor so it wouldn't get dirty, while another cloth, similar to a garment, served as a pillow.

"I see that you woke up." A voice said behind Akin. Revius Frambilio, the mysterious old man who had helped them, watched him sitting on a small rotten log as he carved a knife.

"The ship," Akin said as he got up, still in pain. "My friends, they took them." Revius looked up, looking at Akin with a big smile. "They must be long gone, boy. If I were you I would still lie down, you don't look well."

"By the way, I still don't know your name, boy. It is impolite not to present yourself properly, you know?" The old man said as he stood up, his wooden knife ready. He then threw it to Akin, who took it by the handle.

"My name is Akin," The boy said. "Akin Damijo." He expected the man to call him by the infamous nickname, to recognize him by the simple beginning of his name. But that was not the case, Revius did not seem to know who was in front of him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Akin Damijo. Now come on, let's go to the ship at the waterfall."

As they walked towards the cave in the waterfall, Akin wondered why the man didn't know who he was. All the people he met up to then knew who the boy was and what he represented to the galaxy.

"Do you recognize my name?" Akin asked curiously, as he waved his shirt. "I should?" Revius asked. "No, never mind."

"How long have you been here, Revius?" He asked, entering the cave over the bridge. Revius was thoughtful for a moment, before finally answering. "I don't know, boy. It's been a long time." The man said. "I think I've been here since the end of the Arbolis treaty."

Akin stopped.

The Arbolis treaty was introduced in the galaxy exactly nine hundred years ago, with the aim of reducing the concentration of criminals and pirates in regions with little access. The Foundation has taken care of most sectors and systems since then, even after the treaty ended a few years later. This meant that the man in front of Akin would be over nine hundred years old, maybe even older.

"So you were stuck here for over nine hundred years?" Akin asked. "No. Actually, I left here a while ago, I was probably gone for about five hundred years, something like that." They were going to the ship. "And what made you change your mind? Why did you come back to this place?" Akin asked without understanding anything. The man stopped, hesitant. And then they started walking again, this time with access to the ship's boarding bridge.

"I was once part of a group, boy. An order of galactic warriors and knights. We used to be present on different planets and systems. There were people who adored us, but nothing lasts forever." Revius said, guiding Akin to the center of the ship.

Then they stopped in front of the armor that remained standing, but this time clean, without a speck of dust. Its color was now more visible, a mixture of gray and white.

"For many, we were saviors," Revius said as he sneaked behind some metal boxes. "For others, tyrants. But in the end, we were the winners." He finished saying while pulling on a black device.

He turned a small gear there, with his thumb, and a thin line made of some metal came out of the black handle. How it fit, Akin didn't know. "Your friends are in danger, boy. And I also fear that the galaxy is in the same situation." Revius said, holding up the sword-like device. "What do you mean?" Akin asked more confused than before.

Revius then spun the gear once more, the metal began to glow brightly with a controlled flame taking shape in proportion to the metallic line. "This is a Quantum Blade." The man said. Akin was completely surprised, it was as if he had been absorbed into the world of Star Wars and was seeing a real lightsaber.

The man then pointed the flaming sword at Akin, but not to hurt him, he was giving it. The boy took it reluctantly and surprised, it was incredibly light and beautiful. Revius was sitting on one of the floating chairs, looking at Akin in awe at what he saw.

"Do you want to save your friends, boy? And also the galaxy?" He asked. The boy looked at him seriously. Was it possible to get out of there and save everyone? But how, if the only ship was completely destroyed? And what about the galaxy? Perhaps the man had some ship hidden by the planet.

"Yes," Akin said. "I will do anything to get out of here and save everyone." Revius got up from the chair, put his hand on the armor and activated it. He turned his hand to Akin, who shook his hand.

"Welcome to the Quantum Order."