Episode 4: Are you ready?

"He's here," she whispered wispily as she watched the streaks of fire entering orbit. The shuttles won't take long to land and she had been expecting some good news after all this time.

"I hope you're ready."

"What was that?" Her bunk buddy entered the room from the showers.

"We should get some sleep." She turned away from the window and returned to being stoic. "The trials are tomorrow."

"Really," the buddy was dejected. "You're no fun. Hey, how come you joined in so late?"

"Get some rest, our day starts early."

"Whaaaat? You're no fu-"

The night went on as they take their perspective beds chatting away, though her bunk mate did most of it. Each bed was labeled with their numbers. Her bunk buddies had a 719 and her own was a 730.

~

The entrance was a lot rougher than Allen expected. He didn't know if it was because the atmosphere was tight or the shuttle was getting worn down from the short trips but it was certainly different in Terra Prime.

The skyscrapers were massive and numerous, almost surrounding the whole horizon. It was like seeing central wards everywhere with their lights blanketing the stars above.

Despite being night time, the city was still sprawling with life as if they were working in the day. The lights kept the stars away and the vehicles were constantly zooming by. The people walked about doing their business, some with bags under their eyes from exhaustion.

The air was still fresh but it felt artificial considering that there wasn't a lot of greenery. There were patches here and there.

"I'm so glad to be able to touch the ground again!" Cillian dropped to the floor and placed his head on top thanking the celestials.

"You have a funny friend, Al," John said tapping Cillian in the back.

"That's a compliment coming from you, an Eonic Legend," Cillian got to his knees and bowed towards him.

John waved him off with a smile and went to the ledge to call for a transport.

"Didn't tell me you were related to John Etruem," Cillian whispered.

"You didn't ask," Allen walked up next to him.

"Doesn't really change a thing though," Cillian wrapped his arm around Allen, "We'll still be friends."

That relieved Allen for a bit. The short time they had was almost like a lifetime to him and he didn't want the fact that his brother was a hero to change anything about it.

"Once I get me own place in the IGG," Cillian said confidently, "I'll definitely make you something mighty quare!"

"You don't have to do that," Allen chuckled. "Just don't get kicked out before you can make anything."

"Hah!" Cillian placed his hands on his hips with a thumb on his chest, "My name will be renowned in the universe as the smithy of heroes!"

"Yeah, you will," Allen smiled. He liked Cillian's confidence that might end up being his ruining one day. Allen wondered what kind of trouble Cillian might get into one of these days.

"C'mon Al," John called. "Our ride is here."

The slim taxi labeled aerotrans on its side was parked in front of him. It was small but seemed like it had a lot of space, though Allen suspects that John would want less space to scootch up with his brother. He shivered.

"Gotta go Cilli," Allen extended his hand.

Since they had applied for different operations, Allen being an adventurer and Cillian being an engineer, they had to go separate ways. Each group of adventurers have their own designated wards to stay at.

Cillian raised a fist with a large grin and bright emerald eyes.

Allen knew this wasn't going to be something that goes by like the wind. They will definitely meet one day, one way or another. He made his hand into a first and bumped it with Cillian's.

"The stars be your guide," Cillian started.

"Through the void of the infinite," Allen ended and they separate ways.

Allen and John placed their stuff in the trunk and took their seats. As they were leaving, Allen could see Cillian waving them off shrinking quickly from their speed.

When Allen couldn't see but a spec he turned towards the window and gazed at the city outside. It had the same set up as Lydia but more compacted. It was strange to see so much gathering like the Central Ward back at Lydia. It was larger and seemed much grander.

There were so many different kinds of species that roamed the city streets. Some were like the half-ork like Allen met in suits and shades. There were fish people from Okaenos who were known to be the founders of the fishnet system that allowed interstellar communication, wearing their water tubes to breath. Some refugees like lizardmen and others who were affected by terrorist attacks or even mistreatment.

There were more giants than the behemoth. Triphants with trunks and horns. Giants that walk about with large beams to use for constructing more skyscrapers. There were even giant squids inside of tubes called Leviathans.

This was Allen's first time seeing them up close since Lydia kept its leviathan in their powerplant. It was strange to see them outside. Their grey skins that blended with the buildings around them with lights that flow in and out of their tentacles. Though Allen saw so much gathered in one place, he felt a sense of longing with a tinge of sadness around him.

He turned away to distract himself from the thought.

Billboards lined the walls with the news and advertisements. Some regular commercials about augmentations and technological advancements. The most common thing though was that Gabriel O. Deus, the founder of the Genisis Corp, was featured in a lot of the billboards.

Despite being human, he had lived ever since the Human Apocalypse. He received a blessing from the Celestials to have longevity and heightened skills. He had since benefitted the Kasipeian Chiefdom by generous donations and advancements that allowed it to prosper to the way it is. He has influence as powerful as the High Chief and the Pope of the Hand of the Almighty, the big 3 of the society.

"It can be blinding," John spoke up.

"Yeah," Allen agreed as he sat patiently in the taxi as they travelled quickly through traffic. It seemed so overwhelming. There was so much to see but it all zoomed by quickly. The trial will be tomorrow.

"Once we get to our place," John sniffed the air around Allen, "you'll need a bath."

"I have been running the whole day," Allen leaned away from John.

"That's true," John laughed. "Oh," he suddenly reacted. "We're here." John pointed at the ward they were closing in on.

The first thing that stood out was the large "IGG Ward" sign above the archway. It complimented the large spiral building that even touched the clouds above it. It was said to house all the IGG members that are stationed here but since the RookieFest was coming around, most of them were housing in their ships. It was a regular thing for them since being on ground was more of a vacation than a temporary stay.

After taking their bags from the trunk, the aerotrans left as quickly as it came. They head into the main entrance through the revolving doors. The lobby inside was huge with balconies that lined the sides that led into rooms for each guest. The ceiling seemed endless from the light blinding the top. There was a desk in the center of it with a floating chandelier that held sprites dancing about to the lobby music.

"Hello and Welcome to the InterGalactic Guild Ward," the front desk attended said. "Will you be attending the Rookie Festival this year?"

"Yes," John walked up to the desk leaning against it. "Entry for one please."

"Ah welcome back sir John." She stood up and bowed. "Let me check for any openings."

"Thanks, Mary."

The receptionist was a hobgoblin. Her race is known to be quite intelligent but rare. She had a gleaming complexion and dark brown with a tint of green hair, a nose that's flat and eyes that are orange which complimented her sage colored skin.

"Unfortunately, we only have one available event open for late comers."

"Which one is it?"

"The 100 Meter G-force Dash."

"Shit."

"What's that?" Allen walked up to the desk placing his duffle bag on the ground.

"It's-"

"Something you'll figure out on your own," John interrupted the attendant. "For now, you need to catch some Zs for the big day."

"At least a little information will help."

"Use your wits against the odds," John ruffled Allen's jet-black hair.

"I ain't a kid anymore, John." Allen gently shoved his brother's hand and went ahead to the stairs.

"Do you have the keys to the room?" John jingled the key fob.

Allen came back and swiftly swiped the keys out of his hand and continued up the stairs without looking back.

"You're still a little brother to me, though," he said softly as he made his way to the elevator.

John had his own lodge at the higher deck of the ward. Allen being a late comer had to take one of the lower ones. Despite being the Eonic Legend, John still followed regulations. This was good for Allen's independence but this was Allen's first time being truly alone since he left his family.

Allen wondered how to use the fob he swiped from John and assumed you just insert it in the lock to open the door.

"You tap it," his neighbor spoke up. She had short hair with a pink back side wearing a cap on her head. She popped the gum in her mouth watching Allen.

This was Allen's first time so he tried tapping on the door to no avail.

She rolled her eye, walking up to him. She took the keys and placed it on the lock. It beeped and the door opened slightly ajar.

"Thank you," he said sheepishly.

"Good luck tomorrow," she said as she walked towards her door. "Rookie." Her door closing echoed in the lobby. Everyone must be asleep by now.

That kind of stung Allen but he ignored it, entering his room.

The room was big despite being a common room. It had a bed in the middle of it with a TV in front. The closet where he placed his duffle bag was not as wide but could possibly fit a whole collection of things. The glass wall had curtains hanging over it, but Allen liked keeping them open. Despite the size, he still felt suffocated. He didn't understand why he did but it was like the city around him was cramped.

He dismissed the thought and took a bath with the TV playing. It helped a little to keep his mind off things and sleep.

After the shower, he went straight to bed and slept. He was pretty exhausted after today. It felt long and eventful. Though, he still had thoughts about what was coming and what had passed, like his childhood friend he used to play with. He did end up meeting with John so he wondered.

"What is she doing now?" As his thoughts begin to fade, the last thing he saw was the numbers "731" above his bed.

He dreamt it again that night.

~

Allen woke the next morning the same way, clinging to his chest. He peered around the room and noticed that he was not in the same house as before.

He was about to continue his routine but he felt like he was being watched.

"It's weird to be stalking your brother," he said.

"I didn't want to bother you." John was sitting on the chair at the corner In darkness. "You looked peaceful... somewhat. Bad dream?"

"You should have woken me up," Allen avoided the subject as he got up from his bed and went to brush his teeth. Afterwards he went to grab some clothes from his closet, noticing the TV was left on.

It seemed like the documentary changed into reality TV about some alligator hunter. It seemed interesting to watch but Allen has something important to do that day.

"Hold up," John interrupted him. "Every rookie is issued a specialized suit." He took out a suitcase beside him and placed it on the bed. "Here's yours."

Allen walked up to the mysterious case and wondered what kind of suit was it.

"These suits are made with durable Mythrilian fabric," John explained.

"Isn't mithril a metal?" Allen pulled out the black suit that was oddly soft to the touch.

"Yeah, but as a fabric it's called Mythril, does the same job." Allen went into the bathroom to change. "The dwarves and gnomes developed a way to make metal into a thin thread that are gently woven together. I say gently cause there are cases of people losing their fingers in the process."

"Eh!?" Allen paused before touching the dangerous piece.

John laughed at Allen's reaction. "Don't worry, once woven together, it'll fit like clothes do. It even changes colors depending on its wearer."

Allen hesitated before touching the white. When he did, the color changed to his hand, a dark grey.

Allen struggled a little with the top, but somehow got it to slip over his skin. The metal contraption on the back tightened the mythril even more. It looked more like a spine that zipped up to the tip of his hairline.

"The fabric itself was durable enough to absorb any shock, circulating it throughout the body for less impact."

Despite the first struggle, everything seemed to fit his size perfectly. The boots were his exact size and his gloves were snug as he clipped the wrist to the tip of his sleeve. The groove in between disappeared. It didn't feel to be tight or loose to him.

"Hot, cold, wet or dry, it's made to accommodate for all those, regulating your temperature."

It took a while for Allen to put everything on but after an hour, Allen exited the bathroom giving John a full view of his new fit. It fitted him perfectly, even tracing parts of his muscles from his torso outward to his elbow. The dark grey parts outlined the sides of his arm and covered all the way to his fingertips. His waist was also fitted with the black mythril going down to his ankle. His joints had safety guards; knees, elbows, wrist, heels, toes and instep.

Allen turned to show the spine of the suit which led from the base of his hair to his tailbone on the belt. "How does it look?"

"Fits like a glove," John commented. "After the games, you'll be able to freely customize it as you see fit."

"That's if I pass," Allen sat on the couch readjusting his shoe straps.

"Are you ready?"

Allen got up and fixed his bed before walking to the door. John walked up behind him, waiting for his reply.

Allen took a second before he did though, he had a lot of thoughts going through his mind. Will he be able to do it? What will he expect? Why does John have so much faith that its possible?

There are so many variables but one thing stuck with him. A voice louder than the rest cleared his thoughts.

"I a-" As Allen was marching out, he almost bumped into someone. Luckily, he caught himself and stepped back almost stumbling. "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't expect anyone to be there-"

"It's o-"

"Watch it rookie," the other exclaimed. It was the same girl last night.

"Oh," he sighed.

Looking closely, he could see her bright pink eyes, which were more of a hot pink shade. The single pink strand hung on the side of her face. She was also fully suited with mythril and like her looks, it had pink outlines with a light grey overall. She wore a sweater and jogger over her suit and had sport shoes on to match.

"Is that how you greet someone you just met?" She seemed very irritable considering this was their first-time meeting.

"If its someone amicable, yes," he replied.

"Oh hoooooo," she raised her fists. "Says the person who's walking around naked."

"What?" Allen thought that for the trial they needed to wear the issued suits. He looked around the lobby seeing people wearing casual or sport clothes over their suits. Some even wearing their traditional wares. His ears and cheeks began to heat up at the realization.

"Atleast, I'm not a flamingo."

"That's it," she threw her fist at his face which was amazingly faster than he expected. A hand caught it before it landed on his nose.

"I'm sorry for my bunk mate's attitude." Her bunk mate saved Allen's nose that day. Although, despite just catching that punch, she seemed calmer than the pink locks, too calm. She was beautiful to look at but her face remained stoic, emotionless.

Her eyes were red and hair was black with red strands at the tip of her bangs and back. A bang hung from her head to the bridge of her nose and attached to the side of her face. She wore a black jacket to match her black mythril suit, which had red streak, and ripped black jeans as if they had been through a beating before the trials with boots that looked like they were armor toed.

"Please don't mind about the incident," she broke Allen's gaze. "We'll be on our way."

"Thank you," Allen moved back, bumping into John.

The girls walked pass them, leaving a sweet scent behind. Allen couldn't help but catch a whiff of hazelnut. He pulled himself out of the trance to handle the problem at hand, punching John on the side for the second time.

"Ow," John feigned.

"You didn't tell me I could wear clothes on the outside."

"You were rushing with so much confidence," he chuckled to himself, tossing Allen his denim jacket. "And I thought it was obvious."

Allen did forget that John was actually wearing his suit beneath his clothes this whole time. He rushed in to get changed covering himself.

"Still," he didn't want to continue embarrassing himself more and walked out with the clothes he brought from the duffle bag.

He had a black t-shirt with black boots that he uses for training and black denim jeans, held up by a dark grey canvas belt. It was odd to actually fit his normal clothes with the suit inside. He was about to hand John's denim jacket but John stopped him, pushing it towards Allen.

"It's my lucky jacket," he said. "You'll need it for today."

Allen didn't really believe in luck but played along. The denim jack had grey cotton sleeves and collar with a smooth silky inside. It was comfortable. Allen could tell that John had kept this suit for a while and still took a lot of care for it. He wondered what made him keep it for so long.

John brushed the stray dirt on his shoulder and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"Beyond those doors," he began, "is the infinite possibilities I told you about."

Allen glanced at the entrance to the lobby with other rookies walking through it. A lot of them had this look in their face that was fresh and pure. They are expecting a lot of things to come their way and are looking forward to a better, adventurous life.

"Not just the good, Al," he said solemnly. "There can be bad."

There can be others who looked like veterans of the festivities. It looked like they had taken it the test one too many times with a dejected look on their faces, like they knew this was either another failure or just another day trying.

He paused for a second placing his palms on Allen's face. He had this look as if he wanted to tell Allen some of the things he had seen, the things he had wanted to forget. "Horrid things than you can possibly fathom."

His expression changed into the same gentle smile and his tone chimed a smoothing tune as he whispered, placing his hands on both shoulders. "But I believe in you."

He placed his hand on Allen's chest, "I believe in not the infinite possibilities beyond that door, even beyond the stars. He patted Allen chest. John's silver eyes seemed to glow brightly, almost blinding to look at. A golden band began to form around his pupil. "I believe in the infinite possibilities within you."

The words lit something inside Allen that he had once thought he lost a long time ago.

"So let me ask you one more time," John stood straight revealing how tall he was in comparison to Allen. "Are you ready?"

Allen without hesitation said with a large grin on his face, "I am."

They went off on their way, greeting the desk clerk as they exit the doors. A bus awaited the rookies, ready to take them to the stadium where they will have their trial.

Allen paused before he entered, turning back to John who was waiting for him.

"I have my own ride," he said. "From here, you are your own."

Allen nodded.

John puts his arm up, fist in the air in front of him. Allen did the same and they bumped their arms together. Allen entered the bus and sat on his seat.

When the bus was full, it took off. Passengers waved to their friends and family who accompanied them. The people who came with the rookies were given their own transports or they rented their own rides. This was not the last time they were going to see them but the trial requires a lot of focus.

Allen needed to focus.

It only took them an hour to get there. It took a whole history lesson and some guidelines until they finally reached their destination. It gave them time for some in bus breakfast and a little rest for the rest of the jet-lagged passengers.

It was the basic history about Terra Prime, how Kasipeia was founded after the Human apocalypse and who runs it now. Though the high chief was the figurehead, the decisions were mostly discussed among the different leaders of each race, formally known as the Vox.

Coincidentally, It passed some infrastructure that were pillars to the society; The Great Hall, where the High Chief delegates his people, Genisis Corp HQ where Gabriel conducts his research, and the many branches of the Hands of the Almighty church. They even passed by some of the greenery, revealing the many otherworldly plant life.

Most of it was unoccupied because the people are already heading to the stadium to get to their seats. Some stayed at home and since it was a Cosmic Holiday, not a lot of people wanted to roam around.

The bus circled the various parts of the city to show visitors the scenery before they get to the stadium. At the epicenter of it was Terra Prime's central ward, other than the size it was similar to the one at Lydia. It did have one more thing that made it even more unique. At the top of the ward, instead of a government center, the stadium was held up by the spiral pillars of the ward almost touching the clouds.

Allen was caught off guard by the sheer size of the stadium in front of him. It looked like it could fit all sports into the space they had and the height was as tall as the skyscrapers beside it. The only thing that exceeded it was the Genisis Corp beside it. It did seem like a good place to also conduct experiments, like the new Mythrillian models that was issued to them.

Allen gripped the jacket John gave him and breathed slowly. "This is it," he whispered as the journey begins with a leap bigger than he thought it would be. He felt a little anxious but even more so, he felt excited for what's to come.

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