Wheels of Change: The Drive for Power

As the first light of dawn painted the sky, the world outside Damian Grimston's window stirred to life. Birds, their songs a symphony of morning greetings, began their daily quest for food. Inside, however, Damian was caught in a different kind of quest. Sleep had eluded him, his mind a battlefield of thoughts and emotions. His heart was ablaze with a thirst for vengeance, a thirst that could not be quenched by the demise of his adversary. The man he had yearned to confront was no more, leaving Damian with a bitter legacy: a vendetta against a clan he loathed.

The icy water from the faucet did little to douse the flames of his internal turmoil. As he splashed his face, he tried to extinguish the raging fire within him, but to no avail. The last words of the deceased echoed in his mind, a clear threat that Damian was now the chosen instrument of retribution for a "shitty clan." The thought was so overwhelming that it drove him to contemplate the darkest of escapes from a fate he never sought.

"Keep it together, Damian," he whispered to his reflection, his hands gripping the edges of the sink. "This is the golden age of cultivation, and there must be a path for me." His voice, heavy with a blend of defiance and desperation, filled the small bathroom as he tried to convince himself of this truth.

After shaving his beard and combing his hair, Damian prepared for his first day at a new job. The workplace was a stark contrast to the sanctuary of his home. Middle-aged and elderly men gathered outside, their conversations shrouded in a haze of cigarette smoke. Some were engrossed in their phones before departing in their cars, while others arrived to take their place.

Damian approached the group, maneuvering his wheelchair with practiced ease. He was there to learn the ropes of his new career, but his arrival was met with curious glances. A young man, younger than the rest, approached with a welcoming smile.

"A new face! Haven't seen you around before, sir. Are you here for a ride? I'm the fastest driver here, guaranteed to get you to your destination in under ten minutes," the young man boasted, gesturing to his car adorned with the promise of speed and comfort.

The others chuckled at Damian's bewildered expression, but one driver reassured him, "Don't mind him, sir. He's just eager to prove himself. But I can guarantee you that he knows the best roads around the city." Damian snapped back to reality, "You can call me Dami.., ah, I mean John. And I'm not here for a ride, but to get a job. I was told to come here today".

The excited young man's demeanor changed, "What a pity. But whatever, come, let me take you to the supervisor. My name is Alex, but everyone calls me Little Alex. They say it's because I'm the youngest one among all the other drivers. And here we are, this is the office of the supervisor".

Damian thanked Little Alex and knocked on the door, entering after hearing the confirmation from the man inside. "I was expecting you, Mister John Deo. I have read your application. Waking up from a coma all alone with no family or friends, I think the Qadmus Travel Agency will be your new family. Tell me, what do you expect to get from your job here?" Damian replied, "To tell you the truth, sir, I need money and connections. Working here will give me access to both".

The supervisor nodded, "Good, good. You have a fighting spirit even in your old age. Go and tell Little Alex to take you on a ride and show you the ropes. I see you are in a wheelchair. After you get around and up to do a little something, come tell me, and I will see what we can do for your legs. Maybe, if you are willing to go the extra mile, you could walk again".

Hearing this, Damian further understood that this world was full of darkness, and he needed to seize every opportunity he could get. Feeling a little hopeful, he smiled at the supervisor and expressed his eagerness for the job, "I would kill to have my legs back. Thank you, sir, for giving me this chance".

The supervisor nodded, "With your situation, you can't even kill a fly. Go now, and I will see what suitable job I can find for you. And keep our talk to yourself. Nobody likes a big mouth, especially in our line of work".

Damian replied, "Don't worry, sir. My lips are sealed." With that, Damian exited the office and dropped the smile. "Who are you to talk down on me? I, Damian Grimston, will return today's humiliation a hundredfold".

Damian searched around and found Little Alex soon after, "Little Alex, the boss said to look for you to show me the ropes. So I guess I am your responsibility now. Come, let us start. Show me how I can drive without moving my legs".

Alex stared at the unexpected trouble that had come his way, "…sigh! Uncle, get in the car. I will explain everything on my way. I just got a drive order. Let me tell you, it's in the downtown, and we could see long-legged ladies and young misses from rich families. I tell you, it is a feast for the eyes".

Damian got in the front seat and started listening to Alex talking nonstop, "Say, Little Alex, can we for a second stop talking about girls and talk about the car?" "Yes, of course, uncle. Here in the Qadmus, we have a new line of vehicles, using the God tech. Each car can run for a long time using a single low-level energy stone. Of course, this is only for VIP treatment, not for regular passenger drive. Our agency doesn't tend to them. There are two modes: the auto mode and the self-driving one. In auto mode, you won't really need to do anything, just enter the address, and the car drives itself. You can say we are not driving the car but just watching over it, yes, like a scarecrow. So you do not have to think that you are ineligible to drive one of these because of your situation".

Damian replied, "What a relief. That is good to hear. I was scared there for a moment, thinking that I would be responsible for such an expensive car. I have heard of energy stones before, but I never imagined that one day they would be used to power up cars".

Alex continued, "Uncle, don't fret. With the passage of time, energy stone mines are being discovered more and more, and now normal people can trade for them with money. Although it will cost you an arm and a leg, if one really needs them, then they can buy one".

Damian was shocked. In what world had he woken up to? He remembered that once in his father's office, he saw an energy stone. That day he tried to touch it and got scolded by his father the entire night. He said that it was a very rare kind of stone which held a tremendous amount of energy which can harm the body of a normal human being.

"Little Alex, I was offered a job in exchange for having the ability to walk again, and the boss sent me to you to gain more knowledge. What type of work do we do as extra in the agency, and were you forced into doing this?" Alex replied, "Uncle, so you agreed to it too. I started doing the extra job around three months ago. I required resources to cultivate. I am an orphan and have no money or background. I could not enter the cultivator college, and I hated myself when I saw my classmates getting stronger and richer while I was standing in the same place. I asked them for help, I asked them to guide me to move forward, but nobody cared. One of them told me that he will teach me a very important lesson that he learned. Do you know what he told me? He said that he risked his life to get to where he is. He said it is kill or be killed, and if I really want something, I should find my way to get it, even at the risk of losing my life. And that day, I started doing the extra job. I want the resources to cultivate, and by doing this, I will get them".

Damian felt a tinge of admiration for the boy. He was just like him, alone against the world, not giving up and fighting for what he wanted. The boy continued, "It is critical to know that the agency boss is working for the black market, a branch of an underground world organization. I have delivered goods for the black market before. It was risky as I saw a police car driving by me, but all was good, and I got an energy stone at the end of it".

As Damian listened to Alex's story, he realized that he was not alone in his struggles. He was part of a world where everyone was fighting their own battles, trying to survive and thrive. And in this world, he had a role to play. He had a purpose. And with that purpose, he had hope.