5

"Ugh... My head." When Xen opened his eyes, he was already lying on his bed. At that moment, the world around him seemed blurry. It took him a great effort to just stand up and sit. But even then, he felt the entire world around him spinning.

"You are awake?" It was at this moment that he heard his mother's concerned voice before feeling a soft touch on his forehead.

"Mum." Still feeling dazed, Xen could only lie there with his eyes closed.

"Hush, it's okay. You are fine." Sarah gently rubbed his forehead. When she came in and saw him unconscious on the ground, she was panicked beyond words. Thankfully the readings were normal. It only showed that Xen was mentally exhausted and needed some rest. Other than that, everything was fine.

"What happened?" Xen tried hard to recall, but he couldn't remember anything. The last thing he remembered was connecting to the Recollection Hall and then giving up because of his low balance before everything went dark. After that, he just found himself lying on his bed. He grimaced in pain, trying hard to recall, but nothing seemed out of place.

"You have been scanning the recollections for the past few days. You just overworked yourself. Take some rest." She rubbed his head gently, before walking out of the room.

"Ugh... I... I can't seem to remember." Xen rubbed his forehead, trying hard to recall what happened before he lost consciousness, but alas, it was of no use. He seemed to have forgotten about the village, the woman and the boy. It was as if that thing never existed.

"The recruitment." It was only now did he remembered about the broadcast and how everyone above the age of ten needed to join. Is it here yet? Waving his hand, he checked his messages on the screen in front of him, but other than a lot of messages from Reon, there wasn't anything else.

"What happened?" With a frown, he checked for the information and soon enough saw the newest broadcast of the Council's meeting. After watching it all, he fell silent for a long time. On the one hand, he was relieved that he wouldn't have to participate in the war, while on the other hand, he was feeling disappointed. Just like his father, he too wanted to contribute to the human race but looks like this dream of his would have to wait.

"Connect to Reon." Waving his hand, Xen called Reon whose hologram soon appeared in front of him.

"Took you long enough." The first thing Reon did was to complain. He had been trying to contact this guy for hours. For a moment he even thought that this bastard died in the Recollection Hall. "Did you see it?"

"Hmm..." Xen nodded in response. He knew the guy was talking about the Council meeting. As for how long they were gonna put a stay on the age, no one knew.

"Reon, when you went to the Saturn, what did you see?" This was what puzzled Xen the most. Unlike his father, Reon's father was a miscellaneous mechanic. So the information should have been limited, but not for this guy. He clearly knew about it well before Xen's father told him.

"You mean how did I know about the war?" Reon pointed to himself before shaking his head. "If you go to the Saturn's Space Station, you could see the goddamn ships standing right at the horizon of the solar system. Ships that are beyond human's comprehension."

Reon paused for a moment before continuing, "And if that wasn't enough, the entire Saturn was under lockdown due to mass panic. I suppose that's the reason why they decided to report the truth here on Earth too."

"I see." Xen nodded in understanding. Now many things made sense. He wanted to ask a few more questions but before he could, a notification suddenly arrived at the screen in front of him.

"This..." His eyes narrowed into slits as he looked at the notification with the title [Earth's Recruitment Project]. "Did you receive it on your home system too?"

Looking at Reon whose expression was of similar surprise, Xen asked with a frown. "Didn't they just say that those below age eighteen aren't allowed to participate? What the hell is going on?"

"I... I don't know." Reon replied absent-mindedly.

Without wasting another second, Xen opened the notification as a letter was displayed in front of him.

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Subject: Mandatory Enrollment in Joint Combat Training

Recipient: Xen Estrona

ID: 113783

Age Group: 10 - 18

Date: Day 65, Cycle 431, Year 237 of the Solar Ascension

Sender: Solar System Defense Corps

Classification: Top Priority

Dear Xen,

Due to recent developments in the Solar System's defence efforts, we are mobilizing all capable individuals to ensure the safety and survival of humanity. As part of this initiative, you have been selected to participate in the Joint Combat Training Program (JCTP).

This training is crucial for equipping you with the necessary skills to contribute to the ongoing defence of our solar system. While this session is not immediate conscription into active combat, it is a preparatory step toward strengthening our collective defences.

Mandatory Details:

Session Type: Joint Combat Training Program

Location: Nearest Corps Station

Date & Time: Day 67, Cycle 431, Year 237 of the Solar Ascension

Duration: 4 weeks (subject to change)

Items Required: Personal Identification, Standard Issue Kit (to be provided)

Failure to comply with this directive will result in penalties as outlined in the Defense Mandate Act. Your participation is vital for the preservation of humanity's future.

We trust that you will take this opportunity seriously, as it is our collective duty to stand united.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact your assigned training coordinator.

Solar System Defense Corps

United for Victory. United for Survival.

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Xen looked at the letter in silence as his breathing almost stopped. It wasn't a draft notice, but a training session. "Did you get it too?" Raising his head, he looked at Reon whose face had turned pale with fright.

"I... I need to go." Without answering, Reon cut off the communication.

"....." Xen just looked in silence before letting out a heavy sigh. In the end what he feared the most has finally happened. Though Ariosa, the current leader of Earth might have accepted the condition of not letting the kids join in the war, she wasn't willing to let them stay and do nothing. She was making sure that if the day came when the children needed to pick arms, they would be ready.

Xen didn't know what to feel about it. He was already feeling down because of not being able to discover anything in the Recollections and now there was this too... He just let out a bitter smile. Looks like his days of living in peace were finally over.

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For the next two days, Xen stayed at home, spending what he considered to be his last days with his mother and sister. As for his father... he left one day after their family tour.

The closer the clock inched towards the date, the greater the nervousness and panic in Xen's heart got. The once annoying requests of his sister were like heaven's melody in his ears. His mother's constant nagging which he always despised was something he was already beginning to miss. Even in his wildest dreams, he didn't think there would be a day when he would be reluctant to part ways with all this annoyance. At the moment, these annoyances had turned into fond memories.

"Xen..." His mother called him softly from behind. Her voice shook a little like she was holding back something heavy. Xen sat quietly on the balcony, staring at the wide, blue sky. Everything outside seemed so calm, but inside, his heart felt heavy.

"Is it time?" he asked, not turning to look at her. His voice stayed calm, but his hand gripped the strap of his bag a little tighter. He already knew why she had come.

Sarah stood there, watching her son. He seemed older now, not the little boy she used to know. She swallowed, trying to find the right words, but nothing came. All the fear and worry from the past few days were stuck in her throat.

Xen finally turned around and gave her a small smile. That smile only made her heart hurt more. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes told her everything. He was trying to be strong, even though she knew he was just as scared as she was.

"Xen..." Sarah's voice was shaky as she stepped closer. She reached out, fixing his collar with trembling fingers. Her hands stayed there for a moment, not wanting to let go. Her eyes were red from all the crying, but she tried to hide it. She didn't want him to see her like this, not when he was being so brave.

"You'll be okay," she whispered, but her voice cracked. She leaned down and kissed his forehead gently like she was trying to protect him one last time. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

Xen nodded. He wanted to tell her everything would be alright, but the words wouldn't come. So he just smiled again and said softly, "You too."

He turned and walked to his sister's room. She was still asleep, her small body curled up peacefully. Xen stood in the doorway, looking at her. He wished he could stay. He wished he didn't have to leave them. But he couldn't.

His chest felt tight as he clenched his fists, pushing back the feelings that wanted to spill out. He couldn't be weak now. After one last look at his sister, he turned away.

As he walked past his mother, he didn't look back. His eyes stung, but he kept moving. His hand lifted in a small wave, his fingers shaking a little as he said goodbye one last time before stepping out the door.

As soon as Xen left, Sarah collapsed on the ground with tears streaming down her face. She wanted to cry out loud, she wanted to scream, but thinking about her daughter lying next door as well as her son's responsibility, she held back. She opened her mouth and spoke for a long time, trying to relay her suppressed emotions as well as her wishes, but unfortunately for her, Xen had long since gone.

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It took Xen a while to reach his destination and when he got there, someone was already waiting for him there.

Reon stood at the entrance, his face pale and tense. Even though he tried to put on a brave smile, his red eyes showed the truth. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and the excitement he felt before was now mixed with fear.

As Xen approached, Reon rubbed the back of his neck in nervousness. "I can't believe this is happening," he said, his voice shaky. "I thought we wouldn't have to join the fight."

Reon's mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead. He wanted to be strong and face whatever came, but the fear of the unknown was overwhelming. Deep down, he wished he could stay in the safety of their homes, laughing and playing like they used to.

Looking at Xen, he felt a wave of sadness wash over him. They were supposed to be kids, enjoying their lives, not stepping into a world filled with danger. "Let's just get through this together," he said, trying to sound brave. But inside, he felt like a small child again, scared and unsure of what to do next.

Xen wanted to say a few words of comfort, but considering his own situation, he was in no position to do so. Helplessly, he could only give him a nod before entering the building.

The inside of the building was filled with a large number of children just like them. All of them just looked around nervously.

Just when Xen was wondering what was going to happen next, he finally saw an old man standing in the middle of the hall as he ran his gaze across the hall.

"Good, you all are here." With a nod, he signalled the man beside him to come forward. "My friend here would register you all. After your registration, you all would be grouped up and assigned different roles."

Without wasting another second, the man beside him stepped forward and began to register the children one by one.

The process was relatively simple. One only needed to place their hand on the tablet and scan their eyes.

Even though there were more than a hundred children present, it only took him an hour to complete this task.

"Please head to the ship now." After finishing the registration, he signalled the children to follow him before leading them out of the hall towards the edge of the city.

It took almost half an hour for them to reach their destination. Xen stood at the edge of the city in silence while looking out at the skyline. Tall buildings reached toward the sky, their shiny surfaces reflecting the light of the distant sun. The streets below buzzed with activity, filled with people moving about their daily lives, unaware of the storm brewing on the horizon.

In the sky, ships glided smoothly, leaving trails of vapour behind them. Some were small, darting between the buildings, while others were larger, hovering above like giant metal birds. The air was filled with a mix of sounds—the hum of engines, distant chatter, and the occasional siren.

As he took a deep breath, he could smell the faint scent of machinery mixed with the sweetness of blooming flowers from the parks nearby. The sky was a brilliant blue, but dark clouds began to gather in the distance, a warning of the troubles ahead.

Xen's heart felt heavy. This was his home, a place he had always dreamed of exploring. Now, it felt like the walls were closing in around him. The city, once vibrant and full of life, now seemed to hold its breath, waiting for what was to come.

The moment the children arrived there, a long stairway descended from one of the larger ships in front of them.

"It's time." Muttering under his breath, Xen turned his head, giving one last look at the city where he had spent his entire life before taking a deep breath and stepping on the stairs. He had long wanted to visit outer space, hoping to visit the other planets... he just never thought that it would be like this. He could only lament the fact that life was so unpredictable. One moment he was at his home with the biggest worry being what to eat for dinner and the next moment, he was at a spaceship, wondering how long he was going to survive...