Interrogation

At the same time the funeral was taking place, somewhere at the other end of the Universal Guardians HQ.

"Ashera really seemed to not want you at the funeral today," said Agathe.

"I guess she had her reasons," replied Zrahel. "But what about you? Why didn't you go?"

"I hate funerals… they remind us that no matter how long our lives may be, they'll always come to an end."

"Hmm… I see."

"And anyway, we need to get your paperwork done as soon as possible."

"I still don't know where you're taking me. I only agreed to follow you because I was bored."

"Ahh, stop being so rude. We're going to open a file for you in the Universal Guardians database."

"Strangely, I'm not very excited about that idea."

"I understand, but the thing is, it's extremely important if you want to thrive in this world.

I mean… everything goes through us. Everything legal in the universe is controlled and monitored by us.

Normally, the law requires every child born to be registered, but it seems you were born before that. You don't look that old, though."

"I guess I have good genetics."

"Ahahah," she laughed, "show me your abs one of these days."

They continued their conversation as they walked, and eventually, they arrived in front of a large building with the words "Archives Center" written on it.

This immense building was immaculately white.

The architecture was both simple and grand: shimmering colonnades supported a translucent dome, and the walls were made of a quartz alloy pulsing with an internal light.

Patterns etched directly into the material gave both the interior and exterior of the building an unparalleled elegance.

The air was purified, and a soft light filtered down from an ethereal ceiling where surveillance drones floated.

Here, one could access all the recorded life data for any person. Of course, the necessary permissions were required.

The building was connected at its rear to another, slightly less elegant building that appeared to have been reinforced with sturdy materials.

Now that they had arrived, Agathe said to Zrahel:

"Here you'll be able to register and get an ID card.

And since your life would probably be monotonous and boring without it, you can also directly sign up as a sentinel in our armed forces."

"Calm down, Agathe," Zrahel interrupted, giving her a cold look, "I don't like being told what to do."

"Sorry… if it feels like I'm forcing you. I sometimes get too enthusiastic."

"Don't worry, I'll let it slide this time. And you're not entirely wrong—being part of the Universal Guardians could be fun and practical."

"Practical, it definitely is. And someone as strong as you won't take long to rise through the ranks."

"Good to hear."

"Hmmm… normally, they'll make you take tests to determine your level, figure out which unit suits you best, and assess your potential for growth."

After Agathe gave him a few more tips and additional information, Zrahel entered to start the process.

The person at the counter found it strange that someone as young as him wasn't already registered in their database.

But he was accompanied by Agathe, a colonel. So, regardless of any reservations, they had to register Zrahel.

Upon registration, they gave Zrahel an ID card with his full name and other information.

Since he had lost his memory, Agathe suggested they cheat by entering a false birth date, a simple race that didn't contradict his abilities, and so on.

And given Agathe's presence beside him, she could ensure no investigation would be conducted to verify the information.

Now that his identity was established, Zrahel could enlist in the ranks of the sentinels, as Agathe had proposed.

They headed to the second building at the rear of the first for this purpose.

"Hi Asim," said Agathe as she entered the room. "I've come to support Zrahel's enlistment."

"Alright. May I ask if you have a preference for which unit to join?" the guy replied, addressing Zrahel this time.

"The same one as Agathe and Ashera."

"Uh… the Spade Guardians, then."

He began entering all this information into a computer. He also asked for Zrahel's ID card to obtain his basic details.

Then he continued:

"We'll be giving you some tests to determine your suitability for the Universal Guardians. First, there will be questions to assess your knowledge level, and then you'll undergo a physical test."

To start with the questions, they followed him to a stark room. A bare space with gray walls, furnished only with two chairs separated by a table. An interrogation vibe, but Zrahel took his seat, relaxed.

The guy, whose name was Asim, began:

"Do you know what the Universal Guardians are?"

Zrahel had indeed lost his memory, but he'd had plenty of time to gather as much information as possible, especially by asking Agathe or deducing answers from what he observed.

"Present in every Quadrant. They ensure order, the law... if you can call it that."

Asim stared at him. That ironic nuance, that distance in his voice...

He continued.

"Can you name the four units?"

"Heart for surveillance. Clover for protecting the Elders. Spade for espionage. Diamond for exploration and Pulsars."

"Perfect."

He proceeded with other standard questions like: What's the purpose of the Spades you wish to join? What's the hierarchy to respect? And so on.

He then moved on to questions more typical of an interrogation.

"Do you, or have you ever, been part of an unregulated or criminal organization that opposes the notion of peace upheld by the Universal Guardians?"

Zrahel raised an eyebrow.

"Who answers 'yes' to that kind of question?" he asked bluntly.

"Well… you never know."

'Of course, no one would answer yes,' Zrahel thought, 'I see through his game. As unimpressive as he may seem, this man has the necessary qualities of an interrogator.'

In reality, it was all about eye contact and reaction. Basically, the guy was a walking lie detector.

So Zrahel looked him straight in the eye to answer—after all, he never lied.

"No!"

Asim took a few seconds to observe Zrahel for any telltale reactions. But he saw only the latter's nonchalant gaze, which, by the way, showed just how bored he was.

It was now time for him to take the physical tests, which promised to be a bit more interesting.

The boredom was finally giving way to what Zrahel sought: action.