“Let’s finish up here I am sure your guys are pretty tired, captain aria will escort you guys to your living area, tomorrow morning we will have the paperwork ready and the other members of your team should already be here so you guys can meet them alongside your team mentor.” King Leonidas said as he waved his hand towards captain aria.
After exchanging formalities captain Aria began escorting the four out, “It was in the itinerary for me to give you guys all of the relevant information on abilities and powers whenever I was escorting you guys to your quarters because it would be far too much to explain in a single sitting.” Captain aria said as she pulled out 4 computer chips handing them to each person.
“A few pointers before you start combing through it just keep in mind these are ideas and observations developed by other people.
It is imperative that you seek to create your own way of practicing and continually master your path because it is the one only you can walk.” Captain aria said as the group began walking back up the stairwell leading to the dungeon meeting room.
Hearing this the group was given something to think about not knowing how to respond to a statement like that.
Like this they followed in silence subconsciously more observant than normal, Captain Aria led them to an elevator in which they rode up what seemed to be at least 30 floors in a matter of seconds where the doors opened to reveal an underground single garage it looked like with one car in it.
As the elevator door opened they could see a black sedan that looked like it could comfortably seat around 5 people with no defining insignia, however it was clear that the car was extremely well made.
Standing outside the black sedan opening the doors for everyone to get in easily was Ace, the driver.
As they got closer to the car they could see the interior was pristine with black seats each a complete seat seperate in itself extended into the rear somewhat like a hatchback.
There were four seats in total with two rows parallel facing each other in almost a square with a small table in the middle of the four seats.
Additionally there was a passenger seat and of course the drivers seat.
“What kind of car is this?” Jack couldn’t help but wonder as a guy he knew how to acknowledge a cool thing when he saw one.
“Haha, this is my custom build, there’s nothing like it on the planet.” Ace said as he rubbed the car doors before walking back to the drivers side.
“How’d it go in there for you guys?
Did those brainiacs ask you for your souls or anything?” Ace asked casually while getting back in the car.
Hearing this Anne couldn’t help but shiver while captain aria had already made it to the car and took it upon herself to hit Ace’s head lightly to make sure he was still conscious and okay.
“Actually it went far better than I expected, I guess…
I’m just thinking about the future and how to prepare for the trails to come now.” Jason said, as he piled into the car sitting across from Ethan and next to jack.
Once all four of them were in the car, the car began being lifted in a heavy duty industrial elevator into the lowest level of a larger under ground parking garage.
“Yea but it looks like luck is on your side I will be your squads mentor, apparently it’s supposed to help me understand the more in depth reasons as to why they want me to become the resident all rounder.” Ace said with sadness tinge in his voice.
“It doesn’t sound like you’re too excited either, kind of just making the most out of an undesired situation huh?” Jason responded obviously understanding where Ace was coming from.
“Man, tell me about it, at this point I’m just enjoying the ride.” Ace said as the car pulled out of the parking garage onto the military base under the cover of night.
“It’s already dark out?
Oh god everything’s been happening so fast lately!” Anne let out before bawling up and trying to control her breathing.
“If you guys want we can give you guys some time before we move forward, just remember time is limited it will only take a single moment for the balance to break.” Captain aria said solemnly, completely understanding the possible stress of going from civilian to survivor.
“Are you sure?
Anne do you want to..?” Jack began before being cut off by Anne’s weak voice.
“It’s fine..
I can handle it, everyone on earth is basically going through this right now.” Anne said through sniffled breaths as she attempted to stiffen her voice.
“Well, I imagine we’ll get settled into the new normal in no time, there is a neighborhood off base that is actually used as a sort of covert homeland ops for the FBSA that is where many of us are staying and also where we’ve moved you guys into, the movers should have finished setting everything up about an hour or so ago.” Captain aria said as Ace began to exit the highway entering into a more urban area.
The houses weren’t too extravagantly big or small, and based on the number of garages and cars it was fair to assume at this level they were at the very least at the border of the general middle class.
“This house up here on the left will be where you guys are staying, and I’m right across the street, the other guys in our team also stay on this street you will meet them tomorrow.” Ace said as he drove down the street and pulled into the driveway.
The house had an intricate design resembling a short tower atop a hut.
It didn’t standout however, there were many houses in similar neighborhoods that had similar designs.
It’s been like this for ages whether they started because building something that looked similar was the only option, or they hatched the ideas and raised the method.
Everything about civilization has always looked similar, likely due to material limits at one point.
But now was it was eerily different, especially after learning of the FBSA’s covert ops unit in this neighborhood.
“How big exactly is the FBSA organization?” Ethan asked after thinking about all of these things.
“We had about 40 thousand before all of this chaos stationed all throughout the US, now we’re well past 1 million the kings are devising schedules and training programs for the new recruits so that things don’t get overcrowded.” Captain Aria said.
Another shocking bit of information for the group, especially Anne.
“Ethan I can’t believe you would do something so reckless!
I am worried literally sick at this point, there are at least 1 million parents out there that might not even know this could only be the beginning of their worst nightmare.” She nearly barked at Ethan with tears streaming down her face again after hearing the captains words.
Seeing his mom like this Ethan couldn’t help but understand she was upset because she cared about him, and that care extended to life, and now it was also her fault because this was caused by the son she raised.
“But there’s no use crying over spilled milk, I will have to help you find a solution now.” She said as she wiped her eyes and blew away her snot strengthening her voice.
Ethan was pained because his actions implicated her, but that was only a single domino in a long line of moving pieces.
But Ethan couldn’t expect her to think that deeply into causation.
As Ethan was thinking about this it was like he had been struck by a spark of lightning as he lit up briefly from the inside out.
He had been practicing the movement of his internal energy diligently every chance he had over the past few days, so much so that he had even began practicing doing this during other activities and while talking to people.
“Ethan!
Eth..” was the last thing he heard from his mom’s voice as he blacked out.
‘Causation the concept in its entirety can be summed up as what was, was and is, why, what is, is.
It is what was before and what was after; and what is will because what was eternally…
ouroboros?’ Ethan thought to himself as his mind began to imagine endless streams of possibilities.
The images flashed by one after the other happening so fast they began to overlap merging into a single world and timeline as he came to slowly blinking his eyes open.
“Yoh awah au ou oay” Ethan heard a faint whisper from what sounded like his moms voice.
“You’re awake, are you okay.” Anne said as she stood up from the chair she was sitting in to more clearly see Ethan.
“Yea but weren’t we just in the car?” Ethan asked as he observed the change in environment.
As he began to observe his surroundings.
The world had taken on a new color.
He watched after visions of people he knew and didn’t know enter the room they tried speaking but their words were being drowned out and muffled.
“You passed out almost an hour ago, you kept mumbling causation this causation that.” Captain aria spoke who had also stayed the make sure everything was okay.
“A medical team should be here shortly to asses you and make sure everything is okay.” Hearing the captain Ethan recalled his dream and how the many duplicates and doppelgängers in his vision merged into one when he woke up.
He began to listen carefully to his current surroundings and breathe deeply with his eyes closed.
After his heart rate settled a bit he opened his eyes again this time everything looked relatively normal aside from being partially disembodied.
“Wow I really have to keep my eyes relaxed or it’s an almost instant headache.” He said as he looked from side to side with his eyes almost closed.