Author’s Note: So sorry for not posting these last few days!
My laptop was down.
I will try to put some extra chapters out this week.
Cecil made a decision.
“Donald, I want you to go and start training at the gym, keep an eye on them, but keep your distance.
No contact with the subject for now, and remember, Donald the kid has a very good memory, so always assume you are being watched.”
Donald saluted him.
“I understand, sir.
How long do you want me to stay on him?” Cecil looked Donald up and down.
“Until that beer gut is gone.
You can use that as your cover.” Donald nodded and left the room.
At an Unknown Embassy
“On behalf of the United States of America, I thank you and look forward to our continued cooperation.” Two men shook hands, smiled, and flashes went off.
The men let go and separated.
One man stayed inside the building.
The moment he couldn’t see the other man and his escort, he turned and grabbed a bag.
He speed dialed someone.
“Hello, Mason, this is Jared.
I need a car and a first-class ticket back to the States.
My son’s school was attacked.”
“Already handled Jared, the news just landed on my desk.
I’ve already sent over all the files to your iPad.” Jared hung up and got into a car.
Back in Chicago, Illinois
Zach went back to the Sanctuary after dinner.
The first thing he did was go to the most central element room, the one that only he had access to.
He entered and could feel every element present.
He sat down and started using the elemental breathing.
He set an alarm to go off in two hours.
‘Let’s refine this fleshy prison and harden my bones!’ Zach let out a small smile.
‘Enough cringe, more focus.’ Zach let Fred and Blair know he would be unavailable for the next two hours, but they were welcome to use the Sanctuary.
Fred messaged Blair to let her know he was headed to the Sanctuary.
Blair liked the message but didn’t respond.
Fred looked around his bedroom, making it seem like he was sleeping, just in case his parents checked in on him.
He dusted his hands.
‘That should do it.’ He grinned and rubbed his hands together.
‘Time to see what teleportation is like.’ He left his phone in his room.
‘Nature’s Call.’ Fred disappeared from his room and reappeared on the first floor of the Sanctuary.
‘That wasn’t so ba…’ He didn’t finish his thought before he doubled over and threw up.
He wiped his mouth and rinsed it out with some water.
‘Teleportation sucks.
Noted.’ He picked himself up and saw the training ground.
He whistled.
“Man, Zach really did a number in this place.
He left holes and slashes even though this place is supposed to be reinforced.” He shook his head and left.
He talked out loud as he walked.
“I came here specifically for the library.
Zach said the place was full of books and different scrolls.”
He reached the library doors and opened them.
The library was the length and width of a football field. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
The shelves were tall and sturdy.
He could smell spring in the air; flowers and vines were rampant in the library.
He walked to one set of shelves and saw that each shelf was labeled.
‘This is history.” He walked down the row and found different sections.
Each section held the history of a place, person, or thing.
He stopped at one of the ladders and climbed.
The higher he climbed, the further back in time he went.
‘This is amazing, but I wish there was a better way to find things.’ Fred almost fell when he heard the sound of a bell.
‘Right, I have something in my head that makes sounds.’
He climbed down and read the message.
[At the beginning of each section, there is a terminal to search for related items.
They will appear in the hole at the bottom.
Bring to the desk to make copies.] Fred went to the edge of the row and saw the terminal.
He didn’t use it.
Fred browsed the library some more until he stopped at the Magic section.
‘No way!
Magic is real!?’ Fred stepped forward but was blocked by a barrier.
He reached out and tried to push himself through, but the barrier wouldn’t budge.
‘Magic is right in front of me, but I can’t touch it.’ Fred sighed and walked around some more.
He saw sections on the elements, harvesting, farming, weapon handling, and even on economics.
He eventually left the library and went back to the training room.
‘Ok, Fred.
You’ve got to start with the building blocks.’ Fred started practicing with his weapons.
Fred started with the wires.
The wires could extend up to 150ft and could carry 5,000lbs at once.
They came in the form of gauntlets with claws.
The wires themselves were razor sharp when pulled tight, and the ends had arrow-shaped heads.
He could shoot them from any of his fingers.
‘Ok, Fred, let’s figure out how spiders do it.
I mean, a man has done it before.’ He smirked and aimed at one of the rafters.
He was not expecting the wire to pull him that fast, and in his panic, he let go of the hold on the rafter.
THUD
Fred rubbed his head and winced as he sat up.
‘Right before flying, let’s actually review the technique explanation again.’ Fred reviewed and practiced just like Blair was doing at her house.
“UGHHh!
I am drawing the right symbols, so why won’t it work?” Blair flopped back into her pillows.
She started practicing making talismans and was trying to make the simplest one.
‘I never thought making the basic one would be this hard.’ She looked at the basic talisman and sighed.
‘It’s only a cleansing talisman, but I can’t draw it.’ Blair pouted before rolling her shoulders and trying again.
‘The technique makes it seem easy to do, but in actual practice, not so much.’
Zach opened his eyes when his alarm went off.
He felt like his body was full but empty at the same time.
He could feel his body was stronger than before, and his energy responded more quickly, too.
He tried using different elements and found that his energy transformed faster as well.
He pulled up his stats and smiled.
Name: Zach
Level: 5/10
Energy: 85,000/85,000
‘NICE!
I went up an entire letter and five levels.
It must be because the room has every element.
Perks of being the boss.’ Zach chuckled and checked the group chat.
He didn’t see anything, but saw Fred was there in the Sanctuary.
‘Might as well get this conversation over with, and plus his face should be interesting.’ Zach followed the location ping and saw Fred zipping across the room using wires.
He wasn’t flying, but he used the wires to pull himself on the ground and complete tight turns.
He saw Zach and stopped training.
“Yo Zach!” They shook hands and stepped apart.
“How are you doing, little birdie?” Fred rolled his eyes.
“What’s up with the nickname Birdie?” Zach blinked.
“I thought it was pretty obvious.
Your mom is a reporter, you handle information, and you know just about everybody.
Besides, you take after your mom more than your dad anyway.” Fred raised his finger and opened his mouth to retort, but then sighed.
Zach patted him on his back.
“SOooo…about yesterday.” Fred waved his hands.
“Stop, Zach.
I don’t want you to feel like you need to tell me about yesterday.
I, of course, want to know.
I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t.
The point is I don’t care, as long as you are ok and I don’t have to deal with any awkwardness, then I am good.”
Zach smiled and gave him a hug.
“I appreciate that man.
I think you should know, I won’t let too many people get close to me, as you and Blair have, so it’s only fair if you know too.” Zach took out the picture and letter.
He told Fred everything and answered all his questions.
Fred sat down and let out a breath of air.
“Holy crap, that is a lot, dude.” Zach stood next to him, leaning on the wall.
“That, my friend, is an understatement.” They laughed, and Fred gave the picture and letter back to him.
Fred stood up and dusted his hands.
“Well, regardless, you are still my friend, you still can count on me to have your back.
In fact, I will get the same tattoo or mark or whatever it’s called.” He took off his shirt and turned around.
“I can’t have it on my arms cause you know, parents, but I can put it on my back or on my leg.”
Zach held him by his shoulders and looked him in the eye.
“As cool as that is, birdie, I need you to understand that there is no going back.
There are no second chances, redos, no take backs.
It literally leaves a mark on your soul.
No offense, but you are 15 years old.
I really need you to think about this.”
Fred looked down before meeting Zach’s eyes.
“I am sure, Zach.
The world is already crazy as it is, and at any point, aliens or some bullied kid can just wipe people off the face of the earth.
Besides, it sounds like we will be linked to each other.
How could I pass up going to different universes?” Fred grinned widely at Zach.
Zach was shocked at his response.
He chukled, “I might just have to change your name.” Zach put his hand on Fred’s left calf and confirmed he wanted to give Fred his mark.
Fred saw the notification and accepted.
‘Picture it as acupuncture, Fred.’