Echoes and a crisp breeze drifted from under the slightly cracked window. The room held only the flicker of a dim candle and the scratch of pen on paper. Those flickers weren't the only sounds heard as another click of a pen and letters scratched into a notepad. As all was quiet, the child paused, scrolling down the already written list.
"So there really isn't a trend when it comes to achieving your first Core Implementation other than the percentage and stats already gathered over the past decade…."
"But what about the years before that? Would my brother have one… Nah, that sounds like something Professor Koto would have. She always has some interesting records stored up in her mansion's library."
Swallowing the dense fear in his thoughts from just thinking about the idea, the kid dropped his pen and looked up at his clock.
'Borrowing something like that from Miss Koto is scary.'
"So, is there really nothing I can do to prepare for tomorrow's Core Awakening? I shouldn't give up so easily. A Journalist won't either."
Time passed as the child's mind finally recognized the hour hand hit seven. His heart lurched. Blood surged to his face, then away. His fingers went numb.
The kid lurched from his chair and threw himself at the window, yanking the blinds. The kid's body started to shake. The sun continued to rise, although already one-sixth of its way to its peak.
"IT'S SEVEN IN THE MORNING!"
Suddenly disturbed, birds lifted up into the sky.
The sunlight revealed him, scrawny and barely 5'1, his eyes glowing like caught moonlight. He glanced at the empty street below. Nobody had seen him. Still, his ears burned. Dashing back to his desk and then to his walk-in closet, rifled through his closet, grabbing anything that would do.
"NO, NO, NO! I'm not ready!"
A scream tore up from downstairs.
"JARED, IS EVERYTHING OK?!"
'Mom?! Oh, snap! They're already HOME!'
"Everything's fine!"
His father's voice came a beat later.
"Jared, come here now!"
'Crap! I don't have time for this!'
Jared rushed out of his room. The halls were filled with sunlight. The morning shift maids were preparing these supplies while some of the others were wiping down the window and opening it to the refreshing morning air. Overlooking the indoor balcony, cardboards and plastics littered around the house. New furniture, paintings, and decorations were placed in corners waiting to be set up.
"Where're you guys?"
"The kitchen. Hurry up!"
"Ughh."
Jared greeted them all earnestly as he ran down the stairs into the open, newly colored white-and-blue kitchen. Setting up a giant square box on the dining room table was Jared's dad, intently listening as his wife read the instructions.
"Is the VGA cable put into port 2?"
"Yes, but the signal is still not coming through."
Jared's father looked up from his T.V. toward Jared.
"Hey, help us out here. You should know how these things work."
'Another new piece of technology?'
Jared turned to his father and the box, unimpressed.
"What's the point? We already have relics that do the same thing but better, easier, and with no extra cost to us. Hell, those guys make a new one every month. So why do you go out of your way to buy an expensive thing designed for commoners?"
"Part of growing up is being able to relate to them."
Jared's mom set the manual down.
"A part of striving for world peace is being able to understand and relate to one another despite our differences."
"For the sake of this so-called world peace, do we need to degrade ourselves by lowering our quality of living? I'm sorry, I'm not buying whatever those guilds are feeding you."
Jared's mom slammed the manual on the counter. "Jared!" He reached past her and picked up the TV remote.
"World peace is a lie. It always has been. To achieve it, someone's values must be destroyed, forced to fit whatever mold the government decides. Like pawns in the hands of the strong."
"JARED STOP!"
"And that's why I'll never join a Guild. I'll become a Journalist and take control of my own life."
With that, Jared turned on the T.V., defaulting to the world news network. The screen filled with fire, smoke, and the wreckage of a town. People dressed in black suits and pants wearing red shirts underneath. Lining the cuffs and edges of their suit was yellow cloth that looked like gold. Leading them was one fellow wearing a black cape lined with red on the inside, covering one arm and his back. The dead raven's head at the lead figure's left shoulder made Jared recognize the guild immediately.
Concept detonated at the center of the town, throwing hundreds of soldiers and civilians alike to the ground. Suddenly they cut from the chaos and to the reporter explaining the event.
"King Laurance, the ruler of the self-governing town/nation of Nuxvar, has reported the capture of the Journalist, Yidhra . Several substantial events have been reported early yesterday afternoon. Hiding amongst other ever-damning documents to the Union was an infamous book known for inspiring up-and-coming journalists worldwide. Upon this evidence, King Laurance has engaged in battle with the Union, refusing to disclose the location of the journalist, Yidhra. Sources say the Union will expand their search to the Nation of Caster. Please keep looking out for a girl-"
With that, Jared calmly started to walk away from his parents. His mother snapped her head toward him.
"IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO BE?! A murderer for the fun of it! COME BACK HERE!"
Jared continued to walk, only addressing his father, who was holding his mother back.
"I'll be going to the Core Awakening ceremony by myself. There would be no need for you two to attend and miss out on your daily duties."
Jared's mom broke free and stomped her way back to the kitchen, out into the garden. Jared's dad looked at his wife and back at Jared.
"I'll take care of her, so don't worry, but your brother will be attending as your guardian."
"WHAT! No, just get one of the-"
"I already called him and let the higher-ups know."
"How did you-!"
"I'm your father. I already knew how things were going to turn out the moment you started to speak. I know my sons well enough by now, and you two need to become actual brothers."
Jared's father pressed two fingers to his temple. "Yep, just got the notification. He'll be on his way."
Jared let out a breath.
"Fine. I'll get ready."
Jared's father smiled. "I know you don't like how things are done, but today is your big day, so try to behave. Remember what I told you."
"Only the strong can decide their own path."
"So become strong so no one, not me, your mom, or your brother can force you to do what you don't think is right."
Jared smiled.
"Thanks, dad."
He turned off the T.V. and walked in the direction of his wife, rubbing his face as if steeling himself.
It was unusually quiet. Not a maid present, just abandoned cleaning supplies and half-polished floors. Jared carefully walked, passing the wet and half-wiped floors, toward his room.
'No maids? Guess father dismissed them to limit the gossip.'
A heavy breeze filled the hall, pouring from Jared's room, thick with the smell of decay and waste. Jared's gut turned, his body locking up as if an invisible wall drove him back.
Each step toward the door made his legs heavier. Although every instinct told him to run, something kept him moving forward.
Jared stood starstruck, completely bewildered by the creature lying in the center of his room. Blood flowed from the beast's cloaked body, pooling into the fabric beneath it. Its human figure was completely covered in a shredded and patch-filled cloak.
Still drawn to this figure, Jared crept toward it, closing his door out of habit.
Getting inches away from it, its sudden twitch froze him. The monster struggled to move, dropping to the ground within seconds of trying to use its limbs. The creature groaned out words, incomprehensible scraping sounds that weren't quite any language Jared knew. The figure dragged its head up from the floor, gaze stopping at the child's feet, and spoke.
"◺➡◨◨◅Ω⠲"
' …. Is that… Western Kedah?'
"◺➡◨◨◅Ω⠲.◺➡◨◨◅Ω⠲."
'You want food?'