by Riker Kane
We moved to the back of the coffee shop where it was completely empty. The other buildings of the Central Square surrounded us.
I looked around and scratched the side of my head in confusion. “Uh… Why did you take me all the way back here to talk to me? You’re not up to anything, are you?”
“Well… I am up to something.”
“Figures. Where’s Rhys at? He wanna finish this?”
Brooke let out a giggle and shook her head. “You know I’m not a big fan of Rhys. I am a fan of you though.”
She bit the corner of her bottom lip, locking her eyes on me. Her demeanor had changed in an instant. I wasn’t sure if the narrowed stare she gave me was a joke or something else.
She took a step toward me with her hands behind her back. “I had a feeling about you. I knew you’d make it to Omega.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re pretty cute, too.”
“Heh… You’re not too bad yourself, Brooke.”
“Now that you’re an Omega and you’ll be sticking around, you should learn how things work around here.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “I wasn’t aware that was a thing…”
“Oh, it’s a thing.”
She moved close enough to me I could smell the light, flowery fragrance in her hair. She pursed her lips in a failed attempt to fight off a grin.
“We’re all in this together,” she said. “All of us. Fighting through Junctions. Training and leveling. It all gets a little tiring. Not just physically but mentally. Sometimes it’s nice to have a little fun and forget about our responsibilities.”
She reached her hands up and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her gentle but firm touch made me straighten up. I put my hands on her waist and realized her uniform was hiding some shapely curves.
“Brooke…”
“Don’t worry. It’s just fun. It doesn’t mean anything.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. The softness of her lips made my mind blank for a moment. I let her tongue swirl between my teeth. My body pressed against hers, forcing a gasp out of her mouth.
The moment only lasted for a second as she pulled away. She licked her lips and grinned. “Yeah… That’s what I thought. Hopefully you’re as good of an Omega as you are a kisser.”
As much as I enjoyed it, I still wasn’t sure what to think. Brooke must’ve sensed my confusion because she grabbed my hand and smirked. “That’s one of the things you’ll have to get used to on this campus,” she said. “Nobody will force you to do anything you don’t want… But it’s there if you want it… You’re still a Bronze though. Maybe when you earn a few stars…”
I chuckled at the way she no longer tried to hide her smirk. “Okay,” I said with a nod. “I get it.”
“Remember, it doesn’t have to mean anything. Sometimes you just wanna go through a Junction because it can be satisfying.”
She gave me a wink before turning around and walked back through the side of the building. I started to head back when my communicator vibrated on my wrist.
SYNERGY with LIAM ALDRIDGE
Nina Higashi - Level 2: +3 increase to speed
Quentin Young - Level 1
Paige Costa - Level 2: 5% increase to saber damage
Brooke Silvestri - Level 2: 5% increase to saber damage
Seeing the bonus might have been the best thing about talking to Brooke. I headed back out and plopped in my seat next to Nina and Quentin.
“What was that all about?” Quentin asked, an eyebrow raised.
“Uh… Now that I’m an Omega, Brooke just wanted to see if I was interested in maybe doing a Junction with her.”
“Oh… Right.”
Nina gave me a blank stare. “Have you always worn lipstick, Liam?”
“What?” I exclaimed. I wiped my lips with a napkin and saw the smudge of pink on it.
“Man… I guess there really are some perks to being an Omega,” Quentin said.
I looked at Nina and shrugged. Slug me. Roll her eyes. Anything was a possibility from her. But all she did was smile.
“Come on,” she said. “This might be our last night to celebrate before the next World opens up. It’s not every night you become an Omega. Let’s go stuff our faces since we’ve gotta focus after this.”
Quentin rubbed his hands together. “I like the way you think, Nina. Liam?”
I didn’t have to think hard about it. “Let’s do it.”
29: Power Spike
I tapped my fingers on the front counter in the Crafting Bay. My toes tapped at the same rhythm against the floor. I was trying to hold back the anticipation but I was failing miserably. It was my first full day as an Omega. I wanted to enjoy the advantages as soon as I could.
Engineer Gage eventually lumbered toward me. His swollen arms wrapped around the suit of armor and plopped it down in front of me.
“Here you go.”
The damage from the trials was gone. The light-blue sheen of the plates was a little brighter. I tapped it and noticed it was only slightly firmer but still flexible. On the left side of the chestplate, the LOD logo had been branded into it. Beneath it, the shape of a star was etched and painted with bronze. I ran my finger over it as another reminder that I was an Omega.
Outside of that though, nothing else had changed, which was enough to make me shrug.
“It’s got my rank on there… But it looks the same.”
“New Omegas,” he sighed as he pointed at the center of the armor. “This is different.” A small opening had been carved in the center of the chestplate. “Bring a Core to me when you find one and I’ll install it for you. It should give you a boost.”
“Hmm… Like an Arc Reactor. Nice.”
He looked beneath the counter and picked up a blade then placed it in front of me. My armor might have been the same but it was easy to tell how my saber had changed.
The blade had lengthened slightly and it wasn’t as wide. But the most noticeable thing was the brighter luster to it. A faint blue aura resonated from the core lodged into the top of the hilt and covered the entire saber.
“They don’t like giving anything better than training sabers to new recruits,” he said. “Don’t blame ‘em. It’s a waste of time and energy to give someone a better weapon when they’re just gonna leave. This is a standard Omega saber.”
“What’s the difference?”
“The sword has been tempered longer. Notice how it’s tapered down from the center to the edges. That means it’s sharp enough to cut but sturdy enough to withstand a decent amount of trauma for parries.”
“Offense and defense. I can dig it.”
“The length has been adjusted to your height and arm-length. Your file says you’re 5’11”, so it should be just right for you. The weight has increased because there’s more silver in it. Get more strength before you think about whining.”
“Don’t worry. I think I’ll adjust.” I held my new saber up. It was noticeably heavier but I wouldn’t have any trouble slashing and thrusting with it. The added weight was enough for me to know it did more damage.
“Every new Omega gets a new weapon. A gift from the LOD. You get one.” He held up an index finger to emphasize his point. “From now on, you want me to install a new Core or forge you a new weapon completely…”
“Need more Mana. I get it.”
I looked up at the other weapons on display. They were a lot more intricate in their design. Curved blades. Fancy hilts. Jagged edges. There was enough to keep me motivated to collect more Blue Mana. But the saber in my hands was more than adequate.
My communicator dinged and I saw the stats of my new gear on the display.
Silver Steel Saber
Damage Rating: D
Core: 5% Damage Increase
Synergy Bonus (Paige): 5% Damage Increase
Synergy Bonus (Brooke): 5% Damage Increase
Standard Cavalier Armor
Defense Rating: D
Core: None
�
��Hey! The rating’s up to a D! That’s passing!”
Gage crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at me, not sharing the same enthusiasm as I had.
The scruffy engineer wrinkled his nose. “Anything else?”
I admired my new blade for a moment then shook my head. “I think this’ll do just fine.”
~ ~ ~
Red Mana 4,700
Blue Mana 4,450
Green Mana 1,225
I looked at the Mana I had available then back at the list of abilities on the display.
Spiral Swing
A fast attack aimed in all directions.
Cost: 800
Brisk Dash
A quick forward movement and slash.
Cost: 800
Grand Slash
A heavy attack that leaves your target open for follow-up strikes.
Cost: 800
“Man… All of these things are so expensive. I’m gonna have to use everything I earned from the World Boss to buy just one. I thought I’d get a freebie now that I’m an Omega.”
Nina sat next to me and looked over my shoulder. “Being an Omega only grants you access to the abilities. You still have to spend your Mana wisely. I told you things only get harder from here.”
“Yeah, yeah… Don’t remind me.”
On the first floor of the Nerve Center, we sat just outside of the dining hall next to a universal tablet. All of the other cadets were busy waiting for the Junctions to open up but I was too distracted by my decision to pay too much attention to them.
“Let’s see…” I rubbed my chin. “What did you get, Nina?”
“Ice Slash. The attack is the same as Fire Slash. Only the properties are different. You never know what we’ll face next.”
“Nothing wrong with a little utility in your kit. I like it.”
“Maybe you should do the same.”
“That’s just it. All of these would be pretty useful…”
“If all of them would be useful, there’s no wrong decision to make.”
“…Good point.”
I held my communicator up to the display and selected Spiral Swing. My Green Man slowly decreased to make the purchase.
“I’ve got enough left to level Upper Thrust.”
I spent the last bit of Green Mana I had then looked at my new list of abilities.
Liam Aldridge
Available Abilities
Upper Thrust (Cavalier)
Level 3
800 Green Mana until next level
Spiral Swing
Level 1
500 Green Mana until next level
“Hmm… Spiral Swing isn’t Cavalier exclusive.”
“That means you don’t have to go to your Class Captain to learn how to use it properly. But you still need to practice.”
“Or we could go through a Junction and I can learn on the fly. Eh? What do you think?”
I smirked and nudged her with my elbow. She tried not to smile but eventually gave in.
“I’m glad you’re confident. The Junctions ahead will be a lot harder to navigate.”
“New weapon. New abilities. Being an Omega is pretty sweet.
“You’re not done yet.”
~ ~ ~
Liam Aldridge
Level 18 Bronze 1-Star Cavalier
(900 Red Mana until next level)
Hit Points 100
Endurance 50
Strength 16
Speed 14
Durability 13
Control 9
“The amount of Red Mana you need to gain a level will begin to grow exponentially. But the amount you acquire will also increase as you challenge more difficult Junctions.”
“Thanks, doctor.”
“After you level, speak with me. There’s something I need to discuss with you.”
Dr. Marchal walked away to deal with whatever work she had on her tablet. Nina stood at a display on the other side of the Med Bay while she examined her own levels.
“Let’s see…”
Red Mana 4,700
Blue Mana 4,450
Green Mana 1,225
“…I think I’ve got enough Red Mana for three levels. Now I’ve just gotta decide on the stat points.”
I figured with my new saber, an extra point in strength would help me wield it a little better. An extra point in speed would help with likely faster Shadows in Pandora. That left me one more point to decide between durability and control.
Keeping a balanced build appealed more than anything else, so I ended up putting the last point in control. The rush of Mana flowed through my arm and surged through the rest of my body. I pulled my communicator away and let out a sigh. Even though it was only three points, there was a noticeable difference. It was like finishing a good meal or waking up from a good night’s sleep. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to tell if there was actually a difference until I was back out there.
I walked over to Dr. Marchal. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Come this way.”
I followed her through the spacious Med Bay toward a small container room off to the side. Inside of it, there was nothing more than a chair and a table next to it. On the table, there was a digital display monitor and what looked like some type of gas mask. The white mask was connected to all sorts of tubes and electrical wiring, which led back to the display.
“This is an advanced hyperbaric chamber.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Hyperbolic? A hyperbolic time chamber—”
“Hyperbaric,” she corrected me. “Putting this mask on exhausts your body’s nervous system directly.”
“Why’d anybody wanna do that?”
“By doing so, you would increase your red blood cell count and improve lung capacity, thus increasing your stamina.”
“Wait… You’re telling me all I have to do is put this mask on and I can improve my endurance?”
She nodded. “That’s the intention. Though you should know, this design was an engineering prototype. Results may not be what you’re expecting. It’s likely it will take hours for even a moderate improvement.”
“Right… Well, any improvement’s a good one.”
“Until we study Mana further and learn how to apply it, this is your only option for your endurance. Unless you’d prefer to run on a treadmill.”
“I don’t think anybody prefers running on a treadmill.”
Dr. Marchal smiled warmly. Considering how she had to bring us back from the dead over and over, it was easy to understand why she was the most accommodating person on campus.
Between running through Junctions, training and spending time with my squad, I wondered how I would squeeze in time with the hyperbaric chamber.
The doctor must’ve sensed what I was thinking because she suddenly put a hand on my arm. “You’re not obligated to do anything. These are simply options available to you. It’s up to you to decide how you want to proceed.”
“I guess it’s better to have too many choices than none. Right now though, I just wanna get back out there.”
“I figured you would. Good luck, Omega.”
~ ~ ~
I walked outside of the Med Bay with Nina and immediately noticed Quentin there. He was still in uniform, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
“You all right?” I asked.
It was obvious something was wrong with the way he stared at the ground. He sighed softly then shrugged. “Do you mind if I talk to you?”
“You know you don’t have to ask something like that.” I laughed even though his mood was still down.
“I’ll wait for you in the Junction Room.” Nina gave me a nod then walked down the hall.
“What’s up?” I leaned against the wall with him.
“I was just thinking… About all the stuff we’ve been through so far. The Junctions. The World Boss. The trial and taking the oath… It’s still kinda weird that I’m actually an Omega.”
“I know the feeling. Wh
en I got my armor from Gage, I stared at the stamp on the chestplate and couldn’t believe it.”
Quentin straightened up and sighed a deep breath. “I always wanted to do something like this. Not be an Omega but something athletic. To be someone legendary like Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky, you know?”
I laughed at the thought. “I think every kid growing up had dreams of doing something like that.”
“My dreams ended pretty early. I got three older brothers. They’re all rich and successful. Fancy cars. Fancy houses. Beautiful girlfriends. Me though… I was just stuck in college, hoping I would eventually find a job where I could make a living for myself.”
Quentin’s sudden admission came out of nowhere but I didn’t bother trying to interrupt him. Even with his eyes pointed at the ground, I could see he was serious.
“When I was a civilian, I was… mediocre. Then I came here and didn’t even get to choose the class I wanted.”
“You know the compatibility results are just a suggestion. You can be a Strider if you still want to.”
He shook his head. “Nina’s the best Strider we could ask for. The truth is… I kinda like being a Vanguard. The first day of training with Captain bell was rough but I’m getting the hang of it. I can’t imagine using anything else besides a shield.”
“Steve Rogers.”
The smirk formed on his lips as he nodded. “Steve Rogers.” He straightened up and looked me in the eye. “I was never the fastest or the strongest or the smartest. I was just the one Young brother with the chubby cheeks.”
“You’re the Vanguard in the Great Defenders. You always have been.”
“I was. But when I picked up my gear from Gage, it all changed. It made me realize this is what it’s all about.”
My face scrunched in confusion despite the sincerity on his face. “I still don’t know what you’re getting at.”
