I sighed as I glanced around the bottom floor of my personal car, taking a mental note of everyone that had gathered to head to Tolapo Village with me. Jane sat in the chair in front of my personal crystal console, frowning at me with barely contained annoyance. Astrid was close by; leaning against the wall; sporting a similar look with her arms crossed.
Baset stood in front of my bookshelf, her eyes pursuing the titles of the books. Many of those were books that I had bought over the past year to help understand magic and for reference with techno-splicing. Grandpa Seamus was seated in the largest armchair where he had an eye on everyone and more pointedly me. Colossus was laying down on the floor next to Grandpa's armchair, snoring loudly.
Bo was sitting on the coffee table across from Grandpa Seamus with Gadget sitting on his shoulder, a small notebook open in his lap. Both the boy and Gadget were eyeing Colossus, Bo writing notes into his notebook while Gadget watched over his shoulder.
The one oddity in the room however was Kennedy or rather Kennedy and his two escorts: Reagan and Kaguya. The trio was cloistered in a corner of the car like they were sealed off in their own little world. I paid close attention to how Reagan stood where he could easily jump in front of the mother and son to protect them. How Kaguya's eyes rarely strayed from Reagan, or how Kennedy seemed to stand straighter and puff his chest out further when Reagan patted his head.
'I'm sensing a little family starting to form here…' I thought then clapped my hands together to get everyone's attention again.
"Okay, enough goofing off from me for now. With Jane here now we can actually set off for Tolapo Village." I announced. Jane's frown deepened, this normally proceeding a tongue lashing from her but I quickly held a hand up to stop her. "I know most of the delay in preparations were a result of my own…quirks. But we're ready now and all that's left is to head to the control car…and say goodbyes."
My eyes darted to Reagan and Kaguya as I made that last comment. Reagan nodded silently in understanding. Kaguya looked like she was about to have a heart attack at the implication of leaving her son despite her words days earlier. Kennedy place a calming hand on her shoulder and looked up at his mother.
"I'll be save with Master Kingston Mom. Blake and Mr. Kestral both say so." Kennedy assured. Kaguya cupped her son's cheek and smiled softly.
"I know but a mother will worry regardless. I'm sure Bo's mother is worrying right now." Kaguya said.
"More likely Jade is rejoicing on having the little shit out of the house." Astrid grumbled. Bo flipped her off without looking in her direction.
"Bite me hag!" He grumbled. Astrid smirked but said nothing, instead she looked at Kaguya and motioned at Bo as if his comment proved her point.
"Be safe Kennedy, stay by Master Kingston, and listen to everyone's instruction…" Kaguya said.
"Everyone except Bo's!" Jane, Astrid, Baset, Grandpa Seamus, Colossus, Reagan, Alberto and I exclaimed in unison.
"Hurtful!" Bo exclaimed then smirked. Sparks of lightning arched off his body before he disappeared in a streak of electricity and appeared next to Kennedy, he casually wrapped an arm around Kennedy's shoulder and said. "But just remember Ken-Ken I'm one of Chase's original shaping students and classmates. So that means I'm higher on the social hierarchy than you."
I felt odd suddenly, like I was walking through jello with concrete boots on. Instinctively I channeled accelerate attribute throughout my body and felt my body getting yanked into a faster time stream. Kennedy was no longer standing in front of his mom with Bo's arm wrapped around his shoulder. He was standing behind Bo, the notebook Bo had been writing in earlier in his hands, freshly pulled from Bo's pocket.
"Well that's new. Never seen anyone else use accelerate attribute mana before." I said. Kennedy's head jerked so fast in my direction I swore I heard it crack.
"You're moving as fast as me!" He exclaimed.
I shot him a droll look then increased my mana output which catapulted me into a higher time stream, now Kennedy looked like he was standing still as I walked over to him then yanked Bo's notebook out of his hand then lowered my mana output to previous levels.
"You want to try that again?" I asked. Kennedy jumped and screamed, suddenly freezing in mid-air. I smirked then shook my head. 'Scared him so bad he forgot to continue channeling mana.'
I held Bo's notebook over his head then let go, it froze in mid-air no longer having my mana to keep it anchored in my accelerated time stream. When I stopped channeling mana the notebook would fall onto Bo's head at normal speed instead of one-one millionth of its speed.
Glancing over at Kennedy I saw he would fall back and hit his head on a armchair if someone didn't catch him. Not wanting to have to heal someone so early in the morning I walked beside him and held a arm out to catch and upright him once I stopped mana channeling.
I stopped channeling accelerate attribute mana and time quickly returned to normal speed. Bo's notebook fell and hit a confused Bo on the head while Kennedy fell backwards into my outstretched arm where I caught him and helped him stand upright.
"When channeling mana attributes like that one you shouldn't stop channeling mana until you are in a safe position. You could end up getting hurt that way." I said with a smirk. Kennedy looked up at me with a star struck expression and nodded enthusiastically.
"WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED!" Bo snapped as he snatched his notebook off the ground. I looked at Bo and shot him a shit-eating grin.
"Kennedy just moved up a few rungs on the social hierarchy." I teased.
***
"Yanis! Status!" I exclaimed as I walked into the control car. I was flanked by Jane and Astrid with Baset and Alberto only a step behind. Grandpa Seamus, Kennedy, Bo, Colossus, and Gadget were right behind them.
"All systems are showing green!" Yanis replied, standing at attention in front of her crystal console. "All we need is for you to set the destination."
I stopped in front of the navigation column and looked up at the holographic globe spinning slowly. I glanced up at the roof slightly and smirked.
"King's Glaive? You still in there?" I called out. The reply was immediate.
"I am Sho'lajah, ready and waiting for your commands." King's Glaive's voice echoing through the car and startling everyone.
"You know the way to Tolapo Village?" I asked. There was a slight crystalline chiming noise for a few seconds before King's Glaive replied.
"Negative. Location of Legendary Village of Tolapo unknown."
"Oh wait! It's shielded during the day!" I exclaimed then slapped my forehead. Grandpa Seamus suddenly grabbed my shoulder and patted me on the back.
"Hold on Starlight." Grandpa said then looked up at fhe navigation column. "Data lock release! Code: Charlie-Hemlock-Alpha-Sapphire-Echo-one-zero-zero-infinity-null!"
"Authenticating..." King's Glaive said followed by its crystalline chiming noise. "….Code accepted! Location of Legendary Village of Tolapo and location of Legendary Village of Sullivardic released and added to pre-saved location data."
"WHAT THE WHAT?!" I exclaimed then frowned at my Grandpa.
"Don't ask me now Starlight 'cause I won't tell ya." Grandpa replied sternly. His tone leaving no room for argument.
"One day that answer's not gonna fly Grandpa." I said sharply then turned my attention to navigation console. "King's Glaive set a course for Tolapo Village, use a route and speed that will enable us to arrive at night where the village's barrier won't keep us out."
"Setting course…" King's Glaive replied.
The holographic globe suddenly shifted and to the African continent and zoomed in until it was over Andromeda city, silver city, where a dot suddenly appeared right over where the underground mana train station was. A line dictating the route stretched from Andromeda city all the way to a desert in the Divine Kingdom of Nigeria where another pin was placed.
"…estimated time of travel…twenty-two hours." King's Glaive announced. I nodded and smirked.
"ALRIGHT LET'S GO! KING'S GLAIVE….FULL SPEED AHEAD!" I exclaimed
"Acknowledged!" King's Glaive replied.
The display on the navigation console changed from a overview of the area to a the view of the interior of the mana train station directly in front of the King's Glaive. It only took me a second to realize it was a projection of the world outside in real-time. Everyone gasped as we saw a couple workers clearing the manacite rails and running into the platform while King's Glaive's whistle blew loudly.
"Confirmation of mana trolleys operating along our route being rerouted for safety! We are all green!" Olithia announced.
"Route is steady and free of any conflict zones." Zane announced.
"Route is locked and control is released to King's Glaive management system." Eris added.
"All systems are go!" Tamara exclaimed.
King's Glaive's whistle blew sharply one last time before it started moving along the manacite rails. Slowly at first as it rounded a bend that led to a tunnel marked east. I watched the display as workers and evos alike stopped to watch and cheer as King's Glaive moved through the mana train station towards the east exit tunnel. King's Glaive let out one last whistle before it picked up speed, the sudden burst making everyone stumble backwards a few feet.
"That's what I call some speed!" Grandpa chuckled loudly.
The tunnel was dimly lit and made in a way that it gained elevation slowly until it was well outside the city limits and into the desert. King's Glaive continued to accelerate gradually as it sped down the tunnel until the force had everyone in the train sliding backwards.
"Inertia Dampners activating…" King's Glaive announced. A second later the force that was pushing everyone back disappeared and I stumbled forward and banged my head against one of the consoles.
"Fuck a duck!" I groaned and cradled my head while rolling around on the ground. "Thanks for the warning!"
"You're welcome Sho'lajah." King's Glaive replied, unfazed by my sarcasm.
I stood up and saw that I had been the only one who'd crashed into something. Which was accentuated by a small trail of blood flowing down my face. The wound was healed instantly and I wiped the blood away before anyone could see.
"This is faster than any of the mana trolleys can go." Zane announced, his voice laced with equal parts excitement and fear.
"Course it is! Mana trains aren't yer average archaic techno-magi! They're masterpieces of the highest order." Grandpa Seamus exclaimed proudly.
A dim light on the navigation console's display caught my attention and I saw the mana train rapidly approaching the tunnel's exit. Though the light became blinding and I covered my eyes for a few brief moments as they adjusted. When I opened them I was greeted with the image of a clear blue sky.
"King's Glaive has exited east mana train tunnel. Climbing to a cruising altitude of thirty-three thousand feet." King's Glaive announced.
"It's flying! Actually flying!" Kennedy exclaimed.
"Amazing. To think all this is possible thanks to ancient splicer technology…how much we've lost…" Baset said softly.
"Whelp I'm going to my room." Alberto announced suddenly Then turned and headed towards the door. All eyes turned to him and stared at him with exasperation.
"You don't want to watch our ascent?" Baset asked. Alberto stopped in front of the door and turned to answer our teacher.
"No I do. But this my third adventure with Chase so I can already see the writing on the wall." Alberto replied.
"What writing?" Grandpa Seamus asked. Bo, Jane, Astrid, and Baset's eyes all widened with realization.
"We're going to be attacked before we get to Tolapo Village…" They all said in unison.
"Yep!" Alberto confirmed. I frowned at everyone and pointed at Alberto.
"You don't know that?!" I barked. Alberto shot me a droll stare.
"Name one time in the entirety of the time I've known you that you haven't been attacked when traveling to go somewhere important?" Alberto asked. I opened my mouth to reply then froze.
"Fuck...we're going to be attacked!"