'Hmm?' Kael abruptly opened his eyes, staring at the newscaster and wondering if he heard right. 'What the hell is this guy saying?'
He might be out of it, but this was significant news with profound implications for their world. Without the chosen heroes, the stability and peace humanity had managed to achieve could be lost.
"T-This can't be real..." Kael's gaze shifted to the bartender, noticing the man standing up with horror-filled eyes.
'Can't say I blame him.' Kael turned to the television once more, waiting for the rest of the news.
[Sources claim that all thirteen future chosen heroes died under mysterious circumstances. There was no premise whatsoever to their deaths, and all thirteen children died under different conditions.]
The man on the television continued, maintaining his composure despite the horrific news.
[Four of the thirteen new generations of chosen heroes lived in our very own Westmere City. The deaths of the children were all reported around 8 pm today.]
'8 pm?' Kael furrowed his brows, his eyes shifting to the time in the corner of the TV. 'That was about three hours ago. Why are they reporting this now?'
Figures like the thirteen Chosens were always in the limelight, as they were the literal protectors of the Earth. News of their death should have made waves minutes after they happened.
With social media, news like this should already be circulating. 'Hah... Why am I even bothering myself?' Kael shook his head, closing his eyes and leaving his head hanging on the headrest of his chair.
[Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances around the deaths of the children. For now, however, people are panicking, not sure what this means for our world.]
[Would we fall back to the troubling times of our forefathers, or would this lead to an even greater disaster than what has passed? Stay tuned; Channel 5 will continue to bring you live updates.]
"We're so doomed..." Kael heard the bartender whine once more. "How the hell did the government allow for this to happen?!"
The man's concerns were legitimate, as only the chosen thirteen could wield the divine relics. Without them, the dungeons and monsters that threaten their world could go rampaging once again.
For the rest of mankind, at least those awakened, while powerful, were not strong enough to deal with the truly powerful monsters and dungeons.
Although modern arms were more powerful than before, they could not compare to magical weapons. Using the new minerals in creating ammunition did not damage the monsters, as magical energy had to be channelled into the guns.
The government were yet to perfect that technology. For now, humans relied on weapons they moulded after the divine relics. They were not as powerful, but they worked.
Opening an eye to look at the shaken bartender, who was disturbing his nap, Kael released a tired sigh and stood up, gradually making his way out of the bar, his steps haphazard and uneven.
"You worry too much, Charles." Kael came to a stop at the entrance, leaning slightly on the door frame. He looked at the bartender and then added. "I'm sure things will be fine until the new cycle begins. I'll see you tomorrow."
With those words, Kael walked away, leaving a flabbergasted bartender, who turned back to the TV. Charles was not an awakened person, so his fears were warranted. Then again, Kael might be right.
Stepping out into the night street, the turbid city smell and noise from the patrolling vehicles assaulted his senses. It was late at night, around 11 pm, with barely anyone walking around in these parts.
Looking up and into the distant city lights, Kael could already imagine the chaos that was spreading over the world. He might be drunk, but not that drunk. Moreover, his mind was very sharp.
It was but an easy feat for his brain to analyse what he heard in the bar.
The current chosen thirteen were still alive and well. But that did not matter, as they would be retiring within five years. What people cared about was the future and its implications for them and their loved ones.
'I couldn't care less.' Kael scoffed, lazily making his way down the stairs towards the streets and walking away. 'This world is already fucked up. A few more wouldn't change a thing.'
Unlike most people, Kael wasn't particularly bothered about the strangeness of the deaths. While the newscaster made no mention of how the children died, news of their situation would be made public soon.
Taking out his old phone, which had multiple cracked areas on the touchscreen, Kael managed to go online to see what he could find. He might not care what happened to the world, but he was a naturally curious person.
Old habits died hard, after all.
'Just speculative bullshit from those who claim to have known them.' The little bit he read offered nothing substantial. 'There had to be a few people around when the deaths occurred, right? The authorities could also be holding the witnesses for whatever.'
After a minute or so of pondering and sluggish movements, Kael concluded that the deaths might have been bizarre for the authorities to want to keep a lid on it.
'Regardless, it's not my problem. The world betrayed me first, and now, it's fucking up the others.' The thought brought a smile to his face. 'Good riddance.'
Kael put his phone back into his pocket, taking a turn that led to the entrance of the building he lived in. It was the ideal location for someone who had resigned their lives to drinking, as it was only a five-minute walk to the bar.
"Huh..?"
However, before Kael could move further, he spotted four shady individuals making some deal in the shadows. Knowing what it could be, Kael decided to mind his business and kept moving.
"Yoo, someone's approaching." Kael heard one of the four men say to the others, prompting all of them to turn to him.
"Hehe, that's one drunk-ass madman." Another chipped in. "He doesn't look like much, but I'm sure he's got something on him."
"Yeah..."
'Great...' Kael almost rolled his eyes. 'Looks like the world isn't done with me.'