"Its your 18th birthday felix. once again, I hope that you never have to listen to this tape. Remember, I love you and constantly looking over you" a woman's voice rang out from my phone, filling the bare space with a suddle glow.
A woman with long golden blonde hair sat on the familiar white couch, singing happy birthday with a content expression on her face. Her soft face holding all the gentleness a mother should.
I shudder as I felt my face get hot, and a wetness running down my cheeks. I took in a deep breath and buried all those painful memories as I turned off the video and pulled up my calender. The rows and rows of empty dates appeardled, reminding me of how monotone my life was. Bare as it was, there was one event planned for today, 'origin ignition'
Yes, my I am finally old enough to ignite my origin. As weird as that sounds, this is just another one of the human race's rituals we've adapted over time. I remember it like it was yesterday, 10 years ago, on the 1st of the month of the moon. A brilliant gold flame ignited in the sky, illuminating the night like the sun would. From the moment that flame ignited, a voice rang out in everyones head. It's monotone voice has left a deep impression in my head.
•18 years of age or older
•Has to have at least one 'trait'>
From that day, the world had undergone earth shaddering changes. The government gained a lot more control, families became a lot more self focused, and the common people, people like me, were left to struggle. What nobody expected, was that not everyone could handle this new change.
28% of the elderly had a heart attack because of it's announcement. Then, from the most recent announcement, the reason why 30% of humanity died out of no where is because Revaro was changing with the golden flame. Not that they gave a why or a how. Anyone could have guessed it was because of the flame, yet the government acts like thay did us a favor.
But that wasnt all. humans weren't the only ones to ignite there origin. While it was rare, some animals could ignite there origins, becoming what the system called, spirits.
And finally, 'traits', we're like any extraordinary aspects of your life, summed up. There isn't a good way to explain it but from what I've seen in the street fights of different families and governments, it was something that makes you unique in the system.
Now, I glared out the window, staring at the blazing golden fire thats burned in the sky for 10 years with a bitter gaze. It's blinding light shone in my eyes and I felt something deep in me get warmer. I knew how to ignite my origin because it was an innate memory given to us by the flame. Scientists studied this feature thoroughly but found no results, only equating it to how instincts worked in animals.
Slowly, the heat grew from a warm sensation to a burning in my eyes. I felt something weird in my body, but I couldn't ping point it to one part. It was like an itch was forming on a new part of my body that I couldn't find. Eventually, the burning reached it's pinnacle and then, I heard it.
<3 traits found>
Suddenly, knocking rang out from my door, making me freeze. I looked to the clock hanging on my dim wall and felt my face freeze when I saw the time, 1:00am.
"Under act 423, you are now an adult under the united flame. You had 24 hours untill you are required to submit yourself to your two years manditory millitary service. Failure to do so is a third grade disputement. You have been advised. Come to the station when youre ready" a hoarse, masculine voice rang out from the door, scaring me shitless.
I could hear his feet cranking against the cement as he walked away from the door.
I've been dreading this day for the past year as everyone needs to attend their service, yet it wasn't all bad. This is where a lot of commoners learned about the system, which I needed gravely. I looked forward and spoke the words I've been wanting to since 10 years ago.
"Open status" I whisper and a translucent silvery white screen pops up, filling me with anticipation.
Staring at my status, I felt my emotions stir again. Memories i just tried to suppress were surging back to the front of my mind. My mother and I watering plants in our little garden. She would sing a little tune as she trimmed her vegetables and I would laugh at her. God I miss her.
So, koi affinity is the trait everyone gets by being born. Koi being the energy that all awakened used for there origin and skills. The plant affinity was probably from the years of helping my mom with her garden. Finally, moon watcher baffled me. I tapped on it and a little description popped up.
"What?!" I called out in surprise. Thought, it made sense. My mother and I would spend our nights on the roof of your old house, staring at the moon as she taught me the phases.
I looked up into the night sky, at the moon and paused. It was a warning crecent moon, but that wasnt all I saw. Radiating from the moon, there was this silvery white glow spreading out softly, making it look more and more elegant as time passed.
"Beautiful" I breathe out as I pulled myself back to my status. From there, I tapped on my other 2 traits, along with my origin.
I sat there, stunned. My origin isn't combat based.
"FUCK!" I yelled in frustration.
The majority of awakened get combat related origins. Maybe something like quickly slash, water bullet, sturdy shield, ice arrow. Anything but a lifestyle origin. I slumped down to the floor as I felt reality crash down on me.
Sitting up from the hard wood floors, I slowly stand up and head towards the door. Turning the know, I take one more look at the apartment I've lived in for the last 10 years and closed it behind me.
Walking towards the police station, I noticed a couple things. One, I had these really faint and distant feelings emerge every so often. The feelings were of contentment or slight irritation but every time they popped up, I would pause and look around, figuring out they would come from older trees and bushes whenever I passed them.
Then, if I stared at the moon long enough, I could see more and more of the silvery white light. It's glow make me feel light and soft, like I could flow through the wind. It also calmed down my mind from all the birthday memories and then not getting a combat origin.
Soon enough, I made it to the police station's front steps. It's glass doors showing its well lit interior at the top. Walking up, I though about how my life was going to change when I inevitably enlisted. My hand raised, pulling on the handle in autopilot. Before I knew it, I was standing infront of the desk, a receptionist infront of me.
"Hello there. How can I help you" the woman called out in a polite and professional voice. Looking at her stoic face, I felt a little nervous.
"I just turned 18 today. Im here for my mandatory enlistment" I answer in a meak, nervous voice and she nodded. Typing away on her computer. Soon, she handed me a clip board along with a pen and a packet.
"Just fill this out to the best of your ability. This is your info for the millitary. Be honest for your big sis, ok" she announced with way too much enthusiasm. I nodded slowly and backed off, finding a seat to do this on.
Reading the first page, it was a basic summary of what my status said. For my origin, I put non-combat type. Then it asked for my traits and I paused for a second. While plant affinity was uncommon, it didn't sound too out there. Moon watcher on the other hand. I dont think im going to put that on it. I wrote, kio and plant affinity, and flipped to the next one.
Do you have any combat experience? Hell no, my mother would kill me. Who the hell is this form for? Thugs and boxers? Actually, that made sense. I checked no for all of the boxes in combat experiance before turning to the next page.
What family relations are you connected to? This question hung over my head for a hot minute before the pen started to move, slowly at that. Eventually, I wrote one word in the space right under the question, orphan. I stared at the word like it was the cause of all my problems before turning the page with a cold glint in my eyes.
The final page was my medical history. Which i glanced through but left blank because I had no idea. No one had my parents info. I never even met my dad and my mom rarely went to hospitals when she was alive.
Slowly, I stand up and handed over the clip board. The receptionist smiled as she took it and stood up.
"Stand still, a transporter will be getting you in a minute" she announced, leaving me stunned. What do you mean? Suddenly, a weird black ripple spread out from off to the right of me, but it didn't look right. It was like the ripple was perpendicular to the ground but it slowly got stronger untill it happened.
"The hell" i breathe out as the world suddenly goes dark. My sense of direction leaving me as i feel the world around me fade into nothing.
"Good luck, young man. I can help whoever's next" I hear the woman called out before I felt my mind fading to darkness.