UNSEEN [Vol 1]

K4. Another Journey

Navigating through the map on my watch, I made my way to Unity Plaza, joining thousands of other recruits. The atrium was vast and awe-inspiring, and I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety as I descended the long flight of steps—around 40 in total. I passed between two massive statues that flanked the stairs, each one towering over me like silent guardians. There were ten statues in total, encircling the inner plaza and supporting the second level, creating a powerful and almost intimidating atmosphere.

To my right, a statue caught my eye—Magnus Seraph, one of my ancestors. The plaque beneath boasted of his heroic role in preventing the fall of Moscow, claiming he had one of the highest aura levels in history since the Golden Age. He was celebrated as a great man, though I'd never heard my father mention him. The silent statue made me feel out of place, like I was somehow disconnected from the legacy I was supposedly part of.

In front of the crowd filling the center of the atrium was a large stage with about 14 people sitting in chairs, all dressed in black and white uniforms. In the front row sat Nina and her brother Captain Luis Alesion. Despite scanning the audience for a few minutes, hoping to spot Joshua, I couldn't see him anywhere.

This morning, I dug into some details about Alesion. It's an enormous underground city, stretching down 366 levels, almost 7 miles deep. Over 1.6 million people live here, making it the second safest place after Ironclad. The more I read, the more the scale of it all sank in.

"Uggghh... Can't they just get on with it?" said a girl to the right of me with jet black straight hair that extended all the way down to her waist. Judging by the insignia on her shoulder and solid black uniform, she must have come from Shinrai Haven.

Her eyes then zeroed in on me, her expression a mix of amusement and disdain. "What's a guy with an aura as weak as yours doing here? You're like a chef trying to play soldier," she sneered, drawing chuckles from those around us.

Her gaze then shifted, narrowing at the white streak running through my hair. "And what's with that freaky hair? You trying to look like one of those Hybrids, or is that just a sign you're a joke in more ways than one?"

Heat flared in my cheeks, anger simmering beneath the surface. "I'm Kai Seraph, from Maroon Haven's 1st Joint Colonial," I shot back, keeping my voice steady despite the sting of her words.

The snickering around us faded, replaced by a murmur of curiosity. Her expression turned sharper, her eyes narrowing further. "Warden Thompson's #1 squad? And here I thought they only took real warriors, not weaklings hiding behind a famous name. You must be the family embarrassment, right? The one they all whisper about."

Every word cut deep, each one a jab at wounds that hadn't fully healed. I clenched my fists, my knuckles white, fighting the urge to lash out and prove her wrong. Reacting would just play into her hands, and I wasn't going to give her that satisfaction.

Before I could say anything, a large man stepped in, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Enough, Raika," he said, his voice firm. "The orientation is about to start."

"Fine," She rolled her eyes but stepped back, her smirk lingering as she glanced at me one last time.

The man wore a dark blue overcoat and pants, paired with black boots. A white fourragere draped over his shoulder, signaling a distinguished military background. His hair was neatly cut in a low fade, and he sported large, black, sporty sunglasses that hid his eyes. The fourragere indicated he was likely her squad leader or someone of significant rank, a recognition for units that had proven themselves in combat.

The mumbling and chatter started to quiet down as an unpleasant squeal of microphone feedback began to project throughout the atrium by the loudspeakers placed upon each pillar.