Play the Game

Chapter 1- Raquel

I've always been proud of myself. It wasn't until you join the army that you realize "oh shit I'm a nobody and I share the same ambition with hundreds of other people". I came from a nothing family. My mother was a seamstress and my father was a Baker that owned 1 of the whole 7 shops in Selvian. I have younger twin sisters and an older brother. My brother is out on the battlefield which gives my mom a good amount of gray hairs. My sisters? Well they are a pair of intellectual geniuses. They are currently on their way of starting a whole new weapon firm together. As for me? I'm captain of squad 73. There is nothing special about that, I'm just on charge of a group of 32 men and women who are not dumb enough to work in the industry but not smart enough to become leaders. Just average magics. I have to give myself some credit though, both Captian Quinn and Benan said I'm one of the strongest, fastest, most agile warriors they have.

My training sessions are usually the best part of week. I have the whole entire Monday and Thurday to work on my magics. I'm a telepathen That's basically a fancy way to say a mind manipulator. I'm not just powerfully skilled either, I have to say I'm pretty strong.

I'm ripped as hell as my friend Jackie says. I have curly shoulder length hair with streaks of golden in them. As for my facial features I have heart like lips, short and full. I have freckles across my face like a galaxy. My nose is well propositioned and my forehead is a but large. My eyes are my favorite part of my face, they are gray with brown splashed across them. I think there is some kind of genetic variation that causes that, but I never really liked science. I'm not tall but not short either, and I have broad shoulders that I cover up with my signature camo jacket.

I think out of all the powers I could have been born with, I got the most epic one. I am a telepathen, which means I can manipulate and read minds. I can go as far as to make somebody jump off a cliff, but I can make them feel emotions and I still need to practice my memory manipulation but I'm slowly getting there. I can make people do small actions, but nothing life altering. Nobody exept for Droungen can, and he died somewhat 80 years ago. It's a bit disappointing becase I cant be very sneaky about it, as all telepathens eyes grow bright blue while manipulating.

I live in a general apartment that consists of a small bedroom, closet, and a small kitchen. I really hate cooking and I dont think I touched the oven since I first moved in. My bedroom is pretty nice, I have my queen sized bed with my bedspread and the most comfortable pillow out there. My desk is pretty spacy, I have my art supplies and my general paperwork mixed togther so it's like colorful spreadsheets of battle tactics. I love to watercolor and make the colors into something. Besides training, it's my favorite de-stressing activity. I dont have very much time to watercolor since I've been promoted but once in a while I'll make something beautiful.

The day that Captian Quinn asked me on the quest started off terrible. I woke up around 6:42, and I have to be at my post at 7. I arrived and Jakie was sick, so I would have nobody to joke around with. Last but not least, I got news that my brother was delayed his return another 3 months. Really? I make a mental note to call my mom later. I call my squad over to start their training and I can already see Kerri and Brock fighting. Kerri and Brock have two actions. They either fight like they are a divorced couple stuck in a room together or make out like nobody is there.

"you were staring at her!"
"For the last time she is my COUSIN"
"no she isn't your lying to me"
"I'm not lying to you Kerri"
"If you want to break up wi-"

"Shut the fuck up you guys I'm trying to explain your new warmups!" I say without looking at them.

"Now as I was saying, its becoming spring and the Geothemers and the Metalthens are the strongest right now. This means that we need to train you earth and metal folks harder and have the rest of you guys learn defenses against them" I explained

While watching the group all start getting their training gear on, I see Captian Quinn walking over and i cant think of anything I've done wrong recently, so I'm in the dark. He walks on over to me and asks if he can talk to me. I hesitantly say yes and follow him to his office. I follow him through a familiar path through the infirmary and past the barracks. Finally we arrive to his office and I have a seat in my usually chair.

"I swear I didn't do whatever you thought I did" I say speaking fast

"I did not bring you here to scold you for your wrongdoings, although you do need a good lecture every once and while" he said in his deep voice

"Well then why did you take me away from training my squad?" I said sternly

"Well were actually here to offer you a special quest but if you just want to go back to training I'm all for it-"

"Fine I'll listen"

"Okay then as you see there is the stone of region that has the power to bring back the dead. Completely unfazed and normal, none of the souls being permanently altered type crap"

"Okay what about it"

"Well we think we have located it-"

"Wait hold up, you think you have located a magic pebble that can bring back the deceased without the dead part and the Selvians have located it?!"

"Yes General Raquel"

I'm speechless. I mean, me! Out of everyone they chose me!

"I-I-I- dont know what to say" I stutter

"Well you can either decline and we'll find somebody else or you can accept and we will take you to get all the supplies you need"

"Yes I'll do it"

"Great follow my assistant here and he will take you to were your supplies is" he said almost enthusiastically

While walking out of the room, it feels surreal. I might be one if the strongest out there, but still. It's almost like they finally noticed me! I've been trying my whole life to get noticed my somebody. When the assistant gets me to my apartment he said

"Gather all what is necessary you will be returning after a month or so"

I get in and get my duffle bag and fill it with all of my my most prized possessions. I grab my old Ipod and headphones, I grab a few of my weapons, I grab the majority of my clothes, I grab my stash of skient, which is kind of like crack, but for magics and it makes our powers 10x stronger. I gather up a few more useful items and I zip up my bag and head over to my desk. I scrawl 3 letters all saying the same exact thing "been promoted, going on a mission. See you in a month" and adress them to my brother, parents, and my sisters. On the saw out the door I drop it off in the mail slot. I say goodbye to my apartment and set of with Captian Quinn's assistant.

We arrive at the armory were I am able to get a magic proof vest and helmet and a my favorite bow and arrow with a surplus of magical arrows.

Apparently I'm crossing the territory, which is right were a bunch of exiled people from Selvian, Yender, and Tarent are.

We walk over to this matte black jeep and hop in. I've given a map and a navigator and I am driven right to the gate of Selvian. I look out the window and see the paths to all of the dwelling areas. Our colony is not quite as populated as Tarent, so there is not very many buildings and skyscrapers. We do however have a lot more little towns than Yender has, but they don't really need them. They have so many tech labs that most of the population is either fighting or crating different types of magic enhancers.

As the car comes to a stop  I jump out, say one last goodbye to my city and step outside of the gates. I hear the gates close loudly behind me and I look at my map.  It looks like im going to have to have to cross the exile, then have to go to the ruins of Render. Render was another colony that fell about 60 years ago. It seems like the stones might be in the ruins somewhere. I pull out the navigator and start walking.