Wared Ra'Han, a young man in his late teens, finds his world turned upside down when his uncle unexpectedly survives a sacred ritual that every citizen must participate in. Shunned by his future fiancée and under the microscope by those around him, he turns his anger towards the source of his pain, his uncle Tarun. When he learns that Tarun harbors secrets that endangers not just them but their society as a whole, he is forced to pursue the answer to a question no-one is asking: what exactly is the purpose of the Departure Protocol and why did Tarun survive? What happened to all those that went before him and what secrets is the Protectorate really keeping from everyone? Wared's own future and that of their whole outpost hangs in the balance. ~~~~ Soon also on Royal Road! This story is the result of "My Journey To The Wattys 2020" - a diary of my creative process and progress in creating a brand new story for the Wattys 2020. You can follow the journey here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/213976622-my-journey-to-the-wattys-2020