The Invitation

[Location: Starfallen Family Manor]

[Year 2397]

///

"Bzzt"

Suddenly a phone vibrated. Slowly, a hand reached out to grab the phone. A boy at the age of 12 looked at his phone with a confused face.

[Invitation received]

Curiously, the boy opened up the invitation

[Warning: Confidential]

(This message is only for the eyes of the recipient: Apollo Starfallen.

.

.

You have been selected for a restricted military operation. A military representative will be sent to your location in approximately two hours. Please meet with your family and stand by.

Note: Your family has received a similar notice.)

After reading through, Apollo was surprised. He was currently walking through the woods around his family's manor, but as soon as he got this message he started walking back.

The day was cold but Apollo was quite used to this as he took walks every morning. All was quiet as he walked. Almost as if everyone in the world had just disappeared.

A few moments later Apollo stepped out of the forest and gazed at the two story mansion standing before his eyes. His family was powerful and even had a military background.

The Starfallen family was one of the 4 large families of the Seraphite Empire. This empire was one of 5 in the entire world existing on 5 different continents.

The four other Empires were known as the Nora Empire, Sky Empire, Cinder Empire, and the Serpent Empire.

Suddenly a hand landed on Apollo's shoulder causing him to fall out of his stupor.

"You okay?" A old man with dark hair asked.

"Im good grandpa, just got lost in my thoughts." Apollo responded with a smile.

"You might get kidnapped if you keep doing that." His grandpa responded with a chuckle.

"Who has the guts to kidnap me while I'm home? Getting close to our home undetected is practically impossible much less kidnapping me while I'm right next to it."

"We will see about that. Did you receive the message?"

"Yes, I was just heading back from my walk."

"Well then, let's go together." His grandpa said while put his arm across Apollo's shoulder.

They walked together into the mansion. Upon walking in the double door, they saw a grand lobby with a staircase leading to the second floor. Two hallways next to the stairs went to the left and right.

The two walked straight up stairs without a second thought. On the second floor was a two hallways, same as the bottom floor.

They took a right and after passing a multitude of doors arrived in a seemingly normal door. Granps lifted his hand to a scanner on the wall next to the door.

After scanning his hand the door slid to the left, opening up to an expansive office. A man sat behind a desk, writing silently, with a window right behind him.

On the sides of the windows were bookshelves, in front of the desk was a glass coffee table surrounded by 4 chairs. Expensive decorations gave the room a special feel.

Apollo and Granps silently sat themselves on opposite sides of the table. A few moments passed before the man looked up.

"Morning son, morning father." The man said.

"Morning" They replied in unison.

"Jack did you receive the message?" Granps asked.

"Ya, I did. I'm excited for you Apollo!" Jack said with a grin. He got up from his seat and moved to the one next to Apollo.

"Thanks dad, I'm the same as well." Apollo responded with a chuckle. "Do you know what it's about?"

"Nope, which surprises me because I'm normally informed of the entire matter, but the military is really tight lipped this time." He said with curious tone.

"I really wonder what type of operation this will be." Granps said with a sparkle in his eye.

///

[Two Hours Later]

In front of the mansion

A black Tahoe pulled in front. Three men in black and red military uniforms stepped out and headed towards the double door where a servant was waiting for them.

"Please follow me." The servant opened the door and led them upstairs to the office Apollo was waiting in. As they arrived, the servant nocked. Soon after the door opened revealing Apollo.

"Please come in," Apollo then turned his attention to the servant. "Please stand outside the door and make sure no one comes close."

"Yes, sir!" the servant replied.

Closing the door Apollo walked back to his seat. The leading military man sat across the table in front of Apollo's dad. The others stood next to the wall studying Apollo.

Jack was surprised at who he saw and immediately said in a respectful tone, "General Conard, what brings you here personally?"

"Haha... no need to be so polite Jack, I'm practically here to steal your son away." General Conard said with a guilty face.

Jack smiled and said, "Let's get to the point Henry, what's this operation?"

Henry quickly sent his two guards out of the room.

Henry started to explain, "As you know this is highly restricted and cannot ever leave this room!"

Everyone nodded and then Henry continued. "We just discovered alien technology capable of turning a human into a weapon of mass destruction."

"Obviously we are still testing this technology but we already learned a couple things. I cannot go to far into details but I can tell you that the test subjects above the age of 18 have all died coming into contact with it."

"Only young people have the aptitude needed to survive the bonding, and even then it's very low."

Jack's face became solemn, he turned to stare at Apollo. Apollo, noticing his father's stare wasn't afraid at all and simply shrugged.

Jack then turned to Henry and started talking, "Why Apollo?"

"As you know we previously took blood samples of your family members. The alien tech responded perfectly almost as if it was made for him. He has the highest aptitude and is the youngest so he has plenty of years to train before he goes out into the field."

Jack finally calmed down after hearing that. "Apollo, do you want to do this?"

Apollo looked at his father and responded with complete confidence. "Yes."

Hearing this, Henry was excited. "Apollo will receive plenty of privileges and he will be well taken care of." Henry quickly assured Jack.

"Your family will also receive benefits."

Jack thought for a few then asked, "When will Apollo be leaving?"

Quickly responding Henry said, "If possible today would be the best. He doesn't need to pack anything, everything will be provided and he will be able to contact you anytime through a secure channel."

Contemplating for a few Jack finally gave an answer. "Can we have an hour? Henry smiled and easily accepted.

Jack stood up with Henry and shook his hand, he then led Henry out into the hallway and asked the servant to bring him and his guards to a room with food and refreshments.

As Henry and the others walked off, Jack turned back to the room and walked in.

Granps spoke up and said, "Well how about that!" Jack looked at his father with a wry smile. "Old man that's all you got to say?"

"Well do you want me to cry or something, what's done is done, no use in crying about it."

"Granps is right, dad, you really shouldn't be to worried about it. Normally that's a mom's job." Apollo replied with a small smile.

Jack let out a laugh and thought about Apollo's mother. She died when Apollo was really young and ever sence, Jack did his best to be a loving father.