Chapter 12: Rewarded for wrong intentions

MONICA

I spent the last 3 days since the hospital training, I finally beat the class 3 simulant yesterday and I have had a couple more victories after that, so I decided to increase its tier to 10 today.

I send two of my swords against the simulant, but its fast, and it dodges my attack. Five more sword swirl around me to protect me, it slashes at me, and I send one of the blades to block the attack while another slashes at its feet. It stumbles and I take advantage of its distraction and slash at it with the swords in my hands.

It lets out a simulated cry as it jumps out of my range, 7 swords revolve around me, and I narrow my eyes at the simulation screen.

All my attributes have increased since tiering up my telekinesis, and I'm unable to beat a tier10 destroyer because I wasn't playing to my strength. Also the battles were getting harder and I suspect the simulation was learning my moves and trying to counter them.

This meant I was becoming predictable, so I decided to do something different, I throw the sword in my hands up, where it joins the others floating around me, I've not been playing to my strengths lately and I could use a little boost to morale.

I direct the swords to attack and all at once, they slash, cut and stab at it, in seconds the simulant is entirely destroyed, I cringe at the gruesome sight. This was not the morale boost I needed, so I raise its tier to 20

The fight is much more challenging, but we fight each other to a stale mate, almost every time. The alarm beeps, notifying me of someone at my door. I peel of my training suit as I walk towards the door.

I find Nateo at the porch, and I frown, this was the first time he had not just appeared in the living room, or kitchen, and as much as I appreciate the new manners, I know it had something to do with our last conversation. I motion him in, and he gives a tired smile,

"Training hard I see." I roll my eyes at him in response, after the disaster of a few days ago, it's all I can think about, besides, it's fun and it keeps me occupied.

"How's the spy investigation going?" I ask him a while after and he nods.

"Right, the empire is thankful for your assistance in preventing the death of millions and have decided to reward you for it."

His reply catches me off guard, I'm stuck on the fact that millions could have died had I not searched the healers memory, I had always known that it was a possibility, but to hear it with such certainty was scary.

"What's wrong?" Nateo asks at my expression and I'm unsure how to say it.

"I feel bad about it, getting rewarded for saving those lives, you know it wasn't my intention when I invaded the healers mind" I shift uncomfortably for a moment, Nateo nods slowly, thinking.

"Whatever you had to remove from the woman's memory, I swear to you, that as long as it isn't a threat to the empire, it'll remain safe with me."

He's giving me an opportunity to tell him, and I trust that he has my best interest, but I know he's loyalty towards the empire came first, and who knows what sort of oath binds him.

"I can promise it's not a threat to the empire." I chuckle softly, "it could be a potential advantage for the empire, but I wouldn't overestimate it's importance."

Nateo seems even more confused now, but he shrugs, "whenever you're ready."

I smile at him in thanks, "So, the reward?"

"A hundred thousand credits, and a single trip to the palace treasury"

Credits were the empire's currency, but they remained in whatever passed for a bank here in AEFLYM, they could also be converted to coins. At least this meant I wouldn't have to worry about money for a while more.

But I'm more excited about the palace treasury, and I wonder what sort of treasures I would find in it.

"When is the trip?"

"Tomorrow, and whatever you pick, remember, a treasure that fits your talent is better than one that doesn't no matter how powerful it might seem."

I nod at his words, we chat for a while before he leaves, so I decide to go for a walk this evening, I haven't been outside the house since the disaster.

After an admittedly long bath, I finally step out of my apartment, it's evening already and the entire capital looks alive as usual. I pick my way to the bar, dreading what I'll see, and it's a pleasant surprise when I see the whole area remade.

There's not a single sign of what happened here days ago, I walk into the bar, and I'm relieved to see the woman at the bar, even if I didn't know her name. she waves excitedly at me when she sees me, and I walk towards her.

"Ascenders, it's so good to see you again" she says, hugging me. "a lot of us know what you did for us, and how many of us you saved, thank you"

I smile at her words, I'm just glad everyone's alright and safe.

She declares the next round of beer on the house, and the crowd cheers, I smile at the scene that is no different back on earth. I guess bars are bars everywhere in the universe. I move around the room, chatting with a few people.

Amera as I later discover is the bartenders name, explains how the fire talent was the third son of a popular duke I'm unaware of, and how he's been in and out of custody for the past few years.

I nod as I listen to her, what would have happened to the people if there was no one to fight him? what was his intentions fighting a losing battle in the middle of the capital? Hundreds of people dead and for what?

I'm scowling when I'm approached by a boy my age, dark skinned and white haired, his contrasting features draw my attention, and although it looks weird, it fits him.

"I'm Aeon, pleased to meet you" I nod at him and gesture for him to sit, he smiles at me, but from his stance I can sense his uneasiness, I focus on his thoughts at the back of my mind and they come into focus.

"Monica." I take a sip of my drink, "considering what you're about to tell me, I'm not sure this is the right place for this conversation.

He chuckles uneasily, "So, you know what I want to say then?"

I shake my head at him, "let's just say I'll understand you better after the conversation"

"Okay." He says, "it's about schools, I'm aware you would like to attend one of the ones in the empire."

"Aren't they the best?"

"In the empire, yes, but there are better schools outside the empire"

"I don't understand you."

He shifts uncomfortably on the chair and I suspect this might be a difficult situation for him, and I wonder why.

"The empire of Yildirim, has the best schools in all of AEFLYM, the empire regularly sends its students there"

"what's the name of this school?" I ask interested, I would be having this conversation with Nateo soon, and if there are better schools outside the empire I could go, wouldn't getting out of the empire's clutches be a good thing?

"Atavid."

I narrow my eyes at him, he shifts nervously under my stare and I wonder why he's no nervous, more importantly, why is he bringing this information to me?

"Why are you telling me this?"

He's silent for a few seconds, contemplating his reply, his thought are hesitant and I wonder what he wants to tell me that's so important. When he finally replies, his words are barely a whisper, and in the noise of the bar, I don't hear him.

I hear his thoughts instead and I realize why he's been so nervous, he's a class 6 seeker. I know what that means, thanks to the books I've read this past few days, and from my understanding, seekers are highly sought after talents, with the ability to find things.

People used them to find treasures, other people or inheritances for themselves, emphasis on used, with no means to defend themselves, they were practically walking treasures themselves, and most always end up some sort of slave, and those weren't even class 6.

I wonder what a class 6 seeker, could find, items of power not seen in centuries? Bloodlines? Seals? They would be abducted the moment they were found, and well…used.

I'm staring wide eyed at him, wondering why he would tell anyone about himself like that, especially in such a crowded space. I signal to Amera, who's only a few feet away, and ask her if we could a private space.

She winks at me, and I roll my eyes at her insinuation. She leads us to a room behind the bar that's filled with crates of beer. When we are finally alone, I turn to Aeon in anger.

"Do you want to get yourself abducted or collared" of course, slavery is frowned upon in the empire, but not all empire's think that way, if anyone found out about him, if—. "Why would you tell anyone about that? Why would you tell me?"

"Because my talent led me to you." He says, "I searched for someone who could help me, someone who I could trust, and my talents led me to you"

I'm more confused now, and I'm staring at him in incredulity, "Why would it do that?"

"I don't know either, I'm frustrated and scared, I need to get out of the empire, I can find legacies, bloodlines, treasures, relics, and inheritances." He pauses and I'm staring at him wide eyed in amazement, before he continues. "I can find myself a treasure or something that would help me protect myself, I just need to leave first, before anyone finds out, worse of all my father"

I want to ask how he found out about his class and abilities, but I know there are ways to get a private examination, except they are extremely costly and illegal.

"If I'm going to help you, I expect to gain something from it"

He grins at my question, "The nearest treasure that suits you is in the palace treasury, unfortunately we can't get to it."

My eyes widen, and my smile is so broad, "What treasure is it?"

"I'm not a high enough tier to know what it is." He says eying me curiously, but I ignore him, I would have to speak to Nateo about this tomorrow, I needed to find out as much as I could from him.

"let's meet here tomorrow" I set a time and he nods. "I'll let you know what I decide then."