Part 0 "Opportunity approaches"

"Yet again I am back in this routine. Just another day of my existence."

On his way home from the local bakery, Zeltar couldn't miss the chance to once again judge himself for how miserable he is. After graduating the high school, his life was but a rollercoaster that to this day has been following a straight line. For a couple of years after the studies have been finished, his life was quite bearable, but not a long time has passed since he acknowledged the fact of having nothing to live for except his parents. As a result of ever-decreasing motivation, Zeltar gradually lost the will to achieve new goals in life and didn't even bother to keep his physical form in check.

As he walks further down the street, fancy houses are catching his attention.

Clean backyards with emerald-green grass sprouting from the ground, windows so clean that the shining sun lights up even the darkest spots in all of the rooms. The smell of freshly baked fireberry pie that comes right from the oven saturating the air, and the family that comes to sit around the table to appreciate the efforts the family cook. It all felt like the definition of happiness that he could experience back in his childhood days. After a little moment of appreciation for the happiness that others possess, he continues to move towards the house he lives in with his parents. Only several seconds later he reaches the house that earned the title of District's Embarrassment. Grey walls made out of wooden planks that were looking just acceptable about three decades ago, windows covered in a layer of dust, that cannot be washed off anymore, not that anybody would try to anyways, as all that dirt is the only thing keeping the cold night wind sucking through. It was like this for a long time already, but due to the lack of money and wish to make this house a pleasant place to live in, parents decided that it will be better to sell the land for a few hundred Zitters, but only after the government finally deems the house uninhabitable and even illegal to live in without a full renovation, and then move into some sort of a flat in a bigger city. Although the house itself looks like a mess, the small brick trail that leads all the way to the main door is surrounded by all sorts of orange and yellow flowers that his mother has planted. Colors almost represent honeycombs, and bees that gather around them to collect some nectar gives a sense of harmony to this place, which greatly contrasts with ruins that lay at the end of the road. Those sweet colors almost make it seem like you could swipe your hand over their petals and have your hand covered in fresh honey afterwards. Nevertheless, those very flowers, that still bloom despite the conditions they have to grow in, are the only reason why Zeltar still feels the warmth in his burned-out soul, when strolling through this path that leading home.

Just like Alan said: "Circumstances are just excuses for those who are unworthy of living. Life rewards only those that are willing to commit."

Never before could he think that at some point he would recall the words of his long-gone older brother while standing on the antagonal side of his philosophy.

" Zeltar stop standing there and come in!"

His thoughts are interrupted by mom who is practically unseen through the dusty window.

Without hesitation, he rushes towards the door. As he opens it creaks with a sound that makes his back shiver. Dad usually hopes that few drops of oil dripped in to hinge will do the trick but as it was proved this time, his lazy solutions won't do the trick.

"Honey I hear the door creaking again! You promised to fix it."

Dad peeks his head from the living room.

"Sallie I did it right after Zeltar left the house."

"Well, then you will have to find another way to make it as silent as you are in bed."

Instead of joining a funny insulting game with mom, dad narrowed his eyes right on to bag in Zeltar's hand.

"Ahh sorry, Sallie silly! Freshly baked buns and bread are warm only for few minutes, door squeaks for eternity."

Saying that in a playful tone, he moves towards him by taking a bag of goods and with silly dancing and hopping storms into the living room.

A smell of yeast pops through the entire living room and starts to all of the hungry living beings in this house, as dad breaks crusty bread in two that they can hear even while standing in the doorway. Only the thought of sinking teeth into a perfectly hard crunch and digging your way to airy and puffy packs of flavors makes saliva reproduction go crazy. Giving in to the temptation, mom grabs two jars of jam and storms into the living room while saying: "Zeltar come to join while you can."

He takes off dad's old shoes that he has been wearing for the past few months since the economy in this family has to be economical. Putting them aside he moves towards the living room. On the way, his eyes catch all sorts of things throughout the dark corridor. Scraped off paint from the walls so that there would be no worries about wiping it constantly after it falls on the ground, the floor that is covered in carpets that mom brings from her job just to cover moldy wooden planks and smell, the smell in this moment of the corridor that associates with a completely different place, the moment that makes him feel warm in lungs and gives just a little spark of endorphins to in his brain, a movement where he remembers what this place once supposed to be, what it supposed to mean be for him. Just this tinny bit of momentum makes him ask two simple questions in his head :

("If only I could just let it all go, what would it feel like? How would I live?")

"Did you got lost?"

Ask dad from impatience why it takes him so long to join the family breakfast.

"Sorry I am on my-"

An unexpected knock on the door cut off his sentence.

Zeltar is surprised non less. Who in their clear mind would even think that someone still lives here. Since he doesn't have any friends and parents never had guests, it's only logical to assume that whoever is behind that door is someone that none of them most likely haven't met. But the thought of the unknown doesn't really make him hesitant, it is exactly the opposite. It isn't every day when new people show up in front of your house, so for that reason, curiosity takes control of his body and leads him toward the door. There is no door eye so it's impossible to tell who is waiting for you to open on the other side.

"Well, there goes nothing."

As he reaches for the door handle and gets ready to open the doors, someone on the other side surpasses him by surprise and opens them wide, leaving Zeltar stunned.

Two tall men are standing right in front of him with stone expressions on their faces. They wear some sort of coal-black church robes, around their waist can be seen long but thin crystals that are glowing very bright as if they would explode at any moment. On shoulders, they have fragments of silver plates armor. Around their fingers can be seen fragments of chain armor that probably covers their entire body under those robes.

"Good morning young man, we are looking for a person named Zeltar Dremor. Could you please let him know, that he has fifteen minutes to gather his most important things before we move on?"

Already after hearing his own name Zeltar's mind faded far away from his head. Realizing the fact that an unknown battle priest is looking for him it is just impossible to think of some sort of answer. Staring at the ground with his legs shaking, he does his best to not burst in crying but it's already late since few droplets of tears already fall down his cheek.

(Where he wants me to go? Did I do something? No. No, it can't be. There is just no reason.")

Putting his head up he looks men right into the eyes. There is nothing more to wish at this moment than just fade away. After gathering enough courage he speaks:

" I-I am Zeltar. What's the reason f-for m-me to pack my t-things?"

The priest seems to notice panic in his voice and laughs it off.

"Hah, I am sorry. Where are my manners?"

He pretends to brush the dust off his robe as if willing to appear as a completely different person.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Reek, a member of the "Rising star" military school committee. You have been recruited into our school as high importance student."

"What? No no no it has to be some kind of mistake. My parents did not recruit me in any kind of military school."

"Well dissipate who exactly was behind it, person that offered your presence in our school decided to stay anonymous."

Suddenly Zeltar screams after some put a hand on his shoulder behind his back. His heart inches like hundreds of needles would piece it. But as he turns around it's no one other than the dad that came here after noticing an unfamiliar voice in the doorway.

"Wow easy there buddy"

Father taps his son's shoulder assuring him that everything is going to be all right. Zeltar immediately feels a little safer but still, his entire body is shaking from who situation.

"What is going on here?"

"He approaches Reek with an annoyed tone.

Sir my name is Reek and besides me is my assistant. We are here to take your son to the "Rising star" military school as he has been recruited there.

Father's eyes are wide open after hearing this kind of absurdity.

"Nonsense! We didn't recruit him anywhere."

I am afraid sir that despite if you did recruit him or not, in papers he is marked as a highly important person. So no matter how hard you are willing to keep him here, I just can't allow it."

After this sentence, we hear sobbing coming from the living room. Mother probably heard them talking, no, she definitely did. Dad looks in the living room's direction and takes a last look at Zeltar with his eyes tearing up. He gives him strong hug and with his voice trembling says:

"Sorry Champ. They have come for you as well."

He lets go and walks into the living room to calm his wife. Leaving Zeltar and Reek alone.

Zeltar can't contain his tears any longer after fathers last words. He presses his back against the wall while covering his face with hands. Sound of him sobbing really annoyed Reek since it's not the first time he sees this scene.

"Hey, kid! If you would let me, I want to give you a piece of advice."

There's no response from Zeltar at first but after a few seconds, sobbing stops and he stops covering his face with palms. His lips are pressed tight with help of teeth so that he can't make a sound.

" If you don't have anything important in this house except for clothes then leave it. We will provide you with everything you could possibly need. It's just that, this last goodbye is...hard, you know?"

Zeltar deeply exhales to calm himself down. He says that Reek probably is right and if it's his fate then he will expect it. In surprise Reek looks at him with a stubborn expression.

" You have must be the first kid that took my advice with such calm."

"Do I have much to choose from?"

"Yeah, you're right."

Reek takes one of the shining crystals into his right hand and starts to move it towards Zeltar. Only by looking at its course's eyes pain but as it gets closer it feels like the sun is moving towards you.

"You better close your eyes."

"Why is it so bright?"

"Because you were set as crystal's destination point. As it gets closer to you it will shine brighter."

With his eyes closed, Zeltar feels a lite touch on his forehead.

"Open your eyes."

"W-where are we?"