Prologue: A Gift?

"Royal Scythe" The robed man says calmly, catapulting an ethereal blade through the two panicking young men.

"Brothers, I warned you. Join my revolution, or die by my hands." The robed man remarked, dropping Moon's Veil and allowing the shadows disguising him to slide off his body.

The man slowly yet surely sauntered towards the large gilded door, his final hurdle.

Sticking his hands out, mana, vitality, and flux flowed freely into the structure. Gold may be one of the few materials capable of dispersing all three, but its natural resistance crumbles when faced with a constant stream.

Unfortunately for the young revolutionary, the founders of this wicked order had predicted something like this, infusing the other materials present within the door with enough magic to blow anyone in the hallway to smithereens.

"True Abnegation" Damien, the robed man, muttered, conjuring a powerful shield around himself. Unfortunately, his last-minute defense was only able to partially diffuse the damage, never getting enough time to form fully.

His life was spared, but his left arm was another story.

'Old bastards, even in death you're a fucking thorn in my side. Well, a bomb in my arm.' Damien thought to himself, slowly limping into the internal chamber.

The loss of his arm was reversible, but doing so would leave him too weak to accomplish his true objective.

Slowly dragging himself into the internal chamber, Damien had reached his goal.

Behind the four sets of sealed doors, and over the fifty bodies of his fellow Sealbearers, Damien had accomplished what no other would-be revolutionary had done before.

He could finally break the Seal of Centuries and return to the world the power they had been deprived, but there's one thing Damien knew above all else.

The world is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

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As Genesis opened her eyes to the high pitched ringing of her alarm once again, a single thought occupied her mind.

I fucking hate this song. She internally groaned, forcing herself out of bed and slamming her hand into the remarkably durable hunk of crystal.

After a quick stretch, she clamored out of bed and walked towards the dresser. "Revitro" She mumbled under her breath, and she felt the dirt and grime of the morning slowly but surely fall off her naked body. Sure, she could take a shower like a normal person, but cleaning magic just seemed so much more convenient, and it's not like she smelled bad.

Getting dressed was easy, a simple t-shirt, jeans, bright red running shoes, and her auburn red hair tied into a loose ponytail. Stuffing her grimoire into a backpack, Genesis was ready for another, easy, boring day of classes.

Within the Gilded Empire, her home country, any youth found to have even a shred of magical talent was forced to endure four years of formal magical training, in an effort to 'increase public safety' and 'encourage safe mana control', both of which Genesis thought were total nonsense.

Who needs to waste four additional years of their life stuffed in a classroom! From the general education everyone gets until age sixteen, to the formal magic training, let alone the additional two years of service to the crown if you want to get certified as a mage, her future looked bleak. Yet, the prize at the end of the tunnel was worth it. Freedom.

Heading downstairs and grabbing a bit of fruit out of the fridge, she devoured two apples before running out the door and into her car, a clapped-out Chevy Camaro.

I wish I could just cast some flight magic, but nooooo, only 'certified' mages can learn it. She internally complained as she pulled out of her apartment complex and sped down the road. When her parents passed away during the Monster Waves, they left her a small lump sum of money that she'd used to keep herself afloat for the last few years.

After a short twenty minute drive, Genesis quickly found a decent parking spot and rushed into class, arriving a smooth eighteen minutes late. Thankfully, the teacher was old, lazy, and would of preferred if no one showed up, so it was of no real issue.

As expected, the day was like any other day. She soon found herself slowly clicking her pen, bored in the back of her first of six lectures.

I wonder what I should have for dinner today? She thought idly, staring dead-eyed at the bored of her macro-econ classroom. Attending only due to the mandatory attendance requirement of her scholarship.

Another boring day of monotony, broken only by the intense vibrating of her phone in his pocket.

As her phone continued to vibrate, Genesis reached into her pocket to investigate the phenomenon, only to realize the entire class had done the same thing. Whatever news she was receiving, it appeared the rest of the class had gotten it as well.

Weird. Maybe it's an Amber Alert? She thought, yet as she glanced down at her phone, the only thing present on her, or any other phone, tablet, or electronic device in the world at the moment, was a strange purple symbol.

Before thoughts of skepticism were able to settle into her mind, the strange purple symbol was replaced by a startling and ghastly sight.

Standing in front of an elegant golden carving of what appeared to be modern art, was a dying man. His face was slowly losing color, and more frighteningly, was the fact that blood was still dripping from a wound that appeared to have removed his left arm.

Yet, the most strange phenomenon was the man's eerie smile. Like a father staring proudly as his son takes first in a sports competition, a look of pure pride.

"Evening, citizens of the world. I'm known by a few names, yet from now on, you'll all know me simply as Administrator." The ghastly-looking young man said, slightly coughing before continuing.

"A few of you recognize exactly where I am and are probably scrambling to stop me at all costs, yet my message to you is that it's too late. By the time you'd be able to get here, I'll have already killed you, your families, and everyone related to you or involved with you down to the third degree, and that's a solemn vow." The injured man said, bowing slightly before continuing his deranged speech. "To the rest of you, hello, and congratulations. I've come to set you free!"

The man said, raising his arm into the air and yelling. "Not only have I wiped out the cruel organization hell bent on keeping us all trapped like rats, but I've destroyed the wretched seal that was placed upon our beautiful planet! May the latent blood running in your veins come forth and awaken, and may those of you chosen by the world finally gain the ability you truly deserve!" He announced, cackling to himself and coughing, taking a few moments to recollect himself.

Yet, that moment of pause was all that was needed. Riots began to erupt, workplaces and cities were thrown into chaos at the news, yet the moment the man continued to talk, all eyes and ears returned to their screens and radios.

"The gift I've given you is freedom. Not just freedom to gain power mind you, but true freedom. Since every person in power that knew about this seal has been dealt with. Why? Personal bias. Even in the face of certain death due to the Monster Outbreak, they still chose to sacrifice honorable soldiers and mages alike, and to what end? To keep some semblance of control? So now, let the fun begin! " The revolutionary cackled once again, coughing up large amounts of blood before swaying unsteadily.

Yet, before she could hear the strange man's final decree, something drew on Genesis's consciousness, drawing her eyes upward in time to see a strange, translucent glowing box appear in front of her.

[ Congratulations! The Hand of Fate has selected you as one of its chosen! ]

[ Will you accept? ]

[ Yes / No ]