1 Chapter 1 - The First Step

Alex awoke groggily, the remnants of sleep clinging to his eyelids. The comfort of a restful night had become a distant memory, ever since the day his life was upended. At fifteen, his world was one of routine contentment: school days followed by the tender embrace of his mother and the approving nod of his father. But that stability shattered abruptly when he returned home to an empty house, his parents vanished, leaving behind only a cryptic note and a modest monthly allowance for subsistence.

Compelled by a mix of hope and desperation, Alex abandoned the familiarity of his small home, venturing into the vast cities of the planet on the faint chance of a reunion. Five years have passed since that pivotal decision, and now he lives in solitude, in a cramped apartment barely accommodating a bed and an equally confined bathroom. The 'limited shower'—a term coined for the luxury of a five-minute daily water allowance—was one of many concessions in a city teeming with over ten billion souls, where resources were a privilege afforded to the fortunate few. 

Alex's past was not entirely bleak. He had some fond memories of his childhood, when he would play with his friends in the park or explore the old ruins of the ancient civilization that once inhabited the planet. He loved learning about history and science, especially astronomy. He dreamed of traveling to other worlds, seeing the stars up close, and discovering new wonders. His parents encouraged his curiosity and gifted him a telescope on his tenth birthday. Alex treasured that telescope and spent many nights gazing at the sky, imagining what lay beyond.

But his dreams were shattered when his parents disappeared. He never knew why they left or where they went. He only found a note on the kitchen table that read: 

"Dear Alex,

We love you more than anything, but we must go. It's too dangerous for us to stay here. We can't explain everything, but trust us, it's for your own good. We've arranged for a monthly allowance to be sent to your account. Use it wisely and take care of yourself. Don't try to find us or contact us. We hope to see you again someday, but until then, be brave and be happy.

Love,

Mom and Dad."

Alex was devastated by the note. He felt abandoned, betrayed, and confused. He didn't know who to turn to or what to do. He tried to contact his relatives, but they either didn't answer or refused to help. He tried to report his parents' disappearance to the authorities, but they dismissed him as a nuisance. He tried to find clues about his parents' whereabouts, but he came up empty-handed. He eventually gave up and resigned himself to a life of loneliness and hardship.

Now he finally decided to join the military academy, not because he wanted to serve or fight, but because he wanted to get away from the city and see the universe. He hoped to find some answers, or at least some peace. He hoped to find himself.

As he dragged himself out of bed, Alex glanced at the window, hoping for a glimpse of sunlight or a patch of green. But all he saw was the same grey monotony that greeted him every morning: endless skyscrapers, interconnected by bridges and tubes, blocking any view of the sky.

The only signs of life were the flying cars and drones that zoomed past his window, delivering goods and people to their destinations. Alex felt a pang of envy as he watched them, wondering what it would be like to soar above the concrete jungle, to escape the claustrophobic confines of his existence.

Alex collected his clothes that were scattered around the room and refreshed himself with a splash of water, as he had a big day ahead. He was going to the military academy for an evaluation. He had accepted the fact that his parents had disappeared and were not coming back, and he needed to improve his situation. He couldn't live in this small and shabby apartment that he barely paid for with the monthly allowance his parents had arranged somehow. He never found out where the money came from over the years and simply got used to it. He guessed his parents set up some kind of fund for him in case something happened to them. To Alex, they were as good as dead by now, so he decided to aim high and join the military.

Alex stepped out of the 100th floor and walked across the skybridge to the CloudLine terminal. The CloudLine was amazing it let you travel anywhere in the city in a blink. It was nothing like the old days when you had to get on some transport and waste time to get around. It was instant and you could go as far as you wanted but, that was only for the rich and mighty who could pay the fare, for a poor guy like him he had to queue up and get a ticket.

He joined the long line of people waiting to get a ticket for the CloudLine, scanning his ID card at the terminal. He hoped he would make it in time for his evaluation, as he heard the military academy was very strict about punctuality. He looked around and saw the faces of his fellow citizens, weary and resigned, knowing they had to endure the slow and crowded transport system every day.

They were the lower class, the ones who had no power or influence in the city, the ones who had to make do with what they had. He glanced at the other line, the one reserved for the elite, where a few young people his age were chatting and laughing, flashing their expensive gadgets and clothes. They looked down on him and the others like him, as if they were nothing but dirt. They had everything handed to them, and they took it for granted. He felt a surge of anger and resentment, but also knew that he was leagues away from them.

He ignored the high and mighty of society and joined his group in the teleportation ring. It wasn't really a ring, but a complex pattern of lines within a larger circle. They were called runes.

Alex had spent a whole night browsing the Spacenet for the latest runefits after seeing a man rescue someone by blocking a drone that had gone out of control. The man's suit turned into metal as the drone crashed into it and shattered, and that sparked a night of wishful searching online to learn everything he could about runefits. Runefits were not only fashionable with the newest trends but also had various features like Self-Repair, Adaptive camouflage, Temperature regulation and more.

Of course, Alex was only fantasizing then but now he had a chance to get a runefit. The runefit would be in the style of the military and would be the simplest of the simple, but Alex was content with that idea, even the cheapest runefit cost thousands, which he didn't have spare right now. 

Alex was in the middle of the rune circle, surrounded by 29 others who had tickets for the teleport. Alex dreaded the next part, as the runes suddenly glowed with blue light that spread out and made a 'pop' sound. They all vanished, and the next group moved forward for their turn.

He disliked teleporting for one reason: it was because the more crowded the teleportation array was, the more problems occurred. When they were all disassembled and divided into particles that then travelled to their destination, they got mixed up with each other and Alex hated the sensation. He felt like he had 30 different identities, all with their own feelings and senses. It overwhelmed him. His brain could not process the information and that led to what followed.

Alex felt a slight jolt as he reappeared in another rune circle, this one located near the military academy. He stumbled out of the circle, feeling dizzy and queasy. He barely made it to the nearest trash can before he vomited, emptying his stomach of the meager breakfast he had eaten. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, feeling embarrassed and sick. He looked around and saw many others were staring at him with curiosity and pity, some with disdain, some with amusement.

He felt a surge of annoyance, knowing they had no problem with using this system. He also felt a flicker of envy for the elite, who could afford their own private teleports that were faster and smoother. He wondered what it would be like to have such a luxury, to travel without any discomfort or risk. He shook his head, trying to focus. He had no time to think about such things and had to get to the academy and prove himself. He hoped that the teleport had not affected his brain too much, or he would fail the evaluation before he even started.