Goodbyes

"I promise I will see you again. Is such a beautiful lie." David Chappell

___

Hearing the message was a complete shock—I had thought I still had two weeks before I needed to report for training. The urgency of the announcement suggested a major change in plans.

Around the table, everyone else seemed just as shocked, mouths agape, except for my sisters who covered their mouths with their hands. Shaking off my surprise,

I found my voice first. "Well, we knew this was coming. I'd better say my goodbyes now, before I embark on this adventure to a new galaxy."

As I took in the charged atmosphere, my gaze swept over my family. Their faces mirrored the weight of the moment, mixing pride with sorrow. I started with my father, whose strength had always been my anchor.

"Dad," I began, my voice thick with emotion, "I can't express how much your guidance means to me. Your support has prepared me more than any training could. I'll carry your lessons with me, no matter where I go."

After a heartfelt hug with him, I turned to my mom. My voice softened, "Mom, you are the heart of our home, the glue binding us together. Your love is my anchor. Wherever I am, when I feel lost, I'll think of you to guide me back."

Next, I looked at my girlfriend, our eyes locking with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"We knew this might come too soon," I said, pulling her close. "Your love has been my strongest motivator. While I'm gone, keep smiling—that laugh of yours will always remind me of what I'm coming back to."

Kneeling to match the height of my younger sister Elara, I noticed her trembling lips. "Hey, little star," I whispered, ruffling her hair. "Be brave for me, okay? Remember, don't just follow paths; make your own."

Lastly, I faced my brother Henry, seeing the worry etched on his face. "Henry, I know you're concerned, but trust me this time. Take care of everyone. And keep telling our wild tales, won't you?"

With goodbyes said, a heavy silence hung over us, laden with unspoken words and stifled tears. We all rose, sharing a prolonged, tight embrace, until I glanced at my watch. "I have to go now. Remember me, and take care."

Breaking from the hug, I approached the misty door. "I love you all," I said, stepping through before anyone could reply—their voices might have broken my resolve.

 As I looked down at my watch and realized I only had 45 seconds left, I broke away from my family and made it to the misty door of their room and said, "I love you," and walked through the mist before anyone could respond because I knew if anyone responded, I wasn't sure I could handle it.

Once I left the room, I sprinted down the corridor back to the teleportation location at the front of the building and stood in it, waiting for it to activate and bring me to the next phase of my life.

As I brought up my arm to see the engraved rune on my arm that was my watch counting down the seconds, I was suddenly tackled by my sister, giving me one last hug which I readily embraced, and as I did, I felt my shirt getting wet as tears fell from my sister's eyes.

When I noticed this, I whispered, "This won't be the last time we see each other. Promise me to keep strong for me, okay? I love..."

But before I could finish, I felt a strong pull come from the teleportation machine and vanished from the restaurant.

I half expected my sister to be teleported with me, but it seemed that military teleportation was able to differentiate between people who had and didn't have access, which made sense now that I thought about it.

After being teleported, I found myself taking in the surroundings of what was unmistakably a military compound.

The dim, flickering light from rune-etched lamps cast ghostly shadows on the polished metal walls, hinting at the underground bunker's depth beneath the surface.

Guards in heavy, enchanted armor patrolled the area, their eyes scanning every corner as if any one of us could trigger a catastrophe.

From a quick glance they seemed to be on high alert and more active than usual but I couldn't tell if that was due to all the new faces showing up in a military camp or for another reason entirely. 

As I continued to look around I felt that the atmosphere was charged with a palpable tension, accentuating the fact that this wasn't just any military station—it was a fortified magical stronghold, buried far from prying eyes.

I realized that the situation might be far more complex than a mere once-in-a-million-year event that got us teleported to a whole other galaxy.

"Stop, Skyler," I admonished myself, recalling my mother's warnings against falling too deep into conspiracy theories.

However, my thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a stern voice booming through the area, vibrating through the air and the metal underfoot:

"STEP OFF OF THE TELEPORTATION PLATFORM AND PROCEED TO AUDITORIUM 73!"

The announcement spurred me and hundreds of other dazed youths into action, herding us off the platform. I noticed the disparate nature of the crowd—mostly lower-class citizens with only a smattering of individuals who looked like they belonged to the upper echelons of society.

It seemed to me that we were segregated by class, a policy that hinted at the military's meticulous and perhaps ruthless efficiency.

As we marched down the cold, metal hallways, the only guidance provided by glowing signs embedded in the walls, the silence was oppressive.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I was about to ask the person in front of me about their home planet when a guard's sharp command cut through the quiet.

"No talking unless prompted!"

His voice, amplified and perhaps magically enhanced, echoed off the metal walls, sealing my lips shut.

I wondered how the guard knew I was about to speak before noticing that when I looked right above a misty dark gray that appeared to be made of hardened mist was floating on the ceiling keeping an eye on everyone below. 

As I continued to look around I saw not just that single dragon but many different ones in all different sizes as well as shapes watching over all of us. During this inspection I also noticed that the corridor sloped downwards, leading us deeper into the bowels of a planet, moon, or perhaps an asteroid. 

The descent felt endless, but eventually, we emerged into a massive auditorium. The sheer scale of it was breathtaking, capable of holding between one and two million people. The vast sea of occupants already in the auditorium suggested our group was one of the last to arrive.

Seeing this massive amounts of people here as well as how big this structure was really made me wonder where exactly I currently was because to the best of my knowledge I knew of no place that existed like this. 

In a hope I looked down at my rune-watch to see if location was on or what time it currently was but either it did not have reception or was getting actively blocked by all of the technology within this underground megastructure.

As I settled into my seat and tried to get as comfortable as possible in the cold hard metal chair I tried to inspect the vast auditorium, my gaze drifted over the expansive space, marveling at the seamless integration of magic and military precision.

The ceiling, an elaborate lattice of beams interwoven with pulsing runes, cast a soft, magical glow, while the walls displayed majestic banners, each bearing the crest of different military corps adorned with arcane symbols.

Curious, I interacted with the runic interface floating before me. Touching an icon shaped like a small orb, it expanded into a detailed map of the facility.

The map revealed enchanted armories, magical training grounds, and heavily warded living quarters—reminding me of the protective charms from magical libraries at school.

As the countdown continued, I discovered a disabled communications tool, meant to be activated later for a briefing. This blend of anticipation and enforced silence contrasted sharply with the open discussions of my magical hometown.

As the final seconds dwindled, a hush fell over the massive auditorium. The overhead lights dimmed to a whisper, casting the room into an anticipatory gloom.

Suddenly, the silence was pierced by a subtle, enchanting sound resembling the whisper of wind through leaves. From the back of the stage, a platform began its ascent, bathed in a brilliant, focused beam of light that seemed to draw its power directly from the pulsing runes etched into its surface.

As the platform reached its zenith, the air around it shimmered with a mysterious silver and white mist.

Out of the swirling mist, a majestic dragon materialized, its scales glinting silver under the spotlights, and its eyes glowing with a wise, ancient light. It circled above the stage, its presence commanding and serene, a symbol of power and protection under the government's rule.

Amidst this breathtaking display, a figure emerged from the mist, stepping onto the podium with an air of undeniable authority.

The figure wore high-ranking military regalia, adorned with magical sigils that shimmered with their own internal light, reflecting the dragon's ethereal colors.

This commanding presence also appeared on the holographic screens dotted throughout the auditorium, ensuring that every eye, near or far, was drawn to him.

The room remained utterly silent, the collective breath of thousands held in awe and anticipation, waiting for the orders from this figure that would undoubtedly change their futures.