B1C17: The Future is Ours

Outside the array, all the other children were now gathered, having shared their experiences. Everyone now had an understanding of the horrors that were in the fourth and fifth levels. They also had respect for those who made it into those levels, especially those who not only accepted the challenge of the fifth level but fought against the knight for a considerable amount of time. But they all knew it was not over yet; there was still one person who was still in the array. No one knew how he was faring; they could only wait for it to be over.

"Let us wait a bit longer; he should be waking up soon," Tobias reassured them, panic clearly visible on his face.

After a few minutes, Caleb emerged from the array, his eyes glazed as if his mind was lost. He walked forward, each step seeming heavy. His legs had a slight tremble as he walked. His mind raced; he could not believe what he had experienced on the sixth floor.

"Caleb, are you alright?" Tobias and Asher were the first to notice Caleb's strange behaviour as they ran to support him on each side. Caleb panted as he tried to gather himself.

"I am fine," he replied, "I just overexerted myself to clear the fifth level."

"WHAT!" Axel and Osmos yelled in unison, "You managed to clear the fifth level?" Some instructors also could not believe what they had heard. Only the Captain nodded his head as if to say this was expected. He could tell that what Caleb was experiencing was not fatigue caused by the battle he had on the fifth level, but a mental one. He smiled, thinking, "It won't be long before we humans have another powerhouse."

"Remember everything you have learnt in the camp over the two years, but most importantly, remember your performance in the killing array. Remember the helplessness, the desperation, the struggle to survive. Remember how you clung to your life by defeating your foes, how you as humans stood strong and fought the demons! Remember the pride and satisfaction you felt after defeating your foes! We have done all we can to train you; the rest is up to you!" The Captain looked into the crowd, gazing at the faces of the children before pausing on Caleb. "THE FUTURE IS YOURS!.." he saluted the children. The other instructors and the guards also saluted.

Some children felt emotional; they couldn't stop the tears streaming down their cheeks. Some broke down and cried, receiving emotional support from their friends and clanmates. No one heard the last part of the sentence the Captain said. Only three people heard it, "...but it is also yours to throw away!" Caleb, Alex, and Osmos, in turn, saluted the Captain and instructors as a response not to throw away this responsibility.

Caleb made his way back to his cave, attempting to sort out the mess in his mind. A few hours ago, Caleb made his way out of the fifth floor with great difficulty. Unlike the first to fifth levels, Caleb didn't have to leave the centre for the array, but the sixth level had a door taking him to another location. As soon as he made his way through the door, the door disappeared as if it was never there. Caleb appeared in a white cube of a room. The room was not big, so Caleb could see every corner of the room from where he was standing. At the centre of the room was a raised platform with what looked like a skill book on it.

Caleb slowly made his way to the book, saying, "This should be the reward for clearing the array," as he read the cover of the book, "Thunderbolt." He was excited; he had received another skill for his lightning blessing. He couldn't wait to open the skill and learn it. But first, he had to recover at least a little bit of his strength after that serious battle.

Sitting down, he tried to cultivate the numbers scripture, as faith energy slowly gathered. Something different from what Caleb was expecting happened. In front of him, a silhouette slowly took form.

"Do not be alarmed, little one. I am the spirit of this array. It has been so many years since someone has made it to this level. It took a bit more faith energy for me to materialize. I don't have much time; there is a lot I have to tell you," the silhouette said as it stretched out its hand, and images appeared on the wall of the room as it spoke.

"Many years ago, people in this world were peaceful and prosperous. Their lives flourished as they cultivated the land and nurtured their communities. The world was a haven of serenity until the fateful day when darkness descended upon them. A small group of demons, cunning and malevolent, infiltrated the realm, their eyes fixed on the potential they saw within humanity.

The demons, astute in their understanding of human nature, recognized the weaknesses that resided within their hearts. Humans possessed an indomitable determination akin to that of the gods, but their will was fragile, easily swayed by promises of power and dominion. Exploiting this vulnerability, the demons lured countless individuals with the allure of unparalleled might, branding them with symbols of corruption on their heads or arms, this branding was later termed the mark of the beast.

This marked the beginning of the first great battle, a clash that shattered the unity of humankind. Divisions grew as the demonic influence spread, permeating the land and beckoning more of their kind into this realm. Darkness encroached upon the once-vibrant world, casting a long shadow over its inhabitants.

Yet, the demons soon realized that not all humans could be won over by their temptations. Unable to bend every soul to their will, they resorted to a new strategy – enslavement. The branded ones, those who had already succumbed to the demons' promises, rose to rule over their fellow humans, subjecting them to lives of subjugation and exploitation. The second great battle erupted as humanity fought for its freedom.

In this dire conflict, champions emerged from the depths of the human race, warriors with extraordinary valour and untapped potential. They stood against the demons, facing them with unwavering determination. The champions fought fiercely, paying a steep price for their victory. Though the demons were banished, their legacy lingered, their teachings and influence infiltrating the minds of the weak-willed.

The passage of time brought a semblance of peace to the war-torn world. The battle with the demons subsided, retreating into a dormant state. But as the voice resonated in the room, Caleb realized that the respite was merely an interlude. The echoes of the past warned that the threat was not eradicated entirely, and darkness still loomed on the horizon.

The silhouette vanished, leaving behind an air of uncertainty. The weight of the revealed knowledge settled upon Caleb's shoulders, and his mind whirled with a myriad of thoughts.

"I have passed on the information to your generation as instructed by my master. It is best that you do not spread the information to avoid panic but develop and become the champion of your generation. Pull others up with you because the battle is not going to be easy. The information about the book in your hand will be sent directly to your mind. I will be resting again! I don't know when next I will be able to awaken. Sigh!" With a sigh, the voice disappeared.

Caleb had not moved or said anything since the beginning. He was in shock, disbelief, and a state of panic. What had he been training for this entire time? The captain and the rest must have known about the demons, but the children were just here to get stronger for their clans and families, to fight for resources. Demons! Without realizing it, he was outside of the array, seeing Tobias and Asher rush towards him with concern on their faces.

The evening came too quickly as the children met one another to say their farewells. Amidst the homesickness and excitement, they felt for going back to their clans and families, they knew the bonds, rivals, and friendships they made over these two years were something they would miss for the rest of their lives. Caleb was bombarded by various children inviting him to come to their clans. Some offered luxurious positions like honorary elder; someone even said he would become the clan head if he married her. Tobias, seeing how out of hand this was developing, could only step forward to address the crowd, reminding them that Caleb was a respected member of the prestigious Levi Clan. He requested some space as he led Caleb and Asher away from the disappointed crowd.

Caleb's spear instructor approached him, presenting an 8-foot, 8-inch black iron spear weighing 150kg—the standard weapon used by soldiers of the Moonfire Palace. "This is all we can give you, Caleb. We hope that when we meet again in the future, we can fight side by side," the instructor conveyed.

Understanding the instructor's meaning, Caleb graciously accepted the heavy spear and bowed once more to the Third Captain and the assembled instructors. The scouts from the academies approached the children, expressing their admiration for their remarkable performance. They believed that the top 10 students would be a valuable addition to their academies, while those in Rank 0 would have no trouble entering their elite classes.