All of us stood in the living room thinking about what Calidia said about the haven she was from. Apparently in an effort to save some of humanity there were powerful awakened who used their abilities to make pockets in space that became safe havens for their people. They exist on the fringe of the great world but no twisted or mana beasts could enter them. Those recruited to go to the free pocket would be trained to use their abilities and become a part of the teams that raided the great world to gain supplies.
At least everyone but me that is. I could not go even if I wanted too. Like the twisted the awakened had color codes. The weakest of the awakened were the green cores followed by the red, blue, purple, silver, then the strongest the gold. Each level gives access to more abilities. Green could only access the body and four of the elements which were based on the individuals affinity. Red could use the body and all the elements, blue gained the mind ability. Purple gained two personalized abilities, mine were beast and plant. I had not told Calidia what my personal abilities were. Silver would gain access to time and space. Like me Calidia was a silver core, she was powering the time stop that gave us the time to think about her offer, and it would be her who opened a gate to the free pocket for those who chose to join her.
The gold cores were the leaders of the havens. She didn't tell me what abilities they gained, simply saying that I would understand if I became one.
With each wave dense chaotic mana would be released into the world. Each time that happened there would be a chance that my core could mutate up to a gold like Megan's changed from a red to a blue during this last wave. As I was a silver at the beginning of the world's end, I had a high chance of being able to become a gold. If I could then I would enter the free pocket as a member of the ruling class rather than a aide. As the need for more gold cores was so high, they were willing to risk the loss of a silver core for a chance to gain a gold.
While working in a gathering team would be dangerous, remaining in this world would be more dangerous. Especially as there were purple, silver, and gold versions of the twisted too, each higher level would be significantly stronger and have the ability to control more twisted, and that was before they started to level up. Like my mana core and abilities the twisted could gain levels, each increase would give them a large increase to their physical strength and a smaller increase to their intelligence.
A high level gold twisted was rare, but they were the bane of humankind. One low level gold twisted was enough to start a nation of twisted, the higher the level the larger then nation. Worse, there was very little infighting amongst the twisted. While they did gain intelligence with each level they never schemed against each other. Disagreements between those of the same color would arise occasionally, but only the individuals would be involved in the battle and it was never to the death. Something humanity had never been able to mimic.
There were other ways to raise the tier of a core. Defeating and absorbing the energy of a number of higher tier twisted would initiate a rise in the tier of a core, but as I was already a silver I would have to kill several of the rare gold twisted. The chances of one even appearing was low enough let alone running into it.
I could also do it with the mana beasts, they had beast cores with similar tiers, but a gold tier mana beast was deadly, far more so than the twisted, and like the twisted the gold tier beasts were king's of their kind.
Given my descriptions the beasts who came through the gate at the stadium were only green tier beasts.
It was a lot to take in, and as the one person who had to stay it scared me. I already had a blue close by ready to rip out my throat the moment I gave it a chance to, and it was far from the worst of the twisted I would encounter over the next century. Yes century, the gates would open in a fixed interval of tens, with one year as the base and the first wave as the starting point the second wave will occur at one thousandth of a year after the first wave, the third will occur one hundredth of a year form the first wave, then one tenth, then one year, ten years, and one hundred years. At one thousand years our world would merge with the great world and the chances of survival would drop to zero as there are already several powerful twisted and beast nations on the great world that would tear us apart.
My one chance for survival was to grow stronger, if I became a gold I would have the opportunity to create my own haven, if I didn't I could join another haven as soon as I was strong enough to open the path to the free pocket.
Calidia had already given me a marker that I could use to trace the energy of the free pocket.It looked like a plain pure white jade slip two inches long and a half inch wide. Once my space ability level reached five I would have the strength to open the path to the haven and join them. If I did that before becoming a gold core the chances of raising my core to gold in the free space was so small it was considered impossible.
"Calidia." I called to grab the woman's attention as she spoke with Nessin.
"Yes?" she asked turning to face me.
"If the chances of raising your tier is so low, why aren't there silvers from the free pocket coming to this world to experience the energy wave?" I asked her.
Calidia smiled. "We do. Once we know the time frame of the world silvers will come to this world right before the energy wave to try their chance. However there is a lot of danger involved. We can not see what is going on here before we open the gate, a place that was once safe may be in the heart of a twisted colony the next time we visit. Then once we experience the energy wave we have a few moments of weakness as our body and mind adjust to the changes the energy wave made. Beasts and twisted do not go through that like we do. With these risks there are many silvers who decide to embrace their life as they are. Especially since the chances of advancing to gold tier are very low even if they survive the trip." she explained. "I wouldn't expect to meet any of them, they do not stay long after the energy wave has completed."
I nodded then turned to look at the others. Only Emily seemed to not be concerned, then again she would follow her parents wherever they went. I already assumed Rebecca and Marshal would go, it would be safer there for Emily. As for the rest of them I hoped they would go. I would miss them, but I would feel guilty if they stayed for me.
One by one everyone seemed to come to a decision.
"Your choices?" Calidia asked looking at everyone.
"We will go with you." Marshal gave her his family's decision.
Calidia nodded with a smile then looked to Arnold.
Arnold seemed to feel guilty as he glanced over at me then nodded. "I will go." he told her.
"Good." Calidia told him.
Michael didn't even seem guilty when he informed her of his choice to go. He didn't even glance at me once. Courtney and Karen followed suit but at least Karen gave me a sad look.
"Wonderful. Now we can get going." Calidia told us without waiting for Megan's answer.
"What about Megan?" Michael asked anxiously.
Calidia looked at Megan for a moment but Megan shook her head. "The bonded never chose to leave their bond." Calidia replied.
"Bonded?" Michael asked as he glared at me.
"Yes, bonded, when awakened share intimacies with each other we give a bit of our energies to each other strengthening each other and creating a bond. Amongst two awakened of a similar level it isn't very strong, but it does strengthen the feelings between them, when one of the partners are not awakened, or the level between them is high, the bond is much stronger. Usually it can cause an awakening for those who are not awakened so many volunteer for it despite the strong bond." Calidia explained.
"You bastard!" Michael yelled as he ran towards me with his fists raised.
After only moving a few feet he stopped in mid air. "Enough!" Calidia said sternly, "Yes this will put her at great risk, but the rewards will be just as great. If he becomes a gold she will become a queen, if he does not her position as the bride of a silver general will be enviable to most in the haven, especially as his first bride."
"First bride?" Megan asked with a frown.
Calidia smiled. "Of course, men with ability always draw women to them in droves, rather than trying to fight them all off alone, it would be best you establish a band of sister wives you can trust to help you fight them off together while keeping him satisfied." Calidia told her.
Megan glared at me like this was all my fault.
Calidia laughed, "You will understand in time." she told her.
With a wave of her hand a misty gray tunnel appeared in the wall of the living room. "Please take him and go through." Calidia told Karen and Courtney.
The two women looked uncomfortable for a moment then they each grabbed and arm and pulled Michael inside the space tunnel. Karen gave me one last look then she was gone. Arnold shook my hand then left in a hurry, probably worried that he would change his mind.
Marshal and his family were the last. The family of three disappeared into the tunnel, then Calidia and her people entered after wishing me good luck. While Nessin and Jorrimus's good luck wish were normal, Calidia's gave me a mischievous look then moved in close and pressed her soft lips against mine. I jerked back in surprise but Caldia had already moved to the space tunnel.
Calidia was the last to enter the space tunnel. As she stepped into the tunnel she seemed to stumble, time started to move again then there was a loud piercing scream of despair. A moment later the tunnel shut. Calidia remained on this side of the tunnel and somehow in her arms was a sobbing Emily.
"What happened?" I asked rushing to Calidia's side.
Calidia turned her head slowly to face me tears streaming down her face. "He's gone." she wailed then collapsed onto the ground hugging tightly to Emily who was crying in her arms.