In a room that had a soundproofing system installed, the sounds of fingers rapidly typing on a keyboard reverberated. The speed was so fast that it felt like the keyboard might break, but on a careful note, the force applied on the keys was pressed under a delicate control of strength, almost to the level of wonder.
Finishing a draft, Laila's father read through the contents once, feeling it carry with it his honest opinion; his tone being neither arrogant nor subservient, the right amount necessitated for the situation. Pressing the send button, Laila's father sighed, relaxing his nerves. Craving for some sweets and feeling that he hadn't properly tasted the Kesari, Laila's father stood up, planning to fetch himself another bowl of the sweet.
Followed by a high-pitched sound that was equivalent to a ping, Laila's father had received an email. Clicking it, he felt shocked for a second, wondering at the reasons for the fast response. Opening the email, he browsed through the contents, detailing to some basics pertaining to joining the Imperial Corps, the clauses and conditions he had to abide by should he proceed, etc.
Having already known about the details beforehand, Laila's father read through the document with patience, finding the terms and conditions not different from the one he had known. After that, he clicked a button at the end of the email which redirected him to a website.
The webpage titled, 'Imperial Corps Acquisition' explained the details he had to take to register himself, asking him to provide the details of his abilities, the missions he had participated in, etc. Finishing the long process, Laila's father watched as the webpage refreshed, signalling him to the end of the registration process.
Immediately, he received a call, prompting him to accept it. The monitor flashed as the visage of a middle-aged man who was turning old appeared. He had light yellow hair, white side-burns, a sharp jaw that accentuated his uplifted nose while his double-chin looked out of place. The man exuded a commanding demeanour, looking like a person that wouldn't ever take 'no' for an answer. He looked like a man of action.
The moment Laila's father saw him, he hurriedly stood up and performed a standard military salute. He stood straight, as if a statue frozen in his saluting pose, not even daring to breathe, his eyes locked onto the person on the screen.
The man looked at his actions, nodded without a change in expression, "In 2 hours, I want you to be present in the Imperial Corps Headquarters. Communicate with your family beforehand; once an Unranked Skill gets implanted in you, you will be sent to the frontlines for training until the end of the month. You will get 3 days of rest before the Flying Signature Raid commences."
"Yes, sir!" Laila's father shouted, his shout reverberating in the room, rattling the objects inside.
The communication disconnected; only then did Laila's father dare to relax. He plopped on his chair in exhaustion, sweat covered his body. Even though his body was brimming with energy, his mind felt exhausted, having had to face that man.
Anruhen Light, one of the seven Generals of the Imperial Corps, grandson of Rhachis Ancestor Light; he was a Transformer level powerhouse. He had spectacular battle accomplishments, raking in kill counts of Tier 5 monsters even when he was but a Shifter. He was one of the pillars of their city in the truest sense, even having a chance to take a step into the legendary Tier 6 level in the future.
'The fact that someone of his level had personally instructed me signifies the level of importance Central Command has attached to this Raid. I hope I can survive through this.' Laila's father thought as he walked out of the room. He saw his wife who shot him a shocked look, noticing his drenched figure. Laila's father immediately motioned for her to follow him through eye contact.
Shutting the door of the soundproofed room after entering it, Laila's father went into detail about what happened in such a short time-frame. Laila's mother resisted shrieking in surprise after hearing him recount the unexpected appearance of Anruhen Light.
"I am supposed to be there in two hours," Laila's father said as he enveloped Laila's mother in an embrace, his body faintly shivering. He then planted a kiss on her lips, not intending to separate. Laila's mother relished the experience, enveloped with the feelings of longing for each other, the duo joined their bodies.
Sometime later, the two stealthily opened the door, checking for the presence of the three children before they hurriedly rushed to a bathroom each. Finished with a refreshing shower, Laila's father draped a towel over his lower half, walking out of the bathroom as he picked out some clothes and hurriedly placed them in a suitcase.
He then placed other necessities in it and finished packing. He fished out a set of clothes that looked apt to be worn in a military Headquarters, looking battle-esque while at the same time, retaining a sense of elegance. He gazed at his projection in the mirror, looking like a military veteran, his demeanour slowly changing, exuding a suffocating aura.
Done with his preparation, Laila's father walked out, noticing Laila's mother, flashing him a longing gaze, silently hiding her fears and worries. He hugged her and kissed her forehead, parting as he carried his suitcase. He draped a small leather bag across his shoulders, filled with stacks of documents related to his achievements.
As the couple walked into the hall, the three kids who were still broiled with their game turned their heads at the same time, noticing the change. Laila immediately began crying, throwing her console away as she rushed at her father, jumping into his embrace, not letting him go.
"I'll be back soon," Laila's father replied, his eyes moistening as he heard Laila's heart-wrenching cries. "It is only for two weeks, I will be home by the time you can say Daddy."
"Daddy!" Laila shouted, her wails further increasing in pitch, making the hands that held her tremble. Laila's father hesitated, thinking if he should withdraw his application, giving him another month to spend with his daughter before the Raid began.
Noticing his hesitation, Laila's mother pulled Laila away from her father, embracing her as she cued for him to leave. Just when he took a step forward, Jyorta and George rushed forward, each holding one of his legs, trying to immobilise him. They looked on the verge of crying as they watched Laila cry, looking determined to stop her father from leaving no matter what.
Laila's father sighed as he looked at the two children holding him and at his daughter who refused to calm down, shouting like a banshee, trying to wrestle out of her mother's control. As an Amplifier, Laila's mother had more than enough strength to restrain her, but she didn't have the heart to act on her decision, clearly wavering. She then noticed a faint mist appear from the body of Laila's father, making the three children inhale it.
Their bodies immediately turned numb, making it easy for him to rusticate from their hold, walking towards the door as he placed a half-top hat on his head, covering the area over his eyes.
"Daddy!" Laila shrieked, her voice intensifying as she watched him walk away, cracking due to having overstrained her vocal cords. The door slammed with a thud as her father walked away, leaving the room filled with the sounds of her wails.
…
7th Ring, Sector 1, Military Academy Training Center; in her Dorm room, Heima looked at Hancent scrutinising the list with focus, murmuring incomprehensible words as he analysed the effects of each and calculated the outcomes.
Heima watched her father in a daze, a sense of admiration welling up from within her. After what looked like an hour had passed, Hancent finally retracted his gaze from the list, heaving a sigh, lamenting at his youth when he wasn't hard-working enough.
'If only such a list existed during my days.' He thought for a second before reverting his focus to the needs of Heima.
"Honestly, if possible, I would want you to get everything printed on this list. But, technically, that is impossible." Hancent said as he displayed the list to Heima. "You can accumulate merit points by taking a test; the marks you score out of hundred will become your merit points."
Heima noticed the categories on the list that were available for her to take tests; Hancent continued with a frown, "These tests, on one hand, give you an opportunity to gain these rewards, but at the same time allow the army to get a gauge on your talents."
He paused for a second, reading the subjects available, "Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Modern Rodawri, Commerce, Accountancy, Geography, Atmospheric Science, Geophysics, Astronomy, Biology, and Medicine."
He then emphasised, "And finally, Martial Arts which is by far the most important. You can enroll in whatever classes you want, using the time available to you since they will be available 24x7 starting next month. When you appear for the respective tests which you can request for at your discretion, you will accumulate merit points based on your score. But, here comes the pinch."
Hancent said with a slight sneer, as if he had already predicted the mentality of the organisers. "Look at the top of the list, the one with the golden colour." Hancent pointed to the top, "These are Unranked Skills, the likes of which are tremendously expensive that anyone below Tier 4 will never be able to afford. Even for Tier 4 Warriors and Espers, it would still need a decade of savings to afford one. This will generally blind the students to strive for it, disregarding the other treasures that are equally important."
"Dad, what are these Unranked Skills? I saw some of the students shouting in shock as they exclaimed the term numerous times when these pamphlets were handed out." Heima asked, confusion present in her eyes. But on a closer look, her curiosity was steadily overcoming all the other emotions, slowly rising to the top.
"Let me give you an example," Hancent pointed at her eyes, slightly releasing his aura when they automatically turned green. "As a Tier 1 Warrior, you have nurtured a Skill. You will continue to do so after breaking through to higher levels, one per each. At Tier 4 Shifter, you will possess four Skills."
On seeing her nod, Hancent continued with a smile, "The sole difference is that, Skills nurtured at higher Tiers are stronger as compared to their precedents. When you are at Tier 4, Tier 1 and 2 skills are almost useless, barring some rare necessities. This is where an Unranked Skill comes into play."
Having gained her complete attention, Hancent looked into his surroundings once, waving his hand to erect a formless barrier around them. "It is called an Unranked Skill because it evolves according to your Tier. It evolves and raises its power according to how strong you are, making it the one Skill that will accompany you for life."