Joe was driving fast but not as fast as before. The accident hit him hard, and he seemed to have a hard time to concentrate. The chief could have driven but he wanted to keep the briefcase in his hand.
"Boy, take the place of Joe. You drive."
Charlot was stunned by the order of the chief, but he didn't dare to argue with this cold-blood men. Joe stopped the car and lay down in the back of the vehicle. Charlot was afraid at the beginning, but the chief directed him.
After a few minutes, the tension came down and Joe lost consciousness. They finally arrived to escape the police and the black cape men. They left the station area without any new incident.
Under the commands of the chief, they were now following a small road that was going downside. As time pass, the streets became darker and darker, and the prawn of the upper town let place to the dust and the filth of the lower town.
The lower town were situated in a huge crevasse. At first, miner came to this crevasse to mine allium ores, an expensive ore useful to engine application. But as time pass, the vein was exhausted and instead of miner, a giant illegal traffic has taken place in this dark place.
Astral couldn't controlled this place as famous criminals who were wanted on all the continent, settled in the low town. It was the paradise of crime or also called Crime valley.
The policeman who pursued them, had stopped at the beginning of Crime valley and had a big view over Crime valley.
"Sh**! They will pay for having dared to cause so much death!" exclaimed one of the policemen.
"Reïs, you're too emotional. This case smells like trouble, I tell you. A guy who can do magic, it's not something you see every day."
"Fane, it doesn't upset you that the criminal think that Astral is their playground! This is the third time this week that fights have broken out in a neighborhood that is supposed to be completely safe. Tensions are escalating if the power we hold is not increased, we run toward a disaster. It will end in an armed conflict inside the city. We should just take the army and erase Crime valley!"
"Calm your through. They are a lot of good people on Crime valley. You know, a lot of poor people from Astral went to Crime Valley to find a place to live. Don't have a simple mind and think that Crime valley is just composed of bad people. Things are much more complexed!" sighed Fane.
Okay, let's go Reïs. Our work is finished."
"We're still going to have to answer this a******. I can't believe that it's a man like him who represents the police. He's fat and weak. I don't understand why the leaders chose him at the head of the police. "
"Don't underestimate him Reïs. If he doesn't do anything, it's just because he doesn't want to provoke other and create a worst situation. But I knew him when he was young, and he is very intelligent."
The policemen turned their back on the downtown to come back to the headquarter.
The car continued to sink in Crime Valley. The chief pointed the way to Charlot. During the journey, they passed by different part of Crime Valley.
At the beginning, the street was dirty, and a lot of people were in bad shape that it's even make Charlot think about his quarantine.
But at some point, everything changes. The street was full of people who were making business. It was the biggest black market of Astral. The resident of this part of the city were proud to say that if you cannot find what you want here, it's that you will not find it in Astral!
A giant tower was overlooking all the black market. It was the headquarter of Oversee. Oversee was the name of the alliance of the creature from the dark as they called themself.
They were composed of vampire, demon, and other rare species.
As Charlot was shocked by this part of the city, the chief made him go toward another part of Crime valley. They went out of the black market and passed again in a dilapidated area.
After a quarter of an hour, they arrived in a part much calmer than the black market. There was nothing in this place but suddenly the chief said to Charlot to turn to the left and go out of the road.
They were going toward a wall of the crevasse. When they were going to collided with the wall, the chief made a sign and a ring at his hand glowed with black light. The car entered in the wall but the impact that Charlot was waiting, didn't happen.
"We arrived at the headquarter", said the chief.
A gigantic cave appeared before the eye of Charlot. It didn't look like a city or a black market but more like a military base. A huge fortress was at the center surrounded by pales. You didn't have the impression to be inside a cave because a blue sky and a sun were present.
"Welcome in the rebellion." murmured Joe who has just woken up. Unfortunately, he was still in a bad shape because of the accident.
"Pass the pales and go to the white building who is next to the headquarter." Ordered the chief.
When they passed the pales one of the guards who was in service said to another guard:
"Tempest and Joe came back. Joe seemed to be in bad shape. I'm sure he had an accident. With the speed at which he drives, it's just retribution!" laughed the guard.
Charlot finally knew the chief's name: Tempest.
They arrived at the hospital and Joe was taken immediately by nurses. Tempest with the briefcase jumped out of the car and went toward the headquarter.
"Boy, what is your name?" asked Tempest.
Hearing this question, Charlot who was lost about his next step, understood that he should follow Tempest.
"My name is Charlot!" answered Charlot.
"Be respectful in front of the boss." added Tempest.
"Yes… Temp…chief" Charlot didn't dare to call the chief, Tempest.
The rest of the walk was without a sound. They arrived in front of a huge door and entered the fortress. The fortress had three floors. On the first floor, a lot of people were moving to a place and another. It's looked like a lobby. Tempest went directly toward the stair and walked until the second floor.
At the second floor, two guards keep people to enter the third floor. But when they saw Tempest, they immediately let him enter. It shown that Tempest has a high position in the rebellion.
At the third floor, a young woman was on her desk and when she saw Tempest, she said:
"The boss is already waiting for you. You can directly enter but the child…" she paused for a few seconds, but Tempest didn't care.
Tempest made a sign of head to show that he heard her, but he didn't care of her remarks, and he opened the door to enter the office with Charlot.
"Tempest, I was waiting for you, but I didn't know that you will come back with not one but two gifts. You are very generous today!" said the leader who was on his seat behind a desk.
The leader had blue eye and blond hair. He looked like a young hero from a novel. He has a natural aura that make everyone looked at him with admiration. He was borne to be a leader.
Tempest explained why he brought Charlot.
"This boy, I had a strange sensation when I looked at him in the eye. Nothing important but he is an orphan so maybe he will bring us a surprise. He could have high affinity toward mana."
"Oh! A strange sensation?"
The boss looked at Charlot. Charlot was nervous in front of this charismatic person, but nothing seems to happen.
"I don't feel anything? For me, he is just a normal boy. We will send him to the mage training camp. Maybe he will become a future general like you, Tempest."
"Maybe."
"Okay, let begin the serious thing."
The leader gazed at Charlot. Tempest made a sign at Charlot to leave. Charlot left the office and was welcomed by the young women.
"So Charlot right! Come with me. I'm going to show you your new home, the great mage camp"
She began to guide Charlot toward their destination.
Charlot was surprised:" how did she know that the leader sent me to the mage camp." thought Charlot.
Seeing the surprised Charlot, the young women said:
" Don't be surprised, I'm a mage so the leader can directly send order with this ring!"
She showed her hand who had the same ring as Tempest. On the ring, there was a strange but also a symbol: a sword turns toward the sky. It was the symbol of the rebellion.
"If you arrived to pass the test, you will also receive a ring like mine."
Charlot was excited when he heard this news. In his town, all magic matter apart of the magic engine were fantasy. This ring will be more expensive than all his family property, note that his family was not rich.
"What do you mean by passing a test?"