Cal's eyes hardened as he stared at the Beyonders Association building in Glasgow. He was unimpressed when he compared it to the Six Stars Institute in China, where he'd been until a few days ago. However, the hustle and bustle of the city made him feel nostalgic.
'I'm finally home.' Cal took a deep breath as he returned the gazes of those queued outside the doors. With a shake of his head, he ran a hand through his white hair. It was a constant reminder of his trauma that began six years ago.
'If it weren't for Uncle Ryan...' Cal's thoughts trailed off there as he joined the others awaiting their turn. He absent-mindedly toyed with the necklace he received for his twelfth birthday as he studied those around him.
'Mostly students.' Cal sighed as he noticed their bright eyes. There was a good chance most of them wanted to research the eldritch and the power of Will to publish their theories. Since the rifts started appearing, the public had become enamoured with Beyonders.
They were the new darlings of the media as they explored the rifts and protected the public from the horrors within. The resources they brought back from the other side helped to boost global economies, which only served to skyrocket their fame.
'These are the people I hate the most.' Cal frowned as he overheard a group in front of him talking about the money they'd make. 'They just want the wealth and fame. They don't care about the lives lost daily.'
Many of the friends he'd made in China and the instructors at the SSI cared more about preventing the loss of lives. Although Cal knew there were people like that in the BA of America and Europe, he was also sure they were in the minority.
After all, human greed was a powerful force in enticing people to become Beyonders. Cal was suddenly shocked out of his thoughts as the guard tapped his shoulder.
"You ok, kid? I said it was your turn three times." The woman said with concern lacing her voice as her dark eyes studied him.
"Sorry," Cal replied as the corner of his mouth turned up slightly.
"No worries. It's perfectly normal to be nervous." The woman chuckled as she ushered him inside.
As Cal made his way through the revolving door, a blast of warm air chased away the cold from outside. His cold gaze swept over the interior of the BA, which looked like the inside of an airport. Of course, he knew this was the entrance for people wanting to register with the BA and go through the Awakening process.
He sighed as another employee directed him toward one of the lines at the far left. An uncountable number of people would visit places like this every day. However, only a small number of them would pass the Awakening. Most people failed because someone had to have had high exposure to the energy the rifts released.
So everyone wishing to become a Beyonder would return daily, hoping they would meet the standards. Cal studied the scanner next to the processing desk at the front of his line. A young woman stepped into the device that looked like a metal detector. Within moments, the scanner beeped and displayed a red light.
Cal shook his head as the young woman fell to her knees crying. 'She's making a scene because she failed.' He clicked his tongue as the man in front of him glanced over his shoulder. His annoyed expression showed he disapproved of Cal's attitude.
'He's worried he'll fail too. That's why he's annoyed.' Cal smiled apologetically. As the man faced the front, Cal's expression returned to a cold, stern one. The queue gradually lessened until the man in front of him stepped forward.
Cal waited patiently as the clerk took his details before waving to the scanner. Cal cocked an eyebrow as the scanner displayed a green light moments later!
The clerk became animated as he shook the man's hand and called another employee over. Cal watched as the employee guided the man through a set of doors instead of showing him out. 'Right. Beyonders are rarer here than in China.' Cal sighed.
It was only natural since having a higher population gave a country a larger pool of potential candidates. There was also a correlation between the number of rifts appearing and the number of people within an area. Cal smiled as the clerk called him forward. The beady-eyed man's smile was full of pity.
'He thinks I'll fail since he's just had a pass and the rarity of Beyonders here.'
"Name, please?"
"Callen Shaw."
"Application number?"
"CS8229."
The man paused as Cal's details appeared on his screen. Cal chuckled internally as the clerk frowned before pushing his glasses up his nose. He could see a drop of sweat on the man's forehead as he studied the contents of Cal's online application form.
"This way, please." The clerk stammered as he waved Cal to the scanner.
However, as Cal's toes crossed the line, the scanner beeped, and the light flashed green. Cal heard the clerk's mug smash on the ground as he swiftly stood up.
"Congratulations, Mr Shaw." The clerk stammered as he eagerly took Cal's hand and shook it. "Welcome to the Beyonders Association! If you follow Ms Hill here, we'll get you sorted out."
A woman in a dark suit with dyed green hair quickly approached. She beamed enthusiastically at Cal while urging him through the same doors as the guy before him.
"It's not often we get a new Beyonder. Never mind two in the same day!" Ms Hill said with a radiant smile as she led him down the corridor. "Would you mind signing an autograph?"
"What?" Cal arched his eyebrow as he shot her a questioning gaze.
"You know, in case you become famous someday." Ms Hill's face turned red as she handed over a pocket notebook and pen.
Cal curiously took them and flicked through the pages. Quite a number of them already had signatures. 'She's a collector.' Cal sighed as he flicked to an empty page before signing it. Ms Hill beamed as he returned it along with the pen.
"Thank you!" She replied as she studied the newest addition. "Oh, we're already here."
Her bright demeanour deflated as they reached the end of the corridor. "They'll perform your Awakening and test your Will type beyond here before assigning you to a training camp. Good luck."
Cal cocked an eyebrow as she opened the door for him using her keycard. He thanked her as she closed the door behind him, and Cal found himself in a small square room. A woman sat behind a desk with a large, white square block in the middle of the room. Besides that, the space was empty except for a door on the other side.
"Step forward and place your hands on the cube." The woman said in a stern voice without looking up.
Cal followed her instructions as he recognised the cube. 'It's a larger version of the piece on my necklace.' He frowned as the rapid clicking of the examiner's keyboard stopped.
"Are you aware of what the Awakening process entails?" The examiner said as she squinted at him.
"Yes," Cal replied as the examiner looked at him in disbelief. "You're going to flood my body with the energy known as Will found in this stone. The process awakens a latent gene in human DNA, allowing them to manipulate the Will in their bodies and around them."
"Correct." The examiner scoffed before continuing. "The powers gained from Awakening are why people like you are called Beyonders. Since you'll be beyond human."
Cal could hear the spite in her voice. 'I guess she wanted to be a Beyonder, or she's had a bad experience with one.'
"Just to be clear, I assume you know of the Will types and ranks?"
"Yes," Cal nodded.
"Ok, I'll begin the process now. Try not to move."
Cal heard a few more clicks on the keyboard before a warmth suddenly spread from the stone into his hands. He did his best to remain still as the sensation flooded his body over a few minutes. Suddenly, he could see a thin layer of purple energy that was almost transparent, coating his hands and arms.
"What the hell?" The examiner slammed her hands on her desk as she glared at Cal. "You're a Fate type?"
Cal grinned as he removed his hands from the stone. 'The same as Uncle Ryan, then.' His grin grew wider as the examiner stared at his results. 'Oh, right!' Cal quickly covered the small cube around his neck with his hand.
"Ha!" The examiner laughed as she turned her cold gaze on Cal. "You may have scored the rarest type, but don't let it go to your head. Your rank came out as E. The weakest starting point for a Beyonder."
Cal's expression was full of disappointment as the examiner handed him the printed report of his Awakening. With a smile, she told him to go through the other door for processing. Cal nodded his head as he quickly moved to comply.
However, the examiner didn't know that Cal wasn't disappointed by his results. He was upset that the cube around his neck had crumbled, just as his Uncle had predicted. However, it was what had appeared in his vision that confused him.
A transparent floating text box haunted his sight that the examiner appeared unaware of.
[Name: Callen Shaw]
[Primary Will Type: Sovereign]
[Secondary Will Type: Fate]