Kelsier gets up from bed, his eyes baggy and reddened. He coughs and walks over to his bathroom.
Staring at himself in the mirror, still pretty tired, he says to himself "I wonder what mom is doing now?"
"Good Morning, Kel!!" Orome yells as she jumps out from inside Kelsier's bath. He jumps back, startled by her presence.
"What are you doing here?" He says.
"Well, I noticed you were having a hard time sleeping so I decided to stay with you, then I saw you waking up and I chose to come here and surprise you."
"You were watching me sleep?"
"Well, yeah."
"What about the others?"
"Long story."
"Fine. Could you just give me some room so I can shower?"
"I'll be in the room."
Kelsier sighs. It takes a few minutes and he is done with the shower, and after some systematic chasing, he manages to change into a new set of clothes without the prying eyes of Orome. They both emerge from his room and meet the others, leaving their apartments at the same time.
Tyene's reading a book, probably manga; Haleth's hair is a mess; Fringilla looks like she just had a hangover and is wearing a nearly-transparent nightgown; Agatha is wearing towels on her head and her body, and she looks like she just got into her room and Logen looks like he just completed an early morning workout.
Hello, kids. How was the night? How was Cas' cooking? Just in case you forgot and still believe this is a dream, it's not. It's me, Your father! Grimes says to all of them telepathically.
"Dammit! Warn us first!" Logen curses.
My bad, Logen. Breakfast is going to be on the 6th floor this morning. Leave your sanity in your bags, because some things I'm going to tell you might not sit very well otherwise.
"Oh, really?" Agatha says.
Really!
***
The elevator chimes open on the sixth floor, and they all walk into a brightly-lit room, due to the intensity of the sunlight. There is a table in the middle of the room, enough to host more than eleven people, with dishes on the table, each one covered. at the other side of the room is their father, holding what seems to be a pen in one hand, and a notebook in the other.
"Ah, joy. my kids in their morning outfits. all very questionable. makes me so proud." he jokes, smiling at how they all look after one night.
"Ha ha, very funny, father...what's the matter? Why are we here?" Fringilla says.
"Aww, you called me father. You don't like breakfast?"
"I do." Orome rushes to the table and picks a seat at random, opens the plate in front of her and sees a well-decorated cake that resembles an amputated hand. She turns to Grimes and pouts.
"I'm sorry, my dear, I can't feed you actual flesh and blood. Manners." He says to her.
"That's the reason you can't give her real flesh?" Haleth says, somehow the only person concerned with Orome's cannibalistic preferences.
"Well, yeah. She'd get blood everywhere. Orome is a messy eater." Grimes says.
Orome calls out Kelsier. "Baby brother, come sit next to me."
She takes her hand-cake and puts in her mouth, and opens Kelsier's dish, revealing a plate of grilled steak.
"Wait, how do you know what we like to eat?" Agatha asks Grimes.
"Oh, Kelsier doesn't have standards, so I figured any meal would do."
"I meant us?" She re-iterates.
"Oh. need I remind you that I know everything about you?"
"Well no."
The others take their seats. Haleth gets an omelet, Tyene gets bacon and eggs, Fringilla gets ramen noodles, Agatha gets toast and coffee and Logen gets donuts and an energy drink.
"Well, now that you're all settled in..." Grimes starts as they all start eating. " Let me get this straight...You are all in a completely different boat from the hell you've been through. This situation is different now, and for the next two days, you will undergo rigorous training exercises."
"Why? What are we training for?" Haleth asks.
"To be my Chosen ones."
"What?!!" They all chorus.
"I know. there's terminology to be discussed further, but I'll give you the reason why first." He calms their nerves. " There's a countdown. It's been ticking down for 25 years. And in three days, the countdown will be over, and all hell will break loose on this island. If all my disciples, followers and Chosen are killed by the time the new timer runs out, I will be killed by the other deities, and this island will be erased from existence."
Everyone drops their food and looks up at him in shock, except for Orome, looking at him in excitement.
"So why exactly are you just getting us to join you now?" Tyene asks.
"Because you are all half-human, therefore you have human flaws, problems, and trauma. A shit ton of trauma."
"And that helps us how? Who exactly is attacking us? Why are they doing this? What's the difference between disciples and Chosen? What's this training about-" Kelsier talks to himself before realizes that he's thinking aloud and everyone has stopped to pay attention to him.
"All good questions, my boy, and so, I'll answer them in that order, so please keep eating." Grimes says, and takes a seat at the head of the table.
"Firstly, it helps a lot. You are not only shaped by experiences unknown to other Chosen, you are also my own blood. my very own body. meaning, your abilities can by far exceed those who call themselves Chosen, and can scale high enough to the deities themselves. That being said, your assailants are in fact, the disciples and Chosen of the deities that want me gone."
"Including Thome?" Logen says, panicking.
"No. on the contrary, actually. Thome is the one who gave me this lifeline. that brings me to the third question: Why? I believe you've all heard of the great descent."
"The descent of the gods to the earth to keep sanctuary with the humans?" Agatha says.
"Someone knows her history. that's why you're a college graduate." He replies, stroking her ego. she smiles broadly.
"Anyway, that was when I first arrived on earth. I evaded the others for centuries, eventually arriving on this island, when I met the ancients of this land. they revered me, and many became my servants. then, one of the primordials attacked the island, and defending my servants, and newly found home, I fought back, and we destroyed a quarter of the island before we were summoned back to the aether. there, I, along all the deities on this mortal plane, made vows to not use our abilities on the mortal plane again.
However, the others didn't like me very much, and all agreed on killing me, when Thome gave them, alongside myself, an ultimatum. quarter of a century. let him stack up his forces. if his disciples and chosen are exterminated by yours after that time, then you will have your way, and he will be destroyed.
That being said..." He continues. "The distinction between followers, disciple and Chosen are: followers have little to no power of mine. Disciples are more powerful followers and Chosen are incredibly powerful disciples. However, there are no disciples or Chosen that are naturally aetheric in nature, besides the seven of you."
At this point, everyone is done eating and is simply paying rapt attention to his words.
"...You are inherently more powerful than others of your class. Now as for the training..." He says, getting up, and Castillon walks into the room.
"Castillon will take you to meet your trainers, so get dressed for the longest two days of your lives..."
"Good morning, Children. I'll be outside in the SUV. you all have 45 minutes." Castillon says, waving at them.
"Um...Who's training us?" Haleth asks.
"Rengoku's Chosen." Grimes says.
"What?!" The kids echo again.
"Yes. He's a friend of mine who I'm meeting in a little while."
"Rengoku?" Kelsier says in shock.
"The primordial deity of fire? that one?" Agatha says.
"Yes? how many more are there?" Grimes answers and walks over to Castillon.
"He's game, right?" Grimes asks, as the children see themselves out of the room.
"Yes. But, sir, don't you think you should tell them everything? I'm sure they're dying to understand you."
"I know they are. but that history for the two of us, and you know that very much."
***
About thirty minutes later, all the children are seated in the SUV, ready to start moving.
Logen is wearing a sweatshirt and compression pants, Kelsier a deep purple hoodie and dark blue joggers, Fringilla wearing a jumpsuit, Orome wearing a blood-red sweatshirt and skin-tight black leggings, Agatha wearing a dark-blue jacket, with a white inner shirt, dark blue compression tights and a light-green beanie, Haleth wearing a black tank top, with a black-zipper leather jacket over it and stone-washed jeans, and finally Tyene is wearing an all-grey hoodie and grey sweatpants. Castillon is dressed like a gentleman, wearing a two-piece suit and suit pants, approaching the vehicle.
"You all ready?" He asks the kids.
"Does it matter?" Tyene asks, apathetically, still reading his manga.
"Good point." Castillon starts the engine and in no time, the car jerks off into the expressway and speeds off into the horizon.
after about fifteen minutes of smooth driving, they arrive at what appears to be an abandoned warehouse. "this is Rengoku's base?" Logen asks sarcastically.
"If you want to believe so, you're welcome to spend your two days training here..."Castillon replies sarcastically as well.
He leads them into the warehouse to a giant tarp, covering a particular part of the warehouse. While approaching the tarp, a feminine figure, wearing a skin-tight leather suit jumps out of the shadows and in front of them.
"Your boss was here a few minutes ago..."She says.
"I know, Lysa. He tends to do that often." He replies.
"Who are these?" she refers to the children behind him.
"Grimes' Chosen. They're the ones you'll be training along with Grega, Tensei and the rest."
The children each give each other puzzled looks. The woman walks over to them, examining them one by one with her eyes alone.
"Do I have to train this one as well?" She says, pointing at Kelsier.
"Especially that one. Boss is particularly fond of that one." Castillon says, turning away as She sighs.
"Ahem! rude!" Fringilla says.
"Whatever, princess, you don't need to learn much. Let's go." she says, ushering them to the tarp.
"Cas, aren't you coming with us?" Orome asks.
"Nope. I have a few things to take care of here on the island."
The children walk in unison toward the tarp. Lysa pulls away the tarp and suddenly a distant land appears on the other side of the wall.
"After you..." she says
***
In the gambling dens, in a city on the eastern continent, are two men, laughing their hearts out as they lose more money to the roulette.
"You lose, Renny!" Grimes says, laughing.
"You're one to talk. at least I've won once." the man replies.
This man is Rengoku, The deity over flames and fire in itself. He is oddly close friends with Grimes and has chosen not to pick a side in the conflict soon to occur, happy to help out Grimes as much as he can, but unwilling to go as far as joining Grimes' side and risk the wrath of many of the others falling on his side as well, though confident in his abilities, he is no territorial, and as such isn't omnipresent within his territory.
They both walk away from the table, the other participants surprised at their gall. They walk to the bar, and both get beers.
"How's the business?" Grimes asks.
"It's how it usually is when I'm not gambling with you." He answers sarcastically.
"I'm not too shocked. I'm sure you left things for Lysa to handle."
"I can't help it if she's the most competent one there. Sure, they can all defend themselves pretty well - it's kind of why I run the dojo in the first place, but everyone else just shirks responsibility."
"Lysa's rude!" He says, taking the offensive.
"You're just saying that because she called you out on your womanizing."
Both take chugs of beer before continuing the conversation. Like a competition.
"That and she rejects me every time. I mean, I'm not that repulsive."
"Well, then, it's probably not a good time to tell you that she's not into men..."
"Oh. Well, she could've led with that."
"Nope. She doesn't talk too often about it. Even with girls. Not exactly a very open lover."
"Let's hope she doesn't make a move on Orome." Grimes jokes.
"That reminds me..." Rengoku drops his mug. "These Chosen of yours that we'll be training, where did you find them? Each one seems in a unique way, just like you."
"That's a trade secret, my good man. But I can assure you this: By the end of the new countdown, they'll be a force to be reckoned with." Grimes winks and smiles, taking another swig.
"Man, you've been saying that for twenty-five years yet your most powerful disciple is the only Chosen of yours that I've seen." Rengoku takes his mug and demands a refill from the bartender.
"Nah. Castillon is my disciple, not my Chosen."
"You're that close with your disciple?"
"Of course. Centuries together isn't exactly a small amount of time."
"Cheers to that."
Their mugs click and they chug down the rest of their beers, getting up and heading for the poker tables.
***
As Lysa accompanies them into the dojo, she encounters Tsaliya de Chaim, an ambassador of Othica, waiting outside. she walks toward her and the children.
"Who are these?" Tsaliya asks.
"Students. What in the unholy fuck are you doing here?" Lysa replies, visible anger in her voice and on her face.
"Calm down. Othica just wanted me to talk to Rengoku about the end of the countdown, that's all." She replies, backing off.
"Yeah, I don't think that's all. You know very well that he's never around this time of the week."
"Gambling with Grimes...yes, I got that the last few times you said it. I wonder why anyone would want to spend time with that idiot."
The kids behind Lysa exchange looks of confusion, puzzled glances and the like. Who is this woman? the glances and looks ask the question, though none are able to feed a reply.
"I don't think you should go around calling other deities idiots...I'm not sure you'd enjoy it very much if I berated Othica like that..." Lysa defends.
"You hate him too...jeez, what's your problem?"
"Personal gripes have nothing to do with it. Don't make me throw you out of here. Leave. Peacefully."
Tsaliya raises her hands in defeat. "When Rengoku returns, inform him of an assembly. The deities are having one in Soul tomorrow. They won't appreciate him leaving them hanging."
Tsaliya walks away, staring at the children. Lysa sighs and takes a seat on the bench outside the dojo.
"Go inside. A few followers will lead you to the training grounds." she says to the kids.
"Are you okay? That seemed rather intense..." Agatha says.
"It's fine. I'm fine. just go."
The kids walk inside, none protesting. Lysa sinks into the bench, sighing heavily.
Orome runs back outside and hugs Lysa tightly. She makes to leave but immediately succumbs to the comfort provided by the hug. she smiles, and breathes out heavily.
"How thoughtful of you...You can let go now..."