A boy with dreadlocks down to his nose ran down the stairs of an average middle class house. He grabbed his bag off of a hook on the wall and started out the front door.
"Atlas!" A strong hand grabbed the back of his collar and dragged him to the kitchen table. "Your mother made breakfast for you and you will eat it."
He was forced to sit in the old rickety chair he had sat in for as long as he could remember.
He sighed and protested, "I'm going to be late!"
His father who looked nearly exactly like him shook his head. "You're always going to be late. Not that it matters anymore since it's your last day at school. Don't upset your mother." He lightly smacked Atlas on the back of the head and went to eat his own breakfast.
Atlas was 16 and had caramel skin that was clear and smooth. He was handsome by most standards and was lean and powerful looking. Unfortunately he looked exactly like his father which was constantly brought up at any social event. Two of his younger siblings came chasing eachother into the kitchen.
His two little twin brothers, Sylas and Bo, were little menaces who always found new and interesting ways to bother their older brother. But no matter how many times they broke into Atlas' room and stole his practice sword and broke an innocent lamp, Atlas still loved them a lot.
They launched themselves into their brothers lap making him weeze. "Ouch get off you idiots!" Atlas picked each of them up by their mid sections and walked them over to the couch. He feigned throwing them before dropping the giggling kids on the soft couch.
Atlas brushed the dreads out of his face and turned to his mother. "Where is Constance?" His sister still needed time to eat and get to their last day of school together. She would be cutting it close.
His mother turned to him with her soft eyes and long flowing brown hair. She was olive skinned and Constance was a carbon copy of her. "She told me she was skipping breakfast so she could look extra good for her last day of normal school. You know, you won't be there to protect her next year. I assume you've taken proper precautions." She said.
Atlas rolled his eyes and nodded. "Yes mom. Trust me I want her to have as good of a school life as I did. I'm gonna go get her cause we have to go." He stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth and started up the stairs of his house.
He knocked lightly on her door, "Yeah?"
"We're leaving. Come on, I'm gonna be late." Atlas shouted. Of course he didn't care if he was late.
The twins and Constance started half an hour later than him and wouldn't rush to get there earlier if he didn't pretend he cared. He had been late more times than he could count in his time in the Ultraverse Academy.
Constance was 11 and about to finish her last year of primary school. She turned 12 over the summer and would be forced to attend the local Ultraverse Academy for the mandatory 4 years of training and education just as Atlas has. Except Atlas was finishing up his 4 years of training and was about to be shoved into the Ultraverse.
More on that later. Atlas was well known in his academy for a number of reasons. Being chronically late was one. His last day he would be late as he had for many others.
Skipping the last few steps he lightly landed back on the first floor where his father looked at him with crossed arms.
"Are you excited?" He asked.
Atlas tilted his head. "Excited for what."
"Finally being done with school. Now you won't have any responsibilities. You'll be able to be as lazy as you want." His fathers voice was tough and disapproving.
But he had heard this spiel a thousand times. It was true. Atlas was exceptionally lazy. By nature and the way he was raised but the world they lived in demanded incredible ambition.
"Can we not today Dad? It's a very happy day for the young ones. We can talk about this when I get home tonight." Atlas said tiredly. Him and his dad were always arguing. His father was a very firm believer in being extremely involved in Atlas' life. Eventually a lot of tension appeared in their relationship. Daily they ended up in screaming matches. Well mostly his father screaming at him and he would fail to react…resulting in him screaming more.
"Fine. Even though I know you only say that because your grandfather will be here later I will allow it. He will spoil you by letting you not do your mandatory Ultraverse entrance and you won't change." His father turned and left to his room.
Atlas could feel his fathers anger stirring for the past few days. It would come out at seemingly random times to say some hurtful things and then leave. "I'm ready!" His sister walked down the stairs elegantly in a cute long white dress. She jumped into Atlas arms and let him swing her around.
"How's my sister doing?" He asked with a bright smile. She lightly dusted herself off and grabbed a backpack.
"I'm excited. I'll finally be able to go to the school you went to. I, Constance Solace, will maintain the good name of this family!" She saluted jokingly and hugged her mother before turning to run out of the house.
Atlas grabbed the twins and forced them into their backpacks. "I'll see you later Mom. I'm probably going to hangout with friends for a little bit after school if that's ok." He leaned down and gave his mom a hug who looked solemnly at her oldest son.
"Yes that's ok. I love you." She said. The boy lightly pushed the twins toward the door.
"Love you too!"
Atlas held his little brothers hands on each side of him. "Atlas?" Bo questioned.
"What's up Bo?" Atlas looked both ways before crossing the street. Occasionally when he was feeling nice he would walk his little siblings to school. They lived on an outskirt planet in the human federation in a nice little middle class area. The public school for the area was the one him and his siblings attended.
Other more wealthy family's might send their kids to a private school on planet or even off planet if they believed it was worth it. But only Atlas' dad worked and they could barely afford to pay for Atlas' gear for the academy.
One of Atlas biggest goals was to try and send his siblings to a private school. Just as long as it was better than the school he went to. As the older brother it was his responsibility to help them live better than he did. Not that his school was bad, it just was full of propaganda that Atlas had been taught to be aware of by his grandpa.
Uninspired parents and teachers that felt their children would do 'fine' in that environment. A necessary cog to beef up the military, but still raise rule followers.
"You're going to come home from the Ultraverse entrance safe right?" Bo said gripping his brothers hand tight. Atlas tilted his head curiously. Everyone in his family seemed convinced Grandpa would help them skip any sort of mandatory service. Atlas knew Grandpa better but still his dad was convinced he would be given preferential treatment.
"Of course! You don't think I'm weak do you?" He smiled and picked Bo up by the hand he was holding. "For an unawakened I'm about as strong as they get!" Atlas assured his little brother. "But you know dad thinks grandpa will stop me from going." Atlas asked the boy.
"Yeah but I trust big brother more." Atlas was tempted to smile but felt it die before it reached his face. His siblings grew up in a world of him and his father arguing. They really shouldn't pick him. Atlas looked up at the sky and saw a space ship drift over the city slowly. He shook his head and threw a small glance at his sister.
She seemed nervous. The reason he could only guess. He was never good with emotions. "We're here." His little brothers dropped his hand and ran threw the front gate of the primary school campus. Atlas gave his little sister a big hug and waved goodbye to her. "I'll see you at home!"
Atlas walked quietly to his school from there nearly silent. The engaged happy kid wasn't there any more. That was only the persona he kept around his siblings.
A decision he had made around the time they were getting old enough to understand the arguments him and his dad had. Atlas was scared his laziness was infectious and always pushed himself to be his best in front of them.
He only had two more years before he would have to serve in the military. It was the year 2694 and humans had long branched out of earth and began colonizing habitable planets. Eventually after a few hundred years of endless expansion they encountered other galactic civilizations that had much more time to develop and had access to different technologies.
Immediately the civilizations went to war with the federation of humans resulting in a war that's been going for a hundred years now. Since the beginning humans have been on the losing side, but after many years of confusion they discovered what the other races had that they didn't.
They had created a teleporter to another dimension named the Ultraverse that granted the things that went into it with powers and allowed them to become stronger through the Ultraverse. Humans quickly put all of their energy into acquiring the teleporters and reproducing them on a large scale. New technology could be made with these special abilities as well as all kinds of fighting techniques and powers.
People were required to do their basic schooling and go to Ultraverse academy when they turn 12, and go into the Ultraverse when they turn 16 and their school year ends. Every single 16 year old in the human federation would be entering the Ultra verse tomorrow except for a few. Those who have enough power to circumvent laws.
Then when those people turn 18 they are required to serve for 4 years in the military. Many people die, and the only people excused from the military service are mothers who have given birth in the last 6 months before draft day or are currently pregnant. This leads to tons of 17/18 year old girls trying to get pregnant before they are required to serve. As well as a lot of 17-18 year old guys trying to get a girl pregnant in case of their untimely death.
It was pushed as a noble cause that propaganda had successfully pushed to the public. Atlas never liked it but war was war. Sacrifice had to be made and he was just another cog.
But he could make things safer and easier for his siblings. Atlas jumped over the stone wall that surrounded his schools campus and walked tiredly through the grass yard. He found his class outside in a dirt court.
He threw his backpack to the side and tried to join the class quietly. "Atlas why don't you join us at the front." His teacher said calmly. For some reason she always knew when he came late.
"Yes ma'am ."