Dre, his eyes fluttering open and adjusting to the light, found himself in a small room that had a metallic desk bolted to the left and a single bed, where he currently lay, on the right. His head heavy, his thoughts spired trying to make sense of his current predicament.
He could remember vividly getting tossed and almost killed by the Slungler before an incandescent light flashed causing him to black out.
'My wounds, what happened? Where am I?'
Caressing his jaw, he couldn't feel the burning pain he'd felt after the punch. His teeth once knocked out were now fixed in place.
Sliding off the bed, his body faltered a little but he quickly got used to it. Surprised by his current outfit, black trousers and shirt, he headed for the metallic door, intending to find answers.
Judging by his current state someone had heard his cry for help and saved him at the last second. Although he couldn't guess their motive, at the moment he'd lowered his guard. If the culprit had malacious intentions then they wouldn't even have bothered nursing him.
Sensing movement, the metallic door immediately slid open upon which Dre walked out into a fairly large walkway that had a few identical rooms as the one he'd previously been in.
He still couldn't clearly tell where he was but judging by it's appearance, even if he'd never been on one, he guessed it was a ship.
Trekking left through the walkway he approached another door though this particular one remained closed for a few seconds before a mechanical voice that startled him, rang.
[Identification]
"Ahm, Dre Nightfall" Without giving in a second thought, he found himself answering.
A few more seconds went by and after about a minute the mechanic sound rang again.
[Identification confirmed]
Walking in what he believed was the cockpit, Dre was momentarily thrown into a daze. He always dreamed of boarding a ship, and now seeing the beautiful starry sea flashing before him, he didn't know what to feel.
"I see you're awake."
Drawing him back to reality, the man piloting the ship said.
"Who are you? Why did you save me? And where are you taking me?" Dre inquired watching the man not much older than him, in a suit, approach.
He was greatful to him for the save, if he at all did, but he couldn't show or say it before he figured his identity and intentions.
"Let's start with formalities." The man not offended by the questions, with a slight dignified smile, extended his hand. "I'm Stephan."
Dre was confused by the sudden atmosphere, though he still reciprocated the gentleman's gesture and extended his hand for a hand shake. "Dre. Now why did you save me?"
"An escort can't really sit idly by when his emperor is at risk, now could he?" His smile not once faltering, Stephan said letting go of Dre's hand.
'Escort? Mine?' Dre wondered, he knew what the word meant, still he couldn't help but wonder what it really meant in this situation.
The history around the Heaven's seat and war of emperors, never, not once had it talked about escorts.
"Escort, what do you mean by that?"
"Why don't you take a sit and I'll explain everything." Stephan inquired gesturing at the set of sits to the left.
Dre was still feeling a little light headed making him immediately take on the offer and sit.
Stephan seemed like a nice guy, well, at least for the moment.
Sitting beside him, Stephan was momentarily silent, before clearing his throat.
"As I said, I'm Stephan, your escort, one amongst a billion trained to guide, help and protect designed emperor in their journey to the throne, hence the emperor escort."
Dre was dumbfounded by this information. What Stephan was saying didn't make any sense at all. If the escorts knew each other, then what was he to make of all this?
"The point of all this is to choose a suitable emperor right? Dre asked, to which Stephan nodded not really knowing where he was headed with this. "And for one to get the sit the rest have to be dead and most likely their companions. You've trained with the other escorts so you know them, but all of a sudden you are willing to fight on different teams possibly killing each other for a random stranger? I don't believe it."
Looking at Dre's doubtful expression, Stephan remained quiet for a second.
"No, we don't really know each, think of us as coworkers."
Saying this only seemed to add doubts.
"Coworker or not, you know them more than a stranger you just meet, so why?"
"Believe me, I know you more than any of them, plus all this is an objective that have been engraved in us since childhood and we are happy to serve an emperor we helped take the throne." Stephan said his expression unreadable.
Dre looked around the ship for almost a minute before breaking the silence.
"So you are willing to die serving and protecting me ."
"Yes" Stephan answered, his eyes showing resolve.
Seeing this Dre was at a loss for words and strangely at ease.
'Well a chance like this comes once in a lifetime' Dre lampooned. In his current predicament, meeting Stephan was a blessing, although he knew that he had lots of secrets and was possibly lying, at the moment he didn't care. He was safe. At least he felt safe.
"So then where are we headed?" He asked curious.
He could've sworn he heard a soft sign from Stephan before he answered.
"Orden."
Hearing this Dre could only smile at the turn of events.
"For?"
"I've seen your files, you don't have an evolution path, so we're going to forcefully forge one.
You are going to be the emperor and the path won't be easy. You'll have to be strong, stronger than me, stronger than the previous emperor, you'll have to climb to the pinacle."
Dre didn't say anything at this glorying speech, but the grin on his face, the fierce determination in his eyes said it all. He already knew forcefully forging a path was possible but extremely expensive, though he didn't care about that fact now, the man before him could do it.
This was a one chance, he didn't need anything else. He didn't need to know all about Stephan. Any chance of survival he got, he was going to take, utilize it, and be the one to sit on that throne at any cost.
He was a desperate man...
Desperate for survival.