A young man with inky hair and distinct grey eyes sat on a bed, his cold sweat glistening under rising sunlight. Taking a deep breath, he covered his face with his palms.
After five years of peace, he expected to spend his whole life as a mundane human without being chosen as a protege.
But he had just had a dream.
In it was an ethereally beautiful woman with alabaster skin, long dark hair that framed her face, full lips, and charming features. She was the kind of woman that legends were made of. Yet, wearing bloodied armor, she was standing in the middle of a battlefield. Her blade, long and wickedly sharp, cut down anyone who obstructed her path—men and women alike.
Her gaze met his. Her eyes, those eyes as beautiful as the star-lit night sky, were clouded with sorrow. There was no bloodlust in them. No triumph. Just somber sadness.
And then, she raised her sword, and brought it down on him.
Einar's mind was still reeling from the lingering effects of the dream. But he was sure of one thing. That woman has chosen him as her protege.
Almost as if confirming his thoughts, a series of panels appeared in his vision.
[The Akashik Records congratulate you]
[The onna-musha, Tomoe Gozen has chosen you as her protege]
[Follow her way of life and you shall master her power]
[Name: Einar Nordgren
Age:19
Echo: Tomoe Gozen
Synchronization: 6%
Gifts: Heightened Senses (Greater Perception) Heightened Physique (Strength, Stamina, Agility, Vitality) Weapon Mastery (Natural proficiency in all weapons, particularly bladed) ]
"What do I do now?" he asked himself.
He didn't want to become someone's chosen. But now, he has become one without his input. And tomorrow, he will be forced to enter a battlefield he wanted no part of.
A war is being waged outside the safe confines of the cities where the mundane people live. After the protege of Genghis Khan conquered his country, a few new laws were enacted, out of which one required all newly chosen to report themselves to the nearest protege processing center within twelve hours. If not, they will be considered a threat and will be eliminated.
While Einar wanted to somehow run away, he knew that it was close to impossible.
Before the world fractured, the inheritor of some scientist created a device capable of sensing the special electromagnetic waves emitted by the proteges.
'Looks like I have no choice.' He sighed in resignation.
Deciding to make the best of the last few hours of normalcy in his life, he got out of bed. Dressing into a simple shirt and jeans he left the apartment. Walking through the streets of the newly built city, he tried to calm himself down. Yet, even till he stood in front of the familiar early-rise cafe, he couldn't make peace with his new reality.
Through the glass door, he could see a waitress seated behind the counter. Her features were illuminated by the sunlight that fell through the windows while her dark hair was tied to a high bun, revealing the fair skin of her neck. She had her elbows planted on the counter with her chin resting on them, an expression of boredom on her pleasant features.
'I will miss this sight.'
As she saw Einar entering, her hazel eyes widened. "Einar! I thought you had lectures today."
Einar smiled in greeting. "I had to skip today."
"Oh." She stood up. "Is it the usual?"
Einar hesitated. "No, give me an Americano."
Surprised for a moment, she turned towards the coffee machine. "Take a seat, I will be there in a minute."
Einar looked around the place. It was too early in the morning for anybody to be here, so he had leeway to sit wherever he wanted. He looked at where he usually sat, away from the light but open enough to have a good view of the interior, especially the counter.
In the end, he decided to make another change today. He sat right beside the windows. His eyes naturally fell on the city that was just waking up.
'If only the world was like it should have been. Kael would have come back from visiting his parents. My own would still be with me.'
"What are you thinking so hard about?" The waitress asked as she placed a mug on the table.
Einar looked at its insides. His drink was dark, too dark. Just like how his future would be.
He smiled wryly. "Just about how it took only a single night for it all to change."
The waitress clutched the tray to her chest, reminiscing. "I sometimes think about that too. If nothing happened, I would be a nurse in a year. But now, it isn't just about curing the sick, I will have to treat the injured from wars."
Her eyes met Einar's. "Then again, I think that we can't change what happened. So we might as well learn to live with it."
She chuckled bitterly. "Anyway, enjoy the change. If you want anything, just call me," she said while leaving back to the counter.
Einar's gaze followed after the graceful curve of her neck before he looked away.
'She might be right, maybe there's a reason this happened.'
Stuck in his thoughts, he quickly finished his drink. With its bitter aftertaste still on his tongue, he went up to the counter and pulled out his wallet. "Aylin, how much do I owe you?"
She looked at the prices listed on the board behind her. "Um, that will be 2.50."
Accepting the cash, she stored it in the locker before looking up, expecting to see Einar silently walking away like usual. But to her surprise, he was still there.
Einar's hand lingered on the counter as he carefully chose his words. "Do you maybe have some spare time after your shift?"
Aylin blinked, caught off guard. "Yes. But my shift ends at 10:00"
"It's fine," Einar said, his hands brushing the edge of the counter. "Would you be willing to grab breakfast with me after that? My treat."
Hearing him, the corners of her lips curled up, but she shook her head. "Three hours. I don't want to make you wait that long. But what about later, like evening?"
Einar couldn't answer. Realizing that he might not even be in the city by then, he gave a half-smile. "Sorry, I guess I'll have to take a rain check on that."
Disappointment washed over Aylin, but she was quick to hide it and regain her spirits. "No, no. It's alright. I should be the one to apologize."
Einar smiled light, giving her a nod. "Well, maybe later then. See you around."
Aylin hesitated for a moment, her smile softening. "Don't keep me waiting."
"I won't," Einar said, but for a moment, he wondered if he would even see her again.
He turned to leave, but before he did, he turned around and glanced back at ber.
She was still looking at him, quiet expectation in her eyes.
He gave her one last nid and walked out, the door closing behind him.
'Maybe I should have tried this earlier.'
Despite his regrets, he knew he wouldn't have tried anything if not for the situation, even though doing so now felt as pointless as the current bloodshed.
Walking along the streets he took a deep breath. 'So, it is straight away from my life.'