Knights Apocalyptica

Chapter 20: New World

" I THINK the paleness of the fear I showed

When he, rejected from that conference,

Rejoined me, caused him speak more confident

Than felt he inly.

For the glance he sent

Through the dense darkness of the backward road

Denied the valour of his words' pretence;

And pausing there with anxious listening mien,

While came no sound, nor any help was seen,

He muttered, "Yet we must this conflict win,

For else - But whom her aid has pledged herein - How long before he cometh!"

And plain I knew His words turned sideward from the ending due

They first portended.

Faster beat my fear,

Methinks, than had he framed in words more clear

The meaning that his care withheld."

- Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy (1320, 2nd Era)

The rest of the day flew by like a dream. The elevator ride down to Erec’s old home came and vanished; his steps through the tunnels went just as quick. He threw open the door to his house, tossed his leather bag with VAL tucked inside his shoulder, and then grabbed his small packed luggage case. Then left for good.

After that, Erec returned to the surface.

To the surface. To a world where every day he could get lost in the bright blue sea above. To his new home, where his every breath brought lungfuls of fresh dry air instead of the same old recycled air that circulated inside the venting systems and bio-caverns miles below.

The smile on his face never slipped away for more than a minute. He reached the Academy campus before the euphoria started to fade.

Erec adjusted the leather strap on his shoulder as he stared at the Verdant Oak quarters on the western side of campus. What sort of vines grew all wild over the red-brick side of the massive building? They were odd, with their spade-like leaves and those budding bright orange flowers. Though, their beauty was undeniable. The way they added that splash of natural color and texture against the green backdrop dominating this quadrant.

It wasn’t as if the other Orders didn’t compete with their gardens and ornate decorations. The pure and wild growth here made everything else pale in comparison.

“Done gawk’n?” A girl yelled out from the stairs leading to the building’s doors. Though it startled him, Erec collected his composure quickly. He stood straighter and marched down the concrete path to get a better look. A girl perched herself on the stair railing, smoking an awful-smelling rolled cigarette.

She was a thin woman with chopped light brown hair and wispy arms tanned to a crisp. There was no mistaking the Verdant Oak pin on her light red jacket, nor those black fatigues and their silver trim; she was a student here—an initiate, like him. A year older, perhaps. She raised her hand, with the cigarette still burning between two fingers, in a simple greeting.

“Yeah, don’t mind me, thought I’d take some time to take it all in. I like those vines. They’re gorgeous.” Erec said.

“Ah, the trumpet vines? They’re tough bastards, more menace than anything, though they do flower good.” The woman shook her head and then gave a lazy smile. She hopped off the railing and stalked toward him. “So, you’re the first new blood here, eh?” Her head tilted side to side, then gave a snicker. “I was told I had to be nice and greet you proper. Consider yourself lucky I’m not bored enough to start fucking with you first-years yet.”

“A rare privilege. I’ll count my blessings.”

“Soooo—if we’re going to do this proper. First thing’s first. Show me your pin.” She tossed her cigarette onto the ground and twisted the cherry into the concrete path with a boot. Then up came her hand, expectant.

Erec gave her an odd look. “Pin?”

“What, don’t got your pin?” A cold spark of fear ran through him, and his stomach knotted. I did not get this far to fuck up and forget to get a pin, Goddess above.

“No, I was told to report here and to speak to the quartermaster for—“ Erec explained a little too quick, the words tumbling over one another. Then he saw her wide smile and that little twinkle that came to her eyes.

[Well, done, Intern. You fell for such a simple trick. I’m very impressed.]

“You lied.” Erec rolled his eyes as she started to crack up. She shook her head after having a small laugh at his expense; it wasn’t a particularly good joke. He let out a sigh, just relieved he hadn’t messed anything up already. Getting here had taken way too much; he’d had too many sleepless nights to mess up over a pin.

“Sorry, sorry. Couldn’t resist. Naw, really. I have three eight-hours shifts over the next couple of days, and it’s real dry waiting around out here for you first-years to show up. But hey, that dumb look on your face—priceless. Almost makes it worth it.” She cleared her throat, then stopped hunching over. “Name’s Gwen, nice to meet you,” she offered up a hand to shake.

Erec eyed it for a moment to be sure she wasn't pulling another trick. “Erec.”

“Aw, fuck, Erec Audentia?” her head tilted, and her tone spiked up with the question.

“Yeah, something wrong with that?” He couldn’t help but bristle. Here it came, like it always did, ‘from the traitor’s House,’ or, ‘wow, they let you in?’ One of the two, he was sure of it. Of course, an Academy filled with nobles would act like that; he’d heard enough in the great hall to prepare—

“You’re Bedwyr’s lil brother?”

That hit like a thrashing mite’s flailing appendage to the head. His mouth opened to say something; then it closed again. Of all the things? That was how she knew his House?

“I mean, I knew you were going to be joining us, but—“ she shrugged. “—sorta pictured you a bit different, y’know?”

Well, Bedwyr had a head full of rugged hair, a defined jawline, and spent all of his spare time in the gym—by contrast, Erec was strong but didn’t have that sort of frame, nor did their faces line up. Bedwyr took after their father’s side, while Erec took from their mother's. Though, he did have a couple of inches of height on Bedwyr. However, if the two were in the same room, everyone’s eyes were naturally drawn toward his brother.

He could take an insult to his house or mother. But her comparing him to Bedwyr right off the bat hit him in an odd way that he couldn’t find the words to.

“I am who I am.” He said and exhaled through his teeth, sincerely hoping that this conversation wouldn’t play out anywhere else in this Academy. Goddess above, have mercy. “Can we—can we get on with this?”

“Oh! Yeah, yea, right this way."

Gwen motioned for him to follow behind as she walked up the steps. Thankfully she left it at that and didn’t dive into his family history any further.

His first steps into the Verdant Oak quarters were, in short, extraordinary. Live plant life crawled on the walls, and more twisting vines spread out of too-many pots that cluttered the entry. They'd opted to forgo artwork or old-world decoration, unlike nearly the rest of the high-nobility. Everything displayed inside was alive. A wide range of dark foliages spouting bright red flowers to off-colored and misshapen mute plants.

The entrance hall spread in three distinct directions. The central path led to classrooms and different rooms set aside for the Verdant Oak classes. Gwen explained that all mandatory classes were in the central Academy building, and each Order housed its electives in their quarters.

If you took your way down the right hall from the entrance, you’d find yourself in the dorms and canteen, the last stop on their journey.

No, instead, Gwen brought him down the left hall. Rooms spawning off the hall contained various purposes, from gyms and training spaces to grease-stained workshops. Some of which required special permission to enter. Erec noted the workshops were open for initiate access and swore to circle back later.

Past the workshop was the quartermaster and the reason they came here first. The man gave Erec an exasperated look through his wiry glasses and got through his work quickly. He took Erec’s measurements, then issued him three sets of Academy uniforms and a single set of formals.

He was also issued the basics such as bed sheets, sundries, and of course, his Order pin.

Erec turned the tiny bit of metal over in his hand; an was oak etched into its surface. It felt heavy but right to hold.

The quartermaster cleared his throat and tapped a finger on a sheet of paper filled with boxes and checkmarks. As they went through the supplies, Erec checked off box after box.

But there was one box still empty—one thing that had yet to be issued; what he wanted the most.

“No Armor?” the man asked with a sigh.

“No, my Markos II, and it’s well… It no longer works; it was a loaner Armor, to begin with, so it never really belonged to me—“

“Goddess above. That’s always a poor omen.” The guy rubbed his temple and walked away from the counter. He pulled out a key to rifle through a drawer. A moment later, he returned to the counter with a black rubber wristband, setting it on the checklist sheet. “If this one ends up like that poor Markos II, I’ll have you run three laps outside the wall.”

“I promise to take good care of it.” Erec reached towards the rubber wristband, which undoubtedly contained an authorization chip.

The quartermaster’s fingers clamped around his wrist, tight like an iron manacle, stopping him in his tracks. “These are not toys. They are weapons of war, with an incomparable ability to kill—treat them how you would a sword, only far better. Because, unlike a sword, your Armor can also save your life.”

“I swear,” Erec said, meeting the severe eyes of the man.

The quartermaster released his grip and sighed. “It’s in Workshop C, Rack 23. Engineers will let you in when you show the wristband. Go collect it and bring it to your dorm so that you can keep it on your personal rack.”

As if Erec needed that explained. Few in his year appreciated Armors and their power quite as much as him. After having the Markos on the edge of falling apart the entire trial, he was damn near giddy for the upgrade. With a quick nod of appreciation to the quartermaster, he checked the last box and submitted his form.

Erec took off to the next stop. To his new Armor.