Caelum steps into the stagnant air outside the last metro station on Arcology EVROPA's edge. Slums and shantytowns surround him, built from scavenged wood, rusted metal, torn cloth, and warped plastic. Small groups gather around burning barrels. Electricity flickers; someone knows how to make things work here. Caelum wonders if his parents live like this now, since he hasn't heard from them since joining the ATS. Still, they linger in his thoughts.
He's supposed to meet UNIT-3 at a specific gate. Gates—managed by the RMA and Charters—are stabilised entry points into other planes, rifts, or realms. Most call them rifts, but ATS made sure he knew: planes are usually smaller, new rifts are sometimes called planes, and realms are old, massive scars, some believed larger than Earth. Any rift appearing on its own must be reported; entering without permission is strictly illegal.
After two bus transfers, he arrives at a vacant, irradiated landscape. Harsh dust and particles blow through the dry air, reeking of degraded plastic. The terrain stretches into kilometres of broken asphalt and collapsed structures. Exposed rebar juts like broken bones from concrete slabs.
Ash and dust coat everything. Stumps and roots of long-dead trees stick up through the grit like snapped posts. The wind whispers past him, dry and thin. Nothing green has taken root here in what Caelum guessed was twenty years. Maybe more. No wonder arable realms and rift resources keep climbing the priority lists, he thought.
He spots a big truck labelled "UNIT-3," resembling the RVs he's seen online. Is this the Mobile Command Vehicle? I should find the coordination team. Four enforcers stand around the truck, wearing tactical vests and carrying rifles at their sides.
"HALT!" an enforcer barks. "State your name." All four aim their guns at him. Startled, Caelum says, "Caelum Ward, Candidate 115-08-845. Reporting to UNIT-3 for my assigned gate." The tension eases, but the lead enforcer keeps him in his sights.
"Come here. I'll connect to your ARC interface to verify that you are indeed Candidate 115-08-845." Caelum nods and steps forward. The enforcer pulls out a datapad and starts typing. Caelum feels his interface being checked and updated.
"Caelum Ward, identity confirmed. Your ARC interface is now unlocked from cadet status. It may take some getting used to, but it will help you." Caelum barely listens, distracted by the panel lighting up in front of him. The AR system is active. This feels unreal, he thinks. It's really happening.
ARC // Assessment, Registration & Certification Interface
FIELD MODE: UNLOCKED
SYNC: 98% | LOG: ACTIVE | COMMS: NOT ACTIVE
Name: CAELUM WARD
Callsign: UNASSIGNED
Status: UNMARKED (GATE ASSIGNED) License: AWAKENING GATE ONLY
ARC Baseline: NOT MEASURED Manifest: [LOCKED UNTIL ENTRY]
CHARTER ATTACHMENT
Registered Charter: NONE
Coordinator: Richard Gemini (UNIT-3)
Anchor: NONE
Liability: EXTERNALIZED (see waivers)
ENTRY
Access Type: AWAKENING GATE (STABILIZED)
Gate Designation: SABLE-THREAD (S-19)
Classification: AWAKENING RIFT
Stability: GREEN-2
Hostility Index: LOW–MODERATE
Historical Casualty Index: 18%
Return Window: 72 HOURS
Escort Level: STANDARD
Extraction Priority: LOW
VITALS
HR: 92 Temp: 36.9 O2: 98% Hydration: 71%
Stress Load: ELEVATED (EXPECTED)
Trauma Protocol: STANDBY
FIELD DIRECTIVES
Primary directive: Awaken a power.
MANDATORY: Do not pursue anomalies.
OPTIONAL: Take a soil sample and find shelter.
OPTIONAL: Document rift.
TAP: OPEN MAP | SWIPE: COMMS | HOLD: PANIC SEQUENCE
"Hey! You with us, kid?" the enforcer barks, snapping Caelum back. Must be Richard Gemini. "Briefing starts now—listen up." Officer Richard fixes him with a look.
"Yes—I'm focused now." The other enforcers snicker. "Ricky got a 'sir.'" Richard's glare tells them to save it.
"You can drop the formality, kid. Though I appreciate the thought." Officer Richard smiles. "Now we've got to go through the legality. You probably already know, but you'll be issued a handgun and a weapon of your choice; both get returned to the coordinator upon your return." He taps through a checklist on his device as he talks. "You'll be issued an RS—returning stone. When a cadet awakens a power, they inject resonance energy into the RS to return to the origin gate."
Caelum's grip tightens on the strap of his pack. He's heard these words before, but hearing them here—right at the edge of the tear—makes them land differently. His mouth goes dry. He forces a breath through his nose and keeps his face still.
"Awaken, or come back on your own if time runs out," Richard says. "Miss your window, and I shut the gate. You're considered missing." Caelum listens closely. He knows most of it already, but it still feels overwhelming. Officer Richard reviews risks, hazards, and the usual warnings. After half an hour, they finish the disclaimers and waivers.
"I'd like the spear as my weapon," Caelum says. Officer Richard looks him over, goes into the MCV, and tosses a spear out to him. Caelum scrambles to catch it and is surprised by how heavy it feels.
"All cadet weapons are made from resonated steel," Officer Richard says. "They're lighter and stronger. Try a few swings and stabs. Make sure you like it, it might be the only thing standing between you and a Verdant Prowler."
Caelum follows Officer Richard's advice and practices with the spear. He's no expert, but he can tell it's well-made. It feels light, almost like swinging a broom. He remembers what his Training Instructor, Alec, says: "Keep your elbows in. You're telegraphing." Caelum tucks his elbows and keeps practising until sweat runs down his forehead.
"Not bad," Richard admits, eyebrow raised. "Best advice? Don't fight unless you have to. Overconfidence gets most cadets hurt." Caelum nods, falling back in step.
"I'm ready to enter the gate," he says. Officer Richard doesn't answer; he just signals to his team. They stop joking around and start working, bringing the control panels and tools to life.
Two pylon-like devices Caelum has never seen before extend and arc energy into the air. Where the arcs meet, a rift forms, tearing reality open. Caelum flinches and covers his eye as the air pressure changes, pressing down on his shoulders. The rift grows; he can see the other side. The gate resembles a mirror with no edge, revealing another world. Caelum glances at Officer Richard and UNIT-3 one last time, then steps through.