I stopped and stood on the corner of the street. The day had clouded and the streets of this area of the city were a little more busy. I pulled the phone out and accepted the call.

  “Hello? Kara? You okay? Where are you?” Samuels voice came out clearly sounding worried.

  “I'm okay. Better than okay actually. I don't really know where I am though.” I looked around and saw a couple street signs. I named them off to Samuel and he said he could find me there if I could safely wait there.

  “Samuel… we won't have to worry about Ollie anymore.” I said in a serious tone. Samuel was silent on the other line for a while before replying.

  “You mean you… took care of them?” He said and I answered in the affirmative. He sighed and didn't say anything for a bit. All I could hear was the sound of him moving and then the sound of a vehicle starting up.

  “I got a ride, I'll be there as quick as I can. I'm sure you did what you had to do kid, but we need to talk about this.” I agreed with him, I knew killing them would potentially be seen as legally correct here as they attacked me and I am the only witness, but I also ran. And how would I explain the holes in the pavement and the electrical burns on their bodies and car? It was better to just try and leave them a mystery. I remembered I also had a profession choice to make, and decided to do that while I waited. I was excited, the power the class gave me was real, so what would a profession give me? As soon as I willed it the blue, fiery square showed up again and time slowed and then stopped.

  Profession Choices Available:

  Initiate Duelist

  Core Attributes: Might, Agility

  As a duelist you are one with your fighting style and live to improve it. You excel in one-on-one combat and thrive in places where battle and combat are more than just necessities.

  Initiate Rebel

  Core Attributes: Cunning, Willpower, Endurance

  The Initiate Rebel is the first step on the path of those who rise against oppressive forces. They are not necessarily fighters, nor leaders, but instigators, and survivors who act in the margins of society. Often born from conflict, discrimination, or corruption, Rebels rely on cunning, charisma, and adaptability to rally others and destabilize their enemies.

  Initiate Tender

  Core Attributes: Cunning, Willpower, Presence

  The Tender is a gardner and shepherd of life and soul. You bring forth the best in whatever you decide to raise and in turn those you cultivate give you strength.

  I liked all three of the choices for different reasons. Duelist meshed well with The Arenas, and I liked the idea of being able to improve fighting against a single target, like the Conqueror, but I wouldn't always face just one enemy at a time. With the Rebel, the city was definitely corrupt and in need of someone to help, but could I be that person? I wasn't so sure. I wasn't a charismatic person, I act in the open if I act at all. I was good at hiding and thriving in the margins though, in the shadows and hidden places. Lastly, the Tender was something I had always wished to be but never could. My world was dying even as I grew into my teenage years. By the time I reached adulthood it was just me and my uncle left. My uncle would have loved to have the power to fight the Void, or the power to cultivate others that could. I wondered if I was somewhere else, or had done things differently here if I would have different choices. I had many questions about what these blue squares were, and why they kept appearing to me, but if they continued giving me power I would continue using them. I decided to choose the Rebel in the end. The Tender wouldn't have matched me well, I never trained anyone else, I never grew plants or raised children or animals. Duelist was good, but I had been a rebel from the first time the Void attacked my world up until it killed me and I woke up here. If I could use my nature to help the people of this city, to free them from their oppression, then I wanted every opportunity and advantage to be able to do so.

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  “Warning: You have taken on the weight of the downtrodden upon your shoulders, be sure you have the strength to carry that weight. Difficult Profession Chosen. Are you sure?” Difficult profession, huh? Well, it was the one I had chosen, a warning wouldn't push me away from my decision.

  “Initiate Rebel Profession chosen.” The words on the box appeared and I felt a surge of energy rush through me. I felt good, stronger, I was ready to start doing something about this city—but where to start? I had no idea how to actually start a rebellion.

  “Profession Ability Gained: Agitator’s Rally.” I looked at the ability and smiled, this would help in my endeavors to change this place. I hoped things would end up better than they currently were, and maybe I could do it through The Arenas. If I rose up high enough, and gained enough prestige and power as I went, maybe I can change things.

  Agitator's Rally. Your voice burning with power that cannot be ignored. You call out to those in need of one more push. Those with the will to resist will be affected, neutrals, allies, and some enemies with wrath, fear or desperation in need of hope will rise to the occasion with a brief surge of strength. Those clenching the iron fist will feel the fear they love to see in their subjects.

  I wasn't sure when this would be usable, but it seemed very useful. It would work for moments when morale was low, but when would that moment come? I decided I would just wait and see what would come of it all. The sound of the wind and birds, distant voices and car horns, returned to my ears and I sighed. I had felt like I had no future for a long time, but now I felt like I had purpose. I had a path to follow, one that wasn't just given by others.

  —

  Samuel drove the rented vehicle down the mostly empty streets. He was going as quickly as he could without drawing the attention of the authorities, which would slow him down more than if he just stuck to the speed limit. The Militia and GA Agents had been more agitated lately, pulling people over and doing random bag checks on the streets. He turned a corner and as he passed an alleyway he saw several GA Agents in their black and white suits, surrounding a burnt car. Three cloth sheets covered what he knew were bodies—Ollie and his goons. He sighed, continuing down the road. The GA had risen in power shortly after the current Prime Minister took power from the last one. They were originally his personal mercenaries, but after he took office he officially put them in charge of all of his security, as well as used them for investigations and special operations. If they were going to be on Kara's trail it would only be a matter of time before they caught up with her, and when they did Samuel would be right there with her. He'd grown to adore her over the months, she reminded him of his daughter in many ways. From her hair to her eyes, she was so similar, but she wasn't and never would be. She had been gone for fourteen years now, along with her mother. The pain never went away, but at least he had gotten more used to it over time. Samuel snapped out of his memories as he saw the massive form of Kara, just standing out in the open a couple miles down the road. He pulled up next to where she stood and rolled down the window.

  —

  Street signs swayed in the wind nearby as I stood unmoving near the intersection. The sky had become overcast and I was anxious—Samuel was taking a while. A vehicle pulled up in front of me, a black SUV with slightly tinted windows, but otherwise unremarkable. As I grew more suspicious of the vehicle I saw the window slowly roll down.

  “Hey, Kara! Get in!” I saw Samuel yell out the window of the vehicle and I felt relieved, moving towards the unlocked door and getting in.

  “You really did it now, lady. The GA are sniffing around and we need to lay low for a while. No arena fights for a bit–” I didn't let him finish his sentence as I cut him off.

  “No, Samuel. I will not lock myself up in that apartment for another three months.” I was adamant about it, I had spent too long cooped up in my safe place on Lathea, and the months in the apartment knowing there was a beautiful, living world outside were almost unbearable.

  “Look, I know it's not the best, but you seriously don't want to mess with the GA, they are ruthless.” Samuel sounded afraid, and I hadn't heard him speak so fearfully before now. He had always seemed immovable, unflinching in the restaurant and rolling with it as he helped me, but he was scared of this GA.

  “Who are they? Friends of Ollie?” Samuel barked out a laugh as he started down the road, heading towards Westown.

  “Not even close. Ollie is… was just a shit-ass, low rung gangster. He had very little power, but killing him will still put us on his friend’s and boss's radar. They are smallfry compared to the GA though.” Samuel sighed and seemed to be trying to get his thoughts together. He scratched the side of his face and stopped at a stoplight.

  “They were mercenaries, killers, spies, damn grocery shoppers, whatever Governor Sampson Rich wanted of them. Now that he is Prime Minister Sampson Rich they are his secret police. I drove past the wreck you left behind in that alley, no idea what you did but Ollie definitely deserved it, don't feel too bad about that scum. There were a couple GA Agents in the alley along with the regular Militia. I'm not sure the best thing to do here is hold up in Jim and Herald's apartment anyways.” He rubbed his eyes and he continued driving as the light turned blue.

  “I know the forests of this island like nobody else, and I think that's where we go. The wilderness isn't as big as it was, but it's plenty easy to get lost in still.” I liked the idea of that, getting to be within nature, one with it again.

  “Okay, let's do that.” I said without any more prompting, smiling as I looked out the window at the increasing rainfall outside.

  “We’ll head out sometime tomorrow, after getting some supplies. I'll get everything ready and we'll leave through Torau Park, where we met. I have a cabin further in, towards the coast of the island. I know a few places along the way that we can stop at as well. You'll love the place, it's beautiful and natural, nothing like the city.” He seemed to have calmed somewhat as he talked about leaving and his cabin. I leaned back and closed my eyes as he drove, the rain pattering against the glass and metal taking me back to days with my uncle. The trips he'd take me on to the forests, up mountains and over rivers and lakes. I missed him more now than I had for a long time, knowing he'd love another chance to witness life just live around him.