Samantha was stressed. Only she knew how she had managed to exit the building. Any technology not infused with Mana or modified by magic had died, and would remain dead, until the Calling ended.
Thank God the lift was enhanced with Magic.
The sidewalk was packed with a chaotic sea of people. She had tried booking a cab, but no mana-enabled cars were nearby.
“Pick up. Please, pick up.”
She had called home countless times, but Alex wasn’t answering.
Wroom! Wroom!
A sleek vehicle pulled up in front of her. It was a PTV, the only ground transport vehicle fully powered by Mana. The door swung open, and inside sat Michael.
“Where do you wanna go?”
Samantha hesitated for a moment before climbing in. The door shut, and a seatbelt appeared magically and tugged her to the seat.
“3rd Block, Marlin District,” she said quickly.
Michael nodded and accelerated.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
The sound of the Calling echoed through the vehicle’s speakers. Samantha exhaled sharply, pressing her fingers against her temples.
“So, who is it?” Michael asked.
“My younger brother,” she murmured. Her voice wavered, making Michael instantly regret asking.
“I have a sister too…” He gave a weak chuckle. “She’s marked.”
Samantha frowned. “…Aren’t you going to see her?”
Michael laughed again, but this time, it felt a little empty. “…Don’t worry. Family is with her.”
Ring! Ring!
A call flashed on her screen, Robin. Alex’s friend.
She snatched up the phone. “Robin! Where is Alex? Why isn’t he picking up?”
“That’s why I called, sis. I’ve been trying to reach him for an hour.”
Samantha’s pulse quickened.
Robin continued, “I’m already nearby. I’ll check on him.”
“Okay. I’m on my way too.”
A brief silence. Then Robin spoke again.
“And, sis…”
Samantha tensed. “Yes?”
“I was also marked…”
The call ended.
Samantha sat frozen.
Michael, Awakened himself, had heard everything but stayed silent, only tightened his grip on the wheel and drove faster.
———————-
Almost five km away from Samantha; in a apartment, Alex was sitting on the couch. His face was filled with countless emotion, Anger, Joy, Shock, Confusion.
“Just…How? is this why Roman killed all of humans? was that the cost to send a person back in time?…this changes the whole game.”
he moved his hand and looked at his watch, it showed
[11: 28 AM, November 9th, 2260] [Notice!! Global Announcement!! If you are marked, please be ready.!!]Alex ignored the notice, only looked at the time and date,
“It was 2281, when everything ended. I was 38, now I am 18…more than 20 years…haha”
He let of a subtle laugh thinking about all the things that can be done.
“I even came before the Summoning, this time…”
DING DONG!! DING DONG!! DING DONG!! DING DONG!!
The Door bell bought him out of his thought, he went and opened it. Looking at the person on the door he was stunned.
‘”Why the hell you not picking up the calls? what happened? why are you shocked?…oouff”
Robin was confused by the sudden hug but he did not say anything, only after one or so minutes did Alex loosened his grip. Robin looked at Alex who has some tears in his eye and asked with a understanding face
“You got marked, too?”
Alex nodded with a smile, ‘ Oh Robin, I missed you man.’
Robin walked inside and asked “did you learn to summon it?”
He had a smug face, Alex could not help his smile;
‘They were going to vanish in some time, everyone who was 18th and had been marked are trying to spend this time with there family, but this guy here has come to showoff.’
While Alex and Samantha were Orphan brother and sister, Robin was different; he was the Prince of Marlin, One of the three biggest family in Eden, the city they lived in. While the government was strong and control many thing. If asked, most will say that the families were the real ruler of the world.
There were 21 families around the world. They were the one who stood at the top, protecting the world and enjoying its riches. Alex knew that this will change in future as many new families will emerge and many will be destroyed.
In the future, even the Marlin family was destroyed, in the previous life after returning Robin as one of most talented joined, Prime guild, while Alex had chosen a third grade guild. While they kept in contact, they were both on different path. He only heard that Robin and most of the powerhouse of Marlin family were caught in a Layering event, and after that Alex never heard of him. He had helped the Marlin family many time in its decline but that did not stop them from getting destroyed.
‘This time Marlin family will not be destroyed, I will make sure of it.’ He though while Robin swinged his hand with force.
“Heed my call, Awaken For all!!”
He spoke calmly, the wind swirled around him and a golden symbol appeared on his forehead, the Symbol was swirling around like a fire but it still kept its shape, A shape of a arrow.
“I feel so powered up.”
Robin was fully enjoying the movement. Alex smiled seeing this, the people who get marked, can summon there Stigma. It was a representation of power that goddess gave them. When summoned they showed the talent and also granted them many abilities and effects.
‘I think it was, Golden Arrow of the Irminsul. Fairy level stigma that layers from the another world’, even in this life Alex felt shocked,
The Stigma were classified into four levels: Human, Heroic, Fairy, and Divine. Obtaining a Fairy-ranked Stigma or one layered from another world was already rare, but possessing a Stigma that was both Fairy-ranked and layered from another world? That was something truly exceptional. Alex could count on one hand the number of people he had encountered with such a gift.
Slowly the wind around Robin disappeared, the mark also vanished.
“Now, try to call it like I did.”
Robin looked at Alex in anticipation, after all Alex was way better than him in training but he just smiled and walked toward the kitchen.
“What happened? You don’t wanna try?”
“I will try later, do you want to eat something?”
‘one of the prerequisites of getting a another Stigma is to never use them before, I will have to be careful and not use that chant or call for its name.’
All types of plans were forming in his’s mind, he knew many thing about the trials but to think of a best way to get all the benefits was hard.
“Before eating, talk to your sister. I know giving the news of being marked is hard but you have to do it.” Robin said as he rested on the sofa,
Behind him, Alex stiffened; as the memories he had long buried deep within his heart surged forward. He struggled to contain them, but his emotions began to slip through.
‘what?’ He touched his face and felt drops of tears flowing from both his eyes.
“Ok, I am going inside.” Alex said and quickly and ran to the other room.
Shutting the door he fell on the ground. “My sister…is alive…haha…Roman, you f****** bastard…”
He took out his phone from his pocket, it was on silent and filled with countless notification of missed calls, all from his sister, Samantha.
Slowly he moved his fingers and clicked on one of the notification.
Beep!! Beep!! Click!! “Hello, Alexi. Hey did you get marked? Are you ok? I will be there in ten minutes.”
The call connected in seconds, listening to his sisters voice, all types of expression appeared on his face,
“S…” He tried to answer, but no words came out.
“Alexi, are you there?” his sister’s voice came through again, filled with concern.
“Y-Yeah, I’m here,” Alex forced himself to reply, steadying his voice.
“Did you get marked?” Samantha’s voice was filled with worry.
“…Yes,”
There was a brief silence before Samantha spoke again. “…Okay, I’ll be there as soon as possible. Take care of yourself and be ready.”
“Okay. And, sis…”
“Yes?”
“I love you. You’re the best sister in the world.”
Before she could respond, Alex ended the call. He took a deep breath, stood up, and wiped away the tears.
After sometime he walked out of the room,
“I am making sandwich”
“Ok,” Seeing that Alex was silent, Robin did not pester. He knew that Alex always cooked food when he needed to focus. So, he just rested on his couch and waited for the calling or the sandwich.
As he chopped the vegetables, Alex started to plan.
‘The trail is divided into 9 floors, everyone has to pass minimum of three floors to return to Earth. Based on how many floors the human clears, the awakening of the humans are also ranked, First class, Second class and Third class awakening.’
‘In the previous life, I was only able to pass the 3rd floor and returned as a Third rank awaken. But In this life I have to go higher.’
‘I know most of the thing about the first three floor, but to floor above that.. I will have to look for the information.’
Alex gave Robin a brief glance but then again focused on putting mayonnaise on the bread,
‘how the hell did he cleared the 4th, 5th and 6th floor?’ Question came into his mind,
In his previous life Robin returned as a Second class awaken and coupled with his unique stigma he got lot stronger, and very quickly climbed the rank of geniuses.
‘I was left behind in previous life, and even ignored him when he came to meet me, I am sorry Robin.’
As Alex completed making the sandwich, his fist clenched ‘Wait for me you f****** bastards, This Crimson Generation will be ruled by me, Alexi Van Stormwatch.’
Just as he looked at his creation with pride; a hand came and picked one of the sandwich.
“Can’t you wait? I was bringing it?” Alex said in annoyance,
Robin said nothing, he ate the sandwich with on hand and pointed at the his body with the other.
Small particles of lights were coming out of it and Robin’s body was slowly disappearing.
Alex looked at himself and saw that same thing was happening to him.
“Vanishing” a word escape his mouth, and Robin nodded
Bang!!
Suddenly, The door of the apartment was blown open, Alex and Robin looked and saw Samantha and Michael standing there.
“Sis, you are just on time,” Robin said as he looked at Samantha,
She looked at both of them with tear filled eyes. Walking forward she just silently hugged them.
Robin stayed quite, but Alex was felling it hard to control his emotions, after all he was seeing his sister after more than ten years.
“Please come back.. don’t leave me alone in this world.”
[The vanishing is commencing!!]Angelic voice spread across the earth and Alex and Robin disappeared, leaving only Samantha and Michael in the room.
