The ereet in front of the old High School had been closed off for the event. Stalls had been allowed to be put up to serve those who had e to see what amouo the dawn of a new era. Security was tight, and police armed with anti-monster munitions were posted in numerous spots around the area. The entire open-air park across the street from the school had also been cordoned off for the event to allow for the sheer number of people. The turnout was eous, thousands had e and many were forced to wait outside because of s about the crowds.
Sonya looked out the window of the helicopter, her legs crossed. She wore a pantsuit, white of course, with a pink tie. Her glittering skin shone a little but it was easy enough to excuse as a fashion choice. A pair of oversized fashion sungsses covered her meical eyes as they sed the crowd. “I could get used to this,” Sonya said quietly, smiling to herself. She gnced up at Marta who sat across from her, fidgeting. Marta’s brown hair was down her shoulders and she wore her usual maid outfit though it had been ized a bit. Most of the garment was made of monster materials. Her hands were gloved with metal ptes over the knuckles. “You’ve fought monsters before, why so nervous?” Sonya called out to her.
Marta flinched and looked up, “I’m… not so good with crowds like this,” She said hastily, looking down at her hands again.
“Just imagihem naked!” Sonya ughed.
Marta frow her, “Ma’am you know that never actually works, right?”
“I know, but your minds off it now,” Sonya teased her.
Marta scowled before sighing and crag a smile, “Thank you.”
Sonya g the two ASTA security guards with her. Both of them were wearing protective masks and had serious onry strapped all over them. They looked like merary operators than standard security, but that was the way of things these days. The helicopter came in for a nding oreet around the rear of the school. It too had been closed off to travel, but in this case for the arrival of VIPs. When it touched dowwo guards hopped out along with Marta, all of them examining their surroundings while the party from the Pandora ittee approached.
Sonya took a deep breath and got into character, “Today’s the day,” She said merrily as she slipped out of her seat, “Let the games begin.”
She stepped out of the helicopter as the bdes slowed, her hair whipping around her face. She reached up and pulled it back as Rupert Sohmer and, to her surprise, Car Mint approached. She brandished her brightest smile and walked towards them, a hand outstretched, “Mister Sohmer! Miss Mint!” He chirped merrily, shaking their hands. She took a moment to fix Car with a stare before turning back to Rupert, “Are we ready?”
“The speech is scheduled in a few minutes,” Rupert said, “We’re thrilled to have you ma’am.”
“Thrilled to be here, it’s going to be aing day!” Sonya ughed, walking past him. Marta fell into step at her side awo guards moved into position ahead of her. They made their way through the rear gate of the school and into the halls, staff were running this way and that, making sure the final preparations were in pce. She walked past them, her head held high as they made their way to the front doors and the outer steps of the school turestier.
“The press is present and already situated, they’ll want a word after your speech, ma’am,” Rupert said.
“I figured as much,” Sonya said with a shrug and g Car, “Has the ittee finished with my paperwork?”
“You-Your lise has already been made, ma’am,” Car said hastily, “We’ll present it to you as part of the ceremony.”
Sonya snorted, “A hero lise,” She shook her head, “It’s not like I’m going to be running around staring at monsters all day.”
Rupert ughed, “It’s an honorary thing, for your tribution to this effort.”
Sonya raised her eyebrows at him and smiled, “Fair enough,” She said and turo the doors, taking a deep breath of her oushing through them. Immediately she was hit by a wall of noise as the crowd roared up at her, her eyes took ihing, every face, every camera, every detail. The lenses in her eyes shifted quickly, reag to the stimulus. A few faces in the crowd stood out to her more than others, in particur. Shark was there along with several of his lieutenants scattered out in the crowd. She didn’t see Razor but he robably c his face.
She stepped up to the podium. An ability detector had bee up on it and was waiting for her. A rigged detector, it’ll be disposed of after ‘deteg’ my ability. She thought as she stepped up o it. Rupert fell into a spot a few paces behind her alongside her security, Car, and Marta atg the crowd like a hawk. The cheering tinued until Sonya held up her hands and silence quickly followed. She gripped the Podium and leaned forward, Alright, it’s time, the hero era begins now.
“When the fsh happened, and the first monsters appeared, there were those out there who stepped up, despite the danger, and discovered something remarkable about themselves. The Light-Touched were born on a day of fear ah,” Sonya began, “We survived, thrived, and many of those light-touched tio fight against the horrors that are scrambling to see humanity’s light extinguished. You, heroes,” She said and pointed out at the crowd.
“Today, we are here for the inauguration of a new era. Heroes will be born today, you’ll get your lises and you’ll join a guild, whether it be the official state guild or one of the indepe guilds that have taken shape,” Sonya tinued, gesturing to everyone, “Many of you already know where yoing, many of you will go it solo for a while. But there is ohing you o remember, you are heroes. In this age where monsters and vilins hide in the shadows, it is your responsibility to stand together as one host, one unified force against the darkhat threatens our tiny blue ball,” Sonya grew more impassioned, her chest heaving a little bit, her fists g.
“You ot let another Dharan happen! As a hero you take an oath to the people of this world and not yourselves! Yes, you will be paid for what you do, but you are a servant of the people. That is what sets you aside from those who would style themselves like gods, kill people, and lord over others!” She shouted, raising her fist in the air, “Never fet that, oh heroes! Today you begin yend!”
The shouts were deafening, the cheers, Sonya felt it all wash over her in a wave. She closed her eyes a it sink into her skin. She basked in it for a moment before holding her hands up again, “Mister Rupert Sohmer of the Pandora ittee would like to say a few words.”
Rupert cleared his throat and gave Sonya an assessing look, like he was reevaluating his opinion of her. She smiled brightly at him and stepped aside. “Today you will be first tested for the rank of yift, whether it be of the on rank or something greater. You will provide an expnation of the fun of yift and be given a general category for your lisi.” He rambled before taking a breath.
“Afterward you will take undergo a physical trial to test your readiness for what’s to e. Those of you lied have already read the small handbook that was distributed. You will be tested on this as well to assure pliance,” He tinued, “Now I’m sure you’re tired of listening to me expin things, so we will begin with Miss ovna. After that you will go io the testing room,” He turned and activated the ability detector. “Miss ovna?”
Sonya turo it, she knew what her actual rating was, Mythic, she and Amos had tested it immediately after pleting the prototype. It would be a catastrophe if she was outed like this and she hadn’t been able to refuse the honor of being the first tested without raising suspi. The solution had been simple and she trusted Amos’ work.
She put her hand on the sphere.
It began to glow before brightening into a bright white color. She felt a tension she hadn’t known she was feeling wash away. Rupert it, “Sonya ovna, ame: Farsight, Unon-tier,” He reached for a small envelope in his pocket and ha to her. “Your lise, Miss ovna.”
She opehe envelope and a card fell out with her photo, tier, name, age, everything that was necessary to identify an active hero. She turo the crowd and held it up over her head to another rousing cheer. “Let’s get started!” Sonya shouted before turning away to head inside, a small smile pying on her face, Smoke and Mirrors.
As Sonya walked inside, escorted by her security, they stopped iesting room for another lising. While Sonya’s test had been waived by the ittee, Marta would have to undergo the same process as everyone else. People would be p in soon and she wao get somewhere fortable and out of the crowds quickly. She sat down in one of the chairs outside what used to be the main office of the school and waved Marta away as she went inside. Her two guards sat o her oher side while Rupert and Car sat nearby.
“Have you already checked Marta?” Car asked hesitantly.
Sonya gave her a look, she was still annoyed with the woman but decided to give her a break, “Yes, actually.”
“What were the results?” She asked curiously.
“You’re about to find out,” Sonya said with a smug smile as heavy footsteps came to the door of the offid one of the aides, a rotund man in a bcoat, poked his head outside. “Overseer!”
Rupert sat up, surprised, “What is it?”
“She- Miss Daphne, is Mythic-tier!” He shouted.
Rupert looked more fused than shocked, Sonya could only chuckle a little. They still don’t uand the ramifications, not fully, of what kind of existence a Mythic-tier is. City destroyers, or in Marta’s case, unkilble warriors. There’s a reason why so many revered them as nearly god-like. She thought, even though it put a sour taste in her mouth.
Car looked at Sonya and the two exged looks, “That’s the highest rating the maes detect, right?” Car asked.
“That’s right,” Sonya said, “I’m excited to see what she’s fully capable of, now we should probably move somewhere else, it’s about to get very crowded.”
–
As Marta waited for the first group of aspirant heroes to be ready to take the tests, Sonya made her way to the gymnasium and found her way to the viewing box. She wasn’t sure why a high-school gym had one of these but it probably had something to do with a very wealthy and narcissistior. Either way, it had been remodeled as a pce for the testers to observe the proceedings without putting themselves directly in harms way. She spotted over a dozen members of the ittee in the room, many of them wearing an unusual pin on their pel.
Is that a torch? Ah, they’re light-touched. Probably the testers.
She opehe door to the box and paused, there was someone else inside. A man in a suit with the mark of the ittee on his pel. He was a normal, then, and a very familiar face. Though they’ve never spoken, she’d kept a close eye on the career of oime Detective Martin Fuller. She cracked a wide smile at him, “Detective! Or should I say, Agent now?” She said merrily, drawing his attention.
He sat up and blinked, wide eyed for a moment before clearing his throat. “Miss ovna,” He said craggily, tension obvious in his throat to her eyes.
Nervous? No, he’s restraining himself. He’s suspicious of me, has been for a while. You poor man if only you knew…
She stepped towards him, “We saw eachother at the hearing, if I recall, a friend told me you’ve been following my career closely,” She said aended a hand, “Finally we meet face to face.”
He flushed a little, “Just a standard iigation,” He said cautiously, eyeing her hand for a moment. “I don’t shake hands, ma’am.”
Tsk, “That’s a shame,” Sonya said aled into the seat o him. “Are you excited for the tests?”
“I’m just here to observe and keep a for dangerous elements,” He muttered, looking back out. His expression was hard.
“You speak your mind, yoing to give yourself an aneurism if you keep holding back,” Sonya said as she turo look out over the gymnasium with him.
He gave her a sidelong gnce, “I… think this is wrong. Heroes?” He shook his head, “It’s going to put people on a power trip.”
“It will,” Sonya said ftly, “But that’s what the ittee is for.”
He turo her, “So you expect it to happen too.”
“Of course I do, there are people out there calling themselves vilins after all, their powers have clearly goo their heads,” Sonya said with a shrug.
He tilted his head down, “Like Ishtar,” he said in a low voice.
Sonya had to use every ounce of self trol not to tense up, This bastard, bringing up Ishtar in front of me. It’s not like Ishtar’s existence is a secret, the word has spread through the underworld, but…
“Have you heard of her?” Martin asked, fixing her with a stare.
Shit! Of all the damned questions to ask! Sonya felt her throat tighten as she tried to lie on instinct, she gnced his way and fixed him with a stare of her own, he didn’t even blink when he looked into her eyes hidden behind her suhere was certainty in his stare.
The hell do I do now?
TheBroker
Vilin Tier
Robert,TrueMrwolfe,MeanOldMathMan,Ragedrop,Grotvision,Myra,Benjamin Powell,EnigmaEmmy,Kamerad Kait,Nait02,Sam RusICK CALIXTO COSTA SILVA,Curdin,Christian Winther,Dallin Bckburn,Bruce Creager,RegurRept,Shwa,fosfor,VeryBadBunny,Alessi Helminen,Han363,Noldere,LazzaroSpalnzani,Cullen Langford,pie pie,Tomfoolry,Arthur Meyer,Benjamin Dixon,ASupremeTab,Apache27,xXGwim erXx,Marcus Pehan,Arno,swwu,Haydn Nitzsche,K. William Kassen,Joshua. M,Ulsar,Rasmus Sj?kobb,Gnabster,scott kostuik,RottenTangerine,Ken Williams,Akasha kruznik,Messe,MrAcerulez,Seth Thyme,John Zupke,itisaparty,Caerwyn White,Simca,Patrick Morales,Paratus,don,Some BS Deity,AvaArisu,Adam Curtaz,Drekin,Ga?tan 'Nimitz' Vansteene,Oakenbear,Devlon Stapleton,Adrian,Tristan Howard,Shatteredneon,Pius Isaksson,Cassie,Dec,masterowogway,p,Husinay,ghost 21,Zimmy,Aaron Nagy,Haly404,Ronnie Rivers,Kathleen Jagers,Busky,Athena Alexandria,Kaywye,Kooooomakimi,David D,Tea Bot,Milo,M. Gunnarsson,Kriden,S. Nutter,SomeRandomGuy,David,Arroril,Joseph,unstah,Haettun,Hollowlce,Matt M,Vi Qi,SpinRift,Filip Nowicki,Tynga Kpandang,Astral Huntsman,Oxylus,OminusWind,Skrubstar,Mod3rn Py3r,minion,TerrorSpirit,IJustWannaRead,Erkki Parkkuinen,Samuel McCarreian Danielzik,Traikkel Poulsen,........,Bob,Gemiae,Kittora,KeyLimeChild,Extra7,Enaz the great,Ant1h3ld,magub,AnonymousPtypus,Davvy chappie,Muspellsheimr,TheShadowOfge,kbgb,Mistythread,Jonny,Ovl,Dsunier,Me,William Davidson,Gavin Turlock,it's me,Rayaface,Igloo15,Nallos,Dustin panga,jeff,DuskDeadman,Dakota,CrazyWatermelon,Allen,Erik,TurmRIC,JP Koenig,Llosa,Ryo5678,VorpalKitsune,Liv Dell,Zikarioa,Eric,agent,Baris Baykan, Greany,Jordon Wong,Joshua Derpinghaus,RayvenRay,Michael Laswell,Frederik,BirdsofPrey,Dougs Norton,mohd hisyam,Acrs1,tien,anitai,Jonas,Cody,Aaron Obialero,Thransk,Luis fuentes,Non Nivison,Olof Dahlstr?m,Abdiaziz Ali,anonymous,BoadBoad,StrikebackXIII,TCO,Grosbilljunior,Tooshar,ERRATIersen,Thorsten,Grant M,Metal(Liz)ard,Cody Bloxham,Nick Warner,Justin Drake,Dragon98765,OBS,Jake Pellegrini,Mustafa Said,The Architect,Zarapor,RekoOne,James Clifton,Bffey,Itbeme12321,Sister Carmil,battlinggaxy,Jayem,Alpenmann,ObsidianShiv,mh,Keith Kindall,Hugo,Seeker,Darklink,RackOfLife,Akyu,Almighty Nubs,DobbyIII,Poke,TihsIsMe,Nichos Stone,Ifeanyichukwu Emeagwali,Grimizen,dotAlice,CHoobler,Taylor Wilson,Darastrix,Andrew Eliason,TheFoud3er12,xIron Gamerx,Zach Duhon,Falxie,Alex,QuakDoktor,Floyd Ziegler,Nicoe,Zerovoid,Table Top,Tehd11,Atoll,Jortless,Isley,Parice
Schemer Tier
Captain Papa,Trojan H2,FumiXi,Julia Lockett,Reuben Edwards
[colpse]
