Chapter 20

  When the first discoveries of weird things in babies happened, many people were unaware of what they meant. Some considered them cursed or an activity caused by some bizarre new kind of Fog. Frankly, even more people thought Darks started to infect humanity in this matter, but it wasn't some sort of parasite.

  It was healthy and understandable skepticism and many people were frightened of the unknown. They were also afraid that humanity was ending for good.

  Birth rates dropped yearly, and humanity was on the brink of fundamental danger. Throughout the passing years when some babies managed to grow up, humanity began to unravel the extraordinary effects Emblems manifested.

  At first, it happened naturally when they reached eighteen years of age, but it slowly turned weirder until the present era played with this rule as if it didn't exist.

  Effects ranged from diverse magics, impacting the body, human senses, body systems, natural elements, or incredible powers that few understood. All thanks to Arcana, there were powers barely anyone could name, but many resembled characteristics that Darks were capable of wielding, breathing, or touching.

  Surviving science at that time assumed Emblems as strange mutations that adhered to Darks, making humans still human, but not really human. They were resilient against most types of Fogs like Darks, fought like no human could, and their biological rules would no longer play with the rules of physics and anatomy.

  For years across the globe, Walkers were soon regarded as weapons and tools. Some were even slaves but regarded as tamable monsters, so only righteous people could lead them forward. The human mind remained, however. It was just the Emblem that changed the status quo. Humans were just hosts and riders of a new storm. A counterattack, perhaps? A gift...

  It wasn't everything. The roughness of that start brought out a much broader struggle. Regular people couldn't tame the Emblems, nor should they question their acts, but many tried it and burned and lived because of it.

  Starting generations had it very tough, coming from the bottom of people who lost a lot, and blaming them wasn't where the bottom line belonged. It was a compromise of the past.

  And it was true that humanity started to fight back for the first time, no longer hiding in shadows like some rats. It was one way to start the retaliation, and from there, Walkers moved on until becoming the true masters of mankind.

  The one thing that altered the status quo was when the grand and weird System. It was a true weapon of growth and true evolution that gave Walkers facts and logic in their path. Emblems were no poisons and definitely no lies. The System was a representative of something painful—a reminder that drove and depicted Screens that only they could see and wield.

  Then there was the Emblem itself, capable of reaching numerous thresholds via age, hunts, fuses, food, or undergoing a fundamental change alongside its user and the System, which authorized everything like a rulebook. Voices, noises, and pains happened because of that, but putting strings into the body and mind had to happen rather than not, for the Emblems couldn't do it on their own.

  Ordinary humans couldn't hear the System, or read its odd ways of manifestation. However, they could see their effects and what they do to Walkers.

  Many Walkers believed the System was the same thing as Emblems, but they were less unique compared to gems attached to their bodies. Still, the System acted in parallel to their Emblems, working and doing some sort of work. Why, how, or what for? That was hard to condense into laws and rules since it wasn't fair. The System liked hazards and growth, and Walkers deemed it as tools to yet another tool, while they were just tools on a larger and more rigid scale.

  Emblems made most differences anyway, performing with matters of Elements and Arcana, so there were some rules on how to grow and train. Teachers and seeing similar qualities drove this appeal, creating a culture where training was deemed mandatory regardless of different looks. They still had to follow flesh, blood, and muscles or bones, and if they wouldn't, that was fine too. There were Walkers capable of working with anything.

  People would be people but stronger. Sure, some of Emblem's internal powers changed this development in transformed and magical ways, while some would show their differences in colorful differences, imagination, and shapes of their Molded weaponry.

  It wasn't correct to toss them into the same sack and after years of research, many people realized that. Individuality mattered while those wielding keys to hope weren't hiding. They were everywhere in a dark forest of the unknown. Inside and outside of it.

  Year by year, huge leaps in understanding happened around the globe. Almost like a bubble, some popped off, and others lived on. Humanity experienced many transformations, and how one used the Emblems mattered more than knowledge about its secrets. Then, there was stability, which was one of the most important aspects, lest the Walkers get lost in the consequences, minds, and flow of their Emblems.

  Such starts were aged and poor, thanks to a time before the Dawn. People were selfish and not used to being rats. Conventional Awakening of Emblems came off as wasteful. It HAD to change and Rank 0s weren't deemed as important. They should remain unknown.

  Rank 1 was the proper start of the System and Emblem. Afterward, everything should change and move better, so it was imperial to make them better.

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  Not many knew it, but in the last few decades, a new way to Awaken young Walkers has been created. Called Forced Awakening, it was a procedure created in the Federation and changed everything about starting Ranks and the way Walkers worked.

  Thanks to human intellect, research of numerous facilities, and not giving up, one particular talent who was born at the right time and place, changed humanity forever. For years, things were moving up a notch and some might even call it a thriving sentiment.

  Generation by generation, Walkers should move further, quicker, and more useful.

  Older generations were still there, of course. They would always persist if that's what had to happen, but only those at Rank 0 could use Forced Awakening. Those older or at rank 1 passed their chances; many wouldn't be capable of pushing the Emblem to the upper ranks, for death was normal. There weren't Walker elders, so every one of them was an important piece of their era. They were also a reminder of a piece of history of what once was.

  There were walls, hurdles, and hunts toward the top of the System. Emblems followed it like an engine for a car or a dog for a sled. Very few would dare to look at it like a piece of paper. One has to see through the world itself if one dares to learn. Such facts were hiding unfathomable power that youths meant to seek. They should think or fear it.

  A single research let youths experience a new world, either with loose preparations, or careful picking since the importance of natural Awakening had to break. It was about time—years off from the limit that was human growth! That shouldn't be underestimated and it never was, even if it meant giving younger teenagers heavy responsibilities.

  Awakening earlier opened one of the most significant growth periods in human anatomy, mind, and body. But it was also a double-edged sword, with potential instabilities, and less stable growth. Walker might not develop in one direction if their parts were lacking or their preparations weren't good. It was about tolerance, stubbornness, and willpower. It could go on for years, or it could be even worse later.

  Still, troubles were happening in normal Awakening anyway, so many high-rank Walkers deemed it as the lesser evil and permitted Forced Awakening to become a main part of this era of Walker society.

  For the sake of everything, time was short and breaking. Forced Awakening could go as low as fourteen years of age to eighteen years of age, but those would have very diminished results. Thus, even if some Walkers from various generations voiced concern for the sake of children, for years after this discovery, it started to show results, and many could no longer refute it.

  It was fine to play with fire, for there weren't many choices humanity could grasp. In fact, the discovery of fire was the birth of something special millions of years ago and it continued to be special.

  William was one of many youths up to the Forced Awakening standards. Some were Outside, growing up in their teens, while many others were already closer, either in the Federation or numerous training camps around North America or further. Most were unaware of this new Awakening, let alone about the Rank 0 Emblem. But they knew their whole lives were on the brink of great change, albeit on the whim of greater folks outside of their views.

  Rank 0 was bogus; unworthy of any care, even if it was a false assumption.

  By public knowledge, the Awakening was a typical natural process, so the most accepted age of eighteen mattered the most. It shouldn't be forgotten, though forced it became. Anything lower was up to preparations, mistakes, or dangerous gestures. Then, the Forced Awakening became common and it wasn't a treatment for a disease. It was a gift kept under the Federation and had the potential to change many thoughts, including public image.

  It changed the opinions of older Walkers, whose understanding represented no small matters. They needed to look for great replacements or enough recruits.

  Public was incosquncies. So what if they didn't know? They should accept how this was happening under the Federation and not some random place. They were kept in darkness, where they belonged under some people's views. Public Outside adapted, even if some irregular individuals picked on some guesses and bits of truth.

  By now, it shouldn't even matter if more of them knew, since what could even stop this inseparable part of Walker societies? It was a secret and challenging option and someone had to make such choices.

  Even if youths died, suffered, and worked harder for humanity in even younger years, disputing this fact would go against the past twenty years! This concerned upper Walkers, whose extra worries weren't all about youths. Their heavy eyes lay Outside, in countless places called their former homes.

  That often altered because a chunk of potential Walkers were always Outside, coming from places they could not see, but where they should look.

  This treatment could come to every young Walker if one disregarded all stops, but that wasn't the case. The whole world wasn't united and tightly knitted like the Federation. It had no ruler but scattered rats living in their own bubbles.

  Even the Federation was unable to grow beyond its scope. Perhaps in a century, it would change. Considering the management and workload, not everyone could get that treatment. However, the true reason came from the limitations, talents, and the fact that Forced Awakening wasn't even three decades old.

  Organizations could see and grow fitting talents. Then, one could choose and see who was right and who was weaker, even though it was incredibly selfish and harsh. Alas, the world was worse.

  This research changed the science and the exploration of Emblems kept developing. After a century of dedicated—and sometimes cursed—work, it would never work if even one side faltered.

  It came as no surprise this matter influenced a significant portion of politics. Federation had many sides and originations, and that came with wisdom and people, hence some problems. However, it still had a tight leadership that would never break. Then, the Emblem Academy was closer, acting as a friendly benefactor. As the best place for most gifted Walkers, it was highly regarded.

  The potential negated the shortcomings long ago and touching the untouchable has to go on. It was a huge win for science, so many hoped something bigger would come out of it.

  Asia should hope for the same thing, while Europe better bow and adapt as well. Those places and settlements knew the reality; they had to come over, and forcefully Awaken their own talents. This moved the worth of people—mere youths to be exact—and stabilized into a partial business.

  Young Walkers were like saplings, and some had flawed roots, shallowness within them, or they were expecting to fly high. One might even hide bottomless treasures, stability, or be brittle like granite. More were growing deep while being tiny, or large yet wobbling in roots.

  Which case was William's? He wondered about it for ages, regardless of that deep Screen and reason stemming from old history. Frankly, he was aware. His Emblem and everything was subject to change but he had already done so once.

  Could it be better, or.... finer? How broken could it become anyway...