The words caught in my throat, all the planning and preparation going straight out the window. Where do I start? At the beginning? With the civvie? My mind scrambled for answers, before ultimately snapping back into place. Start as planned. With the high rankers abilities.

  “Good evening mother. I have a few things to report if you have the time?”

  “I have a few matters to attend to. Try to be brief,” she said, waving me to come stand next to her, so that we could admire my father together as she turned to stare back out the window.

  I planned out the perfect explanation to my report as I walked towards her. I stopped a respectable distance away, facing her unaged side as she faced the statue.

  I know that looking at mother’s aged side is useless when trying to read her emotions, so I focused entirely on her unaged side. Sometimes, if I was lucky, I could see an emotion trickle through.

  She didn't look my way as I started explaining each high ranker's ability as quickly as I could, from Selena’s healing to Calder’s fire, before finally ending on Viktor.

  “And his weakness is obviously durability and raw offensive power. He seems to only be able to teleport one or two people at a time, so he provides a possible quick escape if a high ranker is found within a desperate situation, since his abilities' duration time, if unused, is the best among the A ranks by far.” I felt proud as I finished, because the words were exactly as planned.

  I could hear the impatience in her voice, “And yourself child? Your ability, strengths and weaknesses?” she asked.

  I took a step back. Had she not been curious enough to look? I knew for a fact the Colonel had a file on me and that he had sent it to Sandra, Mother’s secretary. I had heard all the other high rankers complain about how their parents had hounded them on their stream’s for information, always asking for daily updates. Why hadn’t she…

  No, no, that can't be right. She was testing me, and I had almost failed. She just wished to see if her assessment matched mine. Alright, time to make her proud, I thought to myself as I stood to attention, as if standing in front of Colonel Walker.

  “I can change any map features within what seems to be a ten by ten kilometer range, so one hundred kilometers squared is in my realm of influence. In my opinion, the strengths are almost limitless, the economic advantages alone seem staggering, let alone changing the geography in a military setting.” I began, trying to see if she reacted. Mother cocked her head in silent contemplation.

  “And the weaknesses?” she asked.

  “...Unfortunately, it takes time for the changes to take effect. From what I have seen, moving small buildings takes five minutes if it's about 1.2 kilometers. About ten minutes for larger ones of the same distance. Roads seem to follow the same convention. I have only theorized what I can do in terms of elevation changes with contour lines, and for farming specifically I can already think of the wonders I will be able to accomplish, from perfecting windbreaks to drastically improving irrigation along with canals an—”

  “You are rambling. Stay on topic child,” she chastised. Her voice gave away her ever growing impatience.

  I bit my tongue as I winced. My big mouth, why is it that I only ramble with mother? It must be the nerves. I took a deep breath, keeping the mask on tightly.

  “Of course, sorry mother. My ability seems to be purely utility based, so raw offensive power, speed and other such things don’t apply to me. Which makes my ability unsuited for one on one encounters. However, I believe for large scale engagements my power is unparall—”

  Mother was shaking her head disappointedly, “So you will not be able to fight on the front lines,” she muttered.

  “Mother, I will be extraordinarily useful in overseeing frontline engagements, I will be able to sway entire battles in our favo—” I began, trying to make her see reason, that I’m useful, but she was just waving her hand in a ‘lets move on’ kind of way.

  I felt crushed. Was I a disappointment? And from her mutteringings, she seemed to think that I wasn’t able to assist her, to fight alongside her, to eventually take her place as—

  I shook my head. No. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. This is a test. She wanted to see my reaction, and when I glanced into her reflection in the window, I could see the disappointment in her eyes, even though her face hadn’t changed. Right. Time to prove myself.

  “That was the first half of my report. I have also been conducting a campaign against Colonel Walker. He wishes to elevate a B ranker I find unsatisfactory, so I have been assisting the candidates I believe will most help the brigade I shall lead in the future. A Marnus Grobbler and a Richard Parker,” I said carefully, eager to prove myself after the test I had just failed.

  She raised an eyebrow, amusement crackling in her eyes as she finally turned to look at me, “Despite the failure that put him in that position, Colonel Walker is an extremely dangerous A ranker. One even I can’t help but respect. How goes this ‘campaign?’”

  “Excellently. I have already stolen his credentials, have access to the tournament roster and potential matches, and will change them to suit my plans. Acquiring them had been…” I caught myself before I mentioned the fire, “difficult. But, I have them nonetheless.”

  Mother kept watching me, then lifted her hands and clapped politely, “Well done. That is very impressive. As long as you manage to keep it confidential, and that there was no collateral in your ‘acquisition’, of course.”

  Why did she say it that way? I had kept it confidential, and well… she didn’t need to know about the collateral. She was watching me intently, expectancy dripping through her mask. Right, keep talking.

  “Thank you mother. From what I have gleaned from being around the Colonel, I have met those requirements so far,” I lied.

  She watched me for a moment longer, her face unchanged as always, before she turned to look back out the window, “Good. Has he made any moves so far? And how have you responded?” she said after a moment, folding her arms.

  “So far, his only move has been to reduce the status of the high rankers. Apparently, all sleeveless, regardless of ability rank, are now to be treated as equals,” I said, still annoyed that B rankers had even dared to speak to me that way.

  A smile almost touched my mother’s lips. What I would give to see one again. But, alas, she only kept talking. “Oh? Well, an inconvenience to be sure, but nothing you can’t handle.”

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  I had meant to ask her to overrule this, and with a single statement that possibility was lost. I almost beamed at the compliment, though. I knew mother believed in me. I probably made her even prouder, by not smiling at the compliment, by just keeping the mask firmly in place, as she would.

  “Thank you, mother.”

  “And what else? A man like that, unless distracted by some miracle, wouldn’t have other moves in store.”

  I almost smiled from ear to ear. I planned for this question in the elevator, so I gave the perfect response.

  “Of course. But it won’t matter. Not even the usual politics from the high rankers will be a problem. I believe that instead of going through Colonel Walker, as would usually be the case and what the other high rankers will be forced to do, I can go straight to the source. The B rankers themselves.”

  I turned to face father’s statue, “the high rankers will be stuck with their usual infighting, while I can watch and see which B ranker is most favoured. Unfortunately, both Richard and Marnus are disappointments, so I theorize they will try to eliminate them early on in the tournament. I can make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  I was facing my father, but I was staring straight at my mother’s face in the reflection.

  “I believe this to be the optimal strategy, given my position within the sleeveless themselves. Because even if Colonel Walker locks me out of the matchups, I can still provide weaponry, watch which person seems to hold the current favour of the high ranks, and eliminate them if they are not to my liking,” I continued, my voice feeling almost distant by the end, every memorized line said to perfection.

  Mother didn’t say a word, just kept staring, before turning to face me head on, her mismatched face a few inches from mine.

  “I see you have given a lot of thought to this. On the one hand, if you manage to actually execute on this plan, I believe it will be a resounding success. On the other, I cannot in good conscience allow you to do this alone. You are a Grant,” she gestured at the statue, “His legacy. I will assist you, as always, daughter.”

  Mother… complimented me. Again? It has been… even I cannot remember the last time she had complimented me twice in one day. I was struck to silence, a warm feeling bubbling up in my chest, threatening to burst out. I almost hugged her, but knew better than to try.

  She looked at me and almost raised an eyebrow, “Well, if that’s all, I’ll see you at the tournament. I have to prepare for the colonization of the new floor,” she said, turning to walk me out the door.

  When we reached the door, she seemed to think of something as she opened it, not opening it wide enough for me to walk out, “Which B ranker does Walker wish to elevate? I shall see if I can assist you a little.”

  “The civvie,” I said flatly, annoyed I had to bring him up.

  My mother’s face hardened, her eyes focusing into slits as she stared at me. I took a step back, my heartbeat rising rapidly at the growing coldness in the room, “Uhm, mother?”

  She started shaking her head from side to side, her eyes never leaving me. I felt ice crawl up my spine as I realized I had failed. I had disappointed her. And from her reaction, I had failed her badly.

  “That changes everything. First of all, his name is Boris,” she said, her tone dangerously low. “Secondly, there is nothing to be done. I suggest you accept that he will win now, and save yourself the effort of trying to stop him.”

  I was so bewildered I started arguing, emotion dripping off every word as I said, “what? Mother, that doesn’t make any sense. I will make sure that even if the Colonel assists him, he will still lose. How on earth could he possibly hope to win?”

  Even her mask couldn’t hide the sheer contempt that crept onto half her face, and after a moment, she spoke slowly, annunciating every syllable, “No, child. It will be impossible to stop him. He will not only win the B rankers ascension tournament, but the high rankers as well. His ability makes him twice as physically capable as the average blessed, and it lasts for hours. It is, quite literally, perfect for the tournament. Besides, if you knew what I knew about him, you wouldn’t have these outlandish notions of standing in his way.”

  My mask was long gone, and my mouth was on the floor. My mother had never spoken about anyone this way, except for father. “Mother, you can’t be serious. If I put the civvie against Marnus or Richard it would seem unfair. And you think he could beat any of the high rankers? Selena, maybe, but Viktor? Calder? He stands no chance against any of us. Not one!” I shouted, and I took a step back as her contempt turned to stillness, every emotion leaving her face.

  She just stared for a long, countless moment, before speaking softly, “Let us see daughter. But, think of this as motherly advice. Boris will win every match assigned to him, regardless of assistance, backing or weaponry. I suggest you abandon these foolish actions against the Colonel. Spare yourself the effort and heartache.”

  A question escaped my lips, the desperation of a child lingered in the tone of my voice as I whispered, “Do you think he can beat me?”

  She didn’t even hesitate. “Of course. As I said, none of you stand a chance,” she opened the door for me, queuing my signal to leave.

  I just stared at her. She didn’t believe in me. This fact washed over me, making every hair I had stand on end. I turned and raced out the door, stomping past Sandra as quickly as I could, brushing the rebellious tear out of my eye as I raced through our conversation again and again.

  I rounded a corner at the end of the hall, seeing a man with his tattoo glowing, a golden halo above his head, surrounded and laughing with people near the elevators in the middle of the foyer as an elevator dinged.

  His smile widened when he saw me, like he had just received the best news in the world. The smile was too much. Her disappointment was too much.

  I started crying, the tears streaming down my face. His eyes widened as his smile died, and I closed the distance between us in moments, jumping into his outstretched arms. I wailed into his shirt even as he used his string to throw every single person around him into the open elevator.

  “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I'm here. You're safe, I have you. What’s wrong Sofia?” he whispered gently, holding me tightly into his arms.

  All I could do was sob, “Slava, I’m a failure! Nothing but a failure!”