Armone tapped lightly on his hand device, making it displayed the current time as he sliding through the alleyway that was slightly off his today’s patrol route.

‘Two forty-five’ He read hastily, brushing the scanner’s display away with quite a grace, despite holding a solar gun in his arms ‘I should be able to make it in time.’

Armone continued to make his way across the high common district, pacing in his white leather boot over the inner street constructed with uneven slabs of stones. Since he started his career, Armone had always preferred patrolling through this part of the city over the other. His house was here, after all, and the people around this area were a lot more civil than the lower common district, so there would be a lesser need for him to subdue someone. Not to mention, they actually showed a slight appreciation for his work from time to time.

Regardless, though still on duty, he had specifically and discreetly switched patrol duty with his fellow guards. So that he was able to come here on this day, more as a father than a city task force.

When Armone arrived at his destination, he found that there were already a large number of people with the same intention as him, which was to be expected. Thousands and thousands of fathers and mothers surrounded the building that was the city’s one and only school. A tall, wide and complex construction, not to mention messy, as a result of countless unplanned expanding it often had. Armone recalled that he barely remembered the seven years he had spent here, only making a few friends, half of which was already dead when he passed his thirty.

As Armone made his way closer to the the building, the crowd parted for him in a way that was hard to notice, but he managed to see what they were doing regardless.

‘A guard can have children too, you know.’ Armone thought, slightly bitter, though understanding. A guard was always a fearful sight and they were all stressed for their children already, of which he could relate to.

In any case, Armone continued to walk across the school’s courtyard, in the general direction of the entrance. Standing guard on the entrance and keeping peace were two platoons of watchmen, whom he hesitantly went to meet.

“Armone, right? Are you a reinforcement or something?” His fellow guard asked when he approached.

“Afraid not, Hillar,” Armone told his fellow guard when he recognized her voice. Hillar’s armor had a bronze outline over the pure white paint, representing her status as a sergeant. She, along with another bronze lined guard standing to the right of her squad each commanded 4 lower guards in their respective platoons. Not to mention, there were also two more platoons at the other side of the building, and a few more patrolling the hallway inside. At least that would be the case if they followed the protocol this year, which they had no reason not to.

“I suppose that makes sense.” She told him with a hint of condescending “Not to offend you, but a single watchman would not be much of a reinforcement. Not to mention, we are basically assigned to guard a glorify school exam, so it should be alright.”

‘An exam, aye, but the one that dictates your future, no less.’ Armone thought grimly, despite Hillar being 5 years his junior; she had been promoted into a sergeant 3 years ago after showing potential for leadership. Despite her carefree attitude, which she got from being a close friend with Eve back when she worked as a common watchman, Armone had known of her prowess and ability to inspire loyalty, as he was the one who helped her when she at first struggled to adapt to her work as a guard.

“I heard the good new” Hillar said to him, shifting the conversation into a lighter topic “You are to be a sergeant too, aren’t you?”

Armone nodded, Eve’s eavesdropping seemed to be holding true after all. A week ago he was called to the head guard’s office, belonging to the person who was the highest commoner in the guard’s chain of command, just below the sub-generals, generals and grand general, who were all noble. The head guard told Armone that he had been selected to be a sergeant, that he would be given new armor and that his platoon was being selected from the recruit-in-training. So from that point on, two days of every week he was put in training to develop leadership skills so that he could be a more effective sergeant.

“Try to behave yourself, alright?” Hillar advised, she sounded genuine this time “I heard that if a sergeant to be was determined as ‘tainted’ in any way; the head guard would retract their offer immediately and sweep all of it under the rug, then pretend that nothing happens between you and them.”

“I will try my best not to get into any trouble.” Armone told her “It’s nice talking to you, Hillar.”

“It’s nice talking with you as well, I suppose.” Hillar replied back “Now shall we get back to our work? Or do you want to risk our positions some more?”

Armone nodded, the exam would be over soon anyway, so he best left everyone to their own business. Armone backed away from other guards and gave a quick glance at the building, hoping that Mathos and Markis was doing well in there.

As he joined back into the crowd, Armone contemplated how much of an important day this must be for his two sons. After all, today was the day where the great test commenced, the exam that compiles every single subject into one test, in an effort to verify which career does the student was best fit to have. The result would later be given to the head of each career, so they would be able to pick the students who were qualified to join their order in the picking day.

‘Obviously getting the best point in as much subjects as possible are ideal.’ Armone thought, remembering his own test, but he had met some people who deliberately failed at the subject which qualified them for the work they did not wish to do, so it really depended on the particular student’s preference.

Armone scratched his beard and started looking around, a lot of people had been gathering around the school as if to provide some sort of spiritual support for the students. Most of them were parents, some came by themselves and some came together, both to urge their children on. Silva was supposed to be here with him too, Armone remembered regretfully, but Adol’s dam had broken down recently, destroying any opportunity his wife had of taking her to leave today.

‘She will make it to the picking day though.’ Armone thought, ‘she had to, but for me…’

The school bell’s sharp ringing snapped Armone back to reality, the sound signal that the great test was finally over.

“Hope you did well in there, boys.’ Armone thought, as this was the point of no return for them.

The students started to slowly pour out the entrance, passing through the two platoons of the guard into the courtyard in front of him. Some went to meet their parents, but the rest seemed to left for home immediately. Armone waited patiently for his sons to come out, and when he started to become worried about taking too long, Mathos strolled out from the building, looking a little more gloomy than usual.

‘It was the normal reaction, I suppose.’ Armone decided for he remembered being the same after his own test. Armone lifted his helmet’s visor and went to meet his son.

Mathos mood seemed to lighten by the sight of his father “Dad? Aren’t you on duty today?”

Armone pointed to his armor “I’m still am, but just taking a little detour for my boys. Where’s your brother?”

“Mark…” Mathos said, with a slight hesitation “…has…to do something before going home, at least that is what he told me.”

“Hmmm” Armone muttered, wondering what his other son could need to do, after the day of the great test of all-day nonetheless. Regardless, it would be intruding for Armone to ask any further, and boy this age needed their own space.

“How was the exam?” Armone asked, a typical question that was asked in this sort of day.

“Good…good, I guess.” Mathos replied with an expression that spoke of the contrary “I goofed up on the law test though, despite your effort of tutoring me.”

“I see” Armone said with a nodded, but thought ‘Then there will be no guard career for him then.’ Mathos was not the best of build, so with his low score in law, it would be unlikely for him to have the same job as his father. Armone was relived for his son though, not disappointed, he knew that Mathos did not have what it took to kill a person for the sake of establishing peace.

“Ren got it worse though” Mathos went on “I heard that he only did over average on engineering, poor him.”

His son pointed at a group of people not far from them, where a pair of parents were talking with a brown hair boy of Mathos’s age and they did not seem to be emitting any cheerful atmosphere. Strangely enough, Armone also noticed a noble guard of all people standing under the shadow of the school building and far away from Ren’s group, next to the guard was a young girl longingly gazing toward the boy. The girl gave the guard a sign, and they turned away and make their leave.

‘How bizarre’ Armone thought, but did not thought much of it, as it was other people whom he did not know’s business.

“Oh, here comes Markis the slow walker.”

Armone turned, and his other son was there, strolling in a mood that did not seem to be either joyous nor sorrowful, but simply…perplex.

“Oh hi, dad,” Markis said when he noticed Armone, in a strangely monotone voice.

“How was the exam?” Armone asked.

He shrugged “Decent, I guess. But I’m just relieve that it was at least over now.”

“Is that so?” Armone said though he could see no relieve on his son’s face “Let’s go home then, I will walk with you.”

Markis raised his head, surprised “Aren’t you suppose be to be working?”

Armone gathered his determination, he was taking as much risk as he could dare to spend time with his children on this day. He gave a wary smile, closed his visor and turned for the street “Who said I can’t do both?”

The three went for the main road, so they could make a semi-direct path for their home. Armone noticed that everyone else around them was mostly doing the same as well, some crossed the road of Tiffan and made for the lower common, while others who dressed in slightly better clothing were making their way up the same street for the upper common. Armone also noticed a large group of scrawny looking children being guided back to the sadness shelter by a plump old priestess; he frowned on the childhood memories that rushed back to his head by the sight.

“Mark, what do you think is the stupidest question in the great test?” Mathos asked to pass time as they continued to make for their home.

‘Stupid?’ Armone wondered about the word, it bordered on rebellious thought, just like last time. But despite that, Armone was still regretting his outburst. So against all of his instinct, Armone let it be for the time being.

“I don’t know,” Markis replied to his brother in an uninterested tone, he seemed to be trying to recover from his dazed state with his gradual shift of tone.

“Well, for me it has to be the very first question of the writing test ‘What is the name of the current supreme leader?’ are you serious?”

Armone nodded and tried to diverge the conversation “So what did you answer it with?”

“Gorbachius Godlead, obviously.” He replied with a shrug.

Markis’s eyes widen suddenly “Aren’t you suppose to write his full name?”

A single drop of self-doubting sweat formed on Mathos’s face “But I did, didn’t I?”

“He got one more name between his first and last name, it’s called a middle name, I think,” Markis replied grimly.

“Seriously?”

Armone sighed, though his son’s mistake was simply unforgivable, he knew how it occurred. A commoner did not have the last name; it was something you gained after you became a noble. And the middle name was even rarer still, only a few nobles in a hundred had one, as it is simply a sign of extra prestige.

“Gorbachius Mikhal Godlead.” Armone said to his son “That is what you suppose to answer if you study properly.”

Mathos shook his head in slight disappointment “No Last Stronghold’s work for me then, I guess.”

The three continued to slowly make their way up the crowded street, with no one but the two other as their company. Mathos and Markis mostly spoke of the test, going over what they did wrong and what they did right, then either become sad or happy at the result. Though Armone was in a great mood from simply being with his son, he had to constantly remind himself from time to time that he was, in fact, still on duty, so he had to try keeping peace and order in this chaotic street using the gun on his back. One time a poor looking man was snooping around behind people suspiciously, so Armone pointed a gun at his head as a warning, and the man walked away with an irritated sniff.

“Come to think of it…” Mathos started to say as they got closer and closer to home “With the great test over, we only got the picking to look forward to now, don’t we…”

“Yeah…” Markis replied, his tone shifted suddenly, which was to be expected. The picking day was unarguably the most important day in a commoner’s life, so a little anxiousness was very much acceptable. His son’s hand reached into his pocket as if to touch something.

“Don’t worry, your mother and Beth will be there with you.” Armone told them, he left the rest unsaid, in a vain hope that no one would notice it.

“But not you” Markis pointed out with a small hint of bitterness.

Armone could do nothing but nodded, the picking day gathered nearly a quarter of the city into one single spot, as not only the citizen of the age of fourteen, the group that was to be picked, but there were also their family who came to watch them, a small group of each order coming to make the picking, and the sort of people who would come to see the ceremony just for the hell of it. Every guard in the order was required to put on their uniform, if the city wanted to keep its peace intact.

Armone glanced forward and noticed that they had reached the trading square. In an effort to lighten the mood he said “What do you boys want? It can be anything, my treats.”

Mathos’s eyes beamed “Really?”

Armone nodded, the shared account of him and Silva numbered around eight hundred points the last time he checked, so it should be fine “Take it as a reward for your hard works.”

Markis shrugged “We might as well.”

“But keep it under 50 points though.” Armone added, in an attempt to be cautious.

His two sons nodded and left to find the gift that they would get themselves. Seeing that, Armone left and resumed on his duty by patrolling the square.

‘That reminds me…’ He thought, as he noticed Markis going through the old tool shop of all place ‘I haven’t actually told anyone about my promotion yet, have I?’

That was not completely true; Hedge and Paul had squeezed the new out of him near as soon as he stepped out of the head guard’s office, and it had spread through the great barrack like an oiled fire soon enough. But Armone had not told any of his family about it yet, which baffle him to quite an extent. He supposed he had a very childish desire to put on the new bronze lined armor and surprised his family with the new that way. Armone just hoped that his new uniform was ready before the picking, so he would be able to show it to his sons.

‘After that day, I might as well lose them.’ Armone thought, his mind wavering. After they were picked, Mathos and Markis would need to endure two years of hard training, whatever that may be, so they would develop the required skill for their respective careers. Armone had remembered his time of training, and that he had visited the Sadness shelter only twice during the two years period, though it might be because of the fact that he greatly disliked the place might came into factor.

Suddenly, Armone’s headpiece vibrated, signaling that his overseer wished to contact him. He stopped for a moment in hesitation and pressed to receive the call.

“Arm!” The voice of Dane called him “Emergency!”

Armone sighed “And will you please explain what this emergency you speak of is?”

“How should I put this…” Dane started to speak, taking his sweet time “A group of commoners had barred themselves inside the authority district’s storage, arming themselves with solar guns and harassing anyone who came near, the guard there require the assistance of any nearby available watchman near the area.”

Armone squirted, that was a situation that never happened during his career, but now he was more concerned with the prospect of leaving his sons. Regardless, he had no choice but to go.

“Alright, I will be there in a few minutes.”

“Godspeed”

Armone shook his head to regain composure, and then turned to search for his two sons. He found Mathos in the discarded store, the place where items from the last stronghold that needed to get off ended up selling at a high price, his son was looking through one of the bench laid with pins, taking quite an interest in a few of them.

“Mathos, there you are,” Armone said in a rush when he found him.

“Dad” Mathos replied in quite a happy tone “Which one will look be cooler on me if I were to wear them to…”

“No time, son.” Armone cut him short “Do you still have the school stalus with you?”

Mathos shook his head “They took it back before the great test, but I still have the family one in my bag though.”

“Perfect” Armone said in a hurry and snatched the device right off Mathos’s hand when he pulled it out from his bag.

“Sorry son, but duty called.” He explained to Mathos as he entered something into the Stalus “I don’t think I will be able to walk back with you guys anymore. ” He then handed the device back to his son. “Here, I available you access two to the family’s account, so buy whatever you want.”

“…Right” Mathos said, half dazed, half stuttering “Good luck then, I guess.”

Armone nodded in a rush and bolted off the store. He pressed the scanner on his wrist; it displayed a map of the city in a hologram image, with a marker on the storage that was currently being raid.

‘I should be only about 5 minutes if I make a break for it.’ He thought and did exactly that. Charging through the trading center of all its shops and stalls, shuffling through the crowd around the street and dashed to reach for the authority district, the place where he spent a significant amount of his life.

Making through the orderly lined street of the military and police force division of the city, Armone passed a few storages facilitys that was not the one he was looking for, a few lesser barrack for guard without an official house to sleep in, and a few of his fellow brother-in-arms running for the same destination as him.

Suddenly, in the corner in front of him, a small group of people not in a guard uniform was rushing down the alleyway in the opposite direction of Armone. The one on the front and seemed to be leading the group was a brown haired teenage girl with a common-looking face. The strangest things of them were that they were all carrying a bag that was filled with something heavy, by the look of it, and they were also carrying two solar guns on their back.

‘Armo’ Dane contacted Armone, as the armed teenagers rushed passed him ‘The group I mentioned earlier had just leave the storage and is now on the run with some of the looted weapons, and to your direction, so you know, please try to catch them.’

Armone put two and two together and pulled out his solar gun. Steading his breath, he aimed the gun for the closest thief, who was lagging behind her group. His finger positioned at the trigger as he prepared himself to kill someone.

His hand clutched together in a sudden snap, firing his trusted gun. The blast went out, screaming and cracking through the air, and landed right into the back of his target, penetrating through her chest. Her recently lifeless body fell onto the ground.

Armone cogged his gun to ready it for a second shot, as the group realized that one of their own had fallen. Some tried to go help their fallen friend, but the leader told the group to keep going. They ran into one of the smaller alleyways, hiding themselves from his line of fire.

Armone considered pursuing after them, but decided against it ‘They may be carrying more weight, but they are also younger and faster than me, not to mention I’m already tired from my own running.’

From the corner of his eyes, a group of guards who seemed to be following the thieves shown up from one of the alleyways behind him.

“I got one of them,” Armone explained to his brother-at-arms, when they passed by “The rest went by that corner.”

His fellow guards nodded as they thanked and resumed their path. Seeing that his assistance would not seem to be required, he went to examine the thief’s corpse and what they stole.

A strangely pretty blond hair girl only seemed to be a little more than 16. His fire had taken her by the heart, killing her instantly. Armone pulled the two gun’s straps off her, along with the girl’s two packed side bags, reclaiming the stolen properties. Upon opening, he found that they were filled with stacks and stacks of…explosives.

‘Today is a strange day indeed.’ Armone thought, he had studied this sort of weapon in his training as a guard. Pure destruction in the shape of a brick, his trainer and superior called it; due to its destructive property, explosives were not in used in daily guard duty, instead in a more serious time like suppressing rebellion and a huge riot. What more strange was that this type of explosives was not a throwable type, which could easily be used, but a planted and exploded type, which could easily disable with a little knowledge of the items.

In any case, there was now a group of young commoners with a decent amount of lethal weapon in their possession, so quickly arresting them would be ideal.

After a short while, a single guard returned from the group that went to pursue the thieves came back, and in a delighted coincidence, the returning guard was none other than his good friend Three-finger Hedge. What less delighted was his expression, however, so Armone knew that something went wrong.

“Did you catch them?” He asked his fellow guard.

Hedge shook his head “Disappear without a trace.” His new helmet, boots and gun contrast with his old and used body armor. He was attacked a week ago, and half of his equipment was stolen, and the price of his new one was cut into his pay, which greatly grieved him already.

“How much did they steal?” Armone asked.

“8 solar guns and 40 explosives” Hedge explained with a sigh “Have you ever seen commoners stealing weapons before? It is a scary time these days.”

He nodded grimly in return, it would be a bloody revolt at worst if this kept happening, or an armed riot at the very least. And both and everything between would be bad to the city’s peace. His thought drifted back to his sons and hoping for their best on what to come.