Our Legacy - Episode 1

“Hurry, we’re late!” Maha held on to Keyla’s hand as they jogged through halls of grey in their black uniforms. They were in a vast underground bunker formed by Demigods. They joined a large battalion of five hundred Demigods enlisting to Arcadeus’s army. There was a podium where several officers were sitting to the left, a stand in the middle with a female officer reading from a paper with a clear and orderly manner.

“...two hundred and thirty-six deaths and rising. These are numbers we have to live with. These are numbers we have to deal with.” The officer was a brunette, hair firmly tied back and glossy. Her attitude was not only of a woman who had served many years in the army but had a family with a military background. “Demigod civilians are still trying to escape capture and death; this includes Demigods of every gender and age. There are those we need to protect from mobs and enemy soldiers but not everyone can be saved...”

There was shuffling in front of them and Maha suddenly saw a man amongst them staring. She nudged Keyla and discreetly signalled towards the man. He didn’t look too impressed. “Ignore him,” whispered Keyla. “You are all equal here!” the officer stated firmly. “But should you exceed expectations, should your actions help our cause strengthen or develop positively, you will be rewarded. We expect all of you to exceed expectations. This war is not a dispute over land nor politics. This war is about which race lives and which is driven to extinction.” “We all know who won’t be exceeding expectations.” Maha heard the man whisper. “Demigods! You are to proceed to the next stage in this facility where you will state your name and powers. After that, you will be tested by our drill sergeants. They will tell you whether you can continue to the program or if you need more training and experience with your powers.” “Thank you, Officer Ulyssa.” The officer saluted another as she took her seat. A man took her place behind the stand. He leaned forward and smiled. The crowd whispered “Marceus Mara” as the man smiled at the crowd. “Hope you’re all ready for this. I know many of you are frightened but we’re fighting for a better future. Do well here and you’ll do good out there. Be strong.”

“State your name.” “Keyla Verbeke” “Abilities...” “Flight and the ability to mimic” “Proceed to gate twelve. Next!” “Maha Azim.” “Abilities...” “Healing and short-term time travel.” “One second... Proceed to gate nineteen.” “Thank you.”

Maha and Keyla exchanged a quick hug and wished each other good luck before going their separate ways. There was a long line outside gate twelve but almost none at nineteen. Maha shyly proceeded, holding her one arm to provide some sort of comfort and safety. There was no door to the gate, just an open entrance. She walked in to find a short blond woman in front of her. She smiled at Maha as she greeted her. “They sent you here, huh?” the woman asked joyfully. “Yes...” Maha replied, curious as to why she’d ask. “Well then. What’s the special power you have?” The woman sat on an office chair and pushed herself to her desk. “Healing? Or my short-term time travelling ability?” “You can time travel!?” the woman exclaimed. “You have to tell me all about it!”

Maha was given a chair to sit on as the blond woman took a clipboard and pen, crossed her legs, and pulled her own chair right in front of Maha. “By the way, I am Drill Sergeant Adams.” She extended her hand and shook Maha’s. “Now, to what extent can you... time travel?” “Um...” Maha suddenly felt nervous. “Fifteen seconds back and forth.” The drill sergeant quickly jotted down notes and then gave her a look signalling Maha to continue. “I rarely go forward in time because it hurts quite a lot. Going back in time hurts less but I can’t do it too frequently.” “Has it always been fifteen seconds?” “No. It used to be a second or two and I’d do it accidentally.” “So you’ve experimented with it for a while, building it up to fifteen seconds?” “I guess you could say that, yeah.” Maha scratched her head as the drill sergeant jotted down more notes. “What kind of pains do you get?” “Um... Headaches? The back of my eyes starts to hurt. If I try to push myself further I immediately pass out.” “Fascinating.” “Is it?” “Yes, quite so. You have an incredible power, one that could save very important personals.” “How so?” “Well, should we ever place you in a team for protective custody or security, our VIP will surely come out unharmed.” “You mean I’d go back in time to warn others should anything bad happen?” “Exactly.” “Ok... but ma’am... sergeant, I can only do it maybe twice a day.” “That should do the trick.” She jotted down more notes. “But once you’re with us we’ll help you get better at controlling your powers to a greater extent.” Drill Sergeant Adams turned her chair around and grabbed a phone and began to dial. “Sir, Drill Sergeant Adams here, I think I have someone here you’d like to check out... Yes, I’m working gate nineteen today... I don’t know sir, I haven’t witnessed it myself yet. Understood. Yes, sir.” She turned back to Maha and smiled. “It’s show time.”

Maha was led into a large white room where a single man stood in the middle. There was a glass panel a floor higher where she could feel the presence of many officers watching her. This was the test she was waiting for. She had to do her best here to succeed into something great, to make a difference in this war, to be remembered.

“Good afternoon, Ms Azim.” The voice came from a speaker installed in the top corner of the room. “The man in front of you is Mr Kotas. He’s quite the gentleman, however, today he is instructed to break you.” Maha’s eyes shot wide open. “Your goal here is to either survive for two minutes with Mr Kotas here or defeat him. There are no rules of engagement. There are healers present in the next room. Mr Kotas will engage once you state loud and clear that you are ready.”

She walked in front of the man but kept a good distance. She already felt like she had run several kilometres, sweating coldly beneath her clothes. She only had some experience in combat. Keyla had started to teach her basic moves a few months back. Survive for two minutes or take him down. She memorised those words like a prayer.

“Ms Azim. It’s been five minutes. We would like to get started if you don’t mind.” Maha blinked several times, surprised how fast time had gone by. “I’m ready!” she said, without asking herself if she was. Mr Kotas, a man built like a brick, square-jawed, military-cut hair, jumped into the air with a roar. “Oh my fucking God.” Maha quickly rolled away from Kotas who struck the ground with his knee, creating a large dent. He quickly proceeded towards Maha and threw several punches her way. Maha took several punches to the face, immediately cut and bruised. He then took a deep breath and kicked her in the chest, sending Maha rolling back.

Angry and enraged, Maha aimed an open hand towards the Demigod and sent a shockwave, sending him rolling back as well. She quickly got up to her feet with a clenched fist and sent another wave starting from the ground up, pushing Kotas off the floor and into the air. Maha followed up, while he was still in the air, with another set of waves hitting him from the side, forcing him into the wall. Kotas crashed and Maha let him fall several meters before running up to him and kneeing his head, smacking it back into the wall. Kotas blacked out for a second but recuperated fast, countering another incoming knee and punching Maha’s left knee from the side. The knee cracked and Maha shrieked in pain. Kotas grabbed her neck and slammed her against the wall behind him and kneed her back into her chest. His fists were slowly engulfed in fire as he prepared for one last attack.

Maha concentrated hard. She needed to go back in time but was already in a great amount of pain but it had to be done. Kotas stopped dead in his tracks and suddenly began to retrace his movements. A force around them rewinded the last few seconds back to where Maha was attacking Kotas against the wall. That’s as far as she could take it. And then it started again. Maha attacked Kotas once more and quickly took a step back before he could punch her left knee. Instead, she threw her fists into the air towards him, sending two shockwaves right into his chest.

Kotas was immediately surrounded by healers as his ribcage had collapsed and damaged his lungs. Maha was shocked. She didn’t know she was capable of that and felt odd. She didn’t feel pride. She felt sorry for the man once she calmed down. He was in agony, his face red but somehow he managed to look up at Maha and smile. This was war, she thought to herself, and she was a weapon.

“Congratulations Ms Azim, you have passed. You may exit through the door on your right.”