"NO! Killian! Ember!"
A handsome looking young man shouted and woke up from his nightmarish dream. He found himself in a hospital. On his forehead was a white bandage that was soaked with blood. He grimaced in pain the moment he opened his eyes.
He had to go and find out if his friends were safe!
"Argh!"
A sharp pain rushed through his body when he tried to get up.
A young nurse within the patient ward immediately noticed his predicament and rushed towards his aid. This was despite the fact that the hospital was overcrowded with numerous victims that were in more life-threatening conditions than his.
"Please Mr. Astartes, you are in no condition to move," her voice was laced with concern. "I have stitched your wounds. You will be fine, don't worry. Just leave everything to me." The young nurse gently held on to the young man called Astartes and tried to place him back on the bed.
Although he was reluctant at first, he found himself helpless. His head was spinning and hurting badly. He had no choice than to listen to the nurse's instructions. Hence he gave up on trying to rise from his bed and rested his head gently on the pillow. This made the concussion he felt subside somewhat.
"Those damned monsters!" he gritted his teeth angrily as tears fell down the corners of his eyes. When he remembered how his town got overrun by those creatures from the catacombs, all he felt was deep seated resentment and sorrow!
This was a world of the modern age. Skyscrapers, high-speed trains, the internet and nuclear weapons. It was just like the normal world of earth shown in movies and stories. Or at least that was the case until 100 years ago.
A cataclysmic cosmic storm raged across the universe. It was unknown when it started or why it happened. It was a question beyond the understanding of the human experience. No scientist or prophet had answers to the origin of the cosmic storm till this day. What was certain however, was that this universal event changed the lives of everyone forever.
In mere days after this cosmic storm, the earth transformed. Massive, towering catacombs emerged from the depths of the earth and from it came horrifying creatures that wielded supernatural powers unlike anything seen before.
Countries sent their armies and launched a full scale war against these creatures. Thermal weapons, hypersonic missiles, jets, submarines, and aircraft carriers were deployed without reserve. Even the almighty nuclear weapons were immediately called into action. The results were positive. The creatures were felled one after the other.
Perhaps Earth was going to win.
Until the higher creatures emerged from the impregnable catacombs that seemed to be made by some unknown cosmic material. This creatures destroyed military assets with a single blow and crippled armies in battle. They were numerous.
The catastrophic war between the humans and these alien lifeforms superseded any war known to mankind with millions of casualties of both sides.
Ultimately, the war of attrition was not something the countries were prepared for and were overrun by the creatures of the catacombs. Countries fell overnight, populations massacred and all that faced humans was despair.
Until the first group of Rankers appeared. Human beings that were somewhat physiologically transformed by the cosmic energies. They wielded power identical to that of the creatures of the catacombs and over decades, were successful in defending and creating a few strongholds that prevented the human race from getting totally wiped out.
However, despite creating safe cities within the strongholds, the numerous catacombs were difficult to fully monitor, leading to the monster outbreaks from time to time.
Astartes lived in Yosemite City, a Class D city within the territory of the Angelus Empire one of the few remaining human countries in the world, Yosemite Town. The towns were ranked according several criteria but the major reason was based on the power of the Ranker assigned to protect the city. In this case Yosemite City was Class D because a Class D Ranker oversaw the clearing of the catacombs in the city.
However, based on the recent monster outbreak which landed Astartes and thousands of people either severely injured or dead in the hospital in the first place, it meant that even a Class D Ranker had insufficient strength to handle everything.
Astartes did not know how long he fell asleep for but when he finally woke up, he realized that he was no longer in the hospital. He was in a different place, in a comfier bed that had a nice fragrance.
Where is this? Who brought me here?
He had many questions. But there was something else that surprised him. When he touched his forehead, he felt no pain.
What a miracle...my injury just healed like that? August was surprised.
"I healed you, boy." A voice sounded as a woman walked into the room. She seemed to be in her thirties and had a mature beauty to her. Her clothes were tight fitting and her plump curves very on full display making Astartes a little bit flustered at such a voluptuous figure.
He only turned 18 this year.
Astartes bowed politely and said respectfully. "Thank you for saving my life, miss. I promise to return the favor someday."
Although he was still young, he was quite aware that for his injuries to heal so quickly, this woman must have used a healing potion or something more precious.
He was just confused as to why she would do that. After all, he did not know her.
The woman nodded her head when at Astartes' reply. Then again, as if she read his mind, she chuckled and said, "You must be wondering why I saved your life? I hope you are not thinking that you are some special being because you are not. Or at least not to me just yet. You will have to uphold your word to repay me for my effort."
"If you want to know the reason why I saved you, it is better if you realized it for yourself. Close your eyes and say the word STATUS within your mind. Then you would know."
Astartes did not disobey and immediately did as he was told.
"Status"
The moment he said this, he vision changed and a holographic interface appeared before his eyes.
NAME: ASTARTES (HUMAN)
RACE: HUMAN
OCCUPATION: RANKER (CLASS F)
STRENGTH: 0
AGILITY: 0
VITALITY: 0
SPIRIT: 10
SKILLS: None
INHERENT SKILL: INFINITE CASTER (Two Slots Available)
Astartes gaze widened as he blurted out in his mind, "Ranker! I am actually a ranker?"
Only 1 in a 100 of the human population naturally awaken to become rankers. Although others have met fortuitous encounters and have become rankers, this is still a very rare talent and now Astartes has become one!
Despite his initial excitement, his gaze became a little dim. If only he was able to awaken much earlier. He might not have had to watch his friends die at the hands of the creatures of the catacombs. His was an orphan since 14, after a natural disaster triggered by a Catacomb Lord killed his parents. He had no relatives and lived on the streets, making friends with Killian and Ember, orphans just like him. Sadly they also perished as well and there was nothing he could do about it.
But he could not afford to be sad now. He quickly regained his composure, something that made the woman that had been staring at him keenly to raised her eyebrows a little.
Too many times she had witnessed young individuals become overwhelmed with emotion when they awakened, becoming either prideful or complacent. They faced the brutal reality and died soon afterwards. But this boy seemed to be much more aware of himself.
Still only time would tell if he would be different.
"I am a ranker that just awakened. That was why you saved me. Which means that you should be a ranker too, am I right?" Astartes stared at her calmly.
The woman revealed a delightful grin. "You are intelligent, boy. I like that."
"So what are my conditions of service then, miss?" he went straight to the crux of this entire conversation. He knew that this was a give and take. Nothing was for free.
She smiled in approval as she spread her right palm wide and replied, "Five Catacomb Raids. Since I am not like other cruel Rankers I will not enslave you or anything. Join my Ranker Party and complete five catacomb raids. That should repay the help I have offered you. After that, you can then have the freedom to do whatever you choose."
"And what if I refuse?"
"I will end you right here and now and the Ranker Association would never know," she replied flatly as her gaze turned sharp.
Astartes stared at her in silence without flinching. He could feel her intent to kill just now. However he did not panic. He was not planning on refusing the offer, honestly. He simply wanted to gain some understanding of the woman before him.
She is a fair and open person but definitely has a ruthless edge. As expected of a Ranker. Astartes noted. Astartes had dealt with a lot of murderous gangsters before and he was used to being in such tense situations.
"Then I am in your care, Miss Ranker," Astartes accepted the terms without hesitation.
"Good, boy. I like your straightforwardness!" The lady laughed and clapped her hand. She stopped leaning on the wall in the room. "My true name is Adele but you may refer to me as Ink Sword. That is my ranker name. Welcome to the party. Let us head out now so that I introduce you to the others."
Astartes nodded and rose from his bed. But when he did so Adele spoke again, "Now that I remember, your name should be Astartes, right? Now that you have awakened to become a ranker, you should chose a ranker name. Don't worry, you can change it in the future if others find it lame," she said while observing him expectantly from head to toe.
Astartes was silent for a moment as he did not know what name to choose. However, upon some thought into it, he remembered a title that was displayed on his status, unbeknownst to Adele or anyone else except himself.
"Infinity. My ranker name is Infinity."