Birthright

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The Sanser across from Alex was trembling. A skinny, dark-haired and pale-skinned boy no older than sixteen. Her search into the Sanser database had revealed some facts about him. Carl Won was born on a farm in Rivienna Province, somewhere along the Southern Rocky Mountains. Parents and two older siblings. Mediocre schooling, mediocre fighting skills. Mediocre life.

He was a late bloomer, having developed his Sanser power only last year. His father, a Faithful sworn to serve the Mainland, dutifully took him to their local extraction lab to get harvested when he started Kindling. Somewhere out there, a human being had become a Meta because of him.

There was no greater act of loyalty than giving one's Sen so it could be used to create a superior human soldier, but the ANEF expected more. Always more. Hence why Carl Won was here now, facing off against Metas in a mock battle in which he'd been instructed to fail.

Not that he stood any chance of winning. Alex had practiced with him and his fellow Sansers all week at Calsin Foundation's spacious and weapon-stocked indoor gym, and Won, while not terrible, didn't really impress her.

A voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "Ladies and gentlemen! Seventy-four years ago, our world was invaded and colonized by a ruthless race of beings. Mankind was under threat of extinction, but we came together under the banner of the Allied Native Forces and—"

"—on this glorious day, triumphed against the invaders," Liam parroted in a deep, overdramatic voice, "and reclaimed our birthright!"

"Your irreverence is disturbing, Bishop," Robert said as applause broke out in the stands. "If someone important hears you, you might get shipped off to disciplinary school."

"It's not irreverence, my confused friend." He tugged at his glove with the other hand. "I'm simply so excited I can't contain myself."

Robert snorted. "There isn't a single patriotic bone in your body, and we both know that. Makes me wonder who you really serve."

"I serve the Mainland and all of its glory. Just like you."

"Let's just focus on what's going on, shall we?" Alex murmured before Robert decided to make an issue out of it and got her partner over the summer break in trouble. Even though he deserved it.

The announcer waited until the cheers died down. "Meta soldiers defended the Earth against Sansers decades ago and they protect us even to this day, risking life and limb in the treacherous Skads. And every year, we celebrate not just our security and freedoms, but humanity's greatest heroes. Please give a round of applause for the liberators of Earth, the protectors of the innocent and the righteous. The Meta Faction!"

The applause was deafening this time, vibrating under Alex's skin. The young Metas around her lifted their hands and grinned up at the thousands of people in the stands, basking in the gratitude of all of humanity. In contrast, the Sansers avoided looking at the crowd. No blade had been swung yet and they already looked defeated.

"Representing the Meta Faction this year are some of our finest and most talented Metas-in-training. Hailing from San Juan in Rivienna, this young man is no stranger to the Dance of Blades. He was among the top twenty nationally ranked recruits last year and has already proven himself a capable soldier on the battlefield. Please give a round of applause for Stan Aries!"

Stan thrusted his arm in the air and bellows, "Yeah!"

"What a hero," Liam muttered.

As people clapped once more, Alex tried to make eye contact with Carl Won, but he stared at her feet. She stopped bothering with attempts at communicating and studied the two groups of people gathered around her.