The boy was about eight, had black hair, brown eyes, and was wearing a blue shirt with shorts and a worn-out pair of sneakers. “Your…your niece, Alicia (pointing at Alicia) said that you are a Guardian?” The boy began. “Yes,” Alec said. “But Jk-Bx said that you also were a soldier from the Golden Age,” The boy continued. “What?” Spencer exclaimed, confused like. “You mean me,” Ithamar said. “Wait, wait, wait,” Jk-Bx exclaimed, running over and waving his hands around. “Little Ben, quite the story teller…” The kids had begun to surround them… “Uh, oh,” Alec began. “We’re surrounded,” Ithamar responded. “Better call for back up.” Spencer cut in, a grin on his face (leaning on his walking stick in front of him with both hands resting on the silver handle on the top). “Tell us,” Ben said. “Tell you what?” Alec and Ithamar said in unison. “The story of Ithamar the War machine,” Alicia said, standing among the children in the front. “What do you think?” Alec asked Ithamar. “I think you’re going to learn about some of these scars,” Ithamar remarked. “Yes,” spencer began, taking a seat among the children, placing Alicia on his lap. “Tell us your tale Ithamar; if you will.” All the kids began to sit in a half circle facing the Exo whom had his back to a wall. “The stage is yours,” Alec said to Ithamar. “Very well,” Ithamar began. Ithamar looked at all the children sitting on the ground looking at him with eager eyes; all of them were curious to know: Who was this Exo? What was his story? “Where to begin,” Ithamar said slowly pacing the floor, hands behind his back. Looking to the sky, it came to him. “A long time ago, there was something called the Golden Age…” Ithamar’s mind began to think back to his early years as an Exo in a simpler time, yet not so simple… “…a time of discovery, exploration, peace, and prosperity. Humans colonized on new worlds never before touched by mankind in this galaxy, discovering many new devices never before seen by men. People from Earth spread throughout the solar system and flourished in colonies; discovering new technology given to them by the mysterious Traveler, finding new resources to which solve problems of the past, questioning old ideas and beliefs, and even locating new sources of undiscovered resources on far away worlds. War was not a common thing of the age, though it seemed that it was what we were destined for it seems in the long run (looks at his right hand where the Delta symbol is located). The stars seemed so close…so very close you could almost reach out and grab one with your hands if you tried hard enough. To go back to my beginning is no different than going back to any other Exos’ beginning; so I won’t go back to that far in time, but to the start of when I would soon slowly fulfil my true purpose in this life…” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The streets of Charlemagne were bustling with busy patrons going to and from their business; visitors from Earth, Venus, and the surrounding colonies on other worlds came from all around to see the famed city built by men and machines. The towering skyscrapers glistened in the suns masculine rays, a beacon that could be seen from the very depths of space itself it was rumored. A warm, but gentle breeze blew through the city constantly, causing the many banners of the peoples of Earth to flow with grace through the wind. Transparent shields surrounding the city of Charlemagne protected it from the violent storms that ravaged the planet; crackling and snapping from the power surging through them. From the east side economy district, to the buzzing west side community buildings, mankind flourished and lived in luxury, sharing newfound ideas, buying and selling goods or services at the markets full of the latest inventions made in Mars’ foundries and labs. News of recent breakthroughs in science on Venus reached the city causing more of its denizens to invest their finances into the cities bustling economy. Northern academies were filled knowledge, music, and art from the greatest minds of the age, sharing the discoveries given them from the mysterious Traveler. The south-side of the city was the location to which most new comers came through to immigrate to the famed location and to people making their way to the stars that stopped periodically to admire the city and planets beauty. Machinatio Square was at the center of the city; a mysterious device placed here by the Traveler before the city was built, the entire metropolis was built around this marvelous, yet strange, contraption. Many wondered about the purpose of this machine, but the Traveler remained quiet as to why it had placed this machine here and as to why it was so large; most of the great machine was beneath the city as it was above and it was at work constantly, building new machines…machines known only as Exos. While most lived in luxury in the metropolis of Charlemagne, many were oblivious as to what went on below the city’s streets, under the sewers and in tunnels, and even beneath the foundations of some of the buildings in repair and maintenance hubs. Wild parties of youth and crime lord’s dirty deals ran amuck in the dark places of the age. Some will tell you that all was well, others will say that there were trouble makers, “outlaws” of the age, and I tell you the truth…there were many out laws in my time. For this was not only the age of new things that aid mankind even still today, but also the beginning of enemies schemes yet to unfold. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The underground club was at the height of its evening; all the cool kids, want-to-be celebrities, blend in guys, and trouble makers of the city were attending this rave. Completely against city ordinance 012-7b, this party was in violation to what had been hoped to have been left behind in Earths histories: the debauchery and sin of mankind. There must have been around twenty-five hundred citizens attending this party; only one was of any importance to me at the time. This particular rave was set up in a large underground maintenance chamber with several connecting tunnels; the chamber itself could fit a football stadium into it. Only four elevators led down here, otherwise you were left with a long climb down (and then back up) emergency exit ladders to some compartments that led to the surface. There were two manual elevators that a single person could use if they got trapped down in the tunnels or mines by themselves, but they had never had a reason to use them before. Hostess of the party had set up decorations all along the scaffolding and catwalks in the room; lights hung from rafters on the ceiling, flashing beams of light of many colors. Lasers and smoke screens were also placed in various locations around the area. DJ Lesly had set up shop on a lift in the very center of the room, blaring music on the speakers that was loud enough to wake the Devil himself; the bass shook the whole room so much it seemed the ceiling may collapse at times. Video screens and hologram devices presented visuals of pop culture icons of the era. Alcohol and drugs passed around like candy among the many attendees of the occasion, all dancing under the black lights, waving around their glow sticks and acting the fool. The air was filled men’s cheap cologne, girls’ expensive perfume, human pheromones, and bad rap music; the floor was littered with paper, glitter, broken bottles, other kinds of trash, and vomit. I walk slowly through the madness as not to draw attention too soon (then again, being 7 1/2 feet tall, you stick out in a crowd), for the hunt was on and my prey was close at hand… Two young people, one male and one female, danced together; the man had jet black hair that was short and combed down and was all decked out in black designer clothing. The woman was in a skirt that was too short for her father to allow her to wear any place else and had too much makeup on her face. Her hair was pink and she had tattoos on her body in discriminating places that would not be deemed appropriate by most. It was hard to tell their ages; my best guess was that they looked to be in their twenties. “So, you a new member around here?” The young woman asked the man she was flirting with. [b]Continued below.[/b]