Ascension of The Ashen Fiend: Chapter 16 Given Task (Patreon)

Stepping into the familiar room, Thane had a polite smile fixed in place as entered Olivia's office, "Oh Thane, on the dot. I had a feeling you would be punctual."

Oliva closed her PRD and gestured to the open chair in front of her desk, "Please sit. I've been looking forward to this talk."

"Well, that makes two of us, though I'm surprised this is only the second time we've met. Though I guess the timing is appropriate." Thane's heart skipped a beat as he thought about the very near future.

"Yes, it is, six months gone in the blink of an eye, but more has happened to you in these months than the rest of your life," Olvia said morosely as she stared at Thane with pity in her eyes.

Thane stiffened for a second before relaxing, "Yes, learning that you only have a few years to live would be a life-changing event for anyone." Unbothered by the bluntness of his response, Olivia continued, "Is that the only reason why you're doing this?"

Not knowing where she was going with the question, Thane shrugged, "Is there supposed to be another reason? I thought I made my reluctance about this whole arrangement clear. Honestly, after you offered to make me an employee of AtherTechnologies, I planned to fail the entrance exam on purpose."

Again Olivia didn't react to this revelation and nodded as if she expected this, "Your hands are tied, but I don't think you understand what you're getting into. And for that, I apologize. I feel as if I have failed you to that degree."

"I think I understand the dangers, and I don't know how you would prepare me for them. Outside of somehow throwing me out of Bastion and onto the surface."

Olivia shook her head, "Unfortunately, I am not talking about that. If you make it into the Academy, your fellow students will be almost exclusively from the upper levels. Among them, some will undoubtedly plot your downfall. They believe that being an Arbiter should only belong to those of a certain class."

"You mean the Refined. That's the term they use for the inner three rings and people who live there." Thane couldn't help but grind his teeth together as a familiar surge of anger washed through him.

Olivia nodded, "Yes, I do. Some extremists, however, believe that the Refined are a different species from those in the outer rings or Slums. Seeing themselves as the next stage of human evolution."

Thane's knuckles popped as he clenched his fist tight, "Is that all you wanted to tell me about today, how fucked I am, even without taking in the fact I have to fight horribly mutated creatures that could kill hundreds of people within minutes."

"No," For once, there was a touch of anger behind Olivia's voice, "I have no doubt you can handle yourself in such an environment. I need you to keep an eye out for my daughter. I've kept her isolated down here for too long. I feel as if she is underprepared for the political minefield you two will enter. People will try and exploit her for future gains while secretly hating her unique appearance. Naomie is smart enough to see through these attempts. However, she lacks the discretion needed to handle the situation like a diplomat and often ends up insulting or outright assaulting those who tried to manipulate her."

After a moment of thought, Thane nodded he could very clearly picture the image Olivia was painting, "Okay then, I'll try to blow out any embers before the whole thing goes up in flames. Is that all? If it is, I need to get my clothes ready for tomorrow."

Olivia blinked, "I didn't expect you to accept so readily. Last I understood, you and Naomie had a bit of a falling out."

"I don't feel like talking about it," Thane said with a yawn before he stood up and moved towards the door, "And thank you, Olivia, for what's to come and for what you've done."

Not waiting for a response, Thane left the room, leaving Olivia silent as she stared into space.

---

Naomie brushed back her hair out of her eyes as she glanced at the time displayed by her PRD. Today was the day, their last week of training had passed by in the blink of an eye, and now it was the morning of the exams.

Naomie's heart fluttered as she thought about what was to come, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself, "Ah, I remember that feeling." Opening her eyes and turning around, Naomie flashed a nervous smile at Charles as she stopped beside her on the driveway curb.

"The nervous tension, wondering if all you've done is going to be enough in the end." Charles chuckled as he reflected on his own journey, "You shouldn't worry, Naomie. I have trained thousands for the company and as a private tutor. With all that, you and Thane are some of the best I've taken under my tutelage."

Naomie smiled for real as some of the pressure was taken off her shoulders, "Thanks, Charles, I just can't help myself. All my life I've worked towards the Academy, if I don't make it in…I don't know what I'll do with my life." Naomie whispered her last words but Charles heard them anyway.

After a long moment of silence, Naomie couldn't help but look at the time again, "It's not like Thane to be this late. Normally, he arrives ten minutes early at the least. We're supposed to leave in five minutes."

"It's called being fashionably late." As if she had summoned him, Naomie heard the doors to the compound open behind her, followed by Thane's voice.

"Oh shut up, you're not even…." Naomie trailed off as she turned around and stared at Thane. His hair was different. Instead of leaving his hair out, Thane had it partially pulled back, exposing his entire face but still retaining a relaxed quality.

Thane was wearing an electric blue hoodie, a black short sleeve shirt, and a pair of shorts over a pair of thin elastic running pants. Thane's mask has also changed. The solid chrome was replaced by a faceted pattern of hexagons resembling some polished black stone.

The ride to the testing facility was mostly silent as Naomie was too beset with nerves to keep up a conversation while Thane's eyes were firmly glued to the scenery outside the car.

They had used one of the five main roads that served as the only way to move between rings in Bastion. Thane had never been outside the seventh ring, so immediately shooting up to the first was an entire world of difference.

While packed just as densely in the seventh ring, the buildings were taller and more glamorous, lacking the signature graffiti Thane was accustomed to. Thane was also shocked when he saw a family of five casually walking down the street, "What are they doing?"

Thane couldn't help but wonder out loud, "They're going for a walk, probably to one of the nearby parks." Naomie chimed in, her tone making it seem like the most obvious thing in the world.

Thane suddenly realized yet another between the rings in Bastion, no one from where Thane lived walked for the sake of it. Every street and alley belonged to one nefarious group or another. Walking alone, unarmed, was just asking to be robbed and most likely more.

Eventually, Thane grew tired of watching the ivory towers he would only get to see from afar as the wanderlust quickly wore off. Thane couldn't help but think back to the conversation he had with Olivia. He had dressed up in order to put his best foot forward and try to adapt to the environment he would soon be immersed in.

Leaning his head against the window, Thane's mind was dragged into a part of him he hated, 'I can't give up who I am. I won't be cast aside and forgotten, not like her. I can't let that happen.'