Time-Smith - Chapter 1: Evan’s Awakening (Patreon)

The sun was just beginning to rise over the sprawling slums of the city of Evercrest, and as the first light of day emerged, the city awakened, enveloped in its gentle, warm orange radiance. Its rays reflected across the dilapidated buildings and alleyways, like a magical filter, of sorts, that could make even the most run-down buildings seem somewhat picturesque.

The boy, who was decidedly not Evan, but a fellow nameless member of the slums, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, yawning as he sat up in his cramped, dimly lit bedroom. He could hear the sounds of vendors setting up their stalls outside, hawking their wares to unsuspecting passers-by who were still half-asleep and likely to make impulsive purchases.

He was just another face in the crowd, living in the city's lower quarter, where the air was filled with the scent of sweat and desperation. He had spent his whole life here, struggling to survive in a world where power meant everything. The boy knew he wasn't powerful. He was just a skinny, scrawny kid with nothing to his name but a rickety old bed and a few ragged clothes.

But today was different. Today was his testing day.

He dressed quickly, pulling on his best clothes and making his way.

He resisted the urge to run, barely, and walked through the bustling streets, giddy with anticipation, navigating through the sea of faces, all heading towards similar destinations—the closest testing center. Today was the day that every adolescent in the kingdom was tested to unlock the two skills they were born with. It was a day of excitement and terror, for the results of the test would shape the rest of their lives.

Everyone in the kingdom and everyone in the world would unlock their two skills at some point in their lives. It was a law of nature, a law of the universe, and a law some believed was once ordained and enforced by the gods. Just two, since the dawn of time. And while some unlocked their two skills in extreme and mana filled environments, others were artificially induced, in rituals that differed from city to city.

And in Evercrest, every adolescent had to undergo testing after their sixteenth birthday. It was a bi-annual ritual that had existed for as long as anyone could remember. They would be locked in a room heavily saturated with mana, and two skills would be unlocked - one, or both, fantastical. Although the unlucky few unlocked two skills that were just slightly more than mundane. Maybe they could run faster, work harder, or jump higher. But they never seemed to do more than just that. Congratulations, he thought glumly. You can run faster than the average jogger. Woo-hoo.

The boy who was not Evan, had been eagerly waiting for this day for years, hoping he would be granted powerful abilities like the other kids in his country.

The streets were bustling with activity, and the young man could feel the nervous excitement in the air. He had heard stories of kids who had been granted incredible skills—skills that could make them rich, powerful, or both.

The young man stood outside the door of the testing chamber, his heart pounding with anticipation, along with the countless others around him. The overseer—the local priest in charge of this facility—smiled and gave him a warm look as he entered the room. “No matter what happens today, boy, the clergy will always have room for you.”

The boy smiled back, thinking he would rather sweep the streets than dedicate his life to some dead God. Ah, the good old dead God backup plan. What an enticing offer.

The overseer was a good man, but so were most people in the city. He hoped his skills would allow him to avoid either mundane fate.

He had dreamed of wielding powerful magic, or perhaps unlocking the ability to move swiftly and quietly between shadows, or becoming a versatile aerial mage. But as he stood there, waiting for the door to open, his mind began to fill with doubt. He couldn't help but expect a useless skill, or even worse; something that would take a lifetime to master. What if he wasn't good enough? What if his skills were weak and useless? What if he was relegated to a life of poverty and servitude?

As he pondered these questions, the door finally creaked open, and a robed priest beckoned him inside. His heartbeat rose as he was led into the testing room. The room was heavily saturated with mana, the air thick with power and possibility. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. The priest began to chant in a language he didn't understand, with words sounding suspiciously like gibberish mixed with a foreign incantation, and the boy felt a surge of energy flow through his body. As he was bathed in mana, he felt a strange sensation wash over him.

The boy felt a surge of power, unlike anything he had ever experienced.

It was like he was being pulled apart piece by piece. He felt his skin tingle, his bones ache, and his muscles burn. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold on as the sensation intensified.

And then it was over. He lay on the ground, alongside the others, panting and sweating, feeling like he had just run a marathon. He felt different. His senses were heightened, and he could feel the magic flowing around him, like raindrops. He looked down at his hands and saw that they were glowing with a faint blue light.

The priest was close by. He could sense the flow of mana in the air, like being submerged. "You have been blessed with two unique skills. The first is the ability to manipulate water, and the second…"

He looked up to see the priest overseeing the youths leaning over him, his eyes wide with shock. "This can't be right," the priest muttered.

The priest whispered words inaudible, an unreadable expression spread across his face.

The nameless boy's heart raced as he waited to hear what his skills were. The priest hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "The second skill... is one that is only heard mentioned in legends," the priest said, his voice hushed and reverent.

"You have been blessed with the skill of [Immortality]."

The young man's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't believe it. Immortality? It was unheard of.

Was that even possible? To be Immortal?He had read about legends and myths of immortals, but he had never thought it could be real.

The priest continued, "With this skill, you will be able to withstand any injury or illness. You will never age or die. You will be immortal." The boy’s mind reeled with the implications of this revelation. He would never have to fear death, never have to worry about growing old or getting sick. He would be invincible. He felt a surge of excitement mixed with fear. He had a rare and powerful gift, one that would set him apart from everyone else in this world. He would have to learn how to use it to his advantage. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling. And he continued smiling even as he felt the currents of mana shift as the guards marched through the crowd to grab him.

The priest had motioned to the guards standing at the door, who quickly moved forward to detain the boy. The priest seemed to sense his confusion and sighed heavily. "You must understand, young man, that [Immortality] is a dangerous and volatile power. It has caused great harm and destruction in the past, and it is not to be trifled with."

No. No way.

The priest continued, "I'm sorry, young man, but we cannot allow someone with such a dangerous skill to roam free. You are to be taken into custody and brought before the Inquisitor for questioning. You will be released in the morning."

Like hell. Nobody had ever heard from anyone taken for questioning again, and those who returned only had useless skills with fanciful names.

The guards moved forward, their grip tightening like the jaws of a vise. The boy fought the guards with everything he had. His mind was reeling as he was led out of the testing room and into a nearby chamber where he was finally restrained. One guard summoned a taut whip of steel to restrain him. It moved like a snake.

He could feel the fear and confusion in the room, the other youths whispering among themselves as they watched him be taken away. The priest followed them into the room, a troubled expression etched on his face. "I know this must be hard for you, but please understand that we are only doing what is necessary to keep the city safe," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He tried to protest, to explain that he didn't know how to use immortality harmfully, that he wasn't a danger to anyone. But the guards simply tightened their grip on him, and the priest shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, my child. But the law is the law."

And with that, the boy was taken away, his future uncertain and his dreams shattered. As he was led down the dimly lit corridors of the church, questions gnawed at his mind, as he wondered what would become of him. Would he be executed for possessing such a dangerous power? Or would he be forced to spend the rest of his life in some dark prison cell, never seeing the light of day again?

The other teens in the testing room watched in stunned silence as the boy was taken away. They had all dreamed of unlocking powerful skills, but now they realised that those skills came with a heavy price. They whispered among themselves, wondering what would happen to the boy, and if they were punished for possessing fantastical abilities.

As the boy disappeared from sight, one thing was clear: the city of Evercrest was a dangerous place, full of secrets and power struggles that threatened to consume everything in their path. And the boy was now caught in the middle of it all, a pawn in a game he didn't even know was being played.

***

Evan watched all this in horror as the guards dragged the boy away, his fate sealed by the skill he had been born with. He had seen the terror in the boy's eyes as the priests discovered the skill. The skill of immortality was one of the most sought-after and dangerous skills in the world, and historically, those who possessed it were immediately hunted down by the wealthy elite for extraction. He knew the boy's fate was sealed. He attempted to swallow down the pang of sympathy he felt for the boy as it threatened to consume him. And a chill ran down his spine as he realised the gravity of his own situation.

He had always had a skill way before his testing day. Just the one. Ever since he was a child.

And he had just unlocked two more.

Now he had three.

How was that possible?... He wondered with excitement and dread in equal measure. Am I some kind of freak? Even [Hero]’s only have two…

Evan's gaze shifted to his own hands, memories from his childhood flooded his mind like a tidal wave crashing upon the shore. He had possessed a single skill long before his testing day. It had been his secret, a part of him hidden beneath the surface. He looked back to where another child was taken away, this one led quietly, with promises of special treatment.

Evan knew it was a lie.

He could hardly believe what he was seeing. He had always thought the church was supposed to help people, to protect them from harm. But now he realised they were just as much a part of the power struggles that plagued the city.