Chapter Text
The train compartment swayed slightly to the side before it was rightened again. Jaden, an eleven-year-old Vrath, repositioned himself on the too plush sofa he had yet to get used to. His dark eyes never left the metal pixel screen of the dented handheld game console in his hands.
A metal screen mounted in the corner of the train compartment showcased a horse obstacle race. The announcers talked rapidly as each contestant took their turn to complete the challenges. Going over information from the horses’ accomplishments as well as the riders’.
The Race had taken place days before, but it was not until today this part of the world had gotten access to it. A group of adult Vratho seated in the common area had argued loudly about the rumor that number 69, Blacklight, had won the entire thing.
Jaden clicked one last button on the game console before the interface screen messaged, "you have run out of time. The Storm is here. A herd of bat monsters has managed to get through the shield. Your set up protection barriers have been activated. You won't be able to use the gate to travel to another zone until the storm has moved past your area. Upfill your duties, as a Ranger and Vratho of the community, and protect your zone and its inhabitants."
He brushed his straight black hair out of his eyes. He mounted his in-game horse. He had only about 30 shots with the pistol before his magic would run out. Which meant, if this round would be like any other times he had played this part, he could only have five misses before he needed to use other measures to kill the bat monsters.
Jaden pressed on the menu button to at least recheck if he could save his progress. "You are not able to save your progress as long as the storm is nearby. If you are not able to protect yourself and the zone you will be sent back to the beginning of the quest’s starting point."
Jaden herded the last cows into the barn and locked the door hoping all his protection spells would be enough. He added an extra ‘don’t come in’ card onto the door. He needed to keep his character alive and have at least 50 percent ‘saving’ points to not be sent back. Or less than 50 percent failing points, he thought.
I can do this, he thought, all be the best and strongest out there.
Jaden checked his gear and the potions that he had spent an estimated three hours to locate the ingredients for.
Jaden was prepared this time. He would have enough potions for him to heal in a time sensitive situation. His character gulped down one of the potions for extra strength.
He set the horse into a gallop towards the herd of bat monsters.
The game wasn’t known for having well done immersive experience, but it was meant to be life educating. So, when Jaden found himself barely hitting the bat monsters with his gun. He shouldn't have been surprised that he needed to once again use his dagger. Jaden jumped from the horse saddle and tackled one in midair to the ground to insert the dagger into the creature’s throat. The remaining monsters escaped and caused havoc on anything and everything, both living and not.
The metal buttons let out vibrating sounds as he went through the repetitive movements of in-game battle.
The Message screen appeared again, “You have failed. You’re out of time to save enough lives. You will be sent back to this quest’s beginning. Better luck next time.”
Jaden clicked onto the menu. Showcasing his username RavenDuck and above that MysticRanger and beside the name stood, the game completed 100%.
That must have been Foxelite’s, the most awesome ranger that lives, username, in his humble opinion. The ghost ranger gave him this game console after they had defended him when he got in trouble for the last time at his old boarding school. Jaden barely believed it when Foxelite showed up in his old principal’s office on his behalf.
So, he thought that if he completed this game, then maybe he could show his progress to Foxelite. The Vratho would be so impressed that they would agree to help him find his family out in the wild. Or they would take him as their apprentice, which wouldn’t be so bad because then he would be able to go and find them himself. And then… Jaden wasn't sure what would happen next.
"Next station, Town of Nova," The Train announcer said. "This is our last station. If you travel further, you will need to contact individual travel caravans to travel further on this tangent."
Floating threads of green and orange slid against the train's outer shell. It went from pink and purple to blue and red to dark brown. Interwoven pearls shining as the only light in the cosmos.
"Can you sense that?" A woman said outside his compartment door.
Jade immediately draws in his magic to his core. Masking himself as much as possible. Taking a deep breath imagining that he could push his nerves inward, following Foxelite’s directions.
"Sensed what," a man asked.
"I thought I sensed Outcast," she said.
"I'm sure they wouldn't let any danger board the train. It's a family friendly travel company."
"That doesn’t stop bandits."
"Mommy, bad bandits?" A child, perhaps 2 or 3 years old, asked.
"I'm sure it's nothing. We should go back to our seats. We are almost at our destination. And there will be many good rangers there," she added to the toddler.
Jaden listened to their footsteps as they walked further down the train.
Jaden looked down at the game console in his grasped hands letting his bangs slide over his eyes. Who was he kidding? Why even pretend. Foxelite wouldn’t go out into the wild in search of his family just because he completed a stupid children’s game. Nor would they take him on as an apprentice.
He was an Outcast after all. They only belonged in the ranger stories to be villains. Foxelite was too important for them to spend time on him. They were a top-class Ghost Ranger, who appear in legends told by the fire. He was just a Vrath branded with the mark of an Outcast since birth.
Jaden put the dented handheld game console into his overstuffed travel backpack that contained everything he owned.