“Put it on the main screen,” Waxillium said after a few seconds, paralyzed by growing realization.

Everyone was so absorbed that he startled them, then he had to repeat his words to drive the message home.

The screen on the wall flickered to life, with it came pictures of death and monsters. The news channel talked about an invasion from another realm. It proceeded to show a cut in the fabric of reality, one that looked exactly the same as the rift in the cavern above them.

“What-- what is this?” Waxilium didn’t usually swear but this was beyond anything he could imagine. This was a nightmare come true. “What do we know? Where else the rifts have opened?”

Once again, people just blankly stared at him.

“Snap out of it,” he said, putting the strength of his spiritual energy behind his words.

Everyone in the room shuddered, some found themselves on the verge of collapsing. These researchers were Level 1s and 2s. Their Mind and Spirit attributes were too low to withstand a blast from Waxilium. Except for one man who seemed only mildly irritated by the outburst of the spiritual energy. He didn’t say anything but Waxilium was quite perceptive. Thing was, Waxilium didn’t know the man and that was rare.

With a pointed finger, he asked for his name.

The man with a white mess on his head stood up slowly. To Waxilium’s spiritual sense, the man was Level 1, hardly equipped to withstand a Level 5 spiritual aura.

“Murphy Polloc, Senior Analyst.”

Ah.

The rising star of the World Government Science Division. Waxilium was aware that Freeman wasn’t coming alone but he considered the bunch of scientists who came to be Freeman’s eyes and ears. Waxilium wouldn’t be surprised if Freeman ran similar programs somewhere else.

“The President didn’t warn me that you’d come with him,” Waxilium said.

“Yes, Mr President wished to keep my departure from Lisbon quiet. I imagine substantial measures were employed to keep my identity hidden from unwanted attention.”

Murphy Polloc sounded calm, almost too calm. Maybe it was his way of coping with stress and shock. Even Waxilium’s mind struggled with what was happening in the world but he couldn’t show it to his subordinates. Leaders had to stay composed and calm in the time of a crisis or they’d lose control.

“Give us, a few minutes,” Waxilium said to the room. “The lower levels are clear and safe… and send Moonbane and Pizzaro here.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Researchers got to their feet and trickled out of the room, expressions of sorrow, resignation and shock on their faces. Waxilium couldn’t exactly understand their despair. They were safe here. Why did they bother with the world outside?

When Willow Croft stood up, Waxilium motioned him to sit down.

“This is a global disaster,” Waxilium said, his voice stern. “We must organise a squad and get the message to the President in the next thirty minutes. Without him here, we can’t make any decisions.”

The two scientists were silent.

“What’s the matter?”

“Families, my Lord,” Polloc said. “Almost everyone here has a family somewhere in the world. From what we’ve managed to gather, the rifts opened almost everywhere. So far, no one has reported a way to close them down or stop the efflux of the monsters. If this continues… we may be looking at an extinction-level event.”

Waxilium cursed because his fears took a shape and he could imagine the aftermath of this disaster where he’d have to take the blame for this. He didn’t think that Freeman would keep his seat after the public learned that he’d been behind this disaster.

His mind dictated him to cut all outgoing communication and go dark. Even if a hint got outside… No, that couldn’t happen. Families, well yes, that was a problem they couldn’t do anything about it. They barely had the manpower to stop one rift. The military would have to step up and take care of the rift outbreak. This was their job after all. Waxilium didn’t spare thoughts about his family as it was unlikely that they’d be affected. They lived in a stronghold with some impressive security.

“The military will take care of this,” he said. “And I guess there is very little data that can support them, right?”

“That is correct, my Lord.” They both agreed reluctantly.

Waxilium sighed. He needed their minds sharp and ready. With the secrecy of the rifts out of the picture, they had to act quickly to gain an edge over the military and political rivals. The solar system might be under the boot of the World Government but many political entities from the old world remained, hidden in the shadows of the new world. A good number of the leaders from the old world now sat in the World Parliament. These people had their own agendas. On top of that, Mars and Venus had gone through their separatist surges and had to be closely monitored lest they’d decide to break away from the World Government.

Rifts offered untapped potential, the essence they provided would increase the average level to new heights. The longer Waxilium thought about this, the more worried he was. If the World Government failed at showing unity in their political agenda regarding the rifts, the world might see another war sooner than they believed.

He explained this to the two men sitting in the control room with him. Willow Croft was a scientist to the core. To him, only the pursuit of knowledge mattered. Seeing him in this state, put a perspective on things. Not that Waxilium didn’t have the perspective on what was going on around the world, but Waxilium had a Level 5 Mind attribute and the resilience it provided was substantial.

Before they had a chance to resume their conversation, Moonbane and Pizzaro entered the room.

“Lord Earl,” they said sternly with thick displeasure in their tone. “You called for us.”

Waxilium nodded.

“We need to enter the rift and bring the President here, there has been a development…”

They noticed and their faces showed it.

“Is this real?” Moonbane asked.

“Yes. Rifts have appeared all over the world. We need the President now.”

“We’ve tried to get to the rift but there are too many wargs,” Moonbane replied. “We ran out of bullets and anyone below Level 3 is quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of monsters. How are we supposed to get there?”

“I have a Level 5 captain here in a cell. Take him and every Level 3 soldier in the compound you can find. You must bring President Freeman as quick as possible.”

“Will you be joining us?”

“No. Someone must stay in charge.” He didn’t say anything more. Anyone in the compound could be a potential whistleblower and could spell the end of Waxilium and Freeman. He had to ensure that nothing leaked out.

***

Waxilium walked out of the control room. He tasked Croft and Polloc with gathering data and composing a report. He needed to know how many rifts had opened outside of his base, what levels they were and most importantly what happened during the unsealing. Had the boy made a mistake?

Keynes Kid, right. I have to check on him.

Freeman would ask for details when he emerged from the rift. He wouldn’t be satisfied with half-answers.

Waxilium changed direction and went to the medical wing. Despite hundreds of opened rifts around the world, Keynes Kid was the most important asset in their possession. Unless we find a way to replicate his Talent, which may be hard. Since the assassination of Leon Kirmov whose Talent allowed him to transfer other people Talent’s properties onto magical formations and instruments, although not fully, the World Government suffered a substantial setback. Kirmov’s Talent would be extremely useful now.

The medical wing was busy. Nurses and doctors, of which the compound didn’t have many, ran from room to room. They hadn’t thought they’d require this many medics. Waxilium entered the last room in the corridor. He got irritated that no guards were posted there.

Inside, he found Keynes Kid, already awake, talking to a nurse. Ignoring the fact that all medical staff were busy, Waxilium asked her to get him a doctor. She withdrew immediately.

“How do you feel?”

Keynes Kid looked up, his bronze eyes blasted with recognition and he almost got out of the bed, seeing Waxilium.

“I feel fine.”

Such a poorly concealed lie. He’d suffered a great deal of damage during the act of opening the rift, Waxilium pushed his Talent to its very limits. His Level 5 upgrade allowed him to squeeze some extra juice from people affected by his Talent. Such people became stronger versions of themselves for a very brief moment but there was a price to pay. Especially when the person affected was only Level 1.

“Can you tell me what did you see? What happened when you were opening the rift?”

A door opened and a doctor walked in.

“Lord Earl, you called.”

“Yes, wait outside, please.”

When the door closed, Waxilium turned his head back to Keynes Kid. The boy stared at his hands and Waxilium felt a need to inject some urgency into this conversation.

“I know you remember. You have a photographic memory. Tell me, what happened?”

Keynes Kid looked up, shame evident on his face. But why?

“There was a system warning. It said: rupture detected. Even though it felt wrong, I continued, I couldn’t stop myself.”

Of course you couldn’t. I had my Talent at full blast. No one at your level could fight it.

“What else?”

“After I opened the rift, it warned me of a rifts outbreak. I lost my consciousness before the next system warning fully materialized.”

“Is that everything?”

Keynes Kid nodded, staring back at his hands.

“Are you still feeling the wrongness?”

“Only an echo of it. It felt like I committed a transgression against nature… Have I done something wrong?”

He sounded quiet, like a man crushed by guilt. How will he react when he hears about the world? No. We must shield him from outside information.

“No, you haven’t. Rest.”

Waxilium stepped out of the room. The nurse and the doctor waited for him. What was the deal with the nurse? Never mind, he’d find it out later on.

“His condition?”

“Is good,” the doctor replied. “But his mind… was exposed to an enormous amount of stress and I fear that there will be repercussions.”

“Repercussions?”

“Personality instability or a complete personality shift. It’s very difficult to say at this stage.”

So that was the price Keynes Kid had to pay for opening the rift before he was ready for the task. Waxilium wanted to sigh but he couldn’t. These people looked up to him. If the matter had been fully in Waxilium’s hands, he’d have never allowed Keynes Kid anywhere near the rift before he levelled up. Unfortunately, Freeman wanted the rift opened and now they'd have to deal with repercussions.

“Keep me posted. And.” He turned to go. “Do not tell him about the situation outside.”

The doctor’s face went white.

“We won’t, my Lord. Sakura will keep an eye on young Keynes. If something comes up we’ll report it immediately.”

“Good.”

A thin line appeared nearby and Waxilium’s heart skipped a beat. But instead of expected beasts, Kaito Ren’s head popped out.

“Sir, Mr Presidents awaits you.” Already? He didn’t expect them back for at least another ten minutes.

***

Waxilium stepped into the control room. Moonbane and Pizzaro, standing on each side of Freeman, looked a mess. Their clothes were torn and bloodied. There were signs of minor wounds on their bodies as well but they didn’t look bothered by them.

Freeman didn’t fare any better. Although his suit seemed to be in one piece, it was painted red, the same as his face. It gave him a demonic visage.

“It’s a relief to see you back unharmed, Mr President,” Waxilium said, then asked quietly—not that Freeman wouldn’t be able to overhear him—Kaito Ren. “Does your Talent work inside the rift?”

Kaito Ren shook his head then entered the portal back and the cut in the space vanished.

“Sit down, Wax.”

Freeman lost the jovial tone he’d had earlier. Waxillium noticed a sheet in front of Freeman. Windsor’s grey eyes hardened, resembling two diamonds as he stared at Waxillium.

“Do you understand what needs to be done, Wax?”

Waxilium dreaded this moment. He still harboured a sliver of hope though. He understood the collateral damage but murdering everyone who worked here was a step too far. Because it is what he is alluding to right now.

“We should go dark and wait this out.”

“Wait out?” Freeman asked incredulously. “There is—according to this document—over a thousand opened rifts around the world, providing unique resources to everyone and you say we should wait it out?”

“I meant the staff in this compound, sir. We still need people to analyse the rifts and keeping everything we know secret would only help us keep an edge over our rivals. We still have Keynes Kid and if the rifts that opened are all Level 1, then we will need him to open Level 2 rifts.” If they ever found them.

Freeman nodded, a little absentmindedly. Waxilium knew that the President was too smart to make such a mistake. He’d gain nothing by killing this base’s staff. They had acquired too much expertise and knowledge through their experiments to be taken out of the picture without consideration.

“You wish to preserve their lives. I understand that, Wax. But at the same time, every single person in this compound knows the incriminating truth. If it leaked out, the world would come after our heads. Are these people worth the risk?”

Waxilium didn’t answer right away. It’d only show his emotional side, which Freeman cared nothing about. When it came to risk management, that man sitting across the table was as cold as a machine.

“I believe that nothing has changed,” Waxilium said eventually. “We’ve been working on this rift for many years in secret. There is no reason we shouldn’t keep doing it. Certainly, the World Government will start another division, which would take ownership of all the rifts and we can steer that division from the shadows. We can re-train the staff here, making them more obedient and less likely to leak the truth.

“The World Government is filled with warring forces and they will seek to capitalize on the rifts but their research capabilities will never match ours and I think that is what matters. That is my opinion, Mr President.”

The little speech took a lot from Waxilium. He didn’t plan it, he improvised but he liked what he said. The World Government was far from the perfect or uniform organisation. Hidden Hand was necessary if they wanted to get anything done.

Freeman turned to his sidekicks.

“What do you think?”

Like always, Moonbane was first to speak up, “They cannot be trusted. We would need a system in place to ensure that no information is passed over to the public, which is impossible.”

Waxilium’s insides twisted. If Freeman would go with Moonbane’s recommendation, even Waxilium’s life might be in danger.

“That’s a valid point,” Freeman muttered.

“He also claims to be able to maintain the edge over our rivals and enemies but wasn’t able to predict this disaster.”

That… bitch. Waxillium wasn’t a resentful person, but Moonbane was stepping on the dangerous ground with her words. Waxilium and his family could never act openly if they wanted to punish her, as a member of the President’s office, she had immunity and an attack on her would be taken personally by Freeman. But her low level made her the perfect target for assassination.

Moonbane narrowed her eyes. Waxilium knew of her nasty Talent from his father. She could read the intentions of other people. Obviously, the Level and attributes penalty applied so she couldn’t get a proper reading from those above her. Still, there was a glimmer of suspicion in her. How could she think otherwise after antagonizing Waxilium like this?

“I don’t think there is a person in the world who could’ve predicted this. Let’s be reasonable here.” And if we had time to level up Keynes Kid to Level 2, this could have been averted but you were impatient, Freeman. Waxilium didn’t voice his thoughts knowing how deadly that would be. “We did our best. I am sure we gathered precious data and still have Keynes Kid.” Damaged and potentially useless though.

“Pullman?”

The dark-skinned man looked thoughtful. Waxilium braced himself for what was going to happen. If Pizzaro sided with Moonbane, this would be over.

“I do not believe it wise to change the current situation. This base and data gathered here are a tremendous asset and dismissing it would be a strategic error. Additionally, I do believe that conspiracy theories about the rift outbreak will soon appear and most of them will point at the World Government.” Waxilium didn’t expect this from Pizzaro. The man was quiet and the few encounters they’d had ended with a polite exchange of greetings.

“That settles it then,” Freeman said and stood up. “Call Polloc and Croft inside.”

With two scientists back in the room, Freeman turned to them.

“I will make it quick. I want all the data by the end of this week on my table. We have to work around the clock to figure this out. I will double your budget, triple it even, if necessary. Rifts are the future. Nothing else matters.”

He placed a pearly crystal on the table, a scroll and a rusty sword.

“Touch them.”

Rusty Sword (Common)

???

Level 1

Skill Shard

???

(???)

Scroll of Identification

(Common)

Level 1

“Are these… rewards from the rift?” Willow Croft asked.

“Yes.”

“If every item coming from the rift needs to be identified then the Scrolls of Identification will be sought after,” Murphy Polloc realized, his eyes widened.

Freeman nodded to that.

“An inception of a completely new economy. We-we would need to expand the team, include economists and more analysts… way more.”

Seeing the rewards, Waxilium felt a mixture of fear and exhilaration as if his Talent was used against him. These rewards presented untapped potential but also a massive risk. Those who control the most rifts would gain an upper hand and Waxilium didn’t think these organisations and nations would simply walk away from this opportunity and let the World Government control it. The rewards changed his earlier assumptions. They might have a problem.

“And there is one more thing,” Freeman said and brought the scroll to the crystal. Light flashed, both scientists faces went white but Freeman didn’t look like he cared. “Touch it again.”

Skill Shard

Fireball (Common)

(Level 1)

“What?!” every person in the room exclaimed, even Waxilium. This. Changes. Everything.