Fateless Anointed

Born 20 years after a new era began. Enough time for the Anointed to be romanticized instead of seen for the struggles they faced daily due to the Inscription.

His life in the capital was easy. Not spoiled, just well-off. Compared to others, at least. Those outside capitals weren't safe at all. The capitals weren't either, at least a little. Sure, the Fiends were near calamitous to normal people, but with Anointed concentrated in capitals for quick response there wasn't much to worry about. Unless there was an Emergence.

The walls were a comfort to the people who saw the descension of the Inscription. They were confining to the new generations imaginations, but often that which was outside the walls went beyond the children's ideas. Valen was told this, as were all children, but their angst didn't heed the advice.

Albeit only 40% of people became Anointed, all children were taught survival skills starting at 10 years old. No one could predict the Anointing after all. Despite that, Valen didn't understand why he had to take survival skills. It was all so distant to him. His attitude only got worse the more he was scolded for it.

14 and he was able to handle various forms of weapons in a way that wouldn't end up hurting him. Of course the training for children could never match up to the Trials. Life and death situations surpassed training in all ways. The headstart helped the eventual Anointed though.

15 and everyone he knew was scared. Peers for themselves and friends, adults for him and his peers. Still, Valen went unfazed. His apathy won him no one's reverence.

He continued school, sought out future plans, set himself up for success. Nothing dangerous ever happened to him, other than that one time a kid a year older looked at him menacingly. Every time he thought of that day in first grade, he shivered.

His survival classes intensified. All weapons were familiar now. No styles or anything were taught, just how to wield and use them to defend oneself. Even weapons that weren't found in the Other Side were taught. The best example would be firearms, no such weapon ever worked there. Anything from Earth, really.

An Anointed came to his school. She wasn't anything special. Sure, the Inscription heightened her human limit, but she was still human. She gave a depressing speech about how one of her friends died in her arms or something. Valen didn't pay attention. The Anointed, visibly displeased, made him an example.

"Complacency kills you. If you aren't willing to learn or even listen to those trying to help you, write your will. You'll never have a day regretting your arrogance." Her gaze and movements didn't have to be followed to know who she was talking about. Everyone in his grade knew and disliked him for his demeanour.

The informative lesson truly opened his eyes to how far removed he was from such things. He doesn't need to learn about how dangerous it is. Does it matter at all, if he isn't chosen? He won't be, so he didn't care.

October 28. 16 years old now. The beginning of the age where the Inscription anointed humans. Once he was 20 he was safe. His parents cried on the inside when thinking of their baby boy dying in the Other Side. This would never happen, of course. With this life, how could it? His classmates' mood sunk visibly as more disappeared from school after accepting their Trial. When people were sick and couldn't go to school you could see their friends think them dead. He laughed inwardly when he saw this. Even if someone he knew was taken he wouldn't be sad; he was close to no one. The adults around him tried over and over to change this self-imposed isolation but he never budged. Why would he when people only bring problems to the table?

More classmates were anointed. Only if they awoke would they be fully-fledged Anointed. Everyone felt relieved, except Valen of course, as the amount of classmates anointed was even slightly above the average percentage of 16 year-olds chosen. This obviously meant they were safe. Why wouldn't they be when the average is passed?

Fate played cruel, however, as a few more were taken. Valen and his arrogance remained, to everyone's chagrin.

Crueler was the Inscription. Valen sat as his attention veered off. His imagination got especially vivid as he thought of some weird message.

The Message.

THE Message!

He went paler than a vampire's corpse. Hands shaking like jelly in an earthquake. Sweat pouring an amount that'd make a sauna cry.

His once stalwart figure had broken. Gazes were directed towards him. Smiles erupted across the class as they understood what just happened. Even the teacher couldn't help but grin.

Valen stood up the best he could and started leaving the class. Laughter from behind annihilated everything that defined him. He clung to the wall so he could walk. Such a reaction was rarely seen, some anointed ones even became ecstatic when seeing the Message.

His mind was blank as he reached the nurse.

"God, what happened to you!" Symptoms of shock were clear as he stepped in.

"The Message." He reached a bed and collapsed.