Rimora

The music blared from inside of the building, as Zane Benson stood on Surreal Avenue.

"Are you sure we can get in?" Said a voice from behind him.

Behind Zane stood a boy, with shaggy blonde hair and hazel eyes. He also had a fair complexion, which was quite the opposite of Zane. He stood there, and looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

"I already told you Warren, don't worry about it. I do this all the time." Zane said. "There is no way we could get caught."

Zane was 16 years old, with dark blue eyes. His dark hair was slicked back and his complexion was darker than that of Warren's. He proceeded to unbutton his shirt revealing a device strapped on to the left side of his chest. A blue light glowed from the center of the device. Zane knelt down and pulled out a small disc like object from the right side of the device and placed it on the edge of the sidewalk, and rolled up the sleeve on his left arm. Strapped to his arm were two bands of metal connected by a strap that went across his forearm. A blue glyph appeared across Zane's arm and he began to swipe his fingers across the glyph.

"What are you doing?" Warren's eyes widened. "You know students aren't allowed to use the Manipulators outside of class. What if someone catches us?"

"No one is going to catch us Warren. I swear sometimes you worry yourself too much, don't you trust me?"

Warren stayed silent as Zane turned back to his glyph and went back to his work. After a few moments with his glyph the wall materialized, and the two boys began to walk through the wall as if it wasn't there.

The two boys walked through to the other side and to Zane's surprise they found themselves in a room, where there was no music, and no people. Instead the room was silent, and lit by a single overhead lamp. There was nothing else, in fact the wall that they had just walked through had become totally solid. Zane attempted to materialize the wall, but nothing happened.

"The Code locked me out!" Zane smashed his fist into the cement floor, almost breaking the disc, and his hand. "We've been traced!"

In a dark room stood two men. They stared at a screen that faintly lit the room. The first man was clean shaven, and had a slight grin on his face. His eyes followed close to the screen, which revealed the two boys. The second man had a beard that was made into one thick braid, and he was bulkier than his companion. He was posted up against the wall, facing the screen. He moved, and walked closer to the screen.

"Student number 23965." The first man said, breaking the silence in a soft and soothing voice. "Zane Benson, Tech Class, bright, quick, and has quite the hot head. Also...a record of trouble."

The next man spoke with a raspier and but still soothing voice. "The Techs can be difficult to break sometimes. Who's the other one?" He asked.

"Student number 32581. Warren Gray" The man continued. "Bulk class, shy, capable, and tends to worry. Also known for his curiosity.

"Gray? Marshal Gray's boy?" The second man said, stroking his goatee. "This surely is a sight to see."

The first man began to speak "What do you say we introduce ourselves to our guests? He said as he reached under his coat, and took a disc similar to the one Zane used before, and placed it on the wall, left of the screen. A glyph appeared over his left arm, revealing metal bands, also similar to Zane's, only these ones were far more complex in how they were operated. He strobed his finger across the glyph several times in several different patterns. In a brief moment a door appeared in front of the two men, and they proceeded into the newly materialized door.

In the single lamp room, the two boys stood, staring at the door on the other side of the room. Their eyes widened as the door swung open, and the two mysterious men walked into the room. Their breathing began to get heavier.

"Good evening Mr. Benson, and Mr. Gray." The slender man closed the door. He kept a calm look on his face, as did his colleague. Zane and Warren stood there silent but attentive to the two men. There a subtle silence that came over the room. "Well I see that you aren't ones to talk. Allow me to introduce ourselves, my name is Farren Chapel, and my associate here is Barron Sergus."

Zane spoke up, "Wait, what's going on?" He said.

"Barron why don't you explain to them exactly who we are?" Chapel said looking at Barron, who was posted up next to the door, with his arms folded across his chest.

Barron stood up from against the wall, and walked to the center of the room under the lamp. "We are a with a group of people, who are looking to change how this city is ran. We are looking for people with special talents and attributes. People who have been able to use their Manipulators with a higher caliber."

"I don't like this Zane; I think we need to get out of here." Warren said.

"Higher caliber? What exactly are you talking about?" Zane asked, ignoring Warren. "How did you guys catch us?"

"You see, we kept an eye on you and your friend for some time, Zane. You, and a few others. We have kept track of you and your antics, you're a very bright kid you know. Then there's you Warren, you're the famous Marshall Gray's son." Warren shot his eyes up at the man. "We would like to extend our hand to you, and invite the both of you to join us." Barron stretched his hand out toward the two boys.

Zane took a step closer toward the two men, "What problems with the city are you talking about?" he said to the man.

"Problems dealing with the people and their oppression." Chapel said stepping into the light, while Barron's hand lowered back to his side. "Surely you two see it."

"What are you talking about?" Warren said, looking at Chapel for an answer. "Rimora is a prosperous city."

"But not all of it is prosperous." Chapel said, gripping his fist. "There are different sectors that don't have the means to protect themselves from the dangers outside of the cities walls, and the city does nothing to help them. We want change for these people."

"Different sectors?" Zane asked in confusion.

"He means the outer sectors outside the gates." Warren stated. "The only people living there are thugs and criminals."

"Only because they have been reduced to those acts!" Chapel said. The tension in his voice put the room in a silence.

Barron spoke up "Now are you interested, or not?" He said stretching his hand back out.

Zane stepped up to the man with the shaved head. He began to lift his hand to meet Barron's, beads of sweat glimmered in the palm of his hand.

"No!" Warren said. He slammed the center of his chest, and began to run up to the two men, while a red glyph appeared over his chest. Something began to materialize from his spine, and The Code began to run through his veins. What looked like scale armor started to cover his skin, starting from his spine, and ending at the tips of his toes and fingers. From the vertebrae of his neck came a visor that covered his eyes, and went over his head forming a helmet.

Every muscle in his left arm tensed up as he swung his arm toward Barron, and each of his hands looked as if he were gripping on to something. The Code, running through his body began to focus in his hands, and in his left hand a handle appeared. At the top of the handle small fiery tiles began to form upward, and formed a blade that was as long as his torso. It curved at the top and a dim glow came from the blade. In the boy’s right hand, he donned a shield that The Code had formed for him. The shield was made out of small octagonal tiles that glowed with a red hue.

The sword came down toward Barron, but before making contact, Chapel was able to interpose himself between Barron and the boy and stop the blade. He used a buckler, strapped to his right forearm, that had materialized from his Manipulator.

"We are not looking for a fight, boy." Chapel pushed his buckler forward, shoved Warren back, and caused him to stumble back onto the floor. "But if you're wanting to start one, we will certainly finish it.

Warren grunted and got back up on his feet. He looked at the two men, and took a deep breath in, and exhaled. He charged after Chapel with his sword back, posed to swing. Chapel braced himself for the coming attack.

"Stop!" Came a voice from behind Warren. Warren halted his actions, and turned to see that Zane was standing there with a glossy look over his eyes. Zane approached Warren, and the two men.

"But Zane, I-" Warren's brow raised, and his eyes widened.

"No, Warren." Zane said. The hair on his arms started to raise, and a chill went down his spine. He turned to Chapel, "I'd like to go now."

"I see, well we can let you go." Chapel said. He brought the arm piece on his forearm in front of him, and his glyph opened from the device. He began to make a series of strokes, with his finger, across the glyph. "The door should be opened now."

Zane and Warren moved toward the door that they had previously walked through.

"Oh and Zane," Chapel said. "We will expect an answer."

Zane glanced down for a moment, and continued through to the outside.

"Why did you let him go?" Barron said.

"Because, my friend, we need to give him the choice." Chapel put his hood over his head. "We'll continue to keep an eye on him."

"What of the Gray boy? He's proving to be an obstacle." Barron said.

"Zane will make his decision concerning Warren in due time. Who knows?" Chapel said. "Maybe he won't have to lose Warren."

On the other side of the door, the two boys stood in the light of the street lamp. Zane felt the warmth of the light at the top of his head, as a cool breeze began to blow across their faces, and Warren's hair faintly brushed across his cheek. Zane looked down, and his eyes lingered to the left.

"Are you alright Zane?" Warren said.

Zane looked up at Warren. "Yeah, I'm fine." Zane said.

"Those guys are crazy." Warren turned to Zane, who was facing the building. "They have no idea what they're talking about."

Zane looked over his shoulder to Warren. "I think we should get back home."

"Are you alright?" Warren said.

"I'll be fine." Zane inhaled deeply, and let out his breath. "Let's go."

The two began to walk down the street. Neither of them said another word, the whole way home.