Wrrrrrrr………

The leaf platform lowered to the main lobby. Archamed and Kai dismounted and watched the Chaperone ascend once more after they got off.

“Praise the Most High, we made it out.” Archamed exhaled.

Kai watched him curiously.

“You had a plan if things went south, right?

Archamed watched him with a confused expression.

“Absolutely not. Those are Seraph 1 models. Just two of them might have been enough to take me. But 12? We would have been flattened in no time.”

“You-...I…” Kai tried to find something to say but couldn’t fathom why he would try something so stupid.

The two boys stood in silence for a moment. A minute passed, then two. Finally Kai spoke up.

“Archamed…” Kai started. Archamed turned and faced him.

“Your Father…was my master, Kenta Lonestar,” Archamed started.

Kai’s body goes cold hearing the term father once more. His mind was scrambling trying to process it all.

“He was one of the greatest Saints to ever live and an even greater follower of The Most High. He was like an uncle to me. He taught me many things in his time with us, almost as many things as my own father.”

“My mother said he was dead. She never told me he died being a …”

“He died a hero,” Archamed assured him.

Kai smiled back at him but Arch could tell that his words did not resonate.

“I guess, I never really thought about him, so I'm kind of taken aback,” Kai said as his voice trembled.

“Hehe, I guess I should be glad right? Seems he was revered by your people. I can’t be mad I never met him…” Kai was interrupted by Archamed placing his hand on his shoulder.

“It’s fine Kai. In the past two days your world has been turned upside down and more. But I assure you, nothing is your fault and nobody is asking you to pretend to enjoy it,”  Archamed assured him.

He removed his hand and returned it to his hoodie pocket.

“It's okay to be upset. Your father chose his duty over being a part of your life. No man should ever have to make that choice. No child should ever have to bear that fate.”

“Though, I think in time, you will learn to forgive him.”

Kai looked into Archamed’s eyes. For a split second, he thought he could see some life… not his usual monotonous gaze. Archamed glanced down to the translucent sleeve on his arm.

“It’s about time.”

He turned around and faced a LifeGate door.

“Don’t let that showing in the hall discourage you. Most people here are great. They’ll take care of you,” Archamed insisted.

“No.”

He looked over his shoulder and stared at Kai. The boy’s whole body was shaking and he gritted his teeth until there was a grinding sound.

“I’ve grown to respect you Archamed, but don’t give me that crap.”

He looked up at him with determination in his eyes, pushing past his insecurities. 

“You said you're fulfilling your master’s will right? Well he may have been your master…but he was MY father!” 

He walked toward him as Archamed turned around fully. 

“I’ve lost him forever. I lost my mom forever! If there is any way I can be closer to them after death then…”

Kai grabs his hoodie and pulls him closer.

“You need to take me with you. It is my right. And you have no grounds to tell me otherwise,” he stated in a quieter but more intense tone.

Archamed stared at him and no one spoke for several seconds. His mind went back to that place, with his master.

“Ten years from now, Kai will be 16 years old. I want you to go and take him from the ITCU and put him somewhere safe. Somewhere that will keep him out of the way of the Saints and the Hold.” His master told him all those years ago.

Archamed listened for a moment. His thoughts raced but the more he pondered, the angrier he got, causing him to lash out.

“That is NOT your decision to make. I could never grant such a request.”

His master laughed to himself boisterously.

“I figured you'd say that. Let’s make a bet then.”

His master turned and faced him revealing a young caucasian face. There was a scar that pathed down the center of his right eye and he had a cocky smile protruding toward the young Arch. He certainly appeared too young to be anyone’s father or a master of any sort.

“How’s this? Take Kai from the ITCU as I said. Reveal the Saints to him, allow him to see the servants of the adversary….maybe even expose him to the Court. He will definitely want nothing to do with any of it. When that happens, I want you to take him to the Promised Land and seal him off from Astia.”

He turned back around.

“But if he does choose to stay with the Saints…”

A tear rolled down his face, unbeknownst to Archamed.

“Then take care of the fool, Arch. Teach him everything I’ve taught you. Don’t let any of the Sovereign Courts have him. Most importantly, lead him to the Most High. If that happens, something special will await you.”

In the present day, Archamed looked at the young Kai Smith in his determined eyes as he gripped on to the ends of his hoodie.

“You’ve lost this bet, master. But now that the moment is here, I really wished you hadn’t.” He thought to himself.

He took Kai’s hand and pulled it from his hoodie and sighed.

“You have no idea what you're asking.” He began,

“But very well, you can accompany us. Only until the mission is done.” He responded.

He walked towards the tunnel and Kai stood still for a while and then his eyes widened.

“Wait, what just happened?” He thought to himself.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

He turned around to see Alex still at the front desk.

“Good job wonder boy. That’s the first time I’ve seen someone make Arch change his mind in yeeaaars…” He said, impressed.

Archamed stopped walking near the exit tunnel.

“By the way, you have to change it.” Archamed says.

“Change what?”

“Your name. It’s a tradition of sorts. The Saints may be guardians of Haven, but ultimately we are servants of the Most High. That differentiation sometimes puts us at odds with the leading powers.” He faced him once more.

“The seventh generation are strangers in their own world and in others. Cast off your old life. Neglect who you were before.”

Kai watched as several of the Sanctuary’s yellow light-bug drones descended from above and encircled him.

“Your mother shortened your name to Kai when you lived with those in the ITCU. But you are not that boy from PinkShell any longer”

His face radiated with surprise.

Kai watched as the yellow lights tugged on his clothes pulling and stitching the cloth with their microscopic legs. Several hundred more joined in until eventually the boy was fully encased by the glowing hive. After several seconds, they flew away. As Kai emerged, he found himself wearing a green jacket similar to the one that he left behind at Mr. Sacclin’s house. His mother told him that it was his father’s own and it was the only thing he left behind for Kai in the ITCU. 

“Your full name is Kaizen…Kaizen Lonestar. That was the name Kenta Lonestar bestowed to you at birth and it’s the name you will use while you walk with us.” Archamed stated to him.

“Kaizen…” He echoed in realization as well as acceptance. 

“It’s important to remember where you came from,” Archamed started as he walked toward him. He poked him in the chest with a single finger,

“While not letting it keep you back from what you will become.”

Kaizen looked down to see that his green shirt was gone. Instead it had been replaced with a simple white tee with a golden circle in its center. It was a simple design, but memorable nonetheless. He pulled apart his new green jacket and admired it.

Archamed approached the exit once more as Kaizen observed his new outfit.

“Archamed,” He started,

“...Thank you.”

The young Saint nodded without turning and proceeded through the LifeGate.