Chapter 1: The Age of Exotic and Technology

Bzzzt!! Bzzzt!! Bzzzt!! Kalen woke up quick. He heard the familiar ringtone that was coming from his military phone. “Shut the hell up! Don’t disturb me,” he complained in a grumpy tone. He was having the strangest dream that he was facing off against dragons and aliens.

“Shit, what time is it?” He quickly got up to get his phone to quiet his phone and check the time. His consciousness quickly cleared up. It took him a few minutes to find his phone and quiet it.

“Thank God, it’s only 0500. I still have time to get ready before morning drill,” he exhaled in relief. He went to the sink to wash his face and brush his teeth, before he suddenly recalled something important.

“Oh shit! Something happen to cause my phone to go off, if there was still time before drill. Shit! Shit!” He cursed has he ran back into the room for his phone.

There he saw a message notification on his phone. He unlocked his phone to read the message:

“Good morning squires, there is a change of plans. Starting today all squires will begin the advanced technology training. So, get your asses up and get ready for this new phase of training. Good luck! Knight Captain Reede.”

“No way!! I can’t believe this?” Kalen question loudly while he was jumping up and down.

“It is too exciting that we are starting the advanced training. This is so awesome." Kalen exclaimed in surprise, as he directly entered a completely giddy mood.

Kalen rushed to get dressed so he could be ready to start the training. He started reminiscing all the lessons he had about the advanced exotic and technology training. This was something that all squires look forward too, because it means that graduation day is approaching.

He also heard the rumors that the government was even suppling their own machinery, exotic knight armor, exotic weapons and other ammunitions that the squires could use. It felt so surreal, that Kalen thought this was a dream.

There is one rumor that he is the most excited to hear. There is talk about the provision of the legendary exotic stealth armor that was used to assassinate the former president of the Confederates States of America to the best squire, after all the points are calculated.

Confederate States of America is largest, most populated, strongest and the most prosperous country in the world right now. Kalen home country is just a small country at the corner of the world that has middle-grade military strength.

Kalen thought about his own country, the Kingdom of Camelot. It was named after stories about King Arthur and his knights. Camelot is among the lower-ranked countries, as in military power and technological development.

It is the 23^rd century, the age of majestic and technology. Technology is now at the peak of humanity. Kalen remembered an old quote from a famous professor from his country once said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution."

Technology has advanced so much that all children are augmented with implants that will boost their strength, intelligence, and other attributes. They can also gain access to the internet through these implants.

Children in every country now has these implants, starting from the age of 10. During the period of 5 years, the child is expected to learn everything that he/she needs through the implant.

Then it is at the age of 15, most children are allowed to focus on any profession they desire. But there are about 95% of parents that push their children into the military, to help build their country’s strength by becoming soldiers.

It is like in the primitive ages where strength was needed. But now it is military strength and technology that makes a country strong.

The combination of exotics and technology advanced military and medical. By advancing medical it helped to prolong life in humans.

The law and order of the world is handled by the new superpowers, these are the 5 biggest organizations in the world.

There is the Blackwater Mercenary Alliance, Hellfire Legion, The Sea Angels Alliance, Ottoman Empire, and the Confederate States of America are the true rulers of this era. CSA is widely known as the strongest force with the most territory.

CSA and Ottoman are the only 2 superpower countries. These 5 superpowers never stop fighting for any exotics. It allows them to further their technology to keep their status as the strongest powers in the world.

This tug of war has not yielded any significant impact for a century, as the big 5 are mostly evenly matched in terms of military strength. Even if one of these superpowers becomes more superior the margin will be too small to make any impact on the world.

After the Great War of Exotics and Technology the concentration of power shifted to the big 5. It led to the suppression of all other lower countries and organizations making them fight for survival.

Lower countries would invade other countries to gain their resources as the concentration of exotics are too low as the big 5 takes everything.

There is lot of resentment in the world against the big 5, but in this era the one with the biggest military might get to speak. Kalen came from a relatively average family, where both of his parents died on the battlefield fighting for their country.

Every country dream of creating the perfect soldier that would one day be so exceptional enough that they would be recognized by the big 5. This led to a sharp increase of people becoming soldiers, in the last century.

If the big 5 selects the exceptional soldier from the lower countries. That country will undergo vigorous changes that will help them advance their country and allows them to lean on the superpower for help.

The soldiers within the countries are only people who are treated better than any other job. They are better paid and receive better benefits. The other occupations cannot complete with the military.

While he was in the squire training base, Kalen was not best but the was among the better ones. He wants to make his mom proud to join a superpower, as it was the dream of every soldier. Kingdom of Camelot called their soldiers, knights.

Kalen already finished his bath and was dress ready to go.

“Kalen!! Kalen!!”

Kalen could hear an exceptionally loud voice outside his door that was yelling his name. It startled him and about made his thoughts go haywire from the noise.

“That can be only one person who can be this loud in the morning.” Kalen suppress his frustration and ran to the door. He was dressed in the standard Camelot squire black uniform and black boots.

“Kalen Drake, where the hell are you? You are going to make me late again. Hurry the hell up, fool.” Aledos grumbled.

Aledos is Kalen’s friend from squire camp, and both were 18 years old. They met at the squire camp 3 years ago and ever since them they got along so well, hence their friendship.

“Oh my, is it Aledos the drunken master. Hold on to your pants, I am coming.” Kalen replied sarcastically in a lazy tone when he heard his friend’s voice.

“Bastard, my name is Aledos Hawke. Kalen, don’t be trying me this morning, because I will give you a good pummeling before, we go into formation.” Aledos retorted with a dark face.

Aledos is a dark-skinned, with a muscular build unlike Kalen. Kalen was fair-skinned, with a mild athletic build. They were both 6 feet tall. Kalen opened the door and they both face each other with a stone-faced.

The tension started to build, before Kalen started to laugh. He bonked his friend on the head.

"Let’s get going. I am ready to head out. We don’t want to be late to 6am formation. Or do you want to face Knight Captain’s wraith.” Kalen asked in evil grin.

“Hell no! I don’t you drakenfool.” Aledos replied as he tried to keep his poker face, but he failed so miserably as he started to laugh. He hugged his friend and gestured them to get going.