Even when one is heartbroken and full of grief. Work has to come first. He has to put on a false smile and hide away the sadness in his heart. A teacher has to be an example to their students and the community. The perfect representation of the Order’s ideals. There was no time or place to mourn, not when there was an expectation of what an Olympian should be.

  Frank rubbed his tired eyes as he pointed to the whiteboard. Giving a lecture about covalent bonds. ‘As stated yesterday, the central atom is located at the centre of the molecule.’ Frank uses a laser pointer to point at a crude drawing of the molecule structure. Circling the central dot to demonstrate his point. ‘You can see that the surrounding atoms are bonding with the central atom. Typically, though not always, for there are exceptions. The atom with the lowest electron affinity is often the central atom. When we identify the central and surrounding atoms. We will count the total number of valence electrons and add extra if the species has negative charges or remove some for every positive charge of the species. Next, we will write the central atom and surround it with the surrounding atoms…’

  Before he could finish his lecture, the school bell went off. Catching the old man off guard as he had forgotten to pay attention to the time. As his students were getting ready to leave school. Frank spoke up to give them a lesson, or at least a warning. ‘Remember, tomorrow you will have orientation day. Just because the Order Militant offers you all of these promises, it doesn’t mean you have to sign up right away. There are other avenues besides serving the military. You are all bright kids. I doubt they will appreciate your gifts if you sign up early.’

  He could continue on explaining, but he would be wasting his breath. Almost none of his students paid attention to his pleas. To most, the Order Militant was the only pathway that would give them meaning. Many were not as academic or magically gifted enough to have any hopes to join the Order Magica. The stringent recruiting requirements would make it that joining the Order Diplomatics was impossible without prior experiences in the other Orders. Because monsters were rare and almost all dangerous horrificas are deemed to be defeated or extinct. There was no point in joining Order Horrifica anymore. It didn’t help that the Order refused to recruit anymore ever since it was rumoured that the Order Horrifica would be disbanded shortly.

  Which makes the Order Discovery the remaining Order they could easily join. However, most of the jobs in the Order Discovery were not as respected as those of the other Orders. Nor does it provide as many benefits. No matter what Frank would tell his students. They all knew that sometimes, the best option for them would mean they might have to sacrifice their lives for some senseless war or cause. If the Order wants bodies for the meat grinder, they would have them.

  ‘Mister Creed.’ One student approached Frank. A strapping young man with long hair and black skin. ‘Can you help me with something?’

  Frank smiled before sitting down on his desk. Assuming that his student might need help with homework or to understand a concept touched during class. ‘Sure, Jayden. What do you need help with?’

  ‘Uh… yes,’ Jayden stuttered while he reached for his bag to hand over a crumpled piece of paper to Frank. ‘I just need someone to sign it for me.’

  Frank took the piece of paper from Jayden’s hands. Assuming he needed additional permission to go to orientation day. However, as he read it. He leaned back in his chair and laughed with joy. ‘You are getting an apprenticeship in cybersecurity?’

  ‘It is a new department in the Order Discovery. They are getting me to sign up and be a part of the new team.’ Jayden proudly replied, trying his best to hold back his excitement.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  ‘When are you going to start?’

  ‘After graduation, all I need is permission and I should be all good.’

  Without delay, Frank grabbed his pen and signed the paperwork before handing it back. ‘In that case, I want to congratulate you. I won’t lie and say I understand what the role entails. But I believe you will do wonders in that position. However, always remember to never extend yourself. Once you are in the Order Discovery, no other Orders can force you to join them. Regardless of what they say to you.’

  ‘Dude, I might not save the world. But I can at least work with computers.’ Jayden put his paper in his bag and quickly headed off. ‘Goodbye, Mister Creed. See you next week.’

  Frank waved him off. Joyful that after a long week of preparing and grieving silently. That there was some sort of good news. Jayden was a good kid. Technologically gifted and clever compared to his peers. In a way, the young man reminded Frank of Alek.

  When his mind went back to his former student, his joy faded away. Right there, he sat alone and mentally unable to move himself off his chair. He didn’t have the heart or the will to get up. Frank wanted Jayden to succeed in the newly formed department. Yet at the same time, he was worried for him. It was rare for people to die in the Order Discovery, but there was always some sort of risk.

  The teacher inside of him wept, for he wanted to give his students a future. He wanted to prepare them for everything and to promise them that things will get better and safer when they get older. All of it was just false hope. The Order desired to defend humanity at all costs. The life of an individual was meaningless, a resource to be spent when it needs to be spent. It was not a future, but a role enforced on every child born in Olympus. The only thing that mattered was the mission. Everything else was meaningless.

  ‘… Frank…’ a long-winded whisper spoke from behind him. Frank gritted his teeth, furious that The Voice was becoming louder. ‘Let me speak…’

  ‘No,’ Frank responded, opening his desk drawer to unlock his secret compartment to grab a bottle of port wine. He knew that there was a chance that The Voice would speak to him in class or at school. Normally it would be unacceptable to drink on the job. However, in situations like these. Frank can’t risk the safety of his students or people around him. No matter how self-destructive it may be to his health and mind.

  Before Frank can down a bottle of wine. The Voice spoke up. ‘Don’t! Put it away. We will talk back home.’

  ‘Promise?’ Frank whispers. He waited for a response but heard nothing. The Voice wanted to honour the agreement, and to prevent Frank from doing something desperate and stupid. ‘Okay, we will talk back home.’

  Frank put his bottle of port back into his secret compartment before leaving his classroom. Saddened and annoyed that he will have to talk to his shadow. He wished that The Voice would not emerge at this time, but there was nothing he could do about that. There were just some things he couldn’t prevent.