It was a silent car ride to Evernest. Alyx was still trying to get his head around what had happened. He had woken up this morning just having graduated from high school and already had his ideal future planned out. He would go to a nice community college and major in something simply like business administration and get a nice office job. It would have been a simply blissful life. Now, he was in the back of a army truck with a Commander, 2 soldiers and a hooded man that only he could see apparently. He sighed to himself. He looked up to Morris and tried to meet gaze. Morris, however, was careful to not look at Alyx.
'Why should he...according to him I'm just a disaster waiting to happen'
He remembered to look on everyone's face when he had stepped out of the tank, fully mechanized into Hades. He remembered seeing himself in the mirror. A devil. That was what he had looked like. Pitch black metal with red accents, horns and spikes along his shoulders. He had looked like a devil.
"Alyx Sorozin...the second champion of Hades...The Betrayer."
Morris had explained that Hades had been the one to bring the Calamity to Earth and was branded a traitor. He had not helped in the war against the beasts. The world had decided to
hide the truth from the public but it was common knowledge in the Force. He looked up at the hooded man, who he had silently named Primis. He had sworn his innocence, and once he had bonded more with Hades he would come to learn the real truth. Alyx was still upset that he was the next champion. He had wanted a normal easy life and yet here he was, champion of Hades. One of the 12. Others would have been excited. This was a dream for some. For him, this was just another thing people were going to hold him responsible for.
The hooded man looked up at Alyx and spoke.
"We are connected you know, I can feel your emotions and thoughts. I know this isn't what you wanted but it's been decided. Your only way out is to die."
'I may just at this rate'
He had heard stories from Old Man Kazko, a retired Giant. He had said that the boot camp of the Reaper Force was cut-throat. They operated on belief that if you weren't up to bar you were a wasted Reaper. He swallowed heavily. If the bar was high for the normal Reapers then what was it going to be like for a Legendary. He closed his eyes. If he was going to die today he would at least die rested.
He awoke to Morris yelling his name.
"This is no time to sleep. Thanks to you taking your sweet time in the tank we are going to be late. Good news for you, the Twelfth Reaper gets to make his grand appearance. "
Morris marched off and all the soldiers followed except one. She stayed back and waited for Alyx to move before following lose behind. Alex took in his surroundings. Evernest looked just like it did during the propaganda videos where The Federation would show off its Reapers. He didn't have long to take it all in before being escorted into a extremely large building that he assumed was the main assembly hall. As he entered he noticed he was indeed in a Assembly hall, and worse than that all eyes were on the late entrants. He was led down the center walkway, hundreds of reapers eyes on him. He then looked forward and saw where he was headed. Behind the podium were 12 seats. 11 of them were filled, and he recognized 3 of the occupants. They were Alyssa Le Roux, Grant Jones, and Zack Waller. Ares, Apollo, and Zeus. They were the most popular Reapers by far. He was ushered to his seat and sat down, completing the semi-circle. He could hear the crowds murmurs, and he could easily assume what the gist of it was : shock that the twelfth seat had been taken, that Hades, The Betrayer has returned.
The speaker cleared his throat and resumed speaking.
"As evident by the seat behind me...The Twelth Reaper has finally returned. Welcome Captain Alyx Sorozin, Reaper: Hades."
Alyx half-heartedly waves at the assembled soldiers. A captain. He had no experience even leading group projects now he was expected to lead troops? This was all too much. He was barely paying attention, so he didn't notice when the room got quiet and everyone was staring at him until Primis spoke up.
"Alyx! The General asked if you could introduce yourself."
He snapped out of his stupor and quickly walked to the podium.
"Hello...My name is Alyx, but you already...knew that. Uhhh, I look forward to working with you all to maintain the peace andddd..."
Primis sighed and told Alyx to repeat after him
"I know a lot of you are questioning my worth You don't know me, or even know my Reaper. I promise to not let you all down and carry my own weight."
That earned Alyx a few applause but only very quickly. He noticed one of the Reapers seated behind him had clapped, though he did not know which. He returned to his seat and once again zoned out until the end of the assembly. Two new soliders then escorted him to his room. Since Alyx was a Captain, he had his own quarters. He noticed that he already had luggage and box's and upon opening them noticed they all contained his old stuff.
'looks that they packed for me... I wonder what Dad said'
He then heard voices coming from his window. He cracked it slightly and leaned closer to hear. He recognized Morris's voice but could not place the second.
"Listen Morris, you know the rules as much as i do. There have not been 12 of them since the Calamity itself. The Calamity, need I remind you, that Hades brought."
"I understand Lewis, but that isn't a confirmed rule, more of a theory."
"Be that as it may, We barely have 5 active at a time, only rarely reaching 11. It became clear to all that 12 could only mean something was coming. I'm telling you, Hades is The Harbinger of Doom."