] Liam Sawyer — 2:07 AM — 25 AUG 2316 [
Liam pulled his car into a spot in the concrete parking garage, killed the engine, and took the stairs down into the nightlife of Federal Junction—a dense neighborhood of townhouses and apartments dotted with small shops and bars. Liam's eyes swept the few people milling about—drunk from the bars or heading home from late shifts. Turning into an alley, he pulled out his CAD and sent Blake a quick message: "I'm walking up now."
Liam was finally back in Region 1, the densely packed city on the eastern coast of the American Federation where he'd grown up before joining the AFF. After his parents moved into AFF‑funded retirement housing, he had nowhere permanent to return to—fortunately his friends were letting him crash with them until the plan started.
Thinking about the plan, his excitement grew. He carried all his personal belongings inside his pocket dimension, including the small stash of raw Ether he'd acquired on transport missions. That Ether might be the foundation for a life beyond oligarchy and financial oppression.
The plan was simple: Liam and his friends intended to establish a community on habitable land northwest of Region 1, using magic to defend the settlement and free themselves from the near‑dystopian drift of the modern world. Inspired by pre‑Fourth World War texts, Liam and Blake had been refining the idea for years. Liam only hoped the AFF wouldn't catch wind of it—and that they could all slip quietly into the ungoverned lands.
Liam arrived at the townhouse stoop marked 1632—a small metal sign and a row of mailboxes hung from the railing. He walked down the steps toward the basement door. A bolt clicked; the door opened to reveal Blake.
Blake stood nearly 1.8 meters tall, shoulder‑length curly black hair framing his face. Their eyes met and Blake laughed, pulling Liam into a hug. He led him to the fridge. "Check this out," Blake said, and rolled the appliance aside, revealing a trapdoor. He opened it, guided Liam down, and reset the mechanism behind them—stepping into their real home.
At first Liam was worried the tiny studio wouldn't be big enough—then Blake led him through the trapdoor into the underground home they'd built. Color and clutter hit him: warm light, mismatched furniture, posters and plants everywhere, a cozy, lived‑in vibe that felt as if it chased worry away.
Bjorn was the first to notice Blake and Liam enter. When he caught sight of Liam, he couldn't resist a joke: Bjorn manifested his kite shield and hurled it at them.
Blake dove aside, noticing the glimmer in Bjorn's eyes. Liam instinctively opened two doors into his pocket dimension—one behind Bjorn, one in front of the incoming projectile. The shield vanished; a second later Bjorn was rolling on the floor, clutching his rear, while Blake collapsed beside him, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
Karina spun into the room with a pitcher and a bowl of chips hovering at her side. "Hey, Liam—your room's ready. You must be tired from the drive. Here, have a drink." She handed him a glass as the pitcher tilted in midair and poured. Karina sat, grabbed the feed‑monitor remote, and turned the volume down. Blake sat beside her; Bjorn and Liam took the remaining seats.
] Blake Hazar — 3:23 AM — 25 AUG 2316 [
Blake rose from the couch and followed Karina to their shared room. Lying there, he replayed the conversation with Liam: how he and Bjorn had opened their Third Eyes a week after Liam's last visit and discovered their gifts; how Blake's earth magic worked and how Bjorn's kite‑shield functioned; and how, with their guidance, Karina had opened her Third Eye and awakened a telekinetic ability—she could lift roughly sixty kilos of inorganic matter. Liam had been ecstatic when he heard. He explained they weren't fully ready for the ungoverned land, but he explained their magic was perfect for what they may encounter.
Blake was eager to reach the ungoverned lands—to live freely, use his magic, and roam the world with friends. Two more of their group were arriving tomorrow; the real discussion about action would begin, and Liam would lay out what to expect when they got there.