Chains Of Pride

"It's supposed to be a myth, a legend, nothing more than fairy tales! And you're telling me that this palm-sized pyramid can actually gather and use Chronos's Carriage?! Do you know what you're saying, what this means?!" The number of times Kia was surprised today might have been a new record for him.

Still, in his defence, if anyone went to the outside world and said they proved Chrono's Carriage exists and that they could harness it, they would be laughed at to no end.

"Well I found it, and I think this should be more than enough to power that blade of yours for an extended period," Gero said expressionlessly, back to his usual calm.

"This can thing can power anything and everything on earth at the same time with no drawbacks from now till the end of time, and you want to use it to power an Armis, are you crazy?!" This was no exaggeration, as Chronos's Carriage was never thought to be real, and it's theoretical use even more so.

Chronos's Carriage is a mysterious type of energy that was said to have existed beyond the speed of light, beyond the realm of reality itself. Because it's very existence transcended the barrier that is light speed, it's very being couldn't be verified and human beings are usually of a mind that if what is beyond couldn't be seen, then it doesn't exist.

There, however, remains the hopeful few that seek out this treasure, but how could this be so easy? Chronos's Carriage was said to be a type of energy, whose frequency fluctuates at speeds higher than what could possibly be measured. So what path could be taken, what is the door to open, and how would one open the door to board this Carriage?

This is a question that plagues all who believe. But once the lock is relieved, therein lies a power that lives across all time, past present and future in infinite splendour and infinite integer.

"Correct, that pyramid that lies in the palm of your hand is the fruit of all my theories come to life. It needs more testing and calibration for it to be used the way I want it to, but the very concept of speed is what led me to this, and it all paid off" As he spoke his gaze softened and his voice exuded a warmth that he ne'er allowed.

"Damn! I guess when you turn this in, you'll ascend to S-Class for su-" Before Kia could continue, his transmitter sounded. He fished the device out of his pocket, whilst Gero did the same, this seemed to be an island-wide transmission, so it must have been significant.

The AI Omni was seen on the screen, she quickly announced that there is to be an Engage sequence in the next two days. The entire Academy was in an uproar at this time as it has been some time since the last Engage Sequence.

"I can't believe it there's gonna be another sequence in the next two days! Hell, I gotta get ready to make sure I'm free!" A male digium exclaimed to his friends when they heard the announcement. Engage was, of course, popular amongst male and female digiums alike.

As a matter of fact, Engage became so popular that it became a televised event, that people would kill to see live.

Even world officials like presidents and prime ministers, and other influential people such as CEO's, accomplished entrepreneurs, and so on would attend the sequence. The chance to see the latest technological marvels these institutions could have to offer was not a chance that came easily, even with money.

Of course, digiums and the Academy's faculty members were able to easily see them live, albeit not for free. They had to pay in the form of credits, a type of currency exclusive to Novare Institutions.

Still, if necessary, the credits could be exchanged for actual money. Most B, C and even some D-Class Digiums would have themselves in no want for credits. As their research, whatever it may be, would usually result in them being paid in regular intervals or in some instances, a one-time large sum payment that is funnelled through a digium's respective Novare Institution.

Kia and Gero, on the other hand, were not as excited as everyone else, being who they are. "Since we're now partnered with Lanzo I guess we should go to the sequence. After all, I wish to see how the new mods I added to this thing works on the battlefield."

"By the way, you're sure that thing won't explode and wipe out oh I don't know EVERYTHING! Right?!" Kia asked Gero to which he simply laughed. Something he found himself doing less and less, so it was a good change of pace for him.

"Between getting angry and now finding myself laughing, I'm doing a whole lot of things I found myself missing, didn't even know it until I started it again. Regarding your question don't worry about it, I cannot contain infinity, so I made sure to wire in its internal structure a regulator, this will allow it to only take in and give out the amount that I want."

Gero paused at this point, before continuing, "As for the idiot, we'll watch his match, I'm not so petty as to hold a grudge over what happened earlier either. Besides, I think some calibrations might be needed, so I want to see how it works live."

Kia stared at him for a moment before something hit him, "oh yeah,, it didn't even occur to me at the time, but, what do you call it?"

"Oh wow I didn't even realise I left it nameless, hrmm, how about this? Semita Ut Raeda, it's Latin for Path for the Carriage?"

"You know Latin? Isn't that a dead language?" asked Kia, surprised at the sound of a language that was considered dead for well over a thousand years.

"I have hobbies mind you, anyway, after hearing it myself it doesn't quite roll off the tongue like I thought it would." When he said this, he went silent as if in deep concentration for another name to come to him. "I got it, I'll call it 'The Temporal Gate' since it's basically the doorway to our world for the power that lives across time, it seems apt."

Kia nodded in approval, liking the name himself, "That's one funky looking door though haha" Kia laughed as he perused the object once more before Gero grabbed it from his grasp with a slightly annoyed expression before placing it back in the box then in the case along with his research papers.

Before anything else, Lanzo made it back to their novre room and had just entered when Gero had put away his research. They only glared at each other for only a second before Lanzo shifted his attention to Kia "Can you ask your former partners if they're able to ready the modified Armis for the Sequence in the next few days?"

When Kia heard this, he only revealed a slight smile and with his thumb pointed to the back of him where there stood the completely made over Armis. Seeing this, Lanzo's expression changed only a little "Seems that my first thought was right, it wasn't those two that made the mods but you, and it seems that Shepherd Hide we met up with probably got them to admit it."

Hearing this, Kia was pleasantly surprised, "So you knew as well, and how did you come to the conclusion that it wasn't them but me that was responsible for this?" He couldn't help but show interest in Lanzo's thought process.

"Only a gut feeling, nothing more. Anyway since it's yours, whaddya say? Think we can take it for a spin?" Lanzo asked, he only did this as the Captain charged him with the task of bringing the new mod into the fold, aware of his team members' peculiar position regarding Gero and Kia.

"Yeah that won't be a problem, me and Gero are gonna take the rest of the time to make some last-minute changes and then, it'll be all set" Kia replied honestly knowing that he had to swap out the existing power source with The Temporal Gate or something like that.

"Fine by me" Lanzo seeing that his task was all but completed took out his transmitter and responded to his Captain that everything was in order.

The days flew by without anyone even realising and before long, the day of the Engage Sequence. In an area within Cendo Academy sat an enormous Arena, used exclusively for Engage Sequences. It was a gargantuan architecture, able to comfortably house around 300,000 people.

Though the number of digiums within Cendo Academy reached nowhere near this number, Engage itself was still a popular sport worldwide. Thus during events like this, Cendo would allow its hub to take in digiums from other Novare Academies and also individuals that could afford the prices for admission.

After all, not everyone could be a digium, thus being exempted from the insane fee. So the individuals able to afford this was usually influential people in their respective mainlands such as ministers and so on.

Since some of the outer parts of the arena were so far from the field, they could buy specialised visors that were linked to sensors around the arena that could transmit to them the audio and visual aspects of the sequence as if they were right upfront themselves.

The Engage Sequence did way more than just provide entertainment for others, it was also a way for the digiums who contributed to its happening, to earn credit for their contribution, and to also showcase to the world either their inventions or even improvements upon already existing technological devices.

This would include, the Armis itself, the materials that constructed them, the power source used, the technology that created the terrain for the sequence, even the barrier that protected the audience was considered, after all this was an international televised event, giving some digiums some much-needed exposure.

The sound in the arena was deafening, to say the least, everyone eagerly waiting for the sequence to start. Within the participant room where the fighters were resting stood the team members of Proelius, there was a hangar within the room where all the Armis for the team were stored, everyone was a bit tense, an unusual occurrence for Proelius.

"Lanzo where are those friends of yours! Can you try reaching them again and asking where they are?!" Captain Himiya was a bit heated at this point. With the team as it is, they didn't need to rely on the new Armis, but with its inclusion, it would be something of a game-changer, and, so a strategy was built with it as the core.

"Making a lot of assumptions there, Captain, but I'll call them and find out where they are, we got a good 45 mins left anyway." When he said this, he fished the transmitter out of his pocket and on the transmitter requested Omni to contact Kia.

Beep.

"Oh hey Lanzo, sorry we got sidetracked on the way over there, don't worry we've already got it sorted, and we should be there in the next 20 mins or less tell your guys they're all good …well, all but one." Kia showed a smile when he said this before he disconnected.

"What does that even mean? Kia?! Damn it!" He turned to his captain and said, "He said they'll be here in about 20 mins, I don't think they're in any trouble" He only saw the captain grunt in indignation before turning his attention to the other team members and going over the strategy knowing Lanzo was fine on his own.

...….

30 minutes earlier

"C'mon we gotta go! We're already running late because I had to overhaul the whole damn energy circuit for The Temporal Gate to power the suit! If we take the mobile hangar with the bike, we should get there in about 45 minutes." Kia was urging Gero to hurry up knowing they were cutting it a bit close as far as being early goes.

Gero honestly couldn't care less about the sequence, but he really did want to see how his power source operated under certain conditions. Additionally, though the time was short, he came to somewhat not hate Kia. So seeing him wishing to get to the arena in time, he slightly hurried his steps.

Just as they were finished and were about to get on their way, they were blocked from going any further as soon as they left Building A by around seven digiums who, according to their insignia were all B-Class. Judging by their demeanour, they did not seem amicable in their intentions.

Seeing this, Kia thought a greeting was in order and for them and executed it the best way he knew how, "Greetings gentleman, do you want to know how to not be an asshole today?"