Chapter 14: Spotlight

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Spotlight

{The Golden Bear Guild remains the guild with the highest number of promising rookies, now for the 5th year in a row.}

The screen cut to a long hall lined with trophy cases. Young beast masters in black and gold jackets trained in neat rows, their beasts sparring on a polished floor.

{One of those rookies has done something rare. Within a single season, he overtook the former leader of the C Team and took the position for himself. His name is Karl Marx.}

A new face filled the screen. A lean young man with messy dark hair and a lopsided grin, standing beside a hulking lizard the color of wet slate. He was waving awkwardly at the camera, like he wasn’t sure whether he was allowed to.

Jared frowned.

"Wait," he said. "Why are they talking about him?"

Zoey didn’t look away from the TV. "Because he’s good."

"I thought this was about Julius."

"It is."

"Then why is there a whole segment on this Marx guy?" Jared gestured at the screen with his bread. "I thought this was Julius propaganda. Isn’t this is supposed to be a 50 minute advertisement for that man’s jawline. Why are they cutting his screentime for this ’karl’?"

"Shh. They’re about to explain."

He grumbled and sat back.

{Marx accompanied Julius into the gate as backup,} the narrator continued. {This was Julius’s first real case with his SS rank DragonSlayer Dragon, and the guild wanted a safety net in case anything went wrong.}

A shot of the two men standing side by side at the mouth of the gate. Julius was cool and composed, his dragon looming behind him. Karl was grinning, rubbing the back of his neck.

{It also served another purpose. Marx was sent to gain firsthand experience from a top beast master. A rare opportunity for a rookie.}

Karl gave a thumbs up to the camera, and the narrator’s voice rose a little.

{The guild saw promise in him. And now, it seems, so does everyone else.}

Jared’s jaw tightened.

He didn’t know why. It wasn’t anger exactly, but something close to it, a hot little knot sitting somewhere under his ribs. He watched the footage of Karl, the easy grin, the way the camera lingered on him.

’He’s a rookie. Same as me. Maybe a few months ahead.’

’And they’re making a documentary about him.’

He thought about it. Not the fame itself, but what it would feel like. To walk into a room and have people already know your name. To have cameras follow you around a gate. To have a narrator say your name in that warm, proud, slightly breathless voice. Not in a childish way, he told himself. Not like a kid wanting attention. Just the idea of being seen.

In the hospital, he was barely noticed and when he was. It was as an aide to someone. He was never the one in the spotlight.

’Would I even like it?’

He rolled the question around for a while.

’No. I wouldn’t. It would be annoying. Everyone staring. Everyone asking questions. I’d hate it.’

[You’d revel in it.]

[You’d better finish it]

’What?’

[The sentence. You’d finish it. "I’d hate it, but." That’s where you stopped. You’re the kind to always stop right before the "but."]

’That’s not true.’

[It’s very true. I’ve seen your thoughts. You’d love it. You’d pretend you didn’t, and you’d complain constantly, and you’d secretly check the ratings every morning.]

’That is probably the most offensive thing you’ve ever said.’

The documentary rolled on. It cut to an interview room, a clean white set with two armchairs facing each other. Julius sat in one, his posture perfect, hands folded. Karl sat in the other, slouched, one ankle resting on his knee.

The interview was long. The two men traded stories about the gate, the guild, the training schedule, and a surprisingly detailed account of how Karl had once tripped over his own gecko during a ceremony. The interviewer laughed. Zoey laughed. Jared kept his face carefully neutral.

[That’s a lot of small talk.]

’I’d skip it if I could.’

The interview dragged through its polite chatter, and at last the interviewer shifted in her seat and leaned forward with a bright smile.

"Final question," she said. "For both of you."

The camera tightened on the pair.

"Who do you think is the top rookie you’d like to enlist? Someone who’s already awakened, but isn’t in a guild right now."

The two men glanced at each other.

Karl tipped his head. "Do you mind if I go first?"

"Oh, by all means," Julius said, with a gracious wave.

Karl rubbed his chin, pretending to think, though Jared suspected he’d already decided.

"I think Jared Rex is," he said.

Jared froze mid chew.

"He’s such a rare talent," Karl continued, leaning forward, grinning. "He’s one of the few who’s ever bonded to an SSS Rank beast to start. That’s wild. Most of us spend years chasing something half that strong. I’d love to have him on C Team. There’s a spot open if he’ll have it."

’That’s me.’

[It’s you. Congratulations. You’re famous.]

’I’m not famous. I’m... mentioned.’

The camera swung to Julius.

The older man smiled, calm and polished. He folded his hands in his lap, tilted his head, and answered without hesitation.

"I’d like to have my little brother join B Team."

Jared blinked.

"My brother awakened an A Rank beast recently," Julius went on, smiling warmly. "It isn’t as rare as an SSS, of course. But I believe his talents can be cultivated. With the right team around him, with the right support, he could become something fierce."

The interviewer smiled. "So you’d like to keep it in the family."

"I’d like to give him every opportunity."

On the couch, Zoey drew in a sharp breath.

"Jared," she whispered. She seized his arm and gave it a hard shake. "Did you hear that? Karl Marx said your name. On TV."

"I heard."

"The Golden Bear Guild! The top guild in the whole country wants to work with you!"

"I heard."

"They said there’s a spot for you!"

"Zoey! Calm down it’s not that big a deal. "

"Oh is that so. Excuse a girl for being happy for her brother."

"I can’t believe it." She pressed her hands against her cheeks, looking at him with wide, shining eyes. There was real esteem in her face, bright and uncomplicated, the look of someone seeing her brother in a new light. "You’re going to be so famous. Oh, I can’t wait to awaken tomorrow."

She went on, bubbling over about guilds and teams and what she’d say to the interviewer if anyone ever asked. Jared barely heard her.

He sat very still, staring at the screen.

On it, Julius was smiling at the camera, handsome and humble, his hands folded. The picture of a man who cared deeply about his team. The picture of a man who had just publicly, cheerfully, on national television, announced that he was handing his little brother a seat on one of the best teams in the best guild in the country.

’He just said it out loud. Right there. "I’d like to give him every opportunity." Like it’s a charity.’

’He didn’t even pretend it was about talent. He said the kid is an A Rank, not rare, but that he can be "cultivated." He’s just handing it to him.’

His fingers curled around the bread, crushing it flat.

’That’s nepotism. That’s just nepotism with a warm smile.’

It hit him in a strange, uncomfortable way, like pressing a bruise he hadn’t known was there. A hospital aid. A kid with no money, no connections, no road. He had spent his whole life watching other people’s families open doors that were bolted shut for him. And here was a man cheerfully admitting he did it.

[Rex.]

’Not now.’

[Rex. Listen.]

’I said not now.’

[Don’t be hypocritical.]

Jared’s jaw tightened.

’What?’

[You heard me. Look at yourself. You’re rich. You have a family that’s famous. You have a large house. You have 10 SSS Rank beasts in your pocket. You woke up with a head start that most people can’t even imagine.]

’That’s different.’

[How?]

’I... didn’t...’

[You didn’t earn it. You were handed it by a guide and a basin and a lucky draw. Please don’t pretend you don’t have it easy too.]

Jared opened his mouth. He closed it again. He wanted to say something but then realized there was nothing to infact say.

On the screen, the credits began to roll.