After the rather abrupt run-in with Liz. The rest of the school week passed without any crazy women jumping him in storage closets. That was both good and bad because he was still lacking 325 points so he could level up. Then again after all the shit Sandra had given him at lunch on Tuesday for banging Liz it might be better to refuse any more ‘random encounters’. 

“You do realize she gets around right?” Sandra said, a bit cooly.

“I kinda figured, Yes….” He said, dryly. :I mean.. I hardly know the girl so I can’t imagine I'm the first guy she’s done that too.”

“And that doesn’t bother you?” Her eyes held something in them but Tanner couldn’t decide what. Was she jealous or maybe disappointed? He didn’t know what to do about that. It wasn’t like he hadn’t offered to be with her before anyone else. If that was what she was feeling, he had no idea what to tell her. With the system he had he was going to be sleeping around A LOT. There was no real way around that. If she was looking for some kind of relationship she’d have to get over it. 

He had to admit she HAD been spending more time with him lately. They had always talked and had met up after school sometimes but she’d never bothered to sit with him during lunch. Now she was sitting with him most days, or at least she had both Monday and today. He chose his next words carefully.

“I always considered that to be a rather pointless double standard. Lots of guys sleep around, or at least like to pretend they do. I’ve never understood why one was more socially acceptable than the other. But no, It wasn’t very comfortable being used like a living sex toy by her. 

“Is that going to be my life now?” He asked rhetorically. “Just random girls popping by to get some buffs? How am I supposed to ever have a real relationship, have a family? Sure, I mean I’m an 18 year old guy, on one hand having a life stuffed chok full of sex sounds like a great idea, but I’m cynical enough to see what I’m going to be giving up down the line.” Tanner said to her. He looked into her brown eyes and saw sympathy there and something else, but then it was gone and she gave him her best smirk.

“But really in a broom closet?”

That had been a rather awkward conversation but now it was Friday and Tanner just wanted to get home. Janel had sent him a text and she was coming over tonight. He was planning on ordering some take-out and making a semi-date of it. She seemed the type that would enjoy a little romance. He just had to make it through history class. 

“The first portals opened opposite each other on the globe. One was in Northern Alberta, a few hundred miles from Edmonton. The second was south east of the Cape of Good Hope by a few thousands miles. The first obviously had the swiftest impact, although that area is rather sparsely populated thousands of people were still killed even before Edmonton fell.” Mr. Vansworth lecuted the room.

“The other portal however, was worse. Once the demons boiled up out of the oceans the slaughter in Madagascar, South Africa, and Western Australia was truly terrible and weeks later when the horde reached India, Indonesia, and South China, Tens of millions were killed until China and India’s army got the situation under control.” 

“The situation was somewhat better in Canada. The Candaian and US armies managed to hold the hordes away from most of the population centers in East Canada, while the Rockies provided a natural barrier to the West. By this time many system users had appeared and real progress was made pushing back the demons all across the world.”

“As you know, mundane weapons can kill demons, but they are very inefficient. Most demons can heal from even crippling injuries in minutes and will keep fighting unless they are almost completely dismembered by gross physical damage. With our advanced weapons, fighting primitive creatures with only melee attacks in the open field was rather easy at first, but the rate of ammunition consumption began to strain the world’s economy.”

“It was also around this time that the uses for demon blood were first discovered and so demon’s became humanity's biggest threat and largest resource. It was of course, our own greed that led to the downfall of the world’s nations.” Mr. Vansworth explained. His voice was sad, almost embarrassed and Tanner felt it too. Every child knew what had caused the Final War.

“Many powerful nations, such as Russia, Countries in Central Europe, and the Middle East were upset that they didn’t have access to the demons or the resources they provided. On the other side the US and China wanted to monopolize the demons as much as possible. Many countries tried to gain access to the demons through diplomatic channels but when those failed they took military action.”

“Thus the Final War began. While demons continued to pour into our would humanity turned against itself. Nation fought Nation and for the first time and last time System Users were pitted against their fellow man en masse. Millions died again, and the battle lines that had held for more than five years collapsed.”

“It was as if the demons had been waiting for it. Four more portals opened and humanity was nearly wiped out. By the time the dust settled multiple nuclear strikes had been used to hold back the growing hordes and large swathes of land were rendered uninhabitable. Less than four billion Humans remained.”

“The system users fighting on the front-lines had enough. As you know, fighting demons can earn SP for any system user, regardless of the type of system, so those that had been fighting for years had reached VERY high levels. A cadre of twelve tier 5 system users banded together and abolished the few nations that remained. Thus the United Earth Government was formed.” 

“We are still picking up the pieces but humanity has survived and the lines have held.” Mr. Vansworth finished and the bell rang.

Tanner stood up from his seat and stampeded out into the hall with all the other students. He’d no sooner shoved his history book into his locker when the school’s PA system came to life.

“All seniors with support systems please report to the cafeteria at this time. I repeat, all seniors with support systems please report to the cafeteria at this time” Tanner paused with his hand on his English book, then frowned and headed towards the lunch room while the other kids went to second period.

Tanner’s locker was fairly close to the lunch room so he’d gotten there first. As he waited more people started to file in, most looking as confused as he was. Soon there were 12 people standing with him. Tanner knew them all, although only a few of them well. He went to PE with Jackson, and Natilie, but they were higher level so he hadn’t fought them. 

They were only waiting a few minutes before Mr. Danvers, the principal, and a man in full military uniform walked in. Tanner suddenly had a very bad feeling about what was happening. Mr. Danvers was a rather pudgy and gregarious man in his mid-forties. He didn’t have a system so he showed his age unlike the man next to him.

The man in uniform stood erect and his hard eyes swept over the students. The silence stretched until the principle spoke.

“Sergeant Jergen has something to say to you all. I’m sorry for this but it’s out of my hands.” Mr. Danvers said, looking distressed.

“The demons are pressing the lines harder than ever. We’ve had more than a dozen breakthroughs in the last week and things are looking grim. We are especially short on healers, buffers, and other support staff. The UEA is calling a draft for all Support System users 18 and older. That means you guys.”

People started to speak and Tanner was one of them but Sergeant Jergen spoke over them. His voice lash a lash of flame. “Your adults, you don’t have a choice. Your parents don’t have a choice. Humanity is on the brink.”

“But thanksgiving is next week!” Cried Megan Alms. She was a tiny thing with pixie cut blonde hair. Tanner didn’t know her that well.

“The demon’s don’t give a shit about Thanksgiving, which means I don’t give a shit about Thanksgiving. You’re lucky you haven’t been officially sworn into the army yet or I’d have had you beaten for interrupting me. You’ll all report here at 0-800 tomorrow morning and don’t be late or we will come find you. Dodging the draft will get you sent to the front…. as fodder.” He snapped at the girl. Then he turned sharply on his booted heel and marched off.

Tanner stood there and sighed. Looks like the old saying about being careful what you wish for was still true. He’d wanted to get out of school and do something with his life and now he was. He laughed bitterly. Well, there wasn’t much point in going back to class. If this was his last day before being shipped off to the front and into mortal danger she sure as shit wasn’t spending it in school. At least he had Janell to look forward to tonight.