Drake had gone home after only about an hour in the hospital. The words had faded and now only appeared when he focused on something. His caretakers had freaked out on him for being reckless but eventually let him go back to his room. Drake shared a room with three other boys his age but they were out celebrating the first day of summer and he finally had a moment alone.
Looking around the room, Drake focused on a variety of different objects, reading all of the information. The information, for some reason, was presented in a way that resembled a video games description. Thinking of video games, Drake had another idea. He lifted his hand and focused on it, and a description appeared.
Drake Ironwood- Level 1
Abilities:
Devour Lvl MAX - Able to absorb the cores of monsters and heart stones of humans to gain power and abilities.
Acquired abilities:
Analyze Lvl 1 - Ability to gain information about the user's surroundings. The information will be presented in the format that makes the most sense to the user.
??????-Description unavailable
[Stats]
[Health: 10/10]
[Stamina: 5/5]
[Strength: 5]
[Speed: 5]
[Defense: 5]
[Energy: 1/1]
Drake didn't really have much of a reference point for his stats, but he had been feeling amazing since he left the hospital and he imagined that they were better than before fell down the hole. The thing that had surprised him the most though, was that devour ability.
'So I had an ability this whole time and I never knew.' He thought. He couldn't wait to tell people. It looked like he wasn't going to have to be a laborer after all.
As Drake got up to go tell his caretakers the good news though, he suddenly stopped. He couldn't get one detail out of his head. He absorbed a heart stone. Some people think of those as the location of the soul, and he had absorbed one. Would people welcome an ability like that? Would he even be allowed to become a hunter?
With those thoughts swimming around his head he sat back down. He could always just tell them about the analysis ability, but I didn't seem all that powerful
. He worried that if he only mentioned that one skill he wouldn't even be able to make it through the preliminary course.
When someone wants to become a hunter they have to go to a preliminary academy first. These places would teach would-be hunters the history, protocol, and inner workings of the Hunter's Society. The Awakened weren't required to show their abilities until the end when they had a small tournament to determine who had trained enough, as well as a written test. After that, they would decide who passed and could go to the academy, and who failed and would be looking for a job. The written test would be easy, but with only an analysis ability the fight would be a problem.
In the end, Drake decided that even if he failed the fighting course he might still get in as a support type, something like a scout maybe. The next morning he went and applied for the preliminary academy in the closest city.
-------
It was a week-long wait and a two-day ride in one of the shuttles but Drake had finally arrived in the city of Vesper, owned by the Vesper clan. All of the ten major cities were owned by a clan and they were also the only places with preliminary academies.
In the time Drake had waited, he was able to test out his body and had learned some things. He was in much better condition than before. He wasn't fat before, but he had been neglecting his body for a bit and his fitness was declining. But now, he was in the best condition of his life. He could run for miles and had gained a fair bit of muscle. He wasn't superhuman, but he figured that he was in the same shape as someone who exercised on the daily.
As Drake walked up towards the gates of the preliminary academy he was looking at the other students and trying to analyze them. When he did he saw only people's health, but it gave him more insight than he would have thought.
Most people's health was in the 15-20 range, while he was at 10. Add that to the fact that he was only as fit as an athletic regular person, and Drake was feeling a little outmatched. Luckily he wouldn't have to show any abilities until their final exams. Meaning he might have a chance to train and raise his stats a bit.
Drake walked up the stairs towards the round building that would be his home for the next month. As he did he could hear bits of people's conversations. A lot of the students were talking about how, apparently, the heir of the vesper clan was a student this year. Most of the conversations were about trying to befriend him or date him, but one person was talking a bunch of shit.
"I'm just saying, the big families are overrated." A tough-looking guy was talking to a small group of people. Most of the people weren't looking at the guy talking, but a guy in the middle of their group.
The loudmouth was tall and burly with blonde hair. He had a squarish face but had a face that wouldn't stand out much.
"Including the Vesper Clan?" The presumed leader of the small group said as he approached the guy. He was thin, with dark hair and a tattoo of a crow on his right hand.
"Completely overrated." The talker reached out his hand and introduced himself. "I'm Miles Squama, and one day I'm going to prove that the big 10 aren't all they're cracked up to be."
Instead of shaking Miles' hand, he swung it in his direction. Suddenly, a black cloud surrounded it and a dark sword appeared. Quickly, Miles lifted his hand and went to catch the blade, however instead of slicing his hand off it stopped.
"I am Ryan L. Vesper, heir of the vesper clan," The man said as he continued to press the blade into Miles' hand. "And I demand you answer me. Are you a member of the Wall clan?"
"No, I am not." As he spoke scales could be seen growing all over his body.
"Ah, a simple knock-off. Then consider this my warning. Attack the honor of my family again and I will not hold back next time." Ryan said as the blade disappeared. He turned away and walked off, the group following close behind him.
A few of the onlookers were whispering back and forth, but a glare from Ryan managed to silence them. Soon, most of the people had left leaving Drake and Miles the last ones there.
Miles looked at Drake and smiled.
"See that guy? He was all talk." Miles said.
But Drake knew different. Drake could see Miles' health as the attack hit and he saw him go from 20 to 11 just from that one swing.
'Maybe, but I can tell he did a number on you with that." Drake didn't want to make enemies so soon, but he also knew that if the fight had gone on any longer then Miles may have been seriously injured. Or worse.
Miles stood there for a second, silently looking at Drake.
"You have pretty good eyes," He said slowly. "Color me impressed."
He walked over and extended his hand to Drake.
"I'm Miles, nice to meet you."
Drake shook his hand with a smile. 'Maybe this guy can help me,' he thought.
"Drake Ironwood, the pleasure is mine."