More buses arrive as Adrien and I walk closer to this colosseum-looking building. The outer walls were built from brick and stone, and so, too, is the pavement surrounding the building. Custodians of the academy attend to the place, sweep the floors, tidy up the surrounding agriculture, and the like. Students even appear to be helping out. They wore uniforms different from ours; however, maybe the outfits determined what grade you were in. Adrian took a small book and began to jot down notes on it. I forgot he took up journalism since I rarely see him write.
As he was writing, I stopped with him and looked around to admire the scenery. My worries washed over me before a bump hit me back to reality. Someone walked by me, pushing my shoulder. Curious, I looked to my right and saw a boy with silver hair. He looked back at me with a scoff. Despite his bright hair, he wore a gloomy appearance.
"Watch where you're standing, hick."
I was taken aback. "Hick? Why-"
"Don't talk to me."
This guy... he bumped into me and tried to chew me out for it? What is this guy's deal? I could feel myself burning with irritation. Just before anything could escalate, another boy came behind and dropped the silver boy's head. Forcing him to make an apologetic gesture. The other boy was tall and wore a bright smile. A complete opposite of the silver boy. He made the kid apologize to me.
"I'm sorry about my friend; he's just agitated." The tall boy bowed after him.
I waved my hands at him. "Woah! It's all good. He did surprise me, though."
The tall boy met my gaze and smiled. "I'm sorry again. My friend shouldn't have said that anyway..."
Adrien looked up from his journal, semi-confused before realizing the situation. Suddenly, I felt my head being brought downward.
"I apologize for any rudeness my friend has caused."
Both of the boys looked at Adrien, then at themselves. The tall boy cracked up and laughed.
"You two are funny. I like you guys." He says as he stands tall.
Getting a good look at him now, he is pretty handsome. I bet he'll become one of the popular ones—a person I want to stay far and clear from. Oh damn. Do I now have to play it cool? Uh, let's see... I couldn't say anything. More like my throat felt like it was closing on itself. Now realizing my situation, I need to make a valiant retreat. The guy seemed to begin his introduction before I waved off the two guys, grabbed Adrien by the wrist, and hauled him into the building. The tall one yelled at us to return, but I didn't want anything to do with him. Sorry, dude, nothing personal.
Barging through the door and dashing through waves of other students, we eventually made it to the central meeting hall. The area was so beautifully structured that even someone like me could admire its work. The lovely mix of wood flooring and stone pillars complement each other nicely, and there were tons of paintings and pictures across the many walls.
Many staff members were around, forming lines so we could enter the next room neatly. Adrien and I took our place in the line and eventually reached a vast arena. The staff gestured to us to take our seats. More and more students came into the area, gazing and oozing over the place as they all took their seats. After a while, all the seats were filled, and the sound of murmurs filled the whole area. I was getting anxious. Adrien was in his journal once more. He seemed calmer than I, and that's on brand with him.
My thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the sound of horns wafted off from the center of the arena. The other students' noise quickly died down until you couldn't hear anyone speak. Music filled the ears of everyone sitting down. Was it this school's anthem? I think so, it had a militaristic theme to it. As the music ended, a woman walked out from one of the area's entrances. She wore the typical secretary outfit and presence. Each step she took, however, was made with confidence. She readjusted her glasses before speaking.
"Hello and welcome, everyone, to your orientation at Dalton Academy!"
"We at Dalton Academy congratulate you all for getting here."
"However..." She pauses.
"We need you all to perform an—" Suddenly, a louder feminine voice cuts Miss Secretary off. "Physical Entrance Exam!"
A shadow enveloped me before escaping. Looking up, I saw the interrupter. She was flying with one wing. That wing was burning brightly with the look of a Phoenix. She made a grand entrance, showing off by hurling waves and balls of fire into the air, captivating everyone in the arena. Despite being so common, this was the first time I had seen someone use fire. Her's looked like what fire should be; deep orange and red, as for mine—It was far more sinister. I couldn't help but feel envious.
Murmurs among the crowd began to form once more as the new person entered the arena. The woman wore a velvet suit and red bowtie with a brown skirt. Her hair was brown and tied up with red highlights. She wore an aura of confidence as she landed and looked towards all of us watching her. With an entrance like that, she must be a higher-position staff member of the academy. She fixed her skirt, then smiled as she posed with her fists on her hips.
"You'll all proceed and finish a 'Physical Entrance Exam!' This exam will test your 'physical' powers and elemental mastery!" She exclaims without taking a second to breathe.
The murmuring intensified. Everyone was speculating on how they'd show their strengths and weaknesses. Some seemed confident, while others seemed the opposite. I've trained tons with Adrien and with the people in my village, so I'm confident in my physical capabilities... but elemental mastery... is a bit of a stretch. The loud woman stood there in her continued pose as the secretary leaned into her and whispered. Her eyes widened for a moment before she cleared her throat.
"Ahem. It seems I skipped introductions. Forgive me, everyone." She takes a bow as her wing of the phoenix sprouts from her back again. The secretary follows and sprouts a wing similar to the other on the opposite end.
"I'm the headmaster of this academy. I'm Evelyn Morte; you can refer to me as Headmaster Morte." The velvet-dressed woman officially introduces herself.
"And I'm her assistant, Helene Atome. A pleasure." The secretary follows afterward.
The voices of the students died down as they both announced themselves. Tons of students, including me, were surprised that the headmaster was the one welcoming us. From what I've heard, the headmaster is a particularly busy person. She is what we all strive to become: a mercenary. It's what this school is for. A government-funded academy to help the new generations become elite mercenaries and fend off against enemies of humankind, or anyone who dares oppose the peace. Not to mention that they both carry the element of the Phoenix.
The rest of the inauguration went smoothly. The headmaster and assistant headmaster explained how the exam would go, and it goes like this: We'll all be taken into a pod that will separate our bodies and place our souls into a virtual landscape. This area, or I would like to call it a battleground, will spawn in a random location in this area, and we have to survive for seven simulated days. They explained to us that time moves faster in this virtual world. So, seven days will be roughly two hours in real time. We can do whatever we please in that time frame. They were very persistent on 'whatever we please,' kinda ominous if you ask me.
The academy is based on a ranking system. Our position in this rank system begins with how well we do in this exam. Here's the thing: we don't know what they're scoring us on. Is it our survivability? I suppose it is, at least, what I believe with my simple-brained thinking. I have the plan already. First step, find Adrien. Second step... in progress. We'll figure that one out once we get there. Once they explained everything that needed to be said, the staff escorted us into huge rooms below the colosseum. There was an abundance of pods in each room, at least hundreds each.
We were organized by names, which took some time to figure out. Adrien and I were separated as a result. After a while, I made it to my pod. A staff member came by and showed me how to step in and properly rest in it. Once I found a comfortable position, they closed the pod and began tapping on a screen on the outside. A screen pops up in front of me. It's the headmaster once more.
"Hello again, everyone. Your headmaster is here to wish you good luck on your exam. This exam may take a lot out of many of you, but I assure you, your stance in the academy will be safe. Rely on your wits and instincts, and once again, good luck." She says with a smile as the screen shuts off.
A mist promptly blew into the pod. I flinched in surprise, but then I felt relaxed and at ease. I shut my eyes, and it was lights out. I felt a gentle breeze and opened my eyes to be welcomed by the great outdoors. The exam had started.
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I was caught off guard by how I could sense everything in this virtual world. I felt the breeze as if I were actually on a plane. I touched the ground and felt the grass; I couldn't help but whiff its smell. I touched my arm and pinched it. I felt the quick pain from it. If I weren't any wiser, I would've thought this place was real. However, I know that this is an exam. I need to survive the whole week. I quickly looked around and from my immediate surroundings I found... oh yeah! A whole lot of nothing! Just grasslands as far as I can see.
Welp, I'd better start walking. Hopefully, I'll run into Adrien sometime soon. Though I think I shouldn't get my hopes up. I looked around once more, discovered a path, and decided to see where it would lead me. Maybe some civilization? I hope so. Welcome to Daniel's Exploration! I'm your host, Daniel Reyes. Today, we are walking till we find something interesting! Are you still there? Great! Welcome aboard! I walked for what felt like 30 minutes till I made my first significant discovery—human life. I gazed from a distance and saw a village! This is huge, everyone! We finally made contact with people! Let's hope they're friendly.
I walked carefully as I approached the village. I saw an older man tending to some crops. He diligently worked on his grains, so he didn't notice me until I came close. His eyes widened, and then he smiled.
"Ah, a traveler. That's another one we've gotten today. So many passerbys..." He commented as he hunched over.
"Hello there, I'm but a humble traveler seeking refuge. Is the village welcome?"
The man nods. "Of course! Just head on over to the gates and tell them your business."
I bowed, thanked him, and continued forward. This virtual world can simulate AI people, which makes me wonder just how many people are in it besides us students. I approached the gate and was immediately stopped by two guards. They both raised their hands in unison, telling me to stop and tell them my business. I, of course, told them the same thing as the local farmer. With enough persuasion, they let me through, thankfully. Here we are, folks! We've made it inside the local civilization! They seemed to have taken a more rural, almost medieval-style village. It was pretty similar to my hometown. It helped me feel more at ease as I continued walking down the road searching for a point of interest.
There was no shortage of people as I walked down the road. Many labourers are doing their work to make ends meet, and children are playing with one another. Many individuals are versed in conversations, speaking of their recent days. The NPCs felt real, too real. It was fascinating. I kept walking past homes and people till I stumbled across my first point of interest—A tavern. There must not be a shortage of people here. I walked in and to my surprise I saw other students. I looked around, but I couldn't find Adrien. He must not be here yet. Many students here are conversing with the locals and perhaps gathering information. I should probably do the same.
I approached one of the locals. "Excuse me, may I have a word?"
The man was slouched on the table, with a big grin on his face. "Huh? W-What do you want, kid? This here is no place for your age..." He says as he slurs his words by the end.
"Sorry, I just wanted to know if you knew the area?"
The man says nothing... I think he dozed off. That's when I heard someone speak to me from behind.
"Save it, kid. He ain't gonna say nothing when he has a bottle."
I looked over to the person speaking; it was a therian bartender. I approached him and took a seat at the table. Besides his droopy ears, the man had an eyepatch with a buzz cut. His face was rugged, but his bouncer-like outfit made him look formal.
"You can look at the menu, but I'm not serving you any drinks. The other kids have tried already..." He says, deadpanned as he cleans a mug with a cloth.
"Ah, I'm not hungry or thirsty anyway... thanks," I retorted as I looked around.
The man side-eyed me before shrugging and returning to cleaning his mugs. That's when I chimed in. "So... Can you help me instead, mister?" I said, almost pleading.
He looked at me with the same deadpan expression. "Sure, what do you need?" the man replied with no particular interest.
"I just wanted to know the world's layout, if not the village," I told him.
He stopped cleaning his mug and raised an eyebrow. "A map? You're a traveler, yet you don't have a map?" He questioned as if I'm the weird one, well... he's not entirely wrong.
I nodded, and he sighed promptly afterwards. He mumbles something to himself as he turns around and walks over to a shelf, where he takes out a scroll, returns to me, and lays it in front of me. "Take a gander here, it's not a world map, but a map of Kertz." I nodded. I assumed that 'Kertz' was the name of the village. He pointed to his tavern and showed me some other points of interest. The one that lit my eyes was the Adventurer's Guild, across town. "I believe the Adventurer's Guild will have the world map you're looking for." He informs me as he points at the building. I thanked the man and grabbed the map, but I was promptly met with his hand on my forearm.
"Sorry, kid, the map stays here. Get your own, unless you're willing to buy it off me?"
"I got no money."
"Of bloody course you don't."
He sighs afterward and lets go of me. "Ah, take the bloody thing. I'll put it on your tab or until you return it."
My joy replaced my sadness as I grabbed the map. I bowed and thanked him. In a hurry, I rushed out of the tavern. That's what I would've done if I hadn't been rushed by other students who also wanted to look at the map. I placed it back down on the table and let others take a look while the bartender kept an eye out for any swipers. Eventually, the other students got the information that they needed and left. I was the last student in the pub before I took the map and finally made my way out aswell, thanking the bartender once more before I left.
I was ready for my next destination—The Adventurer's Guild. As I stepped out of the tavern, I heard a commotion. It came in the direction I needed, so I followed the noise. It led me to a plaza where many other students were, some of whom I recognized from the tavern. There seemed to be something happening; I had to investigate. As I walked towards the crowd, the voices became more audible. A swarm of students, probably around 15 of them, give or take, were forming a group. I immediately picked up on one of them. The tall handsome boy, uh... I don't remember his name. I think I ran away before he told Adrien and me.
All I could remember from the guy was his blue hair. So for now, we'll stick with that. Other students are rallying the others. I assume they are the group's leaders; it seems that our blue-haired friend is one of them. Although he isn't rallying himself, Tons of girls swarm him, supporting the group solely because of this guy. Is this jealousy that I'm feeling? Or is it irritation? Anyway, I'm unsure if I want to stay with that big crowd. I decided I was gonna sneak past them. My sneaking skills are pretty solid.
I dance around the crowd, and just when things feel safe. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I flinched as I turned around. It was him—the blue-haired boy; Crap.
"Well, well... look what we have here. It's my runaway acquaintance," he says with an almost threatening smile.
"Oh, hey, you! Didn't see ya' there, but I really have to go, so I'm just gonna..."
"No, you're not." He says back, gripping my shoulder tighter. Gosh, his hand is firm.
"Let's talk. I have a group that we just formed over here. Best to stick together, right?" He insisted. I couldn't say no at this point. I begrudgingly went with him, keeping the map close at hand.
He waved at his groupmates, and the leaders settled the others down before huddling up with me and the overly friendly blue kid.
"You guys, this is an acquaintance of mine, his name is..." He nudges me.
"I'm Daniel, Daniel Reyes. A pleasure..." I whinged as I introduced myself.
The main pack consisted of three guys, including the blue-haired one, and two girls—the ring leaders.
Introducing the guy on the left. His name is Leon, a cat boy with brown slicked-back spikey hair. Next to Leon is Zak. Zak has jet black hair with a hairstyle similar to our blue-haired friend. Following Zak is Jennifer, who has long blond hair and blue eyes. Following Jennifer is Yufie, a fox girl with brown bob-cut hair and green eyes. Finally, the blue-haired guy introduces himself. All of them are good-looking individuals. Ugh, popular kids...
"I'm Ryder, and it's a pleasure as well."
"A friend of Ryder is a friend of ours," Leon says excitedly.
"I don't know... how capable are you, Daniel?" Jennifer asked as she leaned forward to try to get a peek at my element symbols. I quickly swat her away and step backwards.
"I say I can be pretty dependable."
"Whatever, good enough for me, I guess..." Zak added as he yawned. "If it weren't for your hair, you'd be good-looking, so I guess you pass." Yufie chimes. Great...
Ryder puts his arm around my shoulder, like we're the best buddies. Alright, dude, I think you're trying too much now... I didn't say that to him, but I wish I could.
"Alright, since he's a part of the main team, we should introduce him to the others."
The others nodded, and we returned to the 15 or so others. The first five introduced me to the rest, and I gave simple greetings. Most seemed wary of me, but many trusted the leading group, so I was given the benefit of the doubt. We all began making plans for our next steps. Luckily, they all decided to go to the Adventurer's Guild after I added that there was a world map over there. We made our way through the crowds that began to form as the day progressed. In a few minutes, I finally made it to the guild, with more people than expected, but that's fine.
As we all stepped foot into the building, it was pretty empty. No other students were around, a couple of people sporting gear that looked like they were made from those fantasy manga. We had some head turns, with a large group of teenagers walking into a building. We split off in search of more information about this world. Pulling into the leading group, we spoke to the receptionist about a world map. She showed us to the upper floor where the world map was located. The map was way bigger than the village map I had.
We are located in the village named 'Kurtz.' Kurtz is one of the three main villages in this world. The others are located far from each other. It seems we're in the lowest region. The trip to the nearest neighboring village is at least a half-day's journey on foot. The trip can take even longer with the number of people we have. I knew what I wanted to do: explore this world. I would love to find Adrien and continue this exam with just the two of us... but I don't think that'll be possible right now.
"Well, we got the needed information, so now what?" Leon chipped.
"We're in a guild, we can take on some quests to acquire food and lodging," Ryder added.
"Work? Already? Ugh..." Jennifer complained, with Yufie nodding in agreement.
"Well, it's either that or we starve and be stranded." Ryder retorted.
"I, for one, would like to explore more of this world," Zak added. I like that idea.
"That might be unwise considering the number of people we have. We need some serious supplies for that trip," Ryder chimed once more.
Ryder is making a lot of sense. Although I would love to leave this place right now, we need money to get the resources we need to survive.. "I agree with Ryder. We should invest at least a day in questing or helping with odd jobs around town." I advised as I matched the gazes of the group. Ryder smiled and nodded in agreement. The girls were not happy, but with this democratic voting we had going on, they were forced to accept. Zak and Leon also agreed to question, so that's the plan.
We grouped up with the other students to discuss our plans. We'd split into groups again, taking quests, odd-jobs, and the like around town. With the number of people we had, the plan seemed easy enough. We scheduled a time to reconvene, which is by nine o'clock. Looking at the clock the guild hall had, it was eleven, so we had about ten hours to get work done. We set the times and dispersed. I was once again stuck with the leading group. Ryder is keeping me on a leash.
Given our skills, we decided to take a simple quest from the guild hall—A collection quest. The job was to collect 30 flowers called 'August.' They were located ten minutes from the outskirts of the village by a small pond. We were told that we may encounter some monsters, but the chances of them being that close to the town are slim. Hopefully, they are right. I've never dealt with monsters in the real world, and I don't believe I've ever seen one. My mother and father used to tell me many stories about them before we talked about my elements. I'm fated to face them in this line of work, so I'll consider this my introduction.
We left the village and made our way to our destination. Passing through farmers attending to their crops, and people leaving and entering the village. Eventually, we made it back into the grasslands, no others around, just us six. At this time, we decided to tell our elements: our powers and the like. Of course, I kept my demonic element a secret, but I told them that I have Fire and Darkness. Ryder wields the elements of Sound and Music; they complement each other well, a support character, if you will.
Leon has the Cat element, which makes sense given his ears and tail. He also has the element of Speed. Zak has the elements of electricity and water, which is a feisty combo. Yufie has the Fox element and the Healing element. Finally, Jennifer has the element, Illusion. I still have the rarest element class because of Demon, but Jennifer is a class below me with her illusion element. Maybe that's why she holds herself in high regard. Thankfully, having the Dark element is not as taboo as having the demon element, but that didn't stop them from widening their eyes.
"Well, dark and mysterious boy, you are an enigma indeed." Jennifer quipped as she leaned in to look at me better. I took a step back from her breach of personal space.
"Yeah, you need a hairdue makeover to complement your 'mysteriousness.'" Yufie chimes as she takes a step closer. Ugh. Please stop encroaching on my area... Ryder notices my discomfort and pulls me closer, distancing us from the girls.
"Girls, you're making him uncomfortable. We've got a job to do," he adds as he forces me to walk with him. Thanks, Ryder; you get brownie points for this!
The girls slumped for a moment before reluctantly walking with the others. The other guys looked at each other and raised their shoulders as we continued.
With enough walking and talking, we eventually made it to the springs where the flower resides. Many flowers of different varieties surrounded the area. Yufie ran over to the pond and crouched down to touch the water. We all noticed her jolt momentarily as she put her hands into the water and felt the cold touch her. Leon went over, crouched next to her, and began conversing. I stood on the path looking onward as the others walked over. As I see Jennifer walk to them, I hear her clicking her teeth and muttering something under her breath. I couldn't make out what she said, though.
Ryder opened a scroll that was handed to us before we left. It showed the flower's name and a helpful picture of what it is. We looked around, and it didn't take long to find them. We picked up what we could—well, all of us except Jennifer, who made Zak pick up her share. Seriously? Girls like her are the worst... With minimal effort, we managed to grab the flowers we needed and then some. The quest was now complete, or so we thought. The sound of footsteps drifted into our ears. It was a monster; several to be exact.
Plant-like insects and mutated flowers that have taken life emerged from behind us. The ant-plants clicked their tendrils while the other plant monsters squirmed around their vines before lunging forward. One of the plant monsters targeted Yufie as she was the closest. Seeing them surprised her, and she barely had time to react. Leon stepped in time to save Yufie just before the monster could land an attack. Ryder immediately went on the defensive and pulled out a flute. He began playing. The flute's sounds coursed within us, strengthening our resolve. I was ready to attack.
I readied my flames and began to fling them like firebolts at our aggressors. I was able to strike multiple times, and they reeled back feeling the scorching heat rip into their vulnerable skin. Zak dosed them in water, putting them out, but immediately zapped them with lightning. An agonizing screech was heard from them as some began to drop to the floor, spasming before lying lifelessly. Little by little, we made work of the monsters, and before long, it was over. I wiped some sweat off my forehead in the aftermath. I looked back and saw the others getting a rest, save for Jennifer, who looked over at all of us without a sweat on her. Did she even do anything?
The guys high-fived while Yufie moved to Jennifer's side, as if she were being ready to be petted. Of course, Jennifer did precisely that. I looked over at them with curiosity. What did I get myself into? Those words lingered in my conscience as I approached the group. Ryder smiled at me as he raised his hand for a high-five. I chuckled, but met his hand with mine. I guess Ryder is a cool dude. I should stop being so defensive around him. I think he noticed my smile and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Oh well, I'll allow it for now...
We were busy celebrating until one of the girls cleared her throat. It was Jennifer, of course... She looked over at us in clear annoyance. I raised an eyebrow while the others sighed. We collected ourselves before leaving the area to return to the village. As we went, Jennifer didn't say a word. What's with her? I thought to myself as we continued. Ryder pulls me aside as we walk.
"If you're thinking how uptight Jennifer is, then forget it. She's always like this when she has to put in effort or is bored." He whispers.
"Ah, I see." I acknowledged as I looked over at Jennifer, who was walking ahead.
I found this quest enjoyable. Maybe it's because I was able to unleash a bit of my powers, but still. Why does she want to become a mercenary if she finds all this work unenjoyable? From what I've heard, it's very tedious work. Maybe she thinks this is below her? I don't know... Whatever it is, I'm fine as long as she's cool with me. Seriously, I do not wish to get on her bad side. I don't know what popular kids could do.
When we returned to Kertz, some students lounged around, but once they noticed us, they stood up like they had just arrived. I assume this was from a furrowed-brow companion starting to loosen up after we reached our destination. Jennifer took one of the seats that the kids were using and slumped. She looked tired, as if she was doing most of the work and not just standing there. She looked at one of the male students, who jolted when she locked eyes with him. She gestured for him to grab her a drink, and he scattered to do so.
I guess the hierarchical system still applies here. I'm sorry to the ones at the bottom. I got lucky, I think... The others also take their seats, except Ryder, who grabs the flowers from everyone and looks at the others.
"Well, I'm gonna take these over to the desk area. I'll be back." He chimes as he walks over to turn in the quest. I take my seat with the others, and I am a bit self-conscious as I do so.
"I'm glad Ryder is so dependable," Yufie adds once Ryder leaves.
"Yeah, he's pretty good, right, Jenny?" Zak nodded as he asked Jennifer.
She looks over at Zak with an annoyed look. "...Yeah, I guess he is."
I wonder if something happened between her and Ryder? Old flame...? Nah.
"He's a very social guy. He came right up to me after I had a confrontation with his friend," I say, trying to fit into the conversation.
"Really? We had a similar situation." Leon added.
"Huh, no kidding," I responded.
The more we talked about Ryder, the more upset Jennifer got. Something must have happened between them. I wasn't going to pry, though. Not sure if I care about their relationship as long as it doesn't bother me. We chatted some more till Ryder came back. He sat beside me, putting some distance between himself and Jennifer. Huh. The other student eventually came back with a mug of water. She took it straight from him and shooed him away. He gladly scattered.
"Well, we got some money off of it." He says as he places the money on the table—8 electrum pieces. For a quest like that, that amount is pretty generous.
We had a small celebration, and even Jennifer looked slightly relieved, probably because she wouldn't have to do any more quests. We used two Electrum to buy food in the dining hall and waited for the other students to return.
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Evening arrived, and everyone huddled together at the guild hall. We organized and counted everything we had, and with a combined total of 30 electrum, eight silver, and four copper, we had enough for lodging and supplies for the trip. Because of that, we had a celebration. We all bought more food and drinks, and many students got up and sang. It was nice, although I was an onlooker. I sat by myself at a table watching the festivities.
I pondered what Adrien was doing. I hope he's safe. I want to find him as fast as I can... but now there's this group. I sighed as I took a swig of some juice.
"I want a soda..."
"Yeah, it would be nice if we had some right now."
I looked up and saw Ryder standing in front of me. I jolted up in bewilderment. How'd he get there without me noticing?
"Whoa, surprised ya' huh? Lost in thought?"
"Uh... yeah, was worried about my friend."
"Ah, the tall guy with the glasses?"
"Yep, the very person."
Ryder takes a seat next to me. He smiles at me as he nudges me.
"You want to go find him, I assume, right?"
I pause. "...yeah."
He looks at the celebrating crowd. Leon and Zak are having a blast with the other students, while Jennifer and Yufie are nowhere to be found, probably sleeping already.
"I get you... I'm worried about my buddy as well."
"Oh, the white hair'd kid," I say, recalling earlier in the real-life day.
"Yeah, we're close; he's practically my brother."
"Heh, it's the same for us," I reply.
Ryder chuckles and nods as he lies back on his chair. He doesn't say much afterwards, and we sat there in silence. I'm not the best conversationalist, alright? Though I don't mind his company, at least the moment felt peaceful.
The party ended an hour later. We will have a group meeting at 9 a.m., so we can do what we want until then. I was going to hit the sack. I felt drained socially after today. I got to my room and closed the door behind me. I sank into that bed like it was the comfiest bed in the world. Even in this digital world, I can feel the sheets' softness and warmth, with the cold sky lingering in the background. After a while, I drifted to sleep thinking about all that had happened that day.
It was morning, and I felt the sun hit me as I groggily got up. Despite having yesterday's clothes on and doing all that work, I smelled fine. I quickly fixed my bed hair and tied it up before leaving my room. Another day awaits.
I went downstairs and saw some students already in the hall. It wasn't time yet, but they probably couldn't sleep. I can't blame them; this is practically another world. However, I'm kinda more excited to explore the world here. In the real world, leaving the city could be very dangerous. With tons of monsters and demons scattered around, as well as human raiders and the like, who knows what could happen? I pondered whether this world resembles ours in those aspects as I sat down in the hall.
That's when I heard a commotion coming from outside. The students in the hall looked terrified. Probably due to my nature, I had to investigate. I went up to the terrified student.
"Yo, do you know what's going on out there?"
The kid looks at me with a terrified expression. "Oh, it's you, yeah, I know... I screw'd up, big time."
I raised an eyebrow. "Messed up? How?"
He hesitates, unsure whether to answer my question. "Bad. Jennifer made me the group's treasure, so I had the coins, but—" He stops as the front door slamming interrupts him. The person who practically busted open the door was Jennifer. She looks pissed. She locks eyes with our treasurer and storms over to him. She grabs him by the collar and makes him rise to his feet. I take a step back, intimidated by her presence.
"You bastard... You better have a perfect explanation for this... cause I swear if it was something foolish I–"
"I'm sorry! Please Jennifer! I didn't mean to lose the money! Some thugs came after me and–"
"If it was some 'thugs', you should've handled them!"
"There were too many! Please Jennifer! I didn't—"
"Shut Up!" Jennifer howled as she let go of him, and the kid sank to the ground, his legs giving out.
Jennifer huffs in a fit of rage and then notices me. She stares at me with an intense look.
"You, dark and gloomy. Come here."
I immediately walk towards her. Once I was right next to her, we stared at each other momentarily before she sighed deeply and lay her head against my shoulder. Surprised, I moved back before she brought me forward. What's happening right now? Is she coming on to me? I don't know, girl. I've only seen you for one day, and I'm not ready for a relationship right now!? I need to get to know you better, and—oh, she lifted herself up. She looked at me again, then held her head against her hand.
"This sucks... what are we gonna do?" She turns around, holding her fist close as she begins to tremble.
"I'll find these shmucks and make them pay for taking my money!" She turns back and yells.
"Dark and Gloomy! You and this pathetic excuse for a student are going to bring back my—I mean, our money!" Slipped up there, huh?
Before I could respond, her element pushed me out of the building, and the kid was thrown out. I sighed. Why did I get wrapped up in something before I ate? The kid stood up and sighed as well.
"Ah, geez. I'm sorry, Daniel, I didn't mean to bring you into this mess."
I looked at the kid and smiled. "It's cool. I wish I could've eaten something before we started, but whatever, " I said as I stretched.
"Let's get this over with, I wanna have my breakfast," I say as I storm off.
"Wait!" The kid pulls me by my school suit, stopping me.
"What?"
"Do you even know where you're going?"
"No, I was just gonna find every rough-looking individual and punch them till I get some answers."
"Ugh..." He let go of me.
I turn back to look at him, and he's sweating profusely. Something's up.
"Okay... what did you 'actually' do with the money?"
"Oh..." he hesitates before confessing. "I uh... might've gambled it all away..."
"Great..."
The rest of that morning was spent with me and the kid trying to scavenge some money. I felt bad for the guy, but couldn't believe he'd be so irresponsible. We all worked hard for that money, some more than others, but still. Before long, we managed to scavenge eight Electrum, 11 silver, and five copper pieces before nine. It wasn't enough to get back what we lost. I slumped, seeing our total payoff.
"Geez, only this much? How are we supposed to get the rest back in time?"
"Im really sorry!" the kid bows. I tell him to lift himself.
"Don't apologize to me, it's Jennifer that you should be more worried about."
He apologizes again, pauses, and stands up and yells. He has an epiphany.
"I know how we can get the money back!"
"Don't tell me..."
We end up at the site where everything went wrong—the gambler's hall. I looked over at the kid, annoyed. I want to smack him.
"You think after everything we've done, we should risk it again and lose everything!"
"Im sorry, but this is the only place I can think of."
I sighed as I looked back at the hall. I'm not a gambling man, but it's either this or incur Jennifer's wrath. I guess I have no choice. I walked forward and went inside, and the student immediately followed. It was around 8:25, and some patrons were already attending the establishment. I felt like I was one of the addicted people coming back fresh in the morning for another hit. Wait a moment... are we even allowed to gamble? Is this allowed? I guess if he were able to, then we could... something feels off.
As I walked further into the place, I was greeted by a worker.
"Good morning, young master. Welcome to our humble establishment."
"Uh... yeah, good morning."
"We have a spot just for young patrons such as yourselves. Please follow me."
Uh, stranger danger, this feels weird, did this kid also do this?
"Hey, this is my first time here. Where are you taking us?" I asked as we walked.
"To an area, personalized for you," he replies.
Against my better judgment, I let him lead me to this area. Thankfully, it looked like the same room as the other one. The machines were complete and ready to be gambled on. I stared nervously. "Take your pick," the man said, showing me many machines. Then, I spotted a table that looked interesting.
"Ah, a fantastic choice, young master. This game is called Blazing Dice."
The worker explained the game to me. There are three players, each player rolls two rune-dice. Each side represents an element. Players can place bets before each roll, and if a player matches both rolls, they activate a "Double Surge" and can add an elemental "strike" move to the round—A moment to test our reflexes. A flame is lit in the center of the table. When both players toll, the flame flickers toward the winner, reacting to the stronger element or reaction time. In the final round, players must 'catch the flame' with bare hands; whoever endures it longer wins the pot.
It sounded dangerous, but the payout was impressive enough to make our money and then some. It was time for me to win big for the group. I made my way up to the table and placed all my money. My opponents, waiting for another challenger, snickered as they saw how much I placed.
"What, just that? Are you joking?" One quipped
'Yep, that's all."
The student grabs my shoulder. "Are you kidding, Daniel? You could get hurt playing this one!?"
I smiled at him. "It'll be fine, David, now let me do this."
He looks bewildered as he gets escorted back to watch from the sidelines.
"My name is Andrew..."
A crowd forms as an announcer begins.
"Hello all, and welcome to view our next game of 'Blazing Dice!' We have three competitors here who are trying to play for the pot! Who will come up on top?"
The crowd hypes up with cheers to the house.
"Hope you like pain," says the other opponent.
"Let's see if it likes me first."
"Let's get started, shall we?"
The crowd cheered as we were both given a pair of dice. I looked at the sides of each—Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, and Dark. The Dealer took my coins, and we started the rolls. My opponents placed their dice in a cup and shook them; I did the same. The results were out: I got Fire and Earth, two others had different ones, but nothing matched, and the man who joked at my wealth had been dealt two winds. The crowd went wild as the announcer announced "Double Surge." The man grinned. He throws out a gust-blade—a flash of cutting air. My instincts kick in, and I barely dodge it, feeling a lash on my cheek.
A flame in the center of the table appears, its center tilting toward me. His blade fizzles, and the flame chooses Fire over Wind. The Dealer raises an eyebrow, "Point: Flame." The crowd cheers. The man curses, and I feel a rush flowing through me as my eyes widen. Intensity. We begin rolling once more, and the dice all hit the table. One rolls Water and Light, another rolls Dark and Dark, I rolled Fire and Fire.
The Dealer says quietly, but curiously, "Double Surge."
The other two prepare their strikes. The one with Dark casts a shadow bind, and the one with Light tries to blind me with a flash. I stand up, one foot scraping back. I clap my hands together and close my eyes. A pulse of flames spirals out from my body—slow, calm, but hot enough to turn the center of the table to molten glass. The other illusions burn away instantly.
"Fire doesn't lie."
Everyone stares. The man from before has already backed away. Only one opponent remains: a cloaked man with a grizzled jaw and artificial arm—a local legend.
"I don't care who you are, boy. That fire bends for a lotta freaks."
The Dealer sets the flame for the last time. It hovers taller now, brighter, more alive. "Catch the flame," the Dealer declared. "Endure it. Break, and you lose. Last hand in the fire takes the pot." The crowd grows louder, each wanting to see what happens next. The man and I both raise our hands. The flame begins to lean toward me, but not before it burns upward, wild and twisting. It's fighting me, sensing something I wish to ignore and forget. I wince, and my vision blurs. For a moment, the monster within me reaches for control.
The crowd is now rampant. The student who watched from afar yelled for my victory. I've gone this far; I couldn't stop now. I tighten my fist and breathe out. Fire pulses from my skin, not from my pain but from my resolve. I reach into the flame, and the flame stills. Silence holds the room, like the word noise being choked. I cup the flame in my palm, and the crowd gasps. The cloaked man drops his hand, eyes widened.
"You... you 'held' it," his voice hoarse.
"The flame chose." The Dealer said quietly.
The Dealer handed me a bundle of coins. My eyes widened in surprise. I slowed down my emotions and smiled.
"Thanks for the game," I smirked at the Dealer before turning to leave, the flame in my palm snuffed out like a dying candle. Someone in the crowd whispers:
"What was he?"
"Fire doesn't lie," another mutters.
I go up to David and hand him the bag of coins.
"Here you go, David, let's leave," I say as I walk out. He follows promptly, still in shock.
"Uh, Daniel?"
"What's up?"
He pauses. "...My name is Andrew."
———————————————————
It was nine o'clock on the dot. We rushed back to the adventurers' guild and opened the door to see the other students taking their seats. Jennifer worried until she noticed us, or rather, the coins. She rushed over, almost tripping over others, and grabbed the money pouch. She looks at us, bewildered and happy.
"Holy shit, this is much more than what we had. How did you get all this!?" She says excitedly.
"Eh, I took a gamble and won," I said. She raised an eyebrow but quickly dropped it as she brought the money to her cheek and rubbed it.
"Whatever, I don't care! Great job, Dark and Gloomy!" She smiles as she walks back to her chair.
Ugh, I'm already exhausted. I tried a little too hard to be cool back at the gambling hall. I sat at the main table, and David—I mean, Andrew—took his spot with the other students. I could see him looking at me and gossiping with the other students. I hope it was about how cool I was. I sighed as I looked over to Ryder.
"Tough morning?"
"You can say that again."
We chuckle before the meeting begins. The original plan for the day was to do more questing and get the money to start a trip to the neighboring towns. However, due to my huge payoff, we could skip doing quests and go straight to making preparations to head to the next town. I got some applause and praise because of that. It felt good. Jennifer was sitting in the back, not caring about what happened as long as she didn't need to do anything.
When she heard about the trip, she almost made everyone go against it. I stepped up and countered her. Others looked in awe, while others were scared for me. She looks at me with daggers. Then others began to side with me, until almost everyone sided with me. She had no choice but to back down. She looked at the money I made and frowned as she agreed to go on the trip. I said what I wanted to say, and found that I cracked her walls somewhat.
So, we made our decision. We gathered the supplies needed and will make our trip. Some were delighted, others skeptical. It's with good reason that we don't know what lurks out in the wilderness. We encountered some enemies, but there are definitely stronger ones out there. With our money, we got everyone the necessary equipment and supplies. Jennifer insisted we rent a horse to help "lighten the load." I bet it was so she could ride it with the supplies, not needing to walk. Since she essentially became our treasurer, she took the liberty to rent one with what we had left over.
The trip was set. A light mist picked up earlier this morning. I returned the map of Kertz to the man in the saloon and returned to the group. Along the way, I was told that Jennifer and Ryder disappeared. I went around town to find them and noticed Ryder enter an alleyway with someone. I was curious about who it was, so I took a peek. I peeked around the corner and saw Jennifer leaning against the wall, arms crossed, expression unreadable. She looks towards the sky, the sun rising between shattered rooftops. Ryder stands a few feet away.. A private convo, huh? Best not to be nosy. As I took a step to leave, I overheard the conversation.
"You always used to say I was the brightest person you knew. What happened to that?" she says quietly.
"You started using brightness like a spotlight. Blinding others instead of guiding them."
She's quiet for a moment before she smirks.
"It's cute, you know—you and your new little fireball. I guess loyalty's easier when they don't know who you really are," she said to him bitterly.
Adrien just faced her calmly. "Maybe. Or maybe I like people who don't lie to survive."
Ooh, spicy. I assume this was because of me. I guess there was something between the two of them after all.
Jennifer looks at Ryder softly, almost lonely. "I used to think you'd always orbit me like I was gravity. But I guess all I ever did was pull you down."
Ryder is silent for a long beat. "You never pulled me down, Jen. You just never looked back when you started rising."
She looks up at that, eyes glossy but guarded. Ryder gives Jennifer a lingering glance, part sadness, part acceptance.
I could feel the intensity between them. I think it was time for me to head out. As I was leaving, I heard footsteps approaching from the alley. I hid behind a barrel and noticed Ryder leaving after a minute. I peeked out and saw Jennifer still there, lost in thought. I had to pass her anyway. I should step out. I get up from behind the barrels and walk towards the edge of the entrance. She looks up at me, and I nod as if I just showed up.
"There you are. Everyone's geared up. Thought I'd find you brooding somewhere dramatic."
Jennifer's eyes narrow. Her posture stiffens. She studies my face.
"How long were you there?"
I shrug. "Just got here."
"Right. And I'm Gaia," she responds coldly.
I raise an eyebrow, but say nothing. I meet her gaze, quietly, patiently.
She puts up her walls. "Well? Aren't you going to rub it in? Say something noble? Win the moral high ground?"
"I don't want the high ground, Jennifer. I just want us all to come back alive."
I can see that my words hit her harder than anything else would've. Her anger deflates.
She looks away. "I hate how calm you are."
I smile faintly. "You'd hate me much more if you knew how much of it is fake."
She doesn't answer. She stares at the wall again, quietly.
"You're not going to say anything about what I said? About Ryder?" she asks with a solemn look.
I shake my head. "That's between you and him."
There's an awkward pause before I speak again.
"Although, for what it's worth... I don't think he ever stopped caring."
She looks down at her feet, eyes stinging, but nothing falls.
"Don't get used to this version of me," she winced.
I smile at her. "I don't need you to change. Just don't disappear again. We're probably heading into real danger now."
Another long silence, then, Jennifer nods, just once. After that, I make my way out with the rest, leaving her there. Jennifer remains alone in the alley for a bit longer. The mist rises but doesn't cling to her like a veil this time. I made my way back to the gate where we planned the start of our journey. After a couple of minutes, Jennifer arrives. She says nothing as she grabs her stuff and places it on the cart that the horse will pull. I look over at Ryder, who stares at her momentarily before returning to his work.
Well, things might be awkward, but I have to endure it for a while longer. My current objective is to find Adrien. It would be great if I could see him on this trip. Then I'll split off with this drama-filled group. Alright. I psyched myself up before we began to depart. We were told that Riverton was the closest other town. It was Northwest from here, about a 2-3 hour walk. It was a seaside village; I hope to find some clues and continue forward. I looked back at the gates, and they began to shrink as we moved forward. Let's hope I can continue moving forward.