"How did you know I was here?" I ask, shifting my weight on the soft grass to face her directly.
"Eave asked Theo for my current location." She says softly, a smile tugging down her lips.
"Theo?" I crook my neck at her –wearing a green shirt, the first three buttons undone exposing her soft skin to the wind that slightly ruffled her unbraided hair. Sitings leg-crossed back against the sturdy trunk of the tree we sat under, the flared espresso brown skirt with red lines riding up carelessly in the wind exposing her pale thighs.
Forest green, espresso brown, and wine red
Like everyone else.
She looks pretty and approachable – that silly smile still on her lips.
"My AVA, you know what that is right?" Cocking her brows at me, she teased lightly.
"Aha Yes, Eave…told me." I stutter embarrased that I no longer remember it's the acronym.
"Regardless, with that dress I could spot you for miles." She continues ignoring my flushed face.
"You've been waiting?" I ask, steering the topic away from what was now becoming controversial. She nods absentmindedly staring at the space between us– her wristwatch pulsing softly with blue light.
"It's 9:00 AM. Let's begin" Tearing her gaze away from the empty space, she looks at me.
"Grant Initaite Liliana viewing access to my panel." She states, her voice steady.
The watch on my wrist flickers faintly scanning between us, then a holograph of words fills the space between us.
Guide Zara Isar granted you viewing access to her panel –appears at the side of my vision.
A written notification. I frown glancing at the dimming blue light on the watch.
"AVA aren't particularly fond of speaking in front of other students aside their assigned ones." She explains, reading my puzzled expression.
"Oh," I mouth wordlessly. She points to the silver stud butterfly shaped ring pierced into her ear.
"You will need one of these for that." She taps softly at it, a small almost imperceptible light gleaming from it.
I gasp.
An auditory channel studded in earrings.
"Okay, let's start." Her solemn voice startling me out of my astonishment.
"Sorry." She whispers, her eyes shining in excitement.
"Its just that, it's my first tutorial session as a Guide." She says, suddenly shy.
I nod.
No wonder she was all smiles today.
"Congratulations, then." I said sincerely.
"Thank you." Started, she paused briefly responding with a warm smile.
"Welcome to Velmora, Initiate." She begins, her voice solemn, eye sharp and steady as she straightens her back against the tree once more.
I nod speechless at her sudden change in demeanor.
"I am Guide Zara Isar, a finale understudy." My brows furrow in confusion.
"Tutorials are usually carried out in three phases spanning three consecutive days." I nod in acknowledgement.
"Today is the first phase: Theoretical." She pauses, letting thr words fall between us with as much weight it carries.
"Others will be carried out in subsequent timelines." She motions at the hovering panel.
Atop was titled: Introduction to Velmora's History.
"Our history is a broad one. Spanning centuries and therefore cannot be covered in measly hours".
If I had doubts before, now I'm sure as hell
She's was speaking mechanically —her speech most likely curated.
"However, I implore you study outside the brief summary, I'll be sharing with you."
"Velmora isn't just a school, It's the training ground of the world's elite." Pausing briefly, she takes in my reaction—which was not so good by the way.
"Formed by Three hundred and sixty Powerhouses after the Great World War that took the lives of thousands of heirs and heiresses leaving the helms porous to low-lives, who had no.."
"Huh" I interrupt at her words.
"What do you mean by low-lives." I ask, picking offense.
"You know aristocrats and their flimsy view of commoners." Smiling, she sighs.
"But, don't worry. That was centuries ago. Current Velmora is not that short-sighted." She continues, relief visible in her eyes.
"Better." I snort.
"Don't interrupt again. Questions are after every attended objective." I nod in agreement.
"Among these 350 Powerhouses were the fifteen Super-Levl Clans, 21 High-level Clans, 67 Mid-tier and Low- tier clans, 34 Business Empires, 47 Organisations, 25 Alliances, 17 Guilds and 7 Coalitions. The rest have no stake in today's Velmora."
Inhaling slightly, she continues.
"Velmora was created with the single purpose of training and arming the younger generation of world leaders with the neccessary skills, knowledge, experience and expertise to administer their duties effectively."
"Nevertheless, like every other Establishment, our objectives have evolved over the years to keep up with changing trajectories and future possibilities to ensure the next generation doesn't fall short in any regard.
She looks away from the panel, giving me a small smile.
" Under the first section, the four W's are as follows."
"I have already stated what Velmora is all about."
"Yes." I reply.
"Next is where is Velmora?" I straighten at her words.
"Velmora is the safest and equally the most dangerous place in the world. Exact Location can be given for the security for young hatchlings
and all her inhabitants."
Disappointed, I roll my eyes.
Why mention the question when you won't answer..
Shaking her head, she goes on.
"Next is Who runs Velmora. No, its isn't the government of any State they are mostly ignorant of its existence as a body."
"Velmora is run by a Council of Stakeholders." She concludes sharply.
I look at the panel, checking if she intentionality left something out.
It was the same.
Vague and mysterious.
Raising more concerns than satiating them.
"Most importantly," She ad-lips looking at briefly.
"Why am I here?" She says, every nerve in my body stills awaiting her answer.
"This is for Externs, this question is has been asked in the first W for Inherents.
Lucky among millions are you. Favoured by the Inclusivity Act, Handpicked for your talents, prowess, backgrounds, intelligence and several unhinged and morally ambiguous reasons, whatever they may be." Her face brightens up in excitement.
"You have stumbled upon a fortune, one encountered only once in a lifetime. To fight for a spot among the World's Elite, earning fame, respect, the luxuries of lives and carving a legacy of your own.
Be greatly grateful at the privilege." Arrogance and superiority laced every word in a cascade of awe. Chuckling, she looks toward me.
"It's arrogant. I know." She smiles warmly, something like understanding flickering between her eyes
"Wait!" She stares back, surprised.
"This iss isnn't The Lights High." I swallow, my throat suddenly parched. My fingers trembling on my laps.
She smiles sympathetically at my reactions, she looks up at the panel.
"You have been brought here under the guises of scholarship to prestigious high schools. Do not be downtrodden, for here lies more for your future.
Her words sends a quake through my body, I clutching the grase beneath me, trembling at lies that seem to never end.
"Liliana." She calls my name for the first since we met.
"I'm sorry but there was never any The Light High."
"But, I saw their website.."
"Spoke to their Principal, watched videos of their classes session. All those things can easily be faked." Her eyes soften with sympathy.
"On the bright side, it was all for good and you aren't been trafficked or sold off somewhere." She consoles, the warmth in her voice receding with every word till it became as cold as ice prickling against my skin.
"As the Curator said, be greatly grateful at the privilege." Her eyes turn cold, each word echoing ruthlessly against my ears.
Somehow, I wasn't surprised.
The moment she said it was her first Tutorial Session.
I understood her enthusiasm.
The friendly smiles.
It wasn't for me.
It's was for her first Tutorial as a Guide.
"I should be grateful after being separated for my loved one all for what? This training I had no desire for." Gritting my teeth, every word spewing with malice.
Yes, I was coming to terms with being separated from Mum.
It's for our better tomorrow.
But this…
I never asked of this.
Not for fame, respect, luxuries or anything they have to offer.
"You have no idea, how many kill for this opportunity." She mutters, her gaze turning soft with sympathy massaging her temple.
"I don't need to. I have no business with them." I replied coldly.
She stares for a moment. Sighing reluctantly, she adds.
"Can you please let me complete my task and then you take all that anger to Admins..." She pleads, looking into my eyes.
"..and try to listen, okay?"
I nod, reining in my angers, clutching at the grass. I don't want trouble her just because things weren't working out well for me.
"This brings us to the next section. Methods of Extracting Externs." She swipes at the panel, switching to a different page that had very little writing and more diagrams.
She looks at me, the soft smiles gone only the calm efficiency of something getting a task done was left.
"Your case is the second and most uncommon scenario for extraction." She begins in a conventional tone.
"The first and usual method is the Implicit Extraction, where Externs are aware they are being chosen as special candidates for a reclusive and secretive school. But, details are not divulged and they are usually trained for at least three months to handle Initiation Rites."
"Mind you there's nothing occultic about any of this." She adds, seeing the horror spread across my face.
"So, you mean they consent without a solid idea of what they are walking into?"
"Yes." She replies confidently smiing at my confusion.
"Why..why would they take such risks?"
"Hmm, desperation, injustice, betrayal, abuse among many other things." She replies thoughtfully.
"Before, I forget the major factor contributing to the success of these extractions are the target group of the extractions itself."
I lean forward awaiting her next words.
"The targets of the Implicit Extractions are usually orphans, victims of injustice, abuse, trafficked victims, maltreated youths, children of criminals that descriminated against. It goes as far as how bad it can get for young people mostly under 19."
"You mean, they are given second chances?" I ask, surprised.
"You can put it that way." She said, smiling faintly.
"It has been happening since the declaration of the Inclusivity Act..a century ago.
"That's actually not bad.." I admit begrudgingly.
"The second is Camouflaged Extraction." I sit straight at her words.
"It usually uncommon as with you.
There have been only about 15 cases since the Inclusivity Act."
"Why?"
"Mostly because the categories of targets lead relatively normal lives Velmora doesn't really plan on disrupting…well until tragedy strikes."
"Exceptions being if they show desire for something outside their ordinary, mundane lives or are exceptionally talented that living in obscurity will be a shame to heaven's gift."
"You must certainly fall in the second group." She says, looking at me so intently as if to decipher what was so special about me that I became the 16th Camouflaged Extracted Extern.
"You creeping me out." I snap.
"Get use to it. There will be more than just stares." She says not particularly offended.
"Back to the tutoriial." She stretches slightly.
"Camouflaged Extractions as the name implies.."
"are carried out under ruses and lies." I complete the sentence, a bitter taste lingering in my mouth.
"I had a taste of that." I add softly.
"That's one way to put it." She agrees.
"It's already been two hours. One more to go. Let's take a break." She smiles playfully.
I groan in annoyance resting against the grass.
" We have 40 minutes left to conclude today's tutorial session." She called out yawning, stretching out against the tree.
"Get over with already." I sigh sitting up.
"The third section of Theoretical is less dense. Just a few terms, you will need to get through Initiation." She consoles, a voice rough at he edges.
"First on our list is the Perambule." i shift closer to hear her a clearly over the noise.
The Perambule is a window usually from two to seven weeks without any academic activities." She says excitedly.
"Really then why are there this much students on campus?" I ask, looking back at the field bustling with students as it neared midday.
"It's recuperative." I grimace at her response.
"You mean gallivanting about with no aim or purpose.
"It's been tradition since Velmora's inception."
"Then it must have a purpose." I hiss, narrowing my eyes at her.
"You're asking the wrong person." She shakes her head unbothered by my attempt at being hostile.
Well, at least it wasn't just Jack.
I reall did suck.
My expression turns sour.
"Next up,Initiation Rites." She continues while I spiralled, whether she didn't notice or she choose to ignore it, I really can't tell.
"I don't really know much about this and nothing substantial is written here. Only all the neccessary information will be given at the right time. You have to research yourself ." She sighed looking annoyed at her words than I was.
"All I know, it our ticket into becoming official trainees or students as you call it." She says visibly sulking.
Our ticket.
Was she participating in the Initiation Rites?
"Next in line, is Velmoran Currency.
They are divided into copper, silver, gold and others you aren't cleared to use now." She stares at me briefly exhausted, nodding.
"Why not just use real currency?" I ask.
"They are legal tender and very much real here in Velmora. Don't worry about the cost of making them, its a virtual currency." She rolls her eyes, leaning further into the tree.
"Beside, won't it be suspicious if a trillions of dollar go missing in the outside world.."
"You don't mean that?" I scoff, refusing to believe her.
"You think this place is cheap? You don't want to know how much goes into Velmora quarterly" She sneers, massaging her sides.
"Strictly speaking, it was adopted to prevent Clans from financing their heirs inside Velmora.
"So it evens out the playing field." I conclude.
"Why do you think so?" She snorts.
"Huh, doesn't it?" I question now confused.
"Just because it was meant to level the playing field, doesn't mean it does actually make things fair. Things are never simple as one plus one equals two." She sighs giving me a pitying look.
"You mean here?"
"No, in the real world. There's a loophole around every rule. People will always find ways to cut corners."
"So, they make counterfeits?" I lean forward enjoying where this conversation was headed.
Only our Resource Halls can issue Velmoran Currency and unlike your Central Banks, they ensure our currencies are unforgeable."
"Okay, what's with the ' our' and 'your" drama you have been on about?" I frown, now pissed.
She freeze for a moment.
"You know what, I wouldn't entertain any more of your questions. You driving us away for the Guide Curriculum." She snaps, smoothly changing the topic.
I stare at her for a moment refusing to push further.
A few minutes later, she rises up straightening the flaps of her shirt. "That's all for Phase One, Initiate."
"You did talk about Understudies." I get up mirroring her actions.
She pauses briefly to look at her.
"Why? It's not part of your Curriculum."
"Its not!"
"I'm just curious since are one.
"Understudies are apprentices and trainees." She says dismissively turning to leave.
"I know that much." I said, stepping in her way.
Her eyes narrow slightly at the movement.
"Okay, they are the children of the Velmoran Workforce, who refuse to become staffs and undergo three years of mandatory tutorship to join Initiation Batches."
"You'll take part in the Initiations?" I step back, shocked.
"Yes, its my first and only chance at changing my fate." She says, her voice firm and determined.
"I wish you the best of luck." I say, embarrassed at my own actions.
"Luck." She rolls her eyes at me.
"Never. Has. Anything. To. Do. With. What. Happens. Here.
"Zara! We are waiting" Someone shouts before I can think of a responce. I turn to the voice to see two girls waving excitedly at Zara acrosd the field.
"If you don't have things to do. I have friends to catch up it. See you tomorrow, Initiate." She says, running off in their direction.