At the Information Center, Aeron entered a room. The space was dimly lit, with a large screen at the front. On the screen, Miss Daisy appeared via video conference, her face stern.
As Aeron stepped inside, Miss Daisy's voice greeted him. "Welcome, Aeron. Have a seat." Her tone was rough, a little grumpy, which made Aeron feel a flicker of anxiety. He quickly sat down, feeling his nerves prickling.
"How's your body doing?" Miss Daisy asked, her eyes fixed on him through the screen.
"Looking at your medical reports, it doesn't seem like you're fine," Miss Daisy said, her tone sharp yet laced with concern. "I've never seen anything like this—your heartbeat is highly unusual."
She turned on Aeron's report on the screen. "Take a look at your heartbeat," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Aeron leaned forward, his brows furrowed. "What's wrong with it?"
Miss Daisy tapped the screen. "The average resting heartbeat of a normal person is around 72 beats per minute. Yours dropped to 28 bpm during the test."
Aeron froze for a moment and realized that he accidently activated his powers during the test.
"Maybe it was just a mechanical error," Aeron said, forcing a casual tone into his voice.
Miss Daisy wasn't buying it. "All the machines were double checked," she replied, her tone firm. "There's nothing wrong with the equipment."
Aeron quickly countered, "During the entrance exam, my simulator malfunctioned too."
Miss Daisy's expression darkened slightly. "It's strange, Aeron. Among all the cadets, it's always your equipment that malfunctions. Every single time." She paused, her voice dropping to a more serious tone. "It's very suspicious."
Her words made Aeron's stomach twist. He thought to himself, Am I drawing too much attention to myself?
Feigning nonchalance, Aeron replied, "It really is just a coincidence. I don't know why this keeps happening."
Feigning a lighthearted response, he said, "It's just a coincidence. I don't know why this keeps happening."
Miss Daisy sighed, her expression softening slightly. "Fine. You've been through a lot—the fight and these tests. You're probably exhausted. You're free to leave for now."
"Thank you, Miss Daisy," Aeron said with a small nod, trying not to show his relief.
As he was about leave the room, Miss Daisy's voice stopped him. "Aeron," she said, her tone less stern now. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm here to help."
Aeron hesitated, then gave her a faint smile. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Miss Daisy."
Aeron left the room. It was getting dark; Aeron walked to a quiet place near the forest, sat down and muttered to him, "I can't let anyone at ASC know I have this power. How I got this power. How my failure to master this power gave me a scar of terrible memories, and the event that took away her life" Aeron forced a bitter laugh. "Why am I thinking of her now, it's already been 4years."
Aeron stayed quiet for a moment and thought of the incident few months ago in the entrance exam, was that broken disk intentionally inserted into my simulator? The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
And if it was... He clenched his fists, his expression hardening. Who did it?
The question lingered, heavy and suffocating, as Aeron replayed the events of the entrance exam in his mind. Every detail, every face, every word—was there something he'd overlooked?
At the Entrance Exam…
The exam hall was sleek and full of advanced technology. Dozens of candidates stood at the testing ground, their faces a mixture of nerves and determination.
"Welcome, candidates!" A loud, booming voice echoed through the speakers, pulling everyone's attention to the front. "Today, you'll prove yourselves worthy to join the Aether Strike Corps. Prepare yourselves for a series of tests that will challenge you physically and mentally."
The tests began—physical endurance, IQ assessments, and written exams. Hours passed as Aeron and the other candidates pushed themselves to their limits.
Finally, the announcer's voice returned. "This is your final test. You'll be placed into a virtual simulation where you must survive for one hour. Be warned: if you get hurt in the simulation, it will hurt as if it were real life."
Aeron felt a chill run down his spine but kept his composure as he stepped into the machine.
"Do your best," Miss Daisy's voice buzzed in his earpiece, steady but distant.
"Yes, Miss," Aeron replied before the machine whirred to life.
Inside the simulation, Aeron found himself facing wave after wave of monstrous creatures. It was exhausting but manageable, and soon, he found himself thinking, "This is too easy. I could do this all day."
The hour was almost up when something shifted. The air grew cold, and a heavy darkness began to creep into the edges of the simulated world.
"What the… Is this part of the test?" Aeron muttered, squinting as a shadowy figure darted past him. His pulse quickened.
As the environment dissolved into thick, dark smoke, he saw horrific scenes—memories of people being killed, homes burning, swords slashing through bodies. His mind reeled.
Among the chaos, he saw a familiar face—his father. "Find me, Aeron," his father said, his voice echoing in Aeron's mind.
"Dad! I'm right here!" Aeron shouted, rushing toward the figure. But as soon as his hand touched his father, the world went pitch black.
A shadowy assassin appeared before him, their face hidden in darkness. "Who are you? Why do you always come in my dreams? What did you do to my dad?" Aeron demanded, his voice trembling.
The shadow figure remained silent for a moment, and then let out an eerie, blood-curdling scream. Without warning, it plunged a long sword into Aeron's chest.
Back in the Real World…
Outside the simulation, an assistant monitoring the machines furrowed his brow, staring at the screen in confusion. Something was off. The machine linked to Aeron's vitals was showing an anomaly—two vital signs, as if there was someone else inside the simulation with him.
"Miss Daisy!" the assistant shouted, his voice laced with panic. "There's something wrong with candidate 2971's machine!"
Miss Daisy rushed over, her expression stern. "Let me see," she said, her voice firm but controlled. She leaned over the console, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the data on Aeron's machine.
After a tense moment, her face darkened. "This can't be right…" she muttered, her fingers flying over the controls. Then, she paused, eyes widening as she opened the device and found a broken disk lodged inside. "Who used this broken disk?!" she demanded, her voice sharp with alarm.
Suddenly Aeron started shaking, screaming out of pain
Without waiting for another moment, she gaze snapped back to the assistant. "Get Aeron out of the simulation, now!" she ordered, her voice tight with urgency.
Aeron jolted awake from the simulation, disoriented. The world around him seemed to move in slow motion, but his head was spinning. He stumbled forward, crashing into tables and knocking over equipment, but no one seemed to react quickly enough. His screams of pain echoed as he pushed past people, their movements sluggish, unable to keep up with him. Each step was a struggle, his vision blurring until, finally, his body gave in. Collapsing to the floor, everything went dark.
Later…
"Where am I?" Aeron groaned as he tried to open his eyes.
"You're at the medical center," Miss Daisy's voice came through softly, standing beside his bed.
"What happened to me?" Aeron asked, his voice weak.
Miss Daisy sighed, "The simulation malfunctioned. After you were pulled out, you walked out on your own. Everyone said you were walking at lightning speed, they couldn't stop you. No one really sure what happened after you got out of the simulation."
"It seems someone altered your simulator and inserted a broken disk filled with virus. We're extremely sorry for what happened back there. We reviewed the footage… and it appears a man covered with black clork swaped your disk. We were unable to identify him. Our men are searching for him"
Aeron couldn't make sense of anything; it all felt like it was going over his head. His mind was in a haze, and his head continued to throb, as if struggling to keep up with the whirlwind of confusion.
"Boo!" A sudden voice echoed right into Aeron's ear, jolting him out of his spiraling thoughts. His heart skipped a beat as he snapped back to reality, only to find Emma standing beside him, her face lit with a mischievous grin.
"Emma!" Aeron exclaimed, his hand instinctively moving to his chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
Emma burst into a laugh, her yellow eyes sparkling with amusement. "You looked like you were lost in thought, I couldn't resist," she said, trying to stifle her giggles.
Aeron shook his head, a reluctant smile creeping onto his face despite his earlier tension. "You scared the life out of me," he muttered, his voice still carrying a hint of surprise.
Emma playfully nudged his shoulder. "Well, someone had to pull you out of whatever Evil sceme you were planning."
"What gave you that idea?" Aeron asked with a smile
She paused, her expression softening. "You okay?"
Aeron glanced at her, his smile fading slightly, and gave a small nod. "Yeah… I'm fine."
"You didn't eat your lunch. Sure you're okay?" Emma's voice was soft but filled with concern as she leaned forward, trying to meet Aeron's eyes.
"I'm fine," Aeron replied quickly, his tone dismissive as he glanced away, avoiding her gaze.
Emma frowned slightly, not convinced. "You've been missing all day, and now you're skipping meals too? And now you look pale, lost in thought. That doesn't seem fine to me."
Aeron sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I just… I'm tired. I need some rest." Rising to his feet, he added, "I'm heading to my tent. See you tomorrow." Without waiting for a response, Aeron walked away, leaving Emma behind.
Emma stood still, watching Aeron walk away. Concern flickered in her eyes as she whispered, "Why won't he just say what's bothering him? You're like a different person from back then."
Hidden deep within the shadows of the bush, a pair of watchful eyes watched interactions between Aeron and Emma. The figure went to the dark as soon as Aeron left.
From the next day forward, Aeron and his comrades threw themselves into rigorous training with unwavering determination. Mornings began under the sharp whistle of their commanding officer, their breaths visible in the cool dawn air as they sprinted across the training grounds. Sweat dripped from their brows, muscles strained, and lungs burned, but none of them relented. Each push-up, each lap, and each sparring match was a step closer to survival in the harsh unknowns of the Other World.
Afternoons brought them to Professor Verdane's geography lessons. The classroom was filled with the scratch of chalk against the board and the shuffling of maps across desks. The professor's booming voice painted vivid pictures of vast diversity of that world. Aeron couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and apprehension as the intricate geography of the Other World unfolded before them. His fingers traced the map's contours, imagining the uncharted terrains they'd soon navigate.
Every evening, their exhaustion was etched on their faces, but their eyes held a spark of determination. The camaraderie between them grew stronger with each passing day, forged through shared hardships and the weight of their mission. Each night, Aeron lay in his tent, staring at the stars above, his mind racing with thoughts of the challenges ahead and the lingering mysteries of his power.
As the days turned to weeks, weeks turned into months, the cadets realized they were becoming stronger day by day. And so, six months swiftly passed.
"Attention everyone" Commander barked "You've been training very well." Commander started walking left and right " But training along won't be enough, you need practical experience" " So, We will give you assignment" "We will divide you into group of four"
"Ruth, Max, Oren, Finn—you are Group 1," Commander Ruth announced, his tone sharp and deliberate. "Your duty is to retrieve the stolen relic of Sandspire Town in the Zalaris continent." His eyes scanned the group, ensuring they understood the gravity of the mission.
"Leo, Jace, Elliot, Sirius—you are Group 2," he continued, his voice unwavering. "Your task is to scout Shadowmere Town in the Dravathis continent."
"Rico, Milo, Theo, Gareth—you are Group 3," Commander Ruth barked. "You will assist in the dock operations at Wavecall in the Azorath continent. Stay sharp."
"Mihon, Joy, Joey (Two cadets who helped Aeron from Shadowfangs), Lira—you are Group 4," he said with authority. "Your duty is to deliver the supplies to a client in Moltenforge Town in the Dravathis continent." His tone grew heavier, as if emphasizing the risks involved in their journey.
Finally, the commander's eyes landed on Aeron and his group. "Aeron, Emma, Kael, Miley (The girl who broke the looping magic)—you are Group 5," he said, his voice growing somber. "Your mission is to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances in Riverbranch Town, also in the Zalaris continent." A sense of unease lingered in his words, making it clear that this mission was no ordinary task.
He straightened, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. "Each group will be escorted by someone from this world. They know the terrain, the people, and the dangers better than anyone. Rely on them, but do not falter in your duties."
The commander paused, surveying the cadets as if committing their faces to memory. "You are dismissed," he said firmly, turning on his heel and walking away without another word.