Arson had a multitude of issues. He had a trio of siblings from a famous family lost in a random zone within the dump. An unknown element potentially on the verge of attacking him… again. Yet his biggest problem was that Troy had made it to the top of Adroit Academy, and hadn’t been seen since.
Not to mention the news feeds were in an uproar. The tournament of scions had been pushed back due to the destruction of Maelstrom. A malfunction from the new stage caused the entire stadium to burn down, extremely quickly. So quickly in fact that all Fire-teams were unable to suppress the inferno before the MegaPlex was turned into a wasteland of ash.
He stood within his room back home, looking at a cover for Adroit Academy’s digital newspaper. The headline read "What will they do next?" An image of Troy pulling herself up the final peak of the mountain with one hand, on one half of the image, while the other displayed Arson snatching the prelims treasure chest.
“Where are you, Troy?”
Arson wanted to ignore everything else on his plate, and race after Troy. Yet under the pressure from friends and family, he felt forced not to.
Jade was all for him tearing down the mountain to search for Troy, which made him feel slightly supported in his worry. Yet everyone around him continued to remind him how well she had stepped up when he’d disappeared, insuring that he returned to stability. A stability that Arson now wanted to be able to present to Troy on her return.
“If I don’t hear from you in the next few days, I don’t care what anyone says, I’m coming for you Troy…” Arson rose to his feet and closed the screens displayed by his watch and exited his room.
In the hall was a wealth of activity. Many of the orphans who had once lived with Almarine, now lived in the mega-castle Jade summoned to sit on top of the warehouse she’d recently given him the deed to. He had to force down surprise at seeing a clause that would allow him to receive the dump and junkyard if anything ever happened to Jade, but smiled at the thought that he was not only her heir in name but in extended legacy as well.
“Hello,” answered Arson, the face of Almarine appearing on his watch before he picked up.
“If you are late to this meeting, I will kill you and everyone you love,” said Almarine seriously. Arson nodded and smirked.
“I won’t be, and you are at the top of that list momma Almarine,” said Arson with a laugh.
“I will!” Almarine pointed at him and hung up the call. Arson rolled his eyes and began to sprint free of the area.
Forced to run by the orphanage on his way toward the CityNation’s inter-realm teleportation trains, Arson couldn’t help but run through the grounds. Many new faces lived there since Almarine had more space with each orphan that moved out and into the space offered to the BHC by Jade.
Almarine offered an extension to all the smaller orphanages throughout the CityNation of Maelstrom, Arson surprised to see the small settlement of children and young adults grow to exceed the normal ten thousand occupants by double.
He couldn’t help but feel like this would somehow in the end benefit him and his businesses more than he was immediately aware of. His contract with the orphan mother limited his access to how many orphans could work for him at a time, but Almarine had spoken to him since the prelims about increasing that cap. She’d expressed to him that they could work for him without a problem, but living off orphanage grounds had backfired on her slightly, leaving her with less available help for all of her charges, so certain restrictions would still have to be made before they continued.
Many of the new faces still waved in Arson’s direction. His minor celebrity growing within the CityNation of Maelstrom enough that many who saw him run by at least knew him by his alias.
The run along the edge of the orphanage was one that he once dreaded for its distance, but even now limited by the system, incapable of flight, Arson enjoyed the simple run through the forest, into the city he called home.
Even as the transport buses drifted by at a leisurely speed, floating a meter off the ground from place to place, Arson decided not to jump on. Loving the exercise and the feeling of the breeze on his face instead.
By the time Arson made it to the first train station he was only slightly ahead of schedule and remembered Almarine’s threat. He sat down and checked the time on his watch as the train lifted into the air on the platform, a portal to another section of Maelstrom opening up in front of the hover-tram.
Arson sat for a short period and traversed millions of miles of space in mere moments. By the time he stepped free of the train stations platforms at the center of the CityNation, he was still forced to run under time constraints.
Arson had no idea what he was being dragged to attend, but settled mentally that if Almarine wanted him there, it was most likely for his best interest. He made his way through the busy streets, rushing through thousands of citizens to make it to CityHall on time.
The architecturally gorgeous structure took his breath away. Each pillar used to both hold up and decorate the architectural construction was unique, and made to capture the perfection of immortals who’d ascended from the realm of Maelstrom, their statuesque designs enough to take his breath away.
Once inside, he showed an electronic pass given to him by Almarine, and soon found himself in a room with a large gathering of people, with Almarine standing at a podium. He watched her sigh with relief when he walked in a solitary breath before he was expected to be there.
A group of seven sat behind a large council table in front of all gathered, and Arson looked to Almarine who smiled at him before she gave him a single nod.
“This seems serious Ms. Mari. Don’t you think I should at least know why I am here?” Arson tried to ask but Almarine shushed him before he could get his thought out properly.
Then a curly haired blonde man with glasses at the center of the table started to speak, and Arson knew he was stepping into boundaries even he himself felt were far beyond his current capabilities.
“So this is your presented candidate for host,” asked the blonde man.
“Yes, he is the most viable from what I have witnessed of our community of youths for quite some time,” said Almarine proudly. Arson immediately wondered what he could be a host for, but let the interaction continue in hopes that more information would be given if he was patient.
“Does he already have a space large enough for such a prestigious event, or would he be entering into the competition as well,” asked the man, curiosity evident in the lines of his clenched brow.
“I would assume that he will be constructing something alongside his guild, as they are a crafting guild of sorts. Additionally, he would also be a competitor in the tournament being hosted as well, which would normally be a conflict of interest, but it seems the Crown family owned the MegaPlex that was being previously used, to a certain degree, yet three of their seven heirs were still accepted, so I don’t see why he wouldn’t be able to compete both for the position of host by building an appropriate stadium, and a frontrunner for the tournament of scions,” said Almarine casually. The blonde haired official nodded in confirmation of Almarine’s words, while Arson’s jaw dropped open and his head snapped toward the woman’s direction.
“Do you truly have access to build a stadium big enough for millions to visit comfortably, this would bring much attention to our realm, young man,” asked the official, now looking toward Arson. Arson closed his mouth, and glanced toward Almarine, who nodded with a devilish smirk of her own.
“I will make no promises, but I believe with enough time I should be able to work something out, how much time do I have if I am accepted as a potential host to build a stadium?” The blonde haired official, looked at a piece of paper on his desk, and then back toward him.
“The tournament of scions has been pushed back by just over a fortnight, thirteen days for the selection process for the new stadium and a few days for preparation,” answered the official. Arson stared back at the Oligarch, his mind racing at what he was being presented with. A new list of problems building itself at the back of his mind with each breath taken.
“Are there not any other scions better equipped or experienced for a project of this magnitude. I am but a simple business man and influencer, I would never presume myself worthy of such a task, as I feel more than just reputation and honor is on the line here,” asked Arson. The man in front of him smiled and Arson felt in his gut he wouldn’t like the response he was about to hear.
“You are one of many being offered this chance, and if the task isn’t completed within a reasonable amount of time before the tournament begins we can always focus more on an even more legitimate option,” stated the Oligarch simply. Arson gave the man a nod in response before he looked at Almarine.
“Are you sure Ms. Mari?” The woman smiled and Arson nodded to himself more than in response to anyone before he looked back to the official.
“For the honor of Maelstrom,” said Arson with a deep bow. The man smiling widely at the words given.
“For the honor of Maelstrom, young master Gestalt. Growth and grace in your path toward Endless.”
“Growth and grace to you as well, venerable one. May my potential aid in the rise of our realm.”
…
Troy looked down at her school medallion and shook her head. Finally free from the climbing challenges entrapment, Troy moved through the dungeon that was the true Adroit Academy.
She was incapable of talking with anyone outside the dungeon, her overlay locked to an internal channel accessible to the true students of the school.
If you don’t make it to the top, Arson, I’m stuck in here by my sparking self, unless I graduate, or defeat the dungeon.
Troy was trying not to get lost in the schools thrills, honestly feeling guilt at her enjoyment of each day that passed.
Her orientation had been rather revealing. The largest detail being the fake school that had been built around a challenge the elders of the school sufficed as the minimum a student should be capable of to enter. Every person below gave energy daily by being within the area, granting further amenities to the dungeon that fed off the formations weaved through the climbing challenge.
Troy thought about her situation from a more practical stand point, and tried to declutter her mind of every detail in her head that didn’t help her leave the school more quickly.
“I already needed to become stronger. I can’t waste this opportunity.” Troy joined with a group of students about to make their way through the monster-filled halls of the school. A party of students far more easy to move with through the dangerous school, literally built to refine the power of Demi gods.
“You lot ready? I was told the weather outside here today is heavy,” said a short young woman at the front of the group holding a tower shield. Troy nodded alongside the rest of the group of 11 students. And after a thumbs-up from the frontrunner, she turned her back to the group and an entire armor suit appeared on her body instantly. Troy was impressed by the sleek form of the armor suit, and still wanted a true set of her own armor.
Troy looked around at another dormitory she would probably never see again. Many groups of students staying behind, either waiting to leave later, or when the chaos of the hallways died down.
The dorm was luxurious, but none there would stay too long. None who’d actually made it inside the school could afford to waste time. All within the halls of Adroit Academy knew what they’d sworn themselves to see completed. An oath that Troy had also sworn.
She looked forward as the door opened into the hallway. The towering doors slid open to reveal a series of battles happening in separate locations visible from where their group stood.
A series of students could be seen fighting a group of elementals a field length away from the doorway directly in front of Troy’s group.
The group fought within a four-way intersection. The water elementals freezing most of the hallway in that area.
A strong group of students seemed to be winning that battle, but above them a storm elemental was overpowering a group of eight. The far larger creature roamed the spacious corridors casually restricting the students, who tried to fly around the storm elemental, with nets of lightning and sprays of frost.
To Troy’s left was a wall that she couldn’t see through. The opposing wall was made of glass though and offered a full view of what was around the corner to the right, and a giant made of earth and roots, that also proved to be a devastating opponent for an even larger group there.
“Charge!”