The day was cool as Rayan walked alongside his best friend, Oliver, after school. Their plan was simple: spend the evening at Rayan's house, playing games on the PlayStation like they often did. But there was a strange heaviness in the air, something that made Rayan feel uneasy. The streets they knew so well stretched ahead, but a subtle feeling of detachment crept into Rayan’s chest.
As they walked, Rayan suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness. He turned to talk to Oliver, but his friend had vanished. Startled, Rayan spun around, searching the empty street. His heart thudded in his chest. The world around him shifted without warning. The buildings and familiar streets dissolved into a dense, dark forest. He was alone. Shadows curled around him, thick and suffocating. A low rumble of thunder echoed through the trees.
Frozen in place, Rayan’s mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. His breath quickened, his body stiff with fear. Something was there, lurking behind him. Slowly, he turned. Two glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness. A massive, shadowy figure loomed closer, towering over him with a monstrous aura that chilled him to his core.
It was unlike anything Rayan had ever seen. His instincts kicked in, and without thinking, he turned and ran. His feet pounded against the forest floor, but the heavy footsteps of the creature followed, closing in. Desperate, Rayan sprinted faster, his heart hammering in his chest. Suddenly, his foot caught on something, sending him tumbling into a deep, unseen pit.
Rayan awoke with a gasp, drenched in sweat. His chest heaved as he struggled to regain his bearings. The brightness of the room overwhelmed him, making it hard to focus. He blinked repeatedly, his head pounding. The nightmare clung to him, as real as the sweat on his skin. Slowly, the events from the previous day drifted back into his mind—David, the strange world of Neru, the cold realization that he no longer belonged to the life he once knew.
He sat up slowly, scanning the room. The polished floors and finely crafted furniture seemed at odds with the strange sensation growing in his chest. Everything was clean and unfamiliar. It was too elegant for someone like him, too distant from the life he remembered.
Was it all real? He thought, rubbing his temples. The sharp pain in his head made it hard to focus, but he forced himself to remember the words David had spoken. Something about a simulation, something about him being a warrior for this world.
With effort, Rayan stood and moved towards the bathroom. The cool air brushed against his skin as he stepped into the shower. The water was colder than he remembered, and the technology felt alien. As he stood under the stream, it washed and dressed him automatically, wrapping him in the same uniform as before—a blue top, black trousers, and a red belt. The motions were smooth, efficient, but impersonal. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His features were sharper, his body leaner and more muscular than it had ever been.
Stepping out into the hallway, a flood of sounds greeted Rayan—people moving, doors opening and closing, voices echoing. The air buzzed with activity, yet he felt disconnected from it all. He hadn’t eaten much the day before, just a small meal at David’s house, but the hunger gnawing at him now wasn’t overwhelming. He pushed the feeling aside, more focused on the uncertainty of his situation than on his appetite.
As he walked through the hallways, Rayan began to notice the surrounding people. There were many faces, but replicants like him stood out, isolated from the larger groups. Some moved confidently, their forearms exposed, but most, like him, kept theirs hidden, as if there was something they needed to conceal. David’s warning echoed in his mind, and he instinctively adjusted his sleeve, making sure his forearm stayed covered.
The crowd guided him to a large hall where breakfast had been laid out. Rayan took a seat at a table filled with bread, milk, and unfamiliar foods. As he picked up a piece of bread and took a tentative bite, he was surprised by how delicious it tasted—soft, fresh, and unlike anything he had eaten before. It calmed him, if only for a moment, as he tried to ignore the growing unease within him.
He glanced around, noticing that no one else had started eating. Everyone sat quietly, their eyes fixed forward as if waiting for someone. A girl sat next to him, her eyes downcast. Rayan offered her a friendly smile, hoping to break the tension, but she didn’t acknowledge him. She remained still, staring at the food in front of her, lost in her own world.
Suddenly, a bell rang, its sound sharp and commanding. The others immediately began eating, as if the signal had released them from some invisible hold. Rayan finished his meal quickly, his mind spinning with questions. Another announcement followed, instructing the recruits that they would be divided into five groups, each assigned to different classes, and announced that the team number is mentioned below their plate. He glanced at the underside of his plate and saw the number 5 marked clearly. He looked toward the girl beside him, now gone, whose plate had read 1.
As Rayan made his way toward group 5, he spotted a familiar face—a replicant walking alone. Deciding to approach, he struck up a conversation.
“Hi. Which group are you in?” he asked.
The replicant glanced at him and replied, “I’m in group 3. By the way, my name’s Quinn.”
Before they could exchange more words, a group of people pushed past them, deliberately bumping into Quinn. The mocking laughter that followed made Rayan’s stomach churn. Quinn lowered his head, refusing to respond.
“There are only five replicants,” Quinn murmured after the group had passed. “They’ve spread us across different groups.”
He explained that a senior from the Sylvarion family had shared this with him, also that both came from the same family.
“Family?” Rayan asked, curious and confused.
“Yes. I Am a replicant of the Sylvarion family. I have brothers who came from the same family and are seniors, so they’ve mentioned things,” Quinn explained, his voice subdued.
Rayan was puzzled. He hadn’t heard anything about families. The confusion only deepened the more he learned. Before he could ask Quinn more, the other boy hurried away, leaving Rayan with more questions than answers. As Quinn disappeared into the crowd, Rayan noticed some of the other students sneering at him, likely for daring to speak to another replicant.
The isolation Rayan felt grew heavier, like a weight pressing down on him. Despite his surroundings, nothing felt familiar. Everything felt like a distant echo of a life he couldn’t reach.
Rayan finally found his way to group 5’s meeting place, a large archway leading to a vast hall. As he approached, an automated security system scanned his eye, issuing an entry badge that clipped itself neatly to his chest. The room inside was crowded, nearly all the seats taken. He spotted one last open chair, but as he walked toward it, a young man with a sharp nose and bright blue eyes, casually placed his foot on it, blocking Rayan’s way. The boy wore a dark grey jacket and had a smug grin on his face as he chewed on something, his arrogance palpable. The surrounding others laughed, clearly entertained by the display of dominance.
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Rayan felt a spark of anger, but kept it in check. He wasn’t here to start a fight, and he knew better than to let it get to him. Still, it stung to be treated like an outsider. As he looked around for another seat, he caught sight of Kevin, who noticed everything that had happened. Kevin rose from his seat and approached Rayan. Calm and composed, he asked the boy to move his foot from the chair. The boy ignored him, clearly enjoying the attention. But just then, someone entered the room, and the atmosphere shifted. The boy quickly removed his foot, straightening up. The entire room fell silent.
The man who entered had a commanding presence, with long, sharp features and an intensity that couldn’t be ignored. His look reminded Rayan of a Django rap singer from his old world, but there was something even more dangerous about him. He introduced himself as Adrian, their trainer, and alongside him were his team of four—two women and two men. He introduced the confident blonde in the white top as Nora, the shy, quiet girl as Eva, and the young man with him as Aiden.
Adrian wasted no time, instructing the group to follow him. As they walked, Kevin and Rayan talked quietly.
“I was born into the Eldarion family,” Kevin explained. “We’re well known, and a lot of the high-ranking members of Neru come from my family.”
“What do you mean by ‘rank’?” Rayan asked, still trying to piece things together.
“You don’t know about the ranks of warriors?” Kevin asked, surprised.
“No,” Rayan replied, feeling slightly out of place. “Not really.”
“There are different ranks. Nomad, Champion, Paragon, and Legend,” Kevin explained. “Among the Legends, there are four sub-ranks: D, B, A, and S. S-rank legends are nearly unstoppable. They’re incredibly rare.”
Rayan’s mind buzzed with the new information, but one question lingered. “Is there anyone more powerful than an S-rank legend?”
Kevin’s expression darkened. “Not in our generation. There’s a myth about an S-rank Legend who was cast out from Neru. Even all the S-rank legends together couldn’t defeat him. No one knows where he is now, or even if he’s alive.”
Rayan felt a chill run through him. The idea of someone that powerful, that untouchable, was almost beyond belief.
They soon arrived at a cave with a waterfall cascading down into a mechanical fountain. The air was cool and damp, the sound of rushing water filling the space. Adrian called for each student to come forward and place a drop of blood in the fountain. Rayan watched cautiously as the first student pricked their finger. The water began to boil, turning a bright blue. Moments later, a silver-coated egg emerged from the machine, and the student took it, beaming with excitement.
One by one, the students approached the fountain. Each received their egg after offering a drop of blood. When Kevin’s turn came, he effortlessly retrieved his egg, the water glowing blue as expected.
Finally, it was Rayan’s turn. He felt every pair of eyes on him as he stepped forward. Adrian watched closely, more interested in Rayan than in the others. Nervously, Rayan pricked his finger, and the drop of blood fell into the water. At first, nothing happened. A few students chuckled under their breath, but Adrian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the water.
Suddenly, the water began to boil violently. But instead of turning blue like the others, it turned a deep, ominous red. The room fell silent as the water continued to bubble. Finally, an egg emerged from the machine. It looked similar to the others, but the red aura around it made it feel different—foreboding. Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly in surprise, but he said nothing as Rayan took the egg.
“You can place your egg in your room,” Adrian whispered. “There’s a spot for it to hatch”.
“Training starts tomorrow. You’re all dismissed now,” he commanded to all.
As Rayan left, still holding the egg, the boy who had blocked his seat earlier approached, flanked by four or five others.
“You don’t deserve this, replicant,” he sneered, his tone dripping with disdain.
Kevin stepped in, his expression calm but firm. “You should leave him alone.”
Rayan quickly took Kevin’s egg in his hand for safekeeping, just as one boy lunged forward. With a single fluid movement, Kevin kicked the boy squarely in the face, sending him sprawling backward. The others backed off immediately, clearly shocked by Kevin’s speed and precision.The boy who had started it all, still recovering from his shock, also run behind his friends
Impressed by the show, Rayan gave back Kevin’s egg, and the two of them headed back to their rooms. Kevin mentioned they’d meet up again at dinner. Once in his room, Rayan placed the egg in the designated hatching spot. As he let go, a flash of light passed through his eyes, and an eerie howl echoed in his mind.He saw himself laying on the ground with full blood over his body, Suddenly he stumbled back, his heart was racing.
The next day, Rayan and Kevin ate breakfast together in a separate hall designated for their group.Afterward, they gathered for their first day of training with Adrian. The lesson began with an introduction to prana — the mysterious energy that powered their abilities.
“This is the basic training to acquire prana,” Adrian explained, his voice calm but firm. “Without prana, you cannot hatch your egg. You cannot reach your full potential.”
He demonstrated several breathing techniques and physical movements designed to help them harness the energy inside them.
“Prana is the life force that flows through all things,” Adrian continued. “It exists in the air, the earth, and the surrounding creatures. It’s everywhere, but not everyone can control it. Once you’ve learned to harness it, you can strengthen it through experience. The things you can do with prana are limitless.”
To demonstrate, Adrian raised his hand, and from the shadows, a massive black panther-like creature with long fangs and a golden horn emerged. The students gasped in awe.
“This is my Soul beast, Falkor,” Adrian said. “Your beast is your source of power, but it is prana that connects you to it.”
He waved his hand, and the surrounding air shifted. A gust of wind stirred, and the display of strength mesmerized the students.
“Energy exists in nature,” Adrian whispered. “To master prana, you must connect with it, feel it flow through you. Only then will you be able to command it.”
As Adrian stood still, a bright blue aura began to envelop him, its glow spreading and intensifying around Falkor, amplifying the creature’s presence. He then instructed the students to mimic his actions, but none could summon their own prana. Rayan and Kevin tried relentlessly, but exhaustion soon took over. Disappointed, the students left for the day.
Days passed, with Adrian patiently repeating the lessons. Each student followed his steps: standing still, closing their eyes, and attempting to commune with nature, seeking to borrow its power. It wasn’t until one day that Rayan noticed a faint blue aura surrounding Kevin—though smaller than Adrian’s, it was undeniable. The other students witnessed this as well, and their spirits lifted. They praised Kevin for his achievement, feeling a renewed sense of inspiration.
Gradually, as more days went by, the other students began to manifest their prana one by one. However, Rayan continued to struggle. As his peers advanced, his frustration deepened, feeling trapped while others progressed. Despite Kevin's encouragement, Rayan couldn’t unlock his prana.
For every warrior, learning to manifest prana is crucial. As the lessons continued, the students would eventually learn how to control it. Their ultimate goal was to hatch their SoulBeast and master the bond with it through prana. The Champions, senior graduates, would take the students on missions to gather prana and strengthen their abilities. Upon graduation, the students would be ranked according to their skills and accomplishments.
> One quiet night, as everyone slept, a small cracking sound echoed through the halls. An eggshell splintered, revealing a tiny, curious creature peeking out—meeting its owner for the first time.