Listen to the Cinematic Audio version here: https://soundcloud.com/noexit-636770900/lumina-chapter-2-the-desert-of-trials?in=noexit-636770900/sets/lumina-a-startup-fantasy

Jesus, it’s bright.

I open my eyes to a topaz sky. Then the heat hits me.

My mouth tastes like a cotton-ball. I look down and see my hands, my arms… everything looks normal, but there’s a slight shimmer. Dope. I wonder if I can fly. My clothes are different too, more rugged, suitable for this desert climate I guess.

I take a deep breath and feel the dry air fill my lungs. This technology is mind-boggling. Or is this magic, or some combination? Every sensation, every movement feels real. I stretch my fingers and flex my arms, feeling the texture of my skin and the sensation of blood filling my muscles. Except it isn’t blood, just millions of tiny pixels. I glance around and see my classmates scattered across the starting zone, some already sprinting off toward their first quests.

Standing a few feet away, a figure catches my eye: a small, sandy-colored, leathery skinned… Quorble? He has round, expressive eyes that glow orange under his hood, and is wearing a pretty practical burlap robe adorned with all these little trinkets and charms. He’s standing next to what looks like a round plunge pool—kinda strange feature to find in the desert.

An exclamation point pulses gently above his head, inviting me to approach. OK.

I take a step forward, feeling the soft crunch of sand under my boots. The digital world responds perfectly to my movements, each step feeling as real as it would back in Lumina. But that world seems so far away now. I walk up to the quest-giver, my heart pounding, excited but nervous.

Nothing happens. The three-foot-tall hooded figure just sort of stands there, the wind making his charms and trinkets jingle. Until eventually, from under his hood I hear a sharp whisper.

“Psssst! Tappy-tap.”

“I come in peace!” I say, a little frustrated because he shared the shit out of me.

“You have to tap. Tap-tap-taparoo.”

Still confused, I reach out and touch the yellow exclamation point above his head with my finger. And when I do, it bounces and then ZAP, the quest is inside my Identity Band, the little screen glowing yellow. (Oh, would you look at that! No more cracked screen!)

This seems to trigger a monologue, a transcription of the character’s words appearing in my peripheral vision as he speaks:

“Well hi there! I’m Quorble Nib. Elder Quorble Nib, for short. And welcome to SKYLINE! The premier training program for Lumina’s best and brightest! Over the next 90 levels, you will complete quests, solve puzzles, defeat challengers, collect items, and maybe even make a friend or two—all with the intention of preparing you for the real world, and maybe one day becoming an Empyrean!

But beware: SKYLINE is fully immersive, and the obstacles you will face here will feel as real and threatening and catastrophic as they would in real life. Some students have even died! Just kidding. Maybe. We’ll see!

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Now, before we can begin, let’s see where your talents lie.

The 6 class archetypes are:

* Visionary

* Operator

* Financier

* Engineer

* Designer

* Scribe

Step into The Pool Of Potential and your class analysis will begin.”

I glance at the small, round pool next to Elder Quorble Nib. The water has a faint, blue glow, like liquid starlight. The Pool of Potential. To steady my nerves, I start thinking about home. The Outskirts. The red glow from the nearby volcanos that would pour in through my bedroom window. The distant sound of the mines in the morning: clanking metal, rigs heaving and hawing, their rusty gears grinding themselves awake. I think about the boys I grew up with, older than me, who became great, hard-working men. I think about the gadgets we cobbled together with scrap metal, little things to make our work more enjoyable, safer, or to just keep our creative spirits alive.

All of that seems so far away now.

“I bet I’m an Engineer,” I say to Elder Quorble Nib. “Always have been.” And then I dip my foot into the pool.

“We be see,” Quorble Nib says. “The pool will reveal your true potential.”

The water is surprisingly warm, and a tingling sensation spreads through my leg, up my spine, and into my mind. I take another step, and then another, until I’m standing in the center of the pool, the water up to my waist. Images flash before my eyes—memories of my mother, the faint outline of her face, dreams of exploring other planets in The Thundercloud System, fears and hopes, nightmares and pleasurable desires. It’s as if the pool is sifting through my very essence, searching for something.

Suddenly, a soft, melodic hum fills the air, and the water begins to glow brighter. I feel a gentle pull, like a current, guiding me deeper into myself. My mind races with thoughts of inventions and blueprints, of problem-solving and creating. But then, those images fade, replaced by something else.

I see visions of people—friends, classmates, strangers. I see myself leading them, inspiring them, guiding them through challenges. I see ideas, bold and daring, taking shape and transforming the world. A sense of clarity washes over me. I realize there’s more to me than just building gadgets with my hands. There’s a spark of something deeper, something more powerful.

The water around me begins to ripple and swirl, and a brilliant light engulfs me. I feel a surge of energy, like five cups of mornfuel have just been injected into my veins. My heart is racing. The light intensifies, and then, just as suddenly, it fades. I open my eyes to find myself standing in the pool, the water calm and still, and I with it.

Quorble Nib approaches, his tiny, expressive eyes glowing with excitement.

“How extraordinary! The Pool of Potential has revealed your true calling, Kai! You have the makings of a Visionary, the rarest and most sought-after class in SKYLINE.”

I blink, stunned. “A Visionary? But I thought… I’m… I’m way more of an Engineer.”

Quorble Nib chuckles. “That’s not what the pool says! Visionaries live beyond the present. They can imagine and create a future others couldn’t even dream of! Being a Visionary requires a unique blend of creativity, leadership, and ingenuity—all of which you have, apparently!”

I step out of the pool, my mind buzzing. It starts to settle in—maybe I’ve been selling myself short all these years. I amcapable of more. I can change the world. Still, potential or not, my twill shirt and tan cargo shorts with zero stats bring me back to reality. It’s clear I have a long way to go.

“Check your bags,” Quorble Nib says, and then nods at my pockets. “Tappy-tap.”

I tap the side of my leg. Five item slots hover in front of me, one of them filled with a glowing crystal. And when I place my focus on it, a description appears:

Visionary Stone

* Soulbound

* Unique

* Trinket

* Use: Slows the mind, allowing the Visionary to see the past in their present reality for 60 seconds. (1 Day Cooldown)

“Use it wisely. And remember, the path of a Visionary is not an easy one. But it is filled with great rewards.”

I close my bags. It’s subtle, but I can feel a dormant part of me, something I always knew was there, waking up—as if, for the first time, becoming aware of my true potential. Maybe that’s what this game is all about?

Elder Quorble Nib smiles and pats me on the back. “Welcome to SKYLINE, Visionary Kai. Your journey begins now.”