Book 1 – Second Chance
Chapter 10 – Albi Samuran.
“W-What the hell?”
‘D-Do you feel this too, Albi? Something continuously flowing through our bodies…’
‘Yea, and I can see the energies all around us as well, blue, green, and purple...Those must be the energies administrator Marko talked about’
Indeed, what Bailey, and Albi were perceiving were Mana, Ki, and Life Force, the fundamental energies of this universe. Due to Bailey dissociating, and spending her time in the ‘pond’ with Albi, she unlike the other applicants didn’t pay attention to her surroundings, and how these energies would be felt by them slowly over time, up to the point that they would be able to perceive them after the pores in their eyes fully opened up.
The first 50% pores opened would first remold the body, and accentuate its features, allowing it to handle the absorption of the energies better than when they were mortals, and at the very least their lives wouldn’t be in danger if they continue to open their pores slowly; thus the majority would stop at this step, not because of fear of their lives, but the because it was the least painful step, and they would need to calm themselves, and mentally prepare before they continue going through that process all over again. Pore Opening is akin to having acupuncture needles piercing every inch of their bodies. While it would hurt badly, it was nothing compared to having those needles poking through their eyes, ears, tongues, and eventually all over their brain.
The following 20% would open a person’s eyes, ears, and other senses to fully perceive the energies, their colors, shapes, densities, and consistencies, and the last 30% would deal with the brain, and their abilities to comprehend the energies, and increase their efficiencies in dealing with them. A person with only 70% pores open might not fully comprehend the intricacies of the different energies in the world, but at least they would be able to perceive them, thus given enough time, they themselves can direct those energies to fully open their own pores without the need of outside help. This was the reason why the 70% threshold margin of success was placed. Because from that point forward, given time, everyone would be the same without the help of the academy.
Bailey’s exclamation didn’t go without notice as a few of the other applicants turned around to face her.
“What’s wrong with her? Why did she just scream?”
“Is she right in the head, or did having her pores fully opened on the first try fry her brain, or something?” The other applicants began to comment about Bailey.
“Haha, that must be one hell of a meditation technique if you didn’t even notice the differences that your body was undergoing, but it’s also extremely dangerous. You should never practice that technique unless you are completely certain of your own safety, and the well intentions of everyone around you.” Administrator Marko spoke to Bailey telepathically.
“Wait, h-how did you just do that? Is this Soul Speak?” responded Bailey.
“In a sense this can be thought of as the advanced form of Soul Speak. Soul Speak translates our intentions to the listener by having our souls aligning on the same wavelength, thus allowing communication despite the language barrier. This however allows us to immediately send our thoughts telepathically to another person. Now that you have fully opened your mind pores, you should be to understand me, and talk back to me should I initiate it, but in due time, you yourself will be able to initiate contact on your own. Work hard.” Said Administrator Marko, as he cut off his telepathic communication with Bailey.
“Please take out the papers that were given to you by the guards, and hold them tightly within your hands. As you do, close your eyes, and focus on the energies going through your body, and try to redirect them towards the papers.” Administrator Marko instructed as he turned towards the successful applicants.
Under his instructions everyone pulled out their papers, and they started to slowly shine with color, and information started to get written down on them. Their True Age, True Name, True Place of Birth, and other minute detail, as well as a detailed image of their face were all recorded down on the papers. The reason why many places including Ura, and its current invaders, the Tri-Path Alliance use this form to record down information about its citizens, is due to their lack of control early on. This allows the papers to take the information directly from their souls, and it can’t under normal circumstances be changed, or modified. On the paper Albi, and Bailey’s information was recorded down.
True Name: Albi Samuran.
The moment Albi’s surname was written, Bailey’s face changed as drips of cold sweat started to form on her face. Albi hasn’t been called by his surname for over 20 years. Not ever since the orphanage took him over, and he erased all of his connections to it as soon as he was legally of age. He had truly, and fully expelled all links between him, and that name. Even the deepest essence of his soul no longer recognized that name as his own, which is why he didn’t give that name out when he was questioned under Soul Search.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
‘Albi, are you oka-‘ Just before Bailey could finish her question, Albi erupted in a fit of rage, forcefully taking control over the body, and ripping the paper apart with all his might. Although the paper struggled, as it was no ordinary piece of paper, being filled with all three types of energies that were currently flowing through it made it significantly weaker, as its job was merely information collection, and then it would dissipate sending that information back to HQ. It was only hard enough that a mortal wouldn’t easily destroy it by mistake.
“What the hell is wrong with that freak? I knew her brain was broken during the ceremony.“
“I’ll show you whose brain was broken you fucking piece of shit!” Albi lunged at the applicant who made that comment, fist draw back, ready to throw a punch with his whole weight, and newfound powers backing it.
Just as Albi was about to reach the applicant, administrator Marko coughed, and tapped his staff lightly on the ground, and Albi suddenly lost all strength in his body as he was paralyzed fully, and fell down.
Marko then calmly walked towards the applicant who made the remark, and slapped him squarely across the face.
“I have let your earlier transgressions towards this applicant go unnoticed as it was natural for the lesser to envy their superiors. One fleeting remark here or there wouldn’t matter, and would further fuel your own desire to catch up to them, helping your future growth. If however for some reason your stupid brain saw it fit to continuously hurl insults at your superiors in the presence of an administrator then it is my job to teach you your place in the world.” Said Marko his face very dark.
“B-But, what did I do wrong? She’s the one that behaved like some weird corpse, then started screaming, and now flew into a fit of rage over a piece of paper! She’s clearly mentally unstable!” rebutted the applicant.
Smack!
Another slap fell on to the face of the applicant as Marko started to lecture him.
“Who here is mentally stable you fool? You come from a rich pampered family, and have never faced adversity in life. The rest of us either come from poor mortal moons struggling for survival, or our family members were slaughtered in our fight for Ura. We are all scarred by the thousands of years of war that our ancestors fought in, and the burdens we carry on our shoulders”
Everyone’s faces changed as they looked down, it was clear that all of them came to the Academy with their own goals in mind, and weren’t here to play around.
“If you are too foolish or ignorant to even see that, then.” Administrator Marko took the piece of paper out of the applicant’s hands and it burst into flames, and turned to ash that scattered with the winds.
“You, whose name is unworthy of me learning, are hereby expelled from the Tri-Path Academy! Guards! Escort this disgrace out of the academy. He is forever barred from entering the academic zone, or interact with any of its subsidiaries.” Two fully armored guards suddenly walked in, and escorted the screaming applicant outside.
“Many of us have our own triggers that sap all rationality from us. That trigger is why we seek power. Either to avenge our fallen, protect ourselves and our loved ones, or to defend our homeland. I highly recommend you take some time to cool off. This will be a one-time thing, and is mostly done due to his continuous disrespect of my presence. If you disrespect another administrator by trying to attack someone else in their presence, you will be expelled as well, now go and sit in the corner until I am done here.” said Marko to the shaking Albi on the ground.
“This goes out to all of you. The Tri-Path Alliance created this academy to breed good will between followers of all three paths. We excuse some minor infighting, and rivalries, but we don’t excuse blatant attacks on someone, nor do we excuse psychological attacks most of all. Just this one time I will overlook her attack, as that person clearly brought this on himself, but let this be a warning to all of you. If your triggers are easily accessible, go experience closed-door meditation until you can quell your demons once you finish choosing your path, and receive you instructions.”
“Now that that is out of the way, allow me to once again congratulate you on this wondrous occasion. For the other fourteen that have fully opened their pores on their first tries, the academy grants you your own separate dorm rooms in the academic zone, as well as full exemption from any tuitions, as well as full compensation for food, and other basic necessities for the first year. Should you continue to show the same rate of progression, and dedication, the academy will further reward you for it. As for the rest, you will all be granted a shared dorm room within the academic zone, however you will be asked to pay for tuition, food, and everything else, including the dorm room. Your pay will be accepted in gold coins for the first year, however starting from your second year, only crystals will be accepted. You all have full access to the academic library free of charge; however you will be asked to pay a fee for borrowing books, scrolls, and recordings. That goes for everyone, regardless of standing or accomplishment. The academy also holds full responsibility in ensuring fair work for everyone who needs it to pay for their tuitions as long as you are still enrolled into the academy. Now, please form lines of ten, and walk through the door to your left. You will receive further instruction there.”
‘I wonder what made her blow her fuse like that’ thought Shin sympathetically as he passed by Albi.
‘She should learn to contain her rage in the future. Breaking down like that shows weakness, and you should never show your weakness to someone else…’ thought Zaya, her face apathetic.
The students started to leave the room one by one, all of whom looked at the slumping Albi at the corner, sitting with his chin resting on his knees, his eyes looking in the distance. They all thought of the same things that Shin, and Zaya did.