It is with a heavy heart that I must report the destruction of every important production plant or facility here in the capital of the 8th Sector. The damage done is far more extensive than the news reports indicate. Fortunately, the underground facilities are intact, as are the mines. Sadly, those are the only good news I can share, as over the past fortnight, our troops have scoured the entire capital, searching for anything worth saving, but our efforts have been futile. I await your instructions on how best to proceed in these trying times.
Letter written to the Supreme General, Marcus Daystar, by Curtis Deucalion.
Sector head of the 8th sector.
Ragnarok, year 2275.
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Rahim walked out of the glass building immediately after the last challenge of the tournament was declared open. He was tired of babysitting anyway, so he walked over to the stand where the other academy staff members sat.
A few of the staff complimented him on how well his students were holding up, but Rahim knew they were just being polite. A few of the students had been decent, and only about 4 or 5 were elite material. Compared to the students who had arrived last year, this crop of students was terrible, and it was just his terrible luck that he’d been assigned to them.
At least some of them were decent; he would focus on those ones and help them. As their coordinator, their success was his, and their failure was, well, his too.
He frowned as Gerard, the coordinator for the current second year, roared with laughter again and scoffed. “Raol’s breath! He makes me sick.”
He sighed, trying to calm his jealousy. Gerard had everything he dreamed of: a good batch of students to train, and, well, Charlotte Silvermoon, the girl he was supposed to marry if only he’d spoken up sooner.
If he’d applied to any other academy, he would have been hailed, welcomed, and treated as a genius, but in the 5th academy, everyone was a genius; everyone was the best at something. It was all so depressing.
So, yeah, he hated Gerard, and—Raol! What’s so funny anyway? He turned to see Gerard surrounded by people, both teaching and non-teaching staff, listening intently as he spoke in that guttural tone Rahim hated so much.
“So horrible, and with the war looming this close, I think the academy needs to rethink and increase the difficulty of the admission trials. This is both a waste of time and resources.
Rahim tuned him out and muttered. “Pompous prick, yeah, my students are trash, so what??”
Rahim turned his gaze to the holographic screen as it took on a green glow, and the number 0 appeared before each name. Rahim knew the names; at his tier, memorizing the names of a few hundred people was as easy as breathing.
The bell rang to signal the start of the challenge, and Rahim watched as the numbers began going up. His eyes flashed to one of his most promising students, whose slot still remained at 0, and he frowned. “Raol, please don’t let these children disappoint me.”
The progress moved to 1 a moment later, and he sighed. It wasn’t too surprising to see the students rush through the lower levels; after all, most of them were at the 17th or 18th tier.
These fourteen students were the strongest. They’d all displayed above-average abilities and skills in the previous contests, and he wanted to see just how far they could go in the tower.
The numbers steadily rose through the first ten levels, indicating just how easy monsters at those levels were to kill. Their progress began to stall after the tenth level, progressing more slowly, but when they all crossed the 15th level, Rahim sighed in relief.
It would have been an embarrassment of epic proportions if they couldn’t even defeat creatures more than two tiers below them. Unfortunately, he had celebrated too early, and only a moment later, a boy exited the tower and appeared on the center stage, covered in slight burns and claw marks.
Rahim placed his head in his hands, disappointed, as healers rushed to help the boy, but before they even got to him, another contestant exited at the 16th level, and although she was less wounded, she looked to be in tears.
“Fucking dimwits!” Rahim shouted, unable to hold back his anger any longer. “May Ragnars eat the both of you! Tier 18, and you couldn’t fight off a Tier 16 beast?”
He settled back down with a huff as the entire arena turned to look at him, but he ignored them. Perhaps he’d gone a little too far with the insults, but none of these contestants should have had any problems until level 18, at the very least.
The healers led both contestants away from the stage, and a few of them threw him reproachful glances, but he’d already turned his attention to the twelve contestants left in the tower.
Almost as one, they all ascended to the 17th level, and when no one appeared on the center stage, he sighed. Perhaps there was hope yet for them. Perhaps they would surprise him.
They didn’t.
Only a few minutes passed before two more contestants exited the tower and appeared on the stage. The audience applauded politely, but Rahim only shook his head in helplessness.
“Regrettably, this is what the great 5th Academy has turned to. In my days...”
Rahim tuned Gerard out once again. Four names on the holographic screen had been deleted, leaving only 10 contestants behind. He watched, trying not to hope for the best, as he’d been disappointed too many times already, but he couldn’t help himself; he couldn’t help wanting them to succeed, both for themselves and for him.
He wasn’t too surprised when two contestants exited at the 18th, although he’d had to hold himself back from making another scene and cursing out their parents. His expression said it all, though, and the contestants flinched when their gazes met his.
There were only eight contestants left in the tower, and although he’d given up hope, he perked up when none of them ejected at the nineteenth level. That was decent. It meant these eight could easily defeat an opponent a tier or two above them.
It didn’t make them elites, but they weren’t trash either, and by the time they graduated from the academy, if they did, then many of them would be sought after and employed in the private security of important nobles.
Rahim watched as each contestant slowly progressed into the 20th tier except one, and when he appeared on the stage, a cheer of encouragement and excitement rang out from the audience.
He had done well; fighting up two tiers was no easy feat. The healers rushed towards him, but Marcellus waved them away and simply made his way to the stands. Rahim watched as some of the other contestants walked up to him to console him before turning his attention away, as public displays of emotion usually made him uncomfortable.
Instead, he focused his attention on the seven remaining contestants. The arena was abuzz with excitement now that the contestants were so close to the finish line, and even Gerard had finally shut the hell up.
Tension built as the audience watched the screen, and a loud roar of excitement rang out when, ten minutes later, Yurin ascended to the 21st level.
“Yes!” Rahim exclaimed in relief. Yurin was one of his favorites; in fact, he’d gained the admiration of almost everyone present after his battle with the Bakhtwrangler, and if he had to choose a winner for the tournament, he wouldn’t hesitate to choose him.
Only a few minutes later, two more contestants exited, both at the 20th level, and another roar rang out as the crowd cheered. There were only five contestants left in the 20th level, and Rahim tightly gripped the edge of his seat in nervous anticipation.
“You can do it. You can do it.” He muttered quietly as his nerves threatened to overwhelm him. Minutes passed, and before long, almost a quarter hour had passed without any change on the scoreboard.
Just as people began to wonder what was going on, Arya Laurent, a gravity awakened, ejected out of the twentieth level, covered in bleeding wounds. She turned to the holographic screen and suddenly burst out in tears, yet the crowd cheered.
She had done well, surpassing even his expectations of her. She was at the 17th and had managed to fight a Tier 20 monster and survive. That made her an elite, and if she grew even stronger, then she would be coveted throughout the kingdom.
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There were only four contestants left: three in the 21st level and the other still in the 20th. Rahim frowned when he realized just how long that particular contestant had spent at that level.
He stood up, moving to get more information on the issue, when the contestants suddenly moved to the 21st level, and he jumped in excitement. “Take that—”
He stopped himself from completing the statement, but a glare in Gerard’s direction made sure his thoughts were fully understood.
A roar of excitement and unbelief rang out as this particular contestant was still at the 16th tier, which meant he was now facing a monster 5 tiers above him.
Rahim watched the screen, still on his feet, as he waited for the next contestant to exit the tower. The audience began chanting the names of their favorite contestants, causing the arena to be filled with noise, but a collective gasp of surprise rang out as Aodhán ascended to the 22nd level in only a few minutes.
Six tiers! Six freaking tiers! Rahim couldn’t believe it. This was a champion; this was a student he could work with and mold. Oh, the possibilities.
Another roar rang out a second later as Yurin also ascended to the 22nd level, although he exited the tower immediately and appeared on the center stage. Rahim cheered with pride, but his voice was drowned out by another loud roar as a third contestant, Isis Anvindr, ascended to the 22nd level.
Rahim was proud. So maybe most of the students were trash, but he had what many coordinators dreamed of. He had not one but three champion material students, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on them.
Yurin was led off stage, but he remained very close to it, staring at the screen with a look of trepidation. He wasn’t out of the woods yet, as there was still one more—
A roar drowned out his thoughts as the fourth contestant, Alan Kasirel, exited the tower at the 21st level, and with a loud roar, Professor Aleran announced.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby announce the winners of this tournament! Aodhán Brystion! Yurin Lahey! Isis Anvindr!”
The crowd screamed, and Rahim sat down in relief, struggling to keep his joy from overwhelming him. Little did he know the surprises weren’t finished yet.
Isis exited the tower a minute later, wounded and limping, but her face shone with joy and accomplishment as she saw her name on the holographic screen. The audience stood to their feet as they cheered, waiting for the final contestant to appear on stage, but to the shock of every single individual in the arena, the contestant ascended to the 23rd level.
Many of the first years staggered in shock, and some of the second years frowned in confusion as they wondered if the screen was broken or glitching. Rahim seemed to have lost his mind to glee as he tried to imagine what such a student would mean for his career and for his reputation. Ah, the prospects were endless.
It should have been impossible for a tier 16 awakened to battle against a tier 22 monster and survive, but this contestant not only survived, but he even retained enough strength to make it into the 23rd level. It shouldn’t be possible; it couldn’t—
The contestant finally exited the tower, and there was a collective intake of breath as the entire arena gasped in shock. Rather than appear on the stage like the others, the boy appeared in the sky, seated on a large winged creature that rippled with lightning.
The creature roared as it dove to the ground, and the sound echoed like the rumbling of thunder, causing many to flinch back in fear.
The creature stood about 15 feet in length and was just shy of 6 feet in height, which meant it was still a child, but it exuded a potent aura of power and magnificence that could not be disregarded.
Rahim had seen familiars before, and although they were referred to as a rare commodity, every major noble house worth their salt had one or two familiars among their ranks. Aside from their overwhelming power, they added a significant amount of prestige that couldn’t be overlooked.
Still, it was generally known that familiars were creatures born from the chaos of the origin planes; even advanced class holders had problems maintaining their sanity within the planes.
To create or bond with a familiar was a task usually left for the mythic and calamity tiers; although some gained familiars at the late advanced stage, to gain familiar at the evolved stage was unheard of.
It was impossible. It should have been impossible, but as the boy slid down from the creature, Rahim couldn’t deny what was right before his eyes. The boy's ascension through the tower was shocking to say the least, but seeing that he possessed a familiar, and a powerful one at that, Rahim wouldn’t have been surprised if the boy climbed all the way into the 30th tier.
Silence descended on the arena as those who understood what the creature represented tried to figure out how such a thing was possible, while those who didn’t simply looked on in confusion.
Chaos broke out the next moment as the staff members erupted with questions.
“How is this possible? He’s only a child!”
“An evolved class shouldn’t have the mental fortitude to bond such a creature to himself; this goes against all that we know and understand!”
“What do you know about this, Rahim? Have you heard of such an occurrence before?”
Rahim didn’t reply them; he had no answers to give anyway, but he could understand their confusion and curiosity. To bond with a familiar was a thing of prestige, and many staff members had tried and failed.
To see a child succeed where they failed had to sting their pride. Even he felt a twinge of envy, but he couldn’t worry about that now, not when the life of his best student was in danger.
The familiar disappeared into the boy’s spirit the next moment, and he fell to the ground, covered in so many bleeding gashes that it was difficult to see a smooth stretch of skin through his tattered uniform.
Rahim rushed forward, forcibly pushing past the curious staff members as he made his way towards the boy. Sounds of confusion filled the arena as students queried each other for answers that could best explain the situation. The healers got to the boy a second before Rahim did, but when they tried to rip the uniform from the boy's body, it refused to budge.
“I can’t get this off him; help me.” One of them said, but the boy resisted.
“No! Leave me.” He whispered, but with his superior strength, Rahim easily turned him around and tore the construct from his body.
He gasped in amazement as a shimmering tattoo revealed itself, snaking up from the boy’s thighs—the image of his familiar. It covered his entire back, its wings snaking around the boy’s arms, and directly between his shoulder blades were two pools of golden electricity that shone with a startling intensity.
The healer gasped in amazement as she stared wide-eyed at the image of the familiar, but Rahim rushed her along.
“Heal now; stare later. The poor child is bleeding to death!”
The healer frowned but nodded, and a moment later, the boy’s injuries disappeared like a bad memory. With a sigh, he turned to Professor Aleran, who was standing only a few meters away from him, and asked. “What is the principal saying about all this? Surely they must know what’s going on?”
“Nothing, I’m afraid; she hasn’t replied to any of my texts, so I guess that means we must continue with the ceremony.”
“With all due respect, sir, no one cares about the ceremony any longer, and in case you haven’t noticed, the boy’s unconscious.”
Professor Aleran sighed. “The audience wants answers that I do not have; I am baffled myself, but we can’t just stand here and—”
Professor Aleran was cut off as silence suddenly descended on the arena, and Rahim turned to see the principal standing beside him with an expression of mild concern marring her perfect features.
As soon as she had the attention of the audience, she spoke. “What we’ve just witnessed defies the supposed limits of possibility. It serves as a stark reminder of our limited understanding of the world as well as the system that rules us.”
“Just because something hasn’t occurred before doesn’t render it impossible. Therefore, I implore you all to emulate the excellence demonstrated by these three students. Dedicate yourselves to training your abilities, and before you know it, you’ll be every bit as powerful as they are, if not more.”
She turned to Rahim, who now held the unconscious boy in his arms, before proceeding. “This marks the end of the tournament, and I thank you all for attending, but due to the circumstances, the award ceremony will be held in private instead. I urge you all to return to your residences; whatever information we can provide will be passed on to you tomorrow.”
She turned away from the audience and whispered to Rahim. “Tend to the child and come to my office immediately after; we have much to discuss.”
Rahim nodded in understanding before retrieving a portal chip from his spatial ring. He set his location to the 14th house in the first residential quadrant, and a moment later, a shimmering portal appeared before him. Before he could walk into the portal, though, two boys ran up to him, and with a sigh, he motioned for them to follow him.
“I’m Daruk. He’s my brother.” One of the boys said, and Rahim nodded in acknowledgement, even though he already knew who they were. They arrived at the 14th house an instant later, and Rahim simply opened the door. As the year’s coordinator, he had access to their residences in case of emergencies like this.
As they walked into the house, Rahim instructed both boys. “He’s not to be woken up for any reason. His housemates will be here soon, and I need the both of you to keep them from making a ruckus that will disrupt his rest.”
When they got to the room, Rahim produced a black metallic pass that he used to open the door, and a few minutes later, Aodhán was softly snoring on his bed. Rahim turned to the boys and repeated his earlier instruction. “Remember, do not let anyone inside this room; am I clear?”
“Yes sir.” Andrew answered, while Daruk simply nodded. Rahim stepped out of the room a moment later, and both boys moved to sit on the couch as they contemplated the day’s events. After almost an hour of silence, Andrew murmured. “I don’t think we can catch up to him anymore; I don’t think I can.”
Daruk sighed. The power Aodhán had demonstrated today was beyond his wildest imaginations, but even if he couldn’t be as strong as Aodhán, he would make sure he didn’t lag too far behind.”
….
Rahim walked into the principal’s office a few minutes later, where he found her hastily writing a letter. To whom, he wasn’t sure, but it looked important, so he simply sat down and waited.
The principal stamped the letter a moment later and turned to observe him. Rahim swallowed nervously as he feared the worst, but she waved her hands and sighed.
“I’ve thought about it a lot, and I’ve decided to retain you as the coordinator for the first years, but I’m not sure of my decision.”
Every cell in his body screamed for him to reassure her that she couldn’t have made a better decision, but Rahim kept his mouth shut and simply nodded.
She gave a stressed smile before shaking her head again. “Rahim, I hope I don’t need to tell you how important this student is to the academy.”
"No, sir, I fully understand what’s at stake.”
“Do you?” She asked. “My advisors think you’re too eager and too willing to prove yourself.”
“And they’re right. I want to prove myself, and perhaps I’m a little too eager to do so, but I have the best interests of these students at heart. I want to see them succeed and thrive, especially Aodhán. With a talent like his in my year, I can’t afford to screw up.”
"No, you can’t. That boy, there’s something special about him; I can’t place my fingers on it, but as of today, he has become my priority, and I need you to make sure that he’s yours too.”
Rahim nodded, and she continued. “It’s only a matter of time before the 1st Academy catches wind of this, and you know what they’ll do when they find out.”
“They’ll try to lure him away.”
“Exactly.” Zatya replied with a smile. “And we can’t let that happen now, can we?”
“No, but how do you intend to stop it?”
Her smile transformed into a catlike grin, and she replied. “By offering the boy the only thing the 1st and 2nd academy offers, a blessed bloodline,”
……