CHAPTER 22: ATHENS

“Have a safe trip!” –NikkyOfVictory

“Yes, Greece is very nice. Enjoy it.” –PowerOfTheMind

“Remember to send pictures.” –AlwaysHeadshot

“Thanks. Good luck with your training.” –TheSimplicityOfLife

Aurora smiled as she sent the message to the chat group within the academy app.

‘NikkyOfVictory’ was Nicole, ‘PowerOfTheMind,’ Clémentine, and ‘AlwaysHeadshot,’ Leslie, while the last one was Aurora.

As they had not chosen history class and had taken other courses, the three of them had to train today as they did every weekend.

“Thanks, we’ll enjoy the food.” –AliceSacredPapitas.

Reading that message in the group that earned all kinds of laughing emoticons and some ‘GIFs’ of babies or cats looking like they were laughing, Aurora’s lips twitched, and she looked at her classmate.

In one hand, she held her chips, and in the other, she used her holographic watch; she was pretty handy with both.

“Are we all here yet?” asked Professor Villacrés.

“No, some students are missing from our group,” Andrés said, and the Professor grumbled quietly without hiding her excitement about the trip.

They were now on the sidewalk near the entrance of a sizeable dome-like building.

The students arrived one by one; it was still a few minutes before the allotted time, so no one bothered.

It didn’t take long for Erica to arrive.

She got out of a BMW next to Joslyn and then approached the group without feeling proud because of the students’ looks.

The driver of the BMW quickly drove off.

Aurora, unlike the others, praised the car, but specifically its armor and security.

She had seen this type of car before, created with magic-resistant metals and different protection mechanisms.

Erica approached the group and gave a simple smile of greeting, standing next to Andrés.

“Well, are we all here?” Professor Villacrés asked, and after checking by the Academy’s app, she nodded and ordered. “Follow me.”

The history students were not as many as other classes but were only twenty-six in all.

These students were divided into five groups, with one group taking the extra student.

Some students looked at the ‘Cosmos Portals’ sign that was in plain view, and when they entered, they couldn’t help but sigh in amazement.

This place was just as crowded as an airport, perhaps more so, but it was much more orderly and impressive.

At the center was an ‘arch’ similar to the ‘Arc de Triomphe de Paris,’ only this one not only had architectural details and magical runes, but it was also fused with high-tech artifacts.

The portal was a light blue color that did not let them see the other side, but all the students saw how people entered from one side and disappeared.

They could also see how from the other side, other people came out of the portal.

And all around them were stores, restaurants, bars, and other types of businesses.

“For first-timers to use the Portals, I remind you that if you carry food, food, plants, fruits, or any object that could create a problem in the country where you are traveling to, you will be disinfected; through spells automatically,” informed Professor Villacrés, getting some students to sigh in relief.

It was habitual to prohibit the travel of elements that could transmit diseases to crops in other regions, or in extreme cases, carry viral illnesses that can affect other countries.

That was why the Cosmos Portals were protected against such incidents.

The portals were created by the Cosmos Multinational Company, a company in charge of developing all kinds of futuristic technology, innovating with mechanisms, science, and technologies.

They even developed technology by combining it with psionic and magical artifacts.

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That was the reason why Cosmos Company was the most powerful and most prosperous of all.

Their influence extended from food products to minor products of everyday life.

Aurora loved it, not that they were the only ones who could create portals, but they were undoubtedly the ones who took it to the level of extreme excellence, gaining the trust of all countries.

“Those of you who have space rings or other space items, remember that you will be forcibly inspected to see whether or not your equipment complies with the laws. As for weapons, you don’t have to worry. You are ‘Heroes’ or at least future heroes and have permits for the most common types of weapons,” Professor Villacrés commented.

Building space objects that held another type of object was the knowledge brought back from Terra nova; many former players could create it.

It was well known that long ago; it was complicated to check the elements inside these rings.

Cases where bombs were inside space rings, hidden in the bottom of luggage, were, to the regret of many, commonplace.

The Cosmos Company was the one who designed security devices and now applied them in their Portals, leading to the prevention of the traffic of illegal items.

“Shall we go, or do you want to go shopping?” asked Professor Villacrés, unwilling for the second option.

Her gaze urged the students to hurry.

“Let’s go...”

The students obliged her rather excitedly.

This was not Aurora’s first time traveling on Portales, but for many, this was the first time.

Not only because of the cost of the tickets, which had a minimum of ten thousand dollars and increased depending on the distance. But mainly because the portals were gradually normalizing and there were still airplanes.

Cosmos Portals were installed in most of the capitals of the world’s major countries and were spreading to most cities across the globe.

Aurora had to fly by plane to get to Atlantis City because, in Zerzura, where she was working, the Cosmos Portals were under construction.

The students lined up and then went through the security checkpoints.

Professor Villacrés led the group, and slowly they reached Alice, who was second to last.

When going through security checkpoints, the guards were not the ones in charge of verification but rather technological devices and magical artifacts.

Aurora was the last to go through the security checkpoint.

First, a camera scanned her from head to toe; then she felt strange energy was analyzing her, and then she felt that energy enter her space ring.

Finally, the energy trembled around Aurora, seeking to undo any illusions, magical artifact effects, or simply any holographic images.

Then Aurora could cross over, feeling just as impressed as the first time by the security measures.

—First, identify the faces with the international database of major agencies. Then, using magical measures, search for any dangerous elements and check the space ring. In the end, try to undo any elements to hide.

Aurora was grateful in her mind for the detailed explanation of her system and, without hesitation, stepped into the slightly bluish-colored portal.

Her vision turned unlimited blue, and the next moment, she found herself in a different place.

It looked like a dome just like the one she was in before, only this time the tent had Greek words on them, which strangely she could understand.

That wasn’t about Aurora speaking Greek, but simply that there were different methods that were introduced after the ‘Great Cataclysm’ that made it possible to understand other languages.

The rings usually had a translation spell, and the Church of Knowledge allowed people to be ‘baptized,’ allowing them to understand foreign languages.

The second method was the most widespread and the one Aurora had gone through because of her parents.

That was the reason why everyone spoke ‘English’... It wasn’t as if English was the dominant language; everyone said in their dominant language, and Aurora understood it in English; for the others, it was the opposite.

As they left the security post after being scanned for the second time, Professor Villacrés had them follow her.

They walked to the parking lot where cabs were standing by, heading to where a bus was waiting for them.

“As I have already informed you, the Hero Academy is the one who is responsible for the payment of the entire trip. The Academy has never been selfish, even if it is for a student trip that is close to being called a vacation. The biggest reason is not the sponsors or Director Vincent himself, but the alumni students who always support the Academy,” Professor Villacrés commented with a smile, and when they reached a bus, she added. “Come on. We’ll go to the hotel first.”

There were some scholarship recipients among the students, but that didn’t mean there was any division because of privileges like other major academies.

Everyone received the best, as they all had the same goal; to become heroes and help.

That was enforced from the beginning, and since a single person ran the Hero Academy since its inception, only those closest to Director Vincent had a say in his teaching methods.

Of course, there was also the ‘Heroes Guild,’ an international organization that was created by Director Vincent and other influential people years before; this organization was in charge of registering and managing heroes.

Different countries that signed acceptance agreements for the heroes to perform in their lands supported it. Still, Director Vincent had left his position to other people and was only dedicated to education, having a tacit acceptance among other authorities about his methods.

That was why the Hero Academy was so highly regarded in the world, and those graduates of the Academy always supported the academy following the same methods.

Aurora sat next to Alice and looked out the window as the bus left the parking lot.

The dome seemed to be in the center of the city, just like Atlantis City, so they noticed some relatively modern medium-sized buildings as they exited.

Then, as they headed down the road, they realized that the dome, while being in the center of the city, was in a small elevated hilly area that left the entire Athens City in view.

Their vision passed by the countless buildings and then...

“Wow...”

People did not exclaim at the sight of the ‘Acropolis of Athens’, a place that had remained partially unscathed even after the ‘Great Cataclysm’ and the European War against the Middle East and the demons.

Their exclamation came from what was hundreds of meters beside them.

A colossal temple was created in the Greek architectural style and intermingled with a Roman architectural style.

Surrounding it were other smaller temples, and some of them had a particular style centered on majesty.

“That is the Temple of the Goddess of Knowledge, created by her believers from Terra Nova and is one of the first settings that welcome Athens.” Professor Villacrés stated, and looking at the students in their seats, she commented. “I hope we enjoy this vacation... I mean, this student trip.”

At that seemingly genuine mistake, the students let out a few chuckles and looked at Athens.

The City of Two Worlds.