"Alright, children gather," a lady with long black hair said in a pleasant voice, "As you know, my name is Isabella. Out of the 90 children, we decided to divide you all into three groups for different projects, now come once you've been called." Taking out of her coat was a tablet, which she began to grin and breathe aggressively.
As the subjects were being called out one by one, many of them kicking and screaming, but they were forcefully taken by the Mercenaries if they did comply, by the end of it only thirty remained
"Congratulations, the rest of you are apart from the candidates for Project Dragon. Now all you have to do is follow me, unless you want to cause trouble." As a girl was afraid of Isabella's twisted smile, she backed away into a Mercenary, "MOVE BRAT!" kicking her to the floor. A boy with short brown hair seeing that, attacked the Mercenaries, but to no avail. The Mercenary tried to kick him as well, but Isabella angrily walked up to the Mercenaries, pulling his vest and said, "I told all of you not to injure the subjects, they're more important than your lives. Do you understand me?"
"yes dr"
"Now carry them, so they can get checked like the others."
They were placed on chairs near the other kids. The boy looked up at the ceiling, slapping his head. The girl tapped him on the shoulder, getting his attention. Look at him nervously "Thank you for trying to help back there." as she bowed her head
"Why are you thanking me? I couldn't do anything."
"Yeah, but you're the only one who stood up against those mean Mercenaries, even if you were useless. Oh, by the way, I'm No.175, or you can use my real name, Kim.
"I'm No.125."
"And your real name?" No.125 looked at her in confusion. "You know. The name your parents gave to you at birth." No.125 still looked at her in confusion. With excitement in her eyes, "I can name you," standing on her chair, thinking what to call No.125. "Mason, Bill, John, Zack, no, no, no, these names don't suit you." Sitting down, taking a closer look at No.125. She noticed something. "How about Gray".
"Why Gray?"
"Well, it is the color of your eyes, and I have never seen gray eyes before, and I really like them." Kim began to blush.
"Well I like your eyes too"
The Mercenaries are trying to hold in the laugh, "hey look at those couples". Kim covered her face in embarrassment, while No.125 looked at the Mercenaries oblivious of their comment.
Lifting her head up, "So how do you feel about Gray?" before No.125 responds. No.125 was called to check.
Getting off his chair, he looked at Kim and said, "I like Gray very much, please call me that for now on."
Several hours have passed. The final subject has been released from examination. The children gather in a room that has five round tables, and bookshelves.
Walking with the tablet in hand, "This is Project Dragon" Isabella said. "Due to your academic, health, and most importantly, physical potential. We deemed all thirty of you children as candidates for Dragon. Let me introduce you to your new caretaker, Mrs.Adahlia." Seeing a woman in an apron with long orange hair and green eyes wearing a cross around her neck, her smile was warm. "Welcome my children"
2 years later
"Alright, kids, who can repeat and solve this?" as numbers flash on the screen. Writing down as fast as they can, quickly raising their paper in the air. "OK then let's see. Kim?"
Kim stood up and said "(−62)+32+(−25)×(−5)=95, Miss Adahlia" Adahia was pleased, but saw that Gray was fast asleep. Throwing the marker at his head woke him up.
Adahia asked Gray to solve the next question as another sequence of numbers flashed. Without writing them Gray answered "41×20+3−4÷2×0.3−132−89×9=490."
Hug him, and swing side to side. "I know you were good at math, but processing all that information and solving it within an instant, you're a genius, but your literature needs some work." Her watch started to beep, notifying her that it was time to switch classes.
Walking into a white room, grabbing wooden swords, a man with short, gray, shriek hair in a Mercenaries uniform, "Alright, worthless children, five thousand swings for today." Swing their wooden swords up and down, as they are being corrected by the instructor, back or wrist not straight an immediate correction.
Several minutes have passed and one of the children has dropped to the floor, gasping for air. "Come on, you useless brat, if you want to be strong like a mercenary, you have to keep training." As the instructor steps close to the child, he grabs the wooden sword in a fit of anger and swings at the instructor. Using his own sword, blocks the attack and uses the hilt to knock the child to the ground.
"DIAZ!" Kim and Gray said as they ran toward him. He took his blade out of the scabbard. Swing at Diaz the blade suddenly stops, like something was blocking it.
"Alright, that's enough. You know the rules." Adahlia walked into the room holding her hand out.
"Adahlia I should have known this was your barrier"
"Don't play dumb, you're not allowed to use your weapons on the children."
"Children, they're nothing but test subjects, and what are you going to do about it? Fight me, wait, that is not allowed."
Taking a slow breath, she clapped her hands together. "Hey children, we are going to demonstrate the difference between hand-to-hand vs swordsmanship." She reached into the front pocket of her apron, taking two metal gauntlets. Removing her apron and necklace, she handed them to Gray and Kim.
"Already then, Subjects move against the wall. Adahlia if I win we're going out for drinks"
"No thanks. I've got someone at home, unlike you." Adahlia said as she rolled up her sleeves, and tidied her.
Taking their stance with the instructor having his sword up front, and Adahlia having her arms up but shoulders loose, with determination in their eyes. Walking slowly, being careful to watch each other's movements.
Adahlia dashed with great speed to close the distance and attempted to throw a pouch, but the instructor quickly parried it and stepped to the side, leaving her wide. Taking the chance, he slashed down toward her, but using the momentum that she had, planting her hand on the ground, rotating herself to kick the sword out of the instructor's hands.
As Adahlia was getting ready to strike, the instructor quickly put his arms up to cover his head, throwing a heavy pouch at his gut leaving him breathless, following up with a hook, grabbing his head, and smashing against her knees, knocking him out.
With a sigh of relief, Adahlia looked at the children with a look of admiration, and the children started to pull at her and bombard her with questions.
Feeling overwhelmed, she clapped her hands together and politely asked them, "Come on, children, please go back to training." In disappointment, the children went back to train, while Gray, Diaz, and Kim returned the apron and necklace. With the same look of admiration, "Can you please teach us that move, they said in unison.
She scratched her head, wondering if she should teach them or not. Looking back at them, the sight of those three together, she can describe them as "Adorable." She couldn't resist and agreed to teach them.
As they cheered, they asked, "So, where do we start?" She smiled and said
"Kickboxing of course.
Isabella was standing with an old man named Charles watching Adahlia teach the basics of Kickboxing. "Should we stop this," Charles said.
"No, in fact, this should be encouraged."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it, it gives the Subjects a chance to grow, and help get rid of the weak, and most importantly find a suitable vessel."
"Vessel? No way, these brats are only good for being our Mercenaries or the Asesino. Either way, they are still a part of Monarch."
"Are you sure about that? Once they obtain their ether core, they will surely reach great highs."
3 years later
"Everyone," Adahlia said as she raised her hand full of papers. "In my hand here are your test results, and I'm proud to say that everyone scored above 85." Passing the papers around to the right person, finally making it to Gray now wearing a bulky collar. Look at Gray with a smile, "Congratulations, it looks like literature has improved" The first packet "Mathematics 98" and the second packet "written exam, 86"
Gray couldn't help but shout out loud in excitement.
"Calm down, Gray, I know you finally broke the seventy barrier, but use your inside voice, ok?"
"Sorry Adahlia, it won't happen again."
After handing out the test she encouraged them to get into groups to discuss improvement with each other.
Shuffling around, the Subjects went to their ideal groups, some were big and some were small.
"So what did you two get on the test?" Gray said.
Kim lifted both of her packets and boastfully said "90 on both of them. What about you Diaz?" Also lifting his packets, "89 on math, and 87 on written exam " looking smug as well.
" Read it and weave it, you two." Gray placed down his results. "It looks like I won the bet" As tension began to brew between Gray and Kim
"What do you mean you won? I got 90 on both tests."
"Yeah, but I got 4 more points overall."
"You barely got 4 of those points, don't forget who helped you study for the written exam"
"Funny, I can ask the same thing, Miss Zero"
"I was sick that day and you know it." They began to pull each other's hair, not backing down, and they kept arguing about who won the bet.
"Can you two please calm down?" Diaz said nervously. Look back at Diaz. Quickly letting go of each other, crossing their arms, and pouting. "But I have to agree with Gray. He still had more points overall." Gray looking smug, couldn't help but brag in front of Kim. Without hesitation, she jumped over the table to tackle Gray to the floor. As they wrestle back and front, Adahlia walks in, not pleased.
Picking both of them up by the shirt, I said, "What's the matter with you two? I leave for a minute and you're acting like an animal."
"It's her fault. She didn't want to acknowledge that I won the bet."
"And what is the bet about?"
"Naming our group once we leave this place."
Putting them down, she rubbed her forehead, "So, you're fighting to name your group." They both nod nervously. She slapped both of their heads, "You're supposed to discuss the test to make improvements. Not fighting over team names."
"It's a lot more than a name, mam," Kim said
"She is right, " Gray said. "Whoever comes up with the name will become the leader of the group."
With a mischievous grin, Adahlia, taking a piece of paper and pen out of her coat, began to write something down, as the three looked at her curiously. "So, whoever comes up with a name, becomes the leader, right? So, how about this?" Show a drawing of a dog holding a spear with the word Gungnir written. They were confused and asked about the drawing and the meaning of Gungnir.
"Gungnir is a spear that symbolizes power and authority, while the dog is a symbol of loyalty."
"Power, authority, loyalty; to what?"
"Well a leader without a single person can't stand, but a group of people with similar goals cannot function well without some form of leadership. That is why I draw the gungnir and dog, the one with power backed up by even a small number of followers; they can be brave through anything, they need one another." Checking her watch, seeing that it was about time to switch, before Adahlia left, she asked if Kim and Diaz had received their Ethers yet; they denied it.
"Before I go, Gray, I've got to talk about something after you're done with your training today.
"May I ask, "What is it about?"
"Nothing much, it's just more insight about your ethercore. Just don't be reckless." Behind her smile, Gray recognized the hint of sadness in her voice.
A few hours had passed and Gray was being escorted by a mercenary. Gary tried to have a conversation with the man but the Mercenary remained silent. Finally making it to the Adahlia office.
Gray opens the door to see a mess, books everywhere, papers scattered, and Adahlia trying to reach something on top of the bookshelf. Noticing Gray was standing behind her. "Hey can you clear the desk and chairs for me"
"Yeah, may I ask what you are reaching for?
"Nothing much, just some snacks we can have. I'm pretty sure I never gave you these types before."
"Do you want me to grab a step stool to help you up?"
"No, it's fine." Adahlia slightly raised her hand to create a barrier as a stepping stool, getting a box.
"I keep forgetting that your barriers are transparent."
"It's translucent, not parent. They have similar definitions but it's not entirely the same thing."
"So what with the box?"
"It's just a present from my husband and daughter. They pack a lot of my favorite snacks."
"Wait you managed to get a present in this place"
"Well, not directly, it involved a very complex delivery system that involves searching and changing pick up locations, and that's just putting it lightly. Anyways, we've got to talk about a few things before I send you back, and it starts with Ethercore itself."
Ethercore first appeared two thousand years ago, the golden era of humanity's destruction and its rebirth. Where war was rampant, nations had fallen, and both the elites and the poor were no longer different. There was nothing but fear throughout the world becoming lawless, until a light emerged from the sea, and its voice echoed throughout the world. Ether was born, and the world was reformed.
Ether granted people with concepts. The ability controls certain attributes, as a form of manipulation, production, or a physical boost. With new abilities being discovered, so were the drawbacks. When one uses their ethercore to its limits they become mad.
Adahlia stops to eat some cookies. She passed some to Gray, but he didn't take any, still wondering why the story was relevant. Adahlia took a sip of coffee, clearing her throat.
"The truth is quite simple. Throughout two thousand years of research, Ethercore is far more complicated, it is like the ocean, there is so much we do not know, but some things we know. Ether is related solely to its user's body. In other words, it's a parasite."
"Is that the reason why they go mad?" Gray said nervously.
"Yes, overusing your core will drain it and your nutrients to the point of a beast willing to do anything for survival. There are symptoms. First, your veins will start turning black as a sign of your blood dying, turning it black. Second, severe dehydration and your veins start to slowly pop. Third, bloodshot eyes, aggression, and finally, you lose your mind until you drop. It is called Dead Veins."
Gray was shaken by this explanation "Why are you telling all this?"
Adahlia stood up and walked towards Gray, placing her hand on his head and said "You have an irregular core, and it puts you at higher risk of developing Dead Veins."
Gray smiled, "You think something like that will scare me?" he was shaking, but he said with pride. " Everything will be fine."
"How do you know everything is going to be fine?"
"I don't, but… as long as I have you everyone I will be fine."
Adahlia could tell Gray was just putting on a brave face, she couldn't help but smile back at him. Despite her telling him the truth and choosing to accept, she couldn't help but worry about him. Quickly changing the subject, Adahlia asked Gray "Back at the meaning when you three were discussing naming. What have you decided on?
Gray was looking down in embarrassment. " You know how the fairytale story you read to us? Well like the story about the legendary party named Ortiz."
"The party that slayed a dragon back in the golden era. It's more like folktales than complete fiction." Walking towards the bookshelf, taking a book, and placing it on the desk. It was titled the Book of the Beginning. Adahlia offered to read it to him.