Sam is confused, and scared.
"Wait, I thought I am dead already." Sam thought to himself, as he is starting to grasp the situation. "Who is that? Who's talking to me?", he suddenly speaks out loud, and then remembered that he is supposed to be underwater, or underground at this point, and be prepared to have his voice completely stifled. He is still even holding his breath.
Interestingly, he was able to hear his own voice, hoarse and sandy.
He wants to open his eyes, but it is so bright outside, it hurts. So he had to close them, and slowly open them up. Tears are starting to flow from the corner of his eyes.
"Hey you, what are you talking about? Why are you lying here? This is no time to nap, we have to go quickly."
Sam is even more confused. As his eyes are finally starting to adjust to the brightness, he sees a face. To be exact, a very handsome face that can trigger a blush to any girl just by looking. His facial features are as three-dimensional as if they are carved in stone, and he has short blond hair.
"My name is Lucius. What's yours?" Lucius extended his hand, signaling to Sam that he wants to help getting him up on his feet.
"Sam. " He hesitated for a second, but still grabbed his hand, and letting Lucius help him get up. When holding his hand, he can clearly feel that Lucius's palm is rough with diamond like calluses, hard as hell.
"I am sorry, where am I?" as Sam talking to Lucius, he started scanning around and trying to figure out where he is.
Sam is standing on a road paved with large white stones, almost marble like, with towering palm trees on both sides. In front of him stood a large building that looked like an Eastern temple, but also somewhat like a Western castle, a mixture of the two. Which is odd.
Where he was lying, was under one of the palm trees.
"You are at the Entrance Examination of the Chaos Academy." Lucius responded, as he signals Sam to start walking, "Your family didn't tell you that?"
Sam looked at him, then lowered his head, his eyes dimmed, and said "No, I have no more family. "
"I am sorry to hear that. Well, we have to hurry up, so let's go, and I will tell you what I can for now. "
"We are called The Reserves. Today, the exam, only happens every 3 years. It is to test the basis of our root power, and to determine what type of energy responds to our heart. As you know, today is the day that we get to finally be assessed and assigned to a tier."
"What the heck is going on. I must be dreaming." As he hears Lucius words, Sam mumbles to himself, "Uh, Chaos Academy? Root power? What? "
"Wait, I have to tell you something" Sam chased him as Lucius started walking, "I was actually standing on a cliff and jumped into a lake, and it was night, it was all dark, and then somehow I am here, what is going on? Where am I?" his voice sharp, and panicky.
"You must be dreaming and had a nightmare. Poor you, I probably shouldn't have waken you up. I am sorry. But you are going to miss the exam. " Lucius responded in a comforting and empathetic way.
"Now follow me, we have to go, quickly!" Lucius started walking fast, almost running.
Sam had no choice but to follow him, but still has no idea what is going on. He also noticed that there are other people running beside and in front of them in the same direction.
As they arrived at the entrance door of this building, they hear this solemn voice, " Welcome to Chaos Academy. Please enter one by one. Once you are inside, follow my instructions. "
Lucius stepped in front of Sam. There are other people lining up in front them as well.
Sam observed that there are all kinds of people in the line, some as young as 8 or 9 years old, some very old who can't even stand properly without a crutch. They are all dressed differently too, some are in formal suites and tuxedos, some are in shorts and tank tops. All familiar clothing though, from earth, Sam silently thought to himself, with a slight comfort.
There isn't much time for him to stand there and think though, as the line starts the move quickly, and Sam entered the building.
Inside, it's a very spacious room with high ceiling, thousands of people are already sitting on the chairs provided, and for those who couldn't find a chair, are standing on isles. The room is packed. In front of them, an elevated stage, with a giant black cube floating in the middle.
The cube is at least 20 meters in height and length. "It is floating", that's the first thing Sam noticed. Nothing is supporting it, but somehow just floating there, stationary.
"Please be seated. The examination now begins." The solemn voice appears again, and as it speaks, the door behind Sam and Lucius closed.
"Each of you will be assigned to a group number now. Please remember it."
"Mr. Sam Walker, you are in group number 63." Sam hears his assigned group number. He looked at Lucius, and asked:" Lucius, what's your number?"
"1. I am group 1." Lucius replied with a warm smile on his face. "I guess I will be going first. Good luck, Sam."
Just as Lucius predicted, the solemn voice says:" Now, we invite group 1, 2, 3, 4 to come up to the stage. Each group will be assigned to stand at a particular side of the cube. Group 1, North, Group 2, South, Group 3, East, Group 4, West."
Sam watched as Lucius walks up to the stage. Other people who are in the respective groups are doing the same. Lucius wore a white collar shirt with sleeves rolled up just below his elbow, and a pure black pants with subtle embroidered patterns of gold-colored hexagrams.
Lucius also wore a sword on his back. Sam wasn't sure how he missed that until now. The body of the sword is wrapped in some sort of white clothing, only the hilt is exposed. It's hard to determine the exact color of the hilt. It fluctuates between pure white and blazing red, like there is some kind of liquid that's slowly flowing inside.
Sam is fascinated by it. He stared at the hilt of Lucius sword. Suddenly, he feels a burning pain in his eyes, like thousands of needles piercing, "Ouch, Ouch!" Sam quickly closed his eyes, using his hands to rub them, and exclaimed, "It hurts!".
Now, all four groups have gathered in each of the four sides of the cube. Each side also has a letter shown in the middle. Lucius is at the side where it says "N".
"Now, please use your both hands, firmly touch the cube." The solemn voice instructs.
Lucius raised both of his hands, and put them firmly against the Cube. "Cold", this is the first thought that came into his mind. It's like he put his hands against an ice cube.
After about 5 seconds, when everybody has done so, Lucius hears the voice in his head. "Lucius Volquin, Perceiver Level 9. Root Power: Fire and Air; Dual Traits." Then the voice stopped.
He thought the examination is over, and about to take off his hands. "Wait. I sense...the power of Descendant of Gods. Hidden Power: Bloodthirst."
Lucius then took of his hands, and scratches his head. "Bloodthirst? What's that?"
"Now, please leave the stage. Next groups are coming up." The voice appears again. "For those who has been examined, please exit from the side and head into the next room, and report to your squad leaders." It says, "You will know which squad you belong to as your names will be written on a board at the entrance of the next room. Please pay close attention. "
"Hey, hey, what's your result? I am Perceiver Level 5! Hahah!" Lucius hears the voice beside him on his left, and he turns and looks, he sees a young man that's in his early 20s, with both dimples on his cheek, laughing proudly. "You know, I am the youngest ever in the history of my family to reach level 5 at the entrance exam. My mom is going to be so happy to know about this! "
"Hi, Lucius. Nice to meet you." Lucius responded with a smile. When he smiles, the environment around him lights up, like a beam of warm sunshine.
"Uhh, yes. Sorry. Very nice to meet you. I am Quinn." He shakes Lucius hand, and continues, "So, what level are you?"
"9."
"I know right? It's okay. My mom said I am the genius that only existed every 150 years...Wait, WHAT?!" Quinn opened up his eyes as wide, "YOU ARE LEVEL 9??!", he shouted out loud.
Several people around them all turned to look. They are attracting attention.
One of the people who is checking Lucius and Quinn out is wearing a black mask covering his face, with two tattoos visible on both corners of his forehead with strange patterns. The tattoos show two triangles upside down overlapping in the middle, and three outer rings surrounding them. If someone is able to get closer, he would notice that there are tiny letters written inside each of the three rings. Letters that resemble a very ancient language.
"Shhh. Be quiet. " Lucius lowered his voice. "Okay, let's go. We gotta move to the next room."
Sam is standing all the way back of the room. He couldn't see much. He also couldn't hear any conversations on the stage.
He stood on tiptoe, and through layers of people, he saw Lucius walked out of the stage and exited to the side.
"I wonder what is this place, and what does the cube do. More importantly, why and how am I HERE?!" Sam thought to himself, "OK, calm down. Since I am here already, let's just observe, and follow orders. Maybe I am still in a dream or something. "
As groups of people continue to go up the stage, and exit through the side, after awhile, he finally hears the voice, "Group 63, please go up to the stage. You're East. "
Sam follows a small crowd of people as he walks up the stage, and finds the side of the cube that has the letter E written in the middle. "Now, please use both of your hands, firmly touch the cube. "
He followed the instruction. After about 5 seconds. He hears the voice in his head: "Sam Walker, You're..Hmmm...You're...Wait...Is there a mistake?", the voice somehow hesitates, but because everybody hears it in their own heads, Sam thought it's normal, nothing to be alarmed, so he tried to conversation with it. "Um, excuses me? What is a mistake?"
"Uhh, Yes right. Sam Walker, Perceiver level 0, Root Power: None. I am sorry, you're just a common human. It must has been a mistake that you were brought here." , the voice continues, in a tone without any emotions, "Please step down the stage, and someone will escort you out immediately. "
"Wait. What? What's going on? " Sam speaks out loud, "What's a Perceiver?"
No response.
Sam then repeats, "What is a Perceiver? This must has been a mistake!"
Unknown to Sam, and everyone who's in the examination room, deep inside the academy, a group of 5 elders are closely monitoring the them. Everything that's happening, are being sensed.
"Who is he?", a deep and slow voice, spoken with power, like justice itself. "Test him again."