The Arc Academy
Arc 1
Arc Academy Associates
Chapter 1: Open Your Eyes, Abandon Your Self
Out in the desert lands known as Orocos, a rare event in the universe was about to occur. There was a slim chance of this occurrence happening every three years, but often did not. It required the gathering of very unnatural beings, creatures capable of transcending their given bodies and limitations imposed at birth. Evolving at a vary rapid pace, these beings known to some as monsters would eventually have the power to change the course of the universe itself.
Orocos is a harsh land, intensely beaten by the sun's scorching rays. The air is so dry that one can almost feel the moisture being sucked from their skin. Throughout most of the land, there is nothing living but wild beasts that have adapted to the unforgiving climate over generations. The few human civilizations that exist in Orocos are closer to non-desert land, never too far from a river or oasis that provides constant water supply. It would be impossible to survive in Orocos for even a day without immediate access to water at all times. Yet, on this day, many brave souls decided to embark on a journey into this guaranteed death sentence. Embarking from the nearest town with as much water as they could carry and out into the desert at the same time; a time that at every hour the desert simply grew hotter and hotter and . . . hotter.
The locals would have informed anyone that the destination was not a good choice for a day's travel, especially not without an expedition team that was well trained and well supplied. The desert's climate alone was enough to kill someone from a heat stroke, and the creatures that lurked about waiting for exhausted travelers were abundant. Orocos was also under frequent threat from vicious sandstorms that if one somehow survived, would still die after having lost their way, being cut off from the sun and severely beaten.
It may have been an unconfirmed fact, in that you could not call and verify its invitation, the actual event being kept secret after all. But out in the desert there was a chance for something unique to each traveler as well as common. A reward that could grant an entire new perspective to the world, resources some could only dream of, power that the ordinary would not even think possible, and legendary experiences that made life worth risking.
And so the daring travelers ventured, out to find the ancient ruins of a town that once existed in a now uninhabitable location. The fallen civilization of Roontah. It was here that the true journey began, the chance to test one's resolve and desires for unrivaled reward. And now, the travelers capable of locating and reaching the ruins were to begin this journey. Would they face the same fate however, as those who failed to find the ruins, become lost to the desert forever? Or would they transform into tales of grandeur?
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Kenric
One of the travelers was sitting before Roontah's steps now, in the golden sand with legs crossed. The young male with light brown hair and light complexion was leaning back on his arms, with his head tilted upward and gaze fixed upon the sky. His name was Kenric, no formal family name, and he was one of the first twelve to arrive at Roontah. At first he thought nothing of his arrival time, but as at least fifty people arrived over the next two hours, he realized his endurance and experience traversing dangerous landscapes had proven advantageous. Still, over the course of his trip here and waiting for two hours, he was still down to his very last water canteen. That meant that nearly everyone else had probably already ran out of water entirely, as they could only carry so much water. Not to mention the trip was a lot longer than even Kenric thought it would be. With the high endurance he knew he had, he was still winded and greatly appreciated the two hour break he had before something occurred.
After finding Roontah, Kenric simply plopped down right before the ancient town. Others may have opted to explore the ruins, even find some sign that the fabled test they were all gathered for was actually to happen here. But Kenric honestly rather rest and conserve his energy. They had all spent the entire day trekking through a miserable desert, and the test hadn't even begun yet. Kenric didn't want to waste any effort on something that didn't move him forward in his goal. Besides, they were not told how long it would take to find this place or what time the test would start. The only clue Kenric and likely everyone else was given, was to leave for Roontah from the nearest town at 12:00PM on the dot. Nothing else. With such gaps between arrival times, who knew what time the test was going to start and what was an acceptable time to arrive. If Kenric and others had arrived way too early, they might still have quite some time to wait. Thus, searching Roontah would be rather pointless. Also, Kenric had no idea what condition the town was in and if there might be some sort of traps laid out either by people of the past or people wishing to catch people now. He did examine the square and rectangular buildings, built up onto the side of a giant cliff, very well in the last two hours however. But now, he was growing rather impatient. None of them would survive for very long without water, much less take the Arc Academy Associate Test.
Some of the other travelers, applicants to the Academy, were beginning to speak to one another. Kenric could hear a portion of the group beginning to question whether they had truly found the right location. If this was really Roontah. Others wondered if it was all a false lead to begin with, and The Arc Academy Associate Test was actually taking place somewhere else entirely. Another portion of the group was in a different state entirely. They were nearing dehydration and were unlikely to make it much longer. Kenric could not help but feel as if the test had already started. Would they really start it like this though?
Kenric turned his head, moving his gaze from the sky to the fellow applicants around him. If this was the task that needed to be endured just to take the test, what kind of things would they be put through? Some of these men might not even be able to stand up by the time someone arrived to give them some sort of validation. And that was when his eyes widened a bit. He couldn't believe it, but there was a child there amongst the crowd.
"A kid? Here?" Any of the other participants would probably laugh if they were paying enough attention to him, as he would surely be regarded as a kid himself by the older applicants here. The younger applicant, if they didn't hear him speak, would likely notice his crimson red eyes bearing down on them. It wasn't intentionally a menacing or intimidating glare, but with his lack of facial expression and piercing eyes, it may come off as so.