After Mr Mulligans left, the classroom erupted. Everyone were discussing and digesting what the principal said. Michail slowly made his way to the seat near the window, where his friend Tom sat. Tom was the fourth son of a big business family, the Claytons. His three older brothers had a knack for business and hence their father sent them off to various regions in the City of Ruin to manage businesses of the Clayton family. Tom on the other hand is what anyone would say to be a muscle head. Tom was big for his age. He was the biggest in the class. he also liked to jump into stuff. Whether it was a fight or a decision of life, Tom jumped face first. His motto is nothing can go wrong if you act fast and brave. The day he saw a Caretaker dealing with a monstrous Gnoll that came into the city, his mind was set upon being a Caretaker of the council.
"Michail, seems like we are one step too fast towards being Caretakers." Tom was happy to get assessed.
"I don't know Tom, my mother was pretty upset when I told her that I wanted to join the assessment. I guess I cant join." quipped Michail.
"What, don't tell me you have cold feet now brother. Don't you remember our plans to become the best Caretaker party in Gaia. Me the warrior, you the mage. We will find a good healer and a tank in the academy to complete our party and venture deep into the Wailing forest and the Unbringing sea." Tom showed an expression of someone who was betrayed and said.
"As I told you before, keep your eyes straight and jump face first. whatever comes later we will deal with it."
Sometimes it feels like I should take his advice. Jump and face consequences later. Michail seated quietly expecting the arrival of the Caretakers of talent from the council. The City of Ruin had many divisions of Caretakers. Caretakers of Talent searched for prospective awakened who could be groomed to become initiates. Caretakers of management took care of the internal issues in the City of Ruin. Caretakers of Extermination were hunters, who destroyed evil creatures that arose from the forbidden areas and from the Megalith. But the most important of them all were the Caretakers of Runes who managed the Megalithic runes around the 'Last act' or the burial ground of the Boeficians. They prevent the darkness within the Last act from escaping the Megalithic circle. They were defenders, mages and warriors of strength and extreme intelligence. The mage of Brilliance William Argot was a Caretaker of Runes.
The Caretakers of Talent and their initiates arrived at the school by noon. The children watched as the initiates setup tents in the school ground and moved heavy boxes into each tent. The principal and several teachers went to welcome the two caretakers who arrived.
"Good afternoon Caretaker Ritchie, Caretaker Muriel. I hope the journey has not been too hard on you sir and madam" Principal Mulligans respectfully welcomed them both.
Ritchie was a thin old man dressed a white robe. A linked chain was worn around his neck with a transparent magic stone the size of an egg as its main piece. He is a second generation Caretaker of the human race. Most of the first generation caretakers who faced the Last act were either dead or in seclusion. Hence the second generations were the seniors and leaders of the current Council. Ritchie enrolled as an initiate in the Caretakers of Extermination but he lost his legs in an expedition into the Megalith. Rumors say that he sacrificed his legs to save his team from a creature born from the darkness. Since then he was transferred to the Talent team, where he could spend the twilight years of his life in peace. Sitting on his wheelchair made of rockwood and metal the bald old Ritchie glanced at Principal Mulligans. Seeing the tensed button of Mulligans at eye level, he felt uneasy. Quickly exchanging pleasantries Ritchie wheeled himself into a tent.
"Mr Mulligans, Caretaker Ritchie is a man of few words" exclaimed Muriel. She was an elf. Fair as white jade, green eyes and silver hair, there was an air of nobility around her. She too wore the same white robe with chain and transparent magic stone. The attire that says that she is a part of Caretakers of Talent. Muriel was a third generation Caretaker. She initiated under Ritchie before he lost his legs. She was also a part of the expedition into the Megalith with Ritchie. After the mission she requested transferring to the talent division. Ritchie was never seen without this elf following behind. Whatever transpired within the Megalith has done a number on them both.
"Why don't you let the students of age come into the first tent one by one and meet me within. I will start the processes required to test them one by one." With that said Muriel went into the large tent. There were machinery made from alloys and magic metal being assembled by the initiates in the tent. The huge boxes they brought in were empty except for one black box filled with runic patterns on the outside. It emitted a dull red glow through the opening crevice that seemed both dangerous and ancient.