I takes almost another hour before the next applicant enters the test room that I'm in, and the person entering the room is not anyone I know, so I just scan her; 100% survivability, {[ding-ding quest initiated: turn the luna] time: 1 month. Reward: Equippable wolf form battle gear(epic rank) Failure conditions: Fail to turn her within one month and she'll kill you. 2nd failure condition: Chloe finds out} 'wow a system quest.' 'luna? guess I'll have to ask Leo or sprig, and why can't chloe find out?[Ding! failure condition 2 is here because Chloe has the second secret class of False Luna, it makes her stronger, but will make her more paranoid and possessive of you, a test from Selene if you will, but if the newcomer joins the pack, Chloe will submit to her authority willingly] 'So it appears that a Luna is supposed to be something like my wife, that doesn't sound good at all but dying is worse.' While I am monologuing in my head, Sprig and Leo both appear in the room, I mind link them ("Hey is Chloe behind you guys?")
("No, her and that chef Joe guy got a different room, maybe because they are applying for different jobs, while we are taking the full combat course.") Sprig replies. ("why do you ask?")
("No real reason, just waiting for the last few spots to fill.") and then I cut the link with Sprig leaving just the one with Leo open, he has closed his on the other ends as well, as it makes it harder to think knowing the rest of the Pack can hear our thoughts
("you aren't saying something") he prods
("got a quest that entails jealousy and trying not to die, leave it there bro") I shut the link quickly after that, and wait for the other two people to filter in, and when they do all my senses go on high alert, the two guys entering are definitely weres, but they smell wrong, Sprig and LEo immediately stiffen before schooling themselves. The guys look over the room, and one whistles as his eyes land on my potential Luna, who's name I still need to get. he cracks a grin that looks wrong and saunters over to her "hey Pretty little lamb after we get through this exam do you want to come and party?" She just looks on in disinterest then the proctor speaks up.
"Alright everyone, find a seat the test will begin momentarily after I explain the rules." The 2 newcomers find a seat in the back row next to each other, and the board behind the proctor changes and he takes a breath to begin the explanation of the rules, "This portion of the test is simple, a written exam to get a benchmark of your current general education level. Please do not attempt to cheat, if caught you will be removed from the testing hall and sent away. Begin!" I had read the display board behind him while he was talking it said the same thing he did but also had rapid flashes of the answers to the test on it. I look down at the previously blank papers on my desk and grab one of the pencils, opening the booklet I begin, and just as he had said it was mainly a reading comprehension test followed by math and science, it went a little sideways after that point by shifting into the history portion, going back all the way to the 21st century when the planet began destabilizing before it could grow to what it is today, I spend a bit longer doing that portion of the test, because I like to think of myself as a kind of history buff, imagining what life would have been like in those days when there were 5 continents only and many small countries that were constantly at war, and the old country the United states with the "freedoms" they apparently had even though it was anything but as well as the national parks and beautiful places, especially since now there are still beautiful places many are just home to monsters, and several adventuring parties and guilds do streams from them. I finish that portion and come to the writing exam which is both left field and funny at the same time with questions like: what did you think of the test so far? and; How is it that abilities came to be do you think? or Were there ability users before the world evolved? to which I answered as honestly as I could like: So far the test has been fairly straight forward though the hidden properties are thinly veiled at best. and The fact that abilities we currently have come from crystals would seem to hint that they were here for much longer, but dormant or maturing with the planet probably feeding off some form of radiation from people the world itself and maybe space itself. and the last one 'an obvious ploy to see if we are conspiracy theorists' to which I answer; Yes, historical records show that there were at least in some way shape or form people with abilities that far outpaced their normal human counterparts, the shaolin monks and Taoist temples of ancient china had very clearly defined and practiced systems to increase the power of the human body past it's normal limits, whether these abilities were on par with the ones currently seen today, inferior or superior to them has been a topic of heated debate between leading professionals and closet researchers alike, but I do believe there were abilities before the first publicly disclosed crystals were found in 3208.
satisfied with my test and it's answers I flip over the final page and find one more question: what is it you hope to accomplish if you are admitted to the academy, what will you do once you graduate? I answer plainly; I am going to change the world, hopefully make it better for normal people without abilities, and try to enjoy what time I have in the world with my friends, family, and allies. Then I close the last page and set my pencil down pressing the button to signal I have finished with the test, then I lower my head and pretend to sleep for a bit listening to the scratch of pencil on paper the rustling of pages and the nervous tapping of probably Leon's foot as he resists the urge to go full tin hat club in the final section. Soon enough though the exam proctor's voice coughs and I look up "It seems everybody has finished this portion of the test, you may now proceed to room PT13, go and be quick." I stand up to leave flanked on both sides by Leon and Spriggan, when a voice cuts through the quiet.
"Hey weaklings, what the hell are a couple of Selene's pets doing here? shouldn't you be out in the garden playing fetch or something" it's the were from earlier, Now I'm certain he's probably one of Lycaon's dogs
"let's go." I say to Leo and Sprig walking away without replying, though the crowd starts muttering thinking we're some gang members rivaled to the thugs with loud mouths. I continue on towards the new room, we arrive first.