The gates of Virellian Academy loomed like the walls of a fortress-city, carved from obsidian stone and etched with pulsing blue veins of Source energy. They hummed softly, a vibration Brian could feel in his bones before he even stepped onto the polished black stone road leading in.
Above the entrance, glowing in a language his interface conveniently translated, were the words:
"Through the Cell, Beyond the Self."
Brian stared at them for a moment, feeling the meaning settle into his thoughts.
He stepped forward.
Two armored guards flanked the gate, their uniforms layered with Source-reactive cloth, each bearing a silver spiral badge on their shoulders. One held a glaive that pulsed with quiet energy. The other tapped at a floating panel embedded in his wrist.
"Name?" the glaive-bearer asked, without looking up.
"Brian Owen."
That drew the second guard's attention.
"Foreign name. Sector origin?"
Brian hesitated. "Wild-type. First awakening… Outlands."
Both guards exchanged sharp glances.
"You survived the Outlands… unregistered?"
"I did."
The glaive tilted slightly toward him. "You're lucky. Or lying. Step forward for verification."
A semicircle platform unfolded from the ground. Brian stepped on. The ring lit beneath his feet, and a scanner hummed above.
Verifying…Initiate Class: ConfirmedEnergized Cells: 11,482Cell Type: Adaptive (Unstable)Path: None ChosenPotential: High – Evaluation Required
The guard blinked. "Over eleven thousand energized cells for a first-timer? Either you broke something, or something broke you."
Brian said nothing.
The gate rumbled open behind them, revealing a sweeping cityscape within. Towering spires of Source-tempered crystal reached for the sky. Glowing lifts carried students to platforms that hovered midair. The air was electric, and the hum of raw energy buzzed through his skull like static.
Objective Complete: Enter Virellian AcademyNew Quest: Initial Evaluation – Rank Certification & Path Registration
Brian stepped through.
Crowds of students in color-coded uniforms streamed through the open plaza. Some wore gray, like fresh recruits. Others bore deep violet or bright cobalt—advanced trainees, by the looks of their glowing badges. The crowd shifted as a group of elite-class students walked past, parting like water around them.
They carried themselves differently—measured, calm, dangerous.
Brian looked down at his own badge: nothing but a flickering gray glow above his heart.
"Starting at the bottom," he muttered.
The interface blinked again:
Proceed to the Hall of Measure. Time limit: 4 hours.
He followed signs toward a towering cathedral-like structure, flanked by statues of colossal warriors. Each statue radiated energy—one surrounded by flames, one floating midair with shifting shadows, another brimming with pressure, and the last glowing with ethereal light.
"Those must be the Four Great Paths," Brian whispered.
Inside, the Hall of Measure was buzzing. Projected skill demonstrations floated above the heads of the gathered crowd. One showed a student disassembling a golem with pulsing shockwaves. Another dodged incoming strikes by vanishing like mist. It was a glimpse of what was possible.
An instructor waved him over—a woman with metallic red braids, bright amber eyes, and the unmistakable aura of someone who could kill without moving.
"Brian Owen, wild-type from the Outlands?"
He nodded.
She handed him a sleek tablet. "Fill this. Then you'll undergo Path screening, control calibration, and rank certification. If you lie, the system will know."
Brian tapped through the questions quickly. A few heads turned nearby as whispers spread.
"Did she say Outlands?"
"Adaptive type, I think."
"Seriously? Those are unstable as hell."
He ignored them.
Nearby, another student slammed his hand on a counter. "Nine thousand cells! I demand Elite class!"
The instructor didn't blink. "Your control rate is 52%. That's the Initiate level."
Brian raised an eyebrow. So it's not just about raw cell count. Good.
His turn came.
He was led into a chamber with a smooth glass floor and walls lined with blue crystal. The ceiling projected his energy signature—a swirling spiral of light.
"Place your hand on the pillar," the examiner said.
Brian obeyed.
Scanning…Energy Control: 64%Cognitive Sync: 88%Recommended Tier: Initiate–Advanced ClassPath Affinity: Multiple viable options. Quantum flagged. Access: LOCKED.
The examiner leaned forward slightly. "Quantum? That's… rare. Most can't even see that option."
"I saw it," Brian said. "Didn't choose yet."
The examiner gave a slight smirk. "Smart. Choosing early locks you in. And that one… is for freaks."
She handed him a small metal disk, warm to the touch. It dissolved into his chest as soon as he touched it. A faint ripple glowed under his collarbone—his first badge.
Core Badge InstalledClass: Initiate – Tier 1Color: GrayTraining Grounds Access: UnlockedPath Selection Required Within: 7 days
He stepped back into the main hall.
The statues of the Paths towered above him.
He looked at the one made of light—no weapon, no armor. Just presence. It seemed to see everything.
"I'm not here just to pick a path," Brian said softly. "I'm here to find my own."
His badge pulsed once.
Hidden Title Unlocked: Pathless SparkYou refused the system's suggestions. Your journey begins where the template ends.
Brian grinned.
Let the system try to keep up.