[First Trial will commence in 10 minutes. All initiates, please be prepared!]
An omnipresent voice announced solemnly. It didn't come from an intercom but from the world itself.
"Quick! We have searched this area, but he is not here either." A man in his early 20s said to his team, as he looked through the desolate buildings.
"Damn it! Where is that blasphemer hiding? Why can't the priestesses from Principalities just divine his location?!" He continued with an irritated expression.
They were in a commercial district, shops and various entertainment businesses lining the winding roads. Covering the district with a high density of houses and foot traffic during the day.
But weirdly, the entire district was desolate right now. With the sole exception being people wearing the StarStrek Academy's Uniform.
The sky was stormy, but slightly bright. Giving the feeling of being stormy during midday. Bright enough to see clearly but moody enough to dampen the bright feeling of the day.
It felt ominous, as if something bad was just on the horizon.
"Those priestesses said, and I quote - 'It's too dangerous to divine anything in the Realm of StarStrek right now, too many otherworldly eyes watching'." One of the seekers explained. He, too, was annoyed by their cryptic words; they are always all words and no bite!
Why did they even put a bounty if they were not going to act?
"Uhhh! If it weren't for the great houses specifically giving orders to hunt Sky Theobane, we wouldn't have had to run around like dogs! We are of noble blood, for God's sake!"
He turned around and signalled his team to follow.
"We still have 9 minutes, we can search the western sections quickly!"
They immediately zoomed towards their next destination.
.
.
As for the person in question.....
"Gulp!...Ha~ this one was fine~!" Someone exclaimed in satisfaction while gulping down his 46th glass of orange juice.
He was currently perched upon the giant mechanical clockwork, which constituted the inner mechanism of the gigantic kilometre-long ancient clock tower in the middle of the Commercial district.
He had discarded the Black Blazer lined with gold at the edge. Wearing nothing but a plane disheveled White shirt underneath and black trousers. He looked like a businessman who was halfway through removing his formal clothes after returning home, dead tired.
The man in an incomplete uniform had inky black hair and bright molten golden eyes. Wearing a calm smile which may seem maniacal to others if they knew his situation.
He was Sky Theobane, the 'fugitive' they are hunting.
Relaxing his body, Sky dangled his legs playfully on the edge, surveying the commercial district outside through the tinted multicolored glass of the clock tower.
'Twenty years.... Didn't know I would ever step foot here.'
It's been 20 years since he was reborn in this world. Hmm....9 years if you count his memories of past regaining, but then again it would be 2 years if it's full integration....this is quite a tricky situation.
Only when Sky was 11 did he start integrating with memories of Reo, his past.
Yes, integrating, not remembering. Remembering is a gradual soft process. Integrating is when you fully relive that life again, memories and experience getting cramped in your head till your mind 'scape shatters. Becoming one without distinction.
This shattered mindscape is a boon and a curse, the curse part being that he cannot Ascend to the 1st stage through normal means. Cuz he is rejected or whatever.
[Name: Sky Theobane]
[Ascension: zeroth Ascension (Lvl: 20/20)]
[Honorifics: ———]
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[Attunement: Not set]
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[Initiate Ranking: 123,252.]
[Overall Ranking: 732,257.]
A screen appeared in front of him, detailing all the information to his preference. This was a privilege granted to all those who enter the StarStrek Realm to face the trials, those who do are it's students facing the trial designed by the higher deity.
Due to his 'Shattered Mindscape' condition, he cannot establish an attunement to the fundamental building blocks of reality. Thus, not ascend to the next stage of Ascension even though he had reached the max level of the current ascension a long time ago.
Maybe that's why his siblings and father forced him to attend StarStrek 'Academy' even though he is way below the pay grade in terms of ascension alone. This Realm breaks all limitations one faces in Astra Nova, all logic is bent, all basic laws are useless.
Maybe they hoped that it could help me fix my 'condition'.
What they didn't expect was the amount of 'small' enemies I made here and there when I was heavily affected by 'Shattered Mindscape'.
Or maybe they did, but I just happened to thwart their preparations by prematurely going into hiding upon arrival.
Unless someone from a higher year actively looks for him, they won't find him. His knowledge about hiding spots is unparalleled, after all... hiding from the Villains while getting chased was one of the options to avoid unnecessary battles and events.
"♫⋆｡♪" Outwardly sky was humming a piece of melody. Swinging his legs on the edge.
Then he stopped and with a bright smile said out loud,
"I know you are there, you can come out...I don't bite." He added the last part in a playful tone.
Footsteps echoed from his left, a man wearing a tattered piece of cloth walked out of his hiding spot.
He had similar black hair but had bright sapphire blue eyes instead of sky's gold. His face and body alike were scratcheded and roughed up here and there. His clothes were in tatteres.
One precise slash and he would be half naked....but then again, I think few people would like to see such a rough handsome man half naked.
His dead eyes looking straight into sky's pair of gold. It held neither hostility nor hospitality. Just there... Evaluating him.
"Aren't you afraid that I may be one of your pursuer?" He questioned in a rough voice, there was a hint of fatigue behind it, but his stance was alert.
"My pursuer would not appear in rags, they got too much pride for that." Sky replied his intimidation with a easygoing smile, jumping off the clockwork gear and landing eye level to the newcomer.
"And above all, a special addmitee like me, who got in without being Ascension 1 will not be tolerated by those fools." He continued.
They are 2 ways to enter the StarStrek Realm while being abyssmally weak.
Either be powerful enough to forcefully put your name on the restricted list of entree, like how sky entered. Or
Be chosen by StarStrek Realm itself, and be forcefully be pulled inside. They are talent that it chose, though it doesn't mean absolute garrentee that they are super talented, it's more like they got potential which it did not wish to waste without proper trial. Such incidents are more common now with the growing influence of Overlap Event.
The person in front of him was one such student. A special addmitee of different kind than him.
The guard of the person in front of him increased further, his hand rested on the handle of his broken blade.
Seeing this, sky broke into a laughter.
"Haha, no need to be on guard. I said I won't bite you."
"We are brothers in same situation." Sky pointed a finger at him.
Commoners are already hated by nobles and great house alike. Now imagine a commoner that was chosen by the realm itself and without any affiliation, that would get their blood boiling with disgust and hatred. That's the nature of those blood supremist.
On other hand, I am enemy of all. Thus the same situation.
"We are bottom-most ranked in the entirety of first year. But we are not weak, You are not weak, I can tell. The list is fraud." He continued while approaching the tattered man.
The two people below tens of thousands of people in relative strength, yes. But it doesn't factor in certain aspects.
"So I wanted to ask you, as a fellow person in similar situation..."
Sky extended his hand towards the blue eyed man.
"How about we team up for this trial." Sky suggested.
The blue eyed man looked at him distrustfully, and in confusion. He didn't answer. Sky expected this,
"Of course, you don't have to absolutely trust me or follow my orders. But know that I can help you triumph this trial."
The last part made the blue eyed man hesitate, then he took my hand after great deliberation.
He still was wary and suspicious of me. Distrustful of my actions.
[The First Trial begins in 30 seconds! All innitiates be prepared.]
As they waited a thought struck sky, he hadn't introduced himself properly! A proper introduction is fundamental to build a basic foundation of trust and cooperation between people.
Taking a step back, he gave a short introduction of himself.
"I am Sky Theobane, the youngest son of Theobane household. I like orange juice."
The blue eyed man gave it an glance and curtly nodded.
"I know, you are everywhere. No one can forget the name of someone who antagoinized three of the four supreme powers. That is the Astra Empire, the Principalities and the great houses."
To this sky just frowned and justified,
"They are just angry because I spoke the truth and broke their so called 'balance'. Is talking back such a sin for a child?"
The blue eyed man looked at him dubiously.
After a while, after great deliberation, he whispered his name.
"...Aeon"
Sky raised his brow, acting like he didn't hear him,
"Come again, I didn't hear."
Meeting sky's eye, he introduced himself in an quick manner.
"My name is Aeon."
"That's the first time I am hearing such a name, but it suits you. Nice to meet you Aeon."
Of course he lied, he knew who was Aeon. He came to this clocktower to meet him.
Aeon, someone who has suffered, is suffering and will suffer.
The scapegoat of fate. Someone who I pity and respect at the same time for his dedication to his goal.
The one of the central character of [Veil of Endless Nights]. The center of most conflicts and the eye of inevitable storm.
Someone he must get on his side to assist him in his near impossible endeavour.
Someone who, he as a pathfinder must have to fulfill the goal of all pathfinders -
To find the one True Epilogue.
[The Trial will now commence!]
On cue, the entire large commercial district was surrounded by a translucent red barrier, cutting off the district from outside interference. The barrier penetrated the clouds with no end in sight.
[25 Sectors have been recreated for the purpose of the Trial.]
[You are in Sector 04 : Central Commercial District.]
[The Trial for Sector 04 has been decided!]
✧✧✧✧✧✧
Trial I : Hunt & Conquer!
Participates : 4121
Location : Central Commercial District (Sector 04)
Time limit : 45 minutes
Rules :
1. All students have Grace for first trial, death is not possible. But non fatal injuries are carried over.
2. All students who are present at the location are subjected to the rules.
3. All students are granted merit for hunting a fellow participant.
4. Top Zone Rankers are given special perks during the Trial. It is decided by who has hunted the most in given time.
5. All students are given one specific hunt token to target a specific participant at the start of the trial. The Targeted will have its position revealed.
6. Survival upon getting Targeted will reap extra reward while penalizing the failed hunter.
7. After 30 minutes, the throne will appear on Location. Capturing the throne will grant the conqueror party authority to command the conquered for the next Trial!
8. Once the throne is conquered, the Trial ends regardless of time limit. The conqueror wins and the conquered are penalized.
Trial Theme : Chaos Switch!
1. Every random interval, a specific event would occur.
2. It maybe - Position switch, reversal, Gravity switch or more! Be careful!
To be the prey, to be the predator. To be the conquered or the conqueror. There is only one crown and one throne. May the wisest ascend to stars.
By the Moon's Grace and The Star's Oath,
Let the Trial begin!
✧✧✧✧✧✧
[An intent to form a party as been detected.]
[Party :
Leader : Sky Theobane pt - 0
Member : Aeon pt - 0]
[The distribution ratio is set to : 50:50]
"We are now a party." I confirmed. He too seemed to have Gotten the notification as he was staring blankly at the air, gesturing.
[You have been marked for being hunted!]
[You have being marked for being hunted!]
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[No. Of hunt marks : 2,153.]
[You are the most hunted participant!]
'wow, immediately targeted huh. Well this works in my favor.' he has expected this, that's why he choose this location in advance.
[Chaos Switch: Position swap in 10 Seconds!]
Upon reading the notification, a maddening smile appeared on sky's face.
"I know you don't trust me but remember this : go as wild as possible, aim for the sky!" He spoke to Aeon while walking near the glass wall that seperated them from outside.
Aeon made an confused expression,
"What do you mea-"
He couldn't complete his sentence as he was thrown against the glass wall, shattering it.
He was now an kilometre up from the ground, falling down to his demise.
"Hahaha" he was joined by sky, who also jumped down.
[Chaos Switch: position switch!]
Sky appeared in a desolate bar, somewhere else in the District.
[ Hunted : arogo theis (30,153)]
[You have gained : 7 pt.]
"Huh?!" Someone exclaimed in confusion.
Ofcourse, sky wasn't alone in this 'desolate' bar.
"Huh? Sky Theobane?!" Another recognised him.
They were his active 'fans' who were looking for him earlier.
They surrounded him.
Sky didn't think much of it and sweetly smiled,
"Ah goodmorning fellas. You seem to be looking for me. What can I help you with?" He asked politely.
They didn't reciprocate, instead one of them shouted loud enough to almost tear apart his ear drums.
"SKY THEOBANE IS HERE!!!!" He announced, letting everyone in the area regardless of them hunting me or not know that I am here.
'Ah!' Sky sighed in resignation. 'They never listen politely.'
The Hunt for Sky Theobane, the Blasphemer begins!
[A/N : Next chp is a lot of moving around, bear with it. It was necessary, and bad writing from my part.]