"2030 B.R, a time of advancement for human civilization. Technology began to improve by leaps and bounds, no nation much greater than another. Equality. It was a time of true peace and prosperity, technology was available to every man, woman, and child.
The Innovation Education Reformation act of 2026, required the leading countries of the world to assist the development of second and third world countries. Humanity thrived under this act, though there existed those that opposed it. No one thought that during such great peace, there would be an even greater, cosmic, catastrophe.
August 21st, 2030: Rift Zero occurred in a small development town in the North Eastern part of Syria, now referred to as, Rift Zero. It was the largest Rift to date, the beginning of the Rift Era, and the near end of humanity. The monsters, Dwellers, that poured out of R-0 quickly spread chaos and death to the surroundings. In a single week, all of the middle east into North Africa, had been completely lost to the Dwellers and the following Rifts that appeared in their wake.
November 3rd, 2030: Anihilation of the eastern hemispheres civilization was completed. Though there were survivors that hid and fought, hope did not exist for them. The western continents chose survival, and tried to prepare for the Dwellers, though they knew instinctively, that it was hopeless.
November 5th, 2030: Rift One opened in the middle of Kansas City, Kansas. There was no preparation prepared for a Rift in the middle of the United States, the speed of America's downfall was less than 24 hours. The west had fallen and on November 6th, 2030, of the 8.3 billion people on earth, 4.9 billion were annihilated in the first few months. Over half the population, gone within a blink.
February 9th, 2035: The Zeroth Generation of Rifters appear to fight back against the Dwellers and mutated land to bring safe havens for humanity. 70 percent of human population had perished, of the remaining 30 percent only an eighth of them had abilities to fight back with. Japan and South Korea were the first to exhibit humans with abilities and as such, were the first to create safer cities and trades opened between populace within those cities.
June 6th, 2087 R.E: Humanity claims back 40 percent of their lost territories, a percentage that will hardly change during the next couple centuries, only succeeding in getting back a total of 43 percent by 2257.
Year 2107, Rifter Academies are established in the Safe Cities. Requiring those who wish to be Rifters to go through education to increase survival rates.
Year 2111, ranks and classes are assigned to Awakened Rifters, the following year, an Awakening System is established to catch and measure awakeners for potential and census purposes. Seventeen is found to be the year of common awakening in humans.
Year 2120, Dweller species categorized and listed depending on features, characteristics, abilities and arrival on earth.
Year 2130, Technology combined with the power emanated from Rifts, using either Mana or Cosmic Energy, both sources found in rifts and the mutated landscape and air of earth. Mana and Cosmic Technology becomes a crucial component to protecting cities, requiring less Rifters to protect borders and walls.
Year 2136, Intelligent Dwellers discovered, settling ruined human cities, beginning the start of the Rift Wars with the Dwellers. Great losses made on both sides.
Year 2236, End of the Hundred Year Rift War, resulting in an unsteady peace treaty due to even power capabilities. 3 percent increase in human territory gained, total human population at 3.3 Billion.
August 21st, 2257 R.E: Present Day, Avalon, West Americon. It's the week of the Awakener Examination. Those who are seventeen to eighteen will undergo the examination to determine whether or not they will go to Compulsory High schools or Rifter Academies....
Mason Carter, a young man who turned seventeen in the earlier months of this year, was amongst the crowd of young men and women, eager to see if they had Awakened as Rifters. Mason was hopeful as well. He had medium length, wavy dark red hair and grey eyes. Height wise, he was roughly 5'10" and lean. His parents were D-Rank Rifters, both specializing in combat classes, so they naturally trained him in Swords, hand to hand, and spears respectively in preparation for the Examination. Neither Mana nor Cosmic Energy awaken fully until the age of 20, but forceful awakening is used during the exam with a Rift Core. In blunt terms, it forces both energies into the body, only one or the other circulates through the body, the other simply expels from the skin during the process.
"Groups E, J, Y, P and T, please proceed to the Examination Halls." The first Anouncement rang out for the first 5 groups of 26. Mason was in group D. For "motivational" purposes, a board with the letters for each group was displayed throughout the plaza. Though really, it's a promotional propaganda for Academy Recruiters to pick and choose students from. The top ten choose first and the leftovers are scraps for the lesser academies.
E was the first group to go through the process. In each group there are 100 hopeful teens. Twenty names were listed before J began. Meaning 20 percent Awakened and 80 percent had their dreams crushed. J had 40, Y had 52, P had 14 and T had 73. The percentage was never set in stone, so nobody was entirely dejected.
"....P had the lowest amount of Awakened, but they had the highest Mana Numbers and C.E Potentials." The recruiters at each board were discussing amongst themselves on who to recruit. Of course, these boards were for the Scrap Scrounging Academies. These boards only produced numbers, the skills were projected on private screens inside the Examination hall for the top 10. At the end of the examination, the real recruitment would begin....
"A nasty, degrading process, or so mom said." Mason muttered as he adjusted his basic Rift Leather attire, made from Mutated beasts from the mountains he grew up in. Tough, difficult to puncture through normal means. A basic attire worn by non safe city people. Though they lived close enough to be considered safe, it was still hellish living comparatively.
"Groups H, O, L, M, and N, please Proceed to the Examination Halls." Another 30 minutes pass and names begin to list. Higher numbers and awakeners are listed than the previous groups. A few particular names catch attention and excitement fills the air. Numbers ranging from 1 to 10 are common, 11 to 15 rare. But above 15 nets you as a highly desirable candidate for manna users. Cosmic Energy Potentials are ranged by Color Tiers. Red is common, orange is rare. Any other is nearly unheard of in a fresh awakener.
"Samual Grayson is insane! A C.E Potential of Yellow Tier? Illiana Loyalblade with a Mana Number of 21? These two are guaranteed to be recruited by the top, we have no chance damn it..." A feeling of despair amongst the low tier Academies spread like wild fire, but envy and hope amongst the remaining students.
"Groups A, S, G, R, and D, please proceed to the Examination Halls." Mason followed behind his group and entered the Examination building. To describe the Examination hall briefly, it was very expensive looking. Technological, fancy marble and steel with old oak trim, it was the very definition of high quality.
"Hmph, how poor and primitive. My castle has mutated stone and pine as it's main foundation. A perfectly impregnable and high quality artwork. It even has old Era furnishings and ivory doorknobs." Some bland looking kid with an overly long nose scoffed. He wore a green suit with a horse and sword emblem on the right breast pocket, marking him as someone with a European bloodline. Uncommon, but not rare to find. Mason ignored him and continued to wait.
The boy turned and looked at Mason, immediately noticing the mountain attire. A wicked grin formed on the boy's face as he approached Mason.
"How unsightly, a peasant from outside the city managed to make it in? Someone call security, trash managed to mingle with the gold and jewels of our great Avalon." The boy made an unnecessary scene. Many rich looking kids began sneering and snickering.
"I'd rather look like a peasant over a florescent green rat. I thought the horse was supposed to be a symbol, not your ancestor." Mason easily replied whilst still looking beyond the boy and at the front of the line. The snickering increased as the focus of ridicule shifted to the other boy. His face contorted hideously.
"I'll remember this, peasant. I, Julius Von Horsfüger, will make you pay!" Long nose spat at Mason. Mason stood for a moment, as did the rest of the students as they stared at the long nosed boy.
"How do you spell Horse Few-Gerr?sounds like Horse Fucker.... that makes sense." Mason commented before ignoring the child again. This time the long nosed boy turned beet red and the snickering turned to laughter. The boy shot one last look at Mason before storming back to his spot in line. It wasn't long before D group was next. There were a total of twenty exam rooms, each Examination took 15 minutes, and every fifteen minutes the board updated. Horse Fucker was the forth group of twenty to go in, Mason was in the last twenty.
No examinees comes out of the exam rooms, they're sent somewhere else to prevent them from causing scenes outside or with friends in the plaza. It also prevented information from spreading to the ears of the lower Academies.
"Mason Carter? Room Thirteen please." The guide ushered Mason through and he made his way the Examination room. Inside was all Cosmic Mana Technology and steel. A single basket ball sized blue orb sat in the middle of the room on a machine hooked up to a multitude of lines and hoses.
"Proceed to the Core and place your hands firmly on said Core." Some stated over an intercom. Mason approached the core and placed both hands on the core. The procedure began immediately as both Cosmic Energy and Mana entered his body.
Both energies have their own respective circulation paths. Cosmic Energy circulates through the blood streams, the heart becomes the housing of the energy. Mana circulates through the nervous system and the brain stores the largest portion of Mana. Neither process is painful, it actually tends to feel rather refreshing....
Yet Mason was on his knees in extreme pain, his hands practically glued to the Core as more energy continued to pour into his body. A process of 15 minutes became hours in his mind as the pain ripped through his vessels and nerves. Like a million fire ants were marching through his veins, ripping and tearing as they went. A red flashing light and an alarm was going off over head, the words "Core Malfunction" could be heard. Several workers rushed in, a few techs tried to forcefully cut the power to the Core, but it continued to drain its power source into Mason. A guard with a sword walked up and lifted it over Masons hands.
"You can't! You want to open up a Rift here? With the amount of Rift energy pouring into him, who knows what devastation will be released from such a careless move." One of the techs stopped the guard.
"What about him? What if he becomes the source of a Rift? I'm just following orders, the kid either has to become crippled for life, or killed." The guard shoved the tech away and swung his sword at Mason, just as the core drained and finally released. The sword shattered the now empty core, and the medical team commenced emergency treatment.
On a private screen deeper within the facility:
Mason Carter-
Mana 7
CosEn Red
Skills 9
Class: @&%#___-
Current Rank: F