*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*
*Beep*
The first thing that registered in Aydens mind was a soft steady beeping, almost calming as if he were being hugged by a cooling breeze.
As his eyes opened the white ceiling above him made all of the comfort vanish in an instant. The lights around him reflecting off of every blindingly white surface made him want to cover his eyes, with something... anything at all really.
As he went to move his arm to block the light straps held them steady, unable to move even an inch.
"What is this, what's going on?!" Aydens muscular body began pushing with everything he had to escape the bindings, from whatever this was.
*beep*beep*
*beep*beep*
The beeping speed up the more panic spread claiming his consciousness. His eyes darting back and forth, looking for some way to escape.
'Calm down, calm down, CALM DOWN!!!'
A part of his mind rebelled against the panic, a soft voice in his mind getting progressively louder. Finally he gained some control of his reaction, taking deep breaths to bring everything back under his control.
What felt like hour to him was only a few seconds, a matter of a few heartbeats.
*bang*
~ "Oh my god you're awake, I'm sorry i only step out for a minute. Oh the straps sorry, those are just to protect you, not everyone handles the test so well and tend to cause themselves and me harm" A man in black pants and short, with a white coat said as he rushed forward to remove the bindings keeping Ayden pinned to the hospital bed.
Sitting up Ayden took in the mans rather skinny frame, stylishly cut blonde hair, dark brown eyes, and infectious smile. The man gave Ayden a friendly feeling, as if they had known each other all their lives.
~ "Hello, I'm your doctor Tah'ler. Haha I'm your doctor named Tah'ler, not a tailer for doctors. Haha that be crazy! You're in the hospital wing of the guild hall, i hope you didn't panic to much, again sorry about that. You took quite a bit of damage during your test,... man you were something else though! When the orb came at you, you just hammer timed out the way. Then your shield broke, oh man you didn't even care just said yeet!!! Tossed it to the side. Then the end of it, The way you moved, the grace, the power, man unreal,... just un... real... " Dr. Tah'ler was just talking, the words spilling out in rapid succession till he caught the odd look coming from Ayden.
Ayden now free was a lot better off, his eyes adjusted to the bright room and Tah'ler's exciting personality bringing him to a place of joy.
~ "Sorry, i get over excited able sometimes and just kinda lose track of things. But i am a really good healer, you're all good to go. Good as new, you had a lot of damage to your muscles from over use. I'd not be doing my job if i didn't tell you to take it easy once in a while so that the minor tears can heal. But you know i can always just heal you should you not take my words to heart like most people, though for some reason your body really responded well to my blessing, like it was hungry for the heals! Haha" Tah'ler stopped abruptly as he heard himself just rapidly talking again. "Sorry again, just kinda happens. But you are free to go, Gene is waiting for you at the front desk. You've only been out about 15 minutes, so you should be fine to take a few more if you want to catch a little break first. I know the test is truly draining."
"I don't mind your talking, you seem like a pretty decent person. I could see us getting along well! But that's for another day, I just want to change into a different set of cloths first though." Ayden noticed a set of clothing sitting on a counter no to far away, forcing him to also notice that his current apparel was effectively destroyed.
~ "Oh yeah for sure, these are for you. It's your uniform, all the people who pass their trail get one for the academy but they are really just to release blame from the guild by replacing the clothing that was damaged during the trail. It's made from Blowndus vine which is a haze beast in the plains, so it will shrink to fit your body. When you're done changing just head down the hall to the right, the front desk is right around the corner, just make a left at the end." Tah'ler handed over the uniform and head out to finish the rest of his work and write up his reports for the guild, but before leaving he turned around to say one final thing to Ayden. "I hope we get to see each other again some time! See you later!"
'Interesting guy.' was all Ayden could think as a smile spread across his face, the unbiased acceptance during this age of Gods and factions a bit of an abnormality. Few people helped those of rival Gods, fore a God is a jealous being.
.....
After Ayden put the new uniform on, its lining began to glow as the oversized material reshaped itself till i fit perfectly around his body frame.
"Wow" a gasp of shock escaping his lips.
Walking up to the front desk passing several people who gave him the thumbs up and high-fives, Ayden saw Gene typing away on a computer while flipping through several different documents.
"Sir,... Dr. Tah'ler told me to come see you when i was done resting?" Ayden felt awkward because he didn't know what to do now, after failing his test and passing out; 'what do i do now, since i can't be a diver?'
Gene looked up for a spilt second to see who was talking to him, then went right back to typing.
~ "Hey, just have a seat over by the vending machines. I'm almost done, just give me a sec and ill be over ok?"
Ayden wakes over and sat down watching all the divers rushing around in their fancy, well made armors that he could never afford. Some few people wore black on grey jackets, similar to the one that the doctor gave him to wear.
~ "Here catch!" Gene said tossing a small box to Ayden, bringing him out of his stupor of self reflection as he sat down across from him.
"What!... What's this?" Barely catching the box before it smacked him clean in the face, confusion the only emotion being displayed.
Looking at Genes all he saw was a big smile, an odd thing to see on this giant of a man.
~ "Congratulations are in order, you passed your test with flying colors. That's your probationary badge that gives you access to the guild house facility's and use of our gate." Gene was so excited that his voice traveled loudly across the large area they were sitting in, a few people dropping what they were holding because of the big mans jolly.
"Wait... passed?"
~ "Yes you passed, with flying colors!"
"... R - really? But i passed out,... the orb beat me, how could i of passed?"
~ "HAHA, everyone passes out. That's the test, to see how far you're willing to go and to test your limits in stamina/attack/defense/techniques. But YOOU passed the qualifier that we use before we let people use the guild as their entrance past the walls, allowing you to hunt in the plains and after 20 successful hunts you will be done with your probation period becoming a full fledged diver.
This badge skips you past the training academy for people who don't have a faction or family to fall back on for it, just to give them basic combat training and blessing control assistance to better prepare people. It's to help keep people who use our building as their home base from dying out in the field, other gates controlled by other people do it differently but we are all recorded in the diver system.
That badge maintains your diver credentials, giving you access to all gates controlled by groups under the UFAD (United Front Against Destruction) accord which are most guild houses like ours here. While some factions and families also allow guild divers to use their gates they usually charge a few, which isn't cheap!"
The entire time Gene was talking Ayden just looked at the box in his hand. Inside rested a encrypted card with a photo of him with various other information on it, made of some type of metal. Along with the card was a black circular badge outlined with a strange design, the symbol of the guild stamped in the middle. The guild symbol was an upside down hammer with imbalanced scales, encased by the words 'DEEDS NOT WORDS'
Gene was now standing up hand out stretched, how long he had been their Ayden couldn't tell only pulling his eyes back away from the case his diver badge was in as he heard his name being called.
~ "Ayden!... I'm Genesis, most call me Gene. Tomorrow we get your first taste of what it's like beyond the walls! Get your rest you'll need it! Also welcome... to JUDGEMENT DAY"