Amber once again rose on her podium after having all the students gathered into an open area made of a material that looks and feels similar to asphalt. There were complex lines drawn on the floor similar to markings on a basketball court, it was much bigger of course. There were also lights from lamps similar to lamps used in stadiums.
"Alright, kids the final thing we've gotta do for today is send you back to your guardian, those who are staying in dorms will have to stay back, the rest of you will find those who need to take you back at the entrance. Tomorrow all of you will receive the results, since some of you received the same number of kills, so there may have to be a subjective decision from the headmaster on where to place you. Finally, if you are in the top 10 you can ask for the kind of artifact you want we will find something suitable for you, classes will begin a week from now. Similarly, you may choose the subjects you wish to learn for the first 3 months and change it after the designated time period, hope to see you all next week all of you are dismissed."
Everyone nodded and began to make their way to their parents or guardians, while around 30 or so students stayed back such as Nia and Sohan.
"Good night see you guys in a week." (Connor)
"Yep, good night." (Sohan)
"Good night *yawn*"(Nia)
"See you guys later." (Rando)
They all got their bearings and left but not before Connor asked for everyone's number to make a group chat, that he named 'Cohandia' fusing everyone's names cause why not.
"Hey, brat how was your day, congrats on passing looks like I haven't wasted my years on you." (Aunt Faye)
Connor scoffed, "Yeah, yeah thank you for your gre~at contribution in raising me by teaching me nothing."
"Hey! I am the source and you can only find the means for yourself you know that. You know what? forget it. Instead how about you introduce me to your friend here."
"Sure this is Rando Miller, Rando this is my aunt, Faye Keller she's not the best aunt there is but at least she's... there."
Rando was sort of entranced by Faye's dark green eyes and opened his mouth but forgot to actually use his voice.
"Is he mute? Cause I know some sign language."
"No he's not and you know sign language?"
"*Cough!* Sorry, hello I'm Rando, nice to meet you miss Keller"
"See at least he knows his manners, you should learn something from him Con."
"Yeah, whatever."
"Ah wait I'll just bring my parents over." (Rando)
Connor and his aunt didn't listen, but Rando eventually brought his parents inside to say hi. His parents' names were Martha Miller and Leid Reeds who's apparently Rando's stepfather. They all got into this sweet-looking silver-colored driverless taxi and chose to ride to their new place in the city. Faye had got an apartment for Connor and would stay with him for a month. While Rando's family already lived in Arias as his parents were graduates from other smaller academies in the city.
The city was truly a pretty sight, Connor had only lived in his suburban town and had never seen a skyscraper before. They all reached around 650 meters in height, crazily it seems to be the norm, an unprecedented scene. The night lights were calming and Connor and Rando began to doze off in the car tired from one of the most important days of their life that went by in a flash, while Faye made friends with Rando's parents. The streets were relatively empty and the car took very sharp turns but there were no bumps or changes in momentum. There weren't even any street lights. The sidewalks were also nearly as wide as a highway, but nobody bothered to question why.
[[Connors dreamscape]]
I opened my eyes and have no idea where I am, the sky had a pink and orange hue similar to a sunset seen over a beach, and I stood on an endless expanse of white tiles not a person or object in sight.
"Where am I?"
I covered my mouth cause the sound didn't leave my mouth, it was an odd sensation of vibrations shaking me to the bone. My voice amplified to an incessant degree felt like a titan version of myself talking. There was nothing happening and my voice disappeared since I didn't really like how my voice boomed in this place.
'This is definitely not a normal place'
I mused because when I walked the white tiles rippled like water and there was a sense of incongruity because I didn't feel my feet touching the ground. I walked for what should have been ten minutes and remembered falling asleep in the car, guessing we should have almost reached my new home. I couldn't feel my mana, my teleportation didn't work and the concept I had was not responding but I felt a weird pull when trying to use it. Eventually the silence stopped pursuing and a voice deeper and different than my own found its way reverberating in my bones.
"HEY! CHECK CHECK IS THIS THING OOOOOOOONNNNNN~?"
The voice is deeper than mine but I can't really tell the gender of the person it simply sounds mature not in the way they talked all funny.
"YEAH? HI?"
I spoke in response to the stranger no harm in doing so I guessed since I don't think I've been kidnapped this place doesn't seem very... Earthly,
"OH GOOD FINALLY GOT TO CONTACT U NICE TI MEET'CHA I'M YOUR CONCEPT."
"OKAY, NICE TO MEET U CONCEPT I'M CONNOR... THOUGH I HAVE A FEELING YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT."
'Damn this is a really uncomfortable feeling. This is a bit freaky but maybe something interesting will happen.'
I waited for a response but nothing came back so I sat my arse down on the water like tiles since I've got nothing better to do while I kept on focusing on the pull that came when using the concept that came like the most natural feeling.
"Yep, I hear you nice to finally talk with you Connor also I fixed up the thing that messed with our voices you can speak regularly now."
"Hm? lalala. Oh neat your right thanks, now please tell me why am I here?"
"Well mannered aren't you, you seem to be taking this all rather well, I'd like to ask why but let me tell you first, I'm here to train you! If your looking to be trained?"
"Training what... my concept? Is this something that can be trained? Also where are you?"
"Yep, it sure can and I guess you can say I'm everywhere in this dreamscape of ours at least."
"You say 'ours' are we sharing one mind or somthing?"
"Nope I'm operating only in certain faculties of your mind and only know some basic stuff about you through my observations in your eyes. I'm planning to train you only cause I have the urge to and I wish to supplement this feeling for reasons even I'm only vaguely aware of."
I raised an eyebrow, I appreciate that they don't look into my thoughts, but at least it seems they're not observing me 24/7. I was wondering what to say from here luckily they broke the silence.
"Well there's not much I can do for you right now, the most I can tell you is that for 'one' concepts are not usually able to talk to their possessors so I'd recommend not telling anyone about this, 'two' I managed to reach you now that you are going to experience living independently soon and a few sort of hidden conditions. Hmm... yep, I'll save the rest for later I need to assimilate a bit more of myself before beginning anything, so mind just answering why you're so calm coming and talking with me here?"
"... okay, I guess I'm not perfectly calm right now I'm just petty aware of how bizarre the world can be because I know there's a lot I don't know about the world or even myself. So I've tried to be mentally prepared for new experiences and information makes comprehending them easier. Sheesh this is pretty deep to talk with someone I've just met."
"Haha well you're not wrong there... oh! seems my times up you have to wake up sleepyhead~"
[[Awakened]]
"Oh, I'm back?"
Connor awoke from the odd sleep he just has to get asked by his aunt, while he noticed Rando sleeping and his mother driving as she chats with Faye. Randos dad was working on a hologram in an eye comforting dark mode color.
"Back from what?"
Connor pondered his next words and spoke honestly in his own way, since his aunt's hearing is so good to the point of telling truths from lies based on heartbeat and tone of voice,
"I just had my first crazy lucid dream, had a chat with like a version of me?"
His aunt just listened in she asked without actually caring and wasn't trying to actively pay attention to his heartbeat so she shrugged off his lucid experience and continued chatting about a book she once read.
Connor in the mean time was experiment with his concept through his hand and changed the size, skin tone and, wrinkles on his hand, to some the morphing would look gross to others it'd look pretty cool.
Lost in thought passing building after building they reached Connor's new apartment complex with letters arranged at the very top written 'Limone'.