The academy was very silent and devoid of students, it was night time and almost all the students had retired to their dorms for the days rest all except the second year students with holomasks on their face.
"We'll meet up tomorrow, then we can work on my leveling up plan, we are done with the first circle, we start again, we levelled up each by one core stage this way, we continue like this and we'll all be at level eight in no time," Rodney emphasized, the group soon split as they made their way to their personal dorms.
Rodney suddenly felt a rush in is body, and an overwhelming force of energy got him on his knees, he suddenly felt as if he was slowly falling asleep and he was trying to stop the force. The rune drawing on his head lit up through the mask, Rodney's body vibrated until he completely lost his consciousness.
Xadia slowly alighted from the ground in a familiar body, "It worked," Xadia clenched his fist, feeling the difference and softness of Rodney's palm. 'I can't believe, they still do this, they're not even afraid of getting caught, or do they have someone who can get rid of any accusation'.
One thing Xadia had learned in his previous life was the corrupt system of the world. How the wealthy got more favors and recognition than the poor. A world where connections were required to get what you want, the system that was blinded by cronyism, recognition of power, pride and wealth, so who could be behind their egos and goals.
'Okay, if I still remember correctly, the portal station should be that way,' Xadia thought and soon began running to his intended direction, and it felt like he was the wind himself, Rodney's body was very comfortable and light, and Xadia soon reached his destination.
Xadia moved to the door, and he could see a display screen on the side of the door, and it had a security pattern. 'Shit, I didn't think about this, so what was the point of all this, we might not be able to come back,' Xadia brushed his head with both of his fingers.
Xadia suddenly felt a surge of power spark inside of him, and it was one he was familiar with, it was his, the energy soon made its way to his sight, illuminating a glow in his eyes. A ray of light could be seen by Xadia, and it began to solidify forming a trace around the security pattern on the display screen. By instinct Xadia traced the lines he could see on the security screen and the door soon opened.
'I can still do this?, What am I, I can even affect this body with my energy, the energy just traced the heat prints formed when it was last opened, maybe if it was Jasmine she would've thought of this, but this is far beyond me, this energy it's like a guardian angel,' Xadia thought entering the building.
He soon traced his way back to the portal room, and the portal machine could be seen by him. Xadia stood before the portal machine, he soon pressed a button after contemplating if it was the start button. The machine lituo giving an otherworldly hum as the machine's various interfaces and exterfaces came into view.
The heart of the machine was the same large, circular platform, hovering inches above the ground in response to the circular energy projector. It emitted a soft, pulsating light that cast an ethereal glow across the room. Around the platform, intricate runes and symbols were etched into the floor, glowing with an iridescent blue hue.
Xadia could see energy pipes running down the machine till it went out the rooms wall.
The central interface was an array of holographic projections, floating above the platform. Each projection represented a different destination in coded information. Xadia soon began to scroll through the holographic interface and he soon found the portal logs, and he could see a log of portal transmission under the name Second civilization, he soon traced out the only portal company that the portal log recorded transmissions from, he soon set a one hour portal transmission appointment.
'Okay, the deed is done, this should be able to keep power for more than one hour, now to get rid of this body,' Xadia thought as he excited the portal building, he then activated the security pattern as it was before.
Xadia proceeded back to the spot he usurped Rodney's state of consciousness and control over his body. 'His suspicions should be ignored if he woke up where he fainted, now to get back to Jake'. Xadia closed his eyes, and a vibrant energy
soon usurped Xadia's control over Rodney's body.
___ ___ ___
The rune on Xadia's lit up and Xadia opened his eyes and stood from the ground. Jake jumped down the rooftop lintel. "You're done, that was fast, it felt like twenty minutes, did it work, cause it looked like you just decided to have a cultivation session," Jake said.
"It's done, now we just have to go to the portal building I linked the transmission to, and wait for our appointment. I logged in -an hour from now," Xadia explained.
"So what are we waiting for, let's go!" Jake exclaimed leaping to the building in front of them, he then paused in realization and turned to Xadia." Uhm, Which portal building did you log in?" Jake asked.
"I guess I'm leading now, I didn't look at the name, it was the one I used when I was admitted, it should be a few blocks from here, follow me," Xadia informed.
Xadia led the way to the portal station he used for his previous transportation to the academy, it was surprising to him that he knew the way to the station. 'I guess these are the perks of my power, enhanced memory, enhanced body'.
Entering the building, the sitted line up was still the ordered way of portal transmission, and the two friends proceeded to sit. "Is it me, or are those two guys staring at us," Jake informed Xadia, if only he knew what happened the last time Xadia was here, Xadia buried his eyes to the ground.
"So where do you live," Jake asked Xadia. Xadia paused, reacting to the surprising question, he then drew his gaze to Jake. "I live here in the city, we passed my house when we were coming here, it's a few blocks from here," Xadia replied, referring to the Ford's house; it was the only place he could call home.
"I guess when we finish our first year, you could invite me over during the school break," Jake said, bearing a smile. 'Yeah," Xadia replied with a doubting voice.
"Do you ever wonder why the vile those second years injected in us didn't work the way they played, we should have been drawn out of energy, I don't really understand why I wasn't reacting, it's eating me up," Jake shared.
"They did say we were their first experiment, it might not have worked because of it being incomplete, although we can keep asking the questions, like how Tyson leveled up because of the vile. The vile not working is something we should be thankful and grateful for, imagine if we lost all our energy right before we transported to that place, we wouldn't have made it," Xadia explained, Jake was drawn to his thoughts, "Well, I'm glad that didn't happen," Jake replied.
The portal transportation's line up proceeded with time, and it was now Jake's and Xadia's turn, precisely one hour from his transition from Rodney's body. Jake then paid for their transport, and the transmission digits were in five figures; this was considered a cheap portal service due to the value of the energy the machine consumed.
The two entered the portal side by side,and unlike the last time, Xadia had no reaction to the energy of the portal, it was like going through a wave of warm air.
Xadia soon moved the portals control panels, he then shut the portal machine, Xadia soon led the way to the door, and after tracing the security patterns, they exited out of the building.
Jake breath in and out, "We're here, we're finally here," Jake then looked back to the security interface. "How the hell did you manage to get pass the security, and how did you know the pattern?" Jake asked
"Not to be proud," Xadia scrubbed his make believe beards and smirked, "I see myself as a tech guy my naive friend," Xadia said jokingly while stroking his chin, they both laughed.
"Let's go see if the others made it, we're going to my dorm room, let's see if Tyson made it," Xadia informed. They both made their way to the dorm room, and there laid Tyson snoring away on his bed.
"They made it, that's a relief, part of me was trying not to hope," Jake said, "I'll be going to my dorm then, since they're here I can finally have a peaceful relieving long rest, I'm exhausted, I'll see you tomorrow," Jake bid farewell.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Xadia replied.