Alex arrived at the entrance of the academy ready to take the yearly evaluation that the military had. The government made it mandatory for all the top Academies to do an annual assessment of everybody between the ages of 15 – 20. This was because of an innovative technology that enabled teleportation to random worlds.
They wanted to improve humanity's position in the galaxy, so they opened the military to the public. Everyone was satisfied with this arrangement: the Academies received huge funding, the government got the army it needed to explore these worlds, and the ordinary people like Alex got the opportunity to achieve something.
Rune power, a mysterious force that exists in every living being, can only be tapped into and used to manipulate reality by a select few. Rune power was divided into different essences, or categories, that represented various aspects of nature and life. There were 12 known essences: fire, water, earth, air, light, darkness, life, death, mind, soul, space, and time. Each essence had its own characteristics, advantages, and limitations.
Some were more common than others, and some were more compatible with certain personalities and temperaments.
Rune power could only be awakened between the ages of 15 and 20, when the body and mind were mature enough to handle the strain of channelling energy. The awakening process was different for everyone, but it usually involved a trigger, such as a strong emotion, a life-threatening situation, or a sudden insight.
Once awakened, rune power could be trained and improved by using special devices, techniques, and exercises. Regardless of their rune power and essence, anyone could become a soldier. However, those with higher grades had more opportunities and privileges.
The evaluation cube was designed to measure one's rune power level, essence, and aptitude, and assign them a grade from A to F. Only those who scored at least a C would be eligible to enrol in the new world initiative and pursue their dreams of exploring other worlds.
Alex followed a crowd of people into the big academy complex, where they would all be evaluated. He was clueless about what the evaluation involved, but he knew it had something to do with testing their rune power and assigning them a grade based on their potential. He did not care much about rune power and thought that he would be fine without it. If he had no rune power potential, he would train as a regular solider and try to earn enough merits to allow him some freedoms in life.
Alex watched the cube that sealed people's destiny. As soon as someone stepped in, the cube flashed with different symbols around its sides for a moment before it settled. Then they came out and look either bright and hopeful or gloomy and doomed to a boring life.
Alex felt a surge of nervousness as he saw the line in front of him getting shorter. He wondered what kind of rune power he has, if any at all. He hoped for something useful and cool, like fire or lightning, but he knew that was unlikely. Most people have mundane or weak rune powers, like being able to make flowers bloom or sense the temperature.
He had never experienced anything out of the ordinary in his life, so he did not have lofty expectations. He tried to console himself with the fact that the academy tested everyone the same regardless of their background, and that he has as much chance as everyone else to get admitted. He stood in silence and waited for his turn.
Alex approached the cube with determination. Before he could cross the threshold, a sudden force jolted him sideways. A brash youth, no older than fifteen, shoved past him with unyielding impudence. Gasping for air and grappling with the shock, Alex's gaze locked onto the boy. The urge to retaliate surged within him, but it was swiftly quelled by the sight of the boy's Runefit. The fabric of the boy's sleeve morphed from gleaming metal back to its original sleek blackness—a clear warning of the power at his disposal.
Alex gazed hopefully at the staff member, wishing he would do something. But the man just pretended not to notice him, Alex opened his mouth. "Hey, you, aren't you going to act, don't we have equal rights here?" The staff member looked at him with pity in his eyes and shook his head with a heavy sigh. That was when the young boy turned to him in fury "HOW DARE YOU! You talk to me, a noble who can own this whole planet. How dare you disrespect me like that" saliva was flying from his mouth he seems mad at just Alex's words.
The staff member's eyes met Alex's with a stern, unspoken command. "Keep quiet," they seem to say, a silent sentinel warning him of the danger of words in this delicate moment. Alex, feeling the weight of the gaze, nodded subtly, understanding the gravity of the situation.
He lowered his head, allowing his hair to shield his face from view, a physical barrier to the noble's venomous words. The noble, however, mistook Alex's silence for submission and sneered, "Ah, finally learned your place, have you?"
Alex bit back a retort, the staff member's warning look etched in his mind. He knew that one wrong word could escalate the situation beyond repair. Instead, he focused on the cold stone floor, each insult from the noble's lips falling on him like rain off a roof - present, but distant.
The noble, growing bored with Alex's lack of response, turned away with a huff, seeking a new target for his scorn. The staff member, still vigilant, gave Alex a slight nod, a silent commendation for his restraint.
As the noble's voice faded into the background, Alex let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He had weathered the storm, but the tension still hung in the air, a reminder of the fragile peace within these walls. With the noble gone Alex got up after giving himself a quick look over and a look of disgust to operator he entered the cube not ready for his life to change forever.
Alex stepped into the cube, his heart pounding in his chest. The door closed behind him, and he is enveloped in darkness. Suddenly, the cube lit up with symbols and runes, flashing and swirling around him.
Alex felt a strange sensation wash over him. It was as if the runes were probing his mind and body, searching for something deep within him. He could feel the energy of the runes pulsing through him, like a gentle current of electricity.
It was both exhilarating and unnerving at the same time. Alex tried to remain calm and focused, allowing the runes to do their work. He could sense them delving deeper, exploring the very essence of his being. It was a surreal experience, it almost felt like he was being teleported again and he felt connected to everything all at once.
The runes came to a halt and the light that shone from him faded. He felt his heart pounding as he saw the screen gradually show his result. Alex is speechless as he saw the N/A instead of a grade. 'That's sort of a grade, right?' he wondered. Normally, when someone has no Rune essence, there is no grade at all, just an empty space, so seeing N/A was strange to him. 'Maybe the machine malfunctioned or something' he thought, puzzled.
Confused and uncertain, Alex approached the staff member on duty, his heart pounding in his chest. "Excuse me," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "Can you explain my score to me? I don't understand what N/A means."
The man looks at Alex oddly and then checks the data that the cube transmitted to his watch. He frowned in puzzlement, he didn't understand it any more than Alex did. "Go back in and try the assessment again, something might be wrong with it" he said leading Alex into the cube again.
As Alex steps back into the confines of the cube, the air thrummed with a renewed intensity. The runes, etched into the very essence of the space, blazed to life, casting a glow that was almost divine. Alex braced himself as a wave of energy surged through him, a maelstrom of power that threatened to overwhelm his senses.
The heat within him builds, an inferno that seemed to consume his insides, leaving him gasping for relief. His knees buckled under the strain, and he collapsed to the ground, his cries echoing off the ancient stone walls. It was as if the devil himself had reached inside him, clawing at his soul with fiery fingers, each touch leaving trails of searing pain.
Through the haze of agony, Alex fights to regain control. He focused on his breathing, each inhale a battle, each exhale a victory. The energy from the runes was relentless, targeting the core of his being where the seed of power lay dormant, waiting to be awakened.
Before his mind's eye, a vision materializes —a golden rune, resplendent and fierce, embedding itself within him. It was too much, too fast; his body was a vessel on the verge of shattering. Yet, amidst the chaos, a sliver of clarity appeared. He understood that this was the crucible of his awakening, the moment that would forge his destiny or reduce him to ashes.
With nothing left but sheer will, Alex clings to the hope that the ritual would cease before the deluge of power tore him apart. He gritted his teeth against the onslaught, the golden rune burning ever brighter within, a beacon in the storm that raged around him.
Alex's tense muscles relaxed as the runes fell into a hushed stillness, the relentless energy that had been scalding him from within ceased its torment. He turned his inner gaze to the golden rune that now hovered within the sanctum of his soul. It was a mesmerizing tapestry of stars, each one shimmering with the promise of distant worlds. Alex feared that if he looked too long, he might become lost in their celestial expanse.
Shaking off the trance, he lifted his eyes to the screen as it flickered through an alphabet of possibilities before halting on 'XX'. A sigh escaped him as he stared at the characters. Will I ever achieve a normal rank? he wondered silently.
But then, a sudden thrum of energy pulsed from the rune, drawing his attention inward once more. The once brilliant stars had dimmed, their light now a faint glimmer, as if shrouded by the veil of night. The vastness that had enveloped him seemed to contract, transforming into a familiar nightscape, no longer infinite but comfortably finite.
With a newfound calm, Alex realized the imminent danger had passed; he was not going to combust into oblivion. His gaze returned to the screen, and his heart skipped a beat. The 'XX' had transformed, now displaying an 'F' rank. A mix of relief and curiosity washed over him as he pondered the significance of this unexpected development.