Paxton Zen had never had things easy since moving into the City of Gametopia. It had been their family's dream up till a point, and it still was until three years ago when everything turned into chaos.
He could still recall it all: the sounds he heard and the vibrations that were caused by the event.
Where his father was framed and sentenced to immediate death, and his mother was admitted to the psychiatric hospital after losing her mental stability a few days later.
He was forced into living with his relatives, and his aunt became his legal guardian, though that caused more pain for him to bear. For three years, he had been used as a slave in his household until a few days ago.
Coming from a broken home, he was taken to a public school which was on the verge of shutting down. They had few students, barely reaching fifty in total and few educational facilities. But one thing they did have was the Server Link test.
Every year, within the month of Independence, the Server Link test was taken to find people adaptable for the Test Of Humanity.
The Test Of Humanity or Server Test is a system adapted in the City for people who were likely to become Players. It was a difficult test that depended on luck and skill, or so Paxton heard from his classmates.
"I heard that once you get a Battle Character, you can earn millions of gold coins". Ryan Ten was the school's bad boy and source of information. He had always claimed to have connections with the Developers, the families that founded the City of Gametopia.
His friends wowed in excitement at his claim as their gazes were fixed on the tall building of the Player Association, the body in charge of carrying out the Test Of Humanity.
"What do you guys think? Are we going to be able to change our lives?" A girl, Flora Reinstone asked in excitement as she and her friends peered through the window.
Ruby scoffed and sat down in her seat.
"There's no telling we'll get a good character. We might end up with a common or worse still, an uncommon character. Let's not get our hopes up" She said, her tone laced with worry and nervousness.
It was evident that as much as some were excited about their fate, many more were nervous and hesitant.
These are kids that only hear about players from the news after all, most weren't even sure they would possess a Servers Link until now.
It had become a surprise for many, and perhaps a chore for some.
For people like Paxton, it was his salvation. Why? This was his one-way ticket to figuring out what went wrong three years ago and also one available method of finding a cure for his condition.
Soon, the doors of the Bus slid open, and two familiar-looking figures stepped in with brightened expressions.
"Good day, My students", the Principal of the School, Zach Markins, spoke out with a cheery tone in his voice. He was a man with subtle height and a round figure, his belly being one of his prominent features. Despite that, he was rather handsome with a firm gaze that would have caused the ladies to flutter if not for his figure.
Standing next to him was their Teacher, Sasha Plum, a tall and confident figure with a salacious appearance that left many male students seeking more than just a "lecture" with her.
She had black hair that was tied in a high ponytail and a female suit that matched Principal Zach.
"Are you ready, Kids?" She asked with a melodious tone in her voice.
This was the first time in years they had this many students going for the Test Of Humanity, and their excitement was palpable.
"Yes, Miss Sasha" They chorused, or at least some did.
This was a nervous experience for them, there was no telling what they were thinking.
As they lost themselves in their conversations, Miss Sasha and Principal Zach had a short conversation with the busy driver before pulling out a roaster.
"Remember, kids, you all were taught at Treefall Institution of Learning, so never forget your background", Principal Zach said as he laughed out loud soon after.
The students returned his laugh for an awkward one and returned to their seats upon seeing the roaster.
"I will call out your names and you will come out in order. Remember to stay in the group at all times," Miss Sasha announced, and the students chorused "Yes" in response.
Soon, she began to call out their names, and they responded by stepping out of the bus. It took about five minutes, but they were done with Paxton Zen being the last.
They came down to a large parking lot with vivid representations of parking spots and solid, concrete ground that was free from wear or tear.
The students could spot other buses that had arrived, representing the other schools that had come for the test.
Some were prominent schools the children of developers attended, some were average schools, and the rest were run-down, poorly facilitated schools like there's.
Paxton could guess one or two of them, but his classmates wouldn't stop having conversations about the schools they saw, which, in turn, filled him with unnecessary information.
There were sixteen buses in total, containing a wide range of students numbering from as low as five to a whooping hundred.
Their attention, though lost now and then by their chatter, was fixed on one thing, the tall, glass building that emasculated class and sophistication. The Player Association.
Its exterior was like a round stadium, with a glass exterior up to its ceiling that sparkled with the intense rays of the sun and sophisticated architecture that would leave one in awe.
Paxton often found himself admiring the building as they were led to it by the Principal and their teacher with the other schools present.
He had been quietly walking at the back with his ear pouch listening to calming tones. It helped relax his brain and focus on one thing to avoid the constant noises that came his way.
They walked towards the building when a familiar school caught their attention, a prominent one, well known for its difficulty in admission and the success rates of their Graduated students. Star Academy. It's simple name left a lasting impression on the people and other schools as well.
Ruby and her two friends, Flora and Mira, as well as Ryan and his two friends, were especially talking about them as they watched them exit from their bus towards the Association Building.
There were a total of seventy of them, and one in particular stood out to all. The daughter of one of the most prominent Developer families in the City, Dollina Olton. Her figure was basked in the sunlight, with white glistening hair and silver eyes. She had pale skin and full lips, almost like a doll or marionette, as she walked gracefully in her black and white striped uniform gown, holding a gamp over her head.
Paxton's gaze flickered for just a moment at the sight of her, not because of her appearance, but because of her origin. She was well known as the only daughter of the Olton family and someone who showed up occasionally on TV.
"Oh, My goodness. She looks like an angel" He heard one of his female classmate's voice, causing him to snap his gaze away from her. It was none of his business, after all, he came here for two reasons, and staring at women wasn't one of them.
"More like a demon….how can your skin be so white?" One of Ryan's friends spoke up, and his classmates, including the Teacher and Principal, snapped a warning glare at him in unison.
He quickly clasped his mouth shut again at his blunder while they continued their way towards the building.