Ray was taken aback, the grandiose appearance of the building freezing him in place. The surrounding silence, provided an opportunity to absorb this moment – they had finally set foot in the revered AA.
The Awakened Agency building, a stark contrast to the bustling city Ray had known all his life, stood in its own magnificence. Its sheer size was overwhelming, stretching across acres that seemed to vanish into the horizon.
The AA stood alone, a solitary titan amidst a vast expanse of empty land, a testament to the authority and power it commanded. Its presence alone sent shivers down Ray's spine. 'This was just one of their branches?' he thought, stupefied beyond belief.
It was a monolithic structure, its obsidian facade reflecting the harsh sunlight like a thousand shattered mirrors. The building was a towering monolith of black glass and steel, its sharp angles piercing the sky like jagged teeth. It was a fortress, a symbol of power and mystery, its very presence exuding an aura of authority and intrigue.
The building's entrance was a cavernous space, its walls lined with polished granite and illuminated by a series of unseen lights that cast an ethereal glow. A pair of massive doors, each forged from a single slab of obsidian and other rare minerals unknown to Ray, stood open, revealing a vast atrium beyond.
The atrium was a marvel of modern architecture, its ceiling soaring several stories high and its walls adorned with abstract murals that seemed to shift and change with the light. A sleek, chrome elevator bank stood in the center of the atrium, its doors sliding open and shut with a silent hiss.
The building was a testament to the Agency's power and influence, a symbol of its reach into the darkest corners of the world. It was a place of secrets and shadows, where the fate of nations was decided and the most dangerous of missions were planned.
'So this is it! My new life,' Ray thought, a giddy excitement bubbling within him. He yearned to explore, to delve deeper into this enigmatic world.
Suddenly, the vibrant atmosphere was shattered. A wave of nausea swept over the crowd. The unmistakable sound of vomiting pierced the silence as recruits doubled over, their bodies convulsing.
Ray was confused. 'Poisoned?' he wondered. 'Nah, we have Eric here, then what is causing all this?'
His confusion was short-lived. Eric's voice cut through the low groans, "Everyone reacts this way upon their first contact with space magic; it's natural. Your bodies will stabilize soon." His gaze swept over them, indifferent to their discomfort.
Ray was surprised he felt no ill effects. 'Perhaps it's because I've been exposed to space magic before?' he wondered.
His mind flashing to the incident from over a week ago, that led to Eric transporting him through space!
"Alright, it's time for business," Eric announced, his voice firm. "Your rooms have already been prepared, along with your robes and clothes and a watch.
Upon receiving your items, you would promptly login into your watch- it had already been tailored just for you- from there, you would be delegated your official agency numbers; that is your identify in the AA, no one cares much about names here. Your watches would be your device of communication and information- it would provide you with real time raids on dungeons and would contain your delegated tasks you are to perform, We begin movements immediately."
Eric stated, finally ending his long speech, he looked at the crowd, half expecting questions.
And oh yes did he receive questions - just the kind he wasn't expecting.
"What? The building is right there! What other movement is required, sir?" A scrawny boy, the same one who had engaged Chad in a staring contest earlier, spoke up, voicing the question on everyone's minds.
Eric paused, his gaze slow and calculating. "You all will live apart, depending on your professions," he stated, his tone final.
"What!"
"So that means there's this nice building here, and we would go off somewhere else, just because we're not 'Awakeneds'? Wow!"
"Isn't... isn't this just being discriminative?"
Outcries erupted from the crowd. Even Ray was appalled. When he first saw the building, he'd imagined a life of luxury within its walls. Now, he realized that even their living conditions were stratified.
"Are you done?" Eric's voice, now icy, silenced the protests.
Silence fell immediately.
"Good. Now, of course, the Awakeneds would get better privileges. They would be at the forefront, battling monsters and handling dungeon spawns, whether directly or indirectly. The best we as an agency can do is provide them a good establishment to grow, right? Even the miners would get better treatment compared to the porters. It's all just a matter of hierarchy here," Eric explained, his tone cool and calm.
He paused, surveying the crowd to ensure his words had sunk in. Satisfied with their subdued reactions, he nodded and began transporting recruits in pairs, their forms disappearing in a flash.
Ray was one of the last remaining. Why didn't Eric transport the Awakeneds first?
Maybe he just wanted to save the best for last, or something along those lines.
Ray mused, his eyes locking with Eric's, who seemed in no hurry to transport him.
Instead, Eric pulled him aside, away from the earshot of the other recruits. It seemed he had something to tell him. What was so important that he couldn't say it in front of the others?
Eric's eyes met his, a silent acknowledgment of his unique predicament. "Ray," he began, his voice softer now, "You have a special situation. Something a little different." He paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his features. "You're going to be living with... well, let's just say, some people, who need your help as much as you need theirs." He hesitated again. "They are... a bit of an eccentric. A bit reclusive, really. But they are good people, deep down. A bit lonely, I think."
How in the hell, a group of people living together but felt lonely, made zero sense to Ray.
But he was in no hurry to interrupt Eric, the man seemed like he had a lot on his mind.
Eric looked away, his gaze sweeping across the now empty street, except for the two Awakeneds who watched them with curious eyesb speculating just what they were discussing, that they had to move so far away. "They've been here for three years already, orphaned like you. They will show you the ropes… at least, if they accept you. Point is, Ray, treat them the way you would want to be treated."
Ray felt a shiver crawl down his spine. Who were these people? What kind of life awaited him in this strange new world?
Eric's gaze, sharp and unsettling, returned to him. "Ready, Ray?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly. Ray, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs, simply nodded, his voice caught in his throat.
Grabbing him, the familiar sensation of being teleported once more registered in Ray's mind.
He opened his eyes, finding himself in a long hallway. As they walked down the long, sterile hallway, Ray couldn't shake the feeling that he was stepping into the unknown, into a world filled with both promise and peril.
The weight of Eric's words – "You've got to fight for it. Every single day" – echoed in his mind, a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. He was no longer just a ward of the state, a nameless face in a sea of forgotten children. He was Ray, alone in the world, facing an uncertain future with people he barely knew.
The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, each step an agonizing eternity. Finally, they reached a heavy metal door, its surface cold and unforgiving.
Eric handed Ray a key, then abruptly disappeared.
"The fuck you mean by good luck – I'm meeting normal people… right?" Ray muttered to himself.
He sighed, inserting the key into the lock. The metallic click echoed in the oppressive silence. With a deep breath, he pushed the door open, revealing a dimly lit room beyond.
Ray hesitated, his eyes wide with apprehension. This was it. The start of his new life.