Alden found a quiet spot on the floor to spread his mattress after which he just layed there staring at the sealing still trying to process something. In truth the harsh reality had already sunk in deep but he didn't want it to actually be real so he just layed on his mattress his mind blank as he slowly drifted into sleep.
"Should we try it on the new guy as well?"
"Of course, we have to make sure they didn't send in another weak one, the strength of the barracks is at stake here."
Multiple whispers in the darkness pierced into Alden's dreams pulling his consciousness to the surface. Then he felt it, a shadow moved towards his body strengthened by the darkness. Just before it could make contact with him, his senses screamed at him as his eyes flung open instinctively.
Within the almost pitch black room, his ressence fuelled eyes glowed a piercing silver, a silent wave of energy bathed the small area around him and his mattress which dispersed whatever was hidden within the darkness.
His eyes then moved on their own, picking out two distinctive figures within the darkness. As he stared them down his mother's warning repeated in his mind which seemed to calm him down as his eyes slowly lost their glow.
"Woah, sorry bro, I was just testing something with my Legacy." One of the boys said.
Unable to make out the full figures let alone recognize them, Alden just drifted back to sleep chocking it up as a test for the new guy (him).
Sleep came quickly this time, claiming not just him but every Junior in the room. And it was at this moment that the captains decided to act. Outside the barracks, a senior walked out from the darkness and up to the front gates where two captains stood.
"So, you got the materials?" One captain asked.
"Of course I did, did you forget who I am already?" The senior retorted
"Alright, let's see them." The captain requested.
The senior opened up a small bag he'd tucked into his person and in it was an assortment of ritualistic materials.
"Now then, for my payment." The senior asked.
"You'll receive it when the time is right." The captain responded.
"Are you sure you want to owe The Dealer a favor. Because I can quite creative with what I ask for in the future." The dealer stated.
"Yes, we'd like to pay you in the form of a favor." The captain responded.
"Alright, that's all I needed to hear, see yah later." The dealer said with a small smile tucked away as he walked into the barracks.
Around 1:00am in the morning, three captains walked into Alden's room. Alden was fast asleep when he heard movements all around him. 'What now?' He thought, slowly opening his eyes only to be momentarily stunned by the lights.
Standing at the doorway to the room was one captain. Another was at the center of the room with a pot of unknown liquid in front of him and an unknown plant on top of that pot and the third was wearing a stange white cloth standing beside the second.
Alden tensed up immediately. 'Hex, to think anyone possesses such an element nowadays.' He thought.
Other students were beginning to wake up, those who knew froze with fear while those who didn't woke their friends in curious stupor. Soon the whole room was awake and staring as the last few incantations were completed.
"Now listen, all of you are to move out, step in one at a time when you hear the call sign." One of the captains stated firmly.
Everyone stepped out and slowly, they funneled into the room one by one. When a person stepped into the room, they'd be lead by the captain in white cloth to the one with the pot after which he'd cover both of them in the white cloth and let the one with the pot take over with the incantations.
Alden found himself in a similar situation as those before him as he was led by the one in white cloth to the one with the pot. He was made to kneel as the cloth covered both of them. Then he heard the one with the pot begin his incantations while waving the plant around him.
He chose to make a gamble as he circulated Ressence through his eyes to see the true nature of what was happening. And then he saw it, a floating creature of darkness, a massive contrast to the bright room. The creature floated above the captain, not really doing much, until it sensed Alden's gaze, it focused its pitch black eyes on Alden sending a mental energy wave that canceled his skill and sent a shiver down his spine.
Soon the incantations were done and Alden got up to leave, failing to notice the captain's gaze as he walked to his mattress and layed down on it.
Soon enough, everyone had had their turn. Some people had tried making a fuss about it. They thought it was a cult ritual, a few of those uninformed people who didn't know the existence of unorthodox elements, but the captain by the door handled the situation perfectly and calmly.
And then, after everything was over, the captain with the white cloth stood at the center of the room to give his announcement.
"I know a lot of you might be wondering why we had to conduct this ritual and no, this is not an initiation ritual for ne comers as some of you believe. See the person who stole my soul core, the one I obtained through a life threatening battle hasn't returned it yet, not even a letter to let me know it's on its way. So we held this ritual, from now on there's a hex-curse on whoever took it. The person has been marked by death and as such has the highest chance of dying to something random. And the curse will not be lifted until I receive the core. Goodnight."