Jace fitted the cyberlink around his wrist. It was a sleek black design with a tiny UAE logo at the edge. As the cyberlink clasped onto his wrist, a small holographic screen appeared, hovering over the bracelet.
On it were a series of words and numbers : Dorm 3, Room Number 35.
Jace sighed as he glanced at the buildings to his left. On the buildings, inscribed and faded out, were the numbers '2-10'. The number '1' building remained elusive yet Jace had an idea where or who it was made for–Legacies.
It stood to reason that legacies would live in a private dorm. No matter how much the Military framed themselves as impartial, they weren't. Large factions still sent large sums and resources to stay in the Military's good side. It was obvious that the privilege they enjoyed would be extended to their children.
Cutting off his train of thoughts, Jace gazed at the building with a large '3'. He found it just a few metres from him, a long line trailing from the entrance.
Jace walked up to the line as a symphony of murmuring filled his ear. Most of their mutterings centered on the 'speech'. The simple display had been enough to wow some of them. Most, though, still remained uncertain.
The line moved fast and in a few minutes, Jace found himself walking into the dorm. At the entrance was a receptionist.
She sat at a small desk, a thin pane of glass blocking her from the students. She glanced up for a second, memorized Jace's features, then repeated in a completely even tone. "Jace Blank, right?"
"Yes?" Jace asked, frowning. A second later, a small card was slipped through a small hole near the bottom
"Your student ID. Protect it with your life," And with that, she called out "Next,"
Jace walked past the receptionist and into the lifeless building. At the right was a stairwell leading to a higher floor and at the left were the rooms from 1-25.
Walking up the stairwell, Jace took a minute to look at the walls. Like the hall, they were decorated with pictures and paintings, each about a major victory humanity had won in the war.
Jace considered it the Military's idea of motivation. To him, all it did was add a cruel backdrop. The paintings were filled with stories of blood and devastation. They held a gory sight, one–Jace reckoned–was counter productive in giving people courage.
It was the equivalent of advising someone to fight in a war and then showing them a video containing all the gruesome ways soldiers had died in the war.
As Jace walked up the stairs, the stench of smoke wafted through his nose. He continued on, his feet dragging across the stairs as he reached the landing. A brown faded-out door which had clearly seen better days stood in front of him.
Taking a deep breath, Jace swung open the door.
In front of him, a hallway stretched out. At its left were dozens of doors, likely the dorms. And on its right was a thin railway–the only thing blocking a free fall down to the ground.
And at the center, a shadow rose. Darkness. From the shadows were grotesque horrific wings of darkness.
They ballooned, surged before erupting into nothingness, reforming and performing their fiendish cycle. The wings were liquids, or rather gas. There was no classification that could properly contain their meaning. They absorbed the light, leaving nothing but shadows and darkness.
And attached to the incomprehensible wings, was a skinny frame. Only his back remained visible–His black hair blending perfectly into the darkness.
The boy moved, his body bending in a way that defied every law Jace had known. The darkness moved with him, sweeping across the air.
The wings shifted, evaporating into nothingness leaving the skinny boy floating in the air.
And on the other side, the side which that skinny frame faced, stood a young man. Brown hair tousled across his face mixed with a hideous grin, he looked more beast than man.
He wasn't tall nor short, neither was he thin nor plump. He was the right height–or what could be considered the right height– and was simply fit.
His left hand was coated with a pale orange flame, the same flames dancing around his body in a mesmerising circle.
They jumped about, moving in a hypnotic fashion. They coiled about him, entanglements rising and evaporating into nothingness.
His right hand outstretched, flames swirled, condensing into a ball. The ball flared, flames dancing within their compressed state.
The young man smiled as the ball of flames launched, the ball expanding. At the same time, darkness appeared.
Wings protruded from the still-arial boy, shadows extending like gas. Then they changed, from shadows transitioning into liquid darkness.
Drops of the liquid fell to the ground, disintegrating into smoke the minute they made contact with the floor.
Flames met darkness as the wings converged, drowning the flames. Jace expected something, a flash of light, blinding radiance. Instead, there was nothing but calmness.
The wings didn't vanish and there was no explosion. There wasn't even a sound. There was just silence as the two combatants faced each other.
The 'flame' boy grinned, as fire coalesced in front of him. This time, the ball was even smaller, compressing even more. At the same time, the skinny boy landed his wings still out.
The ball moved, this time faster than the previous attack. The skinny boy moved, his wings maneuvering him to dodge the attack.
Jace watched as the skinny boy barely dodged the ball of fire. The flames shot out, passing the skinny frame, and heading at the figure behind it, the figure who was still engrossed watching the fight, Jace.
The ball moved shot closer as Jace's senses tingled. It was one Jace knew and was quite fond of. Jace referred to it as the 'You're about to die unless you do something' sense.
Time seemed to slow as he came face to face with the terror on his life. He could feel his hair begin to burn, his palm sweaty. He couldn't see anything except piercing light, and he could vaguely hear a voice screaming.
The next second, Jace was on the floor, his back smashing right at the side of the still open door. His ears rung like a bell, his eyes spotting vague outlines approaching. Somehow, the thought of what would have happened if he had fallen out of the door dominated his mind like a sick joke.
He wasn't sure what would have happened to him but considering what had happened to the last person who fell from a height, it wouldn't have been good.
Jace muttered a silent prayer for Humpty Dumpty as he had the urge to laugh over his own joke. Christ, Jace couldn't think.
A hand appeared in front of him. He needed to get up. Jace grasped the hand as he was pulled up to see his attacker sporting a sheepish grin.
"Hey, you okay?" The man asked as Jace affirmed, already putting his next foot forward "I'm fine,"
Jace's fine soon proved to be a lie as scarcely had the man released his hand when Jace fell onto his knees, his bones slamming on the floor.
He exhaled deeply as the desire to curse rose within him. Jace felt a presence bending down beside him. He turned to see his attacker, still sporting the same grin.
"Hey, I'm Jax,"
"Jace." Jace responded curly, his legs still numb. In the corner of his eye he could see the skinny figure approach. Glancing, Jace noticed the figure, his black hair disappearing, replaced by dark green strands.
The wings were gone too, vanishing as if they were mere illusions. The skinny boy walked up and as he did, Jace had the sudden thought that he looked a lot larger than before.
He offered a curt smile yet showed no sign of offering a hand or his name. Instead, he stood aloofly, his eyes glancing over the railing.
Struggling to stand once more, Jace could feel a hand help him, the voice associated with that bumbling on "That guy, he's Silas. Silas, say hi,"
The boy named Silas mumbled something, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. Lifting himself up, Jace leaned against the wall as he took in a deep breath. Surveying the scene around him he had the urge to either laugh or throw himself across the railings and down to the pavement. Suffice to say, Jace's head wasn't in the best space of thought.
Jace asked softly, trying to distract his mind from its collapse "Aren't you guys fighting?"
Jax smiled innocently as Silas shrugged. Sidling up, Jax probed "So, what are you doing here?"
While Jax's behavior seemed perfectly normal given the personality he had shown, Jace could still feel his gaze scanning over him.
Smiling, Jace responded, flashing his cyberlink "My dorms here," At the same time, he moved away from Jax. Partly due to Jax's insistent gaze. That and the scent of burnt gasoline emanating from him.
Jax blinked as he stole a glance at the watch. A large smile suddenly bloomed on his face as he called out to Silas "Look, he's our dorm mate,"
Curiosity sprouted in Jace's mind as he asked "Do you guys know each other?"
It was Silas who responded, finally deigning to look back. His voice was low yet clear "No. We just met."
Jace rubbed the bridge of his nose as he affirmed calmly "And you two were fighting?"
Jax rubbed the back of his hair as his familiar sheepish grin appeared "Not really. I just wanted to–"
Jace disconnected from the droning voice. He glanced at Silas who was now glancing down, looking at something Jace couldn't see.
Silas glanced up, his face a frown and the two pairs of eyes met. A second later Silas pulled back, muttering something under his breath and looking down.
Somehow, the actions reminded Jace of a shy animal. Turning to Jax, Jace could still see him talking, his voice rising and descending.
He smiled, standing up from against the wall. He walked a few steps before blankly realizing the numbness in his leg was gone.
For a second he glanced at Jax and Silas before ultimately sighing. Muttering a simple 'Goodbye', he headed over to the door with the number '35' scribbled on it boldly.
A small metal scanner was attached to the door, a quick flash of Jace's card turning the red light green. Opening the door, he walked into what would be his home for the next 12 months.
The dorm was a nice mix of compact and spacious. A large enough bed lay at the corner, a window just above it.
At the tail end of the bed was a walk-in closet with a door leading to the bathroom.
At the side of the door was a desk, a stack of paper lay on top. By the side of the desk was Jace's luggage.
Thinking about it, while Jace had already packed, how had Edgis snuck his luggage into the ship?
Too tired to think Jace sprawled on the bed as he closed his eyes.
Whatever happened, whether he liked it or not. He was here. The thought both frightened and comforted him. He grasped his pendant as he glanced at the picture, tracing the outline of his mother.
A smile tugged his lips as he fiddled with it. Finally, Jace closed his eyes and allowed himself to sink into the bed. He was in the Academy.