3 Arc I: Genesis (1/2)
”This is just the beginning.
Soon — Very soon, our children will come and bring forth death and despair! Mark this day, for this day, starts the beginning of your... END.”
ReVenaant Second King
Last words at Oceanus, 0888AE 08M08D
. . .
The Proving Grounds: Forgotten City, Outskirts
1820Y 09M08D 1800H
He kept walking towards the compass direction barely unaware of the surroundings. Huge growls came from the mountain behind him. Realized it is getting dark, he tried to traverse faster but tripped on a expose root, landing flat on his stomach. Lurches forward and focuses, lights started popping up beyond the tree line. 'That's probably the town.' Reeled as he force himself to get up.
The growls are getting louder and louder by the minute, but the lights are not getting any nearer. Desperate, he looks around hoping to find somewhere to hide before he passes out or gets killed.
He already got this far, just on sheer determination alone. He just can not die and revive somewhere unknown and start over again. Dying will reset his location, re-spawning randomly; making his mapped area insignificant.
He looked at his map where he lost Azaleah and the labyrinthian mess he went through to get out of there. 'I need to get back there,' Reminding and giving himself enough motivation to pull through.
Just a few strides ahead there is a hollowed tree trunk, as the night is getting darker and the growls getting nearer it was his only hope.
Hope was just about arms reach when his vision suddenly blurred and his knees gave out. Collapse on the ground he could feel his consciousness fading. 'I don't need to think, I don't need to see, safety is just in front of me, all I need to do is move.' Repeating as he drags himself towards his destination.
A huge roar came from behind him but he got no strength to check, he is already giving everything to move forward. Few seconds later, a huge crashing sound, a yelp, and the resounding noise of a falling tree ahead, just happened in an instant. He could not understand anything that just transpired. Then, someone came beside him, started tapping and shouting. ”Hey, ya need to get up, now.” His senses, still in disarray, but tried to do as he is told.
”Come on now, We need to get us inside!” He could feel himself getting drag, but could not make out anything that is actually happening. All was anything but a dream. Forced out the rest of his remaining strength to follow the flow of the situation.
”Ya'r heavy! Get in — side! Umpf!!”
'A girl!? Sounds... familiar.'
”Door,” The girl shouted. Then suddenly the growls got heavier, thrashing, banging... His eardrums almost broke from her scream but he couldn't see anything it was dark then darker then nothing.
. . .
Ark Acedia-Tristia: Grand Hall
1035AE 06M01D 0800H
More than a thousand children filled up the Grand Hall, all lined up like little soldiers.
”Good morning children.” In a deep commanding voice, she addressed them from the stage ”I am Capt. Leitz from the Order, a product of The Sentinel Project same as you are, and I will be the one in charge of your well being from here on out. As you all know, the Sentinel Project was started by our predecessor, they bioengineered selected humans making them stronger, faster, smarter, and relentless. And as of now, you children are the Seventh Generation of that project, but — unlike me, you are born out of The Nemesis Initiative...” she looked around, every one of her audience standing still attentive to her every word, not something she would expect of normal children. ”... this means unlike us, you children are artificially made, bioengineered from the very beginning.”
She stared at the crowd then gave a deep sigh, as none gave a different reaction from the other. ”Guess, I am not exactly talking to ordinary children. that's a bit — disappointing.” Like a whisper, she said this.
”Very well, let me explain why we are here.” She straightened and made herself well heard. ”The Nemesis Initiative was spearheaded by none other than Admiral King ReVenaant. In hopes that we can remake the same forty-eight sentinels that toppled an entire Elven armada. So, we combined the bioengineering project Sentinel with the virtual training program called The Proving Grounds. By pushing both projects to the extremes, it resulted in the birth of the Nemesis Initiative”
She flicks her fingers and a projection of a vast ruined world came behind her. ”This is The Proving Grounds, a virtual world we remade. We will be pitting all of you against a cruel world much like the same you will be encountering in the future with the goal of getting back to reality.”
”Any items, equipment, rank, experience, memories will be carried forward once you finish the assigned tasked.”
”Any questions!?” Shouted at the lot. A girl raised her arm. Leitz gestured at a microphone; it floated next to the girl. ”You may speak child.”