"I expected today's morning to be lively but never expected to wake up to such grand plans," A voice sounded, carrying the unmistakable brightness of youth but also a surprising weight to it.
They all looked toward the stairs and saw a young man descending the stairs with a smile.
He stood just over six feet tall, his frame slightly lean, complementing his youthful appearance. His face was chiseled with perfect symmetry, giving him an almost ethereal beauty.
His ash-white eyes stared out with a cold, distant gaze, matching the color of his silvery-white hair, which fell softly around his sharp features.
'Victor,' Vlad thought as he smiled at his younger brother. Yet beneath that smile, he hid his pain and sadness, questioning if he could change his fate.
Victor was four months away from turning eighteen, and besides the handsome looks he got from their Dad, he was an academic genius, the golden child everyone thought would do exceptionally well in life.
But in mere four months from today, on his 18th birthday, which would have been his happiest day as he also got chosen to play Ascension, acquiring a high-grade talent, he would die.
Die in a Maglev pod crash.
'I will change it,' Vlad thought, his resolve hardening as he looked at Victor. 'If there is a way, I won't let him die.'
"So, big bro, ready for your big day?" Victor asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he sat beside him, his smile wide and carefree.
"I stayed up late and found a few secret things," Victor leaned closer with a wide grin, "Representatives of Storm Walker and Spectral Blades are going to be present at the testing facility,"
"Everyone knows about the presence of these two top fifty ranked heavy hitters, but what no one knows is that Echoes of Eternity, one of the top ten guilds, has also sent their representative to our testing facility,"
"So, even if you don't awaken a high-grade talent, make sure to take the performance test, and depending on the results, you might get lucky," Victor said, his tone light but encouraging.
"I don't plan to join any guild, whether I have good or bad results," Vlad said, ruffling Victor's hair with a calm smile. "But, thanks for looking out for me,"
"It would have been so nice if your father had been with us," their mother said, a hint of sadness reflecting in her voice as her gaze drifted toward the empty chair at the table.
"Don't worry, Mother. Soon, we two brothers are going to be in good positions, and then Father won't have to work anymore," Victor said, his voice filled with ever-present optimism.
Their father was working as an Emergency Response Specialist in a transport company, doing one of the best-paying but also the deadliest sixth-tier jobs.
If the ship AI failed, he and his crew would take control of it, and while the chances of a major emergency were low, the possibility was always present.
The family enjoyed the moment together over breakfast. A short while later, Yelena and Vlad left their apartment and boarded the Maglev pod, which used the underground network, swiftly carrying them toward their destination in the inner city.
They stepped out of the pod and into a vast, open area, where dozens of capsules emerged and vanished seamlessly into the ground.
A large group of people were gathered, most in groups of two, all of them without exception, looking up once in a while where in the clear blue sky hung a large star-shaped structure floating nearly two hundred feet in the sky.
"This brings some bad memories," Yelena said, making light of her situation to not being chosen.
'I wonder if my results will stay the same?' Vlad thought, remembering how devastated he felt after his test results in his past life.
Vlad was chosen and given an A-grade trait, which should have made him one of the few lucky individuals who would have received a multi-million galactic credit yearly contract, but that did not happen.
While it was an A-grade Utility trait, it was one of the worst types in that category, making it less valuable than even low B-grade traits.
'It would be best if I got the same trait,' Vlad thought, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. 'But knowing that Lucid would measure mental capability, the result could be different this time.'
'I can suppress my mental strength, but without the biological alteration, it would be extremely limited,' Vlad thought, his honed mind already preparing measures for any foreseeable outcome.
Yelena and Vlad made their way to the nearest gravity lift, and moments later, they were met with the sight of the grand city stretching all around them, its wide streets alive with activity.
The testing facility was a marvel of architecture, a towering structure of glass and metal that gleamed under the sun and reflected the vibrant hues of the sky.
The lift dropped them right onto a gravity belt that took the group into the facility's ground. The entrance hall was vast and open, its ceiling soaring high above, and near-invisible walkways led to various areas.
Holographic guides floated gracefully, directing participants to their desired destination and answering any of their inquiries.
The air was cool and tinged with a faint, pleasant scent. While the gathered individuals were loud, the sound eliminators created a completely calm atmosphere.
The walls were lined with 3D displays showcasing the world of Ascension. These displays showed glimpses of the biggest player raids, wars, and dangers that lurked in the vast world of Ascension and its unparalleled beauty.
Since there were still a few minutes left before everyone had their number and the testing area assigned to them, Vlad and his sister roamed the facility, checking the various places with unique displays.
Soon, Vlad received directions to his testing area on his HoloLink. Seeing that his turn would come after nearly forty minutes, the brother and sister explored their heart's content before heading to the testing area.
"Good Luck"
Yelena said with a bright smile. Saying nothing more, Vlad nodded silently as he stepped through the invisible veil, which flickered ever so slightly as he passed through the grand doors into the testing area.
He was greeted by a massive hall that stretched for a few hundred feet in all directions. Its flat glass ceiling gave the illusion of an open sky.
The ground was covered with neat rows of dark VR pods, all shaped as elongated ovals and crafted from nano-alloy, that left no visible joints or lines, emphasizing its design of perfection.
Each pod had a holographic number visible on it, and Vlad quickly found his designated pod.
A soft blue light traced along its edges, pulsing gently, indicating the pod's standby mode.
At a mere touch, the upper area slit open, the nanobots that made it parting away like liquid metal, revealing an interior of unmatched comfort and sophistication.
The inside was simple and clean. There was no helmet, gloves, or visor, just a bed made of nanobots that hid advanced technologies like neural links and the visceral immersion system.
The pod seamlessly interfaced with the user's brainwaves, blurring the line between reality and simulation.
Once everyone stood beside their assigned pod, the AI's voice rang through the hall, wishing them luck.
Above each pod, a holographic countdown appeared, ticking down from a count of thirty. Everyone quickly settled into their pods, their expressions a mix of concentration and anxiety.
Vlad got comfortable in his pod, the nanobots adjusting to his comfort. The dome slowly closed the world outside fading. Seconds later, his mind began to drift away, and soon, there was only darkness.
The darkness lasted for less than a minute, but for Vlad, it was just a moment. When he regained his senses, he found himself standing atop an invisible platform, with his surrounding reality being a shattered sky.
There were large patches, like shards of a broken mirror, each one displaying a different landscape in a different sense, ranging from massive monsters in bone-chilling environments to massive armies engaged in a bloody clash.
"The Sky Of Remembrances"
Vlad said softly as his eyes scanned the familiar place he had seen countless times as a player.
He tried to show some surprise because gaining consciousness in the sky of remembrances meant he had been chosen as a player.
"Isn't it beautiful?" A calm voice echoed softly from his right.
Vlad turned and saw Lucid standing beside him. His form was Human, his physique moderate, and his appearance slightly less handsome than his, as was his clothing.
Lucid was formless, so he met with everyone as their reflection, albeit appearing slightly worse, his way of showing that he was made to serve others.
"A realm of endless possibilities, shaped by choices... and consequences," Lucid continued, his voice gentle but profound, echoing through the fragmented horizon.
Trait: Inhuman Instinct
Grade: A
Potential: Mediocre
Description: A powerful trait that grants the user heightened senses, unparalleled awareness, and an almost supernatural ability to predict outcomes.
"So, Do you wish to test your trait?" Lucid asked after giving Vlad a few seconds to analyze the Trait that floated before him on the display window.
"Sure"