A blinding white light faded from Tamiel's eyes.
He felt... off. Like he'd just woken from a dream he couldn't quite remember. His head throbbed, a dull ache that pulsed with every heartbeat.
The air smelled crisp like fresh rain on metal.
He opened his eyes fully and found himself in his dorm room. Sleek metal panels lined the walls, adorned with small floating screens that displayed class schedules, news flashes, and notifications.
A gentle hum filled the space the air circulator, probably.
"Good morning, Tamiel Vale," an automated voice greeted from a speaker embedded in the wall. "You are scheduled for a morning assembly at 9:00 AM. Current time: 7:45 AM."
Tamiel blinked. The name sounded... right. Tamiel Vale. Seventeen years old. A student at Orion High one of the most prestigious academies in New Eden.
New Eden. The name resonated with him like he'd always known it.
He pushed himself upright on his bed an advanced foam platform that adjusted automatically to his body's movements. He rubbed his head, feeling a faint tingling at the base of his skull.
A ghost of a memory tugged at the edge of his mind a flash of light, a city skyline, an explosion. But as quickly as it came, it vanished, leaving only confusion.
But this world felt real. Familiar.
He scanned his room:
His uniform, neatly pressed and hanging on a sleek hook: a navy blazer with the Orion High emblem,a stylized phoenix in flight.
His desk, cluttered with holographic textbooks: quantum physics, AI programming, gaming design.
His wristband, which doubled as a student ID, holographic interface, and personal assistant.
The wristband buzzed, projecting a small, translucent screen.
[Orion High School Daily Digest]
9:00 AM: Morning Assembly in Sector 7 Auditorium
11:00 AM: Quantum Physics Lecture (Prof. Yara)
1:00 PM: Lunch Break
2:00 PM: Practical AI Lab (Dr. Elwyn)
5:00 PM: Free Period
Tamiel sighed. Just another normal day school, classes, lunch, maybe some gaming later.
No apocalypse. No explosions. No monsters. Just... life.
He slipped on his uniform jacket, the magnetic fasteners clicking into place with a soft hum. The wristband synced instantly.
[Welcome, Tamiel Vale. Your vitals are stable. Enjoy your day.]
He paused at the mirror messy black hair, gray eyes that seemed to hide too much, and a slim build that made him look younger than his age.
Who am I, really? he wondered, but the thought faded as the intercom spoke again. "Reminder: Assembly starts in one hour."
"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "I'm going."
He grabbed his backpack and headed out into the dorm corridor. Bright ceiling lights illuminated the hallway, and students in matching uniforms shuffled past, chatting, checking their wristbands, or immersed in digital conversations.
Holographic posters advertised the upcoming Interstellar Robotics Competition, virtual gaming tournaments, and even an AI orchestra concert.
He couldn't help but smile. New Eden was definitely advanced hoverboards zipped by, classrooms hovered on anti-grav platforms, and drones delivered lunches like clockwork.
Yet, despite the high-tech wonderland, something felt... off. Like a part of him didn't belong.
But the day went on.
The Sector 7 Auditorium buzzed with energy. Students filled the tiered seats, their chatter creating a low hum that resonated through the hall. Tamiel spotted a few familiar faces and made his way toward them.
"Tamiel!" a voice called out.
He turned to see Lena, a petite girl with vibrant pink hair and a mischievous grin, waving him over.
"Morning, Lena," he greeted, sliding into the seat beside her.
"Did you finish the AI assignment?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Yeah, barely," Tamiel replied. "Pix kept glitching out on me."
Lena laughed. "You should've asked for help. I had mine singing lullabies by the end."
Tamiel chuckled, the tension in his chest easing slightly.
"Hey, Tamiel!" another voice chimed in.
Jace, a tall, athletic guy with a perpetual smirk, plopped down in the seat in front of them.
"Ready for the robotics competition?" he asked, turning to face them.
"Always," Tamiel replied, a competitive spark igniting in his eyes.
The lights dimmed, signaling the start of the assembly. The chatter subsided as Principal Aria, a poised woman with silver-streaked hair, stepped onto the stage.
"Good morning, students," she began, her voice amplified by the auditorium's acoustics. "As we embark on another week of discovery and innovation, remember that each of you holds the potential to shape the future."
Her words resonated, but Tamiel's mind drifted. A flicker of something an image, a feeling surfaced briefly before vanishing.
The day progressed with a series of classes, each more advanced than the last. In Quantum Physics, Professor Yara delved into the complexities of particle entanglement, her holographic projections illustrating concepts that bent the mind.
During lunch, Tamiel sat with Lena, Jace, and a few others in the campus courtyard. The area was a blend of nature and technology, with trees interspersed among sleek metal benches and interactive tables.
"Did you hear about the new VR game launching next week?" Jace asked, biting into his sandwich.
"The one with the neural interface?" Lena inquired.
"Yeah! Supposedly, it adapts to your thoughts in real-time," Jace replied, eyes gleaming with excitement.
Tamiel listened, intrigued. The idea of a game that connected directly to the mind was both fascinating and unsettling.
In Practical AI Lab, Dr. Elwyn, a stern yet brilliant instructor, guided them through programming adaptive learning algorithms. Tamiel's AI, Pix, responded well, its responses becoming more nuanced with each iteration.
"Impressive work, Tamiel," Dr. Elwyn commented, observing Pix's interactions.
"Thank you, sir," Tamiel replied, a sense of pride swelling within him.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the sky in hues of orange and purple, Tamiel returned to his dorm. The day's events replayed in his mind, a blend of routine and subtle anomalies.
He settled into his chair, powering up his gaming console. The familiar hum and glow brought a sense of comfort. Just as he was about to dive into a game, his vision blurred like static on an old television.
He blinked. "What the...?"
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
The glitch intensified lines of code flickered across his vision, like digital tears in reality.
He squeezed his eyes shut, but when he opened them, the same glitchy lines stretched across his room. The walls, the bed, even his own hands everything was fragmenting, warping.
A voice not the dorm's AI echoed in his mind, cold and metallic:
<[System criteria has been met. Initiating assimilation with your consciousness.]>
His heart skipped a beat.
<[Congratulations. Assimilation has been completed.]>
<[Error. Glitch. Error.]>
The lines of code warped into a new message, glowing bright red:
<[As a reward from your painful past, you have been blessed with a system to guide your way to power and respect you crave. Will you accept the gift? {Y/N}]>
Tamiel's mouth went dry. His fingers twitched.
What painful past?
He felt his pulse quicken. A choice. A future. Power.
The screen pulsed, waiting.
Yes or No?
His trembling hand hovered over the option.
What would you choose, Tamiel Vale?