With the robot seemingly extending the package away from its chest, Riven slowly plucked it up from its hands. As the weight left its metallic hands, it was surrounded in a blue glow, with its eyes flashing.
Then, without a sound, its entire body flickered - a distortion of sorts in the air- leaving without a single trace.
'.....'
Riven stood there, staring at the space where it had been, the package clutched tightly in his arms.
"Great", he muttered under his breath.
Shifting back inside, he pushed the door shut lightly. Crossing over to the desk, with box not leaving his sight, he placed it down.
He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the package in silence, before he unceremoniously pulled it open.
RIIIPP!
Inside, neatly folded lay a set of robes unlike anything he had seen.
Lifting it up carefully, the fabric felt light, as it cascaded over his hands. The base colour was a deep charcoal, dark enough to be perceived as black, yet under the dim room light, traces of silvery blue danced across its plain. Along the high collar and cuffs held a silver trim, that responded when hitting the light.
Turning it over, intricate patterns were embroidered on the outer seams, "Is this runes?", he questioned, as the patterns seemed somewhat familiar. They weren't conspicuous at first glance, but up close, the designs held weight and added to the aesthetic. It reminded him of shapes and designs he'd see only in games he'd played before, but not exact.
Over the left chest, adorned with demanding precision, was a small crest. An abstract flame was woven with smooth, sharp arcs. Each line merging into the other, assembling a symbol that felt resolute but also poetic.
Noticing a similarity, Riven glanced at his admission letter. Not paying to much attention to it earlier, it seemed they were the same symbol, solving the mystery of why this package arrived.
"It seems to be from the academy....", he whispered.
Unfolding the matching pants, his hands glided across the same, charcoal, flexible design. Just like the robes, it felt light; clearly made for agility and combat, it was a design that gave him comfort the more he touched it.
Silver lines etched the outer seams, echoing the same design on the robe. They also hummed faintly in the light, as if powered by something.
Boots inside followed shortly after. Matte black with minimal weight and bulk to them, they looked practical and stylish. The soles providing grip, perfect for what ever occasion.
He ran his fingers down the fabric over and over. There was something calming about it.
"Fancy clothes and all...I wont lie, this thing actually feels nice - its like its made for someone who knows where they're going...", "But that's the issue...I've just been thrown in here and I'm lost...", he spoke out, rubbing his hands on his head.
"Those web-novels always make it look so easy - reincarnate, make a plan and get stronger....I don't even know where to start", he continued, placing the uniform back into the box, before flopping onto the bed.
Minutes passed as he just gazed at the light.
'Where do I begin...'
Closing his eyes, his mind wandered to the letter ; the technology, the academy, the strange powers.
'Should I try learning about this place first?'
Thinking back to all them web-novels he'd read in the past, the protagonist always seemed to have a grand plan from day one.
'Maybe its because they knew where'd they'd landed, but still....'
'And what happened to the old Riven?'
He had all these questions. And had no answers, so it was time to get some.
'Lying here wont solve anything'
He sat up slowly, eyes rested upon the smooth holo-phone resting on the desk. Pushing himself off of the bed, he walked over, picking it up.
Rotating the device, he analysed it's polished, thin design, before tapping it, bringing forth its projective screen.
The same rows of symbols and icons floated in the air, softly glowing. Scrolling through, his eyes narrowed on unfamiliar words and images. The symbols shifted, forming letters he couldn't read.
It had seemed there was a language barrier he had no anticipated due to his earlier success in finding the search bar.
His chest tightened.
"Great...how am I supposed to find anything if I can't read!", he voiced out.
Frustration evident, he was about to continue on before a small notification took his attention.
"Auto-Linguistic Integration Recommended"
With a text reading under it stating - "Activate?".
Riven blinked.
'Linguistic....'
He confusedly thought.
Before he could think too long, the screen changed, projecting the statement -
"This device will integrate with your neural pathways translating written and spoken words into Eldric Standard.
Side Effects may include, but are not limited to : Mild headache, Brief dizziness.
'Seems like I've been saved'
He thought, before pressing confirm.
Instantaneously, a cool wave spread through his temples, affecting his vision momentarily, before his head pulsed with a faint ache. But moments later, it had subsided, and the symbols that had plagued him, morphed into words he could finally understand.
Before he continued though, he began thinking.
'It mentioned, the 'Eldric Standard'. Isn't that the name of the academy? So is that named after wherever I am?'
There was only one way to find out. And so he finally began searching.
Swiping through the interface, he found a tab labelled - "Planetary Overview : Eldris"
'This must be it!'
Tapping it open, a projection hovered over his screen - a rotating image of a planet; vast green continents, deep blue oceans, glowing against the darkness of space.
Labelled underneath it read :
Planet Name - Eldris
Population - 4.2 billion
Governance - Planetary Alliance Council
Major Sectors - Captial : Auric Spire City.
Northern Region : Frostveil Plains
Eastern Region : Emberlow Basin
Western Region : Riftstone Expanse
Skimming through each section, he glanced at the cities, their vast academies and more.
'So this is Eldris'
"Eldris is one of the thirteen allied planets within the Planetary Alliance, known for its advanced technology, it produces some of the top rankers - individuals who often excel in the prestigious Interplanetary Academy Tournament.
"Among the disciplines taught on Eldris, there are four primary paths of power : Magic - manipulation of magical energy ; Spirit Bonding - the forming of pacts with entities ; Taming - the commanding of formiddable beasts ; and Ki - the harnessing of internal life force. They are ranked universally from E to S tier , measuring mastery and potential".
Riven stared at the glowing holo-screen, the words 'ranked universally from E to S', taking all his thought.
'They said I demonstrated potential....but for what?'
'Can I really use those powers?', he wondered, feeling confused but also hopeful.
Thinking back to the letter made him believe he'd have a chance to live out a story like those he'd read before.
Riven clenched his fists and took a deep breath. 'If this magic stuffs real, maybe I just need to call it out'.
Raising his hands dramatically. "Fire ball!", he yelled, voice cracking slightly as he thrust his hands forward.
Nothing but silence.
He tried again, this time louder and more 'focused' : "Fire-Ball!"
The only response he achieved was the faint flicker of a loose cable in the wall.
Still nothing.
"Igneel I summon you!" ..... "Bankai!" ... "Rase-"
Standing up, he was thrusting his arms, kicking his legs, wildly....trying to inspire some hidden power inside him.
But nothing came.
Sigh
Letting out a sigh, he slumped back onto the bed. All that dramatic yelling, and anime references amounted to nothing but embarrassment.
'Great. Guess I'm powerless and an idiot.'
Glancing at the holo-phone, hovering on standby on the desk. Maybe there was something to answer all of this, to answer why he'd been accepted despite not feeling 'magical'.
Swiping across the menu, he noticed an unread message flashing faintly.
'Unread Mail?'
Tapping it open, the first thing he saw was :
'Eldris Academy Records Office'
Clicking on the message, it read -
From: Eldris Academy Records Office
Subject: Admission Confirmation and Profile Access
Greetings, Riven Brown
We are pleased to confirm your successful admission into Eldris Academy following your recent aptitude evaluation. All relevant personal data and assessments have been securely transferred to the academy's internal database.
To review your student profile, including aptitude rankings, academic placement and disciplinary designations, please access the Eldris Student Portal using the link below.
If you encounter any difficulties, please contact the Records office via the support function.
Welcome to Eldris Academy, may you see success.
--Eldris Academy Records Office
"I guess that answers that question", he laughed.
Clicking on the link, he was redirected to a page, the screen flickered, before displaying him the student portal. The design was straightforward, various tabs were labelled, and it was filled with data panels.
Scanning the page, a few tabs instantly stood out: 'Profile', 'Courses' , 'Rankings', and 'Notifications'.
Thinking it would store his personal information, he loaded up the 'Profile' tab, was instantly met with a series of data; his name - Riven Brown - at the top, alongside his ID and a holo academy emblem. Even his age was present, 16, plastered next to his name.
'16 huh?', he thought, originally wanting to know how young he was.
Scrolling down further, lie a circular chart, showcasing all four mediums it stated:
-Magic: Level C (Score: 40/100) - Previously demonstrated potential in magical application.
Next to it, similar bars appeared for other power metrics, but there was a clear distinction between basic aptitude and lack of mastery....