Chance stared down at his cup of synthetic hot chocolate, the warmth of the fabricated drink spread from his finger to throughout his body.
The young boy watched as the steam curled and danced, rising high up towards the clouds in the blue sky.
Despite it being in the middle of the summer with the sun shining bright outside, the golden shine glazed his snowy skin. Flowing over his facial features.
It was at least to say it was dreadfully cold outside.
Chance pondered what it would be like to be free. Would he dance like the steam from the drink made of gods know what, in front of him.
Or would he just be labeled free, but be stuck, frozen and cold, lonely and helpless. Just like the ice that covered the ground.
Before the young man got lost in thought, lost in his usual daydreams. The little sound woke him up from his lucid state.
The pedestrian crossing had turned green, jingling its little tune.
'Oh right... I need to get to school, today is a big day.'
Right, he needed to cross the road to head to the academy. He watched as other pedestrian crossed the road. Walked in different uniforms, some for the major companies, guilds and others for the government.
Seeing a couple walk by happily chatting away, he was reminded of the warmth that was his home.
He was a lucky kid, most people did not get to enjoy the type of life he had lived so far, most if not at all. A third of humanity were exiled to the outskirts, that is what people called it. But Chance knew better than that.
It was outside, or he called it the outside, why? Because it was outside the safety of the government and guilds.
What happened outside stayed outside, or that was what Chance like to think, he had actually no idea what it was like in the outskirts. But it outside his comfort, while it was freedom, but is it really freedom if your chackled to a dance of life and death.
Continuing his walk to the academy, Chance couldn't stop his eyes from wondering to the lustrous figures. Synonymously called the Awakened, many liked to call them Divers, including Chance.
But what diving meant to him, he had no idea, something about going underwater. That idea frightened him, unless you wished for death, one should stay far away from the water.
Back to two awaked he did know that these people were awesome, having read numerous amounts of those drawn comics and novels. He knew what he wanted to do with his life.
He wanted that freedom, the feeling of exploration, that feel of adventure.
The two awakened walked, draped in exquisite golden armor that shone brightly, reflecting the sun to the streets.
The large emblems of the guild was forged proudly into their chests. He knew it was the Dragonfyre guild.
"Proud bastards…" he muttered under his breath.
It wasn't only him that stared, other people were talking silently about them. Rumors and what not.
Shaking his head he walked forward, still holding the cup of hot chocolate with both his hands.
Bringing the hot drink to his lips Chance took a small sip. Before making a disgusted face. But he downed it quickly to avoid the nasty taste.
'Blehhh, disgusting, too much sugar, too factory sweeteners….'
Dumping the empty cup into a trashcan that was too full already Chance walked away. He was lucky in life, but not lucky enough to experience real food and drinks. That was a profound luxury in the citadel far north of the world.
Nearing his he academy he could hear the faint snick snacker of other students.
Today would mark his big day. Actually, the biggest in his life. Here he would either spiral downwards to the deepest hell, or he would prosper, break free and spread his wings.
It all would determined if he could start his awakening and complete his first dive. Then he needed to direly avoid being in contact with the guild, government or the many corporations that wanted to get their hand on the newly Awakened.
Dives functioned similarly to challenges. You would have to conquer or manage to get control over your domain. From the lectures and training Chance understood the domain as ones inner soul. It was were all powers were born and could be expanded upon.
What he knew so far was that there existed up to 4 tiers of diving, they worked as stages one would climb up and win to get stronger.
Each dive would get tremendously harder, and with each successful dive your soul will not only grow but be expanded upon. Both growing exponentially while allowing the person to learn new styles and skills.
Chance took a deep breath, recounting everything he had learnt made him arrive at the academy gates much sooner than expected.
He watched the other students the same age as him walk with friends or family members. They were happily talking where other were a bit shy and unsure about their future. No matter how rich or how powerful the students parents were.
In front of their intensive challenge of the Dive, teenagers were nothing but simple meat bags for the monstrous being that dwelled beyond the Nexus world.
Chance shook in fear, he had seen how they could look in the cartoons but he had also heard of them.
The freaks of the Nexus world were often collectively called monsters or beasts, but on the field they were often called by their rank and creature rank.
***
Now inside the massive lecture hall with most of the students gathered. Becoming an Diver was completely done out of your own choice, there was no forcing people to become Divers. Is just that kids below the age of 18 had a way higher chance of survival than most over 25. It wasn't a massive difference, the hardest part was creating the domain. Forcing your soul to create a pocket dimension was no easy feat, but one would never know if they failed, they would have simply disappeared.
There were no second chances.
Each student was now standing in rows as teachers went around checking the students. Now was their chance to leave before they will be forcibly taken down to the Depths where they will cross into the otherwise and have their first dive.
"Uhm, hey Chance …"
Chance looked up stopping his daydreaming at the moment he saw his professor.
"Oh yeah, hey professor Wilkins."
Chance responded, professor Wilkins was a lanky old man with grey hair growing, it was naturally white, but it was visible his age had visible started to affect him.
Unlike other teachers of the academy, Wilkins was not an experience Diver, he was not even an awakened. But his mere intellect made up for most of it.
Chance saw him as his a father he could have had.
Wilkins handed out a hook to Chance, the young boy graciously accepted it with a grim expression. Clenching his jaw.
The head principal of the academy was a strong man, a real powerhouse of a person, someone who looked 40 while probably being much older.
Becoming a awakened really did weird things to you, the young boy thought. It peaked his interest by a whole lot at least, the foundation that was your domain made a lot of things possible.
But what was more interesting was the object he held in his hand. The world renowned hook.
The hook was weird formation of mystical rocks that seemed to be held together by some sort of magical power. That item was granted to everyone who have completed their first dive, it allowed a awakened to travel between worlds.
White lightning sparked between each of the mystical rocks, creating bridges between the magical artifact. Chance was surprised, 'Damn, that thing really is just an actual hook.'
It was totally mesmerizing.
"You should really take care of yourself Chance.. I know you can do it, just, don't think too highly of yourself. Your fighting on their turf, on their rules…"
Wilkins stared somberly towards Chance, fearing that this would be their last time seeing each other.
"Yes professor, I promise I'll return, and I promise I will take with me everything I know and I can finally make a proper paper about the Nexus world!"
Chance said proudly huffing his chest as he nodded while speaking, a small joke about missing and failed assignments.
The professor patted his shoulder nodding solemnly with his lips curled into a small smile before walking to the next students. Out of the 400 students there, only about 40 people had walked out, realizing that this was actually between life and death.
'Curses, is this really freedom? A dance between life and death!'
Chance could feel his hands shake. Was he really ready? No.
No single person could be ready, all the wilderness survival teachings, all the combs training printed into each kid of the academy.
Nothing could prepare one for their first dive.
Chance was as ready as he could be.
The head teacher stood a bit prouder as he squared his shoulders before clearing his throat.
"Students of this academy, today will mark your day you will undergo a big change. Both physically, and mentally. Many of you will perish this day, but I know that more than that will come back to the real world."
He took a short breathe before the head principal continued.
"As you already know about the challenges ahead, I will not repeat what you have already learned. I bet many of you all are eager to explore the world that lies beyond the soul. But, still, be wary, be careful. The creatures and beasts in the depths are malevolent and crude, they are also smart and cunning. Don't underestimate the weakest creatures, be clearheaded and think clearly and critical."
Chance swallowed hard, all his training would amount to this. Looking around he noticed his peers were also as anxious as him.
He could see none of his friends, he had already parted ways with them and his family. Solely focusing on himself and meditation. He knew that he would miss his family, especially his father. So Chance had a huge goodbye party with his friends and family.
His friends had decided not to join as the risk was too high, and they liked to live and have fun.
'Just party and girls... haaahh...'
Chance released a restless sigh, the principal was still babbling. The young man wiped the sweat of his brow.
Well only a third lived to form their domain, then only 2/3's of all awakened completed their first dive and resurfaced. So he understood why his friends had denied taking the Dive, but still. Couldn't at least one of his friends follow along? Or would that be selfish...
The first dive couldn't be that bad? It's not like he would not be able to form a domain, like what! That would be terrible! To die so early
"...that will do for me."
The principal had stopped his speech, Chance was thanking the gods internally, this long speech just made him even more anxious. But it was starting. The ethereal hook in the principals hand began to shimmer. Arcs of white lightning started forming on the hook, as it emanated a golden white radiant light.
"I wish you all good luck. May the gods bring you all back in place."
Chance let out a cold dreadful sigh as he began to sink into the floor, his eyes moved frantically to look at the eerily strange situation. The lecture hall still looked basically the same. It was still the dull academy hall, the ground was still the vinyl wood flooring.
But it had turned into a weird sort of mixture, you sunk if you stood still and relaxed, but stopped if you stressed or moved your muscles.
Chance found this very freaky.
Craning his neck to the side he stared openly at the other students, some stressed like him a bit, some just stared in horror maybe finally realizing that this wasn't a game at all. Others welcomed it crouching down to let the process go faster.
Chance gritted his teeth, 'Damnation!', but he did the same. Gladly offering himself to be sucked into the floor travelling.
The young boy closed his eyes, as everything became dark and he touched nothing, felt nothing.
Until his 5 senses came rushing back to him.