The Second Beginning

The Professor Awakens

Darkness. That's the first thing I remember. Just darkness.

Then came the cold. The feeling that sends chills down your spine.

I was alone. Just sitting there. No idea where, but I know I was alone. Everything was kind of blurry, like bad reception on a video chat. And then my memory stops.

Of course that was a long, LONG, time ago.

Let's start a little closer. Let's say last New year's eve. I was around eleven, but time went by so slow I felt quite a bit older. But I looked and acted like an average eleven year old, and by standard Earth years I was eleven.

Anyway I was walking by myself. I had no friends, I didn't understand friendship. I didn't understand love or hate. I had no social emotions what so ever. All I knew was pain, anger, and happiness. I somehow managed to stay alive, and I sneaked into a school when I had the chance. During the winter I felt the same temerature as every other time of year; the same chill that haunted me since I can remember. I got some clothes out of luck because people are that awesome, but nothing in my wardrobe really matches. Of course all I have is a fedora I occaisionally wear, a beige and dark brown striped blazer, a grey shirt to go under it, jeans, socks, shoes, and underwear.

Then there was the watch. That little black digital watch. It was so usefull and had so many cool buttons. It could light up, become a stopwatch, be set as an alarm, or just straight up tell the time. There were also a few other things I'll get into detail about later.

Anyway back to the New Year. Everything was quiet, and everyone was in their house. I decided to visit the person who knew me best, but didn't exactly know me at all, Auraak.

I guess I didn't know him either. He just kind of was a mystery, and he would hang around with me sometimes. But this time when I went to him my watch started beeping on it's own. I had no idea why or how, but it did. Then I realized I was smiling. The chill left, replaced with warmth. I realized what friendship was.

Then something even wierder happened. My watch started to glow. And when I looked at my wrist, my watch wasn't just an article of clothing. It was sewn into my skin. Then a flash happened, bright enough to turn night in winter to day in summer. And I was instantly standing in a white room. But this time I wasn't alone.

There was a boy about my age who called himself The Tactician. He had a friend, also about our age, who claimed to be The Surgeon. If we were using careers as names I would use my dream job. I said I was The Professor. They had both been called to the room for reasons unknown as well. Then a shadow appeared on the wall. But the shadow was laughing and it was actually emitting sound.

I'll admit, it was a wierd sight to see, though I'd seen wierder before. I just never paid attention.

It stopped laughing and started to speak. It said, and I quote: "Welcome. I have gathered you here today to test your strengths and weaknesses. I am Etchthross Katestrepsi. I was made to make your life hard. I was made in darkness, to counter your every move, Tactician. To ignore your every control, Surgeon. And you, Professor. I was made to keep time and space in order. Your job was to mess it up. You have great potential. You all do. But you will all eventually fall, and darkness will rise."

Then he shut the door and the lights went out. When they came back on, I was in my usual spot along the street. But something was different...