Where Dreams Meet Destiny

005 - Member

(Silver's POV)
Well. Another quiet sunny day it seems. All these noobs playing football at the open grassy field while I sip my orange juice, siting and chillin.

Ashley said she'd look out for Lance while I go to my classes in the meantime. The thing is, I don't really have any classes; at least not today. I guess I'm using this day as a bit of relaxation time.

Tossing the can unto the bin across the next bench, I've been thinking my skills are getting rusty. Without any real training, my focus mainly on my studies; it's hard to stay in shape frankly. I towed myself up from the bench and headed unto the shady walks near Arc University.

It has been ten minutes of walking. 1:26 PM. The sun is up high above the road overlooking Fulgurite Dunes; only ever enhancing the barren basin's raw splendor.

As bored as I am, I went out of my way to take a little detour trip around the thunderstruck dunes to get some of the rather interesting fulgurites. As I found a promising spot to gather the stuff I found a girl being accosted by two hooded figures.

Strange. A girl, wearing glasses and Arc's uniform, in Fulugurite Dunes, at this time? Two hooded perpetrators, hoods... Really? At this freaking hour a full body cloak, one so long that it reaches below the ankle, would be the last thing anyone in their right mind would wear in this sandy paradise; let alone this bustling city.

Not thinking twice, I rushed towards the scene and stood between the girl and her attackers. "Let her go." In a chilly voice I demanded the three hooded people "What do you think you're doing, punk?" One of them retaliated, looking for a fight it seems. Not bad for a good wake-up call I guess.

I leapt unto the air and jabbed the man instantly on his chest; causing him to tumble over to the ground. His other companion suddenly dashed unto my back and kicked me on my back. As I figured out what happened in a flash, the other guy I punched threw a punch at my face; but I was able to grab his arm in time.

Trying to twist it, surprisingly he read my impending movement and used his feet to knock me off balance. "This people aren't your ordinary goons. Better watch your back, Silver." I reminded myself as I began to renew my assault on both the hooded punks, parrying their blows and striking when I see the chance. Counterattack to counterattack. Blow to blow.

Only that... their strikes are more tentative than tenacious. They don't seem to want to fight me, yet I see they won't really quite let go. And what in the hell?!? Why is this girl still watching the fight while covering her mouth with her hands?

"Enough play, Kairro." The other hooded figure finally spoke. Judging from the voice... wait it's a woman? I couldn't mistake it, it is a girl who I heard just speak right now. "Heh, he's pretty good eh, Akane?" The guy named Kairro just nodded and waved his hand to something behind me, wait what? As I looked behind, a swift blow to the neck knocked me out cold; where only a pair of curious eyes  looked into mine as they closed...

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Where am I? I scanned the place and tilted my aching head towards the person standing at the door. Wait; this is our manor. I identified the person as the girl I saved earlier. Or would have. "You've woken up." The woman in the hood, the one named Akane if my memory serves right, caught my attention as she stood by the gate.

Cautiously I looked at the girl at our doorway asking, "Who are you?" "I am Diana Moontalon. A-and this is-" she stuttered on her last words, seemingly unable to look me by the eye. "No need to introduce me. But I guess since I'm here, I'm Shawne Akane Vain. We have tested you earlier, and proved your strength and willpower you did. Did too well I fear. Almost too well." She put down her hood and revealed long drawn-out hair concealing her left eye.

This Shawn seems familiar to me by the name... where did I hear that name... oh! Right. Lance told me about this substitute teacher the other day. Acting weird and stuff. This must be her. But what the heck? She seems a bit too young, just our age if judging by appearances. However, her skill in combat precedes her, she ain't a joke for a woman; or maybe I'm just rusty.

"Tested me?" I inquired as the other girl, Diana; seems to be a bit distracted, looking at our windows every so often. "Yes. Test. That girl over there wasn't really attacked, she's one of us actually. We aren't some gang or group of thugs if you seem to look at it lime that. We are-" Diana suddenly jumped over from the ledge and interrupted her, "-more of an organization of creeps. Exceptional ones that is. We are truth-seekers, hunters of the lore within the historical fossil trail of Lightning Fields and the nether dimension beyond."

Her emphasis on nether dimension kinda bugged me out, although she couldn't really maintain eye contact with me for some reason. "We chose you. We are the Avatars of the Arc. The truth, we dedicate ourselves into; to seek it, guard it, perhaps even dance with it." Shawn said in a rather stalwart manner.

Now she's started making eye contact with me, with what looks like contact lenses that she's been wearing leaking a subtle scarlet glint in her half concealed left eye.

"Destiny chose you. Not just you, us other fledgling Avatars too, and that bedridden headache stricken bookworm Ashley is attending to right now as well." Destiny huh? This is getting weird... Wait... she knew not only Lance's identity, presence and condition, but also Ashley? What's with these people? "I don't think I want-" I retaliated hesitantly, doubting her motives for disclosing such matters with me.

"I thought you wanted to find your father." Gray. My father. Those last words from her struck me. My father and Lance's father were truth seekers as well. What else does she knows about us, about me? Lost in my thoughts, I would take no more chances but this could only be it. In the end... it would be the only chance I'm taking to make a step forward in our long pursuit...

"Wait for us..."