Choosing

Chapter 1

Hello. My name is Eleena Asir. I'm just a normal girl living out a normal life. Well... At least that's what I thought. Let me take you back in time to April 22nd 2089, my 18th birthday.

"Eleena!" My mother yelled from the kitchen on the first floor.

"Yes mom?" I yell playing with my Free Corp. Ace 6 tablet. I wait a moment only to realise she isn't going to reply.

I sigh and get up in order to leave my room. I quickly run downstairs in the house passing through the large common area and entering into the kitchen. I look around for a moment. My eyes scan the small kitchen taking in the familiar sights of the white cabinets, stove, fridge, island, and walls. My mom suddenly jumps up from behind the island. She is a smaller sized person standing at around 5'3, with wavy brown hair, chocolate skin, and pale blue eyes; but when someone jumps up from behind something its bound to elicit a reaction.

"Mom!" I say as I jump back frightened by her sudden actions. "Was that necessary?"

My mother let out a small laugh that made her pale blue eyes light up. "Sorry dear! It was just to easy." She says as she walks around the counter and looks at me. "My little girl is getting so grown up." She says as she gets a little teary eyed as she plays with my hair.

Despite being my biological mother we look almost nothing alike. I stand at 5'6, have long curly silver hair, freckles, and tan skin; the only similarity we share is our pale blue eyes.

My mother takes me in her arms and holds me tight trying to fight off tears. "Your step-father will be here soon." she says as she walks over to the stove which had a chicken and broth stew boiling on top of it. She wipes her teary eyes and stirs the pot.

Now let me explain. Normally 18th birthdays are supposed to be happy but this one was not. In the Kingdom of Lyall every person has to choose a school to enter into for the next 5 years of their life. The 4 schools we have to choose between are Free Tech., Guardian, Vision, and Noble. Each school trains you to uphold a certain status in the community but your family also has to be of the same status or higher for you to get in.

Guardian is the lowest school that anyone can attend. They train people to fight and become the Kingdom's defence. I don't know what against though.

Next is Free Tech. which teaches you how to build and work in Free Corp. as a builder in either the architect, technology, or wildlife branches.

Next is Vision. These people are the brains behind the builders. They come up with the plans to make new things in this world.

Last is Noble. These scum are responsible for running it all. Only the royal family and it's cousins can enter into this school.

You're probably asking what ranking I'm at. Sadly don't get your hopes up because I'm a guardian's child. I can't be anything more then that.

"Can I help you with anything mom?" I ask as I walk over beside her.

"Hmmm... why don't you grab some plates and set the table for me?" she asks.

I nod and grab three white bowls out of the cupboard next to the fridge and some utensils from a drawer right bellow. I go into the common area and set the dial on the wall to 'dining room' and watch as the white table and chairs slowly come up from the floor. I put a bowl at each head of the table and one more in between facing the front door. I walk back into the kitchen to see my mother pour the stew into a large bowl and take out a ladle from the drawer next to the stove. She walks past me and into the common room. I follow her in. We both sit down. She sits at one head of the table and I sit in the middle. My step-father will sit at the other head of the table when he arrives.

My mother and I sit there in silence for around 3 minutes before my step-father walks through the door. Without talking he sits down across from my mother and lifts his food. No one talks or even looks at each other for the remainder of dinner. We sit and eat in silence.

Once everyone finishes eating I get up to take the dishes to the dishwasher when suddenly there is a knock at the door. I look at my mother for a moment.

"That will be them..." My mother says as her eyes begin to tear up.

My step-father wordlessly gets up and answers the door. When he opens it we all see a tall muscular man standing around 6'1, with blonde hair, pale skin, and green eyes.

"Hello. I am here to escort an Eleena Asir to the choosing." He says.

I nod and hug my mother quickly on my way to the door not bothering to grab any of my personal items knowing that the school will supply them. I look up at the tall man. "I am ready to go." I say as he leads me out onto the empty street and into a slick black Free Lock car. When in the backseat I look up at the place I had called my home for the last 18 years. A bittersweet taste in my mouth as I realise it will be 5 years before I see this place again.