Arvium

17: Resources

A bright light filled the pod, making her close her eyes. When she opened them, she was in a classroom setting, sitting behind a desk. It was a smaller room with I.L.S. desks much like the ones used in the Facilities. Rounded, with a screen a foot high around the front edge to reflect the holographic images; but here, the screens were retracted into the desk tops.

A woman was standing in the front of the classroom, her arms crossed as she looked out at the desks. She was dark, like Aella's avatar, but had golden hair reaching her shoulders, braided close to the skull on one half of her head. Her clothing was an elaborate set of armor in gold and black, wrapping around her body like wings. Almost like a human wasp.

Aella glanced around, seeing other avatars appearing behind the desks. Most of the other avatars had brightly colored hair, and colored eyes in the same color ranges of pink, green, and yellow. Some had tattoos trailing around their limbs in a rainbow of colors, and some drifted onto their faces in fierce lines and spirals. One had chosen a fiery shade of orange hair. The only one that was different, was a man sitting near the back with pale white skin and shimmering sapphire-colored hair. He nodded to her and winked as she looked at him.

She raised an eyebrow and turned her attention back to the woman standing at the front of the room.

"My name is Nike, Fourth Council Member of the High Alpha Council," she said, her voice booming in the room. She lowered her arms and part of her armor expanded into four wings behind her, shimmering with energy. "In this testing portion, you will complete a series of logic tests to determine the ratios of your different strengths. How you do on these tests will help determine which you profession you will be most suited for."

Aella frowned. This sounds like nothing more than Facility training. Test you to see which career you should go into. Their creativity so far is underwhelming.

"Your preliminary profession is not permanent. You will be able to achieve any profession, after you complete preliminary goals. Your success rating, however, will likely be smaller unless you give everything to that profession. Any questions?"

Aella raised her hand.

Nike raised her hand to her. "Name, please."

"Aella Rynnex," she answered, standing to her feet.

Nike nodded. "Yes, Aella?"

"What are the different rankings, and how do they differ from one another?"

Aella tensed as she heard someone snicker behind her. I forgot. Everyone probably already knows what the rankings are.

"It's a valid question," Nike answered, narrowing her eyes at someone behind Aella. Her wings fluttered behind her, sparking with glowing yellow energy.

The snickering stopped and the room was silent. Nike paused, and her wings stopped moving. "You may sit down now, Beta," she said.

Aella nodded and sat down.

Nike turned and folded her arms behind her as she began to pace to the left. "There have been some changes to the professions, as an additional two have been added. This will create variations in teams, as there are now six players on each team.

Aella nodded. And some players might be of the same profession, or switch later on.

"I can't tell you more than a general overview. The first ranking is the Resource profession. These players are in charge of finding, growing, and storing food and elements from the earth for themselves and for their team. The second profession is new, and an extension of the Resource Ranking. It is the Ocean profession. They are responsible for food and elements obtained from water, and this profession will also be responsible for the capture of various sea monsters and creatures by combat or magic. Beta has more water planets than Alpha, so this new profession was created to compensate for that."