Somnium Online

Welcome to Japan

Eric woke up just as the plane touched down in Japan. He stretched and rubbed the last traces of sleep from his eyes.

He picked up his small backpack and slung it over his shoulders. He had packed light. He could get whatever he needed when he arrived. He shrugged his hoodie back over his shoulders and flipped up the hood.

He exited the plane and stepped into the chaos of the airport. He took out a scrap of paper with an address scrawled on it in his father's impeccable handwriting.

His loving parents had enrolled him in a foreign exchange program, his new family would only really be a figurehead. In fact, they only existed on paper.

The academy was a boarding school that only released its students during the holidays

He got a taxi and handed the driver a was of cash and the address. The driver sped away at top speed.

"So this is Japan," N said breathlessly.

The scenery was exactly what it looked like in pictures, although slightly more... lived in.

The scenery changed from bustling urban office complexes to suburban homes, each looking basically identical, to the Japanese countryside.

After what felt like hours, they pulled up at a pair of wrought iron gates.

"This is it, kid." The driver said.

Eric got out of the car and slung his backpack over his shoulders again. He put his hood down and unzipped his hoodie.

Eric took a deep breath. "Ready N?" He asked.

"All set boss," N replied.

Eric stepped through the gates and began walking.

The academy was big, really big.

The many lawns were lined with cherry trees, and there were dozens of tan buildings scattered throughout campus.

Hundreds of kids were milling about in front of the largest building, all of them wearing street clothes still.

This was an elite academy, and while they allowed thousands of students to apply, only those that could take on the incredibly difficult entrance exams would be able to attend.

Eric would pass. He had no choice but to pass. He stayed by the edge of the crowd, talking to no one, and avoiding eye contact.

"Look at that loser." One guy snickered.

"He doesn't look that wealthy." A girl whispered to her friends.

Eric ignored them. He wasn't here to make friends. All that mattered was beating the test.

The crowd started to move as the doors to the large building opened.

They slowly made their way inside the building. When they entered they had to identify themselves, and then they were assigned a number.

The system was simple. When your number was called, you and twenty other students entered an empty classroom.

An older student wearing a fancy Crimson blazer and uniform would then begin the test.

Anyone stupid enough to cheat was expelled. Eric wasn't stupid.

He filled in question after question as time ticked by. The students around him were sweating, and the tension in the room was enormous.

Eric ignored all of it and focused on the test.

Ask yourself, what is a test? Is it something to be hated? Feared? Dreaded?