Huh?

"Mr. Smith?"

…

"MR. SMITH!"

"Huh?" Carson said drowsily as he heard his name being called. Suddenly remembering where he was he shot up, his sleepiness still very evident on his face.

"Nice of you to finally join us." His instructor said, a hint of amusement evident on his expression. "I noticed that you've been asleep the majority of the semester, will you be able to pass the finals at this rate?"

"Uh..." Carson said a hot crimson growing up his features. "Yes?"

His instructor chuckled, slowly gesturing to the rest of the class, "If that's the case," he paused, smiling menacingly. "Then I suppose you wouldn't mind answering some questions in front of the class for me."

Carson paled, "Um, I don't think that's necessary sir." but the menacing smile plastered on his instructors face only grew deeper.

"No, no. I think it is" The grandfatherly figure, dressed in a pristine navy suit motioned for him to come to the front of the class "Come on, Lets see what you've got"

Carson reluctantly rose from his seat at the back of the lecture hall, the dim lights shading his figure, making him wonder how the old man managed to see him asleep all the way back there. He strode forward with a measured pace, feeling more and more pressure from the eyes staring at him as he went. "I really don't think this is necessary Mr. Eickhoff, I've actually been paying really good attention, sir!" Carson pleaded.

But the old man didn't sway, "Then you should have no problem with answering whatever I ask. I assure you all of my questions are within your... limited knowledge" his smile faded slightly "But you really should pay better attention to my classes, it doesn't matter what primordial blessed your parents, or which might bless you, if you're dead in the water after challenging your first trial"

Carson's face grew white as a sheet, "Yes, sir." the young man said decisively, finally resigning to his fate of public embarrassment. "What do you got for me." he spoke quietly, a resolute façade plastered over his face.

Mr. Eickhoff sighed in resignation at his young student's nervousness, "Alright, you know our history, so explain as in depth as possible as to what the cycles are."

Carson stared at him blankly, the nervousness hidden behind his façade retreating. Looking at the burly tall old man he hesitantly asked "Is that a trick question?"

His instructor let out a laugh, a deep resonating sound that nearly shook the stage he was standing on. "No, it isn't, Mr. Smith." He smiled, this time it was a gentle smile like a grandfather looking at their grandchild, with no trace of the menace it held before. "Now please, Answer the question."

"Uh, ok..." Carson started hesitantly still unsure of the reason behind this question. "The cycles are a result of the warring between Chao, and Ordo, the deities of chaos and order, and their respective Icons the Primordials of Chaos, and the Primordials of Order" He stoped and looked again to his professor, hesitancy still in his gaze, but when he saw that the old man didn't interject anything, he continued. "The two deities, and their Icons fight to gain control of the human plain, and after millennia of Ordo's perseverance against the chaos, his strength folds and Chao ends up gaining enough power to overthrow him and bring The Calamity, razing humanity, of all of their knowledge, blessings, and belongings. Reverting humans to their most primal state, it wipes out any human lives that are outside earth, and even the majority of the population on that planet. This has happened countless times, and will likely continue that way forever, as it seems that no matter how hard we try, were never able to find a way to stop the inevitable."

"Good. Very good" the old man turned to him "But you forgot to add one thing, since all knowledge is wiped every cycle, how are humans able to gain their knowledge back so fast? After all we managed to become an intergalactic civilization in only ten thousand years, quite an impressive feat, might I add."

The young man looked at him oddly, "When Keepers explore the trial worlds, which are suspected to be remnants from previous cycles, they complete certain objectives to gain knowledge from past civilizations, anything from mystical combat styles that seem impossible, to blueprints of intergalactic warp-drives like the ones outfitted on most modern ships." he stoped his explanation and looked back to his instructor.

"Hmm, yes." The old man said slowly, "But, how do we figure out what these objectives are?"

Carson slowed, thinking over the few lectures he had been awake for in this class. He landed on one from the early months of the class, only a couple weeks after the start of the semester, back when he still payed attention. "You're talking about the blueprint a Keeper named Nicolio Tesla came up with a couple thousand years ago, right? The device that allows Keepers to read the fluctuations of the trial worlds and assume what we have to do to gain the knowledge?"

"Correct!" was the only response he got from the man, the older gentleman seemed lost in thought for a minute before he said, "Oh yes, this should be alright." he turned back to his student and looked him dead in the eye. "Good. Now, what's a keeper?"

"Huh? Wait hold on, can you repeat that? I must've heard you wrong..." Carson had a dumbstruck expression on his face, thinking he had finally gotten to the challenging part, only to be slapped in the face with such an idiotic question.

"No, No. I believe you heard me quite right." His instructor looked to the class and spoke in a energetic fashion, "I think our friend Mr. Smith here might need a bit of help with this question. Could you help him out class?" The lecture hall burst out into soft giggles, making the already prevalent rosy tone rush back onto Carson's face, coating him in a soft haze of pink.

"I'M FINE," the embarrassed young man turned his face away from the class, he meant to speak in a loud and confident manner, but it came out as more of a squeaky yell. "Ahem..." He cleared his throat "I'm fine." Carson repeated. "Keepers are those who have been blessed by one of the 12 Primordials of Order, and go into the trial worlds to gain knowledge, Keepers are the shortened term they're often referred to as, but their full names are keepers of order" He paused and cleared his throat again, making the growing knot of embarrassment in his throat more bearable. "Individuals can be blessed on their 18th birthday, and if they are, the Primordials will all send their offer of blessing to the new Keeper, and let the young man or woman choose which best suits them. They can only choose one, however, any additional power will have to be in the form of Echoes that are obtained upon the completion of a trial."

"Exceptional, young man! You may return to your seat now."

"That's it?" Carson's face glowed an even deeper shade of crimson "Are you mocking me, or something?" He couldn't believe that his Instructor would do such a thing, after all, even if he slept through most of Mr. Eickhoff's classes, he was still by far the young mans favorite teacher. 'Well, maybe not anymore' He thought bitterly.

"Don't worry young man, I assure you I have no intention to do such a thing" The old man smiled and suddenly radiated an oppressive Echo, turning to the reader he spoke in a quieter but still imposing tone, "We have a spectator, I just figured I'd give them a bit of an exposition..."

"After all, your story is just about to begin" The burly old man smiled once again, bringing back his former menace to a new and even greater degree.

Carson, however only seemed to be able to say one thing...

"Huh?"