About the Eruption and the System (II)

Zafir carefully wrote "Jail" on the board and drew a symbol next to it with precision. The emblem depicted three intertwined, flame-like shapes forming a circular pattern.

Each shape was a different color — red, green, and blue — creating a dynamic, hypnotic pattern. The design pulsated with energy, its abstract forms suggesting motion and unity.

"You don't have much choice in facing this challenge." Zafir's voice hardened as he turned to the students. "First, the entity Ars doesn't wait. It needs challengers, and if there are none when the time comes, it will choose randomly."

"If there are no Awakened ones in the region, it will randomly and forcibly awaken some unlucky individuals. The awakening time ratio means only a second passes in our world, allowing it to send them directly to the Eruption."

"Of course," Zafir added, a grim line forming on his lips, "if an individual survives their awakening and is sent directly to an Eruption without guidance on using their energy and adapting to their new lifestyle, they will likely die. This would cause the Eruption to fail and result in a regional disaster."

"That's why the Human Council established laws. We need trained Awakened to face an Eruption and win. Our world's birthrate is low; for example, our continent has only about half a million people."

"Truth be told," Zafir said, extending his finger, "some of our people live in the Ars World. However, their numbers are few and declining each year, making it harder to save our world, families, and people."

"So, by the laws of Ars and our own," Zafir sighed, "you can't escape it. Since you formed a group to face the Eruption, the academy has the right to deal with deserters. If you escape both laws, you'll be hunted by hunters and exorcists."

"Unless you have a foolproof escape plan," Zafir chuckled darkly. "I suggest you don't try anything funny."

The students sat in stunned silence, their faces pale under the harsh fluorescent lights. Some bit their nails, the nervous habit making small, sharp sounds in the quiet room. Others gripped the edges of their desks so tightly that their knuckles turned white, as if bracing against an unseen force.

"The situation is bad," Zafir said, nodding. "I agree. Normally, we would train you and ensure you had the basics of being Awakened before sending you there. This includes controlling your energy and power, understanding your strain, and grasping the concept of meaning."

"But things don't always go as we like. It's not fair, and we know it. We hope this Eruption ends in our favor — not just to defend our world, but because if it fails, the city of Baurous will be affected. We don't know the extent of the destruction and corruption it will cause, possibly targeting nearby communities."

Joah's heart raced as Zafir mentioned Baurous. His hand moved unconsciously to scratch at his arm, leaving angry red marks. He couldn't afford to fail — not with his only family member living in the city. The thought of failure bit at him, his anxiety manifesting in his compulsive scratching.

Asdras felt a surge of determination, more for Brian than himself. Memories of Joe and their time in the village flooded his mind. Though he felt out of place in this world, he knew he had to improve their odds. His resolve hardened, knowing losing wasn't an option.

Lisandra bit her lip hard, the pain a sharp reminder of her family's past failures. She had worked briefly as a deliverer with Jenson and had seen the hopeful eyes of people in the fairway communities. She couldn't afford to fail and ruin another generation.

Stig nearly shouted out in frustration. He had family, brothers, and sisters to care for. If danger came, be it a beast or a human, his family would be at the forefront, ready to defend their lands. He believed it was his time to face it and protect his loved ones.

Merida felt a conflict of emotions. She didn't have family or friends to care about, but the bearded man in the repair shop had treated her almost like a daughter. Her heart beat faster at the thought of losing him — a rare bond she didn't want to break.

Finn remained stoic, unlike the others. For him, facing an Eruption was inevitable. He couldn't fail because his uncle and older brother hadn't. His pride wouldn't allow him to consider this option.

"I forgot to mention; you won't be the only ones sent," Zafir said, drawing their attention. "Other groups will be sent too. From what I've heard, there will be thirty participants in total: eighteen from the academy, six from the military, and six from various factions like the hunter's tower and the crafter's city."

"This reminds me why the academy requires groups of six," Zafir added. "First, it's easier to manage and gather resources for six. Second, you can help each other learn and form bonds."

"Additionally," Zafir said, taking a breath, "within the Eruption, there are no human laws. This brings me to the dangers there."

"The obvious are the creatures. Usually, they're rank one monsters, but this varies depending on the Breaker core. For instance, there's a record of an Eruption caused by a Plagued Breaker, resulting in rank two creatures. Believe me, even a Challenger must be cautious with them, let alone an Awakened."

"There are also other dangers, and from records, we know of three kinds of perils. Traps can be anything, like a maze or something beneath the earth that drags you down. The possibilities are infinite."

"Force fields are areas filled with an element or hazard, like a poisonous forest where breathing is deadly or a lake with boiling water. Lastly, there are hidden dangers. These are impossible to identify until you encounter them. I advise you to run; the chance of dying is higher."

"There are also dangers from your own kind," Zafir continued. "It's one thing to be Awakened in our world, to train, grasp the new lifestyle, and cope with the experiences of our own nightmarish awakening."

"But it's another thing to be in contact with the Ars World. There, the energy input is amplified, and your body will advance quickly. The danger is that depending on your strain and power, it could change your personality and perception of the world."

"My advice is to trust yourself but be alert. Don't forget your group and the bonds you've formed; help each other. If you encounter others, be wary but kind. After all, you are the challengers, not the creatures to fight against."

Zafir lit another cigarette, the smoke curling around his face. "Now, what can we offer participants? The academy will provide resources and money to the families of those who challenge. It will also offer better accommodation, and if you return alive, it will try to grant you the right to live in the capital."

"If you die but the Eruption is defeated, the academy will support your family and community for the next five years. If you return alive, the academy will let you choose to either continue your studies or help you settle in a more peaceful place."

Zafir walked to his mallet and opened it, revealing a small backpack with a key etched into the leather. "This is the resource kit the academy will give each of you."

"It contains a health kit with potions and antidotes, as well as mechanical items like magnetic bombs and elastic ropes. Weapons will also be provided, and by the end of this lecture, you can get one in the training hall."

"Now," Zafir said, returning to the whiteboard. "A few things before I talk about the system. The time ratio within the Eruption is the same, so if you survive a day there, it will be a day here. The time to complete the challenge depends entirely on the participants' skills. Having a brain is more valuable than muscles, but without strength, survival is impossible."

"The system," Zafir continued, pointing at the symbol he drew. "Like Ars itself, we don't have much knowledge about it. We call it a system because, by definition, it is a set of interrelated components that work together to output specific information."

"And that's what it does for an Awakened," Zafir explained, his voice edged with both mystery and urgency. "It lets you see the world through a different lens. The more advanced you are, the more information you can access. For example, to know the rank or core of the monster you will face."

"Again," Zafir said, shaking his head, frustration flickering in his eyes. "We don't know much about its origin or how it works. But it is one of the main things that will help you survive not only in the Eruption but in the world too."

Zafir raised his left hand to point at his temples. "The system isn't an abstract entity like Ars; it's more like a symbiotic being that lives in your body. For early Awakened, it is in a dormant stage. What I'm going to show you is how to activate it."

"This also adds to the danger of being an Awakened one," Zafir continued, a grave tone coloring his words. "If you rarely use or fuel your Ars energy, the system will enter a famine stage and start to eat your brain, transforming you into a mindless individual known as a Mindless Doll."

"They are a danger to everything, being transformed into killing machines whose only purpose is to eat energy. They do this by hunting creatures and other Awakened. And since it's the system controlling them, they have nearly perfect usage of their power and body."

Zafir sat in his chair and spread his legs over the mallet. "Now, I want everyone to close their eyes and follow my instructions exactly. Be cautious. I don't want anyone losing their mind because they did it wrong."

Zafir watched them close their eyes, anxiety and determination etched on their faces. "Good. Now, use the same principle of starting to use your energy, but don't go to the end, only the early stage."

Asdras felt his blood rushing through his veins, his breath steadying with each inhale. A tingling sensation began to pulse from his palms, spreading like an electric current throughout his body, with each nerve ending coming alive.

"I want you to visualize a dark room devoid of anything; picture yourself there, starting at the void."

Asdras found himself enveloped in darkness, the cold seeping into his bones. The emptiness tugged at the edges of his mind, threatening to pull forth buried memories he'd rather forget. Just as panic began to rise, a slight burning sensation in his palms anchored him, pulling him back to focus.

"Try to visualize now the symbol I drew on the whiteboard. Imagine that three connected lines shape themselves into a flame-like serpent head in a circular pattern."

Asdras focused on the symbol, picturing the intertwining red, green, and blue flames. The darkness in his mind began to shift, morphing as the abstract forms of the emblem came to life, each flame-like tendril pulsating with a hypnotic glow.

"Good." Zafir's voice was a steady guide. "Now, let that symbol float in front of you. Feel its presence; let it connect with your energy."

Asdras felt the symbol resonate with his Ars energy, a warm sensation spreading through his body. The flames of the symbol seemed to intertwine with his own energy, creating a harmonious pulse.

"This part is crucial and strange, but don't feel fear or panic; otherwise, everything will be in vain. Slowly, open your eyes and let the system crawl toward your left eye."

Asdras felt a sinister stirring within his heart, a sensation as if an icy, spectral hand were caressing his face with ghostly fingers. Something was moving inside him, creeping from his heart to his neck, then beginning to crawl.

It felt as if his veins had transformed into a nest of ravenous serpents, each one slithering and biting as they sought to consume him from within. His breath hitched and stuttered, each inhale a desperate gasp, while his blood thundered through his veins like a torrential flood. The temperature of his skin fluctuated wildly between icy cold and feverish heat.

The sensation moved slowly, a creeping horror passing from his neck to his face. The tingling, like a swarm of insects burrowing beneath his skin, almost made him scream.

Then his senses were disconnected. He tasted iron, sharp and metallic, mingled with the acrid bitterness of burnt meat. A low, high-pitched noise filled his ears, threatening to split his skull.

A salty, briny scent emanated from his body, mingling with the sickly sweetness of decay. His vision was filled with a chaotic swirl of red, green, and blue.

It was in his eyes, like something lingering and consuming his iris from within. It didn't hurt, but the sheer wrongness of the sensation brought tears to his eyes.

The tear trickled down his cheek and over his mouth. He tasted it — it was blood.

Abruptly, he opened his eyes. The world around him had changed. It was awash in shades of warmth, where colors were replaced by gradients of heat.

Objects that were once shrouded in darkness now stood out with an eerie glow, revealing hidden patterns and forms. It was as if he had gained a new sense.

He looked around. His friends appeared different from how he remembered them. They were vague outlines, their flesh and uniforms replaced by small, circular objects that pulsed slowly with a gray hue.

He focused on Stig. Letters began to materialize as he stared, slowly forming a sentence that read, "Common Human."

He was about to focus on the others when his world began to fade, flashing to a blinding white before everything returned to normal. His senses snapped back to normalcy, and he felt utterly exhausted.