2 Chapter 1: Genesis

In the year 2032, A team of scientists led by Dr. Vulcan was working on a project that would change the course of history forever. Project Mind's Eye. A project that aimed to harness the dormant power of the brain.

Working overtime, a tired team of scientists including Vulcan made a breakthrough. Through artificial psychological enhancement, animal subjects experienced signs of a significant increase in motor functions and started moving about the containment room. The subject could be on one side of the room and then the opposite in a blink of an eye. The elated scientist could not wait any longer. Using himself as the human testing subject, Vulcan soon became engrossed in his work.

Psions come from the brain. A natural force that every human being can use with proper instruction on how to use it. Through intense focus, one can concentrate these psions to boost their own functions throughout their brain. This process is close to the deep meditation of monks. Psionic uses range from boosting one's own processing speed to nullifying pain as intense as having an arm amputated.

Although everyone has the requirements to use psionics, learning how to use it was held only with one man. Although Dr. Vulcan led the team, he was funded by several countries hoping for promising results. The countries that were most interested in the project were the United States, China, and Russia.

After many years of uneventful research, many countries pulled out of funding for the project to limit their losses. After China and Russia pulled their funding, The US became the lead funder for the project. Their patience would soon prove fruitful, as the US became the first of the few to house Eldritch soldiers in their armies.

Many countries tried to reproduce what Vulcan had done. Either resorting to trying to steal his research by force or doing it themselves. A few countries succeeded, though many failed and fell to the rampant energy of the mind. Fail after fail, their lands were turned into a wasteland of untamed energy. Refugee camps in other countries became commonplace. Turning into towns, then cities of people without a place to go.

Dr. Vulcan was prepared for what his research would do to the world, even on the scale of massive world change. He was hailed as a hero and a devil in disguise by the people. Many agreed with the applications of psions into their daily lives and used it themselves. Others however sought to destroy psionics claiming it was against the natural order.

5 years after his world-changing discovery, Vulcan was assassinated in his lab by an unknown group of people that claimed they had saved the world. Although he was dead, the damage was already done and the earth was reborn. We had entered a new era.

****

"Are you sure this is the school?" Erin asked. "Of course I know if it's the school, has your mother ever steered you wrong?" His mom countered. The car pulled up to an enormous 4 story building that took a lot of gothic inspiration into its architecture. The blacked-out windows filed in between the pillars of the building, reflecting back whatever eyes would have tried to look in. A large stone brick-lined pond laid in the center of the expansive courtyard surrounded by cherry trees in full bloom. Just ahead of the yard was a long stretch of stone stairs leading up to the gothically adorned doors of the school.

As the car came to a stop. Sara started talking. "Alright you two, the headmaster has informed me to arrive a little bit late so you can become acquainted with the school without the hustle and bustle of the other students. After entering the school, go to the headmasters' office and he'll show you to your class." Erin looked at her in a daze trying to process all of the information. "Got that?" Sara said. Erin shook his head up and down still trying to piece together what he was going to do. "Alright, have fun..." she kissed Erin's forehead, "I love you." she smiled warmly. "I love you too mom," Erin replied back.

Sara motioned to Erin to get out of the car, as he did she looked back to the exiting V. "Hey V, look after Erin for me. Going to a new school has always been rough for him so be sure to be there when he needs it, I don't want another accident." she implied with a serious look on her face. "Yes, Ma'am," V replied back as she exited the vehicle going after Erin.

V has always been reliable when it comes to situations like these, Sara thought. She knew Erin was different from the other kids and was a quiet kid which meant others might be quick to think he would be weak and label him as a target. Sara sighed, let's just hope I don't have to deal with another lawsuit after an unfortunate child gets blasted across the campus.

****

"Uhhh V. Did mom say where the headmaster's office was?" a worried look flashed on his face. When the pair entered the school, the dreary quiet and muffled speaking of lessons taking place filled the countless hallways laid in front of them. "Hold on, I'll take a look around and you check around for a directions office or some sort of sign," V ordered.

V floated up to the ceiling and phased through it into the 2nd floor and started her search for anything that would clue them to the whereabouts of where the office might be. Erin started a search of his own on the bottom floor. He looked up at the crest of a hallway entrance. a convenient sign was placed above that read, "Student Service Offices". Great just what I need, Erin thought to himself.

Continuing down the hall he noticed how decorated the hallway was. a trophy case of trophies won from Psi-sports, Masterful art hung on the walls decorated the halls. He passed by many classrooms, so many to the point of enhancing his hearing to listen to the many lessons taught by the professors of the academy. Classes about Biology, physiology, robotics, agriculture, language, history, Erin took it all in like a blended learning podcast as he continued his walk down to the student service offices

He was soon confronted with an intersection of the hallway. Before taking a step forward he reached out telepathically to V. "Find anything yet?" Erin asked. "No nothing yet," V responded impatiently. "Keep searching, I might've found a place that can help us," Erin informed her. "Alright, I'll keep searching on the other levels for the office."

Standing in the middle of the intersection, he looked for any sign that would tell him where to go. "Where the hell is the student serv-," a hand appeared on Erin's shoulder. He turned around to reveal 3 students in a school uniform the same as Erin's. Praise the gods, Erin thought in his mind. Although relieved, Erin took a closer look at his hopefully soon-to-be guides. The boy who looked like the leader of the group towered over Erin despite his average height for a growing boy. He had a buzzed head with groupings of small scars on his face that almost look drawn on yet real. A lazily pieced together school uniform that you wouldn't expect to be tolerated at one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Erin glanced back at the two boys behind him. The two were similarly dressed yet radiated an almost fake sincerity.

Erin looked back at the taller boy and put on a sincere smile, "Hi there, Mr. ?" "Cole." the tall man responded back, half annoyed. "Right Mr. Cole, if you don't mind me asking...would you happen to know where the Headmasters office is. Would you?" Erin said keeping his smile on at a maximum. The two boys behind Cole snickered, to which by Erin's amusement, had ceased the moment Cole shot them both a nasty look.

"So, can you?" Erin pressed.