Test

Grey moved swiftly but safely across the room. He couldn't risk being disqualified. On the other side of the stage was a line of 100 machines. They were rectangles that had a rectangular divot on top. The divot had rounded edges, and the machine was about 1m tall and 2m wide.

Grey got in the line for a random one and waited patiently. He looked ahead to the person getting into the machine. He pondered how the machine would test the boy, but the metal suddenly moved, molding itself around him. He was now encased in the machine, only his head stuck out. 

The boy panicked, but there was someone standing at each machine to guide them, so after a few words, he quickly calmed down.

'Is that… orichalcum?' Grey wondered. 'If I remember correctly, which I do, Orichalcum was made by a dwarf by combining copper and magic steel. The resulting alloy was a superb magic conductor but was very weak. However, it did react to mana and was thus used to create many pieces of technology that needed that property. I.e. this machine that uses its reactivity to mana to mold itself around the body, allowing it to test the body's attributes.' Grey recounted his knowledge of orichalcum.

---

160 people later, about 3 hours or so, and Grey was finally at the front of his line. The person at the machine began to give him instructions on what to do, but Grey didn't need them, he had seen enough people do it to understand.

"Please lie on the machine, facing up." Grey followed anyway, simply because that was what he needed to do. He plopped his clothes down next to the machine and then sat down on the machine, swinging his legs over, and lying down. His head stuck out just over the divot, and his arms rested by his sides, and his toes pointed straight up. The machine then molded itself around him, trapping him in its confine.

The machine began to hum softly, as it did when measuring, and about 2 minutes later, it beeped.

Beep!

The machine removed itself from around Grey, freeing him. After he was set loose, he grabbed his clothes and went towards the door that the man pointed to.

'I wonder how I score?' He thought, entering the changing room on the other side.

Emerging soon after, back in his clothes, Grey continued down the path, where he soon encountered a large room full of tables, with people chatting. He looked around and swiftly spotted his parents. Lucas' silver hair was a big giveaway, for not many people had it.

He walked towards them and then sat down.

"Hi, how did it go?" Samantha asked. 

"It went well, I hope I do good." Grey said, eliciting his parents to give each other a side eye.

'If you don't get in, then no-one else is.' They thought.

"Well then, let's go home." Lucas drank the last of his coffee, and then got up ready to leave.

---

At home, Grey asked a question that he had thought about for a while.

"What do they measure? Is it our talent?" It caused Lucas to chuckle a little, and Samantha gave him an answer, ignoring her husband.

"No, Grey. We can't measure talent. It's just a concept. People's skills do stop growing at a certain point, and that can be considered talent, but, as I said, we can't measure it, so we just go off your values. If you are above G at your age, then you are admitted. It might sound like an easy bar, but from 10-20, the Mana Heart sees the least growth. Also, most people don't train until after they get their Heart, because they have school and such. You're an irregular."

"Ah I see… So, when should I expect my results?"

"Tomorrow." Lucas chimed in, "They'll send out acceptances tomorrow."

"OK!" The rest of the day, Grey was restless, too excited about going to The Island. It passed rapidly, for Grey immersed himself in training, again.

The next day, Grey ran downstairs, screaming, "It's here!" He skidded across the hallway, running into the living room where Lucas and Samantha sat.

He waved his phone at them, "It's here, it's here!" 

Lucas and Samantha chuckled at his excited antics.

"Calm down, calm down." Samantha spoke. "Come sit and show us."

Grey moved to the couch, sitting in between the two. He pulled up his e-mails, clicking on the first one.

//

Dear Mr Heart,

We are writing this email to inform you that you have been accepted into The Island. Please move into the dormitory by the end of the week.

Here are your results:

- Body test complete.

-- [STR] Strength: (A+) E-

-- [AGI] Agility: (A-) E-

-- [STA] Stamina: (A+) E-

-- [INT] Intelligence: (SS+) S+

-- [CHA] Charm: (S-) B-

- Mana test complete.

-- Attribute: Light, Poison

-- [EFF] Efficiency: 29.8% (SS+) D

-- [CAP] Capacity: 12,485 (SS+) C-

- Rank Calculated: (S+) F+ (Anomalous values [INT] AND [CHA] taken into consideration)

-- Rank in bracket is for age, Rank out of bracket is overall.

Your rank within your school year is 0/3984.

Best Regards,

Admin @ The Island.

//

"HAHA! I did it! Oh, yeah!" Grey screamed. "I made it in!"

"Wow, look. Grey's age rank is S. Isn't he talented. And his overall rank is F+. Not bad." Samantha praised.

"What does that mean?" Grey asked. Why did he have 2 ranks?

"Well, the first is the one for your age, 17. You are ranked at S among your peers. The second is overall, for all people. You only rank at F+, which is still extraordinary." Samantha told Grey. The letter was kind of confusing in that regard.

"Yes, that's right." Lucas added. "But why are you ranked 0? Does that mean above everyone, or dead last? Are the kids this year that extraordinary?"

"Hm, you're right. I wonder." said Samantha. "Well, Grey will have to find out later. You should go pack now, sweetie." 

"Yeah, I guess." Grey ran off to go pack, and his parents exchanged a knowing smile, unbeknownst to Grey.

---

The next morning, bright and early, Grey woke both Lucas and Samantha up. Even whilst knowing that he would go through a portal, he still chose to eat breakfast. He was confident that he wouldn't throw up this time.

They drove to the Hero's Association again, and at the doors to the building, Grey pulled them both into a hug.

"I'll miss you. Don't forget about me."

"Oh, Grey. It's just 3 months." Samantha said.

"Yeah, and I've never gone outside for more than a day. I've never made friends before."

Samantha froze at the words, realising that Grey was rather sheltered. 'It won't be too bad, right?'

"Well then, this is the perfect opportunity, isn't it. Go out and make some friends." Is what she actually said.

"Yeah. Goodbye." Grey waved the two off, running into the building, suitcase in arm.

He ran to the portal for The Island, and looked back one more time. With a smile, he moved into it. Only to be stopped by the lady at the desk.

"Sir, you need to show your acceptance email."

"Oh, yeah, oops." Grey gave a wry smile to the lady, who looked to be 24. She blushed a bit, evident of his charm, and then let him through.

He walked through the portal, not looking back, a smile stuck to his face.

His vision went black, but his stomach didn't churn. 'Knew it.' As his vision came back, Grey was in the white room again. The vomit had been cleaned up, and there was a desk in front of him.

He walked up to it, and the man at the desk looked at him.

"Name and rank." He stated, his voice monotone.

"Grey Heart, Rank 0."

The man shuffled through a few papers, and pulled a bracelet out of the desk draw. Scanning the page he took with the bracelet, he waited a moment, before passing it to him and placing the paper in a bin.

"Here ya go. That there is your bracelet. Don't lose it. It costs more than you, probably. It gives you access to all facilities that you have access to, your room, and the AI here. Off you go." The man made an attempt at banter, but it failed spectacularly. His monotone voice was not helping.

"Thank you." Grey grabbed the bracelet, and carefully put it on his arm. He went round the desk to the doors, and then opened them wide.

On the other side was a breathtaking sight. All around was the sea, and the buildings were modern masterpieces. Sleek, white designs, with lots of windows, the campus had 6 buildings. 2 tall skyscrapers stood closest, presumably the dorms. In between, and further off, was a massive square block. From his research, Grey knew that this was the school. Behind it would be the arena, and behind that would be the teacher's lounge and dorms. The final building was the one he was in. The reception.

"I'm here!" He yelled. "Let's go!"

'This is going to be fun!'