Late Bloomers

As soon as he walked out, everyone else tagged along, and some of them began huddling together while the rest just trailed behind.

After they had made their groups, Kai was the only one standing alone.

He rolled his eyes and said through gritted teeth. "Seriously!?"

He sighed and moved his head towards the building and was dumbstruck by its sheer size and magnificence.

It was a circular-shaped building-no structure, reminding him of the coliseum but with the added modern touch to make it truly great.

Its walls were made of an alloy, purposefully made to trap the light of the sun and not reflect it back.

Its towering alloy walls were adorned with effigies of heroic tales of battle and death of fallen heroes and...felled monsters, depicting epic scenes of triumph and tragedy in stunning detail.

"...Wow" Kai uttered with an awestruck face.

While he was entranced by the structure, An athletic man in a strange uniform was coming towards them with great speed but it seemed as if he was only walking.

In just a moment he stood before them and no one noticed him for a few seconds but then a boy shouted:

"Hey! Where did you come from!?"

As he was saying this, the bus made a whirring sound and began to move away from them leaving them startled.

By the time they came to their senses, the bus had already gone.

The athletic man scrutinized them with his stern gaze, after a moment he cleared his throat and said:

"My name is Mire, I will be your escort to the orientation, please stay calm and follow me"

When Mire finished, Kai's gaze fixated on the strange athletic man standing before him, his eyes drawn to the unusual uniform the man was wearing. The fabric was a subdued shade of black and white with just a stylised symbol of a hibiscus flower. Surrounding the flower was a golden circular design.

The man's physique was impressive, with broad shoulders and a chiselled chest that spoke of hours spent training and honing his body. But it was his piercing blue eyes that truly captivated Kai...

'what!? why am I captivated by his eyes? This strange world and its strange powers...' Kai quickly moved his head away and was convinced that it was some sort of power that the man had.

He looked at the others and was relieved to know that they also had the same effect on them.

While Kai was busy in his musings, Mire turned and started walking back, this time at a normal pace.

They looked at Mire sceptically but decided to follow him anyway. The group of students trailed behind him, murmuring amongst themselves as they followed Mire towards the entrance of the circular building.

Kai was also sceptical of this man but decided to follow him anyway.

As he was trailing behind them and reached towards the entrance he looked at himself and was shocked to see himself shaking again, and this time more severely.

"...What is happening?" Kai uttered with a weary expression while looking at his shaking hands.

The entrance to the circular structure was guarded by massive statues of warriors clad in strange armour, their weapons raised in defiance and their faces set in fierce determination.

Kai's trembling hands continued to shake uncontrollably as he stood before the imposing statues guarding the entrance.

Kai took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He couldn't let his nerves get the best of him now, not when he was about to embark on the most dangerous journey of his life...and also because he did not know how to survive that.

...but the shaking of his hands did not stop, it only got more intense.

Mire did not know of this and continued walking but even if he knew, he wouldn't do much other than frown at Kai's behaviour.

...As he did not know the real reason behind it, or else he would have.

Kai saw that he was once again left behind as others had already started passing through the imposing steel gate behind the statues.

As he trailed behind and walked through the entrance, the air around him seemed to shift, becoming charged with a strange energy that prickled at his skin. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew that something was different here.

And with that, it closed with a deep resounding thud.

Kai stood alone in the entrance hall, the sound of the gate closing echoing through the massive circular structure. The room was dimly lit, with tall pillars reaching up towards the domed ceiling. The air felt heavy with anticipation and mystery.

He looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The walls of the entrance hall were adorned with intricate tapestries depicting ancient battles and mythical creatures. The stories seemed to come alive through the vibrant colours and detailed artwork.

Kai's gaze shifted to the other students who had already entered. They were huddled together, whispering among themselves, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves, and approached the group.

As he joined the others, he noticed that Mire was nowhere to be seen. The athletic man had disappeared without a trace, and instead of him, an old man who seemed to be in his sixties was walking towards a raised platform ahead of them radiating a sense of dignity.

A sense of unease crept up on Kai, due to the growing intensity of his shaking.

Whispers of excitement and speculation filled the air as they saw the man approach the raised platform.

'It seems they know this man' Kai thought as he focussed on the man.

Some students hypothesized about the purpose of the man's visit, while others exchanged stories they had heard about him. Kai listened intently, absorbing every word, but his mind kept returning to his own fears and uncertainties.

The shaking of his hands persisted, even growing more pronounced as the man approached the platform. It was as if an invisible force gripped him, causing his entire body to tremble. He clenched his fists, trying to regain control, but the more he fought against it, the stronger the shaking became.

A concerned classmate noticed Kai's shaking and approached him. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.

Kai forced a smile, though it quivered with his trembling lips. "I'm fine," he replied, his voice betraying his unease. "Just a bit nervous, I guess."

She gave him a reassuring nod before rejoining the group, but Kai knew that his explanation didn't quite capture the truth. There was something else at play here, something he couldn't fully comprehend.

The man finally stepped onto the platform, Kai's eyes were immediately drawn to the man in his 60s who stood tall and composed. His aura exuded an undeniable sense of dignity and wisdom that seemed to permeate the air around him.

Every line etched on his weathered face spoke of a life richly lived, with experiences and lessons deeply ingrained within him.

Dressed in a fashion reminiscent of the 20th century, he wore a meticulously tailored charcoal gray suit that hugged his lean frame. The double-breasted jacket, adorned with polished brass buttons, hinted at a bygone era of elegance and sophistication. A white dress shirt, crisply ironed, peeked out from beneath the suit, its collar meticulously fastened with a gold tie pin.

'He looks like those nobles of novels I have read, the main point being, the more sophisticated they were, the more corrupt they were' Kai mused remembering those fun times when he used to immerse himself in their world.

His salt-and-pepper hair, brushed back with precision, accentuated the distinguished air about him. A well-groomed mustache adorned his upper lip, adding to his refined appearance. His eyes, framed by a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles, were filled with a profound depth and a sparkle that hinted at countless stories waiting to be shared.

In the midst of this strange world, this man stood as a timeless figure, a living testament to the virtues of integrity, resilience, and wisdom.

His presence commanded respect, not through force, but through the weight of his character and the depth of his insight. To be in his company was to be in the presence of history, with the opportunity to glean from the vast wellspring of wisdom he possessed.

"Welcome, Late bloomers," the man's voice resonated through the chamber, commanding attention, The room fell silent as all eyes turned towards him, eagerly awaiting his words.

The man paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the room as if assessing each individual. Kai could feel his eyes piercing through him, as if the man could see beyond the trembling facade and into the depths of his inner turmoil.

"I am Professor Aiden," the man introduced himself, his voice carrying a weight of authority and wisdom.

"Every year we welcome the late bloomers before the solar eclipse, However, this year is unlike any other, for the number of individuals this year, precedes any other year by far the most" He paused

"Also just like any other year..."

"Very few of them survive." He said while surveying everyone's faces.

The dread which hid deep within their eyes seemed to spread more thoroughly as the seed of fear started to blossom.

"But we take great shame in that. And to adapt you all for your first nexus, we will make you go through the most comprehensive training we can give you"

"So that most of you survive." Professor Aiden finished with deep tone while surveying everyone's faces.