Shadow Power Test

Eric had a hard time sleeping the night before for several reasons. The first reason was due to him being used to sleeping in the dark. But he could see in the dark. The dark wasn't so dark to him anymore.

He could see perfectly in the dark. It was as if every light was on in the building. Even though he could see in the dark he could still tell that it was dark. It was bizarre, but somehow, he could feel the darkness, like he could sense it.

That took him some time to get used to it before falling asleep.

The other reason he had a difficult time falling to sleep was because of what Hurst told him. Acer sent word out to all the weaker students to give half of their monthly military pay to him for protection and support. Eric wasn't sure what he wanted to do yet.

His plan was always to lay low in the military. For whatever reason he was getting the attention of others. He didn't quite understand it yet. He was being targeted and there didn't seem to be any reason behind it.

Eric was playing with two thoughts. To go ahead a pay Acer, so that would be one less problem to deal with. Once class begins his hands will be full of enough.

The other thought that came to his mind was to refuse. To do so would mean that he would have some fights ahead. Most likely they would keep coming and coming to make an example of him.

"Ugh! Why are there so many alphas in the world with something to prove?" Eric thought to himself when trying to figure this issue out.

He did not have to make the decision now. They don't get paid until there first day of class. Eric still has time to figure something out if he has to. Two weeks to be exact.

There was one thing that made the difference. His system and ability. He wasn't sure what it all did, but he was pretty sure he and his ability wasn't trash any more. That thought allowed him to be more courageous. It also comforted him enough to fall asleep too.

"Dude!!!! Where were you last night?" a voice asked loudly waking Eric up.

Eric quickly sat up. As fast as he jerked himself up, he fell flat back down. He forgot that he was sleeping on the bottom bunk. Everyone in his room could hear the thud.

"Pffsh…CRAP! THAT HURT!" Eric exclaimed in pain holding his forehead.

"Man, that's going to leave a mark."

Eric looked over to see who it was. It was Vincent. It looked like he just came back from taking a shower. He was fully dressed in the military slate gray uniform, but his usually messy hair was slightly damp and brushed back.

Eric checked his hand to see if he was bleeding. He was surprised to see no blood.

"Looks like you'll be ok. But you're going to have a bump for a while," Vincent said after seeing the dark red spot on Eric's head.

Eric sat up slowly this time and shifting himself around to sit on the edge of the bed. He kept touching his head where the throbbing was coming from to make sure he wasn't bleeding.

"What did you ask me? Rudely waking me up. Jerk!"

Vincent smiled, "I asked where you were last night."

All the guys from there room left after all the commotion was over with Eric hitting his head. While Eric stood up from his bead and got ready for the day. He told Vincent all about his new powers. About him using shadow step.

He decided to leave out the system. Eric didn't know how others would take it. Knowing his luck the wrong person would hear about and want to replicate it, which means he would become a test subject.

It was fourteen days until class started. Everyone was allowed to do as they pleased, within reason. But they had to be in uniform though. The military suggested for them to use this time to become familiar with their abilities.  That was exactly what Eric intended to do. He had more abilities to test. Then to the city, which was 3 miles away, to see what was there.

If trouble was coming, whether person or beast, he needed a firm grasp on his abilities. Ever since he came to the military academy trouble has followed him. The name of that trouble was Acer.

After Eric finished spiking up his thick red hair he turned to Vincent and asked, "Will you go to the training center with me? There is something I need to test out."

"You mean you want me to be your guinea pig? No, I don't think so," Vincent replied with a no-nonsense look.

"Awww, come on. It won't hurt."

"Are you sure? You did just get your powers. How would you know?"

"Yes, of course it won't hurt," Eric said this his most confident poker face he could muster.

Honestly, no, he was sure. He just assumed that it wouldn't hurt. The description of the abilities he wanted to test on Vincent didn't say anything about harming them.

"Fine. If it hurts, I get to punch you in the face. Deal?"

"Ok. Ok. Deal," Eric replied in hopes he wouldn't hurt that part of his body anymore today.

Eric and Vincent walked out of their room. This time Eric did not have so much on his mind to notice that there were six doors in the hallway. Five of them were numbered one through 5.

The door that didn't have a number was all the way in the back of the hallway. Eric turned to see what number was on their door. It was five.

"What's up with the numbers? Eric asked Vincent.

"That's right. You missed the briefing last night. Our barracks are split up in to five 4-man squads. The room that doesn't have a number is Sergeant McKinney's room. He is our acting commanding officer while we are here at the academy for the boys' side of the platoon. Lieutenant Carter is the commanding officer of the entire academy."

"Ok, that's makes sense. So, it's me, you, and Hurst. But who is the other guy in our squad?"

"That's Brandon Smith," Vincent replied, "He's one of the other guys that didn't open their power. It should open up any time now."

"I'm also assuming that the number 5 on the door means that we are squad 5?"

"Yep," Vincent answered and started walking toward the training center.

After they arrived to the training center there was about 30 people there working on and testing the newly found power. This place was huge. It was a stadium size place. There were more than enough room for people. There were four platoons on campus and they all could fit in here and do whatever activity they wanted.

This could have been on of those football or baseball stadiums that barely survived. Most of the military factions repurposed them into something more practical that would be beneficial for the people. A place for storage or training centers.

Right now, in this world, survival is number one priority, not leisure. People these days don't waste time. They either train to fight the beast and invading territories, or work so they can eat that day.

"Tell me, what can you do with your smoke powers?" Eric asked.

"Well, I can do a couple of things right now. I can shoot out smoke from my hand. I'm also able to make a cloud that suffocates people," Vincent replied.

"Is that all?"

"Well, the other thing I can do but it's hard to explain. I can create a cloud of smoke around me or me and others. We can almost hide in a room or maybe another dimension. Somehow, I know what going on outside of the smoke, like I can see through it. But it takes a lot of power and energy to do it."

"Dude, that's awesome!" Eric replied enthusiastically.

He always thought abilities and what they can do were amazing. Everyone's powers were slightly different. Eric always wondered what people would be able to do if they weren't always fighting beasts and each other. He believed there was no limit to the potential of people of the common good.

Due to the fall of government 40 years ago, people are clawing their way to the top. Not caring who they step on. It's despicable. The is now a form a government is in place, but it's very shaky now, and constantly changing.

"I was really wanting a more offensive power," Vincent replied.

"Who knows, you might get an offensive ability later on. You heard lieutenant Cater, if you work hard, this can become powerful," Eric said trying to cheer him up.

"Plus, support powers are important too. Even offensive powers need help," Eric added trying to give him some facts.

"Ok, what did you want to test on me?" Vincent asked trying to change the topic from him.

"O yeah," Eric said walking over to Vincent's shadow.

Eric them stepped on Vincent's shadow. Then suddenly the blue screen appeared and spoke.

<Shadow Pin activated.>

<-10 RP>

He could always see a HP and RP bar in the lower corner of his vision. It now showed that his RP was now 40/50.

"Minus 10, good to know," He thought.

"Try to move," He instructed Vincent.

Vincent didn't move. He didn't make a sound. It was as if he was a statue.

"Cancel," Eric thought.

Vincent almost fell over trying to regain his balance.

"That was horrible. No matter what I couldn't move. My body wouldn't do anything. That's, that's, that's, … I don't have words for it. It's. Just. Powerful," Vincent said.

"Ok, one more thing."

<Shadow Manipulation activated.>

Immediately Eric's shadow moved over to Vincent's Shadow then both shadows mingled together and started wrapping around Vincent's legs. All of this was being done by Eric's thoughts.

"This is what it must be like to have a tail," Eric thought because the shadows just felt like it was a part of him.

<Scan Activated>

<Vincent Conner.>

<Ability: smoke.>

<level: unknown>

< HP: 25/25>

"So, it's limited on how much it can show me," He thought.

"Try and move your legs," Eric said out loud telling Vincent what to do.

This time Vincent could move. His legs couldn't move much. You could see him struggle.

"I'm trying! I'm stuck!" Vincent said very loudly.

<-1 RP>

<-1 RP>

<-1 RP>

Every 30 seconds while Vincent was fighting to get out of the shadows Eric could see his RP go down, one by one.

The shadows let loose of their grasp on Vincent's legs and went directly back to Eric. The shadows stopped at Eric's feet and stayed there.

"Well, I'm done for now what about you? Do you want to try anything?" Eric asked.

"Nope, I'm good. I did most of my testing yesterday. You're just a bum," Vincent said with a low laugh.

"Maybe we can spar tomorrow. Let's go ahead go see what's in the city," Eric said trying to give direction.

They both started walking toward the door on the other side of the training center.

"Once people see your ability, I don't think they can call you trash anymore," Vincent said.

As soon as they got to the door.  "I'm really of hoping there are some hotties in the city. I hear they like a man in uniform," Vincent added with a grin.