《Vanguard of the Arcane》 Prologue Have you heard of the multiverse theory and perhaps even pondered its plausibility? Have you wondered if these universes are connected? Perhaps even mirrored? When you journey to one of these ¡®mirrored¡¯ universes and into the Apollic Star system, finally you see life like your own. Human civilization built across 5 moons orbiting a colossal sunset colored gas giant named Chimera; which is about the same size as the planet you know as Jupiter. This planet orbits a star named Apollo which has 1.5 times the mass of the star you call the sun, and emits around twice the amount of heat. As for the earth sized moons which orbit Chimera and house this human civilization, their names are Chione, Vulcan, Janus, Feronia and Elysia. Each with very different civilizations and environments. Beginning with the moon furthest out, Khione. Khione is a landscape dominated by tundras and taigas and is stuck in an eternal winter. This has resulted in a sparse population, few but very large territories and a general lack of food which has resulted in a reliance on Feronia for feeding the population. Khione is run by its military which is split into 6 territories: These are led by Chief Sentinels or Glavnyye Strazhi locally, while the entire moon is run by the Marshal. No elections are held and both the sentinels and marshals are chosen by an elite council and serve until their death. The Military overall maintains a tight grip over the moon and is primarily tasked with ensuring public safety, thus crime rates are very low and there is virtually no civil unrest. However, Khione has earned the nickname of ¡°ghost ball¡± among the rest of the interlunar system for various reasons. One of the aspects is due to the sparse, isolated populations and the brutal cold climate. The other aspect of it is the authoritarian military rule over the people as the people must follow curfews, behavior and movement restrictions and are under constant surveillance. Anyone caught not following the laws are arrested immediately and given a harsh sentence, in some more extreme cases the military government will hold public executions to send a message to the rest of the people. There is also not much to do in Khione and people are usually stuck indoors for most of the star year depending on their jobs; media and trade from other moons that are not basic necessities are either censored or blocked from entering and overall entry and exit into Khione is heavily restricted. Yet despite this, there is an active black market which deals in banned foreign goods. Khione suffers from an overall low happiness level among the population, mental illnesses, drug overdoses and suicides are common place all across the moon. The lack of natural resources and institutions dedicated to manufacturing, technological innovation has hurt and stagnated the economy and Khione owes a severe volume of debt to the other moons, mostly Vulcan. This has heavily drived the cost of living down across the moon in order to prevent widespread poverty and a low tax rate as the military government can not afford to place more economic pressure on its population which prevents them from being able to spend money on necessities for society. The vast majority of military government personnel do not enjoy a much higher standard of living either and there is not much of a rich class in the society. When not patrolling, censoring or handing out punishment, the military is often preoccupied with battling very dangerous wildlife which selective pressures resulted in them evolving to hunt humans for food, as well as corrupt military personnel safeguarding black market interests and rogue military androids. It is theorized the reason for this paranoid government is due to Khione being a primary weapons testing place and host for other military projects for mostly Elysia but at times the other moons. However this is just a theory, historically anyone that has attempted to uncover any secrets are erased from federal records shortly after. Another mystery among the Khionese and the rest of the interlunar system is the climate. Even when it is closest to Apollo, its climate still does not change much and somehow does not really have seasons, always in a tundra-like state. Some believe that the government also hides this, others believe they might not even know the true culprit. Vulcan is a very technologically advanced moon which has both the largest population in the inter lunar system and is the most densely populated. Power is directly held in the hands of tech corporations. Vulcan is split into 16 Zones: These corporations are led by their chairman - locally named Zhu Xi - and boards of directors. Conflicts and power struggles exist all across the moon, even within the corporations themselves. The formal government is organized by trusts and each trust rules its own zone with its own set of laws and police force. This has resulted in Vulcan often being the hub of technological innovation which is the base of the economy and most new groundbreaking inventions come from Vulcan. Corruption, betrayal, and disappearances are not uncommon within society, especially with the lower classes. High rise buildings dominate the landscape, but most people live below in small, poorly maintained apartments. All Vulcanish citizens are allowed to carry weapons, due to the high crime rates and the inaction of the corporations. Many citizens have cybernetics, enhancing their physical abilities, however with severe drawbacks when bought for cheaper prices. At some point in the history of Vulcan, androids were commercial products, but their production was banned after an android uprising that almost crippled the megacorporations. The corporations have strict policies of hunting down the remaining androids, who have organized themselves into terrorist groups, dedicated to destroying the megacorporations, and are apathetic towards citizens who are caught in the crossfire. Janus is a technologically advanced and heavily industrialized moon in the lunar system. Compared to the other moons, it is the most wealthy and has the largest wealth per capita after Elysia; this is due to the very large exports of energy, mass produced technology and finished products which the other moons rely on with the exception of Vulcan. Despite green technology being the norm and fossil fuels no longer existing, wildlife and nature is very scarce. Historically, this resulted in conflicts with several animal groups to which the Janusi have responded with several mass exterminations. Despite the bustling economy, Janus has to rely on the other moons for raw materials and especially food from Feronia. The government declares itself to be a democracy, however the majority of its citizens describe it as a plutocratic senate; there are 10 prefectures which each have 3 senators - totaling up to 30 for Vulcan - which are elected every 6 years and have a 2 term limit. These are the 10 Prefectures: However many find it odd that the same parties win every election and those parties have ties to very wealthy families who have their other half invested in business. Wealth inequality is rampant across the moon where the wealthy enjoy a long list of privileges which the lower classes do not despite being the source of menial labor. The lower classes see this as a lack of representation which has led to extreme movements, most notably vigilante assassin organizations dedicated to ¡°eliminating¡± the higher class, despite clashes with the government they are rather discrete and crime rates are determined more by individual acts and levels vary across the moon. Besides the senators, a Supreme Senator is elected once every 12 years and has no term limits to lead the entire moon and serve as the main representation in meetings concerning all of the interlunar system. Feronia is a very lush green, tropical and mostly rural moon which is home to large biodiversity and geodiversity; there are also plenty of different climates, weather phenomena, biomes and unique geographical features. The Feronian economy has capitalized on this and based their economy off of agriculture, raw material production and tourism. The negative aspects of this is the high amount of wildlife-human conflicts that occur however many areas have adapted either adequate defense mechanisms or in some regards have established ecologically interdependent relationships with the wildlife. There have also been conflicts with competition for different resources, particularly with plants and fungi, however excessive harvesting does not often occur due to surplus and cultural values. The moon is also a cultural hub where several ancient and modern cultures flourish across the moon and the provinces here each enjoy mostly mutually beneficial relationships. There are 10 provinces which are listed below: However they must function like this to maintain a degree of order as Feronia is generally seen as quite politically fractured, the provinces function more as autonomous political powers with their own systems rather than functioning as a unit. This is due to a lack of power from the central government which does have a president - locally called Presidente - and prime ministers - locally called Ministros - for each province which are elected every 5 years with a 2-term limit. Often, most politicians do not finish their terms and are removed early, arrested or killed due to one of 3 reasons: They are removed by a political entity in the political conflicts occuring in the government between different parties, they are involved in a scandal and are removed to decrease corruption or they are assassinated by an organized crime group. Organized Crime Syndicates - referred locally as Sindicatos or colloquially as Sines - in general are very common in Feronia and have a high degree of power, some of the most powerful ones have control over certain territories. Feronia has a very high crime rate and has the highest incarceration rate which has led to overcrowded prisons and riot police are a common sight in larger cities. The syndicates form for several different reasons but there are observed commonalities. The foundation of some syndicates comes from an altruistic standpoint as they wish to bring change to the people and serve as a substitute for what has been an ineffective government. Compared to the rest of the interlunar system , Feronia is behind in technological and societal advancement and has the most poverty, only the upper classes really enjoy the active economy. Some of these syndicates smuggle technology and other resources needed for development from other parts of the world. The other reason why they might form is due to the surplus of resources, there are plenty of sources of drugs which the syndicates capitalize on for profit and the more powerful ones have business in other moons , mostly the rich class in Janus. Some syndicates dedicate their time to poaching animals for more resources and for luxurious goods to sell to the higher classes either domestically or to clients on other moons. Some also develop as direct opposition to other syndicates and or the government as they feel they have not been recognized and attempt to act as anarchist groups towards their own goals. The syndicates create civil unrest, hurt public morale, corrupt the government and violate human rights laws enacted by Feronia; they are known for being very violent as conflicts between both the military and other syndicates are very common and often civilian casualties occur. The public view of the syndicates is overwhelmingly negative and the citizens seek to eliminate these syndicates and will cooperate in order to provide peace to their people. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Elysia, the last moon is the main moon of this inter lunar civilization. Elysia within the interlunar holds authority over the other moons and reaps many of the exports from the other 4 moons. Elysia can be described as nearly identical to the planet you call home; Earth. Except Elysia has one supercontinent which is mostly uninhabited but the Capital of humanity - Arcania - lies right in the center. The Landscape at the center can be best described as ideal for human civilization, with deciduous forest surrounding the capital with a moderate climate and 4 seasons very similar to ones found in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth, specifically areas such as the Northeast United States or Central Europe. A mayor of Arcania is elected every 5 years and there is a 2 term limit. Also in Arcania lies the supreme council of human civilization, consisting of 13 members which are selected by the Elysian government officials, military leaders, scholars and company CEOs and the mayor. The identities of these council members, their activities and further details of council are not disclosed to the public and which information is disclosed is by the mayor of Arcania in public announcements. There are also several small towns in the countryside of Arcania with their own mayors, communities and institutions. Also in the countryside are several military bases along with a military university, named Arcanian Vanguard Academy, often abbreviated AVA. Students from all across the inter lunar system come to apply to take the entrance exam however only the top 1% of scorers are admitted. The main 2 groups of people that attend are either training to become super soldiers or aspiring researchers who must commit a large portion of their research to the military. Anywhere beyond the countryside outskirts of Arcania is dense, uninhabited forests and several different landscapes all across the supercontinent which are also uninhabited. The Elysian Military and AVA often act as peacekeepers across the interlunar system and many times are very busy. There are also theories and suspicions from civilians that the military is also battling alien forces however the Arcanian mayor has consistently denied this. Civilians are not allowed past the outskirts, only authorized military personnel occasionally enter. Elysia due to their authority over the moons also acts to unify humanity, one of the most significant means of that is through one interlunar time keeping system, which is centered around Chimera¡¯s revolutions and orbit around Apollo. As a result of the moons being tidal locked to Chimera, the periods of light and dark tend to last much longer which resulted in humans evolving to have sleep patterns depending on the light and dark cycle. The details of which are detailed below.

General Principles

  1. Gas Giant Day (GD): 24 hours, measured from 0:01 to 24:00
  2. Star Year (SY): 365 Gas Giant Days (GD).
  3. Light and Dark Cycles:
Moon-Specific Cycles and Time Zones

Elysia:

Month Structure: Average Sleep Schedule:

Feronia

Month Structure: Example Sleep Schedule:

Vulcan

Month Structure: Example Sleep Schedule:

Janus

Month Structure: Example Sleep Schedule:

Khione

Month Structure: Example Sleep Schedule: Final 5 days of the year for every moon: Relative to the present day, this time system was enacted 463 years ago once the expansion from Elysia to the other moons was considered complete. Around 500,000 years ago is when the first traces of the earliest humans were observed in Elysia and slowly expanded across the entire continent over the next 200,000 years. However there was a global warming observed on Elysia due to the extensive use of fossil fuels which led to a need to expand outward to create settlements on other moons which were potentially habitable and the next 200,000 years of humanity was spent terraforming the other 4 moons and then building settlements. Over this time, several mass extinction events such as deadly epidemics, rising sea levels, meteor strikes and cataclysmic weather disasters occurred on Elysia which greatly reduced the populations and pushed the population more towards the center of the supercontinent. As a result of these mass extinctions, several records of history were lost and the vast majority have yet to be recovered. 500 years before the new time system is when civilizations on other moons were starting to expand outward and eventually became their own functioning entities with large populations mirroring those Elysia once had. Also during this time is when Elysia was able to rebuild what was left and able to unite under the capital of Arcania and established its rule over the other moon civilizations. To this day, many people have several theories regarding the lost ruins of Ancient Elysian civilization, still unexplored to this day. It was the beginning of year one when Elysia finally established the inter lunar time system for every moon to follow while being able to keep their months and weekdays however had to rearrange them to fit the Elysian standard. Elysia also enforces a standard measuring system referred to as the Elysian system which is identical to the system you recognize as the metric system. The inter lunar currency is the Arcan, which can be broken into 100 Gnosas, however some local currencies might still be used. As of the year 463, here is the current information of moons: Elysia: Feronia: Vulcan: Janus: Khione: So as the story unfolds, gaze into these multi-colored crystal balls and take the knowledge of foresight with you once the show is complete. [Author''s Note: Do not worry, you do not have to memorize all of this, it will make more sense further in the story. If anything this is meant for reference. Anyways thanks for reading! Any thoughts and feedback would be appreciated.] Chapter 1: Standing at the Precipice A seemingly normal start to the week as Apollo shines brightly over the Arcania skyline. After the scheduled sleep times, the city awakens, resuming its routine. For the ordinary citizens of Elysia, this is simply another day, a mundane and forgettable chapter in their lives. However, for a select few young Elysians, and for others all across the interlunar system, the events deciding their futures commence today. Many aspirations will be shattered and left to rust, and from those remains, a select few will rise to shine above the decay. The success of the top few will shine with thriving life, blindgin to the death of the majority. Today, Cassiopeia, Laniakea 19th, 463, at 9:00, marks the beginning of this year¡¯s rounds of exams for AVA admissions. Over this grueling two-week period, the incoming freshmen class will be determined. Over 50,000 young prospects will compete for a mere 100 places. As the thick stream of students come flowing into the open gates of AVA. Observing that flow like a bird of prey, lies a pair of eyes 15 stories above. Those eyes belong to one of those young Elysian prospects. As he contemplates his observations, he calmly mutters, with a deep tired resonant voice, ¡°Aw shit I overslept¡±. Right after, his phone starts ringing. He picks up the small rod device and has it fold out to a screen as he takes the call. As soon as he hits the answer button, an intimidating, gruff and concerned voice rings out, ¡°Treyvon! Where the fuck are you!?¡± Annoyed, he simply responds, ¡°I overslept, what else you want me to say, Luca? Besides, the opening announcements don¡¯t start until 9:30 anyway.¡± The voice quickly retorts, ¡°You¡¯ve been working your entire life for this day! You don¡¯t simply ¡®oversleep¡¯!¡± Now more irritated, Treyvon responds, ¡°Okay fine, I¡¯ll be down soon. Calm down.¡± He then hangs up and puts the phone down. He quickly dresses and steps to the mirror to brush his teeth and groom himself. He stares at his reflection for a moment, introspective. He sees his face, skin like tree bark complemented with a strong build and black, thick hair like a cluster of tree leaves, and bright, lush green eyes the color of spring. His appearance mirrors the wisdom he possesses as he realizes the beginning of his ultimate goal is finally here. As he splashes water on his face, he whispers to himself, ¡°You got this.¡± He leaves the bathroom, grabs his bag, and runs out of the apartment. Treyvon darted through the bustling streets of Arcania, weaving through the morning crowd with practiced agility. He slipped through the closing doors of a train and quickly took a nearby seat. As he sat in the ambient noise of the track and overlapping conversations, he slipped into an introspective state. ¡°It¡¯s about time, my life¡¯s work standing right here,¡± he thought to himself. ¡°All I need is to take the final step. And I don¡¯t even have a reason for all of this. I remember nothing before my 12th birthday. I just remember waking up in a room one day and seeing Luca standing across from me. He told me who he was, where we were, and that I would be trained to become a soldier.¡± Treyvon continued his internal musings, realizing something. ¡°But even without Luca on my ass about the training, something inside of me wants this, needs this. That voice, it never shuts up. Even when I sleep, I still hear it. It¡¯s annoying that I can¡¯t figure out why it is there or why it screams to me so much. But I listen to it. It has meaning for me. What other reason would I have to live if I didn¡¯t have this? Welp, I guess that¡¯s why I am here. If only I knew why¡ª¡± ¡°The train is now at stop E. If this is your stop, please exit the train,¡± the automated voice announced over the speakers, snapping Treyvon back to reality. He stood up, shouldered his bag, and stepped off the train. The AVA gates loomed ahead, a fortress of modern architecture and tradition. As he approached the entrance, the sheer scale of the academy struck him. Its imposing towers reached towards the sky, gleaming under Apollo¡¯s light. Treyvon merged into the still-flowing stream of students but was interrupted by a familiar gruff voice calling out to him. ¡°Treyvon, dammit, why did you have to oversleep!? Well, all that matters is that you¡¯re here now. Look, I¡¯m just going to go over some things I found,¡± Luca said, his tone a mix of frustration and concern. Treyvon listened calmly as Luca explained his findings about the entrance exams. ¡°So first, there will be a written portion with eight different sections. Not sure how the sections are organized, but you¡¯re good. Then there¡¯s the physical portion, which will cover your abilities in various exercises and include a lengthy obstacle course. There will also be a practical portion specific to your track. Since you chose to be on the frontlines as an enforcer, you¡¯ll be tested with certain weapons, devices, and scenarios. After this, 30,000 people will be eliminated. Then there will be an escape room portion where you¡¯ll be paired with two others to get through within a set time, but you¡¯ll still be scored individually. This will cut the pool down to 500 people. Finally, there¡¯s one last aspect to finalize the incoming class. I don¡¯t know what it is, but expect it to be brutal¡ªif you even make it that far.¡± Treyvon laughed, saying, ¡°What do you mean ¡®if¡¯? You mean ¡®when¡¯ I make it to that point.¡± Luca let out a soft chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s the Treyvon I know. The opening announcements will start in a few minutes. Now go kick some ass!¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Treyvon nodded, laughing, and started running. He eventually merged with the throng of students, feeling nervous but determined and confident. As he looked around, he saw other Elysians, but also many students from the other moons, mostly Janusi and Vulcanish. He noticed some Feronians as well, who stood out with their respirators, giving them a mysterious and almost intimidating presence. Having never been out of Elysia before, it was a bit of a shock for Treyvon to see these different groups of people and cultures. He hoped to expand his knowledge of the other moons and step out of his bubble as he interacted with these new peers. Everyone was then funneled through lines for identification purposes, and Treyvon eventually reached the front, where he saw a woman in a secretary outfit. ¡°Name and birthdate?¡± ¡°Treyvon Edavane, Ghidorah 17th, 445.¡± ¡°Okay, I got you. Your testing location will be in room 2050 after the opening announcements,¡± the woman stated in a monotonous, disconnected voice. Treyvon was cleared and made his way to the conference hall, where the opening announcements would soon begin. The hall was enormous, mostly made of marble. At the front was a giant stage with smooth, white pillars on either side. The back was shaped like a half hemisphere, the surface wavy, almost like a clamshell. White lights decorated the space, illuminating the main stage, while the audience lights dimmed and then shut off. A very tall woman with a green top, a long dress, and a giant white afro stepped onto the stage. The sound of her heels hitting the floor was resonant, reverberating clearly to the audience. She took the microphone and raised it to her mouth, then began to speak. ¡°Good morning, everyone. I am Juniper Hammock, the Dean of Students at Vanguard Military Academy. I first want to congratulate all of you for reaching this point. Being considered for this academy is a great honor, and I greatly appreciate your interest in our academy and for taking the time to attend our entrance exams. The first stage of the entrance exams will be the written exam, which will take place right after I finish this speech. The sections of the exam will be, in chronological order: Literature, Math, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Politics, History, and Geography. You will have until 20:00 to complete the test, with around one hour for each section. Now, you will be guided to your assigned rooms, which were determined randomly, where you will begin your exams. I wish the best of luck to all of you.¡± Treyvon made his way to room 2050, cutting through the bustling hallways, finding the room equally active. Rows of desks filled the space, each with a student preparing for the exam. As he scanned the room, he noticed an empty seat at a table near the window. He headed over and set his bag down, thinking to himself, ¡°Damn, so close I can feel myself trembling. The test can¡¯t begin soon enough, but I also want it to stall. This could be a case where I¡¯ve either overprepared or underprepared, the latter being the much more likely option, of course. Now there is s¡ª¡± ¡°You seem tense.¡± The cheerful, melodic voice of a girl broke Treyvon¡¯s introspective musings. He turned to see a girl with bright eyes and a wide smile. Her auburn hair fell in loose waves, and she had an air of effortless confidence. He was silent for a moment, slightly startled by the girl¡¯s bluntness, and all he could muster as a reply was, ¡°...okay.¡± Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, giving her expression a teasing edge. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re in bits then.¡± Now slightly annoyed, Treyvon gave her a blank stare. The girl responded by giggling loudly before clearing up the situation. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m just codding you. Name¡¯s Aoife Varian. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Treyvon Edavane. Nice to see you¡¯re having fun under all the pressure.¡± Treyvon felt his mood lightening as his paranoid thoughts, once deafening, were now silenced by the lighthearted conversation. Aoife giggled and responded, ¡°Well, how else could I handle the pressure, sure?¡± Her tone became more rapid as she continued, ¡°Also, I must say, this place is a bit of a maze. I got lost, and I almost thought I¡¯d be late now,¡± she said with a laugh, her eyes twinkling. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s massive. First time seeing so many people from different moons,¡± Treyvon admitted, glancing around the room. He continued, ¡°Speaking of moons, which one are you from?¡± ¡°Elysia. I live in outer Arcania,¡± Aoife chimed, her mirthful expression never wavering. Treyvon, noting her expressions and accent, responded, ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°I am! But I moved there recently. Originally, I¡¯m from Regaurem, Janus. As for you, I take it you¡¯re a local, sure?¡± ¡°Yes, I live here¡ªpretty close, actually.¡± The calming atmosphere of their conversation was ruptured as the proctor in the room started handing out the booklets containing the first portion of the exam. Treyvon, in an attempt to finish the conversation, awkwardly said, ¡°Welp, uh, looks like we¡¯re about to start soon.¡± Aoife, her confidence unfaltering, reassured him, ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry, we got this now. I¡¯d say good luck, but you don¡¯t need it.¡± Treyvon, with a half-smile, chimed back, ¡°Yeah, you definitely don¡¯t with how happy you seem. Godspeed.¡± Aoife giggled, and they both turned away from each other to look at their exam booklets and wait. The proctor reached the front of the room and began his monologue. ¡°This is the first portion of the written exam, the Literature section. Based on which moon you¡¯re from, the exams were customized to reflect the literature of your moon. This portion consists of 30 multiple-choice questions and three essay portions. You will have one hour to complete the exam and must stop when instructed to do so. First, open the booklet to the first page and fill in the blanks with your personal information.¡± Treyvon did as instructed, amid the ambience of rustling clothing, shifting paper, and scribbling pens. Once done, he looked ahead, feeling a wave of determination wash over him, thinking, "Time to fucking ace this thing!" The proctor then stepped back up and, with his final words, opened the gates to the trial. ¡°Turn to the second page, and you may now begin.¡± Chapter 2 Sitting in the common area, staring up at the ceiling, Treyvon feels slightly fatigued but mostly relieved. Him and Aoife have finally been granted a break after the 4th section was complete. He turned to Aoife, stating ¡°You know I was expecting much worse, it felt easy, there were a couple sections on the computer science section that were a bit annoying but I think I¡¯m good.¡± Aoife beaming responded ¡°See, I told you so. Sure the Literature section was nothing but dryshite but everything else was fine. Anyways I¡¯ll be back, just going to get some food.¡± Aoife then lightly jogs away to the line to the buffet to await her meal, leaving Treyvon to his thoughts as he was not hungry. ¡°The only unfortunate thing about this is that they are written, and I hate the sound of writing, not sure why but it is so damn annoying! Well at least it¡¯s not pen, pen is actually fucking painful to listen to. Hell that¡¯s why the computer science section was better, I much prefer typing.¡± Treyvon then spots a seat by a window with Apollo''s rays coming through to provide a comforting warmth. He then moves over to sit down and bask in both the warmth of the light and the coldness of his thoughts, but that is cut short as he sees a rather short guy walking over to where he was, immediately what stook out was the respirator he had on , covering half his face; this essentially gives away he is from Feronia. He also had brown skin, slicked back black hair and round glasses encircling light brown eyes. He then walked up to Treyvon, stopped and stared, without saying a word. ¡°......Can I help you?¡± muttered Treyvon, in a very perplexed tone. The man immediately responded ¡°I was planning to sit there, I have my bag there¡±, he spoke calmly and politely, however the respirator distorted his voice making him sound somewhat intimidating, he also had a noticeable foreign accent, further adding to the ominous tone he had. Treyvon looked down and noticed the bag, slightly agitated for missing it the first time and now having to deal with this. ¡°Sorry man I¡¯ll move¡±, he responded, hiding his annoyance. ¡°There is no need¡±, the man responded, ¡°I do not mind a conversation.¡± Treyvon just shrugged his shoulders and responded ¡°Eh why not? My name is Treyvon, what is yours?¡± ¡°Xever¡± he responded, it became clear it would be very difficult to read him due to his formality and the respirator hiding most of his facial expressions. ¡°I take it you are a local¡± he followed, his tone slightly more cold now. ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve lived in Arcania my whole life.¡± Treyvon responded, catching the slight shift in tone in his voice, which became even more noticeable with his follow up. ¡°Oh, Arcania, how nice, it is a very beautiful city with such admirable scientific achievements. It must be quite nice to live in such a luxurious place.¡± Treyvon, the best he can respond with is ¡°........Yeah I am very fortunate.¡± Treyvon was aware that some people from the moons held deep rooted animosity towards Elysians for the luxury of the people and benefitting from the exports of the moons, and here it is showing. Treyvon thought ¡°well at least he is trying to be civil¡± and continued the conversation ¡°Where are you from?¡± Xever responded quickly, his tone going back to being polite ¡°I am from Quetzalexio, Feronia. It is the 3rd largest province on the moon and one of the most environmentally diverse.¡± Treyvon hearing this is reminded of how much of his life he could remember was sheltered, as he realizes how far human civilization extends and how others travel, especially if they want to fulfill goals and get a better life. Carrying on from this thought Treyvon decides to ask ¡°What made you come all the way here to try out for AVA?¡± Before Xever responds, he takes off his respirator, revealing more of his face, which clearly mark him as Feronian, particularly from the shape of his nose and his face structure. He flashes a smile before pulling out a fruit from his bag and taking a bite. Treyvon, a bit stunned and confused asks ¡°...Don¡¯t uh.......Don¡¯t you need that to breathe?¡± Xever after swallowing, answers ¡°Yes and no¡±, his voice now sounds much more organic and approachable without the respirator. Treyvon shoots him a confused glance before Xever follows with ¡°Allow me to elaborate, Feronia¡¯s oxygen concentration is higher compared to other moons, it is roughly 26%, compared to Elysia¡¯s 21%. As a result of that, the lungs of people in Feronia got slightly smaller over time to adapt to that environment to avoid oxygen toxicity. However now, when we go to other moons the volume of our lungs is inadequate to provide proper oxygen supply initially so we wear respirators for about 30-40 days to accustom ourselves to the environment and then we can eventually take them off. Now of course the use is intermediate so we can slowly adapt to it.¡± Treyvon, despite not expecting the explanation, was still intrigued, ¡°Damn, so that means I would have to do something similar if I ever go to Feronia?¡± Xever, maintaining his composure, nodded and said ¡°Indeed, anyways, to provide an answer for your previous question, why did I choose to go through the trouble of making traveling arrangements just to apply for AVA, not even knowing if my abilities will be sufficient to be accepted?¡± The slightly cold edge in his voice returns now, but fades in his follow up. ¡°You see, I find the chemical and biological sciences quite intriguing for me and this is the best academy humanity has to offer, so naturally I would do everything to obtain this opportunity to further my knowledge and offer scientific contributions for humanity advancement.¡± Xever then with his 3rd continuation adds, almost in a snarky manner ¡°Now let me ask you Treyvon, what is your reason for applying and going through such a lengthy admission process, despite the low acceptance rates?¡± Treyvon, a bit caught off guard once again, thinks for a bit, but then is able to muster some swagger in his response. ¡°I don¡¯t have as profound of a reason, ¡­¡­heh honestly I wish I had that. Really all I can say is that I want to fight to protect people, and I am good at combat and doing other types of field work such as spying since I¡¯ve received a lot of training for it. Haha, I am hoping I find the reason for myself if I get in. As for the low acceptance rate, I don¡¯t care about it, I know I''m getting in regardless.¡± Xever flashes another half smile before pausing, then continuing with a hint of respect in his speech now. ¡°You do seem to have a reason that aligns with protecting the interests of humanity, that type of life has a purpose, no matter how small or insignificant you interpret it to be, for the specifics of your purpose you simply need more introspection.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Treyvon, simply nodded and said ¡°Thanks¡±, not wanting to admit that actually resonated with him, ¡°Maybe this guy is not so bad, he seems like a nice person.¡± he thinks as he decides to continue the conversation, ¡°anyways you said you are good at Chemistry right?¡±. Xever, flashed another smile, this one seeming more genuine ¡°Yes, I assume you want my help or advice for the next section of this exam?¡± Treyvon quickly followed with ¡°Not exactly, I should manage but Chemistry is not my forte, hell sometimes I even forget the difference between Ketones and Aldehydes.¡± Xever responds with an unusual quickness, startling Treyvon ¡°Aldehydes has the Carbonyl group on the edge, Ketones have it in the middle between 2 methyl groups.¡± Not sure how to respond, Treyvon simply says ¡°.....thanks¡± before starting another sentence before Xever interrupts him ¡°The break time is expiring soon, my test room is very far from here so I should leave now. I wish you the best of luck on the rest of the placement exams.¡± Treyvon is barely able to deliver a ¡°likewise¡± before Xever finishes his fruit, puts his respirator back on, grabs his bag and hastily walks away. Right as this happens Aoife finally arrives with her food, noticeably agitated ¡°Ah, those cafeteria staff were serving the food arseways! Holding the line up on me, Anyways who the hell was that?¡± Treyvon responded ¡°Oh that¡¯s Xever, another student trying to get into AVA, he is interesting. Anyways you have 15 minutes to eat.¡± Aoife, with a deadpan face responds, ¡°I¡¯d have more time if it wasn¡¯t for the staff acting the fucking maggot, I¡¯d have myself more time!¡± Treyvon in response can only laugh as Aoife eats her food and calms down. Once she finishes, she asks ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not hungry?¡± Treyvon answered ¡°No really, for whatever reason I do not get hungry often, but seriously I¡¯m fine.¡± Aoife, confused, can only respond ¡°Odd, but your call.¡± Soon there is an announcement over the speakers ¡°You now have 3 minutes to return to rooms where the 5th section, Chemistry will begin.¡± Aoife laughed ¡°Rumor has this is the worst section, but still time to give it a lash anyways. Are you ready Treyvon?¡± Treyvon calmly responded ¡°I think I should be fine, I was grilled particularly on the chemistry section since it is always what sinks people¡¯s written scores.¡± Aoife, impressed, responded ¡°I should be ready too. I will not let one section ruin my chances! I am getting in here!¡± Treyvon smiled as both him and Aoife walked back to their testing room and took their seats, the chemistry booklet already on their desks. The proctor then began his usual speech ¡°This is the fifth portion of the written exam, the Chemistry section. There will be 25 Multiple Choice questions and 15 free response questions. You will have one hour to complete the exam and must stop when instructed to do so. First, open the booklet to the first page and fill in the blanks with your personal information.¡± Once Treyvon is done, listening to the pencils scribbling as he waits for the proctor to start ¡°Turn to the second page, and you may now begin.¡± The next 5 sections were very grueling for the students including Treyvon and Aoife, the Chemistry section was rough as most students were still writing after time was called, the Biology section was not much better in that regard either however Treyvon was able to finish it fairly quickly. The Politics and history sections were much easier and now the last minutes of the Geography section were ticking away while Treyvon reviewed his answers ¡°My labels should be correct and my proposed solutions to some of these prompts should also be good enough, I think I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s s-¡± ¡°The time for this exam is now up, please stop writing, close your exam booklet and leave it on your desk, you are now dismissed.¡±, this announcement broke Treyvon¡¯s thought process once again but now he is no longer concerned, the most tedious part of the entrance process is now over. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that,¡± Aoife said, walking alongside him and stretching dramatically. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I feel like I dragged myself through a hedge backward.¡± Treyvon chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m glad it¡¯s over. How do you think you did?¡± ¡°Not too bad, I¡¯d say now,¡± Aoife replied, grinning. ¡°Though that Biology section was pure pain. They ask me list one more muscle group, I¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°What about Geography?¡± Treyvon asked, genuinely curious. ¡°I loved that one on me,¡± she said, her eyes lighting up. ¡°Maps and landscapes are my thing. You?¡± ¡°I think I did okay,¡± Treyvon said, though he couldn¡¯t quite shake the feeling that he might¡¯ve mixed up a river¡¯s name in one of his answers. They paused at the exit, watching as other students filtered out, some looking deflated, others excitedly chatting in groups. Treyvon noticed Xever standing alone, his posture stiff, as if in introspection. Treyvon raised a hand in greeting, but Xever simply nodded before disappearing into the crowd. A voice crackled over the academy¡¯s PA system: ¡°All candidates are advised that the results of today¡¯s written exams will be announced tomorrow at 8:00. Please report to the central courtyard for the results and further instructions.¡± Aoife practically bounced on her feet. ¡°Tomorrow! That¡¯s oddly fast¡± ¡°Guess they want to keep the momentum going,¡± Treyvon said. He glanced around at the other students, many of whom seemed visibly tense. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t let it get to you,¡± Aoife said, nudging him with her elbow. ¡°We¡¯ve done our best, just a matter of waiting now.¡± Treyvon nodded, though a knot of uncertainty still remained in his stomach. Later that evening, Treyvon sat in the common area of the dorms, watching as students milled about. Aoife sat down beside him, holding a steaming mug of tea. ¡°You¡¯re too quiet,¡± she said, mock-stern. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°Just thinking about tomorrow,¡± Treyvon admitted. ¡°Wondering if I¡¯ve done enough.¡± Aoife sipped her tea, her expression unusually serious. ¡°You have sure. Just stop fretting, alright?¡± Before Treyvon could reply, his eyes landed on Xever, seated at a corner table, scribbling in a small notebook. His movements were precise, almost methodical. Treyvon wondered what kind of thoughts lied in the boughs of his brain, what goes through the head of someone like him. Later Treyvon was in his room, it was now 23:00, he knows he should be sleeping but he feels like he doesn¡¯t need to for any reason. Looking out the window as Apollo slowly grows more present, the peak of the Diurna slowly approaching. But Treyvon at this point decided he needed some sleep, he shuts the blinds and gets himself in the bed, he simply whispers to himself ¡°Regardless of your score, you did your best. That¡¯s more than most people can say.¡± before he closes his eyes.