2024-12-31 05:06:35The Training Grounds at White Oak were truly impressive, leaving a lasting impression on those who set foot in them. The vast expanse of the grounds was predominantly open-air, adorned with grand rings enclosed by towering metal walls that evoked the image of ancient arenas where heroes honed their skills.
Among the students, Vardy found himself among the Frame students, a distinct group that stood apart from the others. As he observed the crowd, he estimated that there were approximately two hundred 'normal' students bustling about, each with their own aspirations and dreams of becoming heroes.
In contrast to the grandeur of other renowned hero schools, White Oak appeared modest in size. Vardy couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps the school lacked the financial resources of its counterparts, yet there was an underlying sense of mystery that lingered in the air. It was as if there was more to White Oak than met the eye, a hidden depth waiting to be uncovered.
Compared to other hero schools, White Oak was small. Vardy thought maybe they didn't have much money, but something felt off.
The arenas were high-tech, with some able to change the terrain. They had obstacles and drones ready for battle.
"Listen closely!" bellowed Officer Fletcher, his voice echoing across the grounds. "Because I won't say this again! We already know your powers and your Altana Cell count."
Vardy knew this meant they could access student profiles to see who was strong or not.
"But cell count and a bullet point summary of your powers doesn't mean sht out there where you'll be fighting for your lives against Vagrants or other Altanas. Combat is where we really determine your worth. Where you really use those powers you were born with."
The students murmured nervously. Some were excited, but the Frame students were scared. They hadn't even seen their Frames yet.
Officer Fletcher went on about classes and rewards. Class A meant good treatment, but the lower classes had to work harder.
"Excuse me, sir!" Luthor's voice cut through the tension.
Vardy knew Luthor would probably get hurt again.
"What about us?" Luthor asked, motioning to the Frame students. "We have no cell count or power profile. How do we fit into this?"
Fletcher didn't like the question. He hurt Luthor's shoulder with a hot touch, warning them to stay quiet.
"Their Frames are inside the arenas," Fletcher said sternly. "You can pilot them when the fighting begins."
Luthor asked how, but Fletcher didn't care. He told them to find their names on a board and go to their assigned arenas.
"The arenas will scan you to see if you can fight. If you get knocked out, drones will take you out."
"Fighting for ninety minutes will decide your class position," Fletcher explained. "Then get moving, maggots!"
As luck would have it, Vardy and the other Frame students found themselves in arena number 1, bumping the student count from 50 to 54.
"How do I even move in this thing?" Luthor grumbled, his face barely visible under the helmet of his Frame powersuit. He was stuck in a fixed T-pose, looking like an unfinished video game character, while others laughed at his predicament.
Vardy examined his own Frame, a towering humanoid suit made of segmented black plates with coils of dark grey cable underneath. As he touched the Frame's chest, it recognized his handprint.
"Subjects, huh?" Vardy mused. "That's all we are to this world."
"I couldn't get mine to open properly. And who made you subject number 1?" Luthor complained. "Help me figure this thing out!"
Vardy knew Luthor hadn't properly accessed his Frame. Without a biosignature scan, the suit didn't recognize him as its owner, leaving him stuck.
It was clear White Oak didn't care about the Frame students; they were just there for funding. Vardy knew the academy expected them to fail or quit.
"Aww, look, the Duds can't even use their crutches!" a student taunted Luthor, sparking laughter.
"They thought they belonged here with us, with real powers," another jeered.
"Don't mind them. Altanas are the next stage of human evolution," a girl sneered.
"It makes me sick being around them," a serious-looking student added.
"They won't be so cocky once I punch their faces in," Luthor retorted.
"And how will you do that? By T-posing?" Vardy teased.
Officer Fletcher's voice interrupted, announcing the start of the evaluation.
The arena shook as Hardlight Environments rendered, creating a simulated combat terrain.
"Let's see you try and move now!" someone mocked as several Frames struggled to walk.
"This is insanity," Frank fretted, adjusting his glasses nervously.
"Yeah, how are we supposed to fight in these things?" Jesse worried.
"Doesn't mean we can't try," Tracy encouraged, activating her Frame.
Vardy knew how to use the Frame, thanks to a secret training program his parents had left him. But he kept it to himself, letting the others underestimate him.
As the countdown ended, the evaluation began, and students targeted the helpless Frames.
"You're mine!" a student charged at Vardy.
"Boosters 4,5 engage," Vardy commanded silently, using thrusters in his heels to dodge the attack.
Vardy swiftly disabled one opponent, surprising everyone, including Tracy.
"What? How?" she exclaimed.
But Vardy had no time to explain as more students attacked.
"Boosters 4,5 maximum output. Engage left flare," Vardy ordered, using his suit's capabilities to incapacitate another opponent.
With no weapons, Vardy faced a crowd of adversaries, knowing he couldn't defeat them all.
But then, the leader of the bullies appeared, exuding a menacing aura that Vardy knew he couldn't match.
"Holy crap, it's Dean!" exclaimed some Altana students, marveling at Dean like he was a superhero.
Vardy watched closely as half of the students were mesmerized by Dean, while the others fled, uninterested in dealing with Vardy.
This indicated one thing: Dean was a serious threat, not just to Altana students like Vardy, but to everyone.
Vardy considered his options against Dean and realized he had none.
The Solar family was renowned for their powerful abilities, passed down through generations. Hayate Solar, the patriarch, ranked 15th in the World Rankings 100, possessed immense power called True Sun Force, granting him incredible strength, speed, and more.
If Dean inherited even a fraction of his father's power, Vardy stood no chance against him.
There were rumors of a Solar weakness, but they were effectively erased from the public eye by the family's PR team.
Dean mocked the defeated students, berating them for losing to someone like Vardy.
Then, Dean attacked with incredible speed and power, incapacitating the Altana students effortlessly.
He then turned his attention to Vardy, taunting him and delivering a devastating blow that left Vardy battered and broken.
Despite the pain, Vardy refused to give up.
Meanwhile, Tracy, another Altana student, tried to defend Vardy but was swiftly defeated by an invisible assailant named Sly.
Sly's ability to phase through matter made him a formidable opponent, leaving Vardy and Tracy helpless against him.
Sly, enjoying his dominance, inflicted more damage on Vardy before leaving them both incapacitated.
As Sly departed, Vardy gritted his teeth, refusing to show any sign of weakness in front of his tormentors.
The combat evaluation ended as expected, with Vardy and the other Frame students placed in the F-class alone.
Looking back, it was clear the 'F-class' was designed to isolate Frame students further.
Vardy and Luthor recuperated in the infirmary after the assessment, escorted by drones as Altana students laughed at their misfortune.
"The infirmary, a large building with white walls and a glowing green cross sign, was well-equipped but off-limits to them," Vardy observed carefully.
Instead, they were confined to a makeshift basement with basic medical supplies, reminiscent of a Vagrant outpost.
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 3: Echoes of Survival
Vardy and Luthor rested on hard beds under flickering lights, accompanied by Tracy, who felt safer there than in her dorm.The nurse, with tired eyes behind a white mask, silently tended to them."Where are the others, miss?" Luthor inquired as he sat up, his injuries comparatively light. "Damn, why do they get to be up there while we're stuck down here, huh?""The other two are in intensive care," the nurse replied curtly. "You are lucky to be down here. Means you at least have the energy to talk like that.""Oh," Luthor responded, deflating slightly.Vardy stared at the cracks in the ceiling wordlessly. He had heard what happened to Frank and Jesse, the Frame students who had fled."They had been chased down and mercilessly hunted down by Altanas that smelled their fear," Vardy explained, "and they were savagely beaten again and again as the Altana students tried to fight for who got the knockout points."Meanwhile, because Dean and his crew had personally dealt with Vardy, Luthor,
The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 4: Fragments of Purpose
"This game's too hard!" Luthor complained, sitting in front of Vardy's gaming setup, a VR helmet snug on his head as he navigated Rune Quest.Playing as a warrior barbarian, Luthor struggled with the character's skill set, leading to his demise against a group of level 20 trolls. "Keep at it, you'll get there," Vardy encouraged from his bed."Yeah, but your character just obliterates everything," Luthor grumbled."That's because I'm a Dark Warlock. My death magic makes short work of them," Vardy explained."Seems overpowered. Should've picked your class," Luthor remarked."You struggle with a few skills, how would you handle managing fifty units?" Vardy retorted.Luthor paused the game and turned on his swivel chair to address the others in the room. Tracy sat at the foot of the bed, absorbed in her Eye-Phone. Although she didn't play Rune Quest due to sharing the copy, she excelled in other games.Reflecting on their year, Luthor expressed disbelief at how quickly time had passed. "A
The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 5: The Dark Awakening
The Dark Awakening Lines of glowing bright, Slyly green energy transferred from the book and into Vardy's body, moving up the veins of his arm and lighting them in the dark."Spells: Freeze Bolt, Flame Torch, Raise Rank 1, and Dark Heal Rank 1 learned," Vardy noted.Dark Heal is a passive skill that heals a Warlock. "It's a good thing I have a firm knowledge on how to use my new powers, I can recite the spells mentally. "Freeze... ." He muttered softly as the air around him became cold. "Bolt!" Feeling the energy surge through him, Vardy prepared to face the Essentrias charging from the forest. to his former friend's skull. "But you'll be patched up soon with my "Nega Force". Plus, like you said, it's not like you're missing out with that face of yours."Vardy did not know why he talked to his friends as if they were still alive. He felt a twinge of hurt when he saw them as zombies. He thought he was immune to loss, and though he definitely was cold to it, there was still a pa
The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 6: The rise of the Undead
Vardy charged at the Essentria this time, rushing toward it before it could do the same. He figured out that the Essentria's only way out was to charge at him and make him dodge, so he acted first to prevent that. It was risky, but he wanted the EXP and undead from defeating Essentria.When Vardy got close, the Essentria bit his shoulder, causing him a lot of pain. He managed to hold it off while Luthor and Tracy attacked it. They wrestled the Essentria to the ground, and Vardy told them to finish it off.Vardy swiftly delivered a forceful kick to the Essentria's neck, causing it to snap and crumple in defeat. He then turned his attention to Luthor, who had suffered an injury from the attack. With remorse evident on his face, Vardy apologized for the harm inflicted upon him and offered reassurance that he would soon be healed.Afterwards, Vardy took a moment to carefully allocate his stat points, meticulously reviewing each attribute's functionality before making any decisions.- Stre
The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 7: The Hunter's Trap
"Stop me here," said Sly from the comfortably cushioned backseat of a commercial hover car. He was the only passenger in a car that had enough seating space to fit six people, and he abused the space by putting his feet on the seat and sprawling out like he was in his own bed. He had ordered a black tier express ride from Carrier, the best and most reliable taxi and rideshare service on the market, and he was damn well going to make the most of his purchase, especially now that he was getting jitters from coming off the high of X."Are you sure, sir? This is still quite a ways from the compound, and there may be Vagrants out and about," said the driver from the front seat. An opaque black plexiglass sheet separated passengers from the driver, but Sly could still see the silhouette of the driver's head cocked in confusion."Did you not hear me?" said Sly, annoyed. "I want out here.""As you wish, sir," said the driver. He halted the sleek black, expensive hover car to a smooth stop. S
The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 8: Vengeance Made Flesh
Vardy experienced a peculiar sensation as he gazed down at Sly in this manner. The act of looking down was entirely novel to him, yet it felt undeniably fitting. In fact, it felt just. Yes, it resonated with justice. Justice backed by tangible actions, not mere idealism. This was the justice Vardy intended to enact, a justice sorely lacking in this world.As his eyes met Sly's, a screen materialized before him, presenting a new quest: "VENGEANCE obtained". The interface differed slightly, with the quest details displayed in bold, bloody red font, giving it a sinister appearance."VENGEANCE "ACTIVE"Difficulty: 5Details:Hunt down Dean and his crew. Enact vengeance. Enact judgement.Rewards:-Death of Sly: 200 EXP, 200 Coin-Death of Evan Harker: 50 EXP, 50 Coin-Death of Simon Wells: 100 EXP, 100 Coin-Death of Zayn Soldata: 250 EXP, 200 Coin-Death of Dean: 1000 EXP, 800 Coin-Bonus EXP gained from absorbing Negative Energy from each individual\"Vardy adjusted his neck, uncertain
The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 9: The Immortal Knights Return
Ferah finally released Vardy after what felt like an eternity. Removing her black great helm, she knelt before him on the grass, revealing her deathly pale face, similar to Vardy's, indicating her Undead nature.She was a hybrid of Dullahan and Vampire, evident in her sharp, ferocious eyes with black sclera and glowing crimson red pupils. Her dark black hair was styled in a messy bob cut, partly obscuring her left eye with bangs."You look as good as ever," Vardy remarked, noting Ferah's stunning beauty, even more impressive in real life than in the game's graphics.Vardy's Undead nature prevented him from being distracted by her appearance, focusing solely on his purpose. Risen Undead like them were driven by a single purpose, unlike natural Undead like Vampires or Dullahan, who experienced a wide range of emotions."I-I am grateful, my master," Ferah responded, closing her eyes briefly before meeting Vardy's gaze. "You too look splendid, my master. But I must ask - why have you chan
The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 10: Forge of the Future
Vardy stepped onto the Sign, and the teleporting light him and everyone else. In a moment, they arrived in the dim interior of the Apex Realm temple, with its gray stone and tall gothic pillars."The Apex Realm. I never thought I'd be back here with you, master," said Ferah. She seemed happy at first, but then she squinted. "Something feels off about this place.""What do you mean?" asked Vardy."The Apex Realm is supposed to be a safe space created by the twin gods Amara and Sindri. It should have a warmth to it from their powers. But I don't sense it. It feels...dead," said Ferah. "It's like this place is just a copy, lacking the real 'life' but still having its powers.""I noticed that too," said Vardy. "My theory is that this isn't the real Apex Realm. It's just a replica, still holding its powers but lacking the true essence.""Is that so?" Ferah looked around warily. "As long as you trust it, I will too.""So far, it hasn't let me down," said Vardy. He leaped over the Wellspring
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Chapter 27: Mysteries Unfold
The five set out to find leverage against Sly and his goons but little did they know it was under their nose the whole time. The group still sat in the War Room late into the night with candle light around the room. Losing hope and as exhaustion overtook their bodies, they sat down around the table with sighs of defeat. Vardy glanced at his staff and felt for the light within. It was dim, more than it had been in recent days. "The light.....seems to be more dim than usual...." Tracy observed. Inside Vardy was in a panic with no idea what to do but outside, he held his face and body in the same loose, confident and poised manner. He nodded. "It is. I don't know how to fix it." His voice came out even as he spoke. Tracy sat there, thinking and mentally Flipping through books she had been reading for research purposes and remembered a particular spell book that had caught her fancy just earlier that day. Scrolls and ancient diaries sat open and scattered across the table making it hard
Chapter 26: Shadows Rising
The calm in Oak Academy was deceptive. Though the city was beginning to rebuild, the team couldn’t ignore the growing tension in the air. The darkness that lingered wasn’t just Sly’s presence,it was something deeper, an under flow of unease that warned them of what was to come, Vardy, Ferah, Luthor, Tracy, and Jesse gathered in the academy’s war room, still looking at the map searching over one maps and ancient texts in the rom. The flickering candlelight danced across their faces, their expressions stood with determination.Jesse leaned over the table, tracing his finger across a map of the region. "Sly’s words weren’t just bravado. He’s not working alone. The Dark Warlocks have been rebuilding their forces in the shadows. If we’re going to stop them, we need to find their stronghold."Luthor crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. "We can’t just charge in blind. Sly’s been one step ahead of us every time. If we’re not careful, we’ll walk straight into a trap."Tracy nodded, her fing
Chapter 25: The Unbelievable Return
Days have passed since Aziel’s fall, and the city began its slow recovery. The people were freed from the darkness that had shadowed them, they all started to rebuild, unite, and see each other once again, and the air was lighter than it had been in years. But Vardy and his team knew better than to think the war was over. The presence of the Dark Warlocks lingered like a shadow on the horizon. Despite Aziel’s defeat, there were whispers of power far greater, a force that had been pulling the strings from the shadows for age's.One evening, as the team gathered in their makeshift headquarters at Oak Academy, the familiar figure of Sly appeared on the horizon. His silhouette was unmistakable,tall, confident, and exuding an aura of pure malevolence. His face was partially concealed by a hood, but his eyes gleamed with the same unyielding determination that had marked his every step since the beginning of this journey up till the moment."Sly," Vardy commanded, his voice filled with a m
Chapter 24: The Light against the Dark
The citadel, once a monument to Aziel’s reign of terror, stood silent in the wake of his fall. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the stone, casting long beams across the ruin. The oppressive darkness that had once hung heavy over the city was gone, but the cost of victory weighed heavily on the survivors. Vardy, Ferah, Tracy, Jesse and Luthor stood at the heart of the shattered citadel, the echoes of the battle still roaming through the air.Vardy’s chest rose and fell in labored breaths, the toll of the final confrontation taking its toll on him. The light within him had faded, leaving a hollow emptiness in its wake. He had given everything to defeat Aziel, but in doing so, he felt the last of his strength slip away.Ferah knelt beside him, her gaze soft but unwavering. "You did it, Vardy. We did it. The city is safe because of you."Vardy’s eyes met hers, filled with both gratitude and sorrow. "It doesn’t feel like we are done yet," he admitted, his voice soothing the situatio
Chapter 23: The Confrontation of Vardy against the Dark
Vardy kept on pushing in, giving all he could to stop all of this, he knew. He was no match for what was ahead of him, but should he just. Give in, after all, No he can't do that, not if it was him alone in this,, but for the precious sake of, the one around him, I'll rather die by my hand than give in to this forsaken darkness lurking inside, I won't accept defeat not so soon,His heart was still pounding, it looked more like the dark could listen to everything he was saying, and with every step they took towards the citadel, the depth would always yawn to park them in, but was not a match for the three skills and what they had encountered so far..The air inside the citadel was thick with the weight of dark power, pressing down on them like an invisible hand. The walls seemed to pulse with energy, their surfaces slick with shadow, as though the very structure of the citadel was alive. The distant echoes of Aziel’s laughter vibrate through the halls, mocking and sticking, but Vardy
Chapter 22: The Heart of Darkness
The air was alive with crackling energy, and the very earth beneath Vardy's feet seemed to hold with a dark, unyielding power. Tendrils of shadow reached out from the cracks in the ground, twisting and writhing like serpents with a mind of their own. Each movement sent a shiver through the city, as though the streets themselves were groaning under the weight of an ancient, forgotten force.Aziel’s figure loomed above them, the faint glow of his eyes illuminating the darkness. He stood unaffected, unrestricted, not to be destroyed, his confidence over shadowing him, his hands raised in a commanding gesture. The dark energy swirled around him like an obedient pet, bending to his will. His smile, cruel and knowing, sent a shiver down Vardy’s spine."You still don’t understand, do you?" Vardy. Aziel’s voice was soft, almost coaxing. "This power, and this darkness,is your inheritance, Vardy. It has been waiting for you. All this time, waiting for your presence just to embrace, you’ve fough
Chapter 21: Eyes of the Dark Storm
Now, dark and cold, tired and weary, the city loomed ahead like a dark stain on the earth surface, its towering spires reaching up to the sky like cracking teeth, sharp and unforgiving. Vardy could feel the oppressive weight of its presence pressing on him, the air thick with a sense of looming danger that seemed to emanate from the very streets.Ferah, Luthor, and Vardy walked in silence, their footsteps muffled by the dirt road beneath them. The wind had picked up, circling dust and debris around them, as if the very world was preparing for something monumental."We’re getting close," Luthor said, his voice low, almost as if speaking too loudly might provoke something hidden in the shadows. "This place… it feels wrong.""I can feel it too," Ferah agreed, her expression tense. "Something's off about this city. It’s like it’s been waiting for us."Vardy said nothing, his mind consumed by the storm of thoughts swirling in him. The darkness within him, the pull of Aziel’s words, the ch
Chapter 20: The Daring Choice
The reality is now and here, a way forward is all I can only think of, I don't care about myself, but for those who have journeyed with me up till now, Vardy spoke to himself in silence, I can't put them down, I can't give up on them, he said to himself.Vardy’s heart raced, the weight of Aziel’s words pressing down on him like a thousand stones. The very idea that the darkness, something he had fought so desperately to escape, was a part of him was too much to comprehend. His mind reeled, struggling to understand how he could possibly be connected to the very force he had always seen as an enemy.Aziel’s gaze held steady, watching him closely, almost as if he were savoring Vardy’s internal conflict. "You’re torn, I can see it. You want to deny it, push it away, but you can’t. You’ll come to understand, eventually. We all do."Vardy shook his head, trying to clear the fog clouding his thoughts. "You’re lying. I’m not like you."Aziel’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. "You think you’r
Chapter 19: The Depth Unraveling Threads
The Oracle’s words continued striking Vardy as he and his companions began their journey from the mountain. The cold, thin air had stung their limbs, but the weight of the Oracle’s prophecy hung heavily on their hearts. He had expected guidance, a path to follow, but what he had received was a riddle, a cryptic warning that left more questions than answers.Ferah, ever monitoring, noticed Vardy’s troubled expression as they walked. "You’re still thinking about what she said, aren’t you?" she asked, her voice low and steady.Vardy glanced at her, then nodded. "She’s right. It’s all tied together. The darkness... it’s not just some evil force. It’s alive. It grows. And it has a price. But what does that mean? What exactly is the cost?"Luthor, who had been walking ahead, turned to face them, his eyes seen in thought. "The Oracle speaks in riddles. The truth isn't always easy to see, especially when it’s buried in layers of metaphors, unknown words and heart-pounding questions.""True,"
