System Versions

In a room

The room was dimly lit, the only sound the soft hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. The air was thick with anticipation, the weight of the gathered individuals' collective attention palpable.

At the far end of the table, a woman with piercing emerald eyes and raven-black hair sat with an air of quiet confidence. Her features were chiseled, her cheekbones high and sharp, giving her an otherworldly beauty. A small, enigmatic smile played on her lips as she spoke in a low, husky voice.

"I've found him," she said, her eyes locked on the man sitting at the head of the table. "He has a perfect affinity score. I believe he's the one we've been searching for."

The man, tall and imposing with a stern expression, raised an eyebrow. "Has he undergone the Awakening?" he asked, his voice firm and commanding.

The woman shook her head. "Not yet, but the process will commence soon. I've been... observing him. He has great potential."

A murmur ran through the room, the gathered individuals exchanging skeptical glances. One of them, a bespectacled man with a nervous twitch, spoke up.

"But are we certain he's the one? We can't afford to make another mistake."

The woman's smile grew wider, her eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm certain," she said. "He has the spark within him. And I have a feeling that he will exceed our expectations."

The man at the head of the table nodded thoughtfully, his expression unreadable. "Very well. We will proceed with the Awakening. But we must be cautious. We can't afford to make mistakes."

Victor, a burly individual with a cruel grin, spoke up. "I say we don't bother with caution. Let's just break him and see what we can get out of him."

"I disagree," another man said. "We've wasted too much time. It's time we took a more... direct approach."

"But what if he doesn't awaken the ability?" the woman asked, her voice calm.

"Then we keep an eye out for others," the man at the head of the table replied, his eyes glinting with malevolence.

The room fell silent, the tension palpable as the gathered individuals awaited the outcome of the woman's plan. The woman's eyes never left the man at the head of the table, her expression a mask of calm determination. But beneath the surface, a storm was brewing, one that would change the course of events.

------

Mohamed walked to school with Angel, enjoying the crisp morning air and the sound of birds chirping. As they approached the school building, Mohamed felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. What would the day bring?

When they arrived at Mrs. Silver's classroom, Mohamed was surprised to see several other students already gathered there. The room was filled with the murmur of hushed conversations and the occasional laugh. Mohamed's eyes scanned the room, taking in the unfamiliar faces. There were four new students from the other class who had also passed the affinity test.

Jack, a tall and lanky boy with a messy mop of hair, was leaning against the wall, looking relaxed. Alison, a girl with a cold expression on her face, was sitting in the corner. Ben, a quiet and reserved boy who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, was standing by the window, staring out at the sky. But what really caught Mohamed's attention was Tyler, the quarterback, who was standing off to the side, looking confident as ever. He flashed Mohamed a brief smile, and Mohamed returned it, feeling a sense of camaraderie.

And then there was Brad, who was trying to hide his swollen face and black eyes. He avoided eye contact with Mohamed, and Mohamed couldn't help but think that maybe Brad would finally leave him alone after the beating he'd given him.

As Mohamed took a seat next to Angel, Mrs. Silver walked into the room, her eyes gleaming with intensity. She was dressed in a long, flowing black dress that seemed to shimmer and shine in the light. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, revealing her sharp, angular face.

"Welcome, students," she said, her voice low and husky. "I'm glad to see you're all here. Today, we'll be discussing the Awakening, and what you can expect from the process."

Mohamed leaned forward, his eyes fixed intently on Mrs. Silver. He had so many questions about the Awakening, and he was eager to finally get some answers.

Mrs. Silver began to pace around the room, her eyes scanning the students as she spoke. "The Awakening is a ritual that will unlock your hidden potential, allowing you to tap into your unique abilities. It's a process that requires great courage and determination, but I assure you, it will be worth it."

As Mrs. Silver spoke, Mohamed noticed the other students hanging on her every word. They nodded and took notes, their faces filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Mohamed, however, felt skeptical. He had always been wary of things that seemed too good to be true, and the Awakening sounded like just that. He decided to reserve his judgment until he learned more.

Mrs. Silver continued to explain the Awakening process, describing the physical and mental challenges designed to push them to their limits. She assured them that the process would unlock their hidden potential, allowing them to tap into their unique abilities. However, she warned them that it wouldn't be easy.

As she finished speaking, the room fell silent. The students exchanged nervous glances, their faces filled with a mix of fear and anticipation. Mohamed turned to Angel and whispered, "Do you think we'll pass the test?"

Angel shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm willing to try anything to unlock my abilities." Mohamed nodded in agreement. He was willing to try anything too, as long as it meant he could finally fulfill his dreams.

Mrs. Silver spoke up again, "Now, I know some of you may be feeling apprehensive about the Awakening. You should be – the process is scary. If you know you can't handle it, this is your last chance to leave."

The room remained silent, with no one backing out. Mrs. Silver nodded, seemingly pleased. "Now, let's get started. We have a long journey ahead of us, and we don't want to be late."

As Mrs. Silver led them out of the classroom, Mohamed felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. What lay ahead? What challenges would they face during the Awakening?

The group followed Mrs. Silver through the winding corridors of the school, eventually arriving at a large, metal door Mohamed had never seen before.

"This is the portal room," Mrs. Silver explained, her eyes glinting with excitement. "From here, we'll be teleporting to the Awakening site. Are you all ready?"

The students felt a surge of excitement mixed with fear. Mohamed steeled himself, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The students nodded, and Mrs. Silver led them into the portal room. The room was small, with a large, circular platform in the center. The platform was surrounded by a series of strange, glowing orbs.

"Stand on the platform," Mrs. Silver instructed, her voice firm and commanding. "And hold hands. The teleportation process requires a physical connection between all participants."

The students hesitated for a moment, then stepped onto the platform. Mohamed felt a strange, tingling sensation as he took Angel's hand. The others followed suit, forming a circle around the platform.

"Are you all ready?" Mrs. Silver asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

The students nodded, and Mrs. Silver raised her hand. The glowing orbs surrounding the platform began to pulse with energy, and a bright, blinding light filled the room.

Mohamed felt a strange, disorienting sensation, as if he were being pulled apart and put back together again. The light grew brighter and brighter, until everything went white.

When the light faded, Mohamed found himself standing in a vast, open plain. The sky above was a deep, burning red, and the air was thick with an otherworldly energy.

As they walked through the clearing, Mohamed couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. The metal structure in front of them looked like a temple, with intricate carvings and symbols etched into its surface.

Mrs. Silver led them towards the temple, and as they entered, Mohamed felt a strange energy emanating from within. The air inside was thick with an otherworldly presence, and Mohamed could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

They walked into a large room, and Mohamed's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. The room was filled with statues of beings that to have Angelic wings, with shining stones embedded in their centers. The stones pulsed with a soft, blue light, and Mohamed could feel their energy calling to him.

Mrs. Silver walked to the center of the room, and turned to face them. "Welcome, students," she said, her voice echoing off the walls. "these Statures you see are called Luminari, they were build long ago by the Outworlds"

Mohamed's eyes were fixed on the statues, and he felt a sense of excitement and trepidation. he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. The statues of the beings, with their shining stones embedded in their centers, seemed to radiating energy.

"What is this place?" Mohamed asked the system in his mind.

["Ah, you want to know the secrets of the universe?"] the system replied, its tone dripping with sarcasm.

["Well, let me tell you, it's not like your small nut brain can understand the answers or anything."]

Mohamed rolled his eyes. "Come on, system. Give me something."

The system chuckled. ["Fine. The statues are of the Luminari, The Luminari are powerful, angelic beings who wield the power of light, They were said to have built this temple as a gateway to the Outworlds, a realm in-between Realm."

Mohamed's eyes widened as he took in the information. "And who built the temple?" he asked.

["Are you sure your nut brain can Comprehend that little bit of information?"]

'Shut up and just tell me' Mohamed replied annoyed by the System's insults.

["..."]

"Come on,..... Please" 

The system snickered. ["Oh, you want to know the secrets of the ancient Luminari? Well, let's just say that they had a little help from some...friends."]

Mohamed sighed. "You're not helping."

The system chuckled. ["Hey, i can't tell you any more information, or your nut brain might explode"]

Mohamed just rolled his eyes.

Mrs. Silver's voice cut through the air, drawing Mohamed's attention back to the present. "This temple is a sacred place, one where the veil between the Outworlds and mundane worlds is thin. It is here that your awakening process will begin."

Mohamed's eyes locked onto Mrs. Silver, his mind racing with questions.

"But be warned," Mrs. Silver continued, her voice serious. "I am warning you students again. Not all of you will pass the awakening test. Some of you will... not survive."

The room fell silent, the students exchanging nervous glances.

"Why?" Mohamed asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mrs. Silver's eyes seemed to bore into his soul. "Because, Mohamed, only 10 percent of the human population has the ability and has ever tap into the Outworlds energy grid. The rest... are not compatible."

Mohamed felt a shiver run down his spine. He had never thought about the possibility of not making it through the awakening process.

The system in his mind chuckled. ["Well, well, well. Looks like things just got a lot more interesting."]

Mohamed's eyes narrowed. "Shut up, system."

The system snickered. ["Oh, Don't worry am here to assist you"]

Mrs. Silver's voice cut through the air, drawing Mohamed's attention back to the present. "Each of you must touch the stone on the statues, your minds will be transported to the Hallows Ground. There, you will face the trials that will determine your worthiness to wield an Ability."

As Mrs. Silver finished speaking, the students began to make their way towards the statues with the glowing stones. Each one of them reached out and touched the Rite Stone, and as they did, their eyes turned a milky white.

Mohamed watched in awe as his classmates transformed before his eyes. He felt a sense of trepidation as he realized that he was the only one left.

Taking a deep breath, Mohamed reached out and touched the Rite Stone. As soon as he made contact with it, the system notification appears 

Ding!

[Host has made contact with a Rite Stone]

[Host mind is being accessed]

[Error... ERROR.... ERROR]

[System is shutting down]

Mohamed was shocked by the series of notifications. What is happening? he thought internally. Why is the system shutting down?

"System, what's going on?" Mohamed asked, but there was no response.

"System!"

["...."]

Still no reply...

Before he knew what was happening, a bright flash of light enveloped him. Mohamed felt himself being lifted off the ground, and everything went white.

When he opened his eyes again,

Mohamed found himself standing in a desolate, barren landscape. The sky above was a deep, foreboding crimson, and the air was thick with an eerie, unnatural silence.

Suddenly, a voice boomed from the shadows, echoing off the twisted rock formations. "Welcome, Mohamed Almond, to the Hallows Ground. You have been brought here to prove your worth. Survive the trials that lie ahead, and you shall be granted an Ability beyond your wildest dreams." Mohamed felt himself being lifted off the ground again, and everything went white.

He found himself standing in front of a massive, ancient door. The door was adorned with intricate carvings and symbols that seemed to shimmer and glow in the dim light.

As he approached the door, it slowly creaked open, revealing a narrow passageway that stretched out into the darkness. Mohamed felt a shiver run down his spine as he stepped through the doorway and into the unknown.