5th August 1648, Ether City.
In the bustling train station, the air hummed with the clamor of hurried footsteps and muffled announcements echoing off towering marble pillars, people entering their platform or exiting the station.
Noctis walked out of his train, noticing the large crowd rushing around along with several guards who were maintaining the order here.
Navigating through the bustling crowd, Noctis skillfully maneuvered his way towards the exit, deftly squeezing past the throngs of people. Noctis insisted on traveling alone, which is why no one was with him when he arrived at the Ether city alone.
Noctis scanned the area before he pulled out his mobile, opening the notification he received earlier.
Clara: Where are you?
Clara: Did you arrive at the station yet or not?
Quickly typing out a reassuring message to Clara, Noctis stopped a cab that was just about to leave.
"Excuse me, there seems to be an empty seat. Can I come along?" He asked the cab driver, who looked at the person beside him.
In the passenger seat sat a black-haired boy, about Noctis's age, his dark blue eyes sizing him up coolly.
In the back, a long-haired girl, her black locks cascading over her shoulders, giggled at her mobile. The resemblance between them was striking—twins, he thought.
Noctis asked politely, "U-Uhm Can I tag along with you guys?" He was already running late, and none of the cabs were empty; the other vehicles had already been whisked away by others quickly.
After a brief moment of observation, the black-haired boy nodded in agreement, "Sure thing, mate."
"Also, you should probably let me sit at the front, and you sit with your sister at the back." Noctis quickly added, reminding him.
The boy let out a sigh before groaning quietly; he quickly got off and entered the back seat.
Noctis settled into the front, nodding to the driver, whose weathered hands gripped the wheel of the cab, its interior lined with soft leather and faint traces of mana-infused runes glowing along the dashboard.
He could see them quarreling with each other; they were competing for more space even though they had more than enough space. He coughed softly, attempting to catch the twins' attention amidst their little quarrel.
"Thanks for letting me tag along. I am Noctis, by the way." In response to Noctis, the twins halted their little squabble and turned to look at him.
"No need to thank us; we're all here for the entrance exam anyway." The girl spoke first with a soft voice, her sky-blue eyes bright with warmth.
Her brother spoke next, "What do you mean, us? I was the one who let him! Forget about this girl. I am Ivan. Nice to meet you."
"Does it even matter?, Oh, I am Zoe. Nice to meet you." She spoke cheerfully to him while her brother was staring at her with disbelief on his face.
"So, where are you guys from, if you don't mind saying?" He glanced at them both.
"We both are from Sethown City; it's in the southern region. What about you?" Ivan answered him.
"I am from the Stellar City, Northern Region," Noctis scratched his head.
"Oh, Stellar City! I heard it's beautiful," Zoe said, leaning forward, her eyes sparkling, leaning forward to ask more about the city.
Before Noctis could respond, Ivan pushed her aside. "What university are you aimi—" He was cut off as Zoe shoved him back.
And then they began to fight with each other in the back seat, chuckling at their sibling bond. Noctis pulled up their status as he looked ahead.
[Status]
Name: Zoe
Rank: E
Resonance Elements: Zephyr (A)
Unique Skills: None
[Status]
Name: Ivan
Rank: E
Resonance Elements: Gravos (A)
Unique Skills: None
Noctis closed the window while he thought of the twins. 'These two weren't in the game. With talents like Zephyr and Gravos at A-grade, they'd be notable. Either I missed them, or… something's changed.'
'Both of them can get into the Ethereon University, yet there was no mention of them.'
He ignored the city's clamor outside the vehicle, the hum of mana-powered vehicles, and the horns of vehicles behind him. Noctis closed his window, shutting off the noises, as he continued to ponder. 'Not to mention with new people like them popping out at this early stage, there are likely going to be more of them soon.'
The cab pulled up to a towering apartment building, its facade a sleek blend of glass and enchanted stones on the walls of the building that shimmered faintly under the sunlight.
Noctis tapped his watch, sending payment to the driver, and stepped out. The twins stared at the luxurious structure with a dazed look on their faces, its entrance framed by twin statues of knights standing with their swords held high.
Letting out a nervous chuckle, he waved his hands towards them before he walked away. "It was nice talking to both of you, Ivan, Zoe. Let's meet again at the university. See you."
It took both of them a few minutes to come to their senses; they remained silent, as if pondering something, while the cab driver continued driving.
As he walked through the opened glass door, Noctis entered the grand hall, marveling at the intricately decorated space befitting a high-class apartment. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting prismatic light across marble floors. Elegant furnishings of plush velvet chairs and polished mahogany tables were lined the room. A voice broke his reverie.
"Done admiring, we should get going now; the others are waiting." Turning around, Noctis saw Ethan waiting near the elevator with a small smile on his face.
Noctis greeted him, walking towards him as the door opened. Entering the elevator?" he asked. "How long have you guys been here for?"
"Not that long; it's been like a few hours since we arrived. you ready for the exam?" Ethan leaned against the elevator's mirrored wall.
Noctis laughed dryly. "A little nervous, first time, I guess, but it's fine. I am more than prepared for it!"
"Good," Ethan nodded as they approached the floor where others were present. Walking out, he led Noctis to the second door on the right side and knocked once.
Noctis heard footsteps as a blond girl opened the door for them and stood aside, letting them in.
Trisha stared at Noctis as she puffed out her cheeks. "You're late, Nox; you kept us waiting!"
"My bad, I set the wrong alarm last night and woke up a little later." Stepping into the living hall, Noctis noticed Rain sitting upside down on a sofa, with his head resting on the floor and his legs playfully dangling in the air.
Rain, noticing him, waved his hand. "Yo," Noctis waved his hand back.
Looking around, he saw Clara and Lena were sitting outside chatting and laughing.
Noctis smiled at them before taking a seat on the empty couch and relaxing on it.
'The exam would begin tomorrow, starting with the theory part. After a day's break, the practical exam would commence'.
The registration had already been done a few days ago. The requirement this year was that only those who have reached the E- rank are eligible to register for the entrance exam.
According to the data released by the ERA, this year there are around ten thousand students who had successfully registered themselves.
Only a thousand students will be able to enter the top five universities; the remaining students will need to enter other private universities.
Each university has their minimum rank requirement to enter. For Ethereon University, only those who are in the top 250 are qualified.
And Ethereon University admits 120 students each year, so Noctis would need to aim above the top 150 rank to be on the safe side.
Noctis talked with them for a few minutes and discussed their plans for this month while they wait for the results after the entrance exam is over.
They had booked the entire floor to themselves, everyone having their rooms. Later, after bidding farewell, Noctis entered his own room, planning on taking a rest till tomorrow.
The room was elegant yet cozy, with three rooms: there were two bedrooms with restrooms included, a hall with a kitchen attached to it, and a transparent window with a balcony overlooking the city's skyline.
Noctis walked straight towards the bedroom. He was planning on sleeping for the whole day today. He plopped onto the soft mattress, letting out a soft groan.
"Three more weeks before the game officially begins, I mean the game's main story begins." Turning around, he stared at the ceiling, which was emitting a faint, soothing blue light.
"A lot of named characters will appear in the first act. I wonder how the first semester will be, with how some of them are way stronger than their game counterpart." Speaking of their strength, Noctis pulled up his own status.
"Status," A blue window appeared.
[Status]
Name: Noctis Nightryn
Rank: E (Adept)
Mana: 2200/2200
Resonance Elements: Zephyr (B), Umbra (A)
Unique Skills: Fate's Gambit (T)
Skills: Basic Mana Manipulation (D+), Zephyr Mastery(D), Umbra Mastery(D), Sword Mastery(C-), Marksmanship(D+), Sharpen Shadow (C)
Weapon Arts: Nine-Thunderstorm Gale Strikes (Intermediate)
Corruption: 0
"300 more mana before I reach E+ Rank".