1 A Broken Azure Crystal
Bang!
In a dark desolate alley, a gunshot rang, blood splattered on the floor and walls. A man was limply running for his life, holding his wounded shoulder while holding an azure crystal on the other hand.
'Damn! I don't know that we are also being targeted. They are lowering our numbers to weaken our group. I need another minute, and then I might survive this. Oh Sh*t!'
Bang! Another gunshot was heard.
The man's back was lethally hit. The man dropped on the ground, blood spill everywhere. His legs have gone weak, his breathing becomes laborious.
With his weakened state, he leaned on the wall, coughing blood. He looked at his assailant with glaring eyes.
'So it's a magic gun. That explains why he can still damage me even though I wore a bulletproof vest.' He wounded man said.
The assailant grins while looking at the man's pathetic state, he pointed the magic gun aiming for the man's head.
The wounded man saw his assailant's action. He raised his hand that is holding the azure crystal, hoping that he can block the deadly blow.
Bang!
The bullet flew breaking through the wind, heading right to the azure crystal. But right when the bullet was 2 inches away from the crystal, a strong reflective force pushed the bullet away hitting the assailant right in the head instead.
Cracking sound was heard. All of the wounded man's bones were broken. He was not exempted by that strong reflective force. His bones slowly disintegrate turning him into a meat paste. The crystal then shoots above the sky, flying about 100 meters high.
Two dead bodies lay on the ground, a headless man and a meat paste.
While the crystal dropped a few meters away from the incident. Right when the crystal dropped, a person in student uniform was walking to the direction where the crystal supposed to drop.
"Ouch!"
The student touched his head, right on the bump while cursing. The student then searches the source of his pain.
He saw an azure crystal with cracks over its surface right on the ground. The student picked the crystal, curious of its origin.
'Where did this crystal came from? Who hit me with t. . . .' Before he can finish speaking a blinding blue light hovered all over him, just like a scene of an alien abduction.
"F*ck!"
In a blink of an eye, the student vanished from sight.
. . . . . . . . . .
1 hour ago.
A facility inside of a fully secured camp.
"Where are the others? They should be right here so we can start briefing." The brawny man asked.
A soldier saluted to the brawny man and reported. "Reporting to General, we lost contact of the three voyagers. Dr. Mike Dison, Alan Silang a ranger, and Philip Su a businessman."
"We didn't expect this attack. It seems like the other countries won't give us a chance to rise to the other side. We are only given 10 slots to get there every year. But with this incident, we only have 7." The brawny general lamented.
Then brawny general swung his right hand horizontally.
Crack!
Right next to the general's hands, space seems to tear apart. The general pulled out an odd-looking smartphone inside the torn space.
The general placed the smartphone in front of him. A moving image of an old man with a tribal tattoo over his face was shown on the smartphone's screen.
"Greeting tribal priest Racal, we lost contact of the 3 voyagers. I would like to ask if you can still sense those three crystals?" the brawny general sincerely requested to the tribal priest on the screen with respect written all over his face.
"It seems like they are planning to weaken our own forces. Wait a moment General Cogon." The tribal priest then vanished on the screen.
30 seconds later the tribal priest appeared on the screen again.
"I can still sense the two crystals. One of the two crystals signal is very faint, it must be damaged. The damage one will not stably send the voyager, there will be a possibility that the voyager will die. While the other one is permanently destroyed." The tribal priest explained.
"Now we have 8 people left. The other one only has a small percentage of safety while traveling. Tribal priest Racal, I thank you for helping me. I owe you one. I request the tribal priest to report this to the tribe leader. We are now being targeted by other countries to lessen the rivalries. We wanted to ask for the tribe leader to provide us some monetary help. This will help us to create a much safer facility for the next voyagers. We will recruit new generation talents to teach them forging, logical, mathematical, and scientific academics, medicine, combat, your world's information, and magical philosophy. This is what we planned for the monetary fund that we request. I would like to trouble tribal priest." General Cogon bowed his head to the smartphone's screen.
The tribal priest seems to like the idea that is provided by the general. He nodded his head and assured General Cogon that the tribal leader will provide help.
General Cogon then placed the smartphone inside the crack space. He then commanded, "Call the 7 voyagers we will start the briefing."
"Yes, general." The soldier then saluted to General Cogon and performed his given task.
A minute later seven people arrived in front of General Cogon.
"Everyone please gather in front. We will start the briefing with the seven of you." General Cogon looked at the seven voyagers in front of him then he continued. "The three that is not present here meet were attacked by unknown individuals at the same time. Of the three only one will safely join you to the other side. Now let me brief you what is your responsibilities to the other side."
. . . . . .
After briefing the 7 people, a minute later they were covered with blinding blue light and vanish out of sight.
After the 7 people vanished, General Cogon received the test information of the entire voyagers.
[Top 10 Voyager]
10. Dr. Mike Dison
- Famous in the study of medicinal and poisonous herbs.
- Magical philosophy grade: -A
- Combat grade: -D
- Academics grade: A
9. Philip Su
- Business prodigy
- Magical philosophy grade: B
- Combat grade: B
- Academics grade: B
8. Antonio Taruk
- Best Programmer
- Magical philosophy grade: SS
- Combat grade: -F
- Academics grade: -F
7. Anna Coralis
- Ranger
- Magical philosophy grade: -B
- Combat grade: A
- Academics grade: A
6. Alan Silang
- Ranger
- Magical philosophy grade: -A
- Combat grade: A
- Academics grade: A
5. Ben Bayani
- Master Tailor, Inventor
- Magical philosophy grade: -A
- Combat grade: B
- Academics grade: -S
4. Artoro Gu
- Genius Businessman
- Magical philosophy grade: B
- Combat grade: B
- Academics grade: S
3. Sikong Edoy
- Shaman
- Magical philosophy grade: -S
- Combat grade: +A
- Academics grade: +A
2. Tata Lino
- Grandmaster Blacksmith, Mechanic
- Magical philosophy grade: +A
- Combat grade: +S
- Academics grade: +S
1. Aga
- Garuda Bloodline, Military Warmonger
- Magical philosophy grade: +S
- Combat grade: SS
- Academics grade: -S
. . . . . .
A grin appeared on General Cogon's face.
The three assaulted voyagers were only bellow, the top 5 voyagers. With the shaman, grandmaster blacksmith, and the one with the Garuda's bloodline they still have a chance to defeat the other countries.
"There's still hope." General Cogon thought.
