- Months before the Shadow Invasion –

Mankind was at another golden age of prosperity and advancement brought about by peace, understanding and cooperation.

Humanity managed to adapt and even thrive, despite being cast into unknown space and dimension during the Ether Divide catastrophe 12 years ago.

Many Ether users banded together into exploration groups or were employed by companies to travel through Arch gates; portals connecting to other worlds via Ether pathways.

Mankind’s continuous thirst for new materials, food sources, and new worlds boosted manufacturing and production.

Newly discovered Ether conductive minerals gave scientists new energy sources as these materials could condense Ether from the atmosphere to produce electricity and heat to power tools and everyday appliances.

Orion strode through the Academy gates with light steps. He had trained and studied hard for years to be selected for the Academy.

The academy had a difficult entry requirement. It accepted only Ether users with at least 100 points in their Ether pool.

Ether was the defining trait of an Arch Warrior. Without sufficient Ether, one could not power their Ether Amp to battle Shadows or open an Arch Gate.

The prestigious Academy accepted only the most talented Ether users. Its rigorous training and vast resources virtually guaranteed an alumni consisting of heroes, renown researchers, defenders of humankind, explorers of new worlds, many attaining the highest Arch Legend titles.

The Academy was located in the outskirts of the city where Orion lived all his life. It was built after the first Shadow invasion.

Many lives had perished in that disaster and the world grieved in its wake. Coming out of this harrowing event, the worlds’ leaders - what’s left of them, came together to build an institution that would transform the best and brightest among humankind into its greatest defenders to prevent another such disaster. This was the Arch Academy of Ether Arts.

It was a training ground to groom a new generation of Ether users. Powerful beings trained specifically to prevent another extinction level calamity for mankind.

As Orion walked near the buildings, he stood mesmerised by its grandeur. It was a combination of architecture and technology, each enhancing the other.

Many lines on the buildings glowed with pink and blue light. Hints of purple light pervaded the corners of the huge structures.

Parts of the buildings were actually cemented with precious stones like emeralds and rubies. The tallest one in the distance even had diamonds on its exterior. The gems glittered in the sun and cast multi-coloured lights upon the academy grounds.

If it wasn’t for the Arch Gates, it would be impossible to use these precious materials to adorn the Academy. Its cost alone would have easily emptied the treasuries of smaller countries.

A giant dome capped the tallest building and a towering tree grew out of it into the sky. The top of the tree pierced through the cloud cover and was said to extend right through the atmosphere into space.

Somewhere in the middle of the buildings was a central square. It was marked with a monument the height of a three-storey building, resembling a tall arch. It shimmered and glowed in silver and gold.

Orion moved towards the square. There was what looked like a carnival going on. Lively music was in the air, playing from large speakers like an amusement park.

There were booths selling popcorn, snacks and drinks. The aroma of roasted popcorn, cheese and honey reminded Orion of the times when he would go to the cinemas with his family.

Orion picked up a drink filled with miniature black orbs from one of the drink stalls. The orbs, called pearls, were edible and this beverage was called bubble tea.

He went on his way while slurping on the paper straw, drawing in a mixture of pearls with his tea.

There were others like Orion in the inner campus, each of them following signs along the way for freshmen. They wore street clothes instead of the Academy’s uniforms and jackets.

A student zipped over Orion’s head. She was flying in the air using a device strapped to her back, leaving a pink trail of smoke behind her.

The freshmen looked at the sight with awe. This was perhaps the famous Ether Amps of the Academy. They were given only to students, each an Arch Warrior-in-training.

Orion realised he was not alone in marvelling at the sights and sounds of the Academy. The colors and futuristic tech they saw took their breath away.

Orion continued walking among the freshmen until they arrived at a large open field.

“Dad, look! It’s an Arch Warrior Stadium!” exclaimed one of the freshmen nearby.

There were people facing off with each other in a battle arena. The players wore black or white armor to differentiate their teams and carried weapons like swords, staves and bows.

The field was made more interesting with artificial hills, pools of water and pits of flames.

These special terrains challenged the contestants to strategize and utilize tactics rather than rely on brute strength. To win, they needed both brains and brawn.

Sounds of combat filled Orion’s ears. This was the first time he watched a live Arch Warrior match up close.

A spectacle of fire and ice clashing in the arena commanded the audience’s attention.

Both teams have unleashed a concentrated burst of Ether skill attacks at each other.

The colours from the clash of elements painted the skies with vivid brushstrokes while the crowd roared and cheered.

Orion pushed his way forward in the crowd as he followed the action on the field. After several moments, he found himself abruptly at a different scene near the field.