Chapter 4 - A Path to find

Raiden sat in the vehicle that the Frontline Officer had provided, originally she had planned to carry him to the dorms by flying him over. She explained that by manipulating the wind matter around them, she could fly them both over much faster and at least semi-safely, but Raiden quickly objected. Sarah eventually gave in and called in a chauffeur on the grounds of needing somewhere safe to transport his things.

The trip was long but the roads smooth, the drive bringing them to the outermost region of the walls, the scenery making it more than bearable. Driving through the busy city in a stylish vehicle was a luxury Raiden was never permitted. His father having lost his job earlier than Raiden could remember, the sixteen-year-old only ever knew a life absorbed by poverty and a tightly-knit family.

Arriving at the Frontline dorms a little over an hour later, he found himself in Westernmost Dalia. He observed the dorms, immediately found upon exiting the vehicle. They were huge, two of them clearly taller than the third, all three just a few hundred meters west from the main Frontline building found in Dalia. The dorms consisted of 3 large constructions, glass panes lining the first floor of each and several floors on the two taller buildings found higher up.

“The Dorm for men is on the right, the left for the women, the central building is mostly recreational, the first floor is where you can visit the library, get your fix of coffee, food, the like,” Sarah said, clearing up any misunderstandings and walking forwards towards the central structure, following a path surrounded by well-kept grass and trees. “There’s also a gym, and other entertainment on the second floor, nothing unnecessary of course.” she looked back at Raiden.

“Wooww, it’s huge,” he mumbled to himself, admiring the construction made possible by the limitless funds only Frontline could acquire.

Raiden and Sarah walked towards the dorm that found itself on the right. Behind it was the city they had driven through to get here. Following the clean concrete path towards the dorm, Raiden came to terms with the fact that this was his new home, either until he became a Pathfinder, or until the classes were over and he was moved to the military dorm. It would be two years until he could be promoted to his chosen profession.

As the Officer entered the pristine and modern dorm, she was greeted by a secretary that found itself in the center of the front room, to the left of the elevators leading upwards.

“Hello, Sarah!” she said, obviously trying her best to please the officer. “What can I do for you today?” she continued, “New Recruit?”

“That’s right, dorm 32, 5th floor,” Sarah replied. They entered the elevator right after, the secretary giving Raiden a plastic card and a form to fill in before he left. The form was to be turned in at the class selection, and the card was simply to unlock the door to his room.

Going up the elevator, Sarah remarked on Raiden’s new accessory. “Beautiful ring, I noticed it earlier but I’ve never quite seen anything like it, where did you buy it?” she asked inquisitively.

“It was my father’s, I'm wearing it to remind me of what I need to do,” he replied, determined.

“I see, you can register to become a Pathfinder on the 21st when classes start,” she said, surprising Raiden with her intuition. “Or at least that’s what I assume you mean by, what you need to do,” she smirked, approval showing in her eyes. While Sarah wasn’t keen on sending a young man to his death, she couldn’t deny his determination.

Or his potential, she thought to herself. When Officer Sarah arrived at the young man’s apartment, she truthfully didn’t expect an answer to her knocks when she asked if anyone was home. The initial surprise when someone answered before she burst the door open with her wind matter was intriguing. Despite that, Raiden didn’t know that his ability to withstand the lightning matter that knocked his younger sister unconscious was unnatural. There was no way he should have been able to stay awake under all that pressure, he had a talent. What his talent was, however, remained to be seen.

Following her to his room, Raiden flashed the keycard by the door lock and entered his new dorm.

“With that, I’ll leave you to it, explore the campus for now, on the 21st you should come register at the main building, that’s where you’ll find your classes, arenas, and everything else you’ll need to become a fully-fledged matter-wielder.” she spewed, turning around and leaving Raiden to investigate his new habitat.

It was huge, a one-person dorm here consisted of a dedicated bathroom, containing both a bath and a shower. A connected kitchen and dining area, the counters a fine marble, accompanied by a living room accessorized by a 40-inch television and leatherette L-shaped couch. Finally, in the bedroom laid a queen-sized bed, much larger than Raiden’s twin-sized at his old residence. He wondered whether his sister had received a similar place, but pushed those thoughts aside, he had one objective here, to grow.

Raiden spent his three days exploring and doing physical training. While he wasn’t exactly in bad shape, he knew he’d certainly need to put in work for his body to be in the state he wanted it. Raiden was equipped with long limbs and a small frame. While this may not have been the most powerful body composition, it matched his dark matter element, flexible, lightweight, and most importantly, agile. Just like lightning.

He awoke this morning just as stressed and worn down as he has for the last two or so weeks. Ready to embark on his classes, he brushed his teeth, slipped on his ring, and left wearing his favorite gray hoodie and blue shorts. His medium-length pearl white hair had grown some since the Deviant attacks just a couple of weeks ago, bags lay under his eyes and the familiar soreness of heightened physical activity tugged at his mental state.

“Just another day,” he told himself, genuinely nervous despite all the absurdities surrounding his current lifestyle. Making his way to the main building, surrounded by several arenas, a barracks, what looked to be a military institute as well as the main living quarters of the actual Frontline forces, he nearly tripped noticing all the faces present at the academy. Raiden had of course seen dozens of faces over his mere three days stay at his dorms and the surrounding campus, but he had not accounted for the number of people who would be attending and not staying on campus.

He walked his way inside of the front academy building and got in line for registration, he waited no longer than an hour before he was presented to a man, short grey hair covering his head. His muscled frame was obvious even under his trenchcoat. The man was one of many who were accepting the forums identical to the one he received from the secretary at his dorms.

“Raiden Sullivan, lightning matter, sixteen, deceased father…” the tan and burly man read through the items filled in on the piece of paper. “Alright! Now what direction do you intend to go for your profession?” he said. “Guard? Administrator? Officer?” he added.

“Pathfinder” Raiden replied.

“Ooh, an interesting one,” the man added, gazing at Raiden with sharp and intelligent eyes, “Before I register you, I’m legally required to inform you that despite the low sign-on rates for Pathfinders, less than 20% survive their first year on the job.” the man said, letting out a sigh.

Raiden gulped, but replied nonetheless, determined. “I’m aware, I wish to continue regardless,” he responded.

“Fearless! Just how Frontline likes ‘em!” he let out a hearty laugh. “Your first class is in two hours, the fourth floor for your dark matter theory classes and arena two for the practical ones, for now though, make sure to attend orientation, it starts at eleven o’clock sharp, good luck!” he said, laughing as Raiden turned and made his way to the orientation, finding himself in the first and largest arena supplied by Frontline.

He waited for it to start, people flooding in by the dozens, at least a couple hundred people found themselves seated when orientation began. “Hello, new students! This will be…” the announcer continued, Raiden listening but not paying close attention to the common ‘Thank you for attending’ and ‘We hope to see you all grow into fully-fledged Frontline members’ spew along with other typical pleasantries.

Arriving at his class, immediately after orientation ended, he found only eleven other people also attempting to become pathfinders, out of the hundreds present to orientation. Those who stood out consisted of a tall man, likely in his early twenties. Wearing a red jacket, black jeans, it matched well with his undercut jet black hair. Aside from him, an average height, dark-skinned and slender woman wearing a neat blue coat and dark tights, silver linings accessorizing her top and giving a sense of wealth to her look, as well as a young boy who despite being no younger than Raiden, was short in stature with equally short brown hair combed and gelled backward.

They all introduced themselves, Raiden finding himself going fifth. The twenty-two-year-old man with the red jacket and undercut hair referred to himself as Alex. The woman in the blue coat named herself Olivia, nineteen, and introduced herself with a practically regal flair. Finally, the last person Raiden noticed, the young-looking kid, introduced himself with a stutter, calling himself Salem, also sixteen. Upon finishing basic introductions, the instructor, arriving at exactly one o’clock, the official time for the course, also introduced himself.

“Hello, class!” the man said loudly, announcing his presence with a stern but friendly tone. “I recognize a few of you from registration, and some of you not so much.” he continued, giving the class his name and story, explaining himself to be a veteran pathfinder who retired only recently, instead resorting to teaching recruits. Raiden remarked the man to be the same one whom he registered with at the kiosk in the academy.

Despite the positive environment Raiden found himself in, knowing what the man from earlier said, he’d felt apprehensive. Most of us will die… If only twenty percent of Pathfinder students survived their first year after graduation, the chances were that no more than a couple of them wouldn’t be killed.

It was now that he made his final resolve. I must be one of the few who survive; if only long enough to avenge my father!