Chapter 2: Apollus
Below the surface of a desert like planet an extravagant building lies inside of a cave.
Inside of this building a portal is receiving new arrivals while a pair of uniformed guards watch over the arriving teenagers, between them stands a man with odd features.
A humanoid feline with a long black mane, golden brown fur but deep black horns, strange wings and a tail with a barbed stinger at the end.
This man patiently watched as the new students all began recover from the disorientation brought on by the long range teleportation, for many who had experienced this for the first time they would regret eating that morning.
The man cleared his throat to gather their attention before speaking.
"Now im sure you'd all like to know where you've arrived and we will gladly answer all of your questions but wait until after the introduction as this may answer some of the beforehand.
With this he moved to take a seat while a digital screen flickered on the wall showing an orbital view of a desolate world.
"Apollus, a world of heat and difficulty" a female voice began to narrate while the screen rapidly zoomed into the surface before switching to a view of a massive cave with glowing plantlife.
"though the surface is a hellscape of fire and sun the extensive cave systems throughout the mantle contain a wonder of evolution and a safe haven from the ravages of the twent four hour day as part of a forty eight hour day-night cycle.
This planet currently holds a D-grade danger level with the highest threat region being at B-grade.
The comfort level Apollus is a surprising class B, with the most dangerous aspect of the planet being its potentially deadly flora that a hunter could easily identify."
"The perks of living on the planet Apollus far outweighs the danger."
As the video was coming to an end it showcased various clips of giant carnivorous plants striking at glowing creatures and sucking away their life.
"Now that the introductions are over we can hand out your room assignments."
"While my assistants send your assigned room numbers to each of you i will explain some of what your days here will contain, during your first week here you are only expected to grow as strong as possible as this will give you the opportunity to do well in the placement test."
"You will be provided with basic assistance to level up and basic materials to start with that we expect you to pay us back for by scoring well at the end of this!"
The man smiled but the students only saw teeth being bared as though it were a threat, "now any of you that have questions may stay and ask them as for the rest of you simply check your badges and they will give you the location of your room follow the projected map and arrow."
James took his badge out and a hologram of the room immediately projected itself showing an arrow pointing to the door, he and hundreds of other students began to exit and split off down different paths each stopping at different rooms.
James realized that his own room was apparently much farther than the rest and the halls around him began to change in design until he arrived at a room with a black door and on the other side he heard shouting. As he prepared to enter a body suddenly struck the door and himself, making them tumble onto the floor.
"Next time you plan to get into my clothes, DON'T LEAVE CRUMBS FROM YOUR DISGUSTING BREAD BEHIND"
James groaned from the unexpected attack but then his attacker gasped and began apologizing as they pulled the person off of him.
"i am so very sorry that was such poor form, this idiot just makes me lose all reason!"
He felt someone pull him up and he noticed that it was an elf!
He stood there with his jaw hanging in surprise as it was his first time seeing the reclusive race but then he realized why this particular elf was mingling with others, she belonged to the obsidian elf subspecies who had begun to integrate themselves with others.
"Uhh yeah sure" james hadn't really understood much of what she had said with how distracted he was.
"Im supposed to uh... go in there and get moved in, im rooming here."
As soon as those words left his mouth the person on the floor jumped up and the elf squealed.
Getting a better look now seeing the gray-green skin, large black eyes and the strange angular face he realized that this was a gray one of the most common species in the galaxy.
Looking at this individual James saw a very clear issue, the androgynous race used identifying colors which this one did not have.
"So you will be our roommate yes?" The gray smiled and held out a hand to shake to which james accepted before sheepishly pointing to the gray's eyes.
"Im sorry but they're off and i dont want to be rude and i don't know how to tell the difference quite yet."
The gray lowered their head in embarrassment before rapidly blinking and activating the markings across their body making deep rose lines and beautiful patterns appear on her body, the color now making james realize that the gray was female after all.
"Wait you're both my roommates?"
The two shook their heads and lead him into the room that looked surprisingly nice for what could be considered a military academy.
The door led to a sitting room that was decorated with dark almost cliche decorations like bones and black crystals but at each end of the room was a hall going to additional doors.
"Those doors are all bedrooms, most have two beds for roommates but with how few the dark element chooses to adopt i doubt there would ever be enough to even have one per room."
"Just stay out of the room with the red door thats Lillies room and she'd break you if she found out you went in there when she wasnt here."
James sat down looking away in thought, "so wait am i the fourth person here? There arent any guys?"
The elvish girl began laughing "oh? are you complaining about having three cute roommates? If you must know its only the four of us and the dark element usually favours girls its actually more of a shock that you got her attention."
James leaned back deep in thought.
"I'm not really sure why mother chose me she just did, maybe it was something my mother did that she was attracted by?"
"I've never met others like us... at least none i knew about, this is new to me you know?"
The elf blinked before slowly reaching to drag the gray down for them to both sit.
"Mother?" she was staring right at james the whole time.
"Uh yeah? I think thats what she wants me to call her, everything I get from her has her labeled as the void mother."
James was beginning to get worried now that something was wrong.
'Did i say something bad? maybe she doesnt like being called mother.'
"Can we see your status? Just the race yes?" the gray was leaning in close excitedly and he nodded showing them the part of his status that only showed his name race and age.
"Aspect of Dark, i was right you are one of her children can we see your skill? Pretty please?"
They're staring so intensely that he was beginning to feel exposed but he complied.
"Whats the big deal about it? Its just a label."
The two girls took their eyes away from him to look at the floating status screen while the elf spoke.
"The aspect means she views you as more than just an obligation or a charity but she truly feels you are her own blood, your mother must be dead right? it wouldnt happen otherwise but.... oh my god."
Their jaws dropped as they had started reading through his various skills before they looked at him like they had just seen a ghost.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone