"This is the the most important day of your life... Your coming of age ceremony, the ceremony that will change life for the better!" A middle age man, standing atop the podium announced through the microphone in his hand. Wearing a dark combat clothes, as he stared at thousands of teenagers being injected with a glowing serum.
The gymnasium that they used in conducting the awakening ceremony, is large and very bright. Strong white light filled every gaps inside the gym like they were afraid of leaving any dark spaces.
"Or for the worse... But it's the day you'll finally be able to join the work force of our city. To become our protectors or workers that would finally contribute to the betterment of our community! Not useless teenagers anymore"
"The future of our city...may the god of light, bless you with luck."
From within the crowd of young teenagers, being injected by mysterious glowing liquid, comes Lynx. A black haired young man with crimson eyes, wearing plain clothes.
"I hope I would awaken an ability, any ability is good, or I can only stay mediocre for all my life..."
He stared observantly at the young girl two rows infront of him being injected by the nurse with the mysterious serum.
That girl was very nervous, staring the opposite direction from the shoulder she was being injected into, looking very worried and scared at the same time.
As the liquid inside the syringe were slowly injected inside her, an immediate reaction immediately take place. Her blood vessels swelled, her teeth clenched, while she groaned in agony.
Little by little, her body was being change into something new...or awakened from inside. This reaction were rare, like out of tens of people, only one would react that way, as most people would just become weak or lost consciousness, but a few reacted differently like what was happening on her, and by the looks of the man standing in the podium, this signals something good.
After a while, the girl infront finally relaxed, leaning back on the chair she was sitting on, extremely exhausted at what just unfold. Even do it looks like nothing has happened to her in the outside, but deep inside her something has change, forming into something indescribable.
Lynx from the back closed his eyes, as he was deep in thought about the possibilities.
Time passed fast when you're busy, now, it's finally his turn to be injected by the mysterious golden liquid.
He breathed a mouthful of air before he let the nurse inject him with the mysterious liquid. The glowing golden liquid entered his body with a warm and soothing feeling. A weird addicting feeling, he can explain.
Just before he thought that he was destined to be a common workforce seeing what's happening, the soothing and warm feeling slowly turn akin to a boiling magma, heating up his insides that result in unbelievable pain. Especially on his right hand where most of the pain were concentrated.
Lynx stared in horror as his right arm were slowly being burned into blackened charcoal without even a fire, his flesh slowly peeling off as a magma veins appeared on the cracks in his arm.
The pain was otherworldly that he can't even scream a single word, the nurse taking care of him has only stare unknowingly at him, unsure what to do at the bloodshot eye and convulsing Lynx, it's the first time she was thrown into a situation were she seen someone reacting so much from being injected by the awakening serum.
It's fortunate that Lynx's situation become better just a minute later or she's really going to call for help.
It was just a minute, but for Lynx it felt like eternity has just passed in his eyes. He was drench in sweat, exhausted from what just unfold that he lost consciousness while still on his seat.
When he opened his eyes again, the ceremony was already coming to an end, with the last teenager being injected with the mysterious serum at the back.
He anxiously look at his right hand that got mutated from before. Staring at it now, he wanted to faint from disbelief. His right arm have turned into a ghostly form, a long black claws with grey energy seeping through the cracks in his arm, looking like it could shred a man to pieces. Menacing and powerful.
He doesn't know why this happened but he knows that this is his awakened ability, a 'ghostly arm'.
"If this is what I think of it, then I have transformation ability" Lynx muttered, trying to return his arm to normal but he found that he couldn't, whether it's because he lack experience or this ability is a permanent one. He can only hope that it's not, or how he'll possibly live a normal life with an arm like this?
As Lynx was thinking about his future, the man in the podium started to scan the crowd again, seeing that the ceremony was about to come to an end:
"I congratulate this bach for having no accident in their awakening process..."
"To officially end the event, I want all of you that doesn't awakened their ability to exit this gym this instance. Nurses, please escort our new workforce out of the gym please..." The people that doesn't have a strong reaction towards the awakening drug, can only walk out from the gymnasium with regret flashing in their faces.
Fate is cruel, even crueler for a commoner like them that can only stay average for all their lives now. But it can also be a blessing in disguise, surviving inside the city walls while not having the chance to see the outside world horror, is a blessing, only the commoners could enjoy.
"As for the rest, the chosen of the light, I welcomed all of you to the real world...may you be successful in your future endeavors!"
Lynx look around the people of his age, they all look young like him, but hidden deep inside their eyes are a mysterious power that cannot be just hidden, they were not average human anymore, they have something that differentiate them from the common masses.
He look at his side and saw a young man playing with his ability to transform his hands into a beast like claws. He played with it like he was playing with a switch, on and off.
Lynx felt envious at that guy, as he can just turn his ability easily, in which he just seem to can't do. His arm seems to be trapped in the form of ghostly arm... At least for now.
He sadly sighed, he can't do anything to it, so what's there to force it?
The remaining crowd then gathered close forward, close to the podium as possible, seeing the space around become sparse of people. From 5000+ individuals mingling here waiting for there fate, only little over 500 remains, those teenagers that awakened their abilities.
"Now you chosen few... Your path forward will be layed infront of you, so chose carefully!" The middle aged man in the podium seems to stop his eyes for a moment at Lynx's direction before he look away.
Inside the bright gymnasium, the two large doors from the side swung open, letting another group of military uniformed people inside, marching as they walk towards the center, creating three different groups.
"Then, I will let these officers of ours to formally introduce themselves" The middle aged man in the podium smiled, and the people standing at the center stared to introduce themselves to the awakened crowd.
"Let me introduce myself, I'm Karl Fredrick of 2nd division of the nightwalker, a second rank nightwalker. I would be the overseer for you lots, so tag along with me if you want to become our city patrol, security, soldiers or such for our city, you should come to me" The burly bald man in high ranking military uniform at the left side of the group spoked with dignity, smiling at the crowd, looking friendly.
"I'm Hordon Light of the Paradise Institute Of Science And Technology. A second rank scientist. I'm the overseer for the Paradise Institute for this batch, if you want to join us cresting countless innovations then show me what can you do." A man adorned in white lab gown, announced at the center, with his hand behind his back, eyes are cold, and tone unconcerned.
"Hi~! I'm Olivia Hunt of the nighthunter's, a second rank nighthunter. I would be the overseer for the nighthunter cadet screening. If you want to kill and hunt darkness beings, join us! You'll also gain unimaginable wealth and status in the process" A beautiful and energetic woman in her 20s, wearing tight combat suit that shows her curves, and womanly figure, smiled brightly, but hidden in her friendly facade were sharp and deadly aura, showing how dangerous she was.
"Now, let the profession choosing begins. I'll advice you all to choose according to your awakened ability and prospect. It's hard to change careers after you chosen your profession in the future." The man standing in the podium smiled mysteriously.