Looking at the tab in his hand the man began to call the students names.
"first up, Roselyn Robertson" the man's voice echoes loudly.
Then from within the crowd walked out a girl wearing a pair of glasses and she had side swept red hair swaying behind her as she walked gracefully towards the podium and her icy green eyes were focused on the crystal orb.
She ascended the podium and coming before the crystal orb which lay gently on the pedestal pulsing with bane energy and every eye were on her.
"place your hand on the orb" the man instructed her and she obeyed.
"okay, now do not resist the bane energy flowing into your body instead receive it and let it flow through your entire body"
The man told her and she took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the specks of bane energy danced towards her as the energy gently circulated around her body.
The bane energy was the cause of the disaster but it was also responsible for mankind's liberation. Suddenly green motes of light began to gather around the orb and around her, then the crystal orb glowed bright green and then a huge holographic screen appeared before her as everyone could see it.
[Name: Roselyn Robertson]
[Age: 17 years]
[Gender: female]
[Ability: Nova energy manipulation (S rank)]
[Talent: Silver]
The information was displayed on the holographic screen floating above her and the entire crowd had their jaws gapping as they could not believe their very eyes as they looked at the S-rank boldly written on the screen.
"oh my God, she awakened an S-rank ability"
"damn she's talented to able to awaken an S-rank ability"
Whispers were heard among the students as they were shocked. In a canopy at the side of the podium seated were guests from various abilitan academies who here to collect the students with high ranking abilities into their academies.
A woman with a long brown which was tied into a bun and her deep brown eyes glued towards Roselyn who was still in shock over the high ranking ability she awakened, the woman's presence exuded an aura of terrifying might as she crossed her leg leisurely as the other guests were planning to send their people over to see if they could rope her into their academies.
"She is mine everyone, go and get yours" the woman said coldly as she didn't even spare a glance at the others.
"isn't that woman form crystal field academy"
"yeah am sure of it"
"I heard the she is known as the fierce tiger of Crystal Field academy and many people in the academy fear her"
"I even heard she had beaten up two up abilitans at the Core crystallization phase for angering her" the guests whispered among themselves as everyone decided not to get in her way.
A wide smile curved on Roselyn's lips as happiness was evident in her eyes.
"congrats Roselyn, you have officially become an abilitan" the man holding the tab congratulated her and an aura of proudness was seen around her as she descended down the platform.
"Up next, Johnathan Dan" the man called the next person up and so names after names were called and Zack watched as his heart skipped a beat each time he thought of his awakening.
[Name: Dennis Clover]
[Age: 17 years]
[Gender: male]
[Ability: Earth manipulation (C rank)]
[Talent: iron]
A holographic screen floats above a boy as his hand was placed on the crystal Orb and the orb glowing a brown color as shards of rock spread on the surface of the orb.
Retracting his hand, the shards of rocks on the orb turns into mist and evaporates and the expression on the boy's face was that of intense happiness even though it was a C-rank ability but it was a good thing and that meant a good future.
"congrats Dennis, you are now an abilitan" the man congratulated the boy named Dennis and the boy went down the podium with a wide smile on his face and getting to his friends who congratulated him and the man takes his focus back to the tab and calls the next name.
"next up Zack Grey Lyon" the man called out loudly and Zack who seemed lost in thoughts was suddenly jolted by the call of his name and every single student took their gaze towards him.
Meanwhile at the canopy filled with guests they are mummers among them as they heard Zack's name.
"well my dear guests its high time you meet our number one in the entire academy, the number one genius and the only one with a diamond talent" saying this was a man who was the school director who wore a white suit with a white coat on and his shoulder length brown hair draping over his shoulder and his light brown eyes looking at certain guests seated beside him and a light smile played on his face.
"Wow that's a talent that's one in a million, one that's super rare" said one of the guests as everyone were on high ears to as they expected to see an ability like never before.
"but Mr. Cromwell aren't only people from a well renowned family who has a history of abilitans running through their bloodlines for generations that are meant to answer the name of their ancestor as their last name?" a guest asked.
"well yes of course he hails from the Lyon family we all know of" the director of the school who we now know his name as Cromwell said and it felt as if a bombshell had been dropped as the guests had look of shock on their faces.
"Mr. Cromwell you can't be joking right?" a tall and bulky man with a short black hair and brown eyes as he was on a military uniform was forced to stand up from his chair. Even the woman who had taken the first student who awakened an S-rank ability was even shocked as her expression could not hide it.
But they was an Old man who didn't seem bothered as his female assistant stood beside him, the man wore a black suit which fitted him perfectly and his white hair was as white as snow an indication of his old age and his face having a few wrinkles and his deep blue eyes staring at Zack, even despite his old look his body vibrated an aura of youthful strength and his aura unseen to the naked eye boosted a deadly Might.
"what will someone from the Lyon family be doing here?" the woman from crystal field academy asked with surprise.
"I have no idea; you know how hard it is trying to pry for information from such families" Mr. Cromwell said with a sigh.
"what if he was expelled from the family?" a man asked.
"I doubt that, because someone with a diamond talent who never be kicked out of a family you know because we all know how precious and extremely rare a diamond talent is" the man in military uniform spoke
"I agree with you with my friend" said Mr. Cromwell to the man on military uniform.
"let's just see what extraordinary show he's going to put on for us" said Mr. Cromwell with a smile.
Meanwhile Zack was still in surprise of his name been called.
"Zack it's your turn" Zoe whispered in Zack's ear and his cheek became slightly red as she was way too close to him.
"Yo, bro what you waiting for? it's your turn go on" Ben said to Zack.
"alright guys I guess this is finally it, so wish me luck" Zack said with a smile to Ben and Zoe then he turned around and began heading for the podium as his eyes were set on the crystal orb resting on the pedestal.
"Zack you got this, make me proud" Zoe called out to him sweetly as she cheered for him.
"Zack, I believe in you, go there and make it happen" Ben cheered, as Zack made his way towards the podium all eyes were on him.
"look, it's him with the diamond talent" said a girl
"what kind of ability do you think his gonna awaken?" a boy asked a girl
"I bet his going to awaken an SSS-rank or an X-rank ability, since he has a diamond talent" answered a boy as the students discussed among themselves as everyone was eager to see something big happen.
Standing before the crystal orb on the pedestal was Zack as he looked at the orb in front of him as beautiful specks of bane energy danced around the orb in perfect harmony and thousands of thoughts running through his head as he stared at the orb as he could hear the sound of his heart beat spiking up as he looked at the orb in front of him.
"place your hand on the orb" the man in charge spoke to Zack.
"okay sir" then he placed his hand on the orb as the surface of the orb felt cool to touch as the bane energy seemed to be disturbed.
"just like you would have heard already, just let the energy flow" the man said and Zack nodded.
With both his hands placed on the Orb he took in a deep breath
"alright Zack you got this you can do this" Zack assured himself as he closed his eyes and the bane energy began to flow towards him from the orb. The bane energy danced around Zack's body as everyone held their breaths as they waited and had expectation boldly written on their faces.
Five minutes passed and yet the orb was not reacting or showing any color.
"why can't I feel anything yet" Zack thought, three extra minutes passed and yet nothing was happening.
The faces of expectation turned to that of confusion as no one clearly understood what was going on even the director of the school had a confused look on his face and that of the guests too and then whispers were heard among the students.
"what do you think is going on?" a boy whispered to a girl by his side.
"why ask me!! Do I look like someone who would know" the girl answered the boy.
"maybe is taken longer than usual" a girl said.
"or maybe it's because he has a diamond talent I guess" a boy chimed in
Zack was forced to open his eyes as he didn't get what was going on.
"what's going on? Why isn't the awakening orb reacting?" Zack questioned himself as he didn't get what was going on.
Then out of the blue the orb began to glow and some students noticed it.
"hey everyone, look the orb is glowing" shouted a student and everyone looks towards the glowing orb.
"wow its really happening" Zack said as he was surprised at the sudden reaction and the orb glowed red and then a huge holographic screen appeared above Zack instead of the usual blue this time it was red and boldly written on the holographic was.
Everywhere became dead silent, that if drop a pin you would hear it's sound as everybody was shocked to the core as the stared at the words written boldly on the red holographic screen
Even the director of the school was in deep shock as he saw the words as his eyes could not believe what he was looking at right now. Meanwhile Zack was in completed shock as this wasn't his expectation as he was shocked beyond belief.
"No.... No...this can't be real right? What does it mean no ability" Zack could not comprehend this and refused to believe it, he withdrew his hands and placed them back on the orb but the pop up kept popping and Zack couldn't believe it as his hands were shaking uncontrollable as he didn't what to believe that what he was seeing was real.
Meanwhile Mr. Cromwell was in complete loss as he was lost for words because a moment ago, he was uplifting Zack's name, praising him and then this.
"I refuse to believe this, how this be happening?" Mr. Cromwell refused to believe it.
"Cromwell you better believe it, he has no ability the awakening device can't lie, well what I see is a waste of resources" the woman from the Crystal Field academy said with disdain.
"I don't know why you praised this kid so much but, in the end, even with a diamond talent his worthless" said one the guests with displeasure.
"I guess this may be a reason why he is not with the Lyons because they had already seen him to be a worthless trash and decided to kick him out" another guest said with disdain
"Cromwell are you sure he has a diamond talent or was they any miss up somewhere?" the man in military uniform asked him
But Cromwell was short of words as he couldn't think straight and his expression changing into fury.
"I can't believe he is a waste after all those investments" Cromwell said to himself as he clenched his fists around the handle of this chair and then snapping it in the process as a crack was held as he was frustrated.
The man responsible for the calling of the students on seeing the situation in the canopy spoke to Zack.
"please I will need you off the podium now as many others are still waiting for their awakening" the man said with no emotion as he held a straight face. Zack without a thought nodded without sparing a glance at the man as he felt shocked, he felt like bursting into tears but he held it back and he descended down the podium as his mind was in a complete mess and disarray as he couldn't think straight, for he didn't know how he was going to face his mum, as he couldn't awaken as he had failed everyone's expectation of him included that of his friends as his heart was heavy with emotions and many eyes were on him.
On approaching Zoe and Ben, Zack had a thought as he saw them `I can't face them like this but, they are my close friends after all, I they would support me especially Zoe´ this were his thoughts.
As he approached them, as he put a smile despite the harsh reality, he had woken up to.
"hey guys although I have seen the reality that I don't have an ability, that wouldn't stop us from been friends, right? Well I guess I am in your care now" Zack said with a light smile even when deep down inside he was at complete loss.
"hold on a sec, what the hell do you mean by you are in my care? Hello who are you?" Zoe's once sweet voice was now harsh and full of disdain, and Zack immediately froze on hearing her change in tone.
"Zoe, if this a joke you better cut it, what do you mean by who am I?" Zack said to her feeling shocked at her sudden change in tone.
"have you gone dear you loser or have you gone nuts due to knowing you have no ability" Zoe spoke with rudeness towards Zack and then Boom as if a bomb had been dropped, he was stunned and shocked beyond anything he had ever imagined as Zoe's 180 degree turn of attitude towards him was shocking and he never believed in his wildest dream that Zoe would say such things to him.
"Zoe what is the meaning of this display?" Zack asked her as he felt shocked.
"well Zack, there is no meaning for this for I owe you no damn explanation" Zoe said to him as she adjusted her hair and then continued.
"in the first place the reason I got this close to you because I thought by been close to you since you were the shining star of the academy and you had a diamond talent and seeing the bright future ahead of you, I thought I could also be part of it and its benefits to come.
And secondly was for the resources you had access to, been someone with a diamond talent you became the academy's top priority and so you were handed so much resources that someone like me could never have access to so I decided to suck up on you but in the end you are just a pathetic loser with no ability" Zoe said with disgust as she looked at Zack with disdain in her eyes.
Just like a broken mirror, Zack was complete shattered and his heart ached as he never expected this from Zoe, emotions welled up in his eyes as he felt like crying but he could not and he could only clench his fists in anger. Taking his gaze to Ben, he saw the same look on his face, it looked as if they had this all planned out.
"what's with the look loser do I look like the cause of your misfortune? I was only close to you just for the benefits bro" Ben spoke with displeasure as he said to Zack in a tone like never before.
"so, if it was just for the benefits why this pain then?" Zack questioned them both.
"why do talk too much you loser, don't you see the way things are now you are nothing because you have no ability, I don't need you anymore. I wonder how a beautiful girl like me ended up with a failure like you" Zoe said with mockery.
"next up Zoe Blake" Zoe's name was called next.
"I have to go now; I have an ability to awaken" said Zoe as she swept her hair backwards and placing one hand on her waist as she walked stylishly to the podium.
Zack was in utter shock and disbelief as he had seen the true color of this two people, he called friends as they were just wolves in sheep clothing, he had expected words of encouragement but instead they were words filled with mockery, hate and pure disdain
The bane energy circulated around Zoe and the crystal orb glowed blue as sparks of lighting sizzled around Zoe and the orb and the usual holographic screen popped up
[Name: Zoe Blake]
[Age: 17 years]
[Gender: female]
[Ability: lighting manipulation (A-rank)]
[Talent: Silver]
An air of proudness was seen around Zoe as she saw her ability and a woman was already approaching her, Zoe turned around and looked at Zack as she had a smile on her face but it wasn't her usually angelic smile but it was a twisted smile one that was filled with mockery.
Seeing the smile on Zoe's face, Zack now understood who Zoe was, she was a pretentious person and one with a deceitful and a greedy character, she was just a ticking time bomb ready to blow up any moment. She had the face of angel but the heart of a devil, well as the saying goes the devil you know is better than the angel you don't know.
"next, Ben Kenneth" Ben's name was called next.
"You know, right from the beginning I knew you I really never liked you because you stole my spotlight which was meant for me and always got attention from the higher ups in the academy because you had a diamond talent and you were made number one as the shining star of the academy and they always thought so highly of you, the resources which were supposed to be mine were given to you. I always wanted to crush you beneath my feet but now guess I don't have to anymore because a shining star has fallen nothing" Ben said to Zack as he walked past him as disdain and anger was evident in his voice then he paused in his tracks as he turned back to Zack who stood without saying a word and said.
"You see now you are nothing but a failure" turning away he continued walking towards the podium. Ben stood before the crystal orb and placed his hand on the orb and soon the orb began to react as the orb began to glow a cyan color and then suddenly they was a burst of a cyan colored energy from Ben as he awakened his ability and the holographic screen popped up above as his ability was shown.
[Name: Ben Kenneth]
[Age: 17 years]
[Gender: male]
[Ability: Ki energy manipulation (S-rank)]
[Talent: Silver]
Gasps were held in the crowds as yet another S-rank ability had shown up and the director of the school on seeing this made him smile as his earlier frustration disappeared in the blink of an eye and a wide smile plastered on his face as two S-rank abilities had shown up from the academy.
"you see that Zack that's how you awaken an ability" Ben called out to Zack loudly as pride was visible in his tone. Meanwhile at the canopy were the guests were seated, The man on military uniform stood up from his chair and in the blink of an eye he leaped towards Ben from where he stood and landed close to Ben at an inhuman speed as the floor beneath his foot was cracked from his landing impact.
The other guests who were preparing to send their people to convince Ben into their academies were in surprise as the man had already beat them to it.
"Hey kid what do say about joining the lions gate academy?" the man asked Ben.
"Wow, yes of course sir I would love to join and be a part of your academy sir, no second thoughts on this" Ben replied with intense happiness as he quickly accepted the offer without any much thought.
"Oh my God, he got an offer from Lion's gate academy!"
"Wow his really lucky to have been given an offer from Lion's gate academy"
"Lions gate academy is one of the top academies in the region, damn it, luck is on his side" whispers were heard among the students as they were surprised that someone from Lion's gate academy made an offer to Ben.
Meanwhile Zack was in the total disarray and shock as the sudden change of behavior of the people he called friends took him by surprise and never had he expected in his wildest dreams that this people will turn against him and abandon him just like that. So many eyes were on him as he stood alone, some were of pity and shock while others that of mockery.
He saw the faces of pity and mockery looking at him and at that very moment he felt lonely as they was no one to back him up as a friend at that very moment, he felt like he was drifting away alone in a void of emptiness as he was shattered to the very core. So, he turned around as he began walking away from the crowd.
The old man seated under the canopy with his assistant by his side kept an eye on Zack as he left.
"Lloyd you better be sure of what you said to me" the man said to himself as he released a sigh of helplessness.
Zack's steps were slow and steady as he walked to the exit of the academy compound as his heart was heavy and his fist clenched with anger as emotions welled up in his eyes as tears silently rolled down his cheeks as he thought of the good times he had with Zoe and Ben and now felt like the friendship they had over these two years was gone just like that, like dust into the air.
Meanwhile at a Few streets away from the academy on a busy road filled with people and cars as the buildings lined along the road was bustling with people and activities as it was a busy district then suddenly out of the blue a crack appeared in the air above the road and this immediately disrupts traffic causing every car to come to a halt but the crack began to expand rapidly as if a mirror had been cracked in mid-air and then the crack got bigger and bigger.
This scene stunned the onlookers as they could not believe their eyes and with a burst of energy the crack opened.