Chapter 11: Ch 11 – Test

Victoria and Max were curious about their son's description. 

On one hand, the soul wasn't exactly exposed, and the shadow was totally concealed. Just looking at him, other than his white hair, there was nothing that indicated a second soul, body, or power. He looked as he always did, and the white hair could be played off as a result of him activating Hardlight. 

On the other hand, the shadow soul still had effects on Issac's soul. The wounds on his soul were now filled with black, an exposure of his shadow soul. In that case, it wasn't totally hidden. 

"...It shouldn't matter though."

Victoria pondered. Max slowly nodded beside her. 

"The point is hiding his shadow. It's not like they can scan his soul and see the wounds or shadow. As far as I'm concerned, his shadow is fully hidden. I sense no other traces of foreign dark energy or power besides Hardlight. If he couldn't combine his souls, then we'd have a problem. But he can."

"Then we'll assume it's safe."

Victoria made the decision, looking at her son. 

"If it's like that, then you can use your double mind. But never activate or deactivate your shadow while in the presence of others. If even the slightest hint of that power leaks, you could be in huge trouble. When in doubt, just don't use it. Am I understood?"

"Yes."

Issac nodded. He knew he absolutely couldn't expose his shadow. If he were found to possess two powers, who knew what would happen to him?

Victoria stood and hugged her son, giving him a kiss on the forehead. 

"You're entering a new universe now, Issac. We're not disappearing though. You'll be residing in the Mantle, but we'll be here as well in the Megalith. Since you're jumping into the wider world, we've decided to step back into it too. We'll be working closely with Cornelius, though he's going to be off-planet with the SSC. Anyway, don't hesitate to talk to us with your terminal or come see us."

"Alright."

Issac nodded before standing. Victoria beckoned him out of the ship, the hatch opening and letting them descend. 

They walked onto the landing platform in the port of the human Megalith. Anthony smiled when he saw Issac emerge. 

"Ready?"

"We'll see when I take this test."

"You'll do fine. You're one of the smartest people I know."

Anthony smacked his shoulder while Cornelius let out a deep breath. 

"Alright you two. We can't go with you to the Mantle, but we can take you there. Let's go grab a transit car and head out. We'll be there within the hour."

Saying that, the tall man led the group away, the ship waiting on standby. 

There were thousands of transit depots at the ports, so they easily got a flying car. The destination for the Mantle was set, and they flew off at speeds Issac's truck could never compare to. 

Issac gazed out the window as they flew. 

From the atmosphere, the Megalith just looked like a giant demon horn, and the only special features were the massive energy structures that made it glow with complex lines. Other than that, it was totally encased, not exposing the city within. 

But inside, the story was completely different.

Issac could see out into space despite the closed structure. The Megalith was see-through, and it seemed to magnify the colors and beauty of the universe around it. The images of nebulae exploding with color, stars raging with light, and comets leaving trails of icy dust in their wake filled the eyes of all observers with cosmic wonder.

And below was the massive city expanse. The Megalith was curved, an odd shape compared to the simply spherical planet. But gravity was always pointed to the ground of the Megalith, and the city was built with the tops of spires pointing toward the depths of space. 

The city spanned the entire Megalith, and the buildings under 100 meters in height were the minority. The tallest buildings reached miles in into the sky, poking to the limits of the Megalith's ceiling. Neon lights and streaks created by flying cars colored the city at all times, the vibrance showing off the prosperity of the hundreds of millions that lived within. 

Some structures were huge rings that rotated like a Ferris wheel. Others spiraled like a double helix, resembling the structure of DNA. Some actually floated, places Anthony called the floating islands. Issac even saw a huge metal giant whose body contained various factories, the structure standing tall like a valiant warrior. The endless variety made it seem like one could never experience the entirety of this city in their life. 

The longer they flew, the more interesting things Issac saw. He could pick out tiny details that made him all the more fascinated, like how trash cans used portal technology to transport garbage to an incinerator, or how people could fly through the sky with special suits. Everything was luxurious and innovative, as if every human within needed to display the most eye catching functions of their tools. 

The most prosperous planet in the galaxy. It truly deserved this title. Nothing here was cheap or dull.

Issac was slightly overwhelmed. He had never felt such wonder as he did now. All his life he had lived on a farm. The most complex machines he ever touched were the gadgets he made for his pilot suit, as well as Nifty. Everything else consisted of automated farm equipment, and those were pieces of trash compared to anything he could conjure in his mother's lab. He had never known anything beyond what he had built with his own hands.

The sights here made shivers go down his spine. In only a few days, he went from seeing endless swaths of farmland to planetary structures. Everything here was a shock to his system. The images and videos on the galactic net couldn't compare to experiencing a single ride in a flying car. 

Nobody disturbed Issac as his nose was glued to the window the entire ride. He didn't even notice when they arrived. Anthony had to drag him out. 

"Listen up."

Cornelius stepped in front of them, looking between these two friends. Anthony and Issac had been friends since birth. Cornelius had high hopes for this duo. Though, Issac couldn't seem to concentrate as he kept gazing back at the vast city beyond. 

"This is the relay to enter the Mantle."

Cornelius pointed behind him. There were portals that lined the area, and one was specifically and obviously designated for newcomers who would take the test. 

"Enter that portal and follow their directions. Neither of you is stupid enough to cause unnecessary trouble, and I'm sure you'll handle yourselves fine. They don't make things difficult. However, from here on out, you'll be in the presence of all three galactic civilizations. You'll be faced with the Zandran and Aatrix. From now on, as a human, you represent your entire race. I'm not saying to take on the role of hero, but keep your heads up, shoulders back, and carry yourselves properly. You don't bow down to anyone, and you'll do your best to become the best you can be. 

"Beyond that portal is the most competitive environment in the galaxy. Nothing but the best is accepted there. So go and prove you're one of them."

"Mm."

Anthony nodded with a fiery spirit. His father was his idol, though he didn't show it often. Now more than ever did he want to prove his ability. There was no better place to do so.

After a wave, Issac and Anthony stepped away, walking toward the portal. Issac gradually pulled his gaze away from the city behind, instead looking ahead where there were hundreds of others striding to the portal. They followed the crowd, and with a step, they vanished with in a flash of light. 

They had entered the Mantle.

......

The duo reappeared not long after. They were placed into a huge plaza with floors of metal and mechanical segments. The walls around them twisted with technological components. 

The most eye catching things around them though were the people. For the first time, Issac gazed upon a Zandran with his own eyes. 

The Zandran were humanoid, but that's about where the similarities with a human stopped. They had fleshy skin like humans, but their skin was ash gray as if stained by carbon. In certain places around their body, like their thighs, chest, shoulders, and any other flat surfaces, was hardened skin. This hardened skin looked like dark, polished obsidian, appearing like subdermal plating. These armored areas didn't protrude though, so it gave them a very sleek and natural looking armor as if the skin had hardened to bone. 

All of them were naturally large too. They usually stood a head above all other humans and Aatrix, their average height being several inches taller. Their muscles all bulged with strength, and their fingernails grew to become sharp claws. 

Finally, the neck and up were where they most differed. The Zandran's neck had many flaps of skin, the flesh of the flaps acting as sensory organs for smell. The head of the Zandran looked very alien. The front of their faces was flat, having no nose and lips that barely covered their sharp teeth. Their ears were also nonexistent, and their chins were hardened with their obsidian-like armor. Their pointed jaws led up to their literally hard heads with no hair. Like the rest of their body with armor, the skin around their skulls was almost completely hardened. 

The only parts of their heads that weren't hardened were the areas around their eyes and mouth. Their fleshy skin darkened when merging with their natural armor, creating cracks and streaks across their face. Their eyes were also one solid color with no pupils or the like. 

All of this made them look incredibly ferocious, and the humans around them naturally put up their guard. It was like seeing a wolf in the wild. Compared to the soft and mushy humans, the Zandran were natural born warriors. 

Only, Issac knew that humans only looked soft and squishy on the outside. 

Humans had bones of iron, and their endurance was extremely high. Their muscles were also compact, able to exercise strength that wouldn't lose out to the Zandran. Only the skin was easily subject to damage, but even then, it made up for that in regeneration. To some extent, humans could regenerate entire limbs. Their organs were efficient and tough, and their immune systems could fight virtually any disease. Even if a human fought a Zandran barehanded, they could fight through that tough armor of theirs with their strong metal bones. It would be painful when the skin broke on their fists, of course, but it could be done. 

Humans could adapt to any environment, and it was hard to kill one. If a human wasn't killed, they could heal and come back again and again. So while the Zandran were wild, ferocious, and deadly, humans were tenacious. Though, Issac had to admit that Zandran still had a natural advantage with that armor of theirs. 

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Above all though, even with their brutish looks, Issac knew that the Zandran were incredibly smart, just like humans. There was a reason they occupied a third of the galaxy and could claim their place in the universe as a galactic civilization. That couldn't be done with sharp nails or skin armor.

Then, there were the Aatrix. Issac immediately thought of Asphodel, but unfortunately, he found that these Aatrix didn't look even half as beautiful as her. This wasn't to say they were ugly though. Even Anthony was enraptured by their hair that took on various colors like blue, green, red, yellow, purple, black, and more. It was very dynamic compared to humans and their basic black, brown, or blonde hair. 

Their skin was still the biggest indicator of their race though. That vibrant red and pink captured everyone's eyes unintentionally. Only, Issac was curious when he saw their faces. Asphodel had white markings around her eyes and forehead, looking like someone drew on a tribal design of some sort. But none of these Aatrix had that. 

Other than that, as Issac established upon first meeting Asphodel, the main difference between Aatrix and humans was the hair and color of their skin. Everything else was almost identical, besides the organs and genetics and such. 

Both Anthony and Issac took a while to observe the people around them. In this time though, the duo saw a drone fly up to them. It was a flying robot ball with a large eye on its front. There were several of these drones scanning the people in the plaza.

The drone scanned them, letting out a human yet slightly robotic voice.

"Anthony Hayle and Issac Exos. Your arrival is expected and testing scheduled. Please head to Testing Area 3 and speak to the clerk for further instructions."

"Alright."

Anthony responded, and the robot flew away to scan others. 

Looking up, there were a couple dozen signs pointing to different testing areas. They easily found area 3 and followed the signs. The place was very straightforward. 

After a bit of walking, the crowds began to thin. At some point, they walked through a hall and arrived in another small plaza. Here, there was a large desk and several clerks behind it. They were all robots.

Anthony and Issac jumped in the short line, only spending a few minutes before stepping forward. 

"Anthony Hayle. Our records and submission details indicate that you're testing to be a Mech Pilot."

"Correct."

"Very well. Please enter the door on the right. You will undergo the entrance exam after being guided to the testing area."

"Okay."

"Good luck."

The robot waved him off, and Issac stepped up next.

"Issac Exos. Our records indicate that you're testing to be both a Dark Technician and Mech Pilot."

"Yes."

"Then please enter the door on the left. You will first be tested as a Dark Technician before being tested as a Mech Pilot."

"Alright."

"Good luck to you."

With a nod, Issac turned and headed to the door on the left. Several others watched as he left. 

Issac opened the door and saw the entrance to another portal. He walked through it, quickly appearing in another room. 

This room contained dozens of capsules arranged as if they were school desks. A robot quickly appeared in front of Issac. It was another flying ball. 

"Please enter an empty capsule. All tests are standardized regardless of age. Good luck."

With that, Issac found an empty capsule, entering it and shutting the door. He took a seat as a screen in front of him lit up.

The capsule automatically detected who he was. Without much suspense, the test started. 

Being a Dark Technician wasn't much different from being a standard engineer or scientist. It required a vast knowledge of physics, mathematics, engineering, material science, and more. Of course, high level technicians were specialized in specific areas. For instance, a technician who could create weapons for mechs might not be able to create a conversion core. As knowledge got more advanced, one usually couldn't study multiple areas. 

But at Issac's level, he was required to know certain foundational knowledge about everything. This was a test about all things science, covering everything that had to do with being a Dark Technician. 

Although, standard science was only a part of the equation. The rest was the unique field of Dark Physics. 

Dark Physics detailed the properties of Dark Energy and Dark Matter. This knowledge was crucial in order to wield the abilities of Dark Iron and people's powers. When a person became stronger, growing their power to catastrophic levels, more precision and enigmatic configurations of Dark material was needed in order to channel that power through technology like Mechs. With this precision, one could power devastating weapons of all kinds. In fact, only Mechs could bring out the full power of Echelons, the superhumans of the universe.

The human body, or any other body, couldn't channel and handle the devastating power brought to them by the soul and Dark Energy. Issac was weak and blew up his hands with his power. And there were many others who were far stronger. The flesh was weak.

Dark Technicians were responsible for applying science to powers, building machines and weapons that could channel those powers. Like Quantum Mechanics, Dark Physics was a very unique field of study. Not everyone could even begin to study it. In fact, it was widely understood that those with powers had an advantage when learning Dark Physics, perhaps because of the Dark Energy within their soul. 

Issac was one of the few who understood both Quantum Mechanics and Dark Physics. If anything, he was most proficient in Quantum Mechanics. It was a field of study that he loved to dive into and he was always able to understand it deeply. Dark Physics was his second favorite. 

The test he took gave him questions of all types. Every question became endlessly complex, taking several minutes to complete a single one. And with every question, the test only became harder. 

Luckily, the system at least told him if he got questions wrong. Other than that though, Issac quickly realized he needed to settle in for a long haul. 

Before he knew it, an hour passed, and he still wasn't done. By this point though, Issac was immersed in the test. It wasn't like it was enjoyable. Crunching numbers and wracking his mind for theoretical knowledge wasn't exactly fun. But due to the place he was in and the high expectations, he put forth his full effort. 

With the concentration of two separate minds, Issac completed questions at seemingly slow but actually fast rates.

Soon enough, four hours had passed. He was actually allowed short breaks to eat or relax, but he never stopped the test, just crunching through every question as if he liked it. The entire time, he was biting his tongue, the tip sticking out between his lips in sheer focus. 

"Wait, is that mom's equation?"

Suddenly, Issac's eyes widened. He looked at the question in front of him. There was a long and complicated Dark Physics equation on it. He immediately recognized it. 

Victoria had taught Issac a lot. Her theoretical knowledge was extremely deep, and ever since Issac became a dark technician in training, his mother had imparted everything she could. At the time that they left, she still hadn't taught him everything.

The equation in front of him though was one of her pride and joys. She said that she had created the equation herself, and it supposedly paved the way for a new field in Dark Physics called Filtering. Basically, with this equation and the proper materials, one could construct a dark energy filter that made a person's dark energy more docile and smooth to work with in exchange for a bit of chaotic runoff.

Issac had used this equation extensively since his dark energy was dense and could get out of control. This filter calmed it, turning it from a spraying hose to a smooth flowing river. In turn, this allowed him to flow his energy much faster, emptying his energy pool extremely quickly. 

And because he was so familiar with it, all questions related to it were completed faster than any others. 

Finally, 6 hours passed. It was only then that the test ended. When Issac was notified that the last question had been completed, he was a bit dazed. 

"...Ugh."

He grunted, sinking back into the chair. He was quite tired. Though, because of his two minds, he still had energy left even after all that. 

After relaxing for several minutes, Issac climbed out of the capsule. The flying robot ball drifted over to him at that time. 

"You have completed the test with flying colors. Congratulations! You have been officially admitted to the Mantle as a Dark Technician. Now, proceed to the Mech Pilot testing area and undergo your second test."

"Alright..."

Issac smiled in happiness, though his dull voice spoke of his tiredness. 

 

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