Chapter 6: Orientation
Soon all the people in the orientation building ceased their chatter and were neatly seated in rows of chairs facing a slightly elevated stage with a lectern situated in the middle. The room had excellent acoustics; even whispers seemed to carry unnaturally well through the circular chamber.
There were only about twenty-five students in Arthur's group, so there wasn't much of a crowd, but nonetheless, they all remained quiet, waiting in anticipation for the speaker to appear. Arthur had chosen a seat near the back, away from everyone else, especially the blue-haired boy who now sat confidently in the front row.
Their anticipation was soon met when an older man with short, grayed hair and a disconnected goatee arrived behind the lectern. He wore a crisp black suit that seemed tailored to perfection, giving him an air of authority that commanded respect. His eyes appeared naturally squinted as he peered into the small audience with a measured smile that didn't quite reach those eyes.
"Hello, prospective Chosen," his voice resonated through the room with a practiced ease. "It's so very nice to meet you all... I am Dean Woodall, and today I'm going to be telling you everything you need to know about our prestigious school and what to expect for the next couple of months of your stay here!"
He paused, letting his words sink in before clearing his throat and continuing. His hands rested lightly on either side of the lectern, occasionally lifting to emphasize a point.
"In about two months' time—for some a little sooner and some slightly later—you will all be individually transported against your will to the Second Realm upon the completion of your Realm Core. You will be sent somewhere random in that realm." His tone grew more serious, the practiced smile fading. "Then, you will have to find your way to the core of that realm to get back home."
The dean's eyes swept across the room, making brief contact with each student.
"The problem is," he continued, "many things will stand in your way. Creatures beyond your imagination. Terrain that defies our world's physics. Even the very air can be hostile in certain regions."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to emphasize his next point. "That is what we are for. You will attend classes during your stay here—each helping you learn to survive, to fight, and general learnings of the realms and how traversing them works."