Chapter 2: No Surprises

Pain.

That was all he felt as his memories resurfaced.

His memories? Were they?

"I-im human, i swear" He shakily responded

The man frowned, seemingly not convinced.

The man disappeared in an instant and next thing he knew the heel of his greatsword was bashed against the side of his head with a loud thud and the boy collapsed to the ground.

He jolted awake. He awoke to a plain metal room. Nothing but two chairs and a table was held inside. 

His hands were cuffed and tied behind the metal chair which felt sore and itchy.

"Argh, my head kills." he complained

Suddenly a woman burst into the room. She was tall and slender with silver hair that flowed down her back, she had piercing amber eyes which burned holes into the boy. She seemed to be in her mid 30s and wore a similar uniform to the man he saw earlier, however she had a silver rapier at her hilt instead along with a silver cape.

She sat down opposite him and glared at him up and down before speaking

"Where did you come from?" she finally asked, her voice calm yet commanding.

"I... I don't remember," He replied truthfully. "I can only remember waking up in a forest."

Her eyes narrowed, filled with suspicion. "So, you expect me to believe you went for a nap outside these walls?"

He couldn't blame her. He remembered almost nothing. He was just some nameless kid appearing out of nowhere.

But still, nothing made sense. Why were they so cautious? Despite the memory loss, was it really that unusual for people to stumble upon a huge place like this? Is this really Earth?

She pulled out a thin metal stick and placed it on the table. After pressing a button on the side, it flashed purple, projecting a blue screen above.

'Woah, what is that high-tech device?' Lloyd thought to himself.

She tapped and swiped on the screen multiple times before stopping, her eyes widening slightly. She flipped the metal stick around and showed him what was displayed on the screen.

What was shown was the picture of a boy. His skin was pale, almost ghostly, with dim silver eyes that reflected light like cracked glass. His face was sharp and gaunt, with hollowed cheekbones and a slightly sunken look. A scar ran across his neck from one side to the other. His hair was dark, pitch black, with subtle streaks of white near the roots.

"Wha... is that me?" He said, clutching at his neck where the scar lay.

Flipping the stick back around, she began to read aloud

"Lloyd Eosian. Sixteen. Male. No family members. No criminal offenses. Registered resident of the Eastern District. It wasn't exactly hard to find you with such a unique scar."

"What...?" Lloyd's breath caught in his throat. "Is that my name?"

Her expression softened slightly, but her guard remained up. "Well, your face matches the picture shown here, so… why don't you remember?"

"I don't know..." he whispered, his mind spinning. How could he be a resident in a place he'd never been to? The only thing he remembered was the day he died.

That's right… Before he died, he was a student of a prestigious school, coming back from club activities. He lived on the outskirts of a city. A city called...? A city called...?

Interrupting his train of thought, she sighed. "I'll drop my suspicion... for now. But I'll need to run some tests." Standing up, she stepped closer, unlocking his restraints. "Follow me."

They walked through dimly lit hallways lined with metal walls that pulsed faintly with purple light.

"Excuse me, but I don't remember a thing about this place. I don't even know who I am."

She glanced over her shoulder for a moment before sighing.

"Haaa, it seems you really don't remember a thing."

Continuing, a grim look appeared on her face.

 "What you're currently walking in is the wall of the last standing bastion of humankind, which fights and protects against the demons and devils — Blackreach."

A chill ran down Lloyd's spine as she said those words.

"What… You're saying that outside these walls, there isn't a single living human?"

"Not one," she replied before taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

"Want one?"

"I-I don't smoke."

"I see."

Before taking a puff, she continued, "I am in charge of the eastern outer wall — Selene Vale, Vice Captain of the Arcane Watchers."

Lloyd raised a brow. "Arcane Watchers? What is that?"

"You'll find out eventually. Inside Blackreach there are 4 walls each in a circular formation wrapping round us for protection. The Outer Wall is the place you're currently inside off. The outermost wall that separates humans and demons, next the middle wall bordering the outer wall, then the inner wall, and finally the last wall, the king's capital."

'I see, I really am in a completely different place,' Lloyd thought to himself.

"I have one more question."

"Shoot."

"What day is it today?"

puff A delicate stream of smoke flew out from her parted lips.

"Earth year 2720, at the summer solstice."

"W-what?!" The words escaped Lloyd's mouth before he could stop them.

"Ah, we're here. What's the matter?"

"N-nothing," he swiftly replied.

What's wrong with me? Why am I reacting this way? It's like I can almost remember something.'

A chilling thought passed through his head for a moment. 'No, that's impossible. Something really must be wrong with me.'

Snapping him out of his thoughts, the Vice Captain stood holding the door open.

"Hurry up, kid." 

They entered a vast chamber where around 20 soldiers in uniforms honed their skills with an array of unique weapons. Blades crackled with violet energy as they struck against training dummies crafted from gleaming, reflective white plates. Nearby, others engaged in fierce duels with metallic weapons that emanated a colourful glow, their movements swift and precise almost unnatural.

Taking a closer look, the uniform they wore was really cool.

The uniform was sleek and tactical, crafted from a dark, matte material that clung to the body, enhancing agility and movement. It was reinforced with thin, black plating along the chest, forearms, and shins, which faintly pulsed with a soft, blue glow in the dim light. The plating seamlessly blended into the fabric, giving the suit an almost organic, second-skin appearance.

The suit was segmented with subtle, flexible armor lines running along the sides and down the legs, designed to protect vital areas without restricting movement, while black leather straps wrapped around the thighs and upper arms for additional gear.

A flowing blue cape, weathered and torn from countless battles, draped from the shoulders, fastened by a silver clasp etched with some kind of sigil.

Selene smirked as she caught Lloyd's awed expression. "Don't mind them. They're my subordinates."

As they walked past, the soldiers greeted her with respect.

"Morning, Captain!"

"Captain, come for a spar?"

"Captain, who's the small runt next to you?"

Selene waved them off with a casual nod. "They're my lieutenants. Makes running the wall easier."

'Aren't you supposed to have only a couple of lieutenants?' Lloyd thought.

She led him through where at the end of the training hall stood a circular platform made of smooth, dark metal. Resting atop the platform was a sleek, black sphere, about the size of a human head, with thin veins of violet light coursing through its surface.

"This is an Arcanic Orb," she said, gesturing towards it. "It will assess your compatibility with Malachite and scan your body for any health and physical issues." 

"Malachite?"

"Haaaa," she let out another puff of smoke before dropping it and extinguishing the flame.

"Malachite is the very power source that has been protecting us from the demons. It's used for many different things such as the Arcanic Orb, but above all, it's a weapon," Selene answered with a serious expression.

"You'll understand more later. For now, just place your hand on the orb." Before Lloyd could say anything else, she walked over to another device connected to the Arcanic Orb, which displayed a blue screen.

Lloyd hesitated before stepping onto the platform. The moment he touched the cold surface, a surge of energy coursed through his body. A purple glow began to resonate from within the orb as it reacted to him.

The lieutenants watching from the sidelines murmured in a slight shock.

Selene raised a brow, impressed. "You have... a high compatibility."

Lloyd stepped off the platform, feeling oddly drained. "What does that mean?"

"I've confirmed you're human, and not only that, you're capable of wielding Malachite and becoming an arcanist. Very few can do that, even fewer at such a young age."

She crossed her arms while looking him up and down, assessing him. "I'll recommend you to an Arcane Academy for training."

She handed him a smooth black device that resembled a smartphone. "This is an Arc Link. It will allow you to contact me. I've already registered my number."

"I don't need to teach you how it works... do I?"

"N-no, I remember how to use these."

He tapped on the screen, seeing her name: Selene Vale. 

"Good. Once again, my name is Selene Vale, one of four Vice Captains of the Arcane Watchers."

Looking up from the Arc Link, Selene extended her hand, a bright smile appearing across her face. Lloyd felt his cheeks flush slightly as he reached out to shake it.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked.

She studied him for a moment before replying, "We're always in desperate need of more arcanists. Each year, hundreds die, further dwindling our already small numbers. Having someone with talent like you around will be a massive help."

She signaled to a lieutenant, the same muscular man with the greatsword.

"Sorry to shove this on you, Garrick. Could you escort this kid to his home? He lost his memories."

"Of course, Captain," he replied.

"Good, I'll send the details over."

Selene turned to face Lloyd, her glowing amber eyes giving him a piercing look.

"Get some rest, Lloyd Eosian. We can discuss tomorrow on any lingering questions you may have"

The heavy iron doors groaned as they parted, revealing the dimly lit interior of the wall. Garrick stepped forward, his massive frame casting a long shadow beneath the pale glow of Malachite lanterns that lined the narrow corridor. His greatsword rested on his back, yet he moved with a quiet grace that spoke of years spent guarding these passages.

'This is all happening so fast. I hardly even know who I am and now I'm joining some Arcane Academy?' Lloyd was slightly baffled

Lloyd followed closely behind. 

Garrick's footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor as he led Lloyd deeper through winding hallways and steep staircases. The wall hummed with a subtle noise as if it was alive.

"This place has stood for centuries," Garrick muttered without turning back. "Fueled by blood, death, and the souls of the damned. It's easy to lose your way here, no one knows how these walls were erected, so we only know the route of memory ."

Lloyd swallowed hard, keeping his eyes locked on his broad back.

They reached a heavy steel door lined with layers of runic symbols etched onto the door. Garrick pressed his hand against it, where a purple glow resonated from his palm. With a low rumble, the door slowly open, revealing the inside of the outer wall. 

"Welcome to the heart of the wall," Garrick said, stepping aside for Lloyd to enter. "The final line between mankind and damnation."

End of Chapter 2: No Surprises