What appeared before Dad's and everybody's eyes was a screen. This screen was semi-translucent, with the same colorations as the energy wave that passed over them. To most, it was reminiscent of an RPG style video game pop-up window. Though everyone had a 'screen', each person could only see their own, and not anyone else's. All at once, across everyone's screens, the same messages began to appear in big bold green lettering:
[MANA HAS BEEN DETECTED....]
[INITIALIZING ZENITH PROTOCOL....]
[PING]
[WELCOME TO THE ZENITH PROTOCOL MANA REGULATION SYSTEM, NOW CONDUCTING FULL SCAN TO ASSESS PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STATUS SCORES, STAND BY...SCANNING]
[PING]
[SCAN COMPLETE]
Once the last message appeared, every single person on the planet suddenly had a readout breaking down their physical and mental stats, much like a video game. It was utter chaos as everyone was trying to figure out how to work this new 'system' that had just randomly appeared. Not even the Vraxyns knew what to do, as they had never witnessed something like this before either, so we were all starting from square one.
.
.
Over the next 15 years, many new changes had come to pass. The planets name had been officially changed to Terravax, symbolizing the combination of both planets and civilizations, mana became an integral part of life, alongside the system. Various guilds and businesses had been created solely based around hunting these new creatures that emerged, called Mana Beasts and protecting towns and cities from the occasional Swarm Tides that consist of anywhere from a few tens to several thousand mana beasts. Within these guilds were individuals who discovered that defeating mana beasts granted XP, which made you stronger, faster etc. Win enough fights against mana beasts, and the system will use the accumulated XP, granting that person a special trial to acquire a Job or Class. The System takes into account ones fighting style, elemental affinities, personality traits, past experiences, and more when determining a list of classes for one to choose from. Among many other things that came about, my parents were overjoyed to bring me into the world. Apparently I lit up their life better than any Light Affinity mage ever could. They knew it was gonna be a hard life, but because of it, they also knew I would become stronger through hardship.
.
.
Growing up I couldn't wait till I received my system. For whatever reason, anyone born after the first instance of the system would not gain access to it until they hit 13 years of age. Even after all these years, Zenith Scholars and Mana Scientists, people who strictly research and limit test the system and mana, could not figure out why. This did, however, lead to an interesting discovery: There was once a Mana Scientist who had developed a form of technology designed to read, analyze, and categorize a persons mana. He wanted to see if he could help his friend discover what their element was, and it worked! The Scientists' son, who had joined his father at work that day, began jumping up and down with excitement. Seeing that his fathers' invention had worked, he begged his father to 'scan' him too.As he was only 7 years old, the Scientist knew his son had not gained access to the Zenith Protocol yet, but decided to scan him anyway, if only as a means to quell his curious nature. The Scientist, however, was in for one hell of a shock when, after only a few moments since being scanned, the device produced a readout.
[NAME-JAMES HADLEY]
[ELEMENTAL AFFINITY- LIGHTNING]
[MANA RANK- F (upper)]
He was positively gobsmacked! When a child reached the age of six, enough ambient mana would have been passively absorbed in order for professors to hold a test to determine a child's mana level rank and any possible elemental affinities they might have. But enough backstory, MY story truly begins the week before Mana Testing Day at my school so, without further ado, lets dive right in.