GEOVRU

Chapter 2

The campus was more enormous than I could have ever imagined. And I was surprised that the entire school was revolved around the atomiton the way it was. Me and a handful of other people were given a full tour. I was lucky that no one actually recognized me, but it would make sense because people only knew me by the look of my avatar and my pen-name. Now all of the new students were brought into the main hall, for no doubt the orientation. A man had drug me to the side before I had sat down and he dragged me behind the curtain. "You are Caedes correct?" I nodded. "Good, stand here and wait." Before I knew it a man with a scruffy beard walked up to the podium on the stage and began his speech.

"I am Thomas Gathway, the President of GEOVRU, welcome to the Global Educational Online Virtual Reality University, but please, we know it's a mouthful let's just say GEOVRU for short." The crowd laughed. "This year we have just a hundred and twenty people in this room, which I realize is a small number, but we'll make it work."

I began to notice a few more people behind the curtains with me, at least three others. I observed them. One was a kid maybe only a year or two older than me with blond hair, he looked like he might have been on a football team or something during high school. Another was a kid with a black hoodie, I couldn't see his face but it was obvious he was shorter than me by an inch or two. I turned my head around and looked at the fourth person. "Idius!" I whisper to him. "Idius!"

He turned his head to face me. "Caedes!" he whispers. Both of the other two looked straight at me, but the shadows still covered the one's face.

"Dude, did you get a full ride too?" I asked.

He nodded. "Did we all?" I asked the other two. They just stared at me; the guy with the blonde hair was more than obviously hating me simply because I was Caedes, the kid that beat him in the championship.

He took a step towards me. "So you're the punk Caedes?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah."

He looked at me in disgust. "Pitiful." I felt like laying my fist down his throat, but I knew the consequences of that, so I swallowed my anger and ignored him. "I'll deal with you after we each get introduced." I shrugged my shoulders. The guy in the hood looked at him, then at me, and I tried my best to get a visual on the face, but to no prevail.

"Anyway, I'm sure that we can all say we have played Forman am I correct?" The crowd cheered. "And I'm sure we have all heard about the Championships that ended about three weeks ago?" the crowd cheered again. "Well I am proud to show you the four finalists in that fight. Please, welcome to GEOVRU the fourth place winner; The king of Gidius Hold; Halit!" the crowd cheered even louder. The kid with the blond hair walked up first. Waving his arms to the crowd as if he was a hero. "So that's who that is?" I thought. "And if Idius is right here, then that means this must be..." I looked to the guy in the hood, who was now looking out to the stage watching Halit being praised by the crowd. "Now!" the man continues... please welcome onto the stage the third place finalist; the slayer of giants, Idius!" Idius happily jogged onto stage just after patting me on the back, he waved his arms to the crowd and received a slightly louder cheer than Halit. I immediately suspected that Jalis and me would receive even bigger applauds. Idius stood next to Halit in what seemed to be a forming line just after receiving a pat on the back from Gathway and a word that was most likely 'Congratulations.' "Now... he began to stall our entries. "For the top two finalists in the championship... I welcome the brawler from the Hold of Fithum, the second place finalist, and the killer of armies, Jalis!" The crowd screamed almost at the top of their lungs and clapped for him. Jalis did not wave; he just walked into the line next to Idius and stood there with his hands in the pocket of his hoodie. The crowd quieted down awkwardly and then got dead silent. It was my turn. "Now... I'll have to ask you to all hold your glee at the sight of this man... I welcome... the first place finalist, the slayer of beasts and dragons, the knight of Distonia Hold; give it up for... Caedes!" I ran up onto stage expecting a loud cheer of applaud and screams but only received something of disappointment, the crowd was nearly silent, there were only a few people that cheered for me, and when they realized they were alone in the crowd, they quieted down. I didn't let my face show sadness though; I stood in line next to Jalis and awaited what it was Thomas Gathway had in store for us.