AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

15.3 XAN

The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Thieron and Nala check out a new target, and realize that Etrie's team was trailing the same target.

---- Goldstar preps for the Transfer to the South Land. Goldstar and the Transfers are attacked by the Savages and Creatures in the Open. They are saved by the Gale squad of the Open. Goldstar is terribly hurt and he is told that his wound will definitely scar. They set out to the South Land.

---- They drop the Transfers at the South Land. When Gold asks Iyler to marry him one day she doesn't respond. Goldstar meets Princess Ruyanir of the Zayr. He is later informed that the Research Centre was attacked.

---- Xan is a student at the Pristine School. He attends Cello classes at the same academy as his best friend Vaughn. Xan is preparing for the mandatory Eligibility Test that he must take once he turns sixteen.

---- Xan has a small party on his birthday.

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****15.3 - Xan****

Monday

Xan looked at himself in the mirror. He was a tall and lanky sixteen-year-old boy.

He brushed his straight, black hair and set it neatly. He wore black jeans and a formal full-arm blue shirt and looked at himself in the mirror again before heading out of his room.

The Eligibility Assessment test was compulsory for all sixteen-year-olds. It tested their aptitude, and it was where one chose where they wanted to volunteer. Most kids chose to volunteer at a place based on the career they wanted to pursue. If one did poorly on the test, then they weren't given the volunteering job of their choice. The Academic Society chose their jobs, and if one did terribly, their volunteering jobs could involve physical work like farming. One had to do well on the test to prove that they were worthy of the career they wanted to pursue.

And, the medicine was the first and last medicine administration given to everyone. It was to protect them from the Plague, the possible exposure to the biochemical contamination, and a whole lot of other things Xan hadn't bothered to learn. He knew it was compulsory, and everyone received it once they turned sixteen.

Royd and Eun wished him well for the test over Scroll.

When it was time to leave, the twins wished him and headed out for school. Vaughn came over before school, as well.

"May the whole world's luck be upon you today," Vaughn said, hugging him. "You should have worn a half-sleeved shirt."

***

His father Leif and mother Hei Ran had taken the day off, and they dropped him to the Academic Society. It was a huge stone building located close to the APC. They reached it about a half-hour before the test by LeviPort bus.

As soon as he arrived, the test coordinator, Mrs. Ricci, scanned his left index finger to note his arrival, and then he had to pass through a full-body Scanner to make sure he didn't have any devices on him.