To his left, the other three lines were marching behind their respective overseers.

  At some point during the march, Leo noticed the lines began moving into different doors.

  ‘It’s starting…’

  Still looking forward, Leo whispered to the others, “Good luck guys.”

  Entering the door, Leo saw a roofless room similar to where they were before, the sky’s orange fading replaced by a dense smog as if giving off a final farewell to the group. In the middle was an elevated rectangular concrete slab with steps on both sides of the makeshift stage.

  Stopping, the overseer said, “Stop, everybody gather around so you can see that stage at the front.”

  Everybody gathered like he said and waited for the next set of instructions, quiet murmurs filling the open room.

  The overseer walked up from the left side and walked to the middle of the stage.

  The overseer was an asian man with a buzz cut, wearing the same basic uniform as Sina minus the trenchcoat.

  At his side was a katana strapped to his waist with his cap and uniform being much neater.

  Somehow he looked tidier than Sina did, both physically and mentally. He stood perfectly straight with his hands behind his back, as if he were ready to give a lecture.

  “Good afternoon everybody. My name is Lieutenant Teddy Eicholtz. You will refer to me as Lieutenant. I have been assigned as your overseer for the Internal Security Division. First of all, is anybody here by mistake, as in did you mean to go to a different sector? Now’s your last chance to switch.”

  He paused, briefly scanning the room only to see no movement nor hear any words spoken.

  “Good, since everybody’s been settled, let’s officially start”. Turning around, he motioned his hands and roughly 5 soldiers walked forward carrying decently large bags.

  Facing us, they formed a row, lifting and opening the bag with the opening facing upwards.

  “Everybody please form a line in front of the five you see here please. We’ll try to keep the lines even but please move as you please.” the Lieutenant announced with a blank face.

  Looking back, Leo said, “Let’s try and stay together for this. I’m sure the tests won’t be easy.”

  Thinking for a second, Diego, Anthony, and Amanda all nodded in agreement. And followed him into a line in front of the 2nd guard from the left.

  When everybody was lined up, more guards showed up to check the number of people in each line.

  One of them, however, stood out.

  A lone female guard wore a luxurious white robe, her head encased with a white orb-like helmet, her face remained hidden giving her an unnatural feeling. Her arms were hidden beneath long, draping sleeves with white gloves wrapping her hands with eerie precision.

  What caught Leo off-guard was the fact that her uniform had no one speck of dirt on her. Spotless.

  She was an apparition, a piece of purity, thriving in a world of ash.

  It was as if she wasn’t of this world - as if she rejected this world completely.

  She moved as if she were in her own world.

  The steps were heavy as the figure walked, as if they were wearing heavy armor underneath that robe.

  Upon closer inspection, he noticed a smudge on the side of her left shoulder.

  No, a symbol.

  A black vulture stained the snowy field that was her figure, its wings were folded tight, its eyes watching, its gaze steady and starved.

  Turning around, Leo noticed Amanda was tense as she locked onto the guard, so he whispered to her, “I think they’re checking for uneven lines. Just relax.”

  Out of nowhere, a distorted female voice came from beside them.

  “You, come with me.”

  Beside him, Leo saw the guard had been addressing Amanda. The color left his face as he saw it was the white figure.

  Panicking, Leo blurted out, “Wait, I’ll go instead.”

  Briefly turning her head to him, she quietly shook her head as she kept a firm grip on Amanda.

  As she looked at him, an uncanny feeling rose inside Leo. It was as if she was dissecting his very being with her stare.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Turning back to Amanda, she repeated, “Please comply with my orders, Ma’am.”

  Amanda calmly asked, “Can you at least explain why you're taking me?”

  Pausing for a second, the guard tilted her head, “Uneven lines.” Then she pointed at Amanda. “Last in line. Closer to me.”

  Hesitating, Amanda quietly followed the guard. Briefly looking back at him, her lips quivering ever so slightly as she reassured Leo, “It’s alright.”

  All he could do was stare as he was left paralyzed by the guard’s presence.

  Watching her slowly disappear in the lines, Leo felt his body lighten as the pressure disappeared with the guard. Turning to look at Anthony and Diego, it seemed the effect spread to them as well as both had expressions as if they had seen a ghost.

  Looking back to where Amanda disappeared, Leo began to move but was stopped by Diego with his hand lightly pushing him back.

  “Let me go Diego!” Leo yelled.

  With a firm expression, he pulled Leo in and whispered, “Get a grip, look around us. We can’t do anything even if we wanted to. And besides, she’s a strong girl, she can handle herself.”

  Noticing the commotion, the Overseer asked, “Is there an issue over there?”

  “Negative” replied the guard.

  Pulling away, Leo relaxed a bit. ‘He’s right, the guards won’t just kill us for nothing. And if we cause trouble now, Amanda’s guaranteed to be killed, but what can I even do now?’

  A whistling sound blew him out of his thoughts.

  “Alright, looks like everybody is lined up. Now, onto your next instruction. Please wait for the guard to come by you, and once he does, pick a rock in the bag. The bag will be filled with black and white rocks with symbols on them. For now, just grab a rock out of the bags and stay in your spot please”, the Lieutenant instructed.

  Slowly the bag holders began moving down the line. People reached into the bags and pulled either a white or black rock, and as the instructor said, each had some symbol on it.

  “Look, I got a dragonfly on mine.”

  “Shh, not the time.”

  ‘God I hope Amanda’s alright.’

  Leo was a nervous wreck. Amanda with friends is one thing, but alone? Would she be able to keep herself together? Would he be able to?

  Bringing him out of his thoughts was an annoyed voice.

  “Pick your rock, I will not ask again.”

  The bag holder finally got to Leo, and seemed to have been there for a bit now as he was looking agitated towards him.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry, alright.”

  Reaching in, Leo pulled out a black stone with a broken arrow carved into it, split straight down the middle as if a sword had bisected it from the head down.

  Curious, Leo turned to Anthony. “What’s on your stone?”

  Continuing to stare forward, Anthony opened his hands, Leo saw a white stone with the same broken arrow.

  “Huh, same as mine. What about you, Diego?”

  Puffing his chest, he proudly said, “I got a black stone with a lion roaring, as expected of myself.”

  All Anthony and Leo could do was blankly stare as they turned back to each other. “What do you think we’re doing with these stones?” Leo asked.

  “You think I know?”

  Whistling drew our attention as the Lieutenant got everybody’s attention. “Alright, it seems everybody’s gotten their stones. Next, please find the person in your line who’s got the same art as you but of opposite color. Hurry up now!”

  “Well that’s easy isn’t it.” Leo said, trying to lighten up Anthony, who had a deathstare on the gate behind the Lieutenant.

  Barely acknowledging, he replied with a light, “Yeah… so easy.”

  Shifting a little awkwardly, Leo waddled next to him like a penguin, waiting for the next set of instructions.

  After 10 minutes of waiting, movement ceased as everybody found their partners.

  Clearing his throat, the Lieutenant said, “Great, faster than I expected. Let’s move onto the next step now. What you will be doing might be a first for all of you. But we’ll get rid of that first time…” he snapped his fingers “just like that!”

  “What’s this first time? Well, do any groups want to volunteer?”

  Immediately, those at the front raised their hands. Anthony almost raised his but Leo quickly grabbed it, stopping his hand. “No, Anthony. Let’s see what he wants us to do first.”

  Nodding in understanding, Anthony focused on the arena.

  “Perfect! You and you, please step up please!” the Lieutenant said, randomly choosing two from the front.

  The chosen groups quickly went up the stairs on each side of the stage, but were halted once at the top of the platform. Confused, they looked at the Lieutenant for guidance, who reluctantly shook his head.

  “Ah, you must be confused. Well, the next four stages of the trial are very straightforward. Guards if you may.”

  Hearing that, the guards allowed the groups on top to choose from an array of tools. The group on the left chose a shovel while the other chose a chain hook.

  “Huh, interesting choices. Well let’s get right to it then.”

  Adjusting his collar, the Lieutenant spoke so everybody could hear.

  “Now, the stage of this trial involves combat. Your task is simple!”

  He waved his right hand, displaying the groups on stage.

  “All your group must do is defeat the other group. The winner will go on through to the next stage of trials, while the defeated will be sent to a reprocessing facility.”

  The eyes of everybody on stage widened in horror at the word ‘reprocess’.

  Leo swallowed as he realized the meaning of his words.

  ‘He said that the next four stages were straightforward like this… Does that mean they have to survive through all four stages?’

  Leo’s blood ran cold as he soon understood. They weren’t here to prove ourselves to them, they were here to survive against each other.

  Scanning the crowd, Leo saw that everybody in the chamber had come to the same conclusion.

  It was kill or be killed.