The walk to the station wasn't far and the crowd of us that were leaving was already forming. There was around twenty of us gathered, and nobody seemed to want to talk. Nobody ever talked about what happened at the training camps, but when they were mentioned, those that had been there never looked happy. Thanks to that everyone was nervous. Well, almost everyone.
"So what do you think the training camps are like? Hopefully we can make some friends, maybe even find you a girlfriend so I can have a sister!" Xynthia was the oddball out that seemed excited about everything.
She went on and on talking, but for the most part I ignored her the best I could. Much like everyone else around us I was worrying. Leaving the safe area we've always lived in and leaving what we know behind was a scary thing. Plus it was more than likely I may never see her again, but anytime I mentioned that she would say the same thing. "No matter what we will be at the same camp." She either was the most optimistic person, or just the dumbest, I was never sure at times.
After an hour or so of waiting the train finally arrived. It was the only way in or out of our shelter, unless one was willing to traverse the wilds. Unless you've already been through training camp that wasn't recommended, even then still in groups. The radiation from the bombs made everything a potential threat out there. Plants, animals, even the ground itself at times was out for blood. The world truly has become a hell where the stronger you are, the safer you are. Luckily most people used that power to protect others instead of selfish gain.
The train itself was nothing special, most were used to transport supplies, but a few, like this one are for moving people. On the inside there was just rows of seats for everyone to sit on. Most everybody say alone, except of course for me and Xynthia. Most people didn't make many friends wherever they came from. Knowing you would be separated made making bonds hard. Even families like the one we had, most don't get to close. But since were actually blood related we ended up different.
She decided to sleep early on during the trip, so she closed her eyes and dozed off. Somehow, she always looks so peaceful asleep, like she doesn't have a care in the world. Since I couldn't fall asleep like she did, I spent most of the trip looking through the window. The world I saw, was worse than I had imagined. When we weren't going through a tunnel what I saw could only be described as a rolling hellscape.
Between the seas of fire and oceans of sand there where fields of ice and hills of forests. Normally this wouldn't sound so bad but they all would be right next to eachother, with no care at all. And the animals, if they could even be called those, ranged from medium to gigantic sized. In the forests you could see giants walking among them, in the deserts, something way to large clearly moved through the sand.
For the first in a very long time time I truly felt afraid, but also confused. I was always told me and Xynthia were found out in the wild. How did we survive out there?
While I pondered that thought the rest of the trip and Xynthia slept, everyone else seemed to be getting more and more nervous as they saw the world outside for what it was. It was clear now why nobody ever excitedly talked about it. The result from the old world, was that now we had to be afraid of what we shared the planet with. It truly is a place where the strong survive and the weak don't.
After a few hours on the train we reached a large station and all were told to get off the train and follow the signs that lead us to an open atrium with no ceiling. Other groups such as ours were either already there or arriving as well. Slowly but surely the atrium filled up till there was barely any open space left.
"Ahem, can you all hear me? If so it's time for you to listen up," a mans voice said over an intercom. "Now I know you're all aware that you're heading to a training camp. But it doesn't start that simple. First we need a little bit of blood from each of you. This is for testing purposes. It will tell us how much latent potential is inside you, thus how strong of a power you may awaken. Then from there you will be sorted into camps based on the results."
A murmur could quickly be heard from all around after hearing that. Powers were only things we vaguely knew about because of our guardians, and now we knew how we would be sorted into camps.
"Quiet!" He bellowed out. "I do not want this to take long. So you all are gonna be quick and organized about this. Up towards the north entrance you will find several desks, at each one there are several nurses who will take a small sample of your blood and send it for testing. If you all make this easy, we should be done within a few hours."
Xynthia pulled me along to get there fast because she was excited to see our results. I on the other hand was not as excited about it. The way we were being sorted very much would show favoritism towards the people with higher potential. I was hoping the world would be more fair. But what they say is true, now the strong survived and the weak died.
When it was our turn to get our blood taken, it went fairly quick. A syringe was put into my upper arm and drew a small bit, enough to fill a small bag. After that we were told to go wait over at another table to get our results. They would be recorded for the placement, and we would be given them along with which train we have to get on for our camp.
After a short wait we were each given a device that would have our results, and mine was nothing special. My potential was at a measly fifteen percent, and the power tab showed no results. Xynthia on the other hand had an eighty-five perfect potential and the power tab had many possibilities.
"You're amazing as always sis," I said.
"Oh Caesar I doubt that tells the whole story," she said.
"Overly optimistic as always aren't you?"
"Somebody has to make up for you're pessimistic attitude," she said with a smile. Truly I would never understand my sisters brain.
Once everyone was done and had their results the man spoke again. "If I'm correct all one thousand of you should have gotten your results back. Soon each of your devices will show a new number from one to twenty. That number is the camp you will be going to. Be ready and good luck."
It was a few seconds when he was done speaking that a ding could be heard from everybody's device and on it was a number. Mine was nineteen. Xynthias was two. It seemed fate would have us separated.
As I walked away from her, she still didn't seem sad. I truly could not understand her at all it seemed. I felt sad, having to leave her. I couldn't even bring myself to say goodbye because it would hurt to much. When I got to my shuttle I saw that all the stations for them were right next to eachother. No sooner did I notice this before I was grabbed by the back of my collar.
"We are not getting separated on my watch," Xynthia said with a smile. "Now am I getting on your train or you on mine? Choose fast."
"What? Are you insane?" I was absolutely stunned by her.
"Fine I'll choose then, mine. Now come on," and with that she dragged me away towards a train unfit for me.