Chapter 7 - Shelved Orbs

"Now, if you will all follow me," the woman said.

Everyone followed her in a single file.

Freya ended up standing right behind Bree as they made their way through the long corridor.

"Hey, Bree," she called.

Bree glared at her.

Freya backed away with an awkward smile. "Sorry. Just wanted to ask where we are going."

"To Hell to meet its Maker. Now be quiet."

Freya nodded and bowed her head.

They were led into a tiny room with shelves and shelves in it. Each shelf had a single grey ball in it.

The curly-haired woman turned to face them. "This is called the Tester's room."

Everyone around them started to whisper.

Freya frowned. She had heard of Tester's room. It was a place where you would use magic to connect with a central system of the place and it would calculate your capabilities with that of others and give you the assigned role.

But this Test could only be done by those that had magic.

Was she being plotted against?

"This Tester's Room is different from others," the woman said.

Everyone looked around in confusion.

The woman started to walk deeper into the room.

Everyone followed.

There was an eery feeling around her. She felt that the things on the shelves were alive, which could be the case. She had heard that the Tester's Room had things that could eat your soul as well as those that would give you puppies as rewards.

The woman stopped in front of etching on the wall.

Freya studied it excitedly.

A large circle was drawn, with a large lotus flower etched at the centre. In the centre of the flower was a red gem with symbols on it.

Wonder filled her heart as she realised...this was an Illusion circle.

Freya looked around in wonder. Were they under an Illusion?

The woman closed her eyes and put her hand on the Lotus.

There was a flash, and things changed.

The wooden shelves turned into crystals, the entire room shined and turned into black mirrored walls.

The only things that remained the same were the brown balls.

"Okay," the woman said. "Each of you touch the Lotus at the part I did one by one. A number will appear on your hand. Use that number to find the brown ball corresponding to it. If the ball glows, you pass. If not, you will leave the premises immediately."

The room filled with murmurs. A man in a black robe let out a boisterous laugh. "That's it? This is easy!"

The woman smirked.

Freya frowned as the man ran to the Lotus. He should have shown a bit more respect to the Invigilator.

The man touched the Lotus centre.

Flames erupted everywhere around him, burning his skin off.

The man screamed in pain.

"It would seem you haven't passed the written exams," the woman muttered.

Freya backed away with the rest.

The woman chuckled. "Come on! Don't be scared! Move!"

People started to move at a snail's pace. Most ended up hurt. Those that didn't hiss in pain at the words etched on their skin and followed it to their destined ball.

Next up was Bree.

The woman walked up to the etching and placed her hand.

Light flashed.

Bree smiled as words appeared on her hand and walked off.

Freya stared at the Lotus design for a long time.

The woman cleared her throat.

Freya blushed at her scattered mind and placed her hand on it.