Leor and the others are shoved roughly into a large, dimly lit cell. The clanging of the iron door echoes as the soldiers lock it securely before departing without a word. The silence that follows is heavy, broken only by the whispered murmurs of the children within. Some sob quietly, while others withdraw into themselves, retreating to the far corners of the cell.
Leor sinks into one such corner, still bound, his eyes scanning the room. He sees faces both younger and similar in age to his own, all marked by despair. A suffocating sense of hopelessness seems to fill the air, but Leor clings to the thought of escape. Determined not to let his fear show, he sets his jaw and steels his nerves.
As night falls, the biting cold creeps into the cell, sending shivers through the children. The air becomes frigid, and the cold seeps into their bones. Leor, trembling and struggling to keep himself warm, pulls his knees to his chest in an attempt to ward off the chill.
Suddenly, a girl's voice rises above the quiet sobs and whispers. She urges everyone to gather together for warmth. Slowly, some of the children move hesitantly toward one another, forming small clusters to share body heat. Others, wary and mistrustful, stay where they are, isolated.
The girl, undeterred, continues her efforts, encouraging those who resist to join the group. Her voice carries a quiet strength as she glances around, determined to help. Then her eyes fall on Leor, still sitting alone in the corner. She raises her hand and waves to him, gesturing for him to come over.
Leor hesitates for a moment, glancing at the group before slowly making his way over. As he sits down near the girl and the others, she turns to him with a gentle smile. "What's your name?" she asks softly.
Leor hesitates again, his voice barely above a whisper as he replies, "Leor."
The girl nods warmly, her presence radiating a sense of calm amidst the chaos. "I'm Navi," she says, her tone filled with quiet reassurance.
For the first time in what feels like forever, Leor allows a small smile to creep onto his face even in the depths of despair.
Navi, a bit hesitant, glances at Leor before speaking softly, "You know, they say bad times make good stories later. Maybe someday we'll be laughing about this. Or… you know, at least not crying."
Leor, still awkward and unsure, looks at Navi and offers her a faint smile. After a moment, he hesitates but then asks, "Do you… still have family? Alive, I mean. Sorry, that's probably too personal."
Navi's expression falters slightly, and she hesitates before revealing a small, sleeping boy curled up beside her, his small body trembling as he tries to stay warm. "This is my little brother," she whispers, brushing a strand of his hair back.
Leor studies the boy, realizing what her silence about their parents likely meant. Feeling the weight of the moment, he chooses to leave the topic alone and doesn't press further.
Navi glances at him, her voice barely audible as she asks, "What about you? Any family?"
Leor doesn't respond immediately. His eyes lower, and his silence speaks louder than words. Navi catches the meaning and, understanding his unspoken answer, quietly settles back against the wall, choosing not to push further.
The cold remains, but for a fleeting moment, there's a fragile connection, a shared understanding between the two.
Leor, feeling a bit awkward, shifts over to sit by Navi against the cold stone wall. Navi, noticing his warmth, whispers a quiet, "Thank you," as she leans her head gently against his shoulder.
Leor tenses slightly, his shyness surfacing, but he stays still, his body gradually relaxing. As the exhaustion of the night overtakes him, his eyes begin to close, and he drifts into a fragile sleep.
Moments later, the peace is shattered by the sharp voices of soldiers shouting orders. The sunlight streams through the barred opening above them, illuminating the grim cell.
Navi stirs, lifting her head from Leor's shoulder as the noise pulls her from sleep. Blinking groggily, she glances at Leor, who's already sitting up, alert but disoriented. The tension in the air begins to grow as the soldiers' voices draw nearer.
The soldiers bark orders, their voices sharp and commanding. One of them unlocks the cell door with a metallic clang. As it swings open, a soldier strides in, scanning the huddled group of children. Without hesitation, he starts pulling out anyone who looks old enough to participate in whatever grim event awaits them.
Leor watches, his heart pounding, as the soldier's eyes land on him. Hesitating for a moment, Leor tries to blend into the wall, but it's no use. The soldier grabs him roughly by the shirt, yanking him to his feet. "Out," the soldier barks, shoving Leor toward the door.
Leor stumbles forward, his mind racing. Glancing back, he sees the soldier grab Navi as well, pulling her up and shoving her toward the exit.
"Navi!" a small voice cries out. Her younger brother, now awake and panicking, reaches out, tears streaming down his face.
"I'll be back," Navi promises, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "Don't worry, okay?"
But her reassurances do little to calm him. His cries grow louder as Navi is pushed out of the cell alongside Leor and the others.
Now in the dimly lit hallway, Leor finds himself in a line of kids, all around his age, marching forward under the watchful eyes of armed soldiers. The walls are damp and cold, the air heavy with tension.
As they walk, Leor catches a glimpse of the sky through a small, barred opening in the wall. The clouds hang low and heavy, their gray hues mirroring the weight in his chest.
Finally, they emerge into a courtyard. The sight is overwhelming—adults and teens stand gathered, their faces marked by fear and confusion. Leor's stomach churns as he tries to make sense of what's happening, his mind grasping for answers amidst the chaos.
Leor glances at the other bound adults who are also being forced to participate, his eyes landing on the man from the wagon—the one who had told him to calm down earlier. The man's face seems a bit more alive now, but the hopelessness in his eyes is still unmistakable.
A soldier barks an order, telling everyone to line up, shoulder to shoulder. As they arrange themselves, one of the soldiers leads a Pawn into the center of the courtyard. The Pawn has white hair and glowing blue eyes, dressed in armor that gleams faintly. It stands roughly the same height as the soldier, a detail that catches Leor's attention, letting him know that Pawns come in different sizes.
The soldier gestures toward the first person in line. "Focus your mind," the soldier commands, "and order the Pawn to move."
The bound man slowly steps forward, standing before the Pawn. He lifts his arm in an attempt to command the Pawn, his voice shaky as he tries to focus. But despite his best effort, the Pawn doesn't budge. After several failed attempts, a soldier steps forward, kicks the man in the side, and shoves him to the ground. The soldier drags the man aside roughly.
"Next!" the officer in charge calls out, his voice cold.
One by one, the participants try to move the Pawn, but only a few succeed. Those who pass are gathered on one side of the courtyard, while those who fail are pushed to the opposite side. It's finally the teens' turn, and the officer orders the first teen to step forward and attempt to command the Pawn.
As before, some fail, but a few manage to move it. Then, it's Leor's turn, and he feels a knot form in his stomach. The officer eyes him coldly. "Step forward."
Leor hesitates but slowly moves to stand before the Pawn. The Pawn's glowing blue eyes don't even look at Leor—its gaze distant, as if it's daydreaming. The officer commands Leor to focus.
Leor glances nervously down at the Pawn and raises his arms, trying to command it to move. He concentrates, but the Pawn doesn't budge. He tries again. And again. But the Pawn remains still.
As Leor's frustration builds, a soldier begins to approach him, no doubt preparing to push him aside. With every step the soldier takes, Leor's heart races. He refuses to fail.
In a final attempt, Leor yells in his mind, focusing harder than he ever has before. "Move!" he commands, then, in desperation, he orders, "Stop him!"
To his shock, the Pawn suddenly moves, its hand shooting out and grabbing the soldier by the neck. The courtyard falls into stunned silence.
Leor's focus deepens, and he can vaguely sense the soldier's face twisted in panic as the Pawn grips tighter. It's as if Leor can see through the Pawn's eyes, something completely foreign, yet strangely familiar.
Before Leor can process what's happening, the officer charges at him, kicking him hard in the chest. The force knocks the wind out of him, and he loses his connection to the Pawn. The Pawn immediately releases the soldier, who gasps for air and stumbles back, catching his breath.
Leor, struggling to breathe from the force of the kick, hears the officer bark, "Take him to the others. Keep an eye on him."
Another soldier grabs Leor roughly by the arm and drags him to the other side of the courtyard where the successful participants are gathered.
Leor slowly stands back up, holding his chest. Before he can regain his balance, the soldier he had previously struggled with suddenly grabs him, and with a vicious motion, punches him square in the face. The blow lands hard, and Leor stumbles back. One of the other soldiers quickly intervenes, pulling them apart.
Leor's lip is bleeding, but he looks at the soldier who punched him with a blank expression, as if he didn't even feel the pain. In reality, though, he's doing his best to keep his tears in check, the sting of the punch digging deep into his pride.
The officer steps forward, slapping the soldier across the face in a sharp reprimand. "Get back to work," he orders coldly.
Leor and the others who passed the trial stand silently, watching as the rest of the group takes their turn. Navi, who's standing next to Leor, had only been able to move the Pawn's fingers during her turn, but she too had passed.
When the trial finally ends, the failed participants are sent back to their cells, while those who succeeded are moved to new quarters. As before, the teens are separated from the adults and placed in their own cells.
Leor, still feeling the effects of the punch, touches his bruised cheek, wincing as the pain flares up. Navi approaches him with a small rock in her hand. She hands it to Leor. "Put this on your cheek," she suggests softly.
Leor hesitates for a moment, then takes the rock from her. The coldness of the stone immediately cools his skin as he presses it gently against the bruise.
"The cold should help with the swelling and bruising," Navi explains quietly.
Leor nods slightly, feeling the cold against his face, thankful for the small comfort amidst everything. He doesn't say anything, but in that moment, a quiet sense of appreciation passes between them.
Leor sits in a new cell, surrounded by the other teens who passed. He sits next to Navi, who's visibly anxious, her thoughts clearly with her younger brother. Suddenly, a boy with striking green eyes approaches Leor. His gaze sharpens as he asks, "How did you do that?"
Leor, still unsure himself, looks at the boy with confusion, unsure of what he's referring to. The boy steps closer, grabbing Leor by his shirt, demanding, "How the hell did you do it?" His voice rises in frustration.
The other teens watch quietly, sensing the tension building. Leor, still unsure, replies, "I don't know how I did it."
The boy scowls, releases his grip on Leor, and pushes him roughly against the wall. "Damn it," he mutters under his breath.
Leor, a little dazed, looks up at the boy, still confused by his reaction. The boy curses softly to himself, clearly frustrated.
Navi, her concern for Leor still evident, asks softly, "Are you okay?"
Leor gives a small nod, trying to reassure her despite the situation.
The boy punches the wall in frustration, then slowly lowers himself to sit on the floor. His eyes remain fixed on Leor, an unreadable expression on his face.
Leor, trying to shake off the awkwardness, feels the weight of the moment. The other teens keep to themselves, and the atmosphere in the cell grows heavier, darker with unspoken tension.