Stepping into the white room, Marcus and Kael were greeted with a large barrier. Inside of which, was a large beast-like creature that looked similar in appearance to that of a large gorilla of sorts.
It was covered in long velvet fur that held a strange shimmer under the harsh white light of the room. It had a large head with a long snout-like mouth with sharp teeth that were exposed, its eyes were small and bead-like.
The anomaly had four large, long muscular arms with massive hands and long, black fingernails. Its legs were similar in appearance to its arms, with the same hand-like feet that apes have.
And lastly, the anomaly had a long whipping tail with a sharp, pointy tip.
Marcus's eyes widened upon the sight. He knew the final test was going to be a challenge, Dr. Fletcher told him as much, but he didn't expect this…
"Welcome to your final test." The automated system spoke out, "Congratulations are in order for making it as far as you have, however, your path to graduation is not yet complete."
"The creature you see before you is no ordinary anomaly, it is a rank-three anomaly with several powerful and deadly abilities that if you aren't careful enough to avoid, your death will be quick and painful."
"You will be given two minutes to form a plan of attack before the anomaly is released and your test begins."
The automated voice fell silent, leaving Marcus and Kael alone with the growling creature.
Kael sighed deeply as he crossed his arms. "I have a feeling this thing has some interesting powers." He commented, "If I had to guess, I'd say its abilities are more physical, such as enhanced speed and strength, and that tail, we'll definitely have to avoid it."
Marcus watched Kael, he was impressed with how fast he began analyzing the anomaly, and sorta of relieved.
Marcus wasn't afraid of the creature, but he was concerned with how difficult it would prove to be.
"We will go for the eyes." Kael explained, "Blinding a creature like this should make it irrational, we'll use that to look for openings in its defenses."
"What about it's healing?" Marcus asked. "A creature like that most likely has one," Marcus explained.
"I've already thought about that," Kael replied. "I'll focus on suppression, keeping it busy, you focus on dealing heavy damage wherever possible, hopefully, we'll make it exert too much ether, if not, we'll have to focus on its core."
Marcus nodded as he clapped his hands together twice.
"Thirty seconds." The automated voice announced.
Kael took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. "Avoid the tail, and take out its eyes." He repeated.
Marcus nodded as he stared down the growling creature. He could feel his adrenaline pumping as his heart raced. There were no second chances, no mistakes, and no excuses.
Follow Kael's guidance, and come out victorious. Marcus told himself.
The automated voice broke its silence once more.
"10 seconds remaining, 9…. 8…. 7…."
As the countdown continued, the shimmering barrier that held back the anomaly began to glitch and falter. Marcus glanced over at Kael, who was already lowering himself into a sprinting stance.
Marcus lowered himself, turning one of his hands into a long silver blade as he narrowed his eyes.
The barrier then vanished completely, and the anomaly inside let off a deep and powerful roar as if got down on all six. Its small beady eyes reflected the harsh lights above with a sharp glint.
Marcus wasted no time in sprinting towards the creature, charging a ball of ether as he aimed it at the creature's head. He quickly fired it off, hoping to disorient the creature, even slightly.
The creature growled loudly as the bolt of ether smashed against its face, blasting apart a chunk of its snout, and sending its blood and chunks flying. The creature wasted no time in retaliation, whipping its tail in Marcus' direction with the tip pointing directly at him.
Marcus instantly dropped to the ground as the creature's tail whipped past him, a gust of wind blowing over his head.
As the creature turned its full attention to Marcus, Kael, began charging up his own ether. Spirited towards one of its arms. With his hand held out, charging with what appeared to be violent winds.
Once Kael's hand was close enough, dozens upon dozens of cuts began to appear on the anomaly's arm, its blue blood splattered around like loose paint, covering both Kael and the walls.
The creature roared angrily as it turned its attention to Kael, raising its hand high above him, in an attempt of what looked to be to crush him.
Marcus took this opportunity to scale the anomaly, with his limited flight ability, Marcus jumped up and landed on the anomaly's shoulder just as it swung down its have to crush Kael.
Kael expertly dodged the anomaly's attack, rolling to the right, and then sprinting to attack one of its legs.
Marcus meanwhile, settled the creature's shoulder and aimed his blade hand to attack the creature's eye.
The anomaly noticed Marcus, and widened its small eyes, before swiftly whipping its tail back around to attack Marcus once more.
However, Kael was already in the process of attacking its leg. Sending the creature reeling backward as it attempted to move away from him.
This gave Marcus the perfect opportunity for a strike directly against the anomaly's eye.
As the anomaly's failed attack, its tail whipped over Marcus, he lunged forward, plunging his blade hand into the anomaly's eye with a satisfying squelching sound. The anomaly let off a blood-curdling roar as blue blood began gushing out of its eye and spewing upon Marcus.
Marcus found himself grinning at the sight. It felt so good to watch the anomaly writhe in pain. It began jumping and shaking its body erratically causing the whole room to shake violently.
Marcus began laughing as he yanked his arm out of its socket, blue blood flying after his blade hand. Marcus then plunged it right back in, causing the anomaly to almost scream.
Kael meanwhile, focused his attention on wider attacks. He focused on his ether, creating large blades made of air, and began firing them at the anomaly.
The air blades cut deep into the anomaly's skin, causing its blood to flow onto the floor and splatter against the walls like modern art.
There were attempts made by the anomaly to heal itself, but Kael was relentless. Slash after slash he never gave the anomaly time to breathe.
"Hurry up with its vision Marcus!" Kael demanded as he dodged one of the anomaly's flailing limbs. "I can't keep this up!"
Marcus's laughter mellowed slightly, but his grin never faded. He ripped out his blade hand from the anomaly's socket, causing it to shake its head, desperately attempting to launch Marcus off.
Marcus only laughed in amusement as he kicked him from the anomaly's face, then using his limited flying skills, landed on the anomaly's other shoulder.
The anomaly's eye narrowed as it finally spotted Marcus, and before he knew it, its tail came whipping around.
Marcus saw the tail but was too late to dodge it. Allowing it to strike directly into this arm with the blade hand.
Marcus screamed out in pain as the tip of the anomaly's tail embedded itself deep into Marcus's arm. A deep growl came from the anomaly, almost as if it was laughing in a strange sense.
"Marcus!" Kael shouted out in despair as he dashed back from the anomaly.
The anomaly was quick to yank its tail back in an attempt to pull Marcus from its shoulder.
But it couldn't.
Because as it pulled its tail back, the entire tip was gone, leaving nothing but a blue stump.
Marcus began to chuckle, he had cut the tip of that tail with his other hand and was now pulling the tail tip out of his shoulder.
Marcus yanked it out of his shoulder with a loud laugh. His crimson red blued melding with the blue blood of the anomaly. He then focused his gaze on the anomaly's one eye, which was now wide with a primal fear.
"You really that that could kill me?!" Marcus shouted as he tossed the tail tip to the ground. Marcus then lunged himself towards the anomaly's eye, arm pulled back. Once closer, Marcus plunged his blade hand deep into the creature's eye, sending it into a blind rage.
It began swinging and jumping haphazardly.
Smashed into the walls of the room, leaving massive splatters of blood and deep dents into the wall once clean and pristine walls.
Kael quickly seized the moment.
With the anomaly's primal instincts kicking in, and its defenses at an all-time low, Kael headed directly for the anomaly's chest, with a charging penetration blast of air.
"Marcus!" Kael shouted, his voice barely audible through the chaos, "Get off it, I'm going for the killing blow!"
Marcus, despite the chaos, heard Kael loud and clear. He quickly released the anomaly from his grasp and jumped back from the anomaly's shoulder. Using the momentum from his leap, Marcus activated his flight ability and escaped by rolling onto the ground.
The anomaly's roars of pain echoed loudly throughout the room. It continued to thrash and crash about.
Kael, seeing that Marcus was now out of harm's way, began to focus all of his energy on a spear of wind. His ether violently swirled around Kael's arm as he didn't waste a second.
Kael sprinted forward, aiming his hands at the exposed area of its chest, right where its core should be.
The anomaly, probably sensing a change in the air, paused for a brief moment. Turning its head in the direction of Kael.
However, there was nothing it could have done to prevent what was about to happen.
Kael's ether spear fired off with immense speed and power. Creating a high-pitched whistle before plunging into the creature's chest, and flying out through the other side, crashing into the ceiling with a loud thud. The impact left behind a massive dent in the ceiling.
The anomaly meanwhile, began bleeding from its mouth as it dropped to the ground with a thud. It began twitching villagers, its limbs flared around as its head began banging against the ground with a spasm.
This went on for several seconds, before eventually, the anomaly let off a low, deep growl. Blood blood oozed from every wound the anomaly had, pooling onto the floor beneath it.
"Anomaly dispatched." The automated system announced, "Final examination rating…. Pass."
Marcus breathed a sigh of relief as he collapsed onto the ground. "We did it!" Marcus exclaimed with a satisfied laugh, raising his arms into the air. "It's done."
Kael sighed as he rotated his neck. "Don't get too excited, that was a low-level rank-three." He explained, ruining Marcus's satisfaction.
Marcus sat up, examining his arm as it slowly began healing. "Low level, high level, a pass is a pass." Marcus joked, "Besides if video games taught me anything, there are levels to this."
Kael smirked fairly.
Suddenly, the exit to the room opened, revealing their assigned assistant. She had an impressed expression, with her arms crossed and a subtle nod.
"You can return to your dorms, you'll receive further instructions at a later date." She said before glancing at Marcus directly, "And I'll take a victory drink to your success."
Marcus chuckled. "Thanks." He replied as he stood up, dusting the blood from his suit.
Kael and Marcus then walked past the assistant and began making their way towards the elevator.
The boys walked in a relaxed silence. Marcus honestly had nothing to say. He had come in with a goal and accomplished it. What more was there to say?
"We make a great team," Kael commented as the duo reached the elevator, Kael pressing the call button.
Marcus smiled. "We do, I'm the distraction, you're the killer." Marcus joked.
The elevator chimed as its doors hissed open.
"After you, distraction." Kael joked with a small smile.
Marcus rolled his eyes as he stepped into the elevator. Kael followed in behind and pressed the button for the ground floor.
Marcus led on the back wall of the elevator, looking down at his worn and bloodstained suit. "You know, I'm surprised they let us walk around covered in blood," Marcus commented.
Kael shrugged. "This place is filled with cleaning robots, I doubt that blood would be on the floor longer than a few minutes."
Marcus nodded. "Makes sense."
As the elevator reached the ground floor, it chimed softly as its doors hissed open.
"I guess I'll see you during graduation, whenever that is," Kael said to Marcus as he stepped out of the elevator.
"See you then," Marcus replied.
Marcus began navigating towards the exit, where as usual, he was greeted by Luna and Dr. Fletcher.
Luna's face illuminated with joy as Marcus emerged, a wide grin spreading across her lips. "You passed Marcus!" Luna said excitedly.
"How do you know?" Marcus asked teasingly.
"Because you're not dead," Luna explained with a giggle. She then released Dr. Fletcher's hand and approached Marcus to hug him.
Unfortunately for Luna, Marcus wasn't letting that happen. When Luna got close enough, he put a hand on her head, stopping her from holding him.
Luna looked up to Marcus with a frown, "I want to hug you Marcus, why are you denying me?"
"Look at me!" Marcus said in amusement as he gestured to his suit, "You'll get dirty."
Luna sighed as she took a step back.
Dr. Fletcher, who had been quietly smiling, finally spoke. "Luna you should escort Marcus to his room for a bath, then we'll take him 'out'." She said with a knowing look.
Luna smirked, then turning her attention to Marcus, she extended her hand. "Since you refuse to hug me, can we at least hold hands?"
Marcus studied Luna skeptically, then turned his attention to Dr. Fletcher, who simply smiled.
"What are you guys up to?" Marcus asked with narrowed eyes.
"Something interesting." Dr. Fletcher said with a slight head tilt.
Marcus sighed as he grabbed Luna's hand. He knew he wasn't getting an answer. "How convenient," Marcus said, shaking his head playfully.