Luca's point of view
"Next!"
At this command, a man standing at the front of a long line shuffled forward, his legs trembling visibly with fear, heading toward a transparent cylinder. His lips quivered, and his face was covered in sweat.
"Please, tell the lord I'm not one of the escapees..."
But before he could finish his plea, one of the guards delivered a violent kick to his back, forcing him into the cylinder.
"Innocent or not, we'll find out soon enough," one of the soldiers responded coldly, without a shred of compassion.
The door of the cylinder sealed shut behind him. Inside, a white light beamed down from the ceiling, bathing the man in a harsh, cold glow. Then, slowly, the light turned red.
"Have mercy..."
As if he had already guessed his grim fate, the man inside began to beg for his life. But there was no reply.
A thick gas began to hiss from below, quickly filling the cylinder. Desperate, he started pounding frantically on the glass, his fists crashing against the surface to no avail. His movements gradually slowed until he collapsed, lifeless.
Once the man was removed, without showing any emotion, the guards brought another person into the cylinder.
"I thought I was lucky..."
At that moment, I remembered the time I had survived the abandoned lands, thinking I had escaped the worst. Two knights had saved me from a monster that had tried to attack me.
I was infinitely grateful to them, but just as I wanted to express my thanks, my strength had left me, and I collapsed, drained by the density of mana.
When I woke up, I found myself in a wagon, surrounded by people whose faces looked as lost as mine. I had no idea where I was or what was in store for me. The atmosphere was so heavy, so cold, that I had lost the will to ask any questions.
They had brought us all to the back of a large mansion. One by one, the others went through that strange machine, each with the same apprehension etched on their faces. The smell of fear hung in the air, palpable.
"Come on, kid. Your turn."
It was my turn. I swallowed hard, feeling my heart race. The cylinder closed around me, and after a moment of unbearable tension, it lit up green.
"Go join the others," one of the men announced, gesturing lazily behind him with his thumb.
Instead of just following orders, I couldn't help but ask the question gnawing at me.
"Excuse me... Can you explain what's happening here, exactly?"
The man froze, casting a calculating glance my way. He remained silent for what felt like an eternity, as if weighing the pros and cons of my question. Finally, he crouched down slightly to get on my level and whispered in my ear.
"Listen, kid... These people broke one of the laws of this place."
"A law?"
"Just do as you're told if you want to live."
I sensed that what he was saying concealed something far more serious. Why should I obey these rules when I didn't even belong here?
"But..." I started, only to be cut off by the guard.
"I know you're not from around here, kid. But believe me, the lord doesn't care. Whether you're local or not, he'll treat you the same way."
"..."
"Let me give you one last piece of advice," he added, lowering his voice even more. "Once you're there, make yourself useful. It's the only way to survive here."
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. The man stood back up without another word, leaving me to digest this harsh reality.
…
…
"Please be quiet and listen to me," said a woman calmly through a microphone, standing on an elevated platform, towering over the crowd.
A gradual silence fell as the murmurs and chatter subsided under her quiet authority.
"My name is Jess. You are fortunate to be taking a test to serve the lord, and—"
"Excuse me, miss," an interruption suddenly came from a man in the crowd, raising his hand.
Jess frowned slightly, visibly displeased by the interruption. Her piercing gaze landed on the man.
"What do you want?"
The man, a nervous-looking merchant, took a deep breath before speaking.
"I'm a merchant, and I have a very important client waiting for me. I can't afford to waste more time here. So, I'll be leaving."
At his words, others in the crowd began to stir, some nodding in agreement and murmuring their own impatience.
"That's right, let us go!"
"I have urgent business too!"
More voices rose, supporting the merchant. Jess, noticing that the situation was slipping from her control, calmly raised her hand, asking for silence. Her expression softened slightly, as though she was about to let them go.
"Very well, you may leave if you wish."
A stunned silence followed her words. Then, confident, the merchant who had first spoken stepped forward.
But as soon as he crossed the boundary of the territory, he let out a scream. His body suddenly ignited, consumed by fierce flames. In mere moments, he was nothing but a pile of ashes. Those who followed him met the same fate, burning alive in a scene of terror and despair.
The rest of the crowd, paralyzed by horror, backed away suddenly, gasping for breath.
"I forgot to warn you," Jess resumed with cold indifference, "if you try to leave this place, you will suffer the same fate as them."
A wave of silent panic swept through the assembly. No one dared move. The murmurs had vanished, replaced by an oppressive fear.
"What kind of madness is this...?" someone muttered in a trembling voice.
A man, perhaps driven by fear or madness, rushed toward Jess in a desperate attempt at rebellion.
But before he could take another step, a sharp gust of wind appeared suddenly, and in a flash, his head was severed from his body. His corpse fell heavily to the ground, spilling blood on the earth.
Jess watched the scene with icy serenity.
"I hate being interrupted," she said coldly, her piercing eyes scanning the terrified crowd.
Silence was absolute now, and no one dared move.
"Good. Now that everyone is calm, we can continue." She paused, her gaze sweeping across the petrified faces. "Separate into two groups: those who know how to fight, and those who do not."
I remembered the guard's words: «Make yourself useful if you want to survive.» Was he talking about fighting? Did it mean that those who couldn't fight were also doomed to die? Panic started to rise within me.
"No, that doesn't make sense."
If they only wanted warriors or mages, why take a seven-year-old like me?
My gaze turned toward those who, like me, were clearly incapable of fighting. Some were elderly, others too young or visibly weak. This strengthened my suspicion.
The groups formed quickly. Most people, out of fear of appearing useless, joined the fighters. As for me, I made the opposite choice and placed myself among the non-combatants.
"Good," Jess said as she observed us. "Non-combatants, follow me. As for the rest, follow the knights."
I felt a certain tension as I watched those who went with the knights, heading toward an uncertain fate. But my instinct told me I had made the right choice... for now.
* * *
At the same moment, in King Ben's castle, Eli stood before the door that led directly to the room of Kim, better known as the Child of the Stars.
"The process was long and painful, but it was worth it," she murmured to herself, taking a deep breath.
Out of fear that Kim might fall victim to an assassination attempt or kidnapping, King Ben had tightened security in the castle like never before.
The security protocols had become extremely strict. Every person, even the highest-ranking nobles, had to undergo numerous checks before entering. Eli was no exception to this rule.
Knock knock
"Come in," a clear voice resonated from inside.
At the response, Eli gently lowered the handle and pushed the door open. Upon entering, she was greeted by an unusual scene.
Before a large window, bathed in sunlight, stood a young boy. A bird chirped softly, perched on the palm of his hand, its plumage vibrant with natural energy.
Eli was immediately struck by the sight.
"This is incredible!" she thought, astonished. "I've never seen a being with such a high affinity with nature, except for the queen."
The elves, who had lived in harmony with nature for generations, possessed a unique bond with flora and fauna. But this bond wasn't innate; one had to have genuine kindness toward nature and be in perfect harmony with it to enjoy its benefits.
In return, nature offered them a healthy environment and essential nutrients to prolong their lifespan. Even the elven queen, renowned for her great communion with nature, had to work hard to reach her current level.
But this child, who seemed barely ten years old, already far surpassed the high elves in this connection. His mere presence caused the plants around him to bloom, and the bird affectionately rubbed against his fingers as if Kim were a protective mother.
"Are you going to keep staring at me?" Kim said indifferently, without turning around.
Eli realized she had stayed silent for too long, mesmerized by the scene. Flushing with embarrassment, she quickly bowed.
"Forgive me, it was not my intention to offend you."
Kim slightly turned his head toward her, casting a brief glance in her direction, then immediately refocused his attention on the bird that continued to sing.
This gesture, or rather the lack of interest, hurt Eli. Since childhood, she had been praised for her beauty, even among other races. Elves were known for their grace, but Kim treated her like a stranger passing by on the street.
"I expected this kind of reaction," she told herself inwardly.
Before coming, she had been warned that Kim kept his distance from others due to the abandonment by his star family.
"My name is Eli," she began softly, "I come from—"
"Please tell me the reason for your visit," Kim interrupted her, his tone sharp.
Eli was speechless for a moment. Kim hadn't even bothered to listen.
"..."
"Don't be surprised by my behavior," Kim added, his eyes still fixed on the bird. "You're only here for your own interests. You're neither the first nor the last to come see me to get something."
"You're mistaken," Eli replied, trying to remain calm. "I'm here to announce important news to you."
Kim finally made the effort to fully turn toward her, looking slightly intrigued.
"I'm listening. At least, it's a change from the boring speeches of those who came before you."
"I didn't expect him to be this distant," Eli thought. "But that no longer matters now."
Taking a deep breath, she dropped the piece of information that would change everything.
"I know the exact whereabouts of two of your brothers."
Kim's eyes, once so cold and detached, widened in shock. For the first time since her arrival, Eli saw real emotion on the young boy's face, an expression of childlike hope and mixed surprise.
"What did you just say?!" he asked, breathless.
Eli smiled inwardly. She had finally captured his attention.
"I've got you," she thought with satisfaction.