The Xylonia Defense Settlement stood strategically on a red-hued planet. It's barren forest life, dominated by rare plants like the Cactus.
The arid landscape rendered occasional rain useless. Heavily fortified and guarded, the settlement featured a dual-fence system, with the recruitment center nestled between.
Main buildings, always locked, stood distant from the first fence.
Ethan Blackwood stood rigid, his palms clammy, his red hair setting him apart from the rest.
Ethan had fled his home, Zelda. A once thriving place filled with lush trees, beautiful skylines, great economy and beautiful lakes.
But all that was lost now. He could still feel the ground trembling and splitting up.
Buildings crumbling unto each other and had been trapped under the rubble.
When he had awoken, there had been no sign of life. His mates he had gone to play tag with had all been buried, and not a single stir from the rubble.
Ethan's heart had bled. He cried hoarsely for his parents, someone… Anyone! But there was no answer.
They were dead. And he had, somewhat, been the only to survive. Now it was up to him to carry the legacy of the people.
His piercing blue eyes stared at the recruiter, scribbling down names as they were asked to place their hands in a console by a tall, Stern-faced man called sergeant Will.
It showed something on the screen which Ethan could not understand and stared at it like a fool.
Sergeant Will looked up from the screen projection on the console before saying with a clipped tone`'` This one is a pass, He's a Gamma''.
The recruiter nodded and went immediately to his work, opening a small divide that separated him from the recruits.
The man who was the gamma was allowed entry.
Ethan swallowed hard. Palms growing clammy, he knew he was in great shape and height.
But he couldn't keep away his nervousness.
He couldn't afford to turn back now. He stays here! With a bit of courage summoned, he stood before the recruiter.
" Name''. Came the monotone voice of the recruiter. He was mind was full of thoughts.
He would assert his authority later and the thrill sent his toes curling.
he would be ordered by his superiors and he would have someone to vent that frustration to.
Ethan Blackwood.
The recruiter raised his head and stared at the redhead, his lips pressed together in annoyance.
''Didn't he see the copper on his sleeves and collar? The embroidered 'Corporal' on his jacket chest?
''He would teach this one a lesson for disrespect and pray he fell in a rank lower than him.
He bent his head and scribbled the name, putting an asterisk beside it.
"Age?"
18.
"Place your hands on the console, and wait for the next order".
Ethan did as instructed, this was it, he thought. Just have to pass.
The console hummed. Becoming cooler under his palm. A tingling feeling raced from the tips of his hands to his wrist.
He risked looking at Sergeant Will, who raised an arched eyebrow at him.
Ethan dropped his gaze to the screen on the console, it read nothing.
He frowned slightly, becoming worried. It was supposed to have shown something.
Sergeant Will stood gazing at the blank screen, huffing with irritation.
"This job of ability checking was a disturbance to his health!"
He slightly hit the console, brows furrowing. There was nothing wrong with it. He had made sure the technical team checked it. Twice!
He raised his head and stared at the redhead, who returned the stare. So this was from him? Because nothing of this such had ever happened.
"Clean your fingers!" Will waited as the red haired did as he had instructed. The recruiter, Adam. Had stopped scribbling as if he were the most serious in the work.
Will felt his lips curl into a thin line. Pretense! And Adam was doing an impressive job at it.
Redhead placed his hands back on the console and this time the system reported back.
'Unable to get anything as an ability from subject, subject is unclassified'.
"All this stress for a non-classified!" Will fumed. " Step aside!''
He dismissed the red haired, but not after the gasp of disbelief and Corporal Adam's cocky grin of delight.
" Not his business! Will thought as he continued with his work. Place your hands on the console.
The next person after this, he would not bother with an instruction. His mouth was taking the toll.
Ethan's face fell. He looked like a ghost. Losing this chance was gut-wrenching.
He was lost. Had he failed? The expression from Seargent Will said so.
Ethan rubbed his face with his hands' desperation creeping in. No! He croaked, This couldn't happen!
He slumped on the floor, hands gripping his hair so tight it hurt.
After months of searching for a settlement, almost dying of thirst and hunger. He had been rejected.
Ethan moaned in anguish and despair.
**
He didn't know how long had passed when he sat there, but he had come to realize more joined him. He didn't know whether to be pleased with that fact.
Corporal Adams watched the redheaded, eyes twinkling with joy.
"Here I thought I would have to do with teaching him a lesson, but nature taught to give him a more befitting punishment."
"He scoffed with distaste." He would make sure to bet on his head when he was done. "It would fetch him a lot of money."
The thought had him, rubbing his palms together in anticipation.
The alarm would soon sound, marking the end of Adam's task. He'd processed thirty unclassified recruits, including the red-haired.
As far as he had known. No one had ever made it alive to reach the second fence for safety.
And he was sure red haired wouldn't make it, none of them will.
He got up, leaving. Even when faced with their inquiring gazes. Let them be our entertainment. He flipped back at them with his thoughts.
The short-distance teleportation was activated and once they were inside the main building, it would only take a couple of minutes before the alarm would go off.
By then he would seat comfortable though lesser than the rest and watch to his heart delight in the large screen inside.
As Ethan watched, the officers vanished into the teleportation device, his heart sinked further.
His heart weighed heavier than before. What next? He asked himself. Go looking for another settlement before night fall?
He was thirsty and had supplemented it with his saliva but for how long? He folded his hands in a fist so hard it hurt.
None of that was happening.
The voice threw him from his monologue blaring hard from the speakers as the alarm went shrilly up.
Ethan felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand at attention, his skin itchy.
He looked behind him past the hall where he stood. To the second fence, far away from them.
Something was wrong. There was no sign of soldiers anywhere, but the alarm blew harder with each passing moment.
It seemed that they had anticipated it and watched with a calm light in their eyes from within the buildings.
It clicked.
The first gate was not strong enough and that was the reason for the teleportation and the second fence.
Ethan cursed. Those sly foxes. He had no idea what was coming and everybody had their gaze towards the first gate.
Ethan gauged the distance between the two fence, calculating their chances.
His eyes narrowing, the center was shortest to the first fence and longer to the second.
If they could get past the center and beat half of the distance to the second fence. Maybe they would open the fence for them.
Was it just a might be? How sure was he that it would happen, a fruitless wish. He had to see what they were up against.
He stood straight hair body turned at an angle facing but sides, his torso drawn back and waited with bated breath.
His heart beat loudly and hard against his rib cage, almost jumping out. If this were a second chance, he would survive it. His eyes assuming a fierce light.
His survival and his planet depended on him! He wasn't going to die for the amusement of anyone! He would show them that without an ability, he could survive.
The silence after the alarm was deafening. And then, Ethan saw it." He squinted. A great cloud of dust rose like a sandstorm towards the gate.
It obscured whatever was hiding in it. It approached in that fashion, the hot air carrying it.
Ethan watched transfixed. It reached the gates and stopped. A small laugh escaped beside him.
" A fucking sandstorm makes this people huddled behind buildings! Yet, they put us apart from them because of a stupid thing called ability?
Ethan stared, his gaze locked on the movement of the red sand dust. There was something.
Something there, and it approached so calmly he felt his heart stutter, in its tempo.
The sandstorm moved like it had the time in the world. Covering everywhere, you couldn't see a thing.
It reached the recruitment center, and Ethan had to breathe in order not to feel lightheaded.
The sandstorm made its descent, covering them. Sand flying into their eyes, throat going parched.
Nostrils assaulted. It beat down painfully on their skin. Even through their clothing.
A shout pierced through, Something screeched malevolently.
Ethan knew the thing had started making its presence known!
He needed to start making his way towards the second gate.
Took a couple of steps only for another shout, a curse and then, nothing beside him.
He panicked, the thing moved so fast, he was disadvantaged.
He couldn't see a thing without risking his eyes. His skin was already red.
He pushed hastily through, racing like his life depended on it, but was going nowhere. The sand storm increased more! Ethan cursed.
He risked a look to see a fellow recruit just in front of him being chased by the thing.
But was chilled by what happened next.
The thing moved fast, it was capable of reaching 60 km/h (37 mph).
its massive serpent-like creature with a body composed of swirling sand and dust.
Its scales glisten like polished obsidian, reflecting the hues of the surrounding sandstorm.
It raised its snake head and zoomed in on the recruit leaving no traces.
Ethan froze in the spot, his eyes blown, dilated. Was that the…
Ethan felt his blood go cold. What in the world! His thoughts screamed.
The thing exploited his slight hesitation, swirling vortex of sand and dust that succeeded in disorienting him.
Ethan tripped. Going down as the serpent disappeared below! He flailed, trying to steady himself. It was no use!
Think! Think!!
Shouts rendered the air.
Ethan could feel himself sinking and being turned round and round. He had fallen into a trap!
He'd fallen into the serpent's trap -- Hidden trenches filled with loose sand that held him.
It had seen him. But chose to let him fall into it while he went for its next prey.
Ethan let out a tepid smile through gritted teeth. Clever!
But to exit such a whirlpool of sand he would have to follow its pattern and look for an opening.
And that was what he would do.
It proved difficult, but he saw the opening and jumped out, stumbled again but righted.
He shook his head. Put his hands in front of his face and trudged on.
Breathing in hot air, Ethan wanted water. However had only taken a couple of steps when he felt it moved. Coming closer to him.
Fifty meters! Ethan trudged on. Trying to force his burning lungs with the painful air, huffing and panting.
He didn't know hw far he'd gone, but he refused to give up. Not yet!
30 meters! If it was under the earth, maybe stopping a little to see if it used any type of vibration would work.
The thought sent him into an overdrive. That would be one of his lucky wish.
But he had to test the theory. He stopped, holding his breath.
10 meters! Ethan trembled on shaky feet.
It reached him, slowed. Circled. Slowed. Circled. As if waiting for him to either breathe or make a slight movement.
Finally satisfied. It moved away, disappearing. Ethan released his held breath. But he had misjudged the serpent's intelligence.
The serpent turned. It's yellow eyes blazing, fangs bared.
" It wasn't fooled.