Tap...Tap
Noah awoke to the sensation of an aggressive tap to his shoulder. He tilted his head in an attempt to discern the features of his visitor. However, the impenetrable darkness obscured his vision. Out of the visitor's lips, a characteristic hoarse voice broke the silence. "Get up."
Noah slowly rose up from the comfort of his bed; his thoughts were sluggish due to fatigue. The figure turned and retreated to the door, grasping the metallic knob.
"What now?." Noah thought to himself.
Click..
A sharp sound rang out as the iron black door swung open, revealing a dark and sterile hallway. Noah followed faint footsteps from the figure, walking briskly through the hallway in silence.
They descended the staircase leading to the lower floors; the thick veil of darkness cloaked the environment, preventing Noah from discerning any details.
A creaking noise unveiled itself before Noah. Artificial white light pierced through the opening made by the door. Noah squinted his eyes; the brightness jolted Noah fully awake. "So bright." He murmured to himself.
The room was huge, and the walls stretched up high, seemingly with no end. Noah blinked his eyes repeatedly; he gazed focused on the other children in the room. They were about a dozen already in the room, their expression painted with anxiety, apprehension, and even tiredness.
The bright room was silent and cold; tension saturated the heavy atmosphere. Noah yawned slowly and scratched his scalp simultaneously. All eyes were suddenly on him; their gazes were filled with amusement and curiosity. Noah smiled nervously; their gazes made him feel self-conscious. Noah retreated to a corner in the room, wary of the repeated stares he was getting.
The door swung open occasionally, and more drowsy children entered the room. It seems they are spacing out the period of entry; why are they being so cautious about a bunch of kids?.
That reminds me; yesterday that guy named Rook said something about a lord. What's so special about us? Are we clones of that figure? No, they are children of both genders; it's more accurate to say in vitro babies. This is quite a scandal; what is such a powerful figure preparing for that he trains dozens of children with his blood in secret?" Noah pondered internally.
"A penny for your thoughts." A voice echoed beside him. Noah shifted his gaze; his eyes caught the image of a girl, five or six years old, with golden hair cascaded down her neck; her emerald eyes sparked in curiosity; she stared at Noah in anticipation.
"Um...just that is so early; I'm a bit sleepy." Noah replied nonchalantly.
The girl chuckled and said in a casual tone,That's obvious! Your yawning was pretty loud."
Noah smiled slightly; in truth, he was flustered by her reply. He stared at her speaking, her movements, her expressions; they were..."Way too fluid!. As I thought, there is something strange about these children. Born just yesterday, and yet their movements are impeccable; they can even talk, like it's the most casual thing in the world."
"Someone dangerous is behind this." His thoughts drifted briefly.
"Next time I'll try to keep it down." Noah chuckled softly as he replied.
"Your really weird", she titled her head with a playful smile.But that makes you easier to talk to." The girl continued speaking in her cheerful demeanour.
"What do you think of our purpose?" Noah asked her curiously.
"Hmm...Mr. Rook said we were special." She fiddled with her fingers as she spoke. "I guess there might be some mission that only we can complete," she spoke with full certainty.
Noah didn't speak; however, a bitter smile spoke for him. She stared at him for a brief moment before asking,"What do you think it is?"
Noah paused for a moment before speaking in a low tone"It's probably what you said."
"By the way, what's your name."Noah's voice carried a softness.
"Name? I don't have one." She replied. fiddling with her hair.
"How about I call you Mina?" beaming a warm smile at her as he spoke.
"Mina." The words echoed from her lips. She nodded slowly before whispering "That sounds good."
"What should I call you? Mina asked tilting her head in curiosity.
With a smile, Noah said, "Call me Noah.
Creak...
The door opened up once again, letting out a frigid wind from the room; faint but audible footsteps echoed inside the large room. Five men dressed in white garments and face masks emerged from the dark hallway.
They stood together with their arms behind their backs, forming a wall, the lower halves of their faces obscured by their masks, while the upper halves were stern and devoid of emotion.
Suddenly, a voice resounded from above. The voice was a friendly one, but at the same time it carried a chilling aura. "Welcome children, we will be running a physical exam now; this will become a daily part of your life. As students, you are to be constantly undergoing the process of improvement, both spiritually and physically."
"Form a straight line made up of five rows. The ideal objective of this exam is for you to lap this room twenty times."
"Twenty times." Noah was taken back; the entire room was about 40 meters in overall length. What is the real motive behind this exam? The students began preparing to start the exam.
Seconds soon turned to minutes. Soon 36 students stood in straight lines consisting of 5 rows. The voice rang out once again, uttering only a single word.
"Begin."
With that, they began dashing across the massive white room. Maintaining a machine-like level of coordination, they avoided all collisions with one and trudged forward, completing six laps.
After the sixth lap, the level of coordination began crumbling, collisions began occurring, and their speed began to weaken.
Noah could feel his lungs start to burn up, his white garment was drenched in sweat, and his breathing was getting heavier; his body wasn't built for this kind of assessment.
He had already connected a few dots and realised that this exam was a test of their mentality.
The higher-ups wanted to pay attention to the mentally strong and remove the ones who would give up; for that, Noah knew his life depended on how long he would last.
7, 8, and 9 laps flew by, and soon the once coordinated machine had broken down into a haphazard mess. Most children began staggering and barely clinging to life. While some had refused to move at all.
Noah spotted Mina in the mess; she was staggering, unable to run properly. Noah moved up towards her and whispered to her.
"We're in this together, Mina; I won't stop running if you don't." Noah forced a smile. "Let's run together."
The guards who were standing idly suddenly moved sluggishly towards the fallen, each step causing the atmosphere of the room to grow colder.
Upon seeing this, some who had stopped mustered what little strength they had left and chased after the retreating group. The unlucky who couldn't get up only had time to let out bloodcurdling shrills before they were silenced.
Upon seeing this, the students trembled in fear; those who staggered began picking up the pace. Noah's stomach churned; he turned his neck, catching glimpses of terrified children sprawled on the floor, their faces contorted in pain and despair; they were already dead. He frowned at the grotesque scene.
"How could they do this to children?" he muttered.
15...16 laps the group had been thinned down considerably, only about 16 students remained, floor was mixed with the stench of sweat as well as the putrid odour that blood exuded.
Noah supported Mina's arm as they and the remaining 28 students continued their march. He struggled under the extra weight of Mina. His will was already wavering; he was already past his limit.
However, he wouldn't stop moving; he had to escape hell; he wouldn't let himself die in a place like this—a place with no sun, covered in darkness. This place was the product of the darkest side of the human soul.
That was his reason, his purpose. Sadly, while Noah's mind was stronger than ever, his body couldn't take it anymore.
Thud! He along with Mina collapsed to the ground, unable to move. His body trembled furiously. "Move!,Move!" He screamed internally. However, his body would not obey.
Tap... The sluggish footsteps of the guards approached Noah as well as Mina. He shuddered in fear. Death was approaching.
Suddenly, the familiar, friendly voice spoke.
"The test has been concluded."
"According to my previous statement, while it would have been ideal to have you run 20 laps, we'll have to settle for 18, since that is the most you can manage at this level."
Noah puffed hot air from his lungs his body and his mind was already at his limit. He heaved a sigh and shut his bloodshot eyes, drifting away into sleep.