Noah stood up and stretched his body, a wave of fatigue finally catching up to him. He strode casually towards his bathroom and began washing up. Cold water sprinkled onto his tired body, sensation gnawing at his flesh, causing him to shiver slightly.
He stepped out of his bathroom, a towel to his waist. Scanning the room with his eyes, his gaze landed on a neatly folded garment resting on his bed. His attention shifted to his desk; a tray of food awaited, and beside it, a cup, half empty with water, stood.
They brought me a change of clothes; how nice. Ah, I see they didn't forget to bring me the most delectable, the most appetising bar of soap. Truly, they thought of everything. He chuckled inwardly, his voice carrying a sarcastic tone.
Noah slipped into his white garments smoothly, the fabric settling comfortably against his skin. He crossed the room, walking towards his reading table, where a familiar assortment awaited. Biting down on the greyish bars of food, whose rough chalky texture is a stark contrast to the smoothness of the cold water.
Noah finally sighed, then, with a resigned tone, he muttered,At least it's cold."
Silence filled the room once more—a suffocating and eerie experience. Noah gripped the cup tightly, lost in a world of his own; a bitter smile played on his lips. He snapped out of his reverie, walking towards his bed; he collapsed on top of it.
The white fluorescent light illuminated the cold and silent room, casting shadows on the tiled floor and the walls. After a period of time, they switched off, shrouding the room in darkness.
After an unknown period of time, Noah awakened. He sat up, adjusting his eyes and mind to the blackness that filled the room. He could feel the oppressive gloom crushing against him.
He scanned the room for a brief moment before standing up. He walked to the centre of the room and then assumed a meditation pose, legs crossed, straight back. His palm clasping his knees.
Noah inhaled the fresh air deeply, envisioning an outline of his body. The white tendrils, pulsating blobs, and stars of light came into view.
The structure had undergone an interesting change; the tendrils in his palm had attached themselves to the star in his chest, and the star in his cerebral had aligned itself with his jugular; they were beating in sync with each other.
Two more to go; next I'll attempt connecting the jugular centre with the centre at the chest. Noah thought to himself, excitement filling up his.
Well i already have an Idea of how to go about it. When i first connected the pathways in the palms with the chest, i achieved a moment of clarity before. Who knew I stumbled onto the secret albeit accidentally? Noah continued his introspection.
Bathed in a profound silence, Noah's mind splintered in search of clarity. Time moved like a blur, and Noah's mind stirred and flowed like a stream, trying and failing to achieve the inclusive sensation known as clarity.
Maybe it's because I'm trying too hard. I need to ease up a bit. He reflected, constructing an analysis of the situation.
Creak...
Noah was snapped out of his thoughts by the creaking sound of the door. He opened his eyes, glancing towards the entrance; however, before him stood a figure dressed in white garments and a white face mask.
I didn't even hear his footsteps!. Noah exclaimed internally.
"Get up," the figure spoke in his characteristic hoarse voice.
A few moments later, Noah and the figure were walking through the darkness of the hallway in silence. This time the figure led Noah through the middle level to a room that sported a similar black iron door. Etched on the door was a book, spread down the middle.
Creak...
Noah pushed the door open, entering the room. The room sloped downward into a tiered seating, metallic chairs and desks, white in colour, stood at every level, allowing everyone regardless of where they sat to see the person at the bottom.
A lecture hall, at least they won't be murdering anyone today. Noah pondered. The room in question was nigh-empty; only about ten children were inside. It seems that they randomly select the time at which they bring us to each class. Only three tiers, i guess we aren't that big.
Finding an empty seat at the third tier, he sank into waiting patiently for the class to start. This takes me back to when things were normal. He mused briefly before sighing.
Shutting his eyes in silence, Noah tried to achieve a semblance of clarity. After an unknown period of time, a voice broke him out of his meditation.
"Noah, right?." a friendly voice called out from behind.
Turning his head in the direction of the noise, Noah's eyes caught a figure of a narrow-eyed boy, 5 or 6 years old, cascading down his neck with black, messy hair.
"William, good to see you again." Noah simulated a cheerful tone, beaming a smile at him.
William took a seat beside Noah and spoke in his usual calm demeanour.
"I just wanted to thank you for what you did. You saved her life. She might not be here without you."
He was breathless but continued speaking. "I... couldn't do a thing; I barely managed to save myself. But you did something I couldn't. And for that, I am truly grateful."
Noah bowed his head, a smile playing on his lips. He replied in a warm and sincere tone. "I am glad you found a beacon to rally around. Do your best to protect her."
Mina, She is the only warmth in this coldness, the only light in this abyss. I also feel a certain support from her. She is special. Noah mused, reflecting on his conversation with William.
After this, neither of them spoke a word to each other. They didn't need to. There was already a tacit understanding formed between them. Several minutes later, Mina, Hana, and finally the eccentric ray joined them.
The group engaged in a conversation, smiling and sharing jokes between themselves. Noah occasionally chipped in, throwing a jab at Hana, laughing with Mina, and frowning at Ray's jabs at him.
Creak...
The door finally opened, simulating a creaking sound, and a man walked out. He wore a plain white shirt and black trousers, upon which a white lab coat rested. A chilling aura followed, piercing through the entirety of the room; instinctually, both Noah and everyone in the room got to their feet.
The man continued his walking till he got behind his desk. He rapped his knuckles on the wooden desk a few times before uttering with an indifferent expression."You may sit."
He stared at the room filled with over a dozen children with his icy grey eyes, then continued."My name is Steiner, and I will be your instructor for the day."
For an unknown period of time, Noah and the other children were introduced to three subjects: geography, biology, and psychology. Noah felt his head overheating from the sheer quantity of knowledge being unloaded onto him. Biomes, nerves, and blood vessels—a basic understanding of the human psyche. A lot for a single day.
"We will end things here today, till next time." Steiner concluded in his usual manner. He stuffed his hands into his lab coat and walked out of the room.
Noah sighed deeply after Steiner had left. "Another problematic individual; the place is crawling with monsters." He muttered tensely.
Soon after, the wardens dressed in their white garments and face masks led them to their respective rooms. Noah, upon entering his room, his eyes catch the visage of a white stack of papers on his desk. "Strange," Noah muttered.
He moved towards his table and gazed at the papers; the paper at the foremost read: Introduction to Ki.
A 'book' about Ki. "Curious." Noah whispered with a delighted expression. He began flipping through the pages, meticulously crafted knowledge and vivid diagrams. It seems that competition isn't as simple as I once thought. To think they would even provide aid, it must be something worth receiving.
With an excited smile Noah mumbled. "Okay, you've got my attention."
He sank into his desk and began combing through the stacks of notes provided to him. Most of these he already knew; after a few seconds of flipping, his eyes caught a text.
"The Ki centres exist in a duality; on one side there is control and on the other there is pure anarchy. When manipulating Ki, it is paramount to avoid extreme or negative emotions; the consequences for wildness aren't pleasant." Noah muttered his eyes, tracing the text.
Hey, don't stop there. What are those emotions? Noah exclaimed in frustration.
It seems that they will not give us any major clues in completing the task. They are clearly trying to develop problem-solving skills. He whispered, slightly yawning.
He rubbed his temples, trembling at the touch. Following that, Noah got up and sank into his bed, falling asleep.