First Flame

Alric POV

Another day… Another morning of experiments.

That was the first thought that flashed through my mind as I opened my eyes to the sound of my door unlocking.

I blinked a few times, the sharp white lights from the ceiling piercing my eyes. The room was the same as always—plain walls, a narrow bed. There was a small metallic table by the bed, with a few papers and a glass of water. The only other thing in the room was a chair pushed up against the wall, empty like it always was.

The door opened, and I heard the soft click of footsteps against the cold floor. Doctor Liora entered, her presence a contrast to the cold air of this room.

Her lavender hair was a mass of soft curls, passing over her shoulders in a perfectly untidy mess. She wore the same white coat as everything else, but somehow, it didn't make her as cold as everyone else. She gave a gentle smile. "Good morning, Alric," she said, her voice soft and warm. "How are you doing today?"

I rubbed my eyes, not even trying to conceal the exhaustion. "Same as always, Liora," I grumbled and pushed myself up a little higher in bed.

She smiled, and her eyes softened as if she knew what I meant without further detail.

I stood up from the bed, my feet hitting the cold floor. "How long will it last today?" I asked, looking indifferent.

"Not long," Liora responded, her voice still calm as always. "We have to pass by the laboratory, and then head to the assessment room."

Lucky me, I thought bitterly. Just what I needed. Like it made a difference anyway—same as every day. Not that I had a whole lot of room to maneuver here.

Doctor Liora stepped out of the room, and I followed, the door sliding shut behind us.

The hallway stretched out before me, cold and sterile, just like the rest of the place. Bright overhead lights flickered above, casting a glow on the plain walls except for the occasional doors that led to the rooms of others like me.

As we walked, we passed by a few doctors and staff members, all dressed in the same white coat, their faces emotionless, their footsteps quick and purposeful. Most ignored us, but a few glanced up as we passed.

"Morning, Dr. Liora," one of them said, his voice dull, his gaze barely lifting from the clipboard in his hands.

"Morning," she replied, her tone light and friendly, but she didn't stop walking.

I stayed silent, my eyes on the floor, counting the steps.

When we reached the heavy steel doors of the lab, Liora paused and turned to me. "Ready?" she asked, though it was more of a routine question than a real one. She already knew the answer.

I didn't respond. Instead, I nodded and followed her through the doors, the sound of them sliding open echoing in the now empty hallway.

The laboratory was even colder than the hallway, the air thick with the scent of chemicals and metal. The walls were lined with rows of shelves, filled with all sorts of equipment—machines I didn't understand, syringes, glass beakers, and vials of various substances, their contents glowing faintly under the pale light. The hum of machines filled the air, mixing with the occasional beep of a monitor.

Liora led the way, her footsteps steady, and I followed, keeping my gaze on the floor. I wasn't interested in the usual display of experiments or the scientists bustling around. They were too busy with their work, paying no mind to us as we passed.

A couple of doctors turned to acknowledge us, their faces blank and detached. One gave Liora a nod, and another, a younger woman, briefly looked me over before returning to her task without a word.

"Everything ready for today?" Liora asked one of the senior doctors, her tone polite but distant.

"Yes, Dr. Liora," the doctor replied without looking up, his hands buried in some kind of paperwork. "We're preparing the next set of trials."

We reached a large door at the back of the lab, where Liora paused to swipe her ID card against a panel. The door slid open with a soft whoosh, revealing the sterile white room beyond, lit by cold fluorescent lights. A long table sat in the center of the room, surrounded by machines and monitors, ready for whatever procedure they had planned today.

"Let's get started," Liora said, her voice calm but firm, as she gestured for me to step forward.