Michael stood still, his eyes wandering across the enormous field as he tried to make sense of the situation.
"Humans left... humans right... Hmmm."
He tilted his head, observing the students scattered around him.
What exactly did Mr. Bola have planned?
The field was strangely beautiful. Leaves swirled through the air, carried by a gentle breeze, while flowers danced beneath the morning sunlight. Everything seemed peaceful, almost welcoming. The kind of place someone might visit to escape the noise of the world.
Yet something about it unsettled him.
Perhaps it was the sheer number of students gathered there. Perhaps it was the knowledge that none of them had any idea what awaited them.
One hundred and fifty students.
Some were chatting, others were stretching, and a few had already begun preparing their abilities. There were students examining their surroundings, students showing off their powers, and students who appeared far too confident for people who hadn't even heard the rules of the challenge.
Michael watched them with little interest.
Humans. Always so eager to demonstrate what they could do.
And yet, not one of them knew what they were about to face.
Beside him stood Elizabeth.
His beloved.
He held her close, his attention divided between the gathering and the girl resting against him. While the others seemed preoccupied with the impending evaluation, Michael found himself struggling to care about anything beyond her presence.
She was his anchor in this maddening world. The one person who made him feel connected to something resembling sanity. Without her, everything seemed meaningless, as though he were simply drifting through an existence he had never asked for.
He tightened his grip around her hand.
Whatever happened today, he would make sure they stayed together.
He didn't care about the rankings, the prestige or the expectations of Emox. He had no interest in proving himself to anyone.
He simply wanted to remain beside her.
A sudden boom shattered the quiet murmuring across the field.
"GOOD DAY, EMOXIANS!"
General Bola's voice thundered through the air.
The students gradually turned towards him, their conversations fading as they waited for the announcement.
"ONCE AGAIN, WELCOME TO EMOX!"
Bola stood before them, his commanding presence immediately capturing the attention of the gathering.
"TODAY MARKS THE BEGINNING OF YOUR MORNING ROUTINE! A CRITICAL EVALUATION THAT WILL DETERMINE WHICH CLASS RANK YOU WILL ENTER FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR AT EMOX COLLEGE!"
Michael barely listened.
His eyes remained on Elizabeth.
"THERE ARE FIVE RANKS, FROM A TO E! EACH RANK WILL CONSIST OF THIRTY STUDENTS!"
Five classes. Thirty students each.
One hundred and fifty in total.
Michael briefly glanced towards the others.
So that was how they intended to divide them.
Wonderful.
He returned his attention to Elizabeth. The rankings meant absolutely nothing to him, except for one rather important detail.
He needed to make sure they ended up together.
Bola continued.
"THIS ROUTINE WILL TAKE PLACE ACROSS VARIOUS HABITATS! YOU WILL BE TESTED ON YOUR ADAPTABILITY, YOUR STRENGTH AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR ABILITY TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS WHILE USING YOUR ABILITIES!"
His voice grew louder.
"BUT REMEMBER! DO NOT ALLOW YOUR EMOTIONS TO CONTROL YOU!"
Michael finally turned towards the General.
Control your emotions?
How amusing.
They were attending an institution built around abilities fuelled by emotions, yet they were being warned not to let those very emotions control them.
Humans really did enjoy making things complicated.
He looked down at Elizabeth and gently loosened his grip on her hand.
She was still beside him.
For now, everything was fine.
He offered her a reassuring glance, silently conveying that there was nothing to worry about. He didn't know what the challenge involved, but he was confident they could handle whatever came their way.
Together.
"The first challenge..."
Bola paused.
Michael looked up.
And then the world changed.
There was no warning.
No countdown.
No opportunity to prepare.
The scenery around him abruptly shifted, and the familiar field disappeared as though it had never existed.
A waterfall loomed in the distance.
The deafening roar of rushing water filled his ears, while the cool mist brushed against his face. Trees surrounded the area, their branches stretching towards the sky, and the ground beneath his feet was damp with moisture.
Michael blinked.
What?
He looked around.
The students were gone.
The crowd, the flowers, the open field...
Everything.
And Elizabeth?
His eyes moved frantically across the surroundings.
Left.
Right.
Behind him.
Nothing.
She wasn't there.
His stomach sank.
"THE FIRST CHALLENGE IS SURVIVAL!"
General Bola's voice suddenly erupted through the air, echoing above the waterfall.
"AS LONG AS YOU DON'T DIE, YOU PROCEED!"
Michael stood motionless.
"THIS IS DAY ONE OUT OF THREE IN YOUR ROUTINE!"
Bola's laughter followed, loud and almost maniacal.
"HAHAHAHA! YOU REALLY THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST A MORNING ROUTINE?!"
And then...
Silence.
The voice disappeared.
The waterfall continued roaring, its endless stream of water crashing against the rocks below.
Michael's hands slowly curled into fists.
What?
He looked around again, searching desperately for any sign of another student.
Nothing.
No Elizabeth.
No roommates.
No familiar faces.
Just him.
And whatever awaited him in this unfamiliar environment.
"No, no, no..."
The words escaped his lips almost involuntarily.
His mind began racing.
He couldn't predict this. He hadn't anticipated being separated from Elizabeth, nor had he considered that the challenge would begin by scattering everyone across different habitats.
What if she was somewhere dangerous?
What if she had already encountered something?
What if she needed him?
His heart began pounding painfully against his chest.
He had no idea where she was, how far away she might be, or whether she was safe.
For the first time since arriving at Emox, Michael felt genuinely helpless.
He remembered her voice.
The countless calls they had shared, the moments when she had reassured him whenever his thoughts became too overwhelming.
"Take care of yourself, Michael. Even if I'm not there."
He could almost hear her saying it again.
Those words had always brought him comfort.
She was his lifeline.
The one person capable of reaching him when everything else seemed distant and meaningless.
"Ahhh, Eli..."
His voice softened as he whispered her name.
For a brief moment, the coldness that usually surrounded him melted away. The hostility, the sarcasm, the contempt he carried towards humanity... all of it seemed to disappear.
He felt small.
Almost like a child who had suddenly found himself alone in a place he didn't understand.
But the feeling didn't last.
Michael inhaled deeply and forced himself to regain his composure.
No.
He couldn't afford to break down.
Elizabeth needed him.
Wherever she was, whatever she was facing, he had to find a way back to her.
He glanced towards the waterfall.
The rushing water concealed much of the surrounding environment. Beyond the trees, he could barely make out what lay ahead. The place was unfamiliar, and the silence beyond the waterfall's roar was unsettling.
Survival.
That was the challenge.
Fine.
If something was waiting for him, he would deal with it. If there were beasts lurking in the forest, he would find a way to overcome them.
He had no intention of dying here.
Not before seeing her again.
Michael slowly reached for his knife, tightening his grip around its handle.
His expression hardened.
"Come out, beast," he muttered under his breath.
He took a step forward, his eyes fixed on the surrounding forest.
"I need to get back to my beloved."