Allan Dunkelberg POV
"Why is this so messy? Why did it turn out to be this complicated?" I sighed as I struggled to breathe. It was so hard to breathe, as if my lungs were weighed down with bags of stones, and I barely had the strength to breathe.
I did not notice that I was trembling until one of the recruiters tapped on my shoulder as he stooped to my level.
"Are you okay?" he asked as he placed his hot hand on my neck.
'I don't think so,' I replied in my head, too weak to make words.
I nearly died some seconds ago, and I could do nothing about it. Nothing! That feels infuriating, and Yaagnar, of all people, was the one to 'save' me.
I cannot help but feel weak. No, I am actually weak. My stomach rumbles. I have not had anything to eat today; I was packing my box during breakfast. I can feel my gastric contents travel up my oesophagus. This would be nasty.
I try to turn away from the recruiter in front of me but black out.
After some time has passed—I am not sure if it is up to five minutes—I feel my face is buried in some sticky fluid.
Ah, that should be my vomit. How disgusting, and to think that should be my stomach acid. What damage has it caused?
I want to go on thinking, but that would not help my predicament. I cannot help but overhear the conversation between a recruiter and Ethel. He should be the head of recruiters in this region.
"What exactly was going on before we got here?" he asked in a stern voice as he crossed his hands over his chest.
Ethel looked at him, then looked at the mild chaos in the background and kissed her front teeth. "What a commotion!" she muttered under her breath before returning her attention to the Head of Recruiters in the region.
"We were going to pick a set of kids before coming here but our meters picked up readings that indicated some high energy going on. Something like a summoning and invocation and the likes. Were you aware of such activities? Because I have been informed of the poor state of one of our applicants," he said as he pointed in my direction after glancing at the recruiter that had approached me.
"And before you say anything, he was fine. His medical examinations were perfect a few days ago during the medical examinations; if not, he would not have been selected," he stated as he watched Ethel's body reactions.
"I would love to say more, but I am not the one in charge here, and as you saw when you came, the person in charge, Madam Nadia, is having a medical emergency," Ethel defended herself.
"So the state of one of the applicants has nothing to do with the medical emergency or the fact that all the staff were found in the room of the sick applicant?" the Head of Recruiters questioned.
"This is starting to feel like an investigation. We have done nothing wrong but take care of these children that no one offered to shelter. Madam Nadia and the staff went to bid farewell to your applicants as per tradition but had a medical emergency. It happens that Allan was under the weather out of excitement about leaving the orphanage and venturing into a world outside of it.
What more do you want me to say? This morning has been as dramatic as it can be. You have healers among you; they can just patch him up on your way. After all, it is a long ride.
I would be taking my leave. Excuse me," Ethel lied—professionally edited the story—before walking out.
What a snake! I am not bothered by her words as I know that she and her comrades would get what is coming for them.
At this rate, I'll die of hunger and malnourishment, one of the slowest kinds of death. I had better chances if Maelstrom had finished me off.
My thoughts are cut off when I see the recruiter again. I didn't notice him walk over. He lifted my head and placed it on his leg as if I was the lightest thing he had encountered. Placing his hand over my heart, he closed his eyes as his body rested in a meditative stance.
A warm feeling enveloped me from inside, filling me up, and the hunger I felt soon disappeared, like magic. But I know better. Such a high-level healing to restore me back in such a short amount of time—that's miraculous!
I stand on my feet to see Yaagnar talking to the head of recruiters. It cannot be about today's incident as they are laughing. I feel bad because it's as if it was quickly forgotten, like it had never happened.
I don't have time to mourn as we enter the bus that was outside. I can hear Ethel grumbling about everything as if forgetting that we could still hear her on her way out. That's classic Ethel for you.
In the bus, I take a seat by the window that's facing the road. I want to forget everything about that 'orphanage.' I don't think I would be doing that anytime soon.
Yaagnar sits by me in an awkward manner. I know he wants to start a conversation. All the time we shared a bunk bed, I came to know him a little. It's just that I find his conversations weird and forced. Can we not enjoy this beautiful silence? Together?
There is no time for him to talk as they pick up the other applicants and recruiters before heading for the train station.
We entered in an orderly fashion and filled the seats pretty fast as there were other applicants that had settled in before us. It was quiet for a while before others started introducing themselves, and the atmosphere turned rowdy. This is to be expected as this should be a crowd made up of mostly 18-year-olds who are leaving shelter for the first time.
I had lost track of Yaagnar when moving from the bus to the train. I was more absorbed in enjoying this view as much as I could. I don't know if the other side would have such sights.
The train traveled at marvelous speed. It was certainly faster than the commercial trains that were used back in the city, at least the ones I used. It had long passed buildings about an hour and a half into the journey. We were going through some thick forest that happened to have a railroad in it for the past two hours.
I got bored and hungry, so I got some food during the trip—that is, bread and water. Yup, I know the look on your face—it is better than nothing!
The forest landscape started changing as we continued the trip before someone moved forward. It was the Head of Recruiters that was at the orphanage. I guess he was put in charge of this operation.
As he stood, the crowd went silent as the event they have been anticipating has finally begun.
"Good afternoon, applicants of the Necroforce Academy. I am Sergeant, and you will address me as such. You will get to know my name after you pass the application examination, which is simple.
It involves the Valley of Shadows. It is an experience that all Necroforce alumni and students share in common, and you are about to experience it! It will be a beautiful or traumatic event based on what you make of it."
The forest was no more in view but a vast emptiness on both sides. It was as if we were riding in the clouds.
I did not feel an inclination, so that means that we did not go over the forest, but the forest is...
My eyes widened at the thought of it, and when I looked below, my stomach churned in disbelief.
The Sergeant stood and said the only instruction: "Your task is to survive the Valley of Shadows."