[ Dear ascender Misaki, please wake up and get ready! ]
..
..
I don't want to.., but I have to.
Misaki got up slowly, her eyelids were swollen from crying. Moreover, she looked a little pale,
"What kind of training do we have today? "
[ Your question will get its answer when you go to the main hall. ]
..tsk
Misaki got up and brushed her teeth as usual, she looked at the knife on the table,
Should I take it?
Normally it would be nice to not leave a weapon like that..,but Mira digged her own grave with that damned thing. Misaki sighted giving up and taking the knife from the table with her,
She walked throught the hallway, but thus time she didn't bother observing it, she just wasn't in the right mind to do anything,
When she was about to reach the hall, she saw someone,
Who is that?
She got closer to observe that person, before she realized,
It was the same masked man she met on her first day!
She was standing infront of that man again, "..uh..sir do you need anything? Why did you appear? "
He stayed quiet for a brief second before replying, "no. Are you alright?"
..why is he asking that?
Misaki looked that other way, "..I don't think it matters. "
The man sighted, he patted Misaki's head and left. Leaving Misaki in deep confusion,
Huh? Why did he do that? Does this man know me?
Tsk I should not waste my time thinking about useless things,
She entered the main hall, everyone was terrified, some looked like they were waiting for their fated death.
[ looks like all our beloved ascenders are present! The second training will start in 3 minutes, please prepare yourselves. ]
Prepare ourselves for what? Prepare our mental health?either way it's frustrating..
She heard people whispering around her,
"ain't that the girl whose friend died the other day?"
"Yeah, she looks in a real bad health"
..
..
Well thanks for yall concern about me, you proved to me that I am really pitiful right now.
Misaki directed her gaze to the timer at the screen again, waiting for the next trial,
She then found herself in the middle of a desert, They desert extended endlessly, and a sea of golden dumes shimmering under the merciless sun was visible,
God, this is the worst scenario!, she found herself feeling extra hot, and the sun looked like it had the ability to burn a human alive,
[ Dear Ascenders!, in this training you have to wander throught this desert until you reach that tower over there. Moreover, you will have to deal with monsters on your wa- ]
"Monsters!!?? "One of the Ascenders screamed
[ yes? Didn't we tell you that dealing with this type of things is the Ascenders' duty? ]
"But how are supposed to deal with it?! We don't have any powers, and we don't know what type of monsters we are dealing with! "
..
..
This Ascender have a point..,Misaki thought to herself,
But..this screen would twist the answer.
[ You have to find a way to deal with it. Ascenders are supposed to be able to find a solution to every situation they are in. ]
Misaki eye sharpened,
I knew that they would say say this,
"Hey! Is using things given to us against the rules or not? " She asked
[...]
[ It is. ]
" then may you enlighten me with those -rules-?"
This screen always mentions rules when they don't even tell us what is it.
[ As you wish,
-Do not use anything we give to you in this training.
-killing eachother is other is hated,
You have no time limit in this trial. ]
..
Ha.
The screen then disappeared without a trace,
Misaki then heard a familiar voice,
"Guys! This training seems like it requires teamwork! Let's stay together and go through this! "
It was the man from before,..Svan was his name right?
All the Ascenders agreed to Svan's idea, he then walked to Misaki again, "Looks like we met again! "
"Y..yeah. "
"Are you still sad about what happened? "He asked concerned
"N..no not anymore. "She said
He sighted, "kids like to lie alot these days. "
"H Hey! "
She let out a faint laugh then spoke, "Misaki come walk infront of me. You are a child,I fear you would get hurt if you stayed in the back! "
..why is he worried about me..?
Even thought those were simple words of concern, Misaki felt slightly happy to hear this words for no reason, "alright. "
She walked with Svan, and the other Ascenders under this overwhelming heat filling the area,
Misaki noticed that she was not the only one walking infront of Svan, there was another girl her age beside her, she had black hair, and the tips of that hair were white, she had a light swing. Moreover, she had hetrochromia, her left was light yellow while her right eye was blue colored,
She had unique visuals,
The girl finally spoke, "e-excuse I there something with my face? You have been staring at me.."
Misaki soon snapped out of it, "o-oh! Iam so sorry! It's just you are really pretty that's all! Did I make you uncomfortable? "
The girl chuckled, "pfft of course you didn't! Thanks for the compliment! By the way Iam Sarena! What's your name? "
Misaki was flabbergasted,
Is she trying to make friends with me?
"I-iam Misaki! "
Sarena let out a faint laugh at her response,
Misaki frowned, "h Hey what are you laughing at?" Misaki's attention switched to something else in that exact moment, she felt a weird sensation out of no where making her feel goosebumps all over her body, she looked beside her quickly,
She found herself facing a silver yellowish beautiful butterfly flying from afar..
Wait! How come there is a butterfly in this lifeless desert..?
"H-hey sarena, Svan are you seeing what iam seeing right now.." she then pointed her finger at the butterfly
Svan and Sarena looked at where Misaki's was pointing, Misaki noticed the complicated expression on their faces,
Svan took the initiative to speak, "Misaki..where you seeing exactly? There is nothing. "
H huh?!
"Wait you can't see the butterfly?!"
Sarena opened her mouth, "How would a butterfly come to the desert Misaki? Are you sure you are not hallucinating from the heat?"
"Guys I swear there was a butter-" However when Misaki looked again, she was shocked
..
..
There was really nothing.
"What..?I swear I saw it! "
Svan, "Misaki what Sarena could be right. Maybe you are just imagining things. " he patted Misaki's shoulder, "Yeah...you could be right. "
In the same moment they all found themselves infront of a cave in a mountain,
Most of the Ascenders suggested that we should take a rest there after that much walking, and they needed a place to hide from it a bit or else they will have sunstroke.
Misaki grabbed Svan's shoulder, "Hey Svan.. I don't think it will be a good idea to enter that mysterious cave! No one knows what could we find in there! "
Svan looked at Misaki, " I understand what you are implying, but we really can't go without a rest. "
..what he is saying is true..even I is struggling with the heat,
She sighted, "ok..what is the worst that could happen anyway. "
In an instant they all were inside the cave,
Misaki sat next to Svan and Sarena,
Sarena looked at Svan, "Mr. Svan I am curious what should we do if we witness a monster?! "
Before Svan could open his mouth, Misaki spoke, "Remember the knife we found in the box on our first day here? Use it. "
"But isn't that violating the rules?Didn't they say that we can't use anything they give us?"
Misaki smiled, "this is the trick. They meant that we can't use anything they WILL give to us in this training, they didn't mention anything about the the things that were already given to us! "
Svan seemed to realize something, "I see..that may be the reason why i felt that the way they worded things was weird. "
Their talk was interrupted by a sudden scream they heard, Svan stood up quickly,
"What's that?! "
The scream echoed throught the whole cave making the other Ascenders terrified, They ran quickly to the sound source,
Misaki eyes widened from what she saw,
She saw a lifeless body of a human laying on the ground that was recently killed, it seems to be the source of the sudden scream,
"W..what is that supposed to mean? "Sarena said flabbergasted
"WATCH OUT!! "Svan screamed pushing Sarena the other way,
The was an enormous snake coming after her,
"W..w..what's that??!" Misaki expected tiny monsters, but she didn't expect to see a huge snake attacking,
"Everyone run! We can't think of a proper plan right now in this situation!! " Svan said
Misaki felt like her legs froze in the moment, but she was more afraid of running than standing, she understands that consequences of running away randomly and what it could lead to.
"Misaki move your legs!! "
Iam trying! Tsk! I have to overcome this!!, she then managed to move her legs and head the other way,
The snake lunged, it's enormous body coiling and uncoiling with terrifying speed,
Is sarena safe?, Misaki looked beside her to see the girl who was always be her side disappeared, Misaki's heart dropped,
w-where is she?!
However Misaki thoughts were in Chaos that she didn't notice herself falling on the ground,
W..what? Did I trip over something? But I don't remember seeing any small rocks..
Her nose was bleeding and she couldn't move her ankle,
No..no..no.no no no this can't be happening please!
Svan noticed Misaki's struggling, he tried running to her, but some Ascenders grabbed his arm, "what are you doing?! Are you crazy you will die! "
"So what?! She will just die there if I didn't do anything!! "
"And you can't do anything!! You will just be committing double suicide! "
The snake turned its whole body infront of Misaki, it had that bloodthirsty look in its eyes as if it was getting ready to have its second meal,
...
Am I really dying in a place like this..?
I am afraid of dying, I hate blood...but looks likemy blood will be filling this place right now,
Misaki closed her eyes waiting for her brutal death on the ground,
She stayed there for a few seconds,..but nothing happened in the next moment She felt a kind of liquid splashing into her, it had the smell of blood and she heard a huge falling sound,
Misaki terrified to open her eyes from what was sensing,
God what happened!?
She then opened her eyes slowly, her eyes widened,
The snake's lifeless body was on the ground,
Standing atop the snake's lifeless body was a boy, holding a sword splashed with blood, his hair was stark white tipped with crimson, like blood splashed on fresh snow, his skin was too fair, His piercing red eyes glowing faintly, a black star was visible in their depths, truly mesmerizing
..he is...majestic.., Misaki thoughts were inappropriate for the time and space,
Was that boy always with us?
Where did he have that sword?
How did he do that?
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..
..
Who's he?