Gyan and Rendi lay limp on the sterile white floor, their bodies shackled by a device connected to an energy field that restricted their movements. Every motion felt heavy, as if something was holding them in place. Their bodies were stiff, but their minds raced, trying to analyze the situation as quickly as possible.
Around them, two-eyed creatures stood, observing. Each had two large eyes positioned far apart on either side of their heads, scrutinizing sharply. Their muscular bodies and four arms exuded an intimidating presence. Every slight movement was met with intense scrutiny, and Gyan could feel the weight of their stares, as if they were searching for something more—something unexplainable.
The largest of the creatures stood before Gyan and Rendi, grinning with an intimidating gaze. Its gleaming blue skin reflected the dim light from the ceiling of the stark white prison. Its four muscular arms held a massive weapon, and its towering height added to its overwhelming presence. Its large, widely spaced eyes stared at them without fear—only calculation and a terrifying curiosity.
For a few seconds, the creature said nothing, simply examining them with its piercing gaze. Rendi met its eyes, trying to decipher its expression, but the longer he stared, the more unsettled he became under such intense attention.
"Why… us? What do you want from us?" Gyan asked calmly, though he could feel the tension burning in his chest.
The creature stepped forward, its heavy footfalls shaking the floor. It crouched slightly, its massive eyes locking onto Gyan's, brimming with deep curiosity but devoid of any warmth. "You… were not supposed to survive," it hissed with deliberate emphasis. "Yet you… exist. So, we need to know… why."
Gyan opened his mouth, but no words came out. A bad feeling crept over him. This was not an ordinary conversation. This was a test.
"How… can you speak our language?" Gyan tried to ask further, but the creature immediately raised one hand, signaling him to stop.
The atmosphere grew even more tense. The creature lowered its stance, bringing its face closer to Gyan's. Its two large eyes remained unblinking, scrutinizing him sharply. "We do not have time for foolish questions. I am… what you call a captain… by rank… and the third in command," it said in a deep, firm tone, leaving no room for doubt. "You… will prove your worth. Or we… will be done with you."
Gyan felt his heartbeat quicken. Beside him, Rendi began to shift slightly, trying to draw the creature's attention. However, the moment he moved, a massive hand pressed against his chest, pinning him down with overwhelming strength. The creature showed no mercy.
"You have no idea what is coming," the creature continued, its voice growing deeper and more menacing. "We… have studied humans. But you, you are nothing more than tools. There are only two choices: prove you are useful, or become a worthless burden."
The pressure weighed heavily on Gyan and Rendi. They could see that this creature had no intention of wasting time or offering second chances. They had only one chance to survive.
Without allowing them to respond, the creature raised its hand higher, signaling to the others. A smaller creature approached, carrying a gleaming device—something ominous, possibly something far worse than they could imagine.
Gyan could sense that something darker and more dangerous was about to unfold. Deep inside, he knew this was just the beginning of something far bigger and far more terrifying than anything they had ever faced.
The largest creature stared at them once more and, with a swift motion, threw a sharp-edged device toward them. Gyan barely dodged in time, but the device embedded itself into the white floor, glowing with swirling, unfamiliar energy.
"Dodging is meaningless… I intended for it to land there," the creature said firmly. "We are only giving you one chance. If the device glows white, you live. But if it glows red, you die."
Rendi took a deep breath, feeling the immense pressure bearing down on him. There were no words left that could change this situation. Only one path remained: survive or perish.
As Rendi approached the device, it glowed white.
"Hahaha…! Just as… expected…! You are like… us…!"
Rendi, confused by the meaning of the color, could only breathe a sigh of relief.
"Next…!"
Gyan approached the device. As he placed his hand on it, the device glowed yellow! The entire room fell into an eerie silence.
"You… How can there be a yellow color…?"
The creature fell silent for a moment, its large, widely spaced eyes narrowing as if trying to understand the phenomenon that had just occurred. The tension in the white prison grew even heavier, thickening the air with an ominous uncertainty. Gyan could feel the creature's gaze piercing through him, as if it were trying to solve a critical puzzle.
Rendi, who had nearly lost hope earlier, began to feel a slight relief. But upon seeing the leader's reaction, he realized that relief had come too soon.
"Why yellow…?" the creature muttered hoarsely, almost whispering to itself. "There should be… no yellow."
Gyan felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. There was no logical explanation he could give. He was just as confused—perhaps even afraid.
Gyan stood still, his eyes focused on the device that now emitted a bright green light, as if confirming something unusual. Rendi, who had just let out a sigh of relief, now looked confused. He stared at the device with anxiety, feeling the tension coursing through every fiber of his being.
The leader remained silent for several seconds that felt like hours. The atmosphere in the prison room grew heavier. Even the air around them seemed denser, as if something was about to explode.
"What is this...?" The creature's voice came out almost broken, as if struggling to comprehend what it had just witnessed.
One of the smaller creatures behind their superior moved closer, its eyes spinning around, unable to look away from the device that glowed yellow. The creature let out a series of unintelligible sounds, as if communicating with itself in their strange language.
Gyan could sense something shifting in their demeanor. At first, they seemed like beings only interested in testing their strength, but now there was a clear sign of confusion.
The leader of the creatures finally stood upright, its large, widely spaced eyes narrowing further, staring at Gyan with even sharper intensity. Gyan felt as if he was being stripped bare, surrounded by calculating gazes.
"You... are strange," the creature said, its voice trembling slightly but filled with curiosity. "Humans should be red."
In a split second, the creature delivered a slap toward Gyan. Unable to react in time, Gyan staggered to the right, his body crashing onto the floor. Before he could recover, another blow followed relentlessly. Pain surged through his entire body, his bones throbbed, and his head spun. His vision blurred before his consciousness faded away.
The leader of the creatures laughed loudly. "Hahaha... unique, but apparently... not special."
Rendi, witnessing everything, immediately fell to his knees, terrified and desperate. "Please... have mercy! We can be useful to you...!"
The leader's laughter abruptly stopped. His eyes widened sharply toward Rendi before he roared, his voice shaking the walls of the room.
"You have no right... to speak...!"
Rendi flinched, but in his heart, he recalled his long journey with Gyan. Since childhood, they had always been together. Gyan was never as strong as him, but he was always there, even when Rendi could have faced everything alone. Gyan might often be a burden, but he was also his friend.
With the last ounce of his courage, Rendi lifted his face, now drenched in cold sweat and blood. His breathing was heavy, but his voice remained firm. "At least I am useful, right?! If you want to kill my friend, then step over my dead body first! I'd rather die than watch my friend get tortured in front of me!"
The creature glared at him, its pupils shrinking. In an instant, it moved with incredible speed, landing a hard slap across Rendi's face.
Smack!
"I already told you...! You... HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK...!"
Its voice echoed throughout the room, shaking the air like a thunderous storm. With all four hands, the leader lifted Rendi and unleashed a barrage of punches. The massive fists pounded his stomach, ribs, and face mercilessly. Each strike felt like a boulder crashing into his bones, shattering the last remnants of his strength. His breath hitched, blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his body grew weaker.
After feeling satisfied, the creature finally released Rendi, who now lay nearly unconscious. It turned to its subordinates and spoke in their language.
"Heal him. He will be useful to me."
One of the smaller creatures among them hesitated. "What about the other one, sir?"
The leader was silent for a moment, then furrowed its brow. Its eyes gleamed under the white room's light, staring at Gyan, who still lay motionless. There was uncertainty in its expression. Rendi was like them, but Gyan... he was different.
Finally, it exhaled sharply. "Heal him. Do as you please... I do not like toys that do not obey my commands."
Its subordinates immediately moved. One of the smaller creatures approached Gyan's body, taking out a cylindrical device that emitted an eerie light. It stared at Gyan with the same curiosity as its leader.
"Yellow color..." it whispered softly. "Is there even such a thing as yellow...?"
The room grew colder. Unnoticed by anyone, Gyan's fingers twitched slightly.