> July 30, 2024 - Nevada, USA

"Lieutenant Tadesse reporting," Lawrence announced crisply, saluting the Colonel and the high-ranking official present.

"At ease, Lieutenant. Begin your detailed report on what transpired since your disappearance," Colonel Greene commanded.

Lawrence relaxed slightly. "Sir, I was immediately transported to a stark white room. No visible exits or features. Total isolation. The passage of time was unclear, felt like hours but hard to measure exactly."

"How did the situation evolve?" the Colonel inquired.

"A knife appeared centrally in the room after what felt like an extended period of waiting. Its appearance was sudden, no indication of how it was placed," Lawrence continued.

"Did you interact with the knife?"

"Yes, sir. I concluded that using the knife on myself might be the demanded action of the test. I proceeded with the belief that it was the only way forward."

Colonel Greene leaned forward, his expression intense. "Were you certain of your death?"

"It felt definitive, sir. The pain was immediate, and darkness followed. I believed it to be the end," Lawrence explained.

"What did you feel upon reappearing here at the base?" the Colonel prodded further.

"Confusion, sir. It was as if no time had passed. Yet, I was aware of having gone through a profound experience," Lawrence answered.

Colonel Greene nodded gravely. "A bit over 10 hours have passed since you and several others around the world disappeared. You were among the only two elites from the group that trained under my command who went missing. The other, Sergeant Jefferson, has not yet returned," he then paused and looked straight at Lawrence. "We believe you were inside The Tower during this time."

"Yes, I believe I was in The Tower’s trial too, but I am uncertain whether I failed or not."

"Well, be glad you are alive, Lieutenant. Hopefully you will have many more days to enjoy."

"Thank you, Colonel."

"Oh, and before I dismiss you, I think you may be interested in this," the Colonel nodded to the other official next to him, who turned a display around so it was visible for Lawrence, who gasped at seeing it with wide eyes.

"Is that..."

"Yes, this is a massive 10 km structure that suddenly appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, exactly at the time you and many others went missing. We also call it... The Tower."

The Colonel nodded again, and the display was turned around. "Well, you are dismissed. Take a well-deserved break, grab some food and drinks from the kitchen, and we will meet again tomorrow morning," noting the hesitant expression of the Lieutenant. Greene continued, "we will keep you informed, including about Jefferson’s return. That is all."

"Thank you, Colonel," Lawrence saluted and left.

After the door was closed, Greene’s face changed to a more serious one, and the official next to him whispered after some time.

"Are we leaving it just like that?"

"If the one that returned is my soldier, then he deserves a rest, and I know he will not be lying. If his memories were tampered with, we will know as more come out, and asking more will be meaningless. If the one that returned is not my soldier... is there something we can do about it?"

The official remained silent.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"I have already informed the higher-ups," he reclined his head in his interlocked hands. "I have a hunch a lot will be returning soon. If the test is as described by Lieutenant Tadesse, then not many people can withstand those 10 hours of isolation, especially when offered an easy way out."

"So you think... Lawrence failed? But then … why is he alive?"

"We will know soon."

image [https://i.imgur.com/EPU265m.png]

Time had lost all meaning.

His body felt invincible. With every kill, he felt stronger, more alive.

He felt good. He felt very good.

‘Huh?’

His arm had stopped mid-way as he was executing a slashing motion.

‘What is happening? Move. Move! MOVE!’

But his arm was paralyzed. His body was paralyzed.

His eyes widened as he saw them coming. Slowly they were reaching him.

“AHHHHH!” he screamed, but his throat hurt massively and he spat blood as he coughed.

He tumbled. His body fell, unresponsive. He noticed his arm was thinner than before and his body was... he looked at his chest and could see the bones as clear as if there was no skin.

In disbelief, he felt something. It was his arm. He looked at it and saw it.

The creature was biting it.

He stared as the creature bit his arm, and he did ... nothing. His body did nothing, but his mind... reacted.

‘I... my arm was bitten before. This creature... the cage, the food, the water! I... I am... Who am I?’

‘I can’t remember... no, I do... I remember the car, the accident... wait...

‘Dad? I...’

The light in his eyes started shifting. They were gaining clarity.

‘I am...’

The creature had finished with his arm and he was losing blood as it poured out in droves.

‘I am...’

The creature opened its mouth, ready for another bite. It was aiming for the neck now.

‘I am Alonso Shemson.’

Suddenly, everything changed. He was standing up. The room was empty.

He looked at his arm and it was there. His arm was still there. But then... what happened?

He continued looking and saw nothing else. It was just him in the room. What about the knife? He was not holding it and could not find it.

This was very confusing. He did not understand. He remembered falling on a killing spree, getting addicted to the orbs, the power, the feeling of getting stronger with each kill. And then... and then he woke up.

Why did he wake up? Woke up from what? He remembered who he was... he was Alonso. He remembered his past. He remembered the accident and all that came before and after.

He remembered even the last few hours? Days? He was not sure how much time had passed since then. He was brought to this empty white room suddenly and then he waited and suffered until a staircase appeared. Yes, he remembered that, and then the cage, the creature, the fight and the orb. He then remembered climbing again and... and then he started fighting. And then he fell into the addiction of growing in power and killing those creatures. He was not sure how long he spent there, but he remembered his body decaying, probably from overexertion.

But then he... he remembered. He remembered who he was and broke through the cycle. Yes, he broke the cycle. He woke up because he found himself again.

Suddenly, a staircase appeared as if triggered by his enlightenment. A barrel with water and food provisions also materialized in the center of the room, but he paid little attention to that.

He understood this trial. The third challenge was never about the fight or the creatures; it was about him, about him breaking addiction. And he did it, he managed just at the end and was brought back with whatever mythical powers or advanced technology whoever was testing him had. He was brought back because he passed the test. The staircase appeared because he understood he was tested.

But... what would have happened if he did not pass the test?

He had a good guess.

He gazed up at the white plain ceiling and smiled with tears running down his eyes.

He knew that he alone would have failed that test. He had lost himself completely. He should have died. But then he appeared... he showed him the way like he had always done. Always there for him.

He cried. He cried until no tears were left...

‘Thank you, Dad.’