After the woman left. Five robed elders entered through a small door at the back and sat behind the stone podiums. Then the armored soldiers began to advance the creatures one by one into the squares painted on the floor.

In the line where I was standing, they first showed the shark swimming in the giant fish tank on wheels. The old man asked the shark in an authoritative voice.

"What is your name?"

"..." the shark did not respond. It just swam without noticing anything. The old man pressed a button on the podium and a light descended on the shark, then the old man read aloud the letters that appeared floating above the podium.

"Environment: marine. Intelligence: minimal, Appearance: low. Power: low. Potential: low..." with each point he mentioned, he marked it on a piece of paper.

"Conclusion: minimal utility, minimal interest" he looked up at the shark "Do you have any skills, knowledge or redeeming qualities that might benefit The Tower."

"..." the shark still did not respond and continued swimming in its bubble.

"It seems not..." the old man commented, wrote something on the paper and stated "Suggested Destination: Food Market" and put a resonant stamp on the sheet of paper. A soldier in armor approached, took the sheet of paper and pushed the fish tank through a door behind the podium to some unknown location.

In each of the rows, the same procedure was taking place, where the elders judged each of the creatures according to their order in the row. In my row, they passed the humanoid shadow.

"What is your name?" asked the old man.

"Shisssghashen" whispered the shadow in a cavernous rumble. The old man wrote it on a new piece of paper and pressed a button on the podium, light descended again on the shadow and for a moment it seemed almost liquid, then the light disappeared and floating letters appeared above the podium.

"Environment: shadow dimension. Intelligence: high, Appearance: low. Power: low. Potential: high..." marking everything on paper.

"Conclusion: medium utility, high interest" he looked towards shisssghashen "Do you have any additional skills, knowledge or qualities that might benefit The Tower."

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"I am good in the dark" muttered shisssghashen. The old man wrote as he did on the sheet of paper and declared.

"Suggested destination: Specialized servant, send for training."

He handed the sheet of paper to an armored soldier who took the shisssghashen by the arm as another had done with me and dragged him through the door behind the podium. Then followed the voluptuous blue-skinned woman.

"What is your name?" asked the old man.

"Litazuli" the woman said softly, her voice sweet and melodious. The old man wrote on a new sheet of paper and pressed a button on the podium, the light descended again and under the strong illumination she almost looked like a normal girl. The old man read aloud the new letters that appeared floating above the podium.

"Environment: terrestrial. Intelligence: average. Appearance: ...wonderful. Power: low. Potential: low...

Conclusion: medium usefulness, very high interest" he looked at the woman, paying special attention to certain areas of her voluptuous figure "Do you have any special skills, knowledge or qualities that could benefit The Tower".

"...I'm good at cooking..." the woman mumbled uncertainly. I almost felt sorry for the poor blue woman, the old man's intentions were too obvious. And she herself could feel it, her whole body was trembling.

The old man wrote on the paper the girl's comment and other things with much interest. Then he secretly called a soldier behind him, handed him the paper with something else hidden underneath, and the soldier took the girl by the arm. Under the very watchful eye of the old man. He didn't even state his destination. Gosh, I could almost see the drool dripping and smell the corruption. But my attention was focused on something more pressing for me, me. It was my turn. So I had to come forward.

"What is your name?"

"...ha" I stammered "..is-" the old man wrote that down and pressed the button on the podium, throwing the light on me. The light paralyzed me for an instant, unable to move or think anything. Then it disappeared and the old man read the letters on the podium. He clearly had little interest in me, even more so after grabbing the blue hottie.

"Environment: terrestrial. Appearance: minimal. Power: minimal. Potential: minimal."

This was serious.

After three trials before me I knew what I was getting. My score was even worse than the shark's, and the shark would be sold in the market as fresh fish. Who knew what they would do with me.

"Conclusion: minimal utility, minimal interest" he looked towards me "Do you have any skills, knowledge or redeeming qualities that could benefit The Tower."

"I'm an expert at fixing electrical connections! And I can paint! I can sculpt! I can play music!..." I screamed in terror at the old man. At this point I would play the doormat as long as I wasn't being fed to some terrifying beast like that tyrannosaurus. He stared at me for a few moments as if judging my words, looked at my clothes, my toolbox, and my face. And then, as if on cue, he wrote something on the paper.

"Destination" stated ": Maintenance personnel".