Standing next to Zayden in the center of the main entrance I feel fear rush through me. The room is large, yet I feel like it gets smaller and smaller with each breath I take. Zayden is standing with his arms crossed and a grin on his face. John is behind me fidgeting with a pen and leaning against the center console that powers the whole laboratory with buttons and levers all around a large cylinder that goes through the floor and roof, glowing a brilliant blue in the center of it. Energy is made by humans flowing through it. Zayden snaps at him for leaning on it, “Get off of that you are going to cause a power outage or get yourself electrocuted!”

I look around at everyone else and the room around me. Keeping myself distracted by my surroundings. The room branches off into three hallways. One directly behind me and two to the left and right. Directly in front of Zayden and me is the elevator that leads down into the lab. I assume we are standing around waiting for the general's arrival. The rest of the scientists were carrying papers around in a rush stuffing them into stacks on a brown wooden table adjacent to the center of the room. Wouldn’t matter what’s on those papers, since the doctor and I had lied on all previous reports. No matter what the secret would be out today, I have no magical ability.

I then look up at Zayden who looks like he is starting to get annoyed with the scientists that are running around loudly. His eye twitched, “Listen up!” Everyone stopped in their tracks at the sound of his commanding voice. “The general will be here any minute, now I take it everything is in order. If anything goes wrong here today or if the general thinks the project is even slightly damaged or no better than any mortal weapon, then it will be eliminated!” A shiver ran up my spine when the word eliminated was spoken. “This is humanity’s last chance and for some of us our greatest work. Don’t let me down!” Zayden said looking at John and me. The rest of the scientists just nodded in agreement talking amongst themselves. I pull at my tie, nervous knowing this day could be my last. I stare at the elevator light at the top of the doors waiting for them to illuminate. I feel John’s hand on my shoulder as the number one lights up gold then two and three.

Then the door begins to open I can’t bear to look so I look back at John and as soon as I look at his face his expression is one of confusion. I then look up at Zayden who I always forget is unbelievably tall compared to me, and he has the same look stuck on his face, his jaw wide open in shock. I take a breath using all my courage to look to the elevator and see who was standing at the entrance.

I can’t believe what I’m seeing there isn’t a soldier or old man before me. Just a tall boy that looks my age with a large smile stuck on his face and hands on his hips. He looks to be six foot tall like Zayden, his hair was a dark purple combed over to one side. His eyes were sharp, the pupils are slit, and the color of yellow instead of black the iris is a bright violet color I would never think that these colors would complement each other so well yet they did. His jawline is perfect and pointed with a smile on his face and dimples on his cheeks. His skin is a light brown that looks golden when the dim lights in the room hit him. He didn’t wear the usual army attire you would think a general would be wearing but he wore a black suit and tie instead.

I look at the man ahead of me and then at Zayden, Zayden’s eyes are wide, and he is stuttering in his words, “W-Who are you!?” The man’s permanent smile seems to only get wider. “My name is Zachary Alex Heart; it appears you are confused by my appearance. I say that because your jaw is hung wide open well, I’m not the general I’m sure you can tell.” Zayden scratches the back of his head closing his mouth. “Where is he, why did he send you!?” Zayden yells in a demanding voice.

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“Well, you see he is busy with some issues on the front lines. He wanted the girl sooner than planned so I was sent and why the message was sent in today.” When he spoke, Zachary seemed very cocky, full of himself, and a know-it-all. But his smile backed up all the confidence with his hands on his hips standing right in Zayden’s face making him take a step back nervously. Zachary turned his attention toward me. “Speaking of... Who are you miss?” He reaches out taking my hand and pulling it close to him. Before I could speak up Zayden slapped Zachary’s hand starting to yell. “Were you not briefed on the situation? This is the project and may I remind you it’s a demon and not to be touched!” John moves before me, pushing up his glasses and looking up at Zachary. “She has a name, Mr. Heart. Her name is Lilly Star do not listen to Zayden who only calls her an It or a Project.” Zayden’s face is red with anger first, some man shows up in place of the general and now John was taking up for me. “Just go on with the evaluation, please. If you look over at the table to the wall there is a stack of document reports on her growth in power, then the good doctor can take you down the hall to the training room.”

Zachary took my hand again and then signaled to John to follow down the hall where Zayden had pointed towards. “I think we will just skip on to the training room I rather see than read.” I smile but I still feel the fear through me. I will fail the test and possibly be killed yet again this man doesn’t seem like the type to go killing people left and right even though he’s in the army. John ran ahead of us, and Zachary let go of my hand. “It isn’t far from here sir just follow me.”

“Doctor or... Whatever your name is may I ask does she talk? She hasn’t said a word since I arrived.” Something in his smile seemed to falter for a moment when he talks about me not speaking to him. “My name is John and yes, she talks I-“I cut him off and look up at Zachary. “I’m sorry I just prefer to not speak around Zayden. I am Lilly Angela Star it is nice to meet you, Zachary.” His smile lit up again immediately when I said his name. Like he heard a friend call out his name. “Please call me Zack, Zachary is too long and too formal.” I smile at him then John stops us at a door. “This is the training room where she spends her day after going to the ‘awakening room’ as Zayden calls it?” Zack raised an eyebrow, “What’s that Miss Star?” He says looking down at me. I don’t answer I just hold my arms squeezing them tightly. Zack looks at John for an explanation, “It’s where they take her every morning for their testing. They put her body through intense situations to bring out her abilities. It could be anything from burns to electric shocks, and deadly wounds. Anything that could awaken her powers to defend herself.”

“Does it work?” Zack asks plainly, “No it doesn’t.” John sighs heavily opening the door to the training room. “But she shows some signs of magical ability while training with me in here.” John opened the door to the training room it was huge the size of a gymnasium with a large ceiling and brick walls. I walk to the center of the room. In front of me are dummies with marks for various weapons I have used. Mainly some sort of sword but my preferred weapon usually being a katana. To the right of me along the wall were all kinds of weapons and directly behind me John and Zack sat at a small white table with brown chairs.

“I don’t see any burn marks on the dummies back there. The most common magic demons use is fire.” Zack says looking at Zayden. “Well, maybe she can demonstrate something for us! Lilly can you please?”

I look at Zack who leans on the table with his hands on his face the smile never leaving his face. “Go on Miss Star.” I look back towards the dummies. Slowly walking up to the one in front of me scarred from all the days I hit my blade against its neck, sides, and legs. I bawl my hands into a fist closing my eyes tightly. Taking deep breaths and praying to Lucifer himself to grant me any power in this very moment. This will decide my fate I feel anxiety fill me. Throw my hands in front of me, hoping for any trace of magic to leave my fingertips, and set flame to the dummy. Only to see when I open my eyes what happened.