We arrived at a round chamber adorned with orange-flamed torches casting light over red and black banners.
One of the bull helmet soldiers removed the rope from our links and positioned us into two lines at the chamber’s center. Others appeared with slices of bread they handed to us. We scoffed down the dry, tasteless morsels as if it was a chunk of prized roast beef.
More bull helmet soldiers marched into the room and stood like status against the walls, with one gauntlet resting on all-black hilts of sheathed swords.
Then solitary footsteps were heard.
My heart raced as I felt a malicious energy enter the room. It was causing the chamber's stone to spark and be charged with dark chi. They weren’t going to kill us after feeding us our last meals? Sheeze, if so, they could have at least given us a hot pot dinner!
“Let’s wait and see,” I said to myself for reassurance, but my knees couldn’t stop shaking from the energy that was seeping into my pores. Sweat trickled down my skin. But I couldn’t appear sickly and weak, as I felt that would be the end of me.
A man in the all-black armor stood before us. His head was free from a helmet, so we could see all the tiny nicks along his square jaw. Thin scars traced a jagged pattern across his cheekbones. His blond hair was cropped short with spiky tips. I saw the dark chi creating an outline around him. Was this his aura? Possibly.
A few of the kids couldn’t hold back their gasps when a fireball ignited in his hands. He used it to see our faces clearly as he paraded our lines. Malice was being reflected from his green eyes. I was unable to hold back my shivers. Scary man.
“Are you frightened, girl?” His voice was even and almost a whisper when he directed his question to me.
“Ugh! What do I do?” I internally panicked, but no matter what, I had to look strong. So, shook my head for an answer.
Sharp pain cut across my cheek from the slap his gauntlet hand gave me. I felt the fear and tension from the kids next to me.
“Don’t look weak!” I yelled in my mind, which gave me the conviction to remain upright and in line.
“Good,” he commented, and made his way back to a commanding position.
The raw sting to my cheek soon eased into a warm pain I could handle. If I was stronger, I could fight him. But I likely wouldn’t to avoid casualties. So, all I could do was observe and hope he was just boasting.
“Nobody cares about you. You’re all trash. Being in The Zone is too good for you.” He lazily pointed to the soldiers.
“Henchmen carry the law. Their judgment is death. Cross them and die. Simple.” He yawned and advised of the fact nonchalantly.
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“Oh, and if you open your traps, we’ll slice off your tongues.” His mouth stretched into a sinister grin. “Obey without question, and you shall live... for now.”
He stepped up to the ash-blond boy who had been in front of me during our trek. The boy kept his attention fixed on a banner as the man stared down on him. I saw the boy’s Adam’s apple twitch with an unmistakable nervous gulp.
“You got something to say, boy?” The man goaded him. His hands twitched around the hilt of his sword.
The boy, bravely, shook his head. The man stood over him for a while before he returned to his commanding position before us.
“Heed these rules. Obey orders. Don’t...” He paused and made his way to a small boy in the second row.
He was too busy fidgeting with his shirt to notice the man’s eyes on him. My heart jumped to my throat at seeing how young he was. Far too young to understand what was going on and what he was thrown into; like an innocent lamb. Anger swelled within me. I felt dark chi surge through my tightened fists.
The man pointed a finger at the trembling kid. “You think you’re special.”
The boy shook his head. His hands twisted the hem of his shirt.
“You must, to dare interrupt my authority.”
The boy’s eyes widen with fear and the realization that he was in trouble. He fisted his shirt some more. His legs wobbled.
“To interrupt a chief is punishable by death,” the chief whispered with vehemence.
He pointed to two of the stationed henchmen, then the boy. They dragged him out of the chamber.
“No tolerance for insubordination.”
No one dared show an expression when the chief left the room through the same door.
My heart became disturbed, making the dark chi take shape over my fists. At that moment, the elderly magis with the silver-white beard entered the room. His indigo robes sailed about his limbs at each step, which enhanced his aloof presence. He assumed the commanding position and stared at us with kinder eyes. But my mind had become enraged with feelings of injustice. He was just a scared little boy! Did these adults truly disregard the sanctity of life? Despicable!
“Yah think yah’re so great to pick on little kids.” My voice was barely audible.
The elderly magis frowned as he stood before me. His eyes widened when he saw the dark magic swirling about my fists.
“Dark Matter Magic.” He gasped and stood back to ready himself for a counter-attack.
“Let me show you what a little kid can do!” I hissed as I raised my fists and expelled blades of dark magic with midair punches.
The henchmen raised their left fists to call upon a magic shield to block my dark blade attacks. Blinding white light slammed into my head and hands to negate my magic.
“Interesting. I commend your spirit, young girl. But...” the elderly magis cast a magic binding spell over my iron clamps to make them heavier.
I sagged toward the ground and suddenly felt lethargic.
“We can’t have unlicensed magis causing havoc.”
He peered into my eyes. “You’re fortunate you’ve been surrendered to The Zone. Otherwise, you would’ve faced instant incineration for the illegal use of magic.”
I gritted my teeth as I felt my body being hurled into motion. All the chi had been drained out of me at this point. So when we began moving out of the chamber, It took a lot of effort to keep up the pace with the line.