While everyone was busy collecting their respective shit, after witnessing the abrupt execution that had just taken place. The space around us started to split open, to reveal a long brown corridor, with several wooden doors hedged to the walls.
“This passageway that you see now, leads to your new residence. Behind each of these doors is your personally assigned living quarters,” Lord Zalgo explained, as everybody silently listened.
“Your first duty is to simply locate your room, before the time runs out,” at the mention of a time limit, a giant floating hourglass, suddenly materialized out of thin air. “Pay close attention to these doors. They will help you to feel the wave patterns in the air. If you cannot feel them, you will not be able to pass this trial.” He further illuminated, pausing slightly to let us fully absorb his words. Words that frankly made no sense, and only served to deepen my feelings of confusion and rising anxiety.
“Of course, being such a simple task, I expect that none of you will fail.” Although he said that, the sarcastic tone in his voice spoke otherwise. “Once you locate and enter your room, you will find a table inside, with several items placed on top of it. Those items will assist in your next trial. Do not worry, you will receive new instructions, once you reach that point,” he concluded.
”Hehe! And I do hope for your sake that you do reach that point.” After that final jab, his voice immediately cut off, leaving everybody listening with expressions of fear plastered on their faces.
‘What does that mean? What happens if we fail the test?’ I worriedly thought, as I glanced over to the spot, where that portly man had once stood. The image of him being disintegrated down to flakes of dust, was still very vivid in my mind.
Amidst my internal panicking, I did notice that some people had already begun taking the trial. However, it was only a small minority of them. The overall mood that colored the rest of my fellow kidnappees, was a melancholic apprehension. I counted at least 40 people trapped here (not much considering we were the last survivors of earth), and most of them just kind of stood there awkwardly, too hesitant to really move. A few had already succumbed to despair and were bawling their eyes out.
Only a small number of the less pessimistic, and slightly more calmer individuals, had started talking amongst themselves. Some had even begun gathering into groups. I contemplated hard whether to join one of these groups, but ultimately decided against it. Even if it was probably foolish of me to do so, given the current situation. I had never really been one for socializing.
‘Besides, joining one of these hastily formed groups, would probably mean dealing with their random bullshit.’ I evasively thought, trying to excuse my social ineptitude. As such, it was with heavy steps and a wary sigh that I tentatively decided to start looking for my room.
…........
As I ambled down the wide stone floors of the passageway. I made sure to pay close attention to and examine each of the closed doors that I passed by. Each door sported a plain wooden brown frame, and aside from the peculiar fact that they were all missing a knob. There was nothing to help distinguish or differentiate one from the other. Making it visually impossible to discern which door belonged to whom.
Obviously, this caused a lot of people here to stress out. I could already see quite a few scrambling around, with worried expressions on their faces. Yet oddly enough, I found myself not feeling all that anxious. It had been like that the moment I stepped into the corridor. That was because I was not judging these doors solely with my eyes.
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It was subtle, but I could instinctively tell that none of these doors that I passed by belonged to me. I didn’t even need to touch them. I just somehow... felt their unique waves. It was hard to fully describe, but it was as if each door had an invisible wave that clearly defined it.
‘No that’s not right either.’
It was more like I was in a tube, and each door represented a different thickly colored liquid, being poured down into the tube. They flowed and intermingled, but never truly coalesced. I would have drowned in that tube, if it wasn’t for that one special liquid mixed in. That peculiar hue in the sea of colors that quietly cried out to me, calling me to embrace it. That was why I could comfortably ignore the other doors.
It was a strange feeling. To not see, yet still perceive. ‘I wonder if this was what he meant by feeling the wave pattern.’ It was a nice sensation, like being cuddled by my mother. It even helped to calm a bit of my nerves.
At the end, it did not take all that long to find my room. I looked around and saw that while there were some who were still frantically searching, there were others like me who were able to easily locate theirs, as well. ‘I see, so it wasn’t just me. They probably also felt that strange sensation too, otherwise there would be no way for them to be able to find theirs just as quickly as I did.’
Also, I noticed that some of the stragglers that were too hesitant to move at the beginning were all now starting to leave the hall.
‘I wonder if they will be alright? That Zalgo guy never really mentioned, what would happen to those who couldn’t find their rooms.’
.…...’Haaa, whatever it has nothing to do with me. I should focus on my own situation.’
I approached my room door, and the moment I touched it. I felt that subtle connection between us fully bridged. I was bonded to it. So, I immediately understood that except for me, no one could freely enter this room. I gave it a mental command, and it magically opened, allowing me to look inside.
As far as first impression go, I was not all that impressed. The room was painted the same dull brown color that seemed to be a running theme around there, and aside from the bed and table by the corner, it was practically empty.
“Heh, it kind of reminds me of my old cell room, how nostalgic!” I mirthlessly chuckled, as I made my way over to the table. “Still, kind of anticlimactic, given all the importance placed on finding this place.” On the table were four items. A small blank strip of paper, a crystal orb, a scroll, and what looked to be an unfinished puzzle; with the rest of its pieces scattered by the side.
’Now then, what am I supposed to do with these?’ I thought, as I carefully reached for the strip of paper. The moment I touched it; a bunch of strange symbols magically surfaced on its page.
“Welcome initiate I am happy you could clear the first trial, and find your way here,” it read. Somehow, despite not being able to visually comprehend the symbols, my brain was still able to interpret the message on the page. ‘Not the strangest thing that has happened today mind you, but still.’
“Now that that you are here, it is time to commence with the genesis test. This test will decide your potential value to us. Place your hand atop the crystal ball, and it shall determine your future”
‘My potential value huh.’
‘Well shit! knowing my luck...’ I gulped down, and with slight trepidation, carefully placed my hand on the crystal ball.