94AN: Hi everyone! I don't know if any readers are still out there since I'd abandoned this for so long but I'd actually found a plan that I'd made for the whole story (it spans 2 books). Recently I had a sudden inspiration to write this again so maybe i'll try to update this more regularly...
:D this is a bit of a filler but it's introducing a new part to the story so that's why it's kinda long and wordy. enjoy!
(also i realised i made a mistake and uploaded the same chapter twice, sorry!)
PART TWO:
LARAN ACADEMY
My gaze lingered over seemingly empty space. One could think it as so, albeit they hadn't noticed the way their vision burred as they passed their eyes from the left concrete wall to the right, or the way the foolish attempt to walk through that empty space would result in pain and the smell of burnt skin. Of course, we had the brains to just stand, shoulder to shoulder in a tight group in front of the empty space, silent to the point where the gentle breeze could be heard as it tousled Blade's hair, and my breaths sounded laboured in my ear. The expressions on the faces around me were mostly devoid of expression, though you could see a touch of sombreness to our mouths, and how the circles under our eyes had darkened and deepened.
We'd been through hell. Some of us have lost family, some lost friends, some lost their beloved.
But worst of all, we'd lost ourselves.
The Test had stripped away who we were: cheerful, hopeful and blissfully naïve. Our dreams will forever be haunted by images of the planets' natives who we had to sink a knife into as they cried for mercy; our hearts will always be burdened with the guilt of having torn away our moralities for the sake of survival, for the sake of obedience. We will never be the same.
Now, what would come would only further destroy us, to turn us into the true robotic soldiers that they want us to be. We'd be like them. The Veis.
At the sound of running feet, everyone turned to see a latecomer, coughing as his feet scuffed up the dust from the ground. He must have been the reason why there we weren't being let into the site. Most of us had left our homes early for the walk there was long, the training centre being so far out and isolated from the rest of the city. It did look almost like a prison, with its towering concrete walls enclosing the oval-shaped site and random squares cut through the walls filled with the same empty space to work as windows.
I checked my watch. 12:45. I'd reached the site at 12:15, meaning I'd spent half an hour standing outside the site, in complete silence, as the summer sun scorched our bare arms. Boredom tempted me to fidget, but I forced myself to remain still. Glancing sideways at Blade, whose hand I was holding for comfort, we exchanged a look of exasperation.
"Humans!" A voice blared out, high pitched and authoritative, yet edged with the same contempt that Veis use when speaking to us. The group visibly tensed, as we tried to discern where the sound was coming from.
"Congratulations on passing our Test to pick out the smartest, fittest and most obedient of your kind. You have all now been accepted into our Laran Academy- where you will carry on with further training. Through these doors, you will be led into a hall where our Supreme Head will brief you on what to expect as you enter our academy. I will now open the doors."
The empty space materialised into a glass like material, revealing two doors the same height as the concrete walls, and with a hum resembling that of a loud bee, the doors seemed to sink into the ground before us. When the hum stopped, we could see clearly a large open field with paths snaking through it like roads leading up to a grand pyramid shaped building. To the right, the largest road lead to what seemed like a collection of tightly grouped buildings.
From behind the left concrete wall, a figure emerged and towered over us. The Veis man had an unpleasant face, not just from the weathered skin, deep set lines and slicked back ivory-white hair, but from the scowl that twisted his lips. Most adverted their gaze, and even I struggled to look at his fluorescent blue eyes that scanned the crowd with distaste.
He spoke with barely a murmur. "Follow me."
No one asked questions, not wanting to jeopardise our safety at the hands of the Veis. Shuffling through the now truly empty space, I kept a firm of Blade's hand as the crowd bustled into the site. The man stopped us, raising a hand to his ear and muttering a few words. The buzzing sound signalling the doors closing sounded out- yet no one turned to look, too anxious to carry on with the initiation to linger.
The walk was short. Pyramid shaped and almost completely made of tinted glass panels fitted together into a mosaic pattern, I couldn't help but admire the architectural grandeur of this building. The entrance to the building again seemed non existent, for where there would usually be doors, there was only empty space- this time an inky black, making it impossible to see through them. Spaced out over about 50 metres, there were twelve of these strange doors.
"Divide yourself into twelve lines, one at each door." The Veis man motioned at Blade and I to go to the furthest end, and we waited with a handful of others before the shadowy door.
"When you get to the hall- you will sit in the rows you were led too, and the Supreme Head will take over." He gestured to the doors. "Enter these doors, and keep walking. Go."
Blade pulled me through the blackness and was met with complete darkness still. Exclamations of confusion erupted around me, and we'd stopped, confused.
"Keep on walking I guess," someone said, and we trudged on. This time the walk felt long and aimless, yet somehow the Veis' technology were guiding us towards the hall.
Light burst into our eyes so quickly I barely had time to clock what had just happened before everything exploded in colour and shape. Lucky for me, my Veis eyes meant tuning into light had never been painful, but many others cursed and squinted as they got used to the brightness.
The hall wasn't huge- smaller than the one where we departed for our test in- but nevertheless, still had six by ten rows of fabric seats, like those you get in a cinema. The stage was a semi-circular one, looking bare except for a cylinder sticking out from the very front of the stage. We were standing before the penultimate row, and took our seats just as other groups appeared through the doors on the right side of the hall.
I leant over and whispered to Blade. "What d'you think he'll tell us?"
Blade shrugged. "How things work here, I guess."
We didn't have time to continue as the lights dimmed and a hush fell over the hall. The only place still illuminated was the stage. The cylinder began to glow, and with a flash projected a screen across the stage. The face of a Veis woman, resembling the likes of my old Teu, came over the screen, sat at a table, her hands clasped, business-like in front of her. She nods to someone off screen, and looks directly at us.
"Welcome, humans." Her voice was clipped and cold, but held less malice than the others we'd seen.
"You have reached the next stage in your training to become part of our Veis army. As my colleague mentioned when she received you, you are all here because you have managed to overcome our Test, the trials that allow us to know who are suitable candidates. Others who were weak, stupid or disobedient did not survived, or were killed."
At this, my fingers clenched into a fist, but I forced thoughts of Vialet and Cawryt out of my head.
"Over the next 18 months, you will undergo training in all aspect of the army, from using Veis technology for scoping the universe to hand to hand combat. After these eight months, you may be dispatched to other planets, but if you are not required you may stay and train in the training grounds. You are also free to live in the city.
All 50 of you have been divided into five groups based on your performance levels. Each group will split into separate dormitory buildings and remain in those for the duration of your training unless circumstances arise in which you have to be moved. In these dormitories, you will have your own bed and locker in which your uniforms and other belongings are to be stored. Your groups with have one of us as your leaders, who will oversee your progress and also ensure that you keep in line. The five groups will train separately.
If, at any point in the training, you wilfully disobey our orders or carry out an act we deem as criminal, your case will be sent to the commanders, who can decide whether you will be banished to the Dump, or in a serious case, be executed. A physical attack on one of our Veis will instantly banish you to the Dump, however if you kill one of your fellow soldiers in training or a Veis, you will be sent to be executed. When you arrive at your dormitory, your leader will brief you on the schedules and rules you have to abide when you are here."
There was a pause as she cleared her throat and took a sip from the cup next to her, before she leaned forward and seemed to shift her gaze to fall on each and every one of us in turn.
"You are now soldiers. Young adults who cannot assume that everything will be smooth-sailing and spoon-fed like preparatory school. Our job here is to mould you into perfect soldiers aid us on conquering the universe. Your race, your species have been chosen for this special purpose- and we are putting our faith and trust in your kind to deliver. Do not let us down."
She tilted her head.
"Else your kind will have to be…replaced."
With that, the projection cut out, and the cylinder went dark.