What the hell was that?
We're going to take a test where we could die?
Why not just kill us outright?
The current state of my body was, to say the least, pitiful. I was skin and bones, how the hell did they expect us to survive when I couldn't even do a push-up without passing out?
A soldier approached me and inserted a key into the massive lock holding my restraints.
I stayed seated, unmoving, waiting for someone to tell me what to do.
None of the soldiers around me were carrying weapons, yet inexplicably, I could feel they were far more dangerous than the ones who brought me here.
I had the distinct feeling they could rip me apart like pulling the wings off a fly.
Soon, all the prisoners were freed from their chains, but none of us dared to move.
They were the worst criminals, most having committed murder, and even worse things.
They were far from stupid or immature.
"Move."
They lined us up in single file—I was the closest to the exit.
I followed the woman a few meters ahead of me.
She climbed the wooden steps one by one—there had to be at least a hundred.
My legs groaned with each step, threatening to give out at any moment.
But what would happen if I stopped? I didn't know—and I didn't want to find out.
I kept going, despite my body's pleas to stop.
I didn't look back, but the others were probably going through the same hell I was.
Within seconds, I reached the top, climbing the last step,
And what I saw took my breath away.
We were on a ship.
A flying fucking ship!
Wasn't that the kind of thing only found in fairy tales?
I'd never read any, but I figured this must be the kind of stuff in them.
Hundreds of people were bustling about on the deck, some cleaning, others scanning the horizon with strange telescopic tools like spyglasses, and some just strolling and chatting.
I kept following the woman who led us to the railings.
The ground was getting closer by the second,
The ship was landing.
Below, a forest stretched as far as the eye could see, and in the center of that forest stood a massive tower, piercing the clouds.
The tower seemed to be made of simple stone, topped with a sharp tiled roof.
But how could a structure so gigantic be made of just stone?
The woman spoke in a gentle, yet threatening voice:
"You must reach that tower within the next four days."
That was it?
Just that?
No advice? No hints?
They were going to throw us into the wild with nothing to survive?
Not to mention the wild animals—we'd starve to death!
Seeing our panicked expressions, the woman's face stretched into a blood-chilling grin.
"You've earned your place, you little shits. You're the worst trash from the other world. You think you deserve help? Or compassion?"
She seemed like she was just insulting us—but some noticed something strange in her phrasing.
The other world?
Were we in another world?
A wild smile slowly formed on my lips.
What kind of madness was this?
And why was I so thrilled?
A shiver of excitement coursed through my body, flooding me with energy and adrenaline.
Could I finally enjoy myself the way I wanted?
My idea of fun was admittedly strange, but still,
They'd have to accept that, right?
The ship was just meters from the ground. A few minutes ago, we were each given a sandwich, just white bread with a slice of something resembling ham, but it felt like the best thing I'd ever eaten.
Suddenly, a woman with a gentle face and a kind smile appeared before us. Unlike the other sailors, she wore a white uniform that contrasted with her jet-black hair. A small pair of round glasses framed an incredibly beautiful face.
"Our leader is in a good mood today. You're lucky."
The woman who had led us here stepped back, giving space to the newcomer.
She extended her hand, and a warm golden light surrounded me. I felt all my muscles relax, I felt… cleansed.
Everyone looked stunned, watching the light envelope their limbs, it looked like magic!
My smile widened again. I felt like I was in a dream—a dream I never wanted to wake up from.
Could I learn to do magic too?
Maybe one day they'd call me "Cain the Magician!" Or "Cain the Sorcerer"? I prefer "sorcerer," magicians are boring, and "sorcerer" just sounds cooler.
The pleasant sensation faded shortly after.
I felt energized—my muscles, sore from years of malnutrition and inactivity, now felt strong.
The ship had stopped just above the ground. A long, smooth wooden plank extended in front of me.
My heart pounded—equal parts excitement and nerves. Was I about to discover a new world? Learn magic? Or die trying?
One thing was certain,
My smile grew wider,
I was going to have fun.
We stood side by side facing the forest, eyes locked on the tower despite the exotic trees rising dozens of meters high. None of them compared to the height of the structure that pierced the sky like a gigantic spear.
The woman in black who had led us here stood in front of us, back to the forest, looking each of us in the eyes.
Some were scared, too afraid to speak.
Some were calm, surveying their surroundings and the other detainees.
Others looked happier than ever.
She spoke in a stern voice:
"As I already said, your objective is to reach the tower in under four days. No matter what means you use to get there. If you're late, you die. If wild beasts catch you, you die. In short, there are a lot of ways to die, so do your best. You'll start when the ship is gone."
It was merciless, but we couldn't expect kindness. We didn't deserve it.
For the first time since waking up, I glanced at my new "comrades."
Particularly those who looked just as amazed as I did, the rest weren't worth my attention.
Only a few seemed interesting:
A girl with long black hair and tanned skin.
A pale boy with blond hair, much taller than me.
A red-haired girl, about the same height as me.
And a man with a muscular build that screamed years of physical training, his brown hair shaved on the sides and long on top, a trendy haircut back before my incarceration.
We all looked at each other with predatory smiles and narrowed eyes.
We were the most dangerous of the group, it was obvious.
The ship vanished into the sky as if it had turned invisible.
Was that possible?
I hoped so.
Most of the detainees sighed in relief.
But not us.
We moved closer to each other, we wanted the same thing, I was sure of it.
The black-haired, golden-skinned girl spoke first. She seemed the most social, her blue eyes like a puppy's.
"I'm Julia. Nice to meet you friends"
"Friends ? Aren't you a bit too naïve, kid ? I'm Klaus."
The muscular man replied bluntly. But he wasn't wrong.
I couldn't help but laugh, how long had it been since I'd spoken to someone? I didn't even know. But the fact I talked to myself like I was now was proof it had been a while.
"I'm Cain. Nice to meet you."
"A naïve kid, a macho, and a lunatic, huh? I'm Amelia."
That red-haired witch just called me a lunatic? What slander. I just like to laugh, what's wrong with that?
"Cut it out, princess. We're all in the same shit, might as well not tear each other apart, for now. I'm Ethan."
I could feel everyone sizing each other up, I was doing the same.
Julia seemed naïve, but it was an act, how else would she end up with people like us?
Klaus, the macho, was grounded and blunt, didn't care about consequences.
The witch was haughty, a noble? Probably, or at least privileged.
As for the pretty boy, he seemed calm and also he know the witch.
That's all I'd gathered from that short exchange, and I was sure they had done the same.
But we all had one thing in common:
A dangerous, bloody, almost macabre aura.
And I loved it.
I couldn't stay still, I had only one desire, to explore that forest, which I hoped was special. Maybe even magical?
The corners of my lips curled up, maybe she was right to call me a lunatic ?
"Let's go, guys! This waiting is killing me!"
They all smiled at me. Were they mocking me? I didn't think so.
They were just waiting for someone to say it first. I bet they were just as eager as I was.