Chapter 12

"Have you guys heard about the survival test for the special students that were chosen by our principal? I heard that those special students must pass the survival test that will occur tomorrow to enter a special section where different elementary grades and high school grades are combined into one special section, and they will study the same curriculum." – mentioned Simon out of the blue

"What's the requirement to be one of the students? Wait, you're not joking right because this is the first time, I've heard of this." – Kim questioned Simon doubtfully as his eyes shifted from Simon to Ariella asking her with his eyes why she didn't mention it to him.

"The requirements are pretty simple, these entrance exams we do every first day of our school are to determine students who have potential to survive and passed the survival test. No one knows what they study or do in the special class, however, the students in the special class are graduated after two years here and they'll enter a prestigious university abroad to continue the study they've chosen. Last year, half of the class choose military academy and the other half chooses political courses and science technology studies." – Ariella answered

"Military academy?! Why didn't you tell me before? It's my chance to enter the military academy after two years." – Kim feels betrayed hearing Ariella explained, he couldn't fathom the reason for not telling him about it especially when it can give him a chance to enter the military academy after two years.

"Because it was of no use to tell you, big brother, the test cannot be compared to the exams we did yesterday and besides, you'll surely get chosen to do the test big brother." – Ariella ignored the guilt encircling in her heart for not telling Kim about it, she heard a rumor about the special section in her past life that caused those students who failed the test to become depressed and some of them suddenly changed in personality.

"How did…" – Kim was cut off by Ariella walking away and greeting two of her classmates, Angelene and Jheryl. These two were some of her close friends that she wanted to get reacquainted again plus Ariella wants to get away from the boys, she knows that Kim is mad at her but what can she do when Kim's mental safety is at risk.

Nevertheless, Ariella is hundred percent sure that the four of them will be one of the students chosen by the principal. In her past life, only Simon got chosen and he passed it. At the present, Ariella changed a lot of things along with her marks and she is sure because of her personal connection with Kim, Denise, and Simon, it will catch the interest of their principal who likes to snoop around her personal information.

Ariella isn't sure what kind of interest or actions did they do to catch the interest of their principal but the report she received in her com-link with her soldier guards on their way to the school made her heartbeat faster than normal. She should have known that nothing is a coincidence in this world.

She enjoyed her time with Angelene and Jheryl companies helping them find a club to join in, it made her feels like she truly belongs in this reality of timeline and not an outsider of the reality of this timeline she created. The three young girls meet up with their other friends having simple random conversations about their summer vacation, how hard their exam was, any new gossips, and so on.

At the end of the day, Simon joined a science lab that covers every part of science like chemistry, physics, and biology, he was jumping with joy that he finally joined his dream club. Kim joined the martial arts club that made him proud of himself and satisfied that it can accommodate his dream of being a future soldier. While Ariella and Denise joined and registered their name in the badminton club as there will be a try-out every after-school.

Ariella was thankful that her piano lesson is only once a week, so she could talk to the coach for an excuse. The time to go home passed by and Kim continues to brood and sulked ignoring Ariella intentionally on their way home. Ariella's uncle, Wilson who picked up the two kids discerns the rolling tension between the two as they sit as far as they could from each other.

Wilson chooses to ignore such tension and just presume the reason of simple children fight as he has two stubborn sons and one daughter, so he learned that it will be better for the kids to figure it out themselves. He experienced in the past letting the kids figure things out themselves and he will only interfere if the fight has gone out of hand and needs an adult to smoothen the tension. He thinks it's the best way to teach his children how to be open-minded and problem solvers with a clear head rather than depending on their parents to solve everything. As a parent, he loves his children dearly, but he can't shield them from the real cruel world.

At the dinner table Kim finally confronted Ariella about the reason for not telling him the truth about the survival test, he understands that one of the reasons Ariella didn't mention it to him is because of the trauma that comes after the test for failing. He heard all of it from Denise and Simon.

"Ariella look me in the eyes and explain it to me, I don't like not talking and joking around you especially when the family I'm depending on can't even look me in the eye and feeling this tension. It's not even suitable at all and I'm sorry for getting angry at you earlier." – Kim

"I'm also sorry, big bro. I don't want to add the trauma that will come if you fail the test with your nightmare. I know you don't remember much after you woke up from your nightmare then sleep again but I'm still worried, so I didn't tell you and just choose to tell you about that club; a safer and easy option." – Ariella

"I appreciate your concern to me, lil'sis, but you don't take other's choice from them even if you think it's for the greater good, we are a family, Ariella. A family shares their worries with each other as they protect each other, a family has each other's back no matter what the circumstances are." – he stands up from his seat and hugs Ariella that made her unable to stop the tears rolls out of her left eyes as she let her guards down and just fell into the warmth of Kim's familiar touch of love.

As the midnight rolled in Ariella left her clone again before entering the pocket dimension, she created to continue her work but there was a piece of unexpected news that greets her at the stroke of midnight sharp. One of her soldier guards appeared in front of her as soon as she entered her room. The soldier guard bears grave news about General Tatsuya and General Rio's investigation team in Russia that Ariella makes haste teleporting them in the base. They make way towards the hospital wing and upon seeing their little general practically running that the soldiers standing guards open the door widely as Ariella summoned her original scythe form.

Seeing and hearing the spasm of agony and screams of ache from the two Generals and their team just confirms her suspicion about the illegal human experimentation in Russia, Ariella comes to a decision that she wouldn't be soft-hearted about their training anymore. Only those kinds of human that defies the law of nature could hurt her men in this degree of inhumane, almost half of them lost a limb while the others are bleeding to their death or have unknown poison in their body.

"Essence, I need you."

A black and white glistening scythe formed in her hands as Ariella's appearance changes; her hair become silver-white with black ribbons flows like the black aura that the scythe produces while her eyes change into sudden pale grey eyes glimmering in the shadow of death. Ariella's casual clothes alter to a long white gown like a Greek goddess would wear.

"With thy power bestowed upon me by the Goddess of life and death, the controller of fate, heal these pour souls as I shall pay the price." –a flash of light hover above them and shadow of darkness wrapped around their body. The healthcare professionals stand in the sideline with Ariella's soldier guards befuddle as they watch limbs after limbs grow like a tree in fast forward mode, see the uncontrollable bleeding stop and heals, the stopping of screams and discoloration on their skin halted then disappear like it was never there.

All the injured soldiers begin to breathe regularly and resting with ease, the doctors and nurses rush by their patients' side checking their vitals which have return to normal signs, they take off those machines attach them to all the soldiers in critical condition, and change them into an IV. In a matter of minutes, Ariella collapsed as she coughs blood uncontrollably then excruciating pain travels throughout her body. The entire pain and critical ailment of her soldiers are transferred in her young frail body, no matter how mature and strong Ariella is, her body is still that of a child getting used to different kinds of phenomena and experiencing the sudden changes in her body would someday take a toll.

Essence, the original form of her scythe transformed into an elegant lady that gives off a calming eerie aura that made her officers stop at their movement. Essence moves her right hand upwards as Ariella floated in the air.

"I've warned you not to summoned me yet as your young body is still adapting to the power."

"Ms… umm… who are you? And please lay our General in this bed." – Mizu asked nervously eyeing the lady in front of him up and down with cautious

"My name is Essence, Ariella's first scythe. None of you can help her in this kind of situation because the medicines and technology here is way outdated to actually give her some comfort or even help her condition right now."

"I heard earlier when General Ariella is chanting, she said `I shall pay the price`, what does she mean by that? It's just a figure of speech, right?" – asked Captain Arnold

"It is not a figure of speech, every time she heals a person or people, the entire affliction of those people she healed will be transferred to her. Every wound and injury of the person she healed will transfer to her by ten folds before she could do this technique thousands of times quotidian but because her current body is still young and undeveloped. Summoning me and conjuring the healing spell additionally working overnight for the Exist weapon then finishing those papers. What do you think will happen when she goes to school every day?"

"It can't be… we are always together with our General and we didn't even notice it." – the tone of Mizu is full of shame and somber towards his General, no matter how she acts with them their General is still a child.

"How can we help?" – asked Captain Arnold

"Nothing, none of you have reached the required stage to give me little help to heal her. Right now, she needs to return to her house and explained it to her cousin."

"No, please, Essence. Big brother is still an adolescent for this condition of mine and besides my clone is at the house to avoid my brother's suspicion. I beg of you Essence; I still have time to rest…" – Ariella doesn't have the courage to face Kim at his age at the moment when memories of their life are showing themselves through his dreams. She could hear the scream of horror from Kim's bedroom almost nocturnally and he act tough in the morning. With that, she knows that it isn't the right time to tell him yet.

"Are you out of your mind, Ariella?! Keeping out the clone and make it act like you will take a toll out of your already wounded spirit and body! Ariella, I've warned you before that you can't protect everything and everyone you loved! Nothing is free in this world; you protect means you sacrifice at the same time. How many can you take living like this?" – Essence feels livid hearing those pleading from her partner, from the first time she chooses Ariella, Essence sense a foreboding feeling of vulnerability and at the same time resistance. Ariella is an existence of contradiction that demonstrates the resilience of humans and the liability of a God that created living beings. In Essence's experiences in all the timelines, Ariella is the irregular in both time and space that irritates the Gods to no end.

Nonetheless, the soul of Ariella hasn't changed since then, her master is a living being that will sacrifice herself for the greater good of the people she loves and cares for, at the same time Ariella is cold-blooded and wrathful human being to those who stand in her way. Essence understands that the apocalypse of this world is drawing near towards Ariella, the entirety of fate is gearing up for the final showdown and the truth of the past will reveal itself soon. Essence is not sure if any of them is ready for it, or will they ever be ready when it arrives at their front door.