THE SELECTION PT.2

Removing the cardigan that tops his shirt inside, he gasps for air as the heat continued to cover his body. Hiro, being someone who was born from the prestigious family of the Kazahana was not used in the severe searing of the labyrinth.

A thin stream of lava was flowing on the corner while the ground was covered in ashes as the magma not far from the maze boils. The other side of the labyrinth erupted in flames and there was nothing but an area of inferno deep within the abyss of fire and edge. Hiro was grateful that the fiery flames and lava had not reached him yet, though sooner when the time had ticked for the first trial they might've to walk through the ends of his feet.

If it's not for the nature of his energy flowing on his body that minimizes the heat affecting him, he might've burned to dust right now. With too much-taking place on his labyrinth, it was quite ironic to think that he still had his whole attention and focus on the announcements resounding through the whole area.

"Now then, please let us hear from General Kazahana" Hearing their family name, Hiro glanced at the vast maze made of ironed walls. It is still quite a wonder to him how the iron had managed to survive in the environment.

Hiro was drenched in sweat; his light blond hair was dripping wet. He struggled to gasp for air as if something was holding the tracks of his breath from flowing and his heart continued to thump loudly through the exhaustion. But even so, he faced the challenge in front of him, waiting for the voice of someone he's more than familiar with.

"Be guided by the rules. And... succeed"

The always calm tone of his sister gave him the rippling sense of reminiscence. He had always looked up to her—someone reliable, strong, beautiful, and above all else; a sister who desires nothing but peace. He is a Kazahana and as a member of the family, he needed to be of assistance to her. He had spent his efforts and time for this day to come. He wanted to let her know that as someone who would someday inherit the title of being a family head to her, he won't take a step to disappoint them.

Yet, even if that's the case—deep inside Hiro's heart, the odds are different. All he wanted was for her to acknowledge him as her brother and someone she could always rely on. Just like how siblings are ought to be. Being close to her is like catching the moon for someone.

Grabbing the items prepared for him, he continued to walk his way through the maze. A step closer to the ironed walls made the heat increase in intensity.

"Let's see," Fujihiro said in between pants. "Hammer and eight pieces of nails? How am I able to find my way through here...?" he held the items in his hands while walking as several ideas occupied him in thinking.

The objects provided to him seem to create no value but ways to give frustration to every participant in no turn for victory. 'But if it does nothing, then why are they here in the first place?' he spoke, at the back of his mind. Glancing in every direction, he continued to observe his whole surroundings.

"What if..." Hiro returned his focus on the walled maze of irons. He placed the nail and was about to pound it with the hammer but the action had caused him to drop the materials that he held onto his hands. His right palm was burned through the almost flaming heat of the wall. He covered the burns, remaining a calm composure.

"Nails. Hammer..." he muttered repeatedly as an idea flashed on his mind. It seemed to run on his thoughts like the silent blowing of the wind carrying a fallen leaf as his hand had taken a grasp to catch it immediately. "So that's it, huh..."

He took a turn to face the ironed walls again, picking up the objects in eagerness to observe every part of the iron barricade. His eyes wandered around the silver-gray structure catching a glimpse of a small circular pattern marked on the wall. If it's not for his keen eyes, he wouldn't be able to notice the almost fading lines flickering with the light of the blazing flames. Small and deceiving.

Letting out a smirk that seems to give him the edge of victory, Hiro placed the nail—completely pounding it through the use of a hammer as it sunk deep into the mark on the wall. The circular marks were a lot more vulnerable than the entire ironed walls and through it the nail was placed.

A creaking sound of a mechanism screeched when the metal head of the nail was hammered. The walls of the circular mark where he had pounded the nail slowly melted leading into an opening to the other side which also contains the same patterned circle.

Run after run, and after placing the eight nails to each wall—he had finally reached the last one. Hiro set the last nail as all of the ironed walls melted and were absorbed below the ashes with the slight shaking of the ground. Hiro was out of breath, struggling to keep himself out of exhaustion because of the hour-long exposure to the heat. He looked at what was before him and something had come reflecting in his eyes; a white crystal stone surfacing in the center.

"The nails served as a key to remove something from preventing the walls from melting through heat. As long as it's around 1,538 Celsius, iron would melt. Am I right administrators?" smiling to himself, he held the crystal in his hand as the labyrinth slowly faded into bits revealing an identical version of the waiting room they'd entered a while back.

Hiro was the sixth person to enter. And as usual—out of polite and respect to his name as a Kazahana, people would give him a smile of greetings in which he would also return. "Rai and Mitsuka are still not here..." he said, feeling himself cooling down a bit. With a deep breath, he leaned to the corner as he patiently waited for the two.

---

"For the sake of everything stop chasing me!"

All Mitsuka could do was turn her back and run as the minotaur had chased after her. Uncanny from others' labyrinth, the environment was quite peaceful. The land holds a plain shade of green but the maze itself is a different story—upon entering, a monster with a body of a man and the head of a bull would welcome you. It's the Riagi's captured resemblance to the infamous "Minotaur's labyrinth"

An item was tightly clenched in her hands, its edges digging on her skin creating a marked line. She continued to sprint in the hope for a miracle to happen. The only object provided to her was a dog's whistle and even if she made countless times to whistle through it, to no avail the minotaur would still run after her.

Dashing on the right alley of the maze, Mitsuka stopped for a brief moment because of exhaustion. The beats of her heart were rapidly increasing as she breathes harder. There was no second in where she had not been wary of her surroundings. Her eyes searched everywhere—in the hope of finding an opening to launch a surprise attack on the minotaur. And yet, even if she had found one, what would she use to get rid of it? A dog's whistle?

Perplexed and pressured, Mitsuka's almost at her limit. At the edge of breaking down on letting everything end to its state. But, the whisper of the wind had washed her thoughts away as if it was speaking to her quietly while blowing her umber hair. And along with it, she remembered a memory untold of her innocence and wonder. She reminisced the very first day she had decided to become a soldier of wisdom.

Mitsuka was still five at that time when a ceremony was held on the land to honor the Generals who have fought bravely throughout the years. The child stared in awe as the woman they call "3rd General, Noguchi" stood in front. The lady was like the epitome of a goddess. Her hair was as long and dark as to how the nightfall could be even if the sun would shine upon it, its color would remain. She's more than a word of beauty stained by her expression that speaks of solemnity seeming like a painting painted by the divine hands of an artist.

Since that day Mitsuka had always lurked through the shadows watching the General from afar. Though her actions brought danger to her as she was dragged onto a trap set by an enemy. Knowing that maybe that would be the last time she would see the woman she admires the most, she had accepted her faith, prepared to receive the taste of death. Yet, a figure of a lady—in which she had familiarized so well appeared before her.

Mitsuka watched the General swiftly defeating the enemy with elegance in just a single stroke of her blade. That time, something had hit her—glowing with the moonlight's shine, the lady's benevolence. The thought of standing next to her and serving the people for the land had occurred in Mitsuka's thoughts in which she had chosen to take the same path as hers—to be a soldier of wisdom.

The minotaur's furious noise had pulled Mitsuka back to reality. It's wholly prepared to charge itself towards her.

With no concrete plan in mind, just before the bull could attack her, Mitsuka slides underneath the creature, confusing it. She stood behind it, sweat dripping from her face—gambling through the idea on her mind that appears to be senseless. Gathering her strength, she threw the whistle at the back of the minotaur as it landed on the ground with a cling. It didn't do anything—hence, proven to be truly senseless.

A word of vain had passed through Mitsuka's breath, preparing her limbs to run another mile away from the creature. But just as she was about to turn her back against it, a strange cry had stopped her. She turned her glance slowly at the bull. Chills ran up to her, not knowing how to respond to the sight she had stumbled upon.

The minotaur was shedding his tears, holding onto the dog whistle in his hands with the utmost gentleness and care.

"Thank you..."

For the beast to suddenly portray emotions as if it had not worn the murderous eyes on chasing her and now with the voice and words, it had shaken her in horror.

"Y-you can speak?"

"Well yes," The creature answered in a low tone as it held through the whistle that appeared to be so tiny to his furred palms. His head lowered towards it, raising the whistle through his mouth.

The sound played ran through Mitsuka's ears. As if it was noted slowly turning into figures of unusual melody. She never knew that music could be this peculiar and tantalizing. It brought several wonders to her when a fog started to cloud up onto the minotaur.

The echoes have slowly faded. And the fog started to wash away from the beast, revealing a man. A man who looks more humanly and away from what the majority would catch up in gazes and gossips to pinpoint a direct judgment. The set of horns and bull-looking face now bears a fair look of a man.

"I'm sorry I scared you. This is my true form. Without the whistle, I can't go back to this" he approached her, displaying a blue crystal on his tanned palms. "Take this"

"Why are you here?" Mitsuka asked before accepting the crystal. "What happened? And-"

"I can't tell you" He responded. The man gave her a last glance of what anguish would be like glinting into someone's eyes.

The man along with the labyrinth started to disappear into thin air. "Wait!" Mitsuka shouted trying to reach for him, but it was too late.

She was now at the room's space once again.

Hiro called out to her. She saw him sitting in the corner.

"Did something happen?" Hiro asked, noticing her distress.

"It's nothing" Mitsuka replied, almost stuttering. She tried to push the thoughts at the back of her mind.

Hiro had grasped the idea of the reason for the look on her face. Yet, he had chosen to respect her response.

"Where's the tomato head?" Mitsuka asked, shifting back to the topic.

"He's still inside"

---

It was not prolonged when everything appears to be normal for Raijin. But as soon as he entered the maze, his vision suddenly became hazy. He doesn't have the slightest idea what had taken place at the moment he had started the race. Nor he did not remain his balance because his world's been turning repeatedly. The feeling of vertigo was worse than what he had experienced during the short shaking. He remained crawling on his feet just like how earth creatures survive in their habitat. The breeze of hot air that carried dust was aggressively strong, hindering his progression. He could feel the strong wind and yet, he couldn't hear its loud gushing.

Raijin's helpless once again. There are countless times where he had opened his mouth to scream but a voice won't come out nor he had heard any of it. His senses were blocked leaving alone his sensation to feel his surroundings.

His arms stretched to reach for the rope he kept. Trying to hold for something to help him stand even if the wind was forbidding him to do so.

Raijin created a tight knot, twisting the rope on his right arm as he used its weight to prevent him from being cast away in standing. Dust particles started to linger inside his clothes which made him uncomfortable with the rough sensation touching his bare skin. He continued to make his way through the maze—in thoughts that his friends and the 6th General might've been waiting for him and he had not wanted for them to wait any longer.

'If pops is here, he would laugh at me' he muttered at the back of his thoughts.

In a single thread of what seemed like a month of walking, Raijin had finally touched the wall hedges. He tried to memorize the coarse texture of the wall forcing his way beyond it—in the hope to end up on the other side. But to no avail, the hedges were strong enough to block his breaching.

He had let out a couple of exhausted breaths. There was nothing he could do but to recollect the training the General had guided him on. Yet, given the current circumstances, he won't be able to use lightning to strike the whole area for an escape. The whispering temptation of breaking the trial rules had also occurred to him—nearly pushing his resolve on its edge.

'Think. Think. What would General Yozou or pops do if they were here?' thinking to himself made him less anxious at his present condition. Still, Raijin couldn't find the answer he sought to reach. If fate was a player, then this young man is its favorite game.

Though winning and losing didn't bother him in the least. It's the failure of proving yourself to someone who gave their efforts to guide you throughout your journey.

Inserting his hand through his pockets, Raijin took out the remaining items provided to him: matchsticks, a lighter, a wooden stick, and a pocket knife. Through their dissimilar shapes and features, he could tell which is which by touch.

He took a tight hold of the pocket knife—his knuckles almost turning pale to the clench. Afraid for it to slip through. But it disrupted his focus when the knife reminded him of Kato. The way his blade has pierced onto him as he watches him execute his betrayal. He was very naïve, that it was too late before he had seen through him.

Kato. Flames. Fire.

Raijin's hands immediately searched for the lighter and matchsticks. Grasping its guard and sliding his thumb through the item to create a small lit fire that slightly burnt his finger. As soon as he was about to throw it through the wall hedges to burn them, the wind washed the flame away. He felt the air coming from the fire that slowly disappeared.

Raijin searched for another way, for the fire to not be caught up with the strong breeze. How peculiar it is that the fire seems to represent his determination and resolve. It may be brushed away by how strong the wind is but as long as he dares to continue on lighting that flame it would burn through.

And at last, he managed to light up the final matchstick and lighter. Raijin immediately shoved them on the wall hedges as the crackling of the flames started. He used the wooden stick to guide him on his steps to avoid the burning. The heat of the fire—he could feel it lingering around his whole as he felt himself coming back to life, his senses returning.

Raijin stared at what was in front of him and was greeted by the remnants of the hedges and its smoke that's slowly been carried by the wind. It was like waking up from a brief nightmare and a bright purple crystal was presented before him. He walked towards it, reaching to its shining whole. His image reflected on the crystal, seeming to tell him that everything would be alright soon.

And it happened. He heard two familiar voices speaking his name.

"Hiro, Mistuka..." he uttered, realizing he was in the same room back then.

"Welcome back Rai," Hiro said, patting him on the shoulder. "We made it"

His thoughts were still recovering from the labyrinth. But he managed to show them a smile.

"Participants, congratulations on passing our first trial. We will now commend the second trial stage right away"

The announcement made everyone frown in disappointment. Not having enough time to rest for a break.

"On the second trial stage. You will be divided into groups consisting of five members. After confirming your group, please proceed to your fellow members and-"

There was a breakout of glitches and beeping echoed again, but this time it was different. Far from the sound of a communication chant's ring.

Raijin, Hiro, and Mitsuka glanced at each other, baffled by the sudden interruption.

"No! Stop! AH-"

They turned their heads in the direction of the sudden scream. Blood splattered on the ground. People were bleeding as their breaths had slowed down. The sight of the lifeless body of the participants had put horror on their faces.

Strange men who are in a titian fading into black garbs came barging on the area, mercilessly slashing every person on sight. Their screams were nothing to them but the sound of a lowly mortal.

"Stop!" Hiro exclaimed. He raised his hands followed by a quick murmur of a chant causing the walls near him to be frozen of ice.

"Crumble to earth" Mitsuka chanted, as briars and vines began to crawl over the surface—capturing the enemy through their feet.

Other participants in the room had fought with their might, and yet some did not bear the weight of the enemy's wrath.

A sense of instinct made Raijin hold onto the chushin tightly, suppressing the anger that was slowly building inside him. He had more than despised something like this—murder in front of his eyes.

"Kill every Anshiantiae," commanded someone.

The voice made Raijin freeze to where he was standing. He stared at the figure as the enemy troops scattered.

"K-Kato..." he spoke.

It was at these moments that he had filled the boiling outburst of his emotions. Firing by bits until it had piled into a single stall of screaming anger and hatred. He had wanted to understand Kato back then, yet right now the only thought he had wanted was to slay him with his own hands. For he had stepped on his way to kill everyone he must've protected.

Kato glanced at him, the flame sword on his hands burning brightly. "We've met again. But this time I'll kill-"

"Alvarynieus!" Raijin didn't hesitate for a second to unleash his power. Everyone stood in astonishment and fear at how powerful the energy that's been released. Along with the sound of roaring thunders.

A storm is coming.