Chapter Four

The Test...

During one of the sessions of Master Chi…

"You mix a bit of the maisin plant and the teminochyk plant in the quantities provided before you." Master Chi cautioned while he walked past every practical bench occupied by two scholars. He tapped the tables and got the mixing right with a cane. He was quick to whip when the need arose.

The thin rod, about forty centimetres long, was gotten from the shrub in his field. The burning sensation, coupled with itchiness, was feared to last minutes before wearing off. He paused by Shyva's bench for a while, watching her mix appropriately according to how he explained earlier.

Master Chi grunted with approval, and Shyva was delighted.

The hair at the base of her neck stood, alerting her that someone was watching her. She looked behind her and was face to face with Sula, who gave her a look of enquiry. Shyva looked forward, annoyed she had Sula behind her, but she still wasn't satiated about it. There was a gust of air against the skin of her neck, which made her jump in her seat, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Shyva, is there a problem?" Master Chi inquired.

She shifted in her seat, regaining her composure as she answered immediately, "I am very well."

He nodded, " As I was saying, a portion of Shynke now, a teaspoonful, and be careful to put your face far from it and pour gently."

Shyva poured the content gently, and a voice whispered, "Watch out."

She panicked and dropped the whole of the granulated substance into the glass flask, which reacted quickly, throwing colourful reactions into the air.

"Everybody out," Master Chi ordered, but not before an explosion. Every scholar hurried outside the classroom, and the tutor followed.

"Shyva!" He called out with anger. His earth-colored face was stained with yellow and purple suspension from the session room.

"Yes, master." She moved to his side, her head dropped with shame. It had been a long time since the scholars had witnessed his rage.

"I-"

"Shyva's attention is needed." The commander interrupted the intentions of the tutor in the corridor.

That was close whewwww, Shyva sighed.

Master Chi drew his brows together, clicking his index finger against his thumb before her face. Another time, he meant. The woman commanded respect as Master Chi gave a low bow to her.

With her piercing grey eyes and permanently pouted lips, no one could overlook such seriousness on the face of the commander. How she appeared to them unnoticed baffled Shyva. It was her gift sneaking up on people. The plum unwrinkled suit had an eagle emblem on the breast pocket, signifying her position.

"Come along." The commander called to Shyva, who hurried to her side.

"She's always in trouble." Sula mocked, whispering to her dogs.

"I bet she won't be saved this time after she gets back for another punishment from Master Chi." One of the two dogs spoke, pouting her lips and shaking her head from side to side.

Shyva followed the female soldier past offices and session rooms. A lot of activities went on as Shyva could see through the transparent glass floors and rooms. Guards patrolled the floors, taking orders from the earbuds sitting right in their ear canal. The educational institution stood numerous feet in height and width.

Every cubicle, door, window, and floor was transparent, offering no form of Counter-Dome activity, as everyone and their activities were exposed for all to see. Walking past other session rooms, some sisters were building aircraft; in another room, sisters dissected a foreign body. Shrub-like creatures in a vessel at the end of the floor were fed by two guards who rubbed and trimmed the moving plants.

There's basically nobody here without combat skills; there are the gardeners, the chefs, and everybody.

This made her chuckle.

"Are you still with me?" the female soldier asked, gaining her attention and walking faster. Shyva found it hard to keep up with the commander's pace.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Very good because it will be a bumpy ride at this hour of the day."

They got into her Air-Sel. The air vehicle was the newly designed model Shyva had hoped to get when she got older. Unlike a few she had witnessed from far, the flashy silver colour was quite conspicuous compared to the grey monochromatic colours of the other models.

"Strap in." the woman instructed, leading by example, "One more thing, don't touch anything." She pointed her fingers, roaming around the upgraded features of the Air-Sel. In it was a combo button which increased their acceleration by a multiplication of five; classical music played through the unseen speakers; the air was florally scented; there was a GPS tracker, body fluid meter, a DIG-screen showing any part of the vehicle, and the surroundings. All embedded into the fusia hue of the interior. Fusia had been discovered to be a tint of several degrees of the colour fuchsia derived from the fallen world of Erasian.

Typical of a woman.

The ride was bumpy, as the commander had warned. Many drivers avoided collisions, and from the DIG screen, they all looked like swarms of jecho.

"Sit still, we're going up."

"Going up?"

Going up, that doesn't sound…

"Whoa…" Shyva exclaimed as the frontal part of the vehicle propelled upwards against the pressure pulling them down.

Shyva could feel her tummy turn, but she fought against her queasiness. Finally, they floated in the air, and the commander sped them until they landed at the top of a building.

Numerous rumours had flown about the overseer who created the Dome and how scarce she was seen. She created the Dome with a few others who had never been seen or heard about. She was complimented on her hard work and feared as well.

Shyva stepped out of the vehicle, which was a relief to Her, who was already feeling lightheaded. Another personnel member had been instructed to lead Shyva to the overseer. Shyva was hesitant; she wasn't accustomed to being tossed from one familiar face to another unfamiliar face. The commander nodded, affirming to her that she would be fine.

The building was high rise standing over two hundred feet, cloaked with translucent white steel reflecting myriads of colour. Unlike the see-through floors at the educational institution, the floors and walls were all white.

She stared at every male and female soldier barricading both sides of the passageways, turns, and several exits. They all wore no expression. Finally, she was led to a large reinforced door devoid of guards.

What do I do now? She stared blankly at the door. As she was about to place her hands on the door without handles, it was opened by another guard from within.

"Come in," said the male voice, whose face was too attractive to be a soldier. His hair was worn long, and dark eyes gazed from a straight face and cleft chin. Immediately, Shyva entered the large room, and the attractive guard excused himself.

A woman watched through the window, hands placed behind her. Shyva stood at attention on seeing her.

"Shyva." She called out, turning to face her guest.

Shyva thought the woman to be pretty with dark hair and flawless skin.

A soldier indeed.

"You can sit, make yourself comfortable. I am Nyla."

Shyva was dumbstruck because she was expecting a yelling individual with the thought she had gotten into some kind of trouble.

"Hope your ride wasn't bumpy?"

Shyva parted her lips to speak, but she couldn't, entrapped by Nyla's niceness with the army and citizens of the Dome at her beck and call.

A throaty chuckle escaped Nyla's lips, "Don't be scared, I won't hurt you, and you're not in any trouble."

Shyva nodded and gasped, "You are pretty ma'am."

"Thank you, but call me Nyla."

"Uhhh, am I allowed to say that?"

"Yes, because it makes me comfortable." Nyla smiled with warmth.

"I will call you Nyla."

The middle-aged woman of a lithe physique settled into a cosy seat directly opposite Shyva. She relaxed herself, interlocking her fingers.

"I hear you are quite an expert."

Shyva's cheeks became rosier with delight and embarrassment.

"I wouldn't say I am the expert; well, I fight well..." she ranted in a shrill voice and animated gesture, looking like she was about to choke.

"…I like fighting and love the toxin class the most. You know, Master Chi. I feel restless, but I am a good learner as well. I am not the best at teamwork, but I could be very coordinated. I have flaws, but I'm working on them, you know. I sometimes think the other sisters are better than me since they go on missions, and I haven't gone on any. I wouldn't call myself an expert, you know."

Shyva gasped aloud, heaving at how many unsaid words she had spilled to a stranger.

Nyla raised her eyebrows, smiling at how much the girl had to discuss.

"It's okay, Shyva, you can trust me."

Shyva nodded, "I hope you don't tell anyone."

"I wouldn't," Nyla promised. "But if you want to be better, which I assume you would want, you must work on your abilities..."

Shyva was drawn to the voice of the more experienced tutor before her. Her voice was calming, and her low tone was convincing. Shyva couldn't believe she had listened to all she had said without questioning her.

"Are you listening, Shyva?" Nyla questioned, noticing she was distracted.

"Oh! Yes, I am." Shyva composed herself.

"Good. I will help you discover yourself amidst your troubled heart. You have a gift but don't see it because your mind is limited. You can't be angry all the time when you fight. What if a fight is demanded for your protection, or would you be angry when you are lost? That may put you at greater risk. I believe in you."

Shyva had never heard those words in her life. She knew she was missing a lot of things, but for someone to listen to her and offer her words to think about, she felt loved.

"I'll monitor you and want you to share your problems and doubts with me. My office is open to you anytime."

"Really?"

"Yes, my darling."

Nyla stood, headed to her table, picked up a watch, and handed it over to Shyva. Shyva had never received a gift since Otolyt.

This is so beautiful.

Her finger traced the thin band with a rectangular face. "You inform me when you want to see me with that and I'll send for you."

"This is so amazing. I'm still trying to understand it. Is this an illusion?"

"No bishaq. It's real."

"Thank you." She hugged Nyla, who returned it.

"Okay, it's time for me to return to work," Nyla informed her.

"I will see you soon."

"Yes, anytime."

Shyva nodded and was leaving the room when she looked behind, waving to her new friend and mentor before finally leaving.

Nyla clicked her finger, connecting her with the Superior.

"I have the girl under control."

The raspy voice of the cloaked figure hiding its face resonated through the room.

"I have faith in you."

In the solitude of Master Chi's quarters…

It's absurd what Nyla has to do with the girl. One day, she wakes up and decides to see her. She's my best student! Never has she asked me in person about her skills. Nyla, what are you up to?

He placed his hands together and went into a trance.