The Awakening Test

They walked towards the door, anxiety layering up for what may lie on the other side.

Xavier put his hand on the door, pressuring it a little bit and the door automatically opened.

As the door lazily widened and entrance, a cold breeze ran through the team awakening shivers and quakes.

It was a very cold mountain.

"We are expected to accomplish this task in this fierce blizzard," a boy ran his mouth at only spectating the onset of their trial.

The virtual chamber was a perfect combination of magic and technology.

It's principle of operation was based on the manifestation of real-life objects using mana.

The object to be created can be controlled by the control centre but they were not at liberty to hold back on the difficulty or manipulate anything to save a life.

The lives of these youngsters were completely in their hands.

They may have been few but they were committed.

As the determined few stepped in, the door behind them shut tight.

"Men, I knew it. This is a death trap," the lamenting boy from their team said. "How are we suppose to retreat now incase the beast is too strong. They really do want us dead."

"I'm too young to die, why would they do such to us? I never asked to be killed, I just wanted to awaken," another team member as she hammered against the door before sliding low on the snow.

The entire team was in panic. The only person that expressed a decent amount of external composure was Xavier.

"Shut it. No one forced you to do this… well they kinda did but it's still your choice. Your chioce to move on and persist or die either way from the blizzard. So do I have a yes or a …"

There was a brief silence after his rebuke before they complied a few seconds later.

No one even in the deepest, darkest situations would like to die a cowardly death.

"Good. So I heard him say something about an orb. Does anyone here know a thing or two about orbs?"

"I do," another young girl said. "Orbs are specialized magical objects formed from fusion of two soul cores. They can be further infuse with other things like elixir or spells to amplify utility."

"Okay, good. Is there anything you know that can enable us find this orb?"

"Orbs, although they hold an immense amount of energy, they are a bit fragile and require care. They don't do, heat or cold so to attain an optimum functioning orb, it should be kept in a mild lukewarm environment."

"Okay, so you are saying that if we find a warm area in this blizzard, we find our orbs."

"Ya."

"So where can we find a warm environment in this sea of chills?", he questioned the team. "Ofcourse, in a cave," he answered almost as if he already knew the answer.

Praises ran through the team, congratulating Xavier for how quick he gave an answer.

"Listen everyone, the blizzard is intensifying and we really need to pick up the pace. The best bet we have at finding a cave right now is towards the summit of this mountain. I don't think that splitting up will do any of us any good so will move as a group," he said this with a loud voice so as to be heard by the gang.

"We are gonna move soon, so this is how we will be placed. I will lead," Xavier pointed at one of the boys. "You will be the rear eyes of our chain. While the others follow in between. Everyone should hold each other tightly till me make it to the summit."

Xavier turned and walked towards the peak of the mountain. It was a grueling hour long hike but they made it.

As they got to the top, they all laid down on the cliff end, gasping for air.

'I wonder if any team has made it out so far,' Xavier thought.

Just then a loud voice was heard coming from a speaker. "For the past one and half hour only two teams has made it out so far, and this simply cannot go on forever, as so I'm sorry to announce the remaining will be given a time limit. You have ten minutes to go."

"What! Did I hear right. Only ten minutes," Xavier exclaimed.

As if the world was enraged with them a shade came along.

It bore some devices around it to keep it probably to keep it tamed.

As the shade glanced in their direction, it morphed into a tier 3 glacial mana beast.

It was inside a cave. Orbs spread wide at the end of the cave. Deadly stalactites and stalagmites cutting across the cave wall.

"The orbs, let's get them."

"Do you not see that glacial beast coming right towards us?"

"Ya, but we have got no option. If you ever want to awaken we've got to face it head on."

[Whether in the heat or cold or storm, I always prevail. Survive the glacial beast and awaken]

[Reward : 10SP and a unique skill]

Xavier, ran towards the mana beast. He picked up the pace on approaching the beast.

He was ready to do anything to survive in this crazy world, even if that meant going on a one-on-one tussle with a beast.

He didn't show any sign of slowing down.

His teammates behind him followed slowly behind his eager to see what happens next.

Xavier had a plan. He didn't have time to think of anyone else. His plan was a hundred percent self oriented and he was ready to do anything to awaken.

'After all, I've gotten them this far so they should nevertheless be grateful even though they don't awaken.'

Five second till impact, Xavier lowered himself and was about set to slide past the gaping opening the beast left between it's legs.

His plan worked, well almost.

The beast tail caught him as he was almost out.

'The tail. I didn't think of that.'

The grip was tight and painful.

"Help."

The glacial beast soon pinned Xavier down, ready to waste the poor soul.

8 minutes left.

The beast raised one of its claws all set for it's devour, but then a block of ice smashed on its face.

It was his team. They were defending their leader.

The beast soon deviated it's attention towards them but not before battering Xavier a bit to guarantee a meal was already waiting when it got back.

5 minutes left.

Xavier tried to get up but he couldn't. He slowly crawled towards the cave.

He had to pull any strength he had left in him now.

He made it to the entrance. He got up and stood on his feet, moving towards the orbs, narrowly escaping every single stalagmites and stalactites.

'Almost there.'

Half way to reach the orbs, he heard sounds at the cave entrance and hid.