The Endeavour in Sector H

Chapter 2

Lnar was nervously pacing around his room, waiting for the results of the written and verbal test. He was concerned about his performance, the questions were more in-depth than he expected it, especially in the verbal test. He felt as if he was in front of the jury and not professors. He couldn't accuse them of giving him tougher questions than to other candidates but he was sure they wanted him to fail. Grades in these 2 tests lower than 90% would mean a demise for him. A computer voice informed him that his results are available.

"Open the results."

In front of his eyes numbers danced.

Written exam - 88%

Verbal exam - 67%

He choked on his last grade. Influence of his bad grade on the total grade could still be minimized by a good grade in combat skills and survival exercise but this was no grade of the Ruler. This will bring shame upon his family. Unfortunately, the results of each test is public knowledge and he couldn't hide his failure.

Anger rose in him. He was fuming. The injustice done to him blackened his mind, a need to destroy spreading through his body. He was the one to rule these meager peasants! They were meaningless! He grabbed the chair next to him and threw it into the wall. His desk was his next victim. Roars of rage and sounds of destruction could be heard outside his room.

Servants moved hastily past his room, their hurried walk turning into a sprint out of the house. A window blew out, its piece falling down into the sidewalk.

Bystanders watched as a foolish slave girl ran into the house. What is she thinking?! Trying to get herself killed?

The slave was sure she'll be able to calm her master's wrath. She was his favorite after all.

The tension in the air was suffocating, the whole house was quiet except for the raging in her master's quarters.

She knocked and was answered with a series of crashes. Giving herself one more encouraging talk, she opened the door. An object was thrown at her, hitting her in the shoulder. She screamed at the impact and stumbled into the hallway.

Lnar went for the intruder. He grabbed him for the neck. Wait, no, it's a girl. He shook his head, trying to get back to his senses. The slave was kicking, fighting for her life, her master was choking her, she was lifted in the air and nailed to the wall. Suddenly she fell on the ground, her throat still fighting for air.

"Get out, Ada. I don't want to see anyone today."

She was coughing on the floor, nodding to his words. Lnar returned to his room, slamming the door behind himself.

Ada used the wall to put herself back on feet, she was still shaking from fear and assault. She's never seen him like this. He wasn't the kindest person but never such a brute. She tried to tidy herself before leaving the building. She redid her ponytail and stepped out.

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Lnar was sitting in the locker room. He was waiting with other fighters for the combat skill score. He won all fights but winning could get you to some point, a high combat score also took into account behavior during the fight, precision, show of strength and wits.

These fights will also determine if he'll participate in survival exercise or not. It was the last chance to lighten his cheek. All royals were expected to have a high score in combat skills and to be invited for survival exercise. First time participants in Trials usually accepted the invitation but would rarely finish it. For some of them it also meant the end of their life.

Lnar's goal was to finish the survival exercise and forfeit in Ruler's Matches. Around 7% of survivalists would decide to join the final stage of Trials. The Ruler's Matches were hand-to-hand combat with no rules. Winner more often than not killed the loser. To forfeit a Ruler's Match was considered to have a good judgement of your own abilities and wasn't looked down on. Every stage could be forfeit but it was important when you do it.

His spirit was down from the events of last week. After receiving disappointing grades, his father gave him silence. Lnar didn't see him for a week, not even for the family dinner. Only his mothers and siblings were there. His slaves were also retracted and he was served by family ones. He missed Ada. Sex was an important way to relieve stress and he had to turn to his father's slave harem. It was embarrassing!

A beep sounded in the locker room. A big hologram screen appeared among the benches. Everyone was quiet, air sucked in in a one big breath held by uncertainty. The names with scores listed on the screen. Lnar's name was paired with the number 97. He exhaled, not even aware that he stopped breathing for several seconds. Joyous cheer of high scorers and angry bangings of low scorers echoed through the room. Law enforcement unit came in to pacify fighters who were dissatisfied with their scores. It was pretty hectic with all the shouting and heightened feelings.

Lnar brought his head between his knees, a tear dropping on the floor. This score was enough to get him to survival exercise and secure him the future he was born for.

He assessed his right hand and leg, he gave it all in the fighting matches, ending up with severe injuries. His body was full of cuts and hematomas, he could feel pain through his torso, probably because of several broken ribs. His face was a mess, one eye completely closed, his nose not so pretty anymore and he'll have to re-grow a tooth or two. But it was all worth it. If he survives the next phase, he will achieve everything he hoped for.

People were leaving to celebrate or to mourn, one by one, the room now feeling empty. Lnar was one of the few people left. A family slave was waiting for him to take him to the hospital. Earlier a doctor checked him up but he refused to go to hospital before he got the results.

Hax parked a wheelchair in front of him. It was time to go.