The Keeper Exams

Stage Two: What to Expect

You all should know by now that I put the important stuff in bold, but...just to make sure. Important information is in bold. Enjoy! :D

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Fifteen dead.

Twenty-four alive.

On to Stage Two.

Teamwork.

"They're waking up!" My eyes zero in on the cameras knotched in the corners of the chambers as bloodied and bruised apprentices wake from their comas, screaming in agonizing pain. A buzz of energy electricutes the Hybrids around me as they work on readying stage two for start up.

"Where are the medics?" Thomas growls from somewhere to my left, I jerk and whirl around as a girl with green hair zips past me, a box of blue salts in her hands. The Bluemist.

"They're on their way!" Gavin, a member of the Guarde, snaps back, his golden eyes swirling with frustration. Thomas scowls, dragging his fingers roughly through his hair.

"Do you see them?" Thomas questions, pointing to the monitors full of moaning apprentices. "They're in pain and some of them won't survive without the Bluemist!" He retorts, shoving Gavin's shoulder and stalking off in a circular, jittery dance. Gavin's eyes darken and his hands clench, I roll my eyes and cross my arms.

"Hey!" I bark, striding toward the two of them, absolutely no room for arguement in my voice. "Both of you, shut the hell up and quit arguing. You're giving me a damn headache, Gavin get out and go find the medics. Boil the Bluemist and get it into their system as soon as possible, some of their injuries will kill them without it." Gavin nods his head and steps away, casting one more poisonous look at my second-in-command. I wait patiently for Gavin to be out of ear shot before whirling on Thomas.

"Thomas fucking Latimer!" I growl, grasping ahold of his bicep and jerking him away from the prying eyes of other Hybrids. "The hell is up with you? Relax or I will kick your ass out of here!" I whisper shout, glaring at him. Thomas scowls, his eyes shifting toward the monitors and then back to me.

"Gwen could die!" He hisses, and I lose my temper. My palm comes up and smacks him across the cheek, wiping the scowl right off his face. He was acting like a child - no, he was acting like a father - and that wasn't okay. His emotions are how he ended up as second-in-command to me instead of Keeper.

Bluemist. A powerful Hybrid creation mixed with ethanol, an Alchemist element. It looks like blue bath salts but was actually a highly active healer. When boiled it's magical qualities are released and it becomes a liquidated, drinkable bandage that instantly searches out injuries and heals them fifty percent of the way. But only apprentices with life threatening wounds would recieve it.

"A lot of them could die without the Bluemist! Not just Gwen, but Andreana, Emerald, Zander, and I'm sure there are others! Stop letting your emotions cloud your judgement. That is exactly the reason I'm Keeper and not you, you failed to keep your emotions seperate from your job. Hell Thomas, you're acting like a child and I don't need this! Right now you are my second-in-command, not a father." I bite, Thomas grinds his teeth together and wipes the emotion off his face. A veil of calm blankness falling in it's place, and I know I've pushed him too far.

"Of course Keeper." His voice comes out cold and mechanical, and way too formal. I sigh and rub my forehead with my palm, waving my other hand carelessly through the air.

"Go help the medics, boil the Bluemist and help distribute it throughout the chambers. When I need you I'll tell you in my thoughts, but for now, go clear your head."