The Black Raven // Hyunlix

chapter 5

"Hey Chris, wait up," Felix says as he runs towards Chris. They are heading towards the first floor, for another day of practice. Chris turns around with a bright smile, "Aha, Felix, you're talking to me." Felix is surprised to see that Chris seems to be genuinely happy about that. Strange.

"Uh about yesterday, the black raven thing...," Felix asked him silently as he looked around to be sure no one heard them. "Mhm, don't worry. Just keep it to yourself. I knew you were smart enough to figure that out yourself" he says as if he can read Felix's thoughts.

"Let's go train now, huh?" he says excitedly as he wraps his arm around Felix's shoulder. Felix wonders why Chris puts so much trust in him, but he decides to pay it no mind.

 When they arrived on the first floor a weird vibe hung in the room. The candidates seem to be stressed out. Felix spots Minho and decides to walk up to him. "Pstt Minho, what's wrong?" he asked. "Some candidates heard the guards talk about another test today," he mutters, not even stressed out by the idea. 

Before Felix can answer Xalor's voice echoes through the room: "Candidates, today your minds will be tested by doing the Mind's Crucible test. It is a comprehensive psychological evaluation designed to assess a guard's mental resilience, problem-solving abilities, and decision-making under extreme stress."

Felix looked to the right of Xalor, only to find Hyunjin smirking. The test seems to be amusing to him, which makes Felix's anxiety spike. If he likes the test, it means it will be an awful one. 

There are 10 doors, every ten minutes they let a new candidate in for each room. The previous candidates don't leave the rooms through the original door, so there must be another exit. Because of that Felix hasn't gotten any information about what happens in the rooms.

After 50 minutes a voice is heard through the speakers: "Number 165, door 3." That's me..., Felix thought as he felt his stomach turn. 

He stood up and headed towards room 3. When he peeks through the door he sees Hyunjin sitting on a stool next to a white comfortable chair. The whole room was white and brightly luminated. 

He walkes towards Hyunjin, who only now looks up at him. "Finally, it's you," he says  with a mischievous grin. Felix doesn't respond and just awkwardly stands there. "Sit down, stray," he says strictly.

"Yes sir" Felix answers and sits down on the white chair. "Give me your arm," he orders. Felix reaches out his arm, which Hyunjin aggressively ties around the armrest of the chair. "Aw, why are you doing this?" Felix hissed. "Are you questioning my actions, Lee?" he grinned.

"Ofcourse not sir" Felix quickly answered. Hyunjin puts some type of crown on Felix's head, Felix assumed that with this device Hyunjin can look inside his brain. The thought of him being completely exposed made him nervous. 

As Hyunjin pushes the crown down on his head his thumbs briefly touch the sides of Felix's face. They make eye contact and Felix feels another spike of anxiety rush through him.

"Take this," Hyunjin said as he held out his palm in which he had a blue pill. Felix was tied up on the chair with both arms. "I obviously can't," he tried to say calmly, but his tone was filled with irritation. "Oh yeah, I forgot," Hyunjin says as his smirk grew bigger.

He pushes the pill against Felix's lips and says in a teasing voice: "Open your mouth for me, Lee." Felix did as he was told and Hyunjin's finger slipped in his mouth he pushed the pill on his tongue. 

"Goodnight, stray" he said eventually as his finger left his mouth. Felix swallowed the pill and felt his eyes close not long after.

Felix suddenly found himself in the heart of his hometown, transported back to that fateful day when the Beldonians had attacked ten years ago. He walked down the familiar streets, the once-thriving buildings now reduced to rubble and ashes. 

In a reflective window of a partially destroyed building, he caught a glimpse of his future self: a Veil guard. So Felix quickly understood that he was his future self, walking in his own past.

Then, a sound reached his ears, a heart-wrenching cry that sent shivers down his spine. He recognized it right away: it was Alia, his baby sister. She was just three months old when the attacks happened. Felix's heart raced as he followed the consistent cries to his old family home.

Peering through the broken window, he saw a scene that was deeply carved into his memory: three Beldonians, armed and threatening, had invaded his house. One of them held a gun to his father's head. 

These were real memories, and they felt like old wounds being ripped open. Felix fought back tears and forced himself to focus; this was a test.

His mind raced as he analyzed the situation. The Beldonians were armed, with one searching the living room, another guarding the exit, and the third keeping a gun to his father's head.

As a guard, Felix knew what he had to do. He quietly circled the house, the grip of his own gun tight against his belt. Silently, he slipped through the back door, approaching the Beldonian guarding the exit. 

Shooting was not an option, as it would alert the others. Instead, he reached for the knife concealed on his belt.

With precision and silence, Felix covered the man's mouth and swiftly cut open his throat. The Beldonian dropped without a sound. Felix took the fallen man's rifle, holding it at the ready.

"The documents aren't here, sir. You may shoot him," another Beldonian's voice was heard from the living room. 

Felix's heart pounded, he couldn't let history repeat itself. It was now or never. Adrenaline rushed through his body, he jumped on the Beldonian closest to his father, turning the gun away from his father and aiming it at the remaining invader. His mom yelled right before Felix pulled the trigger.

As the rifle's deafening sound filled the air, Felix didn't hesitate. He retrieved his knife and killed the man beneath him. The Beldonian dropped to the ground, lifeless. Gasping for breath, Felix rushed to his father, tears streaming down his face as he hugged him. It was unbelievable, his father felt so real as his warm embrace made Felix's heart overflow with happiness.

Felix's eyes flew open as he abruptly jolted out of the simulation. His breath was unsteady, and his heart was pounding. "Well done, Lee," Hyunjin said, "I assume that was your family?" Felix just nods as he tries to breathe steadily. 

"Interesting what revenge can do to a person, no?" Hyunjin says tilting his head. Felix's mind flashed back to the Black Raven and what he had done out of revenge. "Is your family alive, Felix?" Hyunjin asked as he removes the ties from Felix's wrists. "Mhm, my mother and my sisters are," Felix answered.

Hyunjin smiled softly and Felix's heart ached for him, he must be lonely. "Take care of them," he says as he finishes up and walks out of the room, leaving Felix flustered. What just happened? Why was he being kind of... nice?

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1211 words-  01/11/2023