The Champion's Exam promises riches, adventure and the title that creates legends.
Only on problem; it is known for killing its applicants.
Eko Malone, a twelve-year-old boy stuck on an island his entire life, has only known one thing about his pa...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The elevator shook, unsettling creaks and shudders from the elevator's movements. This worried Waldo and Zakora, but Francesco seemed content with the elevator's noise, taking no heed to it, so Eko felt not need to either.
The only light came from the overhanging on as the elevator descended to a darker world. Like the elevator, the temperature dropped to a bitter cold. Zakora took in a deep breath and made a deliberate exhale; a slight cloud of mist evaporated before him.
"Why is it so cold?" Zakora queried.
Francesco licked his teeth as he made faces, deciding what the best way to explain himself was. Soon, he just shrugged, "So you don't sweat perhaps."
As the elevator continued to go down, Eko was able to see into the space they were going. It resembled a large, man-made cave. It was an enormous amount of space with nothing but a crowd of people in it. "These tunnels use to be used to trade between continents during the Great War and the Gang Wars," Francesco said as if he found it fascinating, "The citizens were able to keep their economy and sustain themselves even under great duress. Now it just comes in mainly through ships and farmlands."
Eko wasn't paying attention, but Waldo and Zakora found a similar fascination in it. Eko noticed how damp the walls and the ground seemed, everything giving off the appearance of wetness and the air thick and stale, it caused him to scratch his nose several times.
When the elevator landed on the ground floor Francesco opened it for the trio to exit. "You guys have officially made it to the randevu point of the Champion's Exam," he sounded as if he was reading from a script, "The Champion's Exam will begin shortly. We ask you to be patient until then. Mingle, make friends, get as much out of this experience as you possibly can until then. I bid you farewell, Champion applicants." He bowed to them before pressing the button to go back up to the tea shop.
Eko called out to him and waved him away.
Looking to the crowd of people, Eko felt as if he was back on Emerald Island's docks. Littered about everywhere were men and women waiting for the Champion's Exam to begin, but unlike the men at the docks, there was so much variety among these people. Men who were polar opposite to each other, skinny, chubby, muscly, scrawny, woman who didn't look like applicants due to dresses and hats and feeble appearances. Zakora saw people meditating on the ground and others exercising, ranging from jogging to sit ups.
But what they all had in common was a vibe of intimidation. With each step the three took more people noticed them, glaring at them, staring, attempting to show off how dangerous they believed themselves to be.
Eko didn't notice though, or he chose not to acknowledge it, as he walked fearlessly among the people in an attempt to find his friend.
Waldo folded his arms, attempting to hold himself proudly, but he could feel the weight of everyone's stare. Zakora noticed much of the attention was on the boy, marching carelessly throughout. It was a hungry stare, like a hunter to their prey. It unsettled him.
