Corinth: A Battle for the Homeland

II : Minaden

Cretil 23, 2095

"So, how have you been?" her mother asked while driving. It snapped out the silence between them as they were headed to The Wall, the venue for the Verification Exams. Fiona looked at her mother and smiled, then she looked back at the road.

"Everything's fine, Ma. Everything's fine." Although she knew deep down in her heart, it wasn't. She was about to fail an exam and worse, she wouldn't make her mother proud.

Her mother nodded and took a quick glance at her. Fiona avoided looking at her and pretended she was studying her lectures. Fiona then observed the surroundings that she would miss if she were to fail the exams

The hover crafts passing by, the high-rise buildings that covered the sunlight, and the fresh air that never failed to surprise her. She wondered if everything was like this in the Land of Rejects.

"Look," her mother said. "Your father and I care about you. Whatever will happen, you fail or not, we still love you for who you are! The exams aren't about passing and becoming the best of them all, but it's more of showing who you are! Maybe, you're not smart, but it doesn't mean the end of the world! Maybe you're a fighter, a healer or maybe more!"

Fiona scoffed at her mother's mention of her father. She understood how much her mother loved her, but her father only loved his second family. Her father was a drunkard, he chose his other woman because he said he was "done". But even though Fiona's father did this, her mother still loved him, no matter what the sin. Sometimes, Fiona pitied her mother. She would get depressed, hurt, but she still loved him.

Besides from the father issue Fiona was thinking, she also thought of the exams which lead her quickly into deep sorrow. This brought pain to her chest and she exhaled.  How could she let her mother, the only one that supported her all throughout her life, down? How could she make her a bit more proud and forget about her father if she was going to fail the test?

No. She was not failing this. She raised her head and held her chest. She knew she had this.

A few minutes later, a gigantic gray fence emerged into view. Even from afar, it was very obvious that the structure was thick and very high, too looming if observed from exactly below. That was it. The Wall.

The Wall separated the four nations: The Parliament of Minaden, The Republic of Dalikamata, The Guinid Empire, and the Land of Rejects. A legendary kingdom was even rumored to exist which was called the Kingdom of Soumorian, but no evidence was found as to support this kingdom was real.

Their car stopped near a 5-story building, maybe the smallest building if it wasn't attached to The Wall. Its windows automatically moved depending on the temperature inside of the building and outside of it, adjusting itself so proper ventilation was around the building and the electricity spent on the auto-air-conditioning units weren't a waste. A big black-tinted door that opened itself as visitors and employees went in front of it. An emboss was written at the top: "Verification Centre of the Parliament of Minaden" or also referred to as VCPM or doomsday by people of her age.

Fiona looked at her watch and realized she only had 15 minutes left before the first part of the exams start: An interview of her personality. Once the car completely stopped, she opened the car door and went out. Then she felt her mother grab her wrist and pulled it a little. She looked back and saw her mother smiling.

"Good luck, hon! I love you!" Fiona smiled and nodded. She looked away, felt her mother's hand slip away, and ran to the entrance of the VCPM.

The entrance door opened and she went in. She heard a soft hum that came from nowhere that automatically scanned her body for dangerous items, in which, Fiona doesn't. Fiona ran down the lobby, which was cozy because of the coffee table that was curiously always warm, and two couches surround it.