Arvium [I.L.S. Beta Game #1]

2: Memory

Aella's fingers touched the bump under her jacket, the cool surface of the crystal pressing into her skin. She took a deep breath as she entered the tunnel from the Assembly Hall to the Testing Center. The round sides of the black tunnel curved toward the ceiling barely lit except for the glowing green arrows on the walls, ceiling, and floor that were moving in the same direction as her group. The four graduates in front of her stopped at the door, and a horn sounded in short bursts. She glanced at the projection above the closed door, sighing when she saw the red light surrounding the doorframe.

Aella snapped her fingers, searching the command window that appeared in the air in front of her for any changes. The Computer had sent her trial coordinates to her eye implant, along with the reminder to see the health technician after she completed the testing room. She snapped her fingers again and the implant turned off. She turned to the wall and leaned against it, crossing her arms and hanging her head.

"Caution," a mechanical voice said. "Testing in Progress. Please wait for your turn and enjoy the view."

Her eyes hurt for a moment as the hallway filled with soft white light. As she looked up, the covers on the tunnel receded beneath the floor, showing the falling snow. Sheets of swirling white flakes danced on the tunnel's glass surface, small ghosts of shadow flickering through the flakes as the wind changed directions.

She shivered, even though the tunnel was heated. The black sides of the Assembly Hall showed in sharp contrast, the peaks and curves of the building already softening with the snowdrifts.

Sighs filled the silence that followed the end of the horn announcement as the other members of her team turned around. There were two men and two women. They were all about the same height--varying four or five inches above her own height of 5'2." One of the other women had a braid hanging neatly over her shoulder and down to her chest, moving slightly to show a white stripe just below her collarbone, signifying her medical training. The others in her group had regulation-length hair, and all had the Diplomatic Corps patch on the left shoulder of their gray uniforms.

A deep baritone voice spoke first."Looks like someone already beat her up."

Aella ducked her head and clenched her teeth, feeling warmth flood through her body.

"Now we'll have to wait for medical to get done with her," the other man in her group said with a huff.

"Be glad she isn't going to have the strength to fight her best," one of the girls said. "She'll never impress the Computer. She's going to give us a better chance."

"There is more to the trial than brute force," Aella whispered.

"Yes," the second man answered.

Aella looked up as his hand entered her view, and she looked up into his face. He was tan, like every other member of Quadrant 56, the skin around his deep brown eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. She shifted under his gaze and he held up his hands and shook his head.

"Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just--I've never seen someone with green eyes before. Outside of the broadcasts from the Capitol, that is."

"I know," she said, looking down at her feet.

"They're pretty," he said. "Really."

"Testing available," the mechanical voice of the Computer stated. Aella looked up as the red lights switched to green. "Team 23, advance through the doors and enter your training room."

Aella took a deep breath as she stepped behind Jose, her hands closing into fists at her side. The door in front of them slid open, and a cool rush of air poured into the hallway.