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

3: Pain

The prisoner jumped toward her, the circular swords sparking with blue electricity.

She pulled up the staff, blocking the first blade. She yelled as she swept the other end of the staff toward the man's legs. She snapped her teeth shut so hard she felt the pain flare into her skull as the second blade grazed her arm, searing the wound shut with the blue electricity. The staff connected with his boots and he fell backward, rolling his body over so he rested on one knee.

Aella stepped backward, holding the staff in front of her. The tip sparked and glowed with a white light in the dim lighting. "I have been ordered to kill you," she told him. Her voice sounded cold and mechanical, a copy of the Computer's.

He tilted his head, then raised his head and laughed. His body contorted as the harsh cackles filled the room, the blood vessels on his neck protruding through his pale skin with a blue hue. His eyes filled with red blood vessels, and the cackles ended as abruptly as they had started, ending with a gurgle and a hiss as he stood, leaning to one side as he swayed back and forth.

Aella's eyes grew wide and she stumbled backward, shaking her head. "Medic," she screamed.

The man's head turned to her, but his eyes slid to an area of the floor away from her.

She heard a door slide open behind her, and she stepped to the side as a training robot zoomed past her on its singular orb-wheel. Her hand went to her mouth as the robot grasped the man with its mechanical arm and volts of electricity traveled into his body. He contorted in silence for several seconds, then his head fell to the side as his eyes closed.

"Don't kill him," she shouted. Aella let out a gasp, her breathing coming in long bursts as she realized she had been holding her breath. She watched as the robot laid the prisoner on the floor and turned to her.

"Prepare for battle," the Computer announced.

Aella yelled as she jerked the staff up in front of her face as the robot dashed forward. Its metal arm hit the staff and she felt the heat on her face. The two fingers crackled as the electricity traveled through them and into her metal staff.

Aella threw back her head and screamed. The electric shock ripped through the staff, through her hand,she and into her muscles. Her legs jerked beneath her, and her hands spasmed as she let go of the staff. Her staff dropped to the concrete, echoing in the small arena.

She cried as she sank to her knees. Her arm muscles ached and her palms were red and tender. The voltage hadn't been enough to knock her unconscious, but enough to make it difficult to move. Her head rolled to the side and she saw the robot moving back toward the prisoner.

The prisoner lay in a lump across the room, silent and unmoving after the robot had dispatched him with a single blow. His chakram blades were only a few feet away, still glowing with blue energy.

The robot moved toward the prisoner, its arms still sparking with electricity.

Aella tried to move and she groaned as her muscles moved. She was going to be stiff for a few hours. She pushed herself off from the ground and paused, taking a deep breath of air. She stood and stumbled forward into a run, sliding onto the ground just behind the robot and grabbing the chakrams around their hilts. She pushed herself up as the robot grabbed the prisoner by his arm. The man's body jerked in place as the electricity flowed through him.

She jumped forward, slamming the chakram down into the groove where the robot's head met its stomach. She yelled as the blue energy sparked against the plastic, and sparks flew into the air. The robot jerked twice and fell to its knees, landing with a clatter on the floor.

Aella leaned forward and dropped the chakrams, coughing as she felt her stomach move. Her vision blurred and she moved to her knees, taking deep breaths. She crawled over to the man, taking his pulse. Her throat constricted as she saw a trickle of blood coming from his mouth, and tears came to her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Your trial has been completed," the Computer's voice said, blaring in the silence of the room. "Please make your way through the tunnel where a medical technician will be waiting for you."

Aella slammed her fist onto the ground, clenching her teeth.

She turned her head, seeing the robot laying in a pile on the floor, a small tendril of gray smoke rising from the melted plastic. The door to the exit slid open, making a small hiss in the quiet room.

Aella squared her shoulders, the slight hum of students in the Assembly Hall bleeding through the metal door. Music joined the voices, blurring both into a mass of sound. She grit her teeth, feeling the thin layer of protectant on her face tighten the skin, and winced.

She couldn't remember what the trial had been. Her muscles felt stiff and there was a slight bump on her face where a healing patch had been applied to her skin. Goosebumps littered her skin and her breathing was uneven. The medical technician had told her the effects of the memory wipe would be temporary and the chills would dissipate within thirty minutes.

The elevator beeped, green light forming arrows on the black walls of the small space, flickers of light reflecting off of the curved walls.

The door slid open to the lobby, where clusters of graduates stood around the area. She glanced toward the right, where a door led out of the Assembly Building and to the dormitories. She stepped out of the elevator and paused as she met the brown eyes of a tall woman across the room, a familiar smile on her face as she waved.

Aella felt her body relax as Chloe hurried over to her.

"What happened?" she asked, her eyebrows drawing together in worry.

"Do you remember what happened in your trial?"

Chloe nodded, and Aella felt her throat constrict. The woman wrapped her arms around Aella's shoulders, pulling her closer to her.

Aella rested her forehead on Chloe's shoulder, taking a deep breath. She exhaled with a sigh.

"Come on," Chloe said. "We aren't required to attend the debriefing. Let's go get our spot so we can watch the fireworks."