Cold Blooded

Chapter 14

Year's passed by since the abductions, the children were sad, malnourished, and scarred. Escaping was near impossible, few tried and all failed, some attempts even landed in fatality. Eira was 18 now, Nerugo told the Observers to keep her in a permanent solitary confinement so the other children would not impair her judgment. They kept her in a small stone cell at the back of the dungeon with one small bed and a bared window up high out of her reach. Eira's days were boring and spent either going to trials or waiting to go to trials, she had no friends to talk too and the guards weren't exactly into small talk. She hasn't seen Ara, Russell, or Nerezza since the escaping incident 3 years prior and she had no idea if Nerezza was really dead, or if that was just another elaborate lie concocted by Nerugo. One morning, Eira woke to the sound of cell doors opening and closing and the sounds of multiple foot steps throughout the halls. She sat up cautiously, confused on what the commotion was about. Nerugo walked up and stood outside her door, smiling happily. Eira eyed him through the bars, "What's going on?" She questioned, "Well you see" Nerugo started "We have narrowed down the amount of children were considering for a once and a life time opportunity!". Eira raised a brow at the mans wording, "Once in a lifetime opportunity?", Nerugo laughed at Eiras confusion, "Thats correct! We need the best of the best, and these children.. are not exactly what we're looking for" he explained and gestured over to the terrified children being taken out of their cells. Eira looked out in the halls, children were being lead out of their cells by armed guards and taken out of the dungeons. She turned her attention back to Nerugo, "What's going to happen to them?" She asked, Nerugo scoffed, "They're being taken to a facility out west. Once there, their skills will be assessed and it'll be figured out from that point." He responded. Eira nodded, "And uh, I'm going to stay here? I'm in consideration?" She questioned nervously. The tall man rolled his eyes, "Wow, you ask a lot of questions, little lady. But yes, you are. You're our only success story for our obedience training, we wouldn't throw you away after putting all that work into you! Now get ready, the trials are only going to get more difficult from this point on." Nerugo said, brushing some hair out of his face and preparing to walk away. Eira noticed this and quickly flew into action, "Wait!" She called, The man side eyed her and waited for her to continue, "Why are you telling me all this?" She asked. Nerugo smirked, "Well thats simple. What are you going to do about any of this? We have you under our thumbs, you can't do anything without our command. Now as I said, start getting ready. I believe your trial will commence in a few hours" he spoke happily and confidently walked down the hall and out of sight.