Legacy: The Unravelling

V

Performance tests, the most dreaded test that any Nova Prime cadet can think of after they become 15 years old. Before that age, they can only think of the monthly progression check-ups on their academies but after they are sorted into teams at the age of 15, a yearly PT is required to measure their combat and teamwork skills.

Today, instead of teams entering into the submarine cave system that was the pride of Khaeni society, were only two teenagers. Kiara and Liam would compete between each other on the retrieval of a Marrick familial crest placed somewhere within the deserted island of Genovy. An island so difficult to get to that, unless you had ownership of a fast and sturdy naval ship, the safest and fastest way would be to go through the labyrinth that they were about to enter to from different locations of the main Khaeni island. The reason being is that the waters were plagued of sea creatures so dangerous and untameable that most of them were unrecorded, so there really was not a way to know for sure what lived underneath those waters.

People gathered to see both of the last remaining Alphas descend by means of ropes into two different caves with nothing more than the supplies provided to them and themselves. Said supplies merely consisted of a waterproof bag with a water tumbler, a waterproof lantern designed to increase their visibility and a dagger and both of them were expected to survive using only those materials as the test would evaluate their survival skills, their tactical skills, their analytical ones and their perspective ones.

One inside Liam looked above to see the sky before sighing and taking out his lantern. The PT organisers had only provided them with clues on how to navigate the cave system so they were left to figure out the way to the island by themselves, and that had to be done promptly since they only had 5 days to go, retrieve the crest and return. And so, he started walking further into the cave, being greeted promptly by a pool of water that continued for a while.

"Guess I'll have to swim for a while." he thought groggily.

Approximately an hour later Liam was laying on top of a rock breathing heavily.

-Bloody hell, and I still have a lot to go...- the ash-blonde murmured as his grey eyes watched the endless water path.- At least I won't have to dive.-

And so, he continued to swim taking occasional breaks until he lost his sense of timing, but by the time he reached another long streak of land, he was exhausted and hungry. Deciding that he would continue walking he proceeded, noticing after a while that there was a sudden gust of cold wind, indicating that he was close to an exit.

He suddenly felt rejuvenated and quickly ran to the direction from which he felt the wind coming soon coming to a halt when he was presented with two paths, both from which the wind could be felt, rolling his eyes with frustration he sat down wondering which way he should take until he decides to do something silly but effective: To use his sense of smell.

All cadets trained in Khaeron are trained at least once in the cave system because they are the ones, besides the royal family that should and need to be able to know where they are going within the labyrinth, that is why they train them to use all of their senses effectively, not only their sights as to turn them into expert navigators.

Approaching the path from the left he took a deep breath, noticing straight away a salty smell, so he decided to smell the other path, noticing that it smelled fresher than the other one.

"Salt in an island means saltwater, fresh in a green island means wind and quite possibly a place full of trees." he thought immediately deciding to go to the right.

Walking for what he estimated to be at least 35 minutes, he noticed the exit from the cave he was in and judging from the position of the moon and stars, it was late in the night.