In the Ruins of Hope (Centauri Asaris: Book 1)

Resolve

"Welcome, students!" the intercom blasted, "Congratulations on finding your way here!"

The stadium erupted with enthusiasm. The students had passed the first part of the exam. Now, all we had to do was to pass the second test, which was a mystery. I had heard people around me talk about the possibilities of what it could be. For the most part, it was just speculated talk, but a few people agreed on one theme: that most would fail.

The Headmaster had found his way to the center of the gym. "As you all know, your test is not over, and there's a high chance of failure. However, do not feel discouraged, if you fail the test, in the middle of the school year we will conduct another entrance exam. Hopefully, you will give your best so you won't fail," the headmaster encouraged as he waved his hands to all of the people in the room, "Everyone is already divided into their given focuses. Every group will be guided into an area to take their own test. Each test is different depending on your focus, so good luck and I hope to see you in school next week!" The Headmaster left the area and the student council and the Directors of Focus replaced him.

The student president, Scarlet Mason, had a microphone in her hand and began giving directions. Scarlet said, "Each focus will be lead to their area by their Director of Focus and a student council member belonging to that specified focus." After she informed every student who they would follow, the students began to shuffle out of the door.

"Did she say where we go?" Alisa asked.

"Yeah, she said we had to stay here with her and the Director of Military Focus," answered by a voice behind us.

We both turned our heads to see the boy we saw on the street this morning. I mentally sighed. "Oh! It's you! The rude dude on the street!" Alisa chirped loudly causing a couple of snickers from around us. "What's your name?" Alisa asked

"Alex Davidson," Alex said grimly as if he regretted telling us the answer to Alisa's question.

"So what's your problem anyway?" I asked, "Is it just because I ran into you this morning, or do you have some deep hatred towards me?"

"I hate your family with you included," he said as a darkness fell over his eyes. As he said those words, I could feel his hatred toward me grow.

I gulped. Why does everyone hate my family, and why is it only starting now and not in middle school? What have my parents been doing? The air around him had changed violent and I could only ask, "Why?"

Before he answered, Scarlet spoke on the intercom, "Students! Mr. Downey, the Director of Military Focus, and I will be your proctors for your final exam. This test is top secret, so if you leak any information out after the test, there will be dire consequences. Because this year we have so many people going into the military focus, we will be having a duel. This duel will consist of two parts: the preliminaries and the final contest."

The Director of Military Focus continued, "The preliminaries will lower the number of contestants down to a manageable number. Currently, there are 200 students wishing to enter the military focus. That means that out of the 500 possible students that came, about half of them want to enter my focus. I remind you that all over the nation, thousands of students are taking the exact same test as you, and from each group, we can only take 50. So, out of 200 students, we have to lower that number down to 50. The preliminaries will cut the number down to 100 and the final will cut the number to 50." As he further explained the numbers to make sure everyone was clear on what he was saying, a sudden fear crept over me. He was at my interview. The interview which I had left crying because of the words: "You will never join this school." This exam was the easiest way they could cut me out of the school. My chances of passing the test are quickly dropping.

My face seemed to show my worries, for Alisa put her hand on my back. She said, "Don't worry you are one of the strongest fighters I know. If you can't pass, no one will." As if she had cast a spell, my worries came to a halt. They were still there, but they were overcome by a sense of hope. Alisa saw my change and she smiled. Like always, I smiled back.

Scarlet spoke after Mr. Downy was done, "Your tests will both be scored on your fighting ability. You will be randomly paired with another person to fight. The rules are: you cannot use magic and you cannot seriously harm the other. If you break any of these rules, you will be automatically disqualified. Once you are picked, you must come down to the arena and pick a weapon or weapons. Once both opponents are finished, the fight will begin. Now let's begin!" The student president and the Director of Focus made their way to the black box in the center of the arena. They pressed several buttons and the floor around them began to shift. The ground grew hills that contained grass and trees. Rocks popped out of the floor. The floor began to split and there was now a river running in between the newly made floor. Everyone watched in amazement. "This will be your battleground!" Scarlet sang. She pressed a few more buttons and a large screen came down from the ceiling containing the image of the two people standing on the newly created ground. The screen changed to a solid black page. Scarlet pressed some more buttons and two white boxes formed. They were separated into three sections. Scarlet said, "Everyone get ready, your number might be called." As she said this, the first number was displayed on the screen: 328. Behind me, a boy stood and walked toward the entrance to the stadium floor. He was tall and well-built. The next number got displayed: 480. It was my turn.

I got up from my seat and sighed. I didn't doubt my fighting skills, but I have stage-fright. I hate performing in front of crowds. As I walked, Alisa shouted, "Good luck! Beat his ass!" I let out a sigh and smiled. I waved back without turning around. I knew I had to beat him or else I won't be able to join this school. It was right then that I knew I was going to join this school no matter what it takes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Picture Details:

This is the black box that controls the scenery of the gym. The gray floors are underneath it. The machine only works when someone from the school or someone who has powerful magic provokes it. When it is running, a control panel comes out and is stationed on top.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found this picture here: http://astounde.com/senate-demands-mandatory-black-boxes/