[PoV: Nico #####]
My eyelids slowly parted. My hearing was muffled, as if I were submerged in a turbulent ocean. My first sight was the blue sky and towering trees. But then, the sounds of explosions and gunfire from all directions became clear.
Bang! Bang!
Thump!
BOOM—!!
My hands pushed against the ground, lifting my body until I was sitting upright. My head... felt like the world was spinning. Finally, that sensation began to subside. My eyes scanned the surroundings, where dozens of corpses lay lifeless.
My eyes widened, my heart pounded hard. I felt shocked and unsettled seeing all of this.
"W-What the hell—!"
A bomb landed in front of me. My face felt tense. I wanted to run immediately, but my body felt frozen.
In that instant, a hand grabbed the collar of my shirt. It flung me far from that spot. Even though I had to feel the pain of my body being slammed hard against a tree trunk.
"Are you okay?" A voice reached me, soft, yet firm.
My gaze fixed on her—a woman with sharp eyes, her hair and eyes a silver like diamonds, her figure perfectly ideal like a woman accustomed to regular exercise.
Followed by another person beside her—a man with golden-yellow hair and eyes. He looked like a relaxed and cheerful person.
Even so, he didn't look completely at ease; their hands held weapons: Energy Rifles—technology typically used as military weapons, their ammunition coming from cartridges filled with energy stones used as the power source.
"You okay, Aurel?" the man asked the woman named Aurel.
"I'm fine," the woman replied.
"Good. But, who's he?" he asked, looking at me.
I was still gasping for air, my back against the rough tree bark. The pain from the impact still lingered, but more disturbing was the confusion clouding my mind.
Who are they? Where am I? Why is there a war here?
The silver-haired woman—Aurel—glanced at me with an unreadable gaze. Her eyes were sharp, like knives ready to slice through lies. "You're not part of the exam troops," she stated, more a declaration than a question.
The golden-eyed man raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe he's a new participant like us? And he just woke up long after the exam started."
"Maybe, yes," Aurel answered quickly. "He's unarmed, and his face... is too naive."
I frowned. "Naive"? I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult.
BOOM!!!
Another explosion shook the ground, closer than before, and bigger. Sand and leaves flew everywhere, the earth cracked in two, and I reflexively covered my ears.
"We have to go. Now!" Aurel insisted, her voice cutting through the war's noise.
The man nodded, then stretched his hand toward me. "Come on, get up. If you want to live, follow us."
I hesitated for a moment. Could I trust them? But the other option was to stay here, surrounded by corpses and explosions.
I took his hand and stood. "Who are you?" I said, my voice hoarse.
"I'm William," he replied with a brief smile. "And that's Aurel. Now, run!"
We darted through the forest, avoiding gunfire and enemy patrols. Aurel led with agile movements, while William occasionally turned to make sure I was still following.
Who were they, really? What did they mean by "exam participants"?
Aurel suddenly stopped behind a large rock, signaling for us to crouch. In the distance, a group of soldiers in black-red uniforms were scanning the area with weapons drawn.
"Exam Troops," William whispered, his face suddenly losing its cheerfulness. "They won't let exam participants complete their task and live."
Aurel pulled something from her belt—a small device with a holographic screen. "There's a secret bunker 300 meters from here. If we can reach it, we're safe."
William nodded, then looked at me. "Can you keep up with our pace?"
I gritted my teeth. I didn't know what was happening, but one thing was certain: I didn't want to die in this strange place. "I can."
Aurel observed me for a moment, then gave a short nod. "Good. Follow our steps exactly. One mistake, and we all die."
With that, we moved again. Through bushes, along ditches, avoiding enemy sensor range. Every step felt like gambling with our lives.
And in the midst of this escape, one question kept bothering me:
How did I get here?
Perhaps I could find the answer at the right time.
Our feet sped between the trees, heavy breaths forming white mist in the cold air. Every step felt like running on a minefield—one mistake, and we'd be detected.
Aurel moved like a shadow, soundless, traceless. William, though he looked relaxed, had deadly reflexes—he quickly pulled me behind a bush when an Exam Trooper almost spotted us.
"Quiet," he whispered, his finger pressed to his lips.
I held my breath. Through a gap in the foliage, I saw the soldier stop, his black helmet turning slowly as if scanning the environment. My heart beat wildly, almost wanting to leap out of my chest.
Crack!
A small sound from under my foot.
I had accidentally stepped on a twig.
The soldier's helmeted eyes instantly swiveled toward us.
"Detected!" he shouted, raising his weapon.
"RUN!" Aurel pushed me forward.
Blue energy shots sizzled around us, burning leaves and carving holes in tree trunks. William turned around, firing his Energy Rifle with deadly precision—one shot hit the soldier's shoulder, sending him down.
"Don't stop!" Aurel yelled.
We ran faster, my heart feeling like it would explode. Suddenly, the ground in front of us erupted, destroying our path.
"You are locked down!" A voice from a loudspeaker echoed. "Surrender, or we will eliminate you!"
Aurel halted, her eyes gleaming with cold determination. "William, plan B."
William nodded, then threw something from his belt—a small ball that instantly expanded into a thick smoke screen.
"NOW!"
Aurel pulled my arm, and we dove into the smoke. I couldn't see a thing, but she pulled me with certainty, as if she memorized every inch of this terrain.
A few seconds later, we arrived in front of a steel door hidden behind overgrown bushes. Aurel pressed her fingerprint to a panel, and the door hissed open.
"Get in!" William shoved me inside before expending his last rounds toward the pursuing soldiers.
The door sealed shut just as energy fire hit it from the outside.
Inside the bunker, blue neon lights glowed dimly. The room was small, filled with monitors, weapons, and medical equipment. I collapsed to the floor, my breath ragged.
"You... who are you really?" I asked, trying to make sense of the situation. My eyes glanced around. There were several people in this bunker, probably those referred to as "exam participants." Some seemed depressed, and some were in a somewhat better mental state.
Aurel removed her weapon belt with swift movements. "We are selected candidates for Nethera Academy, just like you. And we are undergoing a test to pass this exam."
"An exam... for what?"
William sighed. "You really don't know?"
I shook my head, still confused.
Aurel raised an eyebrow. "What's your name?"
My name... my name?
What is my name?
Why can't I remember my name?
.....