"The candidate whose name is called out should go through the green door to take the test. Failure to do so within 30 seconds will result in immediate disqualification.
The Test of Heart starts now.
Aaron Russell."
A door, glowing green, revealed itself from behind drawn curtains beside the podium at the far end of the hall.
"Test of heart," Kody mumbled to himself. A weird expression formed on his face.
Definitely not what I was expecting.
A short boy with black hair and gold eyes walked towards the door. He was wearing a chainmail. This wasn't special, considering most people here dressed eccentrically.
There was even a girl in golden armor not too far from Kody.
Everyone watched as Aaron went through the door. It turned red as soon as he shut it behind himself.
A smile formed on Kody's face as his confidence was partially restored.
Test of heart, that doesn't sound that hard.
He knew his flaws in the strength department, and he had been pessimistic about his chances. A test of heart, however, required no muscle.
The thought of his increased chances made his grin grow wider.
He turned to Ariella, whom he expected to share his joys—since she didn't look the most powerful either. She, however, didn't hold the same sentiment as he.
Her eyes were wide open and her breath ragged.
"What's wrong?" Kody's brows furrowed.
"There has never been a Test of Heart before." She didn't even glance at him, her eyes were fixated on the red door. They were filled with… fear.
D'vonte's interest was piqued.
"So you know about the tests, like you got insider info?" he asked.
She then turned to them and said, "Something like that."
Kody felt a beam of realization.
So that's why she never looked particularly concerned. At least up until now. Maybe that's why she knew about the gas back in the room.
That's right I still don't know where she got the oxygen from.
Both of them looked at her in a new light. If what she said was true then they had an edge over everyone else.
D'vonte kept staring as if he was waiting for her to spill the secrets of the universe. She didn't say anything else as she fell into thought.
What she had said before, made Kody realize that this Test of Heart may not be as simple as he thought.
He took out a needle from his hair. His mother had carved it for him on his recent birthday. It was an acupuncture needle but he had turned it into a hairpin. Now it was going to be a weapon if things went sideways.
A sharp sound reverberated throughout the area as the door turned green.
"Levy Orion."
Kody's gaze swept around the vicinity. It was the golden-haired kid who got up, his blue diamond eyes seemed to sparkle as he walked towards the door with confidence.
"Cocky brat." D'vonte clicked his tongue.
Kody chuckled remembering their earlier episode.
Still, isn't he too young for this type of environment.
*
Levy opened his eyes when his name was mentioned. He looked behind and saw the large number of people who chose to follow him. He smiled and got up.
This is the first step, the first true step, he thought.
He walked towards the green door.
Test of Heart, I wonder what that's all about.
The door was before him, but he didn't open it.
His gaze turned to the hall and landed on Ariella, she was purposely avoiding his eyes. He just smiled.
Looking at the two people beside her, he mumbled, "So many unknown variables."
He then walked through the door and closed it.
He was in a narrow and short pathway containing only a bucket with a pair of gloves and a white coat in it.
He picked it up as his curiosity became more evident.
He walked towards the other door at the end of the pathway just a few meters away. It was also white.
Standing before it, he took a few minutes to steady his breathing.
"I can't afford to fail," he mumbled. As numerous faces flashed in mind.
He went through the door and the same formal voice rang out. "Test of Heart has begun. Five minutes timer has begun."
The room was dimly lit by the orange glow of numerous candles. Their sweet-smelling incense pervading the entire room. There was an altar in the middle of the room, and lying atop it was a bulky girl.
Levi moved closer to get a better look.
Her face was covered in tears and snot but she lay there unmoving. There was a napkin in her mouth but he inspected her some more to decide if he would remove it.
She was wearing a martial robe, similar to his—although hers wasn't silk—and the more he looked at her face the more familiar she looked.
A moment later he hit him. He had seen her getting dragged away after the filtration test.
She must have failed the filtration test, it's strange that she's still alive.
The girl seemed to be paralyzed but her eyes followed his movements and he could hear her muffled groans.
He looked around the room. That was when he noticed the second door—The exit. He moved towards it, leaving the girl behind.
The door was made of the same wood as the floor which creaked with every step.
There were three delicately carved holes in it: two small and a bigger one. The bigger one was carved in the shape of a heart. It was so meticulous that Levy thought, no, he knew a human heart would fit in it perfectly.
The other two small holes didn't have intricate designs, but he knew a body part that would perfectly fit in them. His eyes.
As he looked at the helpless girl lying on the altar, the true meaning of the Test of Heart hit him.
Each breath he took felt harder than the last as he walked to the girl. He stretched his hands to uncover her mouth, but he noticed his hands were shaking.
"Why am I flustered?"
Silence was his only answer.
He closed his eyes, stilled his heart, and removed the cloth from her mouth.
"Please don't kill me, please I'm begging. I'll do anything you want. Please…"
Her words were barely audible through her sobs.
"Don't beg me," he whispered. "I can't give you life."
The woman quieted down, but her sobs were still audible.
"What's your name?"
"F—Fl—Flora, Flora Gasis"
Levy sat on the floor and then leaned his back against the cool floor.
"Do you have any dreams, Flora?"
"Wh—what did you *sob* say,"
"Dreams Flora, do you have any?"
It took a few seconds for her sobs to die down and she answered the question.
"My sister," she said silently. "She was born blind and paralyzed. I just wanted her to live a normal life."
"And what does this dream mean to you?"
Flora's eyes lost focus as she fell into thought.
"Everything…" she said absentmindedly.
"You know I have to kill you right?"
The reminder made her start crying. But Levy held her hand.
He stood up and raised her back up so she was sitting. He then hugged her and whispered softly into her ears. "Let me have your dreams, let me carry your burdens."
With those words, she stopped crying, and with a clean hit to the neck Levy put her to sleep.
There was a timer just above the entrance door. He only had a minute and some seconds left, so he immediately got to work.
His bare hands pried into her chest and with more care than needed, he took out her still beating heart.
Then with the same amount of care removed here eyes with his bare fingers.
He took them to the door and placed them in their respective position and with a great hum the door opened revealing a new area to him.
"Congratulations Levy Orion you have successfully passed the test Test of Heart."
The voice echoed all around but there was a heavy silence in Levy's heart. He walked into the new area as a tear dropped from his eyes.
______________________________________
It hadn't been long since the golden-haired kid went in. Kody didn't think the boy would have any problems with the test. He was a textbook prodigy.
The people with the problems were the three of them. D'vonte had tried getting some information from Ariella but she didn't know anything useful, so the three of them mentally prepared themselves in silence.
The door went green and another person was called forth the tension was setting in as anybody could be next.
Kody was sitting on the floor resting, but mostly thinking, when D'vonte came up to him and sat beside him.
"Do you really wanna be here?"
Kody hearing the question let out a dry chuckle. His heart stirred at such a ridiculous question.
That was enough of an answer for him.
"My brother did."
Kody didn't know what to say so he just let him speak.
"He had done everything to get marked. Anytime I asked him why, he would say it was for the thrill. I didn't understand him. I still don't.
"Do you have a brother?"
"No." Kody shook his head.
"What a shame, we aren't that much different now."
There was silence. Kody had no idea what he was feeling, he had never lost anyone. The only thing he could give D'vonte was his attention and sympathy.
"I never wanted him to get marked, but he did. Luckily, I also got marked. I knew the gods were giving me a chance to protect him.
"A chance I wasted."
He then folded a piece of paper and passed it to Kody. He then said, "I might be asking too much, but I'll probably die very soon—I'm not really that good at anything. If you ever go to Dasher, please give this to my parents. I want them to know how useless I was."
He got up and left.
Kody held the crumpled piece of paper in his hand and then folded it into his pocket. If he could have his way then no one would die. But his own survival was a mystery, he couldn't save anyone. He wasn't strong enough.
On the twenty-seventh call, Ariella was called. She didn't even glance at them, she just walked towards the door with a sharp gaze.
They watched as her figure disappeared but none of them did as much as cheer.
They were all in their headspace.
Time flew fast and the hundredth call was made.
"D'vonte Levon."
It called out in its all too familiar voice.
________________________________
D'vonte stood up when he heard his name. He glanced at his side and saw Kody who gave him a thumbs up. He smiled.
They had really kicked it off but at the wrong place.
As he walked to the door, the voices in his head kept yelling about how it should've been his brother taking this test. They were right, and he knew.
Entering the door he was greeted by a narrow pure white pathway that had a subtle smell of incense.
Glancing around, he found the bucket and went to pick it up. Inside were a white lab coat, a pair of gloves, and an envelope.
A bit skeptical, he opened the envelope. In it were a blue pill and a note, he took it out and read it.
This pill allows a human body to function without a heart for three minutes.
—Tolkien.
He didn't know what any of that meant but he felt it was important, so he pocketed the pill and headed to the door with the bucket.
He stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath.
"For you Billy." He entered.
His eyes darted about for a second but paused on the altar. His body shook intensely as he saw what lay on it.
"Test of Heart has started. Ten minutes timer has begun."
It was his brother. It was Billy.