2 2: The Gift and the Testing

~ Sector 4, Outside London, The Alati Sector 4 Headquarters ~

[???]: "Students will be arriving shortly, this is already the third day so everyone should be well aware of how things should proceed by now. We've already been blessed with an awakening right here and a total of eight others worldwide. So please, everyone continue to work hard and as they say on this world, put your best foot forward."

An old woman, appearing to be about retirement age dominated a small stage in a wide room. Volunteers and staff were packed into the large room, many eager to get started and some worn to bone already. The room was filled with whispers as conversations continued despite the speech, most having already heard something similar the last few days. Most would rather discuss the amazing event which happened only the day before.

"The second girl to awaken the gift happened right here just down the hall~"

"~ yeah, can you believe the wall had a huge crack in it ~"

"~ I'm worried, couldn't it have been worse? Imagine ~"

"~ the building actually shook! I thought it was an earthquake!"

"I saw her leaving with one of the Alati, she looked so composed! Like she expected~"

The woman at the front didn't try and quiet the room. She herself was still riding the high from having met the Alati testers and seeing the little girl who was now one of the most powerful humans alive. As the director of the testing event she even got to shake hands with the child, not even ten years old. How she wished she had been born in these times.

"~ ALL HEAR THIS ~ ALL HEAR THIS ~ THE FIRST COACHES ARE EXPECTED IN TEN MINUTES ~"

The noise instantly died out as everyone heard the sudden announcement. After a moment everyone refocused on the stage. The director grinned, appearing all of a sudden much younger as she said.

[Director]: "Everyone to their places!"

~ Waiting Room & Testing Room 232, 2 Hours Later ~

[Mrs Pearson]: "Please proceed inside Matthew and sit in the chair provided. Someone will be along shortly for the testing. Good luck."

Mrs Pearson called out to one of the last of her class remaining in the waiting room. Most of her students had already been tested by this point with predictable results. None had awoken the Gift. Disappointment and heartbreak could be found on every face that had left the testing room. While they remembered nothing of what had happened it would not change the result. In this life, they weren't one of the lucky few.

Matthew jumped up, fears and nerves went into overdrive for a moment before he took a deep slow breath. He had warned himself again and again what the chances were. How likely it was he would soon join the others outside and a different future ahead. It didn't change that right now, in the next few moments, he still had a chance.

He slowly approached the testing room which had flagged as 'ready' from the green light outside, meaning it was free. Students would leave from another door under escort so the room was empty when he pushed open the door. Just a single office type chair and desk. The only other item being a small wooden case in the center of the table which was firmly closed.

The chair felt like it might bite him when he sat, the room looming larger than it should be.

{"Its just nerves, deep breath, one - two - one - two... It'll be over quick and then what happens happens."}

After a few minutes the opposite door opened and for the first time in his life he saw an Alati in the flesh. It was a male who seemed about middle aged and remarkably human like. Small differences stood out, long deep silver hair and bright blue eyes. The tapering ears to a slight point and pale but not white skin. Aside from these though they shared much of everything else, far too much for mere coincidence.

The Alati has already explained the reason why, that in fact it was no coincidence at all. Earth was one of many worlds seeded by a far more advanced civilisation millions of years ago with a genetic 'destiny'. Sentient life would evolve because it had been programmed in such a way. The difference in form between those worlds were entirely environmental, from which adaptations had arisen. Only ruins remained of that once great race, their fate unknown.

This particular Alati stood out however. He wore an impeccable uniform in the Alati Navy colours and upon his shoulders an insignia of three black stripes. Matthew drew a sharp breath and nearly forgot to let it out. Black stripes on a military uniform were reserved solely for those enlisted with the Gift, ordinary personnel would use gold bars.

The Alati smiled at him and the door closed easily behind him, seemingly by itself. He walked towards the table and placed a single hand on the case as he studied the young man in the chair.

[Alati]: "Hello, young Matthew. The testing will begin in a moment. You need not worry as there is little you will need to do. I will be here until the end and will ensure everything proceeds as it should. If you do not possess the Gift I will remove your experience here, this is to prevent you from informing others of what you experience. Do you understand and agree to be tested, Matthew?"

The Alati did not give his name and he would not unless the test revealed the Gift. The student would not remember anything otherwise and the point would then be mute. Matthew immediately nodded, trying to seem far more confident than he actually felt. The Alati nodded in response and opened the case facing himself to pull something from within.

It was a small stone, seemingly like the smooth ones you could find on a pebble beach. It was dark black and otherwise entirely unremarkable.

[Alati]: "Focus on the stone in my hand and we will begin."

With one last deep breath Matthew did as he was instructed. For a moment nothing happened.

Then his vision went strangely dark, the room quiet. Then, he realised the quiet was absolute. No steady hum of the AC, no sound of breathing or creaking from the chair. No smell, sense of touch nor a hint of light. It was peaceful and yet the most terrifying thing he had ever experienced.

He tried to shout.

Then scream.

And cry.

He felt nothing but his emotions and the words they now wrote large across his mind. The darkness felt oppressive, invasive. Trying to get in. With no up or down he suddenly felt like he was falling and spinning at the same time, nothing to hold onto it felt like the floor had dropped away with a sickening lurch. He couldn't tell if he was screaming out loud or in his own mind, the distinction had seemingly fallen away with the floor.

{"HELP!"}

{"I'M SCARED!"}

Terror bloomed, panic descended. And with a jolt his mind something changed. His terror lashed out at the dark... and fought back.

The darkness tembled, light exploded from its depths and he saw what seemed like a star wink into existence. He could no longer recognise his own point of view. Sound rose from nothing like a wave, the sound strange, like nothing he'd ever heard. Then it ended and a hazy room came into view.

Matthew found himself against a wall, dust choking the air and the ceiling light flickering weakly. Pain flared across his mind and body, the ground seemed to tremble as he curled around his head hands pressing hard with a silent scream. Everything hurt.

What remained of the battered door the Alati entered from looked like it had been struck with great force. The room itself was devastated but Matthew saw nothing as his vision began to grow dark once more, only this time he sank in blissful unknowing.