Chapter 14:Opening up

The trial of Grasses. Name of the procedure that boys went under, experiment that won't allow the weak to survive, weeding out those weak minded or weak with their bodies.

Time that the experiment lasts for is a week, one week during which boys had to go through the torture and tests of their limits that they could sustain.

A week had passed from the start of the trial, during which a lot were left behind, forever leaving the mortal world.

August opened his eyes, looking around. His head was still spinning and his sight was still unclear, with black dots and fog covering the outside world. Entire body felt like it was boiled and brought to a condition of a noodle.

He attempted to move his limbs, and they moved. His eyes enlarged as he directed his sight on his hands. He squeezed and relaxed his palms, looking for changes.

Every time he squeezed his palm, you could spot how he was slightly twitching and his face changed to an ugly grin. Leaning on his shaking hands, he attempted to stand on the ground.

But his legs could not support his weight, just like a bag of sand he fell, kissing the ground.

With a gloomy grin, he leaned on his hands once more and stood on his knees that were trembling like a leaf on the wind.

Slowly he lifted his head, squinting his eyelids, he turned his head from left to right, as fog covering his sight started to disappear.

Right in front of him he saw a boy. His arms were thin, his legs were thin. His limbs that were neither moving nor twitching indicated only one thing. August looked up at the face of the boy.

With his eyebrows climbing on his forehead and with his eyes growing without any limits, he saw a face of the boy.

His cheeks were sunken and curved his skull in a leather bag. His eyes were open, inside of them you could see a pupil side of an eye and his mouth froze in the last moment. It is fully open, revealing a small trail of blood that runs down his face, towards his body. The blood was already dry. Nothing could be changed.

August, witnessing such a picture, turned the other way, not to see the face of the poor thing. But either way he tried to look, same faces, same expressions and same bodies were all around.

A hand landed on the August shoulder, making him twitch.

Living through something that felt like an eternal hell, August tried to shut his eyes, and tense his ,muscles.

Instead of something dreadful coming, he heard mans voice "Relax boy"

Hearing this voice made August drop to the ground, with tears gathering around his eyes. He exhaled lunges full of air and whispered, "I survived"

"I know," replied a familiar voice, and took August in his hands carrying him away from the dreadful place, that will forever remain in the memories of those that walked the same path. Those that are old and young…

…

Seasons once more started to replace each other. From sunny and warm days that make you smile and look at the sun, to the rainy days when the world turns yellow, painting the world in myriads of colours. When the freezing winds, send shivers down your spine, dropping small frozen droplets of water from the skies. When the snow melts making small rivers run down every direction and every place you could see, when the trees grow their first signs of leaves and indicate nearing of warmth.

August that went under the trail continued training, squeezing all juices from his young and full of energy body into something that is dry as a dessert. He was training day and night, learning all aspects, soaking himself in smelly sweat and till bloody calluses on both his palms form.

With August you could spot someone else, several kids trained alongside. There were a total of 5 including August. All of them seemed to have a good determination and were looking forward to the future.

"Agh, August! You don't need to be that violent on the training sessions," said a kid, having a gloomy grin on his face, while rubbing his red mark on his back.

"Teacher told us that things that are to come will be much more dangerous and we need to prepare. So stop crying like a crybaby."replied August before releasing a small snort.

His hands reached for a wooden sword that was plugged in the ground, pulling it up he stood in the ready stance, with his legs strong and focused eyes "Come again" said August pointing his sword towards Eskel, while showing a grin with one-sided smile.

"Show off!" said Eskel

He spat on the ground and took a stance with his muscles tensed. " This time I will get you!"

Eskel ran towards August with his hands high above his head with his wooden sword, ready to attack.

Almost using no effort, August ducked under the sword. Using the hilt , he smashed in right into his gut.

Eskel dropped to the ground, with his face changing colours.

His face turned red as he started to violently caught and catch for breath holding ,squeezing his chest . The feeling didn't let him off for several minutes; he dropped to the ground gasping for more air.

It took him a while, but he regained the ability to take a deep breath. He took a lung full of air and looked up to August.

His eyes were slightly red as his face continuously twitched.

He hissed "Harsh bastard"

He rose his arm towards August "I will get you next time"

"Okay, enough for today" spoke manly voice.

Hans walked closer to boys and started to instruct them on what to improve and what to do in the future battles.

Since the end of the trial, August spoke to Hans about those boys that he got a chance to speak and meet. For some reason, that stayed unknown to most of the older witchers. Hans decided to take them as his students for the time being. He said that he will instruct them for the time being, while they are in the process of the preparation for the next trial.

They will have another teacher after the final trail of mutations is done, but for now Hans agreed on teaching August, Geralt, Eskel , Lambert and Gwelt.

After an exhausting day boys went back into the room where they stayed since they passed the trial. Instead of the huge warehouse, they were moved into a much smaller room with 5 sleeping places.

Eskel spoke entering inside of the room "I always wanted to ask you guys, how did you end up in a place such as this?"

Eskel looked towards his friends that were not answering, slightly pouting he looked towards Geralt. "Geralt?"

Geralt dropped on the chair, giving Eskel a fleeting glance.

"August?"

He dropped with his back on the bed and looked at the ceiling without blinking. The only change that appeared once in a while was his pupils either shrinking or enlarging.

*Sigh* Eskel looked at Gwelt, searching for any support inside of the older boy. "Gwelt, come on"

"Haha" Gwelt chuckled.

Rubbing back of his head, he looked towards a small window in the room and spoke "It's a long story…"

Rolling his eyes up, Eskel said "Tell it short"

He crossed his arms on his chest, digging a hole in the Gwelt forehead using his eyes.

"Well" spoke Gwelt

"My father… wasn't best of the man" His sight slides to the sides as he continued.

"I never knew my mother, so I can't tell you what of who she is. My only real family was father….. All I can express is that he took care of me to what he believes is the best for me "

Gwelt eyes went up as he looked towards Eskel. With a small smile appearing on his face he continued, "He wished me the best….he truly believed that this place is better than what awaited me in case I followed after his steps. That is why I'm here"

Nobody spoke for the next minute or so, enveloping the room into an awkward silence.

Eskel who initiated the conversation, observed everyone's faces saying "Lambert". He looked towards Lambert who had a grumpy grin as usual "What about you?"

Lambert strolled around the room, before stopping in front of the wall and hitting it with his fist. The punch was strong enough to cause his fist to bleed.

Pulling his fists back, he looked at how blood was seeping down his arm. "My father… He just really loved me and my mother"

Eskel searched for anything that could be less depressive and found no other way, but to speak for himself, "If anyone is interested, I lived in the mountains with my mother"

He stopped for a second, looking thoughtful. It took him a minute before a small smile appeared on his face. "She was used to singing songs before I went to sleep until… until she … was gone"

Suddenly, another boy spoke. It was Geralt "All I remember is hair colour of blood and eyes as emerald"

Eskel who heard Geralt speak, directed his gaze at him. "Do you remember anything else?"

Geralt silently shock his head, directing his gaze in the distance, he whispered "barely"

Eskel looked at August, awaiting him to speak, patiently, waiting "August?"

August lifted his hand up and squeezed it until his nails penetrated his skin. "One moment they are there, right inside of my palm…."

His hand relaxed, spreading all five fingers

"In an instant there is nothing left… but a hollow… memories"