The Lute Mark

"Let me give it a go," Asdras said, stepping forward, a spark of determination in his eyes.

He looked at the items, his eyes narrowing on the ball. It was a small sphere, its rough metal surface intricately crisscrossed with thick, half-inch lines that pulsed with a faint purple light, casting eerie shadows on the stone walls.

As he touched it, the ball felt cool and slightly rough, the purple lines emitting a gentle warmth that contrasted with the cold metal. When pressed firmly, it hummed softly, releasing an invisible magnetic field that irresistibly drew nearby metal objects with a faint, almost musical vibration.

He knew what it was. He had used it twice against the monster in his awakening. The inspection reading reads, "Common magnetic ball, press hard to generate a magnetic field around 5 meters."

'Those days...' Asdras shook his head, the memories of his past battles flooding back and their faces haunting his mind.

Next, he looked at the black container. Its surface was smooth and dull, absorbing the light rather than reflecting it. It read, "A common live container can keep living things for a day."

'Interesting,' Asdras thought. 'Perhaps it holds plants or insects, keeping them alive for a day.'

The last item he saw was the knife. It had a simple yet functional design, the blade dull with wear but still sharp enough for basic tasks, reading: "common general use knife, can be used for anything but lacks strong points."

Asdras felt his eyes hurting, a sign that it was time to stop using the system. He pondered before saying, "As for the tools, we've checked them all. We have the magnetic ball, the container, and the knife."

"The magnetic ball is quite impressive," Asdras noted, his tone grave. "It attracts metal within a five-meter range, which is useful for strategy. The black container preserves life for a day. And the knife, well, it's just a knife."

Finn squatted to pick up the tools. "The other two items are nothing special. The hook works with the rope, and the water can, well, it's just water. Still, based on your information, Asdras, we have some good possibilities here."

"Let's have a look at the others," Merida interjected, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

She focused on the potion. The liquid inside the vial shimmered a vibrant green, swirling as if alive, reading, "Common green potion heals light wounds and fatigue. If poured on an open wound, it can seal it."

Merida tilted her head to look at the other items: a small bottle, reading "common antidote, heals common venom and poison," and pale yellow straps, "first aid straps, with healing properties to help wounds heal faster."

"Alright." Finn nodded, his voice confident. "We've got versatile tools and double health items. Plus, these snack bars are basically energy supplements. It's time to get practical about our next steps. Thoughts?"

"I'm worried, mates," Stig said, breaking his silence, his hands clenched into fists. "I'm not afraid for myself, but what if we mess up? The teacher told us it would cause a disaster and impact the area around Baurous. My family lives there!"

Silence enveloped them, the weight of his words sinking in. They were worried, but some chose to think otherwise, while others took the route of not thinking too much.

"I hate this," Joah said, his voice low and rough. "It's like a voice in my head, constantly saying we'll fail and lose everything. Telling me we'd be better off dead than watching them die because of us. And that we'd be remembered as the reason for it all."

Joah sat with his head in his hands, his fingers gripping his scalp as if trying to keep his thoughts from spilling out. His face contorted in a grimace of frustration.

"We just scraped by in that damned awakening," Joah continued, his voice getting louder. "And now, just half a month later, we're off to an even worse place. On top of that, there'll be hell to pay if we fail. I can trust myself to get out of tight spots, but not to come out on top."

"We've no clue about the odds, damn!" Joah grumbled. "What kind of monsters? What traps, what challenges? And for crying out loud, how long will it last? A week? A month? A year?"

His hands trembled slightly, the tension in his fingers palpable as they dug into his hair, seeking some form of release. "I can't fail my grandma. I can't fail my father. I've got goals to reach. I've got things to do. Damn it!"

A surge of anger coursed through Joah. His eyes snapped open, blazing with a fiery intensity. The shadows in the room seemed to flicker and twist as if they were alive. With a guttural but low growl, he pushed himself to his feet, his nails scratching the floor as he stood.

Joah looked at them, his eyes a tumultuous mix of tears of sadness and dry anger. He fixed his posture and clashed his left hand with his chest. "I have to win this. We all have to. I'm begging everyone to give their all and support each other. Damn this Eruption. Damn this world. If this is what it takes to stay alive, then so be it!"

Asdras felt his palm burn with an intensity that made him wince. 'Trust Joah,' he thought, reflecting on the message. There was something in Joah's outburst that made him see him in a new light, as if he were truly seeing him for the first time.

He saw himself walking toward Joah, placing his hands on his shoulders, and gazing into his eyes as if peering into his very soul. He took a deep, steady breath and said, "We're going in alive and coming out alive."

Asdras stepped back, his eyes drifting up to the ceiling of the hall. It was just like any other building in the academy, with iron pipes crisscrossing overhead and lights dangling from cables. The pattern of pipes and wires reminded him of something Joe once told him.

"I agree with you, Stig, Joah," Asdras said, his gaze returning to them. "I was once told that patterns are the refuge of the lost. We need them. Finn already asked about it. We don't know anything about the Eruption. Hearing about it in a lecture and learning the basics is one thing, but experiencing it is another."

"It was like our awakening," Asdras continued. "When we asked, we were given vague answers. Later, we learned that it was a reflection of our experiences. What I'm trying to say is, we can't continue on dark thoughts, but we do need some kind of plan."

"I agree," Lisandra added, her voice trembling slightly. "My mother said not to shy away from fear because it can guide us. But too much fear can paralyze us. We don't talk about our experiences during the awakening, and I understand why. I don't know when I'll be ready to share mine with anyone."

Lisandra took a deep breath before continuing. "But I'm sure each of us went through a lot. Whether it was facing monsters, navigating traps, or making hard decisions, we survived that nightmare; we can survive this too."

"What worries me is the others," Merida interjected. "I grew up on the outskirts of the city. I know what desperate folks can do. I once saw a boy stab another for a few coins because he hadn't eaten in a week."

"I can't believe I'm still standing," Merida murmured, a weak smile on her lips. "Considering all I've witnessed and what I endured during my awakening… If the others went through similar trials, and if the teacher's words hold, I don't know if I can trust myself out there…"

"We gotta be strong," Stig said, his voice steady. "My uncle always said strong folks think simple. I'm not like Finn, all thoughtful, or as smart as you lot. For me, it's simple: if I'm strong, I fight; if I'm weak, I run."

"What do we know about the others?" Joah asked.

Asdras shook his head. He only knew about his group and hadn't had many profound interactions with them.

They all turned to look at Finn. If anyone knew something, it would be him.

"My bad, everyone," Finn said, shaking his head and sighing. "I don't have much info. Spent too much time in the library. All I know are some rumors, mainly about Nate Noctis's daughter and a guy called Lucien."

"Word is, Natalia gets special treatment, and her group worships her," Finn continued, a hint of frustration in his voice. "And Lucien? Supposedly a battle genius. Beyond that, I've got nothing."

"Do you think we'll get any information from the academy about them?" Asdras questioned, leaning forward, eyes fixed on Finn.

"Not a clue," Finn shrugged, sounding exasperated. "I'd like to think so. But with how urgent everything sounded from the teacher, I wouldn't count on it."

"So, what do we got?" Stig asked, his voice cutting through the brief silence.

"Practical thinking," Finn replied, his eyes roving over the group, "we've got a strong team. I'm good at scheming and problem-solving. Asdras and Lisandra are solid fighters. Stig, you've got serious strength, and Joah's a master at evasion."

"We can work with that," Finn went on. "Since we don't know exactly what to expect, our first priority should be to find a safe place. Once we have that, we can figure out our next steps."

"But what if we're scattered?" Joah asked, his voice trembling slightly. "We don't know how it works. Will it be like our awakening? Will we be sent to the same place or split up?"

His words hung in the air, making the group flinch and exchange uneasy glances. Like the western thinkers once wrote, 'it's one thing to believe in speculations, but to anchor yourself in them is to ask to fall into the abyss of doubts.'

"If it happens," Lisandra suggested, her voice wavering slightly. "The smart option would be for each of us to walk toward the most noticeable place. I hope it doesn't happen and we stay together…"

"We've got to be smart, quick, and careful," Finn stated firmly. "First, let's fill our water cans. If we get separated, find a hiding spot, study the area, then look for each other."

"We can use marks," Stig said, his eyes brightening with an idea. "Back in my village, we played hide and seek in tag teams. Each team had its own mark, carved into trees with our knives. We could do the same."

"It's a good solution, Stig," Finn commented, nodding thoughtfully. "Since only we will know about it, we can safeguard our route from whatever exists in the Eruption, and from other groups if needed. What mark do you guys suggest?"

"What about the lute?" Lisandra said, glancing around.

"The lute?" Asdras asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I don't think the others will think the same as us," Lisandra explained. "Even so, I doubt they will choose a lute as a mark, and it makes sense with our group name."

"A lute then!" Finn said, with a decisive nod. "Okay, that's settled. Now, I need to voice my biggest fear, which is if we will have some kind of competition among the others. The teacher told us it would be like a game. If this happens… I fear things will be harder than we think."

"That's true." Merida nodded, her face shadowed with concern. "Competition for rewards… It can be dangerous. Few people are capable of evil, but imagine when your life is the reward? That it depends on winning the challenge?"

"We should make an oath," Asdras proposed, stepping forward. "If we, as a group, find something unique, it goes to the one who can best use it. If we face others for it and it's crucial... our priority is our safety. If the opportunity arises, seize it."

"I agree," Stig added, his voice resolute. "We help ourselves and help others if we can."

"And now, what do you guys think we should do in these two days?" Joah asked, looking around at his friends.

"We have little time," Finn said, pondering. "Let's use it to train our eyes to use the system faster and longer. And let's try to think through different scenarios and how to act. Also, we need to train our body too, but not too much, or we'll be tired."

"I'm on board with that," Asdras agreed. "Let's focus and avoid getting lost in thoughts of the consequences…"