Chapter 44: Mind Over Might

The lady with the crimson aura sat across from Dune in the dimly lit room, her presence both intimidating and strangely comforting.

Her black hair framed a face of perfect symmetry, but her eyes held an inscrutable depth.

The room itself was stark and cold, with stone walls that seemed to absorb the light, creating an atmosphere of tension.

She began, her voice like velvet, "What drives you, Dune? What is your deepest motivation in being here?"

Dune paused, feeling the weight of the question settle over him. He thought about his brother Ned, about Atlas, and their shared burdens.

"My deepest motivation is to protect those I care about. I've lost too much already. I need to ensure their safety."

The lady's expression remained neutral, but there was a slight tilt of her head, an acknowledgment of his answer.

She continued, "If you could change one event from your past, what would it be and why?"

He thought of the day city was destroyed, the day his life was irrevocably altered.

"I would change the day my family was taken from me. It shaped who I am, but the pain is something I wouldn't wish on anyone." The lie came easily, and he hoped his true intentions remained hidden.

A flicker of regret passed over the lady's face, almost imperceptible. She moved to the next question. But Dune noticed it .. it was fake reaction.

"How do you define trust, and who do you trust the most?"

Dune's mind raced through the various challenges they had faced together.

"Trust is earned through actions, not words. I trust Atlas the most. He's proven time and again that he has my back."

The lady seemed to consider his words carefully.

"Imagine you are betrayed by someone you trust deeply. How do you respond?"

Dune took a deep breath, his thoughts turning to his own scars, both seen and unseen.

"I would confront them. Understanding the reason behind the betrayal is crucial. Then, I would decide if they deserve a second chance or not."

The lady nodded slightly, moving on to the next question,

"What is your greatest fear, and how does it shape your actions?"

Dune looked down for a moment, then met her gaze. "My greatest fear is failing those I love. It drives me to push myself harder, to be better, stronger, smarter."

"How do you deal with loss and grief?" she asked, her tone softening.

"Grief is a teacher," he said quietly. "It has made me more compassionate and determined to protect those I care about. It has made me stronger, but also more aware of my vulnerabilities."

The lady's eyes seemed to darken. "What would you sacrifice to achieve your goals?"

Dune felt the weight of the question. What were his goals? Protecting his family? Surviving? He was conflicted. "I would sacrifice my own happiness and comfort. The safety and well-being of my loved ones are paramount."

Dune just said whatever he thought would be good answer.. truth was that Dune didn't know…"i don't know what i want. He thought

She leaned in slightly. "What do you believe is your greatest strength?"

Dune thought for a moment. "My resilience. No matter how many times I fall, I get back up."… Lie

"And your greatest weakness?" she asked, almost as an afterthought.

"My fear of losing those I care about can sometimes cloud my judgment," he admitted.

As he answered, Dune's mind wandered. Dune said truth here purposely, to see Lady's reaction.

He suspected that the red Neba connected the ladies to Professor Ramires. It seemed too precise, too controlled.

The ladies moved with mechanical precision, and their expressions were always perfectly neutral.

They didn't feel human. He began to suspect they were clones or illusions.

The lady's demeanor changed subtly. "Last question," she said, her voice now almost a whisper.

"What is wrong with me?"

Dune's heart raced. He had been piecing it together throughout the interview.

"Your questions are too perfect, too calculated," he said slowly. "There's no human error, no real emotion.

This entire setting feels off, like an illusion. The red Neba connecting you all to Ramires, it's too coordinated. I think you're not real. You're projections or clones, created by him."

The lady smiled, a small, almost sad smile. "Very perceptive, Dune,"

looking at Dune she said. "You passed," she said, then added, "This is one of the best score so far. I'm impressed.

You're only behind that guy who figured it all out. It's sad you failed, but you still passed the test, Dune."

Dune was confused. "What?" He didn't understand how he had passed if he had failed.

Then the lady appeared in front of him instantly, too close, their faces inches apart, her body touching his.

She put her finger to Dune's neck, and her nail stabbed him slightly, making him bleed.

"What?" Dune was surprised.

The lady whispered, "I'm not an illusion, but that's what you should've thought. Think of it as you passed the test with an 80% score instead of 100%.

After all, I tried my best to seem like an illusion." She chuckled. "You were answering the questions so well, I almost thought you would beat that bastard's record.

Sadly, that guy somehow managed to guess everything. I was so angry, I remember."

She chuckled again, and then red aura appeared around her. Her beautiful black hair flew as she hugged Dune. "Here we go," she said.

They both disappeared and reappeared in a different room. "Dune, your overall score is 89. I liked how you lied too."

Dune's eyes widened. She knew i lied?

"By the way, my name is Beth," she winked and disappeared, leaving roses behind.

Damn it .. i knew it was too perfect, i should've figured it out… Dune sighed and looked around. He saw Atlas and approached him quickly. "You passed too?"

Atlas sighed, "Yeah, I did. I got 81. What about you?"

" I got 89," Dune said.

"So you didn't figure out that she was lying?" Dune asked.

Atlas shook his head, "Lying? No. I asked few people around. We all had different questions and different rules. Some didn't even have questions but ten different tests. It's different for every person."

"I see," Dune said.

Atlas chuckled, "Ned failed, by the way. And the twins too."

Dune covered his face with his hand, "How did Ned fail?"

Atlas chuckled again, "I don't know. Isn't he your brother?"

After a few hours, the test was done, and including Dune and Atlas, only 120 of them were left, much less than the expected number.