The Throne of Euphoria

'So this is... what that quote meant,' His lips traced along the line stuck in his thoughts, 'Despair doesn't bring hopelessness but chews away hope.' Rua lifelessly pushed back his brown strands and gazed forward.

"Please place your hand on the orb." The feminine, charming voice urged the man in front to place his shaky palm on the crystal ball.

The female stared intently at the orb, the man in front of her clenched his fist. Sweat slid down his chin and dripped onto his shirt.

Seconds ticked by, the pressure converged into sweat. The tension into dry gulps.

The long chain of participants pulled back to the hall's exit and continued to stretch further.

The staff around, adorned in neat and tight uniforms, kept one eye on their work and one to the orb - The orb weighed by the futures of everybody here.

The female sighed after a moment and shook her head, "The orb has not ignited!"

As she uttered those words, the world slipped under the man's feet. "Huh!? No, no!" He shook his head vigorously, "Just wait. See, it's goi--"

The female snapped her fingers, "Guards!"

The two chunky pieces of muscles standing on both her sides stepped over and took the man by the shoulders. Dragged from his legs, they gave him a free ride to the dumpster.

"Next!" Still smiling, the female looked at the participant.

'Yep! My future is ruined!' Standing fourth in line from the table, Rua sighed. His heart throbbed madly like a train's engine. His sweaty palms clenched tightly.

'Shit, shit, shit!!' Rua's eyes welled up, he caught a glimpse of the badge on his chest, the number '37' greeted his eyes.

'Ouch! It's already been 34 people ahead of me... not a single one has managed to ignite the orb! HOW THE HELL AM I GONNA DO IT!' Rua just wanted to dig his grave right here and cuss at all of the people who forced him here.

His trembling hands slightly calmed. 'So this is what despair feels like? Huh?!' Rua brushed his nose. Perhaps calming down or maybe his throbbing forehead just going numb.

'What Imperial Selections? What Imperial Army? Curse you all a bad wife! All of you are freaking scammers.' Rua wiped the tear-drop and while vowing it would be his last, let his thoughts wander.

Three days back, the Imperial Army directly under the leadership of the Royal Families announced Imperial Selections.

Simply, admission into the army! It was an opportunity like none other for the whole country. Once admitted into the army, they would receive free food, private homes, and medical services. Everything was set! Their future was brighter than the sun.

Heck! Rua could say there was no greater future than being a part of the army! Not only because it offered various benefits but also because it meant that one was a Supernatural - a being who was... super!

Rua, hailing from a poor background, worked arduously for a chance at giving his parents a good life. He grinded himself and came out on top of his High School and was admitted into a brilliant college on full scholarship and today... TODAY WERE HIS FINALS FOR GOD'S SAKE!!

He had already received various invitations from varying universities. Even from the Red-Raven Institution directly under the Royal Ravenia Family.

In a few more years, he would choose a good profession and allow his parents to relax. But... the admissions that only happened once in his 18-year life happened again.

And lo and behold, risking everything he so desperately built up for a better life, he ended up in this hell hole.

"Screw mother nature! Why didn't you make me deaf? Maybe then I wouldn't have even known about this sham!" Rua roared at the sky. Forgetting where he was.

A hand gently nudged him from behind, "Umm...you still with us?"

Rua hissed and looked around. Sure enough, he had become the white crow begging for everyone's glares.

The female smiled, "Please place your hand on the orb."

The words sent a jolt down his spine. 'My turn, already!?' He glanced at the front.

Him, the orb, and the girl!

'It's a free for all.' He fisted his hand tightly and stepped forward.

'Fine...' Resolution flashed in his brown eyes, 'If not the orb... then surely this lady will fall under my charms.' Flashing his bright teeth, Rua gestured for a handshake, "Pleasure to meet you, the name's Rua!"

The female's smile peeled further, "Seems you missed the orb!"

"You don't look the type to have a boyfriend." Rua changed the topic, his hovering palm slickly shuffling to the orb without any shame or embarrassment.

"Guess what? Me neither!" Rua laughed, indulging in her chilly gaze. 'Oh boy, she's all hooked. Just look, she can't budge her eyes from me.'

Rua brushed his nose with his free hand, "Ahem! Please don't stare... I feel shy!"

The poor girl standing in reception turned bright like a tomato, but sadly, not from shyness like somebody thought.

Just as she was about to get him cast out, her vision flickered, her gaze lowered. "You!"

"Oh, yes, my number, please write it down," Rua nodded in delight, "XXXXXXXXX. And yours!?"

The female bit her trembling lips, her slender fingers took grasp of the desk, her neck nudging a bit closer. She muttered, completely ignoring him, "It's going to ignite!"

The Guards communicating about how to dispose of the kid suddenly stirred.

The staff cussing at Rua for his sneaky tactics froze.

The long chain of people behind, marveling at his wits, trembled.

Rua nodded in delight, "Yes, our love is going to ignite!" Flashing his teeth, he asked, "So your number is?"

The girl stared at the fool in front of her with her brain numbed from dumbfoundedness. 'Which mother has raised such a genius?'

The crystal orb, uncaring and unknowing of anything other than itself, flickered. A blazing light erupted from inside it and rushed to its every nook and cranny.

The golden light drowned the ord, its heat charring the orb black from the inside out.

The event didn't have any dynamic music to the mix but still left the audience gasping for more.

"My..." Rua's head tilted to the side, his eyes dull, "That's the light of our love!?"

He cussed at his words, his inside numbed, mesmerized, and speechless like everybody else, 'What just... happened?'

The Guards beside her muttered in unison, totally in disbelief, "It... ignited!"

The female felt her body tremble gently. A sensation rolled round her spine and slid down like lightening. Her hand hovering in front of Rua, she muttered sweetly, "My name's Jiss. A pleasure to meet you! So... my number i--"

"Kid! Follow along!" A gruff voice snapped Jiss's mouth shout and drew Rua's attention. Ruining their romance.

Adorned in full military clothing, there was a star with a hollow gap on his chest. Highlighting his military rank.

"Second Lieutenant!" Jiss muttered.

Rua caught her words and instantly tidied up. With his brain too dazed to think, he jogged up to the fellow.

The officer nodded in greeting and proceeded to move closer toward the only passageway here besides the stairs leading to the second floor.

Stepping in, Rua nonchalantly gazed around. The plain white walls represented his mood, plain. 'I just... got proved to be a supernatural?'

He looked at the officer's back in question, 'Right?'

As if noticing the stare. The guy turned around and smiled lightly, "Congratulations on becoming a Supernatural!"

Rua blinked cutely while giving a nod.

His lips parted, but no words came. He wanted to ask a bunch of questions... tons! But, right now, they didn't settle on his tongue properly. So he snapped his lips shut.

Reminiscing the last scene, his earlier despair which had forced him to act so stupidly disappeared.

His eyes glistened, 'I did it! Mom... Dad! I did it! I didn't make the wrong bet!' His fists trembled. A broad smile beamed on his face.

A glow bloomed on his cheeks. The proud and relieved shine of victory.

'Now I will cozily settle in the army and climb the ranks. I will try to avoid every mess possible and enjoy the good life. After all, there's no test. One just needs to be a Supernatural and he's taken in.' Rua giggled from the sweet taste of luxury on his tongue.

The passageway ended, revealing a circular room connecting to five more paths.

Four were the same as the ones he had come out from at rather short intervals.

'These probably lead to the other four testing halls.' Rua switched his sight onto the pitch-black pathway in the front.

It was wider, eerily cold, and most importantly... awfully dark!

'Where does that go?' Rua's heart fluttered. A sense of unease brew inside his chest.

The officer smiled and motioned his hand toward the path.

Just as Rua opened his mouth, the ground quacked.

Without letting him understand anything, a ghastly bellow gushed out of the path, forcing Rua to seal his ears. A terrifying chilled gale blasted out and pushed him back his steps.

His eyes froze, affixed at the abyssal maw. His heart crashed madly against his ribcage. His lips moved, asking the only thing that reverberated inside his head in his stammering voice, "Wh-What was that?"

"So... where was I?" The officer smiled, "Yes! Please proceed through this path and you will reach your next destination."

"Huh!?" Rua glared at him like he was a psycho and nearly screamed, "Alone?"

'Next destination? Nah man... I don't wanna meet my Maker so soon.' He screamed internally to his face.

The officer nodded, "Of course." His smile widened.

"All alone??!!"

"All alone!!"

The carefree attitude of the officer struck him, now, as... odd.

Slowly, in his eyes, the officer's eyes turned into thin slits. His harmless smile into a venomous snake peering through a bush. "Surely you didn't expect me to babysit you all the way through, yes?" He chuckled.

"But... But I thought there was no test!" His tongue slipped, his throat parched, "All one needed to do was prove himself to be a supernatural. Right? So-so—"

"So what?" The officer tilted his head. His face feigning confusion.

"So..." His finger pointed toward the abyssal path, "What's that?"

"Huh!?" The officer looked at him like an idiot, "Are you saying that's another test?"

"Then what the heck is it?" Rua wanted to crack his skull and see if it was functioning properly, 'If that's not a test then your stupid mum? Huh?'

"Haha!" The officer eyed him like a helpless kitty, a mischievous grin on his face, "Who said it's a test? Did you buy some wrong information from somebody? Surely, walking out of it alive is one major test if you ask me. No?" The officer openly ridiculed him. His eyes glinted at his misery.

Rua felt his heart echoing in his ears, 'YES YOU SON OF A BITCH! WALKING OUT OF IT IS A MAJOR TEST! AND ALIVE AT THAT!?!?'

Rua breathed deeply, fearing he would roar that out.

The officer's eyes squinted, "So will you choose to proceed? Or... I believe you remember the way back well." He shrugged. His expression saying it all... The choice was his!

Rua's mind jammed, his eyes drifted back to the 'Cave of Divine Audience'- audience with the Maker no less.

'So what do I choose? A ninety-nine percent chance of death right now or... retreat... and live a ruined life.'

The prospect terrified him, made his skin shudder. The darkness felt more inviting as he stared, 'Rua... the choice's yours!'.