First Signs Of The Tower

--Charlie's Perspective--

This morning was like any other. I woke up absolutely in last place and when I got up, I received a scolding from Faith. It was weird, being reprimanded by somebody so much younger than me.

"Yeah, I got it. I'll get up now," I told her.

I rose out of my small futon bed and stretched out, watching almost everybody leave for their own separate training they had today. Alex and I stuck to training to join the army, but it still felt like I wasn't doing anything. Hell, have I ever done anything?

Alex and I have started to grow close. We both confided in ourselves for our lack of innovation, motivation, and strengths. I also started to grow closer to Mandi as well, but I really didn't see that going anywhere. Sure, it was out in the open, but it might've just been an attraction thing. Not everybody we're attracted to is meant to be our lover.

Sky and Dani got so lucky. They woke up next to each other, and they were perfect for each other. All I have is... Alex... and no thanks!

I ate a solemn breakfast and moved out of the group home, adjusting my shirt in the light wind while standing next to Alex.

"Ready for the army?" He asked me.

"I guess so, not like I'm allowed to have an opinion there," I told him.

Zealous was arranged in a weird way. Sky and his conflict with Cole happened in the southwest corner of the oval-shaped city. And the barracks happen to be in the southeast portion of the city, which is why we couldn't get to him fast enough. He fought a monster like that on his own... with the help of that new blue chick.

Now thinking about it, that's the girl to come out of his Stone thing! This guy is just spawning in women who appreciate him... could he do that for me?

The group home was located in the easternmost part of the city, so the walk to the southeast edge was quite simple, but today it felt like it was taking forever...

"Hey, Alex, is there anybody you like right now?" I asked him. He turned to me and laughed, waving his hands all about.

"Does that matter right now? I guess if I had to answer, I'd say Alexia... that could be the similar part of our names though," He pondered... I couldn't imagine them together. Alexia would rip him to shreds.

All of The First Trial People would tear us apart. From their time in that world, I heard that they were fierce warriors. The 1% who didn't die in that fight against those monsters. However, Alex did make a good point. They had strange faces that were oddly attractive. Boo especially.

We finally entered the gate after a quick chat, and Alatus greeted us. Once we finished our greetings, Alex and I turned to the gate near the entrance to keep watch for our first hour of training.

Learning the names of the people training us has been difficult, but the two that handled Alex and I had easy names. Troy, and Yonoa.

Troy was a confident individual, to put it nicely. He had curly blonde hair that rested on his forehead, and he carried himself with his chest always pointed outwards. His personality wasn't exactly nice, but it was the same personality I'd imagine productive people had. His teal eyes reminded me of Sky, but more cocky than usual.

Yonoa, on the other hand, was obviously put into the same field as Troy to keep him in check. Yonoa was a nice man with black hair and green eyes, and a nice smile. Troy could never compete against Yonoa, but if you asked me who was stronger, I would have to say, Troy.

"Oh, 'sup pretty boys? Sleep in a little late this morning? Did you need to do your makeup? Look ahead, a path was made in the forest last night, and Noa and I have been watching it," Troy said, pointing ahead with his thin finger.

He peered ahead, as if something was looking back at him, and then turned to Yonoa.

"Yo, Noa, let's go on those watch towers over there, we might get a better angle," Troy offered, sliding down the wooden ladder and running with Yonoa to the opposite set of watch towers from this angle.

"A path that made itself? Why would that even be there...?" Alex asked, rolling his eyes and looking ahead with binoculars.

Alex stopped while looking ahead and his breathing shortened. I didn't notice at first, but once I did, I looked in his direction to see a set of eyes staring back.

"What...? Do they live here...?" He asked himself, looking back and forth before returning his gaze back to the person hiding in the bush.

"Well, they have to. The situation down here is pretty peaceful. I think we're just overreacting," I said to Alex. I slid down the length of the ladder and opened the gate, peering at the path once more.

As I walked through the gate, I began to realize that people who lived here wouldn't be so sneaky... and I attempted to turn around.

Before feeling the sharp part of a knife push itself against my throat, and throw me into the bush beside the gate.

The hooded girl with an eye patch and one sparkling green eye looked down at me with a hateful gaze, holding it close to my throat.

I stood as quietly as possible while she adjusted her body on top of me, peering down at me and making sure I didn't make any noise.

"Charlie? Where did you go?" I heard Alex's voice.

I couldn't warn him of the danger ahead, but I had to make sure that I wouldn't be killed...

Wait, that's no way of thinking! I have to help my friend!

As soon as I thought about pushing her off my body, Alex was thrown right beside me in the bushes with a knife against his throat as well.

"You don't make a single noise, and you follow us. You move out of our guidance, and we will kill you," The girl without the eye patch said. Her eyes were sparkly as well, almost like Moon's purple eyes.