Chapter 6

I appear in an actual hospital; I've never been in one since the day I was born. I look around and a muscular woman with straight auburn hair and intimidating green eyes is right next to me, wielding a midnight black baton next to me with a disgusted smug look on her face. I break the awkward eye contact I had with her. And I look to the left of me and find a muscular tall man with curly auburn hair with deep blue eyes and an identical midnight black baton at his disposal. We sit in a loud silence until a young woman walks in and cuts right through the tense atmosphere.

"Hello, my name is Oliva Ortiz second in command in the Téleios Black Ops; it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." She gives a slight smile. She's the first one not to call me an Exile or scum. I return the smile.

"My name is Aaron Philan; an Exile." Her expression remains unchanged.

"As long as you're in Téleios you'll have to pick what you'll do to earn crosses." Crosses? She doesn't seem to have any.

"What are crosses?" I ask.

"Crosses determine rank amongst the Perfectionists, the more marks you have the more perfect you are. As for me, I have 10, the maximum amount you're allowed to gain is 100." She continues. Does she only have ten? She's about the same age as me. And has lived here her entire life.

"The options are the military, culinary, religious work, and entertainment." I don't agree with the perfect concept that these people believe in, so religion isn't a good choice. I can't sing or dance, so entertainment isn't an option. And the last time I cooked something the whole house had food poisoning. I also have no military experience, so I have no real option. I must get out of here so; I'll join the military.

"I'll join the military," I answer. Her face falls into a frown.

"Are you sure?" She questions. The twins on my side burst out in a hysterical laugh.

"Are you crazy?" "You'll die the first day of training!" They mock me as they laugh hysterically.

"Yes, I'm going to join the military," I say in a confident and frustrated tone.

"Okay, your first day will be tomorrow; enjoy your final day of rest." Her previous smile returns upon her departure. The twins leave with her, wheezing from my hilarious statement. I lay back on my pillow and look at the ceiling and I drift off into a dream.

I'm back in the ocean basin, but no longer am I stopped by an invisible barrier. I can pass through it and see what lies ahead. It wasn't the afterlife, it was a labyrinth glowing at the bottom of the ocean floor, I noticed that it was the exact labyrinth from the mural. Though after a while the labyrinth spawns a storm of darkness and malice. I am soon consumed by it and all the hateful and evil things that happened throughout the week resurface. I scream only for the storm to render me mute. The storm dissipates with no trace of existence besides the tattered and bruised body left floating in the sound sea. My body sinks to the labyrinth that is flickering ever so dimly. My body makes contact with the labyrinth and a resurgence of light regenerates my body and clears the scars and bruises left by the storm. As the labyrinth activates it sends a name that resonates with me for a few seconds. I awaken from my fever dream. And I recite the name.

"Caliburn. That's where you are!" I exclaim.