Chapter 3

We all hide inside the makeshift cave we made. Two days have passed since the start of our training and only 1 day remaining until we finished the survival training. All of us are exhausted from all the hiding, hunting, and fighting monsters in this island. We barely have enough sleep. The weren't joking when they said that we are going to meet intelligent beasts. My mana is running low upon healing my injuries as well as other small injuries of my comrades inflicted by the hybrid scorpion.

I am proud of my healing abilities, aside from being able to grow my missing limbs and healing myself, I could also heal others as well as to inflict harm to others. But I am still not proficient upon using the 'harm' ability of mine. As for my mana pool, it can be compared to an adult mage. Powers exist in this world which we call 'Mana' where the mages as well as warriors draw their powers.

After the exhibition of cave mining where many countries and kingdoms participated to explore 50 years ago, an big glowing orb that was found in the deepest cave exploded after some explorers accidentally poked the orb shaking the society of its massive and explosive power. The people near the explosion died, while the lucky ones who survive were deformed to the extreme.

Later on, people with powers started to appear and use them creating chaos. Rich people and royalties started to recruit them and to take them under control. Fortunately, only few individuals can fully harness the so called mana that spread throughout the world. Because there are only few individuals who can harness the mana, many country fight for them, claiming and making them part of their military personnel. If not, then they become one of the test subjects. Those individuals who can use mana and wills it was divided into mages and warriors type. Warriors use the mana to enhance their body, refining them and making it more durable than an average human. Warriors' mana cores are of transparent in color and their attack power must not be underestimated for the attacks they made surpasses the strongest warrior lived before the mana came. While the mages cannot improve their body unlike the warriors, but they can will the mana converting it into energy we call magic. The mana core of each mages varies from colors for example red mana core represents fire element, blue mana core represents water element, yellow mana core represents wind element, green mana core represents earth element, white mana core represents light element and black mana core represents dark element.

And I am one of the people who can use mana along side my comrades. I am classified as warrior mage. My mana core is whitish-translucent in color, which allows me to refine my body and use white element particles as my magic source. I could manipulate it to heal does making me a healer which is a very rare case for awakened people. Light mages are hard to find. They are usually in a ratio of 1:1,000,000 people who have it in them. So the very existence of mine is very important not only in the institution but also for my country. The very common case are the combat type ones especially the ones who uses fire, water, wind and earth like 18 who can use fire and wind elements. Whilst dark mages ranks second only in the rank after light mages when it comes to scarcity.

"Are you all right 24?", asked the green-haired boy. I nodded to his response and received the water bottle carved from bamboo and drink it.

"Only 1 day remaining until the training ends. How are you faring 6?", I asked the boy called subject number 6. One of the first batch of children who arrived to the institute. He is a water element user, he can also heal others but he is not as proficient as me when it comes to healing.

"I am fine... um.. thank you for the last time 24", 6 said.

"No it's fine. You were bleeding a lot and you are not that inclined to self-healing", I said while looking at the entrance of the cave. "By the way, do you have any idea what 'vacation' is? I just heard from 18 that it is horrible to go on a 'vacation'", I asked 6. 6 shakes his head in disappointment and then sighed. He then looked towards the entrance of the cave before explaining what is this 'vacation' all about.

"Vacation pertains to the word that you are going to take a leave from this freaking lab. It sounds enticing to go on a vacation but you will wish to not take it", said 6 making a large question mark on my head. "And?", I said urging him to continue what he is saying.

"You will be in for more hellish experiments and torture you until you no longer have any motivation to live. Dying will feel like your only salvation when you were in 'vacation'. I haven't experience it, though number 2 experience it", he said while in deep thought.

"You mean the oldest among us? Number 2 underwent 'vacation'?", I asked to confirm. Number 2 is the strongest of us four. Being able to harness large pool of mana and his capacity is not something I can reach easily in my current condition. Number 2 is a warrior mage like me but he can control earth and dark elements. Numbers 6 and 18 are mages. Number 6 nodded as a reply to my question.

"He barely survived 'vacation' and the way he looks after he was sent here again in the lab, he looks like he still in a nightmare. Many subjects like us were being sent on 'vacation' according to him. The children sent there never be able to come back here again. Only number 2 was able to come back alive but barely mentally intact. The trauma he experience is far worse the treatment here in the lab. He was only able to come back because of his performance. He exceeded their expectations and was deemed useful hence sending him back to the program, but he does not last long as he cannot recover from shock state making him labeled as battery sending him to other facility. We, the first batch subjects never saw him again. It happened before I was picked out for human enhancement program like you", 6 said while still looking at the cave's entrance.

Suddenly the ground started to vibrate lightly. We all got alerted and began to prepare to run or fight. We all looked at one another and nodded as number 7 and number 30 went look outside of the cave. We all waited for them inside the cave while remaining alert. Then we saw number 30 and 7 running as fast they could shouting. "RUN!", without looking back we all started to run as fast as possible towards the other direction of the cave. Number 30 used his magic to dig up ahead of us making a pathway for us to escape.

We all run faster after we got out of the cave. I used my magic to enhance us all improving their stamina, senses and durability. The ground kept vibrating, and as the ground vibrate intensely, we all knew that whoever that creature was is already near. Our hearts kept pounding because of adrenaline rush coursing through our veins.

Suddenly, an acid was thrown in our pathway. Making us all halt from running and slip from the sudden pause. We saw the ground where the acid landed and we all gulped as we saw the ground turned black and sizzled until a hole was dug out from it. We all look back from our position and we saw a giant green spider. It stood at 4 meters with its bamboo like legs looking dangerously sharp on both edges. Its mouth has two sharp crab-like claws protruding just outside its mouth with its sharp teeth. Its eight-eyes are of dark green color and were looking ferocious at us giving us chills in out spine. My instincts kept telling me that we cannot defeat the monster and that we should run. But how? One wrong move and the spider will eat us to death. We all stayed still preparing for the worse. My eyes roamed around, searching for escape route as the spider is also wary of us, observing our every movement. "Everyone scatter!", I shouted as the spider's legs began to move and spewing acid all over the place.

We all run in different directions as to avoid the acid spray and met the eyes of the spider. Then a long slash can be seen from its back alongside 18's wind slash to cover my 'harm ability' from the drones that kept monitoring us. The spider shrieked in pain as the wound cause by me and 18's slash bleed of light-green colored blood. The spider looked at 18 with angry eyes and started to chase after him. While me and the rest followed where they are headed too. We all saw a riverbank and a thought came to my mind.

"30, 6 go to the riverbank and make a quicksand big enough to make that thing's legs stuck for a while. 7 with me, we will attract some beast from the river as a distraction!", I yelled the instructions and moved according to our plans. I caught a wild rabbit near us and sliced its neck to pour the blood in the river. While 7 caught two more rabbits and did what I did. 30 and 6 whistled telling us that the trap has been set. I climbed to a tree near the river while 7 kept pouring the blood go the rabbits in the river. A light came out of my hand giving 18 the signal to go on the location.

After that we saw 18 running at his top speed using wind to glide easily and accelerate even faster. Both 30 and 7 use their magic to control the earth and fire to block the pathways that the spider might go failing our plan. As the spider neared where the river is, a bubble started to erupt slowly indicating that the the alligators are about to spring up the river.

18 jumped high across the quicksand which the spider's front legs quickly sank to it. While 7 who still carries the dead rabbit meats, runs through the spider as the alligators swarm the spider. After that, we all ran pass the river and run far away from the site.

We caught our breath as we sat down in the tree tops's branches. "Thank you", said 18 while looking at me. I shook my head and face him.

"No. Thank you for covering me up. Also, they helped me prepare the trap saving all our butts", I said and smiled towards 30, 6, and 7 who were resting on the tree trunk and nodded their heads. 'One day remains and four days remaining before the plan', I thought. So much work needs to be done.

As time passes by, the sun is starting to set. We encountered numerous beast, but they are not as dangerous like the gorilla and the spider.

Before the sun had set, we found an abandoned temple and set a camp inside. The temple looks like it crashed with calamities because of how the rubbles were scattered everywhere without pattern. The pillars looks shaken to its core, cracks can also be seen on the floors and the decorations were wrapped up from the spider webs and dust accumulated from years of being abandoned. Overall the temple went into some horse shit and what-knows calamity in fell upon for it to turn into this shambles. We all went to the second floor of the temple and built a fire. The room has 4 beds, one long sofa and a large window. The whole room was decorated with gold, platinum and all sorts of valuable metals. Even though the bed's covers and pillows were torn, it is good for sleeping for the night. The carpet still feels soft. The broken window glass lets the cold air in the room we are occupying. All in all the room looks a five star hotel would have.

Since me and 7 are the only females in the group, we get one bed each without receiving any complains from the group. While the remaining three fought for the 2 beds remaining. The rain started to pour. I cooked the meal for us from the fox that 30 and 6 hunted. After eating the soup, I decided to roam inside the temple with a lamp by my right hand. The institution must have a lot of money stocked up just for them to set up this extravagant abandoned temple. The temple is so big that I won't be able to tour it entirely.

As I went inside on what looks like an office of whoever is the leader of this temple, I sat on the chair and observe the office. The office has more gold decorations on each pillar, corners and wall paintings. The furnitures looks like it had been used by someone more important than a king. Looking at the entire room, I think the man-mad island Collins mentioned is not totally man-made but was discovered as one of the long lost island which Grisaia Empire was looking for. I red from the history books that a certain kingdom was lost because it was cursed by the gods and goddesses. The kingdom has the most advance technology, resources, and manpower which will make the current countries will prostrate from the power it holds. But because it was wiped out from the world's continent records and its whereabouts are unknown many countries started to explore every lands and islands. They also started to look underwater but because of lack of technology, each country's hope of finding the ancient kingdom said in the holy scriptures of the Holy Nation were crushed and were believed as legend up until now.

I am starting to think that the institution sent us here in hopes of finding some clues about this lost kingdom using survival training as a cover for their purpose. As I was about to exit the room, one of the side table beside the main table of the office caught my attention. Everything in this room was engulfed by the dust and damages while this certain side table has not the least bit of damage or does not look old unlike the rest of the furniture.

I noticed a golden pen with a dragon's head etched on the handle of the pen. Among the things on the side table top, it is the only that looks new. The pen did not move and inch after I tried to lift it. Then I tried to lift it again, but this time I am using my enhanced strength. Still not moving, I tried to kick the pen, lift the side table and all but nothing happens. What if I insert some of my mana towards the pen? Well, nothings going to loose if I try it. Then I started to inject some of my mana to the pen then it started to faintly glow and the main table started to move forward revealing a pathway down the dark stone hall. The torches started to light up the pathway with green lights enticing me to go.

Meanwhile the drones that was suppose to monitor the subject's movement, couldn't enter the temple's premises and a transparent looking shield is preventing it from going inside the temple. The people in the control room could not see what is happening inside the temple where their subjects are. Collins started to call for Uncle and was confused as to what to order the employees.

Uncle came in the control room looking annoyed and the frown on his face can be seen. He looked at Collins to see what is happening that made them call for him.

"Boss the drones can't go inside the temple's premises. A barrier is preventing us from doing so", Collins said without looking into his eyes.

"What about the subjects?", asks Uncle.

"They are fine and their heart readings is till normal. Though we can't locate where are they now", said Collins while bowing his head. He is scared shit of this man in front of him. He is a level 5 warrior mage with dark and fire elements.

"Tell the troops that we are going in the island. Tell them to gather all the available soldiers in 10 minutes time. We will be retrieving the subjects", ordered Uncle. Collins immediately obeyed his orders and run towards the nearest intercom and announced about their departure.

Uncle narrowed his eyes and ordered the monitoring team to look around the temple's surroundings and report if something unusual is to be seen. He knows that the subjects will start to doubt about the temple and will hopefully go out of its premises before they start to enter and explore the said abandoned temple. He did not know that Subject 24 has already started to descent downwards the stone pathway she saw. And the side table started to go back to its original position as if nothing has happened. While the pen started to rust and look old, blending in its environment.