~~
Mahi sat motionless on the sofa, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
Her eyes— those beautiful, gentle eyes that had seen so much— were fixed on the frozen image of her daughter.
"She's five years old. Five and she's leading a team of children through a forest full of monsters and soldiers.
I've seen people twice her age crumble under half the pressure. And she's... she's standing there like it's just another day."
She let out a broken laugh— one that held no humor.
"My baby. My little girl. She should be learning to read. She should be playing with dolls, asking me for chocolate and crying when she falls down."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"Instead, she's planning a military operation. When I watched her sleep... when I saw her curled up in that cave...she looked like a child."
She covered her face with her hands.
"But the moment she wakes up... she becomes something this world made her become."
Mahim stood near the window.
"I've trained soldiers. I've watched them face impossible odds. I've given them orders, led them into danger and watched them fight for their lives."
He paused.
"But I've never seen anything like her."
Farhan was sitting on the floor, his back against the sofa.
"She looked so small, so fragile like a single breath could break her. And then she woke up, and she became something else."
A pause.
"I don't know which version of her I should mourn more. The child she was forced to become... or the child she never got to be."
They simply watched the image of their daughter— their sister— their family— and wondered how much more she could endure.
~~
The holographic displays flickered before them, casting pale blue light across five young faces.
Maya's dark eyes moved across the glowing interface, She needed speed . Versatility.
Her fingers paused over a selection.
[BLADE – 10 POINTS. COMPACT. LETHAL. DUAL-WIELD CAPABLE.]
She selected it. Then her eyes moved to another option.
[HIGH-TENSILE ROPE – 8 POINTS. ULTRA-THIN. WEIGHT-BEARING CAPACITY: 200 KG. SILENT DEPLOYMENT.]
She selected that as well. Two blades , one rope.
Her points dropped from 50 to 32, but she didn't hesitate. She had made her choice.
Subject 0002 studied her options with cold, calculating precision. Her sharp eyes moved across the interface, dismissing the smaller weapons, the ranged options, the defensive tools.
She needed something that could cut through anything. Something that would make a statement.
Her fingers pressed the selection.
[SAMURAI SWORD – 15 POINTS. HIGH-CARBON STEEL. RAZOR EDGE. PRECISION-BALANCED.]
Her points dropped from 44 to 29.
A faint smile touched her lips. "This would do."
Subject 0004's expression remained unreadable as he scrolled through the options. His injured arm hung limp at his side but his good hand moved with practiced precision.
He didn't need fancy weapons. He needed reliability. Firepower.
[RIFLE – 18 POINTS. SEMI-AUTOMATIC. HIGH ACCURACY. SUPPRESSOR COMPATIBLE.]
Then he scrolled to the ammunition section.
[AMMUNITION – 5 POINTS. 100 ROUNDS. FULL METAL JACKET.]
He selected that as well. His points dropped from 49 to 26. He closed the interface without another word.
Subject 0011's fingers trembled slightly as he scrolled through the options. He had never been good with weapons, never been good with violence.
But he had been good at waiting. At watching, at striking when the moment was right. His eyes settled on a selection that made his heart beat a little faster.
[BOW & ARROWS – 14 POINTS. COMPOUND BOW. 30 ARROWS.]
He selected it. His points dropped from 37 to 23.
He let out a slow breath. He could do this.
Subject 0014 grinned as he scrolled through the options. He didn't need subtlety. He didn't need precision. He needed power.
[BATTLE AXE – 14 POINTS. DOUBLE-HEADED. HEAVY. DEVASTATING.
SMOKE BOMBS – 6 POINTS. 3 UNITS. CREATES COVER. DISORIENTS ENEMIES.]
He selected those. His points dropped from 41 to 21.He hefted an imaginary axe, his grin widening.
"Now we're talking."
The five of them stood in silence, their weapons selected, their points spent.
[ AFTER 5 MINUTES ]
Nothing happened. The holographic displays flickered once, then went dark. The forest remained silent. The guards continued their patrols in the distance.
Subject 0011 blinked, looking down at his empty hands. "Uhh... I selected everything. But where are the weapons?"
Subject 0014 frowned, his bald head gleaming in the dappled sunlight. "Yeah. Mine aren't here either."
Subject 0004 remained silent, his expression unreadable. His hand rested near his empty hip.
Subject 0011's voice carried a note of nervousness: "So... we spent our points and got nothing?"
Maya didn't answer. Her dark eyes were fixed on the sky. "Something is coming."
A faint hum.
It was barely audible— a whisper of sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. The five children tensed, their bodies coiling with alertness.
Then they saw them.
Emerging from the canopy above were six sleek, matte-black drones. They moved with silent precision, their rotors spinning so quietly that they barely disturbed the air around them.
They descended in perfect formation, their dark frames blending seamlessly with the shadows of the trees.
Subject 0011's mouth fell open. "Whoa..."
The drones halted a few feet above the ground, hovering in place with unnatural stillness. Their undersides opened with a soft hiss, revealing compartments lined with dark fabric.
The first drone hovered over Maya. A sleek black case fell from its compartment, landing at her feet with a soft thud.
She crouched down, her fingers moving across the case's surface. It opened with a quiet click, revealing two gleaming blades nestled in foam padding.
She picked one up. The weight was perfect. The balance was flawless.
A second case dropped beside her. Inside, coiled with geometric precision, was a length of ultra-thin rope.
Maya's lips curved into a small, approving smile.
The second drone hovered over 0002.
A long, slender case fell into her waiting hands. She opened it slowly, her sharp eyes drinking in the sight of the blade within.
The samurai sword gleamed in the dappled sunlight, its edge so sharp it seemed to cut the air itself.
0002's smile was cold and satisfied."Perfect."
A heavy case landed at Subject 0004's feet. He opened it with one hand, revealing a sleek, matte-black rifle.
Beside it lay several magazines filled with ammunition. He picked up the rifle, checking the action with practiced ease.
A long, curved case dropped beside Subject 0011 . He opened it with trembling fingers, revealing a compound bow and a quiver of thirty arrows.
He picked up the bow, his fingers tracing the cool metal of its frame. His hands were still trembling, but the tremble was no longer from fear.
It was from anticipation.
A massive, heavy case crashed to the ground. Subject 0014 tore it open with barely contained excitement.
Inside lay a double-headed battle axe, its edges gleaming with deadly promise. He hefted it with one hand, a grin spreading across his face.
"Oh....."
A smaller case dropped beside it. Inside, three smoke bombs rested in padded compartments.
He tucked them into his belt with a satisfied grunt.
The drones hovered for a moment longer. Then, as one, they rose, ascending through the canopy with the same silent precision with which they had arrived.
Within seconds, they had disappeared.
Subject 0011 stared at the empty sky, "They... they delivered it like a delivery service but with murder."
Subject 0014 let out a low chuckle. "Best delivery service I've ever used."
Maya ran her fingers along the edge of her blade, testing its sharpness. Satisfied, she tucked it into her belt.
The second blade rested against her thigh and the coil of ultra-thin rope hung across her shoulder like a silent promise.
0002 held her samurai sword with both hands, her sharp eyes tracing the curve of the blade. She had never held anything so perfect. So precise.
She gave a single, approving nod.
Subject 0004 checked his rifle with mechanical efficiency. He cycled the action, checked the magazine, and slung it across his back.
Subject 0011 tested the draw weight of his bow. His fingers usually trembling were steady. The string hummed with tension as he released it.
He nocked an arrow, then un-nocked it. Ready.
Subject 0014 hefted his battle axe, feeling its weight. A slow grin spread across his face.
He swung it once, twice— the air whistling in protest. Then he tucked two smoke bombs into his belt.
Maya's dark eyes swept across her team.
"The blind spots are at the eastern and western edges. Move together, stay silent and take out any guards who get too close."
She looked at each of them in turn. "Questions?"
No one spoke.
"Then let's move."
They moved through the forest like shadows, their footsteps silent against the earth.
The trees grew thicker as they approached the Core Zone, their branches intertwining to form a natural canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight.
Maya led the way, her dark eyes scanning the treeline. Her blades were in her hands now— one in each fist, their edges gleaming with deadly promise.
0002 followed close behind, her samurai sword held in a two-handed grip. Her cropped black hair swayed with each step, her sharp eyes missing nothing.
Subject 0004 flanked the left side, his rifle held at the ready. His injured arm was limp but his good hand was steady.
Subject 0014 brought up the rear, his battle axe resting on his shoulder. His bald head gleamed with sweat, but his breath was steady.
Subject 0011 moved between them, his bow drawn, an arrow nocked and ready.
They reached the first blind spot— a narrow gap between two massive trees where the patrol patterns overlapped.
For exactly ten minutes, the guards would not pass through this area. Maya raised her hand, signaling for the others to halt.
She crouched low, her eyes scanning the clearing ahead. There were no guards in sight. The path was clear. "Move."
They crossed the gap in single file, their bodies pressed low to the ground. They were halfway across when it happened.
A sharp whistle cut through the silence. Maya froze. Her head snapped toward the sound.
Emerging from the treeline ahead— a squad of guards. Seven of them armed with batons. Their uniforms were immaculate, their faces expressionless.
And behind them— more guards. Cutting off their retreat. Subject 0011's eyes widened. "We're surrounded."
Maya's jaw tightened. She had been careless. She had assumed the blind spots were reliable, the patrol patterns were fixed.
But this was a trial and in a trial, nothing was reliable. "They knew."
Veyra's grip on her sword tightened. "They were waiting for us."
Subject 0014 let out a low laugh. "So much for the blind spot."
The lead guard stepped forward. He was tall, broad-shouldered, his face hidden behind a visor. His voice was amplified, flat and mechanical.
"Subjects. You have violated the Core Zone. Surrender now and your punishment will be mitigated."
Maya didn't answer, she simply smiled and then she moved.
Shs blurred into motion. Her small body shot forward like an arrow, her blades gleaming in the dim light.
She crossed the distance between herself and the lead guard in less than two seconds.
He raised his baton, she ducked beneath it. Her blade came up, slicing through the guard's wrist with surgical precision.
The baton clattered to the ground. The guard let out a sharp cry of pain, his hand flying to his injured wrist.
She spun, her second blade catching another guard across the chest. The force of the blow sent him stumbling backward.
She was everywhere. Her blades were extensions of her will, cutting, slashing, disabling.
She didn't kill— she was aiming to neutralize.
A guard lunged at her from behind. Maya felt the air shift and she spun, her blade flashing upward. The guard's baton clattered to the ground, his arm hanging limp.
She didn't give him time to recover. Her knee drove into his stomach, and he crumpled.
0002 moved like a shadow of death.
Her samurai sword sang through the air, cutting through the chaos with cold, precise grace. She flowed from one opponent to the next, her blade a blur of silver and steel.
Two guards rushed her simultaneously. 0002 pivoted, her sword whistling in a wide arc. The first guard's baton was sliced cleanly in half.
The second guard stumbled back, his arm hanging at an unnatural angle.
0002 didn't pause. She pressed forward, her blade darting toward another guard. He raised his rifle to block. Too slow.
Her blade sliced across his chest, not deep enough to kill but enough to send him to his knees.
"I've been here fifteen years," 0002 said, her voice cold as ice. "I learned how to fight before you learned how to hold a human's life."
The guard's eyes widened and 0002 drove the flat of her blade into his temple, he crumpled.
Subject 0004 was a machine.
He moved through the chaos with cold precision, his rifle barking out single, controlled shots. Each shot found its mark— sending a guard stumbling, crippling.
He was conserving ammunition, aiming for joints, for knees, for shoulders.
A guard rushed him from the side. Subject 0004 didn't flinch. He side-stepped, swinging the butt of his rifle in a devastating arc. The guard's head snapped back, and he crashed to the ground.
Subject 0004 fired again. Another guard fell.
Subject 0014 was destruction incarnate.
His battle axe whistled through the air, carving a path of devastation through the guards. He didn't dodge. He didn't retreat.
He charged straight into the heart of the enemy formation, his axe sweeping in wide, brutal arcs.
A guard lunged at him with a baton. Subject 0014 caught the baton with his axe, wrenching it from the guard's grip.
The guard stumbled forward and Subject 0014 drove his shoulder into his chest, sending him flying.
Two more guards rushed him. He spun, his axe arcing horizontally. The first guard ducked. The second wasn't fast enough.
The flat of the axe caught the second guard in the chest, hurling him backward into his companion. They crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
Subject 0014 let out a roar— "Who's next?!"
Subject 0011 was the quietest of them all.
He stayed on the edges of the chaos, his bow drawn, his eyes fixed on the guards who were trying to flank the others. He didn't fire quickly.
A guard raised his rifle, aiming at Maya's back. Subject 0011's arrow punched through the guard's shoulder.
The rifle clattered to the ground. Subject 0011 nocked another arrow. Drew, released. Another guard fell.
The clearing had become a maelstrom of violence.
The guards were relentless, more of them were pouring in from the treeline, their rifles crackling.
But they had made a mistake, they had underestimated the children.
Maya was a storm of blades. 0002 was a dancer of death. Subject 0004 was a machine of precision. Subject 0014 was a force of nature.
And Subject 0011 was the ghost who picked them off one by one.
A guard rushed Maya from the side. She was already moving, her blade carving through the air. The guard's baton shattered. His arm went limp.
She spun, her second blade catching another guard across the helmet. He stumbled back, disoriented.
Subject 0014's axe caught a guard in the chest, hurling him backward. Subject 0002's sword sliced through a rifle, sending the guard stumbling.
The guards were faltering. Their formation was breaking. The children were simply too fast, too coordinated, too ruthless.
The tide had turned.What had begun as a calculated assault had devolved into chaos.
The guards kept coming— reinforcements pouring from the treeline like a dark tide, their batons swinging, their stun rifles crackling with deadly electricity.
Subject 0014 swung his battle axe in a wide, brutal arc, sending two guards stumbling back.
But even his immense strength was beginning to falter. A gash ran across his shoulder, dark blood seeping through his torn uniform.
His breathing was ragged, his movements slowing.
Subject 0011 had abandoned his bow. He was fighting with a fallen guard's baton, his thin frame trembling with exhaustion.
His glasses were cracked, one lens spider-webbed with fractures. Blood dripped from a wound on his forehead, mixing with the sweat that streamed down his face.
Subject 0004 stood his ground, his rifle still barking out controlled shots.
But his injured arm hung uselessly at his side, and a deep gash across his thigh had turned his pant leg dark with blood.
He was limping, his movements growing more mechanical with each passing second.
Subject 0002 was a shadow of her former self. Her samurai sword still sang through the air but her strokes were slower now, less precise.
A deep wound on her side had stained her uniform crimson. Her sharp eyes were glazed with pain, though she refused to stop.
And Maya— Maya was everywhere at once.
Her blades flashed in the dim light, cutting, slicing, disabling. She moved like a whirlwind.
But even she could not stop the tide.
A guard lunged at her from the side. She spun, her blade catching his baton. The impact sent a jolt of pain through her arm but she didn't stop.
Her second blade came up, slicing across his chest. He crumpled. But more guards were already taking his place.
Maya's chest heaved. Her vision was beginning to blur at the edges, she had been fighting for what felt like hours.
The sound cut through the chaos like a blade— a sharp, guttural cry, followed by the unmistakable clatter of a weapon being raised.
Maya's head snapped toward the source. Her blood turned to ice in her veins.