Henry had finished his day, now lying in bed, staring at the oh-so-familiar ceiling of his room. He had trained and learned how to control Moira's String and Nebel to an extent that he would be able to survive in Rylah… but a small feeling clung to the back of Henry's mind. What if he died? What if everything he'd done was for nothing? His first trial meant nothing if he died here.
'Well, worrying isn't going to make it any better. Might as well get a good night's sleep.' Henry turned off his nightstand lamp and closed his eyes.
'It will all be okay,' he murmured to himself as he fell asleep.
***
For the first time in a while, Henry dreamt. He saw great big plains that lasted a near-infinite amount. Groups of people scattered about; some were worried, others were leisurely sitting or walking around.
It was beautiful until Henry was interrupted by a loud alarm through the school's intercom.
Sitting up groggily, "Dammit, it's time to go." Henry stood up, going through his morning routine for possibly the last time in a while.
Making his way down the hall, Henry saw a large group of people walking in a line towards a second building off-campus. He turned to someone else in the line,
"Hey, where are we going?"
The short man looked at Henry with a confused face.
"It's the trial room. They need to keep track of our bodies somehow."
'Well, that makes sense,' Henry thought to how he was tied to a table when waking up from his first trial. He had nearly forgotten that your body stays behind during trials.
"Ahem." A loud voice boomed through the hall: Headmaster Cassius.
"All students throughout this building are in different rooms. In each room, you will be tied to a chair until your trial begins. From the current statistics, they will start within the next thirty minutes. Just enough time for one of my famous speeches."
Henry quickly found his room, which was reluctantly named Berry. 'Assholes.'
"When I was first brought to the second trial, I was scared for my life. However, I found four people who protected me. We fought alongside each other for years after that trial. Now I stand here, the only remaining member of that group of five. I carry on their legacy, and so do you. When we went through the trials, we had no knowledge or training. If we could do it, then so can you. All of us in the faculty believe in you."
Cassius's voice boomed with people cheering.
'That didn't even make much sense,' Henry thought while being strapped into his chair.
Now the stress was on. At some random moment, Henry and all other students would be transported to Rylah in separate locations far apart. It was terrifying to think of, but Henry ignored that fear. He needed to be in his best mental state.
Henry felt a tightness enter his stomach. A small amount of pressure began building in his head as if it was inside his brain. Slowly, Henry began feeling a sensation of pulling, like his body was trying to tear through his skin. Before he knew it, his eyes were closed.
***
Holding his eyes closed, Henry hoped to protect himself from whatever was happening, but he felt a different sensation: wind pushing against his face. Henry slowly opened his eyes to a blinding bright light. Blinking a few times, he was able to see clearly that he was surrounded by all the students, still in a vast plain. The sun was bright in the sky and almost giant compared to their own sun.
'What? This doesn't make sense. We're supposed to be far apart.'
Henry thought carefully, remembering small details from his dream. It was almost identical to his dream.
Looking around, the people closest to Henry happened to be his least favorite: Aaron and Adriana. A power duo at hating Henry to a tee. Sadly, they were the only ones he could talk to in quick vicinity.
"Hey, what's going on?" Henry looked towards Aaron, hoping he would spare him.
Aaron turned towards Henry, the strings above him showing yellow swirling confusion.
"What? Just listen to the system."
Henry's jaw dropped. Thinking back to the first trial, Henry got no instruction, not a word besides a confirmation the trial was over. There wasn't a chance that it would still be the case here, right?
'Fuck, the curse.' Henry opened his menu, reading off the curse again.
Curse: Unknowing.
Curse Description: [You are alone. The Veil did not call you; you called it.]
'Goddammit, I can't catch a single break.'
Henry surveyed the area, looking towards others. It looked like most people were in small groups of three and hadn't moved. Odds are people were woken up specifically closer to those that were important in some kind. It was a dumb idea, but might as well try. Henry looked towards Aaron and Adriana.
"So we're teaming?" Henry just had to pray he was right.
Aaron nodded in Henry's direction before Adriana opened her mouth.
"Well, obviously that's what the voice just said."
"Okay, well, I didn't pay enough attention." Henry needed to hide his curse. If he didn't want anyone to take advantage of him, he would have to hide it.
"It just wants us to team together for the foreseeable future," Aaron quickly said. He was on edge in nothing but his school uniform; he seemed out of his element.
"Lucky me, the dynamic trio: first, and last, and the one that's just there." Aaron did not laugh at Henry's joke, and Adriana instead just looked at him with anger.
'Tough crowd.'
Henry sat down, watching the near endless expanse covered in students, some terrified, others calm. Henry wished he was with someone else, anyone else in a group instead of enemy one and enemy two, but that was just luck. An intense shaking filled the plains, knocking Aaron and Adriana off their feet.