Zade felt it In heart, a nudge, like an arrow, pointing deep into the dimly lit up cave that was beautiful and creepy looking at the same time.
Crystals lined up the sides, and different colors of lights poured in from the cracks in the walls, but unrecognizable insects were also crawling from those holes.
Zade began to trud deep into the cave, fully trusting his pounding heart. He passed lots of kids all focused on doing their thing, some kids were whispering amongst themselves but he didn't pay them any mind. He was glad most were too busy to pay him any mind.
He strode deeper into the cave, past corners after curves, and when he finally arrived before a large expanse of different looking eggs, a gasp caught in his throat at the sheer beauty of the sight before him. Eggs of different shapes, sizes and colors. Some were glowing more than some, and some were glistening like stars.
This was purely magical!
Excitement licked up Zade's insides as he eyed the brightest egg in the entire bunch. It was so big as well, and Zade began to walk towards it. However, in the next moment, Cyrus was emerging from nowhere to shove him hard before grabbing the egg.
"That's mine, loser." Cyrus sneered down at him, right before he disappeared into thin sir.
Zade laid dazed on the ground for a few seconds before he forced himself up, then he realized that that brightest egg hadn't even been calling out to him. He had just been entranced by it. But clearly the egg called out to Cyrus, and had pulled him into an illusion state where he'll have to prove himself worthy of it.
The brightest egg probably didn't think Zade was worthy enough of it. Zade was sad about that, but he didn't let it weigh him down too much as he canned the rest of the beautiful, glowing eggs.
None called out to him either.
He closed his eyes and focused on his heart, then he realized his heart was still leading him somewhere.
He took a last look at the pile of eggs before turning and walking deeper into the cave, past pathways that began to get dimmer the more he ventured further. At a point, he became unsure, but the invisible compass in his mind still kept urging him forward.
And he trusted his heart.
He kept venturing forward, and at a corner, he had to crawl the rest of the way because of the lack of space.
When he finally arrived before a large, gloomy clearing, the first thing he felt was disappointment because there was no egg in sight.
Seriously?
Before he could crash out, he decided to use his brains, and instead of complaining first, he should search around first.
He inched forward and started feeling around for an egg. He felt something like grass underneath his fingers and hesitated for a moment before sweeping the grasses stuff away with his two hands.
What was seated underneath it had his breath hitching in his throat from awe.
It was an egg.
The one that was calling out to him, and now that feeling inside of his heart tripled before fully engulfing him.
The egg was oval shaped and medium in size. It wasn't glowing, but it wasn't dim either. He looked closer and realized the egg was four colors, not one color like the other eggs he saw.
One part was blue, one part was brown, the remaining two parts were white and orange.
It was definitely… unique.
He let out a small breath as he carefully reached for the egg and his hands shook a little before he picked the egg up.
Once he rose to his full height, a jolt went through him and he felt himself got sucked into thin air.
It was pitched black at first, till everywhere brightened and he saw himself standing between two large waves. A large snake rose between the waves, on his other side. The snake looked like it was made of water, and the spikes over its back all the way to its head were iced and very dangerous looking.
Zade tightened his hold on the egg and stood straighter.
This is undoubtedly the illusion state, and he mustn't drop the egg in here no matter what.
The snake reared its head back and let out an ear piercing hiss that made Zade's hackles curl. He was scared shitless. This is unlike anything he has ever faced before and he couldn't believe the coordinators believed this was a low level difficulty.
As the snake approached Zade, Zade's first thought was to turn and run, but he didn't do that on remembering he was between two waves that could collapse on him at any moment. He couldn't drop his egg, and he couldn't fight this monster, so what was he supposed to do?
When the snake reached him, he ducked sideways and yelped before jumping backward when the snake's jaw slammed loudly an inch away from his arm.
Fuck.
Fucking beast.
Zade's hands shook as he struggled to get the knife from his sheath, and as he held the egg in one hand, he tried to slash the snake with the knife despite being scared as hell.
The knife passed through the snake before the snake slammed him hard against the wall of waves and it hurt so damn much because he used his body to protect the egg. As the snake slithered closer, he began to crawl away while choking on some water, all the while holding the egg tightly and protecting it with his life.
When he was cornered against a wall, he covered the egg with his body and closed his eyes as he awaited the final strike that would make him fail the exam.
However, the snake melted into water right before him and before he could grasp what just happened, the world spun around him, everything whitened and when his eyes cleared, he was back in the cave, the egg in his tight grip.
He had passed!
Holy shit!
He couldn't believe!
So this means he was actually worthy of this egg?
He was so happy, he couldn't breathe well.
He had to assume the illusion zone was just to test people's courage and mindset. Nothing could have prepared him for it though, not even reading the novel prepared him.
As he made his way out of the cave, he encountered some kids crying beside their broken eggs. That was an indication that they had lost in the illusion zone, and had in turn failed the exam.
Zade felt terribly sorry for them.