Children of Elisium

Elisium’s morning classes continued as normal. Noon arrived and soon after, an important announcement rang through each nook and cranny of the institution.

Several students were going to be admitted to the Sanctuary. Among them was a student named Zain Amina who came from the class Aquarius.

Hoots and cheers of awe and admiration resounded from multiple rooms and multiple locations. The children were in a happy mood, although each of them had various reasons for being cheery. Some were happy for their friends whose names were called during the announcement. Others were happy because classes were going to be cancelled to make way for the small banquet during the afternoon.

However, there were two individuals who weren’t hopping in joy because of the news. One was named Zain Amina. The other was called 373.

Zain Amina looked more sullen than proud as she listened to the announcement. Although she flashed her classmates a smile once her name was called, deep in her heart was an unwillingness she couldn’t show. After her crushing defeat, the girl with brown eyes and black hair doubted she deserved to go to the Sanctuary. Going to the Sanctuary and proving herself to the adults had always been her wish. But now? She had witnessed how the teachers had ignored her and how they regarded 373. It reminded her of her parents and how they had abandoned her in an alleyway. Yet, Zain Amina had made her decision. It was too late for her to turn back.

373 had her usual blank expression plastered on her face. She had learned to ignore the names being called during announcements like this but for some reason, she couldn’t turn a blind eye to it like she used to. The more she thought about it, the more 373 felt a bitterness building in her chest. She knew how the seven children were going to end up. She knew that Zain Amina would probably die tonight. What was she supposed to do? Would something change if Zain Amina knew the truth?

The dark-skinned girl used her time left in Elisium to say her goodbyes. The small pale-skinned female spent her time looking for the girl named Zain Amina. Their paths never crossed, not even until night arrived. By the time 373 had found Zain Amina, the older girl had packed her bags and left with two teachers as her escort.

The hall filled with identical beds soon became filled with children. A few minutes later, the brightly lit room fell into darkness. The room became silent. Only the sounds of breathing and rustling covers echoed subtly in the night.

Unknown to the rest of the children, one bed had become empty and had been enchanted with an illusion. Equipped with nothing but her clothing, 373 walked outside the bedroom. Her dark eyes scanned the empty corridors. She used her Talent to listen for the thoughts of other people. As soon as she was certain that no one was in her way, she gathered her energy, cast a concealment spell, and used Adicio to make her way to Elisium’s fake Sanctuary.

When Michael Caelum heard the announcement that afternoon, he had made sure to meet Aria and to tell her to lay low and stay put. The underground laboratories were going to be bustling with activity and security was usually heightened during times like these. Michael didn’t really want to think about how the little girl had managed to stumble into Salamander’s cell or how she had discovered a demon, of all things, in Elisium. But after some thinking, he realized that the small brown-haired child probably explored the underground facility whenever she had a chance. Michael just hoped she didn’t do it today because if she did, there was a high risk of her getting caught.

The young researcher made his way to the farthest viewing platform as calmly as he can. He sharpened his senses and minimized his presence as much as he could. He never really liked watching what the researchers did to the children of Elisium and he avoided the higher-ranking researchers like the plague.

He never watched from the operating theater and preferred to stay at the farthest observation room which no one really liked to use. Sometimes, he would stay in the spacious viewing room alone while his dinner did somersaults in his stomach. On other times, Jeorge Marcus Grin would show up with a coffee in hand and talk his ear off as the procedures began. Among all the higher-ups Michael Caelum had met, Jeorge Marcus Grin was the only one he didn’t mind talking to.

As soon as he made a turn towards the laboratories and operating rooms, he felt a familiar energy signature that wasn’t supposed to exist in the lower levels of Elisium. Michael tried to keep the surprise from registering on his face and turned towards the energy signature that was running to the direction of the operating theater. Luckily, most of the researchers had already went to their respective places and the hallways were almost empty. He silently cast Persequor and tracked the energy signature to its source. When he finally caught up with the small figure sneaking around in Elisium’s laboratories, Michael Caelum pulled the child by the arm and yanked her to a deserted corridor.

“You should be asleep,” Michael muttered as quietly as he could while his heart was dancing madly in his chest. He had specially told Aria to stay put today. Yet what exactly was she doing here at this very moment?

The little girl kept her concealment spell on and forcefully wrenched her arm away from Michael’s grip. Aria didn’t spare him a second glanced and ran to the direction that Michael was avoiding the most. The young male followed her while pretending that nothing was wrong. When he realized that the girl had led him to the long operating theater where most of the researchers were gathered, the red-haired boy’s complexion instantly turned a deathly white.

The little female darted into the room fearlessly after reinforcing her concealment spell. Left with no other choice, Michael followed suit and trudged into the room while nodding every so often to the researchers who recognized him. He kept his gaze forward and didn’t dare look at the operating tables lined in the long and spacious room. He honed his senses on the small invisible female who was now hiding behind a large metal shelf that contained various medical instruments and chemical solutions.

Just like the young male, Aria had minimized her presence to the point that her Celare spell was unrecognizable unless someone used a tracking spell. However, the sparks of lightning cackling on her palm were in plain sight. As soon as she used her spell, Michael was 100 percent sure that they were going to be in trouble.

He remembered the electrical shortage incident that had happened a few weeks ago. The gears in his head began to click. Michael Caelum wasn’t the brightest bulb, but he wasn’t stupid either. The 8year old girl had caused the electrical failure and was about to do it again. He stared at the little girl’s silhouette and quickly canceled her spell with a wave of his hand, not minding how he could feel her gaze boring holes through his head.

“The first time could be written off as a power failure,” Michael whispered. “But if you do it again with the amount of Spellcasters in this room, you won’t be able to make it out of here alive.”

The child didn’t reply and faced a single bed in the middle of the room where an unconscious dark-skinned girl had been strapped to a table and was about to be operated on. The machine that was on standby right beside the girl’s bed was different from the machine they had used on Talent holders. Bob had told him it was used for Talent Implantation. Did that mean that the girl was from the class of Aquarius?

“Michael!” Maria Caelum walked towards him with a warm smile plastered on her face. She was wearing a pair of beige slacks and a plain white sleeveless blouse under her white laboratory coat. His mother’s lips were smeared with deep red lipstick. Her green eyes were wide and filled with curiosity.

His mother nodded at him. “This is a pleasant surprise. I’ve never seen you down here before.”

“I needed a change of pace,” he said with a small grin. Michael discretely maneuvered his body like he was shielding Aria from his mother’s inquisitive gaze.

“Hmm. I heard that you got a bit sick when you saw your first live operation. In school, alchemy and alchemic research may sound like a beautiful thing… but things like this are also rampant and normal, you know? It’s just not as publicized.” Maria Caelum’s gaze turned worried as she patted his arm affectionately. “The more exposure you get, the quicker you’ll get used to the sight. But don’t force yourself, okay?”

“I’ll be assisting in today’s Talent implantation procedure, so you better watch properly and learn everything that you can.” The Caelum matriarch gave her son a wink and placed her hands on her hips. “Cheer me on. I’ll be off!”

Michael watched as his mother turned around and faced the line of operating tables with enthusiasm. The male took a quick glance at the girl behind him and the girl who was lying asleep on one of the tables. Before his mother could take four steps away from them, Michael Caelum called out. “Mom…!”

“Hmm? What is it?” His mother quirked an eyebrow at him.

“That girl-,” Michael turned and faced the little girl with dark skin and black hair, “-what’s going to happen to her?”

“Oh? You mean Zain Amina from class Aquarius? Subject number 124?” Maria Caelum swept her red hair behind her ear with a finger. “First, they’re going to assess her vitals and record whether or not she’s stable. Then afterwards, we’re going to begin the Talent Transfer – or Talent Implantation, as we’d like to call it.”

Michael froze at the mention of the Zain Amina’s class. Both she and Aria really did come from the Aquarius group. If Zain Amina was going to undergo the Talent Implantation procedure, then it was most likely that Aria was going to go through the same thing if he didn’t get her out of Elisium.

“What’s the percentage of success?” Michael asked. His mother crossed her arms around her chest and sighed.

“Ten percent… That’s what it should be, theoretically speaking.” A defeated look flashed on his mother’s face. “After we’ve recomputed the odds and analyzed the different factors for an ideal human container, we naturally concluded that there should be one out of ten human beings capable of accepting a foreign Talent through transplantation.”

“But after the numerous tests and actual experiments we’ve done here there have been zero successful cases. Not a single child survived.” Maria Caelum clicked her tongue and shook her head. She continued talking about complications, computations and multiple factors related to Talent Implantation. She never noticed how her son had stopped listening and was clenching his hands into fists.

“No one… survived,” Michael Caelum said. There was a tremor in his voice and a slight tinge of anger that his mother didn’t catch. Maria Caelum stuffed her hands in her lab coat’s pockets and glanced at the monitors that various researchers were bringing in and setting up around Zain Amina’s operating table.

“A Talent is a mystical existence which is thought to have a soul. Think of it as having two entities in one body. Some humans are born with Talents. Others acquire Talents after the original Talent Holder dies,” Maria Caelum explained. “But here’s the catch: the human body was never built to house a spirit other that its own. So outside those that naturally acquired a Talent and those who were born with Talents, people who are forcefully implanted with talents will undergo rejection.

Based on our existing data with Talent Extraction, people need to meet certain requirements in order to be Talent Holders. Eighty percent of talent holders usually have a high energy capacity, good understanding and control of spells, and have high aptitude in spell casting and alchemy,” Maria Caelum continued. “But the last and most important part is compatibility between souls. And so far, Subject number 124 seems to be the best candidate we’ve had so far.”

“Aside from her, there’s the mythical test subject that’s been missing these couple of years and that weird kid called 373 which they’re literally betting on.” The senior researcher closed her eyes and leaned on the balls of her feet. “But, well… only God knows if we’ll actually succeed.”

“Ah… That should be enough from me,” his mother said as she took her hands out of her pockets and stretched. “It’s about time for us to start. Watch and learn. But if you feel sick, there’s a washroom down the left side on the farthest end of the hall.”

“Do your best not to vomit in the operating theater,” Maria Caelum added. “The Apothecary’s disciple will kill you if you do.”

Michael watched his mother walk away and talked to a researcher who assisted her in wearing a pair of surgical gloves. Maria Caelum’s warm gaze turned serious as she spoke to her colleagues who quickly moved and followed her instructions. Several wires were hooked on to Zain Amina as the machines were turned on. Numbers and charts started showing on the monitors attached to the machines. One of the men gave Maria Caelum a thumbs up. Maria Caelum responded with a nod and spoke in clear and crisp voice.

“Time to wake her up! Administer the Methylphenidate solution and the accelerant.”

One of the senior researchers picked a needleless syringe filled with a pale-yellow liquid and emptied the fluid in the dark-skinned child’s mouth. After exactly thirty seconds, the same researcher injected an orange substance into Zain Amina’s arm. All the researchers’ gazes turned towards the display panels monitoring Zain Amina’s heartbeat, oxygen levels and other vital statistics. An entire minute passed. The numbers spiked. The sleeping girl’s eye lids fluttered opened and showed a pair of confused chocolate brown eyes.

Michael Caelum could feel Aria’s agitation building up as Zain Amina attempted to struggle against the restraints that kept her fastened to the operating table. The youth could feel the little girl’s hands trying to push him aside. He could feel the coldness of her palm through the fabric of his laboratory coat. But he stayed still and didn’t budge. He knew that if he did, the repercussions weren’t going to be light.

Maria Caelum raised a gloved hand and prodded the girl’s arm. She motioned for one of the researchers to bring the Talent Implantation device. As a group of male researchers maneuvered the device over Zain Amina’s body, Michael felt the bile rising to his chest. He already knew what came next – and he hated how he was powerless to change anything.

“Don’t look,” He whispered to the girl who was still struggling to move him. Although his body was facing forward, he could feel Aria’s presence as clearly as his own. He didn’t know if she looked away and covered her ears, but the small hands tugging on his arm suddenly slackened and let go at the same moment the screaming began to echo in the hall.

The cries became more distinct and Michael could hear the clattering of metal on metal, probably from the child’s convulsing. He didn’t need to look – he didn’t want to look. The sounds and scents of the laboratory was enough to make cold sweat pour down his body, tracing the muscles of his back and torso. He felt all the warmth of his body disappear as the screaming became louder. He pursed his lips as tightly as he can and tried to keep the bitter liquid inside his throat.

Michael Caelum held his breath. And while the rest of the room kept their eyes wide open, the young male did the opposite and closed his eyes.

Her hands were as heavy as lead as they fell to her sides. Just as 373 couldn’t find the strength to push Michael Caelum away, she couldn’t find the strength to bring her hands up to her ears or to look away from everything unfolding in front of her.

Although the metallic shelf and Michael’s figure limited what 373 could see, it didn’t stop her from seeing the scene unfolding in front of her.

Michael looked away. Unlike the other adults, Michael closed his eyes. But 373 couldn’t. She couldn’t move her gaze away from the gigantic machine and its many wires and tubes. She couldn’t keep her eyes from staring at the dark-skinned girl who was writhing and whimpering in pain.

Even though she was finding it hard to breath, 373 could sniff out the smell of metal mixed with the stench of anti-septic, alcohol and other chemicals. Even though her ears were ringing, 373 could clearly hear one scream became two until the entire hall was filled with a cacophony of crying.

She had seen Leon suffering on the first night she stumbled into the other side of Elisium’s white walls. She had heard his yells, seen the other children in the cells, smelled the stench of the dead bodies being carried in and out of the rooms. But she had never seen something like this before. She had never seen how all the children in Elisium had died – never seen how children around her age were being pricked, prodded and tortured even after they breathed their last.

What about the other children living up in the fake paradise of Elisium? Were they all going to die in the same way? Was she going to let Zain Amina die like this?

As if reading her thoughts, Michael Caelum slightly turned his body and whispered, “If you save her now, can you keep her alive? Even if you do save her, there are still hundreds of innocent children of Elisium. Will you take responsibility of their lives and save them too?”

“You can’t. Even I can’t. We’re ants in the eyes of high-ranking Spellcasters – even less in the eyes of a Magno Deorum. We might need a miracle just to get out of here,” Michael Caelum said bluntly as he opened his eyes slightly. There was an indescribable sadness in the depths of his eyes that washed over 373 like waves embracing a shipwrecked survivor in the middle of the sea. “That’s why, even if I don’t like what I see, saving just you is enough for me. Knowing that you’re safe is enough for me.”

373 felt warm after hearing what Michael said. Yet it didn’t dispel the wrenching feeling in her gut.

“It’s not enough for me.” The words escaped her lips accidentally. But the moment they slipped from her mouth, 373 had to admit they were true. She did not plan on forgetting this day, nor was she planning on standing by and doing nothing. With a breath, she gathered her energy and cast two spells: one to completely mask her presence, and another to give her strength to escape the back that was trying to protect her.

“Celo. Fulcio.”

373 felt the magical flow of energy around her change and concentrated on reducing her presence and making sure her spell was undetected. She took a deep gulp of air and climbed up the metal shelf. The howls of pain and humming of machines masked the little noise that she made. She slowly jumped down as quietly as she could and turned around to look at the confused gaze of Michael Caelum.

“Sorry.” Before the young man could move, 373 touched his wrist and cast a restriction spell. The older male felt her hand and glanced at the place where their skin touched. He didn’t move – or rather, he couldn’t move unless 373 released him from her spell. The small female ignored the guilt gnawing at her chest and scanned the room. She didn’t move a single step. She didn’t dare walk close to the white-coated adults in the room.

The moment she had stepped foot in Elisium’s hidden laboratories, 373 had understood that Elisium was filled with strong Spellcasters. She understood that completely well enough but had relied on the fact that no sane person would cast a tracking spell without reason. Unless someone dispelled her concealment spell, no one would be able to see her. But now, faced with the reality that she was weak – weaker than the adults around, she knew better than to take a step towards the girl she wanted to save.

At first, 373 had thought about doing the same thing she did when she first saw Leon. But to make her live another day? To prolong her life while causing little accidents here and there?

What a joke! She had seen the torture Leon went through. She knew the pain Leon had to go through every single day.

If it were her, she would rather die.

Because in death, there was no pain.

In death, there was peace.

The little girl could taste a bitter metallic taste in her mouth. But after thinking things through, she knew what she had to do. She couldn’t fight, couldn’t ask Zain Amina to suffer and wait for her to get stronger. But even without getting closer, she could cast a spell – one simple spell – and then it would all be over.

She stood quietly amid the noise that echoed in the room. She engraved each scent, each sound and each sight into her memories. She watched as Zain Amina writhed in pain and screamed until her lungs ran out of air. 373 listened to the dark-skinned girl’s yells, her pleading voice resonating through every inch of 373’s body like an earthquake. Tears fell down Zain Amina’s face as she begged for the researchers to stop.

373 extended her hand. Her fingers shook as she released her spell and cast it on Zain Amina.

“Somnum Diu,” 373 whispered so softly as she closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she was no longer surrounded by the machinery and metallic walls of Elium.

There were rows of houses that were erected side by side. Everywhere she looked, 373 could see red trumpet-shaped flowers that decorated the cobblestone roads. A sweet intoxicating scent enveloped the female as she took small steps towards one house with an open gate. There, a tall dark-skinned girl stood with her hands on her hips. The other girl’s brown eyes reflected the fiery red hue of the flowers that surrounded them. Her chocolate orbs looked at 373 in recognition. “It was you.”

“You made the pain… go away,” Zain Amina said with a wry grin. “But if you knew Elisium was a dangerous place, why didn’t you tell me everything?”

373 didn’t reply and continued to stare at the taller girl while complex emotions welled in her chest. The black-haired girl gazed at the smaller female and shrugged. “Well, we were never close. You were never close to anyone. But if you did tell me, I wouldn’t have believed you. I loved Elisium too much. They gave me another chance to having a family. And if you told me, I would have told the adults and you would be in trouble.”

“I would be… in trouble,” the smaller female parroted. ’In trouble’ was a light way of putting it. If the adults in Elisium caught her, 373 would be dead.

“I know there’s nothing you can do. If I were in your shoes, I’d be too scared to tell anyone,” the older female said as her hands clenched into fists in her side. “They tricked us – all of us. And I just realized I was a fool for making the Sanctuary my dream – for wanting to make them proud.”

The pale-skinned girl stared at Zain Amina. 373 remembered how the taller girl fought, how Zain Amina risked her life just to win a sparring match. In the silence of the world around them, 373 thought about why Zain Amina could fight so bravely and so recklessly even when she was just a child. “You were fighting… for the adults. For Elisium.”

Zain Amina nodded. “I wanted to return the favor and prove myself to them.”

373 clicked her tongue, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought harder. “You shouldn’t risk your life for something like that.”

Brown eyes widened and the dark-skinned female laughed. Her laughter was rather high-pitched and quite different from the way she spoke. But when Zain Amina laughed, her perfectly white teeth peeked from her lips as her eyes shone up and turned into crescents. 373 listened to the rise and fall of pitch as Zain Amina continued to chuckle until the taller female had to stop to stifle a yawn.

“All of a sudden, I feel really sleepy,” the older girl commented with a stretch. “Did you cast Somnum Diu? The advanced-level sleeping spell? Did you modify it? It feels… different.”

373 responded with a nod. There was something odd about this conversation. They weren’t close – had never exchanged more than five sentences with each other in the last two years. But now, they were having an actual harmless conversation that continued naturally.

“That’s interesting. I never really managed to modify it. I’ve only controlled the length of the sleep, but not how deeply I could sleep,” Zain Amina remarked. “Somnum Diu is my go-to spell when I can’t sleep at night. Insomnia sucks.”

The smaller female didn’t make a sound. Zain Amina stretched again and leaned on the metal gate in front of her. She rubbed her eyes and opened her mouth in a yawn, before asking the little girl, “How long will I sleep?”

“A long time...” 373’s eyes remained clear, her face a blank slate. She was acting tough even though her voice was trembling as she spoke.

Brown eyes gazed at her intently. “I’m going to die, aren’t I? Then, I guess when I wake up, it’ll all be over?”

373 replied with another nod, but this time her actions were slower. After she nodded, the little girl kept her head down.

“Hey!” Zain Amina called out. 373’s head snapped up as the little female gazed at the dark-skinned girl in front of her. Zain Amina shook her head and flashed the smaller girl a smile. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I can’t feel the pain at all. Instead, figure out a way to get everyone out of here before they all die.”

“That’s…” 373’s voice trailed off as she thought. Her saving all the children of Elisium single-handedly? Was something like that even possible?

“No, you don’t have to save them all,” Zain Amina corrected. “Just let them know. And let them choose by themselves if they want to stay in Elisium, or if they want to risk their lives for a chance to live. Who knows, maybe someone strong will arrive and save everyone in Elisium.”

373 met Zain Amina’s gaze. The dark-skinned girl gave her a grin that extended from ear to ear. “Promise me, ’kay?”

Suddenly, the older girl’s brown eyes turned glassy and moist and the smile on her face was quickly replaced with a scowl. Zain Amina lifted her long arms and used the back of her hands to wipe the tears on her face. She sniffled. A few seconds later, she released a choked sob. The taller girl peeked at the smaller girl through her hands. With a sniff, she managed to say, “You better not tell them I cried, okay?”

“I won’t,” 373 replied.

“I don’t want to die.”

373 hung her head. “I’m sorry.”

“If you really feel sorry for me, then stay alive!” Zain Amina sniffed and continued to wipe the tears away from her face. But her eyes didn’t contain a hint of frailty. Her gaze was proud, clear, and void of any hesitation. Flames were burning behind her eyes. It was a fire that even her impending death could not extinguish.

“Make sure you live long enough and become strong enough to save the people around you!” Zain Amina took a deep breath and gave 373 a serious gaze. “If you don’t, I won’t forgive you!”

The scenery around them started to shift. Zain Amina glanced at 373 one last time. Both girls knew their time together was up. With her hands cupped around her mouth and with the biggest voice she could muster, the dark-skinned female shouted through the rustling wind.

“Do your best!”

373 stared at her and gave the older girl a nod. When the small girl blinked, she was back in the metallic world filled with the sounds of groaning machinery. Gone were the flaming red flowers and the cobblestone paths that crisscrossed through rows and rows of houses. Black orbs met brown eyes and a hint of a smile graced the dark-skinned girl’s face.

Zain Amina’s chest no longer heaved up and down. Her lips were pale. Her long limbs were no longer struggling against the restraints of her bed. Zain Amina closed her eyes to sleep. This time, no one could wake her up.