Looking at the two silhouettes before him, Alex would be lying if he said he wasn’t surprised. There were multiple reasons for that, one of them being that these were the first children he saw since entering the outpost. The other reason for his befuddlement was that they looked almost identical to each other, save for a few minor differences like hair length and facial features.

“Twins, it seems.” Alex thought to himself.

Taking a moment to observe them, he noticed that the twins were doing the same thing, watching him.

“You’re up? Great, it’s time to go.” said the boy.

“Yeah, we have to hurry, or we’ll receive an earful from Grand Uncle.” added the girl.

Hearing the casual tone of the two before him, Alex was flooded with a torrent of questions.

“Who are you, and how did you get in here? Also, what makes you think I’m going to follow you to wherever you’re thinking of taking me?” Alex asked with an incredulous tone.

It was at this exact moment that a deep rumble was heard throughout the room. Alex immediately remembered that he immediately went to sleep after arriving at the Hidden Star Hall. The sound he heard right now was the not-so-silent protest of his digestive system.

“Catch.” said the boy as he tossed something through the air.

A small item the size of a golfball was flying towards Alex. With a little clumsy effort on his part, he caught the mysterious thing and took a look at it. It was a small squishy sphere, the colour of ash.

“What is this?” asked Alex.

“It’s an Ashberry. Standard Legion issue. One of these and you don’t have to worry about eating for the next day. They taste funny, though,” added the girl.

Alex took another look at the grey ball in his palm and then at the pair in front of him. Their garments betrayed their otherworldly nature, which triggered a feeling of apprehensiveness inside him. What if they were to poison him?

“Highly unlikely. They clearly are part of this outpost’s original inhabitants, not to mention if they really wanted to harm me, they could have easily done that while I slept, even if they seem to be children.” deduced Alex.

After taking another moment to steel his nerves, he took the Ashberry and started munching on it.

“The girl was right; it tastes weird. It’s like eating mud.” thought Alex.

As soon as the contents of the berry arrived at the base of his stomach, he started to feel a fuzzy warmth spread throughout his body. As the heat washed over his body, he could feel both his hunger as well as any lingering fatigue he might have had left dissipate. Surprised at the refreshing feeling, Alex was content to stay there and enjoy it. Unfortunately, that did not agree with the twin’s task at hand.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get to eat your fill of them after you join the legion.” said the girl.

“If he joins the Legion, Moira. Besides, we really ought to start moving. Grand Uncle is waiting for us.” added the boy in a hurried tone.

“Always so pessimistic, Cian. I have a good feeling about this one,” replied Moira.

Hearing the pair – Moira and Cian, speaking in front of him, it was clear they were here specifically for him.

“It seems they’re here to recruit me, or at least to escort me to someplace I may join. Considering what I know, there are only two possible options. Either this faction is so powerful, it can easily disregard orders and approach me, which seems unlikely, or they are the source of my problem, which seems way more likely.” Alex mused to himself.

“It seems I don’t have much of a choice in this matter, do I?” asked Alex.

“Not really,” “No,” replied the two simultaneously.

“Grand Uncle told us we were allowed to drag you by force if you were stupid enough not to follow on your own.” added the boy, Cian.

Most people that found themselves in this situation would perceive those words as an insult. But not Alex. The truth of the case was that he had a problem and the source of the problem just showed itself to him. Truly, it would take someone foolish not to follow the twins back, especially considering that they could grab him and simply drag him to wherever they wanted. With a final sigh of resignation, Alex spoke.

“Alright, lead the way,” said he.

The trip from the Hidden Star Hall to the Legion’s tent was quiet. Once they retreated away from the outpost’s centre, it became far more desolate. The tents were shabbier and less flashy, and fewer people could be seen walking about. It took roughly half an hour of a leisurely walk to reach their destination. Alex was once again deep in his thoughts, not paying attention to his surroundings, save for keeping an eye out for the twins walking in front of him. Since Alex was in a fugue state, he chose to keep silent for most of the walk, and the twins were seemingly eager to oblige. When he came about, the first thing that entered his line of sight was two torch rows. Green, ghostly fire lined the path to a pitch-black tent.

“Is this it?” asked Alex, fully knowing the answer by the way the twins stopped expectantly.

“Yes, let’s go. Grand Uncle should be expecting us,” replied Cian.

And with that said, all three of them started walking on the torch path. A short moment later, Alex found himself in front of the entrance, with the twins on either of his sides. With a practised movement, they grabbed the entrance cloth and pulled away, inviting Alex to enter.

“This is it; I guess there’s no going back now,” thought Alex.

He took a moment to steel his will and stepped inside.

What greeted Alex inside was more torches, this time aligned between great black columns seemingly made of marble. The columns outstretched further into the hall, at the end of which a lone man was seated on a great throne carved of the same stone the columns were. Alex took a moment to observe the man. Grey, neatly cut hair adorned his head; the expression on the man’s face looked as if it had weathered thousands of storms and would be prepared to do so again. His grey eyes held a devilish glint that promised unfaltering loyalty to his allies and untold horrors to whoever was foolish enough to cross his path. He wore the same black robes the twins were wearing, but his robe had a multitude of white lines crisscrossing across the cloth, forming a mesmerizing pattern. All the people Alex met so far, from Jake and Amber to Elder Eastfire, seemed normal compared to this man. For whatever reason, it was when Alex saw the alien existence before him that he fully comprehended that the world, their world, was never going to be the same ever again.

“I’ve been expecting you, Alex,” spoke the man.

As soon as the words left the man’s mouth, they reverberated with a deep thrumming across the hall. It took all of Alex’s will not to fall on his knees or run away screaming. Trying his best to get a grip, he spoke.

“So I’ve been told,” replied Alex nervously.

“You’ve been told? It seems someone’s a blabbermouth. No matter though, you’re here, and that’s all that matters.” said the man.

“My name is Bellum. You may address me as Elder Bellum. Now, I am sure you want to know why you’re here.” added Elder Bellum.

“I’m here because, for some reason, you told the rest of the factions to give me the boot, at least for a while,” replied Alex.

“Hmm, and why would I do such a thing?” Elder Bellum asked with intrigue in his voice.

“My best guess? You’re interested in me for whatever reason, and you decided to nudge the odds of me making it here unaffiliated in your favour, just in case.” Alex humoured the man before him.

“Just in case,” added the man with an impish smile.

“Well, then, Alex. Let me cut to the chase. You’re a prime candidate for joining us, which is why I pulled some strings here and there to make sure you ended up where you are now.” explained Elder Bellum.

“How do you know I am who you’re looking for? You could be wrong for all we know.” nitpicked Alex.

As soon as Alex said those words, a frown crossed the man’s face before settling there.

“Usually, I don’t take kindly to those who question my judgment, but seeing as you’re akin to a newborn – ignorant of the world around you, I’ll let it pass. The answer to your question lies in our mutual acquaintance, a particular five-eyed acquaintance. Is that enough to justify my judgment?” asked Elder Bellum.

Alex took just a moment to piece the new information together before cursing inwardly.

“Pahan, that little shit,” thought Alex.

Taking a moment to go over his meeting with Pahan, Alex immediately became suspicious of something.

“But how, he said that he’s bound to secrecy, and if he were to break it, his foundation would shatter, whatever that meant,” Alex asked with a straining voice.

“Indeed, that part is right. He can’t explicitly tell me what it was he saw, but he can say to me that whatever he saw was exactly what I was looking for, without actually revealing anything,” explained Elder Bellum.

“And whatever he saw is what you’re looking for, huh?” asked Alex with defeat in his voice.

“Don’t be disappointed; that’s what the Myriad Visions Sect does. They play on your misconceptions and skillfully use them against you. Trust me when I say that this is by far one of the most harmless things they’ve done in ages.” added Elder Bellum.

“That doesn’t make it better, but thanks for trying.” dryly remarked Alex.

“Now what, though? I’m standing before you; what’s next?” Alex asked immediately.

“Now, I offer you the Legion’s Trial, and, hopefully, you decide to take it,” replied Elder Bellum.

“I have a choice in the matter?” Alex asked with mock surprise.

“Due to the nature of the Trial, or more specifically, what happens if you fail, yes, you have the choice to decline. If you refuse, that will tell me all I need to know about you, and that would be that.” Elder Bellum replied ominously.

“Since I’m already here, might as well hear you out. So, tell me, what is the Legion’s Trial?” asked Alex.

“All in time, little one. First, tell me, do you know what are the qualifications for taking the Trial?” asked Elder Bellum in an expectant voice.

“I suppose whatever it is that Pahan saw in my mind, correct?” Alex replied in a snap.

“Partly, there are two qualities all new additions must possess. First, the applicant must be mortal. That might seem easy, but everyone across the Great Starry Sky has practised some form of cultivation or another, thus making them unfit to join.” explained Elder Bellum.

“Wouldn’t you simply raise children without allowing them to cultivate before making them take the Legion’s Trial then?” asked Alex.

“Ideally, that would be the case, but we can’t do that because it directly conflicts with the second qualification,” added Elder Bellum.

“Which is?” asked Alex, already having a rough idea of what it might be.

“Nightmares.” simply said Elder Bellum.

As soon as the words left Elder Bellum, a deathly silence settled over the hall. The ghostly flames seemed to flicker with something like expectation.

“Bad dreams? That’s all it takes to join your faction, having nightmares?” incredulously asked Alex.

“Not nightmares, boy. Nightmares. Not the bad dreams that give you a scare for a short while after waking up before you start to forget them, no! I’m talking about Nightmares that haunt you beyond your sleep into the waking hours. Nightmares that are intricately intertwined with the very core of your being. Nightmares that shape who you are and what you do, boy.” explained Elder Bellum with an almost fanatical voice.

Elder Bellum’s voice sent a shudder throughout Alex’s body. Memories were starting to surface in Alex’s mind, memories he hid in the deepest parts of his mind under lock and key and tried to forget about them. Taking another moment to calm himself down, he took another look at Elder Bellum and spoke.

“So, you need people with trauma? Again, I don’t believe I’m the only in the world with psychological trauma, far from it. In fact, after what happened recently, I think you have yourself a fresh wave of recruits arriving in hordes.” said Alex.

“First of all, what the people seeking shelter at the outpost experienced was not trauma, merely shock. Perhaps if exposed to the events for decades on end, it might bloom into more. Real pain and suffering is a capricious flower to cultivate. It needs constant care, not too much, or else the host breaks under its weight, and not too little, or it withers and dies.” explained the Elder.

“Second of all, not everyone who has trauma can take the Trial. In my experience, there are three kinds of people with trauma. First, we have the ones that cannot endure and cave in. They already lost to their Nightmares. Taking the Trial will only serve to push them over the edge, offering the sweet release of madness. These kinds of people are useless to the Legion. But I don’t think you are part of this category, are you?” added the Elder.

“What are the other two?” somberly asked Alex.

“Then we have the next type, a person that is in a constant battle with his Nightmares, sometimes securing a short victory, occasionally succumbing, a never-ending bout with his own horrors. And following that, we have the most deranged of them all, the one who learns to enjoy his suffering. Not battling his monsters, but not entirely giving in either. Such a person has learned to lie in bed with his own demons and likes it.” explained Elder Bellum.

The Elder’s explanation served only to send more chills down Alex’s spine. Thinking about what to say, Alex realized his mouth was dry as a desert. Taking an audible gulp, he once again addressed Elder Bellum with trepidation.

“And which one am I?” asked Alex, both fearing and desiring an answer.

“That’s the beauty of it – there is no way to tell conclusively. What is certain, though, is that it is these last two types who have the requirements to take the Trial,” answered Elder Bellum.

A curtain of silence fell over the hall. Alex was playing back the Elder’s words repeatedly in his head, searching for an answer.

“What exactly is the Trial?” asked Alex, his voice drained of any power.

As soon as Elder Bellum heard the question, a wolfish grin appeared on his face. After taking a moment to appraise Alex, he took a quick look at the twins and spoke.

“Cian, Moira, bring the egg.” spoke the Elder.

As soon as the twins heard Elder Bellum’s voice, they walked past the deathly still Alex and entered one of the many archways littering the hall’s walls. After a short while, sounds of something heavy being dragged could be heard from the same place the twins entered previously. As soon as Alex sluggishly turned his attention to that specific archway, he could see the twins dragging a massive black chest, the kind you’d expect to find untold riches, or perhaps ancient secrets inside of. With a couple of forced movements, the twins arrived directly between where Alex was standing and Elder Bellum, seated on his obsidian throne. As soon as they stopped, they dropped the chest onto the hall’s floor with a massive thud and retreated to their Grand Uncle’s sides.

The moment Alex focused his attention on the chest before him, it started thrashing uncontrollably. Usually, that would at least make Alex take a step back, but he could feel something calling to him from inside the chest. Seeing Alex’s mesmerized expression, Elder Bellum stood up and slowly walked over to the chest. With a quick hand sign, he unlocked the multitude of locks on the chest. As soon as the chest was unlocked, it seemingly calmed down. With a quick turn of Elder Bellum’s hand, the lid was lifted. Taking a look inside, Alex saw that the inside of the chest walls was lined with a silky and velvety cloth the colour of dark violet. On the fabric, a shiny black egg was resting.

“Behold, the Nightmare Queen’s Egg,” spoke the Elder in a reverent tone.

“This is your Trial; you have to make the egg hatch.” added the Elder.

“How?” asked Alex, still keeping his gaze on the egg’s surface.

“The Nightmare Queen’s Egg is part of the Nightmare Queen herself. A small part, but a part nonetheless. It is made of a small piece of her soul, which by itself is not enough to give it life, which is why it needs people like you. By devouring your Nightmares, it will be born. In a way, it will be both your and the Queen’s spawn, born of her essence and your Nightmares, which is why this has to be done while you are a mortal. The moment of its birth will coincide with your first step on the path of cultivation, its literal birth with your own proverbial birth. Bound to your soul, your eternal companion, it is both an extension of you and a part of you, the part you hid deep into your subconsciousness.” explained the Elder.

“After you pick it up, it will force you into reliving all the most traumatic events of your life as if it were the first time in quick succession. There can only be two outcomes; either you triumph over your own demons and join the ranks of the Legion, or you succumb to them and remain a babbling madman for the rest of your short life. If there was ever a time to turn back, it is now,” added the Elder with an air of finality.

Alex took another look at the egg and then took another look at his life so far. He was always running away, running away from pain, from suffering, but also happiness. He chose solitude and escapism to ignore what was happening around him and was content. He knew that if he left now, he could continue doing so; Elder Bellum would rescind his order regarding Alex, some other faction would accept him, and he would continue to lead a willfully blind life. But was that what Alex wanted to do for the rest of his life?

“No.” muttered Alex under his breath.

As disappointment was forming on Elder Bellum’s voice, Alex confidently arrived in front of the egg, and with a resolute gleam in his eye, reached for it.