Page 21 of Villainous Fate

The door next to me opens, and large hands grab at my bicep, pulling me out in a steady movement. I land on my feet, and I’m guided about twenty steps away.

I can hear heartbeats going erratically, heavy breathing, and shuffling of feet.

I’m not alone here.

I stand silently, gauging the numbers around me and singling out sounds where possible.

“Welcome Alpha Cadets!” A booming voice begins after at least two more vehicles drop off their packages.

“Your journey begins right now. I will review your first mission's rules only once, so pay attention.” The voice continues.

“First, you will be dropped off away from your peers. You’ll have only a single envelope and your pack for supplies. Inside the envelope are the rules I will read to you now and half a map that leads to the training grounds. Failure to reach the training facilities before midnight means immediate expulsion from the program and a one-way ticket back home. However, you cannot make it there alone. You must find the other half of your map, which will be with one of the other Alphas. Together, you both must arrive, or you both fail.

The rules of this test are as follows:

You are not allowed to shift. At any time. Period.

You may only help people carrying the other half of your map.

You may not intentionally disrupt, distract, or interfere with anyone else’s test.

No cadet may attack or injure another cadet during this challenge.

You may not seek assistance from locals in any capacity.

If your assigned teammate does not survive this exercise, you must provide their body at the training grounds by midnight, or you will be out.

Your path will have traps, challenges, and diversions. The only way to survive them is to work together. You can avoid them or face them and get an advantage in your next test.

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