Canis Dawn.

3• The Anomaly trial grounds.

  Minutes of time passed and then a burst of a yellow-brown light shone brightly from the leaves of two golden trees standing polar to the other.

Everyone gazed at the light in awe, wonder, and slight confusion, but the moment was shortlived when the realization of the trial genesis dawned on them.

  Suddenly, and in the middle of the two golden trees that were heterologous to each other, a large gate that didn't exist in that spot some seconds ago—and what seemed to be about thirteen feet tall—opened up gracefully and revealed a trail of mystery behind its massive doubled doors.

  There was a force field that was born from magic, blocking the path to the cumbersome gates.

  It only let any go through it, after detecting a particular object as it was programmed to do. In this case, that object was the armband.

  Only after recognition of such armband would any candidate obtain free passage into the practical exam grounds. This further proved that the people of Zelerinx were indeed, very tactful in their dealings.

  Behind this field was the gateway, standing in all its fraught glory, waiting for each individual coming through to either meet their doom or triumph.

  It was the gateway that lead to the Anomaly trial grounds. The trial that determined the failure or success of each and every candidate whose feet had stood rooted to these grounds in expectancy.

  Without sparing a glance to any and not wasting more of what time could offer, the boy with whom Latona and the other girl was paired with, began walking ahead and towards the gateway. Leaving the mouths of several—but one—to gape wide in amazement as they whipped their heads to look at him.

  The one who didn't bother to widen her mouth muscles was Latona, for she had began walking towards that same gateway at the exact time the boy moved—both nippers advancing forward in wonderful synchronism, and she not also bothering to gift the other astonied candidates a glance.

  The petite statured girl who wore the same armband with a picture of a cyclamen as the other two walking ahead, wasn't even aware of their absence for a few seconds, until she looked beside herself to confirm if the two young individuals walking ahead of her were from another group or they were her groupmates who had just willfully or unknowingly—considering the case—ignored her presence and walked straightforwardly like her being their groupmate, mattered not.

  Heaving an exasperated sigh, she turned towards their direction and ran after them as far as her midget limbs could carry.

"Hey!" She let out a cheesed off call as she gradually approached them while panting every now and then. "I'm pleased with the fact that you both are fired up and eager but...Gah!!!" She hollered, mildly clenching her shirt between her fingers in frustration. "Do have mercy on the miniature ones!"

  Then she let out a huff. "Couldn't you at least give me a notice that we were to start leaving?" Her head straightened to look up at the two people before her.

"Apologies." Latona muttered, only audible enough to be heard within that space of three. "But we have to be on our way. Time is against us." She said with a plain look hidden beneath her hood. Then she side-looked the boy who didn't deign to reply to the other girl and who only halted for a while then resumed his annoyingly stoic but elegant strides.

"Pfft...such rudeness." The petite girl gnarled as she gave the boy what she felt was a glare, but what really wasn't.

  Latona only nodded at the girl's remark and turned around as well to resume her gracile walk. She had no interest in conversations, meantime and all. Except the need be.