Footsteps hurried forward as everyone stepped through the gate. Hollow sounds echoed as they made their way down the dark tunnel.
The light behind the vanished.
BOOM.
The ground shook violently. Several applicants screamed in terror as though the monsters had begun their attack but it was only the gate that closed behind them.
Silence followed heavy, suffocating.
No one uttered a word, but everyone instinctively knew what that meant.
No turning back.
The same thought echoed in every mind.
Light bulbs flickered above the tunnel. The Exterminators' logo etched on the steel walls and the tension in the air was dense.
"Hey, Agnar!"
Agnar flinched at the sudden voice.
Instinctively, he swung his arm back.
Ash ducked just in time.
"Ahh!" Agnar shouted, heart pounding. "Don't sneak up on me! I almost sent you to the hospital."
Ash straightened, laughing, and flashed a double thumbs-up. "That swing had no power behind it. Even if it landed, I'd be fine".
Agnar's eyebrows twitched.
"Why you!"
"Haha! Didn't know you had more than one facial expression". Ash teased.
Before matters could escalate, a white light flooded the tunnel's exit. Everyone raised their arms to shield their eyes and suddenly, they found themselves at a wasteland.
The sun glowed a bright orange color. Sand stretched endlessly in every direction.
Confused murmurs erupted.
"How...?"
"Did we just teleport?"
Agnar swallowed. Sweat already traced down his neck.
Tsch... tsch...
A static noise cracked through the air. Soon after, a massive holographic 3D map of the simulation zone materialized.
"Congratulations," said the examiner's voice. "You've reached the first trial."
He continued.
"Before you is the map of this zone. This trial simulates the harsh conditions of a wasteland. Rising heat levels, sandstorm, and indigenous monsters."
Several contestants swallowed hard. Others had sweat dripping from their face.
"Primary threats include sand centipedes."
A ripple of unease passed through the group.
"You will all be issued MEX gears," the examiner said. "These suits are designed to protect you from environmental hazards and monster attacks."
Relief spread like a wave.
"MEX gear?" someone whispered. "I've heard of those."
"They enhance physical abilities," another added. "Giving us a fighting chance."
"Oh?" The examiner sounded amused. "Then some of you already know their value."
The hologram shifted, displaying schematics of armored suits.
"Traditional weapons failed humanity," the examiner continued. "But monster hides possess unique properties. When refined, they form the foundation of modern extermination technology."
Sparks cracked in the air.
A metal crate emerged from a compartment in the sand, followed by dozens more.
"The MEX suit syncs directly with your nervous system," the voice said. "They adapt to your body and respond to intent. This trial will teach you how to use them."
The crates opened.
Gasps followed.
"Woah! That's what I'm talking about!" someone yelled.
A woman frowned at her oversized suit. "This won't fit..."
Hsss.
The suit compressed, molding perfectly to her body. She stared in amazement.
One by one, contestants geared up.
Agnar stared at his own suit as it locked into place, cool metal sealing against his skin. The weight vanished almost instantly.
It feels... natural.
"Excellent," the examiner said. "You all are now authorised to begin."
His tone hardened.
"You have two hours to exterminate every monster in this zone and advance. Fail to proceed before time expires, and you fail."
The voice faded.
The hologram vanished.
In its place, a massive countdown appeared.
1:59:59
1:59:58
1:59:57...
Contestants dashed across the desert with confidence. Each step kicked up grains of sand, crackling beneath their boots.
"Whoo-hoo!" Ash shouted, already far ahead. "This is awesome!"
"At this rate we'll clear it in no time!"
Laughter and cheers echoed as figures shot past Agnar.
Blurs trailed behind them as they shot forward, their physical abilities boosted.
"Move it, kid. Something wrong with your gear?" a voice growled beside him.
The voice sounded familiar.
Agnar turned, panting.
It was the scarred man from before.
"...Geezer," Agnar muttered. "It's you. "
The man's eyebrow twitched. He exhaled slowly. "Name's Bjorn. You can drop the old man crap."
Agnar chuckled weakly. "Nah. Old man suits you better."
Both of them breathed hard as they pushed forward across the desert.
"We need to catch up with the others," Bjorn said. "The best chance of survival is sticking together."
The crackling sand seemed louder as they dug their boots into the sand, the heat now pressing against them like a furnace.
"Is it just me, or did it get hotter?" Ash called somewhere ahead.
"We're in another creature's territory," Bjorn warned. "Stay alert. Out here, we're the prey."
Agnar swallowed dryly at that.
"Save your breath," Bjorn continued. "Just run. We can't fall behind."
Sparks flickered beneath Bjorn's feet as he lunged forward. He shot into the air like a cannon leaving a swirling dust cloud where he once stood.
Agnar stared.
"Why can't my gear do that?"
He closed his eyes, "Maybe if I focus…"
He inhaled deeply, trying to concentrate, but the air burned his lungs.
He coughed. "Argh! Too hot to concentrate!" He ruffled his hair, frustrated. "I can't fall behind!"
He pushed himself into a sprint, though every step felt heavier than the last. Sand dragged at his feet.
You guys should slow down, he thought desperately, reaching out toward the shrinking figures ahead.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
He clutched his chest and stumbled.
"Shit… I'm losing consciousness."
Before his body hit the ground, the desert shook violently beneath him. The tremor threw him back, sand exploding around him.
Ahead, the others stopped.
"What was that?" someone whispered.
Silence followed. Sharp, tense. Everyone listened.
Bjorn turned, scanning the area. Agnar was gone.
His eye narrowed then widened in realization.
BOOM.
A wave of sand erupted skyward in multiple directions.
Agnar lay in the sand, staring up at towering shadows as they blocked out the sun.
Deep growls echoed beneath the rising dust. As the clouds cleared, armored bodies and countless legs wriggled into view.
"Centipedes!" someone shouted.
"Watch out!"