Chapter I - REDONE

Four had died. Four needed to be replaced. 

The testing began early - perhaps a couple hours after sunrise. Every teenager who met the age requirement sat quietly in their seats. A mixed look of anxiety and fear was painted on their faces. They were arranged in rows, sitting in cold, metal chairs as the proctors called out their names one by one. 

Sitting in the third row, a seventeen-year-old folded her hands against her lap. The heels of her shoes scratched the marble floor as she shuffled her feet around. Her hair was the color of a fiery red and pulled back with a fraying white ribbon. She had eyes the color of the ocean at rage�"sea green with specks of blue, grey and silver playing a game of chase inside its currents.

She glanced at the ticking clock. Its hands mocked her, insisting on slowly moving.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

“Number 522!” a proctor called out, “Make your way to the examination room!”

Number 522 swallowed the lump in her throat. She stood up, wiped her hands against her skirt and then made her way to the examination room. Her feet staggered, each stride heavier than the last and her stomach twisted into complicated knots.

From behind the door to the examination room, a boy stepped out, his face faded and pale. The terror in his eyes dulled with relief as he muttered under his breath, “I wasn’t chosen. I wasn’t chosen.”

She was next.

Knock. Knock. Her hand trembled as her knuckles rasped against the heavy door. “Come in!” the door creaked open to reveal a small room. Steel plates aligned the walls and in the middle, a girl sat across a glass table. Her blonde hair was plaited, but ringlets were left loose to frame her face. 

Number 522 found her face familiar. 

Had she met her before?

The girl extended her arm, “Please, sit. I’m the Oracle of Aquarius, Cressa Valero. I’ll be administering your test today.” 

An Oracle? Number 522 perked up. It was improper to slouch. Especially in front of an Oracle. 

Cressa’s big, doe-like eyes inspected her as she fidgeted in her chair, “So, what’s your name?

“Brea Adar,” Number 522 replied. Looking over, Brea noticed a small bowl in the center of the table - strong, sturdy and made of stone.

“Don’t worry,” Cressa chuckled, “It doesn’t hurt if you’re not one of us.”

She dragged the bowl in front of Brea. It was empty - waiting for blood to spill. 

“So, tell me something about yourself. How old are you?” Cressa reached over to grab Brea’s arm. As the blonde’s sleeve hiked up, she noticed something on her wrist - a tattoo. Black ink was etched on her skin, curling to form the symbol of Aquarius. 

“Seventeen,” the redhead replied.

“Any siblings?” 

“An older brother,” Brea responded as she felt the sting of a cold wipe against the wrinkles in her palm.

Cressa lit up, “Oh, really? So do I. How many years older?”

“Five,” Brea’s eyes darted back and forth as she watched Cressa’s movements.

“And your parents? What do they do?” the Oracle asked as she ducked under the table to grab a white towel from a basket by her feet.

Brea paused and pursed her lips, “They’re dead.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Cressa apologized, “It happens to even the best of us.” Opening Brea’s palm, Cressa hovered a sharp blade over her hand. “Are you ready? You’ll just feel a slight pinch,” she promised. 

Carefully, she cut into Brea’s palm.

Drip. 

Drip.

Drip.

Red ran down Brea’s palm and splattered into a bowl. Cressa’s face went aghast, paling into a lighter shade. 

“N-No, I can’t be an Oracle. Look, maybe there’s a mistake. There has to be!” Brea shouted, her voice quivering with fear. 

“I’m sorry. I really am,” pity filled her doe-like eyes, “I’ll give you a moment to yourself before we head out.” 

There had to be a mistake. Why was she chosen? She couldn’t be! This had to have been a dream! Brea closed her eyes and counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. When she reached one-hundred, she opened her eyes. She took in the coolness of the air and dead silence that clouded the room. This nightmare was a reality. 

Minutes later, the Oracle of Aquarius shuffled back inside the examination room.

“You’ll have to come with me now,” she announced.

“This has to be some kind of mistake!” Brea shouted as the blonde ushered her out of the examination room. As she followed Cressa out the door, she let out a shaky breath. Just what was she getting herself into?

Soldiers filed in two lines, their guns propped close to their chests. They followed Brea and Cressa with flat expressions as they gazed on ahead. Their stances were stiff, cultured by professional training. They walked for several minutes before heading into a train station.

The sound of wheels scratching against the track filled Brea’s ears as she walked inside. 

“Where are we going?” she asked as they waited on the platform.

Cressa shifted uncomfortable. No answer.

Suddenly, the train rushed past her like a silent breeze, the fierce winds brushing their hands through her red locks. 

“Come on, let’s get on,” she lightly pushed the girl onto the train. After the doors closed with a loud hiss, the train began to pick up speed. “Take a seat,” Cressa smiled, offering the seat besides hers. 

Brea settled on the couch covered in lavish velvet. Her eyes darted around the car, taking in the luxuries. Plush white carpeting spread across the floor and silk curtains draped across the glass-paned windows that covered the walls.

Brea leaned her head against the cushions of the couch and felt the small vibrations as the train chugged along its track. Looking out the window in front of her, she watched the hues of greens flush past her. Soon enough, she fell into a daze, stuck between the border of reality and daydream. She began to grow lost in a web of her own thoughts.

Out of everyone to be chosen from, why was she the one chosen? What was special about her? Why was she chosen? This has all got to be a mistake. 

Minutes turned into hours and soon, morning had faded into night.

“We’re almost there,” Cressa announced.

Brea rose from the couch and pressed her forehead against the cold, glass window. The view in front of her rushed past as the train sped quickly along.

“Where are we?” she asked the Oracle of Aquarius. 

“Donarium,” the blonde replied.

“You mean the capital?” 

Cressa nodded.

Seeing the capital at night was a sight to behold - lights littered across the horizon like tiny fireflies dancing in the dark. Reflective glass cloaked the towering buildings and during the night time, it seemed as if the sky itself was painted on their surfaces. 

As the train stopped into a half, Cressa chimed, “We’re here. Welcome to Donarium. Come on, let’s go.” 

With the soldiers, they exited the train. Lamp-posts aligned the roads, illuminating the dimly lit pathways. They past by soaring buildings before making their way towards the largest one nestled in the center of the city - Regent Headquarters. 

The soldiers’ shoes clacked along the floor as they followed Brea into the massive building. The corridors were constructed of white marble. Each hallway seemed to be identical to the next. Brea felt a soldier’s shadow loom over her, his breath tickling the back of her neck as he followed closely behind her. 

After making turn after turn, they stopped in front of two large oak doors. Cressa pressed something against the doors, which opened to reveal a circular room. White marble covered the floor and massive columns surrounded the room. Banners of the Triquetra - an emblem of protection in Donarium - hung around the edges of the room. The ceiling curved into a dome made of glass. 

Five chairs aligned in a row, four already occupied, facing opposite a large white table.

“This way, miss,” a guard showed Brea to the fifth chair. She quietly took a seat. 

Behind her was a sea of people - white uniforms filling the first row and black uniforms behind them.

“In session! All rise for the Oracle of Gemini and Oracle of Sagittarius!” a guard announced with a thundering voice. Everyone stood up as the doors opened. 

Awkwardly, Brea fumbled as she stood up.

In one fluid motion, the soldiers all raised their right arms diagonally across their chests, their fingertips arranged in a straight line. Their left hands were balled into fists and hidden behind their backs.

As the Oracle of Gemini and Oracle of Sagittarius passed the doors, everyone tipped their heads towards the floor.

“Sit,” the female Oracle spoke, her voice powerful and demanding. She inspected everyone with her dark and angular eyes - solemn and calculating. She was dressed in the standard uniform: a white officer’s coat with gold buttons lining down the middle, ironed slacks and polished boots. Her black hair fell down to the small of her back, swaying as she walked towards the white table in front of the room. The golden symbol of the Regent, The Triquetra, was pinned on the right side of her coat, gleaming as light shone upon it. “The Regent is an elite army created for the sole purpose of protecting our people. Though it is a sacrifice, we have all been chosen to protect and serve.”

Her partner continued, “We welcome you and thank you for your sacrifice.”

Regulation. Obligation. Dedication. Over and over again, they emphasized and stressed these three points. 

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The night had begun to drag on. Some leaded their heads against their palms, their eyes beginning to droop as they fought to stay awake. Brea covered her mouth, stifling a muted yawn.

“Maybe we should call it a night,” the male Oracle gave a gentle smile, then dismissed the drowsy listeners. After saluting their superiors, the soldiers fled the room like mice across the floorboards.

The black-haired Oracle and her partner made their way down from the table. “Welcome to Regent Headquarters. I’m Linnea Cai - Captain of the Regent and the Oracle of Gemini.”

“Archer Keating - Oracle of Sagittarius and Lieutenant of the Regent. Pleasure.” Ashy brown hair fell over his forehead, hiding a small scar he didn’t remember getting. His eyes were a dull, washed-out muddy green and he was a couple inches taller than Linnea. “Why don’t you all get some rest. The Oracles outside will help you all get situated into your new dormitories. I hope you all find them fit. We’ll see you all in the morning. Good night.” 

With a final salute, those who sat beside her trailed their way out of the marble room.

“Not you,” the Captain tapped Brea, halting her steps, “You must be Brea Adar.”

Brea bowed her head in respect. 

“We would like to have a word with you, if you wouldn’t mind,” Archer requested politely. 

“Of course not,” Brea shook her head.

“Do you know how many were supposed to be chosen today?” Linnea questioned.

“Of course. Four.” It was a simple question really. 

Linnea paused as if to find the right words, “It may be hard to believe, but four weren’t chosen today.”

Brea’s forehead crinkled in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“A fifth Oracle was chosen,” Archer revealed, “The fifth being you.”

“Are you saying there was a mistake?” 

“Not exactly,”

Brea argued, “But there has to be. Only four were supposed to be chosen. Not five. It’s not possible. There has to be a mistake. I can’t be an Oracle!” 

“You were chosen. The Zodiacs don’t make mistakes.” Linnea pressed. 

“With all due respect, you need four. You have four. Clearly, you don’t need a fifth Oracle!”

“You’re right. Only four were supposed to be chosen, but we don’t know which four. You could have been a mistake, but we won’t be able to know until the Induction Ceremony.” 

“Fine,” Brea gave in, “Maybe it wasn’t a mistake, but I can’t just take off and leave my brother. He’s probably worried right now. Besides, I’ve heard the stories; parents, siblings and friends get murdered all the time. If I become an Oracle, it’ll risk my brother’s safety.” 

“Everyone has their sacrifices,” the Captain said. 

“I’m not willing to sacrifice him!” 

“Think about it! You’ll be saving thousands of lives! Doesn’t that matter to you? Our duty is to save lives. We were chosen by the Zodiacs for a reason!” 

The redhead’s voice dropped into a low mumble, “Joining the Regent is a death sentence.” The sound of her heartbeat drummed rhythmically in her ears as her breathing began to quiver.

“If you were chosen, we’ll need you. The only thing I can offer you right now is a deal.”

“A deal?”

“Join us and I promise we’ll keep both you and your brother safe.”

Archer cut in and leaned towards Linnea, “You can’t promise her that and you know it!” She shook him off.

“A promise is a promise. You join and you and your brother will both be protected.”

Brea pondered. Was the deal really worth it? She knew Linnea didn’t hold the strings of fate, yet the promise seemed so alluring. Her tone was dripping honey - its sweet poison luring her acceptance. The promise dangled in front of her, taunting her desires.

Was it worth it?

No! Joining the Regent is a death sentence! This was absurd! No deal would be able to protect her!

But, then again, it might be able to. The Regent was powerful. If anyone could protect her and her brother, it would be the Regent. 

Right?

Brea lifted her shaky hand, “You know you can’t break promises, right?”

Linnea accepted it, “I don’t make promises I can’t keep. Welcome to the Regent.”

Reviews

[AJ Morgan]

I like it so far! There was a grammatical error or two. But I dig the storyline itself. We should have heard maybe a little something about the brother, a bit earlier, I thought. (But that's just me!). Keep it up, can't wait to read the next chapter!

[AliciaB]

This is very cool. It's fast-paced and engaging, and your details and descriptions are absolutely spectacular. I loved every bit of them. A couple of suggestions - it's unclear how exactly Brea is chosen to be an Oracle. Her blood drips into the bowl, and Cressa's face becomes pale, but we don't know how she knows Brea is the one. Also, the way in which the Regent protects people is not explained. I think incorporating a bit more background, as well as slowing down the pacing of the part where Brea first meets the other four Oracles along with Linnea and Archer, would help clarify this. That being said, this is a fascinating story, and I think that what you have is overall very well-written. Great work!