The Adapters: Simulation (Pt 7)

Submitted into Contest #90 in response to: Write about a community that worships Mother Nature.... view prompt

44 comments

Fantasy Fiction

This is not directly related to the prompt. Also this part is particularly short.

๏ปฟ

People featured in this story:

Luna as Liz

Lillian as Lillian

Celeste as Celeste

Amethyst as Cirah

Ethan as Ethan


Trigger Warning: Blood and violence



I walked into the armory, examining the swords and daggers and bows. Liz was grabbing daggers and attaching them to her belt loop, then grabbed a fresh sheath of arrows.


โ€œWhat?โ€ she snapped, noticing me watching her. โ€œNot everyone has crazy powers like the rest of you. Some of us are normal.โ€ She shoved past me, the last wisps of her black hair disappearing behind the leaves. I glanced back at the weapons to find Lillian standing there, examining me.


โ€œYou wonโ€™t need much when it comes to weapons,โ€ she commented, walking towards me, lifting my wings. โ€œSturdy, strongโ€ฆ not bad I guess. Good for defense and possible escape.โ€ She examined my talons. โ€œThose could do some damage.โ€ She looked back up at me. โ€œYouโ€™ll be leading the aerial unit.โ€


โ€œWoah woah woah,โ€ exclaimed Celeste, coming up behind me, followed by Ethan and Cirah. โ€œAre you sure? She hasnโ€™t had any training, and she doesnโ€™t even know how to transform. How can we be sure she wonโ€™t die as soon as sheโ€™s in the field? You know Azazel will be targeting her.โ€


โ€œI think sheโ€™s ready,โ€ commented Ethan, his golden green eyes gazing into mine. โ€œLetโ€™s test her in combat, in the simulator.โ€


โ€œYeah!โ€ exclaimed Cirah, her dark purple hair cascading down her back. Her white fox ears perked up with excitement.


โ€œFine,โ€ said Lillian. โ€œPrepare the simulator!โ€ Cirah sprinted out the door, a smile on her face.


I walked into a strange room I hadnโ€™t been to before. It didnโ€™t have the usual twisted wooden floor or walls. It was instead a large metal box, with only one door coming in and out. I felt a little uneasy, reminding me of the years I spent locked up in a metal box much smaller than this.


I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to find myself face to face with Ethan, his orange ears flicking in his reddish-brown hair.ย 


โ€œDonโ€™t worry,โ€ he said. โ€œRemember that the simulation isnโ€™t real.โ€


I nodded as he disappeared behind the door, most likely watching me through an invisible window. The metal walls flickered with light before becoming a large, flat field. People were fighting all around me- blood stained the grass, the smell of death choked the air. I immediately flew up in the air when a small girl with black wings and yellow eyes shot towards me. She barely grazed by me, leaving a small mark on my arm. I didnโ€™t feel any pain, though. The girl immediately turned around and shot towards me again her small talons open towards me. I dodged right and grabbed her leg as she flew past me.


Time suddenly slowed down as tiny vibrations travelled through the air. A very prominent vibration was coming from her wings, so I grabbed her wing and yanked it towards me. She immediately lost her balance and flailed her arms, trying to reach for me. I twisted her wing over my arm and yanked it down, hearing a snap. I felt a pang of guilt as she plummeted to the ground, joining the cold bodies below.


I almost didnโ€™t notice the arrow that barely missed my head. I turned around to find a boy loading up another arrow, the tip dripping with poison. I swooshed down, dodging arrow after arrow. I opened my talons and grabbed him by the shoulders, carrying him into the air. He was surprisingly heavy, so I had trouble gaining altitude.


I saw a small rock formation ahead and flew there as fast as I could, knowing I was vulnerable for another attack. I dropped him in the middle of the rock formation and flew away before I could see the rocks pierce his body. I heard someone on the ground shout for me to land as drops of rain fall from the sky. It quickly turns to a downpour as I land, my wings already becoming heavy.ย 


โ€œThere you are....โ€ came a voice. I whipped my head around, trying to find the source of it. Through the downpour, I could barely make out 8 long, hairy legs walking towards me. My blood ran cold as the rest of his body came into view- his blood red eyes practically glowed through the mist. I spread my heavy wings, my black hair plastered to my face.ย 


Azazel leaped forward, and I just noticed the large bear claws that replaced his arms. I flew up, but immediately got dragged down by the downpour. The claws grazed my leg, and fresh blood poured from it. I fell to the ground, the strange painless wound causing me to become dizzy.ย 


He leaped on top of me, the thick fur on his arm dissipating, revealing the regular human arms underneath. His head was becoming oddly misshapen, grey fur sprouting from his face. The wolf ears sprouted from his wet black hair, sharp teeth filling his mouth.


I struggled as his spider legs pinned me to the ground, drool dripping from his mouth.


I twisted my talons and scratched at his legs, which were strangely easy to break. A strangled cry emerged from his throat as he lost his balance, and I took the opportunity to get away. But I felt a sudden vibration again, this time towards his abdomen. Of course- the underside is a spiderโ€™s most vulnerable area. I opened my talons and pierced his abdomen, fresh blood spilling onto my body. He dropped to the ground as the rain stopped and the field flickered, returning to the metal box it once was. I got up from the ground, all wounds received from the simulation gone. Lillian, Ethan, and Celeste walked into the room. I glanced at their faces for some type of reaction.


Lillianโ€™s brown eyes gazed into mine as she gave a slight nod.


April 22, 2021 19:33

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

44 comments

17:04 Apr 27, 2021

Great job again...love the detail and everything...I usually don't ship characters but I will admit Ethan and Harper are cute...

Reply

Show 1 reply

Wow.... still idk if she's ready *seeing subtle hints of romance between two characters* heheheheee-

Reply

Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply

Lol, idk if u play much video games, but this reminds me of in the games where theyโ€™re just like โ€œgReAt YoU cAn FiGhT nOw, NoW tRaIn FoR fOrEvErโ€ But honestly, letโ€™s look at so many other series that do that; Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Dorothy must Die, Children of Blood and Bone... lol, itโ€™s like a habit writers have. Hehe, secretly my character was like โ€œlol yep sheโ€™s ready letโ€™s put in her gruesome training so she can die fasterโ€

Reply

Show 1 reply
Valerie June
20:33 Apr 22, 2021

I liked the idea of the simulation to test out Harper's fighting abilities. Can't wait for the next part!

Reply

Show 1 reply
Lilliane Wei
20:13 Apr 22, 2021

AM I EVIL???? UH OHHHHHHHH TELL LONE TO BE COMFORTINGGGGG WAAAAAA (lol, jkjk, lone you sound so amused though). This is written very welllll, Abbieeee!! I can't wait for the next oneeeee, you continue to build tension and excitement with every story!!

Reply

Show 1 reply
TJ Squared
20:02 Apr 22, 2021

ha, lily sounds so evil XD can't wait for the next part!

Reply

Lilliane Wei
20:12 Apr 22, 2021

*looks worried* That...is not reassuring... *tries to remember what she filled out her form with* *fails* oh boy...this could go very badly...

Reply

TJ Squared
20:46 Apr 22, 2021

XDDDD yeah, you and I warring XD

Reply

Show 0 replies
TJ Squared
22:45 Apr 22, 2021

I mostly meant that you sounded evil because you were the only one (in the story) to compliment Harper attacking the people XD

Reply

Lilliane Wei
23:09 Apr 22, 2021

Dark past, I'm amazing. *tosses hair*

Reply

TJ Squared
23:16 Apr 22, 2021

XDDDDD You still got it Queen Lily ;)

Reply

Lilliane Wei
23:37 Apr 22, 2021

Of course I do, have I ever lost it?? ;p

Reply

Show 2 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply

I... think you're supposed to be the good guy XD just an aloof and stubborn mentor, although now that i think about it you could be a traitor eheheheh.... nah i already have enough traitors lol

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 3 replies
Show 1 reply

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in the Reedsy Book Editor. 100% free.