Chapter III

Silva, The Forest

August 3, 23XX

Pyra sat bolt upright, breathing heavily, drenched in sweat. He had had another strange dream, the first in a while. It was always the same though, but each time the two figures became a little clearer. He laid back in his bed, mulling it over in his mind. What did it mean? He sprung up again.

"What's the time?" Great blue numbers reading 9:58 appeared on the blacked out window. Pyra yelped and sprang from his bed.

"Good luck today, Pyra," said the White Knight, materialising the Horse's uniform onto his body.

"Thanks!" shouted Pyra, bolting from the room.

Across the lawn in the Remedium, Weir was also having trouble sleeping, although in a very different sense. Whereas Pyra's dreams were filled with that strange sphere that seemed to be the White Knight detonating, Weir's were filled with Pyra in very compromising situations. The Otter awoke, hand and crotch coated in his sticky juices.

"Shit," he muttered, climbing out of bed. It would seem that he had taken to masturbating in his sleep. "Computer, would you clean the bed please."

"Yes Weir." The Otter grabbed a towel from his wardrobe and snuck down the hall to the staff bathroom where he could shower. As the water ran down his body he thought about Pyra, trying to analyse how he could feel so strongly for someone that he couldn't even work up the courage to talk to since the new arrival process. Of course it didn't help that he was almost always surrounded by his Combatant friends, that Leopard Seal especially. And Troi wasn't making things better by instigating whenever they would get near each other at mealtimes. Weir took a deep breath, released it slowly, and then finished bathing. He would talk to him again eventually. At least he could see him from his window. That would have to be enough for now. Although it might be best just to accept the futility of it and move on.

"You're cutting it awfully close this morning Cadet Valentin," said Commander Nero as the Horse dashed into the Debello.

"Yes sir, I'm sorry." The Lion merely scowled at him.

"Now that you're all here I can finally make my announcement." Pyra's face grew hot with embarrassment. "There will be no class this morning." A murmur of disbelief and confusion washed over the room. "The reason for this is that it's examination day." The Lion began to pace slowly in front of the line of Cadets. "You have a final exam that will determine those of you who will be receiving promotions to Acting Ensign. This exam will begin at 22:00, giving you 12 hours to prepare. The exam will test your survival skills as well as your combat ability." He held up a small arrow-shaped platinum badge, not much larger than the Scientific branch's shield insignia, and a matching fluorescent orange pennant about the size of Pyra's hand.

"You will each be given one flag and one badge. Those of you who still have your flag as of 22:00 tomorrow night will pass the exam and be allowed to graduate. Do not think that this will be easy. My graduates from the last class will be hunting you and they're some of the must cunning men I have had the privilege to train. Gentlemen, if you would step up here please." Three men stepped forward from behind the Cadets, much to Pyra's surprise. Where had they come from? He hadn't heard them walk in.... The three walked up next to the Commander, standing at attention. One of them, a Zebra, gave Pyra an uneasy feeling. The other two, a Badger and a Grizzly Bear, also seemed very intense, but something about the Zebra just made Pyra feel uncomfortable.

"The exam will work like this: the five of you will be sent into the forest outside the Institute. Two hours later my team of hunters will be sent after you. Your badges monitor your vitals, so if any of you get seriously injured we will be able to dispatch healers to your location. CSO Angalis was working on something for that situation but it isn't ready yet. Your goal is to protect your flag from the hunters. Each attack will last no longer than one minute, so hunters if you cannot take your target's flag quickly, you will have to withdraw. Cadets and hunters, attacks are to occur once every half hour starting at midnight. Since there are only three hunters, two of you will get a reprieve each cycle.

"Now, a little about the equipment, and then you'll be free to go. Your badges will allow you to communicate with each other, however everyone will be able to hear you, and the hunters will have them too. You can also use them to check the time. It should go without saying that you are not allowed to go near the city. The Praetor knows we're here, but the general public does not and we'd like to keep it that way.

"Alright gentlemen, you're free to gather anything that you feel will help you with the exam. Be at the Bailey at 22:00 sharp. Dismissed." The Acting Ensigns filed out first, then the Cadets.

"What do you think of those guys?" said Crescent softly so as not to be overheard.

"I think they're gonna be fun," said Serge, smiling wickedly.

"Focus. This is what decides who gets to become one of them," said Sam.

"That Zebra... something about him bothers me...," said Pyra.

"He didn't seem different from the other two," said Sam. "I think you're just nervous. Now, what are we going to do to prepare?"

"I'm gonna 'it up the Conscientia, see what I can find there," said Serge.

"That's a good idea," said Crescent. Pyra started veering off from the group.

"Hey Pyra, you coming with us?" asked Sam.

"No, you go ahead," said the Horse. "I'm going to talk to Seymour." The Goat shrugged.

"Alright, see you later." The other four continued towards the Conscientia as Pyra headed towards the Depot. As the Horse walked down the cluttered halls to Seymour's workshop, he couldn't help but notice more than one odd stare from the Scientists milling about. He pressed the door chime on the workshop door. There was no response. Pyra frowned and furrowed his brow. He placed his palm on the empty wall next to the door, a small blue monitor materializing on it.

"White Knight, do you know where Seymour is?"

"CSO Angalis is not within the Institute," came the computer's response.

"Alright, thank you." The panel disappeared. Pyra started walking down the hall towards the Quartermasters' offices. He started to feel very uncomfortable, like he was being put under a microscope, as he got more stares from the other Animals. He turned off down a hall, trying to escape all the eyes, and almost ran headlong into a dead end. Why was this wall here? Then he remembered what lay beyond it.

"White Knight...," he said, not feeling entirely in control of his voice. "I need you." The sensation was as if time had stopped all around him, yet he moved normally. The wall phased away and, in the blink of an eye, Pyra was standing before the great sphere that was the White Knight computer. The orb hovered in the air, spinning slowly, as if waiting for something. In front of Pyra, three Animals appeared, bathed in blue: holograms of Seymour, Commander Redgard, and a Fox that he had never seen before. They were talking amongst themselves. Pyra was sure he wasn't meant to see this, but he couldn't look away; it was hypnotic.

"Do you really believe it is important enough to warrant this?" asked the holographic Wisent.

"You forget that I know what the future holds. All of it," said Seymour in a slightly angry tone. "If phenomena are to proceed the way they are supposed to, this needs to happen. He's already been to the Terminus, and since his records have been changed, that's going to raise questions from anyone with a brain. This time is in flux and you both risk losing your goals if something is not done now. I'm sorry Lunis, but you need to do it."

"I-I'm just worried that it will do more harm than good," said the Fox. Seymour shook his head.

"If he continues to go back undirected like this, continues to end up in my part of the Terminus, he will continue to be exposed to Æternal radiation. Even though he isn't one himself, he'll start developing those abilities. Do you think he'll go along with your plan if he sees what it involves? Even if it is for the greater good, he's very emotionally-driven and he will fight against it. As much as I don't like your plan, I know it needs to come to fruition, and I'll do everything I can to see that it does. Despite my barriers, he's able to just walk through them like you might walk through an open door. He's incredibly powerful and needs to be directed away from what I really am, or you will lose everything."

"I understand," said the Fox. "The next time he shifts, I'll perform the dive."

"Thank you, Lunis," said Commander Redgard. Lunis, the Fox, seemed worried.

"I'm afraid right now it's the only thing that can be done," said Seymour. Pyra wasn't sure, but it looked like the Hart shot the Wisent a dirty look. The hologram faded away. The lights in the room seemed to darken, shadows running up the walls just like they did when Pyra would have those strange dreams.

"What are you doing here?" came an angry shout from behind the Horse. He turned to see a cross-looking Bandicoot approaching. The lights in the room returned to normal almost instantly, or maybe they had never changed.

"Come on, you're not supposed to be in here," he repeated, taking the Horse's elbow and escorting him from the White Knight's chamber. Once the barrier reappeared, the Bandicoot released Pyra. "Computer, explain the nature of this security breach."

"There is no recorded security breach," came the White Knight's response.

"What?" said the Bandicoot, then, to Pyra, "How did you get in there?"

"I-I was just looking for Seymour and...."

"Well he isn't here."

"Is there a problem here Mr. Rattan?" came an unusually even voice from behind the Horse and Bandicoot. They turned, Seymour standing there, arms crossed, looking at the Bandicoot.

"Er... CSO Angalis... no, sir. I just found him in the White Knight chamber...."

"I see. Well the White Knight is more than capable of defending itself against a single person. Perhaps you overreacted?"

"Yes sir, my apologies."

"It isn't me you should be apologising to."

"Yes... er... I'm sorry." He looked at the Horse with a mixture of sincerity and spite.

"It's alright," said Pyra. "I'm... not totally sure how I got in there to begin with." The Bandicoot did not look pleased with the Horse's response, nodding curtly to both Pyra and Seymour before walking away.

"Shall we?" asked the Hart, leading Pyra back to his office. Seymour's office was an almost polar opposite to his workshop. It was entirely empty, except for an ornate, pure white marble desk and matching high-backed armchair. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all completely free of clutter and colour, all just as white as the desk and chair.

"Please, take a seat," said the Hart, motioning to the empty space across from his desk as he sat in the only visible chair. Pyra was confused for a moment, but then a second chair materialised before him. "Now, why did you want to see me?"

"Well, today is the last day of Commander Nero's class...," said Pyra, sitting down.

"Ah yes, you want some advice, don't you?

"Yes sir."

"Well... don't underestimate Justin's hunters: they are the best of his previous class. My advice would be to find a fortified location, try to stay hidden. Even if you are found, you'll be able to more easily defend yourself. You could also try setting some traps, something to alert you when a potential danger is near. You and your friends could all group together, help each other, but that doesn't always work. You have to really trust your team; otherwise you're just a bigger target. Is everything alright? You seem distracted." Pyra, who had fallen into a bit of a trance thinking about what he had seen in the White Knight's chamber, suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Oh! Y-yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry, I was just... thinking...." Seymour gave him a thoughtful look.

"Have you been sleeping alright?"

"It... not badly but... I've been having these strange dreams lately, but they seem so real...."

"Tell me about them."

"Well... it's a little hazy now, but I remember the White Knight is in it and he... explodes. What do you think it means?"

"Well... dreams are very complicated, and don't often mean what they appear to. They are most frequently the result of your conscious mind trying to process information from your subconscious in any way that I can. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If it becomes a problem though... well I'll think of something. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Well... just if you think there's any equipment that would help...?"

"Absolutely. We have survival kits already put together just for occasions like this. Come on, I'll get you one from the armoury." He and the Horse both stood, Hart starting for the door.

Weir left his office and headed to the Remedium lobby, stopping at the main desk.

"Long day, Weir?" asked Troi, looking up from his work. The Otter shook his head.

"It's tiring having to deal with some of these new arrivals. Why can't they all be...,"

"As great as Pyra? What is your obsession with him? He's just another one of Justin's grunts."

"I don't know... there's just something about him...."

"Uh huh, lemme guess... pecs and abs that you could bounce a coin off of? You can find those on 90% of the guys here." Weir's face flushed slightly.

"No, he just... I-I really don't know what it is. Maybe it's best if I just let it go." Troi gave him a comforting look.

"That's probably for the best, especially with what's happening tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"He's in Justin's hand-to-hand, right? They're leaving for their final exam in just a few minutes, and you know how brutal it can be." Weir remembered a few of Justin's past exams, how Cadets had come back with multiple broken bones and, in one case, in critical condition. If CMO McGuinness hadn't been having a nightcap in the Conscientia, right there by the Institute entrance, he may not have survived.... Weir dashed from the Remedium out into the crisp night air. The lawn was slightly damp beneath his feet as he ran quick as he could towards the Bailey. He could see Commander Nero standing in the fluorescent light of the gatehouse, several others with him. He almost shouted across the lawn, but as he got closer he realised that the Animals with the Commander were the graduates from his last class, his hunters. He had missed Pyra. He tried to see if he could catch a glimpse of the Horse on the road, but he couldn't. Defeated, he turned and headed back towards the Remedium. The next time he saw Pyra, he was going to talk to him, properly this time, not his new arrival rhetoric or his nervous mutterings. He would finally talk, really talk, to Pyra. And if it didn't work....

Pyra walked down the solitary road to and from the Institute, a few steps behind the others who were discussing strategy. His mind was wandering between the image of the White Knight exploding and the conversation he had witnessed in the White Knight's chamber.

"Oy Pyra! What do you fink?" shouted Serge, snapping the Horse back to the now.

"Sorry, what?" said Pyra sheepishly. The Seal released an exasperated sigh.

"We were finking about eiver splitting up or staying togever. What do you fink?"

"Hm... I'd say split up; give the hunters more targets to chase after."

"Okay, so splitting up then," said Sam. The forest was approaching on their left, the trees easily as tall as the buildings at the Institute, a great dark mass bathed in the moonlight. One by one the members of the group split off and vanished into the shadows. Pyra made sure his flag was firmly affixed to his trousers and his badge to his shirt. He stopped, staring into the blackness of the forest. He let his rucksack fall from his shoulder, opening it to search for the small torch he had been given by Seymour. He found it, flicking it on, its blue-white light blinding the Horse for a moment. When his vision returned, he closed up the canvas sack, slung it back over his shoulder, and headed into the trees.

"How are the readings?" asked Commander Nero, looking over the shoulder of a Chimpanzee at the monitor he was watching. The room was full of computers and Scientists, all monitoring the Cadets on their exam.

"All readings are within normal ranges Commander," he replied.

"Very good." The door slid open, Seymour entering.

"How is everything going so far?" he asked the Lion. Nero shot the Hart a look out of the corner of his eye.

"Fine," he said. "Just because I'm using your Scientists doesn't mean I need you here too."

"I have my own reasons for observing this particular exam," replied the Hart in his almost unnervingly even tone. "In fact, I'm sure I won't be the only visitor tonight. Now, who's monitoring Pyra?"

"That would be me, sir," said a young Mouse, holding his hand in the air. Seymour walked over to him. "I want you to watch him very carefully."

"Y-yes sir. Is there anything specific I should be looking for?"

"You'll know if you see it." The Hart looked intently at the monitor, a bird's-eye view of the forest, the Horse a radiating heat signature hidden in the trees.

Pyra rummaged through his rucksack, stowing the torch and pulling out a length of thick cord. He tied loops at both ends with strong knots then, after picking up his rucksack again, slipped one hand through one of the loops. He tossed the other end of the rope around the trunk of the tree he was standing before, catching it with his other hand. He slipped the hand into the other loop and pulled the rope tight, making sure the knots were going to hold. Taking a deep breath, he kicked his hoof into the tree, creating a shallow hold, enough to allow him to start pushing himself up. He continued this, climbing hoof after hoof, metre by metre, until he reached the base of the canopy overhead.

He tested a few branches and, once he was satisfied that they were sturdy, released the climbing rope and hoisted himself into an awkward sitting position across the branches. He reached into his rucksack and pulled out the torch again, using it to find the thickest branches on which to hang his hammock. After spotting a couple and hanging it up, he gingerly slipped into it, the ties holding firm. He exhaled a quiet sigh of relief, then hanged his rucksack from another nearby branch after returning the torch. He should be relatively safe up here tonight. Once the sun comes up though, he would need to move. Despite the thickness of the trees, his silhouette against the filtered sunlight would be very noticeable to the hunters. For now though, he just sat back, looking upward at the canopy, listening for sounds of movement from below. A gentle breeze blew through, the needles on the trees casting strange shadows all around. An eerie sound could be heard, barely audible, traveling with the wind, something almost like a song....

The door to the monitoring room slid open, the Wisent Commander Redgard entering.

"Commander Redgard, sir!" said Nero, snapping to attention. "I wasn't expecting to see you here this evening."

"At ease Justin, I am not here in an official capacity," replied the Wisent. "How is everything progressing?"

"Smoothly sir," said the Lion, relaxing.

"Excellent, and the hunters?"

"Dispatched nearly two hours ago. There haven't been any engagements yet though. It seems this group of Cadets is adept at stealth."

"Stealth is a healthy alternative. We should embrace the variety."

"Commander, sir! Er... Commander Nero... Cadet Valentin has disappeared," said the Mouse who was monitoring Pyra.

"What?!" said the Lion, both he and the Wisent joining the Hart standing behind the Mouse.

"Y-yes sir. His vitals are still reporting normal but his heat signature... it's simply gone."

"Could he have moved without you noticing?" asked the Lion.

"No sir, I was watching him the whole time. One second he was there, and the next he wasn't. I-I can't explain it...."

"I can," said Seymour, a look of mild concern on his face. "He has one of our new survival kits with him. There's a space blanket in there, it's made of a material that would hide his body heat from our satellites. He probably just covered himself with it is all."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?" said Nero through clenched teeth. "Ruddy Scientists... gonna cause a panic...." He muttered as he walked away, his tail twitching with irritation. Commander Redgard pulled Seymour aside.

"There is no space blanket in the survival kits," he said solemnly.

"No, there isn't," replied Seymour. "Call Lunis, he's shifted again."

Pyra fell through the darkness, the gentle aria surrounding him like a blanket. The trees flew past, much taller than could ever be possible. They were replaced by stars, galaxies, and nebulae, then darkness. He came to alight on the unseen floor, a sea of nothing surrounding him.

"Good evening Pyra," came a voice from behind him. The Horse spun around, seeing a Fox standing a short distance away. The Fox was about two heads shorter than Pyra, silky fur the color of blood and crème. He was lithe, his long tail stretching down to his ankles. His pointed ears were perched on top of his head, twitching curiously. His eyes were bright blue, almost silver, and filled with a mixture of resolve and what else? Sadness? He was wearing one of the black formal uniforms, devoid of any insignia. The Fox walked towards the Horse, Pyra feeling uneasy, yet unable to move. He seemed familiar to the Horse. Was he the Fox that he had seen talking with Seymour and Commander Redgard in the hologram in the White Knight's chamber?

The Fox stopped just in front of Pyra, staring into the Horse's eyes. Pyra opened his mouth to speak, but the Fox silenced him with a raised finger pressed against the Horse's lips. He moved the finger down to the Horse's chest. Pyra could feel his heart starting to beat faster. What was about to happen? He looked at the Fox, the Fox looking back. It was like he was trying to say something with his eyes, like he was trying to apologise. Pyra was confused, but only for a moment before the Fox pressed his finger through the Horse's chest, brilliant blue light issuing forth. The Horse inhaled sharply, but realised that there was no pain. The Fox pulled his hand back, the wound, such as it was, sealing immediately. No sign remained on his body or his clothing, except that the glow persisted on the Fox's finger.

He took a step back, then dropped to one knee. He gently touched the tip of his fluorescing finger to the unseen floor. In an instant, great arcs and rings flourished outward from the Fox's hand, emblazoned on the floor with the same blue light, like the workings of an immensely intricate clock. The Fox stood once more, looking deeply into Pyra's eyes.

"This is the formula," he said. "What you build with it... is up to you." Behind the Fox, vines broke up through the floor, twisting and forming a great door. The doors flew open, radiant light shining forth from within. Despite it being nearly blinding, Pyra couldn't help but look.

"Beautiful...." The word escaped his lips like a breath, tears welling in his eyes. The Fox, without moving a hair, slid backwards through the doors, the great portal closing and receding back into the ground in the blink of an eye, leaving no indication that it had ever been there. Pyra fell to his knees, suddenly weak and out of breath. What had he just seen beyond those doors? Why was he crying? Why had he nearly collapsed? Whatever it was that he had seen... he couldn't even comprehend it. He shook his head, composed himself, and got to his hooves, returning his attention to the designs on the floor around him.

"'It's up to you...'" he said to himself, repeating the Fox. He looked down at the floor, trying to think of what the Fox could have meant. As he stared, the great rings began to spin, the whole of the mandala coming to life. The floor on which it was drawn began to move upward, creating a raised dais that continued to grow. Great lights in every colour sailed out of the darkness, colliding with the tower. Where they struck, it changed to brilliant stained glass. The designs on the floor began to fade as the tower slowed in its growth. It came to a halt, a fountain of neon blue water shooting upward from its centre and raining back down, converting the rest of the tower to glass as it washed over. About three metres from the center of the tower, a great pair of ornately decorated double doors rose up through the floor. They were taller than the Horse by about half a metre, seemingly made from pure white porcelain. They flared outward, arcing up to a peak, pointing straight upwards like an old monument.

Pyra circled around the doors, studying them. Despite being freestanding, they only had handles on one side. They seemed innocuous enough.... He grabbed onto the handles, but before he could even begin to pull, he was sent flying backwards by some unseen force, sliding across the surface of the tower and over the edge, plummeting into the darkness.