3 Doctor
"Dart..."
Ash's face paled and a look of terror crossed his eyes.
He knew that last name, he knew it all too well.
It was the surname of the Duke responsible for overseeing the entire 'Garden' of Eda, the Garden Ash was currently living within.
Was that young man the Duke's son?
"I hope I didn't offend him..."
Feeling beads of sweat forming on his forehead, Ash nervously wiped his brow with the back of his hand. He didn't even want to imagine the consequences of unknowingly offending the Duke's son.
He'd probably be banished from the Garden, into the 'Darkness' beyond its borders. That was a fate Ash dreaded more than death.
It took him ten minutes to regain his composure and another half an hour before the man with a white coat reappeared and called out his name.
"Ash, please come with me."
The man spoke, gesturing for Ash to follow him.
Warily looking at the newcomer, Ash hesitantly stood up and began trailing after him. While following, he couldn't help but notice the sharpness of the man's gaze and the air of authority that seemed to radiate from him.
The aura he gave off was very similar to that of the Duke's son, however, it was not as intimidating or threatening on the surface.
However, Ash could feel that the man was way more powerful and dangerous than he appeared. He couldn't explain why, but there was something about this man's presence that sent shivers down his spine.
'Enchanted Human...'
Looking at the man's wide back, Ash grimaced.
"Here we are."
Finally, they reached a door at the end of a long corridor. Entering the room hesitantly, Ash was pleasantly surprised to find that it was spacious and elegantly furnished.
However, the initial awe at the new surroundings faded quickly when the doctor presented him with a series of instructions.
First came the mundane – stripping down to his undergarments, stepping on a strange scale, and standing against a marked wall for a height measurement. These were simple enough, though Ash couldn't help but feel a prickle of unease at the doctor's overly attentive gaze.
Next came the physical tests. Push-ups were manageable, but the treadmill proved to be a torture device. Hooked up to a network of wires that snaked around his arms and legs, Ash was forced to run at an increasingly rapid pace.
The doctor monitored a series of dials with a stoic expression, occasionally barking out orders to increase the speed. Exhausted and gasping for breath, Ash finally stumbled off the machine, legs wobbly and vision blurry.
Despite the initial apprehension, Ash started to relax. The doctor, although stern-faced, didn't seem intent on inflicting pain. In fact, there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he observed Ash's recovery.
Just as Ash thought the ordeal was over, the doctor surprised him again. He emerged from a cabinet with a package wrapped in sterile cloth. Unfolding it with a practiced hand, he revealed a pulsating, vaguely humanoid lump of flesh.
A sickly sweet stench assaulted Ash's nostrils. He recognized it instantly – Phantom flesh.
His brow furrowed in disgust. Phantoms were the stuff of nightmares. Feared for their insatiable hunger for human flesh, they were grotesque creatures that lurked in the 'Darkness' beyond the Garden's protective walls.
The doctor, oblivious to Ash's repulsion, gestured towards the mess.
"What should you do with this?"
Ash swallowed the bile rising in his throat. He knew what Phantoms were, knew the terror they evoked. But the doctor's question hinted at something more.
"It's, uh..."
He stammered, searching for the right words.
"Phantom flesh. We should dispose of it."
The doctor gave a curt nod.
"Indeed. But this test isn't about disposal. This is about your talent."
Phantoms, as Ash knew all too well, were twisted creatures born from the very essence of Darkness. They appeared around one week after the destruction of the sun and killed everything in their sight. A lot of people died.
However, humans found a way to survive. The survivors were touched by an unknown energy and gained their own light – a faint, flickering spark within each individual, a power.
This Light, some believed, was the key to survival. It granted an ability to fight off the Phantoms, but more importantly, it offered a chance to turn the tables.
After the first Phantom was slain, another discovery came to light. The 'Dark' within the monsters' bodies could be refined, a process that converted it into usable Light. This process, however, was far from perfect. The conversion and absorption rates varied wildly, with the most talented individuals managing to refine up to 5% of the Phantom's Dark and turn it into their own Light.
The doctor's words finally clicked into place. This wasn't just a test of physical prowess; it was a test of Ash's ability to absorb Light.
The doctor's next question hung in the air.
"Do you know how to safely absorb Light from a Phantom?"
Ash hesitated. He knew the basic principle – channeling the Light from another source into his own Heart. But the doctor's implication, that this process could be measured for talent, was a new revelation.
"Yes."
He nodded his head and the doctor smiled, satisfied with Ash's response.
"Place your hand on the flesh and absorb as much 'Dark' as you can, however, make sure to refine it into light, 'Dark' is deadly for humans..."
