Digital room

The unbearable pain Lilith felt all over body woke her up. She opened her eyes wide but could see nothing but darkness that she now began to wonder if there still closed or had she gone blind? She could not feel most parts of her body anymore, especially her feet and palm as they were tied together behind her. She struggled to set herself free but just couldn't, the knots were too strong and she couldn't break free.

She took a deep breath before trying to atleast sit up but that was not an option as she could not achieve that judging from the way the knots were tied round her wrists. "Ugh!" she grunted, trying to slip her hands through the knots but it was not working at all.

Suddenly, the room was illuminated by a white bright light. She closed her eyes immediately at it bright ray and blink several times to adjust to it which was in no time. She looked around her immediately to discern her environment, to find out that there was some else there in the empty bright room with her.

"Florate!" she gasped with joy. At least she was not alone. He was tied up as well but he was still asleep and couldn't hear her. "Florate?!"

She called again, louder this time and it paid off as he atleast grunted a bit.

"Florate, wake up" she called again before he finally opened his eyes in uncertainty.

"Lilith is that you?" he asked blinking his eyes severally to be sure she was the one he was seeing.

"Yes Florate, it's me" she said.

"Where are we? Why are we tied up?" he asked all at once to ignorant Lilith.

She was about to say she did not know the answer to any of his questions before they heard a very familiar voice, echo in their heads.

"I am setting you both free now"

Grand sensei?

"Did you hear that?" they asked themselves and at the same time, they felt the bonds of the knot loosen and their wrist and ankles were free.

"It's the grand sensei" Florate said as a matter of fact.

"Yes" Lilith agreed. "Only him has the mutant power to use speak in one's head and manipulate anything anywhere. Just like he set us free now". She rubbed her wrists and ankles to ease the pain she was feeling now as she spoke.

"But why would he want to set us free and who tied us up in the first place?" Florate asked in utter confusion while he stood up and helped Lilith stand.

"I don't know Florate" she grunted as she stood up. "But I say we find a way to leave this place immediately". She looked round for any doors at all but the whole place was like a digital room without any doors or window except for an air duct which was very far from them and there no ladders in sight.

"Look" she pointed at the air duct, "up there".

"How are we going to get up there" Florate traced the direction of her index finger to meet the air duct she was pointing at. "You we are not like sensei Moriarty that flies you know". He scoffed obviously not pleased with her idea of the way they could leave. Sensei Moriarty was a twin to sensei Miratroy and she was one of the best sensei when it comes to flight abilities.

"Atleast we could try" she eyed him, still not giving upon her idea. "You give me a raise and I could get to touch it at least to know how we can get through".

"OK" he scoffed before opting to give her the raise but the voice of the sensei came again, cutting their actions short.

"Don't even think about escaping" he spoke calmly but the they couldn't help but tremble at the dread his voice came with. "You both are here because a crime was reported against you".

On hearing this, they exchanged puzzled glances.

"What crime exactly grand sensei" Florate mustered the courage to speak.

"The crime of holding fast onto friendship on combat grounds".

"What exactly is that supposed to mean grand sensei?" Lilith could no longer let the fear in her stop her from asking her question.

"You both did not give the combat of yesterday your all".

'Yesterday?' How long have they been here?'

"You both did not have a real fight. You aspiring ranger Henshaw" he called his name with so much disappointment. "fooled us all by allowing your self get disqualified on purpose and you will surely get punished servely for that".

"It is not what it seems like grand sensei" he fell to knees immediately. "Please forgive that I was not strong enough to beat aspiring ranger Amnell". He could have just told the truth that he purposely got himself disqualified but he did want to cause more problems for Lilith. If ever he should admit that the act was intentional, he would definitely not be the one to take the blame alone but basically Lilith who would be punished severely on the grounds that she broke her integrity by getting a win through cheating during combat. Now that was a real crime, even more than letting yourself get disqualified. That could be excused with good reasons and a trust worthy aspiring ranger or sensei to testify to your favor.

"I will not believe that obvious lie aspiring ranger Henshaw. Get a testifier and I will consider setting you free. You may go aspiring ranger Amnell ".

"I can testify for him" she blurted.

"You know that is not possible aspiring ranger Amnell. But you can help him by finding someone who can and soon. You know it's just a grace of three days. Else, your victory in the combat will be questioned by integrity".

After his last serious sentence, the ceiling above her opened and a tube engulfed her and sucked her up, leaving Florate all alone in the digital room and setting her free to get a testifier.

She got out in the open in no time and had so many things going on in her mind right now. She did know who to run to or who to call to testify for Florate. Else, after three days, everything would turn to a totally disaster.

She would have called nanny Adelaide but the instruction was either a sensei or an aspiring ranger. And sensei Helia was definitely not an option.

He would never agree to testify for Florate as she was sues he knew very well that his disqualification was intentional and he would never withhold his integrity nor lie to save anyone. So, he was out of the line.

In this case, only one person came to her mind, Rain.

But she was very mad at Florate at the moment and won't do anything to help him but there was at least no harm in trying, so she had to just give it a shot...