Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

"You think this old one does not know what you all are up to? Hehe, it is funny but at the same time understandable that you all would think of that. Has it never occurred to you that if there really was an exit, why would we be stuck here and not escape?".

The deputy head kept on talking about things that gave him a bad premonition and as if to prove it right, he heard Chloe and Alice's anxious voice.

"It's not activating, the gate pass is not working".

The deputy head arched his chin and looked at the ceiling "The facility is a forbidden place to begin with, its existence is something that only a few individuals in the Empyrean Empire are aware of. There is no way those old stuck up people would ever allow the true colours of this facility to surface up".

"One could only imagine the consequences of releasing these failed test subjects into the outside world. That is why, there is no exit to this place. The only way out is through the permission of Cardinal Royce who runs this place and activating both the transponder warp gate here and at the endpoint".

Glenn had a distraught face when he heard that, the final hope that he clung on to escape from here, was ruthlessly blown into bits by this revelation. There was indeed an exit here; however, it was multilateral. That is, it needed two sides to activate together to create an exit.

"Bell… stop you will kill yourself" he heard the two girls shout his name and saw that his friend whose body that was already battered and tired, halting the advance of the beasts coming after the two behind him. 

Although it pained him, with a heavy heart and red eyes he roared at them to get away "Run all of you, there is no exit here".

The scene was hellish, the situation looked for these children who were caught up in the cruel plays of fate. As the scene played on in front of their eyes, Simon and the others knit their brows. They who were witnessing the hisotria, felt like they were inside the facility at that moment and it was very difficult for them to take it all.

There was no way any of them weren't affected after seeing and witnessing all of this with their own eyes. After the children knew that they couldn't exit from here, they tried to make their way to the entrance of the assembly room only to find hordes of beasts that have already finished preying on the researchers, waiting for them.

Huff… huff…

"STTOOOOPP…" Denzel roared unsheathing his rapier, the navy hat that always sat on top of his head, was blown away by the aura he released. He who couldn't take this anymore, decided to act up and rescue the ones in front of him that were in desperate need of help.

In his brashness and impatience, he forgot that he was inside the [Historia]. Even if he jumped in front of the children to fight off the horde, there was no way he would be able to do anything as these all were just a recollection, a memory of the past.

It would have been fine if it was just that, but according to Luicne if one fails to recognise the past from the present allowing oneself to immerse in these memories, they would be forever be caught in the time rift without being able to get away.

The boy who was just about to rush into the forefront, was stopped by Simon who appeared in front of him and blocked his path.

"Step aside, what are you doing?" Denzel barked without caring to mind his words.

"That is what I should ask you? Have you lost your mind, everything in front of you is all just a illusion. Did you get swayed by it so much that you can't differentiate between reality and illusion?"

Simon said unable to keep his composure. He did not know if individual actions would affect their overall progress of the trial but he sure as hell didn't want to try it out.

"Are you saying that all of this is made-up, do you have any proof? What if this is actually happening… can you take the responsibility for all their lives?" They boy retorted shouting back, his sword looked hesitant a little but he was unwilling to unsheathe it back.

"You little…" Simon who for some reason felt like he was not acting like his usual self flared up and was just about to forcibly hold him down when Lucine interjected.

"Both of you need to calm down, you may not realise it but we all have been affected by the magic. Close your eyes and block your senses if you can't take the scene, the trial is all about testing your mental fortitude and check your limits. I know it is hard but we all can't just break down here".

Her voice like a tranquil and cool lake, dissipated the heavy and dreary sensation that they have been feeling in their heart.

Denzel buckled his rapier back to its sheath and Simon felt his mind instantly clear up. Now that he was back to himself, he could tell that previously he was not acting like himself and have been unknowingly caught up in the effects of the [Historia].

If not for Lucine's presence and her timely interjection, who knew what might have happened. After seeing the boy close his eyes and turn away, did Simon back down.

The rest of the [Historia], was a tragic scene to say no less. Fortunately, it did not show them the whole scene and ended right at the crucial juncture where the children were surrounded.

A bright light encompassed Sion, Lucine, Denzel and before they knew it, they were back to the present timeline. The room unlike in the [Historia], was entirely dark and an unnerving atmosphere shrouded the room.

A window immediately appeared in front of the three of them.

[Make your Decision… Time Remaining- 1:29 sec].

At this moment, Simon realised some unknown force was restricting his movement and until the countdown ends, he couldn't move. He looked at the window telling them to make their decision and the countdown.

The [Historia] has ended, therefore it's time for them to face the true trial. Just as the countdown hit zero, the force binding them in place disappeared. It was also at this moment that Simon was alerted of multiple; No numerous hostile presences around them.

There was no need to question who these presences belonged to as they had seen the scene through the [Historia] themselves.

When the mechanism illuminating the room activated, the state of this place came into their view. Gross, that was the exact word that could describe the scene that lay in front of them. Dozens of dried of corpses littered the room and a putrid smell that had yet to dissipate lingered everywhere.

Hundreds of beasts that were lying dormant inside the room, woke up to the foreign presence and immediately bared their fangs. Simon finally realised what the decision the trial asked him to make earlier was.

"Indeed, it's a difficult decision to make after you have seen that [Historia]. Does that mean that whatever choice we make affects whether we pass or fail the trial?" he muttered observing the beasts surrounding him from every corner.

These beasts were not just any ordinary monsters, but pitiful children who were experimented and subjected upon in this very place. To slay them who have lost all of their sanity or not was the decision that they had to make.

GRRRRRR…

A crimson beast with the appearance of a hyena, pounced upon Denzel who currently had a dispirited look in his eyes.

Although he was absent-minded, it did not mean that he let his guard down. His years of training and his diligently built instincts acted up the moment the beast pounced on him. With a swift sidestep, Denzel dodged the attack from the beast but the next second when he pointed his rapier at it, his sword trembled for some reason. 

Simon couldn't blame him for hesitating to attack the beast especially when he knew they were once children just like him. Simon conjured a flame spear and fired it towards the beast impaling and incinerating it.

These beasts who have survived for thousands of years in this closed up environment, have become extremely weak and even their levels have regressed. It was extremely easy for Simon to penetrate their weakened defences with his intermediate tier magic.

Individually, each of these monsters were all above level 400 but due to being confined, their status bar showed they were in a weakened state. Taking out his twin blades, he dispatched any beasts that came attacking him and swiftly reduced their numbers.

Although Simon did not know if this was the correct answer, it was no doubt the only way to proceed with the trial. Plus when he put himself in the shoes of these test subjects he felt like releasing them from this long nightmare was the right thing to do.

He did not feel any elation or excitement from finishing them nor did the notification of him levelling up evoke any pleasure. Simon swiftly and efficiently ended them in one strike so that they did not suffer any more pain.

Denzel who was still hesitating over his actions, saw Simon make his decision. He who was still uneasy over his actions and the latter who had made up his mind. Even though they had experienced the same thing, the same trial, the other party was able to move on while he was stuck.

Denzel tightly clenched his rapier and stepped forward. With every slash from his sword, a beast would fall.