The first test

Lena

I was sitting in my room, my thoughts swirling like a relentless storm. The conversation with Kael had left more questions than answers, and my frustration was beginning to turn into fierce determination. He wanted me to observe, to learn about his people, but I knew this was more than just a matter of curiosity. I needed to uncover the truth behind everything—Kael's motivations, the true purpose of this war, and, above all, how I could use that information to my advantage.

The silence of the room was broken when the door softly opened. One of the alien guards, with his perpetually neutral expression, entered and stood aside, indicating that I should follow him. I said nothing, but my heart began to beat faster. What did Kael want now?

I was led through narrow, dimly lit corridors, different from the ones I had walked before. These seemed more functional, less ostentatious, as if they were taking me to a less public area of the facility. I kept my posture straight, trying to appear confident, even though my mind was filled with questions.

Finally, we arrived at a simple, empty room, except for a table in the center and a few chairs around it. On top of the table were a series of devices that I didn’t immediately recognize. However, the strange feeling of being watched never left me.

The guard indicated that I should sit in one of the chairs and then left the room, leaving me alone. I hesitated for a moment but eventually sat down, my gaze fixed on the devices in front of me. I was beginning to consider the possibilities of what this might be when the door opened again.

Kael entered the room, his presence filling the space almost tangibly. He approached the table with calm, controlled steps, sitting in the chair opposite mine. For a moment, he remained silent, simply observing me. I kept my gaze steady, refusing to be the first to look away.

“Today, Lena,” Kael began, his voice low but filled with authority, “I want you to participate in a test. Something that will allow us to see how far you are willing to go to understand who we are.”

I didn’t respond immediately, my eyes shifting between Kael’s face and the devices in front of me. I didn’t know what he wanted, but something inside me told me it wouldn’t be easy.

“And if I refuse?” I asked, my voice firm but tinged with distrust.

Kael tilted his head slightly, a gesture I was beginning to recognize as a sign that he was carefully considering his words. “You have the right to refuse. But know that this is the first step in understanding the truth you so desperately seek.”

I pressed my lips together, struggling internally. Part of me wanted to refuse, to show Kael that I wouldn’t be manipulated. But the other part, the part that longed for answers, was desperate to know what he wanted to show me.

Finally, I nodded, my expression determined. “Very well. What do I have to do?”

Kael showed no visible reaction to my acceptance. Instead, he stood up and approached the table, his fingers gliding over the devices as if he were selecting the most suitable one. He picked up a small object, resembling a bracelet, and turned back to me.

“This device,” he explained, “will connect to your nervous system and allow you to access your memories in a way you’ve never experienced before. It will be like reliving certain moments of your life, with all the sensations and emotions amplified.”

I felt a shiver of fear, but I didn’t let it show. “And what exactly will I experience?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

Kael looked deeply into my eyes before responding. “You will see important moments from your life before all of this began. This will help you understand what you lost and why you must find your own truth.”

There was something in the way he spoke, a gravity in his words that made me hesitate for a moment. But I knew this was my chance, the first of many, to start understanding what was really happening.

I extended my arm, looking directly at Kael. “I’m ready.”

Kael placed the device around my wrist, and the moment he did, I felt a wave of energy course through my body. My senses began to expand, and suddenly, the world around me changed.

Flashback: Earth, Before the Invasion

I found myself back on Earth, in a time that felt distant and yet painfully close. I was in my old apartment, a small and cozy space I shared with my best friend, Clara. The walls were decorated with travel photos, old movie posters, and small paintings I had made on weekends. Sunlight streamed through thin curtains, casting a soft glow on the wooden floor. The distant sound of the city, with its cars and people, brought a comforting familiarity.

I was in the kitchen, making coffee while Clara, still in her pajamas, stretched out on the couch. We talked about our weekend plans, maybe a short trip to the beach or a visit to an art gallery. Clara’s laughter filled the space, and I felt a peace I hadn’t experienced in a long time.

It was a simple life, but it was a good one. I worked at a small bookstore in the city center, where I spent my days surrounded by books, helping customers find new stories to explore. I loved my job, the smell of the books, the feel of the pages. And on weekends, Clara and I would explore the city, discovering new cafes, hidden parks, and little-known spots.

There was a security in that life, a predictability that I now realized I had taken for granted. I never imagined that it could all be taken from me in an instant. The daily worries were small—bills to pay, a broken coffee machine, a trivial argument with Clara over who would do the dishes. Common problems that now seemed so distant and irrelevant.

But there was more to this flashback than just nostalgia. I also remembered the ambitions I had. I dreamed of going back to school, maybe studying something related to art or history. I wanted to travel, to see other countries, other cultures. These dreams, however, always took a backseat, postponed due to lack of time or money. But they were there, and I knew that, in some way, they still existed within me, even after everything that had happened.

Suddenly, the scene changed. I was now in a park, walking beside Clara. The leaves were falling around us, the air was crisp, with that typical autumn scent. We talked about life, about the uncertainties of the future, but without the shadow of fear that now dominates all my thoughts. Earth, at that time, seemed like a place full of possibilities, despite the difficulties.

I looked at Clara, my friend, my confidante. And I felt a pang of pain realizing that those moments, those small joys, were gone. Clara was dead. Dead in the invasion that destroyed everything we knew. I hadn’t had time to say goodbye, to tell her how much she meant to me. The pain was sharp, as if I were reliving the moment I found her for the last time, lying beneath the rubble of the building we lived in.

But before I could be consumed by sadness, the flashback began to fade, the images of my old life dissolving like smoke. I was pulled back to reality, back to the alien command room.

Return to the Present

I opened my eyes, breathing deeply as if emerging from a deep dive. I looked around, feeling disoriented, but the sight of Kael brought me back to the present. He was watching me with an expression I couldn’t decipher.

“You’ve seen your truth,” Kael said calmly. “Now you understand what’s at stake.”

I didn’t respond immediately. My mind was still processing everything I had seen, everything I had felt. The life I had before seemed so distant, yet so vivid in my memory.

“And you, Kael?” I finally asked, my voice firmer than I expected. “What did you lose?”

Kael watched me for a long moment before answering, his expression gentle but with an intensity in his eyes that suggested he too had lost much. “More than you can imagine, Lena. More than you can imagine.”

I didn’t know if I could believe him, but for the first time, I felt there was something in common between us. Something that I might be able to use to my advantage. But one thing was certain: I would never forget the life I lost, and I would never stop fighting to avenge those who died.