Outside of halls and people, and quite far away and above the underground, William sat in a room in silence, pondering and clutching his fingers. It had been less than two hours since Celeste left him to go to her due... Awakening. He didn't know how well she did, so he just sat in the room alone. Most of the youths around weren't talkative or looking for friends as she was.

  William wasn't the epitome of friendship, but he didn't complain about it too much, for his mind was still turbulent, mulling over the conversation with Celeste that had stirred many thoughts. She was a very odd, exciting person, often sounding like someone he had known longer than he did. Maybe it was just a lack of caring judgment, or the fact that she had no shame or hesitation about anything, including words, and much more.

  Like a lovely friend who had a lot underneath the smiling surface. It was no facade. It was true yet changing, and William believed he was similar, yet far from on the surface.

  William talked to her in this room a bit differently than in the library. It was short but serious, and included his own talks, since he had a lot to offer if she dared to speak her mind. It was a nice trading game. More fun to her than to him, probably. William discovered nothing too shocking, as he had guessed Australia was insane anyway, and how far and weird such places could become was just like Celeste herself, who was just weird.

  She spoke to him in a modest, open tone, filling the room with excitement as if nothing from before mattered. But he knew it was false and bullshit, and much more was fine at another time, since Celeste didn't wish to mention everything. It all led to both of them having a great time to pass, and when they reach Rank 1, it would return. It was no promise, but William bet Celeste needed that more than himself, and Ellie couldn't do every piece of justice, even if she were a much better teller than listener.

  William at least believed Celeste was more ready than he was, and he was okay with it. It wasn't weakness that was bad, and Celeste said fears and expectations sounded like a joke. He agreed with that.

  She needed it and felt as familiar and curious about William and everything going on. How? He didn't know.

  He couldn't guess how many times she had helped him, or that she had dropped a few drops on him, or knew something about him that he didn't.

  In his current mind, Celeste felt like an unleashed dog in a brand-new world. Her voice and emotions stirred, turned, and made her appear and speak like no youth William had ever met.

  In a sense, her opinions were alien. William accepted them for what they were because he learned those pieces bit by bit. She didn't doubt his words either, or tales or stories about the time in the cave, in red light, or more of the latter stuff. Getting into details made everything quite easy and straightforward for both of them, and Celeste loved all those small details, like friends and Darks. Or killing them—killing them mostly.

  So when her time arrived, it was time to make one uncertain choice. Since then, William preferred steady silence.

  Mi-Yung was out there, doing whatever she wanted, and in a couple of hours, he wouldn't be calm in the slightest, so this was what he got to himself.

  Months or weeks... well, two entire years were already far too peaceful and he was bloody Walker?! Soon to be one with barebone mastery and skill, that is. He felt weirded out by that, felt his blood rushing, and, for a while, he looked at his Emblem, playing with it as if it would answer everything.

  The thuds of his heart were like his little dense storm. It didn't listen to him. He tried. He wasn't impatient for a change, unlike Celeste, who couldn't keep herself in check otherwise. Again, what an alien thought. Most youths were like William, nervous, silent, and waiting.

  At least Stark never showed his face again, so that was pleasing, and William tried to relax his arms. He couldn't tell when it was his turn, but each time a voice called a number, he felt his emotions stirring.

  From time to time, he glanced from this room, listening to the surrounding conversations and whether there would be news, rumors, or anything related to the Awakening. Some people chickened out and decided not to attend. Good for them. They were just kids; they would get another chance in the future, so what's the big deal? William hoped he understood them, but he was a bit too old to run away from this. Celeste would never forgive him, as would Ellie, who was also dealing with her situation.

  Being mentally out of it was bad, and still possible before reaching that sick chair.

  However, that and having a tense, nervous heart weren't the same. It was natural to be tense and prepare the body. Many took this moment to compare everyone to themselves, wondering whether they were fine. Most youths were unaware of what was good about them, as they were too busy worrying about whether they were acceptable or about to betray themselves or others' expectations.

  That was the most evil, wicked thing William had figured out of this, and he had none of ! He trusted his life, and he felt Mi-Yung would never be disappointed with him, but what about himself? Who could he disappoint, other than himself? It was bullshit; there was no other way with how it all connected to Emblem, the main rider of this storming event. The drivers—the humans—were secondary, yet more apparent on the surface. Those were the same issues over and over again, and all problems originated from there.

  William didn't interact with any young or older Walkers or Association members. That didn't mean they weren't here, going around, or helping their hopes. For once, he bet Ellie was around, yet he did not see her here. Maybe he even missed her walking by, all because he was busy talking to Celeste in the room.

  Many youths had the company of Walker from their chosen Division, or they were foreigners who would leave the Federation sooner rather than later.

  For those who had nobody, personnel from the Emblem Association ensured everyone was fine and dandy.

  One such person was indeed Ellie, who tried her best to understand their worries and motives and talk to them, wishing them the best of luck. It was the most crucial time for her new position, since she had observed the Awakening several times, and was about to see what came next, since she had requested to see William's turn. She did Celeste's, safely from the science-based room, away from the Walkers.

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  William didn't meet with her because she wanted to give him space, but mostly because she counted on the words she had said last night.

  William wondered if there were many foreigners or if the Divisions were as important as he assumed. He passed some time guessing, yet Celeste's conversation never left his mind.

  He should be ready. He spent weeks in the library, gaining a new perspective on his mindset, but the real deal was unpredictable. Perhaps he didn't have to change his mindset. All he needed was to get it back, right? Celeste called it instincts and poking, and one just had to survive and grip their fingers, or nibble on them.

  Did everyone else have a different approach? Was it about mind, spirit, and heart? Mi-Yung often described how Walked lived, trying their best and never backing down against anything. Mentality, spirituality, and even physicality mattered. It was a rather simple way to say: Being normal at an abnormal time was indeed silly, since fuck off any humanity, right?

  It wasn't very quiet, with conversations chattering between youths or older Walkers outside. Whatever those people wanted or revealed, there were words of curiosity, and William didn't know if he should listen or mind his own business.

  A large monitor outside the room displayed the number of people next to it. Whenever the number changed, a youth walked to the end of the hallway. Their escorts, teachers, bodyguards, or proxies accompanied them, but not always. William wondered if there were any differences between them, but it seemed that it was up to the youths to decide whether to go alone or not.

  He discovered it when he heard a conversation between bystanders. An elderly gentleman from this association spoke to a fearful, nervous girl about how to qualify the heart and mind. The last door in the hall led to the underground bunker, where a chair with the Emblem Accelerator sat. One should become fearless.

  He said it as it was easy, and William hoped it was.

  Fear wasn't a weakness. It wasn't something stupid or feeble like that, though it could be subjective when he thought about it. Personally, he didn't hate fear, nor did he enjoy its prospects.

  Poking his head from his room, he read the monitor.

  “124? It is still a long way to go. I guess less than an hour... so am I nervous?” Glancing at his Emblem, he noticed no change even after so many hours had passed. Should he cut it? Should he gnaw at his own flesh and try to eat it when down?

  Shaking his head, he skimmed the walls. There was food provided in carts, free of charge, yet almost nobody ate anything, except for some foreigners. William took a few bites and water. That was it. From time to time, important-looking people walked around the hallway, checking on people. They were Heads, most likely, though William wasn't sure, as he had never met one. He assumed assistants and scientists were like doctors, wearing white uniforms or something. He didn't really care about them.

  The number of youths had barely decreased, as more were coming and reaching this place to wait, so there was some system to this event, or waiting rooms. William believed there were more than four hundred youths in total.

  As William counted, no one was talking about the results. That meant there was no way to get them because giving youths here this sort of anxiety, or news, was a nice way to crack their nerves. William felt that not knowing and knowing weren't very different matters.

  He was half aware of how wild it was. Mi-Yung said people would observe him, so he should be mindful of his actions and consider what he says.

  “Calm. I should be calm and remain sharp and back, as Celeste said. It is not about timing or situation. Sometimes, shitty things happen, and one comes and goes in a heartbeat. Overcoming it is a matter of the mind. It doesn't even matter who comes down and doesn't return. They go to another place. You know it. I know it. We learned it from Mi-Yung!” William leaned his head on his seat, talking out loud to lose his mind.

  A few minutes went by, and steps sounded from outside. Mi-Yung walked in, discovered him relaxing, clutching his token, and waiting.

  Although she came back, William didn't notice. He suspected she had a role to play as his proxy, or that the situation with the observations was more beneficial to her than being present with him. She said nothing to him about returning, where she had gone, or why.

  “You seem ready.” A familiar voice said to him when he opened his eyes. William jerked his head, noticing her standing in the room.

  “Oh. I didn't... think.”

  “You don't ? Good. Don't you dare to think! How bad, if not terrifying, such heresy is. Should I check your head? Doctors are around. A lot of them, actually. A whole army!” Mi-Yung chuckled, aware that the best hospital was right above them.

  “Don't tease me, please. I just overcame my greatest fear.” William also joked around, but unlike her, didn't seem very good or natural at it.

  “Want to know results?”

  “Nah.”

  “Celeste got 99.”

  William observed her calm face and wondered if she was joking or not. He stayed silent and nodded once, and took a deep breath. Then, he looked at her as if he were ready for one more joke.

  “Is this your attempt to ease my suffering? How nice of you.”

  “Is it working?” Mi-Yung grinned.

  “I don't think we know much about Celeste at all. 99? I would expect hundreds more.” William indeed joked well, as she knew he had learned about these things and knew what these numbers roughly depicted.

  Even then, his response took her by surprise. “Nevermind. I thought you would want to know it and cherish such results. Maybe not right now, but who knows. I expected a different kind of reaction.” Mi-Yung muttered in undeniable disappointment and walked closer to him.

  “I did. I thought you wouldn't tell it.”

  “Is our trust so poor? I think a proxy should be very open with their subjects.”

  “I don't think it matters. You've already helped me so much, Mi-Yung. I think I should be as good to you as you are to me. Isn't it fair?”

  “Is this how you grew up, I wonder? Are my bad faults like a curse and latching onto you, or have you always been this flimsy yet stubborn?” Mi-Yung took a seat beside him and talked as usual: calmly but with a hint of superiority and a lot of carefree confidence.

  “I talked about how I grew up many times. In blood. In places where people were young or old, yet dying, starving, and fighting anyway.”

  “Zones, you mean? Wait. The Suburbs!”

  “I think names don't matter.”

  “Years there would change any person.”

  “I was five. Then older, and then when I got out, a bit more. Years don't really matter to people there. One just has to survive. Age doesn't matter. What do you think is fine? I wasn't fine.”

  “You seem good to me, which is enough for this greedy proxy, wouldn't you say?”

  William took a deep breath and looked away from her as he folded his arms. “How long do I have to wait?”

  “Seconds. Minutes. Then hour? Maybe an hour. Then, I won't bother you with more words. Do you want me to follow you or not? Some kids consider it sensitive and private, and I consider your opinion as law in this section before the Examination, where I AM the LAW! Ok?”

  “Do whatever you want. Did Dreadus come with Celeste?”

  “Yep. There was even Hound aside, watching Celeste crack and sho—”

  “Then come with me.” That was the end of the discussion, and William's simple tone and assertion were his declaration of peace. He will hear all of it from Celeste anyway, and not right now.

  It was common knowledge that many famous Walkers from the Assembly, the Academy, and foreign lands took part in the Examination. They observed the new blood coming into the world, saw their recruitment as a necessity, and preferred discretion above all else. That was fair, for youths were about to stop being kids.

  '130' A person, voicing the participants, said from the speaker in less than an hour.

  Getting up to his feet, William drank the remaining water, got out of the waiting room, and walked to a large door.

  Many people, including youths like him, glanced at him, wondering what this kid would do and feel. Most looked at Mi-Yung anyway, walking behind him to the door.

  “There I go. I am not afraid. You are afraid,” he told himself out loud.

  “Am I?” Mi-Yung wondered, noticing his trembling hands.