ROLEPLAY

The officer explained what the test was all about. We had to get to the town of Thesos, without mektoub, without a teleporter, without the help of anyone or anything, just as we were, in loincloths. Above all, we weren't to help or look after each other. It was every man for himself. Then, with a toothy grin, he turned to the legionnaire and added: "Lyren gives you a 20-second head start". The legionnaire twirled her axe, laughing. We all took off running.

I'd never been to Thesos on foot. Remember, the only time we'd ever been there, just before Dad's death, we'd left on the New Horizons mektub transport to visit one of Mom's old uncles. So I knew we had to go over various bridges to reach the Sawdust Mines and then Thesos. But just as I could see the bridge in the distance, I heard a shout behind me: "'ren pyr, I'm coming!". The legionnaire was running behind us, axe ready to strike. As I was dead last and clearly not a sprinter, I knew the blow would be for me. So I turned left into a narrow canal. Do you remember that canal not far from Pyr that runs down to the forbidden canyon and that Mom forbade us to use? Well, that's where I headed. I didn't really think about it. It was either this or the axe. And given the legionnaire, I knew that one blow from the axe wouldn't get me back up. At the very bottom of the canal, after dodging a gingo, I emerged into the canyon. I could have stopped and turned back, but I was too afraid that the legionnaire would be waiting for me at the top. So I thought, why not go through the canyon? After all, she wouldn't come looking for me here, and there was no time limit to reach Thesos. If I took my time, and hid well, I could avoid the many creatures that haunted this place. Besides, I was curious to explore it. I don't know how long it took me to get out of that damn place, carefully avoiding all dangers, even if it meant sometimes staying more than an hour stashed somewhere waiting for the beasts to move. All I can tell you is that the daylight was starting to fade by the time I finally found my way out.

By the time we reached the Thesos fortress, it was already dark. I thought I was going to be set on fire by the officer, yet when I joined the group of postulants, which now consisted of just two other homins, he gave me a big slap on the back and congratulated me with a "I'm not a homin". selum. He told me he'd followed me discreetly all the way through the canyon before rejoining Thesos once I'd reached the Sawdust Mines. Going through the canyon was a daring undertaking, and few applicants had ever ventured it. Clearly, the ordeal was a test of daring.

So there were only three of us. Three applicants out of twelve, in a terrible state. Sawdust was sticking to our skin along with sweat, and we hadn't eaten or drunk since this morning. We could barely stand. Yet there was still one test left. The interrogation!

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