Chapter 17: CHAPTER 16

[The Purge of the Mentalists in the Taun Era is one of the more famous events in recent history. The Mentalists were a group that believed in that the mind was the key to unlocking the secret of life itself. There doctrine believed that in the mind the key to immortality was kept.

Their belief lead them to conduct human experiments under the guise of a mind related research facility in the continents research center, Gosojo Kingdom. They would take the people who came to them for treatment and use them for experiments.

Speaking in more graphic terms, they would cut open their minds and probe them using dark magic, searching for the existence of a mind within the mind. Where they got the idea they would find anything, I don't know, but when someone caught wind of what they had been doing, all hell broke loose.

The churches put forward a combined force to exterminate the 'heretics' and raided their facility in the dead of night. That night was hell. In fact, hell would be an understatement. No one knows what went on in that facility that night, but the people who were sent in never spoke again. Some of the more powerful ones are still alive, but still have not said a word.

The Mentalists disappeared that night. Whether they were exterminated or fled, one thing is for certain, something sinister must have been going on there. Maybe one day it will come to light, or it might remain a mystery for all eternity.........Excerpt from: STRANGE HAPPENINGS IN THE CONTINENT OF KALIDA]

[George's POV]

After what happened, no one tried to resist anymore. They all followed his instructions to the letter. I couldn't remove the image of the pair being skinned alive from my mind, so I moved on autopilot.

After the left group had moved towards the capsules, Professor A turned to the rest of us.

"Fight each other."

He tossed knives, from where he got them I don't know, at our feet.

I couldn't believe my ears.

"Excuse me? I don't think I heard you well, could you repeat that?"

"You didn't hear me wrong. Fight each other to the death with these knives."

We were all collectively in shock, then Amanda spoke. Her voice was so pleasing, it almost made me forget the situation I was in for a second.

"Didn't you say we would be would be undergoing a test to forcibly increase the concentration of our Hani?"

Professor A chuckled.

"I did, didn't I?"

"Well, I didn't lie. You will be undergoing that test, but after you kill each other."

"Now, no more questions. Will you all fight, or die in a more gruesome way than the fools you just watched die? Pick up the knives."

"And one last thing, you actually don't have to fight someone from your own group. But you must fight someone, and with the intent to kill. If I doubt you for even a second, I think you know what happens."

He clapped his hands.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Start the fight."

I distanced myself from the rest after picking up a knife.

Professor A looked over at the people standing by the capsules.

"Those of you by the capsules, please observe well. It'll be your turn soon."

At his words, I felt a sense of nausea, then found myself in a sunny field of corn.

"What the?"

How did he get us here?

I looked around warily. I don't want to believe that we'll actually begin to kill each other, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Then someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind, so I swung the knife behind me without thinking.

"Whoa, watch it! You almost took off my head there!"

"Huh?"

I looked behind me. A girl stood behind me holding a knife with a smile on her face.

Who was she again? I've seen her hanging around Alistair before. Mmmmm..... yes, that's right. She's Rachel. Rachel Sledo.

"George, right? We're on the same side, so how about we stick together for this?"

I nodded.

"Sure."

We walked side by side while keeping an eye out for others.

"Rachel, could you do it?"

"Do what?"

You are reading story Freedom Path at novel35.com

"You know, kill someone. Would you be able to do it?"

"Definitely."

"Huh? I'm surprised you're so confident. I can't do it. I 'm not that kind of person."

"You're saying that now, but I'm sure you'll be singing a different tune by the time this is over."

"No way. I don't go back on my word. It's what my parents-"

I couldn't continue.

"Never mind."

Rachel glanced at me.

"Bad family story?"

"I said never mind."

"Okay then."

She looked up at the sky.

"You know, when you grow up in the slums with a drunkard for a father, you quickly learn that killing can save your life from time to time."

She turned towards me again.

"Ever been raped? By four men at the same time?"

"What? What's rape?"

She chuckled.

"Of course you wouldn't know what rape is, would you? Let's move away from that topic. Like I was saying earlier, when you live in the slums, you learn how to do anything to survive. Including killing. And you won't be surprised when your father sells you for some money."

I couldn't really understand what she was saying, but it's probably something bad.

She continued to talk while I listened. Then all of a sudden, she stopped.

"What's that?"

I looked around carefully.

"What're you talking about?"

Then I heard it. The sound of rustling leaves.

Alex, Carter and three others emerged from the shadows. Alex had a big grin on his face.

"And here I thought we were hiding so well. I guess those from the slums really are different."

What's Alex doing here?, I thought. Then I remembered, Alex had been there the whole time, I had just been too absorbed in my own world to notice him.

"Hey George, we meet again. I told you we would have a lot more fun."

I started to shake. I pointed the knife towards him.

"Stay back, Alex."

"Ooooh, I'm so scared, you're actually threatening me. What happened to 'I definitely can't do it. I'm not that kind of person' that you were saying earlier? Was it all a lie?"

Rachel looked toward me again.

"Remember what I said George? Growing up in the slums, you learn many things."

I suddenly felt a piercing pain in my leg.

"That's right, you learn many things, but the most important thing you learn is how to stay alive. And from what I can see, they're only after you, so why should I go down with you?"

I turned to see Rachel's knife covered in blood coming out of my leg before she ran off into the distance.

"I wish you the best of luck, George. If possible, let's meet again."

[Don't forget to support me on patreon if you want to see more content.]

You can find story with these keywords: Freedom Path, Read Freedom Path, Freedom Path novel, Freedom Path book, Freedom Path story, Freedom Path full, Freedom Path Latest Chapter