CALLA : BOOK II

7 : Seven Challenges

       

                When the 3D holographic image of the 8 year old boy appeared, I was amazed by the vivid graphic before me. Up close, I could see the fine lines of the boy's wavy brown hair and the clear color of his green-blue eyes.

"Wow, doesn't he remind you of someone?" Alex teased me.

                With a tired sigh, I ignored him.

"Challengers, please state your name"

"Calla"

"Alex"

"Welcome to the challenge, Calla and Alex" The boy was really cute in his short pants tuxedo. "My name is Ciro – the headmaster who will set the questions to the challenge"

                Holding my hands behind my back, I listened to Ciro while curiously glancing up at dark glass ceiling. Several small crystal oculus hung on the steel frame reminding me of stars. The sight was quite beautiful.

"Are you ready Calla and Alex?"

"Ready"

                Four side of the platform held hundreds of blank cards. Alex and I glanced at each other. I gave a nod and the man stepped forward and chose seven cards. Each time he selected a card, a subject is revealed.

                The subjects are Calculus, Music, Arts, World History,Physics, Language, and Mixed Media.

"Who will take the first challenge?" Ciro asked.

                Alex looked at me and I smiled, answering his silent question.

"I will" Alex stood before the holographic Ciro.

"Alex, your first challenge is Calculus"

                The cards all disappeared and before Alex a projection of a black board appeared. At the same time, directly at his right side, a seamless opening appeared on the platform floor and a white stand moved up. Alex took the white caulk-like device from the stand.

The first challenge of the game had been fairly simple with 3 calculus problems to be solved in 3 minutes. For Alex, he had done far more complicated problems in his daily lives.

"Congratulation Alex, you have advanced to the second challenge Music. Would you like to continue or pass your turn?"

"Continue"

                The second challenge – surprisingly was easier than the first. Ciro pulled out a flute and begin to play a melody. Once he was done, Alex had to name all the classical songs played. It was no surprised that the well cultured man knew the answers.

"Congratulation Alex, you have advanced to the third challenge Arts. Would you like to continue or pass your turn?"

"Continue"

                The third challenge was interactive. Three white stands appeared in front of Alex. This time, there are three devices he could choose from – a crossbow, a gun, and ninja stars. Alex chose the crossbow. I wasn't sure if weapons were appropriate for the supposed "educational" game, but who am I to judge - I would have gone for the white gun.

"Choose the correct painting as I call out the name of the painter"

                For Arts challenge, Ciro would give an artist name while two holographic images appeared – one on his left, the other on his right. Using the crossbow, Alex point and shoot at the painting as Ciro gave the artist name. It was amazing to see the holographic arrows appeared each time Alex shoot. What's even more amazing was seeing the man aiming for the head of each self-portrait paintings. By the end of the game, Alex had shot ten heads under 2 minutes.

"Woot! Go Alex!"

                I couldn't help but be marveled by the pretty man's skills. Clapping my hands and laughing while Alex turned to me, blew the invisible smoke on the crossbow with a grin. I laughed more when he winked at me.

"Congratulation Alex, you have advanced to the fourth challenge World History. Would you like to continue or pass your turn?"

"Continue"

                Alex continued to complete the fourth and fifth challenge with ease. When the sixth challenge came up, I went to Alex's side and pinched his arm.

"Stop hogging the game Alex!"

                When I pushed him out the way, he laughed.

"I'm next"

                I smiled at the holographic Ciro while raising both my hands.

"Calla, the sixth challenge is Language"

I excitedly tapped my fingers together when the three white stands appeared. I went for the pretty white gun without a second thought.

"Choose the correct language as I say the corresponding sentences"

The challenge had been language. Floating above Ciro was ten words: Mandarin, English, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, German, Hindi, and Bengali. It wasn't necessary for Ciro to complete each sentence as I shot the matching spoken language.

60 seconds later, sixth challenge completed.

Alex laughed and clapped his hands while I blew the invisible smoke from the tip of the gun.

"Congratulation Calla, you have advanced to the final challenge Mixed Media. To have made it to the final round, I, Ciro commend you"

                When the white stand appeared in front of me, I figured it was to put the gun back. I hadn't expected the pink gold bracelet. Confused, I look at Ciro who stood frozen in place. I look back at Alex who shrugged at me. Only after I took the bracelet from the stand that Ciro begin to speak again.

"Would you like to continue or pass your turn?"

"Continue" Presuming the bracelet was part of the game I put it on my left wrist.

"For the final round, please choose three cards. The level difficulty of the card is determined by brightness. The brighter the card, the harder the challenge, but the reward will be greater."

                Ciro then lifted his hands like a magicians and made twenty cards float in front of him. The brighter the card, the harder the challenge? What's the fun if the challenge is easy? I went for the three brightest gold cards.

                The three cards read: Architecture, number, and letters.

"You have 5 minutes to complete the puzzle"

                Ciro disappeared leaving behind pieces of strange patterns, numbers, and letters.It was a strange combination and for a minute, all I could do with stare at it. After another minute passed by, I tilt my head to the side, wondering if the side perspective would give me any clue. Nope. I tilted my head to the other side, trying my luck with a different perspective. It was then that I spotted a familiar section of pattern. Testing out my luck, I step forward, using my fingers to piece the patterns together. It was amazing how smooth the projections moved with my fingers. Technology now-a-days was truly amazing – beautiful even.

                Once the pattern was pieced together with the letters and numbers set beside it, the whole image glowed revealing a 3D model of a castle from the 17th century.

"Congratulation Calla" Ciro once again appeared before me. "You have completed The Aion's Game"