I woke up with my head dizzy as a voice to my back said, “Bal, I think this one is already awake.”

“Knock him one, will you?” another voice said.

I opened my mouth to protest, when a violent blow connected with my neck, and again I slumped forward, vision darkening.

A long time later, I woke up, and this time there were no voices.

Woozily looking around, I saw that I was in a prison cell of some sort.

Looking down, I saw that I was almost stark naked, with only a cloth covering my privates and my hands bound behind me. Eyes bulging, I mentally swore at my kidnappers and the Academy before I scanned the cell as I tried to escape the bindings.

Looking forward, my eyes were drawn to an armor stand on which lay a pristine white shirt and pants. There were also belts, gloves, a neck scarf of some kind, socks, shoes, and a cap on the armor stand.

Baffled, I stared at it for a long time before I turned my gaze to a pile of… clothes on either side of the armor stand. Alongside them were tubs of water, brushes, and soap.

Now utterly baffled, I stared bug eyed as I thought, “I wasn’t kidnapped to do laundry, was I?”

A few moments later, a voice behind me confirmed my thoughts as it said, “I see you are awake. Now listen to me carefully. Rule no: 1. You cannot touch the armor stand. Rule 2: You will launder two sets of clothes of each item that you can find in the piles in front of you. Those have to be as spotless as the ones on the armor stand. Your time starts now.”

Then I felt a brief aura flare, and the bindings on my hands fell apart.

Rubbing my wrists, I slowly stood up, and then in a panic; I checked for my finite ring.

Only to find it gone.

Turning, I growled as I launched myself at the prison door, which didn’t even creak as I hammered at it.

Channeling warforce, I slammed it again and again, only for nothing to happen still.

Defeated, I swore more before I turned my attention to the cell.

Prowling it, I looked for any weaknesses, but there was nothing. Not even a window with bars across it.

Finally, crossing the small cell and sitting in front of the armor stand, I pondered on my situation.

Firstly, it was indisputable that Sia and I had gone to the academy and it was a legitimate academy.

So, this was likely to be a test.

The question is, what’s with the laundry? And where’s Sia?

Growling, I got up and paced around before I stopped again and rifled through the pile of clothing and accessories.

Throwing up my hands in despair, I realized that every item was incredibly filthy, and that there were multiple numbers of the same item in the piles.

Sensing a trick, I calmed myself before I thought hard.

Then, picking up two socks, I measured the two against each other. Sure enough, they were different sizes.

Somewhat understanding the test, and the reasoning behind it, I squeezed out a smile that was worse than crying before getting to work.

First, I neatly arranged the clothes into their respective item piles.

Then, I examined each one - holding it up against myself - before I chose the most likely pairs.

And with an anguished howl, I started...to launder.

I dipped the clothes into one tub, then scrubbed them in another tub, and wrung them in the third before laying them out on…

Stopping in stupefaction, I realized there was nowhere where I could hang them on.

Then, looking down at my body, where the cloth dangled in the non-existent breeze, I swore out again.

Wearing the clothes as I finished washing them, I shivered as their dampness seeped into my skin.

“Apparently, my fire resistance didn’t extend to cold resistance, too,” I thought wryly.

And so, I kept scrubbing until I had one complete uniform on, with the exception of the gloves and shirt.

Looking now, I stood puzzled as I thought the problem through.

Then I slapped myself.

And grabbing all the previously discarded pairs, I washed them thoroughly too.

Then, taking turns to wear clothes until they dried, I laid them on the ground and placed the uniform that fitted me on top of them carefully.

Finally done, I stood with satisfaction before banging on the door and shouting out, “I’m done. You can let me out.”

Only for no answer to come.

Puzzled, I sat back down, thinking that the person must have gone to relieve himself or to get food or something.

Thinking of food, my stomach began rumbling.

Reaching out my hand, I froze before laughing at myself. Because I forgot that I didn’t have the finite ring, and, ergo, my supplies.

Shaking my head, I waited in the cell that was lit by a solitary lightstone as time passed.

First, my stomach kept rumbling. Then soon, it turned into an ache that drove through my body like a constant irritating reminder. Then, my head started paining. Soon, my vision began blurring.

But the man never came back, and no food was ever given.

Woozily, I lay as my vision span and my stomach cramped. Because of my heart, I had endured far worse… but the problem was, soon my heart would run out of warforce, and then… then I was in trouble.

Meanwhile, the clothes were again getting dirty as dust settled upon them.

Dragging myself up, I mechanically washed the clothes again, before I wore them… the dampness feeling warmer than I was feeling myself.

As time passed, the clothes dried completely, but I was feeling colder and colder from the pits of my stomach, all the way to my toes.

But I stood upright, clad in the uniform, while holding the other uniform neatly folded in my arms.

I don’t know how long I stood like that, but just when I was about to collapse, I heard the sound of footsteps.

Suddenly pulled back from the brink of unconsciousness, I stumbled and fiercely bit my tongue again.

Waking up from the pain, I stood ramrod straight; Determined not to show any weakness to these balakashes.

The door slowly opened, and the light that stabbed forward made my eyes water, but I stood stiffly nonetheless.

Making his way in, a man wearing a cap, underneath which was a face that was unfamiliar to me, spoke, “Not bad. 7 days, and you still have spirit.”

I stayed silent.

The man scrutinized me for a long moment before he looked around the cell and at the untouched armor stand.

Looking back at me, he said, “Tough guy, huh?” before he laughed and said, “Nevermind. Follow me, boy.”

Turning, he walked out of the cell, and I followed woodenly.

Each step felt torturous to me, my body protesting at each bit of energy wasted.

But I walked on and emerged into the light.

Shielding my eyes and looking around, I saw that I was in a camp of some sort.

Staring at the man and rasping out, I spoke, “Is Sia safe?”

Looking back at me in amusement, the man said, “The girl’s safe. Don’t worry. Worry about yourself first.”

I tensed at his words, only for nothing dangerous to jump out.

Laughing at my reaction, the man tipped his own cap at me, and before I could ask; He said with a wide smile and a smirk, “Welcome to Yamal Academy.”