Her future came in a vial no bigger than the finger of a child.

Karis did my best to remain calm and composed, but she couldn't ignore the anxiety creeping over her, looking for a way in so it could take root and spread like wildfire.

As the technician loaded the rose colored liquid into a syringe, it occurred to Karis for the first time that she might fail.

What would she do then?

"Lay back for me please," the technician said, pressing a hand firmly against her shoulder to guide her, and the seat, back until she was lying nearly horizontal. Like the rest of the room, the ceiling above her was stark white and smooth.

Sterile.

The technician moved around her, fiddling with things Karis couldn't see. She felt cold metal touch her skin as he secured her arms to the chair. He moved to her legs next, the heavy metal bands locking around her ankles and along with another set just above the knee. Finally a leather strap was fitted across her forehead, tight and restrictive making the technician's following statement obsolete.

"Try not to move, this is going to hurt," the technician explained in a tone lacking anything one could consider sympathetic. "Bite down on this if you need to," he instructed as he placed a flat piece of rubber between her teeth. Karis felt a cool wetness on the back of her neck followed by a sharp stinging sensation as the needle pierced her skin.

It wasn't so bad, no more painful than a bee sting though she could see why some people might be bothered by it. She waited for the technician to begin unbuckling the restraints but he didn't. He simply stepped back and waited.

Without warning, her entire body felt like it was on fire. The scream that ripped its way out of her throat little more than an agonized gasp as it pushed past her clenched teeth. She had bitten down so tightly around the piece of rubber she feared she might bite it in half -- but that concern was short lived as wave after wave of pain washed over her.

Karis could feel her back arching as every muscle tightened, her body twisting as it pulled against the restraints. It was almost surreal, as though she no longer had control over anything her body did. She felt as though her stomach was turning inside out and understood why they insisted on a twenty-four hour fasting period prior to the administration of the test.

Karis pitied anyone who took it as a suggestion and lied on the questionnaire that they had followed each step.

Finally, just when she thought she had reached a breaking point, the pain receded. The tension eased from her muscles and she heard more than felt her body when it thumped back against the cool metal of the chair.

As she slowly regained control over her senses, she heard the technician speaking -- though to whom she had no idea.

"Lin, Karis. Age sixteen. Manifestation - Pyrokinesis. Common name: Blazer. TL5. Recommendation based on psychological evaluation, academics and physical tests is that of the Advanced Arbiter Program," he stated, before turning back towards her.

"When you are ready, you may proceed through that door," he said, motioning to a door on the far wall that I had not noticed before. He began the task of unbuckling the straps holding her to the table. When he was finished he met her eyes and smiled for the first time since she'd arrived.

"Congratulations, Karis. Welcome to the Empyrean Academy."