By the time we made it to our destination, the storm decided to double in speed, now almost overhead. "You guys said that you checked this thing high and low right?" Will Said. "Yeah, ya think you found something pretty boy?" Emma Scoffed. "Yeah in fact I think I have." Will laughed. 

He was near the far left of the wall, where he was indicating something with his hands. "Now do you guys see this faint outline here, it's a thin blue line. I almost missed it, caught it by luck." he said. It was about two persons wide and the height of about an average doorway.

"So it looks like a doorway, but does it actually open?" Kevin wondered. "No idea lets see." James braced his hands on either side of the door and pushed. A hiss came from the door as it sunk into the wall and slide to left, revealing a blue room about the size of a large elevator. A faint hum emitted from the tower as the glyphs lit up a crystalline blue.

Tara calmly walked into the space and looked at use blankly. "Well are you coming?" With that the rest of us filled the room, I came in last and once I crossed the threshold the door sealed itself behind me with a hiss leaving no indication that it was ever there. The room was brilliant white all around, it hurt my eyes to stare at it for too long. It wasn't cramped exactly but it also wasn't spacious either. James tried to repeat the process that got us into this mess with no avail. "Well this is just great. First we almost get caught up in a storm, now we're stuck in this fracking room." Kelly griped.

"Hey guys look out this." Kendal said. The wall opposite of the way we came in slowly turned black. The now black wall resembled a tv screen, a small blur appeared in the center of the screen. It slowly got bigger and bigger. Started to sharpen and take on shape. Walking towards us was a small, round white woman in nurse scrubs. I don't mean that in a racist way, literally. Everything about her was pure white her skin, hair, nurse scrubs, and weirdly enough her irises were a creepy white. I stood on the tips of my feet to get a clear view over everyone. Why all the tall people have to be in the front? I thought.

Kelly snickered before turning her attention back to the screen."Welcome, Team 5 you have now officially completed Phase one. My name is Lady E. Now I know that you all have many questions do not worry they'll be answered in time. As you all probably know you're memories that your memories have been wiped and you have been gifted with extra ordinary abilities. Now I'm sure that you think that we've stolen your memories but, it's quite the opposite in fact you gave us you-" 

"NO! I WOULD NEVER! EVER! GIVE UP SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS MY MEMORY! I DON'T REMEMBER MY FAMILY, MY HOME! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT I'D GIVE UP SOMETHING THAT IMPORTANT." Tara shouted. Tears were streaming down her face, pure anguish lining her perfect features. "I JUST.... IJUST..." Unable to continue she dissolved into silent tears, Kendal pushed through us and led Tara to the back of the group.

It was unsettling seeing the most stable of us fall apart and it was obviously effecting us all. Kelli had her head on Jacob's shoulder his arm wrapped around her waist, comforting her as tears silently rolled down her cheeks. Will had Kevin in a tight embrace his chin on top of the crying, slender boy; his face was twisted up in anger with tears of frustration.

 I ripped my unshed tears from my eyes, I had to pull myself together for the team. I asked questions  that all of us needed answered. "Why, Why did you give us these "gifts"? Why are we here?! Where are we?!" I stepped forward, chin jutting out.

Lady E. just stared at me for a second then with a sigh proceeded. "I'm sorry that you're all so upset, you have my sympathies. To start off I work for a company named NewGenesis, we work on unlocking powers from the past and future in the form of a gene. Only certain individuals have this gene and they've been dubbed Enhanced aka E's." 

"These Es possess the E-gene which usually come in three different forms Primal, Natural, and Mod. Primal Es usually gain powers with animalistic attributes and some can change their appearance to reflect their animal side. Natural Es are what you children are, your powers come from latent powers naturally found in humans in ancient times or that would have appeared later in the evolutionary track. Natural Es have constantly evolving powers that haven't been completely been mapped yet and no two Natural Es are the same."

 "For example you have two telepaths, one can show illusions and another can't. One of you could develop telekinesis or you both could we don't know. Mod Es have powers rooted in technology and brain augments. Some turn to half machine types becoming the perfect combination of machine and flesh." She paused and took a slow breath.

"Now about where you are unfortunately I can only say right now that your participating in a test that we call the Gauntlet. It's a series of tests to essentially root out the weaker Es to construct the perfect team. The first few tests will take place here in the Forest Tier..." "I'm sensing a but, and how do you root out the weaker Es, we aren't weeds." Will quipped. 

Her lips pressed into a thin line after Wills remark. "We have another team of kids going against you, essentially it will be a competition against the two of you. There are six of them and they've survived four Gauntlets. To answer Mr. Lovmark's question the weaker of the two teams by the end of the trial will die. It is up to the stronger team to eliminate the other team by killing them or defeating them in enough tests to have them eliminated. If one you is seriously injured necessary aids will be sent. The first test you will be as follows, in the center ring of the Tier is the entrance to the next Tier."  

"Upon clearing each Tier you will regain some of your memory" She holds her hands in front of her and a 3d model of what I assumed to be the Forest Tier. In the center a large red circle indicating the central ring. With a snap of her fingers three more rings appeared; green, yellow, and orange respectively in that order. 

"These rings represent the danger quality of the terrain you're in, red obviously representing the biggest danger and it diffuses the further to the edge you get. Every two days the entrance will change position so make sure to move fast. Children remember to take this seriously you're fighting for your lives. To increase survival we've designed the Bastion suit, it will be given to you now. Once you leave the tower begin your journey, I wish you luck children."

The lights shut off for a second followed by a sudden rush of sound and wind. There were yelps and shouts across the room as our clothes disappeared and were replaced with an unknown material. When the light returned, Mrs. E. was gone. Our clothes had been replaced with what I could only assume was the Bastion suit.

It was sleek and black with the guys only had right sleeves and the girls had left sleeves; on our thighs, lower backs and calfs were flexible silver plates with the same markings that lined the tower. Mine glowed with black-grey light. 

On the bicep of my sleeve shown a hand and the word BlackEyes. The hiss of compressed air signaled the reopening of the entrance. "Jesus we looked like we just came back from a trip to Tron." Kevin said looking down in awe.

 "Come on guys there's nothing left for us here." Jacob muttered. Shuffling out of the room I sensed one common thing from everyone, determination. The will to survive and to get our memories back was now stronger than ever, we will win and will get back what has been taken.