The fluorescent lights in the hallway felt like needles piercing my eyes, still raw from the dark, twisted nightmare of the test chamber. Inside, Lycoberus had lurked—alive, hungry, like a shadow made of teeth. Every step in this sterile corridor echoed back, droning, inescapable, reminding me this was my life now. Each heartbeat jolted in my chest, tightening every nerve, keeping that coiled adrenaline just beneath my skin. My shoulder throbbed where the shotgun’s brutal recoil had left its mark. I flexed my right arm, hoping to shake off the phantom ache, but it lingered, deeper than just muscle, like it had carved itself into me.
I let out a shuddering breath, watching it disperse into the still air.
At the end of the hall, Vanessa stood waiting, arms crossed, her gaze sharp and unrelenting. Her posture didn’t leave room for weakness. She was studying me, looking for cracks I didn’t want her to find. “Impressive,” she said, her voice slicing through the silence. “Even Carmen’s taken notice.”
I forced a smirk, but it barely held. “Guess I surprised myself too.” My gaze flicked to the heavy, sealed door that kept Lycoberus on the other side. “That thing... you called it Lycoberus?”
Vanessa’s face darkened, and for a second, a chill ran through me. “One of the more dangerous ones,” she said, voice flat, like a judge passing sentence. “Fast, relentless, and smarter than you think. But—” She leaned closer, eyes locking onto mine, “it wasn’t the worst.”
Her words settled heavy in my stomach, twisting my insides with dread. If that creature was just the beginning… what else was waiting for me? My mouth went dry, and I swallowed against it, wondering if I’d just taken the first step into a nightmare that had no end.
Footsteps sounded down the hall, slow and steady, bringing a warmth to the tension. Mr. Lawton approached, his expression softening with relief. “How are you holding up, Rei?” His voice was kind, grounding. “Not many could’ve done what you did today.”
“Still breathing,” I replied, trying to lighten my tone, though the attempt felt hollow. I shrugged, though the tension in my shoulders wouldn’t ease. “Guess that counts.”
He placed a steady hand on my shoulder, a comforting weight against the cold dread curling in my chest. “It does,” he said, voice gentle but firm. “But remember, today was just the first of many trials. And they’ll test you in ways you can’t imagine yet.”
Before I could ask what he meant, Vanessa’s gaze sharpened. “Carmen thinks you’re worth training,” she said, like a warning. “She doesn’t waste her time. Prove her right.”
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Her words struck hard, stoking a mix of fear and defiance. “What’s the point of these tests, anyway?” I blurted out. “It’s not just about survival, is it?”
Lawton’s gaze softened, and for a moment, he seemed to look somewhere distant, haunted. “No,” he murmured. “These tests reveal what you’re made of, when you’re pushed to the edge, when you’ve got nothing left. Carmen’s testing to see if you can survive in a world most people don’t even know exists.”
The weight of his words pressed on my chest, making it hard to breathe. “And what if… what if I can’t?” The question slipped out, baring a crack in the walls I’d built around myself.
Vanessa’s gaze was unflinching, steely. “Then you won’t make it far,” she said, no softness in her voice. “Not everyone does. Some risked everything fighting these creatures, and not all of them made it out.”
Her words hung there, heavy, final. They dug into me, twisting like a blade. But part of me wanted to fight back, to prove her wrong, to claw my way through whatever darkness they threw at me. And yet… what if she was right? What if this place swallowed me whole before I even figured out how to stand on my own?
Sensing the turmoil boiling inside, Lawton guided me away with a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Come on, Rei. You need a break—let’s get something to eat.” His presence eased the tension in my muscles, grounding me as we walked down the hallway.
As we moved, the lights gradually softened, giving way to a space that felt almost normal. The smell of coffee mixed with the warmth of something cooking, making my stomach growl. The ache in my shoulder faded just a little, and I let myself breathe a bit deeper. It felt like the first moment of peace since the test.
Lawton’s voice broke the silence, his tone a bit lighter. “You know, I remember my first day here,” he chuckled, a twinkle of humor brightening his eyes. “Thought I’d seen everything… until that first test. Trust me, it’s not all gloom and doom.” He grinned. “In fact, I’ve got good news for you.”
I raised an eyebrow, curiosity creeping through my exhaustion. “Good news?”
His grin widened, eyes glinting with mischief. “They’ve assigned you to a squad, Rei.”
---
Elsewhere in the facility, Carmen strode down another corridor, heels clicking in a steady, unhurried rhythm. She paused when she spotted a familiar figure leaning against the wall. He looked up, smirking, a glint of mischief in his yellow eyes.
“Back again, Ace?” Carmen asked, her voice smooth, unphased.
“Yo, what’s up, Carmen?” Ace straightened, his easy confidence as natural as the white-faded hair framing his face. He wore a dark gray jacket, a black shirt with a wing insignia, and goggles resting on his head. His large, metallic wings gleamed faintly under the lights, adding to his already commanding presence.
Carmen crossed her arms, giving him a wry look. “You know you’re not supposed to be in the training rooms unsupervised.”
Ace shrugged, grinning. “What can I say? Needed to test a few moves.” He mimicked a swooping motion with his hand, his wings flexing. “You should’ve seen it.”
Carmen’s lips twitched, the sternness melting just a bit. “One day, you’ll give me a heart attack. Try not to break anything… or anyone. We’ve got enough to deal with without you stirring things up.”
“Hey, stirring things up is my thing,” Ace replied, with a wink. He was all playful defiance, the kind of presence that sparked a room into life. “But fine, I’ll keep the chaos to a minimum. For now.”
As they walked, the warmth of laughter and the aroma of coffee drifted from the common room, mingling with the soft chatter of students unwinding after their own battles. “So, any gossip from the testing chambers?” Ace asked. “I heard there’s a newbie who put on quite a show.”
Carmen’s expression turned thoughtful, but a slight smile betrayed her approval. “You could say that. He’s unpolished, but smart. Might be just the wildcard we need.”
“A fox in the henhouse, huh?” Ace chuckled, intrigued. “Sounds like he’ll keep things interesting. Let’s see if he can keep up.”
---
Their laughter drifted from the hallway, a flicker of warmth that chased away some of the shadows clinging to me. This world might be a nightmare, but maybe… just maybe, I could find a place in it. Even if I still didn’t know if I had the strength to survive.
[End of Chapter]