After a long drive that whisked them through the changing landscapes of the East Coast, from Georgia's rich fields to Florida's humid weather, Mr. Julian's truck finally veered off the main road, taking a less-traveled path that led deep into the heart of the Everglades. The air grew heavy with moisture, the din of the highway fading as they entered an overgrown road accompanied by a symphony of sounds: the chirping of crickets, the croaking of frogs, and the occasional splash of water hinting at the presence of life in the murky depths beside them.

As they penetrated further into this wild expanse, the outlines of what once promised luxury and retreat from the world's cares began to emerge. Now a ghost of its former glory, a resort stood as a testament to the Apocalypse that struck the world. Nature had started its relentless reclaim of the structures, vines embracing the walls, and the once-manicured lawns overrun with a riot of greenery that no gardener's hand could hope to tame.

Mr. Julian parked the truck in what used to be a grand circular driveway, now cracked and sprouting with weeds. "Welcome to your new home," he declared, a hint of irony in his voice as he gestured towards the dilapidated resort. "It's not much, but it has its own charm."

James and Lauren exchanged a look. They could do nothing but shrug at each other. Getting out of the truck, they grabbed their bags and followed Mr. Julian into the resort, stepping over debris and avoiding the more aggressive plant life that had made the building its domain.

The resort's interior was like a painting frozen in time, depicting the moment when everything came crashing down. Elegant furniture lay strewn across the floor, covered in dust, and the air was thick with the scent of mold and decay. They moved through the lobby, its once-opulent decorations now serving as perches for birds and insects that watched them warily from the shadows.

"I'll leave you kids to explore. Just remember not to wander too far from the resort grounds and that no matter what mess you might get into, tomorrow, the training starts." The old man said as he levitated his bags, moving around the reception counter and picking a key from the several arrayed there. "Once you are done, I suggest you eat the sandwiches we bought earlier and go to bed. You'll need the energy." And with that, he walked up the stairs, disappearing from sight.

The two young Awakeners shared another look, something that had been happening more and more lately, and silently decided it was an agreeable plan.

James kept his psychic senses alert as they wandered, scanning for any sign of danger. The Everglades were known for their abundance of life, but not all were friendly, especially with the concentration of mana he could sense. Lauren, meanwhile, couldn't hide her fascination with their surroundings. "Can you imagine what this place was like before everything happened?" she mused, running her fingers along a vine-covered railing as they ascended a staircase leading to the upper floors.

"Barely," James replied, his voice soft, "A paradise for those looking to escape. Looking at it now, it's certainly not suitable to host anyone. You'd have to tear everything down and start from zero." His gaze was distant, taking in the decay around them, a reminder of how quickly civilization's veneer could be stripped away.

As they explored the grounds, evidence of the resort's former life was everywhere. The golf course, once a pristine expanse of carefully manicured grass, was now a wild meadow, home to birds and smaller creatures that had taken over the fairways and greens. Here and there, the remains of a golf cart or a flag marking a hole peeked out from the underbrush, silent witnesses to the days when laughter and applause echoed across the course.

Their path took them past the spa, a luxurious complex that promised relaxation and rejuvenation in its heyday. The main pool, visible through the broken windows, now hosted a less-than-welcoming occupant. A large crocodile, mundane but no less dangerous for it, basked in the murky water, its eyes watching them with disinterest. "Let's not disturb him," Lauren whispered, pulling James away before he could step closer. They shared a moment of levity, imagining the spa's guests' reactions to such an unexpected treatment.

"I imagine the rich old ladies that must have frequented this place would not enjoy such august company." She giggled.

James smirked. "Just the sight would have been enough to do some of them in. That thing is huge and doesn't have a drop of mana. Just think of how big it would be if it mutated into a monster."

Continuing their exploration, they made their way upstairs, where the true cost of the Apocalypse became heartbreakingly clear. The door to one of the suites, its wood swollen from the humidity, resisted their efforts to open it. With a concerted push, aided by a minor application of James's telekinesis, the door gave way with a groan.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Inside, the remnants of a luxurious suite greeted them, though any sense of opulence was long gone. Mold and debris covered the floor, and the furnishings were faded and torn. In this setting, they found the skeletons of a family huddled together in what must have once been a master bedroom. The scene was somber, breaking the two out of the fun they had been having.

Just how many people died because of the suddenness of the Apocalypse? I read estimates ranging from one billion to one and a half within the first month, but it's such a vast number that it's impossible to picture properly. The world is littered with places like this, abandoned shortly after monsters emerged, and have never seen any human since. We might reclaim territory every year, but the days we took back entire counties at once are behind us. It's only a slow creep now. I can’t imagine how many families like this one have long since been forgotten by everyone.

James and Lauren stood in silence, contemplating the skeletons. "Do you think they were trapped here when it all started?" Lauren asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Maybe," James replied, his telekinesis extending gently to touch the remains, slowly lifting them and moving over to the balcony. From there, he used the skill to dig a grave and placed the family inside in a few short moments. "Or they could have come here afterward, seeking shelter. This place would have been defensible and isolated. It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, what with the shortage of basic necessities in cities that lasted for the first few months."

Lauren nodded, her eyes sad. "It's a good reminder of why we must get stronger and keep fighting, right? Of why we're doing all this training. So families like this don't have to hide or die in forgotten places."

James agreed silently. The weight of their responsibility felt heavier at that moment, surrounded by the ghosts of the past. But it also steeled his resolve. They were fighting not just for survival but to reclaim a world where such tragedies were no longer commonplace.

After paying their respects to the deceased, they left the suite, closing the door behind them. The exploration had taken most of the afternoon, and as the light began to fade, they made their way back to the ground floor, looking for the keys to a relatively clean room each.

They found them hanging on the rusty board behind the reception desk, labeled with room numbers that matched a faded map of the resort pinned next to them. Selecting two rooms in the eastern wing, far from the grim reminder they had just encountered, they hoped for a semblance of comfort or at least cleanliness. According to the map, the east wing boasted views of the sunrise over the Everglades, a small consolation for their current situation.

Armed with their choices, they navigated the dimly lit corridors, their footsteps echoing in the silent, abandoned space. The resort, for all its dereliction, retained a ghostly beauty. Vines crept along the walls like intricate murals, and in places where the ceiling had caved in, the moonlight streamed in, illuminating the decay in ethereal silver.

James and Lauren's chosen rooms were adjacent, separated by a thin wall. The doors opened with a creak, revealing interiors that were surprisingly less affected by the ravages of time and nature than the rest of the resort. Dust and a musty smell were pervasive, but the furniture was intact, and the beds, though draped in dingy covers, promised a better rest than the ground outside.

Using his telekinesis, James decided to make an effort to clean his room. He stripped the bed of its linens and, opening the window with a push of his mind, sent the mattress and sheets flying out into the night air. He compressed and released them with precise movements, shaking loose years of accumulated dust and grime. The process was oddly satisfying and James repeated it more than necessary.

After several minutes of this impromptu cleaning, he deemed the bedding sufficiently dust-free and hauled them back inside. The mattress was laid back on the bed frame, and the sheets spread as smoothly as possible. It wasn't perfect, but it was better, a small island of cleanliness in a sea of neglect.

Before settling down for the night, James joined Lauren in her room. The Rogue had evidently tried her best to do something about the thick layer of dust and grime, having scoured the floor clean with her shadows, but she was struggling with the covers, her Talent not well suited to the task. Taking pity on her, James provided the same service he had done for himself, ending up with a serviceable room.

"If this Awakener thing doesn't work out for you, you could open a dry wash." Lauren joked, earning a rueful chuckle.

Settling down on the bed, they shared the sandwiches Mr. Julian had thoughtfully provided earlier. The meal was simple but filling.

As they ate, the conversation inevitably turned to their upcoming training. "I can't help but feel excited," Lauren admitted between bites. "The thought of finally reaching D-rank is still difficult to believe. We have been working for so long, and yet, if you look at the average, we have been blazingly fast."

James nodded, his own anticipation mingling with a thread of apprehension. "Excited, yes, but also a bit worried. Mr. Julian didn't seem like the type to go easy on us. I get the feeling we'll be pushed harder than ever once we go through our rank up."

Lauren chuckled, a sound tinged with both excitement and nerves. "Well, if we're going to be worked to the bone, I'm glad it's under his guidance. He might push us to our limits, but I trust he knows what he's doing."

Their meal finished, the conversation dwindled as they both became lost in their thoughts, pondering the challenges that awaited them. Eventually, James returned to his room, feeling a mix of anticipation and trepidation for the days ahead. As he lay down on his makeshift bed, the sounds of the Everglades filled the silence, a constant reminder of the wild, untamed world just beyond their doorstep.

Sleep was slow to come, his mind racing with thoughts of the training, his grandparents' trip, and the mess going down in New York while he was too far away to do anything about it. Yet, beneath it all was a steady current of determination. He was here to become stronger and fight back against the darkness that had taken so much from them and the world.

For too long, I have been just a spectator of events. This is the last time. From now on, I'll be the one writing history.

With that resolve firm in his heart, James finally drifted off to sleep, ready to face whatever the next day would bring.