As Ethan wiped his wet hair with a towel, a tune from Earth began to hum in his head. Before he could even stop himself, his lips parted, and he began singing in a low voice. His version of the song was oddly comforting, its beat easy to sway to. He couldn’t help but make it his own, mixing a bit of an upbeat rhythm with his own slacker vibe.

“Today I feel like just staying in bed,

Don’t wanna think, just wanna rest my head,

Don’t wanna care about the day ahead,

I’m living like I’m stuck inside my bed.”

He danced clumsily, an awkward attempt at swaying his hips and throwing in a spin here and there. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to feel the air in his lungs. Ethan’s carefree movements continued until he stepped out of his room and into the living room, water in hand—now lukewarm after sitting for a while.

He continued the chorus as his feet shuffled across the room, the words coming easily.

“I don't feel like doing anything,

I just wanna sit back and sip on this thing.”

But before the second chorus could even begin, a loud knock echoed through the door.

Ethan froze, mid-gesture, water splashing slightly.

“And the exact opposite happened,” he muttered, his voice flat, as he scratched his head in disbelief.

He let out a breath, then got up, placing the glass on the counter before making his way to the door. He opened it with a slight grunt.

In a flurry of awkwardness, Ethan snapped into a clumsy salute, knocking his elbow against the doorframe.

“Sir, yes Sir!” he shouted, his voice strained with sudden professionalism.

To his surprise, standing there wasn’t a superior, but a tall, chubby, and tanned-skinned young man who looked almost... like a mirror image of Ethan, except for the fact that he was sporting the same recruit uniform. His face looked earnest and almost amused, as if he hadn’t expected Ethan to open the door at all.

The chubby boy blinked in surprise, his eyebrows rising.

“Uh... what?”

“Uhh...haha.” Ethan immediately deflated, chuckling awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

The boy continued to stare, clearly puzzled by the whole exchange. Finally, after a long pause, he smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to confuse you. I’m Hermes.” He rubbed the back of his neck with a shy grin.

“But you can just call me Herbie. I’m your neighbor.”

Ethan nodded, raising an eyebrow. “Neighbor, huh?”

“Yeah,” the boy continued, “Looks like we’re the only two on this floor... for now, at least. I tried knocking on the others, but no one answered.” He shifted slightly, then gave Ethan a polite wave.

“I was just going around introducing myself to people. Anyway, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing.”

Ethan nodded.

“Right... nice to meet you, Herbie.” He chuckled softly.

Herbie’s smile widened.

“See you around, then.” He gave a quick wave before turning and walking off down the hall.

Ethan closed the door and wandered back into the living room, sighing as he flopped down onto the couch.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

He stared up at the ceiling, his mind drifting.

“Man... it would be awesome if there was anything to do around here,” he muttered. He glanced toward the wall. “Even a TV with just one channel would be enough. I could at least learn more about this place.”

Just as the thought settled, another knock came at the door.

Ethan groaned. He rubbed his forehead, considering whether or not he should shout ‘Sir, yes Sir’ again.

He sat in silence for a moment, the thought of another interruption making him cringe.

But then, reality hit. Without hesitation, he jumped up from the couch and rushed toward the door.

Ethan opened the door with a flurry of panic, but this time, he didn't even think about what was happening. His body just reacted. His hands shot up to salute, his arms stiff and military as ever, but in his haste, his elbows slammed into the doorframe again—this time with much more force.

The impact made him grimace, his face contorting in pain as the sharp pain spread across his arms.

Before he could even adjust his posture, a light chuckle came from ahead of him, causing him to glance up, still rubbing his sore elbow.

A tall, blonde man in a different uniform stood before him, a uniform that clearly marked him as someone of higher rank. It was a black and gold ensemble with a silver insignia on the chest, designed to reflect authority.

The man smirked, clearly amused at the sight of Ethan’s awkward attempt to salute. “You have some enthusiasm, don’t you?” He chuckled, his voice deep and confident, yet somehow carrying an air of authority.

Ethan blinked, still a little stunned by the sudden appearance of his superior. He opened his mouth to apologize, but before he could, the man spoke first.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Gabriel, of the Celestial Guard,” the man said with a firm nod, giving Ethan a respectful glance. “It’s good to see you’re already practicing discipline, even if the execution could use some work.” He gave Ethan a soft grin. “You’ll get the hang of it. No need to worry.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow, still rubbing his elbow. "Uh... nice to meet you, sir." He shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to respond.

Gabriel's smile widened, but he quickly got to the matter at hand. "Now, let’s get down to business, shall we? I’m here to deliver your schedule for the next three months of training. You’ll be going through rigorous training in the morning, and in the evenings, there will be additional lessons regarding the rules of the realm and your duties as a soldier.”

Gabriel then handed Ethan a scroll, sealed with an ornate wax stamp that shimmered with divine energy. It unfurled as Ethan took it, revealing a detailed timetable for the upcoming months.

“Your training will start at 5 AM sharp, every day. There will be no exceptions. The schedule is designed to push your limits, but don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. You’ll be working with your squad every day. And you will be expected to be in top form at all times. Understand?” Gabriel’s tone was firm, but there was a sense of humor behind his words.

Ethan nodded, though he didn’t particularly like the sound of it. Five in the morning? That was too early for someone like him.

“Now, just so you know, this will be the only time I’ll come looking for you. From here on out, you’ll be expected to find me if you need anything,” Gabriel added with a grin. “Unless, of course, you break the rules. Then I’ll come looking for you. And believe me, you don’t want that. We do things differently here. You’ll learn soon enough.”

Ethan grimaced at the thought. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of having someone chase him down, but it seemed like that was just the way things worked around here.

Gabriel stood straight, looking down at Ethan. “I’ll let you get settled in, but remember, you’re a soldier now. That means responsibility. We don’t coddle you here. If you slack off, there will be consequences. If you follow the rules, you’ll be fine. Got it?”

Ethan, still rubbing his elbow, gave a half-hearted salute, though it was more out of habit than actual respect. "Got it, sir."

“Good. I’ll see you around.” Gabriel gave him a final nod before turning and walking away, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

Ethan closed the door, feeling both a little overwhelmed and frustrated.

“Training at 5 AM... Great,” he muttered under his breath. He made his way to the kitchen, still holding the schedule in his hand. The thought of being put through intense training for months on end didn’t exactly excite him.

As he reached for some bread, he couldn’t help but let out a heavy sigh. “I should’ve asked about a TV... or maybe even a game console... something to kill time with.” His voice trailed off, no tears to follow, just the sound of his hunger taking over. He quickly grabbed some milk and downed a quick meal.

Once he finished, he walked back into his bedroom. With the sun still high in the sky, he figured he might as well get some sleep. He would need all the rest he could get before the hellish schedule started tomorrow.

Training. At 5 AM.

Ethan threw himself onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, a few more sighs escaping his lips. This was definitely not what he had imagined.

He closed his eyes, feeling the pull of sleep take over his body. Tomorrow would be the real start of this strange new life.

And he had a feeling it wasn’t going to be easy.