Avyan wandered through the dimly lit corridors, a puzzled expression on his face, scratching his head and dragging his feet. He struggled to comprehend what had transpired in the training room. He called out Elara from in there but it turned out to be useless. He peered into every corner of the room, his anxiety mounting. The thick, enigmatic mist now filled the entire space, making it difficult to see or think clearly. After walking around for a bit, he found a big shaft at the top of the room however, there was no way to reach such a height. He tried to climb up the platforms but failed to do so. Due to these failed attempts at understanding the concept of the training room, he decided to give up and laid back besides the door, "What is this place? What am I supposed to do? I can't climb these platforms, therefore reaching that duct is out of sight. Should I be careful?", Eventually, fatigue took over, and he drifted into a restless sleep. When he awoke, the door was miraculously unlocked. He stood up, his muscles aching, and made his way back to his quarters.

As Avyan finally found his way back to their quarters, he noticed Akash sitting alone in the expansive garden outside. The garden was a riot of colours, with flowers ranging from bright yellows to deep purples, even striking blacks. Akash was sitting on a bench, staring at a cluster of blue lilies. His mind was a whirl of emotions, but he found a brief respite in the beauty of the flowers. The late afternoon sun casts a golden hue over the garden, creating a serene atmosphere. The delicate petals swayed gently in the breeze, reminding him of simpler, more peaceful times.

Avyan approaches hesitantly, his face showing signs of recent stress and frustration.

Akash looked up and said, "These are blue lilies. This particular species is quite rare."

Avyan crouched to take a better look. "Yes, they look beautiful", Avyan replied, following Akash's gaze to the delicate blue lilies swaying gently in the breeze. "They remind me of the sky, so calm and peaceful."

Akash said, "You know what, I was thinking about what happened last night. I lost my calm last night, Avyan. I shouldn't have, but the stress of everything got to me. I feel terrible for snapping at Ishan when he was just trying to help"

Avyan placed his hand on Akash's shoulder, providing a little support, "I understand. Ishan is not someone who keeps grudges. He is one of the most chill guys I have seen. I am sure he must have even forgotten it"

Akash looked towards Avyan and said, "Yesterday, when I heard the news I thought there was no way out. I thought there is no way, I could save my sister. I thought that I did not stand a chance against creatures who hold a power like this. That is why anger got the best of me but after today, I realised, we might have a chance. I saw things at the lab, I understood them. I think there is a chance I can do something. This chance is enough for me to bet my life on it"

Avyan was confused, "What are you talking about?"

Akash stands up, "Come, let's get back to the boys, I'll tell everyone at once"

Avyan and Akash head to their room. As they open the gate, they are shocked to see Ishan and Anirudh in a state like never before. Blood seeped through the bandages that covered Ishan's body, the crimson stains stark against the white gauze. Seeing someone who never got behind in any physical confrontation in such a state sent chills down Avyan's spine. Anirudh was no better, clutching his stomach with both hands. His face is contorted in pain, with tightly shut eyes, furrowed brows, and an open mouth as if letting out a silent scream or groan. He was curled up in a fatal position, knees drawn up towards his chest in an attempt to alleviate the pain. Sweat beads were visible on his forehead, and his skin is pale, indicating the severity of the discomfort.

Ishan spoke out in utter discomfort, words hardly coming out of his mouth, "Water..."

Akash rushed to the table beside Ishan's bed and poured him a glass of water. He gently picked Ishan up and said, "It was wrong of me. I should have been more understanding and calm"

Ishan passed a smile and replied, "Don't worry about it"

As they were talking, Elara entered quietly, her face a mask of calm as she administered painkillers to both Ishan and Anirudh, her movements precise and practiced. She said calmly, "The doctors are closely looking after them, it might be a little uncomfortable and you may have to tolerate some pain but they will not let you guys die. Although, you may get very close to it"

Avyan is shocked be her comment as he never thought that training of any kind can be this intense and harsh. As Elara leaves the room, she sends Avyan in a deep thought, "This is not sustainable. This was the first day and they are left in this condition. If this goes on, there is no guarantee they won't die anytime soon. We all decided to do this for some reason of our own. No matter what I face in the upcoming days, I'll do it for Gramps, I'll do it for Pratyush."

Avyan speaks up, "This is too much, I don't think you can go in from tomorrow. Don't be too hard on yourselves. I don't know what those Marshalls think of us. Hell, I even think Lector wants to kill you specifically Anirudh. However, I did not think that Vanya could have been this cold-hearted and brutal. I think you should take a break for now"

Avyan looks towards Anirudh who is just sitting on his bed, staring into the wall in front of him while Ishan lies down staring into the ceiling, both of their minds raced with thoughts as if they are contemplating and reasoning with themselves.

Sensing the heavy silence, Akash took a deep breath and decided it was time to reveal what he had learned. "I've uncovered some critical information at the lab," he began, his voice steady but laced with tension. "This fungus we're dealing with is constantly evolving. It adapts to conditions. Generally, all fungi adapt to survive, which is the reason behind the development of basic fungal resistances, but the rate at which this zombie fungus builds resistance is tremendous. It's remarkable, honestly. Raezi was not created by mistake."

Avyan furrowed his brows, exchanging a concerned glance with Ishan. "What are you trying to say?" he asked, a hint of apprehension in his voice.

Akash lowered his voice, glancing around as if to ensure no one else could hear. "Dr. Obi is the lead researcher here. He asked me to keep this a secret, but I can't hide it from you. The research that created Raezi had one goal: to create undead soldiers. These undead soldiers would help develop a self-sustaining civilization. No more humans putting their lives on the line. They used DNA altering and drugs to create the first samples. The research showed potential, but progress was slow. Dr. Obi's senior, Dr. Brenner, grew frustrated and broke protocols. He secretly followed the process of Project Z on one of the zombie subjects."

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Ishan's eyes widened. "Wait, Project Z? The one that made Vanya?"

Akash nodded solemnly. "Yes. This subject was given a dose of the mutated fungus and subjected to unimaginable pain—electro-therapy, chemo-therapy, and more. Dr. Brenner didn't know what he was dealing with. He created something no one could control. The Raezi project dragged on for months, showing no promise at first. Raezi even died multiple times."

Avyan leaned forward, his heart pounding. "But Raezi wasn't a zombie to begin with, was he?"

Akash's eyes filled with sorrow. "No, Raezi was a normal human. Not even Dr. Obi knows exactly what happened during the project, but it was brutal. My sister, Anshika, was one of the scientists involved in the Raezi project. Maybe that's why he captured her."

Anirudh, clutching his stomach, managed to ask through gritted teeth, "To take revenge?"

Tears welled up in Akash's eyes, spilling over as he shook his head. "I don't know."

The room fell silent, each of them grappling with the gravity of Akash's revelation. Avyan broke the silence, his voice resolute. "Let's do our best," he said, a determined fire in his eyes.

4o

The next day, Avyan woke up at 3:50 AM. He glanced at the adjacent beds, finding them cold and empty. The absence of his roommates surprised him. Curiosity piqued, he walked out of his room and found Ishan and Anirudh warming up. Despite their wounds not having fully healed, with bandages still evident and bruises marring their skin, they persevered. Each movement brought a fresh wave of agony, their entire bodies aching, and every bone crackling audibly as they stretched. Yet, they refused to acknowledge their injuries or pain. With faces set in determined grimaces, they pushed through the discomfort, ignoring the sharp stabs and throbbing aches. Their eyes, alight with steely resolve, spoke volumes about their indomitable spirit. They prepared for the next gruelling session with unwavering resolve, their sheer willpower overshadowing their physical torment. Avyan stood there in shock. This motivated Avyan to bring out the most in him.

Anirudh stood at the threshold of the training room, his heart pounding and his mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. He battled with himself, torn between the urge to turn back and the drive to push forward. He wrestled with himself, debating whether to step inside or turn away. The mere thought of the upcoming torture sent shivers down his spine, and he frantically sought any excuse to escape it. Desperation clawed at him, urging him to find a reason—any reason—to avoid the relentless pain that awaited. Yet, amid the chaos in his mind, a single, vivid memory emerged: the image of Pratyush, laughing with him just before they parted ways.

This moment of shared camaraderie, the bond they had forged, ignited a spark within Anirudh. The memory of Pratyush's laughter resonated deeply, cutting through his fear and hesitation. It was more than just a memory; it was a reminder of his purpose, of the promise he had made to himself and to his friend. With renewed determination, he clenched his fists, his fear melting away in the face of his resolve. Drawing strength from the memory, he cast aside his mortal fears and took a step forward, crossing the threshold into the Hell cage, ready to face whatever came next.

In the other room, the defeated soldiers stood there yet again. The rows were reformed. Ishan had to start from the beginning every day, until he defeated everyone at once. Ishan stood with a new glow in his eyes. He thought, "This is for you my man, Vansh. There is no need to worry, big bro is coming soon", Vanya once again, sat at the end, sipping her tea.

Meanwhile, in Avyan's room, the cold and mist yet persisted. The cylindrical platforms still stood at an imposing height. Once again, he was stuck with no option but to wait till the door unlocks.

A few weeks passed by in a whirlwind of relentless training and unyielding determination. Anirudh and Ishan began to feel a new energy surging within them, a testament to their hard work and resilience. Although Anirudh was still unable to land a blow on Lector, he had made significant progress. He could now react to Lector's attacks in real time, devising new strategies and methods with each passing day. His movements were sharper, his mind quicker, and his spirit unbreakable.

Similarly, Ishan's training was showing remarkable results. The soldiers he faced were becoming increasingly formidable. The second set wielded bamboo sticks, the third set carried metal rods, and the fourth brandished katanas. Despite the relentless bloodbath, Ishan had managed to clear almost four sets of rows. The sticks and rods no longer caused him much pain; his skin had toughened considerably. While the katanas could still cut him, they did so with much greater difficulty. However, he hit a plateau when he encountered the soldiers of the fifth row.

These soldiers were unlike any he had faced before. They possessed supernatural strength and were masters of various martial arts. When Ishan was on the verge of defeating the first soldier, she manifested a weapon that defied normalcy. It was not just a sword or bat; it had a golden glow, as if tiny light bulbs were embedded within it. This weapon inflicted far more damage than a regular blade, burning wherever it touched. This was the hardest challenge Ishan had encountered so far, and he found himself stuck at this point for about two weeks. Despite the immense difficulty, he remained resolute, determined to overcome this seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

Once back in their room at night, the boys would usually gather to discuss how their day went, sharing stories of progress and setbacks. Akash often led these conversations, his eyes lighting up as he described his work with Dr. Obi on a bio-weapon designed to eliminate large swaths of zombies at once. He was also collaborating with three other scientists on an anti-fungal agent, taking great care to avoid the fungus developing resistance. Only three scientists were involved to minimize the risk of the resilient fungus spreading in the worst-case scenario.

Anirudh spoke with a mix of pride and frustration about his training. He detailed how his endurance, strength, speed, and skill were steadily improving. Sparring with other skilled fighters, and primarily with Lector, had become his daily routine. Although he still harboured a deep dislike for Lector, he had developed a grudging respect for his abilities and dedication. Anirudh was acutely aware that Lector never fought him with full seriousness. His current goal was to earn enough of Lector's respect to compel him to fight seriously.

Ishan, on the other hand, often bragged about his sessions with a confident smile. His training had noticeably increased his strength and durability, and he relished in recounting the intense battles he faced. Each session pushed him further, honing his skills and toughening his resolve.

Amidst these lively discussions, Avyan sat mostly in silence, feeling a growing sense of inadequacy. Unlike his friends, he had nothing substantial to report. His training seemed stagnant, limited to basic exercises like push-ups and crunches which he himself decided to do rather than just sitting and waiting around. He felt useless and feared he would be of no help to his friends if this continued. When he voiced his concerns to Elara, she would only assure him that the training was proceeding as intended. His requests to speak with Grand Marshall Pulkit were repeatedly denied, adding to his frustration.

One day, as Elara walked through the corridor, Avyan decided he couldn't take it any longer. He followed her and shouted, "Let me meet Pulkit!"

Elara quickened her pace, replying curtly, "It's not possible. You can't meet him."

Desperation fuelled Avyan's actions as he sprinted forward, blocking her path. "It has been weeks. I have not done anything. I don't think this is how it was supposed to go. I just need to talk to Pulkit once. Please, do me this favour, Elara."

With a swift push, Elara sent Avyan sprawling to the ground. "No matter how many times you ask me, unless Lord Pulkit wants to meet you, you can't meet him."

As she started to leave, Avyan's mind raced for a solution. He couldn't let her go without getting some answers. He shouted, "Okay, just let me meet Zeesham once!"