The training grounds were eerily quiet, the only sound being the crunch of gravel underfoot as the children lined up. They’d been through days of gruelling physical trials, but something about today felt different—more dangerous.

Hannah rubbed her sore wrists, eyes narrowing as she caught sight of Typhon, standing casually at the far end of the clearing. His ever-present smile was there, but there was something sharper behind it this time, something that made her skin crawl. He wasn’t humming or tracing idle patterns with his fingers like he usually did. Instead, he stood, hands clasped behind his back, watching them with a look that felt almost... expectant.

Typhon had been an idle observer during their fundamentals training with Mare, lurking in the shadows ever-present. His presence was chilling, despite the saccharine smile he always wore. He only left the sidelines when it was time to drag a fresh body to some unknown fate. The amount of kids who couldn’t handle the training had been less and less, and thus the times in which Hannah saw Typhon during their training had also reduced. Until today, it seemed.

When Typhon stepped into the clearing after their break, Hannah immediately tensed, her guard up. The small whispers of conversation soon died off, leaving only the sound of the wind whipping their hair. A wide grin spread on Typhon’s face, “Good evening, children!” He cheered, his voice cutting through the silence, “Today…” he paused, cheerily, “you’ll be learning how to fight.”

A buzz rippled through the group. Finally, something other than endless running. Some shifted uncomfortably, others exchanged wary glances, nervous excitement in their eyes. He drew his hand in an exaggerated and fluid movement, “Against me.”

The buzz turned into anxious murmurs. Hannah’s stomach dropped. She glanced at Nia and Atlas beside her, their expressions mirroring her unease. But Zephyr, always the first to step forward, grinned, cracking his knuckles.

“About time we did something interesting,” Zephyr muttered, but Hannah could see the tension in his posture.

“Ah, but this isn’t just about physical strength,” Typhon added, his smile widening. “It’s about learning to master what lies within you. What you will become.”

He raised his arm, the shadow cast by his hand stretching unnaturally across the ground. The children stilled, their collective breath hitching as the shadow twisted and writhed, rising from the earth like smoke. The darkness coalesced into the shape of a clawed hand, curling and uncurling before dissipating into the ground.

Gasps filled the air. Hannah’s heart thudded painfully in her chest. She stared at the spot where the shadow had moved, her mind reeling.

“Magic,” someone whispered.

“Yes, magic,” Typhon purred, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Or, as the doctrine calls it, Yamuna’s blessing.” His tone grew almost reverent. “The goddess has chosen a select few to wield her gifts, and through us, her will is made manifest.”

Hannah felt her mouth go dry. She had heard whispers about the cult’s strange beliefs, about powers awakened through pain and ritual. But this was no rumor. She had seen it.

Typhon’s shadow flickered unnaturally as he stepped forward. “None of you have awakened yet, but you will. And when you do, you’ll understand your place in her grand design.”

Hannah wanted to laugh, to deny what she had seen. But the memory of the shadow claw lingered, undeniable. This is real.

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“Come,” Typhon called, spreading his arms wide in invitation. “Let’s see what you’re capable of without Yamuna’s gift. Attack me.”

No one moved at first. The weight of his challenge—and the impossible reality of his powers—hung heavy in the air.

Zephyr stepped forward, his usual bravado dimmed but present. “Guess someone’s gotta start,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. He lunged, quick and precise, aiming for Typhon’s midsection.

But Typhon was faster. He melted into the shadow cast by the setting sun, disappearing entirely. A heartbeat later, he reappeared behind Zephyr, his shadowy form solidifying as he delivered a swift elbow to Zephyr’s back.

The impact sent Zephyr sprawling to the ground, gasping for breath.

Gasps echoed through the group as Atlas hit the ground. They barely saw Typhon move. How had he—?

Typhon’s grin never wavered, though a flicker of amusement passed by his eyes. As Zephyr urged his body to move, Typhon muttered something under his breath. Almost drowned out by the shocked gasps of the children around him, “first to attack gets ten points” he said, barely audible.

Zephyr didn’t allow himself to falter, Ten points? What is he talking about… he couldn’t let Typhon know he had heard him.

“Oh dear, that was quick,” Typhon chuckled, this time addressing the crowd.“Anyone else feeling up to the challenge?” he beckoned.

Hannah had noticed that Dax, who had been standing at the back with his usual gang, had been exchanging quick looks with his followers during the initial commotion. A smirk had twisted his lips as he muttered something to the kids around him before they had all subtly shifted forward, positioning themselves around Typhon. Hannah watched as the group spread out, each of them trying to be subtle, eyes glinting with ambition. She scoffed mentally, They truly thought they had a plan.

Dax’s followers were now spread out somewhat equally among the other children. Hannah considered this was to take him by surprise, as Typhon would be expecting a group to attack together as a clump. As Typhon uttered a final challenge, They attacked together, Dax lunging first while another boy aimed for Typhon’s flank. But Typhon moved like liquid shadow, slipping between their strikes with an almost lazy grace. His eyes only glinted with amusement as Dax’s group swarmed him.

In an instant, Typhon’s form blurred. Hannah couldn’t follow his movements—one moment, Dax and the others were closing in, and the next, they were all on the ground, gasping for breath, some clutching their stomachs, others wincing from bruises. In a flash Dax and his followers lay groaning in the dirt, their pride shattered. Typhon stood above them, his shadow pooling at his feet like ink.

“Pitiful,” he sneered, his voice losing its usual cheer. “You call this fighting? No wonder Mare’s training hasn’t broken you yet.”

The rest of the kids stood frozen, some looking away, others exchanging wide-eyed glances. If Dax, with all his bravado and numbers, couldn’t touch Typhon, what chance did the rest of them have?

Typhon stood tall among the aching bodies of defeated children, their groans filling the silence. Even Dax, who had put on a brave front during earlier training, lay face down in the dirt, humiliation seeping from his every breath. The ease with which Typhon moved was deceptive; Hannah could hardly comprehend how fast he was. Each strike was swift and packed with unnerving force.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Typhon began, his voice lilting like a song as the children hung on his every word. “You’re all far too weak! Of course, Mare’s baby training hasn’t done anything,” he declared, an exaggerated sigh escaping his lips. Baby training? Hannah thought back to the hell they had all endured these past weeks. Was that really what it was? Her heart sank at the realisation. The air around them grew heavy with defeat, and Typhon relished it.

As Typhon stood over the defeated children, he looked down at them with a mix of amusement and condescension. “You see, the reason I beat you all so easily,” he said, his tone almost playful, “is because I’ve mastered my awakened abilities. While you’re still fumbling around like fools, I’m playing a different game altogether.” He let out a sinister chuckle.

“There’s no way around it, then! I’ll just have to whip you into shape.” His gaze darted around, his smile widening as if savouring their despair. “From now on, in addition to your warm-ups with Mare, you’ll have mock battles daily. I expect improvement, or there will be consequences.”

The words hung ominously in the air. Nia swallowed hard beside Hannah, the fear in her eyes mirrored in the others. Dread mingled with a spark of determination within Hannah. If this is how it’s going to be? Fine she could handle it. She’s done it before and she’d do it again.

Typhon leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “But for now... anyone who doesn’t try hard enough gets to sleep outside tonight!”

The clearing fell silent as Typhon’s words hung heavy in the air. A chill seeped into Hannah’s bones, as she glanced around at the others. Nia swallowed hard, her trembling hands giving away the fear she tried to hide. Atlas clenched his fists, his jaw tight with barely contained frustration. Even Zephyr, usually full of bravado, avoided her gaze, his shoulders slumping under the weight of humiliation.

Hannah took a steadying breath. If this was how things were going to be, so be it. She had faced despair before, clawed her way through it, and survived. This was just another fight, another chance to prove she could endure. As Typhon’s shadow flickered unnaturally at his feet, she locked eyes with Nia, determination flickering in the shared silence. Together, they would face whatever hell came next.