"It looks good. The ointment Consus applied healed the skin perfectly."

It's a few days after the group has returned to Harmony. Easton's in the Medical Centre to have his right shoulder checked out.

The man checking is Harmony's head doctor and Director of Medicine, Anu.

He has a long white coat, distinguishing him from the other Harmony members. A rose symbol is on the back.

"I have to say, Easton. You have a great muscular body. Most people would take at least a few days to move their shoulder, even with Consus' treatments." Anu examines Easton's body.

"I guess that's a compliment, coming from someone like you."

"What do you mean?"

Anu stands up straight, over 2 meters tall. His long white coat sits tightly around his beige-skinned body. It doesn't bother him. "Of course, it's a compliment. I wouldn't know how someone could use that as an insult. Has it become an insult? Have I gotten old?" Anu fixes his black hair, so it doesn't hang over his eyes. "No… Mehaki would've told me what the new trends for insults are. Emily too."

Anu checks the reports that came from Sharmeija's medical team. "So it's not saying something here, but I just want to check your mobility."

Easton moves his right arm up and down. "Why? You said I could move it?"

"Ah, but I didn't say you could move it efficiently. Most muscles overcompensate after an injury. So let's make sure. Give me your left arm."

Anu does a series of tests, turning Easton's arm in different directions and having him push against the force. "See, all normal in your left arm."

"Duh, it's not the one that got injured."

"Right. But now you see how it should be."

"How it should be?"

"Give me your right arm now."

"Okay…"

Anu does the same series of tests, turning Easton's right arm in different directions. All is normal.

Easton's frustration starts to build. "I get it… since I sneaked away, they're wasting even more of my time. Making sure I sit still… this isn't to help me. It's to keep me busy-!!!" When Anu turns Easton's arm a certain way, the force Easton resists becomes much more difficult and painful.

"Agh! Why are you pushing harder than normal?!" grunts Easton.

"I'm not. Let's go again," responds Anu, before putting Easton's arm in the same position. "I'm forcing certain muscles in your shoulder to fire. As you can see, when I turn your arm like this, the muscle is weak. Watch."

Anu uses his pinkie to push Easton's arm down, which Easton cannot push back against. The more he tries, the more pain he feels in his right shoulder. His arm slowly goes down trying to resist.

"See. It's not firing properly. But that's normal in almost all injuries. Not everyone gets it treated. They think the original treatments they receive are good enough, but they all need physical therapy to get the muscles back to 100%." While stating this, Anu moves behind Easton and places his hand on his right shoulder. His thumb is where he believes is Easton's injury.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"If Emily was here, we could've finished this sooner, but I guess I am alone for now. Please sit still Easton."

"Why do I need to sit still- OWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!"

Easton screeches as pain shoots through his body as Anu applies pressure.

"That was the most intense pain I've ever felt…" Easton rubs his shoulder. He's wearing the light blue and grey combo of Harmony. He walks on a path one of the other Harmony members told him to take. "It feels more mobile though. Much more mobile." He observes all the flowers and trees around him. "I guess this place is pretty, but pretty isn't going to help me activate my gift."

Easton sits down on a bench and stares in front of him. Memories of what has happened flush through his mind. "I can't believe combat sports is the most popular entertainment. Well, now that opening ceremony makes sense."

His mind goes back to when he first entered Arkodia—pissed off for wearing orange. Optimistic when the man gave the speech at the opening ceremony. He was excited when he saw all the fighting happening on a screen and all the glory it received.

"That video package made things seem so good. Sigh. The stupid blonde girl who sat next to me is probably living a fantastic life after getting yellow-rank. I can't believe how she ignored me!"

Easton glances at his hand. "Well, that's the reason I made the promise to only look after myself. Maybe I can't activate my gift because I hate orange?"

"Hey, Easton!" Israr strolls on the path. He joins his new guild mate and sits on the bench. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. What are you doing here?" Easton looks away and thinks, "I want to be alone!"

"I heard a scream, so Namrah told me to come check it out and see if anyone was in danger. Everything seems fine. Do you know anything about it?"

"No. Nothing."

"That's good! Namrah said it sounded like your voice. Her hearing is quite good. She knows exactly where to go when she hears something."

"That can't be. Must be a mistake. Probably a bird."

"Right!"

Israr fidgets with his hand. "Marie-Jane told me to train with Namrah. She's intense. Apparently, she will give me the best experience."

"Must be fun."

"Actually Easton, that's why I came looking for you."

"Huh?" Easton turns to Israr. "What do you want?"

Israr gleefully smiles. "I want you to be a protector too! You seem strong. But I notice you have trouble activating your gift."

"Thanks for noticing," Easton grumbles and stands up. "Excuse me."

"Sorry! I didn't mean to be rude. I know someone who also had trouble activating their gift. Training helped him. And the protector training is quite similar to what he did at Sharmeija."

Easton walks away. "Then I'll train on my own. I don't need to do anything for this stupid guild."

Israr follows him. "Come on, it will be fun! You get different clothes."

"I'll pass."

"You get to help others!"

"Sounds like a chore."

"And you get your own cabin!"

Easton stops in his tracks. "… I'll think about it."

"Awesome!"

They continue to walk on.

"By the way, have you seen Kiran recently?" asks Israr.

"He's still sleeping," says Easton.

"Oh, so you saw him!"

"No. I was there to see the doctor. He informed me."

"Oh… I hope he's okay."

"He is. I just told you he's sleeping."

"I know, but I can't help but worry."

"His fever is down. He would've been dead by now if it hadn't gone down."

"… You're kind of dark, you know that?"

"I'm realistic."

Israr and Easton tread along the path.

Back in the Medical Centre, in one of the rooms, Kiran lies sleeping. Anu finished setting up the new IV drip in Kiran's arm.

"Thank goodness his fever's gone down. It was out of nowhere as well. Must be a strong kid. I hope he wakes up soon. Onto the next." Anu leaves to go check on the next patient.

On the outside, Kiran seems calm, with the only change being the occasional rise in temperature. His breathing has remained normal for the entire duration.

Inside Kiran's mind, things are a bit different. He lies on his water floor in his Soul Psyche.

"What the actual hell is going on? How long have I been running?" Kiran takes deep breaths through his nose. "How am I tired in my mind? I'm so confused."

"Don't stop chasing!"

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it like, a thousand times now. I don't know where to go! Can I wake up please!" yells Kiran. His voice echoes through the labyrinth that is his Soul Psyche. He sighs. "No point in lying down. Those things will catch up, whatever the hell they are."

Kiran stands up and walks on. "Walking on water is freaky. It feels wet… but it isn't." His bare feet tap the surface. A memory starts to play.

"S***… not again." The most recent memory that occurred comes up when they faced Bone-monster.

"This is new." It shows how Kiran got knocked out, but this time, the memory plays on. "How can I see when I'm knocked out?" He sees Israr get stabbed. His eyes widen. He sees Bone-monster going for Easton, which makes his body freeze.

Black figures start to approach Kiran from behind.

Consus comes to help, but Kiran sees him get cut. He then sees Bone-monster die due to Consus' attack. His body is unable to move as he focuses on the blood dripping from Bone-monster's head.

"What the hell… that's… that's horrible. Everything there… is horrible."

"Don't stop chasing!"

Kiran's mind snaps out of its freeze. He turns around and sees black humanoids approach him.

"Dammit! They caught up! How long did I stand?!"

"SKREEE!!!!" screech the black humanoids collectively. They stampede towards Kiran. He bolts deeper into his Soul Psyche.