GAH!
Ares shot upright from his bed, a scream tearing from his throat. His head connected with the underside of the upper bunk with a sickening thud. "OW! Damn it—" He clutched his aching skull, but before he could even process the new pain, a soft object launched itself at his face at an alarming speed, intensifying the throbbing.
"Ow, who the hell—" The words caught in his throat, replaced by a cold dread. He slowly turned his head towards the source, sweat trickling down his temples. There, at the opposite bunk, sat Sylvia, her black hair a messy halo around her head, crimson eyes fixated on him with a silent, deadly stare.
Once she had his undivided attention, Sylvia brought her right index finger to her mouth, a soft, almost inaudible "Shhhh" escaping her lips. Then, with a chilling deliberation, she traced an imaginary line across her throat with her thumb before promptly flopping back down, pillowless, and seemingly falling back asleep.
It was only a few seconds, but it was more than enough for Ares to grasp the chilling implication.
Gulp.
He sank back onto his own bed with the utmost silence, every muscle tensed, determined not to disturb the sleeping beast.
"What was that?" Ares mumbled to himself, his mind a whirlwind of fragmented thoughts. Vhala was alive. Still alive after ten years, and not just alive, but healing. The thought of Vhala returning to the real world sent shivers down his spine, but he forced himself to remain composed, even though he knew everyone else was still asleep.
Wait, now that I think about it, they said it was bigger than skyscrapers. A sudden memory surfaced, recalling Vhala's appearance. When he'd seen Vhala in the void realm, it was big, yes, but not big enough to tower over skyscrapers, or even a two-story building. From the teachings and documentaries he'd consumed, Vhala was supposedly capable of swallowing twenty people whole. That was the scale he'd always envisioned. Yet, the Vhala he'd witnessed during his mother's death was noticeably smaller.
Regardless of the unsettling revelations, Ares decided to force himself back to sleep. He knew tomorrow's training would undoubtedly be even more brutal than the last.
The training hall Gamma buzzed with a different kind of energy this morning. All participants were gathered, but not everyone was in optimal condition. A few looked utterly drained, the anxiety and fear from Subject 37's screams still etched on their faces. However, a significant number of others seemed to have bounced back, brimming with newfound confidence and determination.
But then there was Ares.
"Uh, Ares," Jones mumbled, glancing sideways. From a distance, Ares appeared fine, but Jones, standing closer, could clearly see the dark circles under his eyes.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" Jones whispered, his body still facing the podium, but his head slightly turned.
"If you don't wanna die, I suggest you look straight and not talk." Ares's voice was a low, gravelly rasp.
A tense silence hung in the air for a few seconds before Jones, undeterred, spoke again. "Wow, it seems someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." His expression was clearly displeased.
"For once, I agree with Ares. Shut up." Sylvia, to Ares's right, muttered, her voice laced with annoyance, carrying a silent chill that made nearby participants flinch. Even Jones quickly straightened up, not daring to look at her. It was evident she was in an even fouler mood than usual.
Ares, however, remained impassive, his eyes fixed on the podium, his mind miles away.
Damn it, am I really that tired? His face was neutral, his posture rigid, but his body was on the verge of succumbing to sleep.
After that incident, I think I slept for about two hours, maybe even less. Thanks to countless hours spent tracking time in dungeons, where the concept of time often blurred, he had developed an uncanny ability to estimate its passage. There was even a time he'd counted hours while sleeping—a skill proving surprisingly useful now.
As much as I want to sleep, I'm not risking it. The urge to give in was strong, but his mind immediately conjured images of the superiors, especially Kendrick. That thought alone was enough to keep him awake.
His mind snapped back to reality as the superiors entered the training hall, one by one. Last time, he had been too fixated on Kendrick to even register the presence or appearance of the others, save for Liora, Amelia, and the masked superior.
Ares squinted towards the approaching figures. This lasted for a few seconds before he gave up with a sigh.
Ugh, I thought it would work. With Vhala's core within him, he'd hoped to be able to gauge the superiors' strength, but alas, he was still not powerful enough.
"Welcome, Vessels of Vhala."
Ares and several others flinched, not at the statement itself, but at the booming voice that uttered it.
Oh, great.