I was super excited to find out what mine would be.
Mr. Park had barred us from using our abilities so we could first learn how to use ether. If we didn't learn to use ether properly, we'd die from ether poisoning. We had to train our bodies to accept ether as a new form of energy. If we didn't, we'd die.
Then I heard a loud bang from outside.
I ran out to check. A group of men with weapons stood at the edge of the compound. From what I could make out, from the faint insignia on their sleeves, I recognized them, 'GID'
Took them long enough.
It had been over two months since we escaped, but now that they were here, we were ready.
We had trained. We knew how to fight, how to use our abilities.
One by one, they started entering the compound. I stepped out of the house to confront them. I felt confident.
They weren't difficult to deal with. They were easy to defeat, a sign of how hard i trained. Just a few months ago, they would've been tough to deal with.
But then someone else showed up.
He had the number '13' marked on his hand. He moved differently. He was calm. Focused. I could feel the pressure coming off him. It wasn't just confidence, he knew what he was doing. And he seemed like he could use ether.
This one wasn't going to be easy.
He walked toward me slowly, then unclipped his belt and dropped his sword at his side. No words.
Then he ran at me.
We met in the middle. His punches came fast, faster than I expected. I did my best to keep up, trading blows, trying not to fall behind.
But he kept pushing. Each strike a little quicker, a little heavier.
He looked like he was enjoying himself.
Then, all at once, something shifted.
I felt a weight press down on me, subtle at first, then stronger. My limbs heavier. Each movement took more effort. It felt like the air itself had thickened.
Gravity.
An ability from the 'Fundamental' affinity. Ms. Chaeyoon had warned us about people like this, ones who could manipulate the very forces holding the world together.
I pushed ether through my body to resist it, but the strain was obvious.
The pressure made it harder to move. I could still fight, but every action cost more energy. His punches became heavier. I tried to absorb the hits, but they landed deeper than I expected. Through the ether. Into the muscle. Into the bone.
Then one hit landed clean.
And everything went black.
To be continued…