My arms burned like fire. My legs dragged like they were made of stone. Every breath stabbed my chest, a cruel reminder of the deadly fall I’d barely escaped. Clinging to the edge of that chasm with Kade Stormborn’s cold, uncaring eyes staring down at me... the thought made my stomach twist with fresh sickness.
I’d somehow dragged myself up, powered by raw fear and the desperate will to survive. I stumbled through the rest of the Gauntlet, fueled by pure instinct, until I collapsed on the hard stone platform at the end, bruised and trembling.
There was no break. No time to heal. They pushed us like livestock from the Proving Grounds into a huge, echoing training arena.
Sand covered the ground, dark stains marking it in places I didn’t want to think about. Weapons hung on racks along the walls, shining dimly under high, barred windows. The air stank of sweat, metal, and raw fear.
"Basic Combat Assessment!" roared a massive instructor, his neck thicker than my leg. "Pair up! No weapons yet. Let’s see what sorry leftovers the Gauntlet coughed up." His gaze raked over us, stopping on me with clear disgust. "Weakness gets crushed here."
Before I could even catch my breath, a giant cadet, twice my size with fists like boulders, smirked and stepped toward me. "Guess I got the easy pick."
We moved in a circle. I had no clue what to do. My body was already screaming in pain. He charged, a rough but strong attack. I tried to dodge, but my legs betrayed me. His shoulder slammed into my chest, knocking me flat on the sand, the impact rattling my bones.
Laughter bounced off the arena walls. I pushed myself up, spitting sand, my ribs aching fiercely.
"Pathetic," a deep, lazy voice cut through the noise from the edge of the training area.
I looked up fast. Kade Stormborn leaned on a pillar, arms folded, watching with a look of bored disdain. He wasn’t fighting; he was just watching. A senior cadet monitor. Great.
His stormy eyes locked on mine, cold as ice, full of harsh judgment. "Did you think making it through the Gauntlet meant you fit in here, Wynter? That was just the first step. Flies sometimes dodge the first hit. Doesn’t mean they won’t get squashed soon."
My face burned with shame and anger. The big cadet rushed me again. This time, thinking of the swinging blades from before, I dropped low, rolling awkwardly out of the way. He stumbled past, caught off guard.
"Still just stalling the end," Kade said coldly, his voice clear across the sand. "Learn to fight, or learn to die fast. It’s less painful that way."
I got to my feet, fists tight. Every part of me wanted to run, to hide. But Kade’s look, that total belief in my failure, sparked a stubborn fire deep inside.
I turned to face my opponent again. He came at me slower, more careful. I slipped under a wild punch, my small size helping for a moment. I swung a fist, desperate to hit something, but it barely grazed his thick arm.
He grabbed me, lifting me off the ground like I weighed nothing. Fear surged. His grip crushed my ribs, stealing my breath. Then he threw me aside like trash. I hit the sand hard, stars flashing in my vision.
It happened over and over. Different opponents, same outcome. I was slammed, hit, kicked. Each fall hurt more than the last. My body begged for mercy, but I forced myself up every time, ignoring the taunts, the pain, and Kade’s sharp words that cut after every stumble.
"Can’t even stand, let alone fight." "Taking up space in the arena." "Why is that thing still alive?"
When the instructors finally stopped the assessment, I was shaking hard, covered in sand and bruises, my sight going blurry.
They sent us to the barracks. The word sounded like it might mean some comfort. It was a lie. A long, low stone building stuffed with narrow, triple-stacked bunks. There was no privacy. The air was heavy with the stench of sweat and broken hopes.
I dropped onto the lowest bunk in a shadowy corner, hoping no one would see me. My muscles twitched, and a quiet groan slipped out.
From a nearby group of bunks, low voices floated over. "Heard about Tolliver? Gone this morning." "Bonding sickness?" "No idea. Instructor said he failed out. But no one saw him go. Just... gone." "Like the others. They vanish without a sound, don’t they?" A shaky swallow. "Easier than saying how many don’t last the first week."
Vanish without a sound. The words sent a cold shiver through me, nothing to do with the chilly room.
I shut my eyes, trying to push it away, when a shadow fell over my bunk. I flinched, bracing for another bully.
It was Seraphina Bellweather, the girl from the Gauntlet. She looked around nervously, then leaned in a bit.
"You show your moves too early," she whispered fast, her eyes scanning the room. "When they swing wide, step in close, not back. Use their speed against them. It’s your only shot if you’re smaller."
I stared at her, shocked by the sudden help.
A cruel laugh rang out from a few bunks away. "Talking to the lost cause, Bellweather? Don’t let its weakness stick to you."
Seraphina straightened up quick, her face going blank. She stepped back, messing with her pack, acting like I wasn’t there. The tiny moment of kindness was gone.
I got it. Here, being kind was a risk. Linking up with the weak could get you hurt.
Lying there, my whole body aching, Kade’s harsh words ringing in my head, and the whisper of 'vanish without a sound' chilling the air, I felt completely alone. Surviving wasn’t just about fighting or taking pain. It was about moving through a dangerous world where friends were rare, and failing meant disappearing forever. And I was failing. Horribly.
