Chapter: 15 ***** TALON: As Lira stepped back, her eyes sparkling with excitement, I felt a wave of loneliness wash over me. “I can’t wait to train with you!” she chirped again, her enthusiasm infectious, yet it felt like a distant echo in my mind. I offered her a faint nod, struggling to find the words that eluded me. “Anyway, if you need anything, just ask Zora here. If she can't provide it, she’ll send a signal to me. We’re all here to help!” Lira added, her smile unwavering despite my silence. With one last glance at me, she turned to leave, her footsteps echoing softly in the hallway. As the door slid shut behind her with a gentle hiss, an unexpected stillness enveloped the room. I stood in the center of my new quarters, the air thick with unspoken thoughts. The vibrant atmosphere of The Elysium, with its camaraderie and laughter just beyond the door, felt worlds away. Here, in this solitary space, I was faced once again with the reality of my situation. I sank ont
Chapter: 16 ****** TALON: The darkness of the room was still thick when I was jolted awake. A soft, melodic chime pierced through my dreams, followed by a soothing voice that filled the space. “Good morning, Talon,” Zora said, her voice smooth and warm, like a gentle breeze on a spring day. “It is now five o'clock in the morning. Time to get out of bed.” Who wakes up at five in the morning?! I blinked, disoriented for a moment. Glancing around the room, I noticed the dim light from the digital displays casting a soft glow. Reality rushed back to me, and with a groan, I pushed myself up, the remnants of sleep clinging to me like a fog. “It’s orientation day; you don’t want to be late,” Zora informed me, and Lira’s words from yesterday echoed in my mind. “You have thirty minutes to complete your morning routine. Please proceed to the closet for your training uniforms.” I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, still trying to shake off the remnants of my dreams. “How do I–?” I murmure
Chapter: 17 ****** TALON: My heart sank, the weight of their hatred crashing down on me like a tidal wave. I stood frozen, bile rising in my throat as I heard words that cut deeper than any blade. Memories of the world I had tried to escape flooded back, filled with the pain of rejection and the fear of being hunted. I felt utterly alone, surrounded by a sea of hostility that seemed to engulf me. “Silence!” Knight’s voice boomed, but it was drowned out by the jeers and shouts. “You all need to listen!” The crowd continued to shout, their emotions raw and furious, and my chest tightened. I could feel the weight of their disdain— a palpable force that made it hard to breathe. I had hoped for acceptance, for a chance to prove myself, but instead, I stood as a target, the embodiment of their worst fears and prejudices. Then, as if summoned by the chaos, Knight shifted. In an instant, the Beta transformed into his massive wolf form, his fur rippling like shadows beneath the mornin
Chapter: 18 ****** TALON: As I lay there, the sounds of the pack faded into the background, replaced by the pounding of my heart and the quiet rustle of grass beneath me. I struggled to catch my breath, the weight of my failures pressing down harder than ever. The trainees' laughter felt like a distant echo, and I was left alone in my thoughts, a stark contrast to the vibrant energy surrounding me. “Get up, Talon! You can’t stay down forever!” Knight’s voice cut through the haze, filled with a mix of urgency and encouragement. I glanced up to see him approaching, his expression a blend of pity and anger that made his features twist into an unrecognizable expression for a moment. “Come on! You have to move!” Knight reached out and tugged at my arm, gently encouraging me to get up, but it wasn’t enough to pull me from my spot on the ground, not really. Especially since he pulled on the shoulder that I had just twisted when I fell. “I... I can’t,” I admitted the words escaping my li
Chapter: 19 ****** VALE: Forced apart and separated from my other half, they attempted to seal me away forever, ensuring I would never be part of Virgil’s life. They may have succeeded in tearing me from Altair, but they cannot keep me away from Virgil—he is my destiny. I found him long before I was reborn into this world, and I hate them for what they have done to us. Now, I cannot return to my body because of the bonding runes that loom over Altair, a poison keeping me at a distance. To protect Virgil, I must remain close to him. Where he goes, I must go. Even without a body or the means to use my runes, I floated on the sea alongside him, leaving my physical form behind. Only Virgil matters; he is the reason I am here. If he isn’t a part of this world we have just come to know, then that means I, too, cannot exist in it. For days we floated, and I began to fear that I had lost him—that he might never wake up again. But my will was stronger than any doubt. A spirit wolf is gi
Chapter: 20 ******* TALON: I drifted in and out of consciousness, the world around me hazy and indistinct. Flashes of light pierced the darkness, and I could hear muffled voices that felt far away like whispers carried on the wind. I wanted to reach out, to grasp the threads of reality, but my body felt heavy, as though I were submerged in a dream. At some point, the darkness began to recede, and I found myself lying on a soft surface. The scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils—sharp and sterile. I blinked slowly, trying to focus as my surroundings came into view. The room was dimly lit, punctuated by the faint beeping of machines surrounding me, monitoring my every breath. “—needs more nourishment. He can’t recover without it,” a voice came from nearby, clear and commanding. I turned my head slightly, my muscles protesting at the movement, and saw a woman in a white coat leaning over me. Her brow was furrowed in concentration; I recognized her as Dr. Larkin, the camp's chief p
Chapter: 21 ******* TALON: The weight of the world pressed down on my chest as I lay in bed, the familiar scent of my sheets mingling with the metallic tang of my tears. I didn’t care that I was ruining them; I barely cared about anything anymore. All that mattered was this suffocating grief that wrapped itself around me like a shroud. I let the tears fall, my face buried in the fabric, wishing that if I cried enough, I could wash away the memory of that fateful afternoon—the moment I had bitten into Altair. Regret clawed at me, a relentless beast gnawing at my insides. I should have known better. I should have fought harder against the instinct that drove me to him. If only I had turned away, if only I had resisted the urge, maybe I wouldn’t be drowning in this sea of anguish. The blood on my cheeks was a harsh reminder of my choice, each drops a witness to my weakness. The weight on my chest grew heavier still, threatening to crush me from the inside out. My hands shook uncontr
Chapter: 22 ******* VALE: I hovered quietly beside Virgil, watching as he lay on his bed, lost in a world of despair. Moonlight filtered through the thin crack in the curtains, illuminating his face, which was marred by blood tears that glistened against his pale skin. My heart ached at the sight—a sensation that felt foreign in this dainty existence. I longed to reach out, to wrap my spirit around him and offer some semblance of comfort, but I was bound to this realm, a mere whisper of what I once was. He cried softly, the sound breaking my heart. I felt the weight of his burdens pressing down on him, manifesting as a heaviness that filled the room. I wished I could tell him that he wasn’t alone, that I was still with him in some way, but my voice couldn’t pierce the veil between our worlds. All I could do was watch as he wiped away his tears, the blood staining the sheets. If only I hadn't pushed him to Altair that afternoon, I thought, my spirit twisting with regret. I had w