The remaining fifty recruits filed into the dining hall—a cruel irony, as the extra space was only available because their friends were now at the bottom of a chasm."Seems they went to the Whispering Void," one of the women in red robes remarked, her eyes emotionless as she watched the unranked survivors enter. Kai sat in the furthest corner of the room, his tray of gray, nutrient-rich gruel untouched. He didn't look up when Lucien sat three benches away, and he certainly didn't look when Darius and his surviving lackeys entered, their usual bravado replaced by hollow-eyed stares. Kai's hands were still cold. Every time he closed his eyes, he felt that sickening tug from Tobias's core the way his life force had flowed into him like water down a drain. He wasn't just empty; he was a predator he couldn't control. "Kai," Lucien called out, his voice unusually soft. "You need to eat. Tomorrow will be worse." "Stay away from me, Lucien," Kai muttered, his voice cracking. He didn't say it out of anger, but out of a sudden, sharp fear. He could feel Lucien's bright, stable Chi from across the table, and a dark part of his mind was already wondering how it would taste. I wonder who else saw me? Kai thought. He stood abruptly, his bench screeching against the stone.
He didn't head for the sleeping quarters. Instead, he found a storage nook beneath the classroom stairs a cramped, dusty hole where he could be alone. He curled into a ball, the "abyss" in his chest pulsing with a dull, rhythmic ache. He would sleep here. He would train here. If he was a black hole, he would ensure there was nothing left within his reach to swallow. In the darkness, he made a silent vow: he wouldn't let anyone else become "fuel" for his survival, even if it meant becoming a ghost within the fortress walls. The morning began not with a bell, but with a silence so absolute it felt heavy. A thick, unnatural fog had swallowed the fortress, turning the black stone walls into weeping shadows.
The gloomy atmosphere left the unranked recruits on edge. After yesterday, most realized they could never truly be comfortable again. Kai emerged from his hole looking as though he hadn't slept at all; his eyes were baggy and his movements drowsy. He went to the well his favorite place where other recruits were also cleaning up for the day. Once finished, Kai returned to the resting quarters. He walked slowly toward his bed, reaching into his storage chest to retrieve his trusted katana. He slid the blade into its sheath and strapped it to his waist.
Kai walked into the classroom to find the other forty-nine recruits already seated and ready. Lucien watched Kai as he passed, but Kai ignored the gaze and took his place in the back. The bald man walked in with a neutral expression, followed by the scarred woman and Dominic."Today, you will all be ranked according to your performance during yesterday's training and learn more about the Dominion of Blades and our mission. All of you were brought in by Dominic, but I'm sure you know that by now," the bald man said, examining the fifty recruits in front of him. Only a few seem to have recovered from the training, he thought."Yesterday, you proved that you belong here and that you want to get stronger. You are now officially recruits of the Dominion of Blades. That means you will now learn our names as your primary instructors," the man said with a grin.While the instructors seemed pleased, the recruits were anything but. A few were curious, but most remained on edge."My name is Mo," the bald man said. "And this is Shelly," he added, gesturing toward the scarred woman.
For a scary-looking woman, she has a pretty decent name, Kai thought nervously."You guys just broke a record; fifty recruits survived the Whispering Void this year. The highest before you was forty-three, and that was ten years ago," Mo said cheerily.Ten years? Does this mean the Dominion has been here that long? Kai wondered."But first," Mo continued, "you will all retake the Potential Test to see if you have Reawakened
."Reawakened! The thought rippled through the recruits. They had never heard of such a thing. The Chi potential test taken at age ten usually determined one's limit for life. While climbing ranks was possible, it was incredibly difficult to surpass one's innate potential.Kai's heart hammered against his ribs so loudly it was almost audible. I can actually go beyond? He gripped his hand, a small, excited smile playing on his lips. Beside him, Lucien remained expressionless. Dominic pulled an orb from seemingly nowhere and placed it on the front table."You already know how the test goes," Dominic said in a cool, calm tone. "Place your hand on the orb. The rank it displays is your new potential."Lucien was the first to be called. He walked up calmly, hands in his pockets, looking entirely uninterested. When he touched the orb, it lit up with a brilliant golden coating, a large letter "S" firmly in the center. Lucien grinned, his green eyes shining brightly."Lucien, you now have S-rank potential. Due to your performance, you'll be adorned in red robes," Dominic said with a beaming smile.
The other instructors looked equally pleased. "Next!" Mo shouted. The test progressed, and it soon became clear that Reawakening was rare. Of the first thirty-five recruits, only five had Reawakened:
Lucien: A-rank to S-rank (Red Robes)
Darius: D-rank to C-rank (Black Robes)
William: C-rank to A-rank (Red Robes)
Porter: D-rank to A-rank (Red Robes)
Brock: C-rank to B-rank (Black Robes)
As the test continued, two more recruits twins named Jay and Ray both Reawakened from B-rank to S-rank, earning red robes. They were striking, with hair and eyes in mirrored shades of red and black. Jay had black hair with red tips and a blue left eye, while Ray had red hair with black tips and a blue right eye. They were overjoyed. Finally, it was Kai's turn.