Nightfall: Last Call

Chapter 6 - The Reality of Pain

07:15 AM, April 5th 2026 - Sparring Chamber, The Howler

He wiped the sweat from his brow, his muscles aching from hours of relentless training. Across from him, Viktor—massive, immovable—watched with cold, patient eyes.

"You're slow," Viktor growled, his voice deep and unforgiving. "A vampire won't give you time to think. You hesitate, you die."

Ren nodded, though the ache in his bones felt like it might be the thing to kill him first. He barely had time to blink before Viktor lunged, a blur of raw power and speed. Ren raised his arms to block, but Viktor's blow hit him like a freight train. The force of it sent Ren stumbling back, barely keeping his balance.

"Again," Viktor said, his tone as unyielding as his strikes.

Ren bit back the pain and charged forward, trying to remember everything Viktor had drilled into him—strength wasn't enough. He had to be smarter, faster. He feinted left, then ducked low, aiming for Viktor's exposed side. His fist connected, but it felt like hitting a brick wall.

Viktor barely flinched. "You'll need more than that."

Ren moved again, faster this time, his fists a flurry of punches aimed at Viktor's chest. Viktor blocked most of them effortlessly, his body like a tank. But Ren didn't stop. His arms burned, his muscles screamed for relief, but he kept pushing.

Viktor's voice cut through the pain. "You think Valen will go easy on you? You think vampires care how tired you are?"

Ren threw another punch, this one wild and desperate, but Viktor caught his wrist mid-air. In a flash, Viktor twisted Ren's arm, forcing him to the ground with brutal efficiency. Ren hit the floor hard, gasping for air.

"Pain is your reality now," Viktor said, releasing him. "Get used to it."

Ren lay there for a moment, the cold concrete seeping into his skin, every inch of his body aching. But Viktor wasn't finished.

"Get up," Viktor ordered. "You're not done."

Ren groaned, his body screaming in protest, but he forced himself to stand, his legs shaking beneath him.

Viktor watched with something that might have been approval. "Good. Now, again."

09:22 AM, April 5th 2026 - Abandoned Chamber, The Howler

Ren found himself standing before a long row of targets lined up along the far wall. Kael stood beside him, silent and focused, his cold gaze locked on the targets ahead.

Without a word, Kael handed Ren a silver dagger, the weight of it unfamiliar in his hand. Ren glanced at the targets, then at Kael, who nodded slightly, his expression unreadable.

Kael said quietly. "Hit the target."

Ren swallowed hard, adjusting his grip on the dagger. His muscles still ached from his earlier session with Viktor, but there was no room for excuses now. He took a deep breath, raised the dagger, and threw.

The blade flew through the air, spinning end over end before it clattered harmlessly to the floor, nowhere near the target.

Kael's expression didn't change. He bent down, picked up another dagger, and handed it to Ren without a word.

Ren's heart pounded as he took the blade again, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He squared his shoulders, focusing on the target, and threw again. The dagger struck the wall, just shy of the target.

Kael's eyes flicked toward him, still calm. "Again."

Ren's jaw clenched, but he took the blade without hesitation, throwing it with more force this time. It struck the target, but just barely, nicking the edge.

Kael stepped forward, his voice as cold and precise as the knives he wielded. "Precision, Ren. Every move you make must be deliberate. A vampire won't give you second chances."

Ren nodded, starting to get tired of all the lecturing. They all said the same things. Then again, Ren reminded himself, they know more about this than him. He gripped the next dagger with renewed focus. He slowed his breathing, visualizing the target as if it were Valen standing before him. With a sharp exhale, he released the blade.

This time, it landed dead center.

Kael's gaze lingered on the target, then on Ren. There was no smile, no hint of praise, but something shifted in his expression.

"Better," Kael said quietly. "But not good enough. Again."

10:40 AM, April 5th 2026 - Seraphine's Bedroom, The Howler

Seraphine sat across from him in her candle-lit room deep within the underground chambers, the flickering light casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air felt thick, almost suffocating, but Seraphine seemed perfectly at ease, her pale eyes gleaming as she studied him.

"Are you ready, Ren?" she asked, her voice smooth as silk. "This will be harder than anything you've faced."

Ren took a steadying breath. After hours of brutal physical training, his mind felt worn down, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. But he nodded anyway. "I'm ready."

Seraphine smiled, leaning forward, whispering to his face. "We'll see." She reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against his temple. Ren tensed, the air around him growing colder, and suddenly, everything changed.

He was no longer in the candle-lit room. Seraphine was gone. The Howler. Akina. Kenji.

Instead, he found himself standing alone in a dark alley, the sky above him boiling with storm clouds. Shadows writhed along the walls, and a figure stepped forward from the darkness—Valen.

"Ren," Valen's voice echoed in the alley, a sinister smile curling at his lips. "You can't run from me."

Ren's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to back away, but his feet wouldn't move. Valen advanced, his eyes gleaming with hunger, and behind him, Ren could see Kenji—bound and bloodied, his life hanging by a thread.

"Save him," Valen whispered, his voice dripping with malice. "Or let him die."

Ren's chest tightened as panic clawed at his throat. He tried to move, tried to act, but fear held him in place, his body frozen.

"Focus, Ren." Seraphine's voice echoed in his mind, faint but clear. "This is an illusion. You are in control."

Ren gritted his teeth, forcing himself to breathe through the fear. His mind rebelled against the nightmare in front of him, but he closed his eyes, blocking out the image of Valen's sneering face.

"This isn't real," Ren muttered to himself, his voice trembling. "It's not real."

Slowly, the alley began to fade, the shadows retreating, and Ren opened his eyes to find himself back in the candle-lit room, Seraphine watching him intently.

"You did well," she said softly, leaning back in her chair. "But that was only the beginning. Fear will paralyze you if you let it. You must learn to face it—and control it—if you want to survive."

Ren swallowed, his heart still racing from the illusion, but he nodded. "I'll be ready."