The Trial

Chapter 8

After a good hot meal, we were shown to our rooms. only mason and I remained. one of other trainees had pretty much lost his mind and attacked his partner, they were both sent to the infermory. from here on out, we were on our own. 

after I unpacked, hanging my dress up and opening the bag, I went to shower. I was physically and mentally exhausted, so it didn't take long to fall asleep. 

unfortunately, my slumber was interrupted by a loud abrupt sound, which startled me awake. groggily, I scanned my room for the culprit that woke me up. nothing was out of place, and no one was lurking in the darkness. 

as I laid my head back and started to relax, I got that hair raising tingle along my skin. someone was watching me. I forced my heart rate and breathing to remain even and rolled over in bed, trying to act as if I was unaware that someone was there. 

"damn it." I grumbled and slipped out of bed, heading for the bathroom. as soon as I shut the door, I hurried to the other door that would lead to Mason's adjoining room. to my dismay, he wasn't there. I hadn't realized how much I'd grown attached to him throughout the day, until that moment. 

slipping through his room and out the door, I headed for the hunters quarters. again, I found every room empty. I frowned and decided to try looking outside. to my utter horror, the bright sun that was always lurking above our small piece of safety was gone. 

my heart skipped a beat and took off in a sprint. I had to force it back down into submission. "this isn't real. it can't be. it has to be another simulation." I murmured to myself and turned around to go back inside. whatever my task was, it had to be close and somewhere inside. 

listening for any sounds at all, I made my way back to my room. I had planned on getting my uniform on, but, when I stepped into my room, it felt like a thick fog was pressing down on me. I stood in the doorway, trying to sense where the threat was, but I couldn't pinpoint it. it felt like it was everywhere, yet I couldn't see a damn thing. 

"who's there?" I called, tentatively. I didn't expect an answer, but one came. 

"do you know what my favorite part of being a hunter is?" Ares: voice whispered through the room. 

"Ares?" I murmured in confusion. 

"well, do you know?"

"if I had to guess, I'd say the ability to change form, and I'm sure the barely aging part doesn't hurt either." I replied, cautiously. 

"correct." his voice breathed from behind me, washing over the skin on my left shoulder. I gasped in surprise and spun around. I hadn't even sensed him behind me. that wasn't good. 

"what kind of test is this?" I asked, stepping into my room and slipping along the wall. the thickness in the room threatened to choke me. 

"are you sure it's a test?" his voice taunted with a smirk in his tone, seeming to come from everywhere. 

"yes." I breathed in response, working harder and harder to keep my heartbeat and breathing under careful control. 

"how can you be so sure?"

"there's no sunlight." 

"have you made your choices for The Trial?" his voice asked from what seemed like above me, making me look up out of caution. 

"yes."

"and?" he prompted from across the room. 

"no weapon. no armor. and that dress over there."

"no weapon or armour and a dress for your attire? I really need to hear your reasoning for this." he all but laughed. 

"I don't want to alarm him or cause him to see me as a threat."