Chapter 1

  The sharp pain in his leg was making it almost impossible to sleep. Tossing and turning in bed, his eyes suddenly caught the table standing in the middle of the room, lost in the shadows. The digital clock on it read 04:27. With a hopeless, deep sigh, he let his head fall back onto his pillow.

  This is unfair.

  I could have beaten her easily.

  As thoughts flooded his mind, he felt a movement from the top bunk. "She really handed your ass to you, though."

  Grumbling, he lifted his head from the pillow again and turned toward Tarin, who was lying above him at the edge of the bed. Even though the room was dark, he had no trouble making out the boy's face. It still wore that same lingering smile from yesterday's events.

  "She was just lucky; if I hadn't stumbled, beating her was only a matter of time." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice.

  "You're too confident, Kael, but Mira knows how to act in tight spots better than you do." Tarin kept smiling.

  "I think you're just jealous." The bitterness in his voice had vanished, replaced by an interrogating tone. "Believe me, you wouldn't want to be in that situation."

  After a brief silence, not a single sound came from Tarin's bunk.

  “"In the end, you were the one who lost, weren't you?" Tarin leaned his head down a bit further to get a better look at Kael.

  "How's your leg?"

  "Still hurts. Marshal Voss said I need to rest for a few more days, otherwise it'll get worse." As he spoke, he was holding his ankle with his hand. "I don't understand how I could be so careless."

  "Mira must have distracted you with her looks." He started giggling after his words.

  "Shut up, you cocky brat!" It wasn't hard to tell from his expression that he was both embarrassed and angry. He put his head back on the pillow and stared at the bunk above him. He replayed Tarin's words in his head. The boy wasn't entirely wrong, actually.

  Mira had started acting differently towards him lately—or so he thought.

  "My instincts never fail me, Kael. I'd recognize that look anywhere, man; you need to be honest with yourself." For a moment, he drifted away from his thoughts, annoyed by what Tarin was saying.

  "Just pray Marshal Voss doesn't put you up against me in the next drill." A bitter smile formed on his face after those words. He was still staring at the bunk above him.

  The moment he finished speaking, a half-whispered voice rose from the far right corner of the room. "If you two keep talking, you'll be tasting my fists instead of whatever they serve for breakfast."

  He felt the gentle, warm sunlight from outside on his skin. He didn't want to open his eyes; his body felt too heavy to move. He slowly turned his face to the right, forced his eyes open just a crack, and looked at the clock on the table.

  10:39? I'm so late.

  Panic struck him involuntarily, and he threw off the blanket. But he froze in place for a second. His face turned crimson, and he let himself fall back onto the bed. In his rush, he had completely forgotten about the wound on his leg. He lay in bed for a while longer. The pain in his leg had subsided a bit, but he still felt an endless, deep ache. He let out a deep sigh. The sunlight streaming through the window still covered his body like a thin veil.

  For a brief moment, he felt deeply at peace, yet there was an inexplicable sadness inside him. It felt more like an emptiness born of having no reason. He closed his eyes and began to reconsider what Tarin had said the night before.

  Mira must have distracted you with her looks.

  He pictured Mira in his mind's eye. The way her short black hair swayed gently in the wind, her delicate yet equally threatening gaze... He remembered how she used one hand to shield her face like a boxer while throwing a punch with the other. He could see the anger in the girl's eyes. But at that moment, he couldn't tell if that anger was directed at him or something else entirely.

  He had known her since the day they arrived at this facility. He knew many things about her; but lately, he couldn't figure out if Mira felt something for him too.

  He had first noticed her the day they were brought to this facility. Since then, they had walked the same corridors and gone through the same training. All Alpha candidates in the facility stayed in dormitories in groups. Kael's dorm was on a different floor than Mira's; but they ran into each other a few times a day. It couldn't be said that they were very close.

  As he lay in bed, he heard someone walking down the corridor with rhythmic steps. The footsteps grew closer with each passing second. Shortly after, he realized the door was opening and someone was stepping inside.

  "Candidate Kael."

  The voice echoed loud and deep across the room. Kael reflexively tried to jump out of bed, but his first step reminded him of his leg wound. Gritting his teeth in pain, he sat back down on the bed.

  "No need to stand up, son. How are you feeling?"

  Marshal Voss, the man in charge of their training, stood before him. Years of exhaustion were etched into his forehead. The fine wrinkles around his eyes and his sharp jawline gave his face a cold expression. An old scar running over his left eyebrow served as a reminder that he wasn't just an instructor.

  "Much better compared to the other day, sir, but I'm having a lot of trouble walking." Because of the pain from the wound and the exhaustion of the previous night, he struggled even to lift his head to look at his instructor.

  "I'm glad you're feeling a bit better. Don't forget to visit the infirmary again today; you don't want that wound getting infected." As Voss spoke, he scanned Kael from head to toe. Even though his face looked as hard as stone, it was impossible to miss the father figure hidden in his eyes.

  "You're lucky we don't have any physical training on the schedule today. But I want you to attend your other classes during the day."

  As soon as Voss finished his sentence, Kael quickly nodded his head in agreement.

  "Good. I was going to call someone to help you out, but it seems a friend of yours has already volunteered for the job." Voss turned his head slightly to the left and looked over his shoulder.

  Tarin walked through the door with quick, confident steps. After saluting his commanding officer, he looked over at Kael. At that moment, Kael was trying very hard not to laugh. Whenever Tarin tried to act serious, he failed miserably and looked utterly ridiculous.

  But Kael's gaze suddenly shifted to Voss, and the smile instantly vanished from his face.

  “"Go get something to eat, Kael. And don't wake up this late again." With a brief smile, Voss turned around and left the room with quick strides.

  Kael managed to stand up, albeit with difficulty, thanks to Tarin's help. He walked slowly, leaning on the crutch Tarin had brought for him. When they arrived at the mess hall, there was no one around. It seemed all the other kids had already had their breakfast.

  With some effort, Kael dropped himself into the nearest chair. Fortunately, there was still something left for him to eat in the mess hall. Tarin brought his friend some food on a tray and sat in the chair across from him.

  A slight smile appeared on Tarin's face. "I've honestly never seen Marshal Voss this merciful before. Two hours? Really? I bet if I woke up even ten minutes late, the commander would make me pay for it."

  "How kind of you to act like this when your friend is in agony." He wore a look of disgust on his face.

  "Come on," Tarin said. "Look, you sleep more than us, eat later. Nobody expects anything from you. I bet you'll miss this once your leg heals." Tarin seemed quite cheerful.

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  Kael liked him; even though Tarin could be annoying, he wasn't used to his absence. They always spent time together. Tarin was a chatterbox, yes, but he was a good friend—the best kind a person could have, really.

  While listening to Tarin, Kael was busy eating the food in front of him. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.

  "You think so, you blockhead!" Kael spoke with his mouth full.

  "Dude, you look like a pig when you eat. Cut it out." Tarin was still smiling, but he looked a bit disturbed.

  They continued eating and chatting amid laughter. Kael was trying to enjoy this relaxed day as much as possible. Because most days were intense and exhausting. But Kael wasn't complaining. He enjoyed being here. Besides, he had friends he got along well with and instructors he respected.

  While Kael was focused on his meal, he noticed Tarin had suddenly gone quiet. He slowly lifted his gaze from his food and looked at his friend. Out of the corner of his eye, Tarin was assessing the mess hall entrance behind Kael, a faint smile creeping onto his lips.

  Unable to fully grasp the situation, Kael looked at his friend with questioning eyes.

  "Your rival is here." Tarin didn't seem inclined to hide his grin.

  Kael slowly tried to turn his head to look over his shoulder. "My rival? Who are you talking about?"

  Before the boy could fully turn around, he felt a delicate, warm touch on his right shoulder. The light, sweet scent of perfume that hit his nose had already given the owner of the hand away.

  "May I sit down?" Her voice was quite calm and soothing.

  Keeping the smile on his face, Tarin shifted his eyes to the girl touching Kael's shoulder. "Of course, please."

  After Tarin gave her the nod, the girl slowly pulled the chair next to Kael, sat down, and after squaring herself at the table, turned her gaze to Kael.

  "You don't look bad at all, actually." The girl's face bore an expression mixed with embarrassment and joy.

  Kael rolled his eyes at the girl and took another bite of his food. "It wasn't you who beat me, it was me who lost."

  The girl started to giggle. "I think what beat you was the ditch right in front of you." Then she turned to Tarin, keeping up her smile.

  Feeling a bit annoyed, Kael continued picking at his food. He didn't even bother replying to anything the girl said to him.

  “"Look, I'm sorry." Her giggling had stopped; that bashful look on her face gave way to a slight hint of sadness. "I'm sure you would have been the winner if you hadn't tripped."

  After swallowing the bite in his mouth, Kael turned his gaze to the girl's delicate face. The girl locked her hazel eyes on him, trying to gauge his reaction. The embarrassment and a touch of sadness on her face were easy to read. After looking at her for a moment longer, Kael turned his eyes back to his plate.

  "I don't think so," he said, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "Honestly, I have no doubt you would have beaten me."

  He wasn't entirely wrong, actually. Compared to him, Mira placed much more importance on paying attention to her surroundings and planning accordingly. Unlike her, Kael was always results-oriented. Perhaps this impulsiveness was in his nature, but he was certain of one thing at that moment:

  Mira would have definitely beaten me..

  After a brief silence, Mira cleared her throat and broke the quiet.

  "So... Are you guys excited for Doctor Hestia's class today?" Mira looked first at Tarin, then at Kael.

  A look mixed with fear washed over Tarin's face. "Doctor Hestia?" After looking at both of them for a moment, he continued. "Wasn't her class next week?"

  "No, you blockhead. She already said she was doing it this Thursday." Kael wore a mocking expression.

  "It's not very nice to use such words when there is a lady among us, sir." Tarin smiled and looked right into Kael's eyes.

  "I'm surprised, really. Our half-wit Tarin has turned into a gentleman now." After finishing his words, Kael shifted his gaze to Mira.

  Mira was watching them both, smiling just like Tarin. "You don't seem very excited to be coming face to face with them, Kael."

  "Who wants to see a giant bug right in front of them?" Kael grimaced and pushed his plate away; he was disgusted.

  Tarin closed his eyes, as if affected by the uncomfortable direction of the conversation. "Plus, someone from the next dorm told me they smell absolutely awful."

  "I'm sure they don't smell as bad as you." Following his words, Kael let out a loud laugh.

  Even though Tarin pretended to be offended, the joke brought a smile to the corner of his lips too. He stood up from the other end of the table and made a playful lunge at Kael.

  "Is that so? Then I'll cripple your other leg!" Tarin joined in Kael's laughter.

  While the boys continued joking around, Mira stepped in.

  "Alright boys, that's enough."

  Mira's tone was so confident and loud that both boys immediately quieted down and settled into their chairs. They straightened their clothes, trying to regain their composure.

  After a brief silence, that familiar, soft smile returned to Mira's face. "Today really is going to be a new day for us. Seeing them physically in front of us for the first time, not just from lecture notes or blurry images, makes me very excited."

  Following Mira's words, Kael felt his appetite suddenly vanish; he set his fork on the edge of his plate and pushed the tray slightly away from himself.

  "You're right, but I don't know, I can't guess what I'm going to face." After looking at Tarin as well, Kael continued. "Even if they're going to be dead, I have a feeling inside that bothers me."

  Mira kept smiling, as if she hadn't paid any mind to Kael's words. "It's going to be really exciting."

  The atmosphere inside the classroom was quite tense. The coldness of the white walls made the size of the room feel even more imposing. Around them, metal cabinets filled with a ton of drawers lined the walls, visual aids hung on the walls, and tables were set across the floor.

  The faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead made this heavy silence in the classroom even more unbearable.

  Everyone in the class had been split into pairs, and each group dispersed to their assigned tables. This was actually a routine procedure done every month, aiming to keep the bond and communication among the candidates strong.

  Although Kael occasionally made eye contact with the boy next to him amid brief whispers, his main focus was on his surroundings. He swept his gaze across the vast emptiness of the classroom, searching for a familiar face. He found Tarin standing in the farthest corner of the room, looking distant and uneasy next to the stranger he was paired with. When their eyes finally met, Kael sent him a reassuring smile, as if wanting to dispel his friend's tension

  Then he saw Mira. The girl was touching the tarp on the table next to her with a rather blank expression, saying something to her group partner. With a tinge of sadness brought on by not being able to make eye contact with Mira, Kael continued to scan the room.

  A while later, the door opened with a loud bang, slicing through the tense air of the classroom like a knife.

  A quite tall woman with a piercing gaze, yet who chose her movements with utmost care, walked in.

  She wore an impeccably clean, stark white lab coat that fell to her knees, and had a few materials tucked under her arm.

  The woman walked to the center of the classroom with confident strides. Without bothering to give a verbal greeting, she dropped the materials under her arm onto the desk with a heavy, dull thud. Then she turned to face the class again.

  After clearing her throat slightly, she swept her sharp, uncompromising gaze over the students in the class, one by one.

  "What does humanity fear most?" After asking her question, the woman began pacing around the students' tables, scrutinizing them as she searched for an answer.

  A few sporadic answers rose from the class

  "Death," said a trembling voice from the back rows.

  "The dark..."

  Kael remained silent. To him, these questions meant nothing. Humanity feared a concrete threat standing before it, in his opinion.

  The woman was not satisfied with any of these answers. With her inquiring eyes assessing the students, she continued to stroll slowly among the tables.

  When no other response came from the candidates, the woman walked slowly but surely back to her desk and faced the class.

  "Humanity fears most what it cannot understand, see, and control." Her voice hit the cold walls of the classroom and multiplied.

  "Humanity fears the unknown most of all." Without taking her eyes off the class, the woman took a step back.

  "Remove the covers."

  Following the woman's words, a brief hesitation swept through the classroom. Then, the rustling of fabric began to be heard. Kael reached out, grabbed the edge of the black tarp covering the entire surface of his table, and pulled it back in a single motion.

  Suddenly, a repulsive scent, far heavier than Tarin had described—like rotting meat mixed with acid that burned the throat—filled the whole room.

  The thing resting right in the middle of the table looked far more disturbing than Kael had imagined. It was nearly half a meter long and laid on its back. For a second, Kael prayed silently that the thing in front of him was truly dead.

  The creature's back was encased in a thick, purplish-black exoskeleton; the vein-like lines around the shell indicated that it once had some sort of circulation running through here when it was alive—or at least, that was what Kael guessed. Its exposed soft underbelly faced upward, and the black, resin-like fluid leaking from its joints had dried on the metal table, creating a nauseating sight.

  Kael couldn't fully comprehend the creature's head. Like its back, the top of its head was protected by a hard exoskeleton, but there were neither eye sockets nor nostrils.

  Instinctively, he leaned in a bit closer and began to examine the creature's mouth.

  Before Kael, there were no lips or any soft tissue resembling them; instead, there was a horrifying jaw structure of interlocking, serrated, and asymmetrical parts.

  Where are its eyes?

  For a moment, Kael devoted all his attention to how the creature perceived its surroundings, how it could sense what was going on around it.

  There was nothing where the eye sockets should be; other than the creature's mouth, a large portion of its face was covered by the jagged structure of the exoskeleton. But right after, he noticed hundreds of fine, somewhat translucent bristles stretching from both sides of the jaw down to the neck. On either side of its head were deep, gill-like slits lined with membranes.

  It doesn't need to see, Kael thought, feeling as if a knot had formed in his stomach.

  It's as if this thing feels vibrations.

  Just then, Doctor Hestia's cold and deep voice echoed right beside his head.

  "I know what you're looking at, what you're thinking, candidate."

  Kael flinched for a moment, took a step back, raised his head, and turned toward the source of the voice. Without taking her eyes off the boy, Hestia raised her voice so the whole class could hear.

  "They have no eyes," the woman said. Slowing her pace as she walked around Kael's table. "Because underground or in the darkness of the night, eyes are merely an evolutionary burden. They cannot see you..."

  The woman paused. She swept the class with her piercing gaze.

  "...But," the doctor continued. Though her voice was barely above a whisper, she spoke with such unwavering certainty that it etched itself into everyone's mind.

  "They can smell the blood pumping in your veins, they can feel the vibration of your heartbeat accelerating from fear from meters away. To them, you are not an image, but merely a wave of sound vibrations and a scent to be hunted. If you ever come face to face with one of these and wish to survive..."

  The doctor turned back to Kael's table and locked her eyes on the creature's jaw.

  "...Stop breathing."