With the newly formed groups made by Draven, everyone got into training. Each group was assigned to a specific task they had to accomplish in order for everything to connect like a puzzle their leader has successfully created in a short span of time.
Every group had their individual private training area for maximum efficiency and convenience. Everyone had to be at their private training rooms at a specific time in order to learn and work together.
Ethan and Castiel walked towards the large dark green brick tower. It was the highest building in the whole underground, impressively humongous. How did they manage to build such a building in the first place? The building probably supported the underground ceilings considering the large amount of surface area of it that reached and touched the dirt sky.
On their way inside the building to head up to the highest floor, they met one of their teammates. Felix, a repulsive and crude man. Everyone here was like that, but no one could compare to him. He snickered at the kids and walked up the stairs first, shoving them behind.
Ethan clicked his tongue and glared at Felix but did nothing, he followed after and climbed up the library of stairs. He seemed to be lost in thoughts since yesterday but he was still intimidating nonetheless. Scars lining up from his hand all the way to his arms, caused by the brutal training he had to endure.
Both of them reached the top level of the training area, specially reserved for the Alpha Team. It had the best quality equipment with much more free spaces to move and practice in. Everyone was hardworking, they were already clashing against each other with their weapons relentlessly. Even if they were teammates, they fought like sworn enemies.
Simultaneously, Ethan and Castiel took out their weapons and pointed it towards each other. Both stayed still for a while before letting out a chuckle.
"Go easy on me, kay?" Castiel said, pulling out his nasty weapon and hitting it on the floor, it made a loud sound and it suddenly started weaving through the air, heading straight for the enemy.
Ethan was already equipped well before he even entered this room, he pulled up his sleeves to reveal a strange gauntlet. It didn't seem like it was made for the purpose it was meant to achieve, there were holes at the knuckles that looked like small individual gun entries. It was a particular model, specially made for the purpose of launching fire bombs.
Ethan raised out his arm and a swarm of fire came rushing out, breezing through the air as it pass through the incoming whip. It has dealt no damage to the whip however. A high quality fire proof item.
They both took a step back to analyse their situation before making the next move, Castiel's hands starting changing direction immediately, switching up the momentum. He snapped his finger and the whole room went dark, only for Ethan.
Ethan made an annoyed sound and started blasting in front of him, even if he was in an illusion, any action he does now will be replicated in the real world. He seemed stressed out as he searched for an exit, he feared what he would see. He hadn't expected Castiel to use his powers, it's been so long since he saw it in action. Killan made some fine adjustments to it that was considered deadly to many, but what had he achieved?
He kept walking and held out his arm to see if he could grasp at any imaginary object within the confined space he was in. Suddenly, he heard a sharp piercing scream that made the whole illusion shook, everything flickered in front of him. Possibly meaning that Castiel had lost control of his powers.
Ethan got even more worried, he stood still for a while and waited for the illusion to break on it's own. Once his vision cleared and he could see the chaos around him, his eyes zoomed around the room.
One of his teammates, Quinn was laid on the floor like he was in a coma. His face was pale and scattered with deep sharp scratches, his shirt was torn and was stained crimson red. His arm where he normally held a sword was brutally injured, seemingly like it had been hacked on by a wicked blade. Everyone surrounded him like maggots, they were worried. He was the strongest sword wielder in Thanatos, and also the most popular candidate for Alpha's team leader. Who in the world could've beaten him to that state in that room?
Loud crowd sounds echoed, some yelled for assistance but most sat down, left baffled.
"Quinn..?"
"Do you know who...did this to you?"
Quinn opened one eye and coughed out a rain of blood. His eyes were bloodshot. He held out his arm as if he reaching for something. He retreated his arm immediately and held tightly onto his throat. "No." He forcibly spurted out. He immediately did a hang signal for a medic before his body went numb.
Castiel didn't help and instead, stood there with a look of disbelief on his face. His jaw dropped, his eyes staring off into space. It was as if he had just witnessed a miracle. It was no surprise his illusion magic went off especially when had lost his focus until he was oblivious that Ethan was shaking his shoulders repeatedly. He snapped out of his fantasies the moment he heard a snap sound and was met with a glare from a friend.
"What are you so dazed out for?" Ethan asked with his eyebrows raising up while his lips twisted anxiously.
Castiel closed his mouth and laughed nervously. "I...it was nothing." He replied, looking away and letting his eyes browse Quinn who was being put on a stroller and carried off.
"You always look away and avoid eye contact when you lie." Ethan stated bluntly.
"Oh." Castiel paused and took in a deep breath. He could never hide secrets from Ethan, ever. "When you were gone in that illusion. I saw... a person out of the corner of my eye wearing a dark black cloak heading straight for Quinn. It seemed as though he was also focused on us, even though I couldn't see the person's eye. He felt familiar. Especially his smooth hand movements."
Ethan stood there and waited for Castiel to continue even though he already knew what he was going to say. He held his breath.
"When the person was slashing at Quinn. I saw green highlights peeking out from his hood." Castiel witnessed the fight but dare not make a sound. If he did, when would he ever see the person again? He pretended to have forgotten the person but, it was impossible the moment he saw him. Just a little longer, he wanted the person to stay in his sight. Smooth fluid movements, silent footwork and a mesmerising voice that sends tremors through the air like a gush of wind. A presence that was unforgettable no matter how long time has passed by or how hard a person tries to erase and eradicate from their memory. The feeling was everlasting.
"Zephyr." Ethan whispered under his breath, feeling tears forming at his right eye. Words cannot describe what he felt.