Standing up, Ava stared at Dion, momentarily speechless before finally saying, "That was... I can't even describe it."
"That was just the tip of the iceberg. Something bigger and better awaits," he said with a genuine smile.
Eager to understand what had just happened, Ava asked, "What was that? I mean, what do you call that?"
"It was just some fun. Having fun, that's what we call it," he replied, unsure if he should reveal the true nature of their encounter.
[Quest successfully completed]
[Reward: 100 points]
"Then you're indeed a master of fun," she said.
Dion couldn't help but reply with a warm smile.
"I think I've got the perfect nickname for you," she paused before saying, "Master of Fun."
Dion scoffed before replying, "nah, that ain't so cool."
"But it fits right in with your vibe. You're so much fun. Everyone out there would love to have a taste of the fun I had," she insisted.
Before Dion could reply, a rapid but rhythmic beeping resonated throughout the entire base. The beep was so loud it could wake the dead.
"It's time," Ava said as she quickly walked to the button she had dropped beside Dion's to get dressed.
"Time for what?" Dion inquired.
"One of my favorite things, training," she replied.
Dion had never been to the training ground since he arrived. No one had ever told him about it, which made him wonder if Alfred wasn't interested in training or if he just hadn't mentioned it.
As soon as the beeping stopped, the once silent base became rowdy with voices and footsteps heard all over, heading to the training ground. Dion followed suit, dressed and followed Ava as she led the way.
"Come, let's go this way," Ava said, noticing the crowded pathway where people were barely passing through easily.
She showed him a small shortcut, which seemed like she was the only one who knew about it because it was empty. The path was dimly lit but clean and smelled nice.
As they walked for a few seconds, they saw a figure up ahead. The view wasn't clear enough under the dim light. The figure seemed to be walking slowly and fatigued, as if he didn't derive pleasure from walking.
As they got closer, they noticed it was Alfred. He really didn't like going to the training ground, but he had no other option. They caught up with him just before they reached the training ground.
As Dion, Ava, and Alfred walked into the large battle training ground, the air buzzed with anticipation. They were greeted by the sight of trainers wielding an array of magical weapons, their movements fluid and practiced.
Swords gleamed in the light, axes whirled through the air, and spells crackled and fizzled. The ground was marked with scorch marks and worn from countless battles.
Trainers sparred in pairs, their shouts and grunts filling the air as they practiced their techniques. Some were clad in heavy armor, while others wore lighter, more agile attire, and some were wearing their normal black suits.
Along the lot sat Captain Ally on one of the balconies with a drink before her. The place was divided into four segments, with formidable men standing at one corner, slightly formidable ones next, followed by a few leaner individuals. The last segment, however, was empty.
"Alright," Captain Ally shouted.
Dion was waiting for a command or some instruction, but nothing came except for the other men walking to the group that suited them best; they already knew the drill.
"What group do you want to join?" Ava asked Dion, who was contemplating which group to join.
"I don't feel like joining those guys," he said, referring to the very formidable group.
"That group looks kind of perfect," he said, pointing at the second group, less formidable than the first.
"That's also my group," Ava replied as they walked to join them.
"What group are you joining?" Dion turned and asked Alfred, who seemed to be deviating from following them.
"That is my group," Alfred said, pointing at the rather empty segment.
Dion turned and didn't see any surprise on Ava's face, so he knew the Shadow Seeker was actually serious.
Alfred gently walked to his segment and began his solo training as usual. He went to the middle of his segment and sat down silently.
The captain noticed this, but she was already tired of talking to him; he was never one who derived joy from training or battles.
In the middle of the second division stood Foster, who seemed to be the leader for the day. He stood shirtless, his beautiful tattoos on display, along with his well-defined abs and muscles.
He was demonstrating strategic ways to fight an enemy using a dagger, however large it may be.
He called out for a volunteer, and one guy stepped forward. Foster demonstrated a few moves on the guy. He was very skilled, and the opponent didn't stand a chance against him, nor did the next opponent.
When the third opponent came forward, he was more skilled than his predecessors. He tactically evaded Foster's dagger while simultaneously attacking back.
After a few moments, the opponent found his mark and stabbed Foster in the chest, causing a faint trickle of blood before it vanished into thin air.
Foster was annoyed by the strike. He swiftly swung his blade, stabbing his opponent in the throat. Without taking a second break, he forcefully broke his opponent's skull, causing blood to ooze once again before vanishing. His opponent dropped to the ground, lying almost lifeless.
A sudden jestful shout erupted from the onlookers, accompanied by smiles and laughter.
Dion couldn't comprehend what was actually going on. He never expected the training sessions to be this aggressive and strict to the extent of seemingly killing your opponent.
"This is more than just training," Dion complained inwardly.
Ava noticed his bewilderment and replied, "Fret not, he's not extinguished. You can't harm your kind with these weapons. He'll just pass out and wake up after some moments," Ava explained while still laughing.
"You mean the weapons only have an effect on the Odds?" Dion asked curiously.
"Not just the Odds, but any being that is not under the jurisdiction of the registered Hell, like lawbreakers," Ava added.
"It might be possible the weapons might have an effect on me and the people here might find out I'm Cursed," Dion reasoned inwardly.