As the colossal foot descended, the recruits braced for impact, their hearts racing in unison. But instead of the expected crash, their surroundings suddenly shifted.
Jester found himself tumbling down a decrepit staircase, his body bouncing off the grimy steps. He flailed wildly, struggling to right himself. As he finally came to a stop, he braced for impact, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar environment.
A faint, flickering glow emanated from a lone light bulb in the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air was heavy with the stench of rot and decay, making Jester's stomach churn.
Jester's ears rang as he heard the thuds and the creaking of wooden beams. Sand and debris began falling from the ceiling, peppering his face. A faint voice echoed through the air, "Shut up, bitch."
The basement door creaked open, and a woman came tumbling down the stairs. Jester's eyes locked onto hers, and a twisted grin spread across his face.
The woman, disheveled and frantic, glared at Jester. "I'm about to give birth, and this is how you're going to treat me?" she spat, her voice laced with venom.
The door slammed shut, plunging the basement into darkness. Jester's grin faltered, and his eyes rolled back. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Jester's vision blurred as he struggled to regain consciousness. Nausea washed over him, but he managed to turn his head to the right. A faint light illuminated a disturbing scene.
A scrawny, pale woman clutched a wooden table, her hair disheveled. She moaned, her eyes contorted in pain. "The baby is coming!" she whined.
A tall, emaciated man loomed over her, his face gaunt. He slapped her, his voice laced with malice. "Shut up, you're quite the woman."
The woman's cries intensified as the baby emerged. The infant wailed, its tiny face scrunched in distress. The man callously tossed the baby at the woman, who caught it instinctively.
As the man turned to leave, he climbed the creaky stairs, disappearing into the darkness. The door slammed shut, but not before the woman's weak voice called out, "Your name is Jester."
Anita's point of view enveloped Jester's fading vision. He saw Anita rocking back and forth in the corner, her eyes vacant.
The room was sparse, with a single bed in the center. A lone light bulb hung above, casting an eerie glow. A woman lay on the bed, her body covered in bite marks. Ten men stood in a line, their eyes blazing with malice, awaiting their turn.
As Jester watched, the men began to crawl on the ground like dogs. The woman, plagued by bite marks, started to crawl toward Anita's corner, desperate to escape. She reached the corner, scratching the wall where Anita sat, and began to get dragged away.
Anita's screams pierced the air as she turned away from the otherworldly sight. Jester's eyes remained bleak, but his mouth twisted into a grin. Then, the vision faded.
Anita and Jester's vision faded into Malevolence's surroundings. Malevolence pounded a brick wall, fury etched on his face. Anita continued rocking back and forth, her eyes vacant. Jester's gaze swept the area, taking in the eerie scene.
A little girl, no more than ten years old, sat on the floor, her small hands covered in blood. She cried uncontrollably, clutching a glove on her right hand. The walls of the white room were scrawled with numbers, counting up to 300 days.
The room began to fade, and the little girl's pleas grew desperate. "Please let me out! It's too quiet! The walls are talking to me!" She sprinted to a wall, banging on it with her tiny fists. "Open the door! Open the door!" Her screams echoed through the fading room.
Anita remained vacant, her eyes glazed over. Jester scanned the area, ensuring everyone was unharmed. Malevolence seethed, fury still etched on his face. Their gazes collectively shifted downward, settling on a disturbing sight.
Grim stood frozen, distraught, staring blankly at the ceiling. The air was heavy with an unsettling atmosphere. Bodies hung from the ceiling, their faces obscured by twisted masks.
Anita's vacant expression twisted, and she gagged. Jester's grin grew wider, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity. Malevolence watched, awestruck.
The scene faded, only to reappear with Grim on his knees, his hands shaking violently. Malevolence rushed to his side. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face.
Grim's grip on Malevolence's hands tightened. "I'm okay... I'm okay," he stammered.
Jester's voice cut through the tension, his tone dripping with malice. "Guess who's next, Guy Leech."
Malevolence sprang to her feet, outrage etched on her face. "What the f---, dude? Why would you say that? Do you have something to do with this?"
Everyone's gaze shifted to Jester, who raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Chill, chill, I don't know anything. I'm in the same boat as you guys."
The scene faded, replaced by Leech's surroundings. His battered body lay motionless, surrounded by kids dancing and spitting blood at him. Their voices sang a haunting lullaby:
"Sleep tight, Leech, sleep tight
Your sins will be your demise tonight
Sleep tight, Leech, sleep tight
Forever trapped in this endless night"
As the lullaby ended, the kids' bodies dropped lifeless to the ground. Leech's broken form remained still, his eyes frozen in a permanent stare.
Jester's grin faltered, replaced by confusion. "Okay, what in the actual f--- is going on? Is this memory lane or something?"
Anita remained entranced, rocking back and forth. Grim stayed on his knees, staring at his shaking hands. Malevolence checked on the others, ensuring everyone was okay. Leech, still in a permanent stare, muttered, "What did I do to deserve this, guys?" He grabbed his hair, ripping it out in anguish.
Malevolence rushed to Leech's side. "Stop! We're in some type of dream scape."
The scene faded, shifting to Leroy's surroundings. Masked figures manipulated him like a puppet, pulling him in multiple directions. Leroy screamed, "Get off of me! Let me go!" The figures' grip created cracks in his body, his eyes gouging open in agony.
Everything faded, and Leroy found himself touching his body, ensuring he was still intact.
As they were pulled back into their bodies, the group convulsed, their spirits plunging back into their physical forms. Coughs racked their bodies, and Anita's stomach heaved, expelling its contents. Jester's grin twisted, while Malevolence's face darkened with rage. Leroy's eyes remained bleak, Grim's hands still shaking. Leech clutched his hair, his voice laced with venom.
"Sargent Solemn, what the...?" Leech's body returned to normal, but his eyes blazed with fury. "What in the blasphemous f--- was that, Sarge? What was the purpose of that?" His voice rose, demanding answers. "I have a few questions for you, Sarge."
Sargent Solemn nodded, "One moment, let me grab my chair. Before you speak, we'll be here all day, and I need my cigar." He retrieved his chair, settled in, and lit his cigar. Puffing on it, he said, "Go ahead, ask away."
Leech's eyes narrowed, "My first question, Sarge, is what in the f--- was that? Was it a dream scape?" He paused, collecting his thoughts. "My second question is, what was the purpose of us watching all our old memories back?" His voice rose, incredulous. "And my third question is, why was there a fat ass foot at the plane?"
Sargent Solemn puffed on his cigar, "Well, Leech, to answer your first question, it's quite simple. Yes, it was a dream scape, but it's also an imitation of your soul. It reveals how damaged you all are."
He glanced around the room, his gaze lingering on Jester. "Your second question: the purpose of reliving each other's memories is to foster understanding. Remember, as a pack, you're nothing without the leader, and the leader is nothing without the pack."
Sargent Solemn's expression turned serious. "Now, about that colossal foot... It was an F-Tier monster, a mere entrance guardian of the Ethereal Plains. But here's the thing: you were only shown half of the Plains. There's more to come."
The group exclaimed in unison, "Only F-Tier? What do you mean? We're basically grunts!" Leech stepped forward, "How will we prepare for that? What secrets lie in the other half? We only saw the entrance, not the entire thing."
Sargent Solemn's expression turned stern, yet reassuring. "It's been a long day, guys. Get some rest. You all did well. Don't ponder on it too much. You'll be prepared. We'll resume training tomorrow. We must train hard, forge an unbreakable mental fortitude, and you'll be ready. Just believe in yourselves."
As they trudged back to their barracks, exhaustion etched on their faces. Inside the office, Jester suddenly burst into laughter. "That was fun, wasn't it?"
Leech shot him a sideways glance, biting his nails. "Easy for you to say."
Grim yawned, stretching his arms. "I need some sleep. Good night, guys."
Jester's grin lingered. "Wait a sec. When we have our off-day, let's get to understand each other more, everyone."
The group exchanged hesitant glances, before nodding in unison. "Maybe."
Leroy and Anita chimed in, "Sure."
Anita wrapped her arm around Leroy's waist. "Help me, okay?"
Jester's gaze swept the room. "Welp, I tried. Time to get some rest."
Later, in their shared quarters, Anita turned to Leroy. "I want to get to know you better, and I want you to know me better."
Leroy smiled softly. "We will, Anita."
As Anita drifted off to sleep, her voice barely audible, she muttered, "I can't go back... I can't."