The steam hung thick in the air as I stepped out of the shower, machines that spurt out water, hot water, it felt amazing, I wonder how they worked, where was the water coming from and how did it turn hot, were they using a giant fire? I stepped out my feet pressing against the cold tiles, I was no longer in Section 3, I had left everyone behind.
I grabbed a towel, rubbing my red hair dry while squinting at the fogged-up mirror. The shower had worked wonders—I no longer looked like I'd been dragged through a pit of blood and dirt. But something was off.
I wiped a hand across the mirror, revealing my body in the misty reflection. All of my scars... were gone.
"Well, isn't that convenient," I muttered, running a hand over my now-smooth skin.
Now, I wasn't particularly attached to the scars—they were more like grim little participation trophies for the game of survival, hunts gone wrong, James' belt, and other unfortunate events. But seeing unmarked skin where deep gashes used to be? That was a new kind of unsettling.
I ran a hand over my other arm, the place where the beast had torn it off. Nothing. Not even a faint line. I pressed harder, my improved eyes looking deep into my skin but I saw nothing not even a faint line.
"Okay," I said to my reflection, "maybe eating a beast wasn't all bad."
Of course, it was also a reminder of what I'd become. James had always warned me about the dangers of eating beast meat.
But hey, I was still standing, and considering what I'd gone through, losing a few scars was hardly the weirdest thing happening. Though I couldn't shake the feeling that James would be giving me that disappointed look right about now.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Kyle's voice filtered through the heavy wood, cold and precise. "Aell, I've brought you some clothes. Are you decent, or what?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah I'm decent."
I wrapped the towel around my waist and cracked the door open. Kyle shoved a bundle of clothes through the gap—white T-shirt and some jeans. They were clean, perfect, no cuts or gashes, they looked perfect.
"These should fit, they are some of my clothes from a few years back," Kyle stated matter-of-factly. "If not, you'll have to negotiate with Isabel for laundry duty."
"Why does she clean so much"? I asked, like I also liked keeping things clean but I didn't mutter a mantra while doing so.
Kyle's face remained impassive. "That's no concern of you. Just maintain cleanliness."
I shut the door again and threw the clothes on. The jeans were snug but manageable, and the T-shirt, well, it was a white shirt. Basic, clean, better than the blood-soaked rags I came in with. Once dressed, I stepped out of the bathroom.
Kyle was waiting by the door, his posture rigid. Looking at him, I realized how huge the dude was, his back was twice as wide as me, his shoulders bigger than even Tommy's, you get the deal, the dude was fucking huge.
"Feeling more civilized?" he asked, his tone implying he doubted such a thing was possible.
"Oh, absolutely," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm practically ready for high tea with Alexandra the Great. Got any crumpets?"
Kyle's expression didn't change. "Follow me. I'll show you to your room."
We walked through the dimly lit corridors, our footsteps echoing off the walls. The place had a strange quiet to it, like it was built for more people than it actually housed. I wondered how long it had been since this place was at full capacity—or if it ever was.
"So," I said, breaking the silence, "is the creepy abandoned mansion vibe intentional, or do you just like the silence?"
Kyle stopped at a door and pushed it open. "This is your room. It should suffice for your needs."
The room was big and best of all it was clean (meaning there were no visible rats). A bed in the corner, a small window that showed nothing but darkness outside, a table of my very own and a wardrobe alongside some shelves.
"Lights out in precisely seven minutes," Kyle said, checking his watch. "We can't waste more energy from the beasts."
"Okay m'ckay," I muttered, already feeling the pull of sleep. The bed looked more inviting than it had any right to.
Kyle's eyes narrowed slightly. "Rest, well Aell. Tomorrow will be... informative."
And with that ominous note, he was gone. I flopped onto the bed, the mattress sinking comfortably beneath me. It wasn't long before the lights flickered off, plunging the room into darkness. Sleep claimed me faster than I expected, exhaustion finally catching up with me.
The next morning, I woke up to the faint sound of voices downstairs. The lights turned on automatically, making me squint at the window, trying to catch a glimpse of anything beyond the perpetual gloom.
I dragged myself out of bed and wandered downstairs, following the scent of food, beast meat. I entered the living room to find Kyle, Alexandra, and Isabel gathered around a table. Well, Kyle and Alexandra were eating—Isabel was meticulously wiping down the table after every bite she took.
As soon as I stepped into the room, Isabel's head snapped up, her eyes widening in alarm. "Did you clean after yourself?!" she yelled, the girl really wanted everything to be clean.
I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Uh, yes? I washed everything."
She squinted at me, clearly not believing me but too focused on her current cleaning project to push further. Alexandra, on the other hand, beamed at me, her entire face lighting up.
"Aell! You're up!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat. "Come on, sit down! We've got so much to talk about!"
I took the offered chair, feeling the weight of their eyes on me. I mean with my improved eyesight, it wasn't so much a feeling but more of a 'seeing' I guess.
"So, Aell," Alexandra began, leaning forward with barely contained excitement, "how much do you know about Devourers?"
"Devourers?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to mean something? Is that just another words for beasts?"
Kyle sighed. " Seriously how misinformed is Section 3. Devourers are individuals who consume beasts organs and survive."
Alexandra nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! You see everyone can eat beast meat though it does come with a few disadvantages if you do so, but if you eat a beast's vital organ, it makes you, different. It changes us."
I frowned, processing their words. "And by 'changes,' you mean...?"
"It depends on the beast," Alexandra said, casually tossing a piece of eat into her mouth. "Beasts are divided into five classes: Behemoth, Chimera, Drake, Specter, and Seraph. Each class affects Devourers differently. Kyle and I? We're Behemoth class, which makes us strength-based Devourers. Our bodies are the strongest type in our rank!"
I looked at Kyle, the giant of a man then he said. "We are the primary offensive force."
Isabel, still quietly wiping down the table, chimed in without looking up. "I-I'm a Drake class," she mumbled. "Elemental Devourer."
"So," I said slowly, "what about me? Any clue of what I am?"
Alexandra leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "That's what we're trying to figure out! I mean you were fast in our chase but definitely not fast enough to be a strength class. What beast did you eat, Aell? Was it big? Did it have laser eyes?"
I hesitated for a moment "It was a black-scaled snake... with a head on each end. No laser eyes, though. Missed opportunity, if you ask me."
Kyle's eyes narrowed, his mind clearly working through the implications. "A bicephalous serpent? Interesting. This could indicate an adaptive class."
"Adaptive?" I asked, confused.
"Beasts have ranks too," Alexandra explained, her words tumbling out in her excitement. "The one you ate was probably a feral rank, based on the fact that you're still here and not an explosive mess of guts on the ground. Which also means you passed the memory phase! Isn't that awesome?"
"The memory phase?" I echoed. "Is that the part where I got to experience being a two-headed snake?"
She nodded vigorously. "Yeah! It happens when you eat a beast organ—you relive part of the beast's life. It's intense, but if you make it through, you become a Devourer plus you gain awesome powers!"
I thought back to the vivid memories, my year as a snake phasing through my mind, the hisses, the loss. Yeah, 'intense' was one way to describe it. 'Traumatizing' would be another.
"Since you're still here," Alexandra continued, practically vibrating with excitement, "you obviously survived, making you a neophyte, adaptive Devourer. So, what vital organ did you eat? Heart? Liver? Ooh, was it the brain? That would be so cool!"
I hesitated again. "All of it."
Isabel, who had been quiet until now, looked up sharply, her eyes wide with shock. "E-everything?" she squeaked.
I nodded. "Yeah, I couldn't stop myself and ate everything."
Kyle's eyebrows shot up, a crack appearing in his usually stoic demeanor. "You consumed the entire creature? Are you certain?"
Alexandra exchanged a look with him, her excitement reaching fever pitch. "Kyle, do you think he—"
"Full consumption," Kyle said, his voice a mix of awe and calculation. "He may have achieved full consumption."
Isabel's eyes widened further, if that was even possible, but Alexandra just leaned back in her chair, staring at me like I was some kind of puzzle she couldn't wait to solve.
"Well," she said, a grin spreading across her face, "this just got a whole lot more interesting! Aell, do you have any idea how awesome this is? You're like, a super-rare type of Devourer! This is going to be so much fun!"