Back at their headquarters, the Initiates cheered and clapped on Omega as she entered the room.
"There she is," Hemera shouted, then embraced Omega's shoulder. "You do have a death wish," she whispered.
"I can't believe you said that to Hades," Ron says.
"You're the only one who's ever stood up to him," Aion added, then she chuckled.
"Look at your ear, let's get you cleaned up," Hemera utters.
"Hey, Mega. That was cool," Lysandra praises her.
"Thanks," she smiles.
"Impressive, pawn. Congrats," Eos says while on his phone.
"Shut up," Aion insisted.
"What? Hey, you're famous now. I mean, not because of the thing with Hades. You're in the news. Yeah, listen," reading the news on his phone.
News:
"The recent transfers of Omega and Apollo Crawford, children of Zeus Apollonio Crawford, call into question the soundness of Abnegatus' teachings and values..."
"What prompted them to leave? Perhaps the answer lies in the corrupted ideal of an entire coalition. The theft of resources, the general incompetence, the abuse of their children," he continued.
"Did they beat you, like Chronos Goldwyn's kid?" Eos asks mocking her.
"They didn't beat anyone. They're good people," she replies in frustration.
"Right. And that's why you left?" continued mocking her.
Frustrated she left with her friends, Hemera, Aion, and Ron.
"Was it something I said?" Eos said.
***
"He's an idiot," Hemera utters talking about Eos.
"Yeah," Ron seconded.
"Yeah. That's okay," Omega replies.
They stop walking when they recognize the group of people entering the headquarters, the Eriditus.
"Crawford," Ananke Achlys uttered when she recognized Omega. "Omega Dianna..." she added.
"It's just Mega now," Omega answered.
"Mega, I like that," she said and looked at Omega's collarbone where her tattoos of the raven were shown.
"Hmm... You made an impressive choice, Mega, despite your parents, and your test result," she said.
"You've seen my test result?" she asks curiously.
"Of course. I'm glad you were smart enough to know your mind. Let me know if you ever need anything," she said confidently and then smiled while leaving.
"Well, that was weird," Hemera said referring to Annake.
"Yeah," Ron responded.
"What do you think is goin' on?" Aion asks curiously.
"I bet they are hunting Anomalous. That's all they talk about at Eruditus these days," Ron said.
"Wait. Anomalous are real?" Aion asks curiously.
"Come on, Ai," Hemera patted his shoulder.
The next day when they go to training, Mega looks at the ranking of scores for the Initiates.
Initiates Ranking:
1. Eos
2. Allesandro
3. Clark
4. Thaddeus
5. Scott
6. Kira
7. Ron
8. Lysandra
9. Robert
10. Matthias
She sighs deeply. Her friend Hemera is in the 11th spot, while Aion is in the 26th spot, and her score is in rank 22 a few steps for her to be part of the white lists, the qualified.
Mega gets a shock, her first opponent of the day is Eos.
"First fight. Eos versus Mega," Hades announces.
"What?" Hemera utters.
"Uh-oh," Eos chuckled.
"He's just trying to get back at you," Hemera utters trying to stop her.
Aion suggests she take a few hits and pretend to go unconscious. Mega starts thinking about Eos' weaknesses, one of Alpha's strategies, but she realizes he does not have any.
"Hey," Alpha approaches her grabs her hand, and reminds her of the techniques he taught her.
"Remember what I said about the attack? First shot, right to the throat, and you watch him. He steps before he punches, All right?" Alpha said.
"All right there, Pawn? Look like you're about to cry. Might take it easy on you if you cry," Eos said mockingly.
During the fight, Eos attacks her and she avoids it. She attacks right to Eos throat and boom, she succeeded. She attacks him again, unfortunately, Eos goads her on before laying into her. She got a nosebleed, while she was being pummeled, while in her position, she saw Alpha get up and walk out. The last thing she hears is "Enough!" before she's knocked out.
Mega wakes up in the hospital to see Hemera holding an ice pack to her jaw as well because Ron managed to beat her up.
Mega recalls the first time she was in the hospital at six years old when her mother fell and broke her arm. An Abnegatus nurse set it, and Mega remembers Apollo telling her it would mend quickly because it was a hairline fracture, and she wonders if this was his secret Eruditus studies showing through.
When Hemera wakes her the next morning she's having pain everywhere, and she struggles to get dressed and ready.
"Wow. You look... look bad," Hemera says to her with concern.
"How long have I been here?" she asked.
"About a day," Ron replied.
"A day?" she felt disappointed. "Have you seen the scoreboard?" she asks and Hemera nods. "Where am l?"
"You got below the line," Hemera answered.
"Why are you wearing those vests?" she asks curiously seeing them wearing black vests.
"War games," Ron responded.
"Whoa, what are you doing?" Hemera stops her when she tries to wake up.
"I'm coming," she said.
"You can't," Hemera insisted.
"What?" she asked.
"He said you're out," Ron answered. "Your father's on the court, Meg. Maybe they'll make an exception and let you go home," Ron said to her trying to make her relief.
Mega feels dissatisfied and hopeless, she lays back in the hospital bed thinking she failed and now she can be an Outcast at any minute.
"We're sorry, Meg," Hemera says and hugs her.
"We gotta go. We're gonna miss the train," Ron insisted.
"Yeah, okay," Hemera nods and says goodbye to Omega.
"Bye."
"Bye."
The train is leaving and all of a sudden Omega runs out, chasing the moving train. Jumping onto the moving train is extremely difficult for her, but with Alpha's assistance, she makes it.
"Thanks."
Hemera and Ron approach Omega and welcome her.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"What are you doing here?" Aion asked her.
"I just figured that I had to make it," she answered. Then Hades approaches her.
"Who let you out?" he asked.
"I did," she answered.
"You did? Okay," Hades reacted.