Elias sat down on the worn leather chair Caleb motioned him toward, its creaking frame sounding as though it might give out at any moment.
Across from him, Caleb leaned casually against the edge of the round table, his string-wrapped fingers idly toying with a loose thread. Despite the casual posture, his piercing gaze held an intensity that put Elias on edge.
"You know," Caleb began, his voice low, "a lot of kids come into this Academy thinking they know what the world's like out there. They've heard stories, seen pictures, maybe even watched a shaky recording or two. But let me tell you something — those stories don't scratch the surface."
Elias nodded slowly, unsure of how to respond.
He didn't know much about the world beyond the walls. Growing up in his settlement, every tale of the outside world was either a whispered horror story or a rallying cry meant to inspire fear and vigilance.
The idea of facing it head-on hadn't truly sunk in until now.
"What's it like?" he asked, his voice quieter than he intended.
Caleb's eyes darkened. "It's a graveyard."
The older hunter pushed off the table and began to pace, his hands clasped behind his back. "The cities we used to call home? Gone. Reduced to rubble. Skyscrapers toppled, roads cracked and overgrown, entire neighborhoods swallowed by time or reclaimed by monsters. The only thing left in most places is death. You walk through a ruined street, and you can almost hear the ghosts of the people who used to live there."
Elias felt a shiver run down his spine. He pictured the streets of his own settlement — dusty and cramped, but full of life.
It was hard to imagine entire cities where that life had been extinguished.
Caleb stopped pacing and turned to face him. "And the monsters…" His voice trailed off for a moment, as though even he struggled to find the right words. "They're not just beasts. They're predators. Some of them are smart — smarter than you'd think. They hunt in packs, lay traps, and they never stop. It's like the Apocalypse gave them a purpose: to wipe us out."
Elias's stomach twisted. He hadn't even seen a monster yet, but the thought of facing something like that sent a wave of unease through him.
Caleb continued, his tone softer now. "We lost a member last month. Tessa. She was one of our best — a veteran. We were out on a mission, clearing a sector near the old metro line. Everything seemed fine until it wasn't. A pack of Reapers ambushed us. She…" He paused, his jaw tightening. "She didn't make it."
The room fell silent. Elias didn't know what to say. He wasn't even sure there was anything to say.
Caleb's expression shifted, his hardened features softening slightly. "I'm not telling you this to scare you, kid. I'm telling you because you need to know what you're walking into. Out there, every decision matters. Every mistake can cost you — or someone else — their life."
Elias nodded, his throat dry. The weight of Caleb's words settled on him like a heavy cloak.
"But," Caleb added, his voice gaining a spark of hope, "you've got potential. I can see it. And the fact that you're sitting here right now tells me you've got guts. That's a good start."
Elias wasn't sure if it was a compliment or just Caleb's way of keeping him from bolting out the door, but he appreciated it nonetheless.
"Before you even think about stepping outside those walls, you're going to get trained," Caleb said, his tone firm. "One of our brigade members will take you under their wing, show you the ropes. You're not going out there blind, I can promise you that."
Elias exhaled slowly, some of the tension in his chest easing.
Just as Caleb opened his mouth to continue, a sharp beep cut through the room. Elias glanced down and saw the watch on his uniform blinking, its tiny screen displaying a reminder: Break period over.
"Looks like that's your cue," Caleb said with a smirk. "Don't keep your instructors waiting. And kid…"
Elias looked up at him.
"Don't let this place chew you up. If you need something, you know where to find me."
Elias nodded and stood, offering a quick "Thank you" before heading for the door. The corridor outside was bustling again, students rushing to and from different wings of the Academy.
He navigated the crowd as quickly as he could, his thoughts still swirling with everything Caleb had said.
The world beyond the walls sounded more terrifying than he'd ever imagined, but for some reason, it didn't scare him as much as it should have.
If anything, it made him more determined. He wasn't just here to survive — he was here to make a difference.
Elias walked through the hallways, guided by the directions scribbled on the map he'd hastily drawn earlier.
The Academy's endless corridors twisted and turned like a maze, and it was easy to get lost in the bustle of students moving between classes.
He glanced up at the signs posted along the walls, each pointing to different wings of the Academy, until he finally spotted the label for his next destination: Survival Tactics.
Pushing open the door, Elias paused just inside the threshold, his breath hitching at the sight before him.
The instructor stood at the front of the room, leaning casually against the edge of his desk. He was a middle-aged man with sharp features and a youthful aura that defied his apparent age.
His short-cropped hair was streaked with gray, and his sharp, piercing eyes scanned the room as if assessing every single person.
What caught Elias's attention most, though, was the man's right hand — or lack of one.
Instead of flesh and bone, the instructor's arm ended in a sleek, mechanical limb.
Its polished metal surface gleamed under the overhead lights, the intricate joints and panels making it seem more like a piece of advanced weaponry than a prosthetic.
Elias couldn't help but stare, wondering how the man had lost his arm.