Blood-curdling scream

Tess's senses were assaulted by another blood-curdling scream, the horrifying sound echoing through the air. In an instant, she recognized it as Zino's voice. Her eyes widened in realization, but she resisted the urge to flee from her section and investigate.

Instead, her gaze darted to the windows on one side of the room, then to the gymnastic ropes gracefully suspended from the limitless expanse of the ceiling.

A surge of frustration gripped her as she clenched her teeth, understanding that swinging on one of those ropes to reach the windows wouldn't grant her escape from this nightmarish scenario. Dammit!

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when she witnessed Zack and Szedra hastily pass by her section, their determined footsteps heading towards the origin of the scream. Tess couldn't help but ponder if they, too, were unlawful Syb-victims and maybe Lanse had mutated. 

If that were the case, both Zino and Sensei were dead, leaving her trapped with a ravenous creature craving human flesh. Inexplicably, her mind gravitated towards the giant sword they could summon with the glove Sensei had concealed in his pocket.

A wild idea flickered in her thoughts, though the notion of killing a Sybervirian had never crossed her mind before. She took measured breaths, opting to withhold judgment until she could test her newfound resolution. Relief washed over her when she observed Zack and Szedra retreating from the scene, walking back to their respective sections. She expelled a heavy sigh, the weight of tension lifting from her shoulders.

Seizing the opportunity, Tess dashed out of her section, hastening to intercept them in the aisle. Szedra couldn't contain herself and blurted, even before their eyes met, "False alarm."

Tess hadn't even halted her momentum when those words reached her ears. Zack, seemingly at a loss for words, absentmindedly scratched his head.

"False alarm?" Tess queried, a note of skepticism coloring her voice. "That scream sounded undeniably serious." 

Szedra, her back turned towards Tess as she continued to walk away, replied, "Then go see for yourself. You can face Sensei's wrath as well."

Szedra's persuasive words triggered a sudden shift in Tess's perspective, prompting her to reconsider her actions. But she reminded herself she was not afraid of that blond dog's barks. Driven by curiosity, she hastened to witness the truth firsthand.

As Tess stepped into the section filled with punching bags, her senses were immediately captivated by an unexpected sight. Lanse stood before her, his back turned, unable to conceal his uproarious laughter. The intensity of his laugh compromised his ability to execute proper punches. 

A surge of astonishment coursed through Tess as she beheld this peculiar spectacle. Suddenly, Zino's voice erupted with unparalleled volume, resonating within her ears. 

"What do you mean by cut off?" Zino asked in the loudest voice she had ever heard her speak in. 

A glimpse of Zino's face revealed pink watery eyes, evidence of her emotional state. Standing before Zino was Sensei, wielding a small retractable knife in one hand, while his other hand reached out towards her.

Tess's brows furrowed with concern at the prospect of Zino being harmed. However, her attention swiftly returned to Lanse, who continued to laugh uncontrollably. Then to Zack and Szedra's claim for a false alarm. A whirlwind of confusion engulfed her, leaving her bewildered and uncertain.

"Just witnessing your incompetence confirms my belief that you won't make a dent in that thing unless I intervene," Sensei proclaimed assertively, his words carrying weight. "And like my mom always said, there's no time like the present."

With the knife in hand, he inched closer to Zino's glossy pink nail protruding from her index finger, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. Zino averted her gaze, her mouth poised to release another scream of anguish. 

The rigidity of Sensei's head, reminiscent of a mechanical automaton, slowly turned towards Tess, prompting her to take immediate action. In a desperate bid to preserve her safety, Tess swiftly retreated, hastening back to her designated area as if her very existence depended on it. 

Relief flooded through Tess as she distanced herself from the danger that lurked just moments ago. "Phew, that was close ," she exhaled, grateful to have escaped unscathed.

Under Sensei's guidance, the group was led through several additional sections, deviating from their usual routine. Weary and afflicted by pain, the five recruits trailed behind him in a single file, making their way towards the far end of the room. 

As they trudged along, their eyes caught glimpses of the unexplored sections they had yet to set foot in, a diverse array of machinery and cages that piqued their curiosity. They ranged from machines to cages. 

Tess swallowed hard, a sense of trepidation washing over her as she contemplated what crazy thing he had planned for them. She felt that by the time he was done with them she would be in no condition to even think about an escape. 

"Take a seat, cadets," Sensei instructed, causing Tess to lean slightly out of line, straining to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead. 

Her eyes settled on a long bench seamlessly connected to the wall, and obediently, they moved to occupy the sturdy surface. As Tess lowered herself onto the bench, her entire back found solace in the support of the wall, allowing her to lean back and gaze upward into the expanse of the high ceiling.

Lost in her thoughts, Tess was interrupted by a gentle nudge on her shoulder. It was Zack, who had taken a seat beside her, extending a bottle of water. Gratefully, she accepted the offering, uttering a sincere "Thanks."

Tess could only manage to consume half of the bottle, realizing that water provided little respite from the pain that plagued her body. She reassured herself that it was all a nightmare, contemplating the possibility that Szedra's cryptic words from the day before were her subconscious attempting to reach out to her. 

Perhaps she had endured a devastating accident, rendering her in a coma. Could it be that the hover cab she narrowly avoided had indeed collided with her, leaving her nerves ravaged and her pain a lingering consequence?

Leaning her head back against the wall, Tess allowed her gaze to wander upwards, tracing the circular patterns on the ceiling. However, her attention was quickly hijacked by the incessant throbbing at the back of her head, an irritating pulse that demanded all of her focus. Desperate for respite, she clenched the water bottle in her grip, exerting so much force that the cork shot off, and water overflowed from the top, cascading down her hand.

Startled by the sound of dripping water, Zack turned to her with concern etched on his face. "Are you alright?" he inquired, the subtle hint of worry evident in his voice. 

Tess, her eyes wide open, turned her head to face him, a wild expression on her face as she spoke, "The bells are awfully loud today. Can't you hear them too?"

Zack's brows furrowed, a mixture of confusion and unease knitting them together, giving her a skeptical look that implied he thought she might be losing her sanity.

Undeterred, Tess shifted her gaze back to the ceiling, a truly unsettling laughter escaping her lips. She quickly leaned forward, resting her head on her lap to stifle any further outbursts. The loose bun at the back of her head felt as if it were on the brink of unraveling, but she paid it no mind.

"Hey, is it just me, or do my muscles seem thicker?" came Zack's voice. 

Tess peered under her arm to catch a glimpse of Zack, who had turned his attention to Szedra seated on his other side, flexing his arm.

"Stop fooling yourself," she told him in her lifeless monotone. "There was never and still isn't anything there."

He dropped his lifeless arm and the vibration reached Tess on the bench. She pushed herself up to see the other two. 

Behind Szedra was Zino with her head down staring at them again. Tess noticed the jagged, white edges of Zino's nails, trimmed too closely to the skin—a testament to Sensei's harsh treatment.

Even Lanse appeared utterly drained, hunched over with his elbows resting on his lap, his gaze fixed on the ground. Strands of his black hair veiled his eyes from view.

"Now that you cadets have completed your warm-up, it's only fair to offer you a taste of what your training regimen will entail from now on," Sensei announced, capturing their attention as he stood near a circular concrete structure. The structure reached his waist and had handles protruding from the top forming a circle. 

He pulled onto one of the handles revealing the large thick base of a sword. There was nothing shiny or impressive about that one. In fact, it looked rusty. 

"Behold, this shall be your final task for today. Observe," Sensei proclaimed, withdrawing the sword completely from the structure and proceeding to advance towards a towering metal column. 

Each column matched Tess's height, several more of them firmly rooted in the concrete ground within that section. With a firm grip on the sword's handle, Sensei positioned himself, ready to unleash a powerful strike, but halting just before the metal base would connect with the column.

"Your task is to hit one of these columns with a sword until you have cleaved through halfway," Sensei announced, his stature upright, the tip of the sword anchored against the ground, his other hand poised behind him. "What are your questions?"

A heavy silence engulfed the recruits, their gaze fixated upon the imposing metal columns, the notion of cleaving through halfway echoing in their minds. To Tess, it was pure madness. 

The awkward silence persisted as Sensei retraced his steps, deftly sliding the sword back into its designated spot within the concrete structure. With a wave, he bid them farewell, his parting words resounding in the air. "I shall see you again promptly at six a.m.," he declared, his figure receding as he strode along the aisle, steadily making his way towards the exit.