The next day, I woke up in the hospital, and the doctors finally let me out. I didn't think twice—I headed straight for Grandma's Café. It was only a two-minute walk: cross the bridge, and you're there. Patients were often allowed to go there; the food was good, and it was close by.
The moment I stepped inside, I spotted familiar faces—Tukhak, Shamil… and Hat. They were sitting at a table like they'd just come out for a quick bite. But when my eyes landed on Hat, something in me froze.
He was wearing hospital pajamas: a plain white T-shirt and light pants. At first, I thought he was wearing white gloves, but no… his hands were just the only place without bruises. Everything else—neck down—was stained a deep, mottled purple. Even his injured hands looked like nothing compared to the rest of him.
I walked over and nodded:
"Hey."
They gave a brief "hey" back and gestured for me to sit down. Each had a plate with bread dipped in egg — you dip the bread into beaten egg and fry it in butter until golden brown. The smell was warm and comforting. Next to it were glasses of tea, steam curling up softly.
I sat down, careful with my words, trying not to say anything wrong. After a moment's silence, I asked:
"Hat… how are you feeling after the fight?"
He looked up at me, like he was surprised by the question, and just said:
"I'm fine."
His answer sounded casual, but looking at him, I found it hard to believe.
Tuhak was crunching on his bread when he suddenly said,
"I didn't expect Haat's body to be so weak. Those bruises… it's just not normal."
I tensed up a bit, unsure what to say.
"By the way," Tuhak continued, "because of all the injuries, the losers were given two extra months to retake the exam compared to the winners."
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around it.
Shamil rephrased Tuhak's words,
"The retake is in three months, but the second stage of the exam for the winners is in a month."
I nodded, trying to process the timeline. It all seemed confusing and unfair.
Soon, Hat, who had been quietly smiling before, spoke up softly:
"He convinced his family and his clan that he's a worthy opponent. But Azartsum — the biggest loser in all of Yasonia — crushed him like a bug. Do you really think he sees that as shame?"
I hesitated, trying to understand what lay beneath those words. It was clear that for Hat this wasn't just gossip — there was bitterness, maybe even sympathy, in his voice.
We chatted a bit more, exchanging details and jokes, but soon the conversation died down, and everyone went their separate ways.
I was left with one nagging thought — I couldn't even begin to imagine how the other seven battles had gone. What had happened? Who won? Who lost?
Deciding that doing nothing wasn't an option, I asked to be discharged from the hospital and headed straight for the training labyrinth. There was no time to waste — I had to prepare.
I stepped into the training labyrinth, bracing myself for the challenges ahead. The air was damp and heavy with the scent of earth and mold.
The first creatures I encountered were the mini-spiders — giant spiders with glossy chitinous shells, their many eyes fixed hungrily on me. They were omnivores, ready to feast on anything, including me.
Further inside, I spotted strange beings that looked like rabbits, but these were no cute animals. They were living bombs called BB16. The moment they got close, they could explode, leaving nothing but smoke and destruction behind.
Finally, lurking in the shadows was the Yarmia — a creature resembling a deer, but with glowing green fur and antlers that shone eerily. It was a predator, and approaching it without caution or weapons would be a fatal mistake.
The labyrinth had turned into a battlefield, and I had to survive among these dangers.
I stepped deeper into the labyrinth, and almost immediately heard a faint rustling. From the shadows crawled the first mini-spider. Its legs scraped against the stone floor, and its fangs twitched impatiently. It lunged at me, but I stepped to the side and slammed my fist into one of its many eyes. The spider recoiled, and I followed up with a heavy blow to one of its legs. It hissed, struggling to move—finishing it off took only a few more strikes.
I barely had time to catch my breath when two white shapes darted ahead—BB16s. Small, fluffy, but deadly. I knew: if they got too close, they'd explode. The first charged straight at me. I waited until the last moment, then kicked it to the side. It detonated midair, a wave of hot air washing over me. The second came from the right—I dove behind a stone outcrop, and the explosion roared behind me.
When the dust settled, I heard a quiet but distinct snort. From around the corner stepped Yarmiya. It moved slowly, but every step radiated strength. Its green fur and glowing antlers gave it a strange, almost majestic look. But I knew—this was a predator hiding in beauty.
Without warning, it charged. I jumped aside as the antlers slammed into the wall, cracking the stone. I rushed in and punched its side, but my knuckles hit something hard—like armor. Yarmiya spun around, attacking again. I lured it under a low arch—when it lunged, its antlers became wedged in the stone. That was my chance: I hammered its neck with repeated blows until its body went limp.
Breathing hard, I stood in the middle of the labyrinth, looking at my three defeated opponents. This was only training… but it felt like I had been fighting for my life.
Breathing heavily, I stood among the fallen creatures. My ears still rang from the BB16 explosions, and the smell of burnt chitin and gunpowder hung in the air.
But that wasn't what unsettled me the most.
Somewhere deeper in the labyrinth, beyond the pounding in my ears, I caught the faint, rhythmic sound of footsteps. Not the skittering of claws — this was how a human walked. And a chill ran down my spine.
Experimental beasts are dangerous, but predictable.
A human… a human can be anything.
I froze, listening. The footsteps stopped.
In the silence of the labyrinth, I could hear only my own breathing and the distant drip of water somewhere deep inside.
I was already starting to think it had been my imagination when suddenly the sounds came again — but now not from the floor. They were coming from the walls.
Something, or someone, was moving there, clinging to the stone ledges like a spider… or a person who could climb like a beast. The rustling drew closer, rolling from one corner to another, disappearing, then returning again, making me turn my head again and again.
A tight knot formed in my stomach. The experimental creatures were at least understandable… but this was something else entirely. And I had no desire to find out who it was in the dark.
I exhaled, feeling the tension slowly fade. The labyrinth seemed like just another training ground again. Maybe those footsteps had only been an echo.
Turning the corner, I made my way toward the exit, already thinking about what I might have for dinner.
Deep in the dark corridor he had just left, a figure stood perfectly still. Its outline barely visible in the shadows, yet its eyes—if they were eyes—were fixed on him.