The nightmares never stopped.
Once again, I woke drenched in sweat, my chest heaving as though I had sprinted for miles. My cheeks were wet with tears I didn't remember shedding. My hands trembled as I wiped them away. When my blurry gaze settled on the clock, the glowing digits read 1:00 a.m.
Too early. Too dark. Too quiet.
I turned onto my side, staring at the wall, hoping sleep would drag me back into its clutches. But thirty minutes passed, then another. My body refused to rest. The echoes of the dream—the cries of my family, the pleading voices of my friends, the hollow cage Katara trapped me in—clawed at me until I wanted to tear my skin off just to silence them.
With a frustrated groan, I slapped both cheeks, hard, trying to shake myself free of the haze. When I rose from bed, I braced myself for the familiar stiffness in my limbs, the soreness from yesterday's brutal training. But to my surprise, there was none. My arms, my legs—they felt light, unburdened. Not a single cramp.
Strange.
I needed to move, to burn the restlessness gnawing at me. So I slipped out of my room, startling the guards posted outside.
"Why are you awake?" one of them asked sharply. "Do you require something?"
I forced a small smile. "No. Just… couldn't sleep. Do you have a gym?"
They exchanged glances, suspicion lingering in their eyes, but eventually nodded and guided me through dim corridors until we entered a vast training room.
Rows of machines gleamed under fluorescent lights. I walked straight to a treadmill, ignoring the guards who leaned against the wall, their gazes never leaving me.
At first, I kept it slow—a steady walk. Then faster. And faster still. The numbers climbed. Ten kilometers per hour. Fifteen. Twenty. My feet thundered against the belt, my breath coming in ragged gasps, sweat clinging to my skin. The machine rattled beneath me as though it would give out before I did.
Finally, I slammed the stop button and stumbled off, collapsing onto a nearby bench. My chest rose and fell violently, but deep down, a thrill sparked inside me.
I could run faster than I ever had before.
Through the wide glass window above, I caught sight of a scientist watching me, scribbling something on a clipboard. Their expression wasn't neutral—it was curiosity mixed with unease, like I was some puzzle piece that didn't fit.
I clenched my fists. Weak. That's all they think I am. Weak and fragile.
The insults Katara hurled at me yesterday replayed in my mind, slicing me open all over again. "Pathetic." "Useless." "You can't even keep up."
Would she really break my bones today? My stomach twisted at the thought. Maybe then I'd finally snap.
The guards eventually approached, breaking my spiral. "It's nearly morning. Return to your room."
When I looked at the clock again, it was already 7:00 a.m.
Breakfast passed in a blur. By the time I arrived at the training grounds, the massive sand-filled arena was already alive with movement. Soldiers jogged laps while scientists lingered at the edges, clipboards in hand, eyes glued to me as though I were the main event.
Katara stood at the center, speaking casually with a group of trainees. When she noticed me, her expression darkened.
"Are you ready, Lena?" she asked, her voice like steel. "If you fall behind today, I will break your bones."
My throat dried, but I forced myself to nod.
We started with a run. Katara's pace was merciless—like she was sprinting a hundred meters instead of jogging laps. I pushed my legs, lungs screaming, but there was no way I could keep up.
By the time push-ups and squats came, my arms shook violently, my stomach knotting with dread. Every failure brought me closer to her wrath.
When it was over, she exhaled, disappointment flashing in her eyes. For a moment, I thought I'd escaped punishment.
Then her lips curled into a smile.
"You really thought I'd let weakness slide?"
Before I could react, her foot slammed into my stomach. The impact launched me through the air—I crashed against the sand, coughing violently, pain ripping through my insides.
Gasps echoed around the arena. Even the soldiers froze, horrified.
Katara stalked forward, her voice venomous. "You're a waste. You can't even defend yourself. What good are you, Lena?!"
Another strike. This time her fist collided with my ribs, sending me tumbling across the ground until I slammed against the metal fence. The world spun, my lungs refusing to fill. My body screamed for me to stay down, but I forced myself onto trembling legs.
Her shadow loomed closer. Her arm cocked back for the finishing blow.
Something inside me shattered.
No. Not again. I won't just take it.
My hands flew up instinctively. Heat surged through my veins, burning brighter than fear. In an instant, a swirling green light exploded between my palms, condensing into a sphere that pulsed like a living heart.
Katara's eyes widened.
The orb burst outward with a deafening crack, engulfing her in a storm of energy. Dust and smoke erupted, choking the arena. Screams rang out—soldiers shouting, scientists scrambling for cover.
My ears rang violently, drowning everything in static.
When the haze cleared, I saw her.
Katara stood amidst a tangle of plants erupting unnaturally from the sand, their twisted vines writhing as though alive. Her arms were scorched, her skin blistered, her eyes wide with shock.
And me—I could only stare at my glowing, trembling hands.
The world tilted. My legs gave out. I sank to the ground, vision blurring, sky bleeding into blue above me.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Fine… break my arm if you want…" I whispered, my voice faint.
Then darkness swallowed me whole.