The cold weight of the battle finally crushed Alpha's remaining strength. As he lay on the infirmary bed, the muffled sounds of the facility faded into a rhythmic hum, and the darkness of sleep pulled him under like a tide.
His eyes snapped open, but not to the sterile white of the lab. He was falling through a void of screaming wind, the sensation of gravity's absence jolting his heart against his ribs. Far below, the horizon was etched with a dark, bruised red the same suffocating sky that haunted his mind. With a seasoned instinct, Alpha twisted his body in mid-air, spreading his limbs to catch the gale. He landed with a heavy thud, his feet grinding into the black ashen earth, a violent gust of wind bursting from his landing point to clear the settling dust.
He didn't have to wait long. The ground groaned and buckled, and the familiar, terrifying throne of Hades erupted from the cracks in the earth. Alpha stood his ground, scanning the shifting shadows for the attack he knew was coming.
"BOO."
The whisper was a cold needle in his ear. Alpha spun instantly, a burst of blue flames erupting from his palm in a defensive arc.
"You're quite the jumpy one," a calm, hypnotic voice mused from the darkness. "He's a wimp; don't sugarcoat it," a second, raspier voice retorted. "Go easy on him," a third interjected. "If the Master chose him, he's capable."
Seven massive pillars loomed in the haze, each supporting a figure radiating an aura of absolute confidence. The ground began to shake again as a central altar rose, topped with a flickering blue flame.
"Hello, my dear friend," Hades called out with a cheer that felt entirely out of place in this graveyard of souls. "You never stop impressing me, my boy. Combining my flames with your blood... pure genius."
Hades gestured to the figures above. "Come down and introduce yourselves!". Five of the shadows dissolved into tongues of fire, leaving only two to descend.
The first was a girl with hair as white as bone and eyes of piercing green. Her skin was a map of dark, intricate marks that traced down her face and over her hands. She was silent, her presence like a dormant storm. The second was older, her dark hair shimmering with a violet light that matched her deep, regal eyes.
"Meet Envy," Hades said, pointing to the girl. "And this fine specimen is Lust.". Lust tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice dripping with bored disapproval. "Listen up, kid. I don't find you interesting in the slightest. I'll watch from the shadows to see what makes you special... then we'll see if you have a future.". Before Alpha could respond, she vanished into a swirl of embers.
Alpha looked at Hades, the weight of the situation beginning to sink in.
"The Seven Pillars have always stood by my side, and they will stand by yours," Hades explained. "They will grant you their abilities and guidance, though they are a rebellious bunch. It seems Envy is your only volunteer for today.".
Envy stepped forward, her gaze locking onto Alpha's. "I have a lot to teach you," she said, her voice a quiet challenge. "But only if you really want to master what I've got.".
Alpha's mind flashed to the brutal image of Zeta's face in her final moments. His resolve hardened. Hades sensed the shift and tapped his foot against the ash, causing the ground to sprout jagged stone spikes.
"You rely too much on close combat," Hades lectured. "You ignore yourself in the heat of the fight, focusing only on the target. That's why you were gutted in the arena. Today, you learn distance.".
The training was a nightmare of timing. Spikes erupted at random, and Alpha had to destroy them from a seven-meter distance while Envy hunted him from the shadows, guarding a bag at her waist.
"BEGIN!".
The world became a blur of motion. Alpha jumped between rising pillars, his palms shifting to a molten, steaming state. He focused his heat into a spinning disk of energy, chucking it to melt through the stone obstacles. He chased Envy as she dissolved into the shadows, but his hyper-focus on her led him straight into a trap. A forest of spikes branched out, pinning him in place.
"This is what I meant," Hades said, appearing beside the trapped boy. "Focusing on one thing makes you a liability. You need a plan, not just a target.".
Envy walked up to Alpha, her lips curling into a shy, warm smile. "Not bad," she whispered. She reached out a hand, and as Alpha took it, her body dissolved into a green mist that flowed into his arm. A new mark a black ring tattoo settled onto his hand.
The Underworld dissolved. Alpha woke in his hospital bed, his eyes drifting to the corridor. A girl with bright orange hair was peeking into his room, her expression full of a worry she didn't want him to see. When she noticed he was awake, she hurried away, her hoodie pulled low.
Alpha looked down at the tattoo on his hand the mark of Envy. He grabbed a roll of bandages, wrapping his hand tightly to hide the seal of the Pillar. He stood up, ignored the lingering ache in his gut, and walked out toward the Theta campgrounds