Alpha returned to his quarters in silence. He changed his clothes. Did push-ups. Sit-ups. Shadowboxing. His muscles burned, but he didn't stop until his body trembled. Finally, he dropped onto his bunk and closed his eyes. Inhale.
Exhale. Again. That familiar pulling sensation wrapped around his mind. The world twisted. Darkness folded inward. And then blue eyes. Sharp. Ancient. Amused. They stared straight into his soul. "Well, well," Hades grinned. "Look who decided to visit again. You're back. Good. I was getting bored." Alpha sat up. Envy emerged from the ground like a rising shadow, bones clicking softly as she stepped forward. Without a word, she snatched the pouch from Hades' hand and tied it to her waist. Hades leaned back, floating lazily. "Alright, kiddo," he said. "Round two. No crying. No dying. Try to keep it classy." Before Alpha could respond Envy vanished. BOOM. Her fists slammed into his gut, reinforced by a jagged bone gauntlet. Alpha gasped as he skidded backward. She dropped into his stance. His stance. The ground trembled. Spikes burst upward, racing toward him. Alpha threw his hands forward. Flames swirled. He hurled twin fireballs. They melted straight through stone pillars And Envy appeared behind him. CRACK. Her punch launched him into the wall. Another spike pierced forward, stabbing into his side. Alpha clenched his teeth, blood dripping as he pressed his hand over the wound. Dark energy stitched his flesh closed. Pain lingered. But he stayed standing. Envy rushed again, fists now wrapped in jagged bones. Alpha ducked. Spun. Kicked. She staggered. They clashed. Punch.
Block.
Counter.
Parry. Their movements mirrored perfectly. He realized it then. I'm fighting myself. Every trick.
Every rhythm.
Every instinct. She knew it all. Getting that pouch wouldn't be easy. Alpha leapt back. A flaming pillar erupted beneath him, launching him upward. He bit into his palm. Blood spilled. It hardened mid-air. Shaping. Growing. A massive crimson sphere formed. He ignited it. "Take this!" He hurled it down. BOOM. It shattered. Red mist flooded the chamber. The room became a storm of blood vapor. Alpha vanished. Blur. Afterimage. He reappeared in front of Envy, fists blazing WHAM. A spike erupted beneath him. He flipped back just in time. Envy adapted. Her speed climbed. Spikes multiplied. Hades clapped slowly. "Oho! Now this is entertainment! Crank it up, sweetheart!" The battlefield became chaos. Alpha tackled Envy. They crashed. Rubble rained down. He grabbed a bone dagger mid-fall and threw it blindly. She kicked him skyward. Alpha ignited his hands and feet, hovering briefly. She appeared above him. Fist raised. Too late. Blood tendrils burst from the mist, wrapping around her. They slammed her to the ground. Restrained. Pinned. Alpha landed, breathing hard. He stepped closer. Reached for the pouch. A voice whispered beside his ear. "Don't forget about me." His body froze. Terror surged. Instinct screamed. His form blurred and he vanished. Reappearing meters away. Panting. Sweat soaked his clothes. Hades floated in front of him, hands on hips. "Not bad, kid. Not bad at all." He smirked. "Blood fog. Area control. Creative. Very creative." Then his eyes sharpened. "But don't get cocky. You've still got miles to go." He snapped his fingers. A blindfold appeared. "Next lesson." He tossed it. "No peeking." Alpha hesitated. Then tied it over his eyes. Darkness. Immediately Pain. Jabs hit his ribs. His jaw. His shoulders. He swung wildly. Hit nothing. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Hades shouted.
"You fighting ghosts now? Calm down!" Alpha forced himself to breathe. Slow. Steady. The wind shifted. Tiny breezes brushed his skin. Movement created ripples. Sound. Air. He focused. There Left. High. He blocked.Countered. Barely. More blows came. But fewer landed. Envy dashed. Alpha reacted. Grabbed her foot. Spun. Threw. She flipped back up, launching herself again. They collided. Kicks met. Punches clashed. CRACK. Alpha smashed into a pillar. Stone shattered. He slid down, groaning. Slowly, he removed the blindfold. Hades hovered nearby, nodding. "Whew. Kid, you're gonna give me gray hair. And I don't even age." He crossed his arms. "You did good. Really good." He tossed Alpha a small bundle. "Training routines. Drills. Meditation stuff. The boring but-important package." His grin widened. "I'll summon you randomly. No warning. No mercy." He gestured at Envy. "And next time? She's not holding back." Envy cracked her knuckles. Hades leaned closer. "So, train. Or suffer. Your call." Then he yawned. "Now shoo. My three-headed mutt gets cranky when I'm gone too long." Snap. Darkness folded. Alpha gasped And sat up in his bed. Morning sunlight streamed through the window. His body still ached. But something inside him felt stronger. Sharper. A new day had begun.