Adrian didn't expect training to start immediately.
He expected explanations. Maybe a plan. At the very least, a few hours to sit down and process the fact that his life had completely changed overnight.
Instead, the red-eyed woman looked at him and said, "Again."
Adrian blinked. "Again what?"
"The movement," she replied calmly. "You hesitated."
"I almost got killed," he shot back.
"And you will, if you keep hesitating."
Adrian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Right. Of course. No pressure."
They had moved to a different floor of the building. An empty office space. Wide, open, no furniture except for a few scattered desks pushed to the sides. The windows showed nothing but darkness outside.
Perfect place to almost die again.
"Focus," the shadowed woman said from across the room.
Adrian glanced at her. "I am focusing."
"No," she said. "You're thinking."
"…Isn't that the same thing?"
"No."
Before he could respond, she moved.
Or at least, that's what his mind tried to tell him.
In reality, she disappeared.
Adrian's instincts screamed.
He shifted to the side—
A split second too late.
Something struck his shoulder, sending him stumbling across the floor. He barely managed to stay upright.
"Damn—" he hissed, grabbing his arm. "You could warn me!"
"You were warned," she replied.
"I meant like a countdown or something!"
The third woman's soft laugh echoed from somewhere behind him. "That would defeat the purpose."
Adrian straightened, rolling his shoulder. The pain wasn't as bad as it should have been. Still there, but dulled somehow.
"…I'm healing faster," he muttered.
"Yes," the red-eyed woman said. "Another effect of the covenant."
Adrian let out a breath. "At least there's one upside."
"Several," she corrected. "If you survive long enough to use them."
"Encouraging."
She ignored the sarcasm. "Again."
Adrian narrowed his eyes slightly. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"No."
A pause.
"Maybe a little," the third woman added with a smile.
Adrian shook his head. "Of course you are."
He took a step back, trying to steady himself.
"Alright," he said. "No thinking. Just… react."
"Not just react," the red-eyed woman said. "Feel."
Adrian frowned. "Feel what?"
"Us."
That answer didn't help.
"Be more specific," he said.
She stepped closer, stopping just in front of him. "The bond isn't just power. It's awareness. If you rely only on your own senses, you'll always be too slow."
"…So I'm supposed to use yours?"
"Yes."
Adrian hesitated. "And how exactly do I do that?"
Instead of answering, she placed her hand against his chest again.
The moment she did, everything shifted.
The world didn't change visually.
But it felt different.
Wider.
Deeper.
Adrian's breath slowed as that second heartbeat echoed through him again.
Then—
More.
Not just one.
Three.
Separate.
Distinct.
He stiffened slightly. "…I can feel you."
"Good," she said.
Adrian's eyes flicked to the shadowed woman across the room.
Even without looking directly at her, he knew where she was.
Not precisely.
But enough.
"That's…" he exhaled slowly, "…that's weird."
"You'll get used to it."
"Not sure I want to."
"You don't have a choice."
Before he could respond—
The feeling shifted.
Sharp.
Fast.
Behind him.
Adrian moved instantly.
No hesitation this time.
He stepped forward and turned at the same time.
Something passed through the space he had just occupied.
A faint distortion in the air.
Adrian's eyes widened slightly. "…I felt that."
"Yes," the shadowed woman said from behind him.
He turned. She stood a few feet away, her expression unchanged.
Adrian let out a short breath. "Okay. That's actually useful."
"It will keep you alive," she replied.
The red-eyed woman stepped back, removing her hand.
The connection dulled slightly, but didn't disappear completely.
"Again," she said.
Adrian nodded once. "Again."
This time, he focused differently.
Not on the room.
Not on his eyes or ears.
But on that strange awareness beneath everything.
The faint pull that connected him to them.
It felt unnatural.
But it worked.
The shift came again.
Left.
He moved right.
Too slow.
Something clipped his side, knocking the air out of him.
Adrian stumbled, catching himself before he fell.
"…Still not perfect," he muttered.
"No," she said. "But better."
"I'll take that."
He straightened again, breathing a little heavier now.
"How many times are we doing this?"
"Until you stop getting hit."
Adrian stared at her. "…That's not a number."
"It doesn't need to be."
He sighed. "Yeah, I walked into that one."
The third woman leaned casually against one of the desks, watching him with mild interest.
"You're adapting quickly," she said.
Adrian glanced at her. "I'd prefer not adapting at all, but here we are."
"Most would have broken already."
"Most didn't have much of a choice either," he replied.
That earned a small smile.
"Fair."
The shadowed woman moved again.
Adrian felt it.
Faint, but there.
He stepped back—
This time, he avoided it completely.
No impact.
No pain.
Just empty space where the attack should have been.
Adrian blinked. "…Okay. That one was clean."
"Yes," she said.
"That actually worked."
He let out a breath, a small grin forming despite himself. "Alright. That's progress."
"For now," the red-eyed woman said.
Adrian looked at her. "That sounded like a warning."
"It is."
Before he could ask—
That pressure returned.
Faint.
But familiar.
Adrian's expression shifted instantly.
"…You feel that?" he asked.
All three of them had already gone still.
The shadowed woman turned slightly toward the far wall.
"It's back," she said.
"Not fully," the third woman added. "But close."
Adrian clenched his jaw. "Already? That was fast."
"It's learning," the red-eyed woman said.
"That's not good."
"No," she agreed. "It isn't."
The pressure grew stronger.
Not overwhelming.
But enough to make his instincts tighten again.
Adrian took a slow breath.
"…Alright," he said. "Guess training's over."
"No," she said.
He looked at her. "No?"
"This is the training."
Adrian let out a quiet breath.
"…Right."
The pressure sharpened.
Closer.
Watching.
Waiting.
Adrian's fingers curled slightly as that second heartbeat pulsed again inside him.
This time, it didn't feel foreign.
It felt…
Ready.
He looked toward the darkness at the edge of the room.
"…Then let's see if I actually learned something," he said quietly.
Behind him, the third woman smiled.
The shadowed woman stepped forward.
And the one with crimson eyes watched him carefully.
"Don't die," she said.
Adrian didn't look back.
"…Working on it."