A powerful gust of steam burst forth, striking Akira’s face with enough force to nearly blind him. Even Leo blinked in surprise beside him as the hot stem was much warmer than expected.

  “WHOA?! This place is crazy cool!” Leonidas’s eyes lit up as he took in the bathhouse. The entrance opened into a spacious corridor lined with storage for tunics, and about ten meters ahead, a towering archway framed the bath itself, where the steam billowed like a living thing.

  Akira waved his hand in front of his face in order to get a better vision of what was in front of him, it however, was much more resistant as it moved around his hand. He exhaled sharply, trying to push the sensation away as he adjusted to the dense, humid air. The scent of minerals and something faintly herbal filled his lungs.

  Leo had already stepped forward, vibrating with excitement. “Look at this place, Akira! It’s super huge!” His voice echoed slightly in the steamy chamber, bouncing off the stone walls. The bathhouse itself was carved from smooth, gray and white colored rocks, the floor warm beneath their feet. Pools of water, their surfaces rippling with heat, stretched out in different sizes and depths. Some were shallow, perfect for lounging, while others seemed deep enough to submerge completely.

  A few other Hatchlings were already inside, their silhouettes barely visible through the mist. Some were relaxing in the water, while others lingered at the edges, chatting in low voices, a few who had entered just before Akira and Leo taking off their tunics and joining in.

  Leo, meanwhile, had already yanked off his tunic and cloth that was wrapped around his crotch tossed it into one of the storage compartments. Which were simply square shaped holes in the wall.

  Akira couldn't help but glance downwards at the man’s pelvic area. His eyes seemed to dull as if the light in them died out.

  He’s a monster…

  Immediately snapping his gaze away, Akira cursed himself. Why the hell did I look?! He busied himself with pulling off his own tunic, focusing on the humid air pressing against his skin.

  He quickly folded his tunic and placed it in the storage compartment beside Leo’s, his eyes flickered around, taking in the scenery once more to distract himself. The bathhouse was, as Leo had pointed out, huge, and the thick steam created an almost dreamlike atmosphere.

  “Hey, don’t just stand there!” Leo’s voice rang out as ran into the first bath he could get into and splashed around, kicking up water in every direction. “You gotta try this, Akira! It’s amazing!” Some of the other Hatchlings that were being splashed by the water flinched a little yet did not seem to get mad or heed much mind. Leonidas seemed to have become friends or at least acquainted with most of the male Hatchlings by now.

  Akira hesitated for a moment, the warm air already making him feel drowsy. But after a beat, he figured there wasn’t much else to do. He stepped forward into the warm water, the heat of it seeping into his skin, soothing his muscles. He winced at first, the temperature was higher than he’d expected, but soon the discomfort melted away, replaced by a deep sense of relaxation.

  Leo, on the other hand, was splashing around like a child, his boisterous laughter echoing through the steam-filled room. He was already moving to one of the deeper pools, clearly unfazed by the heat. "This is awesome! You gotta come over here, Akira, the deeper pools are even better! The heat hits your bones in the best way!"

  The boy’s gray eyes shot Leo a sharp glance. “Don’t get too used to this, remember, the First Trial is going to be nothing but frozen land.”

  Leo’s laughter faltered slightly at Akira’s reminder, though it only lasted a moment. He grinned widely, pushing the steam from his face with one hand. “I know, I know.” He said, his voice still buoyant. “But hey, we might as well enjoy the warmth while we’ve got it, right?”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Akira’s gaze turned cold, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched Leo splash around without a care. He still wasn’t convinced that they would work together if they met in the First Trial. Quite the opposite, he would probably capitalize off of his trust and get rid of him before he became far too strong.

  Suddenly the water turned blood red.

  What the-

  Akira looked around to see that the whole place was now empty, not a single other soul in sight.

  “Sorry kid, it was either you or me.” A man's deep voice echoed. Akira's eyes widened, his pupils the size of a needle, an expression of panic and fright on his face as a cold sweat dropped down his forehead. “I told you didn’t I? It's us Akira, we’re the worst monster.”

  The boy’s gaze turned down to the water, just under it he saw Ehkis, the man’s rough beard, his thick braid floating in the water. The blood spewed from the man’s throat like the moment it had been mauled out. “You… monster.”

  Akira felt sick by the taste of blood and human flesh as he spit out a piece of flesh, blood flowing out of his mouth like a crimson cascade.

  He gasped, his body jerking upright in the water as if his muscles were rebelling against the image seared into his mind. His pulse thundered in his ears, drowning out the faint, ghostly echoes of Ekhis’s voice. The vision of blood-red water and the brutal scene playing out in front of him made him feel dizzy. His fingers clenched around the sides of the pool, trying to ground himself, trying to fight against the wave of nausea and fear that washed over him.

  And then, out of nowhere, Leo’s voice broke through the silence, loud and jarring.

  “Akira? Are you feeling well man?” His voice was tinged with concern, but Akira barely registered it, his eyes moved up from the water.

  As if nothing had happened, the world was back to normal, people talking and splashing around. Leo stood in front of him.

  “You spaced out there, are you okay?” He was a little more serious than usual.

  Akira’s face darkened. “Yeah, I’m just a little dizzy from the heat, you should enjoy the deeper part of the bath. I’m gonna stay here and soak up a bit more.”

  Leo blinked, his expression still concerned but also a bit puzzled. "If you say so, man." He shrugged and turned away, splashing back toward the deeper pools with an easy-going grin. Akira didn’t watch him go, instead focusing on the water in front of him.

  His face was dark, with even darker emotions and thoughts flowing through his mind.

  “You, you’re going off the deep end aren’t you?” A voice appeared behind him, it was frighteningly familiar.

  His sharp silver eyes immediately glanced back to see who it was, though he already guessed… it was Oliver, casually crouching down behind him on the floor.

  The man’s navy blue hair was still somewhat dry and his deep blue eyes were already digging into Akira’s soul. His body was muscular and pretty toned, probably due to the strict diets and training he put himself under. It was filled with different types and sizes of scars, some looked like tears, others like burns or slashes.

  However one thing was obvious since they first locked eyes, Oliver was a dangerous, calculated person with an overwhelmingly good intuition, though that didn’t stop Akira from giving him a glare.

  Akira’s jaw tightened as the ghost of the man’s hand tightened around his throat, the same as when he strangled him in the dead of night and treathended him, the memory still lingered freshly on both his body and mind.

  “I thought you said you wouldn’t press any further.” Akira said as his eyes narrowed further with contempt, perhaps looking for ways to get rid of him, although at his level it was impossible no matter what he would try.

  “And I won’t, but if the chances of you harming someone inside of Verdant Haven increases. I have no choice but to keep a closer eye on you.” The man said casually. Playing off the intense staredown as just another conversation. With a swift movement he placed his hand on Akira’s shoulder.

  His face didn’t show it but Akira was surprised, not by the action, but by just how heavy the hand felt. It was like a boulder sat on his shoulder.

  Oliver spoke again, his voice was quiet, almost thoughtful. “I don’t know what you saw just now, but it rattled you.” He finally lifted his hand from Akira’s shoulder, yet the weight of his presence remained. “I’ve seen men get lost in their own heads before. Some are able to shake it off. Others…” He trailed off, his gaze lingering on Akira’s clenched jaw. “Well. Let’s just say I don’t like leaving dangerous things unchecked.”

  Their discussion was abruptly interrupted by Leo who was splashing over to them, making a mess and lapping water on everyone around him, earning him a few looks, some finding his antics funny while others mildly inconvenienced by it.