Weakness
The hallway between Alex and Jade echoed with an uncomfortable silence, the weight of unfamiliarity hanging in the air. The tension became palpable, urging Jade to break the awkward stillness.
"Let's go to the library; I want to talk to you about something," Jade suggested.
Alex agreed with a nod, following her lead. As they walked, he contemplated the peculiar situation. He had never been particularly adept at navigating social interactions, especially with girls. His military background hadn't offered many opportunities for romantic entanglements, and the thought of such matters now felt alien.
"Why am I even thinking about this?" Alex chided himself, shaking off the distracting thoughts. He reminded himself that the purpose of this meeting was to discuss something important.
Upon reaching the library, they chose a table and settled down. To Alex's surprise, Jade tapped on the table, causing it to slide open and reveal a floating orb. He hadn't noticed this feature before, despite seeing other students with similar orbs in the library.
"What's that thing for?" Alex inquired, pointing at the levitating orb.
Jade looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious? You don't know what it is?"
"Of course. If I knew, why would I have asked you?" Alex retorted.
Jade sighed. "It's used when someone needs privacy. If you touch the orb, it allows you to create an isolated space. Inside, only those people who are invited can hear each other. This way, people can chat without disturbing others." She explained, demystifying the purpose of the floating orb in the library.
"Wow," Alex exclaimed, genuinely surprised at the level of technological advancement. The floating orb and its privacy feature were beyond his expectations.
"Now that's done, let's get to the reason I brought you here," Jade said, wearing a smile. She placed her hand on Alex's, which rested on the table.
Alex's eyes widened, a rush of unfamiliar emotions coursing through him. His heart quickened, and his mind raced with possibilities. The unexpected turn of events left him questioning the meaning behind Jade's actions.
However, the smile on Jade's face abruptly shifted to a frown. Alex wondered about the sudden change in her demeanor when he felt a sharp, stinging sensation in the hand she was holding.
\[Warning!!!\]
\[Your hand is being frozen.\]
\[Due to the extreme temperature and the clench in blood flow, your body will slowly start to lose energy.\]
Alex hadn't anticipated this development. Jade was freezing his arm, and the ice was slowly advancing, causing intense pain. He could feel his body draining of energy.
"Now that I have your attention, I have some questions to ask you," Jade declared, maintaining eye contact with Alex. She had resorted to this method to ensure truthful answers.
"Why...?" Alex struggled to speak, bewildered by the unexpected turn of events. The freezing sensation and the pain left him questioning why Jade would subject him to such an ordeal. What had he done to deserve this?
As the disorientation and weakness overcame Alex, Jade continued her questioning.
"My first question is, why didn't you leave those two boys in that condition and just abandon them in the forest? Do you realize they could have died?" Jade inquired, her words cutting through the haze as the ice reached Alex's shoulder.
Despite the world spinning and everything turning blurry, Alex summoned every ounce of strength to respond. He needed to escape this chilling situation.
"You... stupid b*tch," Alex retorted with what little might he had left. "I didn't... do anything to them. They attacked m...e first."
Those were the last words Alex managed to utter before collapsing on the floor.
In the aftermath of his collapse, Alex slowly regained consciousness. The surroundings came into focus, and he couldn't help but wonder where he was. The last memory he held was of Jade almost freezing him to death.
"Why the hell didn't she do that?" he pondered. It dawned on him that she might have spotted him when he emerged from the forest.
As he continued contemplating, another realization struck him—why did he lose consciousness? It seemed peculiar that a simple act of freezing his hand, something he believed he could endure, would render him unconscious. The mystery left Alex grappling with unanswered questions about the limits of his own endurance.
'I didn't expect to be affected that much, but it looks like I found my weakness,' Alex contemplated. Life had taught him that nothing in the realm of power came without a cost; every hero harbored a vulnerability.
Surveying his surroundings, Alex noted the clinic setting — white walls, the scent of medicinal pills permeating the air. He found it odd that there were drugs when the academy boasted healers capable of instantaneous recovery.
"Are you okay?" a female voice reached Alex's ears. He sat up on the bed and faced a woman in her twenties wearing a white lab coat, the academy's doctor.
"I'm Anna, the clinic doctor," she introduced herself while conducting a check-up on Alex.
"How did I get here?" Alex inquired.
"A pretty girl brought you here when you were unconscious. I still don't know why you lost consciousness, but my diagnosis suggests you should eat more," Anna explained during the examination.
Alex's expression shifted to one of disbelief. He, who could consume 10kg of steak and more, was being advised to eat more. His face mirrored a skeptical 😑.
After concluding the check-up, Anna informed him, "You should rest for now. After a few hours, you can leave."
Alex nodded, and Anna exited through the door in front of the bed. The room, only about two square meters, contained a single bed adorned with crisp white sheets. Turning his attention to the small table beside the bed, Alex checked the alarm clock, discovering it was already late — '20:00.'
"Wow, was I unconscious that long?" Alex wondered, making a mental note to steer clear of temperatures below zero (-0).
****
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