How To Survive A Calamity

A brief silence cut through the moment.

Something more?

Then Victor spoke again, slower this time.

"...Awakened?"

Ceres didn't answer immediately.

But that silence was enough.

"Is that possible, though? Creating Awakened, not training them." Victor muttered slowly.

"That's the thing," Ceres cut it. "Awakening is a natural process. It shouldn't be possible to create."

Ceres shrugged — tried to, but winced from her bruised shoulder. "At best, you imitate it."

Victor mumured thoughtfully. "So they're trying to force it."

"Yes."

That single word was quiet.

But firm.

"They're trying to create what shouldn't be created."

Victor let out a low breath, running a hand through his hair.

"...That's... And I'm supposed to believe this?"

"Yes."

Ceres didn't disagree.

"They fail most of the time," she added. "Many don't survive."

Victor's lips pursed tightly as he stared at her. She could feel his scepticism a little, but could tell he also wasn't entirely dismissing her words.

"And the ones that do?" he asked.

Ceres' gaze met his again.

"They're not normal."

Another pause.

Then—

Victor's eyes narrowed slightly. "And why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with anything?"

For the first time, Ceres hesitated.

Just a fraction.

"I'm one of them," she said. "I grew up in Eden — more specifically, The Garden."

The room went quiet.

Victor stared at her for a few seconds.

Then he let out a slow breath. He looked really exhausted.

"...So let me get this straight," he said. "You broke into my room, tried to kill me, all because you thought I came from that place? Or had something to do with it?"

Ceres didn't look away.

"Yes."

Victor blinked.

Then scoffed.

"Unbelievable."

He leaned his head back against the side of his bed with a tired sigh.

"...You've got serious issues."

Ceres didn't respond to that.

Instead, she spoke again.

"People from there don't just disappear forever."

Victor glanced at her. "What?"

"They come back," she said. "When they're needed."

A beat passed.

"And you thought I was one of them?" Victor asked.

"Yes."

"Sent to drag you back?"

"Yes."

Victor stared at her for a moment longer.

Then shook his head slowly.

"...You're really paranoid."

Ceres didn't deny it.

Instead, her eyes narrowed just slightly.

"Then explain yourself."

Victor frowned. "What?"

"You're not from Eden. Not from the Garden."

Her voice was steady again.

"But you're not normal either."

Victor went quiet. His eyes seemed to say 'this again.'

Ceres slowly rose to her feet. She took a step forward.

"Your growth. Your strength. Your control."

Her red eyes locked onto his.

"That doesn't happen naturally."

Victor held her gaze.

Neither of them spoke for a second.

Then—

"Who are you, Victor Bright?"

A brief pause.

Her voice dropped just slightly.

"...Or what are you?"

***

And that was it. The big, hidden mystery behind Ceres Walker.

I stared at her as she stood over me. Her red eyes locked onto mine.

I felt perplexed. Honestly words couldn't define this whole situation properly and it was a bit of a lot to take in.

"What are you, Victor Bright?" Ceres repeated again firmly.

Her question hung in the air.

I didn't answer immediately. I just stared at her for a few seconds, my expression flat and unreadable.

Then—

I let out a short breath.

"...you done?" I asked dryly.

I ran my finger's through my hair, sweeping it backwards. I was damn exhausted from everything lately. I almost couldn't even find it in me to react properly to all this information.

It was like i was maxed out on my shock value. Maybe for a few more days.

"Answer the question." Ceres frowned slightly as she pressed forward.

I held her gaze with a frown of my own.

"What question?"

Ceres seemed to want to flare up again at that point.

"You..."

"You barge into my room, try to kill me, destroy half my stuff—" i gestured lazily around the mess that was my room now, "—And now you're asking me questions like we're having a normal conversation."

In all honesty, i was at a very precarious point in my life where i couldn't care about Ceres' background, or if what she said or not was true. As long as i wasn't dragged into any of it. I had too much on my plate already.

Ceres didn't respond.

I shook my head letting out a dry scoff, and tried to get up.

"Unbelievable."

I shifted. My ribs protested causing me to wince and only fueling my irritation more.

Ceres continued to watch me with something seething in her red eyes behind her silver bangs. I almost thought she eas going to jump back on me again.

I turned to look back at her.

"You keep saying 'i'm not normal'," i clicked my tongue, " but what does that even mean?"

Ceres narrowed her eyes. "Don't play dumb."

"I'm not," i replied immediately, bluntly.

Then—

I shrugged, feigning indifference. "You just haven't said anything that actually makes sense."

I paused for a beat. Then continued.

"You think I'm from this Garden place — I'm not. In fact, never heard of it. Sounds like a terrible place, by the way."

"Then you accuse me of being an Irregular — I'm supposed to be some once-in-a-generation existence? Do i look that special to you?"

I let out a dry laugh. Full of scorn.

But Ceres didn't answer. Her gaze remained locked on mine.

I met it for a second...them looked away first.

"...I got stronger," my voice came out lower. "No Garden. No backing. No extraordinary talent."

I paused.

"Just defiance. And a whole lot of it."

I gazed back at her. " That's it."

Ceres' eyes sharpened.

"That doesn't explain—"

" I trained."

I cut her off.

Then scoffed. Gesturing at her lazily.

"You would know. You've run into me more than once in the training hall. I basically sleep there."

That was it.

Simple. Flat.

" I almost died in the dungeon. What, you didn't see that part?"

Ceres didn't say anything.

I slowly exhale and shifted on my feet.

"I didn't really have anything. And honestly, I'm to blame for most of it from the start."

I let out another dry laugh, then lingered.

"So i pushed, that's all." My gaze drifted into empty space. " Even now, I'm still pushing. Against everything."

The i looked at her again.

"If that's enough to make me 'not normal' to you..." I scoffed and shrugged lightly. "Then i gotta say, maybe your standards are just messed up. Rightfully though. You are crazy after all."