The Titan Slayer

Chapter 3

Shadis was amusing.

There was no arguing about that. The towering man brought entertainment to Anais's daily training. Not that it wasn't that the past few days of training itself wasn't amusing enough. Anais took pleasure in watching a select few of her peers fail disastrously. Because, then again, almost everyone did.

In a way, it was comical because of their dire position. The pressure of getting eliminated was upon everyone's shoulders.

Anais furrowed her brow as she stood in line, preparing to get into the weird contraption that resembled the use of the ODM gear. The rules of the ODM aptitude evaluation were simple: if you could remain upright, you passed. There were worried whispers around her as Shadis started explaining in his usual obnoxious, crude yelling.

Anais remembered that Isabel had mentioned the ODM gear quite a lot in her letters. Mainly about how much she loved it. Isabel said that it allowed her to fly like a bird. Anais smiled a little. Isabel just loved the freedom that it provided her.

Anais analyzed the three colossal simulators in front of her. Each consisted of three gigantic shafts that were implanted into the ground and connected high above the cadets. Dangling from it was a leather pouch that allowed the space of a person to sit in it. Anais smirked at the pure ingenuity of the ODM gear. It was a profound invention that allowed humans to break free of their limits to two-dimensional movements and progress to accommodate movements in the third dimension. Sure, it required rigorous practice and training to achieve the physical strength needed, but Anais was impatient to give it a try. It couldn't be that hard.

Sure enough, when it was her turn, she saddled herself in it, and one of the instructors started reeling her up. The trick is to focus your center of gravity on your legs and stomach. You could do it effortlessly, Ness, with your inhumane agility. Then it's all mental. Because after the balance, it's just the mental strength to stay tough in the middle of chaos. Anais shifted her weight slightly as her legs lifted off the ground, moving so she wouldn't topple over. The balance came naturally. Her body adjusted itself in a way that it hung in the straps leisurely and stably. Anais glanced down at her peers. Giddy from the fact that she was freaking looking down at them. Anais could recognize a few of the people that she had talked to in the past several days. Anais could see her roommate, Petra Ral, grinning wildly with pride and admiration.

Anais liked Petra for a few reasons: The main one was that she reminded Anais of Isabel. A lot. Another was that Petra was just naturally amiable. Anais couldn't help herself. The last was that Petra was only around eight centimeters taller than her. Petra didn't loom over Anais like all the other people here.

Anais smiled softly at Petra when she caught her attention, and Petra returned her smile with an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Anais felt herself descending as Shadis hollered the pass for Anais. She saw the irritation flit across his face, and that made up for the delightful moment that she was being deprived of. How often was it that Anais could look down at her companions? She felt her feet touch the solid ground, and she found herself smiling from the moment of adrenaline that that experience gave her. She could only imagine what it would be like to use actual ODM gear.

Even at lunch, Anais could still feel the remains of the ecstasy coursing through her. She stared out at the rolling hills in front of her and tore off a piece of her bread to nibble at it. Eating this close to nature was a rare indulgence to Anais, which was why since day one, she had snuck out of the main cabin to dine under the blazing sun of noon. Anais cherished this extravagance with all her heart. She welcomed the tender touch of the sun against her sensitive skin and appreciated how the gentle breeze combed through her hair, which she now wore in a high ponytail when she was in training.