RUTHLESS

#1 The Wrath

Ruth

As she jogged down the long, rusty metal-paneled corridor, her calves started to burn from exertion. The musty air smelled of steel, sweat and grease. A few soldiers who passed her, smiled and waved; she did her best to smile back. Her hand touched the wall as she turned a corner and nearly lost track of where she was going. Everyone in camp knew what time training began, but Ruth was running late for the first time in months. The training lobby came into view, with its walls painted a faded green that only made the room feel smaller. She hurried forward, weaving around everyone else and could hear them grumbling behind her. She took her place on the line next to Jo, Daphne and Slake, immediately saluting.

"Where were you?" asked Daphne, who frowned and shook her head slightly.

"I overslept, I guess,'' said Ruth, trying not to sound nervous or defensive, but cursing herself anyway for being both. "It won't happen again."

Daphne just nodded once as if to say it better be true. Ruth studied the floor trying to ignore how mad her friend seemed to be.

"Cadet Hart.", The coach says with a cold tone of voice, and narrows his eyes at Ruth as if he was warning her.

"Yes, sir. I overslept.", Ruth answers with a hint of shame in her voice.

The coach looks at Ruth for a moment before nodding his head. "Well, then you better make up for lost time, Cadet." He barks out orders and the training begins.

Ruth was determined to make up for lost time as she pushed herself harder than ever before. She was sweating profusely, her muscles trembling with exertion. Her friends looked at her with concern but didn't say anything. The coach was shouting at them, urging them to run faster, hit harder, and aim true. Ruth felt like collapsing, but she refused to give up. She knew that if she quit now, she would never forgive herself.

As the training session wore on, Ruth became more and more focused. She blocked out the coach's voice and concentrated on her breathing and her movements. She felt like she was in a trance, moving on pure instinct. She didn't notice the other cadets falling behind her or the coach's approving nods.

Finally, the training session was over. Ruth collapsed on the ground, panting and gasping for breath. Her friends gathered around her, patting her on the back and congratulating her. The coach came over and looked down at her with a hint of respect in his eyes. "Good job, Cadet Hart," he said in a gruff voice. "You sure made up for lost time."

Ruth smiled weakly, too exhausted to say anything. She felt a sense of pride in herself, knowing that she had pushed herself to her limits and had come out on top. As she lays there, trying to catch her breath, she couldn't help but think about how far she had come since she first started to train in The Wrath. She had always been a clumsy and awkward kid, but now she was a strong and capable cadet, ready to serve The Swarm.

As she got up and walked out of the training lobby, Ruth felt a sense of purpose coursing through her veins. She knew that she had a long way to go before she could become a full-fledged soldier, but she was determined to get there. With each passing day, she trained harder, studied longer, and pushed herself further.

As she got up and walked out of the training lobby, she spots her best friend, Dara, leaning against a wall, clearly waiting for her.

Dara greets her, as cocky and confident as ever,
"Hey there, Cadet Hart," Dara says with a smirk. "Looks like you're finally catching up to the rest of us."

Ruth bristles at the comment, feeling a twinge of annoyance.

"I can hold my own, Dara," she retorts, trying to keep her tone light. "Just because I overslept doesn't mean I'm any less capable than you."

Dara raises an eyebrow, still smirking.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Hart," she says, before wandering off to talk to some other cadets. Ruth rolls her eyes, feeling a mix of irritation and affection for her friend. Dara could be infuriating at times, but she was also Ruth's best friend in The Wrath. They had bonded over their shared childhood and their desire to serve the Wrath. As Ruth walks outside, she looks around the Wrathen Empire and takes a deep breath of cold air. There are factories and unsteady buildings that stretch out for miles. The sky is murky gray, with no hint of sunshine. Ruth shivers, feeling the cold seeping into her bones. She pulls her jacket tighter around her and starts walking towards the barracks.

As she walks, she can't help but feel a sense of unease. The city is tense, with soldiers patrolling the streets and civilians hurrying about their business.

Suddenly, while crossing the concrete expanse of the city plaza, Ruth hears a familiar voice shouting from behind her. She slows in her steps and turns around to see Dara running towards her.

"Wait up!" Dara yells as she jogged up to Ruth, seemingly out of breath.

"Don't just leave me there like that." She adds and scoffs, her nose wrinkling into a grin. The brunette slowed down, and walked next to Ruth. Ruth rolls her eyes but can't help but smile.

"You were talking to the others," she says, teasingly. "I didn't want to interrupt."

Dara grins. "Oh, come on. You know you're my favorite training partner."

Ruth laughs, feeling a sense of camaraderie with her friend. They start walking towards the barracks, chatting about their day and their plans for the weekend. As they approach the barracks, a group of soldiers suddenly appears in front of them. Ruth and Dara stop in their tracks. The soldiers are wearing black armor and carrying weapons, their faces covered by masks.

"State your names and identification numbers," one of the soldiers commands in a deep voice. Ruth and Dara exchange a quick glance before stepping forward.

"I'm Cadet Hart, ID number 43726," Ruth says, trying to keep her voice steady. "And this is Cadet Wolf, ID number 43727."

The soldier nods, scanning their IDs with a device.

"You're clear," he says, stepping aside to let them pass. "But watch your back, cadets. There's been some suspicious activity in the area."