The room emptied.
Marcus and Cole left first, both buzzing with anticipation, already talking over each other about how strong they were going to get once they downed their vials. Neither of them looked remotely worried about the pain.
Erin lingered a moment longer, rolling her shoulders again, clearly still getting used to the changes. She decided she'd practice in the gym area, in order to get used to her new body.
Gabriel exhaled slowly.
Arthur's words echoed in his head.
Do a workout first. Until you are close to collapsing.
Time to test if that was good advice.
He turned and headed for the gym with Erin.
⸻
Gabriel didn't ease into it.
He pushed himself immediately, moving from machine to machine without rest. Rowing, weights, resistance cables, bodyweight exercises he hadn't done since before the trials ever began.
His muscles burned early, but he ignored it.
Sweat soaked through his clothes. His breathing grew rough, uneven at times, so he took small breaks. Every movement felt heavier than the last, but he kept going.
Minutes blurred into an hour.
Then another.
By the end of the second hour, his vision swam. His hands trembled violently whenever he stopped moving. His legs felt like they were packed with wet cement.
Hundreds of other contestants had wandered into the gym at some point, some staying for exercise, some passing through.
They stared.
Not openly, but enough for Gabriel to notice. Side glances. Pauses mid-exercise. Looks that said the same thing.
What the hell is wrong with him?
Gabriel nearly laughed.
He staggered away from the last machine, wiping sweat from his face, every joint screaming in protest. His heart hammered painfully against his ribs.
That should do it.
He dragged himself to the nearest wall and leaned his forehead against the cool surface for a moment, breathing through clenched teeth.
Then he raised his hand and knocked three times.
The wall rippled.
A door formed.
Gabriel pushed through.
The corridor felt longer than usual.
Every step sent jolts of pain up his legs. By the time he reached his room, his body was shaking uncontrollably.
"Maybe I," Gabriel paused, for a breath, "over-did it." He muttered.
The door sealed behind him.
Gabriel made his way into the kitchen area, eyes fixed on the glass cabinet.
Three vials waited inside.
He opened the cabinet easily this time. No shock.
He took them out one by one, turning one in his hand, watching the faint glow swirl inside the glass.
This better have been worth it.
He didn't hesitate any longer.
Gabriel uncorked the first vial and drank it.
Then the second.
Then the third.
The pain hit him instantly.
It wasn't gradual. It wasn't building.
It was total.
Gabriel screamed.
His body seized as if struck by lightning. He collapsed forward, crashing onto the floor as agony tore through him from the inside out. It felt like his bones were being snapped and reset at the same time, his muscles tearing and reforging, his organs shifting violently within his chest.
He clawed at the floor, nails scraping uselessly against the surface.
His organs burned.
His bones crushed.
His body broke.
His spine arched violently as something deep inside him rearranged itself. He could feel it. Every change. Every fracture. Every internal movement was painfully clear.
His scream shredded into a hoarse, broken sound as his throat strained.
Seconds stretched endlessly.
A full minute passed in pure, unrelenting agony.
Then, at last, it stopped.
Gabriel's body went slack and his consciousness followed a moment later.
⸻
Gabriel woke with a sharp gasp.
For a second, nothing made sense.
The room felt wrong.
Too small. He stood up.
"What the—"
He froze.
The room had definitely shrunk.
No.
He had grown.
Gabriel took a step, then another, heart beginning to race again. His reflection in the smooth surface of the wall caught his eye.
He was taller.
Six foot six, at least.
His frame was broader too. Not bulky, but solid. Everything about him felt… reinforced.
Erin only grew an inch, maybe less.
This was definitely different, Gabriel had grown maybe two inches. Arthur's advice was gold.
Gabriel grinned, flexing his hand experimentally.
Power surged through the motion.
Gabriel looked at the counter.
He frowned. The flashlight was still here.
Whoops! I was meant to give that back to Arthur.
Gabriel picked it up.
His grip tightened—
Crunch.
The casing folded in on itself like thin plastic. The light flickered once, then died completely.
Gabriel stared at the crushed torch in his hand.
"…Oh no."
He loosened his grip immediately, letting the broken remains fall onto the counter.
Gabriel exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders, feeling the strength humming under his skin.
He straightened, eyes narrowing slightly.
Alright. Better just tell him the truth, I'll buy him a new one if I need to…
Gabriel climbed atop his bed, and knocked on the wall.
His bed creaked as it sunk into the floor.