Chapter 4 – Cold as Ice

The lights of his capsule went dark and he opened the lid just to be welcomed by the darkness of his room. Instead of getting up he just lay there for several minutes in complete silence breathing in and out. The blinking standby-LED of his capsule painted surreal shadows on the wall.

“What the hell just happened?” It was one of the most intense experiences of his life. He could barely get a hold of himself. Though it wasn’t quite what he wanted it to be, it was, no doubt, exciting. With a grim, though determined expression he stepped out of his capsule, flipping the switch on his wall, turning on the lights. He had a task he had to complete, something that was necessary if he wanted to move forward without regret.

He took a look at the clock and was surprised to see that it was only 6pm. “Guess they weren’t kidding, the time conversion is really four to one.”

Fortunately that left him with enough time for a quick shower. He thought about putting on his best clothes but he wasn’t on his way to impress anybody. He was out to get some answers and he wouldn’t get them by playing nice.

Putting on a simple blue shirt and his jeans, he picked up his keys and wallet before leaving his dorm room.

Those that saw him walking out of the building in the direction of the university cafeteria got shivers from locking at him. It was almost as if the pressure around him was higher than usual, making everyone subliminally lowering their head in front of him before getting out of his way.

That wasn’t his usual behavior, far from it, but on his way to face his new found foes he played out what happened to him over and over again in his mind, which caused him to get angrier by the minute. Though he was boiling on the inside, his face was a mask of calmness, making him all the more intimidating.

Without looking left and right, immersed in his anger, Frank went straight to the cafeteria. Of course Jane and her friends weren’t sitting among the rows of tables for the normal students, but had a separate, be it open, room with furniture more luxurious and fancy.

The main room and the one they were currently occupying were separated by two large pillars thus allowing the average Joe a glimpse into a world they could only dream about. Hell, they even brought one of their security guards (yes some were not only rich but also had important families) to act as a bouncer and made the poor guy stand between the two pillars. He looked somewhat miserable, a trained professional being used as a common bouncer.

When Frank approached the separate area that same guy tensed up slightly seeing a clearly agitated man approaching him.

“Sorry I can’t let you through here.”

Frank thought about throwing a punch, although he never started a fight in his life, that’s how angry he was. But that guy didn’t look like a pushover, so he wasn’t sure he could take him on. Also he really didn’t want to hurt someone who didn’t do anything wrong and just did his job.

Noticing an unusual pin attached to his collar Frank eased up and took out his wallet, showing the man the same pin he always carried around at which the man dressed in typical black also relaxed visibly.

The pin is only awarded to those that complete a special military program known as “Guidance and Training beyond Military Basics”, GTMB. It sounded harmless enough, but those who knew about it called it “Hell’s Mayhem”. Only those with numerous recommendations and in supreme physical condition were even allowed to try it and the drop-out rate was still above 90%. Two weeks of insane, mind breaking, physical destructive training.

There were only about twenty people a year who could call themselves graduates of Hells Mayhem and they were instructed to always carry around their awarded pin, called Hell’s badge, because if you ever met someone who also carried it you knew you dealt with a brother in arms.

Of course that’s what they told you. After you get used to civilian life it’s of course different and you start to think all that was just some talk by uniformed men who forgot how the normal world worked. Still, a part of you always remembers and in this situation it helped Frank to get what he came for.

“Nice to meet a fellow survivor.” Frank started to talk. “So when did you graduate?”

The man in front of him showed a smile on his face. “Been a while for me, 15 years ago, what about you, you seem really young for someone carrying Hell’s badge.

“15 years ago? I heard that was a rough year.” Of course he had no idea if that was true, but military men always prided themselves on being the hardest of the hard. “I just got mine around a year ago, I guess I joined early.”

Actually he was one of the youngest and lowest ranked to ever graduate from the GTMB, as he was only about a year into his service time. Normally you had to at least be part of the army for two years to be even allowed to participate in the training, but as he worked harder and more than anyone he knew, he was given a chance. And he barely made it through.

He wasn’t the strongest, but he was strong. He wasn’t the fastest, but he was fast. He wasn’t the best shot, but he was good. If there was anything he was the best in, it was his perseverance. Where others gave up, he stubbornly pushed forward. Were others fell, he stood up again. No matter how often he was knocked down, he rose and rose again until he was the only one left.

Because he knew, in the end, no one was stronger, no one was faster and no one was better than the last man standing.

Frank had to smile as he thought about it. Being knocked down seemed to be a common occurrence in his life and here he was, on the ground again. But he was determined to rise another time, because that was just who he was. ‘Guess I’m a stubborn fool.’

“Listen, I just need to have a few words with a... friend of mine. I’ll be gone in five minutes, I promise.” After a little bit of hesitation the man nodded and allowed Frank to pass.

“But only talking, wouldn’t want to have a fight with a fellow graduate.” He said it only half-jokingly as he was still doing his job, but Frank just smiled and thanked him. “Same here.”

He didn’t think he had to face this kind of trouble just to get into a part of the cafeteria, damn, what was wrong with this university. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have enrolled into a private academy, weird rules and preferential treatment everywhere.’

Finally he was able to do what he came for. So he walked straight up to the table a couple of meters ahead. It was placed under a huge window, allowing the sunset’s dying light to enter. It would have been rather pretty if it hadn’t been for all the electric lights destroying the atmosphere and a couple of treacherous bastards sitting there.

Immersed in their food they only noticed him when he was almost at their table and their feelings were obvious to him. Salena, well Anna, if he remembered correctly, looked outside the window. ‘You don’t care at all? Well good for you.’

The twins Humpty and Dumpty, or something like that, smiled maliciously, Jane seemed rather annoyed and Steve’s face showed nothing but contempt.

Frank stopped in front of Jane’s chair. He tried to not let his anger show too much and kept his voice as calm as possible. “Do you have something to tell me?”

Instead of her Steve spoke up, his voice filled with hatred and mockery. “Still haven’t learned your lesson you…?” Frank didn’t let him finish. “SHUT UP F**KFACE!” He roared directly at him.

Everyone around them fell silent and he heard the security guard chuckle behind him. ‘Guess he hates Steve too, can’t blame him.”

More surprised than intimidated Steve closed his mouth and stared dumbfounded. The others at the table were likewise startled.

After two seconds Jane regained her composure and stared at him, now not only annoyed but angry too.

“What do you want Frank?” He didn’t waver. “Answers, why did you do it? I thought we were friends.”

She didn’t seem to think so. “Friends? Why? Because we knew each other when we were kids? Please, I knew of bunch of people back than and that’s in the past. We don’t live in the same world Frank. Get that through your thick skull. You approaching me all the time, calling and starting to talk so familiarly, that’s only an annoyance, I really don’t need a pet. Well I have to admit, you were kind of useful today and now that you have done your duty be a good doggy and waggle your tail somewhere else.”

Now it was his turn to be completely aghast and it took him a moment to take in what he just heard.

Meanwhile the three guys on the table regained their smug grins that made him so angry he just wanted to smash them. Without him noticing Anna was fidgeting uncomfortably.

“Just what happened to you Jane?” He shook his head in disbelief. He didn’t know if he should be angry or sad, so he went for confused.

“I grew up Frank, maybe you should too and realize where you belong as it’s certainly not here.”

He still couldn’t fathom what she said and continued clenching his fists.

Letting out his breath he grabbed a golden chain around his neck and yanked it off. He held it in front of her, showing her the golden pendant picturing the face of a saint.

“Do you remember this?” Her eyes widened slightly but after she looked at Steve she shook her head. “I have never seen it before, it’s rather tacky.”

Frank just sighed sadly. “It’s Petrus, patron of the shipwrecked. It belonged to your grandfather and you gave it to me at my parents’ funeral as I was lost in a sea of grief. You told me back then I just had to close my eyes, hold the pendant and think of my parents or think of you and I would feel better.”

He smiled bitterly. “And so I did. You know, over the years when I lay in my bed in the orphanage, thinking I was all alone in this world, without a place where I belonged, when it was all just too much, I held this pendant tight and thought about the kind girl who gave me so much joy. I was hoping to see her again almost every day.” He dropped the necklace into her lap.

“It’s unimaginable sad that the beautiful girl I liked so much is gone and I will never be able to meet her again and tell her how much she helped me. So take the pendant and lay it next to the grave of that girl.”

It should have been beyond embarrassing for him telling her all this, but it felt alleviative as he wanted to leave this whole ordeal behind him.

Jane fell silent as her gaze rested on the pendent. He didn’t even want to look at her anymore so he turned to leave just to hear Steve say. “Should we be impressed now or what?”

Frank just smiled eerily as he faced him. “No, you shouldn’t be impressed, you should be scared. I promise you, as soon as we meet in Novus Vita I will make sure you suffer a cruel death, worse than you could imagine in your most horrifying nightmares.” Those almost whispered words gave Steve and the twins a chill despite the claim being quite ridiculous considering their state in the game.

Jane still looked silently at the pendant on her lap. Anna had her fists clenched under the table and continued to watch outside the window while slightly shivering.

Frank didn’t see any of it as he left right after he finished talking. On his way out he put his fingers on his head giving a casual salute to the overqualified bouncer who did the same while smiling broadly.

The people in the main room couldn’t really hear anything of the conversation he had but they understood that he had a fight with Steve and his crew. Frank was pretty well liked by many students as he was very easygoing and friendly. Despite his good grades and more than decent looks he wasn’t arrogant and helped anyone who was in need.

Still, he didn’t have any really close friends, only acquaintances he nonetheless called friends, pals and whatnot. He just didn’t open up enough to form close bonds. So it wasn’t surprising no one approached him as he left the cafeteria and instead pretended to be busy eating.

Additionally everyone knew you shouldn’t mess with Steve and his guys. Not only were their parents vastly influential, he had a whole lot of wannabe goons he kept on arm’s length but close enough to use them. One of the few who didn’t know or simply didn’t care was Frank.

Feeling relieved he left the university. The people who were intimidated when he came, were now surprised to see his smile. In his head he already formed a plan on what to do next.

He went to the local supermarket and bought enough instant meals to last him for two weeks with the occasional order from the delivery service. Since he started to enjoy his, as he called it, life of freedom (no orphanage, no army, no one to tell him what to do, eat and think) he just didn’t want to abstain from eating his beloved pizza every now and then.

Feeling a little bit guilty he also bought a couple of apples just to put a little bit of color in his shopping cart. Along with those he got some toilet paper, tooth paste and basically everything he needed so he wouldn’t have to leave his room for at least a while.

When he finally got home he sat down in front of his computer and wrote a couple of emails telling his friends he wouldn’t come to class for two weeks and that they should inform him if anything important came up. Also that he couldn’t make it to the gym or basically anything that wasn’t an emergency.

Cleaning his room, placing his dumbbells beneath his sandbag in the corner, he looked at his watch.

It was almost 8pm. Instead of having the usual 24 hour day he could just switch to a 30 hour rhythm and if he kept his blinds shut the sun wouldn’t screw with his inner clock, as he didn’t have one and could function at pretty much any time.

Two hours of training, some martial arts or weightlifting, every second day and a quick 20 minute workout on the others should be enough to keep the status quo. He needed another hour to eat and to take care of what needed to be done, well more or less. Of course he also needed to sleep around six hours if he was awake for 24 hours.

That left him an average of around 22 hours of gaming out of his 30 hour day. Or he could just forget about his plans and play as much as he wanted until he would collapse, though he knew his body and mind could take some abuse.

He once studied 60 hours straight, stubbornly refusing to give in into sleep. After acing the exam he slept for sixteen hours. If the goal was important enough and he wanted to reach it at any cost, the way he got there was sometimes not very pretty, but he was alright with that.

So here he was, standing in front of his capsule with a grin on his face and a goal in front of him. He already knew, it might get messy, it might be painful and he might have to kick major ass but he looked forward to one of those and was ok with the other two.

Still smiling as he looked forward to seeing Lily again, he lay down inside his capsule and shut the lid.

“Connect to Novus Vita.”

Back to Main Page

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Author’s Note:

Hope you like the new chapter,

As always, I’m grateful for suggestions and if you find any mistakes.

The next chapter is at about 40-50% done, so it should be online by tomorrow, it will also be a little bit longer than this one.