Guldrin’s Gluttony: Family Bound by Speed & Food

Rewinding time a bit, we travel back to the day Alisa appeared. 

The smell of sizzling spices and roasted meat wafted through the air and roused Guldrin from his sleep. His nose twitched as the tantalizing aroma invaded his senses, dragging him out of slumber and into consciousness. His first groggy yet sincere words were, "Smells good…"

Alisa stood in the kitchen, the source of this aromatic assault, as she carefully plated her creation. The Hell-Gator steak, succulent cuts of meat from a creature she had hunted years ago, but was suspended in a state of perpetual freshness, was perfectly charred and seasoned with a blend of spices bordering on the dangerous flavorful side. Beside the steak lay a vibrant array of roasted vegetables, their colors vivid enough to make the meal seem almost too beautiful to eat. 

Almost.

"About time you woke up," Alisa said with a smirk, her synthetic yet true voice carrying a hint of teasing warmth. "Come on, before it gets cold. I made it tailored to your unique constitution, it's designed for results."

Guldrin shuffled over, his hair sticking up at odd angles, and plopped into a chair with a yawn. Shiro joined him, her own curiosity piqued by the promise of what Alisa had cooked.

The first bite was an explosion of flavor. The Hell-Gator meat was tender yet robust, its natural intensity balanced by the bold spices Alisa had used. Guldrin paused mid-chew, his eyes widening in pleasant surprise.

"This is… amazing," he mumbled through a mouthful, earning an approving nod from Alisa.

Shiro, ever composed, took her first bite with more grace. Her eyes briefly closed, savoring the taste before she nodded in agreement. "It's excellent. But I feel… something else."

Both paused as a warm, invigorating sensation coursed through their bodies. It was as if the meal was more than just food, it was fuel, fuel that ignited something deep within their beings. 

By the time their plates were clean, they felt different.

Guldrin flexed his fingers, noticing a subtle toughness in his skin. It wasn't visible, but it was there, a hardness that hinted at an increase in durability. 

Shiro, meanwhile, felt an odd warmth coursing through her veins, as though the meal had awakened a latent affinity for fire.

"My systems have confirmed the results," Alisa said, her eyes briefly glowing as she scanned their physiological changes. "You've both gained an increase in Endurance. Guldrin, your dermal layers have subtly hardened, increasing resistance to physical trauma. Shiro, you've developed a minor proficiency in fire manipulation. The Hell-Gator's essence was potent and seems to have worked its magic."

Guldrin blinked at her, both impressed and mildly concerned. "You just… know all that by looking at us?"

"I'm not just a cook or nanny… I am a fully functioning caretaker, fighter, and bringer of destruction." Alisa said, her smile betraying a touch of smugness.

Shiro tilted her head thoughtfully. "This is incredible, it seems you aren't the only one who can gain benefits by eating anymore, Hubby-San, but… what now? What's the plan?"

Alisa clasped her hands together, her expression turning serious. "Now, we discuss the next steps."

Guldrin groaned, half-joking, "Next steps? Is this where you tell us it's time for a training montage?"

To his dismay, Alisa nodded. "Precisely. Your potential is wasted without proper discipline. You've both gained strength, but strength without control is chaos. We'll be addressing that. You're both fledglings in need of guidance."

Shiro leaned forward, ever the pragmatist. "But what about Letty and Mia? They'll be back soon. How do we explain you, Alisa? You're not exactly… subtle."

Alisa waved off the concern. "Don't worry about me. If you wish to keep them unaware of my existence and your true origins, I can camouflage myself. My consciousness can integrate into technology, allowing me to remain hidden while still providing support."

Guldrin perked up at the suggestion. "Mom and Mia said they would be home in 3–5 days, they didn't tell me what they were doing but if I were to guess, it has something to do with Brian and there-" He cut himself off, Alisa's words finally reaching him, "Wait, you can like, integrate into tech? That's… actually perfect. I've been working on a smartwatch that could use an upgrade."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a sleek black-and-gold device. The screen flickered to life, displaying basic readouts of time, weather, and vitals. "It's a prototype. Tracks health stats, plays music via headphones or Bluetooth, and even gives weather updates. I was hoping to add an AI to it, but, well…" 

He shrugged sheepishly. "I'm not exactly great at coding one from scratch. I am, however, getting better at it" He holds up a book that says, "Coding For Dummies" 

Alisa chuckled lightly and studied the watch, her mechanical eyes narrowing as she assessed it. "Impressive… This will suffice. If you allow me, I can inhabit this device. It will not only conceal my presence but also enhance its functionality, who knows what kind of changes my presence will bring..."

"Wait," Guldrin interjected, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Are you an AI, though? I mean, you're an android, but…"

Shiro seeing him devolving into his tech mode, smacked him on the back of the head lightly, "Don't be rude."

Alisa gave them a wry smile. "I'm a little more than that. Let's just say I'm… complicated. For now, let's focus on the task at hand. If you're serious about this training montage, we'll need to stop wasting time with these talks," She clearly didn't want to explain her origins, and they easily picked up on this dropping the topic.

The mood shifted as Alisa's tone turned stern. "Guldrin, Shiro, the path you're on isn't easy. If you want to survive, and be worthy of the namesake, you will need to push yourselves beyond your limits. That means Hell-Mode Training, aptly dubbed this by Jin."

Guldrin's laugh came out more like a nervous squeak, his usual bravado crumbling under Alisa's icy stare. "Hell Mode? Really? Isn't there a less terrifying way to phrase it? Like... uh, 'Intense Training Adventure' or something?"

Alisa's unyielding expression made it clear she was not in the mood for word games. "No," she said, her tone as sharp as a blade. "Hell Mode is precisely what it is. You will endure physical conditioning, mental fortitude drills, strategic combat simulations, magical theory and application, practical survival exercises, and simulated battles designed to exploit every weakness you have. And that's just the warm-up."

Guldrin swallowed hard, his eyes darting toward Shiro, who remained calm and composed. She didn't even blink as Alisa conjured something in the corner of the room with a swift motion of her hand. The air seemed to twist and crackle, bending light into an elaborate, glowing orange portal. 

It shimmered with a strange, otherworldly energy, making the room feel like it might tear itself apart at any moment.

"That," Alisa said, gesturing to the portal, "is the entrance to the Mirror Dimension. A pocket realm where time flows differently. I learned this from a monk who asked me to not destroy the world, in exchange for her teachings. What feels like hours in there will amount to mere minutes out here. It's the perfect environment for accelerated training."

Guldrin tilted his head, trying to grasp the concept. "Mirror Dimension? Sounds… uh, really cool, actually. And terrifying. How does it work? Why does it appear? Can tech replicate it? Wait… She is tech? If she can do it, there is no reason I couldn't make something that could do it? *Mutter, Mutter, Mutter*" He spiraled into a thinking fit as he ignored the outside world.

Shiro's calm voice broke the tension. "If it will make us stronger, we should go."

Alisa's lips curled into a faint smile. "Good. But know this: the Hell-Mode Training Mirror Dimension is merciless. It will test you in ways you can't imagine. You'll face your fears, your limits, and your pain. You'll break… but you'll also rebuild, stronger than ever. Are you ready?"

Guldrin was brought out of his thoughts as he stared at the portal, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple. "Do we even have a choice?"

"Not really," Alisa said, her smirk returning.

With a resigned sigh, Guldrin stepped closer to the portal, the heat of its energy brushing against his skin like a warning. "Alright. Let's do this. But you WILL teach me how to make this portal in the future."

The moment they stepped through, the atmosphere shifted. 

The Mirror Dimension was a vast, kaleidoscopic expanse where the ground shimmered like liquid glass and the sky rippled with shifting colors. 

Time felt disjointed here, sluggish yet unnervingly fast, as if the very concept of it were being rewritten over and over again.

Alisa's voice echoed around them, her figure materializing in a spectral form. "Welcome. From this moment on, you are mine to mold. Every breath, every ounce of strength you have, belongs to me and this realm. I will push you beyond what you believe is possible. Begin."

The training started with something deceptively simple: running. Or at least that's what Guldrin thought until he realized the gravity had increased and the terrain beneath him shifted with every step, solid one moment, gelatinous the next, and sometimes even slippery like ice. The ground seemed to mock his every effort, and within minutes, his lungs burned as if he'd been sprinting for hours.

"Keep going!" Alisa's voice thundered, her form appearing beside him. "If you stop, the ground will collapse beneath you."

"What?!" Guldrin shouted, just as the glassy terrain cracked and opened into a chasm beneath his feet. He growled and screamed, scrambling to leap onto solid ground. 

Shiro on the other hand, seemed to react much more reasonably and moved with a fluid grace, her focus unwavering as she adapted to the ever-changing landscape. 

She was a Gamer, was she going to let a little terrain change stop or hinder her?

No.

"Don't just react!" Alisa barked. "Predict! Learn to see the patterns!"

By the time the running session ended, Guldrin collapsed onto the shifting ground, gasping for air. "This… this is insane."

"We've barely begun," Alisa said, her tone merciless.

Next came combat drills. Guldrin and Shiro were pitted against phantoms, hazy, spectral figures that moved with blinding speed and struck with bone-jarring force. Each blow they landed sent shivers of pain radiating through their bodies, but the phantoms were relentless.

"Focus! These are some of the strongest fighters from mine and Jin's world! Learn, adapt, and anticipate!" Alisa shouted. "You can't win by brute force alone. Use your surroundings. Use your minds!"

Shiro adapted quickly, her movements becoming more precise with each encounter. She parried and countered with growing confidence, her fire proficiency manifesting in small bursts that staggered the phantoms. Guldrin, on the other hand, struggled. Every swing of his knife felt heavier, every dodge slower.

"You're thinking too much!" Alisa snapped. "Stop overanalyzing and trust your instincts!" She certainly wasn't going to tell him that his training was at least five times harder than Shiro's.

Through sheer determination, Guldrin began to improve. His strikes became more fluid, his reactions sharper. When a phantom lunged at him, he sidestepped with a newfound grace, driving his weapon into its ethereal form. It dissolved with a hiss, leaving behind a faint, glowing residue that seeped into his skin.

"What… was that?" Guldrin gasped, his chest heaving as he sprawled on the ground. His sweat-soaked hair clung to his forehead, and his limbs felt like they had been replaced with lead. He didn't even have the energy to look at Alisa properly, but the tone of his voice made his exhaustion evident.

"Your reward," Alisa said, her voice calm, almost amused. "The energy of the Mirror Dimension enhances you. But only if you earn it."

Guldrin groaned, dragging himself up into a sitting position. His body ached in ways he hadn't thought possible, it felt like even his soul was sore. But Alisa wasn't done. She clapped her hands together sharply, and the shimmering reality of the Mirror Dimension shifted around them, the environment melting and reforming as if the world itself was alive.

"Next drill," Alisa announced, her words as sharp as the crack of a whip. "We're not stopping yet. No time to rest, your enemies will NOT give you time to recover. PUSH PAST YOUR LIMITS!~"

The drills came one after another, each more grueling than the last. There was no time to adjust or even process the challenges before the next one hit. They found themselves thrown into zero-gravity combat, their bodies floating aimlessly while Alisa barked instructions on how to propel themselves using mana bursts. "No flailing! Control your movement, or you're just a sitting duck!"

The moment they got the hang of that, Guldrin finally managing a somewhat controlled spin to avoid a projectile, the scene morphed again. Darkness enveloped them, a deep, impenetrable blackness that seemed to press against their skin like a living thing. "Your senses are your greatest weapon. Learn to see without seeing!" Alisa's voice rang out, disembodied, as glowing orbs of light zipped past them at breakneck speed.

Guldrin stumbled, swiping at the air uselessly. "This is impossible! How are we supposed to fight in this?"

Shiro, on the other hand, stood stock-still, her breathing calm and measured. She closed her eyes and let the silence envelop her, her hands moving like water as she began deflecting the glowing orbs with startling accuracy. "It's not impossible," she said, her voice steady. "You just have to listen."

Once again, Alisa hadn't told them that she had limited Guldrin's sense a time and a half more than she had done to Shiro.

Guldrin growled under his breath, steeling himself. If Shiro could do it, he could too, or so he told himself as another orb smacked him squarely in the face sending him flying.

The darkness faded just as Guldrin thought he might lose his mind, replaced by the suffocating weight of water. They were underwater now, their bodies adjusting to the pressure as Alisa's voice reached them through the watery haze. "Adapt or drown! Your lungs can take it, but only if you push them to their limits. You are not human, forget those limitations!"

Guldrin felt his chest tighten, panic clawing at him as his instincts screamed for air. Shiro swam beside him, her movements fluid and precise as she gestured for him to focus. He forced himself to mimic her, his limbs burning as he fought against the water's resistance.

By the time the day ended, if it could even be called a day in the timeless expanse of the Mirror Dimension, Guldrin and Shiro were utterly spent. Every muscle in their bodies screamed in protest as they collapsed onto the shimmering ground. Guldrin could barely keep his eyes open, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

"You've done well," Alisa said, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. She stood over them, her usually stern expression softened ever so slightly. "But this is only the beginning. Rest now. Tomorrow will be harder."

Guldrin groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Harder? How is that even possible? We've already died at least three times today."

Shiro managed a small, tired smile, her head tilted toward him. "We're getting stronger. I can feel it."

"Strong enough to collapse, maybe," Guldrin muttered, though he couldn't deny the faint spark of pride that flickered in his chest. He'd survived, barely, but he'd survived. It was helpful that death didn't actually mean dying inside this fantastical realm.

Alisa approached, carrying a large bowl of steaming soup in each hand. The aroma hit Guldrin like a wave, his stomach growling loudly in response. "Eat," she commanded, placing the bowls in front of them. "This will help your bodies recover. It's made specifically for this kind of training. Eat as much as you want, I made plenty."

Guldrin didn't need to be told twice. He attacked the bowl with the ferocity of a starving animal, the rich, savory flavors flooding his senses as he devoured the contents in record time. "This is amazing," he mumbled through a mouthful, already reaching for more.

"You shouldn't tell this bottomless pit of a stomach that he can eat as much as he wants," Shiro said, though she was holding out her empty bowl for a refill as she spoke. She looked down at it, frowning slightly. "Though… I might be turning into him. This didn't even make a dent."

Alisa chuckled, her laugh low and warm as she filled their bowls again. "I've dealt with Goldbloods for years," she said, shaking her head fondly. "Trust me, I know their hunger is unmatched. It is a trait gained from the blood of Vritra, his unique constitution and ability are gained when you bathe, inject, or otherwise integrate the blood into your body. The constitution and ability make both of your bodies insatiable outside and during intense training. You're lucky I'm prepared."

Guldrin paused mid-bite, raising an eyebrow at her. "Wait, so this hunger thing is normal? I thought I was just… broken or something."

Alisa smirked, her gaze meeting his. "Oh, you're definitely broken. But in a good way. Now eat. You'll need your strength."

They ate in silence after that, the weight of the day settling over them like a heavy blanket. Despite the aching in his muscles and the exhaustion pulling at his mind, Guldrin felt a strange sense of satisfaction. He glanced at Shiro, who was quietly finishing her soup, her usual calmness masking the storm of determination that burned in her eyes.

"You're really okay with this?" Guldrin asked, his voice low and soft, almost lost in the stillness of their temporary respite. His eyes searched hers, seeking something, reassurance, perhaps, or maybe an answer to the question he didn't know how to ask.

Shiro looked at him, her expression calm, yet layered with emotions he couldn't quite decipher. For a moment, her face was unreadable, her deep gold and purple eyes holding his gaze like twin embers floating in the abyss. Then, slowly, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I told you," she said softly, her voice steady and unwavering. "I won't leave you. I'm bound to you, as you are to me. We're getting stronger together. That's all that matters."

She paused, her gaze drifting to the side where Emily, Guldrin's feline companion, was lounging in mid-air, as if the laws of gravity had simply given up on her. Shiro blinked, tilting her head slightly in confusion. "Look at Emily. She couldn't care less about all of this… wait a second. Is she floating? Since when can she do that?"

Guldrin turned his head, his brows knitting together as he followed Shiro's gaze. Sure enough, Emily was drifting lazily a few feet off the ground, her fluffy tail flicking back and forth as if to mock their exhaustion. Her white unnerving eyes, filled with an unsettling mix of intelligence and amusement, flicked toward them. She stretched luxuriously, floating higher, as if to emphasize just how little effort she was exerting compared to the two of them.

"You don't need to know, little one," Emily said, her voice smooth and tinged with a teasing lilt. "Just focus on your training. What I do is of no consequence to you or Guldrin at the moment."

Shiro's eyes narrowed, her irritation evident. "You told us your powers were limited. Now you're floating and acting like this is normal? What else are you hiding, you smug furball?"

Emily let out a soft, almost musical laugh, the sound entirely at odds with her feline form. "I told you, my chains are loosening. I am regaining what was mine." She rolled lazily in mid-air, looking as though she were swimming through the atmosphere. "Besides, why would I burden you with details you can't yet understand? Focus on surviving tomorrow. That's enough for now."

Shiro muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a threat involving hair clippers. Guldrin, however, simply shook his head, letting out a tired sigh. He wasn't sure he had the energy to deal with whatever cryptic nonsense Emily was spouting. Not tonight, anyway.

As the shimmering landscape of the Mirror Dimension began to shift once more, its ever-changing patterns swirling and melting like liquid glass, Guldrin let himself sink deeper into the strange, glowing ground beneath him. The warmth of the soup still lingered, soothing the aches and pains that had settled into every inch of his body. For now, he could rest. Tomorrow could wait. That was future Guldrin's issue.

Alisa watched them, her arms crossed as she leaned against an invisible wall that shimmered faintly in the ambient light of the dimension. Her sharp, calculating gaze softened ever so slightly as she regarded the two young warriors sprawled before her. There was a mix of amusement and pride in her expression, though her lips curved into the faintest hint of a smirk.

"You two are tougher than I thought," she said, her tone teasing but not unkind. "Maybe you'll survive this after all."

Guldrin groaned, letting his head loll to the side so he could glare at her weakly. "That's… comforting. Thanks, I guess."

Her laugh rang out, sharp and clear, echoing through the vast expanse around them. It wasn't a cruel sound, but there was a certain edge to it that made Guldrin's stomach twist in anticipation, or maybe dread. "Oh, don't thank me yet," she said, her smirk widening. "Tomorrow's when the real training begins."

Guldrin didn't respond. He simply stared at her for a long moment, his mind replaying the day's grueling exercises. Zero-gravity combat, pitch-black evasion drills, underwater endurance tests, he had no idea how his body was still functioning, let alone what fresh hell she could possibly throw at them next. She had told them this was a warm-up, and he didn't even want to consider how far she was going to push them.

Shiro, meanwhile, was still watching Emily, her irritation fading into something more contemplative. "You keep talking about chains," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "What are you really regaining? And how does it affect us?"

Emily floated down slightly, just enough to hover at eye level with Shiro. Her pale gaze met Shiro's, and for a moment, the playful, smug aura she always carried seemed to fade. Something deeper flickered in her eyes, something ancient and unyielding, almost unnervingly so.

"I am regaining freedom," Emily said simply, her voice devoid of its usual teasing edge. "What I am now is a fragment of what I was or am. But as you grow stronger, so do I. Our fates are intertwined, whether you like it or not. Remember the days you acted superior and cherish them, because those days will dwindle with time..."

Shiro held her gaze for a moment longer, then sighed, leaning back against the ground. "Great. More cryptic riddles. Just what we needed."

Emily's smirk returned as she floated higher once more, resuming her lazy, carefree demeanor. "You'll thank me someday. Or not. Either way, you'll survive, if you're lucky."

Guldrin let out a tired chuckle, his eyelids growing heavy. "If I'm lucky, huh? That's a big if at this rate."

Alisa stepped forward, her presence commanding enough to draw their attention despite their exhaustion. "Luck has nothing to do with it," she said firmly. "Strength, resilience, and determination, those are what will see you through. The Mirror Dimension offers power, but only to those who are willing to endure its trials. Remember that and stop focusing on the primordial spiri-" She was cut off by a glare from Emily that felt like it was going to melt her circuits if she spoke more.

Her words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Guldrin wanted to argue, question what she meant, to tell her that there had to be more to it than just brute force and willpower, but his body betrayed him. His exhaustion won out, and his eyes slid closed, the glowing expanse of the Mirror Dimension fading into darkness.

Shiro watched him for a moment, her gaze softening as she saw the tension in his face melt away. Then she glanced back at Alisa, her expression serious. "You really think we can handle this? To be what you want us to be?"

Alisa's smirk returned, sharp and confident. "If I didn't, I wouldn't bother. Now rest. Tomorrow will push you further than you've ever been. And trust me, you'll need every ounce of strength you can muster."

Shiro nodded, closing her eyes as well. The warmth of the ground beneath her and the lingering taste of the soup brought a fleeting sense of comfort, even as the weight of Alisa's words settled over her like a cloud. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and with it, more trials, more pain, and, hopefully, more strength.

Emily floated above them, her pale white eyes watching silently. Her tail flicked once, twice, as if in thought. Then, with a faint chuckle, she whispered, "Let's see if you're ready for what's to come, little ones. Guldrin, oh Guldrin, if only you remembered anything, but you don't, you will, but right now, you don't… It is cute~"

(Give me your POWER, Please, and Thank You! Leave reviews and comments, they motivate me to continue.)