CHAPTER 4
The training ground was a strange mix of modern and sci-fi. There was a field lined with holographic targets, obstacle courses that looked like they’d been through a war, and sparring arenas surrounded by weathered bleachers.
“First rule,” Dray barked elegantly, pacing before the group, “is that you survive. Second rule is you learn. And if you’re lucky, you’ll do both.”
The session began with grueling physical exercises. Dray paced in front of the group, his sharp eyes scanning their expressions. “Let’s start with a warmup, I call this one the ultimate-set. It consists of a hundred pushups, one hundred situps, fifty pull-ups, a 3-minute plank with 10 pounds of extra weight, and a mile sprint with a vest at least 40% of your bodyweight.”
Amelia and Zack’s jaws dropped to the floor.
***
Zack groaned as he strained to complete even a fraction of the exercises. His arms trembled with the effort of holding a plank, the weight strapped to his back feeling more like a mountain than a vest. “I’m strandless! Why am I even here?” Zack growled, collapsing face-first into the floor after another failed attempt at lasting for 3 minutes.
Dray loomed over him. “Good question. Figure it out, or get out.”
Amelia - also strandless, struggled to keep up with the training just like Zack, albeit at an even higher degree. Dray noticed and walked over, dropping to a squat beside her. “If physical fitness isn’t your strength,” he said, his voice gruff, “then find something else. A strategy, magic, - whatever works. But whining won’t save you.”
Zack, overhearing, groaned. “Why doesn’t she get called out? This isn’t fair!”
Dray spun around, facing him. “Fair? You want fair? I’ll give you fair - ten more sets.”
Zack groaned louder, “I take that back.”
Meanwhile, Lex had little to no struggle during the exercises - he had always been top of every single class - including physical training. Dray noticed this and quickly put him into the sparring matches - way before Zack and Amelia even finished their first set. Typical.
After seemingly hours of physical drills, the three moved to the sparring arena. Dray went over to a control panel, flipped some switches and pressed some buttons, causing the arena to transform with a flicker of holographic magic, its walls rippling like water until they resembled a dense forest. Dray clapped his hands. “Now, let’s see how you handle combat. Each of you will be given access to the storage room, and you may choose any equipment you see fit.”
The heavy metal doors to the storage room groaned as they slid open. Cool blue lights lined the edges of sleek shelves, illuminating an array of weapons and gear. Blades of all shapes and sizes glinted under the light - some forged from steel, others hummed faintly with embedded runes. Rows of gauntlets, bracers, and armor pieces shimmered with iridescent finishes, their surfaces etched with intricate designs. A rack of staffs and bows stood tall in the corner, their frames crafted from wood, metal, and even crystal.
On the far wall, a section was devoted to gadgets—small devices that pulsed with energy, their purposes mysterious yet undeniably tempting. The air carried a faint charge, the hum of energy making the room feel alive. Zack hesitated as he scanned the shelves, his fingers twitching with indecision. “Well, I don’t have a strand, so I guess I’ll need something… practical.” He finally grabbed a pair of lightweight gauntlets embedded with shock-absorbing pads and reinforced knuckles. A small compartment on the wrist held retractable grappling hooks. “These’ll help with punching stuff, and maybe running away if I need to,” he muttered, strapping them on.
Dray raised an eyebrow. “Practical, but let’s see if you can use them.”
Amelia went towards the weapon rack, her gaze lingering on a lightweight rapier. Its blade shimmered faintly with an opalescent sheen, its guard ornately detailed but clearly designed for precision over brute force. She tested its balance, her grip unsure but firm. “This feels… right,” she said softly.
“Do you know how to use it?” Lex teased, earning a glare.
“I’ll figure it out,” she shot back. Amelia also snagged a small energy shield—a compact device that unfolded into a translucent barrier. “Better safe than sorry.”
Lex walked to the bow rack. He picked up a sleek, black recurve bow with intricate gold inlays that pulsed faintly as he touched it. “This looks like it was made more for show,” he remarked. He tested the drawstring, noting the faint hum of energy that vibrated with each pull. “What kind of enchantment is this? Looks nice.”
Dray laughed loudly. “It’s the self-repair enchantment - nearly all our equipment has it. We don’t want to waste our stuff after all. It’s not a bad choice, but bows aren’t too good at close range. What’s your plan if someone gets in your face?”
Lex grabbed a dagger from the adjacent shelf without missing a beat. “We’ll just have to see.”
Vey leaned against the doorway, her sharp eyes appraising each choice. “Interesting picks,” she remarked. “But remember, the best weapon isn’t the one you carry—it’s the one you know how to use.”
The group stepped into the holographic arena, its walls flickering before solidifying into the interior of an abandoned castle. Cracked stone walls rose around them, the flickering glow of torches casting eerie shadows. The air was damp and heavy, the faint sound of dripping water echoing through the cavernous halls.
Dray crossed his arms. “The simulation is set to medium difficulty. Your goal is simple: survive and adapt. Let’s see how your choices hold up in a fight. Remember, the best way to learn is through experience.”
The walls shuddered, everything became dark, and the ground rumbled as holographic enemies materialized: spectral knights armed with ghostly swords, their hollow eyes glowing with malevolent light. A low growl reverberated through the chamber as a massive, wolf-like beast prowled into view, its body hidden by the shadows, given away by its glowing yellow eyes.
Zack took to the grappling hooks immediately, using them to swing onto higher ground when the spectral knights closed in. He landed a punch squarely on one knight’s helmet, the shock-absorbing pads dampening the impact while the reinforced knuckles left a crack in the ghostly armor. “Not bad,” Dray’s voice came from all around the simulation. “But your movements are still clumsy.”
Amelia hesitated as the knights came closer and closer. “Alright… I can do this!” Her rapier flashed in the dim light as she darted around her opponents, landing strikes whenever she could. When cornered by the wolf-like beast, she activated the energy shield, its translucent barrier absorbing the creature’s lunging attack. “Okay, this thing is terrifying,” she gasped, but she held her ground. “That could use some work. I like how you strike whenever the chance appears, that’s good, but we’ll have to work on how and where you should strike for the most damage or efficiency.”
Lex stayed at a distance, his arrows striking true as he picked off knights from across the room. When a specter got too close, he switched to his dagger, deflecting an attack with surprising ease. Typical.
After the simulation ended, everything started to fade and turned back into the normal, old, sparring arena and the trio walked out. Dray clapped slowly. “Not terrible,” he said. “Zack, you need to work on your movement - those hooks won’t always be there. Amelia, good instincts, but you hesitate too much - time matters on the battlefield, one second of hesitation could end up getting you killed. As for Lex… you have a talent with the bow and dagger though. You’d make a good ranger or scout. BUT, don’t rely too much on your strand. What’ll happen when you face someone who can counter it?”
Lex looked up and grinned. “I wasn’t ever planning to rely on it. Plus, the only time someone can counter me is if they can also see the future, and that privilege can only be obtained in my family.”
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Drey laughed loudly. “That shows the level of understanding you have over your brand. What if, let’s say, your opponent is able to react quick enough that they can outrun your predictions?”
“What? Is that even possible?” Lex asked, confused. Dray signaled for another trainer to come over. A young woman came over. She was an asian girl with black hair that was tied in a tight bun, and eyes as dark as the abyss. Her uniform was worn but neat, and she had an aura of extreme confidence around her. “This is Ahzi,” Dray introduced.
“You’ll regret talking to master Dray like that, Lex.” Ahzi said, practically spat his name.
“Hah! Lex - aren’t you usually good with the girls? What’s going on here? What’d you do to make her so pissed?” Zack laughed.
“Both of you, get into the arena, let’s start the demonstration on why you don’t rely on strands as much as you do.” Dray cut in.
As the two walked in, the arena shifted again, this time becoming a windswept desert. Sand whipped around them as Lex and Saya squared off. Lex took a deep breath trying to lock in, being ready for his opponent’s every move was his most powerful tool, more than any equipment. Saya held up a jian - a double-edged straight sword, a multipurpose cut and thrust weapon capable of stabbing, as well as making both precise cuts and slashes, as opposed to specializing in one form of use.
The moment the match began, Saya closed the gap faster than he expected, her speed blurring the edges of his foresight. Lex quickly unsheathed his dagger and parried her first strike but barely had time to react to her follow-up. She moved like lightning, each step calculated to throw him off balance. Lex countered with a series of well-placed blows, his foresight giving him just enough edge to keep from being overwhelmed.
But Saya was relentless. Her agility and reaction time were unbelievable, allowing her to adapt mid-strike. She feinted left, then spun into a low sweep, catching Lex off guard and sending him sprawling into the sand.
As Lex scrambled to his feet, Saya stopped, her expression calm but impressed. “Not bad for a newbie,” she said, brushing sand from her sleeve.
Dray clapped once. “That’s enough. Lesson learned?”
Lex nodded, panting. “Yeah. Don’t underestimate speed.”
Dray grinned. “If you learn to combine it with raw skill, you might actually stand a chance against someone like Ahzi.”
As Lex defeatedly walked over to Zack and Amelia, Ahzi went over to Dray. “That kid… I underestimated him. His foresight makes him a hell to fight.” She gripped her jian tighter.
“Mmm… You did well, Ahzi. His strand is considered one of the most powerful strands, I just didn’t want him to get too cocky out there and die.”
“Him? He looks like the type of guy who comes prepared for anything.” Ahzi said, turning her head to stare at Lex.
***
Over the following weeks, the group trained relentlessly. Dray started teaching them the basics for each and every weapon, and then went on to making them choose an occupation - either combatant or sorcerer. Lex asked why there were only two options. Dray went on to explain that yes, there were of course also the other occupations, but it would take a lot of time and effort in order to gain a lot of proficiency in two occupations at once. Effort, sure. But they didn’t have a lot of time considering the Chaos Organization was on their tails.
Zack began to show promise as a melee combatant. He started trying to wield all sorts of melee weapons other than the gauntlet, trying to find something that perfectly suited him - but he showed the most compatibility with the bigger or more powerful weapons, like the greataxe, great spears, greatswords, and of course, the gauntlets. Although he was a bit of a reckless fighter in doing so. This led him to choose combatant as his main occupation.
He might even become a berserker or even magi-combatant in the future, since magi-combatants had an ability called inventory swap where the user has a magical inventory of equipment that they can carry around wherever and instantly take out or put in equipment. This allows them to have a diverse range of attacks, and almost never fear of losing or running out of weapons.
Amelia grew fond of her rapier, but given her very low endurance and stamina, she opted for more magical means. Namely using magical items that increased her mana, her magical damage, and more. So she chose sorcerer as her main occupation. Still, she kept one on her belt at all times because she felt like it.
Lex, meanwhile, worked on refining his use of foresight, blending it with practical combat skills. He struggled choosing his occupation, since both would bring advantages. Combatants were of course more adept in physical means like speed, strength, or reflexes. But considering that he already had something that could definitely keep up to those once trained enough, and combined with the potent and unpredictable abilities of magic, Lex decided on sorcerer.
As the group trained more, their bond together became stronger. Shared sweat, bruises, and the occasional laugh forged a camaraderie none of them had expected. They also got to learn about the other trainees along with them, two of which became quite good friends. Jay and Etal, the twins, added much-needed energy to the atmosphere. They had approached the trio and welcomed them, even in such a circumstance where most would be grieving the life they had lost. Jay had a knack for making everyone laugh mid-battle with terrible puns - “I’d axe you to stop, but you look too sharp!” - while Etal, the quieter one, had a wit as sharp as Amelia’s rapier. Their contrasting personalities balanced each other, and they quickly became the group’s moral support.
Jay’s weapon of choice was a pair of chakrams, while Etal wielded a sleek halberd. Despite their goofy banter, both were formidable in combat, often covering for the others during training simulations. “Hey, Amelia,” Jay called during a break, tossing a chakram into the air and catching it with only his right hand. “What’s with the energy shield? Afraid of gettin’ hurt?”
Amelia smirked, leaning on her rapier. “No, just prepared for when you inevitably mess up and need me to save you.”
“Oh, burn,” Etal muttered with a rare grin, earning a laugh from the group.
***
One night, after an especially grueling training session, the group gathered around a small campfire on the training grounds. The holographic sky above shifted to show a field of stars, casting a serene glow.
Zack poked at the fire with a stick. “Do you ever wonder… what we’re even fighting for? Like, what’s the point of all this?”
Amelia frowned. “To stop the Chaos Organization from doing whatever they want to do with us, obviously.”
“Yeah, but beyond that?” Zack pressed. “It’s just… weird, you know? We’re risking everything, and half the time, I don’t even know if I’m cut out for this.”
Lex glanced up from where he was sharpening his dagger. “We’re fighting because we have to. Because the academy doesn’t teach us life saving skills required to survive against an organization that wants to hunt us down. I’m speaking more for myself, but I want to be able to save people. Many lives were lost that night, but our school wasn’t the only one attacked. I heard the organization had attacked schools from all over the country. I’m not sure I couldn’t even protect myself against such people, let alone save others.”
Amelia shifted closer to Zack, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Besides, have you got any better ideas?”
“I… agree with Lex.” Zack said, looking down.
The moment lingered, quiet but meaningful, before Jay broke the silence with a loud fake cough. “Well, that got deep. Next thing you know, Zack’s going to propose.”
“Shut up, Jay,” Zack muttered, throwing his stick at him, though his cheeks burned red.
***
One evening, Vey gathered them in a dimly lit room, her expression serious. “The Chaos Organization isn’t just after you because you’re threats,” she said. “They want your strand energy - your potential.”
“For what? Are they gonna steal our potential or something?” Zack joked.
“That could be possible, yes,” Vey replied grimly. “But I don’t know as much as I’d like to.”
“And, why are you telling us this right now?” Amelia asked nervously.
“Since they’re going to come over here soon.” Vey replied. “They left a note saying, ‘If you hand over the kids now, we’ll have no reason to do this the hard way. You have 5 days. - Short and simple, Co H.M.’ It has been brought to our attention that our cover is already blown.”
“Then… what’re you gonna do?” Amelia asked.
“Don’t be silly - we left for a reason, there’s no way in hell we’re going to do this the easy way. Definitely not after y’all trained this hard.” Vey rolled her eyes. “In these five days, you’re going to be training like it’s your last - and it may just be.”
“Very funny.” Zack remarked.
“We’re going to give you guys one final training session.” Vey said looking towards Dray, who had just walked into the room.
“You’re going to face a special challenge: a team-based trial in a larger simulation meant to test their cohesion and adaptability. We have a good insight into how many people in the organization used to fight, but that won’t be of help. Time has passed, and the organization will change,” Dray said, his tone serious. “Tomorrow, you’ll face your toughest opponents yet, but you’ll also need to rely on each other more than ever. Win or lose, how you work together will determine your future, live everyday like it’s your last - cause it might just be.”
***
The group trained relentlessly yesterday, and they felt a newfound sense of unity. As Zack tightened the straps on his gauntlets, Amelia practiced with her magic, and Lex fine-tuned his spells. Jay and Etal, standing side by side, shared a grin.
“We’ve got this,” Jay said confidently.
Etal nodded. “Together.”
The six of them, along with countless other trainees stood at the entrance to the largest and usually off-limits sparring arena, the heavy doors sliding open to reveal an ominous, shadowy landscape. Their final challenge awaited - but the fight was far from over.