The next day, the team gathered in the spacious training room, with sunlight streaming through the tall windows. Leon stood at the center, his gaze fixed on Imani—showing a mix of curiosity and respect in his eyes. He introduced himself with a polite nod.
"My name’s Leon. Leon A'bo. I’m the leader of this squad. It’s nice to finally meet you."
Imani smiled, returning his nod with respect.
"It’s nice to meet you too, Leon."
"How are you finding Ceiala so far?"
"It’s beautiful. Kamari gave me a quick tour yesterday. The city has a charm all its own."
Eli, who was lingering nearby, couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. He muttered under his breath.
"I bet he didn’t do that great of a job."
Kamari noticed the comment but chose not to respond. Eli then turned toward him with a mischievous smirk already forming.
"Did you even show her the Divine Lake? It’s breathtaking! But not as breathtaking as she is, of course."
Imani raised an eyebrow at Eli’s comment but also chose not to respond.
Kamari groaned and shot him a look.
"I showed her the lake."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Now dial it back. Relax with the flirting."
Leon sensed it was time to shift focus and clapped his hands, grinning.
"How about we have a quick sparring match, Imani? Show us what you've got."
Kamari stepped forward, eager to test his skills against her, but Eli, still not ready to let go of his flirting streak, jumped in front of him with a broad smile.
"I volunteer! Sparring’s always fun—especially with someone as lovely as you."
Imani's eyes narrowed, and she smoothly swept his legs out from under him, sending him sprawling onto the ground with a thud, still unimpressed.
Kamari and Leon burst out laughing, their laughter echoing through the training room.
Lying flat on his back, Eli grinned as he looked up at Imani and whispered to himself.
"Is this love?"
Imani shook her head and extended a hand to help him up.
"Can you please take this seriously?"
"Alright, alright."
He brushed off the dust as he stood up and summoned his twin batons. Imani responded by summoning her weapon: a sleek, double-sided ice spear.
Leon crossed his arms, watching them closely.
"No Enre. Let’s keep this fair and see some real skill."
Imani and Eli locked eyes while Eli twirled his batons, his stance more serious now. They clashed quickly, but Imani matched him step for step, her strikes precise and powerful. Every time Eli tried to push the offense, Imani deflected it effortlessly, her spear moving as though it were part of her.
Eli couldn't resist giving compliments between strikes.
"You're really skilled with that spear... I'm impressed. Also, I can't help but notice your eyes..."
He dodged one of her attacks with a grin.
Imani remained focused, ignoring his chatter. Her attention was locked on the fight. The sound of ice clashing against stone batons echoed through the room as they exchanged blows. Eli was quick, but Imani’s technique was flawless, giving him little room to breathe.
Finally, with a swift move, Imani hooked Eli’s legs with her spear, sending him crashing to the floor once more. Before he could react, she pinned him down, her spear hovering just above his chest.
Kamari and Leon smirked, clearly impressed. Eli, still lying on the ground, looked up at Imani, dazed and more infatuated than ever.
"Yeah. You're definitely the one."
Imani sighed and shook her head before releasing him. Once again, she offered a hand to help him up.
"Maybe next time, concentrate more on the battle and less on the compliments."
Eli grinned as he took her hand.
"No promises."
As Imani helped Eli to his feet, the sound of slow clapping echoed across the training room. Leila strolled over, her eyes glinting with amusement. Eli's face shifted to mild annoyance, though he quickly masked it as he introduced her to Imani.
"This is Leila. Morlyn-Commander of the General Division."
Leila raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she grabbed Eli’s arm.
"Is that all I am?"
Kamari and Leon exchanged knowing glances, trying to stifle their laughter. Leon leaned in toward Kamari and whispered.
"He definitely has a type."
Kamari smirked, noticing the similarities between Imani and Leila. Both women had deep, rich caramel-brown skin and a graceful, athletic build. Leila's hair was jet black, tied into a messy, naturally curly bun, and her hazel eyes gleamed with the same mischievous energy as she continued teasing Eli, who was clearly trying to ignore it.
Eli sighed and avoided her question.
"What are you doing here, Leila?"
Feigning hurt, Leila placed a hand over her heart.
"I’m here to see you, of course. Aren’t you happy to see me?"
"What do you really want?"
Leila's smirk deepened before momentarily dropping the teasing tone.
"Actually, I wanted to congratulate you all on forming your new squad. I was passing by on my way to The Nexus. The Ta'rai has requested help with a Terror-Class Incursion in Damor. I’m heading there now."
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Leon’s eyebrows lifted.
"Terror-Class? That sounds serious. Need any help?"
"Don’t worry, we’ve got it covered."
She then turned back to Eli, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"I heard you were at the Angel Eye Research Guild yesterday. Does that mean you’ve decided to come back?"
Eli's expression became stern, and he shook his head.
"I just needed to talk to Dr. Jyro about something we found. That’s it."
Leila let out a dramatic sigh, expressing genuine disappointment in her voice.
"Shame. I miss having you around. We made a great team."
She then turned her attention to Imani, smiling.
"It was nice meeting you, Imani."
Imani's expression remained unchanged, and she stayed silent while Leila walked away.
"You don’t have to worry about her," Eli said.
"Why would I worry?"
The brief silence that followed lingered in the air until she broke it with a practical question.
"So, what’s the name of the squad?"
Leon’s eyes widened in realization.
"Shit!"
He had clearly forgotten. After a moment of thought, he scratched his head and suggested.
"How about 'Tempest'?"
Kamari raised an eyebrow but didn’t dismiss it.
"Not bad. Why 'Tempest'?"
"It fits all our abilities—wind, water, fire, and lightning. It just feels like the energy of a storm."
Eli couldn’t resist a jab.
"Uh, fire has nothing to do with a tempest."
Kamari shrugged, smiling.
"I still like it. Besides, it’s kind of like 'Stormfront.' I’m sensing a theme."
Leon grinned.
"Exactly! We’ll be Tempest. Now, let’s head to the Onyx Chamber. I want to see what the 'Ice Queen' can really do."
Imani smirked.
"Lead the way."
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Imani stood poised in the center of the vast and empty Onyx Chamber. Above her, Leon, Kamari, and Eli watched from behind the reinforced glass of the control room. The room was filled with various desks, flashing buttons, and flickering screens. Workers moved about, adjusting settings and switches, their low murmurs filling the air as they prepared the Chamber for the simulation.
On the large display screen in front of them, the details of the simulation scrolled in bold text:
Simulation Mode: Exhibition. Landscape: Beach. Threat Level: None.
The head worker in the control room pressed a button and spoke into a crystal device, her voice echoing through the Chamber.
"The simulation is about to commence. Countdown starting now."
The large countdown timer appeared on the rear wall of the Onyx Chamber, ticking down from ten. As the timer began, multicolored liquid began to seep up from the cracks in the white tiles, transforming the floor beneath Imani’s feet. The liquid spread quickly, changing the Chamber’s environment from a sterile white to a vibrant beach, complete with crashing waves and golden sand that stretched across the vast space. The water sparkled in the simulated sunlight, and a gentle breeze ruffled the surface of the water.
Eli leaned forward, pressing his nose against the glass, his eyes fixed on Imani. His expression showed a mix of admiration and infatuation.
As the countdown reached zero, the worker’s voice echoed again.
"You may begin."
Without hesitation, Imani raised her hands. The water responded immediately, rising from the beach in massive waves that defied gravity. The liquid moved with an eerie fluidity as though it were an extension of Imani herself. With each motion of her hands, the waves split apart and crashed back together, spiraling up toward the ceiling of the Chamber like watery tendrils reaching for the sky.
In the control room, the three young men were speechless, watching her mastery over water with wide eyes. Even Leon, who had seen many displays of power before, was visibly impressed.
"She’s incredible," Kamari said.
Eli, grinning like a fool, nodded without tearing his gaze away.
"I told you. She’s the one."
Imani exhaled softly, and with that breath, the entire sea of water froze solid. The rapid transformation from liquid to ice sent a collective gasp through the control room. The beach was now encased in frozen beauty, the waves that once crashed and churned now frozen in mid-motion, jagged and gleaming.
"Now, that's what I was expecting from the 'Ice Queen,'" Leon said.
Imani lifted her arms once more, and the frozen water cracked and broke apart. The ice reformed itself in the shape of a massive serpent, its body coiling elegantly through the ChamberChamber. The icy serpent slithered forward with astonishing grace, and Imani leaped onto its head, riding the creature as it made its way across the beach. She controlled it effortlessly, her movements calm and assured as the serpent carried her toward the control room.
When the ice serpent reached the glass, Imani gave Kamari a playful wave. Kamari waved back with a grin, though he couldn’t help but notice Eli’s jealous glare out of the corner of his eye.
"It seems you have become my enemy, Red."
Eli was half-joking and half-serious.
Kamari laughed and nudged him on the arm.
"Relax. It's not that deep."
Before Eli could respond, the calm of the room was shattered by the sudden flashing of alarms. The control room's screens began lighting up in rapid succession, displaying alert after alert. A loud, urgent beep echoed through the room, and the leading worker's voice took on a panicked edge as she read the new data flooding in.
"Warning! Mass Incursion detected! High-level Rifts are appearing all over the continent!"
The entire control room froze for a split second as the gravity of the situation sunk in. The systems flashed with bright red warnings, the words Terror-Class Incursion repeatedly flashing on every screen.
Imani, still atop the frozen serpent, continued to peer into the control room, her face now serious.
Leon immediately took charge.
"Alright, Tempest, it looks like we've got work to do."
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Byron called for a meeting in the briefing chambers. The walls of the Chamber were adorned with maps and screens displaying the continent of Krugona, with each region marked by flashing red lights indicating dozens of Terror-Class Incursions. Tension filled the air as Byron stepped forward, his voice calm but urgent.
"Over two dozen Terror-Class Incursions are happening across Krugona. This isn’t a coincidence. Zaire is making his move, and this is most likely his way of drawing you out, Kamari. So, we need to be on high alert. "
Kamari’s stomach tightened at the mention of Zaire. He clenched his fists but kept his expression neutral, listening closely.
Byron continued, his gaze shifting to Tempest.
"I'd rather not send you four out on your own, but the Seraphim is stretched thin. We have no other choice."
Jermaine grunted, folding his arms.
"What's the plan?"
"You'll be handling six Incursions in the northern region."
"Ugh, I hate the cold."
"The rest of Stormfront will focus on the southern coast. Tempest, you’ll handle the closest Incursion happening in the eastern region. Most of the General Division had already been deployed off-continent to handle Incursions in Damor. That leaves the Arcane Division to assist with the remaining threats."
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With the briefing concluded, the two squads made their way to The Nexus—a vast, awe-inspiring room filled with glowing portals. It was the Seraphim's primary mode of instantaneous travel across the Realm. The floor buzzed with activity. Battalions of soldiers dressed in the Seraphim’s signature white and gold armor lined up before the massive, glimmering portal gates, waiting to march into battle.
Kamari couldn’t help but notice the tension in the air. Though the soldiers stood ready, many of them trembled slightly, their hands clutching their weapons a little too tightly. Kamari understood that feeling well—each time they stepped through those portals, there was a chance it would be their last. Life in the Realm of Meiyr was brutal—this was just a mere reminder.
Kamari's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Ruege—the Morlyn-Commander of the Arcane Division. She approached Byron and Jermaine, her armor gleaming under the Nexus’s ethereal light. Ruege was an older woman, her face etched with the scars of countless battles against the forces of the Nether. Despite her rugged appearance, there was an undeniable beauty about her, with her muscular yet curvaceous build and short, curly black hair. Her commanding presence was unmistakable.
"Byron. It’s always a pleasure to see you. Knowing Stormfront is out there eases my mind."
Byron smiled.
"Likewise, Ruege. The Arcane Division has been holding strong."
Ruege nodded, glancing toward the soldiers waiting near the portals.
"These soldiers look up to you all. Stormfront, in particular, has become a beacon of hope. As long as you're out there fighting, it gives them the courage to lay down their lives."
She turned to Jermaine, her gaze softening.
"And you, especially. The Thunder God of Ceiala. Your reputation alone keeps them pushing forward."
Jermaine, typically exuding confidence and swagger, subtly shifted, displaying a rare expression of genuine respect.
"I’m just doing my part."
Ruege then looked toward Tempest.
"It’s good to see a new squad forming under the guidance of living legends. You have big shoes to fill, but I look forward to seeing how you rise to the challenge."
With that, she bid them farewell, walking off to join her battalion.
As soon as Ruege left, Jermaine grinned mischievously and split himself into six identical clones. Each one stretched and prepared to teleport to the northern Incursions. But before they left, each clone stopped to kiss Nia on the cheek, causing her to roll her eyes playfully. The last clone, however, pulled Nia in close for a deeper, more passionate kiss.
"Be careful out there. Make sure you come back to me."
Nia smiled, resting her forehead against his for a moment.
"I will. Don’t worry so much."
She squeezed his hand before Jermaine’s clone teleported away in a burst of lightning.
Byron turned to Tempest.
"Stay vigilant. Zaire is out there. Keep an eye out, especially you, Kamari."
Kamari nodded.
Byron rubbed his hand through Kamari's hair.
"Be careful, kid."