Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC

"These formations kept my family alive through dozens of encounters."

Christopher said, placing small pieces of conjured rock into position.

Alexander leaned forward, blonde hair falling into his eyes as he studied the rocks.

"I've read about military formations, but I've never actually practiced any. This could help us in the team battles. Good work, Christopher!."

Sabrina crossed her arms, coffee-brown hair already pulled back in preparation for training.

"Military formations are fine, but they're meant for larger units. We're just five people—will it even work?"

"Still..."

Christopher insisted, stifling a yawn,

"if we position ourselves correctly—"

"We'll screw up?"

Sabrina interrupted.

"Let's just give it a try, we have time."

Farrah said with a smile.

The others nodded in agreement, and a second later, Sabrina also agreed.

"Bryan?"

Farrah glanced at him, but he did not reply.

"I'll pass."

He told her as he leaned against the wall.

"What? I thought we agreed to practice—together. As a team."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Yup, so 'we' did. Don't worry, your little head, I'll do my part. I want to observe."

He explained more than he usually would have.

He was sure the formation they aimed for would fail, but he could not determine that based on his feelings. Although it had only been a day since he had met them, from what he had seen of their skills, he could tell it would not work out as they wanted it to.

Besides, they only had a few days until the team battle, which meant they only had today to get any established teamwork.

A competent team would be required for something as advanced as Christopher suggested. It might look good on paper, and it would even be a good formation to have in their back pocket when needed.

However, diving head-first into advanced formations or techniques was not the way to go.

From his position against the wall, Bryan watched them fumble through the first attempt: Christopher's sluggish directions, Alexander's hesitant water control, and Sabrina's poorly timed magma attacks.

Mistakes like this would never go unpunished in the Inquisition. He clenched his teeth slightly at the memories when his instructors slapped him across the face for moving too slow, missing a target, or not reacting in time to enemy movements.

A slap was getting off lightly; there were times a punch to the gut, and an electric shock down his spinal cord also worked. Especially when he was exhausted from all the training, but he was still expected to do his share of the work during the exercises.

After their third failed attempt, Bryan let out an exasperated sigh.

"This isn't working."

Christopher turned, dark circles prominent under his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"None of you have the skills to execute these formations."

Bryan stated flatly.

"You're leaving gaps in your defense that would get you killed in a real fight. Your instructors aren't clear or correct, and you seem to be fumbling through it as if copying something you've seen before. Sabrina's casting speed is way too slow, and your current positions do not fit the roles Alan has assigned you."

"Oh? Well, maybe we'd be better off if we had a fifth member to fill those gaps. Instead, he's complaining from the sideline."

Christopher's voice flared to life, but his eyes still looked dead with exhaustion.

"If you think it's so obvious, why don't you show us how it's done?"

Bryan met his gaze, considering. Having a somewhat competent team would make his life here more manageable, and watching them fumble over the same mistakes was becoming painful.

"Fine."

He reluctantly said.

"But don't expect me to coddle you."

**********

"Christopher, left flank."

Bryan shouted and moved slightly to cover the gap that was forming between Sabrina and Alexander.

"Your earth walls need to be three feet closer to the center. The current position leaves us exposed."

Christopher's shaggy brown hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. Dark circles shadowed his eyes as he stifled another yawn.

"Mm... right."

He shifted his weight, stomping once to adjust the earthen barrier. His sluggish movements reminded Bryan that he severely lacked stamina and ether control.

"Our transitions are smoother than before and much easier to follow."

Farrah said from behind in her position to the leftmost position that guarded against any potential ambushes they could face.

"At this rate, the monsters will still fall asleep waiting for us to get in position."

Sabrina called out, though her tone carried more amusement than criticism. She adjusted her coffee-brown hair, pulling it back into a quick ponytail.

"But at least we're not tripping over each other anymore."

Alexander wiped sweat from his brow, his blonde hair now disheveled from exertion.

"We should test it against the training holograms. See how it holds up against actual movement patterns."

"No."

Bryan responded.

"Master the basics first. Adding variables now will only create bad habits."

He winced inwardly as his words reminded him of Light, one of his Inquisition instructors. The high Inquisitor had him doing the same movements over and over again for hours with minimal breaks before they moved on to something else.

It was annoying, considering Bryan had the movement down within the first few minutes and was doing it on autopilot after the first hour. Light, however, never praised him for his quick learning, and he did not advance to another movement before Bryan practiced the first one for two or three hours.

His gaze shifted to Farrah, catching her studying him with those bright green eyes. The dark elf's expression made him wary. It felt like she was examining him. And he hated it.

"Your positioning needs adjustment."

Bryan told her that although she was okay, she was just two or maybe three inches away from where she needed to be. It was a minor thing, and when she furrowed her brow at him, he figured she was wondering what he was talking about. He was satisfied.

'Good, focus on something else, not me.'

Bryan continued, focusing back on the task.

"Sabrina, your magma output—"

"Is perfectly fine."

Sabrina interrupted, grinning.

"Some of us were born to bring the heat."

She demonstrated with a small burst of magma that spewed three feet in the air.

Bryan sighed at her display of wasting her ether. It was not like her pool of it was infinite, and he could tell that she was running on fumes since the display used less power than she had shown before.

Christopher swayed slightly, catching himself against his earth wall.

"Sorry, just... need a moment."

His voice told Bryan the boy was exhausted, sweat dripped from his forehead, and he slumped to the ground.

A gruff voice echoed in his mind.

Get up. You'll rest when it's break time. Pain only lasts a second. Suck that shit up and get back on your feet—or I'll show you what real pain feels like.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Bryan exhaled, forcing the memory away.

He didn't know why that memory popped into his head, but it did. He was ten at the time, running laps with weights on his legs and arms. He'd been at it for thirty minutes, but that was not accounting for the sparring he did before that, the target practice before that, or the lecture he attended on countermeasures for specific types of spells.

No one said anything yet, but they were tired, and after Christopher slumped down to the floor, the others soon followed, except for Farrah, who started fixing her hair and said something to Sabrina.

He didn't get a chance to take a break or complain, but these kids were not in the same situation as him. They weren't members of the Inquisition, so they deserved a break - even if they didn't work hard enough for it.

"Take five."

Bryan said that although the others were doing that already,

Farrah came over to him, not breathing heavily or seeming exhausted, and smiled at him.

Bryan was not sure he liked her smile, and he could never tell why she was friendly.

"The training is great, and the formations are solid, but we're not machines. We need a break. Did you forget we must attend Alan's training session soon?"

He did not forget, but it was annoying that they were supposed to be among the academy's top 20 and could not pick up something this basic fast enough. He should either set his expectations low or require them to improve faster.

Why was he so concerned about their progress? He did not like to get involved with other people.

'Because they are a liability to your progress here.'

A knowing look crossed her features.

"I suspect you're used to more demanding training schedules, but think about the others."

Bryan met her gaze.

"Five minutes."

He repeated, ignoring her implied question.

"Then we run it again."

Alexander lowered his water sphere carefully, wiping his hands on his uniform.

"We're improving, though, right? It feels like my control over my water sphere has gotten better."

"Your control is… adequate."

Bryan responded, earning an eye roll from Sabrina.

"High praise from our resident slavemaster."

She quipped.

Turning, she noticed Christopher had his eyes shut.

"Chris, you still with us?"

Christopher had slid down to sit against his earth wall, eyes closed.

"Just resting my eyes…"

He mumbled unconvincingly.

Their casual banter and genuine concern for each other were foreign to his experience. No one in the Inquisition would dare show such weakness.

**********

"I can't feel my legs."

Sabrina groaned, running her fingers through her coffee-brown hair. Despite her complaints, she maintained her outspoken voice.

"And to think you two get to return to your private rooms and bathrooms."

She shot an envious glance at Bryan and Farrah.

Farrah's dark curls weren't tangled or a mess despite the morning's exertion.

"It's really not special, just a room and a bathroom."

She said, with a slight chuckle.

"Just a room?"

Alexander perked up, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

"That bed feels like sleeping on a cloud! I nearly fell asleep waiting for Christopher to come out of the shower."

"And those dresses!"

Sabrina's freckled face lit up.

"I saw what's in your closet. It's such a waste that we can't wear anything but these uniforms."

She plucked at her black and gold attire with distaste.

"Speaking of rooms…"

Christopher's tired voice carried a hint of dry humor,

"Bryan's looks like it's still waiting for someone to move in. I've got more shirts with personality than he has decorations."

Bryan raised an eyebrow at the comparison. If Christopher had only known how accurate that observation was, his quarters in the Inquisition wouldn't have been much different.

"Not everyone needs material possessions to exist."

"You don't even have a pillow!"

Alexander laughed. The others joined in, their amusement genuine rather than mocking.

"You think that's bad?"

Sabrina redirected the conversation with animated gestures.

"Try sharing a bathroom with Leah. Last night, she spent forever doing her hair—I had to threaten to burn the room down to get her out!"

"That sounds dreadful. You can always come to visit me if you want. More than enough room for two."

Farrah's response was unexpected.

"Really? I mean… if you insist."

Sabrina quickly said.

"No, she doesn't mean it, and you know it."

Christopher added.

"Oh please, like you can tell what she's thinking."

Sabrina replied as she rolled her eyes.

Alan Walker's weathered face lifted from his academic card as they approached the gym entrance. His blue eyes scanned their disheveled state. The perpetually tired-looking instructor's mouth twitched with what might have been amusement.

"You all look like someone beat your mother."

He said, stifling a yawn.

Christopher gestured toward Bryan with a tired wave.

"Well, someone certainly tried. Didn't even break a sweat himself."

Alan's eyebrow rose as he studied Bryan.

"Morning practice?"

Alan's question sounded more like a statement.

Alexander straightened despite his exhaustion.

"Yes, sir. We wanted to get some extra training in before today's session."

"A team that sweats together bleeds together."

Alan nodded, tucking his academic card into his pocket.

"Good initiative. Though you might regret working so hard today."

His lips curved into what could have been either a smile or a smirk.

Sabrina ran her hand through her hair, which was still damp from the shower.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Today's training will be mixed, and we won't use this gym. We'll be in the main one instead."

Alan explained.

"This isn't the main gym?"

Sabrina's eyes widened in surprise.

Alan's chuckle held a hint of amusement.

"This? This is just a training gym. A small one at that."

He gestured for them to follow, leading them toward a door at the room's far end.

"Come on. Let's introduce you all to what real training facilities look like."

Bryan fell behind the others, keeping a suitable distance from them as they discussed their expectations and asked questions.

**********

The massive double doors swung open, and Bryan watched his teammates' expressions shift from exhaustion to awe. The main gymnasium stretched before them, the space easily dwarfing their previous training area threefold.

"Sweet mother of magic."

Sabrina breathed and seemed to forget to exhale.

Her eyes tracked upward to the observation platform that encircled the entire space, its floor-to-ceiling windows offering an unobstructed view of the training grounds below.

The central dueling platform dominated the space—a raised octagonal arena. Multiple training zones radiated outward from the center, each marked with different colored boundary lines and equipped with various apparatus.

"This."

Alan gestured broadly.

"Is where the real work happens. The arena can simulate everything from desert storms to arctic conditions."

He paused, giving them time to take it all in.

"You can't properly train for combat in a controlled environment. Nature isn't kind enough to provide perfect conditions when you're fighting for your life."

Christopher seemed to show genuine interest in the dueling arena, although his expression and tone remained the same.

"Those are environmental stabilizers."

He noted, pointing to the geometric patterns along the walls.

"Someone's been doing their homework."

Alan nodded approvingly.

"I'm not sure of all the technical jargon involved. I just know it prevents the environmental changes from distorting or collapsing. A lot of your fights, including your team battles, will take place there."

Other teams were already present, standing around in their teams with instructors close by.

"The observation deck."

Farrah's eyes were looking up to the windows above.

"Will there be observers during our training?"

"There usually are, but not now, as the school term hasn't officially started yet. Some might show up for the team battle, but they all know there are only twenty students present, and there won't be enough data to go off of or to compare them to."

Alan confirmed, stifling another yawn.

"Instructors, sometimes nobles, military officials. Everyone wants to see how their investments are performing. But, as I stated before you were ranked on your starting potential, a lot can and will change over a few months. Never think you're ahead of the pack based on a number."

Alexander shifted uncomfortably at that last comment.

"How many teams can train here simultaneously?"

"Eight, at full capacity. Though today we're focusing on individual metrics."

He pulled out his academic card, its blue surface reflecting the overhead lights.

"Now, let's get you all sorted into your proper groups."

Alan's academic card projected a soft blue glow as he scrolled through the assignments.

"Right then. When I call your name, move to your assigned instructor. No complaints, no questions."

"Why are we being split up?"

Alexander asked, his voice carrying what Bryan figured to be a concern.

Alan's eyes fixed on Alexander. And Bryan could have sworn he saw it twitch with annoyance.

"Different roles need different evaluations. Each instructor specializes in specific combat aspects."

He gestured toward the other instructors.

"Silivia will score those whose class is mage and support. Lock's background suits him for assessing slayers and fighters. Gloria handles the same as Lock, with the addition of specialist. And yours truly handles tanks, supports, and fighters."

Sabrina whistled.

"That's three instructors for fighters. How many are there?"

"Doesn't matter. Silvermark and Vane, you're with me."

Alan announced.

Bryan noticed that Alexander's shoulders seemed to relax when he found out he was with Alan.

'Guess it's better with the demon you know than the one you don't.'

"Rigof, you're in Grace's group."

"Yes!"

Sabrina pumped her fist in excitement, her hair bouncing with the movement.

Bryan found her excitement to be unfounded, considering it was literally the only professor in charge of mages.

"Pipe down."

Alan warned.

"Heartland, you're with Lock."

Farrah nodded.

"Blackwood, you're with Gloria's group."

"These evaluations matter."

Alan continued, tucking away his academic card.

"I know you're tired from your morning training, but that's no excuse for poor performance. Consider it your first lesson in fighting while exhausted."

Alexander stepped forward.

"We've trained together. We'll succeed apart. Everyone remember—"

"Save the motivational speech, captain."

Alan interrupted.

"You'll have time for that later. You're all dismissed to head to your respective instructors."

Farrah touched Alexander's arm gently.

"Good luck, everyone."

She said before they separated.

Bryan moved toward Gloria's group, wondering how they would be tested. Would they be placed in a combat situation, fight one-on-one, or display their spells for control?

Julius and Alessia stood apart from the others, standing straight with their hands behind their back, gazing directly at Gloria. The remaining two students—whose names Bryan had already memorized from the introduction—showed signs of physical fatigue like his team.

Gloria stood with her arms crossed, her brown hair flowing down her neck. Her blue eyes were downright intimidating, which must be why the other two students, Kevin Chen and Sarah Evans, stood off to the side.

Bryan took his place next to Alessia, placing his hands behind him as he stood tall.

Seeing his arrival, she motioned for Kevin and Sarah to join them. They did precisely that, and no other students came.

"In this group, you speak only when spoken to. I don't know how the other instructors run their evaluations, and I don't care. Here, you follow my rules."

"Three tests await you."

Gloria continued.

"Endurance, speed, and combat. Each has specific parameters and scoring metrics. Your scores won't affect your school ranking here at camp, but they will be recorded."

"Your position in one test determines your order in the others."

She explained.

"First in endurance takes the last position in speed but leads in combat. I'll demonstrate the first test before announcing your order."

She announced.

Gloria stepped into a central ring on the floor. Blue lights pulsed around its circumference. A red barrier materialized around her form, its surface rippling with power.

"This is an endurance test, and your goal is simple: remain standing. Fall or lose consciousness, and you fail. The gravity will increase progressively, testing both your magical and physical limits."

No pressure could be felt from outside the ring, but the shimmer that flashed across her barrier spoke volumes. It was holding against an invisible pressure without shaking or deforming.

The thing with magic barriers was that there were sections to them, usually a hexagon shape in every section, and the more sections a mage had, the stronger the barrier.

For lesser skilled mages, they would have a barrier that wasn't exactly a circle but would still protect them from spells. It would be less durable than a mage that could produce a barrier with countless small hexagon sections, making their barrier look smooth all around.

Like Gloria's.

"You may defend yourself with a barrier like this one."

She gestured to her red shield.

"Or reinforce your body directly if you possess that capability. Either way, you'll be fighting against forces that want to crush you into the ground."

The barrier dissipated as Gloria stepped out of the ring, the blue lights fading to dormancy.

"Any questions?"

Sarah Evans' hand rose hesitantly.

"Good, no questions."

Gloria cut off any potential inquiry.

"Evans, you're first. Then Blackwood, Chen, Hayes, and Reinhart."

As Sarah moved toward the ring, her steps faltering slightly, Bryan observed the subtle dynamics at play. Julius' barely concealed irritation at being last, Alessia's relief at not being called, Chen's nervous glances at the crater from Gloria's earlier demonstration.

"When you're ready, raise your barrier or augment your body with ether. I'll begin in three, and you only get one try.

Sarah nodded, raising her hand as a blue barrier shimmered to life around her body. Four hexagon sections were all her barrier could manage.

A moment later, her barrier flashed as a light rippled around it from the top as the pressure hit her.