On the pastures outside of Phoenix city, four teens were meditating with their legs crossed and their eyes closed. Three of them were sweating profusely as veins popped all over their skins. The fourth one kept a serene expression, while 20 or so balls of fire, water, earth, wind, and pure white energy flew around her body, encasing her in a round, magical storm.

Even with their eyes closed, they could hear footsteps approaching from the city. They recognized the pace, although the hesitation and pauses which usually accompanied these steps were gone.

Eventually, the teens opened their eyes and saw a green haired boy. He was tall with broad shoulders, a sharp chin and intelligent eyes. Behind his back, there was a bow, and in his right hand he held no less than 20 quivers of arrows tied haphazardly with some string.

“Have you come to your senses?” asked Tommy.

“I never lost them.”

“Do I really need to punch you?” asked Michael.

“You’re welcome to try.” Finn grinned, threw the quivers to the side and placed his hands on his hips. “Listen up. I have decided to start a company. I cannot tell you what kind of company it will be or what services it will provide. What I can tell you is that you will be paid well, and the benefits will be second to none. Are you in?”

Not even a second later, Annie raised her hand and answered “Yes.” She then resumed her meditation, making the balls of energy clash into each other to test their properties.

“Will we need to take time away from our training?” asked Natalie.

“No,” Finn smirked. “I need a strong and capable workforce.” ‘Strong as hell, capable of taking on Loki if need be.’

“Will we help the empire or just our pockets?” asked Tommy.

“Both.”

Finn turned towards Michael who, despite looking him straight in the eyes, kept his silence.

“So, what will it be?” 'You want power, but I want loyalty.’ “Do you trust me, Michael?”

Michael stood up and turned his back. He walked towards the oak tree and punched its trunk. The tree shook although it did not break. “I don’t even trust myself anymore,” he muttered so faintly no one could hear him.

‘My punches cannot cut or tear like a sword. My brain cannot scheme or plan ahead like yours. I couldn’t even see through that goblin’s illusions, so what good am I to you?’

Disheartened, the boy walked behind the tree and sat on the grass.

“If Natalie joins, I’ll join too.”

‘Not the answer I was hoping for, but it’ll do for now.’ Finn bit his cheek and turned towards Natalie.

“As long as it doesn’t affect our training, I’m in.”

Finn nodded and looked at Tommy.

“How much will we help the people and how much will we help ourselves?”

“We will not become the bad guys. I plan for this company to be a net positive for all of us and for the empire. It’s a long-term project, so it’s fine if you’re not convinced yet. I will definitely earn your trust, given enough time.”

With these said, Finn sat down on the grass, closed his eyes and started breathing. ‘They’ll need time to digest.’ The others paused for a bit longer, but they eventually resumed meditating as well. ‘All in due time, little by little. I cannot afford to make Loki suspicious.’

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After a few more hours of breathing, the teens began sparring practice. Tommy swung his longsword vertically towards Natalie’s head, but she easily parried while stepping forward. The boy retreated to make room for another swing, but the girl kept up the pressure, matching his speed and forcing him to fight at close range.

At the same time, Annie and Michael exchanged fists. Michael’s swings came in groups of four or six at a time, from every direction and at impossible angles. Annie, although significantly less skilled, used her enhanced body to keep up with the blows. She even managed to throw a couple of counters which seemed to anger Michael greatly. After one of them hit, the boy let out a roar, enhanced his body to the absolute limit, and even started adding in kicks.

Blissfully unaware of his internal struggles, Finn observed from afar. ‘Mages who can’t do a single pushup... Thanks to Mr. Griffin, Annie could do 100 by the age of nine.’

Finn aimed his bow at a mound in the distance and shot several arrows. He then pushed a tiny button on the side of his bow. Upon releasing the string, his arrow flew at three times the normal speed embedded itself into the mound down to the feathers.

‘How much is the elves’ arrow bending due to genetics and how much is it due to practicing with bows like this?’

With this thought in mind, Finn loaded another arrow, pushed the button again but did not let go of the string. Instead, he focused on the arrow and on the wind which twisted around it like a rope, getting tighter and tighter. He then focused on the pocket that hid the orange crystal trying to feel a connection. Finally, he breathed in for five seconds, held the air for ten, and released for another five.

“What are you doing?” Annie summoned an earth wall, putting a pause to her match.

“Trying to feel the mana.”

“But you’re an archer,” said Michael while doing a spinning back kick straight through Annie’s wall.

“So? Luca could do it.” Finn lowered his bow and watched as the wind dissipated from his arrow. “Hey guys, I have an idea.”

Michael and Annie waited for an explanation, but the other two were still busy. Annoyed with the lack of breathing room, Tommy parried Natalie’s sword and kicked her in the stomach. The girl flew several feet back.

“You’ve gotten better.” She grinned and charged with a flurry of swings targeting Tommy’s legs.

Finn sighed. “Annie?”

The young mage raised a palm into the air, gathering a flurry of wind all around it. She then slammed it on the ground, making the wind burst forth towards the two fighters. As soon as it reached the spot between them, it rose in the form of a small tornado, sending both teens flying and stopping their spar.

From the side, Michael eyebrows rose sharply. The image of Annie slamming the earth, the pillar of air rising out of the ground, it all reminded him of one person: ‘Yeren...’

“So, can I have your attention?” Finn waved at the two teens to come closer. “I have a suggestion. How about we each train our respective disciplines in the morning, and then exchange pointers in the afternoon. Michael can teach us how to use our free limbs better, Annie could teach us some magic, I could teach you how to throw pebbles or your swords in an emergency, and you can...”

“Wait.” Natalie raised a hand. “Finn, you said you wouldn’t meddle with my training.”

“This is training.”

“No, this is screwing around. Swordsmanship is a full-time job. Distractions from the path of the sword should be treated like weeds on the side of the road,” she quoted Mr. Griffin perfectly.

‘Shit.’ “Then, how about doing this mixed practice just an hour or so per day? Remember how Mr. Griffin used lava before? That kind of resembled magic.”

“No, that was swordsmanship.” Natalie lowered her chin and a frown formed between her eyebrows. “Just because a duck and a goose look the same, they do not cook at the same temperature.”

‘Mr. Griffin never said that! Are you making up your own quotes?’

Natalie turned her back and left to train a bit further away.

“Do not distract me from the path of the sword. If you want pointers, then I’ll gladly help, but do not interrupt me while I spar.”

Tommy gave Finn an apologetic look before following after her.

‘Double shit.’ The boy looked at the other two.

“If you say it will help us, then I’ll try it out,” said Annie.

'Yes!'

However, Michael paused for a second before shaking his head. “I’ll go train with them.”

‘Triple shit with a cherry on top.’

With only himself and Annie remaining underneath the oak tree, a question popped inside Finn’s head: “Annie, why do you trust me so much?”

“Because I like you.”

Finn's cheeks immediately turned red. He averted his eyes, opened and closed his mouth several times, and eventually muttered “Let’s... let’s train. S-show me how you feel mana.”